Image forming apparatus

Abstract

To provide an image forming apparatus that can reduce a force to brake the rotation of an operation panel.SOLUTION: An image forming apparatus comprises: a gear part that is formed on an operation panel centered on a rotation shaft 13; a body-side gear 33 that meshes with the gear part to rotate centered on the rotation shaft 13; and a braking mechanism 17 that brakes the rotation of the body-side gear 33. The braking mechanism 17 includes a button 35 that is movable in an axial direction of the rotation shaft 13, and an urging member 37 that is arranged between the button 35 and the body-side gear 33 and urges the body-side gear 33 along the axial direction. The braking mechanism moves the button 35 along the axial direction in a direction away from the body-side gear 33 to reduce the urging force of the urging member 37, and thereby reduces a force to brake the rotation of the body-side gear 33.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus having an operation panel supported on a main body of the apparatus so as to be capable of being stopped at any rotation angle. [Background technology]

[0002] The main body of the image forming apparatus is equipped with an operation panel that allows various operations associated with the image forming operation to be manually input. The operation panel is supported so as to be rotatable around a rotation axis provided on the main body. In addition, the operation panel can be freely stopped at any angle relative to the rotation axis (main body) by braking the rotation.

[0003] The image forming apparatus described in Patent Document 1 includes a screw member provided coaxially with the rotation shaft and a fixed member fixed to the operation panel. A washer is disposed between the screw member and the fixed member. The rotation of the fixed member is braked by the frictional force generated between the screw member and the fixed member, so that the operation panel can be stopped at any angle. In another configuration, the image forming apparatus includes a gear portion provided on the operation panel, a gear provided on the device body and meshing with the gear portion, and a biasing member that biases the gear along the axial direction of the rotation shaft. The gear is biased by the biasing member to generate a frictional force between the gear and the device body, and this frictional force brakes the rotation of the gear, thereby braking the rotation of the gear portion, i.e., the operation panel. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-34011 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, in the above-described configuration, the frictional force generated by the washer or the biasing member, i.e., the force that brakes the rotation of the operation panel, is constant. In general, the braking force is set high so that the operation panel does not rotate after it is stopped at a given angle. In this case, in order to change the angle of the operation panel, it is necessary to rotate the operation panel with a strong force.

[0006] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE In consideration of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of reducing the force braking the rotation of an operation panel. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, the image forming apparatus of the present invention is an image forming apparatus having an operation panel that can be rotated to any angle on an apparatus main body, the operation panel including a gear portion formed around a rotation axis, a main body side gear that meshes with the gear portion and rotates around the rotation axis, and a braking mechanism that brakes the rotation of the main body side gear, the braking mechanism comprising: The device is characterized in that it comprises a button that can move in the axial direction of the rotation shaft, and a biasing member that is disposed between the button and the main body side gear and biases the main body side gear along the axial direction, and by moving the button along the axial direction in a direction away from the main body side gear to reduce the biasing force of the biasing member, the force braking the rotation of the main body side gear is reduced.

[0008] In the present invention, the button has a flange portion that protrudes radially outward along the circumferential direction, a main body portion closer to the main body side gear than the flange portion, an operating portion on a side farther from the main body side gear than the flange portion, a guide slit formed in the main body portion along the axial direction, and a restricting slit formed so as to fold back in the opposite direction from an edge of the guide slit on the main body side gear side, and the device main body includes an axial hole through which the operating portion is inserted, and a fixed pin that is positioned closer to the main body side gear than the axial hole and is inserted into the guide slit and the restricting slit, and when the fixed pin is inserted into the restricting slit, the biasing force of the biasing member by the button increases, and when the fixed pin is inserted into the guide slit, the button is biased by the biasing member to move in a direction away from the main body side gear until the flange portion abuts against the periphery of the axial hole, and the biasing force of the biasing member decreases.

[0009] In the present invention, the fixing pin may move from the restricting slit to the guide slit by rotating the operation portion, and the button may move in a direction away from the main body side gear. Effect of the Invention

[0010] According to the present invention, the position of the button can be changed along the axial direction of the rotation shaft, thereby reducing the biasing force applied to the main body side gear from the coil spring arranged between the button and the main body side gear, thereby reducing the force braking the rotation of the main body side gear, i.e., the rotation of the operation panel. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic diagram of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] 4 is a side view showing a gear portion of an operation panel and a main body side gear of an apparatus main body in an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Diagram 3]4 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a brake mechanism in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 4A] 5 is a side view showing a fixing member of a brake mechanism in the image forming apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 4B] 5 is a side view showing a button of a braking mechanism in the image forming apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 5A] 4 is a side view showing a brake mechanism (initial state) in the image forming apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 5B] 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a brake mechanism (initial state) in an image forming apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 6A] 4 is a side view showing the brake mechanism (in a state where a button is pressed) in the image forming apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 6B] 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the brake mechanism (in a state where a button is pressed) in the image forming apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 7A] 4 is a side view showing the braking mechanism (when the braking force is reduced) in the image forming apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 7B] 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the braking mechanism (when the braking force is reduced) in the image forming apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings.

[0013] First, the overall configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a front view showing the image forming apparatus 1. Fr, Rr, L, and R shown in each drawing indicate the front side, rear side, left side, and right side of the image forming apparatus 1, respectively.

[0014] The image forming device 1 includes an image forming unit 3, a document reading unit 5 disposed above the image forming unit 3, and a document transport unit 7 disposed above the document reading unit 5. An internal paper discharge space 9 is formed between the image forming unit 3 and the document reading unit 5. The depth (length along the front-rear direction) of the image forming unit 3 is longer than the depths of the document reading unit 5 and the document transport unit 7.

[0015] Next, the image forming unit 3 will be described with reference to FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the protrusion 11 of the device body 3a and the operation panel 15. On the upper surface of the device body 3a of the image forming unit 3, the protrusion 11 is formed forward of the internal paper discharge space 9. In this example, as shown in FIG. 1, the protrusion 11 is formed in the left front corner of the upper surface of the device body 3a. As shown in FIG. 2, the protrusion 11 is provided with a support piece 11a that protrudes upward. On the left and right side surfaces of the support piece 11a, left and right rotating shafts 13 are formed so as to protrude in opposite directions along the same axis along the left and right direction. On the left and right rotating shafts 13, the operation panel 15 is rotatably supported via a brake mechanism 17 (not shown in FIG. 2, described in detail later).

[0016] The operation panel 15 will be described with reference to Fig. 2. The operation panel 15 has a main body 21 provided with a touch panel, buttons, etc. that can input various operations associated with the image forming operation, and a leg portion 23 provided at the bottom of the main body 21. The leg portion 23 is substantially semicylindrical and hollow, with front and rear side walls and left and right side walls, and is open at the bottom. The left and right side walls have shaft holes 25 bored coaxially along the left-right direction.

[0017] Next, the brake mechanism 17 will be described with reference to Figures 3, 4A, and 4B. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the brake mechanism 17, Figure 4A is a side view showing a fixing member 39 of the brake mechanism 17, and Figure 4B is a side view showing a button 35 of the brake mechanism 17.

[0018] The braking mechanism 17 supports the operation panel 15 so that it can be stopped at any inclination angle with respect to the upper surface of the device body 3a. The inclination angle ranges, for example, from 3 degrees (see the solid line in FIG. 2) to 70 degrees (see the two-dot chain line in FIG. 2). As shown in FIG. 3, the braking mechanism 17 includes an internal gear 31 provided on the operation panel 15, a body-side gear 33 provided on the device body 3a, and a button 35 and a coil spring 37 disposed between the internal gear 31 and the body-side gear 33.

[0019] First, a description will be given of the internal gear 31. The internal gear 31 is formed in a sector shape with the shaft hole 25 as its center on the inner surface of the rear side wall of the leg portion 23 of the operation panel 15, as shown in FIG.

[0020] Next, the main body side gear 33 will be described. The main body side gear 33 is rotatably supported by a right rotating shaft 13 formed on the support piece 11a of the protrusion 11 of the device main body 3a. In addition, a fixing member 39 is coaxially provided on the right rotating shaft 13.

[0021] The fixing member 39 will be described with reference to FIG. 4A. The fixing member 39 has a rod-shaped shaft portion 41 and a disk portion 43 having a diameter larger than that of the shaft portion 41. The shaft portion 41 has a large diameter portion 41a and a small diameter portion 41b. The disk portion 43 is fixed to an end face of the large diameter portion 41a. A through hole passing through the center of the large diameter portion 41a is formed in the end of the large diameter portion 41a on the disk portion 43 side along a direction intersecting with the axial direction of the fixing member 39. A fixing pin 45 is inserted into the through hole. The fixing pin 45 is prevented from falling out of the through hole and protrudes from the large diameter portion 41a in a direction intersecting with the axial direction.

[0022] 3, the shaft portion 41 of the fixing member 39 is fixed coaxially to the right rotating shaft 13. As an example, the small diameter portion 41b of the shaft portion 41 is inserted into and fixed to the right rotating shaft 13. As a result, the large diameter portion 41a of the shaft portion 41 is disposed coaxially with the right rotating shaft 13.

[0023] Next, the button 35 will be described with reference to FIG. 4B. The button 35 is a cylindrical member with a bottom having a disk portion 51 and a cylindrical portion 53. The inner diameter of the cylindrical portion 53 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the disk portion 43 of the fixing member 39. A flange portion 55 is formed in the cylindrical portion 53 at approximately the center in the axial direction, protruding radially outward along the circumferential direction. The portion closer to the disk portion 51 than the flange portion 55 is an operation portion 57, and the portion on the opposite side is a main portion 59. A handle 61 is formed on the tip surface (outer surface of the disk portion 51) of the operation portion 57. A slit 63 is formed in the main portion 59. The slit 63 includes a guide slit 65 formed from the edge of the main portion 59 along the axial direction of the cylindrical portion 53, and a restriction slit 67 formed so as to be folded back from the tip of the guide slit 65 in the opposite direction.

[0024] 3, the cylindrical portion 53 of the button 35 is fitted onto the fixed member 39. The fixed pin 45 of the fixed member 39 is inserted into the slit 63 of the button 35. When the fixed pin 45 is inserted into the guide slit 65, the button 35 is movable in the axial direction of the rotation shaft 13 along the guide slit 65, and when the fixed pin 45 is inserted into the restricting slit 67, the movement of the button 35 in the axial direction is restricted. In addition, when the fixed pin 45 moves relatively from the guide slit 65 to the restricting slit 67, the cylindrical portion 53 of the button 35 rotates around the fixed member 39 along the disk portion 43 of the fixed member 39.

[0025] Next, the coil spring 37 will be described. As shown in FIG. 3, the coil spring 37 is disposed between the button 35 and the main body side gear 33, and is fitted onto the large diameter portion 41a of the shaft portion 41 of the fixing member 39. A washer 71 is disposed between the coil spring 37 and the button 35. The coil spring 37 is compressed between the button 35 (washer 71) and the main body side gear 33, and applies a biasing force to the main body side gear 33. As a result, the main body side gear 33 is pressed against the support piece 11a of the protrusion 11, and a frictional force is generated between the main body side gear 33 and the support piece 11a. The rotation of the main body side gear 33 is braked by this frictional force. The coil spring 37 is an example of a biasing member that biases the main body side gear 33 along the axial direction.

[0026] As shown in Fig. 2, the legs 23 of the operation panel 15 are covered by the protrusions 11 of the image forming unit 3. The left rotating shaft 13 formed on the support piece 11a of the protrusion 11 is inserted into a shaft hole 25 formed in the left side wall of the legs 23. Also, as shown in Fig. 3, a fixed member 39 is fixed to the right rotating shaft 13 formed on the support piece 11a of the protrusion 11, and the operation unit 57 of the button 35 supported by the fixed member 39 is inserted into the shaft hole 25 formed in the right side wall of the legs 23. This allows the operation panel 15 to rotate about the left and right rotating shafts 13.

[0027] 2, the internal gear 31 formed on the rear wall of the leg 23 of the operation panel 15 meshes with a main body side gear 33 rotatably supported on the rotation shaft 13 to the right of the protrusion 11. As the operation panel 15 rotates, the main body side gear 33 meshing with the internal gear 31 rotates around the rotation shaft 13.

[0028] 3, the fixing pin 45 of the fixing member 39 fixed to the right rotating shaft 13 is located inside (toward the main body side gear 33) of the shaft hole 25 formed in the right side wall of the leg 23. In other words, there is a predetermined gap between the fixing pin 45 and the shaft hole 25.

[0029] As described above, the button 35 is movable along the axial direction. By moving the button 35 in a direction approaching the body side gear 33 (leftward in FIG. 3), the coil spring 37 is compressed and the urging force increases. As a result, the frictional force between the body side gear 33 and the support piece 11a increases, and the force braking the rotation of the body side gear 33 becomes stronger. On the other hand, by moving the button 35 in a direction away from the body side gear 33 (rightward in FIG. 3), the coil spring 37 is expanded and the urging force decreases. As a result, the frictional force between the body side gear 33 and the support piece 11a decreases, and the force braking the rotation of the body side gear 33 becomes weaker. During such movement of the button 35 along the axial direction, the operation portion 57 of the button 35 is always inserted into the shaft hole 25. Also, the button 35 is movable in a direction away from the body side gear 33 until the flange portion 55 is engaged around the shaft hole 25.

[0030] The rotational movement of operation panel 15 via braking mechanism 17 having the above configuration will be described with reference to Figures 5A to 7B. Figures 5A, 6A, and 7A are side views showing braking mechanism 17, and Figures 5B, 6B, and 7B are cross-sectional views showing braking mechanism 17.

[0031] In the initial state, as shown in Fig. 5A and Fig. 5B, the fixing pin 45 of the fixing member 39 is inserted into the restricting slit 67 of the button 35. As a result, the button 35 is supported immovably by the fixing member 39 with the operation part 57 inserted into the shaft hole 25. A predetermined gap is provided between the flange part 55 and the shaft hole 25. The coil spring 37 is compressed between the washer 71 and the main body side gear 33, and applies a biasing force to the main body side gear 33. As an example, a relatively large force of 6.5N is applied to the main body side gear 33, and the rotation of the main body side gear 33 is braked by the frictional force between the main body side gear 33 and the support piece 11a. In order to rotate the operation panel 15, it is necessary to apply a force exceeding this braking force.

[0032] When it is desired to rotate the operation panel 15 with a small force, the handle 61 of the operation unit 57 exposed from the shaft hole 25 is held and rotated in a predetermined direction (counterclockwise in this example). Then, as shown in Figures 6 and 6B, the fixing pin 45 moves relatively from the restricting slit 67 to the guide slit 65. Note that the button 35 is slightly pressed in (see the arrow in Figure 6B), so the coil spring 37 is slightly compressed. However, the operation unit 57 remains inserted in the shaft hole 25.

[0033] When the fixing pin 45 moves relatively from the restriction slit 67 to the guide slit 65 in this way, as shown in Figures 7A and 7B, the button 35 is biased by the coil spring 37 via the washer 71 and moves in a direction away from the main body side gear 33 (see the arrow in Figure 7B). The button 35 moves until the flange portion 55 abuts against the periphery of the shaft hole 25. The fixing pin 45 also moves relatively to the middle of the guide slit 65.

[0034] When the button 35 moves in this manner, the distance between the washer 71 and the main body side gear 33 becomes longer, and the coil spring 37 expands. As a result, the biasing force applied from the coil spring 37 to the main body side gear 33 decreases. This reduces the frictional force between the main body side gear 33 and the support piece 11a, so the force braking the rotation of the main body side gear 33 decreases (to 5 N in one example), and the operation panel 15 can be rotated with a relatively small force. This force is set to a value that allows the operation panel 15 to be stopped at any angle. Therefore, when the operation panel 15 is rotated to a desired inclination angle against the frictional force, the operation panel 15 stops at that angle.

[0035] To return to the initial state (a state in which the force braking the rotation of the main body side gear 33 is large), the operating part 57 is pressed in. Then, the button 35 is guided by the fixing pin 45 and moves along the axial direction, until the fixing pin 45 hits the edge of the guide slit 65. When the operating part 57 is then rotated, the fixing pin 45 enters the restriction slit 67 from the guide slit 65, returning to the initial state.

[0036] As described above, according to the present invention, the force braking the rotation of the main body side gear 33 can be weakened by the simple action of simply pressing and rotating the operation portion 57 of the button 35. As a result, the operation panel 15 can be rotated with a relatively weak force, and the operation panel 15 can be stopped at any angle.

[0037] Specifically, the position of the button 35 can be changed along the axial direction by the periphery of the shaft hole 25 and the fixing pin 45 spaced apart in the axial direction. That is, the distance between the button 35 and the body-side gear 33 can be changed. This causes the coil spring 37 disposed between the button 35 and the body-side gear 33 to contract or expand, changing the biasing force applied to the body-side gear 33. As a result, the frictional force between the body-side gear 33 and the support piece 11a changes, making it possible to adjust the force braking the rotation of the body-side gear 33.

[0038] Furthermore, even if the operation panel 15 is rotated, the coil spring 37 does not change position or rotate, so the biasing force applied to the main body side gear 33 is stable. The frictional force between the main body side gear 33 and the support piece 11a is stable, so the operation panel 15 can be stopped reliably.

[0039] Although the present invention has been described with respect to a specific embodiment, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. The above embodiment may be variously changed, substituted, or modified without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention, and the claims include all embodiments that may be included within the scope of the technical idea. [Explanation of symbols]

[0040] 1. Image forming device 11 Protrusion (device body) 15 Operation Panel 17 Braking mechanism 25 Shaft hole 31 Internal gear (gear part) 33 Main body gear 35 Buttons 37 Coil spring (biasing member) 45 Fixing pin 57 Operation section 59 Main body 65 Guide slit 67 Regulatory Slit

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus having a braking mechanism that supports an operation panel on a device body so that the operation panel can be stopped at any rotation angle, The braking mechanism includes: A gear portion formed on the operation panel with a rotation axis as a center; a main body side gear that meshes with the gear portion and rotates about the rotation shaft; A button movable in the axial direction of the rotation shaft; a biasing member disposed between the button and the main body gear and biasing the main body gear along the axial direction, an image forming apparatus capable of reducing a force braking the rotation of the main body side gear by moving the button along the axial direction away from the main body side gear to reduce the biasing force of the biasing member;

2. The button is A flange portion that protrudes radially outward along a circumferential direction; a main body portion closer to the main body side gear than the flange portion; an operating portion located farther from the body-side gear than the flange portion; a guide slit formed in the main body portion along the axial direction, and a restriction slit formed so as to be folded back in the opposite direction from an end edge of the guide slit on the main body side gear side, The device body includes: A shaft hole through which the operating portion is inserted; a fixing pin that is disposed at a position closer to the main body side gear than the shaft hole and is inserted into the guide slit and the restriction slit, When the fixing pin is inserted into the restricting slit, the biasing force of the biasing member by the button increases, 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the fixing pin is inserted into the guide slit, the button is biased by the biasing member to move in a direction away from the main body side gear until the flange portion abuts against the periphery of the shaft hole, and the biasing force of the biasing member is reduced.

3. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, by rotating the operation portion, the fixing pin moves from the regulating slit to the guide slit, and the button moves in a direction away from the main body side gear.

Images