JP2016208132A - Automatic document feeder and image forming apparatus including the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve workability when a document is set by enhancing visibility on a document placing surface, without increasing cost.SOLUTION: An automatic document feeder 50 including a document cover 33 which is provided to be openable and closable with respect to a document placing surface 21 formed on the upper surface 5a of an apparatus body 5 and presses the document S of the document placing surface 21 includes inside an image reading device 34 which includes a light source and reads the image of one surface of the document S. An optical path 40 for guiding the light of the light source toward the document placing surface 21 from the image reading device 34 is formed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to an automatic document feeder having an image reading device for reading an image of a document and an image forming apparatus provided with the automatic document feeder.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an image forming apparatus is provided with an automatic document feeder (ADF) that automatically conveys originals placed on a supply tray one by one to an image reading position of the apparatus main body, and discharges the originals after reading the images. It has been. This automatic document feeder is supported so as to be openable and closable with respect to a platen glass (document placing surface) provided on the upper surface of the apparatus main body, and includes a document cover that presses the document on the platen glass when closed.

  In recent years, in order to read images of a plurality of originals at a higher speed, an image forming apparatus provided with an image reading apparatus inside an automatic original feeder and configured to read images on both sides of the original almost simultaneously has become widespread. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).

JP 2006-74608 A

  However, in the automatic document feeder and the image forming apparatus described in Patent Document 1 described above, as shown in FIG. 3, the document cover 2 of the automatic document feeder 1 is opened and closed to open a platen glass (document placement surface). 3, the light of the illumination 5 disposed around the image forming apparatus 4 is blocked by the document cover 2 (see the broken line portion in FIG. 3), and the platen glass (document placement surface) 3) The visibility on 3 may be reduced, and the workability at the time of setting the document S may be impaired.

  On the other hand, in order to improve the visibility on the platen glass (document placement surface) 3, when a light source that illuminates the platen glass (document placement surface) 3 is newly installed, there is a problem that the cost is increased accordingly. Arise.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems. Automatic document feeding that can increase the visibility on the document placement surface and improve the workability during document setting without increasing the cost. An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and an image forming apparatus including the apparatus.

  In order to achieve the above-described object, the present invention provides an automatic document feed provided with a document cover provided so as to be openable and closable with respect to a document placement surface formed on the upper surface of the apparatus body, and pressing a document on the document placement surface. An optical reading device that includes a light source and reads an image on one side of the document and that guides light from the light source toward the document placement surface from the image reading device. Is formed.

  The automatic document feeder according to the present invention includes a supply tray for placing a document, a discharge tray for receiving a document after an image is read by the image reading device, and a conveyance path from the supply tray to the discharge tray. A conveyance guide to be formed, and the optical path is configured by forming a part of the conveyance guide disposed to face the image reading device with the conveyance path interposed therebetween with a light transmissive member. Features.

  In order to achieve the above-described object, an image forming apparatus according to the present invention is an image forming apparatus including any one of the above-described automatic document feeders, and the other side of the document below the document placement surface of the apparatus body. An image reading device that reads an image on the first side is provided so that both sides of the original can be read.

  According to the automatic document feeder and the image forming apparatus having the above-described configuration, when the document cover is opened and closed and the document is set on the document placement surface, the light from the light source of the image reading device of the automatic document feeder is an optical path. And illuminates the document placement surface, so that visibility on the document placement surface can be improved and workability at the time of document setting can be improved. Further, in this case, there is no need to newly install a light source that illuminates the document placement surface, so there is no risk of increasing costs.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to increase the visibility on the document placement surface without increasing the cost and to improve the workability at the time of document setting.

1 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a multifunction machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating an automatic document feeder and a document reading device of a multifunction peripheral according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows a prior art example.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. Here, FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the multifunction peripheral, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an automatic document feeder and a document reader of the multifunction peripheral. In the following description, for the sake of convenience, each direction is defined as indicated by an arrow in each figure.

  The multifunction device 1 is provided so as to be openable and closable with respect to an apparatus main body 5 configured by housing the image forming device 3 and the first image reading device 4 in the housing 2 and an upper surface 5 a of the apparatus main body 5. And an automatic document feeder 50.

  The image forming apparatus 3 includes a sheet storage unit 6 that stores a sheet, an image forming unit 8 that transfers a toner image to a sheet supplied from the sheet storage unit 6 to a conveyance path 7, and fixes the transferred toner image on the sheet. The image forming apparatus includes a fixing device 9 and a paper discharge unit 10 that is a discharge destination of the paper after fixing. The document S and paper are not limited to paper recording materials, but also include recording materials such as resin films and OHP sheets.

  The image forming unit 8 performs a monochrome image forming process based on image data transmitted from, for example, a personal computer (not shown) or the image reading device 4, and contains toner for supplying replenishment toner (black). A container 11 is provided. The image forming unit 8 includes a charger 13, an exposure device 14, a developing device 15, and a transfer roller 16 that are arranged around a photosensitive drum 12 serving as a rotatable image carrier in the order of the transfer process. And a cleaning device 17.

  The first image reading apparatus 4 includes a contact glass 20 fixed to the upper plate 5a of the apparatus body 5, a platen glass 21 as a document placement surface, an optical scanning unit 22 provided so as to be able to reciprocate, and an optical scanning unit. 22 includes a reflection unit 23 that reflects light from 22 and a CCD 25 to which the reflected light is input via a condenser lens 24. The condenser lens 24 and the CCD 25 are fixed.

  The optical scanning unit 22 includes a light source 26 that emits light toward the document S on the platen glass 21, and a reflection unit 27 that directs the light reflected by the document S toward the reflection unit 23. The optical scanning unit 22 is configured to be able to read an image on the lower surface of the document S passing over the contact glass 20 by the automatic document feeder 50 while being fixed at the first image reading position H1. The optical scanning unit 22 can also read the document S placed on the platen glass 21 by scanning rightward from the first image reading position H1. At this time, the reflection unit 23 moves in the same direction as the optical scanning unit 22 and by a distance of ½ so that the optical path length from the document S to the condenser lens 24 is always constant.

  An automatic document feeder 50 (ADF: Auto Document Feeder) is configured to be rotatable through a pair of left and right hinge structures (not shown) provided on the back side. The automatic document feeder 50 includes a supply tray 30 on which the document S is placed, a discharge tray 31 that receives the document S after image reading, a transport mechanism 32 that sends the document S on the supply tray 30 to the discharge tray 31, and a discharge. And a document cover 33 that supports the tray 31 and the transport mechanism 32.

  The supply tray 30 is formed in a resin tray shape so that a plurality of documents S can be stacked. The supply tray 30 extends rightward from the upper part of the transport mechanism 32 and is inclined slightly downward toward the transport mechanism 32. The document stacking surface of the supply tray 30 is provided with a pair of document transport guides (not shown) that regulate the position in the width direction of the document S slid and stacked in the width direction (direction orthogonal to the transport direction). .

  The discharge tray 31 is disposed below the supply tray 30. The discharge tray 31 is formed in a tray shape so that the discharged document S can be received.

  The transport mechanism 32 includes, for example, a transport path 35 formed so as to be folded back in a substantially U shape from the supply tray 30 to the discharge tray 31 by a transport guide (not shown) made of a synthetic resin such as polycarbonate or ABS resin. A pickup roller 36 that is rotatably provided at a position close to the supply tray 30, a first intermediate conveyance roller 37 that is rotatably provided upstream of the first image reading position H 1 of the conveyance path 35, and a conveyance path A second intermediate transport roller 38 that is rotatably provided downstream of the first image reading position H1 in the transport direction, and a discharge roller 39 that is rotatably provided at a position close to the discharge tray 31 of the transport path 35. It is configured to include.

  A second image reading position H <b> 2 is provided between the second intermediate transport roller 38 and the discharge roller 39. The second image reading device 34 is fixed above the conveyance path 35 so as to correspond to the second image reading position H2. The second image reading device 34 is a CIS (Contact Image Sensor) in which each member (all not shown) such as an LED lamp, a contact glass, an imaging lens, and an image sensor as a light source is integrated. It is composed of units. Accordingly, the second image reading device 34 can read the image on the upper surface of the document S sent to the second image reading position H2 by the transport mechanism 32.

  An optical path 40 is formed below the second image reading device 34 so that the light from the light source can be guided from the second image reading device 34 toward the platen glass 21. The optical path 40 is provided at a position facing the second image reading device 34 with the conveyance path 35 interposed therebetween, and is configured by forming a part of the conveyance guide with a light transmissive member.

  The document cover 33 has a cover frame 41 formed in a substantially rectangular flat plate shape, and a mat 42 provided on the lower surface of the cover frame 41, and is attached to the platen glass 21 so as to be openable and closable via the hinge structure. It has been. The cover frame 41 is made of a resin material and is integrally formed with the exterior of the discharge tray 31 and the transport mechanism 32. The mat 42 is a resin material having elasticity, and is formed in a rectangular flat plate shape smaller than the cover frame 41.

  Next, the operation of the multifunction machine 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  After the document S is placed on the platen glass 21 exposed by rotating the front side of the automatic document feeder 50 upward, the document cover 33 is rotated by closing the automatic document feeder 5. To press the document S. Thus, when the document cover 33 is opened and closed and the document S is set on the platen glass 21, the light from the light source of the second image reading device (CIS unit) 34 passes through the optical path 40, and is on the platen glass 21. Therefore, the visibility on the platen glass 21 can be improved, and the workability during document setting can be improved. Further, in this case, there is no need to newly install a light source that illuminates the platen glass 21, so there is no risk of increasing costs.

  When the multifunction device 1 is operated in the above-described state, the optical scanning unit 22 and the reflection unit 23 scan the right direction from the first image reading position H in the first image reading device 4. The image of the document S placed on is read. That is, the light emitted from the light source 26 and reflected by the lower surface of the document is further reflected by the reflecting unit 27 and the reflecting unit 23 and guided to the condenser lens 24, and then the light image is formed on the light receiving surface of the CCD 25. Is done. Thereby, image data of the document S placed on the platen glass 21 is generated.

  The document S can also be placed on the supply tray 30 of the automatic document feeder 50. In the automatic document feeder 50, the documents S set on the supply tray 30 are fed one by one to the transport path 35 by the pickup roller 36. In the conveyance path 35, the document S is conveyed to the first image reading position H 1 by the first intermediate conveyance roller 37, and the image on the lower surface of the document S is read by the first image reading device 4. When reading an image at the first image reading position H1, the first image reading device 4 is temporarily fixed in accordance with the first image reading position H1. When the document S passes through the first image reading position H 1, the light emitted from the light source 26 and reflected by the lower surface of the document is further reflected by the reflection unit 27 and the reflection unit 23 and guided to the condensing lens 24. After that, the optical image is formed on the light receiving surface of the CCD 25. As a result, the image of the lower surface of the document S that has passed the first image reading position H1 is read, and image data is generated.

  Further, in the conveyance path 35, the document S is conveyed to the second image reading position H 2 by the second intermediate conveyance roller 38, and the image on the upper surface of the document S is read by the second image reading device 34. That is, when the document S passes through the second image reading position H2, the image on the upper surface of the document S is read by the second image reading device (CIS unit) 34, and image data is generated. Thereafter, the document S that has passed the second image reading position H <b> 2 is discharged to the discharge tray 31 by the discharge roller 39.

  Thus, the image data read by the first image reading device 4 or the second image reading device 34 is output to the image forming device 3. When image data is input from the first image reading device 4 or the second image reading device 34 to the image forming device 3, an exposure device is applied to the surface of the photosensitive drum 12 charged to a predetermined potential by the charger 13. In step 14, exposure according to the image data is performed. As a result, the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 12 is developed into a toner image by the developing device 15. This toner image is transferred to a sheet conveyed through the conveyance path 7 from the sheet container 6 by applying a transfer bias to the transfer roller 16, and is fixed to the sheet by the fixing device 9. The sheet on which the toner image is fixed is discharged to the sheet discharge unit 10, and the toner remaining on the surface of the photosensitive drum 12 after the transfer is removed by the cleaning device 17.

  In the above-described embodiment of the present invention, the optical path 40 is configured by forming a part of the synthetic resin conveyance guide with a light transmissive member, but the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. Absent. That is, the optical path 40 can be configured in other forms capable of guiding light, such as gaps and cavities, metal or resin meshes, semi-transparent synthetic resins, or glass. .

  In addition, the above description of the embodiment of the present invention describes a preferred embodiment of the automatic document feeder 50 according to the present invention and the multi-function device 1 including the automatic document feeder 50, and thus various technically preferable limitations. However, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to these embodiments unless specifically described to limit the present invention. Furthermore, the components in the embodiment of the present invention described above can be appropriately replaced with existing components and the like, and various variations including combinations with other existing components are possible. The description of the embodiment of the present invention described above does not limit the contents of the invention described in the claims.

1 MFP (image forming device)
4 First image reading device 5 Device body 21 Platen glass (original placement surface)
Reference Signs List 30 Supply tray 31 Discharge tray 33 Document cover 34 Second image reading device 35 Conveyance path 40 Optical path 50 Automatic document feeder

Claims (3)

An automatic document feeder provided with a document cover provided so as to be openable and closable with respect to a document placement surface formed on the upper surface of the apparatus body, and pressing a document on the document placement surface,
An image reading device that has a light source and reads an image on one side of the document is provided, and an optical path that guides light from the light source from the image reading device toward the document placement surface is formed. An automatic document feeder characterized by that. A supply tray for placing documents;
A discharge tray for receiving a document after reading an image by the image reading device;
A transport guide that forms a transport path from the supply tray to the discharge tray;
The optical path is configured by forming a part of the transport guide disposed to face the image reading device with the transport path interposed therebetween by a light transmissive member. Automatic document feeder described in 1. An image forming apparatus comprising the automatic document feeder according to claim 1,
An image forming apparatus configured to be capable of reading both sides of an original by providing an image reading device that reads an image on the other side of the original below the original placement surface of the apparatus main body. .

Images