Image Reading Apparatus
AssigneeBrother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsTetsuo ITO, Tsutomu HIDA
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An image reading apparatus may include a cable for connecting a reading device to a controller configured to perform functions and execute instructions. To prevent breakage and stress on the cable, the cable may be fixed to a guide component. For example, the cable may be fixed to the guide component on a first side and be held by the component such that the cable includes a generally U-shaped slacked portion. According to one or more arrangements, the guide component may include an escape portion that allows for the movement of an openable unit of the image reading apparatus. In yet other aspects, the guide component may be attachable/detachable from a main body of the image reading apparatus.
Claims13
An image reading apparatus comprising:
- a main unit including:
- a processing portion;
- and
- a guide portion;
- an openable unit connected to the main unit such that the openable unit pivots around a rotation axis and moves up and down relative to the main unit, the openable unit including:
- a document tray on which a document is placed;
- a feeder configured to feed a document placed on the document tray along a feed path;
- and
- a reading portion disposed facing the feed path and configured to read an image of the document passing through the feed path;
- and
- a flexible flat cable configured to electrically connect the reading portion of the openable unit and the processing portion of the main unit,
- wherein the guide portion is configured to guide the flexible flat cable such that the flexible flat cable follows pivotal or vertical movements of the openable unit, and
- wherein the guide portion includes a rib configured to fix a predetermined portion of the flexible flat cable and to hold a slacked portion of the flexible flat cable in a generally U-shape, wherein the slacked portion is located between the predetermined portion of the flexible flat cable fixed at the rib and the openable unit when viewed from a direction of the rotation axis of the openable unit.
An image reading apparatus comprises:
- a main unit including:
- a main unit-side reading portion;
- a processing portion;
- and
- a guide portion;
- an openable unit connected to the main unit such that the openable unit is pivotable around a rotation axis and moves up and down relative to the main unit, the openable unit including:
- a document tray on which a document is placed;
- and
- a feeder configured to feed a document placed on the document tray along a feed path;
- and
- a flexible flat cable configured to electrically connect the openable unit and the processing portion of the main unit;
- wherein the main unit-side reading portion is disposed facing the feed path and configured to read an image of a document passing through the feed path,
- wherein the guide portion is configured to guide the flexible flat cable such that the flexible flat cable follows pivotal or vertical movements of the openable unit, and
- wherein the guide portion includes a rib configured to fix a predetermined portion of the flexible flat cable and to hold a slacked portion of the flexible flat cable in a generally U-shape, wherein the slacked portion is located between the predetermined position of the flexible flat cable fixed at the rib and the openable unit when viewed from a direction of the rotation axis of the openable unit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.