Abstract:
A guiding apparatus for a scanner may comprise a V-shaped supporting surface capable of supporting a body on a shaft, wherein the body comprises optical components. The guiding apparatus may also comprise an elastic member coupled to the body and capable of contacting the shaft and an adjusting member capable of adjusting the position of the elastic member.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates in general to a linear guiding apparatus. More particularly, the invention relates to a linear guiding apparatus which may be utilized in scanners of different sizes and be suited to shafts of different diameters. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     As image input, process and finishing have evoked public interest, the optical scanner is now the basic equipment for many computer users. The optical scanner is used to scan the text or graphic information of a document, a magazine, a book or a picture. The scanned information is converted to a digital file and then input to the computer for further process. Of the various kinds of scanners, the flatbed scanner is very common. The scan module of the flatbed scanner is installed under a transparent platform to scan the document disposed on the transparent platform by iterative movement. The document is scanned to a digital image file for displaying, recognition, editing, saving or outputting. 
     The scan module includes a light source, lens, mirrors, CCD sensor and a chassis housing containing thereof. Because the CCD sensor is designed of a line type in one direction, the scan module interactively moves through the document in another direction during the scanning process. Therefore, the driving mechanism of a flatbed scanner is utilized, to move the scan module through a linear guiding apparatus. Then, the image is scanned to the CCD sensor line by line. 
       FIG. 1A  illustrates the front view of the linear guiding apparatus of a flatbed scanner.  FIG. 1B  illustrates the sectional view corresponding to the cross section line  1 B— 1 B of  FIG. 1A . Referring to  FIG. 1A  and  FIG. 1B , the conventional linear guiding apparatus includes a sleeve  104  and a shaft  102  (the figures only shows a portion of the linear guiding apparatus). The sleeve  104  is located in the main body  106  of the linear guiding apparatus  100 . The main body  106  can be formed integrally with the chassis housing  108  in a single body. The chassis housing  108  contains optical components and is located in the housing of the flatbed scanner. The sleeve  104  receives the shaft  102 . Therefore, when the driving mechanism drives the chassis housing  108 , the linear guiding apparatus  100  makes the chassis housing  108  move along the axis of the shaft  102 . 
     The shaft  102  and the sleeve  104  of the linear guiding apparatus  100  must join tightly to ensure the moving direction of the chassis housing  108  straightly. Thus, the inner diameter of the sleeve  104  is designed to match the outer diameter of the shaft  102 . However, the outer diameter of the shaft  102  for different style of the scanner is varied, the storage of various sleeves is necessary. Thus, the cost of the linear guiding apparatus is increased. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     Accordingly, the present invention provides a linear guiding apparatus, which has a shaft holding apparatus being able to hold any shaft. Therefore, the linear guiding apparatus is adapted to various style of the scanner. 
     The present invention also provides a linear guiding apparatus which the manufacturing cost of the sleeve is decreased. 
     In order to achieve the objects set forth above, the present invention provides a linear guiding apparatus which at least has a shaft and a shaft holding apparatus. The shaft holding apparatus is adapted to slide along the shaft. The shaft holding apparatus includes a body, an elastic member and an adjusting member. The body has a V-shaped supporting surface, wherein the V-shaped supporting surface is along the axis direction of the shaft and supports on outer edge of the shaft. The elastic member is mounted on the body, wherein the elastic member is contacted the outer edge of the shaft, and the shaft is clipped between the elastic member and the V-shaped supporting surface. The adjusting member is mounted on the body and contacted the elastic member, wherein the adjusting member is utilized to adjust the position of the elastic member. Therefore, the shafts having different diameter may be clipped between the elastic member and the V-shaped supporting surface. 
     The present invention provides another linear guiding apparatus which at least has a shaft and a shaft holding apparatus. The shaft holding apparatus is adapted to slide along the shaft. The shaft holding apparatus includes a body, an elastic member and an adjusting member. The body has a V-shaped supporting surface, and the V-shaped supporting surface supports on outer edge of the shaft corresponding the axis direction of the shaft. The adjusting member is mounted on the body, and the elastic member is mounted on the adjusting member. The adjusting member is adapted to adjust the position of the elastic member. Then, the elastic member is contacted the outer edge of the shaft and clips the shaft with the V-shaped supporting surface. The elastic member and the V-shaped supporting surface are utilized to hold a shaft of any diameter. 
     Both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1A  is a front view of a conventional linear guiding apparatus for a flatbed scanner; 
         FIG. 1B  is a sectional view corresponding to the cross section line  1 B— 1 B of  FIG. 1A ; 
         FIG. 2A  is a front view of a linear guiding apparatus for a first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2B  is a sectional view corresponding to the cross section line  2 B— 2 B of  FIG. 2A ; 
         FIG. 2C  is a front view of a linear guiding apparatus for a first embodiment of the present invention, wherein the linear guiding apparatus receives a shaft of a different diameter from that of the shaft of  FIGS. 2A ,  2 B; 
         FIG. 2D  is a sectional view corresponding to the cross section line  2 D— 2 D of  FIG. 2A ; 
         FIG. 3A  is a front view of a linear guiding apparatus for a second embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3B  is a sectional view corresponding to the cross section line  3 B— 3 B of  FIG. 3A ; 
         FIG. 4A  is a front view of a linear guiding apparatus for a third embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4B  is a sectional view corresponding to the cross section line  4 B— 4 B of  FIG. 4A ; 
         FIG. 5A  is a front view of a linear guiding apparatus for a fourth embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5B  is a sectional view corresponding to the cross section line  5 B— 5 B of  FIG. 5A ; 
         FIG. 6A  is a front view of a linear guiding apparatus for a fifth embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6B  is a sectional view corresponding to the cross section line  6 B— 6 B of  FIG. 6A . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 2A  illustrates a front view of a linear guiding apparatus  200  for a first embodiment according to the present invention.  FIG. 2B  is a sectional view corresponding to the cross section line  2 B— 2 B of  FIG. 2A . The linear guiding apparatus  200  according this invention at least includes a shaft  202  and a shaft holding apparatus  204 . 
     The shaft  202  is mounted in the housing of the scanner according to the moving direction of the chassis housing  220 . That is, the axis of the shaft  202  is paralleled to the moving direction of the chassis housing  220 . 
     The shaft holding apparatus  204  is mounted on the chassis housing  220 , and is adapted to slide along the shaft  202 . The shaft holding apparatus  204  includes a body  206 , an elastic member  210  and an adjusting member  212 . 
     The body  206  of the shaft holding apparatus  204  is mounted on the chassis housing  220 , wherein the body  206  can be formed integrally with the chassis housing  220  in a single body. The body  206  has a V-shaped supporting surface  208  inside. The V-shaped supporting surface  208  is located in the body  206  corresponding to the axis of the shaft  202 . The V-shaped supporting surface  208  has a first supporting surface  208   a  and a corresponding second supporting surface  208   b . The first supporting surface  208   a  and the second supporting surface  208   b  support the outer edge of the shaft  202 . 
     In this embodiment, the V-shape supporting surface  208  is formed on the inner surface of the through hole  214 , wherein the through hole  214  is formed through the body  206  corresponding to the axis of the shaft  202 . The V-shape supporting surface  208  (the first supporting surface  208   a  and the second supporting surface  208   b ) constructs a portion of the inner surface of the through hole  214 . When the shaft  202  is inserted into the through hole  214  of the body  202 , the first supporting surface  208   a  and the second supporting surface  208   b  support the shaft  202 . In addition, the diameter of the through hole  214  is preferably enough large to receive a shaft of a larger diameter. 
     The elastic member  210  is mounted on the body  206 , wherein the elastic member  210  is elastically contacted the outer edge of the shaft  202 , and the shaft  212  is clipped between the elastic member  210  and the V-shape supporting surface  208 . In this embodiment, the elastic member  210  consists of, for example, two leaf springs. The two leaf springs is fixed on the side-walls  206   a ,  206   b  of the body  206  respectively, wherein one ends of the two leaf springs are fixed on the side-wall  206   a ,  206   b , the other ends are bent outwardly to contact the outer edge of the shaft  202 . Therefore, the shaft  202  is firmly clipped in the shaft holding apparatus  204  by the first supporting surface  208   a , the second supporting surface  208   b  and the leaf springs (the elastic member  210 ). Moreover, the material of the leaf springs is preferably of low friction coefficient. The friction between the shaft  202  and the leaf springs is respectively low, so the shaft  202  can slide smoothly in the shaft holding apparatus  204 . 
     The adjusting member  212  is mounted on the body  206  and contacted the elastic member  210  to adjust the position of the elastic member  210 . The position adjustment for the elastic member  210  corresponding to a shaft of a determined diameter provides a proper clipping force to the shaft. In this embodiment, the adjusting member is, for example, a screw. The screws fix the leaf springs on the side-walls  206   a ,  206   b  through the openings of the leaf springs (not shown) respectively. 
     When the adjusting member  212  is screwed into the side-walls  206   a ,  206   b , the elastic member  210  (the leaf springs) is pushed to be close to the V-shape supporting surface  208 . Then, the space between the V-shape supporting surface  208  and the elastic member  210  is getting smaller to receive a shaft of a smaller diameter. Oppositely, when the adjusting member  212  is unscrewed from the side-walls  206   a ,  206   b , the elastic member  210  is distant from the V-shape supporting surface  208  by its own recovering force. Then, the space between the V-shape supporting surface  208  and the elastic member  210  is getting larger to receive a shaft of a longer diameter. 
       FIG. 2C  is a front view of a linear guiding apparatus  200  for a first embodiment of the present invention, wherein the linear guiding apparatus  200  receives a shaft of a different diameter from that of the shaft of  FIGS. 2A ,  2 B.  FIG. 2D  is a sectional view corresponding to the cross section line  2 D— 2 D of  FIG. 2A . As shown in  FIG. 2C , the diameter of the shaft  216  is longer than that of the shaft  202 . Thus, when the linear guiding apparatus  200  is changed to receive the shaft  216 , the adjusting member  212  is unscrewed form the body  206  to make the elastic member  210  distant from the V-shape supporting surface  208 . Then, the space between the V-shape supporting surface  208  and the elastic member  210  is getting larger. The shaft  216  of a longer diameter is clipped between the V-shape supporting surface  208  and the elastic member  210  by adjusting the adjusting member properly. 
     Excepting the first embodiment mentioned above, there are several modified embodiments for the linear guiding apparatus of the present invention.  FIG. 3A  is a front view of a linear guiding apparatus for a second embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 3B  is a sectional view corresponding to the cross section line  3 B— 3 B of  FIG. 3A . In  FIGS. 3A ,  3 B, the components which are the same as those in  FIGS. 2A ,  2 B will use the same symbols and the description about those is omitted. 
     In this embodiment, the elastic member  310  (for example, two leaf springs) is fixed on the two side-walls  206   a ,  206   b  of the body  206  on one ends, and is bent inward to the through hole  214  on the other ends respectively. One surface of the two leaf spring is contacted the outer edge of the shaft  202 . Moreover, the material of the leaf springs is preferably of low friction coefficient. The friction between the shaft  202  and the leaf springs is respectively low, so the shaft  202  can slide smoothly in the shaft holding apparatus  204 . 
     The adjusting member  312  is composed of, for example, two screws. The screws are fixed on the bottom surface  206   c  of the body  206 , and the tips of the screws are inserted to the through hole  214  and contacted the leaf springs respectively. 
     When the adjusting member  312  is screwed into the bottom surface  206   c , the elastic member  310  (the leaf springs) is pushed to be close to the V-shape supporting surface  208 . Then, the space between the V-shape supporting surface  208  and the elastic member  310  is getting smaller to receive a shaft of a smaller diameter. 
     Oppositely, when the adjusting member  312  is unscrewed from the bottom surface  206   c , the elastic member  310  is distant from the V-shape supporting surface  208  by its own recovering force. Then, the space between the V-shape supporting surface  208  and the elastic member  310  is getting larger to receive a shaft of a longer diameter. 
       FIG. 4A  is a front view of a linear guiding apparatus for a third embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 4B  is a sectional view corresponding to the cross section line  4 B— 4 B of  FIG. 4A . In  FIGS. 4A ,  4 B, the components which are the same as those in  FIGS. 2A ,  2 B will use the same symbols and the description about those components is omitted. 
     In this embodiment, the adjusting member  412  is composed of, for example, two screws. The screws are fixed on the bottom surface  206   c  of the body  206 , and the tip of each of the screws has a blind hole (not shown) respectively. The elastic member  410  is composed of, for example, a washer  414  and a spring  416 . The one side of the washer  414  has a leader, which is inserted into the blind hole of the adjusting member  412  through the spring  416 . Thus, the other side of the washer  414  is contacted the outer edge of the shaft  202  elastically. Moreover, the material of the washer  414  is preferably of low friction coefficient. The friction between the shaft  202  and the washer  414  is respectively low, so the shaft  202  can slide smoothly in the shaft holding apparatus  204 . 
     When the adjusting member  412  is screwed into the bottom surface  206   c , the elastic member  410  (the washer  414  and the spring  416 ) is pushed to be close to the V-shape supporting surface  208 . Then, the space between the V-shape supporting surface  208  and the elastic member  410  is getting smaller to receive a shaft of a smaller diameter. Oppositely, when the adjusting member  412  is unscrewed from the bottom surface  206   c , the elastic member  410  is distant from the V-shape supporting surface  208 . Then, the space between the V-shape supporting surface  208  and the elastic member  410  is getting larger to receive a shaft of a longer diameter. 
       FIG. 5A  is a front view of a linear guiding apparatus for a fourth embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 5B  is a sectional view corresponding to the cross section line  5 B— 5 B of  FIG. 5A . In  FIGS. 5A ,  5 B, the components which are the same as those in  FIGS. 2A ,  2 B will use the same symbols and the description about those components is omitted. 
     In this embodiment, the bottom surface  206   c  of the body  206  has an opening  520 , wherein a lead screw  514  is mounted on the side-walls of the opening  520  and the lead screw  514  is paralleled the shaft  202 . For this embodiment, the elastic member  510  is composed of, for example, a V-shape leaf spring which has two wings thereof. The two wings of the V-shape leaf spring have two holes respectively to be received the lead screw  514 . The ends of the two wings are bent to be contacted the outer edge of the shaft  202 . Moreover, the material of the V-shape leaf spring is preferably of low friction coefficient. The friction between the shaft  202  and the V-shape leaf spring is respectively low, so the shaft  202  can slide smoothly in the shaft holding apparatus  204 . 
     The adjusting member  512  is composed of, for example, two nuts. The two nuts is mounted on the lead screw  514  and is located beside the V-shape leaf spring. 
     When the two nuts are screwed closely, the elastic member  510  (the V-shape leaf spring) is pushed to be close to the V-shape supporting surface  208 . Then, the space between the V-shape supporting surface  208  and the elastic member  510  is getting smaller to receive a shaft of a smaller diameter. Oppositely, when the two nuts are screwed far from each other, the elastic member  510  is distant from the V-shape supporting surface  208 . Then, the space between the V-shape supporting surface  208  and the elastic member  510  is getting larger to receive a shaft of a longer diameter. 
       FIG. 6A  is a front view of a linear guiding apparatus for a fifth embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 6B  is a sectional view corresponding to the cross section line  6 B— 6 B of  FIG. 6A . In  FIGS. 6A ,  6 B, the components which are the same as those in  FIGS. 2A ,  2 B will use the same symbols and the description about those components is omitted. 
     In this embodiment, the bottom surface  206   c  of the body  206  has an opening  620 . The adjusting member  612  is composed of, for example, a plurality of orientation slot pairs  612   a ,  612   b ,  612   c , wherein the orientation slot pairs  612   a ,  612   b ,  612   c  are formed on the two side-walls of the opening  620  respectively. The elastic member  610  is, for example, a leaf spring. The two ends of the leaf spring are inserted into one of the orientation slot pairs, so that the leaf spring is bent to make one surface of the leaf spring contacted the shaft  202 . Moreover, the material of the leaf spring is preferably of low friction coefficient. The friction between the shaft  202  and the leaf spring is respectively low, so the shaft  202  can slide smoothly in the shaft holding apparatus  204 . 
     When the leaf spring is inserted into the orientation slot pair  612   a  which is close to the V-shape supporting surface  208 , the elastic member  610  (the leaf spring) is close to the V-shape supporting surface  208 . Then, the space between the V-shape supporting surface  208  and the elastic member  610  is getting smaller to receive a shaft of a smaller diameter. Oppositely, when the leaf spring is inserted into the orientation slot pair  612   c  which is far from the V-shape supporting surface  208 , the elastic member  610  is distant from the V-shape supporting surface  208 . Then, the space between the V-shape supporting surface  208  and the elastic member  610  is getting larger to receive a shaft of a longer diameter. 
     Besides, in this embodiment, a plurality of leaf springs of different lengths can be insert a fixed orientation slot pair to adjust the space receiving the shaft. When a leaf spring of a longer length is used, the bent surface of the leaf spring is close to the V-shape supporting surface  208 . Then, the space between the V-shape supporting surface  208  and the elastic member  610  is getting smaller to receive a shaft of a smaller diameter. Oppositely, when a leaf spring of a shorter length is used, the elastic member  610  is distant from the V-shape supporting surface  208 . Then, the space between the V-shape supporting surface  208  and the elastic member  610  is getting larger to receive a shaft of a longer diameter. 
     Accordingly, the present invention provides a linear guiding apparatus, which has a shaft holding apparatus is clipped a shaft by the V-shaped supporting surface and the elastic member. The position of the elastic member is adjusted by the adjusting member. Therefore, the space between the V-shape supporting surface and the elastic member is adjustable. Also, the clipping force of the shaft holding apparatus is adjustable. The linear guiding apparatus is able to hold any shaft. Therefore, the linear guiding apparatus is adapted to various style of the scanner. 
     The linear guiding apparatus for the present invention is suitable for any shaft. Therefore, the manufacturing cost and the storage cost is decreased. 
     Other embodiments of the invention will appear to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples are to be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims.