Supports – Resilient support
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-20
2001-12-25
Chin-Shue, Alvin (Department: 3634)
Supports
Resilient support
C248S918000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06332598
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a carrier mounting structure, of which a carrier in which an image information carrying member has been loaded is mounted to a carrier stand of an image reading means, in an image reading apparatus for preventing the carrier from vibrating.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a vibration isolating structure has been employed in an image reading apparatus. In order to avoid influences of vibration from the outside on image reading means, vibration isolating rubber is used in the vibration isolating structure.
In general, the image reading apparatus optically reads images recorded on an image information carrying member, such as a photographic film, by an image reading means (for example, a reading sensor such as a CCD). Image processing, such as enlargement, reduction or various corrections, is effected on digital image data obtained from the reading by the image reading apparatus. Thereafter, an image can be formed on a recording material by laser light which is modulated in accordance with the image-processed digital image data.
In this way, when an image is optically read by a reading sensor such as a CCD, a very high reading accuracy is required for the image reading apparatus.
For example, however, when steady vibration (so-called motion vibration) is transmitted to the image reading means from the floor because of the installation location of the image reading apparatus or the like, or when vibration generated by an operator operating an operation section which effects operations of the image reading apparatus (so-called motion impact) is transmitted to the image reading means, deterioration in reading accuracy of images may be caused.
Therefore, image reading accuracy has been ensured by introducing a vibration isolating structure to the image reading means. The image reading means comprises a carrier stand, which supports a film carrier containing a photographic film or the like, and a lens unit including a CCD and the like.
Specifically, the influence of motion vibration and motion impact on the image reading apparatus has been avoided by connecting (supporting) a support frame including the carrier stand and a lens unit via vibration isolating rubber to a main body frame which forms the image reading apparatus.
However, when the film carrier is mounted to the carrier stand, the vibration isolating rubber may be excessively deformed and fractured by the impact.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the aforementioned, an object of the present invention is to provide a member mounting structure which enables a carrier to be smoothly mounted to a carrier mounting portion and reduces the effect on the vibration isolating rubber.
A first aspect of the present invention is a carrier mounting structure which includes image reading means mounted to a main body of an image reading apparatus via a vibration isolating structure which alleviates the effects of vibration from the outside, and a carrier mounting portion which is formed at a reading position of the image reading means and to which a carrier having an image information carrying member loaded therein is mounted, the carrier mounting structure comprising: an upper surface of the main body of the image reading apparatus along which surface a bottom surface of the carrier is slid; a mounting surface of the carrier mounting portion, which is formed at a position different from the upper surface in a vertical direction and to which the carrier is mounted; and an inclined (slope) surface which guides the carrier from the upper surface to the mounting surface.
The operation of the first aspect of the present invention will be described.
When the carrier is mounted to the mounting surface of the carrier mounting portion by sliding the carrier along the upper surface of the main body of the image reading apparatus, the carrier is guided by the inclined surface which is provided at between the mounting surface of the carrier mounting portion and the upper surface of the main body of the image reading apparatus. Namely, the carrier is smoothly moved to and mounted to the mounting surface. If the mounting surface is higher than the upper surface in the vertical direction, the inclined surface is provided such that one end of inclined surface is at an end (corner) of the carrier mounting portion and the other end of inclined surface is at a position which is lower than the upper surface in the vertical direction, and therefore, an end portion of the carrier does not bump against the carrier mounting portion. In contrast, if the mounting surface is lower than the upper surface in the vertical direction, the inclined surface is provided such that the inclined surface is formed on the corner of the main body of the image reading apparatus and one end of the inclined surface is higher than the mounting surface in the vertical direction, therefore, the end portion of the carrier does not bump against the carrier mounting portion. Accordingly, it is possible to certainly prevent the carrier from bumping against the end portion of the carrier mounting portion and prevent the vibration isolating structure from being excessively deformed and fractured due to the impact when the carrier is slid to be mounted to the carrier mounting portion.
Particularly, in the case that the mounting surface is formed at a position higher than the upper surface of the main body of the image reading apparatus, the carrier mounted to the mounting surface does not contact the upper surface. Therefore, the effect of vibration from the outside on the carrier mounting portion and the carrier can be certainly avoided by the vibration isolating structure.
After the carrier is mounted to the carrier mounting portion, images can be read with a high reading accuracy by the image reading means which is isolated from vibration.
A second aspect of the present invention is a carrier mounting structure which includes image reading means mounted to a main body of an image reading apparatus via vibration isolating structure which alleviates the effects of vibration from the outside, and a carrier mounting portion which is formed at a reading position of the image reading means and to which a carrier having an image information carrying member loaded therein is mounted, the carrier mounting structure comprising securing means for temporarily securing the carrier mounting portion (image reading means)to the main body of the image reading apparatus.
The operation of the second aspect of the present invention will now be described.
In the present invention, when the carrier is mounted to the carrier mounting portion, the carrier mounting portion is temporarily secured to the main body of the image reading apparatus by the securing means. As a result, troublesome cases such as the following cases can be avoided: (1) a case in which the carrier mounting portion supported by the vibration isolating structure is vibrated when the carrier is mounted to the carrier mounting portion, thereby making it difficult to mount the carrier to the carrier mounting portion; and (2) a case in which the vibration isolating structure is excessively deformed and fractured due to the impact caused by the mounting of the carrier to the mounting portion.
A third aspect of the present invention is a carrier mounting structure according to the second aspect of the present invention, wherein the securing means comprises an engaged member formed at the carrier mounting portion (image reading means) and an engaging member provided at the main body of the image reading apparatus and formed so as to be insertable into and releasable from the engaged member.
The operation of the third aspect of the present invention will now be described.
The carrier mounting portion is temporarily secured to the main body of the image reading apparatus by inserting the engaging member, which is provided at the main body of the image reading apparatus, into the engaged member, which is formed at the carrier mounting portion. By
Chin-Shue Alvin
Fuji Photo Film Co. , Ltd.
Sughrue & Mion, PLLC
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