Linear illumination using cylindrical elliptical reflective surface

An illumination apparatus of an optical scanning system, comprising:

• at least one light source arranged along a first line;
• and
• a cylindrical elliptical reflective surface for directing light from the at least one light source toward a scanned surface, the cylindrical elliptical reflective surface adapted to form a line of light along the scanned surface, wherein the cylindrical elliptical reflective surface includes:
• a generatrix substantially parallel to the first line;
• and
• a directrix that substantially follows the curvature of a segment of an ellipse, wherein the first line substantially intersecting a focal point of the elliptical directrix.

A reading apparatus for obtaining a line of image data stored on a surface, the reading apparatus comprising:

• a radiation source for directing a line of stimulating radiation onto a surface of a stimulable image carrier to generate a line of image-bearing radiation, the radiation source comprising:
• i) at least one light source arranged along a first line;
• and
• ii) a cylindrical elliptical reflective surface substantially parallel to the first line for directing light from the at least one light source toward the surface, the cylindrical elliptical reflective surface adapted to form the line of stimulating radiation along the surface;
• a sensing head for obtaining image data from a line of image-bearing radiation excited from the image carrier by the line of stimulating radiation;
• and
• an image processor for accepting the image data obtained from the sensing head and forming the line of image data therefrom.