Decoupled alignment axis for fold mirror adjustment

• US 20040150863A1
• Filed: 12/19/2003
• Published: 08/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CareStream Health Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Newman, Peter A.
• Granted Patent: US 6,870,653 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/212
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/127 Adaptive control of the scanning light beam, e.g. using the feedback from one or more detectors G02B27/0031 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 359/90 Methods

Abstract

A method of laser beam alignment in a laser scanning system comprising: providing an elongated planar mirror having left and right ends for directing a laser beam scan line to a scan line imaging region spaced from the mirror; detecting left and right spots of the laser beam scan line to determine whether the laser beam is aligned in the imaging region, and if it is not; first rotating the elongated mirror about a first axis extending along the scan line direction of the mirror until the right spot is detected; second rotating the mirror about a second axis located near the right end of the mirror, the second axis extending in the plane of the mirror at angle to the first axis until the left spot is detected.

Claims

1. A method of laser beam alignment in a laser scanning system comprising:

providing an elongated planar mirror having left and right ends for directing a laser beam scan line to a scan line imaging region spaced from said mirror;

detecting left and right spots of said laser beam scan line to determine whether said laser beam is aligned in said imaging region, and if it is not then,

first rotating said elongated mirror about a first axis extending along the scan line direction of said mirror until said right spot is detected; and

second rotating said mirror about a second axis located near the right end of said mirror, said second axis extending in the plane of said mirror at angle to said first axis until said left spot is detected.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said provided elongated planar mirror is rectangular in shape.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said right and left spots are detected by photosensors.