Abstract: A sensor unit includes an edge detection sensor, a sensor carriage, a unit housing, and a carriage moving mechanism. The edge detection sensor is arranged in a conveying portion for conveying a sheet and senses edge positions at both sides in a sheet width direction perpendicular to a sheet conveying direction. The sensor carriage has a carriage main body in which the edge detection sensor is incorporated, and is reciprocatably supported on the unit housing in the sheet width direction. The carriage moving mechanism makes the sensor carriage reciprocate in the sheet width direction. The sensor carriage is selectively positioned at a first position where it makes contact with a first side face at one end side of the unit housing in the sheet width direction or a second position where it makes contact with a second side face at the other end side in the sheet width direction.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device includes a plurality of light receiving elements, a plurality of A/D conversion units, and an offset giving unit. The light receiving elements are arrayed in one direction and each convert a light signal into an electrical signal. The A/D conversion units perform A/D conversion on the electrical signals output from the light receiving elements. The offset giving unit gives an offset voltage of a certain level to the electrical signals output from the light receiving elements without flowing a steady current before the electrical signals are input into the A/D conversion units.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes: a reading unit configured to read an image of an original and output an image signal; and a white reference plate to be used for shading correction. The image reading apparatus drives the reading unit with maximum power consumption for a predetermined time period and thereafter drives the reading unit with reduced power consumption. The image reading apparatus causes the reading unit with reduced power consumption to read the white reference plate and generates shading data to be used for the shading correction. After that, the image reading apparatus causes the reading unit to read an original and corrects a reading result of the original based on the shading data.

Abstract: An image reading device includes a turning unit and a reading unit having a reader and a reading glass. The reader reads, through the reading glass, an image on a sheet placed on the reading glass. The turning unit can turn with respect to the reading unit. The turning unit includes a pressing plate, a communication unit, and an attachment part. The pressing plate presses a sheet on the reading glass against the reading glass when the turning unit is at a position closing the reading glass. The communication unit receives data from outside the image reading device by wireless communication. The communication unit is detachably mounted within the turning unit. The attachment part attaches the communication unit and has a weight mounting portion capable of mounting a weight.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus capable of accurately returning a carriage to a home position without having to turn ON a light source in the process of returning the carriage to the home position. A first reading-position-detection plate is arranged inside of a reading width of a line sensor and outside of a document-image-reading width. A second color region has a length that gradually increases in the main scanning direction as going away from the home position of the carriage. A reading-position-detecting unit detects the length in the main scanning direction of the second color region on the basis of output from the line sensor. A movement-distance-converting unit converts this length to a movement distance to the home position. A movement-control unit causes the carriage to move toward the home position just the movement distance.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes a document platen, a document cover for covering the document platen during scanning, the document cover having a through-hole into which an original document can be inserted for placement on the document platen for scanning while the document cover is covering the document platen, a scanner that scans the original document on the document platen to image data corresponding to the original document, and a printing unit that prints an image of the original document corresponding to the image data obtained by the scanner.

Abstract: An illumination apparatus, comprising a light source unit, a rod-shaped light guide configured to guide light from the light source unit and emit the light from a light emitting surface, a covering member configured to contain the light guide, and a housing configured to contain the light source unit, the light guide, and the covering member, the light guide including a protruded portion configured to suppress a shift in a longitudinal direction, the covering member including an opening, and the housing including a receiving portion configured to receive the protruded portion of the light guide, wherein the protruded portion of the light guide is engaged with the receiving portion of the housing via the opening of the covering member.

Abstract: A lower read sensor is configured such that a lower read surface of the lower read sensor can be switched between a forward position in which the lower read surface is moved toward an upper read surface of an upper read sensor and a rearward position in which the lower read surface is moved away from the upper read surface farther than the forward position, and a controller switches the lower read sensor to the rearward position to transport a first medium having a predetermined stiffness and switches the lower read sensor to the forward position to transport a second medium having a stiffness lower than that of the first medium.

Abstract: A scanning device for automatically scanning and processing a document includes a port for communicating with a portable memory device, an image sensor, a processing device, and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. The processing device is configured to detect a trigger event by detecting that the portable memory device is communicatively coupled to the port, automatically determine a scan instruction having at least one scan setting, determine whether the portable memory device includes one or more security instructions, determine whether biometric information associated with an authenticated user is available, identify the biometric information as a secure access token, automatically cause the image sensor to scan a physical document to generate a digital document file corresponding to the physical document based on the scan instruction, and save the digital document file to the portable memory device with the secure access token.

Abstract: An imager is provided. The imager has an imaging platen which presents an imaging surface against which an object to be imaged can be placed. The imaging platen has a photodetector layer and a light guiding layer operable to guide light towards the object. The imager includes a light source operable to emit light into the light guiding layer. The light source is located at an edge of the light guiding layer, to guide light into the light guiding layer of the imaging platen.

Abstract: A scanning device for automatically scanning and processing a document includes at least a port for communicating with a portable memory device, an image sensor and a processing device. The scanning device may detect a trigger event by detecting that the portable memory device is communicatively coupled to the port. The scanning device may automatically determine a scan instruction, automatically cause the image sensor to scan a physical document based on the scan instruction, determine a secure access token, and save the digital document file to the portable memory device with the secure access token. The secure access token may be an encryption key that is associated with a log-in password of an authenticated user of the scanning device. The scanning device may obtain the encryption key from a storage medium of the scanning device or from a network.

Abstract: A plurality of image-forming optical elements are disposed such that a part of a field-of-view region of one image-forming optical element overlaps a part of a field-of-view region of an image-forming optical element disposed adjacent to the one image-forming optical element, each of the image-forming optical elements includes: a lens for collecting light scattered by a reading object; an aperture stop for cutting off some of the light collected by the lens; a phase modulating element for modulating phase of light passing through the aperture stop; and a lens for allowing the light whose phase is modulated by the phase modulating element to form an image on an image-forming surface, and the phase modulating elements are loaded such that resolution characteristics of the phase modulating elements in an arrangement direction of the image-forming optical elements are the same among the image-forming optical elements.

Abstract: An optical image capturing system includes, along the optical axis in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens, a second lens, a third lens, a fourth lens, a fifth lens, a sixth lens, and a seventh lens. At least one lens among the first to the sixth lenses has positive refractive force. The seventh lens can have negative refractive force, and both surfaces thereof are aspheric. At least a surface of the seventh lens has an inflection point. The lenses in the optical image capturing system which have refractive power include the first to the seventh lenses. The optical image capturing system can increase aperture value and improve the imaging quality for use in compact cameras.

Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus including a scanner unit configured to be openable on an apparatus front side with respect to a printer unit due to a first hinge portion on an apparatus rear side, a cover to cover a feed port configured to be openable due to a second hinge portion on the apparatus front side of the feed port, wherein a rotation axis of the first hinge portion is positioned on the apparatus rear side of a rotation axis of the second hinge portion in an apparatus depth direction. Interlocking with an operation to open the scanner unit, the cover moves while a portion thereof is in contact with a surface of the paper feed tray or the sheet placed thereon to open the cover in an interlocking manner.

Abstract: When a reading target object that includes a light emitting region is set as a reading target, the light emitting region is detected by a reading mechanism of a reading unit. The reading unit is caused to read the detected light emitting region, and in the reading, a read operation by the reading unit is controlled based on change of an amount of light received from the light emitting region.

Abstract: There is provided an image reading device which has an operation part configured to receive an operation to select one of a first scan function of treating image data of a plurality of originals read by a reader as one file and a second scan function of treating image data of one original read by the reader as one file. When the operation part receives the operation to select the second scan function, the reader is moved toward a waiting position opposite to the reading end position with respect to the reading start position after completion of the reading process. In response to detection of opening of the cover before the reader reaches the waiting position, a determining process is not executed, while the determining process is executed when opening of the cover is not detected before the reader reaches the waiting position.

Abstract: A reading control apparatus is directed to improving convenience for a user when a reading device is caused to read a display surface of a terminal apparatus having the function of changing the size of an image to be displayed on a display device, and includes a reading unit configured to cause the reading device to read, as a reading target, the display surface, which is a surface including the display device of the terminal apparatus operating in either of a first state where an image in a first size is displayed on the display device, and a second state where the image in a second size smaller than the first size is displayed on the display device, thereby acquiring image data, and a notification unit configured to, in a case where the terminal apparatus placed on a document platen is not in the first state, execute a notification process.

Abstract: A scanning exposure device includes a stage that supports a substrate, wherein a space is provided between a stage surface and the substrate; a light source unit that radiates light to a light irradiation area that extends in one direction above the substrate; and a scanning device that moves one or both of the stage and the light source unit relatively in a scanning direction that intersects the one direction. The scanning device is provided with an acceleration zone from a position in which the stage and the light source unit are at a standstill to a position in which the substrate supported by the stage enters the light irradiation area. The stage comprises a light shielding member that covers the space between the stage surface and the substrate at an end part of the stage.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a light source that emits light in a main scanning direction to a subject to be read, a light receiving unit that receives light reflected by the subject to be read, and an optical system that images the light reflected by the subject to be read and guides the light to the light receiving unit. The optical system includes a reflector mirror that reflects the light reflected by the subject to be read, and an optical element that is disposed adjacent to the reflector mirror and images the light reflected by the subject to be read. The optical element is held by the reflector mirror.

Abstract: A image reading apparatus includes a first unit fixed to the image reading apparatus, a second unit movably provided between a first position facing the first unit and a second position facing the first unit, wherein the second position is at a longer distance from the first unit than the first position, a guide provided for guiding a document being conveyed between the first unit and the second unit, such that the second unit is moved by the document, an image capturing device provided on one of the first unit and the second unit for capturing an image of a document guided by the guide, a drive force generating device for generating first drive force for moving the second unit, and a control module for causing the drive force generating device to generate the first drive force when the document is not conveyed.