JP2003208072A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To compose, as one unit, a control panel which is provided for an image forming device, thereby easily attaching and fixing the unit to a main body front frame. <P>SOLUTION: In the control panel unit 20 attached to the main body front frame 10 of the image forming device, its one end is inserted into an insertion groove 13 formed in the rear of a unit placing portion 12 in the form of a cut, and a locking claw 14 of the main body is locked on a locking projection 21 formed on the underneath of the control panel unit 20. In addition, an ADF front cover member 15 is attached to an ADF front frame by being positioned in relation to the control panel unit. The end of the control panel unit is pressed to prevent loose fitting of the control panel unit. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

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 provided with means for facilitating assembly and positioning of a control panel unit in an apparatus such as a copying machine or a facsimile.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an image forming apparatus having a combination of functions of a copying machine, a facsimile machine, a printer, etc., a paper feeding device is arranged at the lower part of the main body of the image forming device, and an image reading device is arranged at the upper part thereof. It is configured as a device with good operability. When configuring the image forming apparatus, many components are configured as a unit corresponding to each function, and when assembling, each component is sequentially incorporated into the main body frame of the device. ,assembly·
Means have been used to enable reduction of manufacturing time. In the image forming apparatus, the control panel arranged on the upper part of the front side of the apparatus main body is arranged at a position where the operator can easily see it, and has a width corresponding to the width of the apparatus main body and has many control buttons and display. The panel, display board for speed dial, buttons, numeric keypad, etc. are arranged. The control panel is configured as one plate-shaped unit, and is attached to the unit mounting portion of the image forming apparatus main body to connect the signal line, so that the assembling work can be easily performed.

[0003]

When assembling the control panel unit to the unit mounting portion of the apparatus main body, a means for screwing the unit to the unit mounting portion is used. The use of the assembling means by stopping has a problem that the number of working steps is relatively large. Therefore, it has been proposed that the assembly work can be performed without using screws. However, when a plate-shaped control panel unit is assembled by a simple positioning means, the end of the plate may float up. Inconvenience is likely to occur. Also, when some kind of shock is applied to the device, the support state of the control panel assay becomes unstable, and in the worst case, the control panel unit may come off from the unit mounting part. .

The present invention provides an image forming apparatus using an assembling means capable of favorably holding the control panel unit in the unit mounting portion and preventing the end portion of the unit from rising. Has an aim.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus having a unit mounting portion for mounting a control panel unit. The invention according to claim 1 of the present invention is characterized in that the control panel unit is pressed and fixed to a cover member of a document feeder mounted on the front side of the apparatus main body.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the control panel unit is provided with a ridge member, and the ridge member is engaged with a groove provided in the cover member for positioning.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the end portion of the control panel unit is inserted into the unit insertion groove on the rear side of the unit mounting portion, and the locking claw provided on the front side of the unit mounting portion is controlled. It is characterized in that the control panel unit is assembled to the apparatus by engaging a locking projection member formed on the other end of the panel unit.

With the above construction, when the control panel unit is assembled to the front frame of the main body, the front end portion of the unit is inserted, the rear end portion is locked by the locking means, and then the unit is Only by fixing one end of the unit with the ADF front cover member, it is possible to prevent a part of the unit from rising. The control panel unit can be easily mounted, and the control panel unit can be stably held without being unstable even when a shock or the like is applied to the apparatus body. Also,
When attaching and detaching the control panel unit, the screws are attached and detached only by opening the ADF upper cover and attaching and detaching the front cover member to the ADF front frame. Therefore, the degree of freedom in the configuration of the control panel unit is improved.

[0009]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The configuration of an image forming apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to the illustrated example. The example shown in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the image forming apparatus as viewed from the front side, showing an example of the image forming apparatus 1 configured as a multifunction machine that combines a facsimile machine and a copying machine. The image forming apparatus may be provided with a printer and other arbitrary functions, and in order to operate those functions, a control panel is provided on the upper front side of the apparatus main body as one unit ( It will be referred to as a control panel unit hereinafter). Then, as in the case of the conventional image forming apparatus, the image information of the document read by using the ADF (automatic document feeder / reader) function is transmitted by FAX, or the read image or F is read.
The apparatus is configured as an apparatus capable of performing an arbitrary operation such as recording on recording paper based on the image information received by AX.

Further, the image forming apparatus 1 is connected to a personal computer or other image information output device to receive image information created by the personal computer and record it on recording paper or to connect to other communication means. Then, it can be used as a multi-function device capable of transmitting and receiving image information. In the image forming apparatus 1, an image reading device provided on the upper part of the device main body 2 is provided as an ADF 5,
The document tray 8 and the discharge tray 9 are combined for handling the document in F5. An image recording device is arranged on the upper side of the main body 2 of the image forming apparatus 1, a sheet is fed from a paper feed tray 3 mounted on the lower side, an image is recorded on the sheet, and the upper side of the main body is provided. It is configured to discharge toward the discharge tray 4 that is present.

A support portion as shown in FIG. 2 is provided on the front side of the apparatus main body 2 of the image forming apparatus 1 in order to arrange and fix the control panel unit 20.
The front surface of the main body front frame 10 provided on the front side of the apparatus main body 2 is covered with a front cover 11, and on the rear side, the end surfaces of the main body of the apparatus and the ADF frame are located, and the unit mounting portion 12 is A unit insertion groove 13 corresponding to the thickness of the assay is formed at the end where the control panel unit is mounted. Also, locking claws 14 are provided at a predetermined lower portion on the front side of the unit mounting portion 12 so that a locking projection member 21 projectingly formed on the lower front side of the control panel unit 20 can be locked. Is configured as. The locking claws 14 may be provided so as to project on the inner surface of the front cover 11 and can be elastically held when the control panel unit 20 is mounted by being formed as an elastic member. To do so.

A screw hole 7 for screwing the ADF front cover member 15 is provided in the ADF front frame 6 which is positioned upright from the left end in the figure with respect to the unit mounting portion 12. In addition, the support shaft of the transport roller device provided in the ADF 5 and the like are arranged in a protruding state. The ADF front cover member 15 is attached to the front frame 6 so as to cover the shaft and the like protruding to the front side of the ADF 5, the upper cover of the ADF 5 is opened, and the screw 1 is inserted from the inside of the front frame 6.
By fixing 8 to the screw-fastening portion 17, the control panel unit 20 is fixedly held to the unit mounting portion 12 as described below.

The control panel unit 20 and A
The DF front cover member 15 is configured as shown in the plan view of FIG. 3, combined as shown in FIGS. 4 and 2, and assembled in the image forming apparatus. Figure 3
As shown in FIG.
Many control buttons, a display panel, a numeric keypad, a panel and buttons for speed dial setting and transmission, a start button, etc. are provided, and are almost the same as the control panel provided in the conventional image forming apparatus. Since it is configured to have the same function, description of functions and operations of various buttons and the like will be omitted. The control panel unit 20 is provided with a notch 22 formed at the tip end side on the left end side in the drawing as a portion to be combined with the ADF front cover member 15, and the notch 22 is provided with the ADF front cover member 15. A ridge member 23 to be engaged with the groove member 16 is provided, and the ridge member 23 is
The concave groove member 16 of the DF front cover member 15 is positioned. The ADF front cover member 15 and the A
By mounting and fixing a screw in the screw hole 7 of the DF front frame 6, the ADF front cover member 15 can be easily positioned and attached to the control panel unit 20.

The other tip of the control panel unit 20 is formed as a portion to be inserted into the unit insertion groove 13 when it is mounted on the unit mounting portion 12, and the unit insertion shown in FIGS. The groove 13 is formed so as to correspond to the shape such as the thickness of the groove. Further, a locking projection member 21 is provided at a lower portion on the front side of the control panel unit so as to project at a predetermined interval, and the locking projection member 21 is provided on the unit mounting portion 12 with the locking claws 14 ... …
By locking it to the control panel unit 20
It should be possible to perform regulation and holding action before and after the insertion side of.

In the image forming apparatus using the components as described above, the control panel unit 20 is mounted on the unit mounting portion 12 provided on the front frame 10 of the main body.
2 and 4, the front end of the control panel unit is first inserted into the unit insertion groove 13 of the unit mounting portion 12, and the locking projections 21 ... The locking claw 14 is elastically locked and held by being pushed into the lower part. After that, the ADF front cover member 15 is attached to the front side of the ADF front frame 6.
However, the concave groove member 16 provided on the lower surface of the ADF front cover member 15 is combined with the ridge member 23 of the control panel unit 20 to form the ADF.
The ADF front cover member 15 is positioned with respect to the control panel unit by pressing the front cover member 15 down. After that, ADF
By fixing the front frame 6 and the ADF front cover member 15 by mounting the screws 18, the action of pressing and fixing the end portion of the control panel unit 20 and the mutual positioning of both members are performed.

In the control panel unit 20 assembled as described above, it is easy to remove the control panel unit 20 from the main body front frame 10 when performing maintenance of the control mechanism and other components provided in the main body frame. Can be done. That is, when removing the control panel unit 20 assembled to the unit mounting portion 12, if the screw 18 attaching the ADF front cover member 15 to the ADF front frame 6 is first removed, the ADF front cover member 15 is easily removed. Therefore, the action of pressing and holding one end of the control panel unit 20 can be released. Next, the locking projections 21 ... Provided on the lower part of the front side of the control panel unit 20 are released from the elastic holding state of the locking claws 14 and pulled up, and the entire control panel unit 20 is pulled out to the front side. As a result, the unit mounting portion 12 of the main body front frame 10
Will be exposed.

In the control panel unit 20 constructed as described above, the unit mounting portion 1
The insert portion for mounting to the second unit 2 can be configured as a thin plate member or a rib having a narrow width, and by constructing such an insert portion, the structure of the unit insertion groove 13 provided in the front frame of the main body can be obtained. Can be simplified. Further, if the locking projection member provided at the lower portion of the control panel unit 20 is formed of a member having a large elasticity such as a spring plate, the attaching / detaching performance with respect to the locking claw 14 can be improved. Further, the portion corresponding to the holding and positioning by the ADF front cover member 15 is not particularly limited to the combination of the concave groove member and the ridge member, and other positioning means having an arbitrary shape can be used. .

[0018]

As described above, when the control panel unit is assembled to the front frame of the main body by inserting the tip portion of the unit,
It is possible to prevent a part of the unit from rising by simply locking the rear end with the locking means and then fixing one end of the unit with the ADF front cover member. The control panel unit can be easily mounted, and the control panel unit can be stably held without being unstable even when a shock or the like is applied to the apparatus body. Also,
When attaching / detaching the control panel unit, the screws are attached / detached only by attaching / detaching the ADF front cover member to / from the ADF front frame. Therefore, it is not necessary to consider the space for attaching the screws on the panel. The degree of freedom of configuration is improved. Further, by using the control panel unit, maintenance and replacement of the unit can be easily performed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of an image forming apparatus.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a configuration of a main body front frame.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the configurations of a control panel unit and an ADF front cover member.

[Fig. 4] ADF is attached to the end of the control panel unit.
It is explanatory drawing of the state fixed by the front cover member.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 image forming apparatus, 2 apparatus main body, 3 paper feed tray, 4 discharge tray, 5 ADF, 6
ADF front frame, 7 screw holes, 8 paper feed tray, 9 discharge tray, 10 body front frame, 11 front cover, 12 unit mounting part, 13 unit insertion groove, 14 locking claw, 15 ADF front cover member, 16 concave Groove member, 17 screw mounting part, 18 screw, 20
Control panel unit, 21 locking projection members, 22 notches, 23 projection members.

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    F term (reference) 2C061 AP03 AP04 BB30 CQ02                 2H071 AA18 AA48 EA06                 4E360 AB04 BA01 EA13 EC05 EC16                       ED02 ED03 ED12 ED23 ED28                       ED29 GA07 GA47 GA53 GB48                 5C062 AA02 AA05 AB20 AB30 AD02                       AD06 BA00

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An image forming apparatus having a unit mounting portion for mounting a control panel unit, wherein the control panel unit is pressed and fixed by a cover member of a document feeder mounted on the front side of the apparatus main body. An image forming apparatus characterized by the following. 2. The image according to claim 1, wherein the control panel unit is provided with a ridge member, and the ridge member is engaged with a groove provided in a cover member for positioning. Forming equipment. 3. An end portion of the control panel unit is inserted into a unit insertion groove on the rear side of the unit mounting portion, and the other end of the control panel unit is attached to a locking claw provided on the front side of the unit mounting portion. The control panel unit is assembled to the apparatus by engaging a locking projection member formed on the device.
Alternatively, the image forming apparatus described in 2.