Laser beam environment isolation housing
AssigneeEastman Kodak Company
InventorsMichael B. Brandt, Paul D. Askins, David P. Trauernicht
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Abstract
A laser imaging apparatus, such as a laser scanner or laser printer, includes a gas or diode laser which produces a laser beam and an optical system for directing the laser beam onto a object to be scanned or printed. The laser beam is encompassed in a sealed housing from the laser's output to a point at which the beam is no longer subjected to turbulent environment in order to eliminate laser beam pointing instabilities resulting from a turbulent environment caused by thermal sources, cooling fans, etc.
Claims3
Storage phosphor reader apparatus comprising:
- a laser mounted in a laser housing for producing a laser beam which is directed along a path in which beam pointing instabilities caused by environmental turbulence may occur;
- means for scanning said laser beam along a line scanning beam;
- means for transporting a storage phosphor containing a latent image past said line scanning beam in a direction perpendicular thereto so that said storage phosphor is scanned in a raster pattern;
- means for detecting light emitted by said storage phosphor and converting said emitted light into an electrical image signal which is representative of the latent image in said storage phosphor;
- and
- sealed housing means for enclosing said laser beam in the vicinity of said laser to prevent the laser beam produced by said laser from environmental turbulence caused pointing instabilities.
The storage phosphor reader apparatus of claim 3 wherein said laser is mounted perpendicularly and produces an upwardly directed laser beam, and wherein said housing means includes a sealed enclosure for enclosing said laser beam in the region extending upwardly from said laser.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.