Abstract: A tension applying device that applies tension to a strip-shaped body supported on a support member, the tension applying device is provided with a moving body that supports the support member, a holding body movably supporting the moving body in a direction in which the tension is applied to the strip-shaped body, a tension spring exerting the tension to the strip-shaped body, a first spring support portion disposed in the holding body and supporting one end of the tension spring, a second spring support portion disposed in the moving body in order to support the other end of the tension spring and disposed on an upstream side from the first spring support portion in the direction in which the tension is applied, and an opening formed in the holding body and in a position corresponding to the second spring support portion.

Abstract: A tension applying device that applies tension to a strip-shaped body supported on a support member, the tension applying device is provided with a moving body that supports the support member, a holding body movably supporting the moving body in a direction in which the tension is applied to the strip-shaped body, a tension spring exerting the tension to the strip-shaped body, a first spring support portion disposed in the holding body and supporting one end of the tension spring, a second spring support portion disposed in the moving body in order to support the other end of the tension spring and disposed on an upstream side from the first spring support portion in the direction in which the tension is applied, and an opening formed in the holding body and in a position corresponding to the second spring support portion.

Abstract: In an exposure head of the invention, plural first micro-focusing elements are arranged in a first microlens array so as to correspond to plural micromirrors in a DMD. An aperture array that includes plural apertures arranged so as to respectively correspond to the plural first micro-focusing elements is disposed. The apertures allow only main portions of Fraunhofer diffraction images to be transmitted therethrough. The main portions of the Fraunhofer diffraction images transmitted through the apertures are imaged on an exposure plane by second micro-focusing elements of a second microlens array. According to the exposure head of the invention, cross-talk light and scattered light can be effectively reduced, and beam diameters of beam spots projected on the exposure plane through the apertures can be adjusted to a required size.

Abstract: In an exposure head of the invention, plural first micro-focusing elements are arranged in a first microlens array so as to correspond to plural micromirrors in a DMD. An aperture array that includes plural apertures arranged so as to respectively correspond to the plural first micro-focusing elements is disposed. The apertures allow only main portions of Fraunhofer diffraction images to be transmitted therethrough. The main portions of the Fraunhofer diffraction images transmitted through the apertures are imaged on an exposure plane by second micro-focusing elements of a second microlens array. According to the exposure head of the invention, cross-talk light and scattered light can be effectively reduced, and beam diameters of beam spots projected on the exposure plane through the apertures can be adjusted to a required size.

Abstract: A thermal recording system for recording an image on a thermo-sensitive recording medium using a laser beam under a preheated condition of the thermo-sensitive recording medium. In the thermal recording system, a preheating device preheats the thermo-sensitive recording medium which has leuco dyes, a developer and light-absorbing dyes all provided on a support, and which develops color in a continuous tone at a density corresponding to the energy of the applied heat, to a predetermined temperature less than a color-developing temperature. A heating-beam generating device allows a laser beam to scan the thermo-sensitive recording medium so as to heat the thermo-sensitive recording medium to a predetermined color-developing temperature. Thus, the heating-beam generating device can control the laser beam in a sufficient control range, thereby making it possible to record an image on the thermo-sensitive recording medium with high accuracy.

Abstract: A thermal recording system for recording an image or the like on a thermo-sensitive recording medium using a laser beam under a preheated condition of the thermo-sensitive recording medium. In the thermal recording system, a preheating means preheats the thermo-sensitive recording medium which has leuco dyes, a developer and light-absorbing dyes all provided on a support and which develops color in continuous tone at a density corresponding to the energy of applied heat, to a predetermined temperature less than a color-developing temperature. A heating-beam generating means allows the thermo-sensitive recording medium to be scanned with a laser beam emitted therefrom so as to heat the thermo-sensitive recording medium to a predetermined color-developing temperature. Thus, the heating-beam generating means can control the laser beam in a sufficient control range, thereby making it possible to record an image or the like on the thermo-sensitive recording medium with high accuracy.

Abstract: An imaging optical system for a light beam scanning system for causing a light bundle deflected by a deflector to form an image on a predetermined surface to be scanned and causing the image of the light bundle to scan the surface at a constant speed is provided with an anamorphic lens for compensating for tilt of the deflecting surface of the deflector. The imaging optical system satisfies formula0.ltoreq..phi.1/.phi..ltoreq.0.1.vertline.M.vertline.+0.45wherein .phi.1 represents the power of the anamorphic lens in the main scanning direction, .phi. represents the power of the entire imaging optical system in the main scanning direction and M represents the lateral magnification when the deflecting angle by the deflector is 0.

Abstract: In a light beam scanning system, a light beam deflected by a deflector is focused to form an image on a surface and the image is caused to scan the surface at a constant speed. A tilt correcting optical system for compensating for surface tilt in the deflector includes an optical element which is disposed between the deflector and the surface to be scanned and reflects the light beam, deflected by the deflector, to converge on the surface in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the image scans the surface. The optical element is an in-mirror lens which has a refracting surface at its front face and has a reflecting surface at its rear end face. The refracting surface and the reflecting surfaces are both cylindrical and concave toward the deflector and the radius of curvature of the refracting surface is smaller than that of the reflecting surface.

Abstract: A thermal recording system for recording an image on a thermo-sensitive recording medium using a laser beam under a preheated condition of the thermo-sensitive recording medium. In the thermal recording system, a preheating device preheats the thermo-sensitive recording medium which has leuco dyes, a developer and light-absorbing dyes all provided on a support, and which develops color in a continuous tone at a density corresponding to the energy of the applied heat, to a predetermined temperature less than a color-developing temperature. A heating-beam generating device allows a laser beam to scan the thermo-sensitive recording medium so as to heat the thermo-sensitive recording medium to a predetermined color-developing temperature. Thus, the heating-beam generating device can control the laser beam in a sufficient control range, thereby making it possible to record an image on the thermo-sensitive recording medium with high accuracy.

Abstract: A driving mechanism for an optical pickup for optical disks which uses the 3-beam system for tracking error detection. The driving mechanism has a swing supporting point provided on a base, and a swing arm which pivots about the swing supporting point and fixedly holds an optical pickup. The swing arm has a flat portion provided near an end portion thereof. The flat portion contains the center axis of the swing arm. A correcting point is provide on the center axis of the swing arm. The driving mechanism further has a correcting mechanism for causing the correcting point to move along a circular arc having a radius smaller than the distance from the correcting point to the swing supporting point, and a swing arm driving mechanism for swingingly driving the swing arm. The driving mechanism is less costly and capable of driving the optical pickup at high speed and with high accuracy. In addition, degradation of the output signal can be prevented.

Abstract: An f.theta. lens includes first and second lens groups arranged in this order from the entrance pupil side. The first lens group consists of a first lens having a negative or positive refracting power. The second lens group consists of a second lens having a positive refracting power and a third lens having a negative refracting power with the second and third lenses being cemented together. The second lens group has a positive refracting power as a whole. The following formulae (1) to (4) are satisfied.12.ltoreq..nu..sub.d2 -.nu..sub.d3 (1)-0.035.ltoreq..SIGMA.(.phi..sub.i /.nu..sub.di).ltoreq.0.005 (2)0.7.ltoreq..phi..sub.23 .ltoreq.2.0 (3)0.03.ltoreq.d.sub.12 .ltoreq.0.20 (4)wherein .phi..sub.i represents the power of i-th lens as numbered from the entrance pupil side standardized on the basis of the power of the whole system, .phi..sub.23 represents the power of the second lens group standardized on the basis of the power of the whole system, .nu..sub.

Abstract: In a condenser optical system for a light scanning system, a single lens focuses a light beam deflected by a reflecting surface of a deflector onto a surface to be scanned and causes the deflected light to scan the surface in a main scanning direction at a constant speed. A cylindrical mirror which has a refracting power only in a sub-scanning direction normal to the main scanning direction compensates for surface tilt of the reflecting surface. At least one surface of the single lens is toric to compensate for the surface tilt associated with the cylindrical mirror and the toric surface is aspheric in a main-scanning cross-section.

Abstract: A spectrofluorometric apparatus for obtaining spectral image information comprises a stimulating ray source, which produces a laser beam serving as stimulating rays, and a scanning device, which deflects the laser beam in two directions and causes the deflected laser beam to scan a sample. An optical system separates the fluorescence, which has been produced by the sample when the sample is exposed to the laser beam, from the optical path of the laser beam. A Fourier spectrometric system causes interference to occur with the fluorescence, which has been separated by the optical system from the optical path of the laser beam. The Fourier spectrometric system detects the brightness and darkness of the fluorescence, which are due to the interference, as a detection signal and carries out Fourier transformation on the detection signal. The spectrum of the fluorescence is thus measured for each point on the sample, and two-dimensional spectral image information of the sample is thereby obtained.

Abstract: A light beam scanning apparatus comprises an ultrasonic light deflector for diffracting a light beam of a predetermined wavelength, and a reflecting mirror position approximately normal to light deflected by the ultrasonic light deflector for reflecting the deflected light and making it again impinge upon the ultrasonic light deflector.

Abstract: A light beam scanning apparatus comprises an ultrasonic light deflector for diffracting a light beam of a predetermined wavelength, and a reflecting mirror positioned approximately normal to light deflected by the ultrasonic light deflector for reflecting the deflected light and making it again impinge upon the ultrasonic light deflector.

Abstract: A light beam scanning apparatus comprises a plurality of semiconductor lasers, collimator lenses for converting a plurality of laser beams emitted by the semiconductor lasers into parallel rays, a common converging optical system for converging the laser beams to a common spot, and a common light deflector for deflecting and scanning the laser beams. Or, a light beam scanning apparatus comprises a plurality of semiconductor lasers positioned so that laser beams emitted by the semiconductor lasers focus on a common spot, a plurality of converging optical systems respectively positioned so as to correspond to the semiconductor lasers for converging the laser beams to the spot, and a common light deflector for deflecting and scanning the laser beams.

Abstract: In a semiconductor laser beam source apparatus, laser beams emitted by a plurality of semiconductor lasers, collimated and made parallel to each other are coalesced by a converging lens. The laser beams are respectively reflected by a plurality of reflecting mirrors having reflecting surfaces parallel to each other and guided to the converging lens. The reflecting mirrors respectively have a mounting surface at a predetermined angle with respect to the reflecting surface and are secured to a common plane.

Abstract: A light deflector such as a polygon mirror deflects a synchronizing light beam and a scanning light beam which are applied thereto at different angles. A first focusing optical system is disposed between the light deflector and an object to be scanned by the scanning light beam for focusing the scanning light beam on the object. A synchronizing signal generator including a reference grating plate generates a synchronizing signal from the synchronizing light beam applied to the reference grating plate. A second focusing optical system is disposed between the first focusing optical system and the reference grating plate for focusing the synchronizing light beam applied through the first focusing optical system on the reference grating plate. Image information is read from the object or read on the object based on the synchronizing signal.

Abstract: An apparatus for recording and reproducing an image of a specimen produced by an electron microscope includes a two-dimensional image sensor for storing the energy of an electron beam having passed through the specimen, a stimulating system for scanning the two-dimensional image sensor with stimulating energy to discharge the stored electron beam energy as light from the two-dimensional image sensor, a photoelectric transducer for photoelectrically detecting the light discharged from the two-dimensional image sensor, and an erasing system for applying erasing energy to the two-dimensional image sensor to discharge energy remaining thereon after the light has been photoelectrically detected.

Abstract: An optical system for a semiconductor laser beam comprises a semiconductor laser which generates light comprising both stimulated emission light and spontaneous emissions in accordance with the amount of electric current applied thereto, a convergent lens disposed in the light path of the beam emitted by the semiconductor laser, and an optical element disposed in the light path of the beam from the convergent lens which cuts more spontaneous emission than stimulated emission.