US 6,661,544 B1Granted

Image reading apparatus

AssigneeFuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.

InventorsYoshiharu Okino, Masaaki Konno

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

Since amounts of illuminated light of each color are well-balanced by using a light source generating a small amount of heat and emitting light of a high color temperature during light emission, images can be read at high speed and with high accuracy. LED chips are applied for a light source, and are arranged by color so as to form substantially straight lines on an aluminum substrate, at a high density. Emitted light is made to be incident on a photographic film via an acrylic block. Since light emitted from the LED chips 64 has a high color temperature and includes a large amount of light of short wavelengths, an SN ratio of a read image is excellent and the image can be read at high speed. A heat pipe is piped at the rear surface side of the aluminum substrate and a coolant is circulated inside the pipe. Since heat generated by the LED chips is transmitted to the heat pipe through a heat exchange action between the light source and the coolant, the amount of light emitted from the LED chips 64 does not fluctuate.

Claims11

Dependent claims

An image reading apparatus, comprising:

a conveyor mechanism to convey a film having a plurality of frame images recorded thereon;
a light source to emit light such that the light is transmitted through or reflected from the plurality of frame images recorded on the film;
and
a line scanner to read the light transmitted through or reflected from the plurality of frame images recorded on the film;
wherein said light source comprises:
a first plurality of light emitting elements, each light emitting element of the first plurality of light emitting elements emitting light of a first color having a substantially same, first wavelength;
a second plurality of light emitting elements, each light emitting element of the second plurality of light emitting elements emitting light of a second color having a substantially same, second wavelength;
a third plurality of light emitting elements, each light emitting element of the third plurality of light emitting elements emitting light of a third color having a substantially same, third wavelength;
and
a photoconductive member having a light entering surface, which faces said first, second, and third plurality of light emitting elements and into which light emitted by said first, second, and third plurality of light emitting elements enters, and having a light exiting surface, which faces said film and from which light that enters the light entering surface exits,
wherein said photoconductive member has a generally trapezoidal cross section.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 09/310,977Filed 13 May 1999
Priority: JP 10-14570127 May 1998
Granted: 9 Dec 2003
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification14 codes

H04N 1/00135
In a digital photofinishing system, i.e. a system where digital photographic images undergo typical photofinishing processing, e.g. printing…
H04N 1/00132
Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture…: in…
H04N 1/00145
Ordering: from a remote location
H04N 1/00167
In a digital photofinishing system, i.e. a system where digital photographic images undergo typical photofinishing processing, e.g. printing…