JP2005109866A - Image input/output unit - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image input/output unit releasing air heated in a control circuit out of a printer housing through a first opening into a communication duct communicating the space in a printer housing with the space outside of this housing through a first opening opened upward to provide a high radiation effect. <P>SOLUTION: The image input/output unit comprises an image reading means for forming a digital image by scanning an original, a means for printing an image on a printing medium, a control circuit for controlling the image reading means and the printing means, a printer housing having the first opening opened upward for housing the printing means and the control circuit, a scanner housing for housing the image reading means, and a radiator provided on the edge of the scanner housing linked with the printer housing swingingly between a position covering the first opening and a position covering it. The radiator forms a communication way communicating the space in the printer housing with the space outside the printer housing through the first opening when the scanner housing is at the position covering the first opening. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image input / output device.

  2. Description of the Related Art An image input / output device that includes an image reading unit that scans a document to create a digital image and a printing unit that prints an image on a print medium is known. In such an image input / output device, a slit is provided in the side wall of the housing in order to let the air heated by the heat generated by the control circuit that controls the image reading unit and the printing unit out of the housing, and the heated air is transversal. Something is known to escape in the direction.

However, according to the conventional image input / output device, since the heated air has a property of rising, it is difficult to escape in the lateral direction, and therefore, there is a problem that the heated air tends to stay in the housing. Therefore, the conventional image input / output device has a problem that the heat dissipation effect is small.
The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and an object thereof is to provide an image input / output device having a large heat dissipation effect.

  To achieve the above object, an image input / output apparatus according to the present invention includes an image reading unit that scans a document to create a digital image, a printing unit that prints an image on a print medium, the image reading unit, and the printing. A control circuit that controls the printer, a printer housing that houses the printing unit and the control circuit, the printer housing having a first opening that opens upward, and a scanner housing that houses the image reading unit. A scanner housing coupled to the printer housing so as to be swingable between a posture for covering the first opening and a posture for opening the first opening, and an edge of the scanner housing. When the posture covers the opening, the space inside the printer housing and the space outside the printer housing are A heat radiating portion forming a communicating passage which communicates through the opening, in that it comprises the features. According to this image input / output device, the communication path communicates the space inside the printer housing and the space outside the printer housing via the first opening that opens upward, so that the air heated by the control circuit is the first. It escapes out of the printer housing from one opening. That is, the heated air is released upward from the inside of the printer housing. Since the heated air has the property of rising, it is easier for the heated air to escape upward than to escape laterally, so that the heated air is less likely to stay in the printer housing. Therefore, according to this image input / output device, the heat radiation effect is increased.

  Further, in the image input / output device according to the present invention, the heat radiating portion is provided at an edge portion above or near the control circuit when the scanner housing is in a posture to cover the first opening. And According to this image input / output device, the air heated by the control circuit rises and can enter the communication path as it is, so that it is more difficult to stay and the heat dissipation effect is further increased.

  Furthermore, in the image input / output device according to the present invention, the heat radiating portion is formed at a corner formed by a surface facing downward when the scanner housing is in a posture to cover the first opening and a side end surface of the scanner housing. It is a recessed part provided, It is characterized by the above-mentioned. According to this image input / output device, since the heat radiating portion is formed as a dent, the size of the outlet of the communication path can be minimized, and dust entering the printer unit from the communication path can be reduced.

Furthermore, in the image input / output device according to the present invention, the heat radiating portion has a slope inclined upward toward the edge when the scanner housing is in a posture to cover the first opening. According to this image input / output device, the heated air can be smoothly led out of the printer housing.
The image input / output apparatus according to the present invention further includes an upper cover having a ventilation opening and covering the upper side of the control circuit. According to this image input / output device, it is possible to prevent an accident such as an electric shock, a burn, or a breakage of the control circuit by touching the control circuit when the user puts his hand through the first opening.

  Furthermore, in the image input / output device according to the present invention, the printer housing has a second opening for supplying a printing medium to be printed by the printing means or for discharging the printing medium printed by the printing means. The control circuit is housed in the printer housing above the second opening. When the control circuit is provided above the second opening, when the heated air escapes upward from the communication path, relatively cool air is supplied from the bottom to the periphery of the control circuit by the second opening. The air circulation around the control circuit is improved. Therefore, air hardly stays around the control circuit, and the heat dissipation effect is further increased.

  The image input / output apparatus according to the present invention further includes a lower cover that has a ventilation opening and covers the lower side of the control circuit. According to this image input / output device, it is possible to prevent an accident such as an electric shock, a burn, or a breakage of the control circuit by touching the control circuit when the user puts his hand through the second opening.

Hereinafter, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described based on examples.
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a multifunction machine 1 as an image input / output device according to an embodiment of the present invention. A housing 12 of the multifunction machine 1 includes a scanner housing 12a that houses a scanner unit 2 as an image reading unit and a printer housing 12b that houses a printer unit 3 as a printing unit. The scanner housing 12a is a printer housing 12b. Are swingably connected by a hinge (not shown).

  The document cover 60 is connected to the scanner housing 12 a so as to be swingable from a posture in which the plate surface of the document table 61 is opened by the hinge 62 to a posture in which the plate surface of the document table 61 is covered. The document cover 60 presses the document M placed on the surface of the document table 61 and covers the document table 61 so that light other than the light emitted from the light source 33 (see FIG. 3) does not illuminate the document M. .

The paper feed port 13 is provided on the side wall of the printer housing 12b. A print medium such as paper on which the printer unit 3 prints an image is supplied from a paper feed port 13.
The paper discharge port 14 as the second opening is provided on the side wall opposite to the side wall on which the paper supply port 13 is provided. The print medium on which the image is printed by the printer unit 3 is conveyed by the second sub-scanning drive unit 54 (see FIG. 4) and discharged from the discharge port 14 to the outside of the printer housing 12b.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of the multifunction device 1, and FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating the multifunction device 1.
The scanner unit 2 includes a linear image sensor 30, a reduction optical system 32, a first main scanning drive unit 36 (see FIG. 4), a first sub-scanning driving unit 37 (see FIG. 4), and an AFE (Analog Front End) unit 41 ( 4) and a digital image processing unit 42 (see FIG. 4), etc., and are accommodated in the scanner housing 12a.

The linear image sensor 30 is mounted on the carriage 31 in such a manner that the light receiving elements of RGB colors are arranged in a straight line in the direction perpendicular to the paper surface in FIG. The linear image sensor 30 scans the optical image on the scanning line input by the reduction optical system 32, and outputs an electrical signal correlated with the density of the optical image.
The reduction optical system 32 includes a light source 33, a mirror 34, a lens 35, and the like, and is mounted on the carriage 31. The light source 33 is composed of a tube illumination device such as a fluorescent tube lamp, and the mirror 34 and the lens 35 form a reflected light image on the scanning line of the original M irradiated on the light source 33 on the linear image sensor 30. As a result, the optical image of the original M on the main scanning line is input to the linear image sensor 30. Note that the transparent original may be read by changing the position of the light source.

The first main scanning drive unit 36 is a drive circuit that outputs drive pulses necessary for driving the linear image sensor 30 to the linear image sensor 30. The first main scanning drive unit 36 includes, for example, a synchronization signal generator, a driving timing generator, and the like.
The first sub-scanning drive unit 37 includes a slide shaft 38 that is installed perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the scan line and that holds the carriage 31 slidably, a carriage motor 39, a drive belt 40, a drive circuit, and the like. Since the carriage motor 39 pulls the carriage 31 with the drive belt 40, the linear image sensor 30 and the document M move relative to each other in the direction W (sub-scanning direction) perpendicular to the scanning line, so that a two-dimensional image can be scanned. Become.

  The AFE unit 41 includes an analog signal processing unit, an A / D converter, and the like. The analog signal processing unit subjects the electrical signal output from the linear image sensor 30 to analog signal processing such as amplification and noise reduction processing, and outputs the result. The A / D converter quantizes the electrical signal output from the analog signal processing unit into an output signal in a digital representation having a predetermined bit length, and outputs the output signal.

  The digital image processing unit 42 performs processing such as gamma correction, interpolation of defective pixels by a pixel interpolation method, shading correction, and sharpening of an image signal on the output signal output from the AFE unit 41 to create a digital image. . The various processes performed by the digital image processing unit 42 may be replaced with processes by a computer program executed by the control unit 56.

The printer unit 3 includes a recording head 43, a head driving unit 48 (see FIG. 4), a second main scanning driving unit 49 (see FIG. 4), a second sub-scanning driving unit 54 (see FIG. 4), and the like. 12b.
The recording head 43 is provided on the carriage 44 and includes a nozzle 45 for ejecting ink, a piezo element 46, an ink passage 47, an ink cartridge (not shown), and the like. The piezo element 46 is provided at a position in contact with the side wall of the ink passage 47 that guides ink. When a driving voltage is applied, the piezo element 46 rapidly expands and deforms the side wall of the ink passage 47. The volume of the ink passage 47 contracts according to the expansion of the piezo element 46, and ink corresponding to the contraction is ejected from the nozzle 45 at a high speed. As a result, the recording head 43 prints an image on the print medium.

The head drive unit 48 is a circuit that applies a drive voltage to the piezo element 46 based on the print signal output from the control unit 56.
The second main scanning drive unit 49 includes a slide shaft 51 that is laid in parallel with the axis of the platen 50 and slidably holds the carriage 44, a carriage motor 52, a drive belt 53, a drive circuit, and the like. When the carriage motor 52 pulls the carriage 44 by the drive belt 53, the recording head 43 reciprocates in the axial direction (main scanning direction X) of the sliding shaft 51 (main scanning direction axis).

  The second sub-scanning drive unit 54 includes a paper feed motor 55, a gear train that transmits the rotation of the paper feed motor 55 to the platen 50 and a paper transport roller (not shown), a drive circuit, and the like. When the paper feed motor 55 rotates the platen 50 and a paper transport roller (not shown), the printing paper moves in a direction (sub-scanning direction) perpendicular to the paper surface in FIG. 3 intersecting the main scanning direction axis.

  The card read / write unit 16 shown in FIG. 4 includes a card slot for inserting the removable memory 18, a memory controller, and the like. The card read / write unit 16 is controlled by the control unit 56, and performs a process of writing a digital image created by the scanner unit 2 into the removable memory 18, a process of reading a digital image to be printed by the printer unit 3 from the removable memory 18, and the like.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the operation unit 17 includes a reading button, a copy button, a print button, a plurality of push buttons such as an upper button and a lower button for selecting items from various menus, and a display device that displays various menus. And an LED for notifying an error. The user can input instructions such as printing and image reading to the multifunction device 1 by operating these various buttons.

  The control unit 56 includes a CPU 57, a ROM 58, and a RAM 59. The CPU 57 executes computer programs stored in the ROM 58 and controls each unit of the multifunction machine 1. The ROM 58 is a memory that stores various programs and data, and the RAM 59 is a memory that temporarily stores various programs and data. These various programs and data may be downloaded and input from a predetermined server via a network, or may be read from a computer-readable storage medium such as the removable memory 18 and input.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the multi-function device 1 when the scanner housing 12a is in a posture to open the first opening 70. FIG.
The first opening 70 is provided so as to open on the upper side of the printer housing 12b. The first opening 70 is provided for maintenance of the printer unit 3 such as replacement of an ink cartridge, and the user puts a hand through the first opening 70 to perform maintenance work. be able to. In the multifunction machine 1 according to the present embodiment, the opening 70 for performing maintenance work is used as a first opening for releasing the heat in the printer housing 12b to dissipate heat.

  The upper cover 71 is provided below the first opening 70. A control circuit 73 (see FIG. 6), which will be described later, is provided in the printer housing 12 b below the first opening 70, and the upper cover 71 covers the control circuit 73. The upper cover 71 prevents contact between the user and the control circuit 73 so that an accident such as an electric shock, a burn, or damage to the control circuit 73 does not occur when the user touches the control circuit 73. As shown in the drawing, the upper cover 71 is provided with a plurality of ventilation openings 74 for allowing air (hot air) heated by the control circuit 73 to escape upward.

  The heat dissipating part 75 is provided at the edge of the scanner housing 12 a and above the control circuit 73 when the scanner housing 12 a is in a posture to cover the first opening 70. In the case of the present embodiment, the heat radiating portion 75 is formed as a concave portion at a corner formed by the surface 77 facing downward and the side end surface 78 of the scanner housing 12a when the scanner housing 12a is in a posture to cover the first opening 70. Has been. When the scanner housing 12a is in a posture to cover the first opening 70, the heat dissipating part 75 communicates the space inside the printer housing 12b and the space outside the printer housing 12b via the first opening 70 (see FIG. 1). The communication path 76 will be described later. Instead of forming the heat radiating portion 75 as a concave portion, the heat radiating portion may be formed by chamfering the entire corner portion. When the recess is formed, the size of the outlet of the communication path 76 can be minimized, so that dust that enters the printer housing 12b from the communication path 76 can be reduced. On the other hand, when the entire corner portion is chamfered, the cross-sectional area in the direction intersecting the traveling direction of the communication path 76 is increased, so that heat can be radiated more efficiently. Further, the heat radiating portion 75 has a slope 75a that is inclined upward toward the edge of the scanner housing 12a when the scanner housing 12a is in a posture to cover the first opening 70. Specifically, the inclined surface 75a is formed by chamfering a corner formed by the lower surface 77 and the side end surface 78. When the inclined surface 75a is provided, the flow of hot air flowing from the inside of the printer housing 12b to the outside of the printer housing 12b becomes smoother, and the heat dissipation effect is improved.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the multifunction machine 1 with the upper cover 71 removed.
As described above, the control circuit 73 is provided below the first opening 70. In this embodiment, the control circuit 73 includes a printed circuit board 73a (see FIG. 1) on which the control unit 56 is arranged and wired, and a cover 73b covering the printed circuit board 73a. To do. The cover 73b is provided with an opening 73c for releasing the heated air. Note that the cover 73b may be omitted if unnecessary. The control circuit 73 is connected to each scanning drive unit and a power supply unit (not shown) by a predetermined connection cable. Further, the card read / write unit 16 is integrally provided in the control circuit 73 of the present embodiment. When the card read / write unit 16 is provided integrally with the control unit 56, it is not necessary to route a cable connecting the card read / write unit 16 and the control unit 56, and noise generation due to electrical interaction between the cables can be reduced. Since the removable memory 18 is attached to and removed from the card read / write unit 16, it is necessary to expose the card slot to the outside of the printer housing 12b. For this reason, the control circuit 73 is provided in the vicinity of the side wall of the printer housing 12b.

  FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the multifunction machine 1 when the scanner housing 12a is in a posture to cover the first opening 70. FIG. As shown in the drawing, the control circuit 73 is accommodated in the printer housing 12 b above the paper discharge port 14. When the control circuit 73 is provided above the discharge port 14, when the heated air escapes from the communication path 76, relatively low temperature air is supplied from the discharge port 14 due to the chimney effect, and the air around the control circuit is Circulation improves. Therefore, the heat dissipation effect is further increased. The lower cover 79 is provided so as to cover the control circuit 73 from below. The lower cover 79 is provided to prevent the user from touching the control circuit 73 when the user puts his hand through the paper discharge port 14. Similar to the upper cover 71, the lower cover 79 is also provided with a plurality of ventilation openings 80.

  As shown in FIG. 1, when the scanner housing 12a is in a posture to cover the first opening 70, the space inside the printer housing 12b and the space outside the printer housing 12b are passed through the first opening 70 by the heat radiating portion 75. A communication path 76 that communicates is formed. The multifunction machine 1 has an operation unit 17 at the top of the printer housing 12b. When the scanner housing 12a is in the posture shown in FIG. 1, the side wall 81 of the printer housing 12b is positioned immediately before the side end surface 78 of the scanner housing 12a. To do. The side end surface 78 of the scanner housing 12a and the side wall 81 of the printer housing 12b are not in contact with each other, and a gap 82 is secured between them. Therefore, the communication path 76 of this embodiment is constituted by the space formed by the heat radiating portion 75 and the gap 82. Note that the communication path 76 is formed only by the heat radiating portion 75 if there is nothing that blocks the front such as the operation portion 17 immediately before the side end face 78 of the scanner housing 12a. As shown in the figure, the heat radiating portion 75 is provided at the edge above the control circuit 73. If the heat dissipating part 75 is provided at the upper edge of the control circuit 73, the air heated by the control circuit 73 rises and enters the communication path 76 as it is, so that it is difficult to stay in the printer housing 12b and the heat dissipates. The effect is further increased. If the control circuit 73 cannot be disposed in the vicinity of the side wall due to the relationship with other components housed in the printer housing 12b, and the heat radiating part 75 cannot be positioned above the control circuit 73, the heat radiating part 75. Is preferably provided at the upper edge in the vicinity of the control circuit 73 so that the positions of the control circuit 73 and the heat radiating portion 75 are not greatly shifted.

  Next, the operation of the multifunction device 1 will be described with reference to FIG. When the image is read or printed, the control circuit 73 generates heat by the CPU or the like and heats the surrounding air. The ambient air rises by being heated, enters the communication path 76 from the first opening 70, escapes to the outside of the printer housing 12 b through the gap 82. Thereby, the hot air in the printer housing 12b is released. When the hot air is released, relatively cool air is supplied from the paper discharge port 14 into the printer housing 12b by the chimney effect. That is, the communication path 76 functions as a chimney for releasing hot air in the printer housing 12b, and the inside of the printer housing 12b is ventilated by the chimney effect. As a result, the temperature rise in the printer housing 12b is suppressed.

  According to the MFP 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention described above, the communication path 76 communicates the space inside the printer housing 12b and the space outside the printer housing 12b via the first opening 70 that opens upward. Therefore, the air heated by the control circuit 73 is released from the first opening 70 to the outside of the printer housing 12b. That is, the heated air is released upward from the inside of the printer housing 12b. Since the heated air has a property of rising, it is easier for the heated air to escape upward than to escape laterally, and thus the heated air is less likely to stay in the printer housing 12b. Therefore, according to the multifunction device 1, the heat dissipation effect is increased.

  In the present embodiment, the paper discharge port 14 is described as an example of the second opening, but the second opening may be the paper supply port 13. Specifically, for example, the control circuit 73 is accommodated above the paper feed port 13 in the vicinity of the side wall portion where the paper feed port 13 is formed, and the heat radiating unit is provided at the edge of the scanner housing 12a on the swing axis side. You may do it.

1 is a cross-sectional view of an image input / output device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a schematic diagram of an image input / output device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a schematic diagram of an image input / output device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a block diagram of an image input / output device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a perspective view of an image input / output device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a perspective view of an image input / output device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Multifunctional device (image input / output device), 2 Scanner part (image reading means), 3 Printer part (printing means), 12a Scanner housing, 12b Printer housing, 14 Paper discharge port (2nd opening part), 56 Control part (Image reading means, printing means), 70 First opening, 71 Upper cover, 73 Control circuit, 74 Ventilation opening, 75 Heat radiation portion, 75a Slope, 76 Communication path, 79 Lower cover, 80 Ventilation opening

Claims (7)

Image reading means for scanning a document to create a digital image;
Printing means for printing an image on a print medium;
A control circuit for controlling the image reading means and the printing means;
A printer housing containing the printing means and the control circuit, the printer housing having a first opening opening upward;
A scanner housing for accommodating the image reading means, wherein the scanner housing is coupled to the printer housing so as to be swingable between a posture covering the first opening and a posture opening.
Provided at the edge of the scanner housing, when the scanner housing is in a position to cover the first opening, the space inside the printer housing communicates with the space outside the printer housing via the first opening. A heat dissipating part that forms a communication path,
An image input / output device comprising:   2. The image input / output according to claim 1, wherein the heat radiating portion is provided at an edge portion above or near the control circuit when the scanner housing is in a posture to cover the first opening. apparatus.   The heat radiating portion is a concave portion provided in a corner portion formed by a surface facing downward when the scanner housing is in a posture to cover the first opening and a side end surface of the scanner housing. Item 3. The image input / output device according to Item 1 or 2.   4. The image input / output device according to claim 1, wherein the heat radiating portion has a slope inclined upward toward an edge when the scanner housing is in a posture of covering the first opening. 5. .   The image input / output device according to claim 1, further comprising an upper cover that has a ventilation opening and covers an upper portion of the control circuit. The printer housing has a second opening for supplying a printing medium to be printed by the printing means or for discharging the printing medium printed by the printing means;
The image input / output device according to claim 1, wherein the control circuit is accommodated in the printer housing above the second opening.   The image input / output device according to claim 6, further comprising a lower cover that has a ventilation opening and covers a lower portion of the control circuit.

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