JP2791713B2 - Image reading device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an image reading apparatus, and more particularly, to an image forming apparatus such as a laser beam printer (LBP) that reads an enlarged projection image of a microfilm, processes the image, and processes the image. The present invention relates to a microfilm image reading device capable of outputting.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, a reader unit for enlarging light transmitted through a microfilm by a projection lens and projecting the light on a screen, and a light receiving element ( A microfilm image reading unit that reads by scanning an image sensor), an image processing unit that processes image signals from the image reading unit, and an output unit that outputs signals from the image processing unit to the image forming apparatus. A configured microfilm image reading device is provided.

In such a microfilm image reading apparatus, when reading image information on a document such as a book or a document, an image scanner must be separately provided and the image information on the paper from the image scanner must be input. Did not.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) As described above, in the conventional example as described above, while the microfilm image reading apparatus has the light receiving element and the image processing section, the image reading apparatus further includes a document reading image scanner and an image processing circuit thereof. There was a waste in providing.

The object of the present invention, in view of such problems to be solved,
Without connecting a separate image reading device such as an image scanner, image information on the microfilm and image information on paper can be read without waste, and the structure of the device can be simplified. An object of the present invention is to provide a microfilm image reading device.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above object, in the present invention, the first
A film projection optical system for projecting an image of a film placed at an illumination position onto a screen or a first projection optical path, an image sensor for reading the image, and an image of a document placed at a second illumination position on the film projection optical system. An original projecting optical system for projecting the image on a second projection optical path different from the first projection optical path, an image of a film placed at the first illumination position and an image of an original placed at the second illumination position by the image sensor; Means for switching the projection optical path for selective reading, and means for moving the image sensor in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis of each projection optical system to scan the image of the film and the image of the original. Features.

In addition, the image of the film placed at the first lighting position is
A film projection optical system for projecting to a reading position, an image sensor for reading an image, and a document projection optical system for projecting an image of a document placed at a second illumination position to a second reading position different from the optical path of the film projection optical system Switching the image sensor between the first reading position and the second reading position to switch between a mode for reading an image of a film placed at the first lighting position and a mode for reading an image of a document placed at the second lighting position. Means for changing the direction of the image sensor so as to be arranged at the reading position.

(Operation) According to the present invention, it is possible to read images of a film and a document in a state where the film and the document such as a book are placed in different optical paths, respectively. Becomes unnecessary.

That is, in the first invention, the film and the original are positioned at the first and second illumination positions, respectively, and the images of the film and the original are selectively read by switching the projection optical path.

In addition, the scanning of both the film and the original can be performed by moving the image sensor, and there is no need to move the film or the original for image scanning, so that the scanning mechanism is simplified and the apparatus can be downsized. it can.

On the other hand, in the second invention, the film and the document are positioned at the first and second illumination positions, respectively, and the image of the film and the document are selectively read by changing the direction of the image sensor. Therefore, the mechanism for switching the reading mode between the film and the original is simplified.

(Example) Hereinafter, the present invention will be described based on an illustrated example.

1 to 7 show a first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes the entire image reading apparatus, and a transmitted light image of a microfilm as a film;
Normally, it is possible to read both reflected light images of a document. On a front surface of the main body case 2, a screen 3 on which a microfilm image is projected in an enlarged manner is provided. Below the screen 3, a film transport mechanism 4 for transporting the microfilm is provided. Between the screen 3 and the film transport mechanism 4, a first film projection device for projecting an image of the microfilm onto the screen 3 is provided. A lens holder 5 corresponding to the illumination position is provided. On the other hand, on the upper surface of the main body case 2, a document placing table 6 corresponding to a second illumination position made of a transparent glass plate on which a normal document is placed, and a document pressing cover 7 covering the document placing table 6 are provided. Further, a mode changeover switch 8 for selecting one of the control modes of the reader mode, the film reading mode, and the document reading mode is provided on the front surface of the main body case 2.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic configuration inside the main body case 2.

That is, inside the main body case 2, an image sensor 9 as a light receiving element for converting an image of the microfilm F into an electric signal, and an image of the microfilm F placed on the lens holder 5 at the first illumination position are stored in the first case. A first imaging optical system 10 as a film projection optical system for projecting onto the projection optical path and forming an image on the image sensor 9; A second image forming optical system 20 as a document projecting optical system for projecting onto the two projection optical paths and forming an image on the image sensor 9 is incorporated.

The first imaging optical system 10 includes a lamp 11 illuminating the back surface of the microfilm F, an imaging lens 12 held by the lens holding unit 5, a fixed mirror 13 and a rotating mirror 14 for changing the direction of an optical path, It has.

A reflector 15 is provided on the back side of the lamp 11, and a condenser lens 16 for collecting light emitted from the lamp 11 is provided between the lamp 11 and the microfilm F.

Further, the lens holding unit 5 is provided with a prism 17 for changing the direction of the vertical and horizontal directions of the optical image of the formed microfilm.

The lamp 11, the microfilm F, the imaging lens 12, and the fixed mirror 13 are coaxially arranged in the vertical direction, and the fixed mirror 13 is fixed to the ceiling surface of the main body case 2. The fixed mirror 13 is arranged to be inclined with respect to the optical axis. On the other hand, the rotating mirror 14 comprises the imaging lens 12 and the fixed mirror 13
It is arranged on the opposite side of the screen 3 with a first optical path 301 therebetween.

The rotating mirror 14 is swingable with the lower end as a fulcrum 141, and a reader mode position 14A vertically rising so as to face the screen 3 and a film reading mode position facing the document table 6 on the upper surface of the main body case 2. 14B and selectively switched to two positions. At the reader mode position 14A, the optical path is the optical path 302 of the stage 2 between the fixed mirror 13 and the rotating mirror 14, the rotating mirror 14 and the screen 3
Then, the film is folded back to the third optical path 303, and an enlarged projection image of the film document is formed on the screen 3.

In the film reading mode position 14B, the optical path is folded back from the second optical path 302 between the fixed mirror 13 and the rotating mirror 14 to the fourth optical path 304 facing the original placing table 6 on the upper surface of the main body case 2, and A microfilm image is formed at a position separated by a predetermined distance below. The image forming surface A1 is parallel to the document table 6, and an image sensor 9 as a light receiving element is arranged on the image forming surface A1.

On the other hand, the second imaging optical system 20 includes a lamp 21 for illuminating the original surface, a reflection shade 22 for reflecting the light of the lamp 21, a short focus lens array 23, and a light passing through the short focus lens array 23. And a switching mirror 24 serving as switching means for turning the reading carriage toward the image sensor 9.
25 is integrated. The image sensor 9 is a linear sensor. The original is read in a line at a predetermined width, and the reading carriage 25 is reciprocated in a direction perpendicular to the image sensor 9 in a direction indicated by an arrow in FIG. It performs scanning.

As shown in FIG. 4, the reading carriage 25 has a carriage guide rail 26 having one end fixed in the main body case 2.
And is connected to a motor (not shown) so as to reciprocate at a constant speed along the carriage guide rail 26 (in the direction of arrow A in the figure). Also,
A circuit board 27 on which the image sensor 9 is mounted is fixed to the side surface of the reading carriage 25, and one end of a connection cord 28 such as a flexible flat cable is connected to the circuit board 27.

The reciprocating movement direction of the reading carriage 25 is parallel to the image forming surface A1 of the first image forming optical system 10, and by switching the position of the switching mirror 24, the second direction from the document P to the switching mirror 24 is changed. 2. The original image light B2 projected on the second projection optical path of the imaging optical system 20 or the original image light B1 projected on the first projection optical path of the first imaging optical system 10 from the microfilm to the switching mirror 24 The light is selectively incident on the image sensor 9. As shown in FIG. 2, the image sensor 9 is moved by a reading carriage 25 in a direction perpendicular to the optical axes of the first imaging optical system 10 and the second imaging optical system 20. A drive system such as the reading carriage 25 and its motor corresponds to a unit for moving the image sensor 9.

The switching mirror 24, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4,
It is rotatably supported by the reading carriage 25 via a mirror rotating shaft 241 protruding from the center of the left and right ends, and has a reflecting surface.
242 is selectively positioned at two positions: a document reading mode position 24A facing obliquely upward 45 ° and a film reading mode position 24B facing obliquely downward 45 °. The switching of the position of the switching mirror 24 is controlled by a solenoid 29. The switching mirror 24 and a drive system such as a solenoid 29 for controlling the driving of the switching mirror 24 constitute means for switching the projection optical path.

That is, one end of the switching mirror 24
A camshaft 242 protrudes at a position away from the camshaft 242.
Is engaged with a rectangular cam frame 292 provided on the plunger 291. The cam frame 292 is long in the direction orthogonal to the reciprocating movement direction of the plunger 291, and the cam shaft 292 can move in the direction orthogonal to the movement direction of the plunger 291 when the switching mirror 24 rotates.

On the other hand, a spring 243 for applying a torque in the counterclockwise direction in the figure is attached to the switching mirror 24, and the switching force of the spring 243 causes the switching mirror 24 to always move from the original reading mode position 24A to the film reading mode position 24B side. In the film reading mode position 24.
Positioned on B.

Then, by turning on the solenoid 29 and magnetically attracting the plunger 291, the switching mirror 24 is rotated in the clockwise direction in the figure against the spring force of the spring 243 so as to be positioned and fixed at the document reading mode position 24A. It has become.

When the optical path is switched by the switching mirror 24 in this manner, the rotation angle can be reduced to half (90 °), and the drive can be controlled without rotating power such as a motor or a rotary solenoid. Can be used as power even if it is short.

FIG. 5 shows a block diagram of the drive control circuit.

That is, reference numeral 100 denotes a central drive processing circuit, which performs various operations based on a control program and fixed data previously input to a storage circuit (ROM), processes input signals, and outputs output signals. The input signal includes a mode signal from the mode changeover switch 8 and a read start condition signal from the read command button 101, and a signal is sent to the drive processing circuit 100 through the input circuit 102. On the other hand, the control signal calculated by the drive processing circuit 100 is sent to the output circuit 104 directly or via the latch circuit 103, and is sent to the original reading mode drive circuit 105 and the reading carriage drive circuit 106 connected to the output circuit 104. Sent. Then, each original reading mode driving circuit 105, reading carriage driving circuit 106,
The driving of a motor 107 for driving the solenoid 29, the reading carriage 25, and the motor 109 for driving the rotating mirror 14 are controlled through the rotating mirror driving circuit 108.

FIG. 6 shows an example of a circuit configuration of an image processing section of the microfilm image reading apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention, and arrows show the flow of image signals. As shown in the figure, the image of the microfilm or the image on the paper is photoelectrically converted into an electric signal by the image sensor 9, input to the amplifier circuit 31 and amplified. The amplified signal passes through an A / D (analog / digital) conversion circuit 32 and a shading correction circuit 33 and is input to an image processing circuit 34. The input signal of the image processing circuit 34 passes through the printer interface circuit 35 after the image processing, and
The image is output to an image forming apparatus 37 such as a P inkjet printer. FIG. 6 omits a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and an operation unit.

Next, the operation of the microfilm image reading apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

When the power switch is turned on (STEP 1), it is determined which mode the mode changeover switch 8 is in (STEP 1).
EP2).

 Hereinafter, each mode will be described.

Reader Mode When the reader mode is selected, the rotating mirror 14 for switching the optical path rotates and is positioned at the reader position 14A (STE).
P3). At this time, the image light of the microfilm is projected on the screen 3 via the imaging lens 12, the prism 17, the fixed mirror 13, and the rotating mirror 14.

In this mode, the raw material mounting table 6 on the upper surface of the main body case 2 needs to close the document pressing cover 7 to shield light.

Film reading mode When the film reading mode is selected, the rotating mirror 14 rotates and is positioned at the reading position 14B (STEP 4). Next, the solenoid 29 is turned off, and the switching mirror 24 provided on the reading carriage 25 is positioned by the spring force of the spring 243 at the film reading mode position in which the reflection surface 242 faces obliquely downward (STEP 5).

Next, when the reading command button 101 is pressed (STEP 6), the motor 107 for driving the reading carriage 25 starts driving (STEP 6).
7) The reading carriage 25 is scanned and moved along the film image forming surface, and the entire surface of the film image is read by the image sensor 9 (STEP 8).

Also in this mode, the document table 6 is shielded from light by the document pressing cover 7.

Document reading mode When the document reading mode is selected, the solenoid 29 is turned on, and the switching mirror 24 rotates clockwise in the drawing via the cam shaft 242 that engages with the cam frame 292 provided on the plunger 291 so that the document reading mode is selected. Position (STEP
Five).

Then, after placing the original P on the original placing table 6 and pressing it with the original pressing cover 7, the reading instruction button 101 is pressed (STE
P6). When the reading command signal is input, the motor 107 is driven to drive the reading carriage 25, and scanning of a document image is performed.

Second Embodiment FIGS. 8 and 9 show an image reading apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

The second embodiment is of an image sensor rotation switching type in which the switching mirror 24 is not provided as the switching means as in the first embodiment, and the mode is switched by rotating the image sensor 9.

That is, the original image light B1 and the film image light B2 are directly received by the image sensor 9, and in the original reading mode, the image sensor 9 is connected to the short focus lens element array.
23 imaging planes.

That is, the equivalent imaging plane A1 of the film image by the first imaging optical system 10 is formed at a position separated by a predetermined distance 2β from the imaging plane of the original image, and the position of the light receiving surface of the image sensor 9 is A document reading mode position 9A as a second reading position that matches the image imaging plane A2, and a film reading mode position 9B as a first reading position that matches the equivalent imaging plane A1 of the film.
Are selectively positioned at two positions. That is, the direction of the image sensor 9 is changed to the equivalent image forming plane A1 of the film and the image forming plane A2 of the original, and is changed to the equivalent image forming plane. By arbitrarily selecting the value of β, the degree of freedom of the gap α of the scanning path increases.

The image sensor 9 has a support arm 191,
It is attached to a support base 19 provided at a position separated by a predetermined distance in the radial direction via 191. The rotation of the rotary shaft 18 controls the transfer to the original reading mode position 9A and the film reading mode position 9B. The driving mechanism at the time of rotation 18 includes a worm wheel 192 attached to the rotating shaft 18, a worm gear 193 meshing with the worm wheel 192, a motor 194 for rotating the worm gear 193, and a torque limiter.
195. Therefore, these support arms 1
The drive mechanism of the image sensor 9 according to the present invention includes a driving mechanism for driving the image sensor 9 according to the present invention.
By controlling the amount of rotation of 194, the image sensor 9
The control mode position can be switched.

The other basic configuration and operation are the same as those of the first embodiment, and the description is omitted.

<Third Embodiment> FIG. 10 shows a third embodiment of the present invention. In the third embodiment, a second imaging optical system 20 as an original projecting optical system for projecting an original to a second reading position is provided above the screen 3 on the front surface of the main body case 2 and further below the main body case 2. A known printing device 80 is assembled on the front side of the main body case 2 so as to operate all modes of a reader mode, a document reading mode, a film image reading mode, and printing.

In this embodiment, in a reader mode, a first imaging optical system 10 as a film projection optical system for projecting a microfilm image to a first reading position includes an illumination lamp 61, a condenser lens 62, an imaging lens 63, and a scanning mirror 64. , Second mirror 65
Then, the light is turned back through the third mirror 66 to form an image on the screen 3.

Then, by rotating the scanning mirror 64 at a predetermined speed about the rotation shaft 641, the imaging image plane A1 is moved to the first reading position above. The moving images are sequentially read by the image sensor 9 located on the second imaging optical system 20 side, and the film image is read.

The second imaging optical system 20 for reading the original image passes the original P between the pair of flat glass plates 71, 71, and passes the image portion passing between the flat glass plates 71, 71 via the short focus lens array 72. An image is formed at a second reading position on the image sensor 9 and read. An illumination lamp 73 for illuminating the document P is provided beside the short focus lens array 72.
One end of each of the flat glass plates 71 is located facing an original insertion opening 74 opened on the front surface of the main body case 2, and a pair of feed rollers 75, 75 are provided between the original insertion opening 74 and the flat glass 71. On the other hand, a pair of feed rollers 7
6, 76 are provided, and the read original is discharged to a paper discharge tray 77 provided on the upper surface of the main body case 2.

The image sensor 9 is fixedly held by a rotating hinge 78 rotatably attached to the main body case 2. In the original reading mode, the image sensor 9 is moved upward by a motor or the like (not shown) so that the upper short focus lens array is provided. It faces upward so as to face 72, while it rotates about 90 ° backward in the film image reading mode,
It is located at A1.

The printing device 80 prints an image on paper based on image information read by the image sensor 9, and a laser beam printer is shown in the illustrated example. This apparatus deflects a laser beam emitted from a laser light source (not shown) corresponding to each pixel in a main scanning direction by a deflector 81 such as a polygon mirror in an electrostatic recording system, and forms a photosensitive drum through an imaging lens 82 and a mirror 83. Exposure is performed on the substrate 84 to form an electrostatic image, developed by a known electrostatic image forming process, and transferred onto a sheet to obtain a print image.

Around the photosensitive drum 84, a temporary charger 85, a developing device 86, a transfer charger 87, a cleaner 88, and a static eliminator 89 for performing an electrostatic image forming process are arranged in this order.

The paper 90 is stored in a cassette 91,
The sheet is fed one by one onto a conveyor belt 94 through a guide plate 93, sent to a transfer unit 95 through the conveyor belt 94, the image is transferred, and fixed by a fixing unit 96, and
The paper is discharged to a paper discharge tray 97 provided on the front surface.

(Effect of the Invention) As described above, according to the present invention, a film,
With the originals such as books placed in different light paths,
It can read both film and original images,
The work of exchanging the film and the original is not required.

In particular, according to the first aspect of the present invention, both the film and the original can be read and scanned by moving the image sensor, and there is no need to move the film or the original for image scanning, and the scanning mechanism can be simplified. Therefore, the size of the device can be reduced.

On the other hand, in the invention according to claim 2, the film and the document are respectively located at the first and second illumination positions, and the images of the film and the document are selectively read by changing the direction of the image sensor. The mechanism for switching between the film and document reading modes is simplified.

[Brief description of the drawings]

1 to 7 show an image reading apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is an external perspective view, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic internal configuration, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a reading carriage, FIG. 5 is a control block diagram of a drive processing system, FIG. 6 is a control block diagram of an image processing system, and FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a drive control system. 8 and 9 show a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a switching mechanism of an image sensor. FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view of a support base of the image sensor. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration inside an image reading apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Image reading device 3 ... Screen 9 ... Image sensor (light receiving element) 10 ... First imaging optical system 20 ... Second imaging optical system 24 Switching mirror (switching means)

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-62-276534 (JP, A) JP-A-2-174462 (JP, A) JP-A-62-232255 (JP, A) (58) Investigation Field (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) H04N 1/00 H04N 1/04

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A film projection optical system for projecting an image of a film placed at a first illumination position on a screen or a first projection optical path, an image sensor for reading an image, and an image of a document placed at a second illumination position An original projecting optical system for projecting the image on a second projection optical path different from the first projection optical path of the film projection optical system; an image of a film placed at the first illumination position;
Means for selectively switching the projection optical path for selectively reading the image of the document placed at the illumination position by the image sensor; and moving the image sensor relative to the optical axis of each projection optical system to scan the film image and the document image. An image reading device comprising: means for moving in a right angle direction. 2. A film projection optical system for projecting an image of a film placed at a first illumination position to a first reading position, an image sensor for reading an image, and an image of a document placed at a second illumination position. A document projection optical system for projecting a second reading position different from the optical path of the film projection optical system, a mode for reading an image of a film placed at the first illumination position, and an image of a document placed at the second illumination position Means for changing the orientation of the image sensor so that the image sensor is disposed at the first reading position and the second reading position in order to switch to a reading mode.