Sheet transport device, image reading device and image formation device

Abstract

To prevent small-sized sheets from getting caught under a side regulating unit and being damaged when the side regulating unit moves.SOLUTION: An ADF 1 has: a document tray 2; and a first side regulating unit 22 and a second side regulating unit 23 that are movable in a width direction and regulate positions of document edges. A first support surface 221 of the first side regulating unit 22 has a first scooping-up portion 223 extending downward below a document loading surface 211 at the most downstream position in a sheet feeding direction, and has a shape so as to approach a first regulating surface 222 as it moves upstream from the first scooping-up portion 223 in the sheet feeding direction. A second support surface 231 of the second side regulating unit 23 has a second scooping-up portion 233 extending below the document loading surface 211 at the most downstream position in the sheet feeding direction, and has a shape so as to approach a second regulating surface 232 as it moves upstream from the second scooping-up portion 233 in the sheet feeding direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a sheet conveying device that conveys a sheet, and an image reading device and an image forming device that include the same. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, image reading devices mounted on image forming devices such as copiers are known to be equipped with an automatic document feeder (hereinafter referred to as ADF) that feeds documents loaded on a document tray one by one. In such image reading devices, the documents fed by the ADF have their images read by a reading unit and then are discharged to a discharge tray.

[0003] A pair of side regulating units is arranged in the document tray of an ADF or the manual feed tray of an image forming apparatus to prevent sheets from skewing when fed. Such a pair of side regulating units is configured so that one side regulating unit moves in conjunction with the movement of the other side regulating unit. When setting a sheet in the document tray or manual feed tray, a user moves the pair of side regulating units to match the width of the sheet. Patent Document 1 discloses a side regulating unit provided with a scooping unit to prevent the sheet from getting under the side regulating unit when the user moves the side regulating unit. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-52268 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In recent years, ADFs and image forming apparatuses have been required to be able to handle a variety of sheet sizes, and there has been a growing demand for feeding small sheets such as business cards and receipts. Conventional side regulating units have not adequately considered the handling of such small sheets, and as a result, depending on the sheet size, there is a risk that the sheet may get caught under the side regulating unit and be damaged.

[0006] The present invention aims to prevent small-sized sheets from getting under the side regulating portions and being damaged when the side regulating portions move. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above-described problems, one aspect of the present invention provides a sheet stacking unit including a sheet stacking section having a sheet stacking surface on which sheets are stacked, a feeding section that feeds the sheets stacked on the sheet stacking section in a feeding direction, a first side regulating section that is provided on the sheet stacking section to be movable in a width direction perpendicular to the feeding direction and that regulates the position of one end of the sheets stacked on the sheet stacking section in the width direction, a second side regulating section that is provided on the sheet stacking section to be movable in the width direction and that regulates the position of the other end of the sheets stacked on the sheet stacking section in the width direction, and a linking mechanism that moves the first side regulating section and the second side regulating section in linkage with each other, wherein the first side regulating section has a first regulating surface that abuts against one end of the sheets in the width direction, and a linking mechanism that moves the first side regulating section and the second side regulating section in linkage with each other, the second side regulating portion has a second regulating surface that abuts against the other end of the sheet in the width direction, and a second support surface that supports the sheet together with the sheet stacking surface, the first support surface having a first scooping portion at its most downstream position in the feeding direction that extends below the sheet stacking surface, and having a shape that approaches the first regulating surface as it moves upstream from the first scooping portion in the feeding direction, and the second support surface having a second scooping portion at its most downstream position in the feeding direction that extends below the sheet stacking surface, and having a shape that approaches the second regulating surface as it moves upstream from the second scooping portion in the feeding direction. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent small-sized sheets from getting under the side regulating portions and being damaged when the side regulating portions move. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] Schematic cross-sectional view of an image forming apparatus [Figure 2] Schematic cross-sectional view of an image reading device [Figure 3] ADF perspective view [Figure 4] ADF perspective view [Figure 5] Document tray configuration diagram [Figure 6] Configuration diagram of the upper cover member of the document tray [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing the interlocking mechanism of the side regulating portion; [Figure 8] Document tray top view [Figure 9] Front view of the document tray [Figure 10] Top view of the document tray [Figure 11] Enlarged front view of the document tray [Figure 12] Enlarged front view of the document tray [Figure 13] ADF perspective view [Figure 14] ADF perspective view [Figure 15] Document tray configuration diagram [Figure 16] Document tray top view DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, a sheet feeding device, an image reading device, and an image forming device according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. The dimensions, materials, shapes, relative positions, and the like of the components described in the following embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of application of the present technology to only those unless otherwise specified.

[0011] [First embodiment] <Explanation of image forming device> First, the schematic configuration of the image forming apparatus 101 will be described with reference to FIG. 1. Hereinafter, the position where the user faces the operation unit where various inputs / settings are made to the image forming apparatus will be referred to as the "front side" of the image forming apparatus, and the rear side will be referred to as the "rear side." In other words, FIG. 1 shows the internal configuration of the image forming apparatus 101 as viewed from the front side. As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus 101 includes a printer main body 101A and an image reading device 103. The image reading device 103, located above the printer main body 101A, includes a reader 30 and an ADF (Auto Document Feeder) 1, as described in detail below, and optically scans an original to read image information. The original can be paper such as paper sheets and envelopes, plastic film such as overhead projector sheets (OHP), or sheets of cloth. The image information converted into an electrical signal by the image reading device 103 is transferred to a control unit 132 provided in the printer main body 101A.

[0012] The printer main body 101A has an image forming unit 133 capable of forming an image on a sheet P, which is a recording medium, and a sheet feeding unit 140 that feeds the sheet P to the image forming unit 133. The sheet feeding unit 140 has sheet storage units 137a, 137b, 137c, and 137d that can store sheets of different sizes. Sheets stored in each sheet storage unit are fed out by a pickup roller 141, separated one by one by a feed roller 142 and a retard roller 143, and delivered to the corresponding conveyance roller pair 131. The sheet P is then delivered in order to multiple conveyance roller pairs 131 arranged along the sheet conveyance path, and is conveyed to a registration roller pair 136.

[0013] The sheet P placed on the manual feed tray 137e by the user is fed into the printer main body 101A by a feed roller 138 and conveyed to the pair of registration rollers 136. The pair of registration rollers 136 stops the leading edge of the sheet P to correct skew, and resumes conveyance of the sheet P in accordance with the progress of the image forming operation, which is the toner image forming process by the image forming unit 133.

[0014] The image forming section 133 that forms an image on the sheet P is an electrophotographic image forming unit that includes a photosensitive drum 121, which is a photosensitive member. The photosensitive drum 121 is rotatable along the conveyance direction of the sheet P, and a charger 118, an exposure device 123, a developing device 124, a transfer charger 125, a separation charger 126, and a cleaner 127 are arranged around the photosensitive drum 121. The charger 118 uniformly charges the surface of the photosensitive drum 121, and the exposure device 123 exposes the photosensitive drum 121 to light based on image information input from the image reading device 103 or the like, thereby forming an electrostatic latent image on the drum.

[0015] The developing device 124 contains a two-component developer containing toner and carrier, and develops the electrostatic latent image into a toner image by supplying charged toner to the photosensitive drum 121. The toner image carried on the photosensitive drum 121 is transferred to a sheet P conveyed from a pair of registration rollers 136 by a bias electric field formed by a transfer charger 125. The sheet P, serving as a recording medium with the transferred toner image, is separated from the photosensitive drum 121 by a bias electric field formed by a separation charger 126, and is conveyed by a pre-fixing conveying section 128 toward a fixing section 129. Note that any deposits, such as transfer residual toner, remaining on the photosensitive drum 121 without being transferred to the sheet P are removed by a cleaner 127, and the photosensitive drum 121 is prepared for the next image forming operation.

[0016] The sheet P conveyed to the fixing unit 129 is sandwiched between a pair of rollers and heated while being pressed, and the image is fixed by melting and fixing the toner. When image output is complete, the sheet P with the fixed image is discharged via a pair of discharge rollers 40 to a discharge tray 130 protruding outward from the printer main body 101A. When an image is formed on the back side of the sheet P in double-sided printing, the sheet P that has passed through the fixing unit 129 is reversed by a reversing unit 139 and conveyed to a pair of registration rollers 136 by a double-sided conveying unit 150. Then, the sheet P on which an image has been formed again by the image forming unit 133 is discharged to the discharge tray 130. In this way, the image forming unit 133 can form an image on the sheet P based on the image of the original D read by a first reading unit 151 and a second reading unit 201 (described later). Note that the image forming unit 133 as an image forming means is not limited to the electrophotographic method described above, and may use another method such as an inkjet method.

[0017] <Explanation of image reading device> Next, the configuration of the image reading device 103 will be described with reference to FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the image reading device 103. As shown in FIG. 2, the image reading device 103 is composed of a reader 30 as a reading unit that reads an image of a document, and an ADF 1 as a sheet conveying device. The ADF 1 has a base 13, an opening / closing cover 11 supported on the base 13 so as to be openable and closable, a document tray 2 on which documents D are stacked, and an output tray 3 disposed below the document tray 2. The image reading device 103 also includes a first reading unit 151 disposed in the reader 30 and a second reading unit 201 disposed in the ADF 1. The first reading unit 151 and the second reading unit 201 are examples of reading means in this embodiment.

[0018] The first reading unit 151 reads an image of the first side of the document D. The second reading unit 201 reads an image of the second side of the document D, which is opposite to the first side. In this embodiment, the first side refers to the lower side of the document D in the double-sided reading section DR, and the second side refers to the upper side of the document D in the double-sided reading section DR. The first reading unit 151 and the second reading unit 201 constitute a double-sided reading section DR that can simultaneously read both sides of the document D transported by the ADF 1. However, the double-sided reading section DR does not always perform simultaneous reading of both sides, and it is also possible to read only one side.

[0019] The first reading unit 151 and the second reading unit 201 are composed of contact image sensors (hereinafter referred to as CIS), which are scanning devices with a life-size optical system. The first reading unit 151 and the second reading unit 201 are equipped with a light source consisting of an LED array arranged in a main scanning direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the original D, and a plurality of light receiving elements also arranged in the main scanning direction. Light emitted from the LED array and reflected by the original D is focused on each light receiving element via a lens and photoelectrically converted by the light receiving element.

[0020] The reader 30 is fixed to the upper surface of the printer main body 101A (see FIG. 1). A transparent document table 30a is disposed on the upper surface of the reader 30. The first reading unit 151 is supported by a carriage (not shown) that is movable in the left-right direction in the figure, and is movable from a predetermined position (the position shown) in the double-sided reading section DR along the document table 30a over the entire length of the document table 30a.

[0021] The ADF 1 is supported by a hinge mechanism (not shown) located at the rear of the drawing so that it can be opened and closed in the vertical direction relative to the reader 30. A document tray 2 serving as a sheet stacking unit supports a document D placed by a user. The ADF 1 has a document transport path T curved in a substantially U-shape, and transports the document D placed on the document tray 2 to the double-sided reading unit DR via the document transport path T. The user can open a portion of the document transport path T by opening the opening / closing cover 11 relative to the base unit 13.

[0022] Next, the configuration of the ADF 1 for transporting the original D will be described in detail. The ADF 1 has a pickup roller 4, a transport roller 5, a separation roller 6, a pair of registration rollers 7, a pair of transport rollers 8 and 9, and a pair of discharge rollers 10, arranged in this order along the original transport direction (indicated by the arrow in the figure). The ADF 1 also has a shutter 29, and the original D is set in the original tray 2 while abutting against the shutter 29. The shutter 29 is configured to restrict movement of the original D in the feed direction FD before feeding begins, and to allow movement of the original D in the feed direction FD once feeding begins. The pickup roller 4, which serves as a feeding means, is movable vertically relative to the upper surface of the original tray 2 and abuts against the original D on the original tray 2 to feed the original D in the feed direction FD. The transport roller 5 transports the original D received from the pickup roller 4 downstream in the feed direction FD. The separation roller 6 is pressed against the conveyance roller 5 to form a separation nip N as a separation section between the conveyance roller 5 and the separation roller 6, and separates the documents D conveyed by the conveyance roller 5 one by one. In this embodiment, the separation nip N is formed by the conveyance roller 5 and the separation roller 6, but is not limited to this. For example, instead of the separation roller 6, a retard roller to which reverse drive is input via a torque limiter, a separation pad, or the like may be used.

[0023] The open-close cover 11 rotatably supports a feed shaft, which is the rotation shaft of the conveying roller 5, and the pickup roller 4 is supported via a pickup arm (not shown) so as to be swingable relative to the feed shaft. One of the registration roller pair 7 is also rotatably supported by the open-close cover 11.

[0024] While stopped from rotating, the registration roller pair 7 receives the downstream end (hereinafter referred to as the leading end) of the document D conveyed by the conveying rollers 5 in the conveying direction and bends the document D to correct skew. The registration roller pair 7 then conveys the document D, whose skew has been corrected, through a bent portion of the document conveying path T and hands it over to the conveying roller pair 8. The conveying roller pair 8 sends the document D to the double-sided reading section DR and hands it over to the downstream conveying roller pair 9. At this time, the image of the document D is read by the first reading unit 151 and the second reading unit 201. The conveying roller pair 9 hands the document D that has passed through the double-sided reading section DR to the discharge roller pair 10. The discharge roller pair 10, which serves as a discharge means, discharges the document D in the discharge direction DD. The document D discharged by the discharge roller pair 10 is stacked on the discharge tray 3, which serves as a discharge stacking section.

[0025] The image reading device 103 configured as described above reads image information from the original D in a flowing mode in which the original image is scanned while the ADF 1 feeds the original D, and in a fixed reading mode in which the original placed on the platen 30a is scanned. The flowing mode is selected when the device detects the original D placed on the original tray 2, or when the user explicitly instructs this via the operation panel of the printer main body 101A. In this case, the ADF 1 feeds the original D one sheet at a time toward the double-sided reading section DR, with the first reading unit 151 in a predetermined position therein. Then, in the case of simultaneous double-sided reading, both the first reading unit 151 and the second reading unit 201 irradiate and scan the original D with scanning light, or in the case of single-sided reading, only one of them irradiates and scans the original D. The image information converted into an electrical signal by the light-receiving element is transferred to the control unit 132 of the printer main body 101A.

[0026] On the other hand, the fixed reading mode is selected when the device detects an original D placed on the platen 30a or when the user explicitly instructs it via the operation panel of the printer main body 101A. In this case, the first reading unit 151 scans the original D placed on the platen 30a by irradiating it with light while moving along the platen 30a. Then, the image information converted into an electrical signal by the light receiving element of the first reading unit 151 is transferred to the control unit 132 of the printer main body 101A.

[0027] <Document tray description> Next, the configuration of the document tray 2 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 7. FIGS. 3 and 4 are perspective views of the ADF 1. The document tray 2 includes a document loading surface 211 as a sheet loading surface for supporting documents, and a first side restriction portion 22 and a second side restriction portion 23 for restricting the position of the document in the width direction W. The first side restriction portion 22 restricts the position of the front end (one end position) of the document. The second side restriction portion 23 restricts the position of the rear end (the other end position) of the document. The document loading surface 211 is a surface for supporting documents, formed on an upper cover member 21 serving as the main body of the document tray 2 (described later). As shown in FIG. 2, the document loading surface 211 is slightly inclined downward toward the downstream side in the feeding direction FD. The first side restriction portion 22 and the second side restriction portion 23 are provided to be movable in the width direction W, which is perpendicular to the feeding direction FD. The first and second side regulating portions 22 and 23 are configured to be movable in opposite directions in conjunction with each other by a linking mechanism described later. For example, when the first side regulating portion 22 moves toward the back of the device, the second side regulating portion 23 moves toward the front of the device in conjunction with this.

[0028] The first side regulating portion 22 has a first support surface 221 formed along the document loading surface 211 and a first regulating surface 222 formed substantially perpendicular to the document loading surface 211 and the first support surface 221. The first support surface 221 is a surface that supports a document together with the document loading surface 211 and slides on the document loading surface 211. That is, the first support surface 221 is a surface that extends in the feeding direction FD and the width direction W. The first regulating surface 222 is integrally formed so as to rise upward from the outermost side of the first support surface 221 in the width direction W, and is a surface against which the front end (edge) of a document abuts. Similarly, the second side regulating portion 23 has a second support surface 231 formed along the document loading surface 211 and a second regulating surface 232 formed substantially perpendicular to the document loading surface 211 and the second support surface 231. The second support surface 231 is a surface that supports the document together with the document loading surface 211, and slides on the document loading surface 211. The second restriction surface 232 is integrally formed with the second support surface 231 so as to rise upward from the outermost side in the width direction W, and is the surface against which the rear end of the document abuts.

[0029] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the document tray 2. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the upper cover member 21, which is the main body of the document tray 2, viewed from below. FIG. 7 is a plan view of the upper cover member 21 viewed from the back side (bottom side), illustrating the interlocking mechanism. The document tray 2 is composed of the upper cover member 21, which includes the document stacking surface 211 described above, and a lower cover member 24, which covers the upper cover member 21 from below. The lower cover member 24 is fixed to the upper cover member 21 with a plurality of screws 300. The lower cover member 24 faces the discharge tray 3 and has a discharge guide surface 241 that guides documents discharged by the discharge roller pair 10. The discharge guide surface 241 has a plurality of ribs formed thereon that extend along the discharge direction DD.

[0030] A first rack portion 25, a second rack portion 26, and a pinion gear 27 are attached to the upper cover member 21 as an interlocking mechanism for interlockingly moving the first side regulating portion 22 and the second side regulating portion 23. The first rack portion 25 and the second rack portion 26 have a plurality of teeth aligned in a straight line. Two slits 212 extending in the width direction W are formed in the upper cover member 21. The first rack portion 25 is fixed to the first side regulating portion 22 via the slits 212 with screws 300, and the first side regulating portion 22 and the first rack portion 25 are disposed to sandwich the upper cover member 21 (document loading surface 211). Similarly, the second rack portion 26 is fixed to the second side regulating portion 23 via the slit 212 with screws 300, and the second side regulating portion 23 and the second rack portion 26 are disposed to sandwich the upper cover member 21 (document loading surface 211). Furthermore, a pinion gear support portion 28 is formed on the upper cover member 21, and the pinion gear 27 is rotatably engaged with the pinion gear support portion 28. As shown in Fig. 7, the pinion gear 27 is provided so as to mesh with both the first rack portion 25 and the second rack portion 26. As a result, when one of the first side regulating portion 22 and the second side regulating portion 23 moves, the pinion gear 27 rotates, which allows the other of the first side regulating portion 22 and the second side regulating portion 23 to move in the opposite direction in conjunction with each other.

[0031] Furthermore, a rotation shaft 213 is formed at the downstream end of the upper cover member 21 in the feeding direction FD so as to protrude in the width direction W. Meanwhile, a bearing (not shown) into which the rotation shaft 213 fits is formed in the base portion 13. By fitting the rotation shaft 213 into the bearing of the base portion 13, the upper cover member 21 can rotate relative to the base portion 13 around the rotation shaft 213. In other words, the document tray 2 is configured to be rotatable relative to the base portion 13. This allows the user to pick up documents discharged onto the discharge tray 3 with the document tray 2 lifted up.

[0032] <Explanation of the document scooping shape> FIG. 8 is a top view of the document tray 2. FIG. 9 is a front view of the document tray 2 as viewed from the downstream side in the feeding direction FD. In the following description, the "inner side" in the width direction W refers to the side closer to the conveyance center C (see FIG. 8). Here, the conveyance center C is the center of the pickup roller 4 and the center position between the first regulating surface 222 and the second regulating surface 232. The first support surface 221 of the first side regulating unit 22 has a first scooping portion 223 at its downstream end in the feeding direction FD and its inner end in the width direction W. The second support surface 231 of the second side regulating unit 23 has a second scooping portion 233 at its downstream end in the feeding direction FD and its inner end in the width direction W. That is, the first scooping portion 223 and the second scooping portion 233 are formed at the most downstream positions of the first support surface 221 and the second support surface 231, respectively. The first scooping section 223 and the second scooping section 233 are inclined downward toward the inside in the width direction W, and are formed so as to extend below the document stacking surface 211. In addition, the first scooping section 223 and the second scooping section 233 are arranged so as to slide on the downstream end of the document stacking surface 211 (upper cover member 21).

[0033] Furthermore, the first support surface 221 of the first side regulating portion 22 has a third scooping portion 224 upstream of the first scooping portion 223 in the feeding direction FD. Furthermore, the second support surface 231 of the second side regulating portion 23 has a fourth scooping portion 234 upstream of the second scooping portion 233 in the feeding direction FD. Similar to the first scooping portion 223 and the second scooping portion 233, the third scooping portion 224 and the fourth scooping portion 234 are inclined downward toward the inside in the width direction W and are formed to extend below the document stacking surface 211. Furthermore, the third scooping portion 224 and the fourth scooping portion 234 are fitted into the slit 212 formed in the document stacking surface 211 so as to be slidable inside the slit 212.

[0034] Furthermore, the inner end of the first support surface 221 of the first side regulator 22 in the width direction W is a first inclined portion 225 (first inclined surface) shaped to approach the first restricting surface 222 as it moves from the first scooping portion 223 to the upstream side in the feeding direction FD. Furthermore, the inner end of the second support surface 231 of the second side regulator 23 in the width direction W is a second inclined portion 235 (second inclined surface) shaped to approach the second restricting surface 232 as it moves from the second scooping portion 233 to the upstream side in the feeding direction FD. The first inclined portion 225 and the second inclined portion 235 are inclined downward toward the inside in the width direction W. That is, the first inclined portion 225 and the second inclined portion 235 are inclined toward the outside in the width direction W as they move upstream in the feeding direction FD, and are also inclined downward toward the inside in the width direction W. In other words, the first support surface 221 and the second support surface 231 are shaped so that the lengths in the width direction W become shorter toward the upstream side in the feeding direction FD. Furthermore, a first scooping portion 223 is formed at the innermost position in the width direction W of the first support surface 221, and a second scooping portion 233 is formed at the innermost position in the width direction W of the second support surface 231.

[0035] FIG. 10 is a top view of the document tray 2 with a business card-sized document D placed on it. The document D shown in FIG. 10 is a No. 4 business card (55 mm × 91 mm), the smallest document size that can be transported by the ADF 1 of this embodiment. The smallest document size that can be transported by the ADF 1 is the smallest compatible sheet size listed, for example, in the product specifications. FIG. 11 is a front view of the document tray 2 with the first side restriction unit 22 and the second side restriction unit 23 moved inward in the width direction W, causing the first scooping unit 223 and the second scooping unit 233 to abut against the document D. FIG. 12 is a front view of the document tray 2 with the first restriction surface 222 and the second restriction surface 232 abutting against both ends of the document D in the width direction W.

[0036] As described above, the document D is set on the document tray 2 in a state where it abuts against the shutter 29. When the user moves the first regulation surface 222 and the second regulation surface 232 inward so as to match the width of the document D, first, as shown in FIG. 11, the first lifting portion 223 and the second lifting portion 233 abut against the ends of the document D. At this time, since the first lifting portion 223 and the second lifting portion 233 extend below the document loading surface 211, the ends of the document D are lifted by the first lifting portion 223 and the second lifting portion 233 from below. Therefore, the ends of the document D are guided onto the first support surface 221 and the second support surface 231 without being caught. Further, when the first side regulation portion 22 and the second side regulation portion 23 are moved closer, the document D is continuously lifted onto the first support surface 221 and the second support surface 231 from the front end to the rear end by the first inclined portion 225 and the second inclined portion 235. Then, as shown in FIG. 12, when the first regulation surface 222 and the second regulation surface 232 abut against both ends in the width direction W of the document D, the position of the document D is regulated.

[0037] The smallest size document that the ADF 1 of the present embodiment can convey is the business card No. 4 size (55 mm × 91 mm). At this time, the distance L1 from the shutter 29 to the rear end of the document is 91 mm. In order for the document to be lifted by the first lifting portion 223 and the second lifting portion 233, it is preferable that the distance L2 from the shutter 29 to the first lifting portion 223 and the second lifting portion 233 is L2 < L1 (91 mm in the present embodiment). That is, it is preferable that the distance L2 from the shutter 29 to the first lifting portion 223 and the second lifting portion 233 is shorter than the length of the smallest size sheet that the apparatus can convey.

[0038] As described above, the first support surface 221 of the first side regulating unit 22 has a first scooping portion 223 formed at its downstream end in the feeding direction FD. The second support surface 231 of the second side regulating unit 23 has a second scooping portion 233 formed at its downstream end in the feeding direction FD. The first scooping portion 223 and the second scooping portion 233 are inclined downward toward the inside in the width direction W and are formed to extend below the document stacking surface 211. The first scooping portion 223 and the second scooping portion 233 enable even small sheets such as business cards to be scooped up onto the first support surface 221 and the second support surface 231 without getting caught. This prevents the document from getting under the first support surface 221 and the second support surface 231 and being damaged.

[0039] Furthermore, the first support surface 221 and the second support surface 231 are shaped so that their lengths in the width direction W become shorter toward the upstream side in the feeding direction FD. Therefore, the first inclined portion 225 and the second inclined portion 235 continuously lift up the document D from its leading edge to its trailing edge onto the first support surface 221 and the second support surface 231. This makes it possible to further prevent the document from getting caught on the first side restriction portion 22 and the second side restriction portion 23.

[0040] Furthermore, a third scooping portion 224 is formed on the first support surface 221 upstream of the first scooping portion 223 in the feeding direction FD, and a fourth scooping portion 234 is formed on the second support surface 231 upstream of the second scooping portion 233 in the feeding direction FD. Therefore, even if a document is long in the feeding direction, it can be scooped up onto the first support surface 221 and the second support surface 231 by the third scooping portion 224 and the fourth scooping portion 234. This makes it possible to further prevent a document that is long in the transport direction from getting caught on the first side restricting portion 22 and the second side restricting portion 23.

[0041] [Second embodiment] Next, a second embodiment will be described. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment only in the configuration of the first side regulating portion 22 and the document stacking surface 211. Therefore, the configuration of the second embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment except for the document tray 2, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0042] <Document tray description> 13 and 14 are perspective views of an ADF 1 according to the second embodiment. FIG. 15 is a perspective view of an upper cover member 21 of a document tray 2 according to the second embodiment, viewed from below. FIG. 16 is a top view of the document tray 2 according to the second embodiment. The document tray 2 includes a document stacking surface 211 for supporting documents, and first and second side restriction units 22 and 23 for restricting the position of the documents in the width direction W. The document tray 2 also includes a movable stacking surface 251. The movable stacking surface 251 is a stacking surface that can move in the width direction W together with the first side restriction unit 22. When the first side restriction unit 22 is positioned outward as shown in FIG. 13, the movable stacking surface 251 supports documents together with the document stacking surface 211. As shown in FIG. 16, when the first side restriction unit 22 moves inward, the movable stacking surface 251 retracts to be below the document stacking surface 211. That is, when the size of the original is large, the movable stacking surface 251 is located at a support position where it supports the original together with the original stacking surface 211, and when the size of the original is small, the movable stacking surface 251 is located at a retracted position retracted below the original stacking surface 211. As a result, when the size of the original is small, the movable stacking surface 251 is retracted and a space is formed above the discharge tray 3. This makes it easier for the user to see and take out small originals discharged onto the discharge tray 3.

[0043] The upper cover member 21 has a first rack portion 25, a second rack portion 26, and a pinion gear 27 as an interlocking mechanism for interlockingly moving the first side regulating portion 22 and the second side regulating portion 23. The upper surface of the first rack portion 25 is a moving loading surface 251, and is fixed to the first side regulating portion 22 with a screw 300. The second rack portion 26 is fixed to the second side regulating portion 23 with the screw 300 via a slit 212, and the second side regulating portion 23 and the second rack portion 26 are arranged to sandwich the upper cover member 21. Furthermore, a pinion gear support portion 28 is formed in the upper cover member 21, and the pinion gear 27 is rotatably engaged with the pinion gear support portion 28. The pinion gear 27 is arranged to mesh with both the first rack portion 25 and the second rack portion 26. As a result, when one of the first side regulating portion 22 and the second side regulating portion 23 moves, the pinion gear 27 rotates, allowing the other of the first side regulating portion 22 and the second side regulating portion 23 to move in the opposite direction in conjunction with each other.

[0044] <Explanation of the document scooping shape> Next, the document scooping shape according to the second embodiment will be described. The configuration of the second support surface 231 is the same as in the first embodiment, so only the configuration of the first support surface 221 will be described below. In the second embodiment, the first support surface 221 of the first side regulating portion 22 also has a first scooping portion 223 at its downstream end in the feeding direction FD and its inner end in the width direction W. The first scooping portion 223 is formed to extend below the document stacking surface 211. The inner side of the first support surface 221 in the width direction W is formed as a first inclined portion 225 that approaches the first regulating surface 222 as it moves from the first scooping portion 223 toward the upstream side in the feeding direction FD. Furthermore, the upstream side of the first inclined portion 225 of the first support surface 221 is formed as a third inclined portion 226 that moves away from the second regulating surface 232 as it moves toward the upstream side in the feeding direction FD. That is, the inside of first support surface 221 in width direction W is V-shaped when viewed from above. The boundary between first inclined portion 225 and third inclined portion 226 is located at the same position as the boundary between document stacking surface 211 and moving stacking surface 251. A third scooping portion 224 is formed at the downstream end of third inclined portion 226 on moving stacking surface 251 (the boundary between first inclined portion 225 and third inclined portion 226).

[0045] In this embodiment, a first scooping portion 223 is formed on the first support surface 221 of the first side regulating portion 22 at its downstream end in the feeding direction FD. Also, a second scooping portion 233 is formed on the second support surface 231 of the second side regulating portion 23 at its downstream end in the feeding direction FD. This makes it possible to prevent the document from getting under the first support surface 221 and the second support surface 231 and being damaged, just like in the first embodiment.

[0046] Furthermore, if the document tray 2 has a movable stacking surface 251 that is movable in the width direction W, there is a risk that when a user sets a document, the edge of the document may get caught on the boundary between the document stacking surface 211 and the movable stacking surface 251. However, in this embodiment, a third scooping portion 224 is formed at the downstream end of the third inclined portion 226. This makes it possible to improve the visibility and ease of removal of small-sized documents while preventing the document from getting caught on the boundary between the document stacking surface 211 and the movable stacking surface 251 and being damaged.

[0047] The characteristic configuration of document tray 2 described above can also be applied to manual feed tray 137e. That is, by providing the above-mentioned first scooping portion 223 and second scooping portion 233 to a pair of side regulating portions provided on manual feed tray 137e, it is possible to prevent recording media from getting under first support surface 221 and second support surface 231 and being damaged. [Explanation of symbols]

[0048] 1 ADF 2 Document tray 3 Output tray 22 First Regulatory Department 221 1st support surface 222 First Regulatory Surface 223 First scooping section 23 Second Regulatory Department 231 Second support surface 232 Second Regulatory Surface 233 Second scooping section 101 Image forming device 103 Image reading device

Claims

1. a sheet stacking section having a sheet stacking surface on which sheets are stacked; a feeding section that feeds the sheets stacked in the sheet stacking section in a feeding direction; a first side regulating portion provided on the sheet stacking portion so as to be movable in a width direction perpendicular to the feeding direction, the first side regulating portion regulating a position of one end of the sheet stacked on the sheet stacking portion in the width direction; a second side regulating portion provided on the sheet stacking portion so as to be movable in the width direction, the second side regulating portion regulating the position of the other end in the width direction of the sheets stacked on the sheet stacking portion; a linkage mechanism that moves the first side regulating portion and the second side regulating portion in a linked manner; Equipped with the first side regulating portion has a first regulating surface that abuts against one end of the sheet in the width direction, and a first supporting surface that supports the sheet together with the sheet stacking surface, the second side regulating portion has a second regulating surface that abuts against the other end of the sheet in the width direction, and a second supporting surface that supports the sheet together with the sheet stacking surface, the first support surface has a first scooping portion at a downstream most position in the feeding direction, the first scooping portion extending below the sheet stacking surface, and has a shape that approaches the first regulating surface as it moves upstream from the first scooping portion in the feeding direction; the second support surface has a second scooping portion at a downstream most position in the feeding direction, the second scooping portion extending downward from the sheet stacking surface, and has a shape that approaches the second regulating surface as it moves upstream from the second scooping portion in the feeding direction. A sheet conveying device characterized by:

2. the first support surface has a first inclined surface at an end opposite to the first restricting surface in the width direction, the first inclined surface being inclined so as to approach the sheet stacking surface as it moves away from the first restricting surface, the second support surface has a second inclined surface at an end opposite to the second regulating surface in the width direction, the second inclined surface being inclined so as to approach the sheet stacking surface as it moves away from the second regulating surface; 2. The sheet transport device according to claim 1.

3. the first support surface has a third scooping portion located upstream of the first scooping portion in the sheet feeding direction and extending downward below the sheet stacking surface; the second support surface has a fourth scooping portion located upstream of the second scooping portion in the sheet feeding direction and extending downward below the sheet stacking surface; 2. The sheet transport device according to claim 1.

4. the sheet stacking surface has slits into which the third scooping portion and the fourth scooping portion are slidably fitted; 4. The sheet transport device according to claim 3.

5. a shutter that contacts the leading edge of the sheet stacked on the sheet stacking section and restricts the movement of the sheet in the feeding direction; a distance from the shutter to the first scooping unit and the second scooping unit in the feeding direction is shorter than the length of a minimum size sheet that can be conveyed by the device; 2. The sheet transport device according to claim 1.

6. a movable stacking surface that is movable in the width direction together with the first side regulating portion and that is movable between a support position that supports the sheets together with the sheet stacking surface and a retracted position that is retracted below the sheet stacking surface; 2. The sheet transport device according to claim 1.

7. the first support surface has a third scooping portion extending downward from the sheet stacking surface at a downstream end of the moving stacking surface in the sheet feeding direction; 7. The sheet transport device according to claim 6.

8. The sheet conveying device according to claim 1 ; a reading unit that reads an image on the sheet fed from the sheet stacking unit, An image reading device characterized by:

9. The image reading device according to claim 8; an image forming unit that forms an image on a recording medium based on the image of the sheet read by the reading unit, An image forming apparatus characterized by:

Images