Abstract:
An electro-optical sensor senses marks on a sheet (14) which travels longitudinally with respect to a printed circuit board (32), carrying linear arrays of light sources (LEDs) (40) and photodetectors (44) and optics (70) which define zones displaced laterally across the width of a sheet of paper, longitudinal columns of which can contain marks, the presence and absence of which marks is detected by the sensor. The sensor is especially adapted for use in detecting marks which indicate votes on paper ballots in electronic, computerized vote counting apparatus.
Abstract:
A spectrophotometer which is highly manufacturable at minimum cost nevertheless provides precision of measurement of spectra components of light which is projected therein by maintaining precise optical alignment of optical and electrical components thereof. These components are mounted in a module (16) which is contained in a housing having an entrance aperture (18) which defines an object area for light the spectrum of which is measured by a photodetector (44) in the module (16) at an image area. The module has a base plate provided by a printed circuit board (66) on which a closed wall (74) encompasses an area (a corral) on one side of the circuit board (66). The wall (74) is a one piece structure which extends to the vicinity of the edge of the board (66). It is assembled with the board (66) as a unitary structure so that the assembly is made torsionally rigid and resists bending in the plane of the board (66). The assembly also distributes compressive stress over the entire board (66). The module (16) may be sufficiently small size so as to be located in a housing which is hand held, thereby providing a hand-held spectophotometer.
Abstract:
A hand held microsurgical instrument (10) for applying laser energy to selected locations in an area under the skin to provide localized thermolysis of the tissue. The area is visualized while the laser beam is steered, using a deflection system, in X and Y coordinates. A telecentric optical system, in which a mirror (54) of the deflection system is located, directs the laser light essentially perpendicular to the area to be treated as the beam is scanned over the area. The optical system also focuses illumination light reflected from the area to a sensor matrix of a CCD video camera (48). The reflected illumination light is imaged essentially parallel to the optical axis in the object space thereby providing a precise image corresponding to the area. The laser beam may be tracked as it is deflected over the area by visualization thereof on a display or monitor associated with the camera.
Abstract:
In order to permanently remove hair growing in subcutaneous (below the skin's surface) tissue (25), and to do so permanently, the hair and its root structure (22) is depilated (vaporized) in an ablation cavity of essentially the same size and shape as the volume occupied by the root structure (22) which includes follicle, the follicle bulb, and the dermal papilla. Optical energy is used which is of a wavelength and fluency sufficient to cause depilation in the cavity without relying upon selective photo-thermolysis thereby limiting damage to tissue outside of the hair root structure. To find and restrict the optical energy to the depilation cavity, an optical system, which may be constituted of a single lens (26), having a numerical aperture of F/5-5.8 is used. The beam (20) is generated by a laser which may be operated in a pulse mode and contained in a hand piece having the optical system at the end thereof.
Abstract:
A scanning reflection profilometry system (10) utilizes an objective lens (34) which focuses a beam at the surface under test (SUT) and measures the profile of the surface (its height variations) in accordance with the amount of defocus of the reflected beam. Surface profile distortion which is focus dependent is reduced through the use of a transparent mask (38) over the aperture of the lens (34) in the path of the beam which is incident on and reflected from the surface under test (SUT) and which covers a portion but not all of the aperture. A photodetector (36) upon which the reflected beam is incident provides output signals representing the change in profile. The system has height sensitivity characteristic of a small spot size on the surface without signal distortion attributable to the diffraction anomalies associated with small spot sizes. A microprofilometer head (24) having the objective lens (34) and other optics (48) is mounted on flexures and driven to execute reciprocal movement so as to scan the surface under test (SUT).