Method and apparatus for moving scanning documents

• US 20030002091A1
• Filed: 06/27/2001
• Published: 01/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Alpha Hou
• Original Assignee: Alpha Hou
• Inventors: Hou, Alpha
• Application Number:
  US09/894,291
• Publication Number:
  US 20030002091A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/496
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/12 using the sheet-feed movement or the medium-advance or the drum-rotation movement as the slow scanning component, e.g. arrangements for the main-scanningsheet-feed movement by translatory movement of a flat picture-bearing surface H04N1/1008; main-scanning using oscillating or rotating mirrors H04N1/113; using multi-element arrays H04N1/19

Abstract

A sheet-fed scanner employing a second motion roller is disclosed. According to one embodiment, a transparent circular tube as the second roller is used. The image sensing module is enclosed in the transparent circular tube. With a parallel mounting of the transparent circular tube and a motion roller, the transparent circular tube is caused to rotate in synchrony with the motion roller by friction created between a scanning sheet and the transparent circular tube so as to reduce the friction to maintain a net driving force from the motion roller to advance a scanning sheet therebetween.

Claims

1. A scanner comprising:

a transparent circular tube;

an image sensing module mounted within the transparent circular tube; and

a motion roller mounted in parallel with and substantially close to the transparent circular tube, the motion roller driven by a motor and rotating in a first direction and the transparent circular tube rotating in a second direction to move a scanning document along when the scanning document is fed between the transparent circular tube and the rubber-surfaced rod, wherein the image sensing module scans the scanning document as the scanning document moves along image sensing module.

2. The scanner of claim 1, wherein the transparent circular tube is made of a material that transmits light efficiently.

3. The scanner of claim 2, wherein the material is glass.

4. The scanner of claim 2, wherein the material is transparent plastic.

5. The scanner of claim 1, wherein the transparent circular tube is rotatably mounted in the scanner so that any friction from the scanning document will cause the transparent circular tube to rotate freely to avoid the scanning document being hesitantly moved along.

6. The scanner of claim 5, wherein the first direction and the second direction is opposite.

7. The scanner of claim 5, wherein the friction is caused when the scanning document is in close contact with the transparent circular tube and at the same time being moved along.

8. The scanner of claim 2, wherein the image sensing module scans the scanning document from the inside of the transparent circular tube.

9. The scanner of claim 2, wherein the image sensing module scans the scanning document when the transparent circular tube is caused to rotate.

10. The scanner of claim 9, wherein the image sensing module scans the scanning document in synchrony with the rotation of the transparent circular tube.

11. The scanner of claim 1, wherein the first direction and the second direction is opposite and wherein the transparent circular tube is also driven by the motor to rotate in the second direction.

13. The scanner of claim 12, wherein the transparent circular tube and the motion roller rotate in synchrony with each other.

14. The scanner of claim 12, wherein the transparent circular tube is caused to rotate by a friction force caused between the scanning document and the transparent circular tube.

15. The scanner of claim 12, wherein the motion roller is rubber-surfaced.

12. A scanner comprising:

a house having an entrance to receive a scanning document and an exit to pass the scanning document out;

a motor mounted in the house;

a sensor for detecting a presence of the scanning document to activate the motor;

a transparent circular tube rotatably mounted in the house;

an image sensing module mounted within the transparent circular tube;

a motion roller mounted in parallel with and substantially close to the transparent circular tube, the motion roller driven by the motor and rotating in a direction and the transparent circular tube rotating in an opposite direction to move the scanning document along when the scanning document is received between the transparent circular tube and the motion roller, wherein the image sensing module scans the scanning document as the scanning document moves along image sensing module to generate an electronic image thereof.