EP0417856A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Device for optically scanning a document
Assignee: Koninklijke Philips NV
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Filing: 1990-09-10
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2010-09-10
Abstract
Abstract The device is provided with an optical fiber bundle (5) having a first linear end face (9) at the document side and a second end face (11) whose shape is adapted to the shape of the detection system (3). To reduce the quantity of disturbing light from the light source (43; 61, 62; 44), which may reach the detection system (3), to a maximum possible extent, and to increase the quantity of signal light from the document (1), the second end face (11) is provided with an optical system (13, 14; 50; 70) for an improved coupling in and for reflections. The first end face (9) may also be provided with an optical system (16, 17) for reducing unwanted reflections.
Inventors
- 👤 Johannes Henricus De Bie
- 👤 Cyrille Maria Beirens
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 04:59
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/024; H04N1/028; H04N1/02815; H04N1/0282; H04N1/02835; G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/04; G02B6/06; H04N1/0284; H04N1/03; H04N1/04; H04N1/19; H04N1/191; H04N1/192; H04N1/193; H04N1/1935; H04N1/1936
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
173 words
A device for optically scanning a document (1), which device comprises a light source (43) for illuminating the document (1) to be scanned, an optical detection system (3) and an optical fiber bundle (5) for transmitting light from the light source (43) to the sdocument (1) and for transmitting light from the document (1) to the detection system (3), said fiber bundle comprising a plurality of optical fibers having a core and a cladding and each having a first and a second end, said first ends being arranged substantially along a line in a first end face (9) of the fiber bundle and said second ends being arranged in a second end face (11), the second end face (11) facing the light source (43) and the detection system (3), characterized in that the second end face (11) is provided with an optical system (13, 14; 50; 70) for substantially eliminating the transmission of light from the light source (43) to the detection system (3) other than via the document (1) to be scanned.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
173 words
A device for optically scanning a document (1), which device comprises a light source (43) for illuminating the document (1) to be scanned, an optical detection system (3) and an optical fiber bundle (5) for transmitting light from the light source (43) to the sdocument (1) and for transmitting light from the document (1) to the detection system (3), said fiber bundle comprising a plurality of optical fibers having a core and a cladding and each having a first and a second end, said first ends being arranged substantially along a line in a first end face (9) of the fiber bundle and said second ends being arranged in a second end face (11), the second end face (11) facing the light source (43) and the detection system (3), characterized in that the second end face (11) is provided with an optical system (13, 14; 50; 70) for substantially eliminating the transmission of light from the light source (43) to the detection system (3) other than via the document (1) to be scanned.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
66 words
A device as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that the optical system comprises a transparent plate (13) provided on the second end face, which plate is made of a material whose refractive index substantially corresponds to the refractive index of the core material of the fibers, and in that one side of the plate (13) facing the light source (43) has an anti-reflection coating (14).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
A device as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that the optical system comprises a light guide (50; 70, 75) arranged between the light source and the second end face.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
47 words
A device as claimed in Claim 3, characterized in that the light guide has a central portion remote from the second end face, which portion comprises a refractive face (55; 77) functioning as a lens for imaging the second end face (11) on the detection system (3).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
A device as claimed in Claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the central portion of the light guide is surrounded by a sleeve (60) which does not transmit light.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
95 words
A device as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that the optical system comprises a splitting cube (70) which is arranged in the light path between the light source (43) and the second end face (11), said splitting cube having an entrance or exit face (73, 74) extending at a substantially right angle to the second end face, and in that the splitting cube has a side face (76) located opposite said entrance or exit face (73, 74), which side face and entrance or exit face extend at an acute angle α to each other.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
A device as claimed in Claim 6, characterized in that the said angle a is approximately 30 o .
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
39 words
A device as claimed in Claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the optical system also comprises a light guide (75) for transmitting light from the light source (43) to an entrance face (73) of the splitting cube (70).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
44 words
A device as claimed in Claim 6, 7 or 8, characterized in that the exit face (74) of the splitting cube is provided with a lens (77) for imaging the second end face (11) of the fiber bundle (5) on the detection system (3).
Claim 11
Independent Claim
53 words
A device as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, characterized in that the optical system is connected to the second end face (11) of the fiber bundle by means of a material (12) whose refractive index is substantially equal to the refractive index of the core material of the optical fibers.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
A device as claimed in Claim 10, characterized in that the said connection material is an adhesive curing under the influence of UV light.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
A device as claimed in Claim 10, characterized in that the said connection material is an adhesive curing under the influence of heat.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
45 words
A device as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, characterized in that the optical system is at least partly made of a material having a refractive index which is substantially equal to the refractive index of the core material of the optical fibers.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
43 words
A device as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, characterized in that the first end face (9) has a normal which extends at an angle φ to the direction of the axis of the optical fibers (6) in the fiber bundle.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
48 words
A device as claimed in Claim 14, characterized in that the optical fibers have a numerical aperture of approximately 0.5, in that said angle φ is approximately 22 o and in that the first end face (9) of the fibre bundle is provided with a transparent plate (16).
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
39 words
A device as claimed in Claim 15, characterized in that the transparent plate (16) is secured by means of a material whose refractive index is substantially equal to the refractive index of the core material of the optical fibers.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
36 words
A device as claimed in Claim 15 or 16, characterized in that the transparent plate is made of a material whose refractive index is smaller than the refractive index of the core material of the fibers.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
31 words
A device as claimed in Claim 15, 16 or 17, characterized in that the transparent plate has an anti-reflection coating (17) at the side remote from the first end face (9).
Claim 20
Independent Claim
48 words
A device as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, characterized in that the light source (43) is adapted to emit light having different wavelengths within the wavelength range which is visible to the human eye, and in that the detection system is composed of color-sensitive elements.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
28 words
A device as claimed in Claim 19, characterized in that the detection system (3) comprises a light-sensitive CCD and a color filter matrix arranged in front of it.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
45 words
A device as claimed in Claim 20, characterized in that the CCD and the color filter matrix are composed of elements whose surface is considerably smaller than the cross-section of the images of the fiber ends in the fiber bundle on the detection system (3).
Claim 23
Independent Claim
33 words
A device as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 18, characterized in that the light source (43) is a halogen lamp (44) with a filter (46) arranged in front of it.
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