Patent Publication Number: US-2021187972-A1

Title: Medium ejecting apparatus including medium regulating member to regulate position of front end medium on tray

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority of prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2019-229578, filed on Dec. 19, 2019, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     Embodiments discussed in the present specification relate to medium ejection. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Recently, a medium ejecting apparatus such as a scanner, is required to convey, image and eject various types of media such as a business card, a receipt, a Plain Paper Copier (PPC) paper, a passport. When a plurality of media are conveyed together and ejected by the medium ejecting apparatus, the user typically aligns the front ends of the ejected media to organize the imaged media. It is desirable that positions of the media ejected from the medium ejecting apparatus are aligned so that the user can easily align the front ends of the media. 
     A discharge sheet loading apparatus including a document holding member having a holding portion to hold a sheet discharged to a discharge document stacking tray, a base portion located above the discharge document stacking tray, and a node portion provided between the holding portion and the base portion is disclosed (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2015-229549). 
     An image forming apparatus including a front end pressing member to move in a direction away from a support surface by contacting with a downstream end in a discharge direction of a paper discharged to a discharge tray and apply a force by its own weight to the downstream end of the sheet is disclosed (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2014-198615). 
     An image forming apparatus including a pressing member to press a sheet when a sheet waved in a width direction perpendicular to a sheet discharging direction and stiffened is discharged toward a discharge tray is disclosed (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2019-89608). 
     SUMMARY 
     According to some embodiments, a medium ejecting apparatus includes a housing including an ejection port to eject a medium, a tray provided below the ejection port, to load the medium ejected from the ejection port, and a medium regulating member accommodated in the housing so as to be drawn out. The medium regulating member includes a medium contacting portion capable of regulating a position of a front end of the medium on the tray in a medium ejecting direction, a first supporting portion to support the medium contacting portion, and a second supporting portion to swingably support the first supporting portion. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating a medium ejecting apparatus  100  according to an embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view illustrating the medium ejecting apparatus  100  according to an embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram of the medium ejecting apparatus  100  viewed from side. 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram of the inside of the upper housing  102  viewed from side. 
         FIG. 5  is a diagram for illustrating a conveyance path inside the medium ejecting apparatus  100 . 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic diagram for illustrating other medium ejecting apparatus  200 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory, and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed. 
     Hereinafter, a medium ejecting apparatus according to an embodiment, will be described with reference to the drawings. However, it should be noted that the technical scope of the invention is not limited to these embodiments, and extends to the inventions described in the claims and their equivalents. 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  are perspective views illustrating a medium ejecting apparatus  100  configured as an image scanner.  FIG. 1  shows the medium ejecting apparatus  100  in a state where a medium regulating member  105  is accommodated,  FIG. 2  shows the medium ejecting apparatus  100  in a state where the medium regulating member  105  is pulled out. 
     The medium ejecting apparatus  100  conveys, images, and ejects a medium that is a document. A medium is paper, thick paper, a card, a booklet, a passport, etc. A paper or a thick paper includes a small-sized medium such as a business card or a receipt. The small-sized medium is, for example, a medium in which a size in a longitudinal direction is a longitudinal size of A8 (74 mm) or less. The small-sized medium may be a medium, etc., in which a size in a lateral direction is a horizontal size of A8 (52 mm) or less. A paper also includes PPC paper, such as A4 size or A3 size. The medium ejecting apparatus  100  may be a fax machine, a copying machine, a multifunctional peripheral (MFP), etc. A conveyed medium may not be a document but may be an object being printed on etc., and the medium ejecting apparatus  100  may be a printer etc. An arrow A 1  in  FIGS. 1 and 2  indicates a medium ejecting direction. An upstream hereinafter refers to an upstream in the medium ejecting direction A 1 , and a downstream refers to a downstream in the medium ejecting direction A 1 . 
     The media ejecting apparatus  100  includes a lower housing  101 , an upper housing  102 , a medium tray  103 , an ejection tray  104  and a medium regulating member  105 , etc. 
     The lower housing  101  and the upper housing  102  are an example of a housing. The upper housing  102  is located at a position covering the upper surface of the medium ejecting apparatus  100  and is engaged with the lower housing  101  by hinges. The upper housing  102  is provided so as to be opened and closed in a direction of an arrow A 3  at a time of medium jam, during cleaning the inside of the medium ejecting apparatus  100 , etc. The lower housing  101  and the upper housing  102  include an ejection port  101   a  to eject the medium. The upper housing  102  includes an accommodation portion  106  to accommodate the medium regulating member  105 . 
     The medium tray  103  is engaged with the lower housing  101  in such away as to be able to place a medium to be conveyed. 
     The ejection tray  104  is an example of a tray, and is provided below the ejection port  101   a , and engages with the lower housing  101  so as to load the medium ejected from the ejection port  101   a . The ejection tray  104  includes a first tray  104   a , a second tray  104   b , a third tray  104   c  and a stopper  104   d.    
     The first tray  104   a  is accommodated inside the lower housing  101  when the medium ejecting apparatus  100  is not used. The first tray  104   a  is pulled out from the lower housing  101  in the medium ejecting direction A 1 , and loads the medium ejected from the ejection port  101   a  when the medium ejecting apparatus  100  is used. The second tray  104   b  is provided so as to be pulled out from the first tray  104   a  in the medium ejecting direction A 1  so that a medium having a large size is placed on the ejection tray  104 . The third tray  104   c  is provided so as to be able to be pulled out from the second tray  104   b  in the medium ejecting direction A 1  so that the medium having a larger size is placed on the ejection tray  104 . The first tray  104   a , the second tray  104   b  and the third tray  104   c  have a first placing surface  104   e , a second placing surface  104   f  and a third placing surface  104   g  on which the ejected medium is placed, respectively. 
     The stopper  104   d  is foldably provided at the downstream end of the third tray  104   c . The stopper  104   d  stops the front end of the medium of the maximum size supported by the medium ejecting apparatus  100 , for example, A4 size or A3 size, ejected to the ejection tray  104 , by being raised, and aligns the front end of each medium. On the other hand, the first tray  104   a , the second tray  104   b  and the third tray  104   c  can be accommodated in the lower housing  101  when the stopper  104   d  is folded. 
     The ejection tray  104  may be fixed to the lower housing  101  so as not to be drawn and accommodated. The second tray  104   b  and/or the third tray  104   c  may be omitted. When the third tray  104   c  is omitted, the stopper  104   d  is provided on the second tray  104   b . When the second tray  104   b  and the third tray  104   c  are omitted, the stopper  104   d  is provided on the first tray  104   a.    
     The medium regulating member  105  is a stopper for a small-sized medium, regulates the front end (downstream end) position of the medium on the ejection tray  104  in the medium ejecting direction A 1 . The medium regulating member  105  is accommodated in the upper housing  102  so as to be drawn out. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the medium regulating member  105  is accommodated in the accommodation portion  106  provided in the upper housing  102 , when the medium ejecting apparatus  100  is not used, or when the small-sized medium is not conveyed and ejected. On the other hand, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the medium regulating member  105  is drawn out by the user and is used, when the medium ejecting apparatus  100  is used, and when the small-sized medium is conveyed and ejected. 
     The medium regulating member  105  includes a medium contacting portion  105   a , a first supporting portion  105   b , and a second supporting portion  105   c . The medium contacting portion  105   a , the first supporting portion  105   b  and the second supporting portion  105   c  are formed of a resin material or a metal material, etc., respectively. The medium contacting portion  105   a  and the first supporting portion  105   b  are formed of an integral member. A pair of the medium contacting portion  105   a  and the first supporting portion  105   b , and the second supporting portion  105   c  are formed of separate members. The medium contacting portion  105   a , the first supporting portion  105   b  and the second supporting portion  105   c  may be formed of an integral member. The medium contacting portion  105   a , the first supporting portion  105   b  and the second supporting portion  105   c  may be formed of separate members. 
     The medium contacting portion  105   a  is capable of regulating a position of the front end of the medium on the ejection tray  104  in the medium ejecting direction A 1 . The medium contacting portion  105   a  is linearly formed along the width direction A 2  perpendicular to the medium ejecting direction so as to be in contact with the front end of the medium ejected to the ejection tray  104  over both ends of the medium contacting portion  105   a . Thus, the medium contacting portion  105   a  can stop the small-sized medium so that the front ends of the ejected small-sized media are linearly aligned. 
     Further, as shown in  FIG. 1 , the medium contacting portion  105   a  and the front surface  102   a  of the upper housing  102  are arranged so as to be flush with each other in a state where the medium regulating member  105  is accommodated in the upper housing  102 . Thus, the medium ejecting apparatus  100  has a design with a sense of unity in a state where the medium regulating member  105  is accommodated. 
     The first supporting portion  105   b  supports the medium contacting portion  105   a . The first supporting portion  105   b  is provided with an opening  105   d  at the center thereof. The opening  105   d  is provided so as to adjust a load applied from the medium contacting portion  105   a  to the ejection tray  104 . In other words, a position of a center of gravity of the medium regulating member  105  is positioned on the downstream side, and the load applied from the medium contacting portion  105   a  to the ejection tray  104  is increased, as the opening  105   d  is provided on the upstream side in the medium ejecting direction A 1 . On the other hand, the position of the center of gravity of the medium regulating member  105  is positioned on the upstream side, and the load applied from the medium contacting portion  105   a  to the ejection tray  104  is reduced, as the opening  105   d  is provided on the downstream side in the medium ejecting direction A 1 . Further, the smaller the opening  105   d  is, the larger a weight of the entire medium regulating member  105  is, and the larger the load applied from the medium contacting portion  105   a  to the ejection tray  104  is. On the other hand, the larger the opening  105   d  is, the smaller the weight of the entire medium regulating member  105  is, and the smaller the load applied from the medium contacting portion  105   a  to the ejection tray  104  is. 
     The media regulating member  105  is used to stop the front end of the small-sized medium when the small-sized medium is ejected to the ejection tray  104 . Therefore, it is desirable that the load applied from the medium contacting portion  105   a  to the ejection tray  104  is set to a magnitude such that the medium contacting portion  105   a  does not float up by a force by the small-sized medium ejected by an ejection roller (described later)(and away from the ejection roller) advancing in the medium ejecting direction A 1 . On the other hand, when the medium of a size larger than the small-sized medium is ejected to the ejection tray  104 , the medium regulating member  105  needs to pass the medium without stopping so that the medium does not deflect. Therefore, it is desirable that the load applied from the medium contacting portion  105   a  to the ejection tray  104  is set to a magnitude such that the medium contacting portion  105   a  floats by a force by the medium ejected by the ejection roller (and in contact with the ejection roller) advancing in the medium ejecting direction A 1 . By the opening  105   d  provided in the first supporting portion  105   b , the medium ejecting apparatus  100  can suitably adjust the load applied from the medium contacting portion  105   a  to the ejection tray  104  while maintaining the strength of the medium regulating member  105 . 
     In particular, it is preferable that the opening  105   d  is provided so that the position of the center of gravity of the medium regulating member  105  is positioned on the upstream side of the center position in the medium ejecting direction A 1 . Thus, the medium regulating member  105  can suitably stop the front end of the small-sized medium without disturbing an ejection of a medium larger than the small-sized medium. 
     Further, by the opening  105   d  provided in the first supporting portion  105   b , the user can confirm a state in which the medium is ejected from the opening  105   d , and the medium ejecting apparatus  100  can improve a convenience of the user. 
     The second supporting portion  105   c  swingably (rotatably) supports the first supporting portion  105   b . In particular, the second supporting portion  105   c  swingably supports the first supporting portion  105   b  in a vertical direction A 4  which is a direction substantially perpendicular to the first placing surface  104   e  of the first tray  104   a . Thus, the medium regulating member  105  is located along the accommodation portion  106  to be compactly accommodated when accommodated in the upper housing  102 , the medium regulating member  105  can contact the medium contacting portion  105   a  to the ejection tray  104  when drawn out from the upper housing  102 . 
     The first supporting portion  105   b  is swingably provided upward with respect to the second supporting portion  105   c  when the upper housing  102  is opened in a state where the medium regulating member  105  is pulled out from the upper housing  102 . Thus, when the user accidentally opens the upper housing  102  in a state where the medium regulating member  105  is pulled out from the upper housing  102 , it is suppressed that the medium regulating member  105  is sandwiched between the upper housing  102  and the ejection tray  104  to be damaged. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the second supporting portion  105   c  has a protrusion  105   e . The second supporting portion  105   c  is locked in the upper housing  102  by the protrusion  105   e  abutting on an inside of the front surface  102   a  of the upper housing  102  in a state where the medium regulating member  105  is pulled out from the upper housing  102 . 
       FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram of the medium ejecting apparatus  100  in a state where the medium regulating member  105  is pulled out from the upper housing  102  viewed from side. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the first supporting portion  105   b  and the second supporting portion  105   c  have a protrusion  105   f  and a recess  105   g , respectively. The second supporting portion  105   c  engages the protrusion  105   f  with the recess  105   g  to swingably support the first supporting portion  105   b  with the recess  105   g  as a swing axis. An extending direction A 5  of the first supporting portion  105   b  drawn out from the upper housing  102  and supported by the second supporting portion  105   c  is different from a direction A 6  in which the first supporting portion  105   b  is drawn out from the upper housing  102 . Thus, the medium regulating member  105  is drawn out from the upper housing  102  along the housing portion  106 , and can contact the medium contacting portion  105   a  at an appropriate position of the ejection tray  104  after being drawn out from the upper housing  102 . 
     The medium contacting portion  105   a  is provided so as to be in contact with the first placing surface  104   e  of the first tray  104   a  and so as not to be in contact with the second placing surface  104   f  of the second tray  104   b , in a state where the medium regulating member  105  is pulled out from the upper housing  102 . Thus, the medium contacting portion  105   a  is not dragged by the second placing surface  104   f  even when the second tray  104   b  is accommodated in the first tray  104   a  while the medium regulating member  105  is pulled out from the upper housing  102 , thereby, it is suppressed that the medium regulating member  105  is damaged. 
     As described above, the medium regulating member  105  is used for stopping the front end of the small-sized medium when the small-sized medium is ejected to the ejection tray  104 . Therefore, a distance L 1  from the ejection port  101   a  to the medium contacting portion  105   a  is set to be less than the maximum size of the medium supported by the medium ejecting apparatus  100  and equal to or larger than the size of the small-sized medium. The maximum size of the medium supported by the medium ejecting apparatus  100  is, for example, a longitudinal size (297 mm) of A4 or a longitudinal size (420 mm) of A3, etc. The size of the small-sized medium is, for example, a longitudinal size of A8 (74 mm) or a lateral size of A8 (52 mm). Thus, the medium contacting portion  105   a  can stop the front end of the small-sized medium when the small-sized medium is ejected to the ejection tray  104 . 
     On the other hand, a distance L 2  from the ejection port  101   a  to the stopper  104   d  is set to be substantially the same as the maximum size of the medium supported by the medium ejecting apparatus  100 . Thus, the stopper  104   d  can stop the front end of the medium when the medium of the maximum size supported by the medium ejecting apparatus  100  is ejected to the ejection tray  104 . 
       FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram of the inside of the upper housing  102  in a state where the medium regulating member  105  is accommodated in the upper housing  102  vied from side. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the accommodation portion  106  includes a guide member  106   a  formed by a rail linearly formed. The first supporting portion  105   b  and the second supporting portion  105   c  are linearly arranged along the guide member  106   a  when accommodated in the accommodation portion  106 , and slide along the guide member  106   a  when pulled out from the accommodation portion  106 . Thus, the medium ejecting apparatus  100  can sufficiently reduce the space in the height direction of the housing portion  106 , and can reduce the device size. 
     As described above, the medium contacting portion  105   a  is linearly formed over both ends, and the front surface of the medium contacting portion  105   a  and the front surface  102   a  of the upper housing  102  are arranged so as to be flush with each other in a state where the medium regulating member  105  is accommodated in the upper housing  102 . Thus, the medium ejecting apparatus  100  has a design with a sense of unity in a state where the medium regulating member  105  is accommodated. 
       FIG. 5  is a diagram for illustrating a conveyance path inside the medium ejecting apparatus  100 . 
     The conveyance path inside the medium ejecting apparatus  100  includes a feed roller  111 , a brake roller  112 , a first conveyance roller  113 , a second conveyance roller  114 , a first imaging device  115   a , a second imaging device  115   b , a first ejection roller  116  and a second ejection roller  117 , etc. The numbers of each roller is not limited to one, and may be plural. A top surface of the lower housing  101  forms a lower guide  107   a  of a conveyance path of a medium, and a bottom surface of the upper housing  102  forms an upper guide  107   b  of the conveyance path of a medium. 
     The first imaging device  115   a  includes a line sensor based on a unity-magnification optical system type contact image sensor (CIS) including an imaging element based on a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) linearly located in a main scanning direction. Further, the first imaging device  115   a  includes a lens for forming an image on the imaging element, and an A/D converter for amplifying and analog-digital (A/D) converting an electric signal output from the imaging element. The first imaging device  115   a  generates and outputs an input image imaging a front side of a conveyed medium, in accordance with control from a processing circuit to be described later. 
     Similarly, the second imaging device  115   b  includes a line sensor based on a unity-magnification optical system type CIS including an imaging element based on a CMOS linearly located in a main scanning direction. Further, the second imaging device  115   b  includes a lens for forming an image on the imaging element, and an A/D converter for amplifying and A/D converting an electric signal output from the imaging element. The secondary imaging device  115   b  generates and outputs an input image acquired by imaging a back surface of the conveyed medium, in accordance with control from a processing circuit to be described later. 
     Only either of the first imaging device  115   a  and the second imaging device  115   b  may be located in the medium ejecting apparatus  100  and only one surface of a medium may be read. 
     Further, a line sensor based on a unity-magnification optical system type CIS including an imaging element based on charge coupled devices (CCDs) may be used in place of the line sensor based on a unity-magnification optical system type CIS including an imaging element based on a CMOS. Further, a line sensor based on a reduction optical system type line sensor including an imaging element based on CMOS or CCDs. 
     A medium placed on the medium tray  103  is conveyed between the lower guide  107   a  and the upper guide  107   b  in the medium ejecting direction A 1  by the feed roller  111  rotating in a direction of an arrow A 11  in  FIG. 5 . When the medium is conveyed, the brake roller  112  rotates in a direction of an arrow A 12 . By the workings of the feed roller  111  and the brake roller  112 , when a plurality of media are placed on the medium tray  103 , only a medium in contact with the feed roller  111 , out of the media placed on the medium tray  103 , is separated. Consequently, the medium conveying apparatus  100  operates in such a way that conveyance of a medium other than the separated medium is restricted (prevention of multi-feed). 
     The medium is fed between the first conveyance roller  113  and the second conveyance roller  114  while being guided by the lower guide  107   a  and the upper guide  107   b . The medium is fed between the first imaging device  115   a  and the second imaging device  115   b  by the first conveyance roller  113  and the second conveyance roller  114  rotating in directions of an arrow A 13  and an arrow A 14 , respectively. The medium read by the first imaging device  115   a  and the second imaging device  115   b  is ejected onto the ejection tray  104  by the first discharge roller  116  and the second discharge roller  117  rotating in directions of an arrow A 15  and an arrow A 16 , respectively. 
     As described above in detail, in the medium ejecting apparatus  100 , the medium regulating member  105  to regulate the position of the front end of the small-sized medium ejected onto the ejection tray  104  is provided, and the accommodation portion  106  to accommodate the medium regulating member  105  is provided. Thus, the medium ejecting apparatus  100  can reduce the device size when not in use, while suitably aligning the front ends of the ejected media. 
     In particular, since the medium ejecting apparatus  100  stops the small-sized medium by the medium regulating member  105 , it is suppressed that the small-sized medium that has been previously ejected is extruded by the small-sized medium ejected later. Further, it is suppressed that the later ejected small-sized medium slips under the extruded small-sized medium and an order of the media is changed, as a result of the previously ejected small-sized medium being extruded. Further, by the medium regulating member  105 , the ejected small-sized medium is prevented from popping out from the ejection tray  104 . Thus, the user can easily align the plurality of ejected media, thereby, the medium ejecting apparatus  100  can improve the convenience of the user and reduce the total time required for the medium reading processing. 
     Further, since the medium regulating member  105  can be accommodated in the upper housing  102  when not in use, the medium ejecting apparatus  100  can reduce a possibility that the medium regulating member  105  is lost when not in use. Further, since the user can accommodate the medium regulating member  105  when opening and closing the upper housing  102 , the medium ejecting apparatus  100  can suppress that the opening and closing of the upper housing  102  is prevented by the medium regulating member  105 . 
       FIG. 6  is a schematic diagram for illustrating a medium ejecting apparatus  200  according to another embodiment. The medium ejecting apparatus  200  further includes a load member  208  in addition to the respective portions of the medium ejecting apparatus  100 . 
     The load member  208  is a detachable weight to the first supporting portion  105   b . An attaching position of the load member  208  to the first supporting portion  105   b  in the medium ejecting direction A 1  is changeably provided from the downstream end to the upstream end. As described above, the medium regulating member  105  needs to pass the medium larger size than the small-sized medium without stopping, while stopping the small-sized medium. The user can change the attaching position of the load member  208  according to the type of the conveyed medium, and the medium ejecting apparatus  100  can more suitably adjust the load applied from the medium contacting portion  105   a  to the ejection tray  104 . The shape of the load member  208  is not limited to the shape shown in  FIG. 6 , the load member  208  may have any shape. 
     As described in detail above, the medium ejecting apparatus  200  can reduce the device size when not in use, while suitably aligning the front ends of the ejected media, even when using the load member  208 . 
     According to the embodiment, the medium ejecting apparatus can reduce the device size when not in use, while suitably aligning the front ends of the ejected media. 
     All examples and conditional language recited herein are intended for pedagogical purposes to aid the reader in understanding the invention and the concepts contributed by the inventor to furthering the art, and are to be construed as being without limitation to such specifically recited examples and conditions, nor does the organization of such examples in the specification relate to a showing of the superiority and inferiority of the invention. Although the embodiment(s) of the present inventions have been described in detail, it should be understood that the various changes, substitutions, and alterations could be made hereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.