Conveyor

Abstract

To provide means in which a currently conveyed manuscript can sink below a manuscript which has been conveyed earlier, even when the number of manuscripts which are continuously conveyed increases.SOLUTION: An ADF 5 comprises: a manuscript tray 33; an ejection tray 34; a conveyance path 151; a first conveyance mechanism 16 which conveys a manuscript 12; a first protruding member 40 which is disposed downstream from the first conveyance mechanism 16 and protrudes downward to the conveyance path 151; a second protruding member 41 which is disposed downstream from the first protruding member 40 and protrudes upward; an ejection side conveyance mechanism 60 which is disposed downstream from the second protruding member 41 and conveys the manuscript 12; a paper ejection sensor 25 which detects the manuscript 12 by the first conveyance mechanism 16; and a controller 130. The controller 130 drives the ejection side conveyance mechanism 60 by a signal of the paper ejection sensor 25, and stops after conveying the manuscript 12 until a rear end of the manuscript 12 is located between the first protruding member 40 and the second protruding member 41.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a conveying device that ejects a document by slipping a currently conveyed document under a previously conveyed document. [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, the support member 33 is a plastic film, and is elastically deformed downward by the weight of the originals. Here, when multiple originals are conveyed continuously, the rear ends of the multiple originals are stacked above the support member 33. The greater the weight of the originals applied to the support member 33, the greater the downward deformation of the support member 33. As a result, the space below the rear ends of the originals supported by the support member 33 becomes narrower, so that the space for the subsequently conveyed originals to slip under the rear end of the previous original becomes narrower. Therefore, the above-mentioned sheet conveying device has a problem that the upper limit of the number of originals that can be conveyed continuously is low.

[0005] To provide a conveying device that enables a document currently being conveyed to slip under a document previously conveyed even if the number of documents being conveyed in succession increases. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] (1) A transport device according to the present invention includes an original tray, a discharge tray, a transport path connecting the original tray and the discharge tray, a first transport mechanism that transports an original along the transport path in a transport direction, a first protruding member that is disposed downstream of the first transport mechanism in the transport direction and protrudes downward into the transport path, a second protruding member that is disposed downstream of the first protruding member in the transport direction and protrudes upward, a second transport mechanism that is disposed downstream of the second protruding member in the transport direction and transports the original in the transport direction, a sensor that detects the original transported in the transport direction by the first transport mechanism, and a controller. The controller drives the second transport mechanism based on a signal obtained from the sensor, and transports the original until the rear end of the original is positioned between the first protruding member and the second protruding member, and then stops.

[0007] According to this configuration, the original document transported along the transport path by the first transport mechanism stops with its rear end positioned between the first protruding member and the second protruding member. At this time, the rear end of the original document is supported by the second protruding member and positioned on the upper side of the transport path. Then, the leading end of the original document transported along the transport path by the first transport mechanism is guided to the lower side of the transport path by the first protruding member and slips under the rear end of the stopped original document. The slipped-under original document is transported in the transport direction by the second transport mechanism together with another original document located above until its rear end is positioned between the first protruding member and the second protruding member, and then stops. By repeating such transport of the original document, even if the number of original documents transported continuously increases, the original documents supported by the second protruding member are stacked in the transport direction in order.

[0008] (2) Preferably, in the transport device, the first protruding end of the first protruding member is located lower in the up-down direction than the second protruding end of the second protruding member.

[0009] According to this configuration, the leading edge of the document currently being transported is reliably placed under the trailing edge of the document previously transported.

[0010] (3) Preferably, the conveying device has a first conveying mechanism having a conveying roller located immediately upstream of the first protruding member in the conveying direction, and a nip member that clamps the document between the conveying roller and the nip member, and the first protruding end of the first protruding member is located below an imaginary plane that includes a nip position of the conveying roller and the nip member, as well as a straight line including the second protruding end of the second protruding member and a straight line extending horizontally perpendicular to the straight line.

[0011] According to this configuration, the leading edge of the document currently being transported is reliably placed under the trailing edge of the document previously transported.

[0012] (4) Preferably, in the conveying device, a lower surface of a first protruding end of the first protruding member is a curved surface along the conveying direction, and an upper surface of a second protruding end of the second protruding member is a curved surface along the conveying direction.

[0013] According to this configuration, the document being transported passes smoothly over the first protruding end or the second protruding end.

[0014] (5) Preferably, in the transport device, the sensor is disposed upstream of the first protruding member in the transport direction.

[0015] (6) Preferably, in the transport device, the sensor is disposed downstream of the first protruding member in the transport direction. Effect of the Invention

[0016] According to the present invention, even if the number of documents to be continuously transported increases, the document currently being transported can slip under the document previously transported. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a multifunction peripheral 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the external configuration of the scanner unit 3. As shown in FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the main components of the scanner unit 3 below the platen glass 80. As shown in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal configuration of the ADF 5 according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram of the scanner unit 3. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a state in which the original 12 has been transported to the lower transport path 159 of the transport path 151. As shown in FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a state in which the document 12 has been conveyed to the curved path 157 of the conveying path 151. As shown in FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a state in which the original 12 has been discharged from the first transport mechanism 16. As shown in FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a state in which the original 12 has been transported to the upper transport path 160 of the transport path 151. As shown in FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a state in which a plurality of documents 12 are continuously transported to the upper transport path 160 of the transport path 151. As shown in FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing the ADF 5 of the multifunction peripheral 1 according to the first modification. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view showing the ADF 5 of the multifunction peripheral 1 according to the second modification. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] 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 surface, 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 perpendicular.

[0019] [Overall structure of MFP 1] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 is a 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.

[0020] 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 provided above the printer unit 2, and has print, scan, copy, facsimile, and other functions. Note that, in the present invention, it is sufficient to have only the scanner unit 3 equipped with the ADF 5. In other words, the 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.

[0021] 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.

[0022] 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.

[0023] [Configuration of Scanner Unit 3] The scanner unit 3 includes an ADF document tray 33, an ADF discharge tray 34, a transport path 151, a first transport mechanism 16, a first reading sensor 85, a second reading sensor 95, and a second transport mechanism 60 (also referred to as the discharge side transport mechanism).

[0024] As shown 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. A connector panel 13 on which various connectors are arranged is provided above the opening 4. A slot unit 18 is disposed 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 130 (see FIG. 5) 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 provided side by side to allow different types of memory cards to be loaded. An ink cartridge is housed at the right end of the front panel 11 in the width direction.

[0025] 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.

[0026] The schematic configuration of the scanner unit 3 will be described below with reference to FIGS.

[0027] In the scanner unit 3, the document cover 30 is attached to the support base 15, which functions 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 in FIG. 2. The document cover 30 is movable between an open position and a closed position with respect to the support base 15 having a platen glass 80 (see FIG. 4). The document cover 30 covers the platen glass 80 in the closed position. The document cover 30 is integrally provided with an ADF 5, 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 transport path 151, the first transport mechanism 16, the second reading sensor 95, and the discharge-side transport mechanism 60 are located on the document cover 30, and the first reading sensor 85 is located on the support base 15.

[0028] 4, 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.

[0029] 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 has 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 in the closed position.

[0030] 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.

[0031] A first image reading unit 32 is built into the support base 15. When the scanner unit 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.

[0032] The first image reading unit 32 has a first contact image sensor (hereinafter referred to as the "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 on its upper side. This makes the first CIS 85 face the lower surface of the platen glass 80. The first CIS 85 is located upstream of the curved portion 54 in the conveying path 151 in the conveying direction 17. The first CIS 85 optically reads an 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.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 3, a guide shaft 87 is installed across the casing 84 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. This allows the CIS carriage 86 to move parallel to the lower surface of the platen glass 80 when the scanner unit 3 is used as an FBS, and at that time, the first CIS 85 mounted on the CIS carriage 86 can read an image of the document 12 placed on the platen glass 80.

[0034] 1 and 2, an ADF document tray 33 (an example of a document tray) and an ADF discharge tray 34 (an example of a discharge tray) are arranged in two upper and lower stages on document cover 30 above scanner unit 3. A pair of ADF document guides 93 are provided on ADF document tray 33, spaced apart in front-rear direction 8 of multifunction device 1, so as to be slidable in front-rear direction 8. ADF document guides 93 stand upright from ADF document tray 33 and regulate the widthwise position of document 12 placed on ADF document tray 33.

[0035] The ADF document guides 93 are configured such that when one of the ADF document guides 93 is slid, the other ADF document guide 93 is also slid in the opposite direction in response to a known interlocking mechanism such as a rack and pinion.

[0036] ADF discharge tray 34 is formed integrally with the pair of ADF document guides 93, spaced apart above ADF document tray 33. ADF discharge tray 34 is configured as a eaves-like flat plate extending inward from the top of ADF document guide 93. ADF discharge tray 34 is provided below the top surface of upper tray 179 (see FIG. 4) which constitutes a lower discharge guide for discharge chute section 158, which will be described later.

[0037] Both sides of the original 12 discharged from the ADF 5 are supported by the ADF discharge tray 34 and held in a state separated from the original on the ADF original tray 33. Since the length of the ADF discharge tray 34 in the discharge direction is shorter than the length of the original 12, the leading edge of the original 12 in the discharge direction is held on the ADF original tray 33 so as to hang down from the ADF discharge tray 34.

[0038] As shown in Fig. 4, 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. This 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 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. 4) relative to the ADF main body 152. This exposes part of the inside of the ADF 5.

[0039] ADF cover 153 changes its position between a closed position and an open position by being rotated relative to ADF main body 152. When the ADF 5 is used, ADF cover 153 is in the closed position as shown in Fig. 4. ADF cover 153 is engaged with ADF main body 152 in the closed position.

[0040] A first transport mechanism 16 is provided inside the ADF 5 to transport the original 12 in a transport direction 17 from the ADF original tray 33 to the ADF discharge tray 34 on the transport path 151. The first transport mechanism 16 has a suction roller 164, a separation roller 166, a second transport roller 168, a second pinch roller 169, a third transport roller 171 (an example of a transport roller), and a third pinch roller 172 (an example of a nip member).

[0041] The transport path 151 is formed in a generally horizontal U-shape in cross section, and is divided into a lower transport path 159, a curved path 157, and an upper transport path 160. The transport path 151 is constituted by an ADF main body 152 and an ADF cover 153.

[0042] 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 the paper feed direction is inserted into suction chute section 154.

[0043] 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 pressed against the suction roller 164, and a separation roller 166 and a separation nip piece 167 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.

[0044] The intake roller 164 is rotatably provided near the center of the intake chute 154 in the paper width direction (front-rear direction 8). Although not shown in the figure, 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 around the roller shaft for about one revolution.

[0045] The separation roller 166 is rotatably provided at a position separated downstream in the sheet feed direction of the recording paper from the suction roller 164. The suction roller 164 and the separation roller 166 are rotated by a driving force transmitted from the LF conveying motor 110 (see FIG. 5).

[0046] 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.

[0047] 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.

[0048] The transport path 151 connects the ADF document tray 33 and the ADF discharge tray 34, and has a curved portion 54 that curves upward from the bottom. The transport path 151 is formed continuously from the suction chute portion 154 through a lower transport path 159, a curved path 157, and an upper transport path 160 to a discharge chute portion 158.

[0049] The lower transport path 159 of the transport path 151 is formed continuously and gently inclined as a passage of a predetermined width from near the exit of the suction chute portion 154 to near the exit of the reading area 80A. The original 12 sent out from the suction chute portion 154 is smoothly guided along the lower transport path 159 without being curved sharply.

[0050] In the lower transport path 159, from upstream to downstream in the transport direction 17, a second pinch roller 169, a second transport roller 168, 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.

[0051] The second pinch roller 169 is provided with its axial direction aligned with the width direction (front-rear direction 8) of the lower conveying path 159. The second pinch roller 169 is provided rotatably with a part of its roller surface exposed to the lower conveying path 159.

[0052] A second conveying roller 168 is provided at a position facing the second pinch roller 169 across the lower conveying path 159. The second conveying roller 168 is provided with its axial direction aligned with the width direction (front-rear direction 8) of the lower conveying path 159. The second conveying roller 168 is rotatably supported by the ADF main body 152, and a part of the roller surface is exposed to the lower conveying path 159.

[0053] The second pinch roller 169 is supported in a state where it is biased toward the second conveyor roller 168 by an elastic member such as a coil spring (not shown), and the roller surface of the second pinch roller 169 is in pressure contact with the roller surface of the second conveyor roller 168 in the lower conveyor path 159. The second conveyor roller 168 is connected to the LF conveyor motor 110 (see FIG. 5) via a drive transmission mechanism (not shown), and is rotated by the driving force transmitted from the LF conveyor motor 110. The outer diameter of the second conveyor roller 168 is sufficiently larger than the outer diameter of the second pinch roller 169.

[0054] In the lower transport path 159, a document sensor 116 is positioned downstream of the second transport roller 168 and the second pinch roller 169. The document sensor 116 detects the leading and trailing ends of the document 12 transported by the second transport roller 168 and the second pinch roller 169.

[0055] In the lower transport path 159, a second image reading unit 94 is located downstream of the document sensor 116. The second image reading unit 94 has a second contact image sensor (hereinafter referred to as a “second CIS”) 95, a second platen 96, and a document support member 97. The second image reading unit 94 reads the second surface 52 of the document 12.

[0056] The second CIS 95 is disposed facing the upper surface of the second 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 the image of 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 second platen 96.

[0057] The second platen 96 is located above the lower transport path 159. The second platen 96 is plate-shaped and has a predetermined thickness. The lower surface of the second platen 96 is parallel to the original 12 transported through the lower transport path 159. The second platen 96 has a reading surface 120, an upstream end 121, and a downstream end 122.

[0058] The reading surface 120 is aligned along the conveying direction 17. The reading surface 120 is parallel to the second surface 52 of the document 12 conveyed on the lower conveying path 159.

[0059] 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.

[0060] 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 second 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.

[0061] In the lower transport 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.

[0062] In the lower transport 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.

[0063] The document guide 173 is provided at a position facing the first image reading unit 32 of the document cover 30. 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 is formed between the horizontal portion of the document guide 173 and the reading area 80A in the up-down direction 7, allowing the document 12 to pass through.

[0064] 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. 4. The downstream end of the curved path 157 in the conveying direction 17 continues to the upper conveying path 160. The curved path 157 is formed with the third 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.

[0065] A third conveying roller 171 and a third pinch roller 172 are provided on the curved path 157. The third conveying roller 171 is located on the inner side of the curve of the curved path 157, and the third pinch roller 172 is located on the outer side of the curve of the curved path 157. Part of the roller surfaces of the third conveying roller 171 and the third pinch roller 172 are exposed to the curved path 157.

[0066] The third pinch roller 172 is biased toward the third conveyor roller 171 by an elastic member such as a coil spring (not shown). As a result, the roller surface of the third pinch roller 172 is pressed against the roller surface of the third conveyor roller 171 in the curved path 157. The third conveyor roller 171 is connected to the LF conveyor motor 110 (see FIG. 5) via a drive transmission mechanism (not shown), and is rotated by the driving force transmitted from the LF conveyor motor 110.

[0067] A discharge chute section 158 is formed in the upstream portion of the upper conveying path 160 in the conveying direction 17. The discharge chute section 158 has an upper guide surface formed by the rear surface of the ADF cover 153. The discharge chute section 158 has a lower guide surface 156 formed by an upper tray 179 and an inclined section 180 extending continuously from the upper tray 179 to the left. The discharge chute section 158 is configured as a passage separated by a predetermined width in the vertical direction by each of these guide surfaces. When the document 12 is discharged to the discharge chute section 158, the document 12 is guided to the ADF discharge tray 34 by the guide surface of the discharge chute section 158. The inclined section 180 is an inclined surface descending to the left from the upper tray 179. The upper tray 179 is set above the nip position between the third conveying roller 171 and the third pinch roller 172.

[0068] The inclined portion 180 is located upstream of the upper tray 179 in the conveying direction 17. The inclined portion 180 has an inclined surface that rises toward the upper tray 179. An upper end 56 of the inclined surface of the inclined portion 180 is located above the nip position 57 between the third conveying roller 171 and the third pinch roller 172 in the vertical direction 7. That is, as shown in FIG. 4, if the position of the upper end 56 of the inclined surface in the vertical direction 7 is Q1 and the position of the nip position 57 between the third conveying roller 171 and the third pinch roller 172 is Q2, then the position of Q1 is located above the position of Q2.

[0069] The discharge chute section 158 is provided with a first protruding member 40 and a second protruding member 41. The first protruding member 40 is disposed in the conveying path 151 immediately downstream of a nip position 57 between the third conveying roller 171 and the third pinch roller 172 in the conveying direction 17. Here, immediately downstream means that the distance between the first protruding member 40 and the nip position 57 in the conveying direction 17 is short, and there is no member (roller, rib, etc.) that physically accesses the document 12 between the first protruding member 40 and the nip position 57 in the conveying direction 17 other than the member that divides the discharge chute section 158. The first protruding member 40 protrudes downward into the conveying path 151.

[0070] The second protruding member 41 is disposed immediately downstream of the first protruding member 40 in the transport direction 17. Here, "immediately downstream" means that the distance between the second protruding member 41 and the first protruding member 40 in the transport direction 17 is short, and there are no members (rollers, ribs, etc.) that physically access the document 12 between the second protruding member 41 and the first protruding member 40 in the transport direction 17 other than the members that define the discharge chute portion 158. The second protruding member 41 is provided on the lower guide surface 156. The second protruding member 41 protrudes upward into the transport path 151.

[0071] The first protruding member 40 is provided on the inner surface of the ADF cover 153. The first protruding member 40 is a plate-shaped member made of synthetic resin having a thickness in the front-rear direction 8. A plurality of first protruding members 40 are provided at intervals in the front-rear direction 8.

[0072] The second protruding member 41 is made of a plate material made of synthetic resin such as PET (polyethylene terephthalate) having a thickness of about 0.2 mm to 1.0 mm. The second protruding member 41 has a strength such that it will not easily buckle even when multiple documents 12 are stacked on it. The second protruding member 41 has a predetermined width in the front-rear direction 8. A plurality of second protruding members 41 are provided at intervals in the front-rear direction 8. Note that the configuration of the first protruding member 40 and the second protruding member 41 is merely an example, and it goes without saying that the arrangement, number, etc. of the first protruding member 40 and the second protruding member 41 may be changed.

[0073] The first protruding member 40 is fixed to the upper wall of the ADF cover 153. The first protruding member 40 is bent in a substantially L-shape in cross-sectional view. The first protruding member 40 has a lower guide portion 42, a lower guide support portion 43, and a first protruding end 44.

[0074] The lower guide portion 42 is an inclined portion that is located on the upstream side of the first protruding member 40 in the transport direction 17 and faces diagonally downward. The lower guide portion 42 smoothly guides the document 12 discharged from the third transport roller 171 and the third pinch roller 172 to the inclined portion 180. The lower guide portion 42 is an inclined surface that extends downward and downstream in the transport direction 17 from the ADF cover 153.

[0075] The lower guide support portion 43 is an inclined portion that is located on the downstream side of the first protruding member 40 in the conveying direction 17 and faces diagonally downward. The lower guide support portion 43 is an inclined surface that extends upward and downstream in the conveying direction 17 from the lower end portion of the lower guide portion 42.

[0076] The first protruding end 44 is located at the lowermost portion of the first protruding member 40. The first protruding end 44 is located at a connecting portion between the lower guide portion 42 and the lower guide support portion 43.

[0077] The second protruding member 41 is disposed from the downstream side of the inclined portion 180 in the conveying direction 17 to the upstream side of the upper tray 179 in the conveying direction 17. The second protruding member 41 is bent in a substantially L-shape in cross-sectional view. The second protruding member 41 has an upper guide portion 45, an upper guide support portion 46, and a second protruding end 47.

[0078] The upper guide portion 45 is an inclined portion that is located on the upstream side of the second protruding member 41 in the transport direction 17 and faces upward. The upper guide portion 45 guides the document 12 that has passed the first protruding member 40 above the first protruding end 44 of the first protruding member 40. The upper guide portion 45 is an inclined surface that extends from the inclined portion 180 toward the downstream side and upward in the transport direction 17.

[0079] The upper guide support portion 46 is an inclined portion that is located on the downstream side of the second protruding member 41 in the conveying direction 17 and faces upward. The upper guide support portion 46 is an inclined surface that extends downward and downstream in the conveying direction 17 from the upper end portion of the upper guide portion 45.

[0080] The second protruding end 47 is located at the uppermost part of the second protruding member 41. The second protruding end 47 is located at a connecting portion between the upper guide portion 45 and the upper guide support portion .

[0081] The first protruding end 44 of the first protruding member 40 is located below, in the up-down direction 7, an imaginary plane 58 (shown by a dotted line in Figure 4) that includes an imaginary line that includes a nip position 57 between the third conveying roller 171 and the third pinch roller and the second protruding end 47 of the second protruding member 41, and an imaginary line that extends in the front-to-back direction 8 (an example of a horizontal direction) perpendicular to this imaginary line.

[0082] The discharge-side transport mechanism 60 is a mechanism for transporting the document 12 in the transport direction 17, and is located downstream of the second protruding member 41 in the transport direction 17. The discharge-side transport mechanism 60 has a paper discharge roller 61, a paper discharge sensor 25, and a paper discharge-side nip piece 62. Note that the configuration of each roller and nip piece is merely one example of the discharge-side transport mechanism 60, 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 other known transport mechanisms can be used.

[0083] The discharge roller 61 is disposed immediately downstream of the second protruding member 41 in the transport direction 17. Here, "immediately downstream" means that the distance between the discharge roller 61 and the second protruding member 41 along the transport direction 17 is short, and there are no members (rollers or ribs) between the discharge roller 61 and the second protruding member 41 that physically access the document 12 other than the discharge chute section 158 and the members that define the upper transport path 160. The discharge roller 61 has an axial direction that is the width direction of the upper transport path 160, that is, the front-rear direction 8. The discharge roller 61 is rotatably supported by the ADF main body 152, and a part of the roller surface is exposed to the upper transport path 160.

[0084] The discharge side nip piece 62 is provided on the ADF cover 153. The discharge side nip piece 62 is provided at a position facing the discharge roller 61 so as to be movable up and down in a direction toward and away from the discharge roller 61. The discharge roller 61 is biased downward by a spring member (not shown) and is in contact with the discharge roller 61 without nipping the document 12.

[0085] The paper discharge sensor 25 is disposed on the upper transport path 160. The paper discharge sensor 25 is disposed downstream of the first protruding member 40 in the transport direction 17, more specifically, downstream of the paper discharge roller 61 and the paper discharge-side nip piece 62. The paper discharge sensor 25 detects the document being transported in the transport direction 17 by the first transport mechanism 16. The paper discharge sensor 25 optically detects the leading edge of the document 12.

[0086] [Drive control of scanner unit 3] Fig. 5 shows the configuration of the controller 130 and its peripheral devices of the multifunction device 1. The controller 130 centrally 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 from Fig. 5. The controller 130 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.

[0087] 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.

[0088] The CPU 101 comprehensively controls the peripheral devices constituting the controller 130 or the controlled devices controlled by the controller 130. 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.

[0089] The ASIC 106 generates phase excitation signals and the like for energizing the carriage motor (referred to as a CR motor in FIG. 5) 108 of the scanner unit 3 and the LF transport motors (referred to as LF motors in FIG. 5) 110, 112 of the ADF 5, respectively, in accordance with instructions from the CPU 101, and provides the signals to the CR drive circuit 107 of the carriage motor 108 and the R drive circuits 109, 111 of the LF transport motors 110, 112. The drive signals are applied to the carriage motor 108 and the LF transport motors 110, 112 via the CR drive circuit 107 and the R drive circuits 109, 111, thereby controlling the rotation of the carriage motor 108 and the LF transport motors 110, 112.

[0090] The CR drive circuit 107 drives a carriage 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 carriage motor 108. The carriage motor 108 receives the electric signal and rotates, and the rotational force of the carriage motor 108 is transmitted to the CIS carriage 86 via a well-known scanning mechanism, thereby moving the CIS carriage 86.

[0091] The drive circuit in this embodiment is composed of two independent R drive circuits 109, 111. One of the R drive circuits 111 drives an LF transport motor 112 connected to the paper discharge rollers 61 of the ADF 5. The R drive circuit 111 receives an output signal from the ASIC 106 and generates an electric signal for rotating the LF transport motor 112. The LF transport motor 112 receives the electric signal and rotates, and the rotational force of the LF transport motor 112 is transmitted to the paper discharge rollers 61 via a well-known drive mechanism composed of gears, a drive shaft, etc.

[0092] The other R drive circuit 109 drives an LF transport motor 110 connected to the suction roller 164, separation roller 166, second transport roller 168, and third transport roller 171 of the ADF 5. The R drive circuit 109 receives an output signal from the ASIC 106 and generates an electrical signal for rotating the LF transport motor 110. The LF transport motor 110 rotates upon receiving the electrical signal, and the rotational force of the LF transport motor 110 is transmitted to the suction roller 164, separation roller 166, second transport roller 168, and third transport roller 171 via a well-known drive mechanism formed of gears, drive shafts, etc.

[0093] A first CIS 85 and a second CIS 95 that read images of the original 12 in the scanner unit 3 are connected to the ASIC 106. Based on a command from the CPU 101, the ASIC 106 provides the first CIS 85 with an electrical signal for irradiating light from the light source and a timing signal for outputting image data from the photoelectric conversion element. In response to these signals, the first CIS 85 and the second CIS 95 irradiate light onto the original 12 at a predetermined timing and output the image data converted by the photoelectric conversion element.

[0094] A panel gate array (panel G / A) 28 that controls operation buttons 35 for inputting desired commands to the multifunction device 1 is connected to the ASIC 106. The panel gate array 28 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 28, 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.

[0095] An LCD controller 114 that controls the screen display of the liquid crystal display (LCD) 36 is connected to the ASIC 106. The LCD controller 114 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.

[0096] 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 .

[0097] To the ASIC 106 , an original sensor 116 for detecting the leading and trailing ends of the original 12 in the lower transport path 159 in the ADF 5 is connected.

[0098] A paper discharge sensor 25 for detecting the leading edge of the document 12 in the upper transport path 160 in the ADF 5 is connected to the ASIC 106 .

[0099] [Transport operation of document 12 by ADF5] In the scanner unit 3 configured as described above, the controller 130 controls the first transport mechanism 16, the first reading sensor 85, the second reading sensor 95, and the discharge-side transport mechanism 60. The transport operation of the document 12 by the ADF 5 will now be described.

[0100] When reading an image of the original 12, the user places a plurality of sheets of the original 12 on the ADF original tray 33 with the first surface 51 of the original 12 facing downward. The user operates the operation panel 6 to input a command to start reading the image of the original 12.

[0101] In response to receiving a command to start image reading, the controller 130 drives the CR motor 108 and the LF motor 110. When the LF motor 110 is driven, and the intake roller 164, the separation roller 166, and the second conveying roller 168 are driven, the lowermost document 12 among the multiple documents 12 is conveyed from the ADF document tray 33 as shown in Fig. 6. When the CR motor 108 is driven, the first CIS 85 moves to the reading area 80A.

[0102] The document sensor 116 detects the leading edge of the document 12 transported from the ADF document tray 33. Based on a detection signal from the document sensor 116, the controller 130 transports the document 12 a predetermined distance and then starts image reading by the second CIS 95 and the first CIS 85.

[0103] The original 12 conveyed through the lower conveying path 159 has the first side 51 facing downward and the second side 52 facing upward. The image on the second side 52 of the original 12 is read by the second CIS of the second image reading unit 94.

[0104] The original 12, whose image has been read by the second image reading unit 94, is further guided by the positioning member 83 to the first image reading unit 32, where the image on the first side 51 is read by the first CIS. After the image has been read by the first image reading unit 32, the leading edge of the original 12 is guided upward and conveyed to the curved path 157 of the ADF 5.

[0105] The document sensor 116 also detects the rear end of the document 12 while it is being transported along the lower transport path 159. Based on a detection signal from the document sensor 116, the controller 130 transports the document 12 a predetermined distance and then ends image reading by the second CIS 95 and the first CIS 85.

[0106] In response to receiving a command to start image reading, the controller 130 drives the LF motor 110 and also drives the third conveyor roller 171. The original 12 conveyed to the curved path 157 is conveyed on the outer circumferential surface of the third conveyor roller 171 so as to be largely curved from left to right as shown in FIG. 7. The third pinch roller 172 rotates following the third conveyor roller 171. The third pinch roller 172 presses the original 12 against the third conveyor roller 171, and the rotational force of the third conveyor roller 171 is transmitted to the original 12. As a result, the original 12 is conveyed along the curved path 157 to the upper conveyor path 160.

[0107] The first protruding end 44 of the first protruding member 40 is located lower in the up-down direction 7 than the second protruding end 47 of the second protruding member 41. Therefore, when the original 12 transported through the curved path 157 is transported downstream in the transport direction 17 while being sandwiched between the third transport roller 171 and the third pinch roller 172, the leading end of the original 12 is guided downward by the first protruding member 40. Thereafter, the original 12 is guided upward by the inclined portion 180 and rides onto the second protruding member 41. The second protruding member 41 supports the original 12 from below. The original 12 is guided to the discharge-side transport mechanism 60 of the upper transport path 160.

[0108] When the original 12 is conveyed to the upper conveying path 160 by the third conveying rollers 171, the discharge sensor 25 detects the leading edge of the original 12, and the controller 130 receives a detection signal from the discharge sensor 25. When the discharge sensor 25 detects the leading edge of the original 12, the controller 130 drives the third conveying rollers 171 to a position where the trailing edge of the original 12 is discharged, as shown in Fig. 8. That is, the original 12 moves a distance obtained by subtracting the distance between the nip position 57 in the conveying direction 17 and the discharge sensor 25 from the total length of the original 12 in the conveying direction 17 from the timing when the discharge sensor 25 detects the leading edge of the original 12.

[0109] After the rear end of the original 12 is discharged from the third conveying roller 171 and the third pinch roller 172, the controller 130 drives the discharge roller 61 by a distance E (see FIG. 8) from near the exit of the nip position 57 in the conveying direction 17 to an original rear end stop position 63 which is a position near the upper end of the lower guide support portion 43. After driving the discharge roller 61, the controller 130 stops the discharge roller 61. The original 12 is conveyed to the upper conveying path 160, and the rear end of the original 12 is positioned at the original rear end stop position 63, as shown in FIG.

[0110] As shown in Fig. 9, the leading edge of the original 12 conveyed to the upper conveying path 160 is supported by the ADF discharge tray 34. The trailing edge of the original 12 is supported by the upper tray 179 and the second protruding end 47 of the second protruding member 41, and the trailing edge portion is disposed at the original trailing edge stop position 63. That is, as shown in Fig. 9, a horizontal distance D (left-right direction 9) between the second protruding end 47 and the original trailing edge stop position 63 is set, and the first protruding member 40 and the second protruding member 41 are disposed so that the succeeding original 12 is guided between the distance D. In addition, by disposing the trailing edge of the original 12 at the original trailing edge stop position 63, a space is always secured below the trailing edge portion of the original 12.

[0111] When a subsequent document is transported following a preceding document, the document 12 at the bottom position among the multiple documents 12 placed on the ADF document tray 33 is transported by the suction roller 164 and separation roller 166, and then transported by the second transport roller 168. The transport speed of the document 12 by the separation roller 166 and second transport roller 168 is faster than the transport speed of the document 12 by the suction roller 164. Therefore, when the document 12 is transported by the separation roller 166 and second transport roller 168, the suction roller 164 rotates together, and the key of the roller shaft and the key groove of the suction roller 164 are separated. When the rear end of the document 12 passes the suction roller 164, the rotation of the suction roller 164 stops until the key of the rotating roller shaft and the key groove of the suction roller 164 come into contact with each other. As a result, the rear end of the preceding document 12 and the front end of the succeeding document 12 are separated by a predetermined distance, so that the documents 12 are fed one by one from the plurality of documents 12 at a predetermined distance from the ADF document tray 33. As described above, the first CIS 85 and the second CIS 95 read the images of the first side 51 and the second side 52 of the documents 12 fed one by one, and the documents are sequentially discharged to the ADF discharge tray 34.

[0112] When the preceding document 12 is conveyed to the upper conveying path 160 and the rear end side of the document 12 is supported by the second protruding member 41, and the succeeding document 12 is further discharged to the discharge chute section 158, the leading end of the succeeding document 12 is guided downward by the first protruding member 40 and upward by the inclined section 180 in the same manner as the preceding document 12 discharged. At this time, the leading end of the succeeding document 12 abuts against the rear end of the preceding document 12 discharged earlier, and advances so as to slip under the preceding document 12, as shown in FIG. 10. The discharge sensor 25 detects the leading end of the succeeding document 12 when the succeeding document 12 advances by slipping under the preceding document 12. The controller 130 receives a detection signal from the discharge sensor 25. The controller 130 drives the third conveying roller 171 to a position where the rear end of the document 12 is discharged, as shown by the dashed line in FIG. 10. In other words, the subsequent original 12 that has slipped under the preceding original 12 moves a distance obtained by subtracting the distance between the nip position 57 in the transport direction 17 and the paper discharge sensor 25 from the time when the paper discharge sensor 25 detects the leading edge of the original 12 from the total length of the original 12 in the transport direction 17.

[0113] After the trailing end of the succeeding document 12 is discharged from the third conveying roller 171 and the third pinch roller 172, the controller 130 drives the discharge roller 61 by a distance E (see FIG. 10) from the vicinity of the exit of the nip position 57 in the conveying direction 17 to the document trailing end stop position 63. At this time, the trailing end of the preceding document 12 and the trailing end of the succeeding document 12 are shifted by the distance E, and the preceding document 12 and the trailing document 12 are both conveyed downstream in the conveying direction 17 while being sandwiched between the discharge roller 61 and the discharge-side nip piece 62. The controller 130 drives the discharge roller 61 to convey both documents 12 by the distance E, and then stops the discharge roller 61. The conveyed trailing document 12 is conveyed to the upper conveying path 160, and its trailing end is positioned at the document trailing end stop position 63. The trailing end of the preceding document 12 is shifted by the distance E downstream in the conveying direction 17 from the trailing end of the succeeding document 12. By setting the distance E to the separation distance D, the number of documents 12 positioned downstream from above the second protruding end 47 is always maintained at one.

[0114] When the succeeding original (hereinafter also referred to as the second original) 12 is discharged and the succeeding original (hereinafter also referred to as the third original) 12 is transported, the third original 12 is transported in the same manner as the second original. As a result, the rear ends of the second original 12 and the third original 12 are shifted by the separation distance D (distance E).

[0115] By repeating such a process, the lowermost document 12 among the multiple documents 12 transported to the upper transport path 160 is always positioned so that its rear end portion extends toward the document rear end stop position 63. In addition, since the preceding document 12 is located downstream at a distance D (distance E) from the succeeding document 12 whose rear end portion is located at the document rear end stop position 63, the number of documents 12 located above the second protruding end 47 is always small (one in this embodiment). The second protruding member 41 is prevented from moving downward due to the weight of the stacked documents 12, and a space below the document rear end stop position 63 is always secured. By securing a space below the document rear end stop position 63, a state in which the succeeding document 12 can slip under the preceding document 12 is always maintained even when the number of documents 12 to be transported is large.

[0116] [Effects of the embodiment] According to this embodiment, the original 12 transported along the transport path 151 by the first transport mechanism 16 stops with its rear end positioned between the first protruding member 40 and the second protruding member 41. At this time, the rear end of the original 12 is supported by the second protruding member 41 and positioned on the upper side of the transport path 151. Subsequently, the leading end of the succeeding original 12 transported along the transport path 151 by the first transport mechanism 16 is guided by the first protruding member 40 to the lower side of the transport path 151 and slips under the rear end of the stopped original 12. The slipped-under original 12 is transported in the transport direction 17 together with another original located above by the discharge-side transport mechanism 60 until its rear end is positioned between the first protruding member 40 and the second protruding member 41, and then stops. The rear end of the transported original 12 is supported by the second protruding member 41 so that a space is always provided below. Therefore, even if the number of originals 12 transported continuously increases due to repeated transport of the original 12, the originals supported by the second protruding member 41 are stacked in the transport direction in order.

[0117] In addition, according to this embodiment, the first protruding end 44, which is located immediately upstream of the second protruding end 47, is positioned lower than the second protruding end 47, so that the leading edge of the subsequent document 12 is reliably inserted below the trailing edge of the preceding document 12.

[0118] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the first protruding end 44 is located below an imaginary plane including a straight line including the nip position of the third conveying roller 171 and the third pinch roller 172 and the second protruding end 47, and a straight line extending horizontally perpendicular to the straight line. Therefore, the leading edge of the succeeding document 12 is reliably inserted below the trailing edge of the preceding document 12.

[0119] [Variation 1] In the above embodiment, the first protruding member 40 fixed to the upper surface of the housing of the ADF 5 and the second protruding member 41 fixed to the downstream side of the inclined portion 180 are each bent into a substantially L-shape in cross section, but are not limited to this shape. For example, as shown in Fig. 11, the first protruding member 40A may have a lower surface of the first protruding end 44A curved along the conveying direction 17. Also, the second protruding member 41A may have an upper surface of the second protruding end 47A curved along the conveying direction 17.

[0120] The first protruding member 40A has a lower guide portion 42A, a lower guide support portion 43A, and a first protruding end 44A.

[0121] The lower guide portion 42A is an inclined portion that faces diagonally downward and is located on the upstream side of the first protruding member 40A in the transport direction 17. The lower guide portion 42A is an inclined surface that extends downward from the ADF cover 153 to the downstream side in the transport direction 17.

[0122] The lower guide support portion 43A is an inclined portion facing diagonally downward and located downstream of the first protruding member 40A in the conveying direction 17. The lower guide support portion 43A is an inclined surface extending further downstream and upward from the end portion of the first protruding end 44A on the downstream side in the conveying direction 17.

[0123] The first protruding end 44A is located at the lowest position of the first protruding member 40A. The first protruding end 44A connects the lower end portion of the lower guide portion 42A and the lower guide support portion 43A. The first protruding end 44A is disposed with its lower surface bulging downward in the up-down direction 7 in an arc shape.

[0124] The second protruding member 41A is disposed from the downstream side of the inclined portion 180 in the conveying direction 17 to the upstream side of the upper tray 179 in the conveying direction 17. The second protruding member 41A has an upper guide portion 45A, an upper guide support portion 46A, and a second protruding end 47A.

[0125] The upper guide portion 45A is an inclined portion that is located on the upstream side of the second protruding member 41A in the transport direction 17 and faces upward. The upper guide portion 45A guides the document 12 that has passed the first protruding member 40A to a position above the first protruding end 44A of the first protruding member 40A. The upper guide portion 45A is an inclined surface that extends from the inclined portion 180 toward the downstream side and upward in the transport direction 17.

[0126] The upper guide support portion 46A is an inclined portion facing upward and located on the downstream side of the second protruding member 41A in the conveying direction 17. The upper guide support portion 46A is an inclined surface extending downward and further downstream from the end portion on the downstream side in the conveying direction 17 of the second protruding end 47A.

[0127] The second protruding end 47A is located at the uppermost position of the second protruding member 41A. The second protruding end 47A connects the upper end portion of the upper guide portion 45A and the upper guide support portion 46A. The second protruding end 47A is disposed such that its upper surface bulges upward in the vertical direction 7 in an arc shape.

[0128] In this modification, when the original 12 transported through the curved path 157 is transported downstream in the transport direction 17 while being sandwiched between the third transport roller 171 and the third pinch roller 172, the leading edge of the original 12 is gently guided downward along the first protruding end 44A, the lower surface of which is a curved surface. After being guided downward along the first protruding end 44A, the original 12 is guided upward by the inclined portion 180 and guided along the second protruding end 47A, the upper surface of which is a curved surface, to ride up onto the second protruding member 41A.

[0129] According to this modification, the lower surface of the first protruding end 44 and the upper surface of the second protruding end 47 are curved surfaces, so that the document 12 transported along the transport path 151 passes smoothly over the first protruding end or the second protruding end.

[0130] [Variation 2] In the above embodiment, the case where the paper discharge sensor 25 is disposed downstream of the first protruding member 40 in the transport direction 17 has been described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this. The paper discharge sensor 25B may be disposed upstream of the first protruding member 40 in the transport direction 17, for example, as shown in FIG.

[0131] In the ADF 5 of the multifunction peripheral 1 according to the modified example, the paper discharge sensor 25B is disposed immediately downstream of the third conveyance roller 171 and the third pinch roller 172, i.e., immediately upstream of the first protruding member 40. Here, "immediately upstream" means that the distance between the third conveyance roller 171 and the paper discharge sensor 25B in the conveyance direction 17 is short, and there are no members (rollers, ribs, etc.) that physically access the document 12 between the third conveyance roller 171 and the paper discharge sensor 25B in the conveyance direction 17 other than the members that define the discharge chute section 158. The paper discharge roller 61 and the paper discharge side nip piece 62B are disposed downstream of the second protruding member 41.

[0132] After the original 12 has been transported through the lower transport path 159 and the curved path 157, the controller 130 detects the leading edge of the original 12 discharged from the third transport roller 171 and the third pinch roller 172 with the paper discharge sensor 25B. After the leading edge of the original 12 is detected by the paper discharge sensor 25B, the controller 130 drives the paper discharge rollers 61 to transport the original 12 a predetermined distance on the upper tray 179. The controller 130 drives the paper discharge rollers 61 until the rear end of the original 12 is positioned between the first protruding member 40 and the second protruding member 41, and then stops the drive.

[0133] In the above embodiment, the multifunction device 1 is described as having the document cover 30 provided with the second reading sensor 95 attached so as to be freely opened and closed to the support base 15 functioning as the FBS, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. For example, the multifunction device 1 may not have an FBS. In other words, the multifunction device 1 may not have the document cover 30 as the scanner unit 3, and may have the ADF 5 configured in the casing 84.

[0134] In the above embodiment, the transport path 151 inside the ADF 5 is formed in a generally horizontal U-shape in cross section and is divided into the lower transport path 159, the curved path 157, and the upper transport path 160. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the transport path inside the ADF may be configured as a so-called straight path that runs from the rear to the front of the housing.

[0135] In this case, when a document is placed on the ADF document tray with its first side facing up, the document is transported along the transport path by the first transport mechanism, the image is read, and the document is discharged to the ADF discharge tray via the discharge side transport mechanism.

[0136] The trailing end of the discharged document is supported so as to extend upstream from the second protruding end toward the trailing end portion of the first protruding member. A space is secured below the trailing end portion of the document supported by the second protruding end. The leading end portion of the succeeding document is guided into the space below the trailing end of the preceding document. The succeeding document enters by slipping under the preceding document. Since document transport in this manner is repeated, even in an ADF configured with a so-called straight path, multiple documents are transported continuously and stacked in order. [Explanation of symbols]

[0137] 5. ADF (transport device) 16...First transfer mechanism 25, 25B... Paper discharge sensor (sensor) 33···ADF document tray (document tray) 34···ADF output tray (output tray) 40, 40A...First protruding member 41, 41A...Second protruding member 44,44A...1st protruding end 47,47A...2nd protruding end 60... Discharge side conveying mechanism (second conveying mechanism) 61.... Paper discharge roller (transport roller) 172: Third pinch roller (nip member) 130...Controller 151...Transport path

Claims

1. A document tray; An output tray; a transport path connecting the document tray and the discharge tray; a first transport mechanism that transports the document in a transport direction along the transport path; a first protruding member disposed on the transport path downstream of the first transport mechanism in the transport direction and protruding downward into the transport path; a second protruding member disposed downstream of the first protruding member in the conveying direction and protruding upward; a second transport mechanism disposed downstream of the second protruding member in the transport direction and configured to transport the document in the transport direction; a sensor for detecting the document conveyed in the conveying direction by the first conveying mechanism; A controller, a first protruding end of the first protruding member is located lower in the up-down direction than a second protruding end of the second protruding member, The above controller is a transport device that drives the second transport mechanism based on a signal obtained from the sensor, transports the original until the rear end of the original is positioned between the first protruding member and the second protruding member, and then stops.

2. the first transport mechanism includes a transport roller located immediately upstream of the first protruding member in the transport direction, and a nip member that sandwiches a document between the transport roller and the transport roller; A conveying device as described in claim 1, wherein the first protruding end of the first protruding member is located below an imaginary plane including a straight line including the nip position of the conveying roller and the nip member, and the second protruding end of the second protruding member, and a straight line extending horizontally perpendicular to the straight line.

3. A document tray; An output tray; a transport path connecting the document tray and the discharge tray; a first transport mechanism that transports the document in a transport direction along the transport path; a first protruding member disposed on the transport path downstream of the first transport mechanism in the transport direction and protruding downward into the transport path; a second protruding member disposed downstream of the first protruding member in the conveying direction and protruding upward; a second transport mechanism disposed downstream of the second protruding member in the transport direction and configured to transport the document in the transport direction; a sensor for detecting the document conveyed in the conveying direction by the first conveying mechanism; A controller, the first transport mechanism includes a transport roller located immediately upstream of the first protruding member in the transport direction, and a nip member that sandwiches a document between the transport roller and the transport roller; a first protruding end of the first protruding member is located below an imaginary plane including a straight line including a nip position between the conveying roller and the nip member, and a second protruding end of the second protruding member, and a straight line extending in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the straight line; The above controller is a transport device that drives the second transport mechanism based on a signal obtained from the sensor, transports the original until the rear end of the original is positioned between the first protruding member and the second protruding member, and then stops.

4. a lower surface of the first protruding end of the first protruding member is a curved surface along the conveying direction, 4. The transport device according to claim 1, wherein an upper surface of the second protruding end of the second protruding member is a curved surface along the transport direction.

5. 5. The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is disposed upstream of the first protruding member in the conveying direction.

6. 5. The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is disposed downstream of the first protruding member in the conveying direction.

Images