JPH0583468A - Image sensor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make this image sensor easy to be assembled in electronic equipment such as facsimile equipment, etc., and to improve transportation efficiency. CONSTITUTION:The shape of the cross section of a frame 1 is formed to a shape decreased in size toward a glass cover 2 fitted on the upper plane of the frame 1. A sensor illumination unit 5 provided with a light emitting element 3 and a light receiving element 4 is fixed on the lower part of the frame 1, and a rod lens array 6 to converge reflected light from an original W is arranged obliquely so that the optical axis of the lens array can be arranged at a some inclination angle to the plane of the glass cover 2. Light from the light emitting element 3 is made incident on the original W on the glass cover 2 almost perpendicularly, and the reflected light from the original W is converged by the rod lens array 6, and is received on the light receiving element 4, then, it is converted to an electrical signal.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image sensor used in facsimiles, optical character readers and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 4 shows a conventional general image sensor. FIG. 4 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of a main part in a plane orthogonal to the scanning direction. In this image sensor, a transparent cover (glass cover) 61 is provided on the upper surface of a frame 60 having a rectangular cross section, and the original document W, which is an imaging target placed on the glass cover 61, is irradiated with light in the frame 60. Light emitting element 6
2 and a rod lens array 64 which is an optical system for collecting the reflected light from the document W.
And a sensor unit 66 having a light receiving element 65 for receiving light from the rod lens array 64.

In such an image sensor, the light emitted from the light emitting element 62 is about 45 with respect to the surface of the glass cover 61.
The document W placed on the glass cover 61 is irradiated at an angle of degrees. The light reflected by the original W perpendicularly to the glass cover 61 is condensed by the rod lens array 64, received by the light receiving element 65 located therebelow, and converted into an electric signal.

[0004]

In the above-mentioned conventional image sensor, as can be seen from FIG. 4, the cross-sectional shape of the frame 60 is generally rectangular (rectangular, square, or similar shape). Is. When incorporating such an image sensor into an electronic device such as a facsimile, the image sensor and the electronic device are incorporated while aligning the position with respect to the platen roller with reference to a screw hole or a reference hole provided in the incorporated part. However, this is not only troublesome in assembling work, but also difficult in position alignment. If the frame 60 has a rectangular cross-sectional shape as shown in FIG. 4, the image sensors can only be arranged in a line at the time of packaging, and the product cannot be efficiently transported.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an image sensor which can be easily incorporated into an electronic device such as a facsimile and which can improve the transportation efficiency.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the image sensor of the present invention is characterized in that, in the conventional image sensor, the cross-sectional shape of the frame is tapered toward the transparent cover. .. By doing this,
As will be described in the following embodiments, not only can it be easily installed at a predetermined position of an electronic device by using, for example, a mounting guide or a leaf spring, but also the number of items that can be packed is increased to improve the transportation efficiency of products. Also improves.

In the image sensor of the present invention, as long as the cross-sectional shape of the frame can be tapered, there is no limitation on the way of arranging the light emitting portion, the optical system, the light receiving portion, etc. provided in the frame, and how they are arranged. It doesn't matter.

[0008]

EXAMPLES The image sensor of the present invention will be described below based on examples. FIG. 1 shows a cross section of a main part of the embodiment. In this image sensor, the cross section of the frame 1 is not rectangular, but is tapered toward the transparent cover (glass cover) 2 attached to the upper surface of the frame 1. That is, in this embodiment, one surface of the frame 1 has a gradient. In order to obtain such a modified frame, in this embodiment, the illumination unit and the sensor unit found in the conventional image sensor shown in FIG.
A sensor illumination unit 5 having a light emitting element (LED chip or the like) 3 and a light receiving element (photodiode chip or the like) 4 is provided, and this unit 5 is arranged below the frame 1. Further, the rod lens array 6 which is an optical system for collecting the reflected light from the original W on the glass cover 2 is obliquely arranged so that its optical axis has an inclination angle with respect to the surface of the glass cover 2. I am doing it. With this configuration, the light emitting element 3 is located directly below the glass cover 2, and the light receiving element 4 is located on the optical axis of the rod lens array 6.

The sensor illumination unit 5 is supported so as not to move by a curved support member 7 provided in the lower portion of the frame 1, and the rod lens array 6 is pressed and fixed to the inner wall of the frame 1 by a lens retainer 8. A light reflection plate 9 for efficiently guiding the light from the light emitting element 3 to the document W is provided in the frame 1, and the surface of the lens retainer 8 facing the light reflection plate 9 also reflects the light. have.

In this image sensor, the light emitted from the light emitting element 3 is vertically incident on the original W on the glass cover 2,
The reflected light from the document W is condensed by the rod lens array 6, received by the light receiving element 4, and converted into an electric signal. When the image sensor is incorporated in an electronic device such as a facsimile, if the mounting guides 20 and 21 and the leaf spring 22 attached to the guide 20 are provided on the facsimile side as shown in FIG. The image sensor 10 can be attached at a predetermined position of the facsimile simply by inserting and fitting the guide between the guides 20 and 21. Moreover, the leaf spring 22 allows the image sensor 10
Is supported and pressed against the platen roller 30. Since this method of assembling is based on the outer shape of the image sensor 10, it can be easily mounted on an electronic device.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3, when the frame has the same transverse width and the packaging box 40 has the same size, as compared with the conventional image sensor 50 as shown in FIG.
The image sensor 10 can increase the number of packages (see FIG. 3B). That is, by arranging every other image sensor 10 in reverse, the image sensor 10
The tapered outer shape can be used for packaging.

The tapered shape of the frame 1 is not limited to that shown in the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made. In particular, the shape of the frame 1 can be changed by changing the inclination angle of the rod lens array 6.

[0013]

As described above, the image sensor of the present invention has the following effects because the cross-sectional shape of the frame is tapered toward the transparent cover. (1) Since the image sensor can be incorporated into an electronic device based on the outer shape of the image sensor, it can be easily attached to the electronic device. (2) Since the number of items that can be packed in one box will be greater than before,
Product transportation efficiency is improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of essential parts showing an embodiment of an image sensor of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a state in which the image sensor of FIG. 1 is attached to a facsimile.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a state in which the image sensor of FIG. 1 and a conventional image sensor are packed in a box.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a main part showing a conventional image sensor.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 frame 2 glass cover (transparent cover) 3 light emitting element 4 light receiving element 5 sensor illumination unit 6 rod lens array (optical system) W document (object to be imaged)

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A transparent cover for mounting an image pickup object on one surface of a frame having a rectangular cross section, and a light emitting section for irradiating the image pickup object on the transparent cover with light in the frame. In an image sensor including an optical system for collecting reflected light from an imaging object, and a light receiving unit for receiving light from the optical system, a cross-sectional shape of the frame is tapered toward a transparent cover. An image sensor characterized by the above.