Apparatus for and method of recording image

• US 6,529,261 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2001
• Issued: 03/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Shinada, Hidetoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Henry Hung
• Application Number:
  US09/858,949
• Publication Number:
  US 20010043317A1
• Time in Patent Office: 656 Days
• Field of Search: 355/38-41, 355/67, 355/71, 355/18, 359/224, 359/291, 347/239, 347/244
• US Class Current: 355/41
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/465 using masks, e.g. light-switching masks
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0833 the reflecting element being a micromechanical device, e.g. a MEMS mirror, DMD G02B26/0825 takes precedence; micromechanical devices in general B81B
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/12 using the sheet-feed movement or the medium-advance or the drum-rotation movement as the slow scanning component, e.g. arrangements for the main-scanningsheet-feed movement by translatory movement of a flat picture-bearing surface H04N1/1008; main-scanning using oscillating or rotating mirrors H04N1/113; using multi-element arrays H04N1/19
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/126 Arrangements for the main scanning
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/195 the array comprising a two-dimensional array or a combination of two-dimensional arrays

Abstract

A light beam emitted from a light source is supplied to an optical modulator having cells that are controlled depending on image information to be recorded, and then light beams reflected by the cells are guided to a light collecting device. The light beams are then collected in an auxiliary scanning direction and reach a photosensitive medium to record an image thereon. The cells of the optical modulator are individually controlled in a main scanning direction depending on different image information, and controlled in the auxiliary scanning direction depending on identical image information.

Claims

1. An apparatus for recording a two-dimensional image on a photosensitive medium by scanning the photosensitive medium, comprising:

a memory configured to store image information related to the two-dimensional image;

a light source for emitting light beams;

an optical modulator having a matrix of cells configured to receive the light beams emitted from the light source;

wherein the cells of the matrix are arranged along an auxiliary scanning direction so as to form a plurality of columns;

wherein the columns are arranged next to each other along a main scanning direction; and

wherein the optical modulator is configured to control positions of the cells of the matrix so as to deflect the light beams to the photosensitive material; and

a light collecting arrangement configured to collect the light beams deflected from the plurality of columns so as to form, at a single point in time, a scanning line extending along the main scanning direction on the photosensitive material.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of said cells comprises:

a movable mirror for reflecting the light beams, said movable mirror being displaceable depending on the image information to control a direction in which said light beams are reflected by said movable mirror.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein each of said cells comprises:

a CMOS semiconductor memory for being supplied with the image information and displacing said movable mirror depending on the image information supplied thereto, said movable mirror being angularly movably disposed on said CMOS semiconductor memory.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the number of said cells arrayed in the auxiliary scanning direction which are controlled by said optical modulator is adjustable for correcting light intensity irregularities of said light beams applied to said photosensitive medium in the main scanning direction.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the time in which said cells arrayed in the auxiliary scanning direction are controlled by said optical modulator is adjustable for correcting light intensity irregularities of said light beams applied to said photosensitive medium in the main scanning direction.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said light collecting arrangement comprises a plurality of light collecting means arrayed in the auxiliary scanning direction, and said optical modulator comprises means for controlling the light beam with respect to each of said light collecting means depending on the image information.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said photosensitive medium is made of a photosensitive material of high intensity reciprocity law failure.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a condensing lens disposed between said light source and said optical modulator for converting the light beams emitted from said light source into parallel light beams and applying the parallel light beams to said optical modulator.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said light collecting arrangement comprises:

a cylindrical lens disposed between said optical modulator and said photosensitive medium for collecting the light beams from said optical modulator only in the auxiliary scanning direction.

10. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said light source comprises:

a laser for emitting laser beams as said light beams, said apparatus further comprising;

a collimator lens disposed between said laser and said optical modulator for guiding said laser beams as parallel laser beams to said optical modulator.

11. A method of recording a two-dimensional image on a photosensitive medium by scanning the photosensitive medium, comprising the steps of:

guiding light beams emitted from a light source to an optical modulator having a matrix of cells arrayed in main and auxiliary scanning directions;

controlling positions of the cells according to image information related to the two-dimensional image ; and

collecting the light beams controlled by said optical modulator in the auxiliary scanning direction and guiding the collected light beams to the photosensitive medium so as to form, at a single point in time, a scanning line along the main scanning direction on said photosensitive medium.

12. A method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of:

adjusting the number of said cells arrayed in the auxiliary scanning direction which are controlled by said optical modulator for correcting light intensity irregularities of said light beams applied to said photosensitive medium in the main scanning direction.

13. A method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of:

adjusting the time in which said cells arrayed in the auxiliary scanning direction are controlled by said optical modulator for correcting light intensity irregularities of said light beams applied to said photosensitive medium in the main scanning direction.