JP3473815B2 - Document reading device - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a document reading device, and more particularly to a document reading device for reading a book-type document and having an automatic document feeding device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a document reading device such as a scanner device, a facsimile device, and a copying device, a reading part moving type reading system is used in which a reading part having an optical system is moved to read an image of a stationary document. .

That is, an original reading apparatus of a moving type reading unit of a reading unit includes a first traveling body and a second traveling body which are guided below a contact glass so as to be movable in the sub-scanning direction. Is a first light source and a reflected light of the light projected from the light source on the original on the contact glass to the second traveling body.
It is equipped with a mirror. A second mirror and a third mirror are mounted on the second traveling body, and the second mirror introduces the light from the first mirror of the first traveling body to the third mirror. The third mirror is a photoelectric conversion means, such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device), that passes light from the second mirror through a lens.
Then, the photoelectric conversion means converts the incident light into an electric signal to read the image of the original. Then, the document reading device
A pressure plate for pressing the original set on the contact glass against the contact glass is provided.

In addition, the original reading apparatus of the moving type reading unit of the reading unit can place a plurality of originals in order to efficiently read a sheet-like original, and the plurality of originals placed can be read one by one. It is equipped with an automatic document feeder that conveys the scanned documents one by one onto the contact glass and discharges the read document from the contact glass.

In the document reading apparatus equipped with such an automatic document feeder, the sheet document is conveyed onto the contact glass by the pressure plate for pressing the document on the contact glass and stopped at the reading position, and the reading is completed. A document transport mechanism for discharging the sheet document is provided.

[0006]

However, in the document reading apparatus provided with such a conventional automatic document feeding apparatus, a plurality of sheet originals set are separated and sent out one by one. The original document transport mechanism is complicated because the original document transport mechanism that transports the sheet original onto the contact glass, stops it at the reading position, and discharges the read sheet original from the contact glass. There is a problem that the reading device becomes expensive.

Therefore, according to the first aspect of the present invention, when the original is set on the contact glass, the reading section is moved in the sub-scanning direction while being guided by the guide section arranged below the contact glass. Section causes the image of the original to be read, and when the original is set on the automatic document feeder,
While guiding the reading unit to the guide unit, it is moved to a predetermined reading position on the contact glass on one side of the moving direction of the reading unit, and is tilted along the document conveyance path by the tilting mechanism, and automatic document feeding is performed. By pressing the document to be fed from the automatic document feeding mechanism while pressing it against the feeding / reading roller of the mechanism, the feeding / reading roller feeds the document while the image is read by the reading unit.
An object of the present invention is to provide an inexpensive and small-sized document reading device by shortening a document transportation path for transporting a document of an automatic document feeding mechanism to reduce a transportation roller for transporting a document and other document transportation mechanisms. I am trying.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the guide portion is formed by a guide rail having a predetermined width and arranged up to a predetermined amount before the reading position, and the reading portion is arranged so as to straddle the guide rail. Then, by making it disengage from the guide rail when moved to the reading position, the reading unit can be easily tilted along the document feeding path by the automatic document feeding mechanism with a simple structure, and a simpler structure can be obtained. An object of the present invention is to provide an inexpensive document reading device having a configuration.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the leading end portion of the guide rail on the side of the reading position is formed into a predetermined tapered shape so that the guide rail is moved to the reading position for reading the document conveyed from the automatic document feeding mechanism. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a document reading apparatus that can easily and properly guide the reading unit that has come off the guide rail to the guide rail again.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a predetermined positioning pin is provided at a position that is a center of rotation when the reading unit is tilted by the tilting mechanism so that the positioning pin of the reading unit can enter the document reading device. By providing a snap-fit type bearing that opens and supports the entered positioning pin, the reading unit that has been moved to the reading position to read the document conveyed from the automatic document feeding mechanism can be easily and accurately. An object of the present invention is to provide a document reading device that tilts.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the tilting mechanism is configured to read through the sector gear coaxially formed with the positioning pin of the reading unit and the sector gear that meshes with the sector gear when the reading unit moves to the reading position. By providing a binion gear that tilts the section by rotating it about the positioning pin as a center of rotation and a drive unit that rotationally drives the pinion gear, the reading section can be tilted with high accuracy with a simple configuration. An object of the present invention is to provide a document reading device capable of appropriately reading a document conveyed from an automatic document feeding mechanism.

According to the invention of claim 6, as the driving means,
A document that can accurately read the document conveyed from the automatic document feeding mechanism by accurately tilting the reading unit by controlling the tilt angle of the reading unit by using the stepping motor and controlling the number of steps of the stepping motor. It is intended to provide a reader.

According to a seventh aspect of the invention, when the reading unit is pressed against the conveying and reading roller by the driving means and the load acting on the reading unit and the conveying and reading roller exceeds a predetermined load, the reading unit and the conveying unit slide and slide. By disposing a torque limiter that suppresses the load acting between the reading rollers below a predetermined load between the drive means and the binion gear, the reading unit and the conveyance reading roller are brought into pressure contact with an appropriate load, and the load is accurately adjusted. It is an object of the present invention to provide a document reading device that can more appropriately read a document conveyed from an automatic document feeding mechanism by tilting the reading unit.

The invention according to claim 8 is the drive means,
By using the transport motor of the automatic document feeder,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a more inexpensive original reading device.

According to the invention of claim 9, as a driving means,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a more inexpensive original reading device by using a drive motor.

[0016]

The invention according to claim 1 is
A contact glass to load documents, the disposed below the contact glass is moved in the sub-scanning direction by the drive motor, the document reading with a, a reading unit reads an image of the document set on the contact on glass On the device
Oite, a plurality of sheet documents are set, separated one by one the sheet document is the set, in a position different from the previous SL on one side the contact glass in the moving direction of the reading unit
The separated sheet original is provided on the contact
The contact for transporting in the direction opposite to the glass
Send it out to the conveyance path that is inclined at a predetermined angle to the glass
Document transport reading roller provided on this inclined transport path
An automatic document feeding mechanism having a reading position including the con <br/> is arranged extending in the sub scanning direction under the tact glass said guides supporting said reading portion below said contact glass While moving in the sub-scanning direction , sheet originals
When but set in the automatic document feed mechanism, a guide portion for guiding the support to the reading position said read unit, said reading unit has been moved to the reading position, while being inclined along the front Symbol conveying path characterized in that it comprises a and a tilt mechanism for pressing the conveying scanning roller.

According to the above construction, when the original is set on the contact glass, the reading section is moved in the sub-scanning direction while being guided by the guide section disposed below the contact glass, and the original is read by the reading section. Image is read, and when the original is set on the automatic document feeding mechanism, the reading unit is guided to the guide unit and moved to a predetermined reading position different from the one on the contact glass in the moving direction of the reading unit. Then, the tilting mechanism tilts the document along the feeding path and presses it against the feeding / reading roller of the automatic document feeding mechanism. Since the image is read by the reading unit, the document feeding path for feeding the originals of the automatic document feeding mechanism is shortened, and the feeding roller for feeding the originals is shortened. And other can be reduced document transport mechanism, inexpensive document reading apparatus can be made compact.

In this case, for example, as described in claim 2, the guide portion is a guide rail having a predetermined width and arranged up to a predetermined amount before the reading position, and the reading portion is The guide rail may be disposed so as to straddle the guide rail, and may be disengaged from the guide rail when moved to the reading position.

According to the above construction, the guide portion is formed by the guide rail which has a predetermined width and is arranged up to the front by a predetermined amount at the reading position, and the reading portion is arranged so as to straddle the guide rail. Since it is disengaged from the guide rail when moved to the reading position, the reading unit can be easily tilted along the document feeding path by the automatic document feeding mechanism, and the document reading device can be made simpler. With such a configuration, it can be inexpensive.

Further, for example, as described in claim 3, the guide rail may be formed such that a front end portion thereof on the side of the reading position has a predetermined tapered shape.

According to the above construction, since the leading end portion of the guide rail on the reading position side is formed in a predetermined taper shape, the guide rail is moved to the reading position for reading the document conveyed from the automatic document feeding mechanism. It is possible to easily and properly guide the reading unit, which is separated from the guide rail, to the guide rail again.

Further, for example, as described in claim 4, the reading portion is provided with a predetermined positioning pin at a position which becomes a rotation center when tilted by the tilting mechanism,
The document reading apparatus may further include a snap-fit-shaped bearing that opens the positioning pin of the reading unit so that the positioning pin can enter and supports the entered positioning pin.

According to the above construction, a predetermined positioning pin is provided at a position which becomes the center of rotation when the reading unit is tilted by the tilting mechanism, and the positioning pin of the reading unit is opened in the original reading device so that the reading pin can enter. Since a snap-fit bearing for supporting the entered positioning pin is provided, the reading unit moved to the reading position to read the document conveyed from the automatic document feeding mechanism can be tilted easily and accurately. Can be made.

Further, for example, as described in claim 5, in the tilting mechanism, the sector gear coaxially formed with the positioning pin of the reading unit and the reading unit when the reading unit moves to the reading position are provided. It may be provided with a binion gear that meshes with the sector gear and rotates the reading unit through the sector gear to rotate and tilt the positioning pin about the positioning pin, and a driving unit that rotationally drives the binion gear.

According to the above construction, the tilting mechanism is engaged with the sector gear formed coaxially with the positioning pin of the reading section and meshes with the sector gear when the reading section moves to the reading position, thereby allowing the reading section to move through the sector gear. Since the positioning pin is provided with a pinion gear that rotates about the rotation center to incline, and a drive unit that rotationally drives the pinion gear, the reading unit can be accurately inclined with a simple configuration. The document conveyed from the document feeding mechanism can be properly read.

Further, for example, as described in claim 6, the driving means may be a stepping motor, and the tilt angle of the reading unit may be controlled by the number of steps of the stepping motor.

According to the above construction, since the stepping motor is used as the driving means and the tilt angle of the reading section is controlled by the number of steps of the stepping motor, the reading section can be tilted with high accuracy and the automatic document It is possible to properly read the document conveyed from the feeding mechanism.

Further, for example, as described in claim 7, the tilting mechanism is disposed between the driving means and the binion gear, and the driving means presses the reading section against the conveyance reading roller. At this time, if the load acting on the reading unit and the conveyance reading roller exceeds a predetermined load, a torque limiter that slips and holds the load acting between the reading unit and the conveyance reading roller below a predetermined load is provided. ,
It may be provided further.

According to the above construction, when the load acting on the reading unit and the conveyance reading roller exceeds a predetermined load when the reading unit is pressed against the conveyance reading roller by the driving unit, the reading unit and the conveyance reading roller slip. Since the torque limiter for suppressing the load acting between the load and the predetermined load to be less than or equal to the predetermined load is disposed between the drive unit and the binion gear, the reading unit and the conveyance reading roller can be pressed against each other with an appropriate load, The reading unit can be tilted with high accuracy, and the document conveyed from the automatic document feeding mechanism can be read more appropriately.

Further, for example, as described in claim 8, the drive means may use the conveyance motor of the automatic document feeding mechanism.

According to the above arrangement, since the conveyance motor of the automatic document feeding mechanism is used as the driving means, the document reading device can be made more inexpensive.

Further, for example, as described in claim 9, the drive motor may be used as the drive means.

According to the above arrangement, since the drive motor is used as the drive means, the original reading device can be made more inexpensive.

[0034]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The embodiments described below are preferred embodiments of the present invention, and therefore have various technically preferable limitations. However, the scope of the present invention refers to the present invention particularly in the following description. Unless otherwise stated, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.

1 to 7 are views showing a document reading device to which an embodiment of the document reading device of the present invention is applied, and the present embodiment is applied to a copying device.

In FIG. 1, a copying apparatus 1 has a contact glass 3 disposed on an upper part of a main body case 2, and an automatic document feeder (opening and closing with respect to the main body case 2 is provided on the upper part of the contact glass 3). ADF) 4 is provided.

Automatic Document Feeding Device (Automatic Document Feeding Mechanism) 4
Is a pressing plate 5 for pressing the original set on the contact glass 3 against the contact glass 3, an original table 6 on which a plurality of sheet originals are set, and a plurality of sheet originals set on the original table 6. A document separating roller 8 and a feeding / reading roller 9 are provided together with the member 7 for separating and sending the sheets one by one.

Body case 2 below contact glass 3
A reading unit 10 is provided inside the reading unit 10.
As shown in FIG. 2, the contact image sensor 12 is housed in the frame 11. Frame 11
At the corners of the lower wall of the frame 11, insertion openings 13a and 13b are formed near both ends in the longitudinal direction of the frame 11, and the wall portions of the frame 11 above the insertion openings 13a and 13b are engaged with each other. Fitting claws 14a and 14b are provided. Engaging grooves 15a, on the upper surfaces of the tips of the engaging claws 14a, 14b,
15b is formed. At the lower end of the wall surface of the contact image sensor 12, as shown by an arrow in FIG. 2, engaging claws 16 inserted into the insertion openings 13a and 13b of the frame 11 are provided.
a and 16b are provided, and engaging grooves 17a and 17b are formed in the lower surfaces of the tip portions of the engaging claws 16a and 16b.

The reading unit 10 includes a contact type image sensor 12
The engaging claws 16a and 16b of the
The contact image sensor 12 is inserted into the insertion openings 13a and 13b of the frame 11, the contact type image sensor 12 is housed in the frame 11, and the engagement grooves 17a of the engagement claws 16a and 16b protruding from the insertion openings 13a and 13b to the outside of the frame 11, 17b and frame 11
The contact image sensor 12 is housed in the frame 11 with its upper end protruding from the frame 11 by engaging an elastic member, for example, a spring, with the engaging grooves 15a, 15b of the engaging claws 14a, 14b. ·Hold.

Although not shown, the contact-type image sensor 12 includes, for example, a light emitting element as a light source, a contact glass, a photoelectric conversion element, and the like. The original is irradiated with light from the light emitting element through the contact glass and reflected by the original. The photoelectric conversion element is irradiated with the emitted light and photoelectrically converted by the photoelectric conversion element to read the image of the document.

A sliding groove 18 is formed in the center of the lower surface of the frame 11 of the reading unit 10, and a guide rail 19 enters the sliding groove 18 to hold the reading unit 10 on the guide rail 19. -It is supported so as to be movable along the guide rail 19 while being guided. The guide rail 19 has a substantially U-shaped cross section, and includes an upper surface portion 19a and side wall portions 19b and 19c.

As shown in FIG. 1, the guide rail (guide portion) 19 is disposed below the contact glass 5 and extends in the left-right direction (sub-scanning direction) in FIG. While being guided by the guide rail 19, the contact type image sensor 12 moves in the sub-scanning direction along the guide rail 19 while being in sliding contact with the lower surface of the contact glass 3.

As described above, the reading unit 10 moves in the left-right direction in FIG. 1 along the guide rails 19 to read the original set on the contact glass 3 and, as shown in FIG.
As indicated by the alternate long and short dash line in FIG.
9 Move to the position where the surface comes into contact, and the automatic document feeder 4
Read the original that is conveyed from.

The guide rail 19 has a generally U-shaped guide rail 19 at the left end in FIG. 1, as shown in FIG.
The upper surface portion 19a is cut off midway, and the tips of the projecting side wall portions 19b and 19c are bent so that the distance between the two is narrowed. That is, the guide rail 19 is formed such that the leading end portion thereof on the side of the conveyance reading roller 9 is formed in a tapered shape, and the reading portion 10 has the sliding groove 18 of the frame 11 easily formed from the narrowed leading end portion of the guide rail 19. And enter easily.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the reading unit 10 has cylindrical positioning pins 20 fixed to the lower ends of both side surfaces on the left side in FIG. 1, and is coaxial with the positioning pins 20. The sector gear 21 is fixed to the frame 11 integrally with the positioning pin 20. The sector gear 21 is formed in a substantially fan shape, and teeth are formed at its tip.

On the other hand, the reading section 10 is provided below the conveying and reading roller 9 which is separated from the leading end of the guide rail 19 by a predetermined amount.
Is provided with a bearing 22 into which the positioning pin 20 enters, and the bearing 22 has a snap-fit shape so that the positioning pin 20 can easily enter when the reading unit 10 moves below the conveyance reading roller 9. Is formed in.
As shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, the bearing 22 rotatably supports the positioning pin 20, and the sector pin 2 is supported above the bearing 22 with the positioning pin 20 supported by the bearing 22.
A binion gear 23 is arranged at a position meshing with 1. By rotating the pinion gear 23 in a state of being meshed with the sector gear 21, the reading unit 10 is inclined through the sector gear 21 from the state indicated by the solid line in FIG. 6 to the state indicated by the alternate long and short dash line. When it is tilted by a predetermined angle, the contact image sensor 12 comes into contact with the conveyance reading roller 9. That is, the reading unit 10 sets the position in contact with the conveyance reading roller 9 as the reading position,
An image of a document conveyed along the document conveyance path is read from the automatic document feeding mechanism 4 by being inclined along the document conveyance path indicated by an arrow in FIG. The sector gear 21 and the binion gear 23 are
It may be provided at least on one side of the reading unit 10.

The reading unit 10 reads the reading unit drive motor (not shown) and the rotation of the reading unit drive motor from the reading unit 1.
It is moved in the sub-scanning direction on the guide rail 19 by the transmission mechanism unit that transmits to 0.

The binion gear 23 is rotatably driven by a stepping motor (not shown), and the sector gear 21
The reading unit 10 is tilted to a predetermined angle at which it comes into contact with the conveyance reading roller 9 via the, and is returned to the horizontal state. in this case,
A torque limiter is provided between the stepping motor and the binion gear 23 so that the contact type image sensor 12 comes into contact with the feeding / reading roller 9 so that when a load of a predetermined amount or more is applied, the torque limiter does not apply a load of the load or more. Good. By doing so, the contact-type image sensor 12 can be appropriately brought into close contact with the conveyance reading roller 9. In addition, the motor that rotationally drives the binion gear 22 is
Not limited to the stepping motor, for example,
A transport motor for transporting the document of the automatic document feeder 4 may be used, or a reading unit drive motor (driving motor) for moving the reading unit 10 may be used.

Referring again to FIG. 1, the photosensitive body 30 is housed in the main body case 2, and the developing section 31, the transfer roller 32, and the cleaning section 3 are arranged around the photosensitive body 30.
3, a static eliminator / charger 34 and the like are provided. The photoconductor 30 is uniformly charged by the charge removing / charging unit 34, and then an electrostatic latent image is formed by the laser unit 35, and toner is formed on the photoconductor 30 on which the electrostatic latent image is formed by the developing unit 31. It is attached and developed. The toner attached to the photoconductor 30 is transferred by the transfer roller 32 to the transfer paper supplied from the paper feed cassette 36 or the paper feed roll 37, and the transfer paper on which the toner image is transferred is sent to the fixing unit 38. , Fixing unit 3
After being fixed at 8, the sheet is discharged to a transfer paper tray (not shown) outside the main body case 2. In addition, the photoconductor 30 that has completed the transfer
After the residual toner is removed by the cleaning 33, the charge is removed by the charge removing / charging unit 34, and the charge is uniformly charged, and the above process is repeated.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. The copying apparatus 1 can read a book-type original and a sheet-type original, and when reading the book-type original, the reading unit 1
0 is moved in the sub-scanning direction to read a document, and when reading a sheet-type document, the reading unit 1
0 is moved to the position (reading position) of the feeding / reading roller 9 of the automatic document feeder 4, and the sheet original is fed and read in a state where it is brought into contact with the feeding / reading roller 9 and stopped.

That is, in the copying apparatus 1, the automatic document feeder 4 is opened and the document is set on the contact glass 3, and the automatic document feeder 4 is closed and the document set by the pressure plate 5 is pressed against the contact glass 3. In this state, when the start key of the operation unit (not shown) is pressed, the reading of the document is started.

In the copying apparatus 1, the reading unit 10 located at the home position is moved to the guide rail 1 by the reading unit driving motor.
While moving on 9 in the sub-scanning direction, the reading unit 10 scans the contact glass 3 in the main scanning direction of the original to read the image of the original. At this time, the reading unit 10 is guided while being supported by the guide rail 19 and moves on the guide rail 19 along the guide rail 19 in the sub-scanning direction, and the contact-type image sensor 12 of the reading unit 10 causes the contact glass 3 to move. It moves in the sub-scanning direction in close contact with the lower surface of the. Therefore, the image of the document on the contact glass 3 can be read appropriately. When the copying apparatus 1 completes reading the document, the copying apparatus 1 moves the reading unit 10 to the home position and makes it stand by at the home position.

The copying apparatus 1 sequentially reads the images of the original set on the contact glass 3 by repeating the above processing.

Next, the copying apparatus 1 includes the automatic document feeder 4
When a document is set on the document table 6 of FIG. 1, a document sensor (not shown) detects that the document is set on the document table 6, and when the document sensor detects the document, the reading unit drive motor is driven to read the reading unit. 10 is moved to the position of the conveyance reading roller 9 which is the reading position of the sheet original. At this time, the guide rail 19 is not disposed below the transport reading roller 9, and the reading unit 10 moved in the direction of the transport reading roller 9 comes off the guide rail 19, but the reading unit 10 moves. As shown in FIGS. 4 to 7, a positioning pin 20 is fixed to the lower end portion of the wall surface of the conveyance reading roller 9 side, and a snap fit for holding the positioning pin 20 is provided below the conveyance reading roller 9. A shaped bearing 22 is provided. Therefore, the guide rail 19
In the reading unit 10 that is out of position, the positioning pin 20 has the bearing 2
2 is properly entered and is held by the bearing 22 so as to be rotatable around the positioning pin 20.

When the positioning pin 20 is held by the bearing 22, a sector gear 21 formed integrally with the positioning pin 20 and coaxial with the positioning pin 20 meshes with a pinion gear 23 disposed below the feeding / reading roller 9. . In this state, the copying machine 1 drives the vinylon gear 23 to rotate,
The reading unit 10 is rotated and tilted in the direction of the conveyance reading roller 9 through the sector gear 21 as shown by the one-dot chain line in FIG. 5, and the contact image sensor 12 is pressed against the conveyance reading roller 9 with a predetermined pressure. Stop in the state. At this time, if a torque limiter is provided between the motor that rotates the vinyl gear 23, for example, the stepping motor and the vinyl gear 23, the contact image sensor 12 is brought into pressure contact with the transport reading roller 9 easily and at an appropriate pressure. It can be in a state. Further, when the binion gear 23 is rotationally driven by a stepping motor and the number of rotations of the stepping motor is controlled by the number of steps, the tilt angle of the reading unit 10 can be controlled with high accuracy.

When the contact-type image sensor 12 of the reading section 10 is brought into pressure contact with the feeding / reading roller 9 in this manner, the copying machine 1 drives the automatic document feeder 4 to drive the document set on the document table 6. Are separated one by one by the document separating roller 8 and the separating member 7, and are sent out between the conveyance reading roller 9 and the reading unit 10, and the reading unit 10 and the conveyance reading roller 9 are separated.
The document sent between the sheets is read by the feeding and reading roller 9 in the reading unit 1.
The document is conveyed while being pressed against 0, and the image of the document conveyed by the reading unit 10 is read. As shown by the arrow in FIG. 1, the original document whose image has been read by the reading unit 10 is transferred between the reading unit 10 and the conveyance reading roller 9 by the conveyance reading roller 9 onto a discharge tray (not shown) on the main body case 2. Is discharged.

The originals on the original table 6 are sequentially sent out,
When the reading unit 10 completes the reading of all the originals, the copying apparatus 1 reverses the binion gear 23 and returns the reading unit 10 to the horizontal state via the sector gear 21.
After that, the copying apparatus 1 drives the reading unit drive motor to move the reading unit 10 to a predetermined home position on the guide rail 19.

At this time, the reading unit 10 uses the guide rail 1
The guide rail 19 is placed on the guide rail 19 and is guided by the guide rail 19 from the state of being disengaged from the guide rail 19.
As shown in FIG. 3, the upper surface portion 19a is cut off in the middle, and the tips of the protruding side wall portions 19b and 19c are bent so that the distance between them is narrowed to form a tapered shape. Therefore, in the reading unit 10, the sliding groove 18 of the frame 11 easily and easily enters from the narrowed end portion of the guide rail 19 and is appropriately supported by the guide rail 19.

The invention made by the present inventor has been specifically described above based on the preferred embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to the above, and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist thereof. It goes without saying that it is possible.

For example, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the invention is applied to the copying machine has been described. However, the invention is not limited to the copying machine, and in general, a document reading device for reading a book-type document provided with an automatic document feeding device. Can be applied.

[0061]

According to the document reading apparatus of the first aspect of the invention, when a document is set on the contact glass, the reading unit is sub-scanned while being guided by the guide section arranged below the contact glass. When the document is set on the automatic document feeder, the image is read by the reading unit, and the document is set on the automatic document feeder. While guiding the reading unit to the guide unit, on the contact glass on one side of the moving direction of the reading unit. To a predetermined reading position different from the above, and the tilt mechanism tilts the document along the conveyance path and presses it against the conveyance reading roller of the automatic document feeding mechanism to read the document sent from the automatic document feeding mechanism by the conveyance reading roller. Since the image of the original document is read by the reading unit while being pressed against the sheet, the original document conveyance path for conveying the original document of the automatic document feeding mechanism is shortened, Transport rollers or other document transport mechanism for transporting a can be reduced, inexpensive document reading apparatus can be made compact.

According to the document reading apparatus of the second aspect of the present invention, the guide portion is formed by a guide rail having a predetermined width and arranged up to a predetermined amount before the reading position, and the reading portion is formed by the guide rail. Since it is disposed so as to straddle the guide rail and is disengaged from the guide rail when moved to the reading position, the reading unit can be easily tilted along the document feeding path by the automatic document feeding mechanism with a simple configuration. Therefore, the document reading device can be made simpler and less expensive.

According to the document reading apparatus of the third aspect of the invention, since the leading end of the guide rail on the reading position side is formed in a predetermined tapered shape, the document conveyed from the automatic document feeding mechanism is read. Therefore, the reading unit that has moved to the reading position and deviated from the guide rail can be again easily and appropriately guided to the guide rail.

According to the document reading apparatus of the fourth aspect of the present invention, a predetermined positioning pin is provided at a position serving as a center of rotation when the tilting mechanism of the reading unit tilts the document reading apparatus. Since the positioning pin opens so that it can enter and the snap-fit type bearing that supports the entered positioning pin is provided, the reading unit that has moved to the reading position to read the document conveyed from the automatic document feeding mechanism,
It can be tilted easily and accurately.

According to the document reading apparatus of the fifth aspect, the tilting mechanism meshes with the sector gear coaxially formed with the positioning pin of the reading unit and the sector gear when the reading unit moves to the reading position. Via a sector gear, the reading unit is rotated about the positioning pin as a rotation center to incline, and a drive unit for rotationally driving the vinyl gear.
Therefore, the reading unit can be accurately tilted with a simple configuration, and the document conveyed from the automatic document feeding mechanism can be appropriately read.

According to the document reading apparatus of the present invention, a stepping motor is used as the driving means, and the inclination angle of the reading portion is controlled by the number of steps of the stepping motor. The document can be tilted, and the document conveyed from the automatic document feeding mechanism can be properly read.

According to the document reading apparatus of the present invention, when the driving unit presses the reading unit against the feeding and reading roller and the load acting on the reading unit and the feeding and reading roller exceeds a predetermined load, Since the torque limiter that slides to reduce the load acting between the reading unit and the conveyance reading roller to be equal to or less than a predetermined load is provided between the drive unit and the vinyl gear, the reading unit and the conveyance reading roller are appropriately loaded. And the reading unit can be tilted with high precision, and the document conveyed from the automatic document feeding mechanism can be read more appropriately.

According to the document reading apparatus of the eighth aspect of the invention, since the conveying motor of the automatic document feeding mechanism is used as the driving means, the cost of the document reading apparatus can be further reduced.

According to the document reading apparatus of the ninth aspect, since the drive motor is used as the drive means,
The document reading device can be made even cheaper.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front sectional view of a copying machine to which an embodiment of a document reading apparatus of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the reading unit in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged top view of the tip portion of the guide rail of FIG.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged side view of a reading unit guided on the guide rail of FIG.

5 is a partially enlarged perspective view showing a positioning pin, a sector gear, a bearing and a binion gear of the reading unit of FIG.

6 is a side view of the reading unit in a state where the positioning pin of the reading unit of FIG. 1 is supported by a bearing and is in a horizontal state and an inclined state.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a state in which a positioning pin of the reading unit is supported by a bearing and a sector gear meshes with a binion gear.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Copier 2 body case 3 contact glass 4 Automatic document feeder 5 pressure plate 6 Manuscript table 7 Separation member 8 Original separation roller 9 Conveyor reading roller 10 Reader 11 frames 12 Contact image sensor 13a, 13b insertion port 14a, 14b Engaging claw 15a, 15b Engagement groove 16a, 16b Engaging claw 17a, 17b Engagement groove 18 Sliding groove 19 Guide rail 19a Upper surface part 19b, 19c Side wall part 20 Positioning pin 21 sector gear 22 Bearing 23 Vinion Gear 30 photoconductor 31 Development Department 32 transfer roller 33 Cleaning section 34 Static eliminator / charger 35 laser unit 36 paper cassettes 37 Paper Feed Roll 38 fixing unit

Claims (9)

(57) [Claims] 1. A contact glass for setting a document, and a front
Serial disposed below the contact glass is moved in the sub-scanning direction by the drive motor, with a, a reading section to read an image of a document set on the contact on the glass original
In draft reading apparatus, a plurality of sheet documents is set, is the set sheet
Separating the over preparative document one by one, we provided at a position different from the on the contact glass on one side in the moving direction of the front Stories reader
And separate the separated sheet original into the contact glass.
The contact glass for transporting in the opposite direction
It is sent out to the conveyance path that is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to
Reading that includes the feeding and reading rollers provided on the skewed feeding path
An automatic document feeding mechanism having a position, is moved in the sub-scanning direction are arranged to extend in the sub-scanning direction beneath the contact glass the reading unit to guide supported below said contact glass, Shi
When a document is set on the automatic document feeder,
Comprising: a guide portion for guiding and supporting the said read unit to the reading position, the reading unit has been moved to the reading position, and a tilting mechanism for pressing said conveyance reading roller while being inclined along the front Symbol conveying path A document reading device characterized by: 2. The guide portion is a guide rail having a predetermined width and provided up to a predetermined amount before the reading position,
The document reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reading unit is disposed so as to straddle the guide rail, and is detached from the guide rail when moved to the reading position. 3. The document reading apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the guide rail is formed such that a front end portion thereof on the side of the reading position has a predetermined tapered shape. 4. The reading unit is provided with a predetermined positioning pin at a position that serves as a center of rotation when tilted by the tilting mechanism, and the document reading device allows the positioning pin of the reading unit to enter. 4. The document reading apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a snap-fit-shaped bearing which is opened to support the entered positioning pin. 5. The tilting mechanism includes a sector gear coaxially formed with the positioning pin of the reading unit and a sector gear that meshes with the sector gear when the reading unit moves to the reading position. 5. The document reading apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising: a binion gear that tilts the reading unit by rotating the positioning pin about the positioning pin and a drive unit that rotationally drives the binion gear. 6. The document reading apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the driving means is a stepping motor, and the tilt angle of the reading unit is controlled by the number of steps of the stepping motor. 7. The tilting mechanism is disposed between the driving means and the binion gear, and when the driving means presses the reading section against the feeding and reading roller, the reading section and the feeding and reading section. The torque limiter further comprising a torque limiter that slips when the load acting on the roller exceeds a predetermined load and keeps the load acting between the reading unit and the conveyance reading roller below a predetermined load. 5. The document reading device according to item 5. 8. The automatic document feeding mechanism is the driving means.
6. The document reading apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein a transport motor for transporting a document provided is used. 9. The document reading apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the drive means uses the drive motor.