Abstract: An image forming apparatus and method for reading an image of a document and preventing an image from being printed on the document if a sheet type of the document is not suitable for printing. The method includes reading an image of a conveyed document, detecting a sheet type of the conveyed document, and controlling, in a case where the detected sheet type is the predetermined sheet type, an image to be printed on the conveyed document, and controlling, in a case where the detected sheet type is not a predetermined sheet type, an image not to be printed on the conveyed document.

Abstract: A sheet conveying device including: a separating roller; a separating piece; and conveying rollers. The separating roller conveys each sheet along a predetermined conveying path in a conveyance direction. The separating piece provides a first nip position in cooperation with the outer peripheral surface of the separating roller for nipping a sheet or sheets therebetween. The conveying rollers are provided at positions downstream of the separating roller in the conveyance direction and provide a second nip position where the sheet is nipped therebetween for conveying the sheet conveyed by the separating roller in the conveyance direction. An imaginary flat plane is defined by connecting the first nip position and the second nip position. The separating piece has a portion positioned downstream of the first nip position and protruding toward the separating roller beyond the imaginary flat plane.

Abstract: In an image reading device, an opposing member opposes an image reading unit. The opposing member has a first part and a second part. A moving unit moves the image reading unit between first and second read positions. An image value generated by reading an image of the first part at the first read position is different from an image value generated by reading an image of the second part at the second read position. The control device is configured to: set a read position to selected one of the first read position and the second read position; control the moving unit to move the image reading unit to the read position; and determine that an edge of the original sheet reaches the reading region when image values generated by the image reading unit are changed while the conveying unit conveys the original sheet along the conveying path.

Abstract: A printer with integral scanner obtains a digital signature from an article as it is printed. The integral scanner has a coherent source which directs a light beam to illuminate the article and a detector arrangement to collect data points from light scattered from many different parts of the article to collect a large number of independent data points. The digital signature derived from the data points is stored in a database with an image of what was printed on the article. The authenticity of an article purported to be the originally printed article can be verified by scanning the purported genuine article to obtain its digital signature. The database is then searched, to establish whether there is a match. If a match is found, the image is displayed with the matched digital signature to allow a further visual check that the article is genuine.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes: a cover; a conveyor disposed to the cover and including a conveyance mechanism; a first platen configured to come into contact with a first side of the document conveyed by the conveyance mechanism; a first presser disposed below the first platen for pressing a second side of the document conveyed by the conveyance mechanism toward the first platen; a movable reading device for reading an image of the document on a document table while moving below the document table; a stationary reading device disposed above the first platen for reading an image of the document conveyed by the conveyance mechanism; and a first urging member for urging the first presser toward the first platen. The first platen and the first presser are spaced from each other when the document cover is opened.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a first tray, a second tray disposed above the first tray, a feeding portion configured to feed a sheet in a feed direction, and a first wall portion disposed at one end of the second tray in a width direction and fixed relative to the first tray. The first tray has a first end on a side far from the feeding portion. The second tray has, on the side far from the feeding portion, a second end, which is closer to the feeding portion than the first end of the first tray. The first end of the first tray is located above the second end of the second tray. An upper end of the first wall portion is higher than the second tray, and extends from a side closer to the second end of the second tray toward the first end of the first tray.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus having a conveyed document reading function and a placed document reading function includes: a moving mechanism for moving an imaging unit; a hinge mechanism for swingably connecting a document cover to a document platen; a conveyance mechanism provided to the document cover for conveying a document upon operation of the conveyed document reading function; a driving force transmission mechanism for selectively transmitting a driving force generated from a driving source to the moving mechanism or the conveyance mechanism; a first gear rotatable by receiving the driving force from the driving force transmission mechanism; and a second gear rotatable with being meshed with the first gear for transmitting the driving force to the moving mechanism or the conveyance mechanism, a rotating center line of which coincides with a swinging center line of the hinge mechanism.

Abstract: In a conveyor of an image-reading device, a first path is defined by a path from the upper path to the lower path via the curved path. A second path is defined by a path from the upper path to the extension path. A first reading unit is disposed on the upper path and reads the first surface while the original sheet is on the upper path. A second reading unit is disposed on the upper path and reads the second surface while the original sheet is on the upper path. A third reading unit is disposed on the lower path and reads the second surface while the original sheet is on the lower path. When the reading section reads the original sheet, the conveyor conveys the original sheet through the first path or the second path.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes: a transmitting glass; and a step member that is located upstream of a reading position, at which an image of a conveyed document is read by a reading unit via a transmitting glass, in a conveying direction of the document, and has a document guiding surface at a position away from a surface of a transmitting glass by a prescribed distance and forms a step between the document guiding surface and the transmitting glass. The step member is provided with a protrusion protruding downstream in the conveying direction of the document to form space between the transmitting glass and a downstream part of the step member in the conveying direction of the document.

Abstract: In a reading apparatus including a first conveying device including a first and a second movable unit to cause the sheet to pass through the first position; and a second conveying device including a third and a fourth movable unit to cause the sheet to pass through the second position; characterized in that when the reading device reads the sheet at the first position, a moving velocity of the second movable unit is larger than a moving velocity of the first movable unit, and when the reading device reads the sheet at the second position, a moving velocity of the fourth movable unit is larger than a moving velocity of the third movable unit.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes: a base section; a reading unit; a movable body; a drive unit; and a cable. The movable body supports the reading unit and reciprocates between first and second end positions in a first direction. The drive unit is disposed on a first side where the first end position is located. The cable has one end portion fixed to a base wall of the base section and another end portion connected to the reading unit. The cable includes: a first elongated portion extending from the one end portion; a curved portion extending from the first elongated portion toward a second side where the second end position is located and then curving toward the first side; and a second elongated portion connected to the another end portion. The curved portion has a part overlapping with the drive unit in the first direction.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus including: a conveyor; a first reading unit; a second reading unit; a first frame; and a second frame. The first reading unit extends in a prescribed direction and has a first end on a first side and a third end on a second side opposite to the first side in the prescribed direction. The second reading unit extends in the prescribed direction and has a second end on the first side and a fourth end on the second side. The second reading unit is disposed opposite to the first reading unit with a conveying path along which a sheet is conveyed interposed therebetween. The first frame includes first and second engagement portions configured to be engaged with the first and second ends, respectively. The second frame includes third and fourth engagement portions configured to be engaged with the third and fourth ends, respectively.

Abstract: Documents in a large-format scanning system are scanned by coarsely recognizing longitudinal or transverse transition regions between a reflector roller and a document by the substeps of dividing the scanning image transversely into uniform image strips, determining statistical parameters for each image strip, examining the scanning image in the image strips with fixed threshold values for deviations such that, if a value of one the statistical parameters of an image strip exceeds the threshold value, this region is recognized as being a transverse transition region between the reflector roller and the document, and examining the image strips to determine the longitudinal transition region by line-by-line generation of an average value and determining sufficiently strong and steep edges, the image strips being rotated incrementally from the transverse of the document to an acute angle.

Abstract: An image reading device includes a reading glass moving unit that moves a reading glass; a determining unit that determines whether or not a read image obtained by the sheet-through reading unit includes a vertical stripe which represents linear images continuous in the original carrying direction; a determining unit that, when a vertical stripe is formed, determines matching/mismatching of the positions of the vertical stripe in read images of an original carrying member which are obtained before and after moving the reading glass; a determining unit that, based on determination indicating mismatching, determines that a causing matter of the vertical stripe is present on the reading glass and, based on determination indicating matching, determines that a causing matter of the vertical stripe is present on a portion other than the reading glass; and a determining unit that determines the type of the causing matter.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus comprising: a placing portion on which an original being fed is placed; an original conveying portion which conveys the original placed on the placing portion; an image reading portion which reads an image on the original conveyed by the original conveying portion; an stacking portion which is disposed under the placing portion and on which the original read by the image reading portion is stacked; and an illuminating portion which is disposed above the stacking portion and below the placing portion to illuminate the stacking portion, wherein the illuminating portion is disposed outside an original stacking area, that a maximum-sized original in a width direction orthogonal to an original conveyance direction is stacked, in the width direction.

Abstract: An image sensor unit includes a frame in which a light source and an image sensor are housed, and a cover member that is bonded to the frame. The cover member is bonded by means of a double-sided tape that includes a film-shaped substrate and adhesive layers formed on both sides of the substrate. Slits that extend from one outer edge in a width direction to an intermediate portion in the width direction and slits that extend from the other outer edge in the width direction to an intermediate portion in the width direction are formed in the double-sided tape. The respective slits that are adjacent include an overlapping portion when viewed in a long-side direction.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a data generation portion that generates text-searchable electronic data by superimposing transparent text data obtained by causing, to be transparent, text data contained in document sheet data stored in advance in a storage portion, and image data read from a document sheet by an image reading portion.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a reception port capable of receiving a paper document. A discharge port discharges a paper document received from the reception port and serves as an ID card reception port. A conveyance path connects the reception port and the discharge port to each other. A conveyance unit conveys the paper document received from the reception port or the ID card received from the discharge port. An image reading unit, provided on the conveyance path, reads a double-sided image of the paper document or the ID card. An image processing unit matches a first image data output condition obtained by reading, by the image reading unit, the paper document received from the reception port, with a second image data output condition obtained by reading, by the image reading unit, the paper document received from the discharge port.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus and a method of controlling the same are provided. The image forming apparatus includes a document feeder to feed an original document, a time delay integration image sensor to scan the original document and read image data, and a controller to activate a time delay integration function of the time delay integration image sensor when a direction for feed of the original document corresponds to a sub-scanning direction of the time delay integration image sensor, and to deactivate the time delay integration function of the time delay integration image sensor when the direction for feed of the original document does not correspond to the sub-scanning direction of the time delay integration image sensor, during reading of the original document.

Abstract: A document reading apparatus includes a conveyance unit for conveying a document and a reading unit for reading an image of a document. In the document reading apparatus, the reading unit includes a platen glass. The conveyance unit allows a cleaning member of a cleaning roller to start contact with the front end in a conveyance direction of a document, on the platen glass, upstream in the conveyance direction from a reading position.

Abstract: Provided is an image reading device including: a light source member including light source portions emitting light; a light guide member including: an input section to which the light emitted from the light source portions is input; and an output section from which the input light is output; a support member supporting the light source member and the light guide member and having higher rigidity than the light source member and the light guide member; a retaining member configured to press the light guide member toward the support member and configured to retain the light guide member in a supported state by the support member; and a protrusion-shaped contact section provided on the light guide member and contacting the retaining member, the contact section protruding in a direction perpendicular from the predetermined main scanning direction from the light guide member toward the retaining member.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes: a reading unit; a feeding unit; a carriage; a motor-side transmission gear for transmitting power from a motor; a carriage-side transmission gear for transmitting the power to the carriage; a feeding unit-side transmission gear for transmitting the power to the feeding unit; a switching gear switched between a meshing state with the carriage-side transmission gear at a carriage-side position and a meshing state with the feeding unit-side transmission gear at a feeding unit-side position; and a control device for performing: a first switching process for meshing the switching gear with the feeding unit-side transmission gear; a second switching process for meshing the switching gear with the carriage-side transmission gear; and an initialization process of the reading unit.

Abstract: An optical unit of an image reading device has the center of gravity in a position toward a first sub scanning direction, relative to the middle point of the optical unit in terms of sub scanning directions. An engagement part is provided in a position toward a first main scanning direction relative to a sliding part. A plurality of pairs of pinching parts include a first pair provided in a position toward the first sub scanning direction and a second pair provided in a position toward a second sub scanning direction. Of the two pinching parts in the second pair, the pinching part provided in a position toward the first main scanning direction is biased by a first biasing member toward a rail part side, and the pinching part provided in a position toward a second main scanning direction is not biased by the first biasing member.

Abstract: Automatic document feeder includes a transport path member having a transport path surface configuring a transport path in a device body, a latching member that is mounted on a rotating shaft provided in the other end side, is urged in a first rotation direction latched to a latched portion, and holds the transport path member in closed transport path, and an operating member that is rotated up to an operating position by own weight thereof or urging force in a second rotation direction when the device body moves to an exposed position of the transport path member, and is mounted with allowance so that the latching member is rotated in the second rotation direction according to a further rotating operation in the second rotation direction from the operating position and the latching member is detached from the latched portion.

Abstract: An image sensor unit includes: a light guide reflecting light rays entering through a first light entering surface and a second light entering surface provided at both ends thereof, by a reflection surface to make the light rays exit through a light exiting surface and illuminates an original; a first light source provided near the first light entering surface; a second light source provided near the second light entering surface and different in wavelength from the first light source; and a first reflection part and a second reflection part provided on the reflection surface and composed of dot patterns constituted of two kinds of dots different in spectral reflectance.

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 apparatus includes a determining unit configured to determine whether a malfunction of relative movement between a document and an image reading unit reading an image of the document occurs when the document is read by the image reading unit while at least one of the document and the image reading unit is moved, a specifying unit configured to specify a position in image data of the image read by the image reading unit corresponding to a position where the malfunction occurs if the determining unit determines that the malfunction of relative movement occurs, and a control unit configured to cause an image display unit to display an image based on the image data to enable a user to discriminate the position specified by the specifying unit.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus is provided with a registration roller configured such that a downstream end in a sheet feeding direction of a sheet abut to correct a skew of the sheet, and a pulling roller that conveys the sheet to the registration roller. The pulling roller is disposed such that a center of an arrangement in a direction orthogonal to the sheet feeding direction of the pulling roller is located on a side of the first restricting plate from a widthwise center of the sheet conveying path.

Abstract: A sheet conveyer including a first chassis and a second chassis, a conveying unit to convey a sheet in a conveying route between the first chassis and the second chassis, an emitter disposed on one of the first chassis and the second chassis and configured to emit ultrasonic waves toward the conveying route, a receiver disposed on the second chassis and configured to receive the ultrasonic waves and to output detecting signals, which are to be used to determine whether the sheet being conveyed in the conveying route includes multiple sheets, and a power source disposed on the second chassis and configured to supply power to the emitter, and the receiver, is provided.

Abstract: A scanning device includes a first scanning unit having a first line sensor and a first light source that emits a first light beam and is arranged only at one side of the first scanning unit in a main scanning direction, and a second scanning unit having a second line sensor and a second light source that emits a second light beam and is arranged only at one side of the second scanning unit in the main scanning direction. The first scanning unit and the second scanning unit face each other and are disposed such that the first light source and the second light source are arranged at the same side of the main scanning direction, and centers of the first line sensor and the second line sensor are located at the same position in the main scanning direction.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a housing having a conveyance path where a first medium and a second medium are conveyed; a pair of first conveyance rollers that has a first driving roller and a first pinch roller; a pair of second conveyance rollers that has a second driving roller and a second pinch roller having an outer diameter smaller than that of the first pinch roller, and wherein the first driving roller and the first pinch roller are positioned at an outside of a conveyance area in the axis direction, wherein the second driving roller and the second pinch roller are positioned at an inside of the conveyance area in the axis direction, wherein the second pinch roller, and wherein the first pinch roller and the second pinch roller are rotatably supported about a driven shaft center parallel with a driving shaft center.

Abstract: A scanning device includes a first scanning unit having a first scanning element array to scan a first surface of a scan-target medium to acquire a first image, a second scanning unit having a second scanning element array to scan a second surface of the scan-target medium to acquire a second image, and an output unit that outputs a first image signal of the first image and a second image signal of the second image. The first scanning unit and the second scanning unit face each other to scan the first surface and the second surface concurrently. When the scanning directions of the first scanning element array and the second scanning element array are the same, a mirrored image acquired from one of the first image signal and the second image signal is inverted so that the output unit outputs normal images of the first surface and the second surface.

Abstract: A first feeder contacts a first surface of a first sheet held in a first tray and feeds the first sheet toward a recording unit. A second feeder contacts a first surface of a second sheet held in a second tray and feeds the second sheet toward the recording unit. An inner member is disposed above a standing plate. An outer member comprises an upstream portion opposing the standing plate, and a downstream portion opposing the inner member. The inner member guides the first surface of the first sheet and the first surface of the second sheet. The standing plate guides the first surface of the second sheet. The upstream portion of the outer member guides a second surface of the second sheet, and the downstream portion guides a second surface of the first sheet and the second surface of the second sheet. The standing plate moves relative to the outer member.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus comprises a reading unit including a movable sensor, a first reading mechanism which moves the reading unit to read an original placed on a platen, a second reading mechanism which conveys the original relative to the reading unit to read the original, a common driving source which drives the first reading mechanism and the second reading mechanism, a transfer unit which transfers a driving force from the driving source to the first reading mechanism and the second reading mechanism, and a switching unit which switches rotation used to drive the second reading mechanism to one of forward rotation and reverse rotation with respect to rotation of the driving source in one direction, the switching unit operating as the reading unit moves.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a reading unit, a conveyance unit, a carriage, a motor, a motor gear, a conveyance gear, a carriage gear, a switching gear, and a control device. The conveyance unit is configured to convey a document from a document tray. The switching gear is configured to be placed in either one of a first position where the motor gear is communicated with the conveyance gear and a second position where the motor gear is communicated with the carriage gear. The control device is configured to: control the motor to rotate the motor gear in a first direction to have the switching gear free from the conveyance gear in response to a determination that the document jam has occurred; and control the motor to rotate the motor gear in a second direction to have the switching gear communicate with the conveyance gear.

Abstract: A scanning apparatus includes a scanning module, a calibration plate, and a driving module. The calibration plate includes a first background region for calibrating the brightness of the scanning module and a second background region for intensifying an edge of a document to be scanned. The driving module is used for driving movement of the calibration plate. As a consequence, the scanning light beam from the scanning module is projected onto the first background region or the second background region of the calibration plate. Under this circumstance, the purposes of calibrating the brightness and increasing the image processing efficiency are both achieved. Moreover, since the calibration plate is driven by the driving module to be moved in the direction parallel with said scanning light beam, the purpose of dynamically adjusting the brightness can be achieved.

Abstract: An image reading device has a light source section that includes light sources of a plurality of colors and that emits light in one color during a period for reading one line and switches the color of the light source lit cyclically from one line to the next, an image sensor that reads one color per line, a data generation section that generates image data of the light source color which is the color of the light source lit during reading, a memory that stores a plurality of lines' worth of the image data, and a remaining color component generation section that determines the pixel value of a color component other than the light source color based on the pixel values of pixels around a pixel of interest.

Abstract: An image reading device has an optical unit, a pair of rail portions, and a driving device. The optical unit reads an image on the document. The pair of rail portions support the optical unit such that this is slidable in the sub scanning direction. The driving device enables the optical unit to move in the sub scanning direction. The driving device engages with the optical unit substantially at the position of its center of gravity in the main scanning direction, and the pair of rail portions are arranged one on each of one and the other sides in the main scanning direction so as to be equidistant from the position of the center of gravity.

Abstract: Once the number of successive occurrences of document feed errors during execution of fed reading has reached a predetermined number of times, an image reading control portion of the image reading device performs stationary reading in cases in which a stationary-reading document detection portion detects the presence of the document, even when a document set detection portion detects that the document is present.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an acquisition unit configured to acquire luminance information of a white reference member by reading the white reference member with an image reading unit including a sensor while rotating the image reading unit in units of a predetermined angle, and a correction unit configured to correct the luminance information acquired by the acquisition unit using a correction coefficient predetermined for each rotation angle of the image reading unit.

Abstract: A scanner for scanning an object having a circumferential surface, the scanner comprising a housing with a glass pane defining an internal area containing camera assembly configured to scan the circumferential surface of the object, and a carriage assembly to rotatably move the object across the glass pane of the scanner in synchronous motion with the movement of the camera assembly.

Abstract: A document scanner comprises a first image sensor unit (32) and a second image sensor unit (30) and a scanning mechanism (70, 72, 76, 80) for causing relative movement between a document and the units so that the units scan the document in a scanning direction. The first unit (32) is situated ahead of the second unit (30) in the scanning direction and partially overlaps the second unit.

Abstract: Contamination of a reading window is detected between documents by a contamination detection section when a plurality of sheets of documents are transferred and a transferred document is read through a reading window, transfer of the document is stopped by a stopping section based on the detection result, and a corresponding purport is displayed on a display section.

Abstract: An image scanning device has a sheet conveying roller conveying a sheet when a conveyed sheet scanning function is activated, a guide member defining a sheet feed path, a first gear transmitting a driving force to the sheet conveying roller, a first supporting shaft extending in a direction parallel with a width direction of the sheet feed path and supporting the first gear, a second gear engaging with the first gear, a second supporting shaft extending in a direction perpendicular to the first supporting shaft and supporting the second gear, a holder unit holding the second supporting shaft, the holder unit arranged at one end of the sheet feed path in the width direction, a reinforce member made of metal and extending in the width direction, first and second fixing units fixing longitudinal ends of the reinforce member to the holder unit and the guide member, respectively.

Abstract: A reading apparatus includes an auto document feeder configured to be openable and closable around a hinge with respect to a unit including an image sensor. The auto document feeder includes a roller configured to move a document relative to the image sensor, a motor, a gear train configured to transmit a rotation of a rotational shaft of the motor to the roller, and an encoder unit configured to detect rotation information of the motor, and including a sensor and a code wheel. An orientation of the rotational shaft is substantially parallel to a rotational axis of the hinge, and the gear train is arrayed in a direction of an extension of the rotational shaft. A gear that is a part of the gear train is attached to one end of the rotational shaft, and the code wheel is attached to the other end thereof.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus, comprising a main body and a movable unit configured to be swingable about a first axis located on a rear side and to move between a first placement position and a first separated position, wherein the main body comprises: side frames; an image processing unit; and a body cover comprising side covers and an upper opening, and wherein: each of the side frames has a flat surface part having a height in a first state on a front side; and each of the side covers has a first part having a height in the first state on the front side, a second part in a second state higher than the first state on a rear side near the first axis, and a third part formed to connect the first part with the second part while changing the height thereof.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a stacking unit on which a document to be fed is stacked, a sensor configured to output a signal indicating that the document has been stacked on the stacking unit, a discharging unit to which the document is to be discharged, wherein the discharging unit includes a lamp, and a control unit configured to turn on the lamp in response to the signal indicating that the document has been stacked on the stacking unit output from the sensor.

Abstract: An image reading device includes a conveyor unit that conveys a document along a conveying path for ADF-type image scanning including a curved path. The conveyor unit includes a conveyor roller that reverses a conveying direction of the document in the curved path. The device further includes a first contact surface that comes into contact with a first side of the document when the document is conveyed, a second contact surface that comes into contact with a second side of the document when the document is conveyed, a first reading unit that reads an image on the first side of the document, and a second reading unit disposed above the second contact surface and reading an image on the second side of the document. A part of the conveyor roller is disposed lower than the first and second contact surfaces in an up down direction of the image reading device.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a printing section and a document reading section. The printing section prints on paper while transporting it. The document reading section includes a document transport portion which automatically transports, sheet by sheet, a document placed thereon. The document reading section generates image data by reading the document. The document reading section is operable in an ordinary reading mode in which it reads the document at a previously determined ordinary speed and in a quiet reading mode in which it reads the document at a quiet speed lower than the ordinary speed. The document reading section reads the document in the quiet reading mode when the printing section is not printing and in the ordinary reading mode when the printing section is printing.

Abstract: A document reading device includes: a document reading device main body; and an opening/closing body with one end supported rotatably with respect to the document reading device main body while another end openably/closably provided, the other end of the opening/closing body being provided with a handgrip having a depression sloped toward inside of the opening/closing body in accordance with approach of the opening/closing body to the document reading device main body in a closed status with respect to the document reading device main body.