Sensitometer light source apparatus

Claim 2

In a sensitometer which enables the determination of the response characteristics of a photosensitive medium to actinic radiation by exposing the photosensitive medium to actinic radiation, from an actinic energy source means, which has been modulated by an energy modulation means, and which includes an exposure source unit comprising said actinic energy source means, said energy modulation means, and means for providing a plurality of radiation paths from said actinic energy source means to said energy modulation means, the improvement comprising: said exposure source unit including an integrally constructed unit formed of a unitary plastic piece which encapsulates said actinic energy source means, said unitary plastic piece directing actinic radiation from said actinic energy source means to said energy modulation means only along a plurality of folded radiation paths, said integrally constructed unit precluding replacement of said actinic energy source means or said energy modulation means without effectively destroying the exposure source unit, and the external surfaces of said unitary plastic piece being dimpled and coated with a reflective material to form highly reflective and radiation scattering interior surfaces, thereby providing substantially uniform, indirect, scattered radiation to said energy modulation means.

Claim 3

Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said actinic energy source means is mounted at one end of said unitary plastic piece and said unitary plastic piece includes a first section with a relatively constant thickness and a width which increases as the distance from said actinic energy source means increases along the length of said first section, thereby providing said unitary plastic piece with a shape which diverges in a direction sway from said actinic energy source means.

Claim 4

Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said unitary plastic piece includes a second section adjoining said first section, said second section has a thickness equal to the thickness of said first section and a relatively constant width equal to the width of the widest part of said first section, and said second section includes an elbow bend along the length of said second section, whereby said elbow bend allows actinic radiation to be directed from said actinic energy source means to said energy modulation means only along a plurality of folded radiation paths, and whereby said constant width of said second section allows concentrated internal reflection of radiation near the ends of said energy modulation means to overcome the inverse square law and achieve substantially uniform indirect scattered radiation to said energy modulation means.

Claim 5

In a sensitometer which enables the determination of the response characteristics of a photosensitive medium to actinic radiation by exposing the photosensitive medium to actinic radiation from an actinic energy source means, which has been modulated by an energy modulation means, and which includes an exposure source unit comprising said actinic energy source means, said energy modulation means, and means for providing a plurality of radiation paths from said actinic energy source means to said energy modulation means, the improvement comprising: a. said exposure source unit including a unitary housing means of light transmissive material; b. said actinic energy source means being mounted adjacent a first face, said first face forming one end of said housing means; c. said housing means having a second face which is disposed at a second end of said housing means, opposite said first end, and at an acute angle relative to said first face for producing substantial internal reflection therefrom; and d. said housing means having exterior surface means, including said first and second faces, for internally reflecting radiation incident upon said exterior surface means at angles greater than the critical angle of the light transmissive material, and for transmitting radiation from the housing means which is incident upon said exterior surface means at angles less than said critical angle, thereby resulting in the provision of substantially uniform radiation over the entire area of said energy modulation means.

Claim 6

In a sensitometer which enables the determination of the response characteristics of a photosensitive medium to actinic radiation by exposing the photosensitive medium to actinic radiation from an actinic energy source means, which has been modulated by an energy modulation means, and which includes an exposure source unit comprising said actinic energy source means, said energy modulation means, and means for providing a plurality of radiation paths from said actinic energy source means to said energy modulation means, the improvement comprising: a. said exposure source unit including a unitary housing means of light transmissive material; b. said actinic energy source means being mounted adjacent a first face, said first face forming one end of said housing means; c. said housing means having a second face which is disposed at a second end of said housing means, opposite said first end, and at an acute angle relative to said first face for producing substantial internal reflection therefrom; and d. said housing means having exterior surface means, including said first and second faces, for internally reflecting radiation incident upon said exterior surface means at angles greater than the critical angle of the light transmissive material, and for transmitting radiation from the housing means which is incident upon said exterior surface means at angles less than said critical angle, thereby resulting in the provision of substantially uniform radiation over the entire area of said energy modulation means.

Claim 7

Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said acute angle is in the range of 30* to 50*.

Claim 8

Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said housing means is made of clear plastic.

Claim 9

Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein actinic energy source means includes a single flash lamp centrally located with respect to said first face.

Claim 10

Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said housing means has a substantially rectangular shape, except for said second face.

Claim 11

In a sensitometer which enables the determination of the response characteristics of a photosensitive medium to actinic radiation by exposing the photosensitive medium to actinic radiation, from an actinic energy source means, which has been modulated by an energy modulation means, and which includes an exposure source unit comprising said actinic energy source means, said energy modulation means, and means for providing a plurality of radiation paths from said actinic energy source means to said energy modulation means, the improvement comprising: said exposure source unit including an enclosure means for directing actinic radiation from said actinic energy source means to said energy modulation means only along a plurality of folded optical paths, said actinic energy source means being mounted at one end of said enclosure means and said enclosure means including a first section with a relatively constant thickness and a width which increases as the distance from said actinic energy source means increases along the length of said first section, thereby providing said enclosure means with a shape which diverges in a direction away from said actinic energy source means, and said enclosure means having interior surfaces which are highly reflective and radiation scattering, thereby providing substantially uniform indirect scattered actinic radiation to said energy modulation means, and said enclosure further including a second adjoining said first section, said second section having a thickness equal to the thickness of said first section and a relatively constant width equal to the width of the widest part of said first section, and said second section including an elbow bend along the length of said second section, whereby said elbow bend allows actinic radiation to be directed from said energy source means to said energy modulation means only along a plurality of folded radiation paths, whereby said constant width of said second section allows a concentrated internal reflection of radiation near the ends of said energy modulation means to overcome the inverse square law and achieve substantially uniform indirect scattered radiation to said energy modulation means.

Claim 12

In a sensitometer which enables the determination of the response characteristics of a photosensitive medium to actinic radiation by exposing the photosensitive medium to actinic radiation, from an actinic energy source means, which has been modulated by an energy modulation means, and which includes an exposure source unit comprising said actinic energy source means, said energy modulation means, and means for providing a plurality of radiation paths from said actinic energy source means to said energy modulation means, the improvement comprising: said exposure source unit including an enclosure means for directing actinic radiation from said actinic energy source means to said energy modulation means only along a plurality of folded optical paths, said actinic energy source means being mounted at one end of said enclosure means and said enclosure means including a first section with a relatively constant thickness and a width which increases as the distance from said actinic energy source means increases along the length of said first section, thereby providing said enclosure means with a shape which diverges in a direction away from said actinic energy source means, and said enclosure means having interior surfaces which are highly reflective and radiation scattering, thereby providing substantially uniform indirect scattered actinic radiation to said energy modulation means, and said enclosure further including a second adjoining said first section, said second section having a thickness equal to the thickness of said first section and a relatively constant width equal to the width of the widest part of said first section, and said second section including an elbow bend along the length of said second section, whereby said elbow bend allows actinic radiation to be directed from said energy source means to said energy modulation means only along a plurality of folded radiation paths, whereby said constant width of said second section allows a concentrated internal reflection of radiation near the ends of said energy modulation means to overcome the inverse square law and achieve substantially uniform indirect scattered radiation to said energy modulation means.

Claim 13

Apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein said highly reflective surfaces include highly reflective dimpled surfaces to scatter incident actinic energy.

Claim 14

Apparatus as set forth in claim 10 wherein said actinic energy source means consists of a single flash lamp.

Claim 15

Apparatus as set forth in claiM 11 wherein said interior surfaces are comprised of shot-peened, bright-dipped anodized aluminum.

Claim 16

Apparatus as set forth in claim 12 wherein said enclosure means includes absorption means, positioned adjacent to said energy modulation means, for absorbing actinic energy in the central region of said modulation means.

Claim 17

Apparatus as set forth in claim 13 wherein said absorption means includes a piece of shot-peened, etched, anodized aluminum.

Claim 18

Apparatus as set forth in claim 10 wherein said enclosure means includes absorption means, positioned adjacent to said energy modulation means, for absorbing actinic energy in the central region of said modulation means.

Claim 19

In a sensitometer which enables the determination of the response characteristics of a photosensitive medium to actinic radiation by exposing the photosensitive medium to actinic radiation, from an actinic energy source means, which has been modulated by an energy modulation means, and which includes an exposure source unit comprising said actinic energy source means, said energy modulation means, and means for providing a plurality of radiation paths from said actinic energy source means to said energy modulation means, the improvement comprising: a. said exposure source unit including an enclosure means for directing actinic energy from said actinic energy source means to said energy modulation means only along a plurality of folded optical paths, said enclosure means having dimpled interior surfaces which are highly reflective and actinic energy scattering, thereby providing substantially uniform indirect scattered actinic energy to said energy modulation means in a very efficient manner; b. said actinic energy source means consisting of a single flash lamp mounted at one end of said enclosure means, and said enclosure means including a first section with a relatively constant thickness and a width which increases as the distance from said actinic energy source means increases along the width of said first section, thereby providing said enclosure means with a shape which diverges in a direction away from said actinic energy source means; and c. said enclosure means further including a second section adjoining said first section, said second section having a thickness equal to the thickness of said first section and a relatively constant width equal to the width of the widest part of said first section, and said second section including an elbow bend along the length of said second section, whereby said elbow bend allows actinic radiation to be directed from said energy source means to said energy modulation means only along a plurality of folded radiation paths, and whereby said constant width of said second section allows a concentrated internal reflection of radiation near the ends of said energy modulation means to overcome the inverse square law and achieve substantially uniform indirect scattered radiation to said energy modulation means.

Claim 20

In a sensitometer which enables the determination of the response characteristics of a photosensitive medium to actinic radiation by exposing the photosensitive medium to actinic radiation, from an actinic energy source means, which has been modulated by an energy modulation means, and which includes an exposure source unit comprising said actinic energy source means, said energy modulation means, and means for providing a plurality of radiation paths from said actinic energy source means to said energy modulation means, the improvement comprising: a. said exposure source unit including an enclosure means for directing actinic energy from said actinic energy source means to said energy modulation means only along a plurality of folded optical paths, said enclosure means having dimpled interior surfaces which are highly reflective and actinic energy scattering, thereby providing substantially uniform indirect scattered actinic energy to said energy modulation means in a very efficient manner; b. said actinic energy source means consisting of a single flash lamp mounted at one end of said enclosure means, and said enclosure means including a first section with a relatively constant thickness and a width which increases as the distance from said actinic energy source means increases along the width of said first section, thereby providing said enclosure means with a shape which diverges in a direction away from said actinic energy source means; and c. said enclosure means further including a second section adjoining said first section, said second section having a thickness equal to the thickness of said first section and a relatively constant width equal to the width of the widest part of said first section, and said second section including an elbow bend along the length of said second section, whereby said elbow bend allows actinic radiation to be directed from said energy source means to said energy modulation means only along a plurality of folded radiation paths, and whereby said constant width of said second section allows a concentrated internal reflection of radiation near the ends of said energy modulation means to overcome the inverse square law and achieve substantially uniform indirect scattered radiation to said energy modulation means.

Claim 21

Apparatus as set forth in claim 16 wherein said interior surfaces are comprised of shot-peened, bright-dipped, anodized aluminum.

Claim 22

Apparatus as set forth in claim 17 wherein said enclosure means includes absorption means, positioned adjacent to said energy modulation means, for absorbing actinic energy in the central region of said modulation means.

Claim 23

Apparatus as set forth in claim 18 wherein said absorption means includes a piece of shot-peened, etched, anodized aluminum.