Registers – Coded record sensors – Particular sensor structure
Reexamination Certificate
2002-01-25
2003-12-02
Lee, Michael G. (Department: 2876)
Registers
Coded record sensors
Particular sensor structure
C235S462140, C235S475000, C235S477000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06655596
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a scanning apparatus, and more particularly to a vertical scanning-type scanning apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Optical scanning devices, such as a flat bed scanner, is well known in the art and produces machine-readable image data signals that are representative of a scanned object, such as a photograph or a page of printed text. In a typical scanner application, the image data signals produced by a scanner may be used by a personal computer to reproduce an image of the scanned object on a suitable display device, such as a CRT or a printer.
Referring to
FIG. 1
, which is a schematically cross-sectional view of a prior flat bed scanner
100
. A document
102
is positioned with one side facing downward on a transparent platen
104
. The downward facing side of the document
102
is then scanned so as to convert the visual images contained thereon into an electronic image data that is useable by data processing machines and the like. A scanning head
106
horizontally moves under the transparent platen
104
for a scanning action. The scanning head
106
comprises a linear light source
108
, a mirror assembly
110
, a lens
114
and a photodetector
116
. A motor
112
is mechanically coupled to the scanning head
106
by gears, cables or the like, to move the scanning head
106
along the length of the transparent platen
104
. The light reflected from the transparent platen
104
is redirected into the lens
114
by the mirror assembly
110
and thence into the photodetector
116
.
The photodetector
116
is preferably a charge coupled device (CCD) assembly configured as a linear serial array of discrete detector cells. Each detector cell of the photodetector
116
defines a document picture element or a pixel. The output scan signal from the photodetector
116
is coupled through a flexible cable
120
to an electronic controller
122
for conversion to digital forms. The electronic controller
122
also introduces drive signals to the motor
112
. The electronic controller
122
incorporates the data processing and handling elements for exchanging data and signals with a remote processor in communication with the output cable
126
.
The prior flat bed scanner
100
is placed with the transparent platen
104
in parallel with the placing surface. The scanning head
106
is moved along the length of the transparent platen
104
by the motor
112
driven by the electronic controller
122
to capture image data. Hence, the prior flat bed scanner
100
not only needs a larger occupied space but also a motor for moving the scanning head and a power source for driving the motor is also required.
Accordingly, an improved scanning apparatus, which can solve the above drawbacks, is desired, so that the occupied space can be reduced and the power source can be decreased.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is one objective of the present invention to provide a scanning apparatus utilizing gravity acceleration for scanning, in which starting power is applied on a scanning head by gravity acceleration to downwardly move the scanning head for scanning.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide a scanning apparatus utilizing gravity acceleration for scanning, in which a scanning speed of a scanning head is determined by the starting power applied to the scanning head, which is controlled by a predetermined angle rotated by the scanning head.
It is a further objective of the present invention to provide a scanning apparatus utilizing gravity acceleration for scanning, which is a kind of a vertically scanning-type scanning apparatus which can reduce the occupied space.
It is still a further objective of the present invention to provide a scanning apparatus utilizing gravity acceleration for scanning, in which the starting power is applied to a scanning head by gravity acceleration. Therefore, a motor for driving the scanning head can be omitted, and the manufacturing costs can be reduced.
In order to achieve the above objectives of this invention, the present invention provides a scanning apparatus utilizing gravity acceleration for scanning. The scanning apparatus comprises a U-shaped housing, a shaft bearing, a housing and a scanning head. The U-shaped housing includes a base plate and two sidewalls. The shaft bearing is disposed within the U-shaped housing with two ends thereof respectively and rotationally fastened to one of the two sidewalls. The housing includes a transparent top plate, a transparent bottom plate, a hook-shaped element and a guiding rail. The shaft bearing passes through the housing in parallel with the transparent top plate and the transparent bottom plate such that the housing is rotationally fastened in the U-shaped housing. Both the transparent top plate and the transparent bottom plate serves as a scanning platform. The hook-shaped element is disposed between the transparent top plate and the transparent bottom plate close to a top corner of the housing. The guiding rail is vertically disposed in the housing opposite to the hook-shaped element. The scanning head is disposed downwardly moveable in the housing. The scanning head comprises a transparent housing, light source, mirror assembly, lens assembly and a photodetector. The transparent housing is provided with an engageable piece and a guiding piece. The engageable piece is disposed on the top end of the transparent housing to be engaged with the hook-shaped element for fastening the scanning head when the scanning head is placed on the top end of the housing. The guiding piece is disposed in the transparent housing opposite to the engageable piece and in cooperation with the guiding rail to guide the scanning head to move downward for scanning. The light source, mirror assembly, lens assembly and the photodetector are disposed within the transparent housing in a predetermined arrangement so as to capture image data while scanning. When the scanning head is going to scan, the engagement between the engageable piece and the hook-shaped element is released and the starting power is applied by gravity acceleration. Thereby the scanning head is guided to move downward to scan via cooperation between the guiding piece and the guiding rail. By way of rotating the shaft bearing to generate a predetermined angle between the housing and the base plate of the U-shaped housing to change the starting power, thereby changing a scanning speed of the scanning head.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5336876 (1994-08-01), Martinez Taylor
patent: RE37166 (2001-05-01), Rando et al.
patent: 6365909 (2002-04-01), Hayakawa et al.
patent: 6445836 (2002-09-01), Fujiwara
Wang Kuo-Jeng
Yu Yu-Ru
Lee Michael G.
Lee Seung H
Macronix International Co. Ltd.
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