Film autoloader and image reading apparatus

Abstract

A head of a spliced film is transported to downstream side along a path by feed roller pairs, nip roller pairs and transport roller pairs; while the head of the spliced film is detected by a sensor located before a transport merging portion, the nip roller pairs are stop to rotate; a joint of the spliced film is detected based on a signal from a splice sensor; the spliced film is cut by a film cutter at the joint; and the head photographic film is separated from the spliced film and images are read.

1 . A film autoloader for separating one photographic film from a plurality of photographic films and supplying the photographic film to an image reading apparatus for reading image data recorded on the photographic film, comprising: 
 a film loading section for loading therewith a spliced film in which the plurality of photographic films are connected in a longitudinal direction thereof;    a film feeding portion for feeding, from the film loading section, a head portion of the spliced film loaded with the film loading section;    a joint detecting section for detecting a film joint portion between a first photographic film and a second photographic film in the spliced film fed from the film loading section, the second photographic film being fed next to the first photographic film;    a film separating section for separating the first photographic film from the spliced film on the basis of information from the joint detecting section; and    a film transporting portion for transporting the first photographic film to a reading transport path provided at the image reading apparatus,    wherein the film transporting portion is configured to transport the first photographic film to the reading transport path prior to separation from the spliced film.    
   
   
       2 . An image reading apparatus comprising: 
 a film loading section for loading therewith a spliced film in which a plurality of photographic films are connected in a longitudinal direction thereof;    a reading transport path for guiding the spliced film to a predetermined reading position;    a reading transporting portion for transporting, to the reading position, the spliced film that is supplied to the reading transport path;    an image reading section for reading an image from the spliced film that is transported to the reading position by the reading transporting portion;    a film supplying portion for supplying, to the reading transport path, a head portion of the spliced film loaded with the film loading section;    a joint detecting section for detecting a film joint portion between a first photographic film and a second photographic film in the spliced film supplied to the reading transport path by the film supplying portion, the second photographic film being supplied next to the first photographic film; and    a film separating section for separating the first photographic film from the spliced film on the basis of information from the joint detecting section.    
   
   
       3 . An image reading apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the image reading section comprises a CCD line sensor for reading the image carried by transmission light or reflection light from the spliced film that is located at the reading position, and wherein the joint detecting section detects the film joint portion between the first photographic film and the second photographic film in the spliced film on the basis of an image signal supplied from the CCD line sensor.  
   
   
       4 . An image reading apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein, with the film loading section, the spliced film that is taken up in roll form in advance is loaded.  
   
   
       5 . An image reading apparatus according to  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 a film supply path for guiding the spliced film from the film loading section to the reading transport path;    a film accepting section for accepting the photographic film that is subjected to the image reading by the image reading means;    a transport merging portion provided between the film supply path and the reading transport path;    a film output path connected to the reading transport path via the transport merging portion, for guiding the photographic film from the transport merging portion to the film accepting section;    a film output portion for outputting, to the film accepting section, the photographic film that is entered the film output path; and    a transport switching section, which is provided in the transport merging portion, for switching a transport route of the spliced film or the photographic film so that the spliced film that is transported along the film supply path enters the reading transport path, and that the photographic film that is transported from the reading transport path enters the film output path.    
   
   
       6 . A film autoloader for separating one photographic film from a plurality of photographic films, comprising: 
 a film loading section for loading therewith a spliced film in which the plurality of photographic films are spliced in series to form a continuous film in a longitudinal direction thereof;    a film feeding portion for feeding, from the film loading section, a head portion of the spliced film loaded with the film loading section;    a joint detecting section for detecting the splice portion between a first photographic film and a second photographic film in the spliced film fed from the film loading section, the second photographic film disposed next to the first photographic film;    a film separating section for separating the first photographic film from the spliced film on the basis of information from the joint detecting section; and    a film transporting portion for transporting the first photographic film out of the film autoloader,    wherein the film transporting portion is configured to transport the first photographic film out of the film autoloader prior to separation from the spliced film.