JPH11298686A - Image reader - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the operability of an operation part even when an original platen is expanded so as to read a larger size book and to facilitate original setting operation even when a large control panel of high operability is installed. SOLUTION: A control panel 4 is positioned higher than an original platen 1 but lower than an image pickup camera part 2, and the original platen is positioned near a vertical line C of the original platen 1. Thus, even when the original platen 1 is enlarged, trouble in operation caused by the location of the control panel too far from an operator is prevented.

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 for reading an upward original from above, and more particularly to an operability of an upward image reading apparatus such as an original upward copying machine, an upward scanner and an upward photographing apparatus. It is related to technology to enhance.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art There has been an upward-type image reading apparatus for reading an original such as a book by setting it upward. In this type of image reading apparatus, an operation unit used for setting image reading conditions and the like is located deeper than a vertical line on the back side of the document table so as not to block the reading optical path of the image reading sensor (the details will be described later). Is located on the operation panel 4 'on the back side of the line C shown in FIG. 9A), or on the near side of the document table (operator side) for the purpose of improving the operability of the operation unit, or on both sides thereof. Has been placed. In some cases, the operation unit is of a separation type, and this operation unit is arranged on the side in front of the platen.

[0003]

However, in an image reading apparatus in which the above-mentioned conventional operation unit is disposed on the back side of the vertical line on the back side of the platen, the platen is set so that even a large-sized book can be read. When the size is increased, the depth of the document table is increased, so that the distance between the operator and the operation unit is increased, and the operability is deteriorated. In particular, when the operator operates the operation unit while standing, it is necessary to lean down and operate, and after the operation, there is a risk that the head may hit the reading unit of the apparatus. In addition, if the operation unit is located on the near side of the platen, if a large operation panel with good operability is arranged, the platen will be separated from the operator and it will not be easy to set the document on the platen. When a book or the like is set on a table, there is a problem that the operator's arm hits the operation unit and is erroneously operated. In addition, when the operation unit is disposed both on the back side of the vertical line on the back side of the platen and on the front side of the platen, there is the same problem as when the operation unit is disposed on the front side of the platen. Furthermore, if the separation type operation unit is arranged on the side of the platen, it will be expensive, it will be susceptible to electric noise, and care must be taken when handling the cable connected to the main unit control unit There was a problem of becoming.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problem, and provides an image reading apparatus in which the operability of the operation unit is good even when the size of the document table is increased so that even a large-sized book can be read. The purpose is to do.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an image reading apparatus for reading an upward original from above, comprising: an original table on which the original is placed; An imaging unit that reads by scanning an image, and an operation unit that sets conditions for image reading by the imaging unit and the like, and a position in the height direction of the operation unit is provided.
The position above the platen and below the imaging means is set, and the position in the depth direction of the platen is near the vertical line on the back side of the platen.

In the above configuration, the position of the operation section in the depth direction of the document table is set near a vertical line on the depth side of the document table, so that even when the document table is enlarged, the operation section is too far from the operator to operate. Will not interfere with
In addition, by using a large operation panel with good operability,
There is no need to provide the operation unit in front of the document table. Furthermore, when the operator operates the operation unit while sitting, the height of the operation unit can be set to a position close to the height of the eyes of the operator, which facilitates the operation.

[0007] Further, an illumination unit for illuminating the original placed on the original table may be further provided, the operation unit may be integrally formed with the illumination unit, and the operation unit may be arranged on the front side of the apparatus. This allows
No special parts are required to mount the operation unit.

Further, the operation section can be detachable from the apparatus main body. Thus, the operation unit can be used separately, and the operation becomes easy when a large-sized document is set on the platen.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an image reading apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an external view of an image reading apparatus according to the present embodiment, and FIG.
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a state in which a book document is placed on the image reading device. The image reading apparatus has a document table 1 on which a book document BD such as a book or a file is placed facing upward, and an image pickup element (in this embodiment, a CCD line image sensor) is provided above the document table 1. Further, an imaging camera unit (imaging means) 2 for reading the original on the original table 1 by the scanning is provided. An illumination unit 3 for illuminating the original is disposed on the upper back side of the document table 1, and an operation panel 4 (operation unit) for setting image reading conditions and the like is provided on the front surface of the illumination unit 3. It is arranged integrally. A distance measuring mirror 5 for projecting the shape of the upper end of the document is provided on the back side of the document table 1. Image data of the upper end of the document obtained by reading the distance measuring mirror 5 with a line sensor is written on the upper surface of the document. Used for height detection of Furthermore, start keys 6 and 7 for receiving an instruction to start reading an image are provided on the document table 1 one by one for left and right pages.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the arrangement of the optical system and the image sensor when the image reading device is viewed from the side. The imaging camera unit 2 includes a reflection mirror 11, an imaging lens 12, and a CCD.
An image of a document placed on the document table 1 illuminated with light from the illumination unit 3 and an end face of the document reflected on the distance measuring mirror 5 are constituted by a line image sensor 13 (hereinafter, referred to as a line sensor). Is formed on the line sensor 13 via the reflection mirror 11 by the imaging lens 12. The illumination section 3 is provided with a reflector 32 and a halogen lamp 31 as a light source. The optical system of the present apparatus is a reduction optical system that reduces an image of a document by the imaging lens 12 to form an image.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a driving mechanism of the imaging camera unit 2. As shown in FIG. As shown in the figure, the scanner 14 to which the line sensor 13 is attached moves in the sub-scanning direction (the direction of arrow A in the drawing) on a focal plane on which an image is formed.
The two guide shafts 15 and the feed screw 1
6 is movable. Lead screw 16
Is rotated by a pulse motor 17 via a drive transmission system 19 (belt and pulley). The start position and the end position of the scanner 14 are detected by the home position sensor 18a and the end sensor 18b, and the position of the scanner 14 is controlled by counting the number of pulses input to the pulse motor 17 after the home position sensor 18a is turned on. You. The imaging camera unit 2 performs reading in the main scanning direction with the line sensor 13, and moves the line sensor 13 in the sub-scanning direction orthogonal to the main scanning direction.
A two-dimensional original image is read. Also, the imaging lens 1
Numeral 2 is configured to be movable in the front-rear direction (the direction of arrow B in the figure), and an auto focus (AF) operation is performed by a focus motor (not shown) according to the height of the document surface.

FIG. 5 is a view showing an example of the operation panel 4. The operation panel 4 is provided with selection keys 41a to 41e, 42 and 43 for performing various settings such as image reading conditions, a reset key 44, and a liquid crystal panel 45. The selection keys 41a to 41e are used for selecting the paper size of the printer, and the selection keys 42 and 43 are used for switching between single-page reading and double-page reading. The reset key 44
Used to clear various setting conditions. In addition, the liquid crystal panel 45 displays a current setting state of the image reading apparatus, a state of the apparatus, and the like.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a control system of the image reading apparatus. The CPU 27 that controls the entire apparatus checks whether the start keys 6 and 7 are pressed, controls the operation panel 4, and controls ON / OFF of the illumination unit 3 via the lamp control unit 28. Or scans the line sensor 13 in the sub-scanning direction via the scan control unit 29 or performs an AF control operation via the lens drive unit 30. The basic operation of image reading by this apparatus is as follows. First, the line sensor 13 moves from the home position to simultaneously read the original surface and the upper end of the original reflected on the distance measuring mirror 5, and controls the lens based on the shape of the upper end of the original. A
The image is sequentially read while performing the F control, and the image data is stored in the memory 26.

More specifically, the image data read by the line sensor 13 is converted into digital data by an A / D converter 21, and an edge detector 23, a document size detector 24, a finger detector 25, and an image distortion corrector 22.
The CPU 27 determines the document height data based on the detection result of the edge detection unit 23, the document size based on the detection result of the document size detection unit 24, the hand pressing the document based on the detection result of the finger detection unit 25, The positions of the fingers are calculated and stored in the memory 26, and data for automatic focusing (AF) control and an image distortion correction coefficient are calculated from these data and stored in the memory 26. Then, based on these document height data, document size, finger position, and image distortion correction coefficient, the image data sent to the image distortion correction unit 22 is subjected to distortion correction, density correction, frame erasure, finger erasure, and the like, and the external Output to The data output to the outside is output as an image on paper using a printer, for example, or is input to a personal computer or the like and stored as image data. In addition,
In the present embodiment, a printer (not shown) is connected to the apparatus, and paper can be selected in the printer from the operation panel 4.

An interface 51 for communicating with an external device 50 is connected to the CPU 27.
Various control commands and various types of information can be received from the external device 50 via the interface 51, and information such as operation status can be sent to the external device 50.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a reading process of the image reading device. When the power of the apparatus is turned on (# 1), initial settings are made to clear data in the memory and various setting items (# 2), and then the apparatus waits until the start key 6 or 7 is pressed (# 1). # 3). And
When the start key 6 or 7 is pressed (YE in # 3)
S), the illumination unit 3 is turned on (# 4), the preliminary scanning operation (# 5) is started, and the original image and original height data are read by the line sensor 13. Next, the data read by the preliminary scan is checked. If there is an abnormality in the data (NO in # 6), a warning is issued (# 14), the scanning operation is completed, and the illumination unit 3 is turned off. (# 1
5) Wait until the start key 6 or 7 is pressed again (# 3). If the data is normal (YE in # 6)
S), AF control data and an image distortion correction coefficient are calculated using detection data at the time of preliminary scanning such as document height data (# 7, # 8), and a main scan is started (#).
9). Then, while performing the AF control (# 10) based on the AF control data calculated in # 7, the image reading of each read line in the sub-scanning direction is performed, and the image distortion calculated in # 8 is calculated for the read data of each line. After performing image processing (# 11) such as image distortion correction using a correction coefficient, these image data are output in accordance with various modes set on the operation panel 4 or the like (# 12). Then, it is determined whether or not reading of all the lines has been completed (# 13). If the reading has not been completed (NO in # 13), the process returns to # 10, and # 10 is performed until reading of all the lines is completed. To # 13 are repeated. When reading of all the lines is completed (YES in # 13), the illumination unit 3 is turned off (# 1).
5) Step # for reading the original of the next page
3 and the processes of # 3 to # 15 are repeated until the reading of the document of all pages is completed.

Next, the configuration of the operation panel 4 of the image reading apparatus according to the present embodiment and its operability will be described in comparison with the conventional configuration. FIG. 8 shows the operation panel 4 according to the present embodiment.
FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining a posture of an operator who operates an operation panel by comparing the present embodiment with a conventional configuration, and FIG. 10 is an external view of a conventional image reading apparatus. In order to illuminate a document with almost uniform illuminance, it is desirable to arrange the illumination unit 3 as much as possible above the document table 1. However, in the case of a document having a high glossiness, the regular reflection light of the document is detected by a line sensor. 13 and the line sensor 13
When the value exceeds the allowable range, it is easy to be overexposed (a state where an image cannot be obtained). Therefore, the illuminating unit 3 is arranged on the lower side as much as possible so that the illuminating light from the illuminating unit 3 is obliquely incident on the document surface, and the shape of the reflector 32 (see FIG. 3) of the illuminating unit 3 is By devising, the illuminance distribution on the document table 1 is made nearly uniform.

For example, if the height of the operator is 157 cm to 180 cm, as shown in FIG.
In a desktop type image reading apparatus placed on a desk of about 70 cm as in the present embodiment, the illumination unit 3 and the operation panel 4 are arranged at positions 40 cm to 70 cm from the bottom of the apparatus. The position of the operation panel 4 in the front-rear direction (the depth direction of the document table) is preferably closer to the operator as long as the operation is not hindered. However, since the area enclosed by the dashed line in FIG. 8 is the image reading area and the distance measurement area, the operation panel 4 is arranged in a range that does not block the optical path.

In the present embodiment, the position of the operation panel 4 in the height direction is set as described above, so that FIG.
As shown in (b), when the operator operates the operation unit while sitting, the height of the operation panel 4 is close to the height of the eyes of the operator, so that the operability is good. Becomes
The position of the operation panel 4 in the depth direction of the platen is set near the vertical line C at the back end of the platen 1 so that the platen 1
Is increased, the distance between the operator and the operation panel 4 can be shortened. Therefore, even when the operator stands and operates the operation panel 4 as shown in FIG. It is not necessary to bend and operate, and the operator does not hit the imaging camera unit 2 after the operation is completed. Furthermore, even when a large operation panel is installed as the operation panel 4, it is possible to prevent the document table 1 from being separated from the operator, and to erroneously operate the operation panel 4 when the operator's arm hits the operation panel 4. Can be prevented. In FIG. 9, the area enclosed by the dashed line indicates the image reading area and the distance measurement area.

On the other hand, the conventional operation panel 4 ′ on the back side of the original table 1 is disposed further behind the distance measuring mirror 5 than the vertical line C at the back end of the original table 1. So
When the platen 1 is enlarged, the operator and the operation panel 4 '
When the operation panel 4 'is to be operated while standing, the user needs to bend down and operate, and the head may hit the reading unit of the apparatus after the operation.
9B, when the operation panel 4 "is made to be a large and easy-to-use one, the manuscript table 1 is operated by the operator. There is a problem that the operator's arm hits the operation panel 4 "and the operation panel 4" is erroneously operated when the document is set on the document table 1.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the operation panel 4 is configured integrally with the illumination unit 3; however, the operation panel 4 is configured to be independent from the illumination unit 3, and is configured by using an arm or the like and using an arm or the like as shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B. It may be arranged near the vertical line C on the back side of the document table 1 shown by the chain line. Further, the operation panel 4 may be configured to be detachable from the illumination unit 3. Thus, when the operation panel 4 is used, the operation panel 4 can be separated and arranged near the operator, so that the operability of the operation panel 4 is improved.

[0022]

As described above, according to the present invention, the position of the operation unit in the depth direction of the platen is set near the vertical line on the depth side of the platen, so that even if the platen is enlarged, In comparison, the distance between the operator and the operation unit can be shortened, so that even when the operator stands and uses the operation unit, there is no need to lean down and operate, and therefore, The operability can be maintained satisfactorily irrespective of the size, and the head is not hit against the reading unit of the apparatus after the operation is completed. In addition, by using a large operation panel with good operability, it is not necessary to provide the operation unit in front of the platen, so that when the original is set on the platen, the operator's arm may hit the operation unit. Erroneous operation of the operation unit does not occur. Furthermore, the height of the operation unit is set to be higher than the document table and lower than the imaging unit so that when the operator operates the operation unit while sitting down, the height of the operation unit is set to the operator's height. And the operability of the operation unit is good. Further, since the operation unit is provided at a position that does not affect the scanning of the image of the original by the imaging unit, there is no problem in reading the image.

[0023] Further, an illumination unit for illuminating the original placed on the original platen is further provided, and the operation unit is integrally formed with the illumination unit, so that a special member for attaching the operation unit is provided. This eliminates the need and reduces the cost and makes the whole apparatus compact.

Further, since the operation section can be separated from the apparatus main body, the operation section can be separated and used in the vicinity of the operator, so that the operability is improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external view of an image reading apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a state in which a book document is placed on the image reading apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an arrangement of an optical system and line sensors when the image reading apparatus is viewed from the side.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a configuration of a driving mechanism of the imaging camera unit.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of an operation panel.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a control system of the image reading device.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a reading process of the image reading apparatus.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an arrangement configuration of an operation panel according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a layout of an operation panel according to the present embodiment and a conventional operation panel in comparison with a posture of an operator who operates them.

FIG. 10 is an external view of a conventional image reading apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 platen 3 illumination unit 4 operation panel (operation unit) 13 line sensor (imaging means) C vertical line

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An image reading device for reading an upward original from above, an original table on which the original is placed, an imaging unit for reading an image of the original placed on the original table by scanning, and an imaging unit An operation unit for setting image reading conditions and the like according to the above, wherein the position of the operation unit in the height direction is above the document table and below the imaging means, and the position in the document table depth direction is the document An image reading apparatus characterized by being located near a vertical line on the back side of the table. 2. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation unit is provided at a position where the operation unit does not affect the scanning of the image of the document by the imaging unit. 3. An illumination unit for illuminating a document placed on the platen, wherein the operation unit is integrally formed with the illumination unit, and the operation unit is disposed on a front side of the apparatus. The image reading device according to claim 1. 4. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation section is separable from the apparatus main body.