Ultraviolet light processor and method of exposing surfaces to ultraviolet light

Claim 2

In the method wherein the surface of a workpiece is exposed to ultraviolet light from at least one primary optical system comprising a first source of ultraviolet light and a reflector for reflecting ultraviolet light from said first source to said surface such that the ultraviolet flux from said primary optical system incident per unit area of said surface is greater at the central region of said surface than at an edge thereof, the improvement comprising: exposing said surface to ultraviolet light from at least one secondary optical system comprising a second source of ultraviolet light and a reflector for reflecting ultraviolet light from said second source to said surface such that the ultraviolet flux from said secondary optical system incident per unit area of said surface is greater at said edge than at said central region thereof, to thereby cause said central region and said edge to be exposed to approximately equal total amounts of ultraviolet energy per unit area.

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 wherein said surface is exposed to ultraviolet light from a plurality of said primary optical systems.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1 wherein said surface is continuously moved through the regions of ultraviolet light exposure.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1 wherein said surface is flat.

Claim 6

In the method wherein the surface of a workpiece is exposed to ultraviolet light from at least one primary optical system comprising a first source of ultraviolet light and a reflector for reflecting ultraviolet light from said first source to said surface such that the ultraviolet flux from said primary optical system incident per unit area of said surface is greater at the central region of said surface than at two edges thereof, the improvement comprising: a. exposing said surface to ultraviolet light from at least one secondary optical system comprising a second source of ultraviolet light and a reflector for reflecting ultraviolet light from said second source to said surface such that the ultraviolet flux from said secondary optical system incident per unit area of said surface is greater at one of said edges than at said central region; and b. exposing said surface to ultraviolet light from at least one other such secondary optical system such that the ultraviolet flux from said other secondary optical system incident per unit area of said surface is greater at the other of said edges than at said central region to thereby cause said central region and said edges to be exposed to approximately equal total amounts of ultraviolet energy per unit area.

Claim 7

In the method wherein the surface of a workpiece is exposed to ultraviolet light from at least one primary optical system comprising a first source of ultraviolet light and a reflector for reflecting ultraviolet light from said first source to said surface such that the ultraviolet flux from said primary optical system incident per unit area of said surface is greater at the central region of said surface than at two edges thereof, the improvement comprising: a. exposing said surface to ultraviolet light from at least one secondary optical system comprising a second source of ultraviolet light and a reflector for reflecting ultraviolet light from said second source to said surface such that the ultraviolet flux from said secondary optical system incident per unit area of said surface is greater at one of said edges than at said central region; and b. exposing said surface to ultraviolet light from at least one other such secondary optical system such that the ultraviolet flux from said other secondary optical system incident per unit area of said surface is greater at the other of said edges than at said central region to thereby cause said central region and said edges to be exposed to approximately equal total amounts of ultraviolet energy per unit area.

Claim 8

The method of claim 5 wherein said surface is exposed to ultraviolet light from a plurality of said primary optical systems.

Claim 9

The method of claim 5 wherein said surface is continuously moved through the regions of ultraviolet light exposure.

Claim 10

In an ultraviolet light processor having primary means for exposing the surface of a workpiece to ultraviolet light such that the ultraviolet flux from said primary means incident per unit area of said surface is greater at the central region of said surface than at an edge thereof, the improvement comprising secondary means for exposing said surface to ultraviolet light such that the ultraviolet flux from said secondary means incident per unit area of said surface is greater at said edge than at said central region.

Claim 11

In an ultraviolet light processor having primary means for exposing the surface of a workpiece to ultraviolet light such that the ultraviolet flux from said primary means incident per unit area of said surface is greater at the central region of said surface than at an edge thereof, the improvement comprising secondary means for exposing said surface to ultraviolet light such that the ultraviolet flux from said secondary means incident per unit area of said surface is greater at said edge than at said central region.

Claim 12

The ultraviolet light processor of claim 8 including means for continuously moving said surface along a path of travel through the ultraviolet light exposure regions of said processor.

Claim 13

The ultraviolet light processor of claim 9 including means for varying the distance between said secondary means and said path of travel.

Claim 14

The ultraviolet light processor of claim 9 including means for varying the angle between the major dimension of said secondary means and said path of travel.

Claim 15

The ultraviolet light processor of claim 9 including means for rotating said secondary means about an axis which is generally perpendicular to said path of travel.

Claim 16

In an ultraviolet light processor having primary means for exposing the surface of a workpiece to ultraviolet light such that the ultraviolet flux from said primary means incident per unit area of said surface is greater at the central region of said surface than at two edges thereof, the improvement comprising: a. secondary means for exposing said surface to ultraviolet light such that the ultraviolet flux from said secondary means incident per unit area of said surface is greater at one of said edges than at said central region; and b. other secondary means for exposing said surface to ultraviolet light such that the ultraviolet flux from said other secondary means incident per unit area of said surface is greater at the other of said edges than at said central region.

Claim 17

In an ultraviolet light processor having primary means for exposing the surface of a workpiece to ultraviolet light such that the ultraviolet flux from said primary means incident per unit area of said surface is greater at the central region of said surface than at two edges thereof, the improvement comprising: a. secondary means for exposing said surface to ultraviolet light such that the ultraviolet flux from said secondary means incident per unit area of said surface is greater at one of said edges than at said central region; and b. other secondary means for exposing said surface to ultraviolet light such that the ultraviolet flux from said other secondary means incident per unit area of said surface is greater at the other of said edges than at said central region.

Claim 18

The ultraviolet light processor of claim 13 including means for continuously moving said surface through the ultraviolet light exposure regions of said processor.

Claim 19

The ultraviolet light processor of claim 13 wherein said primary means comprises at least one primary optical system comprising a first source of ultraviolet light and a reflector for reflecting ultraviolet light from said source to said surface.

Claim 20

The ultraviolet light processor of claim 15 wherein said reflector is a concave cylindrical reflector.

Claim 21

The ultraviolet light processor of claim 15 wherein said reflector is a concave substantially elliptical cylindrical reflector.

Claim 22

The ultraviolet light processor of claim 17 wherein the eccentricity of said concave substantially elliptical cylindrical reflector is in the range of from about 0.2 to about 0.9.

Claim 23

The ultraviolet light processor of claim 18 wherein said first source of ultraviolet light is a generally linear source of ultraviolet light.

Claim 24

The ultraviolet light processor of claim 19 wherein said generally linear source of ultraviolet light is of the medium or high pressure mercury vapor type.

Claim 25

The ultraviolet light processor of claim 19 wherein said generally linear source of ultraviolet light is located at the first focus of said concave substantially elliptical reflector.

Claim 26

The ultraviolet light processor of claim 19 wherein said primary means comprises a plurality of said primary optical systems.

Claim 27

The ultraviolet light processor of claim 13 wherein each said secondary means comprises at least one secondary optical system comprising a second source of ultraviolet light and a reflector for reflecting ultraviolet light from said source to said surface.

Claim 28

The ultraviolet light processor of claim 23 wherein said reflector is a concave cylindrical reflector.

Claim 29

The ultraviolet light processor of claim 24 wherein said reflector is a concave substantially elliptical reflector.

Claim 30

The ultraviolet light processor of claim 25 wherein the eccentricity of said concave substantially elliptical cylindrical reflector is in the range of from about 0.2 to about 0.9.

Claim 31

The ultraviolet light processor of claim 26 wherein said second source of ultraviolet light is a generally linear source of ultraviolet light.

Claim 32

The ultraviolet light processor of claim 26 wherein said generally linear source of ultraviolet light is of the medium or high pressure mercury vapor type.

Claim 33

The ultraviolet light processor of claim 26 wherein said generally linear source of ultraviolet light is located at the first focus of said concave substantially elliptical reflector.

Claim 34

In an ultraviolet light processor having a. primary means comprising a plurality of primary optical systems for exposing the surface of a workpiece to ultraviolet light such that the ultraviolet flux from said primary means incident per unit area of said surface is greater at the central region of said surface than at two edges thereof, each of said primary optical systems comprising 1. a first, generally linear source of ultraviolet light, and 2. a concave substantially elliptical cylindrical reflector having an eccentricity in the range of from about 0.2 to about 0.9 for reflecting ultraviolet light from said source to said surface; and b. means for continuously moving said surface through the ultraviolet light exposure regions of said processor, the improvement comprising c. secondary means comprising at least one secondary optical system for exposing said surface to ultraviolet light such that the ultraviolet flux from said secondary means incident per unit area of said surface is greater at one of said edges than at said central region; said secondary optical system comprising

Claim 35

In an ultraviolet light processor having a. primary means comprising a plurality of primary optical systems for exposing the surface of a workpiece to ultraviolet light such that the ultraviolet flux from said primary means incident per unit area of said surface is greater at the central region of said surface than at two edges thereof, each of said primary optical systems comprising 1. a first, generally linear source of ultraviolet light, and 2. a concave substantially elliptical cylindrical reflector having an eccentricity in the range of from about 0.2 to about 0.9 for reflecting ultraviolet light from said source to said surface; and b. means for continuously moving said surface through the ultraviolet light exposure regions of said processor, the improvement comprising c. secondary means comprising at least one secondary optical system for exposing said surface to ultraviolet light such that the ultraviolet flux from said secondary means incident per unit area of said surface is greater at one of said edges than at said central region; said secondary optical system comprising

Claim 36

a second generally linear source of ultraviolet light, and 2. a concave substantially elliptical cylindrical reflector having an eccentricity in the range of from about 0.2 to about 0.9 for reflecting ultraviolet light from said second source to said surface; and

Claim 37

a second generally linear source of ultraviolet light, and 2. a concave substantially elliptical cylindrical reflector having an eccentricity in the range of from about 0.2 to about 0.9 for reflecting ultraviolet light from said second source to said surface; and

Claim 38

d. other secondary means comprising at least one other such secondary optical system for exposing said surface to ultraviolet light such that the ultraviolet flux from said other secondary means incident per unit area of said surface is greater at the other of said edges than at said central region.

Claim 39

d. other secondary means comprising at least one other such secondary optical system for exposing said surface to ultraviolet light such that the ultraviolet flux from said other secondary means incident per unit area of said surface is greater at the other of said edges than at said central region.