Image input device with rotatable image pickup unit

• US 7,050,106 B2
• Filed: 11/01/2002
• Issued: 05/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Nagano, Masatoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Ometz, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Villecco, John M.
• Application Number:
  US10/285,433
• Publication Number:
  US 20030095200A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,299 Days
• Field of Search: 348/62, 348/63, 348/79, 348/80, 348/112, 348/333.01, 348/333.1, 348/370, 348/373, 348/375, 348/376, 355/21, 355/70, 355/75, 355/18, D16/232, D14/423
• US Class Current: 348/373
• 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 2201/0096 Portable devices
• 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

An image inputting device comprises a base having an object resting surface on which an object rests, an image pickup unit, a reflecting unit having a reflecting surface for reflecting a light from the object and introducing the light to the image pickup unit, and a holding unit disposed on the base to be rotatable about a first axis parallel to the object resting surface. The image pickup unit is rotatable about a second axis disposed on the holding unit, and the reflecting unit is rotatable about a third axis disposed on the holding unit.

Claims

1. An image inputting device comprising:

a base having an object resting surface on which an object rests;

an image pickup unit;

a reflecting unit having a reflecting surface for reflecting a light from the object and introducing the light to said image pickup unit; and

a holding unit rotatably supported on said base to be rotatable about a first axis parallel to said object resting surface,

said image pickup unit rotatably supported by said holding unit to be rotatable about a second axis, and

said reflecting unit rotatably supported by said holding unit to be rotatable about a third axis.

2. An image inputting device according to claim 1, wherein said second axis and said third axis are parallel to each other.

3. An image inputting device according to claim 1, wherein said first axis, said second axis and said third axis are parallel to each other.

4. An image inputting device according to claim 1, wherein said holding unit has a first holding space for holding said reflecting unit, and

when said holding unit is rotated to be substantially parallel to said object resting surface of said base with said reflecting unit held in the first holding space of said holding unit, said reflecting unit is positioned substantially parallel to said object resting surface.

5. An image inputting device according to claim 1, wherein said holding unit has a second holding space for holding said image pickup unit, and

when said holding unit is rotated to be substantially parallel to said object resting surface of said base with said image pickup unit held in the second holding space of said holding unit, an optical axis of said image pickup unit is positioned substantially parallel to said object resting surface.

6. An image inputting device according to claim 1, wherein said image pickup unit includes an illumination section for illuminating said object resting surface.

7. An image inputting device according to claim 6, wherein said illumination section illuminates said object resting surface from an outer side of an outermost light of a light flux that is incident upon and reflected by said object resting surface and then introduced to said image pickup unit after being reflected by said reflecting surface.

8. An image inputting device according to claim 1, further comprising an illumination unit for illuminating said object resting surface,

wherein said illumination unit is rotatably supported on said holding unit to be rotatable about a fourth axis.

9. An image inputting device according to claim 8, wherein said fourth axis is parallel to said first axis.

10. An image inputting device according to claim 1, further comprising a flat display,

wherein said flat display is fixed integrally with said reflecting unit.

11. An image inputting device according to claim 1, further comprising a flat display,

wherein said flat display is rotatably supported on said reflecting unit to be rotatable about a fifth axis.

12. An image inputting device according to claim 1, further comprising a control panel disposed on said base for operating said image inputting device,

wherein said control panel is covered with said holding unit when said holding unit is rotated to be substantially parallel to said object resting surface of said base.

13. An image inputting device comprising:

a base having an object resting surface on which an objects rests;

an image pickup unit;

a reflecting unit having a reflecting surface for reflecting a light from the object and introducing the light to said image pickup unit, and

holding means rotatably supported on said base to be rotatable about a first axis parallel to said object resting surface,

wherein said image pickup unit is rotatably supported on said holding means to be rotatable about a second axis, and said reflecting unit is rotatably supported by said holding means to be rotatable about a third axis.

14. An image inputting device according to claim 13, wherein said second axis and said third axis are parallel to each other.

15. An image inputting device according to claim 13, wherein said first axis, said second axis, and said third axis are parallel to each other.