JP2007180788A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus having excellent operability for a user. <P>SOLUTION: When a document exists in any one of a mounting part, a carrying part and a stacking part when a body cover is closed (YES in any one of steps S220, S230, S240), that is, when the document exists in an automatic document carrier, a lock mechanism is locked so as not to open the body cover on the basis of a command from a control device to maintain the body cover in a closed state (S250). Only when any document does not exist in the automatic document carrier (NO in all the steps S220, S230, S240), the lock mechanism is unlocked on the basis of a command from the control device (S270). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus including an automatic document feeder.

  Conventionally, a main body having an original reading unit for reading information recorded on an original placed on a reading surface, and a main body cover that can be closed so as to cover the reading surface and can be opened and closed on the main body. A so-called flat bed type image forming apparatus (such as a copier or a printer) provided is known.

  The main body cover of this type of image forming apparatus has a placement unit for placing a document before being read by the document reading unit, a stacking unit for collecting the documents after being read by the document reading unit, and a loading unit. An automatic document feeder (so-called ADF device) is provided that includes a transport unit that transports the document on the placement unit to the stacking unit via the reading surface (that is, after the document is read by the document reading unit). (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).

  Such an ADF device (that is, a main body cover) is used in a closed state so as to cover the reading surface, automatically conveys the document placed on the placement unit, and records it on the document while the document is being conveyed. The read information is read by the document reading unit.

In the image forming apparatus described in Patent Document 1 (document reading apparatus in the document), when the main body cover is opened while the document is being transported using the ADF device (that is, while the document is being read), the document is transported. Is interrupted. Further, after that, when the main body cover is closed, it is determined whether or not the document remaining in the transport unit is transported again according to the position of the document remaining in the transport unit.
JP 2003-76246 A

  In other words, in the conventional image forming apparatus, the document whose conveyance is interrupted by opening the main body cover may remain in the conveyance unit even after the main body cover is closed. In this case, since the ADF apparatus cannot be used again unless the original remaining on the conveyance unit is removed, the user needs to remove the original, which increases the burden on the user. was there.

  In addition, when the main body cover is opened during reading and the conveyance of the original is interrupted, the information on the original that the user wants to read may not be accurately read. In this case, in order to accurately read the information of the document, the document must be placed again on the placement unit (that is, the document is reset), which also increases the burden on the user. There was also.

  In addition, when a document is read, a plurality of documents are often arranged on the placement unit or the stacking unit. For this reason, if the main body cover is opened while the original is being read, there is a problem that the original placed on the placement unit or the stacking unit may be scattered.

  In other words, in the conventional image forming apparatus, the problem that occurs when the main body cover is opened every time the main body cover is opened and reading of the original is interrupted (for example, removal of originals, resetting of originals, placed originals). There is a problem that it is inconvenient for the user.

  SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides an image forming apparatus that is easy to use for a user.

  An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, which is made to achieve the above object, includes a main body having a reading unit for reading information recorded on a document placed on a reading surface, and is supported by the main body so as to be openable and closable. In the state, a main body cover that covers the reading surface is provided.

The document conveying means provided on the main body cover is one in which one or a plurality of documents placed on the placing section are conveyed by the conveying section via the reading means and accumulated on the accumulating section.
Further, the document detection unit detects that a document is present in the document transport unit, and the holding unit holds the main body cover in a closed state while the document detection unit detects the presence of the document.

  Therefore, according to the image forming apparatus configured as described above, the main body cover can be kept closed when a document is present on the document conveying means (that is, the placement unit, the conveyance unit, and the stacking unit). It is possible to prevent the conveyance of the original (that is, the reading of the original by the reading means) from being interrupted.

  As a result, it is possible to prevent the original from remaining on the conveyance unit and the incomplete reading of information recorded on the original, so that the image forming apparatus can be easily used by the user.

Further, the document detection unit may include a transport unit detection unit that detects whether or not a document exists in the transport unit, as in the image forming apparatus described in claim 2.
That is, the position where the reading unit reads the information recorded on the document is on a path where the transport unit transports the document from the placement unit to the stacking unit, and by providing the document detection unit on the transport unit corresponding to this path, It is possible to reliably prevent the reading of the original from being interrupted.

Here, FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a period during which the holding unit holds the main body cover in a closed state together with a period during which each detection unit detects the presence of a document.
A period α shown in FIG. 8 is a period in which the conveyance unit detecting unit detects the presence of the original, and during this period α, the holding unit holds the main body cover in a closed state. Since the period α includes a period during which the reading unit reads information recorded on the document, according to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to reliably prevent reading of the document from being interrupted.

  Further, the document detection unit includes, for example, a placement unit detection unit that detects whether or not a document is present on the placement unit, as in the image forming apparatus described in claim 3. As in the case of the image forming apparatus described above, a stacking unit detecting unit that detects whether or not a document exists in the stacking unit may be provided.

  As described above, the image forming apparatus including the placement unit detection unit keeps the main body cover closed while the placement unit detection unit detects the presence of the original (that is, the period β shown in FIG. 8). Therefore, as long as a document is present on the placement unit, the main body cover is not opened. As a result, according to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to prevent the original placed on the placement unit from being scattered.

  Also, during this period β, there is a high possibility that the reading means is reading a document. Therefore, according to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the main body cover is held closed during this period β. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the reading of the original from being interrupted.

  Further, the image forming apparatus including the stacking unit detection unit holds the main body cover in a closed state while the stacking unit detection unit detects the presence of the document (that is, the period γ shown in FIG. 8). As long as a document is present in the stacking unit, the main body cover is not opened. As a result, according to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to prevent the originals accumulated in the accumulation unit from being scattered.

  Also, during this period γ, there is a high possibility that the reading means is reading a document. Therefore, according to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the main body cover is held closed during this period γ. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the reading of the original from being interrupted.

  In addition, in the image forming apparatus in which the document detection unit includes the placement unit detection unit and the stacking unit detection unit in addition to the conveyance unit detection unit, the stacking unit detection is performed after the placement unit detection unit detects the presence of the document. The main body cover is held closed until a period until the means no longer detects the presence of the document (period δ shown in FIG. 8).

  That is, the main body cover is not opened during the period from when the document is placed on the placement unit to when the document accumulated on the stacking unit is removed, including when the document is present on the transport unit. As a result, according to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to reliably prevent the reading of the original from being interrupted, and to prevent the originals placed on the placement unit and the stacking unit from being scattered.

  Even when the document detection unit includes the placement unit detection unit and the stacking unit detection unit, the body cover is held in the closed state for the period δ shown in FIG. The same effect as the case where the placement unit detection unit and the stacking unit detection unit are provided in addition to the unit detection unit is obtained.

  In addition, as in the image forming apparatus described in claim 5, when the holding unit holds the main body cover in a closed state, a notification unit that notifies that the main body cover is in the holding state is provided. It is desirable.

According to the image forming apparatus of the present invention configured as described above, a user of the image forming apparatus can recognize that the main body cover is held in a closed state.
Further, as in the image forming apparatus described in claim 6, when the document detecting means detects that no document is present in the document conveying means, there is provided a releasing means for releasing the holding state of the main body cover by the holding means. May be.

  According to the image forming apparatus of the present invention configured as described above, the main body cover can be opened when there is no original on the original conveying means.

<Configuration of the entire device>
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an appearance of a multifunction machine to which the present invention is applied, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which a main body cover of the multifunction machine shown in FIG. 1 is opened, and FIG. It is a top view of a machine.

Note that the multifunction device 1 exemplified as an embodiment of the present invention has a plurality of functions such as an image scanner, a printer, a copy, and a facsimile.
The multifunction device 1 includes a paper tray 17 that feeds the paper 18 to be printed, and a main body 10 that forms and prints an image obtained by reading information on the document 19 on the paper 18 supplied from the paper tray 17. And a main body cover 12 supported by the main body 10 so as to be openable and closable so as to completely cover the upper surface of the main body 10, and a lock mechanism 35 (see FIG. 5) for locking the main body cover 12 in a closed state. Yes.

  The main body 10 reads information described in the document 19 (hereinafter referred to as the document 19), a document reading unit 40 (see FIG. 4), forms an image from the information read by the document reading unit 40, and forms the paper 18 An image forming unit 60 (see FIG. 6) for printing, an operation unit 14 for a user of the multifunction device 1 to input information, and a display unit 15 for displaying the status of the multifunction device 1 and the like. Each unit such as the document reading unit 40 and the image forming unit 60 is housed in the main body case 11.

The main body case 11 has a reading surface 11 a on which a document 19 from which information is read by the document reading unit 40 is disposed, and a mounting unit 16 for mounting the paper tray 17.
The reading surface 11 a is a plate material made of a material that transmits light, such as glass, and is fixed to the upper surface of the main body case 11 facing the main body cover 12.

Since the image forming unit 60 is a well-known technique, the description thereof is omitted here.
<Configuration of main unit cover>
Next, the main body cover 12 and the automatic document feeder 5 provided on the main body cover 12 will be described.

FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing configurations of the main body cover 12 and the document reading unit 40.
The main body cover 12 includes a placement unit 21 for placing the document 19 before being read by the document reading unit 40, a stacking unit 31 for collecting the document 19 after being read by the document reading unit 40, and a placement unit 21. Through the reading surface 11a (that is, after the document reading unit 40 reads the document 19), a transport unit 25 that transports the document 19 to the stacking unit 31, and a cover case 13 in which the transport unit 25 is housed. And.

  The position of the reading surface 11a through which the transport unit 25 transports the document 19 is referred to as an automatic document transport reading position 3. That is, the document 19 is read by the document reading unit 40 at the automatic document conveyance reading position 3.

The cover case 13 has a clamshell shape and is formed so as to include the placement portion 21 and the stacking portion 31.
The placement unit 21 is provided with a placement table 22 on which a document is placed and a guide guide 23 including a pair of protruding pieces protruding from the placement table 22 (see FIG. 3). Further, the placement portion 21 is provided with a placement portion detection sensor 24 that detects that the document 19 is placed on the placement table 22.

  The guide guide 23 is configured such that the width between the projecting pieces can be adjusted according to the size of the document 19 placed on the placement table 22 (size of the document 19), and is a well-known assisting conveyance of the document 19. belongs to.

  Next, the conveyance unit 25 separates the originals 19 placed on the placement unit 21 one by one and guides them to the conveyance unit 25, and the original 19 separated by the separation roller 26 is an original reading unit. 40 is provided with a conveyance roller 27 that conveys the original 19 to the automatic document reading position 3 to be read by 40, and a discharge roller 28 that discharges the original 19 after reading to the stacking unit 31.

  Further, the transport unit 25 includes transport unit detection sensors 29 and 30 that detect whether or not the document 19 exists on the transport path of the document 19. The conveyance unit detection sensors 29 and 30 are pendulum sensors whose one ends are rotatably supported, and a part of the conveyance unit detection sensors 29 and 30 is rotated by the pressing force of the document 19 being conveyed. Thus, the presence of the document 19 is detected.

  The stacking unit 31 includes a stacking base 32 that stacks the originals 19 discharged from the discharge rollers 28 and a stacking unit detection sensor 33 that detects that the originals 19 are stacked on the stacking base 32.

  The placement unit detection sensor 24 and the stacking unit detection sensor 33 are optical sensors including light emitting units 24a and 33a and light receiving units 24b and 33b. The light emitting units 24a and 33a and the light receiving units 24b and 33b are positions where the light receiving units 24b and 33b receive the light emitted from the light emitting units 24a and 33a at the installation positions of the detection sensors 24 and 33, and are transported. The document 19 that is transported along the path is arranged on both sides of the transport path so that light traveling from the light emitting units 24a and 33a to the light receiving units 24b and 33b is blocked.

  That is, when the document 19 is not present at the installation positions of the detection sensors 24 and 33, the light emitted from the light emitting units 24a and 33a is detected by the light receiving units 24b and 33b. A light reception signal having a large signal level can be obtained. Further, when the document 19 is present at the installation positions of the detection sensors 24 and 33, the light is blocked by the document 19 and the light emitted from the light emitting units 24a and 33a is not detected by the light receiving units 24b and 33b. From 24b and 33b, a light reception signal having a small signal level is obtained.

  That is, the detection sensors 24 and 33 are configured such that a control device (see FIG. 6) described later recognizes the presence or absence of the document 19 based on the difference in signal level of the light reception signals output from the light receiving units 24b and 33b. Has been.

Hereinafter, as shown in FIG. 4, the placement unit 21, the conveyance unit 25, and the stacking unit 31 are collectively referred to as an automatic document conveyance device 5. In other words, the automatic document feeder 5 moves the document 19 placed on the placement unit 21 to the stacking unit 31 via the automatic document feeding / reading position 3 by driving the rollers 26, 27, and 28. Transport.
<Configuration of document reader>
Next, the document reading unit 40 will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the document reading unit 40 includes a light source 43 that irradiates light to the document 19, an optical element group 42 such as a mirror and a lens that collects reflected light reflected by the document 19, and a document 19, an image sensor 41 for reading information from 19. That is, the configuration is such that light reflected from the light source 43 and reflected by the original 19 is collected by the optical element group 42, and the collected reflected light is recognized by the image sensor 41 to read the original 19. Has been.

  The document reading unit 40 can read the document 19 at a position facing the automatic document conveyance reading position 3 and the length of the main body case 11 along the reading surface 11a by a document reading unit driving mechanism (not shown). It is configured to be movable in a direction (left and right direction in FIG. 4).

  That is, when reading the document 19 using the automatic document feeder 5, the document reading unit 40 is held at a position facing the automatic document conveyance reading position 3, and the automatic document feeder 5 automatically reads and reads the document. All information of the original 19 is read from the original 19 conveyed so as to pass the position 3.

  Further, when reading the document 19 arranged so as to cover the reading surface 11a (used as a so-called flat bed type), the document reading unit 40 is moved by the document reading unit driving mechanism while being read. All the information of the document 19 placed on 11a is read.

<Explanation about lock mechanism>
Next, the lock mechanism 35 will be described.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing a schematic configuration of the lock mechanism 35 (a view corresponding to a cross section AA in the perspective view of the multifunction machine 1 shown in FIG. Is a view of the left side from the right side)).

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the lock mechanism 35 includes an L-shaped hook 36 provided in the main body cover 12 and a known solenoid 38 disposed in the main body case 11.

First, the body case 11 is provided with an opening 37 at a position corresponding to the periphery of the reading surface 11a.
The L-shaped hook 36 is coupled so that a short prism (hereinafter, short side 36a) and a rectangular column (hereinafter, long side 36b) longer than the short side 36a are perpendicular to each other. It is a member formed in an “L” shape.

  The L-shaped hook 36 is fixed to the main body cover 12 and is fixed to a position where it can pass through the opening 37 and enter the main body case 11 when the main body cover 12 is closed.

  The solenoid 38 is between a position where the iron core 38a engages with the L-shaped hook 36 (hereinafter referred to as a lock position) and a position where the engagement is released (hereinafter referred to as a release position). Is arranged in a movable position.

  That is, the lock mechanism 35 locks the lock mechanism 35 by moving the iron core 38a of the solenoid 38 to the lock position (in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 5) when the main body cover 12 is closed, and releases the position ( In FIG. 5, the lock mechanism 35 is released by moving in the direction of arrow B).

  For this reason, when the iron core 38a of the solenoid 38 exists in the locked position, the iron core 38a of the solenoid 38 is caught by the L-shaped hook 36, and the main body cover 12 is held in a closed state.

<Explanation on electrical configuration>
Next, the electrical configuration of the multifunction machine 1 will be described.
FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the multifunction machine 1.

  The MFP 1 includes a network interface (network I / F) 105 for connecting to an external device (not shown) such as a personal computer, and a facsimile communication unit 106 for connecting to a telephone line (not shown). A control unit 104 that transmits information to and from a control target such as the image forming unit 60, a ROM 101 that stores a processing program for controlling various drives of the multifunction device 1, and processing results are temporarily stored. A control device 100 having a RAM 102 for storing and a CPU 103 for executing a processing program stored in the ROM 101 is provided.

  The control unit 104 includes a document reading unit 40, an image forming unit 60, an operation detection unit 65 that detects that the operation unit 14 has been operated, a display driving unit 70 that displays an image on the display unit 15, and a conveyance unit 25. A detecting unit 50 including sensors such as a mounting unit detecting sensor 24, a lock mechanism (solenoid 38) 35, and the like are connected.

  For this reason, in the control unit 104, not only the acquisition of information read by the document reading unit 40, the acquisition of operation information from the operation detection unit 65, the acquisition of detection results of each sensor from the detection unit 50, and the like, Image formation to the image forming unit 60, transmission of information for printing, transmission of information for driving the conveyance unit 25, transmission of a signal for driving the display driving unit 70 and the lock mechanism 35, and the like are performed. .

  The transport unit 25 includes a motor for driving the rollers 26, 27, and 28. The motor is driven based on a command from the control device 100, and the rollers 26, 27 receive the drive. , 28 rotate.

  In addition to the placement unit detection sensor 24, the conveyance unit detection sensors 29 and 30, and the stacking unit detection sensor 33, the detection unit 50 includes a well-known open / close detection that detects whether the main body cover 12 is closed. Sensors and other sensors included in the multifunction machine 1 are included.

<Explanation about motion control>
Next, a lock process executed by the control device 100 to control opening and closing of the lock mechanism 35 will be described with reference to a flowchart shown in FIG.

  This lock process is started when the opening / closing detection sensor detects that the main body cover 12 is closed, and is repeatedly executed while the main body cover 12 is closed.

However, the lock mechanism (that is, the iron core 38a of the solenoid 38) 35 is located at the release position in the initial state (in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 5).
When the lock process is executed, in S210, the placement unit detection sensor 24, the stacking unit detection sensor 33, and the transport unit detection sensors 29 and 30 are caused to detect the state of the respective installation positions. Information on the state of the installation position is acquired.

  In subsequent S220, it is determined whether or not the document 19 exists in the transport unit 25 based on the detection results of the transport unit detection sensors 29 and 30 acquired in S210, and based on the determination result, the document in the transport unit 25 is determined. If it is determined that 19 does not exist, the process proceeds to S230.

  In S230, based on the detection result of the placement unit detection sensor 24 acquired in S210, it is determined whether or not the document 19 exists on the placement unit 21, and based on the determination result, the document on the placement unit 21 is determined. If it is determined that 19 is not arranged, the process proceeds to S240.

In S240, it is determined whether or not the document 19 exists in the stacking unit 31 based on the detection result of the stacking unit detection sensor 33 acquired in S210.
Then, if it is determined that the document 19 does not exist in the stacking unit 31, that is, if it is determined that the document 19 does not exist in the automatic document feeder 5, the process proceeds to S270.

  In S270, based on a command from the control device 100, the iron core 38a of the solenoid 38 is moved from the lock position (arrow A direction shown in FIG. 5) to the release position (arrow B direction shown in FIG. 5). Thereby, the main body cover 12 is in an unlocked state, and the main body cover 12 can be opened. Then, the process proceeds to S280.

In S270, if the document 19 does not exist in the automatic document feeder 5 before the current lock process is executed, control is performed to maintain the unlocked state.
Subsequently, in S280, the display driving unit 70 is driven based on a command from the control device 100, and the display of the lock state displayed on the display unit 15 is released. That is, when the main body cover 12 is unlocked, control is performed so that a display indicating that the main body cover 12 is locked is not displayed. Thereafter, this process is terminated.

  On the other hand, if it is determined that the document 19 exists as a result of the determination in S220, S230, S240, that is, if it is determined that the document 19 exists in the automatic document feeder 5, S250 Proceed to

  In S250, based on a command from the control device 100, the iron core 38a of the solenoid 38 is moved from the release position (direction of arrow B shown in FIG. 5) to the lock position (direction of arrow A shown in FIG. 5). That is, when the document 19 exists in the automatic document feeder 5 provided on the main body cover 12, the lock mechanism 35 is locked so that the main body cover 12 does not open. Thereby, the main body cover 12 maintains the closed state so as to cover the reading surface 11a. Then, the process proceeds to S260.

  Further, before the current lock process is executed, this process (S250) is executed, and when the main body cover 12 is locked by moving the iron core 38a of the solenoid 38 to the lock position, Maintain state. That is, in S250, the lock mechanism (that is, the solenoid) is controlled so that the main body cover 12 is kept closed.

  Subsequently, in S260, the display drive unit 70 is driven based on a command from the control device 100 to display on the display unit 15 that the main body cover 12 is locked. The display indicating the locked state continues to be displayed while the main body cover 12 is in the locked state.

Thereafter, this process is terminated.
<Effect of this embodiment>
As described above, the multifunction device 1 is configured such that when the document 19 is present on the placement unit 21, the conveyance unit 25, and the stacking unit 31 (that is, the automatic document conveyance device 5), that is, the document reading unit 40 is the document. When the possibility of reading 19 is high, the lock mechanism 35 is locked to hold the main body cover 12 in a closed state.

  Therefore, according to the multifunction device 1, it is possible to prevent the main body cover 12 from being opened and the reading of the original 19 from being interrupted, and the original 19 existing on the placement unit 21 or the stacking unit 31 by the main body cover 12 being opened. Can be prevented from being scattered.

The multifunction device 1 is configured to display on the display unit 15 that the main body cover 12 is in a locked state.
Therefore, according to the multifunction device 1, it is possible to notify the user of the multifunction device 1 that it is in the locked state, and as a result, the lock mechanism is excessively opened by forcibly opening the main body cover 12 in the locked state. It is possible to prevent the failure of the lock mechanism 35 and the like.

<Other embodiments>
As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, In the range which does not deviate from the summary of this invention, it is possible to implement in various aspects.

  For example, as the detection sensors for detecting the presence of the document 19 in the automatic document feeder 5, all of the conveyance unit detection sensors 29 and 30, the placement unit detection sensor 24, and the stacking unit detection sensor 33 are included. It does not need to be provided.

  In other words, when the automatic document feeder 5 is used, the position where the document 19 is read by the document reading unit 40 is in the transport unit 25, so that when the document 19 exists in the transport unit 25, the document reading is performed. There is a high possibility that the unit 40 is reading information from the document 19. Therefore, if the conveyance unit detection sensors 29 and 30 are provided, the main body cover 12 can be prevented from being opened when the document reading unit 40 reads information from the document 19.

  When only the transport unit detection sensors 29 and 30 are provided, a predetermined time has elapsed after the transport unit detection sensors 29 and 30 detect that the document 19 does not exist (for example, the document 19 is removed from the transport unit 25 by the discharge roller 28). If the control device 100 controls to release the locked state of the main body cover 12 after the complete discharge time), it is possible to more reliably prevent the main body cover 12 from being opened while the document 19 is being read. it can.

  Further, the multifunction machine may be provided with the placement unit detection sensor 24 in addition to the conveyance unit detection sensors 29 and 30, or may be provided with the accumulation unit detection sensor 33 in addition to the conveyance unit detection sensors 29 and 30. good.

  According to the multi-function machine configured as described above, it is possible to prevent the main body cover 12 from being opened while the document 19 is being read, and also the placement unit 21 and the stacking unit 31 to be opened when the main body cover 12 is opened. Can be prevented from being scattered.

  Further, after the original 19 before being read by the original reading unit 40 is placed on the placement unit 21, the original 19 after being read is accumulated on the accumulating unit 31, and all the originals 19 are collected from the accumulating unit 31. The period until the document is removed includes a period during which the document reading unit 40 reads the document 19. For this reason, what removed only the conveyance part detection sensors 29 and 30 from this embodiment may be used. That is, the multifunction machine may include two types of detection sensors, that is, the placement unit detection sensor 24 and the stacking unit detection sensor 33.

Further, the multifunction machine may include only the placement unit detection sensor 24 or the stacking unit detection sensor 33.
In other words, the document 19 placed on the placement unit 21 is to be read by the document reading unit 40 from now on. When one document 19 is discharged to the stacking unit 31, a plurality of documents 19 are subsequently read. There is a high possibility that the document 19 is read. Therefore, according to the MFP configured such that the main body cover 12 is not opened as long as the document 19 is placed on the placement unit 21 or the stacking unit 31, the possibility that reading of the document 19 is interrupted is reduced. can do.

  In the case where only the placement unit detection sensor 24 is provided, after the placement unit detection sensor 24 detects that the document 19 does not exist, a certain period of time (for example, the rear end of the document 19 from the placement unit 21 to the stacking unit). If the control device 100 controls to release the locked state of the main body cover 12 after the passage of the time (the time when the main body cover 12 is conveyed), the main body cover 12 can be more reliably prevented from being opened while the document 19 is being read. Can do.

  Note that the placement unit detection sensor 24, the transport unit detection sensors 29 and 30, and the stacking unit detection sensor 33 may not be optical sensors or pendulum sensors as shown in the present embodiment. In other words, any device can be used as long as it can detect whether or not the document 19 exists at each installation position.

  Specifically, when the document 19 exists in the transport unit 25, the rollers 26, 27, and 28 provided in the transport unit 25 are driven to transport the document 19. For this reason, it may be recognized whether or not the roller is being driven by detecting the driving state of the motor that drives the roller, instead of the transport unit detection sensors 29 and 30.

  That is, it is possible to indirectly determine that the document 19 exists in the transport unit 25 when the roller is driven, and that the document 19 does not exist in the transport unit 25 when the roller is not driven. it can.

In order to detect the driving of the roller, not only the driving state of the motor but also the rotation state of the roller may be directly detected by a sensor.
Further, in this embodiment, the lock mechanism 35 is formed only at one place, but a plurality of lock mechanisms 35 may be formed in one multifunction machine.

  In this embodiment, the solenoid 38 is used as the locking mechanism. However, the main body cover 12 may be kept closed by locking the L-shaped hook 36 using a mechanical mechanism.

  Further, in the multi-function device 1 having the main body cover 12 that can be opened and closed at two or more locations as shown in FIG. 9 (two locations A and B in the multi-function device 1 shown in FIG. 9), A lock mechanism may be formed for each. According to the multi-function device 1 configured as described above, even in the multi-function device 1 as shown in FIG. 9, the main body cover 12 is not opened while the document 19 is being read. Absent.

  In the present embodiment, the user of the multi-function device 1 is notified by displaying on the display unit 15 that the main body cover 12 is in the locked state. The user may be notified by sound that the main body cover 12 is in the locked state.

1 is a perspective view illustrating an external configuration of a multifunction machine. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the multifunction machine in a state where a main body cover is opened. 2 is a top view of the multifunction machine. FIG. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a schematic configuration of an automatic document feeder and a document reading unit. It is explanatory drawing which shows schematic structure of a locking mechanism. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an electrical configuration of the multifunction machine. It is a flowchart of the lock process which locks a main body cover. It is explanatory drawing which showed time when each detection means started detecting presence of a document, and the holding means hold | maintained in the state which closed the main body cover. It is explanatory drawing which shows a multi-function machine in which there are a plurality of open / close locations of the main body cover.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... MFP 3 ... Automatic document conveyance reading position 5 ... Automatic document conveyance apparatus 10 ... Main body 11 ... Main body case 11a ... Reading surface 12 ... Main body cover 14 ... Operation part 15 ... Display part 16 ... Mounting part 17 ... Paper tray 18 ... Paper 19 ... Original 21 ... Place 22 ... Place 23 ... Guide Guide 24 ... Place detection sensor 24a, 33a ... Light emitting portion 24b, 33b ... Light receiver 25 ... Conveying portion 26 ... Separating roller 27 ... Conveying roller 28 ... Discharge roller 29, 30 ... Conveying section detection sensor 31 ... Stacking section 32 ... Stacking base 33 ... Stacking section detection sensor 35 ... Locking mechanism 36 ... L-shaped hook 37 ... Opening 38 ... Solenoid 38a ... Iron core 40 ... Document reading section DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 41 ... Image sensor 42 ... Optical element group 43 ... Light source 50 ... Detection part 100 ... Control apparatus

Claims (6)

A main body having reading means for reading information recorded on a document placed on a reading surface;
The body is supported so as to be opened and closed, and in a closed state, a body cover that covers the reading surface;
Placed on the main body cover, on which one or a plurality of originals are placed, on a stacking part on which one or more originals whose information has been read by the reading means are stacked, placed on the placement part A document conveying unit having a conveying unit configured to convey the document to the stacking unit via the reading unit;
Document detection means for detecting the presence of a document in the document conveying means;
Holding means for holding the main body cover closed while the document detection means detects the presence of a document;
An image forming apparatus comprising:   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the document detection unit includes a conveyance unit detection unit configured to detect whether a document is present in the conveyance unit.   3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the document detection unit includes a placement unit detection unit configured to detect whether or not a document is present on the placement unit.   4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the document detection unit includes a stacking unit detection unit configured to detect whether or not a document exists in the stacking unit.   5. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising notification means for notifying that the main body cover is in a holding state when the holding means holds the main body cover in a closed state. The image forming apparatus described.   6. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a releasing unit that releases the holding state of the main body cover by the holding unit when the document detecting unit detects that no document exists on the document conveying unit. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1.

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