US 4,066,341 AGranted

Scanner alignment mechanism

AssigneeEastman Kodak Company

InventorAlvin Louis Schubert

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

The mechanism for adjusting an axis of a mirror or other optical element comprises three major parts; i.e., a rotational mount, a mirror normal mount and a mirror plane mount. Relative motion of the rotational and normal mounts about a mutual cylindrical axis provides adjustment of the scanner axis in a plane containing the scanner axis and in a direction normal to the mirror. In a similar fashion, relative motion of the normal and plane mounts about a second mutual cylindrical axis provides adjustment of the scanner axis in a plane containing the scanner axis and in a direction parallel to the mirror surface. Careful control of the relative motions mentioned above allows for the independent adjustment of the scanner axis in the mirror plane and mirror normal plane about the center of the scanner mirror. This mechanism when used with each of a pair of mirrors facilitates the alignment of X-Y scanner axes to obtain "character splitting" in COM imagery by allowing minute and independent adjustment of either scanner axis with no mirror translation; thereby insuring perpendicular scanning.

Claims2

Dependent claims

A mechanism for effecting alignment of an axis of a mirror or other optical element in first and second perpendicular planes, the mechanism comprising:

A first mounting member adapted to be secured in a fixed position, the mounting member having at an end thereof a generally cylindrical end surface generated about a first axis;
a second mounting member having a first generally cylindrical end surface slidably engageable in a mating relationship with, and substantially conforming to, the end surface of the first mounting member, the second mounting member having a second generally cylindrical end surface generated about a second axis substantially perpendicular to the first axis, the first and second axes intersecting each other;
a third mounting member having a generally cylindrical end surface slidably engageable in a mating relationship with, and substantially conforming to, the second end surface of the second mounting member whereby each of said mounting members is slidably adjustable with respect to the adjacent mounting member along the engaged cylindrical surfaces;
and
means for supporting the optical element on the third mounting member with its axis perpendicular to and intersecting said first and second axes so that the axis of the optical element can be aligned in a first plane by effecting relative movement between said first and second mounting members and the optical element can be aligned in a second plane perpendicular to said first plane by effecting relative movement between said second and third mounting members.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 05/690,480Filed 27 May 1976
Granted: 3 Jan 1978
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

G02B 26/08
Optical devices or arrangements for the control of light using movable or deformable optical elements: for controlling the direction of light
G06K 15/1228
By photographic printing , e.g. by laser printers: involving the fast moving of a light beam in two directions
G06K 15/1276
By photographic printing , e.g. by laser printers: adding two or more images, e.g. texturing, shading, form overlay
G06K 15/1295
By photographic printing , e.g. by laser printers: using a particular photoreceptive medium