Abstract:
A clamping apparatus capable of fixing an object is disclosed. The clamping apparatus comprises: a carrier for holding the object; at least one flexible orientation arm with a raised rim positioned on the carrier for orientating the object; and a cover for pressing the raised rim and for clamping the object on the carrier.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to a clamping apparatus, and more particularly, to a clamping apparatus with at least one flexible orientation arm, and an image processing apparatus utilizing the same.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Prior Art  
         [0004]     As digital techniques develop, image data are increasingly saved in a digital format. For example, conventional images files such as photographs and documents can be scanned into digital image formats and then be saved, processed and modified in computers.  
         [0005]     Related art image processing apparatus require a clamp to fix the documents. Please refer to  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of a prior art clamping apparatus  100 . The clamping apparatus  100  is a photograph fixture, comprising a carrier  110 , a cover  120  and a pivot element  130 . The cover  120  can rotate relative to the carrier  100  through the pivot element  130 .  
         [0006]     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the black print paper  112  against the white surface of the carrier  110  is used as guidance for a user to orient a photograph. Thereafter, the cover  120  is rotated relative to the carrier  110  and then lies flat on the carrier  110  in order to fix the photograph. Finally, the clamping apparatus  100  is placed on an image transparent flat-top or installed into the backlight board of an image process system for performing a scanning process.  
         [0007]     In the clamping apparatus  100 , the glass within the cover  120  is fixed and larger than the height of a specific photograph. When the cover  120  lies flat on the carrier  110 , the photograph will be moved slightly due to the pressure produced by the contact between the cover  120  and the photograph. As a result, the photograph needs to be adjusted to the correct position.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     According to the present invention, a clamping apparatus capable of fixing an object is disclosed. The clamping apparatus comprises: a carrier for holding the object; at least one flexible orientation arm with a raised rim positioned on the carrier, for orientating the object; and a cover for pressing the raised rim and for clamping the object on the carrier.  
         [0009]     According to the present invention, an image processing device is disclosed. An image processing device comprises: a clamping apparatus comprising: a carrier for holding the object; at least one flexible orientation arm with a raised rim positioned on the carrier for orientating the object; and a cover for pressing the raised rim and for clamping the object on the carrier; and an image processing module, for performing a predetermined image process on the object.  
         [0010]     These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment that is illustrated in the various figures and drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]      FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of a prior art clamping apparatus  100 .  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of a clamping apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0013]      FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram of a photograph fixed in the clamping apparatus by the flexible orientation arm before the cover is pressed to the carrier.  
         [0014]      FIG. 4  is a top view of the cover pressed to the carrier.  
         [0015]      FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram of an image processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0016]     Please refer to  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of the clamping apparatus  200  according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the clamping apparatus  200  is used to fix a photograph. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the clamping apparatus  200  comprises a carrier  210 , a cover  220 , and a pivot element  230  through which the cover  220  can pivot upon the carrier  210  and buckle onto it.  
         [0017]     The carrier  210  is used to carry an object (for example a photograph). There is at least one flexible orientation arm on the carrier  210  to orientate the object. Please note that, in this embodiment,  FIG. 2  shows two flexible orientation arms installed on different corners of the carrier. The present invention is not limited to the number and position of the flexible orientation arms, however. The cover  220  comprises a piece of glass  222  which can compress the flexible arm  212  and then fix the object on the carrier  210  when the cover  220  is pressed to it.  
         [0018]     Please note that in  FIG. 2  the flexible orientation arm  212  and the carrier  210  are formed from one molding. In other words, the flexible orientation arms  212  are L-shaped and the two arms of the L are connected to the carrier  210 . The opposite sides of the L (i.e. the raised rim  214 ) are separated from the carrier  210  by gaps (such as gap  340 ). The raised rim  214  of the flexible orientation arm  212  is raised from the carrier  210 , so when the cover moves down the gap  340  will form between the carrier  210  and the flexible orientation arms  212 . The gap  340  then serves as a buffer of the flexible orientation arm  212 .  
         [0019]     Please refer to  FIG. 3 .  FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram of a photograph fixed in the clamping apparatus  200  by the flexible orientation arm  212  before the cover  220  is pressed to the carrier  210 . The photograph  430  is orientated to be aligned with one of the two perpendicular arms (the raised rim  214 ) of the L-shaped flexible orientation arms  212 . Because the flexible orientation arms  212  are relaxed before the cover  220  moves down, the raised rim  214  will be higher than the thickness of the photograph  430 .  
         [0020]     Please refer to  FIG. 4 .  FIG. 4  is a top view of the carrier  210  pressed to the cover  220 . Please note that, in order to make the description easily comprehendible, the cover  220  is not illustrated in  FIG. 5 . After the photograph  330  is fixed on the carrier  210  the cover  220  will move down to buckle onto the carrier  210 . Near completion of the moving-down process, the cover  220  will not touch the photograph  330  but will rather touch the flexible orientation arms  220  first. As a result, the horizontal loading produced by the cover  220  to the photograph  430  is minimal once the cover  220  moves down low enough to touch the photograph  430 . In other words, as the cover  220  goes down, the height of the flexible orientation arms  220  will be compressed to the extent of the photograph&#39;s height. With the flexible orientation arms  202  serving as a buffer, the photograph  430  will not slip as the cover  220  goes down.  
         [0021]     Please refer to  FIG. 5 .  FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram of the image processing device  500  according to an embodiment of the present invention. The image processing device  500  uses the above clamping apparatus  200  to fix the object requiring processing (e.g. a photograph). As shown in  FIG. 6 , the image processing device  500  comprises a housing  510 , itself comprising: an opening  520 , for insertion of the clamping apparatus  200 ; and an image processing module  530 , for processing the image fixed in the clamping apparatus  200 . Please note that the design of the opening is not limited to the present embodiment. Any design compatible with the clamping apparatus for image processing falls within the scope of the present invention.  
         [0022]     In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 5 , the image processing module  530  is higher than the clamping apparatus  200 , which is inserted to the image processing device  500  through the opening  520  so that the image processing module  530  can process the photograph fixed in the clamping apparatus  200 . For example, the image processing module  530  can be a scanning module for scanning the object (e.g. a photograph) fixed in the clamping apparatus  200 . However, in another embodiment of the image processing device, the image processing module  530  can have other functions. In addition, the image processing module can be installed into other positions as required. For example, the image processing module  530  can be a printing module for printing the object fixed in the clamping apparatus  200 .  
         [0023]     Please note that the present example is just one embodiment of the present invention and is used here merely for the purpose of description. The present invention is not limited to those embodiments shown in the figures. According to the essence of the present invention and practical requirements, the invented clamping apparatus can fix any other size of object (e.g. a photograph or document), and more than one flexible orientation arm can be utilized as required. Furthermore, the present invention clamping apparatus can be adapted to any image processing devices that require fixtures for objects needing processing.  
         [0024]     Compared to the related art, the present invention has a simpler structure; the flexible orientation arms and the carrier are formed from only one molding so that the original cost of black print paper for placing against the white surface of the carrier can be saved. The flexible orientation arms are not only easy to use but also provide clear guidance for orientating the objects.  
         [0025]     Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device and method may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims.