JP2001076547A - Image reader - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent buckling of a cable, to restrain reduction in reading accuracy, and to miniaturize a device by providing bending at least in a part of the cable for connecting an image reading means and a control part of the device. SOLUTION: Bending functioning as a buckling preventive means is provided in the width direction of a flat cable 1 in the flat cable 1 being a control signal passage. For example, a U-shaped cross section, an angle-shaped cross section or plural angle-shaped cross sections are formed as the bending of the flat cable 1, and bending having two or more U shapes in the width direction, bending having three or more angle shapes in the width direction and the other proper bending can be formed. When forming the bending, the bending is formed by laminating auxiliary member 10 of a curved shape at proper intervals in the lengthwise direction of the flat cable 1. A cross-sectional shape of the flat cable 1 itself may be properly formed without using the auxiliary member, and the vicinity of a connector may be formed so as to be kept in a plane.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image reading apparatus, and more particularly to a computer input image reading apparatus which reads an original such as a document or a photograph, converts the original into digital data, and outputs the digital data.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional image reading apparatus will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5 show schematic configuration diagrams of a conventional image reading apparatus.

As shown in FIG. 4, when reading an image of an original P, the original P is placed on the original platen glass 100, the original cover 112 is closed, and the original P is placed on the original platen glass 1.
Press up on 00.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which an upper portion of the image reading apparatus, that is, a platen glass 100 and the like are removed.

In FIGS. 4 and 5, reference numeral 111 denotes a frame which also serves as an exterior cover, and has the following components disposed therein.

A reading unit 101 for scanning the original P includes a light source for three colors (R, G, B) for illuminating the original, a lens for forming reflected light from the original P on a light receiving element of an image sensor, and an image. A sensor is incorporated.

[0007] The reading unit 101 is arranged on a holder 107. The holder 102 has a slider 102
And is slidably supported on a guide shaft 103 fixed to the frame 111.

The holder 107 has a motor 1 serving as a scanning drive source disposed at the bottom of the main body of the image reading apparatus.
The belt 104 that transmits the driving force from the drive belt 05 is fixed.

Then, by the forward and reverse rotation of the motor 105,
The reading unit 101 can perform reciprocal scanning in the range of the document table glass 100.

A control board 106 is provided in the frame 111, and a flat cable 109, which is a control signal path of the reading unit 101, is connected to the control board 106. The flat cable 109 has a linear cross section in the width direction. In addition, flat cable 1
00 is partially fixed to the frame 111 by a fixture 110.

In this way, the reading unit 101 scans in parallel with the platen glass 100 to read an image on the document P.

Next, data processing of an image read by the above-described conventional image reading apparatus will be described.

An image output signal read by the image sensor in synchronization with the sequentially blinking LED is sent to an amplifier, amplified, and then converted into a digital image signal by an A / D converter.

The A / D converter divides the dynamic range of the image sensor (the read output difference between the pure white part and the pure black part on the original) by the number of bits, and performs gradation according to the brightness of the image on the original. Assign a number.

For example, when an A / D converter having a resolution of 8 bits is used, 256 gradation levels are provided during the period from white to black, and 10 levels are used for a 10-bit A / D converter.
24 gradation levels can be identified.

Therefore, in an image reading apparatus using an 8-bit A / D converter, 24 bits = approximately 16.7 million colors and 10 bi in color reading with a light source of three colors of RGB.
In the case of t, 30 bits = about 1,074 million colors can be identified.

Further, there are several types of output modes of the image signal of the image reading apparatus, and an output mode suitable for the use of the read image can be selected.

For example, a character is read and its contents are
When applying to R or reading monochrome line drawings,
A monochrome binary image is suitable, and an image signal obtained by turning on only, for example, G among the above-mentioned RGB light sources is converted into a binary signal at a certain threshold value by an image processing circuit incorporated in the gate array. Image data is used.

When reading an image such as a photograph and outputting the image to a monochrome printer, binarization is performed by using a halftone process such as a dither method or an error diffusion method using an image signal from a G light source. The image data obtained is used.

When processing a color image, multi-valued (24-bit etc.) image data is suitable.

The image signal that has passed through the image processing circuit is output to a device such as a personal computer via an interface circuit.

[0022]

However, in the case of the prior art as described above, there arises a problem that the reading accuracy is reduced due to the buckling of the cable and the size of the apparatus cannot be reduced. ing.

In other words, for example, taking the above-mentioned prior art as an example, while the reading unit 101 scans under the original table glass 100 in the direction of arrow A in FIG. Turn part 109-1
The flat cable 109 buckles as shown in FIG. 6 due to rubbing against the platen glass 100 or due to the originally weak waist of the flat cable 109. In some cases, the movement of the image reading apparatus may be interrupted and a normal reading scan may not be performed. Here, FIG. 6 shows a schematic view of a buckled flat cable in a conventional image reading apparatus.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and it is possible to prevent a cable from buckling, prevent a decrease in reading accuracy, and reduce the size of the apparatus. It is an object to provide a simple image reading device.

[0025]

In order to achieve the above object, an image reading apparatus according to the present invention comprises: an image reading apparatus provided with an image reading means for scanning and reading an image of a document; At least a part of the cable connecting the control unit of the image reading apparatus has a bend.

Further, the bending is provided along the width direction of the cable.

[0027] The bending is formed by an auxiliary member provided on the cable.

Further, the bending is provided in a portion of the cable other than a connection portion between the cable and the image reading means and a connection portion between the cable and the control section.

In an image reading apparatus provided with image reading means for scanning and reading an image of a document, at least a part of a cable connecting the image reading means and a control unit of the image reading apparatus has a buckling prevention means. It is characterized by having.

Further, the buckling prevention means has a small piece arranged in a row in the longitudinal direction of the cable.

Further, the buckling prevention means has a small piece arranged in a scale-like manner in the longitudinal direction of the cable.

Further, the buckling prevention means is arranged so as to be continuous only on one side of the cable.

Further, the buckling prevention means is provided at a portion of the cable other than a connection portion between the cable and the image reading device and a connection portion between the cable and the control section. I do.

The power consumption required for operating the image reading apparatus is within 2.5 W.

In addition, the image reading device is universal.
connected to a computer via a sal serial bus interface, and the universal server
It is characterized by receiving drive power from the computer via an ial bus interface.

Therefore, according to the image reading apparatus of the present invention, since at least a part of the cable connecting the image reading means and the control section of the image reading apparatus has a bend, the flexibility of the cable is maintained. It is possible to use a one-way bending type cable that bends only to one side, and normal scanning can be performed without buckling of the cable during movement of the image reading unit.

Further, since the buckling of the cable can be effectively prevented, a compact and small image reading apparatus can be realized.

Further, since the bending is provided along the width direction of the cable, buckling of the cable can be more effectively prevented.

Further, since the bend is formed by the auxiliary member provided on the cable, the bend of the cable can be easily formed, and the device can be easily manufactured.

In an image reading apparatus provided with image reading means for scanning and reading an image on a document, at least a part of a cable connecting the image reading means and a control unit of the image reading apparatus has a buckling preventing means. Therefore, it is possible to provide a one-way bending type cable that bends to only one side while maintaining the flexibility of the cable, the cable does not buckle during movement of the image reading unit, and the apparatus is downsized.
Normal reading scanning can be performed.

Further, since the buckling preventing means is a small piece connected in the longitudinal direction of the cable, for example, like a scale, it is easy to manufacture the device while effectively preventing the buckling of the cable. Can be performed.

Further, for example, it is formed by small pieces.
Since the buckling prevention means is arranged continuously only on one side of the cable, the buckling of the cable can be more reliably prevented.

Also, since the bending or buckling prevention means is provided at the cable portion other than the connection portion between the cable and the image reading means and the connection portion between the cable and the control section, the cable and the image reading device are not provided. It does not interfere with the connection between the means and the cable and the control unit.

Further, since the power consumption required for operating the image reading apparatus is within 2.5 W, the apparatus can be driven with low power consumption.

Also, the image reading device is a universalsa.
l connected to the computer via the serial bus interface, this universal serial
Since drive power is supplied from the computer via the albus interface, operation is possible by simply connecting to the computer without requiring a power supply unit as in the related art, thereby realizing low cost and space saving. .

[0046]

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the dimensions of the components described in this embodiment,
The materials, shapes, relative arrangements, and the like are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention only to them unless otherwise specified.

An embodiment of the image reading apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. The characteristic part of the image reading apparatus according to the present invention is a cable part. Since the other overall configuration is substantially the same as that shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 described as the above-described conventional technique, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

For example, the reading unit 10 shown in FIG.
1 operates as image reading means of the image reading apparatus according to the present invention, and the control board 106 shown in FIG. 5 operates as a control unit of the image reading apparatus according to the present invention.

(First Embodiment) First, an image reading apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a flat cable included in a first embodiment of the image reading apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 1 shows an example in which the flat cable 1 serving as a control signal path is provided with a bend functioning as a buckling preventing means in the width direction of the flat cable 1.

FIGS. 1A, 1B and 1C show cross sections of the flat cable 1 in the width direction.

As the bending of the flat cable 1, for example, a U-shaped cross section as shown in FIG. 1A, a mountain-shaped cross section as shown in FIG. There may be a plurality of mountain-shaped cross-sections as shown.

Of course, the bent shape of the flat cable 1 included in the first embodiment of the image reading apparatus according to the present invention is not limited to the bent shape described above, As long as buckling can be effectively prevented, other appropriate bends such as those having two or more U-shapes in the width direction, those having three or more chevron shapes in the width direction, and the like can be formed.

In order to form the above-mentioned bent shape, for example, in the case of the bend shown in FIG. 1A, an auxiliary having a curved shape as shown in FIG. By attaching the members 10 at appropriate intervals in the longitudinal direction of the flat cable 1, it can be formed as shown in FIG. The same applies to other bent shapes.

It should be noted that the flat cable 1 itself may be formed into the above-described cross-sectional shape without using the auxiliary member 10.

Since the shape of the connector to which the flat cable 1 is connected is straight, the flat cable 1
May be formed so as to maintain a flat surface.

As described above, in the first embodiment of the image reading apparatus according to the present invention, since the flat cable 1 is provided with a bend, buckling of the flat cable 1 can be effectively prevented. In addition, it is possible to prevent a decrease in image reading accuracy and to reduce the size of the apparatus.

(Second Embodiment) Next, an image reading apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a flat cable included in a second embodiment of the image reading apparatus according to the present invention.

In FIG. 2, one surface of the flat cable 11 is provided with a buckling preventing means so that the flat cable 11 serving as a control signal path has a buckling preventing function.

As shown in FIG. 2A, as the buckling preventing means, a caterpillar-shaped small piece 2 is connected to one side of the flat cable 11 as a control signal path in the longitudinal direction of the flat cable 11. It is arranged. Reference numeral 3 indicates a connector.

Further, the shape of the caterpillar-like small piece is as follows.
In FIG. 2B, an example of the rectangular small piece 2b is shown in FIG.
(C) shows an example of a diamond-shaped piece 2c.

Further, as in the first embodiment, since the shape of the connector 3 to which the flat cable 11 is connected is linear, the portion of the flat cable 11 near the connector 3 is formed so as to maintain a flat surface. May be.

The small piece 2 formed on the flat cable 11 is not limited to the small piece 2 formed over the entire flat cable 11 as shown in FIG. A small piece 2 may be formed partially.

Of course, the shape of the small piece added to the flat cable 11 included in the image reading apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the shape of the small piece as described above. As long as buckling of the cable 11 can be effectively prevented, any other shape such as a triangle, a polygon, a circle, and a non-circle may be used.

As described above, in the second embodiment of the image reading apparatus according to the present invention, the flat cable 11
Since the small pieces are provided, buckling of the flat cable 11 can be effectively prevented, a decrease in image reading accuracy can be prevented, and the size of the apparatus can be reduced.

(Third Embodiment) Next, a third embodiment of the image reading apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a flat cable included in a third embodiment of the image reading apparatus according to the present invention.

In FIG. 3, one surface of the flat cable 13 is provided with a buckling preventing means in a scaly manner so that the flat cable 13 as a control signal path has a buckling preventing function.

That is, as shown in FIG. 3A, in the third embodiment of the image reading apparatus according to the present invention, one side of the flat cable 13 which is a control signal path as a buckling prevention means is provided. The small pieces 12 are arranged in a scale-like manner in the longitudinal direction of the flat cable 13.

As for the shape of the scale-like small pieces, FIG. 3B shows an example of a square scale-like small piece 12b, FIG. 3C shows an example of a diamond-like scale-like small piece 12c, and FIG. An example of a base-shaped scale-like small piece 12d is shown, and an example is shown in which a vertex is arranged on the free end side.

Since the shape of the connector to which the flat cable 13 is connected is straight as in the first embodiment, the portion of the flat cable 13 near the connector is formed so as to maintain a flat surface. Is also good.

Of course, the shape of the scale-like small piece added to the flat cable 13 included in the third embodiment of the image reading apparatus according to the present invention is not limited to the shape of the scale-like small piece as described above. , Flat cable 13
As long as buckling can be effectively prevented, any other shape such as a triangle, a polygon, a circle, and a non-circle may be used.

The small piece 12 formed on the flat cable 13 is not limited to the small piece 12 formed over the entire flat cable 13 as shown in FIG. A small piece 12 may be formed partially.

As described above, in the third embodiment of the image reading apparatus according to the present invention, the flat cable 13
Since the flat cable 13 is provided, buckling of the flat cable 13 can be effectively prevented, a decrease in image reading accuracy can be prevented, and the size of the apparatus can be reduced.

Here, the image sensor unit and the scanning drive system used in the first, second and third embodiments are all very low power-saving, and consume less power when driving the image reading apparatus main body. It can be suppressed to 2.5 W or less.

This is a universal serial interface (hereinafter, referred to as a personal computer interface) which is rapidly spreading in recent years.
Also called USB. This is the amount of power that can be supplied to the peripheral device to which the interface is connected. Therefore, an image reading apparatus such as a scanner having a USB I / F adopting the present invention does not require a power supply unit unlike a conventional product, and can be connected to a personal computer. Operation is possible just by connecting.

In the first, second and third embodiments, a flat cable has been described as an example of a cable. However, a cable provided in the image reading apparatus according to the present invention is such a flat cable. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and any other cables can be used.

[0077]

As described above, according to the present invention,
While maintaining the flexibility of the cable connecting the image reading unit and the control unit, it is possible to realize a cable as a one-way bent control signal path that bends only to one side, and the cable is moved while the image reading unit is moving. It is possible to provide an image reading apparatus that can always maintain a normal reading scan without buckling.

Further, since the buckling of the cable can be effectively prevented, a compact and small image reading apparatus can be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a flat cable included in a first embodiment of an image reading apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a flat cable included in a second embodiment of the image reading apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a flat cable included in a third embodiment of the image reading apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram of a conventional image reading apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram of a conventional image reading apparatus.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a buckled flat cable in a conventional image reading apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Flat cable 2 Small piece 2b Square shaped small piece 2c Diamond shaped small piece 3 Connector 10 Auxiliary member 11 Flat cable 12 Small piece 12b Square shaped small scaled piece 12c Diamond shaped small scaled piece 12d Home base shaped small scaled piece 13 Flat cable 100 Platen glass 101 Reading unit 102 Slider 103 Guide shaft 104 Belt 105 Motor 106 Control board 107 Holder 109 Flat cable 109-1 U-turn part 110 Fixture 111 Frame 112 Document cover P Document

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Toshio Takahashi 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc. (72) Inventor Shigeru Kawasaki 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 5C072 AA01 BA01 BA20 MA10 5G311 CA05 CC04 CF01 CF05

Claims (11)

[Claims] 1. An image reading apparatus comprising image reading means for scanning and reading an image on a document, wherein at least a part of a cable connecting the image reading means and a control unit of the image reading apparatus has a bend. An image reading apparatus characterized by the above-mentioned. 2. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the bending is a bending provided along a width direction of the cable. 3. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the bending is formed by an auxiliary member provided on the cable. 4. The cable according to claim 1, wherein the bending is provided on a portion of the cable other than a connection portion between the cable and the image reading unit and a connection portion between the cable and the control unit. The image reading device according to any one of claims 1 to 3. 5. An image reading apparatus comprising an image reading means for scanning and reading an image on a document, wherein at least a part of a cable connecting the image reading means and a control unit of the image reading apparatus includes a buckling prevention means. An image reading apparatus comprising: 6. The image reading apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the buckling prevention means has a small piece connected in a longitudinal direction of the cable. 7. The image reading apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the buckling prevention means has a small piece arranged in a scale-like manner in the longitudinal direction of the cable. 8. The image reading apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said buckling prevention means is arranged continuously on only one side of said cable. 9. The buckling prevention means is provided at a portion of the cable other than a connection portion between the cable and the image reading device and a connection portion between the cable and the control unit. The image reading device according to any one of claims 5 to 8, wherein: 10. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein power consumption required for operating the image reading apparatus is within 2.5 W. 11. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image reading apparatus is connected to a computer via a universal serial bus interface, and receives drive power from the computer via the universal serial bus interface. Or 1
The image reading device according to the item.