Image scanning apparatus, method and business machine using the same
AssigneeSeiko Epson Corporation
InventorHideki Furihata
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Scanning errors and document feed errors are prevented by pressing originals, including thin originals and thick originals of greatly different thicknesses, to the scanning surface (1a) of an image sensor (1) with pressure appropriate for the respective original. A pressure-generating mechanism (50) is used to press the original against the scanning surface (1a) by selecting different elastic bodies with different spring forces to produce a different elastic force in accordance with the thickness of the original document.
Claims14
An image scanning apparatus comprising:
- an image sensor for reading image information from a document while the image sensor is held in contact with the document, and
- a pressure-generating mechanism for pressing the document against the image sensor wherein said pressure generating mechanism comprises multiple elastic bodies of different spring constants in an arrangement such that one or more elastic bodies provide an applied force to urge the document against the image sensor when the document is below a predetermined thickness and another one or more elastic bodies provide an applied force to urge the document against the image sensor when the document is at or above a predetermined thickness.
A business machine adapted to read a check and a personal identification card that is thicker than the check comprising image scanning apparatus further comprising:
- an image sensor for reading image information from a document while the image sensor is held in contact with the document, a pressure-generating mechanism for pressing the document against the image sensor wherein said pressure generating mechanism comprises multiple elastic bodies of different spring constants in an arrangement such that one or more elastic bodies provide an applied force to urge the document against the image sensor when the document is below a predetermined thickness and another one or more elastic bodies provide an applied force to urge the document against the image sensor when the document is at or above a predetermined thickness.
A method for reading image information from a document using an image sensor having a scanning surface and a pressure generating mechanism having a multiple number of elastic elements with different spring constants for generating a force to press the document against the scanning surface comprising the steps of selecting different elastic elements in accordance with the thickness of the document such that the force applied to press the document automatically changes with the thickness of the document.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.