Electromagnetic radiation collector and transport system
First Claim
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1. A method of collecting incident radiation, the method comprising:
- receiving the incident radiation from at least a first direction;
redirecting the incident radiation with a radiation directing component into a propagation component, the radiation directing component being coupled to a buffer component configured to optically separate radiation directing component and propagation component and to retain the incident radiation in the propagation component;
retaining the radiation in the propagation component such that the radiation is propagated generally toward a first end of the propagation component; and
optically separating the radiation component from the propagation component such that the radiation propagating with the propagation component is prevented from interacting with the radiation directing component.
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Abstract
The present invention includes a radiation collector configured to collect incident radiation. The radiation collector includes a radiation directing component configured to redirect the incident radiation, a buffer component configured to receive the radiation redirected by the radiation directing component, and a propagation component configured to receive the radiation from the buffer component and to propagate the radiation towards a first end of the propagation component.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method of collecting incident radiation, the method comprising:
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receiving the incident radiation from at least a first direction; redirecting the incident radiation with a radiation directing component into a propagation component, the radiation directing component being coupled to a buffer component configured to optically separate radiation directing component and propagation component and to retain the incident radiation in the propagation component; retaining the radiation in the propagation component such that the radiation is propagated generally toward a first end of the propagation component; and optically separating the radiation component from the propagation component such that the radiation propagating with the propagation component is prevented from interacting with the radiation directing component. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method of coupling optical radiation from at least a first source of optical radiation into a first optical transport component including a first propagation component and a first buffer component, the first buffer component radially overlaying the first propagation component and the first optical transport component configured to propagate optical radiation in generally a first direction toward a first end of the first optical transport component or in generally a second direction toward a second end of the first optical transport component, the method comprising:
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positioning the at least first source of optical radiation adjacent an exterior radial surface of the first buffer component; and directing at least a portion of the radiation emanating from the source of optical radiation into the first buffer component of the first optical transport component such that the radiation is coupled into the first propagation component and is propagated within the first propagation component toward at least one of the first end or the second end of the first propagation component due at least to total internal reflection between the first propagation component and the second component. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. An optical connector for transferring radiation, the optical connector comprising:
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a first optical transport component including a first propagation component and a first buffer component, the first buffer component radially overlaying the first propagation component, the first optical transport component configured to propagate optical radiation in generally a first direction toward a first end of the first optical transport component; a second optical transport component including a second propagation component and a second buffer component, the second buffer component radially overlaying the second propagation component, the second optical transport component configured to propagate optical radiation in generally a second direction toward a second end of the second optical transport component, the second optical transport component being positioned such that the second direction is not parallel to the first direction; and a radiation directing component located proximate to the first end of the first optical transport component and proximate to an exterior surface of the buffer component of the second optical transport component, the radiation directing component configured to redirect the optical radiation propagating generally in the first direction through the exterior surface of the second optical transport into the second propagation component such that the optical radiation is propagated within second optical transport component generally along the second direction of the second optical transport component. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification