Eastman-kodak Company

Robert E Ashe

Stephen C Arnold

R Winfield Trafton

Thomas D Jensen

Dana A Carlile

Mary-Irene E Condo

Robert D Huot

Charles John Moriarty

Rocco Menaguale

An illuminant head assembly for a photographic film image scanner includes a linear light source, preferably a linear array of spectrally distinct illuminant elements combined with a main body having an elongate light conducting channel aligned with the light source and having a light pipe in the light conducting channel, the light pipe having a light diffusion material dispersed therein. The illuminant head assembly in a preferred embodiment includes additional light sources at one or both ends of the linear array and the main body includes additional light channels aligned with the additional light sources, the additional light sources and channels serving as illuminant sources for scanning marginal regions of the photographic film in the film scanner.

Illuminant head assembly for a photographic film image scanner

A compact, low-cost photographic film scanner particularly adapted to scanning Advance Photo System (APS) film includes an imaging assembly having an elongated L-shaped housing with a photosensor, e.g. a CCD, mounted directly to one end of the housing, the other end having a scanning aperture and film rails integrally formed on the housing, the film rails defining a film plane over the scanning aperture. The housing comprises a two piece snap together configuration that provides support for the focusing lens as well the photosensor and film scan gate. Additionally, the housing includes support arms that receive and lock in place an LED illuminant head assembly. The imaging apparatus housing conveniently snap locks into place on the scanner chassis in an opening formed in the film drive path.

Imaging apparatus for a photographic film image scanner

A document scanner includes: a document support for supporting a document in position to be scanned; an illumination system located adjacent to the document support for illuminating at least a portion of a supported document; a photosensitive medium for capturing an image of the document and generating image information; and a retroreflective imaging lens having an F-number between F/3 and F/8. The retroreflective lens comprises at least one lens element with optical power and a reflective surface, and is positioned to (i) receive light emanating from the document and propagated it in a first direction, through the retroreflective lens, (ii) reflect the light off said reflective surface in a second direction, and (iii) propagate the light through the retroreflective lens in the second direction, towards the photosensitive medium. The document support, the photosensitive medium, and the retroreflective lens are in a fixed spatial relationship relative to one another. According to one embodiment of the present invention the illumination system provides less than 1 watt of power.

Compact document scanner

A CCD array assembly for use in a scanner, includes a CCD array optically aligned relative to a CCD array nest and affixed thereto to form a replaceable subassembly. The CCD array nest has an outwardly facing statically determinate or exactly constrained interface mounting surface. A carrier plate with the CCD array assembly removably attached thereto is optically aligned and affixed to a barrel frame and lens assembly. The subassembly is removably attachable to the carrier plate allowing replacement of a failed CCD array without additional alignment.

Growing community of inventors

Henrietta, NY, United States of America

Robert E Ashe