JPH11196222A - Picture reader - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce a cost by engaging one engaging part of a rear surface member with one supporting part of a frame, inserting an original pressing part between a pair of wall parts of the frame and then engaging the other engaging part to the other supporting part for supporting so as to reduce man- hour for assembling at the time of fixing the rear surface member. SOLUTION: In the case of assembling for supporting the rear surface member 21 to the rear surface member arranging part 13a of an original guide frame at an upper part, the member 21 is first arranged on the lower side of the part 13a, the member 21 is made into a tilting state and a supporting shaft 15 formed at one wall 14 of the part 13a is inserted to the long hole 23 of the one wall part 22 of the member 21. Next, the member 21 is shifted to the side of one wall part 22 to insert the whole of the member 21 between a pair of walls 14 of the part 13a. Thereby, the member 21 is easily supported to the part 13a of the original guide frame by simple operation.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image reading apparatus for reading an image described on a conveyed document.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a facsimile apparatus, an image read on an original is read by an image reader provided on the original transport path while the original for transmission is transported on the original transport path, and is converted into an image signal.

Conventionally, there is an image reading apparatus shown in FIG. 9 provided in a document conveying path of this facsimile apparatus. FIG. 9 is a front view showing the image reading apparatus.

In FIG. 9, reference numeral 1 denotes a scanner, which reads an image described on a conveyed document P, and has a linear shape having a length corresponding to the width of the document. The scanner 1 is provided along a direction perpendicular to the document transport direction. Reference numeral 2 denotes a rear member made of a flat plate made of metal or synthetic resin, which presses the conveyed document P against the scanner 1, and has a strip shape having a length corresponding to the width of the document. Both ends in the longitudinal direction of the back member 2 are erected upward, and elongated holes 3 are formed at the erected ends along the vertical direction. Reference numeral 4 denotes a frame which constitutes a part of the document conveying path, and has a pair of walls 5 located above both ends in the longitudinal direction of the scanner 1. Reference numeral 6 denotes a pair of support members, which are disposed inside the pair of wall portions 5 of the frame 4, and one end of each of the support members is provided by the pair of wall portions 5.
Is attached by screws 7.

The back member 2 is disposed above and in parallel with the scanner 1 so as to face the scanner 1. The elongated holes 3 at both ends are supported by the other ends of a pair of support members 6 being inserted and engaged. ing. In order to attach the back member 2 to the frame 4, for example, one support member 6 is attached to one wall 5 of the frame 4 by screws 7, and one end of the back member 2 is supported by the support member 6, and then the other is supported. Is attached to the other wall 5 of the frame 4 by screws 7, and one end of the back member 2 is supported by the support member 7. As a result, the back member 2 is supported so as to be displaceable in a direction (up and down direction) approaching and separating from the scanner 1. Although not shown, a spring is attached to the frame 4, and the spring presses the back member 2 toward the scanner 1. As a result, the back member 2 is displaced toward the scanner 1 along the elongated hole 3. The portion of the back member 2 facing the scanner 1 is white, which is a white standard for the scanner 1 to read an image.

In the image reading apparatus configured as described above, a document (not shown) is conveyed on the document conveying path with the screen on which the image is written down, and passes between the scanner 1 and the lower surface of the back member 5. pass. At this time, since the spring force is applied to the back surface member 5 toward the scanner 1 by the spring, the document P is pressed against the upper surface of the scanner 4. The scanner 4 reads an image described on a document.

[0007]

However, such a conventional image reading apparatus has the following problems. Since the back member 5 has a role of pressing the document against the scanner 1 by receiving the spring force, it is necessary to support the back member 5 so as to be freely displaceable along the direction approaching and separating from the scanner 1. For this reason,
Conventionally, a pair of support members 6 are attached to the wall 5 of the frame 4 by screws 7, and the pair of support members 6 support the back member 2 so as to be freely displaceable along the direction approaching and away from the scanner 1. Therefore, there is a problem that the time and labor required for assembling are large and the economical efficiency is low because the time and effort for screwing with the screws 7 are specially required to support the back member 2 on the frame 4.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an image reading apparatus which requires a small number of assembling steps to mount a back member and is economical.

[0009]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image reading apparatus which is arranged in a document conveying path for conveying a document along a direction intersecting a document conveying direction and reads an image described on the document. A scanner, a frame having a pair of walls opposed to both ends in the length direction of the scanner, and a support portion formed on each of the pair of walls; and the pair of frames facing the scanner. A document holding portion that presses a document conveyed by being located at a position sandwiched between the walls of the document holding portion and a pair of support portions of the frame that are located at both ends in the length direction of the document holding portion to the scanner respectively. And a pair of engaging portions which are engaged and supported so as to be displaceable along a direction approaching and separating from the document holding portion. A pair of walls of the frame A back member that is inserted between and then supported by engaging the other engagement portion with the other support portion, and a longitudinal direction of the back member that is attached to the frame and engages the back member. And a back member for preventing displacement.

According to the structure of the present invention, the back member engages one engaging portion with one supporting portion of the frame, inserts the document pressing portion between the pair of wall portions of the frame, and then inserts the other portion. By engaging the engagement portion with the other support portion, the back member can be supported on the frame by a simple operation without requiring any special operation.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the image reading apparatus according to the first aspect, the pair of support portions of the frame are protrusions extending in a direction intersecting the document conveying direction, and the pair of the back members are provided. Is characterized in that the engaging portion is a hole.

According to the present invention, the structure is suitable for securely supporting the back member on the frame by a simple operation.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the image reading apparatus according to the first aspect, the lateral displacement prevention member is integrated with a spring that applies a force toward the scanner to a document pressing portion of the back surface member. Features.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the image reading apparatus according to the first aspect, the lateral displacement prevention member is integrated with a spring that presses a transport roller that transports the original.

According to the constructions of the invention, the movement preventing member is formed integrally with another member as a part thereof, so that the structure can be simplified in providing the movement preventing member.

[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a front view showing an image reading apparatus according to this embodiment. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line Z-Z in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line Y-Y in FIG. 1, FIG. 4A is a plan view seen from the direction of FIG. 1W, and FIG. FIGS. 5 to 7 are sectional views taken along the X-ray, showing the operation of supporting the back member on the frame. This embodiment is applied to an image reading apparatus provided in a document conveying section of a facsimile machine.

In the figure, reference numeral 11 denotes a horizontal document transport path for transporting the document P in the direction A shown in the figure. The document transport path 11 comprises a horizontally arranged lower document guide frame 12 made of, for example, a metal plate, and It is configured by combining an upper document guide frame 13 made of, for example, a metal plate, which is horizontally arranged at an interval above the frame 12.
An opening 12a of a predetermined width for the scanner is formed in the lower document guide frame 12 along a direction perpendicular to the document conveying direction, and a back member arrangement portion 13a is opened in the upper document guide frame 13. It is formed along the direction perpendicular to the document conveying direction so as to face the portion 12a.

The back member arranging portion 13a is for arranging and supporting a back member 21 to be described later. The back member arranging portion 13a has an elongated shape having an open lower surface and a wall on the upper surface, in other words, a shape in which a gutter is directed downward. The rear member 21 has such a length that it can be inserted and arranged through the lower surface opening. As shown in FIG. 1, back member supporting walls 14 are formed at both ends in the length direction (a direction perpendicular to the document conveying direction) of the back member arranging portion 13a. A pair of support shafts 15 as an example of a support portion having a predetermined length extending inward along the length direction of the arrangement portion 13a are formed on the inner surface portion so as to face each other. The support shaft 15 has a rectangular cross section in order to prevent the back member 21 from rotating. In addition, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4A, the wall 13b located on the upper surface of the back member arrangement portion 13a includes:
A pair of holes 16 through which a spring portion of a back member pressing member 32 described later is inserted vertically are formed at both ends in the length direction, and a back surface is formed substantially at the center in the length direction of one side. Movement preventing member 31 formed integrally with member pressing member 32
Is formed to penetrate vertically.

A scanner 18 has a linear case having a length corresponding to the width of the document, and a light source such as an LED, an imaging device, and a solid-state imaging device. The side surface is formed as a transparent plate, the LED irradiates light to the original through the transparent plate of the case, and the reflected light is made incident again through the transparent plate of the case to form an image on the solid-state image sensor with the imaging device The solid-state imaging device reads the image by converting the image into an electric signal. The scanner 18 is provided along a direction perpendicular to the document transport direction with the transparent plate portion facing upward at an open portion 12 a formed in the document guide frame 12 of the document transport path 1. The scanner 18 is attached to the document guide frame 12 or a member (not shown). That is, the scanner 18 is connected to the upper original guide frame 1.
The third rear member arranging portion 13a is disposed in parallel and directly below.

In the drawing, reference numeral 21 denotes a back member made of, for example, metal or synthetic resin.
Is pressed onto the transparent plate of the scanner 18 and serves as a white reference. The back member 21 is formed by bending a document holding portion 21a, which is a strip-shaped flat plate having a length corresponding to the width of the document P, on both sides of the document holding portion 21a in the document feeding direction. And a pair of side plate portions 21b having a strip shape. Document holding unit 21
The lower surface of “a” (the surface facing the scanner 18) is processed to be white by means such as pasting a white sheet made of a synthetic resin. This white color is used as a reference for white color when the scanner 18 reads an image. A pair of wall portions 22 are formed at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the back member 21 so as to be bent upward, and the pair of wall portions 22 have engaging portions each having a predetermined length along the vertical direction. Each of the long holes 23 is an example. A locking portion 25 into which the back member pressing member 32 is inserted and locked is formed at a substantially central portion in the length direction of the side plate portion 21b on one side of the back member 21, and the locking portion 25 is formed on the side plate portion 21b. It is notched so as to extend vertically from the upper end.

The back member 21 is disposed inside the back member arranging portion 13a of the upper document guide frame 13, that is, above the scanner 18 in parallel (in a direction perpendicular to the document conveying direction) with the back member. It is supported by the arrangement part 13a. Here, as shown in FIG. 6, the length between the tip of the support shaft 15 in the rear member arrangement portion 13a and the wall 13 facing the wall 14 having the support shaft 15 is M, and a pair of support shafts 15 In the case where the length between the front ends is N and the total length of the back member 21 is L, respective dimensions are set so that M ≧ L and N ≦ L. The back member 21 is located on the back member arrangement portion 13a of the upper document guide frame 13.
When the assembling is performed, first, as shown in FIG. 5, the back member 21 is arranged below the back member arranging portion 13a, the back member 21 is inclined, and one wall of the back member 21 is inclined. The support shaft 15 formed on one wall 14 of the back member disposing portion 13a is inserted into the long hole 23 of the portion 22. Next, as shown in FIG.
2, the entire back member 21 is inserted between the pair of walls 14 of the back member arrangement portion 13a. Next, as shown in FIG. 7, the back member 21 is shifted toward the other wall 22, and the back member arrangement portion 13 a
The support shaft 14 formed on the wall 14 is inserted. Thereby, the long holes 23 of the pair of wall portions 22 located at both ends of the back member 21 respectively engage with the pair of support shafts 24 located at both ends of the back member disposing portion 13a. It is supported by the member arrangement portion 13a (document guide frame 13). Since the long holes 23 of each pair of wall portions 22 are vertically long holes, the back member 21 is moved in the vertical direction (scanner 1).
8 is supported so as to be movable along the direction of approaching / separating with respect to 8.

In this manner, the back member 21 can be easily supported on the back member arrangement portion 13a of the document guide frame 13 by a simple operation. Further, a pair of support shafts 15 are formed as support portions provided on the document guide frame 13, and the back member 2 is formed.
1 to form the long hole 23 as an engagement portion, so that the back member 21 is connected to the back member arrangement portion 13 as described above.
a can be easily and smoothly engaged.

In the figure, reference numeral 31 denotes a back member for preventing movement of the back member. The movement preventing member 31 is formed integrally with a back member pressing member 32 made of metal or synthetic resin. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4A, the back member pressing member 32 has a strip-shaped main body portion 32a having a length shorter than the length of the back member 21 and a width substantially equal to the width of the back member 21. A pair of spring portions 33 are formed on both ends of the main body portion 32a so as to downwardly press the back member 21 from above. The pair of spring portions 33 are bent downward, for example, at right angles from the end of the back member 21, and further bent inwardly upward to have an elastic force along the vertical direction.
When the document is arranged on the back member arranging portion 13a of the document guide frame 13, it has a size capable of pressing the document pressing portion 21a of the back member 21. At a substantially central portion of one side of the main body portion 32a of the back member pressing member 32, a movement preventing member 31 that is inserted and locked into the locking portion 24 formed on the side plate portion 21b of the back member 21 is formed. This movement preventing member 31
Is formed integrally with the main body portion 31a and extends downward, and has a size that can be locked by the locking portion 24.

The back member pressing member 32 is arranged and attached to the back member arranging portion 13a of the document guide frame 13. That is, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 7, the movement preventing member 31 is positioned above the back member disposition portion 13a and descends, and a pair of spring portions 33 formed on both ends are formed on both ends of the back member disposition portion 13a. The body is inserted through the pair of holes 16 into the inside of the back member arranging portion 13a, and the movement preventing member 31 is inserted into the inside of the back member arranging portion 13a through the hole 17 formed substantially in the center of the back member arranging portion 13a. The portion 31a is placed on the upper surface of the back member disposing portion 13a and is in contact therewith. As a result, the pair of spring portions 33 of the back member pressing member 32 contact and press the document pressing portion 21a of the back member 21 arranged and supported by the back member arranging portion 13a from above. The back member 21 is pushed by the pair of spring portions 33 and descends along the long holes 23 of the pair of engagement portions 22, and reaches a position where the document pressing portion 21 a presses the document P against the scanner 18. In addition, the movement preventing member 31 is inserted and locked from above into the locking portion 25 of the side plate portion 21b of the back member 21, so that the back member 21 is prevented from being displaced along the length direction. That is, since the back member 21 is displaced in the length direction with respect to the back member placement portion 13a so as to be inserted and removed, the back member placement portion 13a has a sufficient dimension in the length direction. To be supported, the movement preventing member 31
It is necessary to prevent longitudinal displacement. The back member 21 is prevented from moving in the width direction by a combination of the elongated hole 23 and the support shaft 15 of the back member arrangement portion 13a. Therefore, the back member 21 is reliably supported by the back member arrangement portion 13a.

The back member pressing member 32 can be easily arranged and mounted on the back member arranging portion 13a of the document guide frame 13, and can press the back member 21 and prevent displacement of the back member 21 in the longitudinal direction. Is the back member placement part 1
3a can be performed simultaneously. Further, since the movement preventing member 31 for preventing displacement of the back member 21 is formed integrally with the back member pressing member 32, it is not necessary to increase the number of parts as a movement preventing member. That is, the back member pressing member 32 is conventionally provided to press the back member 21, and the movement preventing member 31 is provided using this member.

Further, a pair of transport rollers 41, 42 sandwiching the horizontal document transport path 11 on the upper and lower sides with respect to the scanner 14 in the document transport direction are provided upstream of the scanner 14, and these transport rollers 41, 42 are attached. The roller shafts 41a and 42a are rotatably supported by a support member (not shown). Downstream of the scanner 14 in the document transport direction, a pair of transport rollers 43 and 44 sandwiching the horizontal document transport path 11 on the upper and lower sides are provided, and roller shafts 43 a and 44 a to which these transport rollers 43 and 44 are attached are provided. Are rotatably supported by a support member (not shown). In addition, for example, the transport roller 42,
Reference numeral 44 denotes a driving roller rotated by a rotation driving device (not shown).
The driven roller is driven by the driven roller 44.

In the image reading apparatus constructed as described above, the pair of spring portions 33 of the back member pressing member 32 are provided so that the document P can easily pass between the scanner 18 and the document pressing portion 21a of the back member 21. An elastic force is set, and the original pressing portion 21a of the lowered back member 21 and the scanner 18 are set.
Set the distance to the transparent plate part.

When the original P is transported, the transport rollers 4
1, 42 and the transport rollers 43 and 44 are rotated. The document P, to which the conveying force is applied by the document conveying rollers, is conveyed in the direction A shown in the drawing along a document conveying path 11 sandwiched between the document guide frames 12 and 13 with a screen on which an image is written down.
The transparent plate portion of the scanner 18 and the document pressing portion 2 of the back member 21
1a. The light of the LED of the scanner 18 reaches the document P from the transparent plate portion, and the reflected light is made incident again through the transparent plate portion to form an image on the solid-state imaging device by the imaging device. As a result, the solid-state imaging device converts the image into an electric signal and reads the image described on the document P. in this case,
Since the document P is pressed flat against the transparent plate portion of the scanner 18, the scanner 18 can read the image of the document P satisfactorily.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but can be implemented with various modifications. FIG. 8 shows another embodiment, and the same parts as those in FIG. 3 are denoted by the same reference numerals. In this embodiment, the movement preventing member 31
Are formed integrally with the roller shaft holding member. That is, since the transport rollers 41 and 43 are driven rollers, the roller shafts 41a and 43a are supported movably in a direction approaching and separating from the transport rollers 42 and 44 which are drive rollers. Are brought into contact with the transport rollers 42 and 44. That is,
The transport rollers 41 and 43 are rotating transport rollers 42 and 44
It is rotated in contact with. Then, the roller shafts 41a, 43
A roller shaft pressing member 51 having a spring for pressing a toward the transport rollers 42 and 44 is conventionally provided. The roller shaft holding member 51 is formed of a metal plate or a synthetic resin, and is attached to, for example, the rear member arranging portion 13a of the document guide frame 13, and includes a roller shaft 41.
a, 43a from the upper side. Then, the movement preventing member 31 is connected to the roller shaft pressing member 5.
The movement preventing member 31 is inserted and locked in the locking portion 24 of the back member 21 supported by the back member arrangement portion 13 of the document guide frame 13.
Also in this embodiment, since the movement preventing member 31 is formed integrally with the conventionally used roller shaft pressing member 51, it is not necessary to increase the number of parts as the movement preventing member.

[0031]

According to the image reading apparatus of the first aspect of the present invention, the back member engages one engaging portion with one supporting portion of the frame to hold the document pressing portion between the pair of wall portions of the frame. Then, by engaging the other engaging portion with the other supporting portion, the back member can be supported on the frame by a simple operation without requiring any special operation.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the structure is suitable for securely supporting the back member on the frame by a simple operation.

According to the third and fourth aspects of the present invention,
By integrally forming the movement preventing member as a part of another member, the structure can be simplified in providing the movement preventing member.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the image reading apparatus according to the embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing the image reading apparatus according to the embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the image reading apparatus according to the embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a view showing an operation of assembling the image reading apparatus of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a view showing an operation of assembling the image reading apparatus of the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is an exemplary view showing an operation of assembling the image reading apparatus of the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing an image reading apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a front view showing an image reading apparatus according to a conventional mode.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 11: Document conveying path, 12: Document guide frame, 13: Document guide frame, 15: Support shaft, 16: Hole, 17: Hole, 18: Scanner, 21: Back member, 21a: Document holding section, 21b: Side plate section Reference numeral 22: engaging portion, 23: elongated hole, 24: locking portion, 31: movement inhibiting member, 32: document holding member, 33: spring portion, 41: transport roller, 42: transport roller, 43: transport roller, 44: a transport roller, 51: a roller pressing member, 52: a spring portion.

Claims (4)

[Claims] A scanner for reading an image written on the document, the scanner being arranged along a direction intersecting the document conveyance direction in a document conveyance path for conveying the document, and facing a scanner in both longitudinal ends thereof. A frame having a pair of wall portions each having a support portion formed on the pair of wall portions, and being conveyed at a position opposed to the scanner at a position sandwiched between the pair of wall portions of the frame. A document holding portion for holding the document against the scanner, and a pair of support portions of the frame which are positioned at both ends in the length direction of the document holding portion so as to be displaceably engaged with the scanner in a direction approaching and separating from the scanner. And one of the engaging portions is engaged with the one supporting portion of the frame to insert the document pressing portion between the pair of wall portions of the frame, and then the other. Of the other support A back member supported by being engaged with the holding portion; and a movement preventing member for the back member attached to the frame and engaged with the back member to prevent the length of the back member from shifting in the longitudinal direction. An image reading device characterized by the above-mentioned. 2. A pair of support portions of the frame are projections along a direction intersecting a document conveying direction, and a pair of engagement portions of the back member are elongated holes. 2. The image reading device according to 1. 3. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the movement preventing member is integrated with a spring that applies a force toward the scanner to a document pressing portion of the back member. 4. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the movement preventing member is integrated with a spring that presses a conveyance roller that conveys the document.