JP2006030266A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a recording paper take-out property and a jam handling property before and after the apparatus in an image forming apparatus in which the feeding and conveying directions of the recording paper are the apparatus front-rear direction and the scanning direction of the original of the flat bed scanner unit is the apparatus left-right direction. To improve.
In an image forming apparatus in which the recording paper is fed and conveyed in the front-rear direction of the apparatus and the scanning direction of the original of the flatbed scanner section is the left-right direction of the apparatus, one side of the reader unit and the printer unit in the front-rear direction In fixing at two places, the front-rear width y of the two places on one side of the fixed part is set to be equal to or less than half of the original table glass width x within the projection range of the original table glass width x.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a facsimile machine, and an MFP.

  Description will be made by taking an MFP having a laser printer as an example of a conventional multifunction peripheral having a printer and a document reading unit.

  Conventionally, an MFP (Multi Function Printer), which is this type of multi-function machine, is configured as follows.

  A recording sheet placed in a cassette is fed to the lower part of the apparatus, an image is formed by a laser printer, the image is fixed on the recording sheet by a fixing unit, and then discharged and stacked outside the apparatus. The printer unit is arranged.

  Further, above the printer unit, a flat bed scanner unit that reads a document placed on a document table surface by scanning with a reading unit is included.

  In recent years, products with a single printer function have a mainstream layout in which the recording paper is fed and conveyed in the front-rear direction of the apparatus. MFPs are diverted to single-function printer products, and products that have a flatbed scanner unit on top of single-function printer products are the mainstream. The transport direction is the front-rear direction of the apparatus. On the other hand, in the flatbed scanner section, the scanning direction of the original is the left-right direction of the apparatus as in the conventional copying machine, that is, the layout in which the feeding and conveying directions of the recording paper and the scanning direction of the original are orthogonal is the mainstream. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).

  As an example, in the conventional configuration, as shown in FIG. 6, the fixed width Y1 in the front-rear direction of the reader unit and the printer unit is larger than the width X1 of the platen glass, and is outside the projection of the platen glass. It was.

Further, as shown in FIG. 7, even when the fixed width Y2 in the front-rear direction of the reader unit and the printer unit is smaller than the width X2 of the document table glass, the reader unit and the printer unit are fixed at positions outside the projection of the document table glass.
JP 2004-137070 A

(1) In FIG. 6, since the fixed width Y1 in the front-rear direction of the reader unit and the printer unit is larger than the width X1 of the platen glass, a space for inserting the front and rear hands cannot be secured, the visibility is poor, and from the front In this case, it was very difficult to take out the recording paper (D direction) and jam from the back (F direction). Further, in order to take out the recording paper, a hand must be put in the gap between the reader and the printer. Therefore, it is necessary to make a gap between the reader and the printer large, and the height of the device is increased, which increases the size of the device and deteriorates the operability of the operation unit and the reader unit accompanying the height increase.
(2) In the case of the configuration as shown in FIG. 7, the access to the recording paper from the front side (J direction) is good, but there is a drawback that the jam handling property (H direction) afterwards is deteriorated.

  A typical configuration of the present invention for solving the above-described problems is a printer unit that records an image while conveying recording paper in the front-rear direction of the apparatus, and is provided on the upper part of the printer unit and placed on a platen glass. In the image forming apparatus having a reader unit for reading an image of the original and an operation unit provided at substantially the same height as the reader unit, the printer unit moves the recording paper after image recording to the front side of the apparatus. A first discharge port that can discharge the recording paper and a second discharge port that can discharge the recording paper after image formation in the depth direction of the apparatus, and opens and closes the conveyance path for conveying the recording paper on which the image is formed. The user can select whether or not the recording paper is discharged to any one of the discharge ports by opening and closing the tray for the user, and the first discharge port is provided at an upper portion of the printer unit. Is selected when the first paper outlet is selected. When the recording sheet is stacked on the upper surface of the printer unit and below the reader unit, the second discharge port is provided on the back side of the printer unit, and the second discharge port is selected Is capable of processing the recording paper, that is, the recording paper from the back side when the tray is opened and the transport path is opened. Is supported by reader support portions provided at the left and right ends of the printer portion, and the reader support portion includes a fixing portion for fixing the reader portion, and the fixing portion is provided within a width in the front-rear direction of the document table glass. In addition, the width of the fixed portion in the front-rear direction is not more than half of the width in the front-rear direction of the platen glass.

  The position of the reader fixed to the recording unit is within the projection of the platen glass in the front-rear direction of the apparatus, and by setting it to less than half the width of the exposed part of the platen glass (original set width), Space to enter can be secured, and accessibility from either side of the device is dramatically improved.

  First, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 5 by exemplifying a multifunctional multifunction peripheral (hereinafter referred to as MFP) having both a printer function and a copy function for reading and copying a book document. Here, FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the MFP according to the present invention as viewed obliquely from the right side, and shows an outline of the entire apparatus. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus as seen from the left side of the MFP. FIG. 3 is a front view of the apparatus when the MFP is viewed from the front of the apparatus. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the MFP as viewed from the right rear side.

(Overall description)
An outline of the entire MFP will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 5, reference numeral 100 denotes an image forming apparatus main body, and the A direction is the front side of the apparatus. A reader unit 1010 is provided on the upper portion of the image forming apparatus main body 100. The reader unit 1010 includes a flat bed scanner 101. The flat bed scanner 101 scans and reads the document B placed on the surface of the document table glass 101a in the C direction which is the device width direction of the apparatus. Reference numeral 102 denotes a pressure plate that can be opened and closed by the user up and down, and presses the document B placed on the document table glass 101a. Reference numeral 101b denotes a reading unit. In this embodiment, a CCD box incorporating a reduction optical system using a CCD is used.

  A recording device unit (printer unit) 104 is a laser beam printer.

  Reference numeral 112 denotes a cassette paper feeding unit in which recording paper P is stored. A separation roller 112 a separates one recording sheet P from the cassette sheet feeding unit and separates and conveys the recording sheet P to the image forming unit 111.

  Reference numeral 113 denotes a manual paper feed unit, and reference numeral 113 a denotes a paper feed roller that transports the recording paper P inserted into the manual paper feed port 113 b and transports it to the image forming unit 111.

  The paper feed roller 113 a also serves to feed the recording paper P conveyed from the cassette paper feed unit to the image forming unit 111.

  Reference numeral 110 denotes a laser scanner, 111 denotes an image forming unit, and 111a denotes a toner cartridge. Inside the toner cartridge 111a, a photosensitive drum 111c, a charging unit (not shown), a developing unit, a cleaning unit, and toner are stored in an integrated container. Has been. Reference numeral 111b denotes a transfer roller. Here, the toner is transferred onto the recording paper while the recording paper is conveyed between the photosensitive drum 111c and the transfer roller 111b.

  A fixing unit 114 heats and fixes the toner transferred onto the recording paper by the image forming unit 111.

  Reference numeral 115 denotes a pair of paper discharge rollers for discharging the recording paper fixed at 114 to a face-down paper discharge tray described later.

  Reference numeral 116 denotes a face-down discharge tray (referred to as an FD discharge tray) that discharges the recording paper P with the image side down.

  Reference numeral 117 denotes a face-up discharge tray (FU discharge tray) on which the recording sheet P discharged after recording is stacked with the image side up. The FU paper discharge tray is closed as shown in the figure when paper is discharged from the FD paper discharge unit. When FU paper is discharged, the FU paper discharge tray is opened at the position 117 'as indicated by the broken line to discharge the FU paper. Is. The FU paper discharge tray is a guide for guiding the recording paper to the FD discharge port, and is also a jam processing cover for opening the conveyance path when a jam occurs in the FD paper discharge. It is possible to perform jam processing on the conveyance path by rotating the FD paper discharge tray 117 to the position 117 '.

  With the above configuration, the recording apparatus unit 104 is configured to feed the recording paper P, form an image, and discharge the paper by transporting the recording paper P in the front-rear direction (E direction) of the apparatus.

  That is, as shown in FIG. 3, the scanning of the original is scanned in the longitudinal direction (E direction) of the apparatus as shown in FIG. 2 with respect to the width direction (C direction) of the apparatus. The direction and the conveyance direction of the recording paper are orthogonal to each other.

  An operation unit 105 includes a display unit, input keys, and the like. The operation unit 105 is provided on the front side of the apparatus and is configured so that a user can operate from the front side of the apparatus. Reference numeral 105a denotes an electric board of the operation unit, which is provided with a key switch and an LCD display unit.

  Reference numeral 120 denotes an electrical component provided with an electric substrate, which controls the whole.

  Next, details and operations of each unit will be described.

(Flatbed scanner part)
First, the detailed configuration and operation of the flat bed scanner unit 101 will be described.

  The flatbed scanner unit 101 is provided with an original table glass 101a on which an original is placed. A white background portion (not shown) serving as a white reference for reading a document is provided below the platen glass 101a, and a CCD box 101b with a built-in CCD waits under the white background portion and reads the white background portion before reading the document. Electrical correction is performed by reading.

  The pressure plate 102 is provided with a center of rotation (hereinafter referred to as a hinge) on the back side of the apparatus, and is configured to be swingable so that the pressure plate 102 can be opened at a predetermined angle above the apparatus. The document is placed on the surface of the table glass 101a.

  The CCD box 101b drives the CCD box 101b in the sub-scanning direction (C direction) of the document by a driving motor (not shown) (not shown).

  When reading the document B with the above configuration, the image of the document B is read by reading the surface of the document B while moving the CCD box 101b from the left direction of the apparatus to the right direction by the reading scanning motor.

(Recording unit)
Next, a detailed configuration and operation of the recording apparatus unit will be described.

  The conveyance direction of the recording paper P is indicated by an arrow G in FIG. Here, the cassette paper feeding unit 112 is disposed at the bottom of the recording device unit 104. The sheet material P stacked on the paper feed cassette 112b is separated and conveyed one by one by the separation roller 112a, further conveyed by a conveyance roller (not shown), and sent to the image forming unit 111.

  Here, the paper feeding cassette 112b can be set in front of the apparatus (jame A) and pulled out in front of the apparatus to perform recording paper jamming.

  Reference numeral 113 denotes a manual sheet feeder, which is disposed on the front surface of the apparatus. The recording paper P inserted into the manual paper feed port is transported by the paper feed roller 113 a and sent to the image forming unit 111.

  Here, the setting of the recording paper in the manual paper feed port can be performed from the front side of the apparatus.

  The recording paper P fed from the cassette paper feeding unit 112 or the manual paper feeding unit 113 to the paper feeding roller 113a is fed to the image forming unit 111 by the paper feeding roller 113a and is conveyed between the transfer roller 111b and the photosensitive drum 111c. Is done.

  The recording device unit 104 emits image light from the laser scanner 110 based on the image signal output from the recording control board 119, and irradiates the photoconductor drum 111 c of the image forming unit 111 with the image light, thereby the photoconductor drum. An electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of 111c, the electrostatic latent image is converted into a toner image by a developing unit, and the toner image is transferred to the recording paper P fed to the image forming unit 111.

  The photosensitive drum 111 c is integrally incorporated in the toner cartridge 111 a together with the charging unit, the developing unit, and the cleaning unit, and is configured to be detachable from the recording apparatus main body 104. Here, a cover 118 (hereinafter referred to as a cartridge cover) that can be opened and closed by a user is provided on the front surface of the image forming unit 111, and a recording paper jam occurs in the image forming unit 111 when the toner cartridge 111 a is replaced. In this case, the toner cartridge 111a can be attached to and detached from the front of the apparatus by opening the cartridge cover 118 from the front of the apparatus to the position 118 '.

  A transfer roller 111b is disposed below the photoconductive drum 111c of the image forming unit 111, and a heat fixing device 114 is disposed on a conveyance path downstream of the photoconductive drum 111c.

  After the toner image formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 111c is transferred by the transfer roller 111b, the recording paper P is transported along the recording transport unit, and the toner image is fixed by the thermal fixing device 114. The fixed recording paper P is further conveyed, discharged by the discharge roller pair 115 to the outside of the apparatus through the FD discharge port 115a which is the first discharge port, and stacked on the FD discharge tray 116.

  The loading position is a position where the front end of the recording paper can be taken out from the front of the apparatus by the user.

  As described above, all operations such as placing the document on the glass surface, taking out the recording paper, pulling out the recording paper cassette, setting the recording paper into the manual paper feed unit, taking out the toner cartridge, and operating the operation unit are all directed toward the front of the apparatus. It is possible to carry out from the beginning, and good operability is realized.

  On the other hand, when jam processing occurs in the conveyance path near the FD cover 117, it is possible to perform jam processing of recording paper from the back side by rotating the FD cover to 117 '.

  Further, in the case of thick paper or the like, when FU is discharged, the FD cover 117 is opened to the position 117 'and discharged from the FD discharge port 117a which is the second discharge port. The recording paper discharged from the FU is taken out from the back side.

(Explanation of Configuration Characterizing the Present Invention)
Next, a configuration that characterizes the present invention will be described.

  In the present embodiment, as shown in the front view of FIG. 3, the reader unit 1010 is placed above the recording device unit 104 by a pair of reader support units S provided at the left and right ends of the FD discharge tray 116 that is a stacking unit. It is supported. That is, the FD paper discharge tray 116 for discharging the recording paper is provided between the reader unit 1010 and the recording device unit 104 at a position sandwiched by the reader support unit S.

  FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration in which the reader unit 1010 is supported by the reader support unit S that supports the reader unit 1010. As shown in FIG. 1, the reader unit 1010 is fixed to the upper part of the recording device unit 104 by an apparatus front side fixing unit 10 and an apparatus rear side fixing unit 11. Here, the width of the fixing unit in the front-rear direction of the apparatus is provided within the width of the original table glass 101a in the front-rear direction, and the width of the fixing unit in the front-rear direction is equal to or less than half the width of the original table glass 101a. It is configured as follows. In the present embodiment, the fixing width y between the front side fixing unit 10 and the rear side fixing unit 11 in the fixing of the reader unit 1010 and the recording apparatus unit 104 in the front-rear direction is the same as that of the original table glass exposure unit 12 of the original table glass 101a. The width x is less than half of the width x. In the present embodiment, the width x of the document table glass exposed portion 12 in the front-rear direction of the apparatus is 222 mm, and the fixed width of the fixing portions 10, 11 in the front-rear direction of the apparatus is 105.5 mm. The document table glass exposed portion 12 is a portion where the document table glass 101a is exposed when the pressure plate 102 is opened. These two fixing portions are configured to be within the projection of the original platen glass exposed portion.

  The configuration for fixing the reader unit 1010 is symmetrical to the left and right as viewed from the front of the apparatus. The reader support unit on the right side of the image forming apparatus main body has been described with reference to FIG. The same configuration is also applied to.

  As a result, a space 50 on the front side of the apparatus can be secured and the take-out property of the loaded recording paper from the front side is improved. Further, since the rear space 51 of the apparatus can be secured, access to the rear second discharge port on the rear side of the apparatus and the jam handling property of the rear part are improved. The accessibility from the front and rear is improved, and the usability of the entire apparatus is dramatically improved. That is, as described above, the recording paper discharged to the FD paper discharge tray 116 is taken out from the front side of the apparatus, and when the FD cover 117 is opened to perform jam processing or the recording paper is discharged onto the FD cover 117. In this case, the recording paper is taken out from the back side of the apparatus, but the front side space 50 and the rear side space 51 of the apparatus are secured by reducing the fixed width of the reader unit 1010 in the front-rear direction of the apparatus. Both access to the recording paper from the front and access to the recording paper from the rear are facilitated.

  Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 3, the recording paper take-out space 52 can be secured by forming the lower portion of the reader unit 1010 into the concave shape 13. With such a configuration, the recording paper take-out property can be ensured without increasing the height of the image forming apparatus main body 100, and the entire apparatus can be downsized.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a support unit when the MFP according to the embodiment of the present invention is viewed from the right side. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an MFP according to an embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the left side. 1 is a front view of an MFP according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a perspective view of an MFP according to an embodiment of the present invention when viewed from the right front side of the apparatus. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the MFP according to the embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the rear right side of the apparatus. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an MFP according to the background art of the present invention as viewed from the left side. The side view which looked at MFP which concerns on the background art of this invention from the right side.

Explanation of symbols

B Document P Recording paper 10 Device front side fixing unit 11 Device rear side fixing unit 12 Document platen glass exposed portion 13 Leader lower recess 14 Support member 50 Device front side space 51 Device rear side space 52 Recording paper takeout space 100 Image forming apparatus main body DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 101 Flat bed scanner 101a Original stand glass 101b Reading sensor 101b CCD box 101c Original abutting part 102 Pressure plate 103e Reading scanning motor 104 Recording device part 105 Operation part 105a Electric board 110 Laser scanner 111 Image formation part 111a Toner cartridge 111b Transfer roller 111c Photosensitive Drum 112 Cassette paper feed unit 112a Separating roller 112b Paper feed cassette 113 Manual paper feed unit 113a Paper feed roller 113b Manual paper feed port 114 Thermal fixing device 115 Paper discharge roller pair 116 FD Paper tray 117 FU sheet discharge tray 117 'FU discharge tray open position 118 the cartridge cover 118' cartridge cover open position

Claims (5)

A printer unit for recording an image while conveying recording paper in the longitudinal direction of the apparatus;
A reader unit provided at the upper part of the printer unit for reading an image of a document placed on a platen glass;
In an image forming apparatus having an operation unit provided at substantially the same height as the reader unit,
The printer unit has a first discharge port that can discharge the recording paper after image recording in the front direction of the apparatus, and a second discharge port that can discharge the recording paper after image formation in the back direction of the apparatus, The user can select whether or not to discharge the recording paper to any one of the discharge ports by opening and closing a tray for opening and closing a conveyance path for conveying the recording paper on which the image is formed. Is provided at the top of the printer unit, and when the user selects the first paper discharge port, the discharged recording paper is stacked on the upper surface of the printer unit and below the reader unit. The second discharge port is provided on the back side of the printer unit. When the second discharge port is selected, the recording paper is discharged in the rear direction of the apparatus, and the tray is opened. When the transport path is opened, the recording paper, that is, the paper is processed from the back side. It is possible,
The reader unit is supported by reader support units provided at the left and right ends of the printer unit,
The reader support portion includes a fixing portion that fixes the reader portion, the fixing portion is provided within a width in the front-rear direction of the original table glass, and a width in the front-rear direction of the original table glass is that of the original table glass. An image forming apparatus characterized in that the width is less than half of the width in the front-rear direction.   2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a front side space is provided between the reader unit and the printer unit on the front side of the device.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a rear space of the apparatus is provided between the reader unit and the printer unit on the rear side of the apparatus.   4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a lower surface of the reader unit on the front side of the apparatus has a concave shape that is substantially the width of the paper. 5. An image forming unit that forms an image on recording paper, a conveyance path that guides a sheet on which an image is formed by the image forming unit, a discharge port that discharges the recording paper guided by the conveyance path, and the conveyance path A printer section for recording an image on the recording paper while conveying the recording paper in the front-rear direction of the apparatus, and a document. A reader unit provided at the top of the printer unit for reading an image of a document placed on the platen glass with a table glass;
A stacking unit that is located above the printer unit and below the reader unit and stacks recording paper discharged from the discharge port;
A pair of reader support portions provided on both ends of the stacking portion in a direction intersecting the discharge direction, and for supporting the reader portion;
The pair of reader support members includes a fixing portion for fixing the reader portion, the fixing portion is provided within the width in the front-rear direction of the document table glass, and the width of the fixing portion in the front-rear direction is An image forming apparatus characterized in that it is less than half of the width in the front-rear direction of the platen glass.

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