Patent ID: 6797971
Filing Date: 2004-09-28
Classification: B05D

Abstract:
Apparatus for providing substantially uniform irradiation of a relatively large planar target surface, said apparatus comprising:at least two substantially identical sources of radiation for producing radiation to irradiate the target surface, each source of radiation having a longitudinal axis, the longitudinal axes being substantially parallel with each other to define a plane substantially parallel to the target surface; and means for reflecting light from said sources of radiation so that each source irradiates the target surface to add together the reflected light from each of said sources to provide said substantially uniform irradiation on the target surface, said means comprising at least two reflecting troughs, each trough having a major axis, a minor axis, a first focal axis within the trough and a second focal axis outside the trough, each of said sources of radiation being within a respective one of said troughs, on the major axis of the respective trough, and spaced from the first focal axis of the respective trough, each trough terminating in an opening defining a rectangular plane substantially perpendicular to the major axis of the trough and substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the respective source of radiation; and wherein each reflecting trough includes a section of an ellipse which reflects the light from one of the at least two substantially identical sources of radiation which irradiates the target surface.