JPH11102754A - Connector interface structure and image reader - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To maintain the performance of an image reader by eliminating making contact of a finger with a connector terminal of a scanner and preventing the discharge of static electricity charged in the finger to the connector terminal. SOLUTION: An image reader consists of a holder 3 provided with a function for guiding a blank form and a scanner 2 detachable to the holder 3 and having at least a function for reading out an image, a projection 3d is formed in the holder 3, a female connector terminal 5 is arranged in the projection 3d, meanwhile a recess 2d is formed in the scanner 2, a male connector terminal 4 whose setting height is lower than the depth of the recess 2d is arranged within the recess 2d, and when the projection 3d is inserted into or removed from the recess 2d by attaching to and detaching the scanner from the holder 3, the male connector terminal 4 is electrically and mechanically connected to or separated from the female connector 5, and in the state that the scanner 2 is separated from the holder 3, making contacts from the outside to the male connector 4 can be stopped with the recess 2d.

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 comprising a holder having a function of guiding a sheet and a scanner which is detachable from the holder and has an image reading function. The present invention relates to an improvement in a connector interface structure between a scanner and a scanner.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In such an image reading apparatus, when reading the contents of a page of a book such as a magazine, the scanner is removed from a holder, and the scanner is scanned over the page to be read while the scanner is used. Read the image on the page. When reading the contents described on the paper set in the holder, set the paper to be read in the holder while the scanner is still loaded in the holder, and transport the paper through the holder while scanning the paper. Read the paper. The image data thus read is transmitted to a personal computer connected to the scanner via a cable.
By the way, in the case where the scanner is set in the holder and the paper is read, in order to supply power related to paper transport from the scanner side to the holder side, or to transmit and receive a detection signal of the transport position of the paper set in the holder, The scanner has a connector interface structure in which the scanner and the holder are connected by a pair of connector terminals.

In the conventional image reading apparatus, the female connector terminal is provided on the holder side, the male connector terminal is provided on the scanner side, and when the scanner is loaded in the holder, both of these connector terminals are provided. There is a type in which connector terminals are electrically and mechanically connected, and the power supply or the transmission and reception of signals are performed through the two connector terminals.

[0004]

According to such a connector interface structure, when the user removes the scanner from the holder and scans the page of the magazine, or at other times, the male connector terminal protruding from the scanner is connected to the male connector terminal. It is easy for the user's finger to directly touch. Such finger contact is not preferable because static electricity charged on the finger side discharges to the male connector terminal and affects an electric circuit for image reading in the scanner.

Further, the male connector terminal is deformed by the contact of the user's finger, and it is difficult to smoothly connect and disconnect the male connector terminal from the female connector terminal on the holder side.

Furthermore, the contact of the fingers makes it easier for an oxide film to be formed on the surface of the male connector terminal, and the formation of the oxide film reduces the electrical continuity between the two connector terminals. The transmission / reception performance is greatly reduced, which is not preferable.

[0007]

According to the present invention, there is provided a holder having at least a sheet guiding function, and a scanner detachable from the holder and having at least an image reading function. A first connector terminal is provided on the convex portion while a convex portion is formed, and a concave portion is formed in the scanner, and a second connector terminal having a lower installation height than the depth of the concave portion is formed in the concave portion. When the convex portion is inserted into and removed from the concave portion by attachment and detachment of the holder and the scanner, the second connector terminal is electrically and electrically connected to the first connector terminal. In a state where the scanner is mechanically connected and separated and the scanner is separated from the holder, an external contact with the second connector terminal is formed in the concave portion. It has solved the above problem by which the image reading apparatus is characterized in that it is possible to stop.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of a connector interface structure and an image reading apparatus using the same according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

With reference to FIG. 1, the overall configuration of an image reading apparatus having a connector interface structure according to the present embodiment will be described. Reference numeral 1 denotes the entire image reading apparatus. The image reading device 1 includes a scanner 2 and a holder 3
It is composed of The scanner 2 optically reads images such as characters and figures written on paper,
It has a function of storing and outputting the read data as image data. Holder 3
The apparatus is provided with a function of holding a plurality of sheets to be read in a stacked state and guiding the sheets in the reading direction.

The scanner 2 is detachable from the holder 3 so that the scanner 2 can be detached from the holder 3 as shown in FIGS. For example, the scanner 2 can be used in a reading mode in which the scanner 2 is mounted on the holder 3 and paper is automatically supplied, or in a reading mode in which the scanner 2 is removed from the holder 3 and a book or paper is traced directly. .

The scanner 2 has a bottom case part 2a and upper case parts 2b, 2b divided into two parts. A motor (not shown) is provided inside the scanner. Are arranged to be driven to rotate. When the scanner 2 is detached from the holder 3 and traces a page of a magazine, the rollers 2c rotate and the scanner 2 self-propelled (in this case, the user attaches his / her finger to the scanner 2). The relationship between the rotation angle of the rollers 2c and the reading is related to each other, and when the roller 2c is mounted on the holder 3, the rollers 3a on the holder 3 are rotated by the rollers 2c and set on the holder 3. A sheet not shown can be transported and driven. Such a scanner 2 is connected to a personal computer (not shown) via an appropriate cable, and can output a read image signal to the personal computer. The holder 3 has a scanner mounting case portion 3b on which the scanner 2 is mounted, a paper setting case portion 3b on which paper is mounted, and the like. The rollers 3a are provided in the scanner mounting case portion 3b. .

Next, the main part of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 5 is FIG.
It is the elements on larger scale of the principal part. The scanner 2 and the holder 3 each have a connector for supplying power and transmitting and receiving signals. In the scanner 2, a concave portion 2d for disposing the connector near one side of the bottom case portion 2a.
have. In addition, the holder 3 has a convex portion 3d which can enter the concave portion 2d near one side of the scanner mounting case portion 3b. Then, the recess 2d of the scanner 2
Inside, a male connector terminal 4 is provided. A female connector terminal 5 that can be connected to and separated from the male connector terminal 4 of the scanner 2 is built in the protrusion 3 d of the holder 3.

The male connector terminal 4 has a recess 2 at its front periphery.
d. The depth of the concave portion 2d is made larger than the installation height of the male connector terminal 4 installed on the bottom surface, whereby the male connector terminal 4 does not protrude outside the concave portion 2d. Therefore, by having the above-described structure, when the user detaches the scanner 2 from the holder 3 and holds it with his / her finger to perform scanning for image reading, the user's finger directly contacts the male connector terminal 4. Is prevented.

Further, the inner peripheral surface of the concave portion 2d is covered with a conductive member for protecting the male connector terminal 4 from static electricity, such as a metal frame 6, for protecting against static electricity. This metal frame 6 is grounded. The metal frame 6 is entirely made of metal, but may be made of a resin in which a conductive substance is put or another conductive member.

According to the connector interface structure of the present embodiment, the static electricity charged on the user's finger is discharged by the metal frame 6 before the male connector terminal 4 is discharged. 4
Is protected from its static electricity. According to the installation structure of the male connector terminal 4 according to the present embodiment, when the user removes the scanner 2 from the holder 3 and scans a page of a magazine, for example, or the like, the recess 2 is used.
d prevents the user's finger from directly contacting the male connector terminal 4, thereby preventing the static electricity charged on the finger side from being discharged to the male connector terminal 4 due to the contact of the user's finger, thereby preventing the scanner from scanning. The influence of the discharge of static electricity on the various electric circuits in 2 is eliminated.
In addition, since the contact of the user's finger is avoided by the concave portion 2d, the male connector terminal 4 is not deformed by the contact of the user's finger, and a smooth connection and separation with the female connector terminal 5 on the holder 3 side is prevented. Is secured. Furthermore, since the contact of the finger with the male connector terminal 4 is avoided, an oxide film is not formed on the surface of the male connector terminal 4, so that the formation of the oxide film causes the connection between the two connector terminals 4 and 5. Of the power supply between the holder 3 and the scanner 2 and the performance of signal transmission / reception are not impaired.

Although the present embodiment has been described as applied to an image reading apparatus, the present invention is not limited to this. A connector in which a female connector terminal is provided in one device and a male connector terminal is provided in the other device is provided. It is needless to say that the present invention can be similarly applied as long as it has an interface structure.

In this embodiment, the male connector terminal is particularly effective, so that prevention of external contact and protection from static electricity have been described. However, even a female connector terminal is exposed to the outside. As far as the male connector terminal is concerned, there is a similar problem. However, the present invention is not necessarily limited to the male connector terminal, and can be similarly applied to the female connector terminal.

[0018]

According to the connector interface structure of the present invention as described above, since the connector terminal is installed in the recess and the depth of the recess is made larger than the installation height of the connector terminal, the scanner is provided. For example, when the user removes from the holder and scans the magazine page, the finger of the user does not directly contact the connector terminal. Further, a conductive member is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the concave portion, and the conductive member is grounded,
Alternatively, cover the front periphery of the connector terminal with a conductive member,
When the conductive member is grounded, static electricity charged on the finger side due to contact of the user's finger will not be discharged to the connector terminal, and the influence of static electricity discharge on various electric circuits in the scanner, for example, Circuit damage is eliminated. Of course, this static electricity is useful not only for the user's fingers but also for the approach of other electrostatically charged objects. Further, since the contact of the user's finger is avoided by the concave portion, the connector terminal is not deformed by the contact of the finger, so that a smooth connection and separation from the connector terminal on the holder side is ensured. Further, since the contact of the finger with the connector terminal is avoided, the oxide film is not formed on the surface of the connector terminal, and as a result, the electrical continuity between the two connector terminals caused by the formation of the oxide film is reduced. There is no deterioration, and the performance of power supply and signal transmission / reception between the holder and the scanner is not impaired. In this case, when the connector terminal is a male connector terminal, the effect can be more remarkably exhibited.

According to the image reading apparatus of the present invention, the image reading apparatus comprises a holder having at least a function of guiding a sheet, and a scanner detachable from the holder and having at least an image reading function. And a first connector terminal is provided in the convex portion, while the scanner has a concave portion in which the convex portion can enter, and an installation height in the concave portion is lower than a depth of the concave portion. A connector interface structure provided with a second connector terminal, wherein the second connector terminal is connected to the first connector when the convex portion is inserted into or removed from the concave portion by attachment and detachment of the holder and the scanner. When the scanner is separated from the holder electrically and mechanically connected to the terminal and externally connected to the second connector terminal, Since the connector has a structure in which the contact can be prevented by the concave portion, it has an effect in the connector interface structure, and furthermore, since the interface structure is composed of the convex portion and the concave portion, both the connector terminals Positioning of each terminal is facilitated, and as a result, it is convenient as a guide when connecting both connector terminals.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an image reading apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the image reading apparatus in a process of removing the scanner from the holder.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the image reading apparatus in a process of removing the scanner from the holder.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the image reading apparatus in a state where the scanner is removed from the holder.

FIG. 5 is a partially enlarged view of a scanner which is a main part of the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image reading device 2 Scanner 2d recess 3 Holder 4 Male connector terminal (2nd connector terminal) 5 Female connector terminal (1st connector terminal) 6 Metal frame (conductive member)

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Takeshi Arihara 10 Okayama Dodocho, Ukyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A connector interface structure having a structure in which a connector terminal is installed in a recess and the depth of the recess is greater than the installation height of the connector terminal. 2. The connector interface structure according to claim 1, wherein a conductive member is provided on an inner peripheral surface of the concave portion, and the conductive member is grounded. 3. A connector interface structure wherein a front periphery of a connector terminal is covered with a conductive member, and the conductive member is grounded. 4. A holder having at least a sheet guiding function and a scanner detachable from the holder and having at least an image reading function. While the first connector terminal is provided in the portion, the scanner is provided with a concave portion into which the convex portion can enter, and the second connector terminal having a lower installation height than the depth of the concave portion is provided in the concave portion. A connector interface structure, wherein the second connector terminal is connected to the first connector terminal when the convex portion is inserted into and removed from the concave portion by attaching and detaching the holder and the scanner.
Electrically and mechanically separated from the connector terminals of
The image reading device is characterized in that, when the scanner is separated from the holder, external contact with the second connector terminal can be prevented by the recess. 5. The image reading apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a conductive member for protecting static electricity is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the concave portion, and the conductive member is grounded.