Exposure system and hole array

1. A reading light exposure system, which scans an image recording medium with a reading light beam, comprising

a line source emitting the reading light beam,

an optical means which converges the reading light beam emitted from the line source in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the line source, and

a hole array having a number of optical openings which limit the angle of divergence of the reading light beam in the longitudinal direction of the line source with respect to the optical axis of the optical means, wherein the improvement comprises that

the length of each of the optical openings in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the line source is larger than the length thereof in the longitudinal direction of the line source.

2. A reading light exposure system as defined in claim 1 in which the length of each of the optical openings in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the line source is larger than 1.5 times the length thereof in the longitudinal direction of the line source.

3. A reading light exposure system as defined in claim 2 in which the length of each of the optical openings in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the line source is larger than 2.0 times the length thereof in the longitudinal direction of the line source.

4. A reading light exposure system as defined in claim 1 in which the line source comprises a number of linearly arranged LEDs.

5. A reading light exposure system as defined in claim 1 in which the image recording medium is an electrostatic recording medium which generates an electric current according to an electrostatic latent image recorded thereon when exposed to reading light.

6. A reading light exposure system as defined in claim 1 in which the image recording medium is a stimulable phosphor sheet which emits instantaneous light according to the image information stored thereon when exposed to reading light.

7. A reading light exposure system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the hole array has an antireflection surface to prevent the reflection of light.

8. A hole array having a number of through holes formed at the same intervals comprising:

a plurality of hole array plates bonded together, each having optical openings formed in positions corresponding to the through holes,

wherein the plurality of hole array plates have an antireflection surface to prevent the reflection of light in which at least one of the hole array plates has at least one optical opening which is larger in shape than the through hole.

9. A hole array as defined in claim 8 in which at least one of the outermost hole array plates has optical openings which are formed in positions each corresponding to each of the through holes and in shapes substantially the same as the corresponding through holes.

10. A hole array as defined in claim 9 in which the hole array comprises at least three hole array plates and the two outermost hole array plates have optical openings which are formed in positions each corresponding to each of the through holes and in shapes substantially the same as the corresponding through holes.

11. A hole array having a number of through holes comprising:

a plurality of hole array plates bonded together, each having optical openings formed in positions corresponding to the through holes,

wherein at least one of the hole array plates has at least one optical opening which is formed in a position corresponding to a plurality of the through holes and is shaped to include the through holes.

12. A light exposure system, comprising

a line source emitting a light beam,

an optical means which converges the light beam emitted from the line source in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the line source, and

a hole array having a number of through holes formed at the same intervals which limit the angles of divergence of the light beams in the longitudinal direction of the line source with respect to the optical axis of the optical means, wherein the improvement comprises that

the hole array is formed by a plurality of hole array plates bonded together, each having optical openings formed in positions corresponding to the through holes.

13. A light exposure system as defined in claim 12 in which at least one of the hole array plates has at least one optical opening which is larger in shape than the through hole.

14. A light exposure system as defined in claim 13 in which one of the two outermost hole array plates remoter from the line source has optical openings which are formed in positions each corresponding to each of the through holes and in shapes substantially the same as the corresponding through holes.

15. A light exposure system as defined in claim 14 in which the hole array comprises at least three hole array plates and the two outermost hole array plates has optical openings which are formed in positions each corresponding to each of the through holes and in shapes substantially the same as the corresponding through holes.

16. A light exposure system, comprising

a line source emitting a light beam,

an optical means which converges the light beam emitted from the line source in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the line source, and

a hole array having a number of holes which limit the angles of divergence of the light beams in the longitudinal direction of the line source with respect to the optical axis of the optical means, wherein the improvement comprises that the hole array is formed by a plurality of hole array plates bonded together, each having optical openings formed in positions corresponding to the through holes,

wherein at least one of the hole array plates has at least one optical opening which is formed in a position corresponding to a plurality of the through holes and is shaped to include the through holes.