Apparatus eqipped with removable scanner unit

Abstract

A scanner-equipped apparatus includes a combination of a base unit such as a printer unit, personal computer or word processor incorporating a printer unit and a scanner unit. The printer unit and the scanner unit can operate as automatic sheet feeder type apparatus, respectively. The scanner unit can be used as a handy scanner in the state detached from the base unit. The basic unit and the scanner unit are disposed substantially in upstanding posture in parallel with each other, wherein the scanner unit is removably combined with the base unit so that the scanner unit can be used as the handy scanner. A sheet transporting path for the scanner is formed between confronting surfaces of the base unit and the scanner unit. The sheet feeding mechanism for the scanner unit is so implemented as to be used intact as a driving mechanism for the handy scanner. The scanner-equipped apparatus can be realized inexpensively in a simplified mechanical structure while ensuring enhanced manipulatability.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An apparatus equipped with a scanner, comprising: 
 a base unit; and    a scanner unit which can be removably mounted on said base unit,    wherein said base unit includes at least a part of sheet transporting mechanism and scanner mounting means for mounting detachably said scanner unit, and    wherein said scanner unit includes at least reading means, other part of said sheet transporting mechanism, and engaging means adapted for engaging said scanner mounting means for thereby securing said scanner unit onto said base unit.    
     
     
         2 . An apparatus equipped with a scanner according to  claim 1 , 
 wherein said scanner unit is so implemented as to be capable of operating as a handy scanner in the state where said scanner unit has been detached from said base unit.    
     
     
         3 . An apparatus equipped with a scanner according to  claim 1 , 
 wherein said base unit includes a printer unit.    
     
     
         4 . An apparatus equipped with a scanner according to  claim 2 , 
 said base unit being of an automatic sheet feeding type and including a first sheet transporting path extending substantially vertically, while said scanner unit is of an automatic sheet feeding type and includes a second sheet transporting path extending substantially vertically,    wherein said first and second sheet transporting paths extend substantially in parallel and adjacent to each other.    
     
     
         5 . An apparatus equipped with a scanner according to  claim 3 , 
 said base unit being of an automatic sheet feeding type and including a first sheet transporting path extending substantially vertically, while said scanner unit is of an automatic sheet feeding type and includes a second sheet transporting path extending substantially vertically,    wherein said first and second sheet transporting paths extend substantially in parallel and adjacent to each other.    
     
     
         6 . An apparatus equipped with a scanner according to  claim 4 , 
 wherein said second sheet transporting path for said scanner unit is defined by confronting surfaces of said base unit and said scanner unit in the state in which said scanner unit is mounted on said base unit.    
     
     
         7 . An apparatus equipped with a scanner according to  claim 6 , 
 further including a pick roller disposed at a location upstream of said second sheet transporting path of said scanner unit as viewed in a sheet transporting direction, and feed rollers disposed at locations downstream of said second sheet transportation path for said scanner unit as viewed in the sheet transporting direction.    
     
     
         8 . An apparatus equipped with a scanner according to  claim 7 , 
 wherein said pick roller is made of a material having low hardness,    said scanner unit including auxiliary rollers which are made of a material having high hardness and disposed at sides of said pick roller, respectively, for the purpose of protecting said pick roller when said scanner unit is used as the handy scanner.    
     
     
         9 . An apparatus equipped with a scanner according to  claim 8 , 
 wherein said auxiliary rollers are disposed at locations outside of a reading region of said scanner unit.    
     
     
         10 . An apparatus equipped with a scanner according to  claim 8 , 
 wherein said auxiliary rollers are disposed in the vicinity of said pick roller, and    wherein grooves are provided in a surface of said base unit facing in opposition to said auxiliary rollers.    
     
     
         11 . An apparatus equipped with a scanner according to  claim 2 , 
 wherein a mark indicating a reading region is provided at least on one of a front side portion and a rear side portion of said scanner unit, and    wherein a mark indicating a reading position is provided on a lateral side portion of said scanner unit.    
     
     
         12 . An apparatus equipped with a scanner according to  claim 2 , 
 wherein a cable for electrically coupling said scanner unit to said base unit is led out from a location positioned at a lateral surface of said scanner unit.    
     
     
         13 . An apparatus equipped with a scanner according to  claim 2 , 
 wherein a cable for electrically coupling said base unit to said scanner unit is led out from a location positioned at a lower portion of a lateral surface of said base unit.    
     
     
         14 . An apparatus equipped with a scanner according to  claim 1 , 
 wherein the sheet transporting mechanism for said scanner unit includes at least a feed roller so that said scanner unit can operate as a handy scanner of a running type by using said feed roller.    
     
     
         15 . An apparatus equipped with a scanner according to  claim 1 , wherein the sheet transporting mechanism for said scanner unit includes a driving motor so that said scanner unit can operate as a handy scanner of an automatically running type by using said driving motor.  
     
     
         16 . An apparatus equipped with a scanner according to  claim 1 , 
 wherein the sheet transporting mechanism for said scanner unit includes feed rollers and a driving motor for driving said feed rollers so that said scanner unit can operate as a handy scanner of an automatically running type by using said feed rollers.    
     
     
         17 . An apparatus equipped with a scanner according to  claim 2 , 
 wherein the sheet transporting mechanism for said scanner unit includes feed rollers and a driving motor for driving said feed rollers so that said scanner unit can operate as a handy scanner of an automatically running type by using said feed rollers.    
     
     
         18 . An apparatus equipped with a scanner according to  claim 1 , 
 said base unit including a printer unit,    wherein a sheet transporting mechanism of said printer unit includes a feed roller and a driving motor for driving said feed roller, and    wherein a sheet transporting mechanism for said scanner unit includes a sheet transporting roller and an encoder for detecting an amount of rotation of said sheet transporting roller so that said scanner unit can be operated as a manual type handy scanner.    
     
     
         19 . An apparatus equipped with a scanner according to  claim 1 , 
 wherein either one of engaging portions of said base unit and said scanner unit is constituted by a pivotal shaft for allowing said scanner unit to rotate frontwards, while the other engaging portion is implemented as a groove or alternatively as a recess for receiving and holding snugly said pivotal shaft.    
     
     
         20 . An apparatus equipped with a scanner according to  claim 2 , 
 wherein either one of engaging portions of said base unit and said scanner unit is constituted by a pivotal shaft for allowing said scanner unit to rotate frontwards, while the other engaging portion is implemented as a groove or alternatively as a recess for receiving and holding snugly said pivotal shaft.    
     
     
         21 . An apparatus equipped with a scanner according to  claim 19 , 
 further comprising:    lock means including a claw and a projecting member adapted to engage said claw for thereby locking said scanner unit in the state mounted on said base unit.    
     
     
         22 . An apparatus equipped with a scanner according to  claim 19 , 
 further comprising:    rotation limiting stopper means for preventing said scanner unit from swinging excessively frontwards upon detachment of said scanner unit from said base unit.    
     
     
         23 . An apparatus equipped with a scanner according to  claim 19 , 
 further comprising:    deviation preventing stopper means for preventing said scanner unit from displacing upwardly in the state in which said scanner unit is mounted on said base unit.    
     
     
         24 . An apparatus equipped with a scanner according to  claim 1 , 
 further comprising:    sheet feeding means formed in a wedge-like shape as viewed in a vertical section by a pair of sheet guides disposed in opposition to each other so that a space defined between said pair of sheet guides becomes gradually narrower toward a sheet withdrawal port; and    offset means provided for at least one of said paired sheet guides for limiting stepwise moving of the sheet toward said sheet withdrawal port.    
     
     
         25 . An apparatus equipped with a scanner according to  claim 2 , 
 further comprising:    sheet feeding means formed in a wedge-like shape as viewed in a vertical section by a pair of sheet guides disposed in opposition to each other so that a space defined between said pair of sheet guides becomes gradually narrower toward a sheet withdrawal port; and    offset means provided for at least one of said paired sheet guides for limiting stepwise moving of the sheet toward said sheet withdrawal port.    
     
     
         26 . An apparatus equipped with a scanner, comprising: 
 a base unit; and    a scanner unit which can be removably mounted on said base unit,    wherein said base unit includes at least a part of sheet transporting mechanism and scanner mounting means for mounting detachably said scanner unit, and    wherein said scanner unit includes at least reading means, engaging portion for engaging said scanner mounting means for there by securing said scanner unit onto said basic unit and driving motor which is used for said sheet transporting mechanism when said scanner unit mounts on said base unit, and said driving motor is further used for running said scanner unit when said scanner unit is further used for running said scanner unit when said scanner unit is detached from said base unit and operas as a handy scanner.    
     
     
         27 . An apparatus equipped with a scanner according to  claim 26 , 
 wherein said base unit includes a printer unit.    
     
     
         28 . An apparatus equipped with a scanner according to  claim 27 , 
 said base unit being of an automatic sheet feeding type and including a first sheet transporting path extending substantially vertically, while said scanner unit is of an automatic sheet feeding type and includes a second sheet transporting path extending substantially vertically,    wherein said first and second sheet transporting paths extend substantially in parallel and adjacent to each other.    
     
     
         29 . An apparatus equipped with a scanner according to  claim 26 , 
 said base unit being of an automatic sheet feeding type and including a first sheet transporting path extending substantially vertically, while said scanner unit is of an automatic sheet feeding type and includes a second sheet transporting path extending substantially vertically,    wherein said first and second sheet transporting paths extend substantially in parallel and adjacent to each other.    wherein said second sheet transporting path for said scanner unit is defined by confronting surfaces of said base unit and said scanner unit in the state in which said scanner unit is mounted on said base unit.    
     
     
         30 . An apparatus equipped with a scanner according to  claim 26 , 
 wherein a cable for electrically coupling said base unit to said scanner unit is led out from a location positioned at a lower portion of a lateral surface of said base unit.    
     
     
         31 . An apparatus equipped with a scanner according to  claim 26 , 
 wherein the sheet transporting mechanism for said scanner unit includes feed rollers and a driving motor for driving said feed rollers so that said scanner unit can operate as a handy scanner of an automatically running type by using said feed rollers.    
     
     
         32 . An apparatus equipped with a scanner according to  claim 26 , 
 said base unit including a printer unit,    wherein a sheet transporting mechanism of said printer unit includes a feed roller and a driving motor for driving said feed roller, and    wherein a sheet transporting mechanism for said scanner unit includes a sheet transporting roller and an encoder for detecting an amount of rotation of said sheet transporting roller so that said scanner unit can be operated as a manual type handy scanner.    
     
     
         33 . An apparatus equipped with a scanner according to  claim 26 , 
 wherein either one of engaging portions of said base unit and said scanner unit is constituted by a pivotal shaft for allowing said scanner unit to rotate frontwards, while the other engaging portion is implemented as a groove or alternatively as a recess for receiving and holding snugly said pivotal shaft.