Compact imaging head and high speed multi-head laser imaging assembly and method

(54) COMPACT IMAGING HEAD AND HIGH SPEED MULTI-HEAD LASER IMAGING ASSEMBLY AND METHOD

(75) Inventor: Michel Moulin, Apples (CH)

(73) Assignee: Kodak Polychrome Graphics LLC,

Norwalk, CT (US)

( * ) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 96 days.

(21) Appl. No.: 10/700,204

(22) Filed: Nov. 3, 2003

(65) Prior Publication Data

US 2004/0130772 Al Jul. 8, 2004

Related U.S. Application Data

(60) Division of application No. 09/865,345, filed on May 25, 2001, now Pat. No. 6,643,049, said application No. 09/865, 345, is a continuation-in-part of application No. PCT/US01/ 40002, filed on Feb. 1, 2001, and a continuation-in-part of application No. PCT/US01/40003, filed on Feb. 1, 2001.

(51) Int. CI.7 G02B 27/10; G02F 1/33;

G03B 27/34; B41J 2/435; B41B 15/00

(52) U.S. CI 359/618; 359/305; 355/57;

347/235; 347/250; 396/549

(58) Field of Search 359/618, 305,

359/346, 351, 857, 259; 355/57, 60, 65, 66, 71, 88; 347/235, 238, 250, 255; 396/549

(56) References Cited

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

4,281,904 A 8/1981 Sprague et al 359/263

4,617,578 A * 10/1986 Nezu et al 347/239

4,661,828 A * 4/1987 Miller, Jr. et al 347/241

4,746,942 A 5/1988 Moulin 396/549

4,819,018 A * 4/1989 Moyroud et al 396/549

5,796,511 A 8/1998 Allen et al 359/305

6,094,300 A 7/2000 Kashima et al 359/385

6,130,751 A 10/2000 Haginiwa et al 356/401

6,137,631 A 10/2000 Moulin 359/618

6,166,759 A 12/2000 Blanding 347/242

6,169,565 Bl 1/2001 Ramanujan et al 347/238

6,222,666 Bl 4/2001 Moulin 359/246

6,384,969 Bl 5/2002 Kanai et al 359/431

6,493,130 B2 * 12/2002 Iizuka 359/305

FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS

WO 00/49463 8/2000

WO 00/54096 9/2000

OTHER PUBLICATIONS

PCT/US01/40002 application.
PCT/US01/40003 application.

* cited by examiner

Primary Examiner—Loha Ben

(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Faegre & Benson, LLP

An optical head having a laser source of beams at an input end and image forming beams at an output end and a plurality of optical components arranged along the beams between the input and output ends to obtain an image on a photosensitive printing plate from the beams. The optical components include reflecting surfaces adapted to fold the beams several times between the input and output ends times in such a way as to reduce the width and height of the optical head. The folded beams are located in a plurality of parallel surfaces perpendicular to the image formed on the photosensitive printing plate. The optical head further includes optical components adapted to adjust the width, location, orientation and intensity of the image from the beams.

23 Claims, 12 Drawing Sheets