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:
Oct. 22, 1996
Filed:
Dec. 13, 1994
Arthur H Hardy, Jr, Santa Barbara, CA (US);
Leland V Gardner, Buellton, CA (US);
Hughes Electronics, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Abstract
Methods and apparatus are disclosed for concentrating the energy of laser diode beams by imaging them to obtain a superimposed image and a combined numerical aperture at a focal plane and by guiding them between reflective boundaries to maintain a lesser second numerical aperture at the focal plane. The combined numerical aperture preferably matches the second numerical aperture so that the energy can be received into the entrance end of optical fibers whose numerical apertures also match the second numerical aperture. A described embodiment utilizes collimating lenses and an off-axis parabolic reflector. The exit ends of the optical fibers can be grouped and fractionally magnified into a concentrated energy pattern. The final image can be imposed into a single optical fiber for passage along remote or convoluted optical paths.