GB2278344A

GB2278344A - Document-reading apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2278344A
Application number: GB9405880A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Hiroshi Tabuchi
Original assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corp
Current assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corp
Priority date: 1993-05-28
Filing date: 1994-03-24
Publication date: 1994-11-30
Anticipated expiration: 2014-03-24
Also published as: GB2278344B; JPH06338986A; DE4418237C2; GB9405880D0; DE4418237A1

Description

2278344 DOCUMENT-READING APPARATUS The present invention relates to a

document-reading apparatus such as a facsimile apparatus and the like.

Fig. 1 is a schematic sectional view showing the primary parts of a facsimile apparatus, one of a prior art document-reading apparatus. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the exterior view of the facsimile apparatus in the state of closing its document tray 14. Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the exterior view of the facsimile apparatus in the state of opening its document tray 14. In Fig. 1 to Fig. 3, reference numeral 1 designates the main body of the facsimile apparatus; reference numeral 2 designates recording paper rolled in a roll state; reference numeral 3 designates a recording paper holder for holding the heat sensitive recording paper 2; reference numeral 4 designates a platen roller; reference numeral 5 designates a-thermal head; reference numeral 6 designates a cutter unit for cutting the heat sensitive recording paper 2; reference numeral 7 designates a document; reference numeral 8a designates a document-inserting port; reference numeral 8 designates a document-detecting sensor for detecting the insertion of the document 7 into the document-inserting port 8a; reference numeral 9 designates a document feed roller for drawing the document 7 inserted into the document-inserting port Sa into the main body 1; reference numeral 10 designates a document separator touched to the document feed roller 9 in a pressurized state; reference numeral 11 designates a contact image sensor; reference numeral 12 designates a read roller touched to the contact image sensor 11 in a pressurized state; reference numeral 13 designates a control board: reference numeral 14 designates a document tray for leading the document 7 laid on it to the document-inserting port 8a; reference numeral 15 designates a rotatable fulcrum in case of opening and closing the document tray 14; and reference numeral 16 designates a control panel equipped with various control keys, a display and the like.

A pair of the rotatable fulcrums 15 are disposed on the two sides of the rear part on the upper surface of the main body 1. The document tray 14 can be selectively switched between the housed state shown in Fig. 1 and the state in use shown in Fig. 3 by its base ends being supported on the rotatable fulcrums 15 in a freely rotatable state to the vertical direction. In Fig. 1, the position of the document tray 14 in the housed state is shown by continuous lines, and the position of it in the state in use is shown by dotted lines. Besides, the size of the document tray 14 is determined so that the document tray 14 performs the role of the cover exactly covering the -upper surface of the main body 1 in the housed state to the main body 1. Also, there is formed a cutout 14a having a prescribed shape on the upper edge part in the center of the width direction of the document tray 14. Owing to the cutout 14a, the facsimile apparatus can be operated when the document tray 14 is put on the main body 1, too, since the minimum keys needed to operate the facsimile apparatus (for example a stopping key, a starting key, a copying key and the like) on the control panel 16 and the display are exposed to the outside from the cutout 14a.

Now, the operation of the facsimile apparatus will be described. In the facsimile apparatus shown in Fig. 1 to Fig. 3, at first the document tray 14 is opened by being rotated around the rotatable fulcrums 15 as shown in Fig. 3 and the document 7 is set on the document tray 14 in case of executing a copy mode where the sending part and the receiving part of the facsimile apparatus are operated simultaneously. When the document 7 is set on the document tray 14, the document-detecting sensor 8 is operated, as the leading edge of the document 7 is inserted into the document-inserting port 8a. Then the document feed roller 9 is driven to draw the document 7 into the main body 1. The document feed roller 9 feeds the document 7 to a reading position, and the document feed roller 9 comes to a waiting state. In this state, when the copy button on the control panel 16 is pushed, the platen roller 4 is driven and the heat sensitive recording paper 2 is set to its initial position, and then the read roller 12 and the platen roller 4 are driven again to read images on the document 7 with the close adhesion image sensor 11 while they convey both the document 7 and the heat sensitive recording paper together. Then energy is given to the thermal head 5 according to the image data read out, and the heat sensitive recording paper 2 is heated by the energy. Then the images are recorded. After recording the images to the heat sensitive recording paper 2, the recording paper 2 is conveyed to the cutting position and it is cut by the cutter unit 6, then the copy mode ends.

Since the prior art document-reading apparatus is composed as mentioned above, it has such a problem that using documents of long paper sizes such as the B4 size as the document 7 interferes with the automatic paperfeeding function owing to the protrusion of the document 7 from the document tray 14. And making the size of the document tray 14 larger for resolving the problem by attaching importance to the automatic paperfeeding function causes such a problem that the document tray 14 protrudes from the main body 1 on the occasion of accommodating it in the main body 1 at the time of its nonusage.

In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide a document-reading apparatus which can smoothly lead the documents of long paper sizes and which can accommodate its document tray in its main body compactly, at the time of its nonusage.

4- It is another object of the present invention to provide a documentreading apparatus which does not require to secure custody place anywhere else for a supplementary document tray and then which can be easily handled.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a documentreading apparatus whose supplementary document tray can be housed and taken out only by sliding it and then which can be easily handled.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a documentreading apparatus whose supplementary document tray can be housed and taken out only by rotating it and then which can be easily handled.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a documentreading apparatus whose holding part structure can be simplified and whose holding part can be sought to prevent from being destroyed.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a documentreading apparatus whose supplementary document tray can be ensured to rotate smoothly without the high accuracy of its rotation shaft, and whose supplementary document tray can be soug:r e ght to be manufactured easily, and then whose manufacturing cost can b sought to be decreased.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a documentreading apparatus into which documents can be inserted without using a document tray as well as which is improved in its automatic paper-feeding function of the documents of long paper sizes and which realizes the miniaturization in the housed state of the document tray.

The document-reading apparatus of the first aspect of the present invention, for achieving the abovementioned objects. is provided with a supplementary document tray expanding the document-placing surface of a document tray, the supplementary document tray being attached to the document tray in a freely removable state.

As stated above. the document-reading apparatus according- to the first aspect of the present invention is provided with the supplementary document tray capable of being removed, so the document-placing surface of the document tray can be expanded by attaching the supplementary document tray to the document tray on the occasion of its using. Accordingly, the automatic paper-feeding function of the documents of long paper sizes can be improved. Besides, the document tray can be compactly accommodated in the main body of the document-reading apparatus by removing the supplementary document tray at the time of its housing.

The document-reading apparatus of second aspect of the present invention is provided with a supplementary document tray expanding the documentplacing surface of a document tray, the supplementary document tray being attached to the document tray in a state capable of housing in the document tray at the time of its nonusage.

As stated above, the document-reading apparatus according to the second aspect of the present invention houses the supplementary document tray in the document tray, so the documentplacing surface of the document tray can be expanded at the time of using the supplementary document tray by taking it out from the document tray, then the automatic paper-feeding function of the document of long paper sizes can be improved. Besides, the document-reading apparatus can house the supplementary document tray in the document tray at the time of its nonusage, so the documentreading apparatus does not need to secure custody place anywhere else for the supplementary document tray. Furthermore, the document tray can be accommodated in the main body of the document-reading apparatus in the state of housing the supplementary document tray in the document tray at the time of its nonusage.

The document-reading apparatus of the third aspect of the present invention is that of the second aspect of the present invention wherein the supplementary, document tray is supported by the document tray in a state capable of sliding freely between a position in use and a housing position.

As stated above, the document-reading apparatus according to the third aspect of the present invention slides the supplementary document tray between the position in use and the housing position, so the document-reading apparatus can secure its documentplacing surface in a wide state by sliding the supplementary document tray to draw out. Besides, the supplementary document tray can be taken into custody by being slid and housed into the document tray at the time of its nonusage. Accordingly, the document tray can be accommodated compactly in the main body of the document-reading apparatus.

The document-reading apparatus of the fourth aspect of the present invention is that of the second aspect of the present invention wherein the supplementary document tray is supported by the document tray in a freely rotatable state between a position in use and a housing position.

As stated above, the document-reading apparatus according to the fourth aspect of the present invention rotates the supplementary document tray between the position in use and the housing position, so the documentreading apparatus can secure its document-placing surface in a wide state by rotating the supplementary document tray to the opening direction to take out at the time of using. Besides, the supplementary document tray can be taken into custody by being rotated to closing direction and housed in the document tray at the time of its nonusage. Accordingly, the document tray can be accommodated compactly in the main body of the documentreading apparatus.

The document-reading apparatus of the fifth aspect of the present invention is that of the second aspect of the present invention, which further comprises a holding part for holding the supplementary document tray in an elastically deformed housed state.

As stated above, the document-reading apparatus according to the fifth aspect of the present invention holds the supplementary document tray in an elastically deformed state at the time of its housing, so the documentreading apparatus can simplify the structure of its holding part.

The document-reading apparatus of the sixth aspect of the present invention is that of the fourth aspect of the present invention wherein the rotating fulcrum part of the supplementary document tray is composed of a supporting aperture for receiving the rotation shaft of the supplementary document tray side, the supporting aperture being formed in a tapered shape where its diameter becomes gradually larger from the insertion side of the rotation shaft to the opposite side.

As stated above, the documentreading apparatus according to the sixth aspect of the present invention forms its supporting aperture of the rotating fulcrum of the supplementary document tray in the tapered shape, so a space for escaping is secured on the supporting aperture side in the case where the pointed end side of the rotation shaft swings at the time of rotation owing to the low accuracy of the supplementary document side rotation shaft. Accordingly, rubbing between the supporting aperture and the rotation shaft does not occur, so the smooth rotating operation of the supplementary document tray can be secured.

The document-reading apparatus of the seventh aspect of the present invention is that of any one of the proceeding aspects wherein a documentinserting port is opened even if the document tray is in a housed state.

As stated above, in the document-reading apparatus according to the seventh aspect of the present invention, the document-inserting port is opened even if the document tray is in a housed state, so documents can be inserted into the document-reading apparatus without using the document tray.

The above and further objects and novel features of the invention will more fully appear from the following detailed description when the same is read in connection with the accompanying drawing. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for purpose of illustration only and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention.

8- Fig. 1 is a schematic sectional view showing the primary parts of a prior art document-reading apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the exterior view of the prior art document-reading apparatus in the state of closing its document tray;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the exterior view of the prior art document-reading apparatus in the state of opening its document tray;

Fig. 4 is a schematic sectional view showing the primary parts of the document-reading apparatus of the embodiment 1 of the present invention; Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the exterior view of the documentreading apparatus of the embodiment 1 of the present invention; Fig. 6 is a schematic sectional view showing the primary parts of the document-reading apparatus of the embodiment 2 of the present invention; Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing the exterior view of the documentreading apparatus of the embodiment 2 of the present invention in the state of closing its document tray; Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing the exterior view of the document- reading apparatus of the embodiment 2 of the present invention in the state of opening its document tray; Fig. 9 is a schematic sectional view showing the primary parts of the document-reading apparatus of the embodiment 3 of the present invention; Fig. 10 is a perspective view showing the exterior view of the documentreading apparatus of the embodiment 3 of the present invention in the state of closing its document tray; Fig. 11 is a perspective view showing the exterior view of the document- reading apparatus of the embodiment 3 of the present invention in the state of opening its 9_ document tray; Fig. 12 is a schematic sectional view showing the primary parts of the document-reading apparatus of the embodiment 4 of the present invention; Fig..13 is a perspective view showing the exterior view of the document- reading apparatus of the embodiment 4 of the present invention in the state of closing its document tray; Fig. 14 is a perspective view showing the exterior view of the document- reading apparatus of the embodiment 4 of the present invention in the state of opening its document tray; Fig. 15 is a schematic sectional view showing the primary parts of the document-reading apparatus of the embodiment 5 of the present invention; Fig. 16 is a perspective view showing the exterior view of the document- reading apparatus of the embodiment 5 of the present invention in the state of closing its document tray; Fig. 17 is a perspective view showing the exterior view of the document- reading apparatus of the embodiment 5 of the present invention in the state of opening its document tray; and Fig. 18 is a perspective view showing the exterior view of the supplementary document tray of the document-reading apparatus of the embodiment 5 of the present invention.

EMBODIMENT 1.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail referring to the accompanying drawings. Fig. 4 is the schematic sectional view of the primary parts of the document-reading apparatus of the embodiment 1; and Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the exterior view of the embodiment 1 in the state of opening its document tray 14. In Fig. 4 and Fig. 5, reference numeral 14 designates a document tray; reference numeral 21 designates a supplementary document tray; and reference numeral 22 designates a holding part for holding the supplementary document tray 21. The other composing parts are identical to those of the prior art document-reading apparatus of Fig. 1 to Fig. 3, so they are designated by the same reference numerals as those of the prior art document-reading apparatus and the description of them will be omitted.

The supplementary document tray 21 is a frame formed by bending a metal rod into a one side defected rectangle, and its width is about a half of that of the document tray 14. And the length of the document-sending direction of the supplementary document tray 21 is set to be about the same length as that of the document tray 14. On the upper front side surface of the document tray 14 is provided a pair of holding parts 22 having an engaging part (an aperture or a frame) 22a respectively, which has a stopper of passing through downward. The both lower ends of the one side defected rectangular supplementary document tray 21 are inserted into the engaging parts 22a respectively in a removable state. Besides, the engaging parts 22a is formed in a prescribed length in order to be able to hold the posture of the supplementary document tray 21 in its inserted state.

Next, the operation of this document-reading apparatus according to the embodiment 1 will be described. When the document tray 14 is used, the document tray 14 is opened around the rotating fulcrums 15 as the fulcrums of its rotation, as shown in the dotted lines of Fig. 14 and also shown in Fig. 15. And the supplementary document tray 21 is fixed on the holding part 22 in case of using the document 7 of a long paper size. Then, the document 7 is set on the document tray 14 and the supplementary document tray, 21, and it is sent by executing needed operations. The operations on and after it are just the same as those of the prior art. In this case, the document-placing surface of the document tray 14 is widened by fixing the supplementary document tray 21, so the document 7, even if it is a long- paper-sized one, can be placed on the document tray 14 stably, then the automatic paper-feeding function can be improved. In case of nonusage of the document tray 14, the supplementary document tray 21 is removed, as shown in the dotted lines in Fig. 5, and the document tray 14 is housed, so the document tray 14 can be housed compactly in the main body 1 (along the upper surface of the main body 1 in this case).

EMBODIMENT 2.

Fig. 6 is a schematic sectional view of the primary parts of the documentreading apparatus of the embodiment 2 of the present invention; Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing the exterior view of the document-reading apparatus in the state of closing its document tray 14; and Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing the exterior view of the document-reading apparatus in the state of opening its document tray 14. In Fig. 6 to Fig. 8, reference numeral 14 designates a document tray; reference numeral 31 designates a supplementary document tray; and reference numeral 32 designates a holding part for holding the supplementary document tray 31. The other composing parts are common to those of the embodiment 1.

The supplementary document tray 31 is a frame formed by bending a metal rod into a one side defected rectangle and it has a pair of stopper parts 31a bent in letter L shape on its both end parts. This supplementary document tray 31 has a width about a half of that of the document tray 14, and the length of the document-sending direction of it is set to be about the same length as that of the document tray 14 or a little shorter than it. A pair of holding parts 32 having inserting apertures 32a piercing the holding parts 32 vertically (vertically in case of the using state) are provided on upper parts of the back surface of the document tray 14 with a certain distance in the width direction of the document tray 14. Both the vertical rod parts of the one side 12- defected rectangle supplementary document tray 31 are inserted in the inserting apertures 32a from the upper side of the document tray 14 in a state capable of freely sliding in the vertical direction, then the supplementary document tray 31 can arbitrarily move between the position in use shown by the full lines of Fig. 8 and the housed position shown by the dotted lines of Fig. 8. Besides, the inserting apertures 32a are formed into ellipses elongated from sides to sides, then the stopper parts 31a are inserted into the inserting apertures 32a by bending the free end sides of the vertical rod parts of the supplementary document tray 31 so as to decrease the distance between them. In restored state from the bending, the stopper parts 31a do not come out.

Next, the operation will be described. In case of using the document tray 14, the document tray 14 is opened around the rotating fulcrums 15 as center points, as shown in Fig. 8, and the supplementary document tray 31 is drawn out from the housing point if the document 7 is a long paper sized one. Then the document 7 is set on the document tray 14 and the supplementary document tray 31, and it is sent by executing needed operations. Since the document-placing surface of the document tray 14 can be expanded only by sliding the supplementary document tray 31 and drawing it out in this case, the handling of the supplementary document tray 31 is simple. When the document tray 14 is not used, the supplementary document tray 31 can be housed by being thrust into the housing position on the back surface of the document tray 14, as shown by the dotted line in Fig. 8. Then, the supplementary document tray 31 is housed compactly without protrusion of it to the outside, in case of housing the document tray 14 in the main body 1 by bringing it down toward the front side. Besides, the supplementaq document tray 31 is constructed in one body with the document tray 14, and the supplementary document tray 31 is housed on the back surface of the document tray 14 at the time of nonusage, so it does not needed to set a custody place anywhere else and the supplementary document tray 31 cannot be missed, and further it can be easily handled.

EMBODIMENT 3.

Fig. 9 is a schematic sectional view of the primary parts of the documentreading apparatus of the embodiment 3 of the present invention; Fig. 10 is a perspective view showing the exterior view of the document-reading apparatus in the state of closing its document tray 14; and Fig. 11 is a perspective view showing the exterior view of the document-reading apparatus in the state of opening its document tray 14. In Fig. 9 to Fig. 11, reference numeral 14 designates a document tray; reference numeral 41 designates a supplementary document tray; reference numeral 42 designates a rotating fulcrum part of the supplementary document tray 41; and reference numeral 43 designates a holding part for holding the supplementary document tray 41 at the time of its housing. The other composing parts are common to those of the embodiment 1.

The supplementary document tray 41 is a frame formed by bending a circular metal rod into a one side defected rectangle and further by wholly curved to the front side of the document-reading apparatus in the same curvature as that of the document tray 14, and the supplementary document tray 41 has a pair of rotation shafts 41a at both the end parts of it, which are bent in letter L shape to the outside. This supplementary document tray 41 has a width about a half of that of the document tray 14, and the length of the document-sending direction of the supplementary document tray 41 is set to be a little shorter than that of the document tray 14. A pair of holding parts 42 having horizontal supporting apertures 42a are provided on upper parts of the front surface of the document tray 14. And both the rotation shafts 41a of the one side defected rectangle supplementary document tray 41 are inserted in the supporting apertures 42a of the holding part 42, hereby the supplementary document tray 41 is supported by the document tray 14 in a rotatable state in the -vertical direction. In this case, when the supplementary document tray 41 rotates toward upper direction, it interferes with a part of the document tray 14. Hereby, the upper rotation limit of the supplementary document tray 41 is determined. Tben, the supplementary document tray 41 constitutes a gently-sloping continuous document-placing surface with the document tray 14 in the lifted state up to the upper rotation limit. Moreover, the holding part 43 mentioned above is disposed at the position accorded with the lateral rod part of the supplementary document tray 41 in the case where the supplementary document tray 41 is brought down up to the position along the surface of the document tray 14. This holding part 43 is formed as a letter C shaped projection having a groove 43a engaging with the lateral rod part mentioned above.

Next, the operation will be described. In case of using the document tray 14, the document tray 14 is opened around the rotating fulcrums 15 as center points, as shown in Fig. 11, and the supplementary document tray 41 is lifted by being rotated from the housing position in the case where the document 7 is a long paper sized one. Then the document 7 is set on the document tray 14 and the supplementary document tray 41, and it is sent by executing needed operations. Since the document-placing surface of the document tray 14 can be expanded only by rotating the supplementary document tray 41 in this case, the handling of the supplementary document tray 41 is simple. When the supplementary document tray 41 is not used, it can be held at the housing position by being brought down up to the housing position on the front surface of the document tray 14 and then by the lateral rod part being thrust into the groove 43a of the holding part 43, as shown by the dotted line in Fig. 11. In case of this state, since the supplementary document tray 41 is curved along the curved surface of the document tray 14, the upper surface of the document tray 14 is not so much rough, then the documents 7 can be placed on the document tray stably. Moreover, in the case where the document tray 14, too, is not used, it is brought down before and is housed in the main body 1. Since the supplementary document tray 41 is accommodated in the document tray 14 in this case, the supplementary document tray -15 41 is compactly accommodated without protruding to the outside. Furthermore, since the supplementary document tray 41 is constructed in a body with the document tray 14 and the supplementary document tray 41 is housed in the document tray 14 in case of its nonusage, it does not needed to set a custody place anywhere else and the supplementary document tray 41 cannot be missed, and further it can be easily handled.

EMBODIMENT 4.

Fig. 12 is a schematic sectional view of the primary parts of the document-reading apparatus of the embodiment 4 of the present invention; Fig. 13 is a perspective view showing the exterior view of the documentreading apparatus in the state of closing its document tray 14; and Fig. 14 is a perspective view showing the exterior view of the document-reading apparatus in the state of opening its document tray 14. In Fig. 12 to Fig. 14, reference numeral 14 designates a document tray; reference numeral 41 designates a supplementary document tray; reference numeral 42 designates a rotating fulcrum part of the supplementary document tray 41; and reference numeral 53 designates a holding part for holding the supplementary document tray 41 at the time of its housing. The documentreading apparatus of the embodiment 4 differs from that of the embodiment 3 in only the structure of the holding part 53, and the other composing parts are common to those of the embodiment 3. The holding part 53 of this embodiment is disposed at a lower position than the position where the lateral rod part of the supplementary document tray 41 is placed in case of bringing down the supplementary document tray 41 up to the front surface of the document tray 14 in a natural state, that is to say the holding part 53 is disposed at the outer place to the place where the lateral rod part should be placed in case of viewing from the rotating fulcrum parts 42 of the supplementary document tray 41. Namely, the holding part 53 is located at the position where the lateral rod part of the supplementary document tray 41 can reach by being elastically deformed to the outside. And the holding part 53 is constructed as a protrusion shaped in a right-angled trigonal prism which has a perpendicular engaging wall 53a on the opposite side to the rotating fulcrum part 42 side. Then the supplementary document tray 41 can be held at its housing position by hooking the elastically deformed lateral rod part of the supplementary document tray 41 to this engaging wall 53a.

Next, the operation will be described. The basic operation of the embodiment 4 is identical to that of the embodiment 3. The different point is that the supplementary document tray 41 is housed by being engaged with the holding part 53 while the lateral rod part of the supplementary document tray 41 is being pulled to the outside when the supplementary document tray 41 is housed. In this document-reading apparatus, the shape of its holding part 53 can be simplified, then the breakdown of the holding part can be decreased.

EMBODIMENT 5.

Fig. 15 is a schematic sectional view showing the primary parts of the document-reading apparatus of the embodiment 5 of the present invention: Fig. 16 is a perspective view showing the exterior view of the documentreading apparatus in the state of closing its document tray 14; and Fig. 17 is a perspective view showing the exterior view of the documentreading apparatus in the state of opening its document tray 14. In Fig. 15 to Fig. 17, reference numeral 14 designates a document tray; reference numeral 41 designates a supplementary document tray; reference numeral 62 designates a rotating fulcrum part of the supplementary document tray, 41; and reference numeral 43 designates a holding part for holding the supplementary document tray 41 at the time of its housing. The documentreading apparatus of the embodiment 5 differs from that of the embodiment 3 in only the structure of the rotating fulcrum part 62. and the other composing parts are common to those of the embodiment 3. The rotating fulcrum part 62 of this embodiment is provided with a supporting aperture 62a for receiving the rotation shaft 41a of the supplementary document tray 41, and the supporting aperture 62a is formed in a tapered shape where its diameter becomes gradually larger from the insertion side of the rotation shaft 41a to the opposite side.

Next, the operation will be described. The basic operation of the embodiment 5 is identical to that of the embodiment 3. The different point is that there is no rubbing of the pointed end side of the rotation shaft 41a to the supporting aperture 62a and then the supplementary document tray 41 rotates smoothly, even if the accuracy of the bent angle a of the rotation shaft 41a of the supplementary document tray 41 shown in Fig. 18 is bad, since an escaping space by the taper is secured on the supporting aperture 62a side. Hereby the manufacturing accuracy of the supplementary document tray 41 may be a little bid bad; the manufacturing of the supplementary document tray 41 becomes easy; and cheap supplementary document traies can be utilized. Accordingly, the cost of the document-reading apparatus is also suppressed to be low.

Moreover, in the document-reading apparatus of each embodiment, the document-inserting port 8a is constructed not to be closed in case of housing the document tray 14 to the main body 1. Therefore, documents can be inserted into the document-reading apparatus without using the document tray 14.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing description that, according to the first aspect of the invention, a document-reading apparatus is constructed to be provided with a supplementary document tray capable of being removed, so the document-reading apparatus has such effects that the automatic paperfeeding function of the documents of long paper sizes can be improved by attaching the supplementary document tray on the occasion of using a document tray, and that the document tray can be compactly accommodated by removing the supplementary document tray at the time of its housing.

Furthermore, according to the second aspect of the invention, a documentreading apparatus is constructed to house a supplementary document tray into a document tray, 18- so the document-reading apparatus has such effects that the custody place for the supplementary document tray is not needed to be secured anywhere else, and that the handling of the supplementary document tray becomes easy, in addition to the effects of the first aspect of the invention.

Furthermore, according to the third aspect of the invention, a documentreading apparatus is constructed to slide a supplementary document tray between a position in use and a housing position, so the document-reading apparatus has such effects that the supplementary document tray can be housed and taken out only by being slid, and that the operation of it is easy, in addition to the effects of the second aspect of the invention.

Furthermore, according to the fourth aspect of the invention, a documentreading apparatus is constructed to rotate a supplementary document stand between a position in use and a housing position, so the document-reading apparatus has such effects that the supplementary document stand can be housed and taken out only by being rotated, and that the operation of it is easy, in addition to the effects of the second aspect of the invention.

Furthermore, according to the fifth aspect of the invention, a documentreading apparatus is constructed to hold a supplementary document stand in an elastically deformed state at the time of its housing, so the document-reading apparatus has such effects that the structure of a holding part can be simplified, and that the prevention of the breakdown of the holding part can be sought, in addition to the effects of the fourth aspect of the invention.

Furthermore. according to the sixth aspect of the invention, a documentreading apparatus is constructed to form the supporting aperture of the rotating fulcrum part of a supplementary document tray in a tapered shape, so the document-reading apparatus has such effects that a smooth rotation operation can be secured even if the accuracy of a supplementary document tray side rotation shaft is low, and that it can be sought to make the manufacture of the supplementary document traies easy and to decrease a manufacturing cost, in addition to the effects of the fourth aspect of the invention.

Furthermore, according to the seventh aspect of the invention, a documentreading apparatus is constructed to open a document-inserting port even if a document tray is in a housing state, so the document-reading apparatus has such an effect that documents can be inserted without using the document tray, in addition to the effect of the improvement of an automatic paper-feeding function of documents of long paper sizes and the effect of the realization of the compact housing of the document tray.

While preferred embodiments of the invention have been described using specific terms, such description is for illustrative purposes only, and it is to be understood that changes and variations may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. A document-reading apparatus comprising a document-insert port for inserting a document into a main body, and a document tray leading the document to said document-insert port, wherein said document tray is rotatably supported by said main body, and rotatable between an open position and a position in which the tray is housed in at least part of said main body, wherein said document tray is provided with a supplementary document tray for expanding a document-supporting surface thereof.

2. A document-reading apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the supplementary document tray is removable from the document tray.

3. A document-reading apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the supplementary document tray is capable of being housed in said document tray when the supplementary document tray is not in use.

4. A document-reading apparatus as claimed in Claim 3, wherein said supplementary document tray is supported by said document tray in a state capable of freely sliding between an open, in use, position and housed position.

5. A document-reading apparatus as claimed in Claim 3, wherein said supplementary document tray is rotatably supported by said document tray and is rotatable between an open, in use, position and a housed position.

6. A document-reading apparatus as claimed in Claim 5, further comprising a holding part for holding said supplementary document tray in said housed position where said supplementary document tray is elastically deformed.

7. A document-reading apparatus as claimed in Claim 5, wherein a rotating fulcrum part of said supplementary document tray is provided with a supplementary document tray side supporting aperture for receiving a supplementary document tray side rotation shaft, and said supporting aperture is formed in a tapered shape where its diameter becomes gradually larger from an insertion side of said rotation shaft to an opposite side.

8. A document-reading apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said document-insert port is open when said document tray is in a housed state.

9. A document-reading apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any one of Figures 4 to 18 of the accompanying drawings.