JP2003259083A - Ultrathin contact image sensor and light source therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ultrathin contact image sensor in which a contact image sensor built, for example, in a portable input unit (hand scanner or the like) can be constituted in a thinner shape and which has much utility, and to provide a light source therefor. <P>SOLUTION: The ultrathin contact image sensor comprises a light source disposed at a reflecting surface to become a predetermined angle to a reading glass and installed on an end face of the glass to change the light from the light source to be reflected from the image and its optical path by the reflecting surface, a lens disposed parallel to the glass to pass the reflected light through the lens, and a photodetecting element for photodetecting the reflected light. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a facsimile,
The present invention relates to a contact-type image sensor having an image reading mechanism used in a copying machine, an image scanner, a bar code reader, etc., and particularly to provide an ultra-thin contact-type image sensor and a light source therefor.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, this type of facsimile, copying machine,
An image sensor equipped with an image reading mechanism used for image scanners, bar code readers, etc., has a reading surface and a light receiving element arranged on one axis, so the size is determined by the thickness of the parts, and it is made thinner. There was a limit.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of an image sensor having a conventional image reading mechanism. That is, in the conventional configuration, the reading glass 101 placed on the upper part of the housing
The light source 102 and the rod lens array 103 arranged at a predetermined interval under the reading glass 101, the light receiving element 104 including an IC for receiving light from the rod lens array 103, and the light receiving element 104 are mounted. The sensor substrate 105, which constitutes the thickness of the contact image sensor, that is, the reading glass 101, the light source 102, the light receiving element 104, and the sensor substrate 105 are arranged on one axis along the rod lens array 103. Was there.

[0004]

However, in this conventional configuration, the components constituting the thickness of the contact image sensor are the reading glass 101, the light source 102,
The light receiving element 104 and the sensor substrate 105 are uniaxially arranged along the rod lens array 103, so that it is impossible to reduce the thickness.

Therefore, when a portable input device (hand scanner or the like) is constructed by using an image sensor having an image reading mechanism as described above, the thickness of the contact image sensor becomes a problem, and the entire device is thinned. The reality is that I could not do it.

In addition, it is difficult to make the contact image sensor thin with the current commercially available parts, and in order to make the contact image sensor strong and thin, it is necessary to develop a thin rod lens array, and the development cost is high. It does not match the profitability.

The present invention is intended to solve the above-mentioned problems of the conventional example. For example, a contact image sensor incorporated in a portable input device (hand scanner, etc.) can be made thinner, and it is a very thin and practical type. An object of the present invention is to provide a contact image sensor and a light source therefor.

[0008]

That is, in the ultra-thin contact image sensor of the present invention, the reflection surface is arranged at a predetermined angle with respect to the reading glass, and the light from the light source installed on the end surface of the reading glass is emitted. It is characterized in that the light is reflected from the image, the optical path is changed by the reflecting surface, the reflected light is passed through a lens arranged in parallel along the reading glass, and then is received by a light receiving element.

In the ultra-thin contact image sensor of the present invention, the reflecting surface may be selected from a glass mirror, vapor deposition of a highly reflecting material on a plastic / metal material, and a total reflection surface of a light transmitting material. It is a feature.

In the light source for an ultra-thin contact image sensor of the present invention, a highly transparent material is vapor-deposited or white-printed with a slit portion sandwiched on a light-transmissive surface of a transparent material such as transparent plastic or glass constituting a reading glass. , In that case, each width forming vapor deposition or white printing is changed along the printing width direction, and the light from the light source is set as uniform light from the slit part set on the light transmitting surface of the transparent material such as transparent plastic or glass. It is characterized in that it can be irradiated.

In the light source for an ultra-thin contact image sensor according to the present invention, the width of vapor deposition or white printing of the highly reflective material performed by sandwiching the slit portion in the transparent material is stepwise toward the traveling direction of the light from the light source. It is also characterized by the fact that it is made to spread out.

Since the present invention is configured as described above, a contact image sensor incorporated in, for example, a portable input device (hand scanner, etc.) can be made thinner, and an ultra-thin contact image sensor having a high degree of practicality and a contact image sensor therefor A light source can now be provided.

Further, it is possible to provide an ultra-thin contact image sensor and a light source therefor, which has a small number of parts, is easy to manufacture and adjust between the parts, and can significantly reduce the cost. Became.

[0014]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of an ultra-thin contact image sensor of the present invention and a light source therefor will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of the ultra-thin contact image sensor of the present invention, FIG. 2 (a) is a schematic plan view showing the structure of a light source portion,
(B) is a schematic side view.

The ultra-thin contact image sensor according to the present invention has a high reflection efficiency of a material having a high reflection efficiency, for example, a mirror made of glass, a plastic / metal material, before and after the rod lens array 2 arranged along the reading glass 1. A reflector 3 made of material vapor deposition is arranged. Then, the optical path of the reflected light from the original on the surface of the reading glass 1 is changed by the reflecting material 3, the light is then incident on the rod lens array 2, and the optical path of the reflected light emerging from the rod lens array 2 is also reflected on the opposite side. The material is changed to input to the light receiving element 4 on the sensor substrate 5 arranged at the bottom. It goes without saying that the reflector 3 may be integrated with the housing or the supporting structure of the rod lens array 2 or may be separately attached. The material and shape of the rod lens array 2 and the performance and type of the light receiving element 4 can be appropriately determined in the overall configuration.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the light source for an ultra-thin contact image sensor according to the present invention. That is,
It is a light source structure in which a reading glass and a light source are integrated. First, as shown in FIG. 2, a reading glass body 11 made of plastic or glass is prepared. Then, vapor deposition or white printing of a highly reflective material is performed on the light transmitting surface so as to form a pair with a predetermined slit 12 interposed therebetween.

That is, the first on both sides of this slit 12
The printing width of the first printing band 13 is set to be a, the printing width of the second printing band 14 is set to be b, and the printing width a of the first printing band 13 is gradually changed so as to spread in the light traveling direction. . In addition,
If the brightness in the entire length direction of the reading glass body 11 is not uniform only by adjusting the print width a of the first print band 13, the interval between the slits 12 or the print width b of the second print band 14 is gradually changed. Then, the printing width is widened or the interval between the slits 12 is narrowed in the traveling direction of light. By doing so, it is possible to make the brightness of the reading glass body 11 uniform in the entire length direction.

The end surface of the reading glass body 11 is L-shaped.
A light source 15 such as an ED is attached so as to be integrated with the reading glass body 11. Therefore,
The light from the light source 15 passes through the reading glass main body 11 and is reflected by the first and second printing bands 13 and 14 to be in a very uniform light emission state as a whole. Is illuminated on the original.

Further, FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the ultra-thin contact image sensor of the present invention. In the ultra-thin contact image sensor of the present invention, the rod lens array 2 arranged along the reading glass 1 is housed in the housing portion 22 provided on the upper surface of the light transmission material 21 made of glass or plastic material, and the rod is arranged. Reflecting surfaces 23 and 24 are arranged before and after the optical axis of the lens array 2. Then, the optical path of the reflected light from the document on the surface of the reading glass 1 is changed to the reflection surface 23.
The light path of the reflected light that is made incident on the rod lens array 2 and then exits from the rod lens array 2 is changed by the reflecting surface 24 on the opposite side, and is input to the light receiving element 4 on the sensor substrate 5 arranged at the bottom. It is what makes me. By doing so, the number of parts can be reduced, and cost reduction can be expected by reducing man-hours such as vapor deposition of the highly reflective material.

[0020]

Since the present invention is constructed as described above,
For example, a contact image sensor incorporated in a portable input device (hand scanner or the like) can be configured to be thinner, and an ultra-thin contact image sensor with high practicality and a light source therefor can be provided.

Further, it is possible to provide an ultra-thin contact image sensor and a light source therefor, which has a small number of parts, is easy to manufacture and adjust between the parts, and can significantly reduce the cost. Became.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view showing an embodiment of an ultra-thin contact image sensor of the present invention.

FIG. 2A is a schematic plan view showing a structure of a light source portion,
(B) is a schematic side view.

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing another embodiment of the ultra-thin contact image sensor of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing a conventional contact image sensor.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 reading glass 2 Rod lens array 3 reflective material 4 Light receiving element 5 sensor board 11 Reading glass body 12 slits 13 First print band 14 Second swath 15 light source 21 Light transmitting material 22 Storage 23, 24 reflective surface a, b print width

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Katsuyuki Tsukahara             4620-6 Funatsu, Kawaguchiko Town, Minamitsuru District, Yamanashi Prefecture (72) Inventor Kobayashi             3701 Funatsu, Kawaguchiko-cho, Minamitsuru-gun, Yamanashi Prefecture (72) Inventor Katsuyoshi Haneda             3-11-14 Asahi, Fujiyoshida City, Yamanashi Prefecture F term (reference) 5B072 AA04 CC04 CC24 DD02 JJ11                       LL07 LL11 LL18                 5C051 AA01 BA04 DA03 DB01 DB22                       DB24 DB29 DC04 DC05 DC07                       DE30 FA02                 5C072 AA01 BA01 CA02 CA05 CA15                       DA04 DA08 DA25 EA07 PA08                       VA07

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A reflection surface is arranged at a predetermined angle with respect to a reading glass, and light from a light source installed on an end surface of the reading glass is reflected from an image to change an optical path by the reflecting surface. An ultra-thin contact image sensor characterized by allowing light to pass through a lens arranged parallel to the reading glass and then received by a light receiving element. 2. A reflecting mirror made of glass, plastic /
The ultra-thin contact image sensor according to claim 1, wherein the ultra-thin contact image sensor is selected from vapor deposition of a highly reflective material on a metal material and total reflection surface of a light transmitting material. 3. A vapor deposition or white printing of a highly reflective material is performed on a light transmitting surface of a transparent material such as transparent plastic or glass constituting a reading glass with a slit portion interposed therebetween, and vapor deposition or white printing is formed at that time. The width is changed along the printing width direction, and the light from the light source can be emitted as uniform light from the slit portion set on the light transmitting surface of the transparent material such as transparent plastic or glass. Light source for thin contact image sensor. 4. The width of vapor deposition or white printing of a highly reflective material, which is performed by sandwiching a slit portion in a transparent material, gradually widens in a traveling direction of light from a light source. Ultra thin contact image sensor light source.