JPH1127442A - Image reader - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain an image reader which can be miniaturized. SOLUTION: An image reader/recorder is provided with a CCD line sensor 230, and an original image is picked up by the CCD line sensor 230 and converted into an analog image signal. An analog printed circuit board 240 with the CCD line sensor 230 mounted thereon is connected electrically to a digital printed circuit board 244 by a flexible cable 242, the analog image signal is converted into a digital image signal and image data are obtained. Since an image reading system to obtain image data is distributed into the analog printed circuit board 240 and the digital printed circuit board 244, the space for the image reader is effectively utilized and the facsimile equipment is minimized in size.

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, and more particularly to a digital image reading apparatus for reading image light from a document by a solid-state image pickup device, converting the image light into an analog image signal, and recording the analog image signal on an image. The present invention relates to an image reading device that converts an image into an image signal.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art There is known an image reading apparatus which irradiates an original image with light, reads reflected or transmitted light thereof by a CCD sensor, and records the original image as image data.

In this type of image reading apparatus, light is irradiated onto a document, and image light (reflected or transmitted light) from the document is guided to a CCD sensor via a lens. It is converted to an image signal. further,
By converting this analog image signal into a digital image signal, a document image is read / recorded as image data.

In such a conventional image reading apparatus, a circuit board provided with a CCD sensor and provided with a digital converter for converting an analog image signal into a digital image signal is formed as a single product. There is a drawback that the arrangement position of the circuit board is limited or the size of the device is determined by the circuit board, and as a result, the space cannot be used effectively and the size of the device increases. In other words, the size of the device is easily limited due to the circuit board, and it is difficult to miniaturize the device to a minimum,
A measure for this was desired.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an image reading apparatus capable of minimizing the apparatus in consideration of the above fact.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, an image reading apparatus reads image light from a document by a solid-state image sensor, converts the read image light into an analog image signal, and records an image of the analog image signal. Circuit device for converting an image light read by the solid-state imaging device into an analog image signal on a circuit board of the image reading device. And a digital circuit board provided with circuit components for converting the analog image signal into a digital image signal, and a flexible cable is provided for the analog circuit board and the digital circuit board. It is characterized by being electrically connected by

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the circuit board of the image reading device is divided into two parts, an analog circuit board and a digital circuit board. It becomes difficult to use the space of the device effectively. That is, the size of the device is less likely to be limited by each circuit board, and thus the device can be miniaturized to a minimum.

[0008]

FIG. 1 is a schematic overall configuration diagram of an image reading / recording apparatus 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The image reading / recording apparatus 10 comprises a scanner section SCN as an image reading section and a printer section PRT for recording an image based on the read image data. A section SCN is provided. The printer unit PRT is arranged inside the machine base 12. (Scanner unit SCN)
The scanner unit SCN according to the present embodiment is shown.

The scanner unit SCN has a box-shaped casing 20.
0, a rectangular opening is provided at the center of the upper surface, and a transparent platen glass 202 is fitted therein. The platen glass 202 has a function as a flat document placing table, on which a document on which a flat image is recorded is placed downward.

On the platen glass 202, a holding cover 204 that can be opened and closed is provided. The holding cover 204 is hinged to the casing 200 at the back of the casing 200, and is rotatable around the hinge.

Accordingly, when the holding cover 204 is in the closed state, the original can be pressed and held in the direction of the platen glass 202 from above.

An operation / display panel (not shown) is provided on the front side of the upper surface of the casing 200 so as to instruct various functions and display an operation state in the apparatus.

A scanning section 208 is provided in the casing 200. The scanning unit 208 includes a controller 209
Is controlled by The scanning unit 208 includes a first carriage 214, a second carriage 220, and a fixed unit 228.

As shown in detail in FIGS. 2 and 3, the first carriage 214 has a halogen lamp 211 and a reflector 213 extending in the width direction (main scanning direction) of the original image.
And a light source 210 provided with
A first mirror 212 as a reflection mirror, which extends in the width direction of the document image and is arranged upward as in the case of 0, is incorporated. The first carriage 214 reciprocates in the sub-scanning direction along the original surface below the platen glass 202, and at this time, irradiates light from the light source 210 to the original placed on the platen glass 202. The first mirror 212 deflects the reflected light (light with a hanging optical axis) by 90 ° and guides the reflected light to the second carriage 220.

A second mirror 220 and a third mirror 218 are incorporated in the second carriage 220.
The reflection surface of the second mirror 216 is the first mirror 21.
When the light is received from the first mirror 212, the light is reflected by the second mirror 216 at 90 °.
The light is further deflected, and further deflected by 90 ° by the third mirror 218.
The platen glass 20 is finally formed by the third mirror 218.
The light parallel to the second surface reaches the fixed unit 228.

On the other hand, the fixed unit 228 is
2. A filter group 224 composed of four filters including a color adjustment filter and an ND filter, and a lens 226 for imaging.
It is constituted by. The fixed unit 228 includes a stop 222 (variable stop mechanism) and a filter group 224.
The amount of light is adjusted by the ND filter described above, and the balance of each color is adjusted by the color adjustment filters of the filter group 224. Further, the lens 226 converts the original image into a CCD line sensor 23 as a solid-state image sensor.
It is configured to form an image on the light receiving surface of No. 0.

The first carriage 214 and the second carriage 220 in the scanning section 208 having the above-described configuration reciprocate in the sub-scanning direction along the original surface below the platen glass 202. The second carriage 220 moves in the same direction at half the transport speed of the first carriage 214 in order to always keep the optical path length from the first carriage 214 to the light receiving section of the CCD line sensor 230 constant. One reciprocating operation of the first carriage 214 and the second carriage 220 is scanning for one image (image reading at the time of forward movement).
02 can be picked up by the CCD line sensor 230.

Here, as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG.
The line sensor 230 is provided on the analog circuit board 240. The analog circuit board 240 includes the lens 2
The position is adjusted and fixed so that the image light from 26 is optimally focused on the light receiving surface of the CCD line sensor 230. Further, the analog circuit board 240 is electrically connected to the digital circuit board 244 by a flexible cable 242. As a result, the image light captured by the CCD line sensor 230 is transmitted to the analog circuit board 24.
0 is converted into an analog image signal, and further, the analog image signal is converted into a digital image signal by the digital circuit board 244, and the original image is read / recorded as image data.

A light-shielding cover 246 is provided around the CCD line sensor 230 (analog circuit board 240), and shields the CCD line sensor 230 from the outside.

On the other hand, a proof light source unit 232 that moves in the main scanning direction with a predetermined gap on the platen glass 202 is provided on the upper surface of the casing 200. The proof light source unit 232 is used as a light source when a transparent original is placed on the platen glass 202.

That is, the proof light source unit 2
The light source unit driving section 23 has one end (rear side of the apparatus) connected to the light source unit driving section 234.
By the driving force of No. 4, the same operation as that of the first carriage 214 is performed.

Here, when scanning a transparent original, the proof light source unit 232 operates in synchronization with the first carriage 214. At this time, the light source 210 of the first carriage 214 is turned off, and the light source (not shown) in the proof light source unit 232 is turned on, so that the first mirror 212 can obtain a transparent original image. Subsequent operations are the same as those for the reflection original. (Printer Unit PRT) FIG. 1 shows an image reading / recording device 1
0 shows the printer unit PRT in the machine base 12.

A photosensitive material magazine 14 for storing a photosensitive material 16 is disposed inside the machine base 12, and the photosensitive material 16 extracted from the photosensitive material magazine 14 is exposed (exposed).
The light-sensitive material 16 is placed in the light-sensitive material magazine 14 such that the surface faces left.
It is wound up in a roll.

A nip roller 18 and a cutter 20 are disposed in the vicinity of the photosensitive material outlet of the photosensitive material magazine 14, so that the photosensitive material 16 can be cut out after the photosensitive material 16 is drawn out of the photosensitive material magazine 14 by a predetermined length. The cutter 20
For example, it is a rotary type cutter including a fixed blade and a movable blade. The movable blade can be moved up and down by a rotary cam or the like to cut the photosensitive material 16 by meshing with the fixed blade.

A plurality of transport rollers 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, and 34 are sequentially arranged on the side of the cutter 20, and a guide plate (not shown) is provided between the transport rollers. . The photosensitive material 16 cut to a predetermined length is first conveyed to an exposure section 22 provided between conveying rollers 24 and 26.

An exposure device 38 is provided on the left side of the exposure section 22. The exposure device 38 is provided with three types of LDs, a lens unit, a polygon mirror, and a mirror unit (all are not shown). Are exposed.

It is also possible to employ a configuration in which LEDs are arranged in the main scanning direction and one line is exposed at the same time, without using a configuration in which the LD is scanned by a polygon mirror like a pendulum.

Above the exposure section 22, there are provided a U-turn section 40 for transporting the photosensitive material 16 in a U-shaped curve and a water application section 50 for applying an image forming solvent. In the present embodiment, water is used as the image forming solvent.

The photosensitive material 16 ascended from the photosensitive material magazine 14 and exposed at the exposure unit 22 is nipped and conveyed by conveyance rollers 28 and 30, respectively, and is applied with water while passing through a conveyance path near the upper side of the U-turn unit 40. It is sent to the unit 50.

On the other hand, a receiving material magazine 106 for storing an image receiving material 108 is arranged at the upper left end of FIG. A dye fixing material having a mordant is applied to the image forming surface of the image receiving material 108.
The image receiving material 108 is wound around a material receiving magazine 106 in a roll shape so that the image forming surface of the image receiving material 108 pulled out from the sheet 6 faces downward.

A nip roller 110 is disposed in the vicinity of the image receiving material take-out port of the material receiving magazine 106 so that the image receiving material 108 can be pulled out from the material receiving magazine 106 and the nip can be released.

The cutter 11 is provided beside the nip roller 110.
2 are arranged. The cutter 112 is, for example, a rotary type cutter including a fixed blade and a movable blade, similar to the above-described photosensitive material cutter 20, and the movable blade is moved up and down by a rotating cam or the like to engage with the fixed blade. Thereby, the image receiving material 108 drawn out from the receiving material magazine 106 is cut into a shorter length than the photosensitive material 16.

On the side of the cutter 112, the transport roller 13
2, 134, 136, 138 and a guide plate (not shown) are arranged, and the image receiving material 108 cut to a predetermined length is provided.
Can be conveyed to the thermal development transfer unit 120 side.

The thermal development transfer section 120 has a pair of endless belts 122 and 124 which are wound around a plurality of winding rollers 140, respectively, and formed into a loop with the longitudinal direction being the longitudinal direction. Therefore, when one of these winding rollers 140 is driven and rotated, the pair of endless belts 122 and 124 wound around these winding rollers 140 are respectively rotated.

In the figure, the heating plate 12 formed in a flat plate shape whose longitudinal direction is the longitudinal direction is provided in the loop of the endless belt 122 on the right side of the pair of endless belts 122 and 124.
6 is disposed facing the inner peripheral portion on the left side of the endless belt 122. A linear heater (not shown) is disposed inside the heating plate 126, and the heater can heat the surface of the heating plate 126 to a predetermined temperature.

Accordingly, the photosensitive material 16 is fed between the pair of endless belts 122 and 124 of the thermal development transfer section 120 by the last transport roller 34 in the transport path. Further, the image receiving material 108 is transported in synchronization with the transport of the photosensitive material 16,
In a state where the photosensitive material 16 is advanced by a predetermined length, the photosensitive material 16 is fed between the pair of endless belts 122 and 124 of the thermal development transfer unit 120 by the last transport roller 138 in the transport path, and is superposed on the photosensitive material 16.

In this case, the image receiving material 108 is the photosensitive material 16
Both the width dimension and the longitudinal dimension are smaller than that of the photosensitive material 16, so that the periphery of the photosensitive material 16 is overlapped with all four sides protruding from the periphery of the image receiving material 108.

As described above, the pair of endless belts 122, 12
Photosensitive material 16 and image receiving material 1
08 is nipped and conveyed by a pair of endless belts 122 and 124 while being superposed.
Further, the superposed photosensitive material 16 and image receiving material 108
However, when completely stopped between the pair of endless belts 122 and 124, the pair of endless belts 122 and 124 stop rotating once, and the sandwiched photosensitive material 16 and image receiving material 108 are heated by the heating plate 126. The photosensitive material 16 is heated by the heating plate 126 via the endless belt 122 at the time of the nipping conveyance and at the time of stopping, and the movable dye is released with the heating, and at the same time, the dye is transferred to the image receiving material 108.
Is transferred to the dye fixing layer, and an image is obtained on the image receiving material 108.

Further, a pair of endless belts 122, 124
On the downstream side in the material supply direction, a peeling claw 128 is arranged.
Of the photosensitive material 16 and the image receiving material 108 nipped and transported between the endless belts 2 and 124, only the leading end of the photosensitive material 16 is engaged, and the leading end of the photosensitive material 16 protruding from between the pair of endless belts 122 and 124. It can be peeled off from the image receiving material 108.

The photosensitive material discharge roller 1 is located on the left side of the peeling claw 128.
The photosensitive material 16, which is moved leftward while being guided by the peeling claw 128, can be further transported to the waste photosensitive material container 150 side.

The waste photosensitive material container 150 has a drum 152 around which the photosensitive material 16 is wound, and a belt 154 partially wound around the drum 152. Further, the belt 154 includes a plurality of rollers 15.
The belt 154 is rotated by the rotation of the rollers 156, and the drum 1
52 rotates.

Therefore, when the photosensitive material 16 is fed while the belt 154 is rotated by the rotation of the roller 156, the photosensitive material 16 can be accumulated around the drum 152.

On the other hand, receiving material discharge rollers 162, 164, 166, 168, and so on, so that the image receiving material 108 can be conveyed leftward from below the pair of endless belts 122 and 124.
170 are arranged in order, and a pair of endless belts 12 are provided.
The image receiving material 108 discharged from the second and second transfer rollers 124, 164, 166, 168, 170
And discharged to the tray 172.

The operation of the present embodiment will be described below. First, the reading control of the document image in the scanner unit SCN will be described.

Prior to the start of the image recording process, the first carriage 214 and the second carriage 220 are located at standby positions (home positions) outside the image recording area.

When an original is placed on the surface of the platen glass 202 in order to perform an image recording process, the pressing cover 204 is closed, and reading is instructed by a key operation on the operation / display panel, scanning starts. .

In this scanning, in the case of a reflection original, the light source 210 is turned on and the first carriage 214 and the second carriage 214 are turned on.
The operation is started by synchronizing the carriage 220 of FIG. That is, the first carriage 214 and the second carriage 2
20 reciprocates in the sub-scanning direction along the document surface. At this time, the conveying speed V ₁ of the first carriage 214, the relationship between the conveying speed V ₂ of the second carriage 220, V ₁
= 2V ₂ . By maintaining this, the optical path length from the document image surface to the light receiving surface of the CCD line sensor 230 can always be kept constant.

The image light picked up by the CCD line sensor 230 by scanning is converted into an analog image signal by an analog circuit board 240, and the analog image signal is converted into a digital image signal by a digital circuit board 244, and the original image signal is converted. Is obtained as image data. Further, the obtained image data is recorded in a RAM memory or a hard disk of a personal computer or the like, subjected to predetermined image processing, and sent to the printer unit PRT.

Here, in the scanner unit SCN, an image reading system for obtaining image data is divided into an analog circuit board 240 provided with a CCD line sensor 230 and a digital circuit board 244. Therefore, the arrangement position of each circuit board is hardly restricted, and the space of the device can be effectively used. That is, the size of the device is less likely to be limited by each circuit board, and thus the device can be miniaturized to a minimum.

Since the analog circuit board 240 and the digital circuit board 244 are electrically connected by the flexible cable 242, the image light from the lens 226 is optimally connected to the light receiving surface of the CCD line sensor 230. When the position of the analog circuit board 240 is adjusted so that an image is formed, unnecessary force is not applied to each part, and workability for position adjustment is also improved.

In this case, the CCD line sensor 230
A slight gap is provided in the light shielding cover 246 provided around the (analog circuit board 240), and this gap is closed with a light-blocking sponge or the like, so that the position of the CCD line sensor 230 (analog circuit board 240) is obtained. Even if the mounting position varies for each device due to adjustment, the CCD line sensor 230 (analog circuit board 24
0) and the light-shielding cover 246 do not interfere with each other, and can be suitably mounted.

Next, the operation of the printer unit PRT will be described. After the photosensitive material magazine 14 is set, the nip roller 18 is operated, and the photosensitive material 16 is moved to the nip roller 18.
Drawn by. When the photosensitive material 16 is pulled out by a predetermined length, the cutter 20 operates to cut the photosensitive material 16 into a predetermined length, and transports the photosensitive material 16 to the exposure unit 22 with its photosensitive (exposure) surface facing left. Is done. Then, the exposure device 38 is operated simultaneously with the passage of the photosensitive material 16 through the exposure unit 22, and the image is scanned and exposed on the photosensitive material 16 located at the exposure unit 22. The exposure device 38 includes the scanner S
The image data read by the CN unit is image-processed and input by a personal computer. Based on the input data, the light amount of the light source is controlled, and the image is scanned and exposed. When a laser (semiconductor laser) is used as a light source, main scanning is performed by reciprocating the optical axis of a laser beam whose light amount is controlled by duty control like a pendulum, and movement of the photosensitive material 16 is sub-scanning. And it is sufficient.

When an LED array is used as a light source, such as an LED, arranged in the main scanning direction, the amount of light is controlled by controlling the current or voltage of the LED light source so that one main scan is performed at the same time. do it.

When the exposure is completed, the exposed photosensitive material 16 is exposed.
Is sent to the water application unit 50. The photosensitive material 16 to which water as an image forming solvent has been applied in the water application section 50 is
The sheet is fed between the pair of endless belts 122 and 124 of the thermal development transfer section 120 by the conveying roller 34.

On the other hand, as the photosensitive material 16 is scanned and exposed, the image receiving material 108 is also pulled out of the material receiving magazine 106 by the nip roller 110 and transported. When the image receiving material 108 is pulled out by a predetermined length, the cutter 112 operates to cut the image receiving material 108 into a predetermined length.

After the operation of the cutter 112, the cut image receiving material 108 is transported by the transport rollers 132, 134, 136 and 138 while being guided by the guide plate. When the leading end of the image receiving material 108 is nipped by the transport roller 138, the image receiving material 108 is transferred to the heat development transfer unit 120.
Is in a standby state just before.

As the photosensitive material 16 is fed between the pair of endless belts 122 and 124 by the conveying rollers 34 as described above, the conveyance of the image receiving material 108 is resumed, and the pair of endless belts 122 and 124 are resumed. The image receiving material 108 is fed integrally with the photosensitive material 16 between them.

As a result, the photosensitive material 16 and the image receiving material 108
Are stacked, and the photosensitive material 16 and the image receiving material 108 are nipped and conveyed while being heated by the heating plate 126, and are subjected to thermal development transfer to form an image on the image receiving material 108.

Further, a pair of endless belts 122, 124
When these are discharged from the image receiving material 108, the peeling claw 128 engages with the leading end of the photosensitive material 16 which is transported a predetermined length ahead of the image receiving material 108, and the leading end of the photosensitive material 16 is
Peel from 8. The photosensitive material 16 is further conveyed by a photosensitive material discharge roller 148 and is disposed in the waste photosensitive material storage unit 1.
50. At this time, since the photosensitive material 16 dries immediately, it is not necessary to further provide heaters for drying the photosensitive material 16.

On the other hand, the image receiving material 108 on which a predetermined image has been formed (recorded) by thermal development transfer processing sandwiched between the pair of endless belts 122 and 124 is used as the pair of endless belts 12.
After being discharged from the trays 2 and 124, the sheet is nipped and conveyed by a plurality of receiving material discharge rollers 162, 164, 166, 168 and 170 and discharged to a tray 172 outside the apparatus.

When a plurality of image recording processes are performed, the above-described steps are sequentially and continuously performed.

As described above, in the image reading / recording apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment, the image reading system in the scanner unit SCN for obtaining image data uses the CCD line sensor 2.
30 is provided so as to be divided into two parts, an analog circuit board 240 and a digital circuit board 244, so that the space of the device can be effectively used and the device can be miniaturized to a minimum. .

Since the analog circuit board 240 and the digital circuit board 244 are electrically connected by the flexible cable 242, when the position of the analog circuit board 240 (CCD line sensor 230) is adjusted or thereafter, Unnecessary force is not applied to each part, and workability for position adjustment is also improved.

[0065]

As described above, the image recording apparatus according to the present invention has an excellent effect that the apparatus can be miniaturized to a minimum.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic overall configuration diagram of an image recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of an analog circuit board and a digital circuit board of the image recording apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view corresponding to FIG. 2 of an analog circuit board and a digital circuit board of the image recording apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 10 image reading / recording device SCN scanner unit PRT printer unit 208 scanning unit 210 light source 214 first carriage 220 second carriage 228 fixing unit 230 CCD line sensor (solid-state image sensor) 240 analog circuit board 242 flexible cable 244 digital circuit board 246 Shading cover

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An image reading apparatus for reading image light from a document by a solid-state image sensor, converting the image light into an analog image signal, and then converting the analog image signal into a digital image signal for recording an image. A circuit board of a device, an analog circuit board provided with the solid-state imaging device and a circuit component for converting image light read by the solid-state imaging device into an analog image signal; and An image reading apparatus, wherein the image reading apparatus is divided into two parts, a digital circuit board provided with a circuit component for converting into a signal, and the analog circuit board and the digital circuit board are electrically connected by a flexible cable.