HK1083298B - Readind machine - Google Patents

Description

Reading machine

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a reading machine, and more particularly, to a reading machine with a page turning function suitable for use as a reading rack, a small desk, or the like (including a lying type or a sitting type).

Background

Generally, when reading a book, the book is left open and turned by hand. If the book is read for a long time, the hand holding the book becomes tired, and turning the pages becomes troublesome.

Conventionally, there have been known devices having a page turning function of a book (see japanese patent laid-open nos. hei 2-63410, hei 7-17159, and hei 10-137045), but in many cases, it is impossible to turn pages reliably one by one or the page turning mechanism is complicated.

The present invention has been made in view of such a situation, and an object thereof is to provide a reading machine: the pages can be turned reliably with a simple operation, thereby reducing the burden on a reader and preventing fatigue from occurring even if the reader reads the pages for a long time.

Disclosure of Invention

(1) In order to achieve the above object, a reader according to the present invention comprises: a support mechanism for supporting the book in an opened state; a pressing mechanism for pressing the paper surfaces of the left and right pages at the page boundary part of the opened book; a raising mechanism for raising the page surface by pressing the page surface at the end portions of the left and right pages and applying a shearing force to the page surface; a page turning mechanism inserted into the back side of the raised paper surface to turn pages of the book; a linkage mechanism for linking the pressing mechanism, the raising mechanism, and the page turning mechanism at a predetermined timing; and a remote control mechanism for transmitting a driving force to the link mechanism, wherein the pressing mechanism and the page turning mechanism are integrally rotated, and a bent portion that is folded toward the front side and is placed on the paper surface is formed at a predetermined inclination angle at the tip end portions of the pressing mechanism and the page turning mechanism. .

In the case of using the book reading machine of the present invention, the book is set on the support mechanism in an opened state. At this time, the paper surface of the left and right page boundaries is pressed by the pressing mechanism, and the paper surface of the left and right page ends is pressed by the raising mechanism.

When the link mechanism is driven by the remote manipulation mechanism in the case of turning pages, first, the raising mechanism of either of the right and left pages is moved in a predetermined direction while being pressed against the paper surface. Thus, a shearing force acts between page 1 and page 2 of the page, and only one page is deflected and raised.

When the page is raised, the page turning mechanism starts to rotate and enters the back side of the raised page. The page turning mechanism presses the back side of the paper surface and feeds the page to the page on the opposite side. At the same time, the pressing mechanism and the raising mechanism are separated from the raised page 1. Thus, the page turning operation is completed, and the shaft, the pressing mechanism, the raising mechanism, and the page turning mechanism return to their original positions.

As described above, according to the present invention, the page can be reliably turned one by causing the pressing mechanism, the raising mechanism, and the page turning mechanism to be linked at a predetermined timing.

(2) The pressing means may be a means for pressing a blank portion of at least one of the upper end portion and the lower end portion of the page boundary portion. It is desirable to provide pressing mechanisms at both the upper end and the lower end of the page boundary portion.

(3) The raising means may be a means for pressing a margin at the side end, the upper end, or the lower end of the page of the left or right page. The left and right pages may be symmetrically positioned across the boundary. It is desirable that the raising mechanism be disposed symmetrically at the four corners of the right and left pages.

For the portion of the raising mechanism that comes into contact with the paper surface, a viscous elastic body such as urethane can be used. This is because, if such a viscoelastic body is used, a proper frictional force can be obtained against the paper surface, and the paper surface can be easily raised.

The pushing force of the raising mechanism to the paper surface can be adjusted by the raising direction or position of the paper surface. The pushing force may be increased or decreased in accordance with the moving distance of the raising mechanism. For example, the pushing force may be gradually increased or decreased as the moving distance of the raising mechanism becomes longer.

(4) The aforementioned page turning mechanism may be disposed above or below the opened book at a certain distance. If the page turning mechanism is arranged on the dividing line of the left page and the right page, the pages can be smoothly turned in any direction.

The shapes of the pressing means, the raising means, and the page turning means are not particularly limited, and may be plate-like, rod-like, spherical, or the like. The pressing means, the raising means, and the page turning means may be formed in a roller shape.

(5) The interlocking mechanism may be any mechanism that causes the pressing mechanism, the raising mechanism, and the page turning mechanism to interlock at a predetermined timing, and may be configured as follows, for example:

as the configuration 1, a configuration using a core member driven by a remote control mechanism is exemplified. The core member is provided with locking portions which can drive the pressing mechanism, the raising mechanism, and the page turning mechanism, respectively. When the core member is pushed out or pulled back, each of the locking portions abuts against the pressing mechanism, the raising mechanism, and the page turning mechanism and moves these mechanisms by a predetermined distance in a predetermined direction. By setting the positions of the locking portions at predetermined length positions of the core member, the pressing mechanism, the raising mechanism, and the page turning mechanism can be interlocked at predetermined timing.

In addition, as the configuration 2, a mechanism using a slide member driven by a remote operation mechanism is exemplified. The slide member is provided with a locking portion that can drive the pressing mechanism, the raising mechanism, and the page turning mechanism, respectively. When the slide member slides, each of the locking portions comes into contact with the pressing mechanism, the raising mechanism, and the page turning mechanism, and moves these mechanisms in a predetermined direction by a predetermined distance. By disposing the respective locking portions at predetermined positions of the slide member, the pressing mechanism, the raising mechanism, and the page turning mechanism can be interlocked at predetermined timings.

Further, if the core member or the slide member is provided with the engaging portion for returning, it is possible to return the pressing mechanism, the raising mechanism, and the page turning mechanism to their original positions after the pressing mechanism, the raising mechanism, and the page turning mechanism are moved.

(6) Preferably, the remote control mechanism is a mechanism for applying a driving force to the link mechanism in forward and reverse directions. In particular, it is preferable to use a push-pull cable in which an inner cable is slidably inserted into an inner side of an outer tube. The push-pull cable can drive the inner cable by a pushing operation or a pulling operation performed by hand, and the link mechanism can be moved by a predetermined distance.

According to such a push-pull cable, the reader can transmit the driving force to the link mechanism without touching the book, the support mechanism, or the like. Further, even if the distance from the hand to the reading machine varies, the link mechanism can be moved by a constant distance. Thus, the paper surface is not easy to vibrate or swing, reading is convenient, and the compactness of the reading machine can be realized.

As another mode of the push-pull cable, for example, a gas or a liquid may be sealed in an outer tube, and the interlocking mechanism may be driven by pressure transmission of the sealed body. Further, the push cable and the pull cable may be provided independently of each other.

Further, as the remote control mechanism, a servomotor that operates in a wired or wireless manner may be used.

(7) The reading machine of the invention has the following characteristics: the raising mechanism raises the page surface by applying a shearing force to page parting lines of the right and left pages in the right-left direction.

In the case of turning the page by the page turning mechanism, if there is a deviation in the rising direction of the paper surface, it is difficult to turn the page.

According to the present invention, a gap is created between page 1 and page 2 by applying a shearing force to page boundaries of right and left pages in the right-left direction to arch-flex the paper surface. The page turning mechanism is then inserted into the gap to reliably turn the pages one by one.

(8) The reading machine of the invention is characterized in that: the raising mechanism raises the page by applying a shearing force to the upper end or the lower end of the page of either the right or left page in the vertical direction.

When the page surface is bent in an arch shape and raised, if the interval between the arch portions is small, the page turning mechanism is difficult to be inserted into the back surface side of the page surface. That is, the rising portion of the arcuate shape may become an obstacle to insertion of the page turning mechanism. Further, if the pages are repeatedly raised at the same position all the time, an arched fold is easily formed on the paper surface. Such paper surface folding lines prevent the page turning from being performed one by one.

According to the present invention, the sheet surface is warped in a twisted manner and raised by applying a shearing force to the upper end or the lower end of the sheet surface in the vertical direction. Thus, an open space is formed between the page 1 and the page 2 on the paper surface. This allows the page turning mechanism to be easily and reliably inserted into the back side of the paper. Further, the sheet is less likely to be creased, and even if the sheet is repeatedly raised, the pages can be reliably turned one by one.

The direction in which the shearing force is applied to the paper surface by the raising mechanism may be a combination of the vertical direction and the horizontal direction of the paper surface. For example, the shearing force may be applied to the paper surface by moving the raising mechanism in the vertical direction toward the upper end or the lower end of the paper surface and then moving the raising mechanism in the horizontal direction toward the paper surface boundary.

(9) The reading machine of the invention is characterized in that: the pressing mechanism and the page turning mechanism are integrally rotated.

When the page turning mechanism is in a state of pressing the page boundary portion of the opened book at the time of page turning, the pressing mechanism causes an obstacle when the page turning mechanism conveys the erected page to the page on the opposite side. As a countermeasure, the pressing mechanism needs to be temporarily separated from the raised paper surface. If the page turning mechanism and the pressing mechanism are operated independently, the structure of the linkage mechanism becomes complicated, and the book reading machine becomes complicated and large.

According to the present invention, the pressing mechanism is separated from the paper surface when the page turning mechanism is operated, while the pressing mechanism presses the paper surface when the page turning mechanism is not operated, and the pressing mechanism and the page turning mechanism are configured to rotate integrally with each other in view of such a difference in the opposite operation. That is, when the pressing mechanism starts rotating from a state where it is pressed against the paper surface, the pressing mechanism is separated from the paper surface, and the page turning mechanism enters the back surface side of the paper surface as this operation progresses. After the page turning mechanism sends the paper surface to the opposite side, the page turning mechanism returns to the original position, and simultaneously the pressing mechanism also rotates to the original position to press a new paper surface. By integrally rotating the pressing mechanism and the page turning mechanism in this way, the two members can be driven as a single member, and the structure of the link mechanism can be simplified.

(10) The reading machine of the invention has the following characteristics: the page turning mechanism is provided with a pressing portion (pressing surface) for pressing the page surface of the page 2 in accordance with the page turning operation of the page 1.

When the page turning mechanism turns the page, if the page of the 2 nd page or later is lifted, the page turning operation becomes unstable, and therefore it is important to keep the page of the 2 nd page or later pressed. When the page turning operation is performed, it is difficult to press the paper surface with only the pressing mechanism. Therefore, in the present invention, the page turning mechanism is provided with a pressing portion (pressing surface) for pressing the page surface of the 2 nd page in association with the page turning operation of the page surface of the 1 st page.

In particular, in a mechanism in which the pressing mechanism and the page turning mechanism are integrally rotated, if the page turning mechanism is provided with the above-described pressing portion (pressing surface), the page can be always pressed in a series of steps of turning the page, and the page of the opened book is stabilized, and the page turning is facilitated.

(11) The reading machine of the present invention is characterized by being provided with a press assist mechanism which alternately performs a pressing operation on the paper surface and a downward feeding operation in conjunction with the page turning operation of the page turning mechanism.

When reading a book, even if the paper surface is pressed by the pressing mechanism and the raising mechanism, the paper surface may float and it may be difficult to hold the open posture of the book. When the opened book is held upside down and the book is read while lying down, the book is liable to droop, or a load is applied to the pressing mechanism and the raising mechanism due to the weight of the paper. In such a state, the paper surface is not easily visible, and the page turning operation becomes unstable.

As a countermeasure, a method of pressing the paper surface with another member in an auxiliary manner is conceivable, but such a member becomes an obstacle when the page is turned by the page turning mechanism.

Therefore, in the present invention, by providing the pressing support mechanism that alternately performs the page pressing operation and the page down feeding operation in conjunction with the page turning operation, the page is pressed in a supporting manner without affecting the page turning operation, and the opened page is maintained in a stable state in which the page is easy to read.

In the case of turning the page by the page turning mechanism, if the page is positioned below the push assist mechanism, the page is pulled by the page turning mechanism and pulled out from below the push assist mechanism. In this case, the pressing auxiliary mechanism may be slightly lifted from the paper surface.

When the turned page is conveyed downward, the sheet surface on the upper side of the pressing auxiliary mechanism is conveyed to the lower side of the pressing auxiliary mechanism by the downward conveying action. The downward conveying action is realized as follows: for example, the pressing assist mechanism is rotatably attached to a position adjacent to the upper end or the lower end of the opened book, so that when the pressing assist mechanism is separated from the lower paper surface while rotating, the other portion of the pressing assist mechanism, which is not in contact with the lower paper surface, is placed on the upper paper surface.

The page turning mechanism may be driven independently of the pressing assist mechanism, although the pressing assist mechanism is preferably linked to the page turning operation of the page turning mechanism by a link mechanism. The pressing auxiliary mechanism may be provided at a position symmetrical with respect to the paper surface.

The most suitable range of the contact range between the pressing assistance mechanism and the paper surface differs depending on the direction in which the paper surface rises. When the paper surface is raised in the vertical direction, a narrow range of about several mm from the end of the paper surface is preferably pressed. This is to make the paper surface easily come off the press assist mechanism when the paper surface is raised. According to such a pressing auxiliary mechanism, when the paper surface is raised in the vertical direction, the upper end or the lower end of the paper surface can be raised from a state where the paper surface is pressed. When the paper surface is raised in the right-left direction, the pressing force is preferably within a range of about several tens of mm from the end of the paper surface.

(12) The book reading machine of the present invention is characterized in that a center holding mechanism is provided which can hold the center line of the spine at a predetermined position by inserting the binding portion of the book.

When a series of operations of the pressing mechanism, the raising mechanism, and the page turning mechanism are repeated, the opened book may be displaced and the page turning may be difficult. A method of fixing the spine to the support mechanism by a clip or the like is considered, but in order to position the opened book and reliably perform the page turning operation, it is important to have a suitable play for the spine so as to be able to freely tilt left and right according to the thickness of the left and right pages.

In the present invention, the center holding mechanism allows the spine to have a moderate play while preventing the opened book from being misaligned. That is, by holding the center line of the spine (the axis of the spine) at a predetermined position, the spine is made to freely tilt about the center line in accordance with the thickness change of the right and left pages. Thus, the operations of the pressing mechanism, the raising mechanism, and the page turning mechanism can be reliably repeated.

As the center holding mechanism, any wire material may be used as long as it can hold the boundary portion of the opened portion of the book at the center, and a wire material that holds the spine by being inserted into the binding portion of the book may be used. Examples of such a wire include a wire, a string, and a plastic rod.

(13) The book reader of the present invention is characterized in that a spine pressing mechanism is provided for supporting a spine of an opened book from behind.

When a book is attached to the support mechanism in an opened state, if the spine is not pressed, the book tends to swing, and the page surfaces of the right and left pages may be excessively bent and the page turning may be difficult.

According to the present invention, the spine is supported from behind by the spine pressing mechanism, and thus, the opened state of the right and left pages is maintained in a more horizontal state, and the swing of the book can be suppressed.

(14) The reading machine according to the present invention is characterized in that a page bundle pressing mechanism is provided for supporting the page bundles of the left and right pages of the opened book from behind.

Generally, the types of binding include a hard cover, a soft cover (a book of a series of book versions, a magazine, and the like), and the like. In the case of a soft book among these books, even if the book is held in an open state, the paper surface may be excessively flexed, and the paper surface may be raised one by one.

According to the present invention, the page bundle of the right and left pages is supported from behind by the page bundle pressing mechanism, and thus, the page tension is applied, and the flexed state is stabilized. As a result, the page can be easily raised one by one regardless of the kind of book, and the reliability of the page turning operation is improved.

The page bundle pressing means may be any page bundle as long as it presses the left and right pages of the book from the rear, and may be a "cover", "back liner", or "leaf" for pressing the book from the rear. The "front cover" of the book refers to the front and back covers connected to the spine, the "back liner paper" refers to the next page after turning over the front or back covers, and the "facing sheet" is the next page of the back liner paper, refers to the page printed with the title of the book and the name of the author, or the first page before the text of the magazine.

The page bundle pressing mechanism may be a seesaw mechanism that is freely inclined according to the thickness of the page bundle of the right and left pages. According to the seesaw-type sheet bundle pressing mechanism, when the thicknesses of the left and right sheets are substantially equal, the sheet bundles of the left and right sheets are pressed at substantially equal positions in the left and right directions. If the left and right pages have different thicknesses, the page bundle pressing means presses the page bundles of the left and right pages at different positions while balancing the page bundles in a seesaw manner, so that the left and right opened page surfaces are maintained at a uniform height.

According to the present invention, it is possible to automatically cope with a change in thickness of the left and right pages depending on the reading condition of the book by setting the sheet bundle pressing mechanism at an appropriate position in accordance with the thickness of the book at first.

When the book made to be strong is kept in the opened state, the effect of the spine pushing mechanism is more obvious, and the spine pushing mechanism can be used for effectively ensuring the contact between the raising mechanism and the paper surface. It is desirable to use both the spine pressing mechanism and the page bundle pressing mechanism.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a reader according to embodiment 1 of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a side view showing a state of use of the reading machine according to embodiment 1 of the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a diagram showing a raising plate (raising mechanism) according to embodiment 1 of the present invention, fig. 3(a) is a plan view, and fig. 3(B) is a side view.

Fig. 4 is a view showing a page turning plate (page turning mechanism) according to embodiment 1 of the present invention, fig. 4(a) is a plan view, and fig. 4(B) is a bottom view.

Fig. 5 is a partially enlarged view showing a driving portion (link mechanism) of the reading machine according to embodiment 1 of the present invention.

Fig. 6 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a cable system (linkage mechanism, remote control mechanism) according to embodiment 1 of the present invention.

Fig. 7 is a diagram showing an interlocking unit (interlocking mechanism) according to embodiment 1 of the present invention, and is a schematic diagram for explaining a driving method of the pressing plate, the raising plate, and the page turning plate.

Fig. 8 is a diagram showing an interlocking unit (interlocking mechanism) according to embodiment 1 of the present invention, and is a schematic diagram for explaining a method of driving an auxiliary plate (pressing auxiliary mechanism).

Fig. 9 to 13 are perspective views for explaining a page turning operation of the reading machine according to embodiment 1 of the present invention.

Fig. 14 is a plan view showing a sheet bundle pressing arm (sheet bundle pressing mechanism) according to embodiment 2 of the present invention.

Fig. 15 is a plan view showing a sheet bundle pressing arm (sheet bundle pressing mechanism) according to embodiment 3 of the present invention.

Fig. 16 is a front view showing a pressing plate (pressing mechanism) according to embodiment 4 of the present invention.

Fig. 17 and 18 are perspective views for explaining a page turning operation of the reading machine according to embodiment 5 of the present invention.

Fig. 19 is a perspective view showing a state of use of the reading machine according to embodiment 6 of the present invention.

Fig. 20 to 22 are front views for explaining an operation method of the sliding member (interlocking mechanism) according to embodiment 7 of the present invention.

Fig. 23 is a partial perspective view showing a reader according to embodiment 8 of the present invention.

Detailed Description

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a reader according to embodiment 1 of the present invention.

As shown in fig. 1, the reading machine 50 includes, on the front surface of the support frame 1 (support mechanism): a pressing plate 2 (pressing means), rising plates 3 and 4 (rising means), a page turning plate 5 (page turning means), and auxiliary plates 6 and 7 (pressing auxiliary means). The book is placed on the support frame 1 in an opened state, and the page of the book is pressed by the pressing plate 2, the standing plates 3 and 4, and the auxiliary plates 6 and 7. The pressing plate 2, the rising plates 3 and 4, and the auxiliary plates 6 and 7 are rotated at predetermined timings, respectively, to sequentially turn the pages from right to left or from left to right. That is, the reading machine 50 has a function of supporting a book in a state where the book is opened and a function of automatically turning pages. Next, the structure of the reading machine 50 will be described in terms of a support portion, a page turning portion, and a drive portion.

[ Structure of support ]

As shown in fig. 2, a bracket 10 is attached to the support frame 1 so as to be bendable vertically and horizontally. The stand 10 is fixed to a table or a bed by a positioning screw 10 a. A ball joint 10b for supporting the support frame 1 is provided at the distal end of the bracket 10. By adjusting the length, orientation, etc. of the stand 10, the book B can be held in a position convenient for the reader to read.

In the present embodiment, the bracket 10 is attached to the upper portion of the support frame 1, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and the bracket 10 may be attached to the lower portion or the central portion of the support frame 1.

The support frame 1 includes: a pillar 21, an upper longitudinal member 22, an upper cross member 23, a lower longitudinal member 24, and a lower cross member 25 (see fig. 1). The upper longitudinal member 22 extends toward the front side at the upper end of the pillar 21, and the lower longitudinal member 24 extends toward the front side at the lower end of the pillar 21. The upper cross member 23 and the lower cross member 25 extend substantially horizontally in the left-right direction at the front ends of these longitudinal members. The opened book is held between the upper cross member 23 and the lower cross member 25.

The support column 21 includes a frame portion 21a and a shaft portion 21 b. The shaft portion 21b is inserted into the inside of the frame portion 21a having a C-shaped cross section and slides in the vertical direction. When the fixing screw on the back side of the support column 21 is tightened, the shaft portion 21b is fixed to a predetermined longitudinal position of the frame portion 21 a. When a book is set on the support frame 1, the frame portion 21a and the shaft portion 21b are slid to appropriate positions in accordance with the size of the book, and the distance between the upper cross member 23 and the lower cross member 25 is adjusted.

A push rod 26 penetrates through an intermediate portion of the strut 21. An コ -shaped guide member 27 (spine pressing mechanism) for supporting a spine is rotatably fixed to a distal end portion of the push rod 26. A handle 28 is provided at the rear end of the push rod 26. When the handle 28 is rotated, the guide member 27 moves forward and backward in the axial direction of the push rod 26. By setting the handle position in accordance with the thickness of the book, the position of the spine can be adjusted.

In the upper cross member 23, the groove H2 extends in the left-right direction. The position of the rising plates 3, 4 can be adjusted by moving the rising plates 3, 4 along the groove H2. When the opened book is placed on the support frame 1, the positions of the standing plates 3 and 4 are matched with the upper corners of the left and right pages.

A bottom plate 29 is fixed to the lower cross member 25 at a predetermined interval. The bottom plate 29 extends substantially horizontally to the rear of the lower cross member 25. The bottom plate 29 prevents the book from falling off the support frame 1.

A center holding pin 30 (center holding mechanism) is provided on the lower longitudinal member 24. A circular plate 31 is fixed to the lower end of the center holding pin 30. The disk 31 is slidably fitted in a vertical groove H1 extending in the front-rear direction. The center holding pin 30 is moved in the front-rear direction along the vertical groove H1, and thereby the center holding pin 30 can be freely inserted into the binding portion of the book.

In the case of using the center retaining pin 30, the center retaining pin 30 is inserted into the binding portion of the book from the opening side. At this time, the opened page of the book is directed to the front side while the thicknesses of the left and right pages are kept substantially uniform. Pushing the guide member 27 against the spine. Thus, the position of the center line of the spine is determined, and the spine can tilt while swinging left and right about the center line. Even if the thickness of the left and right pages is different according to the reading condition of the book, the paper surface of the opened book can be always kept in a stable state.

In the present embodiment, the center holding pin 30 is attached to the lower vertical member 24, but as another embodiment, the center holding pin 30 may be provided to the upper vertical member 22. Instead of the center holding pin 30, a wire, a string, a thread, or the like may be inserted into the binding portion of the book.

A sheet bundle pressing arm 32 (sheet bundle pressing mechanism) is attached below the upper longitudinal member 22. The sheet bundle pressing arm 32 includes an arm 32a and a support plate 32 b. The arms 32a extend below the upper longitudinal member 22 in bilateral symmetry, and a support plate 32b is attached to the front ends thereof. When an opened book is placed on the support frame 1, the support plates 32b abut on the left and right covers, and the paper surface is appropriately pressed from the rear by the spring action of the arms 32a, thereby stabilizing the opened state of the book. This makes it easy to raise the paper surface of the raising plates 3 and 4, and the page turning operation is smooth.

[ Structure of Page-turning part ]

Next, the structure of the page turning part of the reading machine 50 will be described.

The page turning part of the reading machine 50 includes: a pressing plate 2, standing plates 3, 4, a page turning plate 5, and auxiliary plates 6, 7. As will be described later, the pressing plate 2 and the page turning plate 5 are integrally rotated.

The rising plates 3 and 4 are rotatably supported by both end portions of the cross member 23 via shafts 3a and 4 a. The left and right paper surfaces are erected by the erecting plates 3, 4, respectively. The rising plates 3 and 4 are bilaterally symmetrical.

In fig. 3, a top view and a side view of the rising boards 3, 4 are shown. In fig. 3, the rising plate 4 has a structure shown in fig. 3 when it is turned upside down.

As shown in fig. 3, pads 3b, 4b formed of a viscoelastic material are provided on the plate surfaces of the rising plates 3, 4. The surface of the pads 3b, 4b is hemispherical, and the spherical surface is in contact with the paper surface. When the rising plates 3, 4 rotate, frictional force is generated between the pads 3b, 4b and the paper surface, and the paper surface rises to the front side in the rotation direction.

Here, the initial positions of the spacers 3b, 4b are set on the lower sides of the shafts 3a, 4 a. Thus, when the raising plates 3 and 4 rotate, shear force is generated from the edge portions of the left and right pages toward the page boundaries in the left-right direction of the paper surface, and the paper surface is pushed toward the page boundary side and raised.

The pads 3b and 4b are made of a viscoelastic material such as resin or rubber. In particular, it is desirable to use a polyurethane resin. The polyurethane resin has appropriate viscoelasticity, and is excellent in strength and durability, and thus can provide a frictional force suitable for raising a paper surface.

In the present embodiment, a hemispherical spacer is used, but as another embodiment, a rectangular shape, a circular plate shape, a convex shape, a wavy shape, or the like may be used. Further, the spherical shape may be hollow.

The standing plates 3 and 4 have notches K (see fig. 3) on their plate surfaces. Bent portions 3c and 4c are formed at positions adjacent to the notch K. When the rising plates 3 and 4 are rotated clockwise in fig. 1 in a state where the sheet P is overlapped with a part of the slit K (see fig. 3), the bent portions 3c and 4c are overlapped on the sheet P. That is, the upper paper surface P of the rising plates 3 and 4 can be conveyed downward by rotating the bent portions 3c and 4c toward the notch K.

The pressing plate 2 and the page turning plate 5 are rotatably supported by the shaft 2a at the intermediate portion of the upper cross member 23. As shown in fig. 4, a pressing plate 2 and a leaf turning plate 5 are formed in the vertical direction via a shaft 2 a. The length of the pressing plate 2 in the left-right direction in fig. 4 is shorter than the length of the page turning plate 5 in the left-right direction. When the pressing plate 2 is rotated, the page turning plate 5 is also rotated by the same rotation angle.

When the pressing plate 2 is directed downward, the page surface of the page boundary portion on the upper end side of the opened book is pressed. At this time, the page turning plate 5 is located at a position away from the paper surface. When the pressing plate 2 rotates in the clockwise direction or the counterclockwise direction, the pressing plate 2 is separated from the paper surface. On the other hand, the front end portion of the leafing tray 5 traces a track crossing the page boundary from right to left or from left to right, thus performing a leafing action.

The front end portions of the pressing plate 2 and the leaf turning plate 5 are formed with bent portions 2b and 5b that are folded toward the front surface side at a predetermined inclination angle. The bent portions 2b and 5b are placed on the paper surface when rotated, and function to prevent the distal ends of the pressing plate 2 and the page turning plate 5 from catching on the paper surface.

On the page turning plate 5, a pressing portion 5c is formed, and the pressing portion 5c is connected to the plate surface of the pressing plate 2. In this way, when the page turning plate 5 turns the page, the lower paper surface can be pressed by the back surface (pressing surface) of the pressing portion 5c simultaneously with the page turning operation.

As shown in fig. 1, the auxiliary plates 6, 7 are rotatably supported on the lower cross member 25 via shafts 6a, 7 a. The auxiliary plate 6 and the auxiliary plate 7 are formed symmetrically. In fig. 1, the lower end of the paper is pressed by the upper portion of the shafts 6a and 7 a. The auxiliary plate 6 presses the page on the left side and the auxiliary plate 7 presses the page on the right side.

The auxiliary plates 6 and 7 have bent portions 6b and 7b formed on the inner sides in the left-right direction so as to face each other (see fig. 1). The bent portions 6b and 7b are folded at a predetermined angle of inclination toward the front side. When the auxiliary plate 6 is rotated counterclockwise and the auxiliary plate 7 is rotated clockwise from the state of fig. 1, the auxiliary plates 6 and 7 are separated from the paper. When the auxiliary plates 6, 7 are rotated in the opposite direction and returned to the original pressing position, the bent portions 6b, 7b are positioned at the lower end portion of the paper surface, and the auxiliary plates 6, 7 are prevented from catching on the paper surface.

In addition, key portions 6c, 7c are formed on portions of the auxiliary plates 6, 7 facing inward in the left-right direction. The key portions 6c and 7c are located lower in fig. 1 than the bent portions 6b and 7 b. When the paper surface is superimposed on the auxiliary plates 6 and 7 in the state of fig. 1, the lower end of the paper surface is positioned directly above the key portions 6c and 7 c. When the auxiliary plate 6 is rotated counterclockwise and the auxiliary plate 7 is rotated clockwise from this state, the key portions 6c and 7c ride on the paper surface above the auxiliary plates 6 and 7, and the paper surface is conveyed downward. At the same time, the bent portions 6b and 7b fall off from the lower paper surface.

[ Structure of Driving part ]

As shown in fig. 5, the pressing plate 2, the rising plates 3 and 4, the page turning plate 5, and the auxiliary plates 6 and 7 are driven by a pinion gear 48 and a rack 49. When the rack 49 is moved along the upper cross member 23 or the lower cross member 25, the pinion 48 rotates, and the pressing plate 2, the rising plates 3, 4, the leaf turning plate 5, and the auxiliary plates 6, 7 rotate by a predetermined rotation angle. The pinion 48 and the rack 49 may be assembled in advance in an assembly to each of the pressing plate 2, the rising plates 3, 4, the page turning plate 5, and the subsidiary plates 6, 7. Since the pressing plate 2 and the leafing plate 5 are rotated integrally, they can be driven by a set of pinions 48 and racks 49.

A cable system 50 for driving the pinion gear 48 and the rack gear 49 is shown in fig. 6. The cable system 50 includes a flexible steering cable 51 (remote steering mechanism) and a linkage assembly 52 (linkage mechanism).

One cable of the manipulation cable 51 is divided into two. The inner cable 54b is slidably inserted into the outer tube 54 a. The outer tube 54a is fixed to a predetermined portion of the support frame 2 or the like. At the front end of the single-wire portion (non-branching portion) of the manipulation cable 51, a knob 56 and a return spring 57 are provided. The core 59 of the link assembly 52 is connected to the tip of the double-wire portion (branch portion) of the control cable 51.

When the knob 56 is pushed in or pulled out, the inner cable 54b moves the distance by which the knob 56 moves within the outer tube 54a, and transmits the driving force to the core member 59. When the knob 56 is released, the inner cable 54b returns to the original position by the spring force of the return spring 57, and transmits the driving force in the reverse direction to the core 59. That is, when the inner wire 54b moves, the core member 59 moves by a distance equal to the moving distance of the inner wire 54 b.

The knob 56 is provided with a stopper 57 that moves integrally with the inner wire 54 b. The stopper 57 functions to limit the movement distance of the knob 56 and prevent the core member 59 from being provided with a driving distance of a necessary magnitude or more.

As shown in fig. 7, one of the core members 59 connected to the control cable 51 is connected to the respective racks 49 of the pressing plate 2 (leaf turning plate 5) and the rising plates 3 and 4. The core member 59 passes through the respective racks 49 in a slidable manner in the order of the rising plate 3, the pressing plate 2 (the page turning plate 5), and the rising plate 4.

As shown in fig. 8, the other core member 59 connected to the steering cable 51 is coupled to the respective racks 49 of the auxiliary plates 6 and 7. The core member 59 passes through the respective racks 49 in a slidable manner in the order of the auxiliary plate 6 and the auxiliary plate 7.

As shown in fig. 7 and 8, locking portions 59a and 59b are fixed to the core member 59 at predetermined intervals on both sides of each rack 49. When the core member 59 moves in the rack 49, the locking portions 59a and 59b move in the right-left direction of the rack 49.

When the tab 56 is pushed in from the state shown in fig. 7 and 8, the pushing force is transmitted to the core member 59 via the inner cable 54b, and the locking portions 59a and 59b move by a distance equal to the moving distance of the tab 56. At this time, the locking portion 59a presses one end surface of the rack 49, and the pressing plate 2, the rising plates 3 and 4, the page turning plate 5, and the auxiliary plates 6 and 7 rotate as indicated by arrows in fig. 7 and 8.

When the knob 56 is released, the core member 59 is pulled by the return spring 56, and the knob 56 and the locking portions 59a and 59b return to their original positions.

On the other hand, when the knob 56 is pulled out from the state shown in fig. 7 and 8, the locking portion 59b presses the other end surface of the rack 59 in the opposite direction by the operation opposite to the pushing operation, and the pressing plate 2, the rising plates 3 and 4, the leaf turning plate 5, and the auxiliary plates 6 and 7 are rotated in the opposite direction to the arrows in fig. 7 and 8.

The interval between the rack 49 and the locking portions 59a and 59b is adjusted in advance according to the operation sequence of the pressing plate 2, the rising plates 3 and 4, the page turning plate 5, and the assisting plates 6 and 7. That is, the pressing plate 2, the rising plates 3 and 4, the page turning plate 5, and the auxiliary plates 6 and 7 are operated at a predetermined time difference by utilizing the difference in the intervals.

For example, when the distance between the rack 49 and the locking portions 59a and 59b is short, the locking portions 59a and 59b come into contact with the rack 49 immediately after the knob 56 is operated, and therefore the operation of the rack 49 is started earlier. When the distance between the rack 49 and the locking portions 59a and 59b is long, the time from the start of the operation of the knob 56 to the time when the locking portions 59a and 59b abut on the rack 49 is long, and therefore the start of the operation of the rack 49 is late. The movement distance of the knob 56 on both the press-in side and the pull-out side can be set to about 20 to 50 mm.

In this way, the cable system 50 can operate the knob 56 to cause the pressing plate 2, the rising plates 3 and 4, the page turning plate 5, and the auxiliary plates 6 and 7 to be interlocked at a predetermined timing. Since pages can be turned by one-key operation, they are not fatigued even if they are read for a long time.

Also, with the cable system 50, the hands do not directly contact the book when turning pages. By fixing the outer tubes 54a and 58a to predetermined positions of the support frame 1, even if the knob 56 is operated, vibration is not easily generated in the support frame 1, the holder 10, and the like. That is, the book hardly vibrates while turning the pages, thereby facilitating reading.

Further, the conventional book readers of the type in which pages are turned by hand while reading on their back are made of thick steel pipes to prevent vibrations, and are often heavy, large, and difficult to handle near the head. In contrast, if the cable system 50 is used, there is a significant advantage in that the bracket 10 and the support frame 1 can be simplified and lightened.

As a modification of the cable system 53, the knob 56 may be driven by a motor or the like. Further, the racks 49 of the rising plates 3, 4, the page turning plate 5, and the auxiliary plates 6, 7 may be directly driven by motors. The return springs 58 may be provided on the racks 49 of the rising plates 3, 4, the leaf turning plate 5, and the auxiliary plates 6, 7, respectively.

Next, the page turning operation of the reading machine 50 will be described with reference to fig. 9 to 13.

First, the book B is set on the support frame 1 in an opened state, and the paper surface is pressed by the pressing plate 2, the standing plates 3 and 4, and the auxiliary plates 6 and 7 (fig. 9). At this time, the pressing plate 2 is disposed on the paper surface of the page boundary portion so as to straddle the left and right pages, and the spacers 3b and 4b of the standing plates 3 and 4 abut against the four corners of the left and right pages. The auxiliary plates 6 and 7 are arranged symmetrically in the left-right direction along the lower end of the drawing.

Since the pressing plate 2, the standing plates 3 and 4, and the auxiliary plates 6 and 7 press the blank portions of the pages, reading is not hindered.

When the pages of book B are turned from right to left, knob 56 of cable system 50 is pressed, and at this time, raising plate 4 is rotated in the direction of arrow a in fig. 9, and pad 4B presses the paper surface of the right page and pushes it toward pressing plate 2. At this time, the paper surface between the pressing plate 2 and the pad 4b is arched, and the page is raised as shown in fig. 10.

Then, the page turning plate 5 is rotated in the arrow b direction in fig. 10, and the leading end portion thereof enters the reverse side of the standing page. Then, the auxiliary plate 7 is lifted upward as indicated by an arrow c in fig. 10, and the lower side of the auxiliary plate 4 is easily separated from the paper surface. If the auxiliary plate 7 is turned 30 to 90 in the inward direction, the paper surface is more likely to be separated from the auxiliary plate 7.

When the rising plate 4, the page turning plate 5, and the assisting plate 7 rotate through a large rotation angle as shown by arrows e, f, and g in fig. 11, the pressing plate 2 is separated from the paper surface, and the page turning plate 5 presses the lower paper surface with the pressing portion 5c while pressing the rising paper surface from right to left. Thus, the sheet surface is pulled obliquely upward, and is sent to the left page side away from the spacer 4b and the auxiliary plate 7. Then, the sheet fed to the left side is overlapped on the rising plate 3 and the auxiliary plate 6.

In the phase in which the pages on the right side are sent to the left side, as described above, the standing plate 3 and the auxiliary plate 6 are stationary.

Thereafter, as shown in fig. 12, the rising plate 3 and the auxiliary plate 6 start to rotate. When the rising plate 3 is rotated in the direction of arrow h in fig. 12, the pad 3b is separated from the paper surface, and the bent portion 3c is overlapped on the paper surface. At the same time, the auxiliary plate 6 is rotated in the direction of arrow I, the key portion 6c of the auxiliary plate 6 lifts the paper and presses it, and the bent portion 6b is temporarily separated from the paper.

At this time, the knob 56 reaches the maximum pressed position, and the rotation of the pressing plate 2, the rising plates 3 and 4, the page turning plate 5, and the auxiliary plates 6 and 7 is stopped.

From a series of actions before this, it can be determined: the auxiliary plate 6 is not limited to the standing plate 3 and the page turning plate 5, and it always presses and supports the paper surface while functioning independently. Thus, the reading machine 50 can be easily operated while controlling the fall-off of the book and the bulge of the paper surface to facilitate reading.

When the knob 56 is released, the pressing plate, the rising plates 3 and 4, the page turning plate 5, and the auxiliary plates 6 and 7 start to rotate in the reverse direction by the return spring 58 (see fig. 13). The rising plate 4 is rotated in the direction of arrow j, the pressing plate 2 and the page turning plate 5 are rotated in the direction of arrow k, and the auxiliary plate 7 is rotated in the direction of arrow 1, and the position is returned to the position of fig. 9. Then, the rising plate 3 is rotated in the direction of arrow m and the auxiliary plate 6 is rotated in the direction of arrow n, and the rising plate is placed on a new sheet of paper and returned to the position of fig. 9.

In this way, the page turning from right to left is completed by the series of operations shown in fig. 9 to 13.

On the other hand, when the page is turned from left to right, the tab 56 is pulled out, and then the pressing plate 2, the raising plates 3 and 4, the page turning plate 5, and the assisting plates 6 and 7 perform the reverse operation to the above operation, respectively, to raise the left page and convey it to the right.

In this way, according to the reading machine 50, the reader can easily and reliably turn the right and left pages of the book B by operating the knob 56. For example, the page turning can be performed simply by operating the knob 56 with the fingertips not only in the sitting posture but also in the lying posture.

Next, embodiment 2 of the present invention is shown in fig. 14.

The 2 nd embodiment employs a seesaw type sheet bundle pressing arm.

As shown in fig. 14, the sheet bundle pressing arm 60 is provided with a swing arm 62 on a shaft 61a of a support 61. A spine pressing guide member 63 is provided at the center of the swing arm 62. Support plates 64A and 64B are attached to the front end of the swing arm 62.

The spine pressing guide member 63 presses the spine of the book B forward. The swing arm 62 pushes the left and right covers with an appropriate force while maintaining a balance according to the thicknesses of the left and right pages. When a difference occurs in thickness between the left and right paper surfaces, the support plate 64 on the thicker side moves upward in fig. 14, and the support plate 64 on the thinner side moves downward. Thus, the paper surface of the opened book is always maintained at a uniform height.

Embodiment 3 of the present invention is shown in fig. 15.

The 3 rd embodiment employs a sheet bundle pressing arm that moves back and forth.

The sheet bundle pressing arm 70 has support plates 73 and 74 attached to both end portions of the upper cross member 71. A pillar 72 is vertically fixed to an intermediate portion of the upper cross member 71. A spine pressing guide 75 having a cross section of コ is provided at the lower end of the support 72. The push rod 77 extends rearward of the support shaft 72 and penetrates the frame 76.

A handle 78 is provided at the rear end of the push rod 77. When the handle 78 is rotated, the push rod 77 moves forward and backward, and the support plates 73 and 74 and the spine pressing guide member 75 move forward and backward in conjunction with this.

When a book is set on the support base, the support plates 73 and 74 are pushed against the front cover of the opened book, and the spine push guide member 75 is pushed against the spine. The handle 8 is rotated to advance the support plates 73 and 74 and the guide member 75, and the support plates 73 and 74 and the spine pressing guide member 75 are positioned in accordance with the thickness of the book.

In this way, by initially setting the handle position according to the thickness of the book, appropriate spine pressing and page bundle pressing of the right and left pages can be always achieved.

The support plates 73, 74 and the spine pushing guide 75 can oscillate horizontally as indicated by the arrows in fig. 15. The upper cross member 71 is rotatable on the support 72. Thus, when the page is turned, the support plates 73 and 74 and the spine pressing guide 75 are kept in the most suitable posture according to the thickness of the left and right pages of the opened book.

In addition, the support plates 73, 74 are formed with ridges 73a, 74a (about 2 to 5mm in height) extending in the longitudinal direction. For example, when the sheet bundle pressing arm 70 is applied to a book with a soft cover, the ridges 73a, 74a swell the paper surface.

The sheet bundle pressing arm 70 presses the sheet bundle and the spine of the right and left pages directly from behind, so that the pressing plate, the page turning plate, the raising plate, and the assisting plate are easily brought into contact with the paper surface. This makes the paper surface rise more smoothly, and enables reliable page turning on a page-by-page basis.

Fig. 16 shows embodiment 4 of the present invention.

The 4 th embodiment enables the pressing plate to rotate in the front-rear direction.

As shown in fig. 16, the pressing plate 80 is coupled to the flap plate 83 via a support shaft 81. The pressing plate 80 and the page turning plate 83 are rotatable about the fulcrum shafts 81, respectively. A bar-shaped spring member 85 is bridged between the pressing plate 80 and the leaf turning plate 83. The end of the spring member 85 is bonded to the back surface of the pressing plate 80 and the leaf turning plate 83 in fig. 16. The pressing plate 80 and the page turning plate 83 are held by a spring member 85 in a planar connection.

When the thickness of the left and right pages of the opened book is different, the pressing plate 80 rotates in the front-rear direction of fig. 16 about the support shaft 81 according to the thickness of the left and right pages. Thus, the pressing force of the pressing plate 80 is not biased toward one page, and the pages of the left and right pages can be pressed with good balance. At this time, the page turning plate 83 is not rotated but is maintained in the original state. When the pressing plate 80 is separated from the paper surface, it is restored by the urging force of the spring member 85.

Fig. 17 and 18 show embodiment 5 of the present invention.

Embodiment 5 employs a rising plate movable in the vertical direction.

As shown in fig. 17, the reader 90 includes: a pressing plate 92, rising plates 93, 94, and a page turning plate 95. The standing plates 93, 94 are provided at the lower end of the opened book B. Long holes are formed in the rising plates 93 and 94. The rising plates 93 and 94 can move up and down in the longitudinal direction of these long holes. The pressing plate 92 and the page turning plate 95 are rotated about the shaft 92a, and have substantially the same configuration as that of the embodiment 1.

Shafts 93a, 94a are fixed directly below the opened book B. The long holes of the rising plates 93 and 94 are fitted to the shafts 93a and 94 a. The moving distance of the rising plates 93 and 94 is limited to the length of these long holes. Below the shafts 93a and 94a, a return spring, not shown, is provided for pulling the rising plates 93 and 94 downward.

Spacers 93b and 94b and spacers 93c and 94c made of urethane or the like are fixed to the upper end portions of the rising plates 93 and 94. These spacers 3b, 94b and spacers 93c, 94c press the lower end portion of the paper surface in cooperation with the lateral width of the opened book. When a book of a normal size is set in an open state, the outer blocks 93b and 94b are in contact with the paper surface, and when a book of a small size such as a book series version is set in an open state, the inner blocks 93c and 94c are in contact with the paper surface. In fig. 17, the spacers 93b and 94b are in contact with the lower end of the paper.

When the page is turned from right to left from the state of fig. 17, the rising plate 94 moves in the direction indicated by the arrow in fig. 17. Then, as shown in fig. 18, an upward shearing force is applied to the sheet by the pad 94b, and the upper end portion of the sheet is raised to form a gap between the page 1 and the page 2. The front end of the page turning plate 95 enters the gap, and the standing sheet is conveyed to the left page.

As described above, according to embodiment 5, a shear force is applied in the vertical direction of the paper surface, thereby generating an open space on the back surface side of the standing paper surface. Therefore, the page turning plate 95 is more likely to enter the back side of the paper. Further, since the page can be turned with a small deflection of the paper surface, the fold is less likely to be formed on the paper surface, and the page can be reliably turned repeatedly.

Fig. 19 shows embodiment 6 of the present invention.

Embodiment 6 is provided with a pressing plate at the upper and lower ends of an opened book.

As shown in fig. 19, the reading machine 100 is provided with a pressing plate 92 on the upper side of the page boundary and a pressing plate 96 on the lower side. The pressing plates 92 and 96 are rotatable by shafts 92a and 96 a. Page turning plates 95 and 97 are integrally formed on the opposite sides of the pressing plates 92 and 96 with the shafts 92a and 96a interposed therebetween. The page turning plates 95 and 97 are formed with pressing portions (pressing surfaces) 95c and 97c, respectively. That is, embodiment 6 is a structure in which the pressing plate and the page turning plate of embodiment 1 are provided so as to be vertically symmetrical and face each other.

When the right sheet is raised by the raising plate 94, the pressing plates 92 and 96 are rotated in opposite directions with a predetermined time difference as shown by arrows in fig. 19, and are separated from the sheet. The page turning plates 95 and 97 push the paper surface standing up and convey it to the left. On the other hand, when the left paper surface is raised by the raising plate 93, the raised paper surface is conveyed to the right side by the reverse operation described above.

According to embodiment 6, when the left and right pages are opened, the page surface of the page boundary portion is pressed by the pressing plates 92 and 96. At the time of turning the page, the page surfaces of the page boundary portions are pressed by the pressing portions 95c, 97c of the page turning plates 95, 97. That is, according to embodiment 6, since the page surfaces of the upper and lower edges of the page boundary portion can be constantly pressed from the start to the end of the page turning operation, the opened state of the left and right pages is more stable, reading is facilitated, and the page raising operation and the page turning operation can be reliably performed.

Fig. 20 to 22 show embodiment 7 of the present invention.

Embodiment 7 employs a slide member that causes the pressing plate and the rising plate to interlock with each other at a predetermined time difference.

As shown in fig. 20, the sliding member 110 is provided with the 1 st locking portions 102 and 103 and the 2 nd locking portions 104 and 105 in bilateral symmetry. When the slide member 110 is moved in the left-right direction by pushing or pulling the cable or the like, the 1 st locking portions 102 and 103 and the 2 nd locking portions 104 and 105 move integrally by a uniform distance.

On the lower end portions of the rising plates 93 and 94, 1 st receiving portions 106 and 107 are formed. The 1 st receiving portions 106 and 107 move up and down integrally with the rising plates 93 and 94. The 1 st receiving portions 106 and 107 are formed with inclined surfaces that can slide along the end surfaces of the 1 st locking portions 102 and 103.

A 2 nd receiving portion 108 is provided at an end portion on the opposite side of the pressing plate 96 with the shaft 96a interposed therebetween. The 2 nd receiving portion 108 rotates integrally with the pressing plate 96 around the shaft 96 a. In fig. 20 to 22, the leaf turning plate 97 (see fig. 19) which is rotatable integrally with the pressing plate 96 is omitted for the sake of convenience of description.

The initial position of the slide member 110 is set in advance so that a predetermined distance is maintained between the 1 st locking portions 102 and 103 and the 1 st receiving portions 106 and 107, and between the 2 nd locking portions 104 and 105 and the 2 nd receiving portion 108.

When the slide member 110 starts moving in the direction indicated by the arrow in fig. 20, first, the end surface of the 1 st locking portion 103 abuts on the inclined surface of the 1 st receiving portion 107, and the rising plate 94 is lifted upward (see fig. 21). Next, as shown in fig. 21, the 2 nd locking portion 104 abuts on the 2 nd receiving portion 108, and at this time, the pressing plate 96 starts to rotate in the arrow direction in fig. 21. When the slide member 110 further moves in the left-right direction, the rising plate 94 is further lifted upward by the 1 st locking portion 103 to reach the uppermost position, as shown in fig. 22.

When the slide member 110 moves from right to left, the rising plate 94 remains stationary from the state of fig. 20, the rising plate 93 is lifted upward, and the pressing plate 96 rotates in the direction opposite to the arrow of fig. 21.

According to embodiment 7, the slide member 110 is moved rightward or leftward by a predetermined distance, and the pressing plate 96 and the rising plates 93 and 94 are linked with each other at a predetermined time difference in accordance with the time of page turning. By unitizing the slide member 110, the pressing plate 96, and the rising plates 93 and 94, the size and weight of the reading machine can be easily reduced.

Fig. 23 shows embodiment 8 of the present invention.

Embodiment 8 employs a rotatable center retaining pin.

As shown in fig. 23, the rotating plate 121 is provided with a center holding pin 122 and a spine pressing plate 123. The center holding pin 122 and the spine pressing plate 123 stand upright with a predetermined interval in the radial direction of the rotating plate 121. The other structure is substantially the same as that of embodiment 1.

When a book is set in the reading machine 120, the book is opened to make the thicknesses of the left and right pages uniform, and in this state, the binding portion of the book is inserted between the center holding pin 122 and the spine pressing plate 123. At this time, the open side of the book holds the pin 122 toward the center, and the spine side presses the plate 123 toward the spine, sandwiching the binding of the book therebetween.

When the thicknesses of the left and right pages are different, the rotation plate 121 rotates about the shaft 121a to tilt the spine so that the heights of the pages of the left and right pages are equal.

Instead of the pin member, a flexible wire material such as a wire, a string, or a thread may be used as the center holding pin 122. Elastic wires such as rubber may also be used. If such a wire is used, the paper surface of the book is not damaged. Also, the center retaining pin 122 can be made movable in the front-rear direction. The center holding pin 122 may be returned to a predetermined position by biasing with a return spring.

While the embodiments 1 to 8 have been described above, the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to these, and various modifications may be made. For example, the shapes of the pressing plate, the raising plate, the page turning plate, the auxiliary plate, and the like are not limited to these, and may be appropriately changed as long as they have the same function.

The arrangement of the pressing plate, the raising plate, the page turning plate, and the auxiliary plate in the support frame may be reversed.

The rack-and-pinion system for driving the pressing plate, the raising plate, the page turning plate, and the auxiliary plate is merely an example of the driving mechanism.

In the above embodiment, the pressing plate and the page turning plate are configured to be integrally turned, but these may be separately formed.

In the above-described embodiment, the ends (blank portions) of the left and right pages are pressed by the pressing plate, the raising plate, and the auxiliary plate, but if these members are formed of a transparent material, they are not limited to the ends (blank portions) of the left and right pages, and may be pressed with characters. If the pressing plate is pressed against the central portion of the opened page, the holding state of the book is more stable.

The book used in the reading machine is not particularly limited, and various books such as a book of a series edition, a magazine, a comic, a photo album, and the like are exemplified.

The reading machine may be applied to a musical score for musical performance. For example, by making the cable system pedal-type, it is possible to turn pages of a music score or the like without using hands.

Industrial applicability

As described above, according to the reading machine of the present invention, the following advantageous effects can be obtained:

(a) since pages can be reliably turned by a simple operation, the burden on the reader is greatly reduced.

(b) The pages can be turned in a comfortable posture, so that the book is not easy to fatigue even if being read for a long time.

(c) It is not necessary to hold the book and it is useful for disabled to read the book.

(d) Can be manufactured by a simple combination of parts, and is easy to realize simplification, miniaturization and light weight.

Claims (6)

1. A reading machine is provided with: a support mechanism for supporting the book in an opened state;

a pressing mechanism for pressing the paper surfaces of the left and right pages at the page boundary part of the opened book;

a raising mechanism for raising the page surface by pressing the page surface at the end portions of the left and right pages and applying a shearing force to the page surface;

a page turning mechanism inserted into the back side of the raised paper surface to turn pages of the book;

a linkage mechanism for linking the pressing mechanism, the raising mechanism, and the page turning mechanism at a predetermined timing;

a remote control mechanism for transmitting a driving force to the link mechanism;

the pressing mechanism and the page turning mechanism are configured to rotate integrally, and a curved portion that is folded up to the front side and is placed on the paper surface is formed at a predetermined inclination angle at the tip end portion of the pressing mechanism and the page turning mechanism.

2. The reading machine according to claim 1, wherein the page turning mechanism is provided with a pressing portion for pressing the page surface of the 2 nd page in accordance with a page turning operation of the page surface of the 1 st page.

3. The reading machine according to claim 1, wherein a center holding mechanism for holding a binding portion of a book is provided, and the center holding mechanism comprises:

a center holding pin for supporting an opening side of a binding part of a book;

a spine pushing plate for supporting a spine side of a binding part of a book;

and a rotation plate which rotates while holding the center holding pin and the spine pressing plate at a predetermined interval, and tilts the spine so that the page heights of the right and left pages are equalized.

4. The reading machine according to claim 1, wherein a sheet bundle pressing mechanism for supporting the sheet bundle of the left and right pages of the opened book from the rear is provided, and the sheet bundle pressing mechanism is a seesaw type mechanism which is freely inclined in accordance with the thickness of the left and right pages.

5. The reading machine according to claim 1,

the remote control mechanism is a push-pull cable in which an inner cable is slidably inserted into an outer tube, and drives the linkage mechanism by driving the inner cable by a pushing operation or a pulling operation by hand.

6. The reading apparatus according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, wherein a motor drive is provided in place of the remote control.