Laser scanning system, hair-cutting device and corresponding method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9897800-B2
Application number	US-201113637112-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 29, 2011
Priority date	Apr 1, 2010
Publication date	Feb 20, 2018
Grant date	Feb 20, 2018

Abstract

A laser scanning system for scanning a laser beam of a hair cutting device includes a laser scanning device for generating a scanning movement of the laser beam and a movable optical device for adjusting and/or focusing the laser beam. The laser scanning device includes an arrangement with at least one movable optical element which is mechanically coupled to the movable optical device, and an optical system fixed to the laser scanning device. The movable optical element is arranged to inter-relate a position of the movable optical device to a mobile access-position where the laser beam enters the optical system. Further, the optical system is arranged to inter-relate said mobile access-position to at least one corresponding position where the laser beam is incident on the movable optical device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A laser scanning system for scanning a laser beam of a hair cutting device, the laser scanning system comprising:
a laser scanning device configured to generate a scanning movement of the laser beam;
a movable optical device configured to at least one of adjust and focus the laser beam,
wherein the laser scanning device comprises a movable optical element and a fixed optical system,
wherein the movable optical element is mechanically coupled to the movable optical device such that the movable optical element follows motion of the movable optical device back and forth along a moving axis,
wherein the movable optical element is arranged to inter-relate a position of the movable optical device to a mobile access-position where the laser beam enters the fixed optical system, and
wherein the fixed optical system is arranged to inter-relate said mobile access-position to at least one corresponding position where the laser beam is incident on the movable optical device, the at least one corresponding position being at the movable optical device.

2. The laser scanning system according to claim 1 , wherein the movable optical element and the movable optical device are fixed to one another.

3. The laser scanning system according to claim 1 , wherein the movable optical element is a reflective element adjusted for reflecting the laser beam in a direction parallel to the moving axis of the movable optical element and the movable optical device.

4. The laser scanning system according to claim 3 , wherein the reflective element is arranged in a 45° orientation with respect to an incoming direction and with respect to an outgoing direction of the laser beam.

5. The laser scanning system according to claim 1 , wherein the movable optical device comprises an array of optical lenses configured to at least one of adjust and focus the laser beam.

6. The laser scanning system according to claim 1 , wherein the mobile access-position where the laser beam enters the fixed optical system is a position on a first reflector of the fixed optical system.

7. The laser scanning system according to claim 6 , wherein the fixed optical system further comprises a second reflector and a third reflector, and wherein each of the first, second and third reflectors is arranged in a 45° orientation with respect to an incoming direction and with respect of an outgoing direction of the laser beam.

8. The laser scanning system according to claim 7 , wherein the movable optical device comprises an array of optical lenses configured to at least one of adjust and focus the laser beam, and wherein at least one of the first, second and third reflectors is part of a faceted prism for selectably addressing of individual optical lenses of the array.

9. The laser scanning system according to claim 1 , wherein the fixed optical system further comprises at least one focusing element.

10. A hair-cutting device, comprising:
a laser scanning system;
a detection system for detecting hair with a laser detection device; and
a cutting-laser system with a cutting laser device,
wherein the laser scanning system comprises:
a laser scanning device for configured to generate a scanning movement of the laser beam;
a movable optical device configured to at least one of adjust and focus the laser beam,
wherein the laser scanning device comprises a movable optical element and a fixed optical system,
wherein the movable optical element is mechanically coupled to the movable optical device such that the movable optical element follows motion of the movable optical device back and forth along a moving axis,
wherein the movable optical element is arranged to inter-relate a position of the movable optical device to a mobile access-position where the laser beam enters the fixed optical system, and
wherein the fixed optical system is arranged to inter-relate said mobile access-position to at least one corresponding position where the laser beam is incident on the movable optical device, the at least one corresponding position being at the movable optical device.

11. The hair-cutting device according to claim 10 , wherein at least one of the detection system and the cutting-laser system use a common optical path of the hair-cutting device.

12. The hair-cutting device according to claim 11 , wherein the detection system comprises a beam-splitting device arranged in the common optical path, wherein the beam-splitting device is optically connected to the laser detection device by a first optical path and is optically connected to a detection device by a second optical path.

13. The hair-cutting device according to claim 11 , wherein the detection device comprises a focusing system, pin hole and a detector arranged in the second optical path.

14. The hair-cutting device according to claim 11 , wherein the cutting-laser system comprises a further beam-splitting device arranged in the common optical path, which further beam-splitting device is connected to the cutting laser device by a further optical path.

15. A method of scanning a laser beam comprising acts of:
generating by a laser scanning device a scanning movement of the laser beam;
at least one adjusting and focusing the laser beam by a movable optical device, wherein the laser scanning device comprises a movable optical element and a fixed optical system, wherein the movable optical element is mechanically coupled to the movable optical device such that the movable optical element follows motion of the movable optical device back and forth along a moving axis;
inter-relating by the movable optical element a position of the movable optical device to a mobile access-position where the laser beam enters the fixed optical system; and
inter-relating, by the fixed optical system, said access-position of the laser beam to at least one corresponding position on the movable optical device where the laser beam is incident on the movable optical device, the at least one corresponding position being at the movable optical device.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the act of at least one adjusting and focusing directs the laser beam by the movable optical element in a direction parallel to the moving axis of the movable optical element and the movable optical device.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the mobile access-position where the laser beam enters the fixed optical system is a position on a first reflector of the fixed optical system.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the fixed optical system further comprises a second reflector and a third reflector, and wherein each of the first, second and third reflectors is arranged in a 45° orientation with respect to an incoming direction and with respect of an outgoing direction of the laser beam.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the movable optical device comprises an array of optical lenses configured to at least one of adjust and focus the laser beam, and wherein at least one of the first, second and third reflectors is part of a faceted prism for selectably addressing of individual optical lenses of the array.

Assignees

• Verhagen Rieko
• Koninklijke Philips Nv

Inventors

• Verhagen Rieko

Classifications

• A61B18/203

  applying laser energy to the outside of the body · CPC title

• G02B26/0816

  by means of one or more reflecting elements · CPC title

• A61B2018/00476

  Hair follicles · CPC title

• G02B26/10 Primary

  Scanning systems · CPC title

• A61B2018/20359

  by movable mirrors, e.g. galvanometric · CPC title