Monolithic optical assembly and associated retroreflector with beamsplitter assembly
US5949543A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 12, 1997 |
| Grant date | Sep 7, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 12, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01B2290/15
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
In accordance with the invention, an improved optical assembly having a monolithic structure, and an improved optical assembly having a monolithic structure and a retroreflector/beamsplitter combination is provided. The monolithic optical assembly comprises top and bottom plates which are joined into a monolithic structure by first and second mounting members and a beamsplitter. The assembly also comprising a first reflecting assembly in reflecting relation with the beamsplitter. An alternate embodiment of the invention substitutes the monolithic structure having the above six components, with a monolithically constructed hollow corner-cube retroreflector, wherein one of the retroreflector panels is a reflecting surface, another panel (situated at a 45 degree angle to the reflecting surface of the first panel) is a beamsplitter, and the third panel is a support panel used to complete the construction of the hollow corner-cube retroreflector.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.