Image Processing Device

Abstract

To improve the usability for a user.SOLUTION: An image processing device comprises: a first upper conveyance surface 130A and a second upper conveyance surface 130B which support a sheet SH; a sheet feeding roller 92 which feeds the sheet SH supported by the first upper conveyance surface 130A in the conveyance direction; a separation roller 54 which is located on the downstream side of the conveyance direction with respect to the sheet feeding roller 92 and separates the sheets SH supported by the second upper conveyance surface 130B one by one; and a stopper 80 which is located between the sheet feeding roller 92 and the separation roller 54 and can be displaced between the first position that regulates passage of the sheet SH in the conveyance direction by being in contact with the tip of the sheet SH supported by the first upper conveyance surface 130A and the second position that is farther from the conveyance path P1 with respect to the first position and permits passage of the sheet SH in the conveyance direction. The stopper 80 has a plurality of protrusions 80e on a wall surface 80d that is in contact with the tip of the sheet SH.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 15

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus having a function for restricting a user from inserting a sheet. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there is known a technique for providing a regulating member between a first feed roller and a second feed roller, as described in, for example, Patent Document 1. This regulating member is switched from a second position state in which it is retracted from the paper transport path to a first position state in which it appears on the paper transport path, so that it comes into contact with the leading edge of the paper fed by the first feed roller and regulates the passage of the paper. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2010-37020 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the above conventional technology, when a user inserts a sheet of paper with the regulating member switched to the first position, the leading edge of the sheet may come into contact with the regulating member and then bend upward or downward along the regulating member. In this case, it is difficult for the user to feel that the sheet has hit the leading edge of the regulating member, which makes the technology unsuitable for use.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus capable of suppressing curling of a sheet caused by the leading edge of the sheet coming into contact with a stopper, thereby improving ease of use. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention comprises a support surface that supports a sheet, a paper feed roller that sends the sheet supported on the support surface in a conveying direction, a separation roller located downstream of the paper feed roller in the conveying direction and separating the sheets supported on the support surface one by one, and a stopper located between the paper feed roller and the separation roller, the stopper being displaceable between a first position that abuts against the leading edge of the sheet supported on the support surface to restrict the passage of the sheet in the conveying direction, and a second position that is farther from the conveying path than the first position and allows the sheet to pass in the conveying direction, and is characterized in that the stopper has at least one protrusion on a wall surface that abuts against the leading edge of the sheet.

[0007] In the image processing device of the present invention, a stopper that restricts the passage of a sheet supported on a support surface in a conveying direction is provided displaceably to a first position or a second position. At the first position, the stopper abuts against the leading edge of the sheet supported on the support surface and restricts the passage of the sheet in the conveying direction. At the second position, which is farther from the conveying path than the first position, the stopper allows the sheet to pass in the conveying direction.

[0008] When the stopper abuts against the leading edge of the sheet at the first position, the stopper has at least one protrusion on the wall surface that abuts against the leading edge of the sheet. As a result, when the leading edge of the sheet inserted by the user abuts against the stopper, it hits and gets caught on the protrusion on the wall surface, so that the leading edge of the sheet is prevented from sliding along the surface of the wall surface and curling upward or downward. This improves ease of use for the user. Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to the present invention, ease of use for users can be improved. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a conceptual overall configuration of a multifunction peripheral according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating an external configuration of the multifunction peripheral. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating the external configuration of the multifunction peripheral. [Figure 4] 4 is a cross-sectional view of the main part of the reading unit as viewed from the rear. FIG. [Diagram 5] 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure shown in FIG. 4 with the opening / closing cover open. [Figure 6] 5 is a perspective view illustrating the structure shown in FIG. 4 with the opening / closing cover open. [Figure 7] 5A and 5B are a cross-sectional view and a partially enlarged view showing a state in which the stopper is engaged with the lock lever; [Figure 8] 5A and 5B are a cross-sectional view and a partially enlarged view showing a state in which the stopper and the lock lever are disengaged from each other; [Figure 9] 5 is a cross-sectional view for explaining a configuration for transmitting a driving force from a motor to a paper feed roller. FIG. [Figure 10] 11 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view for explaining the transmission and interruption of driving force due to the movement of the planetary gears, and the swinging of the holder. FIG. [Figure 11] 11 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view for explaining the transmission and interruption of driving force due to the movement of the planetary gears, and the swinging of the holder. FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram illustrating an electrical configuration of the multifunction peripheral. [Figure 13] 2 is a perspective view showing the external configuration of the ADF unit, with illustrations omitted other than the peripheral structure of a stopper in a conveyance unit. FIG. [Figure 14] FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged perspective view showing the external configuration of a stopper and a rib member. [Figure 15] 4 is a partially enlarged side view showing the external configuration of a stopper and a rib member. FIG. [Figure 16] 11A and 11B are explanatory diagrams for explaining the effect of the stopper and the rib member in suppressing the upward and downward curling of the sheet. [Figure 17] 4 is a conceptual diagram showing an arrangement of sheet placement sensors on a stacking surface. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the drawings are used to explain technical features that may be adopted in the present disclosure, and the configurations of the devices described are not intended to be limiting, but are merely illustrative examples.

[0012] <Overall configuration of the multifunction device> Fig. 1 conceptually shows the overall schematic configuration of a multifunction device 1 of this embodiment. The multifunction device 1 is an example of an image processing device. In the multifunction device 1 shown in Fig. 1, the side facing you as you look at the page is defined as the front of the device, and the side to the left of the page is defined as the left, and the front-rear, left-right, and up-down directions are displayed. The directions shown in the subsequent figures are all displayed in correspondence with the directions shown in Fig. 1.

[0013] 1, the multifunction device 1 includes a main unit 2 and a reading unit 3. The reading unit 3 includes an ADF section 9 and an FB section 5. An operation panel 40 (see FIG. 12 described later) such as a touch panel is provided on the front side of the FB section 5 of the ADF section 9.

[0014] As shown in FIG. 1, the main unit 2 is a flat, box-shaped body, and includes an image forming unit 4 therein. The image forming unit 4 forms an image on a recording sheet by an inkjet method, a laser method, or the like, based on image data received from a personal computer connected to the multifunction device 1, image data generated by reading an image of an original by the reading unit 3, and the like. The reading unit 3 is disposed above the main unit 2. The FB unit 5 is used when reading an image of an original placed on an original support surface 101A described later. The ADF unit 9 has a supply tray 12, a discharge tray 14, and a conveying unit 6. The conveying unit 6 conveys the sheet SH placed on the supply tray 12 along the conveying path P1 and discharges it to the discharge tray 14. The ADF unit 9 is used when reading the image of the sheet SH placed on the supply tray 12 while conveying it sequentially along the conveying path P1. The sheet to be read includes a sheet such as paper or an OHP sheet, as well as an original.

[0015] <Appearance of ADF Unit> The external appearance configuration of the ADF unit 9 is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the ADF unit 9 is swingably supported around an opening and closing axis X9 extending in the left-right direction by a hinge (not shown) disposed at the rear. In the closed state shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the ADF unit 9 covers a document support surface 101A, which will be described later, from above. Although not shown, the ADF unit 9 swings around the opening and closing axis X9 so that its front end portion is displaced upward and rearward, thereby exposing the document support surface 101A. Thereby, the user can support the document to be read on the document support surface 101A.

[0016] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the supply tray 12 is formed in the right portion of the ADF unit 9. The upper surface of the supply tray 12 is a sheet feeding surface 12A that supports the sheet SH from below. A plurality of sheets SH to be read, which are conveyed by the conveying unit 6, are stacked on the sheet feeding surface 12A. The sheet feeding surface 12A is a flat surface that slopes downward to the left. The supply tray 12 is provided with a front guide 17F and a rear guide 17R that are slidable in the front-rear direction, respectively. By the front guide 17F and the rear guide 17R approaching or separating from each other, a plurality of types of sheets SH having different sizes supported by the supply tray 12 are sandwiched from the front and rear. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the discharge tray 14 is located below the supply tray 12. The upper surface of the discharge tray 14 is a paper discharge surface 14A that supports the sheet SH from below. Sheets SH, on which images are read by the image sensor 3S and discharged by the conveying unit 6, are stacked on the paper discharge surface 14A. The paper discharge surface 14A is a flat surface that slopes upward from left to right.

[0017] As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, an opening / closing cover 32 is provided on the upper part of the ADF unit 9. The opening / closing cover 32 is a generally flat plate member extending in the front-rear and left-right directions from generally the center of the ADF unit 9 to the left end. The left end of the opening / closing cover 32 is bent downward. The left end and lower end of the opening / closing cover 32 are supported so as to be swingable about an opening / closing axis X32 extending in the front-rear direction. This allows the opening / closing cover 32 to be displaced between a closed position shown by solid lines in Figs. 2 and 3 and an open position shown in Fig. 5 and the like described later. In the closed position, the opening / closing cover 32 functions to cover the transport path P1.

[0018] <Cross-sectional structure of the reading unit> Fig. 4 is a rear view of the cross-sectional structure of the main parts of the reading unit 3, and Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the state in which the opening / closing cover 32 is open. In Figs. 4 and 5, a platen glass 101 is disposed on the upper surface of the FB section 5. An original support surface 101A is formed by the upper surface of the platen glass 101. The image sensor 3S is provided below the platen glass 101 within the FB section 5 so as to be movable in the left-right direction. The original support surface 101A supports the original from below when the image of the original in a stationary state is read by the image sensor 3S.

[0019] A reading surface 101B is formed by the upper surface of the platen glass 101. The reading surface 101B guides the conveyed sheet SH from below when the image of the sheet SH conveyed one by one by the conveying unit 6 is read by the image sensor 3S in the FB unit 5. In this embodiment, the object whose image is read using the document support surface 101A is referred to as a document, and the object whose image is read while being conveyed by the conveying unit 6 is referred to as a sheet SH. The document and the sheet SH may be substantially the same thing.

[0020] The FB unit 5 has the image sensor 3S, a scanning mechanism (not shown), and the platen glass 101. The scanning mechanism reciprocates the image sensor 3S in the left-right direction below the document support surface 101A and the reading surface 101B. When reading an image of a document supported on the document support surface 101A, the image sensor 3S reads the image while moving below the document support surface 101A. When reading an image while the sheet SH is being conveyed by the conveying unit 6, the image sensor 3S is stopped at a predetermined stationary reading position. Here, the stationary reading position where the image sensor 3S stops is a position facing the reading surface 101B from below. As the image sensor 3S, a well-known image reading sensor such as a CIS (Contact Image Sensor) or a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) is used.

[0021] A base member 9A is provided at the lower portion of the ADF unit 9. The base member 9A forms the bottom portion of the ADF unit 9. The right portion of the base member 9A forms the discharge tray 14 described above. The transport unit 6 is provided between the opening / closing cover 32 of the ADF unit 9 and the left portion of the base member 9A. The transport unit 6 has an upper chute member 130 and a lower chute member 140 attached to the base member 9A. The lower chute member 140 is located below the upper chute member 130. The base member 9A is located below the lower chute member 140.

[0022] 4, 5, and 6, a plurality of guide ribs 32R extending in the left-right direction are formed side by side in the front-rear direction on the inner surface of the opening-closing cover 32. The lower edges of the guide ribs 32R form an upper guide surface 32A. The upper guide surface 32A defines an upper path P1A, which will be described later, of the conveying path P1 from above.

[0023] The upper surface of the upper chute member 130 is an example of a support surface, and a first upper transport surface 130A and a second upper transport surface 130B are formed thereon. The first upper transport surface 130A is adjacent to the left end of the supply tray 12 and is a flat surface that slopes downward to the left. The first upper transport surface 130A of the upper chute member 130 and the paper feed surface 12A of the supply tray 12 form a stacking surface 150A. A plurality of sheets SH to be read and transported by the transport unit 6 are stacked on the stacking surface 150A. The second upper transport surface 130B is a substantially flat surface that slopes upward to the left following the first upper transport surface 130A.

[0024] Lower guide surfaces 140A1 and 140A2 are formed on the lower surface of the lower chute member 140. The lower guide surface 140A1 is a substantially flat surface that slopes down to the right from the vicinity of the left end portion of the ADF unit 9 toward the reading surface 101B. The lower guide surface 140A2 is a substantially flat surface that slopes up to the right following the lower guide surface 140A1. The upper surface of the base member 9A is formed with a lower conveying surface 140B1 that faces the lower guide surface 140A1 from below, and a lower conveying surface 140B2 that faces the lower guide surface 140A2 from below.

[0025] The conveying path P1 in the conveying section 6 is defined as a space surrounded by the first upper conveying surface 130A and the second upper conveying surface 130B of the upper chute member 130, the lower guide surfaces 140A1 and 140A2 of the lower chute member 140, the upper guide surface 32A of the opening / closing cover 32, the lower conveying surfaces 140B1 and 140B2 of the base member 9A, various conveying rollers, etc. More specifically, the conveying path P1 includes an upper path P1A that is a portion extending leftward from the paper feed surface 12A of the supply tray 12 along the first upper conveying surface 130A and the second upper conveying surface 130B of the upper chute member 130. Next, the conveying path P1 includes a curved path P1B that is a portion connected to the upper path P1A and curved downward. Next, the conveying path P1 includes a lower path P1C that is connected to the curved path P1B, and includes a portion that slopes downward from the lower end of the curved portion toward the reading surface 101B, then extends shortly to the right along the reading surface 101B, and a portion that slopes upward from the right end of the reading surface 101B to the right and reaches the discharge tray 14. The upper path P1A and the lower path P1C overlap in the vertical direction. The conveying direction of the sheet SH conveyed by the conveying unit 6 is leftward in the upper path P1A of the conveying path P1, changes from leftward to rightward in the curved path P1B of the conveying path P1, and is rightward in the lower path P1C of the conveying path P1. Note that the extending direction and shape of the conveying path P1 are merely examples.

[0026] <Separation rollers, separation pads, feed rollers, etc.> 4, 5, and 6, the transport section 6 includes a separation unit 50, a separation pad 56A, and a separation bank 56B. Although details will be described later, the separation unit 50 includes a separation roller 54 having a rotating shaft 54S, a holder 51, and a paper feed roller 92 having a rotating shaft 92S. The rotating shaft 54S is an example of a drive shaft for the separation roller, and the rotating shaft 92S is an example of a drive shaft for the paper feed roller.

[0027] The separation roller 54 is located to the left of the feed roller 92, that is, downstream in the conveying direction in the conveying path P1. The separation roller 54 is provided at a position facing the second upper conveying surface 130B of the upper chute member 130 from above. The rotation shaft 54S of the separation roller 54 is a cylindrical shaft body extending about a rotation axis X54 extending in the front-rear direction, which is a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the sheet SH. As shown in FIG. 6, the front end and the rear end of the rotation shaft 54S of the separation roller 54 are rotatably supported by a front cover 31F forming the front end of the ADF unit 9 and a frame (not shown) arranged inside a rear cover 31R forming the rear end of the ADF unit 9, respectively. The separation roller 54 is assembled to the center of the rotation shaft 54S.

[0028] 4, the separation pad 56A, together with the second upper conveying surface 130B, forms a conveying surface for the sheet SH. The separation pad 56A is provided at a position facing the separation roller 54 from below. The separation pad 56A is a plate-like body made of a soft material such as rubber or elastomer. The separation pad 56A is pressed against the separation roller 54 by, for example, a biasing spring (not shown).

[0029] 5 and 6, the separation bank 56B is provided on the transport path P1 between the feed roller 92 and the separation roller 54. The separation bank 56B has a contact surface 56B1 (see FIG. 15 described later) for separating the uppermost sheet SH from the plurality of sheets SH when the plurality of sheets SH are fed by the feed roller 92.

[0030] 4, 5, and 6, the holder 51 holds the separation roller 54 in a sandwiched state from the front and rear while covering the separation roller 54 from above. Details will be described later. The holder 51 is supported by a rotation shaft 54S so as to be swingable around a rotation axis X54 of the separation roller 54. The holder 51 also extends to the right of the rotation shaft 54S, i.e., toward the upstream in the conveying direction.

[0031] As shown in FIGS. 4, 5, and 6, the sheet feed roller 92 is provided at a position facing the first upper conveying surface 130A of the upper chute member 130 from above. The sheet feed roller 92 is provided so as to be able to come into contact with the sheets SH stacked on the stacking surface 150A from above. The sheet feed roller 92 is located to the right of the separation roller 54 and is housed in the holder 51. The sheet feed roller 92 is supported by the holder 51 so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis X92 parallel to the rotation axis X54. Thus, the holder 51 is configured to be able to swing upward or downward about the rotation axis X54 of the separation roller 54, so that the sheet feed roller 92 can be displaced between a position approaching the stacking surface 150A and a position away from the stacking surface 150A.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 6, a transmission gear 55 is provided at the rear end of the rotating shaft 54S. The transmission gear 55 rotates the rotating shaft 54S by being driven by a motor 70 described later. When the transmission gear 55 rotates, the rotating shaft 54S rotates, and the separation roller 54 and the paper feed roller 92 rotate synchronously. The outer peripheral surface 92A of the paper feed roller 92 applies a conveying force to the uppermost sheet SH among the sheets SH stacked on the stacking surface 150A, and sends the sheet SH toward the separation roller 54. As shown in FIG. 4, FIG. 5, and FIG. 6, the separation roller 54 cooperates with the separation bank 56B and the separation pad 56A to separate the sheets SH conveyed by the paper feed roller 92 one by one, and conveys them downstream in the conveying direction on the conveying path P1.

[0033] <Conveyor roller> 4, 5, and 6, the conveying section 6 has a first conveying roller 44 and a pinch roller 44P on the upper path P1A of the conveying path P1 to the left of the separation roller 54, i.e., downstream in the conveying direction from the separation roller 54. The first conveying roller 44 and the pinch roller 44P nip the sheets SH separated one by one by the separation roller 54, the separation bank 56B, and the separation pad 56A, and convey them downstream in the conveying direction.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the conveying section 6 has a curved guide surface 45G, a curved guide surface 45H, a second conveying roller 45, and a pinch roller 45P in the curved path P1B of the conveying path P1. The curved guide surface 45G and the curved guide surface 45H face each other with a predetermined interval. The curved guide surface 45G defines the portion of the curved path P1B that curves downward from the outside. The curved guide surface 45H defines the portion of the curved path P1B that curves downward from the inside. The second conveying roller 45 and the pinch roller 45P are disposed at the lower end of the curved path P1B. The second conveying roller 45 and the pinch roller 45P nip the sheet SH conveyed by the first conveying roller 44 and the pinch roller 44P, and convey the sheet SH further toward the reading surface 101B. Between the first conveying roller 44 and the pinch roller 44P and the reading surface 101B, a lower guide surface 140A1 and a lower conveying surface 140B1 face each other with a predetermined gap therebetween, thereby defining the left portion of the lower path P1C.

[0035] 4 and 5, the conveying unit 6 further includes a discharge roller 48 and a pinch roller (not shown). Between the reading surface 101B and the discharge roller 48 and the pinch roller, a lower guide surface 140A2 and a lower conveying surface 140B2 face each other with a predetermined gap therebetween, thereby defining a right portion of the lower path P1C.

[0036] The path formed by the lower guide surface 140A2 and the lower conveying surface 140B2 is inclined upward toward the discharge roller 48 and the pinch roller, to the right of the pressing member 49. The discharge roller 48 is equipped with a drive shaft 48a, and is located at the right end of the lower guide surface 140A2 of the lower chute member 140. The pinch roller is located at the right end of the lower conveying surface 140B2. The discharge roller 48 and the pinch roller nip the sheet SH that has passed over the reading surface 101B, and discharge it onto the discharge surface 14A of the discharge tray 14.

[0037] <Stopper> 5 and 6, the ADF unit 9 of the present embodiment is provided with a pair of front and rear stoppers 80F, 80R that are located between the separation roller 54 and the paper feed roller 92 and come into contact with the leading edge of the sheet SH in the conveying direction to restrict the movement of the sheet SH. Hereinafter, the front stopper 80F and the rear stopper 80R will be collectively referred to simply as "stopper 80" as appropriate.

[0038] The stopper 80 is configured to be able to switch between a restricted state shown in FIG. 7(a) and FIG. 7(b) and a non-restricted state shown in FIG. 8(a) and FIG. 8(b). In this example, in the restricted state, the stopper 80 is engaged with the lock lever 100 as described later, so that it protrudes toward the first upper transport surface 130A that defines the transport path P1 of the sheet SH, thereby restricting the passage of the sheet SH. The position of the stopper 80 at this time is an example of a first position. In the non-restricted state, the stopper 80 is released from the engagement with the lock lever 100 as described later and becomes free, so that the stopper 80 is pushed by the leading edge of the sheet SH, rotates from the first position, and retreats upward so as to move away from the first upper transport surface 130A, thereby allowing the sheet SH to move downstream, i.e., to pass through the sheet SH. The position of the stopper 80 at this time is an example of a second position that is farther from the transport path P1 than the first position. The stopper 80 is supported by the opening / closing cover 32 together with the holder 51 having the separation roller 54 and the paper feed roller 92 .

[0039] <Stopper switching mechanism> The state of the stopper 80 is switched by utilizing the transmission of a driving force to the separation roller 54. The details will be described below with reference to the above-mentioned Figures 7, 8, and 9 to 11.

[0040] 9, as described above, the separation roller 54 and the paper feed roller 92 are provided in the holder 51, and the holder 51 is supported to be swingable on the rotation shaft 54S of the separation roller 54. The holder 51 is further provided with a shaft gear 154 fixed to the rotation shaft 54S, a planetary gear 153 that is movable while meshing with the shaft gear 154 and with fixed teeth 32A provided on the opening / closing cover 32, an intermediate gear 156 that meshes with a shaft gear 157 fixed to the rotation shaft 92S of the paper feed roller 92, and an intermediate gear 155 that meshes with the intermediate gear 156. The shaft gear 154, the planetary gear 153, the intermediate gears 155 and 156, and the shaft gear 157 constitute a gear mechanism 15 that transmits the driving force input from the motor 70 to the rotation shaft 54S of the separation roller 54 to the rotation shaft 92S of the paper feed roller 92.

[0041] As described above, when the driving force accompanying the rotation of the motor 70 is input to the rotating shaft 54S and the rotating shaft 54S rotates in the X direction in Fig. 10(a), the planetary gear 153 moves upstream in the conveying direction and meshes with the fixed teeth 32a as shown in Fig. 10(b). When the rotating shaft 54S further rotates in the X direction in this meshed state, the holder 51 swings about the rotation axis X54 so that the feed roller 92 side is lowered as shown in Fig. 10(c). As a result, the feed roller 92 comes into contact with the sheet SH.

[0042] As described above with reference to Figs. 7 and 8, the stopper 80 is provided in the opening / closing cover 32 near the holder 51. The stopper 80 is supported by the opening / closing cover 32 so as to be rotatable about the shaft member 80c as a rotation center, and has a stepped portion 80a and a sheet regulating portion 80b. A lock lever 100 is rotatably supported in the holder 51 near the paper feed roller 92. The lock lever 100 is biased in the S direction shown in Figs. 7(b) and 8(b) by an appropriate spring member (not shown). In the state shown in Figs. 9, 10(a), and 10(b) before the holder 51 is swung so that the paper feed roller 92 side is lowered as described above, the tip portion 100a of the lock lever 100 abuts and engages with the stepped portion 80a as shown in Figs. 7(a) and 7(b). This prevents the stopper 80 from rotating, resulting in the aforementioned regulated state.

[0043] When the holder 51 rotates around the rotation axis X54 of the rotation shaft 54S in conjunction with the movement of the planetary gear 153 as described above and swings so that the feed roller 92 side is lowered as shown in FIG. 10(c), the abutted surface 100b of the lock lever 100 abuts against the abutment rib 132 provided on the opening and closing cover 32. As a result, the lock lever 100 is displaced so as to rotate in the direction opposite to the S direction as shown in FIG. 8(a) and FIG. 8(b). As a result, the engagement between the tip portion 100a of the lock lever 100 and the stepped portion 80a is released, and the stopper 80 is in a state in which it is free to rotate, that is, in the aforementioned unrestricted state. The holder 51, the lock lever 100, and the abutment rib 132 are an example of a stopper switching mechanism.

[0044] After the state shown in Fig. 10(c), the planetary gear 153 further moves upstream in the conveying direction, and thus the planetary gear 153 disengages from the fixed teeth 32a as shown in Fig. 11(a). The planetary gear 153 disengaged from the fixed teeth 32a meshes with the intermediate gear 155 as shown in Fig. 11(a). As a result, the driving force from the motor 70 is transmitted to the shaft gear 157 via the rotating shaft 54S, the planetary gear 153, the intermediate gear 155, and the intermediate gear 156, and the sheet feed roller 92 rotates to convey the sheet SH to the curved path P1B.

[0045] On the other hand, when the driving force caused by the rotation of the motor 70 is input to the rotating shaft 54S and the rotating shaft 54S rotates in the Y direction in FIG. 11(a), the planetary gear 153 moves downstream in the conveying direction opposite to that described above and disengages from the intermediate gear 155. This blocks the transmission of the driving force from the motor 70 to the sheet feed roller 92. The planetary gear 153 then moves further and meshes with the fixed teeth 32a as shown in FIG. 11(b). In this meshed state, the rotating shaft 54S further rotates in the Y direction, so that the holder 51 swings about the rotation axis X54 so that the sheet feed roller 92 side rises as shown in FIG. 11(c). This causes the sheet feed roller 92 to move away from the sheet SH.

[0046] When the holder 51 swings so that the sheet feed roller 92 side rises in conjunction with the movement of the planetary gear 153 as described above, the lock lever 100, which has been raised by the abutment surface 100b abutting against the abutment rib 132 as described above with reference to Figures 8(a) and 8(b), is displaced so as to rotate in the S direction as shown in Figures 7(a) and 7(b). As a result, the tip portion 100a of the lock lever 100 engages with the stepped portion 80a, and the stopper 80 enters the restricted state described above.

[0047] <Electrical configuration of the multifunction printer> Next, the electrical configuration of the multifunction device 1 in this embodiment will be described. The main unit 2 of the multifunction device 1 is provided with a control unit 110, as shown in Fig. 12. The control unit 110 includes a well-known CPU 110A, ROM 110B, RAM 110C, NVRAM 110D, and an interface unit 110E. The CPU 110A executes predetermined processing according to control programs stored in the ROM 110B, RAM 110C, etc., thereby controlling each unit of the multifunction device 1.

[0048] The objects to be controlled by the control unit 110 include the image forming unit 4, the LAN communication unit 111, the operation panel 40, the image sensor 3S, the sheet transport sensor 113, the motor 70, the motor 114, and the sheet placement sensor 112. Of these, the image forming unit 4 and the LAN communication unit 111 are provided in the main unit 2. The operation panel 40, the image sensor 3S, and the motor 114 are provided in the FB unit 5. The sheet placement sensor 112, the motor 70, and the sheet transport sensor 113 are provided in the ADF unit 9.

[0049] The control unit 110 also monitors signals from a sheet placement sensor 112 and a LAN communication unit 111. The LAN communication unit 111 is composed of a communication interface device compatible with wireless LAN and a communication interface device compatible with wired LAN. The motor 114 is a power source for moving the image sensor 3S in the left-right direction in the FB unit 5. The sheet placement sensor 112 is a sensor that detects that a sheet SH is placed on the stacking surface 150A. The sheet transport sensor 113 is a sensor that detects that the leading end or trailing end in the transport direction of the sheet SH transported in the ADF unit 9 has passed a predetermined detection position in the transport path P1.

[0050] <Features of this embodiment> The features of this embodiment are the structure of the stopper 80, the structure of the ribs constituting the first upper transport surface 130A and the second upper transport surface 130B, and the arrangement of the sheet placement sensor 112. These will be described in detail below.

[0051] Fig. 13 shows the external configuration of the ADF unit, omitting illustrations other than the peripheral structure of stopper 80 in conveying unit 6. Fig. 14 and Fig. 15 show an enlarged view of the structure of stopper 80. Note that since stoppers 80F and 80R have the same structure, in Fig. 14 and Fig. 15, stoppers 80F and 80R are not distinguished from each other and are simply shown as "stopper 80."

[0052] As shown in FIG. 13, the ADF unit 9 includes a pair of front and rear stoppers 80F, 80R that abut against the leading edge of the sheet SH in the conveying direction to restrict the movement of the sheet SH. As shown in FIG. 14 and FIG. 15, the stopper 80 has a wall surface 80d that abuts against the leading edge of the sheet SH on the right side, which is the upstream side in the conveying direction, and has a plurality of protrusions 80e on the wall surface 80d. The plurality of protrusions 80e are provided so as to be aligned in the height direction when the stopper 80 is in the position to restrict the passage of the sheet SH shown in FIG. 14 and FIG. 15. The position where the stopper 80 restricts the passage of the sheet SH is an example of the first position. Each protrusion 80e is provided to protrude to the right side so that the lower surface is substantially horizontal, and is formed so that the shape viewed from the front-rear direction is substantially a right-angled triangle. The number of protrusions 80e is not limited to a plurality, and may be, for example, one.

[0053] 15, the stopper 80 has a bottom surface 80f located at the bottom, a wall surface 80d that abuts against the leading edge of the sheet SH, and a curved surface 80g that connects the bottom surface 80f and the wall surface 80d. The curved surface 80g is a surface that is formed into an R-shape by, for example, chamfering. The wall surface 80d is an example of an abutting surface.

[0054] As described above, the upper surface of the upper chute member 130 includes the first upper conveying surface 130A and the second upper conveying surface 130B. The second upper conveying surface 130B is an example of a first inclined surface, and is a support surface that slopes upward toward the downstream side in the conveying direction. The first upper conveying surface 130A is an example of a second inclined surface, and is a support surface that is located upstream of the second upper conveying surface 130B in the conveying direction and slopes downward toward the downstream side in the conveying direction.

[0055] As shown in Figs. 13, 14 and 15, the first upper conveying surface 130A and the second upper conveying surface 130B are surfaces including the upper surfaces of a plurality of rib members 131A-131F that are provided so as to protrude upward from other portions. The rib members 131A-131F are an example of a first rib member. As shown in Fig. 15, the upper surface of the rib member 131E is such that a predetermined portion 131a of the second upper conveying surface 130B, which is located at the same position in the conveying direction as the wall surface 80d, is higher than the highest portion 80h of the curved surface 80g of the stopper 80. That is, the rib member 131E has a shape in which the vicinity of the predetermined portion 131a is curved upward and raised. The other rib members 131A-131D and 131F have the same configuration.

[0056] As described above, the separation bank 56B is provided between the feed roller 92 and the separation roller 54, and as shown in FIG. 15, the separation bank 56B has a contact surface 56B1. The angle θ1 between the first upper conveying surface 130A and the contact surface 56B1 of the separation bank 56B is smaller than the angle θ2 between the first upper conveying surface 130A and the second upper conveying surface 130B. For example, the angle θ1 is about 135°, and the angle θ2 is about 160°. In addition, the position of the upstream end 130B1 of the second upper conveying surface 130B in the conveying direction is located downstream of the position of the contact surface 56B1 of the separation bank 56B in the conveying direction.

[0057] As shown in Figs. 13 and 14, between the rib members 131A and 131B and between the rib members 131D and 131E, rib members 133R and 133F are provided upstream of the stoppers 80R and 80F so as to face the stoppers 80R and 80F in the conveying direction. The rib members 133R and 133F are an example of a second rib member. As shown in Fig. 14, the height position of the upper surface of the rib member 133F is lower than the height position of the upper surface of the first upper conveying surface 130A, i.e., the height position of the portion of the rib members 131D and 131E that constitutes the first upper conveying surface 130A. Although not shown, the height position of the upper surface of the rib member 133R is also lower than the height position of the upper surface of the first upper conveying surface 130A, i.e., the portion of the rib members 131A and 131B that constitutes the first upper conveying surface 130A.

[0058] As shown in Fig. 13, the gear mechanism 15 is provided on the rear side of the separation bank 56B in the width direction of the sheet SH perpendicular to the conveying direction. The stopper 80 includes a stopper 80R located on the rear side of the separation bank 56B in the width direction and a stopper 80F located on the front side of the separation bank 56B in the width direction. The stopper 80R is an example of a one-side stopper, and the stopper 80F is an example of an other-side stopper. The rib members 131A to 131F include three rib members 131A, 131B, and 131C located on the rear side of the separation bank 56B in the width direction, two rib members 131D and 131E located on the front side of the separation bank 56B in the width direction, and a rib member 131F that is located at a distance d from the center line CL of the separation bank 56B in the width direction substantially the same as that of the rib member 131A and is provided in a portion where the rib members 131D and 131E are not provided. The rib members 131A, 131B, and 131C are examples of one-side rib members, the rib members 131D and 131E are examples of the other-side rib members, and the rib member 131F is an example of a third rib member. The center line CL substantially coincides with the widthwise center position of the sheet SH. The shape and height direction position of the upper surface of the rib member 131F are substantially the same as the shapes and height direction positions of the upper surfaces of the other rib members 131A to 131E.

[0059] With the above-mentioned configuration of the stopper 80, as shown in FIG. 16(a), even if the leading edge of the sheet SH inserted by the user slides on the surface of the wall surface 80d and curls upward when it abuts against the stopper 80, it hits and gets caught on the protrusion 80e of the wall surface 80d, so that the upward curl is suppressed and does not become large. Also, as shown in FIG. 16(b), even if the leading edge of the sheet SH inserted by the user curls downward, it is lifted by the shape of the predetermined portion 131a of the second upper conveying surface 130B before reaching the stopper 80, and when it reaches the curved surface 80g of the stopper 80, it is higher than the position of the bottom surface 80f. As a result, the leading edge of the sheet SH is suppressed from slipping under the bottom surface 80f of the stopper 80.

[0060] In this manner, the structure of the stopper 80 and the rib members 131A-131F, 133R, 133F suppresses upward and downward curling of the sheet SH, and the inserted sheet SH is stably positioned by the stopper 80. Therefore, in this embodiment, the sheet placement sensor 112 is arranged so that, taking advantage of the fact that the positioning of the sheet SH is stable, sheets SH of sizes in which the difference in the position of the sheet trailing end is not so large can be distinguished from one another and detected.

[0061] FIG. 17 conceptually illustrates the arrangement of the sheet placement sensors 112 on the stacking surface 150A. As illustrated in FIG. 17, the sheet placement sensor 112 includes four sheet placement sensors 112A to 112D. The sheet placement sensors 112A to 112D are an example of a sensor. The sheet placement sensors 112A to 112D detect the presence or absence of a sheet SH when the sheet SH is placed on the stacking surface 150A with its longitudinal direction aligned with the transport direction and when its leading edge is in contact with the stopper 80. As illustrated in FIG. 17, among the sheet placement sensors 112A to 112D, the sheet placement sensor 112D is provided in a position between the rear end of a vertically oriented B5 size sheet SH with its leading edge in contact with the stopper 80 and the rear end of a vertically oriented LETTER size sheet SH with its leading edge in contact with the stopper 80 in a direction perpendicular to the stacking surface 150A, i.e., in a plan view from the top-bottom direction. This makes it possible to distinguish and detect B5 size sheets and LETTER size sheets, in which the difference in the position of the sheet trailing edge is not so great.

[0062] <Effects of the embodiment> As described above, in the multifunction machine 1 of the present embodiment, the stopper 80 that restricts the passage of the sheet SH supported on the first upper transport surface 130A and the second upper transport surface 130B in the transport direction is provided displaceably to a first position or a second position. At the first position, the stopper 80 abuts against the leading edge of the sheet SH supported on the first upper transport surface 130A and restricts the passage of the sheet SH in the transport direction. At the second position that is farther from the transport path than the first position, the stopper 80 allows the sheet SH to pass in the transport direction. When the stopper 80 abuts against the leading edge of the sheet SH at the first position, at least one protrusion 80e is provided on the wall surface 80d that abuts against the leading edge of the sheet. As a result, when the leading edge of the sheet SH inserted by the user abuts against the stopper 80, it abuts against the protrusion 80e of the wall surface 80d and gets caught, so that the leading edge of the sheet is prevented from sliding on the surface of the wall surface 80d and curling upward or downward. This can improve ease of use for the user.

[0063] Particularly in this embodiment, when the stopper 80 is in the first position, a plurality of protrusions 80e are aligned in the height direction on the wall surface 80d. As a result, even if the number of sheets SH fed at one time varies between, for example, one sheet and several tens of sheets, the sheets SH will hit and get caught on one of the plurality of protrusions 80e depending on the thickness of the stack of sheets SH, thereby preventing the above-mentioned curling.

[0064] In particular, in this embodiment, a sheet placement sensor 112D for detecting the presence or absence of a sheet SH is provided at a position between the rear end of a B5-sized sheet SH and the rear end of a LETTER-sized sheet SH in a plan view. In this embodiment, the curling is suppressed as described above, and the inserted sheet SH is stably positioned by the stopper 80. As a result, when a B5-sized sheet SH is inserted, the detection result of the sheet placement sensor 112D becomes "sheet not present" with high accuracy, and when a LETTE-sized sheet is inserted, the detection result of the sheet placement sensor 112D becomes "sheet present" with high accuracy. As a result, it is possible to distinguish and detect a B5-sized sheet and a LETTER-sized sheet, which do not have a large difference in the position of the sheet rear end when inserted with the sheet longitudinal direction aligned with the conveying direction.

[0065] In particular, in this embodiment, the stopper 80 has a curved surface 80g that connects the bottom surface 80f and the wall surface 80d, which is located below at the first position. When the stopper 80 abuts against the leading edge of the sheet SH at the first position, the predetermined portion 131a of the second upper conveying surface 130B, which is located at the same position in the conveying direction as the wall surface 80d, is higher than the highest portion of the curved surface 80g. As a result, when the sheet SH is inserted, its leading edge is lifted by the predetermined portion 131a of the second upper conveying surface 130B before it reaches the stopper 80, and when it reaches the same position in the conveying direction as the wall surface 80d, it becomes higher than the position of the bottom surface 80f. As a result, the leading edge of the sheet SH is prevented from curling downward so as to slip under the bottom surface 80f of the stopper 80. As a result, it is possible to improve ease of use for the user.

[0066] In particular, in this embodiment, the angle θ1 between the first upper conveying surface 130A and the contact surface 56B1 of the separation bank 56B is smaller than the angle θ2 between the first upper conveying surface 130A and the second upper conveying surface 130B. In other words, the second upper conveying surface 130B is more horizontal and oriented laterally than the contact surface 56B1 of the separation bank 56B. This reduces the possibility that, when the sheet SH is fed, the leading edge of the sheet contacts the second upper conveying surface 130B before the contact surface 56B1 of the separation bank 56B, causing abnormal conveying due to friction with the second upper conveying surface 130B.

[0067] In particular, in this embodiment, the upstream end 130B1 of the second upper transport surface 130B is located downstream in the transport direction from the contact surface 56B1 of the separation bank 56B. This reduces the possibility that, when the sheet SH is fed, the leading edge of the sheet contacts the second upper transport surface 130B before the contact surface 56B1 of the separation bank 56B, causing friction with the second upper transport surface 130B and resulting in transport abnormalities.

[0068] Particularly in this embodiment, at least a part of the second upper conveying surface 130B is formed by the upper surfaces of the rib members 131A-131F that protrude upward from other parts. This allows the second upper conveying surface 130B to lift the leading edge of the sheet SH while minimizing the contact area with the sheet SH and suppressing friction.

[0069] In particular, in this embodiment, rib members 133R, 133F other than the rib members 131A to 131F are provided upstream of the stopper 80 so as to face the stopper 80 in the conveying direction. This allows the leading edge of the inserted sheet SH to be smoothly guided to the stopper 80, and also assists the rib members 131A to 131F in suppressing downward warping. In addition, since the height position of the upper surfaces of the rib members 133R, 133F is lower than the upper surface of the first upper conveying surface 130A, when the sheet SH is inserted, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the sheet SH will come into contact with the rib members 133R, 133F before the first upper conveying surface 130A, causing abnormal conveying due to friction with the rib members 133R, 133F.

[0070] In particular, in this embodiment, the stopper 80 is switched to the first position or the second position by a stopper switching mechanism based on the driving force input from the motor 70 to the rotating shaft 54S of the separation roller 54. Also, a gear mechanism 15 is provided that transmits the driving force input from the motor 70 to the rotating shaft 54S of the separation roller 54 to the rotating shaft 92S of the paper feed roller 92, and the gear mechanism 15 is provided on the rear side in the sheet width direction with respect to the separation bank 56B.

[0071] In this manner, as a result of the configuration in which the motor driving force serving as the driving source of the stopper 80 is also transmitted to the feed roller side by the gear mechanism 15, the widthwise center line between the two stoppers 80R, 80F arranged on one side and the other side of the separation bank 56B in the sheet width direction may be eccentric with respect to the widthwise center line CL of the separation bank 56B. In this case, in order to suppress warping in each of the stoppers 80R, 80F, the widthwise center lines between the rib members 131A, 131B and the rib members 131D, 131E provided at the corresponding widthwise positions are also eccentric with respect to the widthwise center line CL of the separation bank 56B. That is, as viewed from the widthwise center line CL of the separation bank 56B, which is approximately equal to the widthwise center position of the sheet SH to be transported, the distance to the rib members 131A, 131B and the distance to the rib members 131D, 131E are different. As a result, if left as is, when the inserted sheet SH is transported, the frictional force acting on the area on one side of the sheet SH when viewed from the widthwise center position of the sheet SH and the frictional force acting on the area on the other side of the sheet SH will become unbalanced, which may cause the sheet SH to be skewed.

[0072] Therefore, in this embodiment, a rib member 131F for applying frictional force is provided in a portion of the separation bank 56B where the distance d from the widthwise centerline CL is substantially the same as that of the rib member 131A and where the rib members 131D, 131E are not provided. The shape and height position of the upper surface of this rib member 131F are made substantially the same as those of the upper surfaces of the other rib members 131A to 131E. As a result, when the sheet SH is transported, the number and shape of the ribs can be made substantially uniform between the one side region and the other side region of the sheet SH as viewed from the widthwise center position of the sheet SH, and the frictional forces acting thereon can be balanced, thereby suppressing the occurrence of skew.

[0073] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit and technical concept of the present invention. These modifications are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

[0074] That is, in the above, the stopper 80 is configured to appear and disappear from the conveying path P1 of the sheet SH by rotating, but this is not limited to this. That is, for example, the stopper may be configured to appear and disappear from the conveying path P1 by moving it up and down using a solenoid, an electromagnetic clutch, or the like. In this case, a stopper switching mechanism is provided that realizes the aforementioned restricted state by moving the stopper upward or downward to the first position located on the conveying path P1 side, and realizes the aforementioned unrestricted state by moving the stopper downward or vertically to the second position farther from the conveying path P1 than the first position.

[0075] In addition, although the above description has been given taking as an example a case where a rotatable lock lever 100 is provided, the configuration of the lock lever is not limited to this, and it is sufficient if the stopper 80 can be switched between the restricted state and the released state described above in conjunction with the rotation of the holder 51. In other words, for example, a bar or plate that does not rotate like a lever but moves linearly to abut against or engage with the stopper 80 may also be used as the lock lever.

[0076] In the above, the swinging of the holder 51 is realized by utilizing the driving force from the motor 70, but this is not limited thereto. That is, the holder 51 may be swung by using a driving force from a driving source other than the motor 70.

[0077] In the above, the present invention has been described as being applied to the document feed mechanism in the ADF section 9 when the user inserts a document into the ADF section 9, but the present invention is not limited to this. That is, the present invention may be applied to a manual feed mechanism when the user inserts recording paper from a manual feed port separately provided in the main unit 2. In this case, the same effects as those described above can be obtained.

[0078] Furthermore, the above description has been given taking the multifunction machine 1 as an example of an image processing device, but the present invention is not limited to this. That is, as another example of an image processing device, the present invention may be applied to a reading device that does not have a portion corresponding to the image forming unit 4 described above and only has a portion corresponding to the reading unit 3. In this case, the same effect as above can be obtained.

[0079] In addition to the above, the methods according to the above embodiments and their modifications may be used in appropriate combination.

[0080] Although not specifically illustrated, the present invention can be implemented with various modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0081] 1. Multifunction printer (an example of an image processing device) 15 Gear mechanism 51 Holder (an example of a stopper switching mechanism) 54 Separation roller 54S Rotating shaft (an example of a drive shaft) 56B Separation Bank 56B1 Contact surface 70 Motor 80 Stopper 80F Stopper (an example of the other side stopper) 80R stopper (example of one-side stopper) 80d Wall surface (example of contact surface) 80e protrusion 80f bottom 80g curved surface 80h Highest part 92 Paper feed roller 92S Rotating shaft (an example of a drive shaft) 100 Lock lever (an example of a stopper switching mechanism) 112D Sheet placement sensor (example of sensor) 130A First upper conveying surface (support surface, an example of a second inclined surface) 130B second upper conveying surface (support surface, an example of the first inclined surface) 130B1 Upstream end 131a Specified part 131A Rib member (first rib member, an example of one side rib member) 131B Rib member (first rib member, an example of one side rib member) 131C Rib member (first rib member, an example of one side rib member) 131D Rib member (an example of a first rib member and a second rib member) 131E Rib member (an example of the first rib member and the other side rib member) 131F Rib member (an example of a first rib member and a third rib member) 133F Rib member (an example of a second rib member) 133R Rib member (an example of a second rib member) 132 Contact rib (an example of a stopper switching mechanism) CL center line SH Seat P1 Transport route

Claims

1. A support surface for supporting the seat; a sheet feed roller that feeds the sheet supported on the support surface in a conveying direction; a separation roller located downstream of the sheet feed roller in the conveying direction and configured to separate the sheets supported on the support surface one by one; a stopper located between the feed roller and the separation roller, the stopper being displaceable between a first position where the stopper abuts against a leading edge of the sheet supported on the support surface to restrict passage of the sheet in the transport direction, and a second position farther from the transport path than the first position and where the stopper allows passage of the sheet in the transport direction; Equipped with The stopper is The sheet has at least one protrusion on a wall surface that contacts the leading end of the sheet, each protrusion is provided so as to protrude upstream in the conveying direction so that a lower surface of the protrusion is horizontal; a separation bank having a contact surface for separating a topmost sheet among the plurality of sheets when the plurality of sheets are fed by the paper feed roller, the separation bank being provided between the paper feed roller and the separation roller; The support surface is a first inclined surface including a predetermined portion of the support surface that is located at the same position as the contact surface in the conveying direction and that is inclined upward toward a downstream side in the conveying direction; a second inclined surface located upstream of the first inclined surface in the conveying direction and inclined downward toward a downstream side in the conveying direction; Including, The angle between the second inclined surface and the contact surface of the separation bank is The angle between the second inclined surface and the first inclined surface is smaller than the angle between the second inclined surface and the first inclined surface.

13. An image processing device comprising:

2. The wall surface of the stopper is The projections are arranged in a height direction at the first position.

2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1,

3. A support surface for supporting a sheet; a sheet feed roller that feeds the sheet supported on the support surface in a conveying direction; a separation roller located downstream of the sheet feed roller in the conveying direction and configured to separate the sheets supported on the support surface one by one; a stopper located between the feed roller and the separation roller, the stopper being displaceable between a first position where the stopper abuts against a leading edge of the sheet supported on the support surface to restrict passage of the sheet in the transport direction, and a second position farther from the transport path than the first position and where the stopper allows passage of the sheet in the transport direction; Equipped with The stopper is The sheet has at least one protrusion on a wall surface that contacts the leading end of the sheet, Each protrusion is provided so as to protrude upstream in the conveying direction with its lower surface directed horizontally, Each protrusion is The shape when viewed from the vertical direction and the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction is a right-angled triangle.

13. An image processing device comprising:

4. A support surface for supporting the seat; a sheet feed roller that feeds the sheet supported on the support surface in a conveying direction; a separation roller located downstream of the sheet feed roller in the conveying direction and configured to separate the sheets supported on the support surface one by one; a stopper located between the feed roller and the separation roller, the stopper being displaceable between a first position where the stopper abuts against a leading edge of the sheet supported on the support surface to restrict passage of the sheet in the transport direction, and a second position farther from the transport path than the first position and where the stopper allows passage of the sheet in the transport direction; Equipped with The stopper is The sheet has at least one protrusion on a wall surface that contacts the leading end of the sheet, a sensor that detects the presence or absence of the sheet in a state where the sheet is placed on the support surface with its longitudinal direction aligned with the conveying direction and where the leading edge of the sheet is in contact with the stopper that is in the first position; The sensor includes: When viewed from a plane perpendicular to the support surface, the sheet support member is provided at a position between the rear end of the B5 size sheet in the contact state and the rear end of the LETTER size sheet in the contact state.

13. An image processing device comprising:

5. A support surface for supporting the seat; a sheet feed roller that feeds the sheet supported on the support surface in a conveying direction; a separation roller located downstream of the sheet feed roller in the conveying direction and configured to separate the sheets supported on the support surface one by one; a stopper located between the feed roller and the separation roller, the stopper being displaceable between a first position where the stopper abuts against a leading edge of the sheet supported on the support surface to restrict passage of the sheet in the transport direction, and a second position farther from the transport path than the first position and where the stopper allows passage of the sheet in the transport direction; Equipped with The stopper is a bottom surface located at the bottom in the first position; a contact surface that contacts the leading edge of the sheet at the first position; a curved surface connecting the bottom surface and the abutment surface; having an image processing device in which a predetermined portion of the support surface, which is located at the same position in the transport direction as the contact surface, is higher than a highest portion of the curved surface, a separation bank having a contact surface for separating a topmost sheet among the plurality of sheets when the plurality of sheets are fed by the paper feed roller, the separation bank being provided between the paper feed roller and the separation roller; The support surface is a first inclined surface including the predetermined portion and having an upward inclination toward a downstream side in the conveying direction; a second inclined surface located upstream of the first inclined surface in the conveying direction and inclined downward toward a downstream side in the conveying direction; Including, The angle between the second inclined surface and the contact surface of the separation bank is The angle between the second inclined surface and the first inclined surface is smaller than the angle between the second inclined surface and the first inclined surface.

13. An image processing device comprising:

6. The position of the upstream end of the first inclined surface in the transport direction is downstream of the position of the abutment surface of the separation bank in the transport direction.

6. The image processing device according to claim 5,

7. The first inclined surface is The surface includes the upper surface of the first rib member that protrudes upward from other portions.

7. The image processing device according to claim 5 or 6.

8. a second rib member provided upstream of the stopper in the conveying direction so as to face the stopper, The height direction position of the upper surface of the second rib member is lower than the height direction position of the upper surface of the second inclined surface.

8. The image processing device according to claim 7,

9. A motor; a stopper switching mechanism that switches the stopper between the first position and the second position in response to input of a driving force of the motor to a drive shaft of the separation roller; a gear mechanism interposed between the drive shaft of the separation roller and the drive shaft of the paper feed roller, the gear mechanism transmitting the driving force input from the motor to the drive shaft of the separation roller to the drive shaft of the paper feed roller; Further equipped with The gear mechanism includes: a separation bank provided on one side of the separation bank in a width direction of the sheet perpendicular to the conveying direction, The stopper is a one-side stopper located on the one side of the separation bank in the width direction and an other-side stopper located on the other side of the separation bank in the width direction, The first rib member is a one-side rib member located on one side of the separation bank in the width direction and an other-side rib member located on the other side of the separation bank in the width direction, and, a third rib member is provided at a portion of the separation bank that is approximately the same distance from a center line in the width direction as one of the one-side rib members and at a portion where the other-side rib member is not provided; The shape and height direction position of the upper surface of the third rib member are substantially the same as the shape and height direction position of the upper surface of one of the one side rib members.

9. The image processing device according to claim 7 or 8.

10. A support surface for supporting the seat; a sheet feed roller that feeds the sheet supported on the support surface in a conveying direction; a separation roller located downstream of the sheet feed roller in the conveying direction and configured to separate the sheets supported on the support surface one by one; a stopper located between the feed roller and the separation roller, the stopper being displaceable between a first position where the stopper abuts against a leading edge of the sheet supported on the support surface to restrict passage of the sheet in the transport direction, and a second position farther from the transport path than the first position and where the stopper allows passage of the sheet in the transport direction; Equipped with The stopper is The sheet has at least one protrusion on a wall surface that contacts the leading end of the sheet, In the image processing device, an angle formed between a lower surface of the protrusion and a support surface that supports the sheet is an acute angle in the first position, a separation bank having a contact surface for separating a topmost sheet among the plurality of sheets when the plurality of sheets are fed by the paper feed roller, the separation bank being provided between the paper feed roller and the separation roller; The support surface is a first inclined surface including a predetermined portion of the support surface that is located at the same position as the contact surface in the conveying direction and that is inclined upward toward a downstream side in the conveying direction; a second inclined surface located upstream of the first inclined surface in the conveying direction and inclined downward toward a downstream side in the conveying direction; Including, The angle between the second inclined surface and the contact surface of the separation bank is The angle between the second inclined surface and the first inclined surface is smaller than the angle between the second inclined surface and the first inclined surface.

13. An image processing device comprising:

11. The stopper is a contact surface that contacts the leading edge of the sheet at the first position; The support surface is The conveying direction includes a predetermined portion that is located at the same position as the contact surface, and includes an inclined surface that is inclined upward toward the downstream side in the conveying direction.

11. The image processing device according to claim 10.

Images