Image forming apparatus
The integration of a magnetic sheet with metal powder on the wireless communication substrate of image forming apparatuses addresses interference wave issues, enhancing wireless communication stability and reducing costs.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- CANON KK
- Filing Date
- 2022-07-12
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-01
Smart Images
Figure 0007867894000001 
Figure 0007867894000002 
Figure 0007867894000003
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus having a wireless communication board that wirelessly communicates image data with an external device.
Background Art
[0002] An image forming apparatus includes a wireless communication board capable of long-distance wireless communication conforming to the IEEE802.11 standard in order to receive image data and the like from an external terminal held by a user through a wireless network.
[0003] Electric boards such as a wireless communication board and a control board that controls the wireless communication board are fixed to a metal frame (metal housing) of the image forming apparatus, which is composed of a plurality of sheet metals. It is common to fix the electric board to the frame by screwing the mounting holes provided in the electric board into the screw holes provided in the frame so as to face each other. Also, the metal frame becomes the common GND potential of each electric board of the image forming apparatus. Therefore, a conduction part (copper foil exposed part) that becomes the GND potential of the electric board is provided around the mounting hole of the electric board, and the conduction part of the electric board is brought into contact with the screw hole of the frame by screwing to conduct the GND potential. As a result, the GND potentials of each electric board match due to the frame of the image forming apparatus, and the electric board operates stably.
[0004] However, on the other hand, the sheet metal constituting the frame has the property of reflecting electromagnetic waves having wireless communication and frequency components close thereto. Therefore, the frame for fixing the wireless communication board may irradiate the wireless communication board with interference waves reflected from its surface, deteriorating the sensitivity of wireless communication. In particular, electric boards achieve high-speed operation and low-power consumption operation by operating with small energy due to the progress of miniaturization of semiconductor integrated circuits. As a drawback, electric boards are more likely to malfunction due to interference waves. As a result, electric boards including the wireless communication board are required to be designed to have resistance to interference waves.
[0005] Therefore, for example, Patent Document 1 describes countermeasures to prevent interference waves from being irradiated onto the wireless communication substrate by using radio wave absorbing material or radio wave shielding material. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]
[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2004-201176 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]
[0007] However, the miniaturization of semiconductor integrated circuits has reduced their resistance to interference, making it necessary to improve the resistance of wireless communication boards to interference waves incident on their communication antennas. One type of interference wave incident on wireless communication boards is reflected waves (interference waves) reflected from the metal frame, and the effects of these interference waves must be taken into consideration.
[0008] Methods such as those described in Patent Document 1, which involve applying radio wave absorbing material to the entire surface of areas on a wireless communication substrate that may be exposed to interfering waves to suppress the reflection of noise radio waves, incur unnecessary costs.
[0009] Therefore, the objective of the present invention is to suppress interference waves incident on a wireless communication substrate and to achieve this at low cost. [Means for solving the problem]
[0010] A typical configuration of the present invention includes a wireless communication substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, for communicating image data wirelessly with an external device; an image forming unit for forming an image on a recording material based on the image data; and a support member having a metal surface facing the first surface in the thickness direction of the wireless communication substrate, for supporting the wireless communication substrate. A frame made of multiple sheet metals that supports the image forming unit, a control board connected to the wireless communication board by connecting wires, and a metal box supported by the frame that forms a housing space for housing the control board,The wireless communication substrate has, on the second surface, an antenna formed of a metal pattern for transmitting and receiving radio waves, and a magnetic sheet having a magnetic layer containing at least metal powder, attached to at least the area of the first surface facing the support member that overlaps with the antenna. The support member is the box, and the wireless communication board is supported by the box. It is characterized by the following: [Effects of the Invention]
[0011] According to the present invention, interference waves incident on a wireless communication substrate can be suppressed, and this can be achieved at low cost. [Brief explanation of the drawing]
[0012] [Figure 1] A schematic cross-sectional view showing the general configuration of an image forming apparatus. [Figure 2] Block diagram showing the hardware configuration of an image forming apparatus. [Figure 3] (a)(b) Schematic perspective view of the wireless communication board [Figure 4] (a)(b) Schematic perspective view of an image forming apparatus [Figure 5] Diagram showing how to mount the wireless communication board. [Figure 6] Diagram showing the layer structure of a magnetic sheet [Figure 7] Perspective view showing the arrangement of magnetic sheets on a wireless communication substrate. [Figure 8] Schematic layout diagram for when a wireless communication substrate is placed on the front of an image forming apparatus. [Modes for carrying out the invention]
[0013] Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. However, the dimensions, materials, shapes, and relative arrangements of the components described in the following embodiments should be appropriately modified depending on the configuration and various conditions of the apparatus to which the present invention is applied, and the scope of the present invention is not intended to be limited to those.
[0014] The image forming apparatus will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7. FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the schematic configuration of the image forming apparatus, and FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b) are perspective views of the image forming apparatus.
[0015] First, the image forming apparatus will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 4(a) and 4(b). Next, the hardware configuration of the image forming apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. 2. Next, the configuration around the wireless communication board in the image forming apparatus will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 7.
[0016] The image forming apparatus S shown in FIGS. 1, 4(a) and 4(b) has a printer 114 as an image forming unit that forms an image on a sheet-like recording material P such as paper or OHP. The image forming apparatus S has a scanner 116 as an image reading unit that reads an image of an original. The scanner 116 is disposed above the printer 114 in the vertical direction via a paper discharge tray 5 that discharges the recording material P. In FIG. 1, the printer 114 is shown, but the scanner 116 is not shown.
[0017] The image forming apparatus S has an operation unit 110 on the front side in the front-rear direction. The operation unit 110 displays information based on image data and detects an operation from a user. Here, the operation unit 110 exemplifies a touch panel type display having a touch panel 111 that detects a touch operation from a user and keys 112 such as a reset key. The user can perform settings related to image formation such as the number of output sheets of the recording material and size setting by touching and inputting the keys displayed on the display with a finger.
[0018] The image forming apparatus S exemplifies an intermediate tandem type image forming apparatus that forms an image by transferring four-color toner images of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K) onto an intermediate transfer belt and then transferring them onto a recording material. In the following description, although suffixes a, b, c, and d are sequentially assigned to the members using the toners of the above yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K) colors, the configurations and operations of each member are substantially the same except that the colors of the toners used are different. Therefore, the suffixes are appropriately omitted unless distinction is required.
[0019] Hereinafter, the configuration of the printer (image forming unit) 114 will be described. The printer 114 includes drum-type electrophotographic photoreceptors (hereinafter referred to as "photosensitive drums") 10 (10a to 10d) for each color. The photosensitive drum 10 is rotatably supported by the image forming apparatus S and is rotationally driven in the direction of the arrow in the figure by driving means (not shown). The photosensitive drum 10 may be a photosensitive belt.
[0020] Around the photosensitive drum 10, the following process means are arranged along its rotation direction. A charging roller 11 (11a to 11d) as a charging means charges the surface of the photosensitive drum 10. An exposure unit 2 as an exposure means irradiates the photosensitive drum 10 with laser light L (La to Ld) based on image information for exposure. Thereby, an electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 10. A developing roller 12 (12a to 12d) as a developing means develops the electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 10 with toner. The developing rollers 12a to 12d attach toners of different colors (yellow, magenta, cyan, black) to the respective photosensitive drums 10a to 10d. A cleaning blade 13 (13a to 13d) as a cleaning means removes the toner remaining on the surface of the photosensitive drum 10 after transferring the toner image from the photosensitive drum 10 to the intermediate transfer belt 15.
[0021] The printer 114 includes an intermediate transfer belt (intermediate transfer body) 15 to which the toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 10 is transferred, and primary transfer rollers 14 (14a to 14d) as a transfer means for sequentially transferring the toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 10 to the intermediate transfer belt 15.
[0022] The photosensitive drum 10 is constructed by providing a photoconductive layer such as OPC (organic photoconductive material) on the outer surface of an aluminum cylinder. The charging roller 11 is composed of a core metal and a conductive elastic member surrounding it, and is positioned in contact with the surface of the photosensitive drum 10 and rotates in a driven manner, and a charging bias is applied by a power supply (not shown).
[0023] The exposure unit 2 houses a rotating polyhedron mirror 21 for deflecting and scanning laser light emitted from a semiconductor laser (not shown), which is a laser light source; first imaging optical elements 22 (22ab, 22cd), reflecting mirrors 23 (23a, 23b, 23c, 23d), 24 (24b, 24c), and second imaging optical elements 25 (25a, 25b, 25c, 25d) for guiding the polarized laser light scanned by the rotating polyhedron mirror 21 to the corresponding photosensitive drums 10a to 10d for imaging. The exposure unit 2 irradiates the surfaces of the charged photosensitive drums 10a to 10d with laser light La to Ld based on image information to form an electrostatic latent image. The developing roller 12 develops the electrostatic latent image by depositing toner onto the electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photosensitive drum 10, thereby forming a toner image on the surface of the photosensitive drum 10.
[0024] The intermediate transfer belt 15 is an endlessly formed belt that creates a loop. It is stretched across three parallel tension rollers, and as these rollers rotate, the intermediate transfer belt 15 is driven to move in the direction of the arrow. Inside the loop of the intermediate transfer belt 15, primary transfer rollers 14 (14a-14d) are positioned, pressing the intermediate transfer belt 15 against the surface of the photosensitive drum 10 to form a primary transfer nip section N1 (N1a-N1d) between the photosensitive drum 10 and the intermediate transfer belt 15. A primary transfer bias is applied to the primary transfer rollers 14 by a power supply (not shown). Downstream of the primary transfer nip section N1 (N1a-N1d) in the driving direction of the intermediate transfer belt 15, a secondary transfer roller 16 is positioned, forming a secondary transfer nip section N2 between it and the intermediate transfer belt 15. A secondary transfer bias is applied to the secondary transfer rollers 16 by a power supply (not shown).
[0025] The paper feeding unit 9 supplies recording material P to the secondary transfer nip section N2 and can store multiple sheets of recording material P.
[0026] With respect to the transport direction of the recording material P (in the direction of the dashed arrow), a fuser 8 is provided downstream of the secondary transfer nip section N2 to heat and pressurize the recording material P and fix the toner onto the recording material P. Further downstream in the transport direction from the fuser 8, a paper discharge roller 7 is provided to discharge the recording material P to the outside of the image forming apparatus S.
[0027] The configuration described above is the part that functions as a printer (image forming unit) 114 that forms an image on the recording material P. Although not shown, these printers 114 are supported by a frame which is a support member composed of multiple sheet metal parts. Specifically, the printer 114 is positioned between a rear side plate 301 and a front side plate (not shown) that make up the frame, and the frame is covered by a cover 4 which is an exterior member and a paper output tray 5 which is a paper output stacking section provided on the upper surface of the cover 4.
[0028] The printer (image forming unit) 114 is supported by a metal frame (metal housing) 300 composed of multiple sheet metal pieces. The rear plate 301 is located at the rear of the image forming apparatus S and is made of sheet metal. The rear plate 301 forms part of the frame 300 at the rear of the image forming apparatus S. Although not shown in the figures, the front plate is located at the front of the image forming apparatus S and is made of sheet metal. The front plate forms part of the frame 300 at the front of the image forming apparatus S.
[0029] The rear plate 301 and the front plate are positioned facing each other, and a sheet metal beam (stay) (not shown) is bridged between them. The rear plate 301, the front plate, and the beam (not shown) each constitute part of the frame 300 of the image forming apparatus S.
[0030] The scanner 116 is positioned vertically above the printer 114 via the output tray 5, and is located vertically above the frame 300. The control unit 110 is positioned vertically above the metal support column 304, which forms part of the frame 300. The control unit 110 is located at the front in the front-to-back direction, and is positioned in front of the scanner 116.
[0031] Here, as shown in Figures 4(a) and 4(b), in the following description, the front side of the image forming apparatus is defined as the front (front or front) side, and the rear side of the rear plate 301 is defined as the rear (back or back) side. Furthermore, when the photosensitive drum 10d on which the electrostatic latent image of the black toner image is formed is used as the reference, the side on which the photosensitive drum 10a on which the electrostatic latent image of the yellow toner image is formed is defined as the right side. When the photosensitive drum 10a on which the electrostatic latent image of the yellow toner image is formed is used as the reference, the side on which the photosensitive drum 10d on which the electrostatic latent image of the black toner image is formed is defined as the left side. In addition, the direction perpendicular to the front-to-back and left-to-right directions defined here, and vertically upward, is defined as the upward direction, and the direction perpendicular to the front-to-back and left-to-right directions defined here, and vertically downward, is defined as the downward direction. The defined front, rear, right, left, upward, and downward directions are shown in Figures 1, 4, and 8, etc.
[0032] A controller box 302, which houses the controller 100 (a control board), is mounted on the rear panel 301. The controller box 302 is a metal enclosure designed to suppress external noise from propagating to the controller 100. Control signals to each unit are transmitted to the controller 100 via wiring bundles (connecting wires). Therefore, the controller box 302 has a support section to support the wiring bundles (connecting wires). The controller 100 acquires image data received wirelessly by the wireless communication board 123 via the communication cable 303, and controls the printer 114 to form an image on the recording material P based on the acquired image data. However, this configuration can operate using any wireless communication method such as Wi-Fi, BLE, or NFC.
[0033] Next, the image formation operation by the image forming apparatus S will be described. The photosensitive drum 10 is rotated in the direction of the arrow in Figure 1, and a toner image is formed on its surface through the following process.
[0034] First, the surface of the photosensitive drum 10 is charged by the charging roller 11 to which a charging bias is applied, bringing it to a predetermined potential. Then, the exposure unit 2 irradiates the photosensitive drum 10 with laser light L based on the video signal, which is image information from the control board 31, and an electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 10. The electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 10 is developed when toner adheres to the part irradiated with laser light at the position opposite (contacting) the developing roller 12, and a toner image appears. By performing this operation for each photosensitive drum 10, toner images of different colors (yellow, magenta, cyan, black) are formed on each photosensitive drum 10.
[0035] Then, due to the action of the primary transfer bias applied to the primary transfer roller 14, the toner image on the photosensitive drum 10 is transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 15 at the primary transfer nip section N1. Furthermore, the toner images on each photosensitive drum 10 are formed at a timing when they overlap each other when transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 15. As a result, a four-color toner image is formed on the intermediate transfer belt 15, consisting of the overlapping images of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black toners. Any toner remaining on the photosensitive drum 10 after passing through the primary transfer nip section N1 is scraped off by the cleaning blade 13.
[0036] The toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 15 is transported to the secondary transfer nip section N2 by the rotation of the intermediate transfer belt 15. The recording material P is transported to the secondary transfer nip section N2 at the same time as the toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 15 is transported to the secondary transfer nip section N2. The toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 15 is transferred onto the recording material P at the secondary transfer nip section N2 by the action of the secondary transfer bias applied to the secondary transfer roller 16.
[0037] The recording material P onto which the toner image has been transferred is transported to the fuser 8, where it is heated and pressurized, and the toner image is fixed (melted and solidified) onto the recording material P. This forms a four-color image on the recording material P. Toner remaining on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 15 after passing through the secondary transfer nip section N2 is scraped off by a belt cleaner (not shown).
[0038] The recording material P, having passed through the fuser 8, is discharged outside the main body of the image forming apparatus S by the paper discharge roller 7 and loaded onto the paper discharge tray 5, which is a paper discharge stacking section located on the upper surface of the cover 4. This completes the image forming operation by the image forming apparatus S.
[0039] Next, the hardware configuration of the image forming apparatus S will be described using Figure 2. Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the image forming apparatus S.
[0040] The image forming apparatus S consists of a controller 100, a display unit 108, an operation unit 110, a printer 114, a scanner 116, a USB I / F connector 118, a FAX I / F connector 120, a wired LAN I / F connector 122, and a wireless communication board 123.
[0041] The controller 100 consists of a CPU 101, RAM 102, ROM 103, storage device 104, image processing controller 105, system bus 106, display controller 107, operation controller 109, printer controller 113, scanner controller 115, USB controller 117, fax controller 119, and network controller 121. The operation unit 110 consists of a touch panel 111 and keys 112.
[0042] The CPU 101 is a central processing unit that controls the entire image forming apparatus S and is connected to each part by a system bus 106. The RAM 102 is the work memory for the operation of the CPU 101 and is used for deploying various programs, saving calculation results, and saving image data processed by the image processing controller 105 through operations such as printing and scanning. The ROM 103 is a memory that stores the CPU 101's startup program and various setting information.
[0043] The storage device 104 is a NAND-type non-volatile memory (flash memory) for storing large programs and data, and in this embodiment, it is eMMC. However, the non-volatile memory is not limited to eMMC; it may also be an SSD or other non-volatile memory device.
[0044] The image processing controller 105 performs image processing on the document scanned by the scanner 116, such as converting it into image data, and converting it to image data for printing by the printer 114, including enlargement, reduction, and monochrome conversion.
[0045] The display controller 107 transmits image data to the display unit 108 in accordance with the display unit 108's communication protocol. The operation controller 109 receives input from the touch panel 111 and key 112 and converts it into data that the CPU 101 can understand.
[0046] The printer controller 113 controls various devices related to the printing operation of the printer 114, such as the photoconductor drum, laser oscillator, and toner fuser, when printing image data specified by the CPU 101. The scanner controller 115 controls various devices related to the scanning operation of the scanner 116, such as the document detection sensor and scanning sensor.
[0047] The USB controller 117 connects the USB I / F connector 118 to an external terminal (not shown) via a USB cable and communicates image data, etc. The FAX controller 119 connects the FAX I / F connector 120 to the public telephone network via a telephone line and communicates image data, etc.
[0048] The network controller 121 connects the wired LAN I / F connector 122 to an external terminal via a LAN cable to perform network communication. The network controller 121 also controls the wireless communication board 123 and performs network communication by sending and receiving data with the external terminal using a wireless communication standard compliant with a wireless LAN standard such as IEEE 802.11n. In this embodiment, the wireless communication board 123 is capable of wireless communication conforming to the IEEE 802.11 standard.
[0049] Next, the configuration around the wireless communication substrate in the image forming apparatus S will be explained using Figures 3 to 7.
[0050] First, the configuration of the wireless communication board 123 will be explained using Figures 3(a) and 3(b). Figures 3(a) and 3(b) are schematic perspective views of the wireless communication board.
[0051] The image forming apparatus S has a wireless communication substrate 123 as shown in Figures 3(a) and 3(b). The wireless communication substrate 123 communicates image data wirelessly with external devices. The wireless communication substrate 123 is a substrate in which a metal pattern is formed with multiple layers of copper foil on a substrate made of, for example, glass cloth impregnated with epoxy resin, and electronic components are mounted by soldering. However, the substrate may be manufactured using materials other than those shown above, and there are no restrictions on the components that are mounted.
[0052] In this embodiment, the wireless communication board 123 consists of a wireless communication antenna 201, a wireless communication driver circuit 202, a controller communication connector 203, mounting holes 204, and exposed copper foil portion 205.
[0053] The wireless communication antenna 201 is a pattern antenna formed of a metal pattern on the surface of the wireless communication substrate 123 and is used for transmitting and receiving radio waves. The wireless communication antenna 201 is provided on the surface (second surface) 123a of the wireless communication substrate 123, opposite to the back surface (first surface) 123b that faces the rear plate 301 in the thickness direction of the substrate. The rear plate 301 is made of sheet metal as described above and is provided on the rear side of the image forming apparatus S. The rear plate 301 forms part of the frame (metal housing) 300 on the rear side of the image forming apparatus S.
[0054] The wireless communication driver circuit 202 performs data conversion for network communication between the controller 100 and an external terminal, outputs electrical signals to the wireless communication antenna 201, or processes electrical signals received by the wireless communication antenna 201. When transmitting data from the controller 100 to an external terminal, the controller 100 converts the data to be transmitted into a signal format compliant with wireless communication standards and outputs it as an electrical signal to the wireless communication antenna 201. When receiving data from an external terminal to the controller 100, the wireless communication antenna 201 decodes the received electrical signal into communication data in a manner compliant with wireless communication standards and transmits it to the controller 100. The wireless communication driver circuit 202 consists of components mounted on the front surface 123a and back surface 123b of the wireless communication board 123, but there are no restrictions on the surface on which the components are mounted, and the metal patterns connecting the components may be formed anywhere on the front surface 123a, back surface 123b, or inner layers of the wireless communication board 123.
[0055] The controller communication connector 203 is an I / F connector used to connect the network controller 121 and the wireless communication driver circuit 202 via a wired connection for data transmitted and received by the wireless communication board 123 to communicate. In other words, the controller communication connector 203 is a connection connector for connecting the communication cable 303, which is the connection line for wired connection of the controller 100. The controller communication connector 203 is mounted on the same side (in this case, surface 123a) as the wireless communication antenna 201 of the wireless communication board 123.
[0056] The mounting holes 204 and the exposed copper foil portion 205 are used when attaching the wireless communication board 123 to the image forming apparatus S. The mounting holes 204 are used to define the position of the screws when attaching the wireless communication board 123 to the image forming apparatus S by screw fastening. The mounting holes 204 are provided through the wireless communication board 123 from the front surface 123a to the back surface 123b. In this embodiment, the holes are closed, but they may also be open in part, like a notch. The exposed copper foil portion 205 is conductive to the GND potential of the wireless communication board 123, which includes the wireless communication driver circuit 202. The exposed copper foil portion 205 may be surface-treated, for example, by gold plating, to be conductive and resistant to oxidation. The exposed copper foil portion 205 is provided on the back surface 123b of the wireless communication board 123, that is, the first surface facing the controller box 302, which will be described later. The exposed copper foil portion 205 is provided on the back surface 123b of the wireless communication substrate 123 around the mounting hole 204 and is a conductive portion that contacts and makes electrical contact with the mounting portion of the image forming apparatus S (controller box 302, which will be described later).
[0057] Here, the radio wave propagation characteristics of the wireless communication board 123 are affected by the stability of the GND potential, which is the reference potential of the wireless communication board 123. If the GND potential is unstable, the radio wave propagation characteristics will deteriorate. One example of a method to stabilize the GND potential of the wireless communication board 123 is to make the GND potential of the wireless communication board 123 conductive with the frame (metal housing) of the image forming apparatus S, which is the GND potential. First, the mounting part for attaching the wireless communication board 123 to the image forming apparatus S is made conductive with the frame of the image forming apparatus S, or a part of the frame of the image forming apparatus S is made into a mounting part for attaching the wireless communication board. The frame of the image forming apparatus S is grounded through a power supply (not shown). Next, the wireless communication board 123 is screwed to the mounting part of the image forming apparatus S through the mounting hole 204 so that the copper foil exposed part 205 of the wireless communication board 123 is in contact with the mounting part of the image forming apparatus S. Due to the pressure from the screws, the mounting portion of the image forming apparatus S and the exposed copper foil portion 205 are pressed together, causing the GND potential of the wireless communication board 123 to conduct to the GND potential of the image forming apparatus S.
[0058] In this embodiment, the copper foil exposed portion 205 and the metal of the mounting portion of the image forming apparatus S are brought into contact by applying pressure through screw fastening to ensure conductivity to the GND potential. However, the method of ensuring conductivity to the GND potential is not limited to this. For example, conductive springs or conductive grease can be provided between the copper foil exposed portion 205 and the mounting portion of the image forming apparatus S to ensure conductivity to the GND potential, thus allowing mounting without applying pressure as with screw fastening. Furthermore, if the radio wave propagation characteristics of the wireless communication antenna 201 are sufficiently good, the mounting holes 204 and the copper foil exposed portion 205 do not need to be configured in the wireless communication substrate 123. Alternatively, in a wireless communication substrate 123 having mounting holes 204 and copper foil exposed portion 205, it is not necessary to use the copper foil exposed portion 205 to make electrical contact with the frame of the image forming apparatus S when assembling it to the image forming apparatus S. This proposal does not limit the inclusion of mounting holes 204 and copper foil exposed portion 205 in the configuration of the wireless communication substrate 123.
[0059] In this embodiment, the mounting portion of the image forming apparatus S to which the wireless communication board 123 is attached is the mounting portion 401 (see Figure 5) of the controller box 302 fixed to the rear side plate 301 that constitutes the frame 300. This will be explained using Figures 4(a), 4(b), and 5.
[0060] First, an example of how to attach the wireless communication substrate 123 to the image forming apparatus S will be explained using Figures 4(a) and 4(b).
[0061] The image forming apparatus S includes a printer 114 as an image forming unit that forms an image on a recording material P, and a frame 300 made of multiple sheet metals that supports the printer 114. The image forming apparatus S also includes a controller 100 as a control board connected to a wireless communication board 123 by a communication cable (connection line) 303, and a metal controller box 302 supported by the frame 300 that forms a housing space for the controller 100.
[0062] The controller 100 is enclosed inside the controller box 302 and fixed to the controller box 302. The controller box 302 is supported and fixed to the rear side plate 301 that constitutes the frame 300 by screws. The wireless communication board 123 is located outside the controller box 302 and is attached to the controller box 302. Therefore, in this embodiment, the support member that supports the wireless communication board 123 is the controller box 302 fixed to the rear side plate 301 that constitutes the frame 300 of the image forming apparatus S, and the wireless communication board 123 is supported by the controller box 302.
[0063] Here, we will describe an example of a method for ensuring a stable GND potential for the controller 100. In this embodiment, we will describe a method of covering the controller 100 with a metal controller box 302.
[0064] The controller box 302 is used for the stable operation of the controller 100. Generally, the controller 100 has each block connected by the system bus 106, such as the CPU 101, operating at high speed, but a stable GND potential is required for stable operation. However, the frame (metal housing) 300 of the image forming apparatus S has a configuration in which metal parts are joined together with small contacts in order to secure transport paths that guide many parts such as the photosensitive drum 10 and intermediate transfer belt 15 that make up the printer 114, as well as recording materials. If the controller 100 is directly attached to the frame 300 which is joined with such small contacts, the GND potential of the controller 100 will become unstable, hindering the stable operation of the controller 100. Therefore, by screwing and fixing the controller box 302 to the rear side plate 301 that makes up the frame 300, the GND potential of the controller 100 is stabilized, unaffected by the configuration of the printer 114.
[0065] Next, the arrangement of the wireless communication board 123 will be described. The wireless communication board 123 and the controller 100 transmit and receive data via a wired connection using a communication cable 303, which is a connecting line. Therefore, since increasing the communication distance increases the cost of the communication cable 303, it is desirable that the wireless communication board 123 and the controller 100 be as close together as possible. However, if the wireless communication board 123 is placed inside the controller box 302, the propagation of radio waves emitted by the wireless communication antenna 201 of the wireless communication board 123 and the radio waves that the wireless communication antenna 201 attempts to receive will deteriorate, resulting in a decrease in the accuracy of wireless communication. For this reason, the wireless communication board 123 is placed outside the controller box 302. The communication cable 303 connected to the controller 100 is guided to the outside of the controller box 302 through a hole made in the controller box 302 and connected to the controller communication connector 203 of the wireless communication board 123, which is mounted on the outside of the controller box 302.
[0066] Next, using Figure 5, an example of how to attach the wireless communication board 123 to the controller box 302 will be explained.
[0067] The wireless communication board 123 is attached to a mounting portion 401 protruding from the outer surface of the controller box 302 using screws 402.
[0068] The mounting portion 401 is a roughly L-shaped sheet metal having a protruding portion 401a and a seating surface 401b. The protruding portion 401a of the mounting portion 401 is vertical in shape, projecting vertically from the outer surface of the controller box 302 (in a direction coinciding with the front-to-back direction of the image forming apparatus). The seating surface 401b of the mounting portion 401 is horizontal in shape perpendicular to the vertical direction at a predetermined distance from the outer surface of the controller box 302, and is shaped for mounting the wireless communication board 123.
[0069] The protruding portion 401a (vertical shape) of the mounting portion 401 extends a predetermined distance (e.g., 20 mm) from the outer surface of the controller box 302, maintaining a separation distance between the wireless communication antenna 201 and the controller box 302. The seating surface 401b (horizontal shape) of the mounting portion 401 overlaps with the wireless communication board 123 in at least a portion of the area including the exposed copper foil portion 205 when the board is mounted, but does not overlap with the wireless communication antenna 201. Since the mounting portion 401 is at the same potential as the GND potential of the image forming apparatus S, if the wireless communication antenna 201 and the mounting portion 401 overlap, the electrical impedance of the wireless communication antenna 201 changes, degrading the radio wave transmission and reception characteristics. For this reason, the seating surface 401b of the mounting portion 401 is shaped so as not to overlap with the wireless communication antenna 201.
[0070] Furthermore, to facilitate the assembly of the screws 402, the screws 402 are screwed perpendicularly to the sheet metal of the mounting portion 401. Therefore, by arranging the mounting portion 401, the controller box 302, and the wireless communication board 123 as parallel to each other as possible, visibility during screw fastening is improved, making screw fastening easier.
[0071] When the wireless communication board 123 is operating, it simultaneously receives external interference waves in addition to wireless communication radio waves. The wireless communication driver circuit 202 receives a composite signal of the wireless communication signal and noise from the interference waves from the radio waves received by the wireless communication antenna 201 as an analog signal, converts it to a digital signal, and transmits the data to the controller 100. At this time, if the noise from the interference waves exceeds a certain standard, a difference will occur between the analog signal received by wireless communication and the digitized signal, resulting in a signal error. Wireless communication standards, including IEEE802.11n, have correction functions up to a certain level of signal error for each standard, but if the signal error exceeds the correction function due to interference waves, the data communication will be altered, and in some cases, wireless communication will fail. In other words, reducing the signal level of the interference waves received by the wireless communication antenna 201 will lead to an improvement in the communication quality of wireless communication.
[0072] Interfering waves incident on the wireless communication antenna 201 include electromagnetic waves propagating directly from space, as well as electromagnetic waves reflected from metal near the wireless communication antenna 201. In this embodiment, the metal near the wireless communication antenna 201 is the controller box 302, which is a metal support member supporting the wireless communication substrate 123. Interfering waves reflected from the controller box 302 can be suppressed by placing a highly permeable material, such as a magnetic sheet, on the reflection path of the electromagnetic waves. In other words, interfering waves can be suppressed by placing a magnetic sheet between the controller box 302 and the wireless communication substrate 123.
[0073] For example, by attaching a magnetic sheet to a specific area of the controller box 302 near the wireless communication board 123, it is possible to suppress interference waves that are reflected by the controller box 302 and incident on the wireless communication antenna 201. However, the controller box 302 often has an uneven shape to compensate for the strength of the sheet metal. For example, if the controller box 302 is configured to have a lid (shielding plate) that covers the opening for housing the controller 100 in the housing space, the part where the lid is attached has mounting holes and holes for screws, so it cannot be a flat shape. Therefore, it is difficult to accurately attach the magnetic sheet. In addition, the uneven shape of the controller box 302 eliminates the regularity of the reflection direction of the reflected interference waves, which increases the possibility that the signal level of the interference waves incident on the wireless communication antenna 201 will deteriorate.
[0074] Therefore, in this embodiment, in order to secure a flat area and accurately attach the magnetic sheet, the magnetic sheet 500 is attached to the wireless communication substrate 123 as shown in Figure 7. When attaching the magnetic sheet 500 to the wireless communication substrate 123, the magnetic sheet 500 is attached to the first surface of the wireless communication substrate 123 facing the controller box 302, that is, the back surface 123b of the wireless communication substrate 123. This makes it possible to suppress interference waves reflected from the controller box 302 from being incident on the wireless communication antenna 201. It also makes it possible to suppress interference waves incident on the wireless communication substrate 123, and this can be achieved at low cost.
[0075] Here, the structure of the magnetic sheet 500 will be explained using Figure 6. Figure 6 is a diagram showing the layer structure of the magnetic sheet 500.
[0076] The magnetic sheet 500 consists of a surface film 501, a magnetic layer 502, a double-sided adhesive tape 503, and a release liner 504. The surface film 501 is a protective layer that protects the magnetic layer 502 and is an insulator. The magnetic layer 502 is a conductor mainly composed of metal powder and resin, and the principle of radio wave absorption differs depending on the type of material used, and is classified into three types: dielectric loss, magnetic loss, and reflection loss. The double-sided adhesive tape 503 is an adhesive layer that fixes the magnetic sheet 500 to the place where it is attached and is an insulator. The release liner 504 protects the double-sided adhesive tape 503 and is peeled off when the magnetic sheet 500 is attached.
[0077] Generally, magnetic sheets 500 are cut from a large sheet to the size of the area to be used. However, depending on how the magnetic sheet 500 is cut, the cut edges may not be uniform, and the magnetic layer 502 may be exposed. If the exposed magnetic layer 502 comes into contact with an electrical circuit, the electrical circuit may short-circuit.
[0078] Therefore, the magnetic sheets 500 to be attached to the wireless communication substrate 123 are arranged and attached as shown in Figure 7. The arrangement of the magnetic sheets 500 to be attached to the wireless communication substrate 123 will be explained using Figure 7. Figure 7 is a perspective view showing the arrangement of the magnetic sheets on the wireless communication substrate.
[0079] The magnetic sheet 500 is attached to the back surface 123b of the wireless communication board 123, that is, the first surface of the wireless communication board 123 facing the controller box 302. The magnetic sheet 500 is also attached to at least the area of the back surface 123b of the wireless communication board 123 that overlaps with the wireless communication antenna 201, so as to cover that area. As a result, the magnetic sheet 500 shields much of the path through which interference waves reflected from the controller box 302 enter the wireless communication antenna 201.
[0080] The magnetic sheet 500 may be attached to areas other than those overlapping with the wireless communication antenna 201 on the back surface 123b of the wireless communication substrate 123, but attention should be paid to the following areas.
[0081] The magnetic sheet 500 should not be attached to the area on the back surface 123b of the wireless communication board 123 that overlaps with the mounting holes 204 and the exposed copper foil 205. When fixing the wireless communication board 123 to the controller box 302 by screwing it in, it is desirable not to attach the magnetic sheet 500 to the area that overlaps with the mounting holes 204 and the exposed copper foil 205. If the magnetic sheet 500 is attached so as to overlap the mounting holes 204, the screws will not be able to pass through the mounting holes 204, and the wireless communication board 123 will not be able to be screwed to the mounting part. The exposed copper foil 205 has the role of conducting GND potential by contacting the mounting part 401 of the controller box 302. Therefore, if the magnetic sheet 500 is attached so as to overlap the exposed copper foil 205 and insulates it, the stable operation of the wireless communication board 123 may be impaired. For this reason, the magnetic sheet 500 should be attached so as not to overlap the mounting holes 204 and the exposed copper foil 205 on the back surface 123b of the wireless communication board 123. For example, the magnetic sheet 500 may be attached to a part of the wireless communication driver circuit 202 so as not to overlap with the exposed copper foil portion 205 on the back surface 123b. In other words, the magnetic sheet 500 may be attached to an area of the wireless communication substrate 123 other than the area that overlaps with the mounting holes 204 or the exposed copper foil portion 205 on the back surface 123b.
[0082] Furthermore, if the GND potential of the wireless communication board 123 is sufficiently stable, and electrical connection with the mounting portion 401 of the controller box 302 is not required, and screw fastening is not necessary, the mounting holes 204 and the exposed copper foil portion 205 may be covered with a magnetic sheet 500.
[0083] If the electrical circuit (wireless communication driver circuit 202) on the back surface 123b of the wireless communication board 123 is exposed, the magnetic sheet should not be attached to the area that overlaps with the exposed portion of the electrical circuit. This refers to the portion of the wireless communication driver circuit 202 where electrodes are exposed on the back surface 123b of the wireless communication board 123. To prevent the edge of the magnetic sheet 500 from coming into contact with the above-mentioned area, it is desirable to provide a predetermined gap t1 (e.g., 5 mm) between the area overlapping with the wireless communication driver circuit 202 and the edge of the magnetic sheet 500 on the wireless communication driver circuit 202 side. This is because the magnetic layer 502, which is a conductor, is exposed at the edge of the magnetic sheet 500, and there is a risk of short-circuiting with the exposed electrodes of the wireless communication driver circuit 202. Furthermore, to achieve this, it is desirable to provide a predetermined gap t2 (e.g., 10 mm) on the back surface 123b of the wireless communication board 123 between the area overlapping with the wireless communication antenna 201 and the area overlapping with the wireless communication driver circuit 202 (the area where electrodes are exposed). This ensures a gap between the magnetic sheet 500 covering the area on the back surface 123b of the wireless communication substrate 123 that overlaps with the wireless communication antenna 201, and the exposed electrodes of the wireless communication driver circuit 202. In other words, it is desirable to attach the magnetic sheet 500 to the back surface 123b of the wireless communication substrate 123 with a predetermined gap t1 between its edges and the area overlapping with the wireless communication driver circuit 202. To put it another way, the magnetic sheet 500 may be attached overlapping a portion of the wireless communication driver circuit 202, so as not to overlap the portion of the wireless communication driver circuit 202 that is exposed on the back surface 123b of the wireless communication substrate 123.
[0084] Furthermore, the magnetic sheet 500 is not limited to being attached to the back surface 123b of the wireless communication substrate 123 with a predetermined gap t1 between its edges and the area overlapping with the wireless communication driver circuit 202.
[0085] For example, the magnetic sheet 500 may be attached to an area of the back surface 123b of the wireless communication substrate 123 that does not overlap with the wireless communication driver circuit 202.
[0086] Alternatively, the magnetic sheet 500 may be attached to the back surface 123b of the wireless communication substrate 123 so as to cover the entire area overlapping with the wireless communication driver circuit 202. In the case where the magnetic sheet 500 is attached to the back surface 123b of the wireless communication substrate 123 so as to cover the entire area overlapping with the wireless communication driver circuit 202, no spacing is required between the wireless communication antenna 201 and the exposed electrodes of the wireless communication driver circuit 202.
[0087] As described above, any method of attachment that prevents a short circuit between the edge (conductor portion) of the magnetic sheet 500 and the exposed electrodes of the wireless communication driver circuit 202 is acceptable.
[0088] As described above, according to this embodiment, by attaching the magnetic sheet 500 to at least the area of the back surface 123b of the wireless communication substrate 123 that overlaps with the wireless communication antenna 201, interference waves incident on the wireless communication substrate 123 can be suppressed, and this can be achieved at low cost.
[0089] In Figure 4(b), a configuration is illustrated and explained in which a wireless communication board 123, which has only wireless communication capabilities compliant with Wi-Fi, is attached to the controller box 302 on the back of the image forming apparatus S. If the wireless communication board 123 has wireless communication capabilities other than those compliant with Wi-Fi, the position in which the wireless communication board 123 is attached is not limited to the back of the image forming apparatus S.
[0090] When an image forming apparatus S communicates wirelessly with an external terminal, it may use a combination of standards such as NFC, which communicates wirelessly over distances of a few centimeters, and Bluetooth, which communicates wirelessly over distances of a few meters, in addition to the IEEE 802.11 standard which allows wireless communication over distances of several tens of meters. Here, NFC and similar standards have the characteristic of being able to communicate only up to a few centimeters, thus preventing third-party interception of communications and making them highly secure communication methods. Bluetooth also has high security capabilities because it pairs transmitting and receiving devices one-to-one and encrypts the communication, thus preventing third-party interception of communications. As an example of using multiple wireless communication methods in combination, one method is to send and receive communication setting information, such as ID information for communication over a wireless LAN, between the image forming apparatus S and the external terminal using NFC or Bluetooth, and then communicate over the wireless LAN based on that information. Using this method reduces the effort required for the user to perform the initial setup of the wireless LAN, while avoiding the security risk of initial setup information being intercepted by a third party, thereby improving user convenience.
[0091] To provide a service that uses multiple wireless communication standards as described above, it is necessary to install wireless communication devices corresponding to each wireless communication standard in the image forming apparatus S. However, installing multiple wireless communication devices in the image forming apparatus S increases the number of parts and thus increases the manufacturing cost of the image forming apparatus S. One way to suppress the increase in manufacturing costs is to install two wireless communication capabilities on the wireless communication board 123: one compliant with the Wireless LAN standard and another compliant with the Bluetooth standard.
[0092] When using the Bluetooth standard for wireless communication, it is desirable to place the wireless communication board 123 on the front of the image forming apparatus S. If the wireless communication board 123 is placed on the back of the image forming apparatus S, the metal frame of the image forming apparatus S is likely to overlap with the straight line connecting the external terminal and the wireless communication board 123, resulting in an apparent communication distance greater than the actual communication distance. This increase in apparent communication distance has little effect on wireless communication with a communication range of tens of meters, such as the Wi-Fi standard, but it has a significant effect on wireless communication with a communication range of only a few meters, such as Bluetooth, and narrows the actual effective communication range. As a result, there is a high possibility of causing inconvenience, such as the inability to perform wireless communication using the Bluetooth standard even when the user is standing in a normal operating position, such as in front of the image forming apparatus S.
[0093] Therefore, in order to fully implement wireless communication using the Bluetooth standard, it is desirable to arrange the wireless communication board 123 on the front of the image forming apparatus S, as shown in Figure 8. Figure 8 is a schematic layout diagram when the wireless communication board 123 is arranged on the front of the image forming apparatus S.
[0094] Specifically, the wireless communication board 123 is attached to a metal support column 304 located on the front of the image forming apparatus S, which is used to mount the operation unit 110. Here, the metal support column 304 constitutes the frame (metal housing) 300 that supports the printer 114, which is the image forming unit, and its GND potential is the same as that of the frame. The metal support column 304 is a support member that supports the operation unit 110 on the opposite side from the controller box 302 via the printer 114. The wireless communication board 123 is supported by the metal support column 304 that supports the operation unit 110. Note that the shape and location of the frame (metal housing) 300 on the front of the image forming apparatus S to which the wireless communication board 123 is attached are not limited to the metal support column 304. For example, the wireless communication board 123 may be attached to the front of the metal housing of the scanner 116.
[0095] As shown in Figure 8, when the wireless communication board 123 is attached to the metal support column 304 that supports the operating unit 110, it is connected to the controller 100 in the controller box 302 attached to the rear side plate 301 on the back side of the image forming apparatus S by a communication cable 303. The communication cable 303 connected to the controller 100 is connected to the front wireless communication board 123 through the inside of the image forming apparatus S. Alternatively, the communication cable 303 connected to the controller 100 is connected to the front wireless communication board 123 through inside the frame (for example, inside the stay between the rear side plate and the front side plate that constitute the frame).
[0096] Even with this configuration, by attaching the magnetic sheet 500 to at least the area of the back surface 123b of the wireless communication substrate 123 that overlaps with the wireless communication antenna 201, interference waves incident on the wireless communication substrate 123 can be suppressed, and this can be achieved at low cost.
[0097] In the embodiments described above, the controller box 302, which is a support member, is shown to have a mounting portion 401 as an example, but the invention is not limited to this. The controller box 302 may also be configured to have a second mounting portion (not shown) at a different location from the first mounting portion, in addition to the mounting portion 401 which serves as the first mounting portion.
[0098] In this case, the wireless communication board 123 is also provided with a second positioning hole (not shown) at a different location from the first mounting hole 204. The second mounting portion has a projection (not shown) that penetrates the second positioning hole of the wireless communication board 123 and positions the wireless communication board 123 in the controller box 302. The projection of the second mounting portion penetrates the second positioning hole, which is provided at a different location from the first mounting hole 204 of the wireless communication board 123, and positions the wireless communication board 123 in the controller box 302. This configuration improves ease of assembly.
[0099] Furthermore, in the embodiments described above, a scanning exposure unit (laser scanner section) that performs scanning exposure by rotating a multifaceted mirror was used as the exposure means, but the invention is not limited to this. For example, an exposure head in which light-emitting elements such as LEDs or organic ELs are arranged in a substantially straight line parallel to the rotation axis of the photosensitive drum (main scanning direction) may be used as the exposure means.
[0100] Furthermore, although a printer was used as an example of an image forming apparatus in the embodiments described above, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, other image forming apparatuses such as photocopiers and facsimile machines, or other image forming apparatuses such as multifunction devices that combine these functions, may also be used. In addition, although an image forming apparatus that uses an intermediate transfer body and sequentially transfers toner images of each color onto the intermediate transfer body, and then transfers the toner images supported on the intermediate transfer body to a recording material all at once was given as an example, the present invention is not limited thereto. An image forming apparatus that uses a recording material carrier and sequentially transfers toner images of each color onto the recording material supported on the recording material carrier may also be used. Similar effects can be obtained by applying the present invention to these image forming apparatuses. [Explanation of Symbols]
[0101] S...Image forming device 10... Photosensitive drum 100 ... controller 110...Operation unit 114... Printer 116 ... Scanner 123 ... Wireless communication board 123a…Surface 123b…Back side 201... Wireless communication antenna 202 ... Wireless communication driver circuit 203 ... Controller communication connector 204 ... Mounting holes 205...Exposed copper foil part 300...frames 301...Rear side plate 302... Controller box 303 ... Communication cable 304...metal support 401 ... Mounting part 401a...Protrusion 401b ... seat 402 ... Screw 500… Magnetic sheet 501... Surface film 502...Magnetic layer 503... Double-sided adhesive tape 504…Release Liner
Claims
1. A wireless communication board having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, for communicating image data wirelessly with an external device, An image forming unit that forms an image on a recording material based on the aforementioned image data, A support member having a metal surface facing the first surface in the thickness direction of the wireless communication substrate, and supporting the wireless communication substrate, A frame composed of multiple sheet metals that supports the image forming section, A control board connected to the aforementioned wireless communication board by connecting wires, A metal box supported by the frame and forming a housing space for housing the control board, It has, The wireless communication board is On the second surface, there is an antenna formed of a metal pattern, used for transmitting and receiving radio waves, The magnetic sheet comprises a magnetic layer containing at least metal powder, which is attached to at least the region of the first surface facing the support member that overlaps with the antenna, An image forming apparatus characterized in that the support member is the box, and the wireless communication substrate is supported in the box.
2. The wireless communication board has mounting holes into which screws for attaching the wireless communication board to the support member are inserted, and conductive portions provided on the first surface that contact the support member and allow for electrical connection. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the magnetic sheet is attached to an area that does not overlap with either the mounting hole or the conductive portion.
3. The wireless communication board has an electrical circuit that outputs data to be transmitted to an external device as an electrical signal to the antenna, or processes the electrical signal received by the antenna. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the magnetic sheet is attached to an area of the first surface other than the area overlapping with the electrical circuit.
4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the edge of the magnetic sheet is positioned at a distance from the region that overlaps with the electrical circuit.
5. The wireless communication board has an electrical circuit that outputs data to be transmitted to an external device as an electrical signal to the antenna, or processes the electrical signal received by the antenna. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the magnetic sheet is attached to the first surface such that it covers all areas that overlap with the electrical circuit.
6. The wireless communication board includes an electrical circuit that outputs data to be transmitted to an external device as an electrical signal to the antenna, or processes electrical signals received by the antenna, and a conductive portion provided on the first surface that contacts and makes electrical contact with the support member. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the magnetic sheet is attached to a part of the electrical circuit so as not to overlap the conductive portion on the first surface of the wireless communication substrate.
7. The wireless communication board has an electrical circuit that outputs data to be transmitted to an external device as an electrical signal to the antenna, or processes the electrical signal received by the antenna. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the magnetic sheet is attached to a part of the electrical circuit so as not to overlap with the portion of the first surface in which the electrical circuit is exposed.
8. The wireless communication board has a connection connector for connecting connection lines for wired connection to the control board, The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the connection connector is arranged on the same plane as the antenna of the wireless communication board.
9. The magnetic sheet, in addition to the magnetic layer, has a protective layer to protect the magnetic layer and an adhesive layer for attaching the magnetic sheet, characterized in that it is the image shape according to claim 1. equipment.
10. A wireless communication board having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, for communicating image data wirelessly with an external device, An image forming unit that forms an image on a recording material based on the aforementioned image data, A support member having a metal surface facing the first surface in the thickness direction of the wireless communication substrate, and supporting the wireless communication substrate, A frame composed of multiple sheet metals that supports the image forming section, A control board connected to the aforementioned wireless communication board by connecting wires, A metal box supported by the frame and forming a housing space for housing the control board, An operating unit that detects operation is supported by the frame on the opposite side from the box via the image forming unit, It has, The wireless communication board is On the second surface, there is an antenna formed of a metal pattern, used for transmitting and receiving radio waves, The magnetic sheet comprises a magnetic layer containing at least metal powder, which is attached to at least the region of the first surface facing the support member that overlaps with the antenna, The image forming apparatus is characterized in that the support member is the frame that supports the operating section on the opposite side from the box, and the wireless communication board is supported by the frame that supports the operating section.
11. The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the wireless communication board is capable of wireless communication in accordance with the IEEE 802.11 standard.