Double-reflection light scanner
US5114217A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 8, 1990 |
| Grant date | May 19, 1992 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 8, 2010 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B27/0031
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A light scanning system is disclosed which reduces the effects of wobble without the need for complex, cumbersome, or expensive optical equipment. A light source is provided for generating an input light beam. A rotatable support is provided, and has an axis of rotation that is substantially parallel to the input light beam. A reflector subsystem is provided, and includes a plurality of reflector pairs. Each of the reflector pairs is mounted on the support at a different azimuthal location around the axis of the rotatable support. Each of the reflector pairs has first and second light-reflective plane surfaces, the planes of which intersect at an obtuse angle. The first light-reflective surface is oriented to receive the input light beam during at least a portion of each rotational cycle of the rotatable support and to reflect the beam toward the second light-reflective surface, and the second light-reflective surface is oriented to further reflect the light beam to be approximately orthogonal to the direction of the input light beam. The disclosed structure has a scan rate and duty cycle that depends on the number of reflector pairs used.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.