Patent US3881802A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3881802A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Wedge-prism optical scanner
Assignee: Bendix Corp
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Filing: 1974-04-18
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Granted: 1975-05-06
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Expires: 1994-04-18
Abstract
Abstract A wedge-prism optical scanner embodying a single rotating wedge and a roof prism optically arranged to reflect an incident beam of light to pass through the wedge twice is disclosed. The retroreflective property of the roof prism along one of its axes causes the two deflections produced by the rotating wedge to be cancelled, while the specular reflective property of the roof prism along a transverse axis causes the two deflections produced by the wedge to add. Rotation of the prism rotates the retroreflective and specular reflective axis of the prism and rotates the scan plane of the optical scanner. Individual and integrated encoding systems generating signals indicative of the angle of the deflection and the rotation of the scan plane are also disclosed.
Inventors
- 👤 Uuno V Helava
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 11:57
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B26/00; G02B26/08; G02B26/10; G02B26/108
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
182 words
An optical scanner for angularly deflecting an incident beam of light in a direction parallel to a determinable plane comprising: a single refractive member, having an entrance surface, an exit surface angularly disposed to said entrance surface and a longitudinal axis passing through said entrance and exit surfaces, for angularly deflecting the incident beam of light incident on said entrance surface in a straight line through said single refractive member to said exit surface in a direction to generate a deflected beam angularly disposed to the direction of said incident beam, said deflected beam having a first angular component in a direction parallel to a first predetermined plane containing said longitudinal axis and a second angular component in a direction parallel to a second predetermined plane containing said longitudinal axis and perpendicular to said first predetermined plane; means for rotating said single refractive member about said longitudinal axis; means disposed adjacent to said exit surface for reflecting said deflected beam back through said single refractive member, said means for reflecting retro-reflecting said first angular component and specularly reflecting said second angular component.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
182 words
An optical scanner for angularly deflecting an incident beam of light in a direction parallel to a determinable plane comprising: a single refractive member, having an entrance surface, an exit surface angularly disposed to said entrance surface and a longitudinal axis passing through said entrance and exit surfaces, for angularly deflecting the incident beam of light incident on said entrance surface in a straight line through said single refractive member to said exit surface in a direction to generate a deflected beam angularly disposed to the direction of said incident beam, said deflected beam having a first angular component in a direction parallel to a first predetermined plane containing said longitudinal axis and a second angular component in a direction parallel to a second predetermined plane containing said longitudinal axis and perpendicular to said first predetermined plane; means for rotating said single refractive member about said longitudinal axis; means disposed adjacent to said exit surface for reflecting said deflected beam back through said single refractive member, said means for reflecting retro-reflecting said first angular component and specularly reflecting said second angular component.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
The optical scanner of claim 1 further means disposed adjacent to the entrance surface of said single refractive member along said longitudinal axis for optically separating said deflected light beam from said incident light beam after passing through said single refractive member a second time.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
61 words
The optical scanner of claim 2 wherein said single refractive member is a transparent substrate having an index of refraction different from the surrounding media, wherein said entrance surface and said exit surface are two planar surfaces of said substrate angularly disposed to each other to form a wedge, and said longitudinal axis passes through both of said two planar surfaces.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
74 words
The optical scanner of claim 2 wherein said means for reflecting Comprises two planar reflective surfaces intersecting along a common line perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said single refractive member, one of said reflective surfaces disposed at a 45* angle with respect to said longitudinal axis and the other reflective surface disposed on the opposite side of said longitudinal axis and at an angle of 90* with respect to said one reflective surface.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
61 words
The optical scanner of claim 4 wherein said means for reflecting is a roof prism having an entrance surface disposed normal to the longitudinal axis and two planar surfaces disposed at right angles to each other and at an angle of 45* with respect to the entrance surface to form a roof, said two planar surfaces comprising said planar reflective surfaces.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
The optical scanner of claim 4 wherein said optical scanner further includes means for rotating said means for reflecting about said longitudinal axis.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
The optical scanner of claim 2 further including means detecting the rotational position of said single refractive member for generating a signal indicative of the angular deflection of the deflected light beam.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
75 words
The optical scanner of claim 7 wherein said means for generating a signal comprises: an encoder attached to said single refractive member, said encoder having a code pattern indicative of the rotational position of the encoder; means detecting the code pattern on the encoder for generating a signal indicative of the rotational position of said refractive member; and means, receiving said positional signals, for generating signals indicative of the angular deflection of said light beam.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
38 words
The optical scanner of claim 6 further including means for generating a signal indicative of the rotational position of said reflection means and therefore the angular orientation of the determinable plane in which the light beam is deflected.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
The optical scanner of claim 9 further including means for generating a signal indicative of the angular deflection of the light beam from the rotational position of the refractive member.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
56 words
The optical scanner of claim 10 further including a fast rotating encoder cooperating with said means for generating signals indicative of the deflection of said light beam, and said means for generating signals indicative of the rotational position of said means for reflecting, for incrementing the individual signals generated to produce signals with greater positional accuracy.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
171 words
A single wedge optical scanner for angularly deflecting an incident light beam in a direction parallel to a determinable plane comprising: a base; a transparent wedge to angularly deflect an incident beam of light, said optical wedge having two planar surfaces angularly disposed relative to each other and having an axis of rotation passing through both planar surfaces, said wedge rotatably supported from said base and adapted to rotate about said axis of rotation; means for rotating said wedge about said axis of rotation relative to said base; and an optical reflector supported from said base and disposed adjacent to one of said two planar surfaces said optical reflector having two intersecting reflective planar surfaces forming the inside of a 90* roof structure having an apex defined by the intersection of said two reflective surfaces, the apex of said roof structure being disposed perpendicular to the axis of rotation with said two reflective surfaces symmetrically positioned about said axis of rotation and the inside of said roof structure facing the wedge.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
171 words
A single wedge optical scanner for angularly deflecting an incident light beam in a direction parallel to a determinable plane comprising: a base; a transparent wedge to angularly deflect an incident beam of light, said optical wedge having two planar surfaces angularly disposed relative to each other and having an axis of rotation passing through both planar surfaces, said wedge rotatably supported from said base and adapted to rotate about said axis of rotation; means for rotating said wedge about said axis of rotation relative to said base; and an optical reflector supported from said base and disposed adjacent to one of said two planar surfaces said optical reflector having two intersecting reflective planar surfaces forming the inside of a 90* roof structure having an apex defined by the intersection of said two reflective surfaces, the apex of said roof structure being disposed perpendicular to the axis of rotation with said two reflective surfaces symmetrically positioned about said axis of rotation and the inside of said roof structure facing the wedge.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
15 words
The single wedge scanner of claim 12 wherein said optical reflector is a roof prism.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
27 words
The single wedge scanner of claim 12 further including a beam splitter supported from said base and disposed adjacent to the second of said two planar surfaces.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
33 words
The single wedge scanner of claim 12 further including an encoder means for generating an electrical signal indicative of the deflection of said incident light beam from the rotational position of said wedge.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
26 words
The single wedge scanner of claim 13 further including means for rotating said optical reflector about an axis concentric with axis of rotation of said wedge.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
25 words
The single wedge scanner of claim 15 further including second encoder means for generating a signal indicative of the rotational position of said optical reflector.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
157 words
A wedge-prism scanner for angularly deflecting an incident beam of light in a direction parallel to a predetermined plane comprising: a transparent wedge having an input surface receiving the incident beam of light and an exit surface emitting said incident beam of light and having an axis of rotation passing through said input and exit surfaces, to angularly deflect the incident beam of light to follow a path having a predetermined direction with respect to said incident beam of light; means for rotating said optical wedge about said axis of rotation; and a roof prism having two mutually perpendicular planar internal reflective surfaces and an apex formed by the intersection of said internal reflecting surfaces, said roof prism disposed adjacent to the exit surface of said optical wedge with said apex normal to the axis of rotation of said wedge and said internal reflective surfaces facing said wedge to reflect said light beam back through said wedge.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
157 words
A wedge-prism scanner for angularly deflecting an incident beam of light in a direction parallel to a predetermined plane comprising: a transparent wedge having an input surface receiving the incident beam of light and an exit surface emitting said incident beam of light and having an axis of rotation passing through said input and exit surfaces, to angularly deflect the incident beam of light to follow a path having a predetermined direction with respect to said incident beam of light; means for rotating said optical wedge about said axis of rotation; and a roof prism having two mutually perpendicular planar internal reflective surfaces and an apex formed by the intersection of said internal reflecting surfaces, said roof prism disposed adjacent to the exit surface of said optical wedge with said apex normal to the axis of rotation of said wedge and said internal reflective surfaces facing said wedge to reflect said light beam back through said wedge.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
27 words
The wedge-prism scanner of claim 17 further including means for generating signals indicative of the deflection of said light beam from the rotational position of said wedge.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
31 words
The wedge-prism scanner of claim 18 further including means for separating the light beam emerging from said wedge after being reflected by said roof prism, from said incident beam of light.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
37 words
The wedge-prism scanner of claim 19 further including: means for rotating said roof prism about the axis of rotation of said wedge; and means for generating a signal indicative of the rotational position of said roof prism.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-05-05 | 1978-11-04 | 1979-05-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-05-05 | 1982-11-04 | 1983-05-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-05-05 | 1986-11-04 | 1987-05-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |