JP3666316B2 - Image processing device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, and in particular, an image reading unit that converts an image of a document into an electrical signal and reads the image, and prints an image on a print medium such as paper based on image data read by the image reading unit. The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus including an image printing unit.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been known an image reading apparatus that reads a document image by moving a carriage on which a color imaging unit including a line sensor such as a CCD is mounted in parallel to the document surface.
[0003]
For example, in the case of a flat bed type image reading apparatus, an original table made of a transparent plate such as glass for placing an original is provided on the upper surface of a box-type casing. A carriage that moves parallel to the document table is provided. A light source and color imaging means are mounted on the carriage. The light emitted from the light source is reflected on the surface of the original on the original table and is condensed on the color imaging means by the condenser lens.
[0004]
In the image reading apparatus as described above, since the read image data needs to be finally printed out, the image is displayed on a monitor using a processing device such as a personal computer, a desired image is selected, a printer or the like The printer is printing out.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
When image printing processing is performed using a personal computer, the user performs a command input operation specified by the operation system, and the personal computer is transferred from the storage device such as a magnetic disk in which the printing processing application program and the printer driver are stored. It must be taken into the computer's internal memory and ready for execution.
[0006]
However, there is a problem that it takes a long time to input a command, a print processing application program, and a printer driver, and it takes a long time to start. In addition, there are many problems to be solved in order to actually use a personal computer. For example, there are many users who have a personal computer and cannot use them, and in order to print out an image read by the image reading apparatus by these users, an image print processing application program and a printer driver are stored in the personal computer. Even if it is attempted to install, the installation itself may be difficult, or there may be a disadvantage that the command input method is not known.
[0007]
Therefore, an image reading unit that converts an image of a document into an electrical signal and reads the image, and an image printing unit that prints an image on a print medium such as paper based on the image data read by the image reading unit is provided. An image processing apparatus that prints an image based on image data read without being connected to a computer can be considered. In such an image processing apparatus, the image reading unit and the image printing unit have a two-story structure, and the image reading unit is arranged in the upper stage and the image printing unit is arranged in the lower stage. In addition, from the viewpoint of mounting space, the power supply unit that supplies power to the image reading unit and the image printing unit is disposed in the lower stage together with the image printing unit.
[0008]
The power supply unit includes a power supply board on which a power supply circuit is formed, a power supply inlet that can be electrically connected to an AC power supply of A / C200V or A / C120V, and electrically connects the power supply inlet to the power supply circuit on the power supply board. A configuration having a primary-side connector for connection to each other is conceivable. By the way, in the above-described power supply circuit, it is obliged by the safety standard to be surrounded by a shielding member. According to the above safety standards, for example, it is allowed to form a hole with a diagonal of 5 mm or less and a gap with a gap of 1 mm or less in the shielding member. Not authorized to form. Since the power inlet is electrically connected to the power circuit by the primary side connector, if the power inlet is connected to the power circuit after the power circuit is surrounded by the shielding member, the shielding member exceeds the allowable range described above. There was a problem that it was difficult to comply with safety standards because holes or gaps had to be formed.
[0009]
If the power inlet is electrically connected to the power circuit by the primary side connector and then the power circuit is surrounded by the shielding member, there are two types of AC power sources, A / C200V or A / C120V. , One of the two types of power inlets that can be connected to each AC power source is selected according to the area where the power inlet is used, and the device is assembled by mounting the selected type of power inlet on the power source, There was a problem that the number of assembling steps and the manufacturing cost increased.
[0010]
SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides an image processing apparatus that complies with safety standards with a simple configuration.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus that reduces assembly man-hours and manufacturing costs.
[0011]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
According to the image processing apparatus of the first aspect of the present invention, a power supply circuit that supplies power to the image reading unit and the image printing unit, a power supply inlet that can be connected to an AC power supply, A power cable for connecting the power inlet and the power circuit, connected to the power inlet And power supply circuit and power cable The power supply unit having a connection member for electrically connecting the power supply circuit is provided on the outer periphery of the power supply circuit, and is shielded by a shielding member that partitions the power supply circuit and the connection member. For this reason, it can be within the tolerance | permissible_range of a safety standard by limiting the hole part and clearance gap formed in a shielding member below to a predetermined dimension. Therefore, it is possible to comply with safety standards with a simple configuration.
[0012]
According to the image processing apparatus of the second aspect of the present invention, the shielding member includes the first shielding member that surrounds the outer periphery of the power supply circuit, and the second shielding member that partitions the power supply circuit and the connection member. Therefore, after surrounding the outer periphery of the power supply circuit by the first shielding member, the power supply circuit and the connection member can be partitioned by the second shielding member. Therefore, it is possible to comply with safety standards with a simple configuration, facilitate assembly, and reduce assembly man-hours and manufacturing costs.
[0013]
According to the image processing apparatus of the third aspect of the present invention, the first shielding member has a hole communicating with the inside and outside of the first shielding member, and the second shielding member has the above-described hole. Since the communication can be cut off, the outer periphery of the power supply circuit is surrounded by the first shielding member, the connection portion between the power supply circuit and the connecting member is exposed from the hole, and the communication of the hole is blocked by the second shielding member. Thereafter, the power supply circuit and the power supply inlet can be electrically connected by the connecting member. For this reason, for example, different types of power inlets that can be connected to an AC power source such as A / C 200V or A / C 120V can be used. Therefore, it is possible to comply with the safety standard with a simple configuration and to reliably reduce the number of assembling steps and the manufacturing cost.
[0014]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, examples showing embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIGS. 1 to 9 show an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to an image processing apparatus having a carriage moving type flatbed image reading unit and an ink jet type grayscale color image printing unit.
[0015]
As shown in FIG. 6, the image processing apparatus 100 includes a scanner unit 20, a signal processing unit 10, a printer unit 50, an operation unit 30, and a power supply unit 40. A carriage 3, a signal processing unit 10, a printer unit 50, and a power supply unit 40, which will be described later, of the scanner unit 20 are accommodated in a housing 2 serving as a housing. The scanner unit 20, the signal processing unit 10, the printer unit 50, the operation unit 30, and the power supply unit 40 are partitioned by a sheet metal main frame member 60. The signal processing unit 10, the printer unit 50, and the power supply unit 40 are surrounded by a main frame member 60, a sheet metal bottom frame member 70, and sheet metal side frame members 71 and 72. Handle portions 90 are provided on both sides of the side frame members 71 and 72. Here, the main frame member 60, the bottom frame member 70, and the side frame members 71 and 72 form a framework of the housing 2.
[0016]
The scanner unit 20 is provided with a document table 1 made of a transparent plate such as glass on the upper surface of the housing 2. Inside the housing 2, a carriage 3 is provided as an image reading unit that can reciprocate in parallel with the document table 1 by a driving unit (not shown). A light source 4 and a color imaging unit 5 are mounted on the carriage 3. ing. Irradiation light from the light source 4 is reflected by the surface of the document 8 on the document table 1, reflected by a plurality of mirrors 6, and then condensed by the condenser lens 7 on the color imaging means 5. The color imaging means 5 converts red (R: Red), green (G: Green), and blue (B: Blue) light into electrical signals and outputs them. By reflecting with a plurality of mirrors 6, the optical path length from the document 8 to the condenser lens 7 is increased. A white reference 9 having a highly reflective uniform reflection surface is provided at the end of the document table 1 in the moving direction of the carriage 3. When a transparent original such as a photographic film is read, a second light source that moves as the carriage 3 moves is provided above the original table 1.
[0017]
As shown in FIG. 7, the white reference 9 of the scanner unit 20 is provided at one end of the document table 1, and the white reference 9 is before reading the image of the carriage 3, that is, when the carriage 3 is powered off or when reading the white reference. It is arranged so as to overlap the initial position. The carriage 3 is electrically connected to the signal processing unit 10 shown in FIG. 6 by a flexible flat cable 31 described later. An origin position display unit 21 is provided on the upper surface of the housing 2 in the vicinity of the reading origin 1 a of the document table 1. That is, the origin position display unit 21 is provided on one end side of the white reference 9 and the carriage 3 at the initial position.
[0018]
A maintenance door 22 is provided on the upper side of the housing 2 and on the side opposite to the original document plate with respect to the white reference 9 and the initial position of the carriage 3. The maintenance door 22 is provided inside and outside the scanner unit 20. It is an open / close door that conducts or blocks communication with the door. The maintenance door 22 has a protrusion (not shown), and this protrusion can be fitted into a hole (not shown) in the closed state of the maintenance door 22 shown in FIG. A light shielding sensor (not shown) as a sensor portion is provided in the hole, and this light shielding sensor is electrically connected to the control means 14 shown in FIG. For this reason, when the power is turned on, the control means 14 can detect whether or not the protrusion is fitted in the hole, that is, the open / close state of the maintenance door 22 by the light shielding sensor. Therefore, the control means 14 can control the carriage 3 in accordance with the open / closed state of the maintenance door 22, and can move the carriage 3 to the retracted position indicated by the dotted line in FIG. 7 or the initial position indicated by the solid line in FIG. In this embodiment, when the maintenance door 22 is open, the user inserts his hand through the opening to clean the white reference 9 and the document table 1 or removes the detachable partition wall 32 which will be described later to remove the printer unit 50. It is possible to maintain a paper jam or the like inside.
[0019]
A frame member 33 is provided in an opening formed in the main frame member 60 and communicating with the scanner unit 20 and the printer unit 50. The frame member 33 is provided with a detachable partition wall 32 made of a transparent member and detachable from the frame member 33. The removable partition wall 32 can move on the rail portion (not shown) of the frame member 33 in the same direction as the movement direction of the carriage 3. The removable partition 32 can be removed from the frame member 33 or the removable partition 32 can be attached to the frame member 33 by moving the removable partition 32 on the rail portion.
[0020]
One end of the flexible flat cable 31 is electrically connected to the carriage 3, and the other end is electrically connected to the signal processing unit 10 shown in FIG. The flexible flat cable 31 has a plurality of conductive wires therein, and the conductive wires are covered with a coating for preventing a short circuit with other members. In order to ensure the flexibility of the flexible flat cable 31, a film having flexibility is used as the coating. In the flexible flat cable 31, an intermediate portion between the connection portion of the carriage 3 and the connection portion of the signal processing unit 10 is folded, and the folded portion 35 is sandwiched by the frame member 33 and fixed to the main frame member 60. The flexible flat cable 31 is provided with sufficient deflection between the connection portion of the carriage 3 and the folded portion 35. In addition, the flexible flat cable 31 is provided with an L-shaped bent portion 36 between the folded portion 35 and the connection portion of the signal processing unit 10 to facilitate connection between the flexible flat cable 31 and the signal processing unit 10. Yes.
[0021]
As shown in FIG. 8, the signal processing unit 10 includes an amplifier 11, an A / D conversion unit 12, a shading correction unit 13, a gamma correction unit 16, other correction units 17, and control means 14. The control means 14 is composed of a microcomputer comprising a CPU, RAM, ROM and the like.
[0022]
The A / D conversion unit 12 converts the data from the color imaging means 5 input via the amplifier 11 into a digital signal and passes it to the shading correction unit 13. For example, when the reading gradation is 10 bits, the digital signal is a signal indicating a numerical value from 0 to 1023. The shading correction unit 13 corrects variations in sensitivity for each element of the photoelectric conversion element array and variations in the light amount of the light source 4 using data obtained by reading the white reference 9 before starting reading. Then, the pixel data subjected to the shading correction is sent to the gamma correction unit 16. The gamma correction unit 16 performs gamma correction using a predetermined gamma function, and converts the light amount signal output from the A / D conversion unit 12 into an image signal. The other correction unit 17 performs various conversions such as color correction, edge enhancement, and area enlargement / reduction.
[0023]
The operation unit 30 shown in FIG. 6 has an operation panel (not shown) exposed to the outside from the housing 2, and a printing switch (not shown) is provided on the operation panel. By turning on this print switch, the printer unit 50 connected to the scanner unit 20 via the signal processing unit 10 can print an image. Further, when the image processing apparatus 100 is connected to a personal computer (not shown), the image data read by the scanner unit 20 is transferred to the personal computer by operating the operation unit 30, or a floppy disk, CD-ROM, An image can be printed by the printer unit 50 based on image data stored in a computer-readable storage medium such as a magneto-optical disk (MO).
[0024]
The power supply unit 40 has a power supply inlet (not shown) that can be electrically connected to an AC power supply of A / C200V or A / C120V, and this power supply inlet forms a power supply circuit (not shown) by a primary side connector 46 described later. It is electrically connected to a later-described power supply board 41, and can supply power to the scanner unit 20, the signal processing unit 10, the operation unit 30, and the printer unit 50.
[0025]
The printer unit 50 includes a paper feeding unit (not shown) and a print head 51 as an image printing unit. The print head 51 expands and contracts the volume of the ink chamber by applying a voltage to the pressure generating means according to the drive signal from the control means 14 shown in FIG. 8, and the ink in the ink chamber is illustrated as ink droplets from the nozzles. It can be discharged onto paper that does not. An ink tank (not shown) that stores ink of six colors of cyan (C), magenta (M), light cyan (c), light magenta (m), yellow (Y), and black (K), and a plurality of ink tanks for each color. 6 nozzles (not shown) arranged perpendicularly to the moving direction of the print head 51 are provided. By using six colors of cyan (C), magenta (M), light cyan (c), light magenta (m), yellow (Y), and black (K), extremely smooth gradation can be expressed. In particular, the dots of the ink droplets can be made inconspicuous even in high brightness portions such as skin color. A color image can also be printed by combining four colors of cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (K). When printing black by superimposing C, M, and Y inks, the K ink can be omitted.
[0026]
Next, the shielding member of the power supply unit 40 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 and 5. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a main part of the image processing apparatus 100 with the casing 2 removed, and FIG. 5 is a front view thereof.
[0027]
As shown in FIG. 1, the power supply unit 40 includes a power supply board 41 on which a power supply circuit (not shown) that supplies power to the scanner unit 20, the signal processing unit 10, the operation unit 30, and the printer unit 50 shown in FIG. A power supply inlet (not shown) that can be electrically connected to an AC power supply of A / C200V or A / C120V, and a connection member that electrically connects a power supply circuit on the power supply board 41 and a power supply inlet via a power cable 47 Primary side connector 46. The power supply board 41 is surrounded on six sides by a bottom frame member 70, a side frame member 72, and a power supply cover member 74 made of sheet metal. The side frame member 72 and the power supply cover member 74 are formed with a plurality of intake / exhaust holes 72a and 74a having a diameter of 5 mm or less for dissipating heat generated in the power supply substrate 41 when energized.
[0028]
As shown in FIG. 5, the side frame member 72 has holes 49 and 73, and the holes 49 and 73 communicate with the inside and outside of the side frame member 72. The shield plate member 43 has a substrate mounting portion 44 and a protruding portion 45. The protruding portion 45 is inserted into the hole 73, and the substrate mounting portion 44 is attached to the bottom frame member 70 by the screw 42 together with the power supply substrate 41. As a result, the communication of the hole 49 can be blocked. However, actually, a minute gap is formed between the inner wall of the hole 49 and the shield plate member 43. As described above, the bottom frame member 70, the side frame member 72, and the power supply cover member 74 surround the power supply circuit on the power supply board 41, and the shield plate member 43 connects the power supply circuit on the power supply board 41 and the primary side connector 46. Partitioning. Here, the bottom frame member 70, the side frame member 72, and the power supply cover member 74 constitute a “first shielding member” recited in the claims. Further, the shield plate member 43 constitutes a “second shielding member” recited in the claims. That is, the shielding member composed of the bottom frame member 70, the side frame member 72, the power supply cover member 74, and the shield plate member 43 is provided on the outer periphery of the power supply circuit, and the power supply circuit and the primary side connector 46 are connected to each other. Partitioning.
[0029]
Next, the procedure for assembling the shielding member will be described with reference to FIGS.
(1) First, as shown in FIG. 2, the power supply board 41 is attached to the bottom frame member 70 by screws or the like (not shown), and the bottom frame member 70, the side frame member 72, and the power supply cover member 74 shown in FIG. The power supply circuit on the power supply board 41 is surrounded. At this time, since the hole 49 communicates with the inside and outside of the side frame member 72, the primary connector 46 provided on the power supply substrate 41 can be exposed to the outside from the hole 49.
[0030]
(2) As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the protruding portion 45 of the shield plate member 43 is inserted into the hole 73, and the substrate mounting portion 44 is attached to the bottom frame member 70 together with the power supply substrate 41 by the screw 42. The hole 49 is closed with the member 43.
[0031]
(3) As shown in FIG. 5, the power cable 47 connected to the power inlet is connected to the power board 41 by the primary side connector 46. As a result, the power supply circuit on the power supply board 41 and the power supply inlet are electrically connected, and the dimensions of the hole and the gap of the shielding member are within the allowable range of the safety standard.
[0032]
Next, the operation of the image processing apparatus 100 configured as described above will be described.
(1) The user places the document 8 on the document table 1 of the scanner unit 20 and presses the print switch of the operation unit 30 to instruct execution of reading of the document 8. In step S1 shown in FIG. 9, when execution of reading is instructed, the control means 14 turns on the light source 4 or the second light source, and moves the carriage 3 at a constant speed in the sub-scanning direction. An image of one line is read by each photoelectric conversion element array of the color imaging unit 5 by a drive signal generated at predetermined time intervals, and pixel data is output to the signal processing unit 10 in step S2 shown in FIG.
[0033]
(2) In step S3 shown in FIG. 9, the analog pixel data output to the signal processing unit 10 is converted into digital pixel data by the A / D conversion unit 12, and is subjected to shading correction by the shading correction unit 13 and gamma correction. Sent to section 16. Then, gamma correction is performed by a predetermined gamma function.
[0034]
(3) In step S4 shown in FIG. 9, the other correction unit 17 performs color correction processing on the RGB data and converts it into CMYK gradation bit image data for printing. Then, the obtained CMYK gradation bit image data is distributed to each density data by the density ink table, and further, halftone processing such as dithering and error diffusion is performed to distribute the density color on the bitmap for each color or The arrangement is determined, and a binary bitmap is created for each. The bitmap data that has been subjected to the halftone process is temporarily stored in a predetermined area of the RAM of the control means 14.
[0035]
(4) In step S <b> 5 shown in FIG. 9, the CPU of the control means 14 sends a print preparation end signal to the printer unit 50 and checks the printing operation state of the printer unit 50. The printer unit 50 sends a print data transfer request signal to the CPU of the control device 14 when the printing operation is possible.
[0036]
(5) In step S6 shown in FIG. 9, the CPU of the control means 14 sequentially transmits print control data and bitmap data for each color to the printer unit 50 by DMA (Direct Memory Access) transfer. Then, the printer unit 50 prints an image by the print head 51 based on the print data sequentially taken out from the RAM of the control unit 14.
[0037]
In the embodiment of the present invention described above, the bottom frame member 70, the side frame member 72, and the power supply cover member 74 surround the power supply circuit on the power supply board 41, and the shield plate member 43 is the power supply circuit on the power supply board 41. And the primary side connector 46 are partitioned, the holes and gaps formed in the side frame member 72 and the power supply cover member 74 are limited to a predetermined dimension or less, so that they can be within the allowable range of the safety standard. . Therefore, it is possible to comply with safety standards with a simple configuration.
[0038]
Further, in this embodiment, the side frame member 72 has a hole portion 49 communicating with the inside and outside of the side frame member 72, and the shield plate member 43 can block the communication of the hole portion 49. 70, the side frame member 72, and the power supply cover member 74 surround the power supply circuit on the power supply board 41, the primary side connector 46 provided on the power supply board 41 is exposed to the outside from the hole portion 49, and the shield plate member 43 opens the hole. After closing the portion 49, the power supply circuit and the power supply inlet can be electrically connected by the primary side connector 46. Therefore, different types of power inlets that can be connected to two types of AC power sources of A / C 200V or A / C 120V can be used. Therefore, it is possible to comply with the safety standard with a simple configuration and to reliably reduce the number of assembling steps and the manufacturing cost.
[0039]
In the embodiment of the present invention described above, the present invention is applied to the image processing apparatus 100 including the carriage moving type flatbed scanner unit 20, but the image pickup means and the condenser lens are fixed, and the light source and the reflection mirror group. The present invention can be applied to an image processing apparatus provided with a mirror-moving flatbed scanner unit that moves the image, and image processing provided with other scanner units such as a sheet feed type that moves and reads a document. It is also possible to apply the present invention to an apparatus.
[0040]
In the embodiment of the present invention, the present invention is applied to the image processing apparatus 100 including the printer unit 50 using the ink jet print head 51. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the dot impact is not limited thereto. The present invention can also be applied to an image processing apparatus including a printer unit using various print heads such as a method.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a main part of a power supply unit in a state where a housing of an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is removed.
FIG. 2 is a front view showing a main part for explaining a procedure for assembling the shielding member of the image processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a front view showing a shield plate member for explaining a procedure for assembling the shield member of the image processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a front view showing a main part for explaining a procedure for assembling the shielding member of the image processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a front view showing a main part of the power supply unit in a state where a housing of the image processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention is removed.
FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a plan view showing an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 9 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the image printing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Document table
2 Housing (housing)
3 Carriage (image reading unit)
4 Light source
5 Color imaging means
6 Mirror
7 Condensing lens
8 Manuscript
10 Signal processor
14 Control means
20 Scanner section
30 Operation unit
40 Power supply
41 Power supply board
43 Shield plate member (second shielding member)
46 Primary connector (connecting member)
49 hole
50 Printer section
51 Print head (image printing section)
60 Main frame members
70 Bottom frame member (first shielding member)
72 Side frame member (first shielding member)
74 Power supply cover member (first shielding member)
100 Image processing apparatus

Claims (3)

Imaging means for converting light into an electrical signal and outputting it, a light source for illuminating the document, a mirror that reflects light reflected from the document surface or transmitted through the document surface, and light reflected by the mirror An image reading unit having a condensing lens for condensing on the imaging unit; an image printing unit for printing an image on a print medium based on image data read by the image reading unit; and the image reading unit and the image printing unit. A power supply circuit for supplying power; a power supply inlet connectable to an AC power supply; a power supply cable connected to the power supply inlet for connecting the power supply inlet and the power supply circuit; and the power supply circuit and the power supply cable electrically A power supply unit having a connection member to be connected; and a shielding member provided on an outer periphery of the power supply circuit and partitioning the power supply circuit and the connection member. The image processing apparatus according to claim and. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the shielding member includes a first shielding member that surrounds an outer periphery of the power supply circuit, and a second shielding member that partitions the power supply circuit and the connection member. . 3. The first shielding member has a hole communicating with the inside and outside of the first shielding member, and the second shielding member can block communication of the hole. The image processing apparatus described.

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