Facsimile and static presentation processing – Facsimile – Picture signal generator
Reexamination Certificate
1998-02-17
2003-04-01
Grant, II, Jerome (Department: 2624)
Facsimile and static presentation processing
Facsimile
Picture signal generator
C358S506000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06542262
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a scanner device which reads film of a predetermined format and a control method thereof, and a film feeding device.
2. Description of Related Art
Services are currently available for users to have laboratory shops process negative or positive developed silver-salt-type film (135 mm film) by cutting the film in strips of six frames which are stored in negative sheets and returned to the user along with the prints, or mounting the film one frame at a time in mounts for use with a projector.
On the other hand, there is a new-standard film which is developed silver-salt-type film stored within a case which provides users with a service wherein a 40-exposure film for example is developed and processed in the laboratory shop, and following exposure, the film is wound again into the light-shielding case and stored therein, and the user is provided with a so-called index print on which all of the photographed frames are printed with the index numbers thereof.
Also, such developed silver-salt-type film of printed photographs can be read into a computer using a specialized scanner device which reads images with a photo-electric converting device, following which the image data can be output after certain processing, using various types of digital output devices such as ink-jet printers. Thus, users can obtain printed photographs without relying on laboratory shops. However, achieving such an arrangement is difficult in reality, since a great number of types and formats of scanners are required for scanner-reading and computer processing of all images on silver-salt-type film including 135 mm film, and reversible film mounted in slide mounts, resulting in a large system.
A known scanner device which handles two types of film, namely film strips and film stored in cartridges is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-145838. However this arrangement is insufficient in handiness since attachments must be changed in order to deal with a plurality of film types, and the operator must make his/her own judgment whether or not a film is being processed.
Further, this arrangement is insufficient in that electrical circuit are required for each switch in the event that an opening/closing switch for mounting film stored in a cartridge and a force-eject switch for forcibly ejecting film being processed are separately provided, and the switching circuitry including the layout becomes complicated.
Now, the new-standard film is handled by the user and operator in the state of the film being wound and stored within the case, and ease of loading to cameras is the greatest advantage thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,841,319 discloses a thrust-type film cartridge. This film cartridge is configured such that the film is ejected from a film ejecting opening by opening a light-shielding door provided to the ejecting opening and rotating a film supplying spool within the film cartridge. The new-standard film is approximately of the same construction.
Film feeding mechanisms for devices which use this thrust-type cartridge (i.e., cameras) include such as proposed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-86633, for example, constructed such that the film is fed by driving with a roller, and the amount of film feeding is detected by the amount of roller rotation, following which driving force to the roller is cut off.
Also, the thrust-type cartridge returns to the user in the state that the film is completely wound within the cartridge following developing of the film, as well.
Accordingly, scanner devices which handle new-standard film comprised of developed silver-salt-film stored in a case must also provide ease of use, the same as the cameras.
The film which is extracted from the new-standard film case and sequentially run by a scanner is comprised to be rewound into the case following the reading thereof at the photo-electric conversion reading unit, but it cannot be said that there is no chance of trouble such as jamming occurring due to unforeseen causes, so damage to the film must be minimal in the event that such trouble does occur.
Accordingly, in the case of scanning film with a film scanner, the film must be fed from the cartridge, and the film must be fed at a constant speed. To this end, an actuator appropriate for constant-speed feeding such as a step motor or the like is employed, and a method is employed wherein the driving force thereof is transferred to a roller in the same manner as with a camera to feed the film.
Now, regarding the thrust-type cartridges, the film must be returned to the user in a completely wound state, following reading of the film with a film scanner, as well. In other words, the film is subjected to a process of being ejected from the cartridge (wound) within the film scanner and a process of being rewound within the cartridge.
Accordingly, it is desirable that scanning can be performed at both the time of winding the film and rewinding the film. Such an arrangement allows for pre-scanning to be performed at the time of winding the film so as to detect the state of the images and set the reading conditions thereof, and perform actual scanning at the time of rewinding. It is necessary to make the feeding speed of the film constant at the time of winding and at the time of rewinding and also prevent any warping from occurring in the film, in order to perform such bi-directional scanning.
Now, with the method wherein the film is fed by spool driving, such as proposed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-69634, the outer diameter grows greater as the spool winds the film, resulting in the problem that accurate film feeding cannot be carried out.
Now, known original document transporting type scanner devices use silicon-elastomer rubbers for the cylindrical elastic portion of the driving roller for transporting the originals, so as to obtain desired friction.
Such silicon-elastomer rubbers are used in various devices, since the desired resistance can be obtained thereby, and such can be manufactured relatively inexpensively.
However, such silicon-elastomer rubbers have viscosity, which causes problems of adhesion of dust, and in cases the adhered dust may accumulate and be transferred into the surface of the original or onto the film, which has been seriously problematic in the event that the original or film is read with such dust thereupon.
Also, the known scanner device has independently provided a sensor for detecting whether or not a film strip has been mounted and a sensor for reading bar-code data provided to the film strip relating to the film are provided separately, so electrical circuits are required for each sensor, and the sensor circuitry including the layout becomes complicated, meaning that this arrangement falls short in this aspect also.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made to solve the aforementioned problems of the known art, and it is an object thereof to provide a scanner device capable of easily handling cartridge film in which developed silver-salt-type film is stored within a case, wherein damage to the film can be kept at a minimal level in the event of trouble.
It is another object of the present invention to deal with the above problems by providing a scanner device, a continuous film transporting unit, and a slide transporting unit, capable of handling both: continuous silver-salt-type film comprised of a plurality of continuous frames of developed film; and individual silver-salt-type film of single frames.
It is yet another object of the present invention to deal with the above problems by providing a scanner device capable of doing away with contamination and damage to the image surface in the event that the following are performed: reading an image while scanning negative or positive developed silver-salt-type film; reading an image while scanning a reflective original document; and reading an image while scanning cartridge film in which developed silver-salt-type film is stored within a case.
It is a further object of the present invention to
Kodaira Takanori
Miyawaki Makoto
Tachibana Kiyoshi
Grant II Jerome
Morgan & Finnegan , LLP
Worku Negussie
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