Fuji Photo Optical Co., Ltd.

Fujinon Corporation

Fuji Photo Film Optical Co., Ltd.

Eiichi Hayashi

Yuichi Kawanabe

Satoshi Mikajiri

Osamu Shinohara

Yuichi Ishiyama

Kazutsugu Ogata

Tamio Takato

A mirror attachment structure for an image-reading apparatus that includes a carriage for mounting a light source for illuminating a document and a photoelectric conversion device for receiving light from the document includes a reinforcement sheet metal member. The reinforcement sheet metal member includes first and second sections that do not lie in the same plane and a mirror that is fixed to one of the sections. The carriage supports the reinforcement sheet metal member. The reinforcement sheet metal member may be formed into a proper shape by bending. The mirror may be directly bonded to the reinforcement sheet metal member, mounted on a support attached to the reinforcement sheet metal member, or formed directly on the reinforcement sheet metal member by evaporating aluminum onto the reinforcement sheet metal member.

Mirror attachment structure for image-reading apparatus

An elastic fixing screw valve body is provided on a wall of a frame of an image-reading apparatus. The valve body allows a carriage fixing screw to be passed through the through-hole in the wall and the valve body when the image-reading device is prepared for transport to a new location so as to secure one or more carriages within the frame to the wall. The valve body also allows the carriage fixing screw to be removed when the image-reading device is prepared for normal scanning operation after being transported to the new location. In addition, the valve body acts to seal the interior space of the frame from invasion by dust via the through-hole when the carriage fixing screw is removed from the through-hole and normal scanning operation of the image-reading apparatus is resumed at the new location.

Dust-proof structure of image-reading device

A mounting structure for an inverter circuit board for a light source lamp of an image reader in which mounting means for mounting the inverter circuit board for a light source lamp of an image reader onto a carriage is located to be operated from the direction in which the carriage moves in one embodiment. The inverter circuit and heat dissipation plate are removably mounted to an end of the full rate carriage. In another embodiment, the circuit board is mounted to the top for access from above the carriage.

Mounting structure for inverter circuit board for light source lamp of image reader

A carriage structure is disclosed for an image-reading device that acquires image data from a document while an optical unit is moved along the document. The carriage structure is formed of molded plastic with reinforcing sheet metal members incorporated therein, and the optical unit, including a light source, photoelectric conversion device and optical elements, are positioned at predetermined positions on the carriage and are supported by, and incorporated within, the carriage structure. The reinforcing sheet metal members are bent into at least one of an L-shape, a V-shape, a crank shape, or a tilted V-shape in order to achieve a desired rigidity for the carriage structure.

Carriage structure for image-reading device

A support structure for supporting reflectors on a half rate carriage in an image reader has an angle between a reflecting surface of a second reflector and an optical path from a first reflector of a full rate carriage to the second reflector is greater than 45&#xb0; and less than 90&#xb0;, for example about 53&#xb0;, and an angle between the reflecting surface of the second reflector and a reflector of a third reflector is 90&#xb0;. Thus, the degree of overlaying of the full rate carriage with the half rate carriage is increased and the image reader is miniaturized.

Support structure for reflectors on half rate carriage

A method and mechanism to set a platen glass of an image reader by demounting the platen glass after the platen glass has previously been position-adjusted and positioning means have been fixed to this adjusted position and then achieving the desired positioning by these positioning means before the platen glass is mounted again on the image reader. Upon completion of optical adjustment, the platen glass is temporarily fixed to a casing of the image reader and then the platen glass is position-adjusted until image data formed on a test chart sheet coincide with predetermined image data. After the adjustment, positioning blocks are secured to top-plates of the casing and a glass retaining plate is secured to these top-plates. Subsequently, the platen glass may be mounted on the image reader in operative association with these positioning blocks to set the platen glass to the adjusted position.

Method and device for positioning of platen glass of image reader

When the speed of carriages that are moved in an image processing device is increased in order to accelerate the processing speed, the acquired image data is degraded due to vibrations being transmitted to the carriages from a motor which drives the carriages. The present invention provides a vibration damping mechanism for such image processing devices wherein weights are provided at selected positions on the transmission paths of the vibrations from the motor to the carriages in order to damp the vibrations. Preferably, the weights are made of a permanent magnet material and the housing is made of a material, such as steel, that is attracted by a magnet. This enables the weights to be attached at any desired positions, such as on the housing base plate, on the lower housing, and at perimeter walls of the housing which support the carriages where vibrations, without the weights, would be excessive.

Vibration damping mechanism of image processing device

Support structure is disclosed for an image processing apparatus having a carriage that is scanned in order to read or print a document. Support brackets for attaching tension members, such as wire ropes, to each side of the carriage are formed by bending a flat plate to create an attachment plate portion of a bracket that is mounted on the carriage, a vibration absorbing arm, and a clamping extension. A wire rope is clamped to each clamping extension so that the carriage may be moved by the wire ropes. The width, length and thickness of the support brackets are selected to reduce vibrations, according to the speed and characteristics of the carriage, and at least the length dimension of the bracket may be readily adjusted. Also, vibration dampers may be used between the attachment plate portion of the bracket and the carriage.

Carriage support structure for image processing apparatus

A casing for an image-reading device includes a frame made of elongated frame members, such as four frame members that are rigidly connected together. A guide rod may be fixed between a pair of the frame members, and a carriage that supports the optical unit may be guided on the guide rod. A base plate, which is preferably made of glass, is connected to the bottom of the frame. The frame includes shock absorbers distributed evenly around outside side surfaces of the frame or on the bottom of the frame closely adjacent to the outside side surfaces of the frame members. The shock absorbers may be grooves filled with resilient material on the outer sides of the frame members or grooves that are empty or filled with resilient material on the bottoms of the frame members.

Casing with shock absorbing devices for image reading device

Speed fluctuations at a motor supplied with a two-phase current is reduced by changing the current value ratio at each phase in the drive current to feed a drive motor for an image reader to allow a light source lamp to move, free from speed fluctuations, to scan at a constant scanning speed. The drive motor is supplied with current different in value at each phase from constant current drive circuits, which, in one embodiment, are connected with current regulating variable resistors. An acceleration detector is fixed at the drive motor to detect acceleration fluctuations in rotation of the drive motor to detect speed fluctuations. In some embodiments, thermal control of the motor drive circuit is provided and vibration proofing to isolate the light receptor from the drive motor.

Method and device for pacing an image reader at a constant scanning speed

A carriage driving mechanism to prevent the carriage adapted to travel as a predetermined wire is taken up from floating and remaining in such floating position due to an unexpected force exerted on said carriage under a tensile force. A carriage support extending from transversely opposite ends is provided with contact arms extending upward, respectively, to come in contact with a top plate of a housing to restrict the carriage from further floating off. Legs directly placed on guide tracks of the housing to support the carriages on the guide tracks and are formed with oil sumps filled with suitable lubricant such as grease. At least one of the legs is formed to adjust a height of this one leg to level the carriage.

Carriage driving mechanism in image processor

A vibration attenuating mechanism and method is disclosed for the purpose of maintaining a high quality of image reading or writing while scanning a document with an image processing device which includes a carriage that supports an optical scanning element, a motor which drives the optical scanning element so as to scan a document for either reading or writing data, and a housing which supports the optical scanning element and the motor. At least one of a weight or a vibration absorbing material is provided nearby the motor so as to reduce vibrations which are transferred from the motor to the optical scanning element. In this way, the quality of image reading is maintained despite the recent trend toward increased scanning speeds.

Vibration attenuating mechanism and method for an image processing device

A mechanism for retaining a platen glass of an image reader adapted to irradiate original in the course of being fed and thereby to pick up image information wherein the platen glass used to read the original in the course of being fed is supported by a guide plate comprising a combination of a relatively thin glass supporting plate and a relatively thick plate supported directly on a frame of the image reader so that the platen glass is not damaged even if a force is carelessly exerted thereon. A magnetic interconnection between the plates allows a gap to be selectively provided for smoothly feeding an original. Shock absorbing strips also allow different thickness originals to be fed through the gap.

Mechanism for retaining platen glass used to read original in course of being fed in image reader

The present invention discloses an image processor, in which an inverter for driving a fluorescent lamp is disposed in separation into parts at both ends of a carriage mounting the fluorescent lamp thereon in a direction perpendicular to a scanning direction of the carriage, so as to shorten a harness between the fluorescent lamp and the inverter and dispense with a part projecting in the scanning direction of the carriage, thereby achieving miniaturization. Inverters for driving a fluorescent lamp are disposed in appropriate separation at both ends of a full-rate carriage mounting the fluorescent lamp thereon in a scanning direction of the full-rate carriage and does not project in the scanning direction of the full-rate carriage. Thus, it is unnecessary to provide space in a casing for accommodating a projecting inverter in the case at a scanning ending end, thereby allowing miniaturizing the casing.

Image processor

A carriage fixing screw housing structure in which a carriage fixing screw for externally screwing and fixing carriages of an image reader is held, when not used, by a screw holder formed on a part of an image reader to prevent loss of the carriage fixing screw after removed from the carriage. A screw holder is formed on a part, such as the back face of the main body of an image reader, and includes a holder to hold the threaded part of a carriage fixing screw and a housing to house the head of the fixing screw.

Growing community of inventors

Saitama, Japan

Eiichi Hayashi