US 12,149,662 B2
Scanning device comprising a sensor assembly including photoelectric conversion elements in a row that detect a rectangular hole to determine a scanning start position
Kentaro Aoyama, Nagoya (JP); Kunihiro Amano, Kitanagoya (JP); Seiya Sato, Yokkaichi (JP); Kazushi Shumiya, Konan (JP); and Jie Zheng, Nagoya (JP)
Assigned to BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Nagoya (JP)
Filed by BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Nagoya (JP)
Filed on Sep. 30, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/936,896.
Application 17/936,896 is a continuation of application No. PCT/JP2021/012213, filed on Mar. 24, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 2020-064832 (JP), filed on Mar. 31, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0027157 A1, Jan. 26, 2023
Int. Cl. H04N 1/028 (2006.01); H04N 1/00 (2006.01); H04N 1/031 (2006.01)
CPC H04N 1/00748 (2013.01) [H04N 1/0079 (2013.01); H04N 1/0281 (2013.01); H04N 1/0313 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A scanning device, comprising:
a casing;
an original document table having a peripheral part being held by the casing, the original document table including an original document placement surface on which an original document is to be placed;
a sensor assembly movable in a sub-scanning direction to scan the original document placed on the original document table, the sensor assembly including a light source and a photoelectric converter which faces the original document table from an opposite side of the original document placement surface, the photoelectric converter including a plurality of sensor chips, each of the plurality of sensor chips including a photoelectric conversion element row in which a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements are arranged in a main scanning direction, a seam being provided between a position corresponding to a photoelectric conversion element row of a first sensor chip and a position corresponding to another photoelectric conversion element row of a second sensor chip, the first sensor chip being closest to the light source, and the second sensor chip being adjacent to the first sensor chip in the main scanning direction
where the casing has a facing area facing the peripheral part of the original document table from a side of the original document placement surface,
wherein a rectangular hole is formed on the facing area, the rectangular hole having edges extending along the main scanning direction and edges extending along the sub-scanning direction, the rectangular hole forming a shadow by light from the light source,
wherein at least one of the edges extending along the sub-scanning direction located at a position corresponding to a central area of the photoelectric conversion element row with excluding each end thereof,
wherein the sensor assembly including a light guide elongated in the main scanning direction, the light guide being configured to guide light from the light source in the main scanning direction;
wherein the light source is located at one side of the light guide in the main scanning direction; and
wherein the rectangular hole is formed at a position corresponding to the photoelectric conversion element row of the first sensor chip closest to the light source.