Patent ID: 6141065
Filing Date: 2000-10-31
Classification: B41J,G02F

Abstract:
An optical color printer assembly comprising:a liquid crystal panel having liquid crystal shutter elements disposed in a two-dimensional pattern for selectively transmitting light from a light source by opening and closing pixels based on image information;an optical image forming means for transferring light from said light source which has passed through said liquid crystal panel onto a photosensitive recording medium and forming an image; anda medium conveying means for conveying said photosensitive recording medium to a developing means for developing,said liquid crystal panel being provided with red liquid crystal shutter element rows, green liquid crystal shutter element rows, and blue liquid crystal shutter element rows, each arrayed with m liquid crystal shutter elements in a direction perpendicular to a direction of conveyance of said photosensitive recording medium, where the number of effective recording pixels of said image which is the subject of printing is n in said direction of conveyance of said photosensitive recording medium, and m in said direction perpendicular to said direction of conveyance of said photosensitive recording medium,red liquid crystal shutter element rows, green liquid crystal shutter element rows, and blue liquid crystal shutter element rows being arranged repetitively in an appropriate order at constant pitch such that (n+2) rows are arranged in said direction of conveyance of said photosensitive recording medium, andexposure through said liquid crystal shutter elements being activated every time said photosensitive recording medium is conveyed by the same distance as said constant pitch.