Light composer for providing even field illumination and diffuse light

In an apparatus for duplicating photosensitive material, a light composer to illuminate a master film copy with a thoroughly diffused light, said light composer comprising:

• a light mixer having an optically rough and reflective surface and having two opposed ends;
• and
• means for scattering a beam of light into a multiplicity of rays, said rays being directed toward said surface of said light mixer, said means being disposed over one of said ends to thereby provide said thoroughly diffused light at said opposed end of said light mixer;
• said means for scattering light including a plate of optically clear material having a surface disposed across one of said ends, said surface configured into a plurality of lenses, each of said lenses having a focal length substantially less than the length of said light mixer.

A light composer for producing uniform and diffuse field of illumination of light generated by a light source comprising:

• a light mixer having a surface which diffusely reflects light and having two ends;
• a plurality of means for scattering light into a multiplicity of rays, said rays being directed toward said surface of said light mixer, said means being disposed within said light mixer;
• and
• at least one shutter disposed within said light mixer to selectively shield at least one of said scattering means from light so that light transmitted to said end opposed to said light source has a substantially uniform field, is diffuse and may have an intensity modulated by said shutter.

A light composer for diffusing incident light, comprising:

• a hollow housing having opposed open ends and a length between said open ends greater than any cross sectional dimension of said hollow housing;
• and
• optically clear means at one of said open ends including a plate of optically clear material having a surface formed into an array of semicircular lenses for scattering said incident light inside said housing;
• said hollow housing having an optically roughened and reflective interior surface for transmitting said scattered light along the length of said housing by a multiplicity of randomly oriented reflections to form a thoroughly diffused and uniform illumination across the other of said open ends of said housing.

A light composer for diffusing incident light, comprising:

• a light mixer having opposed ends and a length between said ends greater than any cross sectional dimension of said mixer;
• and
• optically clear means at one of said ends including a plate of optically clear material having a surface formed into an array of semicircular lenses for scattering said incident light inside said mixer;
• said light mixer having an optically roughened and reflective interior surface for transmitting said scattered light along the length of said mixer by a multiplicity of randomly oriented reflections to form a thoroughly diffused and uniform illumination across the other of said ends of the mixer.

A light composer for diffusing incident light, comprising:

• a hollow housing having opposed open ends and a length between said open ends greater than any cross sectional dimension of said hollow housing;
• optically clear means located in said housing for scattering said incident light inside said housing;
• and
• adjustable shutter means extending in said housing between one of said open ends and said scattering means for modulating the intensity of the light output of said composer;
• said hollow housing having an optically roughened and reflective interior surface for transmitting said scattered light along the length of said housing by a multiplicity of randomly oriented reflections to form a thoroughly diffused and uniform illumination across the other of said open ends of said housing.