JP3020648B2 - Image input device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image input apparatus in which an optical axis adjusting mechanism such as a laser printer or a facsimile is improved.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Heretofore, as this type of image input apparatus, there has been known an image input apparatus having an optical axis adjusting mechanism as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 60-825.

[0003] Such an optical axis adjusting mechanism includes a print block in which an image sensor is fixed to a lens block mounted on a fixed base of the apparatus main body and movable and adjustable in an optical axis direction (Z axis direction). A circuit board (hereinafter abbreviated as a PC board) is supported so as to face the circuit board.

[0006] The PC board is moved in the vertical direction (X
Axis direction) and horizontal direction (Y axis direction) which is the main scanning direction
The movement can be adjusted respectively, so that
Fine adjustment is performed so that the optical axis of the lens provided on the lens block and the reading line of the image sensor coincide with each other. After the adjustment, the PC board and the lens block are fixed with fixing screws.

[0005]

However, in the optical axis adjusting mechanism in the image input apparatus having the conventional structure described above,
Elliptical cam holes are provided on both left and right sides of the PC board in the horizontal direction. An adjusting knob is inserted into these cam holes from the rear side of the image sensor, and an eccentric bush (eccentric cam shaft) formed on the adjusting knob is engaged. By rotating these adjustment knobs, fine adjustment between the optical axis of the lens and the read line of the image sensor is performed.

For this reason, a PC holding an image sensor
The plate needs to be provided with a plurality of cam holes in addition to a plurality of mounting holes having a relatively large diameter for fixing to the lens block after adjustment.

As a result, the cam holes to be drilled in the PC board require high processing precision and high accuracy of the drilling position, which makes the drilling work on the PC board complicated and troublesome. There are restrictions on the size of the PC board, the pattern of the wiring circuit that performs signal processing from the image sensor, and the like.

In addition, since such an optical axis adjustment is performed by an adjustment knob provided on the back side of the image sensor, a space for a protrusion of the adjustment knob is required, and the entire apparatus is required. It is difficult to reduce the size of the design.

Further, when the adjustment in the X-axis direction and the adjustment in the Y-axis direction are performed at the same time using the same cam holes provided on the PC board, it is difficult to make separate adjustments in only one direction. Since the adjustment of the optical axis in the X-Y direction is required every time the PC board is attached and detached, there are problems such as poor assembly adjustment workability and maintainability of the apparatus.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to reduce restrictions such as the size of a PC board made by punching and the pattern of a wiring circuit, and to provide an adjustment knob at a position between an image sensor and a lens block. The size of the device can be reduced by effectively utilizing the device, and furthermore, the adjustment in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction can be performed separately, and the adjustment of the optical axis is not required when the PC board is attached or detached. It is another object of the present invention to provide an image input device as described above.

[0011]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a lens block which is provided with a detachable lens and which can be moved and adjusted in the Z-axis direction along the optical axis direction. A reference block provided on the block so as to face the lens and movable horizontally in the Y-axis direction;
A holding block detachably provided by being elastically closely attached to an outer end face of the reference block opposite to the lens side, and detachably positioned at a predetermined position on an end face of the holding block facing the lens side; A held read sensor, a printed circuit board detachably provided on an end surface of the holding block opposite to the lens side so as to perform signal processing of the read sensor, and a reference block from the lens block side. The holding block is inserted into the holding block, and the holding block is allowed to make a circular motion in a plane in the X-Y axis direction by a cam action by its rotation, and the amount of eccentricity is adjusted for optical positioning of the reading sensor. At least two eccentric shafts having the same amount of eccentricity that is equal to or greater than the range. Eccentric direction of Yafuto is a scanning surface in the same plane of said reading sensor, and all of those was then formed by arrangement in the same direction.

[0012]

That is, according to the present invention, by adopting the above structure, when each eccentric shaft is simultaneously rotated in the same direction, the holding block for positioning and holding the reading sensor is rotated while maintaining the parallel state. To do
The vertical movement of the reading sensor in the X-axis direction (sub-scanning direction) can be adjusted by the rotational movement of the holding block.

The movement of the reading sensor in the Y-axis direction (main scanning direction) is adjusted by the rotation of each eccentric shaft.
After adjusting the movement in the axial direction and fixing the holding block to the reference block, the movement adjustment in the X-axis direction can be performed separately by adjusting the reference block in parallel in the Y-axis direction.

Further, since the eccentric shaft is inserted from the lens block side into the holding block via the reference block, an adjustment knob provided on the eccentric shaft has a space between the lens block and the reference block. , And the size of the device can be reduced by effectively utilizing the space.

In addition, since the optical axis of the reading sensor is adjusted by adjusting the movement of the holding block, it is not necessary to adjust the optical axis every time the PC board is detached. In addition, since the holes in the PC board are only the mounting holes for the holding block, the number of holes can be reduced, and the size of the PC board, the pattern of the wiring circuit, and the like are less restricted.

[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a main part of an image input apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a main body of the apparatus.

In the apparatus main body 1, a lens block 3 is provided on a fixed base 2 so as to be movable and adjustable in a Z-axis direction (magnification adjusting direction) along the optical axis OO.
, A lens 4 is detachably mounted in a screwed state.

A reference block 5 is provided on the lens block 3 so as to face the lens 4 so as to be horizontally movable in the Y-axis direction and to be positioned and fixed by a fixing member (not shown). At one diagonal corner of 5, mounting holes 6 for positioning and fixing a holding block 10 described later are provided, and at the other diagonal corner, eccentricity of two adjustment knobs described later is provided. Bearing holes 7, 7 into which the shaft is positioned and inserted are respectively formed through, and bearing members 8 such as bearings are provided in these bearing holes 7, for example.

A holding block 1 is temporarily held on an outer end face 5a of the reference block 5 on the opposite side to the lens side through a leaf spring member 9 so as to be elastically contacted with each other.
The holding block 10 is provided with screw holes 11 on one diagonal surface corresponding to the mounting holes 6 formed on the reference block 5. The holding block 10 is removably attached to the reference block 5 so that it can be positioned and fixed by screwing a fixing screw 12 inserted from the mounting hole 6 into the mounting block 6.

Further, an inner end surface 10a of the holding block 10 facing the lens is provided with a cam receiving hole 13 at a position corresponding to the bearing holes 7, 7 formed through the other diagonal surface of the reference block 5. , 13 are formed, and a base end portion 15a on the other end side of an eccentric shaft 15 having an adjusting knob 14 at one end is formed in each of the cam receiving holes 13 via the reference block 5 from the lens block 3 side. Each is inserted, and a cam portion 16 formed on a base end portion 15a thereof is engaged.

In the figure, reference numeral 17 denotes a socket 1 at a predetermined position on an inner end face 10a of the holding block 10 facing the lens.
A reading sensor (image sensor) that is removably positioned and held through the mounting block 8 is provided with a fixing screw 2 on the outer end face 10b of the holding block 10 on the side opposite to the lens.
It is a PC board detachably provided via 0 and 20. A socket 18 for holding the image sensor 17 is connected to the PC boards 19, 19 so that signal processing of the image sensor 17 is performed.

That is, each of the cam portions 16, 16
Is the same as the adjustment range required for optical positioning of the image sensor 17 by the rotation of the adjustment knobs 14, 14,
Or, they have the same amount of eccentricity, which is larger than that, and their eccentric directions are the same as the scanning surface of the image sensor 17 and are all in the same direction.

Next, the operation of adjusting the optical axis of the image input apparatus according to the present invention will be described.
The holding block 10 in which the holding block 10 is held is brought into close contact with the reference block 5 via a leaf spring member 9 to temporarily hold the holding block 10, and the cam receiving holes 13, 13 provided in the holding block 10 are
The cam portions 16 and 16 formed on the base ends 15a and 15a of the eccentric shafts 15 and 15 of the adjustment knobs 14 and 14 which are axially supported through the bearing holes 7 and 7 of the reference block 5, respectively, are engaged.

In this case, the reference block 5 requires a more delicate operation in adjusting the vertical movement of the image sensor 17 in the X-axis direction (sub-scanning direction) than in the Y-axis direction (main scanning direction). The image sensor 17 is fixed to an appropriate position on the lens block 3 by a fixing member (not shown) so as not to move horizontally in the Y-axis direction (main scanning direction). Direction).

The vertical movement adjustment of the image sensor 17 in the X-axis direction is performed by simultaneously rotating the respective adjustment knobs 14 and 14 in the same direction. As shown by X-
A circular motion is made in a plane in the Y-axis direction, and the image sensor 17 also makes a circular motion together with the holding block 10.

At this time, the amount of eccentricity of each of the cam portions 16, 16 is equal to the radius of rotation of the circular motion performed by the image sensor 17, and the adjustment range necessary for the image sensor 17 in the X-axis direction (sub-scanning direction). The value is set to a value that sufficiently compensates for this, so that the scanning line L of the image sensor 17 is moved along the optical axis O of the lens 4 provided in the lens block 3.
-O can be matched. In this way,
After the adjustment of the image sensor 17 in the X-axis direction, the holding block 10 is permanently fixed to the reference block 5 by the fixing screws 12.

To adjust the movement of the image sensor 17 in the Y-axis direction (main scanning direction) in this state, the fixed state of the reference block 5 fixed on the lens block 3 is released, and this reference block 5 is removed. As shown by a dotted arrow in FIG. 3, the optical axis O of the lens 4 is moved horizontally in the Y-axis direction to the center of the scanning line L of the image sensor 17 in the scanning direction.
After matching with -O, the reference block 5 is positioned and fixed on the lens block 3 again.

[0028]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, when the respective eccentric shafts are simultaneously rotated in the same direction, the holding block for positioning and holding the reading sensor maintains the parallel state. In order to make a rotational movement,
The vertical movement of the reading sensor in the X-axis direction (sub-scanning direction) can be adjusted by the rotational movement of the holding block.

When the reading sensor is moved and adjusted in the Y-axis direction (main scanning direction), the holding block is fixed to the reference block by adjusting the movement in the X-axis direction by rotating each eccentric shaft. Thereafter, by adjusting the reference block in parallel in the Y-axis direction, the movement adjustment in the X-axis direction can be easily performed separately.

Further, since the eccentric shaft is inserted from the lens block side into the holding block via the reference block, the adjustment knob provided on the eccentric shaft has a space between the lens block and the reference block. The size of the device can be reduced by effectively utilizing the space.

Further, since the optical axis of the reading sensor is adjusted by adjusting the movement of the holding block, it is not necessary to adjust the optical axis every time the PC board is detached. In addition, since the holes in the PC board are only the mounting holes for the holding block, the number of holes can be reduced,
It is possible to reduce the restrictions on the size of the PC board or the pattern of the wiring circuit as before.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a main part schematically showing an embodiment of an image input device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is also a schematic cross section.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing a movement adjustment state of a reading sensor in the X-Y axis direction.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Device main body, 2 Fixed base, 3 Lens block, 4 Lens, 5 reference block, 5a outer end face, 7 bearing hole, 8 bearing member, 10 holding block, 10a inner end face, 10b outer end face, 13 cam receiving hole, 14 adjustment Knob, 15 Eccentric shaft, 16
Cam part, 17 reading sensor, 19 PC board, L
Scanning line, OO optical axis, X sub-scanning direction (vertical direction), Y main scanning direction (horizontal direction), Z
Optical axis direction (magnification adjustment direction).

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of front page (72) Inventor Hiroyuki Mori 70, Yanagicho, Saiwai-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture (58) Investigated field (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G02B 26/10

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A lens block in which a lens is provided detachably and is movable and adjustable in a Z-axis direction along an optical axis direction.
A reference block, which is provided on the lens block so as to face the lens and is horizontally movable in the Y-axis direction, and is detachably attached to an outer end surface of the reference block opposite to the lens side by elastically contacting each other. A holding block provided; a reading sensor removably positioned and held at a predetermined position on an end face of the holding block facing the lens; and a reading sensor on the lens side of the holding block so as to perform signal processing of the reading sensor. A printed wiring circuit board detachably provided on the opposite end face, and inserted into the holding block via the reference block from the lens block side, and the holding block is moved in the X-Y axis direction by a cam action by its rotation. Circular movement in the plane of the above, the amount of eccentricity is the same as the adjustment range necessary for optical positioning of the reading sensor Or at least two eccentric shafts having the same amount of eccentricity, which are greater than or equal to each other, and the eccentric directions of these eccentric shafts are the same as the scanning surface of the reading sensor, and are all in the same direction. Characteristic image input device.