US5430634A — Concentrating and collecting optical system using…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 140 words

A system for condensing, concentrating and collecting electromagnetic radiation to provide a high intensity illumination source having as much radiation flux as possible in a small area, said system comprising: a primary electromagnetic radiation reflector having an optical axis and a substantially toroidal reflecting surface concave to a source of highly divergent broadhand, incoherent radiation; said source located near a center of curvature of said reflector, but laterally offset a first distance from the optical axis of said reflector so as to produce a substantially focused image of said source upon reflection from said reflector, at a point laterally offset from said optical axis by a second distance, wherein radii of curvature of said toroidal reflecting surface differ in length by about 4%; and a target located near a point of maximized collectable flux density to collect said electromagnetic radiation.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 140 words

A system for condensing, concentrating and collecting electromagnetic radiation to provide a high intensity illumination source having as much radiation flux as possible in a small area, said system comprising: a primary electromagnetic radiation reflector having an optical axis and a substantially toroidal reflecting surface concave to a source of highly divergent broadhand, incoherent radiation; said source located near a center of curvature of said reflector, but laterally offset a first distance from the optical axis of said reflector so as to produce a substantially focused image of said source upon reflection from said reflector, at a point laterally offset from said optical axis by a second distance, wherein radii of curvature of said toroidal reflecting surface differ in length by about 4%; and a target located near a point of maximized collectable flux density to collect said electromagnetic radiation.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 52 words

The system of claim 1 wherein said toroidal reflecting surface has a radius of curvature in a first plane containing said optical axis, said source, and said target that is greater than a radius of curvature in a second plane containing said optical axis and which is orthogonal to said first plane.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 28 words

The system of claim 1 wherein said target is located at a point of maximized concentrated flux density which is substantially coincident with the substantially focused image point.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 28 words

The system of claim 1 further comprising a correcting optic placed between said reflector and said target for improving the focus of said focused image on said target.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 24 words

The system of claim 4 wherein the correcting optic is treated with an optical preparation for controlling the spectral intensity distribution of the source.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 16 words

The system of claim 1 wherein said second distance is substantially equal to said first distance.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 14 words

The system of claim 1 wherein said second distance differs from said first distance.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 23 words

The system of claim 1, wherein said radii of curvature of said toroidal reflecting surface comprise lengths of 50.0 mm and 51.9 mm.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 26 words

The system of claim 1 wherein the target is an optical fiber target having a collection end positioned near the point of maximum collectable flux density.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 38 words

The system of claim 9 wherein the collection end of the optical fiber target is polished at an angle selected to compensate for astigmatism introduced by the envelope of the light source and by the toroidal reflecting surface.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 41 words

The system of claim 9 wherein the collection end of the optical fiber target is polished at an angle selected to adjust the relative numerical aperture of the fiber to match the relative numerical aperture of the source and reflecting surface.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 31 words

The system of claim 9 wherein the collection end of the optical fiber target is polished at an angle selected to maximize the amount of light coupled into the optical fiber.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 38 words

The system of claim 1 wherein a numerical aperture of the optical fiber target is less than a numerical aperture of the source and reflector and wherein the target is offset from the image point of the reflector.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 40 words

The system of claim 1 wherein the toroidal reflecting surface is tilted at an angle relative to a plane containing the source, the target and the optical axis of the reflector to increase the flux density at a target location.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 53 words

The system of claim 1 wherein the envelope of the source is substantially cylindrical and has a longitudinal axis and wherein the longitudinal axis of the envelope is tilted from a perpendicular to a plane containing the target and the optical axis of the reflector to increase the flux density at the target.

Claim 17

Independent Claim 206 words

A system for condensing, concentrating and collecting light to provide a high intensity light source for illumination having as much radiation flux as possible in a small area, said system comprising: a primary electromagnetic radiation reflector having an optical axis and a substantially toroidal reflecting surface with radii of curvature varying in length with respect to each other to obtain an image point of high flux density; a light source providing highly diverging, broadband, incoherent light, said source surrounded by an envelope, said source further located near the optical axis of said reflector but offset a first distance from the optical axis of said reflector so that the light of said source is focused and concentrated at an image point offset from the optical axis of said reflector by a second distance, said image point being opposite said source with respect to the optical axis of said reflector, said radii of curvature of said reflecting surface being selected to position said image point just outside of said envelope from said source, wherein said radii of curvature of said toroidal reflecting surface differ in length by about 4%; and an optical fiber target having a collection end thereof located near a point of maximum collectable flux density.

Claim 18

Independent Claim 206 words

A system for condensing, concentrating and collecting light to provide a high intensity light source for illumination having as much radiation flux as possible in a small area, said system comprising: a primary electromagnetic radiation reflector having an optical axis and a substantially toroidal reflecting surface with radii of curvature varying in length with respect to each other to obtain an image point of high flux density; a light source providing highly diverging, broadband, incoherent light, said source surrounded by an envelope, said source further located near the optical axis of said reflector but offset a first distance from the optical axis of said reflector so that the light of said source is focused and concentrated at an image point offset from the optical axis of said reflector by a second distance, said image point being opposite said source with respect to the optical axis of said reflector, said radii of curvature of said reflecting surface being selected to position said image point just outside of said envelope from said source, wherein said radii of curvature of said toroidal reflecting surface differ in length by about 4%; and an optical fiber target having a collection end thereof located near a point of maximum collectable flux density.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 16 words

The system of claim 16 wherein said second distance is substantially equal to said first distance.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 14 words

The system of claim 16 wherein said second distance differs from said first distance.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 59 words

The system of claim 16 wherein said toroidal reflecting surface has a radius of curvature in a first plane containing the optical axis of said reflector, said source, and said image point that is greater than a radius of curvature in a second plane containing the optical axis of said reflector and which is orthogonal to said first plane.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 27 words

The system of claim 16 in which said target is located at a point of maximized concentrated flux density which is substantially coincident with the image point.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 27 words

The system of claim 16 further comprising a correcting optic placed between said reflector and said target for improving the focus of said image on said target.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 24 words

The system of claim 21 wherein the correcting optic is treated with an optical preparation for controlling the spectral intensity distribution of said source.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 28 words

The system of claim 11 wherein said optical fiber target is comprised of a plurality of optical fibers, in which said plurality of optical fibers are bundled together.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 16 words

The system of claim 23 wherein said plurality of optical fibers have substantially identical optical properties.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 30 words

The system of claim 23 wherein at least some of said plurality of optical fibers have a substantially different diameter from that of others of said plurality of optical fibers.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 31 words

The system of claim 23 wherein at least some of said plurality of optical fibers have a substantially different numerical aperture from that of others of said plurality of optical fibers.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 30 words

The system of claim 23 wherein at least some of said plurality of optical fibers have a substantially different shape from that of others of said plurality of optical fibers.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 31 words

The system of claim 23 wherein at least some of said plurality of optical fibers have a substantially different material composition from that of others of said plurality of optical fibers.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 30 words

The system of claim 16 wherein the collection end of said optical fiber target is polished at an angle substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said optical fiber target.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 36 words

The system of claim 16 wherein the collection end of said optical fiber target is polished at an angle substantially inclined with respect to a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said optical fiber target.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 37 words

The system of claim 23 wherein the collection end of at least one of said optical fibers, bundled together as said target, is polished at an angle substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said optical fiber.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 43 words

The system of claim 23 wherein the collection end of at least one of said optical fibers, bundled together as said target, is polished at an angle substantially inclined with respect to a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said optical fiber.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 23 words

The system of claim 16 wherein at least one of the ends of said fiber optic target is treated with an optical preparation.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 31 words

The system of claim 23 wherein at least one of the ends of at least one of said optical fibers, bundled together as said target, is treated with an optical preparation.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 25 words

The system of claim 16 wherein said primary reflector has a numerical aperture optically matched to at least one characteristic of said fiber optic target.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 20 words

The system of claim 16 wherein said light source, said primary reflector and said fiber optic target are optically matched.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 23 words

The system of claim 16, wherein said radii of curvature of said toroidal reflecting surface comprise lengths of 50.0 mm and 51.9 mm.

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 38 words

The system of claim 16 wherein the collection end of the optical fiber target is polished at an angle selected to compensate for astigmatism introduced by the envelope of the light source and by the toroidal reflecting surface.

Claim 41

Dependent Claim 41 words

The system of claim 16 wherein the collection end of the optical fiber target is polished at an angle selected to adjust the relative numerical aperture of the fiber to match the relative numerical aperture of the source and reflecting surface.

Claim 42

Dependent Claim 31 words

The system of claim 16 wherein the collection end of the optical fiber target is polished at an angle selected to maximize the amount of light coupled into the optical fiber.

Claim 43

Dependent Claim 40 words

The system of claim 16 wherein a numerical aperture of the optical fiber target is less than a numerical aperture of the source and reflector and wherein the optical fiber target is offset from the image point of the reflector.

Claim 44

Dependent Claim 40 words

The system of claim 16 wherein the toroidal reflecting surface is tilted at an angle relative to a plane containing the source, the target and the optical axis of the reflector to increase the flux density at a target location.

Claim 45

Dependent Claim 52 words

The system of claim 16 wherein the envelope of the source has a longitudinal axis and wherein the longitudinal axis of the envelope is tilted relative to a perpendicular to a plane containing the target, the source and the optical axis of the reflector to increase the flux density at the target.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1998-07-03	1999-01-02	1999-07-04	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2002-07-03	2003-01-02	2003-07-04	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2006-07-03	2007-01-02	2007-07-04	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Concentrating and collecting optical system using concave toroidal reflectors

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