Lenses for 2D planar and curved 3D laser sheets
OwnerMark Belloniinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Various lens shapes are able to transform laser beams into laser sheets that can span both two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) space in a controlled manner. The electromagnetic characteristics of the laser beams can be tailored as the laser light enters, traverses, and exits a lens. The projected image can be shaped. The lenses may have sections being multiply or simply connected with or without cavities. The lenses may also have solid or hollow race features, and coatings and/or material layers, which affect the output laser sheet. A fan angle of the produced laser sheet can be up to and include 360 degrees.
Claims20
A lens configured to transform an impinging laser beam into a laser sheet, the lens comprising:
- an exterior surface defined by at least one curve rotated along a path about a centroid of the lens;
- and
- at least one section having an outer perimeter defined by the at least one curve, and a cavity defined by an inner surface of the lens, wherein:
- the lens is configured to transform the laser beam into a 2D laser sheet or a 3D laser sheet based on a relative incident angle of the laser beam on the lens,
- the lens is a prism, ring, disc, plate, shell, or solid volumes, and
- the laser sheet has a fan angle up to and including 360 degrees based on an incident location of the laser beam on the lens, a distance between a source of the laser beam and the centroid of the lens, and a distance between the centroid of the lens a projection surface of the laser sheet.
A lens configured to transform an impinging laser beam into a laser sheet, the lens comprising:
- an exterior surface defined by at least one curve rotated along a path about a centroid of the lens;
- and
- a race extending through the lens between an inlet port at the exterior surface and an outlet port at the exterior surface or a terminating end within the lens, the race being configured to allow a portion of the laser beam to pass therethrough from the inlet port to the outlet port, wherein:
- the lens is configured to transform the laser beam into a 2D laser sheet or a 3D laser sheet based on a relative incident angle of the laser beam on the lens, and
- the laser sheet has a fan angle up to and including 360 degrees.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.