JP2010176003A - Image reading apparatus, and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image reading apparatus and an image forming apparatus, which prevent misalignment in a small piece of original copy with superior usability. <P>SOLUTION: The image reading apparatus has: a pressing plate 257 of which base end 257c is supported on a device body in a cantilever manner and which presses an original copy onto a contact glass 231; and a pressing plate sheet 256 arranged on the side opposing to the contact glass 231 of the pressing plate 257 and making positioning by pressing the original copy placed on the contact glass 231, and made of a transparent and flexible material. One end of the pressing sheet 256 is supported by the base end 257c of the pressing plate 257 and the other end of the pressing plate sheet 256 by an open end 257d, respectively. A small piece of the original copy is positioned on the contact glass 231 by the pressing plate sheet 256 with releasing the support state of the pressing plate sheet 256 on the open end 257d. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image reading apparatus that reads a document image, and an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a facsimile, or a digital multi-function peripheral equipped with the image reading apparatus.

  As an image reading apparatus, two document reading methods, a flat bed method and a sheet through method, are known. The former assumes the use of a book document, and the latter assumes the use of a sheet document. However, even in the case of the flat bed system, sheet originals are often read on a contact one by one. Since this sheet document is normally assumed to be B5 size or larger, when a document of a smaller size, for example, a copy of a receipt of a small size is taken, the sheet-through method may hinder sheet conveyance. Usually, reading is performed by a flat bed method. However, in the case of such a size, there is a problem that it is difficult to define the document position. Therefore, for example, the inventions described in Patent Documents 1 to 3 are known as techniques for defining the document placement position.

  Among them, Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-020665) includes a document holding sheet made of a transparent sheet having a viscous layer that can be set on a document support table, and prevents document misalignment and document misset. An invention that can improve the manuscript setting performance of the operator is described.

  Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-234330 discloses an original image reading apparatus that reads an original image by a reading unit positioned immediately below the original plate while pressing the original placed on the original plate with a pressure plate. A sheet-shaped intermediate document pressing pressure plate for pressing and positioning the document placed on the document table; at least one opening formed through the intermediate document pressing pressure plate; and an upper surface of the intermediate document pressing pressure plate And a pressure plate that can be opened and closed independently to cover the paper, and even a small paper document such as curled photographic paper or slip can be easily placed at the reading position on the document table to prevent misalignment. The invention as described is described.

  Further, Patent Document 3 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-011369) has a flat document placing table and a pressing member that presses substantially the entire surface of the document placed on the document placing table from above. In the document table of the image reading apparatus in which the pressing member is pivotally supported on the end portion of the document mounting table, the rotation shaft of the pressing member is approximately between the document mounting table and the pressing member. There is described an invention in which an auxiliary pressing member that is supported on the same axis and that makes a part of the original on the original document table close contact with the original document table is disposed to prevent the positional deviation of the original document.

When reading an original using the flat bed method, an original is placed on the contact glass using a pressure plate, and the original on the contact glass is read by an optical scanning unit. In this type of image reading apparatus, the pressure plate is closed. Wind pressure is generated. For this reason, when reading a small document as described above, the pressure plate closing operation may cause the document to move from where it was originally placed due to wind pressure.

  In the technique described in Patent Document 1, the document holding sheet can be stored like a roll screen, which eliminates misalignment but increases costs. The technique described in Patent Document 2 is effective for curled photographic paper and small paper originals such as slips. However, when reading a normal sheet original or book original, the corner of the original is formed in the through hole. There was room for improvement in usability because it could get caught or caught.

  Furthermore, in the technique described in Patent Document 3, a pressing member and an auxiliary pressing member are provided to press the document, and a part of the sheet is first pressed by the auxiliary pressing member and further pressed by the pressing member from above. taking it. Thus, even if the sheet is curled, the curl is pressed by the auxiliary pressing member so that the sheet does not move even if wind pressure is generated by the pressing member. Since a plurality of auxiliary pressing members are installed, it is necessary to operate each auxiliary pressing portion, and there is room for improvement in usability.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an image reading apparatus and an image forming apparatus that are excellent in usability while preventing a positional deviation of a small paper original.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the first means has a base end portion supported in a cantilever manner on the apparatus body, and is arranged on a pressure plate for pressing the document to the document table side, and on a surface side of the pressure plate facing the document table. A sheet-shaped intermediate pressing sheet made of a transparent flexible material that presses and positions the document placed on the document table, and optically converts the document image placed on the document table. The intermediate pressing sheet has one end side of the pressure plate on the base pressing side of the pressure plate, and the other end of the intermediate pressing sheet on the open end side of the pressure plate of the original pressing surface. And a support release means for releasing the support state of the support means on the open end side, and the intermediate presser sheet in a state in which the intermediate presser sheet is released by the support release means Position the document with Characterized in that the pressing.

  The second means is the first means, wherein an attachment member is fixed to each of the support means side of the intermediate presser sheet, and a protrusion is provided at an end in the longitudinal direction of the attachment member. The protrusion is supported.

  The third means is the first or second means, wherein the support means has an engaging groove in which the protrusion of the attachment member is mounted, and an open end of the engagement groove along the longitudinal direction of the attachment member. And a fixed lid that opens and closes by sliding and functions also as the support releasing means.

  The fourth means is characterized in that in the third means, there is further provided elastic urging means for elastically urging the fixed lid in the normally closing direction.

  The fifth means is characterized in that in the fourth means, operation means for operating the fixed lid from the front side of the pressure plate is further provided.

  A sixth means is characterized in that, in any of the first to fifth means, the intermediate presser sheet is graduated.

  A seventh means is characterized in that, in the sixth means, the scale is printed in the color of the reading surface of the pressure plate or in white.

  The eighth means is characterized in that the image forming apparatus includes the image reading apparatus according to the first to seventh means.

  In the embodiment described later, the pressure plate is denoted by reference numeral 257, the document table is denoted by contact glass 231, the intermediate pressing sheet is denoted by pressure plate sheet 254, the original pressing surface is denoted by reference numeral 257e, and the base end portion of the original pressure surface of the pressure plate is denoted by reference numeral 257. 257c, the open end of the original pressing surface of the pressure plate is denoted by reference numeral 257d, the support means is defined by the engagement groove 257a and the fixed lid 258, the support release means is denoted by the reference numeral 258, the attachment member is denoted by reference numeral 256, and the engagement protrusion is denoted by Reference numeral 256a denotes an elastic biasing means corresponding to a spring (not shown), the operating means corresponds to the operating lever 259 and the operating portion 259a, the scale corresponds to the reference numeral 255a, the image reading apparatus corresponds to the scanner 10, and the image forming apparatus corresponds to the printer 100. To do.

  According to the present invention, since the original is positioned and pressed on the document table by the intermediate pressing sheet in the state where the support on the open end side of the pressure plate of the intermediate pressing sheet is released, the positional deviation of the original on the small paper piece is prevented. Thus, it is possible to provide an image reading apparatus and an image forming apparatus excellent in usability.

1 is a diagram illustrating an overall configuration of a digital multi-function peripheral having a multi-function according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a software configuration of a digital multifunction peripheral. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a document image reading apparatus including a scanner and an ADF mounted on the scanner. FIG. It is a figure which shows the structure of the pressure plate sheet which concerns on this embodiment. It is a figure which shows the structure of the pressure plate which concerns on this embodiment. It is a figure which shows the usage condition of the pressure plate sheet | seat of FIG. It is a figure which shows the use condition at the time of using a pressure plate sheet | seat with ADF provided integrally with the pressure plate. It is a figure which shows the other example of a soft sheet, (a) is a front view, (b) is a side view. It is a figure which shows the relationship between a fixed lid, an engaging groove, an attaching part, and an engagement protrusion, (a) is a principal part enlarged view, (b) is sectional drawing. It is a figure which shows the other example of the opening / closing mechanism of a fixed lid.

  The present invention relates to prevention of misalignment of a small-size document when it is read by a flat bed system. Hereinafter, an embodiment thereof will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of a digital multi-function peripheral having a multi-function according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, the digital multi-function peripheral A1 is roughly composed of units of an automatic document feeder (ADF) 30, an operation board 20, a color scanner 10, a color printer 100, and a paper feed bank 35. Further, a finisher 34, a double-sided drive unit 33, and a large-capacity paper feed tray 36 are mounted on the printer 100 of the full-color copying machine A1. The finisher 34 includes a stapler and a tray on which imaged sheets can be stacked.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a software configuration of the digital multifunction peripheral. In the figure, the software configuration of the digital multi-function peripheral A1 includes a controller 1 comprising an application of a copy function 2, a FAX function 3, a scanner function 4 and a printer function 5, an engine 6 comprising an image reading control 7 and an image forming control 8, and an ADF 9. Consists of The controller 1 also controls the display unit and the operation unit of the operation board 20 and issues an image reading request and an image formation request to the engine. In the case of image reading using the ADF 30, the printer 100 controls the ADF 30 by sending commands such as a paper feed request, a read request, and a paper discharge request.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a document image reading apparatus including the scanner 10 and the ADF 30 attached to the scanner 10. The original placed on the contact glass 231 of the scanner 10 is illuminated by the illumination lamp 232, and the reflected light (image light) of the original is reflected by the first mirror 233 in parallel with the sub-scanning direction y. The illumination lamp 232 and the first mirror 233 are mounted on a first carriage that is driven at a constant speed in the sub-scanning direction y. The second and third mirrors 234 and 235 are mounted on the second carriage that is driven in the same direction as the first carriage, and the image light reflected by the first mirror 233 is second. The light is reflected downward (z) by the mirror 234, reflected in the sub-scanning direction y by the third mirror 235, converged by the lens 236, irradiated to the CCD 207, and converted into an electrical signal. This reading operation is a so-called flatbed reading and operation for reading a manually placed document on the contact glass 231. Note that the first and second carriages are not indicated by reference numerals but are indicated by alternate long and short dash lines.

  The first and second carriages are driven to reciprocate in the y direction using the traveling body motor 238 as a drive source. The document is scanned during the forward movement, and the return operation is performed during the backward movement. The CCD 207 is an image pickup device that includes a photoelectric conversion element array in which a large number of photoelectric conversion elements are arranged in the main scanning direction, and repeatedly outputs image reading signals of the array in main scanning line sections.

  The automatic document feeder ADF 30 is mounted on the scanner 10 and supplies a document to a reading position. In other words, the documents stacked on the document tray 241 of the ADF 30 are drawn out by the pickup roller 242, skew correction is performed by the registration roller pair 243, and further fed between the conveying drum 244 and the pressing roller 245 at the same timing. The sheet fed between the conveyance drum 244 and the pressing roller 245 is in close contact with the conveyance drum 244 and passes over the reading glass 240, and is discharged from the discharge rollers 246 and 247 as a pressure plate below the document tray 241. The paper is discharged onto the paper tray 248.

  When the original passes through the reading glass 240, the original is irradiated by an illumination lamp 232 that is positioned immediately below and is stationary, and the reflected light of the original is irradiated to the CCD 207 through an optical system below the first mirror 233. It is photoelectrically converted. Such a reading operation is called a sheet feed method. At this time, the above-described second carriage is positioned at the leftmost position in the figure, reflects the reflected light from the first carriage, and guides the read image to the imaging surface of the CCD 207 via the lens 236. Note that the relative positions of these parts are set so that the distance between the reading surface and the imaging surface of the CCD 207 is the same in both the flat bed method and the sheet-through method.

  A white reference plate 239 and a base point sensor 249 for detecting the first carriage are provided between the reading glass 240 and the scale 251 for positioning the document start end. Although the white reference plate 239 has read a document having a uniform density due to variations in individual light emission intensities of the illumination lamp 232, variations in the main scanning direction, sensitivity variations among the pixels of the CCD 207, and the like. It is prepared for so-called shading correction for correcting the phenomenon in which read data varies. In this shading correction, first, the white reference plate 239 is read for one line in the main scanning direction before scanning the document, the read white reference data is stored in a memory, and when reading a document image, for each pixel scanned in the document, Divide the image data by the corresponding white reference data in the memory and correct.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the configuration of the pressure plate sheet according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the configuration of the pressure plate.
In these drawings, the pressure plate 257 is also referred to as a document pressure plate, and has a function of pressing the document placed on the contact glass 231 from above, preventing the document from moving, and ensuring the flatness of the document. . A pressure plate sheet 254 is installed on the surface of the pressure plate 257 facing the contact glass 231, and the pressure plate 257 presses the document through the pressure plate sheet 254.

  As shown in the front view of FIG. 4A, the pressure plate sheet 254 includes a transparent soft sheet 255 and attachment portions 256 to the pressure plate 257 attached to both sides of the soft sheet 255 in the longitudinal direction. The soft sheet 255 is a sheet made of a synthetic resin such as vinyl, has flexibility, and is formed of a soft material. As shown in the side view of FIG. 4B, the attachment portion 256 is inserted into the groove formed in the longitudinal direction of the side surface of the rod-like attachment portion 256, and the edge of the soft sheet 255 is inserted and fixed with screws or an adhesive. And are integrated with the soft seat 255. Engaging protrusions 256 a to the pressure plate 257 are provided in the axial direction at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the attachment portion 256.

  As shown in the front view of FIG. 5A, the pressure plate 257 is provided with an installation portion 257b for the pressure plate sheet 254 on a document pressing surface 257e which is the lower surface of the pressure plate 257. In addition, engagement grooves 257 a are provided at the four corners of the installation portion 257 b corresponding to the engagement protrusions 256 a of the attachment portion 256 of the pressure plate sheet 254. The four engagement protrusions 256a are respectively mounted on the four engagement grooves 257a by the installation portion 257b, and the fixed lid 258 is slid to release the engagement state of the engagement protrusions 256a with the engagement grooves 257a. I try not to. In other words, the front surface of the engagement groove 257a is closed, and the engagement protrusion 256a is held behind the engagement groove 257a (see FIG. 9A). As a result, the pressure plate sheet 254 is held integrally with the pressure plate 257.

  FIG. 6 is a view showing a usage pattern of the pressure plate sheet. The pressure plate sheet 254 is integrated with the pressure plate 257 when reading a normal standard size document or book document, and the pressure plate sheet 254 is removed and used only when reading a small size document or a slip of a small paper piece. At that time, the engagement state of the engagement protrusion 256a on the document pressing surface 257e on the open end 257d side of the pressure plate 257 is released, and the engagement state of the engagement protrusion 256a on the back base end portion 257c side is kept. Note that the engagement state is released by opening the fixed lid 258. Therefore, the fixed lid 258 also functions as a disengagement (support release) means.

  That is, when reading a small paper original, the original is set on the contact glass 231 as shown in FIG. 6, the engagement state of the engagement protrusion 256a on the front side of the pressure plate sheet 254 is released, and then the original is read. The soft sheet 255 portion is covered from above by operating the pressure plate sheet 254 while adjusting the correct position, and the document is fixed. Thereafter, the pressure plate 257 is closed and the original is read.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a usage state when the pressure plate sheet 254 is used with the ADF 30 provided integrally with the pressure plate 257. Also in this example, the installation part 257b of the pressure plate sheet 254 as shown in FIG. 5 is provided on the lower surface of the bottom plate of the ADF 30, and the pressure plate sheet 254 is held in the same manner as the pressure plate 257, and the ADF 30 is used as the pressure plate. In doing so, it is used in the same operation as the pressure plate 254.

  Thus, in this embodiment, a transparent and soft pressure plate sheet 254 is provided separately from the pressure plate 257, and a small document such as a receipt is placed on the contact glass 231 and the soft sheet 255 of the transparent and soft pressure plate sheet 254 is used. Since the pressure plate 257 is closed while being pressed from the end, the original can be placed at a desired reading position without being moved by the wind pressure.

  In a normal pressure plate sheet, an elastic body such as a sponge material is attached to the lower surface of the pressure plate 257 in a thin plate shape, and a thin synthetic resin sheet is attached to the surface of the pressure plate sheet 257 so that the thickness of the pressure plate sheet itself is elastically pressed. It is like that. On the other hand, the pressure plate sheet 254 is pressed by the soft sheet 255, but is not pressed by the thick plate due to the presence of the elastic material, and holds the document by the weight of the soft sheet 255 itself. Therefore, the soft sheet 255 is set to a weight (thickness) sufficient to hold the document. In consideration of a normal flat bed system in which the pressure plate sheet 254 is used while being mounted on the pressure plate 257, an elastic body such as a sponge material is attached to the mounting portion 257b in a thin plate shape, and the soft sheet 255 is attached. It can also be configured to be elastically biased from the back.

  8A and 8B are diagrams showing another example of the soft sheet 255, where FIG. 8A is a front view and FIG. 8B is a side view. In this example, a scale 255a is printed on the soft sheet 255 of the pressure plate sheet 254 shown in FIG. 4 so that the distance from the origin can be seen. When the scale 255a is formed on the soft sheet 255 in this way, the original can be accurately placed at the reading position by placing the original in accordance with the scale 255a.

  At this time, the scale 255a is printed in the same color as that of the reading surface of the pressure plate 257 or the ADF 30 or white so that there is no shadow on the scale. When the scale 255a is formed in this way, it can be read in the same color as the pressure plate even in the reading range outside the document, so that it can be read clearly.

  FIG. 9 is a view showing the relationship between the fixed lid 258, the engagement groove 257a, the attachment portion 256, and the engagement protrusion 256a. FIG. 9 (a) is an enlarged view of the main part, and FIG. 9 (b) is a sectional view. As shown in FIG. 9A, a fixed lid 258 is slidably mounted along the longitudinal direction of the opening at the opening edge of the engagement groove 257a. A spring (not shown) is attached to the engagement groove 257a, and elastically biases the fixed lid 258 in the normally closed direction (arrow A direction shown in the figure). Therefore, when the engaging protrusion 256a is detached from the engaging groove 257a, the fixed lid 258 is slid in the opening direction (the arrow B direction in the drawing), and the engaging protrusion 256a is taken out of the engaging groove 257a and released. For example, the fixed lid 258 automatically moves in the direction of arrow A to close the engagement groove 257a. If the reverse operation is performed at the time of mounting, the pressure plate sheet 254 is automatically fixed to the pressure plate 257 after the mounting. Thereby, the operativity or usability can be improved.

  The mounting state of the engaging protrusion 256a in the engaging groove 257a is as shown in FIG. In FIG. 9B, it can be seen that the engagement protrusion 256a is housed and held in the engagement groove 257a behind the fixed lid 258. In this state, the soft sheet 255 has advanced to the side of the original plate pressing surface 257e of the pressure plate 257 so that the original can be pressed.

  FIG. 10 is a view showing another example of the opening / closing mechanism of the fixed lid 258. In this example, an operation lever 259 is provided behind the fixed lid 258 shown in FIG. 9, and the fixed lid 258 can be opened by operating the operating portion 259a protruding from the front surface of the pressure plate 257. Yes. With this configuration, when using the pressure plate sheet 254, when the pressure plate 257 is closed, the operation unit 259a is operated to open the fixed lid 258, and the pressure plate 257 is slightly lifted to release the operation unit 259a. The fixing lid 258 is automatically closed in a state where the engaging protrusion 256a is detached from the engaging groove 257a. In this state, if the pressure plate 257 is opened, a document of the pressure plate sheet 254 is inserted, positioned, and pressed by the pressure plate sheet 254, the document can be read without causing document displacement.

  After the reading, when the pressure plate sheet 254 is accommodated in the pressure plate 257, when the pressure plate 254 is closed and the fixing lid 258 is opened by the operation portion 259a, the engagement protrusion 256a of the pressure plate sheet 254 is automatically engaged. It is accommodated in the joint groove 257a. Then, when the hand is released from the operation unit 257a, the fixed lid 258 is automatically closed, and the engagement protrusion 256a is held in the engagement groove 257a. As a result, normal flatbed reading can be performed thereafter.

  When the operation lever 259 is configured to be operable as described above, the operation is simplified, and the operability or usability can be further improved as compared with the example shown in FIG.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to this embodiment, All the technical matters contained in the technical thought described in the claim are object.

  The present invention can be applied to an image reading apparatus that reads using a pressure plate and an image reading apparatus that uses an ADF in a pressure plate mode, and to all image forming apparatuses that include this type of image reading apparatus. be able to.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Scanner 100 Printer 231 Contact glass 254 Pressure plate sheet 255 Soft sheet 255a Scale 256 Mounting member 256a Engagement protrusion 257 Pressure plate 257a Engagement groove 257b Installation part 257c Base end part 257d Open end 257e Document pressing surface 258 Operation lever 25 Operation lever 25 Part

JP 2004-020665 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 08-234330 JP 05-011369 A

Claims (8)

A pressure plate whose base end is supported in a cantilevered manner on the main body of the apparatus and presses the document toward the document table;
An intermediate pressing sheet in the form of a sheet made of a material having a transparent flexibility, which is disposed on the surface side of the pressure plate facing the document table and presses and positions the document placed on the document table;
An image reading apparatus for optically reading a document image placed on a document table,
Support means for supporting one end side of the intermediate pressing sheet on the base end side of the original pressing surface of the pressure plate and the other end side of the intermediate pressing sheet on the open end side of the original pressing surface of the pressing plate;
A support release means for releasing the support state of the support means on the open end side;
With
An image reading apparatus, wherein the intermediate pressing sheet is positioned and pressed by the intermediate pressing sheet in a state where the intermediate pressing sheet is released by the support releasing unit. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1,
Attachment members are respectively fixed to the support means side of the intermediate presser sheet,
Protruding at the longitudinal end of the mounting member,
The image reading apparatus, wherein the support means supports the protrusion. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,
The support means comprises
An engagement groove in which a projection of the mounting member is mounted;
A fixed lid that opens and closes by sliding the open end of the engagement groove along the longitudinal direction of the mounting member, and also functions as the support release means;
An image reading apparatus comprising: The image reading apparatus according to claim 3,
An image reading apparatus, further comprising: an elastic biasing means for elastically biasing the fixed lid in a normally closing direction. The image reading apparatus according to claim 4,
An image reading apparatus further comprising operating means for operating the fixed lid from the front side of the pressure plate. An image reading apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
An image reading apparatus, wherein the intermediate pressing sheet has a scale. The image reading apparatus according to claim 6,
An image reading apparatus, wherein the scale is printed in the color of the reading surface of the pressure plate or in white.   An image forming apparatus comprising the image reading apparatus according to claim 1.

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