Beam splitter and optical imaging systems incorporating same
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A beam splitter positionable to intercept light in an optical path, the beam splitter comprising:
- a body penetrated by an aperture; and
a reflective surface surrounding the aperture, wherein a transmitted portion of the light in the optical path is transmitted through the aperture and a reflected portion of the light in the optical path is reflected from the reflective surface;
wherein the body comprises one or more edges which define the aperture and wherein each of the edges is beveled with respect to the plane of the reflective surface such that when the beam splitter is positioned to intercept light in the optical path the reflective surface is oriented at a non-orthogonal angle with respect to an optical axis of the optical path and each of the one or more edges is oriented parallel to the optical axis.
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Abstract
An optical imaging system incorporates a beam splitter, which is moveable to a beam-splitting position where the beam splitter intercepts the light on an input optical path and a non-beam-splitting position where the beam splitter is located outside of the input optical path. The beam splitter includes a body penetrated by an aperture and a reflective surface surrounding the aperture. When the beam splitter is located in the beam-splitting position, a portion of the light in the optical path is transmitted through the aperture and a portion of the light in the optical path is reflected from the reflective surface.
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Citations
40 Claims
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1. A beam splitter positionable to intercept light in an optical path, the beam splitter comprising:
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a body penetrated by an aperture; and a reflective surface surrounding the aperture, wherein a transmitted portion of the light in the optical path is transmitted through the aperture and a reflected portion of the light in the optical path is reflected from the reflective surface; wherein the body comprises one or more edges which define the aperture and wherein each of the edges is beveled with respect to the plane of the reflective surface such that when the beam splitter is positioned to intercept light in the optical path the reflective surface is oriented at a non-orthogonal angle with respect to an optical axis of the optical path and each of the one or more edges is oriented parallel to the optical axis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An optical imaging system comprising:
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a beam splitter positionable to intercept light in an optical path, the beam slitter comprising;
a body penetrated by an aperture; and
a reflective surface surrounding the aperture, wherein a transmitted portion of the light in the optical path is transmitted through the aperture and a reflected portion of the light in the optical path is reflected from the reflective surface;an input optical system for collecting light from a scene and directing the light from the scene onto the optical path, the input optical system operative to cause the light on the optical path to converge; and a mechanism for selectively moving the beam splitter to a non-beam-splitting position outside of the optical path; wherein the transmitted portion of the light forms a first image of the scene and wherein the reflected portion of the light forms a second image of the scene; wherein the transmitted portion of the light converges to form the first image of the scene at a first focal plane incorporating a first focal point and the reflected portion of the light converges to form the second image of the scene at a second focal plane incorporating a second focal point; and wherein a first optical path length from the input optical system to the first focal point is substantially the same as a second optical path length from the input optical system to the beam splitter and from the beam splitter to the second focal point. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An optical imaging system comprising:
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a primary input optical system operative to collect light from a scene and to direct the light onto an input optical path; and a beam splitter which is moveable to a beam-splitting position where the beam splitter intercepts the light on the input optical path and a non-beam-splitting position where the beam splitter is located outside of the input optical path; wherein the beam splitter comprises a body penetrated by an aperture and a reflective surface surrounding the aperture and wherein, when the beam splitter is located in the beam-splitting position, a transmitted portion of the light in the optical path is transmitted through the aperture and a reflected portion of the light in the optical path is reflected from the reflective surface. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A method for providing images of a scene in more than one location, the method comprising:
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collecting light from the scene and directing the light onto an optical path; causing the light in the optical path to converge toward a first focal point to provide a first image of the scene at the first focal point; when an image of the scene is required at a second location;
moving an apertured reflective surface into the optical path;
causing a portion of the light in the optical path to reflect from the reflective surface and to converge toward a second focal point to provide a second image of the scene at the second focal point; and
allowing a portion of the light in the optical path to pass through the aperture in the reflective surface and to converge toward the first focal point to provide a third image of the scene at the first focal point.
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Specification