Optical fiber image magnifying apparatus

Claim 2

An image magnifying apparatus comprising: A. a bundle comprising a plurality of optical fibers of uniform cross-section, said bundle having:

Claim 3

an image inlet end for receiving an image as a plurality of image elements wherein: a. the fibers are parallel to one another, b. each fiber is in contact with adjacent fibers, c. each fiber received only one element of the image,

Claim 4

an image inlet end for receiving an image as a plurality of image elements wherein: a. the fibers are parallel to one another, b. each fiber is in contact with adjacent fibers, c. each fiber received only one element of the image,

Claim 5

the distance of the viewing surface of the dispersion plate from the image outlet end of the bundle is such that adjacent cones of light emitted from fibers of the bundle just touch or overlap on the viewing surface.

Claim 6

the distance of the viewing surface of the dispersion plate from the image outlet end of the bundle is such that adjacent cones of light emitted from fibers of the bundle just touch or overlap on the viewing surface.

Claim 7

an image inlet end for receiving an image as a plurality of image elements wherein: a. the fibers are parallel to one another, b. each fiber is in contact with adjacent fibers, c. each fiber received only one element of the image,

Claim 8

an image inlet end for receiving an image as a plurality of image elements wherein: a. the fibers are parallel to one another, b. each fiber is in contact with adjacent fibers, c. each fiber received only one element of the image,

Claim 9

the distance of the viewing surface of the dispersion plate from the image outlet end of the bundle is such that adjacent cones of light emitted from fibers of the bundle just touch or overlap on the viewing surface.

Claim 10

the distance of the viewing surface of the dispersion plate from the image outlet end of the bundle is such that adjacent cones of light emitted from fibers of the bundle just touch or overlap on the viewing surface.

Claim 11

An image magnifying apparatus comprising: A. a bundle comprising a plurality of optical fibers of uniform cross-section, said bundle having: 1. an image inlet end for receiving an image as a plurality of image elements wherein: a. the fibers are parallel to one another, b. each fiber is in contact with adjacent fibers, c. each fiber received only one element of the image, 2. an image outlet end wherein: a. the fibers are parallel to one another, b. the distance between any two adjacent fibers is greater than the distance between these two fibers at the image inlet end, c. the distance between any two adjacent fibers is equal to the distance between any other two adjacent fibers, d. the ratio of the distance between any two fibers at the image outlet end to the distance between the same two fibers at the image inlet end is the same for any two fibers of the bundles and is equal to the magnification created by the apparatus, e. the spatial relationship between adjacent fibers is the same as at the image inlet end, 3. an intermediate section between the image inlet end and the image outlet end wherein each fiber is of uniform crosssection, the intermediate section comprising: a. a first zone wherein the fibers need not be in any particular order, and b. a second zone wherein the fibers are arranged into layers, each layer of fibers extending along a surface of a plate in a first selected direction, the individual fibers in each layer being initially parallel and successively deflecting at The same angle and at at defined interval from the first selected direction to a direction perpendicular to an edge of the plate, the fibers terminating at the edge of the plate thereby forming the image outlet end, and B. a dispersion plate placed substantially perpendicular to the fibers at the image outlet end, the dispersion plate being spaced from the image outlet end by a light-transmissive and at least periodically plasticly adaptive medium fixed to the image outlet end of the fibers for compensating for any discontinuities present in the image outlet end, and a likewise light-transmissive support plate fixed to the periodically plastically adaptive medium and to the dispersion plate for supporting the dispersion plate at a preselected distance from the image outlet end, wherein: 1. the distance of the viewing surface of the dispersion plate from the image outlet end of the bundle is such that adjacent cones of light emitted from fibers of the bundle just touch or overlap on the viewing surface.

Claim 12

An image magnifying apparatus comprising: A. a bundle comprising a plurality of optical fibers of uniform cross-section, said bundle having: 1. an image inlet end for receiving an image as a plurality of image elements wherein: a. the fibers are parallel to one another, b. each fiber is in contact with adjacent fibers, c. each fiber received only one element of the image, 2. an image outlet end wherein: a. the fibers are parallel to one another, b. the distance between any two adjacent fibers is greater than the distance between these two fibers at the image inlet end, c. the distance between any two adjacent fibers is equal to the distance between any other two adjacent fibers, d. the ratio of the distance between any two fibers at the image outlet end to the distance between the same two fibers at the image inlet end is the same for any two fibers of the bundles and is equal to the magnification created by the apparatus, e. the spatial relationship between adjacent fibers is the same as at the image inlet end, 3. an intermediate section between the image inlet end and the image outlet end wherein each fiber is of uniform crosssection, the intermediate section comprising: a. a first zone wherein the fibers need not be in any particular order, and b. a second zone wherein the fibers are arranged into layers, each layer of fibers extending along a surface of a plate in a first selected direction, the individual fibers in each layer being initially parallel and successively deflecting at The same angle and at at defined interval from the first selected direction to a direction perpendicular to an edge of the plate, the fibers terminating at the edge of the plate thereby forming the image outlet end, and B. a dispersion plate placed substantially perpendicular to the fibers at the image outlet end, the dispersion plate being spaced from the image outlet end by a light-transmissive and at least periodically plasticly adaptive medium fixed to the image outlet end of the fibers for compensating for any discontinuities present in the image outlet end, and a likewise light-transmissive support plate fixed to the periodically plastically adaptive medium and to the dispersion plate for supporting the dispersion plate at a preselected distance from the image outlet end, wherein: 1. the distance of the viewing surface of the dispersion plate from the image outlet end of the bundle is such that adjacent cones of light emitted from fibers of the bundle just touch or overlap on the viewing surface.

Claim 13

an intermediate section between the image inlet end and the image outlet end wherein each fiber is of uniform cross-section, the intermediate section comprising: a. a first zone wherein the fibers need not be in any particular order, and b. a second zone wherein the fibers are arranged into layers, each layer of fibers extending along a surface of a plate in a first selected direction, the individual fibers in each layer being initially parallel and successively deflecting at The same angle and at at defined interval from the first selected direction to a direction perpendicular to an edge of the plate, the fibers terminating at the edge of the plate thereby forming the image outlet end, and B. a dispersion plate placed substantially perpendicular to the fibers at the image outlet end, the dispersion plate being spaced from the image outlet end by a light-transmissive and at least periodically plasticly adaptive medium fixed to the image outlet end of the fibers for compensating for any discontinuities present in the image outlet end, and a likewise light-transmissive support plate fixed to the periodically plastically adaptive medium and to the dispersion plate for supporting the dispersion plate at a preselected distance from the image outlet end, wherein:

Claim 14

an intermediate section between the image inlet end and the image outlet end wherein each fiber is of uniform cross-section, the intermediate section comprising: a. a first zone wherein the fibers need not be in any particular order, and b. a second zone wherein the fibers are arranged into layers, each layer of fibers extending along a surface of a plate in a first selected direction, the individual fibers in each layer being initially parallel and successively deflecting at The same angle and at at defined interval from the first selected direction to a direction perpendicular to an edge of the plate, the fibers terminating at the edge of the plate thereby forming the image outlet end, and B. a dispersion plate placed substantially perpendicular to the fibers at the image outlet end, the dispersion plate being spaced from the image outlet end by a light-transmissive and at least periodically plasticly adaptive medium fixed to the image outlet end of the fibers for compensating for any discontinuities present in the image outlet end, and a likewise light-transmissive support plate fixed to the periodically plastically adaptive medium and to the dispersion plate for supporting the dispersion plate at a preselected distance from the image outlet end, wherein:

Claim 15

an intermediate section between the image inlet end and the image outlet end wherein: a. each fiber is bent the same direction at the same angle, b. each fiber is of uniform cross-section, B. a dispersion plate placed substantially perpendicular to the fibers at the image outlet end the dispersion plate being spaced from the image outlet end by a light-transmissive and at least periodically plastically adaptive medium fixed to the image outlet end of the fibers for compensating for any discontinuities present in the image outlet end, and a likewise light-transmissive support plate fixed to the periodically plasticly adaptive medium and to the dispersion plate for supporting the dispersion plate at a preselected distance from the image outlet end,

Claim 16

an intermediate section between the image inlet end and the image outlet end wherein: a. each fiber is bent the same direction at the same angle, b. each fiber is of uniform cross-section, B. a dispersion plate placed substantially perpendicular to the fibers at the image outlet end the dispersion plate being spaced from the image outlet end by a light-transmissive and at least periodically plastically adaptive medium fixed to the image outlet end of the fibers for compensating for any discontinuities present in the image outlet end, and a likewise light-transmissive support plate fixed to the periodically plasticly adaptive medium and to the dispersion plate for supporting the dispersion plate at a preselected distance from the image outlet end,