US3781902A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Recorder/processor apparatus
Assignee: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
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Filing: 1971-09-07
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Granted: 1973-12-25
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Expires: 1991-09-07
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus for recording a data input on, and thermally processing, a thermally processible storage medium in which a light source, such as a modulated laser beam whose intensity is modulated in response to the incoming data input, such as a video signal, is caused to generate a raster in conformance with incoming timing/control signals so as to expose a latent image of the input information on the storage medium. A rotating drum in conjunction with an incrementally driven lens carriage associated with the laser optical system provides the raster generation. The drum is automatically loaded with the storage medium from a supply means and automatically unloaded to a thermal processor upon completion of recording. The latent image is processed by the controlled application of heat so as to produce an actual displayable image corresponding to the data input at the output of the apparatus.
Inventors
- 👤 I Shim
- 👤 J Stelben
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-22 19:28
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/04; H04N1/06; H04N1/0671; H04N1/0678; G; G03; G03D; G03D13/00; G03D13/002; H04N1/00127; H04N1/00281; H04N1/00283; H04N1/047
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
451 words
An apparatus for recording a data input on, and thermally processing, a thermally processable storage medium comprising rotatable drum means, having an outer surface; means for loading a predetermined quantity of said storage medium about a portion of the outer surface of said drum means; means mounted in cooperative relation with said drum means for generating a raster scan on said loaded storage medium in accordance with said data input to expose said loaded storage medium and produce a thermally processable latent image thereon corresponding to said data input; means for thermally processing said exposed storage medium; and means including synchronizing means for unloading said exposed storage medium from said drum surface after said exposure and transferring said exposed medium to said thermal processor means for developing said latent image; said thermal processing means including a processing chamber containing air, said chamber having a pair of spaced apart heating means for heating the air within the chamber for uniformly providing heat within the chaMber through thermal convection through the heated air; conveyor means, including a low mass supporting means for said transferred exposed storage medium, said low mass supporting means being substantially uniformly spaced between said heating means pair and having a low thermal conductivity whereby said low mass supporting means does not act as a heat sink during said thermal processing, said unloading means transferring said exposed storage medium to said low mass means, and means for driving said low mass means at a predetermined processing rate in at least one direction for conveying said exposed storage medium through said processing chamber for a predetermined time interval to enable said thermal convection within the chamber to develop said latent image into said actual displayable image, said conveyor means comprising a pair of low mass endless belts of low thermal conductivity, said pair comprising an upper belt and a lower belt, said lower belt being said supporting means, said exposed storage medium being conveyed to said processing chamber from said recording drum between said upper and lower belts and being substantially held in place therebetween, and means for separating said upper and lower belts prior to entry of said exposed storage medium into said chamber for thermal processing of said exposed storage medium latent image, said exposed storage medium being conveyed through said processing chamber solely on said lower belt low mass support-ing means during thermal processing of said latent image into said actual displayable image, said latent image being present solely on the side of the exposed storage medium not in contact with the lower belt, whereby said latent image is completely processed to form an actual displayable image corresponding to said data input at the output of said apparatus.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
451 words
An apparatus for recording a data input on, and thermally processing, a thermally processable storage medium comprising rotatable drum means, having an outer surface; means for loading a predetermined quantity of said storage medium about a portion of the outer surface of said drum means; means mounted in cooperative relation with said drum means for generating a raster scan on said loaded storage medium in accordance with said data input to expose said loaded storage medium and produce a thermally processable latent image thereon corresponding to said data input; means for thermally processing said exposed storage medium; and means including synchronizing means for unloading said exposed storage medium from said drum surface after said exposure and transferring said exposed medium to said thermal processor means for developing said latent image; said thermal processing means including a processing chamber containing air, said chamber having a pair of spaced apart heating means for heating the air within the chamber for uniformly providing heat within the chaMber through thermal convection through the heated air; conveyor means, including a low mass supporting means for said transferred exposed storage medium, said low mass supporting means being substantially uniformly spaced between said heating means pair and having a low thermal conductivity whereby said low mass supporting means does not act as a heat sink during said thermal processing, said unloading means transferring said exposed storage medium to said low mass means, and means for driving said low mass means at a predetermined processing rate in at least one direction for conveying said exposed storage medium through said processing chamber for a predetermined time interval to enable said thermal convection within the chamber to develop said latent image into said actual displayable image, said conveyor means comprising a pair of low mass endless belts of low thermal conductivity, said pair comprising an upper belt and a lower belt, said lower belt being said supporting means, said exposed storage medium being conveyed to said processing chamber from said recording drum between said upper and lower belts and being substantially held in place therebetween, and means for separating said upper and lower belts prior to entry of said exposed storage medium into said chamber for thermal processing of said exposed storage medium latent image, said exposed storage medium being conveyed through said processing chamber solely on said lower belt low mass support-ing means during thermal processing of said latent image into said actual displayable image, said latent image being present solely on the side of the exposed storage medium not in contact with the lower belt, whereby said latent image is completely processed to form an actual displayable image corresponding to said data input at the output of said apparatus.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said raster scan generation means includes a light source means capable of receiving said data input and being modulated in response thereto to generate at least a portion of said raster scan.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein said light source is a source of coherent light.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 3 wherein said coherent light source is a laser.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 4 wherein said laser source means includes means for modulating the intensity of said laser source output in response to said data input.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
109 words
An aparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein said raster scan comprises at least one scan line, said apparatus further includes means for rotatably driving said drum means about an axis of rotation in a predetermined direction at at least a predetermined recording rate, and said raster scan generation means includes a lens carriage means mounted in cooperative relation with said light source for focusing said modulated light source on at least a first spot on said loaded storage medium, said drum drive means being operable in synchronism with said lens carriage means to provide at least said one raster scan line in said predetermined direction of drum rotation.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
89 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 6 wherein said raster scan comprises a plurality of scan lines, and said raster scan generation means further includes means for translating said lens carriage means substantially normal to said predetermined direction of drum rotation along an axis substantially parallel to said axis of rotation in accordance with said data input for focusing said modulated light source at a different spot on another scan line translated substantially normal to said first spot scan line so as to provide said plurality of scan lines.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
54 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 7 wherein said translating means includes means for incrementally translating said lens carriage means in said substantially normal direction along said substantially parallel axis so as to incrementally translate said focusing spot between at least two scan lines in said plurality whereby said raSter scan is incrementally advanced.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
15 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 8 wherein said light source is a laser means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
29 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 9 wherein said laser source means includes means for modulating the intensity of said laser source output in response to said data input.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
80 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 8 wherein said lens carriage incremental translation means comprises a rotatable lead screw means, said lens carriage means being mounted in cooperative relation with said lead screw means for translation along said substantially parallel axis in conjunction with rotation of said lead screw means, and stepping drive means for rotatably driving said lead screw in accordance with said data input for incrementally translating said lens carriage means whereby said raster scan is incrementally advanced.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
51 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 11 wherein said stepping drive means comprises a stepping motor means having at least one predetermined stepping increment, and said lead screw means has a predetermined pitch, a basic scan pitch and stepping time being determined by said lead screw pitch and said stepping increment.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
37 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said drum means includes vacuum means for maintaining said load predetermined quantity of storage medium substantially in contact with said drum surface portion while said raster scan is generated.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
160 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said loading means comprises means for storing a quantity of unexposed storage medium greater than said predetermined quantity,capstan means for driving said unexposed storage medium from said storage means and cutter means for cutting said predetermined quantity from said greater quantity; said drum means includes clamp means for clamping the leading edge of said unexposed storage medium during loading, said unexposed storage medium being threaded from said storage means through said capstan means through said cutter means to said clamp means during loading, and means for rotatably driving said drum to load said predetermined quantity of said storage medium about said drum surface portion; and said loading means further comprises means for cooperatively controlling said capstan means, said film cutter means, said clamp means and said drum drive means for cutting said predetermined quantity of storage medium from said greater quantity when said predetermined quantity is loaded about said drum surface portion.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
16 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said storage medium is a dry silver medium.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
42 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said thermal processor further includes a cooling chamber, and means for driving said storage medium containing said developed latent image into said cooling chamber for cooling said developed storage medium to promote hardening thereof.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
36 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said conveyor means includes means for positively driving said upper belt substantially in synchronism with said lower belt, said upper and lower belts each being separately positively driven.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
41 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said conveyor means further includes means for maintaining said belts in tension for enabling said exposed storage medium to be substantially held in place therebetween due to the relative tensions of the belts.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
36 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said processing chamber heating means includes a pair of spaced apart radiant heating sources and a heat diffusion means in cooperative association therewith for providing said thermal convection.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
43 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said processing chamber includes a platen for flattening said low mass supporting means during the passage thereof through the processing chamber, said low mass supporting means being between said exposed storage medium and said platen.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
309 words
An apparatus for thermally processing an exposed thermally proCessable storage medium having a latent image recorded thereon comprising a processing chamber containing air, said chamber having a pair of spaced apart heating means for heating the air within the chamber for uniformly providing heat within the chamber through thermal convection through the heated air; and conveyor means including a low mass supporting means for supporting said exposed storage medium on one side thereof, said low mass supporting means having a low thermal conductivity whereby said low mass supporting means does not act as a heat sink during said thermal processing and being substantially uniformly spaced between said heating means air so as to be subjected to heat from opposite sides thereof, and means for driving said low mass means at a predetermined processing rate in at least one direction for conveying said exposed storage medium through said processing chamber for a predetermined time interval to enable said thermal convection within said chamber to develop said latent image into an acutal displayable image; said conveyor means comprising a pair of low mass endless belts of low thermal conductivity, said pair comprising an upper belt and a lower belt, said lower belt being said supporting means said exposed storage medium being conveyed to said processing chamber between said upper and lower belts and being substantially held in place therebetween, and means for separating said upper and lower belts prior to entry of said exposed storage medium into said chamber for thermal processing of said exposed storage medium latent image, said exposed storage medium being conveyed through said processing chamber solely on said lower belt low mass supporting means during thermal processing of said latent image into said actual displayable image, said latent image being present solely on the side of the exposed storage medium not in contact with the lower belt.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
309 words
An apparatus for thermally processing an exposed thermally proCessable storage medium having a latent image recorded thereon comprising a processing chamber containing air, said chamber having a pair of spaced apart heating means for heating the air within the chamber for uniformly providing heat within the chamber through thermal convection through the heated air; and conveyor means including a low mass supporting means for supporting said exposed storage medium on one side thereof, said low mass supporting means having a low thermal conductivity whereby said low mass supporting means does not act as a heat sink during said thermal processing and being substantially uniformly spaced between said heating means air so as to be subjected to heat from opposite sides thereof, and means for driving said low mass means at a predetermined processing rate in at least one direction for conveying said exposed storage medium through said processing chamber for a predetermined time interval to enable said thermal convection within said chamber to develop said latent image into an acutal displayable image; said conveyor means comprising a pair of low mass endless belts of low thermal conductivity, said pair comprising an upper belt and a lower belt, said lower belt being said supporting means said exposed storage medium being conveyed to said processing chamber between said upper and lower belts and being substantially held in place therebetween, and means for separating said upper and lower belts prior to entry of said exposed storage medium into said chamber for thermal processing of said exposed storage medium latent image, said exposed storage medium being conveyed through said processing chamber solely on said lower belt low mass supporting means during thermal processing of said latent image into said actual displayable image, said latent image being present solely on the side of the exposed storage medium not in contact with the lower belt.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
36 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 21 wherein said conveyor means includes means for positively driving said upper belt substantially in synchronism with said lower belt, said upper and lower belt each being separately positively driven.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
41 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 21 wherein said conveyor means further includes means for maintaining said belts in tension for enabling said unexposed storage medium to be substantially held in place therebetween due to the relative tensions of the belts.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
36 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 31 wherein said processing chamber heating means includes a pair of sapced apart radiant heating sources and a heat diffusion means in cooperative associated therewith for providing said thermal convection.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
43 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 21 wherein said processing chamber includes a platen for flattening said low mass supporting means during the passage thereof through the processing chamber, said low mass supporting means being between said exposed storage medium and said platen.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-12-24 | 1977-06-25 | 1977-12-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-12-24 | 1981-06-25 | 1981-12-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-12-24 | 1985-06-25 | 1985-12-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |