JP2005017425A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To miniaturize an apparatus and to enhance an operability at attaching/detaching a cartridge. <P>SOLUTION: As for the MFP where a paper is fed in the forward and backward directions of the apparatus in a recording part, and also, the paper is ejected in the housing, and an image forming part as a cartridge is attachable/detachable, and an image reading part is arranged on the recording part, by arranging a cartridge cover on the front side of the recording part, is provided. The image forming apparatus in which miniaturization of the apparatus and an improvement in attachment and detachment of the cartridge are attained by allowing a part of or all of the cartridge to be exposed outside the apparatus when the cartridge cover is opened, is provided. The image forming apparatus in which double covers are arranged on the front side of the recording part, and one of the covers functions as the cartridge cover, is provided. The image forming apparatus in which a manual paper feed tray is arranged outside the double covers. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as an MFP provided with an image reading unit and an image forming unit such as a copying machine and a facsimile.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, an MFP will be described as an example of an image forming apparatus having this type of image reading unit and image forming unit.
[0003]
Conventionally, this type of MFP has been configured as follows.
[0004]
An image forming unit that forms an image by transferring toner onto the recording paper surface based on an image signal while conveying the recording paper in the front-rear direction of the apparatus, a fixing unit that fixes the toner on the recording paper surface, and a lower part of the apparatus Alternatively, a recording paper feeding unit that is provided on the front surface of the apparatus and that supplies recording paper to the image forming unit, and a paper discharge unit that discharges the recording paper after fixing is discharged above the image forming unit and the fixing unit. An image recording unit main body configured with a paper discharge tray on which recording paper is stacked, and an image reading unit disposed above the image recording unit main body, and the image forming unit is a detachable cartridge. Constitution.
[0005]
The printer has the following configuration.
[0006]
An image forming unit that forms an image by transferring toner onto the recording paper surface based on an image signal while conveying the recording paper in the front-rear direction of the apparatus, a fixing unit that fixes the toner on the recording paper surface, and a lower part of the apparatus Alternatively, a recording paper feeding unit that is provided on the front surface of the apparatus and that supplies recording paper to the image forming unit, and a paper discharge unit that discharges the recording paper after fixing is discharged above the image forming unit and the fixing unit. An image recording unit main body configured with a paper discharge tray on which recording paper is stacked, and the image forming unit is a detachable cartridge, and the cover provided on the upper surface of the printer is opened and closed to open and close the cover. A configuration in which the cartridge is removable (for example, Patent Document 1).
[0007]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-220824
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the MFP, as in the case of the printer, the configuration in which the cartridge is replaced by opening and closing the cover provided on the upper surface of the image recording unit main body has the following drawbacks.
[0009]
In the previous configuration, since the image reading unit and the paper discharge tray are located above the image recording unit main body, the operability is difficult in the configuration in which the cartridge is replaced by opening and closing the cover provided on the upper surface of the image recording unit main body. there were.
[0010]
Further, since the space required on the image recording unit main body when the cartridge is attached / detached is larger than the space required on the upper side of the paper discharge tray on which the discharged recording paper is stacked, The position in the height direction is restricted by the mounting / demounting operation of the cartridge, and it is difficult to reduce the size of the apparatus.
[0011]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-described problems, an image forming unit that forms an image by transferring toner onto a recording paper surface based on an image signal while conveying the recording paper in the front-rear direction of the apparatus, and the toner on the recording paper surface A fixing unit for fixing, a recording paper feeding unit that is provided at the lower part of the apparatus or in front of the apparatus and supplies recording paper to the image forming part, and a recording sheet after fixing is discharged to the upper part of the image forming part and the fixing part. The image forming unit includes an image recording unit main body including a paper discharge unit and a paper discharge tray on which the discharged recording paper is stacked, and an image reading unit disposed above the image recording unit main body. In the image forming apparatus having a removable cartridge, when the cover provided on the front surface of the image recording unit main body is opened, the cartridge comes out of the image recording unit main body, and the outside of the image recording unit main body. Since the position of the image reading unit is no longer restricted by the cartridge attachment and detachment, the image reading unit can be brought closer to the image recording unit main body, and the apparatus can be downsized. In addition, it has become possible to improve the cartridge take-out performance by operating from the front.
[0012]
Further, by providing a cover for attaching / detaching the cartridge provided on the front surface of the image recording unit main body in the same space as the manual feed tray, the apparatus can be further reduced in size.
[0013]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
(Example 1)
First, as an example of an image forming apparatus constructed according to the present invention shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, a multi-function multifunction peripheral (hereinafter referred to as MFP) having a facsimile function, a printer function, a book, and a copy function for reading and copying a sheet document. Take up. Here, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the MFP of the present invention as seen from the diagonally left front. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus when the MFP is viewed from the left side, and FIG. 3 is a view of the MFP when viewed from the front.
[0014]
(Overall description)
An outline of the entire MFP will be described with reference to FIGS.
[0015]
1-3, 100 is an apparatus main body, A direction is an apparatus near direction.
[0016]
Reference numeral 101 denotes a flatbed scanner (in this embodiment, the image reading unit is a book type).
[0017]
Reference numeral 104 denotes a recording device unit including a laser beam printer.
[0018]
Reference numeral 112 denotes a cassette paper feeding unit in which recording paper P is stored. A sheet feeding roller 112 a separates the recording sheet P from the cassette sheet feeding unit and conveys it to the image forming unit 111. A manual paper feed unit 113 separates one sheet of recording paper P stacked on the manual feed tray 113b by a manual separation unit 113a including a paper feed roller and a separation piece, and conveys the recording paper P to the image forming unit 111.
[0019]
Reference numeral 110 denotes a laser scanner, 111 denotes an image forming unit, and 111a denotes a toner cartridge. Inside the toner cartridge 111a, a photosensitive drum 111c, a charging unit 111e, a developing unit 111d, a cleaning unit 111f, and a toner are stored in an integrated container. Has been. Reference numeral 111b denotes a transfer roller. Here, the toner is transferred onto the recording paper while the recording paper is conveyed between the photosensitive drum 111c and the transfer roller 111b.
[0020]
A fixing unit 114 heats and fixes the toner transferred onto the recording paper by the image forming unit 111.
[0021]
Reference numeral 115 denotes a face-down paper discharge unit (referred to as an FD paper discharge unit) that discharges the recording paper P with the image side down.
[0022]
Reference numeral 116 denotes a face-down discharge tray (FD discharge tray) on which the recording paper P discharged after recording is stacked with the image side down.
[0023]
Reference numeral 117 denotes a face-up paper discharge unit (hereinafter referred to as an FU paper discharge unit) that discharges the image after recording on the top surface.
[0024]
With the above configuration, the recording apparatus unit 104 is configured to feed the recording paper P, form an image, and discharge the paper by transporting the recording paper P in the front-rear direction (E direction) of the apparatus.
[0025]
An operation unit 105 includes a display unit, input keys, and the like. The operation unit 105 is provided on the front side of the apparatus and is configured so that a user can operate from the front side of the apparatus.
[0026]
Next, details and operations of each unit will be described.
(Recording unit)
Next, a detailed configuration and operation of the recording apparatus unit will be described.
[0027]
The conveyance direction of the recording paper P is indicated by an arrow G in FIG. The recording device unit 104 is disposed at the lower part of the device. Here, first, a cassette paper feeding unit 112 is disposed at the bottom of the recording device unit 104 as a recording paper feeding port. The sheet material P stacked on the sheet feeding cassette 112b is separated and conveyed one by one by the sheet feeding roller 112a, further conveyed by a conveying roller (not shown), and sent to the image forming unit 111.
[0028]
Here, the paper feeding cassette 112b can be set in front of the apparatus (jame A) and pulled out in front of the apparatus to perform recording paper jamming.
[0029]
Reference numeral 113 denotes a manual sheet feeder, which is disposed on the front surface of the apparatus. The recording paper P loaded on the manual feed tray 113b is separated and conveyed by the manual feed separation unit 113a and sent to the image forming unit 111.
[0030]
Here, the setting of the recording paper on the manual feed tray 113b can be performed from the front side of the apparatus.
[0031]
The recording paper P sent from the cassette paper feeding unit 112 or the manual paper feeding unit 113 to the image forming unit 111 is conveyed between the transfer roller 111b and the photosensitive drum 111c.
[0032]
The recording apparatus main body 104 emits image light from the laser scanner 110 based on the image signal output from the recording control board 119, and irradiates this image light to the photosensitive drum 111 c of the image forming unit 111, and the photosensitive drum. An electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of 111c, the electrostatic latent image is converted into a toner image by the developing unit 111d, and the toner image is transferred to the recording paper P fed from the cassette paper feeding unit 112 to the image forming unit 111. To do.
[0033]
The photosensitive drum 111 c is integrally incorporated in the toner cartridge 111 a together with the charging unit, the developing unit, and the cleaning unit, and is configured to be detachable from the recording apparatus main body 104.
[0034]
Here, a cover (hereinafter referred to as a cartridge cover) that can be opened and closed by the user is provided at the front of the image forming unit 111 and at the back of the manual feed tray 113b, and when the toner cartridge 111a is replaced or at the image forming unit 111. When the recording paper is jammed, the toner cartridge 111a can be attached and detached by opening the manual feed tray 113b and the cartridge cover 118 from the front of the apparatus.
[0035]
A transfer roller 111b is disposed below the photoconductive drum 111c of the image forming unit 111, and a heat fixing device 114 is disposed on a conveyance path downstream of the photoconductive drum 111c.
[0036]
After the toner image formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 111c is transferred by the transfer roller 111b, the recording paper P is transported along the recording transport unit, and the toner image is fixed by the thermal fixing device 114. The recording sheet P after fixing is further conveyed, discharged from the apparatus by the FD discharge unit 115, and stacked on the FD discharge tray 116.
[0037]
The loading position is a position where the front end of the recording paper can be taken out from the front of the apparatus by the user.
[0038]
On the other hand, there is a face-up paper discharge unit (referred to as a FU paper discharge unit) 117 that discharges the recording image surface upward. Here, the FU paper discharge unit 117 can switch the conveyance path downstream of the heat fixing unit 114 by opening a cover (referred to as an FU tray) 117a that also serves as a tray to a position 117a ′, and the FU tray 117a ′. The recording paper is discharged and stacked on the top.
[0039]
Here, the conveyance path between the heat fixing device 114 and the FD paper discharge unit 115 is opened by opening the FU tray 117 and the FU tray 117a ′, and jammed when the recording paper P jams during this time. The recording paper P can be easily removed.
[0040]
(Description of features of the present invention)
The features of the present invention in the above configuration will be described.
[0041]
A feature of the present invention is that a cartridge cover that can be opened and closed by a user is provided at the front of the image forming unit 111. Therefore, even in the configuration of the MFP in which the image reading unit 101 is provided on the recording apparatus main body 104, when the toner cartridge 111a is replaced or a recording paper jam occurs in the image forming unit 111, the cartridge cover is opened from the front of the apparatus. By opening 118, the toner cartridge 111a can be easily attached and detached.
[0042]
Further, by opening a cartridge cover 118 provided on the front surface of the recording apparatus main body 104, the toner cartridge 111a is completely exposed outside the apparatus. The mechanism will be described below. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the mechanism for completely protruding the toner cartridge 111a out of the apparatus includes the recording apparatus main body 104, the cartridge cover 118, the toner cartridge 111a, the link A 123a, and the link B 123b.
[0043]
Here, the cartridge cover 118 is pivotally supported by the recording apparatus main body 104 at W, the link A123a is pivotally supported by the toner cartridge 111a at X, the cartridge cover 118 is pivotally supported by Y, the link B123b is pivotally supported by Z, and the link B123b is V In FIG. 4, the recording apparatus main body 104 is pivotally supported.
[0044]
When the cartridge cover 118 is opened as described above, the link B 123b pivotally supported by the recording apparatus main body 104 at V pulls the link A 123a in the S direction in FIG. 4, so that the link A rotates about Y and the toner cartridge 111a is illustrated. As shown in FIG. 5, the mechanism is completely pulled out of the recording apparatus main body 104.
[0045]
With the above-described mechanism, the toner cartridge 111a can be attached and detached outside the recording apparatus main body 104. Therefore, the toner cartridge 111a can be attached and detached even more.
[0046]
Further, by providing a cartridge cover 118 for attaching and detaching the toner cartridge 111a in the same space as the manual feed tray 113b, it is possible to further reduce the size of the apparatus.
[0047]
Further, by providing the manual feed tray 113b and the cartridge cover 118 in duplicate, the toner cartridge 111a is protected by the cartridge cover 118 even when the manual feed tray is used.
[0048]
(Example 2)
In the first exemplary embodiment, there is no manual sheet feeding unit 113 and only the cartridge cover 118 is provided on the front surface of the recording apparatus main body 104. Even in this configuration, the same effect as in the first embodiment can be obtained.
[0049]
Example 3
In the first exemplary embodiment, the link A and the link B cannot be sufficiently sized for reasons such as cost and device configuration. When the cartridge cover 118 is opened, at least a part of the toner cartridge 111a is the recording apparatus main body 104. The composition that comes out outside. Even in this configuration, the same effect as in the first embodiment can be obtained.
[0050]
【The invention's effect】
The effects of the present invention include the following.
[0051]
The cartridge can be replaced in a large space.
[0052]
Since the image reading unit is on the top, the apparatus can be reduced in size by attaching and detaching the cartridge from the front.
[0053]
The effects of the invention of claim 1 include the following.
[0054]
Since it can be operated outside the machine when replacing the cartridge, the part to be operated is easy to understand.
[0055]
The effects of the invention according to claim 2 include the following.
[0056]
The device can be downsized by combining the space for the cover and the space for replacing the cartridge.
[0057]
The effects of the invention of claim 3 include the following.
[0058]
The device can be downsized by combining the space for the cover and the space for replacing the cartridge.
[0059]
When using the manual feed tray, it is necessary to set paper in the manual feed tray, and there is a cover for protecting the cartridge that is required at that time.
[0060]
By double the front cover, cartridges can be replaced from the front even if there is a manual feed tray.
[0061]
The effects of the invention of claim 4 include the following.
[0062]
Since it can be operated outside the machine when replacing the cartridge, the part to be operated is easy to understand.
[0063]
The device can be downsized by combining the space for the cover and the space for replacing the cartridge.
[0064]
When using the manual feed tray, it is necessary to set paper in the manual feed tray, and there is a cover for protecting the cartridge that is required at that time.
[0065]
By double the front cover, cartridges can be replaced from the front even if there is a manual feed tray.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an MFP according to a first embodiment of the present invention as viewed obliquely from the left front side of the apparatus. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the MFP according to the first embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the left side. FIG. 4 is a front view of the MFP according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the image forming portion with the cartridge cover closed according to the first embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the left side. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an image forming unit with a cartridge cover according to an embodiment viewed from the left side.
P recording paper,
100 apparatus main body 101 flat bed scanner 104 recording apparatus section 105 operation section 110 laser scanner 111 image forming section 111a toner cartridge 111b transfer roller 111c photosensitive drum 111d developing section 111e charging section 111f cleaning section 112 cassette sheet feeding section 112a sheet feeding roller 112b Paper cassette 113 Manual paper feed unit 113a Manual separation unit 113b Manual feed tray 114 Thermal fixing device 115 FD paper discharge unit 116 FD paper discharge tray 117 FU paper discharge unit 117a FU tray 117a 'FU tray 118 Cartridge cover 119 Recording control board link A 123a
Link B 123b

Claims (4)

An image forming unit that forms an image by transferring toner onto the recording paper surface based on an image signal while conveying the recording paper in the front-rear direction of the apparatus, a fixing unit that fixes the toner on the recording paper surface, and a lower part of the apparatus Or a recording paper feeding unit that is provided on the front surface of the apparatus and supplies the recording paper to the image forming unit;
An image recording unit main body configured with a paper discharge unit for discharging the fixed recording paper and a paper discharge tray for stacking the discharged recording paper at the top of the image forming unit and the fixing unit;
An image reading unit disposed above the image recording unit main body;
And an image forming apparatus in which the image forming unit is a detachable cartridge.
When the cover provided on the front surface of the image recording unit main body is opened, the cartridge completely comes out from the image recording unit main body,
An image forming apparatus capable of attaching and detaching a cartridge outside the image recording unit main body. An image forming unit that forms an image by transferring toner onto the recording paper surface based on an image signal while conveying the recording paper in the front-rear direction of the apparatus, a fixing unit that fixes the toner on the recording paper surface, and a lower part of the apparatus Or a recording paper feeding unit that is provided on the front surface of the apparatus and supplies the recording paper to the image forming unit;
An image recording unit main body configured with a paper discharge unit for discharging the fixed recording paper and a paper discharge tray for stacking the discharged recording paper at the top of the image forming unit and the fixing unit;
An image reading unit disposed above the image recording unit main body;
And an image forming apparatus in which the image forming unit is a detachable cartridge.
An image forming apparatus in which at least a part of the cartridge comes out of the image recording unit main body and the cartridge can be attached and detached when a double cover provided on the front surface of the image recording unit main body is opened. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein an outer side of a double cover provided on a front surface of the image recording unit main body is a manual feed tray. When the cover inside the double cover provided on the front surface of the image recording unit main body is opened, the cartridge completely comes out from the image recording unit main body,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the cartridge can be attached and detached outside the image recording unit main body.

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