LASER SYNCHRONIZING ARRANGEMENT FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC ILLUMINATION

• US 3,643,568 A
• Filed: 09/15/1969
• Issued: 02/22/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/1968
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Denis Le Goff, Hubert Guillet
• Original Assignee: Denis Le Goff, Hubert Guillet
• Inventors: Guillet, Hubert, Le Goff, Denis
• Primary Examiner(s): Horan, John M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hutchison, Kenneth C.
• Application Number:
  US04/858,056
• Time in Patent Office: 890 Days
• Field of Search: 95/11.5R 346/108 352/84 350/275,285,286
• US Class Current: 396/171
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 9/70 with flash-synchronising contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/123 using rotating mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/125 using rotating prisms

Abstract

A laser synchronization system synchronizes the emission of a light pulse on a laser triggered by a rotating mirror and the control of the exposure of a photographic camera by means of a light pulse. The system comprises a light detector connected to the camera and is adapted to supply an electrical pulse suitable for controlling the camera. An auxiliary light source in the form of an auxiliary laser directs a light beam through an optical system onto the light detector when the rotating mirror is in appropriate angular position. Two semitransparent mirrors define the optical resonating cavity of the auxiliary laser, and the auxiliary laser emits light in two opposite directions in the form of a visual display beam and a synchronizing beam whereby a visual display of the path of light emitted by the triggered laser is achieved by a continuous light beam supplied by the auxiliary light source.

Claims

1. A laser synchronization system for synchronizing the emission of a light pulse on a laser triggered by a rotating mirror and the control of an apparatus utilizing said light pulse, said system comprising:

a light detector connected to the apparatus and adapted to supply an electric pulse suitable for controlling said apparatus, an auxiliary light source, optical means for directing a light beam from said auxiliary light source onto said light detector when said rotating mirror is in an appropriate angular position, said auxiliary light source comprising an auxiliary laser, two semitransparent mirrors defining the optical resonating cavity of said auxiliary laser with said auxiliary laser emitting in two opposite directions a visual display beam and a synchronizing beam, whereby;

a visual display of the path of the light emitted by said triggered laser is achieved by a continuous light beam supplied by said light source.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said apparatus comprises a photographic camera and the exposures thereof are synchronized with the triggering of said laser.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising means defining two parallel, narrow slots through which said synchronizing beam passes respectively before and after its reflection from said rotating mirror.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the power of the synchronizing laser beam is lower than that of the visual display beam.

5. The system as claimed in claim 4, wherein those parts of said synchronizing beam which are situated immediately in front of and behind said rotating mirror form when projected onto a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said mirror, an acute angle within which said triggered laser is situated.

6. The system as claimed in claim 4, further comprising means defining two parallel, narrow slots through which said synchronizing beam passes respectively before and after its reflection from said rotating mirror.

7. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein those parts of said synchronizing beam which are situated immediately in front of and behind said rotating mirror form when projected onto a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said mirror, an acute angle within which, said triggered laser is situated.

8. The system as claimed in claim 7, further comprising means defining two parallel, narrow slots through which said synchronizing beam passes respectively before and after its reflection from said rotating mirror.