JP3669243B2 - Image processing apparatus and assembly method thereof - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and an assembling method thereof, and in particular, an image reading unit that reads an image by converting an image of a document into an electrical signal, and 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 that prints an image on the image and an assembling method thereof.
[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, when the read image data is finally printed out, the image is displayed on a monitor by using a processing device such as a personal computer, and a desired image is selected and a printing device such as a printer. Is printed out on a printing medium such as printing paper.
[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.
[0008]
However, in the image processing apparatus having the above-described configuration, when the image reading unit is simply mounted on the image printing unit, the image reading apparatus having the image reading unit alone or the image printing apparatus having the image printing unit alone is provided. Since the weight is relatively large, there is a problem that the device may be damaged due to insufficient strength and may be damaged during transportation. In addition, when the device is destroyed when it is carried, there is a problem that the device may fall under the user's feet and the user may be injured.
[0009]
Furthermore, in an image processing apparatus having a configuration in which an image reading unit is stacked on an image printing unit, it is difficult to individually perform a performance test on each of the image reading unit and the image printing unit. When the problem is found, there is a problem that it becomes difficult to replace defective parts or defective parts. Further, since the structure is more complicated than that of an image reading apparatus provided with an image reading unit alone or an image printing apparatus provided with an image printing unit alone, there is a problem that the assembly of the apparatus is difficult.
[0010]
SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides an image processing apparatus with improved strength and easy assembly.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an assembling method of an image processing apparatus that can be easily inspected and assembled.
[0011]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
According to the image processing apparatus of the first aspect of the present invention, the first housing space and the second housing space that house the image reading unit and the second housing space that houses the image printing unit are included in the first housing space and the second housing space. 2 A sheet metal partition member that partitions the housing space is provided, and a sheet metal frame member that forms a frame of the housing is connected to the partition member, so that the strength of the apparatus is improved and the apparatus is improved during transportation. Has the effect that is difficult to destroy. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the device from being damaged, and it is possible to prevent injuries to the user's feet due to the device being damaged.
[0012]
Furthermore, by dividing the image reading unit and the image printing unit into respective subunits, the image reading unit and the image printing unit can be assembled and tested, and then the subunits can be combined and assembled. Therefore, inspection and assembly before product shipment are facilitated.
[0013]
According to the image processing apparatus of the second aspect of the present invention, the power supply unit that supplies power to the image reading unit and the image printing unit is housed in the second housing space. As a result, it is easy to secure a mounting space for the power supply unit, and it is easy to reduce the size of the apparatus.
[0014]
According to the assembling method of the image processing apparatus according to claim 3 of the present invention, the image printing unit is placed in the frame member, the partition member is connected to the frame member, and the image reading unit is mounted on the partition member. The image reading unit and the image printing unit are electrically connected, and the image reading unit, the image printing unit, and the partition member are covered with a housing. For this reason, the image reading unit and the image printing unit are sub-united, the image reading unit and the image printing unit are assembled, and after inspection, the image printing unit is arranged in the lower part of the apparatus, and the image reading unit is The subunits can be combined and assembled by placing them in the upper part of the apparatus. Therefore, inspection and assembly before product shipment are facilitated.
[0015]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, examples showing embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
1 to 5 show an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to an image processing apparatus including a carriage moving type flatbed image reading unit and an ink jet type grayscale color image printing unit.
[0016]
As shown in FIG. 1, the image processing apparatus 100 includes a housing 2, a scanner unit 20, a signal processing unit 10, a printer unit 50, an operation unit 30, a power supply unit 40, a partition member 60, and a bottom. The frame member 70 and side frame members 71 and 72 are included. A carriage 3, a signal processing unit 10, a printer unit 50, a power supply unit 40, a partition member 60, and side frame members 71 and 72, which will be described later, of the scanner unit 20 are accommodated in a housing 2 as a housing. . That is, the housing 2 forms a first accommodation space that accommodates the carriage 3 of the scanner unit 20 and a second accommodation space that accommodates the printer unit 50 and the power supply unit 40. 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 partition member 60. The signal processing unit 10, the printer unit 50, and the power supply unit 40 are surrounded on four sides by a partition member 60, a sheet metal bottom frame member 70, and sheet metal side frame members 71 and 72. The partition member 60 is connected to the side frame members 71 and 72. The side frame members 71 and 72 are connected to the bottom frame member 70, and a handle portion 90 is provided outside the side frame members 71 and 72. Here, the bottom frame member 70 and the side frame members 71 and 72 constitute a frame member that forms the framework of the housing 2.
[0017]
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 reading a transparent original such as a photographic film, a second light source is provided above the original table 1.
[0018]
As shown in FIG. 4, 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 image reading of the carriage 3, that is, when the carriage 3 is powered off or white reference reading. 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. 1 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.
[0019]
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 according to the open / closed state of the maintenance door 22 and move the carriage 3 to the retracted position indicated by the dotted line in FIG. 4 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.
[0020]
A frame member 33 is provided in an opening formed in the partition 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.
[0021]
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 partition 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.
[0022]
As shown in FIG. 5, 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.
[0023]
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.
[0024]
The operation unit 30 shown in FIG. 1 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).
[0025]
The power supply unit 40 has an inlet (not shown) capable of supplying A / C200V or A / C120V, and six sides are surrounded by a bottom frame member 70, a side frame member 72, and a sheet metal power supply cover member 74. It is. The power supply unit 40 can supply power to the scanner unit 20, the signal processing unit 10, the operation unit 30, and the printer unit 50.
[0026]
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 in accordance with the drive signal from the control means 14 shown in FIG. 5, 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.
[0027]
Next, an assembling procedure of the image processing apparatus 100 having the above configuration will be described with reference to FIGS.
(1) First, as shown in FIG. 2, the power supply unit 40 is attached to the bottom frame member 70 by screws or the like (not shown), and the power supply unit 40 is connected by the bottom frame member 70, the side frame member 72, and the power supply cover member 74. surround.
[0028]
(2) The printer unit 50 is placed inside the bottom frame member 70 and the side frame members 71 and 72, and the signal processing unit 10 and the operation unit 30 are further placed. Then, the signal processing unit 10, the operation unit 30, the power supply unit 40, and the printer unit 50 are electrically connected.
[0029]
(3) As shown in FIG. 3, the side frame members 71 and 72 and the partition member 60 are connected by screws or the like (not shown), the carriage 3 is mounted on the partition member 60, and the carriage 3 and the signal processing unit 10 are connected. By electrically connecting, the carriage 3 and the printer unit 50 are electrically connected.
[0030]
(4) As shown in FIG. 1, the carriage 3 of the scanner unit 20, the signal processing unit 10, the printer unit 50, the power supply unit 40, the partition member 60, and the side frame members 71 and 72 are arranged in the casing 2. Cover with.
The image processing apparatus 100 is assembled by the procedures (1) to (4) above.
[0031]
Next, the operation of the image processing apparatus 100 assembled 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. 6, when execution of reading is instructed, the control unit 14 turns on the light source 4 or the second light source, and moves the carriage 3 in the sub-scanning direction at a constant speed. An image of one line is read by each photoelectric conversion element array of the color imaging means 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.
[0032]
(2) In step S3 shown in FIG. 6, 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 shading correction is performed by the shading correction unit 13 to perform gamma correction. Sent to section 16. Then, gamma correction is performed by a predetermined gamma function.
[0033]
(3) In step S4 shown in FIG. 6, the other correction unit 17 applies color correction processing to 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.
[0034]
(4) In step S <b> 5 shown in FIG. 6, the CPU of the control unit 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.
[0035]
(5) In step S6 shown in FIG. 6, 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.
[0036]
In the embodiment of the present invention described above, the partition member 60 that partitions the first housing space for housing the carriage 3 of the scanner unit 20 and the second housing space for housing the printer unit 50 is provided inside the housing 2. Since the partition member 60 is connected to the side frame members 71 and 72 that form the framework of the housing 2, the strength of the image processing apparatus 100 is improved, and the image processing apparatus 100 is not easily destroyed during transportation. There is an effect. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the image processing apparatus 100 from being damaged, and to prevent injury to the user's feet due to the damage of the image processing apparatus 100.
[0037]
Further, in this embodiment, the scanner unit 20 and the printer unit 50 are respectively formed into subunits, so that the scanner unit 20 and the printer unit 50 are respectively assembled and inspected, and then the printer unit 50 is connected to the image processing apparatus 100. The scanner unit 20 can be arranged on the lower stage, and the scanner unit 20 can be arranged on the upper stage of the image processing apparatus 100 so that the subunits are combined and assembled. Therefore, inspection and assembly before product shipment are facilitated.
[0038]
Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the power supply unit 40 that supplies power to the scanner unit 20 and the printer unit 50 is housed in the second housing space. Therefore, it is easy to secure a mounting space for the power supply unit 40, and the image processing apparatus 100 can be easily downsized.
[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 schematic diagram illustrating an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram for explaining a method of assembling an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram for explaining a method of assembling an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a plan view showing an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 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 Document 10 Signal processing section 14 Control means 20 Scanner section 30 Operation section 40 Power supply section 50 Printer section 51 Print head (image printing section)
60 Partition member 70 Bottom frame members 71 and 72 Side frame member 100 Image processing apparatus

Claims (3)

An image reading unit that irradiates light on a document and converts the light reflected on the document surface or transmitted through the document surface into an electrical signal;
An image printing unit for printing an image on a print medium based on image data read by the image reading unit;
A housing that forms a first housing space for housing the image reading unit and a second housing space for housing the image printing unit;
A sheet metal partition member provided in the housing and partitioning the first storage space and the second storage space;
A frame member made of sheet metal connected to the partition member and forming a framework of the housing;
An image processing apparatus comprising: The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a power supply unit that is housed in the second housing space and supplies power to the image reading unit and the image printing unit. A method for assembling the image processing apparatus according to claim 1,
Placing the image printing unit in the frame member and connecting the partition member to the frame member;
Mounting the image reading unit on the partition member and electrically connecting the image reading unit and the image printing unit;
Covering the image reading unit, the image printing unit and the partition member with the housing;
A method for assembling an image processing apparatus, comprising:

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