Patent US3778129A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3778129A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Optical scanner
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1972-08-31
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Granted: 1973-12-11
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Expires: 1992-08-31
Abstract
Abstract This optical scanner uses a rotor with lenses. The lens surfaces are special and made up of surface elements parallel to the rotor axis. Preferably the source of light is a laser emitting very nearly parallel light rays. The rays are directed through a narrow line-like area that may lie on the rotor axis, and that emits a narrow fixed light bundle. A rotor lens forms an image of said line-area on a record. The thus illuminated area moves along a character line of the record as the rotor turns. To cover the entire length of a line of characters with the fixed narrow light bundle, the lens profile in a plane perpendicular to the rotor axis has a varying curvature. Its curvature radius is smallest in the mid-portion. The light reflected from the illuminated record area is gathered by a stationary elongated lens that extends along a plane perpendicular to the rotor axis at a constant distance from the record surface. This elongated lens has a portion, such as an opening, adapted to let the incoming light through without alteration. The reflected light passing through said elongated lens and through the adjacent lens of the rotor reaches a photocell.
Inventors
- 👤 E Wildhaber
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 13:21
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06K; G06K7/00; G06K7/10; G06K7/10544; G06K7/10821; G06K7/10831; G06V; G06V10/00; G06V10/10; G06V10/12; H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/024; H04N1/028; H04N1/029; H04N1/04; H04N1/12; H04N1/126
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
162 words
An optical scanner comprising laser means adapted to emit approximately parallel light rays, a rotor, stationary means for directing said light rays through a narrow line-like area extending approximately in the direction of the rotor axis, a plurality of lens surfaces provided on said rotor at a constant distance from its axis, each lens surface being composed of surface elements parallel to the rotor axis and being symmetrical to an axial plane of said rotor, a surface for supporting a record, said lens surfaces being adapted to form an image on the record of said line-like area of light, whereby said image moves on the record as the rotor turns, a stationary lens of convex cross-sectional profile extending along a plane perpendicular to the rotor axis at a constant distance from said supporting surface, for gathering light reflected from the record and for forming, together with a rotor lens, an image of lighted record area, and photocell means placed adjacent said image.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
162 words
An optical scanner comprising laser means adapted to emit approximately parallel light rays, a rotor, stationary means for directing said light rays through a narrow line-like area extending approximately in the direction of the rotor axis, a plurality of lens surfaces provided on said rotor at a constant distance from its axis, each lens surface being composed of surface elements parallel to the rotor axis and being symmetrical to an axial plane of said rotor, a surface for supporting a record, said lens surfaces being adapted to form an image on the record of said line-like area of light, whereby said image moves on the record as the rotor turns, a stationary lens of convex cross-sectional profile extending along a plane perpendicular to the rotor axis at a constant distance from said supporting surface, for gathering light reflected from the record and for forming, together with a rotor lens, an image of lighted record area, and photocell means placed adjacent said image.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
An optical scanner according to claim 1, wherein said stationary line-like area of light is at the rotor axis at least approximately, said surface for supporting a record is a cylindrical surface whose axis is approximately aligned with the rotor axis.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
59 words
In an optical scanner, light means adapted to emit light from a narrow line-like area, a rotor containing a lens for projecting said light to a record, to illuminate a narrow area thereof that moves on the record as the rotor turns, said lens having a working surface made up of straight-line surface elements parallel to the rotor axis.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
59 words
In an optical scanner, light means adapted to emit light from a narrow line-like area, a rotor containing a lens for projecting said light to a record, to illuminate a narrow area thereof that moves on the record as the rotor turns, said lens having a working surface made up of straight-line surface elements parallel to the rotor axis.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
In an optical scanner the combination according to claim 3 , wherein said light means is a laser assembly.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
63 words
In an optical scanner the combination according to claim 3 , wherein said lens extends on both sides of an axial plane of said rotor, the surface normals of said straight-line elements are increasingly inclined to said axial plane with increasing distance of said elements therefrom, so that the sine function of the inclination angle increases at a slower rate than said distance.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
in an optical scanner, the combination according to claim 3, wherein the rotor contains a plurality of lenses equally spaced about the rotor axis at a constant distance therefrom.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
48 words
In an optical scanner, the combination according to claim 3 , wherein the profile of said working surface, in a plane perpendicular to the rotor axis, is a smooth continuous curve convexly curved at a varying curvature, the curvature radius being smallest at the mid-portion of said lens.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
42 words
In an optical scanner, a rotor, a refractory ring-shaped part coaxial with said rotor, said part containing a plurality of lens surfaces equally spaced about the rotor axis, said lens surfaces being made up of straight-line elements parallel to the rotor axis.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
42 words
In an optical scanner, a rotor, a refractory ring-shaped part coaxial with said rotor, said part containing a plurality of lens surfaces equally spaced about the rotor axis, said lens surfaces being made up of straight-line elements parallel to the rotor axis.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
In an optical scanner, the combination according to claim 8 , wherein one of the side surfaces of said ring-shaped part is a cylindrical surface coaxial with said rotor.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
90 words
In an optical scanner, a light source, a surface for supporting a record, a rotor for projecting light of said source to a record on said surface, whereby the lighted area moves on said record as said rotor turns, and means for gathering light reflected from the illuminated record area for transmission to a photocell, said means comprising an elongated stationary lens extending along a plane perpendicular to the rotor axis at a constant distance from said surface, opposite working surfaces of said lens intersecting said plane in equidistant lines.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
90 words
In an optical scanner, a light source, a surface for supporting a record, a rotor for projecting light of said source to a record on said surface, whereby the lighted area moves on said record as said rotor turns, and means for gathering light reflected from the illuminated record area for transmission to a photocell, said means comprising an elongated stationary lens extending along a plane perpendicular to the rotor axis at a constant distance from said surface, opposite working surfaces of said lens intersecting said plane in equidistant lines.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
34 words
In an optical scanner, the combination according to claim 10, wherein opposite working surfaces of said elongated lens intersect said plane perpendicular to the rotor axis in circular arcs concentric with the rotor axis.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
122 words
An optical scanner comprising a rotor containing a plurality of lenses spaced in a circle about its axis, said lenses having a convex profile of varying curvature at least in the peripheral direction of said rotor, being most curved in the central lens portion, means for supporting a record, a laser adapted to emit a bundle of light, means for directing the light of said laser in a fixed path to said lenses as they move within reach of said light and thence to said record along a scanning line, and means for directing light reflected from the illuminated record areas to light-sensitive means for controlling an electric current, to cause the electric current to vary in accordance with the light received.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
122 words
An optical scanner comprising a rotor containing a plurality of lenses spaced in a circle about its axis, said lenses having a convex profile of varying curvature at least in the peripheral direction of said rotor, being most curved in the central lens portion, means for supporting a record, a laser adapted to emit a bundle of light, means for directing the light of said laser in a fixed path to said lenses as they move within reach of said light and thence to said record along a scanning line, and means for directing light reflected from the illuminated record areas to light-sensitive means for controlling an electric current, to cause the electric current to vary in accordance with the light received.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-12-10 | 1977-06-11 | 1977-12-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-12-10 | 1981-06-11 | 1981-12-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-12-10 | 1985-06-11 | 1985-12-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |