Patent Publication Number: US-2021165339-A1

Title: Image reading device apparatus and image forming apparatus

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION AND RELATED ART 
     The present invention relates to an image reading device for reading an image on a sheet. It also relates to an image forming apparatus. 
     There have been widely known an image reading apparatus which is capable of reading the information of an original (sheet) on an original placement plate, and an image forming apparatus equipped with an image reading apparatus. This type of image reading apparatus reads the image information of an original on the original placement plate, by illuminating the original, guiding the light reflected by the original to a photographic element such as a CCD by way of a combination of mirrors and lenses. 
     In the case of the image reading apparatus disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 2004-297638, mirrors are attached to a mirror holding member with adhesive. Therefore, it is possible that the mirrors will distort because of the difference between the mirror holding member and mirrors, in the amount of change in their measurements, which is caused by the changes in temperature. If distortion occurs to mirrors, it is difficult for an image reading apparatus to accurately read the information of an original. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is to provide an image reading apparatus which remains stable in the level of accuracy at which it can read the information of the image of an original, regardless of changes in temperature, and also, an image forming apparatus equipped with such an image reading apparatus. 
     According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image reading apparatus comprising an illuminating portion configured to illuminate an original: a reflection member configured to reflect light reflected by the original; a reading portion configured to read the light reflected by said reflection member; a holding member holding said reflection member; a first bonding portion connecting said holding member and one end portion of said reflection member in a direction along a reflecting surface of said reflection member; and a second bonding portion connecting said holding member and the other end portion of said reflection member in the direction along the reflecting surface of said reflection member, wherein said second bonding portion has a hardness less than that of said first bonding portion. 
     Further features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic view of the printer in the first embodiment of the present invention. 
       Part (a) of  FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the image reading apparatus in the first embodiment, and part (b) of  FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the reading unit of the image reading apparatus. 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic view of the image reading apparatus. 
       Part (a) of  FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the reading unit as seen from the back side of the adjustment mirror, and part (b) of  FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the reading unit as seen from a different direction from the one in part (a) of  FIG. 4 . 
       Part (a) of  FIG. 5  is a sectional view of the adjustment mirror, and part (b) of  FIG. 5  is an enlarged view of the adjustment mirror. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     Hereinafter, one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention is described with reference to appended drawings. 
     [Overall Structure of Printer] 
       FIG. 1  is a drawing of a printer  1 , as an example of an image forming apparatus, in this embodiment. Referring to  FIG. 1 , the printer  1  has: an apparatus main assembly  2 , an image reading apparatus  3  which is positioned in the top portion of the apparatus main assembly  2  to read the image information of an original; an automatic original conveying apparatus  5  (ADF: Automatic Document Feeder) positioned on the top side of the original reading apparatus  3 . In the apparatus main assembly  2 , an image forming portion for forming an image on a sheet of recording medium, and a control portion  13 , are disposed. 
     The image forming portion  10  is equipped with an electrophotographic image formation unit  14 , and a fixing apparatus  18 . The image formation unit  14  has image formation subunits  15 Y- 15 Bk, which correspond to yellow, magenta, cyan, and black colors, respectively, and are aligned in tandem and parallel along an intermediary transfer belt  16  as an intermediary transferring member. The image formation subunits  15 Y- 15 Bk carry out an image forming operation, in response to a command from the control portion  13 . To describe in greater detail, as a command for starting an image forming operation is issued, a photosensitive drum, which is a photosensitive member, rotates in each of the image formation subunits  15 Y- 15 Bk, while the peripheral surface of the drum is uniformly charged by the charging apparatus. As the peripheral surface of the drum is uniformly charged, the exposing apparatus forms an electrostatic latent image on the peripheral surface of the drum, by scanning the peripheral surface of the drum with a beam of laser light which it outputs while modulating the beam with the information of the image to be formed, which is transmitted from an image reading apparatus  3  or an external computer. This electrostatic latent image is developed into a visible image (image formed of toner; toner image) by the toner supplied from an unshown developing apparatus. That is, four monochromatic images, which are different in color, are formed on the four photosensitive drums, one for one. Then, the four monochromatic images are sequentially transferred in layers onto the intermediary transfer belt  16 . 
     While the image forming operation described above is carried out, sheets of recording medium stacked in a sheet cassette  11  (or unshown manual feeder tray) are fed one by one into the main assembly  2  of the printer  1 , and are conveyed toward the secondary transferring portion  17  of the image forming portion  10 . As each sheet of recording medium is fed into the apparatus main assembly  2 , it is conveyed to the secondary transferring portion  17 , in synchronism with the progression of the image forming operation in each of the image formation subunits  15 Y- 15 Bk. In the secondary transferring portion  17 , the four toner images are transferred onto the sheet. After the transfer of the toner images onto the sheet, the sheet is passed to the fixing apparatus  18 , in which it is heated and pressed while remaining sandwiched by a pair of rollers. Consequently, the toner images become fixed (welded) to the sheet. Then, the sheet is discharged out of the image forming apparatus by a sheet discharging portion  19 , which comprises a pair of rollers, or the like. 
     [Image Reading Apparatus] 
     Next, the structure of the image reading apparatus  3  is described in detail. By the way, in this embodiment, a “sheet” includes not only a sheet of ordinary paper, but also, a sheet of special paper such as coated paper, a recording medium such as an envelop and an index paper which is different in shape from an ordinary sheet of paper, a sheet of plastic film for an overhead projector, a sheet of fabric, etc. Further, an original also is an example of sheet. That is, an original can be a sheet of blank paper, a sheet of paper having an image on only one of its surfaces, or a sheet of paper having an image on both of its surfaces. 
     Referring to part (a) of  FIGS. 2 and 2 ( b ), the image reading apparatus  3  comprises: a glass platen  201 , across which an original is placed; and a reading unit  100 , which is on the underside of the glass platen  201  and is movable in the secondary scan direction A. The image reading apparatus  3  is structured so that it can read an original S (obtain information of original S) while the original S is kept stationary, or is moved. 
     When the image reading apparatus  3  is in a mode in which an original S is kept stationary, its reading unit  100  is moved at a preset constant speed in the secondary scanning direction A along the surface of the glass platen  201  to scan the original S on the glass platen  201  to read the original S, that is, to obtain the information of the image to be formed, line by line. On the other hand, when the image reading apparatus  3  is in a mode in which the original is moved at a preset constant speed, the aforementioned ADF  5  conveys each of the originals S on the original placement tray  5   a  ( FIG. 1 ) while the reading unit  100  is stationarily positioned so that the center of an unshown reading roller of the ADF  5  overlaps with the reading line. As the image is read (information of image is obtained) by the image reading apparatus  3 , the information of the image to be formed is converted into a toner image on a sheet of recording medium by the image forming portion  10 , or outputted as image information to an external computer. 
     The reading unit  100  has a boxy casing  101 , as a holding member, which is in connection to a driving motor  202  by way of a timing belt  212 . The boxy casing  101  is formed of synthetic resin, for example. It can be moved in parallel to the glass platen  201 , that is, in the secondary scan direction A, along a guide rail  213 , by driving the driving gear  202 . When the image reading apparatus  3  is in the mode in which an original is kept stationary, the driving gear  202  is driven to move the reading unit  100  in the secondary scan direction A. 
     Further, the boxy casing  101  holds: an illumination unit  206  as an illuminating means; a mirror  103  as the first reflective member; three mirrors  102  as the second reflective members; a lens unit  204 ; and an image sensor  205  as a reading means having an image-capturing element, etc. The illumination unit  206  has a light source such as an LED or Xenon lamp, for example. It illuminates the downwardly facing surface of an original S placed on the glass platen  201 . 
     The mirrors  102  and  103  are different in material, more concretely, different in coefficient of linear expansion, from the boxy casing  101 . More specifically, the mirrors  102  and  103  are formed of such material as glass that is lower in the coefficient of linear expansion than the material for the boxy casing  101 . They have reflective surfaces  102   a  and  103   a , respectively, which are high is optical reflectivity. 
     As light is emitted from the illumination unit  206 , it is reflected by the downwardly facing surface of the original, it (reflected light) is reflected by the reflective surface  102   a  of each of the three mirrors  102  and  103 , being thereby guided to the lens unit  204 . The mirrors  102  are positioned on the upstream of the mirror  103  in the light path  207  from the original S to the lens unit  204 . That is, the mirror  103  is positioned most downstream among the mirrors which are in the light path  207  from the original S to the lens unit  204 , being position in a manner to oppose the lens unit  204 . 
     Further, the mirrors  102  and  103  are in the form of a roughly rectangular piece of plate. In terms of their position in the light path  207  from the original S to the lens unit  204 , the more downstream in position they are, the smaller in the size of their reflective surfaces ( 102   a  and  103   a ). More concretely, the form of the mirrors  102  and  103  are such that in terms of the light path  207  from the original S to the lens unit  204 , the more downstream they are, the less they are in the dimension in terms of the direction parallel to the lengthwise direction of the reflective surface  103   a  (depthwise direction in  FIG. 3 ; part (a) of  FIG. 4 . 
     The lens unit  204  focuses the light guided thereto from the original S by way of mirrors  102  and  103 , on the image sensor  205 , forming thereby an image of the original S on the image sensor  205 . Thus, this image is converted into a sequence of voltage (photoelectric conversion). That is, the image of the original S is read. 
     [Mirror-Holding Structure] 
     Next, the boxy casing  101  is described in detail about its mirror-holding structure. As described above, the mirrors  102  and  103  are different in coefficient of linear expansion from the boxy casing  101 . Further, the components of the image reading apparatus  3  are different in material, being therefore different in coefficient of linear expansion. Therefore, if the mirrors  102  and  103  are immovably attached to the boxy casing  101 , distortion sometimes occurs to the boxy casing  101 , and the reflective surfaces  102   a  and  103   a  of the mirrors  102  and  103 , respectively, as the image reading apparatus  3  changes in temperature. As distortion occurs to the boxy casing  101  and/or the reflective surfaces  102   a  and  103  of the mirrors  102  and  103 , respectively, it is unlikely for the original S to be accurately read; it is unlikely for the information of the original S to be accurately obtained. 
     In this embodiment, therefore, the mirror  102  is kept pressed toward the boxy casing  101  by an unshown leaf spring in such a direction that intersects with the reflective surface  102   a . Further, it is held so that it is allowed to move in the direction which is parallel to the reflective surface  102   a . Therefore, not only is the mirror  102  positioned relative to the boxy casing  101  in terms of the direction that intersects with the reflective surface  102   a , but also, distortion of the boxy casing  101 , and that of the reflective surface  102   a  of the mirror  102 , which occur as the boxy casing  101  and mirrors  102  and  103  change in temperature. Thus, the image reading apparatus  3  in this embodiment can read the original S at a higher level of accuracy than any conventional one. 
     Also, in this embodiment, the mirror  103  is held to the boxy casing  101  by being bonded to the boxy casing  101  with adhesive. More concretely, the lengthwise end portions of the mirror  103  in terms of the direction which is parallel to the reflective surface  103   a  of the mirror  103 , are bonded to the boxy casing  101  with the first and second adhesives. 
     Next, the concrete structure which holds the mirror  103  is described. Part (a) of  FIGS. 4 and 4 ( b ) are perspective views of the reading unit  100  as seen from the back surface  103   b  side of the mirror  103 , which is the opposite surface side of the mirror  103  from the reflective surface  103   a , respectively. Part (a) of  FIG. 5  is a sectional view of the mirror  103  and its adjacencies. Referring to part (a) of  FIGS. 4, 4 ( b ) and  5 ( a ), the boxy casing  101  has a wall  104   a , which is positioned in the adjacencies of one  103   c  of the lengthwise end portions of the mirror  103 , in terms of the lengthwise direction L, and a wall  104   b  which is positioned in the adjacencies of the other end portion  103   d.    
     The walls  104   a  and  104   b  are shaped and positioned so that their lengthwise direction intersects with the reflective surface  103   a  of the mirror  103 , and also, so that they oppose each other, with the presence of the mirror  103  between them. Further, the wall  104   a  and lengthwise end portion  103   c  are indirectly connected to each other by way of the first adhesive portion  106   a , which is hardened first adhesive, whereas the wall  104   b  and lengthwise end portion  103   c  are indirectly connected to each other by way of the second adhesive portion  106   b , which is hardened second adhesive. In other words, the wall  104   a  and lengthwise end portion  103   c  are positioned so that they do not directly contact with each other, and so are the wall  104   b  and lengthwise end portion  103   d.    
     Both the first and second adhesives contain photosetting synthetic resin. Before they set, they have fluidity. As they are exposed to ultraviolet ray, for example, they change in state from the one in which they have a high level of fluidity, to the one in which they have a lower level of fluidity. Further, the second adhesive is lower than the first adhesive in hardness after they hardened. That is, the second adhesive portion  106   b  is lower in hardness than the first adhesive portion  106   a . More concretely, the first adhesive portion  106   a  is no less than 20 in hardness (durometer type D). The second adhesive portion  106   b  is no less than 20 (durometer type A) and no more than 90, in hardness (durometer type D). Even more concretely, the first adhesive portion  106   a  is roughly 70 in hardness (durometer type D), and the second adhesive portion  106   b  is roughly 80 in hardness (durometer type A). By the way, durometer type A hardness and durometer type B hardness are based on JIS K 6253-3:2012, ISO7619-1. 
     As the image reading apparatus  3  changes in temperature, not only is the position of the end portion  103   c  and the position of the end portion  104   e  relative to each other maintained by the first adhesive portion  106   a , but also, the second adhesive portion  106   b  deforms. Therefore, the distance between the end portion  103   d  and wall  104   b  changes. That is, the position of the end portion  103   c  and that of the wall  104   a  relative to each other is set by the first adhesive portion  106   a , and the change in the position of the mirror  103  relative to the boxy casing  101 , and the change in the size of the mirror  103  in terms of the lengthwise direction L, which are attributable to the change in the temperature of the image reading apparatus  3 , are absorbed by the second adhesive portion  106   b . In this embodiment, therefore, the distortion of the boxy casing  101 , and that of the reflective surface  103   a  of the mirror  103 , which are attributable to the change in the temperature of the image reading apparatus  3 , are prevented. That is, it is prevented that as the image reading apparatus  3  changes in temperature, it reduces in accuracy. 
     Generally speaking, a piece of plate formed of glass or the like material is put though the so-called chamfering to improve its edge portions in strength. That is, the edge portions of the plate are slightly shaved at roughly 45-angle relative to the adjacent surfaces of the plate to provide a small flat (curved) surface between the adjacent two surfaces of the plate. However, if the surface which resulted by chamfering is small, it is difficult to make adhesive to flow into the area (gap) between the mirrors and boxy casing  101  when adhering the mirrors to the boxy casing  101 , although how adhesive flows into the gap depends on the viscosity of the adhesive, and/or the method used to apply the adhesive. Therefore, it sometimes occurs that the mirrors fail to be firmly adhered. 
     In this embodiment, therefore, at least a part of one of its edges which are intersectional to the lengthwise direction L is chamfered more than the other parts. More concretely, among the edges of end surfaces  103   e  and  103   f  of the mirror  103  in terms of the lengthwise direction L, those which will be next to the first adhesive portion  106   a  and second adhesive portion  106   b , with which the mirror  103  are adhered to the boxy casing  101 , are chamfered by a greater amount than the other edges. 
     Even more concretely, among the four edges of the end surfaces  103   e  and  103   f  as seen in the lengthwise direction L, one on the back surface  103   b  side, and two edges in terms of the widthwise direction W, are chamfered more than the rest. Thus, the surfaces  107   a  which resulted from the chamfering are greater in size than the surfaces  107   b  which resulted from the chamfering. In other words, among the four edges of the end surfaces  103   e  and  103   f  of the mirror  103  as seen in the lengthwise direction L, three edges except for the edge on the reflective surface  103   a  side are chamfered by a greater amount than other edges, having the surface  107   a , which is greater in size than the surface  107   b  which resulted from the chamfering of the other edges. 
     That is, referring to part (b) of  FIGS. 5, 11 and 12 , by which the edge of the mirror  103 , which corresponds to the surface  107   a , is chamfered is greater than m1 and m2, by which the edge which corresponds to the surface  107   b , is chamfered. For example, l1 and l2 are no less than 1 mm (no less than C1). Further, for example, the width of the surface  107   a , which resulted from the chamfering is no less than 1.4 mm. By the way, the widthwise direction W is intersectional to the lengthwise direction L, and also, the thickness direction D of the plate. Further, it is not mandatory that the end surfaces of the mirror  103  in terms of the lengthwise direction L are perpendicular to the reflective surface, back surface, and end surfaces in terms of the widthwise direction W, of the mirror  103 . Further, it is not mandatory that the angle between the surfaces which result from the chamfering, relative to the end surfaces, reflective surface, and back surface of the mirror  103  is 45°. 
     Since the aforementioned edges of the mirrors are chambered as described above, it is easier for the first and second adhesives to flow into the gaps  105   a  and  105   b  (part (b) of  FIG. 5 ) between the mirror  103  and boxy casing  101  in terms of the lengthwise direction L, making it possible to assure that the mirror  103  remains reliably adhered. 
     [Procedure for Attaching Mirror with Adhesive] 
     Next, the procedure for attaching the mirror  103  to the boxy casing  101  with adhesive is described. To begin with, the illumination unit  206 , mirrors  102 , lens unit  204 , and image sensor  205  are attached to the boxy casing  101 . Then, the mirror  103  is held by a manipulator, and is positioned between the end portion  104   e  and  104   b  the walls with the use of the manipulator. Then, the mirror  103  is adjusted in attitude with the use of the manipulator so that the mirror  103  is properly angled relative to the lens unit  204  and image sensor  205 . 
     While the mirror  103  is adjusted in angle, the manipulator is controlled so that it holds the mirror  103  in a position in which the mirror  103  does not contact the boxy casing  101 , that is, the gaps  105   a  and  105   b  are provided between the mirror  103  and boxy casing  101  in terms of the lengthwise direction L. This procedure prevents the problem that while the mirror  103  is adjusted in angle, the mirror  103  and boxy casing  101  come into contact with each other, which results in misadjustment of the mirror  103  in angle. 
     After the adjustment of the mirror  103  in angle, the first and second adhesives are applied in a manner to be made to flow into the gaps  105   a  and  105   b , respectively. After the application of the first and second adhesives, the first and second adhesives are irradiated with ultraviolet ray or the like to be hardened. As described above, in this embodiment, the mirror  103  is made as such a mirror that can be adjusted in angle while the image reading apparatus  3  is assembled. By the way, generally speaking, the process for adjusting a mirror in angle, which is disclosed in Patent Document No. 1 is manually carried out by an assembler. In this embodiment, in stead of manually adjusting a mirror in angle with the use of small screws, a mirror held by a manipulator at an adjusted angle is fixed to the boxy casing  101  with adhesive as introduced as an example of the aforementioned procedure. In other words, this embodiment can contribute to the automation of the process for attaching the mirror  103  to the boxy casing  101 . 
     In the case of the image reading apparatus  3  in this embodiment, which is structured as described above, the second adhesive portion between the boxy casing  101  and the end portion  103   d  of the mirror  103  in terms of the lengthwise direction L is lower in hardness than the first adhesive portion between the end portion  103   c  of the mirror  103  in terms of the lengthwise direction L. Generally speaking, the material for the mirror  103  is different from that for the mirror holding member, being therefore different in coefficient of linear expansion. Therefore, it occurs sometimes that the mirror and mirror holding member are made to deform by the change in ambient temperature and/or the heat generation in the image reading apparatus  3 , which in turn reduces the image reading apparatus  3  in accuracy. In this embodiment, the second adhesive portion is lower in hardness than the first adhesive portion. Therefore, the distortion of the boxy casing  101  and/or mirror  103 , which might occur due to the aforementioned change in temperature, is minimized. Therefore, the image reading apparatus  3  is prevented from reducing in the accuracy with which it reads the original S, that is, the accuracy with which it obtains the information of the original S, by the change in the ambient temperature. 
     Further, the mirror  103  and boxy casing  101  are indirectly connected to each other with the presence of the second adhesive portion  106   b . Therefore, it is possible to prevent the mirror  103  and boxy casing  101  from coming in contact with each other when the mirror  102  is adjusted in angle by the manipulator, for example. Therefore, this embodiment can provide an image reading apparatus which can more accurately read the original S than any conventional one. In the case of an image reading apparatus, the mirrors of which are attached with small screws, if small screws become loose, the mirrors change in angle. In this embodiment, however, the mirrors are attached with adhesive. Therefore, there is no possibility that the mirrors will change in angle due to the loosening of small screws. 
     [Modifications] 
     By the way, in this embodiment, the mirror  103  which is positioned most downstream in the pass of the light reflected from the original S is the adjustment mirror which is to be bonded to the boxy casing  101 . This embodiment, however, is not intended to limit the present invention in scope. That is, the adjustment mirror as the first reflective member may be any one of the multiple reflective members positioned in the light path from an original to the reading means. Further, the multiple reflective members positioned in this light path may be bonded to the boxy casing. 
     Further, in this embodiment, the mirror  103  is bonded to the boxy casing  101  by its end portions  103   c  and  103   d  in terms of the lengthwise direction L. This embodiment, however, is not intended to limit the present invention in scope. That is, all that is necessary is that the mirror as the first reflective member is bonded to the boxy casing  101  by the first and second end portions in terms of the direction parallel to the reflective surface. For example, it may be bonded by both of the widthwise end portions, or by three or more portions. Further, the mirror does not need to be rectangular. Moreover, the reflective surface does not need to be flat; it may be curved. 
     Moreover, in this embodiment, the mirror  103  is formed of glass, whereas the boxy casing  101  is formed of synthetic resin. This embodiment, however, is not intended to limit the present invention in scope in terms of the materials for the mirror  103  and boxy casing  101 . That is, all that is necessary is that the material for the mirror and that for the holding member, are different in coefficient of linear expansion. For example, the holding member may be formed of such metallic material as stainless steel and plated steel plate. 
     Further, in this embodiment, the mirrors  102  and  103  are attached to the reading unit  100  which moves in the secondary scan direction A. This embodiment, however, is not intended to limit the present invention is scope. That is, parts of the mirrors may be fixed to the main assembly  203  ( FIG. 3 ) of the image reading apparatus  3 , which holds the glass platen, etc. Further, the image reading apparatus  3  may be structured so that the mirrors are different in speed. 
     Further, in this embodiment, the mirror  103  is given such a shape that the surfaces which resulted from the chamfering of the edges of the mirror  103 , by which the mirror  103  is connected to the boxy casing  101  with the first and second adhesives, are larger than the surfaces which resulted from the chamfering of the edges of the end surfaces  103   e  and  103   f . This embodiment, however, is not intended to limit the present invention is scope. That is, all that is necessary is that the mirror as the first reflective member is shaped so that their edges by which the mirror is connected to the boxy casing  101  can provide a sufficient amount of adhesion between the mirror and the walls of the boxy casing. That is, portions of the edges of the mirrors, by which the mirror is connected to the boxy casing with the first and second adhesives do not need to be chamfered. 
     Further, in this embodiment, the image forming apparatus was the printer  1  equipped with the image reading apparatus  3 . This embodiment, however, is not intended to limit the present invention in scope. That is, the present invention is applicable to any image forming apparatus which forms an image on a sheet of recording medium, based on the image information inputted from an external PC, or the information obtained by the reading of an original. For example, the present invention is also applicable to a copying machine, a facsimileing machine, a multifunction machine, and the like. 
     While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of the following claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures and functions. 
     This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2019-216150 filed on Nov. 29, 2019, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.