Portable image scanner

Claim 2

A portable image scanner, which comprises: a housing having a reading aperture formed in a lower surface thereof; a light source mounted in said housing for illuminating a reading portion to be read on an objective image plane; a reflecting member mounted in said housing for reflecting image light reflected from the reading portion; an image sensor mounted in said housing which receives said image light sent through said reflecting member and which is adapted to convert said image light to corresponding image data signals; means for allowing the housing to move in a sub-scanning direction wherein the housing comprises a first part for permitting an operator to move the housing in a sub-scanning direction and a second part which is of a greater width than said first part in a main-scanning direction, said first part of said housing being disposed at a downstream side of said housing in said sub-scanning direction and said second part being disposed at an upstream side of said housing in said sub-scanning direction, said light source, said reading aperture and said reflecting means being positioned in said second part of said housing, said housing being provided at an upper surface thereof with a peep hole displaced to the image sensor side with respect to a portion substantially right above said reading aperture so as to form a viewing path inclined toward said image sensor side; and a transparent member for covering said peep hole through which said reading portion can be observed.

Claim 3

An image scanner according to claim 1, wherein the peep hole is positioned on the second part of the housing.

Claim 4

An image scanner according to claim 1, wherein said light source is disposed on an upstream side of said reading aperture in a sub-scanning direction and wherein said moving means is disposed on a downstream side of said reading aperture in said sub-scanning direction.

Claim 5

An image scanner according to claim 3, wherein said moving means is disposed on said second part of said housing.

Claim 6

An image scanner according to claim 3, wherein said moving means comprises a cylindrical roller.

Claim 7

An image scanner according to claim 5, wherein a diameter portion of said cylindrical roller is of a greater length than the distance between said light source and said reading portion.

Claim 8

An image scanner according to claim 5, which comprises sub-scanning detecting means for synchronizing movement of said housing in the sub-scanning direction of a predetermined amount to carry out renewal of a scanning line and which is connected to said cylindrical roller.

Claim 9

An image scanner according to claim 1, wherein said light source is disposed on an upstream side of said reading aperture in a sub-scanning direction and said image sensor is disposed on a downstream side of the reading aperture in said sub-scanning direction.

Claim 10

An image scanner according to claim 8, wherein said image sensor is disposed in said first part of said housing.

Claim 11

An image scanner according to claim 1, which comprises a converging lens for focusing said image light on said image sensor and which is disposed on a light path of said image light sent through said reflecting means.

Claim 12

An image scanner according to claim 10, wherein said converging lens is disposed in said first part of said housing.

Claim 13

An image scanner according to claim 1, which comprises means positioned in said first part of said housing for carrying out image reading.

Claim 14

An image scanner according to claim 1, which comprises means positioned in said first part of said housing for adjusting read-out density of a read-out image.

Claim 15

An image scanner according to claim 1, which comprises a transparent member for covering said reading aperture.

Claim 16

An image scanner according to claim 1, wherein said transparent member for covering said peep hole comprises a filter member having low permeability to light.

Claim 17

A portable image scanner, which comprises: a housing having a reading aperture formed in a lower surface thereof; a light source mounted in said housing for illuminating a reading portion to be read on an objective image plane; a reflecting member mounted in said housing for reflecting image light reflected from the reading portion; an image sensor mounted in said housing which receives said image light sent through said reflecting member and which is adapted to convert said image light to corresponding image data signals; and means for allowing the housing to move in a sub-scanning direction wherein the housing comprises a first part for permitting an operator to move the housing in a sub-scanning direction and a second part which is of a greater width than said first part in a main-scanning direction, said first part of said housing being disposed at a downstream side of said housing in said sub-scanning direction and said second part being disposed at an upstream side of said housing in said sub-scanning direction, and said light source, said reading aperture and the reflecting means being positioned in said second part of said housing; said housing being provided at its upper surface with a peep hole which is formed substantially right above said reading aperture and extending rearward of said reading aperture so as to have a portion thereof at least partially vertically offset from said reading aperture to an image sensor side so as to form a viewing path inclined toward said image sensor side; and a transparent member for covering said peep hole through which said reading portion can be observed.

Claim 18

A portable image scanner, which comprises: a housing having a reading aperture formed in a lower surface thereof; a light source mounted in said housing for illuminating a reading portion to be read on an objective image plane; a reflecting member mounted in said housing for reflecting image light reflected from the reading portion; an image sensor mounted in said housing which receives said image light sent through said reflecting member and which is adapted to convert said image light to corresponding image data signals; and means for allowing the housing to move in a sub-scanning direction wherein the housing comprises a first part for permitting an operator to move the housing in a sub-scanning direction and a second part which is of a greater width than said first part in a main-scanning direction, said first part of said housing being disposed at a downstream side of said housing in said sub-scanning direction and said second part being disposed at an upstream side of said housing in said sub-scanning direction, and said light source, said reading aperture and the reflecting means being positioned in said second part of said housing; said housing being provided at its upper surface with a peep hole which is formed substantially right above said reading aperture and extending rearward of said reading aperture so as to have a portion thereof at least partially vertically offset from said reading aperture to an image sensor side so as to form a viewing path inclined toward said image sensor side; and a transparent member for covering said peep hole through which said reading portion can be observed.

Claim 19

An image scanner according to claim 16, wherein the peep hole is positioned on the second part of the housing.

Claim 20

An image scanner according to claim 16, wherein said light source is disposed on an upstream side of said reading aperture in a sub-scanning direction and wherein said moving means is disposed on a downstream side of said reading aperture in said sub-scanning direction.

Claim 21

An image scanner according to claim 18, wherein said moving means is disposed on said second part of said housing.

Claim 22

An image scanner according to claim 18, wherein said moving means comprises a cylindrical roller.

Claim 23

An image scanner according to claim 20, wherein a diameter portion of said cylindrical roller is of a greater length than the distance between said light source and said reading portion.

Claim 24

An image scanner according to claim 20, which comprises sub-scanning detecting means for synchronizing movement of said housing in the sub-scanning direction of a predetermined amount to carry out renewal of a scanning line and which is connected to said cylindrical roller.

Claim 25

An image scanner according to claim 16, wherein said light source is disposed on an upstream side of said reading aperture in a sub-scanning direction and said image sensor is disposed on a downstream side of said reading aperture in said sub-scanning direction.

Claim 26

An image scanner according to claim 23, wherein said image sensor is disposed in said first part of said housing.

Claim 27

An image scanner according to claim 16, which comprises a converging lens for focusing said image light on said image sensor and which is disposed on a light path of said image light sent through said reflecting means.

Claim 28

An image scanner according to claim 25, wherein said converging lens is disposed in said first part of said housing.

Claim 29

An image scanner according to claim 16, which comprises means positioned in said first part of said housing for carrying out image reading.

Claim 30

An image scanner according to claim 16, which comprises means positioned in said first part of said housing for adjusting read-out density of a read-out image.

Claim 31

An image scanner according to claim 16, which comprises a transparent member for covering said reading aperture.

Claim 32

An image scanner according to claim 16, wherein said transparent member for covering said peep hole comprises a filter member having low permeability to light.