IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,559,332
Granted Patent B2
US 12,559,332 · App. 18/463,035 · Granted Feb 24, 2026

Image reading device

Inventor: Seiji Tezuka (Kitakyushu, JP)
Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
B65H5/062B65H5/36H04N1/00615B65H2402/441B65H2404/6111
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,559,332
App. No.
18/463,035
Granted
Feb 24, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An image reading device includes an inner roller and an outer roller in a curved path, and a path forming member that forms an outer side of a first path portion when a path portion extending downstream in a conveying direction from a nip position between the inner roller and the outer roller in the curved path is defined as the first path portion, wherein a support portion that supports a trailing end of a medium is provided on a lateral side of the outer roller in a swing member that rotatably supports the outer roller, and the support portion protrudes further inward of the curved path than the path forming member in the first path portion.

Claims (53)

1 . An Image reading device comprising:

an inversion path including a curved path that inverts a medium while curving the medium;

an inner roller that is provided on an inner side of the curved path and conveys the medium downstream in a conveying direction thereof;

an outer roller that is provided on an outer side of the curved path and nips the medium with the inner roller;

a first reading portion that is located downstream in the conveying direction from the inner roller and the outer roller and reads an image on the medium;

a swing member that is a member rotatably supporting the outer roller, is swingable, and swings to move the outer roller closer to and away from the inner roller;

a path forming member that forms an outer side of a first path portion when a path portion of the curved path extending downstream in the conveying direction from the nip position between the inner roller and the outer roller is defined as the first path portion;

a first unit that forms the inner side of the inversion path and includes the inner roller;

a second unit that forms the outer side of the inversion path and retracts with respect to the first unit to open a part of the inversion path; and

a third unit that forms the outer side of the inversion path downstream from the second unit in the conveying direction, includes the path forming member, and is provided rotatably around a first rotation shaft to be movable closer to and away from the first unit, wherein

a part of a circumferential surface of the inner roller forms an inner side of the first path portion, a support portion that supports a trailing end of the medium that is out of the nip position is provided in the swing member laterally with respect to the outer roller in a width direction that is a direction intersecting the conveying direction, and the support portion protrudes further inward of the curved path than the path forming member in the first path portion,

the swing member is rotatably provided in the third unit via a second rotation shaft,

the second unit is configured to apply a pressing force to the support portion in accordance with an opening operation thereof,

the swing member is rotatable in a direction in which the outer roller moves away from the inner roller by receiving a force from the second unit, and

the third unit is rotatable in a retracting direction with respect to the first unit by receiving a force from the swing member in accordance with the opening operation of the second unit.

2 . The image reading device according to claim 1 , wherein

the support portions are provided on both sides of the outer roller in the width direction.

3 . The image reading device according to claim 2 ,

wherein the support portions protrude further inward of the first path portion than the path forming member.

4 . The image reading device according to claim 3 , wherein

the support portions extend to a downstream end of the swing member in the conveying direction.

5 . The image reading device according to claim 3 , wherein

the first path portion extends from the nip position to a position advanced, from the nip position, by an angle of 30° downstream in the conveying direction around a rotation axis center of the inner roller.

6 . The image reading device according to claim 3 , wherein

a maximum value of a clearance between the support portion and the circumferential surface of the inner roller in the first path portion is equal to or less than twice the clearance at the nip position.

7 . An Image reading device comprising:

an inversion path including a curved path that inverts a medium while curving the medium;

an inner roller that is provided on an inner side of the curved path and conveys the medium downstream in a conveying direction thereof;

an outer roller that is provided on an outer side of the curved path and nips the medium with the inner roller;

a first reading portion that is located downstream in the conveying direction from the inner roller and the outer roller and reads an image on the medium;

a swing member that is a member rotatably supporting the outer roller, is swingable, and swings to move the outer roller closer to and away from the inner roller; and

a path forming member that forms an outer side of a first path portion when a path portion of the curved path extending downstream in the conveying direction from the nip position between the inner roller and the outer roller is defined as the first path portion, wherein

a part of a circumferential surface of the inner roller forms an inner side of the first path portion, a support portion that supports a trailing end of the medium that is out of the nip position is provided in the swing member laterally with respect to the outer roller in a width direction that is a direction intersecting the conveying direction, and the support portion protrudes further inward of the curved path than the path forming member in the first path portion,

the support portion serves as a first support portion, and the swing member integrally includes a second support portion that supports the trailing end of the medium at a position downstream from the outer roller in the conveying direction and on a lateral side of the first support portion in the width direction,

the second support portion does not protrude further inward of the curved path than the first support portion, and

the second support portion includes a plurality of ribs disposed at intervals in the width direction.

8 . The image reading device according to claim 1 , wherein

the support portion includes a rib extending along the conveying direction.

9 . The image reading device according to claim 1 , wherein

the support portion is configured by a deformable member that is deformable by coming into contact with the medium.

10 . An Image reading device comprising:

an inversion path including a curved path that inverts a medium while curving the medium;

an inner roller that is provided on an inner side of the curved path and conveys the medium downstream in a conveying direction thereof;

an outer roller that is provided on an outer side of the curved path and nips the medium with the inner roller;

a first reading portion that is located downstream in the conveying direction from the inner roller and the outer roller and reads an image on the medium;

a swing member that is a member rotatably supporting the outer roller, is swingable, and swings to move the outer roller closer to and away from the inner roller; and

a path forming member that forms an outer side of a first path portion when a path portion of the curved path extending downstream in the conveying direction from the nip position between the inner roller and the outer roller is defined as the first path portion, wherein

a part of a circumferential surface of the inner roller forms an inner side of the first path portion, a support portion that supports a trailing end of the medium that is out of the nip position is provided in the swing member laterally with respect to the outer roller in a width direction that is a direction intersecting the conveying direction, and the support portion protrudes further inward of the curved path than the path forming member in the first path portion, and

the support portion is configured by a driven roller configured to be driven to rotate by coming into contact with the medium.

11 . The image reading device according to claim 1 , wherein

the first reading portion is located outside the inversion path and includes a pressing portion at a position on an inner side of the inversion path and facing the first reading portion with the inversion path interposed therebetween, the pressing portion being configured to move closer to and away from the first reading portion and to press the medium toward the first reading portion,

a protruding portion of a unit frame that regulates movement of the medium in a direction away from the first reading portion is provided downstream from the pressing portion in the conveying direction, and

a driven roller that guides the medium to a top portion of the regulating portion is provided between the pressing portion and the regulating portion in the conveying direction.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 20, 2023
From: TEZUKA, SEIJI
To: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 064973/0154 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2022-143020 · Sep 8, 2022 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240083701A1 · Mar 14, 2024
References Cited (4)
US 8387979B2 · Nagura · 2013 [cited by examiner]
US 9776817B2 · Matsumoto · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 10647534B2 · Nakata · 2020 [cited by examiner]
JP 2004175534A · 2004 [cited by applicant]