Dual reflector illumination system
AssigneeXerox Corporation
InventorsJames J. Appel, Philip L. Chen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The illumination of a document moving through an exposure zone is maximized by placing a pair of reflectors on each side of the exposure zone in close proximity to the object plane and in an optimum reflecting position in relation to the illumination source. In a first embodiment, utilized in a continuous velocity transport (CVT) system, the reflectors comprise an integral member consisting of a plurality of connected facets. In a second embodiment, wherein the document is moved across a fixed platen, the reflectors effectively consist of two elements including a physically separated extended portion which is formed within the cross section of the platen.
Claims16
An illumination system for incrementally illuminating a document moving across an exposure zone in an object plane, comprising
- a linear light source disposed beneath and on one side of said exposure zone said light source having an aperture defined through a portion thereof,
- a first reflector located on the opposite side of said exposure zone with its reflective surface facing said light source aperture so as to reflect illumination from said light source towards said exposure zone, and
- a second reflector located between the light source and the object plane and on the same side of the exposure zone as said light source and having its reflective surface facing said light source so as to reflect all illumination received from said light source aperture towards said exposure zone, whereby said reflectors effectively capture all of the solid angle of light subtended from said illumination source.
In a system for transmitting the information content of a document onto an imaging plane, the combination comprising
- means for moving the document through an object plane past an exposure zone formed therein,
- an illumination assembly for illuminating said exposure zone with a narrow, intense irradiance, said assembly comprising an apertured light source located beneath and on one side of the exposure zone, a first reflector element located between said light source and said object plane and on the same side of said exposure zone having its reflective surface facing said light source so as to reflect all illumination received from said light source aperture towards said exposure zone, and a second reflector element located on the opposite side of the exposure zone, said first and second reflectors located relative to said light source so as to effectively capture all of the solid angle of light subtended from said illumination source, and
- means for transmitting light reflected from said document moving past said exposure zone onto said imaging plane.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.