JPH07135602A - Input device for pictures and writings - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To allow the device to cope with a transparent original and a reflection original only with the provision of a lighting device lighting the original from its front side and to prevent an interval between an original and a camera from biasing required to be revised every time a type of an original is changed. CONSTITUTION:A transparent original or a reflection original 10 set to a predetermined position is lighted from its front side by a lighting means 4 and an image pickup means 3 picks up the image of the original 10 from its front side. The device is provided with a translucent diffusible opaque member 21 arranged to the device which the rear side of the original 10 faces and which reflects a lighting light transmitted through the transparent original 10 onto the rear side of the original 10.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a document input device for inputting image information of a transparent original or a reflective original on which characters and drawings are drawn.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional document image input device of this type, for example, one shown in FIG. 3 is known. A transmitted light box 2 is placed on the upper surface of the original table 1, and a reflective original such as paper or a transparent original such as an OHP sheet (generally indicated by reference numeral 10) is placed on the upper side thereof. A camera 3 for picking up an image of the original 10 is provided above the transmitted light box 2.
And an illuminating device 4 for illuminating the original 10 from the camera 3 side, and the camera 3 and the illuminating device 4 are held on a writing table (not shown).

For example, a reflective original 10 is placed on the transmitted light box 2.
When the illuminating device 4 is operated by mounting the illuminator, the illuminating light is reflected on the surface of the original 10 and is incident on the lens of the camera 3, and the camera 3 captures an image of a character or a pattern on the original 10. On the other hand, when capturing an image of a transparent original, the original 1
Since illumination from the back side of 0 is required, an illumination device (not shown) for that is arranged below the transmitted light box 2. Light emitted from this illuminating device passes through the transparent original 10 and enters the lens of the camera 3, whereby the characters and designs on the transparent original are captured by the camera 3.

[0004]

However, in the conventional configuration, the upper illuminating device 4 provided on the camera 3 side when the reflection original is imaged as described above, and the transmitted light when the transmission original is imaged. Since a lower illuminating device arranged below the box 2 is required respectively, two types of illuminating devices must be prepared in order to support both types of originals, which leads to cost increase and originals. Each time the ten types are changed, a troublesome work such as mounting / removing the lighting device is required. Further, since the distance between the document 10 and the camera 3 changes due to the addition of the downward illumination device, there is a problem that the focus of the camera 3 must be adjusted every time the type of document is changed.

The object of the present invention is to provide a transparent original and a reflective original only with an illuminating device for illuminating the original from the front side.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a document input device in which the distance between the original and the camera is not changed every time the type of original is changed.

[0006]

To explain the present invention with reference to FIG. 1 showing an embodiment, the present invention illuminates a transparent original 10 or a reflective original 10 set at a predetermined position from its front side by an illuminating means 4. Then, the present invention is applied to a document input device in which the image of the original 10 is picked up by the image pickup means 3 from the front side. Then, a semitransparent diffusive opacifying member 21 which is arranged on the back surface side of the original 10 and reflects the illumination light transmitted through the transparent original 10 toward the back surface of the original 10 is provided, thereby solving the above problems. In particular, the invention of claim 2 provides a white diffuse reflection member 22 on the back surface of the opalescent member 21. Further, in the invention of claim 3, a transparent antireflection sheet 23 is arranged on the front surface side of the milky white member 21, and the sheet 23 and the milky white member 2 are arranged.
A transparent document 10 is inserted between the first and the second sheets.

[0007]

When the reflecting original 10 is set and the illuminating means 4 is operated, the illumination light is reflected by the surface of the reflecting original and guided to the camera as in the conventional case, whereby the characters and patterns on the original are picked up. An image is taken by the means 3. On the other hand, transparent original 1
When 0 is set and the illuminating means 4 is operated, the illuminating light is transmitted through the transparent original 10 and then reflected by the translucent diffusive opalescent member 21, and the reflected light is transmitted through the transparent original 10 and the imaging means. The image pickup means 3 picks up an image of a character, a pattern, or the like on the original 10.

Incidentally, in the section of means and action for solving the above-mentioned problems for explaining the constitution of the present invention, the drawings of the embodiments are used to make the present invention easy to understand. It is not limited to.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The same components as those in FIG. 3 are designated by the same reference numerals. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of a document image input device according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the main parts thereof. A document setting device 20 is placed on the upper surface of the document table 1 in place of the transmitted light box 2 described in the related art. The setting device 20 includes a translucent diffusive milky white plate (milky white member) 21,
It is composed of a white diffusive sheet 22 attached to the lower surface of the opalescent plate 21 and a substantially transparent antireflection sheet 23 provided on the upper part of the opalescent plate 21, which are integrally fixed at one end. .

As the opalescent plate 21, for example, one having a total light transmittance of 88% and a diffusivity of 26% is used. The antireflection sheet 23 is made of, for example, hard vinyl chloride and has a thickness of 0.
5 mm, a total light transmittance of 91% and a diffusivity of 1.7% are used. A gap is formed between the milky white plate 21 and the antireflection sheet 23, and the transparent original 10 is inserted into this gap. The reflection original 10 is placed on the antireflection sheet 23. Other configurations are the same as those in FIG.

In the above structure, the antireflection sheet 23
When a reflection original 10 such as paper is placed on the upper surface of the original and the upper illumination device 4 is operated, the illumination light is reflected by the surface of the original 10 and is incident on the lens of the camera 3, and the camera (imaging unit) 3 The characters and the like on the manuscript 10 are picked up by.

On the other hand, when the transparent original 10 such as an OHP sheet is inserted into the gap between the opalescent plate 21 and the antireflection sheet 23 and the illumination device 4 is operated, the illumination light is transmitted through the antireflection sheet 23 and the original 10 in order. And reaches the milky white plate 21. Here, by providing the antireflection sheet 23, reflection of light on the transparent original 10 can be suppressed to a minimum. A part of the light reaching the upper surface of the opal plate 21 is reflected upward on the upper surface, and the other part is transmitted while being diffused inside the opal plate 21 and diffusely reflected by the white diffusive sheet 22. The diffused light again passes through the inside of the opalescent plate 21 and is irradiated upward. The original 10 is illuminated from the back side by these lights, and the light is incident on the lens of the camera 3 via the original 10, whereby the characters and the like on the transparent original 10 are imaged by the camera 3. It

Here, if a white reflecting member is used instead of the milky white plate 21, the shadow of a character or the like on the transmissive original 10 is displaced from the actual character position by the illumination light obliquely incident. It is reflected on the upper surface of the reflection member, and thus characters and the like may be captured as a double image. On the other hand, when the opalescent plate 21 as in the present embodiment is used, the reflection on the upper surface of the opalescent plate 21 is small, and the transmissive original 10 is illuminated from the back side by the diffused light that has once passed through the opalescent plate 21. The shadow of characters and the like is not darkly projected on the upper surface of the milky board 21. Therefore, a character is not captured as a double image, and a clear image can always be obtained.
The inventors of the present invention conducted an experiment using a plurality of types of opalescent plates, and as a result, the above-mentioned total light transmittance of 88% and diffusivity of 26% were obtained.
It was confirmed that the clearest image was obtained when using the opalescent plate.

In the above description, the white diffusive sheet 22 is attached to the lower surface of the opalescent plate 21, but instead of this, a white coating may be applied to the back surface of the opalescent plate 21 in the same manner as described above. The effect is obtained.

[0015]

According to the present invention, the semitransparent diffusive opalescent member that reflects the illumination light transmitted through the transparent original toward the back side of the original is arranged on the back side of the original, so that the front side of the original. The transparent original can be illuminated from the back side by the illuminating means from the side, and it is not necessary to newly arrange the illuminating means on the back side of the original when the transparent original is imaged. Therefore,
Since it is not necessary to prepare two types of illumination devices, the cost can be reduced, and the troublesome work of attaching / detaching the illumination device and changing the focus of the camera when changing the type of the original document is not required. Also, by using the milky white member,
Since the transparent original can be illuminated with diffused light, clear image information can be obtained without the shadow of characters of the original appearing on the opalescent member. In particular, according to the second aspect of the invention, since the white diffusing member is provided on the back surface of the opalescent member, the illumination light of the transparent original can be increased, and clearer image information can be obtained. Further, according to the invention of claim 3, since the transparent antireflection sheet is arranged on the front surface side of the opacifying member and the transparent original is inserted between the sheet and the opacifying member,
The reflected light on the transparent original can be suppressed from entering the lens of the image pickup means to a minimum, and an undesired image can be prevented from being picked up.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment of a document image input device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a main part of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a conventional document image input device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Original Setting Device 3 Camera 4 Lighting Device 10 Original (Reflective Original, Transparent Original) 20 Original Setting Device 21 Opalescent Plate 22 Diffusive Sheet 23 Antireflection Sheet

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A document image input device in which a transparent original or a reflective original set at a predetermined position is illuminated from the front side by an illumination means, and the original is imaged from the front side by an image pickup means. And a translucent diffusive milky white member disposed on the back side of the transparent document and reflecting the illumination light transmitted through the transparent document toward the back side of the document. 2. The document image input device according to claim 1, wherein a white diffuse reflection member is provided on a back surface of the opalescent member. 3. A transparent antireflection sheet is arranged on the front surface side of the opacifying member, and a gap for inserting the transparent original is provided between the sheet and the opacifying member. The document input device according to 1 or 2.