Parallel plate waveguides
AssigneeVuzix Corporation
InventorsRobert J. Schultz, Mitchell G. Knoebel, Paul J. Travers
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A parallel plate waveguide assembly for conveying an image bearing light from an in-coupling optic to an out-coupling optic is disclosed wherein the waveguide assembly includes at least a waveguide blank having a first surface and a second surface located a distance from the first surface to create a thickness of the blank. The waveguide assembly further includes a first coating applied to the first surface forming a third surface and a second coating applied to the second surface forming a fourth surface. The third and fourth surfaces are less than a quarter of a wavelength of an image bearing light beam in flatness.
Claims20
A waveguide assembly, comprising:
- a blank having a first surface and a second surface, wherein said second surface is located a distance from said first surface to create a thickness of said blank, and wherein said first and second surfaces are not flat or are not parallel to each other;
- a first coating coupled with said first surface, wherein said first coating forms a first outermost surface of said waveguide assembly;
- a second coating coupled with said second surface, wherein said second coating forms a second outermost surface of said waveguide assembly;
- one or more diffraction gratings disposed in at least one of said first outermost surface and said second outermost surface, and
- wherein said first coating and said second coating are configured to increase parallelism of said first and second outermost surfaces of said waveguide assembly.
A method of producing a waveguide assembly, comprising:
- providing a blank having a first surface and a second surface, wherein said first and second surfaces are not flat or are not parallel to each other;
- providing a surface plate having a flat surface;
- applying a release agent to said flat surface;
- applying a coating over said release agent;
- moving said first surface of said blank to said coating, wherein said first surface is positioned a predetermined distance from said flat surface;
- curing said coating, whereby said coating is coupled with said first surface, wherein said coating forms an outermost surface of said waveguide assembly, and wherein one or more diffraction gratings are disposed in said outermost surface.
A method of producing a waveguide assembly, comprising:
- providing a blank having a first surface and a second surface;
- providing a surface plate having a flat surface;
- applying a release agent to said flat surface;
- applying a coating to said blank first surface;
- lowering said flat surface into said coating, wherein said blank first surface is positioned a predetermined distance from said flat surface;
- wherein said blank is suspended from said flat surface via said coating;
- and
- curing said coating, whereby said coating is coupled with said blank first surface, and wherein said coating forms an outermost surface of said waveguide assembly.
A method of producing a waveguide assembly, comprising:
- providing a blank having a first surface and a second surface, wherein said first and second surfaces are not flat or are not parallel to each other;
- providing a surface plate having a flat surface;
- applying a release agent to said flat surface;
- applying a coating over said release agent;
- applying said first surface of said blank to said coating;
- and
- curing said coating, whereby said coating is coupled with said first surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.