Abstract: To provide an image reading apparatus for enabling an optical carriage movably supported in a rail member to be locked reliably in a predetermined position of an apparatus frame without causing failure by shock in transport, one of the apparatus frame and optical carriage is provided with a lock member traveling between a release position and a lock position, and a biasing member for biasing the lock member in a predetermined direction, and the other one is provided with an engagement receiving portion being fitted with an engagement portion formed in the lock member. Then, the engagement portion and the engagement receiving portion are configured to inhibit movements in the scanning direction of the optical carriage in the lock position, and the biasing force of the biasing member is concurrently configured to act on the carriage in the direction orthogonal to the scanning direction so as to increase friction between the carriage and a traveling rail.

Abstract: Provided is an image scanning unit which makes it possible to improve scanning accuracy while also making the overall body thinner by appropriately positioning a plurality of reflection members within an effective space in a carriage frame without wasting space.

Abstract: To provide an illumination device in which there is no variation in light intensity distribution of the illumination device, and in which illumination spots, particularly light intensity spots, are not prone to occur in a read image in an image reading device, by maintaining a constant gap between a light source and an end face of a light guide. The illumination device includes: a light guide having an end face for taking in light, a diffuse reflecting surface for diffusely reflecting the light taken in from the end face, and a light exit surface for emitting the light that is diffusely reflected at the diffuse reflecting surface towards an irradiation surface. The illumination device further include a reflector having a diffuse reflecting surface that reflects light from the light source toward the one end face of the light guide.

Abstract: In the present invention, to provide an image reading apparatus capable to read images of document images having different gloss levels with a reproducibility suitable for uses, a data processing means is provided to irradiate a document image with light from a regular reflection light source and a diffuse reflection light source, and to generate image data based on a regular reflection output value and a diffuse reflection output value obtained from a photoelectric converting means, this data processing means obtaining gloss pixel data by comparing, based on the regular reflection correction value for shading correction of a regular reflection output value, a diffuse correction output value for shading correction of the diffuse reflection output value, and a determining threshold for determining whether or not the regular reflection output value is a gloss pixel, the corrected output value corrected by the regular reflection correction value with the determining threshold, and obtaining a non-gloss pixel dat

Abstract: An apparatus is provided capable of guiding regular reflected light from a reading surface to a reflecting mirror when light is irradiated from two directions from light sources to the reading surface, and is suitable to read a gloss image. The light sources for irradiating light to the reading surface from the two directions of different angles are configured of a first light emitter and a second light emitter, a mirror reflecting surface for specularly reflecting light and a translucent surface for passing light therethrough being formed on the surface of a reflecting member for deflecting light from the reading surface to a predetermined reading light path direction, the first light emitter being arranged between the platen and the platen side surface of the reflecting member, the second light emitter being arranged at the back surface of the reflecting member so as to irradiate light on the reading surface through the translucent surface.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus has a platen, first and second carriages, a light source supported on the first carriage, a first mirror to deflect reflected light from the original document toward the second carriage, one or more second mirrors supported on the second carriage to guide the light from the first mirror to image reading device, and rail members. The first carriage has first and second mirror support portions for supporting one side edge portion of the first mirror by two points, and a third mirror support portion for supporting the other side edge portion by one point. The first carriage is supported slidably at its opposite side edge portions respectively on the rail members via slide members disposed at four right and left places including two front and back places, and a height position is adjustable for supporting the first mirror by one point.

Abstract: To provide an image reading apparatus for enabling an optical carriage movably supported in a rail member to be locked reliably in a predetermined position of an apparatus frame without causing failure by shock in transport, one of the apparatus frame and optical carriage is provided with a lock member traveling between a release position and a lock position, and a biasing member for biasing the lock member in a predetermined direction, and the other one is provided with an engagement receiving portion being fitted with an engagement portion formed in the lock member. Then, the engagement portion and the engagement receiving portion are configured to inhibit movements in the scanning direction of the optical carriage in the lock position, and the biasing force of the biasing member is concurrently configured to act on the carriage in the direction orthogonal to the scanning direction so as to increase friction between the carriage and a traveling rail.

Abstract: It is an object to provide an image reading apparatus for facilitating an optical adjustment of a mirror in supporting a carriage installed with the mirror on right and left rail faces to enable the carriage to move along a platen. In an apparatus configuration where first and second carriages 3, 4 moving along an original document image on a platen at predetermined velocities guide reflected light from the original document to an image reading means 11, the first carriage 3 supports one side edge portion of a mirror with first and second mirror support portions 32a, 32b and the other side edge portion with a third mirror support portion 32c, and thus supports the mirror by three points. Then, opposite side edge portions of the first carriage are supported slidably on right and left paired rail members 5a, 5b via slide members 33a to 33d disposed at four right and left places including two front and back places.

Abstract: An optical reading apparatus and a multifunction-type image forming apparatus, with a minimized thickness in a cabinet height direction and a housing shaped along an upper shape of discharge tray of the image forming apparatus provided thereunder. The optical reading apparatus comprises: platen glass defined with one end and the other end, on an upper surface of which an original document is placed; an optical reading unit that translates between the both ends on a lower surface of the platen glass, for obtaining image data by irradiating an original document surface with light through the platen glass; a control circuit board connected to the optical reading unit, for processing an electric signal; and a housing wherein a side on the side of the other end is thicker than a side on the side of the one end.