GB2309087A

GB2309087A - Photocopiers

Info

Publication number: GB2309087A
Application number: GB9600456A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael Waddingham
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1996-01-10
Filing date: 1996-01-10
Publication date: 1997-07-16
Also published as: GB9600456D0

Abstract

An improvement for a photocopier having a housing 21 provided with a transparent plate 25 for receiving a document to be copied. The improvement comprises viewing means 33 for enabling a user to view the document to be copied when it is positioned on the plate 25, thereby to enable the user to check the alignment of the document on the plate 25 before taking a copy of that document.

Description

AN INPROVENENT FOR A PHOTOCOPIER This invention relates to an improvement for a photocopier.

A photocopier generally comprises a scanning system and a transferring system encased in a housing. A top portion of the housing is a transparent glass plate. The scanning system is adapted to scan a selected area of the glass plate. This usually involves scanning across that area with a moving light source. The moving light source transmits light through the glass plate from the interior of the housing. Any light reflected from for example a document on the glass plate is so reflected into the housing that it reacts with a light sensitive ink transferring system in such a way that an image of the document can be formed on, for example, a sheet of paper.

When using the photocopier, the document which is to be copied is normally placed face down on the glass plate and the area of the glass plate to be scanned is selected. Unfortunately, because the document is positioned face down on the plate, it can be difficult to position it accurately relative to that area of the plate which is to be scanned. Hence, this often results in wasted copies being taken.

An object of the present invention is to enable a user of a photocopier to position a document on the glass plate without having to waste time or paper.

According to the present invention there is provided an improvement for a photocopier comprising a housing with a transparent plate provided to receive a document to be copied, said improvement comprising viewing means operable to enable a user to view the document to be copied on the plate, thereby enabling the user to check the alignment of said document on said plate before taking a copy of that document.

The viewing means may be a light source which is positioned inside the housing of the photocopier so that when it is switched on it radiates light through the plate from a side thereof remote from the side on which the document is placed, so that if a sufficiently thin document is placed on the plate the light can radiate through the document, thereby enabling a user of the photocopier to check the alignment of that document.

A mirror may be positioned on a side of the light source remote from the plate, so that when the light source is switched on light radiated thereby is reflected from the mirror onto the plate. The mirror may be concave and positioned so that it presents its concave side to said light source, so that when the light source is switched on, light radiated thereby is focused onto the plate.

The viewing means may comprise a light source, an intermediate mirror and a viewing mirror positioned so that when the photocopier is in use and the light source is switched on, light radiated by said light source is transmitted through the plate and is reflected from the document to be copied onto the intermediate mirror from where it is reflected onto the viewing mirror which is positioned so that a user can view the image of the document.

The intermediate mirror may be convex and positioned so that it presents its convex side to light reflected from the document on the plate.

The viewing mirror may be contained inside the housing with a window being provided on the housing so that a viewer can view the image of the document therethrough. Alternatively, the viewing mirror may be provided on a flap which projects from an outer wall of the housing and at an acute angle thereto, said flap being adjacent an opening in the housing which is provided to allow light reflected from the intermediate mirror to be transmitted outside the housing and onto the viewing mirror. The flap may be hinged so that in one configuration it defines an acute angle with the wall of the housing and in another configuration it is substantially flush with the wall of the housing. The opening may be closed by a transparent closing plate.

Aligning means comprising a substantially transparent portion on which alignment markers are provided may be placed in the optical path which the light reflected from the document follows, so that the final image viewed by a user includes an image of said alignment markers, wherein said alignment markers indicate the limits of the area of the plate to be scanned.

The light from the intermediate mirror may pass through magnifying/reducing means before being incident on the viewing mirror, so that the user can view an enlarged/reduced image. The magnifying/reducing means may be those provided in the photocopier for the purposes of enlarging or reducing the document to be copied.

The light source may be switched between on and off states by means of the switch which is preferably mounted on said housing.

The light source may be that which is incorporated in the photocopier scanning system.

Several improvements to a photocopier will now be described with reference to the following drawings of which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic section of a photocopier in which the invention is embodied; Figure 2 is a diagrammatic section of another photocopier in which the invention is embodied; Figure 3 is a diagrammatic section of a modification of the photocopier of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a diagrammatic section of another modification of the photocopier of Figure 2; Figure 5 is a diagrammatic section of another photocopier in which the invention is embodied; Figure 6 is a diagrammatic section of a modification of the photocopier shown in Figure 5; and Figure 7 is a diagrammatic section of another photocopier in which the invention is embodied which has a modification of its internal optics.

Figure 1 shows a photocopier which comprises a housing 9 with a top portion which comprises a transparent plate 11. A light source 13 is provided inside the housing 9. The light source 13 can be switched on or off by means of a switch. A mirror 15 is positioned adjacent the light source 13 on a side thereof remote from the transparent plate 11. This mirror 15 presents a concave surface 17 to the light source 13 and is positioned so that when the light source 13 is switched on light radiated thereby is focused onto the transparent plate 11.

The mirror 15 could alternatively be planar.

When this arrangement is in use, the document 19 which is to be copied is placed face down on the transparent plate 11 and the light source 13 is switched on. Provided the document 19 is sufficiently thin, the light from the light source 13 shines through it and enables a person viewing the document to check its alignment relative the plate 11. When the person is satisfied with the alignment of the document on the plate 11, the light source 13 is switched off and a copy of the document 19 can be taken.

Figure 2 shows another photocopier comprising a housing 21 with a top portion 23 which comprises a transparent plate 25. A light source 27, which can be switched on or off by means of a switch, is provided inside the housing 21. Adjacent the light source 27 but on a side thereof remote from the glass plate there is a concave mirror 29, which is positioned so that when the light source 27 is switched on light radiated thereby is focused onto the plate 25.

A planar mirror 31 is provided inside the housing 21. A viewing mirror 33 is provided adjacent an opening 35 on the housing 21. It is mounted on a hinged flap 39 which extends from an outside of the housing 21 at an acute angle thereto, so that its mirrored side is presented to a user of the photocopier looking from above. The flap 39 can be rotated about its hinge to a position in which it abuts the side of the housing 21 and closes the opening 35.

The planar mirror 31 and the viewing mirror 33 are arranged so that when the light source 27 is switched on and a document is placed on the transparent plate 25, light radiated therefrom is reflected from the document onto the planar mirror 31, from where it is reflected through the opening 35 and onto the viewing mirror 33.

Hence, a user can see on the viewing mirror 33 an image of the document on the transparent plate 25 and so can see how that document is aligned thereon. The flap 39 can be pivoted about its hinge so that the viewing mirror 33 can scan the full length of the glass plate. The user is then able to align the document appropriately and, on switching off the light source, can take a copy of the appropriate part of the document.

A modification to the photocopier shown in Figure 2 is shown in Figure 3. In this case the opening 35 is closed by a transparent closing plate 41. This prevents dust entering the interior of the photocopier.

Figure 4 shows a photocopier in which the viewing mirror 33 is encased within the housing 21. A window 43 is provided in the top portion 23 of the housing 21, so that the user can view the image reflected from the viewing mirror 33 therethrough.

Figure 5 shows an arrangement similar to that shown in Figures 2 to 4 but in this case the planar mirror 31 is replaced by a convex mirror 45 which presents a convex surface to light transmitted through the transparent plate 25. This reduces the size of the image and so enables the size of the viewing mirror 33 to be reduced.

Figure 6 shows an arrangement similar to that of Figures 2 to 5 but which includes an alignment component 47 in the optical path which light reflected from a document on the transparent plate follows. The alignment component 47 comprises a transparent portion on which is formed alignment marks. These marks indicate the various limits of the areas of the plate which are to be scanned.

The alignment component 47 can be inserted at various positions along the optical path. Three such positions C, D and E are indicated on Figure 6. Position C is between the window 43 and the viewing mirror 33.

Position D is between the convex mirror 45 and the viewing mirror 33. Position E is between the transparent plate 25 and the convex mirror 45. If the alignment component 47 is in position C, care should be taken to avoid or minimise the effects of parallax when determining the optimum position. As regards position E, care should be taken to ensure that the alignment component 47 does not interfere with the light which is to be incident on the transparent plate 25.

The alignment component 47 may be a graticule plate which comprises a transparent plate in which is incorporated fine lines or fibres. Alternatively, it may be a transparent plate on a surface of which marks are formed.

Many photocopiers are equipped with means for producing enlarged or reduced copies of documents. These means usually comprise magnifying and/or reducing lenses.

In order to view the final image of the enlarged or reduced copy of the document before that copy is produced, the arrangement shown in Figure 7 can be used.

Figure 7 shows an arrangement in which light radiated by the light source 27 is incident on the document and is then reflected onto the mirror 31 from where it is reflected through the photocopier lens 48 which is employed in the enlargement or reduction process. A reduced or enlarged image is then projected onto the mirror 49. If necessary an additional lens system 50 may be required to focus an image on a viewing screen 51 which is provided on the top portion of the housing 21.

A new range of photocopiers is emerging which operate by scanning material digitally and printing the image. It is proposed that, in order to view a document when it is positioned ready to be copied, a small viewing screen is provided similar to those provided on video cameras. This would provide a view of the underside of the document as modified by the selections of the operator.

The light source 13,27 is switched between on and off states by means of the switch which is preferably mounted on the housing 9,21.

The light source used in each of the embodiments described above could be omitted and the light source which is incorporated in the photocopier scanning system could be used instead. Typically, the scanning system comprises a travelling light source with screens mounted on either side. It would be possible to provide means for lowering say, one of the screens and using the light radiated from the travelling source to illuminate the transparent plate.

An alternative way of utilising the travelling light is to provide it with a manual control which is operable to drive the light to a position where it can illuminate the transparent plate. For example, a rocker switch could be connected to the motor which drives the light.

This could be arranged so that when pressure is applied to one side of the rocker switch the light is driven out along the transparent plate and when pressure is released the light is stationary so that the user can view the desired part of that plate. When pressure is applied on the other side of the switch the light is driven back into its housing where it is ready to be used for copying. If it is considered that the travelling light is excessively bright, a reduced voltage could be applied for manual operation.

The use of two mirrors in the embodiments described with reference to Figures 2 to 6, results in an erect image, so that where the document being copied has text thereon, that text can be read by a user of the photocopier from the image formed on the viewing mirror 33.

It should be understood that in Figures 1 to 7, the internal workings which are necessary for normal use of the photocopier have been omitted for the sake of clarity. The relative positions of the internal workings and the viewing arrangements described above will depend on design criteria.

Claims

1. An improvement for a photocopier, which photocopier comprises a housing provided with a transparent plate for receiving a document to be copied, wherein said improvement comprises viewing means for enabling a user to view the document to be copied when it is positioned on the plate, thereby enabling the user to check the alignment of the document on said plate before taking a copy of that document.

2. An improvement for a photocopier according to claim 1, wherein said viewing means comprises a light source which is positioned inside the housing of the photocopier so that when switched on it radiates light through the plate from a side thereof remote from the side on which the document is placed, so that if a sufficiently thin document is placed on the plate the light can radiate through the document, thereby enabling a user of the photocopier to check the alignment of that document.

3. An improvement according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein a mirror is positioned on the side of the light source remote from the plate, so that when the light source is switched on, light radiated thereby is reflected from the mirror onto the plate.

4. An improvement according to claim 3, wherein the mirror is concave and is positioned so that it presents its concave side to said light source, so that when the said light source is switched on, light radiated thereby is focused onto the plate.

5. An improvement according to claim 1, wherein said viewing means comprises a light source which is positioned inside the housing of the photocopier so that when switched on it radiates light through the plate from a side thereof remote from the side on which the document is placed, an intermediate mirror which is positioned so that when the photocopier is in use and the light source is switched on, light transmitted through the plate from the said light source is reflected from the document to be copied onto the intermediate mirror, and a viewing mirror which is positioned so that light reflected from the intermediate mirror is reflected thereonto, so that a user can view an image of the document on the viewing mirror.

6. An improvement according to claim 5, wherein the said intermediate mirror is convex and is positioned so that it presents its convex side to light reflected from the document on the plate.

7. An improvement according to the claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the said viewing mirror is contained inside the housing with a window being provided on the housing so that a viewer can view the image of the document on the viewing mirror.

8. An improvement according to claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the viewing mirror is provided on a flap which projects from an outer wall of the housing and at an acute angle thereto, said flap being adjacent an opening in the housing which is provided to allow light reflected from the intermediate mirror to be transmitted outside the housing and onto the viewing mirror.

9. An improvement according to claim 8, wherein the flap is hinged so that in one configuration it defines an acute angle with the wall of the housing and in another configuration it is substantially flush with the wall of the housing.

10. An improvement according to any of claims 2 to 9, wherein aligning means are provided, which aligning means comprise a substantially transparent portion on which alignment markers are provided, said aligning means being placed in the optical path which the light follows, so that the final image viewed by a user includes the image of the alignment markers, wherein said alignment markers indicate the limits of the area of the plate to be scanned by the photocopier.

11. An improvement according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein magnifying means are provided which magnifying means are positioned so that light from the intermediate mirror passes through said magnifying means before being incident on the viewing mirror, so that the user can view an enlarged or reduced image.

12. An improvement according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said magnifying or reducing means are those provided in the photocopier for the purposes of enlarging or reducing the document to be copied.

13. An improvement for a photocopier substantially as described hereinbefore with reference to the accompanying drawings and as shown in Figure 1 or Figure 2 or Figure 3 or Figure 4 or Figure 5 or Figure 6 or Figure 7 of those drawings.