JP2007201773A - Image-forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image-forming device having satisfactory efficiency in maintenance. <P>SOLUTION: A lid 21a is arranged while covering the upper portion of an image input 20. Original glass 22 transmits light reflected by an original conveyed by an original conveyer 11. Original glass 23 transmits light reflected by the original placed on the original glass 23. The pieces of the original glass 22, 23 are attached to the lid 21a by a double-sided tape, thus dispensing with work for removing the pieces of original glass 22, 23 when the lid 21a is attached to and detached from the image input section 20, and hence implementing maintenance work for the image input section 20 efficiently. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly to improvement of a lid portion of an image input unit.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is an automatic document feeder (ADF) type reader that reads image data of a document by photoelectrically converting the reflected light reflected by a conveyed document and transmitted through a contact glass. Known (for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2000-321682 A

  However, in order to clean the inside of the reading unit of Patent Document 1 and to maintain the internal components, it is necessary to remove the automatic conveyance unit from the reading unit and further remove the contact glass from the reading unit. . As a result, the number of man-hours required for the cleaning work increases and the work efficiency decreases.

  In addition to the automatic paper feeding method, this problem also occurs in a reading device that can read a flat bed method.

  That is, in the case of a reading apparatus capable of both types, in order to perform maintenance inside the reading apparatus, it is necessary to remove the lid provided on the upper part of the reading apparatus. And it may be necessary to remove an automatic conveyance part and contact glass prior to the operation | work which removes this cover part. In this case, similarly to the reading device of Patent Document 1, there arises a problem that the efficiency of the maintenance work is lowered.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus with good maintenance efficiency.

  In order to solve the above problems, an invention according to claim 1 is an image forming apparatus having an image input unit provided in a main body and a document pressing unit provided to be openable and closable with respect to the main body. The document pressing unit includes a document transport unit that allows image data to be read from a transported document. The image input unit is detachable, and covers a top of the casing of the image input unit. A first transmission portion that is provided on the lid portion and transmits light reflected by the document conveyed by the document conveyance portion; and a document placed on the lid portion and provided on the lid portion. A second transmission unit that transmits the reflected light; and a light receiving unit that is provided in an inner space of the image input unit and reads the light transmitted through the first or second transmission unit as an electric signal. It is characterized by.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the first aspect, the document pressing portion is attached to an attachment portion separate from the lid portion via a hinge portion. And

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the first aspect, the document pressing portion is attached to an attachment portion adjacent to the image input portion via a hinge portion. To do.

  According to the first to third aspects of the invention, the first and second transmission parts are provided on the lid part, and the lid part is detachable from the image input part. Therefore, the first and second transmission parts can be easily removed from the image input part by removing the lid part.

  Further, according to the invention described in claims 1 to 3, since the man-hour for removing the lid from the image input unit can be reduced, maintenance work for the inner space of the image input unit, for example, cleaning of the inner space Work, light receiving unit adjustment work, and the like can be easily performed.

  In particular, according to the second and third aspects of the present invention, it is not necessary to remove the document pressing portion from the main body when the lid portion is detached from the image input portion. Therefore, the man-hour required for attaching and detaching the lid can be reduced, and as a result, the man-hour required for maintenance of the image forming apparatus can be reduced.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

<1. Configuration of image forming apparatus>
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a hardware configuration of an image forming apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a top view illustrating an example of the configuration of the lid 21a of the image input unit 20. Each of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 has coordinate axes indicating the vertical direction, the front-rear direction, and the left-right direction in order to clarify the directional relationship.

  The image forming apparatus 1 is a scanner, a printer, a copier, a facsimile, or a complex machine that combines these functions. As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus 1 mainly includes a document pressing unit 10, an image input unit 20, a recording unit 30, a paper feeding unit 40, and an operation panel 50. Among them, the image input unit 20, the recording unit 30, the paper feeding unit 40, and the operation panel 50 are provided in the main body unit 5 of the image forming apparatus 1.

  The document pressing unit 10 is provided above the main body unit 5 and mainly includes a document conveying unit 11 and pressing members 12 and 13 as shown in FIG. Here, as shown in FIG. 1, the upper surface of the attachment portion 15 provided adjacent to the image input portion 20 and the lower surface of the document pressing portion 10 include a plurality of (two in this embodiment) hinges 16. Are connected by Accordingly, the document pressing portion 10 is provided so as to be able to open and close with respect to the main body portion 5 by rotating around the rotation shaft 16a.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the document transport unit 11 is provided on the left upper side of the document pressing unit 10 and immediately above the document glass 22. The document transport unit 11 can cause the image input unit 20 to read reflected light reflected on the front surface or the back surface of the document by an automatic document feeder (ADF) method. That is, the document transport unit 11 can read image data from one side or both sides of the transported document.

  The pressing member 12 is a plate-like member that regulates the distance between the document and the document glass 22 when the document pressing unit 10 is closed. The pressing member 12 is urged downward (in the direction toward the pressing member 12 when viewed from the document conveying section 11) by an elastic member (not shown) such as a coil spring or a leaf spring. As a result, the pressing member 12 can favorably convey the document between the pressing member 12 and the document glass 22, and the image data can be satisfactorily read by the automatic paper feeding method.

  The pressing member 13 is a member that presses the document placed on the document glass 23 when the document pressing unit 10 is closed. Accordingly, the pressing member 13 can satisfactorily adhere the original to the original glass 23, and can satisfactorily read the image data by the flat bed method.

  The image input unit 20 is a scanner unit that reads image data from a document by a flatbed method or an ADF method. As shown in FIG. 1, the image input unit 20 includes a lid 21a and a housing 21b.

  Here, the lid portion 21a and the housing 21b are cylindrical bodies having a substantially rectangular cross section, and openings are formed below the lid portion 21a and above the housing 21b, respectively. The lid 21a can be disposed so as to cover the upper portion of the housing 21b. Therefore, an internal space 25 is formed inside the image input unit 20.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the lid portion 21a is provided with a plurality of (six in this embodiment) through holes 24, and each through hole 24 has a male screw 24a used as a fastening member. Can be inserted. Therefore, the lid 21a and the housing 21b are fastened by the male screw 24a, so that the lid 21a is fixed to the housing 21b. Moreover, the lid | cover part 21a is removed from the housing | casing 21b by canceling | releasing the fastening by the external thread 24a. That is, the lid 21 a is detachable from the image input unit 20.

  For convenience of illustration, the male screw 24 a is inserted through only the through hole 24 in the rear center portion of the through hole 24.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the lid portion 21 a is provided with plate-like original glasses 22 and 23. The document glass 22 is a (first) transmission unit that transmits light reflected by the document conveyed by the document conveyance unit 11. The original glass 23 is a (second) transmitting portion that transmits light reflected by the original placed thereon.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the original glasses 22 and 23 are formed so as to be larger than the sizes of the holes 22a and 23a provided in the lid 21a, respectively. Portions of the original glasses 22 and 23 that are outside the hole portions 22a and 23a are affixed to the lid portion 21a by double-sided tape.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 1, the housing 21 b is mainly provided with carriages 26 a and 26 b, a light receiving unit 27, and an inverter 28. The light receiving unit 27 is fixed to the housing 21b, and the reflected light 29 from the original is condensed by a lens 27a and imaged on a CCD (line sensor) 27b. Thereby, the reflected light from the document is converted into an electric signal by photoelectric conversion. Further, the inverter 28 performs light emission control of the light source irradiated on the document.

  Each of the carriages 26a and 26b has a mirror (not shown) that reflects light from the document. Each of the carriages 26a and 26b is movably provided with respect to the light receiving unit 27, and a light source (not shown) for illuminating the document is provided on the carriage 26a on the light receiving unit 27 side (right side). Yes.

  The carriages 26a and 26b move in the left-right direction so that the distance from the document to the light receiving unit 27 is constant. That is, the optical path length of the reflected light that is reflected by the original, passes through the original glass 22 or the original glass 23, is reflected by the carriages 26a and 26b, and reaches the light receiving unit 27 is substantially the same regardless of the reflection position on the original. Become. Therefore, the light receiving unit 27 fixed to the housing 21b can acquire the image data of the document satisfactorily.

  With such a hardware configuration, when the lid portion 21a is attached to and detached from the image input unit 20, it is not necessary to remove the document glasses 22, 23, the document pressing unit 10, and the attachment unit 15. Therefore, the man-hour required for the attachment / detachment work of the cover part 21a can be reduced.

  Further, by removing the lid 21a, an opening can be formed on substantially the entire upper surface of the housing 21b. Therefore, a user of the image forming apparatus 1 (hereinafter also simply referred to as “user”) performs maintenance work on the internal space 25 of the image input unit 20, for example, adjustment of the carriages 26 a and 26 b, the light receiving unit 27, and the inverter 28. The work and the cleaning work of the internal space 25 can be easily performed through the formed opening.

  Moreover, as shown in FIG. 1, the attachment part 15 and the image input part 20 are provided adjacently, and the attachment part 15 and the cover part 21a are made into a different body. Thereby, when attaching / detaching the lid portion 21a from the image input portion 20, it is not necessary to remove the document pressing portion 10 from the main body portion 5. Therefore, the man-hours required for attaching / detaching the lid portion 21a can be further reduced, and as a result. The man-hours required for maintenance of the image forming apparatus 1 can be reduced.

  The recording unit 30 is disposed below the image input unit 20 and records image data on a recording sheet by electrophotography. That is, the recording unit 30 forms an electrostatic latent image based on the image data read by the image input unit 20, visualizes the electrostatic latent image with toner, and transfers the visualized toner image to recording paper. The image forming unit.

  The paper feed unit 40 is disposed below the recording unit 30 and supplies recording paper to the recording unit 30. Here, the paper feed unit 40 has one or a plurality of paper feed cassettes, and recording paper of a type corresponding to the number of cassettes is supplied from the paper feed unit 40 to the recording unit 30.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the operation panel 50 mainly includes a display unit 51 and an operation unit 52, and is used as a user interface.

  The display unit 51 is configured by a so-called liquid crystal display, and has a function as a “touch panel” that can designate a position on the screen by touching the screen with a finger or a dedicated pen. Accordingly, the user can cause the image forming apparatus 1 to execute a predetermined operation by giving an instruction using the “touch panel” function of the display unit 51 based on the content displayed on the display unit 51. . Thus, the display unit 51 is also used as an input unit that enables data input to the image forming apparatus 1.

  The operation unit 52 is an input unit having a plurality of operation keys 53. The user can cause the image forming apparatus 1 to perform a predetermined operation by performing an input operation based on the display content of the display unit 51.

<2. Advantages of Image Forming Apparatus of Present Embodiment>
As described above, in the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, when the lid portion 21a is attached / detached from the image input unit 20, the original glass 22 and 23 are not required to be removed. Therefore, the man-hour required for the attachment / detachment work of the lid part 21a can be reduced, and as a result, the efficiency of the maintenance work of the image input part 20 can be improved.

1 is a perspective view illustrating an example of an overall configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a top view which shows an example of a structure of the cover part vicinity of an image input part.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 5 Main body part 10 Document pressing part 11 Document conveying part 12, 13 Holding member 15 Mounting part 16 Hinge 20 Image input part 21a Cover part 21b Case 22, 23 Original glass (1st and 2nd permeation | transmission part)
24 Through-hole 24a Male screw 25 Internal space 27 Light receiving portion 29 Reflected light 30 Recording portion 40 Paper feeding portion 50 Operation panel

Claims (3)

An image forming apparatus comprising: an image input unit provided in a main body; and a document pressing unit provided to be openable and closable with respect to the main body.
The document pressing portion is
A document transport section that enables reading of image data from a transported document;
Have
The image input unit
A lid that is detachable and covers the top of the housing of the image input unit;
A first transmission unit provided on the lid unit and configured to transmit light reflected by the document conveyed by the document conveyance unit;
A second transmissive portion that is provided on the lid and transmits light reflected by the placed document;
A light receiving unit that is provided in an inner space of the image input unit and reads light transmitted through the first or second transmission unit as an electrical signal;
An image forming apparatus comprising: The image forming apparatus according to claim 1.
The image forming apparatus, wherein the document pressing portion is attached to an attachment portion separate from the lid portion via a hinge portion. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1.
The image forming apparatus, wherein the document pressing portion is attached to an attachment portion adjacent to the image input portion via a hinge portion.

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