JPS6251369A - Scanner - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain miniaturization by constituting the titled scanner that both sides of a slip are read by one reading, tilting a carrying path totally to a horizontal plane so as to simplify the processing of both side reading of the slip thereby decreasing the read processing time. CONSTITUTION:Since the carrying path 11 is tilted to the horizontal plane, the straight line carrying distance D is prolonged more than a conventional distance while the width of the scanner is suppressed to the same degree as that of a conventional scanner, jamming of the slip hardly takes place so as to stabilize the carrying of the slip and the reading and the broadwise direction of the scanner is decreased. The slip 12 carried from a document supply mechanism 36 to the carrying path 11 is carried along the carrying path 11 y a carrying roller 10 and the picture on the front and rear sides is read simultaneously by read sections 14A, 14B. When the tail end of the slip 12 passes the read position of the read section 14B, the reading of the slip 12 is finished and when the transfer of the digital picture information on the front is finished, the digital picture information on the rear side is outputted from a picture buffer 32 and transferred to an external picture processing system or the like through a transmission circuit 34.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a scanner that reads information on forms (not limited to sheet-like forms but also includes sheet-like forms; the same applies hereinafter). The present invention relates to a scanner that reads information on both sides of a form in one reading operation.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, a scanner used for OCR, facsimile, etc. has been configured to have only one set of reading means consisting of a light source, an optical system, an image sensor, and the like.

[Problem to be solved] With this configuration, in order to read both sides of a form, first input the form into the scanner and have it read one side, then turn the form over and input it. It was necessary to perform the reading operation twice, such as reading the other side.

Such operations are not only troublesome, but also take a long time to read. In addition, even if there is a continuous paper feed function, if a large number of documents are input continuously using that function, only odd or even pages will be read continuously, and post-processing such as rearranging the read information in page order may result. is required.

[Object of the Invention] An object of the present invention is to provide a scanner that can read both sides of a form in one reading operation, solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, and is miniaturized.

[Means for solving the problem - To achieve this object, the scanner according to the present invention includes a mechanism for transporting a form along a conveyance path, and a mechanism for conveying the front and back sides of the form along the conveyance path. The apparatus is provided with two reading means for reading each, and is configured so that both sides of the form can be read in one reading operation, and the conveyance path is inclined as a whole with respect to a horizontal plane.

[Function] Since both sides of the form are read by just inputting the form once, the reading process operation for forms that require double-sided reading is simplified and the reading process time is shortened.

Additionally, when multiple forms are input in succession, it can be easily configured to output the read information on the front and back sides of each form to the outside in sequence, eliminating the need for conventional post-processing for page alignment. .

Furthermore, since the conveyance path is inclined with respect to the horizontal plane, a sufficient linear conveyance distance can be ensured without increasing the size of the scanner, preventing form jams and stabilizing the conveyance operation and reading operation.

[Embodiment] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a simplified configuration of the main parts of a scanner according to the present invention. In this figure, 10 carries the form 12 on the transport path 1.
This is a conveyance roller for conveying along 1. This conveyance path 11 is inclined with respect to the horizontal plane as shown in the figure. The drive mechanism for the conveyance roller 10 is omitted in the figure.

A reading unit 14A for reading the front side of the form and a reading unit 14B for reading the back side of the form are provided in the middle of the conveyance path 11. Each reading section 14A, 14B
have the same configuration, including a light source 18 (for example, a fluorescent light) for illuminating the reading position of the form, a one-dimensional image sensor 20 (for example, a COD linear image sensor), and an optical image of the reading position of the corresponding surface of the form. It consists of mirrors 22, 24 and a lens 26 for forming an image on the image sensor 20.

Here, the reading position of the back side reading section 14B is shifted in the transport direction 28 by a distance ML with respect to the reading position of the front side reading section 14A.

If the reading position on each side is the same, the light source 18 of the back side reading section 14B can be used when handling thin or translucent forms.
There is an inconvenience in that the image on the back side is illuminated by the front side and is read by the front side reading section 14A, or similarly, the image on the front side is shown through on the back side and it is read by the back side reading section 14B. happen. However, as mentioned above, because the reading position of each commercial product's reading section is shifted in the transport direction, the image of the opposite side is not incident on each commercial product's reading section. The inconvenience will be resolved. Therefore, thin forms and translucent forms can also be processed. The deviation distance may be determined so that such a problem of transparency does not occur, and is determined to be, for example, about 30 mm.

Analog image signals output from the image sensors 20 of each reading section 14A, 14B are sent to the electronic circuit section. This electronic circuit section is shown in FIG. In this figure, 30A
, 30B are image signal processing circuits, each of which corresponds to the reading section 1.
It performs binarization processing, dither processing, etc. on the analog image signals input from the image sensors 20 of 4A and 14B, and outputs digital image information. An image buffer 32 is capable of storing one page of digital image information, and the digital image information read from the back side is temporarily stored in this buffer. The transfer circuit 34 receives digital image information input from the image signal processing circuit 30A or the image buffer 3.
The digital image information input from 2 is serially transferred to an external image processing system or the like.

Note that there are also a control section for each section 30A, 30B, 32.34, a control section for the image sensor 20, an interface control section for connecting an external image processing system, etc., but these are omitted from the drawing.

Referring again to FIG. 36 is a form supply mechanism section;
The stacked forms are separated one by one and transported to the lower end of the transport path 11. The brought in forms are conveyed along the conveyance path 11 in the direction of the arrow 28 by the conveyance rollers 10, discharged from the upper end of the conveyance path 11, and accumulated on the tray 38.

Here, in order to prevent the form from jamming in the conveyance path 11'2 and to stabilize the form conveyance and reading operation,
It is preferable to transport the form linearly at least in the vicinity of the reading units 14A and 14B, and to make the linear transport distance as long as possible.

However, if the conveyance path is made horizontal as in the past, if you try to ensure a sufficient straight conveyance distance, the width of the scanner (
(size in the direction of the conveyance path) increases, or a sufficient linear conveyance distance cannot be secured due to constraints on the width of the scanner.

In contrast, according to the present invention, since the conveyance path 11 is inclined with respect to the horizontal plane, the width of the scanner can be kept to the same level as before, the linear conveyance distance can be longer than before, and paper jams can be prevented. In short, it is possible to stabilize the document conveyance and reading operations. In other words, the scanner can be made smaller in the width direction while maintaining the same linear conveyance distance as the conventional one.

Next, the overall operation of this scanner will be explained. In Figure 3,
The operation timing diagram is shown below.

Form 1 carried into the conveyance path 11 from the form supply mechanism section 36
2 is conveyed along a conveyance path 11 by conveyance rollers 10, and images on the front and back sides are simultaneously read by reading sections 14A and 14B.

Digital image information corresponding to the front surface of the form 12 is output from the image signal processing circuit 30A, but this is immediately transferred to an external image processing system or the like via the transfer circuit 34. The image signal processing circuit 30B outputs digital image information corresponding to the back side of the form 12, which is temporarily stored in the image buffer 32.

When the rear end of the form 12 passes the reading position of the reading section 14B, the reading operation of the form 12 ends (the transport operation for ejecting the form, etc. is performed). After that, when the transfer of the digital image information on the front side is completed, the image buffer 3
2 outputs the digital image information on the back side, and transfers it to the transfer circuit 3.
4 to an external image processing system.

In this way, the images of the front and back sides of the form 12 are read simultaneously, and the read information is sequentially transferred to an external image processing system or the like in the order of the front side and the back side. Therefore, when multiple forms are input continuously and each form is read, the external image processing system inputs the reading information of the successive forms in page order, and processes such as page alignment. There is no need to do this.

Note that, if there is no problem with the processing capacity of an external image processing system, etc., it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which read information on both sides of a form is transferred simultaneously or alternately and sequentially on a line-by-line basis.

The form conveyance mechanism is not limited to the roller conveyance mechanism as in the above embodiments, but may be a belt conveyance mechanism, for example.

The form may be carried in from the upper end of the conveyance path and ejected from the lower end.

The configuration of the reading section can also be changed as appropriate.

Furthermore, this invention is not limited to independent scanners;
It goes without saying that the present invention can be similarly applied to scanner units of R, facsimiles, electronic copying machines, and the like.

[Effects of the Invention As explained above, according to the present invention, the scanner can:
A mechanism for transporting a form along a conveyance path, and two reading means for respectively reading the front and back sides of the form in the middle of the transport path, so that both sides of the form can be read in one reading operation. Since the transport path is entirely inclined with respect to the horizontal plane, it is possible to easily perform double-sided reading of documents, shorten the reading processing time, and read multiple documents in succession. When input, it can be easily configured to sequentially output the scanned information on the front and back sides of each form, eliminating the need for conventional post-processing for page alignment, and making it possible to use larger scanners. It is possible to secure a sufficient linear conveyance distance for documents, prevent jamming of documents, and achieve stable conveyance and reading operations without having to do so.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic mechanical diagram showing the configuration of the main parts of the scanner according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the main parts of the electronic circuit section of the scanner, and FIG. 3 is an operation timing diagram of the scanner. 10... Conveyance roller, 11... Conveyance path, 12...
Form, 14A... Front side reading unit, 14B... Back side reading unit, 18... Light source, 20... Image sensor, 22° 24... Mirror, 26... Lens, image signal processing Circuit, 32... Image buffer, 34... Transfer circuit, form supply mechanism section, 38... Tray.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A mechanism for conveying a form along a conveyance path, and two reading means for reading the front and back sides of the form, respectively, in the middle of the conveyance path, so that both sides of the form can be read by one reading operation. What is claimed is: 1. A scanner configured to perform reading, and wherein the conveying path is entirely inclined with respect to a horizontal plane.