Imaging device

• US 20060110152A1
• Filed: 07/28/2005
• Published: 05/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elmo Co., Ltd. (TECHNO HORIZON Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Elmo Co., Ltd. (TECHNO HORIZON Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Yamakose, Hiroshi, Sukenari, Kazuhiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,343,091 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 396/155
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/03 Combinations of cameras with lighting apparatus; Flash units
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/561 Support related camera accessories
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 27/54 Lamp housings; Illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/04 Scanning arrangements , i.e. arrangements for the displacement of active reading or reproducing elements relative to the original or reproducing medium, or vice versaH04N1/387 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0418 capable of scanning transmissive and reflective originals at a single scanning station
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0422 Media holders, covers, supports, backgrounds; Arrangements to facilitate placing of the medium H04N2201/0406 - H04N2201/0412, H04N2201/0434 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0436 Scanning a picture-bearing surface lying face up on a support H04N2201/0434 takes precedence; using cylindrical picture bearing surfaces H04N1/06; with manual scanning H04N1/107
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 provided with illuminating means

Abstract

To provide an imaging device that can use a single illumination device to offer a light source suitable for imaging a translucent target object, while also enabling the imaging device to be mounted on a platform such as a desk.

In case of slide film imaging, an illumination unit holding arm 150 is rotated into a position at a table side and an illumination unit 130 is brought into a sub illuminating attitude where the illumination unit 130 is laid over a top surface of the table 110. On that condition, a film stage 200 is mounted on the table 110 in a manner opposed to a camera head 120, and front end of a stage 202 is overlapped with and engaged to upper end of a casing of the illumination unit 130 that takes the sub illuminating attitude. Light irradiated by the illumination unit 130 in this state enters a region under the stage 202 of the film stage 200, goes through an opening 210 of the stage 202, and at last reaches the camera head 120.

Claims

1. An imaging device comprising:

a camera head that images an imaging-area of a table on which an imaging-object is laid;

an illumination unit that illuminates the imaging-area;

an illumination unit holding arm that holds the illumination unit on the table such that the illumination unit can take a main attitude where the illumination unit illuminates the imaging-area from above the table and a sub attitude where the illumination unit gets close to a top surface of the table; and

a stage forming member that is mounted on imaging-area in a manner opposed to the camera head, the stage forming member forming a stage, on which an imaging-object can be laid, apart from a top surface of the table, and the stage including a translucent portion that allows for transmission of light,

wherein the illumination unit irradiates interior of the stage forming member with light when the illumination unit takes the sub attitude.

2. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the stage forming member has an interior wall which scatters the light that entered the interior of the stage forming member, and

the illumination unit has an illumination window that allows for irradiation of light through the translucent portion toward the camera head.

3. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the stage forming member engages to the illumination unit in the sub attitude and surrounds a region under the translucent portion in cooperation with the illumination unit.

4. The imaging device according to claim 3, wherein the stage forming member has a recess that is provided in the stage and can have a slide film mounted therein and an opening that is provided as the translucent portion in the recess and exposes at least a film area of the slide film.

5. The imaging device according to claim 4, further comprising depressions that are deeper than the recess and are formed at both sides of the opening in a manner continuous with the recess.

8. The imaging device according to claim 2, wherein the stage forming member engages to the illumination unit in the sub attitude and surrounds a region under the translucent portion in cooperation with the illumination unit.

9. The imaging device according to claim 8, wherein the stage forming member has a recess that is provided in the stage and can have a slide film mounted therein and an opening that is provided as the translucent portion in the recess and exposes at least a film area of the slide film.

10. The imaging device according to claim 9, further comprising depressions that are deeper than the recess and are formed at both sides of the opening in a manner continuous with the recess.

6. A stage for slide film imaging that is used in an imaging device having a camera head that images an imaging-area of table and an illumination unit that illuminates the imaging-area, the stage comprising:

a body that is mounted on the table in a manner opposed to the camera head and forms a stage, on which an imaging-object can be laid, at the body top such as apart from a top surface of the table, the body having a lateral opening that is formed on a side surface of the body and is used to guide light into interior of the body; and

a recess that is formed in the stage and can have a slide film mounted therein, the recess having a recess opening that is formed in the recess and can expose at least a film area of the slide film;

wherein the body engages to the illumination unit that irradiates light at a position close to a top surface of the table, and surrounds a region under the recess opening in cooperation with the illumination unit, thereby causes the light irradiated by the illumination unit to enter the interior of the body through the lateral opening.

7. The stage for slide film imaging according to claim 6, further comprising depressions that are deeper than the recess and are formed at both sides of the recess opening in a manner continuous with the recess.