JP2006349849A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus of which the height of an image reading part can be suppressed to a low level and miniaturization as a whole can be achieved by effectively utilizing a supporting part for supporting the image reading part. <P>SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus is provided with: an image forming part 1 including an imaging engine 2 for forming an image on a recording material; an image reading part 4 formed on the upper part of the image forming part 1 through a space and capable of reading out an image from an original and supplying the read image information to the imaging engine 2; and a supporting part 5 for lifting up and supporting the image reading part 4 on the upper part of the image forming part 1 so as to form a recording material storing part 3 for storing the recording material discharged from a recording material discharge port of the image forming part 1 between the image forming part 1 and the image reading part 4: where a projection part 6 projected from at least from the image reading part 4 or the image forming part 1 is formed on a part of the peripheral edge of the recording material storing part 3 and at least a part of an electric accessory component 7 of the image reading part 4 is arranged on the projection part 6. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a printer, and more particularly to an improvement of a composite type image forming apparatus having a scanner on the top.

Conventionally, as an image forming apparatus using, for example, an electrophotographic method, a recording material creating unit including an image forming unit that forms a color image on a sheet, and a scanner unit via a space above the recording material creating unit There is known a multifunction peripheral having a configuration in which a paper discharge tray is provided between a recording material creating unit and a scanner unit.
From the viewpoint of the visibility and ease of taking out of the recording material discharged onto the paper discharge tray, proposals have been made to enlarge the opening on the front side of the operation or to set the paper discharge tray obliquely (for example, patents). Reference 1).

FIG. 7 shows this method. The photosensitive member 102 on which the latent image is formed by the exposure device 104 is developed on the paper supplied from the paper feed cassette 101 by the developing device 103. After the toner image is transferred onto the paper, it is fixed by the fixing device 105, and the recording material creating unit 100 that ejects the recording material on which the image is formed on the paper to the paper discharge tray 110, and the recording material creation A configuration in which a scanner unit 120 is provided is shown in the upper part of the unit 100.
The paper discharge tray 110 between the recording material creating unit 100 and the scanner unit 120 is provided obliquely downward from the entrance opening 111 so as to improve the visibility from the entrance opening 111 side. Furthermore, the electrical components 130 (here, the CPU board, power supply board, etc.) of the scanner unit 120 are gathered on the back side of the apparatus, so that the inlet opening 111 of the paper discharge tray 110 can be positioned upward.

JP 2003-146522 A (first embodiment, FIG. 1)

However, in the above-described method, the electrical component 130 of the scanner unit 120 is disposed above the recording material creating unit 100 (on the far side from the above-described inlet opening 111 on the front side of the operation). However, the height of the scanner unit 120 increases, and the height of the entire apparatus increases. Therefore, there is a limit in reducing the height of the device.
The present invention has been made to solve the above technical problem, and by effectively utilizing a support portion between the recording material creating portion and the image reading portion, on which the image reading portion is supported. The present invention provides an image forming apparatus capable of reducing the height of an image reading unit and reducing the overall size.

  That is, according to the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, an image forming unit 1 including an image forming engine 2 for forming an image on a recording material and a space above the image forming unit 1 are provided via a space. Between the image forming unit 1 and the image reading unit 4, and the image forming unit 1 and the image reading unit 4 are discharged from the recording material discharge port. A support member 5 for supporting the image reading unit 4 above the image forming unit 1 so as to form a recording material storage unit 3 for storing the recorded material, and a part of the periphery of the recording material storage unit 3 Is characterized in that at least a protruding portion 6 protruding from either the image reading portion 4 or the image forming portion 1 is provided, and at least a part of the electrical component 7 of the image reading portion 4 is disposed on the protruding portion 6. To do.

In such a technical means, the image forming engine 2 of the image forming unit 1 can be monochrome or color as long as it can create an image on a recording material. Either the electric recording method or the ink jet method may be used. In particular, the electrophotographic color mode may be a so-called tandem type or four-cycle type.
Further, the image reading unit 4 is not particularly limited, for example, a document scanning method for reading a document set on a platen, a mode to which an ADF (Auto Document Feeder) function is added, or the like.
Furthermore, the recording material storage unit 3 may be any material as long as it can store the recording material discharged from the recording material discharge port of the image forming unit 1, and a dedicated recording material storage unit 3 may be provided. It is preferable to use the apparatus housing of the image forming unit 1 as it is from the viewpoint of making it easier.
Furthermore, the support unit 5 is provided between the image forming unit 1 and the image reading unit 4, but is preferably provided along one side of the apparatus housing of the image forming unit 1 from the viewpoint of operability. . In addition to the support unit 5, a member that supports the image reading unit 4 may be provided on a side other than the one side of the apparatus housing of the image forming unit 1.

The protrusion 6 may be provided so as to protrude from at least one side of the image reading unit 4 or the image forming unit 1 at a part of the periphery of the recording material storage unit 3. Since the protruding portion 6 is provided at a part of the recording material, a wall is formed, so that the so-called scatter of the recording material discharged to the recording material accommodating portion 3 can be suppressed and accommodated in the recording material accommodating portion 3. Recording materials are organized. Note that the protruding portion 6 may protrude from both the image forming unit 1 and the image reading unit 4.
Moreover, the electrical component 7 in the present invention may be an electrical component of the image reading unit 4, and typical examples include a control board, a power supply board, and a motor of the image reading unit 4. By disposing the electrical component 7 of the image reading unit 4 on the protruding portion 6, the electrical component 7 can be removed from the image reading unit 4, and the thickness of the image reading unit 4 is reduced accordingly. Thus, a miniaturized image forming apparatus can be realized.

  Further, it is preferable that a motor for driving the scanning mechanism of the image reading unit 4 is included as the electrical component 7 of the image reading unit 4 accommodated in the protrusion 6. By accommodating this motor, the recording material is stored. The image reading unit 4 above the housing unit 3 can be configured to be thinner, and further downsizing can be promoted.

Further, in the present invention, it is preferable that the support portion 5 is constituted by the protruding portion 6, whereby the electrical component 7 of the image reading unit 4 can be accommodated in the support portion 5, so-called in-body With respect to the discharge type image forming apparatus, it is possible to design the apparatus by following the basic configuration, and to realize a downsized image forming apparatus.
Further, it is preferable that the support unit 5 is provided along one side of the apparatus housing of the image forming unit 1, and in particular, the operability and maintenance are set as the one side on the back side periphery of the recording material storage unit 3. From the viewpoint of sex.

Further, it is preferable that the recording material container 3 of the present invention also serves as the apparatus housing of the image forming unit 1 from the viewpoint of reducing the size and cost of the apparatus.
Further, the recording material storage unit 3 is configured so that the recording material discharged from the recording material discharge port is stored obliquely upward with respect to the recording material discharge direction at least in the vicinity of the recording material discharge port of the image forming unit 1. In this case, it is possible to naturally align one end (the recording material discharge port side of the recording material) of the recording material discharged to the recording material storage unit 3 by making the recording material storage unit 3 oblique. It becomes easy to take out the recording material stored in the recording material storage portion 3.

  Furthermore, in the present invention, it is preferable that the main scanning direction of the image reading unit 4 and the recording material discharge direction of the image forming unit 1 are set to be substantially parallel to each other. By making the recording material discharge direction of the image forming unit 1 substantially parallel, for example, operations to the image forming unit 1, the image reading unit 4, and the recording material storage unit 3 can be accessed from the same operation surface (front access). In addition, an image forming apparatus with further improved operability and maintainability can be realized.

  According to the present invention, the image forming unit, the image reading unit disposed above the image forming unit via a space, and the recording material containing unit are formed between the image forming unit and the image reading unit. A support portion that supports the image reading portion, and a protruding portion that protrudes at least from either the image reading portion or the image forming portion is provided at a part of the periphery of the recording material accommodating portion, and at least the electrical components of the image reading portion Since a part of the parts is disposed on the projecting portion, the image reading portion can be made thin, and a miniaturized image forming apparatus can be provided.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.
Embodiment 1
2 and 3 show Embodiment 1 of the image forming apparatus to which the present invention is applied. FIG. 2 shows the operation surface side of the apparatus, and FIG. 3 shows the side surface of the apparatus.
In the figure, an image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment includes an apparatus main body 10 having an image forming engine 20 as an image forming section, and a scanner unit as an image reading section disposed above the apparatus main body 10 via a space. 50 is a multi-function machine. In addition, a part of the housing surface at the top of the apparatus main body 10 serves as a storage tray 10a serving as a recording material storage unit.
A support unit 70 that supports the scanner unit 50 from the apparatus main body 10, which is a feature of the present invention, is provided along one side of the apparatus main body 10 between the apparatus main body 10 and the scanner unit 50.

The apparatus main body 10 according to the present embodiment is provided with a paper feeding cassette 11 for supplying paper to the lower portion thereof so that it can be pulled out, while an image forming engine 20 for forming an image on the paper supplied from the paper feeding cassette 11 is provided. It has been.
The image forming engine 20 in the present embodiment employs a so-called four-cycle method in which multiple toner images of four colors (yellow, magenta, cyan, and black) are collectively transferred. A laser exposure device 22 for forming an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 21 and a latent image on the photosensitive drum 21 are formed around the photosensitive drum 21 carrying the electrostatic latent image in the image forming engine 20. A developing device 23 that visualizes the image into a four-color toner image, an intermediate transfer belt 24 to which the toner image on the photosensitive drum 21 is transferred, and the like are provided. Reference numeral 25 denotes a primary transfer device 25 that transfers the toner image on the photosensitive drum 21 to the intermediate transfer belt 24, and reference numerals 26 and 27 denote tension rolls that stretch the intermediate transfer belt 24.

  Further, in the present embodiment, a separation mechanism 12 is provided in the vicinity of the end of the sheet feeding direction of the sheet feeding cassette 11 for feeding sheets one by one from the sheet feeding cassette 11. In this separation mechanism 12, the sheet fed from the sheet feeding cassette 11 using the pickup roll 12a is turned by the action of the feed roll 12b and the retard roll 12c, so that only the uppermost sheet is fed out. It has become.

Further, a registration roll 13 that regulates the positioning of the paper fed out from the paper feed cassette 11 is provided on the downstream side in the paper transport direction of the winding mechanism 12. A secondary transfer device 14 that batch-transfers the multiple toner images formed on the intermediate transfer belt 24 onto a sheet is provided at a position facing the transfer belt 24, and a tension roll 27 serves as a backup roll. A secondary transfer bias (not shown) is applied between the next transfer device 14 and the backup roll 27.
Furthermore, on the downstream side of the secondary transfer device 14, there is provided a fixing device 15 for fixing the toner images collectively transferred onto the paper. For example, the fixing device 15 is composed of a heating roll 15a and a pressure roll 15b, and sufficient heating is performed. Fixation has been made.
On the downstream side of the fixing device 15, a discharge roll 16 that discharges the fixed sheet onto the storage tray 10 a is provided so as to face the discharge port 17 opened in the apparatus main body 10.

The storage tray 10a in the present embodiment is formed so that the discharge port 17 side is lower than the discharge port 17 and is obliquely higher from there along the sheet discharge direction. For this reason, the sheets discharged and stored in the storage tray 10a are arranged so that one end thereof is naturally regulated to the discharge port 17 side, so that it is easy to take out the paper loaded on the storage tray 10a. In addition, the visibility of the paper discharged and stored in the storage tray 10a from the operation surface side (corresponding to the right side in FIG. 3) of the apparatus main body 10 is also improved.
Reference numerals 28 and 29 (particularly indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 2) in the apparatus main body 10 are a power supply board for supplying power to the apparatus main body 10 and a control board for performing various controls.

On the other hand, the scanner unit 50 is configured such that a platen cover 52 for pressing a document is rotatably disposed on a platen 51 on which the document is set.
An image pickup unit 53 including a CCD, a lens, a light source, and the like is moved in a direction orthogonal to the paper discharge direction on the apparatus body 10 side (left and right direction shown in FIG. 2). The main scanning direction (CCD arrangement direction) and the paper discharge direction are parallel to each other. The imaging unit 53 is fixed to a wire 56 that is stretched over two rotating shafts 54 and 55 provided on both sides of the scanner unit 50, and has a predetermined locus according to the rotation of the rotating shafts 54 and 55. To move along.
Therefore, in this embodiment, a belt 59 is wound around the rotating shaft 54, and one end side of the belt 59 is wound around a pulley 58 on the drive motor 57 side, so that the imaging unit 53 moves by the rotation of the drive motor 57. To come.

In particular, in the present embodiment, the drive motor 57 that is an electrical component on the scanner unit 50 side is not provided in the scanner unit 50 but is housed in a support portion 70 that supports the scanner unit 50 from the apparatus body 10 side. Yes. The support portion 70 in the present embodiment is provided along one side of the back side of the apparatus main body 10 and supports the scanner unit 50. Further, in the present embodiment, in the support portion 70, other electrical components on the scanner unit 50 side as indicated by a two-dot chain line, to the control board 60 and the scanner unit 50 side for controlling the scanner unit 50 side. A power supply board 61 for supplying the power is also accommodated at the same time.
Therefore, the support unit 70 is not hindered when performing various operations, and the thickness of the scanner unit 50 can be reduced correspondingly, and the distance between the apparatus main body 10 and the scanner unit 50 is kept constant. The overall height of the apparatus can be kept low, and downsizing can be realized.

  In the present embodiment, since the paper discharge direction of the apparatus main body 10 and the main scanning direction of the imaging unit 53 of the scanner unit 50 are substantially parallel, various operations can be performed from the front side of the apparatus main body 10, so-called front access. Will be made easier. At this time, examples of the front access include paper feeding and toner replacement on the apparatus main body 10 side and operations on the scanner unit 50 side.

  The scanner unit 50 according to the present embodiment has a mode in which the imaging unit 53 includes a CCD, a lens, a light source, and the like, and the imaging unit 53 moves. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Thus, the imaging unit 53 may be in a mode in which the imaging unit 53 does not move or a mode in which the imaging unit 53 is not provided with a CCD but forms an image on a CCD fixedly arranged by a lens. It is also possible to use an image sensor other than a CCD.

  In the present embodiment, the platen cover 52 is of a type that simply presses the document. However, for example, as shown in FIG. 4, a cover 80 having an ADF function may be used. In this case, the document set on the document table 81 is discharged onto the discharge plate 82 after the image reading unit 53 performs image reading. When the ADF function is performed, the image capturing unit 53 on the scanner unit 50 side reads an image without moving in the sub-scanning direction.

Embodiment 2
5 and 6 show Embodiment 2 of the image forming apparatus to which the present invention is applied. FIG. 5 is a view as seen from the operation surface side of the apparatus, and FIG. 6 shows the side face of the apparatus. ing.
As in the first embodiment, the present embodiment is a multi-function machine including the scanner unit 50 on the upper part of the apparatus main body 10 including the image forming engine. However, the image forming method in the first embodiment is a so-called four-cycle method. In contrast, the present embodiment is a so-called tandem system in which toner is multiplexed by a plurality of image forming engines in which toner images of each color are arranged in parallel, and in particular, an inline type in which the toner is directly multiplexed on paper. The structure is adopted. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the component similar to Embodiment 1, and the detailed description is abbreviate | omitted here.

In the image forming engine of the present embodiment, image forming engines 30 (30a to 30d) of four colors of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black are arranged vertically.
Each image forming engine 30 includes a process cartridge 31 in which toner of each color is accommodated, and a photosensitive that is provided in the process cartridge 31 from the rear of the process cartridge 31 (left side in FIG. 5) and carries each color toner image. A laser exposure device (ROS: Raster Output Scanner) 34 for forming an electrostatic latent image on the body 32 and the photoconductor 32 and the paper transport belt 40 are arranged opposite to each other, and the toner image on the photoconductor 32 is placed on the paper. The transfer roller 37 is configured to transfer.
Around the photoconductor 32 in the process cartridge 31, there are a charging roll 33 for charging the photoconductor 32, a developing roll 35 for visualizing the electrostatic latent image formed on the photoconductor 32 with toner, and A toner supply roll 36 for supplying toner to the developing roll 35 and the like are provided.

Furthermore, in the present embodiment, a sheet conveying belt 40 disposed so as to face across the image forming engine 30 is provided so as to be circulated and conveyed by two stretching rolls 41 and 42, The paper is sucked and conveyed.
A paper feeding cassette 11 for supplying paper is provided below the apparatus main body 10. In the vicinity of the end of the paper feeding direction of the paper feeding cassette 11 in the paper transport direction, paper is fed from the paper feeding cassette as in the first embodiment. A separating mechanism 12 is provided for feeding the sheets one by one.
In addition, a registration roll 13 that regulates the positioning of the paper is disposed on the downstream side of the winding mechanism 12. The registration roll 13 is disposed on the downstream side of the registration roll 13 so as to face the stretching roll 41 with the paper transport belt 40 interposed therebetween. The charging device 43 for adsorbing the paper onto the paper transport belt 40 is provided with the stretching roll 41 as a backup roll.

Further, a paper peeling claw (not shown) is provided in the vicinity of the most downstream tension roll 42 of the paper transport belt 40, and the paper adsorbed on the paper transport belt 40 is peeled from the paper transport belt 40. It is directed toward the fixing device 15 installed on the downstream side.
The paper on which the toner images are multiplex-transferred by each image forming engine 30 is fixed by the fixing device 15 and then discharged from the discharge port 17 to the storage tray 10a by the discharge roll 16 to be stored. ing.
Also in this embodiment, since the discharge port 17 side of the storage tray 10a is lower than the discharge port 17, the sheets discharged and stored in the storage tray 10a are aligned at one end and stacked. It is easy to take out the paper.

Further, in the present embodiment, unlike the first embodiment, the discharge roll 16 can be reversed. When necessary, the discharge roll 16 can be reversed to temporarily discharge the discharge roll 16. In FIG. 16, the sheet from the discharge port 17 toward the storage tray 10 a is returned and conveyed, so that image recording on both sides of the sheet can be performed.
For this reason, the sheet conveyance path in the present embodiment includes a normal conveyance path 44 through which the sheet fed from the sheet feeding cassette 11 is conveyed to the registration roll 13, the sheet conveyance belt 40, the fixing device 15, and the discharge roll 16. A return transport path 45 through which the sheet is returned and transported from the discharge roll 16 to the registration roll 13 through the side close to the housing of the apparatus main body 10 is provided. Needless to say, these transport paths are appropriately provided with transport rolls and transport guides for transporting paper.

FIG. 5 shows a state in which the process cartridge 31 of the image forming engine 30 is replaced. A main body cover 10b provided at a part of the casing on the apparatus main body 10 side is provided on the apparatus main body 10 side. The support shaft 46 is opened toward the outside with the rotation fulcrum as a fulcrum.
Further, a part of the return conveyance path 45 and the sheet conveyance belt 40 are integrally moved on the main body cover 10b side. For example, a necessary member is provided by a bracket or the like provided on the main body cover 10b side. It has come to be supported.
Therefore, by opening the main body cover 10b in the direction A in the figure, the process cartridge 31 appears directly, and it becomes easy to pull out the process cartridge 31 in the direction B in the figure, and it becomes easy to perform replacement work.

The scanner unit 50 in the present embodiment is configured in the same manner as in the first embodiment, and is disposed on the upper portion of the apparatus main body 10. The support unit 70 that supports the scanner unit 50 accommodates a drive motor 57, a control board 60, and a power supply board 61, which are part of the electrical components of the scanner unit 50, as in the first embodiment. .
For this reason, the present embodiment has the same effects as those of the first embodiment.
In the present embodiment, as in the first embodiment, since the paper discharge direction and the main scanning direction of the imaging unit 53 are not parallel but vertical, it is difficult to access the front surface. There is an advantage that the visibility of 10a is improved.

1 is an explanatory diagram showing an outline of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an apparatus operation surface side of an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment to which the present invention is applied. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a device side surface according to the first embodiment. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a cover applicable to the image forming apparatus of Embodiment 1. FIG. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an operation surface side of an image forming apparatus according to a second embodiment. FIG. 6 is an explanatory view showing a device side surface of a second embodiment. It is explanatory drawing which shows the image forming apparatus as a prior art example.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Image formation part, 2 ... Image forming engine, 3 ... Recording material accommodating part, 4 ... Image reading part, 5 ... Support part, 6 ... Protrusion part, 7 ... Electrical component

Claims (7)

An image forming unit including an image forming engine for forming an image on a recording material;
An image reading unit provided above the image forming unit via a space, reading an image of a document and supplying the read image information to the image forming engine;
The image reading unit is disposed above the image forming unit so as to form a recording material storage unit that stores the recording material discharged from the recording material discharge port of the image forming unit between the image forming unit and the image reading unit. And a support part for supporting
Protruding portions that protrude at least from either the image reading portion or the image forming portion are provided on a part of the peripheral edge of the recording material accommodating portion, and at least some of the electrical components of the image reading portion are disposed on the protruding portions. An image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1.
An image forming apparatus, wherein the protruding portion constitutes the support portion. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2.
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the support unit is provided along one side of the apparatus housing of the image forming unit. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1.
An image forming apparatus, wherein the recording material accommodating portion also serves as an apparatus housing of the image forming portion. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4.
The image forming apparatus, wherein the recording material storage unit is configured to store the recording material discharged from the recording material discharge port obliquely upward with respect to the recording material discharge direction at least in the vicinity of the recording material discharge port . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1.
An image forming apparatus, wherein the main scanning direction of the image reading unit and the recording material discharge direction at the recording material discharge port of the image forming unit are set to be substantially parallel to each other. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1.
An image forming apparatus, wherein the electrical component of the image reading unit accommodated in the protrusion includes a motor that drives a scanning mechanism of the image reading unit.

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