BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a conventional duplex scanning device with two scanning modules; and
FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a duplex scanning apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIG. 2, a schematic cross-sectional view of a duplex scanning apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. The duplex scanning apparatus 200 as shown in FIG. 2 comprises an automatic document feeder 211 and a flatbed image scanning portion 215. The automatic document feeder 211 comprises a sheet feeding tray 201, a pickup roller assembly 202, a first feeding roller assembly 203, a second feeding roller assembly 204, an discharging roller assembly 205, a first scan region 212, a second scan region 213, an discharging tray 208, a position sensor 209, a path 214, a second scanning module 207 and a pressing roller 217. The flatbed image scanning portion 215 comprises a first scanning module 206 and a glass platform 206. It is preferred that the second scanning module is a contact image sensor (CIS) module. In addition, a position sensor 209 is disposed in the first scan region 212 for detecting whether the document 210 enters the second scan region 213.
Please refer to FIG. 2 again. Hereinafter, the procedure of performing a duplex scanning operation by using the duplex scanning apparatus 200 of the present invention is illustrated. First of all, the document 210 to be scanned is placed in the sheet feeding tray 201. The pickup roller assembly 202 transports the document 210 into the first path 214, and then the first feeding roller assembly 203 transports the document 210 across the first scan region 212. When the document 210 is transported across the first scan region 212, the first scanning module 206 under the first scan region 212 scans the first side of the document 210. Next, the second feeding roller assembly 204 transports the document 210 to the second scan region 213. When the position sensor 209 disposed in the first scan region 212 detects that the document 210 enters the second scan region 213, the second scanning module 207 begins to scan the second side of the document 210 unit the document 210 exits the second scan region 213. Next, the discharging roller assembly 205 transports the document 210 into the discharging tray 208. Meanwhile, the duplex scanning operation has been completed.
From the above embodiment, the first scanning module 206 and the second scanning module 207 are disposed in the flatbed image scanning portion 215 and the automatic document feeder 211, respectively. In other words, since the second scanning module is no longer disposed above the first scanning module, it is not necessary to precisely position the first scanning module 206 and the second scanning module 207. As a consequence, the process of assembling these two scanning modules is simplified and time-saving. Moreover, since the second scanning module 207 is accommodated within the operative space under the sheet feeding tray 201, which is originally unoccupied, the space utilization of the duplex scanning apparatus is enhanced. In addition, since the number of the components above first scan region 212 is reduced, the height of the automatic document feeder 211 is decreased.
While the invention has been described in terms of what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention needs not be limited to the disclosed embodiment. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims which are to be accorded with the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structures.
Patent Application
20070279710
