Abstract: An electromechanical device includes a rotor and a stator, wherein the stator includes multiple teeth excitable by a coil. The stator is formed from multiple stator sections with one section having a protrusion in spaced relation with a first tooth and a second section having a second protrusion in spaced relation with a second tooth. The protrusions have voids for receiving opposing protrusions in an overlapping manner to integrally form the first stator section with the second stator section. The electrical coil is extended around at least a portion of one tooth before mating the multiple stator sections. The rotor has a diametral magnetized magnet extending into the aperture.

Abstract: An electromechanical limited rotation rotary actuator comprises a stator having an aperture extending axially therein and at least two teeth having arcuate end portions forming an aperture. A rotor includes a diametral magnetized magnet bidirectionally operable with the stator and extending into the aperture. A non-uniform gap is formed between the magnet and the end portions of the teeth, and wherein the shape of the gap provides a restoration torque resulting in a spring-like return-to-center action of the rotor. An electrical coil extends around at least a portion of one tooth and is excitable for magnetizing the tooth and providing bidirectional torque to the rotor.

Abstract: A device for moving an optical element along an axis includes a housing in which is mounted a magnet assembly. The magnet assembly has an axial bore therethrough. An electrically conductive coil assembly has an axial bore therethrough substantially concentric with the magnet assembly's bore. The coil assembly is mounted at least partially within the magnet assembly bore for limited axial movement relative thereto. The coil assembly is placeable in electrical communication with a power source, and can support an optical element within the coil assembly's bore. A sensor is affixed for movement with the coil assembly that is adapted for sensing an axial position of the coil assembly. The sensor is placeable in signal communication with a current source for adjusting current delivered to the coil assembly based upon the sensed axial position.

Abstract: A laser light projector includes a laser beam generated by a laser light source, a scanner associated with the laser light source and having one or more moving mirrors capable of scanning the laser beam along X-Y coordinates, a scan-fail monitor and a safety-lens. The safety-lens includes at least one optical power, and is positioned and arranged for increasing the safety of the projected light within audience areas by increasing beam divergence in the audience, while keeping beam divergence low above the heads of the audience, thus allowing mirror targeting to occur.

Abstract: A fault protector for an opto-electronic device includes a MOSFET having an integral body-diode. A capacitor is connected between a drain and a gate of the MOSFET, and a resistor is connected between the gate and a source of the MOSFET. The drain of the MOSFET is connectable to a first terminal of an opto-electronic device, and the source of the MOSFET is connectable to a second terminal of the opto-electronic device. The device overcomes problems of previously known techniques by preventing a reverse-bias voltage from exceeding an absolute maximum specified by a manufacturer, and also prevents ESD or other power-related faults from exceeding the maximum forward-bias voltage of the laser diode, while not adding significant resistance or capacitance to the laser diode, thereby not complicating the task of driving the laser diode.

Abstract: A rotary position detector includes a housing having an inner space having a reflective element therewithin. A light source emits light rays upwardly. A base supports a light detector assembly having a first number of toroidal-sector-shaped light sensors disposed in pairs about a motor shaft axis, one “A” detector element and one “B” detector element alternately disposed. A light blocker rotates with the shaft above the light detector assembly and the light source and includes a second number of opaque, equal-surface-area elements arrayed about the axis, the second number equal to one-half the first number. A circuit measures a signal from the “A” and “B” detectors relating to an amount of light falling thereon, a difference related to an angular position of the motor shaft.

Abstract: A rotary position detector includes a housing having an inner space having a reflective element therewithin. A light source emits light rays upwardly. A base supports a light detector assembly having a first number of toroidal-sector-shaped light sensors disposed in pairs about a motor shaft axis, one “A” detector element and one “B” detector element alternately disposed. A light blocker rotates with the shaft above the light detector assembly and the light source and includes a second number of opaque, equal-surface-area elements arrayed about the axis, the second number equal to one-half the first number. A circuit measures a signal from the “A” and “B” detectors relating to an amount of light falling thereon, a difference related to an angular position of the motor shaft.

Abstract: A scanning laser system has a scan position controller to control an X-Y beam translator and a beam power controller to control a light source. A processor has accessible a table having a matrix of elements representing regions having spatial coordinates in at least two dimensions. A plurality of regions is required to define a space approximately sized as a human head. Each element contains a beam power variable indicative of radiation exposure at a corresponding region. Software resident in the processor has code for receiving a value of beam power incident on each region being scanned, for incrementing a stored beam power variable for each region if the beam power value is above a predetermined threshold, and for outputting to at least one of the scan position and the beam power controller a signal indicative of each region at which the beam power variable is above a predetermined value.

Abstract: A laser light projector includes a laser beam generated by a laser light source, a scanner associated with the laser light source and having one or more moving mirrors capable of scanning the laser beam along X-Y coordinates, a scan-fail monitor and a safety-lens. The safety-lens includes a plurality of powers arranged for increasing the safety of the projected light within audience areas by increasing beam divergence in the audience, while keeping beam divergence low above the heads of the audience, thus allowing mirror targeting to occur.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for a laser light projector, including a laser beam generated by a laser light source; a scanner associated with the laser light source and having one or more moving mirrors capable of scanning the laser beam along X-Y coordinates; a power meter positioned for quantifying the laser beam's power in real time; a fault detector operably connected in the laser light projector to detect a fault condition and automatically generate a fault signal in response thereto; a modulator responsive to the fault signal for reducing power in the laser beam; and a fault shutter operably associated with the laser light source and responsive to the fault signal so as to shut off the laser beam.

Abstract: A rotary position detector includes a housing and a light source positioned to emit light rays onto a light detector assembly having a first number of toroidal-sector-shaped light sensors, which are disposed in “A,B” pairs about a motor shaft axis so that each “A” detector is circumferentially positioned between two “B” detectors. A light blocker is affixed for rotation with a motor shaft between the light detector assembly and light source and has a second number of opaque, pie-shaped elements arrayed about the shaft, the second number equal to one-half of the first number. An angular subtense of the light blocker elements is greater than that of a detector element. A signal connection between the light detector elements and a circuit measures a signal from the “A” and “B” detectors relating to an amount of light falling thereon, a difference therebetween related to an angular position of the shaft.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for a laser light display projector for projecting a beam of laser light so as to produce a light pattern forming a visually perceptible light image includes a laser light source generating a substantially parallel light beam; a diffuser positioned so that the light beam passes therethrough prior to forming the visually perceptible display, the diffuser having a diffusion pattern effective for diffusing the light beam by a predetermined amount; a rotary actuator bearing the diffuser to thereby impart a rotating motion to the diffuser so that the diffusion pattern rotatably intersects the light beam; and a controller operatively connected to at least the rotary actuator to control rotational positioning of the diffuser in the light beam.

Abstract: A projector for producing a visually perceptible light image along predetermined vector coordinates, includes a light source for producing a beam of light along a light path; a deflector positioned to deflect the beam of light along the vector coordinates; a focusing lens for focusing the deflected light beam; and a projection reflector for reflecting the beam along the vector coordinates to thereby form the visually perceptible light image. A preferred light source comprises a laser, and a preferred reflecting surface has a substantially convex shape, preferably including a parabolic reflector.

Abstract: An apparatus for rapidly varying the spot size of a scanned imaging laser beam comprises a focusing device (e.g. focussing and collimating lens arrangement) and a beam displacement control device (e.g. a rotary actuator scanner mirror or linear actuator). The beam displacement control device is operative to cause relative displacement between the laser beam and a selected one of a plurality of reflector element positions. Respective ones of the plurality of reflector positions are located at respectively different separation distances from the focusing device. As a result, in the course of traveling along an laser beam path, the laser beam is incident upon the focusing device and the reflector element, so as to be directed to a given spatial location along the path, whereby the laser beam has a resultant beam width that is dependent upon the separation distance between the selected reflector element position and the focusing device.