Duplex scanning device having a rotatable scanning unit and duplex scanning method thereof

Abstract

A duplex scanning device includes a casing, a transporting mechanism, a scanning unit and a scanning unit rotating mechanism. The transporting mechanism transports a sheet along a transporting passageway, which includes a front passageway, a middle passageway and a rear passageway. The scanning unit rotatably mounted on the casing scans the sheet in the middle passageway. The transporting mechanism transports the sheet from the front passageway to the rear passageway through the middle passageway so that the scanning unit scans a front side of the sheet. Then, the scanning unit rotating mechanism rotates the scanning unit by substantially 180 degrees. Next, the transporting mechanism transports the sheet from the rear passageway to the front passageway through the middle passageway so that the scanning unit scans a back side of the sheet.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein:

FIGS. 1 and 2 are schematic illustrations showing two states of a duplex scanning device according to a first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration showing a scanning unit of a duplex scanning device according to a second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration showing a scanning unit of a duplex scanning device according to a third embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing a duplex scanning method according to a fourth embodiment of the invention.

Claims

1. A duplex scanning device, comprising: a casing;a transporting mechanism, which is mounted in the casing, for transporting a sheet along a transporting passageway, which comprises a front passageway, a rear passageway and a middle passageway connecting the front passageway to the rear passageway;a scanning unit, which is rotatably mounted in the casing, for scanning the sheet in the middle passageway; anda scanning unit rotating mechanism for rotating the scanning unit, wherein the transporting mechanism transports the sheet from the front passageway to the rear passageway through the middle passageway so that the scanning unit scans a front side of the sheet, the scanning unit rotating mechanism rotates the scanning unit by substantially 180 degrees, and then the transporting mechanism transports the sheet from the rear passageway to the front passageway through the middle passageway so that the scanning unit scans a back side of the sheet.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the transporting mechanism comprises a plurality of transporting rollers.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the transporting mechanism comprises a plurality of transporting belts.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the scanning unit is an optical module for acquiring an image of the sheet.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the scanning unit comprises an optical module and a pressing roller, the pressing roller can be rotated to press the sheet against the optical module, and the optical module acquires an image of the sheet.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the scanning unit comprises an optical module for acquiring an image of the sheet, and an elastic sheet for pressing the sheet against the optical module.

7. The device according to claim 1, further comprising: a sheet output tray, which is connected to the rear passageway, for accommodating the sheet outputted from the rear passageway.

8. A duplex scanning method, comprising the steps of: transporting a sheet from a front passageway to a rear passageway through a middle passageway, while scanning a front side of the sheet in the middle passageway;rotating a scanning unit by substantially 180 degrees; andtransporting the sheet from the rear passageway to the front passageway through the middle passageway, while scanning a back side of the sheet in the middle passageway.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of: transporting the sheet from the front passageway to a sheet output tray through the middle passageway and the rear passageway after the back side has been scanned.

10. The method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of: transporting the sheet from the front passageway to a sheet input tray after the back side has been scanned.