JP2021073148A - Image reading apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an image reading apparatus capable of performing reading of a booklet easily and appropriately.SOLUTION: A scanner 1 includes: a reading section 20 that reads an image of paper P; a medium feeding section 10 capable of selecting, when the paper P placed on a medium placement portion 11 is fed toward the reading section 20, a first feeding mode for performing a separation feeding by separating a sheet bundle of a laminated plurality of sheets of paper and a second feeding mode for performing a non-separation feeding of the sheet bundle together without separation; and a pair of first transportation rollers 16 and a pair of second transportation rollers 17 for transporting paper fed by the medium feeding section 10. When the medium feeding section 10 performs feeding in the second feeding mode, a first driven roller 16b and a second driven roller 17b that constitute the pair of first transportation rollers 16 and the pair of second transportation rollers 17 drive in a rotation direction in which the paper P is transported.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

The present invention relates to an image reader for reading a document.

A scanner, which is an example of an image reading device, is provided with an automatic feeding device (also called an ADF (Auto Document Feeder)) that automatically feeds a document as a medium so that a plurality of documents can be automatically fed and read. May be configured in.
In an image reading device having such a configuration, there is a need of a user who wants to read a booklet such as a passport or a passbook.

When the open page of the booklet is read by the automatic feeding device that automatically sends a plurality of originals, the automatic feeding device tries to separate the overlapping pages and feed them one by one, and the opened page is opened. There is a risk that the booklet cannot be sent, and that jams (clogging) may occur and damage the pages of the booklet.
Further, the opened booklet is thick, and the booklet may not be inserted between the two rollers of the transport roller pair for transporting the medium, so that the booklet may be in a non-feed state.

Here, as a scanner capable of feeding the booklet with the automatic feeding device, the booklet with the page to be read is put in a transparent holder and fed by the automatic feeding device. There is one (for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2016-174247

However, in the scanner described in Patent Document 1 in which the booklet body put in the holder is conveyed and read, it takes time and effort to put the booklet body in the holder.
Further, since the booklet body put in the holder is thicker than the booklet body alone, the problem that non-feed occurs in the transport roller pair cannot be solved.

The present invention has been made in view of such a situation, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image reading device capable of easily and appropriately reading a booklet.

In order to solve the above problems, the image reading device according to the first aspect of the present invention supplies a reading unit for reading an image of a medium and the medium mounted on the medium mounting unit toward the reading unit. In the case of feeding, a first feeding mode in which a bundle of media in which a plurality of media are stacked is separated and fed is performed, and a non-separable feeding mode in which the bundle of media is fed together without being separated. A medium feeding unit capable of selecting a second feeding mode for feeding, a drive roller provided on the downstream side of the medium feeding unit in the medium feeding direction, and a driven roller that rotates in accordance with the rotation of the drive roller. When the medium feeding unit feeds in the second feeding mode, the driven roller is driven in the rotation direction for transporting the medium.

According to this aspect, when the medium feeding unit feeds in the second feeding mode, the driven roller is driven in the rotation direction for transporting the medium, so that the second feeding Easily set and feed media bundles (for example, booklets such as passports and passbooks, document bundles, etc.) that may cause feeding defects or jams when feeding while separating one by one by executing the mode. In addition to being able to feed, it reduces the risk that the medium bundle, which is thicker than a single medium, will not enter between the drive roller and the driven roller, a so-called non-feed state, and is suitable for the medium bundle. Can be carried.

In the second aspect of the present invention, a reading unit for reading an image of a medium and a plurality of media are stacked when the medium mounted on the medium mounting unit is fed toward the reading unit. A first feed mode in which the media bundles are separated and fed, and a second feed mode in which the media bundles are collectively fed without being separated can be selected. A medium feeding unit, a driving roller provided on the downstream side of the medium feeding unit in the medium feeding direction, and a driven roller that rotates in accordance with the rotation of the driving roller. When feeding in the second feeding mode, the contact load applied by the driven roller to the driving roller is made smaller than the contact load in the case of executing the first feeding mode. It is a feature.

According to this aspect, when the medium feeding unit feeds in the second feeding mode, the contact load applied by the driven roller to the driving roller is applied to the first feeding mode. Since the contact load is smaller than the contact load in the case of execution, it is easy to set a bundle of media that may cause feeding failure or jam if the second feeding mode is executed and the feeding is performed while separating the sheets one by one. In addition to being able to feed the media one by one, it reduces the risk that the media bundle, which is thicker than the media transported one by one, will not enter between the drive roller and the driven roller, that is, a so-called non-feed state. , Appropriate transport of the medium bundle can be realized.
The contact load when the second feeding mode is executed may be smaller than the contact load when the first feeding mode is executed, and includes the case where the contact load is zero.

A third aspect of the present invention is, in the second aspect, a spring support portion that can be displaced along a direction in which the driven roller applies the contact load to the drive roller, and the spring support portion and the driven roller. A load applying means including a pressing spring provided between the two and pressing the driven roller is provided, and the contact load is adjusted by displacing the spring support portion.
It is characterized by that.

According to this aspect, the contact load applied by the driven roller to the driving roller can be easily adjusted.

A fourth aspect of the present invention is, in the second aspect, when the driven roller is configured to be separable from the driving roller and the medium feeding unit feeds in the second feeding mode. , The driven roller is separated from the driving roller.

According to this aspect, when the medium feeding unit feeds in the second feeding mode, the driven roller is separated from the driving roller, so that the contact load in the second feeding mode is applied. It can be set to zero to further reduce the risk of occurrence of the non-feed.

In a fifth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to fourth aspects, the medium feeding unit contacts the feeding roller that feeds the medium and the feeding roller. When the medium feeding unit provides feeding in the first feeding mode, including a contact state, a separating state separated from the feeding roller, and a separating roller configured to be displaceable between the feeding rollers. In addition, the separation roller is brought into the contact state, and the medium is rotationally driven in the reverse rotation direction opposite to the forward rotation direction, which is the rotation direction when the medium is fed in the reading direction by the reading unit. When feeding in the second feeding mode, the separation roller is placed in the separated state.

According to this aspect, in the medium feeding unit, switching between the first feeding mode and the second feeding mode can be easily realized.

A sixth aspect of the present invention is provided in the fifth aspect between the medium feeding section and the driving roller located closest to the medium feeding section to detect the medium. A medium detection unit is provided, and when the medium detection unit detects the passage of the tip of the medium to be fed in the second feeding mode, the separation roller is brought into the contact state to perform the above. It is characterized in that it is rotationally driven in the forward rotation direction.

According to this aspect, when the medium bundle fed by the feeding roller is fed to some extent, the separating roller can be brought into the contact state and rotationally driven in the forward rotation direction. .. Therefore, the separating roller that is rotationally driven in the forward rotation direction and the conveying force of the feeding roller can be applied to the medium bundle.

A seventh aspect of the present invention is, in any one of the first to fourth aspects, the medium feeding unit is a feeding roller that feeds the medium and at least the reading unit that reads the medium. The separation roller has a separation roller that is rotationally driven in the reverse rotation direction opposite to the forward rotation direction, which is the rotation direction when the gear is sent in the reading direction, and a train wheel composed of a plurality of meshing gears. A part of a plurality of gears constituting the train wheel is provided with a power transmission mechanism for transmitting power from a drive source, and when the medium feeding unit performs feeding in the second feeding mode. It is characterized in that the teeth are released.

According to this aspect, in the medium feeding unit, switching between the first feeding mode and the second feeding mode can be easily realized.

An eighth aspect of the present invention is, in any one of the first to seventh aspects, the reading unit is a first reading unit that reads the first surface of the medium sent by the medium feeding unit. A second reading unit for reading the second surface, which is the opposite surface of the first surface, is provided, and the distance between the first reading unit and the second reading unit can be changed. However, the interval when the second feeding mode is executed is made wider than the interval when the first feeding mode is executed.

According to this aspect, the interval between the first reading unit and the second reading unit can be changed, and the interval when the medium feeding unit executes the second feeding mode is set to the same. Since the interval is wider than the interval when the first feeding mode is executed, the medium bundle thicker than the medium conveyed one by one is caught between the first reading unit and the second reading unit. The risk of jamming can be reduced.

A ninth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in any one of the first to eighth aspects, the driven roller having a page turning mechanism is provided.
According to this aspect, when a plurality of media bundles are in a booklet, reading can be performed while turning pages automatically.

In a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the ninth aspect, the transport roller pair is rotationally driven by the page turning mechanism in a reverse rotation direction in which the medium is conveyed in a direction opposite to the reading direction by the reading unit. It is characterized in that the uppermost medium of the medium bundle is turned over by the driven roller.
According to this aspect, the page turning mechanism can be easily formed.

The external perspective view which shows the scanner which concerns on 1st Embodiment. The side sectional view which shows the paper transport path in the scanner which concerns on 1st Embodiment. Schematic side sectional view of the scanner according to the first embodiment. Schematic side sectional view of the scanner according to the second embodiment. The figure explaining the page turning operation by a page turning mechanism. The figure explaining the page turning operation by a page turning mechanism. FIG. 3 is an external perspective view showing a scanner provided with an operation unit for operating switching between the “first feeding mode” and the “second feeding mode” of the medium feeding unit. The perspective view which shows the state of the power transmission mechanism in the "first feeding mode" of a medium feeding part. The perspective view which shows the state of the power transmission mechanism in the "second feeding mode" of a medium feeding part. It is an enlarged view of the main part of a power transmission mechanism, and is the figure explaining the displacement of a gear when switching between "the first feeding mode" and "the second feeding mode" of a medium feeding part.

[First Embodiment]
First, the outline of the image reading device according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described.
In the present embodiment, as an example of the image reading device, a document scanner (hereinafter, simply referred to as scanner 1) capable of reading at least one of the front surface and the back surface of the paper as a “medium” will be given as an example.

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view showing a scanner according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a side sectional view showing a paper transport path in the scanner according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a schematic side sectional view of the scanner according to the first embodiment.

In the XYZ coordinate system shown in each figure, the X direction is the device width direction, the paper width direction, and the Y direction is the paper transport direction. The Z direction is a direction that intersects with the Y direction, and indicates a direction that is approximately orthogonal to the surface of the paper to be conveyed. Further, the + Y direction side is the front side of the device, and the −Y direction side is the back side of the device. Further, the left side is the + X direction and the right side is the −X direction when viewed from the front side of the device. Further, the + Z direction is above the device (including the upper part, upper surface, etc.), and the −Z direction is below the device (including the lower part, lower surface, etc.). Further, the direction in which the paper P is fed (+ Y direction side) is referred to as "downstream", and the direction opposite to this (-Y direction side) is referred to as "upstream".

■■■ Overview of the scanner ■■■
Hereinafter, the scanner 1 according to the present invention will be described mainly with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.
The scanner 1 shown in FIG. 1 includes a device main body 2 including a reading unit 20 (FIG. 2) for reading an image of paper P (medium).
The apparatus main body 2 includes a lower unit 3 and an upper unit 4. The upper unit 4 is attached to the lower unit 3 so as to be openable and closable with the downstream side in the paper transport direction as a rotation fulcrum, and the upper unit 4 is rotated and opened toward the front side of the device to expose the paper transport path of the paper P. It is configured so that the paper jam of the paper P can be easily cleared.

On the back surface side (−Y axis direction side) of the apparatus main body 2, a medium placing portion 11 on which the paper P is placed is provided. In addition to being able to place a stack of papers on which a plurality of sheets of paper P are stacked, a booklet body G (FIG. 3) in which a plurality of sheets of paper are in the form of a booklet is placed as a manuscript on the medium placing portion 11. Can be done. In FIG. 3, the open booklet G is set so that the bound spine portion is oriented along the width direction (X-axis direction).
The medium mounting portion 11 is provided detachably from the device main body 2. Reference numeral 11a is a mounting surface 11a of the paper P.

Further, the medium mounting portion 11 includes a pair of left and right edge guides 12, 12 provided with guide surfaces 13 for guiding side edges in the width direction (X-axis direction) intersecting the feeding direction (Y-axis direction) of the paper P. Is provided.
The edge guides 12 and 12 are provided so as to be slidable in the X-axis direction according to the size of the paper P. In the present embodiment, the edge guides 12 and 12 follow the X movement of one edge guide 12 (for example, + X side) by a known rack and pinion mechanism, and the other edge guide 12 (−X side) faces the opposite direction. It is configured to move to.
That is, in the medium mounting portion 11, the paper P is aligned in the center in the width direction, and the feeding roller 14 described later is provided in the center region in the width direction so that the paper is fed by the so-called center feeding method. It is configured.

The medium mounting portion 11 includes a first auxiliary paper support 8 and a second auxiliary paper support 9. The first auxiliary paper support 8 and the second auxiliary paper support 9 can be stored inside the medium mounting portion 11 as shown in FIG. 2, and can be pulled out from the medium mounting portion 11 as shown in FIG. The length of the mounting surface 11a can be adjusted.

As shown in FIG. 1, an operation panel 7 for displaying various reading settings, reading execution operations, reading setting contents, and the like is provided on the front side of the device of the upper unit 4.
A feeding port 6 connected to the inside of the device main body 2 is provided on the upper part of the upper unit 4, and the paper P placed on the medium mounting portion 11 is read from the feeding port 6 inside the device main body 2. It is sent toward the unit 20 (FIG. 2).
Further, a paper ejection tray 5, which will be described later, is provided on the front side of the lower unit 3 device.

■■■ About the paper transport route in the scanner ■■■
Next, the paper transport path in the scanner 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. The dotted line in FIG. 2 indicates the paper transport path.
In the scanner 1 shown in FIG. 2, the paper P as a document is fed from the medium mounting unit 11 toward the reading unit 20 by the medium feeding unit 10.

In the present embodiment, the medium feeding unit 10 nips the paper P between the feeding roller 14 for feeding the paper P and the feeding roller 14, and the direction opposite to the feeding direction of the paper P (FIG. FIG. It is provided with a separation roller 15 that separates the paper P by rotating the paper P counterclockwise with reference to 3 in a plan view. The medium feeding unit 10 is configured to feed paper by a center feeding method, and the feeding roller 14 and the separating roller 15 are located in the central region in the medium width direction (X-axis direction) intersecting the medium feeding direction (+ Y direction). It is provided.

When the paper P placed on the medium mounting unit 11 is fed to the reading unit 20, the medium feeding unit 10 separates and feeds a bundle of paper on which a plurality of sheets P are stacked. It is configured to be selectable between a "first feed mode" in which separate feed is performed and a "second feed mode" in which non-separate feed is performed in which the bundles of paper are fed together without being separated. ..

As a result, in addition to the case where the scanner 1 reads the paper to be fed (separately fed) separately one by one, if the scanner 1 is fed while separating the sheets one by one, a feeding defect or a jam may occur. A bundle of paper, for example, a booklet G (FIG. 3) such as a passport or a passbook, a bundle of documents, etc., is set in the medium mounting unit 11 as it is and fed without being put in a sheet holder or a case, and the reading unit 20 Can be read by.
The operation of the medium feeding unit 10 is controlled by the control unit 19 provided inside the device main body 2. The specific operation of the medium feeding unit 10 when the medium feeding unit 10 performs the feeding in the “first feeding mode” or the “second feeding mode” will be described in detail later.

Further, on the downstream side of the feeding roller 14, a first conveying roller pair 16 for conveying the paper P fed by the feeding roller 14 (medium feeding unit 10) and a second conveying roller pair 17 are provided. It is provided.
A reading unit 20 is provided between the first transport roller pair 16 and the second transport roller pair 17.

In FIG. 2, the paper P placed on the medium mounting portion 11 is picked up by the feeding roller 14 rotatably provided with respect to the lower unit 3 and fed to the downstream side (+ Y direction side). .. Specifically, the paper P is fed toward the downstream side by rotating while the feeding roller 14 is in contact with the surface of the paper P facing the medium mounting portion 11. Therefore, when a plurality of sheets of paper P are set in the medium mounting portion 11 in the scanner 1, the papers P on the mounting surface 11a side are sequentially fed toward the downstream side.

The first transport roller pair 16 is provided on the upstream side of the reading unit 20, and conveys the paper P fed by the feeding roller 14 toward the reading unit 20. The first transport roller pair 16 includes a first driving roller 16a (driving roller) and a first driven roller 16b (driven roller).
The first transport roller pair 16 is also provided in the central region in the medium width direction, similarly to the feed roller 14.

The reading unit 20 includes a first reading unit 20a provided on the upper unit 4 side and a second reading unit 20b provided on the lower unit 3 side. In the present embodiment, the first reading unit 20a and the second reading unit 20b are configured as a close contact type image sensor module (CISM) as an example.
The first reading unit 20a reads the front surface (the surface facing upward) as the "first surface" of the paper P, and the second reading unit 20b is the "first surface" opposite to the "first surface". Read the back surface (the surface facing downward) as "two sides".

After the image of at least one of the front surface and the back surface of the paper P is read by the reading unit 20, the paper P is nipped into the second transport roller pair 17 located on the downstream side of the reading unit 20. It is discharged from the discharge port 18 provided on the front side of the device of the lower unit 3. The second transport roller pair 17 includes a second drive roller 17a (drive roller) and a second driven roller 17b (driven roller) that rotates driven by the rotation of the second drive roller 17a.

In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the feeding roller 14 is rotationally driven by the first drive source 26 provided in the lower unit 3. Further, the separation roller 15, the first drive roller 16a, and the second drive roller 17a are rotationally driven by the second drive source 27 also shown in FIG.
The first drive source 26 and the second drive source 27 are controlled by the control unit 19, whereby the drive of the feed roller 14, the separation roller 15, the first drive roller 16a, and the second drive roller 17a is controlled. There is. That is, the control unit 19 controls the feeding operation of the paper P.

Further, the lower unit 3 is provided with a paper discharge tray 5 configured to be able to be pulled out from the discharge port 18 toward the front side of the device. The output tray 5 may be stored in the bottom of the lower unit 3 (FIG. 1) or pulled out to the front side of the device (not shown). With the paper ejection tray 5 pulled out, the paper P ejected from the ejection port 18 can be loaded on the paper ejection tray 5.

As shown in FIG. 2, in the medium feeding direction, the downstream side of the medium movement detection unit 21 and the upstream side of the feeding roller 14 and within the paper loading area by the medium loading unit 11 A first detection unit 22 for detecting the presence / absence of the paper P placed on the medium mounting unit 11 is provided. Further, on the downstream side of the feeding roller 14, the downstream side of the first transport roller pair 16, and the downstream side of the second transport roller pair 17, the second detection unit 23, the third detection unit 24, and the second 4 Detection unit 25 is provided. The position of the paper P in the medium feeding direction can be detected by the second detection unit 23 and the third detection unit 24.
The first detection unit 22, the second detection unit 23, the third detection unit 24, and the fourth detection unit 25 are provided in the central region in the width direction.

The first detection unit 22, the second detection unit 23, the third detection unit 24, and the fourth detection unit 25 include a light emitting unit (not shown) that emits light and the reflected light of the light emitted from the light emitting unit. An optical sensor having a light receiving unit (not shown) that receives light can be used. Further, in addition to the optical sensor, it is also possible to use an ultrasonic sensor including a transmitting unit that emits ultrasonic waves and a receiving unit that is provided so as to face the transmitting unit with the conveyed paper sandwiched between them. It is also possible to use a lever type sensor that optically or electrically detects the displacement of the mechanical lever that is moved by the contact of the conveyed paper.

■■■ About the configuration to switch between the first feed mode and the second feed mode ■■■
Hereinafter, the medium feeding unit 10 separates and feeds a bundle of paper on which a plurality of sheets of paper P are stacked, and performs a separate feeding mode, in which the bundle of paper is not separated. The switching with the "second feeding mode" in which the non-separable feeding is performed will be described.

In the medium feeding unit 10 according to the present embodiment, the separation roller 15 is configured to be displaceable between a contact state in which it contacts the feeding roller 14 and a separated state in which it is separated from the feeding roller 14.

More specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, the separation roller 15 is held by the holder 28, and when the holder 28 is pressed by the pressing member 29, the separation roller 15 is pressed toward the feeding roller 14. Has been done.
The separation roller 15 is configured to be displaceable together with the holder 28 in the direction of advancing and retreating with respect to the feeding roller 14, and the first eccentric cam 30 that rotates by receiving power from a drive source (not shown) controlled by the control unit 19. The separation roller 15 is in contact with the feeding roller 14 (shown by a solid line in FIG. 3) and the separation roller 15 is separated from the feeding roller 14 (shown by a dotted line in FIG. 3). And, can be switched.
In FIG. 3, the pressing member 29 and the first eccentric cam 30 in the separated state are also shown by dotted lines.

Then, when the medium feeding unit 10 feeds the paper in the "first feeding mode" in which the paper is separately fed, the separation roller 15 is brought into the contact state, and the paper is read in the reading direction by the reading unit 20. It is driven to rotate in the reverse rotation direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 3) opposite to the forward rotation direction (clockwise in FIG. 3), which is the rotation direction when sending in the + Y direction. As a result, the lowest (bottom) paper among the plurality of sheets is separated and fed by the feeding roller 14.

The separation roller 15 is provided with a torque limiter (not shown). If there is no medium between the separation roller 15 and the feed roller 14, or if there is only one medium, the torque limiter is used. Sliding occurs and the separation roller 15 is driven to rotate (clockwise in FIG. 3). When the second and subsequent media enter between the separation roller 15 and the feeding roller 14, slip occurs between the media, and the separation roller 15 rotates in the reverse direction due to the rotational torque received from the second drive source 27 (FIG. 3). Counterclockwise). As a result, double feeding of the medium is suppressed.

On the other hand, when the medium feeding unit 10 feeds the paper in the "second feeding mode" in which the paper is fed in a non-separable manner, the separation roller 15 is put into the separated state. By separating the separation roller 15 from the feeding roller 14, the paper separation ability of the separation roller 15 can be lowered or the separation ability can be reduced.
Therefore, the bundle of paper (booklet G in FIG. 3) placed on the medium mounting portion 11 can be fed in a non-separable state, that is, in a non-separable state.
When the separation roller 15 in the separated state is separated to a position where it does not come into contact with the uppermost surface of the paper bundle (booklet body G) placed on the medium mounting portion 11, the separation roller 15 is separated. Is not separated by. The separated roller 15 in the separated state may be in contact with the uppermost surface of the paper bundle (booklet G) placed on the medium mounting portion 11, but in that case, the separating roller 15 may be in contact with the top surface of the paper bundle (booklet G). It is preferable to stop the rotation to enable free rotation, or to rotate the separation roller 15 in the forward rotation direction (clockwise when FIG. 3 is viewed in a plan view).

As described above, by switching between the contact state and the separated state of the separation roller 15, it is easy to switch between the "first feeding mode" and the "second feeding mode" in the medium feeding unit 10. can do.

■■■ About the 1st and 2nd transport roller pairs ■■■
Here, as described in the problem to be solved by the invention, since the booklet G shown in FIG. 3 is thick, the booklet G fed by the medium feeding unit 10 is the first downstream side. It may not be possible to enter between the rollers of the transfer roller pair 16 and the second transfer roller pair 17, and the state may be non-feed.

When the medium feeding unit 10 feeds in the "second feeding mode" in the scanner 1 in order to suppress the non-feed of the booklet G in the first conveying roller pair 16 or the second conveying roller pair 17. In addition, the first driven roller 16b of the first transport roller pair 16 and the second driven roller 17b of the second transport roller pair 17 are driven in the rotational direction in which each transport roller pair transports the paper.

That is, when the medium feeding unit 10 feeds in the "second feeding mode", the first driven roller 16b and the second driven roller 17b are rotated clockwise with reference to FIG. 3 in a plan view.
In the present embodiment, the first driven roller 16b and the second driven roller 17b are configured to receive power from the second drive source 27 and control the drive by the control unit 19. Of course, it may be configured to receive power from the first drive source 26, or another drive source may be provided.
The first driven roller 16b and the second driven roller 17b are provided with a switching means (not shown) for switching between a state in which power is transmitted from the first drive source 26 and a state in which power transmission is cut off. By controlling the means by the control unit 19, the first driven roller 16b and the second driven roller 17b are driven and rotated, and the first driven roller 16b and the second driven roller 17b are moved into the first driven roller 16a and the second. It is possible to switch between a state in which the drive roller 17a is driven to rotate and a state in which the drive roller 17a is driven to rotate.

In this way, when the medium feeding unit 10 feeds in the "second feeding mode", the first driven roller 16b and the second driven roller 17b are also rotationally driven in the direction of transporting the paper. The thick booklet G can easily enter between the rollers of the first transport roller pair 16 and the second transport roller pair 17, and thus non-feed occurs in the first transport roller pair 16 and the second transport roller pair 17. It is possible to realize appropriate transportation of the booklet G by suppressing the above.

■■■ Other configurations in the second feed mode ■■■
When the "second feeding mode" is executed, the configuration can be as follows.
That is, a second is provided as a "medium detection unit" for detecting paper between the medium feeding unit 10 and the first driving roller 16a, which is the "driving roller" located closest to the medium feeding unit 10. When the detection unit 23 (FIGS. 2 and 3) detects that the medium feeding unit 10 has passed the tip of the document (booklet G) to be fed in the "second feeding mode", the separation roller 15 is moved. In the contact state (state of the separation roller 15 shown by the solid line in FIG. 3), the rotation is driven in the forward rotation direction (clockwise in FIG. 3).

After the booklet G fed by the feeding roller 14 is fed to some extent, the media feeding unit 10 is brought into the booklet G by bringing the separation roller 15 into the contact state and rotationally driving the separation roller 15 in the forward rotation direction. On the other hand, it can be configured to impart a carrying force. Therefore, the booklet G can be efficiently transported.
The timing at which the separation roller 15 is brought into the contact state and rotationally driven in the forward rotation direction is not limited to the timing at which the second detection unit 23 detects the booklet G. For example, after a predetermined time elapses after the second detection unit 23 detects the booklet G or after a predetermined amount of transport, the separation roller 15 is switched from the separated state to the contact state and rotationally driven in the forward rotation direction. You may.

■■■ About the reader ■■■
Subsequently, the configuration of the reading unit 20 will be described.
The reading unit 20 shown in FIG. 3 includes a first reading unit 20a located on the upper side of the paper transport path and a second reading unit 20b located on the lower side. That is, the distance between the reading surface of the first reading unit 20a and the reading surface of the second reading unit 20b is the path height of the paper transport path.

Normally, the distance between the reading surface of the first reading unit 20a and the reading surface of the second reading unit 20b is set to the distance through which thin paper passes, and the first reading unit 20a and the second reading unit 20b approach each other. Is pressed against. As a result, the reading surface of each reading unit is firmly in contact with the paper P (original).
In FIG. 3, reference numeral 31 is a first pressing member 31 such as a coil spring that presses the first reading unit 20a toward the second reading unit 20b, and reference numeral 32 is a reference numeral 32 indicating the second reading unit 20b on the first reading unit 20a side. A second pressing member 32 such as a coil spring that presses against.

Further, either one of the first reading unit 20a and the second reading unit 20b is configured to be displaceable so as to advance and retreat with respect to the other, and the distance between the first reading unit 20a and the second reading unit 20b can be changed. It is configured in.
In the present embodiment, the first reading unit 20a is provided with a displacement mechanism, and the first reading unit 20a is displaced between the advance position shown by the solid line in FIG. 3 and the retracted position shown by the dotted line in FIG. It is configured to let you. As the displacement mechanism, a second eccentric cam 33 that is rotated by a drive source (not shown) is provided. The drive source is controlled by the control unit 19, and the rotation of the second eccentric cam 33 is also controlled, so that the distance between the first reading unit 20a and the second reading unit 20b can be adjusted. ..

Here, the control unit 19 sets the distance between the first reading unit 20a and the second reading unit 20b when the medium feeding unit 10 executes the "second feeding mode" in the "first feeding mode". The control is performed so that the interval is wider than the above-mentioned interval when the above is executed.
That is, when the booklet bundle G is fed in the "second feeding mode", the distance between the first reading unit 20a and the second reading unit 20b is widened. As a result, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the booklet bundle G, which is thicker than the paper P that is conveyed one by one, is caught between the first reading unit 20a and the second reading unit 20b and causes jam.

[Second Embodiment]
In the present embodiment, referring to FIG. 4, the booklet G in the first transport roller pair 16 or the second transport roller pair 17 when the medium feed unit 10 feeds in the “second feed mode”. Another example of the configuration for suppressing the non-feed of is described.
FIG. 4 is a schematic side sectional view of the scanner according to the second embodiment.
In the embodiments after this embodiment, the same components as those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

The non-feed of the booklet G in the first transfer roller pair 16 or the second transfer roller pair 17 can also be suppressed by the following configuration.
That is, with respect to the first transport roller pair 16, the first driven roller 16b gives the first driven roller 16a when the medium feeding unit 10 feeds in the "second feeding mode". The contact load is made smaller than the contact load when the "first feeding mode" is executed. Further, with respect to the second transport roller pair 17, the contact load applied by the second driven roller 17b to the second drive roller 17a when feeding in the "second feed mode" is set to "first. It is made smaller than the contact load when the "feeding mode" is executed.

As a more specific configuration, the scanner 1 has a contact load applied by the first driven roller 16b to the first driving roller 16a in the first transport roller pair 16 and a second driven roller in the second transport roller pair 17. A load applying means 40 capable of changing the contact load applied by the 17b to the second drive roller 17a is provided.

The load applying means 40 is in a direction in which the first driven roller 16b and the second driven roller 17b apply the contact load to the corresponding drive rollers (first drive roller 16a and second drive roller 17a), respectively (FIG. 4). A spring support portion 41 that can be displaced along the direction indicated by the arrow A), a spring support portion 41 and a first driven roller 16b, and a spring support portion 41 and a second driven roller 17b provided between the spring support portion 41 and the first driven roller 16b. It also includes a pressing spring 42 and a pressing spring 43 that press the second driven roller 17b.

The contact load of each of the first driven roller 16b and the second driven roller 17b can be adjusted by displacing the spring support portion 41.
When the spring support portion 41 is displaced in the direction of arrow A, that is, when the spring support portion 41 is brought closer to the first driven roller 16b and the second driven roller 17b, the contact load increases and the spring support portion 41 is moved in the direction of arrow A. When the spring support portion 41 is displaced in the opposite direction, that is, when the spring support portion 41 is moved away from the first driven roller 16b and the second driven roller 17b, the contact load becomes smaller.

In the present embodiment, the spring support portion 41 is configured to be displaced by the rotation of the third eccentric cam 44 that receives the power of a drive source (not shown). The drive source is controlled by the control unit 19, whereby the rotation of the third eccentric cam 44 is controlled, and the contact load can be adjusted.
In the present embodiment, both the pressing spring 42 for the first driven roller 16b and the pressing spring 43 for the second driven roller 17b are supported by the common spring support portion 41. It is also possible to support each of the pressing spring 42 for the 1 driven roller 16b and the pressing spring 43 for the second driven roller 17b by individual spring support portions.
With the load applying means 40 having the above configuration, the contact load applied by the first driven roller 16b and the second driven roller 17b to the corresponding driving rollers, the first driving roller 16a and the second driving roller 17a, can be easily applied. Can be adjusted to.

Then, when the medium feeding unit 10 feeds in the "second feeding mode", the first driven roller 16b and the second driven roller 17b correspond to the corresponding first driving roller 16a and the second driving roller, respectively. Since the contact load applied to 17a is smaller than the contact load when the "first feeding mode" is executed, the booklet G is between the rollers of the first transport roller pair 16 and the second transport roller pair 17. Is easier to enter. Therefore, the risk of non-feeding of the booklet G in the first transport roller pair 16 and the second transport roller pair 17 can be reduced, and appropriate transport of the booklet G can be realized.

Further, in the present embodiment, the first driven roller 16b and the second driven roller 17b are moved in a direction away from the first driving roller 16a and the second driving roller 17a by a displacement means (not shown), and the first driving roller 16a It is configured to be separable from the second drive roller 17a. Then, when the medium feeding unit 10 feeds in the "second feeding mode", the first driven roller 16b and the second driven roller 17b are separated from the first driving roller 16a and the second driving roller 17a. Can be made to.
That is, when the medium feeding unit 10 feeds in the "second feeding mode", the contact load is set to zero. As a result, the occurrence of non-feed of the booklet G in the first transport roller pair 16 and the second transport roller pair 17 can be further suppressed.
The displacement means is controlled by the control unit 19 to control the separation of the first driven roller 16b and the second driven roller 17b from the first driving roller 16a and the second driving roller 17a.

[Third Embodiment]
The scanner 1 can be provided with a page turning mechanism 50 that automatically turns the pages of the booklet G to be read. In the present embodiment, the page turning mechanism 50 will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6.
5 and 6 are diagrams for explaining the page turning operation by the page turning mechanism.

In the present embodiment, the page turning mechanism 50 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 is provided on the first driven roller 16b constituting the first conveying roller pair 16. In other words, the scanner 1 includes a first driven roller 16b having a page turning mechanism 50.
More specifically, the page turning mechanism 50 includes a holding portion 51 and a tip portion 52 movably attached to the tip of the holding portion 51, which are provided on the first driven roller 16b.

The first transport roller pair 16 and the second transport roller pair 17 are in the forward rotation direction (for example, the rotation direction indicated by the arrow in the uppermost figure of FIG. 5) in which the paper is conveyed in the reading direction (+ Y direction) by the reading unit 20. ) And the reverse rotation direction (for example, the rotation direction indicated by the arrow in the second figure from the top of FIG. 5) for transporting the paper in the direction opposite to the reading direction (−Y direction). It is configured. Further, the first driven roller 16b of the first transport roller pair 16 is configured to be able to drive and rotate at least in the reverse rotation direction by receiving power from a drive source (not shown).
The page turning mechanism 50 is configured to turn the uppermost medium of the booklet G by the first driven roller 16b that is rotationally driven in the reverse rotation direction.

Hereinafter, the page turning operation by the page turning mechanism 50 will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6.
The uppermost figure of FIG. 5 shows a state in which reading of the first page of the spread G of the booklet G is completed. At the time of reading by the reading unit 20, the first transport roller pair 16 and the second transport roller pair 17 are rotating in the forward rotation direction.

After the reading of the first page of the spread is completed, as shown in the second figure from the top of FIG. 5, the first transport roller pair 16 and the second transport roller pair 17 are rotated in the reverse rotation direction to form the booklet G. The tip of the above in the reading direction is niped by the first transport roller pair 16.

When the tip of the booklet G in the reading direction is niped by the first transport roller pair 16, the first drive roller 16a is stopped, and only the first driven roller 16b is rotationally driven in the reverse rotation direction.
Then, as shown in the second figure from the bottom of FIG. 5, the first driven roller 16b picks up the top page.
When the first driven roller 16b is subsequently rotationally driven in the reverse rotation direction, the tip of the picked-up page is caught and held by the holding portion 51 and the tip portion 52 as shown in the lowermost figure of FIG. ..

After driving the first driven roller 16b by a predetermined amount in the reverse rotation direction, the driving of the first driven roller 16b is stopped, and the tip portion 52 is bent upward as shown in the uppermost figure of FIG. Displace. As a result, the tip of the page held by the holding portion 51 and the tip portion 52 is disengaged and turned over, and the second spread page P2 is opened.
The tip 52 operates by receiving power from a power source (not shown).

After the pages of the booklet G are turned over and the second page of the spread P2 is opened, as shown in the second figure from the top of FIG. 6 to the second figure from the bottom of the same figure, the first transport roller pair 16 And the second transport roller pair 17 is rotated in the forward rotation direction to read P2 on the second page of the spread.

When reading the next page (third page of the spread) after the reading of the second page of the spread P2 is completed (second figure from the bottom of FIG. 6), it is shown in the bottom figure of FIG. As described above, the first transfer roller pair 16 and the second transfer roller pair 17 are rotated in the reverse rotation direction again until the tip of the booklet G in the reading direction is nipped by the first transfer roller pair 16. It feeds, returns the tip portion 52 to the direction connected to the holding portion 51, and repeats the operations after the second from the bottom of FIG.
The timing for returning the bent tip portion 52 in the uppermost view of FIG. 6 to the original state is a page turning operation in which only the first driven roller 16b is rotationally driven in the reverse rotation direction (lower part of FIG. 5). It suffices as long as it is before the start of the operation (the operation shown in the second figure), and is not limited to immediately before the page turning operation.

As described above, since the scanner 1 is provided with the first transfer roller pair 16 having the page turning mechanism 50, it is possible to read while automatically turning the pages of the booklet G. Therefore, a plurality of pages of the booklet G can be easily read continuously.

[Fourth Embodiment]
In the present embodiment, another example of the configuration for switching between the “first feeding mode” and the “second feeding mode” of the medium feeding unit 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 to 10.
FIG. 7 is an external perspective view showing a scanner provided with an operation unit for operating the switching between the “first feeding mode” and the “second feeding mode” of the medium feeding unit. FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a state of the power transmission mechanism in the “first feeding mode” of the medium feeding unit. FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a state of the medium feeding unit in the “second feeding mode”. FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of a main part of the power transmission mechanism, and is a diagram for explaining the displacement of the gears when the “first feeding mode” and the “second feeding mode” of the medium feeding unit are switched. ..

In the present embodiment, switching between the "first feeding mode" in which the medium feeding unit 10 separates and feeds the paper and the "second feeding mode" in which the medium feeding unit 10 feeds the paper separately is possible. , The connection state in which the power transmission to the separation roller 15 is connected (FIG. 8) and the release state in which the power transmission to the separation roller 15 is canceled (FIG. 9) are switched.
In other words, the separation roller 15 is provided with a power transmission mechanism 60 for transmitting power from the second drive source 27, and the power transmission mechanism 60 is a second wheel as a "wheel train" composed of a plurality of meshing gears. When the medium feeding unit 10 has rows 62 and feeds in the "second feeding mode", some of the gears forming the second wheel row 62 are disengaged.

Hereinafter, the power transmission mechanism 60 will be described with reference to FIG.
The power transmission mechanism 60 includes a first wheel train 61 having gears meshing with a rotating shaft (not shown) of the separation roller 15 and a second wheel train 62 provided on the −X direction side inside the apparatus main body 2 (FIG. 1). And a shaft portion 63 connecting the first wheel train 61 and the second wheel train 62.

The second wheel train 62 includes a gear 64, a gear 65 meshing with the gear 64, and a gear group 66 including a gear meshing with the gear 65 and a gear connected to the shaft portion 63. ing.
In FIG. 8, the gear 64 is connected to a rotating shaft (not shown) of the first transport roller pair 16 and is driven via the first transport roller pair 16 (driven by the power of the second drive source 27). It is configured to receive power from the second drive source 27. The power received by the gear 64 of the second wheel train 62 is transmitted to the separation roller 15 via the shaft portion 63 and the first wheel train 61.

Here, as shown in FIG. 7, the upper unit 4 of the scanner 1 has an operation unit 67 that operates the switching between the “first feed mode” and the “second feed mode” of the medium feed unit 10. It is provided. Reference numeral 67a is a knob portion 67a for operation.
The operation unit 67 is provided so as to slide back and forth with respect to the upper unit 4 in the X-axis direction. As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, in the connecting unit 68, the separation roller 15 is connected to the separation roller 15 from the second drive source 27. It is connected to the gear 65 of the second wheel train 62 that constitutes the power transmission mechanism 60 that transmits the power of the above.
The gear 65 connected to the operation unit 67 is configured to be shiftable in the sliding direction of the operation unit 67. As a result, the operation unit 67 is slid in the X-axis direction, and the connection state (FIG. 8) in which the gear 65 and the gear 64 and the gear 65 and the gear group 66 are meshed with each other, and the gear 65 and the gear 64, The gear 65 and the gear group 66 can be switched between the released state (FIG. 9) in which the meshing of the gear 65 and the gear group 66 is released.

In the present embodiment, when the knob portion 67a of the operation portion 67 is slid toward the + X direction, the gear 65 is arranged at the position shown by the solid line in FIGS. 8 and 10, and the gear 65, the gear 64, and the gear 65 are arranged. The gear 65 and the gear group 66 are in a connected state in which they mesh with each other.
In the connected state, the power of the second drive source 27 is transmitted to the separation roller 15, and the separation roller 15 separates the paper. That is, the medium feeding unit 10 can be set to the "first feeding mode".
In FIG. 10, the description of the operation unit 67 and the connection unit 68 is omitted.

Further, when the operation unit 67 is slid toward the −X direction, the gear 65 is arranged at the position indicated by the alternate long and short dash line in FIGS. 9 and 10, and the teeth of the gear 65 and the gear 64 and the gear The mesh between 65 and the gear group 66 is released. In the released state, power is not transmitted from the gear 64 to the gear group 66, so that the separation roller 15 does not rotate. That is, the paper is not separated by the separation roller 15. Therefore, the medium feeding unit 10 can be set to the “second feeding mode”.

With the above configuration, it is possible to easily switch between the "first feeding mode" feeding and the "second feeding mode" feeding by the medium feeding unit 10.
As described above, the gear 65 can be manually displaced in the X-axis direction by using the operation unit 67, or the gear 65 can be automatically displaced in the X-axis direction by using an actuator such as a solenoid, for example. It is possible.

Further, the scanner 1 feeds the separation roller 15 as described in the first embodiment as a configuration for switching between the “first feeding mode” and the “second feeding mode” of the medium feeding unit 10. It may have both a configuration in which the gears are separated from the 14 and a configuration in which the gears forming the second wheel train 62 of the power transmission mechanism 60 are disengaged as described in the present embodiment.
After separating the separation roller 15 from the feed roller 14, the gears constituting the second train wheel 62 can be disengaged to stop the rotation of the separation roller 15 in the separation direction. It is possible to surely make a non-separable state in which the separation by the separation roller 15 is not performed.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the invention described in the claims, and these are also included in the scope of the present invention. It goes without saying that it is a thing.

1 ... Scanner (image reader), 2 ... Device body, 3 ... Lower unit,
4 ... Upper unit, 5 ... Paper output tray, 6 ... Feed port, 7 ... Operation panel,
8 ... 1st auxiliary paper support, 9 ... 2nd auxiliary paper support,
10 ... Media feeding section, 11 ... Media mounting section, 12 ... Edge guide,
13 ... Guide surface, 14 ... Feeding roller, 15 ... Separation roller,
16 ... 1st transport roller pair, 16a ... 1st drive roller (drive roller),
16b ... 1st driven roller (driven roller), 17 ... 2nd transport roller pair,
17a ... Second drive roller (drive roller),
17b ... 2nd driven roller (driven roller), 18 ... outlet,
19 ... Control unit, 20 ... Reading unit, 20a ... First reading unit, 20b ... Second reading unit,
22 ... 1st detection unit, 23 ... 2nd detection unit, 24 ... 3rd detection unit, 25 ... 4th detection unit,
26 ... 1st drive source, 27 ... 2nd drive source, 28 ... holder, 29 ... pressing member,
30 ... 1st eccentric cam, 31 ... 1st pressing member, 32 ... 2nd pressing member,
33 ... 2nd eccentric cam, 40 ... load applying means, 41 ... spring support,
42 ... pressing spring, 43 ... pressing spring, 44 ... third eccentric cam,
50 ... Page turning mechanism, 51 ... Holding part, 52 ... Tip part,
60 ... Power transmission mechanism, 61 ... First wheel train, 62 ... Second wheel train, 63 ... Shaft,
64 ... gears, 65 ... gears, 66 ... gear groups, 67 ... operation parts, 68 ... connection parts,
P ... Paper (medium), G ... Booklet (medium bundle)

Claims (10)

A reader that reads the image on the medium and
When the medium mounted on the medium mounting unit is fed toward the reading unit, the first feeding is performed by separating and feeding a bundle of media in which a plurality of media are stacked. A medium feeding unit capable of selecting a mode and a second feeding mode for performing non-separable feeding in which the media bundles are fed together without being separated.
A drive roller provided on the downstream side of the medium feeding section in the medium feeding direction,
A driven roller that rotates driven by the rotation of the drive roller is provided.
When the medium feeding unit feeds in the second feeding mode, the driven roller is driven in the rotation direction for transporting the medium.
An image reader characterized by this. A reader that reads the image on the medium and
When the medium mounted on the medium mounting unit is fed toward the reading unit, the first feeding is performed by separating and feeding a bundle of media in which a plurality of media are stacked. A medium feeding unit capable of selecting a mode and a second feeding mode for performing non-separable feeding in which the media bundles are fed together without being separated.
A drive roller provided on the downstream side of the medium feeding section in the medium feeding direction,
A driven roller that rotates driven by the rotation of the drive roller is provided.
When the medium feeding unit feeds in the second feeding mode, the contact load applied by the driven roller to the driving roller is applied to the contact when the first feeding mode is executed. Make it smaller than the load,
An image reader characterized by this. In the image reading apparatus according to claim 2,
A pressing spring provided between the spring support portion and the driven roller that can be displaced along the direction in which the driven roller applies the contact load to the driving roller, and presses the driven roller. And, equipped with a load applying means,
The contact load is adjusted by displacing the spring support portion.
An image reader characterized by this. In the image reading apparatus according to claim 2,
The driven roller is configured to be separable from the driving roller.
When the medium feeding unit feeds in the second feeding mode, the driven roller is separated from the driving roller.
An image reader characterized by this. In the image reading apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4.
The medium feeding unit is
A feeding roller that feeds the medium and
A separating roller configured to be displaceable between a contact state in contact with the feeding roller and a separated state separated from the feeding roller is provided.
When the medium feeding unit feeds in the first feeding mode, the separation roller is brought into the contact state, and the medium is fed in the reading direction by the reading unit in the forward rotation direction. Rotate drive in the direction opposite to the direction,
When the medium feeding unit feeds in the second feeding mode, the separation roller is put into the separated state.
An image reader characterized by this. In the image reading apparatus according to claim 5,
A medium detection unit provided between the medium feeding unit and the driving roller located closest to the medium feeding unit to detect the medium is provided.
When the medium detection unit detects that the medium feeding unit has passed the tip of the medium to be fed in the second feeding mode, the separation roller is brought into the contact state and rotationally driven in the forward rotation direction. To do,
An image reader characterized by this. In the image reading apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4.
The medium feeding unit is
A feeding roller that feeds the medium and
At least a separation roller that is rotationally driven in a reverse rotation direction opposite to the forward rotation direction, which is the rotation direction when the medium is fed in the reading direction by the reading unit.
It has a train wheel composed of a plurality of meshing gears, and is provided with a power transmission mechanism for transmitting power from a drive source to the separation roller.
When the medium feeding unit feeds in the second feeding mode, some of the gears constituting the train wheel are disengaged.
An image reader characterized by this. In the image reading apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7.
The reading unit includes a first reading unit that reads the first surface of the medium sent by the medium feeding unit, and a second reading unit that reads the second surface that is the opposite surface of the first surface. The distance between the first reading unit and the second reading unit can be changed.
The interval when the medium feeding unit executes the second feeding mode is made wider than the interval when the first feeding mode is executed.
An image reader characterized by this. In the image reading apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8.
The driven roller having a page turning mechanism is provided.
An image reader characterized by this. In the image reading apparatus according to claim 9,
The page turning mechanism has a configuration in which the uppermost medium of the medium bundle is turned by the driven roller that is rotationally driven in the reverse rotation direction in which the medium is conveyed in the direction opposite to the reading direction by the reading unit.
An image reader characterized by this.

Images