Cylindrical optical devices and method of manufacture
AssigneePrecision Optics Corporation
InventorsRichard E. Forkey, Richard G. Cyr, Robert N. Ross
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A lens assembly and method for manufacture. The lens assembly includes at least one lens element, with multiple sawn planar faces formed parallel to an optical axis and spaced equidistantly from the optical axis so the lens element has a polygonal cross section. Each lens element has a centered, rotationally symmetric characteristic so the overall assembly has a corresponding characteristic. The manufacture includes the step of utilizing oversized conventional cylindrical lens elements and other optical elements formed into lens systems. The faces are sawn to reduce the overall size. A circumscribing sheath provides a segmental lumen along each face.
Claims25
An optical device extending along a geometric axis comprising:
- A) a final lens element formed from an initial lens element characterized by centered, rotational symmetry about an optical axis, said final lens element having polished image forming surfaces transverse to the geometric axis at each end of said final lens element and at least three sawn planar faces extending between said image forming surfaces parallel to and spaced from the geometric axis, whereby said final lens element has the cross section of a polygon, and
- B) a sheath supporting said final lens element.
An optical device extending along a geometric axis comprising:
- A) a final lens system formed from a plurality of adjoined initial lens elements having centered, rotational symmetry about an optical axis, each of said initial lens elements having a pair of spaced polished image forming surfaces transverse to the optical and geometric axes, said final lens assembly having at least three sawn planar faces extending along the length thereof parallel to and spaced from the geometric axis, whereby said final lens system, and each lens element therein has the cross section of a polygon, and
- B) a sheath surrounding and contacting said final lens assembly thereby to support said final lens system along the geometric axis.
A method for making a lens system extending along a geometric axis comprising:
- A)constructing an initial lens system with a least one lens element, each lens element having an optical axis and being characterized by a centered rotational symmetry about the optical axis and by polished image forming surfaces transverse to the optical axis, and
- B) removing portions of the lens elements in the lens system by sawing thereby to form sawn planar faces on the lens system parallel to the geometric axis whereby said lens system has the cross section of a polygon.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.