JP4265785B2 - Image reading device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image reading apparatus that reads an image of a document by moving a reading unit.

  In general, an image reading apparatus is placed on a platen made of transparent glass, and reads an image of a document pressed by a holding lid with a movable reading unit below the platen. An image reading apparatus that has an automatic document feeder and reads an image of a document that is automatically conveyed by a reading unit that is fixed is provided with a similar platen and reads an image of the document on the platen by moving the reading unit. There are many things that can be done.

  The reading unit is composed of a mirror and an exposure lamp, and the angle of the mirror and the arrangement of the exposure lamp are precisely determined. In addition, the reading unit itself can easily move. Therefore, when the image reading apparatus is moved, the reading unit may be tilted or shaken to move inside the image reading apparatus and receive an impact, and the angle of the reflecting mirror and the arrangement of the light sources may be shifted.

  Patent Documents 1 and 2 propose a method of fixing a reading unit (optical system support member) using a fixing member made of a screw or the like. Patent Document 3 proposes a method of fixing the reading unit (optical unit) by lifting the image reading device, grasping the handle by hand, or moving the fixing means by an electric means such as a solenoid. Has been.

Also, in recent image forming apparatuses such as copiers and multi-function machines, the user can select whether the press cover of the image reading unit is a single plate or one having an automatic document feeder depending on the application. It is often possible to do it. In that case, the main body and the holding lid are transported in a separate package, and are unpacked and attached when installed at the place of use.
Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 7-104558 (2nd page-3rd page, Fig. 1) Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-240821 (pages 8-9, FIG. 3) JP 2001-235810 A (pages 5 to 6, FIG. 1)

  However, in the fixing methods proposed in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, in order to fix the reading unit, the user must screw or rotate the fixing member.

  In the fixing method proposed in Patent Document 3, the user can fix the image without being aware of the fixing operation, but must lift the image reading device or hold the handle with his / her hand. In the case of a device that lifts the image reading device, a detecting means for detecting that the image reading device is separated from the installed floor surface is necessary. However, since the floor surface and the reading unit are separated from each other, the structure of the fixing means inside the device is not sufficient. It becomes complicated, and it is put on the carrier when transporting by truck or the like, and the reading unit cannot be fixed because the apparatus cannot be lifted. In the case of gripping the handle by hand, when packing and transporting the machine, the handle must be taped, for example, so that the state equivalent to gripping the handle by hand must be created. When an electrical means such as a solenoid is used, it is not necessary to lift the image reading device, but it is necessary to provide an additional part.

  Therefore, in the present invention, when fixing the reading unit, it is not necessary to screw the fixing member, lift the image reading device, or provide additional parts such as a solenoid, and the user does not need to be aware of the fixing. It is an object of the present invention to provide an image reading apparatus in which a reading unit is fixed with a simple member configuration when a pressing lid is removed, and the fixing is released when attached.

In order to achieve the above object, in the image reading apparatus of the present invention, a transparent glass platen on which a document is placed and a lower part of the platen are placed on the main body, and the platen is moved horizontally and placed on the platen. An image reading apparatus comprising: a reading unit that reads an image of a document that has been opened; and a pressing lid that opens and closes in a vertical plane with one end serving as an opening and closing fulcrum and presses the document placed on the platen when closed. The lid is detachably attached to the main body by a leg portion, and the reading unit is combined with a lock member for locking the movement, and the leg portion of the pressing lid is attached to the main body. maintaining the reading unit lock posture by the biasing force of the biasing means when not, said when the leg portion is attached to the body A structure for releasing the reading unit lock posture against the biasing force by being pushed by the part.

  In the image reading apparatus of the present invention, the main body is provided with detection means for detecting whether or not the pressing lid is attached to the main body, and a control unit for controlling the operation of the entire image reading apparatus. When the detection means detects that the pressing lid is not attached to the main body, the control unit does not drive the reading unit.

  In the image reading apparatus according to the present invention, the lock member keeps the posture of locking the reading unit unless the leg portion of the presser lid is attached to the main body, and releases the posture of locking when attached. Therefore, even if the user is not conscious of the lock of the reading unit, the reading lid is in a locked state because the holding lid and the main body are packed separately at the time of transportation at the time of purchase. The reading unit does not move during transportation, and the angle or position of the mirror or exposure lamp of the reading unit is not shifted. Further, when the image reading apparatus is assembled by unpacking and attaching the pressing lid to the main body at the installation location, the reading unit is unlocked without the user being aware of this. Normally, in the image reading apparatus, when the main power is turned on, the reading unit is caused to perform a predetermined operation as an initial operation. There is a possibility that the reading unit may be deformed due to an excessive load and the motor to be driven may step out. However, this eliminates unnecessary accidents due to the initial operation because the lock is released if the holding lid is attached.

  Further, according to the present invention, when the detecting means detects that the pressing lid is not attached to the main body, that is, when the reading unit is locked, the control unit does not drive the reading unit. Therefore, when the main power is turned on without attaching the pressing lid, the above-described initial operation is not performed, and therefore, an unnecessary accident caused by trying to drive the locked reading unit can be prevented. In addition, since the main power is on, it is possible to alert the user by displaying that the holding lid is not attached to the display part of the operation panel.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a copying machine according to an embodiment of an image reading apparatus of the present invention. The main body housing 10 includes an upper housing 11 and a lower housing 12, and a pressing lid 20 is placed on the upper housing 11. The presser lid 20 is attached so as to be openable and closable in a vertical plane with the back side of the paper surface as an opening and closing fulcrum 21.

  An image reading unit 30 is built in the upper housing 11. The image reading unit 30 includes a transparent glass platen 31, an exposure lamp 32, a first mirror 33, a second mirror 34, a third mirror 35, a condensing lens 36, and an image sensor (for example, a line type CCD) 37. Is provided. The exposure lamp 32 and the first mirror 33 are arranged inside the reading unit frame 38 a and constitute the reading unit 38. The reading unit 38 can be moved in the left-right direction in the drawing by a reading unit driving unit 39 including a motor (not shown) connected to the wire 39a, the pulley 39b, and the pulley 39b.

  A document (not shown) placed on the platen 31 is exposed by irradiation light from the exposure lamp 32 of the reading unit 38 that is moved by the reading unit driving unit 39. Irradiation light reaches the CCD 37 through the first mirror 33, the second mirror 34, the third mirror 35, and the condenser lens 36, and is read out as an electric signal through a photoelectric conversion process.

  A paper discharge port 14 and an in-body paper discharge tray 15 are provided on the upper portion of the lower housing 12, and the paper P on which an image is formed is discharged.

  The lower housing 12 includes a control unit 40, a paper feeding unit 50, an image forming unit 60, and a fixing unit 70. The control unit 40 controls the operation of the entire copying machine. The paper feed unit 50 includes a paper feed cassette 51, a paper feed roller 52, a manual paper feed tray 53, a paper feed roller 54, and a transport roller pair 55. The paper feed cassette 51 accommodates the paper P and is disposed at the lower part of the lower housing 12. From here, the paper P is sent one by one to the paper transport path 56 by the paper feed roller 52 and transported by the transport roller pair 55. The manual paper feed tray 53 is provided at the lower part of the left side surface of the lower housing 12 so as to be opened and closed. If the paper P placed on the manual paper feed tray 53 opened by hand from the closed state indicated by the broken line is manually pushed into the lower housing 12 as indicated by the solid line, the paper P in the paper feed cassette 51 is the same. The paper P is sent one by one to the paper transport path 56 by the paper feed roller 54 and transported by the transport roller pair 55 and the like.

  Next, the image forming unit 60 will be described. The image forming unit 60 includes a photosensitive drum 61 and a charger 62, an optical scanning unit 63, a developing device 64, a transfer roller 65, and a cleaning device 66 disposed around the photosensitive drum 61. The photosensitive drum 61 rotates clockwise in FIG. 1, and the surface of the photosensitive drum 61 is first uniformly charged by the charger 62. Next, the surface of the photosensitive drum 61 is irradiated with laser light from the optical scanning unit 63, and the charge corresponding to the portion of the image formed on the paper P or the portion other than the image is erased. An electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface. Then, the developing device 64 supplies toner to the electrostatic latent image to visualize the electrostatic latent image.

  When the photosensitive drum 61 further rotates and the toner image comes to a position facing the transfer roller 65, the paper P is conveyed between the photosensitive drum 61 and the transfer roller 65 accordingly. At this time, the toner image on the photosensitive drum 61 is transferred onto the paper P by applying a voltage having a polarity opposite to the charging polarity of the toner to the transfer roller 65. Residual toner that has not been transferred onto the photosensitive drum 61 is removed from the photosensitive drum 61 by the cleaning device 66. On the other hand, the paper P onto which the toner image has been transferred is conveyed to a fixing unit 70 in which a fixing roller 71 and a pressure roller 72 are pressed against each other, where the toner image is heated and pressed to be fixed on the paper P. Thereafter, the paper P is discharged from the paper discharge port 14 to the in-body paper discharge tray 15 by the discharge roller pair 57.

  FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of the copying machine according to the embodiment of the present invention. In the embodiment of the present invention, the presser lid 20 is detachably attached to the upper housing 11. A leg 23 is attached to the opening / closing fulcrum 21 of the presser lid 20 by a hinge 22, and the upper housing 11 is provided with a leg insertion port 16 into which the leg 23 can be inserted, a display board 18a, and operation buttons 18b such as a numeric keypad. An operation panel 18 is provided. Here, the pressing lid 20 may be an automatic document feeder that is detachably attached to the upper housing 11 in the same manner as the pressing lid 20.

  3 is a partial cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the reading unit 38 and the leg insertion port 16 as viewed from the right side of FIG. A lock member 24 is disposed in the upper housing 11 so as to intersect with the leg insertion port 16 and is provided so as to rotate around a fulcrum 24a. The reading unit frame 38 a is provided with an engaging portion 38 b that engages with the distal end 24 b of the lock member 24. The engaging portion 38b is curved in accordance with the arc formed by the tip 24b so that the tip 24b does not collide when the lock member 24 rotates.

  The lock member 24 is urged upward by the urging means 25 including a compression coil spring when the leg portion 23 is not inserted into the leg insertion port 16, and maintains the reading unit lock posture indicated by the solid line, and the distal end 24b. Engages with an engaging portion 38b provided on the reading unit frame 38a to lock the reading unit 38. When the leg portion 23 is inserted, the arm portion 24c of the lock member 24 is pushed by the leg portion 23, and the lock member 24 rotates downward as indicated by a broken line to release the reading unit lock posture, and the tip 24b. The engagement with the engaging portion 38b is released, and the reading unit 38 becomes movable.

  With this configuration, even if the user is not conscious of the lock of the reading unit 38, the holding lid 20 and the main body housing 10 are separately packed during transportation at the time of purchase. The unit 38 is in a locked state, so that the reading unit 38 does not move during transportation and the angle or position of the first mirror 33 or the exposure lamp 32 is not shifted. After that, when unpacking is performed at the place of installation and the holding lid 20 is attached to the main body housing 10 to assemble the copying machine, the reading unit 38 is unlocked without the user being aware of this.

  Normally, in a copying machine, when the main power is turned on, the reading unit 38 is caused to perform a predetermined operation as an initial operation. However, when the reading unit 38 is fixed using a fixing member, if the fixing member is forgotten to be removed, the initial operation is performed. As a result, an unreasonable load may be applied to the driving unit (not shown) of the reading unit 38 to deform the reading unit, or the driving motor (not shown) may step out. However, since the lock is released if the holding lid 20 is attached, the above-described accident due to the initial operation is eliminated.

  Below the leg insertion port 16, a detection means 17 for detecting whether or not the leg 23 is inserted is provided. The detection means 17 includes a switch body 17a and an actuator 17b. When the leg 23 is not inserted, the actuator 17b protrudes inside the leg insertion port 16 as indicated by a solid line, but when the leg 23 is inserted, the actuator 17b touches the leg 23 and is indicated by a broken line. Thus, it is pushed out to the outside of the leg insertion port 16 and a state is detected in which the leg 23 is inserted.

  When the detecting means 17 detects that the leg portion 23 is not inserted as indicated by the solid line, the control unit 40 does not drive the reading unit 38. In addition, a message indicating that the presser cover 20 is attached is displayed on the display unit of the operation panel. On the other hand, when it is detected that the leg portion 23 is inserted as indicated by a broken line, the reading unit 38 is driven as necessary.

  With this configuration, when the main power supply is turned on in a state in which the presser lid 20 is not attached, that is, in a state where the reading unit 38 is locked, the above-described initial operation is not performed, so that the locked reading unit 38 is driven. Can prevent useless accidents. Moreover, since the main power supply is turned on, it is possible to alert the user to attach the holding lid 20 by displaying on the display board 18a.

  In the embodiment of the present invention, the method of attaching the presser lid 20 to the main body housing 10 is not limited to the method in which the leg portion 23 is vertically inserted into the leg insertion port 16 provided in the upper housing 11, and the lock member is used. As long as it can be operated, it may be screwed to the back surface of the upper housing 11 as shown in FIG. In FIG. 4, the leg portion 23 of the presser lid 20 is inserted from the leg portion insertion port 16 provided on the back surface of the upper housing 11 and is fixed by a screw 26. At this time, the arm 24d of the lock member 24 is contacted and the lock member 24 is rotated to unlock the reading unit 38.

  The position where the detection means 17 is provided is not limited to the vicinity of the leg insertion opening 16, and may be a position where the leg 23 on the upper surface of the upper housing 11 touches as shown in FIG. .

  Instead of the detection means 17, a switch for opening and closing the power supply circuit for the entire copying machine may be provided at the same place as the detection means 17. This switch is closed by the leg portion 23 when the presser lid 20 is attached to the main body housing 10 and opened when it is removed. In this case, the power supply to the copying machine can be operated by a main power switch (not shown) when the presser cover 20 is attached, but power is supplied to the copier even if the main power switch is turned on without the presser cover 20 attached. Not. Thereby, since the initial operation described above is not performed in a state where the presser lid 20 is not attached, it is possible to prevent a useless accident caused by trying to drive the locked reading unit 38.

  The locking mechanism of the present invention is not limited to an image reading device, and any locking mechanism can be used as long as it has a movable part that is divided into a plurality of members during transportation and that is desired to be fixed during transportation.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a copying machine according to an embodiment of an image reading apparatus of the present invention. 1 is an external perspective view of a copying machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a partial sectional view of the vicinity of the reading unit and the leg insertion opening as seen from the right side of FIG. Partial sectional view of a different form in the same place as FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Main body housing 11 Upper housing 12 Lower housing 17 Detection means 20 Pressing lid 21 Opening and closing fulcrum 23 Leg part 24 Locking member 30 Image reading part 31 Transparent glass platen 38 Reading unit

Claims (2)

A transparent glass platen for placing a document on the main body, a reading unit that is arranged below the platen, moves in the horizontal direction and reads an image of the document placed on the platen, and one end as an opening / closing fulcrum In an image reading apparatus comprising a pressing lid that opens and closes in a vertical plane and presses down a document placed on the platen when closed.
The pressing lid is detachably attached to the main body by a leg portion, and a locking member for locking the movement is combined with the reading unit, and the locking member includes a leg portion of the pressing lid on the main body. When not attached, the reading unit lock posture is maintained by the urging force of the urging means, and when the leg portion is attached to the main body, it is pushed by the leg portion to release the reading unit lock posture against the urging force. An image reading apparatus characterized by the above.   The main body is provided with detection means for detecting whether or not the pressing lid is attached to the main body, and a control unit for controlling the operation of the entire image reading apparatus, and the detection means is configured so that the pressing lid is The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit does not drive the reading unit when it is detected that the reading unit is not attached to the main body.

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