Scanning apparatus with position indicator and image forming apparatus having the same

• US 8,294,961 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2007
• Issued: 10/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HP Printing Korea Co., Ltd. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Yoo, Yong-jun
• Primary Examiner(s): Haskins, Twyler
• Assistant Examiner(s): PACHOL, NICHOLAS C
• Application Number:
  US11/684,170
• Publication Number:
  US 20080062474A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,055 Days
• Field of Search: 399/206, 399/211, 399/220, 355/20, 355/37, 355/70, 358/1.15, 358/402, 358/474, 358/494, 358/508, 379/88.21, 340/641, 455/420
• US Class Current: 358/497
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0035 User-machine interface; Control console input or output arrangements for computers G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00477 Indicating status, e.g. of a job for control or supervision between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N2201/3219
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0049 providing a visual indication to the user, e.g. using a lamp H04N1/00408 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/1017 the main-scanning components remaining positionally invariant with respect to one another in the sub-scanning direction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/193 using electrically scanned linear arrays , e.g. linear CCD arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0081 Image reader H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0452 Indicating the scanned area, e.g. by projecting light marks onto the medium

Abstract

A scanning apparatus to indicate a scanning progress status includes a main body having a platen on which a document is set, a scanning module to move inside the main body and to scan the document, and an indicating light disposed integrally with the scanning module to indicate a current location of the scanning module.

Claims

1. A scanning apparatus comprising:

a main body comprising a platen on which a document is set;

a scanning module to move inside the main body and to scan the document with a scanning light source disposed on a first side of the main body; and

an indicating light source separate from the scanning light source disposed integrally with the scanning module at a second side different from the first side to emit light at the second side and outside the main body to indicate a current location of the scanning module.

2. The scanning apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

an indicating window formed at the main body to allow light emitted from the indicating light source to be exposed outside when the indicating light source is turned on.

3. The scanning apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the indicating window further comprises a standby window formed at a position corresponding to the indicating light source when the scanning module stands by.

4. The scanning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the indicating light source blinks on and off when an error occurs.

5. The scanning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the indicating light source is an LED.

6. A scanning apparatus comprising:

a main body comprising a platen on which a document is set;

a scanning module to move inside the main body and to scan the document with a scanning light source disposed on a first side of the main body; and

an indicating light source separate from the scanning light source disposed integrally with the main body at a second side different from the first side to emit light at the second side and outside the main body, the indicating light source comprising a plurality of lighting sources located on the second side in a moving direction of the scanning module to indicate a current location of the scanning module.

7. The scanning apparatus according to claim 6, wherein one of the lighting sources is turned on to correspond to a current location of the scanning module in a scanning operation.

8. The scanning apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the lighting sources are turned on when the scanning module passes by in a scanning operation.

9. The scanning apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the indicating light source blinks on and off when an error occurs.

10. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a scanning apparatus comprising;

a main body comprising a platen on which a document is set,

a scanning module to move inside the main body and to scan the document with a scanning light source disposed on a first side of the main body, and

an indicating light source separate from the scanning light source and disposed integrally with the scanning module at a second side of the main body different from the first side to emit light from the second side and outside the main body to indicate a current location of the scanning module; and

a printing unit disposed with the scanning apparatus to form images on a sheet of printing medium.

11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the indicating light source blinks on and off when an error occurs in the printing unit.

12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising:

a facsimile unit disposed integrally with the scanning apparatus to transmit and receive faxes,

wherein the indicating light source blinks on and off when a call arrives to the facsimile unit.

13. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a scanning apparatus comprising;

a main body comprising a platen on which a document is set;

a scanning module to move inside the main body and to scan the document with a scanning light source disposed on a first side of the main body; and

an indicating light source separate from the scanning light source disposed integrally with the scanning module at a second side of the main body different from the first side to emit light from the second side and outside the main body, the indicating light source comprising a plurality of lighting sources located on the second side of the main body in a moving direction of the scanning module to indicate a current location of the scanning module; and

a printing unit disposed with the scanning apparatus to form images on a sheet of printing medium.

14. The image forming apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the indicating light source blinks on and off when an error occurs in the printing unit.

15. The image forming apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising:

a facsimile unit disposed integrally with the scanning apparatus to transmit and receive faxes,

wherein the indicating light source blinks on and off when a call arrives to the facsimile unit.

16. A scanning apparatus comprising:

a main body;

a scanning module disposed to move with respect to the main body to scan a document with a scanning light source disposed on a first side of the main body;

a window formed on the main body; and

an indicating light unit including an indicating light source different from the scanning light source and disposed integrally with the scanning module at a second side of the main body different from the first side, the indicating light unit to emit light from the second side of the main body and outside the main body to indicate a position of the scanning module with respect to the document through the window.

17. The scanning apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the window is formed in the same direction as a moving direction of the scanning module.

18. The scanning apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the main body comprises a platen on which the document is disposed, and the window is formed on the same side of the main body on which the platen is disposed.

19. The scanning apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the main body comprises a first side on which the document is disposed, and a second side on which the window is disposed.

20. The scanning apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the scanning module is disposed in a first direction, and the window is disposed in a second direction.

21. The scanning apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the window has a length to correspond to a moving distance of the scanning module.

22. The scanning apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the indicating light unit comprises a plurality of lighting sources to be turned on according to the location of the scanning module.

23. The scanning apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the window is disposed in a lengthwise direction of the document, and the scanning module and the indicating light unit move along the lengthwise direction.

24. The scanning apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the scanning module generates a first light to scan the document, and the indicating light unit generates a second light in a different direction from the first light according to a relationship between the document and the scanning module.

25. The scanning apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the window comprises a single window that is aligned with the indicating light source and that extends along a scanning direction of the main body.