JPH05110770A - Picture reader - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To accurately read the surface of a stereoscopic object by providing a lighting direction variable means changing the lighting direction of a lighting source or a distance variable means changing the distance between the lighting source and an original platen to the picture reader. CONSTITUTION:Fluorescent lights 102a, 102b to light a stereoscopic object 108 placed on an original platen 101 are fitted respectively to fluorescent light sockets 103a, 103b. Moreover, the sockets 103a, 103b are fitted to gears 104a, 104b respectively. A gear 105 is driven by a stepping motor 106. Gears 105, 104a, 104b meshing together are driven interlockingly with the drive of the stepping motor 106. Based on the sensing information of the height of the stereoscopic object 108, the lighting direction is changed to read accurately a read face of the 3-dimension object 108 thereby. Or a distance variable means is controlled to change the distance between the lighting source and the original platen 101 thereby reading accurately the read face of the stereoscopic object 108.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image reading apparatus for irradiating an original on a transparent original table with a light source for illumination and focusing the reflected light on a sensor to read the image information of the original. The present invention relates to an image reading device characterized by a document illumination system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 9 is a schematic configuration diagram of a general color copying apparatus, and FIG. 10 is a configuration diagram around its image formation.

Color image reading device (color scanner) 1
Displays the image of the original 3 on the illumination lamp 4 and the mirror group 5 (5-1
5-3), and image on the color sensor 7 via the lens 6 to read the color image information of the original for each color separation light of blue (B), green (G) and red (R). , Convert to electrical image signal.

The color sensor 7 is, in this example, B, G,
It is composed of an R color separation means and a photoelectric conversion element such as a CCD, and simultaneously reads three colors. Then, based on the B, G, and R color-separated image signal intensity levels obtained by the color scanner 1, color conversion processing is performed by an image processing unit (not shown), and black (BK), cyan (C), magenta ( M) and yellow (Y) color image data are obtained. And the following color image recording device (color printer)
2, BK, C, M, and Y are visualized to obtain a final color copy.

The operation system of the color scanner 1 for obtaining the image data of BK, C, M, and Y is as shown in FIG. The mirror optical system scans the document in the direction of the left arrow to obtain image data of one color for each scan. By repeating this operation four times in total, sequential four-color image data is obtained. Then, each time, the image is sequentially visualized by the color printer 2, and these are superposed to form a four-color full-color image.

Next, an outline of the color printer 2 will be described.

The writing optical unit 8 converts the color image data from the color scanner 1 into an optical signal, performs optical writing corresponding to the original image, and forms an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 9. The unit 8 includes a laser 8-1, a light emission drive control unit (not shown), a polygon mirror 8-2.
And a rotation motor 8-3, an f / θ lens 8-4, a reflection mirror 8-5, and the like.

The photoconductor drum 9 rotates counterclockwise as indicated by an arrow, and around it, a photoconductor cleaning unit (including a pre-cleaning static eliminator) 10, a static eliminator lamp 11, a charger 12, and a potential sensor 13. , BK developing device 14,
A C developing device 15, an M developing device 16, a Y developing device 17, a development density pattern detector 18, an intermediate transfer belt 19 and the like are arranged.

Each developing device rotates a developing sleeve (14-1, 15-1, 16-1, 17-) in which the ears of the developer are brought into contact with the surface of the photoconductor 9 to develop the electrostatic latent image. 1)
And a developing paddle (14-2, 15-2, 16-2, 17-2) that rotates to draw up and stir the developer, and a toner concentration detection sensor (14-3, 15-) of the developer.
3, 16-3, 17-3) and the like.

In the standby state, all four developing units are
The developer on the developing sleeve is in the state of cutting off (development inoperative), but the order of developing operation (color image forming order)
However, an example of BK, C, M, and Y will be described below (however, the image forming order is not limited to this).

When the copy operation is started, the color scanner 1 starts reading BK image data from a predetermined timing, and optical writing / latent image formation by laser light is started based on this image data (hereinafter referred to as BK image data). The electrostatic latent image is called a BK latent image. The same applies to C, M and Y). In order to enable development from the front end of the BK latent image, the developing sleeve 14-1 is started to rotate before the front end of the latent image reaches the developing position of the BK developing device 14, and the developer is speared. Develop the latent image with BK toner.

Thereafter, the developing operation of the BK latent image area is continued, but when the trailing edge of the latent image passes the BK developing position,
The agent on the BK developing sleeve 14-1 is promptly cut off, and the developing operation is disabled. This is at least the following C
The process is completed before the leading edge of the C latent image based on the image data arrives.

The cutting of the ears is performed by switching the rotation direction of the developing sleeve 14-1 to the opposite direction to that during the developing operation.

Now, the BK toner image formed on the photoconductor 9 is an intermediate transfer belt 19 which is driven at the same speed as the photoconductor 9.
(Hereinafter, transfer of the toner image from the photoconductor 9 to the intermediate transfer belt 19 is referred to as belt transfer). The belt transfer is performed by applying a predetermined bias voltage to the transfer bias roller 20 while the photoconductor 9 and the intermediate transfer belt 19 are in contact with each other.

The intermediate transfer belt 19 is provided with a photosensitive member 9
The toner images of BK, C, M, and Y that are sequentially formed on the same surface are sequentially aligned on the same surface to form a four-color superposed belt transfer image, and then are collectively transferred to a transfer paper. The structure and operation of this intermediate transfer belt unit will be described later.

By the way, on the side of the photosensitive member 9, the BK process is followed by the C process, but the C image data reading by the color scanner 1 is started at a predetermined timing, and the C latent image is formed by the laser light writing by the image data. ..

The C developing device 15 is
After the trailing edge of the previous BK latent image has passed, and before the leading edge of the C latent image has arrived, the developing sleeve 15-1 is started to rotate so that the developer spikes to make the C latent image C Develop with toner. After that, the development of the C latent image area is continued, but when the trailing edge of the latent image passes, the brush cutting on the C developing sleeve 15-1 is performed as in the case of the BK developing device 14 described above. This is completed before the leading edge of the next M latent image reaches.

The steps of M and Y are the same as the steps of BK and C described above, respectively, and the description thereof is omitted.

Next, the intermediate transfer belt unit will be described.

The intermediate transfer belt 19 is stretched around a belt transfer bias roller 20, a drive roller 21, and a driven roller group, and is driven and controlled by a drive motor (not shown) as described later.

The belt cleaning unit 22 is composed of a brush roller 22-1, a rubber blade 22-2, a belt contact / separation mechanism 22-3, and the like. After the first color BK image is transferred onto the belt, While the second, third, and fourth colors are being transferred on the belt, they are separated from the belt surface by the contact / separation mechanism 22-3.

The paper transfer unit 23 includes a paper transfer bias roller 23-1, a roller cleaning blade 23-2,
And a contact / separation mechanism 23-3 from the belt 19 and the like.

The bias roller 23-1 is normally separated from the surface of the belt 19, but when the four-color superposed images formed on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 19 are collectively transferred to the transfer paper, the timing is set. The roller 23-1 is pressed by the contact / separation mechanism 23-3 and a predetermined bias voltage is applied to the roller 23-1 to transfer the roller 23-1.

It should be noted that the transfer paper 24 is transferred onto the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 19 by the paper feed roller 25 and the registration roller 26.
The leading edge of the color-superimposed image is fed at the timing when it reaches the paper transfer position.

The movement of the intermediate transfer belt 19 is 1
There are three possible operation methods after the belt transfer of the BK toner image of the color is completed up to the trailing end portion. One of these can be used, or one of them can be used depending on the copy size. ) Operate by an efficient combination of methods.

1) Constant speed forward movement method Even after the BK toner image is transferred onto the belt, the forward movement is continued at a constant speed.

When the leading edge position of the BK image on the surface of the belt 19 reaches the belt transfer position of the contact portion with the photoreceptor 9 again, the leading edge portion of the next C toner image on the photoreceptor 9 side is just at that position. The image is formed at the right time.

As a result, the C image is accurately aligned with the BK image and is transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 19 in a superposed manner.

Thereafter, by the same operation, the process proceeds to the M, Y image process to obtain a belt transfer image of four-color overlapping.

Subsequent to the step of transferring the Y-color toner image belt for the fourth color, the four-color superimposed toner image on the surface of the belt 19 is collectively transferred onto the transfer paper 24 as described above while moving forward.

2) Skip Forwarding Method After the belt transfer of the BK toner image is completed, the belt 19 is separated from the surface of the photosensitive member 9 and the high speed skipping is performed in the forward direction as it is. return. After that, the belt 19 is brought into contact with the photoconductor 9 again.

When the front end position of the BK image on the surface of the belt 19 reaches the transfer position of the belt again, the photosensitive member 9 side is timed so that the front end portion of the next C toner image is exactly at that position. The image is formed.

As a result, the C image is accurately aligned with the BK image and transferred onto the belt in a superimposed manner.

After that, the same operation is performed to proceed to the M and Y image process to obtain a belt transfer image of four-color overlapping.

Subsequent to the Y color toner image belt transfer process for the fourth color, the four color superposed toner images on the surface of the belt 19 are collectively transferred onto the transfer paper 24 at the same forward speed.

3) Reciprocating (quick return) system After the belt transfer of the BK toner image is completed, the belt 19 is separated from the surface of the photosensitive member 9, and the forward movement is stopped, and at the same time, the high speed return is performed in the opposite direction.

In the return, the BK image front end position on the surface of the belt 19 passes the position corresponding to the belt transfer in the opposite direction, and further moves by a preset distance, and then is stopped.
Put it in a standby state.

Next, when the front end portion of the C toner image on the photosensitive member 9 reaches a predetermined position before the belt transfer position, the intermediate transfer belt 19 is restarted in the forward direction. Further, the intermediate transfer belt 19 is brought into contact with the surface of the photoconductor 9 again. Also in this case, the belt C is transferred under the condition that the C image is accurately overlapped with the BK image on the surface of the belt 19.

Thereafter, by the same operation, the process proceeds to the M, Y image process to obtain a belt transfer image of four-color overlapping.

Subsequent to the belt transfer process for the Y toner image of the fourth color, the toner is moved forward at the same speed without returning,
The four-color superposed toner images on the surface of the belt 19 are collectively transferred onto the transfer paper 24.

The transfer paper 24 to which the four-color superposed toner images are collectively transferred from the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 19 is conveyed to the fixing device 28 by the paper conveying unit 27, and the fixing roller 28-1 controlled to a predetermined temperature. With the pressure roller 28-2,
The toner image is fused and fixed, and is carried out to the copy tray 29 to obtain a full-color copy.

The photoreceptor 9 after the belt transfer is the static eliminator 10 before cleaning of the photoreceptor cleaning unit 10.
1, the surface is cleaned by the brush roller 10-2, the rubber blade 10-3, and the charge is uniformly discharged by the charge removing lamp 11. Further, after the toner image is transferred onto the transfer paper 24, the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 19 is cleaned by pressing the cleaning unit 22 again by the contact / separation mechanism 22-3.

For repeat copying, color scan 1
And the image formation on the photosensitive member 9 are performed on the second sheet B at a predetermined timing after the first Y (fourth color) image process.
Proceed to the K (first color) image process. In addition, the intermediate transfer belt 1
In the case of No. 9, the second BK toner image is belt-transferred to the area whose surface is cleaned by the cleaning unit 22 following the batch transfer process of the first four-color superimposed image onto the transfer paper 24. .. After that, the same operation as the first sheet is performed.

The transfer paper cassettes 30, 31, 32,
The reference numeral 33 stores transfer sheets of various sizes, which are fed and conveyed in the direction of the registration rollers 26 at a timing from the storage cassette for the size sheets designated by the operation panel (not shown). Reference numeral 34 is a manual paper feed tray for OHP paper or thick paper.

Up to this point, the copy mode for obtaining four full colors has been described, but in the case of the three-color copy mode and the two-color copy mode, the same operation as above is performed for the designated color and the number of times. become.

In the case of the single-color copy mode, only the developing device of that color is kept in the developing operation (agent stand) until the predetermined number of sheets are finished, and the intermediate transfer belt 19 contacts the surface of the photosensitive member 9. Drives at a constant speed in the forward direction,
The belt cleaner 22 also performs the copy operation while being in contact with the belt 19.

In such a color copying machine, unlike a black and white copying machine, there are many operations for making a copy of the surface of a three-dimensional object. This is because a color copy is often used, for example, for studying the design (color) of various products.

However, in the conventional image reading apparatus for reading an image on the platen, a flat image on the platen is targeted, so that the image on the platen surface of the platen can be read best. In addition, the imaging optical system and the illumination system are fixedly arranged.

Therefore, when reading an image of a three-dimensional object,
Since the surface of the three-dimensional object is not on the document mounting surface of the document table, problems such as defocusing and insufficient illumination light amount occur, and the image of the three-dimensional object cannot be accurately read.

Therefore, as a technique for reading an image of a three-dimensional object, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 58-130361 and Japanese Utility Model Publication No.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 1-195154 and the like are known.

That is, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 58-130361 discloses a technique for detecting the distance between the light receiving portion and the object and controlling the distance between the light receiving portion or the lens and the object according to this distance. Has been done.

In Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 61-195154, the relative positions of the document table, the lens and the light receiving portion are set so that the document placing surface of the document table is located closer to the optical system side than the optimum object plane position. The technology is disclosed.

[0053]

However, all of the above conventional techniques are techniques for solving the problem of defocusing that occurs when reading a three-dimensional object, and the problem of insufficient illumination light amount remains.

Regarding the problem of insufficient illumination light amount, FIG.
1 and FIG. 12 will be described.

Generally, in the image reading apparatus, FIG.
In order to best read the image on the original placing surface of the original table 35 as described above, the illumination system is fixedly arranged so that the light amount by the illumination system becomes maximum on the original placing surface of the original table. Is as described above.

Here, in FIG. 11, the openings 4a, 4a of the two fluorescent lamps 4, 4 face the document surface reading portion D point (= document loading surface C point). Therefore, FIG.
When an attempt is made to read the surface of a three-dimensional object (three-dimensional original) 3b such as the one shown in FIG. It runs short.

Reference numeral 3a is a flat original, and 35 is an original table (contact glass).

The present invention has been made based on such a background, and an object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art and to provide an image reading apparatus capable of accurately reading the surface of a three-dimensional object. ..

[0059]

An object of the present invention is to provide an image reading apparatus for reading image information of a document by illuminating a document on a transparent document table with a light source for illumination and forming an image of the reflected light on a sensor. This is achieved by the first means including an illumination direction changing means for changing the illumination direction of the illumination light source.

An object of the present invention is to provide an image reading apparatus for illuminating an original on a transparent original table with a light source for illumination and focusing the reflected light on a sensor to read image information of the original.
This is achieved by a second means including distance changing means for changing the position of the illuminating light source to change the distance between the illuminating light source and the document table.

[0061]

In the first means, the height of the three-dimensional object is detected, and the illumination direction changing means is controlled based on the detected information to change the illumination direction of the illumination light source, thereby reading the three-dimensional object. Make sure the surface is read accurately.

In the second means, the height of the three-dimensional object is detected, and the distance varying means is controlled on the basis of the detection information to change the distance between the illumination light source and the document table. Be sure to read the reading surface of.

[0063]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIGS. 1 to 3 relate to the first embodiment. FIG. 1 is a front view of a main portion of an image reading apparatus in which a normal document (planar object) is set, and FIG. 2 is a side view of the same. FIG. 3 is a front view of the main part of the image reading apparatus with a three-dimensional object set.

A flat object 107 placed on the original table 101.
Alternatively, the fluorescent lamps 102a and 102b, which are light sources for illuminating the three-dimensional object 108, are fluorescent lamp sockets 103a and 103a, respectively.
It is attached to 103b. The sockets 103a and 103b are attached to gears 104a and 104b, respectively. The gear 105 is driven by the stepping motor 106. The gears 105, 104a, 1 connected by the rotation of the stepping motor 106
04b rotates in conjunction with each other.

1 and 2, the fluorescent lamps 102a, 102a, 1
The apertures 109a and 109b of 02b are the document table 101.
Of the original document surface C (= original document surface reading point D), and the amount of light at this point is maximum, which is suitable for reading the surface of the flat object 107 on the original document surface. Lighting is done.

In FIG. 3, the stepping motor 106 is rotated by a predetermined amount in the direction of the arrow a in the figure from the state of FIGS. 1 and 2, and the gears 104a and 104b are accordingly rotated in the directions of the arrows b and c, respectively. is doing. This gear 104
The rotation of a and 104b causes the fluorescent lamps 102a and 102b to rotate.
The orientations of the apertures 109a and 109b have moved from point C on the document placement surface to point D'on the document reading surface.

Therefore, the amount of light at the D'point becomes maximum,
Illumination suitable for reading an image of the surface of the three-dimensional object 108 is performed.

FIGS. 4 and 5 relate to the second embodiment. FIG. 4 is a front view of a main portion of the image reading apparatus in a state in which a flat object is set, and FIG. 5 is an image reading apparatus in a state in which a three-dimensional object is set. FIG.

The fluorescent lamp sockets 103a and 103b are mounted on a support base 111. Reference numeral 112 denotes a stepping motor, and the rotation of the stepping motor 112 moves the support base 111 engaged with the screw 113 directly connected to the shaft of the stepping motor 112 up and down. Reference numeral 114 is a guide member of the support base 111, and 115 is a substrate for fixing the stepping motor 112 and the guide 114.

As shown in FIG. 4, when the image on the surface of the flat object 107 is read, the image surface to be read is the original table 101.
Since it is on the same surface as the original mounting surface of the fluorescent lamp 102a, 1
The apertures 109a and 109b of 02b are the document table 107.
It is directed to the original placement surface C point (= original surface reading point D).

Therefore, the amount of light at this point becomes maximum,
Illumination suitable for reading an image on the surface of the flat object 107 on the document placement surface is performed.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 5, when the image on the surface of the three-dimensional object 108 is read, the image surface to be read is located above the document placing surface of the document table 101.

Therefore, due to the rotation of the stepping motor 112, the support base 111 is moved upward from the state shown in FIG. As the support base 111 rises, the fluorescent lamp 102
The orientations of the apertures 109a and 109b of a and 102b are moved from the document placing surface C point to the document surface reading point D'point.

Therefore, the amount of light at the D'point becomes maximum,
Appropriate illumination is performed to read an image on the surface of the three-dimensional object 108 on the document placement surface.

Next, a method of setting the position of the surface of the three-dimensional object 108 to be read (distance from the document table 101) and controlling the position and direction of the illumination system according to the set surface position will be described using an embodiment. To do.

First, a method for setting the position of the surface of the three-dimensional object 108 to be read will be described.

There are two methods for setting the position of the surface of the three-dimensional object 108: manual setting and automatic setting. The manual setting method can be used when the position (exact position or approximate position) of the surface of the three-dimensional object 108 is known in advance.

A method of manually setting the surface position of the three-dimensional object 108 will be described below.

As a configuration, the image reading apparatus is provided with a surface position setting means, for example, in the operation section, by which an operator can manually set the surface position of the three-dimensional object 108. Then, the operator uses this image reading device to create a three-dimensional object 10.
When reading the surface of 8, the surface position of the three-dimensional object 108 is manually set by the surface position setting means.
In this way, the surface position of the three-dimensional object 108 is set.

Next, a method of automatically setting the surface position of the three-dimensional object 108 will be described.

According to this automatic setting method, a distance detector for measuring the position of the surface of the three-dimensional object 108 (distance from the document mounting surface) is provided inside the image reading device, and the distance is detected by this distance detector. The surface position of the three-dimensional object 108 is automatically set according to the distance.

Here, a specific example of the method for measuring the distance of the surface of the three-dimensional object 108 from the original placement surface will be described with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 6, the distance detector 50 is composed of a light emitting device 51 and a light receiving device 52, and the light emitting device 51 is g.
The light receiver 52 is rotated about the point and the h point is rotated. Here, the light emitter 51 and the light receiver 52 are arranged so that the angle formed by the line connecting g and h of the light emitter 51 and the angle formed by the line connecting g and h of the light receiver 52 are always the same. It is linked.

When the light emitter 51 and the light receiver 52 are rotated, when the light from the light emitter 51 hits the point j of the three-dimensional object 108, the reflected light is received by the light receiver 52, and the amount of light received at this time is It will be the maximum. Here, by knowing the angle θ with the light emitter 51 or the light receiver 52 at that time, the distance L can be calculated by the following equation L =
The position of the surface of the three-dimensional object 108 can be calculated by using ftan θ. And this distance detector 5
The surface position of the three-dimensional object 108 is automatically set according to the value obtained by 0.

Next, a specific configuration example of changing the illumination direction according to the set surface position of the three-dimensional object 108 in the above-described first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

In the figure, reference numeral 61 denotes a surface position setting means (manual setting or automatic setting) which sets the surface position of the three-dimensional object 108 and sends out a surface position signal. A stepping motor control circuit 62 controls the rotation of the stepping motor 106 according to the surface position signal.

In order to set the illumination direction to the surface direction of the three-dimensional object 108 to be read, first, the surface position setting means 61 sets the surface position. Then, the set surface position is sent to the stepping motor control circuit 62 as a surface position signal. Then, the stepping motor 10 is rotated by a predetermined number of revolutions (steps) according to the surface position signal.
6 rotates, and gears 105 to 104a,
Rotational force is transmitted to the fluorescent lamps 102a and 102b.
The direction of the apertures 109a, 109b of b is the three-dimensional object 10.
8 towards the reading point on the surface.

Next, in the above-described second embodiment, the positions of the fluorescent lamps 102a and 102b, which are the light sources for illumination, are changed according to the set surface position of the three-dimensional object 108 so that the illumination position of the three-dimensional object 108 is changed. A specific configuration example of positioning on the surface will be described with reference to FIG.

In the figure, reference numeral 66 is a surface position setting means (manual setting or automatic setting), which sets the surface position of the three-dimensional object 108 and sends a surface position signal. A stepping motor control circuit 67 controls the rotation of the stepping motor 112 according to the surface position signal.

To position the illumination position at the reading position on the surface of the three-dimensional object 108, first, the surface position setting means 66.
To set the position of the surface. Then, the set surface position is sent to the stepping motor control circuit 67 as a surface position signal. Then, the stepping motor 112 is rotated by a predetermined number of rotations (step number) according to the surface position signal. The rotation of the stepping motor 112 raises the support base 111 on which the illumination system is mounted, and the illumination position is located at the reading position on the surface of the three-dimensional object 108.

In each of the above-described embodiments, the illumination system using two fluorescent lamps as the light source has been described, but the illumination system using one light source (including the one using a reflector).
The present invention can also be applied to.

[0093]

According to the inventions of claims 1 and 3,
Since the illumination direction (aperture direction) of the illumination light source (fluorescent lamp) is changed according to the height of the three-dimensional object, even if the image surface to be read is located above the document placement surface of the document table. , The direction of illumination can be turned to the image surface to be read, and even if the original is a three-dimensional object by providing appropriate illumination,
The image can be read.

According to the second and fourth aspects of the invention, the distance between the illumination light source and the document is changed according to the height of the three-dimensional object, so that the image surface to be read is located above the document mounting surface. Even if it is located, the illumination position can be shifted upward so that it can be directed to the image surface to be read, and by performing appropriate illumination, the image can be read even if the original is a three-dimensional object.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of essential parts of a flat object set of an image reading apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of a main part of the image reading apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention when the flat object is set.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a main part of the image reading apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention when the three-dimensional object is set.

FIG. 4 is a front view of a main portion of the image reading apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention when a flat object is set.

FIG. 5 is a front view of a main part of the image reading apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention when the three-dimensional object is set.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a method for measuring the distance of the surface of the three-dimensional object from the document placement surface.

FIG. 7 is a control block diagram according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a control block diagram according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a configuration diagram showing an example of a color copying apparatus.

FIG. 10 is a configuration diagram around an image forming of the color copying apparatus.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing a defect of the conventional example.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing a defect of the conventional example.

[Explanation of reference numerals] 61, 66 surface position setting means 62, 67 stepping motor control circuit 101 document table 102a, 102b fluorescent lamp 103a, 103b fluorescent lamp socket 104a, 104b, 105 gear 106, 112 stepping motor 107 flat object 108 Three-dimensional object 109a, 109b Aperture 111 Support stand 113 Skrill 114 Guide member

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Minoru Sugiyama 1-3-6 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Ricoh Co., Ltd.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An image reading apparatus for irradiating an original on a transparent original table with an illuminating light source and forming an image of the reflected light on a sensor to read image information of the original, in an illuminating direction of the illuminating light source. An image reading apparatus comprising an illumination direction changing means for changing the image. 2. An image reading apparatus for irradiating an original on a transparent original table with an illuminating light source and forming an image of reflected light on a sensor to read image information of the original, the position of the illuminating light source is changed. An image reading apparatus comprising distance changing means for changing the distance between the illumination light source and the document table. 3. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the height of the three-dimensional object is detected, and the illumination direction changing means is controlled according to the detection information. 4. The image reading apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the height of the three-dimensional object is detected, and the distance varying means is controlled according to the detected information.