JP2009053315A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enhance operability of an image forming apparatus when exchanging consumables in an image forming part. <P>SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus includes the image forming part for forming images on a medium and an image reading part arranged on the upper part of the image forming part and for reading the image of a document M. The image forming apparatus arranges a swing center of the image reading part and a swing center of a cover member of the image forming part on the same axis. In this case, since the swing center of the image reading part and the swing center of the cover member of the image forming part are arranged on the same axis, operability of the image forming apparatus can be enhanced when exchanging the consumables in the image forming part. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a multifunction peripheral that is an integrated image forming apparatus in which an image reading unit, for example, a scanner is mounted on an image forming unit, for example, a printer, the scanner and the printer cover are rotated independently. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).
JP 2005-53648 A

  However, in the conventional multifunction device, the scanner and the printer cover can be rotated independently. Therefore, when replacing consumables in the printer, the printer cover must be opened after the scanner is opened. It must be opened, and multiple operations are required, resulting in poor operability.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus that solves the problems of the conventional multifunction peripheral and can improve operability when exchanging consumables in an image forming unit.

  For this purpose, the image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes an image forming unit for forming an image on a medium, and an image reading unit disposed on the image forming unit for reading an image of a document. It has become.

  The swing center of the image reading unit and the swing center of the lid member of the image forming unit are disposed on the same axis.

  According to the present invention, the image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit for forming an image on a medium, and an image reading unit disposed on the image forming unit for reading an image of a document. It has become.

  The swing center of the image reading unit and the swing center of the lid member of the image forming unit are disposed on the same axis.

  In this case, since the swing center of the image reading unit and the swing center of the lid member of the image forming unit are arranged on the same axis, the image forming apparatus of the image forming apparatus when exchanging consumables in the image forming unit is arranged. Operability can be improved.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In this case, a description will be given of a multifunction peripheral that is an integrated image forming apparatus in which a scanner that is an image reading unit as a second image processing unit is mounted on a printer that is an image forming unit as a first image processing unit. To do.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a multifunction peripheral according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a rotation fulcrum portion of the top cover of the scanner and printer according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  In the figure, reference numeral 11 denotes a printer that forms an image on a sheet P as a medium by an electrophotographic method. The printer 11 includes image forming units 12Bk, 12Y, 12M, and 12C that form toner images as developer images. A transfer belt unit 15 that is disposed to face each of the image forming units 12Bk, 12Y, 12M, and 12C and serves as a transfer device for transferring a toner image onto the paper P. The image forming units 12Bk, 12Y, 12M The LED head 16 as an exposure apparatus, which is arranged to face the 12C, and is formed by arranging a plurality of LED elements in the axial direction, the cassette 71 as a medium storage unit, and the paper P stored in the cassette 71 A paper feed unit 17 for feeding, a transport roller 18 for transporting the paper P, and a transfer onto the paper P A fixing device 19 as a fixing device for fixing the toner image by heat, a paper discharge unit 20 for discharging the paper P on which the toner image has been fixed to the outside of the printer 11, and a stacker 21 for stacking the discharged paper P. Prepare.

  Each of the image forming units 12Bk, 12Y, 12M, and 12C includes a toner cartridge 13 as a developer cartridge that supplies toner as a developer, a photosensitive drum 73 as an image carrier, and the like. The transfer belt unit 15 includes a driving roller 15a, a driven roller 15b, a transfer belt 15c as a conveying member stretched between the driving roller 15a and the driven roller 15b, and the transfer belt 15c. A transfer roller 74 or the like as a transfer member disposed to face the photosensitive drum 73 is provided.

  On the other hand, the scanner 22 is disposed on the upper portion of the printer 11. The scanner 22 is provided with a document table 24 for setting a document M from which an image is read, and is swingable with respect to the document table 24 and can be opened and closed. When the scanner 22 is closed, the document M is placed on the document table 24. A document cover 25 for holding the document, a scanner unit 26 for reading an image provided in the document table 24, and a document M for continuously feeding the document M between the document table 24 and the document cover 25. ADF 27 and the like serving as a document supply unit.

  Then, at the rotation fulcrum portion of the scanner 22 and the top cover 28 as the first cover member of the printer 11, a post 30 as a support shaft portion is fixed to a side plate 29 which is a side housing of the printer 11. A plate cover 31 as a second lid member is swingably disposed around the post 30 as a swing center, and the top cover 28 which is a top housing of the printer 11 is attached to the plate cover 31. A plate arm 32 as a support member is swingably disposed around the post 30 as a swing center, and the scanner 22 is swingably supported by the plate arm 32. In this way, the swing center of the plate cover 31 and the swing center of the scanner 22 are arranged on the same axis. The plate cover 31 and the plate arm 32 constitute an interlocking mechanism that rotates the scanner 22 in conjunction with the rotation of the top cover 28.

  A cam 33 is attached to the plate arm 32, and a stopper 34 as a regulating member is movably disposed on a support member 31a protruding from the plate cover 31 so as to abut the cam 33. The stopper 34 generates a friction load with the cam 33 when the scanner 22 is swung. For this purpose, a coil spring 35 is disposed as a first biasing member that biases the stopper 34 toward the cam 33. Further, the front edge a of the plate arm 32 is brought into contact with the support member 31 a as the scanner 22 rotates. The plate cover 31 is also provided with a torsion spring (not shown) as a second urging member.

  Further, a rear cover 36 as a rear housing is disposed at the rear of the printer 11 so as to protrude rearward.

  Next, the operation of the MFP having the above-described configuration will be described.

  First, in the printer 11, the sheets P separated one by one by the sheet feeding unit 17 are conveyed between the image forming units 12 </ b> Bk, 12 </ b> Y, 12 </ b> M, 12 </ b> C and the transfer belt unit 15 by the conveying roller 18.

  Then, while the paper P is transported as the transfer belt 15c travels, a toner image is formed on the surface of each photoconductive drum 73, and the toner images of each color are transferred onto the paper P so that the color toner image is transferred. It is formed. Subsequently, the paper P is sent to the fixing device 19, and the color toner image on the paper P is fixed in the fixing device 19, and further conveyed by the paper discharging unit 20, discharged to the stacker 21, and stacked.

  On the other hand, when the scanner 22 reads an image of the original M and prints the read image, the original M is first set on the original table 24 or the ADF 27 of the scanner 22. Next, the scanner unit 26 reads an image of the document M. Then, the image data of the read image is transmitted to the printer 11, and the printer 11 prints the transmitted image data.

  FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the multifunction machine showing the opened state of the scanner according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in the figure, when only the scanner 22 is opened without opening the top cover 28, the interlocking by the interlocking mechanism is released, the plate cover 31 (FIG. 2) is not rotated, and the plate arm 32 is rotated. Be made. At this time, since the stopper 34 is pressed against the cam 33, the scanner 22 is stopped at an arbitrary position by the friction load.

  Further, since the rear cover 36 includes a stopper 36a as a stop member formed so as to protrude rearward and obliquely upward, the scanner 22 can be moved by applying the rear edge of the plate arm 32 to the stopper 36a. It is possible to prevent rotation over a predetermined angle. Reference numeral 21 denotes a stacker, and P denotes a sheet.

  FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the multi-function machine showing an open state of the top cover of the printer according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in the figure, when the top cover 28 is opened, the plate cover 31 attached to the top cover 28 is simultaneously rotated. At this time, since the support member 31 a of the plate cover 31 is rotated while pressing the plate arm 32, the plate arm 32 is also rotated in conjunction with the plate cover 31.

  Therefore, the scanner 22 can be opened together with the top cover 28. At this time, it is possible to prevent the scanner 22 and the top cover 28 from rotating more than a predetermined angle by applying the rear edge of the plate arm 32 to the stopper 36a (FIG. 3).

  As described above, in this embodiment, when the top cover 28 of the printer 11 is opened and closed, the scanner 22 is also opened and closed in conjunction with the same axis. Therefore, the scanner 22 and the top cover 28 of the printer 11 are both opened and closed. There is no need to do it. Therefore, the operability of the multi-function peripheral when exchanging consumables such as the image forming units 12Bk, 12Y, 12M, and 12C, the toner cartridge 13, the transfer belt unit 15, and the fixing device 19 can be improved.

  Further, since only the scanner 22 can be opened and closed with the top cover 28 closed, the printed paper P discharged to the stacker 21 and stacked can be easily taken out.

  Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In addition, about the thing which has the same structure as 1st Embodiment, the description is abbreviate | omitted by providing the same code | symbol, and the effect of the same embodiment is used about the effect of the invention by having the same structure. .

  FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the multifunction machine showing the opened state of the scanner according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the multifunction machine showing the opened state of the top cover of the printer according to the second embodiment of the present invention. It is sectional drawing.

  In this case, a protrusion 51 as a locking member formed of an elastic body, rubber in the present embodiment, is formed at a predetermined location of the scanner 22, and the protrusion 51 on the top cover 28 as a first lid member. A hole 52 is formed as a locked member into which the protrusion 51 is inserted. The protrusion 51 and the hole 52 constitute a locking mechanism that locks the scanner 22 and the top cover 28. Note that P is a sheet as a medium.

  In the multi-function device having the above configuration, as shown in FIG. 5, when the scanner 22 is opened, the top cover 28 is fixed by a lock lever (not shown), and therefore does not open in conjunction with the scanner 22.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 6, when the top cover 28 is opened, the plate cover 31 as the second lid member attached to the top cover 28 is also rotated simultaneously. At this time, since the support member 31 a of the plate cover 31 is rotated while pressing the plate arm 32, the plate arm 32 is also rotated in conjunction with the plate cover 31. Therefore, the scanner 22 can be opened together with the top cover 28.

  Subsequently, when the top cover 28 is pushed down and closed, the projection 51 is compressed and inserted into the hole 52, so that the scanner 22 is also closed.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the protrusion 51 is compressed and inserted into the hole 52. Therefore, when the top cover 28 is closed after the scanner 22 and the top cover 28 are opened, Since the scanner 22 is interlocked and closed, the operability of the multifunction machine can be further enhanced.

  The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications can be made based on the gist of the present invention, and they are not excluded from the scope of the present invention.

1 is a schematic diagram of a multifunction machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is a perspective view of the rotation fulcrum part of the top cover of the scanner and printer in a 1st embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the multi-function peripheral showing the opened state of the scanner in the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the multi-function machine showing an open state of the top cover of the printer in the first embodiment of the present invention. It is sectional drawing of the multifunctional device which shows the open state of the scanner in the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a multifunction machine showing an open state of a top cover of a printer according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

11 Printer 22 Scanner 28 Top Cover 31 Plate Cover 32 Plate Arm P Paper M Original

Claims (4)

In an image forming apparatus including an image forming unit for forming an image on a medium, and an image reading unit disposed on the image forming unit for reading an image of a document.
An image forming apparatus, wherein the swing center of the image reading unit and the swing center of the lid member of the image forming unit are disposed on the same axis.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an interlocking mechanism that rotates the image reading unit in conjunction with the rotation of the lid member.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein when the image forming unit is rotated, the interlocking by the interlocking mechanism is released.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a locking mechanism that locks the image reading unit and the lid member.

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