Image forming apparatus

Abstract

To provide an image forming apparatus that allows attachment of instructions with a magnet at a position where an operator can easily see the instructions.SOLUTION: An image forming apparatus 101 having an image forming unit forming an image on a recording medium comprises: a top face cover 1101 that is provided on a top face of the image forming apparatus in the vertical direction and forms at least part of the appearance of the image forming apparatus; a front door 1103 that is provided on the front of the image forming apparatus in the fore-and-aft direction and forms at least part of the appearance of the image forming apparatus; and a ferromagnetic substance cover 1100 that is provided on the front of the image forming apparatus in the fore-and-aft direction and above the front door in the vertical direction and forms at least part of the appearance of the image forming apparatus. The front door includes resin material and the ferromagnetic substance cover includes ferromagnetic substance material.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

Technical Field

[0005]

[0001] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus having a cover.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, electrophotographic digital multifunction printers have been widely used mainly for office work as multifunction printers having multiple functions such as document reading, printing, and facsimile. On the other hand, recently, due to reasons such as an increase in small-volume and multi-variety printing, the use of digital multifunction printers in commercial printing has also increased. These digital multifunction printers have been developed for commercial printing by adding functions to those originally designed for office use. Therefore, the original digital multifunction printers generally had resin as their device exterior for the purpose of weight reduction and cost reduction (Patent Document ).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In commercial printing, there are many cases where small-volume and multi-variety products are printed. Specifically, for each printing job, the type of paper, paper size, presence or absence of post-processing, etc. are different and complicated. Therefore, it is important to post the specification, caution, work memo, etc. of the printing job in a place visible to the operator (user) who operates the image forming apparatus so that the operator can recognize them without mistake.

[0005] To prevent misunderstandings regarding the content of print jobs, it is possible to use bulletin boards such as whiteboards. However, considering the space and cost of installing bulletin boards, their use is often difficult. Therefore, conventionally, print job specifications, warnings, and work memos have been attached to the device itself using adhesive tape. Depending on the shape of the device, it may not be possible to secure a place to attach them that is easily visible and does not interfere with work, and work memos may be attached with adhesive tape to areas with poor visibility, such as the bottom of the device. However, attaching work memos to the device itself with adhesive tape presents challenges in terms of workability and appearance, such as the difficulty of changing the work memos and the residue of adhesive left on the exterior surface after removing the tape.

[0006] Therefore, the present invention provides an image forming apparatus that allows instructions to be attached with a magnet in a position easily visible to the operator. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] According to one embodiment of the present invention, an image forming apparatus having an image forming unit that forms an image on a recording medium is An upper cover provided on the upper surface of the image forming apparatus in the vertical direction, which constitutes at least a part of the external appearance of the image forming apparatus, A first cover is provided on the front of the image forming apparatus in the front-to-back direction and constitutes at least a part of the external appearance of the image forming apparatus, The front surface of the image forming apparatus in the front-to-back direction, the second cover which is provided above the first cover in the vertical direction and which constitutes at least a part of the external appearance of the image forming apparatus, Equipped with, The first cover includes a resin material, The second cover is characterized by containing a ferromagnetic material. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, instructions can be attached with a magnet to a position that is easily visible to the worker. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] Perspective view of an image forming system. [Figure 2] Cross-sectional view of an image forming system. [Figure 3] Cross-sectional view of the image forming unit. [Figure 4] Cross-sectional view of the fixing and transport section. [Figure 5] A perspective view of the top of the image forming apparatus. [Figure 6] A perspective view of the image forming unit with the toner bottle replacement door and the toner splash prevention door open. [Figure 7] Cross-sectional view of the ferromagnetic cover attached to the top cover. [Figure 8] A diagram showing a ferromagnetic cover according to the second embodiment. [Figure 9] A diagram showing a ferromagnetic cover according to the third embodiment. [Figure 10] A figure showing a ferromagnetic cover according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 11] Cross-sectional view of an image forming apparatus in another embodiment. [Figure 12] A perspective view of an image forming apparatus in another embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. The embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 1, the front side of the image forming apparatus 101 is designated as the front direction F, the back side as the rear direction B, the left side as the left direction L, the right side as the right direction R, the upper side as the upward direction U, and the lower side as the downward direction D. However, the dimensions, materials, shapes, and relative arrangements of the components described in this embodiment should be appropriately modified depending on the configuration and various conditions of the apparatus to which the present invention is applied, and the scope of the present invention is not intended to be limited to these. [Examples]

[0011] (Image forming system) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an image forming system 100. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the image forming system 100. The image forming system 100 includes an image forming apparatus 101, a high-capacity feeder 107, and a sensing device 108. The image forming apparatus 101 includes an image forming unit 102 and a fixing and conveying unit (fixing unit) 103. The image forming unit 102 forms a toner image on a recording medium (hereinafter referred to as a sheet) S fed from the high-capacity feeder (feeder) 107. The fixing and conveying unit 103 fixes the toner image formed by the image forming unit 102 on the sheet S. The image forming unit 102 and the fixing and conveying unit 103 are each composed of an independent housing. With this configuration, even if the image forming apparatus 101 is large, it is possible to perform packing and transportation in a separated state for each housing. Thereby, the workability in the logistics from the shipment to the installation of the large image forming apparatus 101 is improved.

[0012] An operation unit 104 used for an operator to operate the image forming apparatus 101 is provided above the fixing and conveying unit 103. The operation unit 104 can be freely changed in its arrangement on the upper surface of the image forming system 100. For example, it can be arranged at a desired position of the user, such as a configuration arranged on the upper surface of the image forming unit 102 as shown in FIG. 5. Above the image forming unit 102, an original document reading device 105 and an automatic document feeder 106 are provided. The automatic document feeder 106 feeds the original documents one by one from the stacked original document bundle to the original document reading device 105. The original document reading device 105 reads an image of the original document fed by the automatic document feeder 106 or an image of the original document placed on a platen glass (not shown). The original document reading device 105 and the automatic document feeder 106 are selectively connected to the image forming unit 102 as an option.

[0013] The high-capacity feeder 107 is arranged upstream of the image forming unit 102 in the sheet conveyance direction. The high-capacity feeder 107 has a plurality of sheet storage units. Instead of the high-capacity feeder 107, a manual feeder (not shown) or a long-sheet feeder (not shown) capable of accommodating long sheets may be selectively connected to the image forming unit 102. Also, another high-capacity feeder (not shown), a manual feeder (not shown), or a long-sheet feeder may be selectively connected in series upstream of the high-capacity feeder 107.

[0014] The sensing device 108 is arranged downstream of the fixing conveyance unit 103 in the sheet conveyance direction. The image forming system 100 does not necessarily have the sensing device 108, and the sensing device 108 is selectively connected to the fixing conveyance unit 103. Therefore, the sheet on which an image is formed by the image forming device 101 is discharged to the sensing device 108 when the sensing device 108 is connected. The sheet on which an image is formed by the image forming device 101 is discharged to the outside of the image forming device 101 from a discharge tray (not shown) provided in the image forming device 101 or a finisher connected to the image forming device 101 when the sensing device 108 is not connected.

[0015] The sensing device 108 reads the image formed on one or both sides of the sheet S and detects the deviation of the image density and the image position. The sensing device 108 performs feedback correction on the image signal transmitted to the image forming unit 102 based on the detected image density and the deviation of the image position. One or a combination of one or more post-processing devices (not shown) such as an inserter, a puncher, a bookbinding machine, a high-capacity stacker, a folding machine, a finisher, and a trimmer are selectively connected downstream of the fixing conveyance unit 103 or the sensing device 108 in the image forming system 100. When such a post-processing device is connected, the sheet on which an image is formed by the image forming device 101 is discharged to a discharge tray or the like provided in the post-processing device.

[0016] As described above, the image forming apparatus 101 of this embodiment can output inline products with various post-processing treatments applied to various sheets by selectively connecting various optional devices. This makes it possible to provide an image forming system 100 that excels in high productivity, high image quality, high stability, and high functionality.

[0017] (Image forming unit) The image forming unit 102 in the image forming apparatus 101 of this embodiment will be explained using Figure 3. Figure 3(a) is a cross-sectional view of the image forming unit 102. The image forming unit 102 includes a yellow imaging station 200Y, a magenta imaging station 200M, a cyan imaging station 200C, and a black imaging station 200K as image forming units. The image forming unit 102 also includes laser scanners 203Y, 203M, 203C, 203K, toner bottles (toner containers) 205Y, 205M, 205C, 205K, and toner supply paths 206Y, 206M, 206C, 206K. The subscripts Y, M, C, and K in the reference numerals indicate yellow, magenta, cyan, and black, respectively. In the following description, the subscripts Y, M, C, and K may be omitted unless particularly necessary. Furthermore, the image forming unit 102 includes primary transfer rollers 207Y, 207M, 207C, 207K, an intermediate transfer belt 208, a toner recovery path 210, a recovered toner container 211, and a sheet storage unit 212. In addition, the image forming unit 102 also includes a registration roller 213, a secondary transfer inner roller 214, a secondary transfer outer roller 215, an intermediate transfer belt cleaner 216, a pre-fixing transport belt 217, and a primary transfer auxiliary roller 218. The nip portion between the secondary transfer inner roller 214 and the secondary transfer outer roller 215 forms the secondary transfer unit ST.

[0018] The yellow image station 200Y forms a yellow (Y) toner image. The magenta image station 200M forms a magenta (M) toner image. The cyan image station 200C forms a cyan (C) toner image. The yellow image station 200Y, magenta image station 200M, and cyan image station 200C have similar structures. Figure 3(b) shows the yellow image station 200Y. In Figure 3(b), the reference numerals indicating the structure of the magenta image station 200M and the cyan image station 200C are shown in parentheses. The yellow image station 200Y (200M, 200C) has a photosensitive drum 201Y (201M, 201C). The photosensitive drum 201Y (201M, 201C) is surrounded by a primary charger 202Y (202M, 202C), a developer 204Y (204M, 204C), and a photosensitive drum cleaner 209Y (209M, 209C). The primary charger 202Y (202M, 202C) is a charging roller.

[0019] Figure 3(c) shows the black imaging station 200K. The black imaging station 200K forms a black (K) toner image. The black imaging station 200K has a photosensitive drum 201K. Around the photosensitive drum 201K are a primary charger 202K, a developer 204K, a pre-transfer charger 219, and a photosensitive drum cleaner 209K. The primary charger 202K is a corona charger.

[0020] (Image formation process) The image formation process in the yellow image station 200Y, magenta image station 200M, cyan image station 200C, and black image station 200K is almost identical except for the toner color. The image formation process in the yellow image station 200Y is described below. Referring to Figure 3(b), the surface of the photosensitive drum 201Y in the yellow image station 200Y is uniformly charged by the primary charger 202Y. Referring to Figure 3(a), the laser scanner 203Y emits laser light to the photosensitive drum 201Y according to the image data, forming an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photosensitive drum 201Y. The developer 204Y develops the electrostatic latent image with yellow toner, forming a yellow toner image on the surface of the photosensitive drum 201Y. When the toner in the developer 204Y is consumed by development, yellow toner is supplied to the developer 204Y from the toner bottle 205Y via the toner supply path 206Y as needed. The toner image on the surface of the photosensitive drum 201Y is transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 208 by the primary transfer roller 207Y, which applies a predetermined pressure and electrostatic load bias. After transfer, any small amount of toner remaining on the photosensitive drum 201Y is removed by the photosensitive drum cleaner 209Y. The toner removed by the photosensitive drum cleaner 209Y is collected into the toner recovery container 211 via the toner recovery path 210.

[0021] Similarly, magenta toner images, cyan toner images, and black toner images are formed by the magenta imaging station 200M, cyan imaging station 200C, and black imaging station 200K. The magenta toner images, cyan toner images, and black toner images are sequentially transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 208, and the four toner images are superimposed on the intermediate transfer belt 208.

[0022] Meanwhile, sheets S are fed one by one from the sheet storage section 212 of the image forming unit 102 or the large-capacity feeding device 107 and transported to the registration roller 213. The leading edge of sheet S contacts the nip of the stopped registration roller 213, forming a loop in sheet S and correcting the skew of sheet S. Subsequently, the registration roller 213 starts rotating so that the leading edge of the toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 208 and the leading edge of sheet S coincide at the secondary transfer unit ST, transporting sheet S to the secondary transfer unit ST. The toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 208 is transferred to sheet S by the secondary transfer unit ST with a predetermined pressure and electrostatic load bias applied. After transfer, any small amount of toner remaining on the intermediate transfer belt 208 is removed by the intermediate transfer belt cleaner 216. The toner removed by the intermediate transfer belt cleaner 216 is collected in the toner recovery container 211 via the toner recovery path 210. The sheet S onto which the toner image has been transferred is transported to the fixing transport unit 103 by the pre-fixing transport belt 217.

[0023] (Fixing and transport section) Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the fixing and transport unit 103. The fixing and transport unit 103 includes a fuser 301, a cooler 302, a heat sink 303, an discharge transport path 304, an discharge inversion unit 305, a double-sided inversion unit 306, and a double-sided transport path 307. The fuser 301 fixes the toner image on the sheet S, which is transported from the image forming unit 102, by heating and pressurizing the toner image on the sheet S. The sheet S, heated by the fuser 301, is cooled by the heat absorption of the heat sink 303 located inside the cooler 302. The sheet S is discharged to the sensing device 108 via the discharge transport path 304. When discharging the sheet S with its front and back sides reversed, the sheet S is switched back in the discharge inversion unit 305, the leading and trailing ends of the sheet S are swapped, and the sheet S is discharged via the discharge transport path 304 with its front and back sides reversed.

[0024] Furthermore, when forming images on both sides of sheet S, the sheet S with the image formed on the first side is switched back in the double-sided reversal unit 306, swapping the front and rear ends of sheet S, and the sheet S is transported to the double-sided transport path 307 with its front and back sides reversed. After that, sheet S is transported to the registration roller 213 in sequence with subsequent sheets supplied from the sheet storage unit 212 of the image forming unit 102 or the large-capacity feeding device 107. Then, an image is formed on the second side of sheet S using the same image forming process as the first side, and sheet S is discharged via the discharge transport path 304.

[0025] (Black and white image formation) As described above, the image forming apparatus 101 of this embodiment forms a full-color image using a yellow image station 200Y, a magenta image station 200M, a cyan image station 200C, and a black image station 200K. Furthermore, the image forming apparatus 101 can form a black and white image using only the black image station 200K. When forming a black and white image, the primary transfer rollers 207Y, 207M, 207C, the primary transfer auxiliary roller 218, and the intermediate transfer belt 208 are moved to the positions indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 3(a) by a separation mechanism (not shown). The rotational drive of the yellow image station 200Y, magenta image station 200M, and cyan image station 200C, which have been separated from the intermediate transfer belt 208, is stopped. In other words, in the yellow imaging station 200Y, magenta imaging station 200M, and cyan imaging station 200C, unnecessary wear of components due to unnecessary rotational drive can be prevented, thereby extending the lifespan of the components.

[0026] The black photosensitive drum 201K has a larger diameter than the yellow, magenta, and cyan photosensitive drums 201Y, 201M, and 201C, resulting in a longer lifespan. Furthermore, the black primary charger 202K is a non-contact corona charger, offering a longer lifespan than the contact-type charging rollers of the yellow, magenta, and cyan primary chargers 202Y, 202M, and 202C. The black toner bottle 205K has a larger capacity than the yellow, magenta, and cyan toner bottles 205Y, 205M, and 205C, making it suitable for extended lifespan. For applications requiring frequent use of black and white image formation, the maintenance interval for the frequently used black imaging station 200K can be shortened. However, this configuration prevents the maintenance interval of the black image station 200K from becoming shorter compared to the less frequently used yellow image station 200Y, magenta image station 200M, and cyan image station 200C.

[0027] Furthermore, the black image station 200K employs a large-diameter drum configuration using a corona charger as the primary charger 202K. Compared to the small-diameter drum configuration using charging rollers as the primary chargers 202Y, 202M, and 202C, the black image station 200K has a wider charging width and is more suitable for high-speed operation. Therefore, the black image station 200K can improve the productivity of the image forming unit 102 during black and white image formation.

[0028] The yellow imaging station 200Y, magenta imaging station 200M, and cyan imaging station 200C have different shapes from the black imaging station 200K, resulting in differences in the amount of wear on their components. Therefore, differences in toner charge may occur between the photosensitive drums 201Y, 201M, and 201C and the photosensitive drum 201K. If differences in toner charge occur, the transfer of the toner image to the sheet S may not be uniform during the secondary transfer process, potentially resulting in image defects. Therefore, the black photosensitive drum 201K is equipped with a pre-transfer charger 219 consisting of a corona charger to equalize the toner charge with the yellow, magenta, and cyan photosensitive drums 201Y, 201M, and 201C. As described above, the configuration of this embodiment provides an image forming apparatus 101 that excels in high productivity, high image quality, high stability, and long lifespan, not only in full-color image formation but also in black and white image formation.

[0029] Recently, in the commercial printing industry, conventional office digital multifunction printers are sometimes modified to include image front-to-back alignment and media handling capabilities, and used as compact commercial printing presses. Commercial printing presses manufactured by adding necessary functions to digital multifunction printers are primarily suitable for small-volume, high-mix printing.

[0030] In small-batch, high-mix printing, the paper type, paper size, folding, punching, stapling, and other conditions vary for each print job. Even in large-volume, high-mix printing, the paper type, paper size, folding, punching, and stapling conditions differ for each print job. In actual printing operations, operators often follow instructions written on A4-sized paper, specifying the print job conditions. Therefore, to ensure efficient printing without errors, it's necessary to display these instructions in a visible location for operators. In addition to instructions, posting smaller memo sheets containing necessary information such as handover instructions and image adjustment notes will allow for more effective and higher-quality printing.

[0031] To prevent misunderstandings regarding the content of print jobs, it is possible to use bulletin boards such as whiteboards. However, considering the space and cost of installing bulletin boards, their use is often difficult. Therefore, conventionally, operators sometimes attach print job specifications, notes, and work memos to the image forming apparatus using adhesive tape. However, attaching work memos to the image forming apparatus with adhesive tape presents challenges in terms of workability and appearance, such as the difficulty of replacing work memos and the residue of adhesive on the exterior surface after removing the tape. Furthermore, depending on the shape of the image forming apparatus, it may not be possible to secure a location for attaching instructions that is easily visible and does not interfere with work, and work memos may be attached with adhesive tape to areas with poor visibility, such as the bottom of the apparatus. Therefore, in this embodiment, a ferromagnetic cover 1100 is provided on the upper front of the image forming unit 102 so that instructions can be attached with a magnet in a location that is easily visible to the operator. The details of its configuration will be described below.

[0032] As shown in Figure 1, a ferromagnetic cover (second cover) 1100 is provided on the front side of the upper part of the image forming unit 102. The ferromagnetic cover 1100 is located on the front of the image forming apparatus 101 in the front-to-back direction and is located above the front door 1103 in the vertical direction, and constitutes at least a part of the appearance of the image forming apparatus 101. An upper cover 1101 is provided on the upper part of the image forming unit 102. The upper cover 1101 is located on the upper surface of the image forming apparatus 101 in the vertical direction and constitutes at least a part of the appearance of the image forming apparatus 101. The top of the top cover 1101 is provided with a flat surface 1101a that can be used as a workspace by the user. An operating section 104 is provided on the front side of the top cover 1101 of the image forming apparatus 101. The user can perform tasks such as aligning the sheets S discharged from the image forming apparatus 101 and checking whether there are any image defects in the images formed on the sheets S on the flat surface 1101a of the top cover 1101.

[0033] The front of the image forming unit 102 in the front-to-back direction is provided with a front door (first cover) 1103 that can be opened and closed with one side as the pivot point. The front door 1103 constitutes at least a part of the external appearance of the image forming apparatus 101. When performing maintenance or jamming of the image forming unit 102, the user can open the front door 1103 to access the inside of the image forming unit 102 and perform the work. At the bottom of the image forming unit 102, there are covers 1104a, 1104b, 1104c, and 1104d that cover the sheet storage section 212 for storing the sheet S. In addition, at the top of the image forming unit 102, between the front door 1103 and the ferromagnetic cover 1100, there is a toner bottle replacement door 1105 that covers an insertion section into which a toner bottle can be inserted. The top cover 1101, front door 1103, covers 104a, 104b, 104c, 104d, and toner bottle replacement door 1105 are made of resin. The resin material is, for example, PC+ABS. PC+ABS is a thermoplastic resin that has the characteristics of polycarbonate (PC) resin and ABS resin.

[0034] A ferromagnetic cover 1100 is positioned at the top of the front surface of the image forming unit 102. The ferromagnetic cover 1100 is made from a ferromagnetic material such as SUS403, iron, or nickel. The ferromagnetic cover 1100 may be made from one of the SUS400 series stainless steels. The SUS400 series stainless steels include martensitic stainless steel and ferritic stainless steel. In this embodiment, the ferromagnetic cover 1100 is made from SUS403 from the viewpoint of design and scratch resistance. The ferromagnetic cover 1100 made from a ferromagnetic material may be made, for example, by using a stainless steel plate made from a ferromagnetic material for the whole or in part. In this embodiment, the ferromagnetic cover 1100 is made by bending a SUS403 stainless steel plate, but it may also be made by attaching a SUS403 stainless steel plate to a cover made of a resin material.

[0035] In this embodiment, instruction sheets and memo paper can be detachably attached to a ferromagnetic cover 1100 provided at the top of the front surface of the image forming unit 102 using magnets (permanent magnets). The reason for placing the ferromagnetic cover 1100 at the top of the front surface of the image forming unit 102 is that operators often perform printing work while standing. Instruction sheets used by operators are easier to see when attached to the top of the front surface of the image forming unit 102 than when attached to covers 1104a, 1104b, 1104c, 1104d, etc., provided at the bottom of the image forming unit 102. Furthermore, if instruction sheets are attached to the flat surface 1101a of the top cover 1101 with magnets, the instruction sheets may interfere with the operator's work when performing tasks such as sheet alignment or checking for image defects on the flat surface 1101a. Therefore, in this embodiment, the ferromagnetic cover 1100 is provided at the top of the front surface of the image forming unit 102. As described above, in this embodiment, a ferromagnetic cover 1100 made of a scratch-resistant ferromagnetic material is used in a configuration that allows a magnet to be attached to a part of the exterior cover that forms the exterior of the image forming apparatus 101. As a result, even if instructions, magnets, etc. rub against the ferromagnetic cover 1100, it is less likely to be scratched, thus suppressing a deterioration in the quality of the exterior.

[0036] Figure 5 is a perspective view of the upper part of the image forming unit 102, viewed from the right side. A recess 1110 is provided between the ferromagnetic cover 1100 and the toner bottle replacement door 1105. When removing a memo attached to the ferromagnetic cover 1100 by a magnet, the operator can easily remove the memo by inserting their finger into the recess 1110 and touching the back of the memo. The recess 1110 provides space on the back of the memo, further improving work efficiency. The recess 1110 is also provided to make it easier for the user to operate the handle portion 1105a provided on the toner bottle replacement door 1105. In other words, the recess 1110 is provided to enable access to the handle portion 1105a.

[0037] Figure 6 is a perspective view of the image forming unit 102 in a state where the toner bottle replacement door 1105 is opened and the toner splash prevention door 28 is opened to replace the toner bottle 205. On the front side of the main body 102a of the image forming unit 102, the toner bottle replacement door 1105, which is an opening and closing door that opens and closes the first opening 81, is rotatably provided on the main body 102a of the image forming unit 102. Referring to Figure 6, a toner storage section 30 is provided inside the first opening 81, in which toner bottles 205Y, 205M, 205C, and 205K are installed. The toner bottles 205Y, 205M, 205C, and 205K contain toner of their respective colors that are supplied to the image forming stations 200Y, 200M, 200C, and 200K, which are image forming units. The toner storage section 30 is provided with toner splash prevention doors 28Y, 28M, 28C, and 28K that can be opened and closed to prevent toner from splashing into the image forming section 102. The toner splash prevention doors 28Y, 28M, 28C, and 28K each cover the toner storage section 30 in which the toner bottles 205Y, 205M, 205C, and 205K are installed.

[0038] The toner bottle replacement door 1105 is movable between a first open position OP1 (Figure 6) that opens the first opening 81 and a first closed position (Figure 5) that closes the first opening 81. The toner bottle replacement door 1105 is provided on the main body 102a so as to be openable and closable to open and close the toner storage section 30. When the toner bottle replacement door 1105 is in the first closed position (Figure 5), it covers the toner storage section 30. After the toner bottle replacement door 1105 is opened and the toner storage section 30 is opened, the toner splash prevention door 28 is opened according to an input instruction from the operation unit 104, allowing the operator to access each toner bottle 205. The operator can remove the old toner bottle 205 through the first opening 81 and detachably install the new toner bottle 205 into the toner storage section 30 through the first opening 81. This allows the operator to replace the toner bottles 205 without opening the front door 1103.

[0039] Referring to Figure 6, a magnet 340 is provided on the main body 102a of the image forming unit 102. A magnetized metal plate 13a is provided on the toner bottle replacement door 1105. When the toner bottle replacement door 1105 is closed to the first closed position CP1, the magnetized metal plate 13a of the toner bottle replacement door 1105 is magnetically attracted to the magnet 340 of the main body 102a, and the toner bottle replacement door 1105 is maintained in the first closed position (Figure 5). The upper surface 1105e of the toner bottle replacement door 1105 is provided with a handle portion 1105a, which is a recess that the operator can grip.

[0040] The operator places their hand on the handle portion 1105a and pulls the handle portion 1105a forward F against the magnetic force of the magnetized sheet metal 13a by the magnet 340, rotating the toner bottle replacement door 1105 around the pivot axis and moving the toner bottle replacement door 1105 to the first open position OP1. As is clear from Figure 6, the pivot axis of the toner bottle replacement door 1105 is located at the lower end of the toner bottle replacement door 1105 in the vertical direction, with the pivot axis extending in the width direction (left-right direction) of the image forming unit 102. This allows the operator to access the toner storage unit 30 through the first opening 81. When the magnetic sheet metal 13a is released from the magnetic force of the magnet 340 by the operator's operation, the toner bottle replacement door 1105 rotates downward by its own weight around the pivot axis.

[0041] The shape of the ferromagnetic cover 1100 of the first embodiment will be explained using Figure 7. Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the ferromagnetic cover 1100 attached to the top cover 1101. The ferromagnetic cover 1100 is formed by bending a flat plate of SUS403. The ferromagnetic cover 1100 has a front portion 1100a, a rear portion 1100b, an upper portion 1100c, and a bottom portion 1100d. The front portion 1100a is located on the front side of the image forming unit 102. The rear portion 1100b is located on the opposite side of the front portion 1100a and the image forming unit 102 in the front-rear direction and is parallel to the front portion 1100a. The upper portion 1100c is parallel to the flat portion 1101a of the top cover 1101. The upper portion 1100c is connected to the upper end of the front portion 1100a. The bottom portion 1100d is connected to the lower end of the front portion 1100a. The rear portion 1100b is connected to the rear end of the top portion 1100c. The front portion 1100a and the rear portion 1100b extend parallel to each other in the vertical direction. The top portion 1100c and the bottom portion 1100d extend parallel to each other in the horizontal direction. The ferromagnetic cover 1100 shown in this embodiment is a single metal plate, and the front portion 1100a, rear portion 1100b, top portion 1100c and bottom portion 1100d are formed by processing a single metal plate.

[0042] In this embodiment, the ferromagnetic cover 1100 is attached to the top cover 1101 in such a way that the mounting screws are not exposed on the front portion 1100a, from an aesthetic standpoint. This improves the appearance quality of the image forming apparatus 101. Specifically, the upper portion 1100c of the ferromagnetic cover 1100 engages with the upper engaging portion 1101b provided on the upper part of the top cover 1101. The bottom portion 1100d of the ferromagnetic cover 1100 is fixed to the lower engaging portion 1101c provided on the lower part of the top cover 1101 by screws 1200. As a result, the screws 1200 are not visible from the operator's position, i.e., from the front of the image forming apparatus 101.

[0043] The ferromagnetic cover 1100 can also be attached to the top cover 1101 with an adhesive. However, if the ferromagnetic cover 1100 is attached to the top cover 1101 with an adhesive, it becomes difficult to remove the ferromagnetic cover 1100 from the top cover 1101. This impairs the recyclability of the image forming apparatus 101. Therefore, as in this embodiment, it is preferable to attach the ferromagnetic cover 1100 to the top cover 1101 with screws 1200 that are positioned in a location that is difficult for the operator of the image forming apparatus 101 to see.

[0044] Since the ferromagnetic cover 1100 is located on the front side of the image forming apparatus 101, operators may frequently touch the upper surface portion 1100c of the ferromagnetic cover 1100. If the rear surface portion 1100b is not provided and the rear edge of the upper surface portion 1100c is exposed on the upper surface of the upper cover 1101, there is a risk that documents may get caught on the rear edge of the upper surface portion 1100c. Therefore, the rear surface portion 1100b is provided by bending the rear end of the upper surface portion 1100c. This prevents operators from touching the edge of the ferromagnetic cover 1100 and prevents documents from getting caught. Since the ferromagnetic cover 1100 is formed in this shape, the ferromagnetic cover 1100 made of sheet metal can be placed at the top of the front surface of the image forming unit 102 while ensuring aesthetics, workability, and safety. According to the first embodiment, instructions can be attached with a magnet in a position that is easy for the operator to see.

[0045] In this embodiment, the top cover 1101 is formed separately from the other covers and is fixed to a support frame (not shown) that supports the image forming stations 200Y, 200M, 200C, and 200K, etc., which are image forming units. The top cover 1101 is detachably attached to the support frame by screws (not shown). In this embodiment, the ferromagnetic cover 1100 is shown to be fixed to the top cover 1101, but the ferromagnetic cover 1100 may be directly fixed to a frame (not shown).

[0046] Furthermore, although this embodiment describes a configuration in which a ferromagnetic cover 1100 is provided on the image forming section 102 of the image forming apparatus 101, as shown in Figure 1, a ferromagnetic cover 2000 may also be provided on the upper front surface of the fixing and transport section 103. By providing a ferromagnetic cover on the fixing and transport section 103 in this way, the area on which the operator can attach instructions with a magnet can be increased, thereby improving work efficiency. In addition, by providing a ferromagnetic cover 2000 with the same width as the vertical width of the ferromagnetic cover 1100 of the image forming section 102, the appearance quality of the image forming apparatus 101 can be improved. [Examples]

[0047] In the first embodiment, the width of the upper surface portion 1100c of the ferromagnetic cover 1100 is set to be small in the front-to-back direction so that the instruction sheet cannot be attached to the upper surface portion 1100c of the ferromagnetic cover 1100 by magnets. This is to prevent the instruction sheet from being attached to the front surface rather than the top surface of the image forming apparatus 101, thereby preventing interference with the operator's work on the flat portion 1101a of the upper cover 1101. However, considering aesthetics, the ferromagnetic cover may be positioned to span both the top surface and the front surface of the image forming unit 102. Figure 8 shows a ferromagnetic cover 1300 according to the second embodiment. The ferromagnetic cover 1300 is provided to span both the top surface and the front surface of the image forming unit 102 of the image forming apparatus 101. According to the second embodiment, the operator can also attach the instruction sheet to the top surface of the image forming unit 102 with magnets, so that the instruction sheet can be attached with magnets to a position that is easy for the operator to see. [Examples]

[0048] Figure 9 shows a ferromagnetic cover 1400 according to the third embodiment. The ferromagnetic cover (second cover) 1400 is attached to the upper front of the front door (first cover) 1103. According to the third embodiment, the operator can attach instructions with a magnet to the upper front of the image forming unit 102, so that the instructions can be attached with a magnet to a position that is easy for the operator to see. [Examples]

[0049] Figure 10 shows a ferromagnetic cover 1600 according to the fourth embodiment. The image forming section 102 of the image forming apparatus 101 has a gap cover (third cover) 1500 between the top cover 1101 and the front door (first cover) 1103. The ferromagnetic cover (second cover) 1600 is attached to the front of the gap cover 1500. The ferromagnetic cover 1600 may be formed integrally with the gap cover 1500. Alternatively, the gap cover 1500 may be made of a ferromagnetic material without the ferromagnetic cover 1600 being attached. According to the fourth embodiment, the operator can also attach instructions to the top surface of the image forming section 102 with a magnet, so that the instructions can be attached with a magnet in a position that is easy for the operator to see.

[0050] <Other examples> Furthermore, although the above-described embodiment described an image forming apparatus 101 consisting of two housings, an image forming unit 102 and a fixing and transport unit 103, an image forming apparatus consisting of a single housing may also be provided with a ferromagnetic cover 1100, etc., similar to that in the above-described embodiment.

[0051] Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view of an image forming apparatus 1 different from the embodiment described above. The difference from the embodiment described above is that the image forming apparatus 1 consists of only one housing. That is, each housing contains a unit that forms and fixes a toner image on the sheet S. The image forming apparatus 1 shown in Figure 11 is a color printer that forms a color image on the sheet S using an electrophotographic method. Due to its advantages in adaptability to a wide variety of sheets S and excellent print productivity, the image forming apparatus 1 employs an intermediate transfer tandem system in which four color image forming units 9Y, 9M, 9C, and 9K are arranged side by side above the intermediate transfer belt 67. The subscripts Y, M, C, and K in the reference numerals represent yellow, magenta, cyan, and black, respectively. The image forming apparatus 1 is not limited to a printer, but may also be a copier, a multifunction device, a facsimile machine, or a printing press.

[0052] The image forming apparatus 1 comprises a sheet feeding unit 92 for feeding sheets S, a sheet transport device 91 for transporting the sheets S fed by the sheet feeding unit 92, and an image forming unit 90 for forming images on the sheets S transported by the sheet transport device 91. The sheet feeding unit 92 has sheet storage sections 29, 31a, 31b, 33, 34 and pickup rollers 35, 36, 37, 38, 39.

[0053] The image forming unit 90 has four image forming units 9Y, 9M, 9C, and 9K. The image forming units 9Y, 9M, 9C, and 9K each have a photoreceptor 61Y, 61M, 61C, 61K, a charging device 62Y, 62M, 62C, 62K, an exposure device 63Y, 63M, 63C, 63K, and a developing device 64Y, 64M, 64C, 64K. The image forming unit 90 also has a primary transfer device 66Y, 66M, 66C, 66K and a photoreceptor cleaner 65Y, 65M, 65C, 65K. The image forming unit 90 also has an intermediate transfer belt 67 to which the toner image formed on the photoreceptors 61Y, 61M, 61C, 61K is transferred by the primary transfer device 66Y, 66M, 66C, 66K. The image forming unit 90 also has a secondary transfer roller 43 for transferring the full-color toner image superimposed and transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 67 to the sheet S.

[0054] The intermediate transfer belt 67 is tensioned by a drive roller 68, a tension roller 69, and a secondary transfer inner roller 70. The intermediate transfer belt 67 is rotated by the drive roller 68 in the direction indicated by arrow RD. The sheet conveying device 91 has conveying paths 40 and 41 through which the sheets S fed by the pickup rollers 35, 36, 37, 38, and 39 pass. The sheet conveying device 91 also has a registration roller 42 that conveys the sheet S to the nip (secondary transfer section) between the intermediate transfer belt 67 and the secondary transfer roller 43. The sheet conveying device 91 further has a fuser 45 downstream of the secondary transfer roller 43 in the conveying direction of the sheet S. The sheet S onto which the toner image has been transferred by the secondary transfer roller 43 is conveyed to the fuser 45 by the pre-fixing conveying belt 44. The fuser 45 heats and pressurizes the sheet S onto which the toner image has been transferred, fixing the toner image to the sheet S and forming a color image on the sheet S. The sheet S with the image formed on it is discharged to the discharge tray 50 by the discharge roller 46.

[0055] Recently, in the commercial printing industry, as shown in Figure 11, conventional office digital multifunction printers are sometimes modified to include image front-to-back alignment and media handling functions, and used as compact commercial printing presses. Commercial printing presses manufactured by adding necessary functions to digital multifunction printers in this way are mainly suitable for small-volume, high-mix printing.

[0056] In small-batch, high-mix printing, the paper type, paper size, folding, punching, stapling, and other conditions vary for each print job. Therefore, in actual printing operations, operators often perform the printing work according to instruction sheets that describe the conditions of the print job on A4 size paper or similar. To ensure efficient printing without making mistakes regarding the print job conditions, it is necessary to post the instruction sheets in a place where operators can easily see them. Therefore, similar to the embodiments described above, there is a desire to attach instructions to a position easily visible to the operator using a magnet in the image forming apparatus of this embodiment as well.

[0057] Therefore, similar to the first embodiment, the image forming apparatus 1 shown in Figure 11 is also provided with a ferromagnetic cover 2100 on the upper front of the image forming apparatus 1 so that the operator can attach the instruction sheet with a magnet in a position that is easy to see. The details of its configuration will be described below.

[0058] Figure 12 is a perspective view of the image forming apparatus 1. A ferromagnetic cover (second cover) 2100 is provided on the front side of the upper part of the image forming apparatus 1. An upper cover 2101 is provided on the upper part of the image forming apparatus 1. The upper cover 2101 constitutes the upper surface of the image forming apparatus 1. A flat surface 2101a is provided on the upper part of the upper cover 2101, which is configured to be used as a workspace for the user. An operating section 2104 is provided on the front side of the upper cover 2101 of the image forming apparatus 1. The user can perform tasks such as aligning the sheets S discharged into the discharge tray 50 and checking whether there are any image defects in the images formed on the sheets S on the flat surface 2101a of the upper cover 2101.

[0059] The front of the image forming apparatus 1 is provided with a front door (first cover) 2103 that can be opened and closed with one side as the pivot point. When performing maintenance or jamming of the image forming apparatus 1, the user can open the front door 2103 to access the inside of the image forming apparatus 1 and perform the work. At the bottom of the image forming apparatus 1 are covers 2104a, 2104b, 2104c, and 2104d for the sheet storage sections 31 (31a, 31b), 33, and 34 that house the sheet S. The top cover 2101, the front door 2103, and the covers 2104a, 2104b, 2104c, and 2104d are made of resin. The resin material is, for example, PC+ABS. PC+ABS is a thermoplastic resin that has the characteristics of polycarbonate (PC) resin and ABS resin.

[0060] A ferromagnetic cover 2100 is positioned at the top of the front of the image forming apparatus 1. The ferromagnetic cover 2100 is made from a ferromagnetic material such as SUS403, iron, or nickel. The ferromagnetic cover 2100 may be made from one of the SUS400 series stainless steels. The SUS400 series stainless steels include martensitic stainless steel and ferritic stainless steel. In this embodiment, the ferromagnetic cover 2100 is made from SUS403 from the viewpoint of design and scratch resistance. The ferromagnetic cover 2100 made from a ferromagnetic material may be made, for example, by using a stainless steel plate made from a ferromagnetic material for the whole or in part. In this embodiment, the ferromagnetic cover 2100 is made by bending a SUS403 stainless steel plate, but it may also be made by attaching a SUS403 stainless steel plate to a cover made of a resin material. According to this embodiment, instruction sheets and memo paper can be detachably attached to a ferromagnetic cover 2100 provided at the top of the front of the image forming apparatus 1 using magnets (permanent magnets).

[0061] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 12, a recess 2110 is provided between the ferromagnetic cover 2100 and the front door 2103 of the image forming apparatus 1. When removing a memo attached to the ferromagnetic cover 2100 by a magnet, the operator can easily remove the memo by inserting their finger into the recess 2110 and touching the back of the memo. The recess 2110 provides space on the back of the memo, further improving work efficiency. According to this embodiment, instructions can be attached with a magnet in a position that is easy for the operator to see. [Explanation of symbols]

[0062] 1. 101...Image forming apparatus 9Y, 9M, 9C, 9K... Image forming units 1100...Ferromagnetic cover 1101, 2101... Top cover 1103... Front door

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus having an image forming unit that forms an image on a recording medium, a top cover that is provided on an upper surface of the image forming apparatus in a vertical direction and that constitutes at least a part of the appearance of the image forming apparatus; a first cover provided on a front surface of the image forming apparatus in a front-rear direction and constituting at least a part of the appearance of the image forming apparatus; a second cover that is provided on the front surface of the image forming apparatus in the front-rear direction and above the first cover in the vertical direction and that constitutes at least a part of the appearance of the image forming apparatus, the first cover includes a resin material, The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second cover includes a ferromagnetic material.

2. The second cover is a front surface portion provided on the front surface side of the image forming apparatus and extending in the vertical direction; a top surface portion connected to an upper end of the front surface portion and extending horizontally; a rear surface portion connected to a rear end of the upper surface portion and extending in the vertical direction; a bottom surface portion connected to a lower end of the front surface portion and extending in the horizontal direction; 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

3. An image forming apparatus as described in Claim 2, characterized in that the front portion, the top portion, the rear portion, and the bottom portion of the second cover are formed by bending a single flat plate.

4. 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the bottom portion is fixed to the top cover by a screw.

5. 5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second cover is attached to an upper portion of the first cover.

6. An image forming apparatus as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the exterior of the image forming apparatus has a recess between the first cover and the second cover in the vertical direction, the recess being in contact with the surface formed by the first cover and the surface formed by the second cover in the front-to-rear direction.

7. the first cover has a grip portion on an upper surface portion in the vertical direction, 7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the recess is provided to allow access to the grip portion.

8. a third cover provided between the first cover and the top cover in the vertical direction, 8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second cover is attached to the third cover.

9. a third cover provided between the first cover and the top cover in the vertical direction, 8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second cover is formed integrally with the third cover.

10. 10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the top cover includes a resin material.

11. 11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ferromagnetic material is any one of SUS400 series stainless steels.

12. 12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first cover is provided on the image forming apparatus so as to be openable and closable.

13. an insertion portion into which a toner container for containing toner to be supplied to the image forming unit can be inserted; 13. The image forming apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the first cover is openable between a closed position where the insertion portion is covered and an open position where the insertion portion is exposed.

14. An image forming apparatus having an image forming unit that forms an image on a recording medium, a top cover that is provided on an upper surface of the image forming apparatus in a vertical direction and that constitutes at least a part of the appearance of the image forming apparatus; a front cover provided on a front surface of the image forming apparatus in a front-rear direction and constituting at least a part of the external appearance of the image forming apparatus; Equipped with The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the front cover includes a portion made of a ferromagnetic material that is exposed on the exterior.

15. A first cover is provided on the front surface of the image forming apparatus in the front-to-rear direction and is lower than the front cover in the vertical direction, and the first cover constitutes at least a part of the external appearance of the image forming apparatus; 15. The image forming apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the first cover includes a resin material.

16. The front cover is a front surface portion provided on the front surface side of the image forming apparatus and extending in the vertical direction; a top surface portion connected to an upper end of the front surface portion and extending horizontally; a rear surface portion connected to a rear end of the upper surface portion and extending in the vertical direction; a bottom surface portion connected to a lower end of the front surface portion and extending in the horizontal direction; 16. The image forming apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising:

17. An image forming apparatus as described in Claim 16, characterized in that the front portion, the top portion, the rear portion, and the bottom portion of the front cover are formed by bending a single flat plate.

18. An image forming apparatus as described in claim 16 or 17, characterized in that the bottom portion is fixed to the top cover by screws.

19. The image forming apparatus of claim 15, wherein the front cover is attached to the top of the first cover.

20. An image forming apparatus as described in claim 15 or 19, characterized in that the exterior of the image forming apparatus has a recess between the first cover and the front cover in the vertical direction, with respect to the surface formed by the first cover and the surface formed by the front cover in the front-to-rear direction.

21. The first cover has a handle portion on an upper surface portion in the vertical direction, 21. The image forming apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the recess is provided to allow access to the grip portion.

22. An image forming apparatus as described in any one of claims 14 to 21, characterized in that the top cover contains a resin material.

23. An image forming apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the ferromagnetic material is any one of stainless steels of the SUS400 series.

24. The image forming apparatus as described in claim 15, 19 or 20, characterized in that the first cover is provided on the image forming apparatus so as to be openable and closable.

25. The image forming apparatus further includes an insertion portion into which a toner storage container for storing toner to be supplied to the image forming unit can be inserted, 25. The image forming apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the first cover is provided so as to be openable between a closed position where the insertion portion is covered and an open position where the insertion portion is exposed.

Images