Patent ID: 7369268

Claim:
In a printing apparatus for recording images onto photosensitive medium, an improved light source for directing, along an illumination axis, light having a first, second, or third wavelength, the light source comprising: (a) an array of LEDs hexagonally arranged for minimum, substantially equal spacing between each LED and each of its immediate neighbor LEDs, any one of said LEDs having either a first or a second or a third wavelength, the hexagonally arranged LEDs comprising rows of LEDs with LEDs of adjacent rows being mutually partially positioned within recesses formed between adjacent LEDs in a respective row; (b) a logic controller for enabling LEDs within said array according to said first, second, or third wavelength; (c) collector optics for collecting emitted light from said at least one first wavelength LED and directing said emitted light from said at least one first wavelength LED along the illumination axis; and wherein said collector optics comprise a collimating element and a light guide employing total internal reflection for conditioning light emitted from said at least one first wavelength LED.