US4170398A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Scanning microscopic apparatus with three synchronously rotating reflecting surfaces
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1978-05-03
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Granted: 1979-10-09
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Expires: 1998-05-03
Abstract
Abstract A scanning optical system for incrementally generating a composite image of a strip-scanned object. A light beam is swept by a first rotating mirror across the object to scan-illuminate same. Imaging light from the object is then projected to an intermediate image station across which it is swept by a second rotating mirror. A stationary aperture at the intermediate image station transmits or reflects, at any instant, only a desired incremental image of the scanned object. This desired incremental image is in turn relayed to a final image plane by reflection from a third rotating mirror so as to synchronously lay down on the image plane a composite of the instantaneous increments.
Inventors
- 👤 Charles J. Koester
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 11:03
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B3/00; A61B3/10; A61B3/14; G; G02; G02B; G02B21/00; G02B21/0004; G02B21/002; G02B21/0024; G02B21/0036; G02B21/0048
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 37
Claim 1
Independent Claim
109 words
A scanning optical system for producing an image of an object including a light source, means for directing illumination light from said source to said object including a rotatable first mirror surface, a second mirror surface which is rotatable synchronously with said first mirror surface and which is adapted to reflect light emanating from said object, means to focus said light from said object at an aperture and means for directing the light from said aperture to a final image plane, said means including reflection from a third mirror surface rotatable synchronously with said first mirror surface and including means for imaging said aperture on said final image plane.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
109 words
A scanning optical system for producing an image of an object including a light source, means for directing illumination light from said source to said object including a rotatable first mirror surface, a second mirror surface which is rotatable synchronously with said first mirror surface and which is adapted to reflect light emanating from said object, means to focus said light from said object at an aperture and means for directing the light from said aperture to a final image plane, said means including reflection from a third mirror surface rotatable synchronously with said first mirror surface and including means for imaging said aperture on said final image plane.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
A scanning optical system as defined in claim 1 in which said aperture is defined by the facet of a reflector element.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
A scanning optical system as described in claim 1 in which said aperture is a slit-shaped aperture in close proximity to a mirror, said mirror serving to reflect light incident thereon back through said slit-shaped aperture.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
A scanning optical system as defined in claim 1 in which said illumination light includes wavelengths capable of exciting fluorescence in the object, and said light from the object includes wavelengths generated by fluorescence in the object.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
A scanning optical system as defined in claim 1 in which said first, second and third mirror surfaces are portions of the same plane mirror surface.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
43 words
A scanning optical system as defined in claim 1 in which said first and second mirror surfaces are portions of the same plane mirror surface and said third mirror surface is rigidly mounted relative to said plane mirror surface and rotatable synchronously therewith.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
A scanning optical system as defined in claim 1 in which said first, second and third mirror surfaces are mounted on the same support means and are rotatable synchronously as a unit.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
46 words
A scanning optical system as defined in claim 1 in which said first and second mirror surfaces are disposed at an angle of approximately 90° with respect to each other, and said third mirror surface is disposed parallel to but displaced from said first mirror surface.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
A scanning optical system as defined in claim 1 in which said first, second and third mirror surfaces are separately mounted and are driven synchronously one with the other.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
A scanning optical system as defined in claim 1 in which said mirror surfaces rotate continuously about an axis essentially parallel to said mirror surfaces.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
A scanning optical system as defined in claim 1 in which said mirror surfaces rotate in an oscillatory manner about an axis essentially parallel to said mirror surfaces.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
36 words
A scanning optical system as defined in claim 1 in which said illumination light is directed to said object through a lens means different from the lens means used to image said object on said aperture.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
53 words
A scanning optical system as defined in claim 1 in which said means for directing illumination light and said means to image said light from said object are arranged so that the illumination light and the imaging light are separated except at the plane of the object which is imaged at said aperture.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
A scanning optical system as defined in claim 1 in which an optical relay system is included between said first mirror surface and said object.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
19 words
A scanning optical system as defined in claim 1 in which said light source is a light emitting diode.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
19 words
A scanning optical system as defined in claim 1 in which said light source is a tungsten filament lamp.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
138 words
A scanning optical system for producing an image of an object, said system including a light source, a first aperture through which passes a portion of the light from said light source, said portion being designated as illumination light, means for directing said illumination light to said object including a rotatable first mirror surface, a second mirror surface rotatable synchronously with said first mirror surface and reflecting light emanating from said object, means to focus said light from said object at a second aperture through which a transmitted portion of said light from said object will pass, and means for directing said transmitted portion to a final image plane, said means including reflection from a third mirror surface rotatable synchronously with said first mirror surface and including means for imaging said second aperture on said final image plane.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
138 words
A scanning optical system for producing an image of an object, said system including a light source, a first aperture through which passes a portion of the light from said light source, said portion being designated as illumination light, means for directing said illumination light to said object including a rotatable first mirror surface, a second mirror surface rotatable synchronously with said first mirror surface and reflecting light emanating from said object, means to focus said light from said object at a second aperture through which a transmitted portion of said light from said object will pass, and means for directing said transmitted portion to a final image plane, said means including reflection from a third mirror surface rotatable synchronously with said first mirror surface and including means for imaging said second aperture on said final image plane.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
32 words
A scanning optical system as defined in claim 17 in which the means for directing said illumination light to said object includes lens means to image said first aperture onto said object.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
69 words
A scanning optical system as defined in claim 17 in which said first aperture is followed by first lens means which images said first aperture on a selected plane of said object, said object is followed by second lens means which images said selected plane onto said second aperture, and arranged so that the image of said first aperture on the selected plane is re-imaged on said second aperture.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
18 words
A scanning optical system as defined in claim 17 in which said light source is a flash lamp.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
119 words
A scanning optical system as defined in claim 17 in which said means for directing said illumination light includes a first dispersing prism oriented so as to disperse the wavelengths of said illumination light into a spectrum which is oriented approximately perpendicular to the scan direction produced by said rotatable first mirror surface, said means to focus said light from the object at a second aperture includes a second dispersing prism oriented approximately parallel to said first dispersing prism, and said lens means for focusing said second aperture on said final image plane includes a third dispersing prism oriented so that the spectrum produced is approximately perpendicular to the scan direction produced by reflection from said third mirror surface.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
21 words
A scanning optical system as defined in claim 17 in which said first aperture and said second aperture are slit-shaped apertures.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
23 words
A scanning optical system as defined in claim 17 in which said second aperture is defined by the facet of a reflector element.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
37 words
A scanning optical system as defined in claim 17 in which said second aperture is a slit-shaped aperture in close proximity to a mirror, said mirror serving to reflect light incident thereon back through said slit-shaped aperture.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
37 words
A scanning optical system as defined in claim 17 in which said illumination light includes wavelengths capable of exciting fluorescence in the object, and said light from the object includes wavelengths generated by fluorescence in the object.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
26 words
A scanning optical system as defined in claim 17 in which said first, second and third mirror surfaces are portions of the same plane mirror surface.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
44 words
A scanning optical system as defined in claim 17 in which said first and second mirror surfaces are portions of the same plane mirror surface and said third mirror surface is rigidly mounted relative to said plane mirror surface and is rotatable synchronously therewith.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
32 words
A scanning optical system as defined in claim 17 in which said first, second and third mirror surfaces are mounted on the same support means and are rotatable synchronously as a unit.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
46 words
A scanning optical system as defined in claim 17 in which said first and second mirror surfaces are disposed at an angle of approximately 90° with respect to each other, and said third mirror surface is disposed parallel to but displaced from said first mirror surface.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
32 words
A scanning optical system as defined in claim 17 in which said first, second and third mirror surfaces are separately mounted and are electrically or mechanically driven synchronously one with the other.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
25 words
A scanning optical system as defined in claim 17 in which said mirror surfaces rotate continuously about an axis essentially parallel to said mirror surfaces.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
28 words
A scanning optical system as defined in claim 17 in which said mirror surfaces rotate in an oscillatory manner about an axis essentially parallel to said mirror surfaces.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
39 words
A scanning optical system as defined in claim 17 in which said illumination light is directed to said object through a lens or lenses different from the lens or lenses used to image said object on said second aperture.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
57 words
A scanning optical system as defined in claim 17 in which said means for directing said illumination light and said means to image said light from said object are arranged so that said illumination light and said light from said object are separated except at the plane of the object which is imaged at said second aperture.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
25 words
A scanning optical system as defined in claim 17 in which an optical relay system is used between said first mirror surface and said object.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1982-10-08 | 1983-04-09 | 1983-10-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1986-10-08 | 1987-04-09 | 1987-10-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1990-10-08 | 1991-04-09 | 1991-10-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |