Patent US5296958A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5296958A
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US
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Multiple wavelength laser beam scanning system
Assignee: Eastman Kodak Co
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Filing: 1992-05-29
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Granted: 1994-03-22
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Expires: 2012-05-29
Abstract
Abstract Laser beam scanning system combines multiple light beams, each of differing wavelengths, to achieve a multiple wavelength scan exposure of a medium, or to increase throughput by writing plural lines simultaneously, or to provide one or more scanning beams of selected wavelength. A polarizing beam splitting prism of the Thompson type is employed as a multiple input beam combiner. The two input laser beam components can be made selectively coincident or closely parallel to form an output beam which is then redirected in a scanning motion and focused to an exposure plane.
Inventors
- 👤 James E. Roddy
- 👤 Badhri Narayan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 17:13
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/435; B41J2/47; B41J2/471; B41J2/473; G; G02; G02B; G02B26/00; G02B26/08; G02B26/10; G02B5/00; G02B5/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 33
Claim 1
Independent Claim
73 words
A light beam scanning system comprising: multiple light beam sources for providing input beams at respectively differing wavelengths; a Thompson prism, locatable for receiving the input beams and for combining the input beams to form therefrom an output beam; means for modulating the output beam; means for deflecting the modulated output beam to provide a scanning beam; and means for focusing the scanning beam to an exposure plane for effecting scan exposure thereon.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
73 words
A light beam scanning system comprising: multiple light beam sources for providing input beams at respectively differing wavelengths; a Thompson prism, locatable for receiving the input beams and for combining the input beams to form therefrom an output beam; means for modulating the output beam; means for deflecting the modulated output beam to provide a scanning beam; and means for focusing the scanning beam to an exposure plane for effecting scan exposure thereon.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
The beam scanning system of claim 1, wherein the input beam are monochromatic coherent laser light.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
The beam scanning system of claim 1, wherein the Thompson prism is formed of Calcite.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
The beam scanning system of claim 1, wherein the modulation means further comprises an acousto-optical modulator.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
The beam scanning system of claim 1, wherein the modulation means further comprises an electro-optical modulator.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
The beam scanning system of claim 1, further comprising means for driving the modulation means according to image information in the form of gray scale step levels.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
The beam scanning system of claim 1, wherein the deflecting means further comprises a polygonal mirror-based beam deflector.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
The beam scanning system of claim 1, wherein the deflecting means further comprises a hologon-based beam deflector.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
45 words
The beam scanning system of claim 8, wherein the hologon-based beam deflector comprises a hologon disk having plural sectors, each of which being locatable in the output beam path and having a grating period selected according to a corresponding one of the input beam wavelengths.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
The beam scanning system of claim 1, wherein the focussing means further comprises an f-theta lens.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
110 words
A multicolor, simultaneous scan exposure system, comprising: first, second, and third light beam sources providing respective input beams at respectively differing wavelengths; means for imagewise modulation of selected ones of the input beams; a first Thompson prism, locatable for receiving and for combining the first and second input beams to form therefrom a first output beam; a second Thompson prism, locatable for receiving and for combining the first output beam and the third input beam to form therefrom a second output beam; means for deflecting the second output beam to provide a scanning beam; and means for focussing the scanning beam to an exposure plane for effecting scan exposure thereon.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
110 words
A multicolor, simultaneous scan exposure system, comprising: first, second, and third light beam sources providing respective input beams at respectively differing wavelengths; means for imagewise modulation of selected ones of the input beams; a first Thompson prism, locatable for receiving and for combining the first and second input beams to form therefrom a first output beam; a second Thompson prism, locatable for receiving and for combining the first output beam and the third input beam to form therefrom a second output beam; means for deflecting the second output beam to provide a scanning beam; and means for focussing the scanning beam to an exposure plane for effecting scan exposure thereon.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
The beam scanning system of claim 11, wherein the input beams are monochromatic coherent laser light.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
22 words
The beam scanning system of claim 11, wherein at least one of the first and second Thompson prisms is formed of Calcite.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
33 words
The beam scanning system of claim 11, wherein the modulation means further comprises means for effecting imagewise modulation according to color image information corresponding to the first, second, and third input beam wavelengths.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
32 words
The beam scanning system of claim 14, wherein the means for effecting imagewise modulation comprises first, second, and third electro-optical modulators respectively operable to modulate the first, second, and third input beams.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
32 words
The beam scanning system of claim 14, wherein the means for effecting imagewise modulation comprises first, second, and third acousto-optical modulators respectively operable to modulate the first, second, and third input beams.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
18 words
The beam scanning system of claim 11, wherein the deflecting means further comprises a polygonal mirror-based beam deflector.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
17 words
The beam scanning system of claim 11, wherein the deflecting means further comprises a hologon-based beam deflector.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
45 words
The beam scanning system of claim 18, wherein the hologon-based beam deflector comprises a hologon disk having plural sectors, each of which being locatable in the output beam path and having a grating period selected according to a corresponding one of the input beam wavelengths.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
16 words
The beam scanning system of claim 11, wherein the focussing means further comprises an f-theta lens.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
146 words
A multicolor, sequential scan exposure system, comprising: first, second, and third light beam sources providing respective input beams at respectively differing wavelengths; a first Thompson prism, locatable for receiving and for combining the first and second input beams to form therefrom a first output beam; means, positionable in the path of the first output beam, for altering the polarization of the first output beam; a second Thompson prism, locatable for receiving and for combining the first output beam and the third input beam to form therefrom a second output beam; means, positionable in the path of the second output beam, for altering the polarization of the second output beam; means for imagewise modulation of the second output beam; means for deflecting the second output beam to provide a scanning beam; and means for focussing the scanning beam to an exposure plane for effecting scan exposure thereon.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
146 words
A multicolor, sequential scan exposure system, comprising: first, second, and third light beam sources providing respective input beams at respectively differing wavelengths; a first Thompson prism, locatable for receiving and for combining the first and second input beams to form therefrom a first output beam; means, positionable in the path of the first output beam, for altering the polarization of the first output beam; a second Thompson prism, locatable for receiving and for combining the first output beam and the third input beam to form therefrom a second output beam; means, positionable in the path of the second output beam, for altering the polarization of the second output beam; means for imagewise modulation of the second output beam; means for deflecting the second output beam to provide a scanning beam; and means for focussing the scanning beam to an exposure plane for effecting scan exposure thereon.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
16 words
The beam scanning system of claim 21, wherein the input beams are monochromatic coherent laser light.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
22 words
The beam scanning system of claim 21, wherein at leat one of the first and second Thompson prisms is formed of Calcite.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
33 words
The beam scanning system of claim 21, wherein the modulation means further comprises means for effecting imagewise modulation according to color image information corresponding to the first, second, and third input beam wavelengths.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
18 words
The beam scanning system of claim 24, wherein the means for effecting imagewise modulation comprises an acousto-optical modulator.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
18 words
The beam scanning system of claim 24, wherein the means for effecting imagewise modulation comprises an electro-optical modulator.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
18 words
The beam scanning system of claim 21, wherein the deflecting means further comprises a polygonal mirror-based beam deflector.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
17 words
The beam scanning system of claim 21, wherein the deflecting means further comprises a hologon-based beam deflector.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
45 words
The beam scanning system of claim 28, wherein the hologon-based beam deflector comprises a hologon disk having plural sectors, each of which being locatable in the output beam path and having a grating period selected according to a corresponding one of the input beam wavelengths.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
16 words
The beam scanning system of claim 21, wherein the focussing means further comprises an f-theta lens.
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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) | 1997-03-21 | 1997-09-20 | 1998-03-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-03-21 | 2001-09-20 | 2002-03-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-03-21 | 2005-09-20 | 2006-03-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |