Patent · US Expired

Apparatus for aligning the optical system of a lamphouse and a movie projector

US5386257A · kind A · utility

5Cited by
5References
4Claims
0Family size

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateSep 27, 1993
Grant dateJan 31, 1995
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 27, 2013

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG03B21/2053
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Apparatus for aligning the optical systems of a lamphouse and a movie projector in the form of a laser alignment tool having a single beam laser with a diffraction grating to split the beam into multiple beams and the laser diode module is housed in a cylindrical casing. The diffraction grating splits the single laser into a specific number of beams of equal intensity, consisting of a center beam and each of the beams to either side of it at equal angles. The laser alignment tool has a geared motor with an adjustable speed which rotates the diffraction grating so that each angled beam sweeps a concentric circle with respect to the other beams. The diffraction grating is interchangeable so that the laser alignment tool can be used for lamphouse systems with varying focal lengths or for other applications such as reflector inspection. The motor may be turned on or off while the laser is kept on. The speed of rotation of the beams is controlled by varying the voltage to the motor.

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