1. An illumination apparatus which is provided in image-taking apparatus, said illumination apparatus comprising:
a light-emitting tube which extends in a first direction; and
an optical member which includes an entrance portion where a luminous flux from the light-emitting tube enters and an exit portion where the luminous flux exits,
wherein said optical member is integrally formed,
wherein the exit portion has a plurality of steps that is, in the optical axis direction, most away from said light-emitting tube in said optical member, the steps including first and second surfaces where the luminous flux exits,
the first and second surfaces extending in the first direction, being orthogonal to the optical axis direction of the illumination apparatus, and being alternately arranged in the second direction, the second surfaces being, in the optical axis direction, closer to said light-emitting tube than the first surfaces,
wherein a plane parallel to the optical axis direction is provided between the first and second surfaces that is closest to each other in the second direction,
wherein the optical member includes a reflective surface which reflects the luminous flux from the entrance portion in the second direction and leads the luminous flux to the exit portion, and
wherein the following condition is satisfied:
ab<0.35
where a represents a positional difference between two of the plurality of surfaces, the two surfaces being closest to each other in the second direction, and b represents the width of each of the surfaces in the second direction.
2. An image-taking apparatus comprising:
the illumination apparatus according to claim 1; and
an image-taking system which takes an image of an object illuminated by the luminous flux from the illumination apparatus.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method of making a sound insulating layered composite structure having a cap layer disposed over a padding layer, the method comprising:
a) providing a padding layer, the padding layer having a preformed shaped;
b) contacting a curable liquid composition with the padding layer to form an uncured or partially cured cap layer disposed over at least a portion of the padding layer; and
c) curing the uncured cap or partially cured cap layer to form the sound insulating layered composite structure such that the sound insulating layered composite structure has a predetermined air flow resistance.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the sound insulating layered composite has a peak sound absorption at a sound frequency from about 500 and 6,400 Hz.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the sound insulating layered composite has a peak sound absorption at a sound frequency from about 1500 and 5000 Hz.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein step b) comprises spraying the curable liquid composition onto the padding layer.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein step b) comprises
spraying the curable liquid composition onto a tool to form the uncured or partially cured cap layer; and
transferring the uncured or partially cured cap layer onto the padding layer.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein step b) comprises:
spraying the curable liquid composition onto an insert to form the uncured or partially cured cap layer disposed over the insert, the insert providing support to the padding layer;
positioning the insert in a mold;
positioning the padding layer in the mold proximate to the uncured or partially cured cap layer disposed over the insert to form a sound insulating assembly;
curing the sound insulating assembly;
removing the sound insulating assembly from the mold;
removing the insert from the assembly to form the sound insulating layered composite.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the air flow resitance is from about 300 to about 6000 rayl.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the curable liquid composition comprises a cross-linkable polymer.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the curable liquid composition comprises a latex or polyurethane.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein the curable liquid composition comprises an acrylic latex, an ethylene vinyl acetate latex, a styrene butadiene rubber latex.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein the curable liquid composition comprises a two component system that is mixed prior to or during step b).
12. The method of claim 1 wherein the uncured or partially cured cap layer is substantially fully cured by heating.
13. The method of claim 1 wherein the cap layer has a thickness from about 0.3 mil to about 0.25 mm.
14. The method of claim 1 wherein the cap layer has a thickness from about 2 mil to about 10 mil.
15. The method of claim 1 wherein the padding layer comprises a component selected from the group consisting of fibrous padding and open cell foams.
16. A method of making a sound insulating layered composite structure having a cap layer disposed over a padding layer, the method comprising:
a) providing a padding layer, the padding layer having a preformed shaped;
b) spraying a curable liquid composition onto an insert to form an uncured or partially cured cap layer disposed over the insert, the insert providing support to the padding layer;
c) positioning the insert in a mold;
d) positioning the padding layer in the mold proximate to the uncured or partially cured disposed over the insert to form a sound insulating assembly;
e) curing the sound insulating assembly;
f) removing the sound insulating assembly from the mold;
g) removing the insert from the assembly to form the sound insulating layered composite such that the sound insulating layered composite has a predetermined air flow resistance.
17. The method of claim 16 wherein the air flow resistance is from about 300 to about 6000 rayl.
18. The method of claim 17 wherein the curable liquid composition comprises an acrylic latex, an ethylene vinyl acetate latex, a styrene butadiene rubber latex.
19. A method of making a sound insulating layered composite structure having a cap layer disposed over a padding layer, the method comprising:
a) providing a padding layer, the padding layer having a preformed shaped;
b) spraying a curable liquid composition onto a tool to form a uncured or partially cured cap layer;
c) transferring the uncured or partially cured cap layer onto the padding layer; and
d) curing the uncured cap or partially cured cap layer to form the sound insulating composite layer such that the sound insulating layered composite such that the sound insulating layered composite has a predetermined air flow resistance.
20. The method of claim 19 wherein the air flow resistance is from about 300 to about 6000 rayl.