Transmissive/reflective optical scanning apparatus

An optical scanning apparatus for retrieving digital electronic images representative of opaque and transmissive objects comprising:

• a reflective scanning platform having a rectangular glass platen to overlie said opaque object thereon;
• a transmissive scanning platform to support said transmissive object thereon;
• at least one light source for illuminating said transmissive scanning platform;
• a scanning camera movably positioned below said reflective scanning platform and including an opto-electrical transducer selectively aligned to view one of said scanning platforms;
• and
• wherein said scanning camera being aligned to view said transmissive scanning platform receives light directly transmitted from said transmissive object.

An optical scanning apparatus for retrieving digital images representative of opaque and transmissive objects comprising:

• a scanner housing;
• a reflective scanning platform formed in the upper surface of said scanner housing and including a glass platen upon which said opaque object is positioned;
• a removable transmissive scanning platform;
• a docking port formed in the side of said scanner and including docking tracks, Said docking port receiving said removable transmissive scanning platform;
• and
• a scanning camera movably positioned proximate to said reflective scanning platform and including a digital camera, a lens, an optical pathway which are oriented to selectively view said platforms and generate electrical signals representative of the images viewed;
• a motor means for moving said scanning camera along a lengthwise path within said housing;
• a controller circuit which is connected to said scanning camera to activate said scanning camera such that upon activating said scanning camera receive said scanning camera electrical signals and which is connected to said motor means to control the movement of said scanning camera;
• said digital camera being aligned with the lens to view images from the optical pathway and the optical pathway being selectively aligned with said reflective scanning platform in a reflective scanning mode such that said control circuit receives images representative of said opaque object and aligned with said transmissive scanning platform in a transmissive scanning mode such that said control circuit receives images representative of said transmissive object;
• an axle rotatably connected to said scanning camera;
• a switch mirror having a frame attached to said axle such that rotation of said axle pivotally changes the angular displacement of said switch mirror;
• a transmissive stop connected to said scanning camera proximate to said switch mirror such that during said transmissive mode said mirror engages said stop;
• and
• at least one feed piston coupled between said mirror and scanning camera to bias said mirror against said transmissive stop.

A transmissive/reflective optical scanning apparatus comprising:

• a scanner housing;
• a reflective scanning platform;
• a removable transmissive scanning platform;
• a docking port formed in the side of said scanner, said docking port operatively formed to receive said removable transmissive scanning platform;
• and
• a scanning camera positioned proximate to said reflective scanning platform to selectively view said platforms and generate electrical signals representative of the images viewed.