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US5331468A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Intensity redistribution for exposure correction in an overfilled symmetrical laser printer

Assignee: Eastman Kodak Co
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Filing: 1992-11-27
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Granted: 1994-07-19
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Expires: 2012-11-27
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Abstract

Abstract A method for redistributing intensity of a Gaussian beam of light having a Gaussian shaped intensity profile comprises the steps of exposing a photosensitive material to a scanning beam of a laser printing apparatus, writing a desired pattern onto the photosensitive material with the laser printing apparatus, and interposing the exposed photosensitive material in the Gaussian beam and flattening the Gaussian shaped intensity profile of the Gaussian beam. A beam shaper has a laser source for producing a beam of light, a collimating lens for receiving the beam of light from the laser source and producing a collimated beam of light, an apodizer for receiving the collimated beam of light and flattening a Gaussian intensity of the collimated beam in one dimension only, and shaping optics for receiving the beam from the apodizer and producing a beam that is large in a line scan direction.

Inventors

  • 👤 Mark L. Noethen

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-08 16:50
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B27/00; G02B27/09; G02B27/0927; B; B41; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/435; B41J2/47; B41J2/471; G02B26/00; G02B26/08; G02B26/10; G02B26/12; G02B26/124; G02B5/00; G02B5/20; G02B5/205; H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/04; H04N1/113; H04N1/1135

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim 77 words
A beam shaper, comprising: a laser source for producing a beam of light; a collimating lens for receiving said beam of light from said laser source and producing a collimated beam of light; an apodizer for receiving said collimated beam of light and flattening a Gaussian intensity of said collimated beam in one dimension only; and shaping optics for receiving said beam from said apodizer and producing a beam that is large in a line scan direction.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 77 words
A beam shaper, comprising: a laser source for producing a beam of light; a collimating lens for receiving said beam of light from said laser source and producing a collimated beam of light; an apodizer for receiving said collimated beam of light and flattening a Gaussian intensity of said collimated beam in one dimension only; and shaping optics for receiving said beam from said apodizer and producing a beam that is large in a line scan direction.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 29 words
A beam shaper, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said apodizer comprises a photosensitive material having an inverse Gaussian pattern digitally written thereon with a laser writing apparatus.
Claim 4
Independent Claim 78 words
A method for redistributing in one dimension only the intensity of a beam of light having a Gaussian shaped intensity profile, comprising the steps of: exposing a photosensitive material to a scanning beam of a laser printing apparatus; digitally writing a desired pattern onto the photosensitive material with the laser printing apparatus; developing the exposed photosensitive material; and interposing the exposed photosensitive material in the Gaussian beam and flattening the Gaussian shaped intensity profile of the Gaussian beam.
Claim 5
Independent Claim 78 words
A method for redistributing in one dimension only the intensity of a beam of light having a Gaussian shaped intensity profile, comprising the steps of: exposing a photosensitive material to a scanning beam of a laser printing apparatus; digitally writing a desired pattern onto the photosensitive material with the laser printing apparatus; developing the exposed photosensitive material; and interposing the exposed photosensitive material in the Gaussian beam and flattening the Gaussian shaped intensity profile of the Gaussian beam.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 26 words
A method, as set forth in claim 3, including the step of writing an inverse Gaussian pattern onto the photosensitive material with the laser printing apparatus.
Claim 7
Independent Claim 65 words
A method for operating a laser scanning device having an optical axis and having a polygon mirror with a plurality of facets, comprising the steps of: directing a beam of light having a Gaussian shaped intensity profile towards said polygon mirror; and interposing an apodizer in said beam of light before said polygon mirror and flattening said Gaussian shaped intensity profile in one dimension only.
Claim 8
Independent Claim 65 words
A method for operating a laser scanning device having an optical axis and having a polygon mirror with a plurality of facets, comprising the steps of: directing a beam of light having a Gaussian shaped intensity profile towards said polygon mirror; and interposing an apodizer in said beam of light before said polygon mirror and flattening said Gaussian shaped intensity profile in one dimension only.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 50 words
A method, as set forth in claim 5, including the steps of: filling at least one of said facets with said beam; overflowing said beam onto an adjacent facet; and reflecting said beam from said rotating polygon mirror so that the reflected beam is symmetrically positioned about said optical axis.
Claim 10
Independent Claim 47 words
A method for creating a one dimensional apodizer, comprising the steps of: exposing a photosensitive material to a scanning beam of a laser printing apparatus and digitally writing an inverse Gaussian pattern onto the photosensitive material with the laser printing apparatus; and developing the exposed photosensitive material.
Claim 11
Independent Claim 47 words
A method for creating a one dimensional apodizer, comprising the steps of: exposing a photosensitive material to a scanning beam of a laser printing apparatus and digitally writing an inverse Gaussian pattern onto the photosensitive material with the laser printing apparatus; and developing the exposed photosensitive material.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

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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) 1997-07-18 1998-01-17 1998-07-19 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2001-07-18 2002-01-17 2002-07-19 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2005-07-18 2006-01-17 2006-07-19 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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