Optical reflecting device
US6995889B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 22, 2003 |
| Grant date | Feb 7, 2006 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 22, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B26/0833
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An optical reflecting device employs an interfacing of an optical refractor and an optical reflector. When incorporated within a system (e.g., an optical switch, a display, and a bar code scanner), the optical reflecting device can be rotated among a plurality of positions. At a first position of the optical reflecting device, a light beam entering the optical reflecting device is sequentially refracted by the optical refractor, reflected by the optical reflector and refracted by the optical refractor prior to exiting the optical reflecting device at a first exit angle of the light beam from a normal axis of the optical reflector. Upon a rotation of the optical reflecting device by a rotation angle to a second rotation position, the light beam exits the optical reflecting device at a second exit angle of the light beam from the normal axis of the optical reflector at the first rotation position. An absolute value of a difference between the first and second exit angles is greater than twice an absolute value of the rotation angle.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.