ES2203296A1 - Bound book digitalization device, has movable superior group provided with digitalization unit and transparent screen, and arcs incorporated with inferior ends and superior ends of screen, where arcs are formed by parallel elements - Google Patents

Abstract

The device has a support base (1) including an inferior support (3) and posts. A movable superior group (7) is vertically provided with a digitalization unit (2) and a transparent screen (10). The movable superior group incorporates arcs (13, 14) together with inferior ends and superior ends of the transparent screen. The arcs are formed by two parallel elements.

Description

Device for digitizing bound books.

The present invention patent application consists, according to indicates its statement, in a "Book scanning device bound ", whose new construction features, conformation and design fulfill the mission for which specifically has been projected, with maximum safety and efficiency and providing numerous advantages as detailed in the present memory

The main objective of the present invention is to propose a new solution for the digitization of books, in particular for the digitalization of bound books, with which they can overcome existing technical difficulties, using an effective and simple device.

The digitization of bound books requires techniques radically different from those normally used for sheets loose With the digitization of bound books it is not possible to use conventional scanners of the type of which the paper to be digitized is arranged inside which is captured by photosensitive elements.

In the digitalization of bound books it is necessary to leave the open book and either take a digital photo or sweep the page using a CCD that moves along or across the page. In any case, in practice he has encountered the problem that the open book is normally warped because to the leaves it contains.

The curvature of the book page to bind, especially If the book contains a large number of pages, it makes Any digitization of the same is of poor quality. In these cases usually resort to effects correction techniques produced by the curvature of the leaves. In this regard, some Existing scanners currently perform the detection of the curvature by analysis of the digital image achieved, which does not ceases to be an artificial improvement of quality loss caused in the procedure. This improvement presents certain risks when the textures of the image change precisely in the zones curved

Other conventional scanners try to recognize the curvature by digitizing the profile. That is, besides being done the digitization of the page, the profile digitization in order to determine the geometry of the curvature present in each photo and then it is corrected by that.

In any case, the initial photograph contains a deformed information and therefore a loss of quality that cannot be recovered in the processed image at posteriori in a direct way.

As an example of this latest correction technique, there may be cited scanners that are provided with a mirror through which the device knows the curvature of each page, and a platform articulated on which he is resting in order to compensate for a both said curvature. This technique based on the use of articulated platforms can be replaced on some models by two independent platforms, which either manually or automatically (by weight or by any other measure), go up or lower and compensate the position of the two covers of the book and so both partially avoid curvature.

Other book scanners are based on the crushing of the book. This can be done by placing it face down (with the pages on a glass platform) in the manner of conventional photocopiers, whether the glass is flat or if It is folded. In this sense, there are scanners and / or photocopiers that examine the two pages of the book at once or, what is more normal, a single page but allowing the other part of the book does not open at all, or by lowering a platform glass on the book turned face up. The devices described are not totally effective in terms of reliability of digitization and are usually expensive.

The device for digitizing bound books of the present invention allows to obtain the information of a book bound in a fast and, above all, effective way, by A simple configuration device.

In general, a book scanning device bound according to the present invention is formed basically by a support base of the bound book and media digitization of the information contained in the sheets of said book.

The particularity of the device described resides in the fact that said support base comprises a lower support group consisting of two planes inclined on which the semi-open book rests and a frame that is conveniently provided with two uprights. On said uprights can vertically slide an upper group mobile that is provided with the aforementioned scanning means. This mobile top group comprises a transparent screen formed by two inclined planes in correspondence with the configuration of said lower support. That screen transparent is intended to be placed on the book semi-open when it is going to be digitized. The top group mobile also includes an arc joined by its lower ends to the upper ends of said transparent screen which incorporates the aforementioned means of digitization.

According to the invention, said arc is configured by two parallel elements arched in between whose ends the respective amounts are arranged. In this way, the said upper group can move vertically with respect to cited uprights allowing some horizontal play with respect to they. This allows to adapt the screen to the surface of the free in an automatic way.

The invention also provides for the provision of means of upper group drive relative to the support group lower comprising a pulley mounted on the upper end of each amount through which respective cables pass upper group drive activated by actuators linear arranged inside the uprights. The Cable actuation allows the upper group to be raised and lowered to allow the operator to turn the pages of the book that is being digitized

Preferably, the scanning means comprise two digital cameras, one for each visible sheet of the book. There is also an anti-glare screen and media lighting of the sheets to be digitized constituted by corresponding low voltage lamps adapted to illuminate in a correct way the surface that contains the information to digitize

Advantageously, the lower support group is manufactured in a rigid material, the lower zone being flexible material to allow better support of the back of the book.

The digitization device of the invention incorporates also means for controlling the upper group drive. These control means include a PC that acts in a manner automatic over them to cause displacement vertical of said upper support group. This PC is adapted also to visualize the images obtained by the means of digitalization as the cameras photograph the pages.

To digitize a book with the present device invention, the semi-open book on the lower support group with the mobile group raised. Subsequently, the upper mobile group is lowered until the transparent screen is arranged on the two visible sheets of the semi-open book and then the digital cameras they photograph by sending the image to the PC, which is stored. When the scanning of these two pages of the book, the PC activate the drive means that raise the upper group and then the operator can turn the page of the book to later lower the above mentioned group until the screen is arranged again above the two visible pages of the book to proceed to the digitization of others two pages of it.

The fact that the upper group, which is mobile to allow book pages to pass, it is a solidarity set consisting of the scanning cameras, the arc, the anti-glare screen, the lighting system and the transparent screen

The union of the upper mobile group with the fixed support base, which presents two degrees of freedom: towards up and to the sides (with respect to the longitudinal axis of the group bottom support). The third degree of freedom (transversal to said axis) is locked by the pillar itself.

If the book, once placed semi-open in the support group lower, due to bookbinding defects, a opening angle different from that of said support group, the clearance provided by the aforementioned degree of horizontal freedom it allows that, when lowering the upper group, this one can adapt conveniently to the angle in question. This is so due to the fact that although this one would rest inclined, the cameras digital would continue to digitize the pages of the book of focused and focused way, since you are actually photographing the screen and they always do it the same way -centres and focused correctly - even if the screen is wrong placed.

The advantages obtained with the device of the invention They are as follows:

-

the book is not manipulated except to pass leaves;

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book binding is not forced (I don't know crushes it);

-

photography is always focused and centered (the screen is automatically centered and the cameras are solidarity this);

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can accept any book size without modify the way of operation to any size.

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the digital cameras and the PC are elements easily interchangeable independent without affecting design functional indicated.

Tests performed with the described device allowed claim that it is the fastest scanner known in terms of number of pages scanned per hour.

Finally, it should be noted that there are certain technical aspects of the device of the invention that are subject to variations of design and depend on technological trends. Sayings elements are, for example, the scanning means that can be digital cameras or other rasterization devices, or the government software of the digitizing device, or the elements of traction (pistons, manual hoist of the set, etc.) and the choice of attachment points of the joint assembly to the traction elements, as well as the choice of said fasteners, the choice of lighting elements and their locations

However, the most determining elements in the configuration of the device of the present invention, both from a point of structural view as from a functional point of view, are the Following are listed below:

The lower support group is formed by a defined part by two inclined planes on which the book rests semi-open (in any inclination of opening and of any dimension).

The transparent screen made of glass or methacrylate it presents a complementary form to the opening that the book thanks to the lower support group mentioned.

Finally, the media movement of digitization, either by pneumatic pistons or by any another mechanical or manual device and the fact that the group mobile top is a solidarity set consisting essentially of said screen, the arc and the scanning means.

It is also important, according to the invention, that drive means of the upper mobile group is carried out with two degrees of freedom, so that you automatically get the correct positioning of the set on the book before the digitization

The features and advantages of the device digitization of bound books object of this invention will be clearer from the description detailed of a preferred embodiment thereof that will be given, of hereinafter, by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of an embodiment of a device for digitizing bound books of according to the present invention in which the upper mobile group it has been illustrated in a lower position prepared for digitization of two pages of a bound book;

Figure 2 corresponds to a front elevation view of the realization of the book scanning device of the previous figure in which the upper mobile group has been illustrated in a superior position prepared to turn the pages of the book bound;

Figure 3 is a top view of the device for digitizing bound books previous figures; Y

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the device digitization of bound books of the figures previous.

The references that have been listed below are listed used in the description to indicate the different elements that configure the book scanning device bound of the present invention:

(one)

support base;

(two)

means of digitizing information contained in the sheets of the book;

(3)

lower support group;

(3rd,

3b) lateral support elements

(4)

frame;

(5,

6) uprights;

(7)

upper mobile group;

(8,

9) digital photo cameras;

(10)

transparent screen;

(11.12)

low voltage lamps;

(13,

14) arch structure;

(13a,

14a) joining elements;

(fifteen,

16) pulleys;

(17,

18) traction cables;

(19,

20) pneumatic linear actuators; Y

(twenty-one)

lower area of the support group lower.

A preferred embodiment of a agreement book digitizing device with the present invention illustrated in figures 1, 2, 3, 4 as an illustrative but not limiting example.

The device illustrated in the aforementioned figures comprises a support base (1) of the bound book (not illustrated) and means of digitization (2) of the information contained in the sheets of said book.

The support base (1) of the device of the invention comprises a lower support group (3) made in one piece and formed by two inclined planes as a "V" on which it rests The semi-open book.

This lower support group (3) in a "V" shape is left supported by two lateral support elements (3a, 3b) and is made of a rigid material, the lower zone (21) being flexible material to allow better support of the loin of the book.

Said lower support group (3) is mounted on a frame (4) provided with two vertical uprights (5, 6), such as can be seen in the figures attached here memory.

You can slide through the mentioned uprights (5, 6) of the frame (4) vertically a mobile upper group (7) provided with the aforementioned scanning means (2) which, in the embodiment that is describes, they comprise two digital photography cameras (8, 9), one for each visible sheet of the book (not illustrated). The means of digitization (2) also includes an anti-glare screen and lighting means of the sheets to be digitized constituted by low voltage lamps (11, 12) adapted to illuminate properly the surface to be digitized.

The scanning means (2) are incorporated in the aforementioned upper mobile group (7) of the device of the invention, so They move with this one. This mobile top group (7) comprises also a transparent screen (10) formed by two planes inclined in correspondence with the "V" configuration of the bottom support (3). The transparent screen (10), which can be made of glass, methacrylate or any other material adequate, is intended to be placed on the book semi-open when it is going to be digitized in the position of digitization illustrated in figure 1.

The upper mobile group (7) is also constituted by a arch structure (13, 14) made of aluminum. The extremes Lower arched structure (13, 14) are attached to the upper ends of the transparent screen (10). In the junction zone of both elements (10, 13, 14) the cited low voltage lamps (11, 12), as seen in the figures.

The arc structure mentioned above is configured by two equal parallel elements (13, 14) which have a arched shape and between whose ends are arranged the respective amounts (5, 6), as can be seen in the side elevation view of figure 4. What is intended with this structural configuration of the upper mobile group (7) is that it can move vertically with respect to the uprights (5, 6) allowing some horizontal play with respect to them with the so that the transparent screen (10) is centered on the book automatically when lowering the upper group (7).

In figures 1 and 2 of the drawings that are included can distinguish between individual elements (13a, 14a) that correspond to an extension of the arch (13, 14) and among which are arranged the uprights (5, 6) as shown in figure no. 3.

The upper mobile group (7) is activated by means of drive comprising pulleys (15, 16) mounted on the upper end of the uprights (5, 6) through which they pass respective traction cables (17, 18) that drive the group upper (7), raising and lowering it by means of actuators linear tires (19, 20) mounted inside the uprights (5, 6), as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the which are powered by a conventional air compressor (no represented).

Between each upright (5, 6) and the hitch point of the cable traction (17, 18) with the upper mobile group (7) there is a distance that allows the whole to have freedom right-left (in addition to the up-down). This distance is significantly reduces when the upper group (7) rises to a superior position (figure n ° 2), which highlights the right-left freedom (horizontal slack) that the group has mobile top (7) when moving up and down. Those two degrees of freedom of the mobile top group (7) when up and down is especially relevant to the objectives of the device of the present invention, since by lowering the assembly without guides or fastenings in the longitudinal direction, the screen transparent (10) collides with the surface of the book and slides until focus on the opening line of it. The third grade of freedom (transverse to said axis) is blocked by the own amount (5, 6).

Although they have not been illustrated, both the movement of the group top (7) as the control of the display of images captured by the cameras (8, 9) is controlled by a PC. The computer, using appropriate software, acts automatically on conventional electro-valves, which feed or empty the pneumatic pistons causing the joint assembly Go up and down.

The process of digitizing a book with the device the present invention is carried out by first placing the semi-open book on the lower support group (3) with the mobile group (7) in the elevated position of figure 2. Then the upper group (7) is lowered according to figure 1 until the screen (10) is on the two visible pages of the book and then the cameras (8, 9) photograph them by sending the information captured to the PC. When scanning has been done, the PC does raise the upper group (7) and the operator can turn the page to subsequently lower the upper group (7) until the screen is again on the two visible pages of the book to proceed to the digitization of two other pages of the book.

If the book, once semi-open in the lower support group (3), presents an opening angle different from that of the group of support (3), the horizontal clearance provided by the group upper (7) allows the lower group (7) to lower it can be adapted to the angle in question since although would stand tilted, the cameras (8, 9) would continue to digitize the pages in a focused and focused way, since you are in actually, they photograph the screen glass (10) and always they do the same way - focused and focused correctly - although said screen (10) is offset and / or crooked.

With the device of the invention the book is not manipulated anymore that to bind sheets, the book binding and the photography is always focused and centered since the screen (10) is automatically centered and the cameras (8, 9) are in solidarity this). In addition, the device accepts any book size without modifying the way it works. On the other hand, the digital cameras (8, 9) and the PC are independent elements easily interchangeable without affecting functional design indicated.

Described sufficiently in what the device of the present invention in correspondence with the attached drawings, is understands that any modification of detail deemed convenient as long as the essential characteristics of the invention are not altered, summarized in the following claims.

Claims (8)

1. Device for digitizing bound books comprising a support base (1) of the bound book and scanning means (2) of the information contained in the sheets of said book, characterized in that said support base (1) comprises a lower support group (3) formed by two inclined planes on which the semi-open book rests, and a frame (4) provided with two uprights (5, 6) on which a mobile upper group (7) can slide vertically provided with said scanning means (2), said upper mobile group (7) comprising a transparent screen (10) formed by two inclined planes corresponding to the configuration of said lower support (3) which is intended to be placed on the semi-open book, and said upper mobile group (7) also comprising an arc (13, 14) joined by its lower ends to the upper ends of said transparent screen (10). 2. Device for digitizing bound books, according to the 1st claim, characterized in that said arc is formed by two parallel elements in an arcuate shape (13, 14) between whose ends (13a, 14a) the respective uprights (5) are arranged. , 6), so that said upper group (7) can move vertically with respect to them and allowing some horizontal play with respect to them. 3. Device for digitizing bound books, according to the first claim, characterized in that it comprises means for actuating the upper group (7) with respect to the lower support group (3). 4. Device for digitizing bound books, according to the 3rd claim, characterized in that said actuating means of the upper group (7) with respect to the lower support group '(3) comprise pulleys (15, 16) mounted on the upper end of each upright (5, 6) through which respective drive cables (17, 18) of the upper group (7) activated by linear actuators (19, 20) arranged inside the uprights (5, 6) pass. 5. Device for digitizing bound books, according to the 1st claim, characterized in that the scanning means (2) comprise two digital cameras (8, 9), one for. Every visible sheet of the book. 6. Device for digitizing bound books, according to the 5th claim, characterized in that said scanning means (2) further comprise an anti-glare screen and lighting means (11, 12) of the sheets to be scanned. 7. Device for digitizing bound books, according to the 1st claim, characterized in that the lower support group (3) is made of a rigid material, the lower area (21) being of flexible material to allow a better support of the spine of the book. 8. Device for digitizing bound books, according to the first claim, characterized in that it comprises means for controlling the drive of the upper group (7) which include a PC that automatically acts on them to cause the vertical movement of said group of upper support (7), said PC being also adapted to visualize the images obtained by the scanning means (2).