JP2003051683A - Electric cable mounting unit, image read device and imaging device equipped therewith - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electric cable mounting unit, which is inexpensive and capable of easily assembling an electric cable and a board together without using cable clamps. SOLUTION: An electric cable mounting unit 31 connects an electrical cable 7, extending from a body unit to a manuscript automatic feed unit whose one end is linked to the body unit by a hinge unit in an openable manner, so as to join the electric cable 7 to a connector 8a located on a board provided to the manuscript automatic feed unit and fastens the electrical cable 7 to the board with a binding band 9.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention electrically connects an opening / closing body, one end of which is openably / closably connected to a main body of an apparatus, to the main body of the apparatus to open / close an electric cable wired on the side of the one end. An electric cable attachment device to be attached to a body, an image reading device to which an electric cable is attached by the electric cable attachment device to read an image, and an image forming apparatus to form an image on a sheet based on image information read by the image reading device And about.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, image forming apparatuses for forming an image on a sheet include a copying machine, a facsimile machine, a printer, and a composite machine of these.

Of the image forming apparatuses, for example, a copying machine (including a copying machine that also serves as a facsimile) is equipped with an image reading device for reading an image of a sheet-shaped sheet document or a book-shaped book document.

The image reading device includes an image reading unit. The image reading unit reads an original set by a user on an original table provided on an upper surface of a main body of the image reading apparatus by an optical system.

Further, the image reading apparatus has an automatic document feeding section so that a plurality of sheet originals can be continuously read, such as the image reading apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-270895. Some are equipped with.

The copying machine 50 shown in FIG. 6 is provided with an image reading device 57 having an automatic document feeder 52 at the top. The image reading unit (not shown) of the image reading device 57 has a document table and is incorporated in the upper portion of the device main body 51 of the copying machine 50.

The automatic document feeder 52 automatically feeds a plurality of sheet documents to a document table provided on the upper surface of the main body 51 of the apparatus. Further, the rear side portion (the front side portion of the paper surface of FIG. 6) of the automatic document feeder 52 is
It is connected to the rear side portion of the apparatus main body 51 by a pair of connecting mechanisms 53, 53. That is, the automatic document feeder 52
Is rotated up and down by the user to open and close the document table.

Further, each of the connecting mechanisms 53, 53 can be slid vertically by using a vertical hole 58 formed in a rear side portion of the apparatus main body 51 as a guide. Therefore,
When the user sets a book-shaped original in which a plurality of originals are bound on the original table, the automatic original supply unit 52 slides upward together with the pair of coupling mechanisms 53, 53 to form the book-shaped original. The original can be covered.

On the back side of this type of copying machine, a cable 54 consisting of a signal code for transmitting and receiving control signals and a power cord for supplying electric power is provided between the apparatus main body 51 and the automatic document feeder 52. There is. One end of the cable 54 is connected to a control board inside the apparatus main body 51. The other end of the cable 54 passes through a through hole 59 formed in the side plate on the rear surface side of the device body 51.
7 and is inserted into the automatic document feeder 52 from the back side of the automatic document feeder 52 with a proper slack portion as shown in FIG. And
The other end of the cable 54 is connected to a relay board 55 in the automatic document feeder 52 by a connector 70.

The cable 54 is directly fixedly held to the automatic document feeder 52 by a cable clamp 56 fixed to the automatic document feeder 52 by a screw 61 for fixing. An inner portion of the automatic document feeder 52 with respect to the cable clamp 56 is fastened by a bundle band 57.
By this cable clamp 56 and the bundle band 57,
Even if the cable 54 is pulled from the outside, the cable 54 does not come off or external force is not transmitted to the relay board 55.

[0011]

However, in the conventional image reading apparatus, after the cable 54 and the relay board 55 are attached to the automatic document feeder 52, the cable clamp 56 is attached to the automatic document feeder 52 with the screw 61. The procedure was necessary and the workability was poor.

Further, the cost of the cable clamp 56 and the screw 61 for fixing the cable clamp 56 is required.

The present invention makes it easy to assemble an electric cable and a substrate and does not require a cable clamp, and a low-cost electric cable attaching device, and an image reading apparatus and an image forming apparatus including the electric cable attaching device. The purpose is to provide a device.

[0014]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An electric cable attaching device of the present invention comprises a device main body for electrically connecting an opening / closing body whose one end is openably and closably connected by a connecting mechanism to the device main body. The electric cable is connected to the opening / closing body, the electric cable is connected to a connector on a board provided on the opening / closing body, and the electric cable is fixed to the board by fixing means.

In the electric cable attaching device of the present invention, the opening / closing body is provided with a receiving portion that receives the substrate when the electric cable is pulled in the pulling direction of the electric cable.

The electric cable of the electric cable attaching device of the present invention has a slack portion between the connector and the fixing means and is fixed to the substrate.

In order to achieve the above object, an image reading apparatus of the present invention includes an image reading unit for reading an image of an original and an image reading unit in which one end is openably and closably connected to the image reading unit by a connecting mechanism to close the original. An original supply means for supplying and an electric cable electrically connecting the image reading means and the original supply means are provided, and one end of the electric cable is connected to the original supply means by any one of the electric cable attachment devices. The apparatus main body is the image reading means, and the opening / closing body is the document feeding means.

The image reading means of the image reading apparatus of the present invention is provided with a guide portion for allowing the movement of the connecting mechanism so that the document feeding means can be separated from the image reading means.

In order to achieve the above object, the image forming apparatus of the present invention is an image forming device for forming an image on a sheet based on any one of the image reading device and the image information read by the image reading device. And are equipped with.

The image forming apparatus of the present invention has an image reading means for reading an image of an original and an image having an original feeding means for feeding the original in a closed state, one end of which is openably and closably connected to the image reading means by a connecting mechanism. A reading device, an image forming unit that is provided in the image reading unit and forms an image on a sheet based on image information read by the image reading unit, the image forming unit, and the document supply unit are electrically connected to each other. An electric cable to be connected, wherein one end of the electric cable is attached to the document feeding means by any one of the electric cable attaching devices,
The apparatus main body is the image reading unit and the image forming unit, and the opening / closing body is the document supply unit.

The image reading means of the image forming apparatus of the present invention is provided with a guide portion for allowing the movement of the connecting mechanism so that the document feeding means can be separated from the image reading means.

[0022]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An electric cable attaching device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. This electric cable attaching device is adapted to the electric cable of the copying machine which is the image forming apparatus, but is not limited to the copying machine only. It is also adapted to printers, facsimiles, and composite machines of these.

FIG. 1 is a front view of a copying machine which is an image forming apparatus. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the copying machine as seen from the upper rear side. FIG. 3 is a rear upper perspective view of the image reading apparatus with the rear cover 1a of the automatic document supply unit 1 removed. Figure 4
FIG. 3 is a plan view of the image reading apparatus with the back cover 1a of the automatic document supply unit 1 removed.

(Copier) The copier 100 has the image reading device 20 on the upper part of the main unit 3 as a part of the mechanism of the copier. The image reading device 20 includes a reading unit (image reading means) 2 provided on an upper portion of the main body unit 3, and an automatic document feeding unit (opening / closing body, document feeding means) 1 provided on the upper portion of the reading unit 2 so as to be freely opened and closed. Is equipped with.
Inside the main body unit 3, there are provided a sheet tray for storing sheets in a bundle and an image forming unit for forming an image on the sheets.

(Image Reading Device) The image reading device 20 includes an automatic document supply unit 1 and a reading unit 2. In the automatic document supply unit 1, the user can set the original tray 5
The sheet stack placed on the
It is designed to automatically feed each sheet. Further, the automatic document feeding unit 1 reads the originals when the user puts one sheet original on the platen glass (not shown) of the reading unit 2 or puts a book-like book original on the reading unit 2. It also functions as a pressure plate unit that is pressed against the sheet 2 to ensure that the reading unit 2 can read the document.

The reading unit 2 has a platen glass (not shown), a contact image sensor (not shown), and the like. On the front part of the main body unit 3, an operation panel 4 having keys and a display plate necessary for operating the entire copying machine is provided.
The automatic document supply unit 1 and the reading unit 2 have a pair of hinge units (coupling mechanisms) 6, 6 on the rear end side (one end side).
It is connected so that it can be opened and closed.

A control board (not shown) in the main body unit 3 and a relay board (board) 8 in the automatic document supply unit 1 are electrically connected by an electric cable 7. The electric cable 7 is formed of a signal code for transmitting and receiving a control signal and a power cord for supplying electric power to the reading motor 11 shown in FIG.

The hinge unit 6 is a main unit so that when a thick original such as a book is placed on the platen glass, the automatic original supply unit 1 can be separated from the platen glass by the thickness of the original. The inside of the vertical hole (guide portion) 23 formed in 3 can be slid vertically. For this reason, the electric cable 7 is provided with an appropriate slack that can cope with a change in the relative positional relationship between the automatic document supply unit 1 and the reading unit 2.

(Electrical Cable Mounting Device of First Embodiment) As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the electric cable 7 is attached to the relay board 8 of the electrical cable mounting device 31 by the connector 8
It is connected by a. Connector 8a on relay board 8
Is connected to the reading motor 11 by a connection cable (not shown).
A document detection sensor (not shown) and a document edge detection sensor (not shown) are connected.

The electric cable 7 is firmly coupled to the relay board 8 by a bundle band (fixing means) 9 that passes through the hole 8b of the relay board 8. Further, since an appropriate slack 7a is provided between the connecting portion of the electric cable 7 by the bundle band 9 and the connector 8a at the tip, even if an external force is applied to the electric cable 7. The connector 8a is prevented from being damaged.

The relay board 8 integrally connected to the electric cable 7 is passed through the electric cable 7 through the cutout portion 1c of the abutting plate (receiving portion) 1b integrally formed on the frame 15 of the automatic document feeding unit 1. The relay board 8 is fixed to the frame 15 of the automatic document supply unit 1 with a screw 10 in a state where one side of the relay board 8 is in contact with the butting plate 1b.

Therefore, even if an external force is applied to the electric cable 7 in the outward direction of the apparatus (the direction of pulling out the cable), the relay board 8 is received by the abutting plate 1b, and the relay board to the automatic document feeding unit 1 is received. A sufficient mounting strength of 8 can be obtained.

(Electric Cable Attachment Device of Second Embodiment) The electrical cable attachment device 3 of the first embodiment described above.
In No. 1, the relay board 8 is fixed to the frame 15 of the automatic document supply unit 1 by the screw 10, but the relay board 8 is not limited to being attached to the frame 15 by the screw 10.

That is, as in the electric cable attaching device 32 of the second embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the relay board 8 is
Locking claw 12 projecting on the frame 15 and a pair of hooks 1
You may fix to the frame 15 with 4,14.

Since the frame 15 is made of resin, the interlocking substrate 8 is assembled with the locking claw 12 and the pair of hooks 14, 1.
4 is also made of resin, and is performed by utilizing the elastic deformation of the frame 15, the locking claw 12, the pair of hooks 14 and 14, and the relay board 8.

The electric cable attaching device 32 of the second embodiment is the electric cable attaching device 31 of the first embodiment.
Since the screw 10 is unnecessary, the cost can be further reduced as compared with the electric cable attaching device 31 of the first embodiment. In the case of the electric cable attachment device 32 of the second embodiment, by providing the frame 15 with the second abutting plate 13 on the side opposite to the abutting plate 1b of the relay substrate 8, the relay substrate 8 of the relay substrate 8 can be used without using screws. The rattling can be reduced.

As described above, in the electric cable attaching devices 31 and 32 of the first and second embodiments, the electric cable 7 and the relay board 8 are integrally connected by the bundle band 9 to automatically feed the original. The attachment to the unit 1 is facilitated and the assemblability is improved.

Further, since the electric cable 7 and the relay board 8 are not individually fixed to the automatic document supply unit 1, no cable clamp is required, and the number of screws can be reduced, so that the cost can be reduced.

Further, the notch 1 for passing the electric cable 7
By fixing the relay board 8 at a position where it hits the abutting plate 1b having c, it is possible to obtain sufficient strength against an external force applied to the electric cable 7.

By providing an appropriate slack 7a between the connecting portion between the electric cable 7 and the relay substrate 8 and the connector 8a portion, damage to the connector 8a can be prevented even if an external force is applied to the electric cable 7. it can.

In addition, the cost is low, and the image reading apparatus and the image forming apparatus provided with the electric cable attachment device according to any one of the first and second embodiments, in which the cable does not come off even if an external force is applied to the cable, In addition, it is possible to reduce the failure due to the disconnection of the electric cable, and it is possible to perform the reading operation and the image forming operation in a stable state for a long period.

The electric cable 7 in the above-described embodiments is provided with a control board (not shown) in the main unit 3 (both units correspond to the main body of the apparatus) having the reading unit 2 and a relay board in the automatic document supply unit 1. Although the (board) 8 is electrically connected, the control board (not shown) in the reading unit (apparatus main body) 2 and the relay board 8 in the automatic document supply unit 1 are electrically connected. May be. In any case, the electric cable attaching device of the present invention can be applied. The reading unit 2 and the main body unit 3 may be integrated, or may be provided in a common frame.

[0043]

The electric cable attaching device of the present invention is
Since the electric cable is integrated with the substrate by the fixing means and then the substrate is incorporated into the opening / closing body, the substrate can be easily assembled to the opening / closing body.

Moreover, it is not necessary to use a cable clamp which has conventionally attached an electric cable to an opening / closing body, and the cost of the electric cable attaching apparatus can be reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a copying machine which is an image forming apparatus including an electric cable attachment device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

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

FIG. 3 is a rear upper perspective view of the copying machine of the copying machine of FIG. 1 with a rear cover of the automatic document supply unit removed.
It is a perspective view of the electric cable attachment apparatus of 1st Embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the copying machine of the copying machine of FIG. 1 with a rear cover of an automatic document supply unit removed, and a plan view of the electric cable attaching device of the first embodiment.

5 is a plan view of the copying machine of FIG. 1 with a rear cover of an automatic document supply unit removed, and a plan view of an electric cable attaching device of a second embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a rear view of a copying machine which is an image forming apparatus including a conventional electric cable attachment device.

7 is a plan view of the copier with the rear cover of the automatic document supply unit of the copier of FIG. 6 removed, and is a plan view of a conventional electric cable attachment device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Automatic Document Feeding Unit (Opening / Closing Body, Document Feeding Means) 1a Rear Cover 1b Abutting Plate (Receiving Section) 1c Notch 2 Reading Unit (Device Main Body, Image Reading Means) 3 Main Body Unit (Device Main Body, Image Forming Means) 6 Hinge unit (coupling mechanism) 7 Electric cable 7a Loose portion of electric cable 8 Relay board (board) 8a Connector 9 Bundle band (fixing means) 12 Locking claw 13 Second abutting plate 14 Hook 15 Automatic document feeding unit Frame 20 Image reading device 23 Vertical hole (guide portion) 31 Electric cable mounting device 32 Electric cable mounting device 100 Copier (image forming device)

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Masakatsu Yamada             3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo             Non non corporation (72) Inventor Yasushi Ishida             3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo             Non non corporation (72) Inventor Shigeyuki Sugiyama             3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo             Non non corporation (72) Inventor Takuma Suzuki             3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo             Non non corporation F-term (reference) 2H071 BA20 DA18 DA34 EA08                 4E352 AA02 AA03 AA16 BB02 BB04                       CC40 DD04 DR19 GG12 GG15                       GG27                 5C072 AA01 BA02 DA25 EA07 LA08                       XA01                 5E021 FB07 FB14 FC01 FC32 GA04                       GB06

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. An electric cable attachment for connecting an electric cable from an apparatus main body to the opening / closing body to electrically connect the opening / closing body whose one end is openably and closably connected to the apparatus main body with the apparatus main body. In the device, the electric cable attaching device is characterized in that the electric cable is connected to a connector on a board provided on the opening / closing body, and the electric cable is fixed to the board by fixing means. 2. The electric cable attaching device according to claim 1, wherein the opening / closing body is provided with a receiving portion that receives the substrate when the electric cable is pulled in a pull-out direction of the electric cable. 3. The electric cable attaching device according to claim 1, wherein the electric cable is fixed to the substrate with a slack portion between the connector and the fixing means. . 4. An image reading means for reading an image of an original, an original feeding means for feeding the original in a closed state with one end openably and closably connected to the image reading means by a connecting mechanism, the image reading means and the An electric cable electrically connecting to the document feeding means, wherein one end of the electric cable is attached to the document feeding means by the electric cable attaching device according to any one of claims 1 to 3. The image reading apparatus is characterized in that the apparatus main body is the image reading unit, and the opening / closing body is the document supply unit. 5. The image according to claim 4, wherein the image reading unit includes a guide unit that allows the document feeding unit to be separated from the image reading unit and allows the movement of the connecting mechanism. Reader. 6. The image reading apparatus according to claim 4 or 5, and an image forming unit that forms an image on a sheet based on image information read by the image reading apparatus. Image forming apparatus. 7. An image reading apparatus having an image reading unit for reading an image of an original and an original reading unit for feeding the original in a closed state with one end openably and closably connected to the image reading unit by a connecting mechanism; An image forming unit that is provided in the reading unit and forms an image on a sheet based on image information read by the image reading apparatus; and an electric cable that electrically connects the image forming unit and the document supply unit. 4. An end of the electric cable is attached to the document feeding means by the electric cable attaching device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, and the apparatus main body is attached to the image reading means and the image forming unit. An image forming apparatus, wherein the opening / closing body is the document supply unit. 8. The image according to claim 7, wherein the image reading unit includes a guide unit that allows the movement of the connecting mechanism so that the document feeding unit can be separated from the image reading unit. Forming equipment.