Beam generating device

A beam generating device emitting a first beam and a second beam and including a luminescence unit and a first reflecting unit is disclosed. The luminescence unit emits a main beam. The first reflecting unit reflects the main beam to generate a first reflected beam. The main beam forms the first beam and the first reflected beam forms the second beam.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This Application claims priority of China Patent Application No. 201310041714.2, filed on Jan. 31, 2013, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a beam generating device, and more particularly, to a device capable of generating two beams.

2. Description of the Related Art

Beams are widely used in industry, like the food and aerospace industries, in a home, for a security system, and in businesses. Generally, a conventional beam generator comprises various luminescence units to emit various beams. However, requirement for the luminescence units increase costs and power consumption of the conventional beam generator.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An exemplary embodiment of a beam generating device emits a first beam and a second beam and comprises a luminescence unit and a first reflecting unit. The luminescence unit emits a main beam. The first reflecting unit reflects the main beam to generate a first reflected beam. The main beam forms the first beam and the first reflected beam forms the second beam.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1Ais a schematic diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a beam generating device. The beam generating device100comprises a luminescence unit102and a reflecting unit104. The luminescence unit102emits a main beam112. In one embodiment, the main beam112is visible or invisible. Additionally, the invention does not limit the kinds of the luminescence unit102. In one embodiment, the luminescence unit102is an emitter to emit infrared beam (IR) or a beam-emitting diode.

The reflecting unit104reflects the main beam112to generate a reflected beam114. In this embodiment, the reflecting unit104is a mirror and has an angle106. The invention does not limit the range of the angle106. In one embodiment, the angle106is approximately 45°.

FIG. 1Bis a characteristic diagram of the luminescence unit. When a luminescence angle of the luminescence unit102is approximately 0°, the beam emitted from the luminescence unit102has a maximum intensity. Thus, in this embodiment, the reflecting unit104is disposed on top of the luminescence unit102to reflect the maximum beam. When the luminescence angle of the luminescence unit102increases, the intensity of the beam is reduced such that a circular beam is generated.

FIG. 1Cis a top view of the main beam and the reflected beam. The beam generating device100provides a first beam122and a second beam124. In this embodiment, the main beam112is served as the first beam122and the reflected beam114is served as the second beam124. The first beam122is emitted from the luminescence unit102. The first beam122is not a reflected beam. The invention does not limit the shape of the beams. In this embodiment, the first beam122is a circular beam and the second beam124is a straight beam.

FIG. 2Ais a schematic diagram of another exemplary embodiment of the beam generating device.FIG. 2Ais similar toFIG. 1Awith the exception that the beam generating device200further comprises a tube201. The tube201is an opaque tube. In this embodiment, the tube201contains the luminescence unit202and the reflecting unit204. The luminescence unit202is fixed in a base206. The reflecting unit204is fixed in a base208. Since the luminescence units102and202have the same principle as previously mentioned and the reflecting units104and204have the same principle as previously mentioned, descriptions of the luminescence unit202and the reflecting unit204are omitted for brevity.

When the tube201connects to the base206, a slit212is formed. The main beam emitted from the luminescence unit202passes through the slit212to form a first beam. In this embodiment, the tube201further comprises another slit210. The reflected beam provided by the reflecting unit204passes through the slit210to form a second beam. In one embodiment, the shape of the slit210is square.

FIG. 2Bis a combination diagram of an exemplary embodiment of the beam generating device. The main beam generated by the luminescence unit202passes through the slit212to form a beam222. The reflecting unit204reflects the main beam to generate a reflected beam. The reflected beam passes through the slit210to form a beam224.

FIG. 2Cis a schematic diagram of an exemplary embodiment of the beams222and224generated by the beam generating device200. The beam224passing through the slit212is a straight beam and the beam222passing through the slit210is a ring-like beam. In this embodiment, the beam222is directly emitted from the luminescence unit202. The beam222is not reflected by any object.

In one embodiment, at least one of the size and the position of the slit210is controlled to adjust the width and the height of the beam224. Additionally, the size of the slit212is controlled to adjust the cover range of the beam222. In other embodiments, the angle of the reflecting unit204is controlled to adjust the width and the position of the beam224.

FIG. 3Ais a schematic diagram of another exemplary embodiment of the beam generating device.FIG. 3Ais similar toFIG. 2Awith the exception that the beam generating device300further comprises a reflecting unit306. As shown inFIG. 3A, the luminescence unit302, the reflecting units304and306are contained in the tube312. In this embodiment, the tube312is an opaque tube. The luminescence unit302is fixed in the base314. The reflected unit304is connected to the reflected unit306. The reflected unit306is fixed in the base314.

In this embodiment, when the tube312connects to the base314, no gap is generated between the tube312and the base314. When the tube312connected to the base316, a gap is generated between the tube312and the base316and the gap is served as the slit310. The reflected unit306reflects the main beam emitted from the luminescence unit302to generate a reflected beam. In this embodiment, the reflected beam generated by the reflecting unit306passes through the slit310to form a first beam. The invention does not limit the kind of the reflected unit306. In one embodiment, the reflecting unit306is a conical mirror.

The reflecting unit304reflects the main beam emitted from the luminescence unit302to generate a reflected beam. In this embodiment, the reflected beam generated by the reflecting unit304passes through the slit308to form a second beam. In this embodiment, the slit308is a protruding slit protruding through the surface of the tube312. The protruding slit308increases the linearity of the second beam. In another embodiment, the slit308is a plane slit. The plane slit does not protrude through the surface of the tube312.

FIG. 3Bis a combination diagram of an exemplary embodiment of the beam generating device300. The reflecting unit306reflects the main beam generated by the luminescence unit302to generate a first reflected beam. In this embodiment, the first reflected beam passes through the slit310and forms a beam322. Furthermore, the reflecting unit304reflects the main beam to generate a second reflected beam. The second reflected beam passes through the slit308and forms a beam324.

FIG. 3Cis a schematic diagram of another exemplary embodiment of the first and the second beams generated by the beam generating device300. The beam324passing through the slit308is a straight beam. The beam322passing through the slit310is a ring-like beam. In one embodiment, at least one of the size and the position of the slit308is controlled to adjust the width and the height of the beam324. In other embodiments, the angle of the reflecting unit304or306is controlled to adjust the width and the position of the beams324and322.

FIG. 4Ais a schematic diagram of another exemplary embodiment of a beam generating device. The beam generating device400further comprises components406and416. The luminescence unit402is disposed in the component406. The reflecting unit404is disposed in the component416. Since the luminescence units402and102have the same principle and the reflecting units404and104have the same principle, descriptions of the luminescence unit402and the reflecting unit404are omitted for brevity.

The component406comprises opaque layers408, and412, a transparent layer410and a hole414. In one embodiment, a top surface and a bottom surface of a transparent plastic slice are processed such that the top surface and the bottom surface of the transparent plastic slice are opaque. In one embodiment, the top surface and the bottom surface of the transparent plastic slice are electroplated to form the opaque layers408and412. A middle layer between the top surface and the bottom surface of the transparent plastic slice is served as the transparent layer410. The invention does not limit the shape of the component406. In this embodiment, the shape of the top surface408of the component406is a conical shape and the shape of the bottom surface412of the component406is a plane shape.

The opaque layer408, the transparent layer410and the opaque layer412are successively arranged. The luminescence unit402is disposed in the hole414. The main beam emitted from the luminescence unit402passes through the transparent layer410and the beam passing through the transparent layer410forms a first beam.

Since the top and the bottom surfaces of the component406are opaque, the main beam only passes through the transparent layer410and forms a first beam. The width of the transparent layer410is controlled to adjust the size of the first beam. In this embodiment, the first beam is a ring-like beam. Additionally, the first beam is directly emitted from the luminescence unit402. The first beam is not reflected by any object.

The component416closely connects to the component406. The reflecting unit404is disposed in the component416to reflect the main beam emitted by the luminescence unit402. In this embodiment, the reflecting unit404is disposed to aim the hole414and reflect the main beam emitted by the luminescence unit402. The reflected beam generated by the reflecting unit404passes through the slit418. The beam passing through the slit418forms a second beam. The size of the slit418is controlled to adjust the width and the height of the second beam. In one embodiment, the second beam is a straight beam.

FIG. 4Bis a combination diagram of an exemplary embodiment of the beam generating device400. The main beam generated by the luminescence unit402passes through the transparent layer410. The beam passing through the transparent layer410forms the beam422. Additionally, the reflecting unit404reflects the main beam to generate a reflected beam. The reflected beam passes through the slit418. The beam passing through the slit418forms the beam424.

In summary, the beam generating device of the invention only utilizes a single luminescence unit to provide two beams. Thus, the cost for the element and power consumption are reduced. Furthermore, the size of the slit is controlled to adjust the dimension of the beam passing through the slit.

The invention does not limit the field for applying the beam generating device. Any field can utilize the beam generating device, as long as the field utilizes at least one beam to control other elements. In one embodiment, the beam generating device is a virtual wall, a lighthouse or a docking station to control the traveling path of a cleaning robot.

For example,

the first beam, such as a circular beam or a ring-like beam, generated by the beam generating device is utilizing to serve as a crashworthy beam. The cleaning robot does not collide with the beam generating device according to the crashworthy beam. Additionally, the second beam, such as a straight beam, generated by the beam generating device is utilized to serve as a guiding beam or a stop beam. The guiding beam leads the cleaning robot to a specific area. The stop beam leads the cleaning robot to avoid entering a specific area.