Optics: image projectors – Slide transfer mechanism
Patent
1993-08-30
1995-11-14
Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
Optics: image projectors
Slide transfer mechanism
353120, 353122, 348110, G03B 2100
Patent
active
054671531
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to an apparatus for automatically digitizing photographic slides for the purpose of digitally inputting images from the slides.
It is known at present how to input images digitally from slides. However, since this is performed manually, the resulting digitizing process is extremely slow. Furthermore, when the operation relates to thousands of slides, it is necessary to have a plurality of input stations available and thus a plurality of operators if reasonable rates of throughput are to be achieved.
The present invention seeks to remedy these major drawbacks, and in particular to enable a single input station to obtain input automatically from a very large number of slides in a very short period of time.
This object is achieved by an apparatus for automatically digitizing slides, the apparatus including a slide feed assembly, at least one digitizing and input station, and a reception assembly for receiving slides that have been digitized in this way, the apparatus being characterized in that each feed and reception assembly includes at least one drawer containing a removable vertical magazine and including at least one removable slide storage element, and in that it includes at least one transfer system serving firstly to feed slides from a storage element of said removable magazine to a central turntable which places said slides successively before various workstations including said digitizing and input station, and secondly to transfer slides after digitizing from said central turntable to a storage element of a removable magazine placed in said reception assembly.
In a first embodiment of the invention, the slide feed assembly and the slide reception assembly are disposed in line on opposite sides of the central turntable, the first and second transfer systems being disposed diametrically opposite each other on opposite sides of the central turntable.
In another possible embodiment, the slide feed assembly and the slide reception assembly are the same.
In another embodiment, a single transfer system serves firstly to feed the central turntable with slides from a first storage element of the removable magazine of the single feed and reception assembly, and secondly to transfer the slides, after digitizing, from the central turntable to a second storage element of said removable magazine.
Advantageously, the central turntable is a rotary turntable under digital control and includes, in addition to the digitizing and input station, at least one of the following additional stations: a station for displaying the frame of a slide; a station for repositioning a slide by means of a manipulator; a station for pressing down a slide by means of a manipulator; a station for reading characters on the frame of a slide by optical character recognition; a station for reading bar codes that appear on the frame of a slide; a station for deleting inscriptions that appear on the frame of a slide; alphanumeric marking station for writing alphanumeric characters on the frame of a slide; a bar code marking station for writing bar codes on the frame of a slide; a reject station for rejecting unsatisfactory slides; and a de-dusting station.
Other advantageous characteristics stem from the particular embodiments of the invention given below.
Said storage element is in the form of an open topped vertical bar of square section adapted to the slides to be digitized and of a height that is adapted to the desired storage volume, one of the longitudinal faces of the bar including an opening of restricted width up its entire height, and said storage element includes a bottom in which an opening is formed of section smaller than that of the slides to enable the slides to be stacked and unstacked with the help of a pusher penetrating into said opening.
The storage element includes a bottom end and a top end co-operating with positioning means formed in said removable magazine.
Similarly, said storage element comprises a channel section bar connected by hinges to two angle section bars, a clamp tilting about
REFERENCES:
patent: 2503239 (1950-04-01), Autos
patent: 4415282 (1983-11-01), Euteneuer
patent: 4765734 (1988-08-01), True et al.
patent: 4819073 (1989-04-01), Bridges
patent: 4858003 (1989-08-01), Wirt
patent: 5191406 (1993-03-01), Braudestini et al.
Cuchlinski Jr. William A.
Data Fit International
Dowling William C.
LandOfFree
Apparatus for automatically digitizing photographic slides does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Apparatus for automatically digitizing photographic slides, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Apparatus for automatically digitizing photographic slides will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1224433