Apparatus and method for uniform illumination of a surface

Claim 1

An apparatus for uniformly irradiating a substantially planar surface of a member comprising an elongated substantially linear source emitting radiant energy in a substantially omnidirectional manner, said radiant energy being directed in radial fashion about the longitudinal axis of the source; reflector means comprising a curved shell open at one end thereof and having a substantially elliptical cross-section; the concave surface of said shell having high reflectivity characteristics; said line source lying in a plane containing the major axis of the ellipse defined by said cross-section and containing a pair of said focal lines; means for aligning said member whereby said planar surface is aligned substantially perpendicular to said plane; said line source being positioned a first spaced distance from the focal line of said ellipse which lies closest to said reflector means toward the other focal line and parallel to same; said aligning means further positioning said planar surface a second spaced parallel distance from the focal line furthest removed from sad reflector means and intermediate said focal lines; said second spaced distance being selected to provide substantially uniform radiation density across the surface irradiated by said line source, said first and second spaced distances being substantially equal.

Claim 2

An apparatus for uniformly irradiating a substantially planar surface of a member comprising an elongated substantially linear source emitting radiant energy in a substantially omnidirectional manner, said radiant energy being directed in radial fashion about the longitudinal axis of the source; reflector means comprising a curved shell open at one end thereof and having a substantially elliptical cross-section; the concave surface of said shell having high reflectivity characteristics; said line source lying in a plane containing the major axis of the ellipse defined by said cross-section and containing a pair of said focal lines; means for aligning said member whereby said planar surface is aligned substantially perpendicular to said plane; said line source being positioned a first spaced distance from the focal line of said ellipse which lies closest to said reflector means toward the other focal line and parallel to same; said aligning means further positioning said planar surface a second spaced parallel distance from the focal line furthest removed from sad reflector means and intermediate said focal lines; said second spaced distance being selected to provide substantially uniform radiation density across the surface irradiated by said line source, said first and second spaced distances being substantially equal.

Claim 6

An apparatus for uniformly irradiating a member having a substantially planar surface comprising an elongated substantially linear source emitting radiant energy in a substantially omni-directional manner, said radiant energy being directed in radial fashion about the longitudinal axis of the source; reflector means comprising a prismatic shell having an elliptical cross-section, said elliptical shape being hemicircloidal and defined by the prolate section of said ellipse, said shell being open at a plane passing through the minor axis of the ellipse and having substantially plane and parallel end surfaces perpendicular to the focal lines described by all focal points of said elliptical cross-sections; the concave surface of said shell having high reflectivity characteristics; said line source lying in a plane containing the major axis of the ellipse defined by said cross-section and containing a pair of said focal lines; mean for aligning said member so that said surface is aligned substantially perpendicular to said plane; said line source being positioned a first spaced distance from the focal line of said ellipse which lies closest to said reflector means toward the other focal line and parallel to same; said aligned means further positioning said member so that said planar surface is positioned a second spaced parallel distance from the focal line furthest removed from said reflector means and intermediate said focal lines; said second spaced distance being selected to provide substantially uniform radiation density across the surface irradiated by said line source and being substantially equal to said first spaced distance.

Claim 7

An apparatus for uniformly irradiating a member having a substantially planar surface comprising an elongated substantially linear source emitting radiant energy in a substantially omni-directional manner, said radiant energy being directed in radial fashion about the longitudinal axis of the source; reflector means comprising a prismatic shell having an elliptical cross-section, said elliptical shape being hemicircloidal and defined by the prolate section of said ellipse, said shell being open at a plane passing through the minor axis of the ellipse and having substantially plane and parallel end surfaces perpendicular to the focal lines described by all focal points of said elliptical cross-sections; the concave surface of said shell having high reflectivity characteristics; said line source lying in a plane containing the major axis of the ellipse defined by said cross-section and containing a pair of said focal lines; mean for aligning said member so that said surface is aligned substantially perpendicular to said plane; said line source being positioned a first spaced distance from the focal line of said ellipse which lies closest to said reflector means toward the other focal line and parallel to same; said aligned means further positioning said member so that said planar surface is positioned a second spaced parallel distance from the focal line furthest removed from said reflector means and intermediate said focal lines; said second spaced distance being selected to provide substantially uniform radiation density across the surface irradiated by said line source and being substantially equal to said first spaced distance.