Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.

Takao Araki

Kosuke Takaki

Junichi Suematsu

Hiroshi Matsumoto

Yoshihiro Ito

Junichi Mutoh

Terumi Tsuda

Yoshihiro Itoh

Katsuzi Ichimaru

Tetsurou Fukuzoe

Yushi Toyomura

An image reader includes a document table () having a platen plate () placed on an upper surface of the document table (); a document table cover () supported at an upper end of the document table () in a pivotable manner; a first image sensor () which is provided in the document table () and is actuated in parallel with the platen plate () by means of a sensor drive mechanism (); a document moving mechanism for causing the document to move along a document transport path () formed in the document table cover (); and a second image sensor () fixed to the document table cover () so as to be situated at a position above the document transport path (). A track of the document, which moves through the document transport path (), passes through a focal point (scan point) of the first image sensor () achieved when the first image sensor () is situated at a standby position.

Image reader

An image reader comprising a reading glass plate facing an optical scanning system and a platen roller provided opposite to the reading glass plate; both being grounded. It is combined with an automatic sheet feeder, which comprises a retardation roller containing torque limiters and corrugation rollers. An optimized combination of these rollers provides an ideal sheet transfer and avoids overlaid sheet transfer. Generation of paper dust and toner particles is minimized in the optimized sheet transfer. Furthermore, sticking of such dust and particles on the reading glass plate and the platen roller is prevented in an image reader of the present invention. Thus the image reader reads out high quality images without being affected by dispersed paper dust or toner particles, while overlaid transfer of mother document sheets is prevented in the sheet feeder.

Sheet separation roller configuration

There are disclosed a pressing force adjustable roller unit, a sheet member or transport system in an image processing apparatus provided with the roller unit, and a sheet member supply system in which multi-transport can securely be prevented. In a holder to which a roller is attached via a holding shaft to move the roller in a load direction from a peripheral surface, a torsion spring is connected in a direction in which the holding shaft is pressed downward, a windup degree of a winding portion of the torsion spring is adjusted by engagement of an engaging arm projecting from the winding portion with a first or second stopper disposed on a holder side, and a roller pressing force can therefore be adjusted. There are also provided a hopper for piling sheets, a supply roller for picking up and feeding out the sheet, and a multi-transport preventing roller pair of a separation roller and a retard roller so that the hopper can vertically move with respect to the supply roller. When the sheet multi-transport is detected by a multi-transport detection sensor, disposed on an immediate downstream side of the separation roller and retard roller, for detecting the sheet multi-transport, the hopper is shifted in a downward direction apart from the supply roller, a nipping force between the separation roller and retard roller is reduced, and a retard roller rotation torque is increased.

Pressing force adjustable roller unit, transport system of sheet member in image processing apparatus therewith and supply system of sheet member in image processing apparatus

A rotating shaft coupling has a plurality of rotating-shaft-coupling-members. One of the rotating-shaft-coupling-members is multi-layered by a coupler connecting a shaft thereto, an elastic body and an inertia body which has a mass activating a torsion load in a rotating direction when the elastic body is rotating. A plurality of the rotating-shaft-coupling-members are assembled into the rotating shaft coupling. By this construction, transmission of the vibration from a motor side to a driven side can be effectively suppressed.

Image scanning apparatus having a rotating shaft coupling

In order to securely prevent or detect overlap feeding of sheet materials, there is provided a sheet material feeding mechanism which deforms the sheet materials on a feeding line so as to form a gap between the overlapping sheet materials which firmly cling to each other. For preventing the overlap feeding of the sheets, the drive relationship between a feeding roller and a pair of a parting roller and a retarding roller located on the downstream side from the feeding roller is optimized to form the gap between the sheet materials. Further, for detecting the overlap feeding of the sheets, bending correction ribs are provided on guide plates formed on the upper and lower sides of the feeding line of the sheet materials so as to deform the sheet materials fed in the overlapping condition, thereby the gap is formed between the overlapping sheets.

Sheet material feeding mechanism

The present invention provides a paper feeding apparatus for use in an image reader, e.g. such as an image scanner, which is designed especially to prevent overlap feeding of sheets of paper, and can adjust both the pressing forces between a hopper for carrying sheets of paper in a stacked manner and a pickup roller for paper feeding and between a parting roller and a retard roller for the prevention of overlap feeding. The paper feeding apparatus of the present invention serves to feed the sheets of paper one by one from the hopper and to restrict overlap feeding by the parting roller and the retard roller. This optimizes the paper feeding in the pass line from the hopper to the preventing mechanism for overlap feeding, thereby achieving a secure prevention overlap feeding.

Paper feeding apparatus

A document feeder comprises a hopper table on which documents are to be mounted, a feeding roller for transporting the documents mounted on the hopper table, and lifting system for raising and lowering the hopper table to position the topmost sheet of the documents mounted on the hopper table at a level of the feeding roller. The lifting system includes a hopper motor, and a drive mechanism for raising and lowering the hopper table by means of the driving force. The drive mechanism swings the hopper table when the hopper table is located between an lower limit position and a switching position above the lower limit position, or moves the hopper table vertically with maintaining its posture horizontally when the hopper table is located between the switching position and an upper limit position above the switching position. In addition, the height and the slant angle of the feeding roller sequentially conform to the movement of the hopper table in order to prevent jamming.

Document feeder and image reader

An image reading and printing apparatus having a housing, a printing part located in the upper part of the housing, an image reading part located in the lower part of the housing, a sheet feeding part located in the lower part of the housing below the image reading part and receiving thereinto a sheet inserted from the lower part of the front face of the housing, a C-like shape sheet conveying path through which the sheet is led from the sheet feed part to the printing part, and is discharged outside of the housing from the upper part of the front surface thereof, and a C-like shape document conveying path through which a document inserted from the lower part of the front face of the housing is led to the image reading part, and is then discharged outside of the housing from the front face of the housing, the C-like document conveying path being surrounded by the C-like sheet conveying path, thereby making it possible to miniaturize the image reading and printing apparatus and to absorb a shift between the timing of the reading operation and the timing of the printing operation caused by the printing speed of the printing part which is relatively lower than the reading speed of the image reading part.

Apparatus for reading images from documents and printing information on

A scanner printer includes a scanner portion for reading written information on an original manuscript paper and a printer portion for printing written information on printing paper, both of which are integrally combined within a single casing. The respective paper feeding into the scanner portion and the printer portion is performed through a common feeding passage. Thus, the overall dimension of the scanner printer can be downsized. A pointer directs the original manuscript and the printing paper into an original manuscript passage and into the printer portion, respectively. Hence, wear an on a surface of a photo-sensitive drum of the printer portion can be greatly reduced thus maintaining accurate and sharp printing characteristics.

Growing community of inventors

Kasuga, Japan

Takao Araki