Light-supplying optical device

A light-supplying optical device comprising:

• a light source that emits light along a first path, said first path having an axis;
• a first mirror located in said first path and extending linearly in a longitudinal direction, said first mirror reflecting the light emitted by said light source onto a second path while forming the light emitted from the light source onto a linear area of light having a length extending in the longitudinal direction and a height, said second path having an axis;
• said axis of said first path and said axis of said second path being contained in a plane that extends in said longitudinal direction;
• and
• an optical path conversion mirror located on said second path, said optical path conversion mirror reflecting the light travelling along said second path onto a third path, said optical path conversion mirror being a half-mirror that also is positioned in said first path between said light source and said first mirror, light emitted from said light source and travelling along said first path passing through said half-mirror.

A light-supplying optical device comprising:

• light-emitting means for emitting light along a first path, said first path having an axis;
• first reflecting means, located in said first path, for reflecting the light emitted by said light-emitting means onto a second path while forming the light emitted from the light source into a linear area of light, said linear area of light having a length and a height, said length being greater than said height and extending in a longitudinal direction, said second path having an axis;
• said axis of said first path and said axis of said second path being contained in a plane that extends in said longitudinal direction of said linear area of light;
• and
• second reflecting means, located on said second path, for reflecting the light travelling along said second path onto a third path containing an original document, said second reflecting means being a half-mirror that also is positioned in said first path between said light-emitting means and said first reflecting means, light emitted from said light-emitting means and travelling along said first path passing through said half-mirror.