JPH08181806A - Picture reader - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To suppress the enlargement of a reader and to surely and visually recognize the read surface of a picture information object by providing a light-emitting source facing the opening part of viewing window on one end side of a reader main body and irradiating a read surface. CONSTITUTION: At the time of use, a manual operation is executed, the picture reader main body 1 is shifted and information on a read original surface 2 is scanned. At that time, the read original surface 2 at a part irradiated by an LED array 3 can be operated by surely and visually recognizing it at a short distance from the opening part 4 for a viewing window at the front end 11a side of the main body 1 through a read port 10. A block becoming an obstacle for visually recognizing the irradiated original surface 2 does not exist, and the course of light does not interfer various units and it is not prevented at all. Namely, the reflected light (a) of light from the LED array 3 with which the original surface 2 is irradiated passes through the light- passing hole 13a of a supporting board 13 toward an almost vertical direction, is reflected on a reflecting mirror 5 in the direction of 90 deg. and is made incident on a CCD line sensor 22 through the optical lens 21 of a read detection part 4. The picture signal is inputted to a control unit 40 and an operation signal is transmitted to a printing means.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

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

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An image reading apparatus used in the past has a colored viewing window substantially directly above a main body case of the apparatus, so that the entire apparatus can be viewed in the image reading direction on a document surface as an image information object. While manually moving relative to each other, the document surface illuminated by the light emitting source can be visually recognized. Inside the main body case, a light emitting source such as an LED that illuminates the document surface is arranged in the front part, and the reflected light from the document surface whose light path is changed by a reflecting mirror is read in the rear part. It is sent to the detector. The reading detection unit is, for example, a CCD (Charge Coupled device).
The device is used as an imaging device. It is used as a device that detects light reflected from the document surface as an image information signal, obtains an image output by control based on this detection signal, and can print it on a sticker tape. .

[0003]

By the way, in many of such conventional image reading apparatuses, a viewing window for visually recognizing the image information on the document surface is provided almost directly above the main body case. Therefore, the internal devices are not laid out on the line through which the document surface is viewed from the window except inside the main body case so as not to hinder the viewing from almost directly above. This not only limits the flexibility of the layout of the built-in equipment, but also requires an extra space for the visual lines, which causes dead space and enlarges the main unit case, causing the overall size of the device to increase. It was one of the. In addition, the structure of visually recognizing from almost directly above the main body case through the viewing window lacked the operability of image reading. An object of the present invention is to provide an image reading apparatus in which the reading surface of an image information object can be surely visually recognized from the outside while suppressing an increase in size of the apparatus and improving read operability.

[0004]

In order to achieve the above object, an image reading apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention is an opening for a peep window at one end side of an apparatus body which is moved and operated on an image information object. A light source that irradiates a light beam onto the image information object toward the one end side of the device body while facing the opening, and arranges the reflected light reflected from the image information object. A reading detection unit for detecting is provided in the main body of the apparatus. Further, the image information reading device according to the second aspect of the present invention may be provided with a reflecting portion for changing the optical axis of the reflected light reflected from the image information object toward the reading detection portion provided in the main body of the device. it can.

[0005]

According to the image reading apparatus of claim 1 of the present invention,
When the light emission source faces the opening for the viewing window provided on one end side of the apparatus main body, and when the light emission source illuminates the reading surface of the image information object, this reading surface can be visually recognized at a short distance from the opening, Operability is also good. Since there is a short distance between the opening for the viewing window and the reading surface of the image information object and no other built-in device is interposed, there is an advantage that the reading surface can be visually recognized with certainty. In the case of viewing through a viewing window from almost directly above, the layout of other built-in devices was restricted so that it would not hinder the visibility from the reading surface, but such restrictions were lifted and the layout flexibility increased. At the same time, it is possible to suppress the increase in size of the device without generating a wasteful internal space. Further, in the image reading apparatus according to the second aspect of the present invention, if the light traveling path of the reflected light from the image information object is changed by the reflecting section, the reading detecting section for detecting the changed light beam is arranged. As a result, interference between the light path and the built-in equipment can be avoided, increasing the degree of freedom. Further, in the present invention, when the opening for the viewing window is transparent, or when an external light-shielding cover is attached to this opening, by providing a display mark in any case, during reading,
Positioning of the image reading surface, such as width, becomes efficient and operability is improved.

[0006]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of an image reading apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 and 2 are an overall perspective view and a side sectional view of a handy copy shown as a first embodiment of an image reading apparatus according to the first aspect. A main scanning one-dimensional image reading means including a light emitting source such as an LED array 3 and a reading detection unit 4 is built in the apparatus main body 1, and a reading original surface 2 as an image information object is read by the LED array 3. Irradiate
The reflected light from there is sent to the reading / detecting section 4 for processing, and the image data is output in the form of printout or the like. Based on such a configuration, one end side of the apparatus main body 1 facing the LED array 3, that is, the front end of the apparatus main body 1 in this embodiment, is used as a peep window for visually recognizing the reading surface 2 of the illuminated original. An opening 6 is provided.

As shown in FIG. 2, a reading port 10 is provided in the front bottom plate of the apparatus main body 1 so that the reading original surface 2 below can be exposed. A wheel 11 for moving the main body and an encoder 12 for detecting the rotation of the wheel 11 are provided at a position adjacent to the reading port 10. A pair of left and right wheels 11 are provided on both sides of the bottom plate portion of the apparatus body 1, and rotate on the read document surface 2 to enable the apparatus body 1 to move smoothly. Known products can be used as the encoder 12, for example, a rotating plate having a large number of slits on its circumference is rotated in association with a wheel, and light from a light emitting element that passes through the slits of the rotating plate is received by a light receiving element. It receives and outputs a pulse signal.

Main scanning one-dimensional image reading means is constituted by the following members including the encoder 12. Inside the main body 1 of the device, a light emitting source by the LED array 3 is arranged facing the reading port 10 opened in the bottom plate portion. The LED array 3 is fixed in a posture in which the LED array 3 is tilted forward toward the front end of the apparatus body 1, and
Through 0, the lower side of the read document surface 2 is looked into. LE
The D array 3 is adapted to project a light beam (indicated by C in the drawing) from the direction of a forward tilt angle of 45 ° and irradiate the read document surface 2. The LED array 3 is fixed at its forward tilt angle, and also has a support plate 13 that is also tilted forward by approximately 45 °, and a light passing hole 13a provided in the center of the support plate 13 in the forward tilted posture.
Therefore, the light beam of the reflected light reflected by the reading document surface 2 (shown by a in the figure) can pass almost vertically upward. Further, a reflecting mirror 5 which is a reflecting portion in the present invention is fixedly provided on the rear surface of the LED array 3 opposite to the mounting surface using the support plate 13. The reflecting mirror 5 is provided at an angular position that is substantially 90 ° in phase with the irradiation angle of the LED array 3, and bends the path of the reflected light a from the reading document surface 2 incident vertically upward at a substantially right angle to the horizontal direction. It is set so that the reflected light b, which has been changed and the path of which has been changed, can be sent toward the inside of the apparatus main body 1 to the reading detection unit 4 described later.

Further, in front of the support plate 13 having the LED array 3 and the reflecting mirror 5 attached to the front and back surfaces, the front end of the apparatus main body 1 is opposed at a short distance, and the front end of the case has an opening as a peep window. A portion 6 is provided, and the read original surface 2 irradiated with the ray C at an angle of 45 degrees from the LED array 3 toward the case front end 1a side in a diagonally downward direction indicated by the arrow A can be surely visually recognized. it can. That is, the built-in device is laid out without obstructing the path of the light from the LED array 3 which irradiates the read document surface 2, and the illuminated part of the read document surface 2 is surely illuminated as in the gist of the present invention. Reading port 10 and opening 6 from a short distance
It is possible to see through.

Although the opening 6 can satisfy a certain degree even if it is transparent, by covering it with an external ray shielding cover 14 made of a semitransparent colored material as in this embodiment,
It is possible to prevent harmful rays from entering the inside of the apparatus body 1 from the outside. Further, like the external light shielding cover 14, a light shielding plate 15 may be installed at the same angle as the support plate 13 as a member for preventing intrusion and leakage of harmful external light into the inside of the apparatus body 1. it can. The light shielding plate 15 can also serve as a reinforcing member for reinforcing and fixing the support plate 13 in the tilted posture, at the same time as the original light shielding function.

On the other hand, inside the apparatus main body 1, a reading detector 4 is arranged at a position where it can receive the reflected light b from the reading original surface 2 whose course is changed by the reflecting mirror 5 in the horizontal direction. This reading detection unit 4 can use a CCD device or the like as an image sensor or a line sensor, and its configuration is provided with an optical lens 21 on the inlet side of the housing 20, and the reflected light from the reflecting mirror 5 is reflected by this optical lens 21. b is incident and is reduced. Further, it has a line sensor 22 for receiving the reduced reflected light b, detects the reflected light b as an image information signal, and sends it out to a control unit 40 composed of a central processing unit (CPU) by a microcomputer or the like. It is like this. Therefore, the above-described series of configurations from the light emission source by the LED array 3 to the line sensor 22 can be called main scanning one-dimensional image reading means. The apparatus main body 1 further accommodates sub-scanning waveform generating means for sending various data to the control unit 40, image data converting means, print control and printing means.

As a device which is operated by a control signal from the control unit 40, a printing device is provided in the handy copy or label printer of the embodiment shown in the drawing, and its associated equipment is, for example, a power supply battery for an electric circuit using a battery. In addition, a replaceable cartridge 25 for the seal tape 24, a printing ink ribbon 26, and a platen roller 2 for forming an image by thermally transferring the ink of the ink ribbon 27 to the seal tape 24 by the simultaneous feeding.
8 and a thermal head 29, and a drive unit 30 including a motor and the like for rotating and driving them. Further, a cutter 31 for cutting the printed seal tape 24 into a required length is stored by effectively utilizing the space.

With the above structure, the apparatus main body 1 is moved manually to scan the information on the read original surface 2 during use. At this time, the read manuscript surface 2 of the portion illuminated by the LED array 3 is reliably and extremely close to the device body 1 through the reading port 10 at a short distance from the viewing window opening 4 on the front end 1a side of the device body 1. It can be operated while visually recognizing even from the front horizontal direction of 1. There are no members that hinder the visual recognition of the illuminated read original surface 2, and the path of light does not interfere with the above-mentioned various devices and is not disturbed at all. That is, the reflected light a from the read document surface 2 passes through the light passing hole 13a of the support plate 13 almost vertically upward, is bent by the reflecting mirror 5 at about 90 °, and is diverted in the horizontal direction.
The light is incident on the optical lens 21 of the rear reading detection unit 4. The image information signal detected by the reading detection unit 4 is sent to the control unit 40 as a main scanning one-dimensional image signal, and the operation signal controlled here is sent to the printing means including the seal tape cartridge 25 and the like. The printed seal tape 24 is cut into a proper length by a cutter 31 and used.

As shown in FIG. 1, a ruler mark 17 is provided on the front part and the left and right sides by using a semi-transparent colored external light-shielding cover 14 directly on the viewing window opening 6 or covering the opening 6. , 18 serves as an accurate guide for the reading direction and reading width on the document reading surface 2, and the operability can be improved.

On the other hand, FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of a handy copy shown as a second embodiment of the image reading apparatus according to the second aspect. The structure in this case is basically the same as that of the first embodiment, except that the reflecting mirror 5 as the reflecting portion in the first embodiment is not provided. That is, the light beam from the LED array 3 as the light emission source is read by the reading port 1
A desired portion of the original surface 2 to be read is irradiated with light from 0, and reflected light a from there is transmitted almost vertically upward through the light passage hole 1 of the support plate 13.
The reading / detecting unit 4 is arranged directly above the light path so that the light can be detected by passing through 3a. Therefore, the reflected light a that is reflected vertically upward is read by the reading detector 4
The detected image information signal 50 is transmitted to the control unit 40 together with the rotation detection pulse signal 51 from the encoder 12, and the control unit 40 outputs actuation signals 52, 53, etc. based on the control. Is output to various built-in electronic devices such as a printing unit including the drive motor 30 and the seal tape cartridge 25.

In the second embodiment, a condenser lens or the like can be arranged on the optical path of the reflected light a reflected almost vertically upward within the range not restricted by the layout space. Thereby, the LED of the light source
When the reflected light a from the reading original surface 2 illuminated by the array 3 is passed through the light passage hole 13a of the support plate 13 substantially vertically upward, the reflected light a is condensed by the condenser lens and is read by the reading detector 4. It is also possible to enable effective detection.

As described above, according to the image reading apparatus of the present invention, in the conventional structure in which the reading surface is viewed almost directly above the apparatus body, the reading surface of the apparatus body can be visually recognized. Since it is necessary to provide a through hole that vertically penetrates through, there is no problem that the degree of freedom of layout of various electronic components arranged in the apparatus body is restricted, and the image information object irradiated from the light emission source The reading part of the device can be reliably viewed from the position on one end side of the device body through the opening for the viewing window, improving operability and at the same time without restricting the freedom of layout of the internal electronic components described above. Various electronic components can be arranged in close contact with each other, and the size of the entire apparatus can be reduced accordingly.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a handy copy shown as a first embodiment of an image reading apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of a handy copy according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of a handy copy shown as a second embodiment of the image reading apparatus according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Device Main Body 2 Original Reading Surface (Image Information Object) 3 LED Array (Light Emitting Source) 4 Reading Detector 5 Reflector 6 Peep Window Aperture 10 Reading Port 13 Support Plate 14 External Light Shielding Cover 15 Light Shielding Plate 21 Optical lens 22 CCD device line sensor 25 Seal tape cartridge 40 Control unit

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An image information target object is provided with an opening for a viewing window at one end side of an apparatus main body that is moved and operated on the image information target object, facing the opening and facing the one end side of the apparatus main body. An image characterized in that a light emitting source for irradiating a light beam is arranged inside the apparatus body, and a reading detection unit for detecting reflected light reflected from the image information object is provided in the apparatus body. Reader. 2. An opening for a viewing window is provided at one end of a device body that is moved and operated on the image information target, and the image information target is directed toward this opening and toward the one end of the device body. A reflection is provided by arranging a light emitting source for irradiating a light beam on the inside of the apparatus main body, and changing the optical axis of the reflected light reflected from the image information object toward the reading detection unit provided in the apparatus main body. An image reading apparatus having a section. 3. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the opening for the viewing window is covered with a transparent external light ray shielding cover. 4. A light passage hole is provided between the reflecting portion and the light emitting source to allow the reflected light from the image information object to pass through to the reflecting portion. The image reading device described. 5. The image reading apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the external light shielding cover is provided with a mark for alignment.