Optical sensor for ink jet printing system
First Claim
1. An optical sensor module for identifying characteristics of printed ink jet images on printing media residing in a media plane, the module comprising:
- a chassis;
an illumination source connected to the chassis and spaced apart from the media plane;
a detector connected to the chassis and spaced apart from the media plane;
an integral optical element positioned between the media plane and the illumination source, and positioned between the media plane and the detector;
the optical element including a first portion having a first optical characteristic positioned on a first optical path between the illumination source and a selected region of the media plane; and
the optical element including a second portion having a second optical characteristic different from the first optical characteristic and positioned on a second optical path between the illumination source and the selected region of the media plane.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An optical sensor module for identifying characteristics of printed ink jet images on printing media residing in a media plane. The module has a chassis and a connected illumination source and detector spaced apart from the media plane. An integral optical element is positioned between the image plane and the illumination source and detector. The optical element has a first portion having a first optical characteristic positioned on a first optical path between the illumination source and a selected region of the media plane, and a second portion having a second optical characteristic different from the first optical characteristic and positioned on a second optical path between the illumination source and the selected region. The optical element may include diffractive optics, fresnel lenses, and conventional lenses formed of transparent plastics to steer, focus and diffuse light onto the selected region and return it efficiently to the detector.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. An optical sensor module for identifying characteristics of printed ink jet images on printing media residing in a media plane, the module comprising:
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a chassis; an illumination source connected to the chassis and spaced apart from the media plane; a detector connected to the chassis and spaced apart from the media plane; an integral optical element positioned between the media plane and the illumination source, and positioned between the media plane and the detector; the optical element including a first portion having a first optical characteristic positioned on a first optical path between the illumination source and a selected region of the media plane; and the optical element including a second portion having a second optical characteristic different from the first optical characteristic and positioned on a second optical path between the illumination source and the selected region of the media plane. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An ink jet printing system for printing ink jet images on printing media residing in a media plane, the system comprising:
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a printer frame; a media transport connected to the frame and operable to move a sheet of media within a media plane along a feed axis; a carriage connected to the frame and movable along a scan axis adjacent to the media plane and perpendicular to the feed axis; an ink jet print head mounted to the carriage; an optical sensor module connected to the carriage, the sensor module comprising; a chassis; an illumination source connected to the chassis and spaced apart from the media plane; a detector connected to the chassis and spaced apart from the media plane; an integral optical element positioned between the media plane and the illumination source, and positioned between the image plane and the detector; the optical element including a first portion having a first optical characteristic positioned on a first optical path between the illumination source and a selected region of the media plane; and the optical element including a second portion having a second optical characteristic different from the first optical characteristic and positioned on a second optical path between the illumination source and the selected region of the media plane. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of analyzing a printed image on a sheet of media, the method comprising:
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generating a beam of light; directing the beam of light to a selected region of the sheet; focusing the beam to a limited area at the selected region; scrambling the beam to provide uniform illumination of the selected region; and measuring light reflected from the selected region to determine characteristics of the printed image in the selected region. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification