JPH05110054A - Close contact image sensor and data processing device mounted therewith - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To realize a close contact type image sensor which is lessened in discontinuity which appears on an image plane at the joints of sensor chips. CONSTITUTION:Line sensor chips l composed of pixels rectilinearly arranged in a primary scanning direction are disposed in a primary scanning direction to constitute a close contact type image sensor, where pixels 2 located at or near the end of the line sensor chips 1 are set larger in space between the pixels in stages with proximity to the end, and the endmost pixel 2' and the end most pixel 2' of the adjacent other line sensor chip are set close to each other.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a contact type image sensor for reading an image in close contact with an original and an information processing apparatus such as a copying machine, a facsimile or an image reader equipped with the same, and more particularly to a contact type image sensor. The present invention relates to the pixel arrangement of the line sensor chip.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a contact type image sensor, there is one in which a plurality of image sensor chips having a plurality of pixels are arranged and the image information is read in a one-to-one manner with the same length as the width of a document to be read.

FIG. 3 shows a general example of pixels of such an image sensor which has been conventionally used. FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan view of the ends of two adjacent line sensor chips. In the figure, 1 is a line sensor chip, 2 is each pixel, 2'is the end pixel, and d is the distance between each pixel. ,
a is a distance between the end pixels 2'of different line sensor chips adjacent to each other.

Here, the distance a between the edge pixels 2'of adjacent line sensor chips is wider than the other pixel distance (d = 1) in the sensor chip.

[0005]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional example, the distance between the end pixels of the adjacent chips is wider than the distance between the other pixels, so that the obtained image has a defect in the chip joint. A continuous part appeared, which was a problem in image quality.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to realize a contact image sensor in which discontinuity appearing in image quality is reduced at the joint portion of the sensor chips.

[0007]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention has the following means.

In a contact type image sensor constituted by arranging a plurality of line sensor chips in the main scanning direction in which a plurality of pixels are linearly arranged in the main scanning direction, the main part of the line sensor chip is The pixel interval of a plurality of pixels located at the end in the scanning direction and near the end is
The contact type image sensor, wherein the closer to the end, the larger the size is gradually increased, and the closer to the pixel interval between the end pixel and the end pixel of another line sensor chip adjacent to the end pixel.

An information processing apparatus comprising the contact image sensor and means for holding a document at an image reading position of the sensor.

[0010]

According to the present invention, the pixel interval of several pixels at the end of the sensor chip is enlarged toward the end, and the opening is made so as to gradually approach the interval between the most end pixels of the adjacent sensor chips. By disposing, the discontinuity appearing in the image quality at the joint portion of the sensor chips is reduced.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a drawing which best illustrates the features of the present invention, and is an enlarged plan view of the end portions of adjacent line sensor chips.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 is an end portion of an adjacent line sensor chip, and 2 is each pixel. 2'indicates that it is the pixel at the end of each chip. The distance a between the pixels 2 ′ at the outermost ends is structurally larger than the other pixel distances (d = 1). Several pixels at the end of the chip are arranged so that the pixel spacing (b, c) is a>b>c> d = 1.

As described above, the pixel interval is gradually increased as it approaches the joint of the sensor chips, so that the discontinuity at the joint appearing in the image quality can be reduced. [Other Embodiments] FIG. 2 is a view showing another embodiment, and is an enlarged plan view of the ends of adjacent sensor chips in the same manner.

In the figure, 1 is the end of an adjacent line sensor chip, and 2 is each pixel. 2'denotes the pixel at the end. Further, f is the opening length in the sub-scanning direction of the pixel 2 ′ at the end, e is the opening length in the sub-scanning direction of the other pixels 2, and e <f. In the present embodiment, as described above, for the sensor in which the sensitivity is corrected by making the opening length of the end pixel in the sub-scanning direction longer than the opening length of other pixels,
It shows an example to which the present invention is applied.

As described in the above embodiment, a to d indicate the respective pixel intervals, and in this embodiment as well, a>b>c> d.
The respective pixels are arranged so as to have a relationship of = 1.

Therefore, also in this embodiment, it is possible to eliminate the discontinuity that appears in the image quality at the joints of the chips.

In each of the above-described embodiments, an example in which the two intervals b and c are arranged differently from the other intervals d as the pixel intervals of the plurality of pixels located at the ends and in the vicinity of the ends have been described. The number is not limited to two, and similar effects can be obtained as long as the means of the present invention is used.

FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional view showing an example of a facsimile having a communication function as an information processing apparatus constructed by using the sensor unit 100 of the contact image sensor of the present invention.

Here, 102 is a feeding roller as a feeding means for feeding the document 11 toward the reading position, and 10
Reference numeral 4 denotes a separating piece for surely separating and feeding the originals 11 one by one. Reference numeral 106 denotes a platen roller that is provided at the reading position with respect to the sensor unit 100, regulates the surface to be read of the original document 11 and serves as a transporting unit that transports the original document 11.

In the illustrated example, P is a recording medium in the form of a roll paper, and the image information read by the sensor unit 100 or the image information transmitted from the outside in the case of a facsimile machine or the like is reproduced here. Reference numeral 110 denotes a recording head as recording means for performing the image formation, and various types such as a thermal head and an inkjet recording head can be used. The recording head may be a serial type or a line type. Reference numeral 112 denotes a platen roller as a conveying unit that conveys the recording medium P to the recording position of the recording head 110 and regulates the recording surface thereof.

Reference numeral 120 denotes an operation panel provided with a switch for accepting an operation input as an input / output means, a message, and a display section for notifying the state of the apparatus.

Reference numeral 130 denotes a system control board as a control means, including a control unit (controller) for controlling each unit, a drive circuit (driver) for the photoelectric conversion element,
An image information processing unit (processor), a transmission / reception unit, and the like are provided. 140 is the power supply of the device.

Recording means used in the information processing apparatus of the present invention includes, for example, US Pat.
It is preferable that the specification and the principle of 4740796 are disclosed. According to this method, at least one of the electrothermal converters arranged corresponding to the sheet or liquid path holding the liquid (ink) gives a rapid temperature rise corresponding to the recorded information and exceeding the nucleate boiling. By applying a drive signal, heat energy is generated in the electrothermal converter, causing film boiling on the heat-acting surface of the recording head, and as a result, bubbles in the liquid (ink) that correspond one-to-one to this drive signal. Is effective because it can form The growth of this bubble,
The contraction causes the liquid (ink) to be ejected through the ejection opening to form at least one droplet.

Further, as a full line type recording head having a length corresponding to the maximum recording medium width that can be recorded by the recording device, a combination of a plurality of recording heads as disclosed in the above-mentioned specification is used. Either a structure that satisfies the length or a structure as one recording head integrally formed may be used.

In addition, the ink can be attached to the replaceable chip type recording head, or the recording head itself, which can be electrically connected to the apparatus main body and can supply ink from the apparatus main body by being attached to the apparatus main body. The present invention is also effective when a cartridge-type recording head provided integrally with a tank is used.

[0026]

As described above, according to the present invention,
By arranging the pixel spacing of several pixels at the edge of the sensor chip gradually toward the edge, and arranging so as to gradually approach the distance between the most edge pixels of adjacent sensor chips, the sensor chip It is possible to reduce the discontinuity appearing in the image quality at the joint portion of the level to the detection level or less.

Moreover, the manufacturing cost is not increased.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an enlarged plan view of adjacent sensor chip ends of a contact image sensor embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of adjacent sensor chip ends of a contact image sensor according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan view of an edge portion of an adjacent sensor chip of a conventional contact image sensor,

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a facsimile apparatus as an information processing apparatus equipped with the contact image sensor of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 edge part of line sensor chip 2 each pixel 2'pixel at the most end part a to d each pixel interval e, f aperture length of each pixel in the sub-scanning direction

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A contact image sensor comprising a plurality of line sensor chips in which a plurality of pixels are linearly arranged in the main scanning direction, the line sensor chips being arranged in the main scanning direction. The pixel interval of a plurality of pixels located in the end portion in the main scanning direction and in the vicinity of the end portion is gradually increased as the distance from the end portion is increased, and the maximum value of the other line sensor chip adjacent to the endmost pixel is increased. A contact-type image sensor characterized in that it is close to a pixel interval with an edge pixel. 2. The contact image sensor according to claim 1, wherein in each of the line sensor chips, the pixels have the same opening shape and size. 3. An information processing apparatus comprising the contact image sensor according to claim 1 and means for holding a document at an image reading position of the sensor.