Patent · US Expired

Wide field collimator

US7159986B2 · kind B2 · utility

15Cited by
19References
5Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 20, 2003
Grant dateJan 9, 2007
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 24, 2023

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG03B21/26
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A collimator is compact and uses power efficient light emitting diodes as the illumination source to generate a test image in collimated space. The collimator provides a test image across a wide field of view, which is useful for calibration of optical devices that have a wide field of regard. An optical projection system in the collimator utilizes an array of light emitting diodes, whose light is converged by a Fresnel lens, through a holographic diffuser plate, onto a target plate bearing the test pattern to be projected out into collimated space through a converging lens. An alignment structure provides translation of the target plate along the main axis of the collimator and provides rotational freedom about two axes (vertical and horizontal) via a gimbal structure mounted on the translation mechanism.

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