Patents by Inventor Franklin D. Ehrne

Franklin D. Ehrne has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7131737
    Abstract: A housing (500) for a wire grid polarizing beamsplitter (240) and a spatial light modulator (210) in alignment with an output optical path has a front plate having an opening (502) for admitting incident illumination and a modulator mounting plate (506) for mounting the spatial light modulator (210) in the optical output path. First and second polarizer support plates (512, 520) extend between the front plate and the modulator mounting plate (506), with their respective facing inner surfaces providing coplanar support features for supporting the wire grid polarizing beamsplitter (240) within a fixed plane. The coplanar support features allow rotation of the wire grid polarizing beamsplitter (240) with respect to the output axis. The wire grid polarizing beamsplitter (240) has its surface at a fixed angle with respect to the surface of the spatial light modulator (210), the angle defining an output optical axis along the output optical path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: Moxtek, Inc.
    Inventors: Barry D. Silverstein, Franklin D. Ehrne
  • Patent number: 6902277
    Abstract: A housing (100) for a spatial light modulator (30) includes a first frame (102) for supporting the spatial light modulator (30) in the path of an incident illumination beam. A second frame (104) having an aperture (124) is fitted against the first frame (102) and provides a support element for disposing an optical component such as a compensator (90) proximate the aperture (124). The support element is rotatably adjustable about an axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2005
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Franklin D. Ehrne
  • Patent number: 6873479
    Abstract: A mounting bracket (40) for suspending a clear aperture of the base face of a prism (30) has a frame providing a horizontal support surface for allowing light to pass through the clear aperture of the suspended prism (30). First, second, and third support elements (44, 46) are spaced apart on the frame for supporting the base face of the prism (30), suspending the clear aperture. The second and third support elements (44) are peripheral to the clear aperture. The center of gravity of the prism (30), vertically projected, lies on or within the triangle formed by the first, second, and third support elements (44, 46).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2005
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Franklin D. Ehrne
  • Publication number: 20040263806
    Abstract: A housing (500) for a wire grid polarizing beamsplitter (240) and a spatial light modulator (210) in alignment with an output optical path has a front plate having an opening (502) for admitting incident illumination and a modulator mounting plate (506) for mounting the spatial light modulator (210) in the optical output path. First and second polarizer support plates (512, 520) extend between the front plate and the modulator mounting plate (506), with their respective facing inner surfaces providing coplanar support features for supporting the wire grid polarizing beamsplitter (240) within a fixed plane. The coplanar support features allow rotation of the wire grid polarizing beamsplitter (240) with respect to the output axis. The wire grid polarizing beamsplitter (240) has its surface at a fixed angle with respect to the surface of the spatial light modulator (210), the angle defining an output optical axis along the output optical path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2004
    Publication date: December 30, 2004
    Applicant: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Barry D. Silverstein, Franklin D. Ehrne
  • Publication number: 20040218290
    Abstract: A mounting bracket (40) for suspending a clear aperture of the base face of a prism (30) has a frame providing a horizontal support surface for allowing light to pass through the clear aperture of the suspended prism (30). First, second, and third support elements (44, 46) are spaced apart on the frame for supporting the base face of the prism (30), suspending the clear aperture. The second and third support elements (44) are peripheral to the clear aperture. The center of gravity of the prism (30), vertically projected, lies on or within the triangle formed by the first, second, and third support elements (44, 46).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2003
    Publication date: November 4, 2004
    Applicant: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Franklin D. Ehrne
  • Publication number: 20040150794
    Abstract: A copy protection illumination system (1) comprises a polychromatic light source (20); uniformizing optics (22) for homogenizing light from the polychromatic light source to provide a uniform illumination field; condenser relay optics; dichroic optics; illumination relay optics (82); a spatial light modulator (30); and a modulation element located at a plane in an optical path located between the polychromatic light source and the spatial light modulator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2003
    Publication date: August 5, 2004
    Applicant: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Andrew F. Kurtz, Joshua M. Cobb, Barry D. Silverstein, Timothy J. Tredwell, David J. Nelson, Franklin D. Ehrne
  • Patent number: 6769779
    Abstract: A housing (100) for mounting a wire grid polarizing beamsplitter (122) and a spatial light modulator (30) in alignment with an output optical path comprises a front plate having an opening for admitting incident illumination provided along an illumination axis. A modulator mounting plate (110) is spaced apart from and parallel to the front plate, for mounting the spatial light modulator in the optical output path of the illumination axis. First and second polarizer support plates are spaced apart from each other and extend between the front plate and the modulator mounting plate. The respective facing inner surfaces of the first and second support plates provide coplanar support features for supporting the wire grid polarizing beamsplitter between the inner surfaces. The wire grid polarizing beamsplitter extends between the facing inner surfaces. The surface of the wire grid polarizing beamsplitter is a fixed angle with respect to the surface of the spatial light modulator on the modulator mounting plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Franklin D. Ehrne, Barry D. Silverstein
  • Patent number: 6513932
    Abstract: An improved motion picture film projector (100) comprises a Geneva Mechanism (120), which intermittently drives a film (114). A light source (116) projects light through the film (114) and a shutter (106) periodically interrupts the light source (116). The shutter (106) has a blade with a shaped edge, which matches the frame shape on the film (114) thus, increasing the amount of light that is transmitted through the film (114). A second edge of the blade also matches the frame shape on the film (114) further increasing the amount of light transmitted through the film (114).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2003
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Franklin D. Ehrne, Andrew F. Kurtz
  • Patent number: 5790278
    Abstract: A scanner includes a drawer, extendible outside the scanner, for loading the original into the scanner; and a drawer supporting arrangement for supporting the drawer for movement into and out of the scanner while scanning takes place during at least part of the movement. The scanner can either be a desktop unit coupled to a host computer or mounted in a drive bay of a computer, in which case the drawer is extendible outside the drive bay for loading the original into the scanner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1998
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Franklin D. Ehrne, Eric P. Hochreiter, Dale W. Ryan, Martin L. Slade
  • Patent number: 5337120
    Abstract: An apparatus for driving a scanning gate of a photographic film scanning apparatus utilizes a reversible m s , stepping motor, and a system driven by the motor for moving the gate in a pendulum-like manner. The means comprises a shaft, a gear sector fixedly connected on the shaft and a crank arm fixedly connected on the shaft so as to operatively engage the scanning gate, and a worm configured to be driven by the motor. A biasing device is arranged between the gear sector and a chassis of the scanning apparatus to maintain a positive engagement between the worm and the gear sector. Additional biasing devices are connected between the crank arm and the gate to provide for adjustment of the gate about two axes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 9, 1994
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Eric P. Hochreiter, Franklin D. Ehrne, William I. Morris, Frederick J. Schwab
  • Patent number: 5313249
    Abstract: An arc-segment-shaped gate for a photographic film scanning apparatus has a six inch radius from a pivot shaft of the gate to the outermost surface at which the scanning of the film is to occur. The gate is pivoted around a pivot axis through an optical chassis of the scanning apparatus and is driven by a worm-gear segment arrangement via a reversible electric motor. The gate swings through an arc of approximately 61/2.degree. on each side of a vertical initializing position of the gate and has an aperture at which a frame of the film can be held against the gate by a clamping arrangement which is moved with the gate. The gate of the present invention is that the gate is mounted to be adjusted about a spherical bearing by the use of bearings mounted on eccentric shafts against which a wear plate on the gate is registered. Pins and biasing springs mounted on the gate and the gate system drive allow adjustment of the gate in .THETA. X and .THETA. Z directions for obtaining precise optical alignment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 17, 1994
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Eric P. Hochreiter, Franklin D. Ehrne, Gary L. Erck