Photosensitive printing apparatus

• US 4,727,380 A
• Filed: 05/31/1985
• Issued: 02/23/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Kabushiki Kaisha 4-1 Nishishinjuku 2-Chome Shinjuku-Ku Tokyo-To, Epson Company Limited (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Yonekubo, Masatoshi, Yamazaki, Hideo, Abe, Nobumasa, Yoshitaki, Hidetoshi, Miura, Teiji, Okamura, Toshihide
• Primary Examiner(s): Goldberg, E. A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): REINHART, MARK J
• Application Number:
  US06/740,120
• Time in Patent Office: 998 Days
• Field of Search: 346/108, 346/107 R, 346/160, 354/4, 355/1, 350/96.1, 350/96.24
• US Class Current: 347/238
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/44 using single radiation source per colour, e.g. lighting beams or shutter arrangements B41J2/475 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/46 characterised by using glass fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/465 using masks, e.g. light-switching masks
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 15/14 Optical recording elements; Recording elements using X-or nuclear radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/2808 using a mixing element which evenly distributes an input signal over a number of outputs
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4206 Optical features G02B6/4207, G02B6/421 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4214 the intermediate optical element having redirecting reflective means, e.g. mirrors, prisms for deflecting the radiation from horizontal to down- or upward direction toward a device G02B6/4246 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4298 coupling with non-coherent light sources and/or radiation detectors, e.g. lamps, incandescent bulbs, scintillation chambers
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133524 Light-guides, e.g. fibre-optic bundles, louvered or jalousie light-guides
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/1252 using an array of light modulators, e.g. a linear array

Abstract

A printing apparatus for use in a printer with a photo-sensitive drum. The printing apparatus includes a spotlight source for generating a light provides essentially a point source. A fiber-optical converter which is optically coupled to the spotlight source converts the light from the spotlight source to linear rays of light. A plurality of shutter window optically coupled to the fiber-optical converter selectively transmits the light at selected portions of the array to the photo-sensitive drum. As a result, a light path is defined from the spotlight source through the fiber-optical converter and the microshutters to the photo-sensitive drum.

Claims

1. A printing apparatus for use in a printer with a photosensitive drum, comprising:

spotlight means for generating a light providing essentially a point source;

fiber optical conversion means optically coupled to the spotlight means for converting the light from the spotlight means to an array of linear rays of light;

the fiber optical conversion means having an input end with a set number of bunches of optical fibers each bunch including a plurality of optical fibers and an output end at which the optical fibers are arranged in a substantially linear array forming a plurality of groups, each group consisting of one optical fiber from each of the bunches of optical fibers at the input end of the optical fiber means; and

a plurality of shutter window means optically coupled to the fiber optical conversion means for selectively transmitting the light at selected positions in said array to the photo-sensitive drum whereby a light path is defined from the spotlight means through the fiber optical conversion means and the shutter window means to the photo-sensitive drum.

2. The printing apparatus of claim 1, further including fiber input light leveling means, optically coupled to the spotlight means and in the light path between the spotlight means and the fiber optical conversion means, for substantially equalizing the intensity of light entering the fiber optical conversion means at positions corresponding to at least a plurality of said shutter window means.

3. The printing apparatus of claim 2, wherein the fiber input light leveling means include an integrating cylinder.

4. The printing apparatus of claim 2, wherein the fiber input light leveling means includes a light diffuser.

5. The printing apparatus of claim 2, wherein the fiber input light leveling means includes a lens.

6. The printing apparatus of claim 2 further comprising a mirror in the light path between the spotlight means and the fiber input light leveling means.

7. The printing apparatus of claim 6, wherein the mirror is adapted to transmit infrared rays and reflect visible light rays.

8. The printing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the spotlight means includes a spotlight source and dichroic mirror having an optical axis and a focal point, the dichroic mirror being adapted to transmit infrared rays and having a paraboloid of revolution defined by a multiplicity of small plane surfaces, the spotlight source being located on the optical axis of the mirror in front of the focal point of the mirror.

20. The printing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an infrared cutting means in the light path before the fiber optical conversion means for preventing the transmission of heat to the fiber optical conversion means and allowing only non-infrared light to pass to the filter optical conversion means, and said infrared cutting means is a filter, said filter being disposed at an angle relative to the light path.

21. The printing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising spotlight housing means for surrounding the spotlight means and including a cooling device for cooling the spotlight means.

37. A printing apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the shutter window means includes a liquid crystal panel.

9. A printing apparatus for use in a printer with a photosensitive drum, comprising:

spotlight means for generating a light providing essentially a point source;

fiber optical conversion means optically coupled to the spotlight means for converting the light from the spotlight means to an array of linear rays of light;

the fiber optical conversion means having an input end with a set number of bunches of optical fibers each bunch including a plurality of optical fibers and an output end at which the optical fibers are arranged in a substantially linear array forming a plurality of groups, each group consisting of one optical fiber from each of the bunches of optical fibers at the input end of the optical fiber means; and

a plurality of shutter window means optically coupled to the fiber optical conversion means for selectively transmitting the light at selected positions in said array to the photo-sensitive drum whereby a light path is defined from the spotlight means through the fiber optical conversion means and the shutter window means to the photo-sensitive drum, the spotlight means includes a spotlight source and dichroic mirror having an optical axis and a focal point, the dichroic mirror being adapted to transmit infrared rays and having a paraboloid of revolution defined by a multiplicity of small plane surfaces, the spotlight source being located on the optical axis of the mirror in front of the focal point of the mirror; and

the spotlight source emits a beam of light having a waist with an area less than one-half of the area of the mirror.

10. A printing apparatus for use in a printer with a photosensitive drum, comprising:

spotlight means for generating a light providing essentially a point source;

fiber optical conversion means optically coupled to the spotlight means for converting the light from the spotlight means to an array of linear rays of light;

the fiber optical conversion means having an input end with a set number of bunches of optical fibers each bunch including a plurality of optical fibers and an output end at which the optical fibers are arranged in a substantially linear array forming a plurality of groups, each group consisting of one optical fiber from each of the bunches of optical fibers at the input end of the optical fiber means; and

a plurality of shutter window means optically coupled to the fiber optical conversion means for selectively transmitting the light at selected positions in said array to the photo-sensitive drum whereby a light path is defined from the spotlight means through the fiber optical conversion means and the shutter window means to the photo-sensitive drum and a fiber output light leveling means in the light path between the fiber optical conversion means and the shutter window means for essentially equalizing the intensity of the light incident on each of said plurality of the shutter window means.

12. The printing apparatus of claim 10, wherein the fiber output light leveling means includes a light guide.

13. The printing apparatus of claim 10, wherein the fiber output light leveling means includes a tapered light guide.

14. The printing apparatus of claim 10, wherein the fiber output light leveling means includes an oval mirror located in the optical path between the fiber optical conversion means and the shutter window means.

15. The printing apparatus of claim 14, wherein the fiber output light leveling means further includes a light guide.

16. The printing apparatus of claim 14, wherein the fiber output light leveling means further includes a tapered light guide.

17. The printing apparatus of claim 14, further including two light guides in the light path, a first light guide between the fiber optical conversion means and the oval mirror and a second light guide between the oval mirror and the shutter window means.

18. The printing apparatus of claim 14, further including two tapered light guides, a first light guide located in the light path between the fiber optical conversion means and the oval mirror and a second light guide located in the light path between the oval mirror and the shutter window means.

19. The printing apparatus of claim 14, wherein the fiber output light leveling means further includes a light guide and a tapered light guide, one of said light guide and said tapered light guide being located in the light path between the fiber optical conversion means and the oval mirror and the other of said light guide and said tapered light guide being located in the light path between the oval mirror and the shutter window means.

11. A printing apparatus for use in a printer with a photosensitive drum, comprising:

spotlight means for generating a light providing essentially a point source;

fiber optical conversion means optically coupled to the spotlight means for converting the light from the spotlight means to an array of linear rays of light;

the fiber optical conversion means having an input end with a set number of bunches of optical fibers each bunch including a plurality of optical fibers and an output end at which the optical fibers are arranged in a substantially linear array forming a plurality of groups, each group consisting of one optical fiber from each of the bunches of optical fibers at the input end of the optical fiber means; and

a plurality of shutter window means optically coupled to the fiber optical conversion means for selectively transmitting the light at selected positions in said array to the photo-sensitive drum whereby a light path is defined from the spotlight means through the fiber optical conversion means and the shutter window means to the photo-sensitive drum;

further including fiber input light leveling means, optically coupled to the spotlight means and in the light path between the spotlight means and the fiber optical conversion means, for substantially equalizing the intensity of light entering the fiber optical conversion means at positions corresponding to at least a plurality of said shutter window means and a fiber output light leveling means in the light path between the fiber optical conversion means and the shutter window means for essentially equalizing the intensity of the light incident on each of said plurality of the shutter window means.

32. The printing apparatus of claim 11, wherein the fiber output light leveling means includes an oval mirror said oval mirror being optically coupled to the spotlight means and in the light path between the fiber optical conversion means and the shutter window means.

33. The printing apparatus of claim 32, wherein the fiber optical conversion means comprises a plurality of optical fiber means for supplying light to the shutter window means, the optical fiber means having a bundled input end with a set number of bunches of optical fibers and an output end at which the optical fibers are arranged in a substantially linear array, forming a plurality of groups, each group consisting of one optical fiber from each of the bunches of optical fibers at the input end of the optical fiber means;

and guide means for blending the light output from the optical fiber means and directing the blended light to the shutter window means whereby light of substantially equalized intensity is incident on the shutter window means.

40. The printing apparatus, as claimed in claim 33, wherein the bundled input end is substantially circular.

22. A printer, comprising:

a photo-sensitive drum;

a printing apparatus including spotlight means for generating a light providing essentially a point source;

fiber optical conversion means optically coupled to the spotlight means for converting the light from the spotlight means to linear rays of light; and

a plurality of shutter window means optically coupled to the fiber optical conversion means for selectively transmitting light to the photo-sensitive drum, said spotlight means, fiber optical conversion means, and shutter window means being disposed in a plane, a fiber output light leveling means in the light path between the fiber optical conversion means and the shutter window means for essentially equalizing the intensity of the light incident on each of said plurality of shutter window means whereby a light path is defined from the spotlight means through the fiber optical conversion means, fiber output light leveling means and the shutter window means to the photo-sensitive drum; and

a corona discharge station, a developing station, a transfer station and an electricity removal station radially disposed about the photo-sensitive drum.

23. The printer of claim 22 wherein the printer is mounted in a housing having a motor.

24. The printer of claim 23 wherein the motor has a guide rail and the printer is fitted in the guide rail.

38. A printer, as claimed in claim 22, wherein said fiber optical conversion means includes a plurality of optical fibers, said optical fibers having an input end and an output end, said optical fibers being disposed adjacent to said shutter window means, being cylindrically bundled at their input ends and bundled in a co-planar, substantially linear array at their output ends, said fibers being curved between said input and said output ends.

25. A device for equalizing the intensity of light incident on a substantially linear array of shutter windows, comprising:

a plurality of optical means for supplying light to the shutter window array, the optical fiber means including a plurality of optical fibers, each of which transmits light from an output end to at least one of the shutter windows, the optical fibers being arranged in a substantially linear array at their respective output ends; and

means for blending the light output from the optical fiber means and directing the blended light to the shutter windows;

whereby light of substantially equalized intensity is incident on each of the shutter windows in the array.

26. A device for equalizing the intensity of light incident on a substantially linear array of shutter windows, comprising:

a plurality of optical fiber means for supplying light to the shutter window array, the optical fiber means having an input end with a set number of bunches of optical fibers and an output end at which the optical fibers are arranged in a substantially linear array forming a plurality of groups, each group consisting of one optical fiber from each of the bunches of optical fibers at the input end of the optical fiber means; and

guide means for blending the light output from the optical fiber means and directing the blended light to the shutter windows whereby light of substantially equalized intensity is incident on each of the shutter windows in the array.

27. The device of claim 26 wherein the output end of the optical fiber means has two substantially parallel rows of optical fibers at the output end.

28. The device of claim 27 wherein there are fourteen bunches of optical fibers at the input end of the optical fiber means and each group at the output end consists of fourteen optical fibers, one optical fiber from each bunch.

29. The device of claim 28 wherein the fourteen optical fibers in each group at the output end of the optical fiber means consists of two rows of seven optical fibers.

30. An optical system comprising:

spotlight means for generating light which resembles a point source;

a printing apparatus for use in a printer with a photo-sensitive drum, comprising a plurality of liquid crystal shutter window means optically coupled to the spotlight means for selectively transmitting the light to selected portions of the photo-sensitive drum; and

light blocking means for selectively blocking the passage of light from the spotlight means to the liquid crystal shutter window means, the blocking means being adapted to shift from a first position in which the light from the spotlight means is allowed to contact the liquid crystal shutter window means to a second position in which the light from the spotlight means is prevented from reaching the liquid crystal shutter window means.

35. The optical system of claim 30, wherein the light blocking means further includes a shutter mounted on a rotary shaft adapted to rotate through a 90°

angle from the first position to the second position.

39. An optical system, as claimed in claim 30, wherein the liquid crystal shutter window means can refresh when the blocking means is in the second position without the spotlight means being turned off.

31. A printing apparatus for use in a printer with a photo-sensitive drum comprising:

spotlight means for generating a light providing essentially a point source;

a focusing mirror optically coupled to the spotlight means for converting the point source of light into a beam of light;

means for removing infrared rays from the light, optically coupled to the spotlight means;

means for bending the optical path of the beam of light including a reflecting mirror, optically coupled to the focusing mirror; and

means for converting the beam of light into a linear array of rays of light;

whereby a light path is defined from the spotlight means to the means for converting the beam of light into a linear array of rays of light via the focusing mirror and the means for bending the optical path; and

the fiber optical conversion means comprises a plurality of optical fiber means for supplying light to the shutter window means, the optical fiber means having a bundled input end with a set number of bunches of optical fibers each bunch including a plurality of optical fibers and an output end at which the optical fibers are arranged in substantially linear array, forming a plurality of groups, each group consisting of one optical fiber from each of the bunches of optical fibers at the input end of the optical fiber means; and

guide means for blending the light output from the optical fiber means and directing the blended light to the shutter window means whereby light of substantially equalized intensity is incident on the shutter window means.

34. The printing apparatus of claim 31, further comprising a fiber output light leveling means in the light path between the fiber optical conversion means the shutter window means, wherein said fiber light output leveling means comprises an oval mirror, and said fiber optical conversion means comprises a plurality of optical fiber means for supplying light to the shutter window means, the optical fiber means having a bundled input end with a set number of bunches of optical fibers and an output end at which the optical fibers are arranged in a substantially linear array, forming a plurality of groups, each group consisting of one optical fiber from each of the bunches of optical fibers at the input end of the optical fiber means;

and guide means for blending the light output from the optical fiber means and directing the blended light to the shutter window means whereby light of substantially equalized intensity is incident on the shutter window means.

41. The printing apparatus of claim 34, wherein the bundled input end is substantially circular.

36. A printing apparatus for use in a printer with a photo-sensitive drum comprising:

spotlight means for generating a light providing essentially a point source;

a focusing mirror optically coupled to the spotlight means for converting the point source of light into a beam of light;

means for removing infrared rays from the light, optically coupled to the spotlight means;

means for bending the optical path of the beam of light including a reflecting mirror, optically coupled to the focusing mirror; and

means for converting the beam of light into a linear array of rays of light;

whereby a light path is defined from the spotlight means to the means for converting the beam of light into a linear array of rays of light via the focusing mirror and the means for bending the optical path; and

the means for converting the beam of light into a linear array of rays of light consists of a plurality of optical fiber means for supplying light to the shutter window array, the optical fiber means having a bundled input end with a set number of bunches of optical fibers each bunch including a plurality of optical fibers and an output end at which the optical fibers are arranged in substantially linear array, forming a plurality of groups, each group consisting of one optical fiber from each of the bunches of optical fibers at the input end of the optical fiber means, and guide means for blending the light ouput from the optical fiber means and directing the blended light to the shutter windows whereby light of substantially equalized intensity is incident on each of the shutter windows in the array.

42. The printing apparatus of claim 36, wherein the bundled input end is substantially circular.

43. A printing apparatus for use in a printer with a photosensitive drum, comprising:

spotlight means for generating a light providing essentially a point source;

fiber optical conversion means optically coupled to the spotlight means for converting the light from the spotlight means to an array of linear rays of light;

a plurality of shutter window means optically coupled to the fiber optical conversion means for selectively transmitting the light at selected positions in said array to the photo-sensitive drum whereby a light path is defined from the spotlight means through the fiber optical conversion means and the shutter window means to the photo-sensitive drum; and

fiber output light leveling means in the light path between the fiber optical conversion means and the shutter window means for essentially equalizing the intensity of the light incident on each of said plurality of the shutter window means.

44. The printing apparatus of claim 43, further including fiber input light leveling means, optically coupled to the spotlight means and in the light path between the spotlight means and the fiber optical conversion means, for substantially equalizing the intensity of light entering the fiber optical conversion means at positions corresponding to at least a plurality of said shutter window means.

45. The printing apparatus of claim 44 further comprising a mirror in the light path between the spotlight means and the fiber input light leveling means.

46. The printing apparatus of claim 45, wherein the mirror is adapted to transmit infrared rays and reflect visible light rays.

47. The printing apparatus of claim 43, wherein the spotlight means includes a spotlight source and dichroic mirror having an optical axis and a focal point, the dichroic mirror being adapted to transmit infrared rays and having a paraboloid of revolution defined by a multiplicity of small plane surfaces, the spotlight source being located on the optical axis of the mirror in front of the focal point of the mirror.