JP2008099161A - Scanner device and image forming apparatus using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve an operational touch of a scanner lid by reducing the quantity of backlash when opening and closing the scanner lid in a scanner device. <P>SOLUTION: A scanner lid (called lid hereafter) 11 is mounted through a hinge member 20 to a case 10 so as to be freely turned and vertically displaced for covering the upper surface of the case 10 of a scanner device. The hinge member 20 is mounted to be freely turned so as to be held in a holding groove 11b of the lid 11 and loosely fitted into a fitting hole 10a of the case 10 so as to be vertically slid. On the inside surface at one side of an inner surface of the holding groove 11b, a projection 11d is formed which is abutted to the hinge member 20 while the lid 11 is opened. When opening and closing the lid 11, the projection 11d is abutted to the hinge member 20 and the hinge member 20 is held on an inside surface on which the projection 11d is not formed in the holding groove, thereby reducing backlash between the hinge member 20 and the lid 11. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a scanner device having a function of reading a document placed on a document table as image data, and an image forming apparatus using the scanner device.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a scanner device that reads a document placed on a document table as image data using a scanning unit such as a CIS (Contact Image Sensor) has been used. Such a scanner device is configured integrally with an image forming unit that forms an image on recording paper, for example, and is used as an image forming device or connected to an external personal computer or the like. In general, in such a scanner device, a document is placed at a predetermined position on the document table, and is pressed against the document table by a plate-shaped scanner lid that is rotatably arranged on the upper surface of the housing. It is read without moving on the table. The scanner lid is, for example, a case in which a rod-shaped hinge member pivotally supported by the scanner lid is inserted into a fitting hole formed in the housing so as to be slidable in the vertical direction. In contrast, it is arranged to be rotatable and vertically displaceable. Thus, for example, even when a thick document such as a book is placed on the document table, the document can be pressed against the document table by the scanner lid.

  By the way, in the scanner apparatus as described above, the hinge member is attached to the scanner lid so as to have a so-called play so that it can be slightly slid in the rotation axis direction of the scanner lid. Further, the hinge member is configured to be loosely fitted into the insertion hole. As a result, the scanner lid can be displaced up and down with respect to the housing in a closed state in which the document is pressed down, and can be surely adapted to documents of various thicknesses. However, since the hinge member is configured to have play with respect to the scanner lid and the casing in this way, the scanner lid is rotated with respect to the casing by the user's operation, and is opened. For example, when the document table is exposed to the outside, there is a problem that the scanner lid is largely rattled with respect to the housing. When the amount of shakiness of the scanner lid is large, the operation feeling of the scanner lid is deteriorated during operation, and the commercial value of the scanner device is impaired. In order to prevent this, the amount of rattling of the scanner lid must be reduced, and the scanner lid can be rotated and displaced vertically so as to reduce play between the parts. There must be. In order to configure in this way, it is necessary to improve the dimensional accuracy at the time of manufacturing each component, and the manufacturing cost is greatly increased. Therefore, it is desired to improve the operational feeling by reducing the amount of rattling during the operation of the scanner lid so that the manufacturing cost does not increase.

Here, in Patent Document 1, in the image reading apparatus, a structure in which two protrusions facing each other at a predetermined distance in the vertical direction are provided on the inner wall of the hinge receiving portion into which the hinge member is fitted, facing the hinge member. Are listed. In this image reading apparatus, by providing the protruding portion, the slidability in the vertical direction of the scanner lid is improved even when the scanner lid is heavy. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-228561 discloses a facsimile apparatus that is provided with a tapered rib on the cover side to guide a protrusion used for detecting opening / closing of a platen cover so that the protrusion is reliably guided. Yes. This device is configured so that the projection is reliably guided to the open / close sensor even when the cover is inclined during the opening / closing operation of the platen cover. Patent Document 3 discloses an image reading apparatus in which a scanner lid is supported on a housing so that the scanner lid can be opened and closed and moved up and down by inserting a support leg of a hinge member attached to the scanner lid into a shaft hole of the housing. Has been. This image reading apparatus is configured so that the support leg does not come out of the shaft hole by providing a hook portion at the end of the support leg and providing a stopper portion so that the hook portion of the support leg abuts at the opening of the shaft hole. Has been. However, these Patent Documents 1 to 3 do not describe an effective solution for the above-described problem related to the rattling of the scanner lid.
JP 2002-244233 A JP 2001-343715 A JP 2000-231163 A

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a low-cost scanner device that has a small amount of rattling when the scanner lid is opened and closed, and that has a good operation feeling of the scanner lid. And

  In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is a function for reading, as image data, a casing and a document placed on the top of the casing and placed on a substantially rectangular document table on the top surface of the casing. An image forming unit disposed under the scanner unit and having a function of forming an image on recording paper based on image data of a document read by the scanner unit or image data input from an external device The scanner unit is disposed so as to cover the document table, and is formed in a substantially rod shape with a scanner lid that holds the document in close contact with the document table by sandwiching the document between the document table and the document table. And a hinge member having a pivot shaft projecting in the vicinity of one end of the housing and pivotally supporting the scanner lid. In addition, an insertion hole that is loosely fitted from the other end side is formed, and a width dimension larger than the width dimension of the rotation shaft vicinity portion of the hinge member is provided in each of the rear end side vicinity portions of the scanner lid. The hinge member is configured such that the pivot shaft is held by each of the retaining groove portions, and the vicinity of the pivot shaft is sandwiched by the holding groove portion along the longitudinal direction of the hinge member. And is inserted into each of the insertion holes from the other end side of the hinge member so as to be slidable in the vertical direction, whereby the scanner lid is rotatable with respect to the casing and In the image forming apparatus that is mounted so as to be displaceable in the vertical direction, of the inner surface of the holding groove portion, in the vicinity of the portion that is pivotally supported by the rotating shaft on the central side or side surface of the housing, The scanner lid Protrusions that abut against the hinge member when the document table is opened are exposed, and the projections abut against the hinge members when the scanner lid is rotated to the open state. The hinge members are held on the side or the center side of the casing, so that the amount of rattling of the scanner lid with respect to the casing is smaller than that when the scanner lid is closed. It is configured to decrease.

  The invention according to claim 2 is arranged so as to cover the casing, the document table on the upper surface of the casing, and the document table, and the document is closely attached to the document table by sandwiching the document between the document table and the document table. And a hinge member that is formed in a substantially rod shape and is rotatably mounted on the scanner lid. The housing is formed with a fitting hole into which the hinge member is loosely fitted. A holding groove portion having a width dimension larger than the width dimension of the hinge member is formed in a portion of the scanner lid where the hinge member is mounted, and the hinge member is formed in the holding groove portion. It is mounted so as to be sandwiched along the longitudinal direction of the hinge member, and is inserted into the insertion hole and is slidable in the vertical direction, whereby the scanner lid is rotated with respect to the casing. Free and up and down In the image forming apparatus that is mounted so as to be displaceable, a protrusion that contacts the hinge member when the scanner lid is in an open state that exposes the document table is provided on one of the inner side surfaces of the holding groove. When the scanner lid is rotated to the open state, the protrusion comes into contact with the hinge member, and the hinge member is held on the inner side of the holding groove where the protrusion is not provided. It is comprised so that it may be.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect of the present invention, there are two sets of the insertion hole and the hinge member, and the hinge members are respectively mounted in holding groove portions formed at two positions of the scanner lid. The protrusions are provided on the inner surface of the holding groove portion closer to the holding groove portion different from the holding groove portion or on the inner surface farther from the holding groove portion different from the holding groove portion. When the scanner lid is turned to the open state, the hinge members come into contact with the projections, so that they are separated from the hinge member different from the hinge member or the hinge member. It is comprised so that it may hold | maintain in the state which approached another hinge member.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the scanner lid is opened and closed, the hinge member abuts on the protrusion and is held on the inner surface side of the holding groove where the protrusion is not provided. Shaking with the lid is reduced. Further, since the two hinge members are both held on the side or the center side of the housing, the rattling between the two hinge members and the housing is also reduced. Therefore, the structure in which the protrusion is provided in the holding groove and the structure is simple and the manufacturing cost is low, the amount of rattling of the scanner lid with respect to the housing can be reduced compared to when the scanner lid is in the closed state. The operational feeling of the lid can be improved and the commercial value of the image forming apparatus can be improved.

  According to the invention of claim 2, when the scanner lid is opened and closed, the hinge member is held on the inner surface side of the holding groove portion on which the projection portion is not provided by contacting the projection portion. The backlash between the member and the scanner lid is reduced, and the amount of backlash with respect to the housing of the scanner lid can be reduced compared to when the scanner lid is in the closed state. Therefore, the structure in which the protrusion is provided in the holding groove and the structure is simple and the manufacturing cost is low can improve the operational feeling of the scanner lid and improve the commercial value of the scanner device.

  According to the invention of claim 3, when the scanner lid is opened and closed, each of the two hinge members is held in a state of being separated from the other hinge member or being close to the other hinge member by contacting the projection. Therefore, the rattling between each hinge member and the scanner lid is reduced, and the rattling between the two hinge members and the housing is also reduced. Therefore, the amount of rattling of the scanner lid with respect to the housing can be further reduced, and the operational feeling of the scanner lid can be further improved.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an example of an image forming apparatus according to this embodiment. The image forming apparatus 1 is of a so-called all-in-one type, and is arranged at the lower part of a resin casing 10. For example, the image forming apparatus 2 forms an image on recording paper by an ink jet method, and is arranged at the upper part of the casing 10. The scanner unit 3 having a function of reading a document as image data, an operation button 4 arranged to be operated by a user and used to operate the image forming apparatus 1, and an external personal computer, for example, are connected. Connected connector (not shown) or the like. A paper feed tray 15 on which recording paper to be conveyed to the image forming unit 2 is set is provided on the back side of the housing 10, and an image is formed on the front side of the housing 10 by the image forming unit 2. A paper discharge tray 16 is provided for discharging the recorded recording paper. The image forming apparatus 1 has a function of forming an image on a recording sheet based on, for example, image data generated by the scanner unit 3 reading a document, image data sent from an external personal computer, or the like. is doing. Note that the image forming unit 2 may form an image on a recording sheet by, for example, an electrophotographic method. Further, the image forming apparatus 1 may include, for example, a liquid crystal display unit that displays an operation state and the like, a connector unit to which an external device such as a digital still camera is connected, and the like.

  FIG. 2 shows the scanner unit 3. The scanner unit 3 has a substantially rectangular document table 3 a disposed on the upper surface of the housing 10. Inside the scanner unit 3, for example, a scanning unit such as a CIS (Contact Image Sensor) disposed so as to contact the inner surface of the document table 3a, a driving mechanism for driving the scanning unit, and the like (not shown) Is stored. The scanner unit 3 is configured to read a document as image data by capturing an image of the document placed on the document table 3a using a scan unit.

  A scanner lid (hereinafter referred to as a lid) 11 is disposed above the document table 3 a of the housing 10. The lid 11 is provided so as to be rotatable with respect to the housing 10 so as to cover the document table 3a. A pad 11a using, for example, a sponge is attached to a position corresponding to the document table 3a on the lower surface of the lid 11, and the document placed on the document table 3a is placed between the document table 3a and the pad 11a. By sandwiching, the document is brought into close contact with the document table 3a and held on the document table 3a so that the document does not move. FIG. 3 shows a state in which the scanner lid 11 is rotated. In the present embodiment, the user displaces the vicinity of the front end of the lid 11 in the vertical direction, thereby rotating the lid 11 with respect to the housing 10 as indicated by an arrow R in FIG. The closed state in which the document can be brought into close contact with the document table 3a as shown in FIG. 1 can be changed to the open state in which the document table 3a is exposed to the outside as shown in FIG. .

  Below, the attachment structure to the housing | casing 10 of the lid 11 is demonstrated, referring FIG.4 and FIG.5. In the present embodiment, the lid 11 is disposed through a substantially bar-shaped hinge member 20 disposed at two positions in the vicinity of the left and right side portions of the document table 3 a at a position behind the document table 3 a on the upper surface of the housing 10. And attached to the housing 10. As shown in FIG. 4, a pair of rotating shafts 20 a projecting outward in a substantially horizontal manner so as to be substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal direction (vertical direction) of the hinge member 20, as shown in FIG. Is provided. Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the other end portion of the hinge member 20 is inserted into an insertion hole 10 a formed in the vicinity of both sides of the rear end of the housing 10 with a size slightly larger than the outer shape of the hinge member 20. It is set as the insertion part 20b. The hinge member 20 is made of a resin such as POM (polyoxymethylene), for example, and is configured to be difficult to deform when the lid 11 is opened and closed.

  In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the holding groove portion having a width dimension larger than the width dimension of the vicinity of the rotation shaft 20 a of the hinge member 20 is provided at a position where each hinge member 20 of the lid 11 is disposed. 11b is formed. The hinge member 20 is mounted on the lid 11 so that the rotation shaft 20a is fitted in the shaft holes 11c formed on both side surfaces of the holding groove portion 11b, and the lid 11 is pivotally supported. At this time, the hinge member 20 is disposed such that a portion in the vicinity of the rotation shaft 20a is sandwiched in the holding groove portion 11b along the longitudinal direction of the hinge member 20. Further, the hinge member 20 is fitted into the fitting hole 10a from the fitting portion 20b, is loosely fitted into the fitting hole 10a, and is attached to the housing 10 so as to be slidable in the vertical direction. As described above, the hinge member 20 is rotatably attached to the lid 11, and the hinge member 20 is arranged to be slidable in the vertical direction on the housing 10. It is mounted so as to be movable and vertically displaceable. As a result, when the lid 11 is closed, the lid 11 moves up and down according to the thickness of the document so that documents of various thicknesses can be pressed against the document table 3a.

  Here, as described above, when the lid 11 is in the closed state, the lid 11 is attached to the casing 10 so as to be easily displaceable in the vertical direction. It is configured to reduce the amount. As shown in FIG. 4, each of the holding groove portions 11 b of the lid 11 has a protruding portion 11 d protruding from the inner side surface. The protrusion 11d is formed on the rear end side of the lid 11 with respect to the shaft hole 11c in the holding groove 11b. The protrusion 11d does not contact the hinge member 20 when the lid 11 is in the closed state as shown in FIG. 4, and contacts the hinge member 20 when the lid 11 is in the open state as shown in FIG. Are arranged as follows. By providing the projection 11d, the projection 11d abuts on the hinge member 20 when the lid 11 is opened and closed, and the hinge member 20 is the projection of the holding groove 11b as shown by an arrow S in FIG. It is configured to be held in a state of sliding toward the inner surface side where 11d is not provided, and play that causes backlash between the hinge member 20 and the lid 11 is reduced.

  FIG. 6 shows an attachment portion of the lid 11 to the housing 10. In the present embodiment, the protrusion 11d is formed on the side surface on the side of the housing 10 among the inner surfaces of the two sets of holding groove portions 11b. When the lid 11 is opened and closed, the two hinge members 20 are both held in a state of sliding toward the center of the housing 10 as indicated by arrows S1 and S2 in the figure. Therefore, when the lid 11 is opened and closed, the two hinge members 20 are brought closer to the center side of the housing 10, and the housing 10 is sandwiched between the hinge members 20. There is less play that causes backlash.

  As described above, in this embodiment, when the lid 11 is opened and closed, rattling between the hinge member 20 and the lid 11 is reduced, and rattling between the two hinge members 20 and the housing 10 is reduced. It also gets smaller. Therefore, the structure in which the protrusion 11d is provided in the holding groove 11b is simple and low-cost, so that the amount of rattling of the lid 11 with respect to the housing 10 can be reduced compared to when the lid 11 is in the closed state. When the lid 11 is opened and closed, the operational feeling of the lid 11 is improved, so that the commercial value of the image forming apparatus 1 can be improved. When the lid 11 is rotated from the open state to the closed state as described above, the protrusion 11d is separated from the hinge member 20, and the hinge member 20 has a play with respect to the lid 11 and the housing 10. Since it returns, it is possible to deal with documents of various thicknesses.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to the structure of the said embodiment, A various deformation | transformation is possible suitably in the range which does not change the meaning of invention. For example, the protrusion may be formed on the inner side surface of the housing on the center side of each holding groove, and in this case, each hinge member is displaced to the side of the housing when the lid is opened and closed. Therefore, rattling with respect to the casing of the lid can be reduced. That is, the protrusion is formed on the inner surface of each of the two holding groove portions, which is closer to the holding groove portion different from the holding groove portion, or on the inner surface far from the holding groove portion different from the holding groove portion. As long as it is provided, when the lid is opened and closed, each hinge member is in a state of being separated from the other hinge member or close to the other hinge member, and rattling of the lid with respect to the casing can be reduced.

  Further, as described above, the protruding portion may not be provided so that the two sets of hinge members are brought close to each other or separated from each other, and the protruding portion is provided between the hinge member and the holding groove portion. By being configured to reduce play, rattling of the lid with respect to the housing can be reduced. The present invention is also applicable to a scanner device that does not have an image forming function. In the scanner device in which the lid is attached to the housing by a hinge member, the lid holding groove portion has the above-described configuration. By providing the protrusions, it is possible to reduce the amount of rattling with respect to the casing of the lid when the lid is opened and closed, and it is possible to satisfactorily configure the operation feeling of the lid.

1 is a perspective view illustrating an example of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The perspective view which shows a scanner part when the scanner lid of the said apparatus is an open state. The side view which shows a scanner part when the said scanner lid is an open state. The perspective view which shows the attachment part to the housing | casing of a scanner lid when the said scanner lid is a closed state. FIG. 6 is a perspective cross-sectional view showing a mounting portion of the scanner lid to the housing when the scanner lid is in an open state. The sectional side view which shows the attachment part to the housing | casing of a scanner lid when the said scanner lid is an open state.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 2 Image forming part 3 Scanner part (scanner apparatus)
3a Document platen 10 Housing 10a Insertion hole 11 Scanner lid 11b Holding groove 11d Projection 20 Hinge member 20a Rotating shaft

Claims (3)

A housing,
A scanner unit disposed on the casing and having a function of reading a document placed on a substantially rectangular document table on the top surface of the casing as image data;
An image forming unit disposed below the scanner unit and having a function of forming an image on recording paper based on image data of a document read by the scanner unit or image data input from an external device;
The scanner unit is
A scanner lid that is disposed so as to cover the document table, and causes the document to be in close contact with the document table by sandwiching the document with the document table;
A hinge member that is formed in a substantially bar shape and has a rotating shaft that pivotally supports the scanner lid and protrudes in the vicinity of one end thereof;
In each of the vicinity of both sides of the rear end of the housing, the hinge member is formed with a fitting hole that is loosely fitted from the other end side,
A holding groove portion having a width dimension larger than the width dimension of the hinge shaft vicinity portion of the hinge member is formed in each of the vicinity portions of both sides of the rear end of the scanner lid,
The hinge member is disposed so that the rotation shaft is held in each holding groove portion, and a portion in the vicinity of the rotation shaft is sandwiched by the holding groove portion along the longitudinal direction of the hinge member, and An image that is inserted into the insertion hole from the other end side of the hinge member and is slidable in the vertical direction, so that the scanner lid is mounted so as to be rotatable and vertically displaceable with respect to the housing. In the forming device,
Of the inner surface of the holding groove portion, the scanner lid is in an open state in which the document table is exposed to a portion in the vicinity of the portion pivotally supported by the rotating shaft on the side surface on the center side or side of the housing. Protrusions that sometimes contact the hinge member are provided,
When the scanner lid is rotated to be in an open state, the projections abut on the hinge members, and the hinge members are held by the side or the center of the casing, thereby An image forming apparatus, wherein the amount of shakiness of the scanner lid with respect to the housing is reduced as compared to when the scanner lid is in a closed state. A housing,
A document table on the upper surface of the housing;
A scanner lid that is disposed so as to cover the document table, and causes the document to be in close contact with the document table by sandwiching the document with the document table;
A hinge member formed in a substantially rod shape and rotatably mounted on the scanner lid;
The housing is formed with a fitting hole into which the hinge member is loosely fitted,
A holding groove portion having a width dimension larger than the width dimension of the hinge member is formed in a portion of the scanner lid where the hinge member is mounted,
The hinge member is mounted in the holding groove portion so as to be sandwiched along the longitudinal direction of the hinge member, and is inserted into the insertion hole and is slidable in the vertical direction, whereby the In the image forming apparatus in which the scanner lid is mounted so as to be rotatable and displaceable up and down with respect to the housing,
One of the inner surfaces of the holding groove is provided with a protrusion that abuts the hinge member when the scanner lid is in an open state exposing the document table,
When the scanner lid is rotated to be in the open state, the protrusion comes into contact with the hinge member, and the hinge member is held on the inner surface side of the holding groove where the protrusion is not provided. A scanner device configured as described above. There are two sets of the insertion hole and the hinge member, and each hinge member is mounted in a holding groove formed in two places of the scanner lid,
The protrusion is provided on the inner surface of each holding groove portion that is closer to the holding groove portion that is different from the holding groove portion or the inner surface that is far from the holding groove portion that is different from the holding groove portion. ,
When the scanner lid is turned to the open state, the hinge members come into contact with the protrusions, so that they are separated from the hinge member different from the hinge member or different from the hinge member. The scanner device according to claim 2, wherein the scanner device is configured to be held close to the hinge member.

Images