High efficiency linear light source
AssigneeEastman Kodak Company
InventorsMartin C. Kaplan, Gary L. Erck, Richard J. Federico
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Abstract
A linear light source for a film scanner is disclosed which includes an elongated light integrating cavity, formed within a solid illumination body, having diffusely reflective walls. Light is introduced into the cavity through an input port, and an output beam of diffuse light is produced through a slot which is generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the integrating cavity. In order to increase the efficiency of the light source, light is introduced into the cavity through a high collection non-imaging optical device formed as a hollow bore within the illumination body.
Claims34
A linear light source comprising:
- a source for producing a beam of radiation;
- and
- an elongated light integrating cavity defined by cavity walls having a diffusely-reflecting interior surface, said cavity walls having an input port through which said beam is introduced into said cavity and an output slot generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of said cavity, the beam being introduced into said cavity through a high collection non-imaging optical device having a hollow bore and reflective concentrator walls for concentrating the entering beam toward the input port of said cavity.
A linear light source comprising:
- a source for producing a beam of radiation;
- and
- an elongated light integrating cavity formed in a solid body, said cavity defined by cavity walls having a diffusely-reflecting interior surface, said cavity walls having an input port through which said beam is introduced into said cavity and an output slot generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of said cavity, the beam being introduced into said cavity through a high collection non-imaging optical device formed as a hollow bore in said solid body for directing light from the source to the input port of the cavity, said optical device having reflective collection walls lining the inner dimension of the bore, the beam being introduced through the optical device and into the cavity such that the beam undergoes at least one diffuse reflection before exiting the output slot.
A linear light source for use in a film scanner in which the light source is adapted to produce a line of illumination on a film which is spaced a predetermined distance from the light source, said light source comprising:
- a source for producing a beam of radiation;
- a solid illumination body interposed between the source and the film;
- an elongated light integrating cavity formed in the solid illumination body, said cavity defined by cavity walls having diffusely-reflecting interior surfaces, said cavity walls having an input port through which said beam is introduced into said cavity and an output slot through which said beam exits, said output slot being generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of said cavity and the interior surfaces of said cavity walls adjacent said output slot being at an angle of about 45.degree. to an optical axis which is generally perpendicular to said longitudinal axis;
- and
- a high collection non-imaging optical device formed as a hollow bore within said solid illumination body for directing light from the source to an exit opening near the input port of the cavity, said optical device having reflective collection walls on the inside of the bore for concentrating the beam toward the exit opening.
A linear light source comprising:
- a source for producing a beam of radiation;
- and
- an elongated light integrating cavity defined by cavity walls having diffusely-reflecting interior surfaces, said cavity walls having an input port through which said beam is introduced into said cavity and an output slot generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of said cavity, the beam being introduced into said cavity through a high collection non-imaging optical device having curved walls for concentrating the entering beam toward the input port of said cavity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.