Optical: systems and elements – Single channel simultaneously to or from plural channels – By partial reflection at beam splitting or combining surface
Reexamination Certificate
2003-06-18
2004-07-20
Mai, Huy (Department: 2873)
Optical: systems and elements
Single channel simultaneously to or from plural channels
By partial reflection at beam splitting or combining surface
C359S618000, C359S640000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06765727
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
(a) Field of the invention
The invention relates to a beam combiner, and more particularly, to a beam combiner having a high heat-dissipation rate and capable of precisely positioning its members during assembly.
(b) Description of the Related Art
Referring to
FIG. 1
, a prior beam combiner
100
includes prisms
102
, light guides
104
and
106
, light sources
108
and reflectors
110
. When light emitted from the light sources
108
, positioned at opposite sides of the beam combiner
100
, directly enters or has been reflected by the reflectors
110
and then enters the light guide
104
, it is further directed into the prisms
102
where light is reflected by different surfaces of the prisms and is finally collected in the light guide
106
. Thus, a beam combining effect for guiding light emitted from various light sources toward the same output direction is obtained.
In order to acquire the aforesaid beam combining effect, the traveling routes of the input light in the prisms
102
shall follow the optical paths as indicated in FIG.
1
. Under the circumstance, end surfaces
104
A of the light guides
104
shall not be in contact with input surfaces
102
A of the prisms
102
. That is, a clearance is necessarily maintained in order to accommodate other media such as air, and thus where, a interface
102
A between two media having different refractive index, the total reflection may occur. Hence, when light traveling in the prisms
102
strikes the medium with lower refractive index such as air at any angle greater than its critical angle, the total reflection occurs at the interfaces
102
A and light can be reflected to the same direction.
In a prior method, the end surfaces
104
A of the light guides
104
adhere to the input surfaces
102
A, such that an adhesive would serve as the medium having lower refractive index compared with that of the prism. In another prior method, a supporting member (not shown in the figure) is utilized for directly positioning the prisms
102
and the light guides
104
to further maintain the air clearance
112
.
However, heat produced by the high power light sources
108
is prone to deteriorate the adhesive quality and results in the prisms
102
and the light guides
104
unsatisfactory positioning. Furthermore, by using the adhesive for connecting the input surfaces
102
A and the end surfaces
104
A of the light guides
104
, a portion of light tends to escape form the connection surfaces of the adhesive and thus reducing the light coupling efficiency. Also, the space taken up by the beam combiner assembly will be significantly increased if a supporting member is utilized for maintaining the air clearance
112
between the prisms
102
and the light guides
104
.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, an object of the invention is to provide a beam combiner capable of precisely positioning its members and efficiently dissipating heat produced by the light source.
According to the invention, a beam combiner includes a heat-dissipation element and a plurality of rectangular prisms. Each of the prisms is applied with a high-reflection coating for forming a reflective surface, and the prisms are connected to the heat-dissipation element via the reflective surfaces having the high-reflection coatings.
Since the heat-dissipation element is designed to fix the prisms via connecting the reflective surfaces, the occurrence of total reflection is thus ensured by the precise positioning of the prisms keeping in contact with the air medium. As a result, light leak caused by the prisms coming into contact with the light guides or other elements is prevented, and an additional supporting member for positioning the light guides is not required. Besides, the heat-dissipation element having high thermal conductivity is capable of rapidly dissipating heat in the high-reflection coatings, and thus production costs can be reduced because high-quality coatings needed for the endurance of high temperature are no longer required.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5198928 (1993-03-01), Chauvin
patent: 6493148 (2002-12-01), Anikitchev
patent: 6704144 (2004-03-01), Huang
patent: 2003/0218952 (2003-11-01), Katayama et al.
Delta Electronics , Inc.
Mai Huy
Pro-Techtor Inter-national Services
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