IMAGE SCANNING DEVICE AND MULTI-FUNCTION DEVICE

• US 20070024924A1
• Filed: 07/25/2006
• Published: 02/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Ikeno, Takahiro, Muraki, Motohito
• Application Number:
  US11/459,806
• Publication Number:
  US 20070024924A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/474
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/5016 User-machine interface; Display panels; Control console
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00387 Multiple functions per key
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00411 the display also being used for user input, e.g. touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00427 using a menu list H04N1/00421, H04N1/00424, H04N1/00429 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0044 for image preview or review, e.g. to help the user position a sheet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00474 outputting a plurality of functional options, e.g. scan, copy or print
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00482 outputting a plurality of job set-up options, e.g. number of copies, paper size or resolution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00493 Particular location of the interface or console
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00496 Constructional details of the interface or console not otherwise provided for, e.g. rotating or tilting means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00519 Constructional details not otherwise provided for, e.g. housings, covers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00525 Providing a more compact apparatus, e.g. sheet discharge tray in cover
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00535 using rotatably mounted or foldable components
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2104 for one or a few pictures
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2158 using a detachable storage unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception

Abstract

An image scanning device is provided with a transparent plate, a contact image sensor, a scanning device casing, a cover member, and a display device. An image medium having an image to be scanned is placed on the transparent plate. The contact image sensor is disposed below the transparent plate, and scans the image of the image medium placed on the transparent plate. The scanning device casing houses the transparent plate and the contact image sensor. The cover member covers a top face of the transparent plate. The display device is capable of moving between a lying position and a standing position. In a state where the display device is positioned anywhere between the lying position and the standing position, a top end of the display device is lower than a top end of the cover member, and a bottom end of the display device is higher than a bottom end of the scanning device casing.

Claims

1. An image scanning device, comprising:

a transparent plate on which an image medium having an image to be scanned is placed;

a contact image sensor disposed below the transparent plate, the contact image sensor scanning the image of the image medium placed on the transparent plate;

a scanning device casing that houses the transparent plate and the contact image sensor;

a cover member that covers a top face of the transparent plate; and

a display device capable of moving between a lying position and a standing position,

wherein, in a state where the display device is positioned anywhere between the lying position and the standing position, a top end of the display device is lower than a top end of the cover member, and a bottom end of the display device is higher than a bottom end of the scanning device casing.

2. The image scanning device as in claim 1, wherein,

in a state where the display device is positioned in the lying position, the display device is substantially parallel to the horizontal plane.

3. The image scanning device as in claim 1, wherein,

in a state where the display device is positioned in the standing position, the display device is substantially parallel to the vertical plane.

4. The image scanning device as in claim 1, wherein

at least a part of the display device is lower than the transparent plate.

5. The image scanning device as in claim 4, wherein,

in a state where the display device is positioned in the standing position, a part of the display device is lower than the transparent plate;

and the other part of the display device is higher than the transparent plate.

6. The image scanning device as in claim 1, wherein

the display device comprises a pivot axis extending horizontally,

the display device is capable of pivoting between the lying position facing upward and the standing position facing frontward.

7. The image scanning device as in claim 1, wherein

the cover member comprises an auto document feeder device that automatically feeds an image medium placed on the cover member along the contact image sensor.

8. The image scanning device as in claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of operation keys,

wherein an area where the operation keys are disposed, and the display device positioned in the lying position, are disposed on substantially the same plane.

9. The image scanning device as in claim 1, wherein

the display device is capable of displaying image data input from an external device.

10. A multi-function device, comprising:

the image scanning device as in claim 1;

and

an image recording device capable of printing an image on a print medium,

wherein the image scanning device is disposed above the image recording device.

11. The multi-function device as in claim 10, wherein

the transparent plate has a rectangular shape which is long in a left-right direction in the plan view of the multi-function device,

the contact image sensor is capable of moving in the left-right direction in order to scan the image of the image medium placed on the transparent plate,

the image recording device comprises a medium casing capable of housing the print medium having a rectangular shape which is long in a front-rear direction in the plan view of the multi-function device, a transferring device that transfers the print medium housed in the medium casing in the front-rear direction and ejects the print median to a front side of the multi-function device, a printing device that prints the image on the print medium while the print medium is transferred by the transferring device, and a recording device casing that houses the medium casing, the transferring device, and the printing device, and

in the plan view of the multi-function device, (1) the medium casing and the printing device at least partially overlap, (2) the medium casing and the transparent plate at least partially overlap, (3) the transparent plate and the display device do not overlap, (4) the recording device casing protrudes beyond the transparent plate toward the front side of the multi-function device, and (5) at least a part of the display device is disposed between a front end of the recording device casing and a front end of the transparent plate.

12. The multi-function device as in claim 11, wherein,

in the plan view of the multi-function device, the outline of the multi-function device is a substantially square.

13. The multi-function device as in claim 11, wherein

a length of the multi-function device in the left-right direction and a length of the multi-function device in the front-rear direction have a ratio in a range 1:

1 to 1.1;

1.

14. The multi-function device as in claim 11, wherein

the transferring device transfers the print medium housed in the medium casing from the front side to a rear side of the multi-function device, turns the print median, transfers the print medium having been turned from the rear side to the front side, and ejects the print medium.

15. The multi-function device as in claim 11, wherein

the transferring device is disposed between a front end of the medium casing and a rear end of the medium casing.

16. The multi-function device as in claim 11, wherein

a rear face of the scanning device casing and a rear face of the recording device casing are substantially flush with each other, and these rear faces form a rear end of the multi-function device.

17. The multi-function device as in claim 11, wherein

in the plan view of the multi-function device, at least half of the display device positioned in the lying position is disposed between the front end of the recording device casing and the front end of the transparent plate.

18. The multi-function device as in claim 17, wherein,

in the plan view of the multi-function device, substantially all of the display device positioned in the lying position is disposed between the front end of the recording device casing and the front end of the transparent plate.

19. The multi-function device as in claim 18, wherein,

in the front-rear direction, a dimension of the display device positioned in the lying position is substantially equal to a distance between the front end of the recording device casing and the front end of the transparent plate.

20. The multi-function device as in claim 11, further comprising:

a slot capable of housing a memory device,

wherein the display device is capable of displaying image data stored in the memory device.

21. The multi-function device as in claim 20, wherein

the image recording device is capable of printing the displayed image data on the print medium.

22. The multi-function device as in claim 11, wherein

the image scanning device further comprises a plurality of operation keys,

each operation key is disposed above the image recording device, and

in the plan view of the multi-function device, the transparent plate and the operation keys do not overlap, and the operation keys are disposed between the front end of the recording device casing and the front end of the transparent plate.

23. The multi-function device as in claim 22, wherein

in the left-right direction, a length of an area where the display device and the operation keys are disposed is within a length of the transparent plate.

24. The multi-function device as in claim 22, wherein

at least two of the operation keys are aligned along a right edge of the display device, and

at least two of the operation keys are aligned along a left edge of the display device.

25. The multi-function device as in claim 24, wherein

the display device displays a content of a command that can be input by operating each operation key at an adjacent area of each operation key.

26. The multi-function device as in claim 11, wherein

a maximum size of the image medium placed within the transparent plate is substantially the same as a maximum size of the print medium that the medium casing is capable of housing.

27. The multi-function device as in claim 26, wherein

the maximum size of the print medium and the maximum size of the image medium are substantially 8.5 inch wide, which is equal to a short side of letter size, and substantially 297 mm long, which is equal to a long side of A4 size.