月: 2023年11月

What is an optical prism?

An optical prism is an optical element made of a transparent medium such as glass or quartz. It is a polyhedral material with a structure in which the incident and outgoing surfaces form an angle in order to disperse or refract light.

It is sometimes simply called a “prism. Prisms are used in many optical instruments, not only in the field of optics, but also in surveying, medicine, semiconductors, telecommunications, and many other fields.

Applications of Optical Prisms

Optical prisms are optical elements that utilize the refractive index of the medium. They are used in optical equipment and many other devices related to imaging, video, surveying, etc.

1.Optical instruments, cameras, and semiconductors

In addition to spectroscopic instruments and laser interferometers, specific products in the field of imaging and video include film cameras, digital cameras, VTR cameras, DVD camcorders, LCD/LCOS type LCD projectors, DLP projectors, image information processors (color sensors), 3CCD video camcorders, etc. The optical prism is an optical element that is used inside the camera. Optical prisms are elements commonly used to bend the optical axis inside cameras.

In the semiconductor and LCD fields, they are used in exposure devices for lighting systems and stage systems. They are also used in microscopes, binoculars, and other observation and observation equipment. In the field of telecommunications, these elements are used together with optical fiber to contribute to high-capacity, high-speed communications.

2.Measurement and Surveying

Optical prisms are used in measuring instruments, surveying instruments (surveying vessels), lightwave rangefinders, and other surveying applications, and are also applied to aircraft, ships, and rockets.

3.Medical Applications

One of the most important applications of optical prisms is in the medical field. In the medical field, optical prisms are used in medical equipment such as endoscopes. In particular, prisms with a polished surface dimension (effective diameter dimension) of less than 5.0 mm, called microprisms, are used. These optical elements play a major role in the realization of high-performance compact medical devices.

Principle of Optical Prisms

Optical prisms are optical elements that cause dispersion, declination, and total reflection of light by utilizing the fact that the refractive index differs depending on the medium. Materials used include general optical glass, low-thermal-expansion glass, quartz, Si, CaF₂, etc. All materials are transparent. All materials are transparent. Prisms have a structure in which the incident and reflecting surfaces are non-parallel, which causes the desired refraction or reflection.

Since the refractive index in the medium varies with the wavelength of light, the refraction angle, or the direction of light emitted from the prism, changes with wavelength. This phenomenon is called dispersion. The dispersion of light through a prism makes it possible to obtain a spectrum. In many optical instruments, optical prisms are used to change the direction of light passing through by using declination, i.e., refraction, to spectrate light of different wavelengths (change the direction of light) by using dispersion, and to align the direction of light (combining).

Types of Optical Prisms

There are various types of optical prisms depending on their shapes, such as right angle prisms, corner cube prisms, declination prisms, dove prisms, pentaprisms, porro prisms, dach prisms, diamond prisms, dove prisms, and beamsplitters. Some of them are composite elements with lenses formed on the prism exit surface. It is also important to note that even the same shape has different functions depending on the material and coating. Appropriate selection should be made according to the application.

1.Right Angle Prisms

One of the most typical types of optical prisms is the triangular prism. Shapes such as right-angled isosceles triangles and right-angled triangles with 30° and 60° angles are available. Suitable for beam deflection and retroreflection, they can change the light direction by 90° or 180° to emit light. Light can also be dispersed by adjusting the angle of incidence appropriately.

2.Dove Prism

A dove prism is a prism in the shape of a right-angle prism with a portion cut out of it. Total reflection can be used to produce an inverted image without deflection. These prisms are used as image rotators in various optomechanical systems.

3.Penta Prism

Penta prisms are prisms that deflect light rays by 90°. independent of the angle to the optical axis,
It applies to all transmitted rays of light. It is useful for applications where the direction of the prism cannot be precisely controlled.

4.Porro Prisms

Polo prisms are a type of upright prisms in which all reflective surfaces are totally reflective.
It has no light loss and is easy to process.

5.Corner Cube Prisms

Corner cube prisms are prisms that return the light path back to the incident direction by retroreflection, utilizing three times internal total reflection. The reflective surface may be coated with aluminum or silver. In surveying instruments, corner cube prisms are used to reflect lasers and calculate distances from the time taken for the light to travel.

What is a KIOSK Printers?

A KIOSK Printer refers to a dedicated operational printer incorporated into machines, including kiosk terminals.

Kiosk terminals, found in places like convenience stores, allow users to purchase tickets and perform other self-service transactions using touch panels or keypads. The definition of a KIOSK Printer is somewhat ambiguous, as it not only includes printers embedded in kiosk terminals but may also encompass industrial equipment not generally considered kiosk terminals.

In cases where specific business applications are loaded onto versatile PDAs like iPads for self-service use, PDAs fall under the category of kiosk terminals, and their accompanying external printers may be referred to as KIOSK Printers.

This explanation primarily focuses on machine-integrated printing devices used for specific purposes within information processing machines.

Uses of KIOSK Printers

With the proliferation of automation and streamlining processes in society, kiosk terminals facilitating self-service ticket purchases and reception processing have become diverse. Correspondingly, the applications and target items for KIOSK Printers have also become varied.

Common examples include kiosk terminals in convenience stores. These terminals issue tickets for movies, concerts, and express buses, as well as receipts adapted for various deposit transactions. KIOSK Printers are also utilized in airport self-check-in machines for printing boarding passes and in hospital re-visit reception machines for printing medical visit tickets. Even in the broader sense of kiosk terminals, KIOSK Printers are employed in bank ATMs for printing deposit balances, deposit/withdrawal receipts, and transfer receipts.

Machines embedded with printers for illuminating product labels are also considered KIOSK Printers in the context of being integrated into information equipment.

Principle of KIOSK Printers

The predominant printing method is thermal transfer, utilizing a holder for attaching roll-shaped thermal transfer paper and a cutter for cutting the printed paper. Communication with the computer inside the kiosk terminal is established using USB or LAN cables.

As KIOSK Printers operate based on signals sent from devices like kiosk terminals acting as hosts, there is no direct interface for users to interact with during printing. Communication ports for most models include USB and LAN (RJ45) connectors. However, older industrial machines may have printers equipped with serial transmission ports following the RS-232C standard.

To prevent printing issues during use in scenarios where employees may not be nearby, mechanisms are implemented. For instance, machines include sequences that respond to users pulling or holding the paper during printing.

Additionally, anticipating situations where users may leave without taking the printed material, some KIOSK Printers automatically initiate sequences to retrieve the printout if it remains unclaimed for a specified period.

Structure of KIOSK Printers

Designed for integration into devices for usage, KIOSK Printers lack external aesthetics compared to general-purpose printers used in offices or homes. They are encased in metal with brackets for mounting on racks.

1. Printing Method

The thermal transfer method is commonly employed. This method uses inkless printing, eliminating the need for ink replenishment, which is a significant advantage. In some printers, such as those used for thick paper in parking ticket machines, dot impact printing is utilized.

2. Print Paper

Roll paper is often used to reduce the frequency of replacement and simplify the process. The printer’s rear exterior includes a holder for setting long rolls of paper. Compatible papers for KIOSK Printers include heat-sensitive paper, thick paper, label paper, and linerless label paper (label without backing).

3. Ejection Port

Printed material exits through the printer’s ejection port, often integrated with the device’s print material retrieval point. Some printers have LED lights at the ejection port, illuminating when print material is dispensed, notifying users. An auto-cutter is positioned just before the ejection port, automatically cutting the paper when printing is complete, making it easy for users to retrieve the printed material.