Self supporting optical document scanning system

Claim 1

In an imaging system for incrementally illuminating a document in an object plane and transmitting reflected incremental images to a photosensitive image member, an illumination/scan system comprising; a scan carriage movable in a reciprocal path along at least one guide rail which extends in a plane beneath and parallel to said object plane, said guide rail secured at its ends to a first and second support structure, said first support structure locating a capstan pulley, and said second support structure locating a yoke and idler pulley assembly, and further including a drive cable wrapped around said capstan assembly and said idler pulley and connected at the other end to said carriage, means for rotating the capstan pulley whereby the scan carriage is driven along said reciprocal path by said drive cable and wherein said capstan assembly, idler pulley assembly and cable are located along the center line of said guide rails, the guide rails providing the support for the scanning components.