Image forming apparatus

Abstract

This helps to reduce the efficiency of maintenance and prevent the overall size of the equipment from increasing. [Solution] The image forming apparatus comprises a main body (11) for forming an image on paper, an operating unit 10 provided on the upper vertical side of the main body (11), a left frame 107 constituting the main body (11), an operating unit support 15 for attaching the operating unit 10 to the left frame 107, and a control unit 20U provided in the area below the operating unit 10 in the vertical direction. The control unit 20U includes an upper arm portion 20a for fixing the control unit 20U to the left frame 107. The upper arm portion 20a is fixed to the left frame 107 by a fixing device B2, passing through the gap between the left frame 107 and the operating unit support 15. The fixing device B2 that fixes the upper arm portion 20a is removable when the operating unit 10 is attached to the left frame 107.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a printer, a copier, or a multifunction peripheral.

Background Art

[0002] An image forming apparatus includes an operation unit as a user interface. The operation unit includes an input interface such as various key buttons and a touch panel, and an output interface such as a display and a speaker. The operation unit is provided at a position where it can be easily operated from above or in front of the apparatus main body from the viewpoint of user operability. In the image forming apparatus, a space for discharging and stacking the printed paper is provided at a position where it can be easily accessed from above or in front of the apparatus main body. In the image forming apparatuses of Patent Documents 1 and 2, the operation unit is disposed above the paper discharge space, and the paper is discharged from the rear to the front of the apparatus main body. The operation unit is provided on either the left or right side of the apparatus main body.

[0003] Due to an increase in the information displayed on the display and the adoption of a touch panel, the display portion of the operation unit tends to be enlarged. Further, the display can be provided with a mechanism for making the angle of the display surface variable.

[0004] There is a demand for space saving in the apparatus main body of the image forming apparatus, particularly from many users for small offices. The operation unit is required not to hinder user operability and downsizing of the apparatus main body. For the purpose of such operability and downsizing, in the image forming apparatuses of Patent Documents 1 and 2, the operation unit is arranged so as to overlap the region of the image forming apparatus main body when viewed from above.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

[0006] The image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit for image formation inside a support frame that constitutes the housing. The operating unit is attached to the support frame via an operating unit support. Patent Document 2 describes removing the operating unit from the support frame before performing maintenance on the image forming unit. Removing the operating unit to access the image forming unit may reduce work efficiency.

[0007] In view of the above-mentioned problems, the primary objective of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus that suppresses a decrease in workability. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The present invention provides an image forming apparatus comprising: an apparatus body for forming an image on paper; an operating means provided on the upper vertical side of the apparatus body; a frame constituting the apparatus body; a support means for attaching the operating means to the frame; and a unit provided in the area below the operating means in the vertical direction. The unit includes a mounting portion for fixing the unit to the frame, there is a gap between the frame and the support means, the mounting portion is fixed to the frame by a fastener that penetrates the gap, and the fastener fixing the mounting portion can be removed while the operating means is attached to the frame via the support means. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, a decrease in work efficiency can be suppressed. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] Diagram showing the configuration of an image forming apparatus. [Figure 2]Diagram showing the configuration of an image forming apparatus. [Figure 3] Diagram showing the configuration of an image forming apparatus. [Figure 4] Diagram showing the configuration of an image forming apparatus. [Figure 5] Diagram showing the configuration of an image forming apparatus. [Figure 6] Diagram showing the configuration of an image forming apparatus. [Figure 7] Diagram illustrating the mounting configuration of the control unit. [Figure 8] Diagram illustrating the mounting configuration of the control unit. [Figure 9] Diagram illustrating the mounting configuration of the control unit. [Figure 10] Diagram illustrating the mounting configuration of the control unit. [Figure 11] Diagram illustrating the mounting configuration of the control unit. [Figure 12] A diagram illustrating the configuration around the support section of the operating unit. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the attached drawings. However, the dimensions, materials, shapes, and relative arrangements of the components described in the following embodiments 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 those.

[0012] Figures 1 to 6 are configuration diagrams of the image forming apparatus according to this embodiment. Figure 1 is a perspective view of the image forming apparatus from the front right. Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the operation unit. Figure 3 is a perspective view of the image forming apparatus with the left outer cover removed. Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the operation unit with the opening / closing cover open. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the position and shape of the operation unit support. Figure 6 is a top view of the main body of the image forming apparatus viewed from above in the vertical direction.

[0013] The image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit 110 for forming an image on a sheet inside the apparatus main body 11. The image forming apparatus has an operation unit 10 attached to the upper front side of the apparatus main body 11. The operation unit 10 is a user interface including input interfaces such as various key buttons and a touch panel, and output interfaces such as a display 101 and a speaker. An image reading device 14 for reading an image from a document is provided above the apparatus main body 11. The apparatus main body 11 includes a discharge tray 12, a discharge unit 13, an operation unit support portion 15, an operation unit support plate 16, a main body first frame 17, a main body second frame 18, an opening / closing cover unit 19, and a board support portion 20. Further, the image forming apparatus includes an operation unit support portion cover 103, a main body first frame cover 104, a main body second frame cover 105, and an opening / closing cover 106.

[0014] The sheet S on which an image is printed by the image forming unit 110 is discharged from the discharge unit 13 to the discharge tray 12 from the rear to the front of the apparatus main body 11. The discharged sheet S is stacked on the discharge tray 12. The discharge tray 12 is provided in a discharge space between the upper end of the apparatus main body 11 and the image reading device 14.

[0015] The opening / closing cover unit 19 is attached to the front end of the apparatus main body 11 so as to be openable and closable with respect to the apparatus main body 11. The opening / closing cover unit 19 is provided to enable access to the internal unit of the apparatus main body 11. Note that an opening / closing cover 106 is attached to the opening / closing cover unit 19. FIG. 2 shows the state where the opening / closing cover unit 19 is closed, and FIG. 4 shows the state where the opening / closing cover unit 19 is open.

[0016] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, the main body first frame 17 and the main body second frame 18 are provided at the upper part of the apparatus main body 11. The image reading device 14 is supported by the main body first frame 17 and the main body second frame 18 at the upper part in the vertical direction of the apparatus main body 11. The image reading device 14 is also supported by the operation unit support part 15 and the operation unit support plate 16 (see FIG. 5). The operation unit support part 15, the operation unit support plate 16, and the main body first frame 17 are support members that support the image reading device 14 on the left side of the discharge tray 12. The main body second frame 18 is a support member that supports the image reading device 14 on the right side of the discharge tray 12. A main body first frame cover 104 is attached to the main body first frame 17, and a main body second frame cover 105 is attached to the main body second frame 18. With such a configuration, the image reading device 14 is supported above the discharge tray 12 in the vertical direction.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 2, the operation unit 10 is disposed above the apparatus main body 11 and in front of the image reading device 14. The operation unit 10 is supported in the vertical direction by the operation unit support part 15 and the operation unit support plate 16 (see FIG. 3). An operation unit support part cover 103 is attached to the operation unit support part 15. The operation unit 10 includes an operation unit hinge 102. The operation unit 10 can be rotated by the operation unit hinge 102, and the display surface of the display 101 can be adjusted to a predetermined angle. The movable range of the operation unit 10 is at least from the angle at which the display surface of the display 101 faces forward as shown in FIG. 1 to the angle at which it faces upward as shown in FIG. 2.

[0018] As shown in Figures 2 and 5, the display 101 and a portion of the operation unit support cover 103 are positioned to overlap the output tray 12 in the left-right direction of the device body 11 when viewed from above in the vertical direction. The vertical length between the paper loading surface of the output tray 12 and the lower end of the operation unit support cover 103 is defined as the "maximum paper loading height H". Paper discharged onto the paper loading surface may curl. Therefore, the maximum paper loading height H is the sum of the paper height when the maximum number of sheets are loaded into the output tray 12 and the maximum output curl height. The maximum output curl height is the maximum vertical value of the curl that occurs in the paper when it is discharged into the output tray 12, and it varies depending on conditions such as paper type and temperature and humidity. Therefore, the maximum output curl height needs to be optimized for each product by adjusting the paper transport settings and image forming settings so as to satisfy the curl height specifications for each product.

[0019] Furthermore, the maximum paper size that can be loaded onto the paper loading surface of the output tray 12 is defined as the "maximum paper loading width W". The area enclosed by the maximum paper loading height H and the maximum paper loading width W (output space) is defined as the maximum paper loading area A. As described above, because the operation unit 10 is positioned above the main body 11 and in front of the image reading device 14, access to the paper ejected into the maximum paper loading area A is reduced. In addition, because the operation unit 10 is positioned above the main body 11 to avoid interfering with the trajectory of the paper when it is ejected onto the paper loading surface, it is difficult to miniaturize the entire image forming apparatus.

[0020] As shown in Figure 3, a circuit board support plate 20 is provided inside the main body 11 of the device located below the operating unit 10. The circuit board support plate 20 can be accessed by removing the left-side cover of the main body 11. For example, when performing maintenance on the circuit board support plate 20, the left-side cover of the main body 11 is removed.

[0021] (Configuration of the control unit) Figures 7 to 11 are explanatory diagrams of the mounting configuration of the operation unit 10. Figure 7 is a perspective view of the operation unit 10 from the front left. Figure 8 is a perspective view of the operation unit 10 from the rear left. Figure 9 shows the configuration diagram of the circuit board support plate 20. Figure 10 is an explanatory diagram of the configuration around the operation unit support part 15. Figure 11 is an explanatory diagram of the assembly configuration of the circuit board unit.

[0022] The operating unit support section 15 is installed with its right end fixed to the upper edge 107u of the left frame 107 of the main body with screws B1 (Figure 10), and its left end resting on the upper surface 20s of the substrate support plate 20 (Figures 7 and 8). The left frame 107 of the main body is provided on the left side of the device body 11 and constitutes the housing of the device body 11.

[0023] As shown in Figure 9, the control board 201 is mounted on the left side of the substrate support plate 20. The control board 201 is equipped with, for example, a control device for controlling the operation of the image forming unit 110. On the upper surface 20s of the substrate support plate 20, a soft switch 202 is mounted at the front and an interlock switch 203 is mounted at the rear via a switch holder (not shown). The control unit 20U is formed by the substrate support plate 20, the control board 201, the soft switch 202, and the interlock switch 203. A connecting plate 20c is provided on the lower side of the substrate support plate 20, and the substrate support plate 20c is fixed to the left frame 107 of the main body.

[0024] As shown in Figure 10, the substrate support plate 20 is provided with an upper arm portion 20a, which is fixed to the upper edge portion 107u of the left frame 107 of the main body with a fastener (in this case, a screw B2). The upper arm portion 20a becomes the mounting portion, and the upper edge portion 107u becomes the mounting portion. The operating unit support portion 15 in the area (first region) where the upper arm portion 20a of the substrate support plate 20 is fixed with the screw B2 is provided with a curved surface 15w. The curved surface 15w needs to be large enough to provide space for using a tool (stubby screwdriver) 70 to attach and detach the screw B2. In addition, in a part of the first region, a gap is created between the operating unit support portion 15 and the left frame 107 of the main body due to the curved surface 15w.

[0025] When the circuit board unit 20U is attached to the left frame 107 of the main body, as shown by arrow A in Figure 11, the upper arm portion 20a of the circuit board support plate 20 is fixed by passing through the gap between the operation unit support portion 15 and the left frame 107 of the main body from left to right. The operation unit support portion 15 is provided with a recess 15a that forms a curved surface 15w near the mounting position of the circuit board support plate 20 (first region) in order to create a gap with the left frame 107 of the main body. The upper arm portion 20a of the circuit board support plate 20 passes through the gap created by the recess 15a and is exposed to the upper edge portion 107u of the left frame 107 of the main body, and is fastened vertically with screws B2 using a tool 70. When the circuit board unit 20U is removed from the left frame 107 of the main body for maintenance, etc., the screws B2 of the upper arm portion 20a of the circuit board support plate 20 are removed using a tool 70 and pulled out to the left. The position where the upper arm portion 20a is fixed overlaps with the curved surface 15w when viewed from the left and right directions, so it is inserted and removed from the gap in the left and right directions.

[0026] In this configuration, the substrate unit 20U fits within the area below the operation unit 10 when viewed from above the image forming apparatus, thus preventing an increase in the size of the main body of the image forming apparatus. Furthermore, when removing the substrate unit 20U for maintenance, etc., it is not necessary to remove the operation unit 10 and the operation unit support part 15. This ensures good workability. In addition, space for using the tool 70 to attach and detach the screws B2 that fix the substrate unit 20U to the left frame 107 of the main body is secured by the curved surface 15w of the operation unit support part 15. The curved surface 15w is formed by recessing a part of the inner side surface of the operation unit support part 15 into a curved shape. This prevents a decrease in the rigidity of the operation unit support part 15.

[0027] (modified version) Figure 12 is an explanatory diagram of a modified configuration around the operating unit support. In the configuration of Figure 10, the fastening direction of screw B2 is vertical from top to bottom, whereas in the configuration of Figure 12, the fastening direction of the fastener (here, screw B3) is horizontal from front to rear. The differences between the configuration of Figure 10 and the configuration of Figure 12 will be explained below.

[0028] The substrate support plate 40 is attached to the mounting portion 107m of the main body left frame 107 by screws B3. The mounting portion 107m is a projection provided vertically upward from the upper edge portion 107u of the main body left frame 107, and is provided with a screw mounting hole. The direction of fastening with screws B3 is horizontal, unlike the vertical direction (up and down direction) in Figure 10. Screws B3 are screwed in from front to back. For this reason, the surfaces of the mounting portion 40a of the substrate support plate 40 and the mounting portion 107m of the main body left frame 107 are aligned in the front-to-back direction.

[0029] To ensure that the fastening direction of the screw B3 is horizontal, the side surface of the operating unit support section 30 is shaped such that the front is open and a curved surface 30w is provided on the rear side. Alternatively, if it is possible to attach the screw B3, a curved surface 15w similar in shape to that shown in Figure 10 may be provided on the right side surface of the operating unit support section 30. In any case, the side surface of the operating unit support section 30 should be shaped in such a way that the screw B3 can be easily attached and detached using the tool 70. Even with this configuration, it is possible to suppress an increase in the size of the image forming apparatus body and maintain good workability during maintenance.

[0030] The mounting portion 40a of the substrate support plate 40 is a projection extending vertically upward from the upper arm portion 20a, and is provided with a screw hole for screwing in a screw B3. The mounting portion 40a of the substrate support plate 40 is attached to the underside of the operation unit 10 by passing through the gap created by the recess 30a of the operation unit support portion 30 from left to right, and other configurations and shapes are the same as those described in Figures 1 to 11. In the configuration of Figure 12, the screw hole of the mounting portion 40a faces forward so that the screw B3 is screwed in from front to rear. Since space is secured in front of the screw hole of the mounting portion 40a, there is no restriction on the length of the tool 70, and better workability can be obtained.

[0031] When the tool 70 accesses the fixing device of the control unit 20U, the opening / closing cover 106 of the opening / closing cover unit 19 is opened, as shown in Figure 4. Opening the opening / closing cover 106 ensures an opening for the tool 70 to access the fixing device.

[0032] For example, in the configuration shown in Figure 10, the tool 70 accesses the screw B2 from below the operating unit 10 in Figure 4 through an opening and fastens the upper arm portion 20a of the substrate support plate 20 to the upper edge portion 107u of the left frame 107 of the main body. Due to the curved surface 15w, the tool 70 does not interfere with the operating unit support cover 103 (operating unit support portion 15).

[0033] In the configuration shown in Figure 12, the tool 70 accesses the screw B3 through an opening from the lower front of the operating unit 10 in Figure 4, and fastens the mounting portion 40a of the substrate support plate 40 to the mounting portion 107m of the left frame 107 of the main body. Because the right side of the operating unit support portion 30 is open in the front direction and has a curved surface 30w on the rear side, the tool 70 does not interfere with the operating unit support portion cover 103 (operating unit support portion 30).

[0034] As described above, in this embodiment, the control unit 20U of the image forming apparatus fits within the area below the vertical direction of the operation unit 10, thus suppressing an increase in the size of the main body. Furthermore, the control unit 20U is attached to the apparatus body 11 by movement in a horizontal direction (left-right or front-back direction) different from the vertical direction. When removing the control unit 20U from the apparatus body 11, it moves horizontally in the opposite direction to when it was attached. For this reason, it is not necessary to remove the operation unit 10 when attaching or detaching the control unit 20U, resulting in improved workability for maintenance and other tasks.

[0035] Furthermore, the operating unit support portion 15 has a space in a first region including the mounting position of the control unit 20U so that the tool 70 can easily access the fasteners (screws, nuts, etc.) when attaching the control unit 20U. In the examples of Figures 10 and 12, the operating unit support portions 15 and 30 have curved surfaces 15w and 30w. However, the shape is not limited to curved surfaces 15w and 30w as long as space can be secured for using the tool 70.

Claims

1. The main body of the device that forms an image on paper, Operating means provided on the upper side in the vertical direction of the main body of the device, The frame that constitutes the main body of the device, Support means for attaching the operating means to the frame, The unit comprises a unit provided in the area below the vertical direction of the operating means, The unit includes a mounting portion for fixing the unit to the frame, There is a gap between the frame and the support means, and the mounting portion is fixed to the frame by a fastener while passing through the gap. The operating means is attached to the frame via the support means, and the fixing device that secures the mounting portion can be removed, characterized in that the fixing device that secures the mounting portion can be removed. Image forming apparatus.

2. The support means is characterized by having a shape that secures space for using a tool to fix the mounting portion to the frame. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1.

3. The unit is characterized by moving horizontally to allow the mounting portion to penetrate the gap. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1.

4. The support means is characterized by having a recess that creates the gap between it and the frame. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3.

5. The support means includes a first region that forms part of the gap, and the first region has a curved shape due to the recess. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4.

6. The position where the mounting portion is fixed is characterized in that, when viewed from the horizontal direction, it overlaps with the curved shape of the support means. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5.

7. The unit is characterized in that the mounting portion is fixed to the upper edge of the frame by the fastener. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1.

8. The mounting portion is characterized by being fastened to the upper edge by the fastener in the vertical direction. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7.

9. The mounting portion is a projection provided in the first direction, The frame is provided in the first direction and has a mounting portion, The projection of the mounting portion is fixed to the mounting portion by the fastener, The image forming apparatus according to claim 1.

10. The first direction is characterized by being the upward direction in the vertical direction. The image forming apparatus according to claim 9.

11. The mounting portion is characterized by being fastened horizontally to the mounting portion by the fastener. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10.

Images