Scanning device having a rotatable and length-adjustable hinge for coupling a cover with a scanning body

• US 20050042006A1
• Filed: 08/20/2004
• Published: 02/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BenQ Corporation (Qisda Corporation)
• Original Assignee: BenQ Corporation (Qisda Corporation)
• Inventors: Qian, Ming-Kuan, Yang, Kun-Yee
• Granted Patent: US 7,058,351 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 399/380
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00519 Constructional details not otherwise provided for, e.g. housings, covers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00554 Latches or hinges therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/1013 with sub-scanning by translatory movement of at least a part of the main-scanning components H04N1/107 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0434 specially adapted for scanning pages of a book

Abstract

A scanning device comprises a scanning body, a hinge and a cover. The scanning body has a first slot horizontally extended and formed at one side of the scanning body. The hinge has an upper portion and a lower portion engaged to each other and relatively movable for changing a length of the hinge. The lower portion of the hinge is disposed in the first slot and rotatably coupled to the scanning body. The cover is rotatably coupled to the upper portion of the hinge. When the cover is in a closed position, the hinge is received in the first slot. When an original medium to be scanned with a thickness is placed on the scanning body and positioned by the cover, the hinge is correspondingly rotated to a first position and extended to a first length.

Claims

1. A scanning device, comprising:

a scanning body, having a first slot formed at one side of the scanning body, and the first slot extended along a first direction;

a hinge, having a upper portion and a lower portion engaged to each other and relatively movable along a second direction for changing a length of the hinge on the second direction, the lower portion rotatably disposed in the first slot; and

a cover, rotatably coupled to the upper portion of the hinge,

wherein when the cover is in a closed position, the upper portion and the lower portion are received in the first slot, and the first direction is substantially identical to the second position;

when an original medium to be scanned is placed on the scanning body and positioned by the cover, the hinge is rotated to a first position according to a thickness of the original medium, and the first direction and the second direction lies an angle;

meanwhile, the upper portion and the lower portion are relatively moved away from each other for selectively changing a length of the hinge along the second direction.

2. The scanning device according to claim 1, wherein the hinge further has a guiding shaft along which the upper portion and the lower portion are relatively moved.

3. The scanning device according to claim 2, wherein the hinge further has an elastic component mounted on the guiding shaft, when the upper portion and the lower portion are relatively moved along the guiding shaft, the elastic component is simultaneously deformed.

4. The scanning device according to claim 1, wherein the upper portion of the hinge further has a first rotating shaft, and the cover has a first holding portion for coupling with the first rotating shaft.

5. The scanning device according to claim 1, wherein the lower portion further has a first projecting portion, and the first slot has a hole for coupling with the first projecting portion, the first projecting portions serve as an axial rod on which the hinge is rotated.

6. The scanning device according to claim 1, wherein a rib is further disposed at the edge of the scanning body, and the cover is against the rib during the opening rotation.

7. The scanning device according to claim 1, wherein a centerpiece formed at one side of the scanning body, and a bearing portion is formed at the cover, when the cover is in the opening operation, the bearing portion is against the centerpiece, and the centerpiece serves as a rotating axis on which the cover is pivoted.

8. The scanning device according to claim 1, wherein the scanning device further has a rotatable centerpiece, the scanning body has a second slot and the cover has a second holding portion;

the rotatable centerpiece further has a second rotating shaft for coupling with the second holding portion, and the rotatable centerpiece is disposed in the second slot and rotatably coupled to the scanning body;

when the cover is in the closed position, the rotatable centerpiece is substantially placed within the second slot;

when the cover is opened, the second rotating shaft is an axis on which the cover is pivoted;

when the original medium to be scanned is placed on the scanning body and positioned by the cover, the rotatable centerpiece is rotated to a second position.

9. A hinge, used in a scanning device, wherein the scanning device has a scanning body and a cover coupled to each other by the hinge, and a slot is formed at one side of the scanning body along a first direction, the hinge comprising:

a upper portion, and the cover rotatably coupled to the upper portion;

a lower portion, engaged and relatively moved with the upper portion along a second direction, thereby changing a length of the hinge along the second direction, and the lower portion disposed in the first slot and rotatably coupled to the scanning body;

wherein when the cover is in a closed position, the upper portion and the lower portion are received in the first slot, and the first direction is substantially identical to the second position;

when an original medium to be scanned is placed on the scanning body and positioned by the cover, the hinge is rotated to a first position according to a thickness of the original medium, and the first direction and the second direction lies an angle;

meanwhile, the upper portion and the lower portion are relatively moved away from each other for selectively changing a length of the hinge along the second direction.

10. The hinge according to claim 9, wherein the hinge further has a guiding shaft and an elastic component, the upper portion and the lower portion are relatively moved along the guiding shaft, the elastic component is mounted on the guiding shaft, when the upper portion and the lower portion are relatively moved along the guiding shaft, the elastic component is simultaneously deformed.

11. The hinge according to claim 9, wherein the upper portion further has a first rotating shaft and the lower portion has a first projecting portion, the cover has a first holding portion for coupling with the first rotating shaft, and the first slot has a hole for coupling with the first projecting portion, the first projecting portions serve as an axial rod on which the hinge is rotated.

12. A scanning device, comprising:

a scanning body, having a first slot and an orientable structure, the first slot formed at one side of the scanning body and the first slot horizontally extended towards an inner of the scanning body;

a hinge, having a first end in the first slot coupled to the scanning body; and

a cover, having a lower edge and a first holding portion, the first holding portion disposed at the lower edge and rotatably coupled to a second end of the hinge;

wherein when the cover is in a closed position, the hinge is received in the first slot;

when the cover is opening, the lower edge of the cover is against the orientable structure during rotation of the cover, and the second end of the hinge is projected from the first slot.

13. The scanning device according to claim 12, wherein the hinge has an upper portion and a lower portion engaged to each other and able to moved relatively for changing a length of the hinge, the lower portion is disposed in the first slot and rotatably coupled to the scanning body, the upper portion is rotatably coupled to the cover, when a thick original medium to be scanned is placed on the scanning body and positioned by the cover, the hinge is correspondingly rotated to a first position and extended to a first length.

14. The scanning device according to claim 12, wherein the orientable structure is a rib.

15. The scanning device according to claim 12, wherein the orientable structure is a centerpiece, and a bearing portion is formed at the cover, when the cover is opening, the bearing portion is against the centerpiece, and the centerpiece serves as a rotating axis on which the cover is pivoted.

16. The scanning device according to claim 12, wherein the orientable structure is a rotatable centerpiece, the scanning body has a second slot and the cover has a second holding portion disposed at the lower edge;

one end of the rotatable centerpiece further has a second rotating shaft for coupling with the second holding portion, and the rotatable centerpiece is disposed in the second slot and rotatably coupled to the scanning body;

when the cover is in the closed position, the rotatable centerpiece is substantially placed within the second slot;

when the cover is opened, the second rotating shaft is an axis on which the rover is pivoted;

when an original medium to be scanned is placed on the scanning body and positioned by the cover, the rotatable centerpiece is rotated to a second position.

17. The scanning device according to claim 12, wherein at least a groove is formed in a sidewall of the first slot, a flange is projected from the first end of the hinge and able to slide and rotate in the groove, when the cover is opening, the flange is rotating and sliding within the groove until the hinge is moved to a third position wherein the second end of the hinge is projected from the slot, when a thick original medium to be scanned is placed on the scanning body and positioned by the cover, the flanges is rotated inside the groove and the hinge is rotated to a fourth position.