Optical reflector, illumination optical system, light source system and illumination optical apparatus
US5640284A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 27, 1994 |
| Grant date | Jun 17, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 27, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG03F7/70358
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An optical illumination system according to the present invention is provided with an optical reflector for illuminating a surface to be illuminated in the shape of arc or annulus. A reflective plane of the optical reflector is shaped in a special curved surface. Specifically, an arbitrary parabola with a first axis passing through the vertex and the focus of the parabola is rotated about a second axis passing through a point located on the opposite side of the directrix of the parabola with respect to the focus and being parallel to the directrix. The rotation of the parabola yields a parabolic toric surface. The reflective plane of the optical reflector has the curved surface constituting at least a part of the parabolic toric surface. The reflective plane so shaped reflects a light source image emitted from a light source system to illuminate the surface to be illuminated in the shape of arc or annulus.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.