Image reading device

Abstract

To solve the following problem of a sheet-feed type image reading apparatus: in an apparatus which can switch a conveyance path between a U-turn path and a straight path, the straight path is significantly inclined relative to a horizontal plane and a space on a lower side of a U-shaped conveyance path is small, as a consequence, when the straight path is used, rigidity of a dischargeable sheet is higher than that when using the U-turn path, while there is still a problem for appropriately discharging a document having high rigidity and a large size.SOLUTION: An apparatus body of an image reading apparatus is turnably mounted on a body supporting portion. The apparatus body is turned so as to be switchable between a first posture and a second posture that forms a smaller angle between a reading conveyance path and a mounting surface than an angle formed in the first posture. Conveyance path switching means couples the reading conveyance path to a reverse conveyance path when the apparatus body takes the first posture, and couples the reading conveyance path to a non-reverse conveyance path when the apparatus body takes the second posture.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an image reading device that reads an image on a medium. [Background technology]

[0002] One example of an image reading device is a sheet-fed scanner. Hereinafter, the term "scanner" will refer to a sheet-fed scanner. To reduce the footprint of a scanner, a configuration may be adopted in which the conveyance path for conveying sheets is inclined significantly relative to the horizontal plane, and the sheet is then made to make a U-turn and discharged diagonally upward, as in the scanner shown in Patent Document 1.

[0003] Furthermore, in the scanner described in Patent Document 1, by opening a part of the U-shaped conveying path, the conveying path can be switched from a U-turn path to a straight path. By switching the conveying path from a U-turn path to a straight path, it is said that, for example, thick sheets that are difficult to bend can be discharged well. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-246098 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the scanner described in Patent Document 1, the transport path can be switched from a U-turn path to a straight path, but the straight path is significantly inclined relative to the horizontal plane and the space below the U-shaped transport path is small. For this reason, when using the straight path, although the rigidity of the sheets that can be discharged is higher than when using the U-turn path, there remains a problem in properly discharging documents that are highly rigid and large in size. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the image reading device of the present invention comprises a main body support section placed on a placement surface of the device, and a device main body supported by the main body support section, the device main body comprising a document transport path for transporting a document, the document transport path being a reading transport path facing a reading section that reads the document, a document transport path downstream of the reading transport path being a reversing transport path when the document that has been read is reversed upward and discharged, a document transport path downstream of the reading transport path being a non-reversing transport path when the document that has been read is discharged without being reversed, and a document transport path connected to the reading transport path. and a conveying path switching means for switching the document conveying path to either the reverse conveying path or the non-reverse conveying path, wherein the device main body is rotatably attached to the main body support part and can be switched by rotation between a first position and a second position in which the angle formed by the reading conveying path with the loading surface is smaller than the first position, and the conveying path switching means connects the reading conveying path to the reverse conveying path when the device main body is in the first position, and connects the reading conveying path to the non-reverse conveying path when the device main body is in the second position. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the scanner when viewed from the front, with the device body in a normal reading position. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the scanner when viewed from the rear, with the device main body in the normal reading position. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the scanner seen from the front with the device main body in the normal reading position and the third unit open. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the scanner viewed from above with the main body in the normal reading position and the second unit open. [Figure 5] 1 is a cross-sectional view of the document transport path of the scanner when the device body is in the normal reading position, viewed from the width direction. [Figure 6] 10 is a cross-sectional view of the document transport path of the scanner when the device main body is in a booklet reading position, viewed from the width direction. [Figure 7]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the scanner from the rear with the rear cover of the first unit removed. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a position-switching motor and a rotation conversion unit. [Figure 9] 10 is a cross-sectional view of the configuration of the position switching motor and the rotation conversion unit when the device main body is in the normal reading position, as viewed from the width direction. FIG. [Figure 10] 10 is a cross-sectional view of the configuration of the position switching motor and the rotation conversion unit when the device main body is in the booklet reading position, as viewed from the width direction. FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a second attitude detection sensor. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the control system of the scanner. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a posture maintaining unit according to another embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a structure for locking the second unit. [Figure 16] FIG. [Figure 17] FIG. [Figure 18] FIG. [Figure 19] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a configuration for transmitting a driving force from a transport motor to each roller. [Figure 20] 10 is a flowchart showing control when switching the attitude of the device main body. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The present invention will be briefly described below. The image reading device according to a first aspect includes a main body support section placed on a placement surface of the device, and a device main body supported by the main body support section, and the device main body includes a document transport path for transporting a document, the document transport path being a reading transport path facing a reading section that reads the document, a document transport path downstream from the reading transport path being a reversing transport path when a document that has been read is reversed upward and discharged, a document transport path downstream from the reading transport path being a non-reversing transport path when a document that has been read is discharged without being reversed, and a document transport path connected to the reading transport path. and a conveying path switching means for switching the reading conveying path to either the reverse conveying path or the non-reverse conveying path, wherein the device main body is rotatably attached to the main body support part and can be switched by rotation between a first position and a second position in which the angle formed by the reading conveying path with the placement surface is smaller than the first position, and the conveying path switching means connects the reading conveying path to the reverse conveying path when the device main body is in the first position, and connects the reading conveying path to the non-reverse conveying path when the device main body is in the second position.

[0009] According to this aspect, the image reading device can switch between the reversing conveyance path and the non-reversing conveyance path, and by using the non-reversing conveyance path, it is possible to effectively convey documents that are less likely to bend. The device body can be rotated to switch between a first position and a second position in which the angle between the reading conveyance path and the placement surface is smaller than that of the first position. The conveyance path switching unit connects the reading conveyance path to the reversing conveyance path when the device body is in the first position, and connects the reading conveyance path to the non-reversing conveyance path when the device body is in the second position. This allows the document to be discharged in a direction along the placement surface, rather than using the non-reversing conveyance path when the device body is in the first position. As a result, it is possible to discharge documents of a larger size when the device body is in the first position compared to when the document is discharged using the non-reversing conveyance path. Furthermore, by placing the device body in the first position, the angle formed between the reading transport path and the placement surface can be made larger than that in the second position, and the footprint of the device body can be reduced.

[0010] The second aspect is characterized in that, in the first aspect, the device main body is provided with a pair of discharge rollers that discharge the document from the non-reverse transport path, and a common tangent to the pair of discharge rollers when viewing the document transport path from the side intersects with the main body support part in the first position and does not intersect with the main body support part in the second position.

[0011] According to this aspect, the common tangent of the discharge roller pair when viewed from the side of the document transport path intersects with the main body support part in the first position and does not intersect with the main body support part in the second position, so that when documents are discharged using the non-reversing transport path, the documents are less likely to come into contact with the main body support part, thereby enabling large-sized documents to be discharged appropriately.

[0012] The third aspect is characterized in that in the first or second aspect, when a document is discharged using the non-reverse transport path, the discharge position is higher in the vertical direction when the device body is in the second position than when it is in the first position.

[0013] According to this aspect, when a document is discharged using the non-reversing transport path, the discharge position is higher in the vertical direction when the device main body is in the second position than when it is in the first position, so when a document is discharged using the non-reversing transport path, the document is less likely to come into contact with the main body support part or the placement surface, thereby enabling large-sized documents to be discharged appropriately.

[0014] A fourth aspect is characterized in that, in any of the first to third aspects, the transport path switching means is provided with a flap member whose position can be changed, and by changing the position of the flap member, the document transport path connected to the reading transport path is changed to either the inverting transport path or the non-inverting transport path, and the flap member changes its position in conjunction with the change in position of the device main body.

[0015] According to this aspect, the transport path switching means is equipped with a flap member whose position can be changed, and by changing the position of the flap member, the document transport path connected to the reading transport path is switched to either the inverting transport path or the non-inverting transport path, so the transport path switching means can be configured with a simple structure.

[0016] The fifth aspect is characterized in that, in any of the first to fourth aspects, the device further comprises a motor that is a power source for rotating the device main body, and a rotation conversion means that converts the rotation of the motor into rotation of the device main body. According to this aspect, by providing a motor that is the power source for rotating the device main body and a rotation conversion means that converts the rotation of the motor into rotation of the device main body, the user does not need to directly rotate the device main body, thereby improving usability for the user.

[0017] The sixth aspect is characterized in that, in the fifth aspect, the motor is provided in the device main body, and the rotation conversion means is a gear rotatably provided in the device main body, which rotates by the power of the motor, and a toothed portion fixed to the main body support portion, which meshes with the gear. According to this aspect, the rotation conversion means can be configured with a simple structure.

[0018] The seventh aspect is characterized in that, in the fifth or sixth aspect, the device is provided with an attitude detection means for detecting the attitude of the device main body, and the control unit that controls the motor controls the attitude of the device main body based on the detection information of the attitude detection means.

[0019] According to this aspect, the device is provided with an attitude detection means for detecting the attitude of the device main body, and the control unit that controls the motor controls the attitude of the device main body based on the detection information of the attitude detection means, thereby preventing the device main body from taking on an attitude that is neither the first attitude nor the second attitude, i.e., an incomplete attitude.

[0020] An eighth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the seventh aspect, an encoder sensor is provided that detects the amount and direction of rotation of the motor. According to this aspect, since an encoder sensor that detects the amount and direction of rotation of the motor is provided, the motor can be controlled more appropriately.

[0021] A ninth aspect is characterized in that, in any of the first to eighth aspects, the device further comprises a first rotation regulating means for determining the rotation limit when the device main body rotates from the second position to the first position, and a second rotation regulating means for determining the rotation limit when the device main body rotates from the first position to the second position, wherein the first position of the device main body is determined by the first rotation regulating means, and the second position of the device main body is determined by the second rotation regulating means.

[0022] According to this aspect, the first orientation of the device main body is determined by the first rotation regulating means, and the second orientation of the device main body is determined by the second rotation regulating means, so that the first orientation and the second orientation of the device main body can be accurately determined.

[0023] A tenth aspect is characterized in that, in the first aspect, the reading conveying path is provided with a first pair of rollers located upstream of the reading unit, and a second pair of rollers located downstream of the reading unit, the first pair of rollers being provided on the reading conveying path having a first lower roller that contacts the bottom surface of the document being conveyed on the reading conveying path and a first upper roller that contacts the top surface of the document being conveyed on the reading conveying path, the second pair of rollers having a second lower roller that contacts the bottom surface of the document and a second upper roller that contacts the top surface of the document, and the first lower roller, the first upper roller, the second lower roller, and the second upper roller are rotated by a drive source.

[0024] According to this aspect, the first lower roller, the first upper roller, the second lower roller, and the second upper roller are all driven by the driving source, so that thick originals can be transported reliably.

[0025] The 11th aspect is characterized in that, in the 10th aspect, the first upper roller is arranged to be able to move forward and backward relative to the first lower roller, the second upper roller is arranged to be able to move forward and backward relative to the second lower roller, and the power of the drive source is transmitted to the first upper roller and the second upper roller by a universal joint.

[0026] According to this aspect, the power of the drive source is transmitted to the movable first upper roller and the movable second upper roller by a universal joint, so that the power of the drive source can be appropriately transmitted to the movable first upper roller and the movable second upper roller.

[0027] The 12th aspect is characterized in that, in the 10th or 11th aspect, the device main body comprises a first unit having the first lower roller and the second lower roller, and a second unit having the first upper roller and the second upper roller, which is openable and closable relative to the first unit.

[0028] According to this aspect, the second unit including the first upper roller and the second upper roller can be opened and closed relative to the first unit including the first lower roller and the second lower roller, so that opening the second unit releases the nip between the first transport roller pair and the second transport roller pair, thereby making it easy to remove a jammed document.

[0029] A thirteenth aspect is the twelfth aspect, characterized in that the device further comprises: a third pair of rollers provided in the reverse transport path and located downstream of the second pair of transport rollers; and a fourth pair of rollers provided in the reverse transport path and located downstream of the third pair of transport rollers; the third pair of transport rollers comprises a third drive roller that is a roller that contacts the bottom surface of the document and is driven, and a third driven roller that is a roller that contacts the top surface of the document and is in contact with the document and rotates in a driven manner; the fourth pair of transport rollers comprises a fourth drive roller that is a roller that contacts the bottom surface of the document and is driven, and a fourth driven roller that is a roller that contacts the top surface of the document and is in contact with the document and rotates in a driven manner; the second unit comprises the third driven roller and the fourth driven roller; and the device main body comprises a third unit that is a unit that comprises the third drive roller and the fourth drive roller and is openable and closable relative to the second unit.

[0030] According to this aspect, the third unit including the third drive roller and the fourth drive roller can be opened and closed relative to the second unit including the third driven roller and the fourth driven roller, and opening the third unit releases the nip between the third transport roller pair and the fourth transport roller pair, thereby making it easy to remove a jammed document.

[0031] A fourteenth aspect is any of the first to thirteenth aspects, further comprising a document support section that supports a document to be fed, a feed roller that sends the document out of the document support section, and a separation roller that nips the document between the feed roller and the document support section, wherein the separation roller is switchable between a separation state in which the document is separated and a non-separation state in which the document is not separated, and is in the separation state when the device main body is in the first position, and is in the non-separation state when the device main body is in the second position.

[0032] According to this aspect, when the device main body takes the second posture, which is a posture for discharging a highly rigid document, the separation roller takes the non-separation state, so that when feeding a booklet, which is an example of a highly rigid document, the booklet can be fed appropriately.

[0033] The present invention will be specifically described below. In the following, as an example of an image reading device, a scanner 1 capable of reading at least one of the first side and the opposite second side of a document will be taken as an example. The scanner 1 is a so-called sheet-fed type scanner that reads a document while moving it relative to a reading unit described below. In this specification, the document includes not only a sheet-shaped document but also a card-shaped document and a booklet-shaped document.

[0034] In the XYZ coordinate system shown in each figure, the X axis direction is the width direction of the device and also the width direction of the original, the Y axis direction is the depth direction of the device, and the Z axis direction is the vertical direction. In this embodiment, the +Y direction is the direction from the rear to the front of the device, and the -Y direction is the direction from the front to the rear of the device. Also, the left direction as viewed from the front of the device is the +X direction, and the right direction is the -X direction. In the following description, the direction in which the document is transported may be referred to as "downstream," and the opposite direction may be referred to as "upstream."

[0035] 1 and 2, a scanner 1 includes a device main body 2 and a main body support part 6 that supports the device main body 2 so that it can rotate. The device main body 2 is configured to include a first unit 3, a second unit 4, and a third unit 5.

[0036] The second unit 4 and the third unit 5 are provided rotatably about a frame rotation axis 64a (see FIGS. 3 and 16). The frame rotation axis 64a is a rotation axis that forms the rotation axis center parallel to the X-axis direction. The second unit 4 and the third unit 5 can rotate integrally around the frame rotation axis 64a relative to the first unit 3 (see FIG. 4). Reference numeral 8a denotes an unlocking portion, and the user can unlock the second unit 4 and the third unit 5 relative to the first unit 3 by sliding the unlocking portion 8a in the -X direction. By rotating the second unit 4 and the third unit 5 relative to the first unit 3, part of the document transport path can be exposed as shown in FIG. 4. In particular, the document feed path R1 and the reading transport path R2, which will be described later, can be exposed.

[0037] The third unit 5 can rotate about a frame rotation axis 64a relative to the first unit 3 and the second unit 4 (see FIG. 3). By rotating the third unit 5 relative to the first unit 3 and the second unit 4, a part of the document transport path can be exposed as shown in FIG. 3. In particular, the reverse transport path R3, which will be described later, can be exposed.

[0038] The device main body 2 is rotatable around a main body rotation axis 6c (see FIGS. 7 and 8) relative to the main body support part 6, and in this embodiment, the device main body 2 can hold two postures by rotating. The two postures of the device main body 2 are shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, and hereinafter the posture in FIG. 5 will be referred to as the normal reading posture, and the posture in FIG. 6 will be referred to as the booklet reading posture. The normal reading posture is an example of the first posture of the device main body 2, and the booklet reading posture is an example of the second posture of the device main body 2. As will be described in detail later, the first position of the device body 2 is a position in which the reading conveyance path R2 is connected to the reverse conveyance path R3 by the flap 35 (conveyance path switching means). The second position of the device body 2 is a position in which the reading conveyance path R2 is connected to the non-reverse conveyance path R4 by the flap 35 (conveyance path switching means).

[0039] 5 and 6 are angles formed between a reading conveyance path R2 (described later) and the device's placement surface G. The angle α2 in the booklet reading position is smaller than the angle α1 in the normal reading position. In the normal reading position, the projection area of ​​the device body 2 onto the placement surface G on which the scanner 1 is placed is the smallest, that is, the footprint of the device body 2 is the smallest. In this specification, the footprint refers to the area occupied by the device body 2 in the XY plane when the device body 2 is viewed from above. The normal reading position is suitable for reading sheet-like documents, i.e., documents that have low rigidity and are easily bent, while the booklet reading position is suitable for reading documents that have high rigidity and are not easily bent, such as plastic cards or booklets.

[0040] An operation unit 7 consisting of a number of operation buttons including a power button is provided on the front of the device. 2, a first connection portion 71, a second connection portion 72, and a third connection portion 73 are provided on the side surface in the +X direction among the side surfaces that form the periphery of the device. The first connection portion 71 is a connection portion to which a USB Type-A plug (not shown), which is an example of a connection object, is connected. The second connection portion 72 is a connection portion to which a USB Type-C plug (not shown), which is an example of a connection object, is connected. The third connection portion 73 is a connection portion to which a power plug (not shown) for supplying power to the device main body 2 is connected. Note that USB is an abbreviation for Universal Serial Bus, and Type-A and Type-C are each one of several types defined in the USB standard.

[0041] An external device can be connected via a USB cable (not shown), and a storage medium, such as a USB memory (not shown), can also be connected to the first connection unit 71. The control unit 80 (see FIG. 12) can then save the read data in the storage medium connected to the first connection unit 71. Furthermore, an external device can be connected to the second connection section 72 via a USB cable (not shown). The first connection portion 71, the second connection portion 72, and the third connection portion 73 are provided on a circuit board 79 (see FIG. 7) located on the rear side of the device. In this embodiment, the device main body 2 is configured so that it can also receive power from an external device connected to the second connection portion 72.

[0042] Next, the configuration of the document transport path in scanner 1 will be described with reference to Figures 5 and 6. The document to be fed is supported in an inclined position by document support section 11. Symbol P indicates the supported document. When multiple documents are supported on document support section 11, the top document is sent downstream by feed roller 14. Document support section 11 is formed in upper opening / closing section 10. Upper opening / closing section 10 is rotatable around a rotation axis (not shown), and opens and closes feed port 13 by rotating. Figure 1 shows the upper opening / closing section 10 in a closed state, and Figure 2 shows the upper opening / closing section 10 in an open state. Upper opening / closing section 10 constitutes first unit 3.

[0043] As shown in Fig. 3, the document support section 11 is provided with a pair of edge guides 12a, 12b that guide the side edges of the document. The pair of edge guides 12a, 12b are provided so as to be slidable in the document width direction (X-axis direction). The pair of edge guides 12a, 12b are provided so as to be interlocked by a rack and pinion mechanism (not shown) so as to move away from or towards each other across the center position in the document width direction. In other words, the scanner 1 employs a so-called center feeding system.

[0044] Returning to Figures 5 and 6, the feed roller 14 is provided in the second unit 4. The feed roller 14 receives power from a transport motor 50, which will be described later, and rotates. A separation roller 15 is provided in the first unit 3 at a position opposite the feed roller 14. A rotational torque is applied to the separation roller 15 by a torque limiter (not shown), which prevents double feeding of documents. The feed roller 14 and the separation roller 15 are provided at the center position in the document width direction (see FIG. 4). Instead of the separation roller 15, a separation pad may be provided. In addition, in this embodiment, the feed roller 14 is provided above the documents placed on the document support section 11, and the top document is fed first, but the feed roller 14 may be provided below the documents placed on the document support section 11, and the bottom document is fed first.

[0045] The separation roller 15 and a torque limiter (not shown) are configured to be connectable via a gear (not shown), and the gear (not shown) is displaced by a second solenoid 95 (see FIG. 12), thereby switching between a state in which the separation roller 15 and the torque limiter are connected, i.e., a separation state in which the document is separated, and a state in which the separation roller 15 and the torque limiter are not connected, i.e., a non-separation state in which the document is not separated. The control unit 80 (see FIG. 12), which controls the second solenoid 95, controls the second solenoid 95 so that the separation state is set when the device main body 2 is in the normal reading position, and the non-separation state is set when the device main body 2 is in the booklet reading position.

[0046] A first pair of conveying rollers 16 is provided downstream of the feed roller 14 and the separation roller 15. The first pair of conveying rollers 16 is composed of a first lower roller 17 provided in the first unit 3 and a first upper roller 18 provided in the second unit 4. The first upper roller 18 is provided so as to be able to move toward and away from the first lower roller 17, and is pressed against the first lower roller 17 by a pressing member (not shown), for example, a coil spring. Both the first lower roller 17 and the first upper roller 18 rotate by receiving power from a transport motor 50, which will be described later. Two first lower rollers 17 and two first upper rollers 18 are provided, one on each side of the center position in the document width direction (see FIG. 4). When the second unit 4 is closed relative to the first unit 3, the first lower roller 17 and the first upper roller 18 come into contact with each other. When the second unit 4 is opened relative to the first unit 3, the first upper roller 18 moves away from the first lower roller 17.

[0047] A first reading unit 32 and a second reading unit 33 are disposed facing each other downstream of the first transport roller pair 16. The first reading unit 32 is provided in the first unit 3, and the second reading unit 33 is provided in the second unit 4. The first reading unit 32 reads the bottom surface (first side) of the document supported by the document support unit 11, and the second reading unit 33 reads the top surface (second side) of the document supported by the document support unit 11. The second reading unit 33 is provided so as to be able to advance and retreat relative to the first reading unit 32, and is pressed toward the first reading unit 32 by a pressing member (not shown), for example, a coil spring. In this embodiment, the first reading unit 32 and the second reading unit 33 are configured by a contact image sensor module (CISM). Reference numeral 32a denotes a contact glass that configures the first reading unit 32, and reference numeral 33a denotes a contact glass that configures the second reading unit 33.

[0048] A second pair of transport rollers 20 is provided downstream of the first reading unit 32 and the second reading unit 33. The second pair of transport rollers 20 is composed of a second lower roller 21 provided in the first unit 3 and a second upper roller 22 provided in the second unit 4. The second upper roller 22 is provided so as to be able to move toward and away from the second lower roller 21, and is pressed against the second lower roller 21 by a pressing member (not shown), for example a coil spring. Both the second lower roller 21 and the second upper roller 22 rotate by receiving power from a transport motor 50, which will be described later. Two second lower rollers 21 and two second upper rollers 22 are provided, one on each side of the center position in the document width direction (see FIG. 4). When the second unit 4 is closed relative to the first unit 3, the second lower roller 21 and the second upper roller 22 come into contact with each other. When the second unit 4 is opened relative to the first unit 3, the second upper roller 22 moves away from the second lower roller 21.

[0049] 5 and 6, the dashed line indicated by the symbol R1 is the document feed path, and the document feed path R1 extends from the nip position between the feed roller 14 and the separation roller 15 to the nip position of the first transport roller pair 16. In addition, the dashed line indicated by the symbol R2 in Figures 5 and 6 is the reading transport path, and the reading transport path R2 extends from the nip position of the first transport roller pair 16 to the nip position of the second transport roller pair 20. The reading transport path R2 is a document transport path that faces the first reading unit 32 and the second reading unit 33.

[0050] When the device main body 2 is in the normal reading position shown in Fig. 5, a reverse conveyance path R3 is formed downstream of the reading conveyance path R2, along which the scanned document is reversed upward and discharged. The reverse conveyance path R3 is a document conveyance path downstream of the nip position of the second conveyance roller pair 20, and is a document conveyance path that curves and reverses a document conveyed diagonally downward as shown by the two-dot chain line in Fig. 5, and discharges the document diagonally upward from the first discharge opening 37. When the device main body 2 is in the booklet reading position shown in Fig. 6, a non-reversing conveyance path R4 is formed downstream of the reading conveyance path R2, along which the read document is discharged without being reversed. The non-reversing conveyance path R4 is a document conveyance path downstream of the nip position of the second conveyance roller pair 20, and is a document conveyance path for discharging the document, which is conveyed diagonally downward on the reading conveyance path R2 as shown by the two-dot chain line in Fig. 6, diagonally downward from the second discharge opening 38 without being curved or reversed. The second transport roller pair 20 functions as a discharge roller pair that discharges the document from the non-reverse transport path R4.

[0051] Switching between the reversing conveyance path R3 and the non-reversing conveyance path R4 is performed by a flap 35, which serves as a flap member constituting conveyance path switching means. The flap 35 is rotatable around a flap rotation axis 35a, and by rotating, connects the reversing conveyance path R3 to the reading conveyance path R2, or connects the non-reversing conveyance path R4 to the reading conveyance path R2. Connecting the reversing conveyance path R3 to the reading conveyance path R2 means making the reversing conveyance path R3 available, and making the non-reversing conveyance path R4 unavailable. Similarly, connecting the non-reversing conveyance path R4 to the reading conveyance path R2 means making the non-reversing conveyance path R4 available, and making the reversing conveyance path R3 unavailable. The flap 35 covers the non-reverse conveying path R4 and opens the reversing conveying path R3 when the device main body 2 is in the normal reading position, i.e., the first position, and covers the reversing conveying path R3 and opens the non-reversing conveying path R4 when the device main body 2 is in the booklet reading position, i.e., the second position.

[0052] In this embodiment, the flap 35 is configured to rotate in conjunction with the change in position of the device body 2. In this embodiment, a first solenoid 86 (see FIG. 12) is used as a configuration for rotating the flap 35 in conjunction with the change in position of the device body 2. A control unit 80 (see FIG. 12), which performs various controls, detects the position of the device body 2 based on a detection signal from a first position detection sensor 87 or a second position detection sensor 88 (described later), and drives the first solenoid 86 based on the detection signal to rotate the flap 35. Note that the means for rotating the flap 35 is not limited to the first solenoid 86, and may be another actuator such as a motor. Alternatively, the flap 35 may be configured to rotate mechanically in conjunction with the position of the device body 2. Furthermore, the transport path switching means corresponding to the flap 35 may be provided in the main body support part 6 instead of in the apparatus main body 2.

[0053] A third conveying roller pair 24 and a fourth conveying roller pair 28 are provided on the reverse conveying path R3. The third transport roller pair 24 is composed of a third drive roller 25 provided in the third unit 5 and a third driven roller 26 provided in the second unit 4. The third driven roller 26 is provided so as to be able to move toward and away from the third drive roller 25, and is pressed toward the third drive roller 25 by a pressing member (not shown), such as a coil spring. The third drive roller 25 is driven by the transport motor 50. The third driven roller 26 is a roller that is rotated by the conveyance motor 50.

[0054] The fourth transport roller pair 28 is composed of a fourth drive roller 29 provided in the third unit 5 and a fourth driven roller 30 provided in the second unit 4. The fourth driven roller 30 is provided so as to be able to move toward and away from the fourth drive roller 29, and is pressed toward the fourth drive roller 29 by a pressing member (not shown), such as a coil spring. The fourth drive roller 29 is driven by the transport motor 50. The fourth driven roller 30 is a roller that is rotated by the conveyor motor 50.

[0055] The third drive roller 25, the third driven roller 26, the fourth drive roller 29, and the fourth driven roller 30 are each provided in pairs, with the center position in the document width direction sandwiched between them (see FIGS. 3 and 18). When the third unit 5 is closed relative to the second unit 4, the third drive roller 25 and the third driven roller 26 come into contact, and the fourth drive roller 29 and the fourth driven roller 30 also come into contact. When the third unit 5 is opened relative to the second unit 4, the third drive roller 25 and the third driven roller 26 move apart, and the fourth drive roller 29 and the fourth driven roller 30 also move apart.

[0056] The document conveyed on the reverse conveying path R3 is discharged obliquely upward including a −Y direction component by the fourth conveying roller pair 28, and is supported in an inclined posture by the upper surface 4a of the second unit 4.

[0057] Next, a description will be given of the configuration for rotating the device main body 2. In this embodiment, the device main body 2 rotates and switches its posture using the power of a posture switching motor 40 (see FIGS. 7 to 10) under the control of the control unit 80. The control unit 80 controls the posture switching motor 40 based on input information from an external device 100 connected to the scanner 1.

[0058] Figure 7 shows the device with the rear cover 66 (see Figure 2) removed, which forms the exterior of the rear side. Reference numeral 41 denotes a rotation conversion means that converts the rotation of the attitude-changing motor 40 into the rotation of the device main body 2. The attitude-changing motor 40 and the rotation conversion means 41 are provided closer to the side in the -X direction in the device width direction. "More towards the side in the -X direction in the device width direction" means being located in the -X direction relative to the center position of the device in the X-axis direction.

[0059] The first frame 63 constituting the base of the first unit 3 is provided with two supported portions 63b spaced apart in the X-axis direction. The main body support portion 6 is provided with two main body rotation shafts 6c spaced apart in the X-axis direction. The first frame 63, i.e., the device main body 2, is rotatable about the main body rotation shaft 6c, as the main body rotation shaft 6c passes through the supported portions 63b. The main body rotation shaft 6c is a rotation shaft whose center is parallel to the X-axis direction.

[0060] The attitude switching motor 40 is provided on the first frame 63. The attitude switching motor 40 is provided on the rear side of the first frame 63 that is provided in an inclined attitude. In Figure 8, the rotation conversion means 41 is a gear rotatably arranged in the first unit 3, and has a gear 47b that rotates by the power of the posture switching motor 40, and a toothed portion 6b that is fixed to the main body support portion 6 and meshes with the gear 47b. The toothed portion 6b is a toothed portion formed around the main body rotation axis 6c on the standing wall portion 6a. The standing wall portion 6a is a member that constitutes the main body support portion 6.

[0061] More specifically, a worm gear 42 is provided on the rotation shaft of the attitude-switching motor 40, and power is transmitted from the worm gear 42 to a gear 43. The gear 43 is configured integrally with a gear 45 via a shaft 44. The gear 45 transmits power to a first compound gear 46, and the first compound gear 46 transmits power to a second compound gear 47. The gear 47b forms a part of the second compound gear 47.

[0062] The posture-changing motor 40 and the components of the rotation conversion means 41 described above, excluding the tooth portion 6b, are provided in the first unit 3, i.e., the device main body 2. Therefore, when the gear 47b is rotated by the power of the posture-changing motor 40, the device main body 2 rotates and the posture is switched as shown by the change from Figure 9 to Figure 10 or the change from Figure 10 to Figure 9. In this embodiment, the posture switching motor 40 and the components of the rotation conversion means 41 described above, excluding the tooth portion 6b, are provided in the first unit 3, i.e., the device main body 2, and the tooth portion 6b is provided in the device main body support portion 6. However, instead of this, the posture switching motor 40 and the components of the rotation conversion means 41 described above, excluding the tooth portion 6b, may be provided in the device main body support portion 6, and the tooth portion 6b may be provided in the device main body 2.

[0063] The upright wall portion 6a is formed with a first contact portion 6e serving as a first rotation restricting means and a second contact portion 6f serving as a second rotation restricting means. A boss 63a provided on the first frame 63 fits between the first contact portion 6e and the second contact portion 6f. When the device body 2 rotates from the booklet reading position shown in FIG. 10 to the normal reading position shown in FIG. 9, the boss 63a comes into contact with the first contact portion 6e, thereby defining the normal reading position of the device body 2. When the device body 2 rotates from the normal reading position shown in FIG. 9 to the booklet reading position shown in FIG. 10, the boss 63a comes into contact with the second contact portion 6f, thereby defining the booklet reading position of the device body 2.

[0064] When the boss 63a abuts against the first abutment portion 6e, or when the boss 63a abuts against the second abutment portion 6f, the drive current value of the position-switching motor 40 increases. Therefore, the control unit 80 (see FIG. 12) can detect the position of the device body 2 based on the rotation direction of the position-switching motor 40 and the increase in the drive current value. However, in this embodiment, a first position detection sensor 87 and a second position detection sensor 88, which will be described later, are provided, and the control unit 80 can also detect the position of the device body 2 based on the detection signals of these sensors. The normal reading position and the booklet reading position of the device main body 2 are maintained by supplying power to the stopped position switching motor 40 and putting it into a hold state.

[0065] The first position detection sensor 87 is an optical sensor and is provided on the first frame 63, i.e., the device main body 2. When the device main body 2 is in the normal reading position, as shown in Fig. 8, a protrusion 6d provided on the main body support part 6 blocks the optical axis of the first position detection sensor 87. When the device main body 2 rotates from this state toward the booklet reading position, the protrusion 6d moves out of the optical axis of the first position detection sensor 87.

[0066] 11, the second position detection sensor 88 is provided in the second unit 4. A detection target portion 35b is formed on the flap 35, and when the device main body 2 is in the normal reading position, the detection target portion 35b is out of the optical axis of the second position detection sensor 88, as shown in Fig. 11(a). When the device main body 2 rotates from this state toward the booklet reading position, the detection target portion 35b blocks the optical axis of the second position detection sensor 88, as shown in Fig. 11(b). As described above, the control unit 80 can detect the attitude of the device main body 2 based on the detection signal of the first attitude detection sensor 87 and the detection signal of the second attitude detection sensor 88.

[0067] In the above-described embodiment, the posture of the device main body 2 is switched by the power of the posture switching motor 40, but instead of this, or in addition to this, the posture of the device main body 2 may be switched by the user applying force to the device main body 2. 13 shows a configuration for switching the posture of the device main body 2 by user operation, and reference numeral 6a-1 indicates a standing wall portion provided on the main body support portion 6. A first contact portion 6e and a second contact portion 6f are formed on the standing wall portion 6a-1, and the normal reading posture of the device main body 2 is determined by the boss 63a contacting the first contact portion 6e, and the booklet reading posture of the device main body 2 is determined by the boss 63a contacting the second contact portion 6f.

[0068] A protrusion 61 is provided on the standing wall portion 6a-1. A recess 62 is formed in the first frame 63, and the protrusion 61 fits into the recess 62 to maintain the posture of the device body 2. Note that FIG. 13 shows the normal reading posture, in which the protrusion 61 fits into the hidden recess, maintaining the normal reading posture. The recess (not shown), the recess 62, and the protrusion 61 constitute posture maintaining means 60 that maintains the posture of the device body 2. In a configuration in which the posture of the device body 2 is switched by a user's operation, it is also preferable to provide the device body 2 with a handle portion on which the user can place their hand.

[0069] Next, a configuration for realizing the relative rotation of the first unit 3, the second unit 4, and the third unit 5 will be described. 16, a frame rotation shaft 64a protruding in the X-axis direction is integrally provided on the second frame 64 that constitutes the base of the second unit 4. Two frame rotation shafts 64a are provided spaced apart in the X-axis direction. 17, a bearing portion 63f is integrally provided on the first frame 63 that constitutes the base of the first unit 3. Two bearing portions 63f are provided spaced apart in the X-axis direction. The frame rotation shaft 64a of the second frame 64 is fitted into the bearing portion 63f, thereby enabling the second frame 64, i.e., the second unit 4, to rotate relative to the first frame 63, i.e., the first unit 3.

[0070] 18, a bearing portion 65a is integrally provided on a third frame 65 that constitutes the base of the third unit 5. Two bearing portions 65a are provided spaced apart in the X-axis direction. The frame rotation shaft 64a of the second frame 64 fits into the bearing portion 65a, making the third frame 65, i.e., the third unit 5, rotatable relative to the first unit 3 and the second unit 4. The third unit 5 can be opened and closed by rotating relative to the second unit 4 which is closed relative to the first unit 3, and can also be opened and closed by rotating relative to the second unit 4 which is open relative to the first unit 3.

[0071] In addition, two locking portions 65b are provided on the third frame 65 with a gap in the X-axis direction, and the locking portions 65b elastically engage with mating portions (not shown) formed on the second frame 64, thereby locking the third frame 65 to the second frame 64.

[0072] 14 is provided slidably in the X-axis direction relative to the second frame 64 of the second unit 4. The locking member 8 is pressed in the +X direction by a spring (not shown) on the second frame 64. The locking member 8 has an unlocking portion 8a, which is exposed at the top of the second unit 4 as shown in Figures 1 and 3. The user can unlock the second unit 4 from the first unit 3 by sliding the unlocking portion 8a in the -X direction, and open the second unit 4.

[0073] As shown in FIG. 15 , a first locking portion 63c and a second locking portion 63d are formed on the first frame 63 that constitutes the base of the first unit 3, with a gap in the X-axis direction. A first locked portion 8b and a second locked portion 8c are formed on the locking member 8 with a gap in the X-axis direction. As shown in FIG. 15 , the first locked portion 8b overlaps with the first locking portion 63c, and the second locked portion 8c overlaps with the second locking portion 63d, thereby locking the locking member 8, i.e., the second unit 4, to the first frame 63, i.e., the first unit 3. Sliding the locking member 8 in the −X direction from the state shown in FIG. 15 releases the overlap between the first locked portion 8b and the first locking portion 63c, and also releases the overlap between the second locked portion 8c and the second locking portion 63d. This releases the second unit 4 from the first unit 3, allowing the second unit 4 to be opened.

[0074] Next, the control system of the scanner 1 will be described with reference to FIG. The control unit 80 controls the feeding, transporting, and discharging of the document, as well as the reading of the document, and performs various other controls of the scanner 1. A signal from the operation unit 7 is input to the control unit 80.

[0075] The control unit 80 controls the transport motor 50 and the attitude switching motor 40. In this embodiment, each motor is a DC motor. The control unit 80 receives the read data from the first reading unit 32 and the second reading unit 33, and also transmits signals for controlling each reading unit from the control unit 80 to each reading unit. The control unit 80 also receives signals from the detection means, namely, the placement detection unit 92, the double feed detection unit 91, the first document detection unit 93, the second document detection unit 94, the first posture detection sensor 87, the second posture detection sensor 88, the first rotation detection unit 89, and the second rotation detection unit 90.

[0076] The first rotation detection unit 89 is a detection unit provided at the end of the device main body 2 in the -X direction as shown in Figure 7, and the control unit 80 can grasp the amount of rotation of each roller provided in the document transport path by detecting the amount of rotation of the transport motor 50 using the first rotation detection unit 89. The first rotation detection unit 89 is a rotary encoder that includes a rotary disk 89a and a detection unit 89b.

[0077] 8, the second rotation detection unit 90 is a rotary encoder equipped with a detection unit 89b and a rotating disk 90a provided on the rotation shaft 40a of the attitude-changing motor 40. The control unit 80 can grasp the rotation direction and amount of the attitude-changing motor 40 by detecting the rotation amount of the attitude-changing motor 40 using the second rotation detection unit 90.

[0078] Returning to Fig. 12, the control unit 80 includes a CPU 81, a flash ROM 82, and a RAM 83. The CPU 81 performs various arithmetic processing in accordance with programs stored in the flash ROM 82, and controls the overall operation of the scanner 1. The flash ROM 82, which is an example of a storage means, is a non-volatile memory that can be read and written. Various pieces of information are temporarily stored in the RAM 83, which is also an example of a storage means. The interface 84 provided in the control unit 80 is made up of the first connection unit 71 and the second connection unit 72 described with reference to Fig. 2. The control unit 80 transmits and receives data to and from the external device 100 via this interface 84.

[0079] Next, the other detection units will be described. The placement detector 92 is a detector provided upstream of the feed roller 14. The control unit 80 can detect the presence or absence of a document on the document support unit 11 based on a signal transmitted from the placement detector 92. The first document detection unit 93 is a detection unit provided between the feed roller 14 and the first transport roller pair 16. The control unit 80 can detect the passage of the leading or trailing end of the document at the detection position based on a signal transmitted from the first document detection unit 93.

[0080] The multi-feed detection unit 91 is a detection unit provided between the feed roller 14 and the first transport roller pair 16, and is composed of an ultrasonic transmitter and an ultrasonic receiver arranged opposite each other across the document feed path R1. The control unit 80 can detect multi-feed of documents based on the signal transmitted from the multi-feed detection unit 91. The second document detection unit 94 is a detection unit provided between the first conveying roller pair 16 and the first and second reading units 32 and 33, and the control unit 80 can detect the passage of the leading or trailing end of the document at the detection position based on the signal transmitted from the second document detection unit 94. 5 and 6, the detection position of each detection unit is indicated by a triangle, and the reference numeral of each detection unit is given.

[0081] Next, a configuration for transmitting driving force from the transport motor 50 to each roller will be described with reference to FIG. The transport motor 50 is provided at the end of the apparatus main body 2 in the -X direction. A drive pulley 51 is provided on the rotation shaft of the transport motor 50, and driving force is transmitted from the drive pulley 51 to a driven pulley 53 via a belt 52. A gear (not shown) is formed integrally with the driven pulley 53, and this gear meshes with a gear 54. A gear (not shown) is provided on the end of the rotation shaft 55 of the second lower roller 21 in the -X direction, and this gear meshes with the gear 54, driving the rotation shaft 55.

[0082] A gear group 58 is provided at the end in the +X direction of the rotation shaft 55. The gear group 58 receives power from the rotation shaft 55 to rotate, and transmits the driving force to the rotation shaft of each roller. Although detailed description of the gear train 58 will be omitted below, unlike the drive force transmission paths to the other rollers, the drive force transmission path to the first upper roller 18 and the drive force transmission path to the second upper roller 22 are provided with universal joints 59. The universal joints are provided on both sides of the transmission shaft 49, which allows the first upper roller 18 and the second upper roller 22 to be driven by the conveyance motor 50 while being displaced relative to the opposing rollers.

[0083] In this embodiment, the reduction ratio when transmitting power from the transport motor 50 to each roller is such that if the reduction ratio of power transmission from the transport motor 50 to the first transport roller pair 16 is 1, the reduction ratio of power transmission from the transport motor 50 to the second transport roller pair 20 is also 1, i.e., the same. Here, the roller outer diameters of the first lower roller 17 and the first upper roller 18 are the same, and the roller outer diameters of the second lower roller 21 and the second upper roller 22 are the same. The roller outer diameters of the second lower roller 21 and the second upper roller 22 are slightly larger than the roller outer diameters of the first lower roller 17 and the first upper roller 18. Therefore, the document transport speed by the second transport roller pair 20 is faster than the document transport speed by the first transport roller pair 16.

[0084] Furthermore, in this embodiment, if the reduction ratio when transmitting power from the transport motor 50 to the first transport roller pair 16 is 1, the reduction ratio when transmitting power from the transport motor 50 to the third drive roller 25 is less than 1, and similarly, the reduction ratio when transmitting power from the transport motor 50 to the fourth drive roller 29 is also less than 1. Note that in this embodiment, the reduction ratio when transmitting power from the transport motor 50 to the third drive roller 25 and the reduction ratio when transmitting power from the transport motor 50 to the fourth drive roller 29 are the same.

[0085] The outer diameter of the fourth drive roller 29 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the third drive roller 25. Therefore, the document transport speed by the fourth transport roller pair 28 is faster than the document transport speed by the third transport roller pair 24. Furthermore, the outer diameter of the third drive roller 25 is set so that the document transport speed by the third transport roller pair 24 is faster than the document transport speed by the second transport roller pair 20 . As a result, the document transport speed increases in the order of the first transport roller pair 16, the second transport roller pair 20, the third transport roller pair 24, and the fourth transport roller pair 28, i.e., the document transport speed increases toward downstream.

[0086] The configuration, functions, and effects of the scanner 1 described above can be summarized as follows. That is, the scanner 1 comprises a main body support part 6 that is placed on the device's placement surface G, and a device main body 2 that is supported by the main body support part 6. The device main body 2 comprises a document transport path for transporting documents, which is a reading transport path R2 that faces the first reading unit 32 and the second reading unit 33 that read the documents, a reversing transport path R3 that is a document transport path downstream of the reading transport path R2 and through which the scanned document is turned upside down and discharged, and a non-reversing transport path R4 that is a document transport path downstream of the reading transport path R2 and through which the scanned document is discharged without being reversed. The device main body 2 also comprises a flap 35 that switches the document transport path connected to the reading transport path R2 between the reversing transport path R3 and the non-reversing transport path R4. The device main body 2 is rotatably attached to the main body support part 6, and by rotating it can be switched between a normal reading position (Fig. 5) and a booklet reading position (Fig. 6) in which the angle that the reading conveying path R2 forms with the placement surface G is smaller than that in the normal reading position. The flap 35 connects the reading conveying path R2 to the reversing conveying path R3 when the device main body 2 is in the normal reading position, and connects the reading conveying path R2 to the non-reversing conveying path R4 when the device main body 2 is in the booklet reading position.

[0087] By using the non-reversing conveying path R4, the scanner 1 can effectively convey documents that are difficult to bend. Examples of documents that are difficult to bend include booklets and cards. The flap 35 connects the reading conveying path R2 to the reversing conveying path R3 when the device body 2 is in the normal reading position, and connects the reading conveying path R2 to the non-reversing conveying path R4 when the device body 2 is in the booklet reading position. This allows the document to be discharged in a direction along the loading surface G, compared to when the document is discharged using the non-reversing conveying path R4 in the normal reading position. As a result, larger documents can be discharged compared to when the document is discharged using the non-reversing conveying path R4 in the normal reading position. Furthermore, by placing the device main body 2 in the normal reading position, the angle formed between the reading transport path R2 and the placement surface G can be made larger than in the booklet reading position, and the footprint of the device main body 2 can be reduced.

[0088] The device main body 2 is provided with a second transport roller pair 20 that functions as an ejection roller pair that ejects the document from the non-reverse transport path R4, and when viewing the document transport path from the side, the common tangent L of the second transport roller pair 20 intersects with the main body support part 6 in the normal reading position (see Figure 5), but does not intersect with the main body support part 6 in the booklet reading position (see Figure 6). This makes it difficult for the document to come into contact with the main body support portion 6 when the document is discharged using the non-reverse transport path R4, and allows a large-sized document to be discharged appropriately.

[0089] Furthermore, the above configuration can also be said to be a configuration in which, when viewing the document transport path from the side, an imaginary line extending the reading transport path R2 intersects with the main body support part 6 in the normal reading position, but does not intersect with the main body support part 6 in the booklet reading position. Furthermore, the above configuration can also be said to be a configuration in which, when viewed from the side of the document transport path, the extension of the straight line connecting the nip position of the first transport roller pair 16 and the nip position of the second transport roller pair 20 intersects with the main body support part 6 in the normal reading position, but does not intersect with the main body support part 6 in the booklet reading position. Furthermore, the above configuration can also be said to be such that, when viewed from the side of the document transport path, a line extending diagonally downward from the glass surface of the contact glass 32a that constitutes the first reading unit 32, or the glass surface of the contact glass 33a that constitutes the second reading unit 33, intersects with the main body support unit 6 in the normal reading position, but does not intersect with the main body support unit 6 in the booklet reading position.

[0090] Furthermore, the second discharge port 38, which is the discharge position when discharging a document using the non-reversing transport path R4, is higher in the vertical direction when the device main body 2 is in the booklet reading position than when it is in the normal reading position. This is clear from the second discharge port 38 shown in Fig. 5 and the second discharge port 38 shown in Fig. 6. As a result, when a document is discharged using the non-reversing transport path R4, the document being discharged is less likely to come into contact with the main body support portion 6 or the placement surface G. This allows large-sized documents to be discharged appropriately.

[0091] In this embodiment, the first discharge port 37, which is the discharge position when discharging the document using the reverse transport path R3, is more likely to be in the booklet reading position than in the normal reading position of the device main body 2. In this embodiment, the feeding port 13 is higher when the device main body 2 is in the normal reading position than when it is in the booklet reading position. In this embodiment, the position of the center of the rotation axis of the feed roller 14 is higher when the device body 2 is in the normal reading position than when it is in the booklet reading position. In this embodiment, the position of the center of the rotation axis of the fourth drive roller 29 is higher when the device body 2 is in the booklet reading position than when the device body 2 is in the normal reading position.

[0092] The transport path switching means is provided with a flap 35, which is a flap member whose position can be changed, and is configured to switch the document transport path connected to the reading transport path R2 to either the reversing transport path R3 or the non-reversing transport path R4 by changing the position of the flap 35, and the position of the flap 35 changes in conjunction with the change in position of the device main body 2. With this configuration, the transport path switching means can be configured with a simple structure.

[0093] The scanner 1 also includes a position-switching motor 40, which is the power source for rotating the device body 2, and a rotation conversion means 41 that converts the rotation of the position-switching motor 40 into the rotation of the device body 2. This eliminates the need for the user to directly rotate the device body 2, improving usability for the user.

[0094] Moreover, the attitude switching motor 40 is provided in the device main body 2, and the rotation conversion means 41 is a gear rotatably provided in the device main body 2, and includes a gear 47b that rotates by the power of the attitude switching motor 40, and a toothed portion 6b that is fixed to the main body support portion 6 and meshes with the gear 47b. This allows the rotation conversion means 41 to have a simple structure.

[0095] The scanner 1 also includes a first attitude detection sensor 87 and a second attitude detection sensor 88, which are attitude detection means for detecting the attitude of the device body 2, and the control unit 80, which controls the attitude switching motor 40, controls the attitude of the device body 2 based on the detection information of the attitude detection means. This makes it possible to prevent the device body 2 from being in an incomplete attitude, i.e., in a position that is neither the normal reading position nor the booklet reading position.

[0096] The scanner 1 also includes a second rotation detector 90, which is an encoder sensor that detects the amount and direction of rotation of the position switching motor 40. This allows the position switching motor 40 to be controlled more appropriately.

[0097] The scanner 1 also includes a first contact portion 6e as first rotation restriction means that defines the rotation limit when the device body 2 rotates from the booklet reading position to the normal reading position, and a second contact portion 6f as second rotation restriction means that defines the rotation limit when the device body 2 rotates from the normal reading position to the booklet reading position. The normal reading position of the device body 2 is defined by the first contact portion 6e, and the booklet reading position of the device body 2 is defined by the second contact portion 6f. This makes it possible to accurately define the normal reading position and the booklet reading position of the device body 2.

[0098] The first transport roller pair 16 provided on the reading transport path R2 includes a first lower roller 17 that contacts the first side, which is the bottom side, of the document transported along the reading transport path R2, and a first upper roller 18 that contacts the second side, which is the top side, of the document transported along the reading transport path R2. The second transport roller pair 20 includes a second lower roller 21 that contacts the first side of the document, and a second upper roller 22 that contacts the second side of the document. The first lower roller 17, first upper roller 18, second lower roller 21, and second upper roller 22 are rotated by a transport motor 50, which is a drive source. This allows thick documents to be transported reliably.

[0099] The first upper roller 18 is provided so as to be able to move forward and backward relative to the first lower roller 17, and the second upper roller 22 is provided so as to be able to move forward and backward relative to the second lower roller 21, and the power of the transport motor 50 is transmitted to the first upper roller 18 and the second upper roller 22 by a universal joint 59. This allows the power of the transport motor 50 to be appropriately transmitted to the movable first upper roller 18 and second upper roller 22.

[0100] The device main body 2 also includes a first unit 3 having a first lower roller 17 and a second lower roller 21, and a second unit 4 having a first upper roller 18 and a second upper roller 22, which can be opened and closed relative to the first unit 3. As a result, opening the second unit 4 releases the nip between the first transport roller pair 16 and the second transport roller pair 20, allowing the jammed document to be easily removed when a document jam occurs.

[0101] The scanner 1 also includes a third pair of transport rollers 24, which are roller pairs provided on the reverse transport path R3 and located downstream of the second pair of transport rollers 20, and a fourth pair of transport rollers 28, which are roller pairs provided on the reverse transport path R3 and located downstream of the third pair of transport rollers 24. The third transport roller pair 24 includes a third drive roller 25 that is in contact with the first side of the document and is driven, and a third driven roller 26 that is in contact with the second side of the document and is driven to rotate in contact with the document. The fourth transport roller pair 28 includes a fourth drive roller 29 that is in contact with the first side of the document and is driven, and a fourth driven roller 30 that is in contact with the second side of the document and is driven to rotate in contact with the document. The second unit 4 includes the third driven roller 26 and the fourth driven roller 30, and the device main body 2 includes a third unit 5 that is a unit that includes the third drive roller 25 and the fourth drive roller 29 and can be opened and closed relative to the second unit 4. As a result, by opening the third unit, the nip between the third conveying roller pair 24 and the fourth conveying roller pair 28 is released, and when a document jam occurs, the jammed document can be easily removed.

[0102] The separation roller 15 is switchable between a separation state in which the document is separated and a non-separation state in which the document is not separated, and is in the separation state when the device body 2 is in the normal reading position, and in the non-separation state when the device body 2 is in the booklet reading position. This allows the booklet, which is an example of a highly rigid document, to be fed appropriately.

[0103] Fig. 20 is a flowchart showing the processing of the control unit 80 when switching the attitude of the device main body 2. In Fig. 20, when the control unit 80 receives an instruction to read an original (Yes in step S101), it determines whether or not it is necessary to switch the attitude of the device main body 2 (step S102). Here, it is assumed that the instruction to read an original is received from the external device 100 (see Fig. 12), for example. The type of original to be read can be set in the external device 100, and the control unit 80 sets the attitude of the device main body 2 to the booklet reading attitude when the type of original to be read is a card-shaped original or a booklet-shaped original, and sets the attitude of the device main body 2 to the normal reading attitude when the type of original to be read is a sheet-shaped original.

[0104] In step S102, the acquired document type is compared with the current posture of the device body 2 to determine whether or not to switch the posture of the device body 2. As a result, if posture switching is not necessary (No in step S102), the document is read without posture switching control (step S107). If posture switching is necessary (Yes in step S102), the control unit 80, based on the target posture (step S103), switches the posture of the device body 2 to the booklet reading posture if the target posture is the booklet reading posture (step S104), switches the document transport path to the non-reverse transport path R4 (step S105), and switches the state of the separation roller 15 to the non-separation state (step S106). Note that steps S104, S105, and S106 may be executed simultaneously. Then, the document is read (step S107).

[0105] Based on the target posture (step S103), if the target posture is the normal reading posture, the control unit 80 switches the posture of the device main body 2 to the normal reading posture (step S108), switches the document transport path to the reverse transport path R3 (step S109), and switches the state of the separation roller 15 to the separation state (step S110). Note that steps S108, S109, and S110 may be executed simultaneously. Then, the document is read (step S107). Furthermore, it is also preferable to enable the detection information of the multi-feed detection unit 91 when the device main body 2 is in the normal reading position, and to disable the detection information of the multi-feed detection unit 91 when the device main body 2 is in the booklet reading position.

[0106] The posture of the device main body 2 may also be switched using a button constituting the operation unit 7. For example, if one of the buttons constituting the operation unit 7 is assigned as a posture switching button, and if the user presses the posture switching button when the current posture is the normal reading posture, the control unit 80 executes steps S104 and S105. Also, if the user presses the posture switching button when the current posture is the booklet reading posture, the control unit 80 controls the posture switching motor 40 to execute steps S107 and S108.

[0107] Of course, as described above, the position of the device main body 2 may be changed by the user applying force to the device main body 2. In this case, when the control unit 80 detects that the position of the device main body 2 has been changed from the normal reading position to the booklet reading position, it executes steps S105 and S106. Alternatively, when the control unit 80 detects that the position of the device main body 2 has been changed from the booklet reading position to the normal reading position, it executes steps S109 and S110.

[0108] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention described in the claims, and it goes without saying that these modifications are also included in the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0109] 1...scanner, 2...device main body, 3...first unit, 4...second unit, 4a...top surface, 5...third unit, 6...main body support portion, 6a, 6a-1...standing wall portion, 6b...tooth portion, 6c...main body rotation axis, 6d...projection, 6e...first contact portion, 6f...second contact portion, 7...operation portion, 8...locking member, 8a...unlocking portion, 8b...first locked portion, 8c...second locked portion, 10...upper opening / closing portion, 11...document support portion, 12a, 12b...edge Guide, 13...feed port, 14...feed roller, 15...separation roller, 16...first conveying roller pair, 17...first lower roller, 18...first upper roller, 20...second conveying roller pair, 21...second lower roller, 22...second upper roller, 24...third conveying roller pair, 25...third driving roller, 26...third driven roller, 28...fourth conveying roller pair, 29...fourth driving roller, 30...fourth driven roller, 32...first reading unit , 32a...contact glass, 33...second reading unit, 33a...contact glass, 35...flap, 35a...flap rotation axis, 35b...detected unit, 37...first discharge outlet, 38...second discharge outlet, 40...position switching motor, 41...rotation conversion means, 42...worm gear, 43...gear, 44...shaft, 45...gear, 46...first compound gear, 47...second compound gear, 49...transmission shaft, 50...conveyor motor, 51...drive pulley, 5 2...belt, 53...driven pulley, 54...gear, 55...rotating shaft, 58...gear group, 59...universal joint, 60...position maintaining means, 61...projection, 62...recess, 63...first frame, 63a...boss, 63b...supported portion, 63c...first locking portion, 63d...second locking portion, 63f...bearing portion, 64...second frame, 64a...frame rotating shaft, 65...third frame, 65a...bearing portion, 66...rear cover, 71...first connection portion (USB Type-A), 72...Second connection part (USB Type-C), 73...Third connection part (DC jack), 79...Circuit board, 80...Control part, 81...CPU, 82...Flash ROM, 83...RAM, 84...Interface, 86...First solenoid, 87...First attitude detection sensor, 88...Second attitude detection sensor, 89...First rotation detection part, 89a...Rotating disc, 89b...Detection part, 90...Second rotation detection part, 90a...Rotating disc, 90b...Detection part, 91...Double feed detection part, 92...Placement detection part, 93...First document detection part, 94...Second document detection part, 95...Second solenoid, 100...External device, R1: Document feed path, R2: Reading path, R3: Reversing path, R4: Non-reversing path

Claims

1. a main body support portion to be placed on a placement surface of the device; an apparatus main body supported by the main body support portion; The device body includes: an original support section that supports an original to be fed; a feed roller that feeds the document from the document support portion; a separation roller that nips the document between itself and the feed roller; a document transport path for transporting a document, the document transport path facing a reading unit for reading the document; a document transport path downstream of the reading transport path, which is a reversing transport path for reversing the read document upward and discharging the document; a non-reversing conveyance path, which is a document conveyance path downstream of the reading conveyance path, for discharging a read document without reversing it; a transport path switching unit for switching the document transport path connected to the reading transport path between the reverse transport path and the non-reverse transport path; Equipped with the device body is rotatably attached to the body support part, and is switchable by rotation between a first posture and a second posture in which an angle formed by the reading conveyance path and the placement surface is smaller than that of the first posture, the separation roller is switchable between a separation state in which the document is separated and a non-separation state in which the document is not separated; the conveyance path switching means connects the reading conveyance path to the reverse conveyance path when the device body is in the first position, and connects the reading conveyance path to the non-reverse conveyance path when the device body is in the second position; a control unit that controls the switching of the posture of the device body and the switching of the state of the separation roller, receives an instruction to read the document, and determines whether or not it is necessary to switch the posture of the device body; Furthermore, the control unit When it is determined that the posture of the device body needs to be switched and the target posture of the device body is the first posture, the separation roller is switched to the separation state; when it is determined that the posture of the device body needs to be switched and the target posture of the device body is the second posture, the separation roller is switched to the non-separation state; An image reading device characterized by:

2. In the image reading device according to claim 1, the control unit sets the target posture of the device body to the first posture when the document to be read is a sheet-like document, and sets the target posture of the device body to the second posture when the document to be read is a card-like document or a booklet-like document. An image reading device characterized by:

3. 3. The image reading device according to claim 2, a motor that is a power source for rotating the device body and is controlled by the control unit; a rotation conversion means for converting the rotation of the motor into the rotation of the device body; an attitude detection means for detecting the attitude of the device body; Equipped with the control unit controls the attitude of the device body based on the detection information of the attitude detection means. An image reading device characterized by:

4. 4. The image reading device according to claim 3, wherein the motor is provided in the device body, the rotation conversion means is a gear rotatably provided in the device body and rotated by the power of the motor; a toothed portion fixed to the main body support portion, the toothed portion meshing with the gear; An image reading device comprising:

5. 5. The image reading device according to claim 3, further comprising an encoder sensor that detects the amount and direction of rotation of the motor. An image reading device characterized by:

6. 6. The image reading device according to claim 3, the transport path switching unit includes a flap member whose position can be changed, and by changing the position of the flap member, the document transport path connected to the reading transport path is changed to either the reversing transport path or the non-reversing transport path; The flap member switches its position using a first solenoid controlled by the control unit as a power source, the control unit drives the first solenoid based on the detection information of the attitude detection means. An image reading device characterized by:

7. In the image reading device according to claim 6, a torque limiter that applies a rotational torque to the separation roller; a gear that can connect the separation roller and the torque limiter; a second solenoid that displaces the gear and is controlled by the control unit; Equipped with The separation state is formed by the separation roller and the torque limiter being connected to each other, and the non-separation state is formed by the separation roller and the torque limiter not being connected to each other, the control unit drives the second solenoid based on the detection information of the attitude detection means. An image reading device characterized by:

8. 8. The image reading device according to claim 1, wherein the device body includes a pair of discharge rollers that discharge the document from the non-reverse transport path; a common tangent to the pair of discharge rollers when the document transport path is viewed from the side intersects with the main body support portion in the first posture and does not intersect with the main body support portion in the second posture; An image reading device characterized by:

9. 9. The image reading device according to claim 1, wherein a discharge position when discharging a document using the non-reversing transport path is higher in the vertical direction when the device body is in the second position than when the device body is in the first position. An image reading device characterized by:

10. 10. The image reading device according to claim 1, further comprising: a first rotation restriction unit that restricts a rotation limit when the device body rotates from the second position to the first position; a second rotation restriction means for restricting a rotation limit when the device body rotates from the first position to the second position, the first rotation restricting means defines the first orientation of the device body, the second rotation restricting means defines the second orientation of the device body; An image reading device characterized by:

11. 2. The image reading device according to claim 1, wherein the first transport roller pair is a roller pair provided in the reading transport path and is located upstream of the reading unit; a second transport roller pair that is a roller pair provided in the reading transport path and is located downstream of the reading unit; the first transport roller pair includes a first lower roller that comes into contact with a lower surface of the document transported along the reading transport path, and a first upper roller that comes into contact with an upper surface of the document transported along the reading transport path; the second conveying roller pair includes a second lower roller that contacts the lower surface of the document and a second upper roller that contacts the upper surface of the document; the first lower roller, the first upper roller, the second lower roller, and the second upper roller are rotationally driven by a drive source; An image reading device characterized by:

12. 12. The image reading device according to claim 11, wherein the first upper roller is provided so as to be movable toward and away from the first lower roller, the second upper roller is provided so as to be able to advance and retreat relative to the second lower roller, The power of the drive source is transmitted to the first upper roller and the second upper roller by a universal joint. An image reading device characterized by:

13. 13. The image reading device according to claim 11, wherein the device body comprises: a first unit including the first lower roller and the second lower roller; a second unit including the first upper roller and the second upper roller, the second unit being openable and closable relative to the first unit; An image reading device characterized by:

14. 14. The image reading apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising: a third pair of conveying rollers disposed in the reverse conveying path and positioned downstream of the second pair of conveying rollers; a fourth conveyance roller pair that is a roller pair provided in the reverse conveyance path and is located downstream of the third conveyance roller pair, the third transport roller pair includes a third drive roller that is a roller that contacts the lower surface of the document and is driven, and a third driven roller that is a roller that contacts the upper surface of the document and is rotated in contact with the document, the fourth transport roller pair includes a fourth drive roller that is a roller that contacts the lower surface of the document and is driven, and a fourth driven roller that is a roller that contacts the upper surface of the document and is in contact with the document and rotates in response to the document; the second unit includes the third driven roller and the fourth driven roller, the device body includes a third unit that includes the third drive roller and the fourth drive roller and is openable and closable relative to the second unit; An image reading device characterized by:

Images