Photosensitive printing apparatus

A printing apparatus for use in a printer with a photosensitive drum, comprising:

• spotlight means for generating a light providing essentially a point source;
• fiber optical conversion means optically coupled to the spotlight means for converting the light from the spotlight means to an array of linear rays of light;
• the fiber optical conversion means having an input end with a set number of bunches of optical fibers each bunch including a plurality of optical fibers and an output end at which the optical fibers are arranged in a substantially linear array forming a plurality of groups, each group consisting of one optical fiber from each of the bunches of optical fibers at the input end of the optical fiber means;
• and a plurality of shutter window means optically coupled to the fiber optical conversion means for selectively transmitting the light at selected positions in said array to the photo-sensitive drum whereby a light path is defined from the spotlight means through the fiber optical conversion means and the shutter window means to the photo-sensitive drum, the spotlight means includes a spotlight source and dichroic mirror having an optical axis and a focal point, the dichroic mirror being adapted to transmit infrared rays and having a paraboloid of revolution defined by a multiplicity of small plane surfaces, the spotlight source being located on the optical axis of the mirror in front of the focal point of the mirror;
• and the spotlight source emits a beam of light having a waist with an area less than one-half of the area of the mirror.

A printing apparatus for use in a printer with a photosensitive drum, comprising:

• spotlight means for generating a light providing essentially a point source;
• fiber optical conversion means optically coupled to the spotlight means for converting the light from the spotlight means to an array of linear rays of light;
• the fiber optical conversion means having an input end with a set number of bunches of optical fibers each bunch including a plurality of optical fibers and an output end at which the optical fibers are arranged in a substantially linear array forming a plurality of groups, each group consisting of one optical fiber from each of the bunches of optical fibers at the input end of the optical fiber means;
• and a plurality of shutter window means optically coupled to the fiber optical conversion means for selectively transmitting the light at selected positions in said array to the photo-sensitive drum whereby a light path is defined from the spotlight means through the fiber optical conversion means and the shutter window means to the photo-sensitive drum and a fiber output light leveling means in the light path between the fiber optical conversion means and the shutter window means for essentially equalizing the intensity of the light incident on each of said plurality of the shutter window means.

A printing apparatus for use in a printer with a photosensitive drum, comprising:

• spotlight means for generating a light providing essentially a point source;
• fiber optical conversion means optically coupled to the spotlight means for converting the light from the spotlight means to an array of linear rays of light;
• the fiber optical conversion means having an input end with a set number of bunches of optical fibers each bunch including a plurality of optical fibers and an output end at which the optical fibers are arranged in a substantially linear array forming a plurality of groups, each group consisting of one optical fiber from each of the bunches of optical fibers at the input end of the optical fiber means;
• and a plurality of shutter window means optically coupled to the fiber optical conversion means for selectively transmitting the light at selected positions in said array to the photo-sensitive drum whereby a light path is defined from the spotlight means through the fiber optical conversion means and the shutter window means to the photo-sensitive drum;
• further including fiber input light leveling means, optically coupled to the spotlight means and in the light path between the spotlight means and the fiber optical conversion means, for substantially equalizing the intensity of light entering the fiber optical conversion means at positions corresponding to at least a plurality of said shutter window means and a fiber output light leveling means in the light path between the fiber optical conversion means and the shutter window means for essentially equalizing the intensity of the light incident on each of said plurality of the shutter window means.

A printer, comprising:

• a photo-sensitive drum;
• a printing apparatus including spotlight means for generating a light providing essentially a point source;
• fiber optical conversion means optically coupled to the spotlight means for converting the light from the spotlight means to linear rays of light;
• and a plurality of shutter window means optically coupled to the fiber optical conversion means for selectively transmitting light to the photo-sensitive drum, said spotlight means, fiber optical conversion means, and shutter window means being disposed in a plane, a fiber output light leveling means in the light path between the fiber optical conversion means and the shutter window means for essentially equalizing the intensity of the light incident on each of said plurality of shutter window means whereby a light path is defined from the spotlight means through the fiber optical conversion means, fiber output light leveling means and the shutter window means to the photo-sensitive drum;
• and a corona discharge station, a developing station, a transfer station and an electricity removal station radially disposed about the photo-sensitive drum.

A printing apparatus for use in a printer with a photo-sensitive drum comprising:

• spotlight means for generating a light providing essentially a point source;
• a focusing mirror optically coupled to the spotlight means for converting the point source of light into a beam of light;
• means for removing infrared rays from the light, optically coupled to the spotlight means;
• means for bending the optical path of the beam of light including a reflecting mirror, optically coupled to the focusing mirror;
• and means for converting the beam of light into a linear array of rays of light;
• whereby a light path is defined from the spotlight means to the means for converting the beam of light into a linear array of rays of light via the focusing mirror and the means for bending the optical path;
• and the fiber optical conversion means comprises a plurality of optical fiber means for supplying light to the shutter window means, the optical fiber means having a bundled input end with a set number of bunches of optical fibers each bunch including a plurality of optical fibers and an output end at which the optical fibers are arranged in substantially linear array, forming a plurality of groups, each group consisting of one optical fiber from each of the bunches of optical fibers at the input end of the optical fiber means;
• and guide means for blending the light output from the optical fiber means and directing the blended light to the shutter window means whereby light of substantially equalized intensity is incident on the shutter window means.

A printing apparatus for use in a printer with a photo-sensitive drum comprising:

• spotlight means for generating a light providing essentially a point source;
• a focusing mirror optically coupled to the spotlight means for converting the point source of light into a beam of light;
• means for removing infrared rays from the light, optically coupled to the spotlight means;
• means for bending the optical path of the beam of light including a reflecting mirror, optically coupled to the focusing mirror;
• and means for converting the beam of light into a linear array of rays of light;
• whereby a light path is defined from the spotlight means to the means for converting the beam of light into a linear array of rays of light via the focusing mirror and the means for bending the optical path;
• and the means for converting the beam of light into a linear array of rays of light consists of a plurality of optical fiber means for supplying light to the shutter window array, the optical fiber means having a bundled input end with a set number of bunches of optical fibers each bunch including a plurality of optical fibers and an output end at which the optical fibers are arranged in substantially linear array, forming a plurality of groups, each group consisting of one optical fiber from each of the bunches of optical fibers at the input end of the optical fiber means, and guide means for blending the light ouput from the optical fiber means and directing the blended light to the shutter windows whereby light of substantially equalized intensity is incident on each of the shutter windows in the array.

A printing apparatus for use in a printer with a photosensitive drum, comprising:

• spotlight means for generating a light providing essentially a point source;
• fiber optical conversion means optically coupled to the spotlight means for converting the light from the spotlight means to an array of linear rays of light;
• a plurality of shutter window means optically coupled to the fiber optical conversion means for selectively transmitting the light at selected positions in said array to the photo-sensitive drum whereby a light path is defined from the spotlight means through the fiber optical conversion means and the shutter window means to the photo-sensitive drum;
• and fiber output light leveling means in the light path between the fiber optical conversion means and the shutter window means for essentially equalizing the intensity of the light incident on each of said plurality of the shutter window means.