Spectroscope with multiple laser beams

Details Spectroscope with multiple laser beams Spectroscope with multiple laser beams

2003-06-06

2004-03-23

Epps, Georgia (Department: 2873)

Optical: systems and elements

Single channel simultaneously to or from plural channels

C359S636000, C359S834000, C359S866000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06710924

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a spectroscope which produces multiple laser beams.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 6,327,090B1, entitled “Multiple Laser Beam Generation” illustrates a reflecting object
10
that has a plurality of reflecting surfaces, with the reflecting object made of a glass material. This reflecting object
10
is shown in
FIG. 1
herein. Referring to
FIG. 1
, four protruding reflecting surfaces
11
,
12
,
13
and
14
are provided, with the angle between each reflecting surfaces
11
,
12
,
13
and
14
and a laser beam
20
being 45 degrees. A fifth reflecting surface
15
is positioned to allow the laser beam
20
to pass directly therethrough. As the laser beam
20
passes through the reflecting object
10
, the laser beam
20
is divided into five branch laser beams
21
,
22
,
23
,
24
and
25
. Since the fifth reflecting surface
15
is perpendicular to the laser beam
20
(i.e., there is no any refraction angle between them), a further hole (not shown) can be provided for the laser beam
20
to pass through directly.
The reflecting object
10
in U.S. Pat. No. 6,327,090B1 is essentially a glass material positioned in a path where the laser beam
20
travels, so the laser beam
20
travels from a medium with low refraction index to another medium with high refraction index. Therefore each reflecting surface
11
,
12
,
13
and
14
must be coated with a reflective coating, otherwise there may little or no reflection of the incoming laser beam
20
. For example, in such a situation, only about
4
% of the laser beam
20
might be reflected, with the other 96% passing directly through the reflecting object
10
. Since the laser beam
20
is intended to pass directly through the fifth reflecting surface
15
, a reflective coating is not needed for the fifth reflecting surface
15
. However, the reflecting object
10
in U.S. Pat. No. 6,327,090B1 still suffers from the following disadvantages:
1. Reflective coatings are needed for each reflecting surface
11
,
12
,
13
and
14
, which increases the cost of the reflecting object
10
.
2. The glass material that makes up the reflecting object
10
must be grinded precisely, which requires complicated manufacturing processes that do not allow for mass-production, thereby increasing manufacturing costs.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
It is an objective of the present invention to provide a spectroscope that produces multiple laser beams without the need for any coatings on the reflective surfaces.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide a spectroscope that can be formed by injection molding or glass sintering.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide a spectroscope that can be mass-produced at lower manufacturing costs.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide a spectroscope that is capable of increasing or decreasing the number of laser beams generated.
In order to accomplish the objectives of the present invention, the present invention provides a spectroscope that has a body having a front surface, a rear surface, and a concavity provided in the rear surface. The concavity is defined by a plurality of angled reflective surfaces and an inner flat surface, with the inner flat surface being perpendicular to a longitudinal axis and parallel to the front surface. A laser beam directed at the front surface is divided into a plurality of branch laser beams, with one branch laser beam generated for each of the plurality of reflective surfaces and the inner flat surface.
Due to the fact that the laser beam is emitted from a medium having a high refraction index through a medium having a low refraction index, and an incident angle that is greater than a critical angle of total internal refraction, when the laser beam contacts the reflective surfaces of the concavity, a total internal reflection feature is provided, thereby omitting the need for coatings and allowing for the spectroscope to be mass-produced at low cost while maintaining a high degree of precision and manufacturing consistency.


REFERENCES:
patent: 6327090 (2001-12-01), Rando et al.
patent: 6529329 (2003-03-01), Dang
patent: 6542304 (2003-04-01), Tacklind et al.

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