Optical device and method for high-resolution image transfer
AssigneeSchott AG
InventorStefan Weiser
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An optical device and a method for high-resolution image transfer are provided. The optical device includes an image-guiding element having a distal end and a proximal end, an inverting reflection prism having an entry face and an exit face, and a display element. The image-guiding element directs light beams into the inverting reflection prism, and after having passed therethrough they are directed to the display element, the image-guiding element being mounted for non-stop rotation over more than 360°. The light entry face and the light exit face of the image-guiding element define an angle μ to one another which is between 5° and 175°.
Claims25
An optical device for high-resolution image transfer from an environment, comprising:
- an image-guiding element having a light entry face and a light exit face, the light entry face captures light beams from the environment, the light exit face emits and directs the light beams captured by the light entry face;
- an angle defined between a surface normal to the light entry face and a surface normal to the light exit face is between 5° and 175°;
- an inverting reflection prism having an optical axis, an entry face, and an exit face, the entry face being positioned to capture the light beams emitted and directed from the light entry face of the image-guiding element;
- a display element, the exit face of the inverting prism emits and directs the light beams captured by the entry face onto the display;
- and
- a mounting that provides non-stop rotation of the image-guiding element relative to the inverting reflection prism and of the image-guiding element relative to the display element, over more than 360° about an axis of rotation that is parallel to the optical axis,
- wherein the rotational movement of the image-guiding element relative to the display element is achieved without electric power.
An optical device for high-resolution image transfer from an environment, comprising:
- an image-guiding element having a light entry face and a light exit face, the light entry face captures light beams from the environment, the light exit face emits and directs the light beams captured by the light entry face;
- an angle defined between a surface normal to the light entry face and a surface normal to the light exit face is between 5° and 175°;
- an inverting reflection prism having an optical axis, an entry face, and an exit face, the entry face being positioned to capture the light beams emitted and directed from the light entry face of the image-guiding element;
- a display element, the exit face of the inverting prism emits and directs the light beams captured by the entry face onto the display;
- and
- a mounting that provides non-stop rotation of the image-guiding element relative to the inverting reflection prism and/or of the image-guiding element relative to the display element, over more than 360° about an axis of rotation that is parallel to the optical axis, wherein the image-guiding element and/or the display element comprises a fiber-optic image guide having at least 10,000 optical fibers each with a diameter of 12 μm or less.
An optical device for high-resolution image transfer from an environment, comprising:
- a first image-guiding element having a first light entry face and a first light exit face;
- a second image-guiding element having a second light entry face and a second light exit face;
- an inverting reflection prism having an optical axis, a prism entry face, and a prism exit face, the prism being operatively positioned between the first and second image-guiding elements such that the prism entry face captures light beams emitted from the first light exit face and such that the prism exit face emits the light beams onto the second light entry face;
- and
- a mounting configured to rotate the prism over more than 360° about an axis of rotation that is parallel to the optical axis such that the prism entry face rotates relative to the first light exit face and such that the prism exit face rotates relative to the second light entry face.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.