Image reading apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11711478-B2
Application number	US-202217695309-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 15, 2022
Priority date	Sep 28, 2017
Publication date	Jul 25, 2023
Grant date	Jul 25, 2023

Abstract

A scanner includes a reading unit that reads an image of a paper, a medium feeding portion that is capable of selecting a first feeding mode in which a separation feeding for separately feeding a paper bundle in which a plurality of sheets of paper is overlapped with each other is performed and a second feeding mode in which a non-separation feeding for collectively feeding the paper bundle without separating is performed, and a pair of first transporting rollers and a pair of second transporting rollers that transport the paper fed by the medium feeding portion, in a case in which the medium feeding portion feeds the paper in the second feeding mode, a first driven roller and a second driven roller respectively constituting the pair of first transporting rollers and the pair of second transporting rollers are driven in a rotation direction where the paper is transported.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image reading apparatus comprising:
a reader that is configured to read an image of a medium bundle;
a first roller that is configured to transport the medium bundle toward the reader and that is provided upstream of the reader in a transporting direction in which the medium bundle is transported;
a second roller that is configured to nip the medium bundle between the first roller and the second roller and transport the medium bundle toward the reader;
a third roller that is configured to transport the medium bundle read by the reader and that is provided downstream of the reader in the transporting direction;
a fourth roller that is configured to nip the medium bundle between the third roller and the fourth roller and that is configured to transport the medium bundle; and
a driving source that is configured to drive the first roller, the second roller, the third roller and the fourth roller.

2. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the reader includes a first reader and a second reader, and
the first reader is displaceable in an advance and retreat manner with respect to the second reader to change a gap between the first reader and the second reader.

3. The image reading apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the gap in a case in which the medium bundle is transported is wider than the gap in a case in which a medium is transported, the medium being thinner than the medium bundle.

4. The image reading apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein,
the gap is changed by a displacement portion that is configured to displace the first reader.

5. The image reading apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a pressing member that is configured to press the first reader toward the second reader.

6. The image reading apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising,
a first pressing member that is configured to press the first roller toward the second roller; and
a second pressing member that is configured to press the third roller toward the fourth roller.

7. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the reader includes a first reader and a second reader, and
only one of the first reader and the second reader is displaceable in an advance and retreat manner with respect to the other to change a gap between the first reader and the second reader.

8. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a feeding roller that is configured to feed the medium bundle and a medium, the feeding roller being provided upstream of the first roller in the transporting direction; and
a separating roller that is configured to nip the medium between the feeding roller and the separating roller, and is configured to separate the medium, the separating roller being provided upstream of the first roller in the transporting direction, wherein
the separating roller is configured to switch a separation state in which the medium is separated and a non-separation state in which the medium is not separated, wherein
the separating roller is set to be in the non-separation state when the feeding roller feeds the medium bundle.

9. The image reading apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein
the separating roller is displaceable in an advance and retreat manner with respect to the feed roller to change a gap between the separating roller and the feed roller.

10. The image reading apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein
the gap in a case which the separating roller is set to be in the non-separation state is wider than the gap in a case in which the separating roller is set to be in the separation state.

11. The image reading apparatus according to claim 8 , further comprising:
a power transmitting portion that includes a plurality of toothed wheels meshing with each other and configured to transmit power from a driving source to the separating roller, wherein
meshing of a part of the plurality of toothed wheels is released by an actuator when the separating roller is set to be the non-separation state.

12. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the medium bundle is a passport.

13. An image reading apparatus comprising:
a lower portion;
an upper portion that is provided above the lower portion and is configured to rotate relative to the lower portion to expose a transporting path on which a first medium and a second medium are transported, the first medium being thinner than second medium;
a reader that is configured to read an image of the first medium and an image of the second medium;
a feeding roller that is configured to feed the first medium and the second medium and that is provided at the lower portion;
a separating roller that is configured to nip the first medium between the feed roller and the separating roller, and is configured to separate the first medium, the separating roller provided at the upper portion;
a first roller that is configured to transport the second medium fed by the feeding roller toward the reader, the first roller being provided at the upper portion and between the feeding roller and the reader in a transporting direction in which the second medium is transported;
a second roller that is configured to nip the second medium between the first roller and the second roller and that is configured to transport the second medium toward the reader, the second roller being provided at the lower portion;
a third roller that is configured to transport the second medium read by the reader, the third roller being provided at the upper portion and downstream of the reader in the transporting direction;
a fourth roller that is configured to nip the second medium between the third roller and the fourth roller and that is configured to transport the second medium, the fourth roller being provided at the lower portion; and
a driving source that is configured to drive the first roller, the second roller, the third roller and the fourth roller.

14. The image reading apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein
the reader includes a first reader that is provided at the upper portion and a second reader that is provided at the lower portion, and
the first reader is displaceable in an advance and retreat manner with respect to the second reader to change a gap between the first reader and the second reader.

15. The image reading apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein
the gap in a case in which the second medium is transported is wider than the gap in a case in which the first medium is transported.

16. The image reading apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein
the reader includes a first reader that is provided at the upper portion and a second reader that is provided at the lower portion, and
only one of the first reader and the second reader is displaceable in an advance and retreat manner with respect to the other to change a gap between the first reader and the second reader.

17. The image reading apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein
the gap in a case in which the second medium is transported is wider than the gap in a case in which the first medium is transported.

18. The image reading apparatus according to claim 13 , further comprising,
a first pressing member that is configured to press the first roller toward the second roller; and
a second pressing member that is configured to press the third roller toward the fourth roller.

19. The image reading apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein
the second medium is a passport.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Tezuka Seiji
• Koyanagi Noriyuki
• Sakamoto Naoki

Classifications

• H04N1/04 Primary

  Scanning arrangements {, i.e. arrangements for the displacement of active reading or reproducing elements relative to the original or reproducing medium, or vice versa}(H04N1/387 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65H3/5284

  Retainers of the roller type, e.g. rollers · CPC title

• B65H5/006

  Feeding stacks of articles to machines · CPC title

• B65H5/305

  comprising rotary means for opening the folded sheets (B65H5/308 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65H7/00

  Controlling article feeding, separating, pile-advancing, or associated apparatus, to take account of incorrect feeding, absence of articles, or presence of faulty articles · CPC title