Elastomeric light valves
US6304364A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 11, 1997 |
| Grant date | Oct 16, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 11, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B5/24
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Electromagnetic radiation valves are provided. In one system, a transparent, elastomeric article is provided having a contoured surface including protrusions and intervening indentations. The contoured surface is placed adjacent a transparent plate and a void pattern defined by indentations of the contoured surface is filled with an opaque fluid. The protrusions decrease in cross-sectional area in the direction in which they extend away from the bulk of the elastomeric article, thus compression of the elastomeric protrusions against the transparent plate results in an increase in surface area in elastomeric protrusions against the transparent plate due to deformation of the protrusions, and the opaque fluid is displaced from the voids. Increased transmission of the electromagnetic radiation results. In another system, a similar elastomeric article includes an array of corner cubes that are totally internally reflective of the electromagnetic radiation. Increased deformation of the protrusions of the transparent plate results in decreased total internal reflection of light, due to the progressive destruction of the corner-cube geometry, and the passage of light is increased with com…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.