JPH04264542A - Optical reader - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To lock an optical reading unit at the time of transportation by providing a locking means to be operated while inter locking with the opening/closing action of an original cover in an optical reader main body. CONSTITUTION:In the optical reader to optically read an original placed on an original platen, the optical reading unit 7 which is a main part of the optical reader and reads the original optically is locked by using a locking means to be operated while inter locking with the opening/closing moving of the original cover 2 which is supported to freely open/close and presses the original placed on the original platen.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical reading device used in copying machines, scanners, etc., and particularly to locking of an optical reading unit, which is a main part of the optical reading device, during transportation of the optical reading device. It is.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional locking mechanism for an optical reading unit is known in which the optical reading unit is locked from the outside using a fixing screw or the like.

0003

In the conventional method using fixing screws, the optical reading unit may be damaged due to forgetting to remove the fixing screw, and the work of tightening the screws becomes a burden on the operator.

0004

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention eliminates the drawbacks of the above-mentioned conventional example, and provides an optical reading unit, which is a main part of an optical reading device, in conjunction with the opening/closing operation of a document holding lid supported so as to be openable and closable. A locking means is used to lock the

[0005]

[Operation] The present invention locks an optical reading unit, which is a main part of an optical reading device, using a locking means that is linked to the closing operation of a document holding lid that is supported so as to be openable and closable, and releases the lock when the document holding cover is opened. .

[0006]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6. 1, 2, and 3 show an optical reading device equipped with a locking device for an optical reading unit according to the present invention, where 1 is the optical reading device main body, and 2 is rotatably supported by a pivot shaft. Document holding lid, 3 is the optical reading device main body 1
The lock shaft is supported by a frame 17 so as to be movable up and down, and its tip is shaped to engage with a hole 4a provided in a lock plate 4 fixed to an optical reading unit 7, which will be described later. It is movably attached to the hole 18. Reference numeral 16 denotes a retaining ring attached to the lock shaft 3, which restricts the upward movable range of the lock shaft 3. A spring 5 has one end in contact with the frame 17 and the other end in contact with the head of the lock shaft 3, and the lock shaft 3 is biased upward by the action of the spring 5. FIG. 2 shows the document holding lid 2 in an open state. In this state, the lock shaft 3 is held by the spring 5.
It is pushed upward by the locking ring 16 and is locked by the retaining ring 16. FIG. 3 shows the document holding lid 2 in a closed state. In this state, the lock shaft 3 is pushed down by the document holding lid 2, and the tip of the lock shaft 3 engages with the hole 4a of the lock plate 4. ing. Reference numeral 6 denotes a switch that detects the open/closed state of the document holding lid 2, and is turned on when the document holding lid 2 is open. Reference numeral 7 denotes an optical reading unit consisting of a lens, a mirror, a photoelectric conversion element, etc. (not shown), which is movably supported by a drive motor 10, a transmission means such as a belt 11, using a guide shaft 12 as a guide, and is placed on a document table. Read the original placed on the .

Next, the position of the optical reading unit will be explained based on FIG. 4. A is the normal standby position (
B is the lock position (lock position), and C is the reading end position. 13 is a position detector H that detects the home position A of the optical reading unit 7;
, 14 is a position detector L for detecting the lock position B of the optical reading unit 7, and 15 is a reset switch for moving the optical reading unit 7 from the home position A to the lock position B. Normally, the optical reading unit 7 is moved to the right in the direction of arrow D from the home position A to read the document, and then returns to the home position A again from the reading end position C. In the case of locking, the optical reading unit 7 is moved to the lock position B in response to a signal from the reset switch 15, and the document holding lid 2 is closed and locked.

Next, the configuration of the circuit will be explained based on FIG. 5. Reference numeral 19 denotes a control circuit unit which generates a signal by turning on the reading start switch 20 according to a control procedure stored in a system memory (not shown), for example, the flowchart shown in FIG.
Position detector H detects the normal position of the optical reading unit
13, the reset switch 15 is artificially turned on.
A signal generated by opening the document holding cover, a signal generated by the ON operation of the cover open/close switch 6, and a position detector L that detects that the optical reading unit is in the locked position.
14, drive motor 10, optical reading unit 7, "Please open the lid" and "Please close the lid".
The reading operation and locking and unlocking of the optical reading unit 7 are controlled by driving the display 21 that displays .

Next, the operations of this embodiment, that is, the reading operation, locking operation, and unlocking operation will be explained according to the flowchart of FIG. First, read and lock operations will be explained. The initial state is such that the power switch is on, the document holding lid 2 is closed, and the optical reading unit 7 is at home position A. The position detector L detects whether the optical reading unit 7 is in the lock position B (step 1). in this case"
Therefore, it is detected whether the home position is A (step 2). Next, in step 2, since the answer is "yes" in this case, the process moves to step 6. Here, if "no", the optical reading unit 7 is moved by the drive motor 10.
to return to home position A (step 4). In step 6, the system waits for a command. At this point, turn on the reading start switch 20 to read the original (step 7)
. In the above state (step 6), reset switch 1
When the reset signal from 5 is input, the switch 6 detects the open/closed state of the document holding lid 2 (step 8). In this case, since the document holding lid 2 is closed, a message "Please open the lid" is displayed (step 9), and the process returns to step 8. Based on the above display, when the operator opens the document holding lid 2, it is identified in step 8 that the document holding lid 2 is open, and in step 10, the optical reading unit 7
When the optical reading unit 7 is moved to the lock position B by the drive motor 10, the optical reading unit 7 is stopped by a signal from the position detector L14. At this point, the message "Please close the lid" is displayed (step 11), and when the original holding lid 2 is closed, the original holding lid 2 presses the lock shaft 3 downward while resisting the spring 5, and the tip part is moved to the lock plate 4. It engages with the hole 4a. In other words, the left and right sides of the optical reading unit 7 are blocked (see FIG. 3).
. In this state, turn off the power switch and transport the device. As described above, locking is performed by semi-automatic operation including manual operation of the reset switch.

Next, the unlocking operation will be explained. In the initial state, the power switch is on, the document holding lid 2 is closed, and the optical reading unit 7 is in lock position B. As described above, the position detector L14 detects whether the optical reading unit 7 is in the lock position B (step 1).
). In this case, the optical reading unit 7 is in lock position B.
, the next step is to detect the open/closed state of the document holding lid 2 (
Step 3). When the document holding lid 2 is opened, the optical reading unit 7 is moved to the home position A by the drive motor 10 and stopped at the home position A by the position detector H13 (step 5). The subsequent operations are similar to those described above. As described above, unlocking is automatically performed by opening the document holding lid 2.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned example. For example, when the document holding lid is closed, the lock pin interlocking with the document holding lid and the lock plate fixed to the optical reading unit are moved to the home position. This is an optical reading device that is mechanically locked in position A. If you turn on the power switch even with the document holding lid closed, the lock plate will be activated by electrical action and the lock will be released, allowing optical reading work. Also, when the device is being transported, the electrical force acting on the lock plate disappears by turning off the power switch, and the mechanical force of the spring is activated to lock the device.

0012

Since the present invention is constructed as described above, it is possible to prevent damage to the optical reading unit due to forgetting to remove the lock screw, and also to reduce the burden of locking work.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a conceptual perspective view showing an optical reading device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the main parts of the optical reading device of the present invention, showing a state in which the lid is open.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the main parts of the optical reading device of the present invention, showing the lid in a closed state.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the position of the optical reading unit of the optical reading device of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a circuit configuration diagram of an optical reading device of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart diagram of the optical reading device of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1. Optical reading device body 2　Original holding lid 3 Lock shaft 4 Lock plate 7 Optical reading unit

Claims (2)

[Claims] Claim 1: In an optical reading device that reads a document placed on a document placing table, the document holding cover is supported to be openable and closable and presses the document placed on the document placing table, and an optical reading device is provided. The main part of the device is an optical reading unit that optically reads a document, and a locking means that is linked to the opening/closing operation of the document holding lid, and the optical reading unit is locked by the opening/closing operation of the document holding cover. Optical reading device. 2. The locking means of the optical reading unit has a lock shaft that moves up and down in conjunction with the opening and closing operations of the document holding lid, and a lock hole that is fixed to the optical reading unit and that engages with the tip of the lock shaft. 2. The optical reading device according to claim 1, further comprising a lock plate.