Abstract: A pair of discharge rollers is provided at a position most downstream in a conveying direction of a sheet conveying path defined by guide surfaces. The discharge rollers discharge a sheet from the sheet conveying path. A discharge chute portion, including upper and lower discharge guides, guides the discharged sheet toward a discharge tray. An elastic support piece is provided in the discharge chute portion and elastically urges a trailing edge of the discharged sheet toward the upper discharge guide. The pair of discharge rollers is arranged such that a direction in which the drive roller contacts the follower roller is inclined toward upstream in the conveying direction with respect to a direction of a normal line of a lower one of the guide surfaces that is located in the sheet conveying path at a position the most downstream in the conveying direction.

Abstract: In an image reader having a static-document reading function and a moving-document reading function, a static-document pressing member is movably arranged on a cover portion and a sheet passing opening is opened or closed by moving the static-document pressing member. Further, the image reader includes a moving-document pressing member for pressing a document being automatically fed when it come to a document reading position on a platen glass when the static-document pressing member is moved to open the sheet passing opening.

Abstract: A pair of discharge rollers is provided at a position most downstream in a conveying direction of a sheet conveying path defined by guide surfaces. The discharge rollers discharge a sheet from the sheet conveying path. A discharge chute portion, including upper and lower discharge guides, guides the discharged sheet toward a discharge tray. An elastic support piece is provided in the discharge chute portion and elastically urges a trailing edge of the discharged sheet toward the upper discharge guide. The pair of discharge rollers is arranged such that a direction in which the drive roller contacts the follower roller is inclined toward upstream in the conveying direction with respect to a direction of a normal line of a lower one of the guide surfaces that is located in the sheet conveying path at a position the most downstream in the conveying direction.

Abstract: In an image reader having a static-document reading function and a moving-document reading function, a static-document pressing member is movably arranged on a cover portion and a sheet passing opening is opened or closed by moving the static-document pressing member. Further, the image reader includes a moving-document pressing member for pressing a document being automatically fed when it come to a document reading position on a platen glass when the static-document pressing member is moved to open the sheet passing opening.

Abstract: An image reading device includes a transparent board, a document conveying unit, and a document pick-up member. The transparent board has a document-feed reading region on and a document-fixed reading region. The document conveying unit conveys the document on the document-feed reading region in a document conveying direction. The document pick-up member is provided between the document-feed reading region and the document-fixed reading region to pick up the document conveyed on the document-feed reading region. The document pick-up member has an one end portion that is located on a document-feed reading region side thereof. The one end portion has a distal end positioned at a most upstream end of the one end portion in the document conveying direction. The distal end is located below the upper surface of the transparent board.

Abstract: A sheet discharge mechanism is provided which is capable of preventing improper sheet transfer. The sheet discharge mechanism includes discharge rollers for moving a recording paper sheet, and an electric discharge brush adjacent to the discharge roller. The electric discharge brush includes a plurality of filaments for removing electrostatic charge generated at the discharge rollers. The filaments of the brush also prevent the recording paper sheet from being moved in unintended directions.

Abstract: A facsimile apparatus includes a main body frame, an operable cover plate for covering at least the front top of the main body frame, a separating roller for separating a document sheet attached to the main body frame and a document feeding mechanism for feeding a document sheet separated by the separating roller. All of the rollers in the document feeding mechanism are attached to the main body frame. Since all rollers of the document feeding mechanism are attached to the main body frame, it is not necessary that the cover plate have high rigidity. Consequently, the weight of the cover plate can be reduced, and the manufacturing cost of the cover plate can be reduced.

Abstract: An optical guide device in an optical reading system incorporated in a facsimile device, copying machine, image scanner and the like includes an array of LEDs and a light guide plate. When the light guide plate is cut along the longitudinal axis to give a cross-section in which the thickness appears, the cross-section is in a tapered shape and the thickness of the light guide plate at the side confronting the light array increases toward the opposite side facing the document. The light emerging from the light guide plate is high and uniform in light intensity level, so that a CCD unit picks up the light reflected from the document with high accuracy.

Abstract: A partition wall for separating a developing chamber from a toner agitating chamber in an electrostatic developing device includes a high wall portion confronting a toner discharge opening of a toner cartridge, and low wall portions formed on either side of the high wall portion. Toner is discharged from the toner discharge opening of the toner cartridge into the agitating chamber. Toner is then sent over the partition wall and into the developing chamber by rotation of an agitator in the agitating chamber. Toner in the central portion of the agitating chamber goes over the high wall portion, and toner in the side portions of the agitating chamber goes over the low wall portions. Accordingly, a uniform amount of toner is supplied to all points along the length of a developing sleeve in the developing chamber, and hence to all points along the length of a photosensitive drum confronting the developing sleeve.

Abstract: A facsimile machine has various detection devices. One of the detection device detects a sheet medium. The detection device includes a reflection type sensor directly mounted on a control board. An actuator is pivotally movably supported in a main frame of the facsimile machine. The actuator has a pivot shaft portion, a first arm and a second arm those extending from the pivot shaft portion. A free end of the first arm is abuttable on the sheet medium. If sheet medium is transferred to a predetermined portion, an edge of the sheet urges the free end to angularly rotate the actuator. A free end of the second arm is provided with a reflection member. The angular movement of the actuator causes the reflection member to be brought into confrontation with the reflection type sensor so as to detect passage of the sheet medium. A regulation member is integrally provided to the reflection member.

Abstract: A facsimile apparatus includes a light emitting unit disposed downstream in the direction of feed of a document with respect to a normal plane perpendicular to the document surface on a reading line. Outgoing beams for reading travel rearward in a substantially horizontal direction. Incoming beams from the light emitting unit are reflected on the reading line on the document surface and are supplied as the outgoing beams for reading to a light sensing unit. Consequently, it is possible to reduce the height of the front portion of the facsimile apparatus so as to increase a degree of freedom in designing while enhancing reliability in reading the document.

Abstract: A printing apparatus with an image reading device, having a platen extending along a line of printing, a guide rod extending parallel to the platen, a carriage movable on the guide rod, and a printing head which is mounted on the carriage to effect a printing operation a recording medium on the platen. The image reading device comprises: a pair of support portions which slidably engage the guide rod so as to sandwich the carriage in a direction parallel to the line of printing; a bridging portion connecting the support portions such that the support portions are immovable relative to each other; an image-reading portion supported immovably relative to the support portions and the bridging portion, and having an operative position adjacent to the surface of the recording medium, for reading images on the surface; and a control circuit fixed to the bridging portion, for controlling an image-reading operation of the image-reading portion.

Abstract: A printing apparatus comprising: an elongate platen; a guide member extending parallel to the platen; a carriage slidably movable on the guide member; a printing head mounted on the carriage; an image reading device including an image-reading portion for reading images on a recording medium on the platen, the image-reading portion being movable between a reading position adjacent to the recording medium, and a retracted position spaced from the reading position in a direction away from the recording medium; and a device for engagement of the image reading device with the carriage, to permit the image reading device to move together with the carriage. The image reading device may be supported pivotally by the guide member in the form of a rod. The carriage may have a stopper abutable on the image reading device to determine the reading position of the image-reading portion. The apparatus may further comprise a member for checking optical sensitivity of the image reading device.

Abstract: An image reader for reading images on a surface of a medium, having a feeding device for feeding the medium, carriage movable in a direction perpendicular to the direction of feed of the medium, a driving device for moving the carriage, and a reading head mounted on the carriage for reading the images on the medium surface. The image reader comprises an area setter for setting a reading area on the medium surface within which the images are read by the reading head. The reading area is set while the reading head is moved relative to the medium by the feeding and driving devices. The image reader further comprises a controller for controlling the feeding and driving devices and the reading head, to cause the reading head to read the images within the set reading area while the reading area is scanned by the reading head.