Patent US5081346A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
← Back to Patent Explorer
US5081346A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Solid state imaging device including a rod lens array

Assignee: Sony Corp
•
Filing: 1990-07-10
•
Granted: 1992-01-14
•
Expires: 2010-07-10
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract A solid state imaging device with a plurality of line sensors in which each line sensor receives the light through the divided light paths from a straight line of a document into each unit is disclosed. The divided light paths are obtained by bending each rod lens of the rodlenses array, providing concave or convex lenses or convex mirrors or by providing transparent plates at different angles. As a result of the dividing of light path the line sensors pick up linear image data without abutting each sensor in a straight line.

Inventors

  • 👤 Tadakuni Narabu
  • 👤 Masahide Hirama
  • 👤 Yasuo Nakada

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-25 11:14
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/024; H04N1/028; H04N1/03; H04N1/031; H04N1/0311; H04N1/0312; H04N1/04; H04N1/19; H04N1/191; H04N1/192; H04N1/193; H04N1/1934; H04N1/1935; H04N1/1936; H04N1/1937

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim 83 words
A solid state imaging device comprising: a plurality of line sensors arrayed in a staggered relation, the line sensors adapted for scanning a document in a first direction, a rod lens array in which rod lenses are bent so that one of the ends of the rod lenses are arrayed in substantially a straight line on the document side and the other ends of the rod lenses are arrayed in a staggered relation in correspondence with the line sensors on the sensor side.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 83 words
A solid state imaging device comprising: a plurality of line sensors arrayed in a staggered relation, the line sensors adapted for scanning a document in a first direction, a rod lens array in which rod lenses are bent so that one of the ends of the rod lenses are arrayed in substantially a straight line on the document side and the other ends of the rod lenses are arrayed in a staggered relation in correspondence with the line sensors on the sensor side.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 29 words
The solid state imaging device according to claim 1; wherein the rod lens array has a rectangular body in which each rod lens is bent between both the ends.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 49 words
The solid state imaging device according to claim 1; wherein the rod lens array has a plurality of blocks, the blocks having the bottoms arranged in a straight line in a first direction and inclined at angles so that light from a document is transmitted to the line sensors.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 28 words
The solid state imaging device according to claim 3; wherein the blocks are tilted at angles so that light from a document is transmitted to the line sensors.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 64 words
A solid state imaging device comprising: a plurality of line sensors arrayed in a staggered relation, the line sensors adapted for scanning a document in a first direction, a rod lens array having a plurality of blocks, the blocks alternately inclined so that light from a document is transmitted to the line sensors and the bottoms of said blocks arranged in a straight line.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 64 words
A solid state imaging device comprising: a plurality of line sensors arrayed in a staggered relation, the line sensors adapted for scanning a document in a first direction, a rod lens array having a plurality of blocks, the blocks alternately inclined so that light from a document is transmitted to the line sensors and the bottoms of said blocks arranged in a straight line.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 85 words
A solid state imaging device comprising: a plurality of concave lenses for converging the light from a document which is scanned in a first direction, a rod lens array which are mounted adjacent said plurality of concave lenses, the rod lens array having both ends of the rod lenses arrayed in substantially a straight line in said first direction, a plurality of line sensors arrayed at one ends of the rod lenses, and wherein each line sensor receives the light divided by the concave lenses.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 85 words
A solid state imaging device comprising: a plurality of concave lenses for converging the light from a document which is scanned in a first direction, a rod lens array which are mounted adjacent said plurality of concave lenses, the rod lens array having both ends of the rod lenses arrayed in substantially a straight line in said first direction, a plurality of line sensors arrayed at one ends of the rod lenses, and wherein each line sensor receives the light divided by the concave lenses.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 23 words
The solid state imaging device according to claim 6; wherein the concave lenses are provided between the document and the rod lens array.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 16 words
The solid state imaging device according to claim 7; wherein the concave lenses are biconcave lenses.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 16 words
The solid state imaging device according to claim 7; wherein the concave lenses are plano-concave lenses.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 20 words
The solid state imaging device according to claim 9; wherein flat surfaces of the plano-concave lenses face to the document.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 22 words
The solid state imaging device according to claim 9; wherein flat surfaces of the plano-concave lenses face to the rod lens array.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 85 words
A solid state imaging device comprising: a plurality of convex mirrors for converging the light from a document which is scanned in a first direction, a rod lens array which are mounted adjacent said plurality of convex mirrors, the rod lens array having both ends of the rod lenses arrayed in substantially a straight line in said first direction, a plurality of line sensors arrayed at one ends of the rod lenses, and wherein each line sensor receives the light divided by the convex mirrors.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 85 words
A solid state imaging device comprising: a plurality of convex mirrors for converging the light from a document which is scanned in a first direction, a rod lens array which are mounted adjacent said plurality of convex mirrors, the rod lens array having both ends of the rod lenses arrayed in substantially a straight line in said first direction, a plurality of line sensors arrayed at one ends of the rod lenses, and wherein each line sensor receives the light divided by the convex mirrors.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 27 words
The solid state imaging device according to claim 12; wherein the convex mirrors are inclined at the approximate angle of 45° toward the surface of the document.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 100 words
A solid state imaging device comprising: a plurality of convex lenses for converging the light from a document which is scanned in a first direction, a rod lens array which are mounted adjacent said plurality of convex lenses, the rod lens array having both ends of the rod lenses arrayed in substantially a straight line in said first direction, a plurality of line sensors arrayed at one ends of the rod lenses, and wherein the convex lenses are provided between the rod lens array and the line sensor, and each line sensor receives the light divided by the convex lenses.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 100 words
A solid state imaging device comprising: a plurality of convex lenses for converging the light from a document which is scanned in a first direction, a rod lens array which are mounted adjacent said plurality of convex lenses, the rod lens array having both ends of the rod lenses arrayed in substantially a straight line in said first direction, a plurality of line sensors arrayed at one ends of the rod lenses, and wherein the convex lenses are provided between the rod lens array and the line sensor, and each line sensor receives the light divided by the convex lenses.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 61 words
A solid state imaging device comprising: a rod lens array which has both ends of the rod lenses arrayed in substantially a straight line in a first direction, a plurality of transparent plates provided at one end of the rod lens array and mounted at different angles, and a plurality of line sensors mounted relative to said plurality of transparent plates.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 61 words
A solid state imaging device comprising: a rod lens array which has both ends of the rod lenses arrayed in substantially a straight line in a first direction, a plurality of transparent plates provided at one end of the rod lens array and mounted at different angles, and a plurality of line sensors mounted relative to said plurality of transparent plates.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 30 words
The solid state imaging device according to claim 15; wherein the transparent plates are alternately mounted at two different angles, and the line sensors are arrayed in a staggered form.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4005285A Cited
US4146786A Cited
US4524372A Cited
EP0144089A2 Cited
US4942483A Cited
US4775791A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1995-01-13 1995-07-15 1996-01-14 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1999-01-13 1999-07-15 2000-01-14 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2003-01-13 2003-07-15 2004-01-14 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag