JPH09214701A - Picture reader - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a picture reader where the scattering and reflection of light caused by an incision which is formed in a light transmitting means are prevented from occurring. SOLUTION: The scanning means of a sheet to be scanned where picture information is recorded by electromagnetic wave and a light detecting means photoelectrically detecting light from the sheet to be scanned are provided. The light transmitting means 20 collecting light from the sheet to be scanned and guiding it to the light detecting means consists of the sheet of a material by which light from the sheet to be scanned is transmitted to the light detecting means and also is provided with one end part 20b which is arranged to face a scanning position and the other end part 20a which is connected to a light detecting equipment. The incisions 201, 202 and 203 are formed from the other end part towards one end part, the end parts of separated sheet parts 204, 205, 206 and 207 at the other end 20a side are superimposed by the incisions so as to form the other end part and light from the sheet to be scanned is totally reflected. Scattering and reflection preventing parts 250 consisting of the material with a refractive index being larger than that of air are also provided at the end part of the incisions.

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 in particular, a photostimulable phosphor containing a photostimulable phosphor recorded with an image of light, radiation or an electron beam in the form of these energies. The stimulable phosphor sheet provided with the phosphor layer is scanned with an electromagnetic wave to excite the stimulable phosphor to emit light, radiation, or electron beam energy in the form of light, and emit the emitted light. By photoelectrically detecting
The present invention relates to an image reading apparatus suitable for reading an image of light, radiation or an electron beam accumulated in a stimulable phosphor.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When irradiated with light, radiation or an electron beam, its energy is accumulated, and when it is subsequently irradiated with an electromagnetic wave, a quantity of light proportional to the energy of the accumulated light, radiation or electron beam is emitted. Using a stimulable phosphor sheet provided with a stimulable phosphor layer containing a stimulable phosphor,
Image data is recorded by recording an image of light, radiation or electron beam, scanning with electromagnetic waves, releasing the energy of light, radiation or electron beam in the form of light, and detecting the emitted light photoelectrically. A method and system for reproducing an image of light, radiation or an electron beam on a display means such as a CRT or a photographic film based on the generated image data are widely known. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open
No. 12429, JP-A-55-12145, etc., the energy of radiation transmitted through a subject is accumulated and absorbed in a stimulable phosphor layer provided on a stimulable phosphor sheet, and thereafter, the stimulable phosphor layer is stimulated. The fluorescent fluorescent layer with electromagnetic waves,
The stimulable phosphor is excited, and the stimulable light emitted from the stimulable phosphor is photoelectrically detected to generate a digital image signal, which is subjected to predetermined signal processing, and a display means such as a CRT. Alternatively, a method of reproducing an image on a photographic film has been proposed, and this method is widely used in the field of radiation diagnosis.

Further, Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 1-60784, Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 1-60782, Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 43952, etc., after administering a substance with a radioactive label to an organism, A part of the tissue of the organism is used as a sample, and this sample is overlapped with the stimulable phosphor layer provided on the stimulable phosphor sheet for a certain period of time so that the stimulable phosphor absorbs radiation energy. After that,
Scanning the stimulable phosphor layer with electromagnetic waves to excite the stimulable phosphor, stimulated light emitted from the stimulable phosphor is photoelectrically detected to generate a digital image signal, Proposed is an autoradiography detection method in which predetermined signal processing is performed and reproduced as an image on a display means such as a CRT or a photographic film to obtain position information of a radiolabeled substance in a sample. Furthermore, JP-A-3-205550
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 232864/1992 discloses a method of selectively labeling a polymer, such as a protein or a nucleic acid sequence, with a chemiluminescent substance to cause chemiluminescence. By providing a chemiluminescent substance and a polymer selectively labeled with a substance in contact with each other, the chemiluminescent energy in the visible light wavelength region generated by the contact between the chemiluminescent substance and the labeling substance is provided in the stimulable phosphor sheet. The stimulable phosphor layer is accumulated in the stimulable phosphor layer contained in the stimulable phosphor layer, and thereafter, the stimulable phosphor layer is scanned with an electromagnetic wave to excite the stimulable phosphor layer. The bright light emitted from
By photoelectrically detecting, generating a digital image signal, performing a predetermined signal processing, and reproducing it as an image on a display means such as a CRT or a photographic film, information about a macromolecule such as gene information can be obtained. We have proposed a chemiluminescence detection method to be obtained. In addition, JP-A-61-5
1738 and 61-93538 disclose that energy of an electron beam diffracted by a sample of a metal, a non-metal sample, a biological tissue sample, or the like, which is diffracted by the sample or transmitted through the sample is accumulated fluorescence. Accumulated in the stimulable phosphor contained in the stimulable phosphor layer provided on the body sheet, and then scanned with electromagnetic waves to excite the stimulable phosphor, emitted from the stimulable phosphor. The photostimulated photostimulable light is photoelectrically detected to generate a digital image signal, which is subjected to predetermined signal processing, and reproduced as an image on a display means such as a CRT or a photographic film to reproduce the element of the sample. A detection method using an electron microscope has been proposed for performing analysis, composition analysis, structural analysis, structure observation, and the like.
No. 15843, etc., irradiates a sample with radiation, causes the energy of an electron beam diffracted by the sample to be accumulated in a stimulable phosphor, and then scans with an electromagnetic wave to excite the stimulable phosphor. Then, the photostimulable light emitted from the photostimulable phosphor is photoelectrically detected to generate a digital image signal,
A radiation diffraction image detection method has been proposed in which a predetermined signal processing is performed and reproduced as an image on a display means such as a CRT or a photographic film to analyze the structure of a sample.

In each of these methods, light,
A stimulable phosphor sheet provided with a stimulable phosphor layer containing a stimulable phosphor that stores the energy of radiation or electron beams is scanned by electromagnetic waves, excited, and stored. It is essential to emit light, radiation or electron beam energy as photostimulable light and read it photoelectrically, and an image reading apparatus for that purpose has been proposed. In such an image reading device, since the stimulable light emitted from the stimulable phosphor layer by scanning with an electromagnetic wave such as a laser beam is omnidirectional, the light emitted from the stimulable phosphor layer is efficiently emitted. A light transmission means (light collection guide) for collecting light well and guiding it to a photodetector that reads photoelectrically is required. As such a light transmitting means, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No.
JP-A-87970 discloses that a synthetic resin sheet such as a substantially rectangular acrylic sheet is cut from one end side, the sheet is processed into a strip shape from the middle, and the end portions on the side of the strip shape are vertically overlapped with each other. A light transmitting means or a notch from one end of a synthetic resin sheet such as a substantially rectangular acrylic sheet, one end side portion of the sheet is processed into a strip shape from the middle, and the strip-shaped portion is processed from the other end side to the one end Gently twisting toward the side, rotate each end face on the one end side of the plate processed into a strip shape by 90 ° with respect to the end face on the other end side, and stack the end faces in the lateral direction. Optical transmission means are proposed.

[0005]

In such a light transmitting means, the end surface of the synthetic resin sheet on which the notch is not formed faces the portion of the stimulable phosphor layer scanned by the electromagnetic wave. The photostimulable light emitted by the photostimulable phosphor is received by this end face and is transmitted to the photodetector while repeating total internal reflection. In order to facilitate the operation, the electromagnetic wave scattered on the surface of the stimulable phosphor layer has a predetermined width and extends from one end of the sheet to the vicinity of the light-receiving surface. Incident on the photocatalyst, scattered or reflected at the end of the notch located near the light-receiving surface, and again excites the region of the stimulable phosphor layer other than the region of the stimulable phosphor layer to be excited. , The resulting stimulable phosphor to be excited The photostimulable light from the region of the stimulable phosphor layer other than the region may be guided to the photodetector by the light transmitting means, and in such a case, it was photoelectrically read by the image reading device. Based on the image data
There has been a problem that a ghost occurs in the reproduced image when the image is reproduced. Such a problem becomes more serious as the photostimulable phosphor emits a weaker photostimulable light. Therefore, it is a serious problem in the autoradiography detection method and the chemiluminescence detection method. .

The same problem is not limited to the case where the photostimulable phosphor layer is scanned with electromagnetic waves and the emitted photostimulable light is condensed and guided to a photodetector. Then, when the light reflected from the original is condensed by using the light transmission means as described above and is guided to the photodetector, or when the photographic film is scanned with the light, the transmitted light is changed as described above. It also occurs when the light is condensed by using a different light transmission means and guided to the photodetector. Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an image reading device capable of preventing the occurrence of light scattering and reflection caused by the cuts formed in the light transmitting means.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is as follows.
Between the scanning means for scanning the scanned sheet on which image information is recorded by electromagnetic waves, the photodetection means for photoelectrically detecting the light from the scanned sheet, and the scanning sheet and the photodetection means. And light transmitting means for collecting the light from the sheet to be scanned and guiding it to the light detecting means, wherein the light transmitting means can transmit the light from the sheet to be scanned to the light detecting means. Which is made of a sheet of a different material, is provided with one end facing the scanning position of the scanning means on the scanned sheet, and the other end connected to the photodetector. At least one notch is formed toward one end, and the other end of the separated sheet portion is overlapped by the notch to form the other end of the light transmitting unit. , Inside it, the By an image reading device that is configured to be capable of transmitting to the light detection means while totally reflecting the light from the inspection sheet, and at the end of the cut, a scattering / reflection preventing portion made of a material having a refractive index larger than that of air is provided. To be achieved. According to the present invention, since the scattering reflection preventing portion made of a material having a refractive index larger than that of air is provided at the end of the notch formed in the light transmitting means, the light entering the light transmitting means is The ends of the notches formed in the transmission means prevent scattering or reflection, so that the light entering the light transmission means is scattered or reflected by the ends of the notches formed in the light transmission means. Has been
It becomes possible to effectively prevent the generation of a ghost in a reproduced image due to the incident on the sheet to be scanned again and the incident on the light transmitting means again to be guided to the light detecting means.

In a preferred aspect of the present invention, the material having a refractive index higher than that of air has a refractive index substantially equal to that of the material forming the sheet. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the light incident on the light transmitting means can be more effectively prevented from being scattered or reflected by the end portion of the notch formed in the light transmitting means, Therefore, it becomes possible to more effectively prevent the occurrence of a ghost in the reproduced image. In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention,
The scanned sheet is capable of accumulating light, radiation or electron beam energy, and when irradiated with electromagnetic waves, can emit the accumulated light, radiation or electron beam energy in the form of light. The stimulable phosphor sheet is provided with a stimulable phosphor layer containing a stimulable phosphor.

[0009]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an autoradiographic image reading device 100 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view thereof. This image reading device 100
Excites the stimulable phosphor by scanning the stimulable phosphor sheet S provided with the stimulable phosphor layer containing the stimulable phosphor on which the positional information of the radio-labeled substance is recorded with a laser beam. Then, the light emitted from the stimulable phosphor is photoelectrically detected to generate a digital image signal. As shown in FIG. 1, the scanning optical system of the image reading apparatus 100 according to this embodiment includes a laser light source 1. The laser light 2 emitted from the laser light source 1 has its optical path deflected by the first mirror 3, passes through the filter 4, is cut off light of unnecessary wavelength, and is composed of 5 and 6. After passing through the beam expander and expanded to a predetermined beam diameter, it enters the pre-cylindrical lens 7. The laser light passing through the pre-cylindrical lens 7 has its optical path deflected by the second mirror 8 and enters one of the reflecting surfaces of the polygon mirror 9 which is a regular hexagonal rotating polygon mirror. The polygon mirror 9 is rotated clockwise by the polygon motor 10, and the laser light 2 incident on the reflecting surface is scanned in the clockwise direction as the polygon mirror 9 rotates, while the fθ lens 11 and the concave cylindrical lens are being rotated. The light passes through the lens 12 and enters the concave cylindrical mirror 13. The laser light is directed by the concave cylindrical mirror 13 toward the surface of the stimulable phosphor sheet S which is conveyed below the scanning optical system in the sub-scanning direction orthogonal to the main scanning direction scanned by the laser light.
The light is deflected downward and reaches the surface of a stimulable phosphor layer (not shown) provided on the stimulable phosphor sheet S. As a result, the laser light is scanned in the main scanning direction by the polygon mirror 9, and the stimulable phosphor sheet S is conveyed in the sub-scanning direction. Therefore, the stimulable phosphor layer provided on the stimulable phosphor sheet S is scanned. The surface of is scanned two-dimensionally by the laser beam 2.

The fθ lens 11 is a strip-shaped lens 11a.
And a plurality of strip-shaped lenses 11
The second lens group consisting of b and 11c is made up of three elements in two groups. A lens 11a constituting the first lens group,
A first light shielding plate 14 is arranged between the polygon mirrors 9. The first light shielding plate 14 is a polygon mirror 9
Of the laser light reflected by the lens 1 that constitutes the first lens group of the fθ lens 11 without passing through the lens 11a.
The component reflected by the surface 11a ′ of the polygon mirror 9 side of 1a and the surface 11a ″ of the lens 11a of the lens 11a of the fθ lens 11 on the lens 11b side is reflected again by the polygon mirror 9 and is scheduled. Incident on the surface of the stimulable phosphor layer of the stimulable phosphor sheet S via a non-existing route,
The stimulable phosphor was excited, and as a result, stimulable light was emitted from other than the portion of the stimulable phosphor layer to be excited by the component of the laser light, and the stimulable light was photoelectrically read and obtained. When an image is reproduced based on the image data, the generation of a ghost that occurs in the reproduced image is prevented. First
The light shielding plate 14 is provided with a slit 14a that allows the laser beam 2 scanned by the polygon mirror 9 to pass therethrough. The portions of the first light-shielding plate 14 on both sides of the slit 14a do not mainly pass through the lens 11a in the laser light reflected by the polygon mirror 9, and the first portion of the fθ lens 11 does not pass through.
Stray light other than the stray light generated as a result of being reflected by the surface 11a ′ of the lens 11a forming the lens group on the polygon mirror 9 side and the surface 11a ″ of the lens 11a of the fθ lens 11 forming the second lens group on the lens 11b side, It blocks light.

Further, with respect to the scanning direction, the fθ lens 1
The lens 11 constituting the second lens group of the first lens 11a
A second light blocking plate 15 is provided to cover both ends of the surface 11a ″ on the b side. This second light blocking plate 15 constitutes a second lens group of the laser light reflected by the polygon mirror 9. Fθ lens 1 without transmitting through the lenses 11b and 11c
Surface 11b 'of the first lens 11b on the polygon mirror 9 side
Then, a part of the laser light reflected toward the lens 11a is scattered by the end surface of the lens 11a, and the scattered laser light is stored in the stimulable phosphor sheet S through an unplanned route.
Incident on the surface of the stimulable phosphor layer of, to excite the stimulable phosphor, as a result, stimulable light from other than the portion of the stimulable phosphor layer to be excited by the components of the laser light. Released
Based on the image data obtained by photoelectrically reading the stimulated light,
When an image is reproduced, the generation of a ghost that occurs in the reproduced image is prevented. The second light shielding plate 15 is f
In order to prevent part of the laser light reflected by the surface 11b ′ of the lens 11b of the θ lens 11 on the polygon mirror 9 side from entering the end surface of the lens 11a,
Both ends of the surface of the lens 11a on the lens 11b side that constitutes the second lens group are covered. For example, the second light shield 1
5 has a dimension and shape that covers both ends in the scanning direction of the substantially rectangular surface 11a ″ of the lens 11a of the lens 11a of the fθ lens 11 on the side of the lens 11b that forms the second lens group by about 5 mm in the scanning direction. Things can be used.

In this scanning optical system, a so-called surface tilt correction optical system is constituted by the pre-cylindrical lens 7, the fθ lens 11, the concave cylindrical lens 12 and the concave cylindrical mirror 13, and the reproduced image is uneven in the sub-scanning direction. It is intended to prevent the occurrence of. Each component of the scanning optical system from the laser light source 1 to the concave cylindrical mirror 13 is attached to the optical surface plate 16 so as to be located in the same plane. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the optical surface plate 1 lateral to the upstream end of the concave cylindrical mirror 13 in the scanning direction.
A starting point detection mirror 17 is mounted on the optical disk 6, and a starting point detection sensor 18 is mounted on the optical surface plate 16 on the side of the downstream end with respect to the scanning direction. The starting point detection mirror 17 is
The concave cylindrical mirror 13 is arranged at a position where the laser beam 2 reflected near the upstream end of the concave cylindrical mirror 13 in the scanning direction is incident,
When the laser beam 2 scanned by the polygon mirror 9 is reflected near the upstream end of the concave cylindrical mirror 13 in the scanning direction, the laser beam 2 is arranged at the downstream end of the concave cylindrical mirror 13 in the scanning direction. Further, it is configured to reflect toward the starting point detection sensor 18.

The stimulable phosphor contained in the stimulable phosphor layer (not shown) provided on the stimulable phosphor sheet S is excited by the irradiation of the laser beam 2 and accumulated in advance. The energy that indicates the position information of the radioactive labeling substance
The emitted light is emitted as stimulated stimulus light 19 having a light amount proportional to the intensity of energy. The photostimulable light 19 is emitted as omnidirectional light from the portion scanned by the laser light 2, and therefore, in order to detect the positional information of the radiolabeled substance with high accuracy,
It is necessary to collect the non-directional photostimulable light 19 emitted from the photostimulable phosphor efficiently and photoelectrically detect it. Therefore, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the light is emitted from the stimulable phosphor by the light collecting guide 20 arranged at a position separated from the surface of the stimulable phosphor sheet S by a predetermined distance. The non-directional stimulated stimulating light 19 thus collected is collected, guided to a photodetector 21, and photoelectrically detected.
As shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, the light collecting guide 20 includes
The light collecting guide 20 is made of a substantially square-shaped sheet of methyl methacrylate resin, and after being formed, the light collecting guide 20 is formed into a sheet from the one end portion 20a side of the sheet to which the photodetector 21 is connected.
Insert three cuts 201, 202, 203, cut one end side of the sheet, and cut four strips 204, 20
5, 206, 207 are formed to form one pair of strip portions 2
04 and 205 and the other pair of strip portions 206 and 206, respectively, while gradually twisting them around the axis of the cutting direction, the strip portions 204, 205, 206 and 20.
7 end portions 204a, 205a, 206a, 207a,
In a state of being rotated by 90 ° with respect to the other end 20b of the sheet to be arranged to face the stimulable phosphor sheet S, the sheet is bent toward the center so as to be adjacent to each other, and four strip portions 20 are provided.
It is formed by bundling 4, 205, 206 and 207 into a substantially rectangular shape. In this way, the slits 201, 202, 203 are made in the sheet, and the light collecting guide 20
Is formed by the light collecting guide 2 having a predetermined shape.
0 is for processing the sheet so that it can be easily formed. Thus, the strip portions 204, 205, 206 of the light collecting guide 20 bundled in a substantially rectangular shape,
One end portions 204a, 205a, 206a, 207 of 207
A photodetector 21 such as a photomultiplier is connected to a and is configured to photoelectrically detect the photostimulable light 19 guided by the focusing guide 20.

As shown in FIG. 4, the light collection guide 20.
Exposes the linear end 20b to the scanning portion of the stimulable phosphor layer of the stimulable phosphor sheet S by the laser light 1, and collects the stimulable light 19 emitted from the stimulable phosphor. Then, it is arranged so as to be guided to the photodetector 21 while undergoing total internal reflection. However, in order to facilitate the formation of the light collecting guide 20, the cuts 201, 202, 203 are made in the sheet.
As a result of forming the condensing guide 20, the photostimulable light 19 entering the condensing guide 20 from the light receiving end 20b of the condensing guide 20 is scattered at the ends of the cuts 201, 202, 203. Alternatively, the light may be reflected and then made incident on the photostimulable phosphor layer again, reflected, and guided to the photodetector 21 by the light collecting guide 20. In such a case, photoelectric conversion is performed by the image reading device. When an image is reproduced on the basis of the image data read in, a ghost is generated in the reproduced image. Therefore, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, the methyl methacrylate forming the light collecting guide 20 is formed at each end of the three cuts 201, 202, and 203 formed in the light collecting guide 20. Refractive index n = 1.
The resin filling portion 250 filled with the resin having 4 is formed, and at the ends of the cuts 201, 202, 203,
The scattered light 19 is prevented from being scattered or reflected. As the resin with which the resin filling section 250 is filled, for example, an adhesive such as a microscope encapsulant can be used. The resin-filled portion 250 is provided in each of the strip portions 204, 2 and 2.
After twisting 05, 206 and 207 and bundling them in a roughly rectangular shape,
It is formed by filling the resin with a filling tool such as a dropper or a syringe. Each notch 201, 20
The size of the resin-filled portion 250 formed at the end of each of the light guides 2, 203 is determined by the respective cuts 201, 202, 2 of the light collecting guide 20.
03, the smoothness of the end portion and the light-condensing end portion 20b of the light-concentrating guide 20 facing the stimulable phosphor sheet S and the notch 20.
It can be arbitrarily determined by the distance from the ends of 1, 202 and 203.

According to this embodiment, at the ends of the cuts 201, 202, 203 of the light collecting guide 20, the refractive index n = 1. Since the resin-filled portion 250 filled with the resin having the number 4 is formed,
The photostimulable light 19 that has entered the light collecting guide 20 from the light receiving end 20b of 0 is prevented from being scattered or reflected at the ends of the cuts 201, 202, and 203. Focusing guide 2 from the light receiving end 20b
The photostimulable stimulus 19 that is incident in 0 is divided into notches 201, 20
Scattered or reflected at the ends of 2,203,
The light is incident on the photostimulable phosphor layer, is reflected by the photostimulable phosphor layer, and is then condensed.
As a result, it is possible to effectively prevent ghosts from occurring in the reproduced image due to being guided to the photodetector 21. The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the invention described in the claims, and these are also included in the scope of the present invention. Needless to say. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the light collecting guide 20 is formed of methyl methacrylate resin, but the material thereof can be determined according to the type of light that is condensed and guided to the photodetector 21. For example, the light collecting guide 20 may be made of synthetic resin such as transparent vinyl chloride resin, polycarbonate resin, polyester resin, epoxy resin, or glass.

Further, in the above embodiment, the resin filling portion 250 at the end of each cut 201, 202, 203.
In addition, although a resin having a refractive index substantially equal to the refractive index of the material forming the light collecting guide 20 is filled, even if a material other than the resin is filled, the refractive index is larger than that of air. Effective if it is a material. Further, it is desirable that the material with which the resin filling portion 250 is filled has a coefficient of thermal expansion that is substantially the same as that of the material forming the light collecting guide 20. Further, in the above-described embodiment, the stimulable phosphor sheet S having the stimulable phosphor layer in which the positional information of the radiolabeled substance is stored and recorded in the form of radiation energy.
The surface of the laser is scanned by the laser light 2, and the photostimulable light 19 emitted from the photostimulable phosphor layer is received to collect the light.
By the above, the image is read by being guided to the photodetector 21 by photoelectrically detecting it, but the present invention is not limited to the autoradiography detection method of reading the positional information of the radiolabeled substance as an image, but a chemiluminescence detection method. , A radiation diffraction image detection method, a detection method by an electron microscope, etc., a photostimulable phosphor layer containing a photostimulable phosphor recorded with an image of light, radiation or an electron beam in the form of these energies is provided. Also applied to the case where the stimulable phosphor sheet S is scanned with electromagnetic waves to excite the stimulable phosphor, and the stimulable light emitted from the stimulable phosphor is collected and photoelectrically read. You can Furthermore, not only the stimulable light emitted from the stimulable phosphor, but also the sheet-shaped document is scanned by light, and the light reflected from the document is condensed by using a condensing guide to detect light. To guide it to the container, or scan the photo film with light,
When the transmitted light is collected using a light-collecting guide and guided to a photodetector, further, fixed macromolecules such as proteins and nucleic acid sequences are selectively labeled with a fluorescent dye, and this labeled The present invention is also applicable to a fluorescence image detection method in which a polymer is scanned with light to detect emitted fluorescence.

[0017]

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an image reading apparatus capable of preventing the generation and scattering of photostimulable light caused by the notches formed in the light transmitting means.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an image reading apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of an image reading apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic front view showing an optical path of a scanning optical system of the image reading / reading apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view showing a positional relationship between a light collecting guide and a stimulable phosphor sheet of the image reading apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a light collecting guide of the image reading apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the light collecting guide of FIG.

FIG. 7 is a side view of the light collecting guide of FIG.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view showing a tip end portion of a cut portion of the light collecting guide of the image reading apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Laser Light Source 2 Laser Light 3 First Mirror 3 Filter 5 First Beam Expander 6 Second Beam Expander 7 Pre-cylindrical Lens 8 Second Mirror 9 Polygon Mirror 10 Polygon Motor 11 fθ Lens 12 Concave Cylindrical Lens 13 Concave cylindrical mirror 14 First light-shielding plate 15 Second light-shielding plate 16 Optical surface plate 17 Starting point detection mirror 18 Starting point detection sensor 19 Photostimulated light 20 Focusing guide 21 Photodetector 201, 202, 203 Notch 204, 205, 206, 207 Strip part 250 Resin filling part

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A scanning means for scanning a scanned sheet on which image information is recorded by electromagnetic waves, a light detecting means for photoelectrically detecting light from the scanned sheet, the scanned sheet and the light detection. Means for collecting light from the sheet to be scanned and guiding the light from the sheet to be detected to the light detecting means, wherein the light transmitting means outputs light from the sheet to be scanned to the light A sheet of a material that can be transmitted to a detection means, and has one end portion that is arranged facing the scanning position of the scanning means on the scanned sheet, and the other end portion that is connected to the photodetector; At least one notch is formed from the other end toward the one end, and by the notch,
The other end portions of the separated sheet portions are overlapped with each other to form the other end portion of the light transmitting means,
Inside thereof, a scattering / reflection preventing portion made of a material having a refractive index larger than that of air is provided at the end of the notch, which is configured to be capable of transmitting the light from the scanned sheet to the light detecting means while totally reflecting the light. An image reading device characterized by the above. 2. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the material having a refractive index higher than that of air has a refractive index substantially equal to a refractive index of a material forming the sheet. 3. The scanned sheet is capable of accumulating energy of light, radiation or electron beam, and when the sheet is irradiated with electromagnetic waves, the energy of the accumulated light, radiation or electron beam is converted into a shape of light. The image reading device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the image reading device is a stimulable phosphor sheet having a stimulable phosphor layer containing a stimulable phosphor that can be released by the method.