Device for transmitting wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum

Claim 2

A stack for providing a plurality of sets of transmission paths for conducting radiant energy selectively directed toward a first edge surface of the stack to a second edge surface of the stack, comprising a plurality of sheets of materials having a first index of refraction, each of the said sheets having a plurality of channels formed on a surface thereof extending from a first edge of the sheet to a second edge of the sheet, and a plurality of transparent channel members each positioned in a different one of said channels and extending from the first edge of said sheet to the second edge of said sheet to provide a transmission path over said sheet, each of said channel members having an input end terminating at the first edge of the sheet and an output end terminating at the second edge of the sheet, said plurality of sheets being stacked together with the first edges thereof forming the first edge surface of said stack and the second edges thereof forming the second edge surface of said stack, each channel member being of a material having an index of refraction that is greater than the index of refraction of said sheets to permit radiation directed toward the first edge surface of said stack to be transmitted over the transmission paths provided by channel members to the second edge of said stack, and alignment means for aligning said sheets in said stack to locate the input ends of certain ones of said channel members on one sheet at predetermined positions relative to the input ends of chAnnel members on other sheets at the first edge surface of the stack and to locate the output ends of said channel members at predetermined positions at the second edge surface of the stack to thereby provide a plurality of sets of transmission paths over said stack, such that radiant energy selectively directed toward different preselected portions of the first edge surface of the stack is conducted to the second edge surface of the stack over different ones of said sets of transmission paths.

Claim 3

An optical stack for providing a plurality of sets of light paths for conducting light selectively directed toward a portion of a first edge surface of the stack to a second edge surface of the stack comprising a plurality of sheets of a material having a first index of refraction, each of said sheets having a plurality of channels formed on a surface thereof extending from a first edge of the sheet to a second edge of the sheet, and a plurality of light channel members each positioned in a different one of said channels and extending from the first edge of said sheet to the second edge of said sheet to provide a plurality of separate light conducting paths over said sheet, each light channel member having an input end terminating at the first edge of said sheet and an output end terminating at the second edge of said sheet, said plurality of sheets being stacked together with the first edges thereof forming the first edge surface of said stack having the input ends of the light channel members exposed thereon at different locations and with the second edges thereof forming the second edge surface of said stack having the output ends of said light channel members exposed thereon at a common location each channel member being of a material having an index refraction that is greater than the index of refraction of said sheet to permit light directed toward the input ends of the light channel members to be conducted over said stack from the first edge surface to the second edge surface over said light channel member and alignment means for aligning said sheets in said stack to locate the input ends of certain ones of the channel members on one sheet in an overlying relationship with the input ends of certain ones of the channel members on another sheet in different preselected portions of said first edge surface of said stack providing a plurality of separate sets of light conducting paths to thereby permit transmission of light only over light channel members of a given set upon selective illumination of only the portion of the first edge surface of the stack wherein the input ends of such light channel members are exposed.

Claim 4

An optical stack for providing a plurality of sets of light paths for conducting light selectively directed toward a portion of a first edge surface of the stack to a second edge surface of the stack comprising a plurality of sheets of a material having a first index of refraction, each of said sheets having a plurality of channels formed on a surface thereof extending from a first edge of the sheet to a second edge of the sheet, and a plurality of light channel members each positioned in a different one of said channels and extending from the first edge of said sheet to the second edge of said sheet to provide a plurality of separate light conducting paths over said sheet, each light channel member having an input end terminating at the first edge of said sheet and an output end terminating at the second edge of said sheet, said plurality of sheets being stacked together with the first edges thereof forming the first edge surface of said stack having the input ends of the light channel members exposed thereon at different locations and with the second edges thereof forming the second edge surface of said stack having the output ends of said light channel members exposed thereon at a common location each channel member being of a material having an index refraction that is greater than the index of refraction of said sheet to permit light directed toward the input ends of the light channel members to be conducted over said stack from the first edge surface to the second edge surface over said light channel member and alignment means for aligning said sheets in said stack to locate the input ends of certain ones of the channel members on one sheet in an overlying relationship with the input ends of certain ones of the channel members on another sheet in different preselected portions of said first edge surface of said stack providing a plurality of separate sets of light conducting paths to thereby permit transmission of light only over light channel members of a given set upon selective illumination of only the portion of the first edge surface of the stack wherein the input ends of such light channel members are exposed.

Claim 5

An optical stack as set forth in claim 2 wherein each of said sheets includes a pair of alignment apertures and wherein said alignment means includes a further sheet having a pair of spaced parallel alignment members which are received through the alignment apertures in said sheets.

Claim 6

A stack for providing a plurality of separate light transmission paths for conducting light incident on a first edge surface of the stack to a second edge surface of the stack, comprising a plurality of light channel plates each including a plate body of a material having a first index of refraction, said plate body including a branched channel formed on a surface thereof having a plurality of first ends which intersect the first edge surface of said light channel plate at different predetermined locations and a second end which intersects the second edge surface of said light channel plate at a predetermined location, and an integrally formed light channel member disposed in said branched channel and conforming to the shape thereof, said light channel member having input ends terminating at said predetermined locations on the first edge surface of said light channel plate and an output end terminating at said predetermined location on the second edge surface of said light channel plate, each said light channel member being of a material having an index of refraction thaT is greater than the index of refraction of said plate member to permit light directed toward the input ends of said light channel member to be conducted over said light channel plate from the first edge surface to the second edge surface thereof, and alignment means for aligning said sheets in said stack to locate the input ends of certain ones of the light channel members on one sheet in an overlying relationship with the input ends of certain ones of the channel members on another sheet providing a plurality of sets of light conducting paths to thereby permit transmission of light only over the light channel members of a given set upon selective illumination of a surface portion of the first edge of the stack including the input ends of the light channel members of said given set.

Claim 7

A stack for providing a plurality of separate light transmission paths for conducting light incident on a first edge surface of the stack to a second edge surface of the stack, comprising a plurality of light channel plates each including a plate body of a material having a first index of refraction, said plate body including a branched channel formed on a surface thereof having a plurality of first ends which intersect the first edge surface of said light channel plate at different predetermined locations and a second end which intersects the second edge surface of said light channel plate at a predetermined location, and an integrally formed light channel member disposed in said branched channel and conforming to the shape thereof, said light channel member having input ends terminating at said predetermined locations on the first edge surface of said light channel plate and an output end terminating at said predetermined location on the second edge surface of said light channel plate, each said light channel member being of a material having an index of refraction thaT is greater than the index of refraction of said plate member to permit light directed toward the input ends of said light channel member to be conducted over said light channel plate from the first edge surface to the second edge surface thereof, and alignment means for aligning said sheets in said stack to locate the input ends of certain ones of the light channel members on one sheet in an overlying relationship with the input ends of certain ones of the channel members on another sheet providing a plurality of sets of light conducting paths to thereby permit transmission of light only over the light channel members of a given set upon selective illumination of a surface portion of the first edge of the stack including the input ends of the light channel members of said given set.

Claim 8

A channel plate for transmitting wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum between a source and detection means, comprising a plate body having top and bottom surfaces and at least two side surfaces, said plate body having a plurality of channels formed in one of said top or bottom surfaces, said channels having first end portions intersecting one of said side surfaces at separate positions, and said channels having second end portions intersecting a second side surface of said plate body at a common point of intersection, and conduction element means disposed in each of said channels and extending the full length thereof, said conduction element means being of a material capable of guiding wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum by substantially total internal reflection through the full length thereof, said plate body being made from a material having a predetermined index of refraction, and said conduction element means being made up of a material having a higher index of refraction than said plate body material.

Claim 9

A channel plate for transmitting wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum between a source and detection means, comprising a plate body having top and bottom surfaces and at least two side surfaces, said plate body having a plurality of channels formed in one of said top or bottom surfaces, said channels having first end portions intersecting one of said side surfaces at separate positions, and said channels having second end portions intersecting a second side surface of said plate body at a common point of intersection, and conduction element means disposed in each of said channels and extending the full length thereof, said conduction element means being of a material capable of guiding wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum by substantially total internal reflection through the full length thereof, said plate body being made from a material having a predetermined index of refraction, and said conduction element means being made up of a material having a higher index of refraction than said plate body material.

Claim 10

A channel plate as defined in claim 5 wherein said top and bottom surfaces are generally planar and parallel to allow stacking of a plurality of channel plates.

Claim 11

A channel plate as defined in claim 5 wherein each channel has a predetermined cross-sectional by configuration, and wherein said conduction element means comprises an elongated wave transmitting body having a cross-sectional configuration allowing said conduction element means to be received in and engage the wall surfaces defining said channel.

Claim 12

A channel plate as defined in claim 7 wherein said surfaces of said plate body defining each said channel have smooth polished finishes, and wherein said conduction element means has an optically smooth outer peripheral surface.

Claim 13

A channel plate as defined in claim 5 wherein said plate body is made from acrylic plastic having an index of refraction of approximately 1.49, and wherein said conduction element means is made of polystyrene having an index of refraction of approximately 1.59.