Image processing apparatus

Abstract

The present application provides an image processing device, improve the use of easy for users. Image processing device has: first upper conveying surface (130A) and second upper conveying surface (130B), support sheet (SH); paper feed roller (92), send out the sheet supported by the first upper conveying surface in the conveying direction; separation roller (54), located at the downstream side than the paper feed roller in the conveying direction, separate the sheet supported by the second upper conveying surface one by one; and limiting component (80), located between the paper feed roller and the separation roller, can be displaced between the first position of abutting with the leading end of the sheet supported by the first upper conveying surface and limiting the sheet passing in the conveying direction and the second position of allowing the sheet passing in the conveying direction, which is away from the conveying path (P1) than the first position, the wall surface (80d) of the limiting component has a plurality of protrusions (80e) abutting with the leading end of the sheet.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an image processing apparatus having the function of restricting the user's insertion of sheets. Background Technology

[0002] Conventionally, as described in Patent Document 1, there is a known technique of providing a limiting member between a first feed roller and a second feed roller. This limiting member restricts the passage of paper by switching from a second position retracting from the paper's transport path to a first position appearing on the paper's transport path, thereby abutting against the leading edge of the paper fed by the first feed roller.

[0003] Existing technical documents

[0004] Patent documents

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2010-37020 Summary of the Invention

[0006] The problem that the invention aims to solve

[0007] In the aforementioned prior art, when a user inserts paper while the limiting component is switched to its first position, the leading edge of the paper may warp upwards or downwards along the limiting component after contact with it. In this case, the user cannot easily feel the paper against the leading edge of the limiting component, thus resulting in insufficient ease of use.

[0008] The purpose of this invention is to provide an image processing apparatus that can suppress warping of the front end of a sheet when it comes into contact with a limiting member, thereby improving ease of use.

[0009] Technical solutions for solving the problem

[0010] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention is characterized by comprising: a support surface for supporting a sheet; a feed roller for feeding the sheet supported by the support surface in a conveying direction; a separating member located downstream of the feed roller in the conveying direction for separating the sheet supported by the support surface one sheet at a time; and a limiting member displaceable between a first position and a second position, wherein the first position is a position between the feed roller and the separating member where the limiting member abuts against the front end of the sheet supported by the support surface, thereby restricting the sheet from passing through in the conveying direction; and the second position is a position further away from the conveying path than the first position and allowing the sheet to pass through in the conveying direction, wherein the limiting member has at least one protrusion on the wall surface abutting against the front end of the sheet.

[0011] In the image processing apparatus of this invention, a limiting member that restricts the passage of a sheet supported on a support surface in the transport direction is configured to be displaceable to a first position or a second position. At the first position, the limiting member abuts against the front end of the sheet supported by the support surface, restricting the sheet's passage in the transport direction. At the second position, which is farther from the transport path than the first position, the limiting member allows the sheet to pass in the transport direction.

[0012] When the sheet comes into contact with the front end of the first position, at least one protrusion is provided on the wall surface of the limiting member that abuts against the front end of the sheet. Therefore, when the front end of the sheet inserted by the user abuts against the limiting member, it is locked against the protrusion on the wall surface, thus preventing the front end of the sheet from sliding on the wall surface and warping upwards or downwards. This improves ease of use for the user.

[0013] Invention Effects

[0014] According to the present invention, ease of use for users can be improved. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the conceptual overall structure of a multifunction machine according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] Figure 2 It is a three-dimensional view showing the external structure of the multifunction printer.

[0017] Figure 3 This is a top view showing the external structure of the multifunction printer.

[0018] Figure 4 This is a transverse sectional view of the main cross-sectional structure of the reading unit, viewed from the rear.

[0019] Figure 5 It means in Figure 4 The diagram shows a cross-sectional view of the structure with the cover open.

[0020] Figure 6 It means in Figure 4 The diagram shows a three-dimensional view of the structure with the open / closed cover in place.

[0021] Figure 7 It is a cross-sectional view and a partial enlarged view showing the state in which the limiting component and the locking lever are engaged.

[0022] Figure 8 It is a cross-sectional view and a partial enlarged view showing the state in which the engagement between the limiting component and the locking lever is released.

[0023] Figure 9 It is a cross-sectional view used to illustrate the transmission structure of the driving force from the electric motor to the paper feed roller.

[0024] Figure 10 It is a partially enlarged sectional view used to illustrate the transmission and disconnection of driving force achieved by the movement of planetary gears and the oscillation of the retaining member.

[0025] Figure 11 It is a partially enlarged sectional view used to illustrate the transmission and disconnection of driving force achieved by the movement of planetary gears and the oscillation of the retaining member.

[0026] Figure 12 This is a functional block diagram representing the electrical structure of the multifunction printer.

[0027] Figure 13 This is a perspective view showing the external structure of the ADF section, excluding the peripheral structure of the limiting components in the transport section.

[0028] Figure 14 It is a partially enlarged perspective view showing the appearance and structure of the limiting components and ribs.

[0029] Figure 15 It is a partially enlarged side view showing the appearance structure of the limiting components and ribs.

[0030] Figure 16 This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the effect of the limiting members and ribs on suppressing the upward and downward warping of the sheet.

[0031] Figure 17 This is a conceptual diagram showing the configuration of sensors mounted on a sheet on the loading surface. Detailed Implementation

[0032] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, the accompanying drawings are used to illustrate the technical features that can be employed in the present invention, and the structures of the described apparatus are not limited thereto, but are merely illustrative examples.

[0033] <Overall Structure of the Multifunctional Machine>

[0034] Figure 1 The overall schematic structure of the multifunction printer 1 in this embodiment is conceptually represented. The multifunction printer 1 is an example of an image processing apparatus. Figure 1 In the multifunction printer 1 shown, the front, back, left, right, and up / down directions are displayed with the direction facing the front of the paper defined as the front of the device and the direction facing the left hand of the paper defined as the left. Furthermore, all directions shown in subsequent figures are consistent with... Figure 1 The directions shown are displayed accordingly.

[0035] like Figure 1As shown in the figure, the multifunction machine 1 includes a main body unit 2 and a reading unit 3. The reading unit 3 includes an ADF (Auto Document Feeder) unit 9 and a FB (Flatbed) unit. An operation panel 40 such as a touch panel is provided on the front surface of the FB unit 5 of the ADF unit 9 (refer to Figure 12 described later).

[0036] As Figure 1 shown, the main body unit 2 is a flat, substantially box-shaped body and includes an image forming unit 4 inside. The image forming unit 4 forms an image on a recording sheet by an inkjet method, a laser method, etc., based on image data received from a personal computer connected to the multifunction machine 1, image data generated by reading an image of an original by the reading unit 3, etc. The reading unit 3 is disposed above the main body unit 2. The FB unit 5 is used when reading an image of an original placed on an original support surface 101A described later. The ADF unit 9 includes a supply tray 12, a discharge tray 14, and a conveying unit 6. The conveying unit 6 conveys a sheet SH placed on the supply tray 12 along a conveying path P1 and discharges it to the discharge tray 14. The ADF unit 9 is used when reading an image of a sheet SH placed on the supply tray 12 while sequentially conveying it along the conveying path P1. In addition, sheets to be read include not only sheets such as paper and OHP (Over head Projector) films but also originals, etc.

[0037] <Appearance of ADF unit>

[0038] The external structure of the ADF unit 9 is shown in Figure 2 and Figure 3 . As shown in this Figure 2 and Figure 3 , the ADF unit 9 is supported by a hinge portion (not shown) provided at the rear so as to be able to swing about an opening / closing axis X9 extending in the left - right direction. In the closed state shown in Figure 2 and Figure 3 , the ADF unit 9 covers the original support surface 101A described later from above. Although not shown in the figure, the ADF unit 9 swings about the above - mentioned opening / closing axis X9 in such a way that its front end portion is displaced upward and rearward, thereby exposing the original support surface 101A. Thus, the user can place an original to be read on the original support surface 101A.

[0039] As Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, a supply tray 12 is formed on the right side of the ADF section 9. The upper surface of the supply tray 12 is a paper feed surface 12A that supports the sheets SH from below. Multiple sheets SH, which are to be read, are loaded onto the paper feed surface 12A and conveyed by the transport section 6. The paper feed surface 12A is a flat surface that slopes downwards to the left. A front guide 17F and a rear guide 17R are respectively provided on the supply tray 12 in a manner that allows them to slide in the front-to-back direction. By bringing the front guide 17F and the rear guide 17R closer together or separating them from each other, various sheets SH of different sizes supported on the supply tray 12 can be clamped from the front and back. Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the discharge tray 14 is located below the supply tray 12. The upper surface of the discharge tray 14 is the discharge surface 14A, which supports the sheet SH from below. The sheet SH, whose image has been read by the image sensor 3S and discharged by the conveyor unit 6, is loaded onto the discharge surface 14A. The discharge surface 14A is a flat surface that slopes upward from left to right.

[0040] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, an opening / closing cover 32 is provided on the upper part of the ADF section 9. The opening / closing cover 32 is a generally flat plate member extending from approximately the center of the ADF section 9 to its left end in the front-rear and left-right directions. The left end of the opening / closing cover 32 is bent downward. Furthermore, the opening / closing cover 32 is supported at its left and lower ends in a manner that allows it to swing about an opening / closing axis X32 extending in the front-rear direction. Thus, the opening / closing cover 32 can... Figure 2 and Figure 3 The closed position is indicated by the solid line and described later. Figure 5 The displacement is between the open positions shown. In the closed position, the opening / closing cover 32 functions to cover the conveying path P1.

[0041] <Cross-sectional structure of the reading unit>

[0042] Figure 4 This is a diagram showing the cross-sectional structure of the main parts of reading unit 3 from the rear. Figure 5 This diagram shows the state in which the opening / closing cover 32 is open within the cross-sectional structure. Figure 4 and Figure 5 In this assembly, a platen glass 101 is disposed on the upper surface of the FB section 5. A document support surface 101A is formed on the upper surface of the platen glass 101. An image sensor 3S is disposed within the FB section and below the platen glass 101 in a manner that allows it to move in the left-right direction. When the image sensor 3S reads an image of a stationary document, the document support surface 101A supports the document from below.

[0043] A reading surface 101B is formed on the upper surface of the platen glass 101. When the image sensor 3S within the FB unit 5 reads images of the sheets SH being transported one by one by the transport unit 6, the reading surface 101B guides the transported sheets SH from below. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the object whose image is read using the original document support surface 101A is recorded as the original document, and the object whose image is read while being transported by the transport unit 6 is recorded as the sheet SH. The original document and the sheet SH can also be substantially the same.

[0044] The FB unit 5 includes the aforementioned image sensor 3S, a scanning mechanism (not shown), and the aforementioned platen glass 101. The scanning mechanism causes the image sensor 3S to reciprocate in the left-right direction below the original document support surface 101A and the reading surface 101B. When reading an image of the original document supported by the original document support surface 101A, the image sensor 3S reads while moving below the original document support surface 101A. When reading an image while the sheet SH is being transported by the transport unit 6, the image sensor 3S is stopped at a predetermined stationary reading position. Here, the stationary reading position where the image sensor 3S stops is a position opposite to the reading surface 101B from below. As the image sensor 3S, a known image reading sensor such as a CIS (Contact Image Sensor) or a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) is used.

[0045] A base component 9A is provided in the lower part of the ADF section 9. The base component 9A forms the bottom of the ADF section 9. The right part of the base component 9A forms the aforementioned discharge tray 14. A conveying section 6 is provided between the opening and closing cover 32 of the ADF section 9 and the left part of the base component 9A. The conveying section 6 has an upper slide groove component 130 and a lower slide groove component 140 assembled to the base component 9A. The lower slide groove component 140 is located below the upper slide groove component 130. The base component 9A is located below the lower slide groove component 140.

[0046] like Figure 4 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, multiple guide ribs 32R extending in the left-right direction are formed side-by-side along the front-back direction on the inner surface of the opening / closing cover 32. An upper guide surface 32A is formed from the lower edge of these guide ribs 32R. The aforementioned upper guide surface 32A defines the upper path P1A (described later) in the upper transport path P1.

[0047] The upper surface of the upper chute component 130 is an example of a support surface, forming a first upper conveying surface 130A and a second upper conveying surface 130B. The first upper conveying surface 130A is adjacent to the left end of the supply tray 12 and is a flat surface sloping downward to the left. The first upper conveying surface 130A of the upper chute component 130 and the paper supply surface 12A of the supply tray 12 constitute a loading surface 150A. Multiple sheets of paper SH, which are to be read, are loaded onto the loading surface 150A and conveyed by the conveying unit 6. The second upper conveying surface 130B is a generally flat surface that continues from the first upper conveying surface 130A and slopes upward to the left.

[0048] Lower guide surfaces 140A1 and 140A2 are formed on the lower surface of the slide groove component 140. Lower guide surface 140A1 is a generally flat surface that slopes downward to the right from the vicinity of the left end of the ADF section 9 toward the reading surface 101B. Lower guide surface 140A2 is a generally flat surface that slopes upward to the right following lower guide surface 140A1. Lower conveying surface 140B1 and lower conveying surface 140B2, which are opposite to lower guide surface 140A1 from below, are formed on the upper surface of the base component 9A.

[0049] The conveying path P1 in the conveying unit 6 is defined as the space enclosed by the first upper conveying surface 130A and the second upper conveying surface 130B of the upper chute component 130, the lower guide surfaces 140A1 and 140A2 of the lower chute component 140, the upper guide surface 32A of the opening and closing cover 32, the lower conveying surfaces 140B1 and 140B2 of the base component 9A, and various conveying rollers. More specifically, the conveying path P1 includes an upper path P1A, which is the portion extending to the left from the paper feeding surface 12A of the supply tray 12 along the first upper conveying surface 130A and the second upper conveying surface 130B of the upper chute component 130. Next, the conveying path P1 includes a curved path P1B, which is the portion that connects to the upper path P1A and curves downwards. Next, the conveying path P1 includes a lower path P1C, which connects to the curved path P1B. This lower path P1C consists of a portion that slopes downwards from the lower end of the curved section towards the reading surface 101B and extends shortly to the right along the reading surface 101B, and a portion that slopes further to the right and upwards from the right end of the reading surface 101B to reach the discharge tray 14. The upper path P1A and the lower path P1C overlap vertically. The conveying direction of the sheet SH conveyed by the conveying unit 6 is left in the upper path P1A of the conveying path P1, changes from left to right in the curved path P1B of the conveying path P1, and is right in the lower path P1C of the conveying path P1. Furthermore, the extension direction and shape of this conveying path P1 are given as an example.

[0050] <Separation rollers, separation pads, paper feed rollers, etc.>

[0051] like Figure 4 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the conveying unit 6 includes a separation unit 50, a separation pad 56A, and a separation ramp 56B. The separation unit 50 includes a separation roller 54 with a rotating shaft 54S, a holding member 51, and a feed roller 92 with a rotating shaft 92S, which will be described in detail later. The rotating shaft 54S is an example of the drive shaft of the separation roller, and the rotating shaft 92S is an example of the drive shaft of the feed roller.

[0052] The separating roller 54 is located to the left of the feed roller 92, that is, downstream in the conveying direction of the conveying path P1. Furthermore, the separating roller 54 is positioned opposite the second upper conveying surface 130B of the upper chute component 130 from above. The rotating shaft 54S of the separating roller 54 is a cylindrical shaft extending with a rotating axis X54 as its axis, which extends in a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction of the sheet SH, i.e., in the front-to-back direction. Figure 6 As shown, the front end and rear end of the rotating shaft 54S of the separating roller 54 are rotatably supported in a frame (not shown) inside the front cover 31F forming the front end of the ADF section 9 and the rear cover 31R disposed at the rear end of the ADF section 9. The separating roller 54 is assembled in the center of the rotating shaft 54S.

[0053] like Figure 4 As shown, the separation pad 56A, together with the second upper conveying surface 130B, forms the conveying surface of the sheet SH. The separation pad 56A is positioned opposite the separation roller 54 from below. The separation pad 56A is a plate-shaped body made of a soft material such as rubber or elastomer. The separation pad 56A is pressed against the separation roller 54, for example, by a force-applying spring (not shown).

[0054] like Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the separation ramp 56B is disposed between the feed roll 92 and the separation roll 54 on the conveying path P1. The separation ramp 56B has an abutment surface 56B1 (see below). Figure 15 The contact surface 56B1 is used to separate the topmost sheet SH from the multiple sheets SH when they are conveyed by the feed roller 92.

[0055] like Figure 4 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the retainer 51 houses the separating roller 54 in a state that covers it from above and clamps it from the front and rear. Details will be described later. The retainer 51 is supported on the rotating shaft 54S in a manner that allows it to swing about the rotation axis X54 of the separating roller 54. Furthermore, the retainer 51 extends to the right relative to the rotating shaft 54S, i.e., upstream in the conveying direction.

[0056] like Figure 4 , Figure 5and Figure 6 As shown, the feed roller 92 is positioned opposite the first upper conveying surface 130A of the upper chute member 130 from above. Furthermore, the feed roller 92 is configured to contact the sheet SH loaded on the loading surface 150A from above. The feed roller 92 is located to the right of the separating roller 54 and is housed within the retainer 51. The feed roller 92 is supported on the retainer 51 in a manner that allows it to rotate about a rotation axis X92 parallel to the rotation axis X54. Therefore, by swinging the retainer 51 upwards or downwards about the rotation axis X54 of the separating roller 54, the feed roller 92 is configured to be displaceable between a position close to the loading surface 150A and a position separated from the loading surface 101A.

[0057] like Figure 6 As shown, a drive gear 55 is provided at the rear end of the rotating shaft 54S. The drive gear 55 is driven by the electric motor 70 (described later) to rotate the rotating shaft 54S. When the drive gear 55 rotates, the rotating shaft 54S rotates, and the separating roller 54 and the feed roller 92 rotate synchronously. The outer peripheral surface 92A of the feed roller 92 applies a conveying force to the uppermost sheet SH in the sheet SH loaded on the loading surface 150A, thereby feeding the sheet SH towards the separating roller 54. Figure 4 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the separating roller 54, together with the separating ramp 56B and the separating pad 56A, separates the sheets SH conveyed by the feed roller 92 one by one and conveys them downstream in the conveying direction of the conveying path P1.

[0058] <Conveyor Roller>

[0059] like Figure 4 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, in the upper path P1A of the conveying path P1, the conveying unit 6 has a first conveying roller 44 and a pinch roller 44P located to the left of the separating roller 54, that is, downstream of the separating roller 54 in the conveying direction. The first conveying roller 44 and the pinch roller 44P clamp the sheets SH that are separated one by one by the separating roller 54, the separating slope 56B and the separating pad 56A, and convey them downstream in the conveying direction.

[0060] like Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown, the conveying unit 6 has a bending guide surface 45G, a bending guide surface 45H, a second conveying roller 45, and a pinch roller 45P in the curved path P1B of the conveying path P1. The bending guide surface 45G and the bending guide surface 45H are opposite each other at a predetermined interval. The bending guide surface 45G defines the downward curved portion of the curved path P1B from the outside. The bending guide surface 45H defines the downward curved portion of the curved path P1B from the inside. The second conveying roller 45 and the pinch roller 45P are disposed at the lower end of the curved path P1B. The second conveying roller 45 and the pinch roller 45P clamp the sheet SH conveyed by the first conveying roller 44 and the pinch roller 44P, and further convey it to the reading surface 101B. Between the first conveying roller 44 and the pinch roller 44P and the reading surface 101B, the lower guide surface 140A1 and the lower conveying surface 140B1 are opposite each other at a predetermined interval, thereby defining the left portion of the lower path P1C.

[0061] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the conveying unit 6 also includes a paper discharge roller 48 and a pinch roller (not shown). Between the reading surface 101B and the paper discharge roller 48 and the pinch roller, the lower guide surface 140A2 and the lower conveying surface 140B2 are opposite each other at a predetermined interval, thereby defining the right portion of the lower path P1C.

[0062] The path formed by the lower guide surface 140A2 and the lower conveying surface 140B2 slopes upward toward the paper discharge roller 48 and the pinch roller, located to the right of the pressing member 49. The paper discharge roller 48 has a drive shaft 48a and is located at the right end of the lower guide surface 140A2 of the slide chute member 140. The pinch roller is located at the right end of the lower conveying surface 140B2. The paper discharge roller 48 and the pinch roller clamp the sheet SH that has passed on the reading surface 101B and discharge it toward the paper discharge surface 14A of the discharge tray 14.

[0063] <Restriction Components>

[0064] like Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the ADF unit 9 of this embodiment includes a pair of front and rear limiting members 80F and 80R located between the separating roller 54 and the feed roller 92 and abutting against the front end of the sheet SH in the conveying direction to limit the movement of the sheet SH. In addition, the front limiting member 80F and the rear limiting member 80R are generally referred to as "limiting member 80" below.

[0065] The limiting component 80 is configured to be able to Figure 7 (a) and Figure 7 (b) shows the restriction status and Figure 8 (a) and Figure 8(b) shows the switching position between the restricted and released states. In this example, in the restricted state, the restricting member 80, as described later, engages with the locking lever 100 and protrudes toward the first upper conveying surface 130A that defines the conveying path P1 of the sheet SH, thereby restricting the passage of the sheet SH. The position of the restricting member 80 at this time is an example of the first position. In the restricted released state, the restricting member 80, as described later, becomes free by releasing the engagement of the locking lever 100, and is thus pushed by the front end of the sheet SH and rotates from the first position to move upward away from the first upper conveying surface 130A, allowing the sheet SH to move downstream, i.e., allowing the sheet SH to pass. The position of the restricting member 80 at this time is an example of the second position, which is farther away from the conveying path P1 than the first position. In addition, the restricting member 80 is supported on the opening and closing cover 32 together with the retaining member 51, which includes the separating roller 54 and the feeding roller 92.

[0066] <Switching mechanism>

[0067] The state of the limiting component 80 is switched by transmitting driving force to the separating roller 54. Hereinafter, using the above-described... Figure 7 and Figure 8 and Figures 9-11 To explain its details.

[0068] exist Figure 9 As described above, the separating roller 54 and the paper feed roller 92 are disposed on the retaining member 51, which is supported on the rotating shaft 54S of the separating roller 54 in a swingable manner. The retaining member 51 is also provided with a shaft gear 154 fixed to the rotating shaft 54S, a planetary gear 153 that meshes with the shaft gear 154 and is movable by meshing with a fixed tooth 32a disposed on the opening / closing cover 32, an intermediate gear 156 that meshes with a shaft gear 157 fixed to the rotating shaft 92S of the paper feed roller 92, and an intermediate gear 155 that meshes with the intermediate gear 156. These shaft gears 154, planetary gears 153, intermediate gears 155, 156, and shaft gear 157 constitute a gear mechanism 15, which transmits the driving force input from the motor 70 to the rotating shaft 54S of the separating roller 54 to the rotating shaft 92S of the paper feed roller 92.

[0069] As described above, when the driving force generated by the rotation of the motor 70 is input to the rotating shaft 54S, the rotating shaft 54S moves towards... Figure 10 When the planetary gear 153 rotates in the X direction in (a), it moves upstream in the conveying direction, thereby, as Figure 10 As shown in (b), it engages with the fixed tooth 32a. In this engaged state, it rotates further in the X direction via the rotating shaft 54S, thereby, as Figure 10As shown in (c), the retainer 51 swings about the rotation axis X54 so that the paper feed roller 92 side descends. As a result, the paper feed roller 92 comes into contact with the sheet SH.

[0070] If used Figure 7 and Figure 8 As described above, a limiting member 80 is provided near the retainer 51 in the opening / closing cover 32. The limiting member 80 is supported in the opening / closing cover 32 in a manner rotatable about a shaft member 80c, and has a stepped portion 80a and a sheet limiting portion 80b. A locking lever 100 is rotatably supported near the feed roller 92 in the retainer 51. The locking lever 100 is controlled by a suitable spring member (not shown). Figure 7 (b) and Figure 8 Force is applied in the S direction as shown in (b). Figure 9 , Figure 10 (a) Figure 10 As shown in (b), before the retainer 51 swings as described above to lower the paper feed roller 92 side, as Figure 7 (a) and Figure 7 As shown in (b), the front end 100a of the locking lever 100 abuts against and engages with the stepped portion 80a. As a result, the rotation of the limiting member 80 is prevented, thus achieving the aforementioned limiting state.

[0071] When the retaining member 51 moves in conjunction with the planetary gear 153 as described above, it rotates about the rotation axis X54 of the rotation shaft 54S and as... Figure 10 When the paper feed roller 92 is lowered as shown in (c), the contact surface 100b of the locking rod 100 abuts against the contact rib 132 provided on the opening and closing cover 32. Thus, as shown in (c), Figure 8 (a) and Figure 8 As shown in (b), the locking lever 100 is displaced by rotating in the opposite direction to the aforementioned direction. As a result, the front end 100a of the locking lever 100 disengages from the aforementioned stepped portion 80a, and the restricting member 80 becomes freely rotatable, i.e., the aforementioned restricted release state. Furthermore, the retaining member 51, the locking lever 100, and the abutment rib 132 are an example of a switching mechanism.

[0072] exist Figure 10 After reaching the state shown in (c), it moves further upstream in the conveying direction via planetary gear 153, thereby, as Figure 11 As shown in (a), the planetary gear 153 disengages from the fixed tooth 32a. Figure 11As shown in (a), the planetary gear 153, disengaged from the fixed tooth 32a, meshes with the intermediate gear 155. Thus, the driving force from the motor 70 is transmitted to the shaft gear 157 via the rotating shaft 54S, the planetary gear 153, the intermediate gear 155 and the intermediate gear 156, causing the paper roller 92 to rotate and transport the sheet SH toward the bending path P1B.

[0073] On the other hand, when the driving force generated by the rotation of the motor 70 is input to the rotating shaft 54S, the rotating shaft 54S moves towards... Figure 11 When rotating in the Y direction as shown in (a), the planetary gear 153 moves downstream in the opposite conveying direction, thereby disengaging from the intermediate gear 155. This cuts off the transmission of driving force from the motor 70 to the feed roller 92. Then, the planetary gear 153 moves further, thereby... Figure 11 As shown in (b), it engages with the fixed tooth 32a. In this engaged state, it rotates further in the Y direction via the rotating shaft 54S, thereby, as Figure 11 As shown in (c), the retainer 51 swings about the rotation axis X54 so that the feed roller 92 rises. As a result, the feed roller 92 moves away from the sheet SH.

[0074] When the retaining member 51 swings in conjunction with the movement of the planetary gear 153 as described above, causing the paper feed roller 92 side to rise, as used Figure 8 (a) and Figure 8 (b) As described above, the locking lever 100 is lifted by abutting the abutting surface 100b against the abutting rib 132. Figure 7 (a) and Figure 7 (b) Displaces in a manner that rotates in the aforementioned S direction. As a result, the front end 100a of the locking lever 100 engages with the aforementioned stepped portion 80a, and the limiting member 80 is in the aforementioned limiting state.

[0075] <Electrical Structure of the Multifunctional Machine>

[0076] Next, the electrical structure of the multifunction printer 1 in this embodiment will be described. For example... Figure 12 As shown, the main unit 2 of the multifunction printer 1 includes a control unit 110. The control unit 110 includes a known CPU 110A, ROM 110B, RAM 110C, NVRAM 110D, and interface unit 110E. The CPU 110A executes predetermined processing according to the control program stored in the ROM 110B, RAM 110C, etc., thereby controlling the various parts of the multifunction printer 1.

[0077] The control unit 110 includes an image forming unit 4, a LAN communication unit 111, an operation panel 40, an image sensor 3S, a sheet transport sensor 113, a motor 70, a motor 114, and a sheet loading sensor 112. The image forming unit 4 and the LAN communication unit 111 are located in the main unit 2. The operation panel 40, the image sensor 3S, and the motor 114 are located in the FB unit 5. The sheet loading sensor 112, the motor 70, and the sheet transport sensor 113 are located in the ADF unit 9.

[0078] Additionally, the control unit 110 monitors signals from the sheet loading sensor 112 and the LAN communication unit 111. The LAN communication unit 111 consists of a communication interface device corresponding to wireless LAN and a communication interface device corresponding to wired LAN. The motor 114 is a power source for moving the image sensor 3S in the left-right direction within the FB unit 5. The sheet loading sensor 112 is a sensor that detects when the sheet SH is loaded on the loading surface 150A. The sheet conveying sensor 113 is a sensor that detects when the front end and rear end of the sheet SH being conveyed in the ADF unit 9 have passed predetermined detection positions in the conveying path P1.

[0079] <Features of this embodiment>

[0080] The features of this embodiment are the structure of the limiting member 80, the structure of the ribs constituting the first upper conveying surface 130A and the second upper conveying surface 130B, and the arrangement of the sheet-mounted sensor 112. These will be described in detail below.

[0081] exist Figure 13 In this diagram, the external structure of the ADF section is shown omitting only the peripheral structure of the limiting member 80 in the conveying section 6. Additionally, in Figure 14 and Figure 15 The enlarged view shows the structure of the limiting member 80. Furthermore, since limiting members 80F and 80R have the same structure, therefore... Figure 14 and Figure 15 The diagram does not distinguish between limiting components 80F and 80R, but only refers to "limiting component 80".

[0082] like Figure 13 As shown, the ADF unit 9 includes a pair of front and rear limiting members 80F and 80R that abut against the front end of the sheet SH in the conveying direction to limit the movement of the sheet SH. Figure 14 and Figure 15 As shown, the limiting member 80 has a wall surface 80d on its right side, which is the upstream side in the conveying direction, that abuts against the front end of the sheet SH. This wall surface 80d has a plurality of protrusions 80e. The plurality of protrusions 80e are located at the position of the limiting member 80. Figure 14 and Figure 15In the case of the position where the sheet SH is restricted from passing, the restrictor is arranged in the height direction. The position where the restrictor 80 restricts the sheet SH from passing is an example of the first position. Each protrusion 80e is arranged to protrude to the right in such a way that its lower surface is in a roughly horizontal direction, and its shape when viewed from the front-back direction is roughly a right-angled triangle. In addition, the number of protrusions 80e is not limited to multiple, for example, it can also be one.

[0083] like Figure 15 As shown, the limiting member 80 has a bottom surface 80f located at the bottom, a wall surface 80d abutting against the front end of the sheet SH, and a curved surface 80g connecting the bottom surface 80f and the wall surface 80d. The curved surface 80g is, for example, a surface formed into an R shape by chamfering. The wall surface 80d is an example of an abutting surface.

[0084] As described above, the upper surface of the upper chute component 130 includes a first upper conveying surface 130A and a second upper conveying surface 130B. The second upper conveying surface 130B is an example of the first inclined surface, and is a support surface that slopes upward toward the downstream side of the conveying direction. The first upper conveying surface 130A is an example of the second inclined surface, and is a support surface located upstream of the second upper conveying surface 130B in the conveying direction and slopes downward toward the downstream side of the conveying direction.

[0085] like Figure 13 , Figure 14 and Figure 15 As shown, the first upper conveying surface 130A and the second upper conveying surface 130B are surfaces that include the upper surfaces of multiple rib members 131A to 131F that protrude upwards from other parts. Rib members 131A to 131F are an example of the first rib member. Figure 15 As shown, on the upper surface of rib member 131E, the predetermined portion 131a, whose position in the conveying direction in the second upper conveying surface 130B is the same as that of the wall surface 80d, is higher than the highest portion 80h of the curved surface 80g of the limiting member 80. That is, rib member 131E has a shape that curves upward and bulges near the predetermined portion 131a. In addition, the other rib members 131A to 131D and 131F have the same structure.

[0086] As described above, a separation ramp 56B is provided between the paper feed roll 92 and the separation roll 54, such as... Figure 15 As shown, the separation ramp 56B has an abutment surface 56B1. The angle θ1 formed by the first upper conveying surface 130A and the abutment surface 56B1 of the separation ramp 56B is smaller than the angle θ2 formed by the first upper conveying surface 130A and the second upper conveying surface 130B. For example, angle θ1 is approximately 135°, and angle θ2 is approximately 160°. In addition, the upstream end 130B1 of the second upper conveying surface 130B in the conveying direction is located downstream of the abutment surface 56B1 of the separation ramp 56B in the conveying direction.

[0087] like Figure 13 and Figure 14 As shown, ribs 133R and 133F are provided upstream of restricting members 80R and 80F, respectively, between ribs 131A and 131B and between ribs 131D and 131E, respectively, opposite to restricting members 80R and 80F in the conveying direction. Ribs 133R and 133F are examples of second ribs. Figure 14 As shown, the upper surface of rib member 133F is positioned lower in the height direction than the upper surface of the first upper conveying surface 130A, i.e., the portion of rib members 131D and 131E that constitutes the first upper conveying surface 130A. Although the illustration is omitted, the same applies to rib member 133R; the upper surface of rib member 133R is positioned lower in the height direction than the upper surface of the first upper conveying surface 130A, i.e., the portion of rib members 131A and 131B that constitutes the first upper conveying surface 130A.

[0088] like Figure 13 As shown, the gear mechanism 15 is disposed on the rear side of the separation ramp 56B in the width direction of the sheet SH, which is orthogonal to the conveying direction. The limiting member 80 includes a limiting member 80R located on the rear side of the separation ramp 56B in the width direction and a limiting member 80F located on the front side of the separation ramp 56B in the width direction. The limiting member 80R is an example of a one-sided limiting member, and the limiting member 80F is an example of a one-sided limiting member. The rib members 131A to 131F include: three rib members 131A, 131B, and 131C located on the rear side of the separation ramp 56B in the width direction; two rib members 131D and 131E located on the front side of the separation ramp 56B in the width direction; and a rib member 131F disposed at a distance d from the center line CL of the separation ramp 56B in the width direction that is approximately the same as that of the rib member 131A and where the rib members 131D and 131E are not provided. Ribs 131A, 131B, and 131C are examples of one side rib, ribs 131D and 131E are examples of the other side rib, and rib 131F is an example of the third rib. The centerline CL is approximately aligned with the center of the sheet SH in the width direction. The shape and height position of the upper surface of rib 131F are approximately the same as the upper surfaces of the other ribs 131A to 131E.

[0089] By limiting the structure of component 80 as described above, such as Figure 16 As shown in (a), even if the tip of the sheet SH inserted by the user slides and warps upward on the surface of the wall 80d when it abuts against the limiting member 80, it is stopped by the protrusion 80e of the wall 80d, thus preventing the upward warping from increasing. Furthermore, as... Figure 16 As shown in (b), even if the tip of the sheet SH fed by the user is warped downwards, it will be lifted by the shape of the predetermined portion 131a of the second upper conveying surface 130B before reaching the limiting member 80, and will be higher than the bottom surface 80f when it reaches the curved surface 80g of the limiting member 80. As a result, it is possible to prevent the tip of the sheet SH from sinking below the bottom surface 80f of the limiting member 80.

[0090] Thus, by utilizing the structure of the limiting member 80 and the rib members 131A-131F, 133R, and 133F, upward and downward warping of the sheet SH is suppressed, thereby stably positioning the inserted sheet SH by the limiting member 80. Therefore, in this embodiment, taking advantage of the stable positioning of the sheet SH, the sheet placement sensor 112 is configured to detect sheet SHs of relatively small dimensions with relatively small differences in the position of their rear ends.

[0091] Figure 17 This conceptual representation illustrates the configuration of a sheet-mounted sensor 112 on a mounting surface 150A. For example... Figure 17 As shown, the sheet placement sensor 112 includes four sheet placement sensors 112A to 112D. The sheet placement sensors 112A to 112D are an example of a sensor. With the sheet SH positioned on the loading surface 150A so that its length direction is aligned with the conveying direction, and with the leading edge of the sheet SH abutting against the limiting member 80, the sheet placement sensors 112A to 112D detect the presence or absence of the sheet SH. Figure 17 As shown, in a top-down view from a direction orthogonal to the loading surface 150A, the sheet loading sensor 112D is positioned between the rear end of a longitudinally B5-sized sheet SH (176mm × 250mm paper size) with its front end abutting against the limiting member 80 and the rear end of a longitudinally LETTER-sized sheet SH (216mm × 279mm paper size) with its front end abutting against the limiting member 80. This allows for the distinguishable detection of B5-sized and LETTER-sized sheets whose rear end positions are not significantly different.

[0092] <Effects of the Implementation Method>

[0093] As explained above, in the composite machine 1 of this embodiment, the limiting member 80, which restricts the sheet SH supported by the first upper conveying surface 130A and the second upper conveying surface 130B from passing through in the conveying direction, is configured to be displaceable to a first position or a second position. At the first position, the limiting member 80 abuts against the front end of the sheet SH supported by the first upper conveying surface 130A, restricting the sheet SH from passing through in the conveying direction. At the second position, which is farther from the conveying path than the first position, the limiting member 80 allows the sheet SH to pass through in the conveying direction. When abutting against the front end of the sheet SH at the first position, at least one protrusion 80e is provided on the wall surface 80d of the limiting member 80 that abuts against the front end of the sheet. Therefore, when the front end of the sheet SH inserted by the user abuts against the limiting member 80, it abuts against the protrusion 80e of the wall surface 80d and is stuck, thus preventing the front end of the sheet from sliding upwards or downwards on the surface of the wall surface 80d. This improves ease of use for the user.

[0094] Furthermore, in this embodiment, specifically when the limiting member 80 is in the first position, a plurality of protrusions 80e are arranged in the height direction on the wall surface 80d. Thus, even if the number of sheets SH inserted at one time varies, for example, from one to several dozen sheets, the thickness of the bundle of these sheets SH will correspond to the thickness of the bundle and abut against one of the plurality of protrusions 80e, thereby suppressing the aforementioned warping.

[0095] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a sheet placement sensor 112D for detecting the presence or absence of sheet SH is specifically provided at a position between the rear end of the B5-sized sheet SH and the rear end of the LETTER-sized sheet SH, viewed from above. Additionally, in this embodiment, by suppressing warping as described above, the inserted sheet SH is stably positioned by the restraint member 80. Therefore, when a B5-sized sheet SH is inserted, the detection result of the sheet placement sensor 112D is "no sheet" with high accuracy, and when a LETTER-sized sheet is inserted, the detection result of the sheet placement sensor 112D is "sheet present" with high accuracy. As a result, it is possible to distinguish between B5-sized sheets and LETTER-sized sheets when inserted with the sheet length direction aligned with the conveying direction, where the difference in the position of the sheet's rear end is not significant.

[0096] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the limiting member 80 specifically includes a curved surface 80g located below the first position, connecting the bottom surface 80f to the wall surface 80d. When the limiting member 80 abuts against the front end of the sheet SH at the first position, a predetermined portion 131a in the second upper conveying surface 130B, whose position in the conveying direction is the same as that of the wall surface 80d, is higher than the highest portion of the curved surface 80g. Therefore, when the sheet SH is inserted, its front end is lifted by the predetermined portion 131a of the second upper conveying surface 130B before reaching the limiting member 80, and when it reaches the same position in the conveying direction as the wall surface 80d, it is higher than the position of the bottom surface 80f. As a result, it is possible to prevent the front end of the sheet SH from sinking below the bottom surface 80f of the limiting member 80 and warping downwards. Consequently, ease of use for the user is improved.

[0097] Furthermore, in this embodiment, specifically, the angle θ1 formed by the first upper conveying surface 130A and the contact surface 56B1 of the separation slope 56B is smaller than the angle θ2 formed by the first upper conveying surface 130A and the second upper conveying surface 130B. In other words, the second upper conveying surface 130B is in a transverse state, being closer to horizontal than the contact surface 56B1 of the separation slope 56B. This reduces the possibility that when sheet SH is fed in, the leading edge of the sheet will first contact the second upper conveying surface 130B instead of the contact surface 56B1 of the separation slope 56B, and that friction with the second upper conveying surface 130B will induce a conveying abnormality.

[0098] Furthermore, in this embodiment, specifically, the upstream end 130B1 of the second upper conveying surface 130B is located downstream in the conveying direction than the contact surface 56B1 of the separation slope 56B. This reduces the likelihood that when sheet SH is fed in, the leading edge of the sheet will first contact the second upper conveying surface 130B instead of the contact surface 56B1 of the separation slope 56B, and that friction with the second upper conveying surface 130B will induce a conveying abnormality.

[0099] Furthermore, in this embodiment, at least a portion of the second upper conveying surface 130B is specifically formed by the upper surfaces of rib members 131A to 131F that protrude upwards from other parts. As a result, the second upper conveying surface 130B can minimize the contact area with the sheet SH to suppress friction and lift the leading edge of the sheet SH.

[0100] Furthermore, in this embodiment, specifically, ribs 133R and 133F, which are different from ribs 131A to 131F, are positioned upstream of the restricting member 80 and opposite to the restricting member 80 in the conveying direction. This allows the leading edge of the inserted sheet SH to be smoothly guided towards the restricting member 80, and also assists in suppressing downward warping of the ribs 131A to 131F. Additionally, since the upper surfaces of the ribs 133R and 133F are lower in the height direction than the upper surface of the first upper conveying surface 130A, the possibility of the sheet SH contacting the ribs 133R and 133F first, rather than the first upper conveying surface 130A, and causing conveying abnormalities due to friction with the ribs 133R and 133F when inserted is reduced.

[0101] Furthermore, in this embodiment, specifically, the limiting member 80 is switched by the switching mechanism to the first position or the second position based on the driving force input from the motor 70 to the rotating shaft 54S of the separating roller 54. Additionally, a gear mechanism 15 is provided that transmits the driving force input from the motor 70 to the rotating shaft 54S of the separating roller 54 to the rotating shaft 92S of the paper feed roller 92. This gear mechanism 15 is disposed on the rear side in the sheet width direction relative to the separating ramp 56B.

[0102] Thus, the structure in which the driving force of the electric motor, which serves as the driving source for the limiting member 80, is also transmitted to the paper feed roller side by the gear mechanism 15 results in a situation where the center line of the width direction between the two limiting members 80R and 80F located on one side and the other side of the sheet width direction of the separation slope 56B is eccentric relative to the center line CL of the width direction of the separation slope 56B. In this case, in order to suppress warping in each of these limiting members 80R and 80F, the center line of the width direction between the rib members 131A, 131B and rib members 131D, 131E located at the corresponding width direction positions is also eccentric relative to the center line CL of the width direction of the separation slope 56B. That is, when viewed from the center line CL of the width direction of the separation slope 56B, which is approximately equal to the center position of the sheet SH being conveyed, the distance to the rib members 131A and 131B is different from the distance to the rib members 131D and 131E. As a result, in this state, when the sheet SH is fed in, when viewed from the center position in the width direction of the sheet SH, the frictional force acting on one side of the sheet SH becomes unbalanced with the frictional force acting on the other side of the sheet SH, which may lead to skewed movement.

[0103] Therefore, in this embodiment, a rib member 131F is provided at a location where the distance d from the center line CL in the width direction of the separation slope 56B is approximately the same as that of the rib member 131A and where rib members 131D and 131E are not provided. Furthermore, the shape and height position of the upper surface of this rib member 131F are approximately the same as the shape and height position of the upper surfaces of the other rib members 131A to 131E. As a result, when conveying the sheet SH, the number and shape of the ribs are approximately uniform in both the one-sided and other-sided regions of the sheet SH when viewed from the center position in the width direction, thus balancing the applied friction force and suppressing the occurrence of skew.

[0104] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be made without departing from its spirit and technical concept. These modifications are also included within the scope of the invention.

[0105] That is, the aforementioned limiting member 80 is a structure that appears and disappears relative to the conveying path P1 of the sheet SH by rotation, but it is not limited to this. That is, it can also be a structure that appears and disappears relative to the conveying path P1 by moving the limiting member up and down using, for example, a solenoid or an electromagnetic clutch. In this case, a switching mechanism is provided that achieves the above-mentioned limiting state by moving the limiting member upward or downward toward the first position located on the side of the conveying path P1, and achieves the above-mentioned limiting release state by moving the limiting member downward or upward toward the second position farther away from the first position from the conveying path P1.

[0106] Furthermore, the above description uses the case with a rotatable locking lever 100 as an example, but the structure of the locking lever is not limited to this. It can be any structure that can switch the limiting member 80 to the above-mentioned limiting state or open state in conjunction with the rotation of the retaining member 51. That is, for example, a component such as a rod or plate that moves linearly rather than rotating to abut or engage with the limiting member 80 can also be used as a locking lever.

[0107] Furthermore, the swinging of the retainer 51 described above is also achieved using the driving force from the motor 70, but it is not limited to this. That is, the retainer 51 can also be swinged using a driving force from a different driving source than the motor 70.

[0108] Furthermore, the above description uses the example of applying the present invention to the document feeding mechanism within the ADF unit 9 when the user inserts the original document into the ADF unit 9, but it is not limited thereto. That is, the present invention can also be applied to a manual insertion feeding mechanism when the user inserts recording paper from a manual insertion feeding port separately provided in the main body unit 2. In this case, the same effects as described above will be obtained.

[0109] Furthermore, the above description, using a multifunction printer 1 as an example of an image processing apparatus, is not limited to this. That is, as another example of an image processing apparatus, the present invention can also be applied to a reading device that does not have a portion corresponding to the image forming unit 4 described above, but only has a portion corresponding to the reading unit 3. In this case, the same effects as described above will be obtained.

[0110] In addition to the above-described contents, the methods of the above-described embodiments and various modifications can also be appropriately combined and utilized.

[0111] Furthermore, although not all examples are provided, the present invention can be implemented with various modifications without departing from its spirit.

[0112] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0113] 1. Multifunction printer (an example of an image processing device)

[0114] 15 Gear Mechanism

[0115] 51. Holding element (an example of a switching mechanism)

[0116] 54 Separating Rollers

[0117] 54S Rotary Shaft (An Example of a Drive Shaft)

[0118] 56B Separated Steep Slope

[0119] 56B1 Abutment Surface

[0120] 70 Electric Motor

[0121] 80 Restricted Components

[0122] 80F Restricting Component (An example of a restricting component on the other side)

[0123] 80R limiting component (an example of a one-sided limiting component)

[0124] 80d wall surface (an example of abutment surface)

[0125] 80e protrusion

[0126] 80f bottom surface

[0127] 80g curved surface

[0128] 80h Highest Part

[0129] 92 Paper feed rollers

[0130] 92S Rotary Shaft (An Example of a Drive Shaft)

[0131] 100 Locking lever (an example of a switching mechanism)

[0132] 112D Sheet-mounted Sensor (An Example of a Sensor)

[0133] 130A An example of the first upper conveying surface (support surface, second inclined surface)

[0134] 130B Second upper conveying surface (an example of a support surface and a first inclined surface)

[0135] 130B1 upstream end

[0136] 131a Pre-determined location

[0137] 131A Rib Member (An example of a first rib member or a side rib member)

[0138] 131B Rib Member (An example of a first rib member or a side rib member)

[0139] 131C Rib Member (An example of a first rib member or a side rib member)

[0140] 131D Rib Member (An example of a first rib member and a side rib member)

[0141] 131E Rib Member (An example of a first rib member and a side rib member)

[0142] 131F Rib Member (An example of the first rib member and the third rib member)

[0143] 133F Rib Member (An example of a second rib member)

[0144] 133R Rib Member (An example of a second rib member)

[0145] 132. Abutment Rib (An Example of a Switching Mechanism)

[0146] CL centerline

[0147] SH film

[0148] P1 Conveying Path

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus characterized by comprising: Possessing: a support surface, a support sheet; a paper feed roller that feeds out the sheet supported by the support surface in a conveyance direction; a separation member that is located at a downstream side in the conveyance direction than the paper feed roller, and separates the sheet supported by the support surface one sheet at a time; and a restriction member that is displaceable between a first position in which the restriction member abuts against a leading end of the sheet supported by the support surface between the paper feed roller and the separation member to restrict the sheet from passing in the conveyance direction, and a second position that is further from a conveyance path than the first position and allows the sheet to pass in the conveyance direction, the wall surface that abuts against the leading end of the sheet has at least one protrusion, the image processing apparatus further possesses a separation cliff that is provided between the paper feed roller and the separation member, and has an abutment surface that separates the uppermost one of a plurality of sheets when the plurality of sheets are conveyed by the paper feed roller, the support surface includes: a first inclined surface that includes a predetermined portion of the support surface in which the position of the conveyance direction is the same as the wall surface, and is inclined upward toward the downstream side in the conveyance direction; and a second inclined surface that is located at an upstream side in the conveyance direction than the first inclined surface, and is inclined downward toward the downstream side in the conveyance direction, the angle that the second inclined surface makes with the abutment surface of the separation cliff is smaller than the angle that the second inclined surface makes with the first inclined surface.

2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the wall surface of the restriction member has a plurality of the protrusions arranged in a height direction at the first position.

3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image processing apparatus further has a sensor that detects the presence or absence of the sheet in a state in which the sheet is arranged on the support surface with the length direction of the sheet coinciding with the conveyance direction, and in a state in which the leading end of the sheet abuts against the restriction member at the first position, the sensor is provided at a position between the trailing end of the B5-size sheet in the abutting state and the trailing end of the LETTER-size sheet in the abutting state, in a plan view from a direction orthogonal to the support surface.

4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the image processing apparatus further has a sensor that detects the presence or absence of the sheet in a state in which the sheet is arranged on the support surface with the length direction of the sheet coinciding with the conveyance direction, and in a state in which the leading end of the sheet abuts against the restriction member at the first position, the sensor is provided at a position between the trailing end of the B5-size sheet in the abutting state and the trailing end of the LETTER-size sheet in the abutting state, in a plan view from a direction orthogonal to the support surface.

5. The image processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein ​ ​ The separation member is a separation roller.

6. An image processing apparatus characterized by comprising: Provided are: a support surface that supports a sheet; a paper feed roller that feeds the sheet supported by the support surface in a conveyance direction; a separation member that separates the sheet supported by the support surface one sheet at a time at a position downstream of the paper feed roller in the conveyance direction; and a restriction member that is displaceable between a first position at which the restriction member abuts against a leading end of the sheet supported by the support surface between the paper feed roller and the separation member to restrict passage of the sheet in the conveyance direction and a second position that is further from the conveyance path than the first position and allows passage of the sheet in the conveyance direction, the restriction member has: a bottom surface that is located at a bottom in the first position; an abutment surface that abuts against the leading end of the sheet in the first position; and a curved surface that connects between the bottom surface and the abutment surface, a predetermined portion of the support surface at which the position of the conveyance direction is the same as the abutment surface is higher than the highest portion of the curved surface, the image processing apparatus further includes a separation cliff that is provided between the paper feed roller and the separation member and has an abutment surface for separating a topmost one of a plurality of sheets when the plurality of sheets are conveyed by the paper feed roller, the support surface includes: a first inclined surface that includes the predetermined portion and is inclined upward toward a downstream side in the conveyance direction; and a second inclined surface that is located at an upstream side in the conveyance direction from the first inclined surface and is inclined downward toward the downstream side in the conveyance direction, an angle that the second inclined surface makes with the abutment surface of the separation cliff is smaller than an angle that the second inclined surface makes with the first inclined surface.

7. The image processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a position of an upstream side end portion of the first inclined surface in the conveyance direction is downstream of a position of the abutment surface of the separation cliff in the conveyance direction.

8. The image processing apparatus according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the image processing apparatus further includes a first rib member that protrudes upward, the first inclined surface is a surface that includes an upper surface of the first rib member.

9. The image processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the image processing apparatus further includes a second rib member that is provided upstream of the restriction member in a manner opposite to the restriction member in the conveyance direction, a position in a height direction of an upper surface of the second rib member is lower than a position in the height direction of an upper surface of the second inclined surface.

10. The image processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the separation member is a separation roller, the image processing apparatus further includes: a motor; a switching mechanism that switches the restriction member to the first position or the second position in accordance with input to a drive shaft of the separation roller from a driving force of the motor; and ​ ​ ​ ​ A gear mechanism interposed between the drive shaft of the separation roller and the drive shaft of the paper feed roller, which transmits the driving force input from the motor to the drive shaft of the separation roller to the drive shaft of the paper feed roller, The gear mechanism is provided on one side of the separation steep slope in a width direction of the sheet orthogonal to the conveyance direction, The restriction member includes a one-side restriction member on one side of the separation steep slope in the width direction and a another-side restriction member on another side of the separation steep slope in the width direction, The first rib member includes a one-side rib member, a another-side rib member, and a third rib member, The one-side rib member is located on one side of the separation steep slope in the width direction, The another-side rib member is located on another side of the separation steep slope in the width direction, The third rib member is located on another side of the separation steep slope in the width direction, and is provided at a position where a distance from a center line in the width direction of the separation steep slope is substantially the same as that of the one-side rib member and no another-side rib member is provided, A shape and a height direction position of an upper surface of the third rib member are substantially the same as those of an upper surface of the one-side rib member.

11. The image processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein The separation member is a separation roller, The image processing apparatus further includes: a motor; a switching mechanism that switches the restriction member to the first position or the second position according to input of a driving force of the motor to a drive shaft of the separation roller; and a gear mechanism interposed between the drive shaft of the separation roller and the drive shaft of the paper feed roller, which transmits the driving force input from the motor to the drive shaft of the separation roller to the drive shaft of the paper feed roller, The gear mechanism is provided on one side of the separation steep slope in a width direction of the sheet orthogonal to the conveyance direction, The restriction member includes a one-side restriction member on one side of the separation steep slope in the width direction and a another-side restriction member on another side of the separation steep slope in the width direction, The first rib member includes a one-side rib member, a another-side rib member, and a third rib member, The one-side rib member is located on one side of the separation steep slope in the width direction, The another-side rib member is located on another side of the separation steep slope in the width direction, The third rib member is located on another side of the separation steep slope in the width direction, and is provided at a position where a distance from a center line in the width direction of the separation steep slope is substantially the same as that of the one-side rib member and no another-side rib member is provided, A shape and a height direction position of an upper surface of the third rib member are substantially the same as those of an upper surface of the one-side rib member. ​

Images