Claims
- 1. An optical axis adjusting apparatus for adjusting the optical axis of a laser beam, said apparatus comprising: a beam shaping prism having an incident surface and an emission surface which together define a predetermined apex angle; and a parallel shift mechanism which is provided on at least one of the incident an emission sides of the beam shaping prism for shifting the light rays of the laser beam, wherein said parallel shift mechanism comprises at least two adjustable plates through which said laser beam is adapted to be transmitted, a first one of said plates being positioned on the incident side of said beam shaping prism, and a second one of said plates being positioned on the emission side of said beam shaping prism.
- 2. An optical axis adjusting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said at least two adjustable plates each comprise a transparent parallel plate through which the laser beam is transmitted, and a rotation adjusting means for rotatably adjusting each parallel plate about an axis which is normal to an optical axis of said laser beam.
- 3. An optical axis adjusting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein each of said transparent parallel plates is adapted to be selectively fixed at a predetermined angle with respect to a plane which is perpendicular to said optical axis of said laser beam.
- 4. An optical axis adjusting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said laser beam is obliquely incident upon said incident surface of said beam shaping prism.
- 5. An optical axis adjusting apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of said plates is rotatably and adjustably positioned on a support.
- 6. An optical axis adjusting apparatus in accordance with claim 5, wherein each of said plates comprises a transparent, generally circular plate.
- 7. An optical axis adjusting apparatus for adjusting the optical axis of a laser beam emitted by a laser beam source, said apparatus comprising:
- (a) a beam shaping prism having an incident surface and an emission surface which together define a predetermined apex angle; and (b) two rotatably supported generally transparent plates, a first generally transparent plate being positioned on said incident side of said beam shaping prism, and a second generally transparent plate being positioned on said emission side of said beam shaping prism, for adjustably positioning said laser beam emitted by said laser beam source, whereby adjustment of said first generally transparent plate allows coarse adjustment of said laser beam, and adjustment of said second generally transparent plate allows fine adjustment of said laser beam.
- 8. An optical axis adjusting apparatus in accordance with claim 7, wherein each of said first and second plates is a transparent parallel plate which is rotatably positioned on a support.
- 9. An optical axis adjusting apparatus in accordance with claim 8, further comprising a biasing means positioned within a recess in said support for retaining a supporting frame which holds said plate within a block, and for opposing rotation of said supporting frame within said block.
- 10. An optical axis adjusting apparatus in accordance with claim 8, wherein each of said transparent parallel plates is positioned within a frame rotatably mounted on said support, each said frame incorporating at least one adjusting aperture.
- 11. An optical axis adjusting apparatus in accordance with claim 10, wherein said aperture comprises means for receiving an eccentric pin positioned at one end of an adjusting jig which is adapted to adjustably position said plate and said frame with respect to said support.
Priority Claims (3)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
2-104707 |
Oct 1990 |
JPX |
|
2-104708 |
Oct 1990 |
JPX |
|
2-104709 |
Oct 1990 |
JPX |
|
Parent Case Info
This is a division of application Ser. No. 07/770,342, filed Oct. 3, 1991, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,237,457.
US Referenced Citations (17)
Foreign Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
63-140426 |
Jun 1988 |
JPX |
63-157817 |
Oct 1988 |
JPX |
Divisions (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
770342 |
Oct 1991 |
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