JP2011070113A - Image reader - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image reader which enables a user to easily perform operation when fixing a carriage or releasing such fixing, and prevents the user from inadvertently moving an operation lever. <P>SOLUTION: The image reader includes the carriages 3a and 3e which can move along an original placing surface to read an image, a lock member 7 which locks movement of the carriages 3a and 3e, and frame members 101 and 102 inside which the carriages 3a and 3e are housed. The lock member 7 has an operation part 70 located on the outside of the frame member 101, a lock part 71 located on the inside of the frame member 101 and engaged with notched parts 300a and 310a provided on the carriages 3a and 3e, and a rotary shaft 72 for supporting the lock part 71 to rotate and move between a lock position and a lock release position with respect to the notched parts 300a and 310a. The rotary shaft 72 is set in a horizontal direction. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention provides an image reading device comprising: a carriage movable along an original placement surface for image reading; a lock member for locking movement of the carriage; and a frame member in which the carriage is accommodated. It relates to the device.

  In an image reading apparatus provided in combination with an image forming apparatus (digital multifunction peripheral) such as a copying machine or a facsimile machine, a scanner device is disposed along the lower surface of a platen (original placement surface) on which an original is set. This scanner device includes a lamp as a light source, a plurality of mirrors, an imaging lens, a reading sensor such as a CCD, and the like. A carriage movable in the sub-scanning direction of reading is provided, and the lamp, a plurality of mirrors, and the like are mounted. By moving the carriage along the sub-scanning direction, an image of a document placed on the platen can be read.

  Such a carriage needs to be fixed so as not to move inadvertently when the image forming apparatus is transported. As a fixing mechanism for that purpose, for example, those disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 below are known.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a lock device that fixes a scanner device to a bottom frame with respect to a scanner holding structure. Specifically, an engaging claw member is provided so as to protrude from the lower surface of the scanner device, and a lock member is provided on the bottom frame. The engaging claw member includes a vertical portion and a horizontal portion, and the vertical portion is engaged with a groove provided in the lock member. In this state, the lock member is fixed to the bottom frame with a set screw.

  Patent Document 2 relates to a carriage fixing device, and an engagement groove is provided in the carriage. When the operation lever is rotated, the engagement protrusion of the operation lever is fitted into the engagement groove and fixed. The operation lever is provided on the front side of the upper surface of the scanner case, and its rotation axis is set to be vertical.

JP 2001-228561 A JP 2007-79375 A

  The known technology has the following problems. Since patent document 1 is a structure which fixes a lock member with a set screw, a complicated operation | work is required both in the time of fixing and the time of cancellation | release. On the other hand, since patent document 2 is based on operation which rotates an operation lever, fixation and cancellation | release can be performed easily. However, the operation lever is on the front side of the upper surface, and there is a possibility that the operation lever may be moved carelessly. In particular, the rotation axis is set to be vertical, and there is a problem that it is difficult to identify at a glance whether the operation lever is in a fixed state or a released state.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and the problem is that the operation when the carriage is fixed or released can be easily performed, and the operation lever is not moved carelessly. An image reading apparatus is provided.

In order to solve the above problems, an image reading apparatus according to the present invention provides:
An image reading apparatus comprising a carriage movable along a document placement surface for image reading, a lock member for locking movement of the carriage, and a frame member in which the carriage is housed. ,
The lock member includes an operation portion located outside the frame member, a lock portion located inside the frame member and engageable with an engaged portion provided in the carriage, and the lock A rotating shaft for supporting the portion so as to be able to rotate and move between a locked position and an unlocked position with respect to the engaged portion, and the rotating shaft is set in a horizontal direction. It is a feature.

  The operation and effect of the image reading apparatus having such a configuration will be described. When the image reading apparatus is transported, the carriage is locked by a lock member. The lock member includes an operation unit and a lock unit, and the lock unit can be switched between a lock position and a lock release position by rotating the operation unit. Thus, since only the operation unit is rotated, the lock operation and the release operation can be easily performed. Further, the rotation axis for rotating the lock member is set in the horizontal direction. Accordingly, it is easy to switch between the locked position and the unlocked position between the state in which the operation unit protrudes from the surface and the state in which it is accommodated. Therefore, it can be easily confirmed whether or not the carriage is fixed at first glance. As a result, the operation for fixing and releasing the carriage can be easily performed, and the operation lever can be prevented from being moved carelessly.

  In this invention, when the said lock part exists in the said lock release position, it is preferable that the said operation part will be in the state accommodated in the space in the recessed part formed in the said frame member.

  When the image reading apparatus is installed at a predetermined location, the lock unit is switched to the unlock position. As a result, the carriage can be moved and the image can be read. When in the unlocked position, the operation unit is housed in a space in the recess formed in the frame member, so that the operation unit is not inadvertently touched. This prevents the operating lever from being moved carelessly.

  In the present invention, the frame member is provided on a lower surface side of the carriage, and further, a discharge unit that discharges a sheet on which a read document image is printed is disposed below the frame member, The operation part preferably faces the discharge part.

  According to this configuration, since the operation unit is disposed on the lower side of the carriage, the operation unit is disposed at a position that is not conspicuous in appearance. Therefore, it is possible to reliably prevent the operation lever from being moved carelessly. Further, since the operation unit faces the discharge unit from which the sheet is discharged, a space for performing a lock operation and a release operation can be secured, and the operation can be easily performed. In this way, the conflicting demands of improved operability and suppression of careless operations can be realized with a simple configuration.

  In the present invention, it is preferable that a plurality of the locking members are provided. By providing a plurality of lock members, the carriage can be more reliably fixed.

  In the present invention, it is preferable that at least the operation portion and the lock portion of the lock member are integrally formed of resin. By forming by integral molding, the number of parts can be reduced and the configuration can be simplified.

  In this invention, when the said lock part exists in the said lock position, it is preferable that the said operation part will be in the state protruded from the said recessed part.

  By making it protrude from the recess, it can be easily visually confirmed that the carriage is locked.

  In the present invention, it is preferable that a click mechanism for holding the lock member at the lock position and the lock release position is provided.

  Thus, the lock member can be reliably held at the lock position and the unlock position. Further, it is possible to prevent a problem that the locked state is inadvertently released during transportation.

  In the present invention, it is preferable that the click mechanism includes a click protrusion formed on an arm portion extending in a radial direction with respect to the rotation shaft, and a hole portion into which the click protrusion can be inserted and removed.

  By forming such an arm portion, the arm portion can be formed integrally with the lock member. In addition, an appropriate click feeling can be obtained by utilizing the bending deformation of the arm portion.

1 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating an internal configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Schematic diagram showing the internal configuration of the image reader Side sectional view showing the configuration of the locking mechanism (unlocked state) Side sectional view showing the configuration of the locking mechanism (locked state) A perspective view showing the configuration of the locking mechanism (unlocked state) A perspective view showing the configuration of the locking mechanism (locked state) Perspective view of the locking mechanism from the inside (unlocked state) Perspective view of the locking mechanism from the inside (locked state) External perspective view of the operating part of the locking mechanism as seen from below The perspective view which shows the structure of a locking member

  A preferred embodiment of an image reading apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating an internal configuration of an image forming apparatus including an image reading apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. This image forming apparatus is a copying machine (digital multifunction peripheral) including a document feeder (ADF) 2, a document reading unit 3, an image forming unit 4, and a sheet feeding unit 5.

<Internal configuration of image forming apparatus>
The ADF 2 includes a document tray 2a, and one document can be placed on the document tray 2a, or two or more documents can be stacked. The ADF 2 feeds out the originals placed on the original tray 2a one by one by a pickup roller 2b and a separation unit (a pair of separation roller and retard roller) 2c. The document sent out by the ADF 2 is transported on the transport path 2g by a plurality of transport rollers 2d, 2e, and 2f, and an image is read in the middle of the transport path 2g, and then sequentially on the document discharge tray 2i by the discharge roller 2h. Discharged.

  The document reading unit 3 (flatbed scanner) includes a first carriage (scanning unit) 3a and a second carriage (mirror unit) 3e for reading an image of the document. When reading the document supplied to the document reading unit 3 by the ADF 2, the first carriage 3a and the second carriage 3e are stationary in the stationary reading region 3b, and the document is read at a reading point located in the middle of the conveyance path 2g. Read the image. In this image reading apparatus 1, the first carriage 3 a and the second carriage 3 e are moved and read by placing a document on a glass plate (corresponding to a document placement surface) 3 d provided above the document reading unit 3. It is also possible to read the image of the original while moving in the area 3c. The image surface of the document is placed so as to face the upper surface on the document tray 2a or the lower surface on the glass plate 3d.

  The first carriage 3a and the second carriage 3e are connected to a belt driven by a motor (not shown), respectively, and move in the horizontal direction as the motor rotates.

  The image forming unit 4 includes a photosensitive drum 4a, a charger 4b, an optical writing unit 4c, a developing unit 4d, a transfer unit 4e, and a fixing unit 4f, and forms an image on the recording paper P by an electrophotographic method. A photoconductor is formed on the surface of the photoconductor drum 4a. During image formation, the surface of the photoconductor drum 4a that is rotationally driven is uniformly charged by the charger 4b. The optical writing unit 4c outputs light from an LED (Light-Emitting Diode) or a laser light source based on image information of a document read by the scanning unit 3a. An electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 4a uniformly charged by the charger 4b by exposure with light output from the optical writing unit 4c.

  A toner image is formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 4a on which the electrostatic latent image has been formed by adhering the toner supplied from the developing device 4d, and this toner image is formed on the recording paper P using the transfer device 4e. Transcribed. The recording paper P to which the toner image has been transferred is subjected to heat treatment and pressure treatment by the fixing device 4f, and is then discharged from a discharge roller 4g onto a discharge tray 4h (corresponding to a discharge portion). The upper part of the discharge tray 4h functions as a paper discharge space portion S, and forms a space for making it easy to take out the discharged recording paper P.

  The paper supply unit 5 includes a recording paper cassette 6 for storing the recording paper P. The recording paper P is stored in a stacked state on a support plate 9 provided in the recording paper cassette 6. Can be done. The support plate 9 is rotatable around a support shaft 9a provided at one end thereof, and the end opposite to the support shaft 9a is biased upward by a compression spring 9b. The uppermost recording paper P is pressed against the paper supply roller 9c. In this state, the paper feed roller 9c is rotationally driven, whereby the recording paper P stored in the recording paper cassette 6 is separated by the paper feed roller 9c and a separation pad (not shown), respectively, and the transport path 12 One by one.

  The transport path 12 is provided with one or a plurality of transport rollers 13. The recording paper P sent out one by one from the recording paper cassette 6 is transported in the transport path 12 by the transport roller 13 and is sent to the image forming unit 4. Then, the recording paper P is temporarily stopped by the registration roller 14 immediately before the photosensitive drum 4a, and is sent out in accordance with the timing at which the toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 4a is transferred.

  The document reading unit 3, the image forming unit 4, and the paper feeding unit 5 as described above are accommodated in a housing 1a, and the glass plate 3d is formed on the upper surface of the housing 1a. The ADF 2 is attached so as to be openable and closable with respect to the upper surface of the housing 1a. Therefore, when the document placed on the glass plate 3d is read by the scanning unit 3a, the document can be sandwiched between the ADF 2 and the glass plate 3d by closing the ADF 2.

<Configuration of Image Reading Unit>
A mechanism for reading image information of a document will be described with reference to FIG. A glass plate 3d is provided in the left-right direction on the upper portion of the case body 100, and the document 120 is set. The left side of the glass plate 3d is shielded by the insulating plate 31.

  The first carriage 3a includes a light source 32 and a reflection mirror 33a, and is configured to be movable at a constant speed along the sub-scanning direction (left-right direction in the drawing). Irradiation light from the light source 32 is guided to the document surface. The reflected light from the document surface is guided to the second carriage 3e through the reflecting mirror 33a.

  The second carriage 3e is also configured to be movable at a constant speed along the sub-scanning direction, and includes two reflection mirrors 34a and 34b. The reflected light is guided to the CCD line sensor 35 (corresponding to an image reading sensor). The CCD line sensor 35 includes a large number of sensor arrays along the main scanning direction (the front-rear direction of the image forming apparatus). Note that the image reading sensor may not be a CCD, but may be a CMOS, for example.

  The light from the light source 32 irradiates the document surface, the reflected light is reflected by the reflecting mirror 33a, and reaches the CCD line sensor 35 via the two reflecting mirrors 34a and 34b. Thereby, image information (for one line) in the main scanning direction of the document 120 can be read. The first carriage 3a moves twice in the sub-scanning direction at twice the speed of the second carriage 3e. Thereby, the optical path length from the original to the CCD line sensor 35 is kept constant.

  The first carriage 3a and the second carriage 3e are each connected to a belt driven by a motor (not shown). By rotating the motor, the carriages 3a and 3e can be moved in the sub-scanning direction.

  The carriages 3 a and 3 e are accommodated inside the case main body 100. The case main body 100 includes at least a first frame member 101 in a horizontal posture positioned below the carriages 3a and 3e and a second frame member 102 in a vertical posture positioned on the left side of the carriages 3a and 3e. The first frame member 101 and the second frame member 102 may be configured as separate members or may be configured as an integral member. The first frame member 101 and the second frame member 102 may be made of a metal plate or may be made by resin molding. A discharge tray 4h is located below the first frame member 101, and a space between the two corresponds to the sheet discharge space portion S.

  The carriages 3a and 3e need to be moved in the sub-scanning direction for reading image information. However, when the image forming apparatus is transported, it needs to be fixed so as not to move. This is because an impact or the like is applied to the carriages 3a and 3e when moving by transportation, and parts in the carriages 3a and 3e may be damaged. Further, when an impact or the like is applied, the fixing positions of the carriages 3a and 3e with the drive belt (not shown) may be shifted, and the optical path for reading may be shifted. Therefore, a locking member is provided for fixing the carriages 3a and 3e so as not to move during transportation.

<Configuration of carriage locking mechanism>
Next, a lock mechanism for fixing the carriages 3a and 3e will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, a lock member 7 constituting a lock mechanism is disposed at the left end inside the main body case 100. The lock member 7 is supported so as to be rotatable around a rotation axis 7a set in the horizontal direction. The operation part 70 of the lock member 7 is located outside the first frame member 101. The lock part 71 of the lock member 7 is located inside the first frame member 101.

  FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line DD of FIG. 2 and shows a configuration of the lock mechanism as viewed from the left side surface. 3A shows the unlocked state, and FIG. 3B shows the locked state. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the lock mechanism as viewed from the left side surface. 4A shows the unlocked state, and FIG. 4B shows the locked state. 5 shows the configuration of the lock mechanism as viewed from the inside of the main body frame 100, FIG. 5A shows the unlocked state, and FIG. 5B shows the locked state. FIG. 6 is a view of the operation unit 70 of the lock member 7 as viewed from below. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the shape of the lock member.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the entire lock member 7 is integrally formed of resin (or metal), and is constituted by one component. The lock member 7 includes an operation unit 70 and a lock unit 71. When the operation unit 70 is assembled, the operation unit 70 is located on the lower side (outside) of the first frame member 101. The lock part 71 is located inside (inside) the first frame member 101 when assembled.

  The lock portion 71 has a first lock claw 71a at the most distal end and a second lock claw 71b inside the lock portion 71a. A rib 71c is formed at the center of the second lock claw 71b. The rib 71c is formed at a position facing the first lock claw 71a. The lock main body 71d is formed to have a predetermined strength, and the first lock claw 71a and the second lock claw 71b are integrally molded at the tip thereof.

  As described above, the lock member 7 is assembled to be rotatable around the rotation axis 7a set in the horizontal direction. A rotation shaft 72 is provided corresponding to the rotation shaft core 7 a, and an operation unit 70 and a lock unit 71 are formed integrally with the rotation shaft 72.

  An arm portion 73 extending in the radial direction is integrally formed at the end portion of the rotating shaft 72. A click projection 73 a that forms a click mechanism is formed at the tip of the arm portion 73. The click protrusion 73a is formed as a substantially frustoconical protrusion. The tip of the truncated cone is formed in a dome shape. Fitting portions 72 a and 72 b are provided at both ends of the rotating shaft 72.

  The lock member 7 shown in FIG. 7 can be switched between a lock position for fixing the carriages 3a and 3e and a lock release position for releasing the fixation of the carriages 3a and 3e by operating the operation unit 70 by hand. . When the image forming apparatus is transported, the carriage 3a, 3e is fixed so that the carriage 3a, 3e does not move carelessly with the lock member 7 in the locked position. When the image forming apparatus is installed and used at a predetermined location, the lock member 7 is set to the unlock position so that the carriages 3a and 3e can move.

  As shown in FIGS. 3A and 4A, the lock member 7 is generally in a horizontal position at the unlock position. At this time, the operation unit 70 is housed in the recess 101 a formed in the first frame member 101. In the accommodated state, the operation unit 70 does not protrude from the surface of the first frame member 101. Therefore, a user who uses the image forming apparatus does not touch the operation unit 70 carelessly. In particular, by covering the cover sheet 8 as illustrated, it is possible to prevent the user from touching the operation unit 70 more reliably. Since the lock member 7 does not need to be operated when the image forming apparatus is used, there is no problem even if the cover sheet 8 is covered. The cover sheet 8 can be attached to the surface of the first frame member 101 with a double-sided tape, an adhesive or the like.

  3B and 4B show a state where the lock member 7 is in the locked position. As shown in FIG. 4, a first support plate 300 and a second support plate 310 are provided as members constituting the carriages 3a and 3e. The first support plate 300 is provided on the first carriage 3a, and the second support plate 310 is provided on the second carriage 3e.

  The first support plate 300 is provided with two notches 300a that function as engaged portions. Similarly, the second support plate 310 is also provided with two notches 310a that function as engaged portions. Two lock members 7 are also provided corresponding to the two engaged portions. Two lock members 7 are arranged side by side in the front-rear direction of the image forming apparatus. The number of the locking members 7 is not limited to two, but may be one or three or more. By providing a plurality of lock members 7, the carriages 3a and 3e can be more reliably fixed.

  As shown in the figure, the first lock claw 71 a of the lock member 7 is engaged with the upper first support plate 300, and the second lock claw 71 b is engaged with the lower second support plate 310. What is necessary is just to set the magnitude | size of each notch part 300a, 310a to the magnitude | size which does not interfere with the movement locus | trajectory of the lock part 71 of the lock member 7. FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 3B, at the lock position, the lock member 7 is in a vertical posture, and the operation unit 70 is projected from the recess 101a. That is, the operation unit 70 is projected from the surface of the first frame member 101. As described above, since the protruding amount of the operation unit 70 is set to be different between the locked position and the unlocked position, it is possible to easily recognize whether or not the locked state is set.

  FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the lock member 7 as viewed from the lower side of the first frame member 101. Since the lower side of the first frame member 101 is in a position where it is difficult to see when the image forming apparatus is used, the user does not carelessly operate the lock member 7. By providing the cover sheet 8 as described above, an erroneous operation by the user can be prevented more reliably. However, it can be easily confirmed whether or not the operation unit 71 protrudes. Further, as described above, since the operation unit 71 faces the upper portion of the discharge tray 4h, that is, the sheet discharge space portion S, the operation of the lock member 7 can be performed with a simple operation.

  The click mechanism for holding the lock member 7 will be described with reference to FIG. A fitting portion 72 b at one end of the rotation shaft 72 of the lock member 7 is fitted into a bearing hole 101 b formed integrally with the first frame member 101. In order to form the recess 101a of the first frame member 101, a standing wall 101c is formed, and a bearing hole 101b is formed in the standing wall 101c. Further, the fitting portion 72 a at the other end of the rotating shaft 72 is also fitted into a bearing hole (not shown) formed in the second frame member 102. As a result, the lock member 7 is reliably supported at both ends of the rotating shaft 72 to ensure operability.

  Click holes 102 a and 102 b in which click protrusions 73 a (see FIG. 7) formed on the arm portion 73 of the lock member 7 are fitted are formed in the second frame member 102. A click hole 102b for holding the lock member 7 at the lock position and a click hole 102a for holding the lock member 7 at the lock release position are formed. Corresponding to the shape of the click projection 73a, the click holes 102a and 102b are also formed with a truncated cone taper so that the click holes 102a and 102b can be escaped without requiring excessive force. Since the arm portion 73 is formed as a cantilever, it is easily elastically deformed, and the operation feeling of the lock member 7 is improved.

  When the image forming apparatus is transported, the lock member 7 is set at the lock position in order to prevent the carriages 3a and 3e from inadvertently moving (FIGS. 3B, 4B, and 5B). After the image forming apparatus is installed at a predetermined location, the lock member 7 is moved to the unlock position (FIGS. 3A, 4A, and 5A). As a result, the carriages 3a and 3e become movable. After moving the lock member 7 to the unlock position, the cover sheet 8 is attached to the recess 101 a of the first frame member 101. Thereby, the operation part 70 of the lock member 7 becomes invisible from the appearance side, and it is possible to prevent the operation part 70 from being erroneously operated.

<Another embodiment>
In the present embodiment, the rotation direction of the lock member 7 is clockwise when viewed from the side surface shown in FIG. 3, but it may be configured to be counterclockwise.

  In the present embodiment, the two-carriage type document reading unit 3 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the locking mechanism according to the present invention can be required even in the case of a document reading unit configured by mounting a charge coupled device (CCD) or a contact image sensor (CIS) on one carriage.

3a First carriage 3e Second carriage 7 Lock member 7a Rotating shaft core 8 Cover sheet 70 Operation part 71 Lock part (engagement part)
72 Rotating shaft 73 Arm 73a Click projection 101 First frame member 101a Recess 102 Second frame member 102a, 102b Click hole 300 First support plate 300a Notch (engaged part)
310 Second support plate 310a Notch (engaged portion)
S Paper discharge space

Claims (8)

An image reading apparatus comprising a carriage movable along a document placement surface for image reading, a lock member for locking movement of the carriage, and a frame member in which the carriage is housed. ,
The locking member is
An operation unit located outside the frame member;
A lock portion located inside the frame member and engageable with an engaged portion provided in the carriage;
A rotation shaft for supporting the lock portion so as to be able to rotate and move between a lock position and a lock release position with respect to the engaged portion, and the rotation shaft is set in a horizontal direction. An image reading apparatus. 2. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the lock portion is in the unlock position, the operation portion is housed in a space in a recess formed in the frame member. The frame member is provided on a lower surface side of the carriage, and further, a discharge unit that discharges a sheet on which a read document image is printed is disposed at a lower part of the frame member. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image reading apparatus faces the discharge unit. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the lock members are provided. 5. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least the operation unit and the lock unit of the lock member are integrally formed of resin. The image reading apparatus according to claim 2, wherein when the lock unit is in the lock position, the operation unit protrudes from the recess. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a click mechanism for holding the lock member at the lock position and the lock release position, respectively. The image according to claim 7, wherein the click mechanism includes a click protrusion formed on an arm portion extending in a radial direction with respect to the rotation axis, and a hole portion into which the click protrusion can be inserted and removed. Reader.

Images