Conveying device and reading device

Abstract

To reduce the weight of an already conveyed manuscript 12 applied to a tip of a succeeding manuscript 12, when the tip of the succeeding manuscript 12 is caused to slide into under the already conveyed manuscript 12.SOLUTION: In the case where a number exceeding a number threshold value Nth, of manuscripts 12 are continuously conveyed onto an ADF discharge tray 34 from an ADF manuscript tray 33, a scanner part 3 supports a number up to the number threshold value Nth, of the manuscripts 12 on each upper surface of a first member 34A, a second member 34B, and the ADF manuscript tray 33. On the other hand, in order to allow the manuscripts 12 after the number threshold value Nth+1 thereof to pass through a gap G1 and below the second number 34B, the scanner part 3 supports them on each upper surface of the first member 34A and the ADF tray 33 without using the second member 34B.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a conveying device that causes a currently conveyed document to slide under a previously conveyed document and discharges the document, and to a reading device equipped with the same. [Background technology]

[0002] A conveying device that conveys documents from a document tray to a discharge tray through a conveying path is known. In a conveying device in which documents are discharged to a discharge tray so-called face-up with the reading surface of the document facing upward, it is preferable that the conveyed multiple documents are stacked on the discharge tray in page order. In the sheet conveying device described in Patent Document 1, the rear end of the document discharged to the partition plate 19 is lifted upward by the support member 33. Therefore, the leading edge of the document conveyed thereafter slips under the rear end of the previous document supported by the support member 33. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2014-197784 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the sheet conveying device described in Patent Document 1, as the number of documents being conveyed continuously increases, the load applied to the document being slipped under the documents increases. As a result, there is a problem that the document may buckle when the document currently being conveyed slips under the document already conveyed and is conveyed in the conveying direction.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and its purpose is to provide a technology that makes it difficult for a document that slips under a document that has been transported earlier to buckle, even if the number of documents transported in succession increases. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] (1) A transport device according to the present invention includes an original tray, an output tray having a first member and a second member, a transport path continuing from the original tray toward the output tray, and a transport mechanism that transports an original along the transport path in a transport direction. The first member has a first surface that supports an original. The second member has a second surface that supports an original and is movable between a first position where the second surface supports the original together with the first surface of the first member, and a second position where a gap is present between the first surface and the second surface through which the original can pass. The sum of the dimensions of the first surface and the second surface of the second member in the transport direction is shorter than the dimension of the original in the transport direction. The transport mechanism transports the document until the rear end of the document is located upstream of the upstream end of the discharge tray in the transport direction, transports the next document so that the leading end of the next document slips under the rear end of the previous document supported on the discharge tray, and transports the document so that the document passes through the gap between the first surface and the second surface when the second member is in the second position.

[0007] When the second member is in the first position, the document discharged to the discharge tray is supported on the first and second surfaces. When the second member is in the second position, the document discharged to the discharge tray slides under the previous document supported on the first surface and passes through the gap between the first and second surfaces. The leading edge of the document that has passed through the gap between the first and second surfaces is supported by a member different from the leading edge of the previous document. This makes it possible to reduce the weight of the previous document applied to the leading edge of the document when the leading edge of the document is slipped under.

[0008] (2) The second member is located downstream of the first member in the conveying direction, and moves from the first position in the conveying direction to the second position, so that the gap is formed between the upstream end of the second member in the conveying direction and the downstream end of the first member in the conveying direction.

[0009] When the second member is in the first position, the document discharged to the discharge tray is supported on the first and second surfaces. When the second member is in the second position, the document discharged to the discharge tray passes through the gap between the downstream end of the first member and the upstream end of the second member, and is discharged below the second member. The leading edge of the document that has passed through the gap between the first and second surfaces is supported by a member different from the second member that supports the leading edge of the preceding document. This makes it possible to reduce the weight of the preceding document that is applied to the leading edge of the document when the leading edge of the document is slipped under.

[0010] (3) The document tray is located below the discharge tray, and the downstream end of the second member in the transport direction moves upward by pivoting about an axis.

[0011] By rotating the second member, the document tray can be easily accessed.

[0012] (4) The second member is located downstream of the first member in the conveying direction, and the upstream end of the second member in the conveying direction moves upward relative to the downstream end of the first member in the conveying direction by rotating about an axis, thereby reaching the second position, and the gap is formed between the upstream end of the second member in the conveying direction and the downstream end of the first member in the conveying direction.

[0013] When the second member is in the first position, the document discharged to the discharge tray is supported on the first and second surfaces. When the second member is in the second position, the document discharged to the discharge tray passes through the gap between the downstream end of the first member and the upstream end of the second member, and is discharged below the second member. The leading edge of the document that has passed through the gap between the first and second surfaces is supported by a member different from the second member that supports the leading edge of the preceding document. This makes it possible to reduce the weight of the preceding document that is applied to the leading edge of the document when the leading edge of the document is slipped under.

[0014] (5) The upstream end of the second member in the transport direction has a curved surface that guides the leading edge of the document downward.

[0015] (6) The conveying device of claim 1, wherein the second member is located upstream of the first member in the conveying direction, and the downstream end of the second member in the conveying direction moves downwardly relative to the upstream end of the first member in the conveying direction by rotating about an axis, thereby reaching the second position, and the gap is formed between the downstream end of the second member in the conveying direction and the upstream end of the first member in the conveying direction.

[0016] When the second member is in the first position, the document discharged to the discharge tray is supported on the first and second surfaces. When the second member is in the second position, the document discharged to the discharge tray passes through a gap between the upstream end of the first member and the downstream end of the second member, and is discharged below the first member. The leading edge of the document that has passed through the gap between the first and second surfaces is supported by a member other than the first member that supports the leading edge of the preceding document. This makes it possible to reduce the weight of the preceding document that is applied to the leading edge of the document when the leading edge of the document is slipped under.

[0017] (7) The upstream end of the first member in the transport direction has a curved surface that guides the leading edge of the document downward.

[0018] (8) The device further includes a controller that counts a count value which is the number of original documents continuously transported by the transport mechanism, and moves the second member from the first position to the second position in response to the count value reaching a threshold value.

[0019] (9) A reading device according to the present invention includes the above-mentioned transport device and a reading sensor for reading a document in the transport path. Effect of the Invention

[0020] According to the present invention, even if the number of documents transported in succession increases, documents that slip under documents transported earlier are less likely to buckle. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1]1 is an external perspective view showing the external configuration of a multifunction peripheral 1 equipped with an ADF (Auto Document Feeder) 5 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 2A is a plan view showing the main configuration of the scanner unit 3, and FIG. 2B is a schematic diagram showing a vertical cross section of the scanner unit 3 taken along the dashed dotted line II-II in FIG. 1 as viewed from the right. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal configuration of an ADF 5 according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram of a scanner unit 3. [Diagram 5] 13(A) and (B) are schematic diagrams showing a configuration example of a drive transmission mechanism 182 in the embodiment, and (C) is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of the drive transmission mechanism 182 in a second modified example. FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing the second member 34B at the first position P51. [Figure 7] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing the second member 34B in the second position P52. [Figure 8] 13 is a flowchart of a single-sided reading process. [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing a second member 34B according to a first modified example. [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing a second member 34B according to a second modified example. [Figure 11] FIG. 13 is a schematic view showing a second member 34B according to a third modified example. [Figure 12] 13(A) and (B) are schematic diagrams of a slider 201 of a second member 34B according to a third modified example, and (C) is a schematic diagram showing an eccentric cam 182L of a second member 34B according to the third modified example. FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of a drive transmission mechanism 181 in a third modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0022] Each embodiment described below is merely an example of the present invention, and it goes without saying that it can be appropriately modified within the scope of the present invention. In addition, in the following description, the progress from the starting point of the arrow to the end point is expressed as a direction, and the movement on the line connecting the starting point and the end point of the arrow is expressed as a direction. In addition, in the following description, the up-down direction 7 is defined based on the state in which the multifunction device 1 is installed so as to be usable (the state in FIG. 1), the front-rear direction 8 is defined with the surface in which the opening 4 is provided as the front, and the left-right direction 9 is defined when the multifunction device 1 is viewed from the front. The up-down direction 7, the front-rear direction 8, and the left-right direction 9 are mutually orthogonal. The up-down direction 7 is also the vertical direction. The horizontal direction is a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction.

[0023] [Overall structure of MFP 1] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings as appropriate.

[0024] 1, the multifunction device 1 is a multifunction device (MFD) that integrally comprises an inkjet recording printer unit 2 provided at the bottom and a scanner unit 3 (an example of a reading device) provided at the top, and has print, scan, copy, facsimile functions, etc. For the present invention, it is sufficient to have only the scanner unit 3 equipped with the ADF 5. In other words, functions other than the scan function are optional, and the present invention may be embodied as a scanner whose only function is the scan function.

[0025] In the copy function, image data read by the scanner unit 3 is recorded on recording paper by the printer unit 2. In the facsimile function, image data read by the scanner unit 3 is transmitted by facsimile over a telephone line or the like. In addition, received facsimile data is recorded on recording paper by the printer unit 2.

[0026] In the scan function, image data of the document 12 read by the scanner unit 3 is transferred to a computer connected to the device by wire or wirelessly. The read image data can also be transferred to and stored in various storage media such as a memory card or a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory.

[0027] [Configuration of Scanner Unit 3] 1, the scanner unit 3 includes an ADF document tray 33 (an example of a document tray) and an ADF discharge tray 34 (an example of a discharge tray). In FIG. 3, the scanner unit 3 generally includes a transport path 151, a transport mechanism 16 that transports the document 12, a first contact image sensor (an example of a reading sensor, hereinafter referred to as a "first CIS") 85, and a second contact image sensor (hereinafter also referred to as a "second CIS") 95.

[0028] In FIG. 1, the appearance of the multifunction device 1 is generally formed as a wide, thin rectangular parallelepiped whose width and depth are greater than its height. The printer unit 2 at the bottom of the multifunction device 1 has a housing 10 that constitutes the frame of the printer unit 2. An opening 4 is formed in a front panel 11 that constitutes the front of the housing 10. Inside the opening 4, a paper feed tray 20 and a paper discharge tray 21 are provided in two stages, one above the other. The front panel 11 includes a connector panel 13 on which various connectors are arranged, above the opening 4. A slot unit 18 is arranged at the right end of the connector panel 13. The slot unit 18 allows various memory cards to be loaded and electrically connects the controller 100 (see FIG. 4) of the multifunction device 1 to the memory card. A memory card is a card-type storage device with a built-in flash memory as a storage medium. In the slot unit 18, a first card slot 19 and a second card slot 22 of different slot types are arranged side by side to allow different types of memory cards to be loaded. An ink cartridge is housed near the right end of the front panel 11.

[0029] An operation panel 6 for operating the printer unit 2 and scanner unit 3 is provided on the upper front surface of the multifunction device 1. The operation panel 6 is configured with various operation buttons 35 and a liquid crystal display 36 appropriately provided. The multifunction device 1 operates based on instructions inputted through the operation panel 6. When the multifunction device 1 is connected to an external computer, the multifunction device 1 also operates based on instructions transmitted from the computer via a printer driver or scanner driver.

[0030] In FIG. 1, the scanner unit 3 has a document cover 30 attached to a support base 15 functioning as an FBS (Flatbed Scanner) via a hinge on the rear side so as to be freely opened and closed in the direction of the arrow P1. The document cover 30 is movable between an open position and a closed position relative to the support base 15 having a platen glass 80 (see FIG. 3). The document cover 30 covers the platen glass 80 in the closed position. The document cover 30 is integrally provided with an ADF 5 (an example of a conveying device), and the ADF 5 also moves as the document cover 30 is opened and closed. The ADF document tray 33, the ADF discharge tray 34, the conveying path 151 (see FIG. 3), the conveying mechanism 16, and the second CIS 95 are located on the document cover 30, and the first CIS 85 is located on the support base 15.

[0031] 3, a platen glass 80 is provided on the upper surface of the support base 15. When the document cover 30 is closed on the support base 15, the platen glass 80 is covered by the document cover 30. An elastic plate 82 is provided on the lower surface of the document cover 30, i.e., the surface facing the platen glass 80.

[0032] The elastic plate 82 abuts against the platen glass 80 when the document cover 30 is in the closed position. The elastic plate 82 presses and fixes the document 12 placed on the platen glass 80. The elastic plate 82 includes a plate member 74 and a sponge member 75. The plate member 74 is of a single color such as white over its entire area in order to obtain stable reflected light from the document 12. The plate member 74 is attached to the document cover 30 via the sponge member 75. The elastic plate 82 is located at the lowest part of the document cover 30 when the document cover 30 is in the closed position. In other words, the elastic plate 82 including the sponge member 75 is located below the second CIS 95 when the document cover 30 is in the closed position.

[0033] The platen glass 80 is, for example, a transparent glass plate or an acrylic plate. A positioning member 83 is provided at the left end of the platen glass 80 to separate a reading area 80A when the ADF 5 is used to read an image of the original 12 from a reading area 80B when the scanner unit 3 is used as an FBS. The positioning member 83 is a positioning reference when the original 12 is placed on the platen glass 80. On the upper surface of the positioning member 83, a mark indicating the placement position is provided according to the size of the original 12, such as A4 size or B5 size. When the ADF 5 is used, the positioning member 83 functions as a guide to guide the original 12 passing over the reading area 80A so as to return it to a conveying path 151 provided in the ADF 5.

[0034] 3, a first image reading unit 32 is built into the support base 15. When the scanner section 3 is used as an FBS, the document cover 30 is opened and the document 12 is placed on the platen glass 80. Then, the document cover 30 is closed and the document 12 is fixed on the platen glass 80. The first image reading unit 32 moves below the platen glass 80 and reads the image of the document 12 placed on the platen glass 80.

[0035] The first image reading unit 32 has a first CIS 85 and a CIS carriage 86 in the shape of a long and narrow rectangular parallelepiped. The CIS carriage 86 carries the first CIS 85 so as to carry it on its upper side. This causes the first CIS 85 to face the lower surface of the platen glass 80. The first CIS 85 is located upstream of the curved path 157 in the conveying path 151 in the conveying direction 17. The first CIS 85 optically reads the image of the original 12 from below the conveying path 151. The first CIS 85 is a so-called contact type line image sensor that emits light from a light source such as an LED to irradiate the original 12 with light, guides the reflected light from the original 12 to a photoelectric conversion element through a lens, and the photoelectric conversion element outputs an electrical signal according to the intensity of the reflected light. The first CIS 85 is carried on the CIS carriage 86 and reciprocates below the platen glass 80.

[0036] In FIG. 2A, a guide shaft 87 is installed across the upper end of the housing 10 in the left-right direction 9. The first image reading unit 32 is supported so as to be smoothly movable below the platen glass 80 in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the CIS carriage 86 (left-right direction 9) by fitting the CIS carriage 86 into the guide shaft 87. A CIS carriage drive mechanism 88 is provided along the guide shaft 87. The CIS carriage drive mechanism 88 is configured by installing a timing belt 89 between pulleys. The CIS carriage 86 is fixed to the timing belt 89 of the CIS carriage drive mechanism 88, and is reciprocated by the circumferential motion of the timing belt 89. As a result, when the scanner unit 3 is used as an FBS, the CIS carriage 86 can be moved parallel to the lower surface of the platen glass 80, and at that time, the first CIS 85 mounted on the CIS carriage 86 can be caused to read an image of the document 12 placed on the platen glass 80.

[0037] In FIG. 2B, an original cover 30 on the top of the scanner unit 3 is provided with an ADF original tray 33 and an ADF discharge tray 34 arranged in two stages, one above the other.

[0038] 2B, ADF document tray 33 supports, on its upper surface, unconveyed document 12 prior to reading processing. In detail, in FIG. 1, ADF document tray 33 occupies substantially the entire area to the right of ADF cover 153 on the upper surface of document cover 30. The upper surface of ADF document tray 33 is gently inclined downward to the left.

[0039] 2(B), ADF document tray 33 is provided with a pair of ADF document guides 93. Each ADF document guide 93 is spaced apart from the other in front-rear direction 8 and is slidable back and forth. The ADF document guides 93 protrude upward from ADF document tray 33 and regulate the front-rear position of document 12 placed on ADF document tray 33. ADF document guides 93 are linked by a well-known interlocking mechanism such as a rack and pinion, so that when one of the ADF document guides 93 is slid, the other ADF document guide 93 also slidably moves in the opposite direction in an interlocking manner.

[0040] In FIG. 1, the ADF discharge tray 34 has a pair of a first member 34A and a second member 34B.

[0041] In FIG. 2B, the two first members 34A are eaves-shaped flat plates that are integral with the two ADF document guides 93 and move back and forth together with the two ADF document guides 93 as shown by arrows P31 and P32. The two first members 34A extend from the upper ends of the two ADF document guides 93 toward the center of the front and rear of the scanner unit 3. The upper surfaces of the first members 34A extend substantially horizontally at the same vertical position. As shown in FIG. 2B and FIG. 3, the upper surface of each first member 34A is located below the upper surface of the lower discharge chute section 178 in the vertical direction 7. The upper surface of each first member 34A may be located at the same vertical position as the upper surface of the lower discharge chute section 178.

[0042] Both first members 34A support the original 12 discharged from the ADF 5 through the discharge path 160. The original 12 is transported rightward by a transport force applied by a transport roller 171 while being guided by the upper surfaces of both first members 34A.

[0043] In Fig. 1, the second member 34B is located to the right of the two first members 34A in the left-right direction 9. The front and rear ends of the second member 34B are located at approximately the same front-to-rear positions as the front and rear ends of the ADF document tray 33. The second member 34B has an upper surface that extends approximately horizontally at the same vertical position as the upper surfaces of the first members 34A. Here, the sum of the left-to-right dimensions of the first members 34A and the second members 34B is shorter than the dimension of the document 12 in the transport direction 17.

[0044] The second member 34B moves rightward, as indicated by an arrow P4, from a first position P51 (see FIG. 6) to a second position P52 (see FIG. 7) by a driving force transmitted from a drive transmission mechanism 182 (see FIG. 4). The second member 34B can be moved from the second position P52 to the first position P51 by a user operation.

[0045] As shown in Figures 5(A) and 5(B), the drive transmission mechanism 182 includes a first input gear 182A and a second input gear 182B, a first sun gear 182C and a second sun gear 182D, a first planetary gear 182E and a second planetary gear 182F, a first output gear 182G and a second output gear 182H, and a rack gear 182I.

[0046] The first input gear 182A and the second input gear 182B mesh with a gear provided on the output shaft of the LF motor 110. A driving force is transmitted from the first input gear 182A to the first sun gear 182C via a transmission gear 182J. The first planetary gear 182E meshes with the first sun gear 182C. The rotation shaft of the first planetary gear 182E is connected to the rotation shaft of the first sun gear 182C by a first link member 182K. The first planetary gear 182E is movable between a first meshing position P41 (position in FIG. 5(A)) where the first planetary gear 182E meshes with both the first sun gear 182C and the first output gear 182G, and a first separated position P42 (position in FIG. 5(B)) where the first planetary gear 182E is separated from the first output gear 182G. The first output gear 182G is provided on the rotation shaft of the separation roller 166.

[0047] The second sun gear 182D meshes with the second input gear 182B. The second planetary gear 182F meshes with the second sun gear 182D. The rotation shaft of the second planetary gear 182F is connected to the rotation shaft of the second sun gear 182D by the second link member 182M. The second planetary gear 182F can move between a second meshing position P43 (position in FIG. 5(B)) where it meshes with both the second sun gear 182D and the transmission gear 182N, and a second separated position P44 (position in FIG. 5(A)) where it is separated from the transmission gear 182N. The transmission gear 182N meshes with the second output gear 182H.

[0048] The rack gear 182I is formed on the second member 34B and meshes with the second output gear 182H. The rack gear 182I converts the driving force generated by the rotation of the second output gear 182H into a force in a direction from the first position P51 to the second position P52 (i.e., a rightward force) and transmits the force to the second member 34B (see FIG. 5(B)).

[0049] The LF motor 110 rotates forward or reverse under the control of the controller 100. As shown by arrow A1 in Fig. 5(A), the forward rotation direction of the LF motor 110 is the clockwise direction, and as shown by arrow A2 in Fig. 5(B), the reverse rotation direction of the LF motor 110 is the counterclockwise direction.

[0050] During forward rotation of the LF motor 110, the first planetary gear 182E rotates at a first meshing position P41 (position in FIG. 5A) where it meshes with both the first sun gear 182C and the first output gear 182G, and transmits the driving force from the first sun gear 182C to the first output gear 182G. This driving force causes the first output gear 182G to rotate the separation roller 166 so as to impart a conveying force in the conveying direction 17 in the conveying path 151 to the document 12. Note that the suction roller 164, the registration roller 168, and the conveying roller 171 may be rotatable together with the separation roller 166 by another output gear (not shown). When the LF motor 110 rotates in the reverse direction, the first planetary gear 182E rotates at a first separated position P42 (position in FIG. 5(B)) separated from the first output gear 182G, and does not transmit the driving force from the first sun gear 182C to the first output gear 182G.

[0051] During reverse rotation of the LF motor 110, the second planetary gear 182F rotates at a second meshing position P43 (position in FIG. 5(B)) where it meshes with both the second sun gear 182D and the transmission gear 182N, and transmits the driving force from the second sun gear 182D to the second output gear 182H via the transmission gear 182N. This driving force rotates the second output gear 182H. During forward rotation of the LF motor 110, the second planetary gear 182F rotates at a second separated position P44 (position in FIG. 5(A)) where it is separated from the transmission gear 182N.

[0052] As shown in FIG. 6, at the first position P51, the left end of the second member 34B abuts against or is close to the right end of each of the first members 34A. The second member 34B at the first position P51 supports the original 12 transported from the first member 34A. The original 12 is transported rightward by the transport force of the transport roller 171 while being guided by the upper surface of the second member 34B at the first position P51. The left-right distance between the nip N1 of the transport roller 171 and the right end of the second member 34B at the first position P51 is sufficiently shorter than the dimension of the original 12 in the transport direction 17. When the leading edge of the original 12 passes the right end of the second member 34B, it curves toward the ADF original tray 33 below the second member 34B. The portion of the original 12 near the leading edge on the ADF discharge tray 34 (i.e., the portion near the right end) is supported by the ADF original tray 33 so as to hang down from the ADF discharge tray 34.

[0053] As shown in FIG. 7, at the second position P52, the left end of the second member 34B is separated to the right from the right end of each of the first members 34A. As a result, a gap G1 through which the document 12 can pass is formed between the first member 34A and the second member 34B. The gap G1 is a distance such that the leading end of the document 12 conveyed from the first member 34A in the conveying direction 17 hangs down below the second member 34B and does not reach the second member 34B. When the leading end of the document 12 conveyed from the first member 34A reaches the gap G1, it curves toward the ADF document tray 33 below the second member 34B. In order to smoothly convey the document 12 from the first member 34A to the ADF document tray 33 through the gap G1, the left end of the upper surface of the second member 34B and the left end of the lower surface thereof are continuous with each other by a curved surface 34C that is recessed diagonally upward to the right when viewed from the front. Instead of the curved surface 34C, the upper surface and the left end of the lower surface of the second member 34B may be continuous with a surface that slopes downward to the right when viewed from the front.

[0054] 1, the housing of the ADF 5 is composed of an ADF main body 152 molded integrally with the document cover 30, and an ADF cover 153 provided rotatably relative to the ADF main body. The ADF cover 153 mainly forms the upper surface of the housing of the ADF 5. The ADF cover 153 is rotated in the direction of the arrow P2 in the figure around a rotation shaft (not shown) provided on the side of the ADF main body 152 (the left side in FIG. 1) relative to the ADF main body 152. This exposes part of the inside of the ADF 5.

[0055] 3, inside the ADF 5, there is provided a transport mechanism 16 that transports the original 12 in a transport direction 17 from the ADF original tray 33 to the ADF discharge tray 34 on a transport path 151. The transport mechanism 16 has a suction roller 164 and a suction nip piece 165, a separation roller 166 and a separation nip piece 167, a registration roller (hereinafter also referred to as an "R roller") 168 and a pinch roller 169, and a transport roller 171 and a pinch roller 172 (an example of a nip member).

[0056] The transport path 151 is formed in a generally horizontal U-shape in cross section, and is divided into an inclined path 159, a curved path 157, and a discharge path 160. The transport path 151 is formed by the transport mechanism 16 as well as various guide members.

[0057] Suction chute section 154 is formed so as to continue from ADF document tray 33 to transport path 151. Suction chute section 154 of ADF 5 is formed so as to continue to the space above ADF document tray 33. Suction chute section 154 has an upper surface as a guide surface for document 12 and is configured as a passage of a predetermined width in vertical direction 7. If the surface facing downward of document 12 placed on ADF document tray 33 is defined as first surface 51 and the surface facing upward is defined as second surface 52, document 12 from which an image is to be read is placed on ADF document tray 33 with first surface 51 facing downward so that the leading edge in transport direction 17 is inserted into suction chute section 154.

[0058] The suction chute 154 is provided with a sheet supply mechanism composed of a plurality of roller bodies, etc. The sheet supply mechanism has a suction roller 164 and a suction nip piece 165 that is pressed against the suction roller 164, and a separation roller 166 and a separation nip piece 167 that is pressed against the suction roller 164. Note that the configuration of each roller and nip piece is merely one example of the sheet supply mechanism, and it goes without saying that the number and arrangement of rollers can be changed, pinch rollers can be used instead of each nip piece, or another known sheet supply mechanism can be used.

[0059] The intake roller 164 is rotatably provided along the vicinity of the center between the front and rear of the ADF document tray 33. Although not shown, the intake roller 164 has a key groove that fits into a key on the roller shaft, and the circumferential width of this key groove is sufficiently long compared to the width of the key. Therefore, the intake roller 164 can rotate idly for about one revolution on the roller shaft.

[0060] The separation roller 166 is rotatably provided at a position spaced downstream from the suction roller 164 in the transport direction 17 of the document 12. The suction roller 164 and the separation roller 166 are rotated by a driving force transmitted from the LF motor 110 (see FIG. 4).

[0061] The suction nip piece 165 is provided at a position facing the suction roller 164 so as to be movable up and down in a direction toward and away from the suction roller 164. The suction nip piece 165 is biased downward by a spring member (not shown) and is in contact with the suction roller 164 without nipping the document 12.

[0062] The separation nip piece 167 is provided at a position facing the separation roller 166 so as to be movable up and down in a direction toward and away from the separation roller 166. The separation nip piece 167 is biased downward by a spring member (not shown), and is in pressure contact with the roller surface of the separation roller 166 in a state where it is not nipping the document 12.

[0063] The inclined path 159 of the conveying path 151 is gently inclined generally diagonally downward to the left in the left-right direction 9 within a range from the separation roller 166 to the vicinity of the exit of the reading area 80A. The original 12 sent out from the ADF original tray 33 is smoothly guided along the inclined path 159 without being strongly curved.

[0064] On the inclined path 159, from upstream to downstream in the conveying direction 17, an R roller 168, a pinch roller 169, a document sensor 116, a positioning member 83, a second image reading unit 94, a document guide 173, and a first image reading unit 32 are arranged.

[0065] The pinch roller 169 is provided with its axial direction coinciding with the width direction (front-rear direction 8) of the inclined path 159. The pinch roller 169 is provided rotatably such that a part of the roller surface is exposed to the inclined path 159.

[0066] An R roller 168 is provided at a position facing the pinch roller 169 across the ramp 159. The R roller 168 is provided with its axial direction aligned with the width direction (front-rear direction 8) of the ramp 159. The R roller 168 is rotatably supported by the ADF body 152, and a part of its roller surface is exposed to the ramp 159.

[0067] The pinch roller 169 is supported in a state where it is biased toward the R roller 168 by an elastic member such as a coil spring (not shown), and the roller surface of the pinch roller 169 is pressed against the roller surface of the R roller 168 on the inclined path 159. The R roller 168 is connected to the LF motor 110 (see FIG. 4) via a drive transmission mechanism 182 (see FIGS. 5(A) and 5(B)), and is rotated by the driving force transmitted from the LF motor 110. The outer diameter of the R roller 168 is sufficiently larger than that of the pinch roller 169.

[0068] On the inclined path 159, a document sensor 116 is positioned downstream of the R roller 168 and the pinch roller 169. The document sensor 116 outputs a detection signal indicative of the leading and trailing ends of the document 12 fed by the R roller 168 and the pinch roller 169.

[0069] On the inclined path 159, the second image reading unit 94 is located downstream of the document sensor 116. The second image reading unit 94 has a second CIS 95, a platen 96, and a document support member 97. The second image reading unit 94 reads the second side 52 of the document 12.

[0070] The second CIS 95 is disposed facing the upper surface of the platen 96. The second CIS 95 is located upstream of the first CIS 85 in the transport path 151 in the transport direction 17. The second CIS 95 optically reads an image on the original 12 from above the transport path 151. The second CIS 95 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and is placed on the upper surface of the platen 96.

[0071] The platen 96 is located above the inclined path 159. The platen 96 is in the form of a plate having a predetermined thickness. The lower surface of the platen 96 is parallel to the original 12 transported on the inclined path 159. The platen 96 has a reading surface 120, an upstream end 121, and a downstream end 122.

[0072] The reading surface 120 is aligned with the conveying direction 17. The reading surface 120 is parallel to the second surface 52 of the document 12 conveyed along the inclined path 159.

[0073] The upstream end 121 is an end of the second CIS 95 on the upstream side in the conveying direction 17. The downstream end 122 is an end of the second CIS 95 on the downstream side in the conveying direction 17. The upstream end 121 is located higher than the downstream end 122 in the conveying direction 17.

[0074] The original support member 97 is supported so as to be rotatable about its upstream end in the transport direction 17 as an axis (along the front-rear direction 8). The original support member 97 is provided so as to be rotatable in a direction toward and away from the platen 96. The original support member 97 is biased toward the reading surface 120 by a spring member (not shown). In a state in which no external force is being applied, the original support member 97 is in a position facing the reading surface 120 of the second CIS 95 across the transport path 151.

[0075] In the inclined path 159, a positioning member 83 is located downstream of the second image reading unit 94 in the transport direction 17. The left end portion (the downstream end portion in the transport direction 17) of the positioning member 83 is an inclined surface that slopes downward toward the transport direction 17. The positioning member 83 guides the original 12 that has passed through the second image reading unit 94 to between the platen glass 80 and the original guide 173.

[0076] On the inclined path 159, the first image reading unit 32 is located downstream of the positioning member 83 in the transport direction 17. The first image reading unit 32 reads the first side 51 of the document 12. Note that the first image reading unit 32 only needs to be located downstream of the positioning member 83 in the transport direction 17 during image reading by the ADF 5.

[0077] The document guide 173 is provided at a position facing the first image reading unit 32 of the document cover 30 (see FIG. 1). The document guide 173 has a horizontal portion facing the reading area 80A and inclined portions extending upward from both ends of the horizontal portion to the upstream and downstream sides. The document guide 173 is biased toward the reading area 80A by a spring member fixed to the ADF main body 152. Convex portions are formed at both ends of the horizontal portion of the document guide 173 in the front-rear direction 8. When the convex portions come into contact with the reading area 80A, a gap through which the document 12 can pass is formed between the horizontal portion of the document guide 173 and the reading area 80A in the up-down direction 7.

[0078] The curved path 157 of the conveying path 151 starts near the exit of the reading area 80A, extends upward, and curves significantly from left to right in Fig. 3. The downstream end of the curved path 157 in the conveying direction 17 continues to the discharge path 160. The curved path 157 is formed with the conveying roller 171 as an inner conveying guide surface and the ADF main body 152 and the ADF cover 153 as outer conveying guide surfaces.

[0079] A conveying roller 171 and a pinch roller 172 are provided on the curved path 157. The conveying roller 171 is located on the inside of the curve of the curved path 157, and the pinch roller 172 is located on the outside of the curve of the curved path 157. A part of the roller surface of the conveying roller 171 and the pinch roller 172 is exposed to the curved path 157.

[0080] The pinch roller 172 is biased toward the transport roller 171 by an elastic member such as a coil spring (not shown). As a result, in the curved path 157, the roller surface of the pinch roller 172 is pressed against the roller surface of the transport roller 171, and a nip N1 for sandwiching the document 12 is formed at the contact portion between the transport roller 171 and the pinch roller 172. The transport roller 171 is connected to the LF motor 110 (see FIG. 4) via a drive transmission mechanism (not shown), and is rotated by the driving force transmitted from the LF motor 110.

[0081] 3, the scanner unit 3 includes an upper discharge chute unit 158, a lower discharge chute unit 178, and a spring piece 190. In FIG. 3, only one spring piece 190 is shown.

[0082] In Fig. 3, the upper discharge chute portion 158 is a guide member that is integral with the ADF main body 152 and extends left and right between the front wall 152A and the rear wall 152B (see Fig. 1) of the ADF main body 152. The lower end of the upper discharge chute portion 158 forms the downstream end of the curved path 157 and the upper side of the discharge path 160. The lower end of the upper discharge chute portion 158 forms a first protruding member 158A (see Fig. 6) that protrudes downward toward the upward inclined surface of the spring piece 190 immediately downstream of the pinch roller 172 in the left-right direction 9. The lower end of the upper discharge chute portion 158 extends generally straight to the right within a range from the right end of the first protruding member 158A to the right end of the upper discharge chute portion 158.

[0083] The lower discharge chute portion 178 is a guide member extending laterally between the front wall 152A and the rear wall 152B of the ADF main body 152. The lower discharge chute portion 178 is located lower than the upper discharge chute portion 158 in the vertical direction 7. In this position, the upper end of the lower discharge chute portion 178 extends generally horizontally within a range between the right end of the transport roller 171 and the right end of the ADF discharge tray 34 in the horizontal direction 9. The upper end of the lower discharge chute portion 178 forms the lower side of the discharge path 160.

[0084] Each spring piece 190 is made of a flexible sheet material. The material of the sheet material is a synthetic resin (polyethylene terephthalate, etc.) with a thickness of about 0.2 mm to 1.0 mm. When viewed from the front, the spring piece 190 is shaped like the Greek letter Λ, and has an upwardly inclined surface that extends diagonally upward to the right from the outlet of the nip N1 toward the first protruding member 158A. Each spring piece 190 bends downward at a position to the right of the first protruding member 158A to reach the lower discharge chute portion 178.

[0085] [Drive control of scanner unit 3] Fig. 4 shows the configuration of the controller 100 of the multifunction device 1 and its peripheral devices. The controller 100 controls the overall operation of the multifunction device 1 including not only the scanner unit 3 but also the printer unit 2, but in the description of this embodiment, the components of the printer unit 2 are omitted in Fig. 4. The controller 100 is configured as a microcomputer mainly including a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 101, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 102, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 103, and an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable and Programmable ROM) 104, and is connected to an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) 106 via a bus 105.

[0086] The ROM 102 stores programs and the like for controlling various operations of the multifunction device 1. The EEPROM 104 stores various data used in processing according to the programs. The RAM 103 is used as a storage area for temporarily recording various data used when the CPU 101 executes the programs, or as an area for loading data and programs.

[0087] The CPU 101 comprehensively controls the peripheral devices constituting the controller 100 or the controlled devices controlled by the controller 100. The CPU 101 reads out programs stored in the ROM 102 and data stored in the RAM 103 or the EEPROM 104, and performs calculations according to the programs.

[0088] The ASIC 106 generates phase excitation signals and the like for energizing a carriage motor (also referred to as a "CR motor") 108 of the scanner unit 3 and an LF transport motor (also referred to as an "LF motor") 110 of the ADF 5 in accordance with instructions from the CPU 101, and provides the signals to a CR drive circuit 107 of the CR motor 108 and an R drive circuit 109 of the LF motor 110. The drive signals are applied to the CR motor 108 and the LF motor 110 via the CR drive circuit 107 and the R drive circuit 109, whereby the rotation of the CR motor 108 and the LF motor 110 is controlled.

[0089] The CR drive circuit 107 drives the CR motor 108 connected to the CIS carriage 86 of the scanner unit 3. The CR drive circuit 107 receives an output signal from the ASIC 106 and generates an electric signal for rotating the CR motor 108. The CR motor 108 receives the electric signal and rotates, and the rotational force of the CR motor 108 is transmitted to the CIS carriage 86 via the CIS carriage drive mechanism 88, thereby moving the CIS carriage 86.

[0090] The R drive circuit 109 drives the LF motor 110 connected to the suction roller 164, separation roller 166, R roller 168, and transport roller 171 of the ADF 5. The R drive circuit 109 receives an output signal from the ASIC 106 and generates an electric signal for rotating the LF motor 110. The LF motor 110 rotates upon receiving the electric signal, and the rotational force of the LF motor 110 is transmitted to the suction roller 164, separation roller 166, R roller 168, and transport roller 171 via a well-known drive mechanism formed of gears, drive shafts, etc.

[0091] The forward rotation of the LF motor 110 rotates the separation roller 166 via the drive transmission mechanism 182. The reverse rotation of the LF motor 110 is transmitted via the drive transmission mechanism 182 to move the second member 34B from the first position P51 to the second position P52.

[0092] ASIC 106 is connected to a first CIS 85 and a second CIS 95 which read an image of document 12 in scanner unit 3. Based on a command from CPU 101, ASIC 106 provides first CIS 85 with an electrical signal for irradiating light from a light source and a timing signal for outputting image data from a photoelectric conversion element. In response to these signals, first CIS 85 and second CIS 95 irradiate light onto document 12 at a predetermined timing and output image data converted by the photoelectric conversion element.

[0093] A panel gate array (panel G / A) 111 that controls operation buttons 35 for inputting desired commands to the multifunction device 1 is connected to the ASIC 106. The panel gate array 111 detects pressing of the operation buttons 35 of the operation panel 6, and outputs a predetermined code signal. This key code is assigned to each of the multiple operation buttons 35. When the CPU 101 receives a predetermined key code from the panel gate array 111, it performs a control process to be executed according to a predetermined key processing table. The key processing table is a table that associates key codes with control processes, and is stored in, for example, the ROM 102.

[0094] An LCD controller 112 that controls the screen display of the liquid crystal display (LCD) 36 is connected to the ASIC 106. The LCD controller 112 causes the liquid crystal display 36 to display information related to the operation of the printer unit 2 or the scanner unit 3 on the screen based on a command from the CPU 101.

[0095] Connected to the ASIC 106 are a slot 18 into which various small memory cards are inserted, a parallel interface 113 for transmitting and receiving data to and from a computer via a parallel cable or a USB cable, and a USB connector 14 .

[0096] To the ASIC 106, an original sensor 116 for detecting the leading and trailing ends of the original 12 on a transport path 151 (see FIG. 3) in the ADF 5 is connected.

[0097] A position sensor 183 is connected to the ASIC 106. The position sensor 183 is a photointerrupter, a contact sensor, or the like, and outputs a detection signal whose amplitude value differs depending on whether the second member 34B is located at the first position P51 or not. As shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the position sensor 183 is attached to the front wall 152A or the rear wall 152B (see Fig. 1) of the ADF main body 152 near the left end of the second member 34B in the left-right direction 9.

[0098] [Single-sided reading process by scanner unit 3] Hereinafter, the single-sided reading process by the scanner unit 3 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0099] The user places multiple originals 12 on the ADF original tray 33. The multiple originals is a number exceeding a sheet number threshold Nth described below. It is assumed that each original 12 has an image recorded on only one side. Each original 12 is placed on the ADF original tray 33 so that the image recorded side becomes the first side 51. Next, the user operates the operation panel 6 to start the single-sided reading process. In response to this user operation, the scanner unit 3 starts the single-sided reading process of FIG. 8.

[0100] 8, the controller 100 drives the CR motor 108 to move the first image reading unit 32 to the reading area 80A (see FIG. 3) by the CIS carriage driving mechanism 88. In S101, the controller 100 further initializes an internal sheet counter. The sheet counter counts a sheet count value indicating the number of sheets of the original 12 that have passed the original sensor 116.

[0101] In S102, the controller 100 (see FIG. 4) determines whether or not the second member 34B is located at the first position P51 (see FIG. 6) based on a detection signal from the position sensor 183. In response to determining that the second member 34B is not located at the first position P51, the controller 100 displays on the liquid crystal display 36 a notification message for notifying the user to move the second member 34B to the first position P51, and waits for the user to move the second member 34B to the first position P51. In response to determining that the second member 34B is located at the first position P51, the controller 100 executes S103.

[0102] In S103, the controller 100 drives the LF motor 110 so that the LF motor 110 rotates forward (see FIG. 5A), and starts conveying the original 12. That is, the controller 100 starts rotating the intake roller 164, the separation roller 166, the R roller 168, and the conveying roller 171 so that they apply a conveying force to the original 12. The intake roller 164 nips the original 12 supported by the ADF original tray 33 together with the intake nip piece 165, and sends it downstream of the inclined path 159. The separation roller 166 nips the original 12 sent from the intake roller 164 together with the separation nip piece 167, and sends the bottom sheet of the nipped originals 12 downstream of the inclined path 159. The R roller 168 nips the original 12 together with the pinch roller 169, and sends it downstream of the inclined path 159. As a result, the intake roller 164 , the separation roller 166 and the R roller 168 transport the originals 12 one by one in the ADF original tray 33 starting from the bottom one along the inclined path 159 .

[0103] In S104, the controller 100 starts periodically acquiring a detection signal from the document sensor 116.

[0104] In S105, the controller 100 detects the leading edge of the document 12 in the transport direction 17 transported on the inclined path 159 based on the detection signal. In S105, the controller 100 further causes the first image reading unit 32 to start a reading process after a first time has elapsed since the detection of the leading edge, and starts acquiring image data from the first image reading unit 32.

[0105] In S106, the controller 100 detects the rear end of the document 12 in the transport direction 17 transported on the inclined path 159 based on the detection signal. In S106, the controller 100 further increments the sheet count value by 1. In S106, the controller 100 further causes the first image reading unit 32 to temporarily suspend the reading process after a first time has elapsed since the detection of the rear end. As a result, the controller 100 stores image data indicating an image recorded on the bottom surface of one document 12 in a RAM or the like.

[0106] In S107, the controller 100 determines whether or not the single-sided reading process is to be ended. The controller 100 determines whether or not the original 12 remains on the ADF original tray 33 based on an output signal of an original sensor (not shown) provided on the ADF original tray 33. If the original 12 does not remain, the controller 100 determines Yes in S107 and ends the single-sided reading process. If the original 12 remains, the controller 100 determines No in S107 and executes S108.

[0107] In S108, the controller 100 determines whether the sheet count value is equal to or greater than the sheet count threshold Nth. The sheet count threshold Nth is set to, for example, about 20 sheets. If the controller 100 determines that the sheet count value is not equal to or greater than the sheet count threshold Nth (No in S108), the controller 100 executes S105. If the controller 100 determines that the sheet count value is equal to or greater than the sheet count threshold Nth (Yes in S108), the controller 100 executes S109.

[0108] In S109, the controller 100 drives the LF motor 110 so that the LF motor 110 rotates in the reverse direction (see FIG. 5(B)), and causes the drive transmission mechanism 182 to move the second member 34B to the second position P52 (see FIG. 7).

[0109] [Transportation of document 12 in single-sided reading process] Hereinafter, the original 12 that is the first target of the reading process will be simply referred to as the "first sheet." The originals 12 that are the second or subsequent target of the reading process will be simply referred to as the "second or subsequent sheets."

[0110] By the above-mentioned reading process, the first sheet passes through the reading area 80A from the front in the conveying direction 17, and is then conveyed in the curved path 157. After that, the first sheet is sent from the front between the conveying roller 171 and the pinch roller 172. The conveying roller 171 nips the first sheet together with the pinch roller 172 and sends it downstream of the curved path 157. As a result, the front of the first sheet is sent out obliquely upward to the right from the nip N1, and then abuts against the first protruding member 158A, as shown in FIG. 6. As a result, the orientation of the front of the first sheet changes to obliquely downward to the right. Then, the front of the first sheet abuts against the upward inclined surfaces of the spring pieces 190 extending from the nip N1, and is conveyed in the curved path 157 along the upward inclined surfaces. At this time, the spring pieces 190 are elastically deformed by the load received from the first sheet, and change their posture downward while supporting the first sheet from below. The leading edge of the first sheet is conveyed to the right while being guided along the upper surface of the lower discharge chute portion 178 in the discharge path 160. Because the second member 34B is at the first position P51, after being discharged from the discharge path 160, the first sheet is conveyed to the right while being guided along the upper surfaces of the first member 34A and the second member 34B.

[0111] The rear end of the first sheet that has passed through the reading area 80A is conveyed in the curved path 157 and then sent out from the nip N1. The rear end of the first sheet stops on each spring piece 190 immediately after it leaves the nip N1. Each spring piece 190 is only subjected to a load due to the weight of the rear end of the first sheet. As shown in FIG. 6, the lower end of the first protruding member 158A abuts from above near the rear end of the first sheet, and the upper ends of each spring piece 190 abut from below at a position downstream of the first protruding member 158A in the conveying direction 17. At this time, each spring piece 190 is elastically deformed downward by the load received from the document 12. As a result, the rear end of the document 12 is slightly separated upward from the upward inclined surface of the spring piece 190. This is the same for the second to Nth sheets.

[0112] When the leading edge of each of the second to Nth sheets is sent out from the nip N1, one or more sheets of the document 12 are supported on the lower discharge chute section 178. In addition, the rear end of the document 12 on the lower discharge chute section 178 is separated from the upwardly inclined surface of the spring piece 190. Therefore, when each of the second to Nth sheets is transported along the upwardly inclined surface of each of the spring pieces 190, the leading edge of each sheet goes below the rear end of the document 12 already supported by the lower discharge chute section 178. Each of the second to Nth sheets is transported to the right while being guided along the upper surface of the lower discharge chute section 178 in the discharge path 160. Since the second member 34B is at the first position P51, the first sheet is discharged from the discharge path 160 and then transported to the right while being guided along the upper surfaces of the first member 34A and the second member 34B. During this time, the originals 12 already supported by the lower discharge chute portion 178 are subjected to rightward forces from the second to Nth sheets, and are therefore shifted to the right. The rear ends of the second to Nth sheets are conveyed through the curved path 157, and then sent out from the nip N1, and immediately thereafter stop on the spring pieces 190.

[0113] In response to the determination of Yes in S108, the second member 34B moves from the first position P51 to the second position P52. This movement forms a gap G1 between the right end of the first member 34A and the left end of the second member 34B. After the gap G1 is formed, the documents 12 up to the Nth sheet are supported by the first member 34A and the second member 34B without dropping downward through the gap G1 due to the stiffness of the document 12, the left-right dimension of the gap G1, and the like.

[0114] The Nth+1th sheet is transported in the transport path 151 in the same manner as the Nth sheets until it reaches the right end of the first member 34A. However, because the second member 34B is located at the second position P52 and a gap G1 is formed, the leading end portion of the Nth+1th sheet begins to curve downward due to its own weight. The Nth+1th sheet is then guided downward by the curved surface 34C of the second member 34B, and is transported to the right on the ADF document tray 33 while being supported by the ADF document tray 33. The Nth+2th sheet to the end are transported in the same manner as the Nth+1st sheet.

[0115] As described above, in the Nth+1th or subsequent sheets of manuscript 12, the portion downstream of the right end of the first member 34A in the conveying direction 17 (hereinafter also referred to simply as the "downstream portion") is spaced downward from the downstream portion in the Nth or previous sheets of manuscript 12, and therefore does not substantially receive a load from the same portion in the Nth or previous sheets of manuscript 12.

[0116] In the embodiment, each document 12 is transported only by the transport force of the transport roller 171 and the pinch roller 172 downstream of the nip N1 in the transport direction 17. Therefore, if too much load is applied to the downstream portion far from the nip N1 in the transport direction 17, the document 12 is more likely to buckle in the upstream portion closer to the nip N1 than in the downstream portion. However, as in the embodiment, the load applied to the downstream portion from the Nth+1th sheet onwards is reduced, so that the documents 12 are less likely to buckle.

[0117] On the first member 34A of the ADF discharge tray 34, the multiple transported documents 12 are stacked in the order of reading processing, so-called face-up, in order from the top. Face-up means that the image recording surface of the document 12 faces upward. After the single-sided reading processing is completed, the user lifts up the portion of the transported document 12 that is on the first member 34A and pulls out the transported document 12.

[0118] [Double-sided scanning process] When a plurality of documents 12 with images recorded on both sides are placed on the ADF document tray 33, the user operates the operation panel 6 to start a double-sided reading process for both sides of the documents 12. In response to this user operation, the scanner unit 3 starts the double-sided reading process. In this case, the controller 100 further causes the second image reading unit 94 to start a reading process after a second time, which is shorter than the first time, has elapsed after detecting the leading edge of the document 12 in S105, and starts acquiring image data from the second image reading unit 94. In S106, the controller 100 causes the second image reading unit 94 to end the reading process after the second time has elapsed after detecting the trailing edge of the document 12.

[0119] [Use of image data, etc.] The image data stored in the RAM or the like in S106 can be used for various purposes (such as sending a fax) as described above.

[0120] [Actions and Effects of the Embodiments] According to the embodiment, when the scanner unit 3 continuously transports the number of documents 12 exceeding the number threshold Nth from the ADF document tray 33 to the ADF discharge tray 34, the scanner unit 3 supports the documents 12 up to the number threshold Nth on the respective upper surfaces of the first member 34A, the second member 34B, and the ADF document tray 33. On the other hand, the scanner unit 3 supports the documents 12 of the number threshold Nth+1 and onward on the respective upper surfaces of the first member 34A and the ADF document tray 33 without using the second member 34B, in order to pass the documents 12 below the gap G1 and the second member 34B. This makes it possible to reduce the weight of the transported documents 12 applied to the leading edge of the documents 12 when the leading edge of the documents 12 is slipped under the transported documents 12.

[0121] [Variations] Modifications of the embodiment will be described below. In the following modifications, the description of the common parts with the embodiment will be omitted or simplified, and the description will focus on the differences. [First Modification] In the embodiment, the ADF document tray 33 is gently inclined diagonally downward to the left, and the second member 34B that spreads horizontally can move left and right. However, in addition to this, the second member 34B may be configured so that the downstream end of the second member 34B in the transport direction 17 moves upward by a user operation around a rotation axis A24 that is parallel to the front-rear direction 8 near the upstream end of the transport direction 17, as shown in FIG. 9. The user places the document 12 on the ADF document tray 33 after moving the downstream end of the second member 34B upward as necessary. In this case, the vertical distance between the ADF document tray 33 and the left end of the second member 34B increases, making it easier for the user to access the ADF document tray 33. After placing the document 12, the user returns the downstream end of the second member 34B to its original vertical position.

[0122] [Second modified example] In the embodiment, the second member 34B moves left and right to form the gap G1. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the second member 34B may be configured as shown in FIG. 10. In detail, the second member 34B has a rotation axis A25 parallel to the front-rear direction 8 at a position separated to the right and above the first member 34A. Both ends of the rotation axis A25 are supported between the front wall 152A and the rear wall 152B (see FIG. 1) of the ADF main body 152 so that the second member 34B can rotate in the circumferential direction of the rotation axis A25. The second member 34B is located at a first position P61 and a second position P62 in the circumferential direction of the rotation axis A25 by the driving force transmitted from the drive transmission mechanism 182.

[0123] In the second modified example, the drive transmission mechanism 182 has an eccentric cam 182L, as shown in FIG. 5(C), and by rotating the eccentric cam 182L in the circumferential direction of a rotation axis parallel to the rotation axis A25 by a driving force from an LF motor 110 or the like, it is possible to move the second member 34B in the circumferential direction of the rotation axis A25 between the first position P61 and the second position P62.

[0124] When the second member 34B is at the first position P61, the second member 34B extends from the rotation axis A25 toward the right end of the first member 34A. The vertical positions of the left ends of the upper surfaces of the second member 34B are approximately the same as the vertical positions of the right ends of the upper surfaces of the first members 34A. When the second member 34B is at the first position P61, it supports the original 12 conveyed from the first member 34A. The original 12 is conveyed to the right by the conveying force of the conveying roller 171 while being guided by the upper surface of the second member 34B at the first position P61.

[0125] When the second member 34B is at the second position P62, the second member 34B extends straight to the left from the rotation axis A25. The left end of the upper surface of the second member 34B is separated upward from the right end of the upper surface of each of the first members 34A. As a result, a gap G2 is formed between the right end of the first member 34A and the left end of the second member 34B. Here, the maximum number of originals 12 that can be subjected to single-sided reading processing or double-sided reading processing is Nmax. The vertical dimension of the gap G2 is a dimension that exceeds the thickness corresponding to Nmax-Nth originals 12. After the gap G2 is formed, the upstream portion up to the Nth original is supported by the first member 34A. The Nth original bends upward near the boundary between the first member 34A and the second member 34B, and the downstream portion thereof is supported by the second member 34B.

[0126] When the second member 34B is at the second position P62, the original 12 transported from the first member 34A passes through the gap G2, and then is transported to the right on the ADF original tray 33 while being supported by the ADF original tray 33.

[0127] With the above configuration, the downstream portion of the Nth+1th or later sheet of the document 12 is spaced downward from the downstream portion of the Nth or earlier sheet of the document 12, and therefore does not substantially receive a load from the same portion of the Nth or earlier sheet of the document 12. Therefore, as in the embodiment, buckling of the document 12 can be suppressed.

[0128] [Third Modification] In the embodiment, the second member 34B is located to the right of the first member 34A, that is, downstream in the conveying direction 17. However, this is not limiting, and the second member 34B can be located upstream (that is, to the left) of the first member 34A in the conveying direction 17. In detail, as shown in Fig. 11, the second member 34B is located between the right end of the lower discharge chute portion 178 and the left end of the first member 34A in the left-right direction 9.

[0129] The second member 34B has a rotation axis A26 that extends in the front-rear direction 8 along the right end of the lower discharge chute portion 178. Both ends of the rotation axis A26 are supported between the front wall 152A and the rear wall 152B of the ADF main body 152 so that the second member 34B is rotatable in the circumferential direction of the rotation axis A26. The second member 34B is located at a first position P71 and a second position P72 in the circumferential direction of the rotation axis A26 by the driving force transmitted from the drive transmission mechanism 182.

[0130] When the second member 34B is at the first position P71, the second member 34B extends straight from the rotation axis A26 toward the left end of the first member 34A. The vertical positions of the right ends of the upper surfaces of the second member 34B are substantially the same as the vertical positions of the left ends of the upper surfaces of the first members 34A. When the second member 34B is at the first position P71, it supports the original 12 that has been transported on the lower discharge chute portion 178 in the transport direction 17. The original 12 is transported rightward toward the upper surface of the first member 34A by the transport force of the transport roller 171 while being guided by the upper surface of the second member 34B at the first position P71.

[0131] When the second member 34B is at the second position P72, the second member 34B extends straight from the rotation axis A26 toward the upper surface of the ADF document tray 33 diagonally downward to the right. At this time, the right end of the upper surface of the second member 34B is separated downward from the left end of the upper surface of each of the first members 34A. As a result, a gap G3 is formed between the right end of the second member 34B and the left end of the first member 34A. The vertical dimension of the gap G3 is a dimension that exceeds the thickness equivalent to Nmax-Nth sheets of documents 12, similar to the vertical dimension of the gap G2. After the gap G3 is formed, the document 12 bends upward at a portion slightly upstream of the boundary between the first member 34A and the second member 34B in the transport direction 17 and rides up onto the second member 34B up to the Nth sheet. The portion downstream of the boundary between the first member 34A and the second member 34B in the transport direction 17 up to the Nth sheet is supported by the second member 34B.

[0132] When the second member 34B is in the second position P72, the original 12 transported in the transport direction 17 on the lower discharge chute portion 178 is guided by the second member 34B, passes through the gap G3, and is then transported to the right on the ADF original tray 33 while being supported by the ADF original tray 33.

[0133] With the above configuration, the downstream portion of the Nth+1th or later sheet of the document 12 is spaced downward from the downstream portion of the Nth or earlier sheet of the document 12, and therefore does not substantially receive a load from the same portion of the Nth or earlier sheet of the document 12. Therefore, as in the embodiment, buckling of the document 12 can be suppressed.

[0134] In order to smoothly transport the original 12 from the second member 34B to the ADF original tray 33 through the gap G3, the left end of the upper surface of the first member 34A and the left end of the lower surface thereof are connected by a curved surface 34D that is concave diagonally upward to the right when viewed from the front. Note that, instead of the curved surface 34D, the left end of the upper surface of the first member 34A and the left end of the lower surface may be connected by a surface that is inclined downward to the right when viewed from the front.

[0135] In the third modified example, after the single-sided reading process or the double-sided reading process is completed, the user grasps the leading end of the conveyed original 12 on the ADF original tray 33 or the ADF discharge tray 34 and pulls it out.

[0136] The second member 34B of the third modified example can be swung between the first position P71 and the second position P72 by various mechanisms as shown in Fig. 12. In Fig. 12(A), a slider 201 movable left and right along the lower surface of the lower discharge chute portion 178 protrudes rightward from the right end of the lower discharge chute portion 178 by a driving force transmitted by a drive transmission mechanism 181 shown in Fig. 13, so that the second member 34B is located at the first position P71. On the other hand, in Fig. 12(B), the slider 201 retreats leftward from the right end of the lower discharge chute portion 178, so that the second member 34B is located at the second position P72.

[0137] In FIG. 13, the drive transmission mechanism 181 has an input gear (sun gear) 181A, a planetary gear 181B, and an output gear 181C. The input gear 181A meshes with the planetary gear 181B. The input gear 181A and the planetary gear 181B have their rotation shafts connected by a link member 181D. The output gear 181C meshes with the planetary gear 181B. A portion of the output gear 181C that is radially distant from the rotation shaft is connected to the slider 201 by a link member 181E. The slider 201 is restricted by a guide member 181F that is fixed to the ADF body 152 (see FIG. 1, etc.) to move only left and right and not to move forward, backward, up and down. As a result, when the LF motor 110 rotates, the slider 201 moves left and right by the drive transmission mechanism 181.

[0138] As shown in FIG. 12(C), the second member 34B of the third modified example can also be moved in the circumferential direction of the rotation axis A26 between the first position P71 and the second position P72 by an eccentric cam 182L.

[0139] It should be noted that a position sensor 183 detects whether the second member 34B is located at the first position P71 or the second position P72.

[0140] [Other variations] In the embodiment, the conveying path 151 is a U-turn path, but is not limited to this, and the conveying path 151 may be a straight path.

[0141] 5(A) and 5(B), the power source of the second member 34B is the LF motor 110, which is also the power source of the suction roller 164, the separation roller 166, the registration roller 168, and the transport roller 171. However, this is not limited thereto, and the power source of the second member 34B and the power sources of the suction roller 164, the separation roller 166, the registration roller 168, and the transport roller 171 may be different motors. [Explanation of symbols]

[0142] 1...Multifunction device 3. Scanner section 16. Transport mechanism 33 ADF document tray 34 ADF output tray 34A...First member 34B Second member 85...1st CIS 95...2nd CIS 151...Transport path

Claims

1. A document tray; a discharge tray having a first member and a second member; a conveying path continuing from the document tray to the discharge tray; a transport mechanism that transports the document in a transport direction along the transport path, the first member has a first surface for supporting a document; the second member has a second surface that supports a document, and is movable between a first position where the second surface supports the document together with the first surface of the first member, and a second position where a gap through which the document can pass is located between the first surface and the second surface; a sum of dimensions of the first surface and the second surface of the second member at the first position along the transport direction is shorter than a dimension of the document along the transport direction; The transport mechanism includes: conveying the document until the rear end of the document is located upstream of the upstream end of the discharge tray in the conveying direction, and conveying the next document so that the leading end of the next document slips under the rear end of the previous document supported on the discharge tray; a conveying device that conveys the document so that the document passes through a gap between the first surface and the second surface when the second member is at the second position.

2. The conveying device of claim 1, wherein the second member is located downstream of the first member in the conveying direction, and moves from the first position in the conveying direction to the second position, forming the gap between the upstream end in the conveying direction and the downstream end in the conveying direction of the first member.

3. The document tray is located below the discharge tray, The conveying device according to claim 2 , wherein the downstream end of the second member in the conveying direction moves upward by rotation about an axis.

4. The conveying device of claim 1, wherein the second member is located downstream of the first member in the conveying direction, and the upstream end of the second member in the conveying direction moves upward relative to the downstream end of the first member in the conveying direction by rotating around an axis, thereby reaching the second position, and the gap is formed between the upstream end of the conveying direction and the downstream end of the first member in the conveying direction.

5. 5. The transport device according to claim 2, wherein an upstream end of the second member in the transport direction has a curved surface that guides a leading edge of the document downward.

6. The conveying device of claim 1, wherein the second member is located upstream of the first member in the conveying direction, and the downstream end of the second member in the conveying direction moves downwardly relative to the upstream end of the first member in the conveying direction by rotating around an axis, thereby becoming the second position, and the gap is formed between the downstream end of the conveying direction and the upstream end of the first member in the conveying direction.

7. 7. The transport device according to claim 6, wherein an upstream end of the first member in the transport direction has a curved surface that guides a leading edge of the document downward.

8. Further comprising a controller, The above controller is Counting a count value which is the number of documents continuously conveyed by the conveying mechanism; 8. The conveying device according to claim 1, further comprising: a second member that is moved from the first position to the second position in response to the count value reaching a threshold value.

9. A conveying device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, a reading sensor for reading the document in the transport path,

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