Image reading apparatus and recording apparatus

Abstract

This invention relates to an image reading device and a recording device. The image reading device includes: a reading unit configured to read an original document; a first cover forming part of an upper surface of the image reading device, the first cover being configured such that the original document read by the reading unit can be placed on the first cover; a second cover located below the first cover and configured to cover the upper part of the reading unit, the second cover forming part of an outer housing of the image reading device; and a transport path for transporting an original document inserted from an insertion opening between the first cover and the second cover toward the reading unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to image reading devices and recording devices equipped with image reading devices. Background Technology

[0002] Recording devices such as printers can be classified as single-function printers without an image reading unit for scanning and reading originals, and multi-function printers with such an image reading unit. As single-function printers, a configuration where the image reading unit, separate from the recording unit, is arranged adjacent to the recording unit is known. Figure 12 This is a perspective view illustrating an example of a single-function printer and showing an example of a configuration in which an image reading device 700, supported by a support member, and a recording device 600 are arranged adjacent to each other at the rear.

[0003] On the other hand, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2024-001853 discloses a multifunction printer in which the upper surface (top surface) of the outer casing is formed into a single flat shape, and the original document transport path leading to the image reading unit and opening in the upper surface is covered by an openable cover.

[0004] In the above configuration, depending on the user's position, the insertion location for the original to be scanned by the image reading unit may be difficult to see, and may potentially cause difficulties during the placement of the original. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This disclosure relates to improving the operability of image reading devices during the placement of original documents.

[0006] According to at least one aspect of this disclosure, an image reading device for reading original documents includes: a reading unit configured to read original documents; a first cover forming part of an upper surface of the image reading device, the first cover being configured such that an original document to be read by the reading unit can be placed on the first cover; a second cover located below the first cover and configured to cover an upper portion of the reading unit, the second cover forming part of an outer housing of the image reading device; and a transport path for transporting an original document inserted from an insertion opening between the first cover and the second cover toward the reading unit.

[0007] The features of this disclosure will become apparent from the following description of embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following description of the embodiments is given by way of example. Attached Figure Description

[0008] Figure 1 This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the main configuration of a printer according to an embodiment.

[0009] Figure 2This is an explanatory diagram of the sheet roll and the roll spool according to an embodiment.

[0010] Figure 3 This is a perspective view showing the appearance of a printer according to an embodiment.

[0011] Figure 4 This is a partial cross-sectional view showing the peripheral configuration of the reading section according to an embodiment.

[0012] Figure 5 This is a diagram illustrating the case where the reading section cover is in the open position according to an embodiment.

[0013] Figure 6 This is a perspective view showing a portion of the upper guide portion and the lower guide portion according to an embodiment.

[0014] Figures 7A to 7C This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the position switching of the upper guide portion according to an embodiment.

[0015] Figure 8A and Figure 8B This is a diagram illustrating a general configuration of the locking structure of the upper guide portion according to an embodiment.

[0016] Figure 9A and Figure 9B This is a perspective view showing the locking structure of the upper guide portion according to an embodiment.

[0017] Figure 10A and Figure 10B This is an explanatory diagram of the positional relationship between the cam and the locking part according to an embodiment.

[0018] Figure 11 This is a diagram illustrating the case where the upper guide portion is in the third position according to an embodiment.

[0019] Figure 12 This is a perspective view showing an example of a single-function printer. Detailed Implementation

[0020] In the following description, various exemplary embodiments (examples), features, and aspects of the present disclosure will be given with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the dimensions, materials, shapes, and relative arrangements of the constituent elements described in the embodiments may be appropriately varied depending on the configuration of the device to which the present disclosure is applied, various conditions, etc. Therefore, the dimensions, materials, shapes, and relative arrangements of the constituent elements described in the embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure to the following embodiments. Furthermore, not all features described in the following embodiments are necessary for the solutions provided by the present disclosure.

[0021] In the following description, although a multifunction printer employing inkjet technology and equipped with an image reading device will be described as an example of a recording device, the application of this disclosure is not limited to such a configuration. For example, various methods can be used as inkjet printing, including those using heating elements, piezoelectric elements, electrostatic elements, and MEMS elements. Furthermore, the printing method is not limited to inkjet printing, and various methods including electrophotographic and thermal transfer printing are also applicable.

[0022] Printer configuration

[0023] A recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. The recording apparatus according to this embodiment is a printer 100, which is a multi-function printer equipped with a reading unit capable of reading images on an original document. Figure 1 This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the main configuration of the printer 100 according to this embodiment. In the following description, the left-right direction (width direction) of the printer 100 is defined as the X direction, the front-back direction is defined as the Y direction, and the vertical direction (height direction) is defined as the Z direction. When the printer 100 is viewed from the front side, the +X direction in the width direction is defined as the rightward direction, and the -X direction is defined as the leftward direction. The +Y direction in the front-back direction is defined as the forward direction (first direction), and the -Y direction is defined as the backward direction (second direction). The +Z direction in the vertical direction is defined as the upward direction, and the -Z direction is defined as the downward direction. Figure 1 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of printer 100 when viewed from the left.

[0024] Printer 100 is equipped with a main body 1, a sheet supply unit 2 as a sheet supply device, a recording unit 3 as a processing unit for recording materials such as sheets, a cutter 4, a support 5, a basket 6, an ejection guide 7, and a reading unit 806 as an image reading device for reading images on originals. In this specification, recording materials (such as sheets supplied from cut sheet P or sheet roll R) and originals will be collectively referred to as sheets. The reading unit 806 is arranged on the front surface side of printer 100, the sheet supply unit 2 is arranged on the rear surface side of printer 100, and the recording unit 3 is arranged between the reading unit 806 and the sheet supply unit 2 in the front-rear direction. A basket 6 for storing sheets after a recording or reading operation is completed is arranged directly below the reading unit 806.

[0025] The main body 1 holds all the components constituting the printer 100 and is supported by a bracket 5 at a height convenient for user operation above the mounting floor surface. The bracket 5 has legs 51, a plurality of casters 52 disposed on the bottom surface of the legs 51, and a column 53 connecting the legs 51 and the main body 1 to each other. The casters 52 allow the user to easily move the printer 100 on the mounting surface.

[0026] The sheet supply unit 2 is equipped with a roll holder (not shown) that serves as a roll holding unit. This roll holder rotatably supports the sheet roll R, around which the sheet is wound near both ends of the rotation axis RC. Furthermore, the sheet supply unit 2 is equipped with a roll cover 22 for covering the upper part of the sheet roll R and a supply passage 23 for guiding the sheet pulled from the sheet roll R and the cut sheet P toward the recording unit 3. The roll cover 22 is rotatably supported about a rotation center that is substantially aligned with the rotation center of the rotation axis RC.

[0027] Figure 2 This is an explanatory diagram of the sheet roll R and the reel 210. The reel 210 is mounted to the sheet roll R. The reel 210 has a flange 217 fixed to one end of the sheet roll R in the width direction and a flange 218 fixed to the other end, and the reel 210 is mounted to the sheet roll R via flanges 217 and 218. Since the sheet roll R is supported by flanges 217 and 218, the sheet roll R and the reel 210 rotate as a single unit.

[0028] Furthermore, the roll shaft 210 has a bearing 211 located at the end on the flange 217 side and a reference bearing 214 located at the end on the flange 218 side. The roll shaft 210 passes through the bearing 211 and the reference bearing 214 and is freely rotatable in the circumferential direction relative to each bearing. The reference bearing 214 is a positioning portion that positions the roll shaft 210 relative to the roll retainer of the printer 100 in the width direction of the sheet roll R.

[0029] The roll retainer has an opening for guiding a spool 210, on which a sheet roll R is fixed, into the sheet supply section 2, and a downwardly inclined surface for guiding the spool 210 from the opening. The inclined surface guides the spool 210, on which the sheet roll R is fixed, to a placement position. The roll retainer rotatably supports the sheet roll R in the placement position.

[0030] The roll cover 22 protects the sheet roll R from contamination such as dust by covering the upper surface of the sheet roll R in the state held by the roll retainer. The roll cover 22 is configured to be able to open from the direction of arrow K. Figure 1 The protective position shown is rotated to the open position where the sheet roll R and the roll retainer are open. With the roll cover 22 in the open position, the user can attach the sheet roll R to the roll retainer / detach the sheet roll R from the roll retainer.

[0031] The cover 22 is positioned where its inner side does not contact the outer periphery of the sheet roll R mounted to the roll retainer. To achieve this configuration, the cover 22 is preferably configured to rotate approximately coaxially with the sheet roll R held by the roll retainer.

[0032] The supply passage 23 is configured to guide the sheet (sheet roll R or cut sheet P) toward the recording unit 3. The supply passage 23 consists of an upper guide 24, a lower guide 25, etc., and is arranged such that the gap (narrow path) between the upper guide 24 and the lower guide 25, which are opposite each other, serves as the sheet guiding path. Therefore, the supply passage 23 guides one end of the sheet closer to the recording unit 3 (the front end in the transport direction) in the direction of the recording unit 3. The supply passage 23 includes a guide path extending forward and diagonally downward in the direction of the recording unit 3 from the inlet portion E, which serves as the sheet insertion portion. The upper guide 24 and the lower guide 25 are each provided with a rotatable auxiliary roller (not shown) to assist in the smooth passage of the sheet.

[0033] The recording unit 3 is a printing unit that performs printing operations (recording operations) on the supplied sheet at a predetermined printing position (recording position). For example, the recording unit 3 can record an image on the sheet based on information from the original read by the reading unit 806 or image information sent from an external device. The recording unit 3 is equipped with a recording head 31 as a recording component, a transport roller 32 as a transport component for transporting the sheet, and a table 33 that guides the sheet during the printing operation. The recording head 31 is located above the table 33, and the sheet is transported between the recording head 31 and the table 33 by the transport roller 32 located upstream of the table 33 and the recording head 31 in the transport direction. In addition, the recording unit 3 is equipped with a carriage 34 that detachably holds the recording head 31 and allows the recording head 31 to reciprocate in a direction orthogonal to the sheet transport direction. During printing, an image is printed (recorded) on the sheet as ink ejection from the recording head 31 and sheet transport, which are synchronized with the reciprocating motion of the carriage 34, are alternately repeated.

[0034] The cutter 4 is positioned downstream of the printing position in the sheet transport direction. The cutter 4 is a cutting section used to cut the sheet after it has been pulled from the sheet roll R. A discharge guide 7, which guides the sheet after printing to a basket 6 for collecting and holding the sheet, is positioned downstream of the cutter 4 in the transport direction. The discharge guide 7 slopes downward toward the front of the printer 100, and the sheet after printing slides down the inclined surface under its own weight while being supported from below by the basket 6, and is then stored in the basket 6.

[0035] The basket 6 is supported by the bracket 5 and is configured to store the sheet material that falls after being discharged from the discharge guide 7 or the reading section 806. The basket 6 can be folded or retracted as needed to save space when not in use.

[0036] Next, the use of sheet roll R will be described in more detail. The front end of sheet roll R, held in the roll holder, is inserted into the inlet E, allowing the sheet to be supplied to the recording unit 3 via the supply passage 23. In the recording unit 3, an image is printed on the sheet as ink ejection from the recording head 31 and sheet feeding are alternately repeated. After printing is complete, the rear end of the printed image is conveyed to the cutter 4 for cutting. The separated sheet roll R slides downwards along the downward-sloping surface of the ejection guide 7 under its own weight and falls toward the basket 6 to be stored therein.

[0037] printer outer casing

[0038] Next, the external housing of printer 100 will be described. Figure 3 This is a perspective view showing the appearance of printer 100. The outer casing of printer 100 is composed of multiple covers for covering internal units, such as right ink tank cover 300, left ink tank cover 400, reader cover 500, main body cover 800, and the aforementioned roll cover 22.

[0039] The right ink tank cover 300, left ink tank cover 400, and reader cover 500 are all arranged on the front surface of the printer 100. The right ink tank cover 300 is located on the right side and covers the front, top, and side of the ink tank, which serves as a storage section for storing ink. Similarly, the left ink tank cover 400 is located on the left side and covers the front, top, and side of the ink tank. Furthermore, the reader cover 500 is arranged in the center of the printer 100 in the left-right direction, or in other words, between the right ink tank cover 300 and the left ink tank cover 400, and covers the front and top of the reader 806. The reader cover 500, the main body cover 800, and the roll cover 22 each include a portion of the upper surface of the printer 100 and are arranged sequentially from the front side in the front-back direction. Additionally, the roll cover 22 is located above the main body cover 800, and the main body cover 800 is located above the reader cover 500.

[0040] The main cover 800 is adjacent to the rear side of the reader cover 500 in the front-rear direction and covers the upper part of the recording section 3. At least a portion of the main cover 800 is configured to be openable and closable. By opening a portion of the main cover 800 and exposing the interior of the device body 1, the user can access the internal mechanisms and perform tasks such as replacing the recording head 31 or clearing paper jams. Furthermore, preferably, at least a portion of the main cover 800 is formed of a permeable material. Making the main cover 800 transparent allows visual confirmation that the printing operation is proceeding normally and enables operational checks during printing.

[0041] The operation panel 900 for user operation of the printer 100 is located on the right side of the main body cover 800 and the rear side of the right ink tank cover 300. The operation panel 900 is an operation panel facing the front of the printer 100. Therefore, the user can operate the operation panel 900 while standing on the front surface side (front side) of the printer 100.

[0042] Configuration of the reading section

[0043] Next, the reading unit 806, which is configured to read images on a sheet S such as an original document, will be described in more detail. Figure 4 This is a schematic partial cross-sectional view showing the peripheral configuration of the reading unit 806 when the printer 100 is viewed in the left direction.

[0044] The reading unit 806 is an image reading device equipped with a conveying unit 801 consisting of conveying rollers, a reading unit 803 for reading original documents, a conveying path 804 including an insertion opening 802 and a discharge outlet 807, and a reading unit cover 500. The conveying unit 801 includes a pair of rollers located upstream and downstream of the reading unit 803 in the conveying direction of the sheet S, and conveys the sheet S along the conveying path 804.

[0045] The conveying path 804 is the path for conveying the sheet S to the reading unit 803. The conveying path 804 has an approximately straight shape and extends downwards and forwards from the insertion opening 802 toward the discharge outlet 807. The conveying path 804 is a straight line connecting the gap between the two roller pairs of the conveying section 801. Figure 4 In this embodiment, the imaginary line F extending the conveying path of the sheet S in the conveying path 804 is depicted by a double-dot chain line. In other words, the imaginary line F is a line that connects and extends the roll gaps of the roller pairs arranged on the upstream and downstream sides of the reading unit 803, respectively. In this embodiment, the conveying path 804 is the gap between the main body cover 800 and the reading part cover 500. In other words, the front surface of the main body cover 800 and the rear surface of the reading part cover 500 constitute the wall of the conveying path 804.

[0046] The reading unit 803 is arranged opposite to the sheet S as it passes through the conveying path 804, and reads the image on the sheet S at the relative position. The reading unit 803 is arranged between two pairs of rollers in the conveying direction of the sheet S. Furthermore, the reading unit 803 is fixed to the reading section cover 500.

[0047] The insertion opening 802 is an opening formed in the upper and rear ends (ends adjacent to the main body cover 800) of the reading section cover 500, and opens upwards. In other words, the insertion opening 802 is an opening formed between the reading section cover 500 and the main body cover 800, and both the reading section cover 500 and the main body cover 800 have wall portions of the insertion opening 802. Furthermore, the discharge port 807 is an opening formed in the lower and rear ends of the reading section cover 500, and opens toward the lower basket 6.

[0048] The main cover 800 is a cover member (first cover member) having an upper cover portion 800a (first cover portion) including a portion of the upper surface of the printer 100. The upper cover portion 800a of the main cover 800 includes a placement portion 810 configured such that a sheet S to be read by the reading unit 806 can be placed thereon, and a lower guide portion 811 adjacent to the front of the placement portion 810. The placement portion 810 has a horizontal upper surface 810a (parallel to the XY plane) on which the sheet S can be placed. In other words, the main cover 800 including the upper surface 810a is also a constituent element of the reading unit 806. The lower guide portion 811 has an inclined surface 811a that is connected to the forward end of the upper surface 810a of the placement portion 810, and the inclined surface 811a slopes downward as it extends forward. In other words, the inclined surface 811a is formed in the forward end of the main body cover 800, and the uppermost upper surface 810a of the upper cover portion 800a is formed behind the inclined surface 811a. The upper surface 810a of the placement portion 810 and the inclined surface 811a of the lower guide portion 811 are each part of the upper surface of the printer 100. The forward end of the lower guide portion 811 is connected to the wall portion forming the insertion opening 802, and the lower guide portion 811 guides the sheet S to the insertion opening 802.

[0049] The placement portion 810 is rotatably mounted to the device body 1 about a rotation axis parallel to the left-right direction (X direction) and is configured to move between a closed position covering the recording portion 3 and an open position exposing the recording portion 3. The rotation axis of the placement portion 810 is located at the rear end of the body cover 800, and the user can expose the interior of the printer 100 by opening the placement portion 810 of the body cover 800 (moving it to the open position). In this embodiment, the placement portion 810 is formed separately from the lower guide portion 811, and the placement portion 810 rotates independently of the lower guide portion 811.

[0050] The reader cover 500 has an upper cover portion 500a and a front cover portion 500b, and is part of the outer housing of the reader 806 and a cover member (second cover member) of the transport path 804. The upper cover portion 500a (second cover portion) is the portion having a horizontal upper surface 500c and covering the upper part of the reader unit 803, etc. Furthermore, an upwardly opening insertion opening 802 is formed in the rearward end of the upper cover portion 500a. As described above, the upper cover portion 800a has a wall portion forming the insertion opening 802, and the insertion opening 802 can also be considered to be formed between the upper cover portion 500a and the upper cover portion 800. The uppermost upper surface 500c of the reader cover 500 is part of the upper surface of the printer 100 and is located at a height L lower than the upper surface 810a of the main cover 800. The front cover portion 500b is the portion having a front surface 500d perpendicular to the front-rear direction and covering the front of the reader unit 803, etc.

[0051] As described above, the upper surface of the printer 100 includes the upper surface 810a and inclined surface 811a of the main body cover 800 and the upper surface 500c of the reader cover 500. In other words, the printer 100 is equipped with an upper cover portion 800a (first cover portion) forming part of the upper surface of the printer 100 and an upper cover portion 500a (second cover portion) adjacent to the upper cover portion 800a and forming part of the upper surface of the printer 100 below the upper cover portion 800a. Furthermore, the upper cover portion 500a of the reader cover 500, which is opened by the insertion opening 802, is located below the upper cover portion 800a of the main body cover 800.

[0052] The reading cover 500 is mounted to the device body 1 in a rotational direction M about a rotation axis parallel to the left-right direction (X direction). More specifically, the reading cover 500 is configured to move between a closed position where the reading unit 803 is protected and an open position where the reading cover 500 is separated from the body cover 800 and the walls of the reading unit 803 and the transport path 804 are exposed. Figure 5 This diagram illustrates the case where the reading unit cover 500 is in the open position. Furthermore, Figure 4 The image shows the reader cover 500 in the closed position. A portion of the rollers of the reader unit 803 and the transport unit 801 are mounted to the reader cover 500, and the reader cover 500 rotates integrally with these units and components. The rotation axis of the reader cover 500 is located in the lower end of the reader cover 500, and the reader cover 500 can be opened towards the front of the printer 100. By opening the reader cover 500 (moving it to the open position), the user can open the transport path 804 and clear paper jams in the sheet S on the transport path 804, clean the reader unit 803, etc.

[0053] The upper cover 500a of the reading section cover 500 is provided with an upper guide 805 for guiding the sheet S to the insertion opening 802. The upper guide 805 is a guide member arranged opposite to the inclined surface 811a of the lower guide 811 and covering the insertion opening 802 from above.

[0054] When the reading operation of the sheet S (original document) is initiated using the reading unit 806, the user places the sheet S on the upper surface 810a of the main body cover 800 and manually moves the sheet S in the insertion direction A (forward direction in this embodiment) by sliding the sheet S across the upper surface 810a. As a result, the sheet S is guided in the direction toward the insertion opening 802 to pass through the guide path between the upper guide 805 and the lower guide 811 and is inserted into the transport path 804.

[0055] Note that when the sheet S is large, there is a possibility that the tail end of the sheet S may be placed on the roll cover 22 located behind the main cover 800. The upper surface of the roll cover 22 is formed at a higher position than the upper surface of the main cover 800, and prevents the sheet S from falling behind the printer 100. In other words, the roll cover 22 can also be considered as a component of the reading unit 806.

[0056] The upper end (front end) of the upper guide portion 805 is positioned at a height H above the upper surface 810a of the main cover 800. In other words, at least a portion of the upper guide portion 805 is positioned higher than the upper ends of the upper surface 810a and the inclined surface 811a. Positioning the upper end (front end) of the upper guide portion 805 at or above the same height as the upper surface 810a and the inclined surface 811a allows the sheet S moving on the upper surface 810a to more reliably abut against the upper guide portion 805, similar to sliding. Therefore, the guiding capability of the upper guide portion 805 can be improved.

[0057] The reading unit 806 is equipped with a sensor (not shown) for detecting when the sheet S arrives at the insertion opening 802. When the sensor detects that the sheet S has entered the conveying path 804, the conveying unit 801 begins the reading and conveying operation of the sheet S. Subsequently, the sheet S, which has passed through the conveying path 804 and completed the conveying and reading operation, is discharged from the discharge port 807 toward the basket 6 installed approximately directly below the reading unit 806.

[0058] An insertion opening 802 is provided in the upper cover portion 500a located below the main body cover 800. Due to this configuration, the user no longer needs to check the position of the insertion opening 802 by looking at the printer 100 from above, and can easily visually confirm the insertion position of the sheet S while standing in front of the printer 100. Furthermore, since an inclined surface 811a extending forward and diagonally downward is formed in the lower guide portion 811 that supports the lower surface of the sheet S advancing from the main body cover 800 toward the insertion opening 802, the visibility of the sheet S insertion position is further improved. Therefore, according to the configuration of this embodiment, operability during the placement of the sheet S to be read by the reading unit 806 can be improved.

[0059] Although both the main cover 800 and the reading cover 500 have walls with the insertion opening 802 in this embodiment, this configuration is not limiting. For example, the wall forming the insertion opening 802 may be entirely part of the upper cover portion 500a, or the upper cover portion 500a may include part of the lower guide portion 811. Even with such a configuration, since the reading cover 500 is located below and in front of the main cover 800 and the insertion opening 802 is formed in the rearward end of the reading cover 500, operability is improved during the placement of the sheet S to be inserted into the insertion opening 802.

[0060] Figure 6 This is a perspective view showing a portion of the upper guide portion 805 and the lower guide portion 811, and an explanatory diagram of indicators provided in the guide portions to assist in the placement of the original document. Reference marks 820, serving as a guide for the user when the sheet S is inserted into the insertion opening 802, are printed on the lower guide portion 811. Reference marks 820 are marks used to indicate the end reference position of the sheet S in the width direction, paper size, reading surfaces of the original document (front and back), etc. Providing reference marks 820 on the inclined surface 811a of the lower guide portion 811 makes the placement of the original document clearer and further improves operability. Note that the method for setting the reference marks 820 is not limited to printing, and, for example, when the lower guide portion 811 is formed of resin, the reference marks 820 can be set by embossing. Furthermore, the reference marks 820 do not need to indicate all of the placement position, size, and reading surfaces of the sheet S, and can indicate any one of them.

[0061] The upper guide portion 805 is provided with a reference mark 821, which indicates the end reference position of the sheet S in the width direction, the paper size, the reading surfaces of the original (front and back), etc., in a manner similar to the reference mark 820 on the lower guide portion 811. Providing the reference mark 820 on the inclined surface 811a of the lower guide portion 811 makes the placement of the original clearer and further improves operability.

[0062] Furthermore, preferably, the upper guide portion 805 is formed of a permeable material such as acrylic. By forming the upper guide portion 805 transparently, the user can visually confirm the position of the reference mark 820 and the insertion opening 802 of the lower guide portion 811 even from the front side of the printer 100, thereby further improving operability. Note that the upper guide portion 805 does not need to be completely transparent, but only needs to have sufficient transparency to identify the position of the reference mark 820 and the insertion opening 802. Alternatively, the visibility of the lower guide portion 811 can be improved by making the width of the upper guide portion 805 in the left-right direction smaller than the width of the lower guide portion 811 in the left-right direction or by providing a slit in the upper guide portion 805.

[0063] Switching the position of the upper guide section

[0064] Next, the switching of the position of the upper guide section 805 will be described. Figures 7A to 7C This is an explanatory diagram of the position switching of the upper guide 805, and it is along with... Figure 4 A schematic cross-sectional view of a similar section.

[0065] The upper guide portion 805 has a main rotating shaft 805a that rotates about a rotation axis parallel to the X direction (left-right direction) and a guide portion 805b extending from the main rotating shaft 805a in a direction intersecting the X direction. In other words, the upper guide portion 805 is a rotating member rotatably supported by the upper cover portion 500a about the main rotating shaft 805a. The main rotating shaft 805a is supported by the rearward end of the upper cover portion 500a.

[0066] The upper guide portion 805 is configured to be rotatable to a first position and a second position. In the first position, the upper guide portion 805 covers the insertion opening 802, is opposite to the lower guide portion 811, and guides the sheet S toward the insertion opening 802 together with the lower guide portion 811. In the second position, the upper guide portion 805 has been rotated forward from the first position and has been retracted above the insertion opening 802. Figure 4 The diagram shows the upper guide portion 805 in a first position. The first position is when the guide portion 805b of the upper guide portion 805 intersects the imaginary line F and is opposite to the lower guide portion 811. On the other hand, the second position is when the upper guide portion 805 does not intersect the imaginary line F, the guide portion 805b is not opposite to the lower guide portion 811, and the upper guide portion 805 has retracted from above the insertion opening 802.

[0067] Figure 7AThis diagram illustrates the case where the upper guide 805 is in the second position. For example, if the sheet S is thick and has low deformability, forcing it to deform along the upper guide 805 may cause the sheet S to bend excessively, potentially creating creases in the sheet S. Furthermore, when the sheet S abuts against the upper guide 805, the upper guide 805 can generate resistance that hinders the transport of the sheet S. According to the configuration of this embodiment, by retracting the upper guide 805 to the second position, the sheet S with low deformability can be directly inserted into the insertion opening 802 at an angle along the transport path 804 without placing the sheet S on the main body cover 800. Therefore, the sheet S can be inserted into the insertion opening 802 without damaging the sheet S and with comfortable operability.

[0068] In addition, sheet S is not always straight, and there may be sheets with creases or significant curling. Figure 7A A sheet S with significant curling is shown. In order to guide the sheet S, which does not have a flat surface near its front end, into the insertion opening 802, the upper guide 805 is preferably moved to a second position beforehand. Furthermore, by moving the upper guide 805 from a first position to a second position with the front end of the sheet S placed on the lower guide 811, the front end of the sheet S can be pressed down from above by the upper guide 805. Figure 7B This is an example of the upper guide section 805 already from Figure 7A The diagram shows the state when the device moves to the second position.

[0069] After the upper guide 805 is moved to the second position, the front end of the sheet S can be easily guided to the insertion opening 802 by grasping the portion of the sheet S located behind the upper guide 805 and moving the sheet S in the insertion direction A. Figure 7C This shows the sheet S from Figure 7B The figure shows the situation where the state of the sheet S moves in the insertion direction A and the front end of the sheet S is guided toward the insertion opening 802.

[0070] As described above, according to the configuration of this embodiment, switching the position of the upper guide 805 not only improves the placement capability and conveying stability of sheets with stiffness equivalent to standard plain paper, but also improves the placement capability and conveying stability of sheets S with higher stiffness. Furthermore, when placing a sheet S with a curled or folded front end, by temporarily placing the sheet S with the upper guide 805 in the second position and then returning the upper guide 805 to the first position, a path for guiding the front end of the sheet S can be created. Therefore, the operation of feeding the sheet S into the conveying path 804 can be performed comfortably.

[0071] Although the upper guide portion 805 is configured to be movable between a first position and a second position by rotation in this embodiment, such a configuration is not limiting. For example, the upper guide portion 805 may be configured to be movable between the first position and the second position due to being attachable / removable or slidable.

[0072] Locking structure of upper guide section

[0073] Next, the locking structure of the upper guide 805 for fixing the posture of the upper guide 805 will be described. The printer 100 is equipped with a locking member 809 (holding member) for locking (holding) the upper guide 805 in a first position.

[0074] Figure 8A and Figure 8B This is a diagram showing the general configuration of the locking structure of the upper guide 805. Figure 8A This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the upper guide section 805 when viewed from the left. Figure 8B This is a schematic diagram of the locking structure of the upper guide 805 when viewed from an upward direction. Figure 9A and Figure 9B This is a perspective view showing the locking structure of the upper guide portion 805. Figure 9A and Figure 9B In order to clearly show the locking structure, the upper guide portion 805 has been cut along a section parallel to the XY plane. Figure 9A This is a diagram showing the configuration of the cam 805d of the upper guide portion 805. Figure 9B This is a diagram showing the upper guide portion 805 and the locking member 809 engaged with each other.

[0075] The upper guide portion 805 has a plate-shaped flange 805c protruding from the rotating spindle 805a in a direction intersecting the X direction, and a cam 805d disposed on the flange 805c. The cam 805d includes two protrusions 805d1 (peaks) protruding from the flange 805c in the +X direction (to the right). The two protrusions 805d1 are arranged along the rotation direction D of the upper guide portion 805. Each protrusion 805d1 has a triangular shape whose width gradually narrows in the rotation direction D toward the +X direction, and its front end has a rounded corner R shape. In addition, a recessed portion 805d2 (valve) is formed between the two protrusions 805d1 in the -X direction (to the left). The recessed portion 805d2 includes a portion having a triangular shape whose width gradually narrows in the rotation direction D toward the -X direction, and a gap is formed at its bottom to prevent interference with the locking member 809.

[0076] The printer 100 is equipped with a locking member 809 for locking a cam 805d, which is the locked part, and a spring member 813 as a force-applying member for applying force (pull) to the locking member 809 in the -X direction. The locking member 809 has a locking portion 809a as a protrusion in the -X direction. The locking portion 809a has a triangular shape whose width gradually narrows in the -X direction in the rotational direction D, and its front end has a rounded corner R shape. The spring member 813 is a tension spring mounted to the end of the locking member 809 in the -X direction, such that the force applied to the locking member 809 is in the -X direction. In this embodiment, the locking member 809 and the spring member 813 are supported by the upper cover portion 500a of the reader cover 500.

[0077] Figure 10A and Figure 10B This is an explanatory diagram of the positional relationship between the cam 805d of the upper guide portion 805 and the locking portion 809a of the locking member 809. Figure 10A and Figure 10B In the diagram, the cam 805d and the locking part 809a are each shown unfolded on a plane to clearly show the relationship between the cam 805d and the locking part 809a. Figure 10A This diagram illustrates the case where the upper guide 805 is in the first position. Figure 10B The diagram shows the upper guide portion 805 between the first and second positions, with the locking portion 809a and the protrusion 805d1 abutting against each other.

[0078] When the upper guide portion 805 is in the first position, the locking portion 809a is located between the two protrusions 805d1 of the cam 805d. Because the locking member 809 is forced in the -X direction by the spring member 813, the locking portion 809a is maintained in the position between the two protrusions 805d1, or in other words, the locking portion 809a is maintained in the position where it enters the recess 805d2. At this time, both inclined surfaces of the locking portion 809a abut against the inclined surfaces of the recess 805d2 (the inclined surface of one protrusion 805d1 and the inclined surface of the other protrusion 805d1). Due to this configuration, the upper guide portion 805 is locked by the locking member 809, the movement of the upper guide portion 805 in the rotational direction D is restricted, and the upper guide portion 805 is held in the first position.

[0079] Next, the operation for rotating the upper guide 805 from the first position to the second position will be described. In the rotation direction D of the upper guide 805, the direction from the first position toward the second position will be defined as the first rotation direction D1, and the direction from the second position toward the first position, opposite to the first rotation direction D1, will be defined as the second rotation direction D2. Figure 8AAs shown, when the upper guide portion 805 is viewed in the left direction (-X direction), the first rotation direction D1 is the direction in which the upper guide portion 805 rotates counterclockwise, and the second rotation direction D2 is the direction in which the upper guide portion 805 rotates clockwise.

[0080] When the user manually rotates the upper guide portion 805 from the first position in the first rotation direction D1, the locking member 809 is pushed by the cam 805d and slides on the surface of the protrusion 805d1 of the cam 805d while moving in the +X direction against the force of the spring member 813. Furthermore, when the apex of the locking portion 809a passes the apex of the protrusion 805d1, the locking member 809 slides on the surface of the protrusion 805d1 of the cam 805d while moving in the -X direction due to the force of the spring member 813. Subsequently, as the upper guide portion 805 rotates further in the first rotation direction D1, the locking portion 809a separates from the cam 805d. As described above, by rotating the upper guide portion 805 at the first position by a certain angle or greater in the first rotation direction D1, the locking portion 809a passes the protrusion 805d1 and moves outside the working surface of the cam 805d. In this embodiment, the locking part 809a is configured to pass over the protrusion 805d1 by rotating the upper guide part 805 about 35 degrees from the first position in the first rotation direction D1. Furthermore, the locking part 809a is configured to separate from the cam 805d by rotating the upper guide part 805 about 70 degrees from the first position in the first rotation direction D1.

[0081] After the upper guide portion 805 separates from the locking portion 809a and the cam 805d, it rotates further in the first rotation direction D1. The guide portion 805b of the upper guide portion 805 abuts against the upper cover portion 500a, and the movement of the upper guide portion 805 in the first rotation direction D1 is restricted. The position where the movement in the first rotation direction D1 is restricted is the second position of the upper guide portion 805. Figure 7A (The location shown).

[0082] In this embodiment, the upper guide portion 805 is not fixed between the first and second positions, but is rotatable to the second position where the upper guide portion 805 abuts against the upper cover portion 500a. For example, when a configuration is used that includes a limiting mechanism for restricting the rotation of the rotating spindle 805a to fix the upper guide portion 805 between the first and second positions, the pressing force when pushing the upper guide portion 805 in the first rotation direction D1 is concentrated near the shaft portion (base) of the upper guide portion 805. On the other hand, the configuration in this embodiment where the upper guide portion 805 abuts against the upper cover portion 500a at the second position allows the pressing force to be distributed across the entire upper guide portion 805. Therefore, according to the configuration of this embodiment, the concentration of force near the shaft portion (base) of the upper guide portion 805 can be suppressed, thus preventing damage to the upper guide portion 805.

[0083] Next, the operation for rotating the upper guide 805 from the second position to the first position will be described. When the user manually rotates the upper guide 805 from the second position in the second rotation direction D2, as follows... Figure 10B As shown, the protrusion 805d1 of the cam 805d on the downstream side in the second rotation direction D2 abuts against the locking part 809a. Furthermore, when the upper guide 805 is further rotated in the second rotation direction D2, the locking member 809 is pushed by the cam 805d and slides on the surface of the protrusion 805d1 of the cam 805d while moving in the +X direction against the force of the spring member 813. When the apex of the locking part 809a passes the apex of the protrusion 805d1, the locking member 809 slides on the surface of the protrusion 805d1 of the cam 805d while moving in the -X direction due to the force of the spring member 813. In this way, the locking part 809a moves to a first position between the two protrusions 805d1 and abuts against both protrusions 805d1.

[0084] When the locking part 809a passes the protrusion 805d1, the force applied by the spring member 813 is applied to move the upper guide part 805 to the first position. Therefore, the upper guide part 805 is prevented from rotating beyond the first position in the second rotation direction D2, and the user can easily move the upper guide part 805 to the first position.

[0085] Furthermore, even if the upper guide portion 805 rotates from the first position in the second rotation direction D2, the guide portion 805b of the upper guide portion 805 still abuts against the lower guide portion 811, and further movement of the upper guide portion 805 is restricted. The position of the upper guide portion 805 at this time will be defined as the third position. In other words, even when the upper guide portion 805 rotates in the second rotation direction D2, force concentration near the shaft portion (base) of the upper guide portion 805 can be suppressed, and thus damage to the upper guide portion 805 can be prevented. Figure 11 This diagram illustrates the case where the upper guide 805 is in the third position.

[0086] When the upper guide 805 is in the third position, the locking part 809a abuts against the protrusion 805d1 on the upstream side of the second rotation direction D2. In this way, by configuring the locking part 809a so that it cannot disengage from the recess 805d2, when the upper guide 805 is in the third position, due to the force applied by the spring member 813, the locking member 809 pushes the upper guide 805 in the direction in which it returns to the first position. Therefore, since the upper guide 805 automatically returns from the third position to the first position when the user releases their hand, the position of the upper guide 805 can be easily adjusted and feeding errors of the sheet S can be suppressed.

[0087] According to the configuration of this embodiment, since the upper guide portion 805 is locked in the first position where the sheet S is guided, the upper guide portion 805 can guide the sheet S with various stiffness (thickness) and original conditions toward the insertion opening 802. Furthermore, since the upper guide portion 805 can move from the first position to a second position as needed, various sheet S reading operations can be performed appropriately. Moreover, even if the user unintentionally presses the upper guide portion 805 and causes a load to be applied to it, the risk of damage is reduced by preventing the load from concentrating at a specific location on the upper guide portion 805.

[0088] Note that the scope of this disclosure is not limited to recording devices equipped with a recording unit 3. For example, this disclosure can also be applied to image reading devices that are not equipped with a sheet supply unit 2 and a recording unit 3 and only have functions equivalent to a reading unit 806 for reading images from an original document.

[0089] According to this disclosure, the operability of the image reading device can be improved during the placement of the original document.

[0090] While this disclosure has been described with reference to embodiments, it should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. The scope of the appended claims should be given the broadest interpretation to cover all such modifications and equivalent structures and functions.

Claims

1. An image reading device configured to read an original document, the image reading device comprising: A reading unit configured to read the original document; A first cover portion, which forms part of the upper surface of the image reading device, is configured such that the original document to be read by the reading unit can be placed on the first cover portion; A second cover, located below the first cover and configured to cover the upper part of the reading unit, forms part of the outer housing of the image reading device; as well as A transport path for transporting the original document, inserted from the insertion opening between the first cover and the second cover, toward the reading unit.

2. The image reading device according to claim 1, further comprising: A guide portion is configured to guide the original document toward the insertion opening, the guide portion being located above the insertion opening and opposite the first cover portion.

3. The image reading device according to claim 2, wherein, The guide section is transparent.

4. The image reading device according to claim 2, wherein, The original manuscript has a straight conveying path in the conveying path, and The guide is configured to move between a first position intersecting with an imaginary line that is an extension of the transport path and a second position not intersecting with the imaginary line.

5. The image reading device according to claim 4, wherein, The guide portion has a rotating spindle supported by the second cover portion and is configured to rotate about the rotating spindle between the first position and the second position.

6. The image reading device according to claim 5, wherein, The guide portion abuts against the upper surface of the first cover portion at the second position.

7. The image reading device according to claim 5, wherein, The guide portion also has a locking portion disposed on the rotating spindle, and The image reading device further includes a locking part, wherein when the direction in which the guide part moves from the first position to the second position is defined as a first rotation direction, the locking part engages with the locked part when the guide part is in the first position to restrict the movement of the guide part in the first rotation direction.

8. The image reading device according to claim 7, further comprising: The force-applying part is configured to apply force to the locked part in a force-applying direction parallel to the rotation axis of the rotating spindle. The locked portion includes a recessed portion in the direction of force application, the width of which gradually narrows in the first rotational direction toward the direction of force application. When the guide portion is in the first position, the locking portion abuts against the recessed portion.

9. The image reading device according to claim 8, wherein, When the direction opposite to the first rotation direction is defined as the second rotation direction, the guide portion is configured to rotate from the first position to a third position in the second rotation direction, the third position being the position where the guide portion abuts against the second cover portion. When the guide portion is in the third position, the locking portion abuts against the recessed portion.

10. The image reading device according to claim 2, wherein, An inclined surface is formed at the end of the first cover adjacent to the second cover, wherein the inclined surface descends as it gets closer to the second cover and is opposite to the guide portion.

11. The image reading device according to claim 10, wherein, The upper end of the guide portion is located at the same height as the upper end of the inclined surface or above the upper end of the inclined surface.

12. The image reading device according to claim 10, wherein, The inclined surface is provided with reference marks for indicating at least one of the original's placement position, size, and reading surface.

13. The image reading device according to claim 1, wherein, In the case where the direction from the first cover toward the second cover in the direction intersecting the vertical direction is defined as the first direction, the delivery path extends downward from the insertion opening along the first direction in the vertical direction.

14. The image reading device according to claim 1, further comprising: A first cover member includes a first cover portion, the first cover member including a portion of the wall of the conveying path; as well as A second cover member includes a second cover portion, the second cover member including a portion of the wall of the conveying path and configured to rotate between a closed position and an open position, in which the second cover member, together with the first cover member, forms the conveying path, and in the open position, the second cover member separates from the first cover member and exposes the wall of the conveying path.

15. A recording device, comprising: Image reading device according to any one of claims 1 to 14; as well as The recording unit is capable of recording images on recording material based on the information of the original document read by the reading unit.

16. The recording device according to claim 15, further comprising: A roll holding section is configured to hold a roll of sheet material wound with a sheet material to be supplied to the recording section; as well as A roll cap, located above the second cap portion and configured to cover the roll holding portion from above. The first cover, the second cover, and the roll cover are arranged sequentially in a direction intersecting the vertical direction.

17. The recording device according to claim 15, further comprising: A storage section, configured to store sheets that have passed through the transport path or the recording section, is arranged below the reading unit and the recording section.

18. The recording device according to claim 15, wherein, The first cover is configured to cover the upper part of the recording section.

Images