Patent Abstract:
A scanner for scanning an object. The scanner comprises a platen, a scanning device, a resilient member and a sliding member. The object is placed on the platen. The scanning device scans the object. The sliding member is pivoted on the scanning device and slidably connects the resilient member pushing the scanning device toward the platen.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present inventions relates to a scanner and in particular to a scanner with a contact image sensor (CIS).  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]      FIG. 1   a  shows a conventional contact image sensor (CIS) scanner, which includes an upper frame  11 , a lower frame  12 , a platen  13 , a scan head  14 , a track  15  and a driving mechanism  16 . The upper frame  11  has an opening  111  therein in which the platen  13  is disposed. The scan head  14  is disposed between the upper frame  11  and the lower frame  12 . A contact image sensor (not shown) is recessed in the scan head  14 . The contact image sensor scans the object placed on the platen  13 . The track  15  is disposed in the lower frame  12 . The scan head  14  has a connecting portion  141  connected to the track  15 . The driving mechanism  16  moves the scan head  14  along the track  15  to complete a scan of the object.  
         [0005]      FIG. 1   b  shows the structure of the scanner shown in  FIG. 1   a . In  FIG. 1   b , the connecting portion  141  is formed at the bottom of the scan head  14 . Several rollers  142  are installed at the top of the scan head  14  to contact the platen  13 . Meanwhile, the scan head  14  is connected to the driving mechanism  16  by a belt  161 , moving the scan head  14  along the track  15 .  
         [0006]     It may be difficult to maintain a predetermined distance between the object and the contact image sensor. Any fluctuation in mechanical dimension or change in temperature can cause deformation in material and render mass production difficult.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     Therefore, an object of the present invention is to disclose a scanner that solves the above mentioned problem.  
         [0008]     The scanner for scanning an object comprises a platen, a scanning device, a resilient member and a sliding member. The object is placed on the platen. The scanning device scans the object. The sliding member is pivoted on the scanning device and slidably connects the resilient member pushing the scanning device toward the platen.  
         [0009]     The scanning device may comprise a sensor and a carriage. The sensor is recessed in the carriage to scan the object, and the scanning device is movably disposed under the platen.  
         [0010]     The carriage may comprise a contacting element contacting the platen. The contacting element may comprise a material with low reaction coefficient or a lubricating element.  
         [0011]     The carriage may comprise a pivot and the sliding member may comprise an opening. The pivot passes through the opening to connect the sliding member to the carriage.  
         [0012]     The sliding member may further comprise a recess receiving the resilient member.  
         [0013]     The resilient member may be rectangular and the recess may comprise two flanges. The flanges clip two sides of the resilient member.  
         [0014]     The sensor may be a contact image sensor (CIS).  
         [0015]     The sliding member may comprise a flat body, two protrusions and two flanges. The protrusions extend from two sides of the flat body, and the flanges extend from two sides of the flat body opposite to the protrusions.  
         [0016]     Each protrusion may comprise an opening and the scanning device may comprise a pivot. The pivot passes through the opening to connect the sliding member to the scanning device.  
         [0017]     The scanner may further comprise a driving mechanism connecting the scanning device, driving the scanning device moving along the resilient member to scan the object.  
         [0018]     The resilient member may comprise a resilient belt. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0019]     The present invention can be more fully understood by reading the subsequent detailed description in conjunction with the examples and references made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
         [0020]      FIG. 1   a  is a schematic diagram of a conventional scanner;  
         [0021]      FIG. 1   b  is an enlarged view of the scanner;  
         [0022]      FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of a scanner of the present invention;  
         [0023]      FIG. 3   a  is an enlarged view of the scanner of the present invention before assembling the platen;  
         [0024]      FIG. 3   b  is an enlarged view of the scanner of the present invention after assembling the platen; and  
         [0025]      FIG. 3   c  is a local enlarged view of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0026]      FIG. 2  shows a scanner of the present invention. Description of the scanner having devices and elements contained in a shield as in a conventional scanner is omitted. The scanner of the present invention comprises a platen  23 , a scanning device, a resilient member  25 , and a sliding member  27 . In this embodiment, the scanning device comprises a carriage  24  and a sensor (not shown). The sensor can be a contact image sensor (CIS).  
         [0027]     An object such as a document or a picture is placed on the platen  23 , and the platen is transparent. The carriage  24  is disposed under the platen  23  and the sensor is received therein. The sensor scans the object via the platen  23 . The bottom of the carriage  24  has a connecting portion  241  and a pivot  242 . A belt  261  of a driving mechanism  26  is connected to the connecting portion  241  of the carriage  24  so that the driving mechanism  26  moves the carriage  24 . The sliding member  27  has a flat body  271 , two protrusions  272  and two flanges  273 . The protrusions  272  extend from two sides of the flat body  271 , and the flanges  273  also extend from the two sides of the flat body  271  opposite to the protrusions  272 . Each protrusion  272  has an opening  274  with the pivot  242  of the carriage  24  passing there through pivoting the sliding member  27  on the carriage  24 . In this embodiment, the resilient member  25  is rectangular. Namely, the resilient member  25  is a resilient belt. The two flanges  273  of the sliding member  27  clip the side edges of the resilient member  25 .  
         [0028]     After assembling the scanner, the sliding member  27  pushes the carriage  24  toward the platen  23  by virtue of a resilient force of the resilient member  25 . Therefore, a predetermined distance is maintained between the sensor in the carriage  24  and the object so that the object is secured on the focus of the sensor. Meanwhile, the driving mechanism  26  moves the carriage  24  along the resilient member  25  completing the scanning process.  
         [0029]      FIG. 3   a  shows a schematic diagram of the carriage  24  connected to the resilient member  25 , here, the platen  23  is not assembled and the resilient member  25  is not yet deformed. The top of the carriage  24  is higher than the predetermined assembled position of the platen  23 . Contacting elements  244  are disposed on the carriage  24  contacting the platen  23 . The contacting element  244  may comprise a material with low reaction coefficient or a lubricating element.  FIG. 3   b  shows a schematic diagram after the platen  23  is assembled. The carriage  24  is pushed downward by the platen  23  and the resilient member  25  changed from the dotted line to the solid line as shown in  FIG. 3   b . Namely, the resilient member  25  deformed by the platen  23  pushes downward so that the resilient member  25  generates a restoring force. The carriage  24  is pushed toward the platen by the restoring force.  FIG. 3   c  shows a schematic diagram of the present invention after assembly. The platen  23  and the resilient member  25  are not parallel to each other. The pivot  242  of the carriage  24  passes through the opening  274  of the sliding member  27  so that the sliding member  27  is pivoted on the carriage  24 , and the sliding member  27  is then connected to the resilient member  25 . Thus, the carriage  24  makes parallel contact with the platen  23  by the restoring force of the resilient member  25 . Namely, the scanner of the present invention secures the carriage  24  contacting the platen  23  during the scanning process so as to maintain the object in the focus of the sensor to secure the optical quality. Furthermore, the carriage  24  moves along the resilient member  25  by the driving mechanism  26 , completing the scanning process.  
         [0030]     Finally, while the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of the preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements as would be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.

Technology Classification (CPC): 7