Itek Graphix Corp.

Itek Graphic Corp.

Michael A Brookmire

Juergen Lein

Daniel H Robbins

John S Wirtz

Daniel P White

Joel Hotelling

Robert Powers

A color scanner is provided having a commonly mounted and driven original scanning table and LED dot generator exposure source. Scanning is accomplished by illuminating a strip of the original artwork with high intensity fluorescent light and detecting the illuminated strip through a linear scanning aperture, lens and color filter wheel using a charge coupled device ('CCD') linear detector. Original artwork is held by vacuum against the flat original artwork receiving surface and photosensitive material is automatically loaded and held by vacuum onto the surface of a rotating exposure drum mounted parallel to the direction of travel of the LED dot generator exposure source, and the exposed halftone film is automatically removed from the drum surface and loaded into a transfer cartridge. Advantageously, multiple linear scans may be averaged in order to reduce color fringe effects. As a further advantage of the present invention photosensitive material is loaded and unloaded from the exposure drum in daylight operation.

Low cost color scanner

An automatic vacuum feed and hold down system is provided having a transport belt with vacuum grippers, a peripheral vacuum channel surrounding the platen, and a lead edge blow apparatus. In the preferred embodiment the transport belt consists of polyester fabric selectively coated with plastisol sealant to define a window area similarly shaped but smaller than the platen and suction grippers within the window area. In the preferred mode of operation a lifting apparatus raises the belt away from the exposed photosensitive sheet on the platen and the natural curl of the sheet, together with the lead edge blow, cause the sheet to release from the platen. The lifting apparatus then lowers the belt and suction is reapplied to the grippers, whereafter the belt and sheet are raised and advanced to deliver the exposed photosensitive sheet for processing.

Automatic vacuum feed and hold down assembly for camera system

A transfer cartridge for photosensitive material includes an enclosure with an entry slot in one of its walls, and end caps to seal the opposite ends of the enclosure. A pair of rollers is disposed in aligned, parallel relationship within the enclosure, and a flexible, opaque belt extends between the rollers, preferably in figure 8-fashion. One roller is rigidly mounted upon an elongated shaft, while the second roller is elastically mounted upon a second elongated shaft through the use of a torsion spring. Drive gears on the exterior of the cartridge impart rotational movement to the rollers and the nip between the rollers grasps the leading edge of a length of photosensitive material and introduces same into the belt. The continued rotation of the rollers in opposite directions causes the belt to wrap the photosensitive material several times about one roller in a sandwich-like fashion. The belt is chosen to be wider than the photosensitive material, and the length of the belt is chosen to be greater then the length of photosensitive material. Consequently, the belt serves as a complete light shield. The belt is formed from an opaque material that exhibits the ability to absorb infrared illumination. A reflective target is secured to one side of the belt, which is otherwise black, and an optical sensor is operatively associated with the target to define a home position for the belt.

Transfer cartridge with light seal

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Pittsford, NY, United States of America

Michael A Brookmire