Smoothly blended optical surfaces
US6843563B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 31, 2002 |
| Grant date | Jan 18, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 31, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02C7/041
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Apparatus, products, and methods are described that relate to blending various disparate optical surfaces in a smooth and continuous manner. In cross section, the two disparate surfaces are represented as meridional profiles. A blend zone profile is described by a single third-order polynomial. In the case of rotationally symmetric optics, one cross-section suffices for the description of the entire surface. In the case of non-rotationally symmetric optics, an increased number of cross-sections are necessary to produce the desired three-dimensional surface, thus meridional profiles are calculated at selected azimuthal locations to describe the full surface.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.