Image reading apparatus which corrects for positional and angular deviation between the image sensor and the document

Claim 2

An image reading apparatus, comprising: a line sensor having a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements provided in a first direction, said line sensor having a length in the first direction; projecting means for projecting an original image on said line sensor; said line sensor and projecting means are arranged such that a projected original image has a width on the line sensor that is not greater than the length of the line sensor; scanning means for relatively moving a projected image projected by said projecting means onto said line sensor in a second direction intersecting said first direction; adjusting means for adjusting a relative position in said first direction of said line sensor and said projected image so that the entire width of the projected image is projected onto said line sensor; detecting means for detecting positional deviation with respect to said first direction of said line sensor and said projected image in accordance with an output of said line senor; and control means for controlling said adjusting means corresponding to a detected result of said detecting means and for controlling the scanning means to scan the entire projected original image in one scanning operation.

Claim 3

The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said adjusting means includes a supporting member supporting said line sensor and movable in said first direction.

Claim 4

The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said projecting means includes a lens member for imaging said projected image on said line sensor, and said adjusting member includes a supporting member supporting said lens member and movable in said first direction.

Claim 5

The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control means controls said detecting means so that said detecting means performs a preliminary scanning before an original image reading operation, determines an image area of said projected image read in said preliminary scanning, and detects said positional deviation on the basis of the determination.

Claim 6

The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control means controls said adjusting means so that there is no positional deviation quantity in said first direction detected by said detecting means.

Claim 7

The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the length in which the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements of said line sensor are arranged is approximately equal to the width of the image area in said first direction of the projected image.

Claim 8

An image reading apparatus, comprising: a line sensor having a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements arranged in a first direction, said line sensor having a length in the first direction; projecting means for projecting an original image on said line sensor; said line sensor and projecting means are arranged such that a projected original image has a width on the line sensor that is not greater than the length of the line sensor; scanning means for relatively moving a projected image projected by said projecting means onto said line sensor in a second direction intersecting said first direction; first detecting means for detecting an inclination between the first direction of said line sensor and a direction of one side of the projected image in accordance with an output of said line sensor; image rotating means for relatively rotating said line sensor and the projected image corresponding to the inclination detected by said first detecting means; adjusting means for adjusting a relative position in said first direction of said line sensor and said projected image so that the entire width of the projected image is projected onto said line sensor; second detecting means for detecting positional deviation with respect to said first direction of said line sensor and said projected image in accordance with said output of said line sensor; and control means for controlling said adjusting means corresponding to the detected result of said second detecting means and for controlling the scanning means to scan the entire projected image in one scanning operation.

Claim 9

An image reading apparatus, comprising: a line sensor having a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements arranged in a first direction, said line sensor having a length in the first direction; projecting means for projecting an original image on said line sensor; said line sensor and projecting means are arranged such that a projected original image has a width on the line sensor that is not greater than the length of the line sensor; scanning means for relatively moving a projected image projected by said projecting means onto said line sensor in a second direction intersecting said first direction; first detecting means for detecting an inclination between the first direction of said line sensor and a direction of one side of the projected image in accordance with an output of said line sensor; image rotating means for relatively rotating said line sensor and the projected image corresponding to the inclination detected by said first detecting means; adjusting means for adjusting a relative position in said first direction of said line sensor and said projected image so that the entire width of the projected image is projected onto said line sensor; second detecting means for detecting positional deviation with respect to said first direction of said line sensor and said projected image in accordance with said output of said line sensor; and control means for controlling said adjusting means corresponding to the detected result of said second detecting means and for controlling the scanning means to scan the entire projected image in one scanning operation.

Claim 10

The image reading apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said image rotating means includes a prism provided on a projection optical axis of said projecting means and a member for supporting the prism rotatably around the projection optical axis.

Claim 11

The image reading apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said control means controls said first detecting means so that said first detecting means performs preliminary scanning before original image reading operation and detects inclination on the basis of the projected image read in the preliminary scanning.

Claim 12

The image reading apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said control means operates a quantity of adjustment by said adjusting means according to positional deviation with respect to said first direction detected by said second detecting means in said preliminary scanning and angle of rotation executed by said image rotating means.

Claim 13

An image reading apparatus, comprising: a line sensor having a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements provided in a first direction, said line sensor having a length in the first direction and outputting image data; a projection lens which is arranged between an original and the line sensor, and which projects the original image onto said line sensor, the projected original image having a width on the line sensor being not greater than the length of the line sensor; a detector which detects positional deviation with respect to said first direction of said line sensor and said projected original image in accordance with the image data of said projected original image outputted from said line sensor; an adjustor which is connected to a driving source to adjust a relative position of said line sensor and said projected original image in accordance with the detection of the detector so that the entire width of the projected original image is projected onto said line sensor; and a scanner which scans the entire projected original image adjusted by said adjustor in one scanning operation by said line sensor.

Claim 14

An image reading apparatus, comprising: a line sensor having a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements provided in a first direction, said line sensor having a length in the first direction and outputting image data; a projection lens which is arranged between an original and the line sensor, and which projects the original image onto said line sensor, the projected original image having a width on the line sensor being not greater than the length of the line sensor; a detector which detects positional deviation with respect to said first direction of said line sensor and said projected original image in accordance with the image data of said projected original image outputted from said line sensor; an adjustor which is connected to a driving source to adjust a relative position of said line sensor and said projected original image in accordance with the detection of the detector so that the entire width of the projected original image is projected onto said line sensor; and a scanner which scans the entire projected original image adjusted by said adjustor in one scanning operation by said line sensor.

Claim 15

An image reading apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said adjustor includes a support member supporting said line sensor and which is movable in said first direction.

Claim 16

An image reading apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said adjustor includes a support member supporting said projection lens and which is movable in said first direction.

Claim 17

An image reading apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said scanner performs preliminary scanning before said one scanning operation and said detector detects the positional deviation in accordance with image data from the preliminary scanning operation.

Claim 18

An image reading apparatus, comprising: a line sensor having a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements provided in a first direction, said line sensor having a length in the first direction and outputting image data; a projection lens which is arranged between an original and the line sensor, and which projects the original image onto said line sensor, the projected original image having a width on the line sensor being not greater than the length of the line sensor; a first detector which detects inclination between a first direction of said line sensor and a direction of one side of the projected original image in accordance with the image data of said projected original image outputted from said line sensor; an image rotator which relatively rotates said line sensor and the projected original image corresponding to the inclination detected by said first detector; a second detector which detects positional deviation with respect to said first direction of said line sensor and said projected original image relatively rotated by said image rotator in accordance with the image data of said projected original image outputted from said line sensor; an adjustor which is connected to a driving source to adjust a relative position of said line sensor and said projected original image in accordance with the detection of the detector so that the entire width of the projected original image is projected onto said line sensor; and a scanner which scans the entire projected original image which has been relatively rotated by said image rotator and adjusted by said adjustor in one scanning operation by said line sensor.

Claim 19

An image reading apparatus, comprising: a line sensor having a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements provided in a first direction, said line sensor having a length in the first direction and outputting image data; a projection lens which is arranged between an original and the line sensor, and which projects the original image onto said line sensor, the projected original image having a width on the line sensor being not greater than the length of the line sensor; a first detector which detects inclination between a first direction of said line sensor and a direction of one side of the projected original image in accordance with the image data of said projected original image outputted from said line sensor; an image rotator which relatively rotates said line sensor and the projected original image corresponding to the inclination detected by said first detector; a second detector which detects positional deviation with respect to said first direction of said line sensor and said projected original image relatively rotated by said image rotator in accordance with the image data of said projected original image outputted from said line sensor; an adjustor which is connected to a driving source to adjust a relative position of said line sensor and said projected original image in accordance with the detection of the detector so that the entire width of the projected original image is projected onto said line sensor; and a scanner which scans the entire projected original image which has been relatively rotated by said image rotator and adjusted by said adjustor in one scanning operation by said line sensor.

Claim 20

An image reading apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said image rotator includes a prism provided on a projection optical axis of said projection lens and a member supporting the prism rotatably around the projection optical axis.

Claim 21

An image reading apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said scanner performs preliminary scanning before said one scanning operation and said first and second detector detect the inclination and the positional deviation in accordance with the image data of the preliminary scanning operation.

Claim 22

An image reading method in which an original image is projected onto a line sensor including a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements arranged in a first direction and read, said line sensor having a length in said first direction and said projected image having a width not greater than said length, comprising the steps of: detecting a quantity of deviation of said line sensor and said projected image in said first direction using said line sensor; moving a relative position of said line sensor and said original image to remove a detected deviation; and reading the entire projected image by moving said line sensor in a second direction intersecting said first direction in one scanning operation with said movement having finished.

Claim 23

An image reading method in which an original image is projected onto a line sensor including a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements arranged in a first direction and read, said line sensor having a length in said first direction and said projected image having a width not greater than said length, comprising the steps of: detecting a quantity of deviation of said line sensor and said projected image in said first direction using said line sensor; moving a relative position of said line sensor and said original image to remove a detected deviation; and reading the entire projected image by moving said line sensor in a second direction intersecting said first direction in one scanning operation with said movement having finished.

Claim 24

The image reading apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said control means controls relative movement in said second direction by said scanning means and relative movement in said first direction by said adjusting means in said preliminary scanning.

Claim 25

The image reading apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said control means stops relative movement in said first direction by said adjusting means when said detecting means detects that there is no positional deviation in said preliminary scanning.