Stacking sheets

PURPOSE:To quickly read a large quantity of forms at a time by properly stacking the forms with respect to a form stack device with an image reader and an image reader with a form stack device which are suitably used as an image scanner. CONSTITUTION:A form stack device 500 with an image reader which stacks forms 40 discharged from a form carrying mechanism 300 where an optical image read mechanism 400 is arranged is provided with a form stacker 510 where forms 40 are placed on a stacker table 520 in the bottom and are stacked, a form stacker position varying mechanism 530 which varies the position of the form stacker 510, a form discharging roll mechanism 540 having a projection part 542 which projects to the form carrying path 310 in the terminal part of the form carrying mechanism 300, and a form rear end guide mechanism 550 which guides the rear ends of forms stacked in the form stacker 510.

Sheet conveyor and image reader

Feeding mechanism

Sheet transport apparatus and image recording apparatus

Automatic document feeder

System and method for de-skewing media when using an automatic media feeder

Disclosed are systems and methods for de-skewing media 110 when using an automatic media feeder 150 comprising a registration guide 106 and a registration guide 106 and a registration tab 155, 355, 455 disposed to cooperate with the registration guide in providing de-skewing of media when an edge of the media passes the registration tab and is deflected thereby toward the registration guide.

Paper feeding device

DOCUMENT FEEDER

A document feeder includes a casing, a sheet pick-up module, a stopper and a swing lever. The casing includes a sheet feeding channel therein. The sheet pick-up module is pivotally mounted above the sheet feeding channel, and movable between a sheet feeding position and a standby position. The stopper is disposed under the sheet feeding channel. The swing lever includes a first end part is pressed down by the sheet pick-up module and a second end part is pressed down by the stopper. When the sheet pick-up module is switched from the sheet feeding position to the standby position, the sheet pick-up module depresses the first end part of the swing lever, so that the stopper is raised by the second end part of the swing lever to be protruded to the sheet feeding channel.

MEDIUM TRANSPORT DEVICE AND IMAGE READING APPARATUS

A medium transport device includes a feeding unit that can be disposed at a contact position and a retracted position, a first restriction member that rotates between a restriction position and a release position, and a transport guide positioned on a side opposite to the feeding unit with a transport path interposed therebetween. When the first restriction member is positioned at the restriction position, the first restriction member maintains a state in which the feeding unit is positioned at the retracted position by the tip end contacting the feeding unit. When the first restriction member is positioned at the restriction position, the tip end thereof is positioned closer to the mounting portion side than the position of the rotation axis of the first restriction member in the transport direction.

Ducument feeder and image reading apparatus with the same

A sheet feeding device includes a sheet feed stacker and a transport belt disposed along a platen substantially horizontally; a discharge stacker disposed above the sheet feed stacker; and a light-shielding cover member provided between the platen and the sheet feed stacker for blocking light from the platen. The entire device is arranged above the platen, and it is easy to mount and dismount the device relative to the platen. An original is transported from the sheet feed stacker and to the discharge stacker along the platen with little damage.

Automatic document feeder

Disclosed is the structure of a clutch mechanism of an automatic document feeder of a fax machine. The structure is fully mechanical, without any electromagnetic member. A combination of springs and pulleys are utilized to substitute for the conventional electromagnetic clutch and single directional bearings.

Sheet conveying device, image reading device, and image forming apparatus

A sheet conveying device such as a feed mechanism includes a pick-up roller and a cover member. The pick-up roller feeds, into an apparatus, a sheet such as a document on a placing table such as a document placing table on which the sheet is placed. The cover member such as a pick-up cover covers the pick-up roller. The cover member is supported at both ends thereof on a shaft of the pick-up roller or on shaft bearings that receive the shaft of the pick-up roller.

System and method for metallic object detection in a media transport system

A system and method of detecting the presence of metallic objects in media to be conveyed in a medium transport system is disclosed. One or more metal detectors are included in the medium transport system to detect the presence of metal in the medium being transported. Signals from the metal detectors are sent to a system processor, which analyzes the signals, and produces proximity, duration, and/or intensity values therefrom. One or more microphones may also be included which detect the sound created as the medium is being transported. The processor computes sound values from the microphone signals, and analyzes the computed sound values along with the proximity, duration, and/or intensity values in order determine if the conveyance of the medium along the transport path should be stopped due to the presence of metal in the media or a jam occurring within the medium transport path.

PAPER RECEIVING DEVICE, IMAGE READING DEVICE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS

A paper receiving device includes a paper receiving member that receives a paper sheet; a first detector that detects whether or not a size of the paper sheet received by the paper receiving member is greater than a first size; a second detector that detects whether or not the size of the paper sheet received by the paper receiving member is smaller than a second size that is smaller than the first size; and an open-state detector that detects that the paper receiving device is opened when the first detector detects that the size of the paper sheet is greater than the first size and the second detector detects that the size of the paper sheet is smaller than the second size.

PAPER FEED APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS

A paper feed apparatus includes a paper feeding roller and a separating pad for separating paper one by one and feeding the paper. This separating pad is supported by a separating pad holder to be abutted onto the paper feeding roller with a predetermined pressure. Furthermore, the separating pad holder is provided with a weight member in a loosely-fitted state.

SHEET CONVEYING DEVICE AND IMAGE READING APPARATUS

A sheet conveying device includes a conveyor, a first cover, a second cover movable in conjunction with the first cover, and a restricting portion movable between a restricting position at which the second cover is restricted from being moved from a first position toward a second position and an allowable position at which the second cover is allowed to be moved from the first position toward the second position. The restricting portion is located at the restricting position when the first cover is located at the closed position, and the restricting portion is moved from the restricting position to the allowable position in conjunction with the first cover when the first cover is moved from the closed position toward the opened position.

SHEET STACKING APPARATUS, SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND IMAGE FORMING SYSTEM

A sheet stacking apparatus includes a tray capable of stacking plural sheets, and four wires with one end of each of them being connected to a corresponding one of portions at four corners of the tray. On the downstream side of the tray concerning a sheet feeding direction, the other end of each of two wires is connected via pulleys provided above the tray. A winding unit in the apparatus vertically moves the tray hung by the four wires by winding up or rolling down the two wires. On a side opposite to the side of the tray where the connecting portion to which one end of each of the two wires connected to the winding unit is connected, the other end of each of the remaining two wires are connected via pulleys provided above and below the tray, respectively.

Cover opening-closing mechanism and sheet feeder having the same

A cover opening-closing mechanism is provided, which is configured to allow a cover to rotate around a rotational axis with respect to a housing, the cover opening-closing mechanism including a connecting member configured to connect the housing with the cover, a first contact portion disposed at the cover, and a second contact portion disposed at the housing, the second contact portion configured to contact the first contact portion of the cover so as to hold the cover in a hold position relative to the housing.

SHEET CONVEYING DEVICE

The present invention provides a sheet conveying device comprising a first conveyance path for conveying a sheet from a pair of first rollers to a pair of second rollers, a second conveyance path for performing switchback conveyance of the sheet, a switching unit for switching the second rollers between a press-contacted state and a separated state, and a single driving source for driving the rollers and the switching unit. A non transferring of drive section is set where when the driving source switches the rotation direction after the sheet that has been switchback-conveyed has reached the first rollers, a drive from the driving source is not transferred to the second rollers. The switching unit is driven to separate the second rollers during a time the drive is not transferred to the second rollers due to the non transferring of drive section.

Document feeder

A document feeder includes a lift plate, a pickup roller, a lift motor, a retard roller, and a control unit. In a manual feed mode, the control unit rotates the retard roller to feed a document in a document conveyance direction. Further, the control unit causes the lift motor to start lowering the lift plate while the pickup roller is feeding a document after the rotation of the pickup roller is started.

Sheet feeder with pickup roller and image forming apparatus

A sheet feeder (3) includes a pickup roller (51) for feeding a sheet on a tray (31) toward a predetermined processing position, an arm member (50) rotatably supporting the pickup roller, a rotary shaft (521) supported on the housing (30) to be rotatable about an axis thereof, a coupling member (57) for coupling the arm member and the rotary shaft, a pivoting mechanism (56) for pivoting the arm member via the rotary shaft so that the pickup roller shifts its position between a feeding position and a retracted position, and a controller (8) for controlling the operation of the pivoting mechanism. The controller controls the arm member to pivot in such a direction that the pickup roller moves toward the retracted position when a sheet is placed on the tray.

シート搬送装置及び読取装置

АППАРАТ СЧИТЫВАНИЯ ИЗОБРАЖЕНИЯ

Paper stacking apparatus

DEVICE FOR THE TREATMENT OF SHEETS, WHICH WOULD REINTRODUCE WITH MEANS FOR THE PREVENTION OF A JAMMING OF PRINTER PAPER WITH A SHEET ARE EQUIPPED

A recording medium discharge device and Image forming apparatus

Original feeding device

The paper conveying device and with the paper transporting device of the original manuscript handling device and Image forming device

PROCESSING DEVICE WITH HOLDING INTEGRITY PROTECTION AGAINST ELECTRIC BREAKDOWN

DEVICE OF TREATMENT OF SHEETS EQUIPPED WITH MEANS AVOIDING a STUFFING AT THE TIME OF the REINTEGRATION Of a SHEET

L'invention concerne un dispositif (31) de traitement de feuilles en recto/verso pourvu de moyens évitant un bourrage lors du retournement de chaque feuille. Le dispositif comporte un chemin (36) ayant une première et une seconde extrémité (43, 44), dans lequel chaque feuille (37) est déplacée, et des moyens (60) d'extraction et d'insertion comportant une voie de transfert (46) dans laquelle débouchent les extrémités (43, 44), pour extraire une feuille (37) par une extrémité (43) et l'insérer par une autre extrémité (44) afin de la retourner. Il comporte un doigt (63) mobile entre une position déployée dans laquelle il dépasse dans la voie de transfert (46) et une position escamotée, l'extraction d'une feuille (37) plaçant ce doigt (63) en appui contre cette feuille (37) pour s'opposer à l'engagement d'une autre feuille (41) située en regard de la face contre laquelle il est en appui. L'invention s'applique aux appareils du type scanner, imprimante, copieur ou autre.

SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS AND IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS HAVING THE SAMES

SCANNER HAVING A SLOT ASSEMBLY FOR MULTIPLE-SIZED SHEETS

The invention relates to a slot assembly for a scanner for feeding multiple-sized sheets. The scanner has an input tray for holding a plurality of sheets, a feed path which receives sheets fed from the input tray, and a sheet feeder located in the feed path for feeding sheets. The slot assembly has a first slot for accepting sheets having a first size, the first slot being complementarily sized with respect to the first-sized sheets such that the first-sized sheets are fed by the sheet feeder substantially without being skewed. The slot assembly also has a second slot for accepting sheets having a second size, the second slot being complementarily sized with respect to the second-size sheets such that the second-size sheets are fed by the sheet feeder substantially without being skewed.

SHEET CONVEYING DEVICE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND SHEET PRESENCE OR ABSENCE DETERMINATION METHOD

According to one embodiment, a sheet conveying device includes a placement tray, a presence detection sensor, and a control unit. The placement tray places a sheet thereon. The presence detection sensor detects the presence or absence of the sheet on the placement tray. The control unit delays a determination timing of the presence or absence of the sheet placed on the placement tray to a predetermined timing when a condition indicating that the remaining sheets placed on the placement tray are only a few is satisfied.

Medium transporting device and recording apparatus

A medium transporting device provided in a printer includes a curved path in which a paper sheet after recording is curved and inverted, a plurality of first ribs that extend in a medium transportation direction in a facing area facing a recording head, that are provided at intervals in a width direction intersecting the medium transportation direction, and that form cockling on the paper sheet, a plurality of second ribs that are provided on an outer curved portion of the curved path, and a plurality of third ribs that are provided on an inner curved portion of the curved path. The plurality of second ribs and the plurality of third ribs are disposed at positions in the width direction that correspond to a mountain portion and a valley portion of the cockling of the paper sheet that is formed by the plurality of first ribs.

AUTOMATIC DOCUMENT FEEDER

An automatic document feeder includes a paper transmitting path for guiding documents, a driving motor for providing driving torque, a pickup device disposed at the upstream of the paper transmitting path, an output device disposed at the downstream of the paper transmitting path and transmitting rollers disposed along the paper transmitting path for transmitting the documents, a first driving gear disposed between the pickup device and the output device, a transmitting gear swing arm equipped with a transmitting gear set and axially hinged with the first driving gear to swing according to the driving torque between a first position meshing the transmitting gear set with the pickup device and a second position idling the transmitting gear set, an actuator connected with the output device and a braking device disposed on the output device for locking the transmitting gear swing arm according to the position of the output device.

IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS

An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body, a sheet stacking portion on which a sheet discharged from the apparatus body is to be stacked, an extension member, and an upper device. The extension member is rotatable about a rotating fulcrum between a first position at which the extension member is stored in the sheet stacking portion and a second position at which the extension member extends to downstream of the sheet stacking portion in a sheet discharge direction in which the sheet is discharged from the apparatus body. The upper device is disposed above the rotating fulcrum of the extension member and is supported to be openable by the apparatus body. The upper device in a closed state regulates a rotation of the extension member from the first position toward the second position.

Sheet discharge device

A sheet discharge device includes a discharge member, a discharge tray and a stopper. The discharge tray includes a groove and a fixed magnetic body. The groove is formed along a discharge direction. The fixed magnetic body is disposed at a predetermined position along the groove. The stopper includes a guide piece, a contact piece and a moving magnet body. The guide piece is engaged with the groove in a slidable manner. With the contact piece, the leading edge of the sheet is allowed to be come into contact. The moving magnetic body generates a magnetic force in a direction in which the moving magnetic body and the fixed magnetic body are attracted each other. When the guide piece is slid along the groove and the moving magnetic body reaches the predetermined position, a resistance is applied to a sliding movement of the guide piece by the magnetic force.

Automatic document feeder and media record equipment using the same

An automatic document feeder and a media record equipment using the same are provided. The automatic document feeder includes a frame, a cover and a gear chain. An end of the cover pivoted to the frame has a cam. The gear chain disposed in the frame has multiple driven gears and a rotating unit. The driven gears engaged with each other rotate about a first axial direction. The rotating unit having a first rock arm contacting the cam and a second rock arm with one of the driven gears disposed thereon is capable of rotating about the first axial direction. The cam pushes the first rock arm to drive the rotating unit to rotate about the first axial direction, and then an engagement between the driven gear on the second rock arm is released by departing from another driven gear engaged therewith when the cover opens relative to the frame.

Automatic document feeder having latching mechanism for transport path access

Automatic document feeder includes a transport path member having a transport path surface configuring a transport path in a device body, a latching member that is mounted on a rotating shaft provided in the other end side, is urged in a first rotation direction latched to a latched portion, and holds the transport path member in closed transport path, and an operating member that is rotated up to an operating position by own weight thereof or urging force in a second rotation direction when the device body moves to an exposed position of the transport path member, and is mounted with allowance so that the latching member is rotated in the second rotation direction according to a further rotating operation in the second rotation direction from the operating position and the latching member is detached from the latched portion.

Medium transport unit, recording apparatus, and image reading apparatus

A medium transport unit includes an upstream route in which a print sheet is transported, a first switchback route, a second switchback route, a first guide route, a second guide route, a guide flap configured to switch the route so that the print sheet in the upstream route is transported either toward the first guide route or toward the second guide route, a first discharge route from which the print sheet in the first switchback route is discharged, a second discharge route from which the print sheet in the second switchback route is discharged, and a downstream route passing between the first switchback route and the second switchback route and having an upstream end connected to a junction of downstream ends of the first discharge route and the second discharge route.

Robotic Document Feeder

A system may include a robotic arm and a Bernoulli cup assembly powered by a vacuum source and coupled to the robotic arm. The Bernoulli cup assembly may lift a document, and the robotic arm may move the Bernoulli cup assembly with the lifted document to a document scanner for imaging the document. The system may further include an input bin, a scanner cover disposed over an imaging surface of the document scanner, and an output bin. A method may include lifting a document from an input bin via suction pressure using a Bernoulli cup assembly, robotically moving the Bernoulli cup assembly with the lifted document to a document scanner, and scanning the document. The method may further include robotically moving the Bernoulli cup assembly with the lifted document away from the document scanner, and de-activating the suction pressure to release the document from the Bernoulli cup assembly.

Sheet transporting apparatus and image forming system

A sheet transporting apparatus is provided, including a transport mechanism provided with a roller, a motor, a controller, and a measuring input unit, wherein a transport route has a curved area for inverting the sheet, and the controller is constructed such that the control on the motor is executed by a closed loop control system by using a measured value of an control output at an initial stage of the transport of a sheet from a tray, and the control on the motor is switched from the control performed by the closed loop control system to control performed by an open loop control system on condition that a preset phenomenon arises after the sheet is taken out of the tray.

DOCUMENT FEEDER AND IMAGE FORMING DEVICE EQUIPPED WITH THE SAME

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a document feeder which can increase the number of processed documents and an image forming device equipped with the same. SOLUTION: A document feeding means 307 which carries a document on a document tray 301 to a read standby position upstream of a read position R and document conveying means 308a and 308b which convey the document at the read standby position to the read position R are controlled to hold the document at the read standby position until an image read becomes possible when a detection signal is not inputted from a detecting means of detecting an image read means being ready for the image read during the document conveyance by the document feed means 307. When the detection signal is inputted from the detecting means during the document conveyance, the document is carried to the read position R without being stopped. COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO ...

DOCUMENT CARRYING DEVICE, IMAGE READING DEVICE, AND IMAGE FORMING DEVICE

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an automatic document carrying device for avoiding documents already discharged into a discharge tray from being pulled into a carrying passage, when performing the operation of pulling in the documents again. SOLUTION: The automatic document carrying device 1A includes a paper tray 10 on which documents Z can be placed, a carrying-out part 20 for carrying out the documents one by one, the carrying passage 30 consisting of a carrying guide 31 for carrying the documents Z carried out by the carrying-out part 20 and a reversing carrying guide 32 for reversely carrying the documents Z, a carrying part 40 including a discharge roller 43 provided on the terminal side of the carrying guide 31 for driving the carried documents Z to be discharged and reversely driving them to be carried onto the reversing carrying passage again, and the discharge tray 60 on which the discharge documents Z are stacked, wherein a separating means 70 is provided for separating the ...

АППАРАТ СЧИТЫВАНИЯ ИЗОБРАЖЕНИЯ

Аппарат считывания изображения содержит: поддерживающую документ часть, предназначенную для размещения документа в наклонном положении; ролик подачи, предназначенный для подачи документа под наклоном вниз; считывающую часть, предназначенную для считывания документа, подаваемого от ролика подачи; ролик выдачи, который осуществляет выдачу считанного документа; лоток для выдачи, на котором размещается документ, выданный от ролика выдачи; и направляющий элемент, имеющий передний конец на стороне ролика выдачи, в виде свободного конца, базовый конец, закрепленный на лотке для выдачи, а также наклонный участок, который наклонен от базового конца к переднему концу. Направляющий элемент выполнен с возможностью смещения в вертикальном направлении и направляет передний конец выдаваемого документа. 9 з.п. ф-лы, 17 ил.

Paper sheet processing device

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a paper sheet processing device with a reduced number of components for detecting the presence of paper sheets on a conveyance path and which is capable of reducing costs. To achieve this aim, the paper sheet processing device has: an insertion port where paper sheets are inserted; a conveyance path along which paper sheets inserted into the insertion port are conveyed; sensors (10, 13, 32) that detect whether or not paper sheets are present on the conveyance path; a read unit (30) capable of reading inserted paper sheets; and a control unit that performs paper sheet detection processing whereby paper sheets present on the conveyance path are detected, based on the detection results of the sensors (10, 13, 32) and the read results of the read unit (30).

Paper sheet processing device

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a paper sheet processing device with a reduced number of components for detecting the presence of paper sheets on a conveyance path and which is capable of reducing costs. To achieve this aim, the paper sheet processing device has: an insertion port where paper sheets are inserted; a conveyance path along which paper sheets inserted into the insertion port are conveyed; sensors (10, 13, 32) that detect whether or not paper sheets are present on the conveyance path; a read unit (30) capable of reading inserted paper sheets; and a control unit that performs paper sheet detection processing whereby paper sheets present on the conveyance path are detected, based on the detection results of the sensors (10, 13, 32) and the read results of the read unit (30).

Sheet conveyer and image recording device

Feed module

DEVICE OF TREATMENT OF SHEETS IN RECTO/VERSO EQUIPPED WITH MEANS AVOIDING A STUFFING DURING THE TREATMENT OF THE BACK OF THESE SHEETS

L'invention concerne un dispositif (21) de traitement de feuilles, comportant un chemin (27) dans lequel chaque feuille (23) est déplacée pour être retournée afin de traiter successivement son recto et son verso. Le chemin (27) comprend une première et une seconde extrémité (28, 29), ainsi qu'une entrée (31) pour y introduire une feuille (23) à traiter, ainsi que des moyens (42) pour extraire une feuille (23) dépassant de la première extrémité (28) et pour l'insérer dans la seconde extrémité (29) afin de la retourner. Les moyens (43) comportent une première et une seconde voie (49, 51) et un organe d'aiguillage (44) pour orienter une feuille (23) provenant de la première extrémité (28) vers la première ou la seconde voie (49, 51), chaque feuille (23) issue de la seconde extrémité (29) étant orientée vers la première voie (49). L'invention s'applique aux appareils du type scanner, imprimante ou copieur.

SHEET TRANSPORT APPARATUS, IMAGE READING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS

Multifunction printer and stopper applied therein

A multifunction printer and a stopper applied therein are provided. The multifunction includes a body, a top cover and the stopper. The body has a paper conveyor path, a paper holder and a first rotating axle. The paper holder is located in front of an entrance of the paper conveyor path, and the first rotating axle is located in the paper conveyor path. The top cover disposed to the body has a first stopping point. A first side of the top cover rotates about the first rotating axle and so as to be closed to the holder of the body. The stopper has a second rotating axle, a connecting portion and a gravity portion. The second rotating axle connects the body, and the connecting portion connects between the second rotating axle and the gravity portion. The gravity portion hangs down the entrance. A center of gravity of the stopper is located in the gravity portion. The first stopping point is located in a rotating path of the gravity portion.

Automatic document conveyance apparatus

An automatic document conveyance apparatus includes: a document feeding section on which a plurality of documents can be placed, for feeding documents one by one therefrom; a zigzag reversal path through which the document fed from the document feeding section is reversed with respect to front and back sides of each of the documents; a reading position forming device for forming an image reading position of the document fed zigzag from and conveyed to the zigzag reversal path; and a document ejection tray on which the document passed through the reading position forming device and ejected through an ejection path is placed. The document fed from the document feeding section is conveyed to the zigzag reversal path at which the document is reversed, the document is fed zigzag to the reading position at which one side of the document is read, the document is conveyed again to the zigzag reversal path at which the document is reversed again, the document is fed zigzag again from the zigzag ...

Methods of Moving A Media Sheet In A Scanning Device

The present application is directed to embodiments for moving a media sheet within a scanning device. The methods include moving the media sheet through a separation mechanism that prevents multiple media sheets from being moved simultaneously along the media path. Further, a buckle is formed in the sheet at a point upstream from a scanner. The buckle acts as a buffer to absorb any load release that could occur as the media sheet exits the separation mechanism. The load release could cause a change in the velocity of the media sheet as it moves across the scanner.

Transmission device of automatic document feeder

A transmission device of automatic document feeder includes a transmission gear assembly, a pickup transmission gear assembly, a paper-feed transmission gear assembly, a correction transmission gear assembly, a pressure transmission gear assembly and a turn-over transmission gear assembly. The transmission gear assembly includes a transmission roller, a first drive gear and a second drive gear. The pickup transmission gear assembly includes a pickup drive gear, a pickup swing arm and a pickup auxiliary swing arm. The paper-feed transmission gear assembly driven by the transmission gear assembly includes a paper-feed reverse gear and a paper-feed swing arm. And the correction transmission gear assembly and the paper-feed transmission gear assembly rotate towards the same direction. The pressure transmission gear assembly includes a pressure swing arm and a pressure actuating gear. The turn-over transmission gear assembly is driven by the first drive gear of the transmission gear assembly ...

Sheet feeder with pickup roller and image forming apparatus

A sheet feeder includes a pickup roller for feeding a sheet on a tray toward a predetermined processing position, an arm member rotatably supporting the pickup roller, a rotary shaft supported on the housing to be rotatable about an axis thereof, a coupling member for coupling the arm member and the rotary shaft, a pivoting mechanism for pivoting the arm member via the rotary shaft so that the pickup roller shifts its position between a feeding position and a retracted position, and a controller for controlling the operation of the pivoting mechanism. The controller controls the arm member to pivot in such a direction that the pickup roller moves toward the retracted position when a sheet is placed on the tray.

Sheet stackable devices

A sheet stackable device including a first tray having a first placement plane, a second tray having a second placement plane and a slider groove, the second tray being swingable about a swing axis between a first position and a second position, a first guide arranged on the first placement plane, a second guide arranged on the second placement plane, a first projection provided in the second guide and formed to project from the first guide or the second guide, and a joint allowing relative swing movement between the first guide and the second guide about the swing axis, is provided. A height of the joint is smaller than a height of the first projection. The first tray and the second tray form an opening in a position between edges of the first tray and the second tray when the second tray is in the first position.

AUTO-DOCUMENT FEEDER AND DOCUMENT FEEDING METHOD

An auto-document feeder includes: a document placing section on which an original document is placed; a sheet detection sensor configured to detect the original document, length in a feeding direction of the original document being first length larger than second length; a length detection sensor configured to detect the length of the original document while the original document is fed; a first feeding path for feeding the original document to a reading section for reading an image of the original document; a second feeding path for feeding the original document to the reading section, the second feeding path being different from the first feeding path; a switching section configured to selectively switch the first feeding path and the second feeding path; and a control section configured to divert, with the switching section, the original document to the first feeding path if the sheet detection sensor detects the original document.

MEDIUM DISCHARGE DEVICE AND IMAGE READING APPARATUS

A medium discharge device includes a discharge roller pair that is provided with a discharge driving roller and a discharge driven roller which drivably rotates in contact with the discharge driving roller, and a medium receiving tray which receives the medium that is fed and discharged by the discharge roller pair, in which the medium receiving tray includes a guide member which guides such that a tip end of the medium which is discharged from the discharge roller pair enters the medium mounting surface at a predetermined angle, and the guide member is provided to be elastically displaceable in an advancing and retreating direction with respect to the medium mounting surface of the medium receiving tray and is displaced in a direction coming close to the medium mounting surface according to raising of a pressing load due to the medium that is discharged to the medium receiving tray. 1. An image reading apparatus comprising:a document support section for placing a document in an inclined position;a feeding roller for feeding the document obliquely downward;a reading section for reading the document fed from the feeding roller;a discharge roller that discharges the read document in a first direction;a discharge tray that receives the document discharged from the discharge roller; anda plurality of guide members that is provided on the discharge tray;wherein at least one of the guide members is provided on both sides in a second direction with respect to a center portion in the second direction which intersects with the first direction,wherein each guide member has a tip end, and a base end provided downstream of the tip end in the first direction; andan inclined portion, provided between the base end and the tip end, which guides the discharged document,wherein the tip end is configured to be displaceable in a vertical direction and is provided at the highest portion of the guide member in the vertical direction.2. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1 , ...

Paper sheets treatment device for obverse and reverse printing

L'invention concerne un dispositif de traitement de feuilles en recto/verso qui définit pour les feuilles un parcours interne comportant un chemin en boucle (3) ayant deux extrémités (5,7) convergentes qui débouchent dans un canal d'éjection (6), en regard duquel s'étend un élément mobile (8) électriquement conducteur relié à une masse électrique (13).

自動原稿送り装置

АППАРАТ СЧИТЫВАНИЯ ИЗОБРАЖЕНИЯ

DEVICE FOR THE SCANNING OF BANK CHECKS WITH AN IMPROVED CHEQUE FEEDING DEVICE

Reversing sheet transport apparatus and image forming apparatus including reversing sheet transport apparatus

The invention provides a reversing sheet transport apparatus and an image forming apparatus including the reversing sheet transport apparatus. When a first elapse time [Delta]t3 from time point t1 of stop of a transport motor reaches a first specified time S1, a registration roller electromagnetic clutch is engaged. At time point t2 at which the first elapse time [Delta]t3 reaches 50 ms, normal rotation of the transport motor is started. At time point t3 at which a second elapse time [Delta]t4 from the time point t2 reaches a second specified time S2 (a given length of time), a reverse roller electromagnetic clutch is switched from an engaged state to a disengaged state, rendering reverse rollers and sheet discharge rollers freely rotatable. At subsequent time point t4, a coil of a solenoid is de-energized, to separate the reverse rollers from each other.

With multi-section keeps off the paper arm paper feeding device

DOCUMENT PROCESSING DEVICE AND DOCUMENT PROCESSING METHOD

Document feeder using document ejecting mechanism

Sheet conveying device

A sheet conveying device includes: a conveyor configured to convey a sheet; a cover configured to cover the conveyor; a guide spaced apart from the cover; and a movable member mounted on a first member which is one of the cover and the guide. The movable member is pivotable between a first position and a second position and located at the second position when the sheet is being conveyed. The movable member has a free end which is moved toward a second member while the movable member is being pivoted from the second position to the first position about a pivot center. The second member is another of the cover and the guide. The free end is contactable with the second member by an approach of the cover toward the guide when the movable member is located at the first position.

Reversing sheet transport apparatus and image forming apparatus including reversing sheet transport apparatus

When a first elapse time t3 from time point t1 of stop of a transport motor reaches a first specified time S1, a registration roller electromagnetic clutch is engaged. At time point t2 at which the first elapse time t3 reaches 50 ms, normal rotation of the transport motor is started. At time point t3 at which a second elapse time t4 from the time point t2 reaches a second specified time S2 (a given length of time), a reverse roller electromagnetic clutch is switched from an engaged state to a disengaged state, rendering reverse rollers and sheet discharge rollers freely rotatable. At subsequent time point t4, a coil of a solenoid is de-energized, to separate the reverse rollers from each other.

Apparatus for scanning bank checks, with an improved check feed device

The scanner apparatus has a feed device for picking up checks from an input receptacle and transferring them to a conveyor mechanism which conveys the checks through the interior of the apparatus. A feed plate resiliently urges a bundle of checks in the receptacle towards an opposed surface. A feed roller acting on the side remote from the plate picks up from the receptacle a check disposed adjacent the surface and transfers it towards the interior of the apparatus. The movement of the feed plate towards the opposed surface is stopped in a position close to that surface so as to define between the plate and the surface in a gap of sufficient width for the insertion of at least one check in the input receptacle.

Transporting and sorting system for a flexible workpiece

A system for distributing flexible sheet material by class into separate containers includes a large endless belt and a number of individual distribution roller assemblies each of which includes a smaller endless belt which opposes the larger endless belt at successive locations. The sheet material is transported vertically between the larger endless belt and the smaller endless belts of the individual roller assemblies. Distribution of the sheet material into one of the containers results when the roller assembly associated with that container is repositioned mechanically so that the smaller endless belt and the opposing portion of the larger endless belt are positioned horizontally at the entrance to the container.

Printer with plural mode integral module for document handling print output and print duplex inversion

In a printer with a print engine having simplex and duplex sheet printing functions, and simplex and duplex sheet feeding paths, and at least one sheet output path, a plural function module is mounted on top of the print engine. This plural function module provides a document handling unit for feeding original documents to be imaged, and also provides a reversible sheet feeding path operatively communicating with the duplex sheet feeding path of the print engine to provide a space savings printed sheet reversing chute which is outside of the print engine for the duplex printing function. This reversible sheet feeding path in the module is alternately operable unidirectionally to provide an arcuate, inverting, sheet output path to a sheet output stacking tray which may be located on top of the plural function module.

IMAGE READING APPARATUS

An image reading apparatus includes a document support portion, a cover portion which is capable of opening and closing, a first surface of which forms an apparatus top surface, and a second surface of which forms a support surface which supports the document, and a base frame which forms the apparatus top surface, in which the document support portion is provided to be capable of rotational movement and is capable of switching between a first posture and a second posture, in which the first surface of the cover portion forms the apparatus top surface which runs along a horizontal direction together with a top surface of the base frame in the closed state, and in which, in the first posture, a portion of the document support portion is at a height position running along the second surface of the cover portion in the closed state. 1. An image reading apparatus comprising:a reader which reads a document;a document support portion which supports the document before feeding;a feeding unit which feeds out the document which is supported by the document support portion toward the reader;a cover portion which is capable of opening and closing, a first surface of which forms an apparatus top surface in a closed state, and a second surface, which is an opposite side from the first surface, of which forms a support surface which supports the document together with the document support portion in an open state; anda base frame which forms the apparatus top surface together with the cover portion,wherein the document support portion is provided to be capable of rotational movement and is capable of, through rotational movement, switching between a first posture which is a posture in which the document is fed from the feeding unit and a second posture in which the document support portion is opened upward from the first posture to widen a bottom portion space of the document support portion,wherein the first surface of the cover portion forms the apparatus top surface which runs ...

IMAGE READER

An image reader includes: a document transport path through which a document to be read is transported; a transport roller that is provided on a lower side in the document transport path and is driven to apply a feed force to the document. The lower side of the document transport path upstream from the transport roller is at a position that is lower than a highest position of an outer circumferential surface of the transport roller and is formed on a lower guide surface guiding the document to the transport roller. A guiding unit is provided downstream from the lower guide surface and guides the document from the lower guide surface to a position on the outer circumferential surface of the transport roller, the position being higher than the lower guide surface.

Sorting by controlling scanned document velocity

A method of scanning documents and moving such documents along a path such that after scanning sorting such documents is disclosed. The method includes providing a plurality of documents in an input tray and transporting each document along the path from the input tray at a transport velocity past the scanner to obtain scanned image data. The method further includes providing at least two movable members including two rotatable exit rollers, movable belts, or a movable belt and a rotatable exit roller along the path to provide a nip for the documents; and selectively driving the movable members to provide selectable exit velocities so that such documents are sorted in accordance with their selected exit velocity.

Automatic document feeder, image reading device including the same, and image forming apparatus including the same

According to an embodiment, an ADF that feeds and conveys original document sheets one sheet by one sheet from a tray unit to a read position on a document glass by motive power from a driving motor includes: an opening/closing unit operable to open and close relative to the document glass; an open/close detection sensor that detects an open/closed state of the opening/closing unit; a first interlock switch, which is arranged between a power source and the driving motor, that is on when the opening/closing unit is closed, and vice versa; and a control circuit that determines the open/closed state of the opening/closing unit based on detection outputs of the first interlock switch and the open/close detection sensor. The control circuit determines that the opening/closing unit is in the closed state when the first interlock switch is on and the open/close detection sensor is detecting the closed state.

DOCUMENT FEEDER

A document feeder includes a feed roller provided in a feed path for a document, a conveying roller provided on a downstream side of the feed roller in the feed path, and a protruding portion provided between the feed roller and the conveying roller in the feed path and protruding from a lower side of the feed path.

Document sheet transportation device and image forming apparatus provided therewith

A document sheet transportation device includes a feeding portion which feeds a document sheet from a document sheet placement portion toward a document sheet transportation path. The feeding portion includes a holder, a feeding member, a supporting body supported by the holder, a rotatable stopper member having a contact end portion allowed to contact a front end of a document sheet, and a biasing member which applies a biasing force to the stopper member. The stopper member is allowed to change a position among a first position in which the contact end portion contacts the front end of the document sheet, a second position which allows feeding of the document sheet by the feeding member, and a third position which is rotated in the first rotating direction from the second position. The biasing member applies the biasing force to the stopper member in a reverse second rotating direction.

AUTOMATIC DOCUMENT FEEDER

An automatic document feeder includes a first roller portion on the first transportation path to feed an original to a scanning position to scan a first face of the original, a second roller portion on a second transportation path to transport the scanned original, a third roller portion on the second transportation path to feed the original to the scanning position to scan a second face of the original, a fourth roller portion on the first transportation path to transport the scanned original, and a transporting speed adjusting unit gaining a circumferential velocity of the second roller portion than the one of the first roller portion and gaining a circumferential velocity of the fourth roller portion than the one of third roller portion, when the original is transported from the first transportation path to the second transportation path and from the second transportation path to the first transportation path, respectively.

SHEET FEEDING DEVICE

A sheet feeding device includes a document mounting board, in which a downstream end of the document mounting board in the feeding direction of the documents in the feed mechanism is connected to a scanner body so as to be rotatable about a first turning shaft parallel to a rotation shaft of a pickup roller, the first turning shaft is located downstream from the feed mechanism in the feeding direction of the documents in the feed mechanism, a mounting surface of the document mounting board on which the documents are mounted is located above the pickup roller when the documents are mounted on the document mounting board, and the document mounting board turns about the first turning shaft such that the mounting surface moves downward and the mounting surface moves downward from a contact portion of the pickup roller with the document when the documents mounted on the document mounting board are fed.

Sheet Tray, Conveyance Unit and Image Recording Apparatus

There is provided a sheet tray including: first, second and third trays. The second tray moves between a first position and a second position in which an overlapping area is smaller than that obtained in the first position. The third tray includes a third support surface and a fourth support surface. The third support surface includes a protrusion which protrudes upward to be positioned above the first support surface in a state that the third tray is in the first pivoting position. The third tray overlaps with the first support surface in a state that the second tray is in the first position and that at least a part, of the third tray, except for the protrusion is positioned below the first support surface, and the third tray does not overlap with the first support surface in a state that the second tray is in the second position.

Sheet separator

A sheet separator including two guides disposed to face each other across a distance in a width direction, at least one of the two guides being configured to move along the width direction to enlarge or reduce the distance therebetween, a separation roller, a separation pad configured to separate sheets being conveyed by the separation roller on a sheet-by-sheet basis in cooperation with the separation roller, a pressing mechanism configured to apply a pressing load to press the separation pad toward the separation roller, and an adjuster configured to increase the pressing load in response to the at least one of the two guides moving in a direction to enlarge the distance, and decrease the pressing load in response to the at least one of the two guides moving in a direction to reduce the distance.

Medium transport unit, recording apparatus, and image reading apparatus

A medium transport unit includes an upstream route in which a print sheet is transported, a first switchback route, a second switchback route, a first guide route, a second guide route, a guide flap configured to switch the route so that the print sheet in the upstream route is transported either toward the first guide route or toward the second guide route, a first discharge route from which the print sheet in the first switchback route is discharged, a second discharge route from which the print sheet in the second switchback route is discharged, and a downstream route passing between the first switchback route and the second switchback route and having an upstream end connected to a junction of downstream ends of the first discharge route and the second discharge route.

Skew correction structure

A correction structure arranged in a feeding path of a document processing device, comprising: a transmitting means consisted of at least a pair of roller sets which are arranged symmetrically on the two sides of the feeding path for transmitting the card evenly, a correcting means consisted of a platform movably arranged at the downstream to the roller set, a receptacle formed on the platform, an elastic object arranged in the receptacle for returning the platform to a predefined location, a back wall extended from the platform toward the feeding path, an opening formed on the back wall to let a card go through, and a friction pad arranged at the bottom of the opening to partly jam the opening, wherein the width of the friction pad is less than the width of the feeding path so the friction pad only contacts the center of the card while transmitting the card.

Sheet conveying apparatus and image reading apparatus

A sheet conveying apparatus includes a tray having a plurality of sheets, a feeder to successively convey sheets stacked on the tray, a controller, and a double-feed sensor to detect double feed when the feeder conveys a plurality of sheets in an overlapping manner. When a double-feed length, which corresponds to a length, in a conveyance direction of the sheet, of a region in which the double feed has been detected by the double-feed sensor, is larger than a predetermined distance, the controller determines that the double feed has occurred. When the double-feed length is smaller than the predetermined distance and a sheet size is smaller than a predetermined size, the controller determines that the double feed has occurred. When the double-feed length is smaller than the predetermined distance and the sheet size is larger than the predetermined size, the controller determines that the double feed has not occurred.

TRANSPORT- UND SORTIERSYSTEM FÜR EIN FLEXIBLES WERKSTÜCK.

MULTI-SHEET HANDLING FOR DOCUMENT DIGITIZATION

Systems and methods are provided for document handling. Non-vision detection systems may be capable of detecting the dimensions, orientation, and/or position of a single sheet, or multiple stacked sheets. A document scanning arrangement may be capable of double sided scanning for sheets with various characteristics. The systems and methods provided may accommodate high throughput and rapid digitization of various types of documents, at a high quality.

Image reading device and Image forming apparatus

Image reading apparatus

A sheet supply device and Image forming device

SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS AND IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS HAVING THE SAMES

Image reading apparatus

An image reading apparatus includes a transport section that can transport original documents along a transport path, a reading section configured to read images of the original documents transported by the transport section, an output controller configured to output data of the original documents read by the reading section, a multi-sheet feed detection sensor configured to detect a multi-sheet feed of the original documents transported by the transport section, and an instruction section configured to issue an instruction to disable multi-sheet feed detection by the multi-sheet feed detection section. After a job for sequentially transporting a plurality of original documents to perform a reading operation for reading images is interrupted by multi-sheet feed detection performed by the multi-sheet feed detection sensor, and if the job is restarted in a disabling mode in which the multi-sheet detection is disabled in accordance with an instruction from the instruction section, the output ...

Automatic document feeding device, multi-function peripheral, operating method and automatic document feeding method of the same

Image reading apparatus

An image reading apparatus capable of reading an image from a sheet is provided. A sheet path to eject the sheet after being read may be selectively switched between a first ejection path to eject the sheet to an ejection unit and a second ejection path to eject the sheet on an outlet cover, which is openable/closable to a casing of the image reading apparatus. When the outlet cover is moved to open, a flapper arranged in a branch point between the first ejection path and the second ejection path moved in conjunction with the opening motion of the outlet cover, and the sheet path is switched from the first ejection path to the second ejection path. Further, a plurality of arms in a cover motion detector having a linkage mechanism rotate, and the rotating motions are detectable by a detector switch arranged at a terminal of the linkage mechanism.

Feeding device and recording apparatus including the feeding device

A feeding device includes a roller configured to feed an uppermost sheet of a plurality of sheets stacked in a stacking unit, and an inclined separator located downstream of the roller in a feed direction and configured to separate one sheet from another sheet. The inclined separator includes a first separator and a second separator that are arranged along the feed direction. Resistance imparted to each sheet by the first separator is greater than resistance imparted to each sheet by the second separator.

SHEET CONVEYANCE APPARATUS, IMAGE READING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS

A sheet conveyance apparatus includes a cover unit, a base unit, a roller unit configured to be detachable from the cover unit, and comprising a roller configured to convey the sheet along a conveyance path and a holder comprising an arm portion configured to extend in a width direction orthogonal to a sheet conveyance direction, a cam configured to swing the holder by rotating, and a cover member configured to be openable and closable with respect to the cover unit and configured to cover at least a portion of the arm portion against the conveyance path in a closed state, the cover member being opened by being pressed by the arm portion in a case where the roller unit is detached from the cover unit.

Paper feeder and image scanning device

A paper feeder includes a sheet supply unit that feeds sheets placed on a sheet placing part, a separating roller the separates the sheets fed by the sheet supply unit one sheet at a time and supplies each sheet to a sheet transportation path, a transportation roller that transports the sheets provided downstream of the separating roller and a link mechanism connected to the transportation roller via a transmitting unit. When the transportation roller rotates in a sheet transporting direction, the link mechanism swings so that a shutter opens the sheet transportation path and maintains an opened state. When the transportation roller rotates in a direction opposite to the sheet transporting direction, the link mechanism swings so that the shutter closes the sheet transportation path.

MULTIFEED PROCESSING APPARATUS, MULTIFEED PROCESSING METHOD, AND MULTIFEED PROCESSING PROGRAM

A multifeed processing apparatus includes a control unit and is connected to a multifeed detecting mechanism and an image reading mechanism. The control unit includes (i) a calculating unit that calculates a shape of a peripheral edge of a medium from any one or both of an output of the image reading mechanism and an image of the medium read by the image reading mechanism, (ii) a detecting unit that detects a change in the shape on a boundary of an overlap detected portion, from the shape calculated by the calculating unit and a position of the overlap detected portion detected by the multifeed detecting mechanism, and (iii) a deciding unit that determines a case where the change in the shape is detected by the detecting unit, as a multifeed.

Sheet feeder with pickup roller and image forming apparatus

A sheet feeder includes a pickup roller for feeding a sheet on a tray toward a predetermined processing position, an arm member rotatably supporting the pickup roller, a rotary shaft supported on the housing to be rotatable about an axis thereof, a coupling member for coupling the arm member and the rotary shaft, a pivoting mechanism for pivoting the arm member via the rotary shaft so that the pickup roller shifts its position between a feeding position and a retracted position, and a controller for controlling the operation of the pivoting mechanism. The controller controls the arm member to pivot in such a direction that the pickup roller moves toward the retracted position when a sheet is placed on the tray.

Sheet transport apparatus

A sheet transport apparatus for transporting a sheet along a transport path has a sheet transport mechanism having a plurality of transport rollers that transports a sheet, and a jam clearing mechanism to remove a sheet which causes a transport failure and is jammed on the transport path. The jam clearing mechanism has a coupling member coupled to a transport roller, a jam clearing dial that transfers a rotation force to the transport roller via the coupling member, and a switching device for switching so that the coupling member separates from the transport roller in transporting a sheet, while being coupled to the transport roller in clearing a jam.

Method and system for job separation in high volume document scanning

A method for job separation in a high volume document scanning is provided. The method includes monitoring a document receiver with a monitor device to determine when a batch of documents has been received by the document receiver and in response to the monitor device determining the batch of documents has been received by the document receiver, automatically inserting a job separation document with a separation document inserter at an end of the batch to separate the batch of documents from a successive batch of documents.

Transported material transporting device and image processing apparatus

A transported material transporting device including: a power transmission switching mechanism configured to switch the transmission of the power between the intermediate gear and the cam drive gear between a transmitted state and a blocked state; a detection lever provided in the reversing path and configured to detect the presence or absence of the material to be transported which enters the reversing path; and a blocked-state locking mechanism configured to lock the blocked state of the power transmission switching mechanism when the discharging roller is in the released state, wherein the locked state of the blocked-state locking mechanism is released and the power transmission switching mechanism is switched from the blocked state to the transmitted state upon detection of the position of the trailing end of the material to be transported entering the reversing path by the detection lever.

Sheet Conveyer Device

A sheet conveyor device may include a first portion configured to move, a cam configured to move in response to movement of the first portion, and a guide portion configured to move between first and second positions in response to the movement of the cam, to choose a first or second conveying path for a sheet. The cam may cause the guide portion to remain in position even if the first portion is moved a small amount, thereby helping to reduce the likelihood of paper jams arising from undesired movement of the guide portion.

Multi-function peripheral with linking set

A multi-function peripheral having an automatic document feeding device (ADF) suited for being configured in a body of an apparatus is provided. The apparatus has a first and second power sources to drive the ADF to transmit a paper in or out of the body. The ADF includes a limiting structure, a swinging member and a blocking member. The first and second power sources drive the limiting structure and the swinging member to swing respectively. The blocking member has a first end connected to the swinging member and a second end extending toward the limiting structure. When the limiting structure is at a second position and the swinging member swings toward a third position, the second end is trapped into the limiting space. When the limiting structure moves toward a first position and the swinging member swings toward the third position, the second end escapes from the limiting space.

Paper conveyance apparatus

A paper conveyance apparatus including a conveyance roller module including a pair of a sheet feeding roller and a separation roller opposite to each other across a paper conveyance path, a sound receiving aperture positioned on the same side as one side of the paper conveyance path, the one side including any one of the conveyance roller module, a sound shield positioned on a straight line between a nip portion of the conveyance roller module and the sound receiving aperture, a sound signal generator for generating a sound signal in response to a sound detected through the sound receiving aperture, and a sound jam detector for determining whether a jam has occurred based on the sound signal.

MEDIUM TRANSPORT APPARATUS AND IMAGE READING APPARATUS

A moving-side roller reliably separates from a stationary-side roller so as to enable appropriate document transport. An image reading apparatus causes a roller support member supporting the moving-side roller to come into contact with the stationary-side roller. A contact state and a separation state can be switched. The image reading apparatus includes an external force providing portion to exert a third external force on the roller support member in a direction for restraining warping that is generated in the roller support member by a first external force that a cam exerts on the roller support member and by a second external force that an urging device exerts on the roller support member. 1. A medium transport apparatus comprising:a medium transport roller pair including a stationary-side roller disposed on a medium transport path along which a medium is transported and a moving-side roller formed so as to be able to come into contact with, or separate from, the stationary-side roller;a roller support member formed so as to support the moving-side roller and be able to assume a first state in which the roller support member causes the moving-side roller to be in contact with the stationary-side roller and a second state in which the roller support member causes the moving-side roller to separate from the stationary-side roller;an urging device urging the roller support member toward the first state;a cam formed so as to engage the roller support member and shift the roller support member from the first state to the second state against an urging force of the urging device; andan external force providing portion to exert, while the roller support member is shifted by the cam to be in the second state, a third external force on the roller support member in a direction for restraining warping that is generated in the roller support member by a first external force that the cam exerts on the roller support member and by a second external force that the urging ...

SHEET FEED APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING THE SAME

A sheet feed apparatus includes a sheet separation unit, and the sheet separation unit includes a separation roller that is provided so as to be brought into contact to an outer peripheral surface of a sheet feed roller, and separates a sheet fed by the sheet feed roller into one. The sheet separation unit comprises a hook for rotatably supporting the sheet separation unit in a main body casing of the sheet feed apparatus and an engaging claw that makes the sheet separation unit engage with the main body casing. Therefore, the sheet separation unit is held in the main body casing detachably. 1. A sheet feed apparatus , comprising:a sheet placing tray for placing sheets, provided on an apparatus main body;a sheet feed roller feeding the sheets picked-up from the sheet placing tray; anda sheet separation unit including a separation member that is provided so as to be brought into contact with an outer peripheral surface of the sheet feed roller and separates the sheets fed by the sheet feed roller into one, whereinthe sheet separation unit is held on the apparatus main body by a support portion that supports the sheet separation unit rotatably on the apparatus main body and an engaging portion that engages, by elastic deformation, the sheet separation unit on the apparatus main body, andthe support portion is provided in an upstream side from the engaging portion and the sheet separation unit in a sheet feeding direction and is provided with an interval to the sheet separation unit in the sheet feeding direction, andthe engaging portion is provided inside the separation member in a direction orthogonally intersecting the sheet feeding direction.2. The sheet feed apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the engaging portion is provided in a downstream side from the separation member in the sheet feeding direction and is provided with an interval to the sheet separation unit in the sheet feeding direction.3. The sheet feed apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the ...

ADF With Automated Trays

An automatic document feeder includes a media path to route media through the automatic document feeder, and automated media trays to supply the media to the media path and receive the media from the media path, with the automated media trays to be positioned based on a presence of a user at the automatic document feeder.

Output tray fins

Examples of alignment fins for output trays of media dispensing devices are disclosed. In an example, an alignment fin is coupled to a support surface of an output tray of a media dispensing device. The alignment fin is to transition between a first position wherein the alignment fin is disposed below the support surface, and a second position wherein the alignment fin is exposed through an aperture in the support surface. When the alignment fin is in the second position, the alignment fin is to align the media dispensed from the dispensing device into a stack on the support surface.

AUTOMATIC DOCUMENT FEEDER

An automatic document feeding system includes an image reader including an optical window and a light source illuminating the optical window, and an automatic document feeder including a reflective flag positioned within a viewing region of the optical window. 1. An automatic document feeding system , comprising:an image reader including an optical window and a light source illuminating the optical window; andan automatic document feeder including a reflective flag positioned within a viewing region of the optical window.2. The automatic document feeding system of claim 1 , wherein the reflective flag is rotational about a pivotal axis in a direction of a media path.3. The automatic document feeding system of claim 1 , wherein the image reader is an optical scanner.4. The automatic document feeding system of claim 2 , wherein the reflective flag includes a trigger extending into the media path at a location prior to the optical window.5. The automatic document feeding system of claim 1 , wherein movement of a medium against the trigger initiates rotational movement of the reflective flag and signals the leading edge of the medium.6. A method of automatic document feeding claim 1 , comprising:reflecting a light source with a reflective surface of a flag in an optical window of a document feeding device in a first state;initiating movement of a medium through the document feeding device;contacting the medium against a trigger of the flag;rotating the reflective surface of the flag out of the optical window in response to movement of the medium past the trigger;changing light reflectance in the optical window to a second state;detecting a leading edge of the medium in response to the change of state prior to the medium passing into the optical window; andcontinuing movement of the medium through the document feeding device.7. The method of claim 6 , comprising:signaling a scanner to begin scanning a predetermined time after he change to the second state.8. The method ...

Document conveying apparatus, control method, and control program

The document conveying apparatus includes a separation roller, a conveying roller, a driving force generation module configured to be capable of generating a first driving force with a rotation in a first direction, and capable of generating a second driving force with a rotation in a second direction opposite to the first direction, a driving force transmission module, a determination module for determining whether a document has passed the separation roller, and a control module for switching a driving force from the first driving force to the second driving force in accordance with a determination result. The driving force transmission module performs separation operation by transmitting the first driving force to the separation roller, and conveys the documents by transmitting the second driving force to the conveying roller and cuts off transmission of the second driving force to the separation roller, in accordance with the switching.

Sheet feeding apparatus

A sheet feeding apparatus includes a support member having a support surface, a feed roller, a stopper, and a restriction member. The stopper includes a restriction surface configured to contact leading edges of sheets supported on the support surface. A tangent extends in parallel to the support surface and passes through a point on an outer peripheral surface of the feed roller, and the tangent and the restriction surface of the stopper crosses at an intersection point. When the stopper moves from a first position to a second position, the intersection point moves with a movement velocity in a direction parallel to the tangent, the movement velocity at the intersection point being defined as a specified movement velocity. The restriction member is configured to restrict movement of the stopper such that the specified movement velocity is greater than or equal to a circumferential velocity of the feed roller.

DOCUMENT TRANSPORT ASSISTANCE MEMBER AND IMAGE PROCESSING DEVICE

A document transport assistance member for an image processing device including a transport roller and a reading part provided upstream of the transport roller in a transport path, the document transport assistance member including a cover sheet, a support sheet, and a bonding part that serves as a bonding part where the cover sheet and the support sheet are bonded together, and bonds a first end portion at a first direction side along a first axis, wherein a length between a side end of the document transport assistance member at the first direction side and a rear end of the bonding part at the opposite side from the first direction is greater than a length between a reading position where the reading part can read the document and a position of a nipping part where the transport roller performs nip on the document transport assistance member in the transport path. 1. A document transport assistance member used for an image processing device , the image processing device including:a first transport roller configured to transport a document; anda reading part configured to read image information of the document, which is transported, at a position upstream of the first transport roller in a transport path through which the document is transported,the document transport assistance member comprising:a cover sheet configured to cover a first surface of the document, the first surface being a surface to be read by the reading part; anda support sheet configured to cover a second surface of the document, the second surface being an opposite surface from the first surface,the document transport assistance member further comprising a first bonding part serving as a bonding part where the cover sheet and the support sheet are bonded together, the first bonding part being configured to bond a first end portion at a first direction side along a first axis, whereina length between a leading end of the document transport assistance member and a rear end of the first bonding ...

FEEDER MODULE

A feeder module for a multi-function product including a tray having a first axial direction and a second axial direction, at least two first sensors disposed at the tray in the second axial direction, a clamping member movably assembled to the tray in the second axial direction, and a control unit is provided. A document placed on the tray is driven to move into the multi-function product in the first axial direction. The clamping member has at least two shielding pieces moving in the second axial direction. The first sensors located on moving paths of the shielding pieces generate different sensing states according to whether the first sensors being shielded by the shielding pieces or not. A control unit electrically connected to the first sensors determines a width of the document according to the sensing states of the at least two first sensors. 1. A feeder module , suited for a multi-function product , wherein the feeder module comprises:a tray, having a first axial direction and a second axial direction, a document being placed on the tray and driven by the feeder module to move into the multi-function product in the first axial direction, a width of the document being parallel to the second axial direction;three first sensors, disposed at the tray in the second axial direction;a clamping member, having three shielding pieces, the clamping member movably assembled to the tray in the second axial direction, the clamping member having at least two shielding pieces configured to move in the second axial direction along with the clamping member, the three first sensors being located on moving paths of the at least two shielding pieces, the three first sensors generating different sensing states according to whether the three first sensors being shielded by the at least two shielding pieces or not;a control unit, electrically connected to the three first sensors,a second sensor and a third sensor, disposed at the tray in the first axial direction, the control unit ...

Image reading device and method for determining accompaniment by metal object

An image reading device includes a magnetizer that magnetizes a metal object attached to a document, a magnetism detector that is disposed on the downstream side of the magnetizer in a document transport direction from a document stacking table toward the document transport path and detects residual magnetism of the metal object, and a metal object accompaniment determination unit that determines whether or not the metal object is attached to the document based on a detection result by the magnetism detector.

Image forming device with a collapsible guiding mechanism

An image forming device with a collapsible paper guide is provided. The image forming device includes a casing, a first tray structure and a paper guide. A medium gateway opening is formed on the casing. The first tray structure is disposed on the casing and adjacent to the medium gateway opening. The paper guide includes a first base disposed on the first tray structure and a first guiding component pivotally connected to the first base. The paper guide is switchable relative to the first tray structure between a used position and a stored position. A first included angle included between the first guiding component and the first base is less than 90 degrees when the paper guide is located at the used position, so that the first guiding component can be interfered and driven to pivotally fold for preventing the paper guide from being broken or damaged.

Image reading apparatus that reads original sheet while conveying the same

In an image reading apparatus, it is judged whether an original sheet is either one of a first sheet type, whose sheet length is longer than or equal to a first conveyance distance and shorter than a second conveyance distance, and a second sheet type, whose sheet length is longer than or equal to the second conveyance path, the first conveyance distance being distance between a first conveyance roller and a second conveyance roller, the second conveyance distance being distance between a supply roller and the second conveyance roller. The original sheet is conveyed at a separation timing, when the original sheet separates away from the supply roller, at a speed that is smaller for a case where the original sheet is of the first sheet type than for a case where the original sheet is of the second sheet type. An image is read from the conveyed original sheet.

Image Reading Apparatus

An image reading apparatus having a sheet path, which includes two ejection paths, is provided. The sheet path is switchable between the two ejection paths by a switchable member. An outlet cover arranged on a casing of the image reading apparatus is movable between a closed position and an open position to open and close an outlet of the second ejection path. When the outlet cover moves from the closed position to the open position, and before the switchable member switches the sheet path from the first ejection path to the second ejection path, switching of the sheet path from the first ejection path to the second ejection path is detectable.

Medium conveying apparatus for correcting a skew of a medium using three sensors

A medium conveying apparatus includes a plurality of feed rollers, each feed roller rotating independently at a respective speed to feed a medium, a first sensor located on a downstream side of the plurality of feed rollers in a medium conveying direction and also in a central part in a direction perpendicular to the medium conveying direction, to detect the medium, a second sensor and a third sensor located on both sides of the first sensor in the direction perpendicular to the medium conveying direction, to respectively detect the medium, and a processor to change the speed of one of the plurality of feed rollers at least until the first sensor detects the medium when any of the second sensor or the third sensor detects the medium and the first sensor does not detect the medium within a predetermined time.

MEDIUM FEEDING DEVICE AND IMAGE READING APPARATUS

A medium feeding device includes a medium placing portion, a feeding roller that feeds paper, a medium movement detecting portion that is positioned on a placing region of the paper of the medium placing portion in a medium feeding direction and is capable of detecting movement of the paper being fed in a width direction intersecting the medium feeding direction, and a controller that stops feeding of the paper in a case in which a physical quantity relating to movement of paper in the width direction exceeds a predetermined threshold based on a detected result by the medium movement detecting portion. 1. A medium feeding device comprising:a medium placing portion over which a medium is placed;a feeding roller configured to cooperate with a separating roller to feed the medium placed on the medium placing portion by coming into contact with a surface of the medium facing the medium placing portion and being rotated;a medium movement detecting portion that is positioned in a placing region of the medium placing portion over which the medium to be fed by the feeding roller can be placed, the medium movement detecting portion being upstream of the feeding roller and the separating roller and being configured to detect movement of the medium toward opposite sides of a width direction intersecting a medium feeding direction, the medium movement detecting portion detecting movement of the medium at a location disposed in the placing region and spaced from edge guides that guide edges of the medium moved in the medium feeding direction, the medium movement detecting portion optically detects movement within a two-dimensional plane; anda controller configured to stop feeding of the medium in a case in which a physical quantity relating to the movement of the medium in the width direction based on a detected result by the medium movement detecting portion exceeds a predetermined threshold.2. The medium feeding device according to claim 1 ,wherein a pair of the medium ...

MEDIUM TRANSPORT UNIT, RECORDING APPARATUS, AND IMAGE READING APPARATUS

A medium transport unit includes an upstream route in which a print sheet is transported, a first switchback route, a second switchback route, a first guide route, a second guide route, a guide flap configured to switch the route so that the print sheet in the upstream route is transported either toward the first guide route or toward the second guide route, a first discharge route from which the print sheet in the first switchback route is discharged, a second discharge route from which the print sheet in the second switchback route is discharged, and a downstream route passing between the first switchback route and the second switchback route and having an upstream end connected to a junction of downstream ends of the first discharge route and the second discharge route. 1. A medium transport unit comprising:an upstream route in which a medium is transported;a first switchback route arranged on a downstream side of the upstream route;a second switchback route arranged on the downstream side of the upstream route;a first guide route configured to introduce the medium in the upstream route to the first switchback route;a second guide route configured to introduce the medium in the upstream route to the second switchback route;a guide switch unit configured to selectively switch the route so that the medium transported through the upstream route is transported to one of the first guide route and the second guide route;a first discharge route configured to discharge the medium from the first switchback route;a second discharge route configured to discharge the medium from the second switchback route; anda downstream route passing between the first switchback route and the second switchback route and having an upstream end connected to a junction of downstream ends of the first discharge route and the second discharge route,wherein the upstream route is inclined downward from the upstream side of the upstream route towards the downstream side of the upstream route.2. ...

SHEET CONVEYANCE DEVICE, IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, SHEET CONVEYANCE METHOD

A sheet conveyance device includes a sheet placing portion, a guide member, a signal obtaining portion, and a notification portion. On the sheet placing portion, a sheet to be conveyed is placed. The guide member is disposed on the sheet placing portion so as to move in a width direction vertical to a sheet conveyance direction, and restricts, in the width direction, a position of the sheet on the sheet placing portion. The signal obtaining portion obtains an electric signal with a value corresponding to a position of the guide member. The notification portion, when a difference between the value and any of thresholds that are set in advance based on each sheet size in the width direction for determination of the size of the sheet, is equal to or smaller than a predetermined reference value, notifies that the sheet is separated from the guide member. 1. A sheet conveyance device comprising:a sheet placing portion on which a sheet to be conveyed is placed;a guide member disposed on the sheet placing portion so as to move in a width direction that is vertical to a sheet conveyance direction, and configured to restrict, in the width direction, a position of the sheet placed on the sheet placing portion;a signal obtaining portion configured to obtain an electric signal with a value that corresponds to a position of the guide member on the sheet placing portion; anda notification portion configured to, when a difference between the value of the electric signal obtained by the signal obtaining portion and any of one or more thresholds is equal to or smaller than a predetermined reference value, notify that the sheet placed on the sheet placing portion is separated from the guide member, the one or more thresholds being set in advance based on a length in the width direction for each size of the sheet for determination of a size of the sheet.2. The sheet conveyance device according to further comprisinga conveyance control portion configured to execute, in response to an ...

SHEET CONVEYING DEVICE AND IMAGE READING APPARATUS

A sheet conveying device includes a conveyor, a first cover and a second cover movable in conjunction with the first cover. The second cover includes a restricted portion configured to be moved together with the second cover. The first cover includes a restricting portion configured to contact the restricted portion to prevent the second cover from being moved from a first position toward a second position when the first cover is located at a closed position. The restricting portion and the restricted portion are contacted to each other at a contact position at which a force, which is applied from the restricted portion toward the restricting portion when the second cover receives an external force, does not include a component force acting in a direction of moving the first cover from the closed position toward an opened position. 1. A sheet conveying device comprising:a conveyor configured to convey a sheet along a predetermined conveyance path;a first cover configured to be movable between a closed position and an opened position, wherein the first cover is configured to form a part of an outer covering surface of the sheet conveying device by a first surface at the closed position and to support a sheet on a second surface opposite to the first surface at the opened position; anda second cover configured to be movable between a first position and a second position in conjunction with the first cover, wherein the second cover is located at the first position when the first cover is located at the closed position and is configured to form a part of the outer covering surface of the sheet conveying device at a position adjacent to the first cover at the first position, and wherein the second cover is configured to be moved from the first position to the second position when the first cover is moved from the closed position to the opened position,wherein the second cover comprises a restricted portion, contact the restricted portion to prevent the second cover from ...

IMAGE READING APPARATUS

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. 1. An image reading apparatus comprising:a reading unit that reads an image of a medium bundle; anda transport roller pair that transports the medium bundle,a driving source that drives both of the rollers of the transport roller pair,wherein the transport roller pair transports the medium bundle by driving both of the rollers of the transport roller pair, and the reading unit reads the image of the medium bundle that was transported by the transport roller pair.2. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1 ,wherein a first contact load between the transport roller pair when the transport roller pair transports the medium bundle is set to be smaller than a second contact load between the transport roller pair when the transport roller pair transports the medium.3. The image reading apparatus according to claim 2 ,wherein both of the rollers of the transport roller pair are separated from each other when the transport roller pair transports the medium bundle.4. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1 ,wherein the reading unit includes a first reading unit that reads a first surface of ...

IMAGE READING APPARATUS

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. 1. An image reading apparatus comprising:a reading unit that reads an image of a medium bundle;a transport roller pair that transports the medium bundle,wherein the transport roller pair is configured to rotate to transport the medium bundle in a first direction and a second direction, the second direction being opposite to the first direction,wherein the transport roller pair transports the medium bundle in the first direction after transporting the medium bundle in the second direction, andwherein the reading unit reads the image of the medium bundle that is transported in the first direction.2. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1 ,wherein a first contact load between the transport roller pair when the transport roller pair transports the medium bundle is set to be smaller than a second contact load between the transport roller pair when the transport roller pair transports the medium.3. The image reading apparatus according to claim 2 ,wherein both of the rollers of the transport roller pair are separated from each other when the transport roller pair transports the medium bundle.4. ...

SHEET MATERIAL TAKE-IN APPARATUS, SHEET MATERIAL CONVEYING APPARATUS, IMAGE READING APPARATUS, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS

User labor relating to determining on an alignment condition is reduced and a stable conveying operation is realized by aligning a sheet bundle also when a sheet bundle is added. A sheet bundle composed of multiple sheet materials is placed on a loading platform. An encoder pulse unit detects the amount of the sheet bundle placed on the loading platform based on the opening amount of a pressure plate. A control unit determines on an alignment condition according to the amount of the sheet bundle. Rotating members align the sheet bundle in accordance with the alignment condition. When it is determined that another sheet bundle has been added to the loading platform, the control unit updates the alignment condition according to the total amount of the other sheet bundle and the sheet bundle remaining on the loading platform. 120-. (canceled)21. A sheet material take-in apparatus comprising;an apparatus body having a loading platform on which a sheet bundle is loaded;a take-in unit configured to take in a sheet material of the sheet bundle to an interior of the apparatus body;a detecting unit configured to detect movement of the take-in unit in a direction apart from the loading platform; anda control unit configured to control an operation of the take-in unit,wherein in response to the detecting unit detecting the movement of the take-in unit in the direction apart from the loading platform during a sheet take-in operation taking in a sheet material to the interior of the apparatus, the control unit stops the sheet take-in operation by the take-in unit.22. The sheet material take-in apparatus according to claim 21 , whereinthe take-in unit is a pickup roller supported rotatable by the apparatus body, and which contacts a top surface of the sheet bundle and takes in the sheet material to the interior of the apparatus body, andthe control unit is further configured to stop the sheet take-in operation by the take-in unit in response to the detecting unit detecting ...

MEDIUM DISCHARGING DEVICE AND IMAGE READING APPARATUS

A medium discharging device includes a discharging unit which discharges a medium; and a medium receiving tray which receives the medium discharged by the discharging unit, and is switched between an extended state and an accommodated state, in which the medium receiving tray is provided with a base tray, a main extending unit that is accommodated or extended, and at least one sub-extending unit that is accommodated or extended, and in which the base tray forms an accommodating space for accommodating at least the one sub-extending unit, and is provided with a first protrusion portion protruding toward the accommodating space. 1. A medium discharging device comprising:a discharging unit that discharges a medium towards a medium discharging direction in which the medium is discharged; anda medium receiving tray that receives the medium discharged by the discharging unit, a base tray;', 'a first slidable unit that is slidably connected to the base tray, and that is configured to have a first accommodated state, and a first extended state, wherein when the first slidable unit is slid into the first extended state by pulling the first slidable unit in the medium discharging direction, the first slidable unit is located further in the medium discharging direction than when the first sliding unit is in the first accommodated state; and, 'wherein the medium receiving tray includes'}a second slidable unit that is slidably connected to the first slidable unit, and that is configured to have a second accommodated state, and a second extended state, wherein when the second slidable unit is slid into the second extended state by pulling the second slidable unit in the medium discharging direction, the second slidable unit is located further in the medium discharging direction than when the second slidable unit is in the second accommodated state;a third slidable unit that is slidably connected to the second slidable unit, and that is configured to have a third accommodated ...

Automatic document feeder

An image forming apparatus includes a first conveying path guiding a sheet such that the sheet passes through the image forming portion, a second conveying path guiding the sheet on which the image is formed by the image forming portion to the first conveying path. A document is fed to the second conveying path and the image forming apparatus includes a first drive transmission portion transmitting a drive force to the image forming portion and a second drive transmission portion transmitting the drive force to a document feeding portion, a conveyance portion and a document discharge portion.

SHEET TRANSPORTING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING SYSTEM

A sheet transporting apparatus is provided, including a transport mechanism provided with a roller, a motor, a controller, and a measuring input unit, wherein a transport route has a curved area for inverting the sheet, and the controller is constructed such that the control on the motor is executed by a closed loop control system by using a measured value of an control output at an initial stage of the transport of a sheet from a tray, and the control on the motor is switched from the control performed by the closed loop control system to control performed by an open loop control system on condition that a preset phenomenon arises after the sheet is taken out of the tray. 1. A sheet feeder comprising:a motora feed roller connected to the motor;a sheet separator positioned downstream from the feed roller and configured to separate sheets;a sensor positioned downstream from the sheet separator and configured to output a detection signal in response to a leading head of the sheet passing therethroughan encoder positioned to detect a rotation of the motor or the feed roller, and input a first current to the motor;', 'based on the output from the encoder during the rotation of the motor, measure a rotational amount of the motor or the feed roller;', 'based on the measured rotational amount, update the first current;', 'input the updated first current to the motor;', 'receive the detection signal from the sensor; and', 'after receiving the detection signal from the sensor, switch from inputting the updated first current to inputting the second current not based on the measured rotational amount to the motor., 'a controller, the controller is configured to2. The sheet feeder according to claim 1 , further comprising a guide defining a curved area positioned downstream from the sheet separator.3. The sheet feeder according to claim 2 , wherein the sensor is positioned downstream of or from the curved area.4. The sheet feeder according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is ...

Sheet stacking unit, and sheet conveying device and image forming apparatus each including the sheet stacking unit

A sheet stacking unit of the disclosure includes a sheet stacking plate, a cursor, and a detection sensor. The cursor includes an alignment part for performing widthwise alignment of a document, and a rack extending along the widthwise direction. The detection sensor is placed opposite the rack, and has a light-emitting portion and a light-receiving portion. A plurality of detection-object parts placed in the rack along the widthwise direction have optical characteristics of different reflectivities or transmissivities from one another with respect to light emitted from the light-emitting portion. The controller detects a widthwise size of the document on a basis of output values from the detection sensor which detects light reflected or transmitted by the detection-object parts.

Sheet Conveying Apparatus

A sheet conveying apparatus, including: a base body having a conveyor surface; a separating roller configured to rotate about a first rotation axis parallel to a width direction of the conveyor surface and to convey a sheet downstream in a conveyance direction orthogonal to the width direction; a separating piece opposed to the separating roller and configured to cooperate with the separating roller to separate sheets being conveyed one by one; an attachment member removably attached to the base body at a position at which the attachment member is opposed to the separating roller, so as to form a part of the conveyor surface; a holder holding the separating piece and supported by the attachment member so as to be movable toward and away from the separating roller; and a first urging member provided between the attachment member and the holder for urging the separating piece toward the separating roller.

Medium conveying apparatus including guide mechanism swingably supported about two axes

A medium conveying apparatus includes medium conveying apparatus includes a housing including a locking portion, a first supporting portion and a second supporting portion, a feed roller, a separation roller located to face the feed roller, and a guide mechanism including a locked portion locked with the locking portion, a first shaft portion supported by the first supporting portion, a second shaft portion supported by the second supporting portion, and a conveyance guide portion to regulate a medium fed between the feed roller and the separation roller. The guide mechanism is swingably supported by the housing about the first shaft portion in a state where the locked portion is locked with the locking portion. The guide mechanism is swingably supported by the housing about the second shaft portion in a state where a locking of the locking portion and the locked portion is released.

Medium conveying apparatus in which separation force of separation roller by gear with respect to pressing force of separation roller by torque limiter is set appropriately

A medium conveying apparatus includes a torque limiter provided on a rotation axis of the separation roller, a unit including a first gear, a second gear provided on the rotation axis, and a third gear provided between the first gear and the second gear. The separation roller is pressed toward a feed roller side by a force generated by the torque limiter. The first gear rotates in a direction for generating a force for separating the separation roller from the feed roller. The third gear is a two-stage gear. The number of teeth of a gear on the second gear side of the third gear is more than the number of teeth of a gear on the first gear side of the third gear.

Image reading apparatus and image forming apparatus

An image reading apparatus includes a stacking portion, a feeding unit, a reading unit, and a discharge portion provided below the stacking portion. The feeding unit feeds a sheet stacked on the stacking portion in a feeding direction. The reading unit reads an image on the fed sheet and the discharge portion discharges the read sheet. The stacking portion includes first and second support surfaces that support the sheet and first and second regulating units to regulate a position of the sheet in a widthwise direction using two opposing ends of the sheet. The second support surface is retractable from a predetermined section above the discharge portion. The first support surface includes a downstream support portion that supports the sheet on a downstream side of the predetermined section in the feeding direction. A part of the second regulating surface is positioned on the downstream support portion.

Medium conveying apparatus including tray pulled out by sliding two protrusion between rails

A medium conveying apparatus includes a housing including an accommodation portion provided with a guide portion at an end portion in a width direction, a tray accommodated in the accommodation portion so as to be pulled out, and including a placing surface for placing an ejected medium, and an engaging portion provided on a side surface of the tray, to engage the guide portion. The guide portion includes a pair of rails inclined upward and having a predetermined width. The engaging portion includes two protrusions provided so as to slide between the pair of rails and located apart from each other by a predetermined distance. By locating the two protrusions between the pair of rails, the tray is positioned at a predetermined position with respect to the housing with a front end portion of a downstream side in the medium ejecting direction located upward.

IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, METHOD OF CONTROLLING IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, AND STORAGE MEDIUM

The present invention is directed to a technique for reducing communication errors in facsimile transmission while restraining an increase in the temperature of a motor during execution of jobs of different types when a temperature reduction control is executed. 1. An image processing apparatus comprising:a document sheet conveyance unit configured to drive a driving portion to convey document sheets one by one from a stack of document sheets;a reading unit configured to read an image on the document sheet conveyed by the document sheet conveyance unit;a transmission unit configured to transmit, by facsimile, image data generated by the reading unit reading the document sheet to an external image processing apparatus;an output unit configured to output the image data generated by the reading unit reading the document sheet using a method different from transmission by facsimile; anda conveyance control unit configured to stop driving of the driving portion for a predetermined time period after the document sheet conveyance unit completes conveyance of one document sheet and before the document sheet conveyance unit conveys a next document sheet,wherein the predetermined period is a first time period when the conveyance control unit stops the driving portion while a first job of transmitting the image data by facsimile is executed by the transmission unit concurrently with the reading of the document sheet by the reading unit, wherein the first time period is shorter than a reference time period for disconnecting a line with the image processing apparatus in a case where the external image processing apparatus does not receive the image data continuously, andwherein the predetermined period is a second time period when the conveyance control unit stops the driving portion while a second job of outputting the image data is executed by the output unit concurrently with the reading of the document sheet by the reading unit, wherein the second time period is longer than ...

MEDIUM DISCHARGE DEVICE AND IMAGE READING APPARATUS

A medium discharge device includes a discharge roller pair that is provided with a discharge driving roller and a discharge driven roller which drivably rotates in contact with the discharge driving roller, and a medium receiving tray which receives the medium that is fed and discharged by the discharge roller pair, in which the medium receiving tray includes a guide member which guides such that a tip end of the medium which is discharged from the discharge roller pair enters the medium mounting surface at a predetermined angle, and the guide member is provided to be elastically displaceable in an advancing and retreating direction with respect to the medium mounting surface of the medium receiving tray and is displaced in a direction coming close to the medium mounting surface according to raising of a pressing load due to the medium that is discharged to the medium receiving tray. 1. A medium discharge device comprising:a discharge roller pair that is provided with a discharge driving roller which feeds a medium by being driven with motive force of a driving source and a discharge driven roller which drivably rotates in contact with the discharge driving roller; anda medium receiving tray which receives the medium which is fed and discharged by the discharge roller pair,wherein the medium receiving tray includes a guide member which guides such that a tip end of the medium which is discharged from the discharge roller pair enters a medium mounting surface at a predetermined angle, andthe guide member is provided to be elastically displaceable in an advancing and retreating direction with respect to the medium mounting surface of the medium receiving tray and is displaced in a direction coming close to the medium mounting surface according to raising of a pressing load due to the medium that is discharged to the medium receiving tray.2. The medium discharge device according to claim 1 ,wherein the guide member is formed on a downward slope extending on the medium ...

Recording apparatus

A recording apparatus includes a recording unit which performs recording on a recording medium, a tray which stores the recording medium, a tray storage portion which stores the tray, a feed roller which feeds the recording medium out from the tray, and a roller support member which supports the feed roller and causes the feed roller to be lifted and lowered in relation to the tray by changing posture, in which a cam shaft capable of rotating is provided in the tray storage portion, in which the cam shaft is provided with a first engaging portion which engages with the tray and a second engaging portion which engages with the roller support member, and in which the roller support member is configured to change posture due to the tray causing the cam shaft to rotate.

SHEET CONVEYING APPARATUS

A sheet conveying apparatus includes: a supporter having a support surface; a supplier including a supply roller rotatable about a rotation axis; a separator for separating sheets; a stopper pivotable about a first axis and movable between a first position at which a distal end portion of the stopper intersects a conveyance path and a second position at which the distal end portion is separated from the support surface; and a stopper cam pivotable about a second axis and movable between a third position at which the stopper cam contacts the distal end portion at the first position and a fourth position at which the stopper cam is spaced apart from the distal end portion at the first position. The second axis is located upstream of the rotation axis of the supply roller and farther from the support surface than the rotation axis. 1. A sheet conveying apparatus , comprising:a supporter comprising a support surface configured to support a plurality of sheets;a supplier comprising a supply roller rotatable about a rotation axis, the supply roller comprising an outer circumferential surface partly exposed from the support surface and configured to supply one or more sheets supported by the support surface toward a downstream side in a conveying direction along a conveyance path by rotating in contact with the one or more sheets supported by the support surface in a direction for supplying the one or more sheets in the conveying direction;a separator disposed downstream of the supplier in the conveying direction and configured to separate one by one the one or more sheets supplied by the supplier and convey the separated sheet toward the downstream side in the conveying direction;a stopper disposed upstream of the separator in the conveying direction and pivotable about a first axis that is located opposite to the rotation axis of the supply roller relative to the support surface, the stopper being movable between (i) a first position at which a distal end portion of the ...

SHEET CONVEYING APPARATUS

A sheet conveying apparatus includes: a supporter having a support surface configured to support sheets; a supplier having a conveying surface exposed from the support surface and moved to supply one or more sheets; a separator including a separating roller and a retard roller located downstream of the supplier; and an inclined surface disposed upstream of the nip position and pivotable about a pivot axis. The inclined surface has a first end portion and a second end portion, and the second end portion is located downstream of the first end portion. The inclined surface is inclined such that the second end portion is nearer to the support surface than the first end portion. The first end portion is located upstream of a downstream end portion of the conveying surface. The second end portion is spaced apart from the conveying surface. 1. A sheet conveying apparatus , comprising:a supporter comprising a support surface configured to support a plurality of sheets;a supplier comprising a conveying surface exposed from the support surface, the conveying surface being configured to supply one or more sheets supported by the support surface toward a downstream side in a conveying direction along a conveyance path by moving, in the conveying direction, in contact with the one or more sheets supported by the support surface;a separator comprising a separating roller and a retard roller which are located downstream of the supplier in the conveying direction, the separator being configured to separate one by one the one or more sheets supplied by the supplier at a nip position of the separating roller and the retard roller and convey the separated sheet toward the downstream side in the conveying direction; andan inclined surface disposed upstream of the nip position in the conveying direction and pivotable between an initial position and a pivoted position about a first pivot axis extending in a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction, the inclined surface comprising ...

Sheet conveying device and image forming apparatus

A sheet conveying device includes a sheet detection unit and a position adjusting mechanism. The position adjusting mechanism is disposed on a downstream side of the sheet detection unit in a sheet conveying direction in the sheet conveying path, includes an adjusting roller pair, and performs skew correction and positional displacement correction of a sheet, while conveying the sheet. The sheet conveying path includes a first conveying roller pair disposed on an upstream side of the position adjusting mechanism in the sheet conveying direction, and a curved part disposed between the adjusting roller pair and the first conveying roller pair, which curves in an S shape so as to be convex in a front and back side direction of the sheet alternately at different positions in the sheet conveying direction. The adjusting roller pair nips and conveys the sheet together with the first conveying roller pair.

SHEET CONVEYING APPARATUS AND IMAGE READING APPARATUS

A sheet conveying apparatus includes a tray having a plurality of sheets, a feeder to successively convey sheets stacked on the tray, a controller, and a double-feed sensor to detect double feed when the feeder conveys a plurality of sheets in an overlapping manner. When a double-feed length, which corresponds to a length, in a conveyance direction of the sheet, of a region in which the double feed has been detected by the double-feed sensor, is larger than a predetermined distance, the controller determines that the double feed has occurred. When the double-feed length is smaller than the predetermined distance and a sheet size is smaller than a predetermined size, the controller determines that the double feed has occurred. When the double-feed length is smaller than the predetermined distance and the sheet size is larger than the predetermined size, the controller determines that the double feed has not occurred. 1. A sheet conveying apparatus comprising:a tray on which a plurality of sheets are to be stacked;a feeder configured to successively convey sheets stacked on the tray;a double-feed sensor configured to detect double feed corresponding to a state in which a plurality of sheets are conveyed in an overlapping manner by the feeder; anda controller configured to determine whether or not the double feed has occurred,wherein, in a case where a double-feed length, which corresponds to a length, in a conveyance direction of the sheet, of a region in which the double feed has been detected by the double-feed sensor, is larger than a predetermined distance, the controller determines that the double feed has occurred,wherein, in a case where the double-feed length is smaller than the predetermined distance and a sheet size is smaller than a predetermined size, the controller determines that the double feed has occurred, andwherein, in a case where the double-feed length is smaller than the predetermined distance and the sheet size is larger than the predetermined ...

Medium feeding apparatus, image reading apparatus, and medium feeding method in medium feeding apparatus

A medium feeding apparatus capable of switching between a first feeding mode and a second feeding mode, in which in the first feeding mode, when a first detection section positioned downstream of a feeding roller in a medium feeding direction detects passage of a trailing end of a preceding medium in a feeding standby state in which driving of the feeding roller that feeds the medium is stopped, starting the driving of the feeding roller to perform feeding of a succeeding medium, and in the second feeding mode, when a second detection section positioned downstream of the first detection section in the medium feeding direction detects the passage of the trailing end of the preceding medium in the feeding standby state, starting the driving of the feeding roller to perform the feeding of the succeeding medium.

Medium transport device and image reading apparatus

A medium transport device includes a feeding roller which sends a medium to a downstream side; and a detecting unit which can detect the medium sent by the feeding roller at a predetermined position on a transport path, in which the detecting unit includes a lever member of which a posture is changed when being in contact with the medium, and a detecting portion which detects a change in posture of the lever member, and the lever member applies an external force which causes at least a part of the medium to be bent in a gravity direction by being in contact with the medium in a predetermined posture.

Image reading apparatus

An image reading apparatus includes a transport section that can transport original documents along a transport path, a reading section configured to read images of the original documents transported by the transport section, an output controller configured to output data of the original documents read by the reading section, a multi-sheet feed detection sensor configured to detect a multi-sheet feed of the original documents transported by the transport section, and an instruction section configured to issue an instruction to disable multi-sheet feed detection by the multi-sheet feed detection section.

CONVEYING APPARATUS

A conveying apparatus, including: a conveyor mechanism; a housing; a first tray configured to receive a medium conveyed by the conveyor mechanism; an image reader disposed above the first tray, wherein a first discharge opening for discharging the medium outside the housing is formed in an upper surface of the housing so as not to overlap the image reader when viewed from above, and wherein the conveying apparatus further includes: a switcher for switching a destination of the medium selectively between the first tray and the first discharge opening; and a tray unit removably mountable on the upper surface of the housing and including a first introduction opening opposed to the first discharge opening, a second conveyance path for conveying the medium passed the first discharge opening and the first introduction opening, and at least one second tray for receiving the medium conveyed through the second conveyance path. 1. A conveying apparatus , comprising:a conveyor mechanism configured to convey a medium through a first conveyance path;a housing that houses the conveyor mechanism;a first tray configured to receive the medium conveyed by the conveyor mechanism;an image reader disposed above the first tray, wherein a first discharge opening is formed in an upper surface of the housing so as not to overlap the image reader when viewed from above, the medium conveyed by the conveyor mechanism being discharged outside the housing from the first discharge opening, a switcher configured to switch a destination of the medium selectively between the first tray and the first discharge opening; and', 'a tray unit including (a) a path-defining housing which is disposed so as not to overlap the image reader when viewed from above and which includes a first introduction opening formed in a lower surface of the path-defining housing so as to be opposed to the first discharge opening and (b) at least one second tray, the path-defining housing defining a second conveyance path ...

MEDIUM FEEDING DEVICE AND IMAGE READING APPARATUS

A medium feeding device includes a medium placement portion on which a bunch of media is placed, a feed roller that feeds a lowermost medium of the bunch of media placed on the medium placement portion, a separation roller that is provided at a position facing the feed roller and separates a medium from the bunch of media, and a plurality of restricting portions that are provided on an upstream side of a nip position between the separation roller and the feed roller at an interval in a medium width direction which is a direction intersecting a medium feeding direction and come into contact with leading ends of upper media of the bunch of media excluding at least the lowermost medium such that the leading ends are restricted from coming into contact with the separation roller regardless of whether the separation roller is deformed or not. 1. A medium feeding device comprising:a medium placement portion on which a bunch of media, which is a plurality of stacked media, is placed;a feed roller that feeds a lowermost medium of the bunch of media placed on the medium placement portion by rotating in a state of being in contact with the lowermost medium;a separation roller that is provided at a position facing the feed roller and separates the lowermost medium from the bunch of media; anda plurality of restricting portions that are provided on an upstream side of a nip position between the separation roller and the feed roller at an interval in a medium width direction which is a direction intersecting a medium feeding direction and come into contact with leading ends of upper media of the bunch of media excluding at least the lowermost medium such that the leading ends are restricted from coming into contact with the separation roller regardless of whether the separation roller is deformed or not.2. The medium feeding device according to claim 1 ,wherein the restricting portions are positioned on opposite sides interposing the separation roller in the medium width ...

Image reading device and staple determination method

An image reading device includes: a document delivery unit for delivering a document loaded on a document loading platform to a document transport path; a flip-up detector for detecting flip-up of the document when the document is delivered; a metal detector for detecting metal attached to the document when the document is delivered; and a staple determination unit for determining whether or not a stapling process is applied to the document based on detection results of the flip-up detector and the metal detector.

Auto document feeder and image forming apparatus

An auto document feeder includes a movable document table on which documents are stacked, a pickup roller that feeds a topmost document among the documents on the movable document table to a feed position via a feed opening, and a shielding member that is arranged on the upstream side of the pickup roller and above the topmost document, and that shields the feed opening. At least an end portion of the shielding member on the document table side is made of a flexible member.

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR METALLIC OBJECT DETECTION IN A MEDIA TRANSPORT SYSTEM

A system and method of detecting the presence of metallic objects in media to be conveyed in a medium transport system is disclosed. One or more metal detectors are included in the medium transport system to detect the presence of metal in the medium being transported. Signals from the metal detectors are sent to a system processor, which analyzes the signals, and produces proximity, duration, and/or intensity values therefrom. One or more microphones may also be included which detect the sound created as the medium is being transported. The processor computes sound values from the microphone signals, and analyzes the computed sound values along with the proximity, duration, and/or intensity values in order determine if the conveyance of the medium along the transport path should be stopped due to the presence of metal in the media or a jam occurring within the medium transport path. 1. A media transport system for detecting metallic objects in media to be input into the media transport system , comprising:an input tray configured to hold media to be fed into the media transport system;one or more rollers configured to convey the media from the input tray and along a medium transport path;one or more induction sensors positioned near an entry point of media from the input tray into the medium transport path, wherein the induction sensor is configured to detect presence of any metallic material and output a metallic detection signal;a processing unit in communication with the induction sensor, the processing unit configured to receive the metallic detection signal and further configured to analyze the signals and determine whether the media contains a metallic object.2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the metallic objects are at least one of staples claim 1 , paper clips claim 1 , barcodes claim 1 , integrated circuits claim 1 , and metallic foil.3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a timing device configured to provide timing signals to the processor claim ...

Medium ejecting apparatus including medium regulating member to regulate position of front end medium on tray

A medium ejecting apparatus includes a housing including an ejection port to eject a medium, a tray provided below the ejection port, to load the medium ejected from the ejection port, and a medium regulating member accommodated in the housing so as to be drawn out. The medium regulating member includes a medium contacting portion capable of regulating a position of a front end of the medium on the tray in a medium ejecting direction, a first supporting portion to support the medium contacting portion, and a second supporting portion to swingably support the first supporting portion.

Multi-stage sheet ejection device

A multi-stage sheet ejection device including a tray and a level adjusting structure is provided. The level adjusting structure includes a body and a sliding element. The body has a plurality of stages arranged on a vertical surface of the body in order. The sliding element is disposed on the body and horizontally movable with respect to the vertical surface of the body. Through the movement of the sliding element, the tray can be controlled to move on the vertical surface stage by stage and be supported on one of the stages in sequence.

MEDIUM DISCHARGE DEVICE AND IMAGE READING APPARATUS

A medium discharge device includes a discharge roller pair that is provided with a discharge driving roller and a discharge driven roller which drivably rotates in contact with the discharge driving roller, and a medium receiving tray which receives the medium that is fed and discharged by the discharge roller pair, in which the medium receiving tray includes a guide member which guides such that a tip end of the medium which is discharged from the discharge roller pair enters the medium mounting surface at a predetermined angle, and the guide member is provided to be elastically displaceable in an advancing and retreating direction with respect to the medium mounting surface of the medium receiving tray and is displaced in a direction coming close to the medium mounting surface according to raising of a pressing load due to the medium that is discharged to the medium receiving tray. 1. An image reading apparatus comprising:a document support section for placing a document in an inclined position;a feeding roller for feeding the document obliquely downward;a reading section for reading the document fed from the feeding roller;a discharge roller that discharges the read document and a discharge tray that places the document discharged from the discharge roller; anda guide member having a tip end with the discharge roller side as a free end, a base end side fixed to the discharge tray, and an inclined portion inclined upward from the base end side to the tip end, and the guide member configured to be displaceable in a vertical direction, and guides a leading end of the discharged document.2. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1 ,wherein the inclined portion has a first inclined portion inclined at a predetermined angle and a second inclined portion inclined toward the discharge tray from the first inclined portion.3. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1 ,wherein the guide member is displaced by a spring.4. The image reading apparatus according ...

Transmission device for automatic document feeder

A transmission device for an automatic document feeder includes a driving gear set driven by a driving motor, a first swing arm equipped with a first driving roller set, a second swing arm equipped with a second driving roller set, and a one-way gear set driven by the driving gear set to keep transmitting rollers rotating in the same direction. The first swing arm is driven by the driving gear set and swingable between a first position and a second position to mesh the first driving roller set with a pickup device or an output device. The second swing arm is driven by the driving gear set and swingable between a third position and a fourth position to mesh the second driving roller set with the pickup device or the output device. When the first swing arm swings toward the first/second position, the second arm swings toward the fourth/third position.

MEDIUM FEEDING APPARATUS, IMAGE READING APPARATUS, AND RECORDING APPARATUS

A pair of edge guides provided on a medium mounting section of a medium feeding apparatus each include a volume limiter spaced from the mounting surface of the medium mounting section and extending from the guide surface of at least one of the pair of edge guides in a direction intersecting the guide surface, the volume limiter including a limiting surface that limits a number of sheets mounted on the medium mounting section. The limiting surface includes a groove extending in the feed direction, at a position between a corner portion formed at an intersection of an end portion of the limiting surface in the width direction and the guide surface, and the other end portion of the limiting surface, and configured to insert at least a part of a side edge of the medium, to thereby restrict the side edge from moving in the width direction. 1. A medium feeding apparatus comprising:a medium mounting section including a mounting surface configured to mount a plurality of sheets of media to be fed;a pair of edge guides provided on the medium mounting section and each including a guide surface that guides a side edge of the medium in a width direction intersecting a feed direction; anda volume limiter located with a spacing from the mounting surface and extending from the guide surface of at least one of the pair of edge guides in a direction intersecting the guide surface, the volume limiter including a limiting surface that limits a number of sheets of the medium mounted on the medium mounting section,wherein the limiting surface includes a groove formed so as to extend in the feed direction, at a position between a corner portion formed at an intersection of an end portion of the limiting surface in the width direction and the guide surface, and the other end portion of the limiting surface, the groove being configured to restrict the side edge from moving in the width direction.2. The medium feeding apparatus according to claim 1 ,wherein the groove is formed at least in ...

MEDIUM DISCHARGE DEVICE AND IMAGE READING APPARATUS

A medium discharge device includes a discharge roller pair that is provided with a discharge driving roller and a discharge driven roller which drivably rotates in contact with the discharge driving roller, and a medium receiving tray which receives the medium that is fed and discharged by the discharge roller pair, in which the medium receiving tray includes a guide member which guides such that a tip end of the medium which is discharged from the discharge roller pair enters the medium mounting surface at a predetermined angle, and the guide member is provided to be elastically displaceable in an advancing and retreating direction with respect to the medium mounting surface of the medium receiving tray and is displaced in a direction coming close to the medium mounting surface according to raising of a pressing load due to the medium that is discharged to the medium receiving tray. 1. An image reading apparatus comprising:a document support section for placing a document in an inclined position;a feeding roller for feeding the document obliquely downward;a reading section for reading the document fed from the feeding roller;a discharge roller that discharges the read document and a discharge tray that receives the document discharged from the discharge roller; anda guide member having a tip end, a base end supported by the discharge tray, and an inclined portion provided between the base end and the tip end, the guide member being configured to be displaceable in a vertical direction, and guide a leading end of the discharged document,wherein a distance between the base end and the discharge roller is longer than a distance between the tip end and the discharge roller in both a vertical and a horizontal direction.2. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the inclined portion has a first inclined portion inclined at a predetermined angle relative to a mounting surface of the discharge tray and a second inclined portion inclined toward the ...

IMAGE READING APPARATUS

The likelihood of a medium jamming is reduced or avoided during discharging media to a discharged-sheet receiving tray, and a plurality of media are appropriately discharged to, and stacked on, the discharged-sheet receiving tray. A scanner includes an apparatus body including a reading section that reads a sheet, a discharge roller pair that is provided inside the apparatus body and discharges the sheet after reads in the reading section, and a discharged sheet tray that receives the sheet being discharged by the discharge roller pair. The discharged sheet tray includes a first member that has at least a portion that is located inside the apparatus body. The first member is that supports the medium at a position higher than the placement surface of the discharged sheet tray. 1. An image reading apparatus , comprising:an apparatus body including a reading section that reads a medium;a discharge device that is provided inside the apparatus body and discharges the medium after reads in the reading section; anda media receiving tray that has a placement surface and receives the medium being discharged by the discharge device, whereinthe media receiving tray has a first member that supports the medium being discharged, andthe first member has at least a portion that is located inside the apparatus body and supports the medium at a position higher than the placement surface of the media receiving tray.2. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first member has at least a portion that overlaps a position of the discharge device in a medium-discharging direction.3. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1 , whereinthe apparatus body has an end portion that includes a discharge section for discharging the medium from the apparatus body, andthe first member is disposed between the discharge device and the end portion in a medium-discharging direction.4. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first member is provided at ...

DOCUMENT CONVEYING APPARATUS

A document conveying apparatus includes a first conveying roller for conveying a document stacked on the document tray, a second conveying roller, provided at a downstream side with respect to the first conveying roller, for conveying a document stacked on the document tray, a separation roller, provided at a downstream side with respect to the second conveying roller, for performing separation operation of the document, a driving force transmission mechanism for transmitting the driving force to a driving shaft of the first conveying roller, a driving shaft of the second conveying roller, and a driving shaft of the separation roller, and a first blocking mechanism, provided between the first conveying roller and the driving shaft of the first conveying roller, for blocking a driving force transmitted to the driving shaft of the first conveying roller, for a first certain period of time. 1. A document conveying apparatus comprising:a document tray;a driving module for generating a first driving force;a first conveying roller for conveying a document stacked at a lowermost position, which is one of a plurality of documents stacked on the document tray;a second conveying roller, provided at a downstream side with respect to the first conveying roller in a document conveying direction for conveying said document stacked at the lowermost position;a separation roller provided at the downstream side with respect to the second conveying roller in the document conveying direction for separating the document from the plurality of stacked documents;a driving force transmission mechanism for transmitting the first driving force to a driving shaft of the first conveying roller, a driving shaft of the second conveying roller, and a driving shaft of the separation roller; anda first blocking mechanism, provided between the first conveying roller and the driving shaft of the first conveying roller for blocking a second driving force transmitted to the first conveying roller by the ...

FEEDING MECHANISM

A feeding mechanism comprises a base body, a feeding roller and a linkage assembly. The base body has a feeding channel. The feeding roller is disposed on the base body, and a part of the feeding roller is located in the feeding channel. The linkage assembly comprises a guiding component and a pressing component. The guiding component is pivotally coupled to the base body. Two ends of the pressing component are respectively and slidably disposed on the base body and the guiding component. The guiding component is rotatable relative to the base body so as to drive the pressing component to move along an extension direction of the feeding channel relative to the guiding component. 1. A feeding mechanism , comprising:a base body, having a feeding channel;a feeding roller, disposed on the base body, a part of the feeding roller located in the feeding channel; anda linkage assembly, comprising a guiding component and a pressing component, the guiding component pivotally coupled to the base body, two ends of the pressing component respectively and slidably disposed on the base body and the guiding component;wherein the guiding component is rotatable relative to the base body so as to drive the pressing component to move along an extension direction of the feeding channel relative to the guiding component.2. The feeding mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the base body comprises a carrier and an assembly frame claim 1 , the assembly frame is located above the carrier claim 1 , the assembly frame and the carrier together form the feeding channel therebetween claim 1 , the feeding roller is disposed on the carrier of the base body claim 1 , the guiding component is pivotally coupled to the assembly frame claim 1 , two ends of the pressing component are respectively and slidably disposed on the assembly frame and the guiding component.3. The feeding mechanism according to claim 2 , further comprising at least one withdrawing roller claim 2 , the at least one withdrawing ...

Document feeder and image forming apparatus incorporating the document feeder

A document feeder, which may be incorporated in an image forming apparatus, includes a sheet conveying guide, at least one recess, a frame, and at least one protrusion. The sheet conveying guide is disposed facing an exposure glass on an apparatus body and guides an original document passing over the exposure glass when the document feeder is closed to the apparatus body. The recess is disposed on the apparatus body at both ends of the exposure glass in a lateral direction orthogonal to a document conveying direction. The frame is openably closable about one end side of the apparatus body in the lateral direction and vertically movably holds the sheet conveying guide. The protrusion is disposed on the frame facing the recess. The sheet conveying guide and the frame are secured to each other while the recess and the protrusion are engaged with each other in the closed state.

SHEET MATERIAL TAKE-IN APPARATUS, SHEET MATERIAL CONVEYING APPARATUS, IMAGE READING APPARATUS, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS

User labor relating to determining on an alignment condition is reduced and a stable conveying operation is realized by aligning a sheet bundle also when a sheet bundle is added. A sheet bundle composed of multiple sheet materials is placed on a loading platform. An encoder pulse unit detects the amount of the sheet bundle placed on the loading platform based on the opening amount of a pressure plate. A control unit determines on an alignment condition according to the amount of the sheet bundle. Rotating members align the sheet bundle in accordance with the alignment condition. When it is determined that another sheet bundle has been added to the loading platform, the control unit updates the alignment condition according to the total amount of the other sheet bundle and the sheet bundle remaining on the loading platform. 120.-. (canceled)21. A sheet material conveyance apparatus comprising:an apparatus body having a loading platform on which a sheet bundle including a plurality of sheet materials is set;a separation and conveyance unit that separates a sheet material from the sheet bundle set on the loading platform and conveys the sheet material to a conveyance path provided in the apparatus body; andan alignment unit provided at a loading platform side as compared to a separation and conveyance unit side, the alignment unit aligning the sheet bundle by driving a stopper to be contacted by a leading edge of the sheet bundle set on the loading platform.22. The sheet material conveyance apparatus according to claim 21 , further comprising:a controller that controls driving of the stopper,wherein the controller causes the stopper to move away from an inlet of the conveyance path while the separation and conveyance unit is conveying the sheet material, and the controller continuously drives the stopper at the inlet of the conveyance path while the alignment unit is aligning the sheet bundle.23. The sheet material conveyance apparatus according to claim 21 , ...

Robotic Document Feeder

A robotic document feeder system may comprise a robotic arm coupled to a Bernoulli cup assembly powered by a vacuum source; a base disposed over an imaging surface of a document scanner, wherein the base comprises a designated scan area through which a document may be imaged by the document scanner; an input bin for storing at least one document to be imaged by the document scanner; and an output bin for storing the at least one document after it has been imaged by the document scanner. The system may further comprise an alignment mechanism in proximity to the designated scan area and configured to align the document substantially over the imaging surface of the document scanner; at least one automated door configured to close the designated scan area after the document has been placed in the designated scan area; and a camera positioned above the designated scan area for imaging a second side of the document. 1. A system comprising:a base having an opening configured to be positioned over an imaging surface of a document scanner;a robotic arm operable to move linearly along the length of the base; anda Bernoulli cup assembly powered by a vacuum source and coupled to the robotic arm;wherein the Bernoulli cup assembly creates sufficient suction pressure to lift and transport a document, and is configured to place the document in the opening of the base for imaging by the document scanner.2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:an input bin;wherein the robotic arm is configured to move the Bernoulli cup assembly over the input bin to lift the document from the input bin.3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the input bin further comprises:a moveable tray for supporting a plurality of documents within the input bin; anda raising mechanism for lifting the moveable tray and the plurality of documents within the input bin.4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the raising mechanism further comprises:at least one motor driven pulley system coupled to the moveable tray.5. ...

SHEET TRANSPORT APPARATUS AND IMAGE RECORDING APPARATUS

A sheet transport apparatus includes a first casing in which a transport path is formed; a transport unit which transports a sheet along the transport path; a second casing which is provided to be movable with respect to the first casing; a sheet support unit which is rotatably provided in the first casing at a position on a side to which the second casing is moved, the sheet support unit being changeable between a first state, a second state, and a third state and supporting the sheet at least in the third state; and an urging unit which urges the sheet support unit toward the first state within a range from the first state to the second state and which urges the sheet support unit toward the third state within a range from the second state to the third state. 1. A sheet transport apparatus comprising:a first casing in which a transport path for transporting a sheet is formed;a second casing which is provided rotatably with respect to the first casing and which is configured to be changeable between an abutment state in which a rotation forward end side of the second casing abuts against the first casing and a separation state in which the rotation forward end side of the second casing is separated from the first casing;a sheet support unit which is provided on a rotation base end side of the second casing in the first casing and which is configured to rotate about a rotation axis parallel to a rotation axis of the second casing, the sheet support unit being configured to be changeable between a first state, a second state, and a third state in such an order that a rotation forward end of the sheet support unit is disposed nearer to the second casing, and being configured to support the sheet to be fed to the transport path at least in the third state; andan urging unit comprising: a cam configured to be immovable together with the sheet support unit; a cam follower configured to be movable together with rotation of the sheet support unit; and an elastic member ...

IMAGE READING APPARATUS

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. 1. An image reading apparatus comprising:a reading unit that reads an image of a medium; anda transport roller pair that is configured to transport a medium bundle, the medium bundle comprising a plurality of medium that are stacked so as to overlap each other,wherein the transport roller pair transports the medium bundle by driving both of the rollers of the transport roller pair when the reading unit reads the medium bundle that has not had the plurality of medium separated from each other.2. An image reading apparatus comprising:a reading unit that reads an image of a medium;a transport roller pair that is configured to transport a medium bundle, the medium bundle comprising a plurality of media that are stacked so as to overlap each other,wherein the transport roller pair is configured to be rotatable in a normal rotation direction where the medium bundle is transported in a transporting direction toward the reading unit and a reverse rotation direction where the medium bundle is transported in a reverse direction that is opposite to the transporting direction,wherein the transport roller pair ...

System and method for metallic object detection in a media transport system

Systems and methods for detecting the presence of metallic objects in media to be conveyed in a medium transport system are disclosed. One or more induction sensors are included in the medium transport system to detect the presence of metal in the transported media, with detection signals sent from the sensors to a system processing unit. An ultrasonic detector is employed in some embodiments to output another detection signal. One or more microphones may also be included, for detecting the sound created as the medium is being transported. The system processing unit analyzes various detection signals and analyzes computed sound values from the microphones, to determine the presence and location of metal in the media. A position jam detector may assist in determining jams of the media along the medium transport path.

Paper feeding device and paper feeding method applied thereto

A paper feeding device includes a motor, a pickup roller assembly, a velocity sensor and a feeding roller assembly. The pickup roller assembly is driven by the motor for picking up the papers. The velocity sensor is mounted to the pickup roller assembly for detecting rotating speeds of the pickup roller assembly so as to detect speeds of feeding forward the papers. The feeding roller assembly is driven by the motor for continuing feeding forward the papers. A speed discrepancy will be generated between the rotating speed of the pickup roller assembly after the one of the papers is fed to the feeding roller assembly and the rotating speed of the pickup roller assembly which just picks up the one of the papers, when the speed discrepancy reaches a preset value set by the scanner, the scanner is triggered to start scanning.

MEDIUM CONVEYING APPARATUS FOR MOVING AN IMAGING DEVICE IN CONJUNCTION WITH A THICKNESS OF A MEDIUM

A medium conveying apparatus includes an imaging device to image a medium and configured to move in a moving direction, a roller configured to move in the moving direction, on an upstream side of the imaging device, a conveyance guide provided with the imaging device to move the imaging device, wherein the conveyance guide includes a slope for coming into contact with the medium, an engaging member provided with the imaging device to move the imaging device, and a moving member to move the imaging device by engaging with the engaging member in conjunction with a movement of the roller. The engaging member and the moving member are configured to be separated at a distance from one another when the medium is not conveyed. The moving member moves the imaging device by engaging with the engaging member only when the medium has a thickness greater than the distance. 1. A medium conveying apparatus comprising:an imaging device to image a medium and configured to move in a moving direction perpendicular to a medium conveying direction;a roller configured to move in the moving direction, on an upstream side of the imaging device in the medium conveying direction;a conveyance guide provided with the imaging device to move the imaging device, wherein the conveyance guide includes a slope for coming into contact with the medium;an engaging member provided with the imaging device to move the imaging device; anda moving member to move the imaging device by engaging with the engaging member in conjunction with a movement of the roller, whereinthe engaging member and the moving member are configured to be separated at a distance from one another when the medium is not conveyed, and whereinthe moving member moves the imaging device by engaging with the engaging member only when the medium has a thickness greater than the distance.2. The medium conveying apparatus according to claim 1 , whereinthe conveyance guide is provided with the imaging device in such a way as to protrude ...

MEDIUM TRANSPORTING APPARATUS AND RECORDING APPARATUS

A medium transporting apparatus includes an endless conveyor belt having an outer surface to which a sheet P adheres, at least two rollers, which are a first roller and a second roller, around which the conveyor belt extends. The second roller is located downstream of the first roller in a medium transporting direction. The medium transporting apparatus also includes a backing plate that supports an inner surface of the conveyor belt at a position between the first roller and the second roller. In the medium transporting apparatus, the backing plate includes a hollow-containing portion that is formed at an upstream end of the backing plate in the medium transporting direction. The hollow-containing portion has a plurality of hollows formed therein in a width direction that intersects the medium transporting direction. The plurality of hollows are formed in a support surface that supports the conveyor belt. 1. A medium transporting apparatus , comprising:an endless conveyor belt having an outer surface to which a medium adheres;at least two rollers, which are a first roller and a second roller, around which the conveyor belt extends, the second roller being located downstream of the first roller in a medium transporting direction; anda support member that supports an inner surface of the conveyor belt at a position between the first roller and the second roller, whereinthe support member includes a hollow-containing portion that is formed at an upstream end of the support member in the medium transporting direction, the hollow-containing portion having a plurality of hollows formed therein in a width direction that intersects the medium transporting direction, the plurality of hollows being formed in a support surface that supports the conveyor belt.2. The medium transporting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of the hollows formed in the support member extends in the medium transporting direction.3. The medium transporting apparatus according to ...

Sheet feeding apparatus and image forming apparatus

A sheet feeding apparatus includes a stacking surface on which a sheet is stacked, a feed portion configured to feed the sheet in a sheet feeding direction, first and second detecting portions disposed at positions different from each other in a width direction orthogonal to the sheet feeding direction and so as to overlap with the stacking surface in a view from a height direction orthogonal to the stacking surface, the first and second detecting portions being configured to detect height positions which are positions in the height direction of an uppermost sheet, and a control portion configured to stop feeding the sheet by the feed portion based on at least one detection result of the first and second detecting portions in feeding the sheet.

Sheet conveyance apparatus and image scanning apparatus

A sheet conveyance apparatus includes a conveyance unit, a conveyance guide, a driven rotary member, and a support portion. The support portion supports a shaft portion of the rotary member driven to rotate by a sheet conveyed by the conveyance unit and guided by the conveyance guide. The support portion includes first and second contact portions that support the shaft portion of the driven rotary member while being in contact with the shaft portion. With respect to a cross section of the shaft portion perpendicular to an axial direction of the shaft portion, the driven rotary member is disposed so that a portion, of the driven rotary member, that is on a lower side in a vertical direction relative to a horizontal line and is on one side in a horizontal direction relative to a vertical line comes into contact with the sheet.

Paper feeding mechanism

A mechanism for an ADF having upper and lower trays, a base connecting the trays, and a cover pivotally connected to the upper tray includes a housing provided within the base and movable relative thereto. A transmission has a gripping position for transporting paper along a path from the upper tray to the lower tray and a release position allowing a paper jam along the path to be remedied. The cover is pivotable between a first condition maintaining the transmission in the gripping position and a second condition allowing the housing to move relative to the trays to place the transmission in the release position.

Medium conveying apparatus for determining conveyance abnormality based on determination result of floating and skew of medium

A medium conveying apparatus includes a floating sensor located on an upstream side of a first roller in the medium conveying direction to detect a floating of the medium placed on a medium tray, a skew sensor located on a downstream side of a second roller in the medium conveying direction to detect a skew of the medium conveyed by the second roller, and a processor to determine whether the floating of the medium has occurred based on an output signal from the floating sensor, determine whether the skew of the medium has occurred based on an output signal from the skew sensor, and determine that a conveyance abnormality of the medium has occurred when the processor determines that the floating of the medium has occurred and the processor determines that the skew of the medium has occurred.

Driving force transmission device, medium transport device, image reading apparatus and image forming apparatus

A driving force transmission device includes a first rotating portion having a first facing portion, and a second rotating portion having a second facing portion. The second rotating portion has an operation range partially overlapping with that of the first facing portion. A cushioning member is provided between the first facing portion and the second facing portion. The cushioning member is deformed by being applied with a pressure. The first rotating portion and the second rotating portion transmit a driving force in a state where the cushioning member is deformed by application of the pressure.

Sheet conveying device and image reading apparatus

A sheet conveying device includes a conveyor for conveying a sheet along a predetermined conveyance path and a feeder unit for supporting the sheet to be fed to the conveyor. The conveyor includes a first guide part for guiding the sheet toward a downstream side in the conveying direction in a direction inclined at a downward gradient, a second guide part for guiding the sheet from the first guide part toward a further downstream side in a direction inclined at an upward gradient, a suction roller arranged at the first guide part for conveying the sheet supported by the feeder unit toward the downstream side, and a first conveyance roller arranged at the second guide part and for conveying the sheet conveyed by the suction roller toward the downstream side one at a time.

Automatic document feeders

An example automatic document feeder device includes a document tray, a pair of rollers, at least one controller that automatically adjusts a height of the document tray and the pair of rollers based on an amount of media contained on the document tray, Sand a slide aligned to the pair of rollers to alter a media pathway distance as the height of the pair of rollers changes. The controller may adjust the height of the document tray independently from adjusting the height of the pair of rollers. A guide may be provided adjacent to the document tray, wherein the guide may bend as the height of the document tray increases. A sensor may determine a thickness of media contained on the document tray.

SHEET CARRYING GUIDE

According to one embodiment, a sheet carrying guide includes a first guide and a second guide. The first guide guides a sheet carried in a sub-scanning direction orthogonal to a main-scanning direction corresponding to a reading unit configured to read an image. The second guide faces the first guide and guides carrying of the sheet. In the sheet carrying guide of the embodiment, facing distance between the first guide and the second guide in both end portions of the main-scanning direction is narrower than facing distance between the first guide and the second guide in center portion thereof in the main-scanning direction. 1. A sheet carrying guide , comprising:a first guide configured to guide a sheet carried in a sub-scanning direction orthogonal to a main-scanning direction corresponding to a reading unit configured to read an image; anda second guide configured to face the first guide and guide carrying of the sheet,wherein facing distance between the first guide and the second guide in both end portions of the main-scanning direction is narrower than facing distance between the first guide and the second guide in center portion thereof in the main-scanning direction, the first guide and the second guide are separate from each other at both end portions of the main-scanning direction.2. The guide according to claim 1 ,wherein the first guide includes convex portions at both end portions in the main-scanning direction in a facing side of the second guide.3. The guide according to claim 1 ,wherein the first guide is inclined from the both end portions in the main-scanning direction to the center portion in the main-scanning direction in the facing side of the second guide.4. The guide according to claim 1 ,wherein the first guide and the second guide both guide carrying of the sheet toward a reading surface of the reading unit.5. The guide according to claim 1 ,wherein the first guide and the second guide both guide carrying of the sheet from an upstream to a ...

Paper conveying apparatus, jam detection method, and computer-readable, non-transitory medium

There is provided the paper conveying apparatus, jam determining method, and computer program, which can suppress the mistaken determining of the occurrence of a jam by sound due to a sound generated by a moving member driven in relation to conveyance of a paper. The paper conveying apparatus according to an embodiment includes a moving member driven in relation to conveyance of a paper, a drive module for driving the moving member, a sound signal generator for generating a sound signal corresponding to a sound generated by a paper during conveyance of the paper, a sound jam detector for determining whether a jam has occurred based on the sound signal, and a control module for stopping conveyance of a paper when the sound jam detector determines that a jam has occurred. The control module controls so that the sound jam detector determines whether a jam has occurred by a determining method different from a determining method used while the drive module is not driving the moving member, or the sound jam detector does not determine whether a jam has occurred, while the drive module is driving the moving member.

DOCUMENT SHEET TRANSPORTATION DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS PROVIDED THEREWITH

A document sheet transportation device includes a feeding portion which feeds a document sheet from a document sheet placement portion toward a document sheet transportation path. The feeding portion includes a holder, a feeding member, a supporting body supported by the holder, a rotatable stopper member having a contact end portion allowed to contact a front end of a document sheet, and a biasing member which applies a biasing force to the stopper member. The stopper member is allowed to change a position among a first position in which the contact end portion contacts the front end of the document sheet, a second position which allows feeding of the document sheet by the feeding member, and a third position which is rotated in the first rotating direction from the second position. The biasing member applies the biasing force to the stopper member in a reverse second rotating direction. 1. A document sheet transportation device comprising:a document sheet placement portion on which a document sheet is placed;a document sheet transportation path provided to extend from the document sheet placement portion to form a transportation path of the document sheet; anda feeding portion which feeds the document sheet toward the document sheet transportation path, wherein a holder;', 'a feeding member rotatably supported by the holder to feed the document sheet along a predetermined first direction;', 'a supporting body which has a first shaft portion and is supported, in the holder, at an upstream side of the feeding member in the first direction;', 'a stopper member which has a contact end portion allowed to contact a front end of the document sheet in the first direction, the document sheet being placed on the document sheet placement portion, which is rotatably supported around the first shaft portion by the supporting body, and which regulates feeding of the document sheet by the feeding member by contact of the contact end portion with the front end of the document ...

Sheet Separator

A sheet separator including two guides disposed to face each other across a distance in a width direction, at least one of the two guides being configured to move along the width direction to enlarge or reduce the distance therebetween, a separation roller, a separation pad configured to separate sheets being conveyed by the separation roller on a sheet-by-sheet basis in cooperation with the separation roller, a pressing mechanism configured to apply a pressing load to press the separation pad toward the separation roller, and an adjuster configured to increase the pressing load in response to the at least one of the two guides moving in a direction to enlarge the distance, and decrease the pressing load in response to the at least one of the two guides moving in a direction to reduce the distance.

Sheet conveying device

A sheet conveying device includes: a supporter which support a sheet to be supplied or a discharged sheet. The supporter includes: a first cover pivotable between a closed position and an open position and capable of supporting the sheet when the first cover is located at the open position; and a second cover pivotable between a first position and a second position and constituting a portion of an exterior of the sheet conveying device with the first cover when the second cover is located at the first position. The second cover has a first end portion contactable with the first cover located at the closed position. The first end portion is kept in contact with the first cover throughout a period in which the second cover is pivoted from the first position to the second position.

Sheet separating apparatus

A sheet separating apparatus includes: a stacking part including a sheet support surface; a separation roller; a flexible member; a holding member to which a second end portion of the flexible member is fixed and urging the second end portion toward the separation roller; and an abutting part abuttable on the flexible member at an intermediate position. The flexible member includes an auxiliary support surface, provided upstream from the intermediate position, configured to support a downstream end portion of a sheet supported on the sheet support surface in a conveying direction and bendable in a direction getting away from the separation roller, and a friction surface provided downstream from the intermediate position and faces the separation roller to be contactable with the separation roller for separating the sheet one at a time in cooperation with the separation roller.

MEDIUM FEEDING DEVICE, IMAGE READING APPARATUS, AND RECORDING APPARATUS

A medium feeding device includes an imaging unit which images a medium tip end portion from a position of facing a face of the medium on a downstream side of a nipping position of the medium using a feeding unit and a separating unit; and a determining unit which determines whether or not there is transport disorder by evaluating a state of a boundary between a path member which forms a medium transport path and a medium tip end from image data obtained by the imaging unit, in which the determining unit sets a rectangular determining region including at least a part of the boundary with respect to the image data, and determines whether or not there is transport disorder based on a length of a boundary in the determining region. 1. An image reading apparatus comprising:a reading unit which reads a medium;a medium mounting unit on which the medium is mounted;a feeding unit which feeds the medium in a first direction from the medium mounting unit;a separating unit which separates the medium between the feeding unit and the separating unit by nipping the medium at a nip position;a transporting unit which is disposed between the nip position and the reading unit, the transporting unit transports the medium fed by the feeding unit to the reading unit;an image capturing unit which is disposed between the nip position and the reading unit, and which captures an image of a medium tip end portion from a position of facing a face of the medium; anda controller which determines whether or not there is transport disorder by evaluating a state of a boundary between a path member which forms a medium transport path and a medium tip end from the image captured by the image capturing unit, stops the feeding of the medium when there is transport disorder, or', 'reads the medium by the reading unit when there is no transport disorder., 'wherein, after the controller determines whether or not there is transport disorder, the controller'}29-. (canceled)10. The image reading apparatus ...

MEDIUM FEEDING DEVICE AND IMAGE READING APPARATUS

A medium feeding device includes: a placement unit on which a medium is placed; a pair of edge guides that is provided at the placement unit such that the edge guides are movable in a medium width direction to guide edges of the medium in the medium width direction that is a direction intersecting a medium feeding direction; feeding rollers that feed the medium placed on the placement unit; a path state detection section that detects a detection value in accordance with a state of the medium feeding path; a guide position detection section that detects positions of the edge guides; and a control section that determines whether or not the detection value detected by the path state detection section has exceeded a threshold value. 1. A medium feeding device comprising:a placement unit on which a medium is placed;a pair of edge guides that is provided at the placement unit such that the edge guides are movable in a medium width direction to guide edges of the medium in the medium width direction that is a direction intersecting a medium feeding direction;feeding rollers that feed the medium placed on the placement unit;a medium feeding path through which the medium fed from the placement unit passes;a path state detection section that detects a detection value in accordance with a state of the medium feeding path;a guide position detection section that detects positions of the edge guides; anda control section that determines whether or not the detection value detected by the path state detection section has exceeded a threshold value,wherein the control section changes the threshold value in accordance with a detection signal of the guide position detection section.2. The medium feeding device according to claim 1 ,wherein the control section is able to detect relative positions of the pair of edge guides and the feeding rollers in the medium width direction on the basis of the detection signal of the guide position detection section, andwherein the control section ...

MEDIUM FEEDER AND IMAGE READING APPARATUS

A medium feeder includes a medium mounter, a pair of edge guides, and a sheet number limiter. The medium mounter has a mounting surface on which a medium to be fed is placed. The pair of edge guides is provided at the medium mounter to guide side edges of the medium in a direction that intersects with a feeding direction in which the medium is fed. The sheet number limiter is provided at the pair of edge guides to limit the number of media mountable on the medium mounter. The sheet number limiter has an extension that extends in a feeding direction of the medium such that a distance between the extension and the mounting surface increases downstream.

SHEET FEEDING SUB TRAY, SHEET CONVEYING DEVICE, IMAGE READING DEVICE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS

A sheet feeding sub tray is detachably attachable to a sheet loading stand of a sheet conveying device that includes a setting reference part on one end side of the sheet loading stand in a sheet width direction. The sheet feeding sub tray includes a small-size setting reference part disposed at a position closer to a center of the sheet loading stand in the sheet width direction than the setting reference part in a state in which the sheet feeding sub tray is installed to the sheet loading stand. 1. A sheet feeding sub tray detachably attachable to a sheet loading stand of a sheet conveying device , the sheet conveying device including a setting reference part on one end side of the sheet loading stand in a sheet width direction ,the sheet feeding sub tray comprising a small-size setting reference part disposed at a position closer to a center of the sheet loading stand in the sheet width direction than the setting reference part in a state in which the sheet feeding sub tray is installed to the sheet loading stand.2. The sheet feeding sub tray according to claim 1 , further comprising a small-size sheet loading stand to load only a small-size sheet.3. The sheet feeding sub tray according to claim 2 , further comprising a small-size side fence disposed on the small-size sheet loading stand claim 2 ,wherein the small-size side fence is slidable in the sheet width direction with respect to the small-size sheet loading stand and positions an end part of the small-size sheet set on the small-size sheet loading stand on a side opposite to a small-size setting reference part-side end part are disposed.4. The sheet feeding sub tray according to claim 2 , further comprising a setting detector to detect setting of the small-size sheet in the small-size sheet loading stand.5. The sheet feeding sub tray according to claim 4 ,wherein the setting detector detects that the small-size sheet is set on the small-size sheet loading stand when a front end of the small-size sheet is ...

DOCUMENT PRESSING UNIT, AND AUTOMATIC DOCUMENT CONVEYING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS PROVIDED WITH THE SAME

A document pressing unit is openable with respect to an apparatus body including a placement portion on which a document is placed, and is configured to press the document from above. The document pressing unit includes a body frame, a pair of hinge units, a pair of metal fixing members, and fastening screws. The body frame is able to press the document. The hinge units respectively include hinge legs mounted on the apparatus body, and are mounted with a certain distance in a left-right direction on a rear end of the body frame to openably support the body frame with respect to the apparatus body. The fixing members fix the hinge units to the body frame, respectively. The fastening screws fasten the fixing member and the hinge unit through the body frame so that the fixing member and the hinge unit sandwich the body frame in an up-down direction. 1. A document pressing unit openable with respect to an apparatus body including a placement portion on which a document is placed , and configured to press the document from above , the document pressing unit comprising:a body frame capable of pressing the document;a pair of hinge units respectively including hinge legs to be mounted on the apparatus body, the paired hinge units being mounted on a lower surface portion of the body frame with a certain distance in a left-right direction on a rear end of the body frame, and being configured to support the body frame to be openable with respect to the apparatus body;a pair of metal fixing members mounted on an upper surface portion of the body frame, and configured to fix the paired hinge units to the body frame, respectively; anda plurality of fastening screws for fastening the fixing member and the hinge unit to each other through the body frame in such a manner that the fixing member and the hinge unit sandwich the body frame in an up-down direction, whereina plurality of screw holes are formed in the body frame for allowing the fastening screws to pass through the body ...

Rotation drive device, image reading device, and image forming apparatus

A rotation drive device includes a driven rotation member, a driving rotation member, a rotation relay member, a shaft, and a holder. The rotation relay member transmits only a unidirectional rotational driving force from the driving rotation member to the driven rotation member. The rotation relay member includes a housing and a cylindrical one-way clutch. A contact portion between the driving rotation member and the shaft is configured to rotate the driving rotation member and the shaft to transmit the driving force to an inner peripheral side of the cylindrical one-way clutch via the shaft. The driving rotation member includes a boss projected toward the holder and rotatably held in the holder. A portion of the shaft to support the driving rotation member and an inner wall surface of a through hole of the driving rotation member are shaped to rotate the shaft and the driving rotation member. together.

Media conveyance apparatus

A media conveyance apparatus includes a first conveyer configured to convey media along a conveyance path, a first detector configured to detect overlap-feed of the media conveyed by the first conveyor; and a controller programmed to control operation of the first conveyor based on a detection value from the first detector, a first threshold for detection of single-feed of the media, and a second threshold for detection of overlap-feed of the media.

SHEET FEED APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING THE SAME

A sheet feed apparatus includes a sheet separation unit, and the sheet separation unit includes a separation roller that is provided so as to be brought into contact to an outer peripheral surface of a sheet feed roller, and separates a sheet fed by the sheet feed roller into one. The sheet separation unit comprises a hook for rotatably supporting the sheet separation unit in a main body casing of the sheet feed apparatus and an engaging claw that makes the sheet separation unit engage with the main body casing. Therefore, the sheet separation unit is held in the main body casing detachably. 1. A sheet feed apparatus , comprising:a sheet placing tray for placing sheets;a sheet feed roller that feeds the sheets picked-up from the sheet placing tray; anda sheet separation unit including a separation member that is provided so as to be brought into contact with an outer peripheral surface of the sheet feed roller and separates the sheets fed by the sheet feed roller into one, whereinthe sheet separation unit is held by a support portion that supports the sheet separation unit rotatably and an engaging portion that engages, by elastic deformation, the sheet separation unit, andthe support portion is provided in a downstream side from the engaging portion in the sheet feeding direction, andthe engaging portion is provided outside the separation member in a direction orthogonally intersecting the sheet feeding direction.2. The sheet feed apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the support portion is provided in a downstream side from the separation member in the sheet feeding direction claim 1 , and the engaging portion is provided in an upstream side from the separation member in the sheet feeding direction.3. The sheet feed apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the engaging portion is provided in right and left of the separation member as viewed from the sheet feeding direction.4. The sheet feed apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a guide member that ...

MEDIUM FEEDING DEVICE AND IMAGE READING APPARATUS

A medium feeding device includes a lower portion unit in which a feeding roller is provided, and an upper portion unit in which a separating roller is provided and which is connected to the lower portion unit so as to be openable and closable. The lower portion unit has a cover member which covers a holding portion of the feeding roller while exposing a portion of the feeding roller to the transport path, and the cover member is configured to be removable in a direction including a component directed toward an upstream side in the transport direction by being attachable to and detachable from the lower portion unit. 1. A medium feeding device , comprising:a lower portion unit in which a feeding roller for feeding a medium is provided, andan upper portion unit in which a separating roller for nipping and separating the medium between the feeding roller and the separating roller is provided.wherein the upper portion unit is connected to the lower portion unit so as to be openable and closable, in the closed state of the upper portion unit, a transport path of the medium is formed by a lower surface of the upper portion unit and an upper surface of the lower portion unit,wherein the lower portion unit has a cover member which covers a holding portion of the feeding roller while exposing a portion of the feeding roller to the transport path, andwherein the cover member is configured to be removable in a direction including a component directed toward an upstream side in the transport direction by being attachable to and detachable from the lower portion unit.2. The medium feeding device according to claim 1 ,wherein the lower portion unit includes a slide surface which is formed on an inclined surface which rises from the downstream side to the upstream side in the transport direction of the medium, andwherein the cover member is attached and detached by a slide portion which is provided on a downstream side end portion of the cover member being guided by the slide ...

SHEET CONVEYING APPARATUS AND IMAGE READING APPARATUS

A first sheet conveying path extends from a sheet supply portion toward a sheet discharge portion. A second sheet conveying path extends, from a diverging position in the first sheet conveying path, toward a switch-to-back portion. A third sheet conveying path is a conveying path for the sheet that is reversed by the switch-to-back portion. A first movable guiding portion is rotatable between a first posture in which the sheet that has reached the diverging position is guided toward the sheet discharge portion, and a second posture in which the sheet is guided into the second conveying path. A second movable guiding portion is rotatable between a third posture and a fourth posture, in the second sheet conveying path. In the third posture, the second sheet conveying path is formed in conjunction with the first movable guiding portion. In the fourth posture, the third sheet conveying path is formed. 1. A sheet conveying apparatus comprising:support members;a sheet supply portion from which a sheet is fed;a sheet discharge portion into which the sheet is discharged;a switch-to-back portion configured to reverse a sheet conveying direction of the sheet being conveyed;a first sheet conveying path where the sheet is conveyed from the sheet supply portion toward the sheet discharge portion;a second sheet conveying path configured to connect with the switch-to-back portion and a first diverging position in the first sheet conveying path, wherein the sheet is conveyed from the first diverging position toward the switch-to-back portion;a third sheet conveying path that is a conveying path for the sheet that is reversed and conveyed by the switch-to-back portion, the third sheet conveying path reaching a merging position that is closer to the sheet discharge portion than the first diverging position in the first sheet conveying path is;a first movable guiding portion having both end portions in a width direction orthogonal to the sheet conveying direction, the both end ...

Paper pickup mechanism

A paper pickup mechanism is used with a pickup tape and includes a frame, a release roller, a receive roller and a sponge. The release roller and the receive roller are rotatably mounted in the frame and apart parallel to each other. The sponge is mounted at a bottom of the frame and parallel to the release roller and the receive roller. The sponge is located at a level position below that of the release roller and the receive roller. The pickup tape is mounted to the release roller. The free end of the pickup tape rounds the bottom face of the sponge and is mounted to the receive roller. The stick face of the pickup tape against the sponge is exposed outward and opposite to the sponge.

AUTO DOCUMENT FEEDER TO FINISHER PATH

A multifunctional printer comprising a printer section, an auto-document feeder, a scanner section, and a finisher, wherein a finisher path leads from the auto-document feeder into the printer section and converges with a print path into a shared finisher path leading to the finisher, such that documents scanned with the auto-document feeder can be conveyed to the finisher such that it can perform a finishing operation on the documents. 1. A multifunctional printer , comprising:a printer section comprising one or more printer components and a paper storage area;an auto-document feeder comprising an input tray and an input path configured to draw paper from the input tray into the input path;a scanner section comprising one or more image sensors configured to scan paper moving through the input path in the auto-document feeder; anda finisher comprising a finisher output tray,wherein the input path in the auto-document feeder branches into an output path that leads to an output tray at the auto-document feeder and a finisher path that leads through the auto-document feeder, the scanner section, and the printer section,wherein the auto-document feeder comprises a path guide configured to selectively close off either the output path or the finisher path, andwherein the finisher path and a print path converge into a shared finisher path that leads through the printer section to the finisher such that the finisher is configured to perform a finishing operation on a stack of paper received through the shared finisher path and output a finished stack of paper at the finisher output tray.2. The multifunctional printer of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of rollers configured to convey sheets of paper through the input path claim 1 , the output path claim 1 , the finisher path claim 1 , the print path claim 1 , and the shared finisher path.3. The multifunctional printer of claim 1 , wherein the finisher path and the print path converge at a post-print junction wherein ...

PAPER FEEDER AND MEDIUM PROCESSING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME

A sheet-type medium transporter comprises separation rollers to separate a sheet-type medium from sheet-type media picked up from a load tray in which the sheet-type media are loaded to be transported out of the load tray in a transporting direction; and an air blower coupled to at least one separation roller of the separation rollers to be driven by the at least one separation roller, to supply air in a direction substantially opposite to the transporting direction of the load tray and toward the sheet-type media, to lift the sheet-type medium from the sheet-type media, which is to be separated by the separation rollers. 1. A sheet-type medium transporter comprising:separation rollers to separate a sheet-type medium from sheet-type media picked up from a load tray in which the sheet-type media are loaded to be transported out of the load tray in a transporting direction; andan air blower coupled to at least one separation roller of the separation rollers to be driven by the at least one separation roller, to supply air in a direction substantially opposite to the transporting direction of the load tray and toward the sheet-type media, to lift the sheet-type medium from the sheet-type media, which is to be separated by the separation rollers.2. The sheet-type medium transporter of claim 1 , wherein the air blower includes:an air supplier to supply air; anda pulsation member coupled to the at least one separation roller to be driven by the at least one separation roller, to control the air supplied from the air supplier to pulsate, to supply a pulse of the air.3. The sheet-type medium transporter of claim 2 , wherein the pulsation member includes:a windmill including at least one wing and connected to the at least one separation roller to rotate; anda guide member to guide the air supplied from the air supplier to the windmill.4. The sheet-type medium transporter of claim 3 , wherein the guide member includes:an air chamber,an air inlet connected to the air supplier ...