Imaging device

Claim 1

Device for flash imaging at an imaging film plane an imaging film having a layer of an energy dispersible image forming material thereon, comprising: an energy source capable of emitting electromagnetic energy of an intensity sufficient to cause dispersion of the energy dispersible image forming material on the imaging film, an imaging mask at the imaging film plane for enabling electromagnetic energy from said energy source to be applied therethrough in a preselected pattern to the imaging film having the layer of an energy dispersible image forming material thereon, and electromagnetic energy collecting means associated with the energy source, said energy collecting means including a single, solid, one-piece, elongated, electromagnetic energy transmitting body for intercepting and transmitting electromagnetic energy directly from said energy source to the imaging mask, said body having an energy entrance facet and an energy exit facet each of which lies in a plane which is substantially parallel to the plane of the other and substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of the energy transmitting body, said energy transmitting body further having opposed pairs of non-parallel side facets which diverge in the direction of the energy exit facet of the energy transmitting body, the spacing of the energy entrance and exit facets with relation to one another and the angle of inclination of the opposed pairs of side facets of the energy transmitting body with relation to the longitudinal axis thereof being such as to direct, collimate and shape the electromagnetic energy passing through the energy transmitting body and the imaging mask in a manner to provide maximum utilization and substantially uniform distribution of the electromagnetic energy at the imaging film plane whereby substantially the full intensity of the directed, collimated and shaped electromagnetic energy is applied to the imaging film through the imaging mask thereby enabling rapid and substantially uniform dispersion of the energy dispersible image forming material on the film to be attained in a preselected pattern.

Claim 7

A device for flash imaging at an imaging film plane an imaging film having a layer of an energy dispersible image forming material thereon, comprising: an energy source capable of emitting electromagnetic energy of an intensity sufficient to cause dispersion of the energy dispersible image forming material on the imaging film, an imaging mask at the imaging film plane for enabling electromagnetic energy from said energy source to be applied therethrough in a preselected pattern to the imaging film having the layer of an energy dispersible image forming material thereon, and electromagnetic energy collecting means associated with the energy source, said energy collecting means including a solid, elongated, electromagnetic energy transmitting body having an energy entrance facet and an energy exit facet each of which lies in a plane which is substantially parallel to the plane of the other and substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of the energy transmitting body, said energy transmitting body further having side facets which are inclined with relation to the longitudinal axis of the energy transmitting body, the spacing of the energy entrance and exit facets with relation to one another and the angle of inclination of the side facets of the energy transmitting body with relation to the longitudinal axis thereof being such as to direct, collimate and shape the electromagnetic energy passing through the energy transmitting body and the imaging mask in a manner to provide maximum utilization and substantially uniform distribution of the electromagnetic energy at the imaging film plane whereby substantially the full intensity of the directed, collimated and shaped electromagnetic energy is applied to the imaging film through the imaging mask thereby enabling rapid and substantially uniform dispersion of the energy dispersible image forming material on the film to be attained in a preselected pattern, said energy collecting means further including energy intercepting and reflecting means comprising hemispherically-shaped members each having a different center of curvature, said members forming a chamber for the energy entrance facet of the energy transmitting body.

Claim 8

A device for flash imaging at an imaging film plane an imaging film having a layer of an energy dispersible image forming material thereon, comprising: an energy source capable of emitting electromagnetic energy of an intensity sufficient to cause dispersion of the energy dispersible image forming material on the imaging film, an imaging mask at the imaging film plane for enabling electromagnetic energy from said energy source to be applied therethrough in a preselected pattern to the imaging film having the layer of an energy dispersible image forming material thereon, and electromagnetic energy collecting means associated with the energy source, said energy collecting means including a solid, elongated, electromagnetic energy transmitting body having an energy entrance facet and an energy exit facet each of which lies in a plane which is substantially parallel to the plane of the other and substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of the energy transmitting body, said energy transmitting body further having side facets which are inclined with relation to the longitudinal axis of the energy transmitting body, the spacing of the energy entrance and exit facets with relation to one another and the angle of inclination of the side facets of the energy transmitting body with relation to the longitudinal axis thereof being such as to direct, collimate and shape the electromagnetic energy passing through the energy transmitting body and the imaging mask in a manner to provide maximum utilization and substantially uniform distribution of the electromagnetic energy at the imaging film plane whereby substantially the full intensity of the directed, collimated and shaped electromagnetic energy is applied to the imaging film through the imaging mask thereby enabling rapid and substantially uniform dispersion of the energy dispersible image forming material on the film to be attained in a preselected pattern, said energy collecting means further including energy intercepting and reflecting means comprising hemispherically-shaped members each having a different center of curvature, said members forming a chamber for the energy entrance facet of the energy transmitting body.