U.S. patent application number 14/668470 was filed with the patent office on 2015-10-01 for sheet conveying device.
This patent application is currently assigned to BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA. The applicant listed for this patent is BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA. Invention is credited to Masahiko OHTA.
Application Number | 20150274475 14/668470 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 54159361 |
Filed Date | 2015-10-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150274475 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
OHTA; Masahiko |
October 1, 2015 |
SHEET CONVEYING DEVICE
Abstract
A sheet conveying device includes: a conveyor; a stacking
surface configured to support a sheet to be discharged by a
discharge roller, and a movable member, which is provided
downstream from the discharge roller in the discharge direction, is
supported so as to be swingable on a swinging shaft, wherein the
movable member has a first surface and a second surface, wherein
the first surface is inclined at a first inclined angle relative to
the stacking surface so that the first guide surface is inclined
towards the stacking surface, wherein the second surface is
inclined at a second inclined angle relative to the stacking
surface so that the second surface is inclined towards the stacking
surface, and wherein the second inclined angle is smaller than the
first inclined angle.
Inventors: |
OHTA; Masahiko; (Nagoya-shi,
JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA |
Nagoya-shi |
|
JP |
|
|
Assignee: |
BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI
KAISHA
Nagoya-shi
JP
|
Family ID: |
54159361 |
Appl. No.: |
14/668470 |
Filed: |
March 25, 2015 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
271/306 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65H 2404/63 20130101;
B65H 2301/51214 20130101; B65H 2405/11151 20130101; B65H 29/22
20130101; B65H 2301/4212 20130101; B65H 29/14 20130101; B65H 29/70
20130101; B65H 2801/06 20130101; B65H 31/34 20130101; B65H 2801/39
20130101; B65H 31/02 20130101; B65H 31/26 20130101; B65H 2404/141
20130101; B65H 2405/1412 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B65H 29/22 20060101
B65H029/22; B65H 31/26 20060101 B65H031/26; B65H 31/34 20060101
B65H031/34 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 31, 2014 |
JP |
2014-071986 |
Claims
1. A sheet conveying device comprising: a conveyor configured to:
convey a sheet along a predetermined conveyance path; and discharge
the sheet in a discharge direction by a discharge roller; a
stacking surface configured to support the sheet discharged by the
discharge roller; and a movable member provided downstream from the
discharge roller in the discharge direction and supported so as to
be swingable on a swinging shaft extending parallel with a width
direction of the stacking surface, wherein the movable member has a
first surface and a second surface that is positioned closer to a
center of the stacking surface in the width direction than the
first surface, wherein the first surface is inclined at a first
inclined angle relative to the stacking surface so that the first
surface is inclined towards the stacking surface in the discharge
direction, wherein the second guide surface is inclined at a second
inclined angle relative to the stacking surface so that the second
surface is inclined towards the stacking surface in the discharge
direction, and wherein the second inclined angle is smaller than
the first inclined angle.
2. The sheet conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the
movable member is configured to guide the sheet to be discharged
towards the stacking surface.
3. The sheet conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the
first surface has a base line extending parallel with the width
direction.
4. The sheet conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the
first surface is configured to: contact a first edge portion of a
first size sheet in the width direction from an opposite side to
the stacking surface with respect to the first size sheet; and
guide the first size sheet towards the stacking surface, wherein
the first size sheet has a maximum size that is allowed to be
conveyed by the conveyor, wherein the second surface is configured
to: contact a second edge portion of a second size sheet in the
width direction from an opposite side to the stacking surface with
respect to the second size sheet; and guide the second size sheet
towards the stacking surface, and wherein the second size sheet is
smaller than the first size sheet.
5. The sheet conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the
movable member further has an inclined surface between the first
surface and the second surface, and wherein the inclined surface is
positioned closer to the center of the stacking surface in the
width direction than the first surface and in contact with the
first surface while being inclined towards the second surface in
the width direction.
6. The sheet conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the
movable member further has a restraint surface that is positioned
farther from the center of the stacking surface in the width
direction than the second surface and in contact with the second
surface, wherein the restraint surface extends towards the stacking
surface in a direction orthogonal to the stacking surface.
7. The sheet conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the
movable member further has a connection surface having one end and
the other end in the width direction, and wherein the one end of
the connection surface in the width direction is in contact with
the first surface and the other end of the connection surface in
the width direction is in contact with the second surface while the
connection surface is inclined between the first surface and the
second surface.
8. The sheet conveying device according to claim 1, further
comprising: a pair of guide members, one of the pair of guide
members provided at one side with respect to the center of the
stacking surface in the width direction and the other of the pair
of guide members provided at the other side with respect to the
center of the stacking surface in the width direction; and a
protrusion provided at a middle portion of the stacking surface in
the width direction, the protrusion protruding in a direction
orthogonal to the stacking surface and extending in the discharge
direction.
9. The sheet conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the
first surface further has a curved surface curved in a direction
away from the stacking surface.
10. The sheet conveying device according to claim 1, further
comprising a stopper configured to restrain a swinging range of the
movable member.
11. The sheet conveying device according to claim 1, further
comprising: a pair of movable members, one of the pair of movable
member provided at one side with respect to the center of the
stacking surface in the width direction and the other of the pair
of movable member provided at the other side with respect to the
center of the stacking surface in the width direction, and a
pressing member provided between the movable members in the width
direction.
12. The sheet conveying device according to claim 11, wherein the
pressing member is configured to: contact the sheet to be
discharged from an opposite side to the stacking surface with
respect to the sheet; and press the sheet to be discharged towards
the stacking surface.
13. The sheet conveying device according to claim 1, further
comprising a reading unit provided upstream from the discharge
roller in the discharge direction and configured to read an image
of the sheet conveyed by the conveyor.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority from Japanese Patent
Application No. 2014-071986 filed on Mar. 31, 2014, the entire
subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] This disclosure relates to a sheet conveying device.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Conventionally, there is known a sheet conveying device. The
sheet conveying device includes a conveyor, a stacking surface, a
first guide member and a second guide member.
[0004] The conveyor is configured to convey a sheet along a
predetermined conveyance path and to discharge the same in a
discharge direction by a discharge roller. The stacking surface is
configured to support the sheet discharged by the discharge roller.
The first guide member and the second guide member are provided at
a downstream side corresponding the discharge roller in the
discharge direction. The first guide member and the second guide
member are separate members. The second guide member is at an inner
position relative to the first guide member in a width direction of
the stacking surface. The first guide member and the second guide
member are swingably supported around a swinging shaft center
parallel with the width direction of the staking surface.
[0005] The first guide member and the second guide member are
configured to guide the discharged sheet toward the stacking
surface. Specifically, when a size of the discharged sheet is so
small that it may not be guided by the first guide member, the
second guide member guides the small size sheet toward the stacking
surface. In this way, the sheet conveying device orderly stacks the
sheets on the stacking surface when discharging the sheets having
different sizes.
[0006] However, according to the sheet conveying device of the
related art, since the first guide member and the second guide
member are separate members, the number of components is increased
and a mounting operation may be thus troublesome. As a result, it
is difficult to save the manufacturing cost of the sheet conveying
device.
SUMMARY
[0007] This disclosure is to provide a sheet conveying device
capable of orderly stacking sheets on a stacking surface when
discharging the sheets having different sizes, while saving the
manufacturing cost thereof.
[0008] A sheet conveying device includes: a conveyor configured to:
convey a sheet along a predetermined conveyance path; and discharge
the sheet in a discharge direction by a discharge roller; a
stacking surface configured to support the sheet discharged by the
discharge roller; and a movable member provided downstream from the
discharge roller in the discharge direction and supported so as to
be swingable on a swinging shaft extending parallel with a width
direction of the stacking surface, wherein the movable member has a
first surface and a second surface that is positioned closer to a
center of the stacking surface in the width direction than the
first surface, wherein the first surface is inclined at a first
inclined angle relative to the stacking surface so that the first
surface is inclined towards the stacking surface in the discharge
direction, wherein the second guide surface is inclined at a second
inclined angle relative to the stacking surface so that the second
surface is inclined towards the stacking surface in the discharge
direction, and wherein the second inclined angle is smaller than
the first inclined angle.
[0009] According to the sheet conveying device of this disclosure,
while it is possible to save the manufacturing cost, it is possible
to orderly stack the sheets on the stacking surface when
discharging the sheets having different sizes on the stacking
surface.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] The foregoing and additional features and characteristics of
this disclosure will become more apparent from the following
detailed descriptions considered with the reference to the
accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an image reading apparatus
of a first illustrative embodiment;
[0012] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the image reading apparatus of the
first illustrative embodiment;
[0013] FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view of the image reading
apparatus of the first illustrative embodiment;
[0014] FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view taken along a line A-A of
FIG. 2;
[0015] FIG. 5 is a partial plan view illustrating discharge
rollers, discharge pinch rollers, a stacking surface, a pair of
guide members, a protrusion and a pressing member;
[0016] FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the
discharge pinch rollers, the stacking surface, the guide members,
the protrusion and the pressing member;
[0017] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the guide member;
[0018] FIG. 8 is a schematic partial side view illustrating
relative relations of the discharge roller, the discharge pinch
roller, the stacking surface, the guide member, the protrusion and
a stopper;
[0019] FIG. 9A is a schematic view illustrating a state where a
first size sheet is guided by a first guide surface and FIG. 9B is
a schematic view illustrating a state where a second size sheet is
guided by a second guide surface;
[0020] FIG. 10A is a schematic view illustrating a state where a
sheet having a size between the first size sheet and the second
size sheet is guided by an inclined surface, and FIG. 10B is a
schematic view illustrating a comparative example where the first
guide is configured to guide the second size sheet, too; and
[0021] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a guide member of an image
reading apparatus of a second illustrative embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0022] Hereinafter, first and second illustrative embodiments of
this disclosure will be described with reference to the
drawings.
First Illustrative Embodiment
[0023] As shown in FIG. 1, an image reading apparatus 1 of an
illustrative embodiment is an example of a specific aspect of the
sheet conveying device of this disclosure. In FIG. 1, a side at
which an operation panel 8P is defined as a front side of the
apparatus and a left side on the basis of the operation panel 8P is
defined as a left side, so that respective directions of front,
rear, left, right, upper and lower are indicated. The respective
directions denoted in FIG. 2 and thereafter are indicated in
correspondence to the respective directions denoted in FIG. 1.
Hereinafter, the respective elements of the image reading apparatus
1 will be described on the basis of FIG. 1 and the like.
[0024] <Overall Configurations>
[0025] As shown in FIG. 1, the image reading apparatus 1 includes a
main body unit 8, an opening/closing unit 9, an image forming unit
5, a reading unit 3, a feeder tray 91, a discharge tray 92 and a
conveyor 4. The main body unit 8 is a substantially flat box-shaped
member. As shown in FIG. 1, a front surface of the main body unit 8
is provided with the operation panel 8P such as a touch panel.
[0026] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the image forming unit 5 is
accommodated at a lower part in the main body unit 8. The image
forming unit 5 is configured to form an image on a sheet by an
inkjet or laser scheme. The reading unit 3 is positioned at an
upper part in the main body unit 8. The reading unit 3 is used when
reading an image of a document.
[0027] As shown in FIG. 4, a first platen glass 81 and a second
platen glass 82 are arranged on an upper surface of the main body
unit 8. An upper surface of the first platen glass 81 configures a
document support surface 81A. The document support surface 81A
supports a stationary document from below when the reading unit 3
reads an image of the document. The document to be read includes a
sheet such as an OHP sheet, a book and the like. The second platen
glass 82 is positioned at the left of the first platen glass 81 and
is elongated in the front-rear direction. An upper surface of the
second platen glass 82 configures a reading surface 82A. When the
reading unit 3 reads an image of the sheet SH being conveyed one by
one by the conveyor 4, the reading surface 82A guides the sheet SH
from below.
[0028] As shown in FIG. 1, the opening/closing unit 9 is swingably
supported around an opening/closing shaft center X9 extending in
the left-right direction by hinges (not shown) arranged at a
rear-side upper portion of the main body unit 8. The
opening/closing unit 9 is movable between an open position and a
closed position. At the closed position shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the
opening/closing unit 9 is configured to cover the document support
surface 81A from above. Although not shown, the opening/closing
unit 9 is rotated around the opening/closing shaft center X9 so
that a front end portion-side thereof is displaced upward and
rearward. Thereby, the opening/closing unit 9 is displaced to the
opened position at which the document support surface 81A is
exposed. Thereby, a user can make the document support surface 81A
support a document which is a read target.
[0029] As shown in FIG. 4, the reading unit 3 includes a reading
sensor 3S accommodated at an upper part in the main body unit 8 and
a scanning mechanism (not shown). The reading sensor 3S is an
example of the `reading unit` of this disclosure. The scanning
mechanism is configured to reciprocally move the reading sensor 3S
in the left-right direction below the document support surface 81A
and the reading surface 82A. As the reading sensor 3S, a well-known
image reading sensor such as a CIS (Contact Image Sensor) and a CCD
(Charge Coupled Device) is used.
[0030] The conveyor 4 is provided at the opening/closing unit 9.
The conveyor 4 includes the feeder tray 91 and the discharge tray
92. The feeder tray 91 is formed at a right part of the
opening/closing unit 9 by opining a closed cover 9C shown with a
solid line in FIG. 1, as shown with a dashed-two dotted line in
FIG. 1.
[0031] Also, as shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the feeder tray 91 is formed
by the spread cover 9C and a chute member 93 positioned downstream
with respect to the cover 9C in a conveying direction. An upper
surface of the cover 9C configures a part of a sheet support
surface 91A. The sheet support surface 91A is configured to support
a plurality of sheets SH, which are to be conveyed by the conveyor
4 and are reading targets, from below at a stacked state. The sheet
support surface 91A is formed by a first sheet support surface 9A,
which is an upwardly facing surface of the spread cover 9C, and a
second sheet support surface 93A, which is a right part of an upper
surface of the chute member 93. The sheet support surface 91A is a
flat surface inclined leftward and downward.
[0032] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the second sheet support surface
93A of the feeder tray 91 is provided with a pair of guides 60A,
60A configured to be slidable in the front-rear direction. The pair
of guides 60A, 60A faces each other in the front-rear direction.
The pair of guides 60A, 60A is coupled by a rack-and-pinion
mechanism (not shown). As shown with a solid line and a dashed-two
dotted line in FIG. 2, the pair of guides 60A, 60A is enabled to
come close to and to separate from each other, thereby sandwiching
a plurality of types of sheets SH having different sizes, which are
supported on the sheet support surface 91A of the feeder tray 91,
in the front-rear direction. In this way, the pair of guides 60A,
60A is configured to position the sheet SH on the feeder tray 91 on
the basis of a center of the sheet support surface 91A in the
front-rear direction.
[0033] As shown in FIG. 2, in this illustrative embodiment, the
sheet SH having a maximum size that can be conveyed by the conveyor
4 is a letter-size sheet SH1, for example. The letter-size sheet
SH1 is defined as a first size sheet. When positioning the first
size sheet SH1 on the feeder tray 91, the pair of guides 60A, 60A
shown with the solid line in FIG. 2 is spaced at the same interval
as a length W1 of the first size sheet SH1 in the front-rear
direction, thereby sandwiching the sheet SH1 in the front-rear
direction.
[0034] Also, in this illustrative embodiment, there is an A6 size
sheet of the sheets SH, which can be conveyed by the conveyor 4, as
a sheet having a size smaller than the first size sheet SH1. The A6
size sheet SH2, for example, is defined as a second size sheet.
When positioning the second size sheet SH2 on the feeder tray 91,
the pair of guides 60A, 60A shown with the dashed-two dotted line
in FIG. 2 is spaced at the same interval as a length W2 of the
second size sheet SH2 in the front-rear direction, thereby
sandwiching the sheet SH2 in the front-rear direction.
[0035] Although not shown, when positioning the sheet SH having a
size between the first size sheet SH1 and the second size sheet SH2
on the feeder tray 91, the pair of guides 60A, 60A is spaced at the
same interval as a length of the sheet SH in the front-rear
direction, thereby sandwiching the sheet SH in the front-rear
direction. Also, the conveyor 4 can convey a postcard slightly
smaller than the A6 size sheet. The pair of guides 60A, 60A is
spaced at the same interval as a length of the postcard in the
front-rear direction, thereby sandwiching the postcard in the
front-rear direction.
[0036] As shown in FIGS. 3 to 6, the discharge tray 92 is
positioned below the feeder tray 91 and is arranged to overlap
vertically with the same. An upper surface of the discharge tray 92
is configured as a stacking surface 92A. The sheet SH of which an
image has been read by the reading sensor 3S and has been
discharged by the conveyor 4 is stacked on the stacking surface 92A
of the discharge tray 92.
[0037] As shown in FIG. 4, the conveyor 4 defines a conveyance path
P1, as a space surrounded by guide surfaces extending to be able to
abut on one surface and the other surface of the sheet SH,
conveying rollers (which will be described later) and the like. The
conveyance path P1 includes a part extending substantially
horizontally leftward from a downstream end portion of the sheet
support surface 91A of the feeder tray 91 in the conveying
direction. Then, the conveyance path P1 includes a downwardly
curved part. Then, the conveyance path P1 includes a part extending
shortly rightward along the reading surface 82A. Finally, the
conveyance path P1 includes a part inclined rightward and upward
from a downstream side of the reading surface 82A in the conveying
direction and reaching the discharge tray 92.
[0038] A conveying direction of the sheet SH that is conveyed by
the conveyor 4 is a leftward direction on a substantially
horizontal upper part of the conveyance path P1, is switched from
the leftward direction to a rightward direction on the downwardly
curved part of the conveyance path P1 and is a rightward direction
on the lower part of the conveyance path P1 passing through the
reading surface 82A and reaching the discharge tray 92. The
extending directions and shapes of the conveyance path P1 are just
exemplary.
[0039] The conveyor 4 includes a supply roller 41, a separation
roller 42 and a separation pad 42A at positions of the conveyance
path P1 close to the feeder tray 91. The supply roller 41 is
configured to deliver the sheet SH supported on the sheet support
surface 91A of the feeder tray 91 towards the downstream-side
separation roller 42. When a plurality of sheets SH is conveyed
with overlapping with each other, the separation roller 42
separates the sheets one by one in cooperation with the separation
pad 42A and conveys the same towards a further downstream side in
the conveying direction.
[0040] The conveyor 4 includes a large diameter conveying roller
45, a curved guide surface 45G and pinch rollers 45P, 45Q at the
downwardly curved part of the conveyance path P1. An outer
peripheral surface of the conveying roller 45 is configured to form
an inner guide surface of the downwardly curved part of the
conveyance path P1. The curved guide surface 45G is arranged at a
predetermined interval from the outer peripheral surface of the
conveying roller 45. The curved guide surface 45G is configured to
form an outer guide surface of the downwardly curved part of the
conveyance path P1. The conveying roller 45 is configured to convey
the sheet SH towards the reading surface 82A in cooperation with
the pinch rollers 45P, 45Q abutting on the outer peripheral surface
of the conveying roller 45.
[0041] The conveyor 4 includes a pressing member 49 at a position
facing the reading surface 82A, from above. The pressing member 49
is configured to press the sheet SH, which is being conveyed from
the conveying roller 45, from above, thereby causing the sheet SH
into contact with the reading surface 82A.
[0042] The conveyor 4 includes guide walls 47, 46 at the right of
the pressing member 49. The guide wall 47 defines an upwardly
inclined part of the conveyance path P1 at the right of the
pressing member 49, from below. The guide wall 46 is positioned
above the guide wall 47 and is configured to form a gap between the
guide wall 46 and the guide wall 47. The guide walls 47, 46 extend
in right-reft direction. The guide wall 46 defines an upwardly
inclined part of the conveyance path P1 at the right of the
pressing member 49, from above.
[0043] As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the conveyor 4 includes discharge
rollers 48 and pinch rollers 48P at the right side of the pressing
member 49 in the upwardly inclined part of the conveyance path P1.
The discharge rollers 48 and the pinch rollers 48P face towards the
discharge tray 92. The discharge rollers 48 are positioned at a
right end portion of the guide wall 46. The pinch rollers 48P are
positioned at a right end portion of the guide wall 47.
[0044] As shown in FIGS. 5, 9 and 10, the two discharge rollers 48
are attached at front and rear sides with respect to a center of a
driving shaft 48S extending in the front-rear direction. Each of
the discharge rollers 48 is rotated by the driving shaft 48S. The
two pinch rollers 48P are pressed to the corresponding discharge
rollers 48. The discharge rollers 48 and the pinch rollers 48P are
configured to nip the sheet SH having passed above the reading
surface 82A respectively, thereby discharging the sheet SH onto the
stacking surface 92A of the discharge tray 92. A discharge
direction D1 indicates a direction in which the sheet SH is
discharged onto the stacking surface 92A of the discharge tray
92.
[0045] <Image Reading Operation>
[0046] According to the image reading apparatus 1, when reading an
image of a document supported on the document support surface 81A,
the scanning mechanism (not shown) of the reading unit 3 is
operated to move the reading sensor 3S in the left-right direction
between left end portion of the document support surface 81A and
right end portion thereof. Thereby, the reading sensor 3S reads the
image of the document supported on the document support surface
81A. Thereafter, the scanning mechanism (not shown) returns the
reading sensor 3S having completed the reading to the original
position by moving the same from the right end portion to the left
end portion in the reading unit 3.
[0047] Also, according to the image reading apparatus 1, when
reading an image of the sheet SH on the feeder tray 91, the
scanning mechanism (not shown) of the reading unit 3 is operated to
stop the reading sensor 3S at a predetermined reading position. The
predetermined reading position of the reading sensor 3S is below
the reading surface 82A. The reading sensor 3S located at the
predetermined reading position is positioned upstream from the
discharge rollers 48 in the discharge direction D1. When the
conveyor 4 sequentially conveys the sheets SH on the feeder tray 91
along the conveyance path P1, the sheet SH passes above the reading
sensor 3S located at the predetermined reading position with
contacting the reading surface 82A. Therefore, the reading sensor
3S reads an image of the passing sheet SH. Then, the sheet SH of
which an image has been read is discharged to the discharge tray 92
by the discharge rollers 48 and pinch rollers 48P. The discharged
sheet SH is supported from below by the stacking surface 92A of the
discharge tray 92.
[0048] <Configurations of Protrusion, Pair of Guide Members and
Pressing Member>
[0049] As shown in FIGS. 4 to 10A, the image reading apparatus 1
has a protrusion 170, a pair of guide members 100, 100 (one example
of the movable member) and a pressing member 180.
[0050] As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the protrusion 170 is formed
integrally with the discharge tray 92. The protrusion 170 is
provided at a central portion of the stacking surface 92A in the
width direction. A part of the protrusion 170 is overlapped with
the guide member 100, in a horizontal view.
[0051] In this illustrative embodiment, the width direction of the
stacking surface 92A is the front-rear direction. As shown in FIG.
5, the central portion of the stacking surface 92A in the width
direction is a position indicated by a central line C1 of the
stacking surface 92A extending in the left-right direction. The
central line C1 passes through a central point of the length W1 of
the first size sheet SH1 in the front-rear direction, which is to
be discharged to the discharge tray 92, and a central point of the
length W2 of the second size sheet SH2 in the front-rear direction,
which is to be discharged to the discharge tray 92. That is, the
sheet SH1 conveyed by the conveyor 4 and discharged to the
discharge tray 92 is stacked on the stacking surface 92A on the
basis of the center.
[0052] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 8, the protrusion 170 protrudes
upwardly in a direction D2 orthogonal to the stacking surface 92A
and extends rightward from a vicinity of the discharge roller 48,
i.e., in the discharge direction D1. The direction D2 orthogonal to
the stacking surface 92A is slightly inclined with respect to the
upper-lower direction. An upper end surface of the protrusion 170
is configured to be closer to the stacking surface 92A as it
proceeds rightward. In other words, the upper end surface of the
protrusion 170 extends horizontally and the stacking surface 92A is
inclined to be gradually higher as it proceeds a right end. As a
result, the upper end surface of the protrusion 170 has a shape
coming close to the stacking surface 92A.
[0053] In this illustrative embodiment, an inner part of the
stacking surface 92A in the width direction is a part close to the
protrusion 170 in the front-rear direction. An outer part of the
stacking surface 92A in the width direction is a part distant from
the protrusion 170 in the front-rear direction. One direction of
the stacking surface 92A in the width direction is a direction
toward front with respect to the protrusion 170. The other
direction of the stacking surface 92A in the width direction is a
direction toward rear with respect to the protrusion 170.
[0054] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 8, the pair of guide members 100,
100 is provided at the right of the discharge rollers 48, i.e.,
downstream from the discharge rollers 48 in the discharge direction
D1. The pair of guide members 100, 100 are scarcely overlapped with
the discharge rollers 48 as viewed in the left-right direction As
shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the respective guide members 100, 100 are
provided at the front of the protrusion 170 and at the rear of the
protrusion 170, respectively.
[0055] Each of the guide members 100, 100 is an injection-molded
product of a thermoplastic resin. The front guide member 100 and
the rear guide member 100 are the same components. That is,
according to the image reading apparatus 1, the components are
commonly used for the front guide member 100 and the rear guide
member 100, so that it is possible to save the manufacturing
cost.
[0056] As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, a left end portion of the guide
member 100 is protrudely formed with a shaft part 100S extending in
parallel with the front-rear direction, which is the width
direction of the stacking surface 92A. The shaft part 100S is
supported to an internal frame (not shown) in the opening/closing
unit 9, so that each of the guide members 100, 100 may swing around
a swinging shaft center X100 extending in parallel with the
front-rear direction, which is the width direction of the stacking
surface 92A. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 8, the swinging shaft center
X100 is positioned at a right-upper side of the discharge roller
48.
[0057] As shown in FIG. 5, the guide member 100 has a rectangular
shape that is long in the front-rear direction, in the top view. As
shown in FIG. 7, the guide member 100 is formed with a bulging part
101 bulging downwardly at a central portion thereof in the
front-rear direction.
[0058] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the guide member 100 is mounted
with a torsion coil spring 100T. The torsion coil spring 100T is
configured to urge the guide member 100 to swing around the
swinging shaft center X100 in a clockwise direction towards the
drawing sheets of FIGS. 4 and 8, i.e., to urge the guide member 100
to come close to the stacking surface 92A.
[0059] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 8, a lower surface of the chute
member 93 having the second sheet support surface 93A formed on the
upper surface thereof is provided with a stopper 109. The stopper
109 protrudes downwardly at a position spaced upwardly from the
guide member 100. When the guide member 100 swings in a
counterclockwise direction towards the drawing sheets of FIGS. 4
and 8 against the urging force of the torsion coil spring 100T, the
stopper 109 abuts on the guide member 100 to restrain a swinging
range of the guide member 100.
[0060] As shown in FIG. 7, the guide member 100 is formed with a
first guide surface 110, second guide surfaces 120, inclined
surfaces 130 and restraint surfaces 140.
[0061] The first guide surface 110 is formed on a downwardly facing
surface (a surface facing the stacking surface 92A) of the bulging
part 101. The first guide surface 110 has a base line M110 shown
with a dashed-two dotted line in FIG. 7. The base line M110 extends
in parallel with the front-rear direction, which is the width
direction of the stacking surface 92A. The first guide surface 110
is a downwardly inclined surface, which is defined as the base line
M110 is moved rightward from the swinging shaft center X100-side,
i.e., towards the downstream side of the discharge direction
D1.
[0062] As shown in FIG. 8, the first guide surface 110 is inclined
towards the stacking surface 92A as it proceeds downstream in the
discharge direction D1. An inclined angle of the first guide
surface 110 relative to the stacking surface 92A is defined as a
first inclined angle .alpha.1.
[0063] As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the first guide surface 110
includes a curved surface 119. The curved surface 119 is slightly
curved upwardly from a position below the swinging shaft center
X100, i.e., towards a direction getting away from the stacking
surface 92A and connects to the part of the first guide surface 110
inclined at the first inclined angle .alpha.1.
[0064] As shown in FIG. 7, the second guide surfaces 120 and the
restraint surfaces 140 are positioned at the front and the rear
than the first guide surface 110. The inclined surfaces 130 are
positioned between the first guide surfaces 110 and the restraint
surfaces 140. As shown in FIG. 5, in the front guide member 100,
when the sheet SH is discharged, the second guide surface 120, the
inclined surface 130 and the restraint surface 140 positioned at
the rear of the first guide surface 110 function, and the second
guide surface 120, the inclined surface 130 and the restraint
surface 140 positioned at the front of the first guide surface 110
do not function. Also, in the rear guide member 100, when the sheet
SH is discharged, the second guide surface 120, the inclined
surface 130 and the restraint surface 140 positioned at the front
of the first guide surface 110 function, and the second guide
surface 120, the inclined surface 130 and the restraint surface 140
positioned at the rear of the first guide surface 110 do not
function. This is a configuration for commonalizing the components
of the guide member 100.
[0065] That is, the second guide surfaces 120, the inclined
surfaces 130 and the restraint surfaces 140 of the pair of
front-and-rear guide members 100,100, which function when the sheet
SH is discharged, are positioned close to the protrusion 170 in the
front-rear direction, i.e., at inner parts of the first guide
surfaces 110 in the width direction of the stacking surface
92A.
[0066] As shown in FIGS. 7 and 9 to 10A, the second guide surfaces
120 are downwardly facing flat surfaces of flat plate parts
positioned at the front and the rear of the bulging part 101 of the
guide member 100. The second guide surfaces 120 are positioned
above the first guide surface 110.
[0067] As shown in FIG. 8, the second guide surface 120 extends
rightward from the swinging shaft center X100-side, i.e., towards
the downstream side in the discharge direction D1. The second guide
surface 120 is inclined towards the stacking surface 92A as it
proceeds downstream in the discharge direction D1. An inclined
angle of the second guide surface 120 relative to the stacking
surface 92A is defined as a second inclined angle .alpha.2. The
second inclined angle .alpha.2 is set to be smaller than the first
inclined angle .alpha.1.
[0068] As shown in FIG. 7, the front inclined surface 130 is formed
between the first guide surface 110 and the front second guide
surface 120. The front inclined surface 130 is inclined upwardly
from a front-right angled part of the first guide surface 110 to
come close to the front second guide surface 120. The rear inclined
surface 130 is formed between the first guide surface 110 and the
rear-second guide surface 120. The rear inclined surface 130 is
inclined upwardly from a rear-right angled part of the first guide
surface 110 to come close to the rear-second guide surface 120.
[0069] That is, the inclined surfaces 130 of the pair of
front-and-rear guide members 100, 100, which function when the
sheet SH is discharged, connect to the first guide surfaces 110 at
the sides distant from the protrusion 170 in the front-rear
direction, i.e., at the outer sides with respect to the center of
the stacking surface 92A in the width direction, and are inclined
towards the second guide surfaces 120 as each of the inclined
surfaces proceed towards close to the protrusion 170 in the
front-rear direction, i.e., towards the inner parts of the stacking
surface 92A in the width direction.
[0070] As shown in FIG. 7, the front restraint surface 140 connects
to a rear end edge of the front second guide surface 120 from rear.
The front restraint surface 140 extends downwardly in the direction
D2 orthogonal to the stacking surface 92A to come close to the
stacking surface 92A. A lower end edge of the front restraint
surface 140 connects to a front end edge of the front inclined
surface 130. The rear restraint surface 140 connects to a front end
edge of the rear-second guide surface 120 from a front side. The
rear restraint surface 140 extends downwardly in the direction D2
orthogonal to the stacking surface 92A to come close to the
stacking surface 92A. A lower end edge of the rear restraint
surface 140 connects to a rear end edge of the rear inclined
surface 130.
[0071] That is, the restraint surfaces 140 of the pair of
front-and-rear guide members 100, which function when the sheet SH
is discharged, connect to the second guide surfaces 120 at the
sides distant from the protrusion 170 in the front-rear direction,
i.e., at the outer sides with respect to the center of the stacking
surface 92A in the width direction, and extend in the direction D2
orthogonal to the stacking surface 92A to come close to the
stacking surface 92A.
[0072] As shown in FIGS. 9 to 10A, the restraint surface 140
extends perpendicularly to the stacking surface 92A, as seen from a
cross-section orthogonal to the discharge direction D1. As shown in
FIG. 5, the restraint surface 140 extends in parallel with the
discharge direction D1, in the top view. An interval between the
front restraint surface 140 and the rear restraint surface 140 in
the front-rear direction is slightly greater than the length W2 of
the second size sheet SH2 in the front-rear direction.
[0073] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 9A, the first guide surface 110 is
positioned at the outer side with respect to the center of the
restraint surface 140, which functions when the sheet SH is
discharged, in the width direction. Therefore, the first guide
surface 110 may contact a first end portion E1 of the first size
sheet SH1, which is an end portion in the width direction, from
above, i.e., from an opposite side to the stacking surface 92A.
[0074] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 9B, the second guide surface 120,
which functions when the sheet SH is discharged, is positioned at
the center side with respect to the center of the restraint surface
140, which functions when the sheet SH is discharged, in the width
direction. Therefore, the second guide surface 120, which functions
when the sheet SH is discharged, may contact a secondend portion E2
of the second size sheet SH2, which is an end portion in the width
direction, from above, i.e., from an opposite side to the stacking
surface 92A.
[0075] As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6 and 9 to 10A, the pressing member
180 is a film-shaped member obtained by cutting a thin sheet made
of PET resin, for example, into a substantially rectangular shape.
The pressing member 180 is provided between the pair of guide
members 100, 100 in the front-rear direction. Although not shown, a
left end portion of the pressing member 180 is attached to a right
end portion of the upper guide wall 46. The pressing member 180 is
inclined rightward and downward to come close to the stacking
surface 92A. As shown in FIGS. 9 to 10A, the pressing member 180
may contact the sheet SH, which is discharged to the discharge tray
92, from above, i.e., from an opposite side to the stacking surface
92A.
[0076] <Operational Effects>
[0077] In the below description, the second guide surface 120, the
inclined surface 130 and the restraint surface 140, which do not
function, are omitted.
[0078] As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10A, according to the image reading
apparatus 1 of the first illustrative embodiment, when the sheet SH
is discharged by the discharge rollers 48, the pressing member 180
presses the sheet SH towards the stacking surface 92A. Thereby, the
sheet SH is suitably guided towards the stacking surface 92A.
[0079] When the sheet SH is supported on the stacking surface 92A,
the protrusion 170 lifts the sheet SH on the central line C1 of the
stacking surface 92A. Thereby, the sheet SH is bent into a reverse
U shape, as seen from a section orthogonal to the discharge
direction D1, so that both ends of the sheet SH are prevented from
being a curl shape as if they floated from the stacking surface
92A. That is, it is possible to provide resilience for the sheet SH
on the second sheet support surface 93A by the protrusion 170.
Thereby, it is possible to suppress the sheet SH, which will be
discharged onto the stacking surface 92A next time, from being
caught at the sheet SH already discharged on the stacking surface
92A.
[0080] As shown in FIG. 9A, according to the image reading
apparatus 1, when the first size sheet SH1 is discharged by the
discharge rollers 48, the first guide surfaces 110 contact the
first end portions E1 of the sheet SH1, which are the end portions
in the width direction, from the opposite side to the stacking
surface 92A and guide the sheet SH1 towards the stacking surface
92A. A trajectory along which the first end portions of the sheet
SH1 are guided by the first guide surfaces 110 is indicated by the
dashed-two dotted line K1 in FIG. 8.
[0081] Here, as shown in FIG. 8, the second inclined angle .alpha.2
of the second guide surface 120 positioned at the center side with
respect to the center of the first guide surface 110 in the width
direction is set to be smaller than the first inclined angle
.alpha.1 of the first guide surface 110. Thereby, it is possible to
suppress the second guide surface 120 from contacting the first
size sheet SH1 and interfering with the operation of the first
guide surface 110.
[0082] As shown in FIG. 9B, when the second size sheet SH2 smaller
than the first size sheet SH1 is discharged by the discharge
rollers 48, the second guide surfaces 120 contact the second end
portions E2 of the sheet SH2, which are the end portions in the
width direction, from the opposite side to the stacking surface 92A
and guide the sheet SH2 towards the stacking surface 92A. At this
time, the restraint surfaces 140 sandwich the second size sheet
SH2, which is discharged onto the discharge tray 92, in the
front-rear direction, thereby restraining a positional deviation of
the sheet SH2 relative to the stacking surface 92A in the
front-rear direction. A trajectory along which the second end
portions E2 of the sheet SH2 are guided by the second guide
surfaces 120 is indicated by a dashed-two dotted line K2 in FIG. 8.
The trajectory K2 of the second end portions E2 of the second size
sheet SH2 is higher than the trajectory K1 of the first end
portions E1 of the first size sheet SH1 and is more gently inclined
rightward and downward than the trajectory K1.
[0083] As shown in FIG. 10A, when a sheet SH3 having a size between
the fist size sheet SH1 and the second size sheet SH2 is discharged
by the discharge rollers 48, the inclined surfaces 130 contact end
portions E3 of the intermediate size sheet SH3, which are end
portions in the width direction, from the opposite side to the
stacking surface 92A and guide the sheet SH3 towards the stacking
surface 92A. A trajectory along which the end portions E3 of the
intermediate size sheet SH3 are guided is indicated by a dashed-two
dotted line K3 in FIG. 3. The trajectory K3 of the end portions E3
of the intermediate size sheet SH3 is higher than the trajectory K1
of the first end portions E1 of the first size sheet SH1 and lower
than the trajectory K2 of the second end portions E2 of the second
size sheet SH2 and is more gently inclined rightward and downward
than the trajectory K1.
[0084] The second size sheet SH2 has a larger ratio of a thickness
to a length in the width direction than the first size sheet SH1,
so that the resilience thereof tends to be stronger. Here, as shown
in FIG. 10B, which is a comparative example, a case is assumed in
which the first guide surface 110 is formed from a front end to a
rear end of the guide member 100, the first guide surface 110
contacts the second end portion E2 of the second size sheet SH2,
which is an end portion in the width direction, from the opposite
side to the stacking surface 92A and guides the sheet SH2 towards
the stacking surface 92A. In this case, according to the
comparative example shown in FIG. 10B, the second size sheet SH2 is
largely bent, as can be seen from the comparison with FIG. 9B.
Therefore, a reactive force R1, which is applied when the second
size sheet SH2 is bent, is increased, so that the second size sheet
SH2 is easy to deviate in the front-rear direction.
[0085] In this regard, according to the image reading apparatus 1,
as shown in FIG. 9B, the first guide surface 110 positioned at the
outer side of the second guide surface 120 in the width direction
does not contact the second end portion E2 of the second size sheet
SH2. Also, when the second guide surface 120 guides the second end
portion E2 of the second size sheet SH2, the second size sheet SH2
that is guided at the second inclined angle .alpha.2 smaller than
the first inclined angle .alpha.1 is less bent. Therefore, the
reactive force R1, which is applied when the second size sheet SH2
is bent, is reduced, as compared to the comparative example shown
in FIG. 10B, so that it is possible to suppress the second size
sheet SH2 from deviating in the front-rear direction.
[0086] Likewise, as shown in FIG. 10A, when the inclined surfaces
130 guide the end portions E3 of the intermediate size sheet SH3,
the reactive force, which is applied when the sheet SH3 is bent, is
also reduced. Therefore, it is also possible to suppress the
intermediate size sheet SH3 from deviating in the front-rear
direction.
[0087] Further, according to the image reading apparatus 1, the
guide member 100 is one member. Therefore, it is possible to
suppress an increase in the number of components, thereby
simplifying a mounting operation.
[0088] Therefore, according to the image reading apparatus 1 of the
first illustrative embodiment, while it is possible to save the
manufacturing cost, it is possible to orderly stack a plurality of
types of the sheets SH including the first size sheet SH1, the
second size sheet SH2 and the intermediate size sheet SH3 on the
stacking surface 92A when discharging the sheets SH onto the
stacking surface 92A.
[0089] Specifically, according to the image reading apparatus 1,
since the positional deviation of the second size sheet SH2 in the
front-rear direction is restrained by the restraint surfaces 140,
it is possible to stack the second size sheet SH2 on the stacking
surface 92A more orderly. Also, the sheet SH to be discharged is
guided with high precision on the stacking surface 92A by the first
guide surfaces 110 and the second guide surfaces 120 formed on the
pair of guide members 100, so that it is also possible to suppress
the sheet SH from deviating in the front-rear direction as regards
the protrusion 170. Therefore, it is possible to orderly stack the
sheets SH with being bent on the stacking surface 92A.
[0090] Further, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, according to the image
reading apparatus 1, the first guide surface 110 includes the
curved surface 119. Therefore, it is possible to suppress a tip of
the sheet SH to be discharged to the discharge tray 92 from being
caught at the first guide surface 110. Therefore, according to the
image reading apparatus 1, it is possible to guide the sheet SH
towards the stacking surface 92A more suitably by the first guide
surface 110.
[0091] Also, according to the image reading apparatus 1, even when
the guide member 100 is pushed to return by the sheet SH being
discharged, as shown with the dashed-two dotted line in FIG. 8, the
guide member 100 collides with the stopper 109 to stop. Therefore,
according to the image reading apparatus 1, it is possible to
prevent a situation where the guide member 100 excessively swings
and thus has difficulty in guiding the sheet SH being discharged
towards the stacking surface 92A.
Second Illustrative Embodiment
[0092] As shown in FIG. 11, according to an image reading apparatus
of a second illustrative embodiment, a guide member 200 is used,
instead of the guide member 100 of the image reading apparatus of
the first illustrative embodiment. The other configurations of the
second illustrative embodiment are the same as the first
illustrative embodiment. Therefore, the same configurations as the
first illustrative embodiment are denoted with the same reference
numerals and the descriptions thereof are omitted or
simplified.
[0093] In the image reading apparatus of the second illustrative
embodiment, the guide member 200 is formed with connection surfaces
250, instead of the inclined surfaces 130 and restraint surfaces
140 of the guide member 100 of the first illustrative embodiment.
The other configurations of the guide member 200 are the same as
the guide member 100.
[0094] The front connection surface 250 is formed between the first
guide surface 110 and the front second guide surface 120. The front
connection surface 250 is inclined upwardly from a front-right
angled part of the first guide surface 110 to come close to the
front second guide surface 120. A front end edge of the front
connection surface 250 connects to the rear end edge of the front
second guide surface 120. The rear connection surface 250 is formed
between the first guide surface 110 and the rear-second guide
surface 120. The rear connection surface 250 is inclined upwardly
from a rear-right angled part of the first guide surface 110 to
come close to the rear-second guide surface 120. A rear end edge of
the rear connection surface 250 connects to the front end edge of
the front second guide surface 120.
[0095] That is, the connection surfaces 250 of the pair of
front-and-rear guide members 200, 200, which function when the
sheet SH is discharged, connect to the first guide surfaces 110 at
the sides distant from the protrusion 170 in the front-rear
direction, i.e., at the outer sides with respect to the center of
the stacking surface 92A in the width direction, and are inclined
to connect to the second guide surfaces 120 at the sides close to
the protrusion 170 in the front-rear direction, i.e., at the center
sides with respect to the center of the stacking surface 92A in the
width direction.
[0096] According to the image reading apparatus of the second
illustrative embodiment, like the image reading apparatus of the
first illustrative embodiment, while it is possible to save the
manufacturing cost, it is possible to orderly stack the first size
sheet SH1 and the second size sheet SH2 on the stacking surface 92A
by the first guide surfaces 110 and the second guide surfaces 120
when discharging the sheets SH1, SH2 onto the stacking surface
92A.
[0097] Also, according to this image reading apparatus, it is
possible to suitably guide the sheet SH having a size between the
sheet SH having a size, which may be guided by the first guide
surface 110, and the sheet SH having a size, which may be guided by
the second guide surface 120, towards the stacking surface 92A by
the connection surfaces 250. Therefore, according to the image
reading apparatus, it is possible to orderly stack the intermediate
size sheet SH on the stacking surface 92A.
[0098] Although this disclosure has been described with reference
to the first and second illustrative embodiments, this disclosure
is not limited to the first and second illustrative embodiments and
can be appropriately changed without departing from the gist
thereof.
[0099] For example, this disclosure can be applied to an image
reading apparatus, an image forming apparatus, a complex machine
and the like.
* * * * *