Abstract:
A sheet type handling apparatus which handles various sheets includes an apparatus body having an introduction port for introducing the sheets; a first lid member rotatably attached to the apparatus body for supporting the sheets introduced into the introduction port; and a second lid member connected to the first lid member for covering the introduction port in association with an action to close the first lid member.

Description:
[0001]    The entire disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2008-065322, filed Mar. 14, 2008 is expressly incorporated by reference herein. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Technical Field 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a sheet type handling apparatus. 
         [0004]    2. Related Art 
         [0005]    In the related art, a sheet type handling apparatus such as an image scanner, a copying machine, and so on, having a sheet feed function for handling various sheets such as original documents for scanning images or papers for printing images is known (JP-A-11-239249). Among the sheet type handling apparatuses as described above, the one having a rotatably mounted tray for supporting sheets introduced into the apparatus for the convenience for storing the apparatus is known. 
         [0006]    However, the tray is required to have a plane surface for supporting the sheets to be introduced into the sheet type handling apparatus, and the sheet type handling apparatus using the tray as a lid member might be limited in shape. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    An advantage of some aspects of the invention is to reduce the limitation on the shape of a sheet type handling apparatus having a tray for supporting sheets. 
         [0008]    In order to solve at least part of the above described problem, the invention employs the following modes. 
         [0009]    According to a first aspect of the invention, a sheet type handling apparatus which handles various sheets will be described. The sheet type handling apparatus includes an apparatus body having an introduction port for introducing the sheets; a first lid member rotatably attached to the apparatus body for supporting the sheets introduced into the introduction port; and a second lid member connected to the first lid member for covering the introduction port in association with an action to close the first lid member. 
         [0010]    In this configuration, since the introduction port is covered by the second lid member, the limitation on the shape of the apparatus body is alleviated. 
         [0011]    Preferably, the second lid member may be fixed to the apparatus body when the first lid member is closed. In this case, the second lid member is fixed to the apparatus body in a state in which the introduction port is covered. 
         [0012]    Preferably, the apparatus body includes a first engaging portion, and the second lid member includes a second engaging portion which engages the first engaging portion when the first lid member is closed. In this case, the second lid member is fixed to the apparatus body by the engagement between the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion. 
         [0013]    Preferably, the first lid member includes leg portion attached at distal end thereof to the apparatus body; a first proximal portion to which a proximal end of the leg portion is fixed; and a first distal portion formed on the opposite side of the first proximal portion, and the second lid member is rotatably connected to the first proximal portion of the first lid member. In this case, the introduction port is covered by the second lid member connected to the first proximal portion of the first lid member. 
         [0014]    Preferably, the second lid member includes a second proximal portion connected to the first lid member and a second distal portion formed on the opposite side from the second proximal portion and provided with the second engaging portion. In this case, the second lid member can be fixed to the apparatus body by the second engaging portion formed on the second distal portion. 
         [0015]    Preferably, the apparatus body includes an operating unit, and the first lid member covers the operating unit when the first lid member is closed. In this case the operating unit is protected by the first lid member. 
         [0016]    The invention is realized in various modes other than those described above and, for example, the invention is realized in the mode of an original document scanning apparatus, a printing apparatus, or a multifunctional peripheral thereof having the sheet type handling apparatus. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0017]    The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings where like numbers reference like elements. 
           [0018]      FIG. 1  is an explanatory drawing exemplifying an appearance of a scanner according to an embodiment. 
           [0019]      FIGS. 2A and 2B  are explanatory drawing exemplifying an appearance of a front lid panel. 
           [0020]      FIG. 3  is an explanatory drawing exemplifying an appearance of a rear lid panel. 
           [0021]      FIG. 4  is an explanatory drawing exemplifying an appearance of the scanner in a state in which a lid is closed. 
           [0022]      FIG. 5  is an explanatory drawing of a rear side of the scanner. 
           [0023]      FIG. 6  is an explanatory drawing exemplifying a cross section of the scanner when the lid is opened. 
           [0024]      FIG. 7  is an explanatory drawing exemplifying a cross section of the scanner during an action to close the lid. 
           [0025]      FIG. 8  is an explanatory drawing exemplifying a cross section of the scanner when the lid is closed. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
       [0026]    Referring now to the drawings, a scanner as a mode of a sheet type handling apparatus according to an aspect of the invention on the basis of embodiments will be described. 
       A. Configuration of Apparatus 
       [0027]      FIG. 1  is an explanatory drawing exemplifying an appearance of a scanner according to an embodiment. A scanner  100  is an image scanning apparatus that scans a scanning object optically and outputs image data. The scanner  100  in this embodiment is so called a sheet-feed type scanner. The scanner  100  includes a case  110 , a front lid panel  120 , and a rear lid panel  130 . The front lid panel  120  corresponds to a “first lid member” in claims, and the rear lid panel  130  corresponds to a “second lid member” in the claims. 
         [0028]    The case  110  has a substantially housing shape, and has various devices descried later stored in the interior thereof. The case  110  includes a paper feeding port  111 , a paper discharging port  112 , a display panel  113 , and operating switches  114 . The paper feeding port  111  is arranged on the upper side of the case  110  and an original document for scanning an image is introduced therefrom. The paper discharging port  112  is a port that discharges the original document after having introduced from the paper feeding port  111  and having been scanned an image thereof by the internal device. The display panel  113  is arranged on the top of the case  110 , and displays an operating state, a scanning accuracy, a scanning range, and the like of the scanner  100 . The operating switches  114  allow entry of the operation or the scanning accuracy of the scanner  100 . In this embodiment, the side of the paper discharging port  112  is defined as the front side and the side of the paper feeding port  111  is defined as the rear side of the scanner  100  in the description. The display panel  113  and the operating switches  114  correspond to an “operating unit” in the claims. 
         [0029]      FIGS. 2A and 2B  are explanatory drawings exemplifying an appearance of the front lid panel. The side of the front lid panel  120  to be connected to the case  110  is defined as a proximal side (lower side in  FIG. 2A ) and the opposite side from the proximal side is defined as a distal side (upper side in  FIG. 2A ) in the description. The front lid panel  120  includes a panel portion  121 , leg portions  122 , and non-connected portions  123 . The panel portion  121  is formed in to a substantially rectangular shape, and includes a distal side  121   a  on the distal side and a proximal side  121   b  on the proximal side. The leg portions  122  are arranged at both corner portions on the proximal side  121   b , and are each formed with a projecting portion  122   a  at the distal end thereof. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the front lid panel  120  is rotatably attached to the case  110  by the projecting portion  122   a  fitted into recessed portions  115  formed on the upper side of the paper feeding port  111  of the case  110 . In the embodiment, the leg portions  122  are arranged at the both corner portions on the proximal side  121   b . However, they do not have to be arranged on the proximal side  121   b  as long as they are positioned near the proximal side  121   b.    
         [0030]    Since the leg portions  122  are formed to maintain a predetermined distance between the projecting portions  122   a  and the panel portion  121 , the proximal side  121   b  of the front lid panel  120  comes into contact with the rear side (a contact surface  110   a  described later) of the paper feeding port  111  when the lid is opened. The front lid panel  120  supports the original document to be introduced into the paper feeding port  111  on the panel portion  121  in a state in which the proximal side  121   b  is in contact with the rear side of the paper feeding port  111 . The original document on the panel portion  121  passes between the leg portions  122  arranged at the both end portions of the proximal side  121   b  and is introduced into the paper feeding port  111 . 
         [0031]    As shown in  FIG. 2A , the non-connected portions  123  are arranged outsides the leg portions  122  on the proximal side  121   b , respectively, so that the connection of the rear lid panel  130  is achieved. As shown in an enlarged drawing in  FIG. 2B , the non-connected portion  123  includes end surfaces  123   a  opposed to each other and formed by removing part of the proximal side  121   b  in the direction toward the distal end (upward) into a slit shape and a column-shaped engaging portion  123   b  bridged between the opposed end surfaces  123   a . In the embodiment, the non-connected portions  123  are arranged at the both corner portions on the proximal side  121   b . However, they do not have to be arranged on the proximal side  121   b  as long as they are positioned near the proximal side  121   b.    
         [0032]      FIG. 3  is an explanatory drawing exemplifying an appearance of the rear lid panel. The side of the rear lid panel  130  to be connected to the front lid panel  120  is defined as a proximal side (upper side in  FIG. 3 ), and the opposite side from the proximal side is defined as a distal side (lower side in  FIG. 3 ) in the description. The rear lid panel  130  includes a panel portion  131 , connected portions  132 , and engaging portions  133 . The panel portion  131  is formed into a substantially rectangular shape, and is formed so as to follow the shape of an upper portion of the paper feeding port  111 , described later. The panel portion  131  includes a distal side  131   a  on the distal side and a proximal side  131   b  on the proximal side. The connected portions  132  are formed into a hook shape, and are arranged respectively at both corner portions of the proximal side  131   b  of the rear lid panel  130 . The rear lid panel  130  is rotatably connected to the front lid panel  120  by the hooks of the connected portions  132  engaged with the engaging portions  123   b  of the non-connected portions  123 . The engaging portions  133  are formed into a protruding shape, and are arranged respectively at the both corner portions of the distal side  131   a  of the rear lid panel  130 . The engaging portions  133  engage engaged portions  116  arranged on the case  110 , described later. The engaging portions  133  correspond to “second engaging portions” in the claims. The connected portions  132  and the engaging portions  133  do not have to be arranged on the side as long as they are positioned near the proximal side  131   b  and the distal side  131   a.    
         [0000]    B. Mode when Lid is Closed 
         [0033]      FIG. 4  is an explanatory drawing exemplifying an appearance of the scanner in a state in which the lid is closed.  FIG. 5  is an explanatory drawing of a rear side of the scanner. In  FIG. 5 , the rear lid panel  130  is not shown for the convenience of explanation. As shown in  FIG. 4 , when the lid is closed, the front lid panel  120  covers the display panel  113  and the operating switches  114  by the panel portion  121  with the distal side located on the front side of the scanner  100  and the proximal side located on the rear side of the scanner  100 . The rear lid panel  130  is arranged on the rear side of the front lid panel  120 , and is arranged with the proximal side  131   b  abutted against the proximal side  121   b  of the front lid panel  120 . The rear lid panel  130  covers the paper feeding port  111  when the lid is closed. 
         [0034]    As shown in  FIG. 5 , the case  110  includes the contact surface  110   a  on the rear side of the paper feeding port  111 , so that the proximal side  121   b  of the front lid panel  120  comes into contact therewith when the lid is opened. The contact surface  110   a  includes a pair of the projecting engaged portions  116 . The engaged portions  116  engage the engaging portions  133  of the rear lid panel  130  when the lid is closed. The rear lid panel  130  is limited in its rotation on the distal side thereof by the engagement between the engaging portions  133  and the engaged portions  116 . Therefore, the rear lid panel  130  is brought into a state of being fixed to the case  110  when the front lid panel  120  is closed. The engaged portions  116  correspond to “first engaging portions” in the claims. 
       C. Action of Lid Panel 
       [0035]      FIG. 6  is an explanatory drawing exemplifying a cross section of the scanner when the lid is opened.  FIG. 7  is an explanatory drawing exemplifying a cross section of the scanner during an action to close the lid.  FIG. 8  is an explanatory drawing exemplifying a cross section of the scanner when the lid is closed. The case  110  includes a flat operating surface hf where the display panel  113  and the operating switches  114  are arranged. Also, the paper feeding port  111  has an angled curved shape ms on top thereof. 
         [0036]    As shown in  FIG. 6 , when the lid is opened, the proximal side  121   b  of the front lid panel  120  is in contact with the contact surface  110   a . The distal side  131   a  of the rear lid panel  130  is in contact with the rear side of the case  110  on the rear side of the paper feeding port  111  with the proximal side thereof upside and the distal side thereof being suspended. 
         [0037]    The scanner  100  assumes a state in which the lid is closed as shown in  FIG. 8  by performing the action to close the lid from the state in which the lid is opened as shown in  FIG. 6 . The closing operation is performed by inclining the panel portion  121  toward the front side of the scanner  100  about the projecting portions  122   a  as an axis of rotation as shown in  FIG. 7 . At this time, since the distance from an end edge hf 1  on the rear side of the operating surface hf to the recessed portions  115  is roughly equal to the distance from the recessed portion  115  to the contact surface  110   a , the rear end side of the front lid panel  120  straddles the paper feeding port  111  and moves toward the end edge hf 1  of the operating surface hf so as to draw an arc in association with the action to tilt the front lid panel  120  to the front side of the scanner  100 . The distal side of the front lid panel  120  is moved toward an end edge hf 2  on the front side of the operating surface hf so as to draw an arc. The rear lid panel  130  connected at the proximal side to the front lid panel  120  is pulled by the front lid panel  120  in association with the action to close the lid, and the panel portion  131  is moved onto the paper feeding port  111 , and then the distal side  131   a  is moved upward so as to slide on the rear side of the case  110 . 
         [0038]    When the distal side of the panel portion  121  comes into contact with the end edge hf 2 , the state in which the lid is closed as shown in  FIG. 8  is achieved. At this time, the cross sections of the front lid panel  120  and the rear lid panel  130  are in substantially parallel with the operating surface hf and the curved shape ms on top of the paper feeding port  111 . In the distal side of the rear lid panel  130 , the engaging portions  133  come into contact with the engaged portions  116 , and the rear lid panel  130  is fixed to the case  110 . 
       D. Action of Apparatus 
       [0039]    Preferring now to  FIG. 6 , an action of the apparatus will be described. The scanner  100  includes a paper feeding roller  141 , a paper discharging roller  142 , a translucent panel  143 , a light source  144 , a reflecting panel  145 , and a photoelectric converter  146  in the interior of the case  110 . The scanner  100  transports the original document placed on the panel portion  121  onto the translucent panel  143  from the paper feeding port  111  by the paper feeding roller  141 . When the original document is transported onto the translucent panel  143 , the light source  144  irradiates the surface of the original document with light via the translucent panel  143 . With this irradiation, the light reflected from the original document is reflected by the reflecting panel  145  and forms an image by the photoelectric converter  146 , so that image data of the surface of the original document is scanned. The scanning of the original document is taken on the line-to-line basis, and every time when the scanning is completed, the scanned original document is transported toward the paper discharging port  112  by the paper discharging roller  142 . 
         [0040]    According to the sheet type handling apparatus in the embodiment described above, since the paper feeding port  111  is covered by the rear lid panel  130  when the lid is closed, the limitation on the shape of the scanner  100  is alleviated. Specifically, since the paper feeding port  111  is not covered by the front lid panel  120  having a flat shape, but the paper feeding port  111  is covered by the rear lid panel  130 , it is not necessary to make the paper feeding port  111  flat, so that the limitation on the shape of the scanner  100  is alleviated. 
         [0041]    According to the sheet type handling apparatus in the embodiment, since the upper surface of the scanner  100  is covered by the two lid members of the front lid panel  120  and the rear lid panel  130 , the limitation on the shape of the scanner  100  is alleviated. Specifically, even when the flat portion and the angular curved portion exist on the upper portion of the case  110 , the front lid panel  120  having the function as a tray covers the flat portion, and the rear lid panel  130  covers the portion having the curved portion, so that the flexibility in design of the case  110  is improved. 
         [0042]    According to the sheet type handling apparatus in the embodiment, since the front lid panel  120  covers the display panel  113  and the operating switches  114  and the rear lid panel  130  covers the paper feeding port  111  when the lid is closed, these portions are protected. Also, operation of the operating unit and insertion of the original document or the like into the paper feeding port are prevented when the scanner  100  is not in use, so that failure or the like of the apparatus is restrained. 
         [0043]    According to the sheet type handling apparatus in the embodiment, the case  110  and the front lid panel  120  are provided with the engaging portions respectively, and the front lid panel  120  is fixed to the case  110  by the engagement thereof when the lid is closed. Accordingly, the insertion of the original document into the paper feeding port  111  by rotating the front lid panel  120  is restrained when the lid is closed. 
         [0044]    According to the sheet type handling apparatus in the embodiment, the front lid panel  120  is provided with the leg portions  122 , and the rear lid panel  130  is connected to the proximal side  121   b  of the front lid panel  120 , so that the engagement of the engaging portions  133  of the rear lid panel  130  with the engaged portions  116  of the case  110  is achieved by the action to close the front lid panel  120 . Specifically, since the proximal side of the front lid panel  120  is provided with the leg portions  122 , it moves so as to draw an arc in association with the action to close the lid. Accordingly, the distal side  131   a  of the rear lid panel  130  which is connected at the proximal side  131   b  to the proximal side  121   b  is moved upward so as to slide on the rear side of the case  110 , the engagement between the engaging portions  133  and the engaged portions  116  is achieved. 
         [0045]    According to the sheet type handling apparatus in the embodiment, since the front lid panel  120  is provided with the leg portions  122 , it does not cover the paper feeding port  111  having the shape of the curved surface when the lid is closed, but is able to cover the flat surface, and since the rear lid panel  130  is connected to the rear end side of the panel portion  121 , it is able to cover the paper feeding port  111 . 
       E. Modification 
       [0046]    In the embodiment, the top of the paper feeding port  111  is formed into the angular curved shape. However, it may be of other shape as long as the rear lid panel  130  is able to cover when the lid is closed. 
         [0047]    In the embodiment, the paper feed tray is used as the front lid panel  120 . However, even when the paper feed tray does not function as a lid member of the scanner  100 , the scanner  100  in which the rear lid panel  130  is connected to the paper feed tray and the rear lid panel  130  covers the paper feeding port  111  when the paper feed tray is stored may be realized. 
         [0048]    In the embodiment, since the scanner  100  is provided with the display panel  113  and the operating switches  114 , the scanner  100  may be provided with part of these members or may not be provided these members. 
         [0049]    In the embodiment, although the front lid panel  120  covers the display panel  113  and the operating switches  114  when the lid is closed, it may cover members other than these members, or may cover nothing. 
         [0050]    In the embodiment, the leg portions  122 , the non-connected portions  123 , the engaging portions  133 , and the engaged portions  116  are arranged near the both ends of the apparatus in pairs respectively, they may not be provided in pairs. 
         [0051]    Although the scanner  100  in the embodiment is a scanner specific machine, the invention is not limited thereto, and may be applied to original document scanning apparatuses such as a scanner or a facsimile machine, printing apparatus such as a printer or a copying machine, or multifunction peripherals including these apparatuses as long as it is the apparatus provided with the paper feed tray. 
         [0052]    Although the invention has been described on the basis of the embodiment and modifications thereof, the embodiment of the invention described above is described for better understanding of the invention, and is not intended to limit the invention. The invention may be modified and improved without departing the purport and the scope of the claims, and the invention includes their equivalents.