Eastman-kodak Company

Michael B Brandt

John C Boutet

Bruce R Whiting

David P Trauernicht

Christopher M Muir

Michael P Urbon

Michael K Rogers

James R Kircher

Anna L Hrycin

Thomas S Albrecht

Paul D Askins

Michael R Flynn

Walter S Piskorowski, Jr

Amy L Zelazny

Andrew M Dziel

A light collector and detector for collecting and detecting light emitted, reflected or transmitted by a scanned information medium, comprising: a planar mirror assembly for extending the width of a scanned information medium and for disposition substantially perpendicular thereto, the planar mirror assembly having a lower edge adjacent to the scanned medium and an upper edge spaced from the lower edge; first and second pyramidal mirrors located side by side facing the planar mirror, the pyramidal mirrors having respective upper edges spaced from the upper edge of the planar mirror and respective lower edges spaced from the lower edge of the planar mirror, thereby to form aligned slots for the passage of a scanning beam of light to a medium to be scanned and for allowing light emitted by, reflected from, or transmitted by the scanned medium to enter the collector; wherein the first pyramidal mirror has a first aperture in an apex region thereof and wherein the second pyramidal mirror has a second aperture in an apex region thereof; a first photodetector having a light receiving face coextensive with the aperture of the first pyramidal mirror; a second photodetector having a lightreceiving face coextensive with the aperture of the second pyramidal mirror; wherein light from the scanned medium and reflected by the collector mirrors are received by the light receiving faces of the first and second photodetectors which generate electrical signals in response thereto.

Collector design for computed radiography

An optical scanner assembly exposes an image on photosensitive media positioned on the internal surface of a drum platen. The assembly includes: a laser assembly for producing a laser beam representative of the image to be exposed on photosensitive media; a semi-circular flexible lens curved to the shape of the photosensitive media positioned on the internal surface of the drum platen, the lens having a plano-convex cylinder lens having a convex side facing the media; a laser beam scanner positioned between the laser assembly and the lens to scan the laser beam through the lens across the media in an image-wide pattern; and a baffle located between the scanner and the lens for extinguishing laser beam reflections from the convex side of the lens.

Stray light baffle for internal drum scanner

A laser imaging system comprising: a laser for producing a laser beam; and a moving mirror for repetitively reflecting the laser beam over a range of incidence angles to scan the laser beam in a line scan direction; wherein the mirror includes a metallic reflective layer and a multilayer transparent coating on the metallic reflective layer, the multilayer transparent coating including alternating layers of first and second dielectric materials, the thickness of the layers and the composition of the first and second dielectric materials being chosen such that the mirror (a) achieves greater than 90% reflectance over the range of incidence angles, and (b) exhibits minimum reflectance variations over the range of incidence angles.

Polygon mirror having high reflectance and uniform reflectance over

Apparatus for collecting and detecting radiation emitted by, reflected from, or transmitted through a scanned information medium. The apparatus includes a photodetector assembly and first and second planar mirror assemblies configured to maximize collection efficiency and flare radiation attenuation. The first and second planar mirror assemblies include specularly reflective mirrors including an acrylic substrate having a reflective aluminum coating vacuum deposited on the acrylic substrate.

Light collector having optically coated acrylic substrate

Apparatus for collecting and detecting radiation emitted by, reflected from, or transmitted through a scanned information medium. The apparatus includes a photodetector assembly and first and second planar mirror assemblies configured to maximize collection efficiency and flare radiation attenuation.

Light collector for photostimulable phosphor imaging systems

A uniform reflectance mirror deflector of an optical scanner for scanning a light beam onto an image object or a receiving medium. The scanner includes a rotatable polygon-shaped mirror having a plurality of planes reflective mirror facets for deflecting and thereby scanning the beam through a predetermined angle while rotating and thereby varying the angle of incidence of the light beam on the deflector. In order to achieve relative uniformity of reflectance and avoid intensity variations in the reflected beam, a protective optical coating layer is selected to have a thickness which minimizes variation in reflectance over the range of angular displacement of the mirror in relation to the light source during its rotation. The thickness of the protective coating layer uniformly applied over the entire surface of each facet of the polygon-shaped mirror is determined by calculating the reflectance of P-polarized and S-polarized incident radiation components at a predetermined wave length of incident radiation over a range of protective coating film thicknesses of between 0 and one wave length and over the range of angles of incidence. Coating thicknesses in this range are selected in accordance with the resulting demonstrated relative uniformity of reflectance.

Uniform reflectance optical mirror

A laser imaging apparatus, such as a laser scanner or laser printer, includes a gas or diode laser which produces a laser beam and an optical system for directing the laser beam onto a object to be scanned or printed. The laser beam is encompassed in a sealed housing from the laser's output to a point at which the beam is no longer subjected to turbulent environment in order to eliminate laser beam pointing instabilities resulting from a turbulent environment caused by thermal sources, cooling fans, etc.

Laser beam environment isolation housing

The method and apparatus for using a light beam to scan media, particularly radiographic film media, for digitization wherein the scanning beam and the media transport path are optimized to minimize interference of the incident directly transmitted scanning beam with light internally reflected back by the light exit surface of the media, which gives rise to significant modulation of the transmitted intensity and forms contour or fringe patterns which follow small variations in the media thickness. An optical light beam shaping system is employed to generate a generally elliptical or elongated cross-section light beam having a major and minor axis. A scanner deflects the light beam through a predetermined, flat scanning angle in a scan direction forming a scanning line on the incident surface of the film media. The film media is transported past the scanning light beam such that successive lines of the media are scanned. Preferably, the transport mechanism orients the film media at a tilted angle to the flat scanning angle of the deflected light beam to minimize the overlap of light reflected back at the light exit surface with incident light at all points of the deflected light beam through the flat scan angle. Preferably, the generally elongated light beam is rotated relative to the cross-scan direction of the film media to allow for the use of a relatively smaller tilt angle than would be necessary with circular or non-rotated generally elongated light beams.

Optical scanner using tilted film media

A light collector collects and detects light emitted from a photostimulable phosphor sheet in a photostimulable phosphor imaging system. The collector includes a vertical mirror extending the width of the phosphor sheet; and a V-roof mirror having upper and lower mirrors forming an apex facing the vertical mirror. The vertical mirror and V-roof mirror form slots for passing a scanning beam of stimulating radiation through the collector to the surface of the photostimulable phosphor sheet and for admitting emitted light from the phosphor sheet into the collector. The vertical mirror and V-roof mirror have a substantially triangular cross-section which diminishes in size from one edge of the phosphor sheet to the other edge thereof. A photodetector is positioned at the large end of the triangular collector for receiving light emitted from the photostimulable phosphor sheet and for generating an electrical signal in response thereto. Flare is minimized by means of structure which absorbs reflected stimulating radiation.

Flare minimization in split V-roof mirror collector

A light collector for collecting and detecting light emitted by, reflected from, or transmitted through a scanned information medium. The collector includes a planar mirror and side by side pyramidal mirrors which collect light and direct it to a photodetector located at a centrally located aperture in the planar mirror. The collector preferably collects light emitted by a storage phosphor which has been stimulated by stimulating light passed through aligned slots in the collector.

Collector for storage phosphor imaging system

A light collector for collecting and detecting light emitted by, reflected from, or transmitted through a scanned information medium. The collector includes a planar mirror and a facing pyramidal mirror which collect light and direct it to a photodetector located at a centrally located aperture in the apex region of the pyramidal mirror. The collector preferably collects light emitted by a storage phosphor which has been stimulated by stimulating light passed through aligned slots in the collector.

A light collector collects and detects light emitted from a photostimulable phosphor medium such as a phosphor sheet in a photostimulable phosphor imaging system. The collector includes a vertical mirror extending the width of the phosphor sheet; and a V-roof mirror having upper and lower mirrors forming an apex facing the vertical mirror. The vertical mirror and V-roof mirror form slots for passing a scanning beam of stimulating radiation through the collector to the surface of the photostimulable phosphor sheet and for admitting emitted light from the phosphor sheet into the collector. The vertical mirror and V-roof mirror form a substantially triangular cross-section which diminishes in size from one edge of the phosphor sheet to the other edge thereof. A photodetector is positioned at the large end of the triangular collector for receiving light emitted from the photostimulable phosphor sheet and for generating an electrical signal in response thereto. A vertical mirror is located below the photodetector to increase collection efficiency. Alternatively, the photodetector is located at an aperture in the vertical mirror and an exit deflector mirror closes off the large end of the V-roof mirror. The photodetector may also be positioned at angles other than 90.degree. to the vertical mirror.

Growing community of inventors

Walworth, NY, United States of America

Michael B Brandt