Abstract: A lighting device includes a light source that illuminates an object of illumination, a reflecting member provided opposite the light source so as to direct a first part of illuminating light emitted therefrom to the object of illumination, and a light-blocking member provided between the light source and the object of illumination and between the reflecting member and the object of illumination. The light-blocking member blocks the first directed part of the illuminating light and a second part of the illuminating light directly illuminating the object of illumination with a certain ratio of a light-blocking rate for the first directed part of the illuminating light to a light-blocking rate for the second directly illuminating part of the illuminating light.

Abstract: An ADF (Automatic Document Feeder) for an image processing apparatus of the present invention includes a separating and feeding device for feeding one document from a stack of documents while separating the document from the others. A conveying device temporarily stops the document fed by the separating and feeding device at a position preceding a reading position and again conveys, on the elapse of a preselected period of time, the document toward the reading position. A controller controllably drives the separating and feeding device and conveying device. The controller drives the conveying device by controlling the time interval between the restart of conveyance of the preceding document and the restart of conveyance of the following document.

Abstract: An image-reading device is provided. The image-reading device comprises a photoelectric converting element reading a first image from a subject copy, a reference-white member functioning as a reference white used in a white-shading correction, reading means for reading a second image from a constant range on a surface of the reference-white member by using the photoelectric converting element, averaging means for dividing image data of the second image into a plurality of blocks in a sub-scanning direction so that each of the blocks includes a plurality of lines and obtaining average values of image data of the lines in the blocks respectively, peak-value determining means for obtaining a peak value of the average values, and white-shading correcting means for performing the white-shading correction to image data of the first image by using the peak value as white-shading data.

Abstract: A lighting device includes a light source that illuminates an object of illumination, a reflecting member provided opposite the light source so as to direct a first part of illuminating light emitted therefrom to the object of illumination, and a light-blocking member provided between the light source and the object of illumination and between the reflecting member and the object of illumination. The light-blocking member blocks the first directed part of the illuminating light and a second part of the illuminating light directly illuminating the object of illumination with a certain ratio of a light-blocking rate for the first directed part of the illuminating light to a light-blocking rate for the second directly illuminating part of the illuminating light.

Abstract: An ADF (Automatic Document Feeder) for an image processing apparatus of the present invention includes a separating and feeding device for feeding one document from a stack of documents while separating the document from the others. A conveying device temporarily stops the document fed by the separating and feeding device at a position preceding a reading position and again conveys, on the elapse of a preselected period of time, the document toward the reading position. A controller controllably drives the separating and feeding device and conveying device. The controller drives the conveying device by controlling the time interval between the restart of conveyance of the preceding document and the restart of conveyance of the following document.

Abstract: An image-reading device is provided. The image-reading device comprises a photoelectric converting element reading a first image from a subject copy, a reference-white member functioning as a reference white used in a white-shading correction, reading means for reading a second image from a constant range on a surface of the reference-white member by using the photoelectric converting element, averaging means for dividing image data of the second image into a plurality of blocks in a sub-scanning direction so that each of the blocks includes a plurality of lines and obtaining average values of image data of the lines in the blocks respectively, peak-value determining means for obtaining a peak value of the average values, and white-shading correcting means for performing the white-shading correction to image data of the first image by using the peak value as white-shading data.

Abstract: A document feeder including an operation panel configured to receive a feed start signal and a mode of operation designation from an operator; a stacking device configured to hold a stack of documents; a sensor configured to sense the stack of documents set on the stacking device; a motor configured to raise a leading edge portion of the stack of documents to a preselected position; and a controller configured to start the motor at a time dependent on the mode of operation designated by the operator.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having a device capable of identifying an image orientation to allow adequate processing to be executed and a device capable of binding sheets by determining a binding position. When an image orientation cannot be identified on the basis of a predetermined reference object, it is identified on the basis of another object. When the image orientation of a reference image and the image orientations of the other images are not coincident, an adequate procedure is executed to avoid an undesirable result. An orientation of a document image matching a predetermined adequate binding position is surely and accurately determined.