JP2001274935A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming device as a small MFP for reading the bound originals such as a book and a magazine. SOLUTION: An image forming part 70 and an image reading part 2 of a flat bed type are installed. In the image forming part 70, a paper feeding tray 73 for supporting a recording material P1 before recording and a paper discharge tray 80 for supporting a recorded recording material P2 are vertically and oppositely arranged. Image forming parts (71 and 72) for forming images on the recording materials are arranged between the paper feeding tray 73 and the paper discharge tray 80, a vertical transport path whose cross section is in an almost V shape as a whole is constituted and the image reading part 2 is arranged in the vertical transportation path.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a multi-function printer or a copier in which at least an image reading means is provided in an image forming means such as an electrophotographic type or an ink jet type, and an image reading function is added to an image forming function. And an image forming apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recent personal computers (hereinafter referred to as P
With the spread of C (hereinafter abbreviated as C), if a printer device, an image reading device, a modem, and the like are connected to a PC, anyone can easily handle simple copying operations and data document exchange.

Therefore, an image reading unit, a modem, an operation panel, and the like are integrally provided in a printer, and a printer, a copy,
A small multi-function printer (hereinafter, referred to as MF) as shown in FIG.
P).

[0004] In the MFP shown in FIG. 4, a printer 100 serving as a base includes a vertical paper feed unit provided with a paper feed unit below a vertical paper feed tray 103 and a paper discharge unit below a vertical paper output tray 110. A vertical paper discharge unit provided with rollers 108 is disposed in front and back, and a laser scanner 102, a photosensitive drum,
Process cartridge 1 with integrated image forming unit such as developing unit
01, and a vertical U-shaped small laser beam printer (LBP) provided with a transfer unit 105 and a fixing unit 106
The image reading apparatus 200 is provided on the opening / closing cover 112 of the printer 100. The image reading apparatus 200 is a sheet-through type in which a document D is conveyed from a document feed tray 210 to a document discharge tray 211 via an image reading sensor 203. An operation panel 205 is provided on the front of the apparatus. Reference numeral 111 denotes an electrical unit.

[0005]

However, the following problems have been pointed out in the above-mentioned conventional MFP.

[0006] Since the image reading apparatus is configured to read an image by transporting the original, it is not possible to read a bound original such as a book or a magazine.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5, if a multifunction printer having a configuration in which an image forming section B having a straight paper transport path is disposed below a flat bed type image reading apparatus A is used, even a bound original can be read. Is possible, but as shown in FIG. 5, a paper feed tray C for the recording paper P1
Since the discharge tray E of the recorded recording paper P2 protrudes greatly, it not only obstructs the appearance, but also increases the installation space, causes a problem that the tray may be caught and dropped or damaged. It is possible to invite.

An object of the invention according to the present application is to provide an image forming apparatus as a small MFP capable of reading a bound original such as a book or a magazine.

[0009]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus having at least an image forming unit for recording information on a recording material and an image reading unit for reading a document as image data. The unit has a paper feed tray supporting a recording material before recording and a paper discharge tray supporting a recorded recording material arranged vertically and opposed to each other, and between the paper supply tray and the paper discharge tray. An image forming section for forming an image on a recording material is arranged to form a vertical transport path having a substantially V-shaped or U-shaped cross section as a whole, and the image reading section is configured as a flat bed type and the vertical transport path is formed. An image forming apparatus is provided in a road.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the image forming apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein an angle of the paper feed tray and the paper discharge tray with respect to a horizontal plane is set between 45 degrees and 75 degrees. is there.

[0011] A third aspect of the present invention is any one of the above aspects,
An image forming apparatus is characterized in that a recording material conveyance direction of the vertical conveyance path is orthogonal to a sub-operation direction of the image reading unit.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS First Embodiment FIGS. 1 and 2 show a first embodiment. Figure 1 shows the MF
P shows a main cross-sectional view, and FIG. 2 shows a right side view of FIG.

The MFP 1 of this embodiment is a combination of a laser beam printer (hereinafter abbreviated as a printer unit) 50 using a detachable process cartridge 51 and a flatbed type image reading unit 2.

The printer unit 50 has a vertical paper feed tray 53 on the right and left sides of the apparatus main body for supporting a recording paper P1 as a recording material before image formation, and a vertical paper supply tray 53 for supporting a recording paper P2 after image formation. The paper discharge tray 58 is disposed so as to face each other, a paper feed conveyance section 54 is provided below the paper feed tray 53, and a paper discharge roller 57 is provided below the paper discharge tray 58.

A laser scanner 52 for exposing a laser, which is turned on and off by an image signal, to a photosensitive drum, and a photosensitive drum, a developing device, a charging device, a cleaner, and the like are integrated between a paper feeding tray 53 and a paper discharging tray 58. A process unit 51 for transferring the developed image carried on the photosensitive drum onto the recording material P, and a fixing device 56 for fixing the developed image carried on the recording material P by pressing and heating. . Reference numeral 60 denotes an electrical unit.

The recording material P1 supported by the sheet feeding tray 53 on the upstream side in the conveying direction of the recording material is sent to the transfer unit 55 by the sheet feeding and conveying unit 54. The photosensitive drum of the process cartridge 51 is exposed by a laser scanner 52 to form a latent image, and the latent image is developed by a developing device. Then, the developed image is transferred to the recording material P1 by the transfer unit 55, and is fixed to the recording material by the fixing unit 56.

The fixed recording material P2 is discharged to a discharge tray 58 with the recording surface facing upward by a discharge roller 57 on the downstream side in the conveying direction of the recording material.

In the present embodiment, the paper feed tray 53 and the paper discharge tray 58 project upward from the center of the printer body to the outside, respectively, so that the entire recording material conveyance path becomes substantially V-shaped. Make up. Further, the angle between the paper feed tray 53 and the paper discharge tray 58 is desirably set between 45 degrees and 75 degrees from the viewpoint of a reduction in installation space and an angle at which paper can be stacked.

On the other hand, the image reading section 2 includes an image reading sensor 3 for converting image information of the document D into an electric signal, a transparent platen glass 4 for placing the document D, and a document D on the platen glass 4. It is composed of an openable and closable original cover (pressing plate) 5 and the like. Reference numeral 6 denotes an operation panel.
It is arranged in the front part of.

The image reading sensor 3 is provided at a position separated from the back surface of the original table glass 4 by a predetermined distance, and can be moved by the driving device 7 over the entire area of the original D (movable in the horizontal direction in FIG. 2). Thus, the image of the document D is read. In this way, a flat bed type image reading unit that places the document D on the flat glass surface is configured.

As shown in FIG. 1, the image reading section 2 is housed above the laser scanner 52 of the printer 50 and inside the V-shaped paper conveyance path of the printer section. In addition, since the paper transport direction of the printer unit and the sub-scanning direction of the image reading unit are provided orthogonal to each other, the image reading unit can be disposed in the V-shaped transport path of the printer unit without creating useless space. it can.

As described above, the characters recorded on the original D,
The graphics and the like are converted into electric signals by the image reading sensor 3 and the image data converted into the electric signals is converted to a P (not shown).
When the data is sent to C and displayed on a display (not shown), the image data is transmitted through a communication line such as an image scanner or a telephone line.

As described above, a multi-function printer having a plurality of functions in one device is provided.

With the above configuration, it is possible to provide a small MFP having a small installation area capable of reading a bound original such as a book.

Second Embodiment FIG. 3 shows a third embodiment of the present invention.

The MFP 90 of the present embodiment is different from the MFP of the first embodiment in that the paper feed tray 73 and the paper output tray 80 of the printer unit 70 are both tilted rearward and The developing image on the photosensitive drum of the process cartridge 71 is
A transfer unit 75 for transferring the recording material P1 onto the recording material P1;
Are arranged in a vertical U-shaped conveyance path as a whole.

The flatbed type image reading section 2 is provided above the laser scanner 72 of the printer section 70 and inside the vertical U-shaped conveyance path of the printer section. In addition, 74 is a sheet feeding / conveying unit, 81 is an electrical unit, 7
Reference numerals 8 and 79 denote paper discharge rollers. When the cover on the upper surface of the paper discharge tray 80 is tilted to the near side, the recording material from the paper discharge roller 78 is discharged onto the cover which has fallen substantially horizontally. .

In the present embodiment, the angle between the paper feed tray 73 and the paper discharge tray 80 is desirably set between 45 degrees and 75 degrees from the viewpoint of reducing the installation space and the paper stackable angle. In addition, in order not to increase the installation space, the paper transport direction of the printer unit and the sub-scanning reading direction of the image reading unit are arranged so as to be orthogonal to each other.

With the above-described configuration, as in the first embodiment, it is possible to provide a small-sized MFP having a small installation area capable of reading a bound original such as a book. .

In each of the above embodiments,
Although the image forming unit is an electrophotographic type, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be, for example, an ink jet type.

[0031]

According to the present invention, a flat head type image reading section is provided inside a vertical V-shaped or U-shaped recording material conveying path of an image forming section, so that a book or a magazine can be obtained even with a small MFP. Can also be read.

Further, even though the MFP has a flatbed type image reading unit, the paper feeding tray and the paper discharging tray do not interfere with the recording material, so that the installation space is small and the tray can be hooked and dropped or damaged. There is no need to worry.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an MFP showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a right side view of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of an MFP showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a conventional MFP.

FIG. 5 is a main cross-sectional view of a conventional MFP using a flatbed type image reading apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 90 Multi-function printer (MFP) 2 Image reading unit 3 Image reading sensor 4 Platen glass 5 Pressure plate 6 Operation panel 7 Image reading sensor driving device 50, 70 Printer unit 51, 71 Process cartridge 52, 72 Laser scanner 53, 73 Paper feed trays 54, 74 Paper feed and transport unit 55, 75 Transfer unit 56, 77 Fixing unit 57, 78, 79 Discharge rollers 58, 80 Discharge tray 59 Front cover 60, 81 Electrical unit P1 Recording material P2 Printed recording material D manuscript

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An image forming apparatus having at least an image forming unit for recording information on a recording material and an image reading unit for reading a document as image data, wherein the image forming unit supports a recording material before recording. An image forming unit for vertically disposing a paper feed tray to be printed and a paper discharge tray supporting a recorded recording material so as to face each other, and forming an image on the recording material between the paper feed tray and the paper discharge tray Are arranged so as to form a vertical conveyance path having a substantially V-shaped or U-shaped cross section as a whole, and the image reading section is constituted by a flat bed type and arranged in the vertical conveyance path. Image forming device. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an angle of the paper feed tray and the paper discharge tray with respect to a horizontal plane is set between 45 degrees and 75 degrees. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a recording material conveyance direction of the vertical conveyance path is orthogonal to a sub-operation direction of the image reading unit.