1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to a media feeding device and, in particular, to a media feeding device with scanning and fixing functions for transparent documents, where the media feeding device can accommodate and accurately position films/negative films for scanning.
2. Related Art
Image scanning devices such as scanners, printers or multi-function peripherals (MFP) that integrate printing, copying, scanning, and faxing functions have long become important processing products in business offices.
According to different paper feeding methods, these scanning devices can be divided into platform or automatic feeding types. The platform type has a transparent glass embedded on the image scanner for the disposition of documents. An image capture unit is then used to scan data on the documents. A popular design of these products is to provide an additional automatic feeder on top of the image scanner. In this manner, the user does not need to open the top cover, so that the user can simply place documents in the paper tray of the automatic feeder, which automatically feeds the documents to its bottom. The image capture unit then reads the data thereon.
When scanning transparent documents such as films/negative films, one usually has to purchase an additional backlit module and use it to replace the automatic feeder on the image scanner. Currently, there are also designs that integrate the backlit module onto the automatic feeder, as shown in
In view of the foregoing, the invention provides a media feeding device with scanning and fixing functions for transparent documents, and the invention can accurately position transparent documents such as films/negative films to avoid image leaning and distortions.
The disclosed media feeding device with scanning and fixing functions for transparent documents is installed on an image scanning apparatus. The media feeding device contains at least a paper tray, a feeding module, a document illumination module, and a document pressing board. The paper tray accommodates external documents for scanning. The feeding module is connected to the paper tray and has a plurality of paper-feeding rollers for picking a scanning document and sending it to a transparent support board on top of the image scanning device. The image scanning device then scans the documents in the paper tray. The document illumination module is installed at the bottom of the feeding module. The document illumination module is comprised of an illumination unit providing a beam for scanning operations and a fixing frame for the disposition of external transparent documents such as films/negative films. The user can take down the fixing frame and replace it by the document pressing board. The document pressing board is installed at the bottom of the feeding module to cover the illumination unit in a movable way. Therefore, the invention allows the image scanning device to perform usual document scanning operations in either the platform or the automatic feeding means.
In addition to normal document scanning operations, the disclosed media feeding device with scanning and fixing functions can expose the document illumination module for scanning transparent documents such as films/negative films after taking off the document pressing board. The image leaning problem in the prior art is thus solved. With the fixing frame, the transparent documents such as films/negative films can be precisely positioned to obtain non-leaning image data.
The invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein:
The disclosed media feeding device with scanning and fixing functions for transparent documents is shown in
The document illumination module 30 is embedded at the bottom of the feeding module 20. The document illumination module 30 contains an illumination unit 31, a fixing frame 32, and a light distributor 33. The fixing frame 32 is installed at the bottom of the feeding module 20 is a removable means. One side of the fixing frame 32 has a lock handle 321. The feeding module 20 is correspondingly installed with a lock hole 22 for the lock handle 321. The combination of the lock handle 321 and the lock hole 22 fixes the fixing frame 32 at the bottom of the feeding module 20. The fixing frame 32 has several openings 320 for the disposition of external transparent documents 80 such as films/negative films. The fixing frame 32 is fixed inside the fixing frame 32. The fixing frame 32 is formed with an illumination region 322 for the light from the illumination unit 31 to pass through. The illumination region 322 provides the light needed for scanning the transparent documents 80 inside the fixing frame 32. The document illumination module 30 can be further installed with a light distributor 33 so that the light emitted by the illumination unit 31 can be homogeneously projected onto the transparent documents 80. After fixing the transparent documents 80 in the fixing frame 32, the transparent documents 80 can be accurately positioned relative to the image scanner 50. The scanner module 60 of the image scanning device then scans the transparent documents 80 to obtain the image data.
As shown in
In addition to scanning normal documents, the invention can selectively expose the document illumination module 20 by taking off the document pressing board 40 to scan transparent documents 80 such as films/negative films. In particular, the image leaning problem in the prior art is thus solved. With the fixing frame, the transparent documents such as films/negative films can be precisely positioned to obtain non-leaning image data. The invention provides the image scanning function for both normal and transparent documents. The invention has a simple composition and is easy to use.
Certain variations would be apparent to those skilled in the art, which variations are considered within the spirit and scope of the claimed invention.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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93211014 | Jul 2004 | TW | national |