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US 6,388,775 B1Granted
Image scanner with an automatic document feeder and a movable light source
AssigneeUltima Electronics Corp.
InventorChung-Jung Chiu
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention provides an image scanner comprising an automatic document feeder and a moveable light source. The image scanner uses a sensing device to detect the position of a lid, and uses a switch mechanism to control the power output of a motor. When the lid is at an “on” position, the power output of the motor will be transmitted to the automatic document feeder to scan opaque documents. When the lid is at an “off ” position, the power output of the motor will be transmitted to the light source to scan transparent documents. The transparent documents can be scanned without additional locating devices to locate transparent documents thus making the image scanner multi-functional and easy to use.
Claims8
An image scanner comprising:
- a lower casing having a lower transparent platform on its top for placing a document to be scanned wherein the lower transparent platform can be divided into two separate parts, namely a first part and a second part;
- a scanning module moveably installed inside the lower casing for scanning the document;
- an upper casing rotationally connected to the lower casing and having an upper transparent window on its bottom wherein when the upper transparent window of the upper casing is physically attached to the lower transparent window of the lower casing, the upper transparent window is positioned above the first part of the lower transparent platform;
- a light source moveably installed inside the upper casing and placed above the upper transparent window for providing back light to the document;
- an automatic document feeder installed inside the upper casing for carrying documents to be scanned through the second part of the lower transparent platform wherein the automatic document feeder comprises a lid rotationally installed on the upper casing and a sensing device for detecting the position of the lid;
- and
- a control circuit for controlling operations of the image scanner;
- wherein when the control circuit senses that the lid is at an “on” position through the-sensing device, the scanning module will be moved to a position under the second part of the lower transparent platform such that the documents carried through the second part of the lower transparent platform by the automatic document feeder can be scanned, and when the control circuit senses that the lid is at an “off” position, the light source and the scanning module will be moved under the control of the control circuit to scan a document placed on the first part of the lower transparent platform.
5 more elements
An image scanner comprising:
- a lower casing having an lower transparent platform on its top for placing a document to be scanned wherein the lower transparent platform can be divided into two separate parts, namely a first part and a second part;
- a scanning module moveably installed inside the lower casing for scanning the document;
- an upper casing rotationally connected to the lower casing and having an upper transparent window on its bottom wherein when the upper transparent window of the upper casing is physically attached to the lower transparent window of the lower casing, the upper transparent window is positioned above the first part of the lower transparent platform;
- a light source moveably installed inside the upper casing and placed above the upper transparent window for providing back light to the document;
- an automatic document feeder installed inside the upper casing for carrying documents to be scanned through the second part of the lower transparent platform and comprising:
- a lid rotationally installed on the upper casing;
- a motor for moving the documents to be scanned or the light source;
- and
- a switch mechanism for switching the power output of the motor;
- wherein when switched to an “on” position, the lid will actuate the switch mechanism to transmit the power output of the motor to the automatic document feeder so that the documents to be scanned can be carried to the second part of the transparent platform, and when switched to an “off” position, the lid will actuate the switch mechanism again to transmit the power output of the motor to the light source so that the light source can be driven to work with the scanning module to scan the document placed on the first part of the lower transparent platform.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.