Image reading device

Abstract

To solve the problem in which: forming a document conveyance path in which a document is set and conveyed in an inclined attitude in addition to a straight conveyance path increases the dimensions in a depth direction of the device.SOLUTION: An image reading device comprises: a document support part that is located above and behind reading means and supports a document in an inclined attitude; a feeding path of the document sent out from the document support part; a first conveying roller that is located behind the reading means and above a straight conveyance path; and a feeding roller that sends out the document placed on the document support part toward the first conveying roller. At least part of the feeding roller is in an area of the first conveying roller in a depth direction of the device, and a position where the feeding roller and the document are in contact with each other is in the area of the first conveying roller in the depth direction of the device.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an image reading apparatus that reads an image of a document.

Background Art

[0002] As an image reading apparatus represented by a scanner, there is a sheet feed type that reads an image of a document while conveying the document. Also, among such image reading apparatuses, there is one that includes a document conveyance path for conveying a document set in an inclined posture and a document conveyance path for linearly conveying a document with high rigidity and difficult to bend (see Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The document conveyance path for conveying a document with high rigidity and difficult to bend needs to be formed linearly. In many cases, the area passing through the reading unit in the document conveyance path is formed along the horizontal direction. Therefore, when trying to form a document conveyance path for conveying a document set in an inclined posture, the depth dimension of the apparatus becomes large.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] To solve the above problems, the present invention provides an image reading device comprising: a reading means for reading an image of a document; a document transport path through the reading means, which is a straight transport path extending in the depth direction of the device; a document support unit located behind and above the reading means in the depth direction of the device, which supports the document in an inclined position; a feeding path for guiding the document fed from the document support unit to an area facing the reading means; and a roller located behind the reading means and above the straight transport path in the depth direction of the device, which guides the document being fed through the feeding path and the straight transport path The device comprises: a first transport roller that applies a feeding force to a document being transported along a path; a feed roller located above the reading means in the depth direction of the device, which feeds a document placed on the document support section from the document support section toward the first transport roller; and a separation section positioned opposite the feed roller for separating the document, wherein at least a portion of the feed roller is within the area of ​​the first transport roller in the depth direction of the device, and the position where the feed roller and the document come into contact is within the area of ​​the first transport roller in the depth direction of the device.

[0006] Furthermore, the image reading device of the present invention comprises a reading means for reading an image of a document, a reading transport path which is a document transport path opposite to the reading means, and a unit comprising the reading means and the reading transport path, wherein the unit is rotatable about a rotation centerline along the width direction which intersects the depth direction and the vertical direction of the device, and is characterized in that it can be switched between a first state in which the reading transport path is in an inclined position and a second state in which the reading transport path is aligned with the depth direction of the device. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] A schematic side cross-sectional view of a scanner according to the first embodiment, showing the case where a U-turn transport path is used. [Figure 2] A schematic side cross-sectional view of a scanner according to the first embodiment, showing the case where a straight transport path is used. [Figure 3] A schematic side cross-sectional view of a scanner according to the second embodiment, showing the case where a U-turn transport path is used. [Figure 4] A schematic side cross-sectional view of a scanner according to the second embodiment, showing the case where a straight transport path is used. [Figure 5] A schematic side cross-sectional view of a scanner according to the third embodiment, showing the case where a U-turn transport path is used. [Figure 6] A schematic side cross-sectional view of a scanner according to the third embodiment, showing the case where a straight transport path is used. [Figure 7] A modified example of the scanner according to the third embodiment is shown as viewed from the front of the device. [Figure 8] A top view of a modified example of the scanner according to the third embodiment. [Figure 9] A side view of the main part of a modified example of the scanner according to the third embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] The present invention will be described in general terms below. The first embodiment of the image reading device includes: a reading means for reading an image of a document; a document transport path through the reading means, which is a straight transport path extending in the depth direction of the device; a document support unit located behind and above the reading means in the depth direction of the device, which supports the document in an inclined position; a feeding path for guiding the document fed from the document support unit to an area facing the reading means; and a roller located behind the reading means and above the straight transport path in the depth direction of the device, which transports the document being fed through the feeding path and the straight transport path. The device comprises: a first transport roller that applies a feeding force to the document to be read; a feed roller located above the reading means in the depth direction of the device, which feeds the document placed on the document support from the document support toward the first transport roller; and a separation unit positioned opposite the feed roller for separating the document, wherein at least a portion of the feed roller is within the area of ​​the first transport roller in the depth direction of the device, and the position where the feed roller and the document come into contact is within the area of ​​the first transport roller in the depth direction of the device.

[0009] According to this embodiment, at least a portion of the feeding roller is located within the area of ​​the first transport roller in the depth direction of the device, and the position where the feeding roller and the document come into contact is located within the area of ​​the first transport roller in the depth direction of the device. As a result, the document support portion is positioned further forward than in the conventional configuration, thereby reducing the depth dimension of the device.

[0010] A second embodiment is characterized in that, in the first embodiment, the rotation axis center of the feeding roller is located in front of the rotation axis center of the first conveying roller in the depth direction of the device. According to this embodiment, the rotation axis center of the feeding roller is located in front of the rotation axis center of the first transport roller in the depth direction of the device, so the document support can be positioned further forward compared to the conventional configuration, thereby further reducing the depth dimension of the device.

[0011] A third aspect is characterized in that, in the first or second aspect, the document fed out from the document support section passes through a position opposite the reading means and then enters an upwardly curved discharge path. According to this embodiment, the document sent out from the document support unit passes through a position opposite the reading means and then enters an upwardly curving discharge path, thereby reducing the space required for discharging the document sent out from the document support unit (space in the depth direction of the device).

[0012] A fourth aspect is a third aspect of the apparatus, comprising a second transport roller located in front of the reading means and above the straight transport path in the depth direction of the apparatus, which applies a feeding force to the original being fed through the discharge path and the original being transported through the straight transport path, and a pair of discharge rollers that discharge the original being discharged from the discharge path, wherein at least a portion of one of the rollers constituting the pair of discharge rollers is located within the area of ​​the second transport roller in the depth direction of the apparatus. According to this embodiment, at least a portion of one of the rollers constituting the discharge roller pair is located within the area of ​​the second conveying roller in the depth direction of the device. As a result, the position of the discharge roller pair in the depth direction of the device becomes close to the position of the second conveying roller, thereby suppressing the depth dimension of the device.

[0013] A fifth aspect is characterized in that, in the fourth aspect, it comprises: a first driven roller that nips the original being fed along the feeding path with the first transport roller; a second driven roller that nips the original being transported along the discharge path with the second transport roller; a third driven roller that nips the original being transported along the straight transport path with the first transport roller and is a roller different from the first driven roller; and a fourth driven roller that nips the original being transported along the straight transport path with the second transport roller and is a roller different from the second driven roller.

[0014] According to this aspect, the first conveyance roller and the second conveyance roller can be used for both the conveyance of the document using the feeding path and the discharging path and the conveyance of the document using the straight conveyance path, and it is possible to suppress the increase in the size of the apparatus and the increase in cost.

[0015] A sixth aspect is that, in the fifth aspect, the reading means includes a first reading unit positioned above the straight conveyance path and a second reading unit positioned below the straight conveyance path, the first reading unit and the second reading unit are provided so as to be displaceable in the vertical direction, and when the second reading unit is displaced to the upper limit position, the second reading unit closes the straight conveyance path and enables the conveyance of the document using the feeding path and the discharging path, and when the first reading unit is displaced to the lower limit position, the first reading unit closes the path from the feeding path to the discharging path and enables the conveyance of the document using the straight conveyance path. According to this aspect, a dedicated configuration for switching the document conveyance path becomes unnecessary, and it is possible to suppress the increase in the size of the apparatus and the increase in cost.

[0016] A seventh aspect includes reading means for reading an image of a document, a reading conveyance path which is a document conveyance path facing the reading means, a unit including the reading means and the reading conveyance path, and a document support portion which is positioned behind and above the rotation center of the unit when viewed from the width direction which is a direction intersecting the depth direction and the vertical direction of the apparatus and supports the document in an inclined posture, the unit is provided so as to be rotatable about a rotation center line along the width direction, and can be switched between a first state in which the reading conveyance path is in an inclined posture and a second state in which the reading conveyance path is along the depth direction of the apparatus by rotation, and when the unit is in the first state, a document conveyance path is formed through which the document sent out from the document support portion is discharged via the reading conveyance path, and when the unit is in the second state, a straight conveyance path which is a conveyance path including the reading conveyance path and extends in the depth direction of the apparatus is formed.

[0017] According to this aspect, a unit including the reading means and the reading conveyance path is provided rotatably, and by rotating, it can be switched between a first state in which the reading conveyance path is in an inclined posture and a second state in which the reading conveyance path is along the depth direction of the apparatus. Therefore, the original document support portion can be disposed closer to the front than in the conventional configuration, and thereby the depth direction dimension of the apparatus can be suppressed.

[0018] <First Embodiment> Hereinafter, the present invention will be specifically described. Hereinafter, as an example of an image reading apparatus, a sheet feed type scanner 1A will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. In addition, the X - Y - Z coordinate system shown in each figure is a rectangular coordinate system, the X - axis direction and the Y - axis direction are horizontal directions, and the Z - axis direction is a vertical direction. The X - axis direction is the apparatus width direction and also the original document width direction. The Y - axis direction is the apparatus depth direction, the + Y direction is the direction from the back surface of the apparatus toward the front surface of the apparatus, and the - Y direction is the direction from the front surface of the apparatus toward the back surface of the apparatus. That is, the front surface of the apparatus is the side surface in the + Y direction. In addition, hereinafter, the direction in which the original document is conveyed may be referred to as "downstream", and the opposite direction may be referred to as "upstream".

[0019] As shown in FIG. 1, the scanner 1A includes a feed tray 3 that supports the original document P1 before feeding in an inclined posture at the upper rear of the apparatus main body 2. The feed tray 3 is an example of an original document support portion. The original document P1 supported on the feed tray 3 is sent out by a feed roller 5 driven by a motor (not shown). The original document P1 is, as an example, plain paper that is easily bent. Reference numeral 5a is the rotation axis of the feed roller 5. At a position facing the feed roller 5, a separation pad 6 which is an example of a separation portion for separating the original document P1 is provided. Note that a separation roller may be used instead of the separation pad 6.

[0020] Downstream of the feed roller 5, a feed path R1 is provided for transporting the original document P1 fed out by the feed roller 5. In this embodiment, the feed path R1 extends from the contact position C1 between the feed roller 5 and the separation pad 6 to the position where it enters the space between the first reading unit 25 and the second reading unit 26, which will be described later.

[0021] A first drive roller 10, which is an example of a first transport roller, is provided in the middle of the feed path R1, and a first driven roller 11 is provided that nips the original document P1 between itself and the first drive roller 10. The first drive roller 10 and the first driven roller 11 constitute a first transport roller pair 9. The first drive roller 10 is driven by a motor (not shown). Reference numeral 10a denotes the rotation axis of the first drive roller 10. The first driven roller 11 is movable back and forth relative to the first drive roller 10 and is pressed toward the first drive roller 10 by a pressing member (e.g., a spring) (not shown).

[0022] A reading means 24 is provided downstream of the first transport roller pair 9. The reading means 24 comprises a first reading unit 25 located at the top and a second reading unit 26 located at the bottom. In this embodiment, the first reading unit 25 and the second reading unit 26 are contact image sensor modules. The space between the first reading unit 25 and the second reading unit 26 is the document transport path R0. As the document P1 is transported along the document transport path R0, the first side and the second side opposite it are read. The first reading unit 25 and the second reading unit 26 extend in the X-axis direction, and are configured so that their length in the X-axis direction covers the entire width of the document. The maximum standard document width that can be read by the reading means 24 is, for example, the short side of A4 size as defined by the international standard ISO 216.

[0023] After exiting the reading transport path R0, the document P1 enters the upward-curving discharge path R2. Downstream of the reading means 24 in the discharge path R2, there is a second drive roller 14, which is an example of a second transport roller, and a second driven roller 15 that nips the document P1 between itself and the second drive roller 14. The second drive roller 14 and the second driven roller 15 constitute a second transport roller pair 13. The second drive roller 14 is driven by a motor (not shown). Reference numeral 14a denotes the rotation axis of the second drive roller 14. The second driven roller 15 is movable forward and backward relative to the second drive roller 14 and is pressed toward the second drive roller 14 by a pressing member (e.g., a spring) (not shown).

[0024] Downstream of the second transport roller pair 13, a discharge roller pair 20 is provided. The discharge roller pair 20 comprises a discharge drive roller 21 driven by a motor (not shown) and a discharge driven roller 22 that nips the original document P1 between itself and the discharge drive roller 21 and rotates in a driven manner. The discharge driven roller 22 is movable forward and backward relative to the discharge drive roller 21 and is pressed toward the discharge drive roller 21 by a pressing member (e.g., a spring) (not shown). The original document P1 is discharged toward the discharge tray 23 by the discharge roller pair 20. The discharge tray 23 supports the discharged original document P1 in an inclined position. As described above, the original document P1 is transported along a document transport path that is configured in an overall U-shape by the feed path R1, the reading transport path R0, and the discharge path R2.

[0025] In addition to the U-shaped document transport path shown, scanner 1A can also be configured with a straight transport path R3 as shown in Figure 2. The following describes how to switch between the U-shaped document transport path and the straight transport path R3. The first reading unit 25 and the second reading unit 26 are configured to be displaced vertically as a single unit by a cam (not shown). When using the U-shaped document transport path shown in Figure 1, the first reading unit 25 is positioned upward in the region where it can be displaced vertically and is fixed in that position. The second reading unit 25 is provided to be displaceable vertically and is pressed toward the first reading unit 25 by a spring (not shown).

[0026] Next, when using the straight transport path R3 shown in Figure 2, the first reading unit 25 and the second reading unit 26 are displaced downwards as a single unit from the state shown in Figure 1. As a result, the first reading unit 25 separates the supply path R1 and the discharge path R2. In this state, when the original document P2 is inserted between the first reading unit 25 and the second reading unit 26, the second reading unit 26 is displaced downward according to the thickness of the original document P2. That is, the distance between the first reading unit 25 and the second reading unit 26 can be adjusted by the displacement of the second reading unit 26. The original document P2 is, for example, a thick document that does not easily bend, such as a booklet or a card. Reference numeral 30 and 31 indicate guide members that are integrally provided with the second reading unit 26. The guide members 30 and 31 also move up and down in conjunction with the second reading unit 26.

[0027] A cam (not shown) that moves the first reading unit 25 and the second reading unit 26 up and down together is powered by an actuator such as a motor or solenoid and rotates. The rotation of the cam is controlled by a control unit (not shown). For example, when the user specifies the type of document via the operation panel (not shown), the control unit controls the rotation of the cam accordingly to achieve the state shown in Figure 1 or Figure 2. However, the cam may also be configured to be rotated by, for example, the user operating an operation lever.

[0028] In the straight conveyor path R3, a third driven roller 17 is provided behind the reading means 24. The third driven roller 17 is movable forward and backward relative to the first drive roller 10 and is pressed toward the first drive roller 10 by a pressing member (e.g., a spring) not shown. Reference numeral 17a denotes the rotation axis of the third driven roller 17. The first drive roller 10 and the third driven roller 17 constitute a third conveyor roller pair 16.

[0029] Furthermore, in the straight conveyor path R3, a fourth driven roller 19 is provided in front of the reading means 24. The fourth driven roller 19 is movable forward and backward relative to the second drive roller 14 and is pressed toward the second drive roller 14 by a pressing member (not shown, for example, a spring). Reference numeral 19a denotes the rotation axis of the fourth driven roller 19. The second drive roller 14 and the fourth driven roller 19 constitute the fourth conveyor roller pair 18. The third driven roller 17 and the fourth driven roller 19 move up and down according to the thickness of the original document P2. Furthermore, the third driven roller 17 and the fourth driven roller 19 may be replaced with motor-driven rollers instead of driven rollers.

[0030] In this embodiment, the outer diameters of the third driven roller 17 and the fourth driven roller 19 are larger than the outer diameters of the first driven roller 11 and the second driven roller 15. Also in this embodiment, the outer diameters of the third driven roller 17 and the fourth driven roller 19 are the same as the outer diameters of the first drive roller 10 and the second drive roller 14.

[0031] Thick and flexible documents P2, such as booklets and cards, can be inserted into the straight transport path R3 through the front opening 2a on the front of the device or the rear opening 2b on the back of the device. When a document P2 is inserted through the front opening 2a, the first drive roller 10 and the second drive roller 14 rotate counterclockwise as shown in Figure 2 to transport the document P2 toward the back of the device, at which point the reading means 24 performs the reading. When the document P2 is read, a portion of the document P2 may protrude backward through the rear opening 2b. In this case, the document P2 is discharged from the front opening 2a by the clockwise rotation of the first drive roller 10 and the second drive roller 14 as shown in Figure 2. However, it is not limited to this, and it may also be discharged directly from the rear opening 2b. Alternatively, the document P2 may be inserted through the rear opening 2b and ejected through the front opening 2a, or the document P2 may be inserted through the rear opening 2b and ejected through the rear opening 2b. Furthermore, the straight conveyor path R3 does not necessarily have to be parallel to the horizontal; it may be at a certain angle to the horizontal.

[0032] As described above, the scanner 1 includes a reading means 24 for reading an image of a document, a document transport path R3 that passes through the reading means 24 and extends in the depth direction of the device, a feed tray 3 located behind and above the reading means 24 in the Y-axis direction, i.e., the depth direction of the device, and supporting the document in an inclined position, and a feed path R1 that guides the document sent from the feed tray 3 to an area facing the reading means 24. The scanner 1 also includes a first drive roller 10 located behind the reading means 24 in the depth direction of the device and above the straight transport path R3, which applies a feeding force to the document P1 being fed through the feed path R1 and the document P2 being transported through the straight transport path R3.

[0033] Furthermore, the scanner 1A is a roller located above the reading means 24 in the depth direction of the device, and includes a feed roller 5 that feeds the document P1 placed on the feed tray 3 from the feed tray 3 toward the first drive roller 10, and a separation pad 6 that is positioned opposite the feed roller 5 and separates the document. Furthermore, at least a portion of the feed roller 5 lies within the region indicated by symbol Y1 in the depth direction of the device, i.e., within the region of the first drive roller 10, and the contact position C1, where the feed roller 5 and the document P1 come into contact, is located within region Y1. As a result, the feed tray 3 is positioned further forward compared to the conventional configuration, thereby reducing the depth dimension of the device. Furthermore, it is also possible to configure the system so that all of the feeding rollers 5 are located within region Y1.

[0034] Furthermore, the rotation axis center H1 of the feed roller 5 is located in front of the rotation axis center H2 of the first drive roller 10 in the depth direction of the device. This allows the feed tray 3 to be positioned further forward compared to the conventional configuration, thereby further reducing the depth dimension of the device.

[0035] Furthermore, the rotation axis center H1 of the feed roller 5 is located between the reading means 24 and the rotation axis center H2 of the first drive roller 10 in the depth direction of the device. Furthermore, the region indicated by symbol Y2 is the region between the rear position of the feed roller 5 and the front position of the first drive roller 10 in the depth direction of the device. The path portion of the feed path R2 from the contact position C1 between the feed roller 5 and the separation pad 6 to the contact position C2 between the first drive roller 10 and the first driven roller 11 is contained within region Y2.

[0036] Furthermore, the document P1 sent from the feed tray 3 passes through a position opposite the reading means 24 before entering the upward-curving discharge path R2. This reduces the space required for discharging the document P1 sent from the feed tray 3 (space in the depth direction of the device).

[0037] Furthermore, the scanner 1A includes a second drive roller 14 located in front of the reading means 24 and above the straight transport path R3 in the depth direction of the device, which applies feeding force to the original document P1 transported in the discharge path R2 and the original document P2 transported in the straight transport path R3, and a pair of discharge rollers 20 that discharge the original document P1 from the discharge path R2. At least a portion of one of the rollers constituting the pair of discharge rollers 20 is located within the region Y3 of the second drive roller 14 in the depth direction of the device. As a result, the position of the pair of discharge rollers 20 in the depth direction of the device is close to the position of the second drive roller 14, and the depth dimension of the device can be suppressed. In this embodiment, a portion of the discharge drive roller 21 and a portion of the discharge driven roller 22 are located within region Y3, but a portion of either the discharge drive roller 21 or the discharge driven roller 22 may also be located within region Y3. Alternatively, the entirety of the discharge drive roller 21 and the entirety of the discharge driven roller 22 may be located within region Y3, or the entirety of either the discharge drive roller 21 or the discharge driven roller 22 may be located within region Y3.

[0038] Furthermore, scanner 1A includes a first driven roller 11 that nips the document P1 being fed through the feed path R1 with the first driven roller 10, and a second driven roller 15 that nips the document P1 being transported through the discharge path R2 with the second driven roller 14. Furthermore, scanner 1A includes a third driven roller 17, which is a roller that nips the original document P2 being transported along the straight transport path R3 with the first driven roller 10 and is separate from the first driven roller 11, and a fourth driven roller 19, which is a roller that nips the original document P2 being transported along the straight transport path R3 with the second driven roller 14 and is separate from the second driven roller 15. This allows the first drive roller 10 and the second drive roller 14 to be used for both the transport of the original document P1 using the feed path R1 and the discharge path R2, and the transport of the original document P2 using the straight transport path R3, thereby suppressing the increase in size of the device and the increase in costs.

[0039] The reading means 24 includes a first reading unit 25 located above the straight transport path R3 and a second reading unit 26 located below the straight transport path R3, and the first reading unit 25 and the second reading unit 26 are provided to be displaceable in the vertical direction. When the second reading unit 26 is displaced to its upper limit position (state shown in Figure 1), the second reading unit 26 blocks the straight path R3 and allows the transport of the original document P1 using the feed path R1 and the discharge path R2. When the first reading unit 25 is displaced to its lower limit position (state shown in Figure 2), the first reading unit 25 blocks the path from the feed path R1 to the discharge path R2 and allows the transport of the original document P2 using the straight transport path R3. With this configuration, a dedicated configuration for switching the original document transport path is not required, which helps to suppress the size increase of the device and the increase in cost.

[0040] <Second Embodiment> Next, a sheet-feed type scanner 1B according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 3 and 4. Components identical to those already described are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions will be omitted below. Scanner 1B is equipped with a separation roller 40 instead of the separation pad 6 described above. However, it is also possible to use a separation pad instead of the separation roller 40.

[0041] The main body of the device 50 has a circular space 50a when viewed from the width direction. The space 50a extends in the width direction. The main body of the device 50 has a unit 51 within this space 50a. The unit 51 is circular when viewed from the width direction and has a shape that extends in the width direction, that is, it is cylindrical. Unit 51 is provided with a first transport roller pair 41, a reading means 55, and a second transport roller pair 45.

[0042] The first transport roller pair 41 comprises a first drive roller 42 driven by a motor (not shown) and a first driven roller 43 that rotates under its own power. The first driven roller 43 is movable forward and backward relative to the first drive roller 42 and is pressed toward the first drive roller 42 by a pressing member (not shown). The second transport roller pair 45 comprises a second drive roller 46 driven by a motor (not shown) and a second driven roller 47 that rotates under its own power. The second driven roller 47 is movable forward and backward relative to the second drive roller 46 and is pressed toward the second drive roller 46 by a pressing member (not shown).

[0043] A reading transport path S0 is formed between the first reading unit 56 and the second reading unit 57, which constitute the reading means 55. The reading transport path S0 is the document transport path between the first transport roller pair 41 and the second transport roller pair 45. The first reading unit 56 is movable forward and backward relative to the second reading unit 57 and is pressed toward the second reading unit 57 by a pressing spring 53, which is an example of a pressing member.

[0044] Unit 51 is rotatable in the clockwise and counterclockwise directions as shown in Figures 3 and 4. The rotation of unit 51 may be performed by a motor or other power source under the control of a control unit (not shown), or by the user. The symbol U1 is the rotation center of unit 51. Unit 51 rotates around a rotation center line parallel to the X-axis direction. By rotating, unit 51 switches between a first state in which the reading transport path S0 is in an inclined position as shown in Figure 3, and a second state in which the reading transport path S0 is aligned with the depth direction of the device as shown in Figure 4.

[0045] In the first state, when the reading transport path S0 is in an inclined position, the upstream end of the reading transport path S0 is connected to the supply path S1, and the downstream end of the reading transport path S0 is connected to the discharge path S2, as shown in Figure 3. This forms a U-shaped document transport path for transporting the document P1. The scanned document P1 passes through the discharge path S2 and is discharged by the discharge roller pair 49 provided in the discharge path S2.

[0046] In the second state, where the reading transport path S0 is aligned with the depth direction of the device, a straight transport path S3 including the reading transport path S0 is formed, as shown in Figure 4. Thick and flexible documents P2, such as booklets and cards, can be inserted into the straight transport path S3 through the front opening 50b on the front of the device or the rear opening 50c on the back of the device. When a document P2 is inserted through the front opening 50b, the first drive roller 42 and the second drive roller 46 rotate clockwise as shown in Figure 4 to transport the document P2 toward the back of the device, at which point the reading means 55 performs the reading. When the document P2 is read, a portion of the document P2 may protrude backward through the rear opening 50c. In this case, the document P2 is discharged from the front opening 50b by the counterclockwise rotation of the first drive roller 42 and the second drive roller 46 as shown in Figure 4. However, it is not limited to this, and it may also be discharged directly from the rear opening 50c. Alternatively, the document P2 may be inserted through the rear opening 50c and ejected through the front opening 50b, or the document P2 may be inserted through the rear opening 50c and ejected through the rear opening 50c. Furthermore, the straight conveyor path S3 does not necessarily have to be parallel to the horizontal direction; it may be at a certain angle to the horizontal direction.

[0047] As described above, the scanner 1B comprises a reading means 55 for reading an image of a document, a reading transport path S0 which is a document transport path opposite to the reading means 55, a unit 51 which includes the reading means 55 and the reading transport path S0, and a feed tray 3 which is located behind and above the rotation center U1 of the unit 51 when viewed from the width direction which is a direction intersecting the depth direction and the vertical direction of the device, and supports the document P1 in an inclined position. Unit 51 is rotatable around a rotation centerline along the width direction, and can be switched between a first state in which the reading transport path S0 is in an inclined position and a second state in which the reading transport path S0 is aligned with the depth direction of the device by rotating. When unit 51 is in the first state, a document transport path is formed through which the document P1 sent from the feed tray 3 is discharged via the reading transport path S0, and when unit 51 is in the second state, a straight transport path S3 is formed which includes the reading transport path S0 and extends in the depth direction of the device. This configuration allows the feed tray 3 to be positioned further forward compared to the conventional configuration, thereby reducing the depth dimension of the device.

[0048] <Third Embodiment> Next, a sheet-feed type scanner 1C according to the third embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 5 and 6. Components identical to those already described are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions will be omitted below. The scanner 1C is equipped with a feed tray 3 on the front side of the device body 76 and an output tray 23 on the rear side. The original document P1 placed on the feed tray 3 travels through the feed path T1 to the first transport roller pair 62 and enters the reading transport path T0. The first transport roller pair 62 comprises a first drive roller 63 driven by a motor (not shown) and a first driven roller 64 that rotates in a driven manner. The first driven roller 64 is movable forward and backward relative to the first drive roller 63 and is pressed toward the first drive roller 63 by a pressing member (not shown).

[0049] A reading means 70 is provided behind the first pair of transport rollers 62, and a second pair of transport rollers 67 is provided further behind that. A reading transport path T0 is formed between the first reading unit 71 and the second reading unit 72, which constitute the reading means 70. The reading transport path T0 is the document transport path between the first transport roller pair 62 and the second transport roller pair 67. The first reading unit 71 is movable forward and backward relative to the second reading unit 72 and is pressed toward the second reading unit 72 by a pressing member (not shown), such as a spring.

[0050] The second transport roller pair 67 comprises a second drive roller 68 driven by a motor (not shown) and a second driven roller 69 that rotates in a driven manner. The second driven roller 69 is movable forward and backward relative to the second drive roller 68 and is pressed toward the second drive roller 68 by a pressing member (not shown).

[0051] A discharge path T2 is formed behind the second transport roller pair 67. Switching between the discharge path T2 and the straight transport path T3, described later, is performed by a flap 75. The flap 75 is rotatable by power from a drive source (not shown), and by rotating, it switches between the state in which the discharge path T2 shown in Figure 5 is formed and the state in which the straight transport path T3 shown in Figure 6 is formed. The document P1 sent to the discharge path T2 is discharged toward the discharge tray 23 by the discharge roller pair 78. In this way, the document P1 fed from the feed tray 3 is transported along the U-shaped transport path.

[0052] Next, in Figure 6, a thick and flexible document P2, such as a booklet or card, can be inserted into the straight transport path T3 through the front opening 76a on the front of the device or the rear opening 76b on the back of the device. When the document P2 is inserted through the front opening 76a, the first drive roller 63 and the second drive roller 68 rotate clockwise in Figure 6 to transport the document P2 toward the back of the device, at which point the reading means 70 reads it. When the document P2 is read, a portion of the document P2 may protrude backward through the rear opening 76b. In this case, the document P2 is discharged from the front opening 76a by the counterclockwise rotation of the first drive roller 63 and the second drive roller 68 in Figure 6. However, it is not limited to this, and it may also be discharged directly from the rear opening 76b. Alternatively, the document P2 may be inserted through the rear opening 76b and ejected through the front opening 76a, or it may be inserted through the rear opening 76b and ejected through the rear opening 76b. Furthermore, the straight conveyor path T3 does not necessarily have to be parallel to the horizontal; it may be at a certain angle to the horizontal.

[0053] Furthermore, the scanner 1C is a roller located above the reading means 70 in the depth direction of the device, and includes a feed roller 5 that feeds the original document P1 placed on the feed tray 3 from the feed tray 3 toward the first drive roller 63, and a separation roller 40 which is positioned opposite the feed roller 5 and separates the original document. Furthermore, at least a portion of the feed roller 5 lies within the region indicated by symbol Y1 in the depth direction of the device, i.e., within the region of the first drive roller 63, and the contact position C1, where the feed roller 5 and the document P1 come into contact, is located within region Y1. This allows the feed tray 3 to move closer to the reading means 70 in the depth direction of the device, thereby suppressing the depth dimension of the device. Furthermore, it is also acceptable for the entire supply roller 5 to be located within region Y1.

[0054] Furthermore, in scanner 1C, instead of providing a front opening 76a and a rear opening 76b, that is, instead of providing a straight transport path T3, a transport path for reading booklets may be partially provided on the side in the width direction (X-axis direction) of the device. This will be explained below with reference to Figures 7 to 9. An example of a booklet is a passport. Figure 7 shows the device from the front, indicating the underside of the device body 76A. In Figure 7, the left direction (+X direction) is the left side of the device from the user's perspective, and the right direction (-X direction) is the right side of the device from the user's perspective. A lateral opening 76c is formed on the left side of the device body 76A. The width Xa of the lateral opening 76c is large enough to read one page when booklet P3 is open. Note that the lateral opening 76c may be formed on the right side of the device body 76A instead of the left side.

[0055] As shown in Figure 8, booklet P3 is passed through the inside of the side opening 76c, indicated by arrow K, from the rear to the front of the device body 76A, and can be read along the way. At this time, the bottom side of booklet P3 becomes the reading surface, and is read by the second reading unit 72. Alternatively, booklet P3 may be read while moving it from the front to the rear of the device body 76A. Alternatively, it may be read with the reading surface facing upwards by the first reading unit 71.

[0056] As shown in Figure 9, the area through which booklet P3 passes is provided with a first drive roller 81, a first driven roller 82, a second drive roller 85, and a second driven roller 86. The first drive roller 81 and the second drive roller 85 are driven by a motor (not shown), and the first driven roller 82 and the second driven roller 86 are movable forward and backward relative to the opposing drive roller and are pressed toward the opposing drive roller by a pressing member (not shown). Furthermore, manuscript P1 (see Figure 5) is nipped by the first transport roller pair 62 and the second transport roller pair 67, as well as by the first drive roller 81 and the first driven roller 82, and also by the second drive roller 85 and the second driven roller 86.

[0057] In this embodiment, each driven roller has a larger outer diameter than each drive roller, and is more than twice the maximum thickness of the booklet P3. Each drive roller can be made of, for example, a rubber roller, and each driven roller can be made of a material with a lower modulus of elasticity than each drive roller, such as urethane. By forming each driven roller from a soft material in this way, it is possible to absorb any steps or unevenness in the booklet P3. With the above configuration, the user can manage the space required in front of and behind the device body 76A when reading booklet P3, thereby improving usability.

[0058] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and it goes without saying that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention as described in the claims, and these modifications are also included within the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0059] 1A, 1B, 1C...Scanner, 2...Device body, 2a...Front opening, 2b...Rear opening, 3...Feed tray, 5...Feed roller, 6...Separation pad, 9...First transport roller pair, 10...First drive roller, 11...First driven roller, 13...Second transport roller pair, 14...Second drive roller, 15...Second driven roller, 16...Third transport roller pair, 17...Third driven roller, 18...Fourth transport roller pair, 19...Fourth driven roller, 20...Discharge roller pair, 21...Discharge drive roller, 22...Discharge driven roller, 23...Discharge tray, 24...Reading means, 25...First reading unit, 26...Second reading unit, 30, 31...Guide members, 40...Separation roller, 41...First transport roller pair, 42...First drive roller, 43...First driven roller, 45...Second transport roller pair, 46...Second drive roller, 47...Second driven roller, 49...Discharge roller pair, 50...Device body, 50a...Space, 51...Unit, 53...Pressure spring, 55...Reading means, 56...First reading section, 57...Second reading section, 60...Device body, 62...First transport roller pair, 63...First drive roller, 64...First driven roller, 67...Second transport roller pair, 68...Second drive roller, 69...Second driven roller, 70...Reading means, 71...First reading section, 72...Second reading section, 75...Flap, 76, 76A...Device body, 76a...Front opening, 76b...Rear opening, 76c...Side opening, 78...Discharge roller pair, 81...First drive roller, 82...First driven roller, 85...Second drive roller, 86...Second driven roller, R0...Reading and conveying path, R1...Feeding and conveying path, R2...Discharge path, R3...Straight conveying path S0...Reading and conveying path, S1...Feeding and conveying path, S2...Discharge path, S3...Straight conveying path, T0: Reading and transport path, T1: Feeding and transport path, T2: Discharge path, T3: Straight transport path

Claims

1. A means for reading images of a document, A document transport path through the reading means, comprising a straight transport path extending in the depth direction of the device, A document support unit is located behind and above the reading means in the depth direction of the device, and supports the document in an inclined position. A feeding path that guides the document sent from the document support unit to the area facing the reading means, A roller located in the depth direction of the apparatus, rear of the reading means and above the straight transport path, which applies a feeding force to the original document being fed along the feed path and the original document being transported along the straight transport path, A roller located above the reading means in the depth direction of the apparatus, which feeds the document placed on the document support unit from the document support unit toward the first transport roller, A separation unit is positioned opposite the aforementioned feeding roller and separates the original document, The feeding path includes a first driven roller that nips the document being fed with the first transport roller, A third driven roller, which is a roller that nips the original document being transported along the straight transport path with the first transport roller and is separate from the first driven roller, An ejection path into which the document sent from the document support unit enters, the ejection path which curves upward after passing through a position opposite the reading means, A second transport roller located in the depth direction of the apparatus, forward of the reading means and above the straight transport path, which applies a feeding force to the original document fed through the discharge path and the original document transported along the straight transport path, A second driven roller nips the document being transported through the discharge path with the second transport roller, A fourth driven roller, which is a roller that nips the original document being transported along the straight transport path with the second transport roller and is separate from the second driven roller, The system includes a pair of discharge rollers that discharge a document from the aforementioned discharge passage, The reading means comprises a first reading unit located above the straight conveyor path and a second reading unit located below the straight conveyor path. The first reading unit and the second reading unit are provided so as to be displaceable in the vertical direction. When the second reading unit is displaced to its upper limit position, the second reading unit blocks the straight transport path, and the transport of the document using the feed path and the discharge path becomes possible. When the first reading unit is displaced to its lower limit position, the first reading unit blocks the path from the feeding path to the discharge path, and the transport of the document using the straight transport path becomes possible. At least a portion of the feeding roller is located within the area of ​​the first conveying roller in the depth direction of the device, The position where the feed roller and the document come into contact is within the area of ​​the first transport roller in the depth direction of the device. At least a portion of one of the rollers constituting the discharge roller pair is located within the area of ​​the second conveying roller in the depth direction of the device. An image reading device characterized by the following:

2. In the image reading device according to claim 1, the rotation axis center of the feeding roller is located in front of the rotation axis center of the first conveying roller in the depth direction of the device. An image reading device characterized by the following:

3. A means for reading images of a document, A reading transport path which is a document transport path opposite the reading means, A unit comprising the reading means and the reading transport path, The device comprises a document support section located rearward and above the rotation center of the unit when viewed from the width direction, which is a direction intersecting the depth direction and the vertical direction of the device, and which supports the document in an inclined position, The unit is rotatable about a rotation centerline along the width direction, and can be switched between a first state in which the reading transport path is in an inclined position and a second state in which the reading transport path is aligned with the depth direction of the device by rotating. When the unit assumes the first state, a document transport path is formed through which the document sent from the document support unit is discharged via the reading transport path. When the unit takes the second state, a straight transport path is formed which includes the reading transport path and extends in the depth direction of the device. An image reading device characterized by the following:

Images