JPH06258532A - Image reading and recording module using fiber array plate - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To greatly reduce the shear at a multi-fiber border by setting the linear array direction of a hexagonal close array of circularly sectioned optical fibers perpendicular to the arrangement direction of a light emitting and receiving element array. CONSTITUTION:The fiber array plate 1 for image transmission constituted by linearly arranging the light emitting and receiving element array 2 on an end surface of optical fibers is formed by bonding plural optical fiber assemblies, each formed by gathering and integrating plural circularly sectioned optical fibers in parallel, by thermocompression after arranging the optical fiber assemblies closely in parallel; and the outer peripheral shape of the optical fiber assemblies is formed rectangularly by closely arraying the circularly sectioned optical fibers in a hexagonal shape and the linear array direction of the circularly sectioned optical fibers in the hexagonal close array is perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the light emitting and receiving element array 2. The number of gaps of the multi-fiber array is originally small, so the multi- fiber array has a little deformation even after the thermocompression bonding and the individual optical fibers do not have large variation in array state.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image reading or recording module using a fiber array plate.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the process of manufacturing a fiber array plate, a plurality of optical fibers are assembled and integrated in parallel (hereinafter referred to as "multi-fiber"), and they are arrayed. A method of facilitating the handling in the inside is widely known, and among them, a multi-fiber having a circular outer circumference is often used because of the advantages that it is easy to arrange and the influence of the twist at the time of manufacturing the multi-fiber is small. A fiber array plate is manufactured by arranging the multi-fibers in parallel and closely (FIG. 6) and further heat-sealing the fibers (FIG. 7), and arranging the light-receiving element array on the fiber array plate to read an image. Module can be configured.

The two-dimensional image of the original is read by bringing this module into contact with the original surface to be read and scanning the original surface in a direction perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the light receiving element array.

[0004]

When the fiber array plate is manufactured by the above-mentioned method, since there are many gaps between the multi-fibers at the time of arrangement, the multi-fibers are subjected to the thermal compression fusion process as shown in FIG. Is deformed so as to fill the gap, and the outer peripheral shape changes from a circle to a hexagon or a pentagon, so that the arrangement state of the individual optical fibers is discontinuously disturbed at the boundary of the multifiber.

FIG. 8 schematically shows a pattern image for testing the image transmission capability. Line a,
b and c are arranged in parallel at regular intervals. When this pattern is transmitted by the fiber array plate of the prior art, the parallel line-like pattern as shown by lines a ′, b ′ and c ′ in FIG. (Figure 9). This is referred to as shear, which causes reading of an image by the light receiving element array and disturbance of the image formed by the light emitting element array, which causes a reduction in resolution.

As a countermeasure against this, there is a method of preliminarily making the shape of the multi-fiber hexagonal or pentagonal in order to prevent deformation of the multi-fiber at the time of heat pressure fusion, and the fiber array plate is manufactured by using this method. There are also examples. However, in order to arrange individual optical fibers in hexagonal or pentagonal shape, special equipment and jigs are required, and in order to prevent twisting in the manufacturing process of multi-fibers, the manufacturing speed is restricted. . If the dimensional accuracy of the sides of the multi-fiber is not severe, the multi-fiber arrangement will be displaced.

Attempts have also been made to fabricate square or rectangular multi-fibers by arranging square-section optical fibers in a four-sided close-packed manner (FIG. 10). In this case, square-shaped fibers are arranged in a four-way close-packed manner. The dimensional accuracy of one side becomes extremely severe.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention overcomes the above-mentioned problems.
It was made to solve the problem of the end face of the optical fiber.
Image transmission consisting of a linear array of light emitting and receiving element arrays
In the fiber array plate for transmission, the optical fiber
Are parallel optical fibers with a circular cross section
A plurality of optical fiber aggregates made into
After arranging, the optical fiber assembly should be fused by heat and pressure.
The outer peripheral shape of the optical fiber assembly has a circular cross section.
Formed by arranging optical fibers in a hexagonal close-packed array
A rectangle, and the circular section in the hexagonal dense array
The linear array direction of the optical fibers on the surface is
A fiber array characterized by being perpendicular to the arrangement direction.
Image reading / recording module using lay plate
It is provided.

The above-mentioned optical fiber assembly obtained by assembling and integrating a plurality of optical fibers having a circular cross section in parallel is a multi-fiber.

The configuration of the present invention will be described below with reference to an image reading module using a fiber array plate as an example.
This will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 2 schematically shows the structure of the multi-fiber according to the present invention, in which a plurality of optical fibers having a circular cross section are arranged in a hexagonal close-packed manner, and the outer peripheral shape of the whole multi-fiber is rectangular. ing. further,
The optical fibers are linearly arranged in the direction of A → B.

In FIG. 3, the rectangular multi-fibers of FIG. 2 are arranged in parallel and closely on the glass plate so that the linear arrangement direction of the optical fibers is perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the image sensor array for image reading, and further from above. It shows that one glass plate is placed. This is integrated by heat and pressure fusion, then cut perpendicularly to the axial direction of the optical fiber and the surface is polished to manufacture a fiber array plate. Then, FIG. 1 shows an image sensor array for image reading on the fiber array plate thus formed, in a line parallel to the arrangement direction of the multi-fibers.
That is, it shows a state in which the optical fibers are arranged perpendicular to the linear array direction.

1 is an enlarged view of the image reading module using the fiber array plate as described above, in which the linear array direction of the optical fibers forming the hexagonal close packed array is the array direction of the image sensor array on the fiber array plate. On the other hand, the state of being vertically positioned is schematically shown, and it is possible to suppress a change in the amount of light transmitted by the fiber array plate due to an effect described later.

[0014]

Example A step index type optical fiber (φ1 mm) is manufactured using a multi-component glass material and cut into a certain length. Next, by arranging the optical fibers in a trough-shaped mold having a U-shaped cross section and applying vibrations, etc., an assembly in which the optical fibers are hexagonally dense and the overall shape is a rectangular parallelepiped is formed. create.

Subsequently, the multi-fiber having a rectangular outer peripheral shape is manufactured by heating and stretching while maintaining the shape of the aggregate so as not to lose its shape. At this time, the diameter of each optical fiber was 10 μm. Hereinafter, as shown in FIG. 3, the multi-fibers are arranged on a glass plate, integrated by thermo-compression bonding, cut and polished to manufacture a fiber array plate, and the image sensor array is used as a substrate to arrange the multi-fibers. An image reading module was manufactured by arranging it in parallel with the direction.

A multi-fiber having a square outer peripheral shape was also prototyped, and it was confirmed that the degree of deformation of the optical fiber at the outermost peripheral portion was the same both vertically and horizontally.

[0017]

In the structure according to the present invention, since the gap between the multi-fibers is originally small, the multi-fiber is hardly deformed due to the heat-pressure fusion, and the arrangement state of the individual optical fibers does not significantly change. The share at the fiber boundary can be significantly reduced, which greatly contributes to the improvement of the resolution of the image reading or recording module using the fiber array plate.

In the present invention, when the multi-fibers are arranged so that the linear arrangement direction of the individual optical fibers is parallel to the arrangement direction of the image sensor array, when the multi-fibers are integrated by thermocompression bonding, the multi-fibers are integrated as shown in FIG. When the shape of each optical fiber becomes trapezoidal (aa ') and pentagonal (bb') at the boundary of the fibers, they appear alternately, and the degree of deformation of the optical fiber is different. The amount of light reaching the light receiving element also changes, and uniform optical characteristics cannot be obtained over the entire area of the module.

On the other hand, when the multi-fibers are arrayed so that the linear array direction of the individual optical fibers is perpendicular to the glass plate, the shape of the optical fibers at the boundary of the multi-fibers after integration by thermal pressure fusion is shown in FIG. Since all parts are pentagonal as shown by 5, there is no large change in the reaching light amount as described above, and uniform optical characteristics can be easily obtained over the entire area of the module.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an image reading module using a fiber array plate of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the shape of a multi-fiber.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a situation in which multi-fibers are arranged on a glass plate.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing a deformed state of the optical fibers when the rectangular multi-fibers are arranged so that the linear arrangement direction of the optical fibers is parallel to the glass plate and then integrated by thermocompression fusion.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a deformed state of optical fibers when the rectangular multi-fibers are arranged so that the linear arrangement direction of the optical fibers is perpendicular to the glass plate and then integrated by thermocompression bonding.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a situation in which circular multi-fibers are arranged on a glass plate.

FIG. 7: After arranging circular multi-fibers on a glass plate,
Schematic diagram showing the state of integration by pressure welding

FIG. 8: Original image before being transmitted by the fiber array plate

FIG. 9: Image after transmission by conventional fiber array plate

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of a multi-fiber formed by arranging square-direction cross-section optical fibers in a close-packed manner.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1: Fiber array plate 2: Image sensor array 3: Optical fiber 4: Rectangular multi-fiber 5: Glass plate 6: Circular multi-fiber 7: Square cross-section optical fiber 8: Boundary of multi-fiber

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A fiber array plate for image transmission in which a light emitting and receiving element array is linearly arranged on an end face of an optical fiber, wherein the optical fibers have a plurality of optical fibers each having a circular cross section and are gathered and integrated in parallel. After arranging a plurality of optical fiber aggregates formed into a parallel array in parallel and intimately, the optical fiber aggregates are fused by heat and pressure, and the outer peripheral shape of the optical fiber aggregates is hexagonal with the circular cross section. A fiber array plate, which is a rectangle formed by dense arrangement, and in which the linear arrangement direction of the optical fibers of the circular cross section in the hexagonal close arrangement is perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the light emitting and receiving element array. Image reading / recording module used.