Abstract: An input scanner for scanning three-dimensional objects, such as books, on a platen. An elongated raster scanner produces a digital representation of a line image in an object plane that is a fixed distance in front of the raster scanner's input optics. When scanning the three-dimensional object the raster scanner travels along a track guide that is contoured in the Z-direction. That contour is designed to mimic the contour of the three-dimensional object being scanned. When traveling along the track guide the distance between the three-dimensional object and the object plane remains substantially constant.

Abstract: A scanning system that accurately positions a moving carriage assembly in two directions relative to a platen. Such a scanning system includes a frame that has a registration member that extends in the Y direction, and a platen whose plane is normal to the Z direction and which is attached to the frame. The platen receives a substrate in a predetermined position relative to the registration member. The scanning system further includes a base that has a first and second tilted surfaces that extend in the Y direction, and a moving carriage assembly that is disposed between the platen and the base. The moving carriage assembly includes a housing, at least one button connected to the housing, and first and second biased pivot arms with first and second rollers that ride on the first and second tilted surfaces. The biased pivot arms push the housing against the tilted surfaces such that the button contacts the platen and the registration member.

Abstract: A digital scanner includes a multipurpose registration member that has a document registration edge locate surface, a carriage horizontal locate surface, a carriage vertical locate surface, and a platen locate surface. The platen locate surface provides registration for a transparent platen and the document registration edge locate surface provides registration for a registration edge member. The carriage horizontal locate surface and the carriage vertical locate surface provides registration for a scanning carriage which abuts the slide pad. Also, the multipurpose registration member includes a document handle locate surface to registration a document handler. The inclusion of these locate surfaces on a single registration member enables efficient assembly, without extraneous manual adjustments, of a digital scanner having proper registration.

Abstract: A fluorescent light source includes a fluorescent lamp, lamp bases attached to opposite ends of the fluorescent lamp, and an electrically insulating substrate connected to the fluorescent lamp. A heating element is positioned on the fluorescent lamp, and a first and second pair of power traces are formed on the electrically insulating substrate. The first pair of power traces are connected to the heating element to provide power thereto. The second pair of power traces are connected to a pair of electrical conductors that provide power to the fluorescent lamp. This fluorescent lamp can be used in a replaceable fluorescent light source unit for a document scanner. The replaceable fluorescent light source unit includes a housing, lamp base receiving members attached to the housing, and registration notches to properly align the fluorescent lamp.

Abstract: A document handling system particularly suitable for electronic imaging by sequentially feeding uppermost document sheets stacked in an input tray to be imaged in forward serial order at an imaging station and restacked collated in an output tray, with a short and compact "U" shaped common document feeding path also providing the majority of a duplex document feeding path for returning duplex document sheets imaged on their first sides back to the imaging station for imaging their second sides. The input and output trays are in a space saving closely superposed relationship defining a protective confining inverter chute space therebetween within which the duplex document sheets may be fed out over the output tray by a dual mode reversible output sheet feeder at the "U" shaped path output and then reversed to feed back through a short linear duplex document feeding path into the entrance of the same "U" shaped document sheet feeding path for simplex document sheets to provide a duplex loop path.

Abstract: A document reproduction system with a first large imaging platen on which documents are scanned by moving an imaging system thereunder, and an automatic document feeding system (ADF) for sequentially feeding documents to a directly adjacent smaller second (removable) imaging platen where the same imaging system may be stationarily positioned. A recess is provided between the opposing edges of the first and second platens extending substantially below their upper surface. The ADF has a document lead edge member extendable down into this recess to positively catch and deflect documents away from the upper surface of the second platen after the documents have been moved over this surface and imaged. The first and second platens are abutting at their lower surfaces, below the notch, to define a contiguous lower surface. The recess may be formed by an inclined beveled end of the first platen.

Abstract: In a color scanner wherein a plurality of filters are selectably disposed in a light path to a sensor array, a target area of a preselected test color is provided adjacent the platen for the image to be scanned. The target area is used to determine which of the plurality of filters is disposed along the light path at a given time.

Abstract: An input scanner provided with a document input, a sheet feeding path for transporting documents to a scanning station and to a document output; a scanning station having a first scanning element, fixed in position relative to the sheet feeding path, and a second scanning element, arranged at a home position for substantially simultaneous duplex scanning of sheets fed along the sheet feeding path, and which is also supported for movement past a scanning platen, each scanning element supporting a full width array of photosensitive sensors with a corresponding optical arrangement for directing light from the document to the sensors, there is provided a dual purpose calibration/baffle member, which in a first position serves as a paper baffle along the sheet feeding path to the scanning station to support sheets at the first scanning element, and in a second position, supports a calibration target at a position for detection by the first scanning element.