Slide securing device for flatbed scanning sysem

Abstract

A slide securing device, using in a flatbed scanner, includes a frame and a securing cell. The securing cell comprises an aperture, a first securing clip, a second securing clip, a first securing groove, a second securing groove, a picking portion, a first support member and a second support member. The slide securing device utilizes proper clips for holding slides. Thus, the scanner can directly scan the secured slides by predetermined parameters and reset mode, in order to save scanning time. Further, the securing grooves maintains slides at a fixed height to improve the scanning quality.

1. An apparatus for securing a slide, comprising:
 a frame, configured to be placed on a document glass of a scanner; and 
 a securing cell, formed in said the frame, the securing cell comprising,: 
 an aperture having a larger size than the size of a slide,;  
 a first securing clip, located on a first side of said the aperture, providing and configured to provide force to push a first edge of said the slide and enforcing forcing a second edge of said the slide attaching against a second side of said the aperture, wherein said the second side of said the aperture is opposite to said the first side and said the second edge of said the slide is opposite said the first edge of said the slide,;  
 a second securing clip, located on a third side of said the aperture, providing force to push a third edge of said the slide and enforcing forcing a fourth edge of said the slide attaching against a fourth side of said the aperture, wherein said the fourth second side of said the aperture is opposite to said the third side and said the fourth edge of said the slide is opposite said the third edge of said the slide,; and 
 a first securing groove, located on said the fourth side of said the aperture, securing said and configured to secure the fourth edge of said the slide on said the first securing groove during said the second securing clip enforcing said pushing the third edge of said the slide, in order wherein the securing cell is configured to prevent the movement of the slide and maintain a fixed height in said the securing cell. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the size of said the frame is same as the size of said the document glass. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said the aperture comprises a picking portion, located on the fourth side of said the aperture, for picking said the slide. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first support member, extending from the bottom of said the first side of said the aperture, for supporting said and configured to support the slide in said the securing cell; and 
 a second support member, extending from the bottom of said the second side of said the aperture, for supporting said and configured to support the slide in said the securing cell. 
 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said the first securing groove is V shaped. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said the first securing groove is U shaped. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said the frame and said the securing cell are molded in one piece. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said the second securing clip comprises:
 a second securing groove, which is formed on the same plane of said the first securing groove, securing said the second securing groove being configured to secure the third edge of side slide on said the second securing groove when said the second securing clip enforces said the third edge of said the slide, in order wherein the securing cell is configured to prevent the movement of said the slide in said the securing cell and maintain said the slide at said the fixed height. 
 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said the first securing groove is V shape shaped. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said the first securing groove is ∩ shape shaped. 
     
     
       11. An apparatus, comprising:
 a frame configured to be placed on a document glass of a scanner; and   a cell formed in the frame and having an aperture formed in the cell, the cell comprising:
 a clip disposed on a first side of the cell and configured to provide force to a first edge of a slide to push a second edge of the slide against a second side of the cell; and 
 a groove disposed on at least one of the clip, the second side of the cell, or another side of the cell, or combinations thereof, the groove being configured to limit movement of the slide.  
   
     
     
       12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the frame has a size approximately equal to a size of the document glass.  
     
     
       13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the cell further comprises a picking portion located on at least one side of the cell, the picking portion being configured to allow the slide to be removed from the cell.  
     
     
       14. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the cell further comprises:
 at least one support member extending from at least one side of the frame at one or more sides of the cell, wherein the at least one support member is configured to at least partially support the slide in the cell.    
     
     
       15. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the groove is generally V shaped in at least one cross section.  
     
     
       16. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the groove is generally U shaped in at least one cross section.  
     
     
       17. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the frame and the cell comprise a unitary structure.  
     
     
       18. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:
 a second clip disposed on another side of the cell, the second clip being configured to provide force to one edge of the slide to push an opposite edge of the slide against one side of the cell.    
     
     
       19. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the groove comprises a first groove, and wherein the apparatus further comprises:
 a second groove disposed on at least one of the clip, the second side of the cell, or another side of the cell, or combinations thereof, the second groove being configured to limit movement of the slide.    
     
     
       20. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the groove is generally ∩ shaped in cross section.  
     
     
       21. A system, comprising:
 a scanner;   a document glass disposed on the scanner, wherein the document glass is configured to allow a document to be scanned; and   a frame configured to be placed on the document glass of a scanner, the frame having a cell formed in the frame and an aperture formed in the cell, the cell comprising:
 a clip disposed on a first side of the cell, the clip being configured to provide force to a first edge of a slide to push a second edge of the slide against a second side of the cell; and 
 a groove disposed on at least one of the clip, the second side of the cell, or another side of the cell, or combinations thereof, the groove being configured to limit movement of the slide.  
   
     
     
       22. The system of claim 21 wherein the frame has a size approximately equal to a size of the document glass.  
     
     
       23. The system of claim 21 wherein the cell further comprises a picking portion located on at least one side of the cell, the picking portion being configured to allow the slide to be removed from the cell.  
     
     
       24. The system of claim 21, the securing cell further comprising:
 at least one support member extending from at least one side of the frame on one or more sides of the cell, wherein the at least one support member is configured to at least partially support the slide in the cell.    
     
     
       25. The system of claim 21 wherein the groove is generally V shaped in at least one cross section.  
     
     
       26. The system of claim 21 wherein the groove is generally U shaped in at least one cross section.  
     
     
       27. The system of claim 21 wherein the frame and the cell comprise a unitary structure.  
     
     
       28. The system of claim 21, further comprising:
 a second securing clip disposed on another side of the cell, the second clip being configured to provide force to one edge of the slide to push an opposite edge of the slide against one side of the cell.    
     
     
       29. The system of claim 21 wherein the groove comprises a first groove, and wherein the system further comprises:
 a second groove, disposed on at least one of the clip, the second side of the cell, or another side of the cell, or combinations thereof, the second groove being configured to limit movement of the slide.    
     
     
       30. The system of claim 21 wherein the groove is generally ∩ shaped in cross section.  
     
     
       31. An apparatus, comprising:
 means for locating one or more slides in a predetermined alignment on a document glass of a scanner; and   means for securing at least one slide of the one or more slides in the means for locating, the means for securing comprising:
 means for providing a force to one edge of the slide to push a second edge of the slide against the means for securing; and 
 means for limiting movement of the slide within the means for securing, the means for limiting being disposed on at least one of the means for providing or the means for securing, or combinations thereof.  
   
     
     
       32. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the means for locating have a size approximately equal to a size of the document glass.  
     
     
       33. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the means for securing further comprises means for allowing the slide to be removed from the means for securing.  
     
     
       34. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the means for securing further comprises means for supporting the slide in the means for securing.  
     
     
       35. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the means for limiting is generally V shaped in at least one cross section.  
     
     
       36. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the means for limiting is generally U shaped in at least one cross section.  
     
     
       37. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the means for locating and the means for securing comprise a unitary structure.  
     
     
       38. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the means for providing a force comprises a first means for providing a force, and wherein the apparatus further comprises a second means for providing a force to another edge of the slide to push an opposite edge of the slide against the means for securing.  
     
     
       39. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the means for limiting comprises a first means for limiting, and wherein the apparatus further comprises a second means for limiting a movement of the slide within the means for securing, the second means for limiting being disposed on at least one of the means for providing or the means for securing, or combinations thereof.  
     
     
       40. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the means for limiting is generally ∩ shaped in cross section.