Patent ID: RE41818

Claim:
An installation on a scanner capable of increasing a usable scanning range along an axial direction of a light source, comprising: a linear light source having a light axis, wherein a brightness level near a mid-portion on the light axis is higher than brightness levels near two end portions of the light axis and the linear light source provides a light beam necessary for scanning a document; and a light-channeling panel adjacent to the linear light source, wherein the light-channeling panel concentrates more light from the linear light source in the two end portions rather than the mid-portion and the light-channeling panel is formed from a plurality of panel materials, each having a different light transparency, so that the mid-portion of the light axis has a lower light transparency than the two end portions of the light axis, wherein after light originating from the linear light source has passed through the light-channeling panel, a band of light having a more homogenous brightness level than the linear light source is produced.