# US 2021/0243316 A1 · Image reading apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0243316 A1 - Document ID: US20210243316A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/164,426 - Filed: 2021-02-01 - Published: 2021-08-05 - Earliest claimed: 2020-02-03 - Assignees: Seiko Epson Corporation - Applicants: Seiko Epson Corporation - Inventors: Seiji TEZUKA; Keiichiro FUKUMASU; Hidenori HARADA; Tomoyuki MOKUO - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210243316A1 ## CPC - H04N 1/00525: {Providing a more compact apparatus, e.g. sheet discharge tray in cover} - H04N 1/00562: {Supporting the apparatus as a whole, e.g. stands} - H04N 1/00535: {using rotatably mounted or foldable components} - H04N 1/00551: {Top covers or the like} - H04N 1/00559: {Mounting or support of components or elements (H04N1/00538 takes precedence)} - H04N 1/00602: {Feed rollers} - H04N 1/00615: {Guiding elements, e.g. plates} - H04N 1/00628: {Separating, e.g. preventing feeding of two sheets at a time} - H04N 1/00795: {Reading arrangements (details of scanning heads H04N1/024; scanning arrangements therefor H04N1/04)} - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract An image reading apparatus includes a support section in contact with a mounting surface on which the apparatus is mounted, an apparatus body including a reader, the apparatus body, and a position holding section. The position of the apparatus body can be switched between a first position in which the apparatus body is not in use and a second position in which the apparatus body reads a document using the reader, and in which a projected area of the apparatus body on the mounting surface is larger than that in the first position, and the center of gravity of the apparatus body is lower than or equal to a rotation axis center of the apparatus body in a vertical direction viewed in a rotation axis direction of the apparatus body when the apparatus body is in the first position or in the second position. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image reading apparatus comprising: a support section in contact with a mounting surface on which the apparatus is mounted; an apparatus body including a reader configured to read a document, the apparatus body being configured to be turned with respect to the support section for position change; and a position holding section for holding a position of the apparatus body with respect to the support section, wherein the position of the apparatus body can be switched between a first position in which the apparatus body is not in use and a second position in which the apparatus body reads a document using the reader, and in which a projected area of the apparatus body on the mounting surface is larger than that in the first position, and the center of gravity of the apparatus body is lower than or equal to a rotation axis center of the apparatus body in a vertical direction viewed in a rotation axis direction of the apparatus body when the apparatus body is in the first position or in the second position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the apparatus body is in the first position, the center of gravity of the apparatus body overlaps with the rotation axis center of the apparatus body viewed in the rotation axis direction of the apparatus body. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus body includes a feed tray configured to support the document to be fed, and a discharge tray configured to support the document that is read and discharged, wherein the feed tray and the discharge tray are configured to be switched between an open state and a closed state with respect to the apparatus body, the apparatus body is configured to be switched to a third position in which the apparatus body reads the document using the reader and in which a projected area of the apparatus body on the mounting surface is larger than that in the second position, and the center of gravity of the apparatus body is lower than or equal to the rotation axis center of the apparatus body in the vertical direction viewed in the rotation axis direction of the apparatus body when the apparatus body is in the second position or in the third position regardless of an open/close state of the feed tray and the discharge tray. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus body includes a pair of transport rollers disposed upstream of the reader in a straight document transport path on which the document is transported, the pair of transport rollers being configured to transport the document downstream; a feed roller disposed upstream of the pair of transport rollers in the document transport path, the feed roller being configured to feed the document downstream; a pair of discharge rollers disposed downstream of the reader, the pair of discharge rollers being configured to discharge the document; a first motor that is a drive source for the pair of transport rollers and the pair of discharge rollers; and a second motor that is a drive source for the feed roller, wherein the apparatus body is configured to be switched to a third position in which the apparatus body reads a document using the reader and in which a projected area of the apparatus body on the mounting surface is larger than that in the second position, and the first motor and the second motor are lower than the rotation axis center of the apparatus body in the vertical direction viewed in the rotation axis direction of the apparatus body when the apparatus body is in the second position or in the third position. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The image reading apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the apparatus body includes a separation roller configured to nip and separate a document with the feeding roller; a background plate disposed at a position facing the reader, the background plate being configured to be switched between a facing state in which the background plate faces the reader and a non-facing state in which the background plate does not face the reader; a third motor that is a power source for switching the state of the background plate; and a fourth motor that is a drive source for the separation roller, wherein the fourth motor is higher than the rotation axis center of the apparatus body in the vertical direction viewed in the rotation axis direction of the apparatus body when the apparatus body is in the second position or in the third position, and the third motor is lower than the rotation axis center of the apparatus body in the vertical direction viewed in the rotation axis direction of the apparatus body when the apparatus body is in the second position or in the third position. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The image reading apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the pair of transport rollers and the pair of discharge rollers are lower than the rotation axis center of the apparatus body in the vertical direction viewed in the rotation axis direction of the apparatus body when the apparatus body is in the first position. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus body includes a substrate on which electronic components are mounted, the apparatus body is configured to be switched to a third position in which the apparatus body reads the document using the reader, and in which a projected area of the apparatus body on the mounting surface is larger than that in the second position, and the substrate is lower than the rotation axis center of the apparatus body in the vertical direction viewed in the rotation axis direction of the apparatus body when the apparatus body is in the second position or in the third position. ### Claim 8 An image reading apparatus comprising: a support section in contact with a mounting surface on which the apparatus is mounted; an apparatus body including a reader configured to read a document, the apparatus body configured to be turnable with respect to the support section for position change; and a position holding section for holding a position of the apparatus body with respect to the support section, wherein the apparatus body is configured to be switched between two different positions, and the center of gravity of the apparatus body in the two positions is lower than or equal to a rotation shaft of the apparatus body in a vertical direction viewed in the rotation axis direction of the apparatus body. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The image reading apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the center of gravity of the apparatus body overlaps with the rotation shaft of the apparatus body viewed in the rotation axis direction of the apparatus body when the apparatus body is in one of the two positions, and the center of gravity of the apparatus body is lower than the center of gravity in the one position when the apparatus body is in the other position of the two positions. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The image reading apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the apparatus body includes a feed tray configured to support the document to be fed, and a discharge tray configured to support the document that is read and discharged, wherein the feed tray and the discharge tray are configured to be switched between an open state and a closed state with respect to the apparatus body. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The image reading apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the center of gravity of the apparatus body is lower than the rotation axis center of the apparatus body viewed in the rotation axis direction of the apparatus body when the apparatus body is in the one position with the feed tray and the discharge tray being opened or when the apparatus body is in the other position with the feed tray and the discharge tray being opened. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The image reading apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the center of gravity of the apparatus body is lower than the rotation axis center of the apparatus body viewed in the rotation axis direction of the apparatus body when the apparatus body is in the one position with the feed tray and the discharge tray being closed or when the apparatus body is in the other position with the feed tray and the discharge tray being closed. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The image reading apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the center of gravity of the apparatus body moves forward when the apparatus body is in the one position or in the other position and both of the feed tray and the discharge tray are opened from the closed state. ### Claim 14 An image reading apparatus comprising: a support section in contact with a mounting surface on which the apparatus is mounted; an apparatus body including a reader configured to read a document, the apparatus body being configured to be turnable with respect to the support section for position change; and a position holding section for holding a position of the apparatus body with respect to the support section, wherein the apparatus body is configured to be switched between a first position in which the apparatus body does not read a document using the reader and a second position in which the apparatus body reads a document using the reader, the second position turned from the first position, and the center of gravity of the apparatus body is lower than or equal to a rotation axis center of the apparatus body in a vertical direction viewed in a rotation axis direction of the apparatus body when the apparatus body is in the first position or in the second position. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The image reading apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the apparatus body is configured to be switched to a third position in which the apparatus body reads a document using the reader and in which the apparatus body is turned from the second position in the same direction as the direction in which the apparatus body is turned from the first position to the second position, and the center of gravity of the apparatus body is lower than the rotation axis center of the apparatus body in the vertical direction viewed in the rotation axis direction of the apparatus body when the apparatus body is in the third position. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The image reading apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the apparatus body includes a pair of transport rollers disposed upstream of the reader in a straight document transport path on which a document is transported, the pair of transport rollers being configured to transport the document downstream; a feed roller disposed upstream of the pair of transport rollers in the document transport path, the feed roller being configured to feed the document downstream; a pair of discharge rollers disposed downstream of the reader, the pair of discharge rollers being configured to discharge the document; a first motor that is a drive source for at least one of the pair of transport rollers and the pair of discharge rollers; and a second motor that is a drive source for the feed roller, wherein a drive shaft of the first motor is lower than the rotation axis center of the apparatus body in the vertical direction viewed in the rotation axis direction of the apparatus body when the apparatus body is in the first position, in the second position, or in the third position. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The image reading apparatus according to claim 16, wherein a drive shaft of the second motor is higher than the rotation axis center of the apparatus body in the vertical direction viewed in the rotation axis direction of the apparatus body when the apparatus body is in the first position, and the drive shaft of the second motor is lower than the rotation axis center of the apparatus body in the vertical direction viewed in the rotation axis direction of the apparatus body when the apparatus body is in the second position or in the third position. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The image reading apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the apparatus body includes a background plate disposed at a position facing the reader, the background plate being configured to be switched between a facing state in which the background plate faces the reader and a non-facing state in which the background plate does not face the reader; and a third motor that is a power source for switching the state of the background plate, wherein a drive shaft of the third motor is lower than the rotation axis center of the apparatus body in the vertical direction viewed in the rotation axis direction of the apparatus body when the apparatus body is in the first position, in the second position, or in the third position. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The image reading apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the apparatus body includes a separation roller configured to nip and separate a document with the feeding roller; and a fourth motor that is a drive source for the separation roller, wherein a drive shaft of the fourth motor is higher than the rotation axis center of the apparatus body in the vertical direction viewed in the rotation axis direction of the apparatus body when the apparatus body is in the first position, in the second position, or in the third position. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The image reading apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the apparatus body includes a substrate on which electronic components configured to control the reader are mounted, wherein a part of the substrate is higher than the rotation axis center of the apparatus body in the vertical direction viewed in the rotation axis direction of the apparatus body when the apparatus body is in the first position, and the substrate is lower than the rotation axis center of the apparatus body in the vertical direction viewed in the rotation axis direction of the apparatus body when the apparatus body is in the second position or in the third position.