JP2007022719A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To set device width small, generate no dead space on the device side surface side, and prevent paper from being an obstacle or scattering in opening/closing of a document cover. <P>SOLUTION: This image forming device is provided with an image forming part 10 disposed under a document reading part 70 only to form images based on image date of the document read by the document reading part, or image data inputted from an external device, a perpendicular carrying passage 16b provided on the device front surface side in the image forming part to vertically carry paper on which images are to be formed, a front surface cover 12 opened/closed from the device front surface side, with the vertical carrying passage 16b as a split surface, a paper delivery part 15 provided above the image forming part and on the device front surface side under the document reading part 70, and a switchback paper delivery mechanism 80 to switch back the paper having the images to be carried to the device front surface side after it is once carried to the device back surface side, so that it is delivered to the paper delivery part 15. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus to which a copying function is added based on a printer constituting an image forming unit.

Conventionally, as an image forming apparatus to which a copying function is added based on a printer constituting an image forming unit,
An original reading unit having an original table on which an original to be read is placed;
An image forming unit which is arranged from the lower side to the side of the document reading unit and forms an image based on image data of the document read by the document reading unit or image data input from an external device;
A vertical conveyance path that is provided on the side surface of the apparatus in the image forming unit and conveys a sheet on which the image is to be formed;
A paper cassette configured to store paper to be supplied to the image forming unit and configured to be detachable from the apparatus front side;
A first paper discharge unit provided on an upper part of the original reading unit and configured to discharge a sheet of paper after an image is formed by the image forming unit face down;
A second paper discharge unit provided on a side surface of the apparatus and configured to discharge the paper after the image is formed by the image forming unit face-up;
A sheet is provided between the image forming unit and the first and second paper discharge units, and discharges the paper on which an image has been formed by the image forming unit to the first or second paper discharge unit. A paper mouth switching unit;
There is known an image forming apparatus including the above (for example, Patent Document 1).
JP-A-10-260560

The conventional image forming apparatus described above has the following problems.
(1) Since the image forming unit is arranged from the lower side to the side of the document reading unit, the apparatus width is increased.
(2) If the paper is jammed in the vertical conveyance path for conveying the paper in the vertical direction, in order to remove the paper, it is necessary to provide a cover that opens the vertical conveyance path. In the equipment, since the vertical transport path is provided on the side of the equipment, the cover that opens the vertical transport path must be configured to open on the side of the equipment, and space for that is required on the side of the equipment. Become. Therefore, a dead space is generated on the side surface of the apparatus.
(3) Since the first paper discharge unit is provided at the top of the document reading unit, when the document cover of the document reading unit is opened, the paper discharged to the first paper discharge unit becomes an obstacle. Alternatively, the paper may be scattered by opening and closing the cover.
(4) Since the second discharge portion is provided on the side surface side of the apparatus, the apparatus width is increased correspondingly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the above-described problems, reduce the width of the apparatus, do not generate a dead space on the side of the apparatus, and prevent the paper from interfering with or scattering from the opening and closing of the document cover. Is to provide.

In order to achieve the above object, an image forming apparatus of the present invention includes an original reading unit having an original table on which an original to be read is placed;
An image forming unit that is arranged below the document reading unit and forms an image based on image data of the document read by the document reading unit or image data input from an external device;
A vertical conveyance path that is provided on the front side of the apparatus in the image forming unit and conveys a sheet on which the image is to be formed;
A cover for the image forming unit, the front cover being opened and closed from the front side of the apparatus with the vertical conveying path as a split surface;
A paper cassette configured to store paper to be supplied to the image forming unit and configured to be detachable from the apparatus front side;
A paper discharge unit that is provided below the document reading unit and above the image forming unit and on the front side of the apparatus, and discharges a sheet after an image is formed by the image forming unit;
A sheet provided between the image forming unit and the paper discharge unit, on which an image has been formed by the image forming unit, is once transported to the back side of the apparatus and then switched back to be transported to the front side of the apparatus to be discharged. A switchback mechanism for discharging to the paper section;
It is provided with.
According to such a configuration, the following effects can be obtained.
(A) Since the image forming unit is disposed only below the document reading unit, the apparatus width can be reduced.
(B) Since the image forming unit is provided with a front cover that opens and closes from the front side of the apparatus with the vertical conveyance path as the split surface, if the paper is jammed in the vertical conveyance path, open the front cover and The paper can be removed. At this time, since the front cover is opened and closed from the front side of the device, no dead space is generated on the side surface of the device. Normally, the image forming apparatus is originally installed and used with the front of the apparatus being open, so that no dead space is generated on the front side of the apparatus.
(C) Since the paper discharge unit is provided below the document reading unit and above the image forming unit, that is, between the document reading unit and the image forming unit, when the document cover of the document reading unit is opened, , The paper discharged to the paper discharge unit does not get in the way, or the paper is not scattered by opening and closing the cover. Further, the apparatus width does not increase due to the presence of the paper discharge unit.
Moreover, since the paper discharge unit is provided below the document reading unit and above the image forming unit and on the front side of the apparatus, the user can easily take out the paper discharged to the paper discharge unit from the front side of the apparatus. Can do.
As a result, the vertical distance between the document reading unit and the image forming unit can be reduced, and the overall height of the apparatus can be reduced.
(D) Since the paper feed cassette is configured to be able to be inserted into and removed from the front side of the apparatus, there is no dead space for attaching and detaching the paper feed cassette.
(E) Between the image forming unit and the paper discharge unit, the paper on which the image has been formed by the image forming unit is once transported to the back side of the apparatus and then switched back to be transported to the front side of the apparatus. Since a switchback paper discharge mechanism is provided to discharge the paper, the paper discharge unit can be provided below the original reading unit, above the image forming unit and on the front side of the device. The user can easily take out the printed paper from the front side of the apparatus.
As a result, the vertical distance between the document reading unit and the image forming unit can be reduced, and the overall height of the apparatus can be reduced.
As described above, according to this image forming apparatus, the apparatus width can be reduced, no dead space is generated on the side surface of the apparatus, the paper does not get in the way of opening or closing the document cover, and the paper is not scattered. The user can easily take out the paper discharged to the paper section from the front side of the apparatus, and the overall height of the apparatus can be reduced.

Embodiments of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a front view showing an embodiment of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic side view showing an internal structure.
This image forming apparatus includes a document reading unit 70 having a document table 71 on which a document to be read is placed, and an image data of a document that is disposed only below the document reading unit 70 and read by the document reading unit 70, Alternatively, an image forming unit 10 that forms an image based on image data input from an external device, and a sheet on the front side of the device (right side in FIG. 2) in which the image is to be formed in the image forming unit 10 A vertical conveyance path 16b that conveys in the vertical direction and a cover for the image forming unit 10 are supplied to the image forming unit 10 and a front cover 12 that is opened and closed from the front side of the apparatus with the vertical conveyance path 16b as a split surface. A sheet feeding cassette 18 that is configured to store sheets and can be inserted into and removed from the apparatus from the front side of the apparatus, and the image forming unit 10 below the document reading unit 70. Provided on the front side of the apparatus and on the front side of the apparatus, and is provided between the image forming unit 10 and the paper discharge unit 15, and is provided between the image forming unit 10 and the paper discharge unit 15. The paper on which the image is formed by the image forming unit 10 is once transported to the back side of the apparatus (left side in FIG. 2), then switched back, transported to the front side of the apparatus, and discharged to the paper discharge unit 15. And a mechanism 80.

1 and 2, reference numeral 1 denotes a frame of the image forming apparatus. A document reading unit 70 and an image forming unit 10 are assembled to the frame 1.
The document reading unit 70 is configured by a normal image scanner, and includes a document table 71 on which a document to be read is placed, and a document cover 72 that can be opened and closed. The document cover 72 can be opened and closed from the front side of the apparatus as indicated by a virtual line in FIG. A scanning mechanism having an optical system, a CCD, and the like is incorporated below the document table 71.

The image forming unit 10 is based on image data of a document read by the document reading unit 70 or image data input from an external device (for example, a personal computer), paper (in addition to paper, an OHP sheet, an envelope, etc.) A color image forming unit capable of forming a monochrome (single color) image or a full color image on both sides of a sheet 11 (including a sheet-like recording medium), and a case 11 and an image carrier unit 20 housed in the case 11. And an exposure unit 30 as exposure means and a developing device (developing device) 40 as development means. Further, an intermediate transfer body unit 50 and a fixing unit (fixing device) 60 as fixing means are provided.
The case 11 is provided with a frame (not shown), and the units and the like are attached to the frame.

  The image carrier unit 20 includes a photosensitive member 21 having a photosensitive layer on the outer peripheral surface, and charging means (not shown) for uniformly charging the outer peripheral surface of the photosensitive member 21. The outer peripheral surface of the uniformly charged photoreceptor 21 is selectively exposed with a laser beam L from the exposure unit 30 to form an electrostatic latent image, and the electrostatic latent image is developed with a developer by a developing device 40. A certain toner is applied to form a visible image (toner image). This toner image is primarily transferred to an intermediate transfer belt 51 as an intermediate transfer member of the intermediate transfer body unit 50 by a primary transfer portion T1, and further, a secondary transfer portion. (Transfer section) At T2, the image is secondarily transferred to the sheet to be transferred.

  In the case 11, paper is supplied to the secondary transfer portion T 2, and the paper on which an image is formed on one side by the secondary transfer portion T 2 is transported toward the paper discharge portion (discharge tray) 15 on the top surface of the case 11. The secondary transfer unit T2 is configured to switch back the transport path 16 and the sheet transported toward the sheet discharge unit 15 by the transport path 16 at the front stage of the switchback sheet discharge mechanism 80 to form an image on the other side. A return path 17 is provided for returning to the destination.

The paper is returned to the return path 17 by the switchback roller pair 93. The switchback roller pair 93 is provided in the paper discharge path 16 a from the fixing device 60, and the sheet switchback is performed before the rear end of the sheet passes through the nip portion of the switchback roller pair 93. This is done by reversing the pair 93 and supplying the paper to the return path 17.
The sheet supplied to the return path 17 is conveyed by the return roller pair 17a, merges with the conveyance path 16, and is supplied again to the secondary transfer portion T2.
A part of the transport path 16 constitutes a vertical transport path 16b for transporting the paper in the vertical direction.

Under the case 11, the paper feed cassette 18 that holds a plurality of sheets stacked is provided, and a paper feed roller 19 that feeds the sheets one by one toward the secondary transfer portion T2 is provided. It has been.
The paper feed cassette 18 is configured such that its rear portion 18a can be expanded and contracted in the longitudinal direction of the apparatus (left and right in FIG. 2). When the rear portion 18a is extended as shown in FIG. When storing A4 size paper, the rear portion 18a can be shortened.
Since FIG. 2 shows a case where A3 size paper is stored vertically, the rear portion 18b protrudes from the back of the apparatus. However, when storing A4 size paper, the rear portion 18a can be shortened. The rear portion 18b does not protrude from the rear surface of the apparatus.

  The developing device 40 is a rotary developing device (rotary developing device), and a developing device cartridge 42 for each color containing yellow toner, cyan toner, magenta toner, and black toner is detachably attached to the rotating body 41. Has been. The rotating body main body 41 is rotated at a pitch of 90 degrees in the direction of arrow R, so that the developing roller 43 provided in each developing device cartridge is selectively brought into contact with the photosensitive member 21 and the surface of the photosensitive member 21 is selectively selected. Development is possible.

The exposure unit 30 irradiates the laser 21 with the laser light L.
The intermediate transfer body unit 50 includes a unit frame (not shown), the intermediate transfer belt 51 as an intermediate transfer body stretched around a drive roller 54 and a plurality of driven rollers rotatably supported by the frame. The intermediate transfer belt 51 is circulated and driven in the direction of the arrow in the figure. The primary transfer portion T1 is formed at the contact portion between the photoconductor 21 and the intermediate transfer belt 51, and the secondary transfer portion T2 is formed at the pressure contact portion between the driving roller and the secondary transfer roller 10b.

The secondary transfer roller 10b can be brought into contact with and separated from the drive roller 54 (and therefore with respect to the intermediate transfer belt 51), and when it comes into contact, a secondary transfer portion T2 is formed.
Accordingly, when a color image is formed, a one-color image is formed on the intermediate transfer belt 51 for each rotation of the intermediate transfer belt 51 with the secondary transfer roller 10b being separated from the intermediate transfer belt 51. As a result of multiple rotations of the intermediate transfer belt 51, images of a plurality of colors are superimposed on the intermediate transfer belt 51 to form a color image on the intermediate transfer belt 51, and then the secondary transfer roller 10b contacts the intermediate transfer belt 51. When the paper is supplied to the contact portion (secondary transfer portion T2), the color image (toner image) is transferred (secondary transfer) from the intermediate transfer belt 51 onto the paper.
The sheet on which the toner image has been transferred passes through the fixing device 60 to melt and fix the toner image, and is discharged toward the paper discharge unit 15 via a switchback paper discharge mechanism 80 described later.

The switchback paper discharge mechanism 80 includes a switching paper guide 81 provided between the paper discharge path 16 a from the fixing device 60 and the paper discharge path 16 c to the paper discharge unit 15. And a pair of discharge switch back rollers 82 provided on the back side of the apparatus.
The switching paper guide 81 is rotatably provided on a shaft 81a, and operates as described later by an operating means (for example, a solenoid) (not shown).
The paper discharge switch back roller pair 82 is rotated forward and backward as will be described later by a rotation driving means (not shown).

The operation of the switchback paper discharge mechanism 80 is as follows.
As shown in FIG. 3A, when the paper S is conveyed from the fixing device 60 to the paper discharge path 16a, the switching paper guide 81 is in a state of being rotated clockwise as shown in FIG. , The sheet S is allowed to be conveyed toward the rear side of the apparatus. The paper discharge switch back roller pair 82 is rotating forward (rotating in the direction of transporting the paper S toward the back side of the apparatus).

As shown in FIG. 3B, the switching paper guide 81 rotates counterclockwise after the trailing edge Sa of the paper S passes the switching paper guide 81 and before the paper discharge switch back roller pair 82 passes. At the same time, the paper discharge switch back roller pair 82 reverses.
As a result, the paper S is conveyed to the paper discharge path 16c as shown in FIG. 4A with the trailing edge Sa as the leading edge in the traveling direction, and is shown in FIG. In this manner, the paper is discharged onto the paper discharge unit 15.
The discharged paper S is placed on 15 so that the rear end Sb (see a virtual line) hits the back surface of the paper discharge unit 15 whose bottom surface is inclined.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the front cover 12 can be opened and closed from the front side of the apparatus with the vertical conveyance path 16b as a split surface.
In this embodiment, the supporting member / paper guide 13 of the secondary transfer roller 10b can be opened and closed from the front side of the apparatus around the shaft 13a.
Further, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the paper guide 14 that forms one side of the return path 17 is configured to be openable and closable with respect to the front cover 12.
Therefore, when a sheet is jammed in the vertical conveyance path 16b or the return path 17, the sheet can be easily removed from the front side of the apparatus.

According to the image forming apparatus as described above, the following effects can be obtained.
(A) Since the image forming unit 10 is disposed only below the document reading unit, the apparatus width W (see FIG. 1) can be reduced.
(B) Since the image forming unit 10 is provided with the front cover 12 that is opened and closed from the front side of the apparatus with the vertical conveyance path 16b as a split surface, when the paper is jammed in the vertical conveyance path 16b, the front cover 12 can be opened to remove the paper. At this time, since the front cover 12 is opened and closed from the front side of the apparatus, no dead space is generated on the side face of the apparatus. Normally, the image forming apparatus is originally installed and used with the front of the apparatus being open, so that no dead space is generated on the front side of the apparatus.

(C) Since the paper discharge unit 15 is provided below the original reading unit 70 and above the image forming unit 10, that is, between the original reading unit 70 and the image forming unit 10, the original of the original reading unit 70 When the cover 72 is opened, the paper discharged to the paper discharge unit 15 does not get in the way, or the paper is not scattered by opening and closing the cover 72. Further, the apparatus width W does not increase due to the presence of the paper discharge unit 15.
In addition, since the paper discharge unit 15 is provided below the document reading unit 70 and above the image forming unit 10 and on the front side of the apparatus, the paper S (see FIG. 2) discharged to the paper discharge unit 15 is provided. The user can easily take it out from the front side of the device.
As a result, the vertical distance H1 (see FIG. 2) between the document reading unit 70 and the image forming unit 10 can be reduced, and the overall height H2 of the apparatus can be reduced.
In FIG. 2, reference numeral 15a denotes an extension tray configured to be detachable from the paper discharge unit 15, and is attached to the paper discharge unit 15 when A3 size paper is used for vertical feeding. Can be removed from the paper discharge unit 15. Therefore, when using A4 size paper, the paper can be taken out from the paper discharge unit 15 more easily by removing the extension tray 15a.

(D) Since the paper feed cassette 18 is configured to be removable from the apparatus from the front side of the apparatus, there is no dead space for attaching and detaching the paper feed cassette.
(E) Between the image forming unit 10 and the paper discharge unit 15, the paper on which the image is formed by the image forming unit 10 is once transported to the back side of the apparatus and then switched back to be transported to the front side of the apparatus. Since the switchback paper discharge mechanism 80 for discharging the paper to the paper discharge unit 15 is provided, the paper discharge unit 15 may be provided below the document reading unit 70 and above the image forming unit 10 and on the front side of the apparatus. Thus, the user can easily take out the paper discharged to the paper discharge unit 15 from the front side of the apparatus.
As a result, the vertical distance between the document reading unit 70 and the image forming unit 10 can be reduced, and the overall height of the apparatus can be reduced.

  As described above, according to this image forming apparatus, the apparatus width W can be reduced, no dead space is generated on the side surface of the apparatus, and the sheet does not get in the way of the opening / closing of the document cover 72 or scattered. The user can easily take out the paper discharged to the paper discharge unit 15 from the front side of the apparatus, and the overall height of the apparatus can be reduced.

  Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be appropriately modified within the scope of the gist of the present invention.

1 is a front view showing an embodiment of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention. The schematic side view which similarly shows an internal structure. (A) (b) is an operation explanatory view. (A) (b) is an operation explanatory view. The figure which shows the state which opened the front cover. The figure which shows the state which opened the front cover.

Explanation of symbols

  10: Image forming unit, 12: Front cover, 15: Paper discharge unit, 16b: Vertical conveyance path, 18: Paper feed cassette, 70: Document reading unit, 71: Document table, 80: Switchback paper discharge mechanism.

Claims (1)

An original reading unit having an original table on which an original to be read is placed;
An image forming unit that is disposed only below the document reading unit and forms an image based on image data of the document read by the document reading unit or image data input from an external device;
A vertical conveyance path that is provided on the front side of the apparatus in the image forming unit and conveys a sheet on which the image is to be formed;
A cover for the image forming unit, the front cover being opened and closed from the front side of the apparatus with the vertical conveying path as a split surface;
A paper cassette configured to store paper to be supplied to the image forming unit and configured to be detachable from the apparatus front side;
A paper discharge unit that is provided below the document reading unit and above the image forming unit and on the front side of the apparatus, and discharges a sheet after an image is formed by the image forming unit;
A sheet provided between the image forming unit and the paper discharge unit, on which an image has been formed by the image forming unit, is once transported to the back side of the apparatus and then switched back to be transported to the front side of the apparatus to be discharged. A switchback discharge mechanism for discharging to the paper section;
An image forming apparatus comprising:

Images