Radiant energy – Ionic separation or analysis – Static field-type ion path-bending selecting means
Patent
1981-03-17
1983-12-27
Lee, John D.
Radiant energy
Ionic separation or analysis
Static field-type ion path-bending selecting means
250577, 356136, G02B 5172
Patent
active
044227140
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention has as its object an optical coupling device with at least two light conductors.
The known optical coupling devices have the shortcoming of comprising, along the path of the light beams, interfaces between the transparent media. The presence of these interfaces has the effect of perturbing the conditions of propagation of the light beams and of causing a generally undesirable attenuation of the transmitted light intensity.
Further, these devices consist of mechanical assemblies of several different pieces, said assemblies being difficult to realize with all the precision necessary and being, moreover, subject to a substantial risk of misalignment when they are subjected to shocks, vibrations or repeated temperature changes.
The invention has precisely as its purpose the elimination of these shortcomings by furnishing an optical coupling device of very great precision, free of the risk of misalignment, and without interface along the path of the light beams.
To this effect, the device according to the invention is characterized by the face that it comprises a solid body at least a portion of which consists of half-ellipsoid of revolution made of a material transparent at least in the wavelength range of the light transmitted by these light conductors. The end of one of these light conductors is placed at one of the foci of this half-ellipsoid, with the end of another of these conductors being placed at the other focus. The optical axes of the two conductors whose ends have been placed at the foci of the half-ellipsoid are oriented in such a way that a divergent light beam emitted by one of these conductors is transformed, after having undergone a total reflection inside the half-ellipsoid, at the interface between the latter and the ambient medium, into a beam converging on the end of the other conductor.
Thus, in this device the principal working element consists of a compact transparent mass in a single piece which can be readily realized by simple casting of a liquid or pastry material such as a molten thermoplastic synthetic resin or a precursor mixture of a thermosetting synthetic resin, and by final hardening of the piece thus obtained.
The invention also has an object the use of this device for detecting a change in the medium with which the convex face of the half-ellipsoid of revolution is in contact, or as a light attenuator, or as an electro-optical switch.
The first use mentioned constitutes an entirely new process which differs from the previously known detection processes by the fact that it completely eliminates the necessity of the production and transmission of electrical detection or measuring signals thanks to the replacement of these signals by purely optical signals. This presents numerous advantages, notably that of eliminating any risk of fire or explosion in the case where the medium in which a change is to be detected is a flammable substance such as a liquid hydrocarbon.
The use as a light attenuator or as an electro-optical switch has the advantage of doing away with any mechanical intervention for modifying the light beam.
The invention will be better understood in the light of the detailed description which is to follow and by making reference to the annexed drawing in which:
FIG. 1 is a schematic view, in elevation, of a first form of the optical coupling device according to the invention;
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the use of the device shown in FIG. 1 for detecting a change in the nature of the medium with which the convex face of the half-ellipsoid of revolution is in contact with the object of determining liquid level;
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the use of the device in FIG. 1 for detecting a change in the nature of the medium with which the convex face of the half-ellipsoid is in contact, in the case where this change results from the presence of gas bubbles in a liquid, with the object of detecting the presence of these bubbles;
FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a second form of the coupling device according to the invention, again shown in e
REFERENCES:
patent: 3886544 (1975-05-01), Narodny
patent: 4094578 (1978-06-01), DiVita et al.
patent: 4261640 (1981-04-01), Stankos et al.
patent: 4274705 (1981-06-01), Miller
Miller et al., "Feasibility Demonstration of Fiber-Optic Digital Status Monitoring Devices," Final Report on Contract N00019-77-C-0039, Section 3, pp. 18-32, Mar. 1978.
Soref, "Fiber-Optic Switching With Liquid Crystals," Conf. Proceedings of SPIE, Washington, D.C., Apr. 17-18, 1979, pp. 124-132.
Benoit Pierre
Coche Andre
Kerllenevich Betty
Pellaux Jean-Paul
Widmer Gilbert
Cables Cortaillod S.A.
Lee John D.
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