Abstract: An apparatus for producing structured light comprises a first optical arrangement which comprises a microlens array (L1) comprising a multitude of transmissive or reflective microlenses (2) which are regularly arranged at a lens pitch P and an illumination unit for illuminating the microlens array. The illumination unit comprises an array (S1) of light sources (1) for emitting light of a wavelength L each and having an aperture each, wherein the apertures are located in a common emission plane which is located at a distance D from the microlens array. For the lens pitch P, the distance D and the wavelength L, the following equation applies P2=2LD/N, wherein N is an integer with N?1. High-contrast high-intensity light patterns can be produced. Devices comprising such apparatuses can be used for depth mapping.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing structured light comprises a first optical arrangement which comprises a microlens array (L1) comprising a multitude of transmissive or reflective microlenses (2) which are regularly arranged at a lens pitch P and an illumination unit for illuminating the microlens array. The illumination unit comprises an array (S1) of light sources (1) for emitting light of a wavelength L each and having an aperture each, wherein the apertures are located in a common emission plane which is located at a distance D from the microlens array. For the lens pitch P, the distance D and the wavelength L, the following equation applies P2=2LD/N, wherein N is an integer with N?1. High-contrast high-intensity light patterns can be produced. Devices comprising such apparatuses can be used for depth mapping.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing structured light comprises a first optical arrangement which comprises a microlens array comprising a multitude of transmissive or reflective microlenses which are regularly arranged at a lens pitch P and an illumination unit for illuminating the microlens array. The illumination unit comprises an array of light sources for emitting light of a wavelength L each and having an aperture each, wherein the apertures are located in a common emission plane which is located at a distance D from the microlens array. For the lens pitch P, the distance D and the wavelength L, the following equation applies P2=2LD/N, wherein N is an integer with N?1. High-contrast high-intensity light patterns can be produced.

Abstract: A lamellar grating interferometer is described, in which the light beams are collimated and focused onto the grating by means of mirror 9, which at the same time serves for collecting the light reflected from the grating. In this case, the light beam of a white light source 1 is first collimated by means of first lens 2, and subsequently passed through a sample cuvette 3. The transmitted light beam is subsequentlyy focused and coupled by another lens 2 into a fibre 17. The light to this fibre 17 is subsequentlyy directed towards a mirror 9, reflected from this mirror 9 onto a grating 11, which forms part of a lamellar grating interferometer which is realised by means of a micro electro mechanical device MEMS 7, which is mounted on a MEMS holder 6, as is the fibre 17. The light reflected from this grating 11 is reflected onto the same mirror 9, and focused and coupled by this same mirror 9 into a second multimode fibre 18, which is also fastened to the holder 6.

Abstract: A communication device (200), such as a cellular mobile phone or a cordless phone, has a dial unit (208) for communication with a base station. An input device for dialing a phone number which forwards a coded dial signal (215) to the dial unit (208) is implemented as an optical character recognition (OCR) scanner (210) that reads phone numbers (202) from a printed or hand-written original (201). Optionally, especially for recognizing hand-writing, the scanner (210) sends graphical representations of input data to the base station that obtains the code dial signals by an external processor.

Abstract: An optical device (20) is provided using at least one film (23) of cholesteric liquid crystal to reflect at least one predetermined wavelength band from an incident light. This device is characterized in that a non zero birefringence gradient is present in a portion or the entire thickness of said film. The gradient may be obtained in particular by superposing layers (24a-24j) having increasing or decreasing respective birefringence coefficients. The birefringence gradient has the effect of removing the lateral bands of the reflection spectrum, hence making the color of the reflected light more brilliant and more saturated. The effect is particularly advantageous in the case of the color red, for which the lateral band located on the yellow side is perceived strongly by the human eye.

Abstract: Solid optical guide (10) with microprisms (20) of refractive index n, for uniformly illuminating a surface (4) in grazing incidence at an angle &thgr;1 in which a plane angle &dgr; of the cross-section develops with respect to the surface (4) a substantially perpendicular face (15) and a substantially parallel face (14), in which microprisms (20) are structured in hollows, one facet (21) of said microprisms oriented towards the face (15) has its edge (22) formed with the parallel face (14) inclined at an angle {right arrow over (&agr;)} with respect to the axis of the guide and its edge (23) formed with the perpendicular face (15) inclined at an angle {right arrow over (&ggr;)} with respect to the perpendicular to the surface to be illuminated, the values {right arrow over (&agr;)} and {right arrow over (&ggr;)} being determined from characteristics n, &thgr;1 and &dgr; of the guide.

Abstract: An optical sensing unit is provided which comprises at least one sample measurement cell, at least one excitation light source acting upon the or each measurement cell to provide one or more sensor fields defining an array of measurement fields, a photoelectric detector array for detecting the intensity of light emitted from the or each measurement cell in response to excitation light, and means for directing light emitted from each measurement field to a respective portion of the photoelectric detector array. The sensing unit may be used in combination with multiplexed waveguide arrays or multiplexed planar cappillary chromatography or electrophoresis chips.

Abstract: Optical detection apparatus for chemical analyses of small volumes of samples has light sources (21) to emit induction light, a measuring cell (7) for the sample, photoelectric sensing elements (22) to receive light coming form the sample in the measuring cell (7), as well as beam-conducting means for the induction light or the light from the sample. In the apparatus, several essentially planar, laminar components (2-7) are arranged in a sandwich structure, whereby the components (2-7) contain the light sources (21), the measuring cell (7), the photoelectric sensing elements (22), and also the beam conducting means.

Abstract: The invention concerns a liquid crystal display device intended, in particular, to form a colour image display screen, of the type including: a first substrate which is transparent on a front side situated on the side of the viewer; and a second substrate arranged on a back side facing the first substrate and extending parallel to the latter. The first substrate is connected to the second substrate in order to delimit between them a cavity in which at least one film of liquid crystal is arranged. The liquid crystal has at least a first state in which it reflects the light of a range of wavelengths of a predetermined colour and at least a second state in which it is transparent. The surface of each substrate facing the other substrate includes electrodes to allow the liquid crystal to pass at least from the first state to the second state or conversely, by selective application of a control voltage to the electrodes.

Abstract: Illumination device for the dial (4) of a display device formed by a case (1) sealed by a crystal (8) arranged above the dial (4) and held by a fitting ring (9), said device including at least one light source (13, 33, 35, 43, 53) arranged in at least one recess arranged in at least one light guide (20, 30, 40, 50) positioned at the periphery of the dial (4), said guide having a polished internal surface (21) oriented towards the dial (4) and an external surface (22) held in a space delimited by the dial (4), the crystal (8) and the inner wall (10) of the fitting ring (9), characterised in that all or part of said external surface (22) of the guide is arranged to allow a progressive increase along the guide (20, 30, 40, 50) of the quantity of light diffused by said external wall gradually as one moves away from one of the light sources (13, 33, 35, 43, 53).

Abstract: A driving mechanism, preferably provided for a high-voltage isolating switch (T), contains a driving motor (M) which acts upon a moving contact of the switch via a shaft (W) and is provided with a rotor winding (R) and a stator winding (S), connected in series. To control a direction of rotation of the driving motor (M) in dependence on the position of the switch, the driving mechanism also contains a control circuit. In this driving mechanism, it is intended to keep the number of cores of a connecting cable (L) from the driving mechanism housing (K) to a control cabinet (N) as small as possible.

Abstract: A drive for a high-voltage isolating switch includes a shaft which acts on a moving contact of the isolating switch, a flywheel which is connected via a coupling to the shaft, a drive motor for energizing the flywheel before a switching process begins and a control circuit. The control circuit is used for determining the direction of rotation of the drive motor during the energizing process and for automatically switching the drive motor from a motor to a generator operation, during a period when the movable contact is to be moved. The motor is preferably a series-wound motor which provides high operational reliability. A rectifier is connected in the current path between the rotor and stator windings of the motor. The rectifier stabilizes the current direction in the stator winding during the switching-over phase of the drive motor from motor to generator operation.

Abstract: In a protective circuit layout for a high voltage switchgear installation the switching position of the high voltage switches is detected by position signal contacts (for example Q81NCR, Q81NCS, Q81NCT). The status signals emitted by the position signal contacts of a group of switches (Q81, Q82, Q83, Q0) serve in a logic combination to monitor the command path of a switch (Q91) not belonging to the group. Each of the switches (for example Q91) is provided with a modularizable release unit with an inlet part (FEQ91) and an outlet part (FAQ91) arranged in the command path. At the inlet part (FEQ91) the status signals required for the monitoring of the command path of the associated switch (Q91) are present. At the outlet part (for example FAQ91) the signal emitted by the associated switch (Q91) to the release units of other switches of the switchgear installation may be obtained. In the release unit the status signals effecting the blocking or release of the switch (Q91) to be monitored are processed.

Abstract: During grinding, a grinding wheel effects movements of solely vertical displacement along a path parallel to a vertical guide rod. The workpiece to be machined is held by a rotatable, but not axially displaceable, chuck secured to a workpiece head. In order that helical relative movements between the workpiece and the grinding wheel may be produced, transmission components and gearing are provided for positively converting the vertical motion of the grinding wheel into rotary motion of the workpiece. For cylindrical and surface grinding, the motion-conversion arrangement may easily be disengaged or dismantled. Thus it is possible with this universal grinding machine to carry out drill grinding, cylindrical grinding, and/or surface grinding on a workpiece which need be chucked only once.