JPH0410273B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Industrial application field] The present invention relates to an image reading device.

More specifically, the present invention relates to an apparatus that uses a one-dimensional image sensor such as a CCD array as an image reading means and reads an image by scanning an image surface with the one-dimensional image sensor in main and sub-scanning directions.

[Conventional technology]

As a specific example of this type of image reading apparatus, FIG. 4 shows a schematic configuration of an apparatus for reading and processing required frame image information on a roll microfilm. This device will be explained below as an example.

In the figure, F is a roll microfilm, which is wound on the unwinding reel 2, and the leader tape section on the leading end side can be attached to the take-up reel 1 manually or by an autoloading and automatic winding mechanism (without automatic winding mechanism). (as shown). The take-up reel 1 is rotated clockwise by a motor M1, and the film F is sequentially wound from the unwinding reel 2 side to the reel 1 side. Directly feed the film in this direction a
shall be. The rewinding reel 2 is rotated counterclockwise by the motor M2, and the film F is sequentially rewound from the take-up reel 1 side to the reel 2 side. The film traveling in this direction is referred to as reverse feed b.C is the individual frame images that are sequentially photographed and recorded along the length of the film on the F side of the film, and m is the film edge position corresponding to each frame image. This is a mark for counting pieces formed on the

Reference numeral 3 denotes a film frame illumination and projection optical system disposed between the film rewind reel 2 and the take-up reel 1, which includes an illumination lamp 4, a condenser lens 5, a mark detection sensor unit 6, and an imaging lens 7.
Consists of etc. L is the optical axis, 8 is the film frame illumination position, and C' is the imaging plane of the frame image C located at the illumination position 8 by the imaging lens 7.

9 scans the image plane C' in main and sub-scans to read the image formed on the image plane C, that is, the film frame image information.
A one-dimensional image sensor such as a CCD array.

This one-dimensional image sensor 9 is attached and held by a holding member 10 with its longitudinal direction in the main scanning direction parallel to the lateral direction XX of the imaging plane C (forward and reverse feeding directions of the film F).

The holding member 10 is attached to the base 11 with brackets 12,1
2 in the longitudinal direction Y-Y of the imaging plane C' (film F
It is free to slide vertically along a pair of left and right vertical guide rails 13, 13, which are arranged in parallel to the forward and reverse feeding directions (directions perpendicular to the forward and reverse feeding directions). 14,15
16 is a driving pulley and a driven pulley disposed on the lower side and upper side of the base 11, and 16 is an endless wire suspended and stretched around both pulleys 14 and 15. A part of the wire and the side of the holding member 10 The side protruding lug 10a is connected. The drive pulley 14 is driven to rotate in forward and reverse directions by a forward and reverse rotation motor M3. When the driving pulley 14 is driven to rotate in the forward direction, the wire 16 rotates counterclockwise, and the holding member 1 of the one-dimensional image sensor 9 is rotated.
0 moves downward along the rails 13. Conversely, the holding member 10 moves upward along the rails 13, 13 by driving the drive pulley 14 to rotate in the opposite direction. The holding member 10 is normally protected on standby with the home position being a position pulled up to the upper end side of the rails 13, 13. In this state, the one-dimensional image sensor 9 is located at a position that substantially coincides with the upper side of the imaging plane C', or is located slightly above it. As the holding member 10 moves downward, the one-dimensional image sensor 9 moves downward from the upper side of the image forming surface to the lower side along the image forming surface C' with its light receiving surface exactly matching the image forming surface C. do. That is, it moves in the sub-scanning direction.

Then, when the desired film frame image number (address) is specified and input into the control circuit using an operation panel (not shown) and the search key is pressed, driving of motor M2 or motor M1 is started and the film is forwarded. Feeding a or reverse feeding b is performed, and thereby the film F
The individual frame images C are at the frame image illumination position 8 of the optical system 3.
are passed one after another in the forward feeding direction a or in the reverse feeding direction b. During this passing process, the marks m of the individual frame images C are sequentially photoelectrically read by the mark detection sensor unit 6, and the sequential reading signals of the marks m are counted (additional counting or The content of the count is compared with the specified and input required frame image number in the comparator circuit. When the contents of the two match, that is, when the frame image corresponding to the designated and inputted frame image number is located at the frame image illumination position 8 of the optical system 3, a stop signal is issued from the comparison circuit to the drive control circuit. The forward feeding a or the reverse feeding b of the film F is immediately stopped. That is, a required frame image is automatically searched for at the frame image illumination position 8 of the optical system 3 and held in a stationary state, and the image of the frame image is formed as a still image on the imaging plane C' position.

On the other hand, when the read command button is pressed after the automatic search for the desired frame image is completed, the motor M3 starts to rotate in the normal direction, and the holding member 10, that is, the one-dimensional image sensor 9 is moved from the upper side to the lower side of the image forming plane C'. It moves downward.

In this way, the image formed on the imaging plane C', that is, the film frame image, is linearly main-scanned in the image sub-direction The sub-scanning is performed by the downward movement of the sensor 9 along the Y direction, and the sensor 9 photoelectrically reads the signal as a time-series electric pixel signal. sensor 9
completes reading of the entire image by descending to the bottom edge of the imaging plane C, and at that point the motor
M3 is switched to reverse rotation drive, and the accompanying upward movement of the holding member 10 returns it to its home position on the upper side of the initial image forming surface, and waits until the start of the next image reading.

The time-series electric pixel signal as an image reading signal output from the one-dimensional image sensor 9 is input to an image reproducing device (not shown), and an image corresponding to the read image is reproduced by a CRT display or a printer (laser beam printer, etc.). It will be done.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

By the way, the microfilm F is an individual frame image C.
One is photographed and recorded in portrait mode as shown in Figure 5c, and the other is photographed and recorded in landscape mode as shown in Figure 5b.

The above-mentioned image reading device shown in FIG. 4 is for a film in portrait orientation mode, and as long as the film F used is in portrait orientation mode, the one-dimensional image sensor 9 can perform main scanning and scanning of the film frame image.
Side scan reading is performed sequentially from the top side of the portrait image to the other side, and there is no problem with image reproduction on a CRT display or printer in portrait orientation, but if the film F used is in landscape mode, the frame image of that film Main scanning and sub-scanning reading by the one-dimensional image sensor 9 is performed with one side of the image as the sky and the other side as the ground.
For this reason, (1) the reproduced image on a CRT display, printer, etc. is oriented horizontally, making it very difficult to see; (2) the main scanning length dimension of the one-dimensional image sensor 9, l;
(Fig. 3), since the main scanning direction dimension (X-X direction dimension) W of the image forming plane C'' of the frame image in the horizontal mode becomes larger, α ₁ and α ₂ portions of the image forming plane C'' is out of the reading range of the one-dimensional image sensor 9,
In many cases, the reproduced image will be missing the top and bottom sides, making it inaccurate and useless.

There was a problem.

The present invention does not have the above-mentioned problems, that is, regardless of whether the image to be read is in portrait mode or landscape mode, the reproduced image on a CRT display or printer, etc., has the top up and the bottom down. It is an object of the present invention to provide an image reading device which can be used in both modes, which reads an image in portrait orientation and without image defects.

[Means, actions, and effects for solving problems]

The present invention provides an image reading device that uses a one-dimensional image sensor to read an image by main scanning and sub-scanning. (Figure) left and right direction X-X
A first one-dimensional image sensor 9 reads the image C'' as the main scanning direction, and a first one-dimensional image sensor 9 reads the vertical direction Y-Y of the image C'' placed horizontally at the reading position so that the top and bottom of the image form left and right sides as the main scanning direction. a second one-dimensional image sensor 9a; a first sub-scanning means 10 to 16/M3 that relatively moves the first image sensor 9 and the image C' placed vertically at the reading position; second sub-scanning means 1, 2, M1, M2 that relatively move the one-dimensional image sensor 9a and the image C'' placed horizontally at the reading position; This image reading apparatus is characterized by comprising means (FIG. 2) 18-22.S for selectively operating the sub-scanning means.

That is, depending on whether the image to be read is in portrait mode or landscape mode, the switching means is changed to (a) when the image is in portrait mode, the first switching means is switched;
(b) If the image is in landscape mode, switch to the second one-dimensional image sensor and cause the sensor to read the image; let

Then, in the former case (a), as in the case of the apparatus shown in FIG. 4, the vertical image C' is
Since the first one-dimensional image sensor 9 whose main scanning direction is , is read in both main and sub-scanning directions, the reproduced image is also oriented vertically, and the entire image is read without any defects.

In the case of the latter b, since the horizontal image C'' is read in the main scanning and sub-scanning by the second one-dimensional image sensor 9a whose main scanning direction is the vertical direction Y-Y of the image plane, the horizontal image C'' is The reading direction, that is, the main scanning and sub-scanning directions, has exactly the same relationship as in the case of a vertically oriented image. Therefore, the orientation of the reproduced image is vertical, and the entire image can be read without missing parts.
The aforementioned objectives are well achieved.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 shows the apparatus shown in FIG. 4, with a one-dimensional image sensor 9 that reads an image in the horizontal direction XX of the image plane as the main scanning direction as the first sensor, and a separate - It is equipped with a second one-dimensional image sensor 9a that reads images with Y as the main scanning direction, so that both microfilm frame images in portrait mode and frame images in landscape mode can be read and processed without any problem. This is an example. Components that are common to the apparatus shown in FIG. 4 are given the same reference numerals and will not be described again.

The second one-dimensional image sensor 9a has a light-receiving surface located approximately on the left side of the image plane C'' of the horizontal image by the imaging lens 7, and the longitudinal direction of the sensor, that is, the main scanning direction, is the longitudinal direction of the image plane Y-- It is immovably positioned and held with respect to the base 11 via a holding member 17 in parallel to Y.

Figure 2 shows the mode switching circuit, where S is the mode switching switch, Q is the contact on the image portrait mode side,
R is a contact point on the image landscape mode side.

(a) In the case of vertical image mode Switch the switch S to the contact Q side, locate the desired film frame image at the illumination position 8, and then press the image reading command push button 18. Then, the AND gate 20 opens and an image reading command signal is sent to the sub-scanning movement control circuit 21 for the first one-dimensional image sensor 9, which controls the motor M3.
is rotated in the normal direction, and as a result, the first one-dimensional image sensor 9 moves in the vertical direction Y-Y of the image plane in the sub-scanning direction in the same manner as explained in FIG. The image illumination position is determined by main scanning and sub-scanning by the original image sensor 9.

(b) In the case of image landscape mode: Switch switch S to contact R side. After locating the desired film frame image at the illumination position 8, the image reading command push button 18 is pressed. Then, the AND gate 19 opens and an image reading command signal is sent to the film sub-scanning movement control circuit 22, which drives the motor M1 to forwardly feed the film F a. The normal feeding a of the film F is 1 when the mark m of the next frame image is detected by the sensor unit 6.
Only pieces are done. Imaging lens 7 for the film frame image to be read by forward feeding of this film by one frame
The image formed by is moved a' in the sub-scanning direction with respect to the second fixed one-dimensional image sensor 9a. Thereby, image reading of the horizontal image C is executed by the main scanning by the second one-dimensional image sensor 9a and the sub-scanning movement a' of the image plane C''.

Therefore, in both cases a and b above, the reproduced image on the CRT display or printer side based on the image reading signals of the first or second one-dimensional image sensor 9, 9a is vertically oriented, or Even for landscape images, the entire image is read and reproduced without missing parts of the top and bottom.

The sub-scanning drive means of the first one-dimensional image sensor 9 is not limited to the pulley and wire mechanism shown in the drawings, but various other drive mechanisms such as a rack-and-pinion mechanism and a reciprocating mechanism using a linear motor may be used.

Further, the microfilm F may be a roll microfilm, a microfissure film, a microstrip film, etc., and the present invention allows frame images of such films to be read without any problem in either portrait mode or landscape mode. can be processed. Furthermore, the read images are not limited to microfilm frame images.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the main parts of a microfilm frame image reading device constructed according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a mode switching circuit, and FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the first and second one-dimensional image sensors and vertically oriented images. 4 is a perspective view of the main parts of an example of a conventional microfilm frame image reading device, and FIGS. 5a and 5b are plan views of a part of the microfilm in portrait mode and landscape mode, respectively. figure. F is microfilm, C is individual frame image,
9 and 9a are first and second one-dimensional image sensors.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. In an image reading device that uses a one-dimensional image sensor to read an image by main scanning and sub-scanning, the left and right sides of the image are placed vertically at the reading position so that the top and bottom of the image are vertically aligned. a first one-dimensional image sensor that reads the direction as the main scanning direction; and a second one-dimensional image sensor that reads the vertical direction of the image placed horizontally at the reading position so that the top and bottom of the image form left and right sides as the main scanning direction. a first sub-scanning means for relatively moving the first image sensor and the image placed vertically at the reading position; and a second one-dimensional image sensor and the image placed horizontally at the reading position. An image reading device comprising: a second sub-scanning device that moves relative to the image; and a device that selectively operates the first sub-scanning device or the second sub-scanning device.