Rotating mirrors

• US 5,907,424 A
• Filed: 03/31/1998
• Issued: 05/25/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Westwind Air Bearings Ltd (Novanta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Westwind Air Bearings Ltd (Novanta Inc.)
• Inventors: Dumbrill, Dean K N
• Primary Examiner(s): Spyrou, Cassandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Schuberg, Darren E.
• Application Number:
  US09/050,968
• Time in Patent Office: 420 Days
• Field of Search: 359/196, 359/197, 359/212, 359/216, 359/217, 359/218, 359/219, 359/850, 359/855, 359/871
• US Class Current: 359/217.1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/121 Mechanical drive devices for polygonal mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/09 Multifaceted or polygonal mirrors , e.g. polygonal scanning mirrors; Fresnel mirrors

Abstract

Rotating mirrors and methods for producing rotating mirrors with reduced variation in centrifugal distortion are disclosed. Pins (52) having a density different from that of the remainder of the body (51) of a rotating mirror are provided and located to reduce variation in centrifugal distortion when the mirror is rotated at high speed.

Claims

1. A rotary mirror comprising a rotary carrier having a plurality of mirror surfaces arranged around a periphery of said carrier, and the carrier having an average overall density except in selected regions whose density is different from the overall density and which selected regions are located and shaped to reduce spatial variation in any centrifugal distortion of the periphery of the carrier when the carrier is rotated wherein the different density regions are provided by the introduction of a material at selected regions within the carrier.

2. A rotary mirror according to claim 1 in which the different density regions are provided by inclusion of higher density material at the selected regions within the carrier.

3. A rotary mirror according to claim 1 in which said mirror surfaces are arranged in the form of a regular polygon.

4. A rotary mirror according to claim 1 in which there is a defined peripheral vertex between each successive mirror surface and each region of higher density material is disposed, at least in part, on a radial line between an axis of rotation of said mirror and said defined peripheral vertex.

5. A rotary mirror according to claim 1 in which the carrier is in the shape of a cylinder of polygonal cross-section having a central axis of rotation.

6. A rotary mirror according to claim 5 which has regions of different density lying parallel to said central axis of rotation.

7. A rotary mirror according to claim 5 which has cylindrical regions of different density lying parallel to said central axis of rotation.