Non-impact printer

Claim 2

A non-impact printing apparatus for recording information from a source onto a receiving medium, comprising: a. optical character generating means including a simultaneous multi-beam acoustooptic cell coupled to said source and responsive to the information therein for simultaneously producing a plurality of light beams which have such information; b. movable mirror scanning means for scanning and reflecting the light beams; and c. an electrographic apparatus for receiving the reflected beams to reproduce the information in said light beams on such medium.

Claim 3

A non-impact printing apparatus for recording information from a storage source, comprising: a. an electrographic apparatus having a movable photoconductive member defining a surface responsive to light beams to form latent images; b. format generating means coupled to said storage source and responsive to the information therein for simultaneously producing an electrical signal having a plurality of different fixed frequencies with such different fixed frequencies corresponding to such storage source information; c. a simultaneous multi-beam accoustooptical cell responsive to said electrical signal from said format generating means for simultaneously forming a corresponding number of diffracted light beams, each having a diffraction angle uniquely associated with one of the different fixed frequencies, respectively; and d. means for imaging the diffracted light beams onto the surface of said photoconductive member for forming latent images thereon corresponding to the storage source information.

Claim 4

A non-impact printing apparatus for recording information from a storage source, comprising: a. an electrographic apparatus having a movable photoconductive member defining a surface responsive to light beams to form latent images; b. format generating means coupled to said storage source and responsive to the information therein for simultaneously producing an electrical signal having a plurality of different fixed frequencies with such different fixed frequencies corresponding to such storage source information; c. a simultaneous multi-beam accoustooptical cell responsive to said electrical signal from said format generating means for simultaneously forming a corresponding number of diffracted light beams, each having a diffraction angle uniquely associated with one of the different fixed frequencies, respectively; and d. means for imaging the diffracted light beams onto the surface of said photoconductive member for forming latent images thereon corresponding to the storage source information.

Claim 5

The invention as set forth in claim 2 wherein said electrographic apparatus is adapted to process such latent images to form toner images and transfer such toner images onto a receiving medium and wherein said imaging means includes a movable optical member for scanning the diffracted light beams across the surface of said photoconductive member.

Claim 6

The invention as set forth in claim 3 including position control means responsive to the movement of said optical member for controlling the operation of said format generating means in producing electrical signals and the movement of said photoconductive member.

Claim 7

The invention as set forth in claim 2 including form slide means adapted to form a latent image of a form on the surface of said photoconductive member in alignment with the recorded storage source information.

Claim 8

A non-impact printing apparatus for recording information from a storage source, comprising: a. an electrographic apparatus having a movable photoconductive web movable along an endless path and defining a surface responsive to light beams at a predetermined position along the path to form latent images, said electrographic apparatus including means for stopping said web at said predetermined location prior to receiving such light beams, said electrographic apparatus being adapted to process such latent images to form toner images and transfer such toner images onto a receiving medium; b. format generating means coupled to said storage source and responsive to the information therein for simultaneously producing an electrical signal having a plurality of different fixed frequencies with such different fixed frequencies corresponding to such storage source information; c. a simultaneous multi-beam acoustooptical cell responsive to said electrical signal from said format generating means for simultaneously forming a corresponding number of diffracted light beams, each having a diffraction angle uniquely associated with one of the different fixed frequencies, respectively; and d. means for imaging the diffracted light beams onto the surface of said photoconductive member for forming latent images thereon corresponding to the storage source information.

Claim 9

A non-impact printing apparatus for recording information from a storage source, comprising: a. an electrographic apparatus having a movable photoconductive web movable along an endless path and defining a surface responsive to light beams at a predetermined position along the path to form latent images, said electrographic apparatus including means for stopping said web at said predetermined location prior to receiving such light beams, said electrographic apparatus being adapted to process such latent images to form toner images and transfer such toner images onto a receiving medium; b. format generating means coupled to said storage source and responsive to the information therein for simultaneously producing an electrical signal having a plurality of different fixed frequencies with such different fixed frequencies corresponding to such storage source information; c. a simultaneous multi-beam acoustooptical cell responsive to said electrical signal from said format generating means for simultaneously forming a corresponding number of diffracted light beams, each having a diffraction angle uniquely associated with one of the different fixed frequencies, respectively; and d. means for imaging the diffracted light beams onto the surface of said photoconductive member for forming latent images thereon corresponding to the storage source information.

Claim 10

The invention as set forth in claim 6 wherein said imaging means includes a movable optical member for scanning the diffracted light beams across the surface of said photoconductive member.

Claim 11

The invention as set forth in claim 7 including position control means responsive to the movement of said optical member for controlling the operation of said format generating means in producing electrical signals and the movement of said photoconductive member.

Claim 12

The invention as set forth in claim 8 including form slide means adapted to form a latent image of a form on the surface of said photoconductive member in alignment with the recorded storage source information.

Claim 13

The invention as set forth in claim 1 wherein said optical character generating means includes a source of coherent light, and wherein said acoustooptic cell produces said light beams from light from said light source.