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US 6,957,773 B2Granted
High-speed flatbed scanner
AssigneeCreo Inc.
InventorDaniel Gelbart
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fast scan axis for a high speed flat bed scanner has an elongated reciprocating table for securing the material to be scanned. The table is narrower than the material and portions of the material overhang the table. The overhanging portions are supported by stationary support surfaces with a plurality of air ports in the surface thereof for providing an air bearing support for the overhanging portions. The moving mass of the scanner is thus kept small enabling fast scanning of the material.
Claims31
An apparatus for moving a material along a scan axis of a flatbed scanner, the apparatus comprising:
- an elongate table adapted to be driven in a reciprocating manner in a direction aligned with the scan axis, the table having a chuck for securing the material to the table such that the material moves with the table during movement of the table along the scan axis and at least one portion of the material laterally overhangs the table in at least one direction extending transversely to the scan axis;
- and
- a stationary support surface disposed under the at least one overhanging portion and having a plurality of ports for providing air bearing flotation to the at least one overhanging portion during movement of the table along the scan axis relative to the stationary support surface.
An apparatus for scanning a scan axis of a material in a flatbed scanner, the apparatus comprising:
- an elongate table adapted to be driven in a reciprocating manner in a direction aligned with the scan axis, the table having a chuck for securing the material to the table such that at least one portion of the material laterally overhangs the table;
- and
- for each overhanging portion of the material, a stationary support surface disposed under the overhanging portion and having a plurality of ports for providing air bearing flotation to the overhanging portion;
- and
- a belt coupled to the table and extending between at least two pulleys, the pulleys spaced apart along the scan axis and at least one of the pulleys having a drive motor coupled thereto, the motor operative to reciprocatably drive the table in a direction aligned with the scan axis.
2 more elements
A flatbed scanner for scanning a flat material, the scanner comprising:
- an elongate beam extending parallel to a scan axis;
- a reciprocatable table slideably mounted on the elongate beam via a plurality of air bearing pads and having an engaging surface for securing the material such that the material reciprocates with the table and at least one portion of the material laterally overhangs the engaging surface in at least one direction extending transversely to the scan axis;
- a stationary support surface positioned in fixed vertical relation to the elongate beam, the stationary support surface having a plurality of ports for creating an air bearing to support the at least one overhanging portion during movement of the table along the scan axis relative to the stationary support surface;
- a cross beam supported to extend transversely to the scan axis;
- and
- a scanning head mounted for movement along the cross beam.
3 more elements
A method for moving a flat material along a scan axis of a flatbed scanner, the method comprising:
- securing the material to a table using only a portion of a surface area of the material so that there is at least one portion of the material that laterally overhangs the table in a direction extending transversely to the scan axis;
- supporting the at least one overhanging portion using an air bearing;
- and
- while supporting the at least one overhanging portion using the air bearing, moving the material along the scan axis by reciprocatably moving the table in directions aligned with the scan axis.
1 more element
An apparatus for moving a material along a scan axis a flatbed scanner, the apparatus comprising:
- an elongate table adapted to be driven in a reciprocating manner in a direction aligned with the scan axis, the table having a chuck for securing the material to the table such that the material moves with the table during movement of the table along the scan axis and at least one portion of the material extends laterally beyond an edge of the table in a direction extending transversely to the scan axis;
- and
- a stationary support surface disposed substantially parallel to the at least one laterally extending portion and having a plurality of ports for providing an air bearing between the at least one laterally extending portion and the stationary support surface during movement of the table along the scan axis relative to the stationary support surface.
An apparatus for scanning a scan axis of a material in a flatbed scanner, the apparatus comprising:
- an elongate table adapted to be driven in a reciprocating manner in a direction aligned with the scan axis, the table having a chuck for securing the material to the table such that at least one portion of the material extends laterally beyond an edge of the table;
- and
- for each laterally extending portion of the material, a stationary support surface disposed substantially parallel to the laterally extending portion and having a plurality of ports for providing an air bearing between the laterally extending portion and the stationary support surface;
- and
- a belt coupled to the table and extending between at least two pulleys, the pulleys spaced apart along the scan axis and at least one of the pulleys having a drive motor coupled thereto, the motor operative to reciprocatably drive the table in a direction aligned with the scan axis.
2 more elements
A flatbed scanner for scanning a flat material, the scanner comprising:
- an elongate beam extending parallel to a scan axis;
- a reciprocatable table slideably mounted on the elongate beam, the table having an engaging surface for securing the material such that the material reciprocates with the table and at least one portion of the material extends laterally beyond an edge of the engaging surface in at least one direction extending transversely to the scan axis;
- a stationary support surface positioned in fixed vertical relation to the elongate beam, the stationary support surface having a plurality of ports for creating an air bearing to support the at least one laterally extending portion during movement of the table along the scan axis relative to the stationary support surface;
- a cross beam supported to extend transversely to the scan axis;
- and
- a scanning head mounted for movement along the cross beam.
3 more elements
An apparatus for moving a material along a scan axis of flatbed scanner, the apparatus comprising:
- a table that is reciprocatably moveable along the scan axis, the table having a generally planar support surface for receiving a material to be scanned such that the material moves with the table during movement of the table along the scan axis, the table having at least one table edge that is generally parallel to the scan axis and the table sized such that when the material is received thereon, at least one portion of the material extends beyond the at least one table edge in a direction transverse to the scan axis;
- a stationary support surface having a support surface edge which is generally parallel to the scan axis and which is located proximate to the at least one table edge, the stationary support surface comprising a plurality of ports for providing an air bearing between the stationary support surface and the at least one overhanging portion of the material during movement of the table along the scan axis relative to the support surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.