DOCUMENT COVER, IMAGE READER HAVING DOCUMENT COVER, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS

• US 20130121741A1
• Filed: 11/08/2012
• Published: 05/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions, Inc. (Kyocera Corporation)
• Original Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions, Inc. (Kyocera Corporation)
• Inventors: Shibata, Naoki
• Granted Patent: US 8,934,829 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 399/380
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/605 Holders for originals or exposure platens for photographic purposes in general G03B
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2221/1687 using opening shell type machines, e.g. pivoting assemblies
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00551 Top covers or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00554 Latches or hinges therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/1013 with sub-scanning by translatory movement of at least a part of the main-scanning components H04N1/107 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0422 Media holders, covers, supports, backgrounds; Arrangements to facilitate placing of the medium H04N2201/0406 - H04N2201/0412, H04N2201/0434 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0434 specially adapted for scanning pages of a book
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0446 Constructional details not otherwise provided for, e.g. mounting of scanning components H04N2201/0448 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0456 for maintaining a predetermined distance between the scanning elements and the picture-bearing surface

Abstract

A document cover covers a document platen of a housing. The document cover has a cover frame, a document pressing part, and a hinge. The hinge has a first member and a second member. The first member has a rotating shaft and a first fixed part that is mounted on one of the cover frame and the housing. The second member has a fitted part that is fitted rotatably to the rotating shaft, and a second fixed part, which is mounted on the other of the cover frame and the housing. The first member and the second member can change states thereof between a first state in which the first member and the second member can be attached to or detached from each other, and a second state in which the first member and the second member are prevented from being detached from each other.

Claims

1. A document cover for covering a document platen of a housing, the document cover comprising:

a cover frame;

a document pressing part disposed in the cover frame; and

a hinge that is disposed in the cover frame and supports the cover frame rotatably such that the document pressing part opens and closes with respect to the document platen,

wherein the hinge includes;

a first member that has a rotating shaft functioning as a rotating shaft center in the rotational motion of the cover frame, and a first fixed part that is mounted on the cover frame or the housing; and

a second member that has a fitted part that is fitted rotatably to the rotating shaft, and a second fixed part, which is mounted on a side opposite the first fixed part, in the cover frame or the housing,

the first member and the second member being capable of changing states thereof between a first state in which the first member and the second member can be attached to or detached from each other when neither the first fixed part nor the second fixed part is mounted on the cover frame, and a second state in which the first member and the second member are prevented from being detached from each other by fixing either the first fixed part or the second fixed part to the cover frame when the rotating shaft and the fitted part are fitted to each other.

2. The document cover according to claim 1, wherein

the rotating shaft has a beveled part obtained by forming a bevel on a circumferential surface of the rotating shaft along an axial direction thereof,

the fitted part has a cutout part that is formed so as to correspond to a minimum outer diameter part of the rotating shaft that is formed by the beveled part, in a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the rotating shaft, with the cutout part being disposed along the axial direction of the rotating shaft, and

the first member and the second member enter the first state by allowing the beveled part to pass through the cutout part so that the rotating shaft is fitted into the fitted part.

3. The document cover according to claim 1, wherein

the first fixed part is mounted on the cover frame, and

the second fixed part is mounted on the housing.

4. The document cover according to claim 3, wherein

the cover frame has a projection that projects to face the second member, and

the first member and the second member enter the second state as the second member rotates around the rotating shaft and accordingly the projection abuts on the second member.

5. The document cover according to claim 4, wherein

the first member has:

a pair of pivot plates for supporting either end of the rotating shaft;

a supporting plate for connecting the pair of pivot plates in axial direction of the rotating shaft; and

a hole part that is formed in the supporting plate so as to face the cover frame, and wherein

when mounting the first fixed part onto the cover frame, a protruding part of the projection that protrudes through the hole part can be brought into abutment with the second member.

6. The document cover according to claim 4, wherein

the second fixed part has a tip end part, a base end part, and a regulating part that protrudes from the base end part in a direction different from that of the tip end part, with this tip end part being inserted into the housing, and the projection being brought into abutment with the regulating part.

7. An image reader, comprising:

a housing having a document platen;

a document cover for covering the document platen; and

a reading part for reading an image on a document placed on the document platen,

wherein the document cover includes;

a cover frame;

a document pressing part disposed in the cover frame; and

a hinge that is disposed in the cover frame and supports the cover frame rotatably such that the document pressing part opens and closes with respect to the document platen, and wherein

the hinge includes;

a first member that has a rotating shaft functioning as a rotating shaft center in the rotational motion of the cover frame, and a first fixed part that is mounted on the cover frame or the housing; and

a second member that has a fitted part that is fitted rotatably to the rotating shaft, and a second fixed part, which is mounted on a side opposite the first fixed part, in the cover frame or the housing,

the first member and the second member being capable of changing states thereof between a first state in which the first member and the second member can be attached to or detached from each other when neither the first fixed part nor the second fixed part is mounted on the cover frame, and a second state in which the first member and the second member are prevented from being detached from each other by fixing either the first fixed part or the second fixed part to the cover frame when the rotating shaft and the fitted part are fitted to each other.

8. The image reader according to claim 7, wherein

the rotating shaft has a beveled part obtained by forming a bevel on a circumferential surface of the rotating shaft along an axial direction thereof,

the fitted part has a cutout part that is formed so as to correspond to a minimum outer diameter part of the rotating shaft that is formed by the beveled part, in a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the rotating shaft, with the cutout part being disposed along the axial direction of the rotating shaft, and

the first member and the second member enter the first state by allowing the beveled part to pass through the cutout part so that the rotating shaft is fitted into the fitted part.

9. The image reader according to claim 7, wherein

the first fixed part is mounted on the cover frame, and

the second fixed part is mounted on the housing.

10. The image reader according to claim 9, wherein

the cover frame has a projection that projects to face the second member, and

the first member and the second member enter the second state as the second member rotates around the rotating shaft and accordingly the projection abuts on the second member.

11. The image reader according to claim 10, wherein

the first member has:

a pair of pivot plates for supporting either end of the rotating shaft;

a supporting plate for connecting the pair of pivot plates in axial direction of the rotating shaft; and

a hole part that is formed in the supporting plate so as to face the cover frame, and wherein

when mounting the first fixed part onto the cover frame, a protruding part of the projection that protrudes through the hole part can be brought into abutment with the second member.

12. The image reader according to claim 10, wherein

the second fixed part has a tip end part, a base end part, and a regulating part that protrudes from the base end part in a direction different from that of the tip end part, with this tip end part being inserted into the housing, and the projection being brought into abutment with the regulating part.

13. An image forming apparatus, comprising:

a housing having a document platen;

a document cover for covering the document platen;

a reading part for reading an image on a document placed on the document platen; and

an image forming part for forming an image in accordance with the image on the document read by the reading part,

wherein the document cover includes;

a cover frame;

a document pressing part disposed in the cover frame; and

a hinge that is disposed in the cover frame and supports the cover frame rotatably such that the document pressing part opens and closes with respect to the document platen, and wherein

the hinge includes;

a first member that has a rotating shaft functioning as a rotating shaft center in the rotational motion of the cover frame, and a first fixed part that is mounted on the cover frame or the housing; and

a second member that has a fitted part that is fitted rotatably to the rotating shaft, and a second fixed part, which is mounted on a side opposite the first fixed part, in the cover frame or the housing,

the first member and the second member being capable of changing states thereof between a first state in which the first member and the second member can be attached to or detached from each other when neither the first fixed part nor the second fixed part is mounted on the cover frame, and a second state in which the first member and the second member are prevented from being detached from each other by fixing either the first fixed part or the second fixed part to the cover frame when the rotating shaft and the fitted part are fitted to each other.

14. The image forming apparatus according to claim 13, wherein

the rotating shaft has a beveled part obtained by forming a bevel on a circumferential surface of the rotating shaft along an axial direction thereof,

the fitted part has a cutout part that is formed so as to correspond to a minimum outer diameter part of the rotating shaft that is formed by the beveled part, in a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the rotating shaft, with the cutout part being disposed along the axial direction of the rotating shaft, and

the first member and the second member enter the first state by allowing the beveled part to pass through the cutout part so that the rotating shaft is fitted into the fitted part.

15. The image forming apparatus according to claim 13, wherein

the first fixed part is mounted on the cover frame, and

the second fixed part is mounted on the housing.

16. The image forming apparatus according to claim 15, wherein

the cover frame has a projection that projects to face the second member, and

the first member and the second member enter the second state as the second member rotates around the rotating shaft and accordingly the projection abuts on the second member.

17. The image forming apparatus according to claim 16, wherein

the first member has:

a pair of pivot plates for supporting either end of the rotating shaft;

a supporting plate for connecting the pair of pivot plates in axial direction of the rotating shaft; and

a hole part that is formed in the supporting plate so as to face the cover frame, and wherein

when mounting the first fixed part onto the cover frame, a protruding part of the projection that protrudes through the hole part can be brought into abutment with the second member.

18. The image forming apparatus according to claim 16, wherein

the second fixed part has a tip end part, a base end part, and a regulating part that protrudes from the base end part in a direction different from that of the tip end part, with this tip end part being inserted into the housing, and the projection is brought into abutment with the regulating part.