Multiple array full width electro mechanical modulator

• US 4,492,435 A
• Filed: 07/02/1982
• Issued: 01/08/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/1982
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Banton, Martin E., Yip, Kwok L., Lavallee, Pierre A., Daniele, Joseph J., Araghi, Mehdi N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Corbin, John K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kent, Lynn Vandenburgh
• Application Number:
  US06/394,604
• Time in Patent Office: 921 Days
• Field of Search: 350/360, 350/487, 350/269
• US Class Current: 359/295
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0816 by means of one or more reflecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/1257 on more than one main scanning line
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/036 for optical reproduction

Abstract

A full width opto-mechanical modulator comprised of a silicon chip have dual rows or arrays of flexible finger-like reflectors disposed thereon in staggered facing relationship to one another. The reflectors, the surface of which is highly reflective, bend in response to the application of a predetermined potential. The modulator is placed in the path of a beam of high intensity light, and potentials applied to selected reflectors in accordance with an image signal input cause the modulator to reflect light striking the individual reflectors in either an exposure path or against a beam stop.

Claims

1. An electro-mechanical modulator for modulating a sheet like beam of light striking the modulator in accordance with the image content of an image signal stream, comprising:

(a) first and second parallel arrays of flexible reflecting fingers disposed in the path of said light beam, the fingers in each of said arrays being in adjoining spaced relation to one another whereby to permit said fingers to deflect individually, said fingers when undeflected reflecting the portion of the light beam that strikes each of said fingers along a first path, the axes of the fingers in one of said arrays being offset from the axes of the fingers in the second of said arrays with each of said fingers having a width sufficient to span the space between adjoining fingers in the array opposite thereto and prevent beam discontinuity, said fingers being individually deflectable upon application of a preset potential to individually reflect the portion of the light beam that strikes each of said deflected fingers along a second path; and

(b) means for applying said potential to selected ones of said fingers in accordance with the image content of said image signal stream to provide a modulated output beam.

2. An electro-mechanical modulator for modulating a beam of light to provide an image exposure beam comprising in combination:

(a) a substrate; and

(b) at least two opposing rows of reflectors, each of said reflector rows being comprised of a plurality of separate closely spaced finger-like reflecting elements on said substrate adapted on interposition into the path of a light beam to reflect the portions of said light beam striking each individual one of said reflecting elements along a first path;

said reflecting elements bending in response to application of a predetermined electrical potential thereacross to reflect the light portion striking said bent reflecting elements along a second path;

light rays reflected along one of said first and second paths cooperating to form said exposure beam.

3. The modulator according to claim 2 in which a portion of said substrate between said reflector rows is recessed,

each of said reflecting elements being mounted on said substrate at one end so that the opposite end of each of said reflecting elements is in spaced relation to said substrate recessed portion,

said substrate recessed portion permitting said reflecting elements to bend in response to said predetermined electrical potential.

4. The modulator according to claims 2 or 3 in which the reflecting elements of one reflector row are staggered relative to the reflecting elements of the other second reflector row.

5. In a micro deflector array having a substrate with plural individual flexible reflective fingers supported thereon for bending movement, said fingers being supported by one end in cantilever fashion with bendable opposite end, each of said fingers being bendable on application of a preset signal thereto whereby light striking said fingers is selectively reflected along at least one of two paths in response to the presence or absence of said signal, the improvement comprising:

two parallel rows of said fingers, the bendable ends of the fingers comprising one of said rows being in spaced opposing relation to the bendable ends of the fingers comprising said other row, the axes of the fingers of one of said rows being offset from the axes of the fingers of the other of said rows to assure overlap and prevent dark areas between adjoining ones of said fingers in each of said rows.

6. In an image output scanner, the combination of:

(a) a non-polarized source of light;

(b) optical means forming a sheet-like beam of light from light emitted by said light source;

(c) at least two parallel opposed arrays of deflectable reflectors disposed to intercept said sheet-like beam of light, each of said reflectors being spaced apart from the adjoining reflector in the array to permit said reflectors to deflect individually and reflect the portion of said sheet-like beam of light striking said reflector along a first path when said reflector is undeflected and along a second path when said reflector is deflected, the axes of the reflectors of one array being offset from the axes of the reflectors of the second array to prevent discontinuity and loss of light from the space between adjoining reflectors in each of said arrays;

(d) an imaging member on which images are created through selective exposure by the portions of said sheet-like beam of light reflected by said reflectors along one of said first and second paths;

(e) second optical means for projecting the portions of said sheet-like beam of light reflected by said reflectors along said one path onto said imaging member; and

(f) means to deflect said reflectors individually in response to an image signal input whereby to create images represented by said image signal input on said imaging member.

7. The scanner according to claim 6 including

a substrate, the reflectors of one of said arrays being supported in opposing relation to the reflectors of said other array on said substrate such that the terminal ends of the reflectors of one of said arrays are in juxtaposition to the terminal ends of the reflectors of said other array,

said substrate having a recessed portion extending between said arrays of reflectors enabling said reflector terminal ends to deflect.