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EP0520430A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Image sensor

Assignee: Rohm Co Ltd
•
Filing: 1992-06-25
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Granted: —
•
Expires: 2012-06-25
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Abstract

Abstract An image sensor has a frame, a transparent cover which is mounted on the top of the frame and on which an original document is to be placed, and a base plate disposed within the frame. On the base plate, there are mounted a light emitting section, a lens for condensing the reflective light and a light receiving section. The base plate is disposed within the frame so that the light emitting section is located directly below the transparent cover and the optical axis of the condensing lens is inclined relative to the plane of the transparent cover. Light rays emitted from the light emitting section enter the transparent cover in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane thereof and are reflected by the transparent cover slantingly toward the light receiving section. By arranging the condensing lens inclined relative to the plane of the transparent cover, the vertical distance between the light receiving section and the transparent cover can be reduced. The entire configuration of the frame is tapered toward the transparent cover on the top thereof. Thus, the image sensor can be more easily assembled into any electronic instrument. The light emitting section is enclosed by walls which are increased in reflectivity, resulting in an increase of the amount of irradiating light. The condensing lens can be mounted and held in a recess formed in the top of the frame without the need for any adhesive.

Inventors

  • 👤 Masaya c/o Rohm Co. Ltd. Imamura
  • 👤 Hiromi c/o Rohm Co. Ltd. Ogata
  • 👤 Seiji c/o Rohm Co. Ltd. Koshikawa
  • 👤 Kensuke c/o Rohm Co. Ltd. Sawase

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-03 22:50
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06K; G06K7/00; G06K7/10; G06K7/10544; G06K7/10821; G06K7/10861; H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/024; H04N1/028; H04N1/03; H04N1/031; H04N1/0311; H04N1/0312; H04N1/0314; H04N1/0318; H04N1/04; H04N1/19; H04N1/191; H04N1/192; H04N1/193; H04N1/1934; H04N2201/00; H04N2201/024; H04N2201/02404; H04N2201/02487; H04N2201/028; H04N2201/03; H04N2201/031; H04N2201/03104; H04N2201/03108; H04N2201/03112; H04N2201/03129; H04N2201/03141; H04N2201/03145; H04N2201/0315; H04N2201/03154; H04N2201/0317; H04N2201/03179

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim 192 words
An image sensor for irradiating light rays onto an object to be reproduced and for converting the light rays reflected from the object to be reproduced into electrical signals, said image sensor comprising: a transparent cover on which an object to be reproduced is placed; a light emitting section for irradiating light rays onto the object to be reproduced through the transparent cover; a condensing lens for receiving and condensing the light rays reflected from the object to be reproduced through the transparent cover; a frame for mounting said transparent cover on the one end and mounting said light emitting section, condensing lens and light receiving section therein; and a light receiving section for receiving the light rays from the condensing lens and for converting the received light rays into electrical signals, said light emitting section being so arranged that the light rays emitted therefrom will enter the surface of said transparent cover in a direction substantially perpendicular thereto, said condensing lens being so arranged that the optical axis thereof is inclined relative to the surface of said transparent cover, and the cross-section of said frame being tapered toward the transparent cover.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 60 words
An image sensor as defined in claim 1 wherein said frame has one inner side wall located on the side of said light emitting section and extending perpendicular to the plane of said transparent cover, with the other inner side wall located on the side of said light receiving section being inclined relative to the plane of said transparent cover.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 27 words
An image sensor as defined in claim 2 wherein the other inner side wall located on the side of said light receiving section supports said condensing lens.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 22 words
An image sensor as defined in claim 1 wherein said light emitting and receiving sections are mounted on a single base plate.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 24 words
An image sensor as defined in claim 4 wherein the surface of said base plate around said light emitting section has an increased reflectivity.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 22 words
An image sensor as defined in claim 5 wherein the surface of said base plate around said light emitting section is white-colored.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 57 words
An image sensor as defined in claim 6 wherein the lower portion of said frame includes an inwardly projecting portion formed therein to contact part of the surface of said base plate and wherein said base plate is urged and held against said inwardly projecting portion through a leaf spring engaging the underside of said base plate.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 32 words
An image sensor as defined in claim 4, further comprising a partition for dividing a space above said base plate into two space portions for the respective light emitting and receiving sections.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 22 words
An image sensor as defined in claim 8 wherein said partition also serves as a lens holding member for said condensing lens.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 29 words
An image sensor as defined in claim 9 wherein the surface of said lens holding member located on the side of said light emitting section has an increased reflectivity.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 38 words
An image sensor as defined in claim 10 wherein the inner wall of said frame opposed to the surface of said lens holding member located on the side of said light emitting section supports a light reflecting plate.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 24 words
An image sensor as defined in claim 1 wherein said transparent cover is housed within a recess formed in the top of said frame.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 56 words
An image sensor as defined in claim 12 wherein the top opposite side edges of said transparent cover are chamfered and wherein said recess is formed to match the chamfered side edges of said transparent cover so that the chamfered side edges of said transparent cover are covered by the inner top edges of said frame.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 196 words
An electronic instrument comprising an image sensor for irradiating light rays onto an object to be reproduced and for converting the light rays reflected from the object to be reproduced into electrical signals, said image sensor comprising: a transparent cover on which an object to be reproduced is placed; a light emitting section for irradiating light rays onto the object to be reproduced through the transparent cover; a condensing lens for receiving and condensing the light rays reflected from the object to be reproduced through the transparent cover; a frame for mounting said transparent cover on the one end and mounting said light emitting section, condensing lens and light receiving section therein; and a light receiving section for receiving the light rays from the condensing lens and for converting the received light rays into electrical signals, said light emitting section being so arranged that the light rays emitted therefrom will enter the surface of said transparent cover in a direction substantially perpendicular thereto, said condensing lens being so arranged that the optical axis thereof is inclined relative to the surface of said transparent cover, and the cross-section of said frame being tapered toward the transparent cover.

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