Beam splitter
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsKenneth Raymond Hotelling, Jerry E. Fox
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A beam splitter includes a first surface and a second surface. The first and second surfaces are linearly offset from one another along an axis. The first and second surfaces are positioned to receive an optical beam projected in a first direction that is generally perpendicular to the axis. The first surface is configured to redirect a first portion of the optical beam in a second direction that has a first rotational offset with respect to the first direction and a second rotational offset with respect to the axis. The second surface is configured to redirect a second portion of the optical beam in a third direction that has a third rotational offset with respect to the first direction and a fourth rotational offset with respect to the axis.
Claims17
A beam splitter, comprising a first surface and a second surface, wherein:
- the first and second surfaces are linearly offset from one another along an axis;
- the first and second surfaces are positioned to receive an optical beam projected in a first direction that is generally perpendicular to the axis;
- the first surface is configured to redirect a first portion of the optical beam in a second direction that has a first rotational offset with respect to the first direction and a second rotational offset with respect to the axis;
- the second surface is configured to redirect a second portion of the optical beam in a third direction that has a third rotational offset with respect to the first direction and a fourth rotational offset with respect to the axis;
- the first surface is configured to redirect a first portion of the optical beam through a first bin only if the first bin is empty;
- and
- the second surface is configured to redirect a second portion of the optical beam through a second bin only if the second bin is empty.
A beam splitting system comprising a first beam splitter, a second beam splitter and a third beam splitter, the first beam splitter including a first surface and a second surface, wherein:
- the first and second surfaces are linearly offset from one another along an axis;
- the first and second surfaces can be positioned to receive an optical beam projected by an emitter in a first direction that is generally perpendicular to the axis;
- the first surface is configured to redirect a first portion of the optical beam in a second direction to a third surface of the second beam splitter, the second direction having a first rotational offset with respect to the first direction and a second rotational offset with respect to the axis;
- the second surface is configured to redirect a second portion of the optical beam in a third direction to a fourth surface of the third beam splitter, the third direction having a third rotational offset with respect to the first direction and a fourth rotational offset with respect to the axis;
- the first surface is configured to redirect a first portion of the beam through a first bin reaching the third surface only if the first bin is empty;
- and
- the second surface is configured to redirect a second portion of the beam through a second bin reaching the fourth surface only if the second bin is empty.
A method, comprising;
- providing a first surface and a second surface that is linearly offset from the first surface along an axis;
- positioning the first and second surfaces to receive an optical beam projected in a first direction that is generally perpendicular to the axis;
- orienting the first surface to redirect a first portion of the optical beam in a second direction that has a first rotational offset with respect to the first direction and a second rotational offset with respect to the axis;
- orienting the second surface to redirect a second portion of the optical beam in a third direction that has a third rotational offset with respect to the first direction and a fourth rotational offset with respect to the axis;
- orienting the first surface comprises orienting the first surface to redirect a first portion of the beam through a first bin only if the first bin is empty;
- and
- orienting the second surface comprises orienting the second surface to redirect a second portion of the optical beam through a second bin only if the second bin is empty .
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.