Original reading device and image forming apparatus including the same

Abstract

An original reading device is provided with an original cover, an original reading device main body, and a cover attachment portion that attaches the original cover to the original reading device main body in an openable and closeable manner, and the cover attachment portion is constituted by a rod-shaped hinge portion that is attached to the original cover through an open-close mechanism portion, and a hinge guide portion that is provided in the original reading device main body and through which the rod-shaped hinge portion is inserted and supported, and a latch indentation is provided in the hinge guide portion such that a latch protrusion provided at a lower portion of the rod-shaped hinge portion is latched into the latch indentation to maintain a state in which the rod-shaped hinge portion is pulled out a predetermined distance from the hinge guide portion.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An original reading device comprising an original placement tray; an original cover that is provided with an original transport device that transports an original placed on the original placement tray; an original reading device main body that is provided with an original placement platform and that reads the original transported by the original transport device or the original placed on the original placement platform; and a cover attachment portion that attaches the original cover to the original reading device main body in an openable and closeable manner,
 wherein the cover attachment portion comprises a rod-shaped hinge portion that is attached to the original cover through an open-close mechanism portion; and a hinge guide portion that is provided in the original reading device main body and through which the rod-shaped hinge portion is inserted and supported, and 
 a latch indentation is provided in the hinge guide portion such that a latch protrusion provided at a lower portion of the rod-shaped hinge portion is latched into the latch indentation in a state in which the rod-shaped hinge portion is pulled out a predetermined distance from the hinge guide portion. 
 
     
     
       2. The original reading device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the open-close mechanism portion is arranged to enable the original cover to open in one direction up to a first angle from a direction orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the rod-shaped hinge portion, and 
 in a state in which the latch protrusion is latched into the latch indentation, the rod-shaped hinge portion is held tilted in the one direction up to a second angle from a guide direction of the hinge guide portion. 
 
     
     
       3. The original reading device according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the first angle is set to approximately 60 degrees and the second angle is set to approximately 30 degrees. 
 
     
     
       4. The original reading device according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein when a direction in which the original cover opens is a front-back direction as viewed by an operator facing a side surface on a far side from the hinge guide portion in the original reading device main body, 
 the cover attachment portion is arranged in a rear portion of the original reading device main body, 
 the rod-shaped hinge portion is formed in a rod shape, and 
 the hinge guide portion is formed as an open tube, and an upper portion of a rear side inner wall surface of the hinge guide portion is formed as a first tilted surface that is tilted backward from a direction vertical to an original reading surface of the original placement platform by the second angle. 
 
     
     
       5. The original reading device according to  claim 4 ,
 wherein the rod-shaped hinge portion has the latch protrusion formed at a lower portion of a front side outer wall surface, and a lower part below the latch protrusion of the front side outer wall surface is formed as a second tilted surface that is tilted backward by the second angle from an upper part above the latch protrusion of the front side outer wall surface. 
 
     
     
       6. The original reading device according to  claim 5 ,
 wherein the rod-shaped hinge portion is formed so that a front-back direction dimension of a lower portion is smaller than a front-back direction dimension of an upper portion. 
 
     
     
       7. The original reading device according to  claim 6 ,
 wherein the rod-shaped hinge portion is formed as a rod shape having a substantially rectangular-parallelepiped form, and 
 the hinge guide portion is formed as an open tube having a substantially rectangular-parallelepiped form. 
 
     
     
       8. The original reading device according to  claim 5 ,
 wherein the rod-shaped hinge portion is formed as a rod shape having a substantially rectangular-parallelepiped form, and 
 the hinge guide portion is formed as an open tube having a substantially rectangular-parallelepiped form. 
 
     
     
       9. The original reading device according to  claim 4 ,
 wherein the rod-shaped hinge portion is formed so that a front-back direction dimension of a lower portion is smaller than a front-back direction dimension of an upper portion. 
 
     
     
       10. The original reading device according to  claim 9 ,
 wherein the rod-shaped hinge portion is formed as a rod shape having a substantially rectangular-parallelepiped form, and 
 the hinge guide portion is formed as an open tube having a substantially rectangular-parallelepiped form. 
 
     
     
       11. The original reading device according to  claim 4 ,
 wherein the rod-shaped hinge portion is formed as a rod shape having a substantially rectangular-parallelepiped form, and 
 the hinge guide portion is formed as an open tube having a substantially rectangular-parallelepiped form. 
 
     
     
       12. The original reading device according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein when a direction in which the original cover opens is the front-back direction as viewed by an operator facing a side surface on a far side from the hinge guide portion in the original reading device main body, 
 the rod-shaped hinge portion has the latch protrusion formed at a lower portion of a front sideouter side outer wall surface, and a lower part below the latch protrusion of the front side outer wall surface is formed as a second tilted surface that is tilted backward by the second angle from an upper part above the latch protrusion of the front side outer wall surface. 
 
     
     
       13. The original reading device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the open-close mechanism portion is arranged to enable the original cover to rotate in a rotation direction up to a first angle centered on a rotating shaft, and 
 the rod-shaped hinge portion is held in the hinge guide portion so as to enable the rod-shaped hinge portion to move the predetermined distance in a direction away from an extension surface of the original placement surface of the original placement platform, and further still to tilt in the rotation direction up to a second angle such that the latch protrusion is latched into the latch indentation. 
 
     
     
       14. The original reading device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein when a direction in which the original cover opens is a front-back direction as viewed by an operator facing a side surface on a far side from the hinge guide portion in the original reading device main body, 
 the rod-shaped hinge portion is formed so that a front-back direction dimension of a lower portion is smaller than a front-back direction dimension of an upper portion. 
 
     
     
       15. An image forming apparatus comprising an original reading device according to  claim 1  and an image forming portion. 
     
     
       16. The original reading device according to claim 1, wherein the hinge guide portion is attached to a frame of the original reading device main body in an attachable and detachable manner.  
     
     
       17. The original reading device according to claim 16, wherein the hinge guide portion is provided with attachment pieces to the original reading device main body.  
     
     
       18. The original reading device according to claim 17, wherein the attachment pieces of the hinge guide portion each have a screw hole to securely fix the hinge guide portion to the frame of the original reading device main body.  
     
     
       19. The original reading device according to claim 1, wherein
 the rod-shaped hinge portion is formed in a box shape of a substantially rectangular-parallelepiped form, and   the hinge guide portion is formed as an open tube having a substantially rectangular-parallelepiped form.    
     
     
       20. An original reading device comprising an original placement tray; an original cover that is provided with an original transport device that transports an original placed on the original placement tray; an original reading device main body that is provided with an original placement platform and that reads the original transported by the original transport device or the original placed on the original placement platform; and a cover attachment portion that attaches the original cover to the original reading device main body in an openable and closeable manner,
 wherein 
 the cover attachment portion comprises a rod-shaped hinge portion that is attached to the original cover through an open-close mechanism portion and that is provided at a lower portion thereof with a latch protrusion; and a hinge guide portion that is provided in the original reading device main body, through which the rod-shaped hinge portion is inserted and supported, and in which a latch indentation is provided such that the latch protrusion is latched into the latch indentation, and 
 the rod-shaped hinge portion is supported by the hinge guide portion in a state in which the rod-shaped hinge portion is pulled out a predetermined distance from the hinge guide portion and the latch protrusion is latched into the latch indentation.  
 
     
     
       21. The original reading device according to claim 20, wherein the hinge guide portion is attached to a frame of the original reading device main body in an attachable and detachable manner.  
     
     
       22. The original reading device according to claim 21, wherein the hinge guide portion is provided with attachment pieces to the original reading device main body.  
     
     
       23. The original reading device according to claim 22, wherein the attachment pieces of the hinge guide portion each have a screw hole to securely fix the hinge guide portion to the frame of the original reading device main body.  
     
     
       24. The original reading device according to claim 20, wherein
 the rod-shaped hinge portion is formed in a box shape of a substantially rectangular-parallelepiped form, and   the hinge guide portion is formed as an open tube having a substantially rectangular-parallelepiped form.    
     
     
       25. An original reading device comprising an original placement tray; an original cover that is provided with an original transport device that transports an original placed on the original placement tray; an original reading device main body that is provided with an original placement platform and that reads the original transported by the original transport device or the original placed on the original placement platform; and a cover attachment portion that attaches the original cover to the original reading device main body in an openable and closeable manner,
 wherein   the cover attachment portion comprises a rod-shaped hinge portion that is attached to the original cover through an open-close mechanism portion and that is provided at a lower portion thereof with a latch protrusion; and a hinge guide portion that is provided in the original reading device main body, through which the rod-shaped hinge portion is inserted and supported, and in which a latch indentation is provided such that the latch protrusion is latched into the latch indentation, and   the hinge guide portion is attached to a frame of the original reading device main body in an attachable and detachable manner.    
     
     
       26. The original reading device according to claim 25, wherein the hinge guide portion is provided with attachment pieces to the original reading device main body.  
     
     
       27. The original reading device according to claim 26, wherein the attachment pieces of the hinge guide portion each have a screw hole to securely fix the hinge guide portion to the frame of the original reading device main body.  
     
     
       28. The original reading device according to claim 20, wherein the frame of the original reading device main body is provided with an opening through which the hinge guide portion is inserted.  
     
     
       29. The original reading device according to claim 25, wherein the frame of the original reading device main body is provided with an opening through which the hinge guide portion is inserted.  
     
     
       30. The original reading device according to claim 20, wherein the hinge guide portion has a frame provided with a screw hole to fasten and fix the hinge guide portion to the frame of the original reading device main body.  
     
     
       31. The original reading device according to claim 25, wherein the hinge guide portion has a frame provided with a screw hole to fasten and fix the hinge guide portion to the frame of the original reading device main body.