Patent · US Expired

Illumination system having a plurality of movable sources

US6396068B1 · kind B1 · utility

21Cited by
5References
21Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 2, 2000
Grant dateMay 28, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 17, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG21K5/04
  • WIPO fieldEngines, pumps, turbines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

An illumination system includes several discharge sources that are multiplexed together to reduce the amount of debris generated. The system includes: (a) a first electromagnetic radiation source array that includes a plurality of first activatable radiation source elements that are positioned on a first movable carriage; (b) a second electromagnetic radiation source array that includes a plurality of second activatable radiation source elements that are positioned on a second movable carriage; (c) means for directing electromagnetic radiation from the first electromagnetic radiation source array and electromagnetic radiation from the second electromagnetic radiation source array toward a common optical path; (d) means for synchronizing (i) the movements of the first movable carriage and of the second movable carriage and (ii) the activation of the first electromagnetic radiation source array and of the second electromagnetic radiation source array to provide an essentially continuous illumination of electromagnetic radiation along the common optical path.

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