Image reading apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11235938-B2
Application number	US-202016797340-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 21, 2020
Priority date	Mar 27, 2019
Publication date	Feb 1, 2022
Grant date	Feb 1, 2022

Abstract

An image reading apparatus, including a feed tray, a conveyance guide, a feed roller, a separator, a reading sensor, and a controller, is provided. The feed tray supports sheets for being fed and has a movable plate movable between a standby position and a feedable position. The feed roller is movable and feeds the sheets to be conveyed along the conveyance guide. A positional relation between the feed roller and an uppermost sheet in the sheets is maintained within a predetermined range by the movable plate located at the feedable position. The controller controls at least rotating-and-stopping movements of the feed roller and the separator and ascending-and-descending movements of the movable plate. While the feed roller feeds the sheets, the controller conducts a vibrating action, in which the movable plate located at the feedable position is moved to ascend and descend for a plurality of times.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image reading apparatus, comprising:
a feed tray configured to support sheets for being fed, the feed tray comprising a movable plate configured to move in a vertical direction between a standby position and a feedable position being higher than the standby position according to an amount of the sheets supported by the feed tray;
a conveyance guide configured to guide the sheets conveyed from the feed tray;
a feed roller movable in the vertical direction, the feed roller being configured to feed the sheets supported by the feed tray to be conveyed along the conveyance guide, a positional relation between the feed roller and an uppermost sheet in the sheets supported by the feed tray being maintained within a predetermined range by the movable plate located at the feedable position;
a separator configured to nip and separate the sheets fed by the feed roller from one another and convey the sheets separately along the conveyance guide;
a reading sensor configured to read images of the sheets conveyed along the conveyance guide; and
a controller configured to control at least rotating-and-stopping movements of the feed roller and the separator and ascending-and-descending movements of the movable plate,

wherein, while the feed roller feeds the sheets, the controller is configured to conduct a vibrating action, in which the movable plate located at the feedable position is moved to ascend and descend for a plurality of times, and
wherein the controller conducts the vibrating action at a first amplitude before the separator nips the sheets fed by the feed roller and at a second amplitude after the separator nips the sheets fed by the feed roller, and wherein the second amplitude is greater than the first amplitude.

2. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to conduct the vibrating action to move the movable plate within a range, in which the movable plate does not descend to be lower than the feedable position, before the separator nips the sheets fed by the feed roller.

3. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to end the vibrating action before the separator nips the sheets fed by the feed roller.

4. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a pressing member configured to press the feed roller against the sheets supported by the feed tray,
wherein the controller is configured to
obtain thickness information concerning a thickness of the sheets supported by the feed tray,
move the movable plate to the feedable position, and
move the movable plate to one of ascend and descend for a distance corresponding to the thickness information.

5. The image reading apparatus according to claim 4 , further comprising a detector configured to detect the thickness of the sheets supported by the feed tray,
wherein the controller is configured to obtain a detected result from the detector as the thickness information.

6. An image reading apparatus, comprising:
a feed tray configured to support sheets for being fed, the feed tray comprising a movable plate configured to move in a vertical direction between a standby position and a feedable position being higher than the standby position according to an amount of the sheets supported by the feed tray;
a conveyance guide configured to guide the sheets conveyed from the feed tray;
a feed roller movable in the vertical direction, the feed roller being configured to feed the sheets supported by the feed tray to be conveyed along the conveyance guide, a positional relation between the feed roller and an uppermost sheet in the sheets supported by the feed tray being maintained within a predetermined range by the movable plate located at the feedable position;
a separator configured to nip and separate the sheets fed by the feed roller from one another and convey the sheets separately along the conveyance guide;
a reading sensor configured to read images of the sheets conveyed along the conveyance guide;
a pressing member configured to press the feed roller against the sheets supported by the feed tray; and
a controller configured to
obtain thickness information concerning a thickness of the sheets supported by the feed tray,
move the movable plate to the feedable position,
move the movable plate to one of ascend and descend for a distance corresponding to the thickness information, and
control at least rotating-and-stopping movements of the feed roller and the separator and ascending-and-descending movements of the movable plate,

wherein, while the feed roller feeds the sheets, the controller is configured to conduct a vibrating action, in which the movable plate located at the feedable position is moved to ascend and descend for a plurality of times.

7. The image reading apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to conduct the vibrating action to move the movable plate within a range, in which the movable plate does not descend to be lower than the feedable position, before the separator nips the sheets fed by the feed roller.

8. The image reading apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to end the vibrating action before the separator nips the sheets fed by the feed roller.

9. The image reading apparatus according to claim 6 , further comprising a detector configured to detect the thickness of the sheets supported by the feed tray,
wherein the controller is configured to obtain a detected result from the detector as the thickness information.

Assignees

• Brother Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Okamoto Yoshihiro
• Mizuno Tomoyuki

Classifications

• B65H1/04

  adapted to support articles substantially horizontally, e.g. for separation from top of pile · CPC title

• B65H2513/40

  Movement · CPC title

• H04N1/00615

  Guiding elements, e.g. plates · CPC title

• B65H5/062

  between rollers or balls · CPC title

• B65H3/0684 Primary

  on moving support, e.g. pivoting, for bringing the roller or like rotary separator into contact with the pile · CPC title