# US 12,113,943 B2 · Image reading and printing apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,113,943 B2 - Document ID: US12113943B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/523,848 - Filed: 2021-11-10 - Published: 2022-06-30 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2020-12-28 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Kazuyuki Morinaga - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12113943B2 ## CPC - H04N 1/00525: {Providing a more compact apparatus, e.g. sheet discharge tray in cover} - B41J 29/02: Framework - B41J 29/13: Cases or covers - B41J 29/38: Drives, motors, controls or automatic cut-off devices for the entire printing mechanism - H04N 1/00557: {Connection or assembly of components or elements (H04N1/00538 takes precedence)} - H04N 1/00559: {Mounting or support of components or elements (H04N1/00538 takes precedence)} - H04N 1/0057: {Conveying sheets before or after scanning (arrangements for conveying sheets as part of the scanning operation H04N1/04 and subgroups)} - H04N 1/04: Scanning arrangements {, i.e. arrangements for the displacement of active reading or reproducing elements relative to the original or reproducing medium, or vice versa}(H04N1/387 takes precedence) - H04N 1/02895: {Additional elements in the illumination means or cooperating with the illumination means, e.g. filters (H04N1/02885 takes precedence; optical elements other than lenses per se G02B5/00)} - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS ## Abstract In a reading device part, a scan motor that moves a sensor unit relative to a document is accommodated in an accommodating portion protruding from the bottom surface of the reading device part toward a printing device part. A carriage in the printing device part and the accommodating portion are arranged so as to face each other in a direction crossing the scan direction of the carriage at the same height in the vertical direction. A flexible member connected to the carriage moves and follows the carriage on a lower side relative to the accommodating portion. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A printing apparatus having a housing including a printing device and a reading device placed on an upper side of the printing device in a vertical direction, the printing device comprising: a carriage mounted with a printing unit capable of printing an image and configured to move reciprocally over a print medium conveyed in a first direction in a second direction crossing the first direction; a flexible member configured to move and follow the carriage; and a tank for containing a printing agent to be used by the printing unit, the reading device comprising: a sensor unit configured to read an image of an original copy; and a driving unit configured to move the sensor unit relative to the original copy, wherein the driving unit occupies an accommodating region protruding from a bottom surface of the reading device toward the printing device, part of the flexible member overlaps with the accommodating region in the first direction on a lower side of the accommodating region in the vertical direction, and part of the tank is located within the housing and overlaps with the accommodating region in the second direction on a lower side of the accommodating region in the vertical direction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a restriction member that restricts sticking of the flexible member is arranged on the lower side of the accommodating region in the vertical direction. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in a state where the carriage is present on the tank side in the second direction, the accommodating region overlaps with part of the carriage in the second direction, and wherein the accommodating region occupies a part of an upper portion of a region in which the carriage moves and a part of a region adjacent to an upper portion of the tank in the first direction. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The printing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a lower surface of the tank is present on a lower side in the vertical direction relative to a lower surface of the printing unit. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The printing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein an upper side surface of the tank faces the accommodating region in the first direction, and a lower side surface of the tank overlaps with the accommodating region in the first direction. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The printing apparatus according to claim 1, including an accommodating portion forming the accommodating region, wherein a coupling portion that couples the flexible member to the carriage is arranged on a lower side in the vertical direction relative to the accommodating portion, and the flexible member extends along such a route as to extend in the second direction from the coupling portion toward the accommodating portion and make a U-turn in the vertical direction. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the flexible member is a tube through which to supply a printing agent to the printing unit. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reading device further comprises a driving pulley coupled to the driving unit, a driven pulley arranged away from the driving pulley in a direction of movement of the sensor unit, and a belt which is wound around the driving pulley and the driven pulley and to which the sensor unit is attached, and the accommodating region is arranged at a position closer to the driving pulley than to the driven pulley. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the driving unit moves along with the sensor unit in the first direction, and the accommodating region extends in the first direction so as to include a region in which the driving unit moves. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a conveyance unit configured to convey the original copy to the reading device is further placed on the reading device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the printing unit is an inkjet print head that ejects an ink according to print data.