Apparatus for projecting a line of light from a diode-laser array
First Claim
1. Apparatus for projecting a line of light, comprising:
- a light-pipe;
at least one diode-laser bar including a plurality of spaced-apart emitters for emitting light, the light from said emitters of said diode-laser bar being emitted in a fast-axis and a slow-axis perpendicular to each other and perpendicular to the general direction of emission;
a first optical arrangement for directing the light emitted by the emitters of said diode-laser bar into said light-pipe, said first optical arrangement and said light-pipe being arranged such that the light propagates through said light-pipe substantially unguided thereby in the fast-axis and guided by said light-pipe in the slow-axis; and
a second optical arrangement arranged to receive light exiting said light-pipe and focus said light to form the line of light.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A line-of-light projecting module is illuminated by a diode-laser bar and includes light-pipe for homogenizing light from the diode-laser bar in the slow-axis. A shaping optics assembly directs the light emitted by the diode-laser bar into the entrance end of the light-pipe as a diverging beam in the slow-axis and as a collimated beam in the fast-axis. The light propagates through the light-pipe unguided in the fast axis. The light is guided by the light-pipe in the slow-axis, and homogenized in the slow-axis by making multiple reflections from walls of the light-pipe. An anamorphic projection optics assembly projects the light from the exit end of the light-pipe and focuses the light to form the line-of-light.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. Apparatus for projecting a line of light, comprising:
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a light-pipe;
at least one diode-laser bar including a plurality of spaced-apart emitters for emitting light, the light from said emitters of said diode-laser bar being emitted in a fast-axis and a slow-axis perpendicular to each other and perpendicular to the general direction of emission;
a first optical arrangement for directing the light emitted by the emitters of said diode-laser bar into said light-pipe, said first optical arrangement and said light-pipe being arranged such that the light propagates through said light-pipe substantially unguided thereby in the fast-axis and guided by said light-pipe in the slow-axis; and
a second optical arrangement arranged to receive light exiting said light-pipe and focus said light to form the line of light. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. Apparatus for projecting a line of light, comprising:
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at least one diode-laser bar having a length and including a plurality of spaced-apart emitters spaced apart in the length direction, for emitting light, the light from said emitters of said diode-laser bar being emitted in a fast-axis and a slow-axis perpendicular to each other and perpendicular to the general direction of emission;
a light-pipe, said light having a width in said slow-axis less than the length of said diode-laser bar;
a first optical arrangement for directing the light emitted by the emitters of said diode-laser bar into said light-pipe, said first optical arrangement and said light-pipe being arranged such that the light propagates through said light-pipe substantially unguided thereby in the fast-axis and guided by said light-pipe in the slow-axis;
a second optical arrangement arranged to receive light exiting said light-pipe and focus said light to form the line-of-light. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. Apparatus for projecting a line of light, comprising:
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at least one diode-laser bar having a length and including a plurality of spaced-apart emitters spaced apart in the length direction, for emitting light, the light from said emitters of said diode-laser bar being emitted as a diverging beam in a fast-axis and a slow-axis perpendicular to each other and perpendicular to the general direction of emission;
a light-pipe;
a first optical arrangement for directing the light emitted by the emitters of said diode-laser bar into said light-pipe, said first optical arrangement and said light-pipe being arranged such that the light propagates through said light-pipe substantially unguided thereby in the fast-axis and guided by said light-pipe in the slow-axis, and said first optical arrangement being also arranged such that light entering said light-pipe has a slow-axis divergence greater than the slow-axis divergence of light emitted by said emitters; and
a second optical arrangement arranged to receive light exiting said light-pipe and focus said light to form the line of light. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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27. Apparatus for projecting a line of light, comprising:
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at least one diode-laser bar for emitting light the light from said diode-laser bar being emitted in a fast-axis and a slow-axis perpendicular to each other and perpendicular to the general direction of emission, said diode-laser bar having a length in the slow-axis;
a light-pipe having a slow-axis width less than the length of said diode-laser bar;
a first optical arrangement including a slow-axis telecentric relay for directing the light emitted by said diode-laser bar into said light-pipe, said first optical arrangement and said light-pipe being configured and arranged such that the light propagates through said light-pipe substantially unguided thereby in the fast-axis and guided by said light-pipe in the slow-axis; and
a second optical arrangement including an inverse telephoto lens arranged to receive light exiting said light-pipe and focus said light to form the line of light. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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Specification