Image reading apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9344593-B2
Application number	US-201514668652-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 25, 2015
Priority date	Mar 31, 2014
Publication date	May 17, 2016
Grant date	May 17, 2016

Abstract

An image reading apparatus includes a base, a supporter supporting a reading object, a reader provided on a mover and disposed between the base and the supporter. The image reading apparatus further includes a flexible flat cable. A first holder provided on the mover and holds a portion of the flat cable in a state in which the first holder is held in contact with a surface of the flat cable. A second holder holds the portion of the flat cable together with the first holder in a state in which the second holder is held in contact with a surface of the flat cable. The flat cable is interposed between the first holder and the second holder and held by the first holder and the second holder.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image reading apparatus, comprising:
a base;
a supporter spaced apart from the base and having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, the first surface supporting a reading object, the second surface facing the base;
a reader disposed between the base and the supporter and extending in a main scanning direction, the reader being configured to read an image of the reading object supported on the first surface of the supporter;
a mover configured to reciprocate, in a space between the base and the supporter, in a sub scanning direction while holding the reader, the sub scanning direction being perpendicular to the main scanning direction;
a flexible flat cable,
a first holder provided on the mover and configured to hold a portion of the flat cable in a state in which the first holder is held in contact with a third surface of the flat cable, the third surface facing the base;
a second holder configured to hold the portion of the flat cable together with the first holder in a state in which the second holder is held in contact with a fourth surface of the flat cable, the fourth surface being opposite to the third surface of the flat cable; and
an engager configured to engage between the first holder and the second holder;
wherein the engager comprises a first engaging portion provided on the first holder, and a second engaging portion provided on the second holder and engageable with the first engaging portion.

2. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein one of the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion comprises a hook extending in a direction perpendicular to both of the main scanning direction and the sub scanning direction, and
the other of the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion comprises a first recess engageable with the hook.

3. The image reading apparatus according to claim 2 ,
wherein the first holder and the second holder are located at an end portion of the reader in the main scanning direction,
wherein the first engaging portion is disposed in a first end portion of the first holder, and the second engaging portion is disposed in a first end portion of the second holder, the first end portion of the first holder being one of the first end portion and a second end portion of the first holder in the main scanning, the first end portion of the second holder being one of the first end portion and a second end portion of the second holder in the main scanning direction and is closer to the first end portion of the first holder than the second end portion of the second holder.

4. The image reading apparatus according to claim 3 ,
wherein the first holder and the second holder are separately formed,
wherein the engager further comprises a third engaging portion disposed in the second end portion of the first holder, and a fourth engaging portion disposed in the second end portion of the second holder and engageable with the third engaging portion,
wherein one of the third engaging portion and the fourth engaging portion comprises a protruding portion protruding in the main scanning direction, and the other of the third engaging portion and the fourth engaging portion comprises a second recess engageable with the protruding portion and recessed in the main scanning direction.

5. The image reading apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein a contact portion is provided on the first end portion of the first holder in which the first engaging portion is disposed,
wherein the contact portion is capable of being held in contact with the first end portion of the second holder in which the second engaging portion is disposed, in a state in which the first engaging portion engages with the second engaging portion, and in a state in which the third engaging portion engages with the fourth engaging portion.

6. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a projecting portion is provided on an end portion of the second holder in the sub scanning direction, the end portion of the second holder in the sub scanning direction on which the projecting portion is provided being an end portion of the second holder closer to the first end of the base than the other end portion of the second holder, the projecting portion projecting in a direction toward the base, the projecting portion being located farther apart from the reader than the first holder in the sub scanning direction.

7. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a rib is formed on a surface of the second holder facing the base, the rib protruding toward the first holder and extending in the main scanning direction, the rib being capable of being held in contact with the portion of the second extending portion.

8. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the flat cable comprises an attached portion attached to the base and an end portion coupled to the reader,
the flat cable, at a position between the attached portion and the end portion, further comprising:
a first extending portion extending in a direction toward a first end of the base that is one of opposite ends of the base in the sub scanning direction;
a curved portion extending from the first extending portion and curved in a direction toward the supporter and then curved in a direction toward a second end of the base that is the other of the opposite ends of the base in the sub scanning direction; and
a second extending portion extending from the curved portion in the direction toward the second end of the base.

9. The image reading apparatus according to claim 8 ,
wherein the flat cable further comprises a bent portion extending from the portion of the second extending portion and bent in such a manner as extending toward an end of the base in the main scanning direction, and then bent in such a manner as extending toward the first end of the base in the sub scanning direction in parallel with the second extending portion and,
wherein the first holder is configured to further hold at least a portion of the bent portion in the state in which the first holder is held in contact with the third surface of the flat cable,
wherein the second holder is configured to further hold the at least the portion of the bent portion together with the first holder in the state in which the second holder is held in contact with the fourth surface of the flat cable.

10. The image reading apparatus according to claim 9 ,
wherein the flat cable comprises a third protruding portion, as a portion of the bent portion, located at a position between the portion of the second extending portion and a portion of the bent portion extending toward the first end of the base in the sub scanning direction, configured to protrude toward the second end of the base in the sub scanning direction,
wherein the first holder comprises a accommodating portion configured to accommodate the protruding portion.

11. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a frame located around an outer circumference of the supporter,
wherein a first space is formed between the outer circumference of the supporter and the frame, a space formed on a first surface side of the supporter being communicatable with a space formed on a second surface side of the supporter via the first space, and
wherein, when the first holder is located in a vicinity of the first space, the second holder is located between the first space and the first holder and is configured to cover the first holder.

12. An image reading apparatus, comprising:
a base;
a supporter spaced apart from the base and having a first surface and a second surface o

Assignees

• Brother Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Shiomi Hiroshi

Classifications

• H04N1/00533 Primary

  using slidably mounted components, e.g. reader in drawer · CPC title

• H04N1/00559

  Mounting or support of components or elements (H04N1/00538 takes precedence) · CPC title