Patent · US Active

Apparatus for directing optical and acoustic signals

US11320370B2 · kind B2 · utility

0Cited by
82References
19Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJun 25, 2020
Grant dateMay 3, 2022
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 4, 2040

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01N2021/4709
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An enclosure permits ingress of an infrared light beam and ultrasonic signal entering the enclosure from two different locations and facilitates their exit from the enclosure along a substantially similar egress path. The enclosure contains fluid which propagates the ultrasonic wave and a glass element which reflects the ultrasonic wave from its ingress direction onto an egress path. The fluid is an index matching fluid having a refractive index the same as the refractive index of the glass element, rendering the glass element transparent to the infrared light beam. Thus, the infrared light beam, having been induced into the enclosure on an entry path directed through the glass element, passes through the glass element without being reflected or refracted by it, placing the infrared light beam on a substantially similar path to that of the ultrasonic wave for egress of both waves from the enclosure at substantially the same point.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.