Rotating mirror optical scanning device

Claim 2

An optical scanning device for scanning light beam which has a very large focal plane area coverage and can accept a large f-cone with a high scan rate, under low light conditions, comprising: (a) a field lens disposed in a field lens plane for receiving said light beam and for focusing said light beam along a first path; (b) an imaging lens for focusing said light beam onto said field lens in said field lens plane; (c) first rotary reflecting means for intersecting said focused light beam in said first path at a angle of less than 90° from an axial direction of said first path for reflecting said focused light beam along a second path; (d) second rotary reflecting means for intersecting the beam reflected from said first reflecting means in said second path at an angle of less than 90° from a central axis of said reflected beam, for reflecting said reflected beam along a third path which is different from said second path; and (e) detecting means for intersecting the beam reflected from said second rotary reflecting means in said third path for detecting the presence of predetermined images in said reflected beam.

Claim 3

An optical scanning device as set forth in claim 1, wherein means are provided to rotate said first and said second rotary reflecting means in timed and phased relationship to each other, to produce an elongated elliptical scan pattern.

Claim 4

An optical scanning device as set forth in claim 2, wherein said elliptical scan pattern is in a horizontal plane.

Claim 5

An optical scanning device as set forth in claim 2, wherein said elliptical scan pattern is in a vertical plane.

Claim 6

An optical scanning device as set forth in claim 2, wherein, said elliptical scan pattern rotates about the center line of said third path.

Claim 7

An optical scanning device as set forth in claim 1, wherein means are provided for coordinating the rotation of the said first and second rotary reflecting means to produce a circular scan pattern.

Claim 8

An optical scanning device as set forth in claim 6, wherein said circular scan pattern moves in a counter clockwise direction.

Claim 9

An optical scanning device as set forth in claim 6, wherein said circular scan pattern moves in a clockwise direction.

Claim 10

An optical scanning device as set forth in claim 1, wherein means are provided for coordinating the phases and the rotation of said first and second rotary reflecting means to produce a spiral scanning pattern.

Claim 11

An optical scanning device as set forth in claim 9, wherein, said spiral scanning pattern is collapsing on the center of said input beam path.

Claim 12

An optical scanning device for scanning a light beam which has a very large focal plane area coverage and can accept a large f-cone with a high scan rate, under lower light conditions, comprising: (a) a field lens disposed in a field lens plane for receiving said light beam and for focusing said light beam along a first path; (b) an imaging lens for focusing said light beam onto said field lens in said field lens plane; (c) first rotary reflecting means for intersecting said focused light beam in said first path at an angle of less than 90° from an axial direction of said first path, for reflecting said focused light beam along a second elongated elliptical path; (d) second rotary reflecting mean for intersecting the light beam reflected from said first reflecting means in said second path at an angle of less than 90° from a central axis of said reflected beam, and for reflecting said reflected beam along a third elongated elliptical path; and (e) detecting means for intersecting the light beam reflected from said second rotary reflecting means in said third path for detecting the presence of predetermined images in said reflected beam.

Claim 13

An optical scanning device for scanning a light beam which has a very large focal plane area coverage and can accept a large f-cone with a high scan rate, under lower light conditions, comprising: (a) a field lens disposed in a field lens plane for receiving said light beam and for focusing said light beam along a first path; (b) an imaging lens for focusing said light beam onto said field lens in said field lens plane; (c) first rotary reflecting means for intersecting said focused light beam in said first path at an angle of less than 90° from an axial direction of said first path, for reflecting said focused light beam along a second elongated elliptical path; (d) second rotary reflecting mean for intersecting the light beam reflected from said first reflecting means in said second path at an angle of less than 90° from a central axis of said reflected beam, and for reflecting said reflected beam along a third elongated elliptical path; and (e) detecting means for intersecting the light beam reflected from said second rotary reflecting means in said third path for detecting the presence of predetermined images in said reflected beam.

Claim 14

An optical scanning device as set forth in claim 11, wherein means are provided to rotate said first and said second rotary reflecting means in a timed and phased relationship to each other to produce an elongated elliptical scan pattern.

Claim 15

An optical scanning device set forth in claim 12, wherein said elliptical scan pattern is in a horizontal plane.

Claim 16

An optical scanning device as set forth in claim 12, wherein said elliptical scan pattern is in a vertical plane.

Claim 17

An optical scanning device as set forth in claim 12, wherein said elliptical scan pattern rotates about the center line of said input beam.

Claim 18

An optical scanning device for scanning a light beam which has a very large focal plane area coverage and can except a large f-cone with a high scan rate, under low light conditions, comprising: (a) a field lens disposed in a field lens plane for receiving said light beam and for focusing said light beam along a first path; (b) an imaging lens for focusing said light beam onto said field lens in said field lens plane; (c) first rotary reflecting means for intersecting said focused light beam in said first path at an angle less than 90° from an axial direction of said first path, for reflecting said focused light beam along a second path, said reflecting means including a mirror supported on one end of a first rotating shaft at an angle which is less than 90° from the longitudinal axis of said first shaft; (d) second rotary reflecting means for intersecting said light beam reflected from said first rotary reflecting means in said second path at an angle of less than 90° from a central axis of said reflected light beam, and for reflecting said reflected light beam along a third path which is different from said second path, said reflecting means including a mirror supported on one end of a second rotating shaft at an angle of less than 90° from the longitudinal axis of said second shaft; (e) means to rotate said first and second shafts in timed and phased relation to each other to cause said reflecting means to reflect said light beam in an elongated elliptical scan portion; and (f) detecting means for intersecting the light beam reflected from said second rotary reflecting means in said third path for detecting the presence of predetermined images in said reflected light beam.

Claim 19

An optical scanning device for scanning a light beam which has a very large focal plane area coverage and can except a large f-cone with a high scan rate, under low light conditions, comprising: (a) a field lens disposed in a field lens plane for receiving said light beam and for focusing said light beam along a first path; (b) an imaging lens for focusing said light beam onto said field lens in said field lens plane; (c) first rotary reflecting means for intersecting said focused light beam in said first path at an angle less than 90° from an axial direction of said first path, for reflecting said focused light beam along a second path, said reflecting means including a mirror supported on one end of a first rotating shaft at an angle which is less than 90° from the longitudinal axis of said first shaft; (d) second rotary reflecting means for intersecting said light beam reflected from said first rotary reflecting means in said second path at an angle of less than 90° from a central axis of said reflected light beam, and for reflecting said reflected light beam along a third path which is different from said second path, said reflecting means including a mirror supported on one end of a second rotating shaft at an angle of less than 90° from the longitudinal axis of said second shaft; (e) means to rotate said first and second shafts in timed and phased relation to each other to cause said reflecting means to reflect said light beam in an elongated elliptical scan portion; and (f) detecting means for intersecting the light beam reflected from said second rotary reflecting means in said third path for detecting the presence of predetermined images in said reflected light beam.

Claim 20

An optical scanning device set forth in claim 16, wherein said elliptical scan pattern is in a horizontal plane.

Claim 21

An optical scanning device as set forth in claim 16, wherein said elliptical scan pattern is in a vertical plane.

Claim 22

An optical scanning device as set forth in claim 16, wherein said elliptical scan pattern rotates about the center line of said input beam.

Claim 23

An optical scanning device as set forth in claim 16, wherein, said elliptical scan pattern rotates about the center line of said third path.