Optical noise suppression device and method

Claim 2

An optical noise suppressor, in combination with an optical system including along its optic axis an input device and an output device, comprising: a. first translation means for selectively moving said input device perpendicularly with respect to said optic axis; b. second translation means for selectively moving said output device perpendicularly with respect to said optic axis; and c. synchronizing means for selectively causing said first translation means and said second translation means to move said input device and said output device respectively simultaneously along parallel paths perpendicular to said optic axis.

Claim 3

An optical noise suppressor as defined in claim 1 wherein said synchronizing means comprises power means for effecting said motions by said first translation means and said second translation means.

Claim 4

An optical noise suppressor as defined in claim 2 further comprising shaft assembly means for transferring motion from said power means to said first translation means and to said second translation means.

Claim 5

An optical noise suppressor as defined in claim 3 further comprising: a. first gear means linking said shaft assembly means to said first translation means; and b. second gear means linking said shaft assembly means to said second translation means.

Claim 6

An optical noise suppressor as defined in claim 2 wherein said synchronizing means further comprises automatic control means for selectively actuating said power means.

Claim 7

An optical noise suppressor as defined in claim 4 wherein said synchronizing means further comprises automatic control means for selectively actuating said power means.

Claim 8

An optical noise suppressor as defined in claim 2 further comprising: a. said first translation means comprising: i. first carriage means on which is mounted said input device; ii. first ways means for guiding said first carriage means; iii. first screw drive means for propelling said first carriage means; and b. said second translation means comprising: i. second carriage means on which is mounted said output device; ii. second ways means for guiding said second carriage means; and iii. second screw drive means for propelling said second carriage means.

Claim 9

An optical noise suppressor as defined in claim 7 further comprising: a. first shaft means for transferring rotary motion from said power means to said first screw drive means; and b. second shaft means for transferring rotary motion from said power means to said second screw drive means.

Claim 10

An optical noise suppressor as defined in claim 8 further comprising: a. first gear box means linking said first shaft means to said first screw drive means; and b. second gear box means linking said second shaft means to said second screw drive means.

Claim 11

An optical noise suppressor as defined in claim 8 wherein said synchronizing means further comprises gear train means linking said first shaft means and said second shaft means to effect said simultaneous motions by said first translation means and said second translation means.

Claim 12

An optical noise suppressor as defined in claim 4 wherein said synchronizing means further comprises gear train means to effect said simultaneous motions by said second translation means and said first translation means.

Claim 13

An optical noise suppressor as defined in claim 10 wherein said synchronizing means further comprises automatic control means for selectively actuating said power means.

Claim 14

An optical noise suppressor for averaging out optical noise, in combination with a coherent light optical system which includes along its optic axis a spatial filter, an input device in an object plane, and an output device for recording light in an image plane, comprising: a. input carriage means on which is mounted said input device in said object plane; b. input ways means for constraining said input carriage means to confine said input device to said object plane while permitting said input carriage means to move said input device perpendicularly to said optic axis; c. input screw drive means for propelling said input carriage means; d. output carriage means on which is mounted said output device in said image plane; e. output ways means for constraining said output carriage means to confine said output device to said image plane while permitting said output carriage means to move said output device perpendicularly to said optic axis; f. output screw drive means for propelling said output carriage means; and g. power means equipped wih drive shaft assembly means for selectively causing simultaneous rotary motion of said input screw drive means and said output screw drive means to propel said input carriage means and said output carriage means so as to simultaneously move said input device and said output device along parallel paths perpendicular to said optic axis.

Claim 15

An optical noise suppressor for averaging out optical noise, in combination with a coherent light optical system which includes along its optic axis a spatial filter, an input device in an object plane, and an output device for recording light in an image plane, comprising: a. input carriage means on which is mounted said input device in said object plane; b. input ways means for constraining said input carriage means to confine said input device to said object plane while permitting said input carriage means to move said input device perpendicularly to said optic axis; c. input screw drive means for propelling said input carriage means; d. output carriage means on which is mounted said output device in said image plane; e. output ways means for constraining said output carriage means to confine said output device to said image plane while permitting said output carriage means to move said output device perpendicularly to said optic axis; f. output screw drive means for propelling said output carriage means; and g. power means equipped wih drive shaft assembly means for selectively causing simultaneous rotary motion of said input screw drive means and said output screw drive means to propel said input carriage means and said output carriage means so as to simultaneously move said input device and said output device along parallel paths perpendicular to said optic axis.

Claim 16

An optical noise suppressor as defined in claim 13 wherein said drive shaft assembly means comprises: a. rotatable first shaft means linked to said input screw drive means; b. rotatable second shaft means linked to said output screw drive means; and c. gear train means linking said first shaft means and said second shaft means for simultaneous rotational motion of said first shaft means and said second shaft means when said drive shaft assembly means is actuated by said power means.

Claim 17

An optical noise suppressor as defined in claim 14 further comprising: a. input gear box means for transferring rotary motion from said first shaft means to said input screw drive means; and b. output gear box means for transferring rotary motion from said second shaft means to said output screw drive means.

Claim 18

An optical noise suppressor as defined in claim 13 further comprising automatic control means to actuate said power means to cause said input device and said output device to be in said respective motions when said output device is actuated to record light in said optical system.

Claim 19

An optical noise suppressor as defined in claim 15 further comprising automatic control means to actuate said power means to cause said input device and said output device to be in said respective motions when said output device is actuated to record light in said optical system.

Claim 20

An optical noise suppressor as defined in claim 13 wherein the ratio of the speed of said output device motion to the speed of said input device motion is equal to the overall magnification of said optical system.

Claim 21

An optical noise suppressor as defined in claim 15 wherein said gear train means has an overall gear ratio equal to the inverse of the overall magnification of said optical system so as to constrain said motion of said output device to be at the same speed as the motion, in the image plane, of the image of said optical system caused by said motion of said input device.

Claim 24

A method of suppressing optical noise as defined in claim 20 further comprising the steps of: a. constraining said motion of said input device to the object plane of the optical system; and b. constraining said motion of said output device to the image plane of the optical system.

Claim 25

A method of suppressing optical noise as defined in claim 20 further comprising the step of effecting said motions of said input device and said output device by automatic power means.

Claim 26

A method of suppressing optical noise as defined in claim 20 further comprising the step of effecting said simultaneous movement of said input device and said output device in opposite directions along said parallel paths.