| Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
|---|
| 358484000 | Fiber optics or optical waveguides | 24 |
| 20090015886 | SCANNER MODULE AND IMAGE SCANNING APPARATUS EMPLOYING THE SAME - Disclosed are a scanner module and an image scanning apparatus employing the same. The scanner module includes a light source generating light to be irradiated onto an object and a light guide member extending in correspondence with a width of the object to be scanned. The light guide member has a reflective surface for reflecting the light generated from the light source, an exit surface for radiating the light, which is reflected from the reflective surface, toward the object, and a plurality of guide surfaces each guiding the light toward the exit surface by reflecting the light reflected from the reflective surface deviates from the exit surface. The light is effectively guided to be output from the exit surface without substantial light loss. | 01-15-2009 |
| 20090147322 | Fiber Optic Imaging Device - An fiber optic imaging device utilizing fiber optics for imaging portions of documents of varying shapes and/or sizes. For example, for imaging a book or any document having a centerfold, where the document will not lay flat (non-planar) against the platen of the image forming device. The device may be shaped to fit in the centerfold of an open document between the platen of the copying device and the document. Additionally, the fiber optic imaging device may also allow for performing a geometric translation based upon a portion of the document, for facilitating document reproduction. | 06-11-2009 |
| 20110096377 | ULTRAVIOLET LINE ILLUMINATION APPARATUS, CONTACT TYPE IMAGE SENSOR, IMAGE READING APPARATUS, AND REDUCTION OPTICAL SYSTEM IMAGE READING APPARATUS - To provide an ultraviolet line illumination apparatus to be incorporated into an apparatus for reading information of a document, for example a bill or bank note, printed with ink which emits fluorescence when being irradiated with ultraviolet rays. An ultraviolet line illumination apparatus | 04-28-2011 |
| 20110286057 | IMAGE SCANNING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - According to one embodiment, an image scanning apparatus includes a document glass, a substrate, a first semiconductor light emitting element, a second semiconductor light emitting element, a light guiding section, and a light receiving section. The substrate is provided below and obliquely opposed to the document glass. The first semiconductor light emitting element is mounted on a first surface of the substrate opposed to the document glass and emits light to an original document via the document glass. The second semiconductor light emitting element is mounted on a second surface on the opposite side of the first surface and emits light. The light guiding section receives incidence of the light emitted from the second semiconductor light emitting element and emits the light to the original document from a position where a normal of the document glass is present between the light guide section and the first semiconductor light emitting element. | 11-24-2011 |
| 20120140296 | IMAGE READER, LIGHT GUIDE USED FOR THE SAME, AND METHOD OF MAKING LIGHT GUIDE - An elongate light guide includes a light incident portion provided at an end in the longitudinal direction of the guide, a light reflecting portion extending in the longitudinal direction, a light emitting portion extending in the longitudinal direction for emitting linear light, and a scatterer for scattering the light entering through the light incident portion. For instance, the scatterer is provided as a grained portion formed at least part of the reflecting portion. | 06-07-2012 |
| 20120200900 | Imaging Optical Array And Image Reading Device - An imaging optical array includes a plurality of imaging optical elements, which is arranged in a line in an arrangement direction, each including incidence lens to which light from an object is incident, an emission lens that emits light, and a light guiding portion that connects the incidence lens and the emission lens and that guides the light incident from the incidence lens to the emission lens, and which images an erect equal-magnification image of an object by the incidence lens and the emission lens, in which the plurality of imaging optical elements is integrally formed of a transparent medium in a state where the respective light guiding portions of the plurality of imaging optical elements are arranged in a line in the arrangement direction, and a void between the light guiding portions of the imaging optical elements adjacent to each other is empty in the transparent medium. | 08-09-2012 |
| 20130194640 | LIGHT GUIDE FOR GUIDING LIGHT OF LIGHT SOURCE, IMAGE READING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS PROVIDED WITH THIS LIGHT GUIDE - A light guide includes a main body, an input surface, an output surface, a reflecting surface, a first diffusing portion and a second diffusing portion. The main body is guiding light. The light is inputted the input surface of the main body. The light is emitted from the output surface in a direction intersecting with the longitudinal direction. The reflecting surface is provided on the main body and opposite to the output surface. The first diffusing portion is formed on the reflecting surface closer to the input surface. The second diffusing portion is formed on the reflecting surface closer to a side opposite to the input surface. The first and the second diffusing portions have a first and a second length respectively in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction, and the first length is longer than the second length. | 08-01-2013 |
| 20130194641 | LIGHT GUIDE MEMBER, ILLUMINATING DEVICE, AND IMAGE READING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS USING SAME - A light guide member includes a main body part, and an entrance surface, a strip-shaped exit surface and a strip-shaped reflecting surface that are formed on the main body part. The illumination light is output from the exit surface. The reflecting surface extends in the first direction on a face placed opposite to the exit surface of the main body part and reflects the illumination light. The reflecting surface includes, on a flat face, a reflection pattern surface provided with a plurality of minute reflective concave parts having a function of reflecting the illumination light toward the exit surface. The reflective concave parts each include a deflection surface which deflects the illumination light in a direction in which a reflection angle widens in a cross sectional view in a second direction that is orthogonal to the first direction in a horizontal direction, and then reflects the illumination light. | 08-01-2013 |
| 20130194642 | LIGHT GUIDING MEMBER, IMAGE READING DEVICE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE IMAGE READING DEVICE - A light guiding member includes an input surface, an output surface, a counter surface, a reflective portion, and a diffusing portion. The light guiding member is a rod-shaped member that guides light in a longitudinal direction thereof. The input surface is one end face of the light guiding member and allows light to be input thereon. The output surface has a belt-like shape, extends in the longitudinal direction, and allows light to be emitted therefrom. The counter surface is located opposite the output surface. The reflective portion is a belt-like portion extending in the longitudinal direction and reflects light toward the output surface. The diffusing portion is a belt-like portion extending in the longitudinal direction and diffuses light emitted from the output surface. The diffusing portion is smaller than the reflective portion in width in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction. | 08-01-2013 |
| 20130222865 | ILLUMINATION SYSTEM, IMAGE READER AND IMAGE FORMING DEVICE - An illumination system includes a light source unit including light emitting elements arranged in array in a main scan direction to project light beams radially, and an optical guide of a long length made from a translucent material to guide incident beams from an exit surface of the light source unit in a certain direction for output, and including at least one surface with a diffuse structure to diffuse a transmitted beam or a reflected beam among the incident beams, wherein the diffuse structure is configured to diffuse the beam at a center at a larger divergence angle than at ends in the main scan direction. | 08-29-2013 |
| 20130278975 | LIGHT GUIDE UNIT THAT GUIDES LIGHT IN AN ORIGINAL DOCUMENT READING APPARATUS - A plurality of LEDs (light emitting diodes) are mounted upon a metallic plate member, and thus heat from the plurality of LEDs is transmitted to the metallic plate member. The plate member functions as a heat radiating plate. In addition, a light guide is fixed to the plate member so that a surface of the light guide and a surface of the plate member that face each other are parallel. | 10-24-2013 |
| 20130278976 | ORIGINAL READING APPARATUS FOR READING IMAGE OF AN ORIGINAL - A light guide includes a plurality of boss portions. A round hole portion is provided near the center of a base member for fixing the light guide, and slit portions are provided on both ends thereof. The round hole portion supports one boss portion in both the longitudinal direction and the lateral direction of the light guide. The slit portions support boss portions in the lateral direction of the light guide, but are free in the longitudinal direction of the light guide. That is, the center of the light guide is fixed from both directions, and thus both ends of the light guides can expand away in the longitudinal direction. This cuts the influence of expansion by half. | 10-24-2013 |
| 20140177014 | OPTICAL SCANNER AND IMAGE FORMING DEVICE PROVIDED WITH THE OPTICAL SCANNER - An optical scanner includes a housing, a polygon mirror accommodated within the housing and configured to reflect light of a light source, a lens accommodated within the housing and arranged on an optical path of the light reflected by the polygon mirror, and a cover member. The cover member is mounted to the housing and is provided with an opening formed so as to expose at least a portion of the lens. The opening is closed by a seal member which is attached to a portion of the lens exposed from the opening and an outer wall surface of the cover member existing around the opening. | 06-26-2014 |
| 20140198356 | IMAGE READING DEVICE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS THEREWITH, AND OPTICAL UNIT - An image reading device has an optical unit and a rail portion formed of sheet metal. The optical unit is scanned in the sub scanning direction to read an image on a document on a contact glass. The rail portion slidably supports the optical unit. The optical unit has a sliding portion which slides on the rail portion while making contact therewith, and at least one pair of gripping portions which grip the rail portion. The surface of the sliding portion has a substantially arc-shaped cross section. The rail portion has two inclined surfaces that make contact with the substantially arc-shaped surface at two points. | 07-17-2014 |
| 20140198357 | IMAGE READING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS THEREWITH - An image reading device has an optical unit, a pair of rail portions, and a driving device. The optical unit reads an image on the document. The pair of rail portions support the optical unit such that this is slidable in the sub scanning direction. The driving device enables the optical unit to move in the sub scanning direction. The driving device engages with the optical unit substantially at the position of its center of gravity in the main scanning direction, and the pair of rail portions are arranged one on each of one and the other sides in the main scanning direction so as to be equidistant from the position of the center of gravity. | 07-17-2014 |
| 20140218776 | SCANNING DEVICE - A scanning device is capable of scanning both sides of a medium and includes a lens module, an optical-electric coupling unit, and a processor. The lens module faces the medium to be scanned. The optical-electric coupling unit is optically connected to the lens module. The processor is optically connected to the optical-electric coupling unit, and includes a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit. The light beams emitted from the light emitting unit are directed into the lens module through the optical-electric coupling unit, and illuminate the medium to be scanned. The light beams reflected by the medium enter into the optical-electric coupling unit through the optical-electric coupling unit, and then to the light receiving unit. The processor processes the reflected light beams into electrical signals to obtain scanning signals. | 08-07-2014 |
| 20140307297 | SCANNER MODULE AND IMAGE SCANNING APPARATUS EMPLOYING THE SAME - An illuminator, a scanner module and an apparatus are provided. The scanner module includes an illuminator that includes a light source, a light guide extending in a main scanning direction to change a direction of the light from the light source, a guide holder recessed with a light guide mounting portion in which the light guide is mounted, and at least one supporting protrusion protruding from an entrance of the light guide mounting portion into the light guide mounting portion to support the light guide received in the light guide mounting portion. As the light guide is supported by the supporting protrusion formed at the entrance of the light guide mounting portion, it is possible to reduce deformation of the light guide and/or to prevent the light guide from being falling out of the light guide mounting portion when subjected to, e.g., a shock. | 10-16-2014 |
| 20140362424 | THREE-DIMENSIONAL SCANNER WITH DICHROIC BEAM SPLITTERS TO CAPTURE A VARIETY OF SIGNALS - In a device for optically scanning and measuring an environment, where the device is a laser scanner having a light emitter which, by a rotary mirror, emits an emission light beam, with a light receiver which receives a reception light beam, which, after passing the rotary mirror and a receiver lens which has an optical axis, is reflected from an object in the environment of the laser scanner. The laser scanner also includes a color camera which takes colored pictures of the environment of the laser scanner, and a control and evaluation unit which, for a multitude of measuring points, determines the distance to the object and links it with the colored pictures, the color camera being arranged on the optical axis of the receiver lens. | 12-11-2014 |
| 20140368892 | OPTICAL DEVICE, OPTICAL SCANNER, AND IMAGE DISPLAY APPARATUS - An optical device includes: a movable section capable of swinging about a first axis; a frame body section capable of swinging about a second axis crossing the first axis; a first shaft section configured to connect the movable section and the frame body section; and a light reflection plate fixed to the movable section and provided with a light reflecting section having light reflectivity, wherein in plan view from a thickness direction of the light reflection plate, a center of gravity of the light reflection plate is shifted from the first axis. | 12-18-2014 |
| 20150365555 | IMAGE SENSOR UNIT, IMAGE READING APPARATUS, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - In an image sensor unit, a frame includes a light blocking portion that protrudes toward one surface of a circuit board at a position between a light source and an image sensor. On the one surface of the circuit board, a conductive portion that continuously overlaps with external lines of the light blocking portion in a sub-scan direction in a view of the circuit board in a direction orthogonal to the one surface is formed. | 12-17-2015 |
| 20160006897 | ILLUMINATING DEVICE, IMAGE READING DEVICE, AND IMAGE FORMING DEVICE INCLUDING THE ILLUMINATING DEVICE AND THE IMAGE READING DEVICE - In an image forming device, a light-guiding member includes an integrated ridge extending in the longitudinal direction of the light-guiding member. The light-guiding member further includes a protrusion on the ridge. The illuminating device includes an attachment recess that holds the light-guiding member and a holder member that has a fit portion to which a protrusion is fitted. The protrusion is disposed at a position decentered to one end portion of the light-guiding member in the longitudinal direction of the light-guiding member. | 01-07-2016 |
| 20160006898 | IMAGE SENSOR UNIT, PAPER SHEET DISTINGUISHING APPARATUS, IMAGE READING APPARATUS, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image sensor unit includes: a light source; a rod-shaped light guide; a light condenser that condenses light from an illuminated object; and a frame. The frame includes: a light guide housing chamber that houses the light guide; a light condenser housing chamber that houses the light condenser; and a partition wall provided between the light guide housing chamber and the light condenser housing chamber. The light guide includes: a light incident surface that receives light emitted by the light source; a light diffusing surface that diffuses the light entered from the light incident surface; and an abutment surface abutted to one side of the partition wall, which covers at least a part of the abutment surface of the light guide, where an incident angle to the abutment surface of the light directly reaching the abutment surface from the light diffusing surface is smaller than a critical angle. | 01-07-2016 |
| 20160021274 | IMAGE READING APPARATUS - An image reading apparatus includes a light-guide member that moves in a direction crossing a longitudinal direction of the light-guide member and that emits light, which has entered from an incident surface of the light-guide member, as light that is linearly distributed in the longitudinal direction, a light source that emits the light, and an optical fiber that guides the light emitted by the light source to the incident surface. | 01-21-2016 |
| 20160085016 | LIGHT GUIDING UNIT, AND LIGHT ILLUMINATING DEVICE AND IMAGE READING APPARATUS USING THE SAME - Provided is a light guiding unit including: a light guiding member including an incident surface, an exit surface elongated in a first direction, and a light guiding surface opposed to exit surface; and a diffusion member opposed to light guiding surface, in which: light entering the light guiding member from incident surface is guided via light guiding surface and diffusion member to exit surface, and exits from exit surface to illuminate the original; the light guiding member further includes a plurality of prisms arrayed in first direction on light guiding surface on a side opposed to diffusion member; each of prisms has a rectangular shape in a first section; and each of prisms satisfies the following condition: W tan(sin | 03-24-2016 |
