Image reading device
The image reading device addresses alignment and visibility issues by using a loading surface with inclined surfaces and a convex portion to form a curl, ensuring proper document alignment and visibility, even at high speeds.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- SEIKO EPSON CORP
- Filing Date
- 2024-10-31
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-18
AI Technical Summary
Existing image reading devices face issues with document alignment and visibility due to the inclination of the discharge surface, which can cause documents to bend and protrude, especially at higher scanning speeds, leading to poor alignment and reduced accessibility.
The device incorporates a loading surface with a first inclined surface and a second inclined surface with a gentler slope, featuring a convex portion that forms an upward curl on the document, and optionally includes support portions to stabilize and guide the document's alignment.
The solution effectively suppresses document bending and ensures proper alignment by forming a curl that allows documents to return upstream, maintaining visibility and accessibility, even at higher discharge speeds.
Smart Images
Figure 2026080060000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to an image reading device that reads an image of a document.
Background Art
[0002] There is a so-called sheet feed type image reading device that reads while conveying a document. In such an image reading device, as shown in Patent Document 1, the document is sent out from a document table on which the document before feeding is placed, the document is curved downward and reversed, and then the document is discharged toward a paper discharge tray located below the document table. Hereinafter, the document table described in Patent Document 1 is referred to as a feed tray.
[0003] The paper discharge tray is inclined such that the placement surface on which the document is placed is located lower on the upstream side in the discharge direction than on the downstream side in the discharge direction. In other words, the placement surface is inclined so as to have an upward gradient along the discharge direction. Therefore, the discharged document moves to the upstream side in the discharge direction due to the inclination of the placement surface, and the rear end hits the abutting surface. As a result, the rear ends of a plurality of documents on the paper discharge tray are aligned. Further, the inclination of the placement surface suppresses the document from protruding from the paper discharge tray.
[0004] Thus, the inclination of the placement surface has a technical significance, and therefore it is preferable that the entire placement surface is inclined. However, since a feed tray is provided above the placement surface, if the entire placement surface is inclined, there is a risk of a decrease in the visibility and the removability of the discharged document. Therefore, in many cases, the downstream side in the discharge direction of the placement surface is formed so that the inclination becomes gentle.
Prior Art Documents
Patent Documents
[0005]
Patent Document 1
Summary of the Invention
[0006] If the mounting surface is formed with a gentle slope on the downstream side in the discharge direction, the downstream side of the discharged document may bend downwards, making it difficult for it to return to the upstream side in the discharge direction, which can reduce alignment. As the document discharge speed increases with the scanning speed, this reduction in alignment becomes even more pronounced. To suppress the bending of the document as described above, it is conceivable to improve the rigidity of the document by creating a curl when viewed from the discharge direction. However, in order to facilitate the return of the discharged document to the upstream side in the discharge direction, some ingenuity is required. [Means for solving the problem]
[0007] To solve the above problems, the present invention provides an image reading device comprising: a reading unit for reading an image of a document; and a document transport unit for transporting a document to the reading unit, wherein the document transport unit comprises: an discharge unit for discharging the document read by the reading unit; and a loading unit that forms a loading surface on which the document discharged by the discharge unit is loaded, wherein the loading surface comprises: a first inclined surface having an upward slope along the document discharge direction; and a second inclined surface located downstream of the first inclined surface in the discharge direction and having a gentler upward slope than the first inclined surface along the discharge direction, wherein a stopper surface is provided upstream of the first inclined surface in the discharge direction against which the rear end of the document abuts, and the loading surface is provided with a convex portion that protrudes upward from the loading surface and extends along the discharge direction, forming an upward convex curl on the document when viewed from the discharge direction, wherein the convex portion is formed to have an upward slope along the discharge direction and is provided spanning the first inclined surface and the second inclined surface. [Brief explanation of the drawing]
[0008] [Figure 1] An external perspective view of the document transport device, seen from above. [Figure 2] A diagram showing the document transport path in a document transport device. [Figure 3]A view of the convex portion from the direction of the document width. [Figure 4] A view of the protruding part from the direction of document ejection. [Figure 5] A perspective view of the convex part seen from above. [Figure 6A] Plan view of the loading surface and protrusions. [Figure 6B] Plan view of the loading surface and protrusions. [Figure 6C] Plan view of the loading surface and protrusions. [Figure 7] Plan view of a protrusion according to another embodiment. [Figure 8] Plan view of a protrusion according to another embodiment. [Figure 9] Side view of a protrusion in another embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]
[0009] The present invention will be described in general terms below. The first embodiment of the image reading device comprises a reading unit for reading an image of a document and a document transport unit for transporting the document to the reading unit, wherein the document transport unit comprises a discharge unit for discharging the document read by the reading unit and a loading unit that forms a loading surface on which the document discharged by the discharge unit is loaded, wherein the loading surface comprises a first inclined surface which has an upward slope along the document discharge direction and a second inclined surface located downstream of the first inclined surface in the discharge direction and having a gentler upward slope than the first inclined surface along the discharge direction, wherein a stopper surface is provided upstream of the first inclined surface in the discharge direction against which the rear end of the document abuts, and the loading surface is provided with a convex portion which protrudes upward from the loading surface and extends along the discharge direction, forming a curl on the document that is convex upward when viewed from the discharge direction, wherein the convex portion is formed to have an upward slope along the discharge direction and is provided spanning the first inclined surface and the second inclined surface.
[0010] Since the loading surface includes a first inclined surface and a second inclined surface that has a gentler upward slope than the first inclined surface, if the leading edge of the ejected document pops out downstream in the ejection direction from the first inclined surface, the leading edge of the ejected document will bend downward, making it difficult to return upstream in the ejection direction, which may worsen the alignment. The deterioration in alignment occurs because the trailing edge of the document cannot return to the stopper surface. According to this embodiment, the loading surface is provided with a convex portion that protrudes upward from the loading surface and extends along the discharge direction, forming a curl on the document that is convex upward when viewed from the discharge direction. The convex portion is formed to have an upward slope along the discharge direction and is provided spanning the first inclined surface and the second inclined surface. As a result, even if the leading edge of the discharged document protrudes downstream from the first inclined surface in the discharge direction, the curl can be formed appropriately, and downward bending of the leading edge of the discharged document can be effectively suppressed. As a result, the discharged document can be returned appropriately upstream in the discharge direction, and deterioration of alignment can be suppressed.
[0011] The second embodiment is an embodiment dependent on the first embodiment, characterized in that when a document of a first size is discharged, the position where the leading edge of the document reaches furthest downstream in the discharge direction is defined as the first arrival position, and the formation range of the protrusion in the discharge direction includes the first arrival position.
[0012] According to this embodiment, when a document of a first size is ejected, the position where the leading edge of the document reaches furthest downstream in the ejection direction is defined as the first arrival position. Since the formation range of the protrusion in the ejection direction includes the first arrival position, the downward bending of the leading edge of the ejected document of the first size can be effectively suppressed. As a result, the ejected document can return appropriately upstream in the ejection direction, and deterioration of alignment can be suppressed.
[0013] The third aspect is an aspect dependent on the second aspect, wherein, with the leading end position of the document in a state where the trailing end of the document of the first size abuts against the abutting surface being defined as the first alignment position, the first alignment position is included in the formation range of the convex portion in the discharging direction.
[0014] If the curl is not formed in the document already loaded, it becomes difficult to form the curl in the next document to be discharged, and the discharged document may not return appropriately upstream in the discharging direction, leading to a deterioration in alignment. According to this aspect, with the leading end position of the document in a state where the trailing end of the document of the first size abuts against the abutting surface being defined as the first alignment position, and the first alignment position being included in the formation range of the convex portion in the discharging direction, it becomes easier to form the curl in the document already loaded and easier to form the curl in the next document to be discharged. As a result, the discharged document can return appropriately upstream in the discharging direction, and deterioration in alignment can be suppressed.
[0015] The fourth aspect is an aspect dependent on the first aspect, wherein a support portion that protrudes upward from the second inclined surface and can support the document is provided on the second inclined surface, and in the width direction, which is a direction intersecting the discharging direction, the support portion is located on both sides of the convex portion.
[0016] For a document of a large size, it is preferable that the first inclined surface extends downstream in the discharging direction. However, when a feeding tray is provided above the stacking surface, if the first inclined surface is extended downstream in the discharging direction, the distance between the stacking surface and the feeding tray becomes narrow, resulting in a decrease in the visibility and accessibility of the discharged document. According to this aspect, since a support portion that protrudes upward from the second inclined surface is provided on the second inclined surface, and in the width direction, which is a direction intersecting the discharging direction, the support portion is located on both sides of the convex portion, it is possible to support a document of a large size while suppressing a narrowing of the distance between the stacking surface and the feeding tray. In addition, since the support portion increases the range in which the curl can be formed in the discharge direction, the curl can be appropriately formed, and effectively suppresses the tip side of the discharged document from bending downward. As a result, the discharged document can appropriately return upstream in the discharge direction, and deterioration of alignment can be suppressed.
[0017] A fifth aspect is an aspect dependent on the fourth aspect, wherein the support portion does not protrude above a virtual line obtained by extending the first inclined surface downstream in the discharge direction when viewed from the width direction.
[0018] According to this aspect, since the support portion does not protrude above a virtual line obtained by extending the first inclined surface downstream in the discharge direction when viewed from the width direction, the support portion can be prevented from narrowing the distance between the stacking surface and the feeding tray.
[0019] A sixth aspect is an aspect dependent on the fourth aspect, wherein the support portion is formed to have an upward slope along the discharge direction, and an upstream end of the support portion in the discharge direction does not protrude above the convex portion.
[0020] According to this aspect, since the support portion is formed to have an upward slope along the discharge direction, it becomes easier for the document to return upstream in the discharge direction. Further, since the upstream end of the support portion in the discharge direction does not protrude above the convex portion, it is possible to suppress snagging when the tip of the document shifts from a state of being supported by the convex portion to a state of being supported by the support portion. Note that this aspect is not limited to the fourth aspect described above, and may be dependent on the fifth aspect described above.
[0021] A seventh aspect is an aspect dependent on the first aspect, wherein the convex portion extends to an upstream end of the first inclined surface in the discharge direction. According to this embodiment, since the protrusion extends to the upstream end of the first inclined surface in the discharge direction, curls are more easily formed on documents already loaded, and curls are more easily formed on documents to be discharged next. As a result, discharged documents can be properly returned to the upstream side in the discharge direction, and deterioration of alignment can be suppressed. Furthermore, this embodiment is not limited to the first embodiment described above, but may be dependent on any of the second to sixth embodiments described above.
[0022] The eighth aspect is an aspect dependent on the first aspect, characterized in that the protrusions are provided on both sides of the center position of the document to be discharged in the width direction intersecting the discharge direction.
[0023] According to this embodiment, the protrusions are provided on both sides of the center position of the document being discharged in the width direction intersecting the discharge direction, so that the curl can be formed appropriately. Furthermore, this embodiment is not limited to the first embodiment described above, but may be dependent on any of the second to seventh embodiments described above.
[0024] The ninth aspect is an aspect dependent on the eighth aspect, characterized in that the protrusion is further provided at the central position in the width direction, and the protrusion provided at the central position protrudes above the protrusions provided on both sides of the central position.
[0025] According to this embodiment, the protrusion is further provided at the central position in the width direction, and the protrusion provided at the central position protrudes above the protrusions provided on both sides of the central position, thereby enabling a more appropriate formation of the curl.
[0026] A tenth embodiment is an embodiment dependent on the first embodiment, wherein the discharge unit comprises a first roller and a second roller that nips the document between itself and the first roller, and the convex portion is located above the nip position in the vertical direction where the document is nipped by the first roller and the second roller.
[0027] According to this embodiment, since the protrusion is located above the nip position where the first roller and the second roller nip the document in the vertical direction, the leading edge of the document discharged by the discharge unit can come into contact with the first inclined surface before coming into contact with the protrusion. This makes it easier to stabilize the orientation of the document when it is discharged and suppresses deterioration of alignment.
[0028] The present invention will be described in detail below. The XYZ coordinate system shown in each figure is a Cartesian coordinate system, where the direction of the arrow is the + direction and the opposite direction is the - direction. The X-axis direction is the width direction of the document being transported within the device, and is also the depth direction of the device. In this embodiment, the -X direction is the front of the device, and the +X direction is the rear of the device. The Y-axis direction is the width direction of the device, and when viewing the device from the -X direction, the +Y direction is the left side and the -Y direction is the right side. The Z-axis direction is the height direction and vertical direction of the device.
[0029] In Figure 1, the scanner 1, which is an example of an image reading device, is equipped with a document transport device 10, which is an example of a document transport unit, on top of the scanner unit 2, which is configured as a flatbed type scanner. The document transport device 10 is provided to open and close relative to the scanner unit 2 via a hinge (not shown) located at its end in the +X direction, and opening it opens and closes the document glass 3 (see Figure 2) that constitutes the upper part of the scanner unit 2. The document transport device 10 includes a feed tray 15 and an output tray 47 on the main body 11. The feed tray 15 is located above the output tray 47.
[0030] The document to be fed is placed on the feed tray 15. The document is an example of a medium. Paper is another example of a document. In the feed tray 15, an edge guide 16A is provided in the +X direction to guide the +X edge of the placed document, and an edge guide 16B is provided in the -X direction to guide the -X edge of the placed document. The edge guides 16A and 16B are slidable toward or toward each other.
[0031] As shown in Figure 2, the scanner unit 2 is equipped with a document glass 3, and a first reading unit 4 is provided below the document glass 3 so as to be movable along the Y-axis. A pressing mat 13 is provided on the underside of the document transport device 10 to hold down the document placed on the document glass 3. The pressing mat 13 is not provided in the region in the +Y direction in the Y-axis direction, and by transporting the document toward the first reading unit 4 where it stops in this region, the surface of the document can be read. The document transport device 10 also has a second reading unit 45 inside, and both sides of the transported document can be read by this second reading unit 45 and the first reading unit 4. Since the document transport device 10 has a second reading unit 45, the document transport device 10 can be considered as an example of an image reading device on its own.
[0032] The document transport path inside the document transport device 10 will be further explained below with reference to Figure 2. In Figure 2, the dashed line indicated by the symbol T represents the curved inversion path, which serves as the document transport path in the document transport device 10. The curved inversion path T is the path from the separation roller pair 23 to the fourth transport roller pair 39. In this specification, a roller pair refers to a pair of rollers that are positioned opposite each other, straddling the curved inversion path T. The original document placed on the feed tray 15 is fed out by the pick roller 20. The pick roller 20 is positioned opposite the +Y direction end region of the original document placed on the feed tray 15.
[0033] The pick roller 20, driven by a motor (not shown), is supported by a roller support member 21. The roller support member 21 is provided to swing coaxially with the feed roller 24, and its swinging motion causes the pick roller 20 to move forward and backward relative to the original document. Downstream of the pick roller 20, a pair of separation rollers 23 is provided. The pair of separation rollers 23 consists of a feed roller 24 driven by a motor (not shown) and a separation roller 25 to which rotational resistance is applied. The separation roller 25 is subjected to rotational resistance by a torque limiter (not shown), and the original document fed by the pick roller 20 is separated by the action of the separation roller 25 and sent downstream.
[0034] Downstream of the separation roller pair 23, a first conveyor roller pair 27 is provided. The first conveyor roller pair 27 consists of a drive roller 28 driven by a motor (not shown) and a driven roller 29 that can rotate under its own power. Downstream of the first transport roller pair 27, the document is curved downwards. Downstream of the first transport roller pair 27, a second transport roller pair 31 is provided. In the curved reversal path T, the second transport roller pair 31 nips and transports the document downstream of the position where the downward-facing surface of the document changes to an upward-facing surface, that is, the position furthest in the +Y direction in the curved reversal path T. The second transport roller pair 31 consists of a drive roller 32 driven by a motor (not shown) and a driven roller 33 that can rotate under its own power.
[0035] The document fed from the feed tray 15 is curved downward by the curved reversal path T, and then reversed in the opposite direction to the document feeding direction from the feed tray 15, i.e., in the -Y direction. The reversed document passes through the area opposite to the first reading unit 4, which is stopped at the position shown in Figure 2, is read, and reaches the third transport roller pair 35. The third transport roller pair 35 consists of a drive roller 36 driven by a motor (not shown) and a driven roller 37 that can rotate under its own power.
[0036] The document, fed by the third transport roller pair 35, passes through the area opposite the second reading unit 45, is read, and reaches the fourth transport roller pair 39. The fourth transport roller pair 39 consists of a drive roller 40 driven by a motor (not shown) and a driven roller 41 that can rotate under its own power. The document is discharged to the discharge tray 47 by the fourth transport roller pair 39. The discharge tray 47 has a loading surface 47a on which the discharged documents are stacked. On the loading surface 47a, a recess 47b (see Figure 1) is provided in the -X direction to facilitate the removal of the stacked documents.
[0037] The fourth transport roller pair 39 is an example of an ejection section that ejects the scanned document. The drive roller 40 is an example of a first roller, and the driven roller 41 is an example of a second roller that nips the medium between itself and the first roller. Furthermore, the discharge tray 47 is an example of a loading section that forms a loading surface 47a on which the documents discharged by the fourth transport roller pair 39 are loaded. Although the ejection direction of the document by the fourth transport roller pair 39 strictly includes a small +Z component in addition to the -Y component, for convenience, the -Y direction will be referred to as the document ejection direction from here on. Also, from here on, when referring to the downstream of the ejection direction, it means the -Y direction, and when referring to the upstream of the ejection direction, it means the +Y direction.
[0038] A stopper 48 is provided at the downstream end of the loading surface 47a in the discharge direction. The stopper 48 is designed to rotate to switch between an operational state and a retracted state. The stopper 48 shown in Figure 1 and the stopper 48 indicated by the dashed line and reference numeral 48-1 in Figure 2 are in the operational state. The stopper 48 indicated by the solid line in Figure 2 is in the retracted state.
[0039] As the document is transported along the curved inversion path T described above, the upper surface of the document placed on the transport tray 15 is read by the first reading unit 4, and the lower surface of the document placed on the transport tray 15 is read by the second reading unit 45. In this embodiment, both the second reading unit 45 and the first reading unit 4 are composed of contact-type image sensor modules (CISM).
[0040] Next, the loading surface 47a and the protrusion 50 will be described. The loading surface 47a is composed of a first inclined surface 47a1, a second inclined surface 47a2, and a horizontal surface 48a3 along the discharge direction. The first inclined surface 47a1 is a surface that slopes upward along the discharge direction and is a flat surface overall. The second inclined surface 47a2 is located downstream of the first inclined surface 47a1 in the discharge direction and is formed to have a gentler upward slope than the first inclined surface 47a1 along the discharge direction. In this embodiment, the second inclined surface 47a2 is formed as a curved surface that is gently convex upward, as shown in Figure 3. However, the second inclined surface 47a2 may also be a flat surface. The horizontal plane 47a3 is a plane parallel to the XY plane and is a flat plane.
[0041] In Figure 3, region A1 is the range of the first inclined surface 47a1 in the discharge direction, region A2 is the range of the second inclined surface 47a2 in the discharge direction, and region A3 is the range of the horizontal plane 47a3 in the discharge direction. In Figure 3, position Y1 is the boundary between the first inclined surface 47a1 and the second inclined surface 47a2. The first inclined surface 47a1 has a constant gradient along the discharge direction up to position Y1. The gradient changes at position Y1. Position Y4 is the boundary between the second inclined surface 47a2 and the horizontal surface 47a3. The second inclined surface 47a2 has an upward slope along the discharge direction up to position Y4. The upward slope ends at position Y4.
[0042] When a document is ejected onto such a stacking surface 47a, the force of the ejection propels the document downstream in the ejection direction on the stacking surface 47a, and then slides back upstream in the ejection direction on the stacking surface 47a or over documents already stacked. In Figure 2, the document indicated by the symbol P1 is the first document ejected onto the stacking surface 47a, and is an example of the state in which the document has traveled as far downstream as possible in the ejection direction on the stacking surface 47a due to the force of the ejection. From this state, the document P1 slides back upstream in the ejection direction on the stacking surface 47a, and its rear end e2 abuts against the abutment surface 49. Furthermore, if a document has already been ejected onto the loading surface 47a, the next document to be ejected will move downstream in the ejection direction while in contact with the document already loaded. It will then slide over the document already loaded and return upstream in the ejection direction, with its rear end e2 abutting against the abutment surface 49.
[0043] Here, the loading surface 47a includes a first inclined surface 47a1 and a second inclined surface 47a2 that has a gentler upward slope than the first inclined surface 47a1. Therefore, if the leading edge e1 of the ejected document pops out downstream in the ejection direction from the first inclined surface 47a1, the leading edge of the ejected document will bend downward, making it difficult to return upstream in the ejection direction, which may worsen the alignment. In Figure 2, the dashed line labeled P2 represents a document whose leading edge has bent downward. The deterioration in alignment occurs because the trailing edge e2 of the document cannot return to the abutment surface 49.
[0044] To suppress such problems, in this embodiment, a protrusion 50 is provided on the loading surface 47a. The protrusion 50 protrudes upward from the loading surface 47a and extends along the discharge direction. The protrusion 50 forms an upward-convex curl on the document when viewed from the discharge direction. In this embodiment, the protrusion 50 is formed in a rib shape. In addition, in this embodiment, the top of the protrusion 50 has an upward slope along the discharge direction and is formed parallel to the first inclined surface 47a1. Figure 4 schematically shows how the convex portion 50 forms a curl on the original document P1. The symbol CL indicates the center position of the original document P1 in the width direction. In this embodiment, one protrusion 50 is provided on each side of the central position CL. This allows for the proper formation of curls on the original document P1.
[0045] As shown in Figure 3, the protrusion 50 is formed to have an upward slope along the discharge direction and is provided spanning the first inclined surface 47a1 and the second inclined surface 47a2. This provides the following effects. The loading surface 47a includes a first inclined surface 47a1 and a second inclined surface 47a2 that has a gentler upward slope than the first inclined surface 47a1. As described above, if the leading edge e1 of the ejected document pops out downstream in the ejection direction from the first inclined surface 47a1, the leading edge of the ejected document will bend downward, making it difficult for it to return upstream in the ejection direction, which may worsen the alignment. However, the loading surface 47a is provided with a convex portion 50 that protrudes upward from the loading surface 47a and extends along the discharge direction. As shown in Figure 4, the convex portion 50 forms an upward convex curl on the document when viewed from the discharge direction. The convex portion 50 is formed to have an upward slope along the discharge direction and is provided spanning the first inclined surface 47a1 and the second inclined surface 47a2. As a result, even if the leading edge of the discharged document protrudes downstream from the first inclined surface 47a1 in the discharge direction, the curl shown in Figure 4 can be properly formed, and downward bending of the leading edge of the discharged document can be effectively suppressed. As a result, the discharged document can be properly returned upstream in the discharge direction, and deterioration of alignment can be suppressed.
[0046] Next, Figure 6A shows the positional relationship between the protrusion 50 and the original document Pa when the first size of original document Pa is ejected. The original document Pa is, as an example, an A4 size sheet of paper with its shorter side aligned with the ejection direction. The original document Pa shown by the dashed line returns upstream in the ejection direction after being ejected, and its rear end e2 abuts against the abutment surface 49. Position M1 is the position where the leading edge e1 reaches the furthest downstream due to the force of ejecting the original document Pa, and this will be referred to as the first arrival position M1 below. As shown in the figure, the formation range of the protrusion 50 in the discharge direction includes the first arrival position M1. This effectively prevents the leading edge of the ejected document (Pa) from bending downwards. As a result, the ejected document (Pa) can return properly upstream in the ejection direction, suppressing deterioration of alignment. Furthermore, the original document (Pa) is not limited to A4 size paper with the shorter side aligned with the output direction; other paper sizes and orientations are also acceptable.
[0047] Furthermore, the leading edge position of the original document Pa when its trailing end e2 abuts against the abutment surface 49 is defined as the first alignment position N1, and the formation range of the protrusion 50 in the discharge direction includes the first alignment position N1. This provides the following effects. If curls are not formed on the already loaded documents (Pa), it will be difficult for curls to form on the next documents to be ejected. This may prevent the ejected documents from returning properly upstream in the ejection direction, potentially leading to poor alignment. However, as described above, since the formation range of the protrusion 50 in the discharge direction includes the first alignment position N1, curls are more likely to form on already loaded documents Pa, and curls are more likely to form on the next documents Pa to be discharged. As a result, the discharged documents Pa can return appropriately to the upstream direction of the discharge, and deterioration of alignment can be suppressed. Furthermore, even in this case, the original document (Pa) is not limited to A4 size paper with the shorter side aligned with the output direction; other paper sizes and orientations are also acceptable.
[0048] Next, the original document Pb shown in Figure 6B is an example where the long side of an A4 size sheet of paper is aligned with the discharge direction. The original document Pb, indicated by the dashed line, returns upstream in the discharge direction after being discharged, and its rear end e2 is in contact with the abutment surface 49. Position M2 is the first arrival position where, due to the force of ejecting the original document Pb, the leading edge e1 reaches the furthest downstream point. Furthermore, position N2 is the leading edge position of the document Pb when the trailing edge e2 of the document Pb is in contact with the abutment surface 49, i.e., the first alignment position. In this embodiment, the formation range of the protrusion 50 in the discharge direction does not include the first arrival position M2, but the curl formation effect of the protrusion 50 suppresses downward bending of the leading edge of the original document Pb.
[0049] Next, the original document Pc shown in Figure 6C is an example where the long side of an A3 size sheet of paper is aligned with the output direction. The original document Pc shown by the dashed line is in a state where the rear end e2 is in contact with the abutment surface 49. Position M3 is the first arrival position where the leading edge e1 reaches the furthest downstream point when the document Pc is ejected. In this embodiment, the document Pc, which is an A3 size sheet of paper, is large and therefore does not easily fly out in the ejection direction. Consequently, the first arrival position M3 and the first alignment position N3, which is the leading edge position of the document Pc when the rear end e2 of the document Pc is in contact with the abutment surface 49, are in approximately the same position. Furthermore, the stopper 48 is slidable along the discharge direction, and even if the leading edge e1 of the document Pc protrudes beyond the horizontal plane 47a3 in the discharge direction, it can prevent further protrusion of the leading edge e1.
[0050] Next, the support portion 51 will be described. In this embodiment, a support portion 51, which is a part that protrudes upward from the second inclined surface 47a2 and is capable of supporting a document, is provided on the second inclined surface 47a2 as shown in Figures 3 and 5. In this embodiment, the support portion 51 is formed in a rib shape. In this embodiment, the support portion 51 is formed so that the top of the support portion 51 has an upward slope. In this embodiment, the support portion 51 is formed so that it extends outward in the width direction from the center position CL along the discharge direction. Furthermore, in the width direction, the support portion 51 is located on both sides of the protrusion 50. This provides the following effects. For larger documents, it is preferable that the first inclined surface 47a1 extends downstream in the discharge direction. However, if a feed tray 15 is provided above the loading surface 47a, extending the first inclined surface 47a1 downstream in the discharge direction may reduce the distance between the loading surface 47a and the feed tray 15, specifically the distance in the Z-axis direction, which could lead to a decrease in the visibility and ease of removal of the discharged documents.
[0051] According to this embodiment, a support portion 51 protruding upward from the second inclined surface 47a2 is provided on the second inclined surface 47a2, and in the width direction, which is the direction intersecting the discharge direction, the support portion 51 is located on both sides of the convex portion 50. This makes it possible to support large documents while suppressing a narrowing of the gap between the loading surface 47a and the feed tray 15. Furthermore, the support portion 51 increases the range in which curl can be formed in the discharge direction, allowing for proper curl formation (see Figure 4) of the document and effectively suppressing downward bending of the leading edge of the discharged document. As a result, the discharged document can return properly to the upstream direction of the discharge, suppressing deterioration of alignment. However, the support portion 51 may be omitted.
[0052] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 3, the support portion 51 does not protrude above the imaginary line Ln, which is an extension of the first inclined surface 47a1 downstream in the discharge direction, when viewed from the width direction. This prevents the support portion 51 from narrowing the gap between the loading surface 47a and the feeding tray 15. Furthermore, the support portion 51 may be configured to protrude above the virtual line Ln.
[0053] In this embodiment, the support portion 51 is formed to have an upward slope along the discharge direction, and the upstream end of the support portion 51 in the discharge direction does not protrude above the convex portion 50. In Figure 3, position Y2 is the position of the upstream end of the support portion 51 in the discharge direction. Position Y3 is the position of the downstream end of the convex portion 50 in the discharge direction. At position Y2, the support portion 51 does not protrude above the convex portion 50. As described above, since the support portion 51 is formed to have an upward slope along the discharge direction, the document is more likely to return to the upstream side in the discharge direction. In addition, since the upstream end of the support portion 51 in the discharge direction does not protrude above the convex portion 50, snagging can be suppressed when the leading edge e1 of the document transitions from being supported by the convex portion 50 to being supported by the support portion 51.
[0054] Furthermore, the protrusion 50 may extend to the upstream end of the first inclined surface 47a1 in the discharge direction, as indicated by reference numeral 50A in Figure 7. In this configuration, where the protrusion 50A extends to the upstream end of the first inclined surface 47a1 in the discharge direction, curls are more likely to form on already loaded documents, and curls are more likely to form on the next document to be discharged. As a result, the discharged documents can return to the upstream direction in the discharge direction appropriately, and deterioration of alignment can be suppressed.
[0055] Furthermore, additional protrusions may be provided at the center position CL in the width direction. Figure 8 shows such an embodiment, where reference numeral 50B indicates a protrusion provided at the center position CL. The convex portion 50C then protrudes upward from the convex portions 50 provided on both sides of the central position CL, as shown in Figure 9. With this configuration, curls can be formed more appropriately on the medium.
[0056] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, the protrusion 50 is located above the nip position Z1 where the fourth transport roller pair 39 nips the document in the vertical direction. This allows the leading edge of the document discharged by the fourth transport roller pair 39 to contact the first inclined surface 47a1 before contacting the protrusion 50. This makes it easier to stabilize the orientation of the document when it is discharged and suppresses deterioration of alignment.
[0057] The following describes other features and variations of the above-described embodiment. If the curvature of the curl formed on the original document (see Figure 4) becomes too large, the rigidity of the original document becomes too high, which may cause the ejected original document to push already stacked original documents in the ejection direction, resulting in poor alignment. In the above embodiment, since two protrusions 50 are provided along the width direction, the curvature of the curl formed on the original document becomes appropriate, and the above problem can be suppressed.
[0058] However, as explained with reference to Figure 8, there may be three or more protrusions 50 along the width direction, or there may be only one. The same applies to the support portion 51. Furthermore, the protrusion 50 may be provided so as to be movable in the width direction to suit the size and orientation of the discharged medium. The same applies to the support portion 51. In this case, it is also preferable to mark the loading surface 47a with indicators, such as the appropriate position of the protrusion 50 and the support portion 51, so that they can be easily identified.
[0059] In this embodiment, the protrusion 50 and the support portion 51 partially overlap when viewed from the width direction. However, the protrusion 50 and the support portion 51 do not necessarily have to overlap when viewed from the width direction.
[0060] In this embodiment, the first inclined surface 47a1 and the second inclined surface 47a2 are provided continuously along the discharge direction. However, other surfaces may be interposed between the first inclined surface 47a1 and the second inclined surface 47a2.
[0061] In this embodiment, the protrusion 50 and the stopper 48 overlap in the vertical direction, as shown in Figure 2. In Figure 2, the reference numeral Z2 indicates the highest position of the protrusion 50 in the vertical direction. As is clear from position Z2, the protrusion 50 and the stopper 48 overlap in the vertical direction. In this embodiment, the stopper 48 is located between the two support portions 51 in the width direction, as shown in Figure 6A. In this embodiment, the stopper 48 is configured to have an upward slope along the discharge direction when in use. The upward slope of the stopper 48 is steeper than the upward slope of the first inclined surface 47a1. This effectively suppresses the ejection of the document in the discharge direction. In this embodiment, the stopper 48 is positioned further downstream than the point where the leading edge of the document reaches its furthest downstream point due to the force of ejection, for all document sizes.
[0062] Furthermore, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention as described in the claims, and these modifications are also included within the scope of the present invention. In the above embodiment, an example was described in which the document transport device 10 is applied to a scanner 1, which is an example of an image reading device. However, it can also be applied as a medium transport device to a recording device that has recording means for recording on a medium. [Explanation of symbols]
[0063] 1...Scanner, 2...Scanner unit, 3...Document glass, 4...First reading unit, 10...Document transport device, 11...Device body, 15...Feed tray, 16A, 16B...Edge guides, 20...Pick roller, 21...Roller support member, 23...Separation roller pair, 24...Feed roller, 25...Separation roller, 27...First transport roller pair, 28...Drive roller, 29...Driven roller, 31...Second transport roller pair, 32...Drive roller, 33...Driven roller -, 35...Third transport roller pair, 36...Drive roller, 37...Driven roller, 39...Fourth transport roller pair, 40...Drive roller, 41...Driven roller, 45...Second reading unit, 47...Discharge tray, 47a...Loading surface, 47a1...First inclined surface, 47a2...Second inclined surface, 47a3...Horizontal surface, 47b...Recess, 48...Stopper, 49...Butt surface, 50, 50A, 50B...Convex part, 51...Support part, T...Curved inversion path, P1, Pa, Pb, Pc...Original document
Claims
1. A reading unit that reads the image of the document, A document transport unit that transports the document to the reading unit, Equipped with, The aforementioned document transport unit is An output unit for ejecting the document read by the aforementioned reading unit, A stacking section that forms a stacking surface on which the documents discharged by the discharge section are stacked, Equipped with, The aforementioned loading surface is A first inclined surface that slopes upward along the direction of document ejection, A second inclined surface located downstream of the first inclined surface in the discharge direction, and having a gentler upward slope than the first inclined surface along the discharge direction, Equipped with, A stopper surface is provided upstream of the first inclined surface in the discharge direction, against which the rear end of the document abuts. The loading surface is provided with a convex portion that protrudes upward from the loading surface and extends along the discharge direction, and which forms a curl on the document that is convex upward when viewed from the discharge direction. The aforementioned protrusion is formed to have an upward slope along the discharge direction and is provided spanning the first inclined surface and the second inclined surface. An image reading device characterized by the following:
2. In the image reading device according to claim 1, When a document of a first size is ejected, the position where the leading edge of the document reaches furthest downstream in the ejection direction is defined as the first arrival position, and the formation range of the protrusion in the ejection direction includes the first arrival position. An image reading device characterized by the following:
3. In the image reading device according to claim 2, The leading edge position of the document when the trailing edge of the document of the first size abuts against the abutting surface is defined as the first alignment position, and the formation range of the protrusion in the discharge direction includes the first alignment position. An image reading device characterized by the following:
4. In the image reading device according to claim 1, A support portion capable of supporting a document is provided on the second inclined surface, which protrudes upward from the second inclined surface. In the width direction, which is the direction intersecting the discharge direction, the support portion is located on both sides of the convex portion. An image reading device characterized by the following:
5. In the image reading device according to claim 4, The support portion, when viewed from the width direction, does not protrude above a virtual line extending the first inclined surface downstream in the discharge direction. An image reading device characterized by the following:
6. In the image reading device according to claim 4, The support portion is formed to have an upward slope along the discharge direction, The upstream end of the support portion in the discharge direction does not protrude above the convex portion. An image reading device characterized by the following:
7. In the image reading device according to claim 1, The protrusion extends to the upstream end of the first inclined surface in the discharge direction. An image reading device characterized by the following:
8. In the image reading device according to claim 1, The aforementioned protrusions are provided on both sides of the center position of the document being discharged, in the width direction intersecting the discharge direction. An image reading device characterized by the following:
9. In the image reading device according to claim 8, The aforementioned protrusion is further provided at the central position in the width direction, The convex portion provided at the central position protrudes upward from the convex portions provided on both sides of the central position. An image reading device characterized by the following:
10. In the image reading device according to claim 1, The discharge unit comprises a first roller and a second roller that nips the document between itself and the first roller. The aforementioned protrusion is located above the nip position in the vertical direction where the first roller and the second roller nip the original document. An image reading device characterized by the following: