Image Reading Apparatus

• US 20180091670A1
• Filed: 09/25/2017
• Published: 03/29/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Brother Industries Limited)
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Brother Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Murodate, Yusuke
• Granted Patent: US 10,178,253 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00549 Counter-measures for mechanical vibration not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00554 Latches or hinges therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/1235 Feeding a sheet past a transparent plate; Details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0081 Image reader H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence

Abstract

An image reading apparatus includes a reading unit, a cover, and a hinge mechanism connecting the cover to the reading unit pivotably about a pivot axis which extends in a first direction. A center of gravity of the cover is closer to a first end of the cover in a first direction than to a second end of the cover. A first hinge is spaced from the center of gravity toward the second end of the cover in the first direction. A second hinge is disposed closer to the center of gravity in the first direction than the first hinge. The first hinge includes a base member disposed movably in the reading unit, a pivot member coupled to the cover, and an urging member exerting an urging force between the base member and the pivot member so as to maintain the cover at a pivoted position.

Claims

1. An image reading apparatus comprising:

a reading unit including;

a support surface configured to support a document thereon; and

a reading sensor configured to read an image of the document supported on the support surface;

a cover including a conveying unit, the conveying unit being disposed above the reading unit and configured to convey a document to the reading sensor, the cover being pivotable about a pivot axis between a closed position and an open position relative to the support surface, the pivot axis extending in a first direction, and the cover including a first end and a second end in the first direction, the second end being opposite to the first end in the first direction;

a hinge mechanism connecting the cover to the reading unit pivotably about the pivot axis, the hinge mechanism including a first hinge which includes;

a base member movably disposed in the reading unit, the base member being movable in a second direction orthogonal to the support surface; and

a pivot member supported by the base member pivotably about the pivot axis and coupled to the cover,

wherein the conveying unit and a center of gravity of the cover are both closer to the first end of the cover in the first direction than to the second end of the cover,

wherein the first hinge is spaced from the center of gravity toward the second end of the cover in the first direction, and the hinge mechanism further includes a second hinge disposed closer to the center of gravity in the first direction than the first hinge, and

wherein the first hinge further includes an urging member configured to exert an urging force between the base member and the pivot member so as to maintain the cover at a pivoted positon between the closed position and the open position.

2. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the cover further includes, in a third direction, a third end and a fourth end, the third direction being orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction, the third end being farther from the pivot axis than the fourth end, and the cover including a handle disposed at the third end,

wherein the first hinge is disposed between, in the first direction, a center of the handle and the second end of the cover, and

wherein the center of gravity of the cover and the second hinge are both disposed between, in the first direction, the center of the handle and the first end of the cover.

3. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the hinge mechanism further includes a third hinge, and

wherein the first hinge is disposed between the center of gravity of the cover and the third hinge in the first direction.

4. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a stopper unit disposed between the reading unit and the cover and configured to stop the cover, located at the closed position, from rotating along the support surface.

5. The image reading apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the stopper unit includes a stopper, the first hinge being disposed between the stopper and the center of gravity in the first direction.

6. The image reading apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the stopper includes:

a protrusion disposed at the reading unit and protruding in a third direction toward the pivot axis, the third direction being orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction, and

a contact surface disposed at the cover at a position adjacent to the pivot axis, the contact surface being configured to, when the cover is at the closed position, contact the protrusion in the third direction.

7. The image reading apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the stopper unit includes a stopper, the base member of the first hinge being disposed between the center of gravity of the cover and the stopper in the first direction, the stopper including:

a protrusion disposed at the reading unit and protruding in a third direction toward the pivot axis, the third direction being orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction, and

a contact surface disposed at the pivot member of the first hinge and configured to, when the cover is at the closed position, contact the protrusion of the stopper in the third direction.

8. The image reading apparatus according to claim 4,

wherein the stopper unit includes a stopper, the center of gravity of the cover being located between the stopper and the first hinge in the first direction, the stopper including:

a first engaging portion disposed at the reading unit; and

a second engaging portion disposed at the cover and configured to, when the cover is at the closed position, engage the first engaging portion,

wherein when the cover is at the closed position, one of the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion protrudes in the second direction, and the other of the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion is recessed in the second direction.