Segmented Reflective Optical System
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A scanner optical system, comprising:
- at least two image-forming optical channels;
a generally linear electronic light sensor segment in each image-forming optical channel; and
at least two non-planar mirror segments in each image-forming optical channel;
and wherein each image-forming optical channel forms on the sensor segment, using the non-planar mirror segments, an image of a portion of a scan line.
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Abstract
An optical system, used for scanning, forms an image using reflective optical surfaces. The system may be telecentric, and may form an image that is reduced in size as compared with the scanned original. Several image-forming optical channels may be combined to form a page-wide scanning array.
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Citations
48 Claims
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1. A scanner optical system, comprising:
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at least two image-forming optical channels; a generally linear electronic light sensor segment in each image-forming optical channel; and at least two non-planar mirror segments in each image-forming optical channel; and wherein each image-forming optical channel forms on the sensor segment, using the non-planar mirror segments, an image of a portion of a scan line. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An imaging device, comprising:
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a carriage comprising at least two image-forming optical channels, each channel forming an image of a portion of a scan line; at least two non-planar mirror segments in each image-forming optical channel; and a generally linear electronic light sensor in each image-forming optical channel; and wherein the image is formed in each image-forming optical channel on the respective generally-linear electronic light sensor using the respective two non-planar mirror segments. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A optical carriage for a scanner, comprising:
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a carriage housing; at least two image-forming optical channels substantially contained within the carriage housing; at least two non-planar mirror segments in each image-forming optical channel; and a generally linear electronic light sensor in each image-forming optical channel; and wherein each image-forming optical channel, using the non-planar mirror segments, forms an image on the light sensor of a portion of the scan line. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method of scanning, comprising:
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forming, in an optical carriage module, images of at least two scan line segments, the optical carriage module comprising at least two image-forming optical channels, each image-forming optical channel further comprising a generally linear optical sensor and at least two non-planar reflective surfaces, and each image-forming optical channel forming one of the images using the non-planar reflective surfaces of the channel; illuminating, with a light source, the scan line on an original item; causing relative motion between the original item and the optical carriage; and generating digital values representing the distribution of light on the generally linear optical sensors. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A multi-purpose optical element, comprising, for each image-forming optical channel in an optical system that comprises at least two image-forming optical channels, each image-forming optical channel forming, on a generally linear electronic light sensor, an image of a portion of a scan line:
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at least two non-planar mirror segments; and an optical aperture. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38)
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39. An optical carriage module for a scanner, comprising:
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at least two page-wide generally planar mirrors; at least two end datum blocks comprising mirror mounting surfaces for mounting the page-wide mirrors; at least one spring clip for each end datum block, each spring clip holding the at least two page-wide mirrors against an end datum block; and a carriage housing; and wherein the page-wide mirrors, the end datum blocks, and the clips are comprised in an optical subassembly that is secured to the carriage housing. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. A method of assembling an optical carriage module for a scanner, comprising:
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forming an optical subassembly by holding at least two page-wide generally planar mirrors against mounting surfaces on at least two end datum blocks surfaces using at least one spring clip for each datum block; and securing the optical subassembly into a carriage housing. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48)
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Specification