Laser scanner with selected plural beam sources

Claim 2

A laser beam scanning apparatus comprising: plural laser beam sources for emitting laser beams modulated by a picture signal and having different characteristics from each other; a beam composition means for composing the beams emitted from said laser beam sources to form one laser beam; a deflecting means for deflecting the composite laser beam in a main scanning direction thereof; a beam splitter for splitting the deflected laser beam on the basis of the characteristic of the laser beam; and a beam-selecting means for selecting the laser beam in correspondence with the characteristic of the laser beam split by said splitter, said beam-selecting means arranged between said splitter and the substance to be illuminated on an optical path of the beam, wherein each split laser beam illuminates on a different part of a substance to be illuminated.

Claim 3

A laser beam scanning apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said splitter has a partial reflective film for splitting an incident light into a reflective light and a transmitting light, said beam-selecting means has a partial reflective film with the same characteristic as such a characteristic of the film of said splitter that the reflective light from said splitter is reflected thereby and the transmitting light is transmitted it.

Claim 4

A laser beam scanning apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an optical member for correcting an error of an incline angle of said deflecting means, said member being arranged between said splitter and the substance on the optical path of the laser beam split by said splitter, wherein said beam-selecting means is composed of a partial reflective film covered said optical member.

Claim 5

A laser beam scanning apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a box-like light-intercepting cover for accommodating said sources, said beam composition means, said deflecting means, and said splitter, wherein each laser beam split by said splitter is transmitted a light transmission member covering an exit opening formed on said cover to illuminate on a different part of a substance to be illuminated arranged outside said cover, and said beam-selecting means is a dielectric multilayer film for selectively transmitting the laser beam split by said splitter and then incident on the light transmission member, which is formed on a surface of the light transmission member.

Claim 6

A laser beam scanning apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the dielectric multilayer film covers an inner surface of the light transmission member where is located inside said cover.

Claim 7

A laser beam scanning apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said beam-selecting means is a dichroic mirror including a dielectric multilayer film.

Claim 8

A laser beam scanning apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said beam composition means is composed of a dichroic prism comprising two optical glasses and a partial reflective film for transmitting the laser beam with a specified characteristic and reflecting the laser beam with a characteristic different from that of the transmitted laser beam which is arranged between the prisms.

Claim 9

A laser beam scanning apparatus comprising: plural laser beam sources for emitting laser beams modulated by a picture signal and having different characteristics from each other; a beam composition means for composing the beams emitted from said laser beam sources to form one laser beam; a deflecting means for deflecting the composite laser beam in a main scanning direction thereof; a beam splitter for splitting the deflected laser beam on the basis of the characteristic of the laser beam; and a beam-selecting means for selecting the laser beam in correspondence with the characteristic of the laser beam split by said splitter, wherein each split laser beam illuminates on a different part of a substance to be illuminated, said splitter is so constructed that two optical glass-made prisms are closely attached to each other and a first dielectric multilayer film for transmitting the laser beam with a specified characteristic and reflecting the laser beam with a characteristic different from that of the transmitted laser beam is arranged therebetween, a second dielectric multilayer film for selectively transmitting the laser beam covers an exit surface of said splitter where the laser beam transmitted the first dielectric multilayer film falls on, and said beam-selecting means are the first and second dielectric multilayer films.

Claim 10

A laser beam scanning apparatus comprising: plural laser beam sources for emitting laser beams modulated by a picture signal and having different characteristics from each other; a beam composition means for composing the beams emitted from said laser beam sources to form one laser beam; a deflecting means for deflecting the composite laser beam in a main scanning direction thereof; a beam splitter for splitting the deflected laser beam on the basis of the characteristic of the laser beam; and a beam-selecting means for selecting the laser beam in correspondence with the characteristic of the laser beam split by said splitter, wherein each split laser beam illuminates on a different part of a substance to be illuminated, said splitter is so constructed that two optical glass-made prisms are closely attached to each other and a first dielectric multilayer film for transmitting the laser beam with a specified characteristic and reflecting the laser beam with a characteristic different from that of the transmitted laser beam is arranged therebetween, a second dielectric multilayer film for selectively transmitting the laser beam covers an exit surface of said splitter where the laser beam transmitted the first dielectric multilayer film falls on, and said beam-selecting means are the first and second dielectric multilayer films.

Claim 11

A laser beam scanning apparatus comprising: plural laser beam sources for emitting laser beams modulated by a picture signal and having different characteristics from each other; a beam composition means for composing the beams emitted from said laser beam sources to form one laser beam; a deflecting means for deflecting the composite laser beam in a main scanning direction thereof; a beam splitter for splitting the deflected laser beam on the basis of the characteristic of the laser beam; and a beam-selecting means for selecting the laser beam in correspondence with the characteristic of the laser beam split by said splitter, wherein each split laser beam illuminates on a different part of a substance to be illuminated, said splitter is so constructed that two optical glass-made prisms are closely attached to each other and a first dielectric multilayer film for transmitting the laser beam with a specified characteristic and reflecting the laser beam with a characteristic different from that of the transmitted laser beam is arranged therebetween, a third dielectric multilayer film for selectively transmitting the laser beam covers an exit surface of said splitter where the laser beam reflected by the first dielectric multilayer film falls on, and said beam-selecting means are the first and third dielectric multilayer films.

Claim 12

A laser beam scanning apparatus comprising: plural laser beam sources for emitting laser beams modulated by a picture signal and having different characteristics from each other; a beam composition means for composing the beams emitted from said laser beam sources to form one laser beam; a deflecting means for deflecting the composite laser beam in a main scanning direction thereof; a beam splitter for splitting the deflected laser beam on the basis of the characteristic of the laser beam; and a beam-selecting means for selecting the laser beam in correspondence with the characteristic of the laser beam split by said splitter, wherein each split laser beam illuminates on a different part of a substance to be illuminated, said splitter is so constructed that two optical glass-made prisms are closely attached to each other and a first dielectric multilayer film for transmitting the laser beam with a specified characteristic and reflecting the laser beam with a characteristic different from that of the transmitted laser beam is arranged therebetween, a third dielectric multilayer film for selectively transmitting the laser beam covers an exit surface of said splitter where the laser beam reflected by the first dielectric multilayer film falls on, and said beam-selecting means are the first and third dielectric multilayer films.

Claim 13

A laser beam scanning apparatus comprising: plural laser beam sources for emitting laser beams modulated by a picture signal and having different characteristics from each other; a beam composition means for composing the beams emitted from said laser beam sources to form one laser beam; a deflecting means for deflecting the composite laser beam in a main scanning direction thereof; a beam splitter for splitting the deflected laser beam on the basis of the characteristic of the laser beam; and a beam-selecting means for selecting the laser beam in correspondence with the characteristic of the laser beam split by said splitter, wherein each split laser beam illuminates on a different part of a substance to be illuminated, said splitter is composed of a flat optical glass of which a plane of incidence and an exit surface are covered with dielectric multilayer films for transmitting the laser beam with a specified characteristic and reflecting the laser beam with a characteristic different from that of the transmitted laser beam, respectively, and said beam-selecting means are the films.

Claim 14

A laser beam scanning apparatus comprising: plural laser beam sources for emitting laser beams modulated by a picture signal and having different characteristics from each other; a beam composition means for composing the beams emitted from said laser beam sources to form one laser beam; a deflecting means for deflecting the composite laser beam in a main scanning direction thereof; a beam splitter for splitting the deflected laser beam on the basis of the characteristic of the laser beam; and a beam-selecting means for selecting the laser beam in correspondence with the characteristic of the laser beam split by said splitter, wherein each split laser beam illuminates on a different part of a substance to be illuminated, said splitter is composed of a flat optical glass of which a plane of incidence and an exit surface are covered with dielectric multilayer films for transmitting the laser beam with a specified characteristic and reflecting the laser beam with a characteristic different from that of the transmitted laser beam, respectively, and said beam-selecting means are the films.

Claim 15

A laser beam scanning apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein said splitter is a dichroic prism of which the optical prisms are rectangular prisms.

Claim 16

A laser beam scanning apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein said splitter is a dichroic prism of which the optical prisms are rectangular prisms.

Claim 17

A laser beam scanning apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein said splitter is a dichroic prism of which the optical prisms are a rectangular prism and a flat glass.

Claim 18

A laser beam scanning apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein said splitter is a dichroic prism of which the optical prisms are a rectangular prism and a flat glass.

Claim 19

A laser beam scanning apparatus comprising: a laser beam source for emitting laser beams modulated by a picture signal and having different characteristics from each other; a deflecting means for deflecting the laser beams in a main scanning direction thereof; a beam splitter for splitting the deflected laser beams on the basis of the characteristic of the laser beam, and a beam-selecting means for selecting the laser beams corresponding with the characteristic of the laser beam split by said splitter, said beam-selecting means arranged between said splitter and a substance to be illuminated on an optical path of the beam, wherein each split laser beam illuminates on a different part of the substance to be illuminated.

Claim 20

A laser beam scanning apparatus comprising: a laser beam source for emitting laser beams modulated by a picture signal and having different characteristics from each other; a deflecting means for deflecting the laser beams in a main scanning direction thereof; a beam splitter for splitting the deflected laser beams on the basis of the characteristic of the laser beam, and a beam-selecting means for selecting the laser beams corresponding with the characteristic of the laser beam split by said splitter, said beam-selecting means arranged between said splitter and a substance to be illuminated on an optical path of the beam, wherein each split laser beam illuminates on a different part of the substance to be illuminated.