Patent · US Expired

Condensing and collecting optical system with axially displaced concave reflector and optical fiber

US5509095A · kind A · utility

13Cited by
12References
23Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 1, 1994
Grant dateApr 16, 1996
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 1, 2014

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B19/0047
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

The present invention comprises a system for condensing and collecting electromagnetic radiation having a primary reflector disposed on one side of an electromagnetic radiation source and a target disposed on the opposite side of the source. The primary reflector includes a concave reflecting surface portion, which preferably forms the entire surface of the reflector. The concave surface portion of the primary reflector, which is preferably of a substantially toroidal shape, defines an optical axis and a primary center of curvature disposed along the optical axis. The source of electromagnetic radiation is located approximately on the optical axis but axially offset a first distance from the center of curvature in a direction toward the concave surface portion. The target, such as a single core fiber optic or a fiber optic bundle, is located approximately on the optical axis but axially offset a second distance from the center of curvature in a direction away from the concave surface portion for acquiring a substantially focused image of the source reflected by the concave surface portion. With this configuration, the first and second distances are approximately related by the equa…

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