The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 07, 1992
Filed:
Dec. 12, 1990
Shiro Takamizawa, Saku, JP;
Toshihiro Kumano, Chiisagata, JP;
Yuji Ishii, Chiisagata, JP;
Kiroyuki Yamada, Chiisagata, JP;
Masanori Sato, Chiisagata, JP;
Matsushita Graphic Communication Systems, Inc., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image reading device having a feed roller and a document-separating member for separating and feeding one document at a time from a stack of documents on a hopper, and an image sensor for reading each document being transported through a suitable document transport path inside the device. The document transport path is inclined downward for a short distance immediately downstream of the feed roller and the document-separating member, then is bent in a near-horizontal direction, stretching substantially straight. This structure reduces the overall height of the device. A rotatable pushing member for pushing the document-separating member against the feed roller has a document guide surface which is located downstream of the document-separating member and which protrudes beyond the putative extension of the document contact plane at the end of the document-separating member, the pushing member thereby constituting a bend of the path. Because the document guide surface supports a document being fed while bending along the path, the document does not hit and raise the document-separating member to disrupt its document-separating action.