Patents Examined by Susan S. Morse
  • Patent number: 4973162
    Abstract: A triangular ring laser gyroscope which has three readout subassemblies with a circuit for using the best two out of the three readings. The gyroscope includes a block having corners with three mirrors, anode and cathode means, three readout subassemblies with a circuit having three adders and three subtractors and three switch units which provide the best two out of the three readings for an average output reading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 27, 1990
    Inventor: Thomas W. Kennedy
  • Patent number: 4972426
    Abstract: The invention discloses an optically pumped laser comprising suspension means (7) for the bar (2) having inherent elasticity for assuring elastic gripping of the latter. The suspension means (7) comprise at least two suspension elements (17a, 17b) having a generally planar form extending parallel to the pumping faces of the bar. Each suspension element exhibits at least one peripheral securing zone (19a, 19b), a central clamping zone (20a, 20b) and an elastically deformable intermediate zone (21a, 21b) coupling these latter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 20, 1990
    Assignee: Asulab S.A.
    Inventor: Jurg Steffen
  • Patent number: 4969154
    Abstract: A room temperature solid state laser for producing a laser emission at a wavelength of substantially 2 microns is disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, the laser comprises: a laser crystal having a host crystal material doped with an effective percent concentration of CR.sup.3+ sensitizer ions and with an effective percent concentraton of Tm.sup.3+ activator ions; and a flashpump for exciting the laser crystal to produce a laser emission at substantially 2 microns at a slope efficiency of at least 2 percent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 6, 1990
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Leon Esterowitz, Gregory J. Quarles, Charles L. Marquardt
  • Patent number: 4958356
    Abstract: An excimer laser apparatus with an HCl generator. The HCl generator is constructed so that HCl gas is generated by the reaction of a fixed concentration of hydrogen gas in the laser gas mixture with an equivalent amount of metallic chlorides. The reaction occurs at a preset temperature, and the metallic chlorides may be either in the laser gas chamber or in the circulation line of the laser gas. Consequently, the HCl required for laser generation is continuously formed by the H.sub.2 reduction of the metallic chlorides. The HCl loss due to the formation of impurities is automatically replenished to maintain a constant concentration of HCl in the laser gas, which results in stable laser generation. This simplified and dependable excimer laser apparatus can be operated continuously for a long time, since it is not necessary to measure and replenish the HCl lost due to the formation of impurities. Furthermore, instead of using a bomb for the highly toxic HCl gas, a bomb for He mixed with H.sub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 18, 1990
    Assignee: Fuji Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ryohei Tanuma
  • Patent number: 4956843
    Abstract: The output of a single semiconductor light source is used to optically pump two solid state lasers which are arranged in series and produce laser radiation at two different frequencies. Single longitudinal and single transverse mode operation can be achieved in both lasers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 11, 1990
    Assignee: Amoco Corporation
    Inventors: Pedram Akhavan-Leilabady, Douglas W. Anthon
  • Patent number: 4956846
    Abstract: A gas laser device for effecting a laser oscillation while circulating a laser gas is disclosed, the gas laser device comprising a laser gun supply unit (5), a gas supply valve (6) provided at the outlet of the laser gas supply unit, an exhaust unit (9) for exhausting the laser gas in a discharge tube, a pressure sensor (7), a gas cylinder replacement check switch (5a), a control unit (10) and the like, wherein the control unit (10) exhausts the air after closing the gas supply valve, introduces a laser gas by opening the gas supply valve after the laser oscillator has been brought to a vacuum state, and effects a vacuum exhausting of the laser oscillator after closing the gas supply valve, whereby air in a pipe is exhausted from the oscillator when a gas cylinder is replaced to eliminate such disadvantages as a reduced laser output, and an unstable laser output, and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 11, 1990
    Assignee: Fanuc Ltd.
    Inventor: Nobuaki Iehisa
  • Patent number: 4953174
    Abstract: A laser preionization electrode (15, 17) formed of a dielectric tube (16) of square cross-section enclosing an electrode (18) of circular cross-section, the electrode (18) being of a large diameter on the order of 6.35 millimeters. A pair of such electrodes (15, 17) are located on either side of a main electrode (11) in a laser with the result that longer length preionization electrodes may be constructed while eliminating alignment problems of the prior art.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 28, 1990
    Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company
    Inventors: Robert E. Eldridge, David B. Cohn, Wayde H. Affleck