Image input apparatus

• US 5,875,025 A
• Filed: 07/14/1997
• Issued: 02/23/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hamamatsu Photonics KK
• Original Assignee: Hamamatsu Photonics KK
• Inventors: Nakamura, Kazuhiro, Toyoda, Haruyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Font, Frank G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MERLINO, AMANDA H
• Application Number:
  US08/891,838
• Time in Patent Office: 589 Days
• Field of Search: 356/71, 382/124-127, 385/120
• US Class Current: 356/71
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/08 with fibre bundle in form of plate

Abstract

The present invention relates to an image input apparatus comprising a fiber optic plate and a light source for illuminating an entrance surface of the fiber optic plate. In order to obtain a vivid image, the image input apparatus according to the present invention comprises a specific structure for holding the light source at a predetermined position such that a luminous flux from the light source is made incident on the entrance surface of the fiber optic plate from a direction deviating from an angle region by which stray light can be incident on the entrance surface.

Claims

1. An image input apparatus comprising:

a first fiber optic plate in which a plurality of optical fibers are bundled together, said first fiber optic plate having an entrance surface inclined with respect to an optical axis of said each optical fiber by a predetermined slant angle θ

₀ and an exit surface opposing said entrance surface;

a light source for illuminating said entrance surface; and

a holding member for holding said light source at a predetermined position, said holding member holding said light source in a state where, of incident angle components formed between a luminous flux emitted from said light source and said entrance surface, a vertical incident angle component θ

_V on a plane orthogonal to a reference end on said entrance surface, said reference end defining said slant angle θ

_V, is set to a range deviating from a range of stray light admissible angle X given by the following expression;

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">(X.sub.C -Θ

)≦

X≦

(X.sub.C +Θ

)

wherein;

X_C is a stray light admissible center angle given by an expression (90°

-sin^-1 (n_core ·

sin(90°

-3θ

₀)));

n_core is a refractive index of a core in said each optical fiber;

θ

₀ is the slant angle;

Θ

is a total reflection critical angle in the air given by an expression (sin^-1 (n_core ·

sin(90°

-S_C -φ

)));

S_C is a stray light admissible center angle in said each optical fiber given by an expression (sin^-1 ((1/n_core)·

sin X_C));

φ

is a total reflection critical angle in said each optical fiber given by an expression (sin^-1 (n_clad /n_core)); and

n_clad is a refractive index of a cladding in said each optical fiber.

2. An image input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said holding member holds said light source in a state where, of the incident angle components formed between the luminous flux emitted from said light source and said entrance surface, a horizontal incident angle component θ

_H on a plane orthogonal to said entrance surface and in parallel to said reference end is set within a range of at least 0°

but not greater than 20°

.

3. An image input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the slant angle of said first fiber optic plate is within a range of 25°

to 40°

.

4. An image input apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said holding member holds light source such that, of directional vector components of a center pencil emitted from said light source, a component on said entrance surface advances from an auxiliary end on said entrance surface opposing said reference end toward said reference end.

5. An image input apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said holding member holds said light source such that, of the luminous flux emitted from said light source, a center pencil becomes in parallel to said entrance surface.

6. An image input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said holding member comprises a structure for adjusting a divergent angle of the luminous flux emitted from said light source.

7. An image input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said holding member comprises a light-shielding member for covering, by way of a gap, said entrance surface.

8. An image input apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a housing for accommodating said first fiber optic plate, said housing having an upper face bored with an opening for exposing said entrance surface;

and

wherein said holding member is provided on said upper face so as to surround at least a part of said opening of said housing.

9. An image input apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an image sensor having a light receiving surface provided so as to face said exit surface.

10. An image input apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a second fiber optic plate provided between said first fiber optic plate and said image sensor, said second fiber optic plate tapering down in its cross-sectional area from said first fiber optic plate toward said image sensor.

11. An image input apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the entrance surface and exit surface of said first fiber optic plate are in parallel to each other.

12. An image input apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising an optical system provided between said first fiber optical plate and said image sensor.

13. An image input apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising a second fiber optical plate provided between said first fiber optical plate and said image sensor, said second fiber optical plate having an entrance surface and an exit surface which are in parallel to each other.

14. An image input apparatus comprising:

a first fiber optic plate in which a plurality of optical fibers are bundled together, said first fiber optic plate having an entrance surface inclined with respect to an optical axis of said each optical fiber by a predetermined slang angle θ

₀ and an exit surface opposing said entrance surface;

a housing for accommodating said first fiber optic plate, said housing having an upper face bored with an opening for exposing said entrance surface;

at least a pair of light sources for illuminating said entrance surface; and

a holding member having holding sections for respectively holding said light sources such that said light sources surround at least a part of said opening of said housing, said holding sections being provided on said upper face and positioned so as to face each other across said opening of said housing;

wherein said holding member holds said light sources such that, of directional vector components of a center pencil emitted from said light sources, a component on said entrance surface advances from an auxiliary end on said entrance surface opposing a reference end toward said reference end, said reference end defining said slant angle θ

₀.

15. An image input apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said holding member holds said light sources such that, of a luminous flux emitted from said light sources, a center pencil becomes in parallel to said entrance surface.

16. An image input apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said holding member comprises a structure for adjusting a divergent angle of a luminous flux emitted from said light sources.

17. An image input apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said holding member comprises a light-shielding member for covering, by way of a gap, said entrance surface.

18. An image input apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising an image sensor having a light receiving surface provided so as to face said exit surface.

19. An image input apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising a second fiber optic plate provided between said first fiber optic plate and said image sensor, said second fiber optic plate tapering down in its cross-sectional area from said first fiber optic plate toward said image sensor.

20. An image input apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the entrance surface and exit surface of said first fiber optic plate are in parallel to each other.

21. An image input apparatus according to claim 20, further comprising an optical system provided between said first fiber optic plate and said image sensor.

22. An image input apparatus according to claim 21, further comprising a second fiber optic plate provided between said first fiber optic plate and said image sensor, said second fiber optic plate having an entrance surface and an exit surface which are in parallel to each other.