Reading device, output device, and image forming device

Abstract

This invention provides a reading device, an output device, and an image forming apparatus, which, compared to cases excluding a first support portion and a second support portion, facilitate the positioning of a reflective portion that reflects light in front of and behind the reading area. The reading device includes: an illumination portion for illuminating light; a first reflective portion having a first reflective surface that reflects light irradiated by the illumination portion toward the original document; a second reflective portion having a second reflective surface that reflects light reflected by the first reflective portion and orthogonally reflected by the original document; a first support portion supporting the first reflective portion and the second reflective portion to fix the relative position and orientation of the first reflective surface and the second reflective surface; and a second support portion adjustablely supporting at least one of the position and orientation of the first support portion.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a reading device, an output device, and an image forming device. Background Technology

[0002] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2010-130444 discloses a reading device in which, in order to read a portion of the ortho-reflected light component from an original, the angle of incidence of the light irradiated by the second irradiation unit of the irradiation light onto the original is tilted at a non-zero degree relative to the reflection angle of the main ray of the ortho-reflected light guided by the light guide unit. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Sometimes, an entrance light section is set up to direct light into the reading area and a light guide section to guide the reflected light from the reading area. However, when the relative positions of these two parts are slightly off, the image quality will change.

[0004] Therefore, the purpose of this disclosure is to facilitate the positioning of reflective parts that reflect light in front of and behind the reading area.

[0005] According to a first aspect of this disclosure, a reading device is provided, comprising: an irradiation unit for irradiating light; a first reflective unit having a first reflective surface that reflects light irradiated by the irradiation unit toward an original document; a second reflective unit having a second reflective surface that reflects light reflected by the first reflective unit and orthogonally reflected by the original document; a first support unit for supporting the first reflective unit and the second reflective unit to fix the relative position and orientation of the first reflective surface and the second reflective surface; and a second support unit adjustablely supporting at least one of the position and orientation of the first support unit.

[0006] According to a second aspect of this disclosure, the first support portion has a rotation axis, and the second support portion rotates the first support portion about the rotation axis.

[0007] According to a third aspect of this disclosure, the rotating shaft is located near the second reflecting surface, relative to the first reflecting surface.

[0008] According to the fourth aspect of this disclosure, the first support portion is provided on the upstream side of the main scan at both ends of the main scan direction, and a drive portion is provided to rotate the first support portion around the rotation axis.

[0009] According to the fifth aspect of this disclosure, the first reflective surface and the second reflective surface are shaped such that the main scanning direction is the long side, and the dimension of the short side of the first reflective surface is smaller than that of the second reflective surface.

[0010] According to a sixth aspect of this disclosure, the reading device includes an optical path section, the optical path section including the second reflective surface, forming an optical path from the original document toward the image sensor.

[0011] According to the seventh aspect of this disclosure, the reading device includes a second irradiation unit that irradiates light and is configured to guide light diffused and reflected by the original document to the image sensor through the optical path unit.

[0012] According to the eighth aspect of this disclosure, in addition to the second reflective part, the optical path part also has one or more reflective parts that reflect both the light reflected or diffusely reflected by the original document, and the position and direction of the one or more reflective parts are fixed.

[0013] According to a ninth aspect of this disclosure, an output device is provided, including the reading device, wherein the output device outputs the degree of positive reflection based on the positively reflected light read by the reading device.

[0014] According to a tenth aspect of this disclosure, an image forming apparatus is provided, including the output device, wherein the image forming apparatus outputs an image formed based on the degree of orthographic reflection read by the reading device.

[0015] (Effect)

[0016] According to the first, ninth, or tenth scheme, compared to the case where the first and second support portions are not included, it is easier to position the reflective portion that reflects light in front of and behind the reading area.

[0017] According to the second scheme, the position or orientation of the two reflective surfaces can be adjusted in a single adjustment operation.

[0018] According to the third scheme, compared with the case where the rotation axis is located near the first reflective surface rather than the second reflective surface, it can both increase the change in image quality caused by positive reflection light and reduce the change in the component of diffused reflected light traveling in the optical path.

[0019] According to the fourth approach, regardless of the type of original document, the benefit of improved image reading accuracy can be obtained.

[0020] According to the fifth scheme, compared with the case where the size of the second reflective surface is smaller than the size of the first reflective surface, even if the optical path of the reflected light from the original is deviated due to tolerance or other reasons, the reflected light can be easily reflected by the second reflective surface.

[0021] According to the sixth or seventh scheme, compared with the case of using a separate optical path section to guide the reflected light, the device can be miniaturized.

[0022] According to the eighth solution, compared with the case where the reflective part of the optical path is not fixed, the operation of adjusting the optical path can be simplified. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 This is a diagram illustrating the hardware structure of the image reading device according to an embodiment.

[0024] Figure 2 This is a diagram showing the detailed structure of the image reading unit.

[0025] Figure 3 This is a diagram showing the bracket in an enlarged form.

[0026] Figure 4 It is a diagram showing the magnified view of the periphery of the reflector.

[0027] Figure 5 This is a diagram showing the reflective surface as viewed from the front.

[0028] Figure 6 It is a diagram showing the magnified view of the periphery of the reflector.

[0029] Figure 7 This is a diagram showing the reflective surface as viewed from the front.

[0030] Figure 8 This is a diagram showing the reflective surface as viewed from the front.

[0031] Figure 9 (a) to Figure 9 Figure (c) is an example of the first support member and the second support member.

[0032] Figure 10 This is a diagram showing an example of a third support member.

[0033] Figure 11 This is an enlarged view of the modified carriage.

[0034] Figure 12 This is a magnified view of a modified example of the bracket.

[0035] Figure 13 This is a diagram showing an example of the light quantity distribution emitted from a light-illuminating part for positive reflection.

[0036] Figure 14 This is a diagram showing the part of the light irradiated by positive reflection in a modified example.

[0037] Figure 15 This is a diagram showing an image forming apparatus for a modified example. Detailed Implementation

[0038] [1] Example

[0039] Figure 1 The hardware structure of the image reading apparatus 10 according to an embodiment is shown. The image reading apparatus 10 is an apparatus for reading images represented on an original document. The image reading apparatus 10 is an example of the "reading apparatus" of this disclosure. In this embodiment, the image reading apparatus 10 includes a processor 11, a memory 12, a storage 13, a communication unit 14, a user interface (UI) unit 15, an image forming unit 16, and an image reading unit 20. Alternatively, the image reading apparatus 10 may also include only the image reading unit 20.

[0040] Processor 11 includes, for example, a central processing unit (CPU) and other arithmetic devices, registers, and peripheral circuitry. Memory 12 is a recording medium readable by processor 11, including random access memory (RAM) and read-only memory (ROM). Memory 13 is a recording medium readable by processor 11, including, for example, a hard disk drive or flash memory.

[0041] The processor 11 uses RAM as its working area to execute programs stored in ROM or memory 13, thereby controlling the operation of various hardware components. The communication unit 14 includes an antenna and communication circuitry, enabling communication via a communication line (not shown). The programs executed by the processor 11 can also be obtained from external devices that communicate via the communication unit 14.

[0042] UI unit 15 is an interface provided to users of this device. An interface is a device that accepts user input of information and outputs information from the image reading device 10. UI unit 15 may have, for example, a touchscreen that displays images and accepts user operations. The touchscreen has a display as a display component and a touch panel disposed on the surface of the display.

[0043] The image forming unit 16 forms an image on a medium such as paper. In this embodiment, the image forming unit 16 forms the image on the medium by inkjet printing. However, the image forming method is not limited to this; for example, it can also be an electrophotographic method.

[0044] The image reading unit 20 includes a light source, an optical system, and an image sensor. It reads the image displayed on the original document by reflecting light from the light source back onto the original document. The image reading unit 20 supplies original image data, representing the image of the original document being read, to the processor 11. The processor 11 uses the supplied original image data to perform various processes (printing processing, fax transmission processing, etc.).

[0045] Figure 2 This describes the detailed structure of the image reading unit 20. Figure 2 The image reading unit 20 is shown in the direction of observation along the main scanning direction A1. The main scanning direction A1 is the direction from the front of the paper inward. The image reading unit 20 includes a document stage 21, a document cover 22, a holder 30, a holder 40, an imaging lens 50, and an image sensor 60.

[0046] The image reading unit 20, in relation to the structures shown in the figure, has a width relative to the main scanning direction A1. The bracket 30, bracket 40, imaging lens 50, and image sensor 60 are all elongated shapes with the main scanning direction A1 as their long side. Furthermore, the direction indicated by the arrow labeled "A2" in the figure is the sub-scanning direction A2. The image reading unit 20 is a reading device for a so-called reduction optical system.

[0047] The document stage 21 is a transparent glass plate that supports the original document 2, which is the object of image reading. Alternatively, the document stage 21 can be any transparent plate-like component, such as an acrylic sheet. The document cover 22 covers the document stage 21 to block external light and encloses the original document 2 between itself and the document stage 21. The original document 2 is supported by the document stage 21 and the document cover 22 to prevent it from moving.

[0048] When reading the original document 2, the carriage 30 moves along the sub-scanning direction A2 at a predetermined speed. The carriage 30 has an irradiation section for irradiating the original document 2, but the irradiation section will be referred to later. Figure 3 Let's explain in detail. The bracket 30 has a mirror 35. In this embodiment, the bracket 30 is box-shaped with an opening at the top, and the mirror 35 is disposed inside it. Alternatively, the bracket 30 does not need to be box-shaped; it only needs to be able to move as a single unit even if it is hollow. The mirror 35 reflects the light reflected from the original document 2. The reflected light is guided to the optical path B1 leading to the image sensor 60.

[0049] When reading the original document 2, the carriage 40 moves along the sub-scanning direction A2 at half the speed of the carriage 30. The carriage 40 has mirrors 41 and 42. Mirrors 41 and 42 reflect the light reflected by mirror 35 and guide it toward the optical path B1. The imaging lens 50 images the light reflected by mirror 42 at a predetermined position.

[0050] The image sensor 60 has light-receiving elements such as a charge-coupled device (CCD), receives light imaged by the imaging lens 50, and generates an image signal corresponding to the received light. The image sensor 60 supplies the generated image signal to... Figure 1 The processor 11 shown. The processor 11 generates image data of the original 2 based on the supplied image signal.

[0051] Figure 3 Enlarged view of bracket 30. Bracket 30 includes a positive reflection light irradiation part 31, a diffuse reflection light irradiation part 32, a positive reflection reflector 33, a diffuse reflection reflector 34, a mirror 35, a first support member 36, a second support member 37, and a second support member 38.

[0052] The positive reflection irradiation unit 31 irradiates light reflected positively from the original document 2. The positive reflection irradiation unit 31 has an emission surface 313 from which light reflected from the original document 2 is emitted. The diffuse reflection irradiation unit 32 irradiates light diffusely reflected from the original document 2. The diffuse reflection irradiation unit 32 has an emission surface 323 from which light reflected from the original document 2 is emitted. The positive reflection irradiation unit 31 is an example of an "irradiation unit" of this disclosure, and the diffuse reflection irradiation unit 32 is an example of a "second irradiation unit" of this disclosure.

[0053] The positive reflection light irradiation unit 31 includes a light source 311 and a light guide 312. The light source 311 is a light-emitting diode (LED) or similar light-emitting light source. The light guide 312 is a transparent component that allows light to pass through its interior. The light guide 312 has the aforementioned emission surface 313, which guides the light from the light source 311 to the emission surface 313. The emission surface 313 is generally flat, but has fine undulations to diffuse the emitted light.

[0054] The diffuse reflection light irradiation unit 32 includes a light source 321 and a light guide 322. The light source 321 is a light-emitting source such as an LED. The light guide 322 is a transparent component that allows light to pass through its interior. The light guide 322 has the aforementioned exit surface 323, which guides the light from the light source 321 to the exit surface 323. The exit surface 323 is generally flat, but has fine undulations to diffuse the emitted light. The structure of the diffuse reflection light irradiation unit 32 is the same as that of the orthographic reflection light irradiation unit 31.

[0055] A portion of the light emitted from the exit surface 313, such as Figure 3 As shown, the reflector 33 is used for positive reflection.

[0056] Figure 4The magnified view shows the periphery of the orthographic reflector 33. The orthographic reflector 33 is a component with a reflective surface 331, which reflects the light emitted from the exit surface 313 toward the reading area R1 of the original document 2, and directs the orthographically reflected light, that is, the light from the original document toward the image sensor, which is incident at an angle that becomes orthographically reflected light. In other words, the light orthographically reflected by the original document 2 illuminates the reading area R1.

[0057] The reflector 33 for positive reflection is an example of the "first reflective part" of this disclosure, and the reflective surface 331 is an example of the "first reflective surface" of this disclosure. In this embodiment, the reflective surface 331 has a planar shape. The exit surface 313 of the light guide 312 of the positive reflection light irradiation part 31 is formed with a size W1 such that the dimension in the short side direction A3 is equal to the dimension W1. The short side direction A3 refers to a direction that is orthogonal to the long side direction of the exit surface 313 (i.e., the direction along the main scanning direction A1) and along the exit surface 313.

[0058] Figure 5 This refers to the reflecting surface 331 as viewed from the front. The reflecting surface 331 of the reflector 33 for orthographic reflection, as shown in the figure, is a rectangular surface with the main scanning direction A1 as its long side, similar to the exit surface 313 of the light guide 312. The reflecting surface 331 is formed with a dimension W3 in the short side direction A4. The short side direction A4 refers to the direction orthogonal to the long side direction of the reflecting surface 331 (i.e., along the main scanning direction A1) and along the direction of the reflecting surface 331.

[0059] On the other hand, a portion of the light emitted from the exit surface 323 of the light guide 322, such as Figure 3 As shown, the reflector 34 is used for diffusion reflection.

[0060] Figure 6 The magnified view shows the periphery of the diffuse reflector 34. The diffuse reflector 34 is a component with a reflective surface 341, which reflects the light emitted from the emission surface 323 toward the reading area R1 of the original document 2, and diffuses the light, in other words, the light diffusely reflected by the original document 2 onto the reading area R1.

[0061] Figure 7 The figure shows the reflective surface 341 as viewed from the front. The reflective surface 341 of the diffuse reflector 34, like the exit surface 323 of the light guide 322, has the main scanning direction A1 as its long side, and appears rectangular when viewed from the front. The reflective surface 341 is formed with a dimension W4 in the short side direction A5. The short side direction A5 refers to the direction orthogonal to the long side direction of the reflective surface 341 (i.e., along the main scanning direction A1) and along the direction of the reflective surface 341.

[0062] Furthermore, the light guide 322 of the diffuse reflection irradiation section 32 has an emission surface 323 formed with a size W2 in the short side direction A4. The short side direction A4 refers to the direction that is orthogonal to the long side direction of the emission surface 323 (= the direction along the main scanning direction A1) and along the emission surface 323.

[0063] When the light reflected by the reflective surface 331 reaches the reading area R1 of the original document 2, the original document 2 positively reflects a portion of this light. Figure 2 The mirror 35 is shown. The mirror 35 has a reflective surface 351, which reflects light that is reflected by the reflector 33 and also reflected by the original document 2. The mirror 35 is an example of the "second reflective part" of this disclosure, and the reflective surface 351 is an example of the "second reflective surface" of this disclosure.

[0064] Here, in this embodiment, the mirror 35 is positioned approximately vertically below when viewed from R1. This configuration allows for handling situations where the original document 2 is floating. When the mirror 35 is positioned vertically below, the incident light must also be vertically below to receive light that is fully orthogonally reflected by the mirror 35.

[0065] However, since this is structurally impossible, in this embodiment, the incident light, i.e., the reflector 33 for orthogonal reflection, is tilted at an angle of approximately 5 degrees to R1. Although it is not perfectly orthogonal reflection, the reflection characteristics can be detected in a manner roughly similar to orthogonal reflection. Furthermore, it is not limited to 5 degrees as in this embodiment; as long as it is 9 degrees or less, an image that is to a certain extent the same as orthogonal reflection can be detected.

[0066] Figure 8 This refers to the reflecting surface 351 as viewed from the front. As shown in the figure, the reflecting surface 351 of mirror 35 is a rectangular surface with the main scanning direction A1 as its long side. The reflecting surface 351 is formed with a dimension W5 in the short side direction A6. The short side direction A6 refers to the direction orthogonal to the long side direction of the reflecting surface 351 (i.e., the direction along the main scanning direction A1) and along the reflecting surface 351.

[0067] Dimension W5 is larger than the dimension W3 of the short side A4 of the reflecting surface 331 of the reflector 33 for positive reflection. By increasing the dimension in this way, compared to the case where dimension W5 is smaller than dimension W3, even if the optical path B1 of the reflected light from the original 2 deviates due to tolerances or other reasons, the reflected light is more easily reflected by the reflecting surface 331. Furthermore, dimension W3 is smaller not only than dimension W5 but also than dimension W4. Moreover, dimension W3 is smaller than dimension W1. On the other hand, dimension W4 is larger than dimension W2. In this embodiment, dimension W1 and dimension W2 are the same. Specifically, dimension W1 is 4.5 mm, while dimension W3 is 2 mm.

[0068] The light reflected by mirror 35 Figure 2 The mirrors 41, 42, and imaging lens 50 shown are guided to the image sensor 60. The mirrors 35, 41, 42, and imaging lens 50 form... Figure 2 The optical path section 3 of the optical path B1 shown functions to guide the light reflected by the reflective surface 351 of the mirror 35. The image sensor 60 generates an image shown by the light guided by the optical path section 3. The dimensions of mirrors 41 and 42, which correspond to the dimension W5 of mirror 35, are also more than twice the size of dimension W3.

[0069] On the other hand, a portion of the light emitted from the diffuse reflection irradiation unit 32 is reflected by the original document 2 to form an image. A portion of the light emitted from the exit surface 323 of the light guide 322 of the diffuse reflection irradiation unit 32 is directed toward the diffuse reflection reflector 34. The reflective surface 341 of the diffuse reflection reflector 34 reflects the light irradiated by the diffuse reflection irradiation unit 32 toward the reading area R1 of the original document 2.

[0070] Furthermore, the diffuse reflector 34 is positioned such that the light reflected from the original document 2 by the reflected surface 341 does not gravitate towards the light path B1. Therefore, a portion of the diffusely reflected light from the original document 2 is as follows: Figure 3 As shown, it is oriented towards the light path B1. The light oriented towards the light path B1 is guided by the light path unit 3 and passes through... Figure 2 The light path B1 shown reaches the image sensor 60.

[0071] Thus, the diffuse reflection irradiation unit 32 is configured to guide the light diffusely reflected from the original document 2 to the image sensor 60 via the optical path unit 3. That is, the optical path unit 3 has components of one or more optical systems that guide both the light reflected or diffusely reflected from the original document 2. Figure 2The mirrors 41 and 42 and the imaging lens 50 are shown. In this embodiment, both positively reflected light and diffusely reflected light are guided to the image sensor 60 through the optical path section 3, thus achieving miniaturization of this device (image reading device 10) compared to the case where a separate optical path section is used for guidance.

[0072] Furthermore, although the image sensor 60 is guided to a common optical path, namely optical path B1, the timing of the illumination is different. First, the image reading unit 20 illuminates the diffuse reflection illumination unit 32, moves the holder 30 and holder 40 to the end of the original in the sub-scanning direction, reads the original, and supplies the original image data representing the diffuse reflection light of the original to the processor 11.

[0073] Next, when the brackets 30 and 40 return to their original positions from their ends in the sub-scanning direction, the orthographic reflection irradiation unit 31 is illuminated, the original document is read, and the original image data representing the orthographic reflection light of the original document is supplied to the processor 11. Thus, in this embodiment, for a single original document, the image represented by the orthographic reflection light and the image represented by the diffuse reflection light are read separately. For the two images supplied to the processor 11, processing is performed to obtain a single image using the image data.

[0074] The image sensor 60 generates an image from the light that arrives, that is, from the light diffused and reflected by the original document 2. As described above, the image sensor 60 generates an image from both the light reflected orthogonally from the read area R1 and the light diffusely reflected.

[0075] Furthermore, a portion of the light emitted from the emitting surface 323 of the light guide 322 is directed directly toward the reading area R1 of the original document 2, and after diffusion reflection, a portion of the light is further directed toward the optical path B1. That is, the diffuse reflection light irradiation section 32 emits light toward the diffuse reflection reflector 34 and the reading area R1 respectively. The image sensor 60 also generates an image from the light emitted from the diffuse reflection light irradiation section 32 that directly reaches the reading area R1 and is then diffused and reflected.

[0076] The first support member 36 supports the reflector 33 and mirror 35 for positive reflection, thereby fixing the relative position and orientation of the reflecting surface 331 and reflecting surface 351. The second support member 37 supports the first support member 36 by adjusting at least one of its position and orientation. The first support member 36 is an example of the "first support part" of this disclosure, and the second support member 37 is an example of the "second support part" of this disclosure.

[0077] Figure 9 (a) to Figure 9 (c) represents an example of the first support member 36 and the second support member 37. Figure 9(a) shows the first support member 36, the second support member 37, the reflector 33 for positive reflection, and the mirror 35 as viewed from the short side direction A6 of the mirror 35.

[0078] The first support member 36 has a plate-shaped first member 36-1 located downstream of the main scanning direction A1 and a plate-shaped second member 36-2 located upstream of the main scanning direction A1. The first member 36-1 has its downstream end fixed to the main scanning direction A1 end where the reflector 33 and mirror 35 are mounted, and the second member 36-2 has its upstream end fixed to the main scanning direction A1 end where the reflector 33 and mirror 35 are mounted. Both the first member 36-1 and the second member 36-2 have a first rotation axis 361.

[0079] The second support member 37 rotatably supports the first support member 36 via the first rotation axis 361, and rotates the first support member 36 around the first rotation axis 361. The second support member 37 has a first member 37-1 located downstream of the main scanning direction A1, a plate-shaped second member 37-2 located upstream of the main scanning direction A1, and a drive unit 37-3. The first member 37-1 rotatably supports the first rotation axis 361 located on the first member 36-1.

[0080] The second component 37-2 is rotatably supported on a first rotation axis 361 provided on the second component 36-2. The drive unit 37-3, for example, includes a stepper motor, which rotates the first rotation axis 361 supported by the second component 37-2 by a specified angle. The specified rotation angle of the drive unit 37-3 is, for example, determined from an external computer (e.g., a notebook computer) connected to the image reading device 10.

[0081] Figure 9 (b) shows the first component 36-1 and the first component 37-1 as viewed from the downstream side of the main scanning direction A1. Figure 9 (c) shows the second component 36-2, the second component 37-2, and the drive unit 37-3 as viewed from the upstream side of the main scanning direction A1. In addition to the aforementioned first rotation axis 361, the first component 36-1 also has a second rotation axis 362 and a third rotation axis 363. The first component 36-1 is rotatably supported by the first component 37-1 via the first rotation axis 361.

[0082] Furthermore, the first component 36-1 rotatably supports one end of the main scanning direction A1 (the downstream end of the main scanning direction A1) of the orthographic reflector 33 via the second rotation axis 362. Also, the first component 36-1 rotatably supports one end of the main scanning direction A1 (the downstream end of the main scanning direction A1) of the mirror 35 via the third rotation axis 363. The second and third rotation axes 362 and 363 will rotate, for example, when a dedicated fixture is installed for operation.

[0083] The second component 36-2 is rotatably supported by the second component 37-2 via the first rotating shaft 361. When the driving force is transmitted from the drive unit 37-3, it rotates around the first rotating shaft 361. As described above, the first support component 36 rotates itself by the driving force of the drive unit 37-3. Thus, by using a single adjustment operation, the relative relationship between the two reflective surfaces, namely the reflective surface 331 of the positive reflector 33 and the reflective surface 351 of the mirror 35, can be maintained to adjust the position or orientation relative to the light path or the original.

[0084] In this embodiment, the optical path from the reading area R1 to the mirror 35 is adjusted to be vertically below. When the mirror 35 is adjusted in this way, since the relative position of the mirror 35 and the orthographic reflector 33 is determined, the light incident from the orthographic reflector 33 is reliably incident on the mirror 35. Especially in this embodiment, when the orthographic reflector 33 is small, if it is not configured in this way, the light orthographically reflected by the original document may enter the position without the mirror 35, and thus the light will not be detected.

[0085] Furthermore, as described above, the first support member 36 is provided with a drive unit 37-3 on the upstream side of the main scanning direction A1 at both ends of the main scanning direction A1, which allows the first support member 36 to rotate about the first rotation axis 361. For the orthographic reflector 33 and mirror 35 supported by the first support member 36, the positioning accuracy on the upstream side of the main scanning direction A1 where the drive unit 37-3 is provided tends to be higher than that on the downstream side.

[0086] The original document is fixed at the upstream end of the main scanning direction A1 of the document stage 21. Therefore, at the upstream end of the main scanning direction A1 of the document stage 21, image reading will inevitably occur regardless of the size of the original document. On the other hand, at the downstream end of the main scanning direction A1 of the document stage 21, if the size of the original document is small, image reading will not occur. In this embodiment, by providing the drive unit 37-3 at the upstream end of the main scanning direction A1 as described above, the benefit of improved image reading accuracy can be obtained regardless of the type of original document.

[0087] Furthermore, in both the first member 36-1 and the second member 36-2, the first rotation axis 361 is located near the reflecting surface 351 of the mirror 35, relative to the reflecting surface 331 of the orthogonal reflector 33. Therefore, for example, when the first support member 36 rotates around the first rotation axis 361, the movement distance of the mirror 35 is shorter than that of the orthogonal reflector 33, and the movement distance of the orthogonal reflector 33 is longer than that of the mirror 35.

[0088] As a result, compared to the case where the first rotation axis 361 is located near the reflecting surface 331 rather than the reflecting surface 351, the amount of movement of the reflector 33 for orthogonal reflection is greater, thus the image quality change caused by orthogonal reflection is greater. Furthermore, since the amount of movement of the mirror 35 is small, the change in the composition of the diffused reflected light traveling along the optical path B1 is smaller. The composition referred to here is, for example, the distribution of light quantity in the beam of reflected light. In addition, since diffused reflected light is emitted in all directions, the change in composition during the movement of the mirror 35 is inherently smaller compared to orthogonal reflection.

[0089] Furthermore, the second component 36-2 has fasteners 364, 365, 366, and 367. Each fastener is, for example, a screw-type tool, with its protruding portion penetrating the second component 36-2 and contacting the orthogonal reflector 33 or mirror 35 to secure them. Fasteners 364 and 365 secure one upstream end of the orthogonal reflector 33 in the main scanning direction A1. Fasteners 366 and 367 secure one upstream end of the mirror 35 in the main scanning direction A1.

[0090] In this way, the first support member 36 rotatably supports one end of the main scanning direction A1 (the downstream end of the main scanning direction A1) of the reflector 33 and the mirror 35, and is fixed in contact with two or more parts of the other end (the upstream end of the main scanning direction A1). Thus, the orientation of each reflecting surface can be changed by operating on one of the rotatably supported ends of the reflector 33 or the mirror 35 along its long side.

[0091] Furthermore, as mentioned above, fixing the orthographic reflector 33 and mirror 35 by contacting two or more locations improves positioning accuracy compared to fixing them by contacting only one location. In this embodiment, the orthographic reflector 33 and mirror 35 are fixed by contacting two or more locations at the upstream end of the main scanning direction A1, where image reading is inevitable. As a result, the benefit of improved image reading accuracy can be obtained regardless of the type of original document.

[0092] The third support member 38 is a member that supports the diffuse reflector 34.

[0093] Figure 10This represents an example of the third support member 38. Figure 10 The image shows a third support member 38 and a diffuse reflector 34. The third support member 38 has a rotation axis 381. The third support member 38 is rotatably supported on the frame of the device (image reading device 10) via the rotation axis 381. By rotating the third support member 38, the orientation of the diffuse reflector 34 is adjusted.

[0094] Furthermore, the mounting position of the rotation axis 381 on the frame becomes adjustable, thereby allowing adjustment of the relative positional relationship between the diffuse reflector 34 and the mirror 35. As described above, the diffuse reflector 34 is supported by a different component than the direct reflection reflector 33 and the mirror 35, thereby allowing its position and orientation to be adjusted independently of the direct reflection reflector 33 and the mirror 35.

[0095] On the other hand, the reflector 33 for positive reflection is supported by the same component as the mirror 35, namely the first support member 36. Thus, by maintaining the relative positional relationship between the reflectors 33 for positive reflection and the mirror 35, which reflect light in front of and behind the reading area R1, the position and orientation of their reflectors relative to the reading area R1 can be adjusted without adjusting their relative positional relationship, thus making it easy to position their reflectors.

[0096] [2] Variation Example

[0097] The described embodiment is merely one example of the implementation of this disclosure and can be modified as follows. Moreover, the embodiments and their modifications can be combined as needed.

[0098] [2-1] Adjusting the position of the mirror

[0099] In the embodiment described above, the light is adjusted so that it travels vertically downwards from the reading area R1 toward the mirror 35, but this is not a limitation. Here, if the angle between the positive reflection reflector 33 and the mirror 35 is changed, the main point of obtaining positively reflected light remains unchanged. However, in reality, the incident angle of the light from the positive reflection reflector 33 toward the reading area R1 and the reflection angle of the light reflected from the reading area R1 toward the mirror 35 change, thus changing the proportion of positively reflected light contained in the reflected light.

[0100] When the proportion of orthographic reflection changes, the output image quality will also change. Therefore, if you want to utilize this property to enhance, for example, the effect of orthographic reflection on the output image, you can further adjust the angle of incidence and the angle of reflection to be the same. Conversely, if you want to slightly suppress the effect of orthographic reflection on an original with a large amount of orthographic reflection, you can make the angle of incidence and the angle of reflection slightly different to reduce the amount of orthographic reflection.

[0101] Not only can adjustments be made according to the desired state of the original, but they can also be combined. For example, when reading a book original, the drive unit can be used to adjust the light so that it travels vertically downwards from the reading area R1 toward the mirror 35, while when reading a glossy original, the drive unit can be used to adjust the angle of incidence and the angle of reflection to be the same.

[0102] [2-2] Reflector

[0103] The reflective surface 331 of the reflector 33 for diffuse reflection of light and the reflective surface 341 of the reflector 34 for diffuse reflection of light are planar in the embodiment, but are not limited thereto. For example, the reflective surface 331 may also be a shape that reflects the light emitted from the exit surface 313 of the light guide 312 toward the original document 2 and focuses the light (usually a concave shape).

[0104] Converging light refers to light that converges towards a predetermined focal point. This focal point can be set on the original document, or it can be set further inwards or in front of the original document. Furthermore, the reflecting surface 331 can also be convex (typically a convex shape) that reflects light emitted from the exiting surface 313 of the light guide 312 towards the original document 2, creating a diverging light pattern. Diverging light refers to light that does not converge towards the predetermined focal point and instead spreads outwards. Moreover, the reflecting surface 341 of the diffuse reflector 34 can be either concave or convex.

[0105] [2-3]Enter light

[0106] In the embodiment described above, a reflector 33 is used to temporarily reflect light from the irradiation section, thereby preventing light other than the reflected light from the reflector 33 from entering the reading area R1 of the original document 2. However, light can also enter directly without reflection. Furthermore, while the embodiment described above uses an example with multiple LEDs along the long side, a structure with a light guide extending along the long side and a high-power LED at the end of the long side is also possible. Moreover, a light guide can be omitted, allowing light from multiple LEDs along the long side to directly face the original document.

[0107] [2-4] Angle

[0108] In the described embodiment, an example is shown where the angle between the incident light and the reflected light is set to a small value; however, any angle configuration sufficient to guide the positively reflected light to the image sensor 60 is acceptable. Furthermore, in the described embodiment, an example is shown where the component irradiating the diffusely reflected light (irradiation part and reflector) is closer to the original document than the component irradiating the positively reflected light; however, the component irradiating the diffusely reflected light can also be farther from the original document. In this case, for example, the incident angle and exit angle of the positively reflected light can be configured to be tilted by, for example, 40° each relative to the original document. This allows for a greater distance between the light path towards the original document and the light path from the original document compared to aiming at an angle as close to 0° as possible, thus simplifying component placement.

[0109] Furthermore, the irradiation section for diffuse reflection can be positioned on the same side as the irradiation section for orthogonal reflection relative to the light path, but it can also be positioned on different sides.

[0110] Figure 11 The bracket 30a of this modified example is shown in magnification. The bracket 30a has a light irradiation part 31a for positive reflection, a light irradiation part 32a for diffuse reflection, a reflector 33a for positive reflection, and a mirror 35a.

[0111] The positive reflection light irradiation unit 31a is disposed on a different side from the diffuse reflection light irradiation unit 32a relative to the light path B1a. The light emitted from the positive reflection light irradiation unit 31a is reflected by the positive reflection reflector 33a and enters the reading area R1. Moreover, the diffuse reflection light irradiation unit 32a directly irradiates the reading area R1 of the original document 2 without using a reflector. Figure 14 In the example, compared to the case where the light source is positioned vertically below the reading area R1, the height of the reading device relative to the original document 2 in the vertical direction is suppressed to a lower level.

[0112] [2-5] Regarding the optical axis

[0113] In the embodiment described, the optical axis C1 is located in the center of the optical path, but it may also include the optical axis C1 and be offset to one side of the optical path, or the optical axis C1 may not be included in the optical path.

[0114] Figure 12 Enlarged view of bracket 30b in this modified example. Bracket 30b, besides... Figure 3 In addition to the positive reflection irradiation section 31b shown, there is also a positive reflection irradiation section 31b with the optical axis C1b pointing toward a position offset from the positive reflection reflector 33b.

[0115] Reference Figure 13 This explains the amount of light reflected by the left-hand region 331L and right-hand region 331R of the reflecting surface 331b of the reflector 33b used for positive reflection.

[0116] Figure 13This is an example of the light quantity distribution of the light emitted from the positive reflection irradiation section 31b. Figure 13 In the example, the distribution of light quantity D1b when observing a plane located at a predetermined distance from the positive reflection irradiation part 31b along the main scanning direction A1 is represented as a graph.

[0117] Figure 13 In the example, it is shown that the amount of light reflected from the left region 331L is greater than the amount of light reflected from the right region 331R. Furthermore, the optical axis C1b is not included in the reflected light from the orthogonal reflector 33b. Alternatively, it can be configured such that the optical axis C1b is included in the reflected light from the orthogonal reflector 33b, but is biased towards one side (either the left region 331L or the right region 331R).

[0118] Figure 12 In the example, the reflector 33b for positive reflection is configured such that a light difference is generated in the optical path leading to the reading area R1 of the original, and the portion with more light (the optical path reflected in the left region 331L) receives nearly complete positive reflection of the original reflected light compared to the portion with less light (the optical path reflected in the right region 331R).

[0119] In this way, when the optical axis is not included in the optical path or is offset to one side, compared with the case where the optical axis is set as the center of the optical path, it is easy to generate a local light difference in the light towards the original 2. Therefore, in the region of the optical path of the light towards the original, the left end region 331L with more light is more likely to be incident at the angle of positive reflection, while the right end region 331R with less light is offset from it.

[0120] For example, if only a portion of the emitted light is reflected by the reflector 33b for orthogonal reflection, the end closer to the orthogonal reflection angle can be designated as the left end region 331L, and the end that deviates more from the orthogonal reflection angle can be designated as the right end region 331R. This results in a higher proportion of orthogonally reflected light compared to the case where the end closer to the orthogonal reflection angle is designated as the right end region 331R.

[0121] [2-6] Light irradiation part

[0122] The shape of the light irradiation section is not limited to the shape described in the embodiments. For example, the emitting surface of the light irradiation section may also be in a shape other than a rectangle. Moreover, the light irradiation section may include two or more surfaces instead of one surface as the emitting surface.

[0123] Figure 14 This refers to the orthographic reflection irradiation unit 31c of this modified example. The orthographic reflection irradiation unit 31c has a first emission surface 313-1 and a second emission surface 313-2, and emits light from each emission surface respectively. Figure 14In the example, the positive reflection irradiation unit 31c is configured such that light emitted from the first emission surface 313-1 is directed toward the positive reflection reflector 33, thus the first emission surface 313-1 corresponds to the emission surface 313 of the positive reflection irradiation unit 31 in the embodiment described above. That is, the positive reflection reflector 33 reflects a portion of the light from the first emission surface 313-1.

[0124] in addition, Figure 14 In this structure, the light emitted from the second emitting surface 313-2 does not point towards the original document in the positive reflection reflector 33. In this modified example, the light is emitted from the second emitting surface 313-2, but the second emitting surface 313-2 is not a surface made for emitting light. Alternatively, the positive reflection irradiation unit 31c can also be configured such that the light emitted from the second emitting surface 313-2 points towards the original document.

[0125] Furthermore, two or more exiting surfaces can be configured as exiting surfaces equivalent to the exiting surface 313 of the positive reflection irradiation section 31 in the above embodiment. In this case, as long as the light emanating from the two exiting surfaces of the exiting surface toward the positive reflection reflector 33 passes through the positive reflection reflector 33, etc., only a portion of the light is directed toward the original document.

[0126] [2-7] Equal magnification optical system

[0127] The embodiment described illustrates a reading device for a reduced optical system, but it can also be applied to a reading device for an equal-magnification optical system. An equal-magnification optical system includes, for example, a contact image sensor (CIS), which is integrally composed of an LED light source that emits light, an equal-magnification lens (i.e., a self-focusing lens) through which the light reflected from the original document 2 passes, and a light-receiving element disposed on its extension line.

[0128] Furthermore, in the case of CIS (Corrective Image Sensor), there is a self-focusing lens, so sometimes, as in the embodiment described above, it is difficult to set the angle between the incident light and the reflected light to be small. In this case, it is also possible to configure the angles of the incident light and the reflected light to be the same, for example, to be tilted at 45° relative to the original. Additionally, it is also possible to configure the light source by providing a slit or similar element between the LED light source and the original, thereby limiting the incident light.

[0129] [2-8] Reading device

[0130] The embodiment described herein is a reading device for reading a manuscript placed on a manuscript table, but it is not limited thereto. For example, it can also be applied to an in-line sensor arranged along the transport direction of the manuscript being transported, or to a reading device that reads paper being transported as a manuscript. In the embodiment described herein, for a single manuscript, two readings are performed: one by illuminating a light source for positive reflection and the other by illuminating a light source for diffuse reflection.

[0131] In contrast, with in-line sensors, separate image sensors can be installed for the orthographic and diffuse light sources to read data at different positions along the transport direction. Switching between these sensors is also possible: for example, the diffuse light source can be activated when prioritizing color reading, while the orthographic light source can be activated when prioritizing gloss reading. Furthermore, it is possible to switch between the diffuse and orthographic light sources at intervals when not reading all originals transported, such as during inspections rather than full inspections.

[0132] [2-9] Output device

[0133] It can also output the results read by the image reading device 10.

[0134] Figure 15 The image forming apparatus 70 represents this modified example. The image forming apparatus 70 includes... Figure 2 The image reading device 10 described herein. The stronger the positively reflected light in the reading area, the higher the gloss of the reading area. Therefore, the original document is determined by calculation using a CPU or the like to determine which location of the original document has what degree of gloss. At this time, the difference between the gloss and the diffused reflected light may also be used.

[0135] The image forming apparatus 70 uses an image reflecting the result as image data and performs image formation by inkjet printing. Thus, the image forming apparatus 70 outputs the degree of orthoreflection based on the orthoreflected light read by the image reading device 10. More specifically, the image forming apparatus 70 outputs an image formed based on the degree of orthoreflection read by the image reading device 10. In addition to outputting using the image forming apparatus, images can also be processed according to gloss levels and output to display devices such as personal computers or tablets.

Claims

1. A reading apparatus comprising: an irradiation section that irradiates light; a first reflection section having a first reflection surface that reflects light irradiated by the irradiation section toward a document; a second reflection section having a second reflection surface that reflects light reflected by the first reflection section and directly reflected by the document; a first support section that supports the first reflection section and the second reflection section to fix relative positions and directions of the first reflection surface and the second reflection surface; and a second support section that adjustably supports at least one of a position and a direction of the first support section, wherein the first support section has a rotation axis around which the second support section rotates the first support section, the rotation axis is located closer to the second reflection surface than to the first reflection surface such that, when the first support section is rotated around the rotation axis, a moving distance of the second reflection section is shorter than that of the first reflection section, and an amount of movement of the first reflection section is larger than that of the second reflection section.

2. The reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first support section is provided, on an upstream side of main scanning in both ends of the main scanning direction, with a drive section that rotates the first support section around the rotation axis.

3. The reading apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first reflection surface and the second reflection surface are shaped so as to have a long side in the main scanning direction, and a size of the first reflection surface in a short side direction thereof is smaller than that of the second reflection surface.

4. The reading apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising: a light path section that contains the second reflection surface and forms a light path from the document toward an image sensor.

5. The reading apparatus according to claim 4, comprising: a second irradiation section that irradiates light and is configured to guide light that is diffusely reflected by the document with respect to the irradiated light to the image sensor through the light path section.

6. The reading apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the light path section has one or more reflection sections that reflect both light directly reflected by the document and light diffusely reflected by the document in addition to the second reflection section, and positions and directions of the one or more reflection sections are fixed.

7. An output apparatus comprising: the reading apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, the output apparatus outputs a degree of direct reflection based on directly reflected light read by the reading apparatus.

8. An image forming apparatus comprising: the output apparatus according to claim 7, the image forming apparatus outputs an image formed based on the degree of direct reflection read by the reading apparatus. ​

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