JPH0524702B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] <<Industrial Application Field>> The present invention relates to an image reader used to read image information recorded on a manuscript. The present invention relates to the structure of an image reader equipped with a reading table and an automatic reading unit for reading an automatically fed document.

<<Prior art>> As an image reader equipped with a fixed reading stand and an automatic reading unit, the image reader shown in FIGS.
The structure shown in FIG. 3 is known. In the figure, 1 is the main body of the apparatus, 2 is a fixed reading table, 3 is a presser plate that holds down the document on the fixed reading table, 4 is an automatic reading unit, 5 is a document table on which the original is loaded to be fed into the automatic reading unit, and 6 is a document table. This is a stacker that stores documents read by an automatic reading unit.

The fixed reading table 2 is made of a transparent plate, and generally has a structure in which an optical unit for reading the document runs below the fixed reading table 2 and projects image information on the document onto a photoelectric conversion device attached to the main body. During automatic reading, the optical path of the optical unit is converted from the fixed reading table side to the automatic reading unit side.

11 and 12, the automatic reading unit 4 is attached to the main body of the device, and the 13th
The one shown in the figure is attached to the document holding plate 3. In the device shown in FIG. 11, the automatic reading unit 4 reads the document while feeding it in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the fixed reading table 2. In the device shown in FIGS.
Reading is performed while moving parallel to the surface. In the one shown in FIG. 12, the document holding plate 3, which stands obliquely when opened, is used as the document table 5. In addition, in the case shown in FIG. 13, the document holding plate 3 serves as a stacker 6, and the document supplied from the document table 5 located above the plate is reversed in the automatic reading unit 4 and discharged to the stacker 6. . The original holding plate 3 is usually pivotally attached to the main body, and the one shown in FIG. It is pivoted on the left side of the figure. In order to prevent the pivot portion of the document presser plate from interfering with the document when reading a large document, a structure is known in which the document presser plate 3 is detachably attached at its pivot portion.

<<Problems with the conventional technology>> The structure shown in Figure 11 has the problem that the optical path of the optical unit must be changed by 90 degrees between fixed scanning and automatic scanning, and the automatic scanning of the original moves up and down. Therefore, there is a problem that the device becomes large. Also, in the case of the one shown in FIG. 11 and the one shown in FIG. 12, the automatic reading unit 4 fixed to the main body is formed to protrude above the side of the fixed reading table 2, so that the fixed reading table 2 can read large documents. There is a problem that the automatic reading unit 4 sometimes gets in the way. On the other hand, the apparatus shown in FIG. 13 has a problem in that the internal structure of the automatic reading unit is complicated, document jams are likely to occur, and repair work is troublesome.

<<Problems to be Solved by the Invention>> This invention was made with the aim of solving the above problems and obtaining an image reader with better operability.
There is a requirement that the document do not get in the way when the document is read on the fixed reading table 2 (this requirement alone is achieved with the conventional structure shown in FIG. 13), and when a document jam occurs in the automatic reading unit 4. The object of the present invention is to provide an image reader that simultaneously satisfies the requirements of being able to quickly clear paper jams with simple operations.

<<Means for Solving the Problems>> The image reader of the present invention is equipped with a fixed reading stand 2 made of a transparent flat plate on the upper surface of the apparatus main body 1, and a document holder that can be opened and closed and covered with the reading stand. A plate 3 is pivotally supported on the main body 1. Optical unit 11 for reading the original
travels below the fixed reading stand 2, and is fixed at fixed position A during automatic reading. The document reading section B of the automatic reading unit 4 faces this fixed position A.

On the pivot side of the document holding plate 3, there are a main body side frame 12, a cover side frame 13, and a swing frame 14.
An automatic reading unit 4 is provided which has a frame structure consisting of. The main body side frame 12 is substantially integrated with the main body 1, the cover side frame 13 is substantially integrated with the document holding plate 3,
The swing frame 14 is pivotally attached to the cover side frame 13.

The automatic reading unit 4 includes a document table 5 attached to a cover side frame 13 and a cover side frame 1.
Friction pad 15 attached to 3 and swing frame 1
A paper feeding pair 17 consists of a pair of paper feeding rollers 16 pivoted to the cover side frame 13, and a line feeding pair 17 consists of a pair of rollers 18 pivoted to the cover side frame 13 and a roller 19 pivoted to the swinging frame 14. It includes a pair of rollers 20 and a pair of discharge rollers 23 consisting of a roller 21 pivotally attached to the cover side frame 13 and a roller 22 pivotally attached to the main body side frame 12.

The swing frame 14 includes components 15, 16, and 18 of the paper feed pair 17 and the line feed roller pair 20,
19 are biased in a direction to bring them into contact with each other, and includes means for swinging the swing frame 14 against this biasing force. The above-mentioned means in the first embodiment described later is a link mechanism 40 driven by the opening/closing operation of the document holding plate 3, and the above-mentioned means in the second embodiment is a cam mechanism 60 driven by the pressing operation of the document table 5. be.

<<Function>> The automatic reading unit 4 in the image reader configured as described above protrudes upward from the fixed reading table 2, but the protruding portion is attached to the document holding plate 3, so that the automatic reading unit 4 in the image reader with the above configuration is attached to the document holding plate 3 during fixed reading.
Therefore, the problem of this protrusion interfering with the document during fixed reading is avoided. It is more preferable that the document holding plate 3 is rotatable by nearly 180 degrees, so that there will be no problem of the pivoting portion of the document holding plate 3 interfering with the original.

Automatic reading of the original is performed with the original holding plate 3 closed, but if a document jam occurs at the ejection roller pair 23, opening the original holding plate 3 separates the pair of rollers 21 and 22. If a document is opened and a document jam occurs in the paper feed pair 17 or the line feed roller pair 20, the paper feed pair 17 and the line feed roller pair 20 can be removed by opening the document holding plate 3 wide or by pressing down the document table 5. Since the elements 15 and 16 and 18 and 19 paired with the pair of line feed rollers 20 are separated from each other to release the document, it is possible to recover from a document jam with a simple operation. Generally, the document holding plate 3 is pivoted to the rear side when viewed from the operator. According to the structure of the present invention, by widening the document holding plate 3, the document path of the automatic reading unit 4 can be opened. is opened toward the operator, greatly improving work efficiency when repairing various problems such as document jams.

<<Embodiment>> FIGS. 1 to 5 are diagrams showing a first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 5, 1 is the device main body;
2 is a fixed reading table, 3 is a document holding plate, 4 is an automatic reading unit, 5 is a document table, and 6 is a stacker. The state of the document holding plate 3 shown by the solid line is the closed state, and the state of C shown by the imaginary line is the state of opening at 60 degrees. , the opening/closing operation is performed between the above-mentioned closed state and the 60 degree open state C.
The state shown by the imaginary line D of the original holding plate 3 is when the original holding plate 3 is fully opened, and is used when reading a large original on the fixed reading table 2, or when repairing a document jammed in the automatic reading unit 4. It will be in this fully open state. Continuous automatic reading of the original by the automatic reading unit 4 is carried out using the original holding plate 3.
This is done in the closed state.

The main body 1 is provided with an optical unit 11 that runs along the lower surface of the fixed reading platform 2, and a light source 31.
The illuminated original is projected onto an image sensor 36 fixedly provided on the main body 1 by an optical system consisting of reflecting mirrors 32, 33, 34 and an imaging lens 35. During fixed reading, the document surface is scanned by the above-mentioned traveling operation of the optical unit 11, and during automatic reading, the optical unit 11 is fixed at the fixed position A, and the document surface is scanned by moving the document from the document table 5 to the stacker 6. is scanned.

FIG. 1 schematically shows the main parts of the internal structure of the automatic reading unit 4, in which 12 is a main body side frame, 13 is a cover side frame, 14 is a swinging frame, 17 is a paper feed pair, 20 23 is a pair of line feed rollers, 23 is a pair of discharge rollers, 24 is a drive motor for these paper feed and roller pairs, and 25 is a timing belt. The main body side frame 12 is the main body 1
The cover-side frame 13 is integrally supported on the main body 1 by a fulcrum pin 7, and the document holding plate 3 is provided with its base end fixed to the side opposite to the fulcrum of the cover-side frame 13. The opening and closing of the document holding plate 3 is performed using the fulcrum pin 7.
Therefore, the cover side frame 13 rotates around the fulcrum pin 7 as the document holding plate 3 opens and closes. The swing frame 14 is pivotally connected to the cover side frame 13 by a fulcrum pin 8.
It is biased clockwise in the figure by a spring 26.

The document table 5 is attached to the cover side frame 13. The paper feed pair 17 consists of a friction pad 15 and a paper feed roll 16. The friction pad 15 is fixed to the cover side frame 13, and the paper feed roller 16 is pivotally supported by the swing frame 14. Line feed roller pair 2
The drive roller 18 of No. 0 is pivotally supported by the cover-side frame 13, and the driven-side roller 19 is pivotally supported by the swing frame 14. Further, the drive side roller 21 of the discharge roller 23 is pivotally supported by the cover side frame 13,
The driven roller 22 is pivotally supported by the main body frame 12. The timing belt 25 is wound between the drive rollers 18, 21 and the motor 24,
The pair of line feed rollers 20 and the pair of discharge rollers 23 are driven synchronously. The paper feed roller 16 is driven by a drive roller 18 of a pair of line feed rollers via a gear train (not shown). A clutch is interposed in this gear train as necessary.

41 is a bell crank pivotally supported by the cover side frame 13; 42 is a first link pivotally connecting one end of the bell crank 41 and the swinging frame 14;
A second 43 extends downward from the other end of the bell crank 41 and is pivotally connected to the tip of a telescopic rod 47, which will be described later.
44 in Fig. 4 is the main body side frame 1.
Bracket fixed to 2, 45 is bracket 4
4 is a swinging block rotatably mounted around a pin 46; 47 is a telescoping rod that slides through the swinging block 45; 48 is a stopper at the rear end of the telescoping rod 47; 49 is a telescoping rod. 47 is a compression spring biasing it in the extension direction; 50 is a connecting pin implanted in a T-shape at the tip of the telescopic rod 47; 51, shown in imaginary lines, is a bracket fixed to the cover side frame 13; 52;
is an elongated hole formed in the bracket in the vertical direction, and the connecting pin 50 is loosely fitted into this elongated hole 52.

In the state shown in FIG. 1 with the document holding plate 3 closed,
The elements of the paper feed pair 17, the line feed roller pair 20, and the ejection roller pair 23 are in contact with each other, and as the motor 24 rotates, the paper feed pair 17 separates one document on the document table 5 and transfers it to the line feed roller pair. Supply to 20. The supplied original is sequentially nipped and transported by a pair of line feed rollers 20 and a pair of discharge rollers 23, and as it passes through the original reading section B, image information on the original is projected onto an image sensor 36 by the optical unit 11. . When the document holding plate 3 is in the closed state, the telescopic rod 47 is urged upward by the urging force of the spring 49, and the connecting pin 50 reaches the upper end of the elongated hole 52, urging the cover side frame 13 in the opening direction. There is. This biasing force acts to reduce the force required to open the document holding plate 3 during fixed reading.

When the document holding plate 3 is opened during fixed reading, the cover side frame 13 rotates to the left around the fulcrum pin 7 in the figure, so the upper end of the elongated hole 52 moves to the left, and the telescopic rod 47 also moves to the left. Stretch according to . The extension rod 47 stops extending at the position where the stopper 48 comes into contact with the swing block 45, and this position becomes the 60 degree open position C (FIG. 5). During this time, the biasing force of the spring 49 is always acting in the direction of rotating the cover side frame 13 to the left in the figure, and due to the positional relationship between the pin 46 of the swing block 45 and the elongated hole 52, the document holding plate 3 is rotated 60 degrees. The force relationship can be set so that the document is held in the open position and pressed by an appropriate weight in the closed state.

When the cover side frame 13 is rotated to the left in the figure,
The driving roller 21 of the discharge roller pair 23 is separated from the driven roller 22. Therefore, the document jammed in the discharge roller pair 23 can be removed by simply moving the document pressing plate 3 slightly upward.

When the document holding plate 3 is further opened from the 60 degree open position C, the distance between the upper end of the elongated hole 52 and the swinging block 45 further increases, but since the extension of the telescoping rod 47 is restricted by the stopper 48, the connection pin 50 moves relatively toward the swing block 45 along the elongated hole 52. This movement pulls the second link 43 downward, and the rotation of the bell crank 41 causes the first link 43 to move downward.
2 to rotate the swing frame 14 to the left in the figure. This rotation causes the line feed driven roller 19 to separate from the drive roller 19, and the paper feed roller 16 to separate from the friction pad 15. Therefore, paper feed pair 17
Or, if the original is jammed in the line feed roller pair 20 section,
The document can be taken out by opening the document holding plate 3 further from the 60 degree open position C, and by opening it to the fully open state D shown in FIG. Removal work and the like can be easily performed, and the workability of maintenance work is greatly improved.

6 and 7 show a modification of the first embodiment, in which the connecting pin 50 at the tip of the telescoping rod 47 and the swinging frame 14 are connected by a wire 53. 54 is a pulley pivotally supported by the cover side frame 13 in order to guide the wire 53. Furthermore, the structure shown in FIG. 7 replaces the sliding structure between the telescoping rod 47 and the swinging block 45 of the first embodiment with a swinging rod 55 and a sliding block slidably fitted into the swinging rod. 56, and the swinging rod 55 is replaced with a sliding structure between the body side frame 12
The spring 49 urges the sliding block 56 upward, the connecting pin 50 is implanted in the sliding block 56, and the stopper 48 restricts the upper end of the sliding block 56. It is set up to do so. These structures are given the same reference numerals as those in the first embodiment, and since the description of the first embodiment can be applied as is, further explanation will be omitted.

8 and 9 show a second embodiment of the present invention, in which the swing frame 14 is swung by the pressing operation of the document table 5, and the elements of the paper feed pair 20 and the line feed roller pair 20 are It is designed to separate them from each other.

In FIGS. 8 and 9, 61 is a support plate of the cover side frame, and this support plate includes a pivot pin 62 of the document table 5, an arcuate slit 63 centered around this pivot pin, and a support plate for the swing frame 14. A bearing hole 64 for the fulcrum pin 8 is provided, and engagement recesses 65 and 66 are provided at both ends of the arcuate slit 63.
On the other hand, a pivot pin 6 is attached to an arm 67 at the base of the document table 5.
2, a spring hook pin 69, and a cam pin 70 that fits in the circular arc slit 63 are provided. A tension spring 71 is tensioned. In addition, the swing frame 14 that is pivotally supported by the bearing hole 64 has a cam slit 72 that engages with the tip of a cam pin 70 that passes through the arcuate slit 63.
is provided. This cam slit 72 extends in the tangential direction of the lower end portion of the arcuate slit 63. Note that 73 in FIG. 9 is the paper feed roller 16.
The bearing hole 74 is the bearing hole of the line feeding driven roller 19.

When automatically reading a document, the document table 5 is in the position shown by the solid line in FIG. It is located at the bottom. From this state, when the document table 5 is pulled to the right in FIG. It fits into the upper recess 65. Cam pin 7
0 moves upward, the cam pin 70 pushes the cam slit 72 to the right, rotates the swinging frame 14 to the left around the fulcrum pin 8, and the swinging frame 14
The paper feed roller 16 and the line feed driven roller 19, which are pivotally supported by the paper feed roller 16, are separated from the friction pad 15 and the drive roller 18. Therefore, a document jammed in the paper feed pair 17 or the line feed roller pair 20 can be removed by lifting up the document table 5 and then pushing it down.

FIG. 10 shows a modified structure of the second embodiment, in which the functions of the recesses 65, 66 and the spring 71 in FIG. 75 to achieve this. The arm 67 of the document table is pivotally supported on the support plate 61 by a pivot pin 62 at the tip.
The cam pin 70 installed in the cam pin 70 is positioned at the upper end or the lower end of the cam slit 72 by the elasticity of the leaf spring 75. Figure 10a shows the automatic document reading state,
From this state, when the fifth document is pushed down against the biasing force of the leaf spring 75, the cam pin 70 moves into the cam slit 7.
The arc movement of the cam pin 70 at this time moves the cam slit 72 to the right and rotates the swing frame 14 to the left.

In the second embodiment, the document path of the automatic reading unit 4 is opened by separating the rollers of the ejection roller pair 23 and by fully opening the document pressing plate 3.
It is the same as that of the example.

<<Effects of the Invention>> With the structure described above, the image reader of the present invention can prevent the automatic reading unit from getting in the way when fixedly reading a large original, and can recover from a document jam in the automatic reading unit with a simple operation. has achieved the task of doing so. Therefore, it is possible to provide an image reader with good operability, which can partially read a large document without folding the document, and can easily repair paper jams during automatic reading.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 to 5 are diagrams showing a first embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1 is a side view of the main parts of the automatic reading unit shown with the document holding plate closed, and FIG.
Figures 3 and 3 are side views of the main parts of the automatic reading unit showing states in which it is sequentially released from the state shown in Figure 1, Figure 4 is a perspective view showing a part of the mechanism for swinging the swing frame, and Figure 4 is a perspective view showing a part of the mechanism for swinging the swing frame. FIG. 5 is a side view of the entire device. FIG. 6 is a side view of a main part of the automatic reading unit, showing a first modification of the first embodiment, and FIG. 7 a second modification. 8 and 9 are views showing the second embodiment, in which FIG. 8 is a side view showing the main parts of the automatic reading unit, and FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the main parts. FIG. 10 is a side view of essential parts showing a modification of the second embodiment. 11 to 13 are side views schematically showing an image reader having a conventional structure. In the figure, 1: device main body, 2: fixed reading stand,
3: Original holding plate, 4: Automatic reading unit,
5: Original table, 6: Stacker, 7: Fulcrum pin, 1
2: Main body side frame, 13: Cover side frame,
14: Swing frame, 15: Friction pad, 16:
Paper feed roller, 17: Paper feed pair, 18, 19: Roller, 20: Line feed roller pair, 21, 22: Roller, 23: Ejection roller pair, 41: Bell crank,
42, 43: Link, 45: Swing block, 4
7: Telescopic rod, 53: Wire, 54: Pulley, 5
5: Swinging rod, 56: Swinging block, 60: Cam mechanism, 65, 66: Engagement recess, 75: Leaf spring.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A fixed reading stand 2 made of a transparent flat plate is provided on the upper surface of the apparatus main body 1, and a document holding plate 3 that can be opened and closed and covered with the reading stand is pivotally supported on the main body 1. In the image reader, the original holding plate 3
The main body side frame 12 is substantially integrated with the main body 1, the cover side frame 13 is substantially integrated with the document holding plate 3, and the swing frame 14 is pivotally connected to the cover side frame 13. An automatic reading unit 4 is provided, and this automatic reading unit includes a document table 5 attached to the cover side frame 13, a friction pad 15 attached to the cover side frame 13, and a paper feeder pivoted to the swing frame 14. Paper feed pair 1 consisting of a pair with roller 16
7. Roller 1 pivotally attached to cover side frame 13
8 and a roller 19 pivotally attached to the swinging frame 14; and a pair of rollers 21 and 22 pivotally attached to the cover side frame 13 and the main body frame 12. The swinging frame 14 includes a pair of discharge rollers 23 consisting of a pair of paper feed rollers 17 and a pair of line feed rollers 20.
5, 16 and 18, 19. An automatic reading unit for an image reader, which is biased in a direction to bring them into contact with each other and includes means for rocking the swing frame 14 against this biasing force. 2. The rocking means includes rocking members 45 and 55 pivoted to the main body side frame 12 by being biased from the fulcrum pin 7 of the document holding plate 3, and is attached to the rocking members so as to be slidable in the longitudinal direction. sliding members 47, 5
6. Stopper 48 that limits the sliding stroke of this sliding member and the sliding member and swing frame 14
Operational connection mechanisms 41, 42, 43, 5 that connect
An automatic reading unit for an image reader according to claim 1, comprising: 3,54. 3. The swinging means described in claim 1 is provided on the document table 5 which is pivotally supported on the cover side frame 13.
, position holding mechanisms 65, 66, and 75 that hold the document table in the upper and lower positions, and a cam mechanism 60 that converts the swinging movement of the document table 5 into a rotational movement of the swinging frame.
An automatic reading unit for an image reader according to claim 1, comprising: