Dual mirror illumination system for book copier

A method for scanning an article supported on a platen positioned along a first plane, the method comprising:

• illuminating the article with an illuminator assembly positioned below the platen along a second plane parallel to the first plane;
• positioning at least two curved mirrors between the platen and the illuminator assembly and between the first and second planes, the illuminator assembly comprising one or more illuminators and being configured to emit a light beam at each of the curved mirrors, and each of the curved mirrors being configured to concentrate and direct the light beam emitted at it by the illuminator assembly onto the article on the platen at an imaging point;
• actuating a carriage mechanism to affect relative movement parallel to the first and second planes between
• (i) the platen and
• (ii) the illuminator assembly and the curved mirrors in a scanning direction;
• and
• sensing with one or more sensors the light reflecting off the imaging point at along a sensor optical path, wherein the first plane is higher than the second plane.

A scanner comprising:

• a platen positioned along a first plane and configured to support an article to be scanned;
• an illuminator assembly positioned below the platen along a second plane parallel to the first plane and comprising an illuminator source and an illumination mirror and wherein the illumination mirror being spaced from the illuminator source along the second plane;
• a pair of curved mirrors positioned between the platen and the illuminator assembly and between the first and second planes, the illuminator source being configured to emit light beams at one of the pair of curved mirrors and the reflector and the reflector being configured to reflect the light beam emitted at it at the other of the pair of curved mirrors, each of the curved mirrors being configured to concentrate and direct the light beam emitted at it onto the article on the platen at an imaging point such that the curved mirrors concentrate and direct the received light at the imaging point from two sides to provide balanced illumination;
• one or more sensors configured to detect the light reflecting off the article at the imaging point along a sensor optical path;
• and
• a carriage mechanism constructed to affect relative movement parallel to the first and second planes between
• (i) the platen and
• (ii) the illuminator assembly and the curved mirrors in a scanning direction, wherein the first plane is higher than the second plane.