Image reading device

Abstract

To improve medium feeding and setting properties.SOLUTION: An image reading device 1 includes: a first displacement member 57 that is movable between a first non-contact position where a medium and a feeding roller 51 are not in contact with each other and a first contact position where the medium and the feeding roller are in contact with each other; and a second displacement member 10 that is movable between a second non-contact position where the medium and a feeding auxiliary roller 52 are not in contact and a second contact position where the medium and the feeding auxiliary roller are in contact. The second displacement member 10 is displaced from the second non-contact position to the second contact position as the first displacement member 57 is displaced from the first non-contact position to the first contact position, and is also displaced from the second contact position to the second non-contact position as the first displacement member is displaced from the first contact position to the first non-contact position.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an image reading apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, various image reading apparatuses have been used. There is an image reading apparatus including an image reading unit, a feeding roller that feeds a medium in a feeding direction, and a feeding assisting member such as a feeding assisting roller that is provided upstream of the feeding roller in the feeding direction and feeds the medium together with the feeding roller. It is possible to feed the medium even without the feeding assisting member, but the feeding performance of the medium is improved by providing the feeding assisting member. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an image reading apparatus including an image reading unit, a first feeding roller corresponding to the feeding assisting roller, and a second feeding roller corresponding to the feeding roller.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in a conventional image reading apparatus including an image reading unit, a feeding roller, and a feeding assisting member, such as the image reading apparatus of Patent Document 1, when setting the medium, the medium may come into contact with the feeding assisting member and be damaged. This is because, for example, a feeding assisting member such as a feeding assisting roller is made of a material having a strong frictional force against the medium in order to feed the medium, and when setting the medium, a force is applied in a state where the medium contacts the feeding assisting member. Therefore, in a conventional image reading apparatus including an image reading unit, a feeding roller, and a feeding assisting member, the load on the user when setting the medium is large, and it is required to improve the setting property of the medium.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] To solve the above problems, the present invention provides an image reading device comprising: a reading unit for reading an image of a medium; a medium placement unit on which the medium is placed; a feeding roller for feeding the medium placed on the medium placement unit in the feeding direction; a feeding auxiliary roller provided upstream of the feeding roller in the feeding direction and feeding the medium together with the feeding roller; a first non-contact position in which the medium placed on the medium placement unit and the feeding roller are not in contact with each other in a feeding standby state in which the feeding of the medium by the feeding roller and the feeding auxiliary roller is waiting; and a first non-contact position in which the medium placed on the medium placement unit and the feeding roller are not in contact in a feeding state in which the medium is fed by the feeding roller and the feeding auxiliary roller. The device comprises a first displacement member that is displaceable to a first contact position in which the medium placed on the medium placement section comes into contact with the feed assist roller, a second non-contact position in which the medium placed on the medium placement section does not come into contact with the feed assist roller in the feed standby state, and a second contact position in which the medium placed on the medium placement section comes into contact with the feed assist roller in the feed state, wherein the second displacement member is displaced from the second non-contact position to the second contact position as the first displacement member is displaced from the first non-contact position to the first contact position, and displaced from the second contact position to the second non-contact position as the first displacement member is displaced from the first contact position to the first non-contact position.

[0006] Furthermore, the image reading device of the present invention, which solves the above problems, includes a reading unit for reading an image of a medium, a medium placement unit on which the medium is placed, a feeding roller for feeding the medium placed on the medium placement unit in the feeding direction, a feeding auxiliary member provided upstream of the feeding roller in the feeding direction and feeding the medium together with the feeding roller, and a first non-contact position in which the medium placed on the medium placement unit and the feeding roller are not in contact with each other in a feeding standby state in which the feeding of the medium by the feeding roller and the feeding auxiliary member is waiting, and The feeding mechanism includes a first displacement member that is displaceable to a first contact position, where the medium placed on the medium mounting section comes into contact with the feeding roller in a feeding state in which the medium is fed by the feeding roller and the feeding assist member, wherein the feeding assist member comes into contact with the medium placed on the medium mounting section as the first displacement member is displaced from the first non-contact position to the first contact position, and becomes non-contact with the medium placed on the medium mounting section as the first displacement member is displaced from the first contact position to the first non-contact position. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] A side cross-sectional view showing the internal configuration of an image reading device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 2] A side cross-sectional view showing the area around the feed roller and feed assist roller of the image reading device shown in Figure 1. [Figure 3] A perspective view showing the area around the feed roller and feed auxiliary roller of the image reading device in Figure 1, with some of the components omitted. [Figure 4] Figure 1 is a side cross-sectional view showing the area around the feed roller of the image reading device, and shows the position of the first displacement member when the media is set. [Figure 5] Figure 1 is a side cross-sectional view showing the area around the feed roller of the image reading device, and shows the position of the first displacement member during medium feeding. [Figure 6] A side cross-sectional view showing the periphery of the first and second displacement members of the image reading device shown in Figure 1, representing the positions of the first and second displacement members when the media is set. [Figure 7] A side cross-sectional view showing the periphery of the first and second displacement members of the image reading device in Figure 1, representing the positions of the first and second displacement members during medium feeding. [Figure 8] A perspective view showing the area around the feed assist roller and the second displacement member of the image reading device shown in Figure 1. [Figure 9] A plan view showing the area around the feed assist roller and the second displacement member of the image reading device shown in Figure 1. [Figure 10] Block diagram of the image reading device shown in Figure 1. [Figure 11] A side cross-sectional view showing the periphery of the first displacement member and the second displacement member of an image reading device according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention, the diagram showing the positions of the first displacement member and the second displacement member when the medium is set. [Figure 12] A side cross-sectional view showing the periphery of the first and second displacement members of the image reading device in Figure 11, representing the positions of the first and second displacement members during medium feeding. [Figure 13] A side cross-sectional view showing the periphery of the first displacement member and the second displacement member of an image reading device according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention, the diagram showing the positions of the first displacement member and the second displacement member when the medium is set. [Figure 14] Figure 13 is a side cross-sectional view showing the periphery of the first and second displacement members of the image reading device, and shows the positions of the first and second displacement members when the medium is being fed. [Figure 15] A flowchart illustrating the operation from setting the document to starting document feeding using the image reader shown in Figure 13. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] The present invention will be described in general terms below. An image reading device according to a first aspect of the present invention includes: a reading unit for reading an image of a medium; a medium placement unit on which the medium is placed; a feeding roller for feeding the medium placed on the medium placement unit in the feeding direction; a feeding auxiliary roller provided upstream of the feeding roller in the feeding direction and feeding the medium together with the feeding roller; a first non-contact position in which the medium placed on the medium placement unit and the feeding roller are not in contact with each other in a feeding standby state in which the feeding of the medium by the feeding roller and the feeding auxiliary roller is waiting; and in a feeding state in which the medium is fed by the feeding roller and the feeding auxiliary roller, the medium placed on the medium placement unit and the feeding roller The device comprises a first contact position in which the medium placed on the medium placement section and the feed assist roller are brought into contact, a first displacement member that is displaceable to a first contact position, a second non-contact position in which the medium placed on the medium placement section and the feed assist roller are not brought into contact in the feed standby state, and a second contact position in which the medium placed on the medium placement section and the feed assist roller are brought into contact in the feed state, wherein the second displacement member is displaced from the second non-contact position to the second contact position as the first displacement member is displaced from the first non-contact position to the first contact position, and displaced from the second contact position to the second non-contact position as the first displacement member is displaced from the first contact position to the first non-contact position.

[0009] According to this embodiment, the device is equipped with a second displacement member that can be displaced between a second non-contact position in which the medium placed on the medium placement section does not come into contact with the feed assist roller in the feed standby state, and a second contact position in which the medium placed on the medium placement section comes into contact with the feed assist roller in the feed state. The second displacement member displaces from the second non-contact position to the second contact position as the first displacement member displaces from the first non-contact position to the first contact position, and displaces from the second contact position to the second non-contact position as the first displacement member displaces from the first contact position to the first non-contact position. In other words, the device is equipped with a second displacement member that prevents contact between the medium and the feed assist roller in the feed standby state when setting the medium, and allows contact between the medium and the feed assist roller in the feed state when reading the image of the medium. Therefore, the feed performance is improved by providing a feed assist roller, and the setting performance of the medium can be improved because the medium and the feed assist roller do not come into contact in the feed standby state when setting the medium.

[0010] Furthermore, a second aspect of the present invention is an image reading device according to the first aspect, comprising: a first gear provided on the rotating shaft of the feeding roller; a second gear provided on the rotating shaft of the feeding auxiliary roller; and a gear train that engages with the first gear and the second gear, wherein the gear train is provided between the first gear and the second gear in the feeding direction and on the opposite side from the feeding auxiliary roller with respect to the second displacement member in the width direction intersecting the feeding direction.

[0011] According to this embodiment, the device is equipped with a gear train that engages with a first gear provided on the rotation axis of the feed roller and a second gear provided on the rotation axis of the feed auxiliary roller. The gear train is located between the first gear and the second gear in the feed direction and is located on the opposite side of the feed auxiliary roller in the width direction, with respect to the second displacement member. By arranging the gear train in this way, the gear train can be efficiently arranged within the device, and the size of the device can be suppressed.

[0012] Further, a third aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the image reading apparatus according to the first or second aspect, the feeding speed of the medium by the feeding auxiliary roller is slower than the feeding speed of the medium by the feeding roller.

[0013] According to this aspect, the feeding speed of the medium by the feeding auxiliary roller is slower than the feeding speed of the medium by the feeding roller. Therefore, the medium can be fed in a state where it is pulled in the feeding direction, and the feeding performance of the medium can be particularly improved.

[0014] Further, a fourth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the image reading apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects, the feeding auxiliary roller is made of a material having higher elasticity than the feeding roller.

[0015] According to this aspect, the feeding auxiliary roller has higher elasticity than the feeding roller. That is, since the feeding auxiliary roller contacts the medium with a softer and wider contact area than the feeding roller and feeds the medium, the feeding performance of the medium can be particularly improved.

[0016] Further, a fifth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the image reading apparatus according to the fourth aspect, a separation roller is provided at a position facing the feeding roller and is capable of separating one sheet of the medium by nipping the one sheet of the medium together with the feeding roller when a plurality of sheets of the medium are placed on the medium placement portion, and the separation roller is made of a material having higher elasticity than the feeding roller.

[0017] According to this aspect, a separation roller having higher elasticity than the feeding roller is provided at a position facing the feeding roller and is capable of separating one sheet of the medium by nipping the one sheet of the medium together with the feeding roller when a plurality of sheets of the medium are placed on the medium placement portion. Therefore, when a plurality of sheets of the medium are placed on the medium placement portion, one sheet of the medium can be accurately separated.

[0018] Furthermore, a sixth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in an image reading device according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, when the feeding of the medium is started by the feeding roller and the feeding auxiliary roller, the feeding roller and the feeding auxiliary roller rotate, the first displacement member is displaced from a first non-contact position to a first contact position, and the second displacement member is displaced from a second non-contact position to a second contact position.

[0019] According to this embodiment, when the feeding of the medium begins, the feeding roller and the feeding auxiliary roller rotate, causing the first displacement member to be displaced from a first non-contact position to a first contact position, and the second displacement member to be displaced from a second non-contact position to a second contact position. With this configuration, the feeding force of the medium can be applied to the feeding roller and the feeding auxiliary roller immediately after the feeding of the medium begins.

[0020] Furthermore, a seventh aspect of the present invention is an image reading device according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, characterized in that when the feeding of the medium by the feeding roller and the feeding auxiliary roller is completed, the first displacement member is displaced from the first contact position to the first non-contact position, the second displacement member is displaced from the second contact position to the second non-contact position, and the rotation of the feeding roller and the feeding auxiliary roller stops.

[0021] According to this embodiment, when the feeding of the medium is completed, the first displacement member is displaced from the first contact position to the first non-contact position, the second displacement member is displaced from the second contact position to the second non-contact position, and the rotation of the feeding roller and the feeding auxiliary roller stops. With this configuration, when feeding the next medium, the medium feeding start operation can be executed immediately.

[0022] Furthermore, an eighth aspect of the present invention is an image reading device according to the first aspect, wherein the second displacement member has a first moving part and a second moving part, the feeding assist roller is provided between the first moving part and the second moving part in a width direction intersecting the feeding direction, and the first moving part and the second moving part protrude more from the surface of the medium on

[0023] According to this embodiment, the feeding assist roller is provided between the first moving part and the second moving part in the width direction, and the first and second moving parts protrude more from the medium placement surface of the medium placement part than the feeding assist roller when the second displacement member is in the second non-contact position. With this configuration, it is possible to effectively suppress the medium from coming into contact with the feeding assist roller when the second displacement member is in the second non-contact position.

[0024] Furthermore, a ninth aspect of the present invention is an image reading device according to the eighth aspect, wherein the first moving part and the second moving part are provided with inclined surfaces on the upstream and downstream sides in the feeding direction, and the downstream inclined surface on the downstream side in the feeding direction is longer than the upstream inclined surface on the upstream side in the feeding direction.

[0025] According to this embodiment, the first and second moving parts are provided with inclined surfaces on the upstream and downstream sides in the feeding direction, with the downstream inclined surface being longer than the upstream inclined surface. When setting the medium, the medium can be guided along the downstream inclined surface, thus allowing the medium to be guided effectively along the longer downstream inclined surface.

[0026] Furthermore, a tenth aspect of the present invention is an image reading device according to any one of the first to ninth aspects, characterized in that it is provided with a pair of transport rollers located downstream of the feed roller in the feed direction, which transport the medium fed by the feed roller to the reading unit, and both opposing rollers constituting the transport roller pair are rotated by a driving force from a drive source.

[0027] In this embodiment, both opposing rollers constituting the transport roller pair are rotated by the driving force of the drive source. With this configuration, when transporting thick media such as booklets that require a large transport force, the transport force can be increased compared to a configuration in which only one of the two opposing rollers constituting the transport roller pair is rotated by the driving force of the drive source.

[0028] Furthermore, an image reading device according to an 11th aspect of the present invention includes a reading unit for reading an image of a medium, a medium placement unit on which the medium is placed, a feeding roller for feeding the medium placed on the medium placement unit in the feeding direction, a feeding auxiliary member provided upstream of the feeding roller in the feeding direction and feeding the medium together with the feeding roller, and the medium placed on the medium placement unit and the feeding roller in a feeding standby state in which feeding of the medium by the feeding roller and the feeding auxiliary member is awaited. The feeding assist member comprises a first displacement member that is displaceable between a first non-contact position in which the medium is not in contact with the feed roller and a first contact position in which the medium placed on the medium placement section and the feed roller come into contact with the medium in a feeding state in which the medium is fed by the feed roller and the feed assist member, wherein the feed assist member is displaced as the first displacement member moves between a contact position in which it comes into contact with the medium placed on the medium placement section and a non-contact position in which it does not come into contact with the medium placed on the medium placement section.

[0029] According to this embodiment, the feeding assist member is displaced between a contact position and a non-contact position in accordance with the displacement of the first displacement member. For example, the feeding assist member comes into contact with the medium placed on the medium placement section when the first displacement member is displaced from the first non-contact position to the first contact position, and becomes non-contact with the medium placed on the medium placement section when the first displacement member is displaced from the first contact position to the first non-contact position. With this configuration, the feeding assist member can apply a feeding force to the medium when the feeding state for reading the image of the medium begins, that is, when the first displacement member is displaced from the first contact position to the first non-contact position. Furthermore, since various configurations other than rollers can be used as the feeding assist member, the degree of freedom in its arrangement and size is increased, making it possible to make it difficult for the feeding assist member to come into contact with the medium when setting the medium, thereby improving the ease of setting the medium.

[0030] The present invention will be described in detail below. In the following, as an example of an image reading device, we will give a scanner 1 that can read at least one side of a document, either the first side or the opposite second side. Scanner 1 is a so-called sheet-feed type scanner that reads an image of a document while moving the document, which is an example of a medium, to the reading unit 2 described later. In this specification, the term "document" includes not only sheet-type documents but also card-type documents and booklet-type documents.

[0031] In each figure, the XYZ coordinate system is such that the X-axis direction is the width direction, the Y-axis direction is the front-to-back direction, and the Z-axis direction is the direction along the vertical. In this embodiment, the +Y direction is the direction from the back of the device toward the front, and the -Y direction is the direction from the front of the device toward the back. Also, when viewed from the front of the device, the left direction is the +X direction and the right direction is the -X direction. Furthermore, below, the direction in which the document is transported may be referred to as "downstream," and the opposite direction may be referred to as "upstream."

[0032] [Example 1] First, the scanner 1 of Embodiment 1 will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 10. The scanner 1 of this embodiment is equipped with a media feeder. In this embodiment, the media feeder is configured by excluding the reading unit 2 from the scanner 1. However, from the standpoint of feeding the document, the entire scanner 1, including the reading unit 2, may be considered as the media feeder.

[0033] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the scanner 1 of this embodiment includes a main body 3. The main body 3 includes a first unit 3A and a second unit 3B. The second unit 3B can be opened and closed by rotating it relative to the first unit 3A on a rotation axis (not shown). Figures 1 and 2 show the second unit 3B in the closed position relative to the first unit 3A. Normally, the second unit 3B is kept closed relative to the first unit 3A, but during maintenance, etc., the second unit 3B is opened relative to the first unit 3A.

[0034] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the scanner 1 of this embodiment has a main body 3 equipped with a media placement section 4 on which the original document is placed on a placement surface 41. A feeding section 5 is provided to feed the original document placed on the media placement section 4 in the feeding direction A, and includes a feeding roller 51, a pick roller 52, and a separation roller 53. The feeding roller 51 feeds the original document placed on the media placement section 4 in the feeding direction A. The pick roller 52 is located upstream of the feeding roller 51 in the feeding direction A and acts as a feeding auxiliary roller that feeds the original document together with the feeding roller 51. The separation roller 53 is located opposite the feeding roller 51 and, when multiple original documents are placed on the media placement section 4, it separates one original document at a time by nipping it together with the feeding roller 51.

[0035] As shown in Figure 3, the feeding unit 5 includes a first gear 54 provided on the rotating shaft 51a of the feeding roller 51, a second gear 55 provided on the rotating shaft 52a of the pick roller 52, and a gear train 56 that engages with the first gear 54 and the second gear 55. Since the feeding roller 51 and the pick roller 52 are connected via the gear train 56, they can rotate synchronously.

[0036] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, downstream of the feeding unit 5 in the feeding direction A, there is a pair of transport rollers 6 that transport the documents fed by the feeding unit 5 to the reading unit 2. The transport roller pair 6 has a drive roller 61 and a driven roller 62 positioned opposite the drive roller 61 and rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the drive roller 61. The documents fed to the transport roller pair 6 by the feeding unit 5 are nipped by the drive roller 61 and the driven roller 62, and are transported to the reading unit 2 as the drive roller 61 rotates.

[0037] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the reading unit 2 has a first reading unit 2A that reads the image from one side of the document, and a second reading unit 2B that reads the image from the other side of the document. As shown in Figure 1, a transport roller pair 7 is provided downstream of the reading unit 2 in the feeding direction A. The transport roller pair 7 has a drive roller 71 and a driven roller 72 that is positioned opposite the drive roller 71 and rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the drive roller 71. The document, transported to the transport roller pair 7 by the transport roller pair 6, is nipped by the drive roller 71 and the driven roller 72, and as the drive roller 71 rotates, it is discharged from the discharge port 81 and placed on the discharge medium placement unit 82. In Figure 1, the transport path of the document is shown by a dashed line. In this specification, transport is used to mean both feeding and discharge.

[0038] Next, the details of the document feeding unit 5, which is the main part of the scanner in this embodiment 1, will be described. As shown in Figure 8, a set guide 57 is provided on the outside of the document feeding roller 51 in the width direction. Before feeding begins, the document is supported from below by the set guide 57, pushed up, and separated from the document feeding roller 51. In other words, contact between the document and the document feeding roller 51 is prevented before feeding begins.

[0039] In the state before feeding begins, as shown in Figure 4, the document is held in a feeding standby position by a flap 59, which acts as a contact point at its leading edge in the feeding direction A, preventing it from entering between the feeding roller 51 and the separation roller 53. The flap 59 is mounted so as to be rotatable in direction D4, as shown in Figure 5, with respect to a rotating shaft 59a provided on the pressing unit 58. However, in the state before feeding begins, as shown in Figure 4, the leading edge is hooked into a recess 57b provided on the set guide 57, preventing it from rotating in direction D4 in the state before feeding begins.

[0040] Then, during the feeding process shown in Figure 5, the set guide 57 retracts downward in direction D1 from the state before feeding begins shown in Figure 4, allowing the document to come into contact with the feeding roller 51. Also, the tip of the flap 59 moves out of the recess 57b, allowing it to rotate in direction D4 with respect to the rotation axis 57a. Consequently, the rotation of the feeding roller 51 sends the document downstream in the feeding direction A. If multiple documents are placed on the media placement section 4 at this time, only the bottom document is sent downstream. The flap 59 rotates in direction D4 due to the document sent downstream, opening the document transport path.

[0041] The pressing unit 58 is provided so as to be able to move forward and backward relative to the feed roller 51, and is biased in the direction of advancing relative to the feed roller 51 by a biasing part (not shown). Furthermore, as described above, the set guide 57 is provided so as to be able to rotate in direction D4 with respect to the rotation axis 57a, and is movable by the second motor 92 shown in Figure 10 from a first non-contact position where it advances into the document transport path shown in Figure 4, to a first contact position where it retracts from the transport path shown in Figure 5. In other words, the set guide 57 as the first displacement member is displaceable between a first non-contact position where the document placed on the media mounting section 4 does not come into contact with the feed roller 51 in a feeding standby state where the feeding of the document by the feed roller 51 and the pick roller 52 is waiting, and a first contact position where the document placed on the media mounting section 4 comes into contact with the feed roller 51 in a feeding state where the document is being fed by the feed roller 51 and the pick roller 52. The set guide 57 may be configured to be movable by the first motor 91 from a first non-contact position where it advances onto the document transport path shown in Figure 4, to a first contact position where it retracts from the transport path shown in Figure 5.

[0042] Furthermore, in the state shown in Figure 4, the pressing unit 58 is pushed up by the set guide 57 via the flap 59 against the biasing force of a biasing part (not shown), maintaining a state where it is separated from the feed roller 51. In this state, the pressing unit 58 does not press the document even if a document is placed on the media placement section 4. Also, in this state, since the tip of the flap 59 is inserted into the recess 57b of the set guide 57, the rotation of the flap 59 with respect to the rotation axis 59a is restricted, and it maintains a shielding position that obstructs the transport path.

[0043] On the other hand, when the document feeding process shown in Figure 5 is initiated, the pressing unit 58 is configured to press the document in direction D3. As the set guide 57 switches from the first non-contact position shown in Figure 4 to the first contact position shown in Figure 5, the pressing unit 58 presses the document and the document comes into contact with the feed roller 51.

[0044] Here, as shown in Figures 6 to 9, a contact suppression member 10 is provided on the side of the set guide 57 opposite to the recess 57b. The contact suppression member 10 is a component that prevents the original document from coming into contact with the pick roller 52 when setting the original document in the corresponding feed standby state. In detail, the contact suppression member 10 is configured to be rotatable with respect to the rotation axis 10a and acts as a second displacement member that can be displaced between a second non-contact position in which the original document placed on the media placement section 4 does not come into contact with the pick roller 52 in the feed standby state, and a second contact position in which the original document placed on the media placement section 4 comes into contact with the pick roller 52 in the feed state.

[0045] The downstream surface 57c of the set guide 57 in the transport direction A and the upstream surface 10c of the contact suppression member 10 in the transport direction A are in contact, and the irregularities formed on the downstream surface 57c and the upstream surface 10c are fitted together. Therefore, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, when the set guide 57 rotates in direction D1 with respect to the rotation axis 57a, the contact suppression member 10 rotates in direction D5 with respect to the rotation axis 10a, and when the set guide 57 rotates in direction D2, which is opposite to direction D1, with respect to the rotation axis 57a, the contact suppression member 10 rotates in direction D6, which is opposite to direction D5, with respect to the rotation axis 10a. In other words, in the feed standby state, the set guide 57 prevents contact between the document and the feed roller 51, and the contact suppression member 10 prevents contact between the document and the pick roller 52. On the other hand, in the feeding state, the set guide 57 is positioned so that it comes into contact with the document and the feeding roller 51, and the contact suppression member 10 is positioned so that it comes into contact with the document and the pick roller 52.

[0046] To put the above in other words, the contact suppression member 10, as the second displacement member, is displaced from the second non-contact position to the second contact position as the set guide 57, as the first displacement member, is displaced from the first non-contact position to the first contact position, and is displaced from the second contact position to the second non-contact position as the set guide 57 is displaced from the first contact position to the first non-contact position. In other words, in the feed standby state where the document is set, the document and the pick roller 52 do not come into contact, and in the feed state where the image of the document is read, contact between the document and the pick roller 52 is permitted. For this reason, the scanner 1 of this embodiment has improved feeding performance because it is equipped with a pick roller 52 as a feed assist roller, and in the feed standby state where the document is set, the document setting performance is improved because the document and the pick roller 52 do not come into contact.

[0047] To put the above in another way, the pick roller 52 and the contact suppression member 10 are positioned upstream of the feed roller 51 in the feed direction A, and together with the feed roller 51, they constitute a feed assist member that feeds the document. When the set guide 57 is displaced from the first non-contact position to the first contact position, the contact suppression member 10 is displaced from the second non-contact position to the second contact position, causing the pick roller 52 to come into contact with the document placed on the media placement section 4. When the set guide 57 is displaced from the first contact position to the first non-contact position, the contact suppression member 10 is displaced from the second contact position to the second non-contact position, causing the pick roller 52 to become non-contact with the document placed on the media placement section 4. With this configuration, when the feeding state for reading the image of the document begins, that is, when the set guide 57 is displaced from the first contact position to the first non-contact position, the contact suppression member 10 is displaced, and the document feeding force can be applied to the pick roller 52.

[0048] In this embodiment, the scanner 1, as shown in Figures 8 and 9, has a contact suppression member 10 comprising a first moving part 10A and a second moving part 10B. The pick roller 52 is provided between the first moving part 10A and the second moving part 10B in the width direction intersecting the feeding direction A. As shown in Figure 8, when the contact suppression member 10 is in the second non-contact position, the first moving part 10A and the second moving part 10B protrude further from the mounting surface 41 of the media mounting part 4 than the pick roller 52. With this configuration, it is possible to effectively suppress contact between the document and the pick roller 52 when the contact suppression member 10 is in the second non-contact position.

[0049] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 8, when the contact suppression member 10 is in the second non-contact position, the entire first moving part 10A and the second moving part 10B protrude more than the pick roller 52 from the mounting surface 41 of the media mounting part 4, and there is no region where the pick roller 52 protrudes more than the first moving part 10A and the second moving part 10B from the mounting surface 41 of the media mounting part 4. However, the configuration is not limited to this, and when the contact suppression member 10 is in the second non-contact position, the first moving part 10A and the second moving part 10B may be configured such that a part of them, such as the most protruding part, protrudes more than the pick roller 52 from the mounting surface 41 of the media mounting part 4.

[0050] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 8 and 9, the first moving section 10A and the second moving section 10B have inclined surfaces on their surfaces 11 on the upstream and downstream sides in the feeding direction A, and the downstream inclined surface 11b on the downstream side in the feeding direction A is longer than the upstream inclined surface 11a on the upstream side in the feeding direction A. When setting a document, the document can be guided along the downstream inclined surface 11b, so this configuration allows for optimal guidance of the document along the longer downstream inclined surface 11b.

[0051] Furthermore, as described above, the scanner 1 of this embodiment is equipped with a gear train 56. The gear train 56 is provided between the first gear 54 and the second gear 55 in the feeding direction A, as shown in Figure 3, and in the width direction intersecting the feeding direction A, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 9, it is provided on the -X direction side, which is opposite to the pick roller 52, with reference to the first moving part 10A of the contact suppression member 10. By arranging the gear train 56 in this way, the gear train 56 can be efficiently arranged within the device, and the size of the device can be suppressed.

[0052] In this embodiment, the pick roller 52 is more elastic than the feed roller 51. More specifically, in this embodiment, the surface material of the pick roller 52 is made of a softer material than the surface material of the feed roller 51. With this configuration, the pick roller 52 is softer than the feed roller 51 and contacts the document with a wider contact area to feed the document, thus particularly improving the document feeding performance. In this embodiment, since the pick roller 52 is softer and more easily deformed than the feed roller 51, the amount of protrusion of the pick roller 52 from the mounting surface 41 at the second non-contact position is greater than the amount of protrusion of the feed roller 51 from the mounting surface 41 at the first non-contact position. In this embodiment, the surface material of the pick roller 52 is made of a softer material than the surface material of the feed roller 51, but the surface material of the pick roller 52 and the surface material of the feed roller 51 may be made of the same material, and the constituent density of the surface material of the pick roller 52 may be made lower than that of the surface material of the feed roller 51 to make the pick roller 52 more elastic than the feed roller 51.

[0053] Furthermore, as described above, the scanner 1 of this embodiment is equipped with a separation roller 53, and the separation roller 53 also has higher elasticity than the feed roller 51. Therefore, the scanner 1 of this embodiment can accurately separate one document when multiple documents are placed on the media placement section 4. In this embodiment, the separation roller 53 and the pick roller 52 have equivalent elastic moduli and are both higher than the elastic moduli of the feed roller 51. On the other hand, each roller constituting the transport roller pairs 6 and 7 has a lower elastic moduli than the feed roller 51. With this configuration, the feeding and transport of documents becomes particularly high-precision. However, the scanner is not limited to this configuration. In detail, the elastic force of each roller as described above refers to the elastic force with respect to their surface material.

[0054] Here, the electrical configuration of the scanner 1 of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 10. As shown in Figure 10, the scanner 1 of this embodiment is equipped with a control unit 90. The control unit 90 includes a CPU and a storage unit having ROM, RAM, etc. The control unit 90 is connected to the reading unit 2 and is also connected to a first motor 91 and a second motor 92, both of which are DC motors. The first motor 91 is capable of driving the feed roller 51 and, by driving the feed roller 51, is capable of driving the pick roller 52 connected via the gear train 56. The second motor 92 is capable of driving the set guide 57, the separation roller 53, the drive roller 61 and the drive roller 71 and, by driving the set guide 57, is capable of driving the contact suppression member 10 that fits with it.

[0055] In this embodiment, the scanner 1 is configured such that the document feeding speed by the pick roller 52 is slower than the document feeding speed by the feed roller 51. Therefore, the scanner 1 in this embodiment can feed the document while it is being pulled in the feeding direction A, which significantly improves the document feeding performance. Furthermore, this configuration enables the transport of a large number of documents and large media. In this embodiment, the document feeding speed by the pick roller 52 is slower than the document feeding speed by the feed roller 51 by changing the gear ratio of the first gear 54 and the second gear 55, but the method is not limited to this.

[0056] Furthermore, in the scanner 1 of this embodiment, when the control unit 90 controls the feeding of the document by the feed roller 51 and the pick roller 52, the feed roller 51 and the pick roller 52 rotate, the set guide 57 is displaced from the first non-contact position to the first contact position, and the contact suppression member 10 is displaced from the second non-contact position to the second contact position. This corresponds, for example, to a displacement from the state in Figure 6 to the state in Figure 7. With this configuration, the document feeding force can be applied to the feed roller 51 and the pick roller 52 immediately after the start of document feeding.

[0057] Furthermore, in the scanner 1 of this embodiment, when the feeding of the document by the feed roller 51 and pick roller 52 is completed under the control of the control unit 90, the set guide 57 is displaced from the first contact position to the first non-contact position, the contact suppression member 10 is displaced from the second contact position to the second non-contact position, and the rotation of the feed roller 51 and pick roller 52 stops. This corresponds, for example, to a displacement from the state in Figure 7 to the state in Figure 6. With this configuration, when feeding the next document, the document feeding start operation can be executed immediately.

[0058] Furthermore, the scanner 1 of this embodiment is equipped with a pair of transport rollers 6 located downstream of the feed roller 51 in the feed direction A, which transport the original document fed by the feed roller 51 to the reading unit 2. However, only one of the rollers constituting the pair of transport rollers 6 is driven by the driving force of the second motor 92, which is the drive source, and is used as the drive roller 61. However, the scanner is not limited to this configuration. Both opposing rollers constituting the pair of transport rollers 6 may be rotated by the driving force of the drive source. By configuring both opposing rollers constituting the pair of transport rollers 6 to be rotated by the driving force of the drive source, the transport force can be increased compared to a configuration in which only one of the two opposing rollers constituting the pair of transport rollers 6 is rotated by the driving force of the drive source, for example, when transporting thick media such as booklets that require a large transport force.

[0059] However, there are no particular limitations on which of the various rollers will be driven by the drive source. For example, one drive source may be provided, and the feed roller 51, pick roller 52, rollers corresponding to the positions of the drive roller 61 and drive roller 71, and rollers corresponding to the positions of the driven roller 62 and driven roller 72 may be rotated by this drive source. Alternatively, two drive sources may be provided, with the feed roller 51 and pick roller 52 being rotated by the first drive source, and the rollers corresponding to the positions of the drive roller 61 and drive roller 71, and rollers corresponding to the positions of the driven roller 62 and driven roller 72 being rotated by the second drive source. Alternatively, three drive sources may be provided, with the feed roller 51 being rotated by the first drive source, the pick roller 52 being rotated by the second drive source, and the rollers corresponding to the positions of the drive roller 61 and drive roller 71, and rollers corresponding to the positions of the driven roller 62 and driven roller 72 being rotated by the third drive source.

[0060] Alternatively, for example, one drive source may be provided to rotate the feed roller 51, pick roller 52, and rollers corresponding to the positions of the drive roller 61 and drive roller 71, while the driven roller 62 and rollers corresponding to the positions of the driven roller 72 are driven to rotate. Alternatively, two drive sources may be provided to rotate the feed roller 51 and pick roller 52 with the first drive source, rotate the rollers corresponding to the positions of the drive roller 61 and drive roller 71 with the second drive source, while the driven roller 62 and rollers corresponding to the positions of the driven roller 72 are driven to rotate. Alternatively, three drive sources may be provided to rotate the feed roller 51 with the first drive source, rotate the pick roller 52 with the second drive source, rotate the rollers corresponding to the positions of the drive roller 61 and drive roller 71 with the third drive source, while the driven roller 62 and rollers corresponding to the positions of the driven roller 72 are driven to rotate.

[0061] [Example 2] The scanner of Embodiment 2 will be described below with reference to Figures 11 and 12. The scanner of this embodiment is the same as scanner 1 of Embodiment 1, except for the configuration described below. Specifically, the only difference from scanner 1 of Embodiment 1 is that a contact suppression member 15 is provided as the second displacement member instead of the contact suppression member 10. Therefore, the scanner of this embodiment has the same features as scanner 1 of Embodiment 1, except for the parts described below. Accordingly, in Figures 11 and 12, components common to Embodiment 1 are indicated by the same reference numerals, and detailed explanations are omitted.

[0062] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, in the scanner 1 of Embodiment 1, a contact suppression member 10 was provided as a second displacement member. On the other hand, as shown in Figures 11 and 12, in the scanner of this embodiment, a C-shaped contact suppression member 15 is provided as a second displacement member, positioned to cover the pick roller 52 when viewed from the width direction. The downstream surface 57c of the set guide 57 in the transport direction A and the upstream surface 15c of the contact suppression member 15 in the transport direction A are in contact, and the irregularities formed on the downstream surface 57c and the upstream surface 15c are fitted together. Therefore, as shown in Figures 11 and 12, when the set guide 57 rotates in direction D1 with respect to the rotation axis 57a, the contact suppression member 15 rotates in direction D7 with respect to the rotation axis 52a of the pick roller 52, and when the set guide 57 rotates in direction D2 with respect to the rotation axis 57a, the contact suppression member 15 rotates in direction D8, opposite to direction D7, with respect to the rotation axis 52a.

[0063] In detail, in the state shown in Figure 11, the contact suppression member 15 covers the pick roller 52. Then, when the set guide 57 rotates in direction D1 with respect to the rotation axis 57a, and transitions from the state shown in Figure 11 to the state shown in Figure 12, the contact suppression member 15 rotates in direction D7 with respect to the rotation axis 52a of the pick roller 52, and the contact suppression member 15 opens the side of the pick roller 52 that contacts the document. On the other hand, when the set guide 57 rotates in direction D2 with respect to the rotation axis 57a from the state shown in Figure 12, and transitions to the state shown in Figure 11, the contact suppression member 15 rotates in direction D8 with respect to the rotation axis 52a of the pick roller 52, and the contact suppression member 15 covers the side of the pick roller 52 that contacts the document. In other words, in the scanner 1 of this embodiment, in the feed standby state, the set guide 57 prevents the document from contacting the feed roller 51, and the contact suppression member 15 prevents the document from contacting the pick roller 52. Furthermore, in the scanner 1 of this embodiment, in the feeding state, the set guide 57 is configured to come into contact with the document and the feeding roller 51, and the contact suppression member 15 is configured to come into contact with the document and the pick roller 52.

[0064] [Example 3] The scanner of Embodiment 3 will be described below with reference to Figures 13 to 15. The scanner of this embodiment is the same as the scanners of Embodiments 1 and 2, except for the configuration described below. Specifically, for example, the scanner of this embodiment does not have a pick roller as a feeding assist roller, and contact suppression members 10 and 15 as second displacement members, and the elastic member 17 as a feeding assist member is provided on the set guide 57, which is different from the scanners of Embodiments 1 and 2. The scanner of this embodiment has the same features as the scanners of Embodiments 1 and 2 except for the parts described below, so in Figures 13 and 14, components common to Embodiments 1 and 2 are indicated by the same reference numerals, and detailed explanations are omitted.

[0065] As shown in Figures 13 and 14, the scanner of this embodiment is provided with an elastic member 17 as a feeding assist member on the set guide 57. The elastic member 17 generates frictional force between itself and the document by coming into contact with it. The elastic member 17 assists in feeding the document by applying a transport force in the transport direction A to the document as the set guide 57 moves from a state in contact with the document when it is in the first contact position shown in Figure 13 to a state in a state of non-contact with the document when it is in the first non-contact position shown in Figure 14.

[0066] Here, with reference to Figure 15, the specific operation of the scanner in this embodiment from setting the document to starting document feeding will be described. First, in step S110, the set guide 57 is positioned in a first non-contact position as shown in Figure 14, where the document placed on the media placement section 4 does not come into contact with the feed roller 51. At this time, the elastic member 17 is in a position where it does not come into contact with the document placed on the media placement section 4. The scanner in this embodiment is equipped with a restricting unit (not shown) that can restrict the rotation of the flap 59, and in this step, the flap 59 is prevented from rotating in direction D4.

[0067] Next, in step S120, the user places the document on the media placement unit 4. Then, in step S130, the user inputs a feeding instruction to the control unit 90 from an operation unit (not shown). Then, in step S140, the set guide 57 moves to a first contact position as shown in Figure 13, where the document placed on the media placement unit 4 and the feeding roller 51 come into contact. At this time, the elastic member 17 comes into contact with the document placed on the media placement unit 4.

[0068] Then, in step S150, as the feed roller 51 rotates, the set guide 57 moves back to the first non-contact position, and the elastic member 17 assists in feeding the document. At this point, the state shown in Figure 14 is returned. At this time, the restricting part (not shown) releases the restriction on the rotation of the flap 59, and the flap 59 becomes rotatable in direction D4.

[0069] As described above, the scanner of this embodiment is equipped with an elastic member 17 as a feeding assist member, which is located upstream of the feeding roller 51 in the feeding direction A and feeds the document together with the feeding roller 51. The elastic member 17 comes into contact with the document placed on the media placement section 4 as the set guide 57 is displaced from the first non-contact position to the first contact position, and becomes non-contact with the document placed on the media placement section 4 as the set guide 57 is displaced from the first contact position to the first non-contact position. With this configuration, the scanner of this embodiment can apply feeding force to the document as soon as the feeding state for reading the image of the document begins, that is, as the set guide 57 is displaced from the first contact position to the first non-contact position. As with the scanner of this embodiment, by using various configurations other than rollers as feeding assist members, the degree of freedom in their placement and size can be greatly increased, making it possible to make it difficult for the feeding assist member to come into contact with the document when setting the document, thereby improving the ease of setting the document.

[0070] 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.

[0071] The embodiments described above can also be applied to media feeding devices that do not have a reading unit. Furthermore, although the embodiments described above have been applied to image reading devices such as scanners, they can also be applied to recording devices such as printers. That is, by using the original document in the above embodiments as the recording medium and the reading unit as the recording unit that records to the recording medium, the same effects and advantages as those of the above embodiments can be obtained in a recording device. An example of a recording device is an inkjet printer, and an example of a recording unit is an inkjet recording head. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0072] 1...Scanner (media transport device, image reading device), 2...Reading unit, 2A...First reading unit, 2B...Second reading unit, 3...Main body, 3A...First unit, 3B...Second unit, 4...Media placement unit, 5...Feeding unit, 6...Pair of transport rollers, 7...Pair of transport rollers, 10...Contact suppression member (Second displacement member, feeding assist member), 10A...First moving unit, 10B...Second moving unit, 10a...Rotation axis, 10c...Upstream surface, 11...Surface, 11a...Upstream inclined surface, 11b...Downstream inclined surface, 15...Contact suppression member (Second displacement member), 15c...Upstream surface, 17...Elastic Component (feeding assist member), 41... Mounting surface, 51... Feeding roller, 51a... Rotating shaft, 52... Pick roller (feeding assist roller, feeding assist member), 52a... Rotating shaft, 53... Separation roller, 54... First gear, 55... Second gear, 56... Gear train, 57... Set guide (first displacement member), 57a... Rotating shaft, 57b... Recess, 57c... Downstream surface, 58... Pressing unit, 59... Flap, 59a... Rotating shaft, 61... Drive roller, 62... Driven roller, 71... Drive roller, 72... Driven roller, 81... Discharge port, 82... Discharge medium mounting section

Claims

1. A reading unit that reads images from the media, A media mounting section on which the aforementioned media is placed, A feeding roller that feeds the medium placed on the medium placement section in the feeding direction, A feeding auxiliary roller is provided upstream of the feeding roller in the feeding direction and feeds the medium together with the feeding roller, A first displacement member that is displaceable between a first non-contact position in which the medium placed on the medium mounting section does not come into contact with the medium in a feeding standby state in which the medium is waiting to be fed by the feeding roller and the feeding auxiliary roller, and a first contact position in which the medium placed on the medium mounting section comes into contact with the medium in a feeding state in which the medium is fed by the feeding roller and the feeding auxiliary roller, A second displacement member is provided that can be displaced between a second non-contact position in which the medium placed on the medium placement section does not come into contact with the feed assist roller in the feed standby state, and a second contact position in which the medium placed on the medium placement section comes into contact with the feed assist roller in the feed state. Equipped with, The image reading device is characterized in that the second displacement member is displaced from the second non-contact position to the second contact position as the first displacement member is displaced from the first non-contact position to the first contact position, and the second displacement member is displaced from the second contact position to the second non-contact position as the first displacement member is displaced from the first contact position to the first non-contact position.

2. In the image reading device according to claim 1, A first gear is provided on the rotating shaft of the aforementioned feeding roller, A second gear is provided on the rotating shaft of the aforementioned feeding assist roller, A gear train that engages with the first gear and the second gear, Equipped with, The image reading device is characterized in that the gear train is provided between the first gear and the second gear in the feeding direction, and is provided on the opposite side from the feeding assist roller with respect to the second displacement member in the width direction intersecting the feeding direction.

3. In the image reading device according to claim 1 or 2, An image reading device characterized in that the feeding speed of the medium by the feeding auxiliary roller is slower than the feeding speed of the medium by the feeding roller.

4. In the image reading device according to claim 1 or 2, The image reading device is characterized in that the feeding auxiliary roller is more elastic than the feeding roller.

5. In the image reading device described in claim 4, A separation roller is provided at a position opposite to the feeding roller, and when multiple sheets of the medium are placed on the medium placement section, it is possible to separate one sheet of the medium by nipping it together with the feeding roller. The image reading device is characterized in that the separation roller is more elastic than the feeding roller.

6. In the image reading device according to claim 1 or 2, An image reading device characterized in that, when the feeding of the medium is started by the feeding roller and the feeding auxiliary roller, the feeding roller and the feeding auxiliary roller rotate, the first displacement member is displaced from the first non-contact position to the first contact position, and the second displacement member is displaced from the second non-contact position to the second contact position.

7. In the image reading device according to claim 1 or 2, An image reading device characterized in that, when the feeding of the medium by the feeding roller and the feeding auxiliary roller is completed, the first displacement member is displaced from the first contact position to the first non-contact position, the second displacement member is displaced from the second contact position to the second non-contact position, and the rotation of the feeding roller and the feeding auxiliary roller stops.

8. In the image reading device according to claim 1, The second displacement member has a first movable part and a second movable part, The feeding assist roller is provided between the first moving part and the second moving part in the width direction intersecting the feeding direction, The image reading device is characterized in that the first moving part and the second moving part protrude from the surface on which the medium is placed on the medium

9. In the image reading device according to claim 8, The first moving part and the second moving part are provided with inclined surfaces on the upstream and downstream sides in the feeding direction. An image reading device characterized in that the downstream inclined surface in the feeding direction is longer than the upstream inclined surface in the feeding direction.

10. In the image reading device according to claim 1 or 2, A pair of transport rollers is provided downstream of the aforementioned feed roller in the feed direction, and transports the medium fed by the feed roller to the reading unit. An image reading device characterized in that two opposing rollers constituting the aforementioned transport roller pair are both rotated by a driving force from a drive source.

11. A reading unit that reads images from the media, A media mounting section on which the aforementioned media is placed, A feeding roller that feeds the medium placed on the medium placement section in the feeding direction, A feeding assist member is provided upstream of the feeding roller in the feeding direction and feeds the medium together with the feeding roller, A first displacement member that is displaceable between a first non-contact position in which the medium placed on the medium mounting section does not come into contact with the medium in a feeding standby state in which the medium is waiting to be fed by the feeding roller and the feeding assist member, and a first contact position in which the medium placed on the medium mounting section comes into contact with the medium in a feeding state in which the medium is fed by the feeding roller and the feeding assist member, Equipped with, The image reading device is characterized in that the feeding assist member is displaced in accordance with the displacement of the first displacement member to a contact position in which it is in contact with the medium placed on the medium placement section, and to a non-contact position in which it is not in contact with the medium placed on the medium placement section.

Images