JPH07254971A - Image reader - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To smoothly slide an imaging unit for a long time by mounting rollers with flanges at perpendicular longitudinal cross-sectional parts on both side plates of the main body of an image forming device. CONSTITUTION:Synthetic resin rollers 1 and 3 with flanges are respectively provided at both end sides (a) and (b) of an imaging unit U, and the unit U is mounted through the rollers 1 and 3 to perpendicular longitudinal cross-sectional parts 6 and 7 on both end plates 4 and 5 so as to be freely slid. At the same time, the roller 1 on one end side (a) of the unit U is provided with a pressure spring 8 on the side of the side plate 4. Further, the roller 1 on one end side (a) of the unit U is pressed to the side of the side plate 4 by pressing a flange 1a to the part 6 with the spring 8, and the roller 3 on the other end side (b) of the unit U is provided along the original scanning direction. Thus, in the case of moving the device relatively to an original, the position of the unit U is not vertically and horizontally deviated, and original images with high reproductivity can be optically read.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image reading apparatus for inputting image data in an electrostatographic copying machine, a facsimile, a printer, etc., and an imaging unit for scanning a document to optically read a document image. The present invention relates to a moving mechanism of an image reading apparatus configured to drive a reciprocating movement of the imaging unit in a document scanning direction and configured to input a read signal to an image processing unit.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a moving mechanism of an image reading apparatus having an imaging unit of this kind, as shown in FIG.
There is a so-called single rod support type. In FIG. 6, this image reading apparatus is provided with an inverted L-shaped guide rail 51.
And the guide rod 52 are arranged in parallel in the upper space of the main body of the copying machine along the document scanning direction P, and one end side a of the imaging unit U is slidably fitted and held on the guide rod 52 while the other end is The mounted member 53 on the side b
Is mounted, the mounted member 53 is slidably mounted on the guide rail 51, and a driving device 54 for reciprocating the imaging unit U along the document scanning direction P is provided. In this drive device 54, two rotating bodies 55 and 56 are provided, a rotating body 57 and an intermediate rotating body 58 that are connected to a motor (not shown) are provided, and a transmission wire 59 is provided.
Is fixed to the fixing portion 60 on the image forming apparatus main body side, the transmission wire 59 is sequentially wound around the rotating body 55, the intermediate rotating body 58, the rotating body 57, and the rotating body 56, and the transmission wire 59 is attached. It is attached to the imaging unit U via a fastening body 61.

[0003]

However, in order to move the imaging unit U back and forth, the guide rod 52 is used.
While the relative movement with respect to the document allows the image of the document unit U to be read with high reproducibility without any vertical or horizontal displacement of the imaging unit U, the guide rod 52 is used. Therefore, there is a drawback that the cost is high.

Further, when the imaging unit U slides on the guide rod 52, a large frictional force is required. Therefore, a large torque is required to reciprocate the imaging unit U. It had to be used and was noisy.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide an image reading apparatus which is inexpensive in cost and reduces noise when the imaging unit reciprocates.

[0006]

An image reading apparatus of the present invention comprises an imaging unit for scanning a document to optically read a document image, and a drive unit for reciprocating the imaging unit in the document scanning direction. In the image reading apparatus provided, flanged rollers are provided on both end sides of the imaging unit, and the imaging unit is slidably mounted on the vertical cross-section right and left portions of both side plates through the flanged rollers, and A spring for urging the flanged roller on one end side toward the side plate is provided.

[0007]

According to the above-mentioned characteristic construction, the flanged rollers are placed on the portions of the both side plates which are perpendicular to the vertical section, so that the imaging unit can be smoothly slid for a long period of time.

That is, according to the present invention, it is possible to avoid the cost and noise from being increased by using the guide rod in the related art, and in comparison with the case where the guide rod is used to reciprocate the imaging unit. Since a small torque is required, it is not necessary to use a large motor that outputs a large torque.

Therefore, the cost is low, the noise can be reduced, and the urging means for urging the flanged roller on the one end side of the imaging unit to the side plate side is provided. Therefore, the flanged roller on the one end side is provided. The flange of can be pressed against a portion having a right angle in the vertical cross section, and when performing relative movement with respect to the document, the image of the document can be optically read with high reproducibility without vertical or horizontal displacement of the imaging unit.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below.
However, the present invention is not limited thereby. 1 to 4, the image reading apparatus includes an imaging unit U that scans a document to optically read a document image, and a driving unit that reciprocates the imaging unit U in a document scanning direction P. Flanges 1, 2 and 3 made of synthetic resin are provided on both ends a and b (see FIG. 2) of the imaging unit U, and the imaging unit U is provided with both side plates 4 and 4 via the flanged rollers 1, 2 and 3. 5 is slidably mounted on the vertical cross-sections 6 and 7 of the vertical section 5, and a spring (biasing means) 8 is provided to bias the flanged roller 1 on one end side a of the imaging unit U toward the side plate 4 side. .

Further, one end side a of the imaging unit U
The flanged roller 1 is urged toward the side plate 4 by pressing the flange 1a against the vertical cross-section right-angled portion 6 by the spring 8, and the flanged rollers 2 and 3 on the other end side b of the imaging unit U are A small motor (not shown), which is provided along the document scanning direction and which outputs a small torque, and a pair of gears (rotating bodies) 10, which are connected to a drive shaft 9 of the motor, are provided. 11, a pair of gears (driving rotating bodies) 12 and 13 provided on the motor side of both side plates 4 and 5 to which the driving force is transmitted from the rotating bodies 10 and 11, respectively, and the non-motor side of both side plates 4 and 5. A pair of pulleys (free rotating bodies) 14 and 15 and a driving rotating body 12, 13
And a pair of timing belts (drive transmission means) 16 and 17 wound around the free rotating bodies 14 and 15 respectively, and upper side 16a and 17a of each timing belt 16 and 17 are fixed to the side plates 4 and 5. A pair of holding metal fittings (fastening body) 1
8 and 19, female screws M are provided on the pressing fittings 18 and 19 (see FIG. 2), and the male screw F is attached to the female screw M.
Are connected to the upper side 16a, 17a of the timing belt 16, 17 between the holding metal fittings 18, 19 and the side plates 4, 5.
Is pinched.

Further, in FIG. 4, the image forming apparatus main body H
An imaging unit U and a document holding cover 20 are sequentially provided on the upper side, and the document holding cover 20 has a paper feed port 21 into which a document G for facsimile or copying is inserted, and a paper feeding port 21 downstream thereof. The original image is transferred via the glass surface 27 by the paper roller 22, the pair of original separating rollers 23, the pair of feed rollers 24, the original pressing roller 25 to which the driving force is transmitted from the feed rollers 24, and the exposure lamp 26 of the imaging unit U. An automatic document feeder (ADF) 30 in which a discharge roller 28 for discharging the optically read document and a discharge tray 29 are arranged is provided.

Further, in FIG. 4, reference numeral 31 is a polygon motor provided in the upper portion of the copying machine main body H, and a CCD image sensor 32 provided in the imaging unit U.
An image processing unit (LSU) including a memory, a laser output unit, a mirror, and the like for inputting an electrical read signal photoelectrically converted by (see FIG. 5), and 33 represents the electrical read signal during image formation. The photoconductor is a photoconductor to which the optical signal S is guided by a conversion process.

Since this embodiment has the above-mentioned structure, when transmitting an original image (facsimile function) using the ADF 30, as shown in FIG. 4, first, the imaging unit U is placed directly below the glass surface 27. With it stopped
The original G is set in the paper feed port 21, and the original pressing roller 25 on the downstream side of the glass surface 27 scans the original G to the downstream side, whereby the exposure lamp 26 of the imaging unit U irradiates the original G with light (see FIG. 5), the light reflected by the document G is reflected by the mirror 34 in the imaging unit U, the reflected light reaches the mirror 35, the reflected light by the mirror 35 reaches the mirror 36, and the reflected light is reflected by the mirror 37. Further, the reflected light is reflected by the mirror 34, so that the reflected light transmitted from the mirror 34 via the optical lens 39 is imaged on the CCD image sensor 32. Then, the electrical reading signal photoelectrically converted by the CCD image sensor 32 is input to the image processing unit 31, and the document image is transmitted.

It should be noted that the ADF 30 is used to convert a document image into an electrical read signal to convert it into an optical signal,
The copying operation for guiding the optical signal to the surface of the photoconductor 33 is also performed with the imaging unit U stopped just below the glass surface 27. In this case, the optical signal is guided from the image processing unit 31 to the surface of the photoconductor 33. . Further, in FIG. 2, D is CC
It is an imaging unit mounting plate on which the above-mentioned components such as the D image sensor 32 are detachably mounted.

When the original G is set on the glass surface 40 larger than the glass surface 27 without using the ADF 30, the original G is scanned to optically read the original image as shown in FIG. First, the imaging unit U moves in the P direction from the position A to the position B. In this case, since the rollers 1 and 2 with flanges with respect to the portions 6 and 7 having a right angle in the vertical cross section of the both side plates 4 and 5 are made of synthetic resin, smooth sliding of the imaging unit U can be achieved. By using it, it is possible to avoid high cost and high noise, and a small torque is required as compared with a case where a guide rod is used to move the imaging unit U back and forth, so a large torque is output. There is no need to use a large motor.

As described above, in this embodiment, the cost is low, the noise can be reduced, and the spring 8 for urging the flanged roller 1 on the one end side a of the imaging unit U toward the side plate 4 is provided. Therefore, the flange 1a of the roller with flange 1 can be pressed against the portion 6 having a right angle in the vertical cross section, and when performing relative movement with respect to the document G, a document image with high reproducibility without vertical or horizontal position displacement of the imaging unit U can be obtained. It can be read optically.

Also in the above case where the original G is set on the glass surface 40 larger than the glass surface 27, the original image can be transmitted (facsimile function) to optically read the original image with high reproducibility, or copy. By performing an operation, a copy image having the same high reproducibility can be optically read.

In this embodiment, the flanged rollers 1, 2 and 3 made of synthetic resin are used, but the material of the flanged roller is not limited to synthetic resin.
It may be made of iron or the like. The urging means for urging the flanged roller 1 toward the side plate 4 is not limited to the spring 8 and may be any other means as long as it urges the flanged roller 1 toward the side plate 4 side. . Further, the drive transmission means is not limited to the timing belts 16 and 17, and it is also possible to use a wire, a rack and pinion mechanism, or the like.

[0020]

As described above, according to the present invention, the flanged roller is placed on the portions of the both side plates of the image forming apparatus main body having a right angle in the vertical cross section, so that the imaging unit can be smoothly slid for a long period of time. It

That is, according to the present invention, it is possible to avoid the cost and noise from being increased by using the guide rod in the related art, and in comparison with the case where the guide rod is used for moving the imaging unit back and forth. Since a small torque is required, it is not necessary to use a large motor that outputs a large torque.

Therefore, the cost is low, the noise can be reduced, and the urging means for urging the flanged roller on the one end side of the imaging unit toward the side plate is provided. Therefore, the flanged roller on the one end side is provided. The flange of can be pressed against a portion having a right angle in the vertical cross section, and when performing relative movement with respect to the document, the image of the document can be optically read with high reproducibility without vertical or horizontal displacement of the imaging unit.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a main part configuration in the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a main part configuration in the same example.

FIG. 4 is a structural explanatory view showing an image forming apparatus to which the image reading apparatus of the above embodiment is attached.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a main part configuration showing an imaging unit in the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is an overall perspective view showing a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 2, 3 ... Synthetic resin flanged rollers, 4, 5 ... Both side plates, 6, 7 ... Vertical cross-section right angle portion, 8 ... Spring, U ... Imaging unit, a ... One end side of imaging unit, b ... The other end of the imaging unit.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Kenji Sakagami 1-2-2 Tamatsukuri, Chuo-ku, Osaka Mita Industrial Co., Ltd. (72) Hiroyuki Tanaka 1-228 Tamatsukuri, Chuo-ku, Osaka Mita Within Kogyo Co., Ltd.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An image reading apparatus comprising an imaging unit for scanning a document to optically read a document image, and a drive unit for reciprocating the imaging unit in the document scanning direction. Each of them is provided with a flanged roller, and the imaging unit is slidably mounted on the vertical cross-section right-angled portions of both side plates through the flanged roller, and the flanged roller at one end of the imaging unit is attached to the side plate side. An image reading apparatus comprising an urging means for urging. 2. One flanged roller urged toward the side plate by a spring is provided at one end of the imaging unit, and two flanged rollers are provided at the other end of the imaging unit along the document scanning direction. The drive means is provided, and the drive means is provided with a motor, a pair of rotating bodies connected to the drive shaft of the motor, and a pair of drive units provided on the motor sides of the both side plates, and the driving force is respectively transmitted from the rotating bodies. Rotating body, a pair of free rotating bodies provided on both sides of the non-motor side, drive transmitting means for transmitting a driving force from the driving rotating body to the free rotating body, and the upper side of each timing belt. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a pair of fixing members that are fixed to the side plates.