JP2785773B2 - Handy scanner - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a handy scanner, and more particularly to a handy scanner for inputting image information and character information to a personal computer, a word processor, a portable information terminal or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Hitherto, as a completely close contact type image sensor used in a handy scanner, a configuration has been proposed in which an image sensor formed by forming a large number of photoelectric conversion elements on a transparent substrate is combined with an optical fiber converging member. (JP-A-5-7728).

FIG. 3 (A) is a partially cutaway perspective view showing an example of a configuration of a small-sized handy scanner equipped with the conventional perfect contact type image sensor, and FIG. 3 (B) is FIG. 3 (A).
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA ′ of FIG. 3A and 3B, an LED linear light source 21 including a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) 22 linearly arranged on a transparent substrate 24 and a reflective frame 23 covering the LEDs 22 in a hollow semi-cylindrical shape. A linear image sensor 30 formed by linearly arranging pixel rows 32 on a transparent substrate 31; an image sensor support 40 provided with slits; an optical fiber converging member 50; And a housing 60 covering the housing.

[0004] The linear image sensor 30 is fixed to an image sensor support 40, and is fixed to the image sensor support 40.
The input and output of the drive signal and the output signal are performed via the. The image sensor 30 is adhered to the optical fiber converging member 50 such that the optical fiber portion 51 of the optical fiber converging member 50 is in close contact with the pixel row 32. Further, the optical fiber converging member 50 is fixed to the housing 60.

Next, the operation of the conventional handy scanner will be described. The light emitted from the LED linear light source 21 passes through the slit of the image sensor support 40 and the transparent portion of the linear image sensor 30 and enters the optical fiber converging member 50, and is subjected to total reflection within the optical fiber portion 51 to repeat the document. Irradiate 20. Light reflected from the document 20 is transferred through the optical fiber converging member 50 and detected by the linear image sensor 30.

[0006] Thus, the linear image sensor 3
The two-dimensional image of the original is scanned while reading the light / dark information of the linear area of the original 20 directly below the original 20 while holding the housing 60 by hand and bringing the optical fiber converging member 50 into close contact with the original 20. get information.

[0007]

If the housing 60 of the handy scanner is small, scanning can be performed while checking the area being input, and the sensor unit can be brought into close contact with a narrow place such as a spelling part of a book. Usability is improved. However, the above-mentioned conventional handy scanner is not sufficiently miniaturized in shape, and the above effects are not sufficiently obtained. Further, the conventional handy scanner has a large number of components and a high production cost.

[0008] The present invention has been made in view of the above points,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a handy scanner capable of improving usability by reducing the size, and at the same time, reducing the number of parts and reducing the production cost.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a linear light source for emitting light to a linear region, and a first transparent substrate disposed below the linear light source. A linear image sensor having a configuration in which a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements are arranged one-dimensionally as a pixel row thereon; an optical fiber converging member in which a plurality of optical fiber portions arranged in close contact with the photoelectric conversion elements are bundled; a linear light source and an optical fiber Between the converging members,
A side plate fixed to surround the linear image sensor, and the surface of the optical fiber converging member opposite to the linear image sensor is scanned so as to be in close contact with the document while holding the outside of the linear light source and the side plate by hand. It is what it was.

In the present invention, the surface of the optical fiber converging member on the side opposite to the linear image sensor is scanned so as to be in close contact with the document while holding the outside of the linear light source and the side plate by hand. And the side plate also serve as a housing, so that a portion corresponding to the housing of a conventional handy scanner can be omitted. In addition, since the linear image sensor according to the present invention is directly mounted on the linear light source, the number of components can be reduced. In addition, by forming the side plate and a part of the linear light source into an integrated structure, the side plate and the linear light source can be easily formed.

[0011]

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1A is a partially cutaway perspective view of a first embodiment of a handy scanner according to the present invention, and FIG.
Shows a cross-sectional view along the line AA ′ in FIG. As shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, in this embodiment,
A transparent substrate 13, a linear image sensor 30 mounted on one surface of the transparent substrate 13, a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) 11 arranged one-dimensionally on a surface on the opposite side of the transparent substrate 13, A hollow semi-cylindrical reflective frame 12 provided on a transparent substrate 13 for condensing the emitted light on the linear image sensor 30;
1 and a side plate 1 for fixing the reflection frame 12 to the optical fiber converging member 50.
And 4. In addition, the side plate 14 and the reflection frame 12
May be a structure integrated by plastic injection molding or the like.

The linear image sensor 30 includes a transparent substrate 31
A large number of photoelectric conversion elements are one-dimensionally arranged on a pixel row 32.
Is formed, the surface of the transparent substrate 31 opposite to the pixel column 32 is fixed to the transparent substrate 13, and drive signals and output signals are input / output via the transparent substrate 13. The linear image sensor 30 is adhered to the optical fiber converging member 50 such that the optical fiber portion 51 of the optical fiber converging member 50 is in close contact with the pixel row 32. Further, the side plate 14 is fixed between the reflection frame 12 and the optical fiber converging member 50 so as to surround the linear image sensor.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. The light emitted from the LED 11 to the space is reflected by the reflection frame 1.
The path is changed by 2, and after being transmitted through the transparent substrate 13 and the transparent portion of the linear image sensor 30, the light is collected by the optical fiber converging member 50. Further, the light transmitted through the optical fiber portion 51 of the optical fiber converging member 50 is reflected on the document 20 after being irradiated onto the document 20. This reflected light is detected by the pixel array 32 of the linear image sensor 30 after being transferred through the optical fiber unit 51 again. The above operation is repeated while scanning the document 20 while holding the reflection frame 12 and the side plate 14 by hand, thereby obtaining a two-dimensional image.

As described above, in this embodiment, since the reflection frame 12 can be used as a part of the housing, the housing (about 1 mm thick) of the conventional handy scanner can be eliminated. In addition, the configuration in which the linear image sensor 30 is directly attached to the back surface of the transparent substrate 13 can reduce the thickness (about 1 mm) of the image sensor support, thereby reducing the size and the number of components.

In the above description, a one-dimensional LED linear light source having a large number of LEDs 11 arranged linearly has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this.
The same effect can be obtained in the same manner by using a linear light source having a configuration in which an illuminating unit such as an LED is disposed at an end of a rod-shaped object that transmits and diffuses light.

FIG. 2A is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the handy scanner according to the present invention using the above linear light source, and FIG. 2B is a sectional view taken along the line AA 'of FIG. 2A. FIG. 3 shows a sectional view along the line. As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, in this embodiment, an edge light 15 having a light emitting diode (LED) mounted thereon, and the edge light 15 is fixed to an end portion.
It is characterized in that a linear light source composed of a semi-cylindrical light guide 16 for transmitting and diffusing light emitted from the edge light 15 and collecting the light in a linear area is used.

The linear image sensor 30 is fixed to the light guide 16, and inputs and outputs drive signals and output signals via the light guide 16. The linear image sensor 30 is adhered to the optical fiber converging member 50 such that the optical fiber portion 51 of the optical fiber converging member 50 is in close contact with the pixel row 32. Further, the side plate 14 is fixed between the light guide 16 and the optical fiber converging member 50 so as to surround the linear image sensor 30. The side plate 14 and the light guide 16 may have an integrated structure by plastic molding or the like.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. The light emitted from the edge light 15 is the light guide 1
After being guided by 6 and passing through the transparent portion of the linear image sensor 30, it is collected by the optical fiber converging member 50. Further, the light transmitted through the optical fiber portion 51 of the optical fiber converging member 50 is reflected on the document 20 after being irradiated onto the document 20. This reflected light is detected by the pixel array 32 of the linear image sensor 30 after being transferred through the optical fiber unit 51 again. By repeating the above operation while scanning the document 20 while holding the light guide 16 and the side plate 14 by hand, a two-dimensional image is obtained.

As described above, in this embodiment, since the light guide 16 can be used as a part of the housing, the housing (about 1 mm thick) of the conventional handy scanner can be eliminated. In addition, the configuration in which the linear image sensor 30 is directly attached to the back surface of the light guide 16 can reduce the thickness (about 1 mm) of the image sensor support, thereby further reducing the size and the number of parts. .

[0020]

As described above, according to the present invention,
By combining the outside of the linear light source and the side plate as a housing,
The portion corresponding to the housing of the conventional handy scanner can be eliminated, and the thickness can be reduced accordingly.In addition, since the linear image sensor is directly mounted on the linear light source, the thickness can be reduced and the size can be reduced. Production costs can be reduced by reducing the number of parts.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway perspective view and a sectional view of a handy scanner according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view and a sectional view of a handy scanner according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway perspective view and a sectional view of a conventional handy scanner.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 11 light emitting diode (LED) 12 reflection frame 13, 31 transparent substrate 14 side plate 20 original 30 linear image sensor 32 pixel array 40 image sensor support 50 optical fiber converging member 51 optical fiber part

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] 1. A linear light source for emitting light to a linear region, and a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements are arranged below the linear light source, and a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements are arranged in a one-dimensional array as pixel rows on a first transparent substrate. A linear image sensor having a configuration as described above, an optical fiber converging member in which a plurality of optical fiber portions arranged in close contact with the photoelectric conversion element are bundled, and the linear image sensor is disposed between the linear light source and the optical fiber converging member. A side plate that is fixed so as to surround the original, and the surface of the optical fiber converging member opposite to the linear image sensor is scanned so as to be in close contact with a document while holding the outside of the linear light source and the side plate by hand. A handy scanner, characterized in that: 2. The linear image sensor according to claim 1, wherein the linear image sensor is directly mounted on the linear light source.
The handy scanner described. 3. The linear light source is provided on a second transparent substrate.
A plurality of light-emitting elements arranged in a three-dimensional manner, and an inner curved surface that reflects light emitted from the plurality of light-emitting elements and transmits the light through the second transparent substrate, and is provided on the second transparent substrate. 3. The handy scanner according to claim 1, comprising a reflection frame. 4. The linear light source comprises: a rod-shaped transparent object that transmits and diffuses light; and a light-emitting element attached to an end of the transparent object and emitting emitted light to enter the transparent object. The handy scanner according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: 5. The handy scanner according to claim 1, wherein the side plate and a part of the linear light source have an integrated structure.