US4185891A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Laser diode collimation optics
Assignee: Grumman Corp
•
Filing: 1977-11-30
•
Granted: 1980-01-29
•
Expires: 1997-11-30
Abstract
Abstract The present invention related to optical collimating systems and has particular reference to beam compression of laser diode emission.
Inventors
- 👤 Paul Kaestner
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 12:41
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B19/00; G02B19/0033; G02B19/0047; G02B19/0052; G02B19/0057; G02B19/0004; G02B19/0009; G02B19/0014; G02B27/00; G02B27/09; G02B27/0938; G02B27/095; G02B27/0955; G02B27/0966; G02B27/30; H; H01; H01S; H01S5/00; H01S5/40; H01S5/4025; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S362/00; Y10S362/80
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
102 words
In an optical collimating system having an optical axis; a plurality of discrete energy sources; means for stacking said energy sources in a linear array perpendicular to said optical axis; optical means for focusing an image of said energy sources at a predetermined point on said optical axis which compresses the beam of energy from said array in the plane of said array, and a first cylindrical negative lens interposed between said optical means and said predetermined point with its optical plane on said optical axis and perpendicular to said array which collimates said energy beam in the plane of said array.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
102 words
In an optical collimating system having an optical axis; a plurality of discrete energy sources; means for stacking said energy sources in a linear array perpendicular to said optical axis; optical means for focusing an image of said energy sources at a predetermined point on said optical axis which compresses the beam of energy from said array in the plane of said array, and a first cylindrical negative lens interposed between said optical means and said predetermined point with its optical plane on said optical axis and perpendicular to said array which collimates said energy beam in the plane of said array.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said optical means for focusing an image of said energy sources at a predetermined point includes a plurality of short focal length cylindrical positive lenses.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
55 words
The device of claim 2 wherein the positive lenses are equally spaced apart; each of said energy sources being displaced from the optical axis of its corresponding lens by a different amount; the amount of displacement being determined by the distance of the optical axis of the lens from the optical axis of the device.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
The device of claim 2 wherein the plurality of positive lenses comprises a single sheet of transparent material having a plurality of convex lenses formed on one side thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
48 words
The device of claim 1 including a long focal length positive cylindrical lens having its longitudinal axis parallel to said linear array and located in front of said negative cylindrical lens whereby the energy from said energy sources is collimated in a plane perpendicular to said linear array.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said energy sources are laser emitting diodes.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
13 words
The device of claim 2 wherein said energy sources are laser emitting diodes.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
13 words
The device of claim 3 wherein said energy sources are laser emitting diodes.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
13 words
The device of claim 4 wherein said energy sources are laser emitting diodes.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
13 words
The device of claim 5 wherein said energy sources are laser emitting diodes.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
182 words
In an optical collimating system having an optical axis; a plurality of discrete energy sources; means for stacking said energy sources in a linear array perpendicular to said optical axis; optical means for focusing an image of said energy sources at a predetermined point on said optical axis which means compress the beam of energy from said array in the plane of said array; a first negative cylindrical lens interposed between said optical means and said predetermined point with its optical plane on said optical axis and perpendicular to said array which collimates said energy beam in the plane of said array; a second negative cylindrical lens interposed on said optical axis between said optical means and said first negative cylindrical lens with its optical axis parallel to said array which diverges said beam of energy in a plane perpendicular to said array, and a positive cylindrical lens interposed on said optical axis in front of said first negative cylindrical lens with its optical axis parallel to said array which collimates said beam of energy in a plane perpendicular to said array.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
182 words
In an optical collimating system having an optical axis; a plurality of discrete energy sources; means for stacking said energy sources in a linear array perpendicular to said optical axis; optical means for focusing an image of said energy sources at a predetermined point on said optical axis which means compress the beam of energy from said array in the plane of said array; a first negative cylindrical lens interposed between said optical means and said predetermined point with its optical plane on said optical axis and perpendicular to said array which collimates said energy beam in the plane of said array; a second negative cylindrical lens interposed on said optical axis between said optical means and said first negative cylindrical lens with its optical axis parallel to said array which diverges said beam of energy in a plane perpendicular to said array, and a positive cylindrical lens interposed on said optical axis in front of said first negative cylindrical lens with its optical axis parallel to said array which collimates said beam of energy in a plane perpendicular to said array.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
13 words
The device of claim 11 wherein said energy sources are laser emitting diodes.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
87 words
A method of providing a useful output from a plurality of light sources, said method comprising the steps of: stacking the sources of light in a predetermined array; focusing light emissions from each of the sources through an individually dedicated focusing lens toward a single common point on a central optical axis, and collimating the light emissions from each of the sources before said emissions reach said single common point to provide a more intense beam at distances from the sources due to negligible divergence after collimating.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
87 words
A method of providing a useful output from a plurality of light sources, said method comprising the steps of: stacking the sources of light in a predetermined array; focusing light emissions from each of the sources through an individually dedicated focusing lens toward a single common point on a central optical axis, and collimating the light emissions from each of the sources before said emissions reach said single common point to provide a more intense beam at distances from the sources due to negligible divergence after collimating.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method as recited in claim 13 wherein the step of stacking the sources of light includes spacing the light sources at nonuniform distances to establish the proper displacement between each light source and the optical axis of its individually dedicated focusing lens to focus said light emissions at said common point.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
59 words
The method as recited in claim 13 wherein the step of focusing light emissions includes positioning an individually dedicated positive cylindrical lens in front of each light source such that each light source is displaced from the optical axis of its dedicated lens, said displacement being determined by the distance of said light source from said central optical axis.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
60 words
The method as recited in claim 13 wherein the step of collimating the light emissions includes positioning a negative cylindrical collimating lens on said central optical axis between said single common point and said individually dedicated focusing lenses, and transmitting said focused light emissions therethrough such that the light is collimated in a direction parallel with said central optical axis.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
62 words
The method as recited in claim 16 wherein the step of collimating the light emissions also includes positioning a positive cylindrical lens on said central optical axis in front of said negative cylindrical collimating lens and transmitting said focused light emissions therethrough such that the light is also collimated in the orthogonal plane in a direction parallel with said central optical axis.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
180 words
A method of providing a useful output from a plurality of light sources, said method comprising the steps of: stacking the sources of light in a predetermined order; focusing light emissions from each of the sources through a focusing lens toward a common point on a central optical axis; positioning a first negative cylindrical lens on said central optical axis between said single common point and said individually dedicated focusing lenses such that the light emissions transmitted through said first negative lens are collimated in in a direction parallel with said central optical axis; positioning a second negative cylindrical lens on said central optical axis between said individually dedicated focusing lenses and said first negative cylindrical lens such that the light emissions transmitted through said second negative lens diverge from said central optical axis, and positioning a positive cylindrical lens on said central optical axis in front of said first negative cylindrical lens such that the light emissions transmitted through said positive cylindrical lens are also collimated in the orthogonal plane in a direction parallel with said central optical axis.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
180 words
A method of providing a useful output from a plurality of light sources, said method comprising the steps of: stacking the sources of light in a predetermined order; focusing light emissions from each of the sources through a focusing lens toward a common point on a central optical axis; positioning a first negative cylindrical lens on said central optical axis between said single common point and said individually dedicated focusing lenses such that the light emissions transmitted through said first negative lens are collimated in in a direction parallel with said central optical axis; positioning a second negative cylindrical lens on said central optical axis between said individually dedicated focusing lenses and said first negative cylindrical lens such that the light emissions transmitted through said second negative lens diverge from said central optical axis, and positioning a positive cylindrical lens on said central optical axis in front of said first negative cylindrical lens such that the light emissions transmitted through said positive cylindrical lens are also collimated in the orthogonal plane in a direction parallel with said central optical axis.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
114 words
In an optical collimating device having a central optical axis; a plurality of discrete energy sources; means for stacking said energy sources in a linear array perpendicular to said central optical axis; optical means for focusing an image of said energy sources at a predetermined point on said central optical axis which compresses the beam of energy from said array in the plane of said array, and a first cylindrical negative lens interposed between said optical means and said predetermined point with its optical plane on said optical axis and perpendicular to said array which collimates said energy beam in the plane of said array in a direction parallel with said central optical axis.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
114 words
In an optical collimating device having a central optical axis; a plurality of discrete energy sources; means for stacking said energy sources in a linear array perpendicular to said central optical axis; optical means for focusing an image of said energy sources at a predetermined point on said central optical axis which compresses the beam of energy from said array in the plane of said array, and a first cylindrical negative lens interposed between said optical means and said predetermined point with its optical plane on said optical axis and perpendicular to said array which collimates said energy beam in the plane of said array in a direction parallel with said central optical axis.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
62 words
The device of claim 19 including a long focal length positive cylindrical lens having its longitudinal axis parallel to said linear array and located on said central optical axis, in front of said negative cylindrical lens whereby the energy from said energy sources is collimated in a plane perpendicular to said linear array in a direction parallel with said central optical axis.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
178 words
In an optical collimating system having a central optical axis; a plurality of discrete energy sources; means for stacking said energy sources in a linear array perpendicular to said central optical axis; optical means for focusing an image of all of said energy sources at a single predetermined point on said central optical axis which means compress the beam of energy from said array in the plane of said array; a first negative cylindrical lens interposed between said optical means and said predetermined point with its optical plane on said central optical axis and oriented as to collimate said energy beam in the plane of said array; a second negative cylindrical lens interposed on said central optical axis between said optical means and said first negative cylindrical lens and oriented as to diverge said beam of energy in a plane perpendicular to said array, and a positive cylindrical lens interposed on said optical axis in front of said first negative cylindrical lens and oriented as to collimate said beam of energy in a plane perpendicular to said array.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
178 words
In an optical collimating system having a central optical axis; a plurality of discrete energy sources; means for stacking said energy sources in a linear array perpendicular to said central optical axis; optical means for focusing an image of all of said energy sources at a single predetermined point on said central optical axis which means compress the beam of energy from said array in the plane of said array; a first negative cylindrical lens interposed between said optical means and said predetermined point with its optical plane on said central optical axis and oriented as to collimate said energy beam in the plane of said array; a second negative cylindrical lens interposed on said central optical axis between said optical means and said first negative cylindrical lens and oriented as to diverge said beam of energy in a plane perpendicular to said array, and a positive cylindrical lens interposed on said optical axis in front of said first negative cylindrical lens and oriented as to collimate said beam of energy in a plane perpendicular to said array.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3247367A
Cited
US3239660A
Cited
US3396344A
Cited
US3264467A
Cited
US3513306A
Cited
US3518419A
Cited
US3835414A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1983-01-28 | 1983-07-30 | 1984-01-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1987-01-28 | 1987-07-30 | 1988-01-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1991-01-28 | 1991-07-30 | 1992-01-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |