JPH0272344A - Image reader - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To generally use one image reader by selecting an original placing table where an original is placed in accordance with the kind of the original and reading the image information of the original with transmissive light or reflected light corresponding to the kind of the original. CONSTITUTION:This reader is provided with an original platen 12 carried through a carrying means 14, the original placing table which can be attachably/ detachably mounted on the original platen 12 where the original is placed, a 1st lighting means 100 for lighting the original from a lower part so that the light may be transmitted through the original and a 2nd lighting means 116 for lighting the original from an upper part so that the light may be reflected on the original. The original placing table is so constituted that the appropriate one in accordance with the kind of the original can be selectively mounted on the original platen 12. Thus, countermeasure for the kind of the original can be facilitated and not only ordinary original and book, etc., can be read with the reflected light in spite of the thickness of the original, etc., but also light transmissive original such as film, etc., can be read with the transmissive light.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to an image reading device, and more specifically, a mounting table on which an original is set, for example, a mounting table for thick originals, thin originals, film originals, etc. A plurality of different types of placing tables are prepared, and a suitable one for the document is selectively attached to the document table that transports the original to the image reading unit, depending on the type of the original. The present invention relates to a highly versatile image reading device that can read image information by irradiating reflected light or transmitted light.

[Background of the Invention] For example, in the fields of printing and plate making, image scanning reading records are used to electrically process image information carried on a manuscript to create a film master plate for the purpose of streamlining work processes, improving image quality, etc. The system is widely used.

This image scanning reading/recording system basically consists of an image reading device and an image recording device. That is, in an image reading device, image information of a document that is conveyed in a sub-scan direction in an image reading section is converted into an electrical signal by being main-scanned by a photoelectric conversion element. Next, the image information photoelectrically converted by the image reading device is subjected to arithmetic processing such as gradation correction and edge enhancement according to the plate-making conditions by the image recording device.
The signal is converted into an optical signal made of laser light and recorded and reproduced on a record carrier made of a photosensitive material such as film. Note that this recording carrier is developed by a predetermined developing device and used as a film original for printing or the like.

Incidentally, there are two types of image reading apparatus: one type that irradiates light from a light source onto a document being conveyed in the sub-scanning direction and photoelectrically reads the reflected light, and the other type that reads transmitted light. The former format is suitable for reading image information from manuscripts made of printed paper or other general paper, books, magazines, etc., while the latter format is suitable for reading image information recorded on film, etc. It is suitably used for reading.

Generally, this type of image reading device is manufactured separately into transmitted light type and reflected light type depending on the use and purpose.
The type of document that can be read is limited by its type. Therefore, it is not possible to universally read many types of originals with one image reading device.

In addition, there is no problem when the original is placed on the original placing plate installed in the original reading section, such as in a normal copying machine, but when the original is held by a transparent pressure bonding plate, etc. In a type of document in which the document is read by being conveyed in a sub-scanning manner by a conveyance means, there is a limit to the thickness of the document, and there is a problem in that it is practically impossible to read a thick document such as a book in particular.

[Object of the Invention] The present invention has been made in order to overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages.The present invention has been made in order to overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages. The object of the present invention is to provide an image reading device that not only makes it possible to read books and the like using reflected light regardless of their thickness, but also makes it possible to read light-transmitting originals made of films and the like using transmitted light. shall be.

[Means for achieving the object] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an image reading device that photoelectrically reads image information carried on a document, comprising:
a document table that is conveyed via a conveying means; a document placing table that is detachably attached to the document table and on which the document is placed; and a first document table that illuminates the document from below and transmits light to the document. and a second illumination means for illuminating the original from above and reflecting the light on the original; It is characterized by being configured so that it can be mounted on a document table.

Further, the present invention provides a mounting table of the type in which the document mounting table sets a light-transmitting original, such as a film, on a transparent plate, and a type of document mounting table in which a paper document is set on a member that is elastically supported. It is characterized by comprising a mounting table of the type on which books and the like are set on divided members that are each elastically supported.

[Embodiments] Next, preferred embodiments of the image reading apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral IO indicates an image reading device according to this embodiment. This image reading device 10 includes a document table 12 on which a document is set, a conveyance mechanism section 14 that conveys the document table 12, and an image reading section 16 that scans the document conveyed in the sub-scanning direction by the conveyance mechanism section 14. It basically consists of. In this case, the transport mechanism section 14 is arranged on the first casing 18, and the image reading section 16 is arranged inside the second casing 20 on the first casing 18. Note that an opening 22 through which the document table 12 passes is defined on one side of the second housing 20.

First, the transport mechanism section 14 will be explained. Horizontal guide bars 242 and 24b are provided on the upper surface of the first housing 18 and are parallel to each other. Further, between the guide bars 241 and 24b, both ends are bearings 26 and 28.
A ball screw 30 supported by is arranged in parallel. In this case, the ball screw 30 is rotationally driven by a drive motor 32 provided within the first housing 18. That is, a pulley 34 is engaged with one end of the ball screw 30, a pulley 36 is engaged with the rotating shaft of the drive motor 32, and a belt 38 is suspended between these pulleys 34 and 36. ing.

Meanwhile, the guide bar 242.24b movably supports the document table 12 holding a document carrying image information. That is, the document table 12 is
As shown in the figure, a main body portion 42 having a housing shape;
It includes a first mounting table 44 which is detachably attachable to and on which an original is set, and a lid part 46 which presses the original toward the first mounting table 44 and holds it. A nut member 48 is fixed to the center of the lower surface of the main body 42.
A ball screw 30 is screwed into the. Guides 50a and 50b are provided on both sides of the nut member 48, and a guide bar 24a124b is inserted through these guides 50a and 50bb.

As can be easily understood from FIG. 3, a rib 52 projects horizontally inside the main body portion 42, and a square hole 53 is defined by the rib 52.
As will be described later, positioning pins 55 for positioning the first mounting table 44 are provided on the left and right sides (see FIG. 4). Openings 56a and 56b are defined in the lower portions of both sides of the main body portion 420, into which a case 54 that houses a light source that outputs transmitted light (described later) is loosely fitted. on the other hand,
A frame plate 58 extends inwardly from the upper space of the main body 42, and a plurality of handle reliefs 60, which will be described later, are bored at predetermined positions in the frame plate 58 (see FIG. 2). ).

Next, a lid portion 46 is attached to the main body portion 42 . That is, the frame body 62 constituting the lid body portion 46 is connected to the hinge 64.
It is attached to the main body part 42 via a and 64b so as to be openable and closable. A transparent plate 66 is held on this frame 62, and a handle 67 is attached so that the frame 62 can be easily opened and closed.

Therefore, a first mounting table 44 is provided in the upper space of the main body 42.
is stored removably. The first mounting table 44 has a casing 69 that is open at the top and has a square hole 68 defined on the bottom surface, and is supported by an elastic member to the casing 69, on which a transparent original such as a film is placed. The plate 70 is made of a transparent material and is used for printing. A plurality of coil springs 72 are arranged around the inside of the housing 69, and the coil springs 72 support the plate 70 and elastically bias it in the direction of arrow A. Four plate holding members 74 are provided on the periphery of the plate 70, which are bent inwardly and each having a U-shaped cross section at the tip to hold the plate 70. These plate holding members 74 are formed with elongated portions 75 that are long in the vertical direction.
A pin member 76 provided on the inner wall surface of the housing 69 engages with this elongated hole 75, so that the plate holding member 74 is guided by the pin member 76 and can be freely displaced in the vertical direction. Also,
On the left and right sides of the housing 69, there are handles 78a and 78b that engage with flanges 77a and 77b to facilitate gripping.
is provided.

Note that, as shown in FIG. 4, there is a square hole 6 at the bottom of the housing 69.
Positioning pin holes 79 are provided on the left and right sides in close proximity to 8, and positioning pins provided on the bottom surface of the main body portion 42 of the document table 120 engage with these pin holes 79.

Here, in addition to the first mounting table 44 described above, a second mounting table 80 shown in FIG. 5 and a third mounting table shown in FIGS.
A mounting table 82 can be attached to the document table 12. In this case, the same reference numerals are given to the same components as those of the first mounting table 44, and detailed explanation thereof will be omitted.

In FIG. 5, a plate body 88, preferably made of aluminum, is biased and supported in the direction of arrow B by a plurality of coil springs 86 arranged at predetermined intervals in a housing 84 constituting the second mounting table 80. .

In the first mounting table 44 in the embodiment described above, a transparent plate door 0 is used as a plate member for setting the original, but the original set on the second mounting table 80 is exposed to the scanned light. Since the image information is read by the reflected light, there is no need to use a transparent material. Said plate body 88
A sponge 90 is pasted on top, and the original is placed on top of this sponge 90. Furthermore, engaging portions 92 are formed on both end edges of the plate body 88 and are bent horizontally outward.
The plate body 88 biased by the elastic force of the coil spring 860 is locked when its engaging portion 92 comes into contact with the upper peripheral edge of the housing 84 .

On the other hand, the third mounting table 82 shown in FIGS. 6 and 7
has a structure suitable for setting books etc. In this case, the same reference numerals are given to the same components as those of the second mounting table 80, and detailed explanation thereof will be omitted. That is, in the third mounting table 82, the plate member on which the original is set is preferably made of three aluminum plates 95a.
The middle plate 95b is narrower than the other plates 95a and 195c so that the spine of the book can easily come into contact with it. As with the second mounting table 80, sponges 96a to 96c are attached to the upper surfaces of the plates 95a to 95c, respectively, and are elastically supported by coil springs 98a to 98e. In this case, as shown in FIG. 8, the vertical displacement of each of the plates 95a to 95C is guided by a large number of guide shafts 99 provided around the inside of the housing 84.

Next, the image reading section 16 that optically scans a document set on the document table 12 configured as described above will be described.

In FIG. 2, a first illumination means 100 is provided in a case 54 through which the document table 12 is inserted.

The first illumination means 100 is for providing illumination light to a light-transmitting document made of a film or the like set on a document table 12, and includes a light source 102 such as a halogen lamp.
It includes a fiber bundle 104 made of a bundle of optical fibers that guides the illumination light output from the light source 102, and a cylindrical lens 106 that condenses the illumination light. In this case, one end of the fiber bundle 104 on the light source 102 side is connected to the entrance end holder 10.
8, and the other end thereof is arranged in a line along the axial direction of the cylindrical lens 106 by an output end holder 110. A reflective mirror 112 is located close to the cylindrical lens 106.
is provided, and the illumination light focused through the cylindrical lens 106 is polarized in the vertical direction by the reflecting mirror 112. Furthermore, an opening 114 is formed in a predetermined position of the case 54, and the illumination light is emitted upward from this opening 114.

In contrast to the first illumination means 100, a second illumination means 116 is disposed in the upper space inside the second housing 20, which applies illumination light to a document that does not transmit light, such as, for example, photographic paper.

In this case, the second illumination means 116 are light sources 118a provided to face each other.

118b, and seven fiber bundles 120a, 120b.
It includes cylindrical lenses 122a and 122b, and has the same configuration as the first illumination means 100. The fiber bundles 120a, 120b are bound at one end side by an entrance end holder 124a, 124b, respectively,
The other end sides are arranged in a line along the axial direction of the cylindrical lenses 122a and 122b, respectively, by output end holders 126a and 126b.

On the other hand, a first lighting means 100 is provided above inside the second housing 20.
After the illumination light output from the second illumination means 116 passes through the document set on the document table 12, the transmitted light is read photoelectrically, or the CCD reads the reflected light irradiated from the second illumination means 116 and reflected on the document. An imaging camera 130 having a photoelectric conversion element such as the like is provided. This imaging camera 130
Transmitted light or reflected light enters through the reflection mirror 132.

The image reading device according to this embodiment is basically configured as described above, and its operation and effects will be explained next.

In FIG. 2, the lid portion 46 constituting the document table 12 is opened via its handle 67. As shown in FIG. Therefore, a case will be described in which image information is read using a film on which an image is recorded as a document.

At this time, the first mounting table 44 is selected as the document table 12. When the first mounting table 44 is attached to the document table 12, as shown in FIG.
A positioning pin 55 provided on the main body portion 42 of the document table 12 engages with the positioning pin 55 . As a result, the first mounting table 44 is fixed to the document table 12. Then, as shown in FIG. 3, the film F as an original is set on the plate 70 of the first mounting table 44, and the lid body 46 is closed. The film F on the plate 70 is held by the transparent plate 66 of the lid part 46 because the plate 70 is pressed in the direction of the arrow by the elastic force of the coil spring 72.

Next, the document table 12 is conveyed to the image reading section 16 under the driving action of the driving motor 32 . That is, by driving the drive motor 32, the ball screw 30 is rotated via the belt 38, and the document table 12 is rotated via the nut member 48 that is screwed onto the ball screw 30.
It is conveyed to the image reading section 16 side while being supported by 24b.

When the document table 12 reaches a predetermined portion of the image reading section 16, scanning of the document S is started by the first illumination means 100. In this case, the light output from the light source 102 enters the fiber bundle 104 from the input end holder 108. Next, the light emitted from the output end holder 110 is condensed by the cylindrical lens 106 and then reflected by the reflection mirror 11.
2, the film F held on the document table 12 is main-scanned.

Here, the document table 12 is conveyed in the sub-scanning direction along the guide bars 24a and 24b with the document S sandwiched between the transparent plate 70 of the first mounting table 44 and the transparent plate 66 of the document table 12. Ru. The light reflected by the reflecting mirror 112 through the square hole 53 of the main body 42 of the document table 120 and the square hole 68 at the bottom of the housing 69 of the first mounting table 44 is reflected by the case 5.
The light enters the inside of the document table 12 through the opening 114 of No. 4 and passes through the film F on the plate 70. As a result, the manuscript S
The image information carried by the reflecting mirror 132 is transmitted as transmitted light.
The light enters the imaging camera 130 via the. Imaging camera 13
0 photoelectrically converts the transmitted light to form a predetermined image signal.

After reading the film F in this way, the original platen 1
2 is transported in the opposite direction, that is, from inside the second housing 20 to outside, under the driving action of the driving motor 32.

Next, a case will be described below in which a non-light-transmitting document other than the film F, for example, an ordinary paper document is read. Second
In the figure, the lid portion 46 of the document table 12 is opened and the first mounting table 44 is taken out. The first mounting table 44 has a handle 78a,
78b and lift it upward, the positioning pin 55 provided on the main body 42 of the document table 12 can easily come out of the bottle hole 79 provided in the casing 69 of the first placing table 44, so that the first placing table can be easily moved. 44 can be taken out. A second mounting table 80 shown in FIG. 4 replaces this first mounting table 44.
is mounted on the document table 12. Mounting is performed in the same manner as the first mounting table 44. Then, on the second mounting table 80 , the original is placed on the sponge 90 and the lid part 46 of the original table 12 is opened.
Close. Since the original is pressed and held against the transparent plate 66 side of the lid body 46 by the elastic force of the coil spring 86,
Its position will never shift. Furthermore, since the document is set on the sponge 90, it can be used even if the document is somewhat thick.

After the original is set on the original platen 12 in this manner, the original platen 12 is conveyed to the image reading section 16 in the same manner as described above. When the document table 12 is conveyed to a predetermined position, the second illumination hand 116 irradiates the document set on the document table 12 with light. In this case, light output from light sources 118a, 118b is directed by fiber bundles 120a, 120b and cylindrical lens 122a.

After the light is focused through the light beam 122b, it is irradiated onto the document on the document table 12, which is conveyed in the sub-scanning direction. The image information of the document is guided as reflected light from the reflection mirror 132 to the imaging camera 130, and the imaging camera 130 obtains a predetermined image signal.

By the way, if the manuscript is something like a book, the manuscript table 12
A third mounting table 82 is installed in place of the second mounting table 80,
Books may be set on this third mounting table 82. In this case, as can be easily understood from FIG.
The book N134 is set on the third mounting table 82 with the two-page spread facing upward. If the lid 46 of the document table 12 is closed, even if the document n134 is opened as shown in the figure,
Boards 95 a and 95 b on which the thick part and back part of the book 134 are placed, and the sponge 96 thereon.
a196b is pushed down against the elastic force of the coil springs 98a to 98c, and the height of the book 134 as a whole becomes approximately equal to the spread surface. Therefore, the image reading section 1
6, even if the illumination light is irradiated, there is no unevenness in the reflected light reflected on the surface of the book N134.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, the placing table on which the document is placed is selected according to the type of document, and after the placing table is set on the document table, the document table is transported by the transport mechanism. It is possible to read the image information using transmitted light or reflected light depending on the type of document. Therefore, the film, −
Image information can be read from originals made of ordinary paper, even books, etc., resulting in the practical effect that one image reading device can be used for general purposes.

Although the present invention has been described above with reference to preferred embodiments, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.
Of course, various improvements and changes in design are possible without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an image reading device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective explanatory diagram of a document table in the image reading device according to the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 4 is a partially omitted cross-sectional view illustrating the attachment and detachment of the mounting table shown in FIG. 3 and the document table on which it is set, and FIG. A cross-sectional explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a mounting table that is attached to the manuscript table and is suitable for setting documents such as paper. Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line ■-■ of the mounting table shown in Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken along the line ■-■ of the mounting table shown in Fig. 6; FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the mounting table shown in FIG. 6. 10... Image reading device 12... Original table 14
...Transport mechanism section 16... Image reading section 24
a, 24b...Guide bar 30...Ball screw 3
2... Drive motor 44... Mounting table 66.
...Transparent plate 70...Plate 72...
- Coil spring 74... Plate holding member 80.82... Mounting table 88... Plate body 100... Illumination means 102... Light source 104... Fiber bundle 106... Cylindrical lens 116... - Illumination means 130...imaging camera 132...reflection mirror

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) An image reading device that photoelectrically reads image information carried on a document, which includes a document table that is conveyed via a conveyance means, and a document table that is detachably attached to the document table and on which the document is placed. A document mounting table, a first illumination device that illuminates the document from below and transmits light onto the document, and a second illumination device that illuminates the document from above and reflects light on the document. An image reading apparatus, characterized in that the document mounting table is configured such that a type of document suitable for the type of document can be selectively mounted on the document table. (2) In the apparatus according to claim 1, the document mounting table includes a mounting table of a type in which a light-transmitting document such as a film is set on a transparent plate, and a paper document is set on an elastically supported member. 1. An image reading device comprising a mounting table of the type shown in FIG.