US 7,639,404 B2 · Image scanner and image scanning method

Abstract

An image scanner includes a transparent plate, a scanning device, a driving device, a positioning member, a light absorbing portion and a white reference portion. The transparent plate has an original placing surface. The scanning device irradiates an original with light by means of a light source and scans reflected light from the original. The driving device reciprocates the scanning device along the transparent plate. The positioning member positions the original placed on the original placing surface of the transparent plate. The light absorbing portion, which is disposed on the original placing surface side of the positioning member and at substantially a central portion of the positioning member in moving directions of the scanning device, absorbs ambient light entering to the original placing surface side of the positioning member through the transparent plate. The white reference portion is provided to the original placing surface side of the positioning member.

Claims27

Dependent claims

An image scanner, comprising:

a transparent plate having an original placing surface for placing an original thereon;
a scanning device that irradiates the original with light from a light source and scans reflected light from the original, the scanning device being disposed opposite to the original placing surface with respect to the transparent plate;
a driving device that reciprocates the scanning device along the transparent plate;
a positioning member that positions the original placed on the original placing surface of the transparent plate;
a light absorbing portion that absorbs ambient light entering to a transparent plate side of the positioning member;
a white reference portion provided to the transparent plate side of the positioning member,
wherein the transparent plate is a single transparent plate,
wherein the positioning member is disposed on the transparent plate at a position that divides the transparent plate into a plurality of areas, and
wherein the light absorbing portion and the white reference portion are adjacently arranged on the transparent plate side of the positioning member.

6 more elements

An image scanning method using an image scanner, the image scanner including a transparent plate having an original placing surface for placing an original thereon, a scanning device that irradiates the original with light from a light source and scans reflected light from the original, the scanning device being disposed opposite to the original placing surface with respect to the transparent plate, a driving device that reciprocates the scanning device along the transparent plate, a positioning member that positions the original placed on the original placing surface of the transparent plate, a light absorbing portion that absorbs ambient light entering to a transparent plate side of the positioning member, and a white reference portion provided to the transparent plate side of the positioning member, the light absorbing portion and the white reference portion being adjacent on the transparent plate side of the positioning member, the method comprising the steps of:

making the scanning device wait at a waiting portion close to the white reference portion compared with the light absorbing portion;
moving the scanning device from the waiting portion to a white reference area in which scanning of the white reference portion is possible;
obtaining white reference data by the scanning device in the white reference area;
moving the scanning device from the white reference area to a light absorbing portion area in which scanning of the light absorbing portion is possible;
and
obtaining clack reference data by the scanning device in the light absorbing portion area with the light source turned off.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Image scanner and image scanning method

Life of this patent

Image scanner and image scanning method

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims27