Paul J Yoder

US Patent:

49938266, Feb 19, 1991

Filed:

Apr 28, 1989

Appl. No.:

7/344368

Inventors:

Paul R. Yoder - Wilton CT

Assignee:

Taunton Technologies, Inc. - Monroe CT

International Classification:

A61B 310
A61B 300

US Classification:

351212

Abstract:

A contour measuring apparatus and method of using the same is disclosed to measure the three-dimensional contour of a surface. Structure is provided to direct first light beams onto the surface being measured. Reflections of the first light beams from the surface are received for generating electrical output signals corresponding to electro-optically measurable optical images. Each of the images corresponds to the location of the first light beams. Structure determines the approximate location of the center of the surface being measured with respect to an optical axis extending through the contour measuring apparatus. The location determining structure comprises a component for directing a single light beam along the optical axis of the contour measuring apparatus onto the surface being measured so as to reflect to the means for generating electrical output signals. Also, structure generates a pattern in the component for generating electrical output signals corresponding to the location of the optical axis to the contour measuring apparatus. Moreover, the apparatus includes an element to compare the location of the center of the surface being measured with the location of the optical axis.

US Patent:

49021230, Feb 20, 1990

Filed:

Nov 25, 1987

Appl. No.:

7/125240

Inventors:

Paul R. Yoder - Wilton CT

Assignee:

Taunton Technologies, Inc. - Monroe CT

International Classification:

A61B 310

US Classification:

351212

Abstract:

A contour measuring apparatus and method of using the apparatus is disclosed to measure the three-dimensional contour of a surface. A multi-point light source directs a plurality of light beams onto the surface to be measured. The light beams are reflected through a lens onto a photodetector to produce electro-optically measurable optical images. A structure is provided to determine the local radius of curvature of the surface at each desired point of incidence of individual light beams and the three-dimensional surface contour of the surface being measured. A calibration device is provided to reduce instrument errors of the apparatus. The calibration device includes a calibration surface with a known contour to be positioned in substitution of the surface being measured. The apparatus includes a structure to sequentially determine and store a memory of the location of the calibration surface and to compare the reflection of the light from the calibration surface as well as the surface being measured to determine the contour of the surface being measured.

US Patent:

51061830, Apr 21, 1992

Filed:

Oct 2, 1989

Appl. No.:

7/416136

Inventors:

Paul R. Yoder - Wilton CT

Assignee:

Taunton Technologies, Inc. - Monroe CT

International Classification:

A61B 310
G01B 1124

US Classification:

351212

Abstract:

A contour measuring apparatus and method of using the apparatus is disclosed to measure the three-dimensional contour of a surface. A multi-point light source directs a plurality of light beams onto the surface to be measured. The light beams are reflected through a lens onto a photodetector to produce electro-optically measurable optical images. A structure is provided to determine the local radius of curvature of the surface at each desired point of incidence of individual light beams and the three-dimensional surface contour of the surface being measured. A calibration device is provided to reduce instrument errors of the apparatus. The calibration device includes a calibration surface with a known contour to be positioned in substitution of the surface being measured. The apparatus includes a structure to sequentially determine and store a memory of the location of the calibration surface and to compare the reflection of the light from the calibration surface as well as the surface being measured to determine the contour of the surface being measured.

US Patent:

52193446, Jun 15, 1993

Filed:

Jul 24, 1991

Appl. No.:

7/735294

Inventors:

Paul R. Yoder - Wilton CT

Assignee:

VISX, Incorporated - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

A61N 506

US Classification:

606 5

Abstract:

In use of laser radiation to ablate corneal tissue, to achieve a sculptured change in curvature of the optically used region of the cornea, a variable magnification (zoom) lens is combined with different sized apertures of an indexible mask to develop a relatively smooth profile for the changed curvature. The zoom-lens settings are varied in the course of cornea exposure through each of the succession of mask apertures. To do this, the range of zoom-lens magnification can always be less than 2:1, yet the zoom-lens system can effectively reduce to insignificance the stepped profiling that is inherent in reliance only upon the indexed aperture technique. Also described are techniques to achieve compensation for delivered flux-density variation as a function of instantaneous zoom-lens setting, and programmable control of the area of delivered flux density in a manner to correct for parabolic or other fall-off in delivered beam intensity as a function of radius outward of the axis of beam delivery.

US Patent:

41704010, Oct 9, 1979

Filed:

Aug 15, 1977

Appl. No.:

5/824529

Inventors:

Paul R. Yoder - Wilton CT
Eugene R. Schlesinger - Wilton CT
Robert Crane - Westport CT

Assignee:

The Perkin-Elmer Corporation - Norwalk CT

International Classification:

G02B 2714
G01C 100

US Classification:

350173

Abstract:

A passive compensating device which compensates for angular and translational misalignment errors in a polarized beam and assures the projected beam centroid remains at the same position. The device splits the incoming beam into two beams. Thereafter, optical orienting means disposed to intercept the two beams is operative to rotate the wavefront of both beams so that the composite beam exiting a combiner has two components wherein one component has its wavefront rotated 180. degree. about two orthogonal axes with respect to the other beam. Accordingly, the composite beam centroid is maintained at one position regardless of jitter of the beam entering the compensator device.