Sheet conveying device and image reading apparatus

摘要

A sheet conveying device includes a conveyor for conveying a sheet along a predetermined conveyance path and a feeder unit for supporting the sheet to be fed to the conveyor. The conveyor includes a first guide part for guiding the sheet toward a downstream side in the conveying direction in a direction inclined at a downward gradient, a second guide part for guiding the sheet from the first guide part toward a further downstream side in a direction inclined at an upward gradient, a suction roller arranged at the first guide part for conveying the sheet supported by the feeder unit toward the downstream side, and a first conveyance roller arranged at the second guide part and for conveying the sheet conveyed by the suction roller toward the downstream side one at a time.

主权项

1. A sheet conveying device comprising:
a conveyor configured to convey a sheet along a predetermined conveyance path; and a feeder unit configured to support the sheet to be fed to the conveyor, wherein the conveyor comprises:
a first guide part configured to guide the sheet, which is conveyed from a vicinity of a downstream end of the feeder unit in a conveying direction toward a further downstream side in the conveying direction, the first guide part having a downstream end and an upstream end, wherein the first guide part extends a downward gradient such that the downstream end is lower than the upstream end;a second guide part configured to guide the sheet, which is conveyed from a vicinity of the downstream end of the first guide part in the conveying direction toward a further downstream side in the conveying direction, the second guide part having an upstream end and a downstream end, wherein the second guide part extends at an upward gradient such that the upstream end is lower than the downstream end, the downstream end of the first guide part abutting the upstream end of the second guide part;a suction roller configured to rotate about a first axis to convey the sheet supported by the feeder unit toward the downstream side in the conveying direction, the first axis being positioned over the first guide part between the upstream and downstream ends of the first guide part; anda first conveyance roller configured to rotate about a second axis and separate the sheet conveyed by the suction roller one at a time and to convey the sheet toward the downstream side in the conveying direction, the second axis being positioned over the second guide part between the downstream and upstream ends of the second guide part, wherein the first conveyance roller defines an outer circumference having an upstream side positioned over the first guide part between the upstream and downstream ends of the first guide part and a downstream side positioned over the second guide part between the downstream and upstream ends of the second guide part.