JP2006193314A - Image reading device, and image forming device having the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image reading device capable of keeping an original at the discharged position even when an original conveying part is opened while the original is discharged on an original discharge tray. <P>SOLUTION: An original shift preventive member 28 is provided at the position in contact with one side on a supporting point 20a side of a discharged original so as to be protruded above an original discharge tray 29a by an urging member 24. The original shift preventive member 28 comprises a member 28a for A3 size, a member for A4 size and a member 28c for A5 size. For example, when an original C1 of A3 size is discharged, the member 28b for A4 size and the member 28c for A5 size are stored inside an original discharge tray 29 by the weight of the original C1. Thus, even when an original conveying part 20 is opened with the supporting point 20a as an axis, an original on the original discharge tray 29a is kept at the position where the original is discharged with one side thereof being supported by the original shift preventive member 28. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image reading apparatus provided with an openable / closable document conveying section and an image forming apparatus provided with the image reading apparatus.

  An image reading apparatus used to capture image data of a document into a copying machine, a facsimile machine, a computer, or the like is used, which includes a document transport unit that automatically transports a document placed on a document placing tray one by one. It has been. In such an image reading apparatus, the document conveying unit can be opened and closed with respect to the main body so that an image such as a book that cannot be conveyed by the document conveying unit can be read, and the book can be opened when the document conveying unit is opened. In general, it can be spread and placed on the image reading unit on the upper surface of the main body.

In Patent Document 1, in such an image reading apparatus, a stopper member is provided so that the original does not fall when the original conveying section (original pressing cover) is opened with the conveyed original remaining on the original discharge tray. An provided image reading apparatus has been proposed.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-20957 (page 4, FIG. 5)

  However, the image reading apparatus proposed in Patent Document 1 can prevent a document discharged when the document transport unit is opened from dropping from the document discharge tray. It has become difficult to remove it by moving to the back, and the order of ejection has been lost, and it has become necessary for the user to rearrange the documents after they have been removed from the document ejection tray.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an image reading apparatus and an image forming apparatus provided with the image reading apparatus that can keep a document on a document discharge tray in a discharged position even when a document transport unit is opened.

  (1) In order to achieve the above object, the present invention comprises a main body, a document placement tray for placing a document, and a document discharge tray for discharging a document conveyed from the document placement tray. On the other hand, an image reading apparatus comprising: a document conveying unit attached to one end as a fulcrum so as to be opened and closed; and an image reading unit provided inside the main body and reading an image of a document conveyed by the document conveying unit. The document discharge tray is provided with a document movement preventing member that supports a document on the document discharge tray at a position where the document is discharged when the document transport unit is opened, at a position suitable for each of a plurality of sizes of documents. The document movement preventing member is urged by the urging means so as to protrude in the direction of the surface from which the document is discharged from the inside of the document discharge tray. When the document is discharged document movement prevention member corresponding to the original size smaller than its original characterized in that it is housed inside the document output tray by the document.

  (2) Further, the present invention includes a main body, a document placing tray on which a document is placed, and a document discharge tray from which the document conveyed from the document placing tray is discharged. An image reading apparatus comprising: a document conveying unit attached to be openable and closable; and an image reading unit provided inside the main body and configured to read an image of a document conveyed by the document conveying unit. The tray is provided with a document guide that is slidable in a direction perpendicular to the document conveyance direction. The document discharge tray supports the document on the document discharge tray when the document conveyance unit is opened. The document movement preventing member is provided at a position suitable for each of a plurality of sizes of documents, and the document movement preventing member is a surface on which the document is discharged from the document discharge tray by the driving means. It is movable so as to protrude toward the document move preventing member according to the set position of the document guide, characterized in that projecting by said drive means.

  (3) According to the present invention, in the image reading apparatus configured as described above, each of the document movement preventing members has a length equal to or longer than the length of the side of the corresponding document supported.

  (4) Further, according to the present invention, in the image reading apparatus having the above configuration, a document movement preventing member corresponding to a maximum size sheet is fixed on the document discharge tray.

  (5) Further, an image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes the image reading apparatus.

  (1) According to the present invention, even if the document transport unit is opened with the document discharged to the document discharge tray, the document is supported by the document movement preventing member as long as the document is a size corresponding to the document movement preventing member. It is possible to realize an image reading apparatus that does not deviate from the discharged position, does not easily move out of the original, and does not become out of order, or that the discharged order is not changed.

  (2) Further, according to the present invention, even if the document conveying unit is opened with the document discharged to the document discharge tray, the document is supported by the document movement preventing member as long as the document corresponds to the document movement preventing member. Therefore, the document is not displaced from the ejected position, and the document is not moved to the back, making it difficult to take out, and the ejected order is not changed. Further, since only the document movement preventing member corresponding to the size of the discharged document is projected by the driving means, the discharged document is not caught.

  (3) Also, according to the present invention, since one side of the document discharged to the document discharge tray is supported by the document movement preventing member when the document transport section is opened, the document is displaced from the position where the document is discharged. Can be surely prevented.

  (4) Further, according to the present invention, since an unnecessary urging means or driving means is not provided in the document movement preventing member corresponding to the maximum size paper, the cost can be reduced.

  (5) Further, according to the present invention, it is possible to obtain an image forming apparatus capable of preventing the original from being displaced from the position where the original is discharged even if the original conveying unit is opened in a state where the original is discharged to the original discharge tray. it can.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a copying machine as an example of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a plan view of a document conveying portion of the copying machine shown in FIG.

  First, the configuration and operation of each part of the copying machine 10 will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the copying machine 10 includes a main body 11 and a document conveying unit 20 placed above the main body 11. The main body 11 includes a transparent glass platen 12 on the upper surface, and an image reading unit 40 below the platen 12. Further, a control device 13 for controlling a document conveying operation, a reading operation, an image forming operation, and the like is provided above the inside, a sheet discharge tray 82 is provided at the center, and a sheet feeding unit 50, an image forming unit 60 and a fixing unit 70 are provided below. .

  The document transport unit 20 is attached to the main body 11 so as to be openable and closable by a fulcrum 20a provided on the back side of the sheet of FIG. The document conveying unit 20 includes a document placing tray 21, a document feeding unit 30, a document conveying path 27, and a document cover 29.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the document placing tray 21 is provided with a pair of document guides 22 that can be slid symmetrically on the groove 21b with the center A in the direction perpendicular to the sheet conveying direction of the document placing tray 21 as an axis. Therefore, it is possible to hold the document that is conveyed with its position adjusted according to the size of the document to be placed so as not to be shifted left and right. A document discharge tray 29 a is integrally formed as a part of the upper surface of the document cover 29. The document placing tray 21 forms the upstream end of the document conveyance path 27, and the document discharge tray 29 a forms the downstream end of the document conveyance path 27.

  The document feeding unit 30 includes a first paper feed roller 31, a second paper feed roller 32, a separation roller 33, a first transport roller pair 34, in order from the upstream side in the document transport direction along the document transport path 27. A registration roller pair 35, a second conveyance roller pair 36, a document guide 37, a third conveyance roller pair 38, and a discharge roller pair 39 are provided. Further, the transported document reading position 12 a is set at a position facing the document guide 37 on the upper surface of the platen 12.

  The first paper feed roller 31 is provided so as to be movable up and down by a driving means (not shown) such as a solenoid. When there is no document C on the document placing tray 21, the driving means is based on a signal sent from the placed document detecting means 21a such as a light reflection type sensor provided on the document placing tray 21 to the control device 13. One paper feed roller 31 is moved upward. When the document C is placed, the first paper feeding roller 31 moves downward and comes into contact with the document C by the driving means and its own weight.

  In the case of the so-called sheet-through method, when a copy start button (not shown) is pressed, the document C placed so that the image to be read on the document placement tray 21 faces upward is secondly fed by the first paper feed roller 31. Is sent to the document feed path 27 toward the paper feed roller 32. When a plurality of documents C are sent simultaneously, they are separated one by one by a second paper feed roller 32 that rotates in the transport direction and a separation roller 33 that rotates in the direction opposite to the transport direction. Subsequently, the first conveyance roller pair 34 conveys the document C so that the leading edge of the document C abuts against the stopped registration roller pair 35, and the inclination with respect to the conveyance direction is corrected here. Thereafter, the sheet is conveyed by the registration roller pair 35, the second conveyance roller pair 36, and the third conveyance roller pair 38 that have started to rotate, and is discharged onto the document discharge tray 29a by the discharge roller pair 39. In the middle, an image is read by the image reading unit 40 described later at the transported document reading position 12a. The document C is guided by the document guide 37 so as to come into contact with the platen 12 at the transport document reading position 12a so that the read image is in focus.

  In the case of the document fixing method, a document (not shown) is placed on the stationary document reading position 12b set on the upper surface of the platen 12, pressed by the document cover 29, and an image on the surface in contact with the platen 12 is an image. It is read by the reading unit 40.

  The image reading unit 40 includes an exposure lamp 41, a reflecting plate 42, a first mirror 43, a second mirror 44, a third mirror 45, a condenser lens 46, and an image sensor (for example, a line type CCD) 47. The exposure lamp 41 and the first mirror 43 are mounted on a carriage 48, and are provided so as to be horizontally movable in FIG.

  When reading the image of the document C conveyed by the sheet-through method, the carriage 48 moves directly below the first conveyed document reading position 12a, and the document C to which the irradiation light from the exposure lamp 41 is conveyed is exposed. To do. Irradiated light is sequentially reduced and imaged on the image sensor 47 through the first mirror 43, the second mirror 44, the third mirror 45, and the condenser lens 46, and is read out as an electric signal through photoelectric conversion processing. The electric signal is sent to the image forming unit 60 via the control device 13.

  When the original image is read by the original fixing method, the exposure lamp 41 and the first mirror 43 on the carriage 48 that moves to the right in FIG. 1 below the stationary original reading position 12 b are on the platen 12. By reading and scanning the document, the irradiation light is reduced and imaged on the image sensor 47, and is read as an electrical signal through photoelectric conversion processing, as in the case of the sheet-through method. 13 to the image forming unit 60.

  Next, the paper feed unit 50 will be described. The paper feed unit 50 includes a paper feed cassette 51 and a paper feed roller 52 disposed at the bottom of the main body 11. The paper feed cassette 51 accommodates paper P. The paper P accommodated therein is sent one by one by a paper feed roller 52 to a transport path 55, and an image forming unit is formed by a transport roller pair 53 and a registration roller pair 54. 60.

  Next, the image forming unit 60 will be described. The image forming unit 60 includes a photosensitive drum 61 and a charger 62, an optical scanning unit 63, a developing device 64, a transfer roller 65, and a cleaning device 66 disposed around the photosensitive drum 61. The photosensitive drum 61 rotates clockwise in FIG. 1, and the surface thereof is first uniformly charged by the charger 62. Next, the surface of the photosensitive drum 61 is irradiated with laser light from the optical scanning unit 63 based on the electric signal of the image read by the image reading unit 40 and sent via the control device 13 to form on the paper P. The charge corresponding to the portion of the image to be printed or the portion other than the image is erased, and an electrostatic latent image is formed. Then, toner is supplied to the electrostatic latent image by the developing device 64, and the electrostatic latent image is visualized as a toner image.

  When the photosensitive drum 61 further rotates and the toner image comes to a position facing the transfer roller 65, the sheet P is conveyed between the photosensitive drum 61 and the transfer roller 65 by the registration roller pair 54 accordingly. It will be. At this time, the toner image on the surface of the photosensitive drum 61 is transferred onto the paper P by applying a voltage having a polarity opposite to the charging polarity of the toner to the transfer roller 65. Toner remaining on the surface of the photosensitive drum 61 without being transferred to the paper P is removed by a cleaning device 66.

  On the other hand, the paper P onto which the toner image has been transferred is conveyed to a fixing device 70 comprising a heating roller 71 and a pressure roller 72, where the toner image is heated and pressurized and fixed on the paper P. Thereafter, the sheet P is discharged onto the sheet discharge tray 82 with the surface on which the image is formed by the discharge roller pair 81 facing downward.

  A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the document conveying section shown in FIG. In the first embodiment, the document discharge tray 29a is provided with a document movement preventing member 28 as shown in FIGS. The document movement prevention member 28 includes an A3 size 28a, an A4 size 28b, and an A5 size 28c. Each of the A3 size (297 mm × 297 mm) transported with the short sides directed in the transport direction, indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 420 mm) original document C1, A4 size (210 mm × 297 mm) original document C2 or A5 size (148 mm × 210 mm) original document C3, and the long side of the A3, A4 or A5 size original document respectively. It is the same or longer.

  The document movement preventing member 28 is urged from the inside of the document cover 29 toward the document discharge tray 29a by the urging means 24 formed of a compression coil spring or the like and protrudes. When the A3 size document C1 conveyed with its short side directed in the conveyance direction is discharged, the urging means 24 causes the A4 size document movement prevention member 28b and the A5 size document movement prevention member 28c to be weighted. It has an elastic coefficient enough to be housed inside the document cover 29. Similarly, when the A4 size original C2 conveyed with the short side directed in the conveyance direction is discharged, the A5 size original movement preventing member 28c in a state of being projected to the original discharge tray 29a by the urging means 24 is provided. The document C2 is stored in the document cover 29 by the weight of the document C2.

  As described above, the A3 size original C1, the A4 size original C2, or the A5 size original C3 is supported on one side on the fulcrum 20a side by the corresponding original movement prevention members 28a, 28b, or 28c. Even if the document conveying unit 20 is opened in a state where it is discharged onto the discharge tray 29a, it does not deviate from the discharged position. Similarly, even when an A4 or A5 size document transported with its long side directed in the transport direction is discharged onto the document discharge tray 29 and the document transport section is opened, each A3 size document moves. It is supported by the prevention member 28a or the A4 size document movement prevention member 28b and does not deviate from the discharged position.

  When the documents stacked on the document placing tray 21 have a plurality of sizes, any size document can be obtained by aligning the corners of the respective documents with the fulcrum 20a side of the document conveying section 20 at the leading end in the document conveying direction. When the document is fed by the document feeding unit 30 without any trouble, the image is read by the image reading unit 40, and the document feeding unit 20 is opened, the document movement preventing member 28 corresponding to the maximum size document of these documents is used. Since one side on the fulcrum 20a side is supported, it is possible to prevent deviation from the discharged position on the document discharge tray 29a.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the document movement preventing member 28 has a shape that gradually increases from the upstream end side in the vicinity of the upstream end in the document transport direction. As a result, since a document of a size larger than that corresponding to each of the document movement preventing members 28 is surely run from the upstream end, the document movement preventing member 28 is prevented from being caught by the document feeding portion 30. Can do.

  Here, when the maximum size of the document that can be transported by the document transport unit 20 is A3 size, the A3 size document movement preventing member 28a may be fixed in a state of protruding to the document discharge tray 29a. As a result, the A3 size document movement preventing member 28a that does not need to be stored in the document cover 29 is not provided with the urging means 24, so that the cost can be reduced. Further, when it is desired to deal with documents of other sizes such as B4 size and B5 size, a document movement preventing member may be provided at a position corresponding to them.

  Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The copying machine according to the second embodiment is provided with the urging means 24 provided in the first embodiment, and provided with a drive means 25 and a discharged document detection means 29b as described below. Except for the differences, this embodiment is the same as the first embodiment, and substantially the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the original transport unit of the copying machine according to the second embodiment taken along line XX in FIG.

  In the second embodiment, the document placing tray 21 is provided with document guide position detecting means (not shown) for detecting the position of the document guide 22. Document movement preventing members 28a, 28b, and 28c are provided on the document cover 29 from solenoids at positions corresponding to one side on the fulcrum 20a side of the A3, A4, and A5 size documents conveyed with their short sides directed in the conveyance direction. The drive means 25 is provided so as to be movable so as to protrude from the inside onto the document discharge tray 29a. Further, in order to detect the presence or absence of a document on the document discharge tray 29a, a light reflection type sensor is provided at a position directly downstream of the discharge roller pair 39 at the center of the document discharge tray 29a in the direction perpendicular to the sheet conveyance direction. The discharged document detection means 29b is provided.

  The control device 13 operates the driving unit 25 based on the position of the document guide 22 detected by the document guide position detection unit when the copy start button is pressed, and the document guide 22 of the document movement prevention member 28 is operated. Only the one corresponding to the document of the size of the interval is projected on the document discharge tray 29a.

  As a result, even if the document conveying section 20 is opened in a state where the document is discharged to the document discharge tray 29a, the document is supported by the corresponding document movement preventing member 28 and is thus held at the discharged position. Since the unsupported document movement preventing member 28 is housed in the document cover 29, for example, when an A3 size document is discharged, the A4 size document movement preventing member 28b and the A5 size document are prevented. The document movement preventing member 28c is not caught.

  In the second embodiment, when the discharged document detecting means 29b detects that the document is discharged to the document discharge tray 29a when the user presses the copy start button, the document movement preventing member 28 Among them, the one corresponding to the discharged document has already protruded. At this time, under the control of the control device 13, the display unit (not shown) displays that there is a document from the document discharge tray 29a, and the document transport operation is not started. Thereafter, when the user removes the document from the document discharge tray 29a and the discharged document detection unit 29b no longer detects the document, the document movement prevention member 28 corresponding to the document placed on the document placement tray 21 is driven. At the same time, the document feeding unit 30 starts to convey the document.

  Thus, when the document already discharged on the document discharge tray 29 a is larger than the document placed on the document placement tray 21, the discharged document is pushed up by the document movement preventing member 28. Can be prevented.

  The image reading apparatus according to the present invention can be used in an image forming apparatus such as a so-called scanner, a copying machine, and a facsimile, which are used to capture image data of a document into a computer or the like.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a copying machine as an example of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a plan view of a document conveying unit provided in the copier shown in FIG. 1. Sectional drawing which cut | disconnected the original document conveyance part which concerns on 1st Embodiment by the XX line of FIG. Sectional drawing which cut | disconnected the document conveyance part which concerns on 2nd Embodiment by the XX line of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Copy machine 11 Main body 21 Document placing tray 22 Document guide 25 Drive means 28 Document movement preventing member 29 Document cover 29a Document discharge tray 40 Image reading section C Document

Claims (5)

The body,
A document carrying tray that includes a document placing tray on which a document is placed and a document discharge tray from which the document conveyed from the document placing tray is discharged;
An image reading device provided inside the main body and provided with an image reading unit that reads an image of a document conveyed by the document conveying unit;
The document discharge tray is provided with a document movement preventing member that supports the document on the document discharge tray at a position where the document is discharged when the document transport unit is opened, at a position suitable for each of a plurality of sizes of documents. The document movement preventing member is urged by urging means so as to protrude in the direction of the surface from which the document is discharged from the inside of the document discharge tray, and a document of a large size among the compatible size documents is discharged. Then, the document movement preventing member corresponding to the document of a size smaller than the document is accommodated in the document discharge tray by the document. The body,
A document carrying tray that includes a document placing tray on which a document is placed and a document discharge tray from which the document conveyed from the document placing tray is discharged;
An image reading device provided inside the main body and provided with an image reading unit that reads an image of a document conveyed by the document conveying unit;
The document placing tray is provided with a document guide that is slidable in a direction perpendicular to the document conveyance direction. The document discharge tray is configured to discharge the document on the document discharge tray when the document conveyance unit is opened. The document movement preventing member supported at the position is provided at a position suitable for each of a plurality of sizes of documents, and the document movement preventing member protrudes from the inside of the document discharge tray toward the surface where the document is discharged by the driving means. An image reading apparatus characterized in that the document movement preventing member protrudes by the driving means in accordance with a set position of the document guide.   The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the document movement preventing members has a length equal to or longer than a length of a side of the corresponding document supported.   The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a document movement preventing member corresponding to a maximum size sheet is fixed on the document discharge tray.   An image forming apparatus comprising the image reading apparatus according to claim 1.

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