ASSEMBLY FOR ATTENUATING IMPINGING LIGHT OF A BEAM OF RADIATION

Abstract

An assembly (100) for attenuating the impinging light of a beam of radiation of finite expansion with the objective of realizing reliable attenuation particularly of directly impinging light comprises a light source (10) for producing a beam of unpolarized light, preferably unpolarized monochromatic light, a useful light region (50) through which the unpolarized light passes and preferably passes through in a straight line from the light source (10) as well as an absorption device (30) arranged downstream of the useful light region (50) and preferably downstream in the direction of the direct beam radiation for at least partly absorbing impinging light, wherein the absorption device (30) comprises at least one polarization device (31, 32) arranged in the direction of the light beam.

Claims

1-13. (canceled)

14. An assembly for attenuating impinging light of a beam of finite expansion, preferably directly impinging monochromatic light, wherein the assembly comprises the following: a light source (10) for producing a beam of unpolarized light, preferably unpolarized monochromatic light; a useful light region (50) through which the unpolarized light passes, and preferably passes through in a straight line from the light source (10); an absorption device (30) arranged downstream of the useful light region (50), and preferably downstream in the direction of the direct beam radiation, for at least partly absorbing impinging light, wherein the absorption device (30) comprises at least one polarization device (31, 32) arranged in the direction of the light beam.

15. The assembly (100) according to claim 14, wherein at least one optical detector (20a, 20b, 20c, 20d) is arranged around the useful light region (50) for detecting scattered light.

16. The assembly (100) according to claim 15, wherein the at least one optical detector comprises a photodiode and preferably at least one lens and preferably at least one aperture.

17. The assembly (100) according to claim 15, wherein the absorption device (30) comprises at least two polarization devices (31, 32) arranged successively in the direction of the beam of light.

18. The assembly (100) according to claim 17, wherein the at least two polarization devices (31, 32) comprise a first linear polarizing filter and a second linear polarizing filter, wherein the polarizing directions of the first and second linear polarizing filter are offset 90 from one another.

19. The assembly (100) according to claim 18, wherein the at least one optical detector (20a, 20b, 20c, 20d) is assigned to a linear polarizing filter (21a, 21b, 21c, 21d).

20. The assembly (100) according to claim 17, wherein the at least two polarization devices (31, 32) comprise a first circular polarizing filter and a second circular polarizing filter, wherein the polarizing directions of the first and second circular polarizing filter are offset 90 from one another.

21. The assembly (100) according to claim 17, wherein the at least two polarization devices (31, 32) comprise a first circular polarizing filter and a second circular polarizing filter, wherein the rotational direction of polarization of the first polarizing filter in the direction of the impinging beam of light and the rotational direction of polarization of the second polarizing filter in the direction of the impinging beam of light is equal.

22. The assembly (100) according to claim 21, wherein the at least one optical detector (20a, 20b, 20c, 20d) is assigned to a linear polarizing filter (21a, 21b, 21c, 21d).

23. The assembly (100) according to claim 17, wherein the at least two polarization devices are spaced apart from one another in the direction of the beam of light at a distance of less than 5 mm, preferably less than 2 mm.

24. The assembly (100) according to claim 14, wherein the absorption device (30) comprises at least two polarization devices (31, 32) arranged successively in the direction of the beam of light.

25. The assembly (100) according to claim 24, wherein the at least two polarization devices are spaced apart from one another in the direction of the beam of light at a distance of less than 5 mm, preferably less than 2 mm.

26. The assembly (100) according to claim 24, wherein the at least two polarization devices (31, 32) comprise a first linear polarizing filter and a second linear polarizing filter, wherein the polarizing directions of the first and second linear polarizing filter are offset 90 from one another.

27. The assembly (100) according to claim 24, wherein the at least two polarization devices (31, 32) comprise a first circular polarizing filter and a second circular polarizing filter, wherein the polarizing directions of the first and second circular polarizing filter are offset 90 from one another.

28. The assembly (100) according to claim 24, wherein the at least two polarization devices (31, 32) comprise a first circular polarizing filter and a second circular polarizing filter, wherein the rotational direction of polarization of the first polarizing filter in the direction of the impinging beam of light and the rotational direction of polarization of the second polarizing filter in the direction of the impinging beam of light is equal.

29. The assembly (100) according to claim 14, wherein the at least one polarization device (31, 32) is exchangeably accommodated in a retaining device (35) arranged downstream the useful light region in the direction of the light beam.

30. The assembly (100) according to claim 14, wherein the light source comprises a light-emitting diode (11) and preferably at least one lens (12) and preferably at least one aperture (13).

31. The assembly (100) according to claim 14, wherein the at least one polarization device is slanted at an angle relative to the direction of the impinging beam of light, wherein the angle is formed between the impinging beam of light and a detection plane within which the central optical axis of the least one detector is arranged, and wherein the angle preferably amounts to approximately 45.

32. A scattered light smoke detector having at least one supply opening for supplying ambient air and an assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein the feed opening empties into a scattered light region, and wherein at least part of the scattered light region corresponds to the useful light region.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] The following will reference the drawings in describing an embodiment of the inventive assembly for attenuating impinging light of a beam of finite expansion in greater detail. The drawings show:

[0025] FIG. 1: a perspective sectional view of an inventive assembly for attenuating impinging light in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

[0026] FIG. 2: a schematic plan view of the assembly of FIG. 1; and

[0027] FIG. 3: a perspective plan view of the assembly of FIGS. 1 and 2, wherein the absorption device thereof is shown in exploded view for better visualization.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0028] FIG. 1 shows a perspective sectional view of an inventive assembly 100 for attenuating impinging light of a beam of finite expansion in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. The assembly 100 is hereby used by way of example in a scattered-light smoke detector which has a supply opening 60 in its lower region for supplying ambient air into a useful light region 50 (not further identified in FIG. 1). Within the otherwise lightproof housing of the scattered-light smoke detector depicted in FIG. 1, a light source, identified as a whole by reference numeral 10, is provided ahead of the useful light region 50 for the purpose of impinging it with light. The light source comprises a light-emitting diode 11 and a lens 12 downstream of the light-emitting diode 11, with a plurality of apertures 13 being in turn arranged downstream thereof which focus all the light emitted by the light-emitting diode 11 and feed it into the useful light region. The unpolarized light passes through the useful light region 50; in a straight line in the embodiment depicted in FIG. 1. An absorption device 30 is arranged downstream of the useful light region 50 in the direct beam radiation direction which serves to absorb at least part of the impinging light. In the embodiment depicted, the absorption device 30 comprises two circular polarization devices 31, 32 arranged in succession, their polarizing direction of rotation being the same.

[0029] As is more readily visible from the schematic plan view of FIG. 2, a plurality of optical detectors 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d are arranged around the useful light region 50, indicated in the figure by dots, which serves in classifying any scattered light signal potentially detected in the assembly 100. The optical detectors 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d comprise a photodiode 21a, 21b, 21c, 21d and a lens 22a, 22b, 22c, 22d downstream of said photodiode 21a, 21b, 21c, 21d, downstream of which is in turn one or more apertures 23a, 23b, 23c, 23d, each of which is associated with a horizontally or vertically aligned linear polarization device 24a, 24b, 24c, 24d, for example a linear polarizing filter.

[0030] As is more readily visible from the perspective plan view of FIG. 3, the absorption device 30, depicted in the figure in exploded view for better visualization, comprises a retaining device 35, which in the mounted state has a mounting surface angled approximately 45 toward the bottom of the scattered-light smoke detector opposite from the beam of light emitted by the light source. The circular polarization devices 31, 32 are arranged successively on said mounting surface very close to one another, at a spacing of 2 mm apart in the depicted embodiment, which very effectively attenuates the directly impinging monochromatic light of the light-emitting diode 11 focused by the lens 12 and directed by the apertures 13 into the useful light region 50 so that its intensity is sufficiently low enough to not be undesirably detected by the optical detectors 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d as a result of interreflection or the like.

[0031] It is understood that the embodiment as depicted only serves enhanced illustrative purposes and is not to be regarded as limiting. Additions to and modifications of the inventive concept will be familiar to one skilled in the art.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0032] 10 light source [0033] 11 light-emitting diode [0034] 12 lens [0035] 13 aperture [0036] 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d optical detector [0037] 21a, 21b, 21c, 21d photodiode [0038] 22a, 22b, 22c, 22d lens [0039] 23a, 23b, 23c, 23d aperture [0040] 24a, 24b, 24c, 24d linear polarizing filter [0041] 30 absorption device [0042] 31 first polarization device [0043] 32 second polarization device [0044] 35 retaining device [0045] 50 useful light region [0046] 60 supply opening [0047] 100 assembly for attenuating impinging light