JP7130825B2 - Image reading device and image forming device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an image reading apparatus for reading an image on a sheet and an image forming apparatus having the same.

2. Description of the Related Art In general, an image reading apparatus is known that includes an automatic document feeder (hereinafter referred to as an ADF) that automatically feeds a document, and a reading unit that reads an image of the sheet fed by the ADF. It is The ADF is supported so as to be openable and closable and vertically movable with respect to the reading unit.

With the ADF open, the user can place a document on the platen glass provided on the upper surface of the reading unit and read the image of the document (fixed reading). In addition, since the ADF can be shifted upward with respect to the reading unit, even when a thick document is placed on the platen glass, the ADF can press the document, preventing the document from shifting during image reading. can be prevented.

Conventionally, an image processing apparatus has been proposed in which a main unit of a copier or the like provided below a reading unit is electrically connected to an ADF by a flat cable, and has a holder member that covers the flat cable in a bent state. (See Patent Document 1). The holder member slides against the reading unit as the ADF moves vertically, and when the ADF is positioned at the lower position, the bottom of the holder member is in contact with the reading unit.

JP 2011-77874 A

In the image processing apparatus described in Patent Document 1, the flat cable is connected to the opening formed in the bottom of the holder member and wired to the main unit. However, if the image processing apparatus can be attached to a plurality of types of main units having different connecting positions of the flat cables, a space for crawling the flat cables is required in the reading unit. In order to secure a space for winding the flat cable in the reading unit without increasing the size of the image processing apparatus, it is necessary to improve the structure of the holder member.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an image reading apparatus in which the structure of the cover member is improved .

The present invention provides an image reading apparatus comprising: a reading unit having a document platen on which a document is placed; and a first reading section for reading an image of the document placed on the document platen; a document conveying unit provided movably in the vertical direction and adapted to convey a document toward the reading unit; a hinge mechanism that rotatably supports a conveying unit with respect to the reading unit; a second reading section that is provided in the document conveying unit and reads an image of the document conveyed by the document conveying unit; a cable for transmitting an image signal corresponding to an image read by a reading unit to a control unit; a cover member provided so as to extend downward from the document conveying unit and having the cable wired therein; an opening provided on the upper surface through which the cable and the cover member pass; and a part of the cover member provided so as to protrude above the upper surface of the reading unit and viewed from a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction. and a covering portion arranged to cover the document from the outside, wherein the cover member is configured to move in the vertical direction inside the opening as the document conveying unit moves in the vertical direction. characterized in that

According to the present invention, the configuration of the cover member can be improved .

1 is an overall schematic diagram showing a printer according to a first embodiment; FIG. FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view showing the image reading device; FIG. 4 is a rear view showing the hinge mechanism, where (a) shows a state in which the ADF is positioned at the lower position, and (b) shows a state in which the ADF is positioned at the upper position; FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the wiring paths of the flat cable and the signal line, in which (a) shows a state in which the ADF is positioned at the lower position, and (b) shows a state in which the ADF is positioned at the upper position; FIG. 3(a) is a cross-sectional view taken along line EE of FIG. 3(a) showing the structure of the duct, in which (a) is the state where the ADF is positioned at the lower position, and (b) is where the first duct and the second duct are in contact; (c) shows the state in which the ADF is positioned at the upper position. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the configuration around the lid, in which (a) is a state in which the ADF is closed, (b) is a state in which the ADF is partially opened, and (c) is a state in which the ADF is opened to its maximum opening. indicates that the FIG. 10A is a diagram showing the configuration of the duct according to the second embodiment, in which (a) shows a state in which the ADF is positioned at a lower position, and (b) shows a state in which the first duct and the second duct are in contact; , (c) show the state in which the ADF is positioned at the upper position. FIG. 4A is a diagram showing the configuration of the lid, in which (a) shows a state in which the ADF is closed, and (b) shows a state in which the ADF is partially open;

<First Embodiment>
An image reading apparatus and an image forming apparatus according to the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. Unless otherwise specified, the dimensions, materials, shapes, and relative arrangements of components described in the following embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of application of the present technology. .

[Outline configuration of printer]
First, a schematic configuration of a printer 101 as an image forming apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. The printer 101 includes a printer body 101A (image forming unit) and an image reading device 103, as shown in FIG. The image reading device 103 arranged above the printer main body 101A includes a reading unit 30 and an ADF 1, which will be described later in detail, and optically scans the document D to read image information. The document D is a sheet of paper such as paper or an envelope, a plastic film such as an overhead projector sheet (OHT), or a sheet of cloth. The image information converted into an electric signal by the image reading device 103 is transferred to the control section 122 provided in the printer main body 101A. In this embodiment, the front side of the apparatus when standing facing an operation panel (not shown) for operating the printer 101 is defined as the front side, and the back side of the apparatus is defined as the back side.

The printer main body 101A has an image forming portion 119 that forms an image on a sheet P as a recording medium, a sheet feeding portion 34 that feeds the sheet P to the image forming portion 119, and a manual feeding portion 117. ing. The sheet feeding section 34 includes sheet storage sections 137a, 137b, 137c, and 137d capable of storing sheets of different sizes. Sheets stored in each sheet storage unit are fed out by a pickup roller 32 , separated one by one by a feed roller 33 a and a retard roller 33 b , and transferred to a corresponding conveying roller pair 120 . Then, the sheet P is conveyed to the registration roller pair 136 by being transferred in order to a plurality of conveying roller pairs 120 arranged along the sheet conveying path.

The sheet P placed on the manual feed tray 137 e of the manual feed unit 117 by the user is fed into the printer main body 101 A by the feed roller 138 and conveyed to the registration roller pair 136 . The registration roller pair 136 stops the leading edge of the sheet P to correct skew, and restarts the conveyance of the sheet P in accordance with the progress of the image forming operation, which is the process of forming the toner image by the image forming unit 119 .

The image forming unit 119 that forms an image on the sheet P is an electrophotographic unit that includes a photosensitive drum 121 that is a photosensitive member. The photosensitive drum 121 is rotatable along the direction in which the sheet P is conveyed. are placed. The charger 118 uniformly charges the surface of the photosensitive drum 121, and the exposure device 123 exposes the photosensitive drum 121 based on image information input from the image reading device 103 or the like to form an electrostatic latent image on the drum. do.

The developing device 124 contains a two-component developer containing toner and carrier, and develops the electrostatic latent image into a toner image by supplying charged toner to the photosensitive drum 121 . The toner image carried on the photosensitive drum 121 is transferred onto the sheet P conveyed from the registration roller pair 136 by a bias electric field formed by the transfer charger 125 . The sheet P to which the toner image has been transferred is separated from the photosensitive drum 121 by the bias electric field formed by the separation charger, and is conveyed toward the fixing section 129 by the pre-fixing conveying section 128 . The cleaner 127 removes adherents such as transfer residual toner remaining on the photosensitive drum 121 without being transferred onto the sheet P, and the photosensitive drum 121 prepares for the next image forming operation.

The sheet P conveyed to the fixing unit 129 is nipped and pressurized by a pair of rollers and heated, and the image is fixed by melting and fixing the toner. When the image output is completed, the sheet P on which the fixed image is obtained is discharged via the discharge roller pair 40 to the discharge tray 130 projecting outward from the printer main body 101A. When an image is formed on the back surface of the sheet P in double-sided printing, the sheet P that has passed through the fixing unit 129 has its front surface and back surface reversed by the reversing unit 139, and is conveyed to the registration roller pair 136 by the double-sided conveying unit 140. be. Then, the sheet P on which the image is formed again by the image forming section 119 is discharged to the discharge tray 130 .

[Image reader]
Next, the configuration of the image reading device 103 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 2 , the image reading device 103 includes a reading unit 30 and an ADF 1 as a transport unit arranged above the reading unit 30 . The image reading device 103 also includes a first reading section 151 arranged in the reading unit 30 and a second reading section 201 arranged in the ADF 1 .

The first reading unit 151 is held by the first holder 301 and can read the image on the first surface of the document D through the first platen glass 152 (transparent portion). The second reading unit 201 is held by a second holder 302 and can read the image on the second side of the document D opposite to the first side through the second platen glass 202 . In this embodiment, the first surface is the lower surface of the document D in the double-sided reading section DR, and the second surface is the upper surface of the original document D in the double-sided reading section DR. It should be noted that the first reading unit 151 and the second reading unit 201 are not limited to reading both sides at the same time, and can read only one side.

The first reading unit 151 and the second reading unit 201 are composed of a contact image sensor (hereinafter referred to as CIS), which is a scanning device of an equal-magnification optical system. The first reading unit 151 and the second reading unit 201 each include a light source composed of an LED array arranged in the main scanning direction perpendicular to the document D transport direction, and a plurality of light receiving elements arranged in the same main scanning direction. I have it. Reflected light emitted from the LED array and reflected by the document D is imaged on each light receiving element via a lens and photoelectrically converted by the light receiving element.

The reading unit 30 is fixed to the upper surface of the printer main body 101A (see FIG. 1). As shown in FIG. 2, a flat bed type document table 31 (placing section) on which the document D can be placed is arranged on the upper surface of the reading unit 30 . The first holder 301 holding the first reading unit 151 is movable in the sub-scanning direction from position P1 to position P2 shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 3A , two hinge mechanisms 11 (supporting portions) are provided on the back side of the image reading device 103 , and the hinge mechanisms 11 move vertically with respect to the reading unit 30 . supported as possible. Further, the hinge mechanism 11 rotatably supports the rotation shaft 1a of the ADF 1 at its upper portion. That is, the hinge mechanism 11 supports the ADF 1 with respect to the reading unit 30 so as to be vertically movable between the upper position and the lower position and to be openable and closable. For example, as shown in FIG. 3B, when a thick document D is placed on the document platen 31, the ADF 1 is displaced upward with respect to the reading unit 30 together with the hinge mechanism 11, and is rotated in this state. It is closed by rotating about the driving shaft 1a. With respect to the reading unit, the position where the ADF 1 is displaced most upward is the upper position (see FIG. 5(c)), and the position where the ADF 1 is displaced the most downward is the lower position (see FIG. 5(a)).

The ADF 1 includes, in addition to the second reading section 201, a document feeding tray 2, a document conveying section 25, and a pressure plate section 26, as shown in FIG. The document feeding tray 2 supports the document D placed by the user. The pressure plate portion 26 is provided on the lower surface of the ADF 1 and presses the sheet placed on the document platen 31 from above. The ADF 1 has a document transport path T formed therein, and feeds the document D placed on the document feed tray 2 through the document transport path T to the double-sided reading section DR.

ADF1 will be described in detail. In the ADF 1, the pickup roller 4, the feed roller 5, the retard roller 6, the registration roller pair 7, the transport roller pairs 8 and 9, and the discharge roller pair 10 are arranged in the document transport direction ( shown by arrows in the figure). The pickup roller 4 can move vertically with respect to the upper surface of the document feeding tray 2, and contacts the document D on the document feeding tray 2 to start feeding the document. The feed roller 5 conveys the document D received from the pickup roller 4 downstream in the conveying direction. The retard roller 6 is press-contacted with the feed roller 5 and is driven to rotate in a direction opposite to the conveying direction via a torque limiter, and separates the originals D conveyed by the feed roller 5 sheet by sheet.

The registration roller pair 7 receives the leading edge of the document D conveyed by the feed rollers 5 in a state where rotation is stopped, and bends the document D to correct skew. Also, the registration roller pair 7 conveys the skew-corrected document D through the bent portion of the document conveying path T, and delivers it to the conveying roller pair 8 . The transport roller pair 8 feeds the document D to the double-sided reading unit DR and delivers it to the downstream transport roller pair 9 . At this time, the image of the document D is read by the first reading unit 151 and the second reading unit 201 . The transport roller pair 9 transfers the document D that has passed through the double-sided reading section DR to the discharge roller pair 10 . The discharge roller pair 10 discharges the document D to the document discharge section 3 .

The image reading device 103 configured as described above has a flow reading mode in which the document image is scanned while the document D is fed by the ADF 1 and a fixed reading mode in which the document placed on the document platen 31 is scanned. Image information is read from the document D. The skimming mode is selected when the device detects the document D placed on the document feeding tray 2 or when the user explicitly instructs it by using the operation panel of the printer main body 101A. In this case, the ADF 1 feeds the document D sheet by sheet toward the double-sided reading section DR while the first reading section 151 is at the position P1. In the case of simultaneous double-sided reading, both the first reading section 151 and the second reading section 201 irradiate the document D with the scanning light and scan it, and in the case of single-sided reading, one of these irradiates and scans. The image information converted into an electric signal by the light receiving element is transferred to the control section 122 of the printer main body 101A.

On the other hand, the fixed reading mode is selected when the apparatus detects the document D placed on the document platen 31 or when the user explicitly instructs using the operation panel or the like of the printer main body 101A. In the case of the fixed reading mode, the user first opens the ADF 1 , places the document on the document table 31 , and then closes the ADF 1 so that the document is sandwiched between the document table 31 and the pressure plate section 26 . Then, the first reading unit 151 scans the document D placed on the document platen 31 by irradiating light while moving between the position P3 and the position P2 along the document platen 31 . The image information converted into an electric signal by the light receiving element of the first reading section 151 is transferred to the control section 122 of the printer main body 101A.

A flat cable F, as shown in FIG. In addition, the ADF 1 has a signal line C for transmitting signals and power to a motor or the like. It is desirable to be connected to the control unit 122 in the main body 101A. Furthermore, the flat cable F must not be exposed to the outside because static electricity or the like may cause noise in signals. Even the signal line C, which is covered more than the flat cable F, is preferably wired inside the reading unit 30 or the printer main body 101A so that it will not be bent or damaged by an external force such as a user's operation.

[Wiring path]
Next, wiring routes of the flat cable F and the signal line C will be described. As shown in FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b), the ADF 1 has a cable guide 16 (holding portion) which is fixed to a frame 14 of the ADF 1 and holds the flat cable F and the signal line C in a bent state. there is A duct 13 (cover portion) that covers the flat cable F and the signal line C between the ADF 1 and the reading unit 30 is rotatably supported by the frame 14 .

A flat cable F for sending the electric signal of the second reading unit 201 to the control unit 122 is bent multiple times in the ADF 1 and enters the reading unit 30 via the cable guide 16 and the duct 13 . The flat cable F is wired in the width direction orthogonal to the sheet conveying direction in the space R below the duct 13 and inside the reading unit 30, and extends downward toward the printer main body 101A. Since the space R is formed in the reading unit 30, the flat cable F can be wired in the width direction in the space R, and the image reading device can be used for a plurality of types of printer main bodies having different connecting positions of the flat cable F. 103 can be attached.

Signal lines C for motors, sensors, USB cables, etc. also enter the reading unit 30 via the cable guide 16 and the duct 13 and are routed toward the printer main body 1A. The signal line C is wound with a tube or has a thick coating so as not to break due to repeated opening and closing of the ADF 1 . Therefore, the signal line C has a larger bendable radius than the flat cable F.

Furthermore, when reading the document D in the fixed reading mode, the ADF 1 moves up and down according to the thickness of the document D placed on the document platen 31 . Therefore, the flat cable F and the signal line C need to have an extra length that allows the ADF 1 to move upward. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 5A, the cable guide 16 connects the flat cable F and the signal line C (hereinafter referred to as a wire bundle BW) in the horizontal direction, and bends the wire bundle BW. there is The bundle BW has a plurality of wirings with different bendable radii.

[Composition of duct]
Next, the configuration of the duct 13 will be described. The duct 13, as shown in FIG. 5(a), has a body portion 12 and a lid portion 12f. The main body 12 has a first duct 12i that is rotatably supported by the frame 14 and a second duct 12o that is vertically movable with respect to the reading unit 30 . The first duct 12i and the second duct 12o are provided so as to overlap each other inside or outside in a plane perpendicular to the vertical direction. It is That is, the first duct 12i and the second duct 12o have a two-layer structure overlapping in the vertical direction.

The first duct 12i and the second duct 12o are formed in a substantially cylindrical shape, and an outer flange portion 41 (contact portion) extending radially outward is formed at the lower end of the first duct 12i. An inner flange portion 42 extending radially inward is formed at the upper end of the second duct 12o, and a retainer portion 43 extending radially outward is formed at the lower end of the second duct 12o. Further, the reading unit 30 is provided with a stopper 17 (restricting portion) that abuts on the retaining portion 43 of the second duct 12o to restrict downward movement of the second duct 12o.

When the ADF 1 is positioned at the lower position, the outer flange portion 41 of the first duct 12i is separated from the inner flange portion 42 of the second duct 12o, as shown in FIG. 5(a). At this time, the retaining portion 43 of the second duct 12o is in contact with the stopper 17, and the outer flange portion 41 of the first duct 12i is located at substantially the same position as the stopper 17 in the vertical direction.

When the ADF 1 is moved upward by the user, the outer flange portion 41 of the first duct 12i contacts the inner flange portion 42 of the second duct 12o as shown in FIG. 5(b). That is, the outer flange portion 41 contacts the inner flange portion 42 of the second duct 12o while the ADF 1 is moving from the lower position to the upper position. Furthermore, when the ADF 1 is moved upward by the user, the inner flange portion 42 is lifted by the outer flange portion 41 as shown in FIG. and move upwards. When the ADF 1 is positioned at the upper position, the retaining portion 43 of the second duct 12 o abuts against the inner peripheral surface of the rear cover 35 of the reading unit 30 , thereby retaining the second duct 12 o from the reading unit 30 . At this time, the lower end of the first duct 12i is located above the reading unit 30, but since the second duct 12o is provided between the first duct 12i and the reading unit 30, The bundled wire BW is not exposed to the outside.

When the ADF 1 moves from the upper position to the lower position, the second duct 12o moves downward together with the first duct 12i and hits the stopper 17, after which only the first duct 12i moves downward together with the ADF 1. Moving.

In this manner, the first duct 12i and the second duct 12o of the duct 13 expand and contract according to the up-and-down motion of the ADF 1 . As shown in FIGS. 5(a) and 5(c), when the total length of the duct 13 in the vertical direction when the ADF 1 is positioned at the lower position and the upper position is defined as the total length L1 and the total length L2, respectively, The total length L2 is longer than the total length L1 (L2>L1). Further, if the stroke amount of the first duct 12i with respect to the second duct 12o is stroke Si, and the stroke amount of the second duct 12o with respect to the reading unit 30 is stroke So, the stroke Si is set to be greater than or equal to the stroke So (Si≧So ).

That is, the duct 13 secures an overall length L2 sufficient to reliably protect the wire bundle BW even when the ADF 1 is at the upper position, and shrinks to the overall length L1 when the ADF 1 is at the lower position, thereby saving space. It is possible. Further, when the ADF 1 is positioned at the lower position, the downward movement of the second duct 12o is restricted by the stopper 17, and the length of the first duct 12i is set to substantially the same level as the stopper 17. . Thus, as described above, the space R in which the wire bundle BW can be wired in the width direction is secured, and the image reading device 103 can be attached to a plurality of types of printer main bodies having different connection positions of the wire bundle BW. . Moreover, since the stroke Si of the first duct 12i is set to be equal to or greater than the stroke So of the second duct 12o, a larger space R, which is the space below the second duct 12o, can be secured.

[Configuration around the lid]
As shown in FIGS. 4A and 6A, the ADF 1 is rotatable around the pivot 11c, and the first duct 12i is arranged substantially concentrically with the pivot 11c. It is rotatable around a rotation center 12c (see FIG. 4(b)). By the way, an open space 50 (see FIG. 3) is provided between the exterior cover 15 of the closed ADF 1 and the first duct 12i so as not to interfere with the first duct 12i when the ADF 1 is opened. For example, if the number of parts mounted on the ADF 1 is increased, such as by providing the second reading unit 201, and the weight is increased, it is necessary to increase the spring pressure of the hinge mechanism 11 or add a damper function. As a result, the hinge mechanism 11 becomes larger, the pivot point 11c is positioned higher and inward with respect to the reading unit 30, and the pivot center 12c of the first duct 12i is also displaced upward. When the pivot point 11c is displaced upward and inward inside the ADF 1, it is necessary to provide a larger open space 50. As shown in FIG.

When the ADF 1 is opened by the user, the fixed portion of the wire bundle BW on the ADF 1 side and the fixed portion on the reading unit 30 side come close to each other, so that the wire bundle BW bulges toward the back side of the image reading device 103 . Therefore, there is a possibility that the wire bundle BW, which swells toward the back side, is sandwiched between the exterior cover 15 and the first duct 12i in a state in which it enters the open space 50, and the wire bundle BW is broken. .

Therefore, in the present embodiment, a lid portion 12f is provided which is rotatably supported by the first duct 12i. The lid portion 12f is rotatable about a pivot point 13c, and is composed of a rigid body that moves as the ADF 1 opens and closes. A pivot point 13c (supporting portion) of the lid portion 12f is positioned below a pivot point 11c of the ADF 1 .

The cable guide 16 is provided with a pressing portion 131 capable of pressing the lid portion 12f. The outer cover 15 is formed with a first restricting surface 132 that restricts the movement of the lid portion 12f in the opening direction, and the first duct 12i is formed with a second restricting surface 133 that restricts the movement of the lid portion 12f in the closing direction. is formed. The first restricting surface 132 and the second restricting surface 133 constitute a restricting portion 134 that restricts the rotation range of the lid portion 12f. It constitutes an interlocking portion 135 that rotates the lid portion 12f.

When the ADF 1 is closed, the lid portion 12f is positioned at the closed position by the first restricting surface 132 and the second restricting surface 133, as shown in FIG. 6(a). At this time, as shown in FIG. 6A, the open space 50 (see FIG. 3) is covered with the lid portion 12f so that the wire bundle BW is not exposed to the outside. When the ADF 1 is opened by the user, as shown in FIG. 6B, the pressing portion 131 presses the lid portion 12f, and the lid portion 12f is opened as the ADF 1 is opened. Then, when the ADF 1 is opened to the maximum opening degree, the lid portion 12f is opened by its own weight or by being pressed by the wire bundle BW, as shown in FIG. Positioned.

Also, when the ADF 1 is closed from the position shown in FIG. 6C to the position shown in FIG. linked to action. Then, as shown in FIG. 6A, when the ADF 1 is closed, the lid portion 12f is positioned at the closed position by the second restricting surface 133. As shown in FIG.

As described above, the lid portion 12f is interlocked by the interlocking portion 135 so that the gap between the lid portion 12f and the ADF 1 is within a predetermined amount when the ADF 1 is opened and closed. Further, since the pivot point 13c of the lid portion 12f is positioned below the pivot point 11c of the ADF 1, even if the open space 50 is provided large enough to secure the amount of pivoting of the ADF 1, the wire bundle BW can be prevented. It can be reliably protected by the lid portion 12f. That is, when the ADF 1 is opened and closed, the wire bundle BW does not enter the open space and get caught between the exterior cover 15 and the first duct 12i, thereby preventing disconnection of the wire bundle BW. In addition, the user cannot access the bundle of wires BW through the open space 50, the bundle of wires BW and the user can be protected, and the appearance can be improved.

<Second Embodiment>
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the second embodiment, the structure of the duct 13 of the first embodiment is changed. Therefore, the configuration similar to that of the first embodiment will be omitted from illustration or given the same reference numerals in the drawings. As shown in FIG. 7A, the duct 113 (cover portion) includes a body portion 112 having a first duct 112i (first cover member) and a second duct 112o (second cover member). there is The first duct 112i and the second duct 112o are provided so as to overlap each other inside or outside in a plane perpendicular to the vertical direction. It is That is, the first duct 112i and the second duct 112o have a two-layer structure overlapping in the vertical direction.

The first duct 112i and the second duct 112o are formed in a substantially cylindrical shape, and an inner flange portion 141 (contact portion) extending radially inward is formed at the lower end of the first duct 112i. An outer flange portion 142 extending radially outward is formed at the upper end of the second duct 112o, and a retainer portion 43 extending radially outward is formed at the lower end of the second duct 112o. Further, the reading unit 30 is provided with a stopper 17 (restricting portion) that abuts against the retaining portion 43 of the second duct 112o to restrict downward movement of the second duct 112o.

When the ADF 1 is positioned at the lower position, as shown in FIG. 7A, the inner flange portion 141 of the first duct 112i is separated from the outer flange portion 142 of the second duct 112o. At this time, the retaining portion 43 of the second duct 112 o is in contact with the stopper 17 .

When the ADF 1 is moved upward by the user, the inner flange portion 141 of the first duct 112i comes into contact with the outer flange portion 142 of the second duct 112o as shown in FIG. 7(b). That is, the inner flange portion 141 contacts the outer flange portion 142 of the second duct 112o while the ADF 1 is moving from the lower position to the upper position. Further, when the ADF 1 is moved upward by the user, as shown in FIG. 7C, the inner flange portion 141 lifts the outer flange portion 142 so that the second duct 112o is integrated with the first duct 112i. and move upwards. When the ADF 1 is positioned at the upper position, the retaining portion 43 of the second duct 112o abuts against the inner peripheral surface of the rear cover 35 of the reading unit 30, thereby retaining the second duct 112o from the reading unit 30. FIG. Although the lower end of the first duct 112i is located above the reading unit 30, since the second duct 112o is provided between the first duct 112i and the reading unit 30, the inside of the duct 113 The wire bundle BW (see FIG. 8) stored in the housing is not exposed to the outside.

When the ADF 1 moves from the upper position to the lower position, the second duct 112o moves downward together with the first duct 112i and then hits the stopper 17, after which only the first duct 112i moves downward together with the ADF 1. Moving. Since the change in the total length of the duct 113 and the setting of the strokes of the first duct 112i and the second duct 112o accompanying the vertical movement of the ADF 1 are the same as those in the first embodiment, description thereof will be omitted.

By the way, the amount of displacement of the wire bundle BW that bends with the vertical movement of the ADF 1 is larger inside the first duct 112i than inside the second duct 112o. In this embodiment, the first duct 112i and the second duct 112o are engaged inside the first duct 112i, and the cross-sectional area SL of the inner space of the first duct 112i is equal to the cross-sectional area SL of the inner space of the second duct 112o. It is configured to be larger than the area SS. Therefore, the wire bundle BW can be greatly bent in the first duct 112i, and damage to the wire bundle BW can be reduced. Further, as in the first embodiment, a space R in which the wire bundle BW can be wired in the width direction is secured below the second duct 112o, and a plurality of types of printer main bodies having different connection positions of the wire bundle BW can be used. The image reading device 103 can be attached to.

As shown in FIG. 8A, the duct 113 has a lid portion 112f fixed to the first duct 112i by a fixture 113c (supporting portion). The lid portion 112f is made of an elastic material such as a rubber material or a sheet material. The fixture 113c is arranged below the rotation fulcrum 11c of the ADF 1 so that the ADF 1 can be opened wide.

When the ADF 1 is opened, as shown in FIG. 8B, the wire bundle BW bulges toward the back of the device and presses the lid portion 112f. When the ADF 1 is closed, the lid portion 112f returns to its original position due to its own elastic force. That is, the lid portion 112f moves while protecting the wire bundle BW in conjunction with the opening/closing operation of the ADF1. As a result, the wire bundle BW is not exposed to the outside from the open space (see FIG. 3), and disconnection of the wire bundle BW can be prevented. In addition, the user cannot access the bundle of wires BW through the open space 50, the bundle of wires BW and the user can be protected, and the appearance can be improved.

In addition, in the first and second embodiments, the body portion of the duct is composed of two layers, but it may be composed of three or more layers. Also, although the main body of the duct is formed in a cylindrical shape, it is not limited to this, and may be, for example, a square tube shape or other cross-sectional shape.

Further, in the first and second embodiments, the lower limit position of the second duct is defined by providing the stopper 17, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, instead of providing the stopper 17, an urging member such as a spring that urges the second duct against the first duct may be provided. In this case, when the ADF 1 is moved from the lower position to the upper position, the first duct and the second duct first move upward together, and after the retaining portion of the second duct comes into contact with the rear cover of the reading unit, , the first duct moves relative to the second duct against the biasing force of the biasing portion.

Moreover, in the first and second embodiments, the first reading unit 151 and the second reading unit 201 are not limited to the CIS, and may be CCDs (Charge Coupled Devices). In addition, the image reading device 103 can be installed in various image forming apparatuses such as copiers, facsimiles, printers, and multi-function peripherals, and can also be used alone.

11: Support portion (hinge mechanism) / 11c: Rotation fulcrum / 12: Body portion / 12c: Rotation fulcrum / 12f: Lid portion / 12i: First cover member (first duct) / 12o: Second cover member ( second duct)/13, 113: cover portion (duct)/13c, 113c: support portion (rotation center, fixture)/15: exterior cover/16: holding portion (cable guide)/17: regulation portion (stopper ) / 30: reading unit / 31: placement section (document table) / 41, 141: contact section (outer flange section, inner flange section) / 101: image forming apparatus (printer) / 101A: image forming unit (printer Main body)/103: Image reader/131: Pressing part/135: Interlocking part/151: Reading part, first reading part/152: Transparent part (first platen glass)/201: Second reading part/BW: Bundle Line/D: sheet (document)/L1, L2: total length/So, Si: stroke/SS, SL: cross-sectional area

Claims (5)

a reading unit having a platen on which a document is placed, and a first reading section for reading an image of the document placed on the platen;
a document conveying unit provided movably in the vertical direction above the reading unit for conveying a document toward the reading unit;
a hinge mechanism provided movably in the vertical direction along with the movement of the document transport unit in the vertical direction, the hinge mechanism supporting the document transport unit to be rotatable with respect to the reading unit;
a second reading unit provided in the document conveying unit for reading an image of the document conveyed by the document conveying unit;
a cable for transmitting an image signal corresponding to the image read by the second reading unit to a control unit;
a cover member extending downward from the document conveying unit and having the cable wired therein;
an opening provided on the upper surface of the reading unit through which the cable and the cover member pass;
a cover part provided to project upward from the upper surface of the reading unit and arranged to cover a part of the cover member from the outside when viewed in a direction orthogonal to the vertical direction;
The cover member is configured to move in the vertical direction inside the opening as the document conveying unit moves in the vertical direction.
An image reading device characterized by: The cover member and the hinge mechanism are arranged side by side in the axial direction of the rotation shaft of the hinge mechanism,
2. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: a motor;
a signal line that transmits a signal and power to the motor ,
The signal line is wired inside the cover member together with the cable,
3. The image reading device according to claim 1, wherein: The image reading device is capable of executing a flow reading mode in which an image of a document is read while the document is conveyed by the document conveying unit, and a fixed reading mode in which an image of the document placed on the document platen is read,
The first reading unit
in the flow reading mode, reading an image of a document conveyed by the document conveying unit while the first reading unit is at the first position;
In the fixed reading mode, the image of the document placed on the document table is read while moving along the document table between a second position and a third position different from the first position. ,
4. The image reading apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , characterized in that: an image reading device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 ;
an image forming unit that forms an image read by the image reading device on a sheet;
An image forming apparatus characterized by:

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