JPH02162961A - Original reading device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Minute Hand] The present invention relates to a document reading device that reads the contents of a document as an image pattern.

[Prior Art] There are various types of image scanners that read information from manuscripts such as books, newspapers, and office documents and manually input the information to an information processing device such as a personal computer. A sheet-feed type that scans sheet documents by moving them, similar to a facsimile machine. A flatbed type that reads books by placing them face down on a glass surface and moving the sensor, similar to a copy machine. There are handheld types that read by pressing the sensor onto the document and moving it by hand. These types are used depending on the purpose. Among them, the flatbed type can read not only books but also large originals such as newspapers by folding the necessary parts, and continuous reading of sheet originals is also available as an option. Moreover, if the size of the A5 or A6 is made smaller, it will also be compatible with handy types. If you place the document on top of the document with the scanning side facing down, you can fold up a large document such as a newspaper.
It also has the feature of making it easier to align the reading location. However, it is necessary to place the scanner on top of the document at the same rate.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] With a flatbed type image scanner, a document of a size that can be placed on the top surface and read can be read as is. However, large books and large manuscripts such as newspapers had to be copied, folded, or cut out. In addition, the smaller type can be used to read any type of document by placing it on top of the document, but it requires positioning on the document every time.
It was necessary to do this for each regular manuscript as well.

[Means for solving the problem] The flatbed scanner uses a photoelectric conversion sensor of 100% magnification, is lightweight and thin, and has a transparent flat plate facing the document on the bottom surface as well. A reading sensor is arranged so as to be able to read both the upper surface and the lower surface.

[Operation] Before loading and scanning the original, select whether to scan from the top or from the bottom. If the document is large, such as a newspaper, select bottom-side scanning and place the scanner in the position you want to read. If the document is of a size that can be read by the scanner, set it to read from the top and place the document on top of the scanner. In this way, the scanner is configured to be able to read from either the top or the bottom depending on the size of the document to be read. By configuring the device in this way, it is possible to easily read documents of any size.

[Example] One example is shown in FIG. 1 is a part of the housing of the flatbed scanner. 2-1 is an upper transparent flat plate. In addition, there is a lid (pressure plate) that serves to hold down the original.
is omitted. Reference numeral 2-2 is a transparent flat plate at the bottom when a scanner is placed on top of the document to read it. 4 is a light source that illuminates the original. 5 is a lens that forms an image of the reflected light. 6 is a 1x photoelectric conversion sensor that converts the imaged light into an electrical signal
7 is a reading sensor unit that combines these into a unit, and is held movable left and right on the axis of 8, and rotatable 180 degrees on the front and back axis shown in parentheses 9.0 is a normal flat sensor unit. When reading a document by placing it on top like a bed scanner, the reading sensor unit is oriented upward as shown in Figure 1 and is scanned from side to side. The case of a large manuscript such as a large book or a newspaper is shown in Fig. 4. The reading sensor unit 7 shown in FIG. 1 is rotated 180 degrees downward. Then, the housing 1 is placed on the original with the reference point of the original to be read aligned. Then, the reading sensor unit 7 is scanned from side to side on the shaft 8 to read the information. Although this rotation of the reading sensor unit is not shown, it may be driven by a motor or the like, or it may be rotated manually from the home position.

FIG. 2 shows another embodiment. In FIG. 2, two light sources are arranged for illuminating the document, one for upward light 4-1 and one for downward light 4-2. Then, the reflected light is reflected by the mirror 3-1 in order to be guided to the charging conversion sensor 6 via the imaging lens 5. At this time, when reading the original placed on the top, the mirror is set in the 3-1 state. When reading the original at the bottom, set the mirror to 3-2.
It is rotated 90 degrees and set to the state shown by the dotted line. In this way, the angle of mirror 3 in the reading sensor unit is adjusted to 9
The scanning direction is changed to 0 degrees, the upper or lower reading direction is determined, and the scanning axis 8 is scanned left and right to read. At this time, the light source 4 may also be rotated by 90 degrees to switch between upward and downward directions. Another embodiment is shown in FIG. In Fig. 3, compared with Fig. 2, 3-2 is a normal mirror that guides the reflected light from the bottom to the photoelectric conversion element 6 via the imaging lens 5. 3-1 is a special mirror that reflects the light from the top and guides it to the photoelectric conversion element 6, and allows the light reflected by the mirror 3-2 to pass through as is. In the example in Figure 3, the reading positions at the top and bottom are slightly different. Instead, a configuration without any moving parts is possible. Since this scanner, which can read from both sides, reads in the opposite directions from the top and bottom, it goes without saying that switching between reversing the electrical output from the photoelectric conversion sensor is also done at the same time.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, when configured to be thin and lightweight, it is possible to switch between reading from the top and reading from the bottom with a single button, making it possible to switch from the normal reading mode to reading from the bottom. It is now possible to read a document by placing it on top of another document.

Therefore, not only is it easier to read a large document, but it can also be done while viewing from above, making it easier to align the reading reference starting point, which has been troublesome in the past.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a case where a reading sensor held in a 180-degree rotational axis is placed facing upward for reading according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the case of reading a document that has been rotated 180 degrees and placed face down, and is another embodiment of the present invention, in which only the mirror, which is a part of the reading sensor, is FIG. 3 is another embodiment, and is a diagram for explaining a structure for reading both upper and lower surfaces without a movable part. 4...Light source 5...Lens 6...Photoelectric conversion sensor 7...Sensor unit 6-zz-14L-22-2

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A document to be read is faced in a document reading device that is equipped with a movable reading sensor unit that includes a light source that illuminates the document and a photoelectric conversion sensor that converts the imaged reflected light into an electrical signal. A document reading device comprising a transparent flat plate on both upper and lower surfaces, and a means for switching the reflected light from the document to be imaged on a reading sensor from either the upper or lower side. (2) The document reading device according to claim 1, wherein the scanning direction of the reading sensor unit is rotatably held in either the upper or lower direction.