Abstract: An image reading apparatus having a lower unit with a controller and an upper unit rotatably attached to the lower unit to rotate about a rear end of the upper unit is provided. The upper unit includes a sheet conveyer, an upper image reader connected with the controller via a flat cable, and an external covering. A rearward-extending section of the flat cable extends rearward from the upper image reader and is drawn in an area below a part of a frame of the sheet conveyer and to a rear section of the upper unit to reach an inner surface of the external covering at the rear end of the upper unit. A widthwise-extending section of the flat cable extends from the rear end of the upper unit along the inner surface of the external covering in a direction orthogonal to reach an outlet of the upper unit.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a first conveying path, a curved conveying path, a second conveying path, a first image reading section facing the first conveying path, a pair of third conveying rollers having a third nip point P1, a pair of second conveying rollers having a second nip point P4, a second image reading section facing the second conveying path, a pair of first conveying rollers having a first nip point P3 and a pair of discharge rollers having a fourth nip point P2. A distance between P1 and P2 is larger than a distance between P3 and P4. P3 and P4 are positioned in a first area defined by imaginary lines extending upward from P1 and P2 respectively.

Abstract: An image sensor reads an image from a document sheet disposed on a document holding portion of a platen glass while the image sensor is moving along the platen glass in a predetermined direction or reads an image from a document sheet fed by a document feeder while the image sensor is stopped at the image reading position. A discharge guide member guides a document sheet which has passed the image reading position in a direction downstream from the platen glass. A sliding mechanism slides a first plate that faces the document holding portion selectively between a first position and a second position along the platen glass in a sliding direction parallel to the predetermined direction. The image reading position is within the document holding portion. The first plate, when in the first position, covers the image reading position, and the first plate, when in the second position, is separated from the image reading position.

Abstract: A bearing device include: (a) a bearing supporting a shaft, and having (a-1) a tubular body portion in which the shaft is rotatably received and (a-2) a radially projecting portion that projects from the tubular body portion outwardly in a radial direction of the tubular body portion; and (b) a bearing receiver plate having (b-1) a receiver hole in which the tubular body portion of the bearing is received, and (b-2) a cutout which extends from the receiver hole and which has an opening that opens outwardly of the bearing receiver plate, such that the bearing can be introduced into the receiver hole via the cutout. The bearing receiver plate and the radially projecting portion of the bearing cooperate with each other to establish (i) a rotation preventer preventing rotation of the bearing relative to the bearing receiver plate and (ii) a backlash reducer reducing play of the bearing relative to the bearing receiver plate. Also disclosed is an image recording apparatus including the bearing device.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus including a main unit and an openable unit is provided. One of an upper-stream section and a lower-stream section in a sheet path with respect to a U-curved section is provided as an upper-level path, and the other of the upper-stream section and the lower-stream section is arranged in a lower-level path. The openable unit includes a movable piece arranged in a position along the lower-level path and is swingable to be close to and separated apart from the lower-level path. The movable piece is movable by its own weight from a closed position to an open position when the openable unit is moved to an open position. The movable piece serves as a part of a bottom surface of the lower-level path when in the closed position and exposes a part of the lower-level path when in the open position.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus is provided, including a separation roller configured to apply a feeding force to a sheet, a pad assembly configured to pivot about a pivot axis in a direction close to or away from a supporting unit, and an elastic member configured to press the pad assembly toward the separation roller. The pad assembly includes a separation pad disposed facing the separation roller configured to apply a resistive force to a sheet, a holder holding the separation pad, and a first engaging portion disposed on a side of a distal end. The supporting unit includes a second engaging portion. The first and second engaging portions are configured to engage each other to restrict the pad assembly such that the distal end is not separated from the supporting unit more than a specified distance when the separation roller is separated from the separation pad.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus may include a main unit and a cover unit pivotally attached to the main unit. The cover unit may include an image reading device configured to read an image of a document along a conveying path. The image reading device may include a contact image sensor, a sensor holder configured to hold the contact image sensor, an urging member, and a shock absorber. The contact image sensor is disposed below the conveying path. The sensor holder has an open top boxed shape and is configured to hold the contact image sensor in position inside. The urging member is disposed in an inner bottom surface of the sensor holder to urge the contact image sensor toward the conveying path. The shock absorber is disposed between a bottom surface of the contact image sensor and the inner bottom surface of the sensor holder, and is made of a porous material.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus configured to read images of both surfaces of a document is provided. The image reading apparatus may include a first image reading device configured to read an image of a first surface of a document, a second image reading device configured to read an image of a second surface of the document, and a document conveying mechanism configured to convey the document from the second image reading device to the first image reading device. The first image reading device has a first reading range, and the second image reading device has a second reading range, which is smaller than the first reading range.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus to read an image formed on a document sheet is provided. The image reading apparatus includes a sheet conveyer and an image reader, which is controlled by a controller and reads the image formed on the document sheet. The sheet conveyer includes movable parts, which are movably supported by a first supporting member. The image reader is supported by a second supporting member, which is detachably attached to the first supporting member. A cable with a connector connects the controller and the image reader with each other via the connector. The second supporting member is tied to the first supporting member by the cable when the cable connects the controller and the image reader via the connector. The second supporting member is releasable from the first supporting member when the connector is decoupled.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus having a lower unit with a controller and an upper unit rotatably attached to the lower unit to rotate about a rear end of the upper unit is provided. The upper unit includes a sheet conveyer, an upper image reader connected with the controller via a flat cable, and an external covering. A rearward-extending section of the flat cable extends rearward from the upper image reader and is drawn in an area below a part of a frame of the sheet conveyer and to a rear section of the upper unit to reach an inner surface of the external covering at the rear end of the upper unit. A widthwise-extending section of the flat cable extends from the rear end of the upper unit along the inner surface of the external covering in a direction orthogonal to reach an outlet of the upper unit.

Abstract: A data item name constituting a source data schema is extracted (1051), a data item name constituting a target data schema is extracted (1052), element concepts included in the extracted data item names of the source data schema and the target data schema are extracted (1053), a distinctive relation between the data item names is set based on the extracted element concepts to be stored in an ontology (1061), the data item names of the source data schema and the target data schema are read, a correlation is set between the two read data item names based on the distinctive relation to be stored in a mapping definition file (1071).

Abstract: A sheet feeder includes a feed roller that includes a feed roller shaft, the feed roller being capable of feeding a sheet, a frame that supports the feed roller shaft, a helical gear attached to the feed roller shaft, a motor that drives the feed roller shaft via the helical gear, a disc attached to the feed roller shaft, a sensor body that detects a rotation of the disc, and a pressing member that presses the feed roller shaft from a side of the feed roller shaft in a thrust direction toward another side of the feed roller shaft.

Abstract: An ink-jet recording apparatus according to one aspect comprises: a movable supporting member slidable in a conveying direction of a recording medium while supporting the recording medium to follow the recording medium conveyed; and an interlocking mechanism configured to control a movement of the movable supporting member. The interlocking mechanism is operable to: position the movable supporting member in a predetermined upstream position in the conveying direction when the recording medium is conveyed to the predetermined upstream position; retain the movable supporting member in the predetermined upstream position until the recording medium overhangs the movable supporting member to cover a contact portion and at least a part of a non-contact portion; and slide the movable supporting member toward a downstream side in the conveying direction while supporting an edge of the recording medium with the conveyance of the recording medium.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a first conveying path, a curved conveying path, a second conveying path, a first image reading section facing the first conveying path, a pair of third conveying rollers having a third nip point P1, a pair of second conveying rollers having a second nip point P4, a second image reading section facing the second conveying path, a pair of first conveying rollers having a first nip point P3 and a pair of discharge rollers having a fourth nip point P2. A distance between P1 and P2 is larger than a distance between P3 and P4. P3 and P4 are positioned in a first area defined by imaginary lines extending upward from P1 and P2 respectively.

Abstract: An image sensor reads an image from a document sheet disposed on a document holding portion of a platen glass while the image sensor is moving along the platen glass in a predetermined direction or reads an image from a document sheet fed by a document feeder while the image sensor is stopped at the image reading position. A discharge guide member guides a document sheet which has passed the image reading position in a direction downstream from the platen glass. A sliding mechanism slides a first plate that faces the document holding portion selectively between a first position and a second position along the platen glass in a sliding direction parallel to the predetermined direction. The image reading position is within the document holding portion. The first plate, when in the first position, covers the image reading position, and the first plate, when in the second position, is separated from the image reading position.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a first conveying path, a curved conveying path, a second conveying path, an upper cover, a first image reading section, a third conveying roller, a second conveying roller, a second image reading section, a first conveying roller, a fourth conveying roller and a control unit. The control unit controls to stop conveying the sheet when a back edge of the sheet passes the first conveying roller in the case where a length of the sheet is less than a first distance between the first conveying roller and the third conveying roller, and controls to stop conveying the sheet after conveying the sheet until the back edge passes the third conveying roller in the case where the length of the sheet is greater than the first distance and is less than a second distance between the third conveying roller and the fourth conveying roller.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus capable of reading an image recorded on a first surface and a second surface of a sheet, the image processing apparatus comprising a conveying path comprising a first conveying path formed in a substantially plate shape, a second conveying path disposed below the first conveying path and a curved conveying path disposed between the first conveying path and the second conveying path, a conveying mechanism configured to convey the sheet along a conveying direction from the first conveying path to the second conveying path through the curved conveying path, a first image reading section disposed below the first conveying path and comprising a first image sensor which reads the image recorded on the first surface of the sheet conveyed along the first conveying path at a first image reading position, a second image reading section comprising a second image sensor which reads the image recorded on the second surface of the sheet conveyed along the second conveying path from below the s

Abstract: A printer including a printing unit for printing on a sheet, a cassette containing stacked sheets and located below the printing unit, a supply unit that feeds the sheet from the cassette toward the printing unit, a sheet support plate positioned in the printing unit where the sheet is placed during printing, and an opening formed on the sheet support plate. A cover plate is located in the printing unit and moves between a covering position to cover the opening and an uncovering position to uncover the opening. The cover plate is at the covering position during printing, and the cover plate is at the uncovering position when a pair of feed-out rollers rotates in a reverse direction to guide the sheet through the opening of the sheet support plate to a refeed position between the cassette and the supply unit.

Abstract: Reliability is evaluated in constructing a component based-on application and an application for realizing reliability required can be constructed efficiently. A run-time history such as an occurrence frequency of errors, a recovery time required at error occurrence, and a processing capacity at preventive maintenance is added per software component to a run-time history list having been recoded per execution environment such as an application ID, combined component IDs, and executed hardware ID. From these pieces of information, an interval of performing preventive maintenance recommended per software component during system construction is calculated. By comparing reliability per software component and reliability required for the system, advisability is determined and conformance is evaluated. An execution schedule for preventive maintenance and a processing capability are calculated about the entire component-based application created by combining the software components.

Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus that records an image on a recording medium including: at least one recording head for unused-ink having a nozzle array made of a plurality of nozzles that selectively ejects unused-ink; at least one recording head for recycled-ink having a nozzle array made of a plurality of nozzles that selectively ejects recycled-ink of an equivalent color to the unused-ink ejected from the recording head for unused-ink; a collector that collects ink discharged from the recording head for unused-ink and the recording head for recycled-ink so as to restore an ejectable state of the recording heads; and a recycled-ink supplier that supplies ink, collected by the collector, to the recording head for recycled-ink as recycled-ink.