US 12,297,064 B1Granted

Image reading device

AssigneeSeiko Epson Corporation

InventorsKeita Fuji, Kazuhito Noda

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Abstract

An image reading device includes an original-document support portion configured to support an original document to be fed, and an expansion support portion configured to be able to be expanded from and accommodated in the original-document support portion. The expansion support portion includes a first expansion portion extending along a width direction that is a direction intersecting an original-document feeding direction in a state of being accommodated in the original-document support portion, and a second expansion portion configured to be able to be accommodated in and expanded from the first expansion portion, the second expansion portion extending along the width direction in a state in which the expansion support portion is accommodated.

Claims3

Dependent claims

An image reading device comprising:

a device main body including a reading unit configured to read an image at an original document that is conveyed;
an original-document support portion disposed upstream of the reading unit and configured to support the original document that is to be fed;
and
an expansion support portion configured to be accommodated in and expanded from the original-document support portion, wherein
the expansion support portion is expanded from the original-document support portion to support, together with the original-document support portion,
the original document to be fed, wherein
the expansion support portion includes:
a first expansion portion extending along a width direction, wherein
the width direction is a direction intersecting an original-document feeding direction,
the first expansion portion extends along the width direction in a state of being accommodated in the original-document support portion, and
the first expansion portion being configured to rotate relative to the original-document support portion, thereby being expanded from and accommodated in the original-document support portion;
a second expansion portion extending along the width direction in a state where the expansion support portion is accommodated in the original-document support portion, wherein
the second expansion portion being configured to be accommodated in and expanded from the first expansion portion;
and
a third expansion portion configured to be accommodated in and expanded from the second expansion portion, the third expansion portion extending along the width direction in a state in which the expansion support portion is accommodated, wherein
the second expansion portion is further configured to rotate relative to the first expansion portion, the second expansion portion being expanded from and accommodated in the first expansion portion, and
the third expansion portion is further configured to rotate relative to the second expansion portion, the third expansion portion being expanded from and accommodated in the second expansion portion, wherein
the image reading device further comprises two of the expansion support portions sandwiching a center position, in the width direction, of the original-document support portion,
when the original-document support portion is viewed from a front, the expansion support portion at a right side relative to the center position is referred to as a right-side expansion support portion,
the expansion support portion at a left side relative to the center position is referred to as a left-side expansion support portion,
the right-side expansion support portion extends right upward toward upstream in the original-document feeding direction in an extended state,
the left-side expansion support portion extends left upward toward upstream in the original-document feeding direction in an extended state, and
a free end of the third expansion portion is exposed in a half-expanded state, wherein
in the half-expanded state the first expansion portion is expanded, and the second expansion portion and the third expansion portion are accommodated in the right-side expansion support portion and the left-side expansion support portion,
in the left-side expansion support portion, by displacing, in the half-expanded state, the free end of the third expansion portion in a first direction that is a direction away from the right-side expansion support portion, the second expansion portion and the third expansion portion are expanded in a region at a side of the first direction relative to a center of rotation of the second expansion portion, and
in the right-side expansion support portion, by displacing, in the half-expanded state, the free end of the third expansion portion in a second direction that is a direction away from the left-side expansion support portion, the second expansion portion and the third expansion portion are expanded in a region at a side of the second direction relative to the center of rotation of the second expansion portion.

23 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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Abstract

An image reading device comprising:

a device main body including a reading unit configured to read an image at an original document that is conveyed;
an original-document support portion disposed upstream of the reading unit and configured to support the original document that is to be fed;
and
an expansion support portion configured to be accommodated in and expanded from the original-document support portion, wherein
the expansion support portion is expanded from the original-document support portion to support, together with the original-document support portion,
the original document to be fed, wherein
the expansion support portion includes:
a first expansion portion extending along a width direction, wherein
the width direction is a direction intersecting an original-document feeding direction,
the first expansion portion extends along the width direction in a state of being accommodated in the original-document support portion, and
the first expansion portion being configured to rotate relative to the original-document support portion, thereby being expanded from and accommodated in the original-document support portion;
a second expansion portion extending along the width direction in a state where the expansion support portion is accommodated in the original-document support portion, wherein
the second expansion portion being configured to be accommodated in and expanded from the first expansion portion;
and
a third expansion portion configured to be accommodated in and expanded from the second expansion portion, the third expansion portion extending along the width direction in a state in which the expansion support portion is accommodated, wherein
the second expansion portion is further configured to rotate relative to the first expansion portion, the second expansion portion being expanded from and accommodated in the first expansion portion, and
the third expansion portion is further configured to rotate relative to the second expansion portion, the third expansion portion being expanded from and accommodated in the second expansion portion, wherein
the image reading device further comprises two of the expansion support portions sandwiching a center position, in the width direction, of the original-document support portion,
when the original-document support portion is viewed from a front, the expansion support portion at a right side relative to the center position is referred to as a right-side expansion support portion,
the expansion support portion at a left side relative to the center position is referred to as a left-side expansion support portion,
the right-side expansion support portion extends right upward toward upstream in the original-document feeding direction in an extended state,
the left-side expansion support portion extends left upward toward upstream in the original-document feeding direction in an extended state, and
a free end of the third expansion portion is exposed in a half-expanded state, wherein
in the half-expanded state the first expansion portion is expanded, and the second expansion portion and the third expansion portion are accommodated in the right-side expansion support portion and the left-side expansion support portion,
in the left-side expansion support portion, by displacing, in the half-expanded state, the free end of the third expansion portion in a first direction that is a direction away from the right-side expansion support portion, the second expansion portion and the third expansion portion are expanded in a region at a side of the first direction relative to a center of rotation of the second expansion portion, and
in the right-side expansion support portion, by displacing, in the half-expanded state, the free end of the third expansion portion in a second direction that is a direction away from the left-side expansion support portion, the second expansion portion and the third expansion portion are expanded in a region at a side of the second direction relative to the center of rotation of the second expansion portion.

23 more elements