Toroidal Patents (Class 359/711)
  • Patent number: 10897563
    Abstract: A camera module according to one embodiment comprises: a first lens part having an optical axis arranged parallel to an X-axis; a second lens part having an optical axis arranged parallel to a Y-axis perpendicular to the X-axis; a first image sensor having one surface arranged to face the first lens part; a second image sensor having one surface arranged to face the second lens part; and a light guide part arranged between the first lens part and the first image sensor, or between the second lens part and the second image sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yong Bok Choi
  • Patent number: 9358402
    Abstract: A laser therapy device, including: a laser diode that is adapted to produce a monochromatic laser beam; a lens that is adapted to receive the beam directly from the laser diode and exploit the natural divergence of the laser diode to form an essentially coherent monochromatic, collimated beam; wherein the formed beam is adapted to form on a plane perpendicular to the direction of propagation of the beam an elongated illuminated area in which the length of the illuminated area is at least twice the size of the width of the illuminated area; a controller that is adapted to control activation of the laser diode; an encasement enclosing the laser diode, the lens and the controller; wherein the encasement is adapted to be hand held by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Inventor: Michael Schlosser
  • Patent number: 9123357
    Abstract: An optical pickup device includes a light source configured to output laser light, an objective lens configured to converge the laser light emitted from the light source onto an optical disc, a sensor lens including a lens surface on which return light reflected by the optical disc is incident and that is also configured to generate an astigmatism in the return light, and a light-receiving element configured to receive the return light which has passed through the sensor lens 40 and to generate a focus error signal based on the received return light. The lens surface includes a first curvature radius in a first direction and a second curvature radius different from the first curvature radius in a second direction that is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: Funai Electronic Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kenji Okamoto
  • Publication number: 20140307323
    Abstract: An optical lens for converting an incident beam with an irregular brightness into a uniform beam with a regular brightness includes an adjustable component configured to adjust a brightness distribution or magnitude distribution of a portion with a relatively high brightness in the incident beam. The optical lens includes a lens surface configured to refract the remaining portion in the incident beam except the portion with a relatively high brightness distribution to irradiate a target.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2013
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Applicant: ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventor: Won Hui LEE
  • Patent number: 8749891
    Abstract: The collimating optical element includes a light incident surface and a light emission curved surface. The light incident surface receives a light emitted by a light source. The light emission curved surface and a first plane are intersected to form a first curve. The first curve has a plurality of first curve segments, and each first curve segment includes at least three first tangent points. After passing each first tangent point along a connecting line of the light source and each first tangent point, the light exits along a first collimation axis, and an included angle formed between the first collimation axis and an optic axis is greater than ?15° and smaller than ?15°. Thus, the light after passing the collimating optical element forms a one-dimensional collimating light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Hui-Hsiung Lin, Wen-Hsun Yang, Chin-Ju Hsu, Yu-Nan Pao
  • Patent number: 8351125
    Abstract: A directional light distributing optical element includes a light incident surface and a light emission curved surface. The light incident surface receives a light emitted by a light source. The light emission curved surface and a first plane are intersected to form a first curve. The first curve has a plurality of first curve segments, and each first curve segment includes at least three first tangent points. After passing each first tangent point along a connecting line of the light source and each first tangent point, the light exits along a first axis, and an included angle formed between the first axis and an optic axis is greater than ?15° and smaller than 15°. Thus, the light after passing the directional light distributing optical element forms a one-dimensional directional light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Hui-Hsiung Lin, Wen-Hsun Yang, Chin-Ju Hsu, Yu-Nan Pao
  • Publication number: 20120200942
    Abstract: Cross-view mirrors for buses and other vehicles which provide modified image sizes. The mirror assemblies have lens members created from the shape of a portion of an elliptical or circular toroid volumetric shape with an elliptical or circular cross-sectional shape. A first embodiment has an elliptical toroid volumetric shape with an elliptical cross-sectional shape. A second embodiment has an elliptical toroid volumetric shape with a circular cross-sectional shape. A third embodiment has a circular toroid volumetric shape with an elliptical cross-sectional shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2011
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Inventors: William P. Schmidt, Daniel M. Swain
  • Publication number: 20120194778
    Abstract: A segmented delta toric lens is described. The segmented delta toric lens includes an optical area, a circumference area surrounding the optical area and a segmented delta protrusion formed on the circumference area. The segmented delta protrusion is located apart from the optical area and the edge of the circumference area. The segmented delta toric lens can further include a mark to indicate a direction of the segmented delta toric lens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2011
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: PEGAVISION CORPORATION
    Inventors: Colin David Skudder, Jacob Liao
  • Patent number: 8139909
    Abstract: A first toroidal ray guide defines an axis of revolution and has a toroidal entrance pupil adapted to image light incident on the entrance pupil at an angle to the axis of revolution between 40 and 140 degrees, and it also has a first imaging surface opposite the entrance pupil. A second toroidal ray guide also defines the same axis of revolution and has a second imaging surface adjacent to the first imaging surface. Various additions and further qualities of the ray guides, which form optical channels, are disclosed. In a method light emanating from a source at between 40-140 degrees from an optical axis is received at an entrance pupil of a ray guide arrangement that is circularly symmetric about the optical axis. Then the received light is redirected through the ray guide arrangement to an exit pupil in an average direction substantially parallel to the optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Upstream Engineering Oy
    Inventors: Ilkka A. Alasaarela, Jussi P. Soukkamäki, Teuvo K. Viljamaa
  • Patent number: 7974015
    Abstract: A center lens for collecting light in a center range and left/right lenses for collecting light in left/right ranges are supported in one plane to form center and left/right unit images. A microprocessor combines the unit images into a wide-angle image. The left/right optical lenses are placed on left-right direction line parallel to the wide-angle direction, while the center lens is placed distant from the left/right lenses above the direction line. Prisms are placed in front of the left/right lenses, and a toroidal lens to vertically modify the light path for light convergence onto each lens is placed in front of the prisms. The toroidal lens has a vertically curved surface having an axis coinciding with the direction line, and a horizontally cured surface having an axis coinciding with a vertical line passing through the center lens. This device can obtain a wide-angle image with a vertically large picture angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Toyoda, Yoshizumi Nakao, Yoshimasa Imahori
  • Patent number: 7963680
    Abstract: A lens for a light emitting diode is formed with a material having a refractive index of n, and the lens includes a base, a first curved circumferential surface extending from the base, a curved center-edge surface extending from the first curved circumferential surface, and a curved centermost surface extending from the curved center-edge surface. The base includes a groove for receiving a light emitting chip therein. In the lens, a distance from a center of the base to a point of the curved center-edge surface is always shorter than the radius of curvature for the point of the curved center-edge surface. The curved centermost surface has a concave shape with respect to the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ju-Young Yoon, Gi-Cherl Kim, Jong-Seo Lee, Chun-Ho Song, Se-Ki Park, Sang-Gil Lee, Seock-Hwan Kang
  • Patent number: 7887197
    Abstract: A light source unit includes a light emitting element, a substrate on which the light emitting surface is disposed, a sealing portion which transmits light from the light emitting surface, and a collimator lens having an inverted truncated hexagonal pyramid shape for forming light emitted from the sealing portion into a bundle of parallel rays of light, the sealing portion having two or more convexly curved surfaces which project in a direction in which light is emitted therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masakuni Iwanaga
  • Publication number: 20100232176
    Abstract: A first toroidal ray guide defines an axis of revolution and has a toroidal entrance pupil adapted to image light incident on the entrance pupil at an angle to the axis of revolution between 40 and 140 degrees, and it also has a first imaging surface opposite the entrance pupil. A second toroidal ray guide also defines the same axis of revolution and has a second imaging surface adjacent to the first imaging surface. Various additions and further qualities of the ray guides, which form optical channels, are disclosed. In a method light emanating from a source at between 40-140 degrees from an optical axis is received at an entrance pupil of a ray guide arrangement that is circularly symmetric about the optical axis. Then the received light is redirected through the ray guide arrangement to an exit pupil in an average direction substantially parallel to the optical axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2010
    Publication date: September 16, 2010
    Inventors: Ilkka A. Alasaarela, Jussi P. Soukkamäki, Teuvo K. Viljamaa
  • Patent number: 7729578
    Abstract: A first toroidal ray guide defines an axis of revolution and has a toroidal entrance pupil adapted to image light incident on the entrance pupil at an angle to the axis of revolution between 40 and 140 degrees, and it also has a first imaging surface opposite the entrance pupil. A second toroidal ray guide also defines the same axis of revolution and has a second imaging surface adjacent to the first imaging surface. Various additions and further qualities of the ray guides, which form optical channels, are disclosed. In a method light emanating from a source at between 40-140 degrees from an optical axis is received at an entrance pupil of a ray guide arrangement that is circularly symmetric about the optical axis. Then the received light is redirected through the ray guide arrangement to an exit pupil in an average direction substantially parallel to the optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Upstream Engineering Oy
    Inventors: Ilkka A. Alasaarela, Jussi P. Soukkamäki, Teuvo K. Viljamaa
  • Patent number: 7729061
    Abstract: A method and imaging system (10) is disclosed having a lens assembly (40) adapted for reading a target object (18) comprising an anamorphic lens assembly with first (L3) and second (L4) toroidal lenses adapted for positioning between a target object (18) and a sensor array (32) of an imaging system (10) such that an image received from the target object (18) is anamorphically magnified before impinging onto the sensor array along first and second directions by the anamorphic lens assembly (L3, L4). The anamorphic magnification in the first direction differs from the magnification in the second direction such that the image of the target object (18) projected onto the sensor array (32) appears elongated along the first direction relative to the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Igor Vinogradov
  • Patent number: 7688522
    Abstract: A lens has a convex or concave shaped smooth non-spherical surface or non-circular curve which is formed of a medium indicating negative refraction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventor: Kimihiko Nishioka
  • Patent number: 7641365
    Abstract: An optical element including a unitary, non-circularly-symmetrical, piece of optically-transmissive material, which has at least first and second surfaces for concentrating light from a light source onto a linear target region, such that at least one of the first and second surfaces is curved, and such that a first portion of the light is concentrated onto the linear target region by reflection from the first surface, while a second portion of the light is concentrated onto the linear target region by refraction at the second surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: Orbotech Ltd
    Inventors: Yigal Katzir, Elie Meimoun
  • Patent number: 7508588
    Abstract: Pluralities of lens parts 20, 22 are formed on a lens substrate 16 by dry-etching. The lens parts 20 and 22 have same structures, and the lens part 20 includes toroidal lens surfaces S1 and S2 opposing to each other on one principal surface and another principal surface of the substrate 16. Assuming that a cross section in a y-axis direction of a laser beam emitted from a laser active layer in a z-axis direction is long and narrow in an x-axis direction, the lens surface S2 is formed to have a radius of curvature R21 in the x-axis direction smaller than a radius of curvature R22 in the y-axis direction, and the lens surface S1 is formed to have a radius of curvature R11 in the x-axis direction smaller than a radius of curvature R12 in the y-axis direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Toshihiro Nakajima
  • Patent number: 7009778
    Abstract: An imaging optical system images a one-dimensional image on an image surface by regarding as an object a light modulator element which has light modulator parts arranged one-dimensionally in a first direction, and regarding a bundle of rays from the light modulator element as an object light. The imaging optical system includes at least two anamorphic surfaces each having radii of curvature which are different on an object surface in the first direction and a second direction which is perpendicular to the first direction, so that imaging surfaces in the first and second directions match.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Atsushi Kawamura
  • Patent number: 6961190
    Abstract: The lens embraces a bulk-shaped lens body identified by a top surface, a bottom surface and a contour surface, and a well-shaped concavity is implemented in the inside of the lens body, aligned from the bottom surface toward the top surface. The lens body has geometry such as bullet-shape or egg-shape. A ceiling surface of concavity implemented in the lens body serves as a first lens surface, the top surface of the lens body serves as the second lens surface, and inside of the concavity serves as a storing cavity of a light source or a photodetector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2005
    Assignee: Labosphere Institute
    Inventors: Satoshi Tamaoki, Hirao Ohta, Akihisa Minato
  • Patent number: 6627869
    Abstract: A beam shaper is made up of a single lens whose both surfaces are toric surfaces. Assuming that directions where the beam divergence angle are larger and smaller in the far field from the semiconductor laser source are referred to as the vertical and horizontal directions, respectively, both of the toric surfaces have aspheric surfaces in a cross-section in the vertical direction, both of the toric surfaces have spherical surfaces in a cross-section in the horizontal direction, and both centers of curvature of the spherical surfaces are located substantially at a luminous point of the semiconductor laser source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2003
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Tanaka, Michihiro Yamagata, Tomohiko Sasano
  • Patent number: 6504657
    Abstract: An optical member having a toric functional surface has a marking which is made by a configuration of a mold used to form the optical member. The marking is formed in the optical member outside an effective area of the functional surface of the optical member. In one embodiment, the optical member is an optical member for a scanning optical system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2003
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoru Ono, Etsuko Shibata
  • Publication number: 20020163738
    Abstract: An aberration changing optical system to be used with a projection optical system of a projection exposure apparatus, includes an optical element having at least one of a cylindrical surface and a toric surface and being rotatable about and tiltable to an optical axis of the optical system. In another form, the aberration changing optical system includes an optical element having different refracting powers in two orthogonal directions or having a refracting power only in one direction, the optical element being made rotatable about and tiltable to an optical axis of the optical system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 1999
    Publication date: November 7, 2002
    Inventor: TOSHIYUKI YOSHIHARA
  • Patent number: 6411445
    Abstract: An optical system has an outer dome and a detector system with an optical train and a sensor disposed to receive an optical ray passing sequentially through the outer dome and the optical train. The optical train includes a solid catadioptric imaging lens which is symmetric about a lens axis. The solid catadioptric imaging lens has a bore therethrough coincident with the lens axis, to prevent stray light from reaching the sensor. The bore is desirably filled with an opaque material or has a ground glass wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2002
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventor: Jeremie E. Jackson
  • Patent number: 6356396
    Abstract: An optical system includes a window, an optical corrector formed of a curved piece of a transparent material having a front surface and a back surface, and a sensor system with a sensor positioned such that the optical corrector is between the window and the sensor. At least one of the front surface and the back surface of the optical corrector is a segment of a convex aspheric curve rotated about a center, otherwise known as a torus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Chungte W. Chen, Stephen C. Fry, J. Steve Anderson
  • Patent number: 6285506
    Abstract: An optically curved device and method of fabrication are presented wherein a flexible layer is bonded to a thick epoxy layer which functions to conform the flexible layer to a desired shape. The thick epoxy layer undergoes high viscosity flow under pressure and conforms the flexible layer to a curved surface of a mold. The pressure on the epoxy can be created by squeezing the epoxy using a backing plate. As long as the optically smooth surface of the flexible layer has good contact with the curved surface of the mold under pressure of the epoxy flow, irregularities in the flexible layer optical surface are eliminated and the shape of the flexible layer is maintained when the epoxy is cured and the mold removed. Materials other than epoxies, such as thermal plastics can also be used for bonding and conforming the flexible layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2001
    Assignee: X-Ray Optical Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Zewu Chen
  • Patent number: 6275318
    Abstract: A linear imaging lens element for a scanning optical system in which light flux from a light source is formed as a linear image in the vicinity of a reflection surface of a light deflector includes a progressive power toric-aspherical surface being provided on either a surface facing the light source or on a surface facing the deflector. Cross-sectional configurations of the progressive power toric-aspherical surface, which are parallel with the plane including the optical axis and being perpendicular to the linear image, are made to be a circular arc, and the radius of curvature of each circular arc cross-sectional configuration is independently determined from the cross-sectional configuration lain on the plane which includes the optical axis and is parallel with the linear image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2001
    Assignee: Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Junji Kamikubo, Daisuke Koreeda
  • Patent number: 6222864
    Abstract: Coherent light sources combining a semiconductor optical source with a light diverging region, such as a flared resonator type laser diode or flared amplifier type MOPA, with a single lens adapted to correct the astigmatism of the light beam emitted from the source is disclosed. The lens has an acircular cylindrical or toroidal first surface and an aspheric or binary diffractive second surface. The first surface has a curvature chosen to substantially equalize the lateral and transverse divergences of the astigmatic beam. Sources with an array of light diverging regions producing an array of astigmatic beams and a single astigmatism-correcting lens array aligned with the beams are also disclosed. The single beam source can be used in systems with frequency converting nonlinear optics. The array source can be stacked with other arrays to produce very high output powers with high brightness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2001
    Assignee: SDL, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert G. Waarts, Robert J. Lang, Julian S. Osinski, Edmund L. Wolak, John Endriz
  • Patent number: 6108138
    Abstract: An optical beam shaper (10) for converting a radiation beam (5, 6, 7, 8) having an elliptical cross-section into a beam (9) having a more circular cross-section is described. This element (10) has a cylindrical entrance surface (12) and a toroidal exit surface (14) and can be arranged close to a diode laser (1) so that the risk of wavefront deviations due to defocusing is reduced. The element has a high coupling efficiency. The beam shaper is also provided with a grating for forming a sub-beam from the radiation beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2000
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventors: Willem G. Ophey, Josephus J. M. Braat
  • Patent number: 6104520
    Abstract: A laser scanning optical system includes a light source, a polygonal mirror for deflecting a light beam emitted by the light source, and a scanning lens system for guiding the light beam deflectively reflected by the polygonal mirror to a surface to be scanned. The scanning lens system has a spherical lens, and a toric lens which is formed of a plastic material having a positive refractive power in both main scanning and sub-scanning directions. At least one surface of the toric lens has an aspherical shape which is substantially perpendicular to a light beam, which has been transmitted through the spherical lens, in a main scanning section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2000
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takeshi Yamawaki
  • Patent number: 6091532
    Abstract: It is an object of this invention to provide an optical element molding method capable of correcting local processing errors in an optical element without increasing the size of an apparatus or raising the manufacturing cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2000
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Nakanishi, Norihisa Saito, Toshinori Ando, Hisakazu Morinaga
  • Patent number: 6052236
    Abstract: The light source equipment is provided with a light source and an anamorphic single lens. The anamorphic single lens has different refracting powers in the x and y directions orthogonal to each other, and converts a light from the light source to a light beam in a required state. Farther the anamorphic single lens satisfies the following equation :0.3<2.multidot.fy.multidot.tan (.theta.y/2)<0.7fy>fxwhere fx is a focal length in the x direction, fy is a focal length in the y direction, and .theta.y is a half angular divergence of radiant intensity of the light in the y direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2000
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akio Nakasuji, Toshihiro Yoshioka, Motonobu Yoshikawa, Yoshiharu Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 6034822
    Abstract: A device uses a divergent lens (7) having a concave surface with a central region (12) and a peripheral region (13) of lower curvature than the central region. The light beam (16) crossing the central region is spread over the entire surface of the image frame (10), thereby avoiding a concentration of light in the central portion thereof, and ensuring a more uniform illumination. The device is useful for large size slide projectors using a xenon arc lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2000
    Assignee: Hardware
    Inventor: Yves Ruellan
  • Patent number: 5986791
    Abstract: An optical scanning device of the present invention includes a simple scanning lens. At least one of opposite surfaces of the lens has a nonarcuate shape, as seen in a polarization plane. At least one of the opposite surfaces is a special toric surface. Further, in a plane perpendicular to the polarization plane, the lens has a meniscus shape concave toward a polarizer. With this configuration, the lens achieves a desirable uniform velocity scanning capability and a desirable field curvature in the main scanning direction. The lens is therefore free from errors in configuration ascribable to molding while reducing the limitation on the tolerance of optical elements in the optical axis direction as to assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1999
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Seizo Suzuki, Yoshinori Hayashi, Kouji Masuda
  • Patent number: 5946143
    Abstract: An optical correction technique which utilizes a pair of toroidal optical elements which are translated axially to provide dynamic correction of astigmatic aberrations induced by conformal/aspheric domes and windows as a function of sensor gimbal angle. This correction technique provides dual axis, variable optical power correction within the dynamic operation of gimballed optical sensors, and is particularly suited to correction of aberrations introduced by conformal/aspheric domes and windows used in both missile and airborne fire control systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 31, 1999
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventor: Michael R. Whalen
  • Patent number: 5914821
    Abstract: A window is made of a curved piece of a transparent material having a front surface and a back surface. At least one of the front surface and the back surface has a shape which is a segment of a convex aspheric shape rotated about a center, otherwise known as a torus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1999
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Chungte W. Chen, Darcy J. Hart, Stephen C. Fry
  • Patent number: 5905597
    Abstract: The present invention is characterized in that when a phototaking lens system forms image information on a image pickup device in which a plurality of light-receiving elements are arranged in a non-square lattice pattern and a signal from the image pickup device is sampled in a square lattice to obtain a two-dimensional digital image, the phototaking lens system forms an image as optically correcting for a distortion of aspect ratio of image caused upon sampling in the square lattice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1999
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoru Mizouchi, Tsunefumi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 5886834
    Abstract: An image detection system (10) uses an optical configuration for both image forming and calibration phases of operation. A field lens (20) has an inner portion (36) of a conventional prescription to allow for collection of scene based energy for an opto-electronic approximation of the infrared detail within the afocal field of view by a focal plane array (32). The field lens (20) also has an outer portion (38) that collects far field energy from a scene area (A.sub.I) through a converging point (P.sub.I). The energy collected from the scene area (A.sub.I) is indicative of the average energy level within the scene. The electrical equivalent values of all energy received from the unique area (A.sub.I) is stored in a multidimensional range used for subsequent gain and offset calibration coefficient calculations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 23, 1999
    Assignee: Raytheon TI Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: James A. Harder, Val J. Herrera
  • Patent number: 5790576
    Abstract: Coherent light sources combining a semiconductor optical source with a light diverging region, such as a flared resonator type laser diode or flared amplifier type MOPA, with a single lens adapted to correct the astigmatism of the light beam emitted from the source is disclosed. The lens has an acircular cylindrical or toroidal first surface and an aspheric or binary diffractive second surface. The first surface has a curvature chosen to substantially equalize the lateral and transverse divergences of the astigmatic beam. Sources with an array of light diverging regions producing an array of astigmatic beams and a single astigmatism-correcting lens array aligned with the beams are also disclosed. The single beam source can be used in systems with frequency converting nonlinear optics. The array source can be stacked with other arrays to produce very high output powers with high brightness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1998
    Assignee: SDL, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert G. Waarts, Robert J. Lang, Julian S. Osinski, Edmund L. Wolak, John Endriz
  • Patent number: 5781324
    Abstract: An optical scanning lens is provided with a lens configuration for focusing and correction of field curvature and scanning speed of a deflected laser beam. The lens configuration includes a meniscus lens and a positive meniscus lens sequentially aligned and sharing an optical axis with the optical scanning lens. Specific parameters are provided for each lens in order to satisfy the relationship:-0.25<f.sub.2 /f.sub.1 <0.11,between respective focal lengths of the lenses, and the surfaces of the meniscus lens have radii of curvature satisfying the relationship:0.8<r.sub.1 /r.sub.2 <1.25.The above relationships provide for correction of scanning speed and field curvature in a main scanning direction. Specific lens surfaces are identified and provided with an aspheric surface which provides additional field curvature correction in the main scanning direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1998
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kiichiro Nishina
  • Patent number: 5757557
    Abstract: A device for directing light longitudinally forwardly, that comprises a lens body having a front face facing forwardly, rearward body extent, and a curved sidewall extending between the rearward body extent and the front face; a rear cavity in the body, the cavity having a sidewall and a front wall defining a corner; and a light source in the cavity, and characterized in that light rays transmitted by the light source toward the curved sidewall, and toward the corner are collimated forwardly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1998
    Assignee: TIR Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Vladimir Medvedev, William A. Parkyn, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5715079
    Abstract: A scanning optical system has a deflector and a scanning lens. A convergent beam is deflected at a uniform angular velocity by the deflector. The scanning lens forms the scanned beam into an image on a scanned surface to scan the surface substantially at a uniform velocity. The scanning lens includes from the side of the deflector a negative lens element and at least one more lens element. The convergent beam is incident on a surface of the deflector which faces the deflector. The scanning lens fulfills predetermined conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 3, 1998
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Satoru Ono
  • Patent number: 5684641
    Abstract: In an objective lens for an optical head apparatus for reading or writing an information on a recording medium such as optical disc, astigmatism is added on axial wavefront aberration so that off-axis astigmatism is to be cancelled by the axial astigmatism. At least one surface of the objective lens is a toric or cylindrical surface, and a standard deviation of astigmatism component of axial wavefront aberration is defined as Wa is to be restricted in a range of 0<Wa<0.07.lambda. (.lambda. is a wavelength of a light to be used). When the objective lens moves in a radial direction of the optical disc, a light beam enters into the objective lens in an off-axis region where the aberration is compensated by the axial astigmatism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 4, 1997
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Tanaka, Osamu Doi, Kenji Inoue, Jun Murata, Michihiro Yamagata
  • Patent number: 5631763
    Abstract: An f.theta. lens system employing two f.theta. lenses in a laser scanning unit. According to the f.theta. lens system, a cheap plastic can be used for an f.theta. lens by lowering the refractive index of one of two f.theta. lenses and forming a toric face on one of total four refractive faces. Incident and emergent faces in the cross scan direction of a first f.theta. lens closer to a rotary polygon mirror has the curvature of .infin., and an incident face in the main scan direction of a second f.theta. lens closer to a photoconductive drum also has the curvature of .infin.. Thus, only an emergent face of the second f.theta. lens has a toric face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 20, 1997
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chang J. Park
  • Patent number: 5627689
    Abstract: An optical element that produces line bow, for example, a toric or cylindrical mirror or lens, is provided in a light-supplying optical device in addition to a first line-bow-producing optical element already present in the device so that a substantially straight line of light is formed on an original document. The light-supplying optical device also includes a light source that generates illuminating light to illuminate the original document and the first optical element that has a toric surface for collecting the illuminating light onto the original document and that is positioned so that the illuminating light shines at a certain angle relative to its toric surface. With this device, the second optical element having a toric surface is positioned in the optical path of the light source and of the original document so as to offset the curve of the illuminating light that otherwise would be generated on the original document by the first optical element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 6, 1997
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Fujinawa, Masayuki Inami, Toshiya Aikawa
  • Patent number: 5619362
    Abstract: An optical scanner including a semiconductor laser device, aperture, collimator, cylindrical lens, polygonal mirror and one f.theta. lens element molded from plastics. The first surface of the f.theta. lens in a deflecting plane (or the plane formed by the principal rays of light as deflected by the polygonal mirror) is aspheric whereas the second lens surface is toric. When taken in the deflecting plane, the first lens surface has a positive value of the near-axis radius of curvature and, hence, it is convex toward the polygonal mirror. Taken in a plane crossing the deflecting plane at right angles, the first lens surface forms an arc of a circle having a negative value of the radius of curvature and, hence, it is concave toward the polygonal mirror. When taken in the deflecting plane, the second lens surface forms an arc of a circle having a negative value of the radius of curvature and, hence, it is convex toward the scanning surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 8, 1997
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Akira Ota
  • Patent number: 5615050
    Abstract: A toroidal lens has a first surface comprised of a convex curve rotated about a central axis and a second surface comprised of a concave curve rotated about the central axis. The toroidal lens receives a radiation beam and produces an annular or halo shaped radiation beam. This resulting annular beam is focussed by a focussing lens to a reduced focus spot size without sacrificing depth of focus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 25, 1997
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Rishi Kant
  • Patent number: 5592286
    Abstract: The present invention provides a machine vision inspection system for inspecting the flanges of metal containers that can reliably detect flange defects as small as 0.010 to 0.012 inches. The inspection device comprises apparatus for producing an enlarged image of selected portions of the flange and apparatus for capturing and processing the image. The apparatus for producing the enlarged image includes an annular lens positioned between the flange and the producing apparatus. The invention also provides a method for inspecting a flange of an article, such as a can, for defects. The method comprises the steps of directing light onto the flange of the article from a light source, forming light rays reflected from the flange into a radially expanded image of the flange by positioning an annular lens to redirect reflected light rays into the radially expanded image, and providing apparatus for capturing and processing the image to inspect the flange for defects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 7, 1997
    Assignee: Alltrista Corporation
    Inventor: Richard L. Fedor
  • Patent number: 5581391
    Abstract: A synthetic resin lens for an optical system of a scanning optical system comprises a synthetic resin lens having a guide hole for an adhesive curing promoting light formed at a mount area thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 3, 1996
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuo Uzuki, Shin Mogi
  • Patent number: 5570143
    Abstract: A toric lens for axis mislocation correction has optical topography on at least one surface of the lens which induces a depth of field effect on the eye and enables the principle meridians of power on the lens to align with those on the eye of the wearer such that it compensates for mislocation error if the lens mislocates 1 degree or more. The lens is thin enough to allow sufficient oxygen transmission therethrough to provide satisfactory morphology of the eye of a wearer. The optical topography which induces the depth of field effect may comprise either aspheric topography, spline curve functions, diffractive optics using eschelets, ion impingement or bi-refringence optics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 29, 1996
    Assignee: Capricornia Contact Lens Pty. Ltd.
    Inventor: Steve Newman