JP2012005064A - Image reading apparatus and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image reading apparatus and an image forming apparatus in which an index displayed on a document placing part is easily identified by a user.SOLUTION: An image reading apparatus comprises; a reading sensor to read a document for obtaining image data; conveyance means to convey the document; a guide plate to regulate movement of the document in the vertical direction with respect to a conveyance direction of the document; and a document platen on which the guide plate is movably mounted and which supports a document. On the surface of the document platen, an index is displayed and divided into multiple segments in parallel with the direction vertical to the conveyance direction of the document. The index for each segment is a scale of the same series indicating a width of the document. A plurality of open windows are provided on the guide plate and are arranged to respectively display a different series of scales. The scales divided for each series can be indicated through the windows according to the positions of the windows.

Description

  The present invention relates to an image reading apparatus and an image forming apparatus. In particular, the present invention relates to an image reading apparatus and an image forming apparatus that read a wide original.

  2. Description of the Related Art Image reading apparatuses that read originals of various widths and image forming apparatuses including image reading apparatuses are known. In such an apparatus, the maximum reading range is determined according to the width of the reading sensor. Documents of various widths can be read within this maximum reading range. There are two types of image reading apparatuses: a type in which a document is placed on a table such as glass and the reading sensor is moved while reading, and a type in which the reading sensor is fixed and the document is moved while reading. In the case of an image reading apparatus that reads a document while moving the document, it is necessary to set the document width to be read in the apparatus, and set the document at a predetermined position before scanning. For this reason, the image reading apparatus is provided with a document placing portion, and is provided with a table for placing a document and a guide plate for guiding the document. Some image reading apparatuses automatically detect the document width based on the position of a guide plate that moves in accordance with the set document width. Further, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-68534, a transparent resin guide plate is provided so as to protrude from the upper surface of the insertion portion of the scanner body in order to confirm the document width, and a scale on which an index is printed. An attached image forming apparatus is also known.

JP 2002-68534 A

  However, even if the image forming apparatus detects the document width according to the position of the guide plate described above or the image forming apparatus with a scale, there are many indexes displayed on the document placing portion within a narrow range. If displayed, it will be difficult for the user who sets the document to confirm. For example, even when a standard size that is normally used is displayed, there are standard sizes of various widths such as an A series, a special A series, and an inch series.

  The present invention provides an image reading apparatus and an image forming apparatus having a document placing portion and a guide plate that are easily identified by a user for an index displayed on the document placing portion.

The present invention has the following configuration as one means for achieving the above-described object.
The image reading apparatus of the present invention includes a reading sensor that reads a document and acquires image data, a transport unit that transports the document, a guide plate that restricts movement in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the document, and the guide In an image reading apparatus having a platen that is movably attached and a platen that supports the document, the platen is an index displayed on the surface of the platen, the index being parallel to the direction perpendicular to the transport direction. The index for each section is a scale of the same series indicating the width of the document, and a plurality of open windows are formed on the guide plate, and the windows are the same series. It is provided corresponding to the position of the scale.

  The guide plate of the image reading apparatus according to the present invention has a guide portion that restricts movement of the document in a direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction, and a bottom portion of the guide portion that faces the document table in parallel. A flat plate portion provided upstream and in the conveyance direction upstream of the flat plate portion, and a presser portion that sandwiches the original plate at an end portion thereof and that movably fixes the guide plate to the original plate. It is characterized by that.

Further, the image reading apparatus of the present invention is characterized in that a window is formed between the flat plate portion and the presser portion.
Further, the flat plate portion of the image reading apparatus of the present invention is formed symmetrically on both sides of the guide portion.

  An image reading apparatus according to the present invention includes any one of the above-described image reading apparatuses, a conveying unit that conveys a recording medium, and an image forming unit that records an image on the recording medium based on the image data. Features.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an image reading apparatus and an image forming apparatus in which a user can easily identify a document size index when a document is set on a document placing portion.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the image reading apparatus. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a guide plate for a document. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the scale of the document table. FIG. 4 is an enlarged view showing an example of the scale of the document table. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an outline of the configuration of the image forming apparatus.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. As an embodiment, an image forming apparatus is taken as an example.
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an outline of the configuration of the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus 30 includes an image forming unit 22 and the image reading apparatus 1. The image forming unit 23 is supplied with roll paper 24 stored inside the apparatus. The roll paper 24 is obtained by winding a recording medium in a roll shape. The recording medium is paper, a thin flat plastic film, or the like. The roll paper 24 is conveyed to the image forming unit 23 by a plurality of conveying rollers 25, and an image is recorded by the image forming unit 23 and discharged to the outside. The conveyance roller 25 is a conveyance unit that conveys the recording medium. The image forming unit 23 is, for example, a printer apparatus such as an electrophotographic recording apparatus or an inkjet recording apparatus. The image reading apparatus 1 includes a reading sensor 27 that photoelectrically converts the document 26 into image data. The image reading apparatus 1 further includes a pair of rollers of a conveyance roller 29 and a pinch roller 28 that convey the document 26 while sandwiching the document 26 on both sides of the reading sensor 27. The document 26 is conveyed while being guided by the document table 3 serving as a document placement portion and a guide plate 4 attached thereto. The guide plate 4 guides both ends of the document 26 and prevents the document 26 from meandering. An index relating to the document size is printed on the document table 3. By moving the guide plate 4 in accordance with the width of the document 26, the document 26 can be guided and at the same time the width of the document 26 can be confirmed.

  By outputting the image data acquired by the reading sensor 27 to the image forming unit 22, for example, the same size, reduction, enlargement, conversion from color to black and white is performed on the recording medium, that is, the roll paper 24 based on the acquired image data. Can be recorded.

  Next, the image reading apparatus will be described. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the image reading apparatus. The image reading apparatus 1 includes a document table 3 and a reading unit 2. The document table 3 is a table on which a document to be read is placed. The document table 3 is provided with a pair of guide plates 4. The guide plate 4 can slide on the document table 3. The guide plate 4 is fixed in accordance with both ends of the document placed on the document table 3, and is regulated so as not to meander when the document is conveyed. A reading unit 2 is provided at the back of the document table 3. A document enters the reading unit 2 from the document insertion unit 5 of the reading unit 2. The reading unit 2 includes a reading sensor 27 that reads a document and converts it into image data.

  Next, the guide plate will be described. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a guide plate for a document. The guide plate 4 mainly includes a guide portion 6 and a flat plate portion 7. Flat plate portions 7 are provided on both sides of the guide portion 6. The guide unit 6 guides the conveyed document in contact with or close to the end of the document. The flat plate portion 7 is in contact with the document table 3 and is movably attached. The flat plate portion 7 slides on the document table 3. A curved portion 9 and a presser portion 8 are provided at an end portion of the flat plate portion 7. The curved portion 9 is formed to be curved along the end portion of the document table 3. The presser portion 8 is formed so that the tip approaches the direction of the flat plate portion 7. The presser unit 8 sandwiches the document table 3 together with the curved unit 9 and the flat plate unit 7.

  Both sides of the guide portion 6 are linearly formed walls, and the edge portions thereof are the scale aligning portions 12. The scale line written on the platen 3 is used so as to be aligned with the scale alignment unit 12. The flat plate portion 7 is formed with a first window 10 and a second window 11 penetrating the front and back in order to display scale characters written on the document table 3. The positions of the first window 10 and the second window 11 are opened according to the position of scale characters displayed on the document table 3 described later. The curved portion 9 is formed thinner than the flat plate portion 7 by the second window 11. Thereby, when the document table 3 is sandwiched, an appropriate spring property can be given so as to be slidable.

  A tapered portion 13 is formed at the end of the flat plate portion 7. This is because the conveyed document may be reversed, and the document is guided so as not to enter under the flat plate portion 7 at that time. Another reason for this is to smoothly guide the document onto the flat plate portion 7 when the guide plate 4 is adjusted to the width of the document.

  The guide plate 4 is formed symmetrically. Two guide plates 4 are used as a set, and each guide plate 4 is detachably attached to the document table 3. When each guide plate 4 is attached to the document table 3, it can have the same function regardless of whether it is arranged on the left or right. This eliminates the need for the user to worry about the mounting position of the guide plate 4 in the left-right direction. Further, since the flat plate portions 7 are provided on the left and right sides of the guide plate 4, the guide plate 4 can suppress backlash on the left and right with the guide portion 6 as the center.

  Next, the scale displayed on the platen will be described. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the scale of the document table. The document table 3 is a document placement unit. Here, a scale, which is an index indicating the width of the document, is divided into scale characters indicating the size according to the position of the scale line and the scale line.

  The document table 3 is divided into a plurality of parts, here, three parts in the document conveyance direction, and scales are printed corresponding to the respective parts. Each scale is a scale 14 of the first scale row, a scale 15 of the second scale row, and a scale 16 of the third scale row. Each scale is printed with scale lines and scale characters for each standard paper size, that is, for each series of standard paper. When the scale aligning portion 12 of the guide plate 4 is aligned with the scale line, the scale characters of the series corresponding to the scale line are located near the scale aligning portion 12 near the first window 10, the second window 11 or the tip portion of the guide plate 4. Indicated. Which part of the scale character is displayed corresponds to the combined scale line.

  Further explanation will be given. FIG. 4 is an enlarged view showing an example of the scale of the document table. The first scale row 17 is printed ahead of the document feed direction on the platen 3. The second scale row 18 is printed ahead of the document feed direction on the document table 3. The first graduation line 17 is printed shorter than the graduation line of the second graduation line 18, and the divided portions are divided so as to be identifiable. The scale characters in the second scale row 18 are displayed near the center of the document table 3 in the document transport direction. The third scale row 19 is printed behind the document table 3 in the document transport direction. A scale character 21 indicating the paper size indicated by each scale line 20 corresponding to each scale line 20 is printed at the end of each scale line 20. When the scale aligning portion 12 is moved along the scale line 20, the scale characters can be confirmed from the window. At that time, the scale characters of the first scale row 17 are shown in the vicinity of the scale alignment portion 12 at the tip portion of the guide plate 4. The scale characters in the second scale row 18 are displayed in the first window 10. The scale characters in the third scale row 19 are displayed in the second window 11. As a result, when the guide plate 4 is aligned with the document edge, the document size can be easily recognized and the size of the document can be easily confirmed.

  The present invention can be used in an image reading apparatus that reads a document and a recording apparatus that records image data read by the image reading apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image reading apparatus 2 Reading part 3 Original stand 4 Guide plate 5 Original insertion part 6 Guide part 7 Flat part 8 Holding part 9 Curvature part 10 First window 11 Second window 12 Scale part 13 Taper part 14 First scale row Scale 15 Scale of second scale row 16 Scale of third scale row 17 First scale row 18 Second scale row 19 Third scale row 20 Scale line 21 Scale line 21 Scale character 22 Image forming unit 23 Image forming means 24 Roll paper 25 Conveying roller 26 Document 27 Reading sensor 28 Pinch roller 29 Conveying roller 30 Image forming apparatus

Claims (5)

A reading sensor that reads a document and acquires image data, a transport unit that transports the document, a guide plate that restricts movement in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the document, and the guide plate are movably attached. In an image reading apparatus having a document table for supporting the document,
An index displayed on the surface of the document table, wherein the index is divided into a plurality of sections parallel to a direction perpendicular to the transport direction, and the index for each section indicates the width of the document. An image reading apparatus, wherein the guide plate is formed with a plurality of open windows, and the windows are provided corresponding to the positions of the same series of scales.   The guide plate includes a guide portion that restricts movement of the document in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction, a flat plate portion provided at the bottom of the guide portion so as to be parallel to the document table, 2. The presser part that extends upstream of the flat plate portion in the conveyance direction and sandwiches the document table at an end portion thereof and movably fixes the guide plate to the document table. The image reading apparatus described.   The image reading apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a window portion is formed between the flat plate portion and the presser portion.   The image reading apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the flat plate portion is formed symmetrically on both sides of the guide portion.   5. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, a conveying unit that conveys a recording medium, and an image forming unit that records an image on the recording medium based on the image data. An image forming apparatus.

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