JP5065556B2 - Document holding plate of image reading device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a document pressing plate of an image reading apparatus.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for example, a stencil printing machine uses an image reading device that reads an image of a document to perform plate making.
[0003]
In general, there are the following two methods for reading an image.
[0004]
In the first method, a document is placed on a transparent platen glass, pressed by a document holding plate from above, and read by the scanner placed under the platen glass while moving the document and the scanner relative to each other.
[0005]
The second method is a method in which an automatic document feeder is arranged on a platen glass and a document is read by a scanner arranged under the platen glass. In this method, the reading position of the scanner with respect to the original glass is fixed, and the automatic original feeding device arranges the entire original on the original platen glass by means of an original moving type for moving the original with respect to the reading position and a belt, for example. There is a fixed document type that reads the document by moving the scanner in the state.
[0006]
FIG. 3 is a configuration example of the image reading apparatus. The document is placed on the upper surface of the document table 2 (on a document table glass (not shown)) and pressed by the document pressing plate 8. Inside the document table 2, reflecting mirrors 3, 4, 5, a lens 6, an image sensor 7 such as a CCD, and a lamp 9 for illuminating the document are arranged.
[0007]
The lens 6 forms an image of the document on the image sensor 7. The reflecting mirrors 3, 4, 5 and the lamp 9 move in parallel to the upper surface of the document table 2. The reflection mirror 3 and the lamp 9 and the reflection mirrors 4 and 5 move together as a unit. The reflecting mirror 3 and the lamp 9 and the reflecting mirrors 4 and 5 move at a speed ratio of 2: 1 so that the optical path length is constant.
[0008]
The document can be read by the first method by imaging the document with the image sensor 7 while moving the reflecting mirrors 3, 4, 5 and the lamp 9 in parallel.
[0009]
In the second method, the document holding plate 8 is replaced with an automatic document feeder, and the reflecting mirrors 3, 4, 5 and the lamp 9 are fixed at predetermined positions (positions indicated by dotted lines in the drawing). Can read the original.
[0010]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
Generally, a document holding plate that performs only the first method is sold as a standard product. A document holding plate equipped with an automatic document feeder for performing the second method is sold as an optional product and is often replaced with a standard document holding plate. In such a case, the entire original document holding plate is wasted. Also, if there is a standard document holding plate and an optional document holding plate, the burden of manufacturing and inventory management increases.
[0011]
Therefore, a technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a document pressing plate of an image reading apparatus that reduces the burden of manufacturing and inventory management.
[0012]
[Means for solving the problems and actions / effects]
In order to solve the above technical problem, the present invention provides a document pressing plate of an image reading apparatus having the following configuration.
[0013]
The document pressing plate of the image reading device presses the document placed on the document table. The document pressing plate includes a base unit and an additional unit that is detachably coupled to the base unit. The additional unit enters a recess formed in the upper surface of the base unit, and its side end face is fixed to the side end face of the base unit, thereby being coupled to the base unit. The additional unit can be selected from the first unit or one or more second units having a different configuration from the first unit. The first unit includes an automatic document feeder capable of feeding a document onto the document table via a substantially U-shaped document conveyance path when coupled to the base unit.
[0014]
According to the above configuration, the image reading apparatus can read a document placed on the document table and pressed by the document pressing plate. When the document pressing plate in which the first unit is coupled to the base unit is used, the image reading apparatus can read the document sent on the document table by the automatic document feeder. The automatic document feeder reads a document with the entire document placed on the document table even if it is a document moving type that reads the document while moving it to a fixed reading position on the document table. The original fixed type may be used.
[0015]
According to the above configuration, it is possible to provide a plurality of types of document pressing plates by combining additional units appropriately selected from a plurality of types. In this case, since the base unit is shared, manufacturing and inventory management are possible. Can be reduced.
[0016]
Preferably, the base unit extends above a document placement area for placing a document on the document table. The first unit extends above an adjacent region adjacent to the document placement region on the document table when coupled to the base unit, and the automatic document feeder is disposed in the adjacent region. The original is sent so that the original passes through a predetermined position.
[0017]
In the above configuration, the image reading apparatus can read the document placed on the document table and pressed by the document pressing plate while changing the reading position in the document placement area. When the document pressing plate in which the first unit is coupled to the base unit is used, the image reading apparatus can read the moving document. At this time, the image reading apparatus reads the document at a predetermined position in an adjacent area different from the document placement area. Even in a state where the first unit is coupled to the base unit, the document can be placed in the document placement area, and the document in the document placement area can be read while changing the reading position.
[0018]
According to the above configuration, the common base unit can be configured relatively large, and various types of additional units can be configured relatively small. Therefore, the burden of manufacturing and inventory management can be further reduced.
[0019]
Preferably, the second unit is provided with a communication space communicating from the upper surface of the base unit. The communication space has a lower surface that continues from the upper surface of the base unit when the second unit is coupled to the base unit, and an upper surface that extends opposite the lower surface.
[0020]
According to the above configuration, when a document pressing plate in which the second unit is coupled to the base unit is used, a sheet of a document or the like is inserted into the communication space of the second unit and the other end is exposed on the base unit. Thus, it can be placed on the document pressing plate.
[0021]
According to the above configuration, it is possible to provide a document pressing plate having a communication space into which a sheet is inserted and a document pressing plate with an automatic document feeder.
[0022]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.
[0023]
As shown in FIG. 1, two types of document pressing plates 50 and 52 can be provided by selectively mounting the standard unit 20 and the option unit 30 to the base unit 10.
[0024]
FIG. 1A shows an optional document pressing plate 50 that can read an image by the first and second methods described above.
[0025]
The base unit 10 includes a document pressing portion 16 on the lower surface of the substrate 14 for elastically pressing the document when the document is read by the first method. A curved upper surface 12 is formed above the substrate 14.
[0026]
In the option unit 30, the document table 32 protrudes from the cover 36. The document table 32 is provided with a pair of width guides 34 that can move in accordance with the width of the document.
[0027]
Inside the cover 36, guide plates 60 to 66, rollers 40 and 42 to 45, and a separating plate 50 are arranged along a substantially U-shaped document conveyance path. The documents on the document table 32 are separated one by one by the roller 40 and the separating plate 50, conveyed by the rollers 42 to 45, and discharged onto the upper surface 12 of the base unit 10. The cover 36 is configured to be openable and closable.
[0028]
A reading roller 44 is disposed in the middle of the document transport path above the document reading position. As shown in FIG. 4, the reading roller 44 has a larger outer diameter at the flange portions 44a at both ends in the axial direction than at the central document feeding portion 44b. Due to this outer diameter difference, the flange 44a is in contact with the original platen glass plate 70, and a gap 72 is formed between the original platen glass plate and the original feeding unit 44b. The document passes through this gap 72. The size D of the gap 72 can be managed to be constant (for example, 0.15 mm) by the difference in outer diameter between the flange portion 44a and the document feeding portion 44b, and the document can be stably conveyed. .
[0029]
As shown in FIG. 2, the mounting flange 38 protruding from the option unit 30 can be fixed to the end surface 11 of the base unit 10 with a screw. When the option unit 30 is fixed to the base unit 10, the convex portion 31 of the option unit 30 enters the concave portion 13 of the base unit 10. At this time, the connectors 18 and 48 arranged in the concave portion 13 of the base unit 10 and the tip of the convex portion 31 of the option unit 30 are connected as shown in FIG. Thereby, the power for driving the rollers 40, 42 to 46 in the option unit 30 is supplied from the base unit 10 side. Further, when a sensor or the like for detecting a document jam is provided in the option unit 30, a signal from the sensor or the like is sent to the base unit 10 via the connectors 18 and 48.
[0030]
FIG. 1B shows a standard document holding plate 52 that can read an image only by the first method described above.
[0031]
The base unit 10 is in common with the optional document pressing plate 50 described above.
[0032]
The standard unit 20 is provided with a pocket 24 that communicates with the upper surface 12 of the base unit 10, and accommodates an end portion of the document placed on the upper surface 12 of the base unit 10. The pocket 24 has a lower surface 24a and an upper surface 24b facing each other. The upper surface 24 a is continuous with the upper surface 12 of the base unit 10. Since the drive unit and the sensor are not arranged in the standard unit 20, a connector for connecting to the connector 18 of the base unit 10 is not provided.
[0033]
The document pressing plates 50 and 52 can be used as the document pressing plate 8 for the document table 2 shown in FIG. When the standard document holding plate 52 is used, the reflecting mirrors 3, 4, 5 and the lamp 9 are moved in parallel from the position of the solid line. When the optional document pressing plate 50 is used and the document is automatically fed by the option unit 30 and read, the reflecting mirrors 3, 4, 5 and the lamp 9 are fixed at the dotted line positions.
[0034]
Since the base unit 10 is common to the standard document holding plate 52 and the optional document holding plate 50, the burden of manufacturing and inventory management can be reduced.
[0035]
That is, when a user who purchases an apparatus as a standard specification subsequently purchases an automatic document feeder that is an option, since the base unit of the document holding plate is shared, the user's cost burden can be reduced. On the manufacturer side as well, since the base unit is shared, the total number of parts of the document pressing plate is smaller than before, and the burden of manufacturing and inventory management is reduced.
[0036]
In addition, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, It can implement in another various aspect.
[0037]
For example, the document pressing plate of the present invention is particularly suitable for an image reading apparatus for reading a plate-making document of a stencil printing machine, but is not limited to this, and other uses such as a copying machine or a personal computer. It can also be applied to an image scanner to be connected.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a document pressing plate according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of an optional document pressing plate.
FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a conventional image reading apparatus.
FIG. 4 is a front view of a reading roller.
[Explanation of symbols]
10 Base unit 20 Standard unit (additional unit, second unit)
24 pockets (communication space)
24a Lower surface 24b Upper surface 30 Optional unit (additional unit, first unit)
50, 52 Document holding plate

Claims (3)

A document pressing plate for pressing a document placed on a document table, comprising: a base unit; and an additional unit detachably coupled to the base unit,
The additional unit enters a recess formed on the upper surface of the base unit, and its side end surface is fixed on the side end surface of the base unit, thereby being coupled to the base unit.
The additional unit can be selected from the first unit or one or more second units having a different configuration from the first unit .
The first unit, when coupled to the base unit, through a substantially U-shaped document transport path, it is possible to send a document on the document table, that has Nde including an automatic document feeder An original document holding plate of an image reading apparatus. The base unit extends above a document placement area for placing a document on the document table,
The first unit extends above an adjacent region adjacent to the document placement region on the document table when coupled to the base unit, and the automatic document feeder is disposed in the adjacent region. The document pressing plate of the image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the document is fed so that the document passes through a predetermined position.   The second unit is provided with a communication space communicating from the upper surface of the base unit. The communication space includes a lower surface continuous from the upper surface of the base unit when the second unit is coupled to the base unit. The document pressing plate of the image reading apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an upper surface extending to face the lower surface.

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