Abstract: An image sensor module includes a lens member, a resin frame that holds the lens member, a diaphragm formed on the lens member, an image sensor chip that receives light converged by the lens member, and a supporting board upon which the image sensor chip is mounted. The board is fixed to the bottom side of the resin frame. The diaphragm includes an opening for allowing the passage of light, and a light-shielding portion which is entirely held in contact with the lens member. The lens member is glued to the frame so that any additional fixing element such as a lens cap is unnecessary.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus is provided for reading out images printed on a document. The apparatus includes a casing elongated in the primary scanning direction and a transparent cover supported by the casing. In image-reading operation, the cover is held in sliding contact with a document at an image reading line. The apparatus further includes an insulating substrate attached to the casing, light sources for illuminating the image reading line, light sensors for receiving reflected light coming from the image reading line and a luminosity adjuster supported by the casing for equalizing luminosity along the image reading line.

Abstract: An image sensor chip for use in configuring a contact-type image sensor, wherein the fabrication of a substrate on which this chip is mounted can be markedly simplified, and the pickup of noise by the analog output can be reduced. The chip is fabricated by integrating a prescribed number of photoelectric conversion elements (28) as photoreceptors, analog switches (29) connected in series to the corresponding photoelectric conversion elements (28), a switch circuit (30) for sequentially switching on the analog switches (29) in accordance with clock signals, output loads (31, 40) jointly connected in series to sets composed of the photoelectric conversion elements (28) and their respective analog switches (29), an amplification circuit (32) for amplifying the potential of the output load components on the side of the photoelectric conversion elements, and, preferably, a gain-adjusting resistor R for this operational amplifier (32).

Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a light source, an elongate light guide member for guiding light emitted from the light source toward an image read line, and a plurality of light receiving elements for receiving light reflected at the image read line. The light guide member includes a first portion, a second portion, and a connecting portion for connecting the first portion and the second portion. The first portion includes a light incidence surface facing the light source for entry of light emitted from the light source, and the light incidence surface is convexly curved widthwise of the light guide member. The second portion includes a light exit surface oriented toward the image read line for emitting light toward the image read line. The connecting portion is narrower than the first portion and the second portion.

Abstract: An image read/write head (A) includes: a substrate (4) having a first widthwise side portion (4c), a second widthwise side portion (4d), and an upper surface carrying a row of light-receiving elements (2) longitudinally of the substrate; an elongate case (1) mounted to the upper surface of the substrate (4) to enclose the light-receiving elements (2); a transparent cover (19) mounted to an upper surface of the case (1) for contact with a document to be fed; a light source (3) disposed in the case for illuminating the document; a lens (5) disposed in the case for causing an image of the document (D) illuminated by the light source (3) to be formed on the light-receiving elements (2); and a row of printing elements (8) carried by the an upper surface of the substrate at an excess portion which is provided by extending the first side portion (4c) beyond a lower edge of the case (1) by a predetermined amount.

Abstract: A lens array is provided with a plurality of lenses and a holder formed integral with the lenses. Each of the lenses includes a non-flat first lens surface and a flat second lens surface. The holder includes a first surface adjacent to the first lens surface and a second surface adjacent to the second lens surface. The second surface is formed with a plurality of recesses in each of which a light shielding layer is provided.

Abstract: A thermal printer includes a thermal printhead, a transfer assembly, and a controller. The thermal printhead has an array of heating regions arranged in a primary scanning direction, and a driver for selectively heating the heating regions. The transfer assembly feeds a recording paper in facing relationship to the array of heating regions in a secondary scanning direction perpendicular to the primary scanning direction. The controller is combined with the driver for causing each of the heating regions to selectively form, on the recording paper, differently sized print dots which include an off-dot, a maximum-size dot, and at least one intermediate-size dot.

Abstract: A method of making a lens array includes a first step of forming a resin-molded piece, a second step of applying a coating to the resin-molded piece, a third step of melting the applied coating and a fourth step of solidifying the melted coating. The resin-molded piece formed in the first step includes a plurality of lenses each having a convex lens surface, and a holder portion for holding the plurality of lenses. In the second step, the coating is applied to the holder portion so as to surround each lens surface.

Abstract: An inkjet printer comprises an inkjet printing head. The printing head has a reduced width in a main scanning direction, is compact, and assures improved printing quality. In the printing head, a head base plate has ink channels and nozzle rows. The ink channels and nozzles are in communication with pressure chambers. The nozzle rows are arranged in an inclined manner along a sub-scanning direction, and are arranged with spaces wider than a printing width in the sub-scanning direction. Different colors of ink are supplied to the ink channels so as to print images in colors such as yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C) or black (BK).

Abstract: An image reading apparatus is provided which includes a cold-cathode tube as a light source for illuminating a document sheet, an inverter for providing the light source with driving power. A connection cable is used for electrically connecting the light source to the inverter. The image reading apparatus also includes three kinds of rows of light receiving elements arranged in the primary scanning direction for detecting the light reflected on the document sheet. A lens array is provided for focusing the reflected light at the respective rows of light receiving elements. The light receiving elements are mounted on a printed circuit board. The light source, the inverter, the lens array and the printed circuit board are supported by a single case of the image reading apparatus.

Abstract: A lens array includes a plurality of lenses, a holder portion for fixing the lenses, and an acrylic transparent layer for covering the lens surfaces of the respective lenses. The holder portion and the lenses are made of the same transparent resin to be formed as a one-piece element. The lens array also includes a dark-colored light shielding layer for preventing the unwanted passage of light. The transparent layer is formed on the light shielding layer for preventing the latter from peeling off.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus is provided which includes a cold-cathode tube as a light source for illuminating a document sheet, an inverter for providing the light source with driving power. A connection cable is used for electrically connecting the light source to the inverter. The image reading apparatus also includes three kinds of rows of light receiving elements arranged in the primary scanning direction for detecting the light reflected on the document sheet. A lens array is provided for focusing the reflected light at the respective rows of light receiving elements. The light receiving elements are mounted on a printed circuit board. The light source, the inverter, the lens array and the printed circuit board are supported by a single case of the image reading apparatus.

Abstract: An image sensor unit for reading documents includes a casing elongated in the primary scanning direction, a light source, at least a pair of mirrors held in facing relation for alternately reflecting light, a lens unit for focusing light reflected on the document, and a sensor for receiving the light focused by the lens unit. For reducing the vertical dimension of the image sensor unit, the paired mirrors are spaced from each other in the secondary scanning direction within the casing.

Abstract: An inkjet printing head which is capable of being assembled efficiently and easily. In the inkjet printing head, a main frame has a hollow portion for receiving a flexible cable therein, and a sub-frame has a rimmed window for receiving a flexible member. The main frame and sub-frame are combined such that the flexible cable and flexible member are sandwiched therebetween. The hollow portion of the main frame, the flexible cable and the rimmed window of the sub-frame have the same shape so that these members can be reliably positioned with respect to one another. Electrodes on the flexible cable are pressed, with a uniform pressure, to piezoelectric elements of a head assembly attached to the main frame.

Abstract: A lens array unit includes first and second lens arrays cooperative with each other. The first lens array is provided with a plurality of first convex lenses and a first transparent holder formed integral with the first lenses. Each of the first lenses has first and second lens surfaces. The second lens array is provided with a plurality of second convex lenses and a second transparent holder formed integral with the second lenses Each of the second lenses has third and fourth lens surfaces. The second lens array is attached to the first lens array so that the third lens surfaces face the second lens surfaces. The lens array unit further includes a light shield mounted on the first lens array. The light shield is formed with a plurality of through-holes each facing the relevant one of the first lens surfaces.

Abstract: A lens array is provided with a plurality of lenses and a holder formed integral with the lenses. Each of the lenses includes a non-flat first lens surface and a flat second lens surface. The holder includes a first surface adjacent to the first lens surface and a second surface adjacent to the second lens surface. The second surface is formed with a plurality of recesses in each of which a light shielding layer is provided.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an image read/write head providing an image read line and including an image sensor for reading a document at the image read line, the image read/write head further including a substrate carrying a row of heating elements, a document transfer mechanism for transferring the document across the image read line, a recording paper transfer mechanism for transferring a recording paper across the row of heating elements, and an ink ribbon transfer mechanism for transferring an ink ribbon from a first winding core to a second winding core across the row of heating elements. The ink ribbon is sandwiched between the heating elements and the recording paper in passing across the row of heating elements. The first winding core is arranged on one side of the image read/write head thicknesswise of the substrate, the second winding core being arranged on an opposite side of the image read/write head thicknesswise of the substrate.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a light source, an elongate light guide member for guiding light emitted from the light source toward an image read line, and a plurality of light receiving elements for receiving light reflected at the image read line. The light guide member includes a first portion, a second portion, and a connecting portion for connecting the first portion and the second portion. The first portion includes a light incidence surface facing the light source for entry of light emitted from the light source, and the light incidence surface is convexly curved widthwise of the light guide member. The second portion includes a light exit surface oriented toward the image read line for emitting light toward the image read line. The connecting portion is narrower than the first portion and the second portion.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus is provided which includes light source for irradiating a document sheet with light, an elongated light-leading member through which light emitted from the light source propagates. The light-leading member is provided with a head surface, a bottom surface, a first side surface and a second side surface. The image reading apparatus further includes a row of image sensor chips for detecting light reflected on the document sheet, and an insulating circuit board for carrying the image sensor chips. The light source is also mounted on the circuit board. The cross section of the light-leading member is pentagonal, parabolic, or elliptic.

Abstract: An image reading/writing head (1) includes an integrated circuit for reading (10) provided with a plurality of light receiving elements for reading an image on a document (D) by receiving, via optical lenses (12), light reflected by the document placed on an image reading surface provided in a surface of a casing (2); a plurality of heating elements (9) disposed in a surface different from the reading surface in the casing (2) for forming an image on recording paper by heat; and an integrated circuit for writing (11) for controlling these heating elements (9). The integrated circuit for reading (10), the heating elements (9) and the integrated circuit for writing (11) are provided in a main surface of a substrate (7) held by the casing (2), and light reflecting member (13) is provided for making the light after passing the optical lenses (12) enter the light receiving elements.