Image forming apparatus

Abstract

To provide an image forming apparatus capable of improving workability of a user using a wheelchair.SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus 1 includes an image reading portion 3 that reads an image of a document, an image forming portion 5 that forms the image read by the image reading portion 3 on a sheet, a discharge space S that is disposed above the image forming portion 5 and through which the sheet discharged from the image forming portion 5 passes, a discharge tray 37 that is formed on a bottom surface of the discharge space S and on which the discharged sheet is stacked, an operation panel 15 that is provided in the image reading portion 5 and to which instructions for an image reading operation and an image forming operation are input, and a support mechanism 7 that supports the image reading portion 3 on the image forming portion 5 so as to be movable up and down between an upper position above the discharge space S and a lower position below the discharge tray 37.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus equipped with an image reading unit that reads an image of a document. [Background technology]

[0002] In an image forming apparatus that includes an image reading unit that reads an image from a document and an image forming unit that forms the read image on paper, the image reading unit is generally located above the image forming unit, and an operation panel for inputting image reading and image forming operations is often provided on the top surface of the image forming apparatus, i.e., on the top surface of the image reading unit.

[0003] When the operation panel is provided on the top surface of the image forming apparatus in this manner, there is a problem that it is difficult for a user who uses a wheelchair to see and operate the operation panel.

[0004] Therefore, Patent Document 1 discloses an image forming device that is equipped with a movable support member that movably supports an image reading unit between a first operating position above the image forming unit and a second operating position lower than the first operating position. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-201230 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, there is a demand for an image forming apparatus that allows wheelchair users to further improve the operability of the operation panel and to easily remove paper sheets on which images have been formed.

[0007] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In consideration of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus that can improve the workability of a user who uses a wheelchair. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to achieve the above object, the image forming apparatus of the present invention is characterized by comprising an image reading unit that reads an image of a document, an image forming unit that forms the image read by the image reading unit on paper, an ejection space that is arranged above the image forming unit and through which paper discharged from the image forming unit passes, an ejection tray that is formed on the bottom of the ejection space and on which the ejected paper is stacked, an operation panel that is provided on the image reading unit and through which instructions for the image reading operation and the image forming operation are input, and a support mechanism that supports the image reading unit on the image forming unit so that it can be raised and lowered to an upper position above the ejection space and a lower position below the ejection tray.

[0009] In the present invention, the lower position may be located in front of the image forming unit.

[0010] In the present invention, the image reading unit may be manually or automatically movable up and down between the upper position and the lower position. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, a user who uses a wheelchair can easily remove paper from the discharge tray over the image reading unit that has been lowered to the lower position. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a front view schematically illustrating an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a side view schematically illustrating a configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a side view showing a support mechanism of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] An image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0014] First, the configuration of image forming apparatus 1 will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. Figure 1 is a front view showing image forming apparatus 1, and Figure 2 is a side view showing the configuration of image forming apparatus 1. Fr, Rr, L, and R shown in each figure indicate the front, rear, left, and right sides of image forming apparatus 1, respectively.

[0015] The image forming device 1 includes an image reading unit 3 that reads an image of a document, an image forming unit 5 that forms the image read by the image reading unit 3 on paper, and a support mechanism 7 that supports the image reading unit 3 relative to the image forming unit 5.

[0016] First, we will explain the image reading unit 3. The image reading unit 3 includes an original transport unit 11 that transports an original, and an image reading unit 13 that reads an image of the transported original, and reads the image of the original by an original transport method or an original fixing method.

[0017] The document transport unit 11 includes a transport section that transports the document through the image reading position, a paper feed tray on which the document transported by the transport section is placed, and a discharge tray on which the document whose image has been read by the transport section is stacked. The image reading unit 13 includes a document table on which the document is placed, and a reading sensor that reads the image transported to the image reading position. The document size is A4 size, and the document transport unit 11 preferably transports the document in a portrait orientation.

[0018] The document transport unit 11 is rotatably supported at the left and right rear corners of the top surface of the image reading unit 13. When reading an image using the document transport method, the document transport unit 11 is rotated downward relative to the image reading unit 13. A document placed on the paper feed tray is transported to the image reading position by the transport section, and the image is read by the image reading unit 13 at the image reading position. The document is then discharged to the discharge tray. When reading an image using the document fixing method, first, the document transport unit 11 is rotated upward relative to the image reading unit 13, and the document is placed on the document table, and then the document transport unit 11 is rotated downward to press down on the document placed on the document table. The reading sensor then moves to read the image.

[0019] An operation panel 15 is provided on the front side of the top surface of the document transport unit 11. Instructions regarding the document reading operation described above and the image forming operation described below are input to the operation panel 15. Furthermore, a handle 17 is provided on the front surface of the document transport unit 11.

[0020] Next, the image forming unit 5 will be described. The device body 21 of the image forming unit 5 contains a paper feed cassette 23 that stores paper (e.g., A4 size), a paper feed device 25 that feeds paper from the paper feed cassette 23, a toner image forming unit 27 that electrophotographically forms a toner image on the paper, a fixing device 29 that fixes the toner image on the paper, and a discharge device 31 that discharges the paper. The discharge device 31 is contained in a storage section 21a provided at the rear end of the top surface of the device body 21. Furthermore, the device body 21 is formed with a paper transport path 33 that runs from the paper feed device 25, through the toner image forming unit 27 and the fixing device 29, to the discharge device 31.

[0021] An outlet 35 through which paper is discharged is formed on the front surface of the storage section 21a. Furthermore, an outlet tray 37 on which the discharged paper is stacked is formed on the top surface of the device main body 21. The paper discharged from the outlet 35 passes through an outlet space S above the outlet tray 37 and falls onto the outlet tray 37 to be stacked.

[0022] The image forming unit 5 and the image reading unit 3 are electrically connected. As a result, based on instructions input to the operation panel 15, an image is formed in the image forming unit 5 and a document is transported by the image reading unit 3.

[0023] Next, the support mechanism 7 will be described with reference to FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is a side view showing the right link mechanism 41R of the support mechanism 7. The support mechanism 7 supports the image reading unit 3 on the image forming unit 5 so that the image reading unit 3 can be raised and lowered to an upper position above the discharge space S and a lower position below the discharge tray 37. The support mechanism 7 includes left and right link mechanisms 41L and 41R. The right link mechanism 41R will be described with reference to FIG. 2. The left link mechanism 41L has the same configuration as the right link mechanism 41R.

[0024] The right link mechanism 41R includes front and rear link arms 43F and 43R. The front and rear link arms 43F and 43R have the same length. The upper ends of the front and rear link arms 43F and 43R are rotatably supported on the right side surface of the image reading unit 13 of the image reading unit 3 at a predetermined distance in the front-to-rear direction. The lower ends of the front and rear link arms 43F and 43R are rotatably supported on the right side surface of the device body 21 of the image forming unit 5 at a predetermined distance in the front-to-rear direction.

[0025] When the front and rear link arms 43F, 43R rotate to the upright position, the image reading unit 3 rises to an upper position above the image forming unit 5 (see the solid line in FIG. 3). When the front and rear link arms 43F, 43R rotate forward by a predetermined angle to a laid-down position, the image reading unit 3 descends to a lower position in front of the image forming unit 4 and below the discharge tray 37 (see the two-dot chain line in FIG. 3). When the front and rear link arms 43F, 43R rotate to the upright position or the laid-down position, they are fixed by stoppers (not shown).

[0026] An example of how a wheelchair user uses the image forming apparatus 1 having the above configuration will be described below. The user moves to a position in front of the image forming apparatus 1 with a predetermined distance between them. Then, the user grasps the handle 17 of the document transport unit 11 and pulls it toward them. This causes the front and rear link arms 43F, 43R of the left and right link mechanisms 41L, 41R of the support mechanism 7 to rotate from an upright position to a lying position, and the document transport unit 11 (image reading unit 3) passes between the user and the image forming apparatus 1 and descends to the lower position.

[0027] Then, the user sets the document on the image reading unit 3. That is, when reading an image using the document feeding method, the document is set on the paper feed tray. When reading an image using the document fixing method, the document feeding unit 11 is rotated upward, the document is set on the document table, and then the document feeding unit 11 is rotated downward.

[0028] Thereafter, the user operates the operation panel 15 to input a predetermined instruction. Based on the input instruction, the image of the document is read by the image reading unit 3, and an image is formed on a sheet of paper based on the read image by the image forming unit 5.

[0029] The paper on which the image has been formed is discharged from the discharge port 35 into the discharge space S and falls onto the discharge tray 37. The user removes the paper that has fallen onto the discharge tray 37 over the image reading unit 3. The user then grasps the handle 17 of the image reading unit 3 and lifts up the image reading unit 3. This causes the front and rear link arms 43F, 43R of the left and right link mechanisms 41L, 41R of the support mechanism 7 to rotate from a lying position to an upright position, raising the image reading unit 3 to its upper position.

[0030] As described above, according to the present invention, the image reading unit 3 rotates below the discharge tray 37, making it easier for a wheelchair user to operate the operation panel 15. Furthermore, when reading an image using the document transport method, the document transport unit 11 can be easily rotated.

[0031] Furthermore, paper can be removed from the discharge tray 37 over the image reading unit 3 that has been lowered to the lower position. In this case, considering that a user may reach over the image reading unit 3, it is desirable that the length of the image reading unit 3 in the front-to-rear direction be as short as possible. For this reason, it is preferable that A4 size documents are transported in portrait orientation in the image reading unit 3.

[0032] Furthermore, since the image reading unit 3 moves up and down through the space in front of the image forming apparatus 1, it is easy to ensure a space for the image reading unit 3 to move.

[0033] The support mechanism 7 may also include a biasing member that biases the front and rear link arms 43F, 43R to the upright position and the lying position, and may also include a damper that buffers the rotation of the front and rear link arms 43F, 43R.

[0034] In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the image reading unit 3 is manually raised and lowered to the upper and lower positions. However, the image reading unit 3 may also be configured to be raised and lowered automatically. In this case, motors are connected to the rotation shafts at the lower ends of the front and rear link arms 43F, 43R of the support mechanism 7, and the motors are driven to rotate the link arms 43F, 43R. Furthermore, an input unit is provided on the operation panel 15 for inputting instructions to raise and lower the image reading unit 3. When a user inputs an instruction into the input unit, the motors are driven to rotate the link arms 43F, 43R, and the image reading unit 3 is automatically raised and lowered.

[0035] In the image forming unit 5 of the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the paper on which an image has been formed is discharged forward from the discharge opening 35. However, the image forming unit 5 may be configured so that the discharge opening 35 opens in either the left or right direction and the paper is discharged from either the left or right direction.

[0036] Furthermore, the above description of the embodiments of the present invention describes preferred embodiments of the paper feed device and image forming device according to the present invention, and therefore may include various technically preferable limitations, but the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to these aspects unless there is a specific description that limits the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0037] 1. Image forming device 3 Image reading unit 5 Image forming unit 7 Support mechanism 15 Operation panel 37 Output tray S discharge space

Claims

1. When the image of the document is read, the image reading unit an image forming unit that forms the image read by the image reading unit on a sheet of paper; a discharge space disposed above the image forming unit through which paper discharged from the image forming unit passes; a discharge tray formed on the bottom surface of the discharge space and on which discharged sheets are stacked; an operation panel provided in the image reading unit, through which instructions for an image reading operation and an image forming operation are input; an image forming apparatus comprising: a support mechanism that supports the image reading unit on the image forming unit so that the image reading unit can be raised and lowered to an upper position above the discharge space and a lower position below the discharge tray;

2. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lower position is located in front of the image forming unit.

3. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image reading unit is manually or automatically movable between the upper position and the lower position.

Images