Input device, non-contact operation unit, and image forming apparatus

Abstract

The present invention provides an input device, a non-contact operation unit, and an image forming apparatus that can suppress false detection of non-contact operation by short users. [Solution] The input device, the operation panel 50, includes a display unit that displays an operation screen and a non-contact sensor 53 that detects non-contact operations of an indicator on the operation screen. The detection surface 53a of the non-contact sensor, which detects non-contact operations of the user's finger, is inclined with respect to the display surface 51a such that the distance from the display surface 51a of the front display unit is shorter than the distance from the display surface 51a of the back display unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an input device, a non-contact operation unit, and an image forming apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, an input device including a display unit that displays an operation screen and a non-contact operation detection unit that detects a non-contact operation of an indicator on the operation screen is known.

[0003] Patent Document 1 describes an input device provided in an image forming apparatus. The non-contact operation unit, which is a non-contact operation detection unit, includes a non-contact sensor. The non-contact sensor detects a non-contact operation by detecting the entry position of a finger (indicator) that operates on a detection surface, which is a space region above the display surface of the display unit where the operation screen is displayed, at a predetermined distance from the display surface. In Patent Document 1, the detection surface is parallel to the display surface.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, there has been a risk of erroneously detecting a non-contact operation of a short user.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides an input device including a display unit that displays an operation screen and a non-contact operation detection unit that detects a non-contact operation of an indicator on the operation screen. The detection surface for detecting the non-contact operation of the indicator by the non-contact operation detection unit is inclined with respect to the display surface such that the distance from the display surface of the front-side display unit is shorter than the distance from the display surface of the back-side display unit.

Effects of the Invention

[0006] According to the present invention, it is possible to suppress the erroneous detection of non-contact operations of short users.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0007] [Figure 1] A perspective view of the image forming apparatus of this embodiment. [Figure 2] Perspective view of the control panel. [Figure 3] A perspective view showing the detection surface of a non-contact operation sensor. [Figure 4] Functional block diagram of the control panel. [Figure 5] This diagram illustrates the operation of the control panel for a short user when the detection surface is parallel to the display surface of the display unit. [Figure 6] This figure illustrates the detection surface of the non-contact operation sensor in this embodiment. [Figure 7] This diagram illustrates how a short user can operate the control panel when the detection surface is inclined relative to the display surface of the display unit. [Figure 8] A schematic diagram showing the control panel of Modification Example 1. [Figure 9] A schematic diagram of the control panel for modified example 2. [Figure 10] A diagram showing the control panel in both an upright and a reclined position. [Figure 11] A diagram illustrating the parallax between the detection surface and the display surface. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] The following describes an embodiment in which the input device according to the present invention is used in the operation panel of an image forming apparatus. Figure 1 is a perspective view of the image forming apparatus 1 of this embodiment. The image forming apparatus 1 is a copier in which an image reading device 2 is positioned on top of the main body 3 of the image forming apparatus. The main body 3 of the image forming apparatus includes a recording paper storage section 5 that houses recording paper as a recording medium on which an image is formed, and an image forming section (image making section) as an image forming means.

[0009] Furthermore, an operation panel 50, which is an input device for the user to perform various input operations related to the image forming process and for which information related to the image forming process is displayed, is installed on the front of the image forming apparatus 1 (the front where the user performs normal operations). The operation panel 50 is rotatably supported on a support shaft 50a and its tilt angle can be changed.

[0010] The image forming unit includes, for example, an exposure unit as an exposure means, a plurality of photosensitive drums, a developing device that uses four colors of toner: cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (K), a transfer belt as an intermediate transfer body, a secondary transfer unit, a fixing unit, etc. Based on the scanned image of the original read by the image reading device 2 or print data transmitted from an external device such as a PC (personal computer), the image forming unit creates an image, for example, as follows: Based on the print data, the image forming unit exposes each color of photosensitive drum with the exposure unit to form an electrostatic latent image on each photosensitive drum, and then develops the image by supplying toner onto the latent image on each photosensitive drum with the developing unit for each color of the developing device. The image forming unit can also form a color image by first transferring the toner images on each color of photosensitive drum to the transfer belt, then transferring them to recording paper as a recording medium in the secondary transfer unit, and finally fixing the toner images on the recording paper by heating and pressurizing them in the fixing unit. The recording paper on which the image has been formed is discharged into the output tray 19 on the top surface of the image forming apparatus body 3.

[0011] In recent years, there has been an increasing demand for contactless operation of touch panels and buttons that are touched by many different users, in order to avoid contact with viruses and bacteria that cause infectious diseases. Similarly, in the case of floor-mounted image forming apparatus 1 shown in Figure 1, the operation panel 50 is also operated by many different users, and there are a certain number of users who psychologically do not want to touch it. Therefore, the operation panel 50 of this embodiment is equipped with a non-contact sensor, allowing the operation screen to be operated without touching it.

[0012] Figure 2 is a perspective view of the control panel 50. As shown in Figure 2, the operation panel 50 includes a display unit 51 such as an LCD or CRT, a touch panel 52 as a contact operation detection unit, and a non-contact sensor 53 as a non-contact operation detection unit.

[0013] The touch panel 52 is a capacitive or pressure-sensitive contact sensor and is mounted on top of the display unit 51. The touch panel 52 detects the position of touch when the user's finger touches the touch-sensing surface.

[0014] The non-contact sensor 53 is configured as a non-contact operation unit and is detachably attached to the operation panel 50. It is optionally mounted on the back of the operation panel 50. The non-contact sensor 53 is connected to a connection terminal such as a USB terminal located at the bottom of the operation panel 50, enabling communication with the panel control unit 60, which will be described later, and power supply.

[0015] The non-contact sensor 53 consists of an optical unit in which an infrared light-emitting element that emits infrared light and a photodetector that receives infrared light are arranged in an array. As shown in Figure 3, the spatial area above the operation screen of the display unit 51, at a predetermined distance from the screen, serves as the detection surface 53a for detecting non-contact operations on the user's operation screen. When the user's finger enters this detection surface 53a, the diffusely reflected infrared light from the light-emitting element reflected from the finger is received by multiple photodetectors, and the position of the fingertip is detected based on the amount of infrared light received by each photodetector.

[0016] The conventional non-contact sensor has a two-axis scanning optical path, namely, the scanning optical path of the infrared rays irradiated in the vertical direction of the display unit 51 and the scanning optical path of the infrared rays irradiated in the horizontal direction of the display unit 51. Also, in the conventional non-contact sensor, light-emitting elements are arranged in an array on one side sandwiching the display unit, and light-receiving elements are arranged in an array on the other side. The light from the light-emitting elements is blocked by a fingertip entering the detection surface, and the position of the fingertip is detected based on the position of the light-receiving element that has stopped receiving light. Therefore, the conventional non-contact sensor is composed of a frame surrounding the display unit 51, and it may be difficult to operate at the edge of the operation screen, presenting a problem in terms of operability. There is also a problem that the appearance is impaired.

[0017] On the other hand, the non-contact sensor 53 of the present embodiment has a single-axis scanning optical path that is only the scanning optical path of the infrared rays irradiated from the back side of the operation panel 50 toward the vertical direction (the front-rear direction of the device, the Y direction in the figure) of the display unit 51. Also, it detects the position of the fingertip by receiving, with a light-receiving element, the infrared rays diffusely reflected from the user's finger that has entered the detection surface 53a toward the back side of the operation panel 50. Therefore, the non-contact sensor 53 of the present embodiment only needs to be arranged on the back side of the operation panel 50, and compared with the conventional non-contact sensor surrounding the display unit 51, it can improve the operability at the edge of the operation screen. Also, the appearance is not impaired.

[0018] FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram of the operation panel 50. As shown in FIG. 4, the operation panel angle detection mechanism 62 and the sensor drive unit 63 are provided in the operation panel 50B of Modification 2 described later. As shown in FIG. 4, the operation panel 50 includes a panel control unit 60 composed of a computer device such as a microcomputer. The panel control unit 60 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 60a. Further, it includes a ROM (Read Only Memory) 60c and a RAM (Random Access Memory) 60b as storage means connected to the CPU 60a via a bus line. By executing a control program, which is a computer program pre-embedded, the CPU 60a controls the display unit 51, and detects the user's operation based on the position information detected by the non-contact sensor 53 or the touch panel 52 and the operation screen displayed on the display unit 51. The ROM 60c pre-stores fixed data such as computer programs and control data. The RAM 60b functions as a work area or the like that stores various data in a rewritable manner.

[0019] As described above, when the user's finger touches the sensing surface of the touch panel 52 that senses contact, the touch panel 52 detects the touched position. The position information detected by the touch panel 52 is sent to the panel control unit 60. Then, based on the position information detected by the touch panel 52, the panel control unit 60 detects a contact operation on the operation screen displayed on the display unit 51.

[0020] As described above, the non-contact sensor 53 receives the diffused reflected light of the infrared rays of the light emitting element reflected from the user's finger that has entered the detection surface 53a by a plurality of light receiving elements, and detects the position of the fingertip based on the amount of infrared light received by each light receiving element. The position information detected by the non-contact sensor 53 is sent to the panel control unit 60. Then, based on the position information detected by the non-contact sensor 53, the panel control unit 60 detects a non-contact operation on the operation screen displayed on the display unit 51.

[0021] Based on the user's operation on the detected operation screen, the panel control unit 60 identifies the information related to the image forming operation input by the user's operation, and transmits the identified information related to the image forming operation to the main body control unit 61 (the control unit of the image forming apparatus).

[0022] The floor-type image forming apparatus 1 shown in Figure 1 is configured so that the output tray 19 and the image reading device 2 are at approximately waist height for most users, making it easy for most users to operate. As a result, most users will be looking down at the control panel 50, which is at roughly the same height as the image reading device 2. To ensure that the operation screen displayed on the display unit 51 of the control panel 50 is easily visible, the control panel 50 is installed at a horizontal angle (approximately 10-20° to the horizontal). Furthermore, by installing the control panel 50 at a horizontal angle, it is possible to prevent any part of the control panel 50 from being positioned above the scanner surface of the image reading device 2, thus preventing the control panel 50 from getting in the way when setting a document on the scanner surface.

[0023] Conventionally, the detection surface 53a of the non-contact sensor 53 (which is also the direction of infrared irradiation of the light-emitting element) was parallel to the display surface 51a of the display unit 51. For most users, the position of the operation panel 50 is at waist height, and the position of the elbow is above the extension line X (see Figure 5) of the detection surface 53a of the non-contact sensor 53 toward the front. When the position of the elbow is above the extension line X of the detection surface 53a of the non-contact sensor 53 toward the front, the finger, which acts as the pointing object, enters the detection surface 53a in an upright position (large angle of entry into the detection surface 53a). As a result, the position of the operation screen pointed to by the finger can be accurately detected by the non-contact sensor 53, and the user's non-contact operation can be accurately detected.

[0024] Figure 5 illustrates the operation of the control panel 50 for a short user when the detection surface 53a is parallel to the display surface 51a of the display unit 51, where (a) is an overall view and (b) is a magnified view of the area around the control panel 50. As shown in Figure 5(b), when a short user stands in front of the image forming apparatus 1 and operates it, the position of their elbow may be below the extension line X of the non-contact sensor 53 toward the front of the detection surface 53a. As a result, as shown in Figure 5(b), the operating finger (pointer) enters the detection surface 53a in a horizontal position (small entry angle to the detection surface 53a). Raising the elbow allows the operating finger to enter the detection surface 53a in an upright position (large entry angle to the detection surface 53a), but it is rare to raise the elbow when operating the operation panel 50 in front of the user. This is because raising the elbow requires force, and maintaining that posture is an inefficient movement.

[0025] Therefore, when a short user stands in front of the image forming apparatus 1 and operates it, in most cases, the operating fingers enter the detection surface 53a in a flat position (with a small angle of entry into the detection surface 53a), as shown in Figure 5(b). As a result, parts of the hand other than the operating fingers, such as the clenched fist, may enter the detection surface 53a, potentially leading to false detection of the user's non-contact operation.

[0026] Therefore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 6, the detection surface 53a is inclined with respect to the display surface 51a such that the distance h1 from the front end A2 of the display surface 51a of the display unit 51 is shorter than the distance h2 from the rear end B2 of the display surface 51a.

[0027] It is preferable that the distance of the detection surface 53a from the display surface 51a be about 10 to 15 mm. If the distance between the detection surface 53a and the display surface 51a of the display unit 51 is less than 10 mm, the likelihood of a fingertip touching the touch panel 52 increases, making contactless operation impossible. On the other hand, if the distance between the detection surface 53a and the display surface 51a is 15 mm or more, the positional shift (parallax) of the operation screen on the detection surface increases depending on the viewing angle of the operation screen. As a result, depending on the angle at which the user views the operation screen displayed on the display unit 51, the position of the pointing finger may shift significantly, potentially preventing some users from performing contactless operation properly. Therefore, it is preferable to set the inclination angle θ of the detection surface 53a such that the distance h1 from the front end A2 of the display surface 51a is about 10 mm, and the distance h2 from the rear end B2 of the display surface 51a is about 15 mm.

[0028] By setting the distance h1 from the front edge A2 of the display surface 51a of the detection surface 53a to approximately 10 mm and the distance h2 from the back edge B2 of the display surface 51a of the detection surface 53a to approximately 15 mm, the following effects can be obtained. Specifically, when operating the front side of the operation screen displayed on the display unit 51, the operation can be performed without contact, without the fingertips touching the touch panel 52. In addition, when operating the back side of the operation screen, problems such as not detecting an operation even when pointing to a predetermined position on the operation screen, depending on the viewing angle of the operation screen, can be suppressed. Furthermore, the difference between the distance h1 from the front edge A2 of the display surface 51a of the detection surface 53a and the distance h2 from the back edge B2 of the display surface 51a of the detection surface 53a can be kept within 5 mm. As a result, the discomfort caused by the difference in distance from the display surface 51a when operating the back side of the operation screen displayed on the display unit 51 without contact and when operating the front side of the operation screen without contact can be reduced.

[0029] Furthermore, it is generally recommended that the tolerance for the discrepancy between the detection position of the touch panel 52 and the operation screen be kept within ±0.5 mm. If the discrepancy exceeds this, it may cause discomfort during operation, such as the operation screen not responding even when a specific position is pressed. Therefore, as shown in Figure 6, it is preferable to set the inclination angle θ of the detection surface 53a relative to the display surface 51a so that the difference between the front-to-back dimension L2 of the display unit 51 (display surface 51a) and the front-to-back dimension L1 of the detection surface 53a is within 0.5 mm. This makes it possible to keep the discrepancy between the front-to-back position of the fingertip entering the detection surface 53a detected by the non-contact sensor 53 and the front-to-back position of the operation screen within 0.5 mm. As a result, non-contact operation can be detected with the same accuracy as the touch panel 52, allowing the user to perform non-contact operations without discomfort. The rear end of the detection surface 53a is the intersection of the perpendicular line of the display surface 51a extending from the rear end of the display surface 51a and the detection surface 53a (the infrared scanning light path of the light-emitting element). The front end of the detection surface 53a is the intersection of the perpendicular line of the display surface 51a extending from the front end of the display surface 51a and the detection surface 53a (the infrared scanning light path of the light-emitting element). In this embodiment, when the tilt angle θ is 5°, (L1-L2) is approximately 0.5 mm. Therefore, by setting the tilt angle θ to 5° or less, (L1-L2) can be kept within 0.5 mm, allowing the user to perform contactless operation without discomfort.

[0030] Figure 7 illustrates the operation of the control panel 50 for a short user when the detection surface 53a is inclined relative to the display surface 51a of the display unit 51, where (a) is an overall view and (b) is a magnified view of the area around the control panel 50. The dashed line in Figure 7(b) indicates the detection surface 53a parallel to the display surface 51a. As shown in Figure 7(a), in this embodiment, where the detection surface 53a of the non-contact sensor 53 is inclined relative to the display surface 51a, the position of the elbow of a short user standing in front of the image forming apparatus 1 is above the extension line X of the detection surface 53a of the non-contact sensor 53 toward the front. As a result, as shown in Figure 7(b), compared to the case where the detection surface 53a, shown by the dashed line in the figure, is parallel to the display surface 51a, the fingers operating the detection surface 53a can be brought into contact with the detection surface 53a in a more upright position (a larger angle of entry into the detection surface 53a). Therefore, it is possible to prevent parts of the hand other than the fingers operating the operation, such as the clenched fist, from entering the detection surface 53a, thereby suppressing false detection of the user's non-contact operation.

[0031] In this embodiment, the inclination angle θ of the detection surface 53a relative to the display surface 51a is set such that the height h3 of the extension line X to the front side of the detection surface 53a at the position of the elbow in the front-to-back direction (Y direction in the figure) when the user stands in front of the image forming apparatus 1 corresponds to the elbow height of the bottom 5% of Japanese women as shown in the human body dimension diagram. As a result, most users can perform non-contact operation successfully.

[0032] In this embodiment, by setting the inclination angle θ to 3°, the height h3 was made the same as the elbow height of the bottom 5% of Japanese women as shown in the human body dimension diagram. Since the vertical dimension (front-to-back dimension) of the display surface 51a of the display unit 51 in this embodiment is about 125 mm, the distance of the detection surface 53a from the center of the display surface 51a in the front-to-back direction is set to about 13 mm. At this time, the distance h1 from the front end A2 of the display surface 51a of the detection surface 53a is 9.7 mm, and the distance h2 from the rear end B2 of the display surface 51a of the detection surface 53a is 16.3 mm. As a result, the distance of the detection surface 53a from the display surface 51a can be set to a range close to the preferred range of 10 to 15 mm described above.

[0033] Next, a modified example of this embodiment will be described.

[0034] [Example 1] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram showing the operation panel 50A of the modified example 1. This modified example 1 is characterized by the addition of a light-shielding member 54 to the front end of the control panel 50A. As described above, the non-contact sensor 53 of this embodiment receives diffusely reflected light from the operating finger (indicator) that has entered the detection surface 53a using multiple light-receiving elements, and detects the position of the operating finger based on the amount of infrared light received by each light-receiving element. Therefore, if a highly reflective object (for example, a plastic card such as an employee ID) is in front of the operation panel 50, the light-receiving elements may receive infrared light reflected from the highly reflective object, potentially leading to false detection.

[0035] As shown in Modification 1, by providing a light-shielding member 54 at the front end of the operation panel 50A, it is possible to prevent infrared rays from the light-emitting element from irradiating a highly reflective object even if such an object is located in front of the operation panel 50. This suppresses false detections by the non-contact sensor 53.

[0036] Furthermore, since the detection surface 53a is inclined so that its height is lower than the display surface 51a on the front side, the infrared rays emitted from the non-contact sensor 53 can be effectively blocked even if the height of the light-shielding member 54 is low. This prevents the light-shielding member 54 from interfering with operation and prevents any impairment of operability.

[0037] [Differentiation 2] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the control panel 50B of the modified example 2. This modified example 2 allows for adjustment of the inclination angle θ of the detection surface 53a. As shown in Figure 9, in this modified example 2, the non-contact sensor 53 consists of a sensor unit 53b equipped with a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element, and a mounting unit 53d that is attached to the operation panel 50B. The sensor unit 53b is equipped with a pivot shaft 53c, and the pivot shaft 53c is rotatably supported by the mounting unit 53d.

[0038] The control panel 50B is rotatably supported on the support shaft 50a. For example, if the operation screen displayed on the display unit 51 is difficult to see due to reflection of sunlight, the control panel 50B can be rotated and raised (for example, to a tilt of 45° with respect to the horizontal direction), as shown by the dotted line in Figure 10. In the modified example 2, when the control panel 50B is raised (at a tilt of 45° with respect to the horizontal direction), the sensor unit 53b is rotated in the direction of arrow D in the figure to make the detection surface 53a parallel to the display surface 51a (tilt angle θ=0°).

[0039] Specifically, the system includes an operation panel angle detection mechanism 62 (see Figure 4) which detects the angle of the operation panel 50B with respect to the horizontal, and a sensor drive unit 63 (see Figure 4) which is an adjustment means for rotating the sensor part 53b of the non-contact sensor 53. The operation panel angle detection mechanism 62 consists of a filler and an optical sensor. For example, when the operation panel 50B is raised (the angle with respect to the horizontal is changed to 45°), the filler blocks the light directed towards the light-receiving element of the light-emitting element of the optical sensor. This makes it possible to detect that the operation panel 50B has changed from a lying position to an raised position (the angle with respect to the horizontal is changed to 45°). Alternatively, an encoder sensor may be used to detect the angle of the operation panel 50B with respect to the horizontal.

[0040] The panel control unit 60 (see Figure 4) drives the sensor drive unit 63 based on the angle of the operation panel 50 detected by the operation panel angle detection mechanism 62, and changes the inclination angle of the detection surface 53a relative to the display surface 51a.

[0041] When the control panel 50B is raised, even short users can access the detection surface 53a with their fingers in an upright position relative to the detection surface 53a (larger angle of entry into the detection surface 53a). Therefore, when the control panel 50B is raised, even if the detection surface 53a is parallel to the display surface (tilt angle θ=0°), false detection of non-contact operation will not occur. The smaller the tilt angle θ of the detection surface 53a relative to the display surface 51a, the smaller the difference in distance between the front and back sides of the detection surface 53a from the display surface 51a, eliminating the feeling of discomfort caused by the difference in distance from the display surface 51a when performing non-contact operation on the front side versus the back side.

[0042] Therefore, when the control panel 50B is raised (at a 45° angle to the horizontal), the detection surface 53a is made parallel to the display surface 51a (tilt angle θ=0°), allowing users to perform contactless operations with less discomfort.

[0043] Furthermore, the height or elbow position of a user standing in front of the control panel 50 may be detected by a camera or the like, and the inclination angle θ of the detection surface 53a relative to the display surface 51a may be changed based on the detected height or elbow position. For example, if the height or elbow position of a user standing in front of the control panel is above a predetermined height, the detection surface 53a is made parallel to the display surface 51a (inclination angle θ=0°). Also, when the control panel 50 is raised (at 45° to the horizontal), the camera may be used to detect whether or not the user is in a wheelchair, and if the user is in a wheelchair, the inclination angle of the detection surface 53a relative to the display surface 51a may not be changed (inclination angle θ=0°). This is because, in the case of a wheelchair user, even when the control panel 50 is raised, the elbow position may be below the extension of the detection surface 53a.

[0044] As shown in Figure 11, when the operation panel 50 is in a reclined position (angle of 10-20° relative to the horizontal), the angle of the user's line of sight relative to the display surface 51a becomes small. As a result, a discrepancy (parallax) occurs between the predetermined position of the operation screen on the detection surface 53a and the predetermined position of the operation screen on the display surface 51a. Consequently, based on the user's line of sight, the position where the user points to the predetermined position of the operation screen on the detection surface 53a differs from the predetermined position of the operation screen on the display surface 51a. Therefore, in this embodiment, the panel control unit 60 corrects the amount of discrepancy (parallax) between the predetermined position of the operation screen on the detection surface 53a and the actual predetermined position of the operation screen with respect to the position information detected by the non-contact sensor 53. In other words, the panel control unit 60 functions as a correction means.

[0045] When the control panel 50 is in the upright position (angle of 45° with respect to the horizontal), the angle of the user's line of sight relative to the display surface 51a increases, and parallax decreases. Therefore, the discrepancy between the position where the user's finger points to a predetermined position on the operation screen on the detection surface 53a and the predetermined position on the operation screen on the display surface 51a decreases. For this reason, it is preferable to change the correction value for the position information detected by the non-contact sensor 53 based on the angle of the control panel 50 detected by the control panel angle detection mechanism 62.

[0046] For example, the ROM 60c of the panel control unit 60 stores a data table that associates the angle of the operation panel 50 with a correction value. The operation panel angle detection mechanism 62 identifies the correction value from the angle of the operation panel 50 detected by the operation panel 50 and the data table. Then, the position information detected by the non-contact sensor 53 is corrected using the identified correction value. As a result, even if the tilt angle of the operation panel 50 is changed, the user can perform non-contact operations without any discomfort.

[0047] Furthermore, because the angle of the user's line of sight to the display surface 51a differs depending on their height, the parallax will also differ. Therefore, the height of the user standing in front of the operation panel 50 may be detected by a camera or the like, and the correction value used to correct the position information detected by the non-contact sensor 53 may be changed based on the detected height. This will allow the user to perform non-contact operations with less discomfort.

[0048] Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these specific embodiments, and unless otherwise specifically limited in the above description, various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the spirit of the present invention as described in the claims. In the above description, the non-contact sensor 53 is mounted as a non-contact operation unit on an operation panel 50 which optionally includes a touch panel 52, but an operation panel equipped only with the non-contact sensor 53 and without a touch panel 52 is also possible. Furthermore, the input device of the present invention is not limited to image forming apparatuses, but can also be applied to input devices for bank ATMs, etc.

[0049] The above is just one example; each of the following embodiments produces its own unique effects. (Aspect 1) In an input device such as an operation panel 50, which includes a display unit 51 that displays an operation screen and a non-contact operation detection unit such as a non-contact sensor 53 that detects non-contact operations of an object such as a user's finger on the operation screen, the detection surface 53a of the non-contact operation detection unit that detects non-contact operations of the object is inclined with respect to the display surface 51a such that the distance from the display surface 51a of the front display unit 51 is shorter than the distance from the display surface 51a of the rear display unit 51a. The input device installed in the image forming apparatus is operated by a user of average height looking down at it. Therefore, the display surface 51a of the display unit 51 is mounted on the image forming apparatus in a reclined position so that the operation screen displayed on the display surface 51a is easily visible when the user looks down at it. A user of average height will have their elbow higher than the extension line X that extends forward from the detection surface 53a of a non-contact operation detection unit such as a non-contact sensor 53. As a result, they will perform non-contact operations with their operating finger, which acts as the pointing object, upright relative to the detection surface 53a (the angle of entry of the operating finger into the detection surface 53a is large). Consequently, non-contact operations of the operating finger, which acts as the pointing object, can be detected well. On the other hand, for shorter users, the position of their elbow may be lower than the extension line X that extends from the detection surface 53a toward the user. In this case, the operating finger, which acts as the indicator, is laid flat (the angle at which the operating finger enters the detection surface 53a is small) when non-contact operation is performed. This could cause parts of the hand other than the operating finger, such as the clenched fist, to enter the detection surface 53a, potentially leading to false detection of the user's non-contact operation. Therefore, in Embodiment 1, the detection surface 53a is tilted such that the distance from the front display surface 51a to the detection surface 53a is shorter than the distance from the rear display surface 51a. As a result, when a short user performs a non-contact operation, the operating finger can be positioned more upright relative to the detection surface 53a (the angle of entry of the operating finger into the detection surface 53a is larger) compared to when the detection surface 53a is parallel to the display surface 51a. Thus, when a short user performs a non-contact operation, it is possible to suppress the entry of parts other than the operating finger into the detection surface 53a, thereby suppressing false detection of non-contact operations.

[0050] (Aspect 2) In Embodiment 1, the detection surface 53a is tilted such that the height h3 of the extension line X, which is extended towards the user when the user stands in front of the input device and the position of the user's elbow in the front-to-back direction, is less than or equal to the elbow height of the lower 5% of Japanese women. According to this, as described in the embodiment, for most users, the angle at which a pointing object such as a finger enters the detection surface 53a can be increased, and the entry of parts of the hand other than the finger being operated into the detection surface 53a can be suppressed. As a result, most users can perform contactless operation effectively.

[0051] (Aspect 3) In embodiment 1 or 2, the non-contact operation detection unit, such as the non-contact sensor 53, has an infrared scanning optical path in the front-to-back direction of the input device such as the operation panel 50, and detects the non-contact operation of the indicator by receiving infrared light reflected from the indicator on the detection surface 53a and detecting the position of the indicator. According to this, as described in the embodiment, the non-contact operation detection unit, such as the non-contact sensor 53, only needs to be provided on one of the four sides of the display surface 51a. Compared to conventional non-contact sensors that surround the display surface 51a on all four sides, this provides better operability and does not impair the appearance.

[0052] (Aspect 4) In embodiment 3, the non-contact operation detection unit, such as the non-contact sensor 53, emits infrared light from the back to the front, and a light-shielding member 54 that blocks infrared light is provided in front of the display surface 51a. According to this, as explained in Modification 1, the infrared light emitted from the light-emitting element of the non-contact sensor 53 is blocked by the light-shielding member, preventing the infrared light from the non-contact sensor 53 from irradiating a highly reflective object located in front of the input device such as the operation panel 50. This prevents the light-receiving element of the non-contact sensor 53 from receiving the infrared light reflected from the highly reflective object and falsely detecting a non-contact operation.

[0053] (Appendix 5) In any of embodiments 1 to 4, the distance from the display surface 51a to the detection surface 53a is 10 mm or more and 15 mm or less. According to this, as described in the embodiment, it is possible to suppress touching the display surface 51a during non-contact operation, and non-contact operation can be performed well even if the viewing angle of the operation screen displayed on the display surface 51a of the display unit 51 is slightly different.

[0054] (Aspect 6) In any of embodiments 1 to 5, the difference between the dimension L1 of the detection surface 53a from position A1 where a perpendicular line extending from the front end A2 of the display surface 51a intersects with the detection surface 53a, to position B1 where a perpendicular line extending from the rear end B2 of the display surface 51a intersects with the detection surface 53a, and the dimension L2 from the front end A2 to the rear end B2 of the display surface 51a is 0.5 mm or less. According to this, as described in the embodiment, users can perform contactless operations without feeling any discomfort.

[0055] (Aspect 7) In any of embodiments 1 to 6, the inclination angle of the detection surface 53a with respect to the display surface 51a is adjustable. According to this, as explained in Modification 2, when the tilt angle of the display surface 51a with respect to the horizontal is increased, or in the case of a tall user, even if the detection surface 53a is made parallel to the display surface 51a, parts of the hand other than the pointing object, such as fingers, do not enter the detection surface 53a, and non-contact operation can be detected well. Therefore, when the tilt angle of the display surface 51a with respect to the horizontal is increased, or in the case of a tall user, the tilt angle of the detection surface 53a with respect to the display surface 51a can be adjusted so that the detection surface 53a is parallel to the display surface 51a. By making the detection surface 53a parallel to the display surface 51a, the distance from the display surface can be made the same whether non-contact operation is performed on the near side or on the far side, allowing for non-contact operation without any discomfort. On the other hand, if the tilt angle of the display surface 51a with respect to the horizontal is small, or if the user is short, the tilt angle of the detection surface 53a with respect to the display surface 51a can be increased to prevent parts of the hand other than the indicator, such as fingers, from entering the detection surface 53a, thereby suppressing the occurrence of false detections of non-contact operations.

[0056] (Pattern 8) In embodiment 7, the angle of the display surface 51a with respect to the horizontal direction is changeable, and the system includes an angle detection mechanism such as an operation panel angle detection mechanism 62 for detecting the angle of the display surface 51a with respect to the horizontal direction, and an adjustment means such as a sensor drive unit 63 for adjusting the inclination angle of the detection surface 53a with respect to the display surface 51a based on the detection result of the angle detection mechanism. According to this, as explained in Modification 2, the inclination angle of the detection surface 53a relative to the display surface 51a can be automatically adjusted based on the change in the angle of the display surface 51a relative to the horizontal direction.

[0057] (Aspect 9) In embodiment 8, the system includes a correction means such as a panel control unit 60 that corrects the position of an object, such as an operating finger, on the detection surface 53a detected by a non-contact operation detection unit such as a non-contact sensor 53. The correction means changes a correction value for correcting the position of the object based on the detection result of an angle detection mechanism such as an operation panel angle detection mechanism 62. According to this, as explained in Modification 2, the position of the indicator detected by the non-contact operation detection unit, such as the non-contact sensor 53, can be corrected according to the amount of displacement (parallax) between the predetermined position of the operation screen on the detection surface 53a and the predetermined position of the operation screen on the display surface 51a, depending on the angle of the display surface 51a with respect to the horizontal direction. This allows the user to perform non-contact operations without discomfort, whether the display surface 51a is lying flat or upright.

[0058] (Aspect 10) In any of embodiments 1 to 9, the system includes a contact operation detection unit, such as a touch panel 52, which detects contact operations on the operation screen of the indicator. This allows for both contactless and contact operations.

[0059] (Aspect 11) In a non-contact operation unit such as a non-contact sensor 53 that is detachably attached to an input device such as an operation panel 50, which includes a display unit 51 that displays an operation screen and a contact operation detection unit such as a touch panel 52 that detects contact operations of an indicator on the operation screen, the detection surface 53a is inclined with respect to the display surface 51a such that the distance from the display surface 51a on the front side of the detection surface 53a to the display surface 51a is shorter than the distance from the display surface 51a on the rear side of the detection surface 53a. According to this, similar to embodiment 1, when a short user performs a non-contact operation, it is possible to suppress the entry of parts other than the fingers performing the operation into the detection surface 53a, thereby suppressing false detection of non-contact operation.

[0060] (Aspect 12) In an image forming apparatus 1 equipped with an input device such as an operation panel 50, one of the input devices from embodiment 1 to 10 was used as the input device. According to this, when a short user performs a contactless operation, it is possible to prevent parts other than the fingers performing the operation from entering the detection surface 53a, thereby suppressing false detection of contactless operation.

[0061] (Aspect 13) In an image forming apparatus 1 having an input device such as an operation panel 50 that includes a display unit 51 for displaying an operation screen and a contact operation detection unit such as a touch panel 52 for detecting contact operations of an indicator on the operation screen, the non-contact operation unit of embodiment 11 can be attached. According to this, contactless operation can be enabled as an option. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0062] 1: Image forming apparatus 2: Image reading device 3: Image forming apparatus main unit 5: Recording paper storage section 19: Paper output tray 50: Control Panel 50a: Support shaft 51:Display section 51a:Display surface 52: Touch panel 53: Non-contact sensor 53a: Detection surface 53b: Sensor section 53c: Rotary shaft 53d: Mounting part 54: Light-shielding material 60: Panel Control Unit 61: Main Unit Control 62: Control panel angle detection mechanism 63: Sensor drive unit [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0063] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-109235

Claims

1. A display unit that shows the operation screen, An input device comprising a non-contact operation detection unit for detecting non-contact operations on the operation screen of an indicator, The input device is characterized in that the detection surface of the non-contact operation detection unit for detecting the non-contact operation of the indicator is inclined with respect to the display surface such that the distance from the display surface of the front display unit is shorter than the distance from the display surface of the rear display unit.

2. In the input device according to claim 1, An input device characterized in that the detection surface is inclined such that the height of the extension line of the detection surface extended towards the user at the position of the user's elbow in the front-to-back direction when the user is standing in front of the input device is less than or equal to the elbow height of the bottom 5% of Japanese women.

3. In the input device according to claim 1, The input device is characterized in that the non-contact operation detection unit has an infrared scanning optical path in the front-to-back direction of the input device, and detects the non-contact operation of the indicator by receiving infrared light reflected from the indicator on the detection surface and detecting the position of the indicator.

4. In the input device according to claim 3, The non-contact operation detection unit emits infrared light from the back to the front, An input device characterized by having a light-shielding member that blocks infrared rays on the side in front of the display surface.

5. In the input device according to claim 1, An input device characterized in that the distance from the display surface to the detection surface is 10 mm or more and 15 mm or less.

6. In the input device according to claim 1, An input device characterized in that the difference between the dimension of the detection surface from the point where a perpendicular line extending from the front end of the display surface intersects with the detection surface to the point where a perpendicular line extending from the rear end of the display surface intersects with the detection surface, and the dimension of the display surface from the front end to the rear end, is 0.5 mm or less.

7. In the input device according to claim 1, An input device characterized by allowing adjustment of the inclination angle of the detection surface with respect to the display surface.

8. In the input device according to claim 7, The angle of the display surface with respect to the horizontal direction is adjustable. An angle detection mechanism for detecting the angle of the display surface with respect to the horizontal direction, An input device characterized by comprising an adjustment means for adjusting the inclination angle of the detection surface with respect to the display surface based on the detection result of the angle detection mechanism.

9. In the input device according to claim 8, The unit has correction means for correcting the position of the indicator on the detection surface detected by the non-contact operation detection unit, The correction means is an input device characterized by changing a correction value that corrects the position of the indicator on the detection surface detected by the non-contact operation detection unit, based on the detection result of the angle detection mechanism.

10. In the input device according to claim 1, An input device characterized by comprising a contact operation detection unit that detects a contact operation of the indicator body to the operation screen.

11. A non-contact operation unit is configured to be detachably attached to an input device comprising a display unit for displaying an operation screen and a contact operation detection unit for detecting a contact operation of an indicator to the operation screen, and detects a non-contact operation of the indicator to the operation screen, A non-contact operation unit characterized in that the detection surface is inclined with respect to the display surface such that the distance from the display surface of the display portion on the front side of the detection surface for detecting the non-contact operation of the indicator is shorter than the distance from the display surface on the back side of the detection surface.

12. In an image forming apparatus equipped with an input device, An image forming apparatus characterized in that the input device described in claim 1 is used as the input device.

13. An image forming apparatus having an input device comprising a display unit that displays an operation screen and a contact operation detection unit that detects a contact operation of an indicator to the operation screen, An image forming apparatus characterized in that it is capable of attaching the non-contact operation unit described in claim 11.

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