Microfiche printing system and method

摘要

A microfiche printing system and method includes an optical system operative to scan and temporarily record microfiche image edge data on a high speed row scanning stroke of a microfiche sheet and to print the row of microfiche images onto plain paper on a printing stroke of the microfiche sheet using the temporarily recorded data automatically to control microfiche image masking. The optics system includes a shutter/mirror assembly having a shutter movable between an open position for printing microfiche images aligned with the optics in the printing stroke and a closed position to block the light path of the optics system edge masking functions in the printing stroke and for diverting the image for edge sensing functions in the scanning stroke. The optics system further includes two edge masks synchronously driven toward and away from one another, the edge masks including guided leads of narrow film strips reciprocally oppositely driven by rotatable spaced spools powered by stepper motors to control the spacing between the guided leads during the printing stroke to mask the microfiche image optics in accordance with edge data temporarily recorded during the scanning stroke.