JPH05219315A - Picture input device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the occurrence of a useless motion of a carriage caused by a bending part without increasing a space of the device in a lateral direction by providing bypass hole bypassing the curved bending part of a flexible cable toward a down direction on a main body. CONSTITUTION:One end of a flexible cable 3 is sandwiched and fixed by a relay cable 5 and a retainer plate 6b. On the other hand, the other end of the cable 3 is pressed and fixed onto an L-shaped piece 5 provided integrally with a carriage 4 with a pressing plate 6a. The carriage 4 is reciprocated as shown in the arrow in the case of reading a picture and scans the face of an original placed on a contact glass 10. The bending part 3a of the cable 3 is moved forwardly in response to the movement of the carriage 4. Since the pressing plate 6a in the course of the moving process presses the cable 3 at an overhung part downward, it is prevented that the bending part 3a is in contact with the contact glass 10 and is dirt or is damaged.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image input device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An image reading means is mounted and a carriage which reciprocates in a box-shaped main body at the time of image reading is provided, and one end side and the other end side are fixed to the image reading means and the main body side, An image input device having a flexible cable for supplying and transmitting a read signal and electric power between the reading means and the main body side, and the curved bending portion of the flexible cable is also moved in advance as the carriage moves to the stroke end side. is there.

In such an image input device, the bent portion of the preceding flexible cable is compressed at a stroke end of the carriage between the side wall of the main body and the carriage, and the repulsive force of the compressed force causes the carriage to be pushed back. And the carriage is forcibly pushed back, the reading quality is affected, or in the worst case, a problem occurs such that the drive motor of the carriage loses step.

In order to avoid this, there is a system in which the flexible cable is allowed to escape in the horizontal direction at the carriage reading end position (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 2-100567 and 2-1864).

[0005]

However, in the above-mentioned prior art, since the escape direction is the lateral direction of the main body, an extra space is required in the lateral direction, which increases the installation area of the device, which leads to a layout problem. In terms of space efficiency, there may be unfavorable situations.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an image input device capable of preventing unnecessary movement of the carriage due to the bending portion of the flexible cable without increasing the installation space in the lateral direction of the image input device. To do.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a part of a main body side with an escape hole for letting out a bent portion of a flexible cable downward before a carriage reaches a stroke end. Formed.

In this case, the flexible cable may have a structure in which a plurality of flexible cables are connected by a base material in the width direction.

In each of the above cases, the fixing portion of the flexible cable is pressed by the pressing plate, and the pressing plate can be made of a material having a higher bending strength than the flexible cable.

[0010]

The flexible cable escapes from the escape hole formed in the main body at the end of the stroke of the carriage.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 indicates a box-shaped main body which constitutes an image input device. A substrate 2 is horizontally provided on the main body 1 side, and one end of a flexible cable 3 is sandwiched and fixed between a relay board 5 and a pressing plate 6 as shown in FIG. On the other hand, the other end side of the flexible cable 3 is pressed and fixed on the L-shaped piece 5 provided integrally with the carriage 4 by a pressing plate 6a.

As the image reading means, the carriage 4 is equipped with an equal-magnification imaging element 7, an illumination member 8, a rod lens array (not shown), a CCD (not shown), and the like.
The carriage 4 is guided by a guide 9 and can reciprocate. In the example of FIG. 1, the time when the carriage 4 is moved to the left corresponds to the reading stroke end.

When reading an image, the carriage 4 is reciprocated in the direction shown by the arrow to scan the surface of the document placed on the contact glass 10. In accordance with the movement of the carriage 4 during this scanning, the curved bending portion 3a of the flexible cable 3 also moves in advance.

In the course of this movement, in order to prevent the bending portion 3a from interfering with the contact glass 10, the pressing plate 6a functions to press the flexible cable 3 downward at its overhanging portion. .. This causes the flexible cable to bend downwards,
Contact with the contact glass 10 is avoided. Therefore,
The contact glass does not get dirty and is not damaged.

Further, by using the pressing plate 6b for fixing the flexible cable 3 on the side of the substrate 2 of a material having a higher bending strength than the flexible cable 3,
It is possible to prevent the flexible cable from floating when the position of the carriage is near the center.

As shown in FIG. 1, in this example, a part of the left end of the substrate 2 is cut out to form an escape hole 11 for allowing the flexible cable to escape downward. When the carriage is located at the end of the reading stroke, this escape hole escapes the flexible portion of the flexible cable, so that the flexible portion is pushed into the end portion of the main body 1 to receive the force in the right direction and receive the force of the drive motor. The conventional problems such as causing a step-out phenomenon are solved.

Since the escape direction is not the lateral direction of the image reading apparatus but the vertical direction, the abnormal return phenomenon of the carriage due to the flexible portion of the flexible cable is eliminated without increasing the installation area of the machine. can do.

Next, regarding the shape of the flexible cable, an illumination member on the carriage, generally a fluorescent lamp, and
When using image blocking, a minimum of two (two) is required. As shown in FIG. 3, for example, three flexible cables are used. However, if each flexible cable is independent one by one, the flexing time,
The modes are not uniform, which is not preferable in terms of forming the escape hole and also in terms of measures against interference with the contact glass.

Therefore, in this example, as shown in FIG. 4, three flexible cables 30 are used as a base material (polyimide or the like).
A plurality of 30a are connected to form an integral structure. This allows
It will transform as a unit.

[0020]

According to the present invention, there is provided an image input device capable of preventing unnecessary movement of the carriage due to the flexible portion of the flexible cable without increasing the installation space of the image input device in the lateral direction. Can be provided.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a main part of an image image input apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of a pressing plate of a flexible cable according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a form of a flexible cable.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a form of a flexible cable.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 3 flexible cable 7 equal-magnification imaging element (as image reading means) 8 illumination member (as image reading means) 4 carriage 11 escape hole 30 flexible cable

[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] February 13, 1992

[Procedure Amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0012

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

The carriage 4 is mounted with an equal-magnification image forming element 7, an illuminating member 8 , a CCD (not shown), etc. as image reading means. The carriage 4 is guided by a guide 9 and can reciprocate. In the example of FIG. 1, the time when the carriage 4 is moved to the left corresponds to the reading stroke end.

[Procedure Amendment 2]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0018

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

Next, regarding the shape of the flexible cable, an illumination member on the carriage, generally a fluorescent lamp, and
When using the imaging element , at least two (two) or more are required. As shown in FIG. 3, for example, three flexible cables are used. However, if each flexible cable is independent one by one, the flexing time,
The modes are not uniform, which is not preferable in terms of forming the escape hole and also in terms of measures against interference with the contact glass.

[Procedure 3]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be corrected] 0019

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

Therefore, in this example, as shown in FIG. 4, three flexible cables 30 are used as a base material (polyimide or the like).
A plurality of are connected to form an integral structure. As a result, it will be deformed as a unit.

[Procedure amendment 4]

[Document name to be corrected] Drawing

[Name of item to be corrected] Fig. 4

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[Figure 4]

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A carriage carrying image reading means, having a carriage reciprocating in a box-shaped main body at the time of reading an image, and fixing one end side and the other end side to the image reading means and the main body side, In an image input device having a flexible cable for supplying and transmitting a read signal and electric power between the reading means and the main body side, and the curved flexure portion of the flexible cable is also moved in advance as the carriage moves to the stroke end side. The image input device is characterized in that, before the carriage reaches the end of the stroke, an escape hole is formed in a part of the main body side to allow the curved flexible portion of the flexible cable to escape downward. 2. The image input device according to claim 1, wherein the flexible cable has a configuration in which a plurality of flexible cables are connected in the width direction by a base material. 3. The fixing portion of the flexible cable according to claim 1, wherein the fixing portion is pressed by a pressing plate, and the pressing plate is made of a material having a higher bending strength than the flexible cable. Characteristic image input device.