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:
Jul. 09, 1996
Filed:
Oct. 04, 1994
Masato Shibuya, Saitama, JP;
Nikon Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An illumination optical system for supplying polarized illumination light to an object to be illuminated. The light from a light source is separated by a polarizing beam splitter into a first polarized light component as the illumination light and a second polarized light component which is different in polarizing direction from the first polarized light component. A first reflecting optical member for returning the second polarized light component to the light source side and a converging optical system are arranged in such a manner that a light source image due to the backward light from the first reflecting optical member is formed at a position apart from the light source in a direction substantially perpendicular to the optical axis of the converging optical system. The backward light is converted by a polarizing element to a polarized light of the same polarizing direction as the first polarized light component and it is again emitted from the polarizing beam splitter at an optical axis position adjacent to the first polarized light component.