Patent ID: 7176477

Claim:
A read-out scanning exposure method, comprising scanning an image recording medium carrying image information recorded thereon with line light beams having been radiated out from line light sources, wherein the scanning is performed in a scanning direction intersecting with a longitudinal direction of each of the line light sources, in order for the recorded image information to be read out from the image recording medium, the read-out method further comprises: locating light irradiating means in association with the image recording medium, wherein the light irradiating means is provided with a plurality of the line light sources, each of which radiates out a line light beam toward the image recording medium, and wherein the plurality of the line light sources are located at approximately identical pitches with respect to the scanning direction and in parallel with the longitudinal direction of each of the line light sources; locating a slit array plate between the image recording medium and the light irradiating means, wherein the slit array plate comprises a plurality of slits, each of which is located at a position corresponding to the position of one of the line light sources; and controlling the light irradiating means such that the line light beams are radiated out one after another, with different timing, from the line light sources.