Reflection off a mirror

[AeroNucDef]

Hi all.

Not posted on here for a few months. I'm currently using Inventor 2012.

Is there anyway to easily model a rectangular light beam that's hitting a flat mirror and being reflected off? (the mirror is tilted at 45 degrees with respect lens of the torch)

The light beam that comes out of the torch is a rectangular shaped beam that spreads out into a large field of view.

Because the incident angle is equal to the angle of reflection, the top part of the rectangular beam has a smaller incident/reflection angle than the lower part.

So to summarize, the beams emitted, hits mirror at different angles, get reflected and spreads out.

I've tried a few ways of doing it. One way was to model the incident beam, then project the edges of the incident beam onto the mirror, then extrude from the surface of the mirror, but it's not very accurate and it's very time consuming.

All help appreciated.

 

[EngAddict]

Here is a very quick example of a single point light, through a square hole in a wall, off the mirror on the ground plane and onto another wall.

It could be simplified further and it may not be 100% correct but it might help to get you started.

 

[AeroNucDef]

Thanks EngAddict,

I'll have a look at it when I get into the office tomorrow. I appreciated the help.