Converging beam linear optical scanner

DETAILED DESCRIPTION What is claimed is: 1.
A converging beam linear optical scanning system adapted to receive essentially collimated light rays from object space, the light rays passing through the converging beam linear optical scanning system in image forming relation, to form an image on a relatively flat image plane, said optical scanning system being adapted to converge and focus the collimated rays and to periodically and reciprocally displace the image on said relatively flat image plane, said converging beam linear optical scanning system comprising: an objective lens system for receiving essentially collimated light rays from object space and for converging said essentially collimated light rays along an optical axis to form a relatively flat image field on said relatively flat image plane; the optical axis of said objective lens system being incident on said relatively flat image plane; a meniscus lens having a vertex, said optical axis passing through said vertex, said meniscus lens being shaped to have essentially zero optical power; means for supporting and gimballing said meniscus lens on at least a first pivot axis, said first pivot axis being orthogonal to said objective lens optical axis and positioned to cross said optical axis between said objective lens and said image plane, said meniscus lens position being selected to have said meniscus lens receive the converging light rays from said objective lens system and to transmit said converging light rays to said relatively flat image plane; means for periodically and reciprocally oscillating said meniscus lens through a reciprocal predetermined pivotal angular displacement on at least said first pivot axis, said means for oscillating said meniscus lens being coupled to said means for supporting and gimballing said meniscus lens; whereby, said image is periodically and linearly displaced on said relatively flat image plane, said image linear displacement corresponding in distance and time to said meniscus lens oscillating first pivotal angle on said first pivot axis