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:
Dec. 04, 2007
Filed:
Mar. 24, 2003
Hiroyuki Sugimoto, Kanagawa, JP;
Toshiaki Tokita, Kanagawa, JP;
Yumi Matsuki, Kanagawa, JP;
Masanori Kobayashi, Kanagawa, JP;
Yasuyuki Takiguchi, Kanagawa, JP;
Hiroyuki Sugimoto, Kanagawa, JP;
Toshiaki Tokita, Kanagawa, JP;
Yumi Matsuki, Kanagawa, JP;
Masanori Kobayashi, Kanagawa, JP;
Yasuyuki Takiguchi, Kanagawa, JP;
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An imaging unit images light on a light receiving element, and includes an optical path shifting element, and a lens arranged on an input side or an output side of the optical path shifting element. The optical path shifting element includes a liquid crystal layer which is applied with an electrical field in a direction approximately parallel to an in-plane direction. The liquid crystal layer is made of a chiral smectic C phase ferroelectric liquid crystal having a homeotropic alignment. The optical path shifting element shifts an optical path of the light input thereto in an optical path shifting direction.