JP2005094687A - Image reading apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a flat head type image reading apparatus which requires no time and effort for loading a transparent original on a holder. <P>SOLUTION: The apparatus is provided with a transparent original carrying means for directly holding a transparent original to carry it and enabling the original to pass over a first reading region in the widthwise direction of a main scanning range; a carriage mounting at least a part of an image forming system; a carriage carrying means for moving the scanning range in a widthwise direction by carrying the carriage; and a control means for enabling an imaging means to generate image data representing the transparent image passing through the first reading region while carrying the transparent original with the carriage stand still in a transparent original reading mode of low resolution, and enabling the imaging means to generate image data representing the transparent image held by the first reading region while carrying the transparent original with the transparent original stand still in a transparent original reading mode of high resolution. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image reading apparatus, and more particularly to a flat bed type image reading apparatus.

Conventionally, in a flat bed type image reading apparatus, a film is loaded on a film holder and the film is read in a state where the film holder is placed on a document table. However, it is complicated to manage the film holder separately from the main body of the image reading apparatus or to attach the film to the film holder.
Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose an image reading apparatus including a transparent document conveying device that conveys a strip film as it is without holding the strip film by a conveyance holder. However, the image reading apparatuses described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 cannot read various sizes of reflection originals.

JP 11-98310 A JP 2001-358875 A

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a flatbed type image reading apparatus that does not require the trouble of mounting a transparent original on a holder.

  In order to achieve the above object, an image reading apparatus according to the present invention includes a transparent document table in which a first reading area is set on a board surface, an imaging unit that generates image data representing an optical image of a light receiving surface, An imaging optical system for forming an image of an object in a narrow main scanning range on the platen surface of the platen on the light receiving surface of the imaging means, and provided on the platen side of the platen, directly holding a transparent original. Transmissive original conveying means that conveys the first reading area in the sub-scanning direction, a carriage that is provided on the back side of the original table, and on which at least a part of the imaging optical system is mounted, and the carriage Carriage conveying means for moving the main scanning range in the sub-scanning direction by conveying the image, first illuminating means for illuminating the first reading area from the platen side of the original table, and a low-resolution transmission original reading mode. Then, while the carriage is stationary at a position where the optical image of the first reading area is formed on the light receiving surface of the imaging unit, the transparent document conveying unit is driven to convey the transparent document, Image data representing the transparent original passing through the first reading area is generated by the imaging means, and in the high-resolution transparent original reading mode, the transparent original conveying means is stopped and the transparent original is stopped. Control means for causing the imaging means to generate image data representing the transparent original held in the first reading area while the carriage is being conveyed by the carriage conveying means. By adopting a configuration in which a transparent original such as a film is directly held and conveyed, the trouble of mounting the transparent original on the holder can be eliminated. When a transparent original such as a film is directly held and conveyed, the transparent original can be conveyed at a high speed with a driving force smaller than the driving force for conveying the carriage. Therefore, in the low-resolution transparent original reading mode, the transparent original can be read at a high speed by generating image data with the imaging means while directly holding and conveying the transparent original. Further, when the transparent original is directly held, it is difficult to accurately position the transparent original by the conveying unit, whereas the carriage that does not need to be detached can be accurately positioned by the conveying unit. Therefore, in the high-resolution reading mode, the transparent original can be read with high quality by generating image data with the imaging means while transporting the carriage.

  Further, in the image reading apparatus according to the present invention, the transparent document conveying means includes a first rail that is placed on the document table and guides one end of the transparent document, and the first reading area that is placed on the document table. A second rail that is provided in parallel with the first rail and that guides the other end portion of the transparent document, and is opposed to the first rail at a position where one end portion of the transparent document is interposed. A first belt for transporting the transparent original along one rail and a second belt facing the second rail at a position where the other end of the transparent original is interposed between the first belt and the second rail. A second belt for engaging the first belt, a first engagement means for engaging one end of the transparent original with the first belt, and a second engagement for engaging the other end of the transparent original with the second belt. Means, and the first belt and the second belt And having a driving means for. The belt holder is engaged with both ends of the transparent document, and the two belts are synchronously rotated while guiding both ends of the transparent document with the two rails provided with the reading area interposed therebetween, so that the conveyance holder The transparent original can be conveyed to the reading area without touching the image recording area at the center of the transparent original without being attached to the reading area. If the transparent original is conveyed to the reading area without touching the image recording area, the image recording area is not damaged, and the image reading apparatus can read a high-quality image from the transparent original.

  Furthermore, in the image reading apparatus according to the present invention, the control unit is configured to transmit the high-resolution transparent original reading mode in a direction opposite to a direction in which the transparent original conveying unit conveys the transparent original in the low-resolution transparent original reading mode. The carriage is transported by the carriage transport means. A direction in which the main scanning range moves relative to the original (sub-scanning) in a mode in which the carriage is stationary and the transparent original is conveyed and a mode in which the transparent original is stationary and the carriage is conveyed are opposite to each other. Direction) can be matched in the two modes. By matching the sub-scanning direction with respect to the original in the two modes, the top and bottom of the object of the raster image represented by the image data generated by the imaging means can be matched without changing the pixel arrangement order using the memory. Can do.

  The functions of the plurality of means provided in the present invention are realized by hardware resources whose functions are specified by the configuration itself, hardware resources whose functions are specified by a program, or a combination thereof. The functions of the plurality of means are not limited to those realized by hardware resources that are physically independent of each other.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described based on examples.
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an internal structure of an image scanner 1 constituting an image reading apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The image scanner 1 is a so-called flatbed type that reads a document placed on a document table 24. The document table 24 is formed of a transparent plate such as a glass plate, and a document such as a printed document, a photograph, or a book is placed on the board surface 240. A reading area corresponding to A4 size is set on the platen surface 240 of the document table.

The carriage 42 is slidably fitted to a guide rod 46 parallel to the surface 240 of the document table 24. The carriage 42 is equipped with a second light source 34 as second illumination means. Further, the carriage 42 is equipped with a mirror 32 and a lens 36 as an imaging optical system, and an image sensor 38 as an imaging means. The carriage 42 is pulled by a belt hung on a pulley driven by a carriage conveyance motor (not shown) as a carriage conveyance means, and reciprocates in the directions of arrows X and Y in parallel with the surface 240 of the document table 24. When the second light source 34, the mirror 32, the lens 36, and the image sensor 38 are transported by the carriage 42 in the directions of arrows X and Y parallel to the surface of the document table 24, the main scanning range for reading the document has its width. Move in the direction.
The image reading apparatus may be a mirror moving type in which the positions of the image sensor 38 and the lens 36 are fixed with respect to the document table 24, and the main scanning range is moved in the width direction by moving a plurality of mirrors in conjunction with each other. Alternatively, a contact image sensor using a rod lens array may be used instead of the reduction optical system.

  The second light source 34 as the second illuminating means is provided on the back side of the document table 24, and is composed of a tube illuminating device such as a fluorescent tube lamp in which a rare gas such as xenon or neon or mercury is enclosed. The second light source 34 is mounted on the carriage 42 so that its longitudinal axis extends in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the guide rod 46 and parallel to the document table 24. Reflected light on the main scanning range of the original irradiated to the second light source 34 is reflected by the mirror 32 and enters the lens 36, and is collected by the lens 36 onto the light receiving surface of the image sensor 38. The lens 36 and the mirror 32 are arranged at a position where a document placed on the platen surface 240 of the document table 24 is clearly imaged on the light receiving surface of the image sensor 38.

  The first light source unit 21 as the first illumination means is provided on the panel surface side of the document table 24 and includes the first light source 20, the reflector 18, and the diffusion plate 22. The first light source 20 is constituted by a tube illumination device such as a fluorescent tube lamp in which a rare gas such as xenon or neon or mercury is enclosed. The first light source 20 is provided in the transmissive document conveying device 17 as a transmissive document conveying means so that its longitudinal axis extends parallel to the longitudinal axis of the guide rod 46. It is set so that the center of the main scanning range is located directly under the first light source 20. The reflector 18 is provided on the opposite side of the document table 24 of the first light source 20. The diffusion plate 22 is provided on the same side as the document table 24 of the first light source 20. The light emitted from the first light source 20 is reflected by the reflector 18, diffused by the diffusion plate 22, and a first reading area SS (see FIG. 11) in which a frame to be read of a 35 mm strip film is positioned at the time of reading is mounted. The mount film reading area SM and the white reference reading area SW where the film is positioned at the time of reading are illuminated with uniform illuminance.

  The image sensor 38 as an image pickup means is a so-called linear image sensor in which a number of cells (not shown) composed of photodiodes or the like are linearly arranged. The image sensor 38 is mounted on the carriage 42 so that a large number of cells are arranged in parallel with the central axis of the tubular second light source 34. Electric charges corresponding to the amount of received light are accumulated in each cell of the image sensor 38 by photoelectric conversion. The electric charge accumulated in each cell is transferred to the output unit of the image sensor 38 by a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or the like. The analog signal output from the image sensor 38 is converted into a digital signal by an A / D converter (not shown) and output from the A / D converter.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the appearance of the image scanner 1. FIG. 3 is a front view showing the appearance of the image scanner 1. The transparent document conveying device 17 is provided on the upper part of the main body housing 52 whose opening (not shown) is closed by the document table 24. The dust cover 12 is a lid that can open and close an insertion port 14 of a document transport path, which will be described later.
4 is a cross-sectional view showing the transparent original conveyance device 17 and the original table 24, and corresponds to a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the transparent original conveyance device 17 and the original table 24, and corresponds to a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB of FIG.

  The transparent document conveying device 17 is swingably connected to the main body housing 52 by a hinge 56. When the transparent document conveying device 17 is in the fully closed position, the document table 24 is covered with the transparent document conveying device 17. A document mat (not shown) is detachably provided at the bottom of the transparent document transport device 17. The original mat is mounted when reading a reflective original and is removed when reading a transparent original. When the original mat is removed from the transparent original conveying device 17, the lower surface 40 of the first rail member 26 and the panel surface 240 of the original table 24 are pressed against each other by the weight of the transparent original conveying device 17 as shown in FIG. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, support portions 54 are provided on both sides of the first rail member 26 for stably placing the transparent original conveying device 17 on the surface 240 of the original table 24. When the lower surface 40 of the first rail member 26 is in pressure contact with the surface 240 of the document table 24, a slight gap is formed between the lower surface 540 of the support portion 54 and the surface 240 of the document table 24.

  FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the transport mechanism of the transparent document transport device 17. The first rail member 26 is formed with an opening 66 corresponding to the first reading area SS (see FIG. 11). The opening 66 is located approximately at the center of the main scanning range of the image sensor 38. On both sides of the opening 66, a first rail 84 and a second rail 80 are formed in parallel to each other. The first rail 84 guides one track of 35 mm strip film parallel to the imaginary plane including the longitudinal axis of the guide rod 46 of the carriage 42, and the second rail 80 guides the other track of the film to the guide rod of the carriage 42. Guide parallel to the imaginary plane containing 46 longitudinal axes. The connecting portions 57 and 82 connecting the first rail 84 and the second rail 80 are formed one step lower than the first rail 84 and the second rail 80 so as not to contact the film. The distance between the first rail 84 and the second rail 80 is wider than the width of 24 mm of the image recording area of the film so as not to contact the image recording area of the 35 mm strip film (hereinafter referred to as film). The first rail 84 and the second rail 80 are lowered from both ends toward the center, and the intermediate portion is flat.

  The first leaf spring 28 as the first engagement means is placed on the first rail 84. The second leaf spring 74 as the second engagement means is placed on the second rail 80. As shown in FIG. 7A, the first leaf spring 28 is curved such that the vicinity of both ends is separated from the first rail 84. The second leaf spring 74 has the same shape as the first leaf spring 28, and is curved so that the vicinity of both ends is separated from the second rail 80.

  As shown in FIG. 7B, the first belt 16 is provided on the first rail 84 so as to crush the first leaf spring 28. The second belt 70 is provided on the second rail 80 so as to crush the second leaf spring 74. When the first belt 16 and the second belt 70 are provided so as to crush the first plate spring 28 and the second plate spring 74, the insertion port side end of the first plate spring 28 and the insertion port of the second plate spring 74 are provided. As shown in FIG. 7B, the side end portions are curved along the same line segment parallel movement locus, and are in pressure contact with the insertion port side end portions of the first belt 16 and the second belt 70, respectively. Moreover, the anti-insertion port side end of the first leaf spring 28 and the anti-insertion port side end of the second leaf spring 74 are curved against the same line segment parallel movement locus, and the first belt 16 and the second belt spring respectively. The belt 70 is in pressure contact with the end portion on the side opposite to the insertion port. When the film is guided from the insertion port 14 to the first rail member 26 and reaches the insertion port side ends of the first belt 16 and the second belt 70, one of the film tracks is moved to the first by the elasticity of the first leaf spring 28. The other track of the film is pressed against the second belt 70 by the elastic force of the second leaf spring 74.

In the section where the first plate spring 28 and the second plate spring 74 are provided, the film is in sliding contact with the first plate spring 28 and the second plate spring 74. That is, the first leaf spring 28 not only functions as the first engaging means described in the claims but also functions as the first rail. Further, the second leaf spring 74 not only functions as the second engagement means described in the claims but also functions as the second rail.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the first belt 16 is stretched over a pulley 30 and a pulley 44 as a first pulley pair. The second belt 70 is stretched over a pulley 64 and a pulley 76 as a second pulley pair. The driving shaft 78 to which the pulley 44 and the pulley 76 are fixed and the driven shaft 62 to which the pulley 30 and the pulley 64 are fixed are rotatably supported by the sheet metal frame 101 fixed to the first rail member 26. The sheet metal frame 101 supports the driving shaft 78 and the driven shaft 62 at a position where the first belt 16 and the second belt 70 are pulled linearly by a pair of pulleys. By first pulling the first belt 16 and the second belt 70 linearly with a pair of pulleys, the film track is moved from the first leaf spring 28 functioning as the first rail and the second leaf spring 74 functioning as the second rail. It is possible to prevent the belt 16 and the second belt 70 from floating at the intermediate portion of the pulley pair over which the belt 16 and the second belt 70 are suspended. Further, the film in which the warpage in the width direction is corrected at the front end portion of the first leaf spring 28 and the front end portion of the second leaf spring 74 is restored at the intermediate portion of the first belt 16 and the second belt 70 and warps again. Can be prevented. The transparent document conveying motor 94 is fixed to the sheet metal frame 101. The transparent document conveying motor 94 transmits torque to the driving shaft 78 through gears 100, 98, 96, 90, 92, 88, 86. A knob 60 for manually rotating the first belt 16 and the second belt 70 is fixed to one end of the driven shaft 62.

  The first belt 16 and the second belt 70 may be timing belts with teeth that mesh with pulleys, or belts without teeth that mesh with pulleys. Further, the first belt 16 and the second belt 70 may be rotated by one motor, or may be rotated by two motors that are synchronously controlled. In addition, the first belt 16 and the second belt 70 are bent between the pulleys, and the first belt 16 and the second belt 70 are moved by the pulleys provided inside the first belt 16 and the second belt 70, respectively. You may press against the rail member 26 side.

FIG. 8 is a bottom view showing a part of the transparent document conveying device 17.
The first rail member 26 is fastened to the board 15 with screws. The second rail member 48 is detachably locked to the substrate 15 at a predetermined distance from the first rail member 26 on the side opposite to the insertion port. The second rail member 48 is located on the extension line of the first rail 84 and is located on the extension line of the second rail 80 and the third rail 485 extending parallel to the imaginary plane including the central axis of the guide rod 46 of the carriage 42. And a fourth rail 489 extending in parallel with a virtual plane including the central axis of the guide rod 46 of the carriage 42. The third rail 485 and the fourth rail 489 are connected with a predetermined distance apart by a front connection portion 480 and a rear connection portion 482. The front connection portion 480 and the rear connection portion 482 are formed one step lower than the third rail 485 and the fourth rail 489 so as not to contact the image recording area of the film. An opening 484 between the third rail 485 and the fourth rail 489 corresponds to the mount film reading area SM (see FIG. 11). The opening 484 is located approximately at the center of the main scanning range of the image sensor 38.

  Ear portions 486 and ear portions 490 protrude from the third rail 485. Ears 488 and ears 492 protrude from the fourth rail 489. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the ear 486 and the ear 490 are detachably fitted to the elastically deformable engaging portions 150 and 154 of the substrate 15, and the ear 488 and the ear 492 are attached to the substrate 15. The elastically deformable engaging portions 152 and 156 are detachably fitted. When the second rail member 48 is removed from the substrate 15, the film transport path is opened, so that the film jammed in the transport path can be easily taken out. At this time, since the drive mechanisms such as the first belt 16 and the second belt 70 are not exposed, it is difficult for foreign matter to enter the drive mechanism.

As shown in FIG. 1, the second rail member 48 is positioned so that the second rail member 48 and the surface 240 of the document table 24 are separated from each other. A mount film can be placed in the mount film reading area SM (see FIG. 11) on the surface of the document table 24 below the second rail member 48. By separating the second rail member 48 from the surface 240 of the document table 24, the mount film reading area SM and the first reading area SS can be arranged in the vicinity of the optical axis of the optical system. Therefore, both the strip film positioned in the first reading area SS and the mount film positioned in the mount film reading area SM can be imaged on the image sensor 38 using the vicinity of the optical axis center of the optical system.
Note that the third rail 485 and the fourth rail 489 may be constituted by one part or may be constituted by different parts.

  FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing the transparent original conveyance device 17 and the original table 24, and corresponds to a cross-sectional view taken along the line DD of FIG. The introduction part of the film conveyance path is formed by a gap between the first rail member 26 and the pressing member 25. The drive section of the conveyance path is between the first leaf spring 28 and the first belt 16 and between the second leaf spring 74 and the second belt 70. An ascending section of the transport path is formed by a gap between the first rail member 26 and the substrate 15 on the side opposite to the driving section. In the gap between the second rail member 48 and the substrate 15, a retracting section of the transport path is formed. Since the front end of the second rail member 48 is separated from the rear end of the first rail member 26, the gap between the introduction portion side of the second rail member 48 and the substrate 15 is set so that the curved film does not deviate from the conveyance path. It is spreading. The retracting section of the transport path continues to a retracting space 220 formed behind the second rail member 48.

  A white reference reading area SW is set in the gap between the first rail member 26 and the second rail member 48. Since the white reference reading area SW is set in a section where the first rail member 26 and the second rail member 48 are separated from each other, as shown in FIG. 8, the width WW of the white reference reading area SW is set to the first reading area SS. Is sufficiently wider than the width WSF. Further, the width WW of the white reference reading area SW is sufficiently wider than the width WSS of the mount film reading area SM.

The first position sensor 102 is provided at a position that reacts when the front end of the film inserted from the insertion opening 14 is guided by the first rail member 26 and reaches the insertion detection position SP of the introduction portion of the transport path.
The second position sensor 104 is provided at a position that reacts when the front end of the film transported to the first belt 16 and the second belt 70 reaches the transport origin OP in the rising section of the transport path.

  FIG. 12 is a block diagram of an image reading apparatus including the image scanner 1 and a personal computer (PC) 130 as control means. The image scanner 1 and the PC 130 are connected to each other via a communication line, for example, a USB (Universal Serial Bus) cable via the interfaces 128 and 134 to constitute an image reading apparatus.

  The image scanner 1 includes a control unit 126 as a control unit, an operation unit 120, a first illumination unit 110, a second illumination unit 112, an image sensor 38, a main scanning drive unit 114, a transmission original conveyance unit 116, and a carriage conveyance unit. A carriage conveyance unit 118, an analog front end (AFE) unit 122, a digital image processing unit 124, and an interface 128 are provided.

  The control unit 126 includes a CPU 1262, a ROM 1260, and a RAM 1264. The CPU 1262 executes a program stored in the ROM 1260 and controls each unit of the image scanner 1. The ROM 1260 is a non-volatile memory that stores various programs and various data, and the RAM 1264 is a memory that temporarily stores various programs and various data.

  The operation unit 120 receives a user operation on the image reading apparatus and transmits a predetermined request signal to the control unit 126. For example, the operation unit 120 includes a button 500 for starting a scanner control program stored in a hard disk (HDD) 148 of the PC 130, which will be described later, and when the user presses the button 500, the above-described application program is requested to start. A signal is transmitted to the control unit 126.

  The 1st illumination part 110 is comprised from the above-mentioned 1st light source 20, the inverter circuit for 1st light sources which is not shown in figure, the control circuit for 1st illumination parts. The control circuit for the first illumination unit receives the first illumination unit control signal transmitted from the control unit 126 and controls turning on and off of the first light source 20. The second illumination unit 112 includes the above-described second light source 34, a second light source inverter circuit (not shown), a second illumination unit control circuit, and the like. The second illumination unit control circuit receives the second illumination unit control signal transmitted from the control unit 126 and controls lighting and extinction of the second light source 34.

The main scanning drive unit 114 as an image pickup unit is a drive circuit that outputs drive pulses necessary for driving the image sensor 38 to the image sensor 38, and includes, for example, a synchronization signal generator, a drive timing generator, and the like.
The transparent document conveying unit 116 includes the above-described transparent document conveying motor 94, a transparent document conveying motor driving circuit (not shown), a transparent document conveying unit control circuit, and the like. The transmission control unit for the transparent original conveyance unit receives the transparent original conveyance control signal transmitted from the control unit 126 and controls the rotation direction, the rotation speed, and the like of the transparent original conveyance motor 94.

The carriage transport unit 118 includes the above-described carriage transport motor (not shown), a carriage transport motor drive circuit, a carriage drive unit control circuit, and the like. The carriage drive unit control circuit receives the carriage conveyance control signal transmitted from the control unit 126, and controls the rotation direction and rotation speed of the carriage conveyance motor.
The AFE unit 122 serving as an imaging unit includes an analog signal processing unit, an A / D converter, and the like. The analog signal processing unit performs amplification, noise reduction processing, and the like on the analog image signal output from the image sensor 38. The A / D converter quantizes the analog signal output from the analog signal processing unit, and outputs a pixel value of a digital representation having a predetermined bit length for each cell of the image sensor 38.
The digital image processing unit 124 performs processing such as shading correction and gamma correction on the pixel value output from the AFE unit 122 to generate digital image data.

The PC 130 includes a CPU 136, ROM 142, RAM 146, HDD 148, display 138, operation unit 140, and interface 134. The CPU 136 executes programs stored in the ROM 142 and the HDD 148 and controls each unit of the PC 130. The ROM 142 is a non-volatile memory that stores various programs and various data, and the RAM 146 is a memory that temporarily stores various programs and various data. The HDD 148 is a storage device that stores various programs, various data, and the like. The display 138 is a display device using a CRT or liquid crystal and displays the read digital image. The operation unit 140 includes a keyboard, a mouse, and the like (not shown) and accepts a user operation on the PC 130. Specifically, an image reading start instruction is received. Details will be described later.
In the image scanner 1 and the PC 130, programs executed by the CPU 1262 and the CPU 136 and various data may be downloaded from a predetermined server via a network and input.

  FIG. 13 is a flowchart of the loading operation in the image reading apparatus according to this embodiment. The loading operation is a series of initial operations executed at the time of film insertion. Hereinafter, the loading operation will be described with reference to FIGS. In the following description, a plurality of image recording areas on the film are referred to as frames. In addition, when describing the traveling direction of the film, the direction in which the film advances when inserting the film from the insertion port 14 (the Y direction in FIG. 11) is the front, and the opposite direction (the X direction in FIG. 11) is the rear. To do. The front end of the film is referred to as the front end of the film, and the rear end of the film is referred to as the rear end of the film. The frame closest to the rear edge of the film is called the last frame. In addition, an end portion near the film front end of each frame is referred to as a front end of the frame, and an end portion close to the film rear end is referred to as a rear end of each frame.

The film inserted from the insertion port 14 is guided by the first rail member 26 and reaches the insertion detection position SP. When the first position sensor 102 senses the front edge of the inserted film, the loading operation is started.
Receiving the request signal in step S12 from the first position sensor 102, the control unit 126 instructs the transparent original document conveying unit 116 to convey the inserted film forward. Then, the transparent original conveying unit 116 rotates the transparent original conveying motor 94. When the film reaches the insertion port side end of the first belt 16 and the second belt 70, the film is conveyed forward by the first belt 16 and the second belt 70 driven by the transmission original conveying motor 94, and the first plate Since the conveyance path is curved at the insertion port side end of the spring 28 and the second leaf spring 74, the warpage in the width direction is corrected (S12). Since the first belt 16 and the second belt 70 are pulled in a straight line by the pulley pair, the film may be lifted at an intermediate portion between the first belt 16 and the second belt 70, or the corrected warpage may be restored. Absent.

When the front end of the film reaches OP and the second position sensor 104 detects the front end of the transparent original, the second position sensor 104 outputs a signal requesting step S14 to the control unit 126 (S13).
In step S <b> 14, the transparent original conveying unit 116 rotates the transparent original conveying motor 94 in reverse according to an instruction from the control unit 126 until the front end of the film coincides with the home position HP on the insertion opening side from the first reading area SS. Convey film. When the front end of the film reaches the home position HP, the transparent original conveying unit 116 stops the transparent original conveying motor 94, and the loading operation ends.

  On the other hand, if the second position sensor 104 does not detect the transparent document for a predetermined period after the first position sensor 102 detects the insertion of the film, the control unit 126 notifies the user of the occurrence of an error in step S15. Control for. Specifically, for example, the control unit 126 notifies the PC 130 of the error occurrence information via the interface 128 and the interface 134, and displays that the error has occurred on the display 138 by the scanner control program.

  FIG. 14 is a flowchart of the image reading operation in the strip film pre-scan mode corresponding to the low-resolution transparent original reading mode. The pre-scan mode is a low-resolution reading mode that is performed prior to the main scan. For example, the pre-scan mode is performed in order to acquire image data for all the frames for list display necessary for selecting the film frames to be read in the main scan mode in a short time. Hereinafter, an image reading operation in the pre-scan mode for acquiring image data for all the frames of the strip film will be described.

  When the control unit 126 receives a pre-scan request from the user, an image reading operation in the pre-scan mode is started. As a pre-scan request by the user, there is a method of clicking a pre-scan start button displayed on the display 138, for example. When the user clicks the pre-scan start button displayed on the display 138, the CPU 136 transmits a pre-scan request to the image scanner 1 in accordance with the scanner control program.

In step S21, in the image scanner 1 that has received the pre-scan request, the carriage transport unit 118 moves the carriage 42 under the control of the control unit 126 until the main scanning range is located at the insertion port side end of the white reference reading area SW. Transport.
In step S22, generation of image data in the main scanning range and movement of the carriage 42 are repeated until the carriage 42 moves to a position where the main scanning range is located at the rear end of the white reference reading area SW. The image data of the main scanning range is generated by generating an analog signal corresponding to the amount of light emitted from the first light source unit 21 and passing through the main scanning range by the image sensor 38 and converting it into a digital signal by the AFE unit 122. Is done by. Further, the carriage 42 is moved by transporting the carriage 42 in a direction in which the carriage transport unit 118 moves away from the insertion port 14. An average value of image data generated for a plurality of lines according to the width of the white reference reading area SW is stored in a memory as a white reference, and is used for shading correction in the digital image processing unit 124 described later. The shading correction is means for correcting variations in the luminance of the first light source unit 21 in the main scanning direction, a decrease in the peripheral light amount of the lens 36, variations in pixel sensitivity of the image sensor 38, and the like. The white reference is image data used as a lightest value in shading correction, that is, a reference value of “white”.

In step S23, the carriage transport unit 118 transports the carriage 42 until the main scanning range is located at a predetermined position in the first reading region SS.
In step S24, generation of image data in the main scanning range and movement of the film are repeated until at least the main scanning range is located at the rear end of the last frame. The image data in the main scanning range is generated by the image sensor 38 according to the amount of light emitted from the first light source unit 21 and transmitted through the frame in the main scanning range, and converted into a digital signal by the AFE unit 122. Done by converting. Image data output from the AFE unit 122 is subjected to image processing such as shading correction and gamma correction in the digital image processing unit 124, and is transmitted to the PC 130. Further, the movement of the film is performed by transporting the film forward by the transparent original transport unit 116. At this time, the front end of the film is guided in the ascending section by the first rail member 26, and is guided in the retreat section of the transport path by the second rail member 48, and reaches the retreat space 220. The mount film reading area SM can be arranged at the center of the main scanning range by providing an ascending section in the conveying path and guiding the film to the retracting section of the conveying path separated from the platen surface 240 of the document table 24.

When the reading to the rear end of the last frame is completed, in step S25, the transparent original conveyance unit 116 conveys the film rearward until the front end of the film coincides with the home position HP.
In step S26, the carriage conveyance unit 118 conveys the carriage 42 to the carriage standby position CP on the insertion opening side from the first reading area SS, and the image reading operation in the pre-scan mode ends.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart of the reading operation in the main scan mode of the strip film corresponding to the high-resolution transparent original reading mode. Hereinafter, the reading operation in the main scan mode of the strip film will be described.
When the control unit 126 accepts a main scan request from the user, the control unit 126 gives an instruction to execute step S41 to the transparent original transport unit 116, and a reading operation in the main scan mode is started. The main scan request is obtained by, for example, causing the user to click a plurality of frames to be scanned from a list display of low-resolution images of all the frames displayed on the display 138 as a result of executing the reading operation in the pre-scan mode. Select and accept the main scan start button displayed on the display 138 by clicking on it.

In step S41, the transparent original conveyance unit 116 conveys the film to a position where the front end of the film coincides with the home position HP.
In step S42, as in step S21, the carriage conveyance unit 118 conveys the carriage 42 until the main scanning range is located at the insertion port side end of the white reference reading area SW according to an instruction from the control unit 126.
In step S43, as in step S22, the white reference is acquired and stored in the memory.

In step S44, the carriage transport unit 118 transports the carriage 42 in the Y direction in FIG. 11 until the main scanning range is located at the opposite end of the first reading region SS.
In step S45, the transparent original conveyance unit 116 conveys the film until the frame selected at the time of the main scan request is positioned in the first reading area. In the first reading area SS, the first belt 16, the second belt 70, the first leaf spring 28, and the second leaf spring 74 are flat and parallel to the plate surface 240 at a position away from the plate surface 240 of the document table 24 by a predetermined distance. The film is held in a posture.

  In step S46, generation of image data in the main scanning range and movement of the carriage 42 are performed until the carriage 42 moves in the X direction in FIG. 11 and the main scanning range is positioned at the insertion port side end of the first reading area SS. Repeated. Similarly to step S24, the image data output from the digital image processing unit 124 is transmitted to the PC 130.

  In step S47, the control unit 126 determines whether or not the image data of all frames selected at the time of the main scan request has been acquired. If there is a frame for which image data has not been acquired, the above processing is repeated, If frame image data has been acquired, the process proceeds to step S48. When step S45 is repeated, a frame from which image data has not been acquired is positioned in the first reading area.

In step S48, the carriage conveyance unit 118 conveys the carriage 42 to the carriage standby position CP.
In step S49, the transparent original conveyance unit 116 conveys the film to a position where the front end of the film coincides with the home position HP, and the reading operation in the main scan mode ends.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart of the mounting film reading operation. In the following, a transparent original reading operation of the mount film will be described.
When the control unit 126 receives a mount film read request from the user, the mount film read operation is started. The reading request of the mount film by the user is received by clicking a mount film reading start button displayed on the display 138, for example. When the user clicks the mount film reading start button displayed on the display 138, the CPU 136 transmits a reading request for the mounting film reading area SM to the image scanner 1 in accordance with the scanner control program.

In step S51, in the image scanner 1 that has received the reading request for the mount film reading area SM, the main scanning range is set at the insertion port side end of the white reference reading area SW according to an instruction from the control unit 126, as in step S21. The carriage transport unit 118 transports the carriage 42 until it is positioned.
In step S52, the white reference is acquired and stored in the memory in the same manner as in step S22.

In step S53, the carriage transport unit 118 transports the carriage 42 until the main scanning range is located at the insertion port side end of the mount film reading region SM.
In step S54, generation of image data in the main scanning range and movement of the carriage 42 are repeated until the carriage 42 moves to a position where the main scanning range is located at the end of the mount film reading area SM opposite to the insertion slot. Image data output from the digital image processing unit 124 is transmitted to the PC 130.

In step S55, the carriage transport unit 118 transports the carriage 42 to the carriage standby position CP on the insertion opening side from the first reading area SS, and the transparent original reading operation in the mount film reading area SM is completed.
In the PC 130, the received image data is subjected to predetermined image processing according to the scanner control program, and stored in the RAM 146 in the order of reception. When the received image data is displayed on the display 138, the image data after the image processing is written in the image display area of the RAM 146 in the order of reception. The display 138 displays the image data stored in the image display area of the RAM 146 on the screen. Both the image reading operations in the preview mode and the main scan mode start reading an image from an optical image for one line recorded in the recording area at the front end of each frame. Therefore, in any mode, first, an image corresponding to an optical image for one line recorded at the front end of the frame is displayed on the display 138, and areas in the frame are displayed in order toward the rear end.

  According to the above-described embodiment, since the transparent original conveyance device 17 directly holds and conveys the film, there is no need to attach the film to the holder. In the strip film pre-scan mode, image data is generated while the carriage 42 is stationary while the film is being conveyed. Since the driving force necessary for the transparent document conveying unit 116 to convey the film is smaller than the driving force necessary for the carriage conveying unit 118 to convey the carriage 42, the film should be conveyed at a higher speed than the carriage 42. Can do. Accordingly, in the strip film pre-scan mode, the image reading apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention can read an image at a higher speed than a conventional image scanner that reads a document while conveying a carriage.

  On the other hand, when the film is directly held in a replaceable manner, it is difficult to accurately position the film in the first reading area SS by the transparent original conveyance unit 116, but the carriage 42 that does not need to be attached / detached is accurately obtained by the carriage conveyance unit 118. It is easy to position. In the strip film main scan mode, image data can be read with high quality by generating image data while the carriage 42 is transported while the carriage 42 is transported.

  Further, the both side tracks of the film are engaged with the first belt 16 and the second belt 70, and the first rail 84, the second rail 80, the first leaf spring 28, the second leaf spring 74, the third rail 485, and the fourth rail. The first belt 16 and the second belt 70 are rotated synchronously while guiding the tracks on both sides of the film with the rail 489, so that all the frames of the film can be moved without touching the frames without being attached to the conveyance holder. One reading area SS can be passed. If the film can be conveyed without touching the frame, the frame will not be damaged, and a high-quality image can be read from the film.

  Further, as the difference in the optical path length from the object to the light receiving surface of the image sensor 38 between the reading of the reflective original and the reading of the transparent original is smaller, both the reflective original and the transparent original can be read more clearly. According to the embodiment of the present invention, the first rail 84 and the second rail 80 which can be formed thinner than a roller or the like guide the film and position the film in the first reading area SS in the direction perpendicular to the board surface. In the first reading area SS, the film can be held at a position close to the document table. Therefore, a high quality image can be read from the film.

  Furthermore, in the pre-scan mode of strip film and the main scan mode of strip film, the direction in which the main scanning range moves relative to the film (sub-scanning direction) can be changed by reversing the transport direction of the film and carriage. It can be matched in two modes. By matching the sub-scanning direction with respect to the film in the two modes, the top and bottom of the object recorded in the frame on the screen of the display 138 can be adjusted in two modes without changing the pixel arrangement order using the RAM 146. Can be matched.

  The distribution of the irradiation light quantity in the main scanning direction of the first illumination unit 110 varies depending on the position in the sub scanning direction, and the correlation between the distribution of the irradiation light quantity in the two main scanning ranges tends to decrease as the distance in the sub scanning direction increases. There is. In addition, the distribution of the amount of irradiation light in the main scanning direction of the first illumination unit 110 in the white reference reading region SW and the actual main scanning direction of the first illumination unit 110 in each line of the first reading region SS and the mount film reading region SM. If the distribution of the amount of irradiation light differs, the accuracy of shading correction becomes worse. According to the image reading apparatus of the embodiment of the present invention, the first reading area SS and the mount film reading area SM are arranged close to each other in the sub-scanning direction with the white reference reading area SW interposed therebetween. It is possible to reduce an error in the distribution of the irradiation light amount of the first illumination unit 110 and the distribution of the irradiation light amount of the first illumination unit 110 indicated by the white reference data in each line of the reading area SS and the mount film reading area SM. Therefore, the accuracy of shading correction in the first reading area SS and the mount film reading area SM can be improved.

  Moreover, the tube illuminating device which comprises the 1st light source 20 of the 1st illumination part 110 is provided with the attitude | position in which a longitudinal direction becomes parallel to a subscanning direction. As shown in FIG. 17, the tube illumination device has a characteristic that the luminance is high and substantially constant at the central portion in the longitudinal direction and the luminance is low at both ends in the longitudinal direction. According to the image reading apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention, the white reference reading region SW is arranged in the vicinity of the center of the first light source 20 in the longitudinal direction. The area SW, the first reading area SS, and the mount film reading area SM can be illuminated. Therefore, it is possible to further improve the accuracy of shading correction when reading a transparent original.

The transparent original conveying device 17 is not limited to a 35 mm strip film, and can constitute a transparent original according to various standards as an object to be conveyed.
In the above-described embodiment, the means for engaging the film with the belt by the leaf spring is exemplified. However, the means for engaging the film with the belt without using the leaf spring may be adopted. For example, rubber or the like may be used instead of the leaf spring. Further, for example, a pulley may be provided on the inner lower side of the belt, and the belt may be pressed against the first rail member 26 with the pulley by pushing down the pulley with an elastic body. Further, for example, a configuration may be adopted in which a pulley pair for rotating the belt is provided so as to be movable with respect to the first rail member 26 and the pulley pair is pushed down to the first rail member 26 side by its own weight or elasticity. Further, for example, a belt having an action of adsorbing a film on the surface may be employed. In these cases, the first rail member functions as the first rail and the second rail described in the claims even in the drive section of the transport path. Further, the first rail and the second rail may be constituted by one part or may be constituted by different parts.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, the configuration in which the lower surface of the first rail member 26 is pressed into contact with the board surface 240 of the document table 24 by the weight of the transparent document conveying device 17 is adopted. A configuration may be adopted in which the upper surface of the housing 52 is supported and the first rail member 26 is pushed down by a spring or the like so that the lower surface of the first rail member 26 is pressed against the surface 240 of the document table 24.

In the above-described embodiment, the image reading apparatus including the image scanner 1 and the PC 130 has been described. However, the present invention may be provided to an image reading apparatus including the image scanner 1 alone.
In the above-described embodiment, the control sequence of the low-resolution transparent original reading mode according to the present invention has been described as the control sequence of the strip film pre-scan mode. The control sequence may be applied.
In the above-described embodiment, the transport direction of the transparent original and the transport direction of the carriage at the time of image reading are reversed, but they may be transported in the same direction.
Further, in the above-described embodiment, the transparent document conveying unit has been described with the configuration in which the film is guided using the rail and positioned in the first reading area. However, the transparent document conveying unit does not use the rail but the film with the roller or the like. You may make it the structure which guides and positions in a 1st reading area | region.

Sectional drawing which concerns on one Example of this invention. The top view which concerns on one Example of this invention. The front view which concerns on one Example of this invention. Sectional drawing which concerns on one Example of this invention. Sectional drawing which concerns on one Example of this invention. The perspective view which concerns on one Example of this invention. The schematic diagram which concerns on one Example of this invention. The bottom view which concerns on one Example of this invention. Sectional drawing corresponding to the EE line | wire of FIG. Sectional drawing corresponding to the FF line of FIG. Sectional drawing which concerns on one Example of this invention. The block diagram which concerns on one Example of this invention. The flowchart which concerns on one Example of this invention. The flowchart which concerns on one Example of this invention. The flowchart which concerns on one Example of this invention. The flowchart which concerns on one Example of this invention. The characteristic view which concerns on one Example of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image scanner, 16 1st belt, 17 Transmission original conveying apparatus, 20 1st light source, 21 1st light source unit, 24 Document stand, 30,44,64,76 Pulley, 32 Mirror, 34 2nd light source, 36 Lens, 38 Image sensor, 42 Carriage, 48 Second rail member, 60 Knob, 70 Second belt, 80 Second rail, 84 First rail, 94 Transparent document conveying motor, 110 First illumination unit, 112 Second illumination unit, 114 Main Scan Drive Unit, 116 Transparent Document Conveying Unit, 118 Carriage Conveying Unit, 120 Operation Unit, 124 Digital Image Processing Unit, 126 Control Unit, 485 Third Rail, 489 Fourth Rail

Claims (3)

A transparent platen with a first reading area set on the board;
Imaging means for generating image data representing an optical image of the light receiving surface;
An imaging optical system that forms an image of an object in a narrow main scanning range on the platen surface of the document table on the light receiving surface of the imaging unit;
A transparent original conveying means provided on the platen side of the original table and directly holding and conveying the transparent original and passing the first reading area in the sub-scanning direction;
A carriage provided on the back side of the document table and carrying at least a part of the imaging optical system;
Carriage conveying means for moving the main scanning range in the sub-scanning direction by conveying the carriage;
First illuminating means for illuminating the first reading area from the surface of the platen;
In the low-resolution transparent original reading mode, the transparent original conveying means is driven to drive the transparent original while the carriage is stationary at a position where the optical image of the first reading area is formed on the light receiving surface of the imaging means. Image data representing the transparent original passing through the first reading area while the original is conveyed is generated by the imaging unit, and in the high-resolution transparent original reading mode, the transparent original conveying unit is stopped and the transparent original is stopped. Control means for generating image data representing the transparent original held in the first reading area by the imaging means while conveying the carriage by the carriage conveying means in a stationary state.
An image reading apparatus comprising: The transparent document conveying means includes:
A first rail placed on the document table and guiding one end of the transparent document;
A second rail that is placed on the document table and is provided in parallel with the first rail across the first reading region, and guides the other end of the transparent document;
A first belt for conveying the transparent original along the first rail facing the first rail at a position where one end of the transparent original is interposed;
A second belt for conveying the transparent original along the second rail facing the second rail at a position where the other end of the transparent original is interposed;
First engaging means for engaging one end of the transparent original with the first belt;
Second engaging means for engaging the other end of the transparent original with the second belt;
The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a driving unit that synchronously rotates the first belt and the second belt.   The control means conveys the carriage by the carriage conveying means in the high-resolution transparent original reading mode in a direction opposite to the direction in which the transparent original conveying means conveys the transparent original in the low-resolution transparent original reading mode. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image reading apparatus is an image reading apparatus.

Images