IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,705,149
Granted Patent B2
US 8,705,149 · App. 14/015,366 · Granted Apr 22, 2014

Image reading apparatus

Inventor: Daisuke Kozaki (Kiyosu, JP)
Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,705,149
App. No.
14/015,366
Granted
Apr 22, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

An image reading apparatus configured to reduce a force required for moving a document cover to an open position is provided. The image reading apparatus includes a document table having a top surface and a reading area and a document cover that is configured to pivot, around an axis extending in a first direction, between a closed position and an open position. The document cover includes a sheet. The top surface has a marginal area which is located outside of a reading area on a side opposite to the axis. The marginal area includes a contact area and a non-contact area which are arranged in the first direction. When the document cover is in the closed position, the top surface in the contact area contacts the sheet, and the top surface in the non-contact area does not contact the sheet.

Claims (49)

1. An image reading apparatus comprising:

a document table having a reading area, the document table having a top surface on which a document is to be placed;

an image reader disposed under the document table, the image reader being configured to read an image of the document placed in the reading area of the document table; and

a document cover configured to pivot around an axis extending in a first direction relative to the document table between a closed position where the top surface of the document table is covered and an open position where the top surface of the document table is exposed, the document cover including a document table contacting member, the document table contacting member being configured to have face-to-face contact with the top surface of the document table at least in the reading area when the document cover is in the closed position,

wherein the top surface of the document table has a marginal area which is located outside of the reading area on a side opposite to a side where the document cover pivots around the axis,

wherein the marginal area of the top surface of the document table includes a first contact area, a second contact area and a non-contact area,

wherein, when the document cover is in the closed position, the document table contacting member of the document cover contacts the top surface of the document table in the first contact area and the second contact area and does not contact the top surface of the document table in the non-contact area,

wherein the non-contact area is disposed between the first contact area and the second contact area such that the first contact area, the non-contact area, and the second contact area are arranged in the first direction,

wherein the document cover further includes a handle portion disposed on the side opposite to the side where the document cover pivots around the axis and the handle portion extends in the first direction, and

wherein, when the document cover is in the closed position, the non-contact area disposed between the first contact area and the second contact area is located in an area corresponding to a length of the handle portion in the first direction.

2. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the document cover contacting member has a cutout corresponding to the non-contact area.

3. The image reading apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the document cover contacting member further includes a further cutout that is symmetrically opposite to the cutout corresponding to the non-contact area with respect to a center of the document cover contacting member.

4. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the document cover contacting member has an upward recess corresponding to the non-contact area.

5. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the document cover further includes a cushion disposed facing the document cover contacting member on an opposite side of the top surface of the document table when the document cover is in the closed position.

6. An image reading apparatus comprising:

a document table having a reading area, the document table having a top surface on which a document is to be placed;

an image reader disposed under the document table, the image reader being configured to read an image of the document placed in the reading area of the document table; and

a document cover configured to pivot around an axis extending in a first direction relative to the document table between a closed position where the top surface of the document table is covered and an open position where the top surface of the document table is exposed, the document cover including a document table contacting member, the document table contacting member being configured to have face-to-face contact with the top surface of the document table at least in the reading area when the document cover is in the closed position,

wherein the top surface of the document table has a marginal area which is located outside of the reading area on a side opposite to a side where the document cover pivots around the axis,

wherein the marginal area of the top surface of the document table includes a first contact area, a second contact area and a non-contact area,

wherein, when the document cover is in the closed position, the document table contacting member of the document cover contacts the top surface of the document table in the first contact area and the second contact area and does not contact the top surface of the document table in the non-contact area,

wherein the non-contact area is disposed between the first contact area and the second contact area such that the first contact area, the non-contact area, and the second contact area are arranged in the first direction, and

wherein the non-contact area disposed between the first contact area and the second contact area is located in a central portion of the marginal area in the first direction.

7. The image reading apparatus according to claim 6 ,

wherein the document cover further includes a handle portion disposed on the side opposite to the side where the document cover pivots around the axis and the handle portion extends in the first direction, and

wherein, when the document cover is in the closed position, the non-contact area disposed between the first contact area and the second contact area is located in the central portion of the marginal area corresponding to a length of the handle portion in the first direction.

8. The image reading apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the document cover contacting member has a cutout corresponding to the non-contact area.

9. The image reading apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the document cover contacting member further includes a further cutout that is symmetrically opposite to the cutout corresponding to the non-contact area with respect to a center of the document cover contacting member.

10. The image reading apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the document cover contacting member has an upward recess corresponding to the non-contact area.

11. The image reading apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the document cover further includes a cushion disposed facing the document cover contacting member on an opposite side of the top surface of the document table when the document cover is in the closed position.

12. An image reading apparatus comprising:

a document table having a reading area, the document table having a top surface on which a document is to be placed;

an image reader disposed under the document table, the image reader being configured to read an image of the document placed in the reading area of the document table; and

a document cover configured to pivot around an axis extending in a first direction relative to the document table between a closed position where the top surface of the document table is covered and an open position where the top surface of the document table is exposed, the document cover including a document table contacting member, the document table contacting member being configured to have face-to-face contact with the top surface of the document table at least in the reading area when the document cover is in the closed position,

wherein the top surface of the document table has a marginal area which is located outside of the reading area on a side opposite to a side where the document cover pivots around the axis,

wherein the marginal area of the top surface of the document table includes a first contact area, a second contact area and a non-contact area,

wherein, when the document cover is in the closed position, the document table contacting member of the document cover contacts the top surface of the document table in the first contact area and the second contact area and does not contact the top surface of the document table in the non-contact area,

wherein the non-contact area is disposed between the first contact area and the second contact area such that the first contact area, the non-contact area, and the second contact area are arranged in the first direction,

wherein, when the document cover is in the closed position, the document table contacting member of the document cover has an edge extending in the first direction and overlapping the marginal area and the edge of the document table contacting member of the document cover includes first and second edge portions and a recessed portion disposed between the first and second edge portions in the first direction and being recessed relative to the first and second edge portions,

wherein, when the document cover is in the closed position, the first contact area and the second contact area are disposed along the edge of the document table contacting member of the document cover, and

wherein, when the document cover is in the closed position, the non-contact area disposed between the first contact area and the second contact area is disposed in the recessed portion of the edge.

13. The image reading apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein, when the document cover is in the closed position, the non-contact area disposed between the first contact area and the second contact area is located in a central portion of the edge in the first direction.

14. The image reading apparatus according to claim 12 ,

wherein the document cover further includes a handle portion disposed on the side opposite to the side where the document cover pivots around the axis and the handle portion extends in the first direction, and

wherein, when the document cover is in the closed position, the non-contact area disposed between the first contact area and the second contact area is located in a central portion of the edge overlapping a length of the handle portion in the first direction.

15. The image reading apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the document cover contacting member has a cutout corresponding to the non-contact area when the document cover is in the closed position.

16. The image reading apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the document cover contacting member further includes a further cutout that is symmetrically opposite to the cutout corresponding to the non-contact area with respect to a center of the document cover contacting member.

17. The image reading apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the document cover contacting member has an upward recess corresponding to the non-contact area.

18. The image reading apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the document cover further includes a cushion disposed facing the document cover contacting member on an opposite side of the top surface of the document table when the document cover is in the closed position.

Priority Claims (1)
JP 2009-294366 · Dec 25, 2009 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation 12889906 · Sep 24, 2010
Related Publication 20140002870A1 · Jan 2, 2014