GB2323732A

GB2323732A - Transparency optical scanner

Info

Publication number: GB2323732A
Application number: GB9706163A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Henry Peng
Original assignee: Umax Data System Inc
Current assignee: Veutron Corp
Priority date: 1997-03-19
Filing date: 1997-03-25
Publication date: 1998-09-30
Also published as: AU682145B3; GB9706163D0

Abstract

A transparency optical scanner for reading an image of a transparent object such as a transparent sheet or negative film has a main body 20 housing therein an optical means, a document window glass 26 and a driving means for moving the optical means. There is an upper light source means 10 located above the document window glass 26 and which engages with two brackets 15, 16 which are engaged with the optical means. The driving means drives the optical means and the upper light source means 10 to move synchronously. Therefore only one set of motor and driving means is required.

Description

TRANSPARENCY OPTICAL SCANNER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the invention This invention relates to a transparency optical scanner for scanning transparent sheet or negative film.

2. Description of the Prior Art Conventional optical scanner for transparent sheet usually has a light source disposed above the scanner for emitting light which passes through the transparent sheet to form an image for process.

There are generally two types of optical scanners for this purpose. One uses a stationary light source located above the scanner such as U.S. Pat No.

4,994,857. As light source is at a fixed location, the light intensity received by the scanning sheet is not even. It thus results in image color difference.

Another type of scanners which have been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.

4,879,604 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,241,378 use a movable light source as shown in FIG. 1. Such type of scanner usually includes a box-shaped housing A and an original cover B. Inside the original cover B, there is provided with an upper lamp unit and an upper lamp driving means which includes a motor, timing belt, carriage, guide rail and guide bar. The optical means and the lower lamp unit provided inside box-shaped housing A needs another set of driving means which as well includes a motor, timing belt, carriage, guide rail and guide bar. The two driving means should be synchronized to obtain the desired scanning quality. It is complex, bulky, heavy and more expensive to produce and operate.

Nowadays the fierce competition in electronic market and high environment protection awareness have put heavy pressure to reduce the size, weight and energy consumption of the products. The high popularity of portable notebook computer manifests such a trend. Optical scanner is no exception.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an subject of this invention to provide a transparency optical scanner that is compact and small size for reducing cost and energy consumption.

It is another object of this invention to provide a transparency optical scanner which includes an optical means, a document window glass, a driving means and an upper light source means located above the document window glass. The driving means can move both the optical means and the upper light source means in synchronous manner. Hence this invention can be dispensed with two sets of motor and driving means used in the conventional scanner for the same purpose. It is more compact, lighter, lower cost, consume less energy and more precise in positioning control.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a transparency optical scanner which includes a pair of lateral slits located respectively in two opposite lateral walls of the main body. The upper light source means includes a lamp unit supported at two ends by a first bracket and a second bracket. The first and the second brackets are engaged with two end sides of the optical means by means of two pins, wherein the two pins are located slidably in the slits such that the upper light source means can be moved relatively along the slits when the driving means moves the optical means.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a transparency optical scanner which includes a swivelable upper light source means. The upper light source means has a pivot at one end thereof engaged with a pivotal hole in the second bracket and a latching stud at another end thereof engageable with a latching aperture in the first bracket. The main body has a stationary bracket located at the same lateral side of main body where the second bracket being located. The lamp unit is swivelable about the pivotal hole such that the latching stud can be swiveled to engage with said stationary bracket securely. The lamp unit thus may have its two ends either located at two opposite lateral sides of the main body when in use or at one lateral side of the main body during carrying and transportation to avoid damage.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a transparency optical scanner which includes a movable hatch type top cover for housing the upper light source means, the document window glass, the optical means and the brackets within the main body. The document window glass is supported by two glass supporters disposed respectively at two ends of the main body. The movable upper light source means is supported at two ends by a pair of brackets which are located at two opposite sides of the document window glass and are engaged with the optical means. The single driving means can move both the optical means and the upper light source means to move synchronously.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention, as well as its many advantages, may be further understood by the following detailed description and drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional transparency optical scanner with an original cover.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line l-l of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a partially exploded view of another preferred embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another preferred embodiment of this invention in stationary state.

FIG. 6 is a side view of a further embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 7 is a longitudinal section view of yet another preferred embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 8 is a transverse section view of yet another preferred embodiment of this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIGs 2 and 3, a transparency optical scanner 1 according to this invention comprises a main body 20 and an upper light source means 10. There is a document window glass 26 located on the top surface of the main body 20. There are two lateral slits 23 located respectively at two opposite lateral walls of the main body 20. Inside the main body 20, there is an optical means 22 for scanning and reading an image of an transparent object (not shown in the figures) such like a transparent sheet or a negative film. The image is then converted into digital signals for computer process via a Charged Couple Device (CCD) (not shown in the figures). A driving means 24 which includes a motor and its associated transmission elements (not shown in the figures) is also located in the main body 20 for driving the optical means 22 for scanning process. There are other associated mechanical and electronic elements (not shown in the figures) for controlling and positioning the optical means 22 and the driving means 24. The optical means 22, driving means 24 and other associated elements of this invention are in general same as which of a conventional scanner and form no part of this invention, and is therefore omitted in the description herein.

The upper light source means 10, located above the document window glass 26, comprises a lamp unit 12, a first bracket 15 and a second bracket 16. The lamp unit 12 can emit light passing through the transparent object (not shown in the figures) placed on the document window glass 26 for scanning process. The lamp unit 12 is fixedly supported at two ends by said first bracket 15 and second bracket 16. Each of the brackets 15, 16 has a horizontal pin 14 slidably located in the lateral slit 23, wherein said pins 14 are fixedly engaged with two end sides of the optical means 22. When the driving means 24 drives the optical means 22 moving relatively along the slits 23 within the main body 20, the upper light source means 10 is also being moved synchronously. This invention uses only one driving means 24 to drive both the optical means 22 and the upper light source means 10 synchronously, while the conventional scanner usually needs two separate sets of driving means to achieve the same result. This invention is thus simpler in structure, needs less number of components, consume less energy, more compact in size and lower cost to produce and transport.

It is noted that following illustrated embodiments have in general similar structure like the one shown in FIG. 1. Therefore same numerals are used for same type of components.

FIG. 4 illustrates another embodiment of this invention. The lamp unit 12a has a pivot 17 at one end thereof. On the top end of the second bracket 1 6a is furnished with a pivotal hole 162 such that said pivot 17 can be engaged with said pivotal hole 162, which enables the lamp unit 1 2a to be swivelable about the pivotal hole 162. A latching means 18 is formed on the conjunction of the lamp unit 1 2a and the first bracket 1 Sa, such that the lamp unit 1 2a can be latched to the first bracket 1 5a when the scanner is in use state. Therefore, the driving means 24 can drive both the optical means 22 and the upper light source means 1 0a moving along the slits 23 synchronously.

At the lateral side of the main body 20 where the second bracket 1 6a is located, there is a stationary bracket 27 at another end which also has a same latching means 1 8a formed thereon. The lamp unit 1 2a is swivelable about the pivotal hole 162 and to have another end latched to the stationary bracket 27 fixedly when the scanner is not in use. Therefore the scanner may be securely packaged for carrying and transportation without damage (as shown in FIG. 5). The pivot 17 also serves as an electrical conductor to receive electric power and signal from the scanner to actuate the upper light source means 10a.

FIG. 6 shows a further embodiment of this invention that serves similar purpose like the one shown in FIGs 2 and 3. The main body 20a has an extension 29 at one end. The upper light source means 1 0b is swivelable about the pin 14a and may be rested on the extension 29 when not in use.

Therefore the scanner can be packaged securely in smaller size for carrying or transportation. The upper light source means 10b may also be securely held and thus avoid damage during carrying or transportation.

FIGs 7 and 8 illustrate yet another embodiment of this invention. There is a movable hatch type top cover 30 on the top of the main body 20c. The upper light source means 10, brackets 15c, 16c, document window glass 26 and optical means 22 are all housed within the main body 20c under the cover 30. The document window glass 26 is supported at two ends by a pair of spaced glass supporters 32a and 32b. The brackets 1 sic and 16c extend from both ends of the optical means 22, passing the tow lateral sides of the document window glass 26 and support the upper light source means 10.

Therefore one set of driving means 24 can drive both the optical means 22 and the upper light source means 10 moving along the two lateral sides of the document window glass 26 within the main body 20c. The cover 30 can prevent dusts and dirt from entering into the main body.

As a summary, this invention uses only one set of driving means to drive both the optical means and the upper light source means for scanning process of a transparent or reflective object. Comparing with conventional scanner for the same purpose, this invention is simpler in structure, needs fewer parts, is easier and lower cost to produce, consumes less energy and is cheaper and easier in repairs and maintenance.

It may thus be seen that the objects of the present invention set forth herein, as well as those made apparent from the foregoing description, are efficiently attained. While the preferred embodiments of the invention has been set forth for purpose of disclosure, modifications of the disclosed embodiment of the invention as well as other embodiments thereof may occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to cover all embodiments which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A transparency optical scanner for reading an image of an transparent object such as a transparent sheet or negative film, said transparency optical scanner comprising: a main body having an optical means for scanning and reading said image, a document window glass for placing said transparent object and a driving means for relatively moving the optical means for scanning the transparent object; and an upper light source means located above the document window glass for emitting transmission light through the transparent object; said upper light source means having a lamp unit supported at two ends by a first bracket and a second bracket; the first bracket and the second bracket being engaged with the optical means; wherein the driving means drives the optical means and the upper light source means to move synchronously.

2. A transparency optical scanner of claim 1, wherein the main body has a lateral slit in each of its two lateral walls; the first and the second brackets being engaged with two end sides of the optical means by means of two pins, wherein said two pins are located slidably in the slits such that the upper light source means can be moved relatively along the slits when the driving means drives the optical means.

3. A transparency optical scanner of claim 1, wherein the lamp unit of the upper light source means has a pivot at one end thereof engaged with a pivotal hole in the second bracket and a latching means at the other end thereof engageable with the first bracket; wherein the main body has a stationary bracket with same latching means thereon located at the same lateral side of main body where the second bracket being located; the lamp unit being swivelable about the pivotal hole such that the other end of the lamp unit can be either engaged with the first bracket when in use or be swiveled to engage with said stationary bracket securely when not in use.

4. A transparency optical scanner of claim 1, wherein the main body has a movable hatch type top cover for housing the upper light source means, the document window glass, the optical means, the driving means and the brackets within the main body; wherein the document window glass is supported by a pair of spaced glass supporters; the brackets being located at two opposite lateral sides of the document window glass and being movable relatively along two lateral sides of the document window glass; such that the driving means can drive the optical means and the upper light source means moving synchronously within the main body.