Optical focusing system

Claim 2

A portable light capable of collimating substantially all of the available light being emitted by a light source along a projecting axis, said portable light comprising: a protective encasement; an optical focusing system housed in said protective encasement, said system comprising: a parabolic reflector which partially surrounds the light source in a manner permitting the light source to be located at the optical focus point of said parabolic reflector, a fresnel lens, situated opposite the vertex of said parabolic reflector with respect to the light source, said fresnel lens sharing a common focus point with said parabolic reflector and being oriented to cooperate with said parabolic reflector for the collimation of light emitted at said common focus point along the projecting axis, and means for intercepting light emitted at said common focus point which would otherwise pass between said parabolic reflector and the outer periphery of said fresnel lens and for reflecting the intercepted light back generally toward said common focus point; a portable power source which causes the emission of light from the light source; and means for selectively connecting and disconnecting said power source and the light source.

Claim 3

A portable light according to claim 1 wherein said parabolic reflector includes an aperture centered at its vertex through which the light source extends.

Claim 4

A portable light according to claim 1 including a support base which extends through the vertex of said parabolic reflector to support the light source at said common focus point of said parabolic reflector and said fresnel lens.

Claim 5

A portable light according to claim 3 wherein said support base has a major diameter equal to a major diameter of said intercepting means.

Claim 6

A portable light according to claim 3 wherein said support base comprises a non-reflective, truncated cone with the base of said cone having a major diameter equal to a major diameter of said intercepting means and the imaginary top point of said cone being generally co-located with said common focus point.

Claim 7

A portable light according to claim 3 including means for moving the light source along the principal axis of said parabolic reflector between said fresnel lens and said parabolic reflector.

Claim 8

A portable light according to claim 6 wherein the light source can be selectively moved into and out of said common focus point to cause the light being emitted by the light source and processed through said optical focusing system to produce, respectively, a collimated and an uncollimated beam.

Claim 9

A portable light according to claim 1 wherein said intercepting means comprises an inwardly facing reflective surface with a curvature approximating that of a portion of a sphere and having its focus either co-located with or situated very near said common focus point.

Claim 10

An optical focusing system capable of collimating substantially all of the available light being emitted generally from a single point for projection along a projecting axis, said system comprising: a parabolic reflector; means for emitting light at the focus of said parabolic reflector; a fresnel lens, situated opposite the vertex of said parabolic reflector with respect to said emitting means, said fresnel lens sharing a common focus point with said parabolic reflector and being oriented to cooperate with said parabolic reflector for the collimation of light emitted at said common focus point along the projecting axis; and means for intercepting light emitted at said common focus point which would otherwise pass between said parabolic reflector and the outer periphery of said fresnel lens and for reflecting the intercepted light back generally toward said common focus point.

Claim 11

An optical focusing system capable of collimating substantially all of the available light being emitted generally from a single point for projection along a projecting axis, said system comprising: a parabolic reflector; means for emitting light at the focus of said parabolic reflector; a fresnel lens, situated opposite the vertex of said parabolic reflector with respect to said emitting means, said fresnel lens sharing a common focus point with said parabolic reflector and being oriented to cooperate with said parabolic reflector for the collimation of light emitted at said common focus point along the projecting axis; and means for intercepting light emitted at said common focus point which would otherwise pass between said parabolic reflector and the outer periphery of said fresnel lens and for reflecting the intercepted light back generally toward said common focus point.

Claim 12

A system according to claim 9 wherein said parabolic reflector includes an aperture centered at its vertex through which said emitting means extends.

Claim 13

A system according to claim 9 wherein said emitting means comprises a support base which extends through the vertex of said parabolic reflector and a light source positioned by said support base at said common focus point of said parabolic reflector and said fresnel lens.

Claim 14

A system according to claim 11 wherein said support base has a major diameter equal to a major diameter of said intercepting means.

Claim 15

A system according to claim 11 wherein said support base comprises a non-reflective, truncated cone with a base of said cone having a major diameter equal to a major diameter of said intercepting means and the imaginary top point of said cone being generally co-located with said common focus point.

Claim 16

A system according to claim 11 including means for moving said light source along the principal axis of said parabolic reflector between said fresnel lens and said parabolic reflector.

Claim 17

A system according to claim 9 wherein said intercepting means comprises an inwardly facing reflective surface with a curvature approximating that of a portion of a sphere and having its focus either co-located with or situated very near said common focus point.

Claim 18

An illumination apparatus capable of collimating substantially all of the available light being emitted by a light source along a projecting axis, said apparatus comprising: a protective encasement; an optical focusing system housed in said protective encasement, said system comprising: a parabolic reflector which partially surrounds the light source in a manner permitting the light source to be located at the focus point of said parabolic reflector, such that light emitted by the light source and impinging directly on the reflector is collimated along the projecting axis, and a fresnel lens, situated opposite the vertex of said parabolic reflector with respect to the light source, said fresnel lens sharing a common focus point with said parabolic reflector such that light emitted by the light source and impinging directly on the lens is collimated along the projecting axis; and a power source which can be selectively connected to the light source.

Claim 19

An illumination apparatus capable of collimating substantially all of the available light being emitted by a light source along a projecting axis, said apparatus comprising: a protective encasement; an optical focusing system housed in said protective encasement, said system comprising: a parabolic reflector which partially surrounds the light source in a manner permitting the light source to be located at the focus point of said parabolic reflector, such that light emitted by the light source and impinging directly on the reflector is collimated along the projecting axis, and a fresnel lens, situated opposite the vertex of said parabolic reflector with respect to the light source, said fresnel lens sharing a common focus point with said parabolic reflector such that light emitted by the light source and impinging directly on the lens is collimated along the projecting axis; and a power source which can be selectively connected to the light source.

Claim 20

An apparatus according to claim 16 wherein said parabolic reflector includes an aperture centered at its vertex through which the light source extends.

Claim 21

An apparatus according to claim 16 including a support base which extends through said parabolic reflector at its vertex to support the light source at said common focus point of said parabolic reflector and said fresnel lens.

Claim 22

An apparatus according to claim 18 wherein said support base has a major diameter equal to a major diameter of said fresnel lens.

Claim 23

An apparatus according to claim 18 wherein said support base comprises a non-reflective, truncated cone with the base of said cone having a major diameter equal to a major diameter of said fresnel lens and the imaginary top point of said cone being generally co-located with said common focus point.

Claim 24

An apparatus according to claim 18 including means for moving the light source along the principal axis of said parabolic reflector between said fresnel lens and said parabolic reflector.

Claim 25

An apparatus according to claim 21 wherein the light source can be selectively moved into and out of said common focus point to cause the light being emitted by the light source and processed through said optical focusing system to produce, respectively, a collimated and an uncollimated beam.

Claim 26

An apparatus according to claim 16 including means for intercepting light emitted at said common focus point which would otherwise pass between said parabolic reflector and the outer periphery of said fresnel lens and for reflecting the intercepted light back generally toward said common focus point.

Claim 27

An apparatus according to claim 23 wherein said intercepting means comprises an inwardly facing reflective surface with a curvature approximating that of a portion of a sphere and having its focus either co-located with or situated very near said common focus point.

Claim 28

An apparatus according to claim 16 wherein said encasement includes a transparent, protective face plate which permits light processed by said optical focusing system to pass therethrough without distortion.

Claim 29

An optical focusing system capable of collimating substantially all of the available light being emitted generally from a single point for projection along a projecting axis, said system comprising: a parabolic reflector; means for emitting light at the focus of said parabolic reflector, such that light impinging directly on the reflector is collimated along the projecting axis; and a fresnel lens, situated opposite the vertex of said parabolic reflector with respect to said emitting means, said fresnel lens sharing a common focus point with said parabolic reflector such that light impinging directly on the lens is collimted along the projecting axis.

Claim 30

An optical focusing system capable of collimating substantially all of the available light being emitted generally from a single point for projection along a projecting axis, said system comprising: a parabolic reflector; means for emitting light at the focus of said parabolic reflector, such that light impinging directly on the reflector is collimated along the projecting axis; and a fresnel lens, situated opposite the vertex of said parabolic reflector with respect to said emitting means, said fresnel lens sharing a common focus point with said parabolic reflector such that light impinging directly on the lens is collimted along the projecting axis.

Claim 31

A system according to claim 26 wherein said parabolic reflector includes an aperture centered at its vertex through which said emitting means extends.

Claim 32

A system according to claim 26 wherein said emitting means comprises a support base which extends through the vertex of said parabolic reflector and a light source positioned by said support base at said common focus point of said parabolic reflector and said fresnel lens.

Claim 33

A system according to claim 28 wherein said support base has a major diameter equal to a major diameter of said fresnel lens.

Claim 34

A system according to claim 28 wherein said support base comprises a non-reflective, truncated cone with the base of said cone having a major diameter equal to a major diameter of said fresnel lens and the imaginary top point of said cone being generally co-located with said common focus point.

Claim 35

A system according to claim 28 including means for moving said light source along the principal axis of said parabolic reflector between said fresnel lens and said parabolic reflector.

Claim 36

A system according to claim 26 including means for intercepting light emitted at said common focus point which would otherwise pass between said parabolic reflector and the outer periphery of said fresnel lens and for reflecting the intercepted light back generally toward said common focus point.

Claim 37

A system according to claim 32 wherein said intercepting means comprises an inwardly facing reflective surface with a curvature approximating that of a portion of a sphere and having its focus either co-located with or situated very near said common focus point.

Claim 38

A portable light capable of collimating substantially all of the available light being emitted by a light source along a projecting axis, said portable light comprising: a protective encasement; an optical focusing system housed in said protective encasement, said system comprising: a parabolic reflector which partially surrounds the light source in a manner permitting the light source to be located at the optical focus point of said parabolic reflector, said parabolic reflector including an aperture centered at its vertex through which the light source extends, a fresnel lens, situated opposite the vertex of said parabolic reflector with respect to the light source, said fresnel lens sharing a common focus point with said parabolic reflector and being oriented to cooperate with said parabolic reflector for collimation of light emitted at said common focus point along the projecting axis, and means for intercepting light emitted at said common focus point which would otherwise pass between said parabolic reflector and the outer periphery of said fresnel lens and for reflecting the intercepted light back generally toward said common focus point, said intercepting means including an inwardly facing reflective surface with a curvature approximately that of a portion of a sphere and having its focus either co-located with or situated very near said common focus point; a support base which extends through the vertex of said parabolic reflector to support the light source at said common focus point, said support base including a non-reflective, truncated cone with the base of said cone having a major diameter equal to a major diameter of said intercepting means and the imaginary top point of said cone being generally co-located with said common focus point; means for moving the light source along the principal axis of said parabolic reflector between said fresnel lens and said parabolic reflector; a portable power source which causes the emission of light from the light source; and means for selectively connecting and disconnecting said power source and the light source.

Claim 39

A portable light capable of collimating substantially all of the available light being emitted by a light source along a projecting axis, said portable light comprising: a protective encasement; an optical focusing system housed in said protective encasement, said system comprising: a parabolic reflector which partially surrounds the light source in a manner permitting the light source to be located at the optical focus point of said parabolic reflector, said parabolic reflector including an aperture centered at its vertex through which the light source extends, a fresnel lens, situated opposite the vertex of said parabolic reflector with respect to the light source, said fresnel lens sharing a common focus point with said parabolic reflector and being oriented to cooperate with said parabolic reflector for collimation of light emitted at said common focus point along the projecting axis, and means for intercepting light emitted at said common focus point which would otherwise pass between said parabolic reflector and the outer periphery of said fresnel lens and for reflecting the intercepted light back generally toward said common focus point, said intercepting means including an inwardly facing reflective surface with a curvature approximately that of a portion of a sphere and having its focus either co-located with or situated very near said common focus point; a support base which extends through the vertex of said parabolic reflector to support the light source at said common focus point, said support base including a non-reflective, truncated cone with the base of said cone having a major diameter equal to a major diameter of said intercepting means and the imaginary top point of said cone being generally co-located with said common focus point; means for moving the light source along the principal axis of said parabolic reflector between said fresnel lens and said parabolic reflector; a portable power source which causes the emission of light from the light source; and means for selectively connecting and disconnecting said power source and the light source.

Claim 42

A method according to claim 35 including the step of reflecting back that portion of the rearwardly projecting light which would escape between said parabolic reflector and said fresnel lens toward the light source when the light source is situated at a common focus point between said parabolic reflector and said fresnel lens.

Claim 45

A method according to claim 37 including the step of collimating substantially all of the forwardly projecting light along said common projecting axis by refracting it through said fresnel lens and collimating substantially all of the available rearwardly projecting light by reflecting it from said parabolic reflector when the light source is positioned at said common focus point.

Claim 46

A method according to claim 38 including the step of reflecting a portion of the rearwardly projecting light back toward the light source when the light source is situated at said common focus point between said parabolic reflector and said fresnel lens.