Optical device having a light transmitting substrate with external light coupling means
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An optical device, comprising:
- a light-transmitting substrate having a first part including an input aperture surface, a second part including an output aperture surface and at least first and second major surfaces parallel to each other and edges;
at least one partially reflecting surface for coupling out light waves from the substrate, the partially reflecting surface being located in the second part of the substrate and is nonparallel to the major surfaces of the substrate;
optical means, outside of the substrate, for changing the direction of incident light waves impinging on the optical means so that the light waves are trapped inside the substrate by total internal reflection, and wherein the optical means has an output aperture surface, the output aperture surface of the optical means being optically cemented to the input aperture surface of the substrate, the first part of the substrate between the two major surfaces located next to the substrate input aperture surface, including the input aperture surface being substantially transparent, the trapped light waves passing through the output aperture surface without any substantial reflection from one of the first and second major surfaces of the substrate, the only optical element inside the substrate being the at least one partially reflecting surface located in the second part of the substrate and the input aperture surface of the substrate being located at one of the two major surfaces of the substrate.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An optical device, includes a light-transmitting substrate (20) having an input aperture and first and second major surfaces (26, 32) parallel to each other and edges, one partially reflecting surface located in the substrate which is non-parallel to the major surfaces of the substrate and an external optical arrangement having an output aperture for coupling light into the substrate by total internal reflection. The optical arrangement for coupling light having an output aperture optically attached to the input aperture of the substrate with the part of the substrate located next to the substrate input aperture, being substantially transparent.
118 Citations
44 Claims
-
1. An optical device, comprising:
-
a light-transmitting substrate having a first part including an input aperture surface, a second part including an output aperture surface and at least first and second major surfaces parallel to each other and edges; at least one partially reflecting surface for coupling out light waves from the substrate, the partially reflecting surface being located in the second part of the substrate and is nonparallel to the major surfaces of the substrate; optical means, outside of the substrate, for changing the direction of incident light waves impinging on the optical means so that the light waves are trapped inside the substrate by total internal reflection, and wherein the optical means has an output aperture surface, the output aperture surface of the optical means being optically cemented to the input aperture surface of the substrate, the first part of the substrate between the two major surfaces located next to the substrate input aperture surface, including the input aperture surface being substantially transparent, the trapped light waves passing through the output aperture surface without any substantial reflection from one of the first and second major surfaces of the substrate, the only optical element inside the substrate being the at least one partially reflecting surface located in the second part of the substrate and the input aperture surface of the substrate being located at one of the two major surfaces of the substrate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
-
-
44. An optical device, comprising:
-
a light-transmitting substrate having a first part including an input aperture surface, a second part including an output aperture surface and at least first and second major surfaces parallel to each other and edges; at least one partially reflecting surface for coupling out light waves from said substrate, which surface is located in said second part of the substrate, and is non-parallel to the major surfaces of said substrate; optical means for changing the direction of incident light waves impinging on the substrate such that the light waves are trapped inside the substrate by total internal reflection, said optical means having an output aperture, wherein said optical means is located outside the substrate, the output aperture is optically cemented to the input aperture surface of the substrate and part of the substrate which is located next to the substrate input aperture surface is substantially transparent and does not contain any reflecting surface, and the trapped light waves pass through the output aperture without any substantial reflection from the input aperture surface of the substrate, and wherein the input aperture surface of the substrate is located at one of the two major surfaces of the substrate.
-
Specification