# US 9,438,752 B1 · Image reading device and image forming apparatus for detecting dirt at a document reading position

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- Number: US 9,438,752 B1
- Document ID: US9438752B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 15/044,665
- Filed: 2016-02-16
- Published: 2016-08-18
- Granted: 2016-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 2015-02-17
- Assignees: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
- Applicants: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
- Inventors: Katsuhiko Okamoto
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9438752B1

## CPC

- H04N 1/00037: {Detecting, i.e. determining the occurrence of a predetermined state (H04N1/00031 takes precedence)}
- H04N 1/00013: {Reading apparatus}
- H04N 1/0057: {Conveying sheets before or after scanning (arrangements for conveying sheets as part of the scanning operation H04N1/04 and subgroups)}
- H04N 1/00909: {Cleaning arrangements or preventing or counter-acting contamination from dust or the like (cleaning in general, prevention of fouling in general B08B)}
- H04N 1/1061: {Details relating to flat picture-bearing surfaces, e.g. transparent platen}
- H04N 2201/0094: Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

An image reading device includes: a document conveyance section configured to convey an original document placed on a document loading chute; an original glass plate allowing the document conveyed from the document conveyance section to pass thereover; a reading unit that includes a light-emitting part including first, second, and third light sources and configured to emit light toward the document at a predetermined document reading position and a light-receiving part configured to receive light reflected on the document; a housing including a hollow letting part of light from the light-emitting part out of the image reading device; a foreign matter detecting section configured to detect a foreign matter on the original glass plate; and an operation control section configured to control the operation of the light-emitting part and, upon detection of the foreign matter, allow the light-emitting part to emit light in a different color from when reading the document.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An image reading device comprising:
a housing forming an outer covering of the image reading device;
a document conveyance section including a document loading chute and configured to convey an original document placed on the document loading chute;
an original glass plate allowing the original document being conveyed from the document conveyance section to pass thereover;
a reading unit including a light-emitting part and a light-receiving part, the light-emitting part including first light source, second light source, and third light source and configured to emit light toward the original document at a predetermined document reading position, the light-receiving part being configured to receive light reflected on the original document;
an operation control section configured to control a light emitting operation of the light-emitting part; and
a foreign matter detecting section configured to detect a foreign matter on the original glass plate,
wherein the housing is provided with a hollow capable of letting part of the light emitted from the light-emitting part out of the image reading device, and
the operation control section is further configured to, when the foreign matter detecting section detects the foreign matter on the original glass plate, allow the light-emitting part to emit light of a different color from the light emitted during reading of the original document.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The image reading device according to claim 1, wherein the operation control section is further configured to change the color of the light emitted from the light-emitting part depending on an amount of the foreign matter detected by the foreign matter detecting section.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The image reading device according to claim 2, wherein
when the foreign matter detecting section detects the foreign matter, the operation control section allows the light-emitting part to light or blink, and
the operation control section further allows the light-emitting part to light or blink differently depending on the amount of the foreign matter detected.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The image reading device according to claim 1, wherein when a plurality of the original documents are placed on the document loading chute and there are the plurality of the original documents to be read, the operation control section performs, during a sheet interval from an end of an operation of the reading unit for reading one of the original documents to a start of an operation of the reading unit for reading next one of the original documents, processing for allowing the light-emitting part to emit the light of the different color.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The image reading device according to claim 1, wherein the operation control section performs, during a period from acceptance of an instruction to read the original document to when the reading unit starts reading the original document, processing for allowing the light-emitting part to emit the light of the different color.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The image reading device according to claim 4, further comprising:
a display section;
a display control section configured to control a display operation of the display section; and
an acceptance section configured to accept an instruction from a user,
wherein when the foreign matter detecting section detects the foreign matter on the original glass plate, the operation control section allows the reading unit to suspend reading the original document and the display control section allows the display section to display an acceptance screen through which an instruction to stop or restart reading the original document is accepted from the user,
when the acceptance section accepts the instruction to stop reading the original document, the operation control section allows the reading unit to stop reading the original document, and
when the acceptance section accepts the instruction to restart reading the original document, the operation control section allows the reading unit to restart reading the original document.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The image reading device according to claim 1, wherein the operation control section performs, after the reading unit completes an operation of reading all the original documents placed on the document loading chute, processing for allowing the light-emitting part to emit the light of the different color.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The image reading device according to claim 1, further comprising an acceptance section configured to accept a setting about the color of the light to be emitted from the light-emitting part when the foreign matter detecting section detects the foreign matter on the original glass plate,
wherein the operation control section is further configured to allow the light-emitting part to emit the light in the color indicated by the setting accepted by the acceptance section.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The image reading device according to claim 1, further comprising an acceptance section configured to accept a setting about a timing with which the operation control section performs processing for allowing the light-emitting part to emit the light of the different color,
wherein the operation control section performs the processing for allowing the light-emitting part to emit the light of the different color with the timing indicated by the setting accepted by the acceptance section.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The image reading device according to claim 1, further comprising an acceptance section configured to accept a setting about a sensitivity of the foreign matter detecting section for detecting the foreign matter,
wherein the foreign matter detecting section is further configured to perform processing for detecting the foreign matter on the original glass plate with the sensitivity indicated by the setting accepted by the acceptance section.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The image reading device according to claim 1, wherein a light guide capable of guiding the part of the light emitted from the light-emitting part out of the image reading device is provided in the hollow.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The image reading device according to claim 11, wherein an exit surface of the light guide through which light goes toward the outside of the image forming apparatus is embossed.

### Claim 13

An image forming apparatus comprising an image reading device and an image forming section,
the image reading device comprising:
a housing forming an outer covering of the image reading device;
a document conveyance section including a document loading chute and configured to convey an original document placed on the document loading chute;
an original glass plate allowing the original document being conveyed from the document conveyance section to pass thereover;
a reading unit including a light-emitting part and a light-receiving part, the light-emitting part including first light source, second light source, and third light source and configured to emit light toward the original document at a predetermined document reading position, the light-receiving part being configured to receive light reflected on the original document;
an operation control section configured to control a light emitting operation of the light-emitting part; and
a foreign matter detecting section configured to detect a foreign matter on the original glass plate,
wherein the housing is provided with a hollow capable of letting part of the light emitted from the light-emitting part out of the image reading device, and
the operation control section is further configured to, when the foreign matter detecting section detects the foreign matter on the original glass plate, allow the light-emitting part to emit light of a different color from the light emitted during reading of the original document, and
the image forming section is configured to form an image on a recording paper sheet based on image data read by the image reading device.