JPH07312671A - Original reader - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve reading quality of an original and to easily perform assembly work. CONSTITUTION:An original reader 34 which reads the transmission original of facsimile equipment is composed. An image sensor 43 is mounted on the lover side of an original passage 31 on which the original is fed. A white roller 63 which suppresses the play of the original is supported with bearings confronting with the reading plane 43a of the image sensor 43. Collars 66 with radius larger than that of a roller main body 64 by prescribed clearance (a) are loaded on rotary shafts 61 on both sides of the white roller 63. The collars 66 are abutted with the reading plane 43a. In this way, it is possible to easily and accurately set the clearance (a) between the outer peripheral plane 65 of the white roller 63 and the reading plane 43a of the image sensor 43.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a document reading device for reading a document such as a facsimile machine or a copying machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for example, a document reading apparatus used in a facsimile machine is provided with a document passage through which documents separated one by one are conveyed. Then, a contact type image sensor is arranged below the document passage, and the reading surface of the image sensor faces the document passage. In addition, a white roller having a substantially cylindrical outer peripheral surface is arranged at the upper side of the document path so as to face the reading surface of the image sensor. Then, the document passing between the reading surface of these image sensors and the white roller is
The image is read by the image sensor while being in close contact with the reading surface.

However, when the white roller is rotationally driven while the outer peripheral surface of the white roller is in pressure contact with the reading surface and the original is conveyed while being brought into close contact with the reading surface, the load on the motor that rotationally drives the white roller. Has a problem that it is difficult to improve the reading speed.

Therefore, the white roller is supported in a state where the outer peripheral surface of the white roller is separated from the reading surface of the image sensor with a slight gap (gap) between the white roller and the upstream side of the image sensor and the white roller. A feed roller that is driven to rotate is provided on the downstream side,
A configuration is considered in which a document is conveyed by these feed rollers and passes between the reading surface of the image sensor and the outer peripheral surface of the white roller.

[0005]

However, in the above configuration, when the distance between the outer peripheral surface of the white roller and the reading surface of the image sensor is larger than the predetermined distance, the image sensor cannot be focused. , It may cause reading failure. Further, if the separation dimension is large on one side in the width direction of the document passage and small on the other side in the width direction of the document passage, the document may cause skew and the like. Therefore, when assembling the document reading device, it is necessary to accurately adjust the distance between the outer peripheral surface of the white roller and the reading surface of the image sensor using an adjustment jig or a gap gauge. There is a problem that the assembly work of the device becomes complicated.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an original reading apparatus which can improve the reading quality of an original and can easily be assembled.

[0007]

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a document reading device including: a document passage through which a document is conveyed; and a reading section having a reading surface which faces the document passage and reads the document. The roller includes a roller having an outer peripheral surface facing the reading surface with a predetermined separation dimension, and a collar rotatably fitted to the roller and abutting the reading surface.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a document passage for feeding a document, a reading section having a reading surface which faces the document passage and which reads the document, and a predetermined reading surface on the reading surface. It comprises a roller having outer peripheral surfaces facing each other across a distance, and a bearing that abuts on the reading surface and rotatably supports the roller.

[0009]

In the document reading apparatus according to the first aspect, the document conveyed in the document passage is read by the reading unit when passing between the reading surface of the reading unit and the outer peripheral surface of the roller.
Since the collar rotatably fitted to the rollers comes into contact with the reading surface, the distance between the outer peripheral surface of these rollers and the reading surface of the reading unit can be set easily and accurately.

In the document reading device according to the second aspect, the document conveyed in the document passage is read by the reading unit when passing between the reading surface of the reading unit and the outer peripheral surface of the roller. Since the bearing that rotatably supports the rollers abuts the reading surface, the distance between the outer peripheral surface of the rollers and the reading surface of the reading unit can be set easily and accurately.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The configuration of an embodiment of the document reading apparatus of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 4, 11 is a facsimile machine,
The facsimile device 11 has a case 12 that constitutes an outer shell. A cassette mounting portion 14 that is open to the front side is provided at the lower inside of the case 12, and a paper feeding cassette 15 that serves as a paper feeding portion can be removably mounted in the cassette mounting portion 14. ing. Further, an electrophotographic printing unit 17 and a fixing unit 18, which form a printing unit, are housed above the cassette mounting unit 14. A stacked in the paper cassette 15
Sheets (recording sheets) such as 4 are separated and fed one by one into a recording sheet passage 19 formed so as to make a U-turn, and when passing through the printing unit 17, a toner image is transferred from the photosensitive drum and fixed. The toner image is heated and fixed when passing through the unit 18, and is discharged to the recording paper discharge port 20 side opened on the front surface of the case 12.

Further, the facsimile device 11 is located in front of the printing unit 17 and the fixing unit 18,
A transmission unit 22 is provided. An operation panel including a keyboard and a liquid crystal display is provided on the upper surface of the transmission unit 22. Further, on the rear side of the transmission unit 22, there is provided an upper cover 25 having an inclined document table 24 on which a document to be transmitted is set. Further, on one side of the case 12, a mounting portion on which a receiver (not shown) is mounted is provided.

The transmission unit 22 is provided with a document insertion portion 26 which is continuous with the document table 24, and a document ejection port 27 which is opened on the front surface of the case 12.
A document passage 31 for communicating a document is provided so as to communicate with the document insertion portion 26 and the document discharge port 27.

The transmission unit 22 has a lower unit 32 and an upper unit 33 which is attached to the upper side of the lower unit 32 so as to be openable and closable from the original passage 31. A document reading device 34 is configured along the passage 31. Then, the document reading device 34 separates the documents stacked on the document table 24 one by one and feeds them out of the document insertion portion 26 into the document passage 31, and the contents are read while being conveyed through the document passage 31. Then, the document is discharged from the document discharge port 27.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the lower unit 32 of the original reading device 34 has an upper surface for the original passage.
It has a lower frame 35 that constitutes 31 and side frames 36 that are erected integrally or separately on both sides of the lower frame 35. Further, a sensor mounting portion 41 is formed on the lower frame 35, a contact type image sensor 43 as a reading portion is mounted on the sensor mounting portion 41, and the side frame 36 is fixed with a screw 44 or the like. ing. The image sensor 43, which is also called an image scanner, is designed to read an original that is in close contact with the reading surface 43a formed on the upper surface. The longitudinal direction is the width direction of the lower frame 35, and the reading surface 43a is It is fixed to the upper surface of the lower frame 35 in a substantially flush manner.

Further, the lower frame 35 is formed with through-holes 46 and 47 for the conveying rollers which are located in front of and behind the sensor mounting portion 41, and a part of each of the conveying rollers (feed roller) protrudes into the document passage 31. ) 48 and 49 are arranged. In addition, a pull-in roller through hole 51 is formed in the lower frame 35 on the upstream side of the transport roller through hole 47 on the upstream side, and a part of the pull-in roller through hole 51 is formed. Is the document passage
A pull-in roller 52 protruding from 31 is arranged.

On the outside of the side frame 36 on one side,
The gear unit 53 is assembled. The gear unit 53 has a gear frame (not shown), and the motor M and a plurality of gears 55 meshing with each other that are rotationally driven by the motor M are attached to the gear frame. The transport rollers 48, 49 and the pull-in roller 52 are meshed with these gears 55 and are rotationally driven at a predetermined rotational speed.

Further, the side frames 36 on both sides are respectively formed with shaft supporting portions 57, and bearings 58 are mounted on the shaft supporting portions 57, respectively. A white roller 63 as a roller is supported in a state in which the rotary shafts 61 on both sides are rotatably supported by these bearings 58. The white roller 63 is a roller body formed of a synthetic resin (plastic) such as polyacetal and having a substantially columnar shape.
64, and the outer peripheral surface 65 of the roller body 64, which is white,
The reading surface 43a of the image sensor 43 is opposed to the reading surface 43a via a predetermined separation dimension (gap) a.

A disc-shaped collar 66 is rotatably fitted to the rotary shafts 61 on both sides of the white roller 63. These collars 66 have a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the roller body 64 of the white roller 63, contact the vicinity of both ends of the reading surface 43a of the image sensor 43, and the outer peripheral surface 65 of the white roller 63. The distance a between the image sensor 43 and the reading surface 43a of the image sensor 43 is kept constant. The diametrical dimension of the collar 66 is set so that the spacing dimension a is slightly smaller than the thickness dimension of the document conveyed in the document passage 31. Further, the distance between the collars 66 is set to be larger than the width of the document conveyed in the document passage 31, so that the outer peripheral surface of each collar 66 does not contact the document.

Further, a resin gear 68 is provided at one end of the white roller 63, and the gear unit 53 is provided.
The white roller 63 is rotatably driven at a predetermined speed by meshing with the gear 55a constituting the.

On the other hand, the upper unit 33 has an upper frame 71 formed of resin such as polycarbonate, and this upper frame 71 constitutes the upper surface of the document passage 31. And on this upper frame 71, a white roller
A substantially arc-shaped cover portion 72 that covers 63 is formed, and the white roller 63 is elastically pressed toward the image sensor 43 side by a spring body (not shown) provided in the cover portion 72.

Further, the upper frame 71 has the cover portion
Pinch roller through holes 74 and 75 are formed in front of and behind 72. Then, these pinch roller through holes 74, 75
Are pinch rollers 76, which are rotatably supported respectively.
77 is arranged so that a part thereof protrudes into the document passage 31, and these pinch rollers 76 and 77 elastically abut on the respective conveying rollers 48 and 49 of the lower unit 32. Further, a separation pad 79 that projects into the document passage 31 is attached on the upstream side of the upstream pinch roller 77.
The separation pad 79 is in sliding contact with the pull-in roller 52 of the lower unit 32, and as the pull-in roller 52 rotates, the document table
Document passage 31 while separating the documents stacked on 24 one by one
It constitutes a paper feeding device that pulls in.

With this configuration, the transmission unit
In 22, when the motor M of the gear unit 53 is driven, the originals stacked on the original table 24 are drawn into the original passage 31 while being separated one by one, so that the respective conveying rollers 48, 49 and the pinch rollers.
It is conveyed to the document discharge port 27 between 76 and 77. And
When the document passes between the white roller 63 and the image sensor 43, the outer peripheral surface 65 of the roller body 64 of the white roller 63 prevents the play from adhering to the reading surface 43a, and adheres to the reading surface 43a.
It can be read by the image sensor 43.

According to the present embodiment, the white roller 63 is elastically pressed toward the image sensor 43 side, and the collar 66 is rotatably fitted to the rotary shafts 61 on both sides of the white roller 63. Is the reading surface of the image sensor 43
Since it abuts against 43a, the separation dimension a between the outer peripheral surface 65 of the roller body 64 of the white roller 63 and the reading surface 43a of the image sensor 43 can be set easily and accurately. That is, the image sensor 43 attached to the lower unit 32 has a slight variation in the attachment position due to the dimensional tolerances of the components and the like, but the white roller 63
Is a collar 66 whose radius is large by a predetermined distance a.
By pressing against the reading surface 43a, it is positioned with respect to the reading surface 43a of the image sensor 43.
The distance a between the outer peripheral surface 65 of the white roller 63 and the reading surface 43a of the image sensor 43 can be reliably and uniformly controlled. Therefore, it is possible to improve the assembling property of the document reading device 34, reduce the manufacturing cost, accurately convey the document to be transmitted, suppress reading defects such as skew, and improve the document reading quality. It can be improved stably.

Further, in this embodiment, the white roller 63
Since the outer peripheral surface 65 of the roller body 64 is not in contact with the image sensor 43, the load on the motor M is reduced, and the original can be conveyed and read at high speed.

In the above embodiment, the white roller
The collar 66 is rotatably fitted on the rotary shaft 61 of the 63. For example, as shown in FIG.
A bearing 81, which rotatably supports 61, has a cylindrical connecting portion.
By integrally forming the disk-shaped collar portion 84 via the 82, the number of parts can be reduced and the manufacturing cost can be reduced in addition to the effects of the above-described embodiment.

The present invention can be applied to not only communication equipment such as a facsimile machine but also office equipment such as a copying machine.

[0029]

According to the document reading apparatus of the first aspect,
A document conveyed in the document passage can be read by the reading unit when passing between the reading surface of the reading unit and the outer peripheral surface of the roller. Further, since the collar rotatably fitted to the rollers contacts the reading surface, the separation dimension between the outer peripheral surface of these rollers and the reading surface of the reading unit can be set easily and accurately, and the assembling work can be facilitated. At the same time, the reading quality of the original can be improved.

According to the document reading apparatus of the second aspect, the document conveyed in the document passage can be read by the reading unit when passing between the reading surface of the reading unit and the outer peripheral surface of the roller. it can. Since the bearing that rotatably supports the rollers contacts the reading surface, the separation dimension between the outer peripheral surface of these rollers and the reading surface of the reading unit can be set easily and accurately, and the assembly work can be facilitated. At the same time, the reading quality of the original can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing an embodiment of a document reading apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the same document reading device.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the same document reading device.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a facsimile apparatus using the same document reading apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a partial front view showing another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 31 Document path 34 Document reading device 43 Image sensor 43a as reading unit 43a Reading surface 63 White roller as roller 65 Outer peripheral surface 66 Color 81 Bearing

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A document passage through which a document is conveyed, a reading unit having a reading surface which faces the document passage and reads the document, and an outer periphery which faces the reading surface with a predetermined distance. An original reading device comprising: a roller having a surface; and a collar rotatably fitted to the roller and abutting the reading surface. 2. A document passage through which a document is conveyed, a reading section having a reading surface which faces the document passage and reads the document, and an outer periphery which faces the reading surface with a predetermined distance. An original reading apparatus comprising: a roller having a surface; and a bearing that abuts on the reading surface and rotatably supports the roller.