In the area of optical scanning of data or like information, it is recognized that with the advent of higher-speed operations, there exists a need for printers that print such data or information at a rate which reasonably adapts to the specific operation.
One of the means for advancing such data or information to the point of providing high-speed transmission thereof is the use of a laser device as the light source. The laser beam may be directed to and through a multi-sided mirror or like prism which is rotatable to cause the beam to sweep along a line of printing. The rotating mirror system of the multi-sided type has difficult requirements to maintain--such as mirror symmetry, the position and speed control, and the need to be extremely precise in manufacture of the components and the assembly thereof, all of which may lead to a very expensive system.
The laser beam is utilized with fiber optic systems by reason that the optic links require light sources that can be rapidly turned on and off and also have good linearity. While the practice of the laser beam and fiber optics in the art of imaging may not be adaptable for long-distance generation, it is becoming useful for rapid transmission of data through use of a communications link or data stored by way of magnetic recording.
Representative prior art in the use of fiber optics in U.S. Pat. No. 3,403,263, issued to C. W. Hargens on Sept. 24, 1968, which discloses a method and apparatus for optical fiber curve follower and for making position scale therefor. A plurality of transducer devices employ the ends of optical fibers in a close-spaced relationship for the purpose of either sensing light from a surface or for optically creating a pattern on a surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,538,312, issued to R. Genahr on Nov. 3, 1970, discloses an orthogonal fiber-optical scanner using bundles of optical fibers associated with a fixed disc wherein fibers from successive rows occupy successive arcs along the circle of the disc, input ends of fibers are constantly illuminated by a light source, and a motor drives a rotatable arm to scan an array of n columns and m rows.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,832,488, issued to W. D. Fahey et al. on Aug. 27, 1974, shows a computer output microfilm non-impact printer which uses light-emitting diodes and flexible optic light guides to generate images to be printed on light-sensitive film. The linear array of light guide ends is imaged on the film by means of a lens and, by selective energization of the diodes, a complete line of characters is printed in linear segments in a line scan mode, by discrete points of light impinging on the film surface.