JP2002040737A - Opening/closing mechanism for electronic equipment, image reading device and image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an opening/closing mechanism for electronic equipment capable of preventing an object placed on a top cover from dropping down at opening/closing the top cover, and to provide an image reading device and an image forming device. SOLUTION: The mechanism is provided with a supporting member 4 for controlling the opening/closing member so as to be opened/closed while keeping the attitude of the opening/closing member nearly constant on the top of the device.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to an image reading apparatus and an image forming apparatus, such as a scanner, a copier, a printer, and a facsimile apparatus, for reading an image of a document and forming an image on a sheet. In particular, the present invention relates to a mechanism for opening and closing these electronic devices.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as an image forming apparatus or an image reading apparatus of this kind, for example, in a copying machine or a document scanner, a document table for setting a document to be read is provided with a document table cover for pressing down from above. ing.

In office machines such as copiers and printers, a cover or a unit on the upper surface of the apparatus is opened in order to take measures against a malfunction of the apparatus such as a paper jam or to perform maintenance such as replenishment of ink and toner. Processing inside the device can be performed.

In any case, the cover on the upper surface of the apparatus is a mechanism that rotates about a fulcrum.

[0005]

However, in the case of the prior art as described above, if the cover on the upper surface of the apparatus is opened with the objects such as clips and originals placed on the cover on the upper surface of the apparatus, the slopes are inclined. There was a problem that would slide down.

In particular, when the cover on the upper surface of the apparatus also serves as a paper discharge tray for stocking a document or a sheet, if the document or the sheet is discharged to the tray, a phenomenon that the document or the sheet always falls is generated.

In an apparatus which also serves as a paper discharge tray,
In order to prevent this, there has been proposed an apparatus having a mechanism in which when a cover on the upper surface is opened, a member for pressing a document or a sheet on a discharge tray comes out.

However, the above-mentioned mechanism requires a separate member for holding the sheet, which complicates the mechanism, increases the cost, and also makes it difficult to hold all small items such as clips.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide an electronic apparatus capable of preventing an object from falling on an upper cover when the upper cover is opened and closed. Opening and closing mechanism, an image reading apparatus, and an image forming apparatus.

[0010]

According to the present invention, there is provided an opening / closing mechanism for an electronic apparatus, wherein an opening / closing member provided on an upper surface of an apparatus opens the upper surface of the apparatus by separating from an apparatus main body. And a posture holding means for opening and closing the opening and closing member while holding the posture of the opening and closing member on the upper surface of the apparatus substantially constant.

The posture holding means has one end connected to the apparatus main body,
It is also preferable to provide at least three support members whose other ends are rotatably supported by the opening / closing members, respectively, so that the rotation surfaces formed by the rotation of the support members are parallel to each other.

[0012] It is also preferable that two of the support members are provided on each of the opposing surfaces of the opening / closing member which are parallel to the direction in which the opening / closing member is separated from the apparatus main body.

The mounting portion of the opening / closing member and the mounting portion of the apparatus main body, on which the support member is provided, are respectively disposed on substantially the same plane, and the two planes are substantially parallel to each other. It is also preferred that the lengths are equal.

It is preferable that an edge surrounding a part of the upper surface is provided on the upper surface of the opening / closing member.

The image reading apparatus includes image reading means for reading image information of a document placed on a document table, and an opening / closing mechanism for the electronic device described above. It is characterized as a cover.

A document feeder for feeding / discharging the document whose image information has been read by the image reading means; and an opening / closing member having a document placing portion for placing the document discharged by the document feeder. It is also suitable.

In the image forming apparatus, an image forming means for forming an image on a sheet, a sheet conveying means for conveying and discharging the sheet on which the image is formed by the image forming means, And a mechanism, wherein the opening and closing member includes a sheet mounting portion for mounting the sheet conveyed and discharged by the sheet conveying means.

It is also preferable that the conveying path of the sheet conveyed / discharged by the sheet conveying means is opened by separating the opening / closing member from the apparatus main body.

[0019]

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the dimensions of the components described in this embodiment,
The material, the shape, and the relative arrangement thereof should be appropriately changed depending on the configuration of the apparatus to which the invention is applied and various conditions, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention to the following embodiments.

(Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a copying machine as an image forming apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, and FIG. It is a schematic perspective view showing the state which raised.

Reference numeral 1 denotes a copying machine main body, 2 denotes a document table on which a document is set, and 3 denotes a document table cover as an opening / closing member for pressing the document from above. The platen cover 3 is the copier body 1
On the other hand, it is supported by four support members 4 as posture holding means. The support member 4 is rotatably supported by a receiving portion (mounting portion) 1a with the copying machine main body 1 and by a receiving portion (mounting portion) 3a with the platen cover 3.

Here, the support member 4 is provided on a surface parallel to the direction in which the platen cover 3 is raised, among the opposing surfaces of the platen cover 3, and the receiving portion of the platen cover 3 on which the support member 4 is provided. 3a and the receiving portion 1a of the copying machine main body 1 are respectively arranged on substantially the same plane, the two planes are substantially parallel, and the length of the support member 4 is equal.

The platen cover 3 is raised while moving rearward because two support members 4 on one side and four support members 4 on both sides rotate about the receiving portion 1a of the copying machine body 1. At this time, the platen cover 3 moves while maintaining the initial posture, that is, the upper surface is kept horizontal. Then, the rear portion of the platen cover 3 comes into contact with the rising surface 1b of the copying machine main body 1 to be in the open position.

In this state, the operator places the original on the original platen 2, and this time, the original plate cover 3
Is set, the setting of the original is completed. Thereafter, the user can press a start key or the like for starting copying to obtain a copy of the document.

In a series of operations for opening and closing the platen cover 3, the position of the platen cover 3 moves while maintaining the horizontal state, so that a clip or a document is placed on the top of the platen cover 3. Even they do not fall.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3, by providing a wall (edge) 7 on the upper surface of the document table cover 3, it is possible to more reliably prevent a clip or a document from falling.

Even when a thick material such as a book is placed on the platen 2, the platen cover 3 moves while maintaining the horizontal state, so that the book can be pressed firmly. It will not be shifted and copied.

It is also preferable that the document platen cover 3 has a paper discharge tray as a document mounting portion on which the document after copying is discharged by the document conveying means.

The number of the support members 4 may be three, and the platen cover 3 can be moved while maintaining the initial posture, that is, the upper surface is kept horizontal.

(Embodiment 2) FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view showing Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

Reference numeral 101 denotes a scanner as an image reading device for electrically reading an image of a document, and 111 denotes a scanner 1
01 is a rack for holding the scanner 101;
Is a printer as an image forming apparatus that prints an image of a document read by the printer.

The scanner 101 and the printer 121 are connected by a cable (not shown), and image data of a document read by the scanner 101 is sent to the printer 121 via the cable.

The scanner 101 is the same as in the first embodiment.
A document platen cover 102 for pressing a document from above, and a document holder 4 which rotates with respect to the scanner 101 and supports the document platen cover 4
It has a book supporting member 103. Platen cover 102
Are the same as those in the first embodiment, and a description thereof will be omitted.

The printer 121 has four casters 122
, And the rear part is integrated with the rack 111. Reference numeral 123 denotes an upper surface cover as an openable and closable member, and reference numeral 124 denotes a sheet discharge tray as a sheet placement unit for discharging sheets printed by the printer 121 by sheet conveying means.

The paper discharge tray 124 has a structure integral with the top cover 123. The upper cover 123 moves up with respect to the printer main body while moving to the left in FIG. 4 as the four support members 125 rotate.

At this time, the upper cover 123 moves while maintaining the initial posture, that is, the upper surface is kept horizontal. The position shown by the one-dot chain line is the open position of the top cover 123.

In the present embodiment, the upper cover 12
Reference numeral 3 covers a transport path along which the sheet is transported.

If a paper jam occurs in the main body during the printing operation, for example, the operator opens the upper cover 123 to remove the jammed paper. Then, since the top cover 123 is opened at the position indicated by the dashed line, the operator can reach inside the main body and remove the jammed paper.

At this time, at the same time as the upper cover 123 moves to the open position, the printed sheet discharged to the discharge tray 124 also moves, but moves while maintaining the same posture as the closed state. It does not fall from the paper tray 124.

After removing the jammed paper, the operator closes the top cover 123 in the reverse procedure. Also at this time, the top cover 123 moves while maintaining the horizontal state.

Further, since the operator sets a document on the scanner and takes a sheet on the paper discharge tray of the printer, the height of the document table and the paper discharge tray need to be arranged at a position which is easy to operate. The greater the space required for opening the top cover of the printer, the greater the height of either the document table or the paper discharge tray becomes. Even in such a case, the platen cover 102 and the top cover 1
23 is very effective and can maintain operability.

[0042]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Since there is provided posture holding means for opening and closing the opening / closing member while holding the posture of the opening / closing member on the upper surface of the apparatus substantially constant,
When a document, a clip, a sheet, or the like is placed on the opening / closing member, the opening / closing operation of the opening / closing member does not cause them to drop. Can be used.

Further, since the opening and closing member is opened and closed by the rotation mechanism of the support member, the structure can be simplified, and the operation and the opening and closing position can be stabilized.

Further, even when reading an image by placing a thick material such as a book on the platen, the platen cover opens and closes while maintaining the horizontal state, so that the document can be pressed firmly regardless of the thickness of the book. .

The opening and closing member can be opened and closed even if the space in the height direction is narrow, so that the opening and closing operation of the opening and closing member can be performed without deteriorating the operability.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment, and shows a state in which a platen cover is closed.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a state in which a platen cover is opened to an open position from the state of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a state in which a wall is provided on the document table cover of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view showing an image forming apparatus according to a second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Copier main body 1a Receiving part 1b Start-up surface 2 Document table 3 Document table cover 3a Receiving part 4 Support member 101 Scanner 102 Document table cover 103 Support member 111 Rack 121 Printer 122 Caster 123 Top cover 124 Discharge tray 125 Support member

Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat II (reference) H04N 1/10 H05K 5/03 A 4E360 1/107 H04N 1/10 5C072 H05K 5/03 F term (reference) 2H012 CB12 2H071 AA38 AA46 BA14 DA01 2H072 FB02 FB06 2H076 BA08 BA47 BA52 BB25 3F054 AA02 AC01 BA02 BC14 DA12 4E360 BA02 BB16 GB44 GB48 5C072 AA01 BA02 BA13 BA20 LA02 LA08 LA17 XA01

Claims (9)

[Claims] An opening / closing mechanism for an electronic device in which an opening / closing member provided on an upper surface of an apparatus is separated from an apparatus main body to open the upper surface of the apparatus, wherein the posture of the opening / closing member on the upper surface of the apparatus is maintained substantially constant. An opening and closing mechanism for an electronic device, comprising: a posture holding unit that opens and closes an opening and closing member. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the posture holding means has one end connected to the apparatus main body,
At least three support members, each having the other end pivotally supported by the opening / closing member, such that rotation surfaces formed by the rotation of the support member are parallel to each other. Item 2. An electronic device opening / closing mechanism according to Item 1. 3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein two of said support members are provided on a surface of said open / close member which faces in parallel with a direction in which said open / close member is separated from the apparatus main body. An opening / closing mechanism for the electronic device according to the above. 4. The mounting portion of the opening and closing member and the mounting portion of the apparatus main body, on which the support member is provided, are respectively disposed on substantially the same plane, and the two planes are substantially parallel to each other. 4. The electronic device opening / closing mechanism according to claim 2, wherein the members have the same length. 5. The electronic device opening / closing mechanism according to claim 1, wherein an edge surrounding a partial area of the upper surface is provided on an upper surface of the opening / closing member. 6. An image reading means for reading image information of a document placed on a document table, and an electronic device opening / closing mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein: An image reading device, wherein the image reading device serves as a cover of the document table. 7. An original document conveying means for conveying and ejecting an original whose image information has been read by said image reading means, wherein said opening / closing member is an original placing section for placing an original discharged by said original conveying means. The image reading device according to claim 6, further comprising: 8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: an image forming unit that forms an image on the sheet; and a sheet conveying unit that conveys and discharges the sheet on which the image is formed by the image forming unit. An image forming apparatus comprising: an opening / closing mechanism for an electronic device; wherein the opening / closing member includes a sheet placement unit for placing a sheet conveyed and discharged by the sheet conveyance unit. 9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the opening / closing member is separated from the apparatus main body to open a conveying path of the sheet conveyed / discharged by the sheet conveying means.