Kodak Graphic Communications Canada Company

Creo, LLC

Creo Products Limited

David Bruce Burgess

Alexander Kheifets

Anton Walter Lamprecht

Vincent Charles Beyer

Dean Leonard

Janice L Blok

Vince Beyer

Marc Aaron Trudeau

Lauren E Walker

Andrew Leroy Dobric

William John Dall

The imaging debris produced by imaging a media with a higher power laser is prevented from accumulating on an optical imaging element by establishing a substantially non-turbulent fluid flow across the optical element. The non-turbulent flow forms a barrier between the optical element and the imaging environment such that debris is not able to reach a surface of the optical element during an imaging operation.

Method and apparatus for preventing debris contamination of optical elements used for imaging

An operational state of a system for filtering imaging by-products from an airflow is monitored by comparing a measurement of the flow rate of the airflow to a threshold. Additionally, an operational state of a filtration element is monitored by accumulating a count indicative of the remaining capacity of the filtration element in a memory device coupled to the filtration element.

System for collecting and filtering imaging by-products

A method and apparatus are provided for the removal of laser ablation byproducts generated in the imaging of laser sensitive media. In accordance with the invention, the byproducts are generated when a laser sensitive media is imaged with a laser. At least two sources of fluid flow are directed toward the imaging area and are oriented such that a substantial component of the bias of one source is anti-parallel with that of the other. These two fluid flow sources are operative to direct the ablation byproducts away from the imaging area, where they are collected by a sink, to which fluid moves. The sink removes the ablation byproducts from the vicinity of the laser sensitive media.

Method and apparatus for removal of laser ablation byproducts

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Vancouver, Canada

David Bruce Burgess