JP2000101799A - Image reader - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To deal with an ADF(automatic document feeder) and an FBS(flatbed scanner) by arranging a reader to be provided in a facsimile equipment on an oscillatory frame which can be opened from and closed to a device main body, arranging positioning means above and below the oscillatory frame, and switching the upper and lower readers. SOLUTION: The facsimile equipment has the oscillatory frame 10 arranged above a main body frame 2 where a recording part, etc., is arranged and also has a reader 20 arranged in the oscillatory frame 10. Lower platen glass 12 is arranged below the oscillatory frame 10, and the reader is moved along the lower platen glass 12 to use an FBS function; when a read is made by using an ADF 30, the reader 20 is turned over and set faceup and a document passing on the upper platen glass 13 is read.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image reading apparatus for reading an image by setting an original on a platen, and more particularly, to an image reading apparatus in which one image reading apparatus is arranged on a swing frame which can be opened and closed with respect to the apparatus main body. , ADF (Automatic Document Feeder)
And a device which is configured to be able to change the reading position in correspondence with the FBS (flatbed scanner).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An FBS as an image reading apparatus of a type in which an original is set on a platen glass and an image is read is generally used, and the FBS is a thick sheet such as a sheet original or a book. Used to read the image of the original. In the FBS, a reading device is arranged on the lower surface of the platen glass, and a platen cover or a document pressing member (in the following description,
(Referred to as a swing frame) is provided so as to be openable and closable. When an image of a document is read using the FBS, the read image surface is set to face the platen glass, and then pressed from above using a pressing member such as a swing frame, so that the image surface of the document is It is held so that it does not separate from the glass. The swing frame is supported on a rear side or a side portion of the apparatus main body via a hinge member, and is configured such that the cover can be fixed and held in an open position by a buffering means provided on the hinge member.

In many cases, in addition to the FBS function, an ADF is arranged on a swing frame to have a function of continuously reading a large number of documents. When the ADF function is provided in addition to the FBS function, generally, a document transport path corresponding to the ADF is provided on an end of the FBS provided with a platen glass on a main body frame as an apparatus main body equipped with a recording paper creating function. A part of the document is arranged, a narrow platen glass is arranged with respect to the document conveyance path, and the image of the document conveyed by the automatic document conveyance device is read while the image reading device is fixed. I have. Therefore, in an image forming apparatus such as a facsimile apparatus equipped with the ADF and FBS functions, two types of modes can be arbitrarily selected, such as fixing the scanning device inside the main body frame or reading while moving the scanning device. It is possible to deal with it.

[0004]

However, the above-mentioned FBS
When reading an image of a document using the function, it is necessary to operate the scanning device in a state where the read image surface of the document is pressed against the platen glass. There is a problem that positioning cannot be performed by directly observing the surface. When using ADF,
In order to move the scanning device to the end of the body frame and fix it, and to read a document conveyed by the automatic document conveyance device, it is necessary to set a large moving range of the scanning device. Therefore, in order to move the scanning device, it is necessary to increase the length of the main body frame, and it is necessary to form a moving range in the scanning device more than the length of the platen glass. There is a problem that the size is increased.

The present invention solves the above-described problems of the conventional image forming apparatus. An image reading apparatus is arranged on a swing frame, and the reading of the reading apparatus is performed for both functions of the ADF and the FBS. It is an object of the present invention to provide a device that can deal with it by switching directions.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an image reading apparatus, and an image reading apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention comprises: a swinging frame arranged to be openable and closable with respect to an apparatus main body; A platen glass disposed at a lower portion, one downward image reading device, and an automatic document feeder disposed at an upper portion of the swinging frame, wherein the image reading device corresponding to the platen glass is provided by an automatic document feeder. Is used as an image reading apparatus. Therefore, when a document is set corresponding to the platen, the image surface of the document can be set upward, so that the image surface of a thick document such as a book can be easily positioned. Also,
When the ADF function is used, a large number of documents can be set at once with their image surfaces facing upward, and the reading efficiency can be improved.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the image reading device is
The apparatus is characterized in that it can be switched between a downward reading position on the platen glass and an upward reading position corresponding to the automatic document feeder. By using one reading device inverted, it is possible to deal with reading two types of originals by using a simple reversing means. The invention according to claim 3 is characterized in that the reading device is constituted by a photoelectric conversion device arranged at a fixed position and a reading carriage. Therefore, the cost of the apparatus is not increased by using an image reading apparatus of a type which is more frequently used than before.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The configuration of the apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to the illustrated example. In the example of the facsimile apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1, a swing frame 10 is disposed on a main body frame 2 as an apparatus main body equipped with a recording paper creating function and a communication function via hinge means (not shown).
A reading device 20 is provided on the swing frame 10. In the facsimile apparatus shown in this embodiment, a lower platen glass 12 for the FBS function and an upper platen glass 13 for the ADF function are arranged in order to read an image of a document. In order to position a document, a document pressing plate 3 as a white platen is arranged on the upper surface of the main body frame.

In the swinging frame 10 shown in FIG. 1, a reading device 20 is movably disposed inside the frame 11, and a wire wound around a pulley 15 is connected to the reading device 20. The lower platen glass 1
2 to reciprocate. When the reading device 20 is positioned in correspondence with the lower platen glass 12, the reading device is set at a downward reading position as shown by a chain line in the drawing, and in this state, the lower platen glass 12 is The reading device can be reciprocated in accordance with the length. In addition, the frame 11 of the swing frame
The upper platen glass 1 corresponding to the ADF
3 and the reading device 20 is located at the position indicated by the solid line in the figure.
The document conveyed by the ADF is read in a state where is fixed.

The swinging frame 10 can move relative to the lower platen glass 12 inside the frame 11,
The reading device 20 fixedly provided to the upper platen glass 13 includes a rod lens array 21 whose tip is arranged close to the upper platen glass 13, and a photoelectric conversion device ( CCD 22). Further, the rod lens array 2
1, lamps 23 and 23a are arranged on both sides, and the reflectors 24 and 24a focus on the image surface of the document.
The reflected light from the original is focused on the CCD 22 by the rod lens array 21 to convert the light signal into an electric signal, which is output to the image transmission function of the facsimile apparatus.

A is disposed on the upper part of the swing frame 10.
As the DF 30, a pickup roller 32 and a sheet separating device 33 are disposed in correspondence with the leading end of the document tray 31, and means for feeding the document placed on the tray toward the document conveying path 34 while separating the documents one by one from the tray. Provided. As the sheet separating device 33, a sheet feeding roller and a retard roller are arranged in combination in a manner similar to a mechanism used in a sheet feeding device of a conventional facsimile apparatus, and an operation of feeding sheets one by one is performed. Further, the original transport path 3
4, a path leading to the upper platen glass 13 is configured as a curved path, a large-diameter drive roller member 35 is disposed in the curved portion, and a document is pressed against the drive roller member by a pinch roller member 36. Guide the manuscript. The document whose image has been read when passing through the position with respect to the upper platen glass 13 is discharged to a discharge tray 38 via a discharge roller device 37.

The reading device 20 disposed on the swing frame 10 is set with the rod lens array 21 facing upward, as shown by the solid line in FIG. 1, and fixed at a position corresponding to the upper platen glass 13. Then, an image corresponding to the ADF is read. When an original is set on the lower platen glass 12 corresponding to the FBS and an image is read, the original set on the original pressing plate 3 is placed on the lower platen glass as in the case of a general reading apparatus. Glass 12
To perform reading while moving the reading device 20 at a predetermined speed. Using one reading device 20 arranged on the swing frame 10, the lower platen glass 12
When performing reading corresponding to two types of reading sections, namely, the upper platen glass 13 and the upper platen glass 13, the reading device 20 can perform positioning between a position indicated by a solid line and a position indicated by a chain line in the drawing. It is configured as follows. In order to switch the reading device in two directions, the reading device 20 is rotatably supported with respect to a moving frame (not shown), and a selection mode set on the control panel of the device or ADF and FBS. The switching operation can be automatically performed by detecting the document set in any one of the above.

In addition to using the reading device 20, in the present invention, a reading device 40 using a moving carriage as shown in FIG. 2 can be provided. The reading device 40 is equipped with a lamp 44 and one mirror m1, and reciprocates along the upper surface of the lower platen glass 12 in the same manner as the reading device corresponding to the conventional FBS. 4
It is configured to be combined with a half-rate carriage 46 that is moved at half the speed of 1 and provided with two mirrors m2 and m3. A driving mechanism for moving the two carriages at the predetermined speed can be configured in the same manner as a conventional general driving device using two wires.

In this embodiment, the full-rate carriage 41 can be constructed as shown in FIG. 3. In the full-rate carriage 41, the second frame 43 can be rotated via a support shaft 45 with respect to the first frame 42. The second frame 43 has lamps 44 and 1
And two mirrors m1. Also, the first frame 42
When the second frame 43 is positioned at a position corresponding to the rotated upper platen glass 13, the lens 4
Auxiliary mirrors m4 and m5 are arranged to set an optical path corresponding to 8 and the CCD 49. In the reading device 40, two mirrors m 2 and m 3 arranged on the half-rate carriage 46 use a lens 48 to transmit light reflected by the mirror m 1 of the full-rate carriage when reading a document set on the lower platen glass 12. CC
They are arranged at positions where an optical path for inputting to D49 is formed.

However, when the reading device is set at a position corresponding to the upper platen glass 13, there is a problem that the light of the mirror m1 cannot be directly applied to the mirror m2 of the half-rate carriage. Therefore, in this embodiment, the second frame 43 equipped with the mirror m1 is provided on the full rate carriage 41, and the light of the mirror m1 is transmitted to the half rate carriage 46.
An auxiliary mirror for transmitting light to the mirror m2 is provided on the first frame 42.

The two auxiliary mirrors m4 and m5 arranged on the first frame 42 are provided with a mirror m1 when the reading section of the original image is set with respect to the upper platen glass 13.
, Through the mirrors m4, m5 of the first frame 42 to the mirror m2 of the half-rate carriage 46. The two mirrors arranged on the first frame are mirrors m of a half-rate carriage.
It is arranged at a position where it does not obstruct the optical path from 3 to the lens and the CCD. In the reading apparatus of FIG. 2, the full-rate carriage 41 configured as shown in FIG. 3 constitutes a reading mechanism in combination with the half-rate carriage 46, and scans the original toward the CCD 49 disposed at a fixed position. Transmit the read signal.

In the reading apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, there are two cases: a case where the light irradiated on the original is output as an electric signal by a contact type sensor and a case where the light is reflected by a mirror provided on a carriage and read by a CCD. Two examples are shown. In each of the above-mentioned types of apparatuses, an image of a document set on each of two types of platen glasses disposed on the upper and lower surfaces of the swing frame is read, and one type of reading apparatus is provided. Thus, the reading direction of the reading device can be switched. In order to switch the reading direction of the reading device up and down, the reading member can be simply rotated as shown in the figure. However, if a similar operation can be expected, other arbitrary mechanisms besides the illustrated method can be used. Can be used to correspond to two platen glasses.

In each of the above-described embodiments, when positioning the leading end member of the reading member equipped with the lamp corresponding to the two platen glasses, as described above, the ADF is used.
Means for detecting the setting of a document can be provided for the two functions of the FBS and the FBS. If the detecting means detects that a document has been set, and the reading member is automatically rotated up and down so that the reading member can be positioned at the reading position, the operation of the apparatus can be automated. It is also possible to use means for manually rotating the leading end member of the reading device. In this case, an arbitrary lever or the like is provided so as to protrude from the frame of the swing frame, and a full-rate carriage is provided. The reading direction may be switched by manually operating the operation lever while the reading device 41 or the reading device 20 is stopped at the position of the upper platen glass 13.

Although the above embodiment has been described with reference to a reading device provided in a facsimile machine, the reading device can be constituted as a copying machine or another image reading device. It is possible to read both thick originals and sheet originals. Further, a recording paper forming member of an arbitrary configuration can be disposed on the main body frame of the apparatus. Even in a facsimile apparatus, a thermal transfer mechanism using an ink donor film, a recording mechanism using a thermal paper, and the like. Is also possible.

[0020]

Since the apparatus of the present invention is constructed as described above, one reading device and upper and lower platens are arranged on the swing frame arranged on the main frame. Since the reading direction of the reading device is switched up and down, when the document is set in correspondence with the platen, the image side of the document can be set upward, so that the thickness of a book or the like can be increased. The image surface of the document can be easily positioned. When the ADF function is used, a large number of documents can be set at once with their image surfaces facing upward, and the reading efficiency can be improved. Further, the image reading apparatus is configured to be switchable between a downward reading position with respect to the platen glass and an upward reading position corresponding to the ADF. It is possible to cope with reading of a manuscript. Further, by configuring the reading device with a CCD and a reading carriage arranged at a fixed position, it is possible to use an image reading device of a type which has been used more frequently than before, thereby increasing the cost of the device. Absent.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of an apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of another embodiment of a reading device arranged on a swing frame.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of a full rate carriage arranged in the reading device of FIG. 2;

[Explanation of symbols]

1 facsimile machine, 2 body frame, 3
Document pressing plate, 10 swing frame, 11 frame, 12 lower platen glass, 13 upper platen glass, 20 reader, 21 rod lens array, 22 CCD, 23 lamp,
24 reflector, 30 ADF, 34 document feed path, 40 reading device, 41 full rate carriage, 42 first frame, 43 second frame, 44 lamp, 45 support shaft, 46 half rate carriage, 48 lens, 49 C
CD.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) H04N 1/00 108

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An oscillating frame arranged to be openable and closable with respect to an apparatus main body, a platen glass arranged at a lower part of the oscillating frame, one downward image reading device, and arranged at an upper part of the oscillating frame. An automatic document feeder, wherein the image reading device corresponding to the platen glass is used as an image reading device of the automatic document feeder. 2. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image reading apparatus is switchable between a downward reading position on a platen glass and an upward reading position corresponding to an automatic document feeder. The image reading device according to claim 1. 3. The image reading device according to claim 1, wherein the reading device is constituted by a photoelectric conversion device disposed at a fixed position and a reading carriage.