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:
May. 10, 2005
Filed:
Mar. 20, 2003
Toshihiro Sunaga, Kawasaki, JP;
Hiroaki Hoshi, Fujisawa, JP;
Takeshi Akiyama, Yokohama, JP;
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An optical element formed from a transparent optical material includes two refraction surfaces, a first reflection surface group having a plurality of internal reflection surfaces arrayed in a predetermined direction, a second reflection surface group opposing the first reflection surface group and having at least one internal reflection surface and two side surfaces opposing each other in parallel to the predetermined direction. Light incident from one of the refraction surfaces is alternately reflected by the internal reflection surfaces of the first reflection surface group and the internal reflection surface of the second reflection surface group and guided to the other refraction surface. The width of at least one of the plurality of internal reflection surfaces of the first reflection surface group and at least one internal reflection surface of the second reflection surface group in a direction in which the two side surfaces oppose each other is smaller than the distance between the two side surfaces in the direction in which the side surfaces oppose each other.