The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 20, 1995
Filed:
Feb. 01, 1994
Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha, Toyko, JP;
Abstract
An irregular pattern input device includes an optical fiber bundle in which an entrance surface and an exit surface are respectively formed at both ends thereof. Lighting means emits irradiation light so as to provide a light pattern according to a convex portion of a subject in contact with the entrance surface, and according to a concave portion of the subject in no contact with the entrance surface. In this case, an angle of incidence of the irradiation light is set to be larger than a critical angle on an interface between a core portion of each optical fiber of the optical fiber bundle and the air. It is thereby possible to provide total reflection on the entrance surface in no contact with the concave portion of the subject, and non-total reflection on the entrance surface in contact with the convex portion of the subject, resulting in reflected light having a light pattern according to an irregular pattern. The resultant light pattern is inputted into photoelectric transforming means through the exit surface, and is transformed into electric information by the photoelectric transforming means.