JP5161610B2 - Image sensor module - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image sensor module used for, for example, a scanner or a bill reading device.

  2. Description of the Related Art Image sensor modules having a function of irradiating a document or a bill with linear light and a function of reading reflected light are widely used in scanners and bill readers. FIG. 6 shows an example of a conventional image sensor module. The image sensor module X shown in the figure has a configuration in which a plurality of light emitting elements 92, a lens unit 93, a substrate 94, a plurality of sensor chips 95, and a protective glass 96 are accommodated in a case 91. The lens unit 93 is fixed to the case 91 with an adhesive 97.

  The plurality of light emitting elements 92 are arranged in the main scanning direction and irradiate linear light toward the document Dc. The linear light reflected by the document Dc is imaged on the plurality of sensor chips 95 by the lens unit 93. The sensor chip 95 is disposed on the substrate 94 along the main scanning direction. Thereby, the content printed on the document Dc can be read as image data.

  However, since the case 91 has a shape extending long in the main scanning direction, the case 91 may be warped as shown in FIG. 7, and the lens unit 93 may not be attached straight. Thus, when the lens unit 93 is attached in a distorted state, image data obtained by the image sensor module X may be distorted.

JP 2001-197254 A

  The present invention has been conceived under the circumstances described above, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an image sensor module that is not easily affected by warping or distortion of a case and can be attached to a lens unit more straightforwardly. And

An image sensor module provided by the present invention condenses a linear light source configured to be able to emit an elongated linear light extending along a main scanning direction, and the linear light reflected by a reading object. An elongated lens unit extending along the main scanning direction, a plurality of light receiving means arranged in series in the main scanning direction and receiving the light collected by the lens unit, the linear light source, An image sensor module including the lens unit and a case for accommodating the plurality of light receiving means, the case having a slit extending along the main scanning direction for accommodating the lens unit; The slit has a pair of side surfaces facing each other in the sub-scanning direction, the lens unit is sandwiched between the pair of side surfaces, and the main running The lens unit is configured to be fixed via an adhesive at a plurality of adhesive portions arranged along the direction, and the adhesive portions are arranged to face each other in the sub-scanning direction. The adhesive is filled only in one of the pair of recesses in each of the bonding portions, and two of the plurality of bonding portions are located at both ends in the main scanning direction. The concave portion filled with the adhesive in one bonding portion is formed on the side surface of the pair of side surfaces where the central portion in the main scanning direction is a surface recessed in the sub scanning direction from both end portions in the main scanning direction. It is characterized by being.

  According to such a configuration, it is possible to select a recess filled with an adhesive according to the distortion of the case, and it is easy to attach the lens unit straight to the slit. Therefore, the image sensor module can read the description content of the reading object as preferable image data with less distortion.

  In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the concave portion filled with the adhesive in the adhesive portion sandwiched between the adhesive portions located at both ends in the main scanning direction among the plurality of adhesive portions is the pair of side surfaces. Of these, the adhesive portion located at both ends is formed on the side surface different from the side surface where the concave portion filled with the adhesive is formed. According to such a configuration, the lens unit can be more firmly fixed to the slit.

  Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the detailed description given below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.

  1 to 3 show an example of an image sensor module according to the present invention. The image sensor module A of this embodiment includes a case 1, a linear light source 2, a lens unit 3, a substrate 4, a plurality of sensor chips 5, and a protective glass 6. The image sensor module A has a reading width of about 200 mm, for example, and has a configuration suitable for use in a scanner. In FIG. 1, the protective glass 6 is omitted for convenience of understanding.

  The case 1 accommodates the linear light source 2, the lens unit 3, the substrate 4, the plurality of sensor chips 5, and the protective glass 6, and has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape extending in the main scanning direction x in which a cavity is formed. . Case 1 is formed of, for example, a black resin. The case 1 includes a slit 11 for accommodating the lens unit 3 and extending along the main scanning direction x.

  The slit 11 includes a pair of side surfaces 11a and 11b facing each other with a predetermined interval in the sub-scanning direction y, and the lens unit 3 is sandwiched between the side surfaces 11a and 11b. As shown in FIG. 1, the slit 11 is provided with three sets of adhesive portions 12, 13, and 14. The bonding portion 12 is provided at one end of the slit 11 in the main scanning direction x, and includes concave portions 12a and 12b facing each other in the sub-scanning direction y. Of the recesses 12a and 12b, only the recess 12a is filled with the adhesive 7. The bonding portion 13 is provided at the center of the slit 11 in the main scanning direction x, and includes concave portions 13a and 13b facing each other in the sub scanning direction y. Of the recesses 13a and 13b, only the recess 13b is filled with the adhesive 7. The bonding portion 14 is provided at the other end of the slit 11 in the main scanning direction x, and includes concave portions 14a and 14b facing each other in the sub scanning direction y. Of the recesses 14a and 14b, only the recess 14a is filled with the adhesive 7.

  Further, the case 1 includes a support surface 15 extending in the main scanning direction x. The support surface 15 includes a plurality of adhesive filling portions 15a arranged at predetermined intervals along the main scanning direction x. An adhesive 8 is filled in the adhesive filling portion 15a. A part of the support surface 15 is connected to the recesses 12 b, 13 b, 14 b, and a part of the adhesive 7 filled in the recess 13 b flows into a part of the support surface 15.

  The linear light source 2 is an optical component for irradiating linear light extending in the main scanning direction x toward the document Dc, and includes a light guide 21, a reflector 22, and a light source substrate 23. The light guide 21 is made of a transparent resin such as methyl methacrylate resin (PMMA), and has a rod shape extending in the main scanning direction x. The light source substrate 23 is provided to face one end surface of the light guide 21. For example, a plurality of LED chips (not shown) are mounted on the light source substrate 23. From these LED chips, for example, red light, green light, and blue light are emitted. The light guide 21 is formed with a reflection surface 21a and an emission surface 21b both extending in the main scanning direction x. The reflecting surface 21a is a surface for reflecting light from the LED chip incident on the one end surface in a direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction x. For example, a plurality of grooves arranged discretely in the main scanning direction x Is provided. The emission surface 21b is a surface that emits light that has traveled from the reflection surface 21a as linear light. The reflector 22 is made of white resin, for example, and covers the light guide 21.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the linear light source 2 is in contact with the support surface 15 and is fixed to the support surface 15 with the adhesive 8 filled in the adhesive filling portion 15a as shown in FIG. . Furthermore, a part of the linear light source 2 is also fixed by the adhesive 7 flowing into the support surface 15 from the recess 13b.

  The lens unit 3 is an optical component that forms an image of the linear light reflected by the document Dc on the sensor chip 5. The lens unit 3 has a configuration in which, for example, a plurality of cylindrical lenses arranged in the main scanning direction x are held in a resin housing. As shown in FIG. 2, the lens unit 3 is sandwiched between the side surfaces 11a and 11b. Further, the lens unit 3 is fixed to the side surfaces 11a and 11b by the adhesive 7 filled in the recesses 12a, 13b, and 14a.

  The substrate 4 is made of, for example, ceramic or glass epoxy resin, and a plurality of sensor chips 5 are mounted thereon. The substrate 4 is fitted in the lower part of the case 1.

  The sensor chips 5 are arranged in the main scanning direction x, generate an electromotive force according to the received light, and can output a luminance signal for each pixel from the electromotive force. By receiving the light reflected by the document Dc by the sensor chip 5, it is possible to read the description content of the document Dc as image data.

  Next, a method for manufacturing the image sensor module A will be described.

  The image sensor module A is manufactured by sequentially attaching the lens unit 3, the linear light source 2, the substrate 4, and the protective glass 6 to a case 1 that is resin-molded using a mold, for example.

  In this method, first, the lens unit 3 is inserted into the slit 11, the adhesive portions 12, 13, and 14 are filled with the adhesive 7 to fix the lens unit 3. At this time, a recess to be filled with the adhesive 7 is selected according to the shape of the case 1. Since the case 1 has a shape that extends long in the main scanning direction x, for example, warping may occur as shown in FIG. 4 or FIG. FIG. 4 shows a schematic plan view of the case 1 when the end edge closer to the slit 11 in the sub-scanning direction y is warped so as to be shorter than the far end edge. FIG. 5 shows a schematic plan view of the case 1 when the far end edge is warped by the slit 11 in the sub-scanning direction y so as to be shorter than the closer end edge.

  When the case 1 is warped as shown in FIG. 4, the side surface 11b is a surface in which the central portion is recessed with respect to both end portions in the main scanning direction x. On the other hand, the side surface 11a is a surface whose central portion is convex with respect to both end portions in the main scanning direction x. In this method, the lens unit 3 can be fixed straightly along the main scanning direction x by filling the concave portions 12b, 13a, and 14b closer to the lens unit 3 in the sub-scanning direction y with the adhesive 7. it can.

    When the case 1 is warped as shown in FIG. 5, the side surface 11a is a surface in which the central portion is recessed with respect to both end portions in the main scanning direction x. On the other hand, the side surface 11b is a surface whose central portion is convex with respect to both end portions in the main scanning direction x. In this method, the lens unit 3 can be fixed straightly along the main scanning direction x by filling the concave portions 12a, 13b, and 14a closer to the lens unit 3 in the sub-scanning direction y with the adhesive 7. it can.

  Next, in this method, the adhesive filling portion 15 a is filled with the adhesive 8, and the linear light source 2 is installed so as to contact the support surface 15. Further, the image sensor module A is completed by fitting the substrate 4 and the protective glass 6 on the upper and lower sides of the case 1.

  Next, the operation of the image sensor module A will be described.

  According to the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4 or 5, the lens unit 3 can be fixed straight to the slit 11 along the main scanning direction x even when the case 1 is warped to one side. it can. Therefore, the image sensor module A can preferably read the content printed on the document Dc as image data regardless of the shape of the case 1. Moreover, since it can be used even if the shape of the case 1 is distorted, it is advantageous in terms of cost.

  Further, according to the present embodiment, a part of the adhesive 7 filled in the recesses 12 b, 13 b, 14 b formed on the side surface 11 b is used for fixing the linear light source 2. Furthermore, the linear light emission direction of the linear light source 2 can be adjusted by increasing or decreasing the amount of the adhesive 7 filled in the recesses 12b, 13b, and 14b.

  The image sensor module according to the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. The specific configuration of each part of the image sensor module according to the present invention can be varied in design in various ways.

It is a principal part top view which shows an example of the image sensor module concerning this invention. It is sectional drawing which follows the II-II line | wire of FIG. It is sectional drawing which follows the III-III line of FIG. It is a principal part top view which shows an example of the manufacturing method of the image sensor module concerning this invention. It is a principal part top view which shows an example of the manufacturing method of the image sensor module concerning this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows an example of the conventional image sensor module. It is a principal part top view which shows an example of the conventional image sensor module.

Explanation of symbols

A Image sensor module Dc Document (reading object)
x Main scanning direction y Sub scanning direction 1 Case 2 Linear light source 3 Lens unit 4 Substrate 5 Sensor chip (light receiving means)
6 Protective glass 7, 8 Adhesive 11 Slit 11a, 11b Side surface 12 Adhesive part 12a, 12b Recess 13 Adhesive part 13a, 13b Recess 14 Adhesive part 14a, 14b Recess 15 Support surface 15a Adhesive filling part 21 Light guide 21a Reflecting surface 21b Emission surface 22 Reflector 23 Light source substrate

Claims (2)

A linear light source configured to be capable of emitting elongated linear light extending along the main scanning direction;
An elongated lens unit extending along the main scanning direction for condensing the linear light reflected by the reading object;
A plurality of light receiving means arranged in series in the main scanning direction and receiving the light collected by the lens unit;
An image sensor module comprising: the linear light source, the lens unit, and a case that houses the plurality of light receiving means,
The case has a slit extending along the main scanning direction for accommodating the lens unit,
The slit has a pair of side surfaces facing each other in the sub-scanning direction, sandwiches the lens unit between the pair of side surfaces, and a plurality of adhesive portions arranged along the main scanning direction via an adhesive. It is configured to fix the lens unit,
Each of the bonding portions includes a pair of recesses formed on each of the pair of side surfaces so as to face each other in the sub-scanning direction,
The adhesive is filled only in one of the pair of recesses in each of the bonded portions,
Of the plurality of adhesive portions, the concave portions filled with the adhesive in two adhesive portions located at both ends in the main scanning direction are the center portions in the main scanning direction of the pair of side surfaces at both ends in the main scanning direction. An image sensor module, characterized in that the image sensor module is formed on a side surface that is recessed in the sub-scanning direction with respect to the portion .   Of the plurality of adhesive portions, the recess filled with the adhesive in the adhesive portion sandwiched between the adhesive portions located at both ends in the main scanning direction is the adhesive portion located at the both ends of the pair of side surfaces. The image sensor module according to claim 1, wherein the image sensor module is formed on a side surface different from the side surface on which the concave portion filled with the adhesive is formed.

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