Optical scanner using tilted film media

A method of reading out image density information recorded in a transparent film media having a predetermined nominal thickness and opposed incident and exit surfaces comprising the steps of:

• generating a light beam having a generally elongated cross-section with major and minor axes;
• deflecting said elongated light beam through a predetermined scan angle in a scanning line on the incident surface of the media and in a scan direction generally aligned with the minor axis of the light beam;
• orienting the media at a non-normal angle to said deflected light beam through the predetermined scan angle such that the light beam reflected by the exit surface of the media does not substantially interfere with the incident directly transmitted light beam through the predetermined scan angle;
• and
• detecting the intensity of the light beam transmitted through the exit surface of the film media.

Apparatus for reading out image density information recorded in a transparent film media having a predetermined nominal thickness and opposed incident and exit surfaces comprising:

• means for generating a light beam having a generally elongated cross-section with major and minor axes;
• deflector means for deflecting said elongated light beam through a predetermined scan angle in a scanning line on the incident surface of the media and in a scan direction generally aligned with the minor axis of the light beam;
• optical means for rotating the generally elongated light beam about the axial direction of the beam to displace the minor cross-section axis away from the scanning line direction for presenting an elongated, rotated light beam deflected by said deflector means through said predetermined scan angle in the scan direction and onto the film media sufficiently to prevent interference between the light beam incident on the incident surface of the media with the light beam reflected by the exit surface of the media back toward the incident surface;
• and
• means for detecting the intensity of the light beam transmitted through the exit surface of the film media.

A method of reading out image density information recorded in a transparent film media having a predetermined nominal thickness and opposed incident and exit surfaces comprising the generating a light beam having a generally elongated cross-section with major and minor axes;

• deflecting said elongated light beam through a predetermined scan angle in a scanning line on the incident surface of the media and in a scan direction generally aligned with the minor axis of the light beam;
• rotating the generally elongated light beam about the axial direction of the beam to displace the minor cross-section axis away from the scanning line direction for presenting an elongated, rotated light beam deflected by said deflector means through said predetermined scan angle in the scan direction and onto the film media sufficiently to prevent interference between the light beam incident on the incident surface of the media with the light beam reflected by the exit surface of the media back toward the incident surface;
• and
• detecting the intensity of the light beam transmitted through the exit surface of the film media.