JP2001249599A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve operability in an image forming device with which space- saving is attained for installation. SOLUTION: This image forming device has an image formation engine, a sheet ejecting means to eject a sheet on which an image is formed by the image formation engine, a sheet stacking part arranged on the image formation engine, a scanner means arranged on the sheet stacking part while leaving space in between and to supply an original image to the image formation engine by converting it into an electrical signal, a supporting means to support the scanner means on the sheet stacking part while leaving the space in between and supply means arranged under the scanner means and capable of being freely pulled out from one side face side of the image formation engine, and in this case, open parts to take out the sheet are provided on two side face sides of one side face side and the other side face side adjacent to one side face side.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a facsimile, a printer and the like having a substantially square upper surface.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, introduction of OA equipment has been promoted in offices, and thus many OA equipments have been installed. At present, a large space is occupied for installation of these OA devices, and as a result, a large office floor area is required. On the other hand, particularly in urban areas, office rents rise and become expensive, and office floor space is reduced as much as possible.
There is a demand to save as much space as possible for installation of equipment.

In consideration of the layout of an image forming apparatus such as a desk, chair, bookshelf, equipment shelf, personal computer, or copier in an office, in an image forming apparatus such as a copier, a paper feed tray or paper discharge of the apparatus is required. Since the tray protrudes outward from the apparatus main body, a large space is required. By arranging these paper feed trays and paper discharge trays in the apparatus main body, space can be saved. However, in this case, the operation of taking out the sheet from the sheet stacking section on which the sheet on which the image is formed and discharged is stacked is inevitably troublesome. Further, in the image forming apparatus, not only space saving but also operability when inputting image forming information must be improved.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to propose an improvement in operability in an image forming apparatus which saves space for installation in response to the above demand.

[0005]

According to the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus, comprising: an image forming engine for forming an image on a sheet; and a sheet for discharging the sheet on which the image is formed by the image forming engine. A discharge unit, a sheet stacking unit disposed on the image forming engine, for stacking sheets discharged by the sheet discharging unit, and a sheet stacking unit disposed with a space above the sheet stacking unit to transmit a document image by an electric signal. Scanner means for supplying the image data to the image forming engine, and the sheet stacking section being located between the image forming engine and the scanner means, and the scanner means being placed above the sheet stacking section. A support means for supporting the image forming engine and a paper feeding means disposed below the image forming engine and capable of being pulled out from one side of the image forming engine; And an opening for taking out a sheet stacked on the sheet stacking portion on two side surfaces of one side of the space and the other side of the space adjacent to the one side. The problem is solved by providing the unit.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming engine for forming an image on a sheet, sheet discharging means for discharging the sheet on which the image is formed by the image forming engine, and A sheet stacking unit that is arranged on the image forming engine and stacks the sheets discharged by the sheet discharging unit, and is arranged above the sheet stacking unit with a space therebetween, and converts an original image into an electric signal to convert the original image into an electric signal; Scanner means for supplying the image forming engine, and support for supporting the scanner means on the sheet stacking section with a space therebetween in a state where the sheet stacking section is located between the image forming engine and the scanner means. And one side of the space between the image forming engine and the scanner and perpendicular to the sheet discharging direction of the sheet discharging unit, and adjacent to the one side. The two side of the other side of the space in the sheet discharging direction downstream proposes to opening for taking out the sheets stacked on the sheet stacking portion is provided with.

Further, the present invention proposes, in order to solve the above-mentioned problem, to have a sheet feeding means which is arranged below the image forming engine and which can be pulled out from the one side.

Further, the present invention proposes, in order to solve the above-mentioned problem, that the open portions provided on the two side surfaces are continuously opened.

[0009]

Since the sheet stacking section is disposed above the image forming engine and the scanner is disposed above the sheet stacking section with a space therebetween, the conventional sheet stacking section overhangs the side of the image forming apparatus main body. In addition to the above, the installation space can be reduced, and the discharge sheet on the sheet stacking unit can be taken out.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The details of the present invention will be described below with reference to a copying machine to which the present invention shown in the drawings is applied.

In FIG. 1, a copying machine 1 includes an image forming engine housing 100 formed substantially in a rectangular parallelepiped and a scanner 20.
0, and support means 180 for supporting the scanner means 200 above the imaging engine housing 100 with a space therebetween. In the image forming engine housing 100, an image forming engine 2, a sheet feeding device 3 thereunder, and a sheet stacking section 400 above the image forming engine 2 are arranged.

The sheet conveyed from the sheet feeding device 3 by the sheet feeding roller 4 is timed by the registration rollers 5, skew correction is performed, and the sheet is conveyed to an image carrier composed of a drum-shaped photosensitive member 10. You. The photoreceptor is
In the figure, it is driven to rotate counterclockwise. During rotation, the surface of the photoconductor is charged by corona discharge by the charging unit 12, and is irradiated with laser light from the optical unit 13.
The laser light is emitted so as to convert the digital image information read by the scanner unit 200 into a latent image. In addition to the scanner means, the digital image information transmitted through the external interface can be issued so as to form a latent image. A latent image is formed on the photoconductor by these laser beams. This latent image is
When passing through the developing unit 6, it is visualized by the toner. This visible image is electrostatically transferred to the sheet conveyed to the photoreceptor by a transfer unit 9 using corona discharge or the like. The transferred image is fixed by the fixing unit 8. Next, the sheet exiting the fixing unit is fed to the sheet stacking unit 40 by the sheet discharging unit 402.
0 tray 403. On the other hand, the residual toner is removed from the photoreceptor after the transfer of the visible image by the cleaning unit 7, and the removed toner is collected and stored in the cleaning unit.

The imaging engine housing 100 has the sheet stacking section 400 above the imaging engine 2. Further, the scanner means 200 is provided on the image forming engine 2 with the support means 180.
Arranged by This support means is shown in FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 2, two pillars 180a arranged at approximately the top of a diagonal line on the upper surface of the imaging engine housing 100,
180b. One of them, for example, a column 180a is hollow, and a cable for transmitting image information converted into an electric signal by the scanner means to the image forming engine 2 and a cable connected to the operation panel are disposed in the hollow portion. ing.

With this configuration, it is possible to provide a tray outside the main body of the copying machine and discharge the sheet discharged there into the main body. Further, by providing the above-mentioned space between the scanner means 200 and the imaging engine housing 100, the discharged sheet can be taken out without the operation of opening the drawer or the like. The sheet can be visually checked without the above-mentioned operation, whereby the ratio of the sheet to the use space of the copying machine can be reduced, and the work can be performed without impairing the operability.

As described above, the supporting means 180 is composed of two columns 180a and 180b arranged at two approximately diagonal vertexes on the upper surface of the housing 100, so that the four It is designed not to block any one side. Thereby, when the operator is performing the copying operation from the direction A, if the sheet is taken out from the right side of the operator, the operability is further improved since there is no support on the right side. When the operation is performed in the direction D, if the sheet is taken out from the left side, the sheet can be taken out without being hindered by the columns. Similarly, in the B direction and the C direction, one of the left and right directions is a free space, and the sheet can be easily taken out. In this way, no matter where the copier is operated from any direction, the sheet cannot be taken out by the supporting means, and the operability is improved. Further, since the sheet can be taken out from four directions, the degree of freedom of the installation place of the apparatus is increased.

As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG.
Reference numeral 00 denotes a flat area that substantially covers the sheet stacking unit 400, in other words, has substantially the same area as the bottom area of the imaging engine housing 100, and is horizontally supported on the sheet stacking unit 400 by the support unit 180 with a space therebetween. Supported.

2 and 3, an operation panel 500 and an operation panel 501 serving as information input means to the image forming apparatus are arranged at diagonal positions with the original placing glass 30 interposed therebetween. Also, in the figure, arrows A, B, C, and D are drawn corresponding to the four directions of the image forming apparatus having a substantially square top surface, and the operation panels 500 and 501 are corresponding to the four directions. Has home positions 505A, 505B, 505C, and 505D in the scanner means 200.

FIG. 2 shows that the operation panel 500 is at the home position 505A and that the operation panel 501 is at the home position 505C. FIG. 3 shows that the operation panel 500 is at the home position 505D and that the operation panel 501 is at the home position. 505B. Then, by moving each of the operation panels described above by a moving means such as a rail, the operation panel 500 can be moved between the home position 505A and the home position 505D, and the operation panel 501 can be moved between the home position 505C and the home position 505B. It is possible to move between. Further, a sensor such as a photo-interrupter serving as an operation panel position detecting means provided at each home position shown in the figure detects which home position the operation panel is in, and thereby, arrows A, B, C,
Various controls relating to the operation of the image forming apparatus from each direction of D can be performed.

FIG. 4 is a control block diagram of control relating to the operation of the above-described copying machine. From FIG. 4, it can be seen that the above-described controls are performed by the CPU on the control engine board of the copying machine. Operation panel position detection means A, B,
C and D indicate that the operation panel 500 or the operation panel 501 is the home position 505A, 505B, 5
It is detected which of 05C and 505D is located.

FIGS. 5 to 10 show an operation panel moving means in which a shaft 502 is provided on a bisector of one corner on the upper surface of the image forming apparatus. The operation panel 50 is arranged in the order of arrows E and F shown in FIGS.
Rotating 0 and 501 about the axis 502 indicates that the operation panels 500 and 501 rotate in the order of FIGS. 5, 6, and 7 or in the reverse order.

FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 are diagrams showing the above-mentioned operation in a simplified manner.

In each of the above figures, the operation panels 500 and 50
It is illustrated that when the device 1 is at the home position, the operation unit 503 is located on a surface along two adjacent sides on the upper surface of the image forming apparatus. Thus, even when the operation panels 500 and 501 move between the home positions in the above-described operation, at each home position, one of the operation units 503 provided on both sides of the operation panels 500 and 501 operates. Since it is on the upper surface, information can be input to the image forming apparatus.

FIGS. 11 to 16 show the operation panel 50.
Reference numerals 0 and 501 indicate that the home position is rotated by the shaft 502 in the same manner as described with reference to FIGS. In the present embodiment, the frame 520 rotates around the axis 502 in the directions of arrows E and F, and the operation panels 500 and 501 pivot in the hollow portions of the frame in the directions of arrows G1 and G2 shown in FIG. I do. In this case, when the operation panels 500 and 501 are at the home position, the operation unit 503 provided on one side thereof always appears on the upper surface.

FIGS. 14 to 16 are simplified diagrams of the above operation.

FIG. 17 is a diagram showing details of the above-described operation configuration. Here, a gear 507 fixed to a shaft 502 of the frame 520 and a gear 5 fixed to a shaft 508 serving as a shaft of the operation panels 500 and 501 rotating in the frame.
09, and a timing belt 510 installed between the gear 507 and the gear 509 to transmit between the gears. When the frame 520 rotates in the direction of arrow EF, the timing belt 51
0 is rotated in the directions of arrows H1 and H2 by the gear 507,
This rotation causes the gear 509 to rotate in the direction of arrow I. Therefore, the operation panels 500 and 501 rotate in the directions of the arrows G1 and G2. Therefore, the operation panel 5 is operated by the above-described operation.
When 00 and 501 are at the home position, the operation unit 503 always appears on the upper surface of the image forming apparatus, and information can be input to the image forming apparatus.

[0026]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, it is possible to reduce the installation space as compared with the conventional machine in which the discharge sheet stacking portion protrudes from the side surface of the apparatus main body, and to remove the sheet from the side of the sheet feeding means. Is provided, it is possible to easily pull out the sheet feeding means and take out the sheet. In this case, since the two adjacent side surfaces are open, it is possible to more easily take out the sheets stacked on the sheet stacking unit.

According to the configuration of the second aspect, the sheet can be easily taken out without the sheet discharging means obstructing the taking out of the sheets stacked on the sheet stacking section. Also in this case, since the two adjacent side surfaces are open, it is possible to more easily take out the sheets stacked on the sheet stacking unit.

According to the third aspect of the invention, in addition to the above-described effect of the second aspect, the sheet feeding means disposed below the image forming engine can be pulled out extremely easily.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, since the open portions provided on the two side surfaces are continuously opened, it is possible to take out the sheets stacked on the sheet stacking portion extremely easily.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a cross section of a part of a copying machine to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the copying machine.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the copying machine in which an operation panel is moved.

FIG. 4 is a control block diagram of the copying machine.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a first embodiment of the operation panel moving means.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the movement progress of the operation panel of the first embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the operation panel after the movement of the first embodiment.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a simplified version of FIG. 5;

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a simplified version of FIG. 6;

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a simplified version of FIG. 7;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a second embodiment of the operation panel moving means.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing the movement of the operation panel of the second embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing the operation panel after the movement of the second embodiment.

FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram showing a simplified version of FIG. 11;

FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram showing a simplified version of FIG. 12;

FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram showing a simplified version of FIG. 13;

FIG. 17 is a perspective view showing a specific configuration of the second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Copier 2 Imaging engine 3 Paper feeder 100 Imaging engine housing 180 Support means 200 Scanner means 400 Sheet loading part 402 Sheet discharge means 500, 501 Operation panel

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Ryuta Takeichi 1-3-6 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Ricoh Company, Ltd. (72) Inventor Yoshiya Inoue 1-3-6 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo Ricoh Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Fukuo Ichikawa 1-3-6 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo Ricoh Co., Ltd.

Claims (4)

[Claims] An image forming engine for forming an image on a sheet; sheet discharging means for discharging a sheet on which an image has been formed by the image forming engine; and a sheet discharging means disposed on the image forming engine. A sheet stacking unit for stacking the sheets discharged by the scanner, a scanner unit that is arranged above the sheet stacking unit with a space therebetween, converts an original image into an electric signal, and supplies the electric signal to the image forming engine; and the sheet stacking unit. A support unit that supports the scanner unit with a space above the sheet stacking unit in a state where the unit is located between the image forming engine and the scanner unit; and a unit disposed below the image forming engine. A sheet feeding unit that can be pulled out from one side of the image forming engine, between the image forming engine and the scanner unit,
Opening portions for taking out the sheets stacked on the sheet stacking portion are provided on two side surfaces of one side surface of the space and the other side surface of the space adjacent to the one side surface. An image forming apparatus comprising: 2. An image forming engine for forming an image on a sheet, sheet discharging means for discharging a sheet on which an image is formed by the image forming engine, and the sheet discharging means arranged on the image forming engine. A sheet stacking unit for stacking the sheets discharged by the scanner, a scanner unit that is arranged above the sheet stacking unit with a space therebetween, converts an original image into an electric signal, and supplies the electric signal to the image forming engine; and the sheet stacking unit. Support means for supporting the scanner means on the sheet stacking unit with a space therebetween in a state in which the image forming engine and the scanner means are located between the image forming engine and the scanner means. Between the means,
The sheet is stacked on two side surfaces, one side of the space orthogonal to the sheet discharging direction of the sheet discharging unit and the other side of the space downstream of the sheet discharging direction adjacent to the one side. An image forming apparatus provided with an opening for taking out the sheets stacked in the section. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a sheet feeder disposed below the image forming engine and capable of being pulled out from the one side. 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the open portions provided on the two side surfaces are continuously opened.