A socket includes a first base member that includes a module mount unit allowing a module including an imaging device and an object to be placed thereon and an electric connector that electrically connects the imaging device to an external apparatus, a second base member having an opening, and an engagement unit that causes the first base member to be engaged with the second base member under a condition that the module placed on the module mount unit is sandwiched by the first and second base members. When the first base member is engaged with the second base member by the engagement unit under a condition that the module placed on the module mount unit is sandwiched by the first base member and the second base member, the electric connector is electrically connected to the imaging device, and the object receives illumination light from a light source through the opening.

An image reading apparatus, includes an image sensor, a drive mechanism configured to cause the image sensor to move in a first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction, a reference plate, and a control unit configured to execute a first reading method of detecting a first reference position by driving the image sensor in the first direction and reading the reference plate, thereafter reading a document by driving the image sensor in the first direction, and a second reading method of detecting a second reference position by driving the image sensor in the second direction and reading the reference plate, and thereafter reading a document by driving the image sensor in the second direction.

In accordance with an embodiment, a lens mirror array includes a plurality of optical elements integrally connected in a first direction. Each optical element includes an incident side lens surface through which light enters the optical element, a ridge located at an edge of the incident side lens surface, a reflection surface on which light incident on the incident side lens surface is reflected, an exit side lens surface through which light reflected by the reflection surface exits the optical element, and a groove surrounding the reflection surface except for a portion adjacent to the ridge, the portion adjacent to the ridge connecting to an adjacent optical element in the plurality of optical elements.

An image reading device includes a board including a plurality of imaging elements arranged along a scanning direction, and a housing including a plurality of optical components that are arranged along the scanning direction and a plurality of housing components that are arranged along the scanning direction. Each of the plurality of optical components focuses light reflected by a reading target onto a corresponding imaging element, and each of the plurality of housing components holds at least one optical component. The plurality of housing components are arranged to have a clearance therebetween and each of the plurality of housing components is fixed to the board at a position to transmit light through the optical components to focus onto the corresponding imaging element.

An image reading device includes a board including a plurality of imaging elements arranged along a scanning direction, and a housing including a plurality of optical components that are arranged along the scanning direction and a plurality of housing components that are arranged along the scanning direction. Each of the plurality of optical components focuses light reflected by a reading target onto a corresponding imaging element, and each of the plurality of housing components holds at least one optical component. The plurality of housing components are arranged to have a clearance therebetween and each of the plurality of housing components is fixed to the board at a position to transmit light through the optical components to focus onto the corresponding imaging element.

An optical member includes a lens array including lens bodies, and transmissive members. The transmissive members are made of a material having a uniform refractive index, and are disposed at positions nearer an object-to-be-read than the corresponding lens bodies are disposed or at positions farther from the object-to-be-read than the corresponding lens bodies are disposed. The transmissive members have a columnar shape extending along the optical axes of the lens bodies, and allow light incident through one end faces to exit through the other end faces. At least either ones of the lens bodies or the transmissive members are arranged with distances therebetween larger than errors in the arrangement of the lens bodies and the transmissive members.

An image sensor unit includes a light condenser that collects light from a reading target object; an image sensor that receives light and converts the light into an electric signal; an elongated housing that houses the light condenser and the image sensor; and an elongated rigid member attached to a side surface extending in the elongated direction of the housing. The side surface of the housing is provided with an attachment protrusion. The rigid member is provided with an attachment hole that penetrates from a surface facing the side surface of the housing to a non-facing surface on the opposite side, and the non-facing surface of the rigid member is provided with a concave. The attachment protrusion is inserted into the attachment hole, and a part of the attachment protrusion is fit into the concave.

A line sensor apparatus comprises a rod lens array in which a plurality of rod lenses are arrayed in a first direction, a line sensor substrate including a line sensor which receives light from the rod lens array, a pair of inner supporting members configured to support the line sensor substrate, a transmitter substrate including a transmitter which transfers data based on the light detected by the line sensor, and an outer supporting member configured to support the pair of inner supporting members and the transmitter substrate, wherein the pair of inner supporting members are arranged on two side surfaces of the rod lens array in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

An image reading apparatus includes a light source, a light receiving unit, and an optical system. The light receiving unit includes a plurality of light receiving elements. The optical system includes a plurality of optical components for splitting the light reflected from the object to be read, and guiding the split light to each of the plurality of light receiving elements. The plurality of optical components include a splitting component that splits the light reflected from the object to be read in a direction corresponding to a main direction, and a common component provided with a common portion. The common portion has an optically acting area causing a common effect on the tight split by the splitting component. A cross sectional shape of the optically acting area orthogonal to a direction corresponding to the main direction is the same shape along the direction corresponding to the main direction.

A reading apparatus that reads a sheet includes: a first light emitting diode (LED) configured to emit light with a specific wavelength; a light emitting element including a second LED configured to emit light with the specific wavelength and a phosphor configured to be excited by the light emitted from the second LED; a line sensor configured to generate a reference signal according to a quantity of received light emitted from the first LED and reflected off the sheet, and also generate an image signal according to a quantity of received light emitted from the light emitting element and reflected off the sheet; and a controller configured to generate an image representing the sheet from a differential result obtained by removing a component corresponding to the reference signal from the image signal.