JPH066546A - Image scanner - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the movement of an original due to a wind pressure or the like when an original cover is closed by providing a fixing member by which the vicinity of one side of an original is brought into pressure-contact with an original platen to the scanner. CONSTITUTION:A cavity section 121 is provided in a part of a fixing scale 12 and a needle 13 is arranged in the section 121. When the original 5 is inserted in the scale 12, the needle 13 accepts the original 5 while being moved apart from the end of the scale 12 with a thickness of the original 5 and a friction exerted when the original 5 is pushed in. When the original 5 is going to be extracted from the end of the scale 12 in this state, the needle 13 is inserted between a gap of a wedge shape in the cavity with the friction with the original 5 to cause a force supporting the original. Thus, deviation of the original is evaded.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a structure of an image scanner for inputting image data to a computer or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art There is a device called an image scanner as a device for inputting characters and figures written on paper, and originals such as photographs as data that the computer can handle to the computer. Various types of image scanner configurations have been devised,
A typical example thereof is an image scanner called a flat bed type whose outline is shown in FIG. Here, the document 5 to be read is placed on the document table 1 made of a transparent glass member, and illuminated by the light source 2 through the document table 1. A plurality of reflected lights of the illuminated original are reflected back by the mirror 3, and then an image is formed on the image sensor 6 by the image forming element 4. Although shown in a sectional view in FIG. 4, the light source and the image sensor actually used are linear and have a length in the direction perpendicular to the paper surface. The image of the document formed by these configurations is one-dimensional. Therefore, in order to obtain an image of the entire original document having a two-dimensional spread, the above-mentioned configuration is used as the optical unit 7 and the unit is mechanically moved. By applying such mechanical scanning, the image read by the one-dimensional image sensor can be made to have a spread and a planar image can be obtained.

In such an image scanner, the structure around the document table for setting the document is very similar to the device conventionally known as a copying machine. That is, as shown in FIG. 3, a scale 8 is placed on the periphery of the document table 1 as a guide for abutting the original, and the scale 8 serves as an abutting guide and at the same time shows a limit of the reading range. The document placed on the document table needs to be pressed against the document table in order to improve the image forming performance, and therefore the document cover 9 is prepared. This is generally composed of a document holding mat 10 made of a sponge-like member and a document holding sheet 11 made of a white polyester member. A document cover having an appropriate elasticity holds the document down to bring the document into close contact with the platen. It is increasing the nature.

[0004]

However, in the conventional configuration, the document is set on the platen without being fixed until the document cover is pressed down. However, there is a problem that the document moves due to wind pressure of the document cover.

[0005]

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is most characterized in that it has a fixing member for pressing at least one side of a document near the document table.

[0006]

1 is a conceptual diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

In the present embodiment, a part of the scale is changed to a fixed scale 12 as shown in the figure to provide a function of pressing and fixing the original on the original table. That is, in the configuration of this embodiment, a hollow portion 121 having a shape as shown in the figure is provided in a part of the fixed scale 12, and the needle 13 which is a cylindrical member is arranged in the hollow portion 121. When the document is not inserted, the needle 13 is placed in a freely movable state in the cavity 121, and an inclined surface is provided so that the cavity 121 narrows toward the end of the fixed scale 12. When the document 5 is inserted into the fixed scale 12, the needle 13 accepts the document 5 while moving to a position away from the end of the scale due to the thickness of the document 5 and the frictional force with which the document 5 is pushed. In this state, when the force to pull out the document 5 from the end of the fixed scale 12 acts, the needle 13 is sandwiched in the wedge-shaped gap in the cavity due to the frictional force with the document 5.
The force to hold the manuscript works. However, this document holding force is not absolute, and can be freely set by the diameter of the needle, the weight, and the angle of inclination of the slope in the cavity. Therefore, in designing the image scanner, the force required for pulling out the original can be set depending on the type of the target original and the degree to which the original needs to be held.

FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the document fixing member is a separate component from the scale 8, and the leaf spring 1 is shaped so as to sandwich the document table.
It is composed of four. The operation of this embodiment is simpler than that of the first embodiment, and the leaf spring 1
The document sandwiched by 4 is fixed so as to be pressed against the document table by the spring force of the plate spring 14. Here, as in the first embodiment, by adjusting the spring force of the leaf spring 14, it is possible to freely set the document holding force and the drawing force.

[0009]

The image scanner of the present invention, having the above-mentioned structure, can avoid the deviation of the original when the original cover is closed.

Further, in the case of a transparent original reading in which a light source needs to be arranged above the original table in place of a normal original cover in a flat bed type image scanner, a positive film and an X-ray film of various sizes are used. It provides an optimum method for fixing.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram showing the periphery of a document table in a conventional example.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a basic configuration of an image scanner.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1. Platen 5. Manuscript 12. Fixed scale 13. Needle 14. Leaf spring 121. Cavity

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A light source for illuminating a document, an image sensor for converting light reflected from the document into an electrical signal,
In an image scanner having an optical system for forming an image of an illuminated original on an image sensor and an original table for setting a sheet-like original when reading the original, in the vicinity of at least one side of the original. An image scanner characterized by comprising a fixing member for press-contacting and fixing to a document table. 2. The image scanner according to claim 1, wherein the fixing member according to claim 1 is formed integrally with a scale that is arranged at an end of a reading window on a document table and indicates a reading range.