JPH07315636A - Image reading device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To remove the unnecessary motion of a document installing section so as not to cause operational confusion to an operator, and to detect abnormality such as the slipping off or falling down of the document, and to shorten a time required for the whole reading motions. CONSTITUTION:In an image reading device having a document holding means 12 for holding a document 1; an illuminating means 2 for illuminating the image 1; a photoelectric convert means 5 for converting an image light fed from the document 1 into an electric signal; and a document scanning means for scanningly moving the document 1 within a fixed sphere together with the document holding means 12, a plurality of document detecting means 35, 36 for distinguishing the existence of the document is provided at a plurality of positions where the sphere of scanning movement of the document scanning means differs.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image reading apparatus which scans an original and reads image information as an electric signal.
Further, it can be applied as an applied device to an image scanner for a reflective original or a transparent original, or an image reading unit of a copying machine or a facsimile.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as an example of this type of apparatus, FIG.
There is an image reading device as shown in FIG.

In this image reading apparatus, the original 101 is held on a film carrier 111, and the original 101 is scanned and moved together with the original carriage 112 to read an image. When reading an image, the illumination light A is emitted from the illumination lamp 102, the illumination light A passes through the illumination lens 103 and the original 101, and is focused by the imaging lens 104 to be focused by the line sensor 10.
At 5, the image information is read.

The image reading apparatus shown in FIG. 5 is an example of an image reading apparatus intended for a relatively small original such as a film.
01 indicates the state of being mounted at the mounting position, and at the time of mounting the document, the document carriage 112 moves to a predetermined mounting position within its moving range and waits until the document is mounted.

Further, the image reading apparatus has a mechanism for opening a door 126 provided on the exterior of the apparatus main body for inserting a document in synchronization with the operation of moving the document carriage 112 to the mounting position. .

When mounting the original 101 on the above-mentioned image reading apparatus, the operator mounts the original 101 on the original carriage 112 protruding from the original insertion door 126. The image reading apparatus has a detecting means 135 for detecting whether or not the original 101 is present on the original carriage 112 when the original carriage 112 is at this mounting position, and if the original 101 is detected, the next operation is carried out. .

Conventionally, since the position on the document carriage 112 for detecting a document is only the above-described document mounting position, when the control unit of the apparatus main body needs to determine the presence or absence of a document during a series of image reading operations, It was always necessary to move the document carriage 112 to the mounting position and then execute the document determination routine. For example, if you turn off the power to the device without waiting for the series of reading operations to complete,
When the power is turned on thereafter, the original read previously remains on the original carriage 112, and it may not be possible to proceed to the next operation flow unless it is detected and determined. That is, after the power of the apparatus main body is turned on, the original 101 in the previous reading operation is the original carriage 112.
If the document 101 remains inside, it is necessary to perform an operation of returning the document carriage 112 to the document mounting position in order to prompt and warn the discharge of the old document 101, and if there is no document 101, a normal operation is performed. The following step operation, that is, so-called shading setting operation, in which the illuminating means is operated to detect the output data of the photoelectric conversion means in order to correct the light amount distribution of the illuminating means and the sensitivity error of the photoelectric conversion means, must be executed. I have to.

In this case, in the conventional image reading apparatus, after the power supply of the apparatus main body is turned on, the document carriage 112 is once moved to the document mounting position to determine the presence or absence of the document 101. Further, at this time, the door 126 for inserting the original 101 is inserted.
Was to be opened by the interlocking mechanism.

[0009]

As described above, in the conventional image reading apparatus, when the control section of the apparatus body needs to determine the presence or absence of a document during a series of operations, it is possible to detect an abnormality with a low probability. Even for such determination, it is necessary to always move the document holding means to the mounting position and then execute the document determination routine, so that it takes a long time to perform all reading operations.

Further, although the document insertion door is opened for the above-mentioned discrimination and the apparatus is not in an abnormal state, the unnecessary operation causes the operator to be confused in operation. It was

Further, since the original on the original holding means can be detected only at the original mounting position, the original cannot be detected while the original holding means is moving, and the abnormality such as the deviation or the falling of the original cannot be detected. , The document was sometimes damaged.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and its purpose is to eliminate unnecessary operation so as not to cause confusion in the operation of the operator.
Enables detection of abnormalities such as document misalignment and dropping,
Another object of the present invention is to provide an image reading device capable of shortening the time required for all reading operations.

[0013]

An original holding means for holding an original, an illuminating means for illuminating the original, a photoelectric conversion means for converting image light from the original into an electric signal, and the original holding means together with the above-mentioned means. In an image reading apparatus including a document scanning unit that scans and moves a document within a predetermined range,
It is characterized in that a plurality of document detecting means for determining the presence or absence of a document are provided at a plurality of positions having different scanning movement ranges of the document scanning means.

Further, the plurality of document detecting means detect attachment of the document attachment carrier to be attached to the document holding means,
It is also preferable to detect the presence or absence of a document.

Further, when the light quantity distribution of the illuminating means or the sensitivity error of the photoelectric converting means is corrected, the scanning means moves the document holding means from the document mounting position by a predetermined amount in the document scanning position direction. A document detecting means for detecting the presence or absence of a document at the position may be provided.

Further, the plurality of manuscript detecting means determines the presence / absence of a manuscript by means of a directional light emitting element and a directional light receiving element, and the directional light emitting element has an angle at which the emitted light is totally reflected on the surface of the original. It is also effective to arrange the light receiving element on the same side as the light emitting element with respect to the original and the position where the emitted light is reflected by the original surface when the original is present.

[0017]

By providing a plurality of manuscript detecting means for judging the existence of a manuscript at a plurality of positions where the scanning movement range of the manuscript scanning means is different, the existence of the manuscript in the manuscript holding means is determined at a plurality of predetermined operation positions. It is possible.

Further, the plurality of document detecting means can surely detect the presence or absence of the document by detecting the mounting of the document mounting carrier mounted on the document holding means.

Further, when the light quantity distribution of the illumination means or the sensitivity error of the photoelectric conversion means is corrected, the scanning means moves the document holding means from the document mounting position by a predetermined amount in the document scanning position direction. By providing the document detecting means for detecting the presence or absence of the document at the position, it is not necessary to determine the presence or absence of the document at the document mounting position, and the presence or absence of the document can be detected at the position where the correction is performed.

Further, the plurality of manuscript detecting means determine the presence / absence of a manuscript by using a directional light emitting element and a directional light receiving element, and the directional light emitting element is an angle at which the emitted light is totally reflected on the surface of the original. When a document is provided with the emitted light, the light receiving element is arranged at the position reflected by the document surface and on the same side as the light emitting element with respect to the document, so that the document can be directly detected.

[0021]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to an image reading apparatus for reading a film original as an original, and a main structure when an original carriage 12 as an original holding means is at a shading position. Indicates the positional relationship of elements.

A film carrier 11 as a document mounting carrier holds and supports a portion of the film original 1 outside the image area. The film carrier 1 has an opening at a portion facing the front and back of the image area of the film original 1 and has one direction. The illuminating light incident from is transmitted through the film original 1 and then emitted to the other. Further, the film carrier 11 can be detached from the main body of the apparatus, and the film original 1 can be held or removed outside the main body of the apparatus.

The original carriage 12 is a film carrier 1.
A film carrier 11 is inserted through the insertion opening 12a, and is held together with the film original 1 inside the insertion opening 12a. Document carriage 1
Reference numeral 2 has an opening at a position facing the front and back of the image area of the film original 1 so that the illumination light incident from one direction can be transmitted through the film original 1 and then emitted to the other.

The document carriage 12 has upper and lower bearings 12b, 12c and 12d as a document scanning means, and is slidably inserted into scanning rails 13 and 14 fixed to the main body of the apparatus. The document carriage 12 is connected to a document scanning drive means (not shown), and is configured to be capable of scanning and moving in the axial direction of the scan rails 13 and 14 under the control of the control unit of the apparatus main body.

The sensor flag 15 is disposed rearward of the upper portion of the document carriage 12, is rotatably supported by a rotary shaft 16 fixed to the document carriage 12, and is clockwise viewed from above by a coil spring (not shown). And is normally rotated inwardly of the film carrier 11,
When the film carrier 11 is inserted into the document carriage 12, it rotates in the counterclockwise direction engaged with the film carrier 11 and rotates to the left outside of the document carriage 12.

An illumination lamp 2 as an illuminating means illuminates the film original 1.

The illumination lens 3 allows the illumination light of the illumination lamp 2 to be efficiently focused on the image forming lens 4 described later. The arrow A indicates the optical axis of the illumination light flux and the irradiation direction. When the original document carriage 12 is located at a position that crosses the above-mentioned optical axis and the film original document 1 is illuminated, the transmitted light is imaged by the imaging lens 4 on the line sensor 5 as photoelectric conversion means.

An image is read by the line sensor 5 repeating line scanning while the document carriage 12 scans and moves.

The door arms 21 and 22 are rotatably supported by rotation center shafts 23 and 24 at fixed positions of the apparatus main body, and are biased counterclockwise by a coil spring 25 (not shown) when viewed from above. . The action portions 21a and 22a of the door arms 21 and 22 are at a height that enables engagement with the upper and lower ends of the front surface of the document carriage 12. In addition, the link parts 21b and 22
In b, action pins 27, 28 fixed to a door 26 described later are provided.
Is rotatably fitted.

As shown in FIG. 1, the door 26 is usually constructed so that its front surface is substantially parallel to the surface of the exterior cover 29 (FIG. 2) and has the same height. A guide pin 30 is fixed to the lower portion of the door 26, and the tip of the guide pin 30 is attached to the cam groove 3 of the cam plate 31.
It is inserted in 2.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line BB in FIG. 1 when the original carriage 12 is on standby at a position where the film carrier 11 can be mounted.

With the above arrangement, the original carriage 12
Moves forward and engages with the door arms 21 and 22, the door arms 21 and 22 rotate clockwise, and the action pins 27,
Due to the rotation of 28 and the engaging action of the guide pin 30 and the cam groove 32, the door 26 moves to the left and opens the insertion port 33 for the film carrier 11 of the exterior cover 29.

The first photo interrupter 35 as the document detecting means is located at a fixed position of the apparatus main body, and if the sensor flag 15 rotates counterclockwise, the detection optical path is interrupted, and the first photo interrupter 35 is placed in such a positional relationship that it can be detected. Has been done. However, since the film carrier 11 is not mounted, the sensor flag 15 is located at the rotational position of the document carriage 12 in the inward direction and is not detected.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line BB in FIG. 1 immediately after the document carriage 12 is loaded with the film carrier 11.

The sensor flag 15 is a film carrier 11
The mounting of the film original 1 can be detected by engaging with and rotating counterclockwise to block the detection optical path of the first photo interrupter 35.

When the image reading apparatus starts the reading operation, the document carriage 12 moves rearward and the door arms 21 and 22 are separated from the document carriage 12, so that the door springs 21 and 22 are reversed by the action of the coil spring 25. It rotates clockwise and returns to the initial position. Along with this, the door 26 moves to the right and closes the insertion port 33.

When the second photo interrupter 36 as the document detecting means is in the fixed position of the apparatus main body, the document carriage 12 is in the shading position, and the film carrier 11 is in the document carriage 12, the sensor flag 15 is set to the first position. The two photo interrupters 36 are arranged in a positional relationship capable of blocking the detection optical path.

The image reading apparatus according to the present embodiment is arranged such that after the series of image reading operations, the document carriage 12 is subjected to post-processing.
Is returned to the shading position.

According to the above arrangement, it is possible to determine whether the document carriage 12 is in the shading position and the film carrier 11 is mounted after the power of the main body of the apparatus is turned on. If the original document 1 remains in the original document carriage 12, an operation of returning the original document carriage 12 to the original document mounting position is executed in order to prompt and warn the discharge of the old film original document 1. If there is not, the normal next step operation, that is, the shading setting operation can be immediately executed at that position.

(Second Embodiment) FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

Reference numerals 81, 82 and 83 denote directional light emitting diodes as directional light emitting elements, which are arranged on the film original 1 at such an angle that the emitted light is totally reflected on the original surface.
It is configured so that it can be irradiated.

Reference numerals 84, 85 and 86 denote directional phototransistors as directional light receiving elements, which are located at positions where light emitted from the light emitting diodes 81, 82 and 83 is totally reflected by the film original 1. It is arranged on the same side as the light emitting element with respect to the original.

The above phototransistors 84, 85, 8
The presence or absence of a document on the document carriage 12 and the position of the document can be directly detected by the combination of the signals of 6 in FIG.

[0044]

According to the present invention having the above-described structure and operation, the document holding means is provided by providing a plurality of document detecting means for discriminating the presence / absence of a document at a plurality of positions having different scanning movement ranges of the document scanning means. The presence / absence of a document can be determined in a plurality of predetermined operation positions by the means, and the presence / absence of a document can be determined even when the document holding means is at a position other than the document mounting position, thereby eliminating unnecessary movement of the document holding means, The time required for all reading operations can be shortened.

Insufficient mounting of the original document on the original document holding means can be detected even during operation, and the original document can be prevented from being damaged due to displacement or dropout of the original document during movement of the original document holding means.

Further, the plurality of document detecting means detects the mounting of the document mounting carrier to be mounted on the document holding means, so that various types of documents can be mounted on the document mounting carrier to detect the document. The presence / absence of the document can be surely determined, and the deviation of the document in the document mounting carrier is very small. Therefore, when the deviation of the document mounting carrier is detected, that is, the document displacement is detected.

Further, when the light quantity distribution of the illumination means or the sensitivity error of the photoelectric conversion means is corrected, the scanning means moves the document holding means from the document mounting position toward the document scanning position by a predetermined amount. By providing the document detecting means for detecting the presence or absence of the document at that position, it is not necessary to determine the presence or absence of the document at the document mounting position, and the presence or absence of the document can be detected at the position where the correction is performed. The operation of the holding means can be simplified, and unnecessary operation can be eliminated so as not to confuse the operator with the operation.

Further, the plurality of document detecting means determines the presence / absence of a document by using a directional light emitting element and a directional light receiving element, and the directional light emitting element is an angle at which the emitted light is totally reflected on the document surface. When a document is provided with the emitted light, the light receiving element is arranged at the position reflected by the document surface and on the same side as the light emitting element with respect to the document, so that the document can be directly detected. A mounting carrier is unnecessary, and a transparent original can be detected.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory view of essential parts of main constituent elements of a first embodiment to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a document mounting standby state according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a document mounted state according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view of a main part of a document mounted state according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 shows a conventional document reading apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 101 Film original (original) 2, 102 Illumination lamp (illuminating means) 5, 105 Line sensor (photoelectric conversion means) 11, 111 Film carrier (original mounting carrier) 12, 112 Original carriage (original holding means) 15 Sensor flag 21, 22 Door arm 26, 126 Door 29 Exterior cover 35, 135 First photo interrupter (original detection means) 36 Second photo interrupter (original detection means) 81, 82, 83 Directional light emitting diode (directional light emitting element) ) 84,85,86 directional photodiode (directional light receiving element)

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A document holding unit for holding a document, an illuminating unit for illuminating the document, a photoelectric conversion unit for converting image light from the document into an electric signal, and the document holding unit together with the document holding unit. In an image reading apparatus provided with a document scanning means for scanning and moving within a range, a plurality of document detecting means for determining presence or absence of a document are provided at a plurality of positions having different scanning movement ranges of the document scanning means. Image reading device. 2. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of document detecting units detect the mounting of a document mounting carrier mounted on the document holding unit and detect the presence or absence of a document. 3. When correcting the light quantity distribution of the illuminating means or correcting the sensitivity error of the photoelectric converting means, the scanning means moves the document holding means from the document mounting position by a predetermined amount in the document scanning position direction. 3. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a document detection unit that detects the presence or absence of a document at the position. 4. The plurality of manuscript detecting means determines the presence / absence of a manuscript by a directional light emitting element and a directional light receiving element,
The directional light emitting element is arranged at an angle at which the emitted light is totally reflected on the surface of the original, and the light receiving element is located at the position where the emitted light is reflected on the original surface and on the same side as the light emitting element with respect to the original. Are arranged.
The image reading apparatus described in 1.