Desk-top three-dimensional object scanner

• US 5,894,529 A
• Filed: 10/28/1997
• Issued: 04/13/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Opcom, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Opcom, Inc.
• Inventors: Ting, Jack
• Primary Examiner(s): Moore, David K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GRANT II, JEROME
• Application Number:
  US08/959,017
• Time in Patent Office: 532 Days
• Field of Search: 358/474, 358/475, 358/482, 358/483, 358/487, 358/491, 358/492, 358/494, 358/496, 358/497, 358/479, 358/493, 358/500, 358/501, 358/505, 358/509, 355/67, 355/68, 355/82, 355/84, 355/231, 355/233, 355/234, 355/235, 355/52, 382/312
• US Class Current: 382/312
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/024 by means of diode-array scanning

Abstract

A desk-top three-dimensional object scanner includes a camera body, a base, a retractable lever arm connecting the camera body and the base, and a compensation lighting device disposed at a bottom end of the lever arm. The camera body accommodates therein a sensor that employs lines as sensing points so that the image scanned has better resolution.

Claims

1. A desk-top three-dimensional object scanner comprising:

a camera body, having an interior that has disposed therein two rollers, a conveyer belt mounted on said two rollers, a motor for driving said rollers and said conveyer belt, a CCD sensor mounted at a lower end of said conveyer belt, an electrical circuit board provided near said motor and adapted to control all circuit operations, a control panel and an observation lens mounted externally of said camera body at suitable positions, said motor being engaged to one of said rollers via gear means;

a view finder, connected to a lower end of said camera body;

a retractable lever arm, mounted to the lower end of said camera body at a suitable position such that said lever arm does not interfere with the view finding by said view finder, said lever arm having a distal end;

a compensation device, including a lever seat horizontally and pivotally provided at the distal end of said lever arm, and a plurality of compensation lights provided at both sides of said lever seat, said lever seat having a bottom end; and

a base, fixedly connected to the bottom end of said lever seat of said compensation device, said base including a translucent planar surface at an upper side thereof and a lighting device disposed in an interior thereof, said base further having a plurality of control switches disposed externally thereof;

whereby when a three-dimensional object or a document is placed on said translucent planar surface of said base, said compensation lights of said compensation device or said lighting device of said base may be used to provide sufficient light, and said motor is started to drive said rollers and said conveyer belt so as to drive the CCD sensor to displace side to side while said view finder scans the image of the object or document which is stored in a memory.

2. The desk-top scanner as claimed in claim 1, wherein said camera body is provided with a standard view finder ring at the lower end adapted to receive a standard C-type lens or zoom lens or view finder of any angles so as to enhance the functions of said scanner.

3. The desk-top scanner as claimed in claim 1, wherein said CCD sensor uses lines as points of sensing so that the scanning effect is more positive.