Image forming device

Abstract

To prevent damage to a coating of a cable and breaking of an electric wire caused by the concentration of local loads on the cable.SOLUTION: An image forming apparatus comprises: a housing that includes an image forming section; an operation unit that is provided separately from the housing, is arranged movably with respect to a top surface of the housing, and receives an operation; a cable that has an electric wire connecting the housing and the operation unit to transmit an electric signal between the housing and the operation unit; and a derivation port that is provided in the housing or the operation unit to derive the cable from the inside to the outside. The cable has: an elastic member that is provided along the electric wire from the housing to the operation unit, has a width equal to or more than the length of the diameter of the electric wire in a first direction, and has elasticity; and a projection part that is protruded and provided on the side of the elastic member where the electric wire is arranged, is provided along the electric wire from the inside to the outside through the derivation port, has a height equal to or more than the length of the diameter of the electric wire in a second direction intersecting the first direction, and has elasticity.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 17

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that has an operation unit and forms an image on a sheet. [Background technology]

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

[0003] In the case of a large-scale image forming system in which multiple optional devices are connected and the overall length is long, a user may need to perform operations on the optional devices in a location far from the image forming device where the operation unit is installed. If this operation is frequently performed, it is inefficient to return to the image forming device to operate the operation unit.

[0004] Therefore, an operation unit that can be installed not only on an image forming apparatus but also on an optional device has been proposed (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 top surface (mounting surface) of the image forming apparatus on which the support base is placed.

[0005] This operation unit is connected to the image forming apparatus by a cable and is installed so that it can be moved to a location on the top surface of the image forming apparatus that is easy for the user to operate, within the range permitted by the cable length. Furthermore, since the cable bends when the operation unit is moved, the operation force when the user moves the operation unit is not impaired. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-243977 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] The cable connecting the image forming apparatus and the operation unit includes an electric wire for transmitting an electric signal from the image forming apparatus to the operation unit. The image forming apparatus and the operation unit each have an outlet for leading the cable from the inside to the outside. Therefore, when a user moves the operation unit, the cable is pressed against the end of the operation unit or the end of the image forming apparatus that forms the outlet, causing a localized load to be concentrated, which could damage the cable sheath or break the electric wire inside the cable.

[0008] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to prevent damage to the cable coating and breakage of the wires caused by localized loads being concentrated on the cable. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] A typical configuration of the present invention for achieving the above-mentioned object is an image forming apparatus comprising: a housing having an image forming unit that forms an image on a sheet; an operation unit that has a display panel that displays information, is provided separately from the housing, is arranged movably on the top surface of the housing, and accepts operations; a cable that connects the housing and the operation unit and has electric wires for sending electric signals between the housing and the operation unit; and an outlet that is provided on the housing or the operation unit and leads the cable from the inside to the outside, wherein the cable comprises: an elastic member that is provided along the electric wires from the housing to the operation unit, has a width that is equal to or greater than the diameter of the electric wires in a first direction, and has elasticity; and a protrusion that protrudes from the side of the elastic member where the electric wires are arranged, is provided along the electric wires from the inside to the outside via the outlet, and has a height that is equal to or greater than the diameter of the electric wires in a second direction that intersects the first direction, and has elasticity. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent damage to the cable covering and breakage of the electric wires, which are caused by a local load being concentrated on the cable when the operation unit is moved. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an image forming system. [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a portion of an image forming system. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a control configuration of an operation unit in the image forming system. [Figure 4] 10 is a diagram showing an operation unit disposed on the top surface of the housing to the left of the reading device. [Figure 5] 10 is a diagram showing an operation unit disposed on the top surface of the housing to the right of the reading device. [Figure 6] (a) (b) (c) A diagram illustrating an operation unit. [Figure 7] 1A and 1B are schematic perspective views of an operation unit. [Figure 8] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating a mechanism for adjusting the tilt angle of the display panel relative to the top surface. [Figure 9] (a)(b) An explanatory diagram of the cable outlet from the operation unit. [Figure 10] Cross section of the cable. [Figure 11] (a)(b) Schematic diagram of the cable and reinforcing member. [Figure 12] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing fixing positions of a reinforcing member to an operation unit and an image forming apparatus. [Figure 13] 10(a) and 10(b) are diagrams showing a reinforcing member. [Figure 14] 1(a), (b), and (c) are diagrams illustrating a method for measuring the elasticity of a reinforcing member. [Figure 15] 10(a), (b), and (c) are diagrams illustrating the outlet of the operation unit. [Figure 16] (a)(b)(c) Diagrams explaining the behavior of the cable at the outlet when the operation unit is moved. [Figure 17] 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating the configuration of a cable at an outlet in the first embodiment. [Figure 18] 10(a) and 10(b) are diagrams illustrating the configuration of a cable at an outlet in Example 2. FIG. [Figure 19] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating other configurations of the cable at the outlet. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail by way of example with reference to the drawings. However, the dimensions, materials, shapes, and relative positions of the components described in the following examples may be changed as appropriate depending on the configuration of the device to which the present invention is applied and various conditions. Therefore, unless otherwise specified, it is not intended that the scope of the present invention be limited to only those.

[0013] Example 1 An image forming system 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 1, the front side (front side, front side) of the image forming apparatus 2 is defined as the front direction F, and the back side (rear side, rear side) is defined as the rear direction B. The left side of the image forming apparatus 2 where the post-processing device 103 is located is defined as the left direction L, and the right side of the image forming apparatus 2 where the feeding device 105 is located is defined as the right direction R. The left-right direction defined here is a direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction and the left-right direction. Furthermore, the vertically upward direction (upper side) that is perpendicular to (or perpendicular to) the front-rear direction and the left-right direction defined here is defined as the up direction U, and the vertically downward direction (lower side) that is perpendicular to the front-rear direction and the left-right direction defined here is defined as the down direction D. The defined front, rear, right, left, upper, and lower directions are also shown in FIGS. 2, 4, 5, etc.

[0014] (Configuration of image forming system) As shown in FIG. 1 , the image forming system 1 of this embodiment includes an image forming apparatus 2, such as a printer, and a post-processing device 103 that is disposed adjacent to the image forming apparatus 2 on the left side (L) and that can hold sheets S on which images have been formed. In this embodiment, the image forming apparatus 2, post-processing device 103, etc. are defined as a housing. The image forming apparatus 2 is provided with a top surface 109 that can be used as a workspace. In this embodiment, the area of ​​the top surface 109 is larger than the maximum size of sheets S on which the image forming apparatus 2 can form images. A user spreads out a drawing on the top surface 109 to perform work such as drafting. Therefore, assuming that the floor on which the image forming system 1 is installed is level, the top surface 109 is also configured to be level. Additionally, 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 workspace. If the image forming system 1 is installed horizontally, the workspace 1010 will also be horizontal. Furthermore, this area is flat because it is part of the top surface 109. A "flat surface" refers to a surface designed to minimize irregularities such as grooves, excluding unavoidable connections between components due to the design of the exterior of the image forming system 1. The workspace 1010 is sufficient if it has an area large enough to spread out an A3-sized sheet of paper, and a flat surface is sufficient within this area. Note that the top surface 109 is made of, for example, a resin plate, and even if there are unavoidable wobble or undulations that occur during manufacturing, it is still considered a "flat surface." Furthermore, "horizontal" as used here does not refer to horizontal in the strict mathematical sense, but rather to a level that can be considered horizontal in practical terms, i.e., approximately horizontal.

[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 monocolor.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 2 , in this embodiment, the image forming apparatus 2, which is an example of a housing, can be divided into two sections: an image forming section housing 2a and a transport section housing 2b. The transport section housing 2b transports recording materials on which an image has been formed in the image forming section housing 2a toward the post-processing device 103. The image forming section housing 2a and the transport section housing 2b are also examples of housings. The image forming section housing 2a has a top surface 109a, and the transport section housing 2b has a top surface 109b. The image forming section housing 2a and the transport section housing 2b can be connected to each other, and the top surfaces 109a and 109b can also be connected to each other to form a single flat top surface 109. In this way, the image forming section housing 2a and the transport section housing 2b can be connected and separated. Therefore, for example, when transporting to a higher floor of a building, they can be placed in an elevator in a separated state and transported to a desired floor. This allows even a large image forming system 1 with a long overall length to be easily transported to a desired floor within a building using an elevator or the like.

[0017] The image forming system 1 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 include plain paper, a synthetic resin sheet that is a substitute for plain paper, cardboard, and an overhead projector sheet.

[0018] The sheet feeding section 30 is disposed below the image forming apparatus 2, and includes a sheet cassette 31 for stacking and accommodating sheets S, and a feeding roller 32, and feeds the sheets S to the image forming section .

[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 forms an image on the sheet S.

[0020] The image forming unit 41 includes four image forming units 41y, 41m, 41c, and 41k for forming toner images in four colors: yellow (y), magenta (m), cyan (c), and black (k). Each of these units is detachably attached to the image forming apparatus 2 by a user. For example, the image forming unit 41y includes a photosensitive drum 47y for forming a toner image, a charging roller 48y, a developing sleeve 49y, a drum cleaning blade (not shown), toner, and the like. The image forming unit 41y receives toner 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, and therefore detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0021] The exposure device 43y is 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 below the image forming unit 41 in the direction D. The intermediate transfer unit 44 includes a plurality of rollers, such as a drive 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 in contact with 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 negative toner images on the photosensitive drums 47y, 47m, 47c, and 47k are sequentially transferred in a multi-layered manner onto the intermediate transfer belt 44b. This forms a full-color image on the intermediate transfer belt 44b.

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

[0024] The fixing device 46 includes a fixing roller 46a and a pressure roller 46b. As the sheet S is sandwiched and conveyed between the fixing roller 46a and the pressure roller 46b, the toner image transferred onto the sheet S is pressurized and heated, and fixed to the sheet S. In this embodiment, the conveying 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 conveying unit housing 2b may not include the fixing device 46. Naturally, either housing may include a fixing device.

[0025] The sheet conveying section 50 is configured 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 that control 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 saving 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 overall control of the image forming apparatus 2, and is the main body of the system controller. The CPU 73 is connected to the sheet feeding section 30, the image forming section 40, the sheet conveying section 50, the sheet discharging section 60, the HDD 72, and the operation unit 80 via an input / output circuit 76, and exchanges signals with each section and controls their operation. The image controller 710 can be operated and set by a user in response to commands 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 instructions for replenishing the consumables. The display panel 82 also receives user inputs such as the size and basis weight of the sheets S, image density adjustment, and setting the number of sheets 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. 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, the image forming operation in the image forming apparatus 2 configured as above will be described.

[0032] When the image formation operation starts, first, the photosensitive drums 47y, 47m, 47c, and 47k rotate, and their 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 photosensitive drums 47y, 47m, 47c, and 47k based on image information, forming electrostatic latent images on the surfaces of the photosensitive drums 47y, 47m, 47c, and 47k. Toner adheres to this electrostatic latent image, which is developed into a visualized toner image and transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 44b.

[0033] Meanwhile, in parallel with this toner image formation operation, the feed roller 32 rotates, separating and feeding 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 pre-secondary 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 pressed to be fixed on the surface of the sheet S. The sheet S is then discharged from the discharge port 62 by a pair of discharge rollers 61 and supplied to the post-processing device 103.

[0034] (Configuration of operation unit) First, the electrical unit 70, the operation unit 80, the cable 90, the cover 101, and the opening 102 will be outlined.

[0035] The electrical unit 70 is provided on the rear surface of the image forming apparatus 2. A connector (not shown) provided at one end of a cable 90 is connected to the electrical unit 70. The cable 90 transmits control signals for controlling the operation unit 80 from the electrical unit 70 to the operation unit 80. The cable 90 serves to communicatively connect the image forming apparatus 2 and the operation unit 80. A connector (not shown) is provided at the other end of the cable 90 and is connected to the operation unit 80. Thus, although the operation unit 80 is connected to the image forming apparatus 2 by the cable 90, it is not fixed to the top surface 109. The operation unit 80 is disposed so as to be movable relative to the top surface 109 of the image forming apparatus 2. Therefore, the user can freely place the operation unit 80 at any position on the top surface 109 as long as it is within the range of the extension of the cable 90. Thus, the term "free" used here refers to a state in which the operation unit 80 is not fixed to the top surface 109 by, for example, screws, or the like, i.e., a configuration in which the placement position of the operation unit 80 on the top surface 109 can be freely changed.

[0036] In this embodiment, the image forming apparatus 2 and the operation unit 80 communicate bidirectionally 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.

[0037] 4 and 5 are diagrams for explaining positions where operation unit 80 can be placed on top surface 109. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, it can be placed in a space near document reading device 115 on top surface 109 of image forming apparatus 2, or as shown in FIG. 5, it can also be placed in a space on top surface 106 of feeding device 105. Even if the operation unit 80 is placed in a location not shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, it can be placed on the top surface of image forming system 1, such as on top surface 104 of post-processing device 103. Furthermore, even in a space other than the top surface of image forming system 1, it is also possible to place a workbench or the like near the image forming system and place operation unit 80 on it (not shown).

[0038] 6(a) is a view of the operation unit 80 viewed vertically from above, FIG. 6(b) is a view 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. In this embodiment, the display panel 82 of the operation unit 80 is a liquid crystal touch panel. That is, the display panel 82 can receive touch operations from the user. A 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. As shown in FIG. 6( b), rubber feet 85 (85 a, 85 b 1), 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 first to fourth contact portions, and are portions 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. The rubber feet 85 are configured to bend slightly when the operation unit 80 is placed on the top surface 109. Therefore, as in this embodiment, it is possible to support the operation unit 80 at four points. Although a plane is mathematically determined as one plane by three points, bending of any of the rubber feet 85 causes all four points to come into contact with the top surface 109. In the operation unit 80 of this embodiment, the front-side rubber feet 85a are provided in two locations on the front side, and the rear-side rubber feet 85b1 are provided in 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 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, operability for the user is improved. When the operation unit 80 is viewed vertically from above, rubber foot 85a is located upstream of the center of gravity G and 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 the vertical direction (the direction from the front to the back of the paper), and a direction perpendicular to the display surface 820, which is a direction climbing up the slope 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, it is assumed that the operation unit 80 placed on the top surface 109 is viewed from the bottom side of the operation unit 80, so 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 region (one end side) when L1 is divided into four equal parts, and the other rubber foot 85b1 is located in the leftmost region (the other end side) when L1 is divided into four equal parts. By arranging the two rubber feet 85b1 at a distance from each other in this way, the stability of the operation unit 80 when placed on the top surface 109 can be improved.

[0042] The left-right direction here refers to a direction perpendicular to both the vertical direction and the perpendicular direction perpendicular to a display surface 820 (described later), 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 formed by the rubber feet 85 conforming to the top surface 109 when the operation unit 80 is placed is referred to as 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 points will float up. This is unavoidable due to component tolerances. Therefore, by making at least two of the four rubber feet 85 elastic, all 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) (the direction from the front to the back of the paper), and a direction perpendicular to the display surface 820.

[0045] In this way, the cable 90 extends rearward from the back side of the operation unit 80, so that the connection between the cable 90 and the operation unit 80 is not visible to the user operating the operation unit 80. This improves the design of the operation unit 80.

[0046] Fig. 7(a) is a perspective view of the operation unit 80 and an enlarged view of the display panel 82. Fig. 7(b) is a perspective view of the operation unit 80 as viewed from below. As shown in Figs. 7(a) and 7(b), 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, support base 86 has rubber feet 85 (85a, 85b1). More specifically, rubber feet 85a are provided on the right and left ends of the front side of support base 86, and arm 822 is provided on the back side of support base 86. Rubber feet 85b1 are also provided on the right and left ends of arm 822. When these four rubber feet 85 are in contact with top surface 109, the angle of display panel 82 with respect to top surface 109 is determined to be a predetermined angle.

[0048] Display panel 82 has a display surface 820 that can display information related to image formation, such as a button for starting copying, a screen for setting paper size, a screen for setting the number of copies to be printed, and a screen for displaying the remaining toner. In this embodiment, display surface 820 is provided on the entire display panel 82 excluding the edges, but information related to image formation and a screen for print settings may be displayed on the entire surface of display panel 82. In either case, however, the inclination angle of display surface 820 with respect to top surface 109 refers to the angle that the vicinity of the center of display panel 82 (the area corresponding to display surface 820 in FIG. 7(a)) forms with 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. 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 can rotate relative 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. In this way, since the angle of the display panel 82 with respect to the top surface 109 can be adjusted, there is an advantage that it is easy to use for various users with different eye heights, such as users in wheelchairs and tall users.

[0051] (cable) 9A and 9B are diagrams for explaining the direction in which the cable 90 is led out from the operation unit 80. Fig. 9A is a schematic diagram of the operation unit 80 as seen from the left side of the operation unit 80. The example in Fig. 9A shows a configuration in which the cable 90 is led out from the wall portion 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 far side of the operation unit 80, the cable 90 is less visible to the user operating the operation unit 80, and 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 where work or printed matter is placed next to 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 way, in the case of 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 workability.

[0055] The example in FIG. 9(b) is an example of a configuration in which the cable 90 is led out from the back side of the operation unit 80 and further runs along the rear side of the operation unit 80. As shown in FIG. 9(b), the cable 90 is led out from the rear side of the operation unit 80. Further rearward from the lead-out port, a fastener 95 is provided for fastening a portion of the cable 90 to the operation unit 80. Because the fastener 95 is provided rearward from the lead-out port, the cable 90 extends from the lead-out port toward the rear side of the operation unit 80. This configuration can also achieve the same effect as a configuration in which the cable 90 is led out from the wall portion on the rear 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 signal line (video cable) 90a, a power line (electric power cable) 90b, a reinforcing member 91 (elastic member), and a sheath 90c that encases these. Here, signal line 90a and power line 90b are electric wires for transmitting electric signals between image forming device 2 and operation unit 80, and signal line 90a and power line 90b are collectively referred to as electric wires. In other words, cable 90 is composed of signal line 90a and power line 90b as electric wires, reinforcing member 91 as an elastic member, and sheath 90c that encases these.

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

[0058] The power line 90b connects the power supply 12 of the image forming apparatus 2 to the driver board 81. Power is supplied to the operation unit 80 via the power line 90b. This drives the driver board 81 and causes the display panel (liquid crystal touch panel) 82 to display images. The power line 90b is configured such that the power line that transmits power is covered with a polyvinyl chloride covering material. Here, the power supplied to the operation unit 80 via the power line 90b is also considered to be a type of electrical signal.

[0059] The reinforcing member 91 is a long, plate-like member. The reinforcing member 91 is made of resin and is an elastic member having elasticity. The reinforcing member 91 is arranged along the signal line 90a and the power line 90b. As will be described in detail later, the reinforcing member 91 has the function of preventing the signal line 90a and the power line 90b from being disconnected.

[0060] The sheath 90c encloses the signal wires 90a, the power wires 90b, and the reinforcing member 91. In this embodiment, the sheath 90c is a mesh-like, contractile member primarily composed of polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The elasticity of the sheath 90c is much smaller than that of the reinforcing member 91. In other words, the elastic force of the sheath 90c itself has almost no effect on the entire cable 90. The main function of the sheath 90c is to reduce the risk of the signal wires 90a, the power wires 90b, and the reinforcing member 91 being exposed to the outside and damaging the cable's appearance. In addition to this main effect, the sheath 90c in this embodiment is contractile, so it also serves to bundle the signal wires 90a, the power wires 90b, and the reinforcing member 91. In other words, in this embodiment, the sheath 90c is used to improve the appearance of the image forming system 1, but is not essential. Some users may not be particularly concerned about aesthetics, so for such users, the cable 90 can be configured without the sheath 90c.

[0061] (Cable fixing method 1) 11(a) will be used to explain a method for fixing the cable 90 to the operation unit 80 and the image forming apparatus 2. FIG. 11(a) is a diagram for explaining the relationship between the lengths of the signal line 90a and the power line 90b and the reinforcing member 91.

[0062] First, a method for fixing the signal line 90a to the operation unit 80 and the image forming apparatus 2 will be described.

[0063] 11(a), one end of the signal line 90a is connected to a connector 81a provided on a driver board 81 of the operation unit 80. On the other hand, the other end of the signal line 90a is connected to a connector 150a provided on a main body board 150 of the image forming apparatus 2. The signal line 90a is electrically connected to the input / output circuit 76 of the image controller 710 via the connector 150a.

[0064] One end of the signal line 90a is led out from a lead-out port 182 provided in a frame 180 of the operation unit 80. The signal line 90a is led out from the inside of the operation unit 80 to the outside through the lead-out port 182. Here, the frame 180 is, for example, an exterior cover that forms the exterior of the operation unit 80. Therefore, the lead-out port 182 provided in the operation unit 80 here is formed by the end of the frame 180 of the operation unit 80.

[0065] Furthermore, one end of the signal line 90a, between the portion connected to the connector 81a and the portion leading out from the lead-out port 182, is 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 generated 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 independently of the band 151a by screws or the like. Therefore, the load generated when the cable 90 is pulled is not transmitted directly to the connector 81a but is transmitted through the frame 180. Using a metal plate for the frame 180 ensures rigidity, further reducing the risk of the connector 81a coming loose from the driver board 81 or poor contact. This also applies to the relationship between the signal line 90a and the frame 181, and the relationship between the power line 90b and the frame 180 and the frame 181, which will be described later.

[0066] The band 151a in this embodiment is a cable tie that wraps around the signal line 90a to secure the signal line 90a to the frame 180. Note that the band 151a does not have to be a cable tie, and any other component that can secure the signal line 90a to the frame 180 may be used. For example, a wire saddle or the like may be used. In this manner, the signal line 90a is secured to the frame 180 by the band 151a. This prevents a load from being applied to the connector 81a even if the portion of the signal line 90a exposed from the lead-out port 182 is pulled, reducing the risk of the signal line 90a coming loose from the connector 81a.

[0067] The other end of signal line 90a is led out from lead-out port 183 provided in frame 181 of image forming apparatus 2. Signal line 90a is led out from the inside to the outside of image forming apparatus 2 through lead-out port 182. Here, frame 181 is, for example, an exterior cover that forms the exterior of image forming apparatus 2. Therefore, lead-out port 183 provided in image forming apparatus 2 here is formed by the end of frame 181 of image forming apparatus 2.

[0068] Similarly, the other end of signal line 90a, between the portion connected to connector 150a and the portion leading out from outlet 182, is fixed to frame 181 by, for example, band 152a. Here, frame 181 may be a part of the frame forming the exterior cover of the housing of image forming apparatus 2, or may be a metal plate or the like fixed to the exterior cover. In this embodiment, band 152a is a cable tie that embraces signal line 90a to fix signal line 90a to frame 181. In this manner, signal line 90a is fixed to frame 181 by band 152a. Therefore, even if the portion of signal line 90a exposed from outlet 183 is pulled, no load is applied to connector 150a, reducing the risk of signal line 90a coming loose from connector 150a.

[0069] Next, a method for fixing the power line 90b to the operation unit 80 and the image forming apparatus 2 will be described.

[0070] 11(a), one end of the power supply line 90b is connected to a connector 81b provided on a driver board 81 of the operation unit 80. Meanwhile, the other end of the power supply line 90b is connected to a connector 150b provided on a main body board 150 of the image forming apparatus 2. The power supply line 90b is electrically connected to the power source 17 via the connector 150b.

[0071] One end of the power supply line 90b is led out from a lead-out port 182 provided in the frame 180 of the operation unit 80. Like the signal line 90a, the power supply line 90b is also led out from the inside to the outside of the operation unit 80 through the lead-out port 182.

[0072] Furthermore, one end of the power line 90b, between the portion connected to the connector 81b and the portion leading out from the outlet 182, is fixed to the frame 180 by, for example, a band 151b. 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. In this embodiment, the band 151b is a cable tie that wraps around the power line 90b to secure the power line 90b to the frame 180. Note that the band 151b does not have to be a cable tie, and any other component that can secure the power line 90b to the frame 180 may be used. For example, a wire saddle or the like may be used. In this manner, the power line 90b is secured to the frame 180 by the band 151b. As a result, even if the portion of the power line 90b exposed from the outlet 182 is pulled, no load is applied to the connector 81b, reducing the risk of the power line 90b coming off the connector 81b.

[0073] The other end of the power line 90b is led out from a lead-out port 183 provided in a frame 181 of the image forming apparatus 2. Like the signal line 90a, the power line 90b is also led out from the inside to the outside of the image forming apparatus 2 through the lead-out port 183.

[0074] Similarly, the other end of power line 90b, between the portion connected to connector 150b and the portion leading out from outlet 183, is fixed to frame 181 by, for example, band 152b. Here, frame 181 may be part of a frame forming an exterior cover of the housing of image forming apparatus 2, or may be a metal plate or the like fixed to the exterior cover. In this embodiment, band 152b is a cable tie that embraces power line 90b to fix power line 90b to frame 181. In this way, power line 90b is fixed to frame 181 by band 152b. As a result, even if the portion of power line 90b exposed from outlet 183 is pulled, no load is applied to connector 150b, reducing the risk of power line 90b coming loose from connector 150b.

[0075] 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 will be described in detail later.

[0076] 11(a), reinforcing member 91 is provided along signal line 90a and power line 90b from image forming device 2 to operation unit 80. One end of reinforcing member 91 is fixed to frame 180 of operation unit 80 with, for example, screw 91a. The other end of reinforcing member 91 is fixed to frame 181 of image forming device 2 with, for example, screw 91b. The portion of reinforcing member 91 that is fixed to frame 180 with screw 91a and the portion that is fixed to frame 181 with screw 91b are referred to as fixed portions.

[0077] One end of the reinforcing member 91 is led out from an outlet 182 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 also be a metal plate or the like fixed to the exterior cover.

[0078] Similarly, the other end of the reinforcing member 91 is led out from a lead-out port 183 provided in 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 the exterior cover.

[0079] As described above, the signal line 90 a , the power line 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 apparatus 2 .

[0080] Here, the point where signal line 90a is fixed to frame 180 by band 151a is referred to as the (one end) fixed end, and the point where signal line 90a is fixed to frame 181 by 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 signal line 90a is referred to as L1.

[0081] The point where power line 90b is fixed to frame 180 by band 151b is referred to as the (one end) fixed end, and the point where power line 90b is fixed to frame 181 by 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 power line 90b is referred to as L2.

[0082] The location where reinforcing member 91 is fixed to frame 180 with screw 91a is referred to as the (one end) fixed end, and the location where reinforcing member 91 is fixed to frame 181 with 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 reinforcing member 91 is referred to as L3.

[0083] In this embodiment, the distance L3 of the reinforcing member 91 is set to be shorter than the distance (length) L1 of the signal line 90a and the distance (length) L2 of the power line 90b. In other words, even when the reinforcing member 91 is stretched without sagging, sagging (excess length) occurs in the region of the signal line 90a between the fixed end on one side and the fixed end on the other side. Similarly, sagging (excess length) also occurs in the region of the power line 90b between the fixed end on one side and the fixed end on the other side.

[0084] 11(a), both the portion of signal line 90a from one fixed end to the other fixed end and the portion of power line 90b from one fixed end to the other fixed end are provided with excess length. As will be described later, reinforcing member 91 is an elastically deformable resin member, and cable 90 is deformable. Distances L1 to L3 have the above-described relationship so that signal line 90a and power line 90b will not break even if cable 90 is deformed.

[0085] In the above example, one end of the signal line 90a is fixed to the frame 180 by the band 151a, and the other end of the signal line 90a is fixed to the frame 181 by the band 152a. Furthermore, one end of the power line 90b is fixed to the frame 180 by the band 151b, and the other end of the power line 90b is fixed to the frame 181 by the band 152b. However, for example, a configuration in which only one end of the power line 90b is not fixed to the frame 180 is also acceptable. Even in this case, one end of the signal line 90a is fixed to the frame 180 by the band 151a, and the other end of the signal line 90a is fixed to the frame 181 by the band 152a. Therefore, even if the cable 90 is deformed, it is possible to reduce the possibility of breakage of at least the signal line 90a.

[0086] Alternatively, the fixed ends may be formed by winding a part of the signal line 90a or the power line 90b around a part of the frames 180 and 181 without using components such as the bands 151a, 151b, 152a, and 152b.

[0087] Finally, we will explain the sheath 90c, which is one of the components of the cable 90. The sheath 90c encases the signal line 90a, the power line 90b, and the reinforcing member 91. One end of the sheath 90c is led out from an outlet 182 formed in the frame 180 of the operation unit 80. Here, the outlet 182 is a common opening through which the signal line 90a, the power line 90b, and the reinforcing member 91 lead out. The sheath 90c is a member that can shrink when heat is applied, and by applying heat with the signal line 90a, the power line 90b, and the reinforcing member 91 passing through it, the signal line 90a, the power line 90b, and the reinforcing member 91 can be bundled together into a single bundle.

[0088] Meanwhile, the other end of the covering 90c is led out from a lead-out port 183 formed in a frame 181 of the image forming apparatus 2. Here, the lead-out port 183 is a common opening through which the signal line 90a, the power line 90b, and the reinforcing member 91 are led out. The covering 90c is a member that can shrink when heat is applied, and by applying heat with the signal line 90a, the power line 90b, and the reinforcing member 91 passing through it, the signal line 90a, the power line 90b, and the reinforcing member 91 can be bundled together.

[0089] The covering 90c is a member with less elasticity than the reinforcing member 91. Therefore, it has almost no effect on the stiffness of the cable 90. The covering 90c in this embodiment has the effect of enclosing and hiding the signal wires 90a, the power wires 90b, and the reinforcing member 91 from the outside. This prevents the various cables from being exposed, which would otherwise detract from the aesthetic appearance. However, hiding does not necessarily mean that the signal wires 90a and the power wires 90b are completely invisible. As can be seen from the fact that the covering 90c in this embodiment is a mesh-like, shrinkable member, it is acceptable for portions of the signal wires 90a and the power wires 90b to be slightly visible from the outside. In other words, the covering 90c enclosing the signal wires 90a and the power wires 90b means that it bundles the various cables together and prevents most of them from being exposed.

[0090] Here, the coating 90c is configured to enclose the signal line 90a, the power line 90b, and the reinforcing member 91 from the inside of the operation unit 80 through the outlets 182 and 183 to the inside of the image forming device 2. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the coating 90c may be configured to enclose the signal line 90a, the power line 90b, and the reinforcing member 91 from the inside to the outside through at least the outlets 182 and 183.

[0091] 11(a), the signal wires 90a and the power wires 90b are bundled with the reinforcing member 91 by bands 190a and 190b inside the sheath 90c and are fixed to the reinforcing member 91. This makes it possible to reduce the risk of breakage of the signal wires 90a and the power wires 90b 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.

[0092] 12(a) and 12(b) show specific fixing locations of the signal line 90a, the power line 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 of the reinforcing member 91 is fixed here. Although not shown, one ends of the signal line 90a and the power line 90b are also fixed to this metal plate.

[0093] 12(b), in this embodiment, the frame 181 is a metal plate that is exposed when an exterior cover is removed from the top surface 109 of the image forming apparatus 2. The other end of the reinforcing member 91 is fixed to this metal plate. Although not shown, the other ends of the signal line 90a and the power line 90b are also fixed to this metal plate.

[0094] (Cable fixing method 2) 11(a) illustrates a configuration in which one end and the other end of the signal line 90a and the power line 90b are fixed at one location, but the present invention is not limited to this, and as shown in FIG. 11(b), the signal line 90a and the power line 90b may be fixed at multiple locations.

[0095] 11(b) will be used to describe a method for fixing the cable 90 to the operation unit 80 and the image forming apparatus 2. FIG. 11(b) is a diagram for describing the relationship between the lengths of the signal line 90a and the power line 90b and the reinforcing member 91.

[0096] As shown in FIG. 11(b), one end of signal line 90a is fixed to frame 180 not only by band 151a but also by band 153a. Furthermore, the other end of signal line 90a is fixed to frame 181 not only by band 152a but also by band 154a. By fixing one end and the other end of signal line 90a to frames 180 and 181 at multiple locations, signal line 90a is more securely fixed to frames 180 and 181 than if it were fixed at a single location. In this case, the previously described one-end fixed end of signal line 90a refers to the portion of signal line 90a fixed to frame 180 by band 151a. Furthermore, the other-end fixed end of signal line 90a refers to the portion of signal line 90a fixed to frame 181 by band 152a. In this embodiment, the term "fixed end" refers to the portion closest to the lead-out port when there are multiple fixing locations. Even if there are three or more fixed points, the point closest to the lead-out port is considered to be the fixed end. In other words, when the portion of the signal wire 90a exposed from the lead-out port is pulled, the band that receives the load first forms the fixed end.

[0097] 11(b), one end of the power line 90b is fixed to the frame 180 not only by the band 151b but also by the band 153b. The other end of the power line 90b is fixed to the frame 181 not only by the band 152b but also by the band 154b. By fixing each of the one end and the other end of the power line 90b to the frames 180 and 181 at multiple locations in this manner, the power line 90b is more securely fixed to the frames 180 and 181 than if it were fixed at a single location. In this case, the fixed end of one end of the power line 90b described above refers to the portion of the power line 90b fixed to the frame 180 by the band 151b. The fixed end of the other end of the power line 90b refers to the portion of the power line 90b fixed to the frame 181 by the band 152b. In this embodiment, the term "fixed end" refers to the portion closest to the outlet when there are multiple fixing locations. 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 line 90b exposed from the outlet is pulled, the band that receives the load first forms the fixed end.

[0098] (reinforcing member) 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, the reinforcing member 91 is an elastic member that can be elastically deformed. Although the reinforcing member 91 in this embodiment is a plate-shaped member, it may also be a cylindrical member. In other words, as long as it has the elasticity described below, the shape of the reinforcing member 91 may be either plate-shaped or cylindrical.

[0099] One end of the reinforcing member 91 is formed with a plurality of openings 96a, and a screw 91a is inserted into one of the openings 96a. In this manner, the reinforcing member 91 is fixed to the frame 180. The other end of the reinforcing member 91 is formed with a plurality of openings 96b, and a screw 91b is inserted into one of the openings 96b. In this manner, 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 one end of the reinforcing member 91 to the fixed end of the other end. The distance L3 can be changed 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 desired length of the cable 90 varies depending on the user. Therefore, the cable 90 is configured in this manner so that the length of the cable 90 can be changed according to the user's needs.

[0100] Fig. 13(b) is a diagram illustrating the shape of the reinforcing member 91. The cross section of the reinforcing member 91 is rectangular as shown in Fig. 13(b). The cross section of the reinforcing member 91 shown in Fig. 13(b) is the BB cross section shown in Fig. 13(a), which is a cross section in the short side direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the reinforcing member 91. Here, the reinforcing member 91 has a width W in the short side direction of 10 mm, a thickness H of 1.5 mm, and a length L3 (total length) in the long side direction of 367.5 mm, with the width W being greater than the thickness H.

[0101] FIG. 14(a) is a diagram illustrating the state when the reinforcing member 91 is bent. Deformation of the reinforcing member 91 generates a reaction force in the Z direction. The reinforcing member 91 has elasticity, which can reduce the user's tendency to bend or twist the cable 90 more than necessary. This is because the reinforcing member 91 has elasticity, which can cause the user to feel uncomfortable when bending or twisting the cable 90. This can reduce the risk of breakage of the signal line 90a and the power line 90b.

[0102] Here, a method for measuring the elasticity of the reinforcing member 91 will be described. A torque gauge (ATG3CN) manufactured by Tohnichi Manufacturing Co., Ltd. was used as the measuring device. To perform the measurement, first, one end of the reinforcing member 91 is fixed to a jig to prevent it from moving. Then, the other end of the reinforcing member 91 is fixed to the torque gauge. At this time, the point fixed to the torque gauge is positioned on an extension line passing through the point fixed to the jig and along the longitudinal direction of the reinforcing member 91. In this state, as shown in FIG. 14(b), the torque gauge is held and the reinforcing member 91 is twisted. The reinforcing member 91 is twisted in the direction of arrow S in the AA cross-sectional view of FIG. 14(b). The value measured using this method is defined as the elasticity of the reinforcing member 91. In this example, the elasticity of the reinforcing member 91 is approximately 4.6 cN·m. According to experiments conducted by the inventors, if the elasticity of the reinforcing member 91 is this value, the user will feel discomfort when twisting the cable 90 three times. Furthermore, according to experiments conducted by the inventors, the possibility of disconnection of the signal line 90a and the power line 90b 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 possibility of the user twisting the cable 90 more than necessary, which would result in disconnection of the signal line 90a and the power line 90b.

[0103] Furthermore, when the elasticity of the reinforcing member 91 measured using the above-described method is 4.6 cN·m, the reaction force of the reinforcing member 91 is approximately 34 gf. The reaction force here refers to the reaction force of the reinforcing member 91 when, without twisting the reinforcing member 91, the surfaces at one end and the other end of the reinforcing member 91 are brought closer together until they face each other and become parallel, as shown in FIG. 14(c). According to experiments conducted by the inventors, 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 user is less likely to fold the cable 90 more than necessary. As described above, ensuring the elasticity of the reinforcing member 91 to be 4.6 cN·m reduces the risk of wire breakage within the cable 90 while ensuring ease of movement of the operation unit 80.

[0104] 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 total length of the reinforcing member 91 and the total length of the covering 90c are measured to be the same.

[0105] Because the elasticity of the covering 90c is smaller than that of the reinforcing member 91, the "flexibility" that the 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 "flexibility" of the cable 90.

[0106] (cable damage due to localized compression or bending) Figures 15(a), 15(b), and 15(c) are diagrams for explaining the state of the cable 90 at the outlet 182 of the operation unit 80. Figure 15(a) is a cross-sectional view showing the state of the cable 90 when the outlet 182 of the operation unit 80 is viewed from the right side. Figure 15(b) is a cross-sectional view showing the state of the cable 90 when the outlet 182 of the operation unit 80 is viewed from the rear. Figure 15(c) is an external view of the operation unit 80 when viewed from below.

[0107] A user may want to move operation unit 80 to change the position or orientation of operation unit 80 depending on their own height, standing position, etc. In this case, reinforcing member 91 of cable 90 bends, but if reinforcing member 91 has high rigidity, a force is required to bend it, which may increase the operating force required to change the position or orientation of operation unit 80.

[0108] 10, cable 90 has multiple electric wires (signal wire 90a, power wire 90b) arranged in the horizontal direction (left-right direction), and reinforcing member 91 has a rectangular cross-sectional shape. Reinforcing member 91 has a wide horizontal (left-right) width W that matches the width of cable 90, but a vertical thickness H that is thinner than the horizontal width W. In other words, reinforcing member 91 is a plate-shaped member.

[0109] 8(a) and 8(b), when adjusting (changing) the angle of the operation unit 80 by operating the arm 822, the force with which the reinforcing member 91 bends in the vertical direction is reduced, thereby reducing the effect on the operating force. When moving the operation unit 80 in the left-right direction, a slightly greater operating force is required to bend the reinforcing member 91 than when moving the operation unit 80 in the vertical direction. However, because the operation unit 80 is moved left-right infrequently, the reinforcing member 91 is configured with a priority on reducing the operating force required when adjusting the angle of the operation unit 80.

[0110] Here, we considered what would happen if the electric wire that transmits signals was operated with an operating force that exceeds normal operating force. Here, a video cable (HDMI (registered trademark) cable), which is the signal line 90a of cable 90, was used as the electric wire. An experiment was conducted in which the video cable was repeatedly abutted against the end portion that forms the outlet. The force used to abut the video cable against the end portion that forms the outlet was an operating force (50 N) that slightly exceeds normal operating force. According to the inventor's experiment, when the video cable was abutted against the end portion that forms the outlet with a force of 50 N, repeating this about 100 to 200 times resulted in the force acting directly on the video cable, damaging the surface coating of the video cable and the electric wires inside.

[0111] Furthermore, when the video cable is bent 90 degrees from the end where the outlet is formed as the starting point, the radius of the video cable itself is about 10 mm. By repeating this bending process from the end to a radius of 20 mm or less about 100 to 200 times, the coating of the video cable and the internal wires are repeatedly compressed and pulled locally in the longitudinal direction, causing damage to the coating and wires.

[0112] <Cable status when moving the control unit> Figures 16(a) to 16(d) are diagrams illustrating the state in which, when the operation unit 80 shown in Figure 15 is moved, the cable 90 comes into contact with the upper, lower, left and right ends 182a to 182d of the frame 180 that form the outlet 182, becoming compressed and bent.

[0113] As shown in FIG. 16(a), when the front of the operation unit 80 is moved in the direction of the arrow U, the cable 90 comes into contact with the upper end 182a of the outlet 182 of the frame 180 and bends from the upper end 182a as a starting point. Also, as shown in FIG. 16(b), when the rear side of the operation unit 80 is lifted in the direction of the arrow U, the cable 90 comes into contact with the lower end 182b of the outlet 182 of the frame 180 and bends from the lower end 182b as a starting point. That is, when the operation unit 80 is moved as shown in FIG. 16(a) or 16(b), the cable 90 comes into contact with the upper end 182a or the lower end 182b, and is locally compressed at the end, and a bending force is applied from the end as a starting point.

[0114] 16(c), when the operation unit 80 is moved in the direction of arrow R, the cable 90 abuts against the right end 182d of the outlet 182 of the frame 180 and bends from the right end 182d as a starting point. When the operation unit 80 is moved in the direction of arrow L as shown in FIG. 16(d), the cable 90 abuts against the left end 182c of the outlet 182 of the frame 180 and bends from the left end 182c as a starting point. That is, when the operation unit 80 is moved as shown in FIG. 16(c) or 16(d), the cable 90 abuts against the right end 182d or the left end 182c and is locally compressed at the end, and a bending force acts from the end as a starting point.

[0115] <Cable configuration at the outlet of the operation unit> Next, the detailed configuration of the cable 90 of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 17(a) and 17(b). Figures 17(a) and 17(b) are cross-sectional views of the cable 90 shown in Figure 10 at the outlet 182. Figure 17(a) is the XX cross-section shown in Figure 15(a), and Figure 17(b) is the YY cross-section shown in Figure 15(b). Note that Figure 10 is the ZZ cross-section shown in Figure 11(a), and is a cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the longitudinal center of the cable 90 between the outlet 182 of the operation unit and the outlet 183 of the imaging system device.

[0116] 10, a protrusion 200 is provided that protrudes from the side of the reinforcing member 91 on which the signal line 90a and the power line 90b are arranged. That is, the cable 90 of this embodiment has the reinforcing member 91 and the protrusion 200 that protrudes from the side of the reinforcing member 91 on which the signal line 90a and the power line 90b are arranged.

[0117] The reinforcing member 91 is provided along the signal line 90a and the power line 90b from the frame 181 of the image forming apparatus 2 to the frame 180 of the operation unit 80 (see FIG. 11(a)). The reinforcing member 91 has a width W in the horizontal direction (first direction, left-right direction) that is equal to or greater than the diameter lengths D2, D4 of the signal line 90a and the power line 90b. The reinforcing member 91 is an elastic member having elasticity.

[0118] As described above, the protrusion 200 is provided to protrude from the side of the reinforcing member 91 on which the signal line 90a and the power line 90b are arranged. The protrusion 200 is provided along the signal line 90a and the power line 90b from the inside to the outside of the operation unit 80 through the outlet 182. The protrusion 200 has a height H1 in a vertical direction (second direction, up-down direction) that intersects the horizontal direction, which is equal to or greater than the diameter D2 of the signal line 90a and the diameter D3 of the power line 90b. The protrusion 200 is an elastic member having elasticity, and in this example, the protrusion 200 is integrally molded with the reinforcing member 91.

[0119] As described above, the cable 90 has the sheath 90c, which encloses the signal line 90a, the power line 90b, the reinforcing member 91, and the protrusion 200 from the inside to the outside of the operation unit 80 via the outlet 182.

[0120] As described above, the cable 90 has a signal line 90a and a power line 90b as electric wires for transmitting electrical signals between the image forming apparatus 2 and the operation unit 80. The signal line (video cable) 90a connects the image controller 710 of the image forming apparatus 2 and the driver board 81 of the operation unit 80. The power line (electric power cable) 90b connects the power supply 17 of the image forming apparatus 2 and the driver board 81 of the operation unit 80.

[0121] The reinforcing member 91 is provided across the signal line 90a and the power line 90b in the horizontal direction, and the protrusion 200 is provided between the signal line 90a and the power line 90b in the horizontal direction.

[0122] The reinforcing member 91 has a width W in the short direction (left-right direction) perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (front-to-back direction) from the inside to the outside of the operation unit 80 through the outlet 182, which is equal to or greater than the sum of the diameter D2 of the signal line 90a, the diameter D4 of the power line 90b, and the width t of the protrusion 200 between the signal line 90a and the power line 90b.

[0123] As described above, the protrusion 200 has a height H1 in the vertical direction (second direction, up-down direction) that intersects the horizontal direction, which is equal to or greater than the diameter D2 of the signal line 90a and equal to or greater than the diameter D3 of the power line 90b.

[0124] <When the cable abuts on the upper end> When cable 90 abuts against upper end 182a of outlet 182, reinforcing member 91 of cable 90 faces upper end 182a of outlet 182. Therefore, the abutting force of cable 90 abutting against upper end 182a of outlet 182 is received by reinforcing member 91. Furthermore, reinforcing member 91 is an elastic member made of plastic or the like with a predetermined thickness, and is configured to not bend locally but to bend elastically, but to have a large bending radius, thereby dispersing the abutting force.

[0125] As a result, the signal wires 90a and power wires 90b contained in the cable 90 do not come into direct contact with the upper end 182a of the lead-out port 182. Therefore, the cable 90 does not suffer damage to the coating 90c due to friction. Furthermore, the reinforcing member 91 allows the cable 90 to have a large bending radius, which distributes the bending force acting on the signal wires 90a and power wires 90b and prevents the force from acting locally.

[0126] Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the aforementioned protrusions 200 are provided in addition to the reinforcing member 91, even if the force with which the cable 90 abuts against the upper end 182 a of the outlet 182 exceeds the normal operating force (for example, 50 N), the localized compressive force applied to the signal line 90 a and the power line 90 b is minimal. Also, since the rigidity of the reinforcing member 91 near the upper end is increased by the protrusions, the bending radius of the cable 90 can be secured to approximately 40 mm, which is greater than a radius of 20 mm, and breakage due to repeated bending can be prevented.

[0127] <When the cable abuts on the bottom end> 17(a) will be used to explain the position of the protrusion 200 relative to the short-side direction of the reinforcing member 91. Here, the short-side direction of the reinforcing member 91 refers to a direction (left-right direction) perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (front-rear direction) in which the reinforcing member 91 extends from the inside to the outside of the operation unit 80 through the outlet 182.

[0128] As shown in FIG. 17(a), the height H1 of the protrusion 200 is configured to be approximately equal to or greater than the diameter D2 of the signal line 90a and the diameter D3 of the power line 90b (H1≧D2, H1≧D3). As a result, when the cable 90 abuts against the lower end 182b of the outlet 182, the protrusion 200 abuts before the signal line 90a and the power line 90b. Therefore, the abutting force of the cable 90 abutting against the lower end 182b of the outlet 182 is received by the reinforcing member 91 via the protrusion 200. As a result, the signal line 90a and the power line 90b in the cable 90 do not abut against the lower end 182b of the outlet 182, and therefore damage to the coating due to rubbing is not prevented. Furthermore, the reinforcing member 91 allows a large bending radius, preventing localized force from acting on the signal line 90a and the power line 90b.

[0129] In this embodiment, the thickness H of the reinforcing member 91 is 1.5 mm, and the width t of the protrusion 200 is 1 mm, which are dimensions that prevent the protrusion 200 from deforming when subjected to an operating force of an operator. The protrusion 200 is also provided at approximately the center in the direction of the width W (left-right direction) of the reinforcing member 91. As a result, the abutment force of the cable 90 when it abuts against the lower end 182b of the outlet 182 is received at the center of the reinforcing member 91.

[0130] As a result, when an operator operates the cable with the aforementioned operating force of about 50 N, the local compressive force applied to the signal line 90a and the power line 90b is minimal. In addition, because the rigidity of the reinforcing member 91 is increased near the lower end, the bending radius of the cable 90 can be secured to about 40 mm, which is greater than or equal to 20 mm, preventing breakage due to repeated bending.

[0131] Next, the relationship between the protrusion 200 and the diameter D2 of the signal line 90a and the diameter D3 of the power line 90b will be described. Here, in order for the protrusion 200 to abut against the lower end 182b before the signal line 90a and the power line 90b, it is desirable that the height H1 of the protrusion 200 be greater than the diameter D2 of the signal line 90a and the diameter D3 of the power line 90b. However, increasing the height H1 of the protrusion 200 increases the rigidity of the reinforcing member 91, making it less likely for the reinforcing member 91 to bend when the operation unit 80 is moved, which may affect operability. Therefore, from the perspective of operability, the height H1 of the protrusion 200 needs to be kept low enough so as not to affect operability.

[0132] In this embodiment, the height H1 of the protrusion 200 is 4.5 mm, and the diameter D2 of the signal wire 90a is 4.8 mm. The signal wire 90a is composed of an electric wire 90d and a coating 90e, and the diameter D2 of the signal wire 90a is broken down as follows: the diameter D1 of the electric wire 90d is 3.8 mm, and the thickness of the rubber coating 90e is 0.5 mm. The diameter of the power wire 90b is approximately 3 mm (the breakdown of the electric wire and coating is omitted), and the diameter of the signal wire 90a is larger. Therefore, if the protrusion 200 were not present, when the operation unit is moved, the signal wire 90a would come into contact with the lower end 182b, and bending and compressive forces would be applied. Here, height H1 of the protrusion is 4.5 mm, which is set lower than diameter D2 of signal wire 90a, which is 4.8 mm, but because coating 90e is made of a rubber-like material and has elasticity, when it abuts against lower end 182b, coating 90e elastically deforms and protrusion 200 abuts against it. Therefore, even if protrusion 200 is slightly lower than signal wire 90a, the force of abutting against lower end 182b is received by protrusion 200 and then by reinforcing member 91 via protrusion 200.

[0133] The minimum height of the protrusion 200 will now be described. The coating 90e of the signal wire 90a is typically 0.5 mm thick (1 mm in diameter), and if it is made of a typical rubber-based material, it will deform by approximately 0.2 mm (approximately 0.4 mm in diameter), which is about 40% of the thickness, due to soft force. Therefore, even if the height H1 of the protrusion 200 is approximately 0.4 mm, which is 0.2 mm times the diameter D2 of the signal wire 90a, no force that could break the wire 90d inside the coating will be applied. Therefore, the minimum height of the protrusion 200 is set to a height that is approximately 40% of the coating's thickness (0.4 mm if the coating is 0.5 mm thick) lower than the diameter of the enclosed electric wire (cable).

[0134] Next, the position of the protrusion 200 relative to the longitudinal direction of the reinforcing member 91 will be described with reference to FIG. 17(b).

[0135] The protrusion 200 is disposed in a position spanning the outlet 182 from the inside to the outside of the operation unit 80 in the longitudinal direction of the reinforcing member 91. In this embodiment, the protrusion 200 is provided in the longitudinal direction of the reinforcing member 91 so that distances O and P across the outlet 182 are each 5 mm. Distance O is the distance from one edge of the lower end 182b of the operation unit 80, which is located outside the outlet 182, to one end of the protrusion 200. Distance P is the distance from the other edge of the lower end 182b, which is located inside the outlet 182 of the operation unit 80, to the other end of the protrusion 200.

[0136] When the operator moves the operation unit 80, the reinforcing member 91 is bent as shown in FIG. 14(a). When the thickness H of the reinforcing member 91 is approximately 1.5 mm, the operation can be performed with minimal discomfort. However, as the thickness of the reinforcing member 91 increases, a greater force is required to bend the reinforcing member 91, causing discomfort. That is, as the distance O of the outer portion of the protrusion 200 from the operation unit 80 increases, the rigidity of the reinforcing member 91 increases, causing discomfort when bending the reinforcing member 91. Therefore, it is desirable that the length of the protrusion 200 in the longitudinal direction be short. In this embodiment, the distance O and the distance P of the protrusion 200 are each set to 5 mm. This provides a certain distance so that the protrusion 200 contacts the lower end 182b even when the reinforcing member 91 moves inward of the operation unit 80 due to operation. Furthermore, if the distance O of the protrusion 200 is approximately 5 mm and the height H1 is the height described above, the operator does not experience discomfort when bending the reinforcing member 91 in the direction of arrow U. Furthermore, the cable 90 can be prevented from breaking.

[0137] <When the cable abuts on the left and right ends> 17(a), the configuration of the protrusions 200 in the direction of the width W of the reinforcing member 91 is such that even when the protrusions 200, signal lines 90a, and power lines 90b are arranged, the length is equal to or less than the length of the width W of the reinforcing member 91. In this way, the signal lines 90a and power lines 90b are configured not to protrude from the left and right ends of the reinforcing member 91.

[0138] In this embodiment, the width t of the protrusion 200 is 1 mm, the signal line 90a is φ4.8 mm, and the power line 90b is φ3 mm, totaling 8.8 mm, and the width W of the reinforcing member 91 is set to a value smaller than 10 mm. Even if the signal line 90a, protrusion, and power line 90b are arranged in the direction of the width W of the reinforcing member 91, they are configured to be below the end of the reinforcing member 91 so that they do not protrude beyond the end.

[0139] A case where the cable 90 abuts against the right end 182d or the left end 182c of the outlet 182 will be described with reference to FIG. 17(a).

[0140] 17(a), the signal line 90a and the power line 90b are located more inward than the left and right ends 182c, 182d of the reinforcing member 91. Therefore, when the cable 90 moves left or right, the reinforcing member 91 abuts against the right end 182d or the left end 182c before the signal line 90a and the power line 90b. As a result, the signal line 90a and the power line 90b contained in the cable 90 do not abut directly against the left and right ends of the outlet 182, and the coating is not damaged by rubbing. Furthermore, the reinforcing member 91 allows the cable 90 to have a large bending radius, which distributes the bending force acting on the signal line 90a and the power line 90b and prevents the force from acting locally.

[0141] As described above, according to this embodiment, the reinforcing member 91 and the protrusion 200 ensure space for the signal line 90a and the power line 90b inside the cable 90. Therefore, even if the cable 90 abuts against the upper, lower, left, or right ends 182a to 182d of the outlet 182 when the operation unit 80 is moved, the signal line 90a and the power line 90b contained within the cable 90 do not abut directly against the upper, lower, left, or right ends. This prevents damage to the cable 90's covering due to friction. Furthermore, the reinforcing member 91 and the protrusion 200 allow the cable 90 to have a large bending radius. This distributes the bending force acting on the signal line 90a and the power line 90b, preventing localized force and preventing damage to the cable 90's covering and breakage of the internal wires.

[0142] Furthermore, the protrusion 200 is only present near the outlet 182, and there are no protrusions 200 in other areas, so the reinforcing member 91 bends elastically, and therefore the increase in rigidity of the cable 90 when the user moves the operation unit 80 is minimal.

[0143] This configuration prevents damage to the cable sheath or the wires and prevents breakage of the wires, without deteriorating operability due to increased cable rigidity when the operation unit is moved.

[0144] Example 2 Next, the detailed configuration of the cable 90 of Example 2 will be described with reference to Figures 18(a) and 18(b). Figures 18(a) and 18(b) are cross-sectional views of the cable 90 shown in Figure 10 at the outlet 182. Figure 18(a) is the XX cross-section shown in Figure 15(a), and Figure 18(b) is the YY cross-section shown in Figure 15(b). Note that, other than the configuration of the cable 90 shown in Figures 18(a) and 18(b), it is the same as the above-mentioned examples, and therefore, members having equivalent functions are designated by the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

[0145] The cable 90 of Example 2 has an elastic sheet 210 as a restricting member that restricts the positions of the signal line 90a and the power line 90b relative to the reinforcing member 91. The elastic sheet 210 has an adhesive layer on one side. In this example, the elastic sheet 210 is a commonly used vinyl tape, and has an adhesive layer on one side of an elastic member with a commonly used width M of 17 mm and a thickness of approximately 0.1 mm.

[0146] The elastic sheets 210 are provided on the inside and outside of the operation unit 80 via the outlet 182, at positions adjacent to both the upstream and downstream sides of the protrusion 200 in the front-to-rear direction. That is, in this embodiment, the elastic sheets 210 are provided in two locations, one in front of and one in back of the protrusion 200. The elastic sheet 210 is adhered to the signal line 90a, the power line 90b, and the reinforcing member 91 with the adhesive layer facing inward, and the signal line 90a and the power line 90b are wound around the reinforcing member 91 one or more times. In this way, the positions of the signal line 90a and the power line 90b with respect to the reinforcing member 91 are regulated in the cable 90 at positions adjacent to the front and rear of the protrusion 200.

[0147] 18(b), the position adjacent to the protrusion 200, which is the position where the elastic sheet 210 is provided, refers to a position where the protrusion 200 is not provided on the reinforcing member 91. Therefore, by wrapping the elastic sheet 210 around this position, the signal line 90a and the power line 90b are wrapped around the reinforcing member 91, and the positions of the signal line 90a and the power line 90b with respect to the reinforcing member 91 are restricted.

[0148] When a user moves the operation unit, the reinforcing member 91 bends, and the signal line 90a and the power line 90b are subjected to a force, which may cause them to protrude from the end of the reinforcing member 91 in the width W direction or protrude beyond the height H1 of the protrusion 200. In this case, when the cable 90 moves, the signal line 90a and the power line 90b may abut or be pinched against the end of the outlet 182 before the reinforcing member 91 and the protrusion 200, which may result in damage to the coating or breakage of the electric wires. In this embodiment, the elastic sheet 210 restricts the positions of the signal line 90a and the power line 90b relative to the reinforcing member 91 before and after the protrusion 200. Therefore, the signal line 90a and the power line 90b do not protrude from the end of the reinforcing member 91 in the width W direction or the protrusion 200 near the outlet 182. This prevents damage to the coating of the signal line 90a and the power line 90b and breakage of the electric wires.

[0149] Furthermore, as described above, the elastic sheet 210 is made of an elastic material and is thin, so that the user does not feel uncomfortable when bending the reinforcing member 91, and operability is not affected.

[0150] With the above configuration, the user does not feel uncomfortable with the operating force when moving the operating unit, and the position of the signal line 90a and power line 90b contained in the cable 90 relative to the reinforcing member 91 can be regulated, the load when they come into contact with each other is reduced, and damage to the coating and wires can be reliably prevented.

[0151] In this embodiment, the elastic sheet 210 is provided at a position adjacent to the protrusion 200 on both front and rear sides in the inside or outside of the operation unit 80 via the outlet 182, but the present invention is not limited to this. It is also effective to provide the elastic sheet 210 at a position adjacent to at least one of the upstream and downstream sides of the protrusion 200 in the front and rear directions, on the inside or outside of the operation unit 80 via the outlet 182. However, it is more effective to provide the elastic sheet 210 at a position adjacent to the protrusion 200 on both front and rear sides in the front and rear directions.

[0152] In this embodiment, tape is used as the elastic sheet 210, but a similar effect can be obtained by attaching double-sided tape to a thin sheet.

[0153] Other Examples In the first embodiment described above, the cable 90 contains two electric wires, a signal wire 90a and a power wire 90b, and therefore the protrusion 200 is provided at one location in the center of the reinforcing member 91 in the width direction, but the present invention is not limited to this. If the number of electric wires contained in the cable 90 increases, the protrusion 200 may be provided at multiple locations.

[0154] 19, protrusions 200 may be provided on both sides (left and right ends) of the reinforcing member 91 in the width direction. In this case, the rigidity of the reinforcing member 91 increases when it bends vertically, which may increase the operating force required to move the operation unit in that direction. On the other hand, in a configuration in which protrusions 200 are provided on both sides of the reinforcing member 91 in the width direction, the signal line 90a and the power line 90b do not protrude from the widthwise ends of the reinforcing member 91 due to the presence of protrusions at the ends, even when an external force is applied. This has the advantage that the signal line 90a and the power line 90b do not come into contact with the left and right ends, as described above. Here, the width direction of the reinforcing member 91 refers to the short side direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction extending from the inside to the outside of the operation unit 80 via the outlet 182.

[0155] Furthermore, in the above-described first embodiment, a configuration has been exemplified in which the electric wires (signal wire 90a, power wire 90b) of the cable 90 are provided on one side of the reinforcing member 91. This is to prevent an increase in the vertical rigidity of the reinforcing member 91 by reducing the thickness of the reinforcing member 91 and providing the protrusions 200 on only one side of the reinforcing member 91. However, this is not limited to this. In a configuration in which an increase in the vertical rigidity of the reinforcing member 91 is permitted, providing the electric wires of the cable 90 on both sides of the reinforcing member 91 and then providing the protrusions 200 on both sides of the reinforcing member 91 will have a similar effect in preventing damage and disconnection of the cable 90.

[0156] Furthermore, even if protrusions 200 are provided on both sides of the reinforcing member 91, the protrusions 200 are only near the outlet 182, and there are no protrusions in other parts, so the reinforcing member 91 bends elastically, and therefore the rigidity of the electrical cable does not increase much when the user moves the operating unit.

[0157] Furthermore, in the configurations of the first and second embodiments described above, the configuration is made for the outlet 182 on the operation unit 80 side, but the same effect can be obtained by adopting a similar configuration for the outlet 183 on the image forming apparatus 2 side.

[0158] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the protrusions 200 are provided only on the portion of the reinforcing member 91 that straddles the outlet 182 in order to minimize the increase in the rigidity of the cable 90, but this is not limited to this. For example, if the height of the cable 90 is low and the protrusions 200 are provided in other locations and the increase in the rigidity of the cable 90 has little effect on operability, they can be provided in other locations or all over the cable. In this case, if the cable 90 is pinched not only near the outlet 182 but also in other locations, the presence of the protrusions 200 can prevent damage or breakage of the electric wire. [Explanation of symbols]

[0159] 1. Image formation system 2...Image forming device 80...Operation unit 90...cable 90a...signal line 90b…power line 90c...coated 90d…Electric wire 91...Reinforcing member 109, 109a, 109b ...top 180,181...frames 182,183 … Outlet 182a~182d ...End 200...Protrusion 210...Elastic sheet

Claims

1. a housing including an image forming unit that forms an image on a sheet; an operation unit having a display panel that displays information, the operation unit being provided separately from the housing, movably disposed on the top surface of the housing, and configured to accept operations; a cable connecting the housing and the operation unit and having an electric wire for transmitting an electric signal between the housing and the operation unit; an outlet provided in the housing or the operation unit for leading the cable from inside to outside; In an image forming apparatus comprising: The cable an elastic member that is provided along the electric wire from the housing to the operation unit, has a width equal to or greater than a diameter of the electric wire in a first direction, and has elasticity; a protrusion portion that is provided on the elastic member so as to protrude from a side on which the electric wire is disposed, that is provided along the electric wire from the inside to the outside via the outlet, that has a height equal to or greater than a diameter of the electric wire in a second direction intersecting the first direction, and that has elasticity; An image forming apparatus comprising:

2. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cable has a coating that encloses the electric wire, the elastic member, and the protrusion from the inside to the outside through the outlet.

3. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a restricting member for restricting the position of the electric wire with respect to the elastic member, the restricting member being disposed adjacent to the protrusion on the inside or outside of the outlet.

4. the regulating member is an elastic sheet having an adhesive layer on one surface, 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the electric wire is wound around the elastic member one or more times with the adhesive layer facing inward.

5. 5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cable has, as the electrical wires, a signal line connecting a controller of the image forming apparatus to an operation unit, and a power line connecting a power supply of the image forming apparatus to the operation unit.

6. 6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the elastic member is provided across the signal line and the power line, and the protrusion is provided between the signal line and the power line.

7. the elastic member has a width in a short direction perpendicular to the long direction extending from the inside to the outside through the outlet that is equal to or greater than the sum of a diameter of the signal line, a diameter of the power line, and a width of the protrusion between the signal line and the power line, 7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the protrusion has a height equal to or greater than the diameter of the signal line and the diameter of the power line.

8. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the elastic member has the protrusions on both sides of a width direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction extending from the inside to the outside through the outlet.

9. 9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the elastic member is a plate-shaped member.

Images