Electronic apparatus

Abstract

To provide an electronic apparatus in which a user can easily understand a lifetime of each of the motor units and can easily exchange the motor units with each other.SOLUTION: An electronic apparatus includes plural motor units 1 exchangeable with each other. Each of the plural motor units 1 includes a counter 1b that counts an accumulated number of rotations or accumulated operation time and displays any of the accumulated number of rotations, the accumulated operation time and a remaining lifetime.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an electronic device.

Background Art

[0002] A certain image forming apparatus determines the life of a DC motor or the like based on the rotational speed of the DC motor of the built-in sheet conveyance apparatus (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Another image forming apparatus includes a plurality of sheet supply cassettes, counts the number of sheet supply operations of the rollers of each sheet supply cassette, and displays a prompt to exchange the roller with a large number of sheet supply operations and the roller with a small number of sheet supply operations among the plurality of sheet supply cassettes (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, in the above-described image forming apparatus, since the rollers and the sheet supply cassettes themselves do not hold the count values, there is a possibility that the rollers may be mistakenly attached to the wrong cassettes after removing a plurality of rollers, and it is necessary to continue counting the number of sheet supply operations of the rollers before and after the replacement, which is troublesome.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to obtain an electronic device that allows a user to easily check the life of a motor unit and easily replace it.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] The electronic device according to the present invention includes a plurality of motor units that are interchangeable with each other. Each of the plurality of motor units includes a counter that counts the cumulative rotation speed or the cumulative operation time, and displays any one of the cumulative rotation speed, the cumulative operation time, and the remaining life based on the cumulative rotation speed or the cumulative operation time.

Advantages of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, an electronic device is provided that allows a user to easily check the life of a motor unit and easily replace it.

[0009] The above or other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description together with the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0010]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0012] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The electronic device shown in FIG. 1 includes a plurality of motor units 1, an operation panel 21, and a controller 22. The motor unit 1 is a driving power source for sheet conveyance or the like in the internal device 11. For example, this electronic device is an image forming apparatus such as a multifunction device, and the internal device 11 includes a printing device, an image reading device, and the like.

[0013] The plurality of motor units 1 are interchangeable with each other, and each motor unit 1 is a motor assembly including a motor 1a, a counter 1b, and a connector 1c.

[0014] The counter 1b counts the cumulative rotation speed or cumulative operation time of the motor 1a, and displays any one of the cumulative rotation speed, the cumulative operation time, and the remaining life based on the cumulative rotation speed or the cumulative operation time. That is, even when the motor unit 1 is removed, the user can visually recognize the cumulative rotation speed, the cumulative operation time, the remaining life, etc. of the motor unit 1.

[0015] For example, the counter 1b may be a mechanical counter or an electronic counter. In the case of an electronic counter, the counter 1b detects the rotation speed with a rotary encoder or the like, counts the cumulative rotation speed or cumulative operation time with an electronic circuit, stores it in a non-volatile memory, and displays the cumulative rotation speed, the cumulative operation time, the remaining life, etc. with a small display or an indicator.

[0016] The connector 1c is detachable from a harness that electrically connects the controller 22 and a power source (not shown) to the motor unit 1.

[0017] The operation panel 21 is arranged on the front side of the housing of the image forming apparatus, and includes a display device 21a such as a liquid crystal display, and an input device 21b such as a touch panel and hard keys. The display device 21a displays various screens for the user. The input device 21b detects user operations on hard keys or soft keys input by the user.

[0018] The controller 22 is a computer or the like, controls the internal device 11, and executes various jobs (printing, scanning, copying, etc.). The controller 22 may read the count values of the counters 1d from the plurality of motor units 1 respectively and display them on the display device 21a.

[0019] FIG. 2 is a side view showing an example of the motor unit 1 in FIG. 1. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the motor unit 1 further includes a housing 1d to which a motor 1a or the like is fixed, a gear 31b connected to the rotation shaft 31a of the motor 1a, and a gear 32b connected to the gear 31b and rotating about the rotation shaft 32a.

[0020] The gear 32b is connected to the external gear 101 and can be separated from the external gear 101 when a plurality of motor units 1 are replaced. By separating the gear 32b from the external gear 101, it becomes easy to remove and attach the motor unit 1. For example, the motor unit 1 is fixed by several screws and can be easily removed and attached by the user.

[0021] For example, as shown in FIG. 2, a swing member 33 that can swing about the rotation shaft 31a is provided, and the rotation shaft 32a is provided on the swing member 33. The swing member 33 is urged by a spring 34 so that the gear 32b contacts the external gear 101.

[0022] When replacing a plurality of motor units 1, the swing member 33 is swung manually or electrically against the restoring force of the spring 34, so that the gear 32b is separated from the external gear 101. For example, when the swing member 33 is swung electrically, an actuator for swinging the swing member 33 electrically is provided. The controller 22 displays, on the display device 21a together with the above count value, a soft key for removing a plurality of motor units 1. When the pressing of the soft key is detected by the input device 21b, the actuator is operated to swing the swing member 33 electrically. At this time, the power supply to the motor unit 1 is cut off.

[0023] Next, the operation of the above electronic device will be described.

[0024] The controller 22 controls the internal device 11 (motor 1a) according to the job to be executed and executes the job. At this time, the counter 1b in the motor unit 1 counts and updates the cumulative rotation speed or cumulative operation time of the motor 1a according to the operation of the motor 1a, and displays the cumulative rotation speed, cumulative operation time, remaining life, etc.

[0025] Since the internal device 11 used varies depending on the type of job to be executed, and the operation frequency of the motor unit 1 also varies within the internal device 11, usually, the count values such as the cumulative rotation speed, cumulative operation time, and remaining life displayed on the counters 1b of the plurality of motor units 1 are different from each other.

[0026] The user visually recognizes the count values such as the cumulative rotation speed, cumulative operation time, and remaining life displayed on the counters 1b of the plurality of motor units 1, and exchanges the motor unit 1 with a large count value and the motor unit 1 with a small count value. As a result, the cumulative rotation speed, cumulative operation time, remaining life, etc. of the plurality of motor units 1 approach uniformity.

[0027] As described above, according to the above embodiment, the electronic device includes a plurality of motor units 1 that are interchangeable with each other. And each of the plurality of motor units 1 includes a counter 1b that counts the cumulative rotation speed or cumulative operation time and displays any one of the cumulative rotation speed, cumulative operation time, and remaining life.

[0028] Thereby, the user can easily check and replace the life of the motor unit 1.

[0029] It should be noted that various changes and modifications to the above-described embodiment are obvious to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the subject matter and without weakening the intended advantages. That is, it is intended that such changes and modifications be included in the scope of the claims.

[0030] For example, in the above embodiment, the motor unit 1 may be replaceable with motor units of other electronic devices of different models.

[0031] Also, in the above embodiment, the motor unit 1 may be replaced with a new motor unit 1.

Industrial Applicability

[0032] The present invention is applicable to, for example, an image forming apparatus such as a multifunction peripheral.

Explanation of Signs

[0033] 1 Motor unit 1a Motor 1b Counter 1d Housing 21a Display device 22 Controller

Claims

1. Comprising a plurality of motor units that are mutually interchangeable, each of the plurality of motor units includes a counter that counts the cumulative rotation speed or the cumulative operation time, and displays any one of the cumulative rotation speed, the cumulative operation time, and the remaining life based on the cumulative rotation speed or the cumulative operation time. An electronic device characterized by the above.

2. The motor unit includes a housing, a motor, and a gear connected to an external gear, the gear being separable from the external gear when the plurality of motor units are exchanged. The electronic device according to Claim 1, characterized by the above.

3. Further comprising a display device and a controller, the controller reads out the count value of the counter from each of the plurality of motor units and displays it on the display device. The electronic device according to Claim 1, characterized by the above.

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