JPH08190620A - Optical image reader - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To obtain a sharp image which is not distorted by forming an image input surface in a mountain shape, and placing the binding part of a booklet type medium which is spread on the top of the mountain shape and acquiring image data. CONSTITUTION: The image input surface 1 which is composed of a panel transmitting an image is in the mountain shape and has image input surfaces 1a and 1b as slanting surfaces across the top. In this case, the image input surface 1 is in the mountain shape, so when the booklet type medium 7 which is spread is mounted, one side of the medium about the binding part is mounted on the image input surface 1a and the other side is mounted on the image input surface 1b. At this time, since the spread angle of the booklet type medium 7 is held small, the medium comes into contact with the image input surfaces 1a and 1b even nearby the binding part. And, a light source 6 is turned on and the medium on the image data input surfaces 1a and 1b is irradiated with the light. Further, the light reflected by the medium is imaged-formed on area sensors 2 and 3 through lenses 4 and 5 to acquire the image data.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical image reading device, and more particularly to an optical image reading device suitable for reading a booklet-shaped medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An optical image reading device has a line sensor in the main scanning direction, and while a line sensor is conveyed by each medium by a mechanical system, image data is acquired at a certain fixed timing and the medium is stored in a memory. Image sensor and an area sensor capable of acquiring image data in the main scanning direction and the sub-scanning direction at a time. Like the camera, the image data of the medium is acquired at a timing and configured on the memory. There are things.

Here, a conventional optical image reading apparatus has a flat image input surface composed of a panel which transmits an image, a medium is placed on the image input surface, and light is irradiated to the medium. The reflected light is received by the area sensor as described above, and image data is acquired.

[0004]

However, in the conventional optical image reading apparatus, when the image data is obtained from the booklet medium in the spread state, the medium does not adhere to the image input surface in the vicinity of the binding portion. Image data is acquired with the image being distorted, and the image output based on this image data is also distorted.

Further, as described above, since the medium does not come into close contact with the image input surface in the vicinity of the binding portion, the image cannot be focused and a clear image cannot be obtained. Furthermore, in order to bring the medium near the binding portion into close contact with the image input surface, if the binding portion of the booklet-shaped medium is to be pressed against the image input surface, the time and effort required to press the booklet-shaped medium increases, and it also takes time. Even if the booklet-shaped medium is pressed in this way, if the booklet-shaped medium is thick, the medium cannot be completely adhered to the image input surface in the vicinity of the binding portion, and the obtained image is distorted or not clear. It becomes a thing.

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention mounts a medium on an image input surface composed of a panel which transmits an image and irradiates the medium with light to obtain image data. In the optical image reading apparatus described above, the shape of the image input surface is a mountain shape, and the two slopes are the image input surfaces.

[0007]

In the present invention having the above-described structure, in order to obtain image data from the booklet-shaped medium in the spread state, the binding portion of the booklet-shaped medium in the spread state is placed on the top of the mountain-shaped image input surface. As a result, the medium on one side is placed on one image input surface, and the medium on the other side is placed on the other image input surface with the binding portion sandwiched therebetween.

By irradiating the medium with light in this state, image data can be obtained from each medium. At this time, since the spread angle of the booklet-shaped medium is narrowed, the medium is in close contact with the image input surface even near the binding portion.

[0009]

1 is a schematic sectional view showing the structure of an optical image reading apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes an image input surface composed of a panel through which an image is transmitted. The image input surface 1 has a mountain shape, and slopes sandwiching the vertices are image input surfaces 1a and 1b, respectively.

Reference numeral 2 is an area sensor for acquiring image data from one image input surface 1a, and 3 is an area sensor for acquiring image data from the other image input surface 1b. These area sensors are used in the main scanning and sub-scanning directions. The image data of can be acquired at one time. Reference numeral 4 is a lens for connecting the image data to the area sensor 2, 5 is a lens for connecting the image data to the area sensor 3, and 6 is a light source for irradiating the image input surface 1 with light. Four
Is attached to a position where the light reflected from the medium placed on the image input surface 1a, of the light emitted from the light source 6 to the image input surface 1 can be acquired, the area sensor 3, the lens 5
Is attached to a position where the light reflected on the medium placed on the image input surface 1b can be acquired.

Since the image input surface 1 is mountain-shaped,
When the booklet-shaped medium 7 in the spread state is placed, the medium on one side is placed on the image input surface 1a and the medium on the other side is placed on the image input surface 1b with the binding portion interposed therebetween. At this time,
Since the spread angle of the booklet-shaped medium 7 is suppressed to be small, the medium comes into close contact with the image input surfaces 1a and 1b even near the binding portion.

Reference numeral 8 is an image input surface 1, area sensors 2 and 3,
It is a housing to which the lenses 4 and 5 and the light source 6 are attached. 9
Is an area memory for temporarily storing the image data acquired by the area sensor 2, and 10 is an area memory for temporarily storing the image data acquired by the area sensor 3.

An image memory 11 reads the image data stored in the area memory 9 and the image data stored in the area memory 10 and integrates them to form image data for a spread on the booklet-shaped medium 7 in the spread state. .
An operation unit 12 includes an image data acquisition start switch and the like. 2 is an external perspective view of an optical image reading apparatus having an image input surface having the above-described structure, and FIG.
6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XX ′ in FIG. The image input surface 1 is a mountain shape having the image input surface 1a and the image input surface 1b as slopes, and the binding portion of the booklet-like medium is placed at the apex of the image input surface 1a and the image input surface 1b to form a binding portion. The medium on one side sandwiches the image input surface 1a and the medium on the other side sandwiches the image input surface 1a.
get on b.

The operation of reading an image from a booklet-like medium by the optical image reading apparatus having the above-mentioned structure will be described below. First, the booklet-shaped medium 7 in a spread state in which a desired page is opened is placed on the image input surface 1 so that the binding portion is placed at the apexes of the image input surface 1a and the image input surface 1b. Next, when the image data acquisition switch of the operation unit 12 is operated or an image reading instruction is issued from a host device (not shown), the light source 6 is turned on and the medium on the image data input surfaces 1a and 1b is illuminated. .

Then, the light reflected on the medium is reflected by the lenses 4, 5
Image data is acquired by the area sensors 2 and 3 by forming an image on the area sensors 2 and 3 through. At this time,
The image of the medium on the image input surface 1a is acquired by the area sensor 2 as image data, and the image of the medium on the image data input surface 1b is acquired by the area sensor 3 as image data.
The image data acquired by the area sensor 2 is the area memory 9
The image data acquired by the area sensor 3 is stored in the area memory 10.

The image data stored in the area memories 9 and 10 is sent to the image memory 11 so as to be configured and stored as image data for a spread on the booklet-shaped medium 7 in the spread state, and stored as necessary. You can output to paper or display. Here, when the booklet-shaped medium 7 is placed on the image input surfaces 1a and 1b, the spread angle of the booklet-shaped medium 7 is suppressed to a small value. It comes into close contact with the image input surfaces 1a and 1b.
Since the medium is not pressed down, the edges are not lifted up, and the image data acquired by the area sensors 9 and 10 is free from distortion.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing an example of the image data stored in the image memory 11, and from the booklet medium 7 to FIG.
When the image shown in FIG. 3B is read, the entire surface of the medium comes into close contact with the image input surfaces 1a and 1b without being lifted up. Therefore, as shown in FIG. Clear image data without distortion is stored.

In the above embodiment, the image memory 1
Although the image data for the two-page spread is integrated and stored in 1, the one of the image data stored in the area memories 9 and 10 is considered in consideration of the case where only one side of the two-page spread is required. Select only the image memory 11
May be stored in. In the first embodiment, by providing the two area sensors, the image data can be acquired from the two image input surfaces without providing the movable portion, and the structure can be simplified.

FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional view showing the arrangement of an optical image reading apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In the first embodiment described above, two area sensors are provided corresponding to the two image input surfaces, but in the second embodiment,
It is possible to obtain image data from two image input surfaces with one area sensor. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes an image input surface composed of a panel through which an image is transmitted. The image input surface 1 has a mountain shape, and slopes sandwiching the vertices are image input surfaces 1a and 1b, respectively.

A light source 6 irradiates the image input surface 1 with light. Reference numeral 21 is an area sensor for acquiring image data from the image input surfaces 1a and 1b, and 22 is a lens for connecting the image data to the area sensor 21. Reference numeral 24 is a reflecting mirror for guiding the image data from one of the image input surfaces, here the image input surface 1b, to the area sensor 21. The reflecting mirror 24 is rotatably supported by a support mechanism (not shown), and is driven by a drive mechanism (not shown) to rotate between an up position and a down position. Here, when the reflecting mirror 24 is in the up position, the area sensor 21, so that the light emitted from the light source 6 and reflected by the medium placed on the image input surface 1a can be directly acquired by the area sensor 21, A lens 22 is attached. At this time, the reflecting mirror 24 is in a position where it does not enter the optical path from the image input surface 1a to the area sensor 21. When the reflecting mirror 24 is at the down position, the light source 6 emits light,
The angle of the reflecting mirror 24 is determined so that the light reflected by the medium placed on the image input surface 1b is reflected by the reflecting mirror 24 and can be acquired by the area sensor 21.

Since the image input surface 1 is mountain-shaped,
When the booklet-shaped medium 7 in the spread state is placed, the medium on one side is placed on the image input surface 1a and the medium on the other side is placed on the image input surface 1b with the binding portion interposed therebetween. At this time,
Since the spread angle of the booklet-shaped medium 7 is suppressed to be small, the medium comes into close contact with the image input surfaces 1a and 1b even near the binding portion.

Reference numeral 8 denotes a housing in which the image input surface 1, the area sensor 21, the lens 22, the light source 6, the reflecting mirror 24, and the supporting mechanism and driving mechanism for the reflecting mirror 24 are mounted. 25 is an area memory for temporarily storing the image data acquired from the image input screen 1a side of the image data acquired by the area sensor 21, and 26 is the image input screen 1b side of the image data acquired by the area sensor 21. It is an area memory for temporarily storing the image data acquired from the.

An image memory 27 reads the image data stored in the area memory 25 and the image data stored in the area memory 26 and integrates them to form image data for a spread in the booklet-shaped medium 7 in the spread state. . Reference numeral 28 controls the drive mechanism (not shown) of the reflecting mirror 24, and also controls the area memories 25 and 26 to obtain the image data from the image input surface 1a side.
5 is a reflector control unit which stores this in the area 5 and stores it in the area memory 26 when the image data is obtained from the image input surface 1b side.

Reference numeral 12 is an operation unit including an image data acquisition start switch and the like. The operation when an image is read from a booklet-like medium by the optical image reading device having the above configuration will be described below. First, the booklet-shaped medium 7 in a spread state in which a desired page is opened is placed on the image input surface 1 so that the binding portion is placed at the apexes of the image input surface 1a and the image input surface 1b.

Next, when the image data acquisition switch of the operation unit 12 is operated or an image reading instruction is issued from a host device (not shown), the light source 6 is turned on. At this time, the reflecting mirror 24 is in the up position, and the medium on the image data input surface 1a is illuminated. Then, the light reflected on the medium is imaged on the area sensor 21 through the lens 22,
Image data is acquired by the area sensor 21. At this time, since the reflecting mirror 24 is at the up position, the reflecting mirror control unit 28 stores the image data acquired by the area sensor 21 in the area memory 25.

When the storage of the image data in the area memory 25 is completed, the reflecting mirror control section 28 controls a driving mechanism (not shown) to rotate the reflecting mirror to the down position. As a result, the medium on the image input surface 1b is illuminated by the light source 6, and the light reflected by the medium is reflected by the reflecting mirror 24 and is reflected by the lens 2
By forming an image on the area sensor 21 through 2, the area sensor 21 acquires image data. At this time, since the reflecting mirror 24 is in the down position, the reflecting mirror control unit 28 stores the image data acquired by the area sensor 21 in the area memory 26.

The image data stored in the area memories 25 and 26 is sent to the image memory 27,
Image data corresponding to the spread in the booklet-shaped medium 7 in the spread state is configured and stored, and can be output to paper or a display as necessary. here,
Similar to the first embodiment, when the booklet-shaped medium 7 is placed on the image input surfaces 1a and 1b, the spread angle of the booklet-shaped medium 7 is suppressed to be small. Is brought into close contact with the image input surfaces 1a and 1b, and the image data obtained by the area sensors 25 and 26 has no distortion. As described with reference to FIG. No clear image data is stored.

In the above embodiment, the image memory 2
Although the image data for the two-page spread is integrated and stored in FIG. 7, one of the image data stored in the area memories 25 and 26 is considered in consideration of the case where only one side of the two-page spread is required. Select only the image memory 2
7 may be stored. Second above
In this embodiment, since the image data can be acquired from the two image input surfaces with one area sensor, the cost can be reduced.

The structure of the first or second embodiment is the optical image reading device used when an image is input using a booklet-like medium such as a passbook, or filing using image data. The system can be used in an optical image reader for reading data from a book.

[0030]

As described above, according to the present invention, the shape of the image input surface is mountain-shaped, the binding portion of the booklet-shaped medium in the spread state is placed on the top of the mountain-shaped portion, and the binding portion is sandwiched between one of them. Place the medium on one side on one of the image input surfaces that make up the mountain-shaped slope,
Since the image data is acquired by placing the medium on the other side on the image input surface of the other side, it is possible to suppress the lifting of the medium without pressing the booklet-like medium, and thereby to obtain clear images without distortion. It is possible to obtain a clear image.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a configuration of an optical image reading apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of the optical image reading apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of image data stored in an image memory.

FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional view showing a configuration of an optical image reading device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1a Image input surface 1b Image input surface 2 Area sensor 3 Area sensor 11 Image memory

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An optical image reading apparatus which mounts a medium on an image input surface composed of a panel which transmits an image, and irradiates the medium with light to obtain image data. An optical image reading device, characterized in that a mold is used and two slopes are respectively used as image input surfaces. 2. The optical image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein two acquisition units that acquire image data from each of the two image input surfaces and image data acquired by the two acquisition units are integrated. An optical image reading device comprising a storage unit for storing. 3. The optical image reading device according to claim 1, wherein an acquisition unit that acquires image data from one of the two image input surfaces and image data from the other surface of the image input surface to the acquisition unit. And a control mechanism that moves the reflecting mirror so as to retract the reflecting mirror when acquiring image data from one surface of the image input surface by the acquiring unit, and the image acquired by the acquiring unit. An optical image reading apparatus comprising: a storage unit that integrally stores image data of one surface of an input surface and image data of the other surface.