MEDIUM DISCHARGE DEVICE AND IMAGE READING APPARATUS

The present application is based on, and claims priority from JP Application Serial Number 2023-175245, filed Oct. 10, 2023, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND
1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a medium discharge device and an image reading apparatus.

2. Related Art

An example of this type of device is disclosed in JP-A-2019-210077.

JP-A-2019-210077 discloses a sheet discharge device that includes a pair of first discharge rollers, a pair of second discharge rollers, a first projection unit (stiffening roller), and a second projection unit (stiffening lever). A discharged sheet is stacked on a sheet discharge stacking unit.

The sheet discharge device described in JP-A-2019-210077 is not provided with a mechanism that can change a discharge speed of a sheet. Further, a mechanism that can change a discharge angle of a sheet from the sheet discharge stacking unit is not provided. Thus, when a large amount of sheets are discharged, the leading edges of the sheets are not easily aligned on the sheet discharge stacking unit, which leads to a problem of poor alignment of the discharged sheets.

SUMMARY

In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, a medium discharge device according to the present disclosure includes a discharge roller pair that discharge a medium, and a discharged-medium placement unit including a placement surface on which the medium being discharged is placed, wherein the discharge roller pair is configured to change a discharge angle of the medium in a discharge angle, the medium being discharged from the discharge roller pair, the discharged-medium placement unit is configured to change a placement angle of the placement surface in the discharge direction, and at least one of the discharge angle and the placement angle is changed in accordance with a discharge speed of the medium being discharged from the discharge roller pair.

Further, an image reading apparatus according to the present disclosure includes the medium discharge device according to any one of the first aspect to the sixth aspect, which is described below, and a reading unit being positioned upstream of the medium discharge device and being configured to read the medium being transported.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an overall schematic configuration diagram of an image reading apparatus according to a first embodiment when an inside thereof is viewed from a side.

FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of a main part of a medium discharge device of the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a discharge angle change unit of the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a first modification example of the discharge angle change unit of the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of second modification example a placement angle change unit of the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of a medium discharge device of a second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram of a modification example of the medium discharge device of the second embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

First, the present disclosure is schematically described below.

A medium discharge device according to a first aspect of the present disclosure includes a discharge roller pair that discharge a medium, and a discharged-medium placement unit including a placement surface on which the medium being discharged is placed, wherein the discharge roller pair is configured to change a discharge angle of the medium in a discharge angle, the medium being discharged from the discharge roller pair, the discharged-medium placement unit is configured to change a placement angle of the placement surface in the discharge direction, and at least one of the discharge angle and the placement angle is changed in accordance with a discharge speed of the medium being discharged from the discharge roller pair.

Herein, the “discharge angle” indicates an angle formed between a line orthogonal to a line coupling a shaft of a first roller being one of the discharge roller pair and a shaft of a second roller being the other one thereof to each other, and a horizontal line. Further, the “placement angle” indicates an angle formed between the placement surface and a horizontal plane.

(1) The medium is discharged from the discharge roller pair, and moves in a discharge direction. When the medium contacts with a previously discharged medium that is discharged prior to the medium, the medium causes a pressing force to act in a direction of further pressing the previously discharged medium. When the medium is pressed by the action of the pressing force, the alignment of the medium is degraded. In a case of the same discharge speed, the pressing force is large when the discharge angle is small, and the pressing force is small when the discharge angle is large. In other words, when the discharge angle is increased, an influence of the pressing force can be reduced.

(2) The medium is discharged in the discharge direction from the discharge roller pair, and is landed on the placement surface. In this state, the medium has an inertia force of moving in the discharge direction. As the inertia force is increased, the discharge speed is increased. As the placement angle on the placement surface is closer to 0 degrees, the inertia force acts more significantly, and the landing position is deviated. Thus, the alignment of the medium is degraded. In other words, when the placement angle is increased, an influence of the inertia force can be reduced.

According to the present aspect, at least one of the discharge angle and the placement angle can be changed in accordance with the discharge speed of the medium being discharged from the discharge roller pair. With this, in accordance with the discharge speed of the medium, at least one or both of the discharge angle and the placement angle are changed. Thus, an influence of the pressing force can be suppressed, and an influence of the inertia force can be suppressed. As a result, the alignment of the alignment of the medium can be improved.

A second aspect of the medium discharge device according to the present disclosure is an aspect depending on the first aspect, and the medium discharge device includes a discharge angle change unit configured to change the discharge angle, wherein the discharge angle change unit moves a second roller with respect to a first roller along a circumferential surface of the first roller to change a nipping position between the first roller and the second roller, the first roller being one of the discharge roller pair, the second roller being the other one thereof.

According to the present aspect, the discharge angle change unit moves the second roller being the other roller with respect to the first roller along the circumferential surface to change the nipping position between the first roller and the second roller. With this, the discharge angle can be changed with a simple structure of changing the nipping position.

A third aspect of the medium discharge device according to the present disclosure is an aspect depending on the first aspect, and the medium discharge device includes a placement angle change unit configured to change the placement angle, wherein the placement angle change unit vertically moves a downstream end of the placement surface in the discharge direction with an upstream end of the placement surface in the discharge direction as a starting point. Note that this aspect may also depend on the second aspect.

According to the present aspect, the placement angle change unit vertically moves the downstream end of the placement surface with the upstream end of the placement surface in the discharge direction as the starting point. In other words, the placement angle change unit causes the downstream end to vertically turn with the upstream end of the placement surface as a turning support, and thus changes the placement angle. With this, the placement angle can be changed with a simple structure of turning with the upstream end of the placement surface as a starting point.

A fourth aspect of the medium discharge device according to the present disclosure is an aspect depending on the first aspect, in which the discharge angle and the placement angle are changed by a single driving unit.

According to the present aspect, the discharge angle and the placement angle are changed by a single driving unit. Thus, an increase of the number of components can be suppressed, and size reduction can be achieved.

A fifth aspect of the medium discharge device according to the present disclosure is an aspect depending on the first aspect, and the medium discharge device includes a discharge angle change unit configured to change the discharge angle, a placement angle change unit configured to change the placement angle, a first driving unit configured to drive the discharge angle change unit, a second driving unit configured to drive the placement angle change unit, and a control unit, wherein the control unit is configured to drive the first driving unit, based on first data, to change the discharge angle, drive the second driving unit, based on second data, to change the placement angle, and change the discharge angle and the placement angle, based on third data, the first data is set as an appropriate range of the discharge angle with respect to the discharge speed of the medium, the second data is set as an appropriate range of the placement angle with respect to the discharge speed of the medium, and the third data is set as an appropriate range of the discharge angle and the placement angle with respect to the discharge speed of the medium.

Herein, the “appropriate range” indicates a range being set so that alignment of the medium discharged on the placement surface is satisfactory, and can be set in advance.

According to the present aspect, the control unit can drive the first driving unit, based on the first data, to change the discharge angle, drive the second driving unit, based on the second data, to change the placement angle, and change the discharge angle and the placement angle, based on the third data. With this, the alignment of the alignment of the medium is improved by changing only the discharge angle, changing only the placement angle, or changing the discharge angle and the placement angle. A user can select one from those different methods, which improves usability.

A sixth aspect of the medium discharge device according to the present disclosure is an aspect depending on the first aspect, in which at least one of the discharge angle and the placement angle is changed in accordance with a basis weight of the basis weight of the medium. Note that this aspect may also depend on any one of the second aspect to the fifth aspect.

The pressing force and the inertia force tend to differ depending on a basis weight of the medium. For example, the pressing force and the inertia force of the medium with a large basis weight are large. In contrast, the pressing force and the inertia force of the medium with a small basis weight are small. According to the present aspect, at least one of the discharge angle and the placement angle is changed in accordance with the basis weight of the medium. Thus, in accordance with the basis weight of the medium, the discharge state can be stabilized, and the alignment can be improved.

An image reading apparatus according to a seventh aspect of the present disclosure includes the medium discharge device according to any one of the first aspect to the sixth aspect, and a reading unit being positioned upstream of the medium discharge device and being configured to read the medium being transported.

According to the present aspect, in the image reading apparatus, effects similar to the effects in the respective embodiments of the medium discharge device can be obtained.

EMBODIMENTS

With reference to FIG. 1 to FIG. 7, example embodiments of a medium discharge device according to the present disclosure and an image reading apparatus including the medium discharge device are specifically described below.

In the following description, three axes that are orthogonal to each other are referred to as an X axis, a Y axis, and a Z axis, respectively, as illustrated in each of the drawings. Directions indicated by arrows of the three axes (X, Y, and Z) are +directions of the respective directions, and opposite directions are-directions. The Z axis direction corresponds to a vertical direction, that is, a direction in which gravity acts, the +Z direction indicates a vertically upward direction, and the −Z direction indicates a vertically downward direction. The X axis direction and the Y axis direction correspond to horizontal directions. The +Y direction indicates a forward direction of the device, and the −Y direction indicates a rearward direction of the device. The +X direction indicates a rightward direction of the device, and the −X direction indicates a leftward direction of the device.

Overall Configuration of Image Reading Apparatus

An image reading apparatus 1 of the present embodiment is a scanner that can read an image on a medium being a document. Herein, the image means what is visually recorded on the medium, and is, for example, a character, a figure, a table, a picture, a photograph, or the like. In addition, the medium is not limited to a sheet, and also includes a card, a booklet, and the like. The image reading apparatus 1 is not limited to a scanner, and may be a copying machine, a facsimile machine, or the like.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the image reading apparatus 1 includes a first reading unit 51 and a second reading unit 52, as two reading units, that read an image on a medium 3. Moreover, the image reading apparatus 1 includes a first transport roller 4, a second transport roller 6, and a third transport roller 8. The first transport roller 4 transports the medium 3 along a transport path 2 in a transport direction F, and is provided upstream of the first reading unit 51 in the transport direction F. The second transport roller 6 is provided upstream of the second reading unit 52 positioned downstream of the first reading unit 51. The third transport roller 8 is provided downstream of the second reading unit 52.

A roller pair including a feeding roller 10 and a separating roller 7 is arranged upstream of the first transport roller 4 in the transport direction F. The feeding roller 10 is a driving roller that rotates by a driving force of a third driving unit 15, and transports the medium 3 to the transport direction F. The separating roller 7 is a driving roller that rotates by a driving force of a driving source, which is omitted in illustration, and is a roller that separates one medium from the plurality of media 3.

Herein, the separating roller 7 rotates in a direction of feeding the medium 3 upstream in the transport direction F, by a driving force of the driving source. The separating roller 7 includes a torque limiter, which is omitted in illustration. When a torque exceeding a set value is applied to the torque limiter, the separating roller 7 is driven to rotate in a direction of feeding the medium 3 downstream in the transport direction F (−Y direction).

A pick roller 12 is arranged upstream of the separating roller 7. Similarly to the feeding roller 10, the pick roller 12 is a driving roller that rotates by a driving force of the third driving unit 15, and feeds the medium 3 out to the transport direction F. The first transport roller 4, the second transport roller 6, and the third transport roller 8 that form a transport unit 5 for transporting the medium 3 in the transport direction F include driving rollers that rotate by a driving force of the third driving unit 15.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, in the present embodiment, a curve inversion path 18 is provided downstream in a straight path 68 from the feeding roller 10 to the third transport roller 8, in other words, downstream of the third transport roller 8. In the curve inversion path 18, a fourth transport roller 20, a fifth transport roller 22, and a discharge roller pair 24 are arranged along the transport direction F in the stated order.

A discharged-medium placement unit 16 that receives the medium 3 being discharged from the curve inversion path 18 is arranged above the straight path 68. With this, size reduction is achieved.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral reference numeral 71 denotes a control unit. The control unit 71 controls driving of the third driving unit 15 and driving of a fourth driving unit 27, which is described below, so as to correspond to transport of the medium 3. The third driving unit 15 and the fourth driving unit 27 are configured by motors.

The control unit 71 includes a CPU, a flash ROM, and a RAM. The CPU performs various arithmetic processing according to a program stored in the flash ROM, and controls the operation of the entire image reading apparatus 1. The flash ROM serving as an example of a storage unit is a readable and rewritable nonvolatile memory. The RAM serving as an example of a storage unit temporarily stores a variety of information.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 14 denotes a medium setting unit that sets the medium 3 being a reading target. The medium 3 on the medium setting unit 14 is transported in the transport path 2, and is finally discharged to the discharged-medium placement unit 16.

The medium setting unit 14 is configured to move vertically. When the media 3 being set on the medium setting unit 14 is fed in the transport direction F, first, a driving force of a driving source, which is omitted in illustration, is transmitted to the medium setting unit 14, and moves the medium setting unit 14 upward (+Z direction). Then, the uppermost medium of the media 3 being set is stopped in a contact state with the pick roller 12. In this state, the pick roller 12 rotates. As a result, the medium 3 is fed in the transport direction F, and the leading edge of the medium 3 arrives at the nipping position of the roller pair of the feeding roller 10 and the separating roller 7.

In an overlapping feed state in which the plurality of media 3 are transported, the separating roller 7 separates one medium from the media, the one medium is transported in the transport direction F by the first transport roller 4, and the first reading unit 51 reads an image on a first surface of the medium 3. Moreover, the medium 3 being subjected to reading by the first reading unit 51 is transported by the second transport roller 6, and the second reading unit 52 reads an image on a second surface opposite to the first surface of the medium 3.

The medium 3 being subjected to reading by the second reading unit 52 is fed to the curve inversion path 18 by the third transport roller 8, is transported by the fourth transport roller 20 and the fifth transport roller 22, and is discharged to the discharged-medium placement unit 16 by the discharge roller pair 24.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, in the present embodiment, the first reading unit 51 and the second reading unit 52 that read the images on the medium 3 being transported in the transport direction F include a first light-transmissive member 431 and a second light-transmissive member 432 being light-transmissive members 43 arranged between the transport path 2, and the first reading unit 51 and the second reading unit 52.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, a first rotary member 31 and a second rotary member 32 being rotary members are arranged on a side opposite to the first reading unit 51 and the second reading unit 52 of the first light-transmissive member 431 and the second light-transmissive member 432. The first rotary member 31 and the second rotary member 32 are rotary members that are arranged to face the first reading unit 51 and the second reading unit 52 and can rotate about a shaft 11. The first rotary member 31 and the second rotary member 32 have a substantially cylindrical shape, and are formed to have such a length that the reading ranges (X-axis direction) of the first reading unit 51 and the second reading unit 52 can be covered.

Further, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the first rotary member 31 and the second rotary member 32 rotate about the shaft 11 by a driving source of the fourth driving unit 27 being a commonly-shared driving source. The rotation operations of the first rotary member 31 and the second rotary member 32 are controlled by the control unit 71.

Note that the first rotary member 31 and the second rotary member 32 may be configured to rotate by driving forces of individual motors instead of the fourth driving unit 27 that is commonly shared therebetween.

The first reading unit 51, the first light-transmissive member 431, and the second rotary member 32 are arranged above the transport path 2. The second reading unit 52, the second light-transmissive member 432, and the first rotary member 31 are arranged below the transport path 2.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, In the present embodiment, the image reading apparatus 1 is configured by a lower unit 55 and an upper unit 56. The upper unit 56 is configured to vertically turn with respect to the lower unit 55 by an opening/closing mechanism, which is omitted in illustration, to be opened and closed.

The lower unit 55 includes the second reading unit 52, the second light-transmissive member 432, and the first rotary member 31. The upper unit 56 includes the first reading unit 51, the first light-transmissive member 431, and the second rotary member 32. Further, as illustrated in FIG. 1, when the upper unit 56 is closed with respect to the lower unit 55, the components are arranged so that the second light-transmissive member 432 and the second rotary member 32 face each other and the first light-transmissive member 431 and the first rotary member 31 face each other.

Although illustration is omitted, when the upper unit 56 is opened with respect to the lower unit 55, the components are arranged so that the second light-transmissive member 432 and the second rotary member 32 do not face each other and the first light-transmissive member 431 and the first rotary member 31 do not face each other. In other words, the facing surfaces of the lower unit 55 and the upper unit 56 are in an exposed state, and thus are accessible for a user.

Further, in the present embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 1, a first transport assisting unit 61 and a second transport assisting unit 62 are provided as transport assisting units that face the first light-transmissive member 431 and the second light-transmissive member 432, are arranged upstream of the first rotary member 31 and the second rotary member 32, and assist transport of the medium 3. Herein, the first transport assisting unit 61 and the second transport assisting unit 62 are configured by driving rollers 26 that rotate when a driving force of the third driving unit 15 is transmitted thereto, which are also referred to as platen rollers 26.

First Embodiment

Subsequently to the description on the overall configuration of the image reading apparatus 1 described above, description is made below on a medium discharge device 21 of a first embodiment, with some overlapping details.

As illustrated in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the medium discharge device 21 of the first embodiment includes the discharge roller pair 24 that discharges the medium 3 and the discharged-medium placement unit 16 that includes a placement surface 17 on which the medium being discharged is placed. The discharge roller pair 24 is configured to change a discharge angle θ1 of the medium 3, which is discharged from the discharge roller pair 24, in a discharge direction S. Further, the discharged-medium placement unit 16 is configured to change a placement angle θ2 on the placement surface 17 in the discharge direction S. The discharge angle θ1 indicates an angle formed between orthogonal to a line coupling a first shaft 23 of a first roller 241 being one of the discharge roller pair 24 and a second shaft 25 of a second roller 242 being the other one thereof to each other, and a horizontal line. Further, the placement angle θ2 indicates an angle formed between the placement surface 17 and a horizontal plane.

Further, in accordance with the discharge speed of the medium 3 being discharged from the discharge roller pair 24, at least one of the discharge angle θ1 and the placement angle θ2 is changed.

In the present embodiment, it is configured that the medium 3 can be discharged from the discharge roller pair 24 at 150 ppm or higher as a high discharge speed, the medium 3 can be discharged approximately at 40 ppm as a low discharge speed, and the medium 3 can be discharged at a discharge speed therebetween. Herein, ppm is a unit of the discharge speed, indicating the number of media discharged for one minute. 150 ppm indicates that 150 media are discharged for one minute.

The medium discharge device 21 of the present embodiment is configured so that the discharge speed can be set by a user. Note that, as a matter of course, the range of the discharge speed is not limited to the above-mentioned range.

Further, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the medium discharge device 21 of the present embodiment includes a discharge angle change unit 19 that can change the discharge angle θ1.

The discharge angle change unit 19 is configured to move the second roller 242 with respect to the first roller 241 along a circumferential surface 30 of the first roller 241 to change a nipping position N between the first roller 241 and the second roller 242, the first roller 241 being one of the discharge roller pair 24, the second roller 242 being the other one thereof. Herein, the first roller 241 is a discharge driving roller 241 (denoted with the same reference numeral), and the second roller 242 is a discharge driven roller 242 (denoted with the same reference numeral). Reference numeral 23 denotes a first shaft of the discharge driving roller 241, and reference numeral 25 denotes a second shaft of the discharge driven roller 242.

With reference to FIG. 3, one example of a specific structure of changing the nipping position N is described. I first toothed gear 33 for moving the discharge driven roller 242, which is described below, is attached to the first shaft 23. The first toothed gear 33 is rotatably attached to the first shaft 23 as a rotation center. In other words, the first toothed gear 33 can rotate with respect to the first shaft 23 while the discharge driving roller 241 stops.

The first toothed gear 33 is meshed with a transmission toothed gear 29. A driving force is transmitted from a motor being a driving source, which is omitted in illustration. As a result, the transmission toothed gear 29 rotates. With this rotation, the first toothed gear 33 rotates with respect to the first shaft 23. The rotation operation of the transmission toothed gear 29 is controlled by the control unit 71.

Both the ends of the second shaft 25 are slidably attached to a sliding slit 28 provided to a frame 39 being a structure member of the medium discharge device 21. Moreover, a planetary toothed gear 35 is attached to the second shaft 25 while the planetary toothed gear 35 is meshed with the first toothed gear 33. The planetary toothed gear 35 is rotatably attached to the second shaft 25 as a rotation center. Moreover, the planetary toothed gear 35 is configured to perform planetary movement along the circumferential surface of the first toothed gear 33 via a planetary toothed gear arm 34. In other words, when the first toothed gear 33 rotates, the planetary toothed gear 35 is also driven to rotate. Due to the planetary toothed gear arm 34, the planetary toothed gear 35 performs planetary movement along the circumferential surface of the first toothed gear 33. When the planetary toothed gear 35 performs planetary movement, the second shaft 25 integrated with the planetary toothed gear 35 also moves. In view of this, the sliding slit 28 is formed to have a slit shape that enables planetary movement.

With this, when the planetary toothed gear 35 performs planetary movement, the second shaft 25 also slides in the sliding slit 28, and the discharge driven roller 242 moves along the circumferential surface 30 of the discharge driving roller 241. As a result, the nipping position N is changed. In other words, the nipping position N is changed from the state illustrated on the left side of FIG. 3 to the state illustrated on the right side. When the nipping position N is changed, the discharge angle θ1 is changed.

Further, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the medium discharge device 21 of the present embodiment includes a placement angle change unit 36 that can change the placement angle θ2. The placement angle change unit 36 is configured to vertically move a downstream end 38 of the placement surface 17 in the discharge direction S with an upstream end 37 of the placement surface 17 in the discharge direction S as a starting point P.

Herein, the upstream end 37 of the placement surface 17 functions as a turning support, and a rack 40 is attached to the downstream end 38. Further, a pinion 41 meshed with the rack 40 is fixed to a frame of the medium discharge device 21, which is omitted in illustration. When the pinion 41 rotates, the rack 40 moves. With this, the placement surface 17 moves vertically to change the placement angle θ2. In FIG. 1, as compared to the placement angle θ2 on the placement surface 17 at the position indicated by the solid line, the placement angle θ2 at the position indicated with the broken line is larger. The rotation operation of the pinion 41 is controlled by the control unit 71.

Technical Significance in changing Discharge Angle θ1

The medium 3 is discharged from the discharge roller pair 24, and moves in the discharge direction S. When the medium 3 contacts with a previously discharged medium 3 that is discharged prior to the medium 3, the medium 3 causes a pressing force to act in a direction of further pressing the previously discharged medium 3. When the medium 3 is pressed by the action of the pressing force, the alignment of the medium 3 is degraded. In a case of the same discharge speed, the pressing force is large when the discharge angle θ1 is small, and the pressing force is small when the discharge angle θ1 is large.

In other words, when the discharge angle θ1 is increased, an influence of the pressing force can be reduced. The alignment of the medium 3 being discharged onto the placement surface 17 can be improved.

Technical Significance in changing Placement Angle θ2

The medium 3 is discharged in the discharge direction S from the discharge roller pair 24, and is landed on the placement surface 17. In this state, the medium 3 has an inertia force of moving in the discharge direction S. As the discharge speed is increased, the inertia force is increased. When the placement angle θ2 on the placement surface 17 is closer to 0 degrees, the inertia force acts more significantly, and the landing position is deviated. Thus, the alignment of the medium 3 is degraded.

In other words, when the placement angle θ2 is increased, an influence of the inertia force can be reduced. The alignment of the medium 3 being discharged onto the placement surface 17 can be improved.

Effects of First Embodiment

(1) In the present embodiment, in accordance with the discharge speed of the medium 3 being discharged from the discharge roller pair 24, at least one of the discharge angle θ1 and the placement angle θ2 can be changed. With this, in accordance with the discharge speed of the medium 3, at least one or both of the discharge angle θ1 and the placement angle θ2 are changed. Thus, an influence of the pressing force can be suppressed, and an influence of the inertia force can be suppressed. As a result, the alignment of the medium 3 being discharged onto the placement surface 17 can be improved.

When at least one or both of the discharge angle θ1 and the placement angle θ2 are to be changed in accordance with the discharge speed of the medium 3, such a relationship between the discharge speed and at least one or both of the discharge angle θ1 and the placement angle θ2 that the satisfactory alignment of the medium 3 is achieved may be acquired in advance for each specified type of the medium 3. Then, in accordance with an actual discharge speed, at least one or both of the discharge angle θ1 and the placement angle θ2 may be set automatically.

As a matter of course, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. A few media 3 may actually be discharged at a discharge speed that is set by a used, the alignment state of the medium 3 at the time may be confirmed. When a user determines that the alignment state is poor, one or both of the discharge angle θ1 and the placement angle θ2 may be changed by a user via the control unit 71, or may be changed manually by a user.

(2) In the present embodiment, the discharge angle change unit 19 moves the second roller 242 being the other one with respect to the first roller 241 along the circumferential surface 30 to change the nipping position N between the first roller 241 and the second roller 242. With this, the discharge angle θ1 change changed with a simple structure of changing the nipping position N.

(3) In the present embodiment, the placement angle change unit 36 vertically moves the downstream end 38 of the placement surface 17 with the upstream end 37 of the placement surface 17 in the discharge direction S as the starting point P. In other words, the placement angle change unit 36 causes the downstream end 38 to vertically turn with the upstream end 37 of the placement surface 17 as a turning support, and thus changes the placement angle θ2. With this, the placement angle θ2 can be changed with a simple structure of turning with the upstream end 37 of the placement surface 17 as the starting point P.

First Modification Example of First Embodiment

Next, with reference to FIG. 4, a first modification example of the first embodiment is described.

In the first modification example, in addition to a roller driving toothed gear 45 for rotating the discharge driving roller 241, a second toothed gear 46 is attached to the first shaft 23. The second toothed gear 46 is attached to rotate, in other words, idly rotate with respect to the first shaft 23, and is configured to rotate about the first shaft 23 as a rotation center.

A third toothed gear 451 meshed with the roller driving toothed gear 45 and a fourth toothed gear 461 meshed with the second toothed gear 46 are provided. The third toothed gear 451 and the fourth toothed gear 461 are attached to a third shaft 48 of a first pulley 47. The third toothed gear 451 and the fourth toothed gear 461 are configured to be switched between a state of integrally rotating with respect to the third shaft 48 and a state of idly rotating, by a clutch, which is omitted in illustration.

In other words, when the first pulley 47 rotates, and the roller driving toothed gear 45 rotates, the clutch causes the third toothed gear 451 to rotate integrally with the third shaft 48, and causes the fourth toothed gear 461 to idly rotate with respect to the third shaft 48.

In contrast, when the second toothed gear 46 rotates to change the discharge angle θ1, the fourth toothed gear 461 rotates integrally with the third shaft 48, and the third toothed gear 451 idly rotates with respect to the third shaft 48.

A driving force of a first driving unit 50 being a motor is transmitted via a first transmission belt 49. As a result, the first pulley 47 rotates. In the present embodiment, the first driving unit 50 is configured to perform deceleration discharge to reduce the discharge speed of the medium 3 in the middle of discharging the medium 3 from the discharge roller pair 24. When those deceleration discharge methods are combined with each other, the alignment of the medium 3 being discharged can be improved more easily.

The other configurations are similar to those in FIG. 3. Thus the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals, description thereof is omitted. In the first modification example, the nipping position N can also be moved, and the discharge angle θ1 can also be changed.

Second Modification Example of First Embodiment

Next, with reference to FIG. 5, a second modification example of the first embodiment is described.

In the second modification example, the upstream end 37 of the placement surface 17 is attached to a rotary shaft 54 so as to rotate integrally therewith. A fifth toothed gear 57 is fixed to the rotary shaft 54. The fifth toothed gear 57 is meshed with a sixth toothed gear 58. A driving force is transmitted from the second driving unit 77 to the sixth toothed gear 58. When the sixth toothed gear 58 rotates, the fifth toothed gear 57 rotates. With this, the placement surface 17 vertically turns with the rotary shaft 54 as the starting point P. The other configurations are similar to those in FIG. 1. Thus the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals, description thereof is omitted.

In the second modification example, the placement angle θ2 can also be changed.

Second Embodiment

Next, with reference to FIG. 6, the medium discharge device 21 according to a second embodiment is described. The same parts as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description of the configurations and corresponding effects are omitted.

As illustrated in FIG. 6, in the present embodiment, the discharge angle θ1 and the placement angle θ2 are changed by a driving unit 66 being a single motor.

In the present embodiment, in the discharge angle change unit 19 that changes the discharge angle θ1, a seventh toothed gear 60 attached to a fourth shaft 78 of a second pulley 59 is meshed with the first toothed gear 33. When the second pulley 59 rotates, the seventh toothed gear 60 also rotates integrally therewith. With this, the first toothed gear 33 rotates. When the first toothed gear 33 rotates, the discharge angle θ1 can be changed as described above.

In the placement angle change unit 36 that changes the placement angle θ2, an eighth toothed gear 63 attached to a fifth shaft 69 of a third pulley 64 is meshed with the fifth toothed gear 57. When the third pulley 64 rotates, the eighth toothed gear 63 also rotates integrally therewith. With this, the fifth toothed gear 57 rotates. When the fifth toothed gear 57 rotates, the placement angle θ2 can be changed as described above.

A driving force of the driving unit 66 is transmitted to the third pulley 64 via a second transmission belt 67. As a result, the third pulley 64 rotates. Additionally, a fourth pulley 65 is attached to the fifth shaft 69. The rotation of the fourth pulley 65 is transmitted to the second pulley 59 via a third transmission belt 80. With this, the second pulley 59 also rotates by a driving force of the driving unit 66.

It is configured that the clutch, which is omitted in illustration, can perform switching between a state in which the eighth toothed gear 63 integrally rotates via the fifth shaft 69 when the third pulley 64 rotates and the fourth pulley 65 idly rotates and a state in which the fourth pulley 65 integrally rotates via the fifth shaft 69 and the eighth toothed gear 63 idly rotates.

In the present embodiment, the discharge angle θ1 and the placement angle θ2 are changed by the single driving unit 66. Thus, an increase of the number of components can be suppressed, and size reduction can be achieved.

Modification Example of Second Embodiment

In this modification example, as illustrated in FIG. 7, a driving force of the first driving unit 50 is usually transmitted to the first pulley 47, the third shaft 48, and the third toothed gear 451 via a fourth transmission belt 74. With this, the discharge roller pair 24 is driven to discharge the medium 3 in the discharge direction S.

When the discharge angle θ1 is to be changed, a driving force of the first driving unit 50 is transmitted to the first pulley 47, the third shaft 48, and the fourth toothed gear 461 via the fourth transmission belt 74, and the second toothed gear 46 rotates. As a result, the discharge angle θ1 can be changed as described above. It is configured that the clutch, which is omitted in illustration, can perform switching between a state in which the third toothed gear 451 rotates integrally with the third shaft 48 and the fourth toothed gear 461 idly rotates and a state in which the fourth toothed gear 461 rotates integrally with the third shaft 48 and the third toothed gear 451 idly rotates.

Additionally, a fifth pulley 70 is attached to the third shaft 48. The fifth toothed gear 57 is meshed with a ninth toothed gear 73. The ninth toothed gear 73 is attached to a sixth shaft 76 of a sixth pulley 72.

The rotation of the fifth pulley 70 is transmitted to the sixth pulley 72 via a fifth transmission belt 75. When the sixth pulley 72 rotates, the ninth toothed gear 73 rotates. As a result, the fifth toothed gear 57 rotates. With this, the placement angle θ2 can be changed as described above.

In other words, the discharge angle θ1 and the placement angle θ2 can be changed by a driving force of the first driving unit 50.

Third embodiment

Next, with reference to FIG. 1 to FIG. 5, the medium discharge device 21 according to a third embodiment is described. The same parts as those in the first embodiment, and the first modification example and the second modification example thereof are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description of the configurations and corresponding effects are omitted.

In the present embodiment, there are provided the discharge angle change unit 19 that can change the discharge angle θ1, the placement angle change unit 36 that can change the placement angle θ2, the first driving unit 50 (FIG. 4) that drives the discharge angle change unit 19, the second driving unit 77 (FIG. 5) that drives the placement angle change unit 36, and the control unit 71.

In the present embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the control unit 71 is configured to drive the first driving unit 50, based on first data D1, to change the discharge angle θ1, drive the second driving unit 77, based on second data D2, to change the placement angle θ2, and change the discharge angle θ1 and the placement angle θ2, based on third data D3.

Herein, the first data D1 is set in advance as an appropriate range of the discharge angle θ1 with respect to the discharge speed of the medium 3. The second data D2 is set it advance as an appropriate range of the placement angle θ2 with respect to the discharge speed of the medium 3. The third data D3 is set in advance as an appropriate range of the discharge angle θ1 and the placement angle θ2 with respect to the discharge speed of the medium 3.

In the present embodiment, the control unit 71 can drive the first driving unit 50, based on the first data D1, to change the discharge angle θ1, drive the second driving unit 77, based on the second data D2, to change the placement angle θ2, and change the discharge angle θ1 and the placement angle θ2, based on the third data D3. With this, the alignment of the medium 3 being discharged onto the placement surface 17 is improved by changing only the discharge angle θ1, changing only the placement angle θ2, or changing the discharge angle θ1 and the placement angle θ2. A user can select one from those different methods, which improves usability.

Fourth Embodiment

Next, the medium discharge device 21 according to a fourth embodiment is described. The same parts as those in the first embodiment, and the first modification example and the second modification example thereof are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description of the configurations and corresponding effects are omitted.

In the present embodiment, at least one of the discharge angle θ1 and the placement angle θ2 is changed in accordance with the basis weight of the medium 3. Even when the medium 3, which is so-called thin paper having a basis weight of approximately 25 to 40 g/m²and the medium 3 having a basis weight of 40 g/m²or more are discharged from the discharge roller pair 24 at the same discharge speed, the magnitudes of the pressing force and the inertia force differ. The pressing force and the inertia force of the medium 3 with a large basis weight are large. In contrast, the pressing force and the inertia force of the medium 3 with a small basis weight are small.

Thus, the alignment of the medium 3 being discharged differs. The medium 3 with a large basis weight has poor alignment as compared to the medium 3 with a small basis weight, and tends to have a narrow range for improving the alignment by changing the discharge angle θ1 or changing the placement angle θ2.

In the present embodiment, at least one of the discharge angle θ1 and the placement angle θ2 can be changed in accordance with the basis weight of the medium 3. For example, the first data D1, the second data D2, and the third data D3 are set for each of different basis weights of the medium 3. With this, at least one of the discharge angle θ1 and the placement angle θ2 can be changed in accordance with the basis weight of the medium 3. With this, in accordance with the basis weight of the medium 3, the discharge state can be stabilized, and the alignment can be improved.

Other Embodiments

The medium discharge device 21 and the image reading apparatus 1 according to the present disclosure are based on including the configurations of the embodiments described above, but it is of course possible to change or omit a partial configuration within a scope not deviating from the gist of the disclosure of the present application.

In the embodiments described above, description is made on the image reading apparatus that includes the first reading unit 51 and the second reading unit 52 as reading units and executes double-side reading for the first surface and the second surface of the medium 3. The present disclosure is also applicable to an image reading apparatus including a single-side reading structure.

Further, in the embodiments described above, description is made on the image reading apparatus 1 that in which the straight path 68 and the curve inversion path 18 are provided in the transport path 2. The present disclosure is also applicable to an apparatus that does not include the curve inversion path 18.

MEDIUM DISCHARGE DEVICE AND IMAGE READING APPARATUS

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