Optical beam-splitting arrangements on object side of a lens
AssigneeXerox Corporation
InventorNed J. Seachman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An optical system for generating multiple linear images of an illuminated object line and focusing the image onto an image plane. The multiple images are generated on the object side of the lens using optical beam-splitting techniques. In a preferred embodiment, the images are converted into electrical signals after focusing onto photosensor arrays.
Claims14
An optical system for focusing light reflected from an illuminated line on an object plane onto an image plane including
- an illumination means for illuminating said object line,
- at least two mirrors positioned with respect to said illuminated object line so as to simultaneously reflect identical images of said line into the entrance pupil of a lens, said lens focusing at least a portion of said reflected object line image onto a separate portion of said image plane.
An optical system for focusing light reflected from an illuminated line on an object plane onto an image plane including
- an illumination means for illuminating said object line,
- a lens having an optical axis perpendicular to said object plane so that a first central image of said object line is directly transmitted into the entrance pupil of said line,
- a mirror mounted in parallel with the lens optical axis so as to simultaneously reflect a second identical image of said object into the entrance pupil of said lens, said second image apparently originating from a line on the object plane distinct from the real object line.
An optical scanning system for scanning an object plane, comprising
- illumination means for producing an intense narrow band of illumination at the object plane
- means for providing relative movement between the object plane and the illumination means so as to successively scan across the entire object plane
- at least two mirrors positioned with respect to said illuminated band so as to simultaneously reflect identical images of a scanned object line into the entrance pupil of a lens, said lens focusing at least a portion of said images onto an image plane.
An optical scanning system for converting images of object lines lying on an object plane into electrical signals comprising:
- an illumination means for illuminating the object line;
- at least two mirrors located with respect to said object plane so that separate principal rays from the same object line are reflected by the mirrors into the entrance pupil of a lens;
- at least two photosensor arrays, each array comprising a plurality of photosensitive elements which are individually addressable for providing electrical signals in response to sensed light impingement
- said lens focusing at least a portion of each of said multiple images onto a corresponding array.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.