JP2007047570A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus capable of safely opening and closing a scan unit with respect to a printing unit with simple operation. <P>SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus is equipped with the printing unit for printing an image and the scan unit for reading the image. The apparatus further includes: the scan unit which is freely rotationally movably connected to the upper part of the printing unit and opens and closes with respect to the printing unit; a fitting hole which is provided on the scan unit and opens to the close side of the scan unit; and a rotationally movable arm which is freely rotationally movably connected to the upper part of the printing unit and locks the scan unit in the close position by fitting to the fitting hole of the scan unit. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly to an open / close structure of a scan unit with respect to a print unit.

  In an image forming apparatus such as a multifunction machine or a copying machine in which a print unit and a scan unit are integrated, a structure in which the scan unit is rotatably connected to the upper part of the print unit to open and close the print unit is generally employed. According to such a structure, the maintenance and inspection of the print unit can be performed with the scan unit opened.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for locking the scan unit at a predetermined position on the open side from the fully closed position as a technique for ensuring safety in the maintenance and inspection of the print unit. This Patent Document 1 further provides a mechanism for holding the lock member that moves between the lock position for locking the scan unit and the release position for releasing the lock in the release position, so that the lock is ensured when the scan unit is closed. A technique for canceling is disclosed.

  However, in the case of the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, in order to release the lock, the user must operate the lock member to the release position with the other hand while supporting the scan unit with one hand, and the work is complicated. It becomes. Also, when the lock member is operated to the release position, the load on the support hand increases rapidly, so if the load cannot be supported, the scan unit rotates to the close side and the release side hand moves to the unit. There is also a danger of being caught between them.

JP 2001-288947 A

  SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides an image forming apparatus that can safely open and close a scan unit with a simple operation with respect to a print unit.

(1) An image forming apparatus for achieving the above object is a print unit that prints an image and a scan unit that reads an image, and is rotatably connected to an upper portion of the print unit and opens and closes with respect to the print unit. A scan unit, a pivot arm rotatably coupled to an upper portion of the print unit, a fitting hole provided in the scan unit and opening on a closed side of the scan unit, and adjacent to the fitting hole A first sliding contact surface provided in the scan unit and facing the closed side of the scan unit; and provided in the scan unit, facing the open side of the scan unit and facing the fitting hole and the first sliding contact surface A second slidable contact surface facing the space, and a free end side of the rotation arm of the rotation arm, the scan unit Is positioned in the locking position on the open side from the fully closed position, and is fixed by fitting into the fitting hole, and the scan unit at the lock position enters the space by rotating to the open side. A movable portion that slides in contact with one of the first sliding contact surface and the second sliding contact surface and moves in the space when the scan unit rotates on the closed side from the position.
When the scan unit is rotated from the fully closed position to the open side, the movable unit on the free end side of the rotation shaft in the rotation arm connected to the upper part of the print unit has the first and second provided on the scan unit. It moves in the space between the sliding surfaces. At this time, the movable portion is subjected to the gravitational action, so that the movable portion comes into sliding contact with the second sliding contact surface facing the open side of the scan unit among the first and second sliding contact surfaces. The portion is pressed to the opposite side of the print unit, and as a result, the rotating arm rises. When the scan unit reaches the locked position, the movable unit is positioned by fitting the movable unit into a fitting hole provided in the scan unit and opening to the closed side thereof, so that the scan unit is turned up. The arm can be supported and securely locked. Also, when releasing this lock, the movable part can be detached from the fitting hole facing the closed side by a simple operation of rotating the scan unit to the open side. Can be done. Here, since the movable portion enters the space between the fitting portion and the first sliding contact surface and the second sliding contact surface by the rotation of the scan unit to the open side, the scan unit is closed after unlocking. When rotating, the movable portion comes into sliding contact with either the first sliding contact surface or the second sliding contact surface according to the rotation speed. For example, when the rotation speed of the scan unit is slow, the movable part can be slidably contacted with the second sliding contact surface facing the fitting hole and facing the open side of the scan unit. It moves following the two sliding contact surfaces, and as a result, the rotating arm tilts. According to such an operation, the scan unit can be slowly closed with one hand. On the other hand, when the scan unit has a high rotation speed, the movable part can be slidably contacted with the first sliding contact surface adjacent to the fitting hole and facing the closed side of the scan unit. Moves while being pressed by the first sliding contact surface, and as a result, the rotating arm tilts. According to such an operation, the scan unit can be quickly closed using its own weight without relying on human hands. As described above, according to the image forming apparatus, the scan unit can be safely opened and closed by a simple operation.

(2) The image forming apparatus includes an internal exposure port that is provided at an upper portion of the print unit and exposes the inside of the print unit. The scan unit closes the internal exposure port at the fully closed position, and It is desirable to open the internal exposure port on the open side with respect to the closed position.
As described in (1) above, since the scan unit is securely locked at the locked position, for example, maintenance and inspection inside the print unit can be performed safely through the opened internal exposure port on the upper part of the print unit.

(3) The first sliding contact surface faces the fitting hole side in the sliding direction of the movable portion with respect to the first sliding contact surface, and engages the movable portion to close the scan unit. It is desirable to have an engaging portion that is positioned at an intermediate position between the position and the lock position.
If the rotation speed of the scan unit is increased when the scan unit is rotated on the closing side, the user's hand may be accidentally caught between the scan unit and the print unit. However, as described in (1) above, the engaging portion that locks the scan unit at an intermediate position by engaging with the movable portion on the first sliding contact surface with which the movable portion is in sliding contact when the scan unit rotates at high speed. Therefore, even a scanning unit that rotates at a high speed is surely stopped before it is fully closed. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the hand from being caught between the units. In addition, after the scan unit is locked at the intermediate position, the movable part can be detached from the engaging part by a simple operation of rotating the scan unit to the open side, and thereafter, described in (1) above. As described above, the scan unit can be safely fully closed by sliding the movable portion on the first or second sliding contact surface.

(4) The image forming apparatus preferably includes an elastic portion that generates a restoring force that pushes the movable portion closer to the first sliding contact surface than the fitting hole at the lock position of the scan unit.
When the scanning unit is unlocked as described in the above (1), the movable part pushed toward the first sliding contact surface side from the fitting hole by the restoring force generated by the elastic part is first and second. It is possible to reliably enter the space between the sliding contact surface. Therefore, after the lock is released, when the scan unit is turned to the closing side as described in (1) above, the movable portion is surely brought into sliding contact with the first or second sliding contact surface, so that the safe closing is performed. Side rotation can be realized.

(5) It is desirable that the elastic portion is provided on the rotating arm and generates the restoring force by elastically deforming with the fitting of the movable portion into the fitting hole.
According to this configuration, since the restoring force is generated by fitting the movable portion into the fitting hole so that the elastic portion of the rotating arm is elastically deformed, the structure for generating the restoring force is simplified.
The elastic portion may be formed of a member other than the rotating arm, for example, an elastic member such as a spring.

(6) It is desirable that the rotation axis of the scan unit and the rotation axis of the rotation arm are parallel to each other.
Since the rotation axes of the scan unit and the rotation arm are parallel, the sliding direction of the movable portion with respect to the first and second sliding contact surfaces is limited to the direction perpendicular to the rotation axes. Therefore, since the change in shape of the first and second sliding contact surfaces can be regarded as a one-dimensional change, it is easy to design the sliding contact surfaces.
Note that the rotation axis of the scan unit and the rotation axis of the rotation arm may be positioned so as to intersect each other.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on a plurality of examples. Constituent elements corresponding to the respective embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted.
(First Example)
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the multifunction machine 10 as an image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The multifunction machine 10 includes a print unit 20 and a scan unit 30. The print unit 20 has an image printing function, and the scan unit 30 has an image reading function. The multifunction machine 10 can print an image read by the scan unit 30 by the print unit 20 and has a copying function as a whole.

  The print unit 20 includes a print mechanism 22 and a control unit 40 (to be described later) housed in a print housing 21. The print housing 21 is formed in a box shape with resin or the like. The print mechanism 22 prints an image by ejecting the ink in each ink cartridge 23 onto the printing paper N by the recording head 24 while carrying the plurality of ink cartridges 23 and the recording head 24 by the carriage 25. The paper feeding section 26 of the print mechanism 22 transports the printing paper N supplied to the paper feeding port of the print housing 21 onto the platen, and then the printing paper N on which the image is printed is discharged to the paper housing 21. To discharge from. Note that the printing mechanism 22 may perform image printing by a known printing method such as a laser method, a sublimation method, and an impact method in addition to the ink jet method.

The scan unit 30 is a so-called flatbed scanner in which a scanning unit 33 is accommodated in a scan housing 32 having a document table 31. The scan housing 32 is formed in a box shape with resin or the like. A document table cover 34 that covers the surface of the document table 31 is rotatably connected to the scan housing 32. A bottom portion of the scan housing 32 opposite to the document table 31 is rotatably connected to an upper portion of the print housing 21. As a result, the scan unit 30 can be opened and closed with respect to the print unit 20. Hereinafter, the rotation position of the scan unit 30 in which the bottom of the scan housing 32 is placed on the upper portion of the print housing 21 is referred to as a fully closed position. In the scanning unit 33, the carriage 35 is provided so as to be able to reciprocate in parallel with the surface of the document table 31, and carries the optical system including the light source 36, the mirror 37, and the lens 38 and the linear image sensor 39. The scanning unit 33 reads the image by forming a reflected light image of the image on the subject M irradiated by the light source 36 on the linear image sensor 39 as shown by a broken line in FIG.
The control unit 40 controls the operation of the print mechanism 22 based on image data or print data input from an external system such as a personal computer or the scan unit 30.

  FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state in which the scan unit 30 is locked at the lock position on the open side from the fully closed position. In the first embodiment, a rotary arm 50 is rotatably connected to the upper portion of the print housing 21, and the rotary arm 50 raised with respect to the horizontal plane is on the free end 51 side at the bottom of the scan housing 32. Is supported, the scan unit 30 is locked in the open state. An internal exposure port 40 provided at the top of the print housing 21 and exposing the print mechanism 22 inside the housing is closed by the bottom of the scan housing 32 at the fully closed position of the scan unit 30, and from the fully closed position of the scan unit 30. Is also opened on the open side. Therefore, at the locked position of the scan unit 30, maintenance inspection such as replacement of the ink cartridge 23 can be performed through the opened internal exposure port 44.

1 and 4 are cross-sectional views showing the open / close structure of the scan unit 30. FIG. The rotary arm 50 is formed in a belt-like flat plate shape with an elastically deformable resin or the like, and has a shaft portion 52 that is pivotally supported on the upper portion of the print housing 21 at one end 53 in the longitudinal direction. The shaft portion 52 is provided in a form protruding from the main body of the rotating arm 50 to both sides in the width direction. Each shaft portion 52 is disposed in parallel to the rotation axis O of the scan unit 30 and coaxially with each other. Therefore, the rotation axis P of the rotation arm 50 is defined parallel to the rotation axis O of the scan unit 30.
A cylindrical movable portion 56 is provided at a free end 51 which is the other end in the longitudinal direction of the rotating arm 50. Two movable portions 56 are provided so as to protrude from the main body of the rotating arm 50 to both sides in the width direction. Therefore, the protruding direction of each movable portion 56 is defined in a direction parallel to the rotation axes O and P.

Two guide structures 60 for guiding each movable portion 56 are provided at the bottom of the scan housing 32. Each guide structure 60 is located on both sides sandwiching the free end 51 of the rotating arm 50 in the width direction. Since each guide structure 60 has the same configuration, only the configuration of one guide structure 60 will be described below.
The guide structure 60 has a fitting hole 62, a first sliding contact surface 63, and a second sliding contact surface 64.

The fitting hole 62 is formed in a concave shape that is recessed on the open side of the scan unit 30 and opens on the close side of the unit. The size of the fitting hole 62 in the vertical direction of the rotation axis O and the rotation direction of the scan unit 30 is set to a size that allows the corresponding movable portion 56 to be fitted.
The first sliding contact surface 63 is provided farther from the rotation axis O than the fitting hole 62 in the direction perpendicular to the rotation axis O, and is adjacent to the fitting hole 62. On the first sliding contact surface 63, a stepped portion 66, an engaging portion 67, and a flat portion 68 are provided side by side in the direction perpendicular to the rotation axis O. The stepped portion 66 connected to the opening edge of the fitting hole 62 is formed in a stepped surface shape that is smoothly recessed on the open side of the scan unit 30 as the intermediate portion in the vertical direction of the rotation axis O is separated from the fitting hole 62. As a whole, it faces the closed side of the scan unit 30. The engaging portion 67 connected to the stepped portion 66 on the side opposite to the fitting hole 62 is formed in a flat surface shape that faces the fitting hole 62 side and is a substantially vertical surface at the fully closed position of the scan unit 30. . The size of the engaging portion 67 in the rotation direction of the scan unit 30 (hereinafter referred to as a set size) is set to a size that can be engaged with the corresponding movable portion 56 as shown in FIG. The flat portion 68 connected to the engaging portion 67 on the opposite side to the stepped portion 66 is formed in a flat surface that faces the closed side of the scan unit 30 and is substantially horizontal at the fully closed position of the scan unit 30.

  The second slidable contact surface 64 is formed in a flat surface that faces the open side of the scan unit 30 and is substantially horizontal in the fully closed position of the scan unit 30, and has a space 69 in the fitting hole 62 and the first slidable contact surface 63. It is opposed across the. Here, the size of the space 69 in the rotation direction of the scan unit 30 is set to a size in which the corresponding movable portion 56 can reciprocate in the direction perpendicular to the rotation axis O in the loose insertion state in the space.

  A rotation stopper 70 is provided on the rotation axis 50 side of the rotation arm 50 in the upper part of the print unit 20. The rotation stopper 70 restricts the rotation of the rotation arm 50 by contacting the one surface 57 of the rotation arm 50 at the lock position of the scan unit 30.

Next, the opening / closing operation of the scan unit 30 will be described.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a state where the scan unit 30 is localized at the fully closed position. In the fully closed position of the scan unit 30, the bottom of the scan housing 32 is superimposed on the top of the print housing 21. In this state, the rotating arm 50 is sandwiched between the scan housing 32 and the print housing 21 in a horizontal posture, so that each movable portion 56 is slidably contacted with the sliding contact surface 63 of each guide structure 60 by gravity. 64 is localized on the lower second sliding contact surface 64.

  FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a state where the scan unit 30 is rotated to an intermediate position between the fully closed position and the lock position. When the scan unit 30 is manually rotated from the fully closed position to the open side by the user, the movable portions 56 that receive the gravitational action are moved to the lower second sliding contact of the sliding contact surfaces 63 and 64 of the respective guide structures 60. It moves in space 69 in sliding contact with surface 64. At this time, each movable portion 56 moves to the opposite side to the print unit 20 by being pressed by the second sliding contact surface 64 of each guide structure 60, so that the rotating arm 50 rises. Therefore, since the user can perform the opening side rotation of the scan unit 30 with only one hand, the opening side rotation is safe.

  FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the scan unit 30 is localized at the lock position. When the scan unit 30 reaches the lock position by the opening side rotation, the movable unit 56 is moved to each of the movable unit 56 by elastically deforming the rotation arm 50 with the remaining hand of the user while the scan unit 30 is supported by the user's one hand. It is fitted in the fitting hole 62 of the guide structure 60. Here, since the rotation arm 50 abuts on the rotation stopper 70 in the locked position, the user can easily press the free end 51 side of the rotation arm 50 toward the rotation axis O side to easily extend the length of the arm. The direction intermediate portion 58 can be elastically deformed. Further, due to this elastic deformation, a restoring force in a direction toward the first sliding contact surface 63 side from the fitting hole 62 of each guide structure 60 acts on each movable portion 56. As described above, the intermediate portion 58 of the rotating arm 50 corresponds to an “elastic portion” described in the claims.

  Since each movable part 56 is positioned by being restricted in movement by fitting into the fitting hole 62 of each guide structure 60, the scan unit 30 is supported from the lower side by the raised rotation arm 50. Locked in the locked position. Therefore, in the locked position, maintenance and inspection inside the print unit 20 can be performed safely through the internal exposure port 44. When the lock is released, the scan unit 30 is manually rotated by the user to open at least the fitting depth of each movable part 56 with respect to the fitting hole 62 of each guide structure 60, thereby causing each movable part 56 to move. Detach from each fitting hole 62. Here, since the user can perform the opening side rotation of the scan unit 30 with only one hand, the unlocking by the opening side rotation is easy.

  8 to 11 are cross-sectional views showing a state in which the scan unit 30 is rotated to different intermediate positions on the closing side from the lock position. In the locked state of the scan unit 30, each movable portion 56 is pushed closer to the first sliding contact surface 63 side than the fitting hole 62 of each guide structure 60 by the restoring force generated by the rotating arm 50. Accordingly, each movable portion 56 enters the space 69 of each guide structure 60 as shown in FIG. In the first embodiment, each movable portion 56 comes into contact with the upper first sliding contact surface 63 among the sliding contact surfaces 63 and 64 sandwiching the space 69 of each guide structure 60.

  After that, when the scan unit 30 is slowly turned to the closing side manually by the user, each of the guide structures 60 is moved until each movable portion 56 reaches a position immediately above each shaft portion 52 as shown in FIG. The first sliding contact surface 63 slides on the stepped portion 66 and moves in the space 69. Further, as shown in FIG. 10, when each movable portion 56 exceeds the position immediately above each shaft portion 52, the lower second sliding contact surface 64 of the sliding contact surfaces 63, 64 of each guide structure 60 is caused by gravity action. It moves in the space 69 in sliding contact. At this time, each movable portion 56 moves to the print unit 20 side following the second sliding contact surface 64 of each guide structure 60, so that the rotating arm 50 tilts. Therefore, in this case, the scanning unit 30 can be fully closed by continuing the manual closing side rotation until the rotating arm 50 assumes a horizontal posture (see FIG. 5). Here, since the user can slowly perform the closed side rotation of the scan unit 30 with only one hand, the closed side rotation is safe.

  On the other hand, when the user's hand is released from the scan unit 30 after the lock is released and the scan unit 30 rotates at a high speed by the gravitational action, each movable portion 56 has each guide structure as shown in FIG. 60 is in sliding contact with the stepped portion 66 of the first sliding contact surface 63. At this time, each movable portion 56 moves in the space 69 while being pressed toward the print unit 20 by each stepped portion 66, so that the rotating arm 50 tilts. As a result, when the scan unit 30 reaches the intermediate position shown in FIG. 1, the engaging portion 67 of the first sliding contact surface 63 of each guide structure 60 is engaged with each movable portion 56. Since each movable portion 56 stops before reaching the print unit 20 by this engagement action, the scan unit 30 is locked at the intermediate position while being supported from the lower side by the rotating arm 50. Accordingly, even if the user releases his / her hand from the scan unit 30 and the rotation speed cannot be controlled, the scan unit 30 can be reliably stopped before being fully closed. , There is no worry of being caught between 30 by mistake. Further, when the lock at the intermediate position (hereinafter referred to as intermediate lock) is released, the scanning unit 30 is rotated by the user by at least the set size of each engagement portion 67, so that each movable portion 56 is moved to each position. Detach from the engaging portion 67. Here, since the user can perform the opening side rotation of the scan unit 30 with only one hand, the unlocking by the opening side rotation is easy.

When the hand is released from the scan unit 30 after the intermediate lock is released and the scan unit 30 is turned at a high speed by the gravitational action, the movable portions 56 of the respective guide structures 60 are moved as shown in FIG. The sliding contact is made with the flat portion 68 of the sliding contact surface 63. At this time, each movable portion 56 moves in the space 69 while being pressed toward the print unit 20 by each flat portion 68, so that the rotating arm 50 is tilted. Therefore, in this case, since the scan unit 30 is closed and rotated by its own weight until the rotating arm 50 is in the horizontal posture (see FIG. 5), the scan unit 30 can be safely fully closed without relying on human hands. Can do.
On the other hand, when the scan unit 30 released from the intermediate lock is slowly manually rotated to the closing side, each movable portion 56 follows the second sliding contact surface 64 of each guide structure 60 toward the print unit 20 side. Moving. Therefore, the user can safely fully close the scan unit 30 with only one hand.

According to the first embodiment described above, the scan unit 30 can be safely opened and closed by a simple operation.
In the first embodiment, since the rotation axis O of the scan unit 30 and the rotation axis P of the rotation arm 50 are parallel, each movable portion 56 with respect to the sliding contact surfaces 63 and 64 of each guide structure 60. Is limited to the direction perpendicular to the rotation axes O and P. Therefore, since the shape change of the sliding contact surfaces 63 and 64 can be grasped as a one-dimensional change, the sliding contact surfaces 63 and 64 can be easily designed.

(Second embodiment)
FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view showing the open / close structure of the scan unit 30 according to the second embodiment.
In the second embodiment, the first sliding contact surface 101 of each guide structure 100 is provided closer to the rotation axis O than the fitting hole 62 in the direction perpendicular to the rotation axis O, and is adjacent to the fitting hole 62. ing. As a result, on the first sliding contact surface 101, the stepped portion 66, the engaging portion 67, and the flat portion 68 are arranged in this order in the direction perpendicular to the rotation axis O toward the rotation axis O side.

  In the second embodiment, the rotation stopper 110 is provided on the opposite side of the rotation axis O across the rotation arm 50 in the upper part of the print unit 20. Thereby, the rotation stopper 110 restricts the rotation of the rotation arm 50 by coming into contact with the surface 111 of the rotation arm 50 opposite to the case of the rotation stopper 70 of the first embodiment.

  In the second embodiment having such a configuration, when the scanning unit 30 reaches the lock position by the opening side rotation, the rotation arm 50 is elastically deformed by the user, and each movable portion 56 is fitted to each guide structure 100. The scan unit 30 is locked by being fitted into the hole 62. Here, since the rotation arm 50 contacts the rotation stopper 110 in the locked position, the user can easily perform the operation by pressing the free end 51 side of the rotation arm 50 to the side opposite to the rotation axis O. The intermediate portion 58 of the arm can be elastically deformed. Further, due to this elastic deformation, a restoring force in a direction toward the first sliding contact surface 63 side from the fitting hole 62 of each guide structure 100 acts on each movable portion 56.

  13 to 15 are cross-sectional views showing a state in which the scan unit 30 is rotated to different intermediate positions on the closing side from the lock position. When the lock is released by the opening side rotation of the scan unit 30, each movable part 56 enters the space 69 of each guide structure 100 as shown in FIG. However, in the second embodiment, each movable portion 56 comes into contact with the lower second sliding contact surface 64 of the sliding contact surfaces 101 and 64 sandwiching the space 69 of each guide structure 100.

  Thereafter, when the scan unit 30 is slowly turned to the closing side manually by the user, each movable portion 56 is slidably contacted with the second sliding contact surface 64 of each guide structure 100 as shown in FIG. Move in. At this time, since each movable portion 56 moves to the print unit 20 side following the second sliding contact surface 64 of each guide structure 100, the rotation arm 50 tilts and the scan unit 30 is returned to the fully closed position. Accordingly, since the user can slowly perform the closing side rotation of the scan unit 30 with only one hand, the closing side rotation is safe.

  On the other hand, when the user's hand is released from the scan unit 30 after the lock is released and the scan unit 30 closes and rotates at a high speed due to the gravitational action, each movable portion 56 has each guide structure as shown in FIG. 100 slidably contacts the stepped portion 66 of the first sliding contact surface 101. At this time, each movable portion 56 moves in the space 69 while being pressed toward the print unit 20 by each stepped portion 66, so that the rotating arm 50 tilts. Therefore, as in the case of the first embodiment, the scan unit 30 is once locked at the intermediate position by the engaging action of the engaging portion 67 of the first sliding contact surface 101 of each guide structure 100 and then safely fully closed. be able to.

Although a plurality of embodiments have been described above, the present invention is not construed as being limited to these embodiments.
For example, in the above-described embodiment, the restoring force that pushes the movable portion 56 at the locked position of the scan unit 30 is generated by the intermediate portion of the rotating arm 50, thereby simplifying the structure for generating the restoring force. On the other hand, a restoring force that pushes the movable portion 56 may be generated by elastically deforming an elastic member provided separately from the rotation arm 50 by the rotation arm 50.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the rotation axis O of the scan unit 30 and the rotation axis P of the rotation arm 50 are defined in parallel to each other. However, the rotation axis O of the scan unit 30 and the rotation arm 50 are The rotation axis P may be crossed.
Furthermore, if the arrangement | positioning location of the movable part 56 in the rotation arm 50 is the free end 51 side from the rotation axis O, it will not be restricted to the free end 51 like the above-mentioned Example, It can set suitably. is there.

  In addition, in the above-described embodiment, one guide structure 60 having the fitting hole 62, the first sliding contact surface 63, and the second sliding contact surface 64 is provided on each side in the width direction of the rotating arm 50, that is, two in total. However, only one guide structure 60 or three or more guide structures 60 may be provided for each rotation arm 50. Further, the set of the rotation arm 50 and the appropriate number of guide structures 60 is not limited to one set as in the above-described embodiment, and a plurality of sets may be provided.

Sectional drawing which concerns on the 1st Example of this invention. The schematic diagram which concerns on the 1st Example of this invention. The perspective view which concerns on the 1st Example of this invention. IV-IV sectional view taken on the line of FIG. Sectional drawing which concerns on the 1st Example of this invention. Sectional drawing which concerns on the 1st Example of this invention. Sectional drawing which concerns on the 1st Example of this invention. Sectional drawing which concerns on the 1st Example of this invention. Sectional drawing which concerns on the 1st Example of this invention. Sectional drawing which concerns on the 1st Example of this invention. Sectional drawing which concerns on the 1st Example of this invention. Sectional drawing which concerns on the 1st Example of this invention. Sectional drawing which concerns on the 1st Example of this invention. Sectional drawing which concerns on the 1st Example of this invention. Sectional drawing which concerns on the 1st Example of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

10: Multifunction machine (image forming apparatus), 20: Print unit, 21: Print housing, 30: Scan unit, 32: Scan housing, 44: Internal exposure port, 50: Rotating arm, 51: Free end, 52: Shaft 56: movable portion, 58: intermediate portion (elastic portion), 60: guide structure, 62: fitting hole, 63: first sliding contact surface, 64: second sliding contact surface, 66: stepped portion, 67: Engagement part, 68: flat part, 69: space, 70: rotation stopper, 100: guide structure, 101: first sliding contact surface, 110: rotation stopper, O rotation axis, P: rotation axis

Claims (6)

A print unit for printing images;
A scan unit for reading an image, wherein the scan unit is rotatably connected to an upper portion of the print unit, and opens and closes with respect to the print unit;
A pivot arm rotatably coupled to an upper portion of the print unit;
A fitting hole provided in the scan unit and opening on a closed side of the scan unit;
A first sliding contact surface provided in the scan unit adjacent to the fitting hole and facing the closed side of the scan unit;
A second sliding contact surface provided in the scan unit, facing the open side of the scan unit, and facing the fitting hole and the first sliding contact surface with a space in between;
The rotating arm is provided on the free end side with respect to the rotating axis, and when the scan unit is in the lock position on the open side from the fully closed position, the scan unit is fitted into the fitting hole and positioned, The scan unit enters the space by turning to the open side, and when the scan unit is turned on the closed side from the lock position, the scan unit turns to one of the first sliding contact surface and the second sliding contact surface. A movable part that slides and moves in the space;
An image forming apparatus comprising: Provided in the upper part of the print unit, comprising an internal exposure port for exposing the inside of the print unit;
2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the scan unit closes the internal exposure port at the fully closed position and opens the internal exposure port on an opening side of the fully closed position.   The first sliding contact surface faces the fitting hole side in the sliding direction of the movable portion with respect to the first sliding contact surface, and engages with the movable portion to bring the scan unit into the fully closed position and the The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an engaging portion that is positioned at an intermediate position between the locking position and the locking position.   The image according to claim 1, further comprising: an elastic portion that generates a restoring force that pushes the movable portion closer to the first sliding contact surface than the fitting hole at the lock position of the scan unit. Forming equipment.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the elastic portion is provided in the rotating arm and generates the restoring force by elastically deforming with the fitting of the movable portion into the fitting hole.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a rotation axis of the scan unit and a rotation axis of the rotation arm are parallel to each other.

Images