Image reading device

Abstract

To provide an image reading device having a reading unit for reading an image and a fixing unit, which is a fixed member, above the reading unit, which does not interfere with the fixing unit even when a movable moving unit is moved in a case in which the reading section does not read an image.SOLUTION: An image reading device 20 includes a reading unit 25 that reads an image, and a moving unit 30 that is movable when the reading unit 25 does not read an image, and moves within a region where a fixing unit 40 fixed above the reading unit 25 does not exist on the trajectory drawn during movement.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an image reading device. [Background technology]

[0002] A document reading device that includes a document placing table having a document reading unit and an automatic document feeder supported on the document placing table so as to be rotatable between a closed position that covers the top surface of the document placing table and an open position that opens the top surface of the document placing table has been known for some time (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-068980 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] To provide an image reading device having a reading unit that reads an image and a fixed unit that is a fixed member above the reading unit, in which a movable moving unit does not interfere with the fixed unit even when the reading unit is not reading an image. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] In order to achieve the above object, a first aspect of the image reading device according to the present invention comprises a reading unit that reads an image, and a moving unit that is a member that can move when the reading unit is not reading an image, and that moves within an area on the trajectory that the reading unit traces when moving, where there is no fixed unit that is a member fixed above the reading unit.

[0006] Furthermore, a second aspect of the image reading device according to the present invention is the image reading device of the first aspect, wherein the fixed part has an operating part and is located at the back side opposite to where the operator is standing.

[0007] An image reading device according to a third aspect of the present invention is the image reading device according to the second aspect, wherein the fixed part is present on a trajectory that the movable part traces when it moves, in a plan view.

[0008] Furthermore, a fourth aspect of the image reading device according to the present invention is the image reading device of the second aspect, in which, when viewed from the front from the operator's standing position, the fixed part is located on the trajectory that the moving part draws when moving.

[0009] Furthermore, a fifth aspect of the image reading device according to the present invention is the image reading device of the second aspect, in which the fixed part is shifted in a direction perpendicular to the direction along the front view in a plan view and in a front view from the operator's standing position so that the fixed part is not on the trajectory that the moving part draws when moving.

[0010] In addition, a sixth aspect of the image reading device according to the present invention is an image reading device according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, wherein the moving unit is configured to be rotatable around an axial direction that is along the front view from the operator's standing position.

[0011] In addition, a seventh aspect of the image reading device according to the present invention is an image reading device of the sixth aspect, wherein the length of the moving part along a direction perpendicular to the axial direction in a planar view is shorter than the length of the remaining part excluding the moving part. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the first aspect of the invention, in an image reading device having a reading unit that reads an image and a fixed unit that is a fixed member located above the reading unit, even if the movable moving unit is moved when the reading unit is not reading an image, it does not interfere with the fixed unit.

[0013] According to the second aspect of the invention, the image can be read more easily than when the fixed portion is located on the side where the operator is standing.

[0014] According to the third aspect of the invention, the fixed part can be moved closer to the operator's standing position than when the fixed part is shifted to the back so that it does not exist on the trajectory that the moving part traces when moving in a planar view.

[0015] According to the fourth aspect of the invention, the fixed part can be positioned as low as possible so that it is not on the trajectory that the moving part traces when moving when viewed from the front, compared to when the fixed part is shifted upward.

[0016] According to the fifth aspect of the invention, the fixed part can be positioned closer to the operator's standing position and at the lowest possible position, so that it is not on the trajectory that the moving part traces when moving, when viewed from the top and from the front, compared to when the fixed part is shifted toward the back and upward.

[0017] According to the sixth aspect of the invention, even if the rotatable moving part is rotated when the reading part is not reading an image, it does not interfere with the fixed part.

[0018] According to the seventh aspect of the invention, the length of the trajectory that the moving part draws when moving can be made shorter than when the length of the moving part is longer than the length of the remaining part excluding the moving part. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing an image forming apparatus including an image reading device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] 1 is a perspective view showing an image reading device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 3] 1 is a side view showing an image reading device according to a first embodiment. [Figure 4] 1 is a front view showing an image reading device according to a first embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a side view showing an image reading device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a front view showing an image reading device according to a third embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. For ease of explanation, the arrow UP shown in FIG. 1 indicates the upward direction of the image reading device 20, and the arrow RH indicates the rightward direction of the image reading device 20. Therefore, in the following description, when the up / down and left / right directions are mentioned unless otherwise specified, they refer to the up / down and left / right directions of the image reading device 20. Furthermore, the left / right direction is synonymous with the width direction of the image reading device 20.

[0021] 1 indicates the front direction of the image reading device 20, and the direction opposite to the arrow FR indicates the rear direction of the image reading device 20. The user (operator) is assumed to stand on the front side of the image reading device 20. In other words, the user's standing position is on the front side of the image reading device 20. The arrow FR may also be referred to as the front direction of the image reading device 20, and the direction opposite to the arrow FR as the rear direction of the image reading device 20.

[0022] 1, an image forming apparatus 10 equipped with an image reading device 20 according to this embodiment includes a rectangular housing-shaped apparatus main body 12. Inside the apparatus main body 12, there are provided a storage section (not shown) that stores recording paper (not shown) as an example of a recording medium, a transport section (not shown) that transports the recording paper, an image forming section (not shown) that forms an image on the transported recording paper, and a fixing section (not shown) that fixes the image formed on the recording paper.

[0023] A notched step 14 is formed on the right side of the upper end of the device body 12, and the bottom surface of this step 14 serves as a paper discharge section 16. A discharge opening 18 for discharging recording paper with a fixed image is formed in the side wall of the step 14 facing the right side, and the recording paper discharged from the discharge opening 18 is placed on the paper discharge section 16.

[0024] An image reading device 20 is provided on top of the device body 12. The image reading device 20 has a device body 22 in the shape of a rectangular housing, the front-to-back length and the left-to-right length of which are approximately equal to those of the device body 12. A part of the top surface 22U of the device body 22 serves as a loading section 24 on which a document (not shown) is placed, which is an example of an object to be read, the image of which is read by a document camera (not shown). The document camera is located above a display section 40, which will be described later.

[0025] 2, the loading section 24 is formed in a rectangular shape with the left-right direction as the longitudinal direction in a plan view, and the right side of the loading section 24 can be pulled out to the right (outside in the longitudinal direction). A part of the pulled-out loading section 24 forms part of a document setting section 26 on which a document is placed when being transported and read. Therefore, a transport section (not shown) that transports a document and a reading section 25 (see FIG. 4) that reads an image of the document are provided inside the device body 22 of the image reading device 20.

[0026] 3 and 4, the left side of the loading section 24 is a cover body 30, which is an example of a moving section that is moved (opened) when no documents are loaded on the loading section 24, such as when removing a jammed document during transport by the transport section. The cover body 30 is formed in a substantially "L" shape when viewed from the front from a standing position of the user, and its lower end 35 (one end) is rotatably supported by a rotation shaft 38 whose axial direction is the front-to-rear direction (direction along the front view). The rotation shaft 38 is supported by the device main body 22.

[0027] The cover body 30 has a bent portion 32 bent at an approximately 90° angle, and the lower side (the rotation shaft 38 side) of the bent portion 32 forms part of the left side wall 22L of the device main body 22, and the cover body 30 has a bent portion 32 above the bent portion 32 (the side opposite the rotation shaft 38 side) that forms part of the loading portion 24. Therefore, the top surface 34 of the cover body 30 is flat. The side surface 36 of the cover body 30 is also flat.

[0028] Furthermore, in a plan view, the length L1 of the top surface 34 of the cover body 30 along the left-right direction (the direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the rotation shaft 38) is shorter than the length L2 of the remaining portion of the loading section 24 (the portion that is pulled out to the right and forms part of the document setting section 26) from which the top surface 34 of the cover body 30 has been removed (see FIG. 1). In other words, the cover body 30 is located to the left of the center of the device body 22 in the left-right direction (one side in the longitudinal direction of the loading section 24).

[0029] This configuration makes it possible to shorten as much as possible the length of the locus K (shown by a dashed line in FIG. 4; hereinafter, sometimes referred to as "movement locus K") that the tip 33 of the cover body 30 traces when it moves (when it rotates around the rotation axis 38).The cover body 30 is also configured to be movable within an area where the display unit 40, which will be described later, does not exist.

[0030] First Embodiment First, a first embodiment of the image reading device 20 having the above-described configuration will be described. As shown in Figures 1 to 4, at the back of the device body 22 and above the mounting portion 24 (reading portion 25), there is a display unit 40 as an example of a fixed portion having a rectangular shape in a front view (when viewed from the user's standing position) with the left-right direction as the longitudinal direction.

[0031] More specifically, a rectangular pillar 46 stands in the center of the left-right direction on the rear side of the top surface of the device body 12, and the center of the back surface of the display unit 40 in the left-right direction is fixed to a support member 48 that is roughly L-shaped in side view and is provided integrally with the upper end of the pillar 46. In other words, the display unit 40 is supported by the pillar 46 via the support member 48, and is fixed in a state inclined backward by a predetermined angle θ with respect to the vertical direction so that the user can easily touch the operation unit 44, which will be described later.

[0032] 2, a notch 28 as an example of a storage section capable of storing the column 46 is formed at the rear end of the top surface 22U of the device body 22. This notch 28 is formed in a generally rectangular shape in plan view with the longitudinal direction being the left-right direction, and is formed in a size that allows the column 46 provided on the device body 12 of the image forming device 10 to pass through.

[0033] 1 to 4, the display unit 40 has a rectangular frame 42, and the screen enclosed by the frame 42 is an operation unit 44 that is operated by the user. In other words, the display unit 40 has an operation unit 44 configured with a so-called touch panel screen, and the user can input by touching items displayed on the screen of the operation unit 44 with their fingers.

[0034] The display unit 40 (operation unit 44) is, for example, 15 inches in size and is heavy, so it is supported by the device body 12 of the image forming device 10 via pillars 46. In other words, the display unit 40 is not provided on the device body 22 of the image reading device 20. The left-right length of the device body 22 of the image reading device 20 is also formed slightly longer than the left-right length of the display unit 40. In other words, the display unit 40 in the first embodiment does not protrude outward in the left-right direction from the right side wall 22R and the left side wall 22L of the device body 22 in a plan view.

[0035] 3 and 4, the display unit 40 is disposed above the movement area (movement trajectory K) of the rotating (moving) cover body 30. Specifically, the positions of the pillar portion 46 and the support member 48 are set so that the display unit 40 is disposed above the rear end portion 33A of the tip portion 33, which passes through the highest position in the cover body 30 that rotates (moves) around the rotation axis 38.

[0036] In other words, the lower end 42D of the frame body 42 of the display unit 40 supported by the column portion 46 and the support member 48 (including the lower front end of the support member 48 as shown in Figure 3) overlaps from the rear side (rear side) of the rear end (including the rear end 33A at the tip portion 33) of the cover body 30 which rotates (moves) around the rotation axis 38 in side view and plan view.

[0037] As a result, in a front view, the display unit 40 is located above the movement trajectory K of the rotating (moving) cover body 30, and in a side view, the display unit 40 is located above the movement area (approximately a quarter-cylindrical area) of the rotating (moving) cover body 30. Even if the display unit 40 is configured to be angle-changeable, for example, at an angle (θ=0°) along the vertical direction, the display unit 40 in the first embodiment is configured to be located above the movement area (movement trajectory K) of the rotating (moving) cover body 30.

[0038] Furthermore, in a plan view, the display unit 40 is positioned such that a portion of it (the left portion, approximately one-third of the length in the left-right direction) is within the movement area (on the movement trajectory K) of the rotating (moving) cover body 30. This is to bring the operation unit 44 of the display unit 40 as close as possible to the user (to keep the distance from the user to the operation unit 44 as short as possible).

[0039] Next, the operation of the image reading device 20 according to the first embodiment configured as above will be described.

[0040] As described above, the cover body 30 is configured to be movable (openable) within an area where the display unit 40 is not present when no document is placed on the loading unit 24, such as when removing a document that has become stuck inside the device main body 22 when the document set in the document setting unit 26 is transported by the transport unit.

[0041] In other words, the display unit 40 is disposed above the movement trajectory K of the tip 33 of the cover body 30 in a front view, and above the rear end of the cover body 30 (including the rear end 33A of the tip 33) in a side view. Therefore, even when the cover body 30 is rotated (moved), it does not interfere with the display unit 40. In other words, the tip 33 of the cover body 30 does not come into contact with the lower end 42D of the frame 42 of the display unit 40.

[0042] Furthermore, in a plan view, a portion (the left portion) of the display unit 40 is present within the movement area (on the movement trajectory K) of the cover body 30. Therefore, compared to when the display unit 40 is not present within the movement area (on the movement trajectory K) of the cover body 30 in a plan view, for example, when the display unit 40 is located further back (towards the rear) than the movement area of ​​the cover body 30, it is possible to move the operation unit 44 of the display unit 40 closer to the user's standing position (towards the user's front). This improves operability of the operation unit 44.

[0043] Furthermore, the cover body 30 constitutes a part of the mounting portion 24, and the length L1 of the cover body 30 in the left-right direction (the direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the rotation shaft 38) in a plan view is shorter than the length L2 of the remaining part of the mounting portion 24 excluding the top surface 34 of the cover body 30. Therefore, it is possible to make the length of the movement locus K described by the tip portion 33 of the cover body 30 when rotating (moving) as viewed from the front as short as possible (to reduce the radius of rotation). This prevents the display unit 40 from being positioned higher than necessary.

[0044] As described above, the display unit 40 is located at the rear side, opposite the side where the user stands (the front side). Therefore, it is easier to place a document on the placement section 24 (to read an image) than when the display unit 40 is located on the side where the user stands (the front side). Furthermore, the display unit 40 does not protrude outward in the left-right direction from the right side wall 22R and the left side wall 22L of the device body 22 in a plan view. This prevents the entire image forming apparatus 10, including the image reading device 20, from becoming larger.

[0045] Furthermore, a notch 28 for passing the pillar 46 is formed at the rear end of the top surface 22U of the device body 22. Therefore, the length of the device body 12 in the front-to-rear direction is reduced compared to when, for example, the device body 12 protrudes further back (rearward) than the device body 22 and the pillar 46 stands. This prevents the image forming device 10 from becoming larger. In other words, the entire image forming device 10 including the image reading device 20 can be made smaller (saving installation space).

[0046] Second Embodiment Next, a second embodiment will be described. Note that the same reference numerals are used to designate the same parts as those in the first embodiment, and detailed descriptions (including common functions) will be omitted as appropriate.

[0047] 5, in the second embodiment, unlike the first embodiment, the display unit 40 is disposed rearward (rearward) from the movement area (movement trajectory K) of the rotating (moving) cover body 30. Specifically, the pillars 46 and the support member 48 are set so that the lower end 42D of the frame body 42 of the display unit 40 is disposed rearward (rearward) from the rear end of the cover body 30 (including the rear end 33A of the tip portion 33).

[0048] A part of the display unit 40 (at least the lower left corner) is located on the movement path K that the tip 33 of the cover body 30 traces when rotating (moving) in a front view from a standing position of the user. In other words, the display unit 40 is located at a height position lower than that of the first embodiment.

[0049] In this way, in the second embodiment, it is possible to position the display unit 40 as low as possible. Therefore, compared to when the height position of the display unit 40 is the same as that of the first embodiment, the user can view the operation unit 44 at an angle looking down on it, making the operation unit 44 easier to see. This improves operability of the operation unit 44.

[0050] <Third embodiment> Finally, a third embodiment will be described. Note that the same reference numerals are used to designate parts equivalent to those in the first and second embodiments, and detailed descriptions (including common functions) will be omitted as appropriate.

[0051] 6, in the third embodiment, unlike the first and second embodiments, the display unit 40 is disposed to the right of the center in the left-right direction of the device body 22 (the other side in the longitudinal direction of the mounting portion 24). Specifically, the height position of the display unit 40 is the same as that of the second embodiment, and is disposed to the right of the movement area (movement trajectory K) of the rotating (moving) cover body 30 when viewed from the front.

[0052] That is, in the third embodiment, the display unit 40 is not located on the movement path K that the tip 33 of the cover body 30 traces when it rotates (moves) in a plan view and a front view. Therefore, the display unit 40 can be located closer to the user's standing position (nearby), and can be located as low as possible. Therefore, compared to when the height position of the display unit 40 is the same as that of the first embodiment, the user can more easily see the operation unit 44, and the operability of the operation unit 44 is improved.

[0053] The image reading device 20 according to this embodiment has been described above with reference to the drawings. However, the image reading device 20 according to this embodiment is not limited to the one shown in the drawings, and the design can be modified as appropriate within the scope of the gist of the present invention.

[0054] For example, the display unit 40 may be configured to be supported by the device body 22 of the image reading device 20. Furthermore, the display unit 40 may be configured to be supported by a support member (not shown) or the like that is placed directly on the installation space, separate from the device body 12 of the image forming device 10 and the device body 22 of the image reading device 20. Furthermore, the image reading device 20 according to this embodiment does not need to be provided with a document camera that reads the image of the document placed on the loading section 24. In other words, the image reading device 20 according to this embodiment may be configured to read the image of the document only by the reading unit 25.

[0055] Also, for example, in the first embodiment, the display unit 40 may be configured to automatically move up and down in conjunction with the rotation (movement) of the cover body 30. That is, the display unit 40 may be configured to rise when the cover body 30 opens, and to fall when the cover body 30 is closed. Furthermore, the cover body 30 is not limited to a configuration that rotates about the rotation shaft 38 to open and close. The cover body 30 may be configured to open, for example, by moving upward and then to the left. [Explanation of symbols]

[0056] 20 Image reader 25 Reading unit 30 Cover body (an example of a moving part) 40 Display unit (an example of a fixed unit) 44 Control section K locus

Claims

1. a reading unit that reads an image; a moving unit that is formed in an "L" shape when viewed from the front from the standing position of an operator, and that is movable by rotating around one end with an axial direction along the front view when the reading unit is not reading an image, and that moves within an area where a fixed unit, which is a member fixed above the reading unit, does not exist on the trajectory that it describes when it moves; An image reading device comprising:

2. 2. The image reading device according to claim 1, wherein the fixed portion has an operation portion and is located at the rear side opposite to a position where an operator stands.

3. 3. The image reading device according to claim 2, wherein the fixed portion exists on a locus that the movable portion traces when it moves, in a plan view.

4. 3. The image reading device according to claim 2, wherein the fixed part is located on a path traced by the moving part when the moving part moves, in a front view from a standing position of an operator.

5. 3. The image reading device according to claim 2, wherein the fixed part is shifted in a direction perpendicular to the direction along the front view in a plan view so that the fixed part is not located on the trajectory that the moving part traces when moving in a plan view and in a front view from the operator's standing position.

6. An image reading device described in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the length of the moving part along a direction perpendicular to the axial direction in a planar view is shorter than the length of the remaining part excluding the moving part.

Images