JP2647210B2 - Cassette positioning mechanism for image reading device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention is configured to automatically and highly accurately position and hold a cassette containing a document to be read on a rotary table provided on a document table. The present invention relates to a cassette positioning mechanism of an image reading device.

[Prior Art] For example, in the fields of printing and plate making, image scanning, reading and reproducing in which a film original is created by electrically processing image information carried on a document for the purpose of streamlining work processes, improving image quality, etc. The system is widely used.

In this case, in the image reading apparatus constituting the image scanning reading and reproducing system, the read document is substantially accommodated in a cassette, and the cassette is conveyed in a sub-scanning manner through a document table while the illumination light source is energized. Illumination light is emitted in the main scanning direction, whereby the image information carried on the read document is read two-dimensionally.

By the way, the platen is provided with a table that can move forward and backward in the trimming direction with respect to the platen, and a rotary table is provided in the center of the table.
An operator must perform an operation of directly attaching and detaching the cassette to and from the rotary table. For this reason, the attachment / detachment work of the cassette is complicated and inefficient.
Conventionally, a mechanism for automatically transporting a cassette to the rotary table has been desired.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in order to automatically convey the cassette to the rotary table via the conveying mechanism, it is necessary to devise a technique for positioning and holding the cassette with respect to the rotary table with high accuracy and robustness. Become. When the rotary table is rotated, the cassette is likely to be displaced, which causes a problem that the reading operation of the document stored in the cassette cannot be performed with high accuracy.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a cassette positioning mechanism of an image reading apparatus configured so that a cassette can be positioned and held with high accuracy and firmly on a rotary table.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a rotating table which can adjust a cassette containing a document to be read to a desired reading angle with respect to a document table, and both sides of the cassette. And a transport mechanism for supporting the cassette side and automatically transporting the cassette to the rotary table. Guide means for guiding the cassette to the table and positioning and holding the cassette at least in the optical axis direction of the reading illumination light; and positioning and holding the cassette held by the guide means with respect to the rotary table by the guide means. Locking means for positioning and holding in a direction substantially orthogonal to the direction, wherein the lock is provided when the rotary table is arranged at an angular position for cassette attachment / detachment. An actuator capable of releasing the holding action of the cassette by separating the means from the cassette conveying path of the rotary table.

[Operation] In the cassette positioning mechanism of the image reading apparatus according to the present invention, the cassette is positioned with high accuracy under the action of the lock means and the guide means with respect to the rotary table. Then
After the rotating table is rotated as necessary, the reading operation of the image information carried on the document to be read in the cassette is performed. Further, the lock means is released under the action of the actuator, and the cassette is fed out of the rotary table under the guide action of the guide means.

Embodiment An embodiment of a cassette positioning mechanism of an image reading apparatus according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 10 denotes an image reading apparatus in which the cassette positioning mechanism according to the present embodiment is incorporated. A cassette attaching / detaching portion 14 is formed at one upper end side of the housing 12 constituting the image reading apparatus 10, and the cassette 20 is introduced into the housing 12 through the cassette attaching / detaching portion 14 and from the inside of the housing 12. The cassette 20 is led out. Here, the cassette 20 has a frame 22, and V
The letter-shaped grooves 24a and 24b are formed, and a light-transmissive member such as a glass plate 26 is attached to the frame 22. Frame
A glass plate 28, which is also a light-transmitting member, is swingably supported at one end of the glass plate 22. The glass plate 28 and the glass plate 26
Thus, the read original S is clamped (see FIGS. 4 and 5).

A cassette insertion port 30 is provided near the cassette attaching / detaching portion 14, and a locking mechanism 50 is provided near the cassette insertion port 30.
And a linear solenoid 52 constituting
One end of a locking member 58 is swingably connected to the linear solenoid 52. Therefore, the other end of the locking member 58 enters the cassette insertion port 30 under the driving action of the linear solenoid 52, and a new cassette 20 is erroneously carried into the housing 12 from the cassette insertion port 30. Can be prevented.

One end of the transport mechanism 100 is disposed near the locking mechanism 50, and the other end of the transport mechanism 100 extends above a rotary table described later. As shown in FIG. 2, the transport mechanism 100 includes a frame 102, and a plurality of rods 104 are fixed to one end of the frame 102 in the transport direction in an upright state. The guide roller 106 engaged with the V-shaped groove 24a is supported. On the other end side of the frame 102, a guide roller 110 which is similarly engaged with the other V-shaped groove 24b of the cassette 20 via a plurality of rods 108 in the transport direction is provided.

A rotary drive source 114 is fixed to the frame 102, and one end of a timing belt 118 is engaged with a pulley 116 that is mounted on a drive shaft of the rotary drive source 114. The timing belt 118
Drives the roller pair 120, the first transport roller group 122, and the second transport roller group 124 via a rotational force transmitting means 119 including a pulley and a gear train engaged with the roller. The first conveying roller group 122 has a plurality of rotating shafts 130 rotated via a rotating force transmitting means 119, and is separated from the rotating shaft 130 by a predetermined distance so as to engage with the upper surface of the frame 22 of the cassette 20. Thus, a pair of transport rollers 132 are axially mounted. On the other hand, the second transport roller group 124
Has a plurality of rotating shafts 136 similarly engaged with the rotating force transmitting means 119, and each of the rotating shafts 136 has a pair of conveying rollers 13
8, the transport roller 138 is configured to be able to move up and down via a displacement mechanism (not shown) including a cam.

First and second transport roller group 1 constituting transport mechanism 100
A document table 200 is disposed below the reference numerals 22 and 124 via a sub-scanning mechanism 202 so as to be able to advance and retreat in the sub-scanning direction (the direction of arrow A). The sub-scanning mechanism 202 includes a rotary drive source 204, and a ball screw 206 is connected to the rotary drive source 204.
Is fitted to a nut member 208 fixed to one side of the document table 200, and both sides of the document table 200 are
Held at 10.

The document table 200 is provided with a trimming mechanism 250 for moving the cassette 20 forward and backward in a trimming direction, that is, a direction orthogonal to the sub-scanning direction (the direction of arrow A). The trimming mechanism 250 includes a rotation drive source 25 attached to the document table 200.
2, and one end of a ball screw 254 is connected to the rotary drive source 252. The ball screw 254 extends in the trimming direction, is fitted to a nut member (not shown) provided on the trim table 256, and the other end is supported by the document table 200. A set of guide bars 260 extending in the trimming direction and parallel to each other is fixed to the document table 200, and the trim table 256 is supported by the guide bars 260.

An opening 262 having a relatively large diameter is formed in the trim base 256, and guide rollers 264a and 264b are supported near the opening 262 on the same straight line as the guide rollers 106 and 110 constituting the transport mechanism 100. Is done. Furthermore, a rotation mechanism 300 for rotating the cassette 20 by a predetermined angle on the trim base 256,
A cassette positioning mechanism 400 according to the present embodiment for positioning and holding the cassette 20 on a rotary table 302 constituting the rotation mechanism 300 is provided.

A gear train is connected to a rotation drive source (not shown) constituting the rotating mechanism 300, and the gear train is
The rotating table 302 is supported by support rollers 310a, 310b and 312a, 312b provided on a trim base 256, while being engaged with a ring-shaped gear 318 fixed to 302.

The cassette positioning mechanism 400 includes an actuator, for example, a rotary drive source 402 fixed to the lower surface side of the trim base 256, and a cam plate 404 is engaged with a rotary shaft of the rotary drive source 402 (first to third). See figure). The rotary table 302 is at an angular position for attaching and detaching the cassette 20, and a cam plate 404 is provided.
Is provided with a lock means 405 which can be engaged with the lock member. The locking means 405 includes a slide member 406,
A rack 408 is integrally formed with 6. A coil spring 410 is engaged with the end of the slide member 406, and the slide member 406 is constantly urged toward the cam plate 404 through the elastic force of the coil spring 410.

The pinion 412 is engaged with the rack 408, and the pinion 41
2 and one end of a locking plate 414 is engaged with the locking plate.
414 is bent on the way, and an elastic member 416 is attached to the other end. Therefore, when no external force acts on the slide member 406, the locking plate 414 swings vertically upward under the resilience of the coil spring 410, and the end face of the cassette 20 is pressed by the elastic member 416. On the other hand, when the cam plate 404 is engaged with the slide member 406, the locking plate 414 swings in the horizontal direction, and the elastic member 416 is retracted inside the turntable 302.

In the present embodiment, the slide member 406 is
Although the slide member 406 is configured to be pressed by the cam plate 404 connected to the 02, the slide member 406 may be pressed by a rod (not shown) which is connected to a linear solenoid and can move forward and backward.

As shown in FIG. 1, a stopper 418 is fixed to the turntable 302 so as to face the elastic member 416, and elastic members 420a and 420b which are engaged with the end of the cassette 20 are provided on the end surface of the stopper 418. Is provided. Lock plate 4 on rotary table 302
Each of the plurality of rotating bodies 422 which is located between the stopper 14 and the stopper 418 and is engaged with the bottom surface on both sides of the frame 22 constituting the cassette 20.
a and 422b are provided. Fixed shafts 424a and 424b that support the rotating bodies 422a and 422b are mounted directly on the upper surface 302a of the rotary table 302, and thereby the rotary table 30
The height position of the cassette 20 relative to 2 can be secured accurately (see FIG. 4).

Guide means 425 capable of positioning and holding the cassette 20 in the optical axis direction (described later) is provided on the rotary table 302. The guide means 425 includes a rod 426 supported in a direction perpendicular to the outside of the rotating body 422a.
Is configured to be able to move up and down through the resilience of a coil spring 428, and a guide roller 430 is supported on the upper end thereof. On the other hand, outside the rotating body 422b, a plurality of rods 43
The rod 431 is vertically oriented, and the rod 431 moves up and down under the resilient action of the coil spring 432 and swings around the pin 436 via the resilient force of the coil spring 434. The guide roller 438 is supported at the end.

The light source 450 constituting the transmission illumination mechanism in the housing 12 is indicated by an arrow A
An image reading unit 500 that photoelectrically reads the illumination light L derived from the light source 450 is provided below the light source 450.

The image reading unit 500 includes a bracket 502, which is engaged with a ball screw 504 extending in the optical axis direction (the direction of arrow I in FIG. 2) and connected to the ball screw 504. It is configured to be able to advance and retreat in the optical axis P direction under the driving action of the rotary drive source 506. A turntable 510 is supported on an upper portion of the bracket 502 via a support shaft 508, and a belt 514 that engages with a rotation drive source 512 fixed to the bracket 502 is stretched on the turntable 510. A plurality of imaging lenses 516 are arranged on the turntable 510 at equal angular intervals while being accommodated in the holder 518.

Also, the optical axis P is attached to the bracket 502 in parallel with the ball screw 504.
A ball screw 520 is supported extending in the direction, and a rotation drive source 522 is connected to an end of the ball screw 520,
The movable base 526 is engaged with the ball screw 520. A holder 528 is attached to the movable base 526, and the holder 528 is provided with a first CCD 530a, a second CCD 530b, and a third CCD 530c into which illumination light L split into three directions by a prism (not shown) is introduced. At this time, the first CCD 530a to the third CCD 530c photoelectrically read the color image information carried on the read original S as image information corresponding to each of R, G, and B colors.

The image reading apparatus incorporating the cassette positioning mechanism according to the present embodiment is basically configured as described above, and the operation thereof will be described next.

When the cassette 20 containing the desired document S to be read is inserted into the cassette insertion port 30 from the cassette attaching / detaching portion 14, the leading end of the cassette 20 is nipped by the roller pair 120, and the rotation drive source 114 is driven. Is done. For this reason, pulley 11
6. The roller pair 120, the first conveying roller group 122, and the second conveying roller group 124 are integrally driven to rotate via the timing belt 118 and the rotational force transmitting means 119. Accordingly, the cassette 20 having the frame 22 sandwiched between the roller pairs 120 is transferred to the first transport roller group 122 side, and the first transport roller group 122
Are formed on the upper surface of the frame 22, and V-shaped grooves 24 formed on both sides of the frame 22 are formed.
The guide rollers 106 and 110 are fitted to the
Is moved to the second transport roller group 124 side.

The leading end of the cassette 20 abuts and is supported by the stopper 418 under the guide action of the transport rollers 138 constituting the second transport roller group 124 and the guide rollers 430 and 438 constituting the guide means 425 provided on the rotary table 302. After that, the rotation drive source 1
The drive of 14 is stopped. Here, a rod 426 supporting the guide roller 430 is urged toward the rotary table 302 via a coil spring 428, and the guide roller 438 is rotated via the coil springs 432 and 434.
It is urged toward the 302 side and the guide roller 430 side.
Therefore, the cassette 20 is resiliently supported on both sides by the guide rollers 430 and 438, and the frame 22 is
2b by pressing against the rotary table 302 at its height position,
That is, the position in the optical axis P direction is adjusted.

Next, the rotation drive source 402 constituting the cassette positioning mechanism 400 is driven, the cam plate 404 is rotated by a predetermined angle, and its small diameter portion is opposed to the slide member 406 constituting the lock means 405 (see FIG. 3). ). For this reason, the slide member 406 is displaced toward the cam plate 404 through the elastic force of the coil spring 410, and the pinion 412 meshed with the rack 408 provided on the slide member 406 is rotated and locked. The plate 414 is swung vertically upward and the elastic member 416
As a result, the cassette 20 is pressed toward the stopper 418. As a result, the cassette 20 moves the optical axis P with respect to the rotary table 302.
In a direction substantially perpendicular to the position.

After the cassette 20 is positioned and held with respect to the rotary table 302, the displacement mechanism 140 is driven to drive the second transport roller group 124
Is separated from the cassette 20.

Next, in order to adjust the angular position of the read original S held in the cassette 20, the rotating mechanism 300 is driven as necessary. In addition, the trimming mechanism 250 is driven as necessary to trim the read original S. That is,
The trim base 256 is displaced in a direction substantially orthogonal to the sub-scanning direction under the driving action of the rotary drive source 252, whereby the trimming operation of the read original S is mechanically performed.

At this time, in this embodiment, the cassette 20 is
Further, the cassette 20 is firmly held by the rotary table 302 via the guide means 425, so that even if the rotary table 302 is rotated and / or trimmed, the cassette 20 does not shift. Moreover, while the lock means 405 is provided on the rotary table 302, the rotary drive source 402 for driving the lock means 405 is fixed to the trim base 256, so that the rotary table 302 can be smoothly moved to a desired angle. The effect of being able to rotate is obtained.

After the cassette 20 is positioned with respect to the document table 200, the rotation drive source 204 constituting the sub-scanning mechanism 202 is driven, and the document table 200 is moved in the sub-scanning direction ( The light source 450 is energized while being conveyed in the direction of arrow A). Accordingly, when the illumination light L derived from the light source 450 passes through the read original S in the main scanning direction, the color image information carried on the read original S is extracted as an optical signal, and the image as the optical signal is output. Information is radiated to each of the CCDs 530a to 530c via a predetermined imaging lens 516 arranged on the optical axis P under the action of the rotary drive source 512 in advance. Thus, the color image information as the optical signal corresponds to each of the R, G and B colors, and the CCD 530a to CCD 530a
Read photoelectrically by 30c. During this time, the document table 200 is being conveyed in the sub-scanning direction in the direction of arrow A, and the read document S is two-dimensionally irradiated with the illumination light L, its color image information is taken out, and all of them are read by the respective CCDs 530a to 530c. become.

In this case, the cassette 20 is positioned on the rotary table 302 in the optical axis P direction via the guide means 425, and is also positioned in the direction substantially orthogonal to the optical axis P direction by the guide means 425 and the lock means 405. I have. For this reason, it is possible to read the image information carried on the read document S stored in the cassette 20 with high accuracy.

After the reading operation of the read original S is completed, the sub-scanning mechanism 202
The document table 200 under the action of the rotary drive source 204 constituting the
After that, the trimming mechanism 250 and the rotating mechanism 300 are driven as necessary, and the rotary table 302 is moved.
Is positioned at the position where the cassette 20 is attached and detached. Here, while driving the displacement mechanism 140 to cause the transport rollers 138 constituting the second transport roller group 124 to abut on the upper surface of the frame 22 of the cassette 20, the rotation drive source 402 constituting the cassette positioning mechanism 400 The large diameter side of the cam plate 404 is engaged with the slide member 406 under the driving action, and the locking plate 414 is separated from the cassette 20 and retracted inside the rotary table 302.

Therefore, the pulley 116 is rotated in the opposite direction to that described above under the driving action of the rotary drive source 114 constituting the transport mechanism 100, and the second transport roller group 124 and the first transport roller 124 are rotated via the timing belt 118 and the rotational force transmitting means 119. Roller group 122 and roller pair 12
0 is driven to cause the cassette 20 to be drawn out of the cassette attaching / detaching portion 14 outward. At that time, the locking mechanism 50
If the locking member 58 is disengaged from the cassette insertion port 30 under the action of the above, the cassette 20 is carried out to the outside through the cassette insertion port 30.

Next, another embodiment of the guide means constituting the cassette positioning mechanism 400 is shown in FIG. Note that the same components as those of the guide means 425 according to the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

In this case, in the guide means 600 according to the second embodiment, the column 602 is rotatably disposed between the respective guide rollers 430, and the swing column 604 is provided between the respective guide rollers 430a.
Are provided rotatably. The guide rollers 430, 430a
Is configured to be able to move up and down with respect to the rotary table 302,
The rocking column 604 is a fixed column 602 via an elastic body (not shown).
It can swing to the side.

Therefore, the guide rollers 430, 430a engage with the V-shaped grooves 24a, 24b of the cassette 20 to press and hold the cassette 20 on the rotary table 302, and the swing column 604 moves the cassette 20 toward the column 602. Press. Thus, the guide means 600 is operated in the same manner as the guide means 425 described above.

Also, in FIG. 6, the guide roller 430a and the swing column
Guide roller 438 that can move up and down and swing in place of 604
In this case, the guide means 42 can be used.
Of course, it is operated in the same way as 5.

[Effects of the Invention] The cassette positioning mechanism of the image reading apparatus according to the present invention configured as described above has the following effects.

The cassette accommodating the document to be read is firmly positioned and held on the rotary table via the lock means, and it is possible to prevent the cassette from being displaced when the rotary table performs a desired operation.

Further, since the cassette is positioned and held at least in the optical axis direction with respect to the rotary table via the guide means, the read original stored in the cassette can be automatically and accurately arranged at a desired angular position. Will be possible.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a cassette positioning mechanism according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of an image reading apparatus incorporating the cassette positioning mechanism, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a sectional side view of a guide means constituting the cassette positioning mechanism, FIG. 5 is a perspective explanatory view of the cassette, and FIG. 6 is another embodiment of the guide means constituting the cassette positioning mechanism. It is a perspective explanatory view. 10 image reading device, 14 cassette attachment / detachment section 20 cassette, 100 transport mechanism 140 displacement mechanism, 200 platen 202 sub-scanning mechanism, 250 trimming mechanism 300 rotation Mechanism 400: Cassette positioning mechanism 402: Rotating drive source, 405: Locking means 414: Locking plate, 422a, 422b: Rotating body 425: Guide means 430, 438: Guide roller 450: Light source, 500 image reading section 600 guide means

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A rotary table capable of adjusting a cassette accommodating a document to be read to a desired reading angle with respect to a document table, and supporting both sides of the cassette to automatically move the cassette relative to the rotary table. A transport mechanism for transporting the cassette, supporting both sides of the cassette transported via the transport mechanism to guide the cassette to the rotary table, and at least light of the illumination light for reading the cassette. Guide means capable of axially positioning and holding; locking means for positioning and holding the cassette held by the guide means in a direction substantially orthogonal to the positioning and holding direction of the guide means with respect to the rotary table; When the lock unit is disposed at the cassette attaching / detaching angle position, the locking unit is separated from the cassette conveying path of the rotary table. Image reading apparatus of a cassette positioning mechanism which is characterized by comprising an actuator capable of releasing the holding action of the serial cassette.