Abstract: When a first elapse time ?t3 from time point t1 of stop of a transport motor reaches a first specified time S1, a registration roller electromagnetic clutch is engaged. At time point t2 at which the first elapse time ?t3 reaches 50 ms, normal rotation of the transport motor is started. At time point t3 at which a second elapse time ?t4 from the time point t2 reaches a second specified time S2 (a given length of time), a reverse roller electromagnetic clutch is switched from an engaged state to a disengaged state, rendering reverse rollers and sheet discharge rollers freely rotatable. At subsequent time point t4, a coil of a solenoid is de-energized, to separate the reverse rollers from each other.

Abstract: An image reader includes: a read frame; a read guide; and a seal mechanism. The seal mechanism covers a gap between the read frame and the read guide. The seal mechanism includes a rib standing in parallel with a sliding direction of the read guide and a flexible dustproof sheet having an end that is in contact with the rib.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device according to this invention includes a bearing support member and a lever member. The bearing support member is supported in the sheet feeding device for movement between a sheet feeding position and a separated position. The lever member is pivotally movable about a bearing portion between a first position which causes the bearing support member to be positioned in the sheet feeding position while causing the bearing portion to be supported by the bearing support member, a second position which causes the bearing support member to be positioned in the separated position while causing the bearing portion to be supported by the bearing support member and a third position which causes the bearing support member to be positioned in the separated position while allowing the bearing portion to be detached from the bearing support member.

Abstract: A first reading guide includes a first guide member, which can turn around a first shaft and is so positioned as to face a first side of a document. The second reading guide includes a second guide member, which can turn around a second shaft and is so positioned as to face a second side of a document. The distance between a first reading position and a reference position is equal to that between a second reading position and the reference position. The first shaft is positioned on the side of the reference position where the first reading position is set. The second shaft is positioned on the side of the reference position where the second reading position is set.

Abstract: When a first elapse time ?t3 from time point t1 of stop of a transport motor reaches a first specified time S1, a registration roller electromagnetic clutch is engaged. At time point t2 at which the first elapse time ?t3 reaches 50 ms, normal rotation of the transport motor is started. At time point t3 at which a second elapse time ?t4 from the time point t2 reaches a second specified time S2 (a given length of time), a reverse roller electromagnetic clutch is switched from an engaged state to a disengaged state, rendering reverse rollers and sheet discharge rollers freely rotatable. At subsequent time point t4, a coil of a solenoid is de-energized, to separate the reverse rollers from each other.

Abstract: A document feeder includes a document placing portion, a pick-up roller, a pair of feed rollers, a pair of registration rollers, a document sensor, a moving mechanism, and a control portion. The pick-up roller can move between a sheet feeding position where the pick-up roller contacts with the upper surface of the document placed on a placement surface and a standby position where the pick-up roller does not contact with the upper surface of the document placed on the placement surface. The document sensor detects a document between the feed rollers and the registration rollers in a document feed direction. The moving mechanism moves the pick-up roller up and down. The control portion moves the pick-up roller up to the standby position at a timing when the leading edge of the card document reaches the document sensor in a card document mode in which card documents are successively fed.

Abstract: An image reader includes: a read frame; a read guide; and a seal mechanism. The seal mechanism covers a gap between the read frame and the read guide. The seal mechanism includes a rib standing in parallel with a sliding direction of the read guide and a flexible dustproof sheet having an end that is in contact with the rib.

Abstract: A document feeder includes a document placing portion, a pick-up roller, a pair of feed rollers, a pair of registration rollers, a document sensor, a moving mechanism, and a control portion. The pick-up roller can move between a sheet feeding position where the pick-up roller contacts with the upper surface of the document placed on a placement surface and a standby position where the pick-up roller does not contact with the upper surface of the document placed on the placement surface. The document sensor detects a document between the feed rollers and the registration rollers in a document feed direction. The moving mechanism moves the pick-up roller up and down. The control portion moves the pick-up roller up to the standby position at a timing when the leading edge of the card document reaches the document sensor in a card document mode in which card documents are successively fed.

Abstract: A first reading guide includes a first guide member, which can turn around a first shaft and is so positioned as to face a first side of a document. The second reading guide includes a second guide member, which can turn around a second shaft and is so positioned as to face a second side of a document. The distance between a first reading position and a reference position is equal to that between a second reading position and the reference position. The first shaft is positioned on the side of the reference position where the first reading position is set. The second shaft is positioned on the side of the reference position where the second reading position is set.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device according to this invention includes a bearing support member and a lever member. The bearing support member is supported in the sheet feeding device for movement between a sheet feeding position and a separated position. The lever member is pivotally movable about a bearing portion between a first position which causes the bearing support member to be positioned in the sheet feeding position while causing the bearing portion to be supported by the bearing support member, a second position which causes the bearing support member to be positioned in the separated position while causing the bearing portion to be supported by the bearing support member and a third position which causes the bearing support member to be positioned in the separated position while allowing the bearing portion to be detached from the bearing support member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: an apparatus body; a first unit which can be pulled/pushed from/to the body along a first direction and which includes at least a part of an image forming section for forming an image and/or of a sheet transporting section for transporting a sheet onto which the formed image is transferred, and; a second unit which can be pulled/pushed from/to the first unit along a second direction in a state where the first unit is pulled from the body, the second direction being different from the first direction; and a housing permitting mechanism for permitting the first unit to be pushed into the body by a predetermined operation, the housing permitting mechanism being provided for at least one of the body and the first unit.

Abstract: A sheet carrying device has a mechanism that prevents a sheet from being fed backward into a carriage path after once discharged from the device, and the sheet carrying device includes a carriage surface that guides a sheet, a reverse roller attached to a rotation shaft of a sheet discharging portion, whose rotation direction is switchable between forward and backward, and a backward-feed prevention valve that prevents an edge of a discharged sheet from entering into a nip portion of the reverse roller, and the backward-feed prevention valve includes a resin sheet and an elastic member disposed at one end on the sheet discharging side of the resin sheet, and the elastic member has one surface supported by the rotation shaft of the reverse roller and the other surface pressing the resin sheet against the carriage surface.

Abstract: In an embodiment of the present invention, a pickup roller R1 makes soft contact to an upper surface of a manuscript by being lowered incrementally in four raising-lowering operations S1 to S4 in which, when an electromagnetic clutch connects, the pickup roller is lowered, while being rotated, to approach the upper surface of the top manuscript and, when the electromagnetic clutch disconnects, the pickup roller, while stopping to rotate, is raised away from the upper surface of the top manuscript by an amount smaller than a lowering amount. Between an electromagnetic clutch-side engaging portion and a pickup roller-side engaging portion of a torque limiter, an elastic member is arranged that suppresses drive power load fluctuation produced by disconnection/connection of the electromagnetic clutch and applies a biasing force in a direction to raise the pickup roller when the electromagnetic clutch disconnects.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes first to fifth transport paths. The first path transports a sheet from a sheet feeding section to a sheet output section through a first confluence, an image recording section, a first bifurcation, and a second confluence in that order. The second path transports a sheet from the first bifurcation down to a switchback section through a second bifurcation and a third bifurcation in that order. The third path transports a sheet from the third bifurcation to the first confluence through a third confluence, and vice versa. The third path is positioned between the switchback section and a portion of the first transport path located in the image recording section. The fourth path transports a sheet from the second bifurcation to the third confluence, and vice versa. The fifth path transports a sheet from the second bifurcation to the second confluence.

Abstract: A sheet carrying device has a mechanism that prevents a sheet from being fed backward into a carriage path after once discharged from the device, and the sheet carrying device includes a carriage surface that guides a sheet, a reverse roller attached to a rotation shaft of a sheet discharging portion, whose rotation direction is switchable between forward and backward, and a backward-feed prevention valve that prevents an edge of a discharged sheet from entering into a nip portion of the reverse roller, and the backward-feed prevention valve includes a resin sheet and an elastic member disposed at one end on the sheet discharging side of the resin sheet, and the elastic member has one surface supported by the rotation shaft of the reverse roller and the other surface pressing the resin sheet against the carriage surface.

Abstract: A sheet feeder device is provided with a pick-up roller driving section which is operative to position the pick-up roller into a retracted position spaced a predetermined distance apart from a stack of document sheets on a document tray before and after the operation for feeding the series of document sheets, into a sheet feed position in which the pick-up roller abuts against the stack of document sheets for feeding the document sheets at an occasion of feeding of each of the document sheets in the operation for feeding the series of document sheets, and into the standby position above and close to the height of a stack of a maximum load number of document sheets carried on the document tray during a period from a point in time just after feeding of one sheet to a point in time just before feeding of a succeeding sheet.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes a sheet transport path, a first unit, and a second unit. The sheet transport path guides a sheet from a sheet feeding section, through an image recording section, to a sheet output section. The sheet transport path includes a first path and a second path. The first unit is mounted detachably in a housing. The first unit is detached from the housing by being moved in a first direction toward the front of the housing. In the first unit, the first path is positioned. The second unit is mounted detachably in the first unit. The second unit is detached from the first unit by being moved in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction with the first unit detached from the housing. In the second unit, the second path is positioned.

Abstract: In the context of a structure wherein outer casing(s) is/are disposed so as to permit opening and closing about shaft(s), stopper member(s) and engagement piece(s) engaging with such stopper member(s) being disposed at such outer casing(s) so as to permit independent displacement in pivoting fashion about shaft(s) for each thereof, one end(s) of arm member(s) is/are supported by outer casing(s) so as to permit displacement in pivoting fashion, and shaft(s) of stopper member(s) is/are secured to other end(s) of such arm member(s). In addition, when bottom region(s) of stopper member(s) in engaged state(s) with engagement piece(s) abuts or abut and is/are pressed upward by original(s) loaded in original tray(s) during closing of outer casing(s) which had at least immediately prior thereto been in open state(s), this causes other end(s) of arm member(s) to be displaced upward in pivoting fashion, in accompaniment to which stopper member(s) is/are lifted upward.

Abstract: An original reading device includes a registration roller located upstream of an original reading position in an original transport path for adjusting the timing of feeding an original to the original reading position. There is at least one original feed roller for transporting the original which has been fed from an original loading tray into the original transport path toward the registration roller. A rotary motion controller is also provided, and it causes the original feed roller closest to the registration roller to rotate when a rear part of the original close to a trailing edge thereof passes over the original feed roller closest to the registration roller.

Abstract: An automatic document processor for automatically conveying documents includes: a document tray; a document feed path for introducing and feeding originals from the document tray into the interior of a machine; a document pickup roller assembly for picking up originals, page by page, from the document tray; and a document drive roller for conveying originals, and is constructed such that the pickup roller assembly includes two units of document pickup rollers and a pickup roller selecting mechanism for selecting the document pickup rollers to be operated, in accordance with the document size is provided.