JPS60225102A - Corner cube - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain the rigid, small-sized corner cube of simple structure which maintain a degree of polarization by combining components in a specific shape together. CONSTITUTION:The cross sectional shape of a component 2 is sectorial having a center angle alpha=120 deg.. The surface vector of one lengthwise end surface forming a reflecting surface is contained in a surface which bisecting the center angle alpha and the tilt angle of the reflecting surface 2a to a center axis 2b along the rigid line of the center angle alpha is tan<-1>(1/2<1/2>). Threed components 2 mentioned above are assembled in contact with respective flanks 2c. Consequently, all entire reflecting surface are effective surfaces and a cylinder for fixing the corner cube may be simply cylindrical.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A. Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to a corner cube reflecting mirror, which is an optical device used to reflect light in a direction regardless of the direction of incidence of the light.

Conventional technology Conventional corner cubes, in the visible and near-infrared light region,
Prism-shaped devices are generally used, as shown in the side view of FIG. 1(a) and the plan view of FIG. 1(b). This is because the material is sufficiently transparent in that wavelength range and has a shape that can be processed using current polishing techniques. Furthermore, since light rays are totally reflected inside this prism-type corner cube, the degree of polarization is not preserved.

If it is necessary to preserve the degree of polarization even in the same wavelength range,
A corner cube of the type shown in the front view of FIG. 2 is required, in which three surface reflecting mirrors are joined so that their angles are at right angles. Currently, this surface-reflection type corner key is manufactured using a manufacturing method in which the glass is basically processed only at right angles and then bonded. Of course, a desired reflective coating is added to the reflective surface. However, because of the unique shape of this surface reflection type corner cube, it is extremely difficult to handle when considering the structure of its holder. Therefore, the mechanical strength of the corner cube itself is not very high, and there are many problems with the structure, dimensions, and weight of the holder.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a corner cube which improves the drawbacks of conventional corner cube reflection and which can preserve the degree of polarization.

21. Constitution of the Invention According to the present invention, the cross-sectional shape is a sector with a center angle of 120°, and one end face in the length direction is included in a plane whose surface vector divides the center angle into two, And, the inclination angle between the central angle and the central axis along the ridge line is jan' (1
/J2) A corner cube is obtained by joining three elements whose planes are oriented in a certain direction so that their central axes coincide.

Soup 1. Example The present invention will now be explained by way of examples.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 3, a product 1 embodying the present invention is constructed of components 2, 2.2 of the same shape whose cross-sectional shape is made of Japanese cedar and whose one longitudinal end surface is an inclined surface. It is shaped by joining the central axis along the ridge line (of the angle) to match.

Figure 4 fal, (b) and (cl are respectively a plan (8) view, a side view, and a front view of the component of the example product shown in Figure 3. In Figure 4, the cross section of the component The shape has the same center and angle α212 as shown in Figure 4 t8+.
The surface vector of one end surface 2a in the longitudinal direction forming a 0° fan shape is included in the central angle α that bisects the central angle α, and the inclination angle of the reflective surface 2a is equal to the central angle It forms tan-' (1/J2) (approximately 3526°) with respect to the central axis 2bK along the ridge line of α. A) Three of the constituent elements like this,
By assembling each side + fi 2 c so that they are in close contact, the product shown in Figure 3 is obtained.

It is clear that the corner cube of the present invention shown in FIG. 3 has exactly the same function as the conventional surface reflection type corner keep shown in FIG. 2. Furthermore, the conventional example shown in Fig. 2 has a regular hexagonal shape when viewed from the front;
The effective surface that acts as a corner keep is within the inscribed circle of this IF hexagon. On the other hand, in the embodiment of the present invention, there is an advantage that the entire reflecting surface is an effective surface. In addition, the present invention has the advantage that the holder that controls one corner cube may be a simple cylinder. Therefore, it can be said that the present invention is extremely superior to the conventional example shown in FIG. 2 in terms of simple structure, robustness, and small size.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 (ta) is a side view of a conventional corner-keeping prism, Fig. 2 (b) is a plan view, Fig. 2 is a front view of a conventional surface reflection type corner cube, and Fig. 3 is an embodiment of the present invention. Figures 4 fa), (b) and fc) are a plan view, a side view and a front view of one of the assembled components of the embodiment of Figure 3, respectively. l... Corner cube, 2... Assembly component, 2a... Reflective surface, 2b... Central axis,
2c... Side part. Agent Patent Attorney Susumu Uchihara ／

Claims (1)

[Claims] The cross-sectional shape is a sector with a center angle of 1200, and one end face in the longitudinal direction forming the reflective surface has a surface vector that is included in a plane that bisects the center angle, and has a distance between it and the center axis. A corner cube characterized in that three elements each having a plane with an inclination angle of about jan"-'(1/J'l) are joined together so that their central axes coincide with each other.