Image reading apparatus with movable apparatus body

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11438474-B2
Application number	US-202017073508-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 19, 2020
Priority date	Oct 21, 2019
Publication date	Sep 6, 2022
Grant date	Sep 6, 2022

Abstract

An image reading apparatus includes a support portion in contact with a mount surface on which the apparatus is mounted, an apparatus body portion that is provided so that a position thereof is changeable by being rotated relative to the support portion, and a discharge tray provided so as to be openable/closeable relative to the apparatus body portion, the discharge tray receiving the original. The apparatus body portion is switchable between a first position that is a position while not in use, and a second position in which reading of the original is performed. When the apparatus body portion is in the first position and when the discharge tray is opened from the closed state, the discharge tray switches the apparatus body portion from the first position to the second position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image reading apparatus comprising:
a support portion in contact with a mount surface on which the apparatus is mounted;
an apparatus body portion that includes a reading sensor that reads an original, the apparatus body portion being provided so that a position thereof is changeable by being rotated relative to the support portion; and
a discharge tray provided so as to be openable/closeable by being rotated relative to the apparatus body portion, the discharge tray, by being open, receiving the original discharged from the apparatus body portion, wherein
the apparatus body portion is switchable between
a first position that is a position while not in use, and
a second position that is a position of the apparatus body portion when reading of the original with the reading sensor is performed and that is a position in which a projected area of the apparatus body portion on the mount surface is larger than that of the first position, and
when the apparatus body portion is in the first position and when the discharge tray is opened from the closed state, the discharge tray abuts against the support portion and applies force to the apparatus body portion in a direction that switches the apparatus body portion from the first position to the second position to switch the apparatus body portion from the first position to the second position.

2. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the discharge tray includes an arm portion, the discharge tray being rotatably attached to the apparatus body portion through the arm portion,
the support portion including an abutting surface, and
when the apparatus body portion is in the first position and when the discharge tray is opened from the closed state, the arm portion abuts against the abutting surface to apply force to the apparatus body portion in the direction that switches the apparatus body portion from the first position to the second position.

3. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a controller that controls supplying of electric power in the apparatus body portion;
a first position detector that detects the first position of the apparatus body portion; and
a second position detector that detects the second position of the apparatus body portion, wherein
the controller is configured to switch between a first power supplying mode that is a power supplying mode when the reading sensor reads the original, and a second power supplying mode that is a power supplying mode in which consumption of electric power is smaller than that of the first power supplying mode and that is a power supplying mode while the apparatus body portion is not in use, and
in a case in which the position of the apparatus body portion is in the first position and in which the apparatus body portion is in the second power supplying mode, when a change in the apparatus body portion from the first position to the second position is detected, the controller makes a transition to the first power supplying mode.

4. The image reading apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein when a change in the apparatus body portion from the second position to the first position is detected, the controller makes a transition to the second power supplying mode.

5. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
a display panel configured to allow visual confirmation of a power status is provided in the apparatus body portion, and
the discharge tray covers the display panel when in a closed state and exposes the display panel when opened.

6. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising an attenuating member that attenuates a rotation of the discharge tray in at least an opening direction thereof.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Mokuo Tomoyuki
• Okuno Tokujiro

Classifications

• H04N1/00567

  Handling of original or reproduction media, e.g. cutting, separating, stacking · CPC title

• H04N1/00527 Primary

  Discharge tray at least partially sandwiched between image generating and reproducing components · CPC title

• H04N1/00904

  Arrangements for supplying power to different circuits or for supplying power at different levels (H04N1/00896 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04N1/00535

  using rotatably mounted or foldable components · CPC title

• H04N1/00602 Primary

  Feed rollers · CPC title