JP2000261612A - Image reading device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To efficiently utilize the light of a light source and to enhance the processing capability of an image reader. SOLUTION: The light emitted from a light source section 1 is made incident onto a mirror tunnel 3 and emitted onto a negative film. The light from the light source section 1 is made incident onto the mirror tunnel 3 in a planar way, the light repeats irregular reflection in the inside to eliminate uneven luminous quantity so as to emit a linear light beam to the negative film. An image on the negative film is subjected to main scanning by a CCD unit 6 and is subjected to and subscanning through carrying of the negative film by an automatic negative mask 4.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for converting an image recorded on a negative film or the like into a line CCD (Charge).
Read by a photodetector such as Coupled Device)
The present invention relates to an image reading device that generates image data corresponding to the image.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, an image reading apparatus has been developed which photoelectrically reads image information recorded on a negative film or the like and generates image data as digital data. Since such image data is represented by a digital signal, it is possible to record the image data on various recording media capable of recording the digital signal.
Various image processing and the like can be easily performed. In addition, as a method of forming an image, for example, a method of developing by exposing a photosensitive material such as photographic paper using a light modulation element such as a PLZT or a liquid crystal display element, or forming an image by an ink jet printer It is possible to use various methods, such as a method for performing the operation.

The above-described image reading apparatus has a configuration in which an image on a negative film is converted into an electric signal by an image sensor, and the electric signal is transmitted as image data to a memory unit or a printing unit. As the image sensor, a line CCD in which a large number of photodetectors are one-dimensionally arranged in the main scanning direction is used.
While the main scanning is performed by electronic scanning in the inside, while the sub-scanning is performed by mechanically displacing light from the image on the negative film in the sub-scanning direction to read the entire image, a configuration in which the entire image is read is widely used. .

FIG. 3 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of a conventional image reading apparatus. The image reading apparatus includes a light source 51, a negative mask 52, a scanner unit 53, and a controller 63.

The light source section 51 includes a light source 54 including a white light source such as a halogen lamp and a reflector, and the like.
Dimming filter 55 for dimming light emitted from light source 54
A setup filter 56 used for dimming during setup, a cold mirror 57 for changing the traveling direction of light and removing a heat ray component, and a light for irradiating an image on a negative film as an image reading target in parallel. A lens set 58 for converting the light into light.

The negative mask 52 is disposed immediately below the lens set 58 of the light source unit 51, and has a function of transporting the negative film and shielding light from areas other than necessary parts.

The scanner unit 53 includes a negative film 5
The light reflected from the mirror is reflected toward a CCD unit 60 to be described later, and the direction of the reflection is changed. The rotating mirror 59 receives the light from the rotating mirror and converts the light into an electric signal. And Although not shown, the CCD unit 60 includes a prism that splits incident light into three lights, and three line CCDs that respectively receive the light split by the prisms. Each line CCD converts light of blue, red, and green components into an electric signal.

The controller unit 63 includes a board for controlling the operation in the above configuration, and various operations are performed by:
This is performed via the controller unit 63.

The image reading apparatus is provided with a negative viewer 61 so that an image on the negative film can be viewed from an eye point 62 by an operator.

The operation of the image reading apparatus having such a configuration is as follows. Light emitted from the light source 54 in the horizontal direction is transmitted to the light control filter 55 and the setup filter 5.
After dimming by 6, the light is reflected by the cold mirror 57, and its traveling direction is directed downward. The setup filter 56 is inserted into the optical path at the time of dimming performed prior to image reading, and is configured to deviate from the optical path at the time of actual individual image reading.

The light reflected by the cold mirror 57 is converted into a parallel light by the lens set 58 and passes through a negative film disposed in the negative mask 52. The light transmitted through the negative film is applied to a rotating mirror 59 provided in the scanner unit 53. Then, by rotating the rotating mirror 59 by a predetermined angle for each sub-scan operation to change the reflection direction, the sub-scan in the CCD unit 60 is performed.

The above-mentioned rotating mirror 59 is generally driven by a motor for rotation. Usually, the rotating speed of the motor is very high. Therefore, the rotating mirror 59 includes a driving gear having a small number of teeth attached to a driving shaft of the motor. The driven gear is reduced in speed by a driven gear having a large number of teeth which meshes with the driving gear and rotates integrally with the rotating mirror, and is driven to rotate.

[0013]

In the conventional image reading apparatus having the above-mentioned structure, a negative film is used as a negative mask 52.
It stops at the opening in the inside, and irradiates the whole image on the negative film with the surface light source. That is, the sub-scan in the CCD unit 60 is performed by rotating the rotating mirror 59 in a state where the entire image on the negative film is irradiated with light. Therefore, it is necessary to use a light source 54 capable of irradiating the entire image on the negative film with a certain light amount or more. That is, a white light source such as a halogen lamp having a relatively large output must be used. As a result, problems such as a relatively large power consumption of the light source 54 and a problem of an increase in the amount of heat generated by the light source 54 occur.

At the time of reading the image on the negative film, the negative film is placed on the negative mask 5 as described above.
After temporarily stopping at the opening in the inside 2, the position of the image is confirmed, and then the sub-scan is performed while rotating the rotating mirror 59. In this manner, the image reading is performed in the cycle of transporting the negative film, temporarily stopping at the opening, confirming the position of the image, sub-scanning the entire image by the rotating mirror 59, and transporting the negative film to the next image. And there is also a problem that the processing time is relatively long.

The light source 54 includes, for example, a halogen lamp and a reflector, as described above. In the case of such a light source, unevenness in the amount of light occurs depending on the irradiation position of the light depending on the shape of the filament in the halogen lamp, the shape of the reflecting surface of the reflector, and the like. In the case of the configuration shown in FIG. 3, since there is no configuration for removing the uneven light amount, the uneven light amount generated in the light source 54 is directly irradiated onto the negative film.

Therefore, by arranging a structure for removing the above-mentioned uneven light amount, for example, a diffusion plate, on the optical path in the light source section 51, it is possible to irradiate light having less uneven light amount onto the negative film. it can. However, it is necessary to use such a diffusion plate having a high degree of light diffusion so as to remove unevenness in light amount.
In this case, the light from the light source 54 is also diffused in unnecessary directions, and the amount of light irradiated on the negative film is reduced.

Further, in the above configuration, the light emitted from the light source 54 is reflected by the cold mirror 57, enters the lens set 58, and is irradiated on the negative film. Therefore, it is necessary to accurately adjust the arrangement position of the light source 54 and the reflection direction of the reflector. This is light source 5
If the arrangement position of 4 and the reflection direction of the reflector are shifted, the light amount of the light applied to the cold mirror 57 decreases, the light amount of the light incident on the lens set 58 decreases, and the light output from the lens set 58 decreases. This is because, due to a shift in the traveling direction or the like, the amount of light irradiated on the negative film decreases, and it becomes impossible to irradiate an appropriate area on the negative film.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image reading apparatus capable of efficiently using light from a light source and having a high processing capability. It is in.

[0019]

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image reading apparatus comprising: a light source; a light source converting unit configured to convert light from the light source into a linear light source; Film transport means for transporting the film,
Image detection means for detecting, as image information, light transmitted through the image area on the film in the film transport means by the linear light source from the light source conversion means, wherein the light source conversion means has a light incident side and It has a cylindrical configuration with two openings on the emission side, the opening on the emission side has a substantially rectangular shape close to a linear shape, and the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion has light. While a reflective surface is provided, while the main scanning of the image on the film is performed by the image detecting means,
It is characterized in that sub-scanning of an image on the film is performed by conveying the film by the film conveying means.

According to the above arrangement, since the main scanning of the image on the film is performed by the image detecting means, while the sub-scanning is performed by transporting the film, the image is read simultaneously with the transport of the film. Therefore, for example, as compared with a conventional configuration in which the film is conveyed and the image is read separately, the time required for the processing is shorter, and the processing capacity of the apparatus can be increased.

Further, the light source conversion means has a cylindrical structure provided with two openings, one on the light incident side and the other on the light emitting side, and the opening on the light emitting side has a substantially rectangular shape close to a linear shape. And a light reflecting surface is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion, so that the light emitted from the light source and incident on the opening on the incident side repeats irregular reflection on the light reflecting surface to reduce the amount of light. Irregularities are removed, and the light is emitted as a linear light source from the opening on the emission side. Therefore, the light irradiated on the film can be made to have no uneven light amount.

According to such a light source conversion means,
It is possible to greatly improve the light quantity per unit area of the light irradiated on the film. This is because the light incident on the light source conversion means in a relatively wide area in a planar manner is emitted as light in a narrow linear area without diffusing to the outside. Therefore, it is not necessary to increase the light amount by increasing the output of the light source in order to improve the sensing in the image detecting means, so that the power consumption of the light source and the amount of heat generated by the light source can be reduced.

Further, since the light incident on the light source conversion means repeats irregular reflection and is finally emitted from the linear opening, the mounting position of the light source and the accuracy of various design conditions should be set relatively loosely. Can be. Therefore, it is possible to simplify the assembly process and reduce the manufacturing cost of each component.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image reading apparatus according to the first aspect.
In the configuration described above, the film transport unit is provided with a guide unit that guides an upper side and a lower side of the film at a portion where light from the light source conversion unit in the film transport path is irradiated. I have.

According to the above arrangement, the film conveyed by the film conveying means is guided on the upper and lower sides by the guide portion and is conveyed to the area irradiated with the light from the light source converting means. It is possible to irradiate the film at an optimum position even on a film such as a piece negative in which the leading end of the film is cut off a few mm from the front of the recorded image.

More specifically, in the case of a piece negative as described above, if a guide portion is not provided, a portion where light is irradiated and an image is read due to warpage of the film itself in an area where light is irradiated. However, the position may be deviated from the optimal position for reading. On the other hand, if the guide portion is provided as described above, the floating of the exposed portion can be suppressed even for such a piece negative, so that the image can be stably read.

The image reading device according to the third aspect is the second aspect.
In the configuration described above, one of the guide portions is configured to be vertically movable with respect to the film and has a structure pressed against the film with a predetermined force.

According to the above configuration, one of the guide portions is
Since it has a structure that can be moved vertically with respect to the film and is pressed against the film side with a predetermined force, for example, there is a step in the thickness, such as a film to which a heat splice is pasted Even when transporting the film, one of the guides moves according to the thickness of the film. Therefore, even when the film has a thickness difference, the film can be smoothly conveyed without causing film clogging. Therefore,
For example, there is no need to perform an operation of removing a heat splice, and the processing can be simplified and the operation time can be reduced.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image reading apparatus according to the second aspect.
Alternatively, in the configuration described in Item 3, the guide portion is provided in such a shape as to move the film upward or downward by a predetermined amount with respect to the transport path of the film.

According to the above arrangement, the conveyed film is moved upward or downward by a predetermined amount by the guide portion, so that the film itself is efficiently removed in the width direction warpage called Tyco curl. be able to.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image reading apparatus according to the first aspect.
In the configuration described above, the film transport means includes a plurality of transport roller pairs for transporting the film, and the transport roller pairs are formed of a metal that has been subjected to a process for increasing a friction coefficient on an outer peripheral surface. And a pressure roller formed of an elastic resin on the outer peripheral surface.

According to the above configuration, since the drive roller is made of a metal having an outer peripheral surface having a high coefficient of friction, it is possible to prevent slippage when transporting the film. In addition, if the driving roller has such a configuration,
Since the accuracy of the diameter of the roller can be increased, by keeping the rotation speed of the roller constant, the film transport speed can be accurately set to a desired speed.

Further, since the pressure roller has an outer peripheral surface made of a resin having elasticity, the film can be reliably pressed against the drive roller when the film is transported, and the slip when transporting the film is reliably prevented. Can be suppressed.

[0034]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 1 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of an image reading apparatus according to this embodiment. The image reading apparatus includes a light source unit (light source) 1, a filter set 2, a mirror tunnel (light source conversion unit) 3, an auto negative mask (film transport unit) 4, a condenser lens 5, and a CCD unit (image detection unit) 6. It has.

The light source unit 1 includes a halogen lamp 7, a reflector 8, and a heat sink 9.

The halogen lamp 7 emits white light. Note that the filament of the halogen lamp 7 may have any shape. This is because the influence of the uneven light amount generated according to the shape of the filament of the halogen lamp 7 is eliminated by the mirror tunnel 3 described later.

The reflector 8 is provided in a concave shape around the halogen lamp 7 so that the light emitted from the halogen lamp 7 can be reflected and irradiated forward (toward the filter set 2) and collected. Have been. The reflector 8 is made of a metal material such as aluminum whose reflection surface is mirror-finished.

The material forming the reflector 8 is not limited to the above-mentioned one. For example, the material may be formed of a glass member and a dichroic mirror having a function of reflecting visible light is formed on a reflecting surface. It is also possible to use In such a configuration,
Since the heat ray component of the light emitted from the halogen lamp 7 is not reflected by the dichroic mirror, it is possible to suppress the temperature rise of the negative film and the components on the optical path. However, with the configuration made of this glass member,
Compared with a configuration made of a metal material, a configuration made of a metal material has more stable reflection characteristics, is inexpensive, and has a longer life.

The heat sink 9 supplies power to the halogen lamp 7 and has a function as a socket for fixing the halogen lamp 7 at a predetermined position and a function as a heat sink for absorbing and releasing heat generated in the halogen lamp 7. Has both.

The filter set 2 includes a heat ray reflection filter 1
0, dimming filter 11, setup filter 12
It is composed of

The heat ray reflection filter 10 has a function of reflecting infrared rays and transmitting visible rays. Here, light having a wavelength of 780 nm or more is reflected,
A heat ray reflection filter 10 having a function of transmitting light having a wavelength of less than nm is used.

The light control filter 11 includes Y (Yellow), M (Mag
and a filter for adjusting the hue of the light emitted from the halogen lamp 7.

The setup filter 12 is inserted into the optical path at the time of dimming performed prior to image reading, and is configured to deviate from the optical path at the time of actual individual image reading.

The mirror tunnel 3 has a cylindrical configuration provided with two openings on the light incident side and the light exit side. The opening on the incident side has a substantially square shape, and most of the light from the light source unit 1 enters the mirror tunnel 3 by adjusting the design of the curvature of the reflector 8.

The opening on the exit side of the mirror tunnel 3 has a substantially rectangular shape close to a linear shape, and is arranged so that its longitudinal direction is perpendicular to the transport direction of the negative film. . The length in the longitudinal direction of the opening on the emission side is designed to be slightly longer than the width of the image on the negative film in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction. Further, the length of the short side of the opening is long enough to irradiate the negative film with light having a width that allows an image to be read by a CCD sensor for one line. It is designed to be.

On the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion of the mirror tunnel 3,
For example, a light reflecting surface formed by a sputtering process is provided. That is, the light that has entered the mirror tunnel 3 is irregularly reflected on the light reflecting surface, and exits the mirror tunnel 3 after the light amount unevenness has been removed.

According to the mirror tunnel 3 having the above-described configuration, the light emitted from the light source unit 1 and incident in a planar manner into the opening on the entrance side of the mirror tunnel 3 has uneven light quantity inside the mirror tunnel 3. The light is removed and emitted as a linear light source from the opening on the emission side. Therefore, the light irradiated on the negative film can be made uniform in light amount, and the light amount per unit area of the light irradiated on the negative film can be greatly improved.
This is because, in the mirror tunnel 3, light that is incident in a wide area over a wide area is emitted as light in a narrow linear area without being diffused to the outside. Therefore, CCD
Since it is not necessary to increase the light amount by increasing the output of the halogen lamp 7 in order to improve the sensing in the sensor, the power consumption of the halogen lamp 7 and the amount of heat generated by the halogen lamp 7 can be reduced. it can.

The light incident on the mirror tunnel 3 is
Since the diffused light is repeatedly emitted and finally emitted from the linear opening, the accuracy of the attachment position of the light source unit 1, the curvature of the reflecting surface of the reflector 8, and the direction of its reflection can be set relatively loosely. Therefore, it is possible to simplify the assembly process and reduce the manufacturing cost of each component.

A diffusing plate is provided at each of the entrance opening and the exit opening of the mirror tunnel 3. These diffusion plates are provided for the purpose of making small scratches and the like on the negative film inconspicuous, and have a low degree of light diffusion. It has become something. As a material of these diffusion plates, for example, ground glass, PMMA (Pol
A resin containing a milky white pigment in a resin such as y-methyl methacrylate) is used.

The auto-negative mask 4 includes four transport roller pairs 13A, 13B, 13C, 13D, a viewer section 14,
Light source 15 for viewer part, slit guide (guide part) 1
6, a negative detection sensor 17, a DX sensor 18, and a screen detection sensor 19. In FIG. 1, a dashed line in the horizontal direction in the auto-negative mask 4 indicates a transport path of the negative film, and the negative film is transported from left to right in FIG. The configuration of the auto negative mask 4 will be described later in detail.

Below the auto-negative mask 4, a condenser lens 5 and a CCD unit 6 are arranged. That is, light transmitted through the negative film in the auto-negative mask 4 is condensed on the CCD unit 6 by the condensing lens 5, and image information is detected by the CCD unit 6.

The CCD unit 6 has, for example, a structure including a prism for separating incident light into three lights having the same characteristics, and three line CCDs for respectively receiving three lights emitted from the prism. Has become. Each line CCD converts red, blue and green components of light into an electric signal, thereby detecting an image on the negative film as color image data.

Each line CCD has a structure in which a large number (for example, 5000) of photodetectors are one-dimensionally arranged in a direction perpendicular to the direction of transport of the negative film. The length of the arrangement of the photodetectors is designed to be slightly larger than the width of the image on the negative film (the length in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the negative film).

Next, the configuration of the auto negative mask 4 will be described in detail. As shown in FIG.
A, 13B, 13C, and 13D are the driving rollers 2 respectively.
0A / 20B / 20C / 20D and pressure roller 21A
It is composed of a pair of 21B, 21C and 21D.

Each drive roller 20A, 20B, 20C, 2
0D is arranged so that the outer peripheral surface of each roller is in contact with the negative film being conveyed, and its rotation is driven by a drive motor (not shown). Also, the pressure roller 21A
The drive rollers 20A, 20B, 20C, and 20B are disposed on the transport path of the negative film.
It is arranged on the side opposite to the side where D is arranged. That is, the pressure rollers 21A, 21B, 21C, 21D
Has a function of pressing the negative film being conveyed against the drive roller to ensure the conveyance of the negative film. The pressure rollers 21A, 21B, 21
C and 21D are drive rollers 20A, 20B, 20C and 2
It is configured to rotate following the rotation of 0D.

Driving rollers 20A, 20B, 20C, 20
D is constituted by a roller made of metal, and the outer peripheral surface of which is in contact with the negative film is processed by liquid honing. This is to increase the coefficient of friction of the outer peripheral surface in contact with the negative film by performing the treatment by liquid honing, and to prevent slippage when transporting the negative film.

As described above, the driving rollers 20A
Since 20B, 20C, and 20D are made of metal, the accuracy of the roller diameter can be increased. This makes it possible to accurately set the transport speed of the negative film to a desired speed by keeping the rotation speed of the roller constant.

Crimping rollers 21A, 21B, 21C, 21
D has a roller whose outer peripheral surface is made of an elastic resin such as urethane rubber or silicon rubber. Thus, when the negative film is conveyed, the negative film is reliably transferred to each of the drive rollers 20A, 20B, 20C, 2C.
Since it can be pressed to 0D, slippage during transport of the negative film can be reliably suppressed.

Transport roller pair 13A, 13B, 13C, 1
3D is arranged in this order from the upstream side of the transport path of the negative film. Then, a negative detection sensor 17 is provided upstream of the transport roller pair 13A, a DX sensor 18 is disposed between the transport roller pair 13A and the transport roller pair 13B, and a transport roller pair 13 is provided.
B and the conveyance roller pair 13C, a screen detection sensor 19,
The slit guides 16 are arranged between the pair of transport rollers 13C and the pair of transport rollers 13D.

As described above, the negative detection sensor 17 is disposed at the most upstream side in the transport path of the negative film in the auto negative mask 4, and detects that the negative film has been inserted into the auto negative mask 4. It is a sensor to detect. When the negative detection sensor 17 detects the entry of the negative film, the drive rollers 20A, 20B, 20
The drive of C • 20D is started.

The DX sensor 18 is a sensor for detecting the type of the inserted negative film (for example, the manufacturer of the negative film). Based on the detection result of the DX sensor 18, correction is performed on the read image data.

The screen detection sensor 19 is a sensor for detecting the position of the image recorded on the transported negative film. When the position of the image on the negative film is detected by the screen detection sensor 19, the image reading timing is determined.

A viewer section 14 is provided between the transport roller pair 13 B and the screen detection sensor 19.
The viewer section 14 is provided for confirming the position of the negative film in the auto negative mask 4,
The position of the negative film can be confirmed from the outside by illuminating the light from the lower side of the negative film with the viewer unit light source 15. Light source 15 for viewer
Is composed of, for example, a combination of a cold cathode tube and a diffusion plate.

The slit guide 16 is used for the mirror tunnel 3
Are formed when the light emitted from the light source is irradiated on the negative film. FIGS. 2A and 2B are enlarged views of a portion where the slit guide 16 is arranged (hereinafter, referred to as a slit portion). FIG.
FIG. 2A is a plan view when the slit portion is viewed from above, and FIG. 2B is a side view of the slit portion. In addition,
FIG. 2A is a diagram showing only one half from the center of the slit portion.

As shown in FIG. 2B, the slit guide 16 is disposed above the negative film NF, that is, on the light source side. The slit guide 16 is configured to be movable in the vertical direction and to be pressed downward by, for example, a compression coil spring.

A convex guide (guide portion) 22 is provided below the negative film NF with respect to the arrangement position of the slit guide 16. That is, the negative film NF that has passed through the transport roller pair 13C is lifted slightly upward by the convex guide 22, and
It will return to its original height again in 3D.

As described above, since the slit guide 16 as described above is provided in the exposed portion of the negative film in the auto negative mask 4, for example, the forefront portion of the recorded image, which is called a piece negative, is provided. It is possible to keep the film within the depth range even for a negative film in which the leading end of the film is cut off at a distance of several mm from.

More specifically, in the case of the above-mentioned piece negative, if the slit guide 16 is not provided,
During the time from the passage of the pair of transport rollers 13C to the time when the leading end of the film reaches the pair of transport rollers 13D, the portion of the film that is irradiated with light and reads an image is out of the depth range due to the warpage of the film itself. Sometimes. On the other hand, if the slit guide 16 is provided as described above, the floating of the exposed portion can be suppressed even for such a piece negative, so that the image can be stably read. . The above-described depth range indicates a range of an appropriate exposure position of the negative film, which is determined by the arrangement of the condenser lens 5 and the CCD unit 6.

As described above, since the convex guide 22 is provided below the negative film, the negative film is sandwiched between the slit guide 16 and the convex guide 22, and The position of the negative film in position is accurately maintained. Further, the convex guide 2
No. 2 has a shape that slightly lifts the negative film upward, so that it is possible to efficiently remove the tyco curl of the negative film. Here, Tyco curl is
This indicates a state in which the negative film is warped in the width direction, that is, a state in which the heights of the side portions and the central portion are different in the width direction of the negative film.

Further, since the slit guide 16 can be moved in the vertical direction as described above, it can be transported without trouble even to a negative film to which a tape such as a heat splice is attached. Can be. This will be described in detail below.

The heat splice is a tape for connecting two negative films to each other, and is connected by pasting on the surface so as to straddle the two negative films. Therefore, the portion where the heat splice is attached is thicker than the thickness of the normal negative film by the thickness of the heat splice.

When the negative film to which such a heat splice is attached is conveyed into the auto negative mask 4, if the slit guide is arranged in a fixed state, the heat splice is caught by the slit guide. Negative clogging will occur. Therefore, conventionally, when inserting a negative film into an auto-negative mask, an operation of removing a heat splice has been required.

On the other hand, according to the configuration of the present embodiment, even when a negative film thicker than usual is conveyed, the slit guide 16 is configured to escape upward. Even the attached negative film can be smoothly transported. Therefore, it is not necessary to perform an operation of removing the heat splice, and the processing can be simplified and the operation time can be reduced.

The transport roller pair 13D has a configuration in which a drive roller 20D is disposed on the upper side and a pressure roller 21D is disposed on the lower side. This is due to the following reasons.

As shown in FIG. 1, when the light source is arranged on the upper side of the transport path of the negative film and the light transmitted through the negative film is detected on the lower side, the negative film is The inside of the auto negative mask 4 is conveyed so that the surface faces upward. In general, a negative film tends to warp to the emulsion side, and thus, in the above-described configuration, the negative film warps upward.

Therefore, the leading end of the negative film passing through the lower portion of the slit guide 16 is lifted upward and hits the drive roller 20D. The leading end of the negative film that has hit the driving roller 20D is directly driven by the driving roller 20D and the pressure roller 2 according to the rotation of the driving roller 20D.
1D and smoothly transported.

On the other hand, the pressure roller 21D
In the case of a configuration in which the drive roller 20D is disposed on the lower side, the leading end of the negative film that has passed below the slit guide 16 hits the upper pressure roller 21D. The pressure roller 21D is a driven roller, and its surface is covered with a rubber-like resin and has a poor slip. Therefore, when the leading end of the negative film hits the pressure roller, a conveyance resistance is generated. Become. So, in this case,
Since the conveyance resistance is generated after passing through the lower portion of the slit guide 16, the conveyance speed of the portion where the image is read on the negative film is changed. Such a change in the transport speed has a great effect on the image data read by the CCD unit 6, and it becomes impossible to perform accurate image reading.

Therefore, as in the configuration of the present embodiment,
With the configuration in which the drive roller 20D is disposed on the upper side and the pressure roller 21D is disposed on the lower side, the transport speed of the negative film in a region related to image reading can be stabilized.

The transport roller pair 13A, 13B, 13
Regarding C, the drive rollers 20A, 20B, and 20C and the pressure rollers 21A, 21B, and 21C may be arranged on either side.

Next, an image reading operation in the image reading apparatus having the above configuration will be described.

First, when a negative film is inserted into the auto-negative mask 4, the negative detection sensor 17 detects the entry of the negative film, and based on this detection, the drive rollers 20A, 20B, 20C, and 20D are driven. You. When the negative film passes through the transport roller pair 13A, the type of the negative film is detected by the DX sensor 18, and the information on the type of the negative film is transmitted to a control unit (not shown).

Then, the negative film is transferred to the conveying roller pair 13.
After passing through B, the position of the image on the negative film is detected by the screen detection sensor 19. Screen detection sensor 19
The image reading timing of the CCD unit 6 is determined based on the timing of detecting the position of the image and the transport speed of the negative film.

The negative film that has passed through the pair of transport rollers 13C is inserted between the slit guide 16 and the convex guide 22, and is applied to the image on the negative film through the slit provided in the slit guide 16 by the light source unit 1. From the light.

The light transmitted through the image on the negative film is incident on the CCD unit 6 through the condenser lens 5, and in each line CCD, one line of image data is main-scanned by electronic processing. Then, as the negative film is transported, the light irradiation area in the image on the negative film moves, and the next one line of image data is main-scanned by the CCD unit 6. That is, the sub-scanning is performed by transporting the negative film, and the image is read simultaneously with the transport of the negative film. By repeating such an image reading operation, the entire image on the negative film is converted into image data by the CCD unit 6.

As described above, the image reading apparatus according to the present embodiment irradiates a line light source on a negative film and electronically performs main scanning by a line CCD in the CCD unit 6, while conveying a negative film by transporting the negative film. Scanning is performed. Therefore, since the image is read simultaneously with the transport of the negative film, the time required for the processing is shorter than in the conventional configuration in which the transport of the negative film and the reading of the image are performed separately. Therefore, the processing capacity of the apparatus can be increased.

[0087]

As described above, the image reading apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention transports a film on which an image is recorded, a light source, light source conversion means for converting light from the light source into a linear light source. Film transporting means, by a linear light source from the light source converting means, comprising an image detecting means for detecting light transmitted through the image area on the film in the film transporting means as image information, the light source converting means, It has a cylindrical configuration in which two openings are provided, one on the light incident side and the other on the output side. The shape of the opening on the output side is a substantially rectangular shape close to a linear shape. A light reflection surface is provided on the inner peripheral surface, and the main scanning of the image on the film is performed by the image detecting means, and the sub-scanning of the image on the film is performed by transporting the film by the film transporting means. It is formed.

As a result, the image is read at the same time as the film is conveyed, so that the time required for the processing is shorter than, for example, the conventional configuration in which the film is conveyed and the image is read separately. Since the length becomes shorter, there is an effect that the processing capacity of the apparatus can be increased.

Further, the light source conversion means has a cylindrical configuration provided with two openings on the light incident side and the light emitting side, and the shape of the opening on the light emitting side is a substantially rectangular shape close to a linear shape. And a light reflecting surface is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion, so that the light emitted from the light source and incident on the opening on the incident side repeats irregular reflection on the light reflecting surface to reduce the amount of light. Irregularities are removed, and the light is emitted as a linear light source from the opening on the emission side. Therefore, there is an effect that the light irradiated on the film can be made uniform in the amount of light.

According to such a light source conversion means,
It is possible to greatly improve the light quantity per unit area of the light irradiated on the film. Therefore, it is not necessary to increase the light amount by increasing the output of the light source in order to improve the sensing in the image detecting means, so that it is possible to reduce the power consumption of the light source and the amount of heat generated by the light source. It works.

Since the light incident on the light source conversion means repeats irregular reflection and is finally emitted from the linear opening, the mounting position of the light source and the accuracy of various design conditions should be set relatively loosely. Can be. Therefore, it is possible to simplify the assembly process and reduce the manufacturing cost of each component.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the image reading apparatus, the film transport means guides the upper side and the lower side of the film to a portion of the film transport path irradiated with the light from the light source conversion means. This is a configuration including a guide portion.

Thus, in addition to the effect of the structure of the first aspect, for example, a film in which the head of the film is cut off several mm from the foremost part of the recorded image, such as a piece negative, However, it is possible to irradiate the film with light at an optimum position, and it is possible to stably read an image.

The image reading apparatus according to the third aspect of the present invention has a structure in which one of the guide portions is vertically movable with respect to the film and is pressed against the film by a predetermined force. Configuration.

Thus, in addition to the effect of the second aspect, even when the film has a thickness difference, the film can be smoothly conveyed without causing the film to be clogged. This eliminates the need to perform an operation or the like, and has the effect of simplifying the processing and shortening the operation time.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the image reading apparatus, the guide section is provided in such a shape as to move the film upward or downward by a predetermined amount with respect to the transport path of the film. It is.

Thus, in addition to the effect of the structure of the second or third aspect, there is an effect that the warp in the width direction, which is called a Tyco curl, of the film itself can be efficiently removed.

In the image reading apparatus according to the fifth aspect, the film transport means includes a plurality of transport roller pairs for transporting the film, and the transport roller pairs have a friction coefficient on an outer peripheral surface. The drive roller is made up of a drive roller made of metal that has been subjected to a raising process, and a pressure roller made of a resin having an outer peripheral surface made of elastic resin.

Thus, in addition to the effect of the first aspect, since the drive roller is made of a metal having an outer peripheral surface having a high friction coefficient, it is possible to prevent slippage when transporting the film. At the same time, since the accuracy of the diameter of the roller can be increased, it is possible to achieve an effect that the film transport speed can be accurately set to a desired speed.

Also, since the outer peripheral surface of the pressure roller is made of a resin having elasticity, it is possible to reliably press the film against the drive roller when transporting the film, and to reduce slippage during transport of the film. This has the effect that it can be reliably suppressed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of an image reading apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2A is a plan view schematically showing a slit portion in an auto-negative mask provided in the image reading apparatus, and FIG. 2B is a side view schematically showing the slit portion. is there.

FIG. 3 is a side view illustrating a schematic configuration of a conventional image reading apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Light source part (light source) 2 Filter set 3 Mirror tunnel (light source conversion means) 4 Auto negative mask (film conveyance means) 5 Condensing lens 6 CCD unit (image detection means) 7 Halogen lamp 8 Reflector 9 Heat sink 10 Heat ray reflection filter 11 Dimming filter 12 Setup filter 13A, 13B, 13C, 13D Conveying roller pair 14 Viewer section 15 Light source for viewer section 16 Slit guide (guide section) 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D Drive roller 21A, 21B, 21C, 21D Crimping roller 22 Convex guide (guide part)

Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat II (reference) H04N 1/00 H04N 1/12 Z F term (reference) 2H106 AB12 AB46 BA11 3F101 FB17 FD05 FE06 LA16 LB08 5B047 AA05 AB04 BA01 BB02 BC04 BC11 BC18 CA17 CB11 5C062 AA05 AB03 AB17 AB29 AD01 AD06 BA00 5C072 AA01 BA02 BA03 BA05 BA06 CA07 DA04 DA16 DA17 DA23 EA05 NA01 QA05 VA03

Claims (5)

[Claims] A light source converting means for converting light from the light source to a linear light source; a film transporting means for transporting a film on which an image is recorded; Image detecting means for detecting light transmitted through the image area on the film in the conveying means as image information, wherein the light source converting means is provided with two openings on the light incident side and the light emitting side. It has a cylindrical configuration, the shape of the opening on the emission side is a substantially rectangular shape close to a linear shape, and a light reflecting surface is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion. An image reading device for performing main scanning of an image on a film while performing sub-scanning of the image on the film by conveying the film by the film conveying means. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the film transport means includes a guide portion for guiding the upper side and the lower side of the film at a portion of the film transport path where light from the light source conversion means is irradiated. The image reading device according to claim 1. 3. A structure according to claim 2, wherein one of said guide portions is vertically movable with respect to the film and has a structure pressed against the film by a predetermined force. The image reading device according to claim 1. 4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the guide section is provided in such a shape as to move the film upward or downward by a predetermined amount with respect to the transport path of the film. Image reading device. 5. The film transport means includes a plurality of transport roller pairs for transporting the film, wherein the transport roller pairs are formed of metal whose outer peripheral surface has been subjected to a process for increasing a coefficient of friction. 2. The image reading device according to claim 1, wherein the image reading device comprises a drive roller and a pressure roller whose outer peripheral surface is made of an elastic resin.