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US3937558A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Optical fiber light pen

Assignee: Nippon Sheet Glass Co Ltd
•
Filing: 1973-12-04
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Granted: 1976-02-10
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Expires: 1993-12-04
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Abstract

Abstract This invention relates to a light pen, and more particularly to a construction of such light pen in which a small portion having a scanning face and including a combined end of a photonconductive optical fiber bundle is housed within a cartridge body, and the remaining bifurcated portion of the fiber bundle is housed in the pen holder body and a cord provided continuous thereto, the cartridge and pen holder bodies being detachably joined together.

Inventors

  • 👤 Kunihiko Mukai
  • 👤 Kikuo Ikeda

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-23 04:19
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06K; G06K7/00; G06K7/10; G06K7/10544; G06K7/10821; G06K7/10881

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim 135 words
A light pen containing a photon-conductive fiber bundle, the bundle being bifurcated at one end and combined at the other end, comprising, a. a cartridge body housing a portion of the photon-conductive fiber bundle including the combined end and a first bifurcated portion thereof, and b. a pen holder body housing the remaining bifurcated portions of the fiber bundle, said cartridge body being detachably fixed to an end of said pen holder body, a plug end of each of said remaining portions projecting out from an end face of said pen holder body, the ends of said first bifurcated portion being positioned in corresponding holes opening at an end of said cartridge body opposite that of said cartridge body opposite that of said combined end, said plug ends being detachably received in said corresponding holes.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 135 words
A light pen containing a photon-conductive fiber bundle, the bundle being bifurcated at one end and combined at the other end, comprising, a. a cartridge body housing a portion of the photon-conductive fiber bundle including the combined end and a first bifurcated portion thereof, and b. a pen holder body housing the remaining bifurcated portions of the fiber bundle, said cartridge body being detachably fixed to an end of said pen holder body, a plug end of each of said remaining portions projecting out from an end face of said pen holder body, the ends of said first bifurcated portion being positioned in corresponding holes opening at an end of said cartridge body opposite that of said cartridge body opposite that of said combined end, said plug ends being detachably received in said corresponding holes.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 69 words
A light pen according to claim 1, wherein a flange is provided around said cartridge body designed to be detachably fixable to said pen holder body, said cartridge body being biased into a cap by a spring such that the foremost end of said cartridge body is projected out from the end of said cap, said cap being also designed to be detachably fixable to said pen holder body.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 24 words
The light pen of claim 1 wherein the bifurcated portions consist essentially of a light projecting fiber bundle and a light receiving fiber bundle.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 75 words
A light pen according to claim 3, wherein the bifurcated portions consist essentially of a light projecting fiber bundle and a light receiving fiber bundle, said light projecting fiber bundle in said cartridge body is greater in diameter than the fiber bundle positioned on the pen holder body side, and wherein said light receiving fiber bundle in said cartridge body is smaller in diameter than said fiber bundle positioned on said pen holder body side.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 34 words
A light pen according to claim 3, wherein at said combined end of said fiber bundle, said light projecting fibers and said light receiving fibers are arranged alternately in each row of such fibers.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 43 words
A light pen according to claim 3, wherein at said combined end of said fiber bundle, a plurality of light projecting photon-conductive fiber filaments of smaller diameter are disposed around a single piece of light receiving photon-conductive fiber filament having a larger diameter.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 32 words
A light pen according to claim 3, wherein at said combined end of said fiber bundle, said light projecting fibers and said light receiving fibers are arranged alternately from row to row.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 33 words
A light pen according to claim 3, wherein at said combined end of said fiber bundle, said light projecting fibers are arranged such that they surround each piece of said light receiving fibers.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3509353A Cited
US3414733A Cited
US3510667A Cited
US3749932A Cited
US3758782A Cited
US3868514A Cited
US3781555A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1979-02-09 1979-08-11 1980-02-10 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1983-02-09 1983-08-11 1984-02-10 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1987-02-09 1987-08-11 1988-02-10 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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