MEDIUM EJECTION DEVICE

BACKGROUND
Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a medium ejection device, and in particular, to a medium ejection device that stacks ejected media on a tray.

Related Art

Medium ejection devices such as scanners capture images while sequentially conveying a plurality of media and eject the media to a tray. In such a medium ejection device, when the ejected media are not stacked on the tray in a desirable manner, it takes a lot of efforts for a user to align the medium. When the ejected media are not stacked on the tray in a desirable manner, jams of the media and damages to the media may occur.

For example, a sheet ejection device includes an ejection roller that nips and ejects a document, a projection disposed on an outer circumference surface of the ejection roller, and ejection restricting ribs on the outer side of both ends of the ejection roller in the width direction. In the sheet ejection device, the surface of the ejection restricting rib on the downstream side in the document conveyance direction is located on the outer side with respect to the orbit circle of the projection and on the downstream side in the sheet conveyance direction in the area in the vertical direction from a placement surface, on which the ejected document is stacked, to the center of the ejection roller.

SUMMARY

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a medium ejection device includes a housing, an ejection roller, an opposing roller, and a tray. The ejection roller is disposed in the housing to eject a medium. The opposing roller is opposed to the ejection roller. The tray is disposed in the housing to stack the medium ejected by the ejection roller. The housing includes a medium conveyance path and a wall portion. The medium conveyance path is tilted such that the medium conveyance path is lower toward a downstream end of the medium conveyance path in a medium ejecting direction to eject the medium downward. The wall portion is disposed below a nip surface between the ejection roller and the opposing roller, the wall portion not overlapped, when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the medium ejecting direction, with a circle that is centered at an intersection point between an extension line of the nip surface of the ejection roller and the opposing roller and a placement surface of the tray and passes through a point closest to the intersection point on outer circumference surfaces of the ejection roller and the opposing roller such that, when the medium ejected by the ejection roller falls down, a rear end of the medium does not come into contact with the wall portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete appreciation of embodiments of the present disclosure and many of the attendant advantages and features thereof can be readily obtained and understood from the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a medium ejection device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, when viewed from the front of the medium ejection device;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the medium ejection device when viewed from the rear side of the medium ejection device;

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a conveyance path inside the medium ejection device;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view illustrating the arrangement of a first wall portion;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a first ejection roller;

FIG. 6 is a schematic view illustrating a first hole;

FIG. 7 is a schematic view illustrating the first hole;

FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of the medium ejection device;

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating schematic configurations of a storage device and processing circuitry, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an operation of a medium reading process;

FIG. 11 is a schematic view illustrating a first hole, and the like, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 12 is a schematic view illustrating a first hole, and the like, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 13 is a schematic view illustrating a first hole, and the like, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a medium ejection device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating a conveyance path inside the medium ejection device;

FIG. 16 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of the medium ejection device;

FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating schematic configurations of a storage device and processing circuitry according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of processing circuitry according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and

FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of processing circuitry according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

The accompanying drawings are intended to depict embodiments of the present disclosure and should not be interpreted to limit the scope thereof. The accompanying drawings are not to be considered as drawn to scale unless explicitly noted. Also, identical or similar reference numerals designate identical or similar components throughout the several views.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In describing embodiments illustrated in the drawings, specific terminology is employed for the sake of clarity. However, the disclosure of this specification is not intended to be limited to the specific terminology so selected and it is to be understood that each specific element includes all technical equivalents that have a similar function, operate in a similar manner, and achieve a similar result.

Referring now to the drawings, embodiments of the present disclosure are described below. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

The following is a description of a medium ejection device according to one aspect of the present disclosure with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the technical scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments thereof, but also includes the invention set forth in the scope of claims and its equivalents.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a medium ejection device 100 configured as an image scanner when viewed from the front. The medium ejection device 100 conveys a medium, which is a document, and captures an image of the document. The medium may be paper, cardboard, card, booklet, passport, etc. The medium ejection device 100 may be a facsimile machine, copier, printer multifunction peripheral (MFP), etc. The medium to be conveyed may be a printed object, etc. instead of a document, and the medium ejection device 100 may be a printer, etc.

The medium ejection device 100 includes a first housing part 101, a second housing part 102, a placement board 103, an ejection board 104, an operating device 105, a display device 106, etc. In FIG. 1, an arrow A1 indicates a medium ejecting direction, an arrow A2 indicates a width direction perpendicular to the medium ejecting direction A1, and an arrow A3 indicates a height direction perpendicular to a medium conveyance surface. In the following description, the upstream refers to the upstream in the medium ejecting direction A1, and the downstream refers to the downstream in the medium ejecting direction A1.

The first housing part 101 and the second housing part 102 are examples of housing. The second housing part 102 is disposed at a position to cover the top of the medium ejection device 100 and is engaged with the first housing part 101 with a hinge so as to be opened and closed when a medium is jammed, when the inside of the medium ejection device 100 is cleaned, etc. Around a medium ejection port E1, side walls 101b are disposed at both ends of the first housing part 101 in the width direction A2.

The first housing part 101 includes a first wall portion 107. The first wall portion 107 is an example of a wall portion and is disposed at an end portion (front surface) on the downstream side of the first housing part 101 and below the medium ejection port E1. The first wall portion 107 is disposed such that the rear end of the medium ejected to the ejection board 104 is brought into contact with the first wall portion 107. The medium ejection device 100 enables the first wall portion 107 to align the rear ends of the media stacked on the ejection board 104.

The first wall portion 107 includes a plurality of first holes 108. The first hole 108 is formed to penetrate through the first wall portion 107. The air under the medium ejected from the medium ejection port E1 flows through the first hole 108 into the first housing part 101 when the medium falls down. This allows the medium ejection device 100 to increase the falling speed of the ejected medium and allows the medium to smoothly fall down to the board 104 and damages to the media, which occurs when the media are continuously ejected ejection board 104. Due to a reduction in the contact load between the rear end of the ejected medium and the first wall portion 107, the medium ejection device 100 may prevent the medium from getting rolled or prevent the rear end of the medium from failing to fall down when the rear end of the medium is stuck in the first wall portion 107. Thus, the medium ejection device 100 may prevent the occurrence of jams of the media ejected to the ejection while the medium gets rolled or the rear end of the medium fails to fall down. The first wall portion 107 may omit the first holes 108.

The placement board 103 is attached to the first housing part 101 so that the conveyed medium may be placed thereon.

The ejection board 104 is an example of a tray and is disposed in the second housing part 102 so as to hold the ejected medium. The ejection board 104 may be disposed in the first housing part 101. A placement surface 104a, on which the medium is placed, of the ejection board 104 is preferably tilted such that the placement surface 104a is lower toward an upstream end of the placement surface 104a in the medium ejecting direction A1. When the placement surface is horizontal, the ejected medium is pushed to the downstream side by the air in the space surrounded by the medium, the placement surface, and the side wall, which impairs the alignment of the media. In the medium ejection device 100, the placement surface 104a is tilted such that the placement surface 104a is lower toward the upstream end, and thus there is an increase in the space surrounded by the ejected medium, the placement surface 104a, and the side wall 101b, and the rear end of the ejected medium pushes the air downward and falls down in a desirable manner. After the ejected medium falls down onto the placement surface 104a, the ejected medium returns to the upstream side along the placement surface 104a, and the rear end of the medium is brought into contact with the first wall portion 107 in a desirable manner. Thus, the medium ejection device 100 allows the rear ends of the media stacked on the ejection board 104 to be aligned in a desirable manner.

The operating device 105 includes an input device such as a button and an interface circuitry that acquires signals from the input device, accepts user's input operations, and outputs operation signals in response to the user's input operations. The display device 106 includes a display including a liquid crystal display, an organic electro-luminescence (EL) display, etc., and an interface circuitry that outputs image data to the display, and displays the image data on the display.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the medium ejection device 100 when viewed from the rear side.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the first housing part 101 includes a second wall portion 109. The second wall portion 109 is an example of a second wall portion different from the wall portion and is disposed on the opposite side of the first wall portion 107, i.e., on the rear side of the first housing part 101.

The second wall portion 109 includes a plurality of second holes 110. The second hole 110 is formed to penetrate through the second wall portion 109. The air flows into the first housing part 101 through the first hole 108 from under the ejected medium and then flows out of the first housing part 101 through the second hole 110. Accordingly, the medium ejection device 100 may smooth the flow of air under the ejected medium and allow the medium to fall down in a desirable manner, which may prevent the occurrence of jams of media and damages to the media. The second wall portion 109 may omit the second holes 110.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a conveyance path inside the medium ejection device 100.

The conveyance path inside the medium ejection device 100 includes a medium sensor 111, a feed roller 112, a separation roller 113, a first conveyance roller 114, a second conveyance roller 115, an imaging device 116, a first ejection roller 117, and a second ejection roller 118. The medium ejection device 100 further includes a first motor 121, a first transmission mechanism 122, a second motor 123, and a second transmission mechanism 124.

The feed roller 112, the separation roller 113, the first conveyance roller 114, the second conveyance roller 115, the first ejection roller 117, or the second ejection roller 118 is an example of a roller that conveys a medium. The number of the feed rollers 112, the separation rollers 113, the first conveyance rollers 114, the second conveyance rollers 115, the first ejection rollers 117, and/or the second ejection rollers 118 is not limited to one, but may be multiple. In that case, the feed rollers 112, the separation rollers 113, the first conveyance rollers 114, the second conveyance rollers 115, the first ejection rollers 117, and/or the second ejection rollers 118 are each arranged side by side with a space in the width direction A2.

An upper surface of the first housing part 101 forms a first guide 101a of a conveyance path for media, and a lower surface of the second housing part 102 forms a second guide 102a of a conveyance path for media.

The medium sensor 111 is located upstream from the feed roller 112 and the separation roller 113. The medium sensor 111 includes a contact detection sensor to detect whether a medium is placed on the placement board 103. The medium sensor 111 generates and outputs the medium signal whose signal value changes between a state where a medium is placed on the placement board 103 and a state where no medium is placed. The medium sensor 111 is not limited to a contact detection sensor, and any other sensor that may detect the presence or absence of media, such as an optical detection sensor, may be used as the medium sensor 111.

The feed roller 112 is disposed in the first housing part 101 to sequentially separate and feed the media placed on the placement board 103, starting from the medium on the bottom. The separation roller 113 is what is called a brake roller or a retard roller and is disposed in the second housing part 102 and is opposed to the feed roller 112 to rotate in the direction opposite to the medium feed direction. The feed roller 112 may be disposed in the second housing part 102, the separation roller 113 may be disposed in the first housing part 101, and the feed roller 112 may sequentially feed the media placed on the placement board 103, starting from the medium on the top.

The first conveyance roller 114 and the second conveyance roller 115 are located downstream of the feed roller 112. The first conveyance roller 114 and the second conveyance roller 115 are disposed in the first housing part 101 and the second housing part 102, respectively, and are opposed to each other to convey the medium fed by the feed roller 112 and the separation roller 113 to the imaging device 116.

The imaging device 116 includes a first imaging device 116a and a second imaging device 116b opposed to each other with the medium conveyance path interposed therebetween. The first imaging device 116a includes a line sensor using a contact image (CI) sensor of same-magnification optics type including a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) imaging device arranged linearly in the main scanning direction. The first imaging device 116a includes a lens that forms an image on the imaging device and an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter that amplifies the electrical signals output from the imaging device and conducts A/D conversion. The first imaging device 116a generates and outputs an input image by capturing the front surface of the conveyed medium according to the control from processing circuitry described below.

Similarly, the second imaging device 116b includes a line sensor using a CIS of same-magnification optics type including a CMOS imaging device arranged linearly in the main scanning direction. The second imaging device 116b includes a lens that forms an image on the imaging device and an A/D converter that amplifies the electrical signals output from the imaging device and conducts A/D conversion. The second imaging device 116b generates and outputs an input image by capturing the back surface of the conveyed medium according to the control from the processing circuitry.

The medium ejection device 100 may include one of the first imaging device 116a and the second imaging device 116b to read one side of the medium. Instead of the line sensor using the CIS of same-magnification optics type including the CMOS imaging device, a line sensor using a CIS of same-magnification optics type including a charge coupled device (CCD) imaging device may be used. A line sensor of reduced optics type including a CMOS or CCD imaging device may also be used.

The first ejection roller 117 and the second ejection roller 118 are located downstream of the imaging device 116. The first ejection roller 117 and the second ejection roller 118 are disposed in the first housing part 101 and the second housing part 102, respectively, and are opposed to each other to eject the medium, which is conveyed by the first conveyance roller 114 and the second conveyance roller 115 and captured by the imaging device 116, to the ejection board 104. One of the first ejection roller 117 and the second ejection roller 118 is an example of an ejection roller, and the other one of the first ejection roller 117 and the second ejection roller 118 is an example of an opposing roller.

The first motor 121 is an example of a motor and is disposed in the first housing part 101 and connected to the feed roller 112 via the first transmission mechanism 122. The first motor 121 generates a first drive force to rotate the feed roller 112 in accordance with a control signal from the processing circuitry. A first blade 121a is disposed on a rotary shaft of the first motor 121. The first blade 121a is an example of a blade and is disposed in the first housing part 101 and rotates with the rotation of the first motor 121.

The first transmission mechanism 122 includes one or more pulleys, belts, gears, and the like, disposed between the first motor 121 and the shaft, which is the rotary shaft of the feed roller 112. The first transmission mechanism 122 transmits the first drive force generated by the first motor 121 to the feed roller 112.

The second motor 123 is an example of a motor and is disposed in the first housing part 101 and connected to the first conveyance roller 114, the second conveyance roller 115, the first ejection roller 117, the second ejection roller 118, and the separation roller 113 via the second transmission mechanism 124. The second motor 123 generates a second drive force to rotate the first conveyance roller 114, the second conveyance roller 115, the first ejection roller 117, the second ejection roller 118, and the separation roller 113 in accordance with a control signal from the processing circuitry. A second blade 123a is disposed on a rotary shaft of the second motor 123. The second blade 123a is an example of a blade and is disposed in the first housing part 101 and rotates with the rotation of the second motor 123.

The second transmission mechanism 124 includes one or more pulleys, belts, gears, and the like, disposed between the second motor 123 and the respective shafts, which are the respective rotary shafts of the separation roller 113, the first conveyance roller 114, the second conveyance roller 115, the first ejection roller 117, and the second ejection roller 118. In particular, one or more gears are disposed between the shafts of the individual rollers to vary the rotation direction and the rotation speed of each roller. The second transmission mechanism 124 transmits the second drive force generated by the second motor 123 to the separation roller 113, the first conveyance roller 114, the second conveyance roller 115, the first ejection roller 117, and the second ejection roller 118.

The second conveyance roller 115 may be a driven roller that is driven and rotated by the first conveyance roller 114. The second ejection roller 118 may be a driven roller that is driven and rotated by the first ejection roller 117. Instead of being connected to the second motor 123 via the second transmission mechanism 124, the separation roller 113 may be connected to the first motor 121 via the first transmission mechanism 122 and rotate by the first drive force generated by the first motor 121. The first motor 121 and/or the second motor 123 may be disposed in the second housing part 102 instead of the first housing part 101. The first blade 121a and/or the second blade 123a may be omitted.

As the first motor 121 rotates in the direction of an arrow A4, the feed roller 112 rotates in the direction of an arrow A6. As the second motor 123 rotates in the direction of an arrow A5, the separation roller 113, the first conveyance roller 114, the second conveyance roller 115, the first ejection roller 117, and the second ejection roller 118 rotate in the directions of arrows A7, A8, A9, A10 and A11, respectively.

The medium placed on the placement board 103 is conveyed between the first guide 101a and the second guide 102a toward the medium ejecting direction A1 when the feed roller 112 rotates in the direction of the arrow A6, i.e., in the medium feed direction. The separation roller 113 rotates in the direction of the arrow A7, i.e., in the direction opposite to the medium feed direction, while the medium is conveyed. Because of the actions of the feed roller 112 and the separation roller 113, when a plurality of media is placed on the placement board 103, the medium in contact with the feed roller 112 among the media placed on the placement board 103 is separated. This limits the conveyance of media other than the separated medium (prevention of overlapped feeding).

The medium is fed between the first conveyance roller 114 and the second conveyance roller 115 while being guided by the first guide 101a and the second guide 102a. The medium is fed between the first imaging device 116a and the second imaging device 116b when the first conveyance roller 114 and the second conveyance roller 115 rotate in the direction of the arrows A8 and A9, respectively. The medium read by the imaging device 116 is ejected to the ejection board 104 when the first ejection roller 117 and the second ejection roller 118 rotate in the directions of the arrows A10 and A11, respectively. The ejection board 104 stacks the medium ejected by the first ejection roller 117 and the second ejection roller 118.

When the first motor 121 rotates in the direction of the arrow A4, the first blade 121a disposed on the rotary shaft of the first motor 121 rotates in the direction of the arrow A4. When the second motor 123 rotates in the direction of the arrow A5, the second blade 123a disposed on the rotary shaft of the second motor 123 rotates in the direction of the arrow A5. The air flowing into the first housing part 101 through the first hole 108 flows in the direction of an arrow A12, i.e., from the first hole 108 side to the second hole 110 side, with the rotations of the first blades 121a and the second blades 123a and flows out of the first housing part 101 through the second hole 110. This allows the medium ejection device 100 to efficiently circulate the air in the first housing part 101, smooth the flow of air under the ejected medium, and cause the medium to fall down in a desirable manner. Thus, the medium ejection device 100 may prevent the occurrence of jams of the media and damages to the media.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view illustrating the arrangement of the first wall portion 107.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, the first wall portion 107 is disposed below a nip surface N1 between the first ejection roller 117 and the second ejection roller 118. The first ejection roller 117 and the second ejection roller 118 are disposed such that the nip surface N1 is tilted to be lower toward the downstream end in the medium ejecting direction. In particular, the first ejection roller 117 and the second ejection roller 118 are disposed such that an extension line L1 of the nip surface N1 intersects the placement surface 104a of the ejection board 104.

Ideally, the leading end of the medium ejected by the first ejection roller 117 and the second ejection roller 118 travels along the extension line L1 of the nip surface N1 between the first ejection roller 117 and the second ejection roller 118 and comes into contact with an intersection point P1 between the extension line L1 and the placement surface 104a of the ejection board 104. The medium then travels towards the downstream side such that the leading end moves along the placement surface 104a while part thereof is in contact with the intersection point P1. After passing through the nip surface N1 between the first ejection roller 117 and the second ejection roller 118, the rear end of the medium moves along the outer circumference surface of the first ejection roller 117 on the lower side, and when the rear end of the medium passes through a point P2 closest to the intersection point P1 on the outer circumference surface, the rear end of the medium separates from the outer circumference surface and falls down. As part of the medium is in contact with the intersection point P1, the rear end of the medium falls down along a circle C1 that is centered at the intersection point P1 and passes through the point P2 closest to the intersection point P1 on the outer circumference surface.

The first wall portion 107 is disposed so as not to be overlapped with the circle C1 that is centered at the intersection point P1 and passes through the point P2 closest to the intersection point P1 on the outer circumference surfaces of the first ejection roller 117 and the second ejection roller 118 when viewed from the width direction A2 perpendicular to the medium ejecting direction. That is, the first wall portion 107 is disposed below the nip surface N1 between the first ejection roller 117 and the second ejection roller 118 such that, when the medium ejected by the first ejection roller 117 and the second ejection roller 118 falls down, the rear end of the medium does not come into contact with the first wall portion 107. This causes the ejected medium to fall down without the rear end thereof being in contact with the first wall portion 107. This prevents the occurrence of jams of the media and damages to the media, which occur when the rear end of the medium is stuck in the first wall portion 107 and does not fall down and the subsequent media are stacked on the medium.

When a flexible medium such as thin paper is ejected, the leading end of the ejected medium may hang down due to its own weight and travel below the extension line L1 of the nip surface N1. In that case, the leading end of the medium comes into contact with a first position P3, which is located upstream from the intersection point P1 in the medium ejecting direction A1 on the placement surface 104a. Because the medium is flexible, when the rear end of the medium reaches a second position P4 closest to the first position P3 on the outer circumference surface of the first ejection roller 117 on the lower side, the area of the medium between the first position P3 and the second position P4 may form a curved surface instead of a flat surface. In this case, the rear end of the medium falls down along an involute curve C3 that has, as a base circle, a circle C2 passing through the first position P3 and the second position P4 when viewed from the width direction A2. An involute curve is a plane curve whose normal is always tangent to the base circle. That is, the involute curve is a curve drawn when the tip of a string wound around the base circle is unwound without loosening.

The first wall portion 107 is preferably disposed so as not to be overlapped with the involute curve C3 that has, as a base circle, the circle C2 passing through the first position P3 and the second position P4 closest to the first position P3 on the outer circumference surfaces of the first ejection roller 117 and the second ejection roller 118 when viewed from the width direction A2. Accordingly, even when a flexible medium such as thin paper is ejected, the medium falls down without the rear end thereof being in contact with the first wall portion 107. This prevents the occurrence of jams of the media and damages to the media, which occur when the rear end of the medium is stuck in the first wall portion 107 and does not fall down and the subsequent media are stacked on the medium.

The first position P3 is set by prior experiment using thin paper supported by the medium ejection device 100. The first position P3 is set, for example, on the extension line L1 of the nip surface N1 in the medium ejecting direction A1, at a position downstream of the midpoint between the intersection point P1 of the extension line L1 and the placement surface 104a and the center position of the nip surface N1 in the medium ejecting direction A1. Furthermore, the first position P3 is set at a position within a predetermined range (e.g., within 50 mm) from the intersection point P1.

A height H1 of the first wall portion 107 is set to a size equal to or more than the thickness of media that are supported by the medium ejection device 100 and collectively conveyable. For example, when the medium ejection device 100 supports the collective conveyance of 100 sheets of plain paper copier (PPC) paper, the minimum size of the height H1 is 10 mm, which is obtained by multiplying 0.1 mm, which is the thickness of PPC paper, by 100 sheets. The medium to be conveyed may be wrinkled, or the like, instead of being new. Therefore, the height H1 of the first wall portion 107 is preferably set to a size equal to or more than the above-described thickness with a margin added thereto. For example, when the margin is 1.5 times, the minimum size of the height H1 is 15 mm, which is obtained by multiplying 10 mm by 1.5.

The first wall portion 107 is preferably mirror polished or fluororesin coated. This smooths the first wall portion 107 and reduces the coefficient of friction between the first wall portion 107 and the rear end of the medium. Therefore, even when the rear end of the ejected medium comes into contact with the first wall portion 107, the rear end of the medium falls down smoothly without being stuck in the first wall portion 107, and therefore the occurrence of jams of the media and damages to the media are prevented, which occur when the subsequent media are stacked on the medium.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of the first ejection roller 117.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, the first ejection roller 117 further includes an elastic roller 117a disposed on the outer circumference surface of the first ejection roller 117. The elastic roller 117a includes a rubber material, a resin material, etc. In particular, the elastic roller 117a includes a sponge, or the like, to shrink when pressed from outside. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the elastic roller 117a is pressed and reduced by the second ejection roller 118 on the nip surface N1 between the first ejection roller 117 and the second ejection roller 118 and therefore does not affect the conveyance performance of media and the quality of input images. Conversely, the areas of the elastic roller 117a other than the nip surface N1 are not compressed and, at the end portion on the downstream side, protrude to the downstream side from the first wall portion 107. This allows the medium ejection device 100 to provide sufficient space between the downstream end of the first ejection roller 117 and the first wall portion 107 and to prevent the rear end of the ejected medium from being in contact with the first wall portion 107.

In the example illustrated in FIG. 5, the elastic roller 117a is disposed at the center portion of the first ejection roller 117 in the width direction A2, but the elastic roller 117a may be disposed at the end portion of the first ejection roller 117 in the width direction A2. For example, when the two first ejection rollers 117 are arranged side by side with a space in the width direction A2, each of the elastic rollers 117a is located in the end portion on the inner side (the center side of the medium conveyance path) in the width direction A2 in each of the first ejection rollers 117. In each of the first ejection rollers 117, each of the elastic rollers 117a may be disposed at the end portion on the outer side (the outer side of the medium conveyance path) in the width direction A2. In each of the first ejection rollers 117, each of the elastic rollers 117a may be disposed at end portions on both sides in the width direction A2.

The second ejection roller 118 may also include an additional elastic roller. The elastic roller of the second ejection roller 118 has the same configuration as that of the elastic roller 117a and is disposed on the outer circumference surface of the second ejection roller 118 at the same position as that of the elastic roller 117a on the first ejection roller 117.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view illustrating the first hole 108.

As illustrated in FIG. 6, the first hole 108 is formed in the first wall portion 107 between a lowest end P5 of the outer circumference surface of the first ejection roller 117 on the lower side and an intersection point P6 between the first wall portion 107 and an extension line L2 of the placement surface 104a of the ejection board 104. In particular, the first hole 108 is formed in the first wall portion 107 at least above a center position P7 between the lowest end P5 of the first ejection roller 117 and the intersection point P6. In the example illustrated in FIG. 6, the first hole 108 is also formed below the center position P7 in the first wall portion 107, but the first hole 108 need not be formed below the center position P7. Thus, the first hole 108 is formed in the first housing part 101 at a position closer to the lowest end of the first ejection roller 117 and the second ejection roller 118 than the placement surface 104a of the ejection board 104. Thus, the medium ejection device 100 may flow the air under the medium into the first housing part 101 at an early stage when the rear end of the medium starts to fall down and thus may cause the medium to fall down in a desirable manner to prevent the occurrence of jams of the media and damages to the media.

FIG. 7 is a schematic view illustrating the first hole 108. The schematic view of FIG. 7 illustrates the first wall portion 107 viewed from the downstream side.

As illustrated in FIG. 7, the first holes 108 each have the same size and are arranged in a staggered pattern. For example, the first holes 108 are arranged in a rhombus grid, hexagon grid, or parallelogram grid. Specifically, the first holes 108 are arranged side by side in a plurality of lines that each extend in the width direction A2 and are located at different positions in the height direction A3. Each hole on each line is disposed, for example, in the width direction A2 at the center position between the two holes adjacent to each other in the width direction A2 and on the line adjacent to that line in the height direction A3. Each hole on each line may be disposed in the width direction A2 at a position shifted from the center position between the two holes adjacent to each other in the width direction A2 and on the line adjacent to that line in the height direction A3.

More preferably, the first holes 108 are disposed such that there are no gaps in the width direction A2 (such that the holes are present at all positions from the first hole 108 located on the leftmost side to the first hole 108 located on the rightmost side in the width direction A2). Thus, in the medium ejection device 100, the first holes 108 are effectively arranged such that the air under the ejected medium may efficiently flow into the first housing part 101. Therefore, the medium ejection device 100 may cause the medium to fall down in a desirable manner to prevent the occurrence of jams of the media and damages to the media.

Similarly, the second holes 110 are preferably arranged in the second wall portion 109 in a staggered pattern. For example, the second holes 110 are arranged in a rhombus grid, hexagon grid, or parallelogram grid. More preferably, the second holes 110 are also disposed without gaps in the width direction A2. Thus, in the medium ejection device 100, the second holes 110 are effectively arranged such that the air having flowed into the first housing part 101 may efficiently flow out of the first housing part 101. Therefore, it is possible to cause the medium to fall down in a desirable manner to prevent the occurrence of jams of the media and damages to the media.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of the medium ejection device 100.

In addition to the above-described configuration, the medium ejection device 100 further includes an interface device 131, a storage device 140, and processing circuitry 150, etc.

The interface device 131 includes an interface circuitry equivalent to a serial bus, such as a universal serial bus (USB), and is electrically connected to an information processing device (e.g., personal computer, or portable information terminal) to transmit and receive input images and various types of information. Instead of the interface device 131, a communication unit may be used, which includes an antenna that transmits and receives wireless signals and a wireless communication interface device that transmits and receives signals through a wireless communication line according to a predetermined communication protocol. The predetermined communication protocol is, for example, a wireless local area network (LAN). The communication unit may include a wired communication interface device that transmits and receives signals through a wired communication line according to a communication protocol such as a wired LAN.

The storage device 140 includes a memory device such as a random-access memory (RAM) or a read-only memory (ROM), a fixed disk device such as a hard disk, or a portable storage device such as a flexible disk or an optical disk. The storage device 140 stores computer programs, databases, tables, and the like, used for various types of processing of the medium ejection device 100. The computer program may be installed from a portable computer-readable recording medium to the storage device 140 by using a known setup program, etc.

The portable recording medium is, for example, a compact disc read only memory (CD-ROM) and a digital versatile disc read only memory (DVD-ROM).

The processing circuitry 150 operates based on a program previously stored in the storage device 140. The processing circuitry is, for example, a central processing unit (CPU). A digital signal processor (DSP), large scale integration (LSI), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or the like, may be used as the processing circuitry 150.

The processing circuitry 150 is connected to the operating device 105, the display device 106, the medium sensor 111, the imaging device 116, the first motor 121, the second motor 123, the interface device 131, the storage device 140, and the like, to control each of these units. The processing circuitry 150 controls the driving of the first motor 121 and the second motor 123, controls the image capture of the imaging device 116, etc., to acquire input images from the imaging device 116 and transmit the input images to the information processing device via the interface device 131.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating schematic configurations of the storage device 140 and the processing circuitry 150.

As illustrated in FIG. 9, the storage device 140 stores a control program 141, an image acquisition program 142, etc. Each of these programs is a functional module implemented by software running on a processor. The processing circuitry 150 reads each program stored in the storage device 140 and operates in accordance with each program read. Thus, the processing circuitry 150 functions as a control module 151 and an image acquisition module 152.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an operation of a medium reading process of the medium ejection device 100.

An example of the operation of the medium reading process of the medium ejection device 100 will be described below with reference to the flowchart illustrated in FIG. 10. The flow of operations described below is primarily performed by the processing circuitry 150 in cooperation with each element of the medium ejection device 100 based on programs previously stored in the storage device 140.

First, the control module 151 waits until an instruction to read the medium is input by the user using the operating device 105 or the information processing device and an operation signal indicating the reading of the medium is received from the operating device 105 or the interface device 131 (Step S101).

Subsequently, the control module 151 acquires a medium signal from the medium sensor 111 and, based on the acquired medium signal, determines whether a medium is placed on the placement board 103 (Step S102). When no medium is placed on the placement board 103, the control module 151 terminates the series of steps.

Conversely, when a medium is placed on the placement board 103, the control module 151 rotates the feed roller 112, the separation roller 113, the first conveyance roller 114, the second conveyance roller 115, the first ejection roller 117, and/or the second ejection roller 118 (Step S103). The control module 151 drives the first motor 121 and the second motor 123 to rotate each roller and convey the medium.

Subsequently, the control module 151 causes the imaging device 116 to capture the medium, acquires an input image from the imaging device 116, and transmits the acquired input image to the information processing device via the interface device 131 to output the input image (Step S104).

Subsequently, the control module 151 determines whether a medium remains on the placement board 103 based on the medium signal received from the medium sensor 111 (Step S105). When there is a medium remaining on the placement board 103, the control module 151 returns the process to Step S104 and repeats Steps S104 and S105.

Conversely, when no medium remains on the placement board 103, the control module 151 stops the feed roller 112, the separation roller 113, the first conveyance roller 114, the second conveyance roller 115, the first ejection roller 117, and/or the second ejection roller 118 (Step S106). The control module 151 controls the first motor 121 and the second motor 123 to stop each roller and terminates the series of steps.

As described above in detail, in the medium ejection device 100, the first wall portion 107 on the ejection board 104 side of the first housing part 101 is disposed such that the rear end of the medium ejected from the first ejection roller 117 does not come into contact with the first wall portion 107. Accordingly, the medium ejection device 100 allows the ejected medium to fall down without the rear end thereof being in contact with the first wall portion 107, which may prevent the occurrence of jams of the media and damages to the media. Thus, the medium ejection device 100 may stack the ejected media on the ejection board 104 in a desirable manner.

This reduces the user's effort to align the media ejected to the ejection board 104, and the medium ejection device 100 may improve the user's convenience and increase the productivity of the user's scanning operations. The medium ejection device 100 may stack various types of media, such as PPC paper, thin paper, and thick paper, as well as media in various states, such as curled or wrinkled media, on the ejection board 104 in a desirable manner. The medium ejection device 100 may stack the media on the ejection board 104 in a desirable manner without using any special mechanism and may stack the media on the ejection board 104 in a desirable manner while preventing an increase in cost and size of the device.

FIG. 11 is a schematic view illustrating a first wall portion 167 and a first hole 168 in a medium ejection device according to another embodiment. The schematic view of FIG. 11 illustrates the first wall portion 167 viewed from the downstream side.

The first wall portion 167 has the same configuration as that of the first wall portion 107 and, instead of the first wall portion 107, is disposed at the position of the first wall portion 107. The first wall portion 167 includes the plurality of first holes 168. In the same manner as the first hole 108, the first hole 168 is formed in the first housing part 101 through the first wall portion 167 at a position closer to the lowest end of the first ejection roller 117 and the second ejection roller 118 than the placement surface 104a of the ejection board 104.

As illustrated in FIG. 11, the first holes 168 each have the same size and are arranged in a rectangular grid or a square grid. Specifically, the first holes 168 are arranged side by side in a plurality of lines that each extend in the width direction A2 and are located at different positions in the height direction A3. Each hole on each line is disposed in the width direction A2 at the same position as each of the corresponding holes disposed on the other lines.

Similarly, second holes may also be arranged in a rectangular grid or a square grid in a second wall portion.

As described above in detail, the medium ejection device may stack the ejected media on the ejection board 104 in a desirable manner even when the plurality of first holes 168 is arranged in a rectangular grid or a square grid.

FIG. 12 is a schematic view illustrating a first wall portion 177 and a first hole 178 in a medium ejection device according to another embodiment. The schematic view of FIG. 12 illustrates the first wall portion 177 viewed from the downstream side.

The first wall portion 177 has the same configuration as that of the first wall portion 107 and, instead of the first wall portion 107, is disposed at the position of the first wall portion 107. The first wall portion 177 includes the plurality of first holes 178. In the same manner as the first hole 108, the first hole 178 is formed in the first housing part 101 through the first wall portion 177 at a position closer to the lowest end of the first ejection roller 117 and the second ejection roller 118 than the placement surface 104a of the ejection board 104.

As illustrated in FIG. 12, the first holes 178 are formed to have larger opening areas per unit area at lower positions. In the example illustrated in FIG. 12, the first holes 178 are formed to become larger at lower positions. The first holes 178 may each have the same size and be formed to have smaller installation spaces between the first holes 178, which are adjacent to each other in the height direction A3, at lower positions.

Typically, the space between the ejected medium and the placement surface is smaller at a lower position above the ejection board, and therefore the air under the medium is unlikely to escape. As the first holes 178 have larger opening areas per unit area at lower positions, the medium ejection device allows the air under the ejected medium to efficiently flow into the first housing part 101 and allows the medium to fall down in a desirable manner. In the example illustrated in FIG. 12, the first holes 178 are arranged in a rectangular grid or a square grid, but may be arranged in a staggered pattern.

Similarly, second holes may also be formed to have larger opening areas per unit area at lower positions.

As described above in detail, the medium ejection device may stack the ejected media on the ejection board 104 in a desirable manner even when the plurality of first holes 178 is formed to have larger opening areas per unit area at lower positions.

FIG. 13 is a schematic view illustrating a first wall portion 187 and a first hole 188 in a medium ejection device according to another embodiment. The schematic view of FIG. 13 illustrates the first wall portion 187 viewed from the downstream side.

The first wall portion 187 has the same configuration as that of the first wall portion 107 and, instead of the first wall portion 107, is disposed at the position of the first wall portion 107. The first wall portion 187 includes the plurality of first holes 188. In the same manner as the first hole 108, the first hole 188 is formed in the first housing part 101 through the first wall portion 187 at a position closer to the lowest end of the first ejection roller 117 and the second ejection roller 118 than the placement surface 104a of the ejection board 104.

As illustrated in FIG. 13, the first holes 188 are formed to have larger opening areas per unit area at outer positions in the width direction A2 perpendicular to the medium ejecting direction. In the example illustrated in FIG. 13, the first holes 188 are formed to become larger at outer positions in the width direction A2. The first holes 188 may each have the same size and be formed to have smaller installation spaces between the first holes 188, which are adjacent to each other in the width direction A2, at outer positions in the width direction A2.

Typically, when a large medium of A3 size, or the like, is ejected, there is a small space between the end portion of the large medium in the width direction A2 and the side wall 101b disposed on the outer side of the medium ejection port E1, and therefore the air under the medium is unlikely to escape in the end portion in the width direction A2. As the first holes 188 have larger opening areas per unit area at outer positions, the medium ejection device allows the air under the ejected medium to efficiently flow into the first housing part 101 and allows the medium to fall down in a desirable manner. In the example illustrated in FIG. 13, the first holes 188 are arranged in a rectangular grid or a square grid, but may be arranged in a staggered pattern. The first holes 188 may further be formed to have larger opening areas per unit area at lower positions.

Similarly, second holes may also be formed to have larger opening areas per unit area at outer positions in the width direction A2.

As described in detail above, the medium ejection device may stack the ejected media on the ejection board 104 in a desirable manner even when the plurality of first holes 188 is formed to have larger opening areas per unit area at outer positions in the width direction A2.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a medium ejection device 200 according to another embodiment.

The medium ejection device 200 has the same configuration and function as the medium ejection device 100. The medium ejection device 200 includes a first housing part 201, a second housing part 202, a placement board 203, an ejection board 204, an operating device 205, a display device 206, etc. In FIG. 14, an arrow A21 indicates a medium conveyance direction, an arrow A22 indicates a medium ejecting direction, an arrow A23 indicates a width direction perpendicular to the medium conveyance direction A21 and the medium ejecting direction A22, and an arrow A24 indicates a height direction perpendicular to a medium conveyance surface. In the following description, the upstream refers to the upstream in the medium conveyance direction A21 and the medium ejecting direction A22, and the downstream refers to the downstream in the medium conveyance direction A21 and the medium ejecting direction A22.

The first housing part 201 and the second housing part 202 are examples of housing. The second housing part 202 is disposed inside the medium ejection device 200 and is engaged with the first housing part 201 with a hinge so as to be opened and closed when a medium is jammed, when the inside of the medium ejection device 200 is cleaned, etc. Around a medium ejection port E2, side walls 201b are disposed at both ends of the first housing part 201 in the width direction A23.

The second housing part 202 includes a first wall portion 207 and a second wall portion 209. The first wall portion 207 is an example of a wall portion and is disposed at an end portion on the downstream side of the second housing part 202 and below the medium ejection port E2. The first wall portion 207 is disposed such that the rear end of the medium ejected to the ejection board 204 is brought into contact with the first wall portion 207.

The first wall portion 207 includes a plurality of first holes 208. The first hole 208 is formed to penetrate through the first wall portion 207. In the same manner as the first holes 108, the first holes 208 each have the same size and are arranged in a staggered pattern. For example, the first holes 208 are arranged in a rhombus grid, hexagon grid, or parallelogram grid. More preferably, the first holes 208 are disposed such that there are no gaps in the width direction A23.

In the same manner as the first holes 168, the first holes 208 may be arranged in a rectangular grid or a square grid. In the same manner as the first holes 178, the first holes 208 may be formed to have larger opening areas per unit area at lower positions. In that case, the first holes 208 are formed to become larger at lower positions. The first holes 208 may each have the same size and be formed to have smaller installation spaces between the first holes 208, which are adjacent to each other in the height direction A24, at lower positions. In the same manner as the first holes 188, the first holes 208 may be formed to have larger opening areas per unit area at outer positions in the width direction A23 perpendicular to the medium ejecting direction. In that case, the first holes 208 are formed to become larger at outer positions in the width direction A23. The first holes 208 may each have the same size and be formed to have smaller installation spaces between the first holes 208, which are adjacent to each other in the width direction A23, at outer positions in the width direction A23. The first wall portion 207 may omit the first holes 208.

The second wall portion 209 is an example of a second wall portion different from the wall portion and is disposed in an upstream end of the second housing part 202. The second wall portion 209 includes a plurality of second holes 210. The second hole 210 is formed to penetrate through the second wall portion 209. In the same manner as the second holes 110, the second holes 210 are preferably arranged in the second wall portion 209 in a staggered pattern. More preferably, the second holes 210 are disposed without gaps in the width direction A23.

In the same manner as the first holes 168, the second holes 210 may be arranged in a rectangular grid or a square grid. In the same manner as the first holes 178, the second holes 210 may be formed to have larger opening areas per unit area at lower positions. In that case, the second holes 210 are formed to become larger at lower positions. The second holes 210 may each have the same size and be formed to have smaller installation spaces between the second holes 210, which are adjacent to each other in the height direction A24, at lower positions. In the same manner as the first holes 188, the second holes 210 may be formed to have larger opening areas per unit area at outer positions in the width direction A23 perpendicular to the medium ejecting direction. In that case, the second holes 210 are formed to become larger at outer positions in the width direction A23. The second holes 210 may each have the same size and be formed to have smaller installation spaces between the second holes 210, which are adjacent to each other in the width direction A23, at outer positions in the width direction A23. The second wall portion 209 may omit the second holes 210.

The placement board 203 is attached to the first housing part 201 such that the conveyed medium may be placed thereon. The placement board 203 is disposed on the side surface of the first housing part 201 on the medium feed side so as to be movable in substantially the vertical direction (the height direction A24) by a motor.

The ejection board 204 is an example of a tray and is disposed in the second housing part 202 so as to hold the ejected medium. In the same manner as the placement surface 104a, a placement surface 204a, on which the medium is placed, of the ejection board 204 is preferably tilted such that the placement surface 204a is lower toward an upstream end of the placement surface 204a in the medium ejecting direction A22.

A first recessed portion 204b is formed in an upstream end of the placement surface 204a of the ejection board 204 in the medium ejecting direction A22. The air pushed down by the rear end of the ejected medium may escape into the first recessed portion 204b such that the rear end of the ejected medium may fall down in a desirable manner by properly pushing down the air. Thus, the medium ejection device 200 may prevent the occurrence of jams of the media and damages to the media.

A second recessed portion 204c is formed in an end portion of the placement surface 204a of the ejection board 204 in the width direction A23 perpendicular to the medium ejecting direction. The air pushed down by the side end of the ejected medium may escape into the second recessed portion 204c such that the side end of the ejected medium may fall down in a desirable manner by properly pushing down the air. Thus, the medium ejection device 200 may prevent the occurrence of jams of the media and damages to the media.

The first recessed portion 204b and the second recessed portion 204c may be omitted. Similarly, in the medium ejection device 100, a first recessed portion may be formed in an end upstream of the placement surface 104a of the ejection board 104 in the medium ejecting direction A1, and/or a second recessed portion may be formed in an end portion of the placement surface 104a of the ejection board 104 in the width direction A2 perpendicular to the medium ejecting direction.

The operating device 205 includes an input device such as a button and an interface circuitry that acquires signals from the input device, accepts user's input operations, and outputs operation signals in response to the user's input operations. The display device 206 includes a display including a liquid crystal display, an organic EL display, etc., and an interface circuitry that outputs image data to the display, and displays the image data on the display.

FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating a conveyance path inside the medium ejection device 200.

The conveyance path inside the medium ejection device 200 includes a pick roller 219, a medium sensor 211, a feed roller 212, a separation roller 213, a first conveyance roller 214a to a seventh conveyance roller 214g, a first driven roller 215a to a seventh driven roller 215g, an imaging device 216, an ejection roller 217, an opposing roller 218, etc. The pick roller 219, the feed roller 212, the separation roller 213, the first conveyance roller 214a to the seventh conveyance roller 214g, the first driven roller 215a to the seventh driven roller 215g, the ejection roller 217, or the opposing roller 218 is an example of a roller that conveys a medium.

The number of the pick rollers 219, the feed rollers 212, the separation rollers 213, the first conveyance roller 214a to the seventh conveyance roller 214g, the first driven roller 215a to the seventh driven roller 215g, the ejection rollers 217, and/or the opposing rollers 218 is not limited to one, but may be multiple. In that case, the pick rollers 219, the feed rollers 212, the separation rollers 213, the first conveyance roller 214a to the seventh conveyance roller 214g, the first driven roller 215a to the seventh driven roller 215g, the ejection rollers 217, and/or the opposing rollers 218 are each arranged side by side with a space in the width direction A23.

A first guide 201a of the conveyance path for media is formed on the surface of the first housing part 201 opposed to the second housing part 202, and a second guide 202a of a conveyance path for media is formed on the surface of the second housing part 202 opposed to the first housing part 201.

The pick roller 219 is disposed in the second housing part 202 and comes into contact with the medium placed on the placement board 203, which is raised to substantially the same height as the medium conveyance path, to feed the medium toward the downstream side.

The medium sensor 211 is located on the placement board 203, i.e., upstream from the feed roller 212 and the separation roller 213. The medium sensor 211 includes a contact detection sensor to detect whether a medium is placed on the placement board 203. The medium sensor 211 generates and outputs the medium signal whose signal value changes between a state where a medium is placed on the placement board 203 and a state where no medium is placed. The medium sensor 211 is not limited to a contact detection sensor, and any other sensor that may detect the presence or absence of media, such as an optical detection sensor, may be used as the medium sensor 211.

The feed roller 212 is disposed in the second housing part 202 to sequentially separate and feed the media placed on the placement board 203, starting from the medium on the top. The separation roller 213 is what is called a brake roller or a retard roller and is disposed in the first housing part 201 and is opposed to the feed roller 212 to rotate in the direction opposite to the medium feed direction. The feed roller 212 may be disposed in the first housing part 201 and the separation roller 213 may be disposed in the second housing part 202 such that the feed roller 212 may sequentially feed the media placed on the placement board 203, starting from the medium on the bottom.

The first conveyance roller 214a to the seventh conveyance roller 214g and the first driven roller 215a to the seventh driven roller 215g are located downstream of the feed roller 112. The first conveyance roller 214a to the seventh conveyance roller 214g and the first driven roller 215a to the seventh driven roller 215g are disposed in the second housing part 202 and the first housing part 201, respectively, and are opposed to each other to convey the medium fed by the feed roller 212 and the separation roller 213 toward the downstream side.

The imaging device 216 includes a first imaging device 216a and a second imaging device 216b opposed to each other with the medium conveyance path interposed therebetween. The first imaging device 216a includes a line sensor using a CIS of same-magnification optics type including a CMOS imaging device arranged linearly in the main scanning direction. The first imaging device 216a includes a lens that forms an image on the imaging device and an A/D converter that amplifies the electrical signals output from the imaging device and conducts A/D conversion. The first imaging device 216a generates and outputs an input image by capturing the front surface of the conveyed medium according to the control from processing circuitry described below.

Similarly, the second imaging device 216b includes a line sensor using a CIS of same-magnification optics type including a CMOS imaging device arranged linearly in the main scanning direction. The second imaging device 216b includes a lens that forms an image on the imaging device and an A/D converter that amplifies the electrical signals output from the imaging device and conducts A/D conversion. The second imaging device 216b generates and outputs an input image by capturing the back surface of the conveyed medium according to the control from the processing circuitry described below.

The medium ejection device 200 may include one of the first imaging device 216a and the second imaging device 216b to read one side of the medium. Instead of the line sensor using the CIS of same-magnification optics type including a CMOS imaging device, a line sensor using a CIS of same-magnification optics type including a CCD imaging device may be used. A line sensor of reduced optics type including a CMOS or CCD imaging device may also be used.

The ejection roller 217 and the opposing roller 218 are located downstream of the first conveyance roller 214a to the seventh conveyance roller 214g. The ejection roller 217 and the opposing roller 218 are disposed in the second housing part 202 and the first housing part 201, respectively, and are opposed to each other to eject the medium conveyed by the first conveyance roller 214a to the seventh conveyance roller 214g and the first driven roller 215a to the seventh driven roller 215g to the ejection board 204. The ejection roller 217 rotates in accordance with the drive force from the motor, and the opposing roller 218 is driven and rotated by the rotation of the ejection roller 217. The ejection roller 217 may be disposed in the first housing part 201, and the opposing roller 218 may be disposed in the second housing part 202.

The ejection roller 217 may include an elastic roller disposed on the outer circumference surface of the ejection roller 217. The elastic roller of the ejection roller 217 has the same configuration as that of the elastic roller 117a and is disposed on the outer circumference surface of the ejection roller 217 at the same position as that of the elastic roller 117a on the first ejection roller 117. The opposing roller 218 may also include an elastic roller. The elastic roller of the opposing roller 218 has the same configuration as that of the elastic roller 117a and is disposed on the outer circumference surface of the opposing roller 218 at the same position as that of the elastic roller 117a on the first ejection roller 117.

The medium ejection device 200 further includes a first motor, a first transmission mechanism, a second motor, and a second transmission mechanism. The first motor and the second motor are examples of motors and are each disposed in the second housing part 202. The first motor and the second motor have the same configurations as those of the first motor 121 and the second motor 123 and rotate a roller that conveys a medium. A first blade is disposed on the rotary shaft of the first motor, and a second blade is disposed on the rotary shaft of the second motor. The first blade and the second blade are examples of blades and are each disposed in the second housing part 202. The first blade and the second blade have the same configuration as those of the first blade 121a and the second blade 123a, respectively, and rotate with the rotation of the first motor and the second motor. The first transmission mechanism and the second transmission mechanism have the same configurations as those of the first transmission mechanism 122 and the second transmission mechanism 124, respectively.

The first driven roller 215a to the seventh driven roller 215g and/or the opposing roller 218 may be disposed to rotate with the drive force from the first motor or the second motor instead of being driven and rotated by the first conveyance roller 214a to the seventh conveyance roller 214g or the ejection roller 217. The first motor and/or the second motor may be disposed in the first housing part 201 instead of the second housing part 202. The first blade and/or the second blade may be omitted.

The medium placed on the placement board 203 is conveyed between the first guide 201a and the second guide 202a in the medium conveyance direction A21 when the pick roller 219 and the feed roller 212 rotate in the direction of arrows A25 and A26 respectively, i.e., in the medium feed direction. The separation roller 213 rotates in the direction of an arrow A27, i.e., in the direction opposite to the medium feed direction, while the medium is conveyed. Because of the actions of the feed roller 212 and the separation roller 213, when a plurality of media is placed on the placement board 203, the medium in contact with the feed roller 212 among the media placed on the placement board 203 is separated.

While the medium is guided by the first guide 201a and the second guide 202a, the medium is fed into the imaging position of the imaging device 216 and is captured by the imaging device 216 when the first conveyance roller 214a and the second conveyance roller 214b rotate in the direction of arrows A28 and A29. Furthermore, the medium is ejected to the ejection board 204 when the third conveyance roller 214c to the seventh conveyance roller 214g and the ejection roller 217 rotate in the directions of arrows A30 to A35, respectively. The ejection board 204 stacks the medium ejected by the ejection roller 217 and the opposing roller 218.

The rotation of the first motor and the second motor causes the rotation of the first blade and the second blade on the rotary shafts of the first motor and the second motor. When the first blade and the second blade rotate, the air flowing into the second housing part 202 through the first hole 208 flows from the first hole 208 side to the second hole 210 side and out of the second housing part 202 through the second hole 210.

As illustrated in FIG. 15, the first wall portion 207 is disposed below a nip surface N2 of the ejection roller 217 and the opposing roller 218. The ejection roller 217 and the opposing roller 218 are disposed such that the nip surface N2 is tilted such that the downstream side is located at a lower position. In particular, the ejection roller 217 and the opposing roller 218 are disposed such that an extension line L11 of the nip surface N2 intersects the placement surface 204a of the ejection board 204.

Ideally, the leading end of the medium ejected by the ejection roller 217 and the opposing roller 218 travels along the extension line L11 of the nip surface N2 between the ejection roller 217 and the opposing roller 218 and comes into contact with an intersection point P11 between the extension line L11 and the placement surface 204a of the ejection board 204. The medium then travels toward the downstream side such that the leading end moves along the placement surface 204a while part thereof is in contact with the intersection point P11. After passing through the nip surface N2 between the ejection roller 217 and the opposing roller 218, the rear end of the medium moves along the outer circumference surface of the ejection roller 217 on the lower side, and when the rear end of the medium passes through a point P12 closest to the intersection point P11 on the outer circumference surface, the rear end of the medium separates from the outer circumference surface and falls down. As part of the medium is in contact with the intersection point P11, the rear end of the medium falls down along a circle C11 that is centered at the intersection point P11 and passes through the point P12 closest to the intersection point P11 on the outer circumference surface.

The first wall portion 207 is disposed so as not to be overlapped with the circle C11 that is centered at the intersection point P11 and passes through the point P12 closest to the intersection point P11 on the outer circumference surfaces of the ejection roller 217 and the opposing roller 218 when viewed from the width direction A23 perpendicular to the medium ejecting direction. That is, the first wall portion 207 is disposed below the nip surface N2 between the ejection roller 217 and the opposing roller 218 such that, when the medium ejected by the ejection roller 217 and the opposing roller 218 falls down, the rear end of the medium does not come into contact with the first wall portion 207.

When a flexible medium such as thin paper is ejected, the leading end of the ejected medium may hang down due to its own weight and travel below the extension line L11 of the nip surface N2. In that case, the leading end of the medium may come into contact with a first position P13, which is located upstream from the intersection point P11 in the medium ejecting direction A22 on the placement surface 204a. Because the medium is flexible, when the rear end of the medium reaches a second position P14 closest to the first position P13 on the outer circumference surface of the ejection roller 217 on the lower side, the area of the medium between the first position P13 and the second position P14 may form a curved surface. In this case, the rear end of the medium falls down along an involute curve C13 that has a circle C12 passing through the first position P13 and the second position P14 as a base circle when viewed from the width direction A23.

The first wall portion 207 is preferably disposed so as not to be overlapped with the involute curve C13 that has, as a base circle, the circle C12 passing through the first position P13 and the second position P14 closest to the first position P13 on the outer circumference surfaces of the ejection roller 217 and the opposing roller 218 when viewed from the width direction A23.

The first position P13 is set by prior experiment using thin paper supported by the medium ejection device 200. The first position P13 is set, for example, on the extension line L11 of the nip surface N2 in the medium ejecting direction A22, at a position downstream of the midpoint between the intersection point P11 of the extension line L11 and the placement surface 204a and the center position of the nip surface N2 in the medium ejecting direction A22. Furthermore, the first position P13 is set at a position within a predetermined range (e.g., within 50 mm) from the intersection point P11.

A height H2 of the first wall portion 207 is set to a size equal to or more than the thickness of media that are supported by the medium ejection device 200 and collectively conveyable, or a size equal to or more than the above-described thickness with a margin added thereto. The first wall portion 207 is preferably mirror polished or fluororesin coated.

As illustrated in FIG. 15, the first hole 208 is formed in the first wall portion 207 between a lowest end P15 of the outer circumference surface of the ejection roller 217 on the lower side and an intersection point P16 between the first wall portion 207 and the placement surface 204a of the ejection board 204. In particular, the first hole 208 is formed in the first wall portion 207 at least above a center position P17 between the lowest end P15 of the ejection roller 217 and the intersection point P16. In the example illustrated in FIG. 15, the first hole 208 is also formed below the center position P17 in the first wall portion 207, but the first hole 208 need not be formed below the center position P17. Thus, the first hole 208 is formed in the second housing part 202 at a position closer to the lowest end of the ejection roller 217 and the opposing roller 218 than the placement surface 204a of the ejection board 204.

FIG. 16 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of the medium ejection device 200.

In addition to the above-described configuration, the medium ejection device 200 further includes a first motor 221, a second motor 223, an interface device 231, a storage device 240, processing circuitry 250, etc.

The first motor 221 and the second motor 223 are the first motor and the second motor described above, respectively.

The interface device 231 includes an interface circuitry equivalent to a serial bus, such as a USB, and is electrically connected to an information processing device (e.g., personal computer, or portable information terminal) to transmit and receive input images and various types of information. Instead of the interface device 231, a communication unit may be used, which includes an antenna that transmits and receives wireless signals and a wireless communication interface device that transmits and receives signals through a wireless communication line according to a predetermined communication protocol. The predetermined communication protocol is, for example, a wireless LAN. The communication unit may include a wired communication interface device that transmits and receives signals through a wired communication line according to a communication protocol such as a wired LAN.

The storage device 240 includes a memory device such as a RAM or a ROM, a fixed disk device such as a hard disk, or a portable storage device such as a flexible disk or an optical disk. The storage device 240 stores computer programs, databases, tables, and the like, used for various types of processing of the medium ejection device 200. The computer program may be installed from a portable computer-readable recording medium to the storage device 240 by using a known setup program, etc. The portable recording medium is, for example, a CD-ROM and a DVD-ROM.

The processing circuitry 250 operates based on a program previously stored in storage device 240. The processing circuitry is, for example, a CPU. A DSP, LSI, ASIC, FPGA, or the like, may be used as the processing circuitry 250.

The processing circuitry 250 is connected to the operating device 205, the display device 206, the medium sensor 211, the imaging device 216, the first motor 221, the second motor 223, the interface device 231, the storage device 240, and the like, to control each of these units. The processing circuitry 250 controls the driving of the first motor 221 and the second motor 223, controls the image capture of the imaging device 216, etc., to acquire input images from the imaging device 216 and transmit the input images to the information processing device via the interface device 231.

FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating schematic configurations of the storage device 240 and the processing circuitry 250.

As illustrated in FIG. 17, the storage device 240 stores a control program 241, an image acquisition program 242, etc. Each of these programs is a functional module implemented by software running on a processor. The processing circuitry 250 reads each program stored in the storage device 240 and operates in accordance with each program read. Thus, the processing circuitry 250 functions as a control module 251 and an image acquisition module 252.

The medium ejection device 200 performs the same medium reading process as the medium reading process illustrated in FIG. 10.

First, the control module 251 waits until an instruction to read the medium is input by the user using the operating device 205 or the information processing device and an operation signal indicating the reading of the medium is received from the operating device 205 or the interface device 231 (Step S101).

Subsequently, the control module 251 acquires a medium signal from the medium sensor 211 and, based on the acquired medium signal, determines whether a medium is placed on the placement board 203 (Step S102). When no medium is placed on the placement board 203, the control module 251 terminates the series of steps.

Conversely, when a medium is placed on the placement board 203, the control module 251 drives a motor, which is used to move the placement board 203, to move the placement board 203 to the position where the medium is in contact with the pick roller 219. The control module 251 rotates the pick roller 219, the feed roller 212, the separation roller 213, the first conveyance roller 214a to the seventh conveyance roller 214g, and/or the ejection roller 217 (Step S103). The control module 151 drives the first motor 221 and the second motor 223 to rotate each roller and convey the medium.

Subsequently, the control module 251 causes the imaging device 216 to capture the medium, acquires an input image from the imaging device 216, and transmits the acquired input image to the information processing device via the interface device 231 to output the input image (Step S104).

Subsequently, the control module 251 determines whether a medium remains on the placement board 203 based on the medium signal received from the medium sensor 211 (Step S105). When there is a medium remaining on the placement board 203, the control module 251 returns the process to Step S104 and repeats Steps S104 and S105.

Conversely, when no medium remains on the placement board 203, the control module 251 stops the pick roller 219, the feed roller 212, the separation roller 213, the first conveyance roller 214a to the seventh conveyance roller 214g, and/or the ejection roller 217 (Step S106). The control module 151 controls the first motor 221 and the second motor 223 to stop each roller and terminates the series of steps.

As described above in detail, in the medium ejection device 200, the first wall portion 207 on the ejection board 204 side of the second housing part 202 is disposed such that the rear end of the medium ejected from the ejection roller 217 does not come into contact with the first wall portion 207. Accordingly, the medium ejection device 200 allows the ejected medium to fall down without the rear end thereof being in contact with the first wall portion 207, which may prevent the occurrence of jams of the media and damages to the media. Thus, the medium ejection device 200 may stack the ejected media on the ejection board 204 in a desirable manner.

FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of processing circuitry 350 in a medium ejection device according to another embodiment. The processing circuitry 350 is used instead of the processing circuitry 150 of the medium ejection device 100 and performs a medium reading process, and the like, instead of the processing circuitry 150. The processing circuitry 350 includes a control circuitry 351, an image acquisition circuitry 352, etc. Each of these units may include an independent integrated circuit, microprocessor, firmware, etc.

The control circuitry 351 is an example of a control module and has the same functions as that of the control module 151. The control circuitry 351 receives operation signals from the operating device 105 or the interface device 131 and medium signals from the medium sensor 111. The control circuitry 351 controls the first motor 121 and the second motor 123 based on each information received.

The image acquisition circuitry 352 is an example of an image acquisition module and has the same function as that of the image acquisition module 152. The image acquisition circuitry 352 acquires input images from the imaging device 116 and outputs the input images to the interface device 131.

As described above in detail, the medium ejection device may stack the ejected media on the ejection board 204 in a desirable manner even when the processing circuitry 350 is used.

FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of processing circuitry 450 in a medium ejection device according to another embodiment. The processing circuitry 450 is used instead of the processing circuitry 250 of the medium ejection device 200 and performs a medium reading process, and the like, instead of the processing circuitry 250. The processing circuitry 450 includes a control circuitry 451, an image acquisition circuitry 452, etc. Each of these units may include an independent integrated circuit, microprocessor, firmware, etc.

The control circuitry 451 is an example of a control module and has the same function as that of the control module 251. The control circuitry 451 receives operation signals from the operating device 205 or the interface device 231 and medium signals from the medium sensor 211. The control circuitry 451 controls the first motor 221 and the second motor 223 based on each information received.

The image acquisition circuitry 452 is an example of an image acquisition module and has the same function as that of the image acquisition module 252. The image acquisition circuitry 452 acquires input images from the imaging device 216 and outputs the input images to the interface device 231.

As described above in detail, the medium ejection device may stack the ejected media on the ejection board 204 in a desirable manner even when the processing circuitry 450 is used.

The above-described embodiments are illustrative and do not limit the present invention. Thus, numerous additional modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. For example, elements and/or features of different illustrative embodiments may be combined with each other and/or substituted for each other within the scope of the present invention. Any one of the above-described operations may be performed in various other ways, for example, in an order different from the one described above.

The functionality of the elements disclosed herein may be implemented using circuitry or processing circuitry which includes general purpose processors, special purpose processors, integrated circuits, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), conventional circuitry and/or combinations thereof which are configured or programmed to perform the disclosed functionality. Processors are considered processing circuitry or circuitry as they include transistors and other circuitry therein. In the disclosure, the circuitry, units, or means are hardware that carry out or are programmed to perform the recited functionality. The hardware may be any hardware disclosed herein or otherwise known which is programmed or configured to carry out the recited functionality. When the hardware is a processor which may be considered a type of circuitry, the circuitry, means, or units are a combination of hardware and software, the software being used to configure the hardware and/or processor.

	Number	Date	Country
Parent	PCT/JP2021/030582	Aug 2021	WO
Child	18436742		US

MEDIUM EJECTION DEVICE

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