Illumination – Light source and modifier – Tiltable or rotatable as a unit
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-31
2001-08-28
O'Shea, Sandra (Department: 2875)
Illumination
Light source and modifier
Tiltable or rotatable as a unit
C362S270000, C362S277000, C362S282000, C362S284000, C362S278000, C362S324000, C362S551000, C362S554000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06280059
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a spot light source apparatus for selectively irradiating a plurality of irradiation ports with light.
BACKGROUND ART
Spot light source apparatus have conventionally been configured such that they comprise a light-collecting mirror for collecting light emitted from a lamp, whereas the light collected by the light-collecting mirror is made incident on an end portion of a fiber bundle inserted in a fiber insertion slot. Also, such a spot light source apparatus comprises a shutter plate for keeping the light collected by the light-collecting mirror from being incident on the end portion of the fiber bundle, which turns ON/OFF the light incident on the end portion of the fiber bundle. As a conventional spot light source apparatus, one disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. HEI 5-22212 also exists.
In the above-mentioned spot light source apparatus, a rotary solenoid is used for driving the shutter plate. Since the rotary solenoid operates by converting a magnetic force into a rotational motion, its operating noise is loud. Also, large vibrations occur when the shutter plate is operated, whereby screws are likely to come loose, for example, thus causing reliability to lower upon long-time driving, and so forth.
Also, during when light emitted from the lamp is turned OFF by the shutter plate, this light is wasted, whereby the emitted light cannot be utilized effectively.
Further, in the case where the quantity of light incident on the end portion of the fiber bundle is to be adjusted, it is necessary for the optical path to be particularly provided with a stop mechanism or the like, and a motor or the like for driving this stop mechanism is also needed.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a spot light source which can effectively utilize light emitted from a discharge lamp.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
The present invention comprises a discharge lamp for emitting light; a cold mirror, having an opening portion, for reflecting the light emitted from the discharge lamp; a reflecting mirror, located on the opening portion side of the cold mirror, for reflecting the light reflected by the cold mirror; a shielding member having a light emission port for emitting the light reflected by the reflecting mirror; rotary driving means for driving the reflecting mirror and the shielding member to rotate about an optical axis of the discharge lamp; rotational angle detecting means for detecting a rotational angle of the reflecting mirror and the shielding member caused by the rotary driving means; and control means for controlling, according to the rotational angle detected by the rotational angle detecting means, the rotational driving of the reflecting mirror and the shielding member caused by the rotary driving means; wherein any of a plurality of irradiation ports is selectively irradiated through the light emission port of the shielding member with the light reflected by the reflecting mirror.
In accordance with the present invention, as the shielding member and the reflecting mirror are integrally driven by the rotary driving means to rotate about the optical axis of the discharge lamp, an irradiation port for emitting light can be selected from a plurality of irradiation ports. In this case, the irradiation ports other than the selected one are shielded with the shielding member, whereby scattered light and the like can be prevented from being incident thereon.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4149086 (1979-04-01), Nath
patent: 5369557 (1994-11-01), Ronney
patent: 5790620 (1998-08-01), Okazaki et al.
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patent: 6-160722 (1994-06-01), None
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patent: 8-94871 (1996-04-01), None
patent: 8-184723 (1996-07-01), None
patent: 9-281361 (1997-10-01), None
Ito Moriyuki
Kawai Kazuhito
Hamamatsu Photonics K.K.
Morgan & Lewis & Bockius, LLP
O'Shea Sandra
Zeade Bertrand
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