Document reader

• US 10,291,802 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2018
• Issued: 05/14/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Kii, Soichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Barnes, Ted W
• Application Number:
  US15/917,349
• Publication Number:
  US 20180278773A1
• Time in Patent Office: 431 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00554 Latches or hinges therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00557 Connection or assembly of components or elements H04N1/00538 takes precedence

Abstract

A document reader includes: a scanner unit; an ADF; a hinge that connects the scanner unit and the ADF in a way that the ADF is openable from and closable to the scanner unit by turning around a turn shaft of the hinge; and a positioning mechanism. The hinge includes a pressing member that holds the ADF open, and is arranged on a back side of the scanner unit with the turn shaft located above the pressing member. The positioning mechanism includes: a projecting portion located below the turn shaft, and formed on a surface of the hinge intersecting an axial direction of the turn shaft; a slit formed in the scanner unit, and brought into engagement with the projecting portion; and an adjusting screw that presses a lower part of the hinge from the back side of the scanner unit.

Claims

1. A document reader comprising:

a document reading unit that includes a mount table, and reads a document mounted on the mount table;

a cover unit that is arranged to cover an upper surface of the document reading unit, and is movable relative to the platen between an open state and a closed state;

a hinge that connects the document reading unit and the cover unit in a way that the cover unit is openable from and closable to the document reading unit by turning around a turn shaft of the hinge; and

a positioning mechanism that puts the document reading unit and the cover unit in place in an apparatus front-rear direction, wherein

the hinge includes a pressing member that holds the cover unit in the open state, and is arranged on a back side of the document reading unit with the turn shaft located above the pressing member and with a pressing direction of the pressing member coinciding with a direction in which the cover unit covers the document reading unit, and

the positioning mechanism includes

an engaging portion located below the turn shaft, and arranged on a surface of the hinge that intersects an axial direction of the turn shaft,

an engaged portion that is formed in the document reading unit, and is engaged with the engaging portion, and

a pressing portion that is located below positions of the engaging portion and the engaged portion, and presses a lower part of the hinge from the back side of the document reading unit.

2. The document reader according to claim 1, wherein

the engaging portion is formed on a case that houses the pressing member, and

the pressing member presses the case.

3. The document reader according to claim 1, wherein

a plurality of the hinges are arranged, and

the positioning mechanism is used to put the document reading unit and the hinges in place in the apparatus front-rear direction.

4. The document reader according to claim 1, wherein

the mount table includes a first recessed portion on which to mount the document, and

the cover unit includes a document cover unit that is arranged to internally contact the first recessed portion in the closed state.

5. The document reader according to claim 1, wherein

the document reading unit includes a reading window through which to read a document being transported, and

the cover unit includes a document transporter that transports the document to the reading window.

6. The document reader according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second recessed portion formed on a free end side of the cover unit at least away from the document reading unit; and

a projecting portion arranged on the document reading unit, wherein

the positioning mechanism is fixed in a state where the document reading unit and the cover unit are put in place with the second recessed portion and the projecting portion engaged with each other.

7. The document reader according to claim 6, wherein

the projecting portion is detachably attachable to a third recessed portion formed in the document reading unit, and

in an attached state, the document reading unit and the cover unit are put in place with the projecting portion fitted in the second recessed portion of the cover unit.

8. The document reader according to claim 7, wherein

the document reading unit is openable from a structure under the document reading unit by turning around a turn axis located below the turn shaft of the hinge, and

the second recessed portion is formed from a through-hole,

the third recessed portion to which the projecting portion is detachably attachable includes a second through-hole that is opened to an inside of the document reading unit when the projecting portion is detached from the third recessed portion, and

the cover unit and the document reading unit are fastened together using the through-hole and the second through-hole.