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US 6,078,441 AGranted
Optical device for producing rotational displacement of an incident image
OwnerMichael Lahoodinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An array of graduated prisms disposed in a circle for rotating an incident image, the prisms are disposed with their end faces at the periphery of the circle and their apices at the center. The end faces are all oriented in the same direction either clockwise or counterclockwise, depending on the direction of rotation.
Claims20
An apparatus for rotating an incident image, comprising:
- a plurality of graduated prisms disposed in a circular array, the prisms varying continuously in power from a first power at the center of the array to a greater second power at an outer edge of the array.
An apparatus for rotating an incident image, comprising:
- a plurality of graduated prisms disposed in a circular array, the prisms varying in power from a first power at the center of the array to a greater second power at an outer edge of the array;
- and,
- wherein each of the prisms comprises a first edge, a second edge, a third edge, a fourth edge, a fifth edge, and a sixth edge;
- each of the prisms increasing in power from a first point where the first edge, the second edge, and the third edge intersect to a second point where the fourth edge, the fifth edge, and the second edge intersect;
- the intersection of the first edge and the third edge defining an angle C;
- the intersection of the fifth edge and the sixth edge defining an angle A;
- the first edge, the third edge, the fourth edge, the fifth edge, and the sixth edge being substantially linear;
- the fourth edge and the sixth edge intersecting at a right angle;
- and the fourth edge and the third edge intersecting at a right angle.
6 more elements
A method of rotating an incident image comprising the steps of:
- providing a plurality of graduated prisms disposed in a circular array, the prisms having a first power at the center of the array and a second power that is greater than the first power at an outer edge of the array, the prism power varying continuously between the center of the array and the outer edge;
- providing a second surface disposed at a distance from the plurality of prisms such that an image passing through the prisms is capable of being displayed on the second surface;
- and
- projecting the image through the plurality of prisms onto the second surface.
1 more element
An apparatus for rotating an incident image, comprising:
- a plurality of graduated prisms disposed in a circular array, each of the prisms having at least one curved edge, a first linear edge having a magnitude (X.sub.D), a second linear edge intersecting the first edge, an angle (C) formed between the first and second edges, a second surface disposed at a distance (D) from the array, the prisms displacing the incident points of an image line by a distance Y from the first edge to form a displaced line, the distance Y varying along the first edge, the displaced line intersecting with the first edge to form a pre-determined angle F, the distance Y defined by X.sub.D tan F, the curved edge defined by (X.sub.D tan C) tan [2 arc tan ((X.sub.D tan f)/D)].
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.