Image reading apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11196891-B2
Application number	US-202017082162-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 28, 2020
Priority date	Oct 28, 2019
Publication date	Dec 7, 2021
Grant date	Dec 7, 2021

Abstract

An image reading apparatus includes a main body part and an openable part. On an upper surface of the main body part, a first reading surface, a second reading surface and a first guide part arranged between the two reading surfaces are provided. When a direction parallel to a direction in which an original passes over the second reading surface is defined as a first direction, and a direction parallel to the second reading surface and orthogonal to the first direction is defined as a second direction, on the upper surface, a positioning convex part having a curved surface curved downward when viewed in the second direction is provided on an extended line of the first guide part. On a lower surface of the openable part, a positioning concave part having two inclined surfaces respectively contacting the curved surface when viewed in the second direction is provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image reading apparatus comprising:
a main body part to which a first reading surface onto which an original is to be placed, a second reading surface over which an original passes, and a first guide part arranged between the first reading surface and the second reading surface and configured to scoop up an original passing over the second reading surface are provided on an upper surface;
an openable part provided above the main body part;
an automatic document feeder provided to the openable part and configured to convey an original to pass over the second reading surface and the first guide part;
a reading sensor provided within the main body part and capable of reading an image on an original placed onto the first reading surface and an image of an original passing over the second reading surface; and
a hinge configured to couple the openable part to the main body part such that the openable part is swingable between an open position and a closed position,
wherein when a direction parallel to a direction in which an original passes over the second reading surface while being conveyed parallel to the second reading surface is defined as a first direction, and a direction parallel to the second reading surface and orthogonal to the first direction is defined as a second direction:
on the upper surface of the main body part, a positioning convex part protruding upward is provided, the positioning convex part being arranged on the opposite side of the hinge with respect to the first reading surface and the second reading surface on an extended line of the first guide part and protruding upward;
on a lower surface of the openable part, a positioning concave part concaved upward is provided, the positioning concave part being arranged at a position opposing the positioning convex part in a state where the openable part is at the closed position;
the positioning convex part has a curved surface curved downward from a top part while extending toward one side and the other side in the first direction when viewed in the second direction; and
when viewed in the second direction in the state where the openable part is at the closed position, the positioning concave part has a first inclined surface being a flat surface inclined downward toward the one side in the first direction and contacting the curved surface, and a second inclined surface being a flat surface inclined downward toward the other side in the first direction and contacting the curved surface.

2. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the positioning convex part is formed continuously with the first guide part in the second direction.

3. The image reading apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a reinforcing plate inserting part recessed upward from a lower surface of the first guide part and extending in the second direction along the first guide part; and
a reinforcing plate extending in the second direction and configured to be inserted in the reinforcing plate inserting part to reinforce the first guide part,
wherein the reinforcing plate inserting part and the reinforcing plate extends up to the positioning convex part.

4. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein an end surface of the positioning convex part extending in an up-down direction and in the second direction on the first reading surface side is coplanar with an end surface of the first guide part extending in the up-down direction and in the second direction on the first reading surface side.

5. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1 ,
Wherein the curved surface is a section of a cylindrical surface whose center line is an axis line extending in the second direction below the top part.

6. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein an angle of downward inclination of the first inclined surface with respect to the first direction and an angle of downward inclination of the second inclined surface with respect to the first direction are equal to or less than 45 degrees.

7. An image reading apparatus comprising:
a main body part to which a first reading surface onto which an original is to be placed, a second reading surface over which an original passes, and a second guide part arranged opposite to the first reading surface with respect to the second reading surface and configured to guide an original toward the second reading surface are provided on an upper surface;
an openable part provided above the main body part;
an automatic document feeder provided to the openable part and configured to convey an original to pass over the second guide part and the second reading surface;
a reading sensor provided within the main body part and capable of reading an image on an original placed onto the first reading surface and an image of an original passing over the second reading surface; and
a hinge configured to couple the openable part to the main body part such that the openable part is swingable between an open position and a closed position,
wherein when a direction parallel to a direction in which an original passes over the second reading surface while being conveyed parallel to the second reading surface is defined as a first direction, and a direction parallel to the second reading surface and orthogonal to the first direction is defined as a second direction:
on the upper surface of the main body part, a positioning convex part protruding upward is provided, the positioning convex part being arranged on the opposite side of the hinge with respect to the first reading surface and the second reading surface on an extended line of the second guide part;
on a lower surface of the openable part, a positioning concave part concaved upward is provided, the positioning concave part being arranged at a position opposing the positioning convex part in a state where the openable part is at the closed position;
the positioning convex part has a curved surface curved downward from a top part while extending toward one side and the other side in the first direction when viewed in the second direction; and
when viewed in the second direction in the state where the openable part is at the closed position, the positioning concave part has a first inclined surface being a flat surface inclined downward toward the one side in the first direction and contacting the curved surface, and a second inclined surface being a flat surface inclined downward toward the other side in the first direction and contacting the curved surface.

Assignees

• Brother Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Oyama Yoshihiro
• Okamoto Yoshihiro

Classifications

• H04N1/1235 Primary

  Feeding a sheet past a transparent plate; Details thereof · CPC title

• H04N1/028

  for picture information pick-up · CPC title