International Business Machines Corporation

James R Walker

James M White

Paul A Hakenewerth

Duane E Grant

Ross B Hooker, Iii

Aspi B Wadia

John A Barkley

John D Armitage, Jr

A scanner for scanning an increased area of a finger held or pressed on a concave elliptically cylindrical surface having two focal axes includes a linear light source positioned at one focal axis of a first reflective cylindrical elliptical surface, the other focal axis coinciding with one focal axis of the concave elliptical surface in contact with the finger. A second reflective, cylindrical elliptical surface has two focal axes where one of the axes coincides with the position of a linear array combination of photosensitive elements and charged coupled devices and the other coincides with the other focal axis of the concave elliptical surface in contact with the finger. The linear light source resides within a scanning drum having a longitudinal opening or slit and suitable rotated whereby a line of light is projected along the cylindrical elliptical surface of the first reflective surface whereby light rays are reflected to the finger contact surface to scan a finger held thereon and then totally internally reflected to the second reflective surface and then reflected therefrom as an image on the linear array.

Elliptical finger press scanner with rotating light source

Erase apparatus for use in an electrophotographic copier machine where an array of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) is placed adjacent a plano-convex-cylindrical entrance end of an optical element such that light rays from the LED array are directed through the optical element to its exit end. At the convex-cylindrical exit end, the light rays are directed to the photoconductive surface of the machine. The optical element directs the more intense light rays emitted from the LEDs near the central axis to the edges of the erasure footprint while the less intense rays emitted from the LEDs at larger angles from the central axis are redistributed to the central portion of the erasure footprint.

Zonal concentrator for accurate erasure of photoconductor charge

Erase apparatus for use in an electrophotographic copier machine where an array of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are placed adjacent one end of a light channel with the other end adjacent a moving photoreceptive surface. The channel allows light rays to pass freely from LED to LED but contains the rays in a direction parallel to the direction of photoreceptor movement. The channel may be comprised of sides with reflective surfaces normal to the photoreceptive surface or may be a solid plastic sheet through which the rays pass. In the latter embodiment, rays are internally reflected from the surfaces of the plastic sheet.

Light pipe for accurate erasure of photoconductor charge

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Longmont, CO, United States of America

James R Walker