Radiant energy – Photocells; circuits and apparatus – Photocell controlled circuit
Reexamination Certificate
2001-07-02
2003-06-03
Pyo, Kevin (Department: 2878)
Radiant energy
Photocells; circuits and apparatus
Photocell controlled circuit
C250S216000, C358S484000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06573487
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image sensor used for an image inputting unit of an image inputting device.
2. Description of Related Art
FIG. 8
is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of an image sensor disclosed in Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. H4-111664 (1992) as a first prior art.
FIG. 9
is a side view seen from the F direction in FIG.
8
. In FIG.
8
and
FIG. 9
,
101
indicates an image sensor,
102
indicates a glass plate placed along a manuscript running plane, and
103
indicates a sensor frame.
104
indicates a line light source composed of a plurality of light emitting diodes (LED) arranged in a line. A surface of a manuscript
113
running on the glass plate
102
is illuminated with light emitted from the line light source
104
.
105
indicates a holding member which is fixed on the sensor frame
103
and holds the line light source
104
.
106
indicates a rod lens array composed of a plurality of rod lenses arranged in a line. A plurality of rays of light reflected on the surface of the manuscript
113
are converged by the rod lens array
106
to form an erecting image at equal magnification.
107
indicates a long groove formed in the sensor frame
103
, and the rod lens array
106
is arranged in the long groove
107
.
108
indicates a long hole formed in the sensor frame
103
, and the light emitted from the rod lens array
106
passes through the long hole
108
.
109
indicates each of a plurality of screws for fixing the rod lens array
106
to the sensor frame
103
.
110
indicates a sensor integrated circuit (IC) composed of a plurality of light receiving devices arranged in a line. The rays of light, which are reflected on the surface of the manuscript
113
and pass through the rod lens array
106
, are received in the sensor IC
110
.
111
indicates a sensor substrate on which the sensor IC
110
is mounted.
112
indicates each of a pair of side plates arranged on both ends of the sensor frame
103
in a longitudinal direction of the rod lens array
106
(or a direction perpendicular to a plane shown in FIG.
8
).
Also,
FIG. 10
is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of another image sensor disclosed in the Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. H4-111664 (1992) as a second prior art.
FIG. 11
is a side view seen from the G direction in FIG.
10
. In FIG.
10
and
FIG. 11
,
121
indicates an image sensor.
122
indicates each of a pair of springs attached to the side plates
112
respectively. The springs
122
push both end portions of the rod lens array
106
.
123
indicates each of a pair of screws for pushing the rod lens array
106
toward the springs
122
to fix the rod lens array
106
between the springs
122
and the screws
123
. The other constituent elements, which are equivalent to or the same as those shown in
FIG. 8
or
FIG. 9
, are indicated by the same reference numerals as those of the constituent elements shown in
FIG. 8
or
FIG. 9
, and additional description of those constituent elements is omitted.
The focus adjustment performed in the image sensors
101
and
121
is described with reference to FIG.
12
.
FIG. 12
is a view showing an operation of the rod lens array
106
. As shown in
FIG. 12
, rays of light reflected on the surface of the manuscript
113
at a point P pass through the rod lens array
106
and are converged at a point Q to form an image. Here, an optical distance X from the point P to the center of the rod lens array
106
is equal to an optical distance Y from the center of the rod lens array
106
to the point Q. Therefore, in the assembly operation of each of the image sensors
101
and
121
, the position of the rod lens array
106
is adjusted so as to place the sensor IC
110
at an image forming position at which the rays of light reflected on the surface of the manuscript
113
is converged. Therefore, the image sensor is brought into focus.
In detail, in the first prior art, the rod lens array
106
is moved up and down as shown by double-headed arrows in FIG.
9
. Thereafter, when the sensor IC
110
is placed at an image forming position at which the rays of light reflected on the surface of the manuscript
113
are converged, the rod lens array
106
is pushed on a wall of the sensor frame
103
opposite to the screws
109
so as to fix the position of the rod lens array
106
. Therefore, the image sensor
101
is adjusted so as to place the sensor IC
110
at the image forming position at which the rays of light reflected on the surface of the manuscript
113
are converged.
Also, in the second prior art, the rod lens array
106
receives a resilient force of the springs
122
. Therefore, when the screws
123
are driven, the rod lens array
106
is moved up as shown by double-headed arrows in FIG.
11
. In contrast, when the screws
123
are loosened, the rod lens array
106
is moved down as shown by double-headed arrows in FIG.
11
. Therefore, when the sensor IC
110
is placed at an image forming position at which the rays of light reflected on the surface of the manuscript
113
are converged, the turning of the screws
123
is stopped. Therefore, the position of the rod lens array
106
is adjusted so as to place the sensor IC
110
at the image forming position at which the rays of light reflected on the surface of the manuscript
113
are converged.
Next an operation of each of the image sensors
101
and
121
is described.
When the manuscript
113
runs on the glass plate
102
, the surface of the manuscript
113
is illuminated with rays of light emitted from the line light source
104
through the glass plate
102
. The rays of light are reflected on the surface of the manuscript
113
and have intensities corresponding to light and shade conditions of an image drawn in the manuscript
113
. The rays of light reflected on the surface of the manuscript
113
passes through the rod lens array
106
and the long hole
108
of the sensor frame
103
and are converged on the sensor IC
110
to form the image of the manuscript
113
, and the reflected light is received in the sensor IC
110
. Thereafter, a photoelectric conversion is performed in the sensor IC
110
for the light reflected on the surface of the manuscript
113
according to the intensities of the rays of reflected light, and light and shade information of the image drawn in the manuscript
113
is output to the outside through the sensor substrate
111
.
Because the image sensor
101
of the first prior art has the above configuration, there are following problems.
FIG. 13
is a top view of the image sensor
101
and shows the long groove
107
and the long hole
108
in a screw driving condition.
FIG. 14
is an enlarged top view of an end of the long hole
108
shown in FIG.
13
.
As shown in
FIG. 13
, when the screws
109
are driven, the long groove
107
and the long hole
108
are widened, and an opening is generated between the sensor frame
103
and the rod lens array
106
. As shown in
FIG. 14
, the long hole
108
of the sensor frame
103
does not reach any side plate
112
placed on both sides of the sensor frame
103
but is surrounded by the sensor frame
103
at both ends of the long hole
108
. Therefore, an area of the opening at the center of the long groove
107
and the long hole
108
is wider than that at both ends of the long groove
107
and the long hole
108
. Therefore, light leaks through the opening between the sensor frame
103
and the rod lens array
106
, and the leaking light overlaps with the light which is reflected on the manuscript
113
and is converged by the rod lens array
106
on the sensor IC
110
. As a result, a problem has arisen that the light and shade information indicating the image drawn in the manuscript
113
cannot be correctly obtained in the image sensor
101
.
Also, when the screws
109
are driven, the top portions of the screws
109
are rotated on the surface of the rod lens array
106
. Therefore, a surface portion of th
Pyo Kevin
Sohn Seung C.
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