Portable image input equipment

• US 5,444,486 A
• Filed: 01/21/1994
• Issued: 08/22/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Elmo Co., Ltd. (TECHNO HORIZON Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Elmo Co., Ltd. (TECHNO HORIZON Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Mizuno, Takayoshi, Yamamori, Motohiko
• Primary Examiner(s): mancuso, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): HO, TUAN V
• Application Number:
  US08/184,297
• Time in Patent Office: 578 Days
• Field of Search: 358/474, 358/479, 358/484, 348/207, 348/374, 348/375, 348/376, 348/373, 348/335, 348/371, 348/372, 348/370
• US Class Current: 348/376
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/195 the array comprising a two-dimensional array or a combination of two-dimensional arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/19594 using a television camera or a still video camera
• 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 2201/045 Mounting the scanning elements in a collapsible or foldable structure, e.g. for ease of transportation

Abstract

A portable image input equipment for sending a video signal of an object to a monitor television comprising a document stage on which an object is to be put, a U-shaped support member which consists of a pair of arms and a base frame with the arms and the base frame defining a generally rectangular shape and the U-shaped support member is pivotally mounted on the document stage so as to be movable between a folding position where the U-shaped support member is folded down to the document stage and a standing position where the U-shaped support member is raised from the document stage, a camera head pivotally mounted on the arms so as to be movable between a folding position where the camera head is folded down into the space to be flush with the support member and a standing position where the camera head is raised from the space, an illuminator pivotally mounted on the U-shaped support member so as to be movable between a folding position where the illuminator is folded down into the space to be flush with the support member and a standing position where the illuminator is raised from the space, and a locking mechanism for locking the support member in the folded and standing positions.

Claims

1. A portable image input equipment for sending a video signal of an object to a monitor television comprising:

a document stage on which an object is to be put,

a U-shaped support member which consists of a pair of arms and a base frame, said arms and said base comparting a space, said U-shaped support member pivotally mounted on the document stage in such a manner as to be movable between a folding position where the U-shaped support member is folded down to the document stage and a standing position where the U-shaped support member is raised from the document stage,

a camera head having an optical system forming an optical image of the object and an image pickup means converting the optical image to a television video signal, said camera head pivotally mounted on the arms in such a manner as to be movable between a folding position where the camera head is folded down into the space and a standing position where the camera head is raised from the space, said camera head whose upper surface is substantially flush with that of the U-shaped support member when the camera head is folded down into the space,

an illuminator pivotally mounted on the U-shaped support member in such a manner as to be movable between a folding position where the illuminator is folded down into the space and a standing position where the illuminator is raised from the space, said illuminator whose upper surface is substantially flush with that of the U-shaped support member when the illuminator is folded down into the space,

locking means for locking the U-shaped support member in the folding position and in the standing position, said locking means comprising;

locking levers pivotally mounted on ends of the arms, respectively, each of which levers having a hook at a lower end which can engage with or disengage from the document stage, said locking levers whose upper ends can be pushed to make the hooks disengage from the document stage,

bias springs which press the locking levers in such a manner that the hooks engage with the document stage,

a pair of link mechanisms each of which consists of a first link lever and a second link lever, said first link lever pivotally mounted to the document stage, said second link lever pivotally mounted to the arms and pivotally coupled to the first link lever, said link mechanisms each of which is folded down when the U-shaped support member is in the folding position and is unfolded when the U-shaped support member is in the standing position,

a pair of stopper means for limiting pivotal movement of the first link lever and the second link lever to hold the link mechanisms in the unfolding state in which each of the couplings of the first lever and the second lever shifts backward beyond a straight line connecting a pivot of the first link lever and that of the second link lever, and

a pair of rods interconnecting the link levers with the link mechanisms in such a manner that in the unfolded state of the link mechanism, the couplings of the first link lever and the second link lever shift forward beyond the straight line when the locking levers are pushed,

whereby the document stage is covered by the U-shaped support member, the camera head and illuminator when the camera head and the illuminator are folded down into the space and the U-shaped support member is folded down to the document stage.

2. The portable image input equipment according to the claim 1, wherein a cover plate is attached on the U-shaped support member in such a manner that an upper surface of the cover plate is substantially flush with that of the U-shaped support member, and can cover the camera head when the camera head is folded down into the space.

3. The portable image input equipment according to the claim 2, wherein a lens cover is pivotally mounted on heads of the arms in such a manner as to be movable with pivotal movement of the camera head to retreat from a lens opening of the optical system when the camera head is raised from the space and to cover the lens opening when the camera head is folded down into the space, said lens cover whose upper and front surface are substantially flush with those of the U-shaped support member when covering the lens opening.

4. The portable image input equipment according to the claim 1, wherein the document stage has a generally rectangular plane face.

5. The portable image input equipment according to the claim 1, wherein the space has a generally rectangular plane face.

6. The portable image input equipment according to the claim 1, a passage is provided between the stage and the base frame, said passage through which an object is to be sent outside the document stage.

7. The portable image input equipment according to the claim 1, wherein friction members for holding the camera head in the folding position and in the standing position are provided in the camera head.

8. The portable image input equipment according to the claim 1, wherein friction members for holding the illuminator in the folding position and in the standing position are provided in the illuminator.