US4615580A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Fiber optic high speed pulse scanner
Assignee: Ricoh Co Ltd
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Filing: 1984-03-05
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Granted: 1986-10-07
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Expires: 2004-03-05
Abstract
Abstract A thermally responsive shutter interrupts or transmits light through an optical fiber. A small heater, such as a resistance heater, is positioned centrally under a gap in an optical fiber. At one end of the fiber is an illumination source; the opposite end of the fiber is the output end. The gap between the two segments of the optical fiber is filled by an opaque dye solution comprising a volatile organic or other liquid, and a high opacity dye. In the normal state, the dye solution interrupts the light passing through the glass fiber. Upon activation of the heater, the gap is sufficiently small that a bubble will form between the ends of the glass fibers. This removes substantially all of the dye from the gap between the fibers, and permits light to pass from the light source to the output end of the optical fiber.
Inventors
- 👤 Edward F. Mayer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 00:35
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/24; G02B6/26; G02B6/35; G02B6/3538; G02B6/264; G02B6/36; G02B6/38; G02B6/3807; G02B6/381; G02B6/3814; G02B6/354; G02B6/3544; G02B6/3548; G02B6/3552; G02B6/3564; G02B6/3568; G02B6/3576
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
109 words
A light switch comprising at least two optical fibers, linearly aligned, and defining a gap between the fibers, an opaque heat responsive fluid for normally blocking passage of light through said gap, means for creating a bubble in said fluid in response to heating the fluid, means for holding said fluid so that a portion thereof rests in said gap, said heat responsive fluid means including heater element means aligned with said gap for causing said bubble to form in said fluid, said bubble optically connecting said fibers, whereby light is allowed to pass through said aligned fibers of said switch in response to actuation of said heater element.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
109 words
A light switch comprising at least two optical fibers, linearly aligned, and defining a gap between the fibers, an opaque heat responsive fluid for normally blocking passage of light through said gap, means for creating a bubble in said fluid in response to heating the fluid, means for holding said fluid so that a portion thereof rests in said gap, said heat responsive fluid means including heater element means aligned with said gap for causing said bubble to form in said fluid, said bubble optically connecting said fibers, whereby light is allowed to pass through said aligned fibers of said switch in response to actuation of said heater element.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
A light switch as claimed in claim 1 wherein said fluid comprises a high opacity dye.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
A light switch as claimed in claim 1 wherein said fluid comprises a volatile organic liquid.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
13 words
A light switch as claimed in claim 1 wherein said fluid comprises methanol.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
A light switch as claimed in claim 1 wherein said gap is no greater than the cross-sectional diameter of said fiber.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
44 words
A light switch as claimed in claim 1 wherein said heater element is responsive to a source of binary data to selectively heat said fluid, said light switch further comprising a light source flashing synchronously with the bit rate of said binary data source.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
154 words
An apparatus for recording high resolution binary data at selected spots on an erasable reusable photoresponsive medium which includes means for producing exposure signals in binary form, an array of optical fibers for conveying light from a source to said photoresponsive medium, each of said optical fibers having a fluid filled gap therein to define first and second portions of said fiber, an opaque heat responsive fluid for normally blocking passage of light through said gap, means for creating a bubble in the fluid in response to heating the fluid, and heater means aligned with each of said fluid filled gaps and responsive to said binary data for heating said fluid to form a bubble in said gap in response to said binary data, and thereby optically coupling said first and second portions of said fiber to selectively pass light from said source to said photoresponsive medium in response to actuation of said heater.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
154 words
An apparatus for recording high resolution binary data at selected spots on an erasable reusable photoresponsive medium which includes means for producing exposure signals in binary form, an array of optical fibers for conveying light from a source to said photoresponsive medium, each of said optical fibers having a fluid filled gap therein to define first and second portions of said fiber, an opaque heat responsive fluid for normally blocking passage of light through said gap, means for creating a bubble in the fluid in response to heating the fluid, and heater means aligned with each of said fluid filled gaps and responsive to said binary data for heating said fluid to form a bubble in said gap in response to said binary data, and thereby optically coupling said first and second portions of said fiber to selectively pass light from said source to said photoresponsive medium in response to actuation of said heater.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
A recording apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein said fluid comprises a volatile, organic fluid.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
A recording apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein said fluid comprises a high opacity dye.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein said light source flashes synchronously with the data rate of said binary data source.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
28 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 10 further comprising means for circulating and cooling said fluid to stabilize the response time of said fluid to said heater means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
190 words
In an electrophotographic copying apparatus in which electrically charged toner of one polarity corresponding to an image to which the drum is exposed is transferred from an oppositely electrically charged surface of a photoconductive drum to the front side of a blank sheet of paper, an improved system for selectively exposing said photoconductive surface to a light source providing light conveyed to a point adjacent said surface by an array of optical light transmissive fibers, the improvement comprising each of said optical fibers having a fluid filled gap therein to define first and second portions of said fibers, an opaque heat responsive fluid for normally blocking passage of light through said gap, and means for creating a bubble in a fluid in response to heating the fluid, comprising heater means aligned with each of said fluid-filled gaps and responsive to said binary data for heating said fluid in response to said binary data to form a bubble in said gap, and thereby optically couple said first and second portions of said fiber to selectively pass light from said source to said photoresponsive medium in response to actuation of said heater.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
190 words
In an electrophotographic copying apparatus in which electrically charged toner of one polarity corresponding to an image to which the drum is exposed is transferred from an oppositely electrically charged surface of a photoconductive drum to the front side of a blank sheet of paper, an improved system for selectively exposing said photoconductive surface to a light source providing light conveyed to a point adjacent said surface by an array of optical light transmissive fibers, the improvement comprising each of said optical fibers having a fluid filled gap therein to define first and second portions of said fibers, an opaque heat responsive fluid for normally blocking passage of light through said gap, and means for creating a bubble in a fluid in response to heating the fluid, comprising heater means aligned with each of said fluid-filled gaps and responsive to said binary data for heating said fluid in response to said binary data to form a bubble in said gap, and thereby optically couple said first and second portions of said fiber to selectively pass light from said source to said photoresponsive medium in response to actuation of said heater.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
35 words
The improvement of claim 12 wherein said light source flashes synchronously with the data rate of said binary data, said system including a lens interposed between the end of each fiber and said photoconductive surface.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
17 words
The improvement of claim 13 wherein said fluid comprises a volatile fluid including a high opacity dye.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4121884A
Cited
US4505539A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1989-10-06 | 1990-04-07 | 1990-10-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-10-06 | 1994-04-07 | 1994-10-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-10-06 | 1998-04-07 | 1998-10-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |