JPH0686010A - Signal converter - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To miniaturize a converter by reducing the containing space of parts constituting the converter. CONSTITUTION:A glass board 2 is arranged at the upper part of a main body 1, a base plate 14 is arranged at a lower part and a light emitting diode (LED) 10 and a photosensor 4 are mounted to the base plate 14. A platen roller 12 for rotating in the direction of an arrow is arranged at the upper side of the glass board 2, a 'Selfoc(R)' lens array 5 is mounted to the lower surface of the glass board 2 and a first reflection part 17a and a second reflection part 17b are arranged at the side of the 'Selfoc(R)' lens array 5. A reflecting surface 18a provided in the first reflection part 17a and the reflecting surface 18b provided in the second reflection part 17b are both inclined to a horizontal surface and the center axis of the 'Selfoc(R)' lens array 5 and the centers of the reflecting surfaces 18a and 18b are on a same straight line.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a signal converter for irradiating a writing medium with light and converting light reflected from the writing medium into a signal.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, there has been a demand for a signal converter used in a copying machine typified by a facsimile machine to be compact and simple in structure. Hereinafter, a conventional signal converter will be described with reference to FIGS.

As shown in FIG. 3, a glass plate 2 is horizontally arranged on the upper side of a main body 1, and a substrate 3a is horizontally arranged on the lower side thereof. An optical sensor 4 is mounted on the substrate 3a. The vertical direction is lengthened above the optical sensor 4, and the SELFOC lens array 5 is provided.
Are arranged, and the SELFOC lens array 5 has a support portion 6
Supported by. As shown in FIG. 4, the SELFOC lens array 5 has SELFOC lenses 9 sandwiched between plates 8a and 8b coated with a silicone resin 7. The SELFOC lens 9 is a rod-shaped medium whose refractive index decreases from the central axis toward the periphery in accordance with the square distribution approximation. Inside the lens 9, light has a property of traveling in a zigzag manner with a constant period, and erects equal magnification. Imaging is obtained. A light emitting diode (LE) is provided on the side of the SELFOC lens array 5.
D) The substrate 3b on which the 10 is placed is arranged, and the substrate 3b
The normal line of the light emitting diode 10 and the normal line of the light sensor 4 and the SELFOC lens array 5 intersect on the glass plate 2. A platen roller 12 is provided on the intersection 11.
And the platen roller 12 rotates in the direction of the arrow.

Hereinafter, the operation of such a configuration will be described with reference to FIG.
Will be described with reference to. When the writing medium 13 is conveyed by the platen roller 12 and reaches the intersection 11, the LED 1
The light emitted from 0 and transmitted through the glass plate 2 is the writing medium 13
Then, the light is reflected by the glass plate 2, passes through the glass plate 2, passes through the SELFOC lens array 5, and reaches the optical sensor 4 (the optical path in this case is shown by a dotted line). Then, this light is converted into a signal by the optical sensor 4, and the output based on this signal is performed in due course.

[0005]

However, in the conventional signal conversion device, in order to send the light of the light emitting diode 10 reflected by the writing medium 13 to the optical sensor 4 without bending it, the longitudinal portion is made vertical and the SELFOC lens array. Install 5,
Further, since the substrates 3a and 3b are arranged below and on the sides of the SELFOC lens array 5, respectively, the volume is large and it is difficult to downsize the apparatus.

The present invention is intended to solve the above problems,
The purpose is to realize a small signal converter.

[0007]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention comprises, as a first means, a reflecting section for sending the light of a light source reflected by a writing medium to a SELFOC lens array,
As a second means, a reflection section that sends the light of the light source that has passed through the SELFOC lens array to the signal conversion section is further provided.
As the means, the light source and the signal converter are mounted on the same substrate.

[0008]

With the above structure, the light from the light source reflected by the writing medium is transmitted through the glass plate and then reflected by the reflecting portion,
After passing through the SELFOC lens array, it is sent to the signal conversion unit and converted into a signal.

[0009]

EXAMPLE A first example of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The same parts as those in the conventional example are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 1, the signal converter has a glass plate 2 on the upper part of a main body 1 and a substrate 14 on the lower part.
A light emitting diode 10 as a light source and an optical sensor 4 as a signal conversion unit are mounted on the substrate 14. A platen roller 12 that rotates in the direction of the arrow is arranged above the glass plate 2, and a selfoc lens array 5 is provided on the lower surface of the glass plate 2.
Is adhered with the light incident portion 15 and the light emitting portion 16 facing laterally, and the light incident portion 1 is adhered to the side of the SELFOC lens array 5.
The first reflecting portion 17a is arranged on the fifth side, and the second reflecting portion 17b is arranged on the light emitting portion 16 side. The reflecting surface 18a provided on the first reflecting portion 17a and the reflecting surface 18b provided on the second reflecting portion 17b are both inclined with respect to the horizontal plane (the angle between the horizontal plane and the reflecting surface 18a is 45 The angle between the horizontal surface and the reflecting surface 18b is 45 degrees.), The centers of the reflecting surfaces 18a and 18b and the central axis of the SELFOC lens array 5 (the center of the light incident portion 15 and the center of the light emitting portion 16). The line that connects with) is on the same straight line. In addition, the reflecting surfaces 18a, 1
Copper is attached to 8b by vacuum evaporation.

The operation of the above structure will be described below.
When the writing medium 13 is conveyed by the platen roller 12 and reaches an irradiation point 19 on the glass plate 2 at a position corresponding to a position vertically above the light emitting diode 10, the light emitting diode 1
The light emitted from 0 and emitted between the SELFOC lens array 5 and the first reflecting portion 17a is irradiated, and then this light is reflected by the writing medium 13, passes through the glass plate 2, and is reflected by the first reflecting member. The light is reflected by the portion 17a, passes through the SELFOC lens array 5, is reflected by the second reflecting portion 17b, and is sent to the optical sensor 4 (the optical path in this case is shown by a dotted line). Then, this light is converted into a signal by the optical sensor 4, and the output based on this signal is performed in due course.

As described above, according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the SELFOC lens array 5 is adhered to the lower surface of the glass plate 2 with the light entrance portion 15 and the light exit portion 16 facing sideways.
The first reflecting portion 17 is provided on the side of the SELFOC lens array 5.
a and the second reflecting portion 17b are arranged, the centers of the reflecting surfaces 18a and 18b are located on the extension line of the central axis of the SELFOC lens array 5, and the optical sensor 4 and the light emitting diode 10 are mounted on the substrate 14. Therefore, the light from the light emitting diode 10 reflected by the writing medium 13 can be bent and sent to the optical sensor 4, the storage space of the components that configure the device can be reduced, and the device can be downsized. Further, it is not necessary to arrange a plurality of substrates, and the cost can be reduced accordingly.

A second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In the signal conversion device of this embodiment, a semi-transparent substance is used as the material of the first reflecting portion 17a, and the reflecting portion 17a is brought into contact with the SELFOC lens array 5. Further, the reflecting surfaces 18a and 18b are both inclined by 45 degrees with respect to the horizontal plane, and copper is not vapor-deposited on the reflecting surface 18a.

The operation of the above structure will be described below.
When the writing medium 13 is conveyed by the platen roller 12 and reaches the position 19, the light emitting diode 10 emits light,
The light that has passed through the first reflecting portion 13a is applied to the writing medium 12, and then this light is reflected by the writing medium 12, passes through the glass plate 2, and is reflected by the first reflecting portion 17a, and the SELFOC lens array. 5, is reflected by the second reflecting portion 17b, is sent to the optical sensor 4, and is converted into a signal.

As a result, the same effect as the first embodiment can be obtained. In the first and second embodiments, the two reflecting portions, the first reflecting portion 17a and the second reflecting portion 17b, are used, but the second reflecting portion 17b is not essential, Instead of using the second reflecting portion 17b, for example, the optical sensor 4 may be arranged at a place where the second reflecting portion 17b should be arranged, and the optical sensor 4 and the substrate 14 may be connected via a lead wire.

Further, in these embodiments, the reflecting surface 1
Although the first reflecting portion 17a and the second reflecting portion 17b are arranged in a state where both 8a and 18b are inclined with respect to the horizontal plane,
It is not necessary to pay attention to the inclination angles of the reflecting surfaces 18a and 18b, and the reflected light from the writing medium 13 is reflected by the first reflecting portion 17a and is sent to the SELFOC lens array 5, and the second reflecting portion 17b serves as a cell. It suffices if the light passing through the Fock lens array 5 can be reflected and sent to the optical sensor 4.

Further, in these embodiments, the light emitting diode 10 is used as the light source, but the light source is not limited to this, and the essential point is that it has a light emitting function.

[0018]

As is apparent from the above description, in the signal conversion device of the present invention, the light of the light source reflected by the writing medium by the reflecting portion is sent to the SELFOC lens array, so that it is reflected by the writing medium. The light from the light source can be bent and sent to the signal conversion unit, whereby the storage space for the components that constitute the device can be reduced, and the device can be downsized. In addition to this reflection part, when a reflection part that sends the light of the light source that has passed through the SELFOC lens array to the signal conversion part is provided, in addition to reducing the storage space and downsizing the device, the light source and signal conversion part Can be installed on the same board,
By mounting the light source and the signal conversion unit on the same substrate, it is not necessary to arrange a plurality of substrates, and the cost can be reduced accordingly.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a signal conversion device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a signal conversion device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a conventional signal converter.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a Selfoc lens array.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional signal conversion device when a writing medium is conveyed.

[Explanation of symbols]

 4 Optical Sensor 5 Selfoc Lens Array 10 Light Emitting Diode (LED) 14 Substrate 17a First Reflection Part 17b Second Reflection Part

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A light source for irradiating a writing medium with light, a reflector for transmitting the light of the light source reflected by the writing medium to a SELFOC lens array, and converting the light passing through the SELFOC lens array into a signal. A signal converter including a signal converter. 2. The signal conversion device according to claim 1, further comprising another reflection section that sends the light of the light source that has passed through the SELFOC lens array to the signal conversion section. 3. The signal conversion device according to claim 2, further comprising a substrate on which the light source and the signal conversion unit are mounted.