Patent ID: 7394978

Claim:
An imaging device comprising: a camera head that images an imaging-area of a table on which an imaging-object is laid; an illumination unit that illuminates the imaging-area; a camera holding arm that holds the camera head such that the camera head images the imaging-area from above the table; an illumination unit holding arm that holds the illumination unit such that the illumination unit illuminates a top face area of the table form above the table; an arm support module that rotatably supports the camera holding arm and the illumination unit holding arm on the table such that their degrees of inclinations are variable with respect to the table, and holds the rotated camera holding arm and the rotated illumination unit holding arm at their respective inclined positions after rotations; and a rotating mechanism that, in the case where the camera holding arm is rotated, generates a movement of the illumination unit holding arm that causes the illumination unit holding arm to rotate along with the camera holding arm, and in the case where the illumination unit holding arm is rotated, causes the illumination unit holding arm to rotate independently with no accompanying change in the inclined position of the camera holding arm; wherein the arm support module coaxially and rotatably supports the camera holding arm and the illumination unit holding arm with respect to the table.