JP2662053B2 - Image reading device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention automatically transports a cassette containing a document to be read to a platen, and then rotates and trims the cassette as necessary. Further, the present invention relates to an image reading apparatus configured to perform reading operation by irradiating illumination light in the main scanning direction while performing sub-scanning conveyance.

[Prior Art] For example, in the fields of printing and plate making, image scanning, reading and reproducing in which a film original is created by electrically processing image information carried on a document for the purpose of streamlining work processes, improving image quality, etc. Widely used in systems.

In this case, in the image reading apparatus constituting the image scanning reading and reproducing system, the read document is substantially accommodated in a cassette, and the cassette is conveyed in a sub-scanning manner through a document table while the illumination light source is energized. Illumination light is emitted in the main scanning direction, whereby the image information carried on the read document is read two-dimensionally.

By the way, a mechanism for rotating the cassette with respect to the platen to adjust the halftone dot angle, the gravure angle, etc. of the read document, and the cassette perpendicular to the sub-scanning direction of the platen for mechanically trimming the read document. There is a case where a mechanism for moving the document table in a moving direction is provided on the document table.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in this type of platen, conventionally, a table is provided that can move forward and backward in the trimming direction with respect to the platen, and a turntable is disposed in the center of the table. In addition, an operator must directly perform an operation of attaching and detaching a cassette to and from the turntable. For this reason, it has been pointed out that the attachment / detachment operation of the cassette becomes complicated and inefficient, and that the entire reading operation cannot be automated.

The present invention has been made in view of the above, and it is possible to automatically convey a cassette containing the read document to a rotating table provided on a document table, thereby automatically and efficiently reading. It is an object of the present invention to provide an image reading device capable of performing an operation.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a method in which a cassette accommodating a document to be read is moved in a sub-scanning direction substantially orthogonal to a main scanning direction of a light source for illumination via a document table. A sub-scanning mechanism for conveying, a rotating mechanism provided on the document table and having a rotary table capable of holding the cassette, a positioning mechanism for positioning and fixing the cassette relative to the rotary table, and a trimming direction for the rotary table. A trimming mechanism for moving the illumination light source in the main scanning direction, and a transport mechanism for automatically transporting the cassette from the cassette insertion port to the rotary table, wherein the transport mechanism engages both sides of the cassette. A plurality of guide rollers for supporting the cassette, and slidingly contacting the end surface of the cassette on the side opposite to the platen side, the guide rollers A plurality of transport rollers for transporting the supported cassette under the action of a rotary drive source, and a displacement mechanism for moving at least the transport rollers disposed along the rotary table with respect to the rotary table. It is characterized by having.

Still further, the present invention is characterized in that a locking mechanism for preventing a cassette from being inserted into the apparatus main body is provided between a cassette insertion opening formed in the apparatus main body and the transport mechanism.

[Operation] In the image reading apparatus according to the present invention configured as described above, the cassette containing the read original is automatically conveyed to the original table under the operation of the conveying mechanism. Here, the cassette is positioned and held on the rotary table via the positioning mechanism, and the rotation mechanism and the trimming mechanism are driven as necessary. Next, the cassette is conveyed integrally with the document table via the sub-scanning mechanism in the sub-scanning direction while the illumination light source is energized to illuminate the read original with illumination light in the main scanning direction,
The image information carried on the read original is read two-dimensionally.

Embodiments An image reading apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 denotes an image reading apparatus according to the present embodiment. A cassette attaching / detaching portion 14 is formed at one upper end side of the housing 12 constituting the image reading apparatus 10, and the cassette 20 is introduced into the housing 12 through the cassette attaching / detaching portion 14 and from the inside of the housing 12. The cassette 20 is led out. Here, as shown in FIG.
V-shaped grooves 24 are provided on both sides of the frame 22 in the conveying direction.
a and 24b are formed, and a light-transmissive member such as a glass plate 26 is attached to the frame 22. A glass plate 28, which is also a light-transmitting member, is swingably supported at one end of the frame 22, and the original S to be read is held between the glass plate 28 and the glass plate 26.

A cassette insertion port 30 is provided in the vicinity of the cassette attaching / detaching portion 14, and the cassette insertion port 30 has a desired shape corresponding to the shape of the cassette 20, whereby the cassette 20 is directed in different directions. Is prevented from being inserted. A locking mechanism 50 is provided near the cassette insertion opening 30.

As shown in FIG. 2, the locking mechanism 50 has an actuator, for example, a linear solenoid 52, and one end of a locking member 58 is engaged with a rod 54 extending from the linear solenoid 52 via a link piece 56. Are combined. The locking member 58 is swingably supported at a substantially central portion via a shaft 60, and a bulging portion 62 is formed at the other end of the locking member 58 so as to be able to enter the cassette insertion port 30. At the same time, a tension spring 64 is engaged on the side opposite to the bulging portion 62. Accordingly, the locking member 58 is swung under the action of the linear solenoid 52 and the tension spring 64, and the bulging portion 62 enters the cassette insertion port 30,
It is rocked and displaced between the position where it is detached from the cassette insertion opening 30.

One end of the transport mechanism 100 is disposed near the locking mechanism 50, and the other end of the transport mechanism 100 extends above a rotary table described later. As shown in FIG. 3, the transport mechanism 100 includes a frame 102, and a plurality of rods 104 are fixed to one end of the frame 102 in the transport direction in an upright state, and a guide roller 106 is supported on the rod 104. You.
The outer peripheral surface of the guide roller 106 has an arc-shaped cross section, and this outer peripheral surface is engaged with the inner wall surface defining one V-shaped groove 24a of the cassette 20 by point contact. On the other end side of the frame 102, a guide roller 110 similarly engaged with the other V-shaped groove 24b of the cassette 20 via a plurality of rods 108 along the transport direction is provided, and the rod 108 Is supported by the frame 102 via a leaf spring 112. For this reason, the guide roller 110 is normally inclined so as to approach the guide roller 106 side through the elastic force of the leaf spring 112.

A rotary drive source 114 is fixed to the frame 102, and one end of a timing belt 118 is engaged with a pulley 116 that is mounted on a drive shaft of the rotary drive source 114. The timing belt 118
Drives the roller pair 120, the first transport roller group 122, and the second transport roller group 124 via a rotational force transmitting means 119 including a pulley and a gear train engaged with the roller. The roller pair 120 includes a pair of rollers 128a and 128b which are slidably contacted with each other via a spring 126, and the roller 128b is a roller.
It is configured to move forward and backward with respect to 128a.

The first conveying roller group 122 has a plurality of rotating shafts 130 rotated via a rotating force transmitting means 119, and is separated from the rotating shaft 130 by a predetermined distance so as to engage with the upper surface of the frame 22 of the cassette 20. A pair of transport rollers 132 is axially mounted, and the transport rollers 132 are pulled by a spring 134 interposed on the rotary shaft 130.
Is biased downward.

On the other hand, the second transport roller group 124 has a plurality of rotating shafts 136 similarly engaged with the rotating force transmitting means 119, and
A pair of transport rollers 138 are respectively mounted on 136, and
The transport roller 138 is configured to be able to move up and down via a displacement mechanism 140. As shown in FIG. 4, the displacement mechanism 140 includes a rotary drive source 142 fixed to the frame 102, and a gear 144 is mounted on a drive shaft of the rotary drive source 142.
The gear 148 axially mounted on the drive rod 146 is meshed with the gear. The drive rod 146 extends in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction, and is rotatably supported by the frame 102. Cam members 150 are fixed to both ends of the drive rod 146. A slide plate 152 is provided near the cam member 150. The slide plate 152 supports a rotating shaft 136 constituting the second transport roller group 124, and is interposed between the frame 102 and the slide plate 152. It is constantly urged downward under the tensile action of the coil spring 154. Further, a block body 156 that is engageable with each cam member 150 is fixed to the upper end of each slide plate 152.

First and second transport roller group 1 constituting transport mechanism 100
A document table 200 is disposed below the reference numerals 22 and 124 via a sub-scanning mechanism 202 so as to be able to advance and retreat in the sub-scanning direction (the direction of arrow A). As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, the sub-scanning mechanism 202 includes a rotary drive source 204, and a ball screw
The ball screw 206 is connected to a nut member 208 fixed to one side of the document table 200,
Both sides of the document table 200 are held by guide bars 210.

The document table 200 is provided with a trimming mechanism 250 for moving the cassette 20 forward and backward in a trimming direction, that is, a direction orthogonal to the sub-scanning direction (the direction of arrow A) (see FIG. 5). The trimming mechanism 250 has a rotary drive source 252 attached to the document table 200, and one end of a ball screw 254 is connected to the rotary drive source 252. The ball screw 254 extends in the trimming direction, is fitted to a nut member 258 provided on the trim base 256, and the other end is supported by the original table 200. The original table 200 is provided with a pair of guide bars 260 extending in the trimming direction and parallel to each other, and the trim bar 256 is supported by the guide bars 260.

An opening 262 having a relatively large diameter is formed in the trim base 256, and guide rollers 264a and 264b are supported near the opening 262 on the same straight line as the guide rollers 106 and 110 constituting the transport mechanism 100. (See FIG. 1). Further, a rotating mechanism 300 for rotating the cassette 20 by a predetermined angle on the trim base 256, and a rotating table 302 constituting the rotating mechanism 300
Positioning mechanism 40 for positioning and holding the cassette 20
0 is provided.

As shown in FIG. 6, a rotation drive source 303 constituting the rotation mechanism 300 is supported on the lower surface side of the trim base 256,
A gear 304 is attached to the drive shaft of the rotary drive source 303.
306 are engaged. A gear 308 is meshed with the gear 306,
The gear 308 meshes with a turntable 302 supported on the trim base 256. In other words, the fixed support rollers 310a and 310b and the eccentric support rollers 312a and 312b are disposed on the trim base 256 outside the opening 262 and separated from each other by 90 °. In this case, the support rollers 312a and 312b are eccentric shafts.
The eccentric shafts 314a, 314b are supported by 314a, 314b, and the supporting rollers 312a, 312b are configured to be variable in position by rotating the eccentric shafts 314a, 314b. Support rollers 310a, 310b and 312
The outer surfaces of the a and 312b have an arc-shaped cross section, while a V-shaped groove 316 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the rotary table 302 supported by these support rollers 310a and 310b and 312a and 312b. A ring-shaped gear 3 is provided at the upper end of the outer peripheral surface of the rotary table 302.
The gear 18 is fixedly engaged with the gear 308.

Next, the positioning mechanism 400 includes a rotary drive source 402 fixed to the lower surface side of the trim base 256, and a cam plate 404 is engaged with a rotary shaft of the rotary drive source 402 (see FIGS. 1 and 7). ). On the other hand, a slide member 406 is provided on the rotary table 302 at an angular position for attaching and detaching the cassette 20 and engaging with the cam plate 404.
Is integrally formed with a rack 408. A coil spring 410 is engaged with the end of the slide member 406, and the slide member 406 is constantly urged toward the cam plate 404 through the elastic force of the coil spring 410. Pinion on rack 408
One end of the locking plate 414 is engaged with the pinion 412, and the locking plate 414 is bent on the way, and the elastic member 416 is attached to the other end. Therefore, when no external force acts on the slide member 406, the locking plate 414 swings vertically upward under the resilience of the coil spring 410, and the end face of the cassette 20 is pressed by the elastic member 416. On the other hand, when the cam plate 404 is engaged with the slide member 406, the locking plate 414 swings in the horizontal direction, and the elastic member 416 is retracted inside the turntable 302.

As shown in FIG. 6, a stopper 418 is fixed to the rotary table 302 so as to face the elastic member 416, and elastic members 420a and 420b engaged with the end of the cassette 20 are provided on the end surface of the stopper 418. Is provided. Lock plate 4 on rotary table 302
A plurality of rotating bodies 422a, which are located between the stopper 14 and the stopper 418 and are engaged with the bottom surfaces on both sides of the frame body 22 constituting the cassette 20,
422b is provided. Fixed shafts 424a and 424b that support the rotating bodies 422a and 422b are mounted directly on the upper surface 302a of the rotary table 302, thereby ensuring the accurate position of the cassette 20 with respect to the rotary table 302. Yes (see Figure 8).

Further, on the rotary table 302, a rod 426 is supported vertically outwardly of the rotating body 422a, and the rod 426 is configured to be able to move up and down via the elastic force of the coil spring 428. Guide roller 43 at the upper end
0 is supported. On the other hand, a plurality of rods 431 are disposed outside the rotating body 422b so as to be oriented in the vertical direction.
Is configured to move up and down under the resilient action of the coil spring 432 and swing freely around the pin 436 via the resilient force of the coil spring 434. A guide roller 438 is supported at the end of the pin.

As shown in FIG. 1, a light source 450 constituting a transmissive illumination mechanism is provided in the housing 12 so as to extend in a main scanning direction substantially orthogonal to the arrow A, and the light source 450 is provided below the light source 450. 450
Reading unit that photoelectrically reads illumination light L derived from
500 are arranged.

The image reading unit 500 includes a bracket 502, which is engaged with a ball screw 504 extending in the optical axis direction (the direction of arrow I in the figure), and
It is configured to be able to advance and retreat in the optical axis direction under the driving action of a rotary drive source 506 connected to 04. A turntable 510 is supported on the upper part of the bracket 502 via a support shaft 508.
The rotary drive source 512 fixed to the bracket 502
A belt 514 is engaged with the belt 514. A plurality of imaging lenses 516 are arranged on the turntable 510 at equal angular intervals while being accommodated in the holder 518.

A ball screw 520 is supported on the bracket 502 so as to extend in the optical axis direction in parallel with the ball screw 504. A rotation drive source 522 is connected to an end of the ball screw 520, and the movable base 526 is The screw 520 is engaged. The movable table
A holder 528 is attached to 526, and the holder 528 is provided with a first CCD 530a, a second CCD 530b, and a third CCD 530c into which illumination light L split into three directions by a prism (not shown) is introduced. At this time, the first CCD 530a to the third CCD 530c convert the color image information carried on the read original S into R, G and B.
Is read photoelectrically as image information corresponding to each of the colors.

The image reading apparatus according to the present embodiment is basically configured as described above, and the operation thereof will be described next.

When the cassette 20 containing the desired document S to be read is inserted into the cassette insertion opening 30 from the cassette attaching / detaching portion 14, the leading end of the cassette 20 is nipped by the roller pair 120, and the transport mechanism 100 is driven. You. Therefore, the rotation drive source 1
The pulley 116 is rotated by the driving action of 14, and the roller pair 120, the first conveying roller group 122, and the second conveying roller group 124 are integrally formed via the timing belt 118 and the rotating force transmitting means 119 engaged with the pulley 116. It is driven to rotate. Accordingly, the cassette 20 having the frame 22 sandwiched between the roller pairs 120 is transported to the first transport roller group 122 side, and the transport rollers 132 constituting the first transport roller group 122 roll on the upper surface of the frame 22. At the same time, the guide rollers 106 and 110 are fitted into the grooves 24a and 24b formed on both sides of the frame 22, and the cassette 20 is moved to the second transport roller group 124 side.

At this time, the rod 108 supporting the guide roller 110 is tilted toward the guide roller 106 through the elastic force of the leaf spring 112, and the cassette 20 is inserted between the guide rollers 106 and 110. As a result, the guide roller 110 swings outward against the elastic force of the leaf spring 112. Therefore, the cassette 20 is resiliently supported by the respective guide rollers 106 and 110.

The leading end of the cassette 20 is stopped by a stopper 418 under the guide action of the transport rollers 138 constituting the second transport roller group 124 and guide rollers 430 and 438 provided on the rotary table 302.
, The driving of the rotary drive source 114 is stopped. Here, the rod 4 that supports the guide roller 430
26 is urged toward the rotary table 302 via a coil spring 428, and the guide roller 438 is urged toward the rotary table 302 and the guide roller 430 via coil springs 432 and 434. Therefore, the cassette 20 is resiliently supported on both sides by the guide rollers 430 and 438, and the height position of the cassette 22 is adjusted with respect to the rotary table 302 by pressing the frame 22 against the rotating bodies 422a and 422b.

Next, the rotation drive source 402 constituting the positioning mechanism 400 is driven, the cam plate 404 is rotated by a predetermined angle, and the small diameter portion is opposed to the slide member 406 (see FIG. 7). For this reason, the slide member 406 is displaced toward the cam plate 404 through the elastic force of the coil spring 410, and the pinion 412 meshed with the rack 408 provided on the slide member 406 is rotated and locked. The plate 414 is swung vertically upward, and the cassette 20 is pressed by the elastic member 416.

After the cassette 20 is positioned and held with respect to the rotary table 302, the rotary drive source 142 constituting the displacement mechanism 140 is driven. For this reason, the drive rod 146 is
Is rotated, and the cam members 150 engaged with both ends of the drive rod 146 are engaged with the block body 156. Accordingly, the slide plate 152 is raised with respect to the frame 102 against the tensile force of the coil spring 154, and the second conveying roller group 124 supported by the slide plate 152 is separated from the cassette 20.

Next, in order to adjust the angular position of the read document S held in the cassette 20, the rotation drive source 303 constituting the rotation mechanism 300 is driven as necessary. For this reason, the gear 306 and the gear 308 are rotated via the gear 304 connected to the rotary drive source 303, and the gear meshed with the gear 308
The rotary table 302 is integrated with the support rollers 310a and 310b.
And 312a, 312b are rotated by a predetermined angle.

In addition, the trimming mechanism 250 is driven as necessary to trim the read original S. In other words, the ball screw 254 is rotated under the driving action of the rotary drive source 252, and the trim base 256 to which the nut member 258 is fitted is fitted in the direction substantially perpendicular to the sub scanning direction under the guiding action of the guide bar 260. Displaced. Thus, the operation of trimming the read original S is mechanically performed.

By the way, after the cassette 20 is loaded into the housing 12, the locking mechanism 50 is driven to prevent a new cassette 20 from being loaded into the housing 12 by mistake. That is, when the linear solenoid 52 is driven and the rod 54 is lowered, the locking member 58 is rotated via the link piece 56 against the tensile force of the tension spring 64. For this reason, the bulging portion 62 formed in the locking member 58 enters one end of the cassette insertion port 30, and a new cassette 20 is loaded into the housing 12 from the cassette insertion port 30. It is blocking.

On the other hand, after the cassette 20 is positioned with respect to the document table 200, the rotation drive source 204 constituting the sub-scanning mechanism 202 is driven, and the document table 200 is sub-scanned through the guide bar 210 under the rotation of the ball screw 206. The light source 450 is energized while being conveyed in the direction (the direction of arrow A). Accordingly, when the illumination light L derived from the light source 450 passes through the read original S in the main scanning direction, the color image information carried on the read original S is extracted as an optical signal, and the image as the optical signal is output. Each of the CCDs 530a to 530c receives information via a predetermined imaging lens 516 which is arranged on the optical axis P under the action of the rotary drive source 512 in advance.
Is irradiated. As a result, the color image information as the optical signal corresponds to each of R, G and B colors,
It is read photoelectrically by 30a to 530c. During this time, the document table 200 is being conveyed in the sub-scanning direction in the direction of arrow A, and the read document S is two-dimensionally irradiated with the illumination light L, its color image information is taken out, and all of them are read by the respective CCDs 530a to 530c. become.

After the reading operation of the reading original S is completed, the sub-scanning mechanism 20
After the platen 200 is moved in the direction opposite to the arrow A under the action of the rotary drive source 204 constituting the component 2, the trimming mechanism 250 and the rotary mechanism 300 are driven as necessary, and the rotary table 3 is rotated.
02 is positioned at the attachment / detachment position of the cassette 20. here,
By driving the rotation drive source 142 constituting the displacement mechanism 140 and lowering the slide plate 152, the second transport roller group 1
The transport roller 138 constituting 24 is brought into contact with the upper surface of the frame 22 of the cassette 20. Further, the cam plate 404 is rotated under the driving action of the rotary drive source 402 constituting the positioning mechanism 400, and the large-diameter portion side is engaged with the slide member 406. Therefore, the slide member 406 is displaced against the elastic force of the coil spring 410, and the locking plate 414 is separated from the cassette 20 via the rack 408 and the pinion 412, so that the rotary table 302
Is evacuated inside.

Therefore, the pulley 116 is rotated in the opposite direction to that described above under the driving action of the rotary drive source 114 constituting the transport mechanism 100, and the second transport roller group 124 and the first transport roller 124 are rotated via the timing belt 118 and the rotational force transmitting means 119. Roller group 122 and roller pair 12
0 is driven to cause the cassette 20 to be drawn out of the cassette attaching / detaching portion 14 outward. At that time, the locking mechanism 50
If the linear solenoid 52 is deactivated under the action of, the locking member 58 is rotated and displaced under the tension action of the tension spring 64, and the bulging portion 62 is detached from the cassette insertion port 30, and this cassette insertion port is The cassette 20 is carried out to the outside via 30.

As described above, in the present embodiment, after the cassette 20 inserted into the housing 12 from the cassette attaching / detaching portion 14 is automatically fed to the rotary table 302 via the transport mechanism 100, the cassette 20 is inserted via the positioning mechanism 400. The rotary table 302 is positioned and held. Next, while the document table 200 is being conveyed in the sub-scanning
After the color image information carried on the original S to be read is read by urging the cassette 50, the cassette 20 is automatically conveyed to the cassette attaching / detaching portion 14 via the conveying mechanism 100. Therefore, it is not necessary for the operator to directly attach and detach the cassette to and from the rotary table as in the related art.
This achieves an effect that the efficiency of the cassette attaching / detaching operation is achieved and the entire reading operation can be easily automated.

[Effects of the Invention] The image reading apparatus according to the present invention configured as described above has the following effects.

After the cassette containing the read document is automatically conveyed to the rotary table via the conveyance mechanism, the cassette is rotated and trimmed as needed, and then is sub-scanned and conveyed by the sub-scanning mechanism. The reading operation of the read original can be automatically performed. In particular, since a transport mechanism for automatically transporting the cassette to the rotary table is provided, automation of the entire reading operation can be easily achieved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an image reading device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a locking mechanism that forms the image reading device, and FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a transport mechanism that forms the image reading device. FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of a displacement mechanism that forms the image reading device, FIG. 5 is a plan view of a document table that forms the image reading device, and FIG. 6 is a rotation that forms the image reading device. FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view of a positioning mechanism constituting the image reading apparatus, FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of a rotary table constituting the image reading apparatus, and FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a cassette. FIG. 10 image reading device, 14 cassette attaching / detaching section 20 cassette, 30 cassette insertion port 50 locking mechanism, 100 transport mechanism 120 roller pair 122, 124 transport roller group 140 … Displacement mechanism, 200… Document table 202… Sub-scanning mechanism, 250… Trimming mechanism 300… Rotation mechanism, 400… Positioning mechanism 450… Light source, 500… Image reading unit

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A sub-scanning mechanism for conveying a cassette containing a document to be read in a sub-scanning direction substantially orthogonal to a main scanning direction of a light source for illumination via a document table, and holding the cassette provided on the document table. A rotary mechanism having a free rotary table; a positioning mechanism for positioning and fixing the cassette with respect to the rotary table; a trimming mechanism for moving the rotary table in a main scanning direction of an illumination light source that is a trimming direction; A transport mechanism for automatically transporting the cassette from the cassette insertion port to the rotary table, wherein the transport mechanism engages both side portions of the cassette and supports a plurality of guide rollers; and A plurality of rollers that slide on the end surface opposite to the platen side and convey the cassette supported by the guide rollers under the action of a rotary drive source; And a displacing mechanism for moving at least the transport roller disposed along the rotary table with respect to the rotary table.