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. 01, 2007
Filed:
Mar. 31, 2005
Toshihiro Sunaga, Kanagawa, JP;
Toshihiro Sunaga, Kanagawa, JP;
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
Provided is a compact optical element that secures an optical path length and improves manufacturing precision economically. The optical element includes a transparent member having a first and second refracting surface, and reflecting surfaces. Light entering the transparent member from the first refracting surface is reflected by the reflecting surfaces to the second refracting surface. An optical path from the first to second refracting surface crosses itself inside the transparent member seen from a direction perpendicular to light entering the first refracting surface and exiting the second refracting surface. The transparent member guides the incident light from the first to the second refracting surface while reflecting the light alternately by at least one first and one second reflecting surface is in a first and second region respectively. The first and second regions and, respectively, are on opposite sides of a plane passing through the transparent member taken as a boundary.