Speedring Systems, Inc.

Michael N Sweeney

John Michael Rodgers

Edward C Smith

Thomas J Vettese

Mark S Maiberger

Steve F Sagan

Brian L Tiffany

Emery Erdelyi

A polygon scanner utilizing a fluid film bearing and method for its use in a flat field imaging device having a relatively large format size, a very high scan rate and high resolution. The polygon scanner has a polygon scan optic connected to a motor, a fluid film bearing, and a windowed enclosure. Repeating cross-scan error components are mapped and actively corrected using a piezoelectric actuator to directly displace the laser element or using a mirror in the optical path that is tilted by means of an electro-optic device to influence a virtual displacement of the optical beam. The repeating components of in-scan errors are similarly, and independently, mapped and corrected by summing with the output of a phase detector in a line scan speed control system. Methods for independently correcting the errors associated with cross-scan and in-scan components in the scan optic are significantly enhanced by the use of a fluid film bearing in general and a self-acting gas bearing in particular, supporting the rotating polygon scan optic. A method for periodic calibration of the cross-scan error map established at the factory may be implemented by a self-calibration sub-routine using a stored sinusoidal voltage waveform. This simplified calibration technique of the invention is enabled by the use of a fluid film bearing in general and a self-acting gas bearing in particular.

Polygon scanner having a fluid film bearing and active correction of

An optical scanning device, for reflecting a light beam produced by a laser light source, having an entrance window; a rotatable scan optic having a reflective surface and a spherical exit window; the reflective surface of the rotatable scan optic positioned adjacent the entrance window and central to the spherical exit window such that the light beam successively encounters the entrance window, the reflective surface of the rotatable scan optic, and the spherical exit window surrounding the reflective surface of the rotatable scan optic, the light beam encountering and passing through the spherical exit window after being reflected away from the rotatable scan optic; the reflective surface of the rotatable scan optic circumscribed by a chamber defined by the entrance window, the rotatable scan optic device, and the spherical exit window.

Optical scanning device having a spherical exit window

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Lake Orion, MI, United States of America

Michael N Sweeney