Optical scan head and printer

A small scan head assembly for optically operating on a surface and adapted for connection to an external sequentially energizing circuit comprising:

• a housing;
• a plurality of light-emitting elements positioned in said housing to form an array for operating on an area of said surface;
• connection means for connecting said plurality of light-emitting elements to said external energizing circuit to sequentially cause said light-emitting elements to emit light and thereby illuminate successively adjacent regions of the area of said surface;
• fiber optic faceplate means for conducting the emitted light from each of said light-emitting elements to the successive adjacent regions in said area of said surface being operated on;
• and
• a single effective photodetector means, disposed adjacent to said array of light-emitting elements, for detecting light that has been emitted by said light-emitting elements and reflected from said surface and for generating an electrical output signal representative of the amount of light reflected from the successively illuminated adjacent regions of the area of said surface.

An electro-optical printer-reader for printing data on light-sensitive recording paper and/or reading a paper document comprising:

• a scan head for selectively illuminating paper passing over its operative surface in response to a control signal, including a plurality of light-emitting elements positioned to form an array, means for sequentially energizing each of said light-emitting elements to emit light in accordance with said control signal, and means for conducting the emitted light to said operative surface;
• processing means for developing recording paper exposed by said scan head;
• and
• transport means for moving said recording paper or paper document across the operative surface of said scan head and across said processing means.

A scan head assembly for optically operating on a surface comprising:

• an array of light-emitting elements disposed to illuminate an area of said surface;
• means for sequentially energizing each of said light-emitting elements so as to modulate said array and thereby cause said array of elements to emit light and thereby controllably illuminate successively adjacent regions of the area of said surface;
• fiber optic faceplate means for conducting the light emitted from said light-emitting elements to the successive adjacent regions of said area of said surface;
• and
• photodetector means for detecting light that has been emitted by said light emitting elements and reflected from said surface and for generating an electrical signal representative of the intensity of light reflected from said surface, said signal being coupled to said elements to control the time of modulation of the light-emitting elements of said array.

A small scan head assembly for optically operating on a surface and adapted for connection to an external sequentially energizing circuit comprising:

• a housing
• a plurality of light-emitting elements positioned in said housing to form an array for operating on an area of said surface;
• connection means for connecting said plurality of light-emitting elements to said external energizing circuit to sequentially cause said light-emitting elements to emit light and thereby illuminate successively adjacent regions of the area of said surface;
• fiber optic faceplate means for conducting the emitted light from each of said light-emitting elements to the successive adjacent regions in said area of said surface being operated on;
• a photodetector set in said housing to detect light emitted from said light-emitting elements which is reflected from said surface;
• and
• a non-direction constraining light window positioned between said surface and said photodetector for transmitting light reflected from said surface to said photodetector.