Image devices

• US 5,444,520 A
• Filed: 05/17/1994
• Issued: 08/22/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: Murano, Shunji
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Matthew S.
• Application Number:
  US08/243,948
• Time in Patent Office: 462 Days
• Field of Search: 355/228, 355/229, 355/237, 355/67, 346/107 R, 346/108, 359/820, 359/819, 359/838, 359/848, 359/846
• US Class Current: 399/221
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 19/20 Positive-feed character-spacing mechanisms controlled by escapements B41J19/52
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/451 Special optical means therefor, e.g. lenses, mirrors, focusing means
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/465 using masks, e.g. light-switching masks
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0012 characterised by the manufacturing method
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/005 arranged along a single direction only, e.g. lenticular sheets G02B3/0043 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0062 Stacked lens arrays, i.e. refractive surfaces arranged in at least two planes, without structurally separate optical elements in-between
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0075 characterized by non-optical structures, e.g. having integrated holding or alignment means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/128 using a scanning head arranged for linear reciprocating motion
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/1911 Simultaneously or substantially simultaneously scanning picture elements on more than one main scanning line, e.g. scanning in swaths
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/193 using electrically scanned linear arrays , e.g. linear CCD arrays

Abstract

In an image device wherein rays from LED arrays are guided through single lenses to form an image, LED arrays are arranged on a base plate, single lenses are arranged on a lens plate, the distance between the base plate and the lens plate is kept constant by using a spacer, and the coefficients of thermal expansion of the lens plate, base plate and spacer are made virtually identical to each other.

Claims

1. An image device for making rays from image arrays to form an image on an image formation plane, or for making incident rays to form an image on image arrays,

said image device comprising;

plural image arrays each of which including plural image elements linearly arranged,

at least one oblong base plate mounting said plural image arrays in a linear arrangement,

at least one oblong lens plate mounting a plurality of single lenses in a linear arrangement, and

an oblong spacer for keeping a constant distance between said base plate and said lens plate, and

wherein the coefficients of thermal expansion of said base plate and of said lens plate are made virtually identical to each other.

2. An image device of claim 1 wherein said image arrays are LED arrays.

3. An image device of claim 1 wherein,

said plural image arrays are mounted on said base plate with a unit of a desired number of said image arrays arranged at intervals, and

said spacer is provided with a pair of side walls fitted onto both longitudinal sides of said base plate, and with shielding plates fitted in said distance.

4. An image device of claim 3 wherein,

said shielding plate has its surface which is provided with roughness for scattering rays in directions differing from an optical path between said image array and said lens.

5. An image device of claim 3 characterized in that said lens plate and said spacer are provided separately, that the side walls of said spacer are fitted onto both of the longitudinal ends of said lens plate, and that said shielding plates are fitted onto a main face of said lens plate on the side of said base plate.

6. An image device of claim 1 characterized in that the coefficients of thermal expansion of said base plate, lens plate and spacer are made virtually the same to each other.

7. An image device of claim 6 characterized in that the difference between any pairs of the coefficients of thermal expansion of said base plate, lens plate and spacer is kept at 3×

10^- 6/°

C. or smaller.

8. An image device of claim 1 characterized in that the coefficient of thermal expansion of said spacer is kept at zero or negative.

9. An image device of claim 1 characterized in that said base plate, lens plate and spacer are comprised of liquid crystalline plastics.

10. An image device of claim 1 characterized in that said base plate, lens plate and spacer are comprised of at least one synthetic resin in a group comprising acrylic resin, methacrylate resin, polycarbonate resin, polyamide resin, polyacetal resin, epoxy resin, ABS resin, poly-ethylene-terephthalate resin, poly-butylene-terephthalate resin, poly-phenylene-oxide resin, poly-phenylene-sulfide resin and poly-benzimidazole resin.

11. An image device of claim 1 characterized in that said base plate, lens plate and spacer are comprised of crystalline glass.

12. An image device of claim 1 characterized in that said lens plate is provided with lens holding spaces comprising concentric-circle-shaped holes and surrounding annular flanges.

13. An image device of claim 1 characterized in that said lens plate and spacer is comprised of a plastic and wherein the lens plate and the spacer are molded integrally.

14. An image device of claim 1 characterized in that said image arrays are light emitting element arrays, and that optical path adjusting lenses are provided between said lens plate and said image formation plane to adjust an optical path so as to reduce the incident angle of rays from said lenses to the image formation plane.

15. An image device of claim 14 wherein said optical path adjusting lenses are cylindrical lenses or toric lenses.

16. An image device of claim 14 wherein said optical path adjusting lenses are an array of minute lenses.

17. An image device of claim 1 characterized in that said base plate is transparent, and said image arrays are face-down-bonded on a main face of the base plate on a side of the base plate not facing said lens plate.

18. An image device of claim 1 characterized in that said image arrays are light emitting element arrays, said image device is to be stored inside a cylindrical photoconductor, and the image device is provided with a means for keeping a constant distance between the image device and said photoconductor.

19. An image device of claim 1 characterized in that said image arrays are light emitting element arrays, and that said lenses are for contracting rays from the image arrays and making them form an image.

20. An image device of claim 1 characterized in that said image arrays are light emitting element arrays, and that the image device is further provided with at least one mirror for changing an optical path from said light emitting element arrays.

21. An image device of claim 20 characterized in that at least two said base plates are provided, and that a half-mirror is provided to synthesize rays from said two base plates.

22. An image device of claim 20 which is provided with four said base plates and having three said half-mirrors,

wherein, a first half-mirror is for synthesizing rays from a first base plate and rays from a second base plate,

a second half-mirror is for synthesizing rays from a third base plate and rays from a fourth base plate, and

a third half-mirror is for synthesizing rays from the first half-mirror and rays from the second half-mirror.

23. An image device for making rays from light emitting element arrays form images on a photoconductor in a direction of feed thereof comprising:

plural base plates each mounting light emitting element arrays,

plural lens plates each mounting single lenses, and

a spacer for holding each of said base plates and each of said lens plates, for arranging each of said base plates on a line along said feeding direction and at a constant distance from said photoconductor, and for arranging each of said lens plates on a line dividing the distance between said light emitting element arrays and the surface of said photoconductor at a certain ratio of interior division,

and wherein the coefficients of thermal expansion of said base plates and lens plates are made virtually the same.