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. 19, 1999
Filed:
Dec. 03, 1997
William G Clark, Pittsford, NY (US);
Edward F Gabl, Saline, MI (US);
Clark-MXR, Inc., Dexter, MI (US);
Abstract
An apparatus for maintaining an electromagnetic beam, namely a laser beam, aimed at a particular point in space and aligned with a unique propagation path. The apparatus includes one or more adjustable beam steerers located in the propagation path, and first and second spaced apart beam position detectors arranged in the beam path. The beam steerer(s) are preferably adjustable along at least two orthogonal axes of rotation for controlling the propagation direction of the beam. Error signals from the position sensors are fed into a beam steerer controller connected to the beam steerer(s) for electro-mechanically adjusting the beam steerer. The method of the invention involves fixing the propagation path on an angularly adjustable beam steering surface so that the propagation path at a different unique point in space, such as a target, can be controlled by adjusting the angular orientation of that beam steerer.