US 9,435,998 B1 · Beam director

Abstract

A beam director comprising; a first reflector mounted towards the center of a horizontal rotatable platform, the platform rotatable by an actuator, the beam director configured to receive a vertical beam from a beam source perpendicular to the ratable platform and the first reflector configured to rotate the beam as the platform rotates and to reflect the beam horizontally to a second reflector mounted on the rotatable platform; the second reflector configured to reflect the beam vertically towards a work surface so that when the beam is activated and the actuator rotates the platform, the vertical beam strikes the rotating first reflector rotating the beam as the platform rotates and reflects the beam to the second reflector which reflects the beam to the work surface; the beam then following a curve path relative to the work surface and trace out an arc on the work surface.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A beam director comprising

a rotatable first reflector configured to receive a beam from a beam source along a rotational axis of the first reflector;
an actuator for rotating the first reflector about the rotational axis, whereby the first reflector rotates the beam and reflects the beam at a constant angle to the rotational axis;
and
a second reflector constantly facing the first reflector at a constant angle;
the second reflector configured to reflect the beam towards a work surface at a constant angle thereto,
whereby when the beam is activated and the actuator rotates the first reflector, the beam strikes the rotating first reflector rotating and reflecting the beam to the second reflector, which reflects the beam to the work surface;
the beam then following a curve path relative to the work surface and traces out an arc on the work surface.

4 more elements

A method of directing a beam towards a work surface with a beam director, the method comprising:

generating a beam with a beam source;
rotating a first reflector about a rotational axis with an actuator;
directing the beam towards the first reflector along the rotational axis of the first reflector;
providing a second reflector constantly facing the first reflector at a constant angle as the first reflector rotates;
reflecting the beam with the first reflector at a constant angle to the rotational axis towards the second reflector;
reflecting the beam with the second reflector towards a work surface;
so that when the beam is activated and the actuator rotates the first reflector;
the beam strikes the rotating first reflector rotating the beam and reflecting the beam to the second reflector, which reflects the beam to the work surface at a constant angle thereto;
the beam then following a curved path relative to the work surface and traces out an arc on the work surface.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Beam director

Life of this patent

Beam director

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims23