JP2002027173A - Film scanner - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a film scanner that is devised to read films even with different frame sizes in common to the utmost so as to reduce the manufacturing cost with high versatility and that can read an image with high image quality without causing occurrence of interference fringes or the like. SOLUTION: The film scanner is provided with a film holder 1 that consists of film hold sections 3 prepared for different film sizes and types and of a base section 2 on/from which the film holder section 3 is selectively mounted/ dismounted. Each film hold section 3 is provided with a receiving member 4 having an opening 42 and with a retainer member 5 having an opening 51 depending on the size of each film respectively. The film scanner is configured such that the film hold section 3 having the same outer size is replaced depending on the read film size and mounted on the same base section 2.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a film scanner for reading an image recorded on a film while transferring the film holder together with the film.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, a film scanner has been developed and used to take in image information recorded on a film and perform various processes. When an image recorded on a film is read by such a film scanner, a film holder for fixing and holding the film may be used.

As this film holder, for example, as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-313184, a film is held by being vertically held by a main body of the holder. Are provided with openings in accordance with the frame intervals of the film (hereinafter, referred to as frame sizes). By the way, in this film holder, for example, the frame size of the film to be read may differ depending on the maker or the type of film as in the case of the Brownie plate. Shall have an opening of an appropriate length.

However, when film holders having different opening lengths and sizes are used, dedicated film holders of different frame sizes are required depending on the type of film to be used and the manufacturer. Since it is necessary to prepare, there is an inconvenience that the manufacturing cost increases.

[0005] Therefore, for example, a structure in which a film is sandwiched between upper and lower two transparent glasses or the like has been developed. In the film holder configured as described above, even if the frame sizes are different, the vertical frame of the holder is not formed corresponding to the boundary portion between the frames, so that the frame size differs by one. It can be used freely across various films

However, in the film holder having such a structure, when the film is sandwiched between two pieces of glass, an air gap is formed between the glass and the film. This may cause inconveniences such as the occurrence of interference fringes. Therefore, an anti-Newton glass in which irregularities are formed on the surface of the glass has also been formed, but this raises a problem of increasing the cost.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above circumstances, the present invention is capable of reducing the manufacturing cost, having high versatility, and generating interference fringes even for films having various frame sizes. It is an object of the present invention to provide a film scanner capable of performing high-quality image reading without any problem.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, a film holder is inserted into a transfer path inside a main body from an insertion port, and the film held in the film holder is sequentially transferred by a film transfer means, and recorded on the film by an image reading means. A film scanner for reading a processed image, wherein the film holder includes a plurality of film holding units prepared according to the size and type of the film and a base unit for selectively attaching and detaching these film holding units. Each of the film holding portions has an opening having a size corresponding to the size of the film, and has a receiving member and a pressing member having the same outer dimensions, and allows the film holding portion to be exchanged according to the size of the film to be read. Characterized in that they are configured to be mounted on the same base.

It is desirable to provide a lock means for locking the film holding portion with respect to the base portion in a positioning state.

It is desirable that the film transfer means includes a rack provided on a base portion of the film holder and a pinion meshing with a rack provided on a transfer path inside the main body.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this embodiment, a film holder used in a film scanner will be described first. 1 and 2 show a film holder 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The film holder 1 has one base portion 2 and a film F to be used.
(See FIG. 2) and a film holding section 3 which is prepared in a number corresponding to the frame size and is detachably mounted on the base section 2.

The base portion 2 has a substantially U-shaped cross section in which convex portions 21 are formed along both side portions (longitudinal direction) from one end to the other end, and the center where the film holding portion 3 is mounted. An opening 22 for reading a film is opened at the length of L0. Further, the inner wall surface 21 of the convex portion 21 of the base portion 2
A is provided with a lock hole 21B for positioning and fixing the film holding unit 3 at a fixed position. Further, a rack 23A constituting a part of a rack and pinion mechanism, which is a film transfer means described later, is formed on a lower surface of the base portion 2 opposite to the upper surface on which the convex portion 21 is formed.

On the other hand, the film holding section 3 includes a lower receiving member 4 and a holding member 5 rotatably attached to the hinge portion 41 of the receiving member 4 to close the receiving member 4 from above. The film F is sandwiched between these members from above and below.

The receiving member 4 has an opening 42 formed in the center by a length L1 (where L1 <L0), and a guide 4 for positioning the film F.
3 are formed as a pair while maintaining the same interval as the width W0 of the film F. On the other hand, the pressing member 5 has an opening 51 of the same length at the center corresponding to the opening 42. A locking claw 52B is provided on the side surface 52 of the holding member 5 for holding the holding member 5 at a predetermined position with respect to the receiving member 4 after the film F is nipped. The claw 52B is adapted to engage with a lock hole 21B provided in the base portion 2.

As described above, the film holder 3 has a length (or size) corresponding to the frame size of the film F to be used, for example, a vertical and horizontal size of 6 ×.
When a desired film F is to be read, a frame having openings having openings of 9, 6 × 7, 6 × 4.5, etc. is prepared in the same number as the frame size. What is necessary is just to select and use the film holding part 3 suitably according to a size.

Next, a film scanner for reading the film F using the film holder 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. In this film scanner, an insertion opening 6A for inserting the film holder 1 is provided in the main body 6, and a transfer path 6B of the film holder extending from the insertion opening 6A into the main body 6 is provided.
A pinion 23 that constitutes a part of a rack pinion of the film transfer means together with the rack 23A on the film holder 1 side.
B is provided. In addition, in FIG.
Indicates an opening / closing lid for closing the insertion opening 6A.

Further, as will be described later, the main body 6 has a CCD 62 (see FIG. 4) as image reading means and a control unit 70 (see FIG. 4) for controlling these various electric components.
A power switch 7 for connecting and disconnecting power supply to these electrical components is attached to an end face provided with the insertion port 6A.

Next, the electrical configuration of the film scanner will be described. As shown in FIG. 3, the film scanner includes a light source 61 for projecting image reading light from an insertion port 6A of the main body 6 toward a transfer path 6B formed toward the back, and a light source 61 for projecting light. The CCD 62 reads a recorded image of the film F illuminated by the CCD 62. As shown in FIG.
An image processing unit 65 input via the / D conversion unit 64, a memory 66 for temporarily storing image data processed by the image processing unit 65, and a personal computer (PC)
Interface section 67 for connection and memory 6 for video
8, a digital encoder 69, and a control unit 70, and a pinion motor 23C constituting a part of the rack and pinion.

The lighting operation of the light source 61 is controlled by a light source driving section 61A. The CCD 62, together with an imaging lens (not shown) and the like, constitutes image reading means for reading a recorded image on the film F, and its reading operation is controlled by a line sensor drive unit 62A.
The light source driving unit 61A and the line sensor driving unit 62A
Are connected to a control unit 70, and the operation of the control unit 70 is controlled by the control unit 70.

The amplifier 63 amplifies an image signal output from the CCD 62, and has an input connected to the CCD 62 and an output connected to an input of the A / D converter 64. The A / D converter 64 converts the amplified image signal from an analog signal to a digital signal, and has an output connected to an input of the image processor 65.

The image processing section 65 performs, for example, processing such as shading correction and interpolation processing under the control of the control section 70, and is output to the interface section 67. The image data subjected to the image processing is temporarily stored in the memory 66. The interface unit 67 includes an input / output terminal 6
It is connected to a personal computer (PC) via 7A, and inputs and outputs image signals to and from this personal computer.

In the digital encoder 69, a memory 66
The image signals, for example, R, G, and B signals constituting the image data read from the image data are converted into a luminance signal and a hue signal. Further, in the digital encoder 69, the luminance signal and the hue signal are converted to a TV monitor (CR)
T), and these signals are output to an appropriate circuit such as a TV monitor (not shown) connected via the output terminal 69A.

Next, a method of actually setting the film F in the film holder 1 and reading it with the film scanner will be described. First, one of a plurality of types of film holders 3 having different opening lengths according to the frame size of the film F is selected from among the plurality of film holding portions 3 having an optimum size according to the frame size of the film F to be used. I do. Then, the selected holding member 5 of the film holding unit 3 is opened and is set on the base unit 2. Next, after setting a desired film F, the pressing member 5 is closed.

After the film F has been set in the film holder 1 in this manner, the film holder 1 is inserted into the inside of the main body 6 of the film scanner 6 from the insertion opening 6A, and set in the main body 6 of the film scanner. Turn on the power switch. Then, the pinion 23B starts rotating, and the base portion 2 provided with the rack 23A meshing with the pinion 23B is transported toward the back in the transport path 6B. The transport operation of the transported film holder 1 is stopped when the openings 51, 42, and 22 have just reached the reading position. Thereafter, the light source 61 is turned on, and the light passes through the openings 51, 42, 22, and the image of the frame of the film F at the position facing the openings 51, 42, 22 is read into the CCD 62.

[0025]

As described above, according to the present invention, a plurality of types of film holders prepared according to different frame sizes and these film holders are selectively and detachably mounted on the film holder. The film holding unit is appropriately replaced according to the size of the film to be read, and is mounted on the same base unit. Therefore, one base portion is prepared for common use without having to separately prepare a film holder according to the frame size of each film, and in addition, the base portion is constituted by a receiving member and a pressing member. Since only a simple film holding section needs to be exclusively prepared according to the frame size of each film, the cost can be reduced and the film holder can be made compact.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing a film holder according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a state where the film holder is assembled.

FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram showing the inside of a film scanner according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the film scanner according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Film holder 2 Base part 21B Lock hole (lock means) 22 Opening 23A Rack (film transfer means) 23B Pinion (film transfer means) 3 Film holding part 4 Receiving member 42 Opening 5 Pressing member 51 Opening 52B Lock claw ( Locking means) 6 Main body (film scanner) 6A Insertion port 6B Transfer path 61 Light source 62 CCD (image reading means) 67 Interface unit 70 Control unit

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A film holder is inserted into a transfer path inside the main body from an insertion port, a film held by the film holder is sequentially transferred by a film transfer means, and an image recorded on the film is read by an image reading means. A film scanner for reading, wherein the film holder includes a plurality of film holding units prepared according to the size and type of the film and a base unit for selectively attaching and detaching these film holding units, The holding unit has a receiving member and a holding member having the same outer dimensions as each having an opening having a size corresponding to the size of the film, and replacing the film holding unit according to the size of the film to be read, and replacing the film holding unit with the same base. A film scanner characterized in that it is configured to be mounted on a film scanner. 2. The film scanner according to claim 1, further comprising locking means for locking the film holding portion with respect to the base portion in a positioning state. 3. A film transfer means comprising: a rack provided on a base portion of the film holder; and a pinion provided on a transfer path inside the main body, which meshes with the rack. Or the film scanner according to 2.