Image reading apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11343397-B2
Application number	US-202117164426-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 1, 2021
Priority date	Feb 3, 2020
Publication date	May 24, 2022
Grant date	May 24, 2022

Abstract

An image reading apparatus includes a support section in contact with a mounting surface on which the apparatus is mounted, an apparatus body including a reader, the apparatus body, and a position holding section. The position of the apparatus body can be switched between a first position in which the apparatus body is not in use and a second position in which the apparatus body reads a document using the reader, and in which a projected area of the apparatus body on the mounting surface is larger than that in the first position, and the center of gravity of the apparatus body is lower than or equal to a rotation axis center of the apparatus body in a vertical direction viewed in a rotation axis direction of the apparatus body when the apparatus body is in the first position or in the second position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image reading apparatus comprising:
a support section in contact with a mounting surface on which the apparatus is mounted;
an apparatus body including a reader configured to read a document, the apparatus body being configured to be turned with respect to the support section for position change; and
a position holding section for holding a position of the apparatus body with respect to the support section, wherein
the position of the apparatus body can be switched between a first position in which the apparatus body is not in use and a second position in which the apparatus body reads a document using the reader, and in which a projected area of the apparatus body on the mounting surface is larger than that in the first position, and
the center of gravity of the apparatus body is lower than or equal to a rotation axis center of the apparatus body in a vertical direction viewed in a rotation axis direction of the apparatus body when the apparatus body is in the first position or in the second position.

2. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein when the apparatus body is in the first position, the center of gravity of the apparatus body overlaps with the rotation axis center of the apparatus body viewed in the rotation axis direction of the apparatus body.

3. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the apparatus body includes
a feed tray configured to support the document to be fed, and
a discharge tray configured to support the document that is read and discharged, wherein
the feed tray and the discharge tray are configured to be switched between an open state and a closed state with respect to the apparatus body,
the apparatus body is configured to be switched to a third position in which the apparatus body reads the document using the reader and in which a projected area of the apparatus body on the mounting surface is larger than that in the second position, and
the center of gravity of the apparatus body is lower than or equal to the rotation axis center of the apparatus body in the vertical direction viewed in the rotation axis direction of the apparatus body when the apparatus body is in the second position or in the third position regardless of an open/close state of the feed tray and the discharge tray.

4. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the apparatus body includes
a pair of transport rollers disposed upstream of the reader in a straight document transport path on which the document is transported, the pair of transport rollers being configured to transport the document downstream;
a feed roller disposed upstream of the pair of transport rollers in the document transport path, the feed roller being configured to feed the document downstream;
a pair of discharge rollers disposed downstream of the reader, the pair of discharge rollers being configured to discharge the document;
a first motor that is a drive source for the pair of transport rollers and the pair of discharge rollers; and
a second motor that is a drive source for the feed roller, wherein
the apparatus body is configured to be switched to a third position in which the apparatus body reads a document using the reader and in which a projected area of the apparatus body on the mounting surface is larger than that in the second position, and
the first motor and the second motor are lower than the rotation axis center of the apparatus body in the vertical direction viewed in the rotation axis direction of the apparatus body when the apparatus body is in the second position or in the third position.

5. The image reading apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the apparatus body includes
a separation roller configured to nip and separate a document with the feeding roller;
a background plate disposed at a position facing the reader, the background plate being configured to be switched between a facing state in which the background plate faces the reader and a non-facing state in which the background plate does not face the reader;
a third motor that is a power source for switching the state of the background plate; and
a fourth motor that is a drive source for the separation roller, wherein
the fourth motor is higher than the rotation axis center of the apparatus body in the vertical direction viewed in the rotation axis direction of the apparatus body when the apparatus body is in the second position or in the third position, and
the third motor is lower than the rotation axis center of the apparatus body in the vertical direction viewed in the rotation axis direction of the apparatus body when the apparatus body is in the second position or in the third position.

6. The image reading apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the pair of transport rollers and the pair of discharge rollers are lower than the rotation axis center of the apparatus body in the vertical direction viewed in the rotation axis direction of the apparatus body when the apparatus body is in the first position.

7. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the apparatus body includes a substrate on which electronic components are mounted,
the apparatus body is configured to be switched to a third position in which the apparatus body reads the document using the reader, and in which a projected area of the apparatus body on the mounting surface is larger than that in the second position, and
the substrate is lower than the rotation axis center of the apparatus body in the vertical direction viewed in the rotation axis direction of the apparatus body when the apparatus body is in the second position or in the third position.

8. An image reading apparatus comprising:
a support section in contact with a mounting surface on which the apparatus is mounted;
an apparatus body including a reader configured to read a document, the apparatus body configured to be turnable with respect to the support section for position change; and
a position holding section for holding a position of the apparatus body with respect to the support section, wherein
the apparatus body is configured to be switched between two different positions, and
the center of gravity of the apparatus body in the two positions is lower than or equal to a rotation shaft of the apparatus body in a vertical direction viewed in the rotation axis direction of the apparatus body.

9. The image reading apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the center of gravity of the apparatus body overlaps with the rotation shaft of the apparatus body viewed in the rotation axis direction of the apparatus body when the apparatus body is in one of the two positions, and
the center of gravity of the apparatus body is lower than the center of gravity in the one position when the apparatus body is in the other position of the two positions.

10. The image reading apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the apparatus body includes a feed tray configured to support the document to be fed, and
a discharge tray configured to support the document that is read and discharged, wherein
the feed tray and the discharge tray are configured to be switched between an open state and a closed state with respect to the apparatus body.

11. The image reading apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the center of gravity of the apparatus body is lower than the rotation axis center of the apparatus body viewed in the rotation axis direction of the apparatus body when the apparatus body is in the one position with the feed tray and the discharge tray being opened or when the apparatus body is in the other position with the feed tray and the discharge tray being opened.

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Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Tezuka Seiji
• Fukumasu Keiichiro
• Harada Hidenori
• Mokuo Tomoyuki

Classifications

• H04N1/00525 Primary

  Providing a more compact apparatus, e.g. sheet discharge tray in cover · CPC title

• H04N1/00519

  Constructional details not otherwise provided for, e.g. housings, covers · CPC title

• H04N1/00562 Primary

  Supporting the apparatus as a whole, e.g. stands · CPC title

• H04N1/00628

  Separating, e.g. preventing feeding of two sheets at a time · CPC title

• H04N1/00535

  using rotatably mounted or foldable components · CPC title