Light integrating cavity for a film scanner

Abstract

A film scanner having a support frame for supporting a high intensity light source and a light integrator with respect to a film scanning gate, and apparatus for pivotally moving the light integrator out of the way to facilitate access to the scanning gate. The light integrator has a sealed integrating cavity with a sealed end port for admitting light from the high intensity source and an elongated, sealed light emitting bar for directing the line of light onto the film plane of the film scanning gate at a distance from the light integrating cavity. The light integrator is constructed of two half sections joined to form the cylindrical cavity and a rectangular receptacle for the light conducting bar. A conical internal cavity, light input member is joined at the narrow cone end to an offset input port in one end of the cavity and is mounted by a rotatable bearing to the frame. The conical internal cavity is aligned at the wide cone end opening to the light source, and trim and infra-red filters are positioned therebetween. The light input member of the integrator is pivoted on the bearing by a motor driven link arm from a scanning position close to the film plane into a standby position with the light bar pivoted away from the scanning plane to provide access to it to change from a negative filmstrip to a slide scanning gate.