JPS5820404B2 - Hikari printer - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an optical printer that can write high quality characters and codes on photosensitive material by deflecting light at high speed.

A conventional device of this type is constructed as shown in FIG.
The light beam is then two-dimensionally deflected by a second one-dimensional light deflector 5, and a minute spot is formed on the photosensitive material 7 by a condenser lens 6.

Further, a pattern is drawn on the photosensitive material 7 by modulating the signal from the pattern generator 8 in accordance with the deflection speed.

With this configuration, the laser beam 2 only has the role of a pixel on the photosensitive material, and the laser beam 2 itself could not image a pattern, so the pattern generator 8 was not always able to form an image. There were drawbacks that made it necessary.

And high-speed printers required high-speed pattern generators, which became expensive.

Furthermore, in order to print a high-quality pattern, the pixels of the pattern must be made small, resulting in a rapid increase in printing time and the need for a large-capacity pattern generator.

This invention was made to eliminate these drawbacks, and uses a coherent imaging system to insert two two-dimensional optical deflectors into an optical system in which the laser beam itself forms an image. One unit is used to select the image, and the other unit is used to deflect the generated image to a predetermined position on the photosensitive material, allowing high-quality printing without the need for a pattern generator. In addition, the present invention provides an optical printer that can print many types of characters and can print at high speed.

Next, an embodiment of the optical printer of the present invention will be explained based on the drawings. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of one embodiment. In Fig. 2, the same parts as in Fig. 1 are designated by the same reference numerals. In addition, 1 in the figure is a laser, 2
is a laser beam, 3 is an optical modulator, and this part is the first
This is the same as the case shown in the figure.

A mask 9 is arranged behind the optical modulator 3.

This mask 9 is for allowing only the center portion of the laser beam 2 to pass through.

The laser beam that has passed through this mask 9 passes through an access side Fourier transform lens 10 and an access side-dimensional optical deflector X.
(Access side-dimensional first optical deflector) 11, and furthermore, the access side first relay lens 12 and the access side second
Passing through the relay lens 13, the access side-dimensional optical deflector Y (
The access side-dimensional second optical deflector) 14 is irradiated.

The focal length of the access side Fourier transform lens 10 is f
l, the focal length of the first relay lens 12 on the access side is f2,
The access side second relay lens 13 has a focal length f2.

The laser beam deflected by the access side-dimensional optical deflector Y14 passes through the access side inverse Fourier transform lens 15 and illuminates the information original plate 16.

The focal length of this access side inverse Fourier transform lens 15 is f3.

The access side Fourier transform lens 10, the access side first relay lens 12, the access side second relay lens 13,
The four lenses of the access-side inverse Fourier transform lens 15 constitute two consecutive sets of generally known coherent imaging systems, and a mask 9 is placed on the object plane, and a mask 9 is placed on the imaging plane. The information original board 16 is placed.

Further, the deflection axes of the two pillar Fourier transform surfaces of this coherent optical system are perpendicular to each other, and the access side-dimensional optical deflector X11 and the access side-dimensional optical polarizer Y1
The four deflection axes are arranged to coincide with each other.

That is, the access side-dimensional optical deflector X11 is arranged at the back focal point of the access side Fourier transform lens 10 and at the front focal point of the access side first relay lens 12.

Further, the access side-dimensional optical deflector Y14 is arranged at the back focal point of the access side second relay lens 13 and at the front focal point of the access side inverse Fourier transform lens 15.

The information original plate 16 is a two-dimensional arrangement of transparent images of negative images of codes and characters, and the dimensions of the holes in the mask 9 are such that the image is formed on the information original plate 16 and the image of one character is irradiated. The size is such that it does not illuminate the image.

The coherent beam transmitted through the information original plate 16 is sent to the print side Fourier transform lens 17, the print side-dimensional optical deflector X (print side-dimensional first optical deflector) 18, the print side first relay lens 19, and the print side second relay. lens 20,
Print side-dimensional optical deflector Y (print side-dimensional second optical deflector) 21 and print side inverse Fourier transform lens 2
The photosensitive material 7 is irradiated through the photosensitive material 2.

The focal length of the print side Fourier transform lens 17 is f
4. The focal length of the print side first relay lens 19 is f5,
The print-side second relay lens 20 has a focal length of f5, and the print-side inverse Fourier transform lens 22 has a focal length of f6, and these four lenses constitute two consecutive coherent imaging systems.

There is an information original plate 16 on the object plane of this imaging system, and
A photosensitive material 7 is placed on the imaging surface.

However, as is generally known, even if the distance between the two lenses constituting the coherent imaging system is changed, the imaging relationship is maintained. The position of the second relay lens 20 on the printing side is arbitrary while maintaining the distance to the photosensitive material 7 at the focal length.

The deflection axes of the print-side dimensional light deflector X18 and the print-side dimensional light deflector Y21, whose deflection axes are perpendicular to each other, are aligned on the Fourier transform planes of the optical system at two locations, that is, the print side- The dimensional light deflector X18 is arranged at the back focal point of the print side Fourier transform lens 17 and at the front focal point of the print side first relay lens 19.

Further, the printing side-dimensional light deflector Y21 is arranged at the back focal point of the printing side second relay lens 20 and at the front focal point of the printing side inverse Fourier transform lens 22.

The effective aperture of each deflector is set to be equal to or greater than the Fourier transform pattern of the image.

Since this invention is configured as described above, the access side dimensional optical deflectors X11 and Y14 and the print side dimensional optical deflectors X1B and Y21 are two-dimensional optical polarizers (for convenience of explanation below, this is The above code X11 respectively
and Y14. X18 and Y21), and an access side two-dimensional optical deflector X11. Y14 can deflect the laser beam 2 to selectively irradiate character images on the information original plate 16.

In this case, the access side two-dimensional optical deflector X11. The deflection of X14 can be performed independently of X and Y.

Furthermore, this two-dimensional X and Y deflection does not disturb the imaging thread.

Simply, the coherent beam from this character image is deflected by the two-dimensional optical deflectors X18 and X21 on the print side, so that an image of the character image can be formed on any device on the photosensitive material 7.

In this case, the print-side two-dimensional optical deflectors X1B and X21 can deflect X and Y independently of each other.

Further, this two-dimensional X and Y deflection does not disturb the imaging system.

However, in this case, the print side two-dimensional optical deflector X18,
The deflection angle X21 is the sum of the deflection angle for correcting the deviation of the position of the selected character image from the optical axis and the deflection angle for determining the position of the image on the photosensitive material 7.

That is, the address (X
, y) to the address (X, y) with the optical axis as the origin on the photosensitive material γ, the deflection angle of the print-side two-dimensional optical deflectors X1B and X21 is ψ(-X,- y)+
ψ(x, y).

However, ψ(X, y) is the deflection angle from the optical axis to address (X, y).

In addition, in order to print characters, the light is closed in advance by the optical modulator 3, and the access side two-dimensional light (Jm direction device Xll, X14
At the same time as setting the print side two-dimensional optical deflector X1B
, X21 also determines the print address and completes the setting,
The light modulator 3 is opened to emit light, and characters are exposed on the photosensitive material 7.

Then, the optical modulator 3 is closed to end printing.

Therefore, the effect is that a pattern generator is not required, characters can be printed on the photosensitive material 7 in an orderly manner like a normal printer, and characters can be printed on the surface of the photosensitive material 7 without moving the photosensitive material. Printing can be done in any dimension and from any position.

In addition, since it uses the imaging relationship of light, the printing quality is good, and the optical deflector operates at high speed, and since each character is printed, the printing speed can be faster than printing using pixels. .

Furthermore, the size of printed characters can be easily changed by changing the focal length of the print-side inverse Fourier transform lens 22.

The number of types of characters that can be printed is determined by the effective apertures of the two-dimensional optical deflectors XI 8 and X21 on the print side.
With 7n11Lφ, more than 8000 characters can be accommodated with a normal lens system.

In addition, the operation of returning the transmitted light to the optical axis and the operation of determining the print position are performed by one print-side two-dimensional optical deflector X18. X21
This simplifies the configuration.

Further, two one-dimensional optical deflectors are placed on two Fourier transform surfaces of each optical system, and two-dimensional optical deflectors X11. X14°X18. Since the X21 is configured, the X and Y deflections can be performed independently of each other, and the two-dimensional X and Y deflections do not disturb the imaging system.

By preventing this disturbance, printing quality can be further improved.

Now, Fig. 3 shows another embodiment of the optical printer of the present invention, and in the case of this Fig. 3, an incoherent optical system is used, which is explained in Fig. 2. The inverse Fourier transform lens 22 on the print side is removed from the embodiment, the position of the information original plate 16 is α (α>0) from the front focus of the Fourier transform lens 17 on the print side, and the imaging position is set at the position of the second relay lens 20 on the print side. Letting δ from the back focal point,
αδ=f2 holds true.

This f4 is the focal length of the print side Fourier transform lens 17.

As explained above, according to the optical printer of the present invention, two two-dimensional optical deflectors are inserted into the optical system in which the laser beam itself forms an image using a coherent imaging thread, and one of them is One is used to select an image, and the other is used to deflect the generated image to a predetermined position on the photosensitive material, eliminating the need for a pattern generator and producing high-quality printing. Not only can it be printed, but it also has the advantage of being able to print many types of characters and also being able to print at high speed.

Furthermore, since the access-side and print-side two-dimensional optical deflectors were configured with two one-dimensional optical deflectors placed on two Fourier transform surfaces of each optical system, the X and Y deflections could be controlled independently of each other. This two-dimensional X and Y deflection does not disturb the imaging system.

By preventing this disturbance, printing quality can be further improved.

Further, according to the present invention, the operation of returning the transmitted light to the optical axis and the operation of determining the printing position are performed by one print-side two-dimensional optical deflector, which simplifies the configuration.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a conventional optical printer, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of the optical printer of the present invention, and FIG.
The figure is a diagram showing the configuration of main parts in another embodiment of the optical printer of the present invention. 1... Laser, 2... Laser beam,
3... Light modulator, I... Photosensitive material, 9.
... Mask, 10 ... Access side Fourier transform lens, 11 ... Access side-dimensional optical deflector X, 12 ... Access side first relay lens,
13...Access side second relay lens, 14...
...Access side - dimensional optical deflector Y, 15...
・Access side inverse Fourier transform lens, 16...
Information original plate, 17...Print side Fourier transform lens, 18...Print side-dimensional light deflector X,
19...Print side first relay lens, 20...
...Print side second relay lens, 21...
Print side - dimensional light deflector Y, 22...Print side inverse Fourier transform lens.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 Along the path of the laser beam from the laser to the photosensitive material, an optical modulator, a mask, an access-side Fourier transform lens, an access-side-dimensional first optical deflector, an access-side relay lens, and an access-side-dimensional second optical deflector are installed. , an access side inverse Fourier transform lens, an information original plate, a print side Fourier transform lens, a print side - dimensional first optical deflector, a print side relay lens, and a print side - dimensional second optical deflector,
In particular, the access side-dimensional first optical deflector is placed at the back focal point of the access side Fourier transform lens and the front focal point of the access side relay lens, and the access side-dimensional second optical deflector is placed at the back focal point of the access side relay lens. The print side-dimensional first optical deflector is placed at the back focus of the print side Fourier transform lens and the front focus of the print side relay lens. death,
An optical printer in which a printing side-dimensional second optical deflector is arranged at the back focal point of a printing side relay lens.