Abstract: An image recording apparatus configured to record images on front and back surfaces of a sheet, including: a head which ejects ink onto the sheet for recording; a sheet-supply roller which contacts the sheet so as to transfer the sheet for supplying to the head; a sheet-supply path which is provided between the sheet-supply roller and the head, which has a U-shape, and through which the sheet is transferred such that one of surfaces thereof opposite to the other of the surfaces contacted by the sheet-supply roller faces the head; and a sheet-stopping control section configured to control the sheet-supply roller such that the sheet transferred by the sheet-supply roller is stopped for a first time in the sheet-supply path in a state in which the sheet is deformed so as to have a U-shape, after an image has been recorded on the front surface of the sheet and before an image is recorded on the back surface thereof.

Abstract: An image reader has an image sensor; a carriage; a positioning portion formed at a predetermined position in a longitudinal direction of the image sensor with respect to a reference position of the image sensor; a connector portion to which an electric cable is connected and which is provided between an end of the carriage and one end in the longitudinal direction of a case of the image sensor; and an engaging portion formed in the carriage. In the image recording apparatus, since the positioning portion is engaged with the engaging portion, it is possible to use a common carriage for a plurality of types of image sensors, and an operation of connecting the electric cable becomes simple.

Abstract: A communication device includes: a display unit; a storage unit; and an image display control unit. The display unit is capable of displaying two or more pieces of image data at the same time. The storage unit keeps sent historical information containing sent image data and received historical information containing received image data as sent-and-received historical information. The image display control unit controls the display unit to display the sent image data contained in the sent historical information and the received image data contained in the received historical information on the display unit at the same time.

Abstract: An image reader includes: a conveyance path forming member; a conveying unit; a reading unit; and a pressing unit. The conveyance path forming member forms a part of a conveyance path extending from a conveyance start position to a discharge position via an image reading position. The conveying unit is capable of conveying documents having different widths along the conveyance path. The reading unit reads the document at the reading position. The pressing unit extends in the document width direction, is disposed as opposed to the reading unit, and holds the document conveyed by the conveying unit in cooperation with the conveyance path forming member by pressing the document against the conveyance path forming member. The pressing unit is divided into a plurality of pressing members that are arranged in the document width direction and that press the documents against the conveyance path forming member independently from one another.

Abstract: If the user specifies a color mode, an image reader previously moves a read head to a position where a first read target position r and a read start position on an original are identical with each other. If the user specifies a monochrome mode, the image reader previously moves the read head to a position where a second read target position and the read start position on an original are identical with each other. After this, an image can be read from the same range without increasing the time required for image read processing.

Abstract: An automatic paper feed device is provided, including a cover member that has a paper insertion opening in a nearly rectangular shape, the paper insertion opening having a longitudinal direction perpendicular to both a transport direction of the paper and a thickness direction of the paper. The paper insertion opening includes a first end opening portion, a second end opening portion, and a center opening portion arranged in the longitudinal direction of the paper insertion opening. The paper insertion opening connects a placement unit, in which paper is placed, with a separation and transport mechanism, that separates paper placed in the placement unit and transports paper placed in the placement unit in the transport direction. The first and second end opening portions are each larger in size than the central opening portion.

Abstract: An automatic paper feed device is provided, including a cover member that has a paper insertion opening in a nearly rectangular shape, the paper insertion opening having a longitudinal direction perpendicular to both a transport direction of the paper and a thickness direction of the paper. The paper insertion opening includes a first end opening portion, a second end opening portion, and a center opening portion arranged in the longitudinal direction of the paper insertion opening. The paper insertion opening connects a placement unit, in which paper is placed, with a separation and transport mechanism, that separates paper placed in the placement unit and transports paper placed in the placement unit in the transport direction. The first and second end opening portions are each larger in size than the central opening portion.

Abstract: An automatic paper feed device is provided, including a cover member that has a paper insertion opening in a nearly rectangular shape, the paper insertion opening having a longitudinal direction perpendicular to both a transport direction of the paper and a thickness direction of the paper. The paper insertion opening includes a first end opening portion, a second end opening portion, and a center opening portion arranged in the longitudinal direction of the paper insertion opening. The paper insertion opening connects a placement unit, in which paper is placed, with a separation and transport mechanism, that separates paper placed in the placement unit and transports paper placed in the placement unit in the transport direction. The first and second end opening portions are each larger in size than the central opening portion.

Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes a feed tray including a bottom plate configured to hold a sheet, a feed roller configured to feed the sheet in a first direction from the feed tray to a first conveying path, and a pressing member configured to press the sheet in the feed tray against the bottom plate of the feed tray. The pressing member includes a contact portion configured to contact the sheet in the feed tray, and a first guide positioned at a downstream end of the pressing member in the first direction. The first guide extends between the downstream end and the contact portion obliquely with respect to the bottom plate, such that a distance between the bottom plate and the first guide increases along the first direction. The first guide is positioned upstream of the feed roller in the first direction.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes an image recording unit that records an image on a recording medium; a supply unit that supplies a recording medium to the image recording unit; a discharging unit that discharges the recording medium having the image recorded thereon to an outside of the image recording apparatus; and a control unit having a circuit board that controls a driving of the image recording unit. The control unit is in alignment with the image recording unit at at least one of an upper side of the supply unit and the discharge unit within a height of the located image recording unit.

Abstract: A first convey roller conveys a sheet in a sheet conveying direction such that a leading edge of the sheet passes through a nip of a second convey roller disposed downstream from the first convey roller. The second convey roller rotates in a reverse direction by a first rotation amount corresponding to a first linear distance to convey the sheet in a direction opposite to the sheet conveying direction, such that the leading edge of the sheet is released from the nip of the second convey roller. In response to the rotation of the second convey roller in the reverse direction, the first convey roller rotates by a second rotation amount corresponding to a second linear distance in the reverse direction to convey the sheet in the direction opposite to the sheet conveying direction, such that the leading edge of the sheet contacts the nip of the second convey roller when the first convey roller has rotated by the second rotation amount and the second convey roller has rotated by the first rotation amount.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus capable of easily detecting the width of a document is provided that can reduce the number of component parts. A surface to be detected of a moving section that moves in linkage with the movement of a document guide is detected using an image pickup device, so that the width dimension of the document is detected. This allows the image reading apparatus to detect the width dimension of the document by using the image pickup device.

Abstract: A document feeder includes a reverse transporting mechanism that forms a substantially U-shaped document transporting pathway for carrying a document from a feeding tray located at a lower side to a discharging tray located at an upper side through a reading position, a pulling device, a separating transporting device and a openable pathway cover. The pulling device and the separating-transporting device are arranged at substantially the same horizontal level within the height that is occupied by the reverse transporting mechanism. The pathway cover is capable of opening and closing to cover on the pulling device, the separating-transporting device and the reverse transporting mechanism.

Abstract: A multifunctional device including a lower frame, a main control board, and a cartridge holder. A conveying space is formed in the lower frame farther forward than a recording unit and includes a discharge space for receiving discharged recording sheet. The main control board is disposed horizontally above the conveying space when viewed from the front. The recording unit is disposed farther rearward than the conveying space, with its topmost part substantially equal in height to the main control board. The cartridge holder is disposed to the side of the conveying space and the main control board and fits vertically within the top part.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus configured to record images on a front surface and a back surface of a recording sheet, the image recording apparatus including: a recording head which ejects ink onto the recording sheet for recording; and a controller configured to execute controls for operations of the image recording apparatus, wherein the controller includes a sheet-stopping control section configured to execute a control for stopping the recording sheet for a specific time after the image has been recorded on the front surface of the recording sheet and before the image is recorded on the back surface of the recording sheet, and wherein the image recording apparatus further comprises a biasing device configured to bias the recording sheet, so as to retain the recording sheet in a specific shape, in a state in which the recording sheet is stopped by the control of the sheet-stopping control section.

Abstract: A document reading apparatus includes a document feed device configured to separate documents and to feed the documents one by one from a paper feed tray, an image reading device configured to read an image of each the documents at a reading position provided on a reading glass plate, and a document holding member arranged on a front surface side of the reading glass plate at a position opposing the image reading device. The document reading apparatus also includes a first and a second reading pattern mark provided on the document holding member at a first and second position opposing the surface of the reading glass plate, respectively. The first and second reading pattern marks have a length which is greater than a width of each of the documents.

Abstract: A carriage driving apparatus includes: a biaser which biases a pulley holder in a tensioning direction to tension a timing belt; and a biaser holder which holds the biaser such that the pulley holder is allowed to move to the slackening position when the biaser is not held by the biaser holder, and the pulley holder is biased by the biaser in the tensioning direction when the biaser is held by the biaser holder, the biaser holder limiting movement of the pulley holder in a slackening direction to slacken the timing belt, to a disengagement inhibit position between the slackening position and the tensioning position.

Abstract: A scanner unit includes a housing having an opening on its upper surface, a platen glass provided so as to be exposed from the opening on the upper surface of the housing, a carriage provided in the housing so as to be movable parallel with the platen glass, a linear CIS mounted on the carriage in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction to read the image of a document placed on the platen glass, roller units provided in the vicinity of both ends and central part with respect to the vicinity of the both ends of the CIS in the longitudinal direction so as to abut on the platen glass, and a coil spring provided in the carriage so as to force the CIS toward the platen glass.

Abstract: An image reading device has a CIS unit. The CIS unit is held by a carriage. A compression coil spring that presses the CIS unit toward a contact glass plate is disposed between the bottom surface of the carriage and the bottom surface of the CIS unit. An extension coil spring that pulls the CIS unit toward the carriage is attached between the bottom surface of the carriage and the center portion of the CIS unit.

Abstract: A multifunctional device including a lower frame, a main control board, and a cartridge holder. A conveying space is formed in the lower frame farther forward than a recording unit and includes a discharge space for receiving discharged recording sheet. The main control board is disposed horizontally above the conveying space when viewed from the front. The recording unit is disposed farther rearward than the conveying space, with its topmost part substantially equal in height to the main control board. The cartridge holder is disposed to the side of the conveying space and the main control board and fits vertically within the top part.