Image forming system

Abstract

To prevent a cable from being pulled and causing breaking of an electric wire in the cable when a user moves an operation unit in an image formation system in which the electric wire for sending an electric signal from an image formation device to the operation unit is provided in the cable connecting the image formation device with the operation unit.SOLUTION: A cable connecting a housing of an image formation device with an operation unit has an electric wire and a rod-like body which is long and may elastically deform. The electric wire and the rod-like body are fixed to the housing and the operation unit so that a distance between a fixed end, fixed to the housing, and a fixed end, fixed to the operation unit, in the rod-like body is shorter than a distance between a fixed end, fixed to the housing, and a fixed end, fixed to the operation unit, in the electric wire.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 11

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a connection configuration of a cable that connects an image forming apparatus and an operation unit to the image forming apparatus and the operation unit. [Background technology]

[0002] Image forming apparatuses such as copiers have an operation unit that allows the user to change operations and operate detailed settings for each operation, etc. Even in a system (image forming system) in which optional devices such as a paper feed unit, a transport unit, and a post-processing unit are connected to the image forming apparatus, the user uses the operation unit to perform setting operations for various optional devices.

[0003] In the case of a large-scale image forming system having a long overall length in which multiple optional devices are connected as described above, a user may perform operations on the optional devices at a location distant from the image forming apparatus in which the operation unit is installed, and it is troublesome for the user to move back and forth between these optional devices every time they operate the optional devices and the operation unit.

[0004] In view of this, for example, an operation unit has been proposed that can be installed not only in an image forming apparatus but also in an optional device (Patent Document 1). The operation unit described in Patent Document 1 has a display that displays information to a user, an arm that supports the display, and a support base that supports the display via the arm. The display supported by the arm extending from the support base is at a predetermined angle with respect to the placement surface on which the support base is placed.

[0005] This operation unit is connected to the image forming apparatus by a cable, and the operation unit can be installed anywhere on the top surface within the range permitted by the cable length. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] JP 2010-243977 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] The cable connecting the image forming device and the operation unit includes an electric wire for sending an electric signal from the image forming device to the operation unit, and when a user moves the operation unit, the cable is pulled, and there is a risk that the electric wire in the cable may break. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an image forming system according to the present invention includes an image forming unit that forms an image on a sheet of paper, a housing that includes the image forming unit and has a top surface, Can be moved on an operation unit that is disposed on the housing and receives an operation by a user to cause the image forming unit to form an image on a sheet; an electric wire that is electrically connected to the housing and the operation unit and transmits an electric signal from the housing to the operation unit; a long, elastic rod-shaped body made of resin that is connected to the housing and the operation unit; electric wire and a covering that contains the rod-shaped body and has less elasticity than the rod-shaped body, and the electric wire and the rod-shaped body are fixed to the housing and the operation unit such that the distance between a fixed end of the rod-shaped body that is fixed to the housing and a fixed end that is fixed to the operation unit is shorter than the distance between a fixed end of the electric wire that is fixed to the housing and a fixed end that is fixed to the operation unit.

[0009] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an image forming system according to the present invention includes an image forming unit that forms an image on a sheet of paper, a housing that includes the image forming unit and has a top surface, Can be moved on topthe image forming unit is arranged in a housing and receives operations by a user to cause the image forming unit to form an image on paper; electric wires electrically connected to the housing and the operation unit and transmitting electric signals from the housing to the operation unit; and a long, resin rod-shaped body connected to the housing and the operation unit, the rod-shaped body having elasticity, and a coating that contains the electric wire and the rod-shaped body and has less elasticity than the rod-shaped body, wherein the electric wire and the rod-shaped body are fixed to the housing and the operation unit such that when a portion of the rod-shaped body between a fixed end fixed to the housing and a fixed end fixed to the operation unit is tensioned without flexing, the electric wire and the rod-shaped body are fixed to the housing and the operation unit so that a portion of the electric wire between the fixed end fixed to the housing and the fixed end fixed to the operation unit flexes.

[0010] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an image forming system according to the present invention includes an image forming unit that forms an image on a sheet of paper, a housing that includes the image forming unit and has a top surface, Can be moved on the image forming unit being disposed in a housing and configured to receive operations by a user in order to cause the image forming unit to form an image on paper; an electric wire electrically connected to the housing and the operation unit and configured to transmit an electric signal from the housing to the operation unit; and a long, elastic resin rod-shaped body connected to the housing and the operation unit and configured along the electric wire, wherein one end side of the rod-shaped body has a first fixing part capable of being fixed to the housing and a second fixing part provided at a position closer to a tip of the rod-shaped body than the first fixing part and capable of being fixed to the housing, wherein regardless of whether the first fixing part or the second fixing part is fixed to the housing, the electric wire and the rod-shaped body are fixed to the housing and the operation unit such that a distance between the first fixing part or the second fixing part of the rod-shaped body fixed to the housing and a fixed end fixed to the operation unit is shorter than a distance between the fixed end of the electric wire fixed to the housing and a fixed end fixed to the operation unit. Effect of the Invention

[0011] According to the present invention, even if a user moves an operation unit and the cable is pulled, the risk of the wires in the cable being broken can be reduced. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an image forming system. [Diagram 2] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a portion of an image forming system. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a control configuration of an operation unit in the image forming system. [Figure 4] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an operation unit disposed on the top surface of a housing to the left of a reading device. [Diagram 5] FIG. 13 shows an operation unit disposed on the top surface of a housing to the right of the reading device. [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining an operation unit. [Figure 7] FIG. [Figure 8] 5A and 5B are diagrams for explaining a mechanism for adjusting the tilt angle of the display panel with respect to the top surface. [Figure 9] FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a portion where a cable is led out from an operation unit. [Figure 10] Cross section of the cable. [Figure 11] FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a cable and a reinforcing member. [Figure 12] 5A and 5B are diagrams showing fixing positions of a reinforcing member to the operation unit and the image forming apparatus. [Figure 13] FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the shape of a reinforcing member. [Figure 14] 5A to 5C are diagrams for explaining a method for measuring the elasticity of a reinforcing member. [Figure 15] FIG. [Figure 16] FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a configuration of a reinforcing member. [Figure 17] 5A and 5B are diagrams for explaining a connection configuration of a reinforcing member. [Figure 18]10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating other configurations of the reinforcing member. [Figure 19] 5A and 5B are diagrams for explaining a plurality of fixing portions provided on a reinforcing member. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The dimensions, materials, shapes, and relative positions of the components described below are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention unless otherwise specified. In the following description of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the front side facing the image forming device 2 is defined as the front direction F, the back side (back side) as the rear direction B, the left side as the left direction L, the right side as the right direction R, the upper side as the upper direction U, and the lower side as the lower direction D.

[0014] ● Image formation system configuration As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming system 1 of the present embodiment includes an image forming apparatus 2, which is, for example, a printer, and a post-processing apparatus 103 that is arranged adjacent to the left direction L side of the image forming apparatus 2 and can stack sheets S on which images are formed. In this embodiment, the image forming apparatus 2, the post-processing apparatus 103, etc. are defined as a housing. A top surface 109 that can be used as a work space is provided on the upper surface of the image forming apparatus 2. In this embodiment, the area of ​​the top surface 109 is larger than the maximum size of the sheet S on which the image forming apparatus 2 can form an image. A user spreads a drawing on the top surface 109 to perform work such as drawing. Therefore, assuming that the floor on which the image forming system 1 is installed is horizontal, the top surface 109 is also configured to be horizontal. In addition, the top surface 109 is configured to be as flat as possible. Here, the area indicated by the reference numeral 1010 in FIG. 4 described later is an example of the work space. If the image forming system 1 is installed horizontally, the work space 1010 is also horizontal. In addition, this area is flat because it is a part of the top surface 109. The term "flat surface" refers to a surface designed to eliminate as many irregularities as possible, such as grooves, except for connection points between components that are unavoidably created in the design of the exterior of the image forming system 1. The working space 1010 is sufficient if it has an area large enough to spread out an A3 size sheet of paper, and a flat surface is sufficient in this area. The top surface 109 is made of, for example, a resin plate, and is considered to be a "flat surface" even if it has some wobbles or ripples that are unavoidable during manufacturing. The term "horizontal" used here does not mean horizontal in the strict mathematical sense, but is a concept that includes horizontality that can be considered to be horizontal in practical terms, that is, approximately horizontality.

[0015] In this embodiment, a tandem type full color printer is described as an example of the image forming apparatus 2. However, the present invention is not limited to the tandem type image forming apparatus 2, but may be an image forming apparatus of another type, and is not limited to being full color, but may be monochrome or mono color.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 2, in this embodiment, the image forming device 2, which is an example of a housing, can be divided into two parts: an image forming unit housing 2a and a conveying unit housing 2b. The conveying unit housing 2b conveys the paper on which an image is formed in the image forming unit housing 2a toward a post-processing device 103 (not shown). The image forming unit housing 2a and the conveying unit housing 2b are also examples of housings. The image forming unit housing 2a has a top surface 109a, and the conveying unit housing 2b has a top surface 109b. The image forming unit housing 2a and the conveying unit housing 2b can be connected to each other, and the top surface 109a and the top surface 109b are also connected to each other to form a single flat top surface 109. In this way, the image forming unit housing 2a and the conveying unit housing 2b can be connected and separated from each other, so that when transporting to a high-rise floor of a building, for example, they can be placed in an elevator in a separated state and transported to a predetermined floor. In this way, even if the image forming system 1 is large and has a long overall length, it can be easily transported to a predetermined floor in a building using an elevator or the like.

[0017] The device includes a toner supply unit 20, a sheet feeding section 30, an image forming section 40, a sheet transport section 50, a sheet discharge section 60, an electrical unit 70, and an operation unit 80. The sheet S, which is a recording material, is a material on which a toner image is formed, and specific examples thereof include plain paper, a synthetic resin sheet that is a substitute for plain paper, cardboard, and a sheet for an overhead projector.

[0018] The sheet feeding section 30 is disposed at the bottom of the image forming apparatus 2 and includes a sheet cassette 31 for stacking and storing sheets S, and a feeding roller 32, and is configured to feed the sheets S to the image forming section 40.

[0019] The image forming section 40 includes an image forming unit 41, a toner bottle 42, an exposure device 43, an intermediate transfer unit 44, a secondary transfer section 45, and a fixing device 46, and is configured to form an image.

[0020] The image forming unit 41 includes four image forming units 41y, 41m, 41c, and 41k for forming toner images of four colors, yellow (y), magenta (m), cyan (c), and black (k). Each of these is detachable from the image forming device 2 by a user. For example, the image forming unit 41y includes a photoconductor drum 47y for forming a toner image, a charging roller 48y, a developing sleeve 49y, a drum cleaning blade (not shown), and toner. Toner is supplied to the image forming unit 41y from a toner bottle 42y filled with toner. The other image forming units 41m, 41c, and 41k have the same structure as the image forming unit 41y except for the color of the toner, so detailed description will be omitted.

[0021] The exposure device 43y serves as an exposure unit that exposes the surface of the photosensitive drum 47y to light to form an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photosensitive drum 47y.

[0022] The intermediate transfer unit 44 is disposed in the downward direction D of the image forming unit 41. The intermediate transfer unit 44 includes a plurality of rollers, such as a driving roller 44a and primary transfer rollers 44y, 44m, 44c, and 44k, and an intermediate transfer belt 44b wound around these rollers. The primary transfer rollers 44y, 44m, 44c, and 44k are disposed opposite the photosensitive drums 47y, 47m, 47c, and 47k, respectively, and are adapted to abut against the intermediate transfer belt 44b. By applying a positive transfer bias to the intermediate transfer belt 44b by the primary transfer rollers 44y, 44m, 44c, and 44k, the toner images having negative polarity on the photosensitive drums 47y, 47m, 47c, and 47k are sequentially transferred in a multi-layer manner to the intermediate transfer belt 44b. As a result, a full-color image is formed on the intermediate transfer belt 44b.

[0023] The secondary transfer section 45 includes a secondary transfer inner roller 45a and a secondary transfer outer roller 45b. A positive secondary transfer bias is applied to the secondary transfer outer roller 45b to transfer the full-color image formed on the intermediate transfer belt 44b to the sheet S. The secondary transfer inner roller 45a stretches the intermediate transfer belt 44b inside the intermediate transfer belt 44b, and the secondary transfer outer roller 45b is disposed at a position facing the secondary transfer inner roller 45a with the intermediate transfer belt 44b in between.

[0024] The fixing device 46 includes a fixing roller 46a and a pressure roller 46b. As the sheet S is sandwiched and transported between the fixing roller 46a and the pressure roller 46b, the toner image transferred to the sheet S is pressurized and heated, and fixed to the sheet S. In the present embodiment, the transport unit housing 2b includes the fixing device 46, but this is not limiting. For example, the image forming unit housing 2a may include the fixing device 46, and the transport unit housing 2b may not include the fixing device 46. Naturally, each of the housings may include a fixing device.

[0025] The sheet conveying section 50 is adapted to convey the sheet S fed from the sheet feeding section 30 from the image forming section 40 to the sheet discharge section 60, and is provided with a pre-secondary transfer conveying path 51, a pre-fixing conveying path 52, a discharge path 53, and a re-conveying path 54.

[0026] The sheet discharge section 60 includes a pair of discharge rollers 61 arranged downstream of the discharge path 53, and a discharge outlet 62 arranged on the side of the image forming apparatus 2 in the left direction L. The pair of discharge rollers 61 feeds the sheet S conveyed from the discharge path 53 from a nip portion and discharges the sheet S from the discharge outlet 62. The discharge outlet 62 is capable of feeding the sheet S to a post-processing device 103 arranged on the left direction L side of the image forming apparatus 2.

[0027] As shown in Fig. 3, the electrical unit 70 incorporates an image controller 710, which is a control board including a control unit, and a hard disk drive (hereinafter referred to as HDD) 72, which is a removable large-capacity storage device. The image controller 710 is configured by a computer, and includes, for example, a CPU 73, a ROM 74 that stores programs for controlling each unit, a RAM 75 that temporarily stores data, and an input / output circuit (I / F) 76 that inputs and outputs signals to and from the outside. The HDD 72 is a removable large-capacity storage device for storing electronic data, and can mainly store image processing programs, digital image data, and supplementary information for the digital image data. When an image is formed, image data is read from the HDD 72.

[0028] The CPU 73 is a microprocessor that is responsible for the overall control of the image forming apparatus 2, and is the main part of the system controller. The CPU 73 is connected to the sheet feeding section 30, the image forming section 40, the sheet transport section 50, the sheet discharge section 60, the HDD 72, and the operation unit 80 via an input / output circuit 76, and is adapted to exchange signals with each section and control the operation. The image controller 710 can be operated or set by a user in response to a command from a computer (not shown) connected to the image forming apparatus 2, or by operating the operation unit 80.

[0029] The operation unit 80 is provided separately from the image forming apparatus 2, and is capable of operating each part of the image forming apparatus 2. The operation unit 80 includes a driver board 81 and a display panel 82 (display section). The display panel 82 displays information necessary for the user to operate the image forming apparatus 2, such as the remaining amount of sheets S and toner supplied to the image forming apparatus 2, warning messages when these consumables run out, and display of procedures for replenishing consumables. The display panel 82 also receives user operation inputs, such as the size and basis weight of the sheets S, image density adjustment, and setting of the number of copies to be output.

[0030] The operation unit 80 is connected to the electrical unit 70 of the image forming apparatus 2 by a cable 90 so as to be electrically connected thereto. The cable 90 is a bundle of a signal line 90a and a power line 90b, but the signal line 90a and the power line 90b may be separate cables. The signal line 90a connects the input / output circuit 76 of the image controller 710 to the driver board 81, and the power line 90b connects the power supply 17 of the image forming apparatus 2 to the driver board 81.

[0031] Next, an image forming operation in the image forming apparatus 2 configured as above will be described.

[0032] When the image forming operation is started, first, the photoconductor drums 47y, 47m, 47c, and 47k rotate and the surfaces are charged by the charging rollers 48y, 48m, 48c, and 48k. Then, the exposure devices 43y, 43m, 43c, and 43k emit laser light to the photoconductor drums 47y, 47m, 47c, and 47k based on image information, and electrostatic latent images are formed on the surfaces of the photoconductor drums 47y, 47m, 47c, and 47k. Toner adheres to the electrostatic latent images, which are developed and visualized as toner images and transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 44b.

[0033] Meanwhile, in parallel with such a toner image forming operation, the feed roller 32 rotates and separates and feeds the topmost sheet S of the sheet cassette 31. Then, in synchronization with the toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 44b, the sheet S is transported to the secondary transfer unit 45 via the secondary pre-transfer transport path 51. Furthermore, an image is transferred from the intermediate transfer belt 44b to the sheet S, and the sheet S is transported to the fixing device 46, where the unfixed toner image is heated and pressurized to be fixed on the surface of the sheet S. The sheet S is then discharged from a discharge outlet 62 by a pair of discharge rollers 61 and supplied to a post-processing device 103.

[0034] ● Operation unit configuration First, the electrical component unit 70, the operation unit 80, the cable 90, the cover 101, and the opening 102 will be outlined.

[0035] The electrical component unit 70 is provided on the back of the image forming apparatus 2. A connector (not shown) provided at one end of a cable 90 is connected to the electrical component unit 70. The cable 90 transmits a control signal for controlling the operation unit 80 from the transmission unit 70 to the operation unit 80. The cable 90 serves to connect the image forming apparatus 2 and the operation unit 80 so that they can communicate with each other. The other end of the cable 90 is provided with a connector (not shown) and is connected to the operation unit 80. In this way, although the operation unit 80 is connected to the image forming apparatus 2 by a cable, it is not fixed to the top surface 109. Therefore, the user can freely place the operation unit 80 at any position on the top surface 109 within the range of the cable extension. In this way, the "free" mentioned here means that the operation unit 80 is not fixed to the top surface 109 by, for example, a screw or the like, that is, the operation unit 80 is configured to be freely changed in its position on the top surface 109.

[0036] In this embodiment, the image forming apparatus 2 and the operation unit 80 perform bidirectional communication via the cable 90. Therefore, as described above, the position of the operation unit 80 can be freely changed within the range of the cable length of the cable 90. As another embodiment, a wireless communication method can be used, which will be described in detail in the fourth embodiment. In this case, the range in which the operation unit 80 can be moved is not limited by the cable. Therefore, the operation unit 80 can be moved beyond the range of the length of the cable 90. Even in this case, the position of the operation unit 80 can be freely changed on the top surface 109, so the operation unit 80 can be freely arranged on the top surface 109.

[0037] 4 and 5 are diagrams for explaining positions where the operation unit 80 can be arranged on the top surface 109. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the operation unit 80 can be arranged in a space near the document reading device 115 on the top surface 109 of the image forming device 2, and as shown in FIG. 5, the operation unit 80 can also be arranged in a space on the top surface 106 of the paper feeder 105. Even if the operation unit 80 is arranged in a location not shown in FIG. 4 or FIG. 5, the operation unit 80 can be arranged on the top surface of the image forming system, such as the top surface 104 of the post-processing device 103. Even in a space other than the top surface of the image forming system, a work table or the like can be installed near the image forming system, and the operation unit 80 can be arranged on the work table (not shown).

[0038] 6(a) is a diagram of the operation unit 80 viewed vertically from above, FIG. 6(b) is a diagram of the bottom surface of the operation unit 80, and FIG. 6(c) is a side view of the operation unit 80. FIG.

[0039] As shown in FIG. 6(a), the operation unit 80 has a display panel 82. The display panel 82 of the operation unit 80 in this embodiment is a liquid crystal touch panel. That is, the display panel 82 can receive touch operations by the user. The touch operation is an operation of touching the display panel 82 with a fingertip, and is a general term for operations such as flicking and scrolling. A cable 90 extends from the rear of the operation unit 80. Also, as shown in FIG. 6(b), rubber feet 85 (85a, 85b1), which are an example of an elastic member, are provided on the bottom surface of the operation unit 80. These rubber feet 85 are also an example of the first to fourth contact portions, and are parts that come into contact with the top surface 109. The rubber feet 85 are parts that come into contact with the top surface 109 when the operation unit 80 is placed on the top surface 109. The rubber feet 85 are made of an elastic member with a high surface friction coefficient. Also, the rubber feet 85 are configured to bend slightly when the operation unit 80 is placed on the top surface 109. Therefore, it is possible to support the operation unit 80 at four points as in this embodiment. Although three points determine one point in terms of plane wave mathematics, all four points come into contact with the top surface 109 when any of the rubber feet 85 bends. In the operation unit 80 of this embodiment, the front side rubber feet 85a are provided at two locations on the front side, and the rear side rubber feet 85b1 are provided at two locations on the rear side. This reduces the risk of the operation unit 80 becoming unsteady even if the user presses any part of the display panel 82.

[0040] 6(b), the four rubber feet 85 are arranged so as to surround the center of gravity G of the operation unit 80. In other words, the center of gravity G is located within the area surrounded by the four rubber feet 85. By arranging them in this manner, the operation unit 80 is stably supported by the four rubber feet 85. In other words, the operability for the user is improved. When the operation unit 80 is viewed from above along the vertical direction, the rubber foot 85a is located upstream of the center of gravity G and the rubber foot 85b1 is located downstream of the center of gravity G in a direction perpendicular to both a direction perpendicular to a display surface 820 described later and a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction (the front-to-back direction of the paper) and a direction perpendicular to the display surface 820, which is a direction climbing the inclination of the display panel 82.

[0041] Furthermore, one of the two rubber feet 85b1 is provided at the right end of the bottom surface of the operation unit 80, and the other is provided at the left end. Here, since it is assumed that the operation unit 80 arranged on the top surface 109 is viewed from the bottom side of the operation unit 80, the left side of the paper is defined as the right side of the operation unit 80, and the right side of the paper is defined as the left side of the operation unit 80. Assuming that the width of the operation unit 80 in the left-right direction is L1, it is preferable that one rubber foot 85b1 is located in the rightmost area (one end side) when L1 is divided into four, and the other rubber foot 85b1 is located in the leftmost area (the other end side) when L1 is divided into four. In this way, by arranging the two rubber feet 85b1 at a distance from each other, the stability of the operation unit 80 when arranged on the top surface 109 can be improved.

[0042] The left-right direction here refers to a direction perpendicular to both a direction perpendicular to a display surface 820 (described later) and a vertical direction, and is the width direction of the operation unit 80.

[0043] FIG. 6(c) is a view of the operation unit 80 placed on the top surface 109, viewed from the right side of the operation unit 80. Here, the surface that is formed by the rubber feet 85 conforming to the top surface 109 when the operation unit 80 is placed is called the rubber foot surface, and is shown as surface B in the figure. As described above, if the rubber feet 85 are rigid and come into contact with the top surface 109 at four points, one of the four points will float up. This is unavoidable due to part tolerances. Therefore, by making at least two of the four rubber feet 85 elastic, all of the four rubber feet 85 will conform to the top surface 109. This allows the user to stably operate the operation unit 80 on the top surface 109.

[0044] Here, the advantage of the cable 90 extending from the rear of the operation unit 80 will be described with reference to Fig. 6(c). As shown in Fig. 6(c), when the operation unit 80 is viewed vertically, the cable 90 extends from the operation unit 80 in a direction ascending the display panel 82. When the operation unit 80 is viewed vertically, this "extending direction" coincides with a direction perpendicular to both the vertical direction and a direction perpendicular to a display surface 820 (described later) and a direction perpendicular to the display surface 820 (the front-to-back direction of the paper).

[0045] In this way, the cable 90 extends backward from the back side of the operation unit 80, so that the connection portion between the cable 90 and the operation unit 80 is invisible to the user operating the operation unit 80. This makes it possible to improve the design of the operation unit 80.

[0046] 7(a) is a perspective view of the operation unit 80 and an enlarged view of the display panel 82. As shown in the figure, the operation unit 80 has a support base 86. The support base 86 supports the display panel 82. More specifically, the support base 86 supports the display panel 82 with respect to the top surface 109 so that the display panel 82 is at a predetermined angle with respect to the top surface 109 when the operation unit 80 is placed on the top surface 109.

[0047] Furthermore, the support base 86 has rubber feet 85 (85a, 85b1). More specifically, rubber feet 85a are provided at the right and left ends on the front side of the support base 86, and an arm 822 is provided at the back side of the support base 86. Rubber feet 85b1 are also provided at the right and left ends of the arm 822. When these four rubber feet 85 are in contact with the top surface 109, the angle of the display panel 82 with respect to the top surface 109 is determined to a predetermined angle.

[0048] The display panel 82 has a display surface 820 capable of displaying information related to image formation, such as a button for starting copying, a screen for setting the paper size, a screen for setting the number of copies to be printed, and a screen for displaying the remaining toner amount. In this embodiment, the display surface 820 is provided on a portion of the display panel 82 excluding the ends, but information related to image formation and a screen for print settings may be displayed on the entire surface of the display panel 82. In either case, however, the inclination angle of the display surface 820 with respect to the top surface 109 means the angle that the vicinity of the center of the display panel 82 (the area corresponding to the display surface 820 in FIG. 7(a)) forms with the top surface 109.

[0049] Figure 8 is a diagram for explaining the function of an arm 822 provided on the operation unit 80. Figure 8(a) shows a state in which the arm 822 is stored on the back side of the operation unit 80. Also, Figure 8(b) shows the operation unit 80 in a state in which the arm 822 is raised.

[0050] As shown in Fig. 8, an arm 822 that is rotatable with respect to the operation unit 80 is provided on the back side of the operation unit 80. The angle of the display panel 82 with respect to the top surface 109 can be adjusted by storing the arm 822 on the back side of the operation unit 80 (Fig. 8(a)) or raising the arm 822 (Fig. 8(b)). In this embodiment, this angle is 30 degrees when the arm 822 is stored on the back side of the operation unit 80. Also, when the arm 822 is raised, it is 45 degrees. Since the angle of the display panel 82 with respect to the top surface 109 can be adjusted in this way, there is an effect that it is easy to use for various users with different eye heights, such as a user in a wheelchair or a tall user.

[0051] Cable Fig. 9 is a diagram for explaining the direction in which the cable 90 is led out from the operation unit 80. Fig. 9(a) is a schematic diagram of the operation unit 80 as viewed from the left side of the operation unit 80. The example of Fig. 9(a) is a configuration in which the cable 90 is led out from the wall part on the far side of the operation unit 80.

[0052] In this way, since the cable 90 is led out from the wall portion on the rear side of the operation unit 80, the cable 90 is less noticeable to the user operating the operation unit 80, and therefore the user can concentrate on operating the operation unit 80.

[0053] Furthermore, the top surface 109 on which the operation unit 80 is placed is often used as a work space. In other words, there are situations in which work is performed with a workpiece or a printed product placed to the side or in front of the operation unit 80, and in such cases, the cable 90 can be prevented from getting in the way.

[0054] In this manner, in operation unit 80 that is freely placed on top surface 109, cable 90 is led out from the wall portion on the far side of operation unit 80, thereby improving operability.

[0055] The example in FIG. 9(b) is an example of a configuration in which the cable 80 is led out from the back side of the operation unit 80, and the cable 90 is further arranged along the back side of the operation unit 80. As shown in FIG. 9(b), the cable 90 is led out from the back side of the operation unit 80. Further back than the lead-out outlet, a fastener 95 is provided for fastening a part of the cable 90 to the operation unit 80. Since the fastener 95 is provided back than the lead-out outlet, the cable 90 extends from the lead-out outlet toward the back side of the operation unit 80. With this configuration, it is possible to obtain the same effect as the configuration in which the cable 90 is led out from the wall part on the back side of the operation unit 80.

[0056] Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view of cable 90. As shown in Fig. 10, cable 90 is composed of a video cable 90a (signal line), a power cable 90b (power line), a reinforcing member 91 (a type of rod-shaped body), and a sheath 90c that encases them. Here, video cable 90a and power cable 90b are collectively referred to as electric wires. In other words, cable 90 is composed of electric wires (90a, 90b), a reinforcing member 91, and a sheath 90c that encases them.

[0057] The video cable 90a connects the input / output circuit 76 of the image controller 71 to the driver board 81. A video signal (a type of electric signal) is transmitted from the input / output circuit 76 to the driver board 81, and the liquid crystal touch panel 82 displays an image based on this video signal. The electric signal transmitted through the video cable 90a is also a type of signal for instructing the image forming unit 40 to form an image. The video cable 90a is configured such that the signal lines that transmit the signals are covered with a coating material made of polyvinyl chloride.

[0058] The power cable 90b connects the power source 12 of the device main body 10 and the driver board 81. Power is supplied to the operation unit 80 via the power cable 90b. This drives the driver board 81 and causes the liquid crystal touch panel 82 to display images. The power cable 90b is configured such that the power lines that transmit power are covered with a polyvinyl chloride covering material. Here, the power supplied to the operation unit 80 via the power cable 90b is also considered to be a type of electrical signal.

[0059] The reinforcing member 91 is a long, plate-like member. It is made of resin and has elasticity. The reinforcing member 91 is disposed along the video cable 90a and the power cable 90b. As will be described in detail later, the reinforcing member 91 has a function of preventing the video cable 90a and the power cable 90b from being broken.

[0060] The covering 90c contains the video cable 90a, the power cable 90b, and the reinforcing member 91. The covering 90c in this embodiment is a member whose main component is polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and is a mesh-like member having contractibility. The elasticity of the covering 90c is much smaller than that of the reinforcing member 91. In other words, the elastic force of the covering 90c itself has almost no effect on the entire cable 90. The main function of the covering 90c is to reduce the risk of the video cable 90a, the power cable 90b, and the reinforcing member 91 being exposed to the outside and damaging the appearance. In addition to this main effect, since the covering 90c in this embodiment has contractibility, the covering 90c also exerts the effect of bundling the video cable 90a, the power cable 90b, and the reinforcing member 91.

[0061] That is, in the present embodiment, the covering 90c is used to improve the appearance of the image forming system 1, but is not essential. Some users do not require such an aesthetic appearance, and for such users, the cable 90 may be configured without providing the covering 90c.

[0062] ● Cable fixing method 1 FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining the relationship between the lengths of the video cable 90a and the power cable 90b and the reinforcing member 91. As shown in FIG.

[0063] 11(a), one end of the video cable 90a is connected to a connector 81a provided on the driver board 81. Meanwhile, the other end of the video cable 90a is connected to a connector 150a provided on the main body board 150. The video cable 90a is electrically connected to the input / output circuit 76 of the image controller 710 via the connector 150a.

[0064] One end of the video cable 90a is led out from an outlet 180a provided in a frame 180 of the operation unit 80. Here, the frame 180 is, for example, an exterior cover that forms the exterior of the operation unit 80.

[0065] Furthermore, the portion of one end of the video cable 90a connected to the connector 81a and the portion leading out from the outlet 180a are fixed to the frame 180 by, for example, a band 151a. The frame 180 may be a part of the frame forming the exterior cover, or may be a metal plate or the like fixed to the exterior cover. By making the frame 180 a separate part from the exterior cover of the operation unit 80, the load when the cable 90 is pulled is transmitted to the frame 180 via the band 151a. The driver board 81 is fixed to the frame 180 by a screw or the like, independently of the band 151a. Therefore, the load when the cable 90 is pulled is not directly transmitted to the connector 81a, but passes through the frame 180 once. By making the frame 180 out of a metal plate, the rigidity is also ensured, so that the risk of the connector 81a coming off the driver board 81 or of poor contact can be reduced. The same applies to the relationship between the video cable 90a and the frame 181, and the relationship between the power cable 90b and the frames 180 and 181.

[0066] The band 151a in this embodiment is a cable tie that wraps around the video cable 90a to fix the video cable 90a to the frame 180. Note that the band 151a does not have to be a cable tie, and may be any other component capable of fixing the video cable 90a to the frame 180. For example, a wire saddle or the like may be used. In this manner, since the video cable 90a is fixed to the frame 180 by the band 151a, even if the portion of the video cable 90a exposed from the outlet 180a is pulled, no load is applied to the connector 81a, and the risk of the video cable 90a coming out of the connector 81a is reduced.

[0067] Similarly, the other end of the video cable 90a is fixed to the frame 181 between the part connected to the connector 150a and the part leading out from the outlet 181a by, for example, a band 152a. The frame 181 may be a part of the frame forming the exterior cover of the housing of the image forming apparatus 2, or may be a metal plate or the like fixed to the exterior cover. The band 152a in this embodiment is a cable tie, which holds the video cable 90a and fixes the video cable 90a to the frame 181. In this way, since the video cable 90a is fixed to the frame 181 by the band 152a, even if the part of the video cable 90a exposed from the outlet 181a is pulled, no load is applied to the connector 150a, and the risk of the video cable 90a coming out of the connector 150a is reduced.

[0068] Next, a method for fixing the power cable 90b to the operation unit 80 and the image forming apparatus 2 will be described.

[0069] 11(a), one end of the power cable 90b is connected to a connector 81b provided on the driver board 81. Meanwhile, the other end of the power cable 90b is connected to a connector 150b provided on the main body board 150. The power cable 90b is electrically connected to the power source 17 via the connector 150b.

[0070] One end of the power cable 90b is led out from an outlet 180b provided in a frame 180 of the operation unit 80. Here, the frame 180 is, for example, an exterior cover that forms the exterior of the operation unit 80.

[0071] Furthermore, the portion of one end of the power cable 90b connected to the connector 81b and the portion leading out from the outlet 180b are fixed to the frame 180 by, for example, a band 151b. The frame 180 may be a part of a frame forming an exterior cover, or may be a metal plate or the like fixed to the exterior cover. The band 151b in this embodiment is a cable tie, which holds the power cable 90b and fixes the power cable 90b to the frame 180. The band 151b may not be a cable tie, but may be another part that can fix the power cable 90b to the frame 180. For example, a wire saddle or the like may be used. In this manner, because the power cable 90b is fixed to the frame 180 by the band 151b, even if the portion of the power cable 90b exposed from the outlet 180b is pulled, no load is placed on the connector 81b, and the risk of the power cable 90b coming loose from the connector 81b is reduced.

[0072] Similarly, the other end of the power cable 90b is fixed to the frame 181 between a portion connected to the connector 150b and a portion leading out from the outlet 181b by, for example, a band 152b. The frame 181 referred to here may be a part of a frame forming an exterior cover of the housing of the image forming apparatus 2, or may be a metal plate or the like fixed to the exterior cover. The band 152b in this embodiment is a cable tie that wraps around the power cable 90b to fix the power cable 90b to the frame 181. In this way, since the power cable 90b is fixed to the frame 181 by the band 152b, even if the portion of the power cable 90b exposed from the outlet 181b is pulled, no load is applied to the connector 150b, and the risk of the power cable 90b coming out of the connector 150b is reduced.

[0073] Next, a description will be given of a method for fixing the reinforcing member 91 to the operation unit 80 and the image forming apparatus 2. The configuration of the reinforcing member 91 itself will be described in detail later.

[0074] 11(a), one end of the reinforcing member 91 is fixed to a frame 180 of the operation unit 80, for example, by a screw 91a. The other end of the reinforcing member 91 is fixed to a frame 181 of the image forming device 2, for example, by a screw. The portion of the reinforcing member 91 that is fixed to the frame 180 by the screw 91a and the portion that is fixed to the frame 181 by the screw 91b are each referred to as a fixed portion.

[0075] One end side of the reinforcing member 91 is led out from an outlet 180c provided in a frame 180 of the operation unit 80. Here, the frame 180 is, for example, an exterior cover that forms the exterior of the operation unit 80. However, the frame 180 referred to here may be a metal plate or the like fixed to the exterior cover.

[0076] Similarly, the other end of the reinforcing member 91 is fixed, for example, by a screw 91b to a frame 181 of the image forming apparatus 2. However, the frame 181 referred to here may be a metal plate or the like fixed to an exterior cover.

[0077] As described above, the video cable 90 a , the power cable 90 b , and the reinforcing member 91 are all fixed to the frame 180 of the operation unit 80 and the frame 181 of the image forming device 2 .

[0078] Here, the part where the video cable 90a is fixed to the frame 180 by the band 151a is referred to as the (one end) fixed end, and the part where the video cable 90a is fixed to the frame 181 by the band 152a is referred to as the (other end) fixed end. The distance from the one end fixed end to the other end fixed end of the video cable 90a is referred to as L1. The part where the power cable 90b is fixed to the frame 180 by the band 152a is referred to as the (one end) fixed end, and the part where the power cable 90b is fixed to the frame 181 by the band 152b is referred to as the (other end) fixed end. The distance from the one end fixed end to the other end fixed end of the power cable 90b is referred to as L2. The part where the reinforcing member 91 is fixed to the frame 180 by the screw 91a is referred to as the (one end) fixed end, and the part where the reinforcing member 91 is fixed to the frame 181 by the screw 91b is referred to as the (other end) fixed end. The distance from the one end fixed end to the other end fixed end of the reinforcing member 91 is set to be L3. In this embodiment, the distance L3 is set to be shorter than the cable lengths L1 and L2. In other words, even if the reinforcing member 91 is stretched without bending, bending (excess length) occurs in the area of ​​the cable 90a between the one end fixed end and the other end fixed end. Similarly, bending (excess length) occurs in the area of ​​the cable 90b between the one end fixed end and the other end fixed end. In this way, as shown in FIG. 11(a), both the part of the video cable 90a from the one end fixed end to the other end fixed end and the part of the power cable 90b from the one end fixed end to the other end fixed end are provided with excess length. As described later, the reinforcing member 91 is an elastically deformable resin member, and the cable 90 is deformable. The distances L1 to L3 have the above-mentioned relationship so that the video cable 90a and the power cable 90b do not break even if the cable 90 is deformed.

[0079] In the above example, one end of the video cable 90a is fixed to the frame 180 by the band 151a, and the other end of the video cable 90a is fixed to the frame 181 by the band 152a. Also, one end of the power cable 90b is fixed to the frame 180 by the band 151b, and the other end of the power cable 90b is fixed to the frame 181 by the band 152b. However, for example, a configuration in which only one end of the power cable 90b is not fixed to the frame 180 may be used. Even in this case, one end of the video cable 90a is fixed to the frame 180 by the band 151a, and the other end of the video cable 90a is fixed to the frame 181 by the band 152a. Therefore, even if the cable 90 is deformed, at least the risk of the video cable 90a being broken can be reduced.

[0080] Furthermore, the fixed ends may be formed by, for example, winding a part of the video cable 90a or the power cable 90b around a part of the frames 180 and 181, without using parts such as the bands 151a, 151b, 152a, and 152b.

[0081] Finally, the covering 90c, which is one of the components of the cable 90, will be described. The covering 90c contains the video cable 90a, the power cable 90b, and the reinforcing member 91. One end of the covering 90c is led out from an outlet 182 formed in the frame 180. Here, the outlet 182 is composed of various outlets 180a to c. That is, although the outlets 180a to c have been described individually, they may be one common opening. The covering 90c is a member that can shrink when heat is applied, and by applying heat with the video cable 90a, the power cable 90b, and the reinforcing member 91 passing through it, the cables 90a, 90b, and the reinforcing member 91 can be bundled together into one bundle.

[0082] Meanwhile, the other end of the covering 90c is led out from an outlet 183 formed in the frame 181. Here, the outlet 183 is composed of various outlets 181a-c. That is, although the outlets 181a-c have been described individually, they may be one common opening. The covering 90c is a member that can shrink when heat is applied, and by applying heat with the video cable 90a, the power cable 90b, and the reinforcing member 91 passing through it, these cables 90a, 90b, and the reinforcing member 91 can be bundled together.

[0083] The covering 90c is a member having a smaller elasticity than the reinforcing member 91. Therefore, the effect on the stiffness of the cable 90 is almost zero. The covering 90c in this embodiment has the effect of enclosing the video cable 90a, the power cable 90b, and the reinforcing member 91 and hiding them from the outside. This prevents the deterioration of the aesthetic appearance due to the various cables being exposed. However, even if they are hidden, it is not necessary to make the video cable 90a and the power cable 90b completely invisible. As can be seen from the fact that the covering 90c in this embodiment is a member having a mesh-like contractibility, it is acceptable for a configuration in which a part of the video cable 90a and the power cable 90b can be slightly seen from the outside. In other words, the covering 90c enclosing the video cable 90a and the power cable 90b means that the various cables are bundled together and most of them are prevented from being exposed.

[0084] 11(a), the video cable 90a and the power cable 90b are bundled with the reinforcing member 91 by bands 190a and 190b inside the coating 90c, and are fixed to the reinforcing member 91. This reduces the risk of the video cable 90a and the power cable 90b breaking in this portion, even if a force that stretches the cable 90 is applied to the portion of the cable 90 between the bands 190a and 190b.

[0085] 12 shows specific fixing destinations of the video cable 90a, the power cable 90b, and the reinforcing member 91. As shown in FIG. 12(a), in this embodiment, the frame 180 is a metal plate that is exposed when the exterior cover on the back side of the operation unit 80 is removed. One end side of the reinforcing member 91 is fixed here. Although not shown, one ends side of the video cable 90a and the power cable 90b are also fixed to this metal plate.

[0086] 12(b), in this embodiment, frame 181 is a metal plate that is exposed when an exterior cover of top surface 109 of image forming apparatus 2 is removed. The other end of reinforcing member 91 is fixed to this metal plate. Although not shown, the other ends of video cable 90a and power cable 90b are also fixed to this metal plate.

[0087] ● Cable fixing method 2 The configuration described next is one in which one end of the video cable 90a and one end of the power cable 90b are each fixed at multiple locations, and the other end of the video cable 90a and the other end of the power cable 90b are each fixed at multiple locations.

[0088] FIG. 11B is a diagram for explaining the relationship between the lengths of the video cable 90a and the power cable 90b and the reinforcing member 91. As shown in FIG.

[0089] As shown in FIG. 11(b), one end of the video cable 90a is fixed to the frame 180 not only by the band 151a but also by the band 153a. The other end of the video cable 90a is fixed to the frame 181 not only by the band 152a but also by the band 154a. In this manner, by fixing one end and the other end of the video cable 90a to the frames 180 and 181 at a plurality of points, the video cable 90a is fixed to the frames 180 and 181 more reliably than the previously described form of fixing at one point. In this case, the previously described one end fixed end of the video cable 90a refers to the portion of the video cable 90a fixed to the frame 180 by the band 151a. The other end fixed end of the video cable 90a refers to the portion of the video cable 90a fixed to the frame 181 by the band 152a. In this embodiment, the concept of the "fixed end" refers to the portion closest to the outlet when there are a plurality of fixing points. Even if there are three or more fixed points, the point closest to the outlet is considered to be the fixed end. In other words, when the portion of video cable 90a exposed from the outlet is pulled, the band that receives the load first forms the fixed end.

[0090] As shown in FIG. 11B, one end of the power cable 90b is fixed to the frame 180 by the band 153b in addition to the band 151b. The other end of the power cable 90b is fixed to the frame 181 by the band 154b in addition to the band 152b. In this manner, by fixing one end and the other end of the power cable 90b to the frames 180 and 181 at a plurality of points, the power cable 90b is fixed to the frames 180 and 181 more reliably than the previously described form of fixing at one point. In this case, the previously described one end fixed end of the power cable 90b refers to the portion of the power cable 90b fixed to the frame 180 by the band 151b. The other end fixed end of the power cable 90b refers to the portion of the power cable 90b fixed to the frame 181 by the band 152b. In this embodiment, the concept of the "fixed end" refers to the portion closest to the outlet when there are a plurality of fixing points. Even if there are three or more fixed points, the point closest to the outlet is considered to be the fixed end. In other words, when the portion of the power cable 90b exposed from the outlet is pulled, the band that receives the load first forms the fixed end.

[0091] Reinforcement materials 13(a) is a perspective view of the reinforcing member 91. The reinforcing member 91 is a long member made of a resin such as nylon. Therefore, it is capable of elastic deformation. Although the reinforcing member 91 in this embodiment is a plate-shaped rod, it may be a cylindrical member. In other words, as long as it has the elasticity described later, the shape of the reinforcing member 91 may be either plate-shaped or cylindrical.

[0092] A plurality of openings 96a are formed on one end of the reinforcing member 91, and a screw 91a is inserted into one of the openings 96a. In this way, the reinforcing member 91 is fixed to the frame 180. A plurality of openings 96b are formed on the other end of the reinforcing member 91, and a screw 91b is inserted into one of the openings 96b. In this way, the reinforcing member 91 is fixed to the frame 181. Here, the distance defined by L3 in FIG. 13(a) refers to the distance from the fixed end of the reinforcing member 91 on one end to the fixed end of the reinforcing member 91 on the other end. By changing the openings through which the screws 91a and 91b are inserted among the plurality of openings 96a formed in the reinforcing member 91, the distance L3 can be changed. The length of the cable 90 desired varies depending on the user. Therefore, in this way, the length of the cable 90 can be changed according to the user's request.

[0093] Fig. 13(b) is a diagram for explaining the shape of the reinforcing member 91. The cross section of the reinforcing member 91 is rectangular as shown in Fig. 13(b). It has a width W = 10 mm, a thickness H = 1.5 mm, and a total length of 367.5 mm, with the width W being greater than the thickness H. In other words, the reinforcing member 91 is a plate-shaped member.

[0094] 14(a) is a diagram for explaining a state when the reinforcing member 91 is bent. A reaction force is generated in the Z direction due to the deformation of the reinforcing member 91. The reinforcing member 91 has elasticity, which can reduce the risk that the user will bend or twist the cable 90 more than necessary. This is because the reinforcing member 91 has elasticity, which can reduce the risk that the user will feel uncomfortable when bending or twisting the cable 90. This can reduce the risk that the video cable 90a and the power cable 90b will be broken.

[0095] Here, a method for measuring the elasticity of the elastic member 91 will be described. A torque gauge (ATG3CN) manufactured by Tohnichi Manufacturing Co., Ltd. was used as the measuring device. When measuring, first, one end of the reinforcing member 91 is fixed to a jig so as to be immobile. In this state, the other end of the reinforcing member 91 is fixed to a torque gauge. At this time, the part fixed to the torque gauge is located on an extension line passing through the part fixed to the jig and along the longitudinal direction of the reinforcing member 91. In this state, as shown in FIG. 14(b), the reinforcing member 91 is twisted by holding the torque gauge. The reinforcing member 91 is twisted in the direction of the arrow S in the AA cross-sectional view of FIG. 14(b). The value measured by this method is defined as the elasticity of the reinforcing member 91. In this embodiment, the elasticity of the reinforcing member 91 is about 4.6 cN·m. According to an experiment by the inventor. If the elasticity of the reinforcing member 91 is this value, the user will feel uncomfortable when twisting the cable 90 by three turns. Furthermore, according to experiments by the inventors, the possibility of the video cable 90a or the power cable 90b breaking increases when the cable 90 is twisted five times or more. By making the user feel uncomfortable at an earlier stage, it is possible to reduce the risk of the user twisting the cable 90 more than necessary, which would result in breaking of the video cable 90a or the power cable 90b.

[0096] Moreover, when the elasticity of the reinforcing member 91 measured by the above-mentioned method is 4.6 cN·m, the reaction force of the reinforcing member 91 is about 34 gf. The reaction force here is the reaction force of the reinforcing member 91 when the surface of one end side of the reinforcing member 91 and the surface of the other end side of the reinforcing member 91 are brought closer to each other without twisting the reinforcing member 91, and these surfaces face each other and become parallel, as shown in FIG. 14(c). According to the inventor's experiment, when the reinforcing member 91 is bent in this manner and the reaction force of the reinforcing member 91 exceeds 34 gf, the user feels uncomfortable. Therefore, the risk that the user will bend the cable 90 back more than necessary is reduced. As described above, if the elasticity of the reinforcing member 91 is secured to 4.6 cN·m, the ease of movement of the operation unit 80 is ensured, and the risk of the wire in the cable 90 being broken can be reduced.

[0097] The elasticity of the covering 90c may also be measured and defined using a torque gauge. The measurement method is the same as the method for measuring the elasticity of the reinforcing member 91 described above. The elasticity of the covering 90c measured in this manner is smaller than the elasticity of the reinforcing member 91. When comparing the elasticities of the two, the overall length of the reinforcing member 91 and the overall length of the covering 90c are measured to be the same.

[0098] Since the elasticity of the covering 90c is smaller than that of the reinforcing member 91, the "stiffness" that a user feels when bending the cable 90 is caused by the reinforcing member 91. In other words, the covering 90c has almost no effect on the stiffness of the cable 90.

[0099] ● Connection structure of reinforcing members The length of the cable 90 connected to the operation unit 80 is assumed to vary depending on the size of the image forming system 1 and the user's usage. For example, when multiple users use one image forming system, one user may show the screen of the operation unit 80 to the other user, so a configuration that allows the operation unit 80 to be moved over a relatively wide range is required. On the other hand, if a user only operates the operation unit 80 in a limited area of ​​the top surface 109, there is no need to move the operation unit 80 over such a wide range. In the market, it is difficult to predict what users' demands will be, and what form of use will become mainstream in the future. Therefore, a configuration that allows the length of the cable 90 to be adjusted is required to accommodate all users and usage situations.

[0100] In order to make the length of the cable 90 adjustable, it is necessary to make the length of the reinforcing member 91 adjustable as well. However, if multiple types of reinforcing members 91 with different lengths are prepared, costs will be incurred for the molds used to manufacture the reinforcing members 91 and for managing the various reinforcing members 91 according to their length. In order to solve this problem, a configuration has been created in which the overall length of the reinforcing member 91 can be adjusted by connecting the reinforcing members 91 together.

[0101] 15 is a perspective view of a reinforcing member 91. A protrusion is formed on one end side 92a of the reinforcing member 91, and an opening is formed on the other end side 92b of the reinforcing member 91. The protrusion of one reinforcing member 91 fits into the opening of another reinforcing member 91 to complete the connection between the two.

[0102] FIG. 16(a) is a diagram for explaining the details of one end side 92a of the reinforcing member 91. As shown in FIG. 16(a), one end side 92a of the reinforcing member 91 is provided with a protrusion 94a and a fixing boss 93. FIG. 16(a) also shows a cross-sectional view of the fixing boss 93 cut along the AA plane. A cylindrical shape 93a is formed so as to protrude from the K plane, which is the surface of the reinforcing member 91. The cylindrical shape 93a forms a region 93d3. An umbrella shape 93b is formed at the upper end portion of the cylindrical shape 93a. The width 93d2 of the umbrella shape 93b is larger than the width 93d1 of the cylindrical shape 93a. Moreover, the region 93d3 is formed so as to be larger than the thickness H of the reinforcing member.

[0103] 16(b) is a diagram for explaining the details of the other end side 92b of the reinforcing member 91. The other end side 92b of the reinforcing member 91 is formed with an opening 94b and a hook hole 95 into which a protrusion 94a provided on one end side 92a of the reinforcing member 91 and a fixing boss 93 fit.

[0104] To allow the above-mentioned umbrella shape 93b to pass through the hook hole 95, the width 95d1 is set to be equal to or larger than the width 93d2 of the umbrella shape 93b. Also, the width 95d2 is set to be equal to or larger than the width 93d1 of the cylindrical region 93a and smaller than the width 93d2 of the umbrella shape 93b.

[0105] Next, a method for joining reinforcing members 91 together will be described with reference to Fig. 17. Fig. 17(a) is a diagram showing a state in which the umbrella shape 93b of the reinforcing member 91 is fitted into the hook hole 95. From this state, one of the reinforcing members 91 is rotated in the direction of arrow G with the fixing boss 93 as the rotation center.

[0106] 17(b) shows a state in which one reinforcing member 91 is rotated relative to the other reinforcing member 91, and the protrusion 94a of one reinforcing member 91 comes into contact with the other reinforcing member 91. When one reinforcing member 91 is further rotated from this state, it rides over the protrusion 94a of the other reinforcing member 91. In other words, after one reinforcing member 91 bends once and rides over the protrusion 94a of the other reinforcing member 91, the opening 94b of one reinforcing member 91 fits into the protrusion 94a of the other reinforcing member 91.

[0107] 17(c) is an enlarged view of the joint portion when the reinforcing members 91 are joined together by the above-mentioned method. The protrusions 94a are fitted into the openings 94b, so that the reinforcing members 91 are prevented from rotating relative to each other in the G direction.

[0108] In addition, when two reinforcing members 91 are connected, the umbrella shape 93b of one reinforcing member 91 is in contact with the K surface of the other reinforcing member 91, so these reinforcing members 91 do not come off from each other in the N direction either. Note that various shapes are possible for the umbrella shape 93, as shown in Figures 18(a) to 18(c). For example, as shown in Figure 18(a), it may be a shape with a part missing compared to the umbrella shape 93 of the previously described shape, or a sector shape as shown in Figure 18(b), or a shape with a groove cut into part of the umbrella as shown in Figure 18(c).

[0109] In either form, the two reinforcing members 91 are connected to each other without using screws or bolts. If the connections were made with screws or the like, the pan parts of the screw legs would come into contact with the video cable 90a and the power cable 90b, and the possibility of these cables being disconnected cannot be ignored. For this reason, in this embodiment, a connection method that does not use parts such as screws or bolts is adopted.

[0110] ●Length adjustment within one reinforcing member In the above explanation, multiple reinforcing members 91 are used to accommodate changes in the length of the cable 90. However, some users require the length of the cable 90 to be shorter than a single reinforcing member 91. There is also the idea of ​​configuring the length of a single reinforcing member 91 as long as possible to reduce the number of parts and achieve cost benefits. In other words, it is quite conceivable that only one reinforcing member 91 will be used, and even in such a case, it is preferable to be able to adjust the length of the reinforcing member 91.

[0111] If multiple reinforcing members 91 with different lengths were to be prepared, it would be necessary to manufacture a mold for each type. In addition, it would be necessary to manage each of the reinforcing members 91 with different lengths. In this way, preparing multiple reinforcing members 91 with different lengths would incur mold manufacturing costs and part management costs. In order to solve these problems, we have considered a configuration in which the length of a single reinforcing member 91 can be adjusted.

[0112] 19(a), reinforcing member 91 of the present embodiment has a plurality of opening groups 96a and 96b formed on one end and the other end thereof, and the length of cable 90 can be adjusted by selecting an opening to be fastened to frame 180 (181) from the opening groups.

[0113] Fig. 19(b) is an enlarged perspective view of the other end side of the reinforcing member 91. As shown in Fig. 19(b), an opening group 96b consisting of a plurality of openings is formed on the other end side of the reinforcing member 91. Similarly, an opening group 96a consisting of a plurality of openings is formed on one end side of the reinforcing member 91.

[0114] The other end of the reinforcing member 91 is fixed to the frame 181 by a screw 91b. At this time, by changing the opening through which the screw 91b is inserted, the amount of the reinforcing member 91 exposed from the outlet 181c of the frame 181 can be changed.

[0115] 19(b), the opening group 96b has a first opening 96b1 (an example of a first fixing portion), a second opening 96b2 (an example of a second fixing portion), a third opening 96b3, and a fourth opening 96b4. These first to fourth openings 96b1 to 96b4 are formed at intervals along the longitudinal direction of the reinforcing member 91. As shown in FIG. 19(b), the second opening 96b2 is formed closer to the tip side of the reinforcing member 91 than the first opening 96b1.

[0116] In this embodiment, the opening group 96a formed on one end side of the reinforcing member 91 also has four openings. These four openings are also formed at intervals along the longitudinal direction of the reinforcing member 91. If the opening closest to the center of the reinforcing member 91 among these four openings is considered to be the first fixing part, one of the remaining three openings formed on the tip side of the reinforcing member 91 from this opening corresponds to the second fixing part. In other words, the concept of the fixing part is the same on both one end side and the other end side of the reinforcing member 91.

[0117] Similar to the other end of the reinforcing member 91, one end of the reinforcing member 91 is fixed to the frame 180 with a screw 91a. At this time, by changing the opening through which the screw 91a is inserted, the amount of the reinforcing member 91 exposed from the outlet 180c of the frame 180 can be changed.

[0118] In this manner, by adjusting the length of the area of ​​the reinforcing member 91 exposed from the frame 180 and the frame 181, the length of the cable 90 can be adjusted.

[0119] As described above, the location of one end of reinforcing member 91 that is fixed to frame 180 and the location of the other end of reinforcing member 91 that is fixed to frame 181 can be adjusted, but regardless of where the fixed end is formed, the relationship that distance L3 mentioned above is shorter than distance L1 and distance L2 is satisfied.

[0120] As described above, in the image forming system 1 of this embodiment, the distance between the portion of the reinforcing member 91 fixed to the frame 180 of the operation unit 80 and the portion fixed to the frame 181 of the image forming device 2 is specified to be longer than the distance between the portion of the electric wires (video cable 90a, power cable 90b, or both) fixed to the frame 180 of the operation unit 80 and the portion fixed to the frame 181 of the image forming device 2, thereby reducing the risk of the electric wires being broken when the cable 90 is pulled. [Explanation of symbols]

[0121] 1. Image forming system 2. Image forming device 80 Operation Unit 90 Cable 90a video cable 90b Power Cable 90c coated 96a Apertures 96b Aperture group 109 Top 151a Band 151b Band 152a Band 152b Band 180 frames 181 frames

Claims

1. an image forming unit that forms an image on a sheet; a housing including the image forming unit and having a top surface; an operation unit that is movably disposed on the top surface and receives an operation by a user to cause the image forming unit to form an image on a sheet; an electric wire electrically connected to the housing and the operation unit and configured to transmit an electric signal from the housing to the operation unit; a long, elastic rod-shaped body made of resin connected to the housing and the operation unit; a coating that contains the electric wire and the rod-shaped body and has less elasticity than the rod-shaped body, An image forming system characterized in that the electric wire and the rod-shaped body are fixed to the housing and the operation unit so that the distance between the fixed end of the rod-shaped body fixed to the housing and the fixed end fixed to the operation unit is shorter than the distance between the fixed end of the electric wire fixed to the housing and the fixed end fixed to the operation unit.

2. The operation unit includes: a substrate having a connector to which one end of the electric wire is connected; an exterior cover that houses the board and has an outlet through which the electric wires are led out; 2. The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the electric wire is fixed to the exterior cover.

3. An image forming system as described in claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the operation unit is supplied with power via the electric wire.

4. A control unit that controls the image forming unit; a signal line electrically connected to the housing and the operation unit, for transmitting a signal instructing the image forming unit to form an image from the operation unit to the control unit; the covering encloses the electric wire, the signal line, and the rod-shaped body, 4. The image forming system according to claim 3, wherein the signal line is fixed to the housing and the operation unit such that the distance between the fixed end of the rod-shaped body fixed to the housing and the fixed end of the operation unit is shorter than the distance between the fixed end of the signal line fixed to the housing and the fixed end of the signal line fixed to the operation unit.

5. an image forming unit that forms an image on a sheet; a housing including the image forming unit and having a top surface; an operation unit that is movably disposed on the top surface and receives an operation by a user to cause the image forming unit to form an image on a sheet; an electric wire electrically connected to the housing and the operation unit and configured to transmit an electric signal from the housing to the operation unit; a long, elastic rod-shaped body made of resin connected to the housing and the operation unit; a coating that contains the electric wire and the rod-shaped body and has less elasticity than the rod-shaped body, An image forming system characterized in that the electric wire and the rod-shaped body are fixed to the housing and the operation unit so that when the portion of the rod-shaped body between the fixed end fixed to the housing and the fixed end fixed to the operation unit is tensioned without flexing, the portion of the electric wire between the fixed end fixed to the housing and the fixed end fixed to the operation unit flexes.

6. The operation unit includes: a substrate having a connector to which one end of the electric wire is connected; an exterior cover that houses the board and has an outlet through which the electric wires are led out; 6. The image forming system according to claim 5, wherein the electric wire is fixed to the exterior cover.

7. An image forming system as described in claim 5 or claim 6, characterized in that the operation unit is supplied with power via the electric wire.

8. A control unit that controls the image forming unit; a signal line electrically connected to the housing and the operation unit, for transmitting a signal instructing the image forming unit to form an image from the operation unit to the control unit; the covering encloses the electric wire, the signal line, and the rod-shaped body, 8. The image forming system according to claim 7, wherein the signal line is fixed to the housing and the operation unit such that when the portion of the rod-shaped body between the fixed end fixed to the housing and the fixed end fixed to the operation unit is tensioned without flexing, the portion of the signal line between the fixed end fixed to the housing and the fixed end fixed to the operation unit flexes.

9. 9. The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the coating has shrinkability.

10. 10. The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the rod-shaped member is a plate-shaped member.

11. 11. The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the rod-shaped body is provided with a plurality of fixing points to the housing along a longitudinal direction of the rod-shaped body.

12. an image forming unit that forms an image on a sheet; a housing including the image forming unit and having a top surface; an operation unit that is movably disposed on the top surface and receives an operation by a user to cause the image forming unit to form an image on a sheet; an electric wire electrically connected to the housing and the operation unit and configured to transmit an electric signal from the housing to the operation unit; a long, elastic rod-shaped body made of resin that is connected to the housing and the operation unit and disposed along the electric wire; one end side of the rod-shaped body has a first fixing portion that can be fixed to the housing, and a second fixing portion that is provided at a position closer to a tip of the rod-shaped body than the first fixing portion and can be fixed to the housing, An image forming system characterized in that, regardless of whether the first fixed portion or the second fixed portion is fixed to the housing, the electric wire and the rod-shaped body are fixed to the housing and the operation unit such that the distance between the first fixed portion or the second fixed portion of the rod-shaped body fixed to the housing and the fixed end fixed to the operation unit is shorter than the distance between the fixed end of the electric wire fixed to the housing and the fixed end fixed to the operation unit.

13. The operation unit includes: a substrate having a connector to which one end of the electric wire is connected; an exterior cover that houses the board and has an outlet through which the electric wires are led out; 13. The image forming system according to claim 12, wherein the electric wire is fixed to the exterior cover.

14. An image forming system as described in claim 12 or claim 13, characterized in that the operation unit is supplied with power via the electric wire.

15. A control unit that controls the image forming unit; a signal line electrically connected to the housing and the operation unit, for transmitting a signal instructing the image forming unit to form an image from the operation unit to the control unit; The image forming system according to claim 14, characterized in that the signal line is fixed to the housing and the operation unit such that the distance between the first fixed portion or the second fixed portion of the rod-shaped body fixed to the housing and the fixed end fixed to the operation unit is shorter than the distance between the fixed end of the signal line fixed to the housing and the fixed end fixed to the operation unit.

16. 16. The image forming system according to claim 12, wherein the rod-shaped member is a plate-shaped member.

Images