JP2003048642A - Image reader and image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image reader easy to manufacture with a carrying belt superior in durability, and an image forming device. SOLUTION: With a carrying belt 211 also suspended on a carrying belt driven roller 210, the length of the carrying belt can be extended without requiring a longer distance for carriage on a scanning glass 102 via the carrying belt 211, the need for increasing the size of the image reader is eliminated, the surface of the carrying belt 211 is hardly stained according to the extension, and the frequency of cleaning or exchanging the carrying belt 211 is reduced or eliminated to achieve superior durability. Furthermore, the extension of the carrying belt 211 significantly simplifies the coating of a friction enhancing layer on the reverse side and facilitates the manufacture thereof.

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 and an image forming apparatus capable of reading an image while feeding an original.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an image reading apparatus and an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a scanner, a facsimile machine, etc., an optical scanning unit for irradiating an original with a light is fixed at a predetermined original reading position, and an original processing apparatus ( ADF: Auto
2. Description of the Related Art There is known a so-called flow-reading type image reading apparatus which reads a document while moving the document by a Document Feeder).

In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-212425, an original fixed on a platen glass is read by a movement of an optical table (fixed reading), and an original conveyed by a conveyor belt is optically moved to a predetermined original reading position. An apparatus is disclosed in which the position of the table is fixed and the position of reading the image (flow reading) is matched.

In such an apparatus, when a document is placed on the platen glass for reading, the image quality is deteriorated unless the document is surely pressed over the document glass plate. Therefore, the size corresponding to the document is large. Transport belt was needed.

On the other hand, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-59949, a device in which a position A for reading a document by fixed reading and a position B for reading a document by flowing reading are different as shown in FIG. Since it is not necessary to press the document placed on the platen glass with the transport belt during fixed reading, the transport belt can be shorter than the document.

As a result, it is possible to shorten the distance that the document is conveyed on the platen glass by the conveyor belt, and therefore the document can be stably conveyed, that is, the document can be reliably conveyed without skewing or misalignment. Not only that, the driving torque of the conveyor belt can be reduced and the apparatus can be simplified, so that the size can be reduced.

[0007]

In such an image reading apparatus, the original conveyed by the conveyor belt is read while the original is being pressed against the original glass by the conveyor belt. The conveyor belt needs to have a surface with high whiteness so as not to affect the above.

However, the surface of the conveyor belt gradually becomes dirty due to the ink of the original document, the dust of the eraser, and the like, and the whiteness is lowered as the apparatus is operated.

However, in the conventional example disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 11-59949, since the conveyor belt is shortened, the surface immediately becomes dirty, and it is necessary to frequently clean or replace the conveyor belt. .

In the structure of the conveyor belt, as shown in FIG. 3, the surface of the base material 301 is coated with a layer 302 for increasing the whiteness, and the rear surface has a frictional force with a roller for suspending the conveyor belt. Although the enhancing layer 303 is coated, if the transport belt 211 is short, it is very difficult to apply a uniform coating on the back surface, and a predetermined frictional force cannot be obtained.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art. An object of the present invention is to provide an image reading apparatus and an image forming apparatus in which a conveyor belt has excellent durability and is easily manufactured. Especially.

[0012]

In order to achieve the above object, in an image reading apparatus of the present invention, an optical scanning means for optically scanning a document and an optical image obtained by the optical scanning means are provided. In an image reading apparatus including an image forming unit for forming an image and a document processing unit for conveying an original on a platen glass by a conveyor belt, first and second units arranged substantially parallel to the original plate glass. And the third roller arranged on the side opposite to the original table glass with respect to the first roller and the second roller, the conveyor belt is suspended.

A first reading position for reading the fixed original by scanning the optical scanning means, and a second reading position for fixing the optical scanning means and reading the original conveyed by the original processing device; Is preferably provided.

In an image reading apparatus equipped with a conveyor belt for conveying a document substantially parallel to a translucent member at a flow reading image reading position, a document is conveyed along the translucent member at the flow reading image reading position. It is characterized in that the conveyor belt is suspended by two rotating members that form a part and at least one guide member that is arranged farther from the translucent member than the two rotating members. .

The at least one or more guide members are
It is preferably a rotating member.

The image forming apparatus of the present invention is characterized by comprising the above-mentioned image reading apparatus and an image forming means for forming an image on a sheet according to image information.

Therefore, the length of the conveyor belt can be extended without extending the distance for conveying the original document at the image reading position of the flow reading, that is, on the original table glass.

[0018]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be illustratively described in detail below with reference to the drawings. However, the dimensions of the components described in this embodiment,
Unless otherwise specified, the material, the shape, the relative arrangement, and the like are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention thereto.

An embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a digital scanner as an image reading apparatus according to this embodiment. In this digital scanner, an optical scanning unit that irradiates a document with light is fixed at a predetermined document reading position, and a document processing apparatus (ADF: Auto Document Feed) is provided.
This is an image reading apparatus of a so-called flow-reading type, which reads the original while moving the original according to r).

Reference numeral 101 is a scanner body, and 201 is an ADF detachably attached to the scanner body 101.

The ADF 201 is a set original document 202.
Conveyance rollers 203 to 207 are arranged substantially parallel to the flow-reading glass (original table glass, translucent member) 102, and the document-conveying portion of the image-reading position of the flow-reading, that is, the flow-reading glass 102 is conveyed on the conveyance belt 211. Transport belt driving roller 208 and transport belt driven roller 20
9 and the conveyor belt driven roller 208 and the conveyor belt driven roller 209 are suspended by the conveyor belt driven roller 210 arranged on the opposite side of the flow reading glass 102.
The scanner body 10 is driven by the transport belt 211 that is driven.
It is conveyed to and collected on the first scanning glass 102.

The conveyor belt 211 and the flow reading glass 1
In the process in which the document passes between 02, the scanner main body 101 optically scans and the information of the document is read.

Here, as the conveyor belt 211, the one having the structure shown in FIG. 3 is used as in the conventional case. Specifically, the surface of the base material 301 is coated with a layer 302 for increasing the whiteness, and the back surface is coated with a layer 303 for increasing the frictional force with a roller that suspends the conveyor belt.

The scanner body 101 has a light source 103 for irradiating an original, mirrors 104, 105 and 106, a lens (image forming means) 107, and a CCD 108. The light source 103 and the mirror 104 are provided on a first optical table (optical scanning means). ) 109 and the mirrors 105, 106 are mounted on the second optical bench 110.

The first and second optical stands 109 and 110 are connected to a stepping motor (not shown) by wires, and the movement of the first and second optical stands 109 and 110 is controlled in parallel with the original table glass 111 by the rotation of the stepping motor.

The position sensor 112 is the first optical table 1
This is a sensor for detecting the home position of 09, and the first and second optical stands 109 and 110 are moved by rotating the stepping motor 301 in the forward and reverse directions with reference to this position to move the original on the original table glass 111. To scan.

With such a structure, when the image of the original 202 conveyed from the ADF 201 is read, the first optical table 109 is moved to a preset flow reading position by a stepping motor (not shown), Fix it.

The original 202 is conveyed by the conveying rollers 203 to 207 and the conveying belt 211, and is irradiated with light by the light source 103 in the process of passing between the non-scanning glass 102 and the conveying belt 211.
The CCD 108 is optically scanned through the mirror 105, the third mirror 106, and the lens 107.

In the above embodiment, the conveyor belt 21 is used.
By suspending 1 on the conveyor belt driven roller 210 as well, the conveyor belt length can be extended without extending the distance to be conveyed on the flow reading glass 102 by the conveyor belt 211, and the apparatus can be extended without increasing the size of the apparatus. As a result, the surface of the conveyor belt 211 is less likely to be soiled, and the number of times of cleaning and replacement of the conveyor belt 211 can be reduced or unnecessary, and the durability can be improved. It becomes very easy to coat the layer that enhances frictional force, it is easy to manufacture,
The back surface can also be uniformly coated to obtain a predetermined frictional force.

In this embodiment, the flow reading glass 102 is used.
Although the document platen glass 111 has been described as being divided, the same effect can be obtained even if it is integrated.

The conveyor belt driven roller 210 for suspending the conveyor belt 211 may be a guide member (for example, a guide that does not rotate, a support shaft, or the like) that guides the conveyor belt 211, and two or more rollers are provided. It may be configured.

Further, although the present embodiment has exemplified the digital scanner, the present invention can be applied to an image forming apparatus further including an image forming unit below the digital scanner. Examples of the image forming apparatus include a so-called in-machine sheet discharging type that discharges a sheet on which an image has been formed between a scanner and an image forming unit. Further, as the image forming means for forming an image on the sheet according to the image information, there may be mentioned an inkjet type, an electrostatic type, and an electrophotographic type.

[0033]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to extend the distance by which the conveying belt conveys the original conveying portion at the image reading position of the flow reading, that is, the original glass.
Since the length of the conveyor belt can be extended, the surface of the conveyor belt is less likely to become dirty without increasing the size of the device, and the number of times of cleaning and replacement of the conveyor belt can be reduced or even eliminated, and further, the conveyor belt can be The extension makes it very easy to coat the layer that enhances the frictional force on the back surface, and evenly coats the back surface to obtain a predetermined frictional force.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a schematic configuration of an image reading apparatus according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a conventional image reading apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a structure of a conveyor belt.

[Explanation of symbols]

101 Scanner body 102 Flowing reading glass 109 1st optical bench 110 Second optical bench 111 Platen glass 202 manuscript 203, 204, 205, 206, 207 Conveyor roller 208 Conveyor belt drive roller 209 Conveyor belt driven roller 210 Conveyor belt driven roller 211 Conveyor belt

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Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An optical scanning means for optically scanning an original, an image forming means for forming an optical image obtained by the optical scanning means, and an original processing for conveying an original on a platen glass by a conveyor belt. In the image reading apparatus, the first and second rollers are arranged substantially parallel to the original platen glass, and the original platen glass is opposite to the first and second rollers. An image reading apparatus, wherein the conveyor belt is suspended on a third roller arranged on the side. 2. A first reading position for reading a fixed original by scanning the optical scanning means, and a second reading position for fixing the optical scanning means and reading an original conveyed by an original processing apparatus. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: 3. An image reading apparatus comprising a conveyance belt that conveys a document substantially parallel to a translucent member at a flow reading image reading position, the image reading position being set along the translucent member. It is characterized in that the conveyor belt is suspended by two rotating members which constitute a document conveying portion and at least one guide member which is arranged farther from the transparent member than the two rotating members. Image reading device. 4. The at least one guide member comprises:
The image reading device according to claim 3, wherein the image reading device is a rotating member. 5. An image forming apparatus, comprising: the image reading apparatus according to claim 1; and an image forming unit that forms an image on a sheet according to image information.