JP2008003196A - Image reader - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image reader capable of securely and easily detecting failure in fitting a belt that drives a document reading section. <P>SOLUTION: The image reader includes: the document reading section; the belt 36 connected to the document reading section; a plurality of pulleys 32, 33, and 35 around which the belt 36 is stretched; and a motor for driving the pulley 32. Below the belt 36, contact pieces 21a and 21b are disposed. As long as the pulleys 32 and 35 engage with the belt 36 normally, the belt is not in contact with the contact pieces. However, if the belt 36 disengage from the pulleys, it comes into contact with the contact pieces 21a and 21b. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image reading apparatus that reads images such as characters and figures.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an image reading apparatus that reads an image such as a figure or a character of a document is used. The image reading apparatus includes a document reading unit for reading an image of a document. The document reading unit has a longitudinal direction extending from one side of the document to the other. The document reading unit is driven to reciprocate in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

  The document reading unit includes a charge coupled device (CCD) or a contact image sensor (CIS).

In general, a belt 36 and pulleys 32, 33, and 35 as shown in FIG. For example, Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-107475) discloses such a scanner device.
JP-A-8-107475

  In assembling the image reading apparatus as shown in FIG. 4, first, pulleys 32, 33, and 35 are assembled to the housing. Thereafter, the belt 36 is stretched around the pulleys 32, 33, and 35.

  At this time, the belt 36 may not be correctly laid over the pulleys 33 and 35 as shown in FIG. In such a case, the belt 36 is detached from the pulleys 33 and 35 and engaged with a shaft portion that supports the pulleys 33 and 35.

  Such assembly failure of the belt 36 is often found at the stage of product inspection. However, in the operation test in the product inspection, a large abnormality does not appear and it may operate normally at first glance. In such a case, it is conceivable that the belt 36 is shipped without being assembled correctly.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image reading apparatus that can reliably and easily detect a failure when the belt that drives the document reading unit is assembled.

  According to an aspect of the image reading apparatus according to the present invention, a glass plate on which an original is placed, a light emitting element that is driven along the glass plate and emits light toward the original, and light reflected by the original A document reading unit, a belt connected to the document reading unit, a plurality of pulleys around the belt, and a motor for driving any of the plurality of pulleys. However, at least one part below the belt does not contact when the pulley and the belt are normally engaged, but when the belt is detached from the pulley, the belt contacts the belt. A contact piece is provided. The contact piece is provided at a position corresponding to a position intersecting the belt, of a rib intersecting the belt at least twice.

  According to another aspect of the image reading apparatus according to the present invention, a glass plate on which an original is placed, a light emitting element that is driven along the glass plate and emits light toward the original, and reflected by the original An original reading unit having a light receiving element for receiving light; a belt connected to the original reading unit; a plurality of pulleys around the belt; and a motor for driving any of the plurality of pulleys. A contact piece that does not contact at least any part below the belt when the pulley and the belt are normally engaged, but contacts the belt when the belt is detached from the pulley. Is provided.

  In the image reading apparatus, the contact piece may be provided so as to protrude upward at an upper end of a rib extending in a direction intersecting the belt.

  In the image reading apparatus, the rib may intersect the belt at least twice, and the contact piece may be provided at a position corresponding to a position where the rib intersects the belt.

  According to the image reading apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to reliably and easily detect a defect when the belt for driving the document reading unit is assembled.

  Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the internal structure of the image reading apparatus according to the present embodiment. FIGS. 2 and 3 are perspective views showing the structure around the pulley of the image reading apparatus according to the present embodiment. It is.

  Image reading apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment receives glass plate 15 on which a document is placed, light emitting element 43 that is driven along glass plate 15 and emits light toward the document, and light reflected by the document. A document reading unit 41 having a light receiving element 44, a belt 36 connected to the document reading unit 41, a plurality of pulleys 32, 33, 34, 35 on which the belt 36 is bridged, and a plurality of pulleys 32, 33, 34 , 35, and a motor 38 for driving any one of them. The belt 36 does not come into contact with any part below the belt 36 when the pulleys 32, 33, 34, 35 and the belt are normally engaged, but when the belt 36 is detached from the pulley, the belt 36 Contact pieces 21a and 21b that come into contact with each other are provided.

  The image reading apparatus 1 in the present embodiment has a housing 11 that covers the outside. A glass plate 15 on which a document is placed is disposed at the top of the housing 11. A flat lid (not shown) is arranged on the upper surface side of the glass plate 15.

  A document reading unit 41 is disposed on the lower surface side of the glass plate 15. The document reading unit 41 is driven to reciprocate along the lower side of the glass plate. The document reading unit 41 includes a contact image sensor. The document reading unit 41 may use another type of sensor such as one using a CCD.

  A control device is electrically connected to the document reading unit 41 via a flat cable (not shown).

  The operation direction of the document reading unit 41 is regulated by a rail 12 extending in the driving direction, a shaft (not shown), and the like. A belt 36 is connected to the document reading unit 41, and the document reading unit 41 is reciprocated as the belt 36 is driven.

  Here, the belt 36 is bridged between the four pulleys 32 to 35. The belt 36 is driven by the pulley 32. The pulley 32 is driven by a motor 38 via a gear 31 integrated with the pulley 32 and a gear 37 that meshes with the gear 31. The structure for driving the document reading section 41 shown in FIG. 1 is merely an example, and the present invention is not limited to this.

  In the claims and specification, the pulley includes both a belt driving member and a belt driven member. Moreover, it is not limited to a typical pulley, A thing with the tooth | gear which meshes with the unevenness | corrugation of a belt, a gear-shaped thing, etc. are included.

  A rib 21 extending in a direction intersecting with the belt 36 is provided at the bottom of the housing 11. The rib 21 is necessary for the structure of the housing 11. At the upper end of the rib 21, contact pieces 21a and 21b to be described later are provided.

  With reference to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the structure near the contact pieces 21a, 21b and the pulleys 32, 33, 35 will be described in more detail. In a normal state, as shown in FIG. 2, the belt 36 is stretched over the pulley 33, the pulley 32, and the pulley 35 in this order.

  Ribs 21 are provided in the direction intersecting the belt 36, and contact pieces 21a and 21b are provided at the upper ends thereof. The contact pieces 21a and 21b are formed in a flat plate shape, and are configured such that the normal direction thereof substantially coincides with the direction in which the belt 36 extends.

  The height of the upper ends of the contact pieces 21a and 21b is set to a height that does not contact when the belt 36 is normally engaged with the pulleys 33 and 35. Moreover, the upper ends of the contact pieces 21a and 21b are configured horizontally.

  FIG. 3 shows a state in which the belt 36 has fallen from the pulleys 33 and 35 due to poor work during assembly. In this case, the belt 36 engages with shaft portions 33a and 35a that support the pulleys 33 and 35, respectively.

  In the state where the pulleys 33 and 35 are detached, the belt 36 is positioned at a position lower than the normal state. The heights of the upper ends of the contact pieces 21a and 21b are set such that the tips of the contact pieces 21a and 21b come into contact with each other when the belt 36 is located at such a low position.

  When the belt 36 is driven in this state during product inspection, abnormal noise is generated from the contact portion between the belt 36 and the contact pieces 21a and 21b. Thereby, the product inspector can easily know that the belt 36 is not normally engaged with the pulleys 33 and 35.

  Thereby, the product inspector can reliably prevent the product in which the belt 36 is not normally engaged with the pulleys 33 and 35 from being shipped.

  Since it is preferable that the contact pieces 21a and 21b generate as much abnormal noise as possible, the contact pieces 21a and 21b are configured in a flat plate shape in which abnormal noise is easily generated. Further, by providing irregularities in the portions of the belt 36 facing the contact pieces 21a and 21b, a larger abnormal sound can be generated.

  Further, by providing the contact pieces 21a and 21b as close as possible to the pulleys 33 and 35, the contact pieces 21a and 21b and the belt 36 are in strong contact. Thereby, a larger abnormal sound can be generated.

  Here, since the contact pieces 21a and 21b are provided at the upper end of the rib 21, the contact pieces 21a and 21b can be formed with a small amount of material. Here, since the contact pieces 21a and 21b are provided on the rib 21 that intersects the belt 36 twice, an increase in the material for providing the contact pieces 21a and 21b can be minimized. Its design change is easy.

  In the present embodiment, the contact pieces 21a and 21b are provided in the vicinity of the pulley 35 and the pulley 33 between the pulley 34 and the pulley 35, and between the pulley 34 and the pulley 33. A contact piece may be provided between the pulley 32 and the pulley 35.

  Further, a contact piece may be provided in the vicinity of the pulley 34 between the pulley 34 and the pulley 35 and between the pulley 34 and the pulley 33.

  Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the contact piece is formed in a flat plate shape, but is not necessarily limited to this shape, and may be any shape as long as abnormal noise is likely to occur.

  In addition, the said embodiment disclosed this time is an illustration in all the points, Comprising: It does not become the basis of limited interpretation. Therefore, the technical scope of the present invention is not interpreted only by the above-described embodiments, but is defined based on the description of the claims. Further, all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the scope of the claims are included.

It is a perspective view which shows the internal structure of the image reading apparatus in embodiment based on this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the periphery of a pulley of the image reading apparatus in embodiment based on this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the periphery of a pulley of the image reading apparatus in embodiment based on this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the periphery of a pulley of the conventional image reading apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image reader, 11 Case, 12 Rail, 15 Glass plate, 21 Rib, 21a, 21b Contact piece, 31 Gear, 32, 33, 34, 35 Pulley, 36 Belt, 37 Gear, 38 Motor, 41 Original reading part , 43 Light emitting element, 44 Light receiving element.

Claims (4)

A glass plate on which an original is placed;
A document reading unit that is driven along the glass plate and has a light emitting element that emits light toward the document and a light receiving element that receives light reflected from the document;
A belt connected to the document reading unit;
A plurality of pulleys around which the belt is stretched;
A motor that drives any of the plurality of pulleys,
At least one part below the belt does not contact when the pulley and the belt are normally engaged, but contacts the belt when the belt is detached from the pulley. A piece is provided,
The image reading device according to claim 1, wherein the contact piece is provided at a position corresponding to a position intersecting with the belt of a rib intersecting with the belt at least twice. A glass plate on which an original is placed;
A document reading unit that is driven along the glass plate and has a light emitting element that emits light toward the document and a light receiving element that receives light reflected from the document;
A belt connected to the document reading unit;
A plurality of pulleys around which the belt is stretched;
A motor that drives any of the plurality of pulleys,
At least one portion below the belt is not provided with a contact piece that does not contact when the pulley and the belt are normally engaged, but contacts the belt when the belt is detached from the pulley. An image reading device.   The image reading apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the contact piece is provided so as to protrude upward at an upper end of a rib extending in a direction intersecting the belt.   The image reading device according to claim 3, wherein the rib intersects the belt at least twice, and the contact piece is provided at a position corresponding to a position of the rib intersecting the belt.

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