US4547038A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for scanning a plane with light beams
Assignee: Toshiba Corp
•
Filing: 1983-04-26
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Granted: 1985-10-15
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Expires: 2003-04-26
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus for scanning a plane with light beams is disclosed, in which divergent laser emitting beams emitted from laser beam emitting points of a semiconductor laser unit are collimated by a collimator lens and directed toward a refractor located at a position at which the individual laser beams are spatially separated from each other. The refractor projects the laser beams in slightly different directions. The laser beams transmitted from the refractor are converged by a convergent lens to be incident on a galvanomirror. As the galvenomirror is swinging about its axis of swinging, the laser beams reflected by it are deflected. A surface is thus scanned by the convergent laser beams from the galvanomirror.
Inventors
- 👤 Masafumi Mori
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 21:04
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/04; H04N1/19; H04N1/191; H04N1/1911; G; G02; G02B; G02B26/00; G02B26/08; G02B26/10; G06; G06K; G06K15/00; G06K15/02; G06K15/12; G06K15/1238; G06K15/1257; G06K15/1261; G06K2215/00; G06K2215/111; H04N1/113; H04N1/1135
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
128 words
An apparatus for scanning a plane with light beams, comprising: a light source having two or more divergent light beam emitting points separated from each other and arranged on a straight line in a plane; means for substantially collimating the divergent light beams emitted from said light emitting points of said light source; an optical refractor having a light incidence surface and light exit surfaces equal to the number of said light beam emitting points for re-directing the substantially collimated light beams from said collimating means such that the re-directed and substantially collimated light beams proceed along spatially separated optical paths extending in predetermined directions; converging means for converging the light beams; and means for deflecting the light beams and scanning a surface with the convergent light beams.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
128 words
An apparatus for scanning a plane with light beams, comprising: a light source having two or more divergent light beam emitting points separated from each other and arranged on a straight line in a plane; means for substantially collimating the divergent light beams emitted from said light emitting points of said light source; an optical refractor having a light incidence surface and light exit surfaces equal to the number of said light beam emitting points for re-directing the substantially collimated light beams from said collimating means such that the re-directed and substantially collimated light beams proceed along spatially separated optical paths extending in predetermined directions; converging means for converging the light beams; and means for deflecting the light beams and scanning a surface with the convergent light beams.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said light source is a semiconductor laser unit having two or more divergent laser beam emitting points.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said scanning means is a galvanomirror swinging about an axis.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus further comprises a housing for supporting said light source, said collimating means and said optical refractor.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said scanning means is a polygonal mirror.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said optical refractor is symmetrical with respect to its axis.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
69 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means for substantially collimating is an optical lens having a focal point, and said optical lens and said light source are arranged such that the light emitting points of the light source are slightly deviated from the focal point or plane of said optical lens so as to convert divergent light beams into one of slightly divergent or convergent light beams.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said collimator means converts the divergent light beams into respective parallel light beams, and said optical refractor re-directs the light beams in slightly different directions.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
129 words
An apparatus for scanning a plane with light beam, comprising: a light source having two or more divergent light beam emitting points separated from each other and arranged on a straight line in a plane; means for substantially collimating the divergent light beams emitted from said light beam emitting points of said light source; an optical refractor having light incidence surfaces equal to the number of said light beams emitting points and a light exit surface for re-directing the substantially collimated light beams from said collimating means such that the re-directed and substantially collimated light beams proceed along spatially separated optical paths extending in predetermined direction; converging means for coverging the light beams; and means for deflecting the light beams and scanning a surface with the convergent light beams.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
129 words
An apparatus for scanning a plane with light beam, comprising: a light source having two or more divergent light beam emitting points separated from each other and arranged on a straight line in a plane; means for substantially collimating the divergent light beams emitted from said light beam emitting points of said light source; an optical refractor having light incidence surfaces equal to the number of said light beams emitting points and a light exit surface for re-directing the substantially collimated light beams from said collimating means such that the re-directed and substantially collimated light beams proceed along spatially separated optical paths extending in predetermined direction; converging means for coverging the light beams; and means for deflecting the light beams and scanning a surface with the convergent light beams.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
154 words
An apparatus for scanning a plane with light beams, comprising: a light source having two or more divergent light beam emitting points separated from each other and arranged on a straight line in a plane; means for substantially collimating the divergent light beams emitted from said light emitting points of said light source; an optical refractor for re-directing the substantially collimated light beams from said means for substantially collimating, such that the re-directed and substantially collimated light beams proceed along spatially separated optical paths extending in predetermined directions; converging means for converging the light beams comprised of a first and second cylindrical lenses having longitudinal axes normal to each other; and means for deflecting the light beams and scanning a surface with the convergent light beams which is arranged on the focal point of said first cylindrical lens; and a concave cylindrical mirror arranged between said scanning means and the surface to be scanned.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
154 words
An apparatus for scanning a plane with light beams, comprising: a light source having two or more divergent light beam emitting points separated from each other and arranged on a straight line in a plane; means for substantially collimating the divergent light beams emitted from said light emitting points of said light source; an optical refractor for re-directing the substantially collimated light beams from said means for substantially collimating, such that the re-directed and substantially collimated light beams proceed along spatially separated optical paths extending in predetermined directions; converging means for converging the light beams comprised of a first and second cylindrical lenses having longitudinal axes normal to each other; and means for deflecting the light beams and scanning a surface with the convergent light beams which is arranged on the focal point of said first cylindrical lens; and a concave cylindrical mirror arranged between said scanning means and the surface to be scanned.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1988-10-14 | 1989-04-15 | 1989-10-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1992-10-14 | 1993-04-15 | 1993-10-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1996-10-14 | 1997-04-15 | 1997-10-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |