Patent ID: 6580490
Filing Date: 2003-06-17
Classification: G03B

Abstract:
An apparatus for printing images from digital image data onto a photosensitive medium disposed at an image plane, wherein said photosensitive medium presents, at said image plane, a width dimension that is selected from of a plurality of width dimensions, the apparatus comprising:(a) a media supply adapted to supply, at said image plane, said photosensitive medium having said width dimension; (b) a control logic processor capable of controlling the operation of the apparatus for printing based on said width dimension and on said digital image data; (c) an image forming assembly for directing, onto said photosensitive medium disposed at said image plane, an exposure beam for printing, said image forming assembly comprising: (1) a light source for providing light exposure energy for imaging onto said photosensitive medium; (2) a uniformizer for uniformizing said light exposure energy emitted from said light source; (3) a polarizer for filtering said uniformized light to provide a polarized beam having a predetermined polarization state; (4) a spatial light modulator having a plurality of individual elements capable of altering a polarization state of said polarized beam to provide an exposure beam for printing, a state of each of said elements controlled by said control logic processor according to said digital image data; (5) a first lens assembly for directing said polarized beam to said spatial light modulator; (6) a second lens assembly for directing said exposure beam onto said photosensitive medium.