JP2002209060A - Image reader - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image reader that can enhance an emission efficiency from a light source without the need for increasing a size of an optical diffusion box. SOLUTION: A lower mask 50 of a film carrier is made of a transparent member. A side wall face and an outer circumferential side wall face of a mask aperture 51 of the lower mask 50 are formed into a 1st reflection face 52 and a 2nd reflection face 53 by aluminum vapor-deposition. A diffusion plate 46 of the optical diffusion box 41 is configured to have nearly the same size as that of the mask aperture 51. The diffused light from the diffusion plate 46 lights up an image recording area of a photo film 28 through the mask aperture 51 and the 1st reflection face 52. The diffused light from the diffusion plate 46 is reflected in the 2nd reflection face 53 to light up a bar code recording area 57 recorded on both side edges of the photo film 28 through a transparent part of the lower mask 50. The size of the diffusion plate 46 is selected to be nearly the same size as the mask aperture 51 to enhance the emission luminous quantity and to attain reading of the bar code.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image reading device capable of reading an image recording range of a photographic film supported at a reading position and information such as a bar code recorded outside the photographic film. It is.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art There has been proposed an image document reading apparatus for optically reading an image recorded on a document such as a photographic film by image reading means such as a CCD. In this image reading apparatus, light emitted from a light source using a lamp or the like to a document is subjected to image processing such as enlargement / reduction and various corrections on digital image data read by image reading means, and the image processing is performed. Image recording on a recording medium such as photographic paper based on the digital image data.

In the above image reading apparatus, in order to automatically set reading conditions when reading an image recorded on a photo film, an image or the like recorded in an area other than the image recording range of the photo film is read. In some cases, various reading conditions are set based on the obtained information.

[0004] Examples of images recorded in the above-mentioned area include bar codes such as frame numbers and DX codes. The bar code displays various information on the photo film in a density difference pattern that is continuous in the sub-scanning direction. The various information on the photo film includes the type of the photo film, the frame number, the total number of frames, and the like.

[0005] Since this area is read by a system different from the image recorded in the image recording area of the photographic film, the number of components such as light sources and optical sensors increases, and the size and cost of the apparatus are reduced. There is a problem that reduction is difficult. In order to solve this problem, by providing a first light scattering member for irradiating the image recording area of the photographic film and a second light scattering member for irradiating outside the image recording area, the light emitted from the light diffusion box is provided. It has been proposed to read an image recorded in an area outside the image recording range of a photographic film using the read light (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-2951).

[0006]

However, in the above-described image reading apparatus, since the reading light from the light source is irradiated to the outside of the image recording area of the photographic film, the shape of the light diffusion box becomes large. there were. Also,
If a scratch is formed on the photographic film, the quality of an image obtained from the image data read by the scratch deteriorates, and as shown in FIG.
There is a problem that it is necessary to increase the value of 0 to increase the amount of reading light to irradiate the photo film 81.

According to the present invention, there is provided an image reading apparatus capable of increasing the amount of light applied to an image recording area of a photographic film without enlarging a light diffusion box, and irradiating a reading light outside the image recording area. It is intended to provide a device.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, an image reading apparatus according to the present invention reads an image by irradiating light from a light source onto a transparent original at a reading position using a light diffusing member. A first reflecting member for reflecting the light toward the image recording area of the transparent document is provided between the light diffusing member and the transparent document. Further, a lower mask is provided between the light diffusing member and the transmissive document, the lower mask has a mask opening for illuminating an image recording area, and the first reflecting member is formed on a side wall of the mask opening. preferable.

The transparent original is a photographic film having optically readable information on a side edge thereof, and the lower mask has an optically readable information illumination opening or a transparently readable optically illuminated information member at a position corresponding to the optically read information. Preferably, a second reflection member is formed at the side of the illumination opening or the illumination member. The length of the light diffusion member in the width direction of the photo film is substantially the same as the length of the mask opening in the width direction of the photo film. It is preferable that the reading information is guided to the transparent member. Preferably, the reflecting surface of the first reflecting member or the second reflecting member is a diffuse reflecting surface.

[0010]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a digital lab system embodying the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the internal structure thereof. Digital laboratory system 2
Is an input unit 3 that performs image reading and image processing, a printer unit 4 that records an image based on image data on which image processing has been performed on photographic paper, and performs development processing and the like on a photosensitive material on which an image has been exposed. And a processor unit 5.

The input unit 3 includes an image reading device 8, an image processing unit 9, an external recording device 10, and the like. The image reading device 8 is for reading an image (frame) recorded on a photographic film such as a negative film or a reversal film, and is, for example, a 135-size photographic film or IX2.
In addition to 40 types of photo film, 110 size, 12
Images of various photographic films such as 0 and 220 sizes (Brownie size) can be read. Further, by using a dedicated mount carrier, it is possible to read a photographic film on a slide mount.

The image processing unit 9 is provided above the electrical unit 11. The image processing unit 9 performs image processing such as various corrections on the image data output from the image recording device 8, stores the image data at the time of pre-scan, and prints the image data as recording image data at the time of fine scan. Output to Image processing includes gray balance adjustment, gradation correction, density (brightness) adjustment, shooting light source type correction using a matrix (MTX), and image saturation adjustment (color adjustment). In addition, electronic scaling processing, dodging processing (compression / expansion of density dynamic range), sharpness (sharpening) processing, and the like are performed. For these processes, a low-pass filter, an adder, an LUT, an MTX, and the like are used. By appropriately combining these, an averaging process, an interpolation operation, and the like are performed.

The external recording device 10 is provided for recording image data after image processing as an image file. Examples of the external recording device 10 include a storage medium such as a memory card and a CD-ROM. Further, the image data after the image processing can be displayed on the display unit 12.

The printer unit 4 is provided below the input unit 3. The printer unit 4 includes a paper feed magazine 14
, An exposure unit 15 and a transport mechanism (not shown). The photosensitive material 16 transported from the paper feed magazine 14 to the exposure unit 15 is exposed and recorded with an image based on image data, and is transported to the processor unit 5.

The processor section 5 comprises a development processing section 18, a drying section 19, and a sorter section 20. The development processing section 18 includes a color developing tank 22 and a bleach-fixing tank 2 as is well known.
3. Rinsing tanks 24 to 27 are sequentially arranged adjacent to each other, each of which is filled with a processing solution and cleaning water. Photosensitive material 16
Is subjected to a driving force from a transport rack (not shown) and passes through the processing tanks 22 to 27 and the drying unit 19 to be developed. The photosensitive material 16 conveyed to the drying unit 19 is cut into frames and discharged to the sorter unit 20.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a photographic film 28 to be read by the digital lab system 2. The illustrated photographic film 28 is a 135 type photographic film. This photo film 2
8, an image recording range 29 partitioned into a certain size is set in advance. Further, below the image recording range 29, a bar code 30 such as a frame number or a DX code of the photographic film 28 is recorded. Reference numeral 31 denotes perforation.

FIG. 4 shows a schematic configuration of an optical system of a CCD scanner used as the image reading device 8. CC
The D scanner 33 has a light source 34 such as a metal halide lamp or a halogen lamp. The light source 34 is arranged on the reflector 35 at its focal position. The reflector 35 is made of a material that transmits infrared light (IR), and its reflection surface is formed in an elliptical arc shape in cross section. Light from a light source 34 is reflected in a certain direction by a reflector 35, and the reflected light is radiated toward a photographic film 28. Note that an LED or the like may be used as the light source 33.

On the light emission side of the light source 34, an IR cut filter 37, a light source aperture 38, a balance filter 39, a filter turret 40, and a light diffusion box 41 are arranged on the optical axis L. The IR cut filter 37 cuts light having a wavelength in the infrared region of the emitted light, thereby preventing a temperature rise of the photographic film 28 and improving reading accuracy. The light source aperture 38 is disposed between the light source 34 and the film carrier 43, and adjusts the amount of reading light emitted from the light source 34 and incident on the photographic film 28 supported at the reading position.

The balance filter 39 is provided for adjusting the color temperature. The balance filter 39 is provided with a negative film filter 39a and a reversal film filter 39b, and either one of them is selectively held on the optical axis L. Filter turret 4
0 is an R, G, B color filter 40a, 40b, 40c
These are selectively set on the optical axis L, so that an image is read in three color planes sequentially.

The light diffusion box 41 converts the light incident on the diffusion plate 45 perpendicular to the optical axis into light from the diffusion plate 4 serving as a light emitting portion.
The photographic film 28 is emitted as diffused light from 6 and is irradiated on the photographic film 28 supported at the reading position. By making the light emitted from the light diffusion box 41 into diffused light, the unevenness in the amount of light applied to the photographic film 28 is reduced, and the image recording area 29 is irradiated with a uniform amount of light. 28
Even if there is a scratch on the top, this scratch becomes less noticeable.

As shown in FIG. 5, one side of the upper surface of the light diffusion box 41 in the longitudinal direction (main scanning direction) is formed to be shorter than the width of the photographic film 28. Further, the diffusion plate disposed on the upper surface serves as an image recording area 29 of the photo film 28.
It is formed in the same size as. Thereby, the light source 34
The reading light emitted from the optical film and incident on the light diffusion box 41 efficiently irradiates the image recording area 29 of the photographic film 28 at the reading position.

A lower mask 50 made of a transparent resin material such as an acrylic material is attached to a lower portion of the film carrier 43. As shown in FIG. 6, the lower mask 50 is formed in a frame shape, and a mask opening 51 is formed in the center thereof. The mask opening 51 is formed in the same size as the image exposure range 29 of the photographic film 28. The side wall forming the mask opening 51 and the side wall serving as the outer periphery of the lower mask 50 are, for example, subjected to aluminum deposition, and are processed so that the surfaces thereof are mirror-finished.

The side wall surface of the mask opening 51 is the first reflecting surface 5
2. The outer peripheral side wall surface of the lower mask 50 becomes the second reflection surface 53. As shown in FIG. 5, the diffused light reflected by the first reflecting surface 52 is irradiated toward the image recording area 29 of the photographic film 28 together with the diffused light passing through the mask opening 51. On the other hand, the diffused light incident on the inside of the lower mask 50 is reflected by the second reflection surface 53 and is irradiated from the inside of the lower mask 50 onto the bar code recording area 57 of the photographic film 28. Note that the first reflection surface 52 and the second reflection surface 53 may be each configured by a diffuse reflection surface. Further, the first reflection surface 52 and the second reflection surface 53 may be fixed by attaching a reflection plate or the like in addition to aluminum evaporation.

As shown in FIG. 4, an upper mask 54 is disposed above the lower mask 50. The upper mask 54 is formed of a transparent resin material such as an acrylic material. The upper mask 54 is used for the photographic film 28.
Retreats upwards when transporting, descends when reading images,
The photographic film 28 is pressed against the lower mask 50.

Light transmitted through the upper mask 54 is transmitted through an opening (not shown) provided on the upper surface of the film carrier 43.
Through the lens unit 59 described later. The film carrier 43 is provided with a pair of rollers 55 and 56 for holding and transporting the photographic film 28 at positions upstream and downstream with respect to the reading position, respectively. The film 28 is transported in the film carrier 43 at a plurality of speeds.

An optical axis L is provided above the film carrier 43.
The lens unit 59 and the area CCD 60 are arranged in this order. The lens unit 59 forms an image recorded on the photographic film 28 on the light receiving surface of the area CCD 60. The lens unit 59 is configured to be finely movable along the optical axis L by a lens motor 61, whereby focus adjustment is performed. The area CCD 60 is nx
It comprises CCD cells arranged in m matrices. The area CCD 60 can read the image of the image recording range 29 for each color and can read the image recorded in the barcode recording area 57. Reference numeral 62 denotes a driver.

Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described. In the image reading device 8, a pre-scan for reading an image with low definition and a fine scan for reading an image with high definition are performed as image reading. Photo film 28
When an instruction to read an image is given, a pre-scan is first performed. At this time, the photo film 28 conveyed to the reading position
Is pressed by the upper mask 54 and the lower mask 50. The light source 34 emits reading light toward the photographic film 28 set at the reading position. The reading light is IR
The light passes through the cut filter 37 and the light amount is adjusted by a light source aperture 38. The read light whose light amount has been adjusted passes through the balance filter 39 and the filter turret 40 and enters the light diffusion box 41 as monochromatic light. The reading light incident on the light diffusion box 41 is converted into diffused light on the emission surface of the light diffusion box 41.

As shown in FIG. 5, a part of the read light converted into the diffused light is transferred to the image recording area 29 of the photographic film 28 conveyed to the reading position through the mask opening 51 formed in the lower mask 50. Irradiated. Of the read light, the light that reaches the side wall surface of the mask opening 51 is reflected by the first reflection surface 52 and is applied to the image recording range 29. As a result, the amount of the reading light applied to the image recording range 29 increases.

On the other hand, the light incident on the inside of the lower mask 50 in the reading light is reflected by the second reflection surface 53 inside the lower mask 50 and is emitted from the lower mask 50. Then, the bar code 30 recorded outside the image recording range 29 is irradiated. The reading light applied to the photographic film 28 passes through the photographic film 28 and
4. The image is read by the area CCD 57 through the reading opening above the film carrier 43. The read image data is output to the image processing unit 9. The bar code 30 is read by the image processing unit 9 and various information of the photo film 28 is read. After the image data read by the fine scan is subjected to image processing, the photosensitive material 16 is exposed.

In this embodiment, the image of the photographic film is read using the area CCD, but the image of the photographic film may be read using the line CCD. in this case,
As shown in FIG. 7, a lower mask 7 is formed in which a mask opening 70 is formed, and the side wall surface of the mask opening 70 is a first reflection surface 71 and the outer side wall surface is a second reflection surface 72.
3 can be used to perform image reading.

In the above embodiment, the lower mask is formed in a frame shape by a transparent member, and the first and second reflection surfaces are formed by depositing aluminum on the side wall surface of the mask opening and the outer peripheral side wall surface. As shown in FIG. 8, a mask opening 76 for irradiating the lower mask 75 with the image recording area of the photographic film,
An opening 77 for barcode illumination may be provided. By forming the side wall surface and the outer peripheral surface of these openings from the reflecting surface, the amount of the reading light applied to the image recording range is increased. Reference numeral 78 denotes a light diffusion box.

[0032]

As described above, according to the image reading apparatus of the present invention, the first reflection member for reflecting the light toward the image recording area of the transparent original is provided between the light diffusing member and the transparent original. Since the amount of light irradiated toward the image recording area increases, the size of the light diffusion member can be reduced, and the size of the apparatus itself can be reduced.

Further, since the first reflecting member is formed on the side wall of the mask opening of the lower mask provided between the light diffusing member and the transparent original, and the second reflecting member is formed on the side edge of the outer periphery, image recording is performed. At the same time as reading the range, optical reading information recorded outside the image recording area of the photographic film can be read, and the time for reading the image can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a digital laboratory system.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an internal configuration of a digital laboratory system.

FIG. 3 is a front view showing an example of a photographic film read by a digital lab system.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a configuration of a CCD scanner.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration near a diffusion film and a photo film at a reading position.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing an appearance of a lower mask.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a lower mask for a line CCD scanner.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing another embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a front view showing a configuration near a conventional lower mask and a light diffusion box.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 Digital laboratory system 8 Image reading device 28 Photo film 33 CCD scanner 41 Light diffusion box 50 Lower mask 51 Mask opening 52 First reflection surface 53 Second reflection surface

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An image reading apparatus for reading an image by irradiating light from a light source onto a transmissive document at a reading position using a light diffusing member, wherein an image is transmitted between the light diffusing member and the transmissive document. An image reading apparatus comprising a first reflection member for reflecting light toward an image recording area of a document. 2. A lower mask is provided between the light diffusing member and the transmissive document. The lower mask has a mask opening for illuminating an image recording area, and the first reflecting member is formed on a side wall of the mask opening. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein
The image reading device according to claim 1. 3. The transparent document is a photographic film having optical read information on a side edge portion, and the lower mask has an optical read information illumination opening or an optical read information illumination transparent member at a position corresponding to the optical read information. 3. The image reading apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a second reflection member is formed at a side edge of the illumination opening or the illumination member. 4. The light-diffusing member has a length in the width direction of the photo film substantially equal to a length of the mask opening in the width direction of the photo film, and diffuses light from the light diffusion member to illuminate the optical read information. 4. The image reading apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the image reading apparatus is guided to an opening or a transparent member for illuminating optically read information. 5. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a reflection surface of the first reflection member or the second reflection member is a diffuse reflection surface.