Portable holographic recording apparatus

• US 5,144,461 A
• Filed: 06/20/1991
• Issued: 09/01/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Philip R. Horan
• Original Assignee: Philip R. Horan
• Inventors: Horan, Philip R.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US07/718,298
• Time in Patent Office: 439 Days
• Field of Search: 359/1, 359/30, 359/32, 359/35, 354/275, 354/276, 354/281, 354/278
• US Class Current: 359/30
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 1/04 Processes or apparatus for producing holograms G03H1/26 takes precedence

Abstract

A holographic camera assembly includes a portable, light-tight housing having a removable cover to access the interior thereof. Camera components are positioned upon an optics tray within the housing which is vibrationally isolated from the housing. The film is releasably mounted within a frame and includes a releasable film casing protecting the film from ambient light. The frame, including the film and casing, is releasably mounted upon a rotatable platform in one corner of the tray and a three-dimensional object of one'"'"'s choice is positioned therebehind. The cover is replaced upon the housing making the interior thereof light-tight. Means operable at a control panel externally of the housing selectively raise and lower the casing about the film. When in the fully raised position, a coherent light beam is allowed to travel along a fixed path (by action of a timed shutter mechanism) to pass through the film to strike the object. The reflection of light by the object back to the film creates the hologram. Following exposure, the casing is again lowered about the film which may then be removed from the housing for further film processing.

Claims

1. Apparatus operable to create a holographic film image of a three-dimensional object on a holographic film comprising:

a) a light-tight housing having a substantially planar bottom surface and including a removable cover to access the interior of said housing;

b) a coherent light source positioned in said housing interior and selectively operable to emit a coherent light beam directed along a fixed path to impinge upon an object positioned at a first point along said fixed path;

c) means releasably mounting a holographic film in said housing interior at a second point along said fixed path between said light source and said first point, said film including first and second, opposite planar surfaces lying in spaced, parallel planes substantially perpendicular to said housing planar bottom surface when mounted in said housing interior;

d) means operable to substantially reduce vibrational effects to said coherent light source, said object and said holographic film during creation of said holographic film image;

e) light beam diffusing means positioned at a third point along said fixed path between said light source and said second point and operative to diffuse said light beam sufficiently to impinge upon substantially the entire area of said first planar surface of said film and pass through said film to impinge upon and be reflected by said object and impinge upon said second, opposite planar surface of said film thereby forming said holographic image of said object on said film;

f) a light-tight, removable film casing configured to surround and protect said holographic film from destructive over-exposure due to ambient or artificial light during deposit in and removal from said light-tight housing interior;

g) means operable externally of said housing to selectively move said film casing about said film between fully covering and fully uncovering positions when said film is mounted in said housing, thereby allowing said diffused light to impinge upon said film when said casing is in said fully uncovering position; and

h) means selectively operable externally of said housing to cause said coherent light beam to travel along said fixed path and impinge upon said film for a predetermined amount of time.

2. The invention according to claim 1 and further comprising an optics tray having a substantially planar bottom surface, said optics tray bottom surface positioned in said housing in a spaced, parallel plane above said housing bottom surface wherein said vibration reducing means are positioned in the area between said optics tray bottom surface and said housing bottom surface.

3. The invention according to claim 2 wherein said vibration reducing means comprises resilient foam rubber.

4. The invention according to claim 3 wherein said housing bottom surface and said optics tray bottom surface are of substantially square outline, said housing including four side walls perpendicularly and vertically extending in the same direction from the perimeter of said housing bottom surface.

5. The invention according to claim 4 wherein said optics tray includes four side walls perpendicularly and vertically extending in the same direction from the perimeter of said optics tray bottom surface.

6. The invention according to claim 5 wherein said housing side walls and respectively adjacent said optics tray side walls lie in spaced, parallel planes, said housing side walls extending vertically beyond said optics tray side walls.

7. The invention according to claim 6 wherein said means to cause said coherent light beam to travel along said fixed path comprises a shutter and a shutter control mechanism, said shutter control mechanism being mounted to one of said housing four walls and said shutter positioned between said coherent light source and said second point, said shutter actuable to move out of said fixed path for said predetermined amount of time.

8. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said diffusing means comprises a diverging lens mounted to said coherent light source.

9. The invention according to claim 8 and further comprising a front-surfaced mirror rotatably mounted upon said optics tray bottom surface at a fourth point along said fixed path between said third point and said second point, said fixed path extending along a first linear axis between said light source and said mirror, said diffused light being reflected by said mirror thereby extending along a second linear axis between said mirror and said first and second points.

10. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said film is rigid and said film and said film casing are of substantially square outline, said film casing having front and back, parallel, planar walls with first and second side walls and a top wall extending perpendicularly therebetween defining an open bottom, and further comprising a film frame having a substantially planar, elongated base with two spaced, vertical beams extending perpendicularly in the same direction therefrom, said beams each including outside and inside facing surfaces, and whereby opposite, parallel edges of said film are removably and slidingly positioned between said beams in a linear groove traversing each of said inside surfaces of said beams.

11. The invention according to claim 10 and further comprising a substantially planar platform rotatably mounted at said second point and wherein said releasable mounting means comprises at least two spaced, threaded posts vertically mounted into said platform, said frame base including at least two slots each located adjacent opposite ends of said base, said slots being positionally aligned along said base for insertion of said posts therein, and further including a respective pair of securing nuts threadable over the free ends of said posts into tight, abutting engagement against said base adjacent said slots.

12. The invention according to claim 10 and further comprising means releasably securing said film casing to said frame base.

13. The invention according to claim 12 wherein said releasable securing means comprises first and second, spring-loaded latches, said latches pivotally mounted to said frame base adjacent each of said outside surfaces of said beams, the pivot axis of said first and second latches lying perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said elongated base portion, each of said latches having an edge for selective, mating engagement with an edge of repective first and second latch receiving members, said latch receiving members mounted on each of said opposite, parallel side walls of said film casing adjacent said open bottom.

14. The invention according to claim 13 wherein said film casing moving means comprises a film casing lift mechanism positioned in said housing interior, said lift mechanism including a lift member and further including means to releasably secure said lift member to said film casing, said lift mechanism operable to selectively move in first and second directions, said lift member thereby respectively covering and uncovering said film casing about said film when said lift member is secured to said film casing.

15. The invention according to claim 14 wherein said lift member comprises an elongated bar positioned substantially horizontally within said housing interior above said second point, said bar lying in covering relation to said top wall of said film casing when releasably secured thereto, and further including an elongated, threaded rod fixedly secured to a middle portion of said elongated bar at one end thereof and perpendicularly extending from said bar, terminating at a second, free end, said lift mechanism including a rotatable nut having internal threads engaging said threads on said rod whereby said lift mechanism is operable to rotate said nut in selective, opposite directions thereby respectively raising and lowering said rod and said elongated bar with respect to said nut.

16. The invention according to claim 15 wherein said lift member releasable securing means comprises third and fourth, spring-loaded latches pivotally mounted adjacent each end of said elongated bar, the pivot axes of said third and fourth latches lying perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said elongated bar, each of said latches having an edge for selective, mating engagement with an edge of respective third and fourth latch receiving members, said latch receiving members mounted on said opposite, parallel side walls of said film casing adjacent said film casing top wall.

17. The invention according to claim 15 wherein said lift mechanism includes a motor actuable externally of said housing, said motor being mounted upon a first mounting member extending horizontally over said second point, a second mounting member extending parallel to and in a plane spaced below said first mounting member, said first and second mounting members including aligned holes wherein said nut is rotatably mounted between said first and second members with the hole of said nut being aligned with said member holes, and whereby said rod extends through said holes of said members and said nut.

18. The invention according to claim 17 wherein said nut is mounted at the center of a first gear and being rotatable therewith, said motor actuable to rotate a second gear in meshing engagement with said first gear.

19. The invention according to claim 17 and further including first and second limit switches operable to control operation of said motor, said first limit switch positioned on said first mounting member adjacent said rod whereby a first washer and spring positioned on said rod adjacent said second, free end may travel downwardly with said rod to actuate said first limit switch to turn off said motor when said casing is in said fully covering position, and said second limit switch positioned on said second mounting member adjacent said rod whereby a second washer and spring positioned on said rod adjacent said first end travels upwardly with said rod to actuate said second limit switch to turn off said motor when said casing is in said fully uncovering position.