Abstract: An optical system for scanning, which can prevent the depth of focus from decreasing when magnification of the optical system is changed, especially when the magnification is increased. In this optical system, a zoom lens and a focus lens are arranged between a light source for emitting light beams and a scanning and focusing surface. In accordance with a desired resolution, an aperture is arranged at a position at which a far-field pattern is formed. When the magnification of the optical system is increased by the zoom lens, a luminous flux is widened, and a converging angle formed by the focus lens is also widened. However, since the aperture shields the luminous flux by an amount by which the converging angle has been widened, the converging angle is the same as that when an image is recorded at low resolution. Hence, the depth of focus can be maintained.

Abstract: An image forming device capable of implementing a change of resolution and capable of forming an image with few linear flaws in a main scanning direction. A recording material is slantedly wound onto a rotary drum at an angle such that, if recording at a predetermined resolution, main scanning lines that are recorded are parallel with both ends of the recording material along a direction of winding onto the drum. Whenever a main scanning line being recorded on the recording material is displaced, relative to a main scanning line that would be recorded at the predetermined resolution, by precisely an amount corresponding to a pre-specified number of pixels, image data is shifted in a direction opposite to the direction of the displacement by the amount corresponding to the pre-specified number of pixels.

Abstract: The present invention provides an array refracting element, array diffracting element and an exposure apparatus, which can improve image quality of a recorded image at low cost in an exposure recording apparatus. Two refracting members have a unit surface shape dividing a laser beam into two beams in such a manner that each of the incident laser beams is ejected toward a different positions on an optical path of the laser beam emitted from multiple laser diodes and between an outgoing eject of the laser beam of a fiber array portion and a recording film. The array refracting element, in which the two refracting members are arranged in a pair unit in the shape of the array in a direction orthogonal to a divided direction (sub-scanning direction) of the laser beam, is placed.

Abstract: At an exposure section, a recording head carries out exposure processing by irradiating a light beam from a fiber array light source through a collimator lens and a condensing lens to a printing plate. A temperature sensor of the recording head measures temperature of the recording head. A pulse motor is driven on the basis of the measured temperature, and thus a separation between the collimator lens and the condensing lens is adjusted. Consequently, regardless of expansion or contraction of the recording head due to temperature changes, the separation between the collimator lens and the condensing lens can be kept constant by the pulse motor. Therefore, even when the light beam incident on the condensing lens is divergent, a shift in magnification of the recorded image can be prevented regardless of the temperature variations of the recording head.

Abstract: For dividing an image and recording divided images on a photosensitive film with a plurality of laser beams, an auxiliary scanning speed is reduced in the vicinity of junctions between adjacent ones of the divided images to adjust the intervals between main scanning lines, and each of the main scanning lines is divided into divided main scanning lines in a main scanning direction, and the divided main scanning lines are formed separately in an auxiliary scanning direction. With such a correcting process, a high-quality image free of striped artifacts and inclination differences of main scanning lines can be recorded on the photosensitive film.

Abstract: For dividing an image and recording divided images on a photosensitive film with a plurality of laser beams, an auxiliary scanning speed is reduced in the vicinity of junctions between adjacent ones of the divided images to adjust the intervals between main scanning lines, and each of the main scanning lines is divided into divided main scanning lines in a main scanning direction, and the divided main scanning lines are formed separately in an auxiliary scanning direction. With such a correcting process, a high-quality image free of striped artifacts and inclination differences of main scanning lines can be recorded on the photosensitive film.

Abstract: The present invention provides an exposure apparatus which can improve quality of an image formed on a recording medium. The exposure apparatus comprises an array refracting element which divides a laser beam in a sub-scanning direction on a light path of the laser beam between an emission opening of the laser beam and a recording film, and in which a pair of refracting members are formed to be arranged in a line, and a focal distance f of a condenser lens, a wavelength &lgr; of the light beam, and a width d for the division direction of a divided region of the laser beam in the refracting member are determined so that a value (f×&lgr;)/d obtained by dividing a product value of the focal distance f and the wavelength &lgr; by the width d is not more than a predetermined value.

Abstract: Stimulating rays produced by a line light source are linearly irradiated onto an area of a stimulable phosphor sheet, on which a radiation image has been stored, the stimulating rays causing the sheet to emit light in proportion to an amount of energy stored thereon during its exposure to radiation. Light emitted from the exposed linear area of the sheet is received with a line sensor comprising photoelectric conversion devices arrayed along each of a length direction of the linear area of the stimulable phosphor sheet and a direction normal to the length direction. The sheet is moved with respect to the line light source and the line sensor and in a direction different from the length direction of the linear area of the sheet. Operation processing is performed on outputs of the photoelectric conversion devices, which outputs have been obtained at respective positions of movement and correspond to an identical site on the sheet.

Abstract: At an exposure section, a recording head carries out exposure processing by irradiating a light beam from a fiber array light source through a collimator lens and a condensing lens to a printing plate. A temperature sensor of the recording head measures temperature of the recording head. A pulse motor is driven on the basis of the measured temperature, and thus a separation between the collimator lens and the condensing lens is adjusted. Consequently, regardless of expansion or contraction of the recording head due to temperature changes, the separation between the collimator lens and the condensing lens can be kept constant by the pulse motor. Therefore, even when the light beam incident on the condensing lens is divergent, a shift in magnification of the recorded image can be prevented regardless of the temperature variations of the recording head.

Abstract: An image forming device capable of implementing a change of resolution and capable of forming an image with few linear flaws in a main scanning direction. A recording material is slantedly wound onto a rotary drum at an angle such that, if recording at a predetermined resolution, main scanning lines that are recorded are parallel with both ends of the recording material along a direction of winding onto the drum. Whenever a main scanning line being recorded on the recording material is displaced, relative to a main scanning line that would be recorded at the predetermined resolution, by precisely an amount corresponding to a pre-specified number of pixels, image data is shifted in a direction opposite to the direction of the displacement by the amount corresponding to the pre-specified number of pixels.

Abstract: An array refracting element for dividing laser beams in a sub-scanning direction, which is formed by linearly disposing a pair of refracting members, each having a unit surface shape for dividing one incident laser beam into two and emitting the divided laser beams, so that directions in which the laser beams are divided are coincident with each other and so that the refracting members locate along the division direction, is disposed on an optical path of the laser beams emitted from plural semiconductor lasers, and between a laser-beam outgoing opening of a fiber array section and a recording film. As a result, an array refracting element and an exposure device, which can improve quality of a recording image at an exposure recording apparatus at a low cost, can be obtained.

Abstract: A laser beam emitted from a semiconductor laser is guided to a sensitive recording medium on a drum by a focusing optical system and an optical anisotropic element. The optical anisotropic element separates the laser beam along its optical axis to produce a laser beam having two focused positions for thereby increasing the depth of focus. With the increased depth of focus, it is possible to record a highly accurate image on the sensitive recording medium even if the sensitive recording medium is displaced because the drum has its outer circumferential surface not concentric with its axis or the sensitive recording medium is lifted off the drum.

Abstract: An exposing device including an optical fiber array with a plurality of optical fibers disposed at a predetermined interval, a first lens, and a second lens. The optical fiber array is mounted on a base seat supported on a rail movably along an optical axis direction. The first lens is mounted in a casing. The casing is mounted on a base seat supported on a rail movably along the optical axis direction. The second lens is mounted in a casing, and the casing is supported by a supporting member mounted on a base seat. In the case of changing imaging magnification, a moving amount of the optical fiber array and a moving amount of the first lens corresponding to the imaging magnification provided for the changing operation are each set so as to be moved.

Abstract: Stimulating rays produced by a line light source are linearly irradiated onto an area of a stimulable phosphor sheet, on which a radiation image has been stored, the stimulating rays causing the sheet to emit light in proportion to an amount of energy stored thereon during its exposure to radiation. Light emitted from the exposed linear area of the sheet is received with a line sensor comprising photoelectric conversion devices arrayed along each of a length direction of the linear area of the stimulable phosphor sheet and a direction normal to the length direction. The sheet is moved with respect to the line light source and the line sensor and in a direction different from the length direction of the linear area of the sheet. Operation processing is performed on outputs of the photoelectric conversion devices, which outputs have been obtained at respective positions of movement and correspond to an identical site on the sheet.

Abstract: A polarization-direction-controlling element comprising a ½ wavelength plate disposed with a crystal optical axis tilted at substantially 45 degrees with respect to a polarization direction of a beam of light separated by a polarization-separating element with a part of a laser beam transmitted, is provided on the optical path of the laser beam, outputted from a plurality of semiconductor lasers, between an outlet for the laser beams at a fiber array and a polarization-separating element for separating the laser beam into two beams of light having mutually orthogonal polarization directions. A polarization-direction-controlling element capable of improving the quality of recorded images in an exposing-recording device using an element with polarization dependency and an exposure device capable of improving the quality of recorded images can also be obtained.

Abstract: A laser beam emitted from a semiconductor laser is guided to a sensitive recording medium on a drum by a focusing optical system and an optical anisotropic element. The optical anisotropic element separates the laser beam along its optical axis to produce a laser beam having two focused positions for thereby increasing the depth of focus. With the increased depth of focus, it is possible to record a highly accurate image on the sensitive recording medium even if the sensitive recording medium is displaced because the drum has its outer circumferential surface not concentric with its axis or the sensitive recording medium is lifted off the drum.

Abstract: An optical system for scanning, which can prevent the depth of focus from decreasing when magnification of the optical system is changed, especially when the magnification is increased. In this optical system, a zoom lens and a focus lens are arranged between a light source for emitting light beams and a scanning and focusing surface. In accordance with a desired resolution, an aperture is arranged at a position at which a far-field pattern is formed. When the magnification of the optical system is increased by the zoom lens, a luminous flux is widened, and a converging angle formed by the focus lens is also widened. However, since the aperture shields the luminous flux by an amount by which the converging angle has been widened, the converging angle is the same as that when an image is recorded at low resolution. Hence, the depth of focus can be maintained.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a multibeam exposure head having a multibeam light source which exposes a recording material by main scanning. Herein, the multibeam light source has a first multiple beam forming light source in which a plurality of beam emitting ports are arranged parallel to each other while being spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance, and a second multiple beam forming light source in which a plurality of beam emitting ports are arranged parallel to each other being spaced apart from each other by the predetermined distance.

Abstract: Stimulating rays produced by a line light source are linearly irradiated onto an area of a stimulable phosphor sheet, on which a radiation image has been stored, the stimulating rays causing the sheet to emit light in proportion to an amount of energy stored thereon during its exposure to radiation. Light emitted from the exposed linear area of the sheet is received with a line sensor comprising photoelectric conversion devices arrayed along each of a length direction of the linear area of the stimulable phosphor sheet and a direction normal to the length direction. The sheet is moved with respect to the line light source and the line sensor and in a direction different from the length direction of the linear area of the sheet. Operation processing is performed on outputs of the photoelectric conversion devices, which outputs have been obtained at respective positions of movement and correspond to an identical site on the sheet.

Abstract: A light beam emitted from a light source is divided into a plurality of light beams depending on the resolution of an image to be recorded by the light beam, and the light beams are focused on a recording medium by an optical focusing system. Recorded intervals on the recording medium in an auxiliary scanning direction are controlled depending on the resolution, so that an image depending on the resolution can be recorded on the recording medium.