JP2009190346A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a compact image forming apparatus changeable in the attitude of a case, having a display easy to see, easily operated and preventing delivered paper from being smudged, damaged or curled. <P>SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus comprises an apparatus body 2 having inside a thermal head 10 for forming an image on paper, a monitor 4 provided on the surface of the apparatus body 2 to display the image, and a holding base 3 for holding the apparatus body 2 turnably. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention accommodates an image forming apparatus that forms an image such as a photograph taken with a digital camera or the like on a sheet, particularly a thermal transfer type image forming section, and can freely change the attitude of the apparatus main body, and has a wide display surface. The present invention relates to a compact image forming apparatus with low power consumption, which is easy to see and easy to control and does not cause the discharged paper to become dirty or scratched or curl.

  In a conventional thermal printer or the like, there are generally the following three methods for a paper conveyance path when forming an image, that is, a conveyance path for paper feeding, image formation, and discharge (see Patent Document 1). Here, FIG. 15A is an explanatory diagram of the conveyance path in the conventional first image forming apparatus, FIG. 15B is an explanatory diagram of the conveyance path in the conventional second image forming apparatus, and FIG. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a conveyance path in a conventional third image forming apparatus.

  As shown in FIG. 15 (a), the first image forming apparatus that prints by the first transport method has a sheet storage cassette 101a connected horizontally to the side of the casing of the image forming apparatus 100a, and the sheet in the direction of the arrow. Is fed to form an image and discharged from the back. In this case, there is a drawback that the installation area of the image forming apparatus becomes large. However, it also has the advantage that the height is reduced. The display device 102a necessary for operating the image forming apparatus 100a to display an image is provided on the upper surface of the image forming apparatus 100a.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 15B, the second image forming apparatus that performs printing by the second transport method has a sheet storage cassette 101b on the rear face of the casing of the image forming apparatus 100b (the rear face as viewed from the user side). Are connected in an inclined state, a sheet is fed in the direction of the arrow, an image is formed, and the sheet is discharged from the middle of the front. In this case, there is an advantage that the installation area is reduced, but there is also a disadvantage that the height is increased and the discharged paper is curled. An image forming unit, a conveyance roller, and the like are required in the housing, and the sheet must be discharged from the middle. In order to operate the image forming apparatus 100b and display an image, it is inevitable to install the display device 102b on the upper surface of the image forming apparatus 100b.

  Further, in the third image forming apparatus that performs printing by the third transport method, as shown in FIG. 15C, a sheet storage cassette 101c is horizontally connected to the side surface of the casing of the image forming apparatus 100b, and the sheet storage cassette 101c is connected to the sheet storage cassette 101c. An image forming unit is arranged, and a sheet is fed in the direction of the arrow, reversed to form an image on the back side of the housing, and discharged from the front. In this case, the installation area is smaller than that of the first conveyance method in FIG. 15A, but the height is increased. In addition, an image forming unit, a conveyance roller, a mechanism for reversing the conveyance direction, and the like are required in the casing, and the sheet must be discharged from the upper position. Further, because of such a configuration, the display device 102c necessary for operating the image forming apparatus 100c to display an image is exclusively installed on the upper surface of the image forming apparatus 100c.

  Therefore, the image forming apparatus of (Patent Document 1) employs the following configuration in order to eliminate these disadvantages and reduce the size. That is, the image forming apparatus is provided with a paper feeding unit that separates and feeds the paper stored in the paper storage cassette, and a recording paper rotating unit that can rotate the paper. The separated and fed paper is turned by the recording paper rotating means and rotated by about 90 degrees, and then an image is formed by the image forming unit.

  As a result, the shortest “short dimension of the paper storage cassette” among the three dimensions of “long dimension of the paper storage cassette”, “short dimension of the paper storage cassette”, and “longitudinal dimension of the image forming unit” and others An image forming apparatus in which the installation area is determined by any one of the two dimensions can be realized, and the projection area of the image forming apparatus can be reduced as compared with the conventional image forming apparatuses of the first to third transport methods. It becomes.

As a conventional technique for providing a display device in an image forming apparatus, there is a display device of a photo recording system that displays an image of a photograph taken by a digital camera, command information, and the like (see Patent Document 2).
JP 2005-306605 A JP 2004-207926 A

  As described above, the first image forming apparatus transported by the first transport method has a large installation area, is difficult to see the display, has a fixed housing posture, and lacks operability.

  In addition, the second image forming apparatus transported by the second transport method has a smaller installation area than the first paper transport method, but the height is increased, and the discharged paper is curled. However, like the first paper transport method, the display is difficult to see, the orientation of the housing is fixed, and operability is lacking.

  Further, the third image forming apparatus transported by the third transport method also has a smaller installation area than the first transport method, but the height is increased, and paper must be discharged from the upper stage. It was. In addition, as with the first paper transport method, the display is difficult to see, the housing posture is fixed, and operability is lacking.

  In this regard, the image forming apparatus of (Patent Document 1) can reduce the installation area. However, a recording sheet rotating means capable of rotating the sheet by approximately 90 degrees is required. On the contrary, this increases the size of the housing and discharges the sheet from the upper position or the middle position in the height direction. I did n’t. In addition to the opening provided for paper discharge, there is a need for a capacity for loading the paper storage cassette. This is why the display is crumpled and reduced, making it difficult to see, and the housing posture is fixed, making it easy to operate. It was lacking.

  Furthermore, since a paper storage cassette is provided along the top or bottom surface and paper is discharged on the front side, it is not clear where the display unit will be placed, but at least the display unit is It will be in the direction that intersects the transport path, and its size will inevitably be reduced. In addition, since the paper is rotated by approximately 90 degrees, many delicate forces act on the paper and are conveyed along a complicated path.

  As described above, in a thermal transfer type image forming apparatus such as a thermal printer, if the size of the display unit is increased and the conveyance path is made to be a path that does not contain useless operation, the overall size of the apparatus increases or the internal configuration is increased. It was complicated. And there was a limit.

  Note that the image forming apparatus used in the photo recording system of (Patent Document 2) also has a housing in which the display device is arranged side by side with the image forming unit. The size of the displayed image is small and difficult to see, the orientation of the display surface is fixed (fixed direction), the operation unit is small, and the operability is lacking.

  Therefore, the present invention can change the orientation of the housing, is easy to see the display, is easy to operate, does not cause the discharged paper to become dirty, scratched, or curled. An object is to provide a forming apparatus.

  In order to solve such a problem, an image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes a housing having an image forming means for forming an image on a sheet therein, and a display means for displaying an image formed on the surface of the housing. And holding means for rotatably holding the casing.

  According to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the posture of the housing can be changed, the display on the display unit is easy to see, the input operation is easy, the discharged paper is dirty or scratched, or the paper is curled. The depth of the housing can be reduced and a compact structure can be achieved.

  Further, by changing the posture of the housing, the space of the image forming apparatus occupying the space to be installed can be reduced to the optimum form with the minimum occupied area according to the installation location, the use state, the surrounding interior, and the like. In addition to being used for image formation such as printing, images such as photographs can be displayed on the display means like a photo frame, and can be checked and edited in advance before printing the image. Can be printed after.

  Further, the power supply is controlled by manipulating the posture, and the image forming mode with high power consumption can be surely minimized, and an image forming apparatus with low power consumption can be provided.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the invention of claim 1 of the present invention includes a housing having an image forming means for forming an image on a sheet therein, and a display means for displaying an image formed on the surface of the housing. An image forming apparatus comprising: a holding unit that rotatably holds the casing.

  With this configuration, the orientation of the housing can be changed, the display on the display means is easy to see, the input operation is easy, and the paper transport path through which the paper to be ejected becomes dirty or scratched or the paper is curled is provided. It can be adopted, the depth width of the housing can be reduced, and a compact structure can be achieved. Further, by changing the posture of the housing, the space of the image forming apparatus occupying the space to be installed can be reduced to the optimum form with the minimum occupied area according to the installation location, the use state, the surrounding interior, and the like. In addition to being used for image formation such as printing, images such as photographs can be displayed on the display means like a photo frame, and can be checked and edited in advance before printing the image. Can be printed after.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a housing having an image forming means for forming an image on a paper, a display means for displaying an image formed on the surface of the housing, and the housing being rotatable. The image forming apparatus is characterized in that the relative position of the image forming unit to the display surface of the display unit with respect to the sheet conveyance path is fixed.

  With this configuration, since the holding means rotatably holds the casing, the attitude of the casing can be easily changed, and the display on the display means can be easily seen by changing the inclination angle of the attitude. An input operation is facilitated, and a paper conveyance path can be employed in which the paper ejected due to the change in posture does not get dirty or scratched or the paper does not curl. Since the relative position with respect to the display surface of the display means with respect to the paper transport path is fixed, the paper transport path can be structured along the display surface, thereby reducing the depth width of the housing, The casing can be made thin and vertically long, the display surface can be wide, and the structure can be made compact. In addition, since the posture can be changed by rotating the housing, the space of the image forming apparatus occupying the space to be installed is reduced to the minimum occupied area and the optimum form according to the installation location, use state, surrounding interior, etc. can do. In addition to being used for image formation such as printing, images such as photographs can be displayed on the display means like a photo frame, and can be checked and edited in advance before printing the image. Can be printed after.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, an image forming unit for forming an image on a sheet, a casing having therein a recording agent used for the image forming unit, and an image formed on the surface of the casing are displayed. Display means and holding means for rotatably holding the casing, the sheet transport path of the image forming means is substantially perpendicular to the axis that is the center of rotation of the holding means, and the recording agent casing The image is characterized in that the insertion direction into the body is the axial direction, and the contact portion of the holding means to the housing is provided on a surface different from the surface of the housing where the recording agent is inserted into the housing. Forming device.

  With this configuration, the paper conveyance path is made substantially perpendicular to the axis that is the center of rotation of the holding means along the horizontal plane, that is, substantially perpendicular or slightly inclined, and the recording agent is inserted into the housing. Since the direction can be the axial direction, that is, the direction along the horizontal plane, the contact portion of the holding means to the housing can be provided on a surface different from the surface where the recording agent is inserted into the housing. By adopting a simple housing structure, the posture of the housing can be changed, the depth of the housing is reduced, the housing is thin and vertically long, the display surface is wide, and the structure is compact. Can do. The space of the image forming apparatus occupying the space to be installed can be made into the minimum occupied area and the optimum form, and not only used for image formation such as printing, but also images such as photographs like a photo frame It can be displayed on the display means, and can be printed after checking or editing in advance before printing the image.

  A fourth aspect of the present invention is an invention dependent on any one of the first, second, or third aspects, wherein the sheet conveyed on the sheet conveying path is discharged from the housing. After that, the image forming apparatus is characterized in that the sheet is discharged through a holding unit.

  With this configuration, the sheet discharged from the housing is not immediately discharged onto the surface on which the image forming apparatus is placed, but is discharged from the holding unit while being appropriately guided by the holding unit. It is possible to employ a paper conveyance path in which the paper to be printed is soiled or scratched or the paper is curled.

  The invention of claim 5 of the present invention is an invention dependent on any one of claim 1, claim 2, claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the display surface of the display means is in a horizontal plane of the holding means. On the other hand, when the angle is less than the first predetermined angle, the sheet conveyed through the sheet conveyance path is discharged from the housing without passing through the holding unit, and the display surface of the display unit is first with respect to the horizontal plane of the holding unit. In the image forming apparatus, the sheet conveyed through the sheet conveyance path is discharged through the holding unit when the angle is equal to or larger than a second predetermined angle greater than the predetermined angle.

  With this configuration, it is possible to widen the display surface by making the casing thin and vertically long, and at the same time, when the display surface of the display means is less than a predetermined angle with respect to the horizontal plane, the sheet conveyed through the sheet conveyance path Since the paper is discharged from the housing without passing through the holding means, it is possible to employ a paper conveyance path in which the paper does not curl due to the gap between the housing and the holding means. In addition, when the display surface of the display means is at a predetermined angle or more with respect to the horizontal plane, the paper transported through the paper transport path is discharged through the holding means, so that the discharged paper is not stained or scratched. The paper does not stick or curl.

  The invention of claim 6 of the present invention is an invention dependent on the invention of claim 5, wherein the display surface of the display means is a first predetermined angle that is less than the first predetermined angle, and a second predetermined angle. An image forming apparatus comprising a control unit that controls to form an image by the image forming unit only at a second predetermined angle that is equal to or greater than the angle.

  With this configuration, an image is formed only when the posture of the casing is less than the first predetermined angle with respect to the horizontal plane and greater than or equal to the second predetermined angle with respect to the horizontal plane. It can be made a structure that does not.

  The invention according to claim 7 of the present invention is an invention dependent on the invention of claim 2 or claim 3, wherein image forming instruction means for instructing image formation of the image displayed on the display means to the image forming means is provided. The image forming apparatus is characterized in that power is not supplied to the image forming instruction means when the display surface of the display means is at a predetermined angle or more with respect to the horizontal plane of the holding means.

  With this configuration, when the orientation of the casing, that is, the display surface of the display unit is greater than or equal to a predetermined angle with respect to the horizontal plane, power is not supplied to the image formation instruction unit, so the casing is tilted from a predetermined angle. The image can be formed by supplying power only when the power is on. Therefore, the power supply is controlled by manipulating the posture, and the image forming mode with high power consumption can be surely minimized, and an image forming apparatus with low power consumption can be provided.

  The invention according to claim 8 of the present invention is an invention dependent on any one of claim 2, claim 3, claim 4, claim 5, claim 6 or claim 7, and is an image forming means. And an electric power supply unit for supplying electric power to the display unit is provided in the holding unit.

  With this configuration, the size of the housing can be reduced without being restricted by the size of the power supply unit, the housing can be made thin and vertically long, the display surface can be widened, and the structure can be made compact. it can.

  According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a housing having an image forming means for forming an image on a paper, a display means for displaying an image formed on the surface of the housing, and the housing being rotatable. Holding means for holding the sheet, the sheet discharged downward from the housing is discharged through the holding means, and the downstream end of the holding surface of the guide surface that guides the lower surface of the sheet in the sheet conveying direction is held by the holding means. The image forming apparatus is characterized in that the means is provided higher than the placement surface on which the means is placed.

  With this configuration, even when the paper is discharged downward from the housing, the downstream end of the guide surface in the paper transport direction is provided at a high position from the placement surface, so that the paper is placed on the discharged paper. It is possible to prevent stains due to dust or the like existing on the surface and scratches on the image formed image.

  A tenth aspect of the present invention is an invention dependent on the ninth aspect of the present invention, and is a warped surface formed by inclining upward toward the downstream end in the paper transport direction at the downstream end of the guide surface in the paper transport direction. An image forming apparatus characterized in that is provided.

  With this configuration, it is possible to further increase the paper discharge from the installation surface, and to further suppress the effects caused by dirt, protrusions, foreign objects, etc. on the loading surface. It is possible to prevent scratches. In addition, the paper to be discharged can be turned in the direction opposite to the direction in which the paper is bent in advance, and when the weight is applied in the subsequent conveyance, an excessive lateral bending moment is not applied, and the paper discharge position is high. The paper curl can be reduced.

(Embodiment 1)
An image forming apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the entire image forming apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an XX cross-sectional view showing the internal configuration of the image forming apparatus of FIG. 1, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment as viewed from the back side of the apparatus main body, and FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the holding base of the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  5 is a block diagram of the image forming apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line XX when the attitude of the image forming apparatus of FIG. 1 is tilted, and FIG. FIG. 8 is a perspective view when the ink ribbon of the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment is replaced, and FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the relationship with the control mode when the posture of the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention is tilted. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a relationship with a control mode when the posture of the image forming apparatus in Embodiment 1 of the present invention is returned to a vertical position.

  10 is a first modified view of the holding table of the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a second modified view of the holding table of the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Is an explanatory view of an ink sheet, FIG. 13 (a) is a first sectional view of a holding stand of an image forming apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, and FIG. 13 (b) is an image formation according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 13C is a first sectional view of the holding table of the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 14 is an image according to the first embodiment of the present invention. It is explanatory drawing of the functional block of a forming apparatus.

  The configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described. First, an overview of the image forming apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus 1 executes image formation based on image data when recording a photograph or an image taken by a digital camera, for example, and also checks, checks, and edits the image. In other words, it is a device having a combined function that can be displayed on a monitor like a photo frame (photo frame), and is composed of the following two parts.

  The first part is a main body part that performs image formation of the image forming apparatus 1 and displays an image on the display surface, and the apparatus main body 2 (the housing in the present invention) whose posture can be changed as described in detail below. Body).

  In addition, the second portion can hold the apparatus main body 2 tilted at a predetermined angle, and at the same time, is placed as horizontal as possible so that the paper is not bent even if the posture is changed. This is a holding table 3 that can discharge paper along the surface. In the first embodiment, the apparatus main body 2 is rotatably supported by the holding base 3, and the direction of paper discharge is also changed with the inclination of the apparatus main body 2. In this specification, the term “paper” is used, but the term “paper” as used herein refers to recording media for image formation such as plain paper, photographic paper for printing photographs, OHP (Over Head Projector) sheets, and the like. To do.

  First, an outline of the apparatus main body 2 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6. A monitor 4 (an image of the present invention) such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) is provided on a side surface which is a front surface operated by a user. (Display means for displaying) is provided, and it is possible to display an image such as a photographed image and operation information.

  When the digital video signal of the image is transferred from the memory by the CPU 37, the monitor 4 displays the image by the monitor driver 34. In addition, the display by the signal of NTSC system is also possible. Further, the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment has a transparent resistive film or the like attached to the monitor 4 and can function as a touch panel by inputting coordinates with a fingertip or the like by the touch panel controller 35 shown in FIG. Further, an operation panel 5 provided with a power key 40 and the like is provided below the monitor 4. Thus, the image can be checked in advance before printing the image, and the image can be printed after being edited using the operation panel 5 or the touch panel.

  Next, a paper feed port 6 for feeding the image forming apparatus 1 is provided on the upper surface (that is, the top surface) of the apparatus main body 2. Paper is fed manually from here. When a sheet is inserted from the paper supply port 6, an image is formed by an image forming unit such as a thermal head 10 provided in the apparatus main body 2, and is held with the paper discharge port 7 provided in the front of the holding table 3 or the apparatus main body 2. Paper is discharged from between the tables 3. These will be described later.

  This final paper discharge direction is substantially parallel to the surface on which the image forming apparatus 1 is placed, and the paper discharge port 7 is provided at a slightly higher position from this surface. No dirt due to dust or the like existing on the surface on which the image 1 is placed or an image formed image is not damaged.

  The posture of the apparatus main body 2 can be tilted by tilting from the state in which the apparatus main body 2 is standing in a substantially vertical direction (that is, the state in which the monitor 4 faces the front) toward the back direction. Paper is discharged through the paper discharge port 7 until it is tilted to some extent from the vertical state. However, when the apparatus main body 2 is tilted at an angle greater than a predetermined angle that is the limit, the transport path A (the paper in the present invention). The paper discharge path n as shown in FIG. 2 on the paper discharge side of the transport path) is switched, and the paper is discharged from the paper discharge path m between the holding table 3 and the apparatus main body 2 as shown in FIG. Here, the paper discharge paths m and n are partial paths that indicate the part of the transport path A where the paper is discharged.

  The apparatus main body 2 is configured such that the side surface on the back side is parallel to the front surface with respect to the front surface on which the monitor 4 is provided, and is entirely plate-shaped. It is comprised by the convex secondary curved surface (for example, a part of cylindrical surface) so that it can slide on the concave secondary curved surface formed in the upper surface (refer FIGS. 1-3).

  As shown in FIG. 2, an opening 30 is formed in the bottom surface 2 a in parallel to the axes of the paper discharge roller 25 and the paper discharge pinch roller 24. A ribbon exchange opening 8a that can be opened and closed for exchanging the ink ribbon 31 as shown in FIG. 7 on the right side or the left side with respect to the front surface on which the monitor 4 is provided, and a cover 8 that covers the ribbon exchange opening 8a. Is provided.

  Here, the holding table 3 will be described based on the descriptions in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4, 13 (a), (b), and (c). The holding base 3 is provided with two arms 43 in order to hold the apparatus main body 2 rotatably. A shaft hole for pivotally supporting the apparatus main body 2 is provided at the tip of the arm 43, and a sliding surface 44 is formed facing the bottom surface 2 a of the apparatus main body 2. The sliding surface 44 is formed into a concave quadratic curved surface. When the bottom surface 2a is tilted about the axis of the arm 43, an appropriate amount of frictional force is applied so that the apparatus main body 2 can be held at a stopped position. It has become. In other words, it is possible to rotate, and at the same time, the inclination can be maintained at that position by the frictional force. In addition, this is further enforced, and one or more locking stoppers such as springs are provided between the bottom surface 2a and the sliding surface 44 to temporarily and stepwise lock the device body 2 at a predetermined angle. Also good.

  As shown in FIGS. 13A, 13B, and 13C, the holding table 3 has a step that is lowered by a slight height from the end height of the concave secondary curved surface of the sliding surface 44. 45 is formed. As a result, the sheet can be discharged along the first guide surface 26, that is, substantially parallel to the mounting surface on which the holding table 3 is mounted.

  If the paper is discharged directly onto the loading surface with this being extreme, there may be dirt, protrusions, foreign matter, etc. on the loading surface, which may rub the paper and cause it to become dirty or scratched. . In this case, the first guide surface 26 is omitted as shown in FIGS. 11 and 13C. At this time, the sheet comes into direct contact with the placement surface from the sliding surface 44 constituting the step 45 and is discharged from the front of the image forming apparatus 1.

  However, in this case, as long as the conditions of the mounting surface are satisfactory, the printed image can be discharged without giving dirt or scratches, and the depth width of the image forming apparatus 1 can be increased by the amount of the first guide surface 26 not provided. There is an advantage that it can be thinned. However, the arrangement of the first switch 28 (hereinafter also abbreviated as the first SW) shown in FIG. 2 and described in detail later is arranged on the back side of the apparatus body 2 in the same manner as the second switch 29 (hereinafter also abbreviated as the second SW). It is necessary to move to.

  In the case of the image forming apparatus 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the holding table 3 is provided with a first guide surface 26 that is lowered by 45 steps. The height of the first guide surface 26, in other words, the discharge port 7 is small from the placement surface, and smooth discharge can be performed without bending the sheet.

  By the way, if the internal space of the holding base 3 is not the shape as shown in FIGS. 2 and 13A but the space shown in FIG. Available. Thereby, the apparatus main body 2 carrying the thermal head 10 etc. can be made into a compact structure. That is, the size of the apparatus main body 2 is not restricted by the size of the power supply unit 41, the depth width of the apparatus main body 2 can be reduced, the apparatus main body 2 is thin and has a vertically long plate-like structure, and the display surface of the monitor 4 is The structure can be wide and have a minimum volume.

  As described above, in the image forming apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment including the apparatus main body 2 and the holding base 3, when the apparatus main body 2 is tilted, the apparatus main body 2 covers the back side of the holding base 3 from above. Therefore, even if the rear side portion of the holding table 3 is slightly enlarged, it does not lead to an increase in the size of the entire image forming apparatus 1. Since the power supply unit 41 is not arranged inside the apparatus main body 2, the apparatus becomes compact, and when the heavy power supply unit 41 is accommodated in the holding base 3, the center of gravity can be lowered, and the installation state of the image forming apparatus 1 Is stable.

  Now, the paper discharge paths m and n of the transport path A related to both the apparatus main body 2 and the holding table 3 will be described. At a position facing the opening 30 provided in the apparatus main body 2 according to the first embodiment, the apparatus main body 2 is placed on the paper discharge path n when the apparatus main body 2 is in a predetermined angle or more with respect to the horizontal plane. A guide opening 30a for guiding is provided. When the display surface of the monitor 4 of the apparatus main body 2 is substantially vertical, the sheet is discharged through the discharge path n through the holding table 3, so that the transfer path A is relatively straight and forced to be transported. The sheet is bent at a guided angle so as not to be discharged, and is discharged on the first guide surface 26 to form a conveyance path in which the sheet does not curl. The sheet is discharged smoothly from the holding table 3 with smooth guidance with no dirt, protrusions, or foreign matter.

  Further, the second guide surface 27 forming a surface on one end side of the guide opening 30a is for guiding the paper to the paper discharge path m when the apparatus main body 2 is inclined with respect to the horizontal plane at a predetermined angle or less. It is. The paper discharged by sliding the second guide surface 27 is discharged from a position slightly higher than the position of paper discharged from the first guide surface 26 via the paper discharge path n. The paper discharge via the paper discharge path m becomes a paper discharge route in a normal operation mode to be described later.

  FIG. 10 shows a case where a warping surface 26 a is formed on the first guide surface 26. If the warping surface 26a having the same shape is formed on the second guide surface 27, the sheet can be discharged further from the setting surface, depending on the case where there are dirt, protrusions, foreign matter, etc. on the mounting surface. The influence can be further suppressed, and these can prevent the paper from being rubbed and stained or scratched. Further, the discharged paper can be turned in a direction opposite to the direction in which the bending is applied in advance by the warping surface 26a, and when the weight is applied in the subsequent conveyance, an excessive lateral bending moment is not applied, and the paper is discharged. Even if the position is high, the curl of the sheet can be reduced.

  Next, a detailed configuration in the apparatus main body 2 of the image forming apparatus 1, particularly a detailed configuration of the image forming unit and its operation will be described with reference to FIGS. 2, 6, 7, and 12. 2 and 6, the apparatus main body 2 includes a thermal head 10 (image forming means in the present invention) such as a sublimation head, a platen 11 provided opposite to the thermal head 10, an ink sheet 12, and the like. A mold image forming unit is provided.

  The ink sheet 12 is a belt-like sheet in which three color dyes and a protective material are applied in the form of a film as shown in FIG. 12, and is wound around the supply reel 13. When an image is formed once. The reel is wound up on the take-up reel 14 for a predetermined length corresponding to one time. The thermal head 10, supply reel 13, take-up reel 14 and the like are provided in a replaceable ink ribbon 31 (recording agent in the present invention) as shown in FIG. By replacing the ink ribbon 31, it is possible to form a new image.

  Here, the ink sheet 12 will be described. The ink sheet 12 has an ink layer in which three sublimation dyes of yellow (hereinafter referred to as Y), magenta (hereinafter referred to as M), and cyan (hereinafter referred to as C) are sequentially applied, and these are transferred onto the paper. An overcoat (hereinafter referred to as OC) layer is formed to overcoat the substrate with a protective material. Y, M, and C thermal sublimation dyes and OC layer protective materials are repeatedly provided in this order in a predetermined width, and Y, M, C, and OC layers are used once for each image formation. The

  The OC layer is not an essential material for the ink sheet 12. The ink sheet 12 includes a sheet provided with an OC layer and a sheet provided with no OC layer. In the following description, a sheet having an OC layer will be described, but the invention is not limited thereto.

  In addition to Y, M, and C, a black (hereinafter referred to as K) heat sublimable dye may be provided. At this time, the Y, M, C, and K heat sublimable dyes and the protective material for the OC layer are repeatedly provided in a predetermined width in this order, thereby forming the ink sheet 12.

  Then, when forming a one-leaf image, each color ink and the OC layer are transferred to the paper reciprocated between the platen 11 and the thermal head 10 by the thermal head 10. This transfer is repeated four times in the order of the Y, M, C, and OC layers. In the case of the ink sheet 12 provided with K, the process is repeated five times in the order of the Y, M, C, K, and OC layers. Hereinafter, the case of Y, M, C, and OC layers will be described as an example. The transported paper is transported back and forth three times around the thermal head 10 toward the paper discharge port 7 and transferred in a state where three colors of heat sublimation dyes are laminated between them, thereby protecting the last OC layer. After the film material is transferred, the film material passes through the conveyance path A as it is and is discharged from the discharge port 7 (discharge path n) or between the holding table 3 and the apparatus body 2 (discharge path m).

  Incidentally, the thermal head 10 is provided at the tip of a head arm 15 pivotally supported inside the apparatus main body 2, and the thermal head 10 can be moved up and down by rotating the head arm 15 about the axis. When the sheet is lowered, the sheet is sandwiched and pressed against the platen 11, and the Y, M, C, and OC layers are heated to form an image on the platen 11. Further, when the head arm 15 is raised, the pressure bonding of the paper is released and the paper can be freely conveyed in the reverse direction. The swinging motion of the head arm 15 is performed in synchronization with the rotation of the reverse roller 16 that transports the paper.

  Here, the heat countermeasures inside the apparatus in relation to the heat generated from the thermal head 10 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, the monitor 4 such as an LCD or the substrate is moved from the heat generated by the thermal head 10 or the like. In order to shield, the apparatus main body 2 is provided with a heat shielding plate 9 along the monitor 4. Although not shown, not only the thermal head 10 but also motors 32a and 32b, which will be described later, and an LSI (Large Scale Integration Circuit) generate heat in the apparatus main body 2, and a cooling fan that cools this generates heat. Etc. are provided.

  Next, a paper conveyance process when an image is formed will be described. A reverse roller 16 for reciprocating the paper accurately is provided at a position immediately before the paper enters the thermal head 10. It is a roller for accurately positioning the three colors on the paper for overprinting. The reverse roller 16 reciprocates the paper and repeats normal rotation and reverse rotation for each color of Y, M, and C. A pinch roller 17 is provided at a position facing the reverse roller 16 to hold the paper while being driven by the reverse roller 16. By pressing and rotating by the reverse roller 16 and the pinch roller 17 at the nip, the sheet can be conveyed with almost no slip by moderate friction. The conveyance pinch roller 19 and the paper feed roller 20 and the paper discharge pinch roller 24 and the paper discharge roller 25 can be similarly controlled.

  Further, a paper detection sensor 18 is provided in the transport path A immediately before the paper enters the reverse roller 16 and the pinch roller 17 in order to control such a series of transport processes and the paper transport route and timing. The paper detection sensor 18 can also be used as a registration sensor. However, in the case of the first embodiment, a photo sensor including a light receiving element and a light emitting element is provided, and the conveyance path A is provided separately from the resist sensor.

  When the paper detection sensor 18 detects the leading edge of the paper fed by the paper feed roller 20, the motor 32a is rotated at a detected timing to rotate the reverse roller 16 by a predetermined amount with reference to this position. And issue a forward rotation command. A control block configuration of the motor 32a for the reverse roller 16 is shown in FIG. The motor 32a is a step motor, and the amount of rotation is accurately controlled in steps, and the amount of paper transport can be accurately controlled.

  When the reverse roller 16 is rotated forward by the length of the image forming area with respect to the reference position, the sheet is conveyed by a predetermined number of steps from the reference position, and ink is heated by the thermal head 10 during the conveyance. Y of the sheet 12 is transferred. The ink sheet 12 is also taken up to the reference position for starting printing by the take-up reel 14 at the timing when the paper reaches the reference position. After Y is recorded, M to be imaged next is wound up to the reference position, and then wound so that the C and OC layers come to the reference position. The motor 32b that drives the take-up reel 14 of the ink sheet 12 is preferably provided separately from the motor 32a that drives the gears of the transport system.

  At a predetermined timing when both the ink sheet 12 and the paper are set at the reference position, the motors 32a and 32b start to rotate, the head arm 15 descends, and the thermal head 10 is pressure-bonded to the paper on the platen 11, and the predetermined time is reached. The sheet is conveyed by the number of steps, and an image is formed during this time. When the sheet is conveyed by the length of the image forming area, the rotation direction of the motor 32a is reversed, the head arm 15 is raised, and the sheet is conveyed in the reverse direction. The ink sheet 12 is also taken up by the take-up reel 14 so that M is positioned to be a reference for image formation.

  Thereafter, M image formation is performed in the same manner as Y that is initially formed. The paper reciprocates on the transport path A toward the paper discharge side, and M is formed during this time. Further, after forming an image with M, C is formed on a sheet that reciprocates in the same process. In this way, in the image formation, an image is formed by conveying a sheet in each of Y, M, and C, and then the thermal head 10 is raised, and the sheet is pulled back until the end of the sheet is detected by the sheet detection sensor 18. Repeat this step. When Y, M, and C are image-formed, an OC layer is formed. In the case of the ink sheet 12 provided with K, the OC layer is formed after image formation by Y, M, C, and K. When the OC layer is formed, the sheet passes through the conveyance path A as it is and is sent to the sheet discharge roller 25 and the sheet discharge pinch roller 24.

  A series of operations of these conveyance and image formation is controlled by a head / motor controller 36 shown in FIG. When the head / motor controller 36 outputs a signal for instructing image formation from a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 37 of FIG. 5 in response to a detection signal from the paper detection sensor 18, the motor driver that drives the motor 32 b. A forward / reverse command signal is output to 33a, and the reverse roller 16 is rotated forward / reversely.

  The reverse roller 16, the cam for causing the head arm 15 to move up and down, or the paper feed roller 20 for conveying the fed paper and the paper discharge roller 25 for discharging the paper are common motors. It is driven by 32a. Torque is transmitted by a gear train composed of one drive gear driven by the motor 32a and a plurality of gears meshed with the drive gear, so that all the rotors can operate synchronously and the paper can be conveyed accurately. it can. The gears that drive the paper supply roller 20 and the paper discharge roller 25 are provided with a clutch, and the operation is stopped when the conveyance of the paper is completed. The conveyance pinch roller 19 and the paper discharge pinch roller 24 are driven rollers that are driven by the paper supply roller 20 and the paper discharge roller 25, respectively.

  Now, the paper on which the image is formed by the thermal head 10 is sent to the paper discharge roller 25 through the conveyance path A, but from the conveyance path A until the leading edge is gripped by the paper discharge roller 25 and the paper discharge pinch roller 24. Need to be guided without leaving the route. Therefore, a guide plate 21 is provided between the thermal head 10 and the paper discharge roller 25 and slides on the surface of the cam 22 while changing the angle according to the posture of the apparatus main body 2. The guide plate 21 is inclined from the posture in which the apparatus main body 2 is standing substantially vertically as shown in FIG. 2 toward the back side, or conversely as shown in FIG. In accordance with the change to the substantially vertical posture in FIG. 2, the tilt angle can be increased or decreased by mechanical control or electrical control by a mechanism.

  In conjunction with the operation of the guide plate 21, a second guide plate 23 is provided for forming the transport path A while maintaining continuity with the end of the guide plate 21 by changing the posture of the apparatus main body 2. As with the guide plate 21, the swing angle of the second guide plate 23 can be increased or decreased by mechanical control or electrical control by a mechanism. By changing the crossing angle of the guide plate 21 and the second guide plate 23 to be larger or smaller, the paper discharge direction of the paper fed from the paper discharge roller 25 and the paper discharge pinch roller 24 can be smoothly changed. It is possible to bend at an angle guided so as not to cause unreasonable conveyance from the conveyance path A that is close to the target straight line.

  Thus, after the image is formed, the sheet is guided to the guide plate 21 and the second guide plate 23 and is discharged from the opening 30 by the discharge roller 25 and the discharge pinch roller 24. At this time, when the apparatus main body 2 is in a substantially vertical posture, the leading edge of the sheet fed from between the paper discharge roller 25 and the paper discharge pinch roller 24 is the first guide surface of the holding table 3 as shown in FIG. 26, substantially perpendicular to the horizontal plane of the holding table 3, an acute angle greater than or equal to a second predetermined angle (more than a second predetermined angle with respect to the horizontal plane of the holding means of the present invention), for example 70 ° Abutting at an intersecting angle of less than the above angle to 90 °, the direction of the tip is changed by this abutting, and the direction along the first guide surface 26 substantially parallel to the surface on which the image forming apparatus 1 is placed And is discharged from the discharge port 7 through the discharge path n.

  On the other hand, in the case of the posture of FIG. 6 in which the apparatus main body 2 is tilted to the back side less than the first predetermined angle smaller than the second predetermined angle, the discharge roller 25 and the discharge pinch roller 24 The leading edge of the fed sheet is gently bent toward the second guide surface 27 of the holding table 3, that is, an acute angle less than a first predetermined angle in the intersection angle with the horizontal surface of the holding table 3 (the present invention). The holding means is less than a first predetermined angle), for example, 20 ° to 60 °, is smoothly guided along the second guide surface 27, and the second bottom surface 2a of the apparatus main body 2 and the second Paper is discharged from between the guide surfaces 27 through the paper discharge path m. A large bending force is not applied to the paper, and the image is not stained or scratched.

  The relationship between the posture of the apparatus main body 2 of the image forming apparatus 1, various operation modes corresponding to the attitude, and the power supply mode for supplying power will be described below. In the first embodiment, since the operation mode is switched in conjunction with the posture, as shown in FIG. 2, the first switch is positioned at the bottom surface 2a facing the second guide surface 27 when the apparatus main body 2 is standing substantially vertically. 28 is provided, and the second switch 29 is provided at a position on the back surface side that comes into contact with the holding base 3 only when the apparatus main body 2 is tilted. A plurality of operation modes are determined from the relationship between the attitude of the apparatus main body 2 detected from these and the ON / OFF of the power key 40.

  That is, the image forming apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention can be set to the image display mode (for example, the photo frame mode) when the apparatus main body 2 is in the posture of standing substantially vertically, as shown in FIG. There are two modes in which an image can be recorded as an image forming mode (for example, a printing mode) when the main body 2 is in a tilted state, and at the same time, a power-down mode based on the relationship between the posture and the power key 40 And another mode called a power-off mode. These correspond to the normal operation mode described later.

  In addition to the normal operation mode, it is possible to forcibly form an image when the apparatus main body 2 is in a substantially vertical position, and similarly, when the apparatus main body 2 is in a tilted state. The image display mode, the power-down mode, and the power-off mode can be forcibly set. This is a forced input mode, which will also be described later.

  However, in the image forming apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment, the normal operation mode for performing control depending on the attitude of the apparatus main body 2 is set. In this normal operation mode, the power key 40 can be omitted. Of course, at this time, the power key 40 is not provided, and the image display mode is set only when the apparatus main body 2 is in a substantially vertical position, and the image forming mode is set when the apparatus main body 2 is in the tilted position. Further, the power is turned off in an intermediate position between the two positions.

  Therefore, a system configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 that performs control in such a plurality of operation modes will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 2 and 5. 5, the image forming apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment has a CPU 37, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 39 storing the program and data for causing the CPU 37 to perform arithmetic processing, and the program and data are read out. A RAM (Random Access Memory) 38 for temporary storage is provided and performs system control of the image forming apparatus 1. In terms of software, the CPU 37 processes the program according to the program or data developed in the RAM 38 and executes a predetermined function intended for the program. In other words, the CPU 37 has a predetermined corresponding to the predetermined program. The function realization means is provided.

  As the ROM 39, for example, a Flash ROM or the like can be provided. Data such as an image transmitted from a host device such as a digital camera is stored in the nonvolatile memory, and then read out to form an image.

  As a memory, a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory such as a USB-H / F can be connected to the CPU 37 via a USB interface, and image data stored therein can be transferred to the ROM 39. This can be read out to form an image. Further, an SD standard SD (Secure Digital) memory card can be connected to the CPU 37 via the SD slot.

  When the power key 40 is turned on in the image forming mode in the normal operation mode or the forced input mode, the CPU 37 forms an image on the head / motor controller 36 as the image forming instruction means 37a as shown in FIG. Output instructions. In response to this, the head / motor controller 36 operates the motor driver 33a according to a predetermined sequence and starts rotating the motor 32a. When paper is fed in this state, the paper feed roller 20 and the transport pinch roller 19 rotate, so that the fed paper is transported along the transport path A toward the reverse roller 16.

  At the same time, the head / motor controller 36 operates the motor driver 33b to start the rotation of the motor 32b. As a result, the ink sheet 12 is taken up by the take-up reel 14, and Y is set at the reference position so that an image can be formed.

  Subsequently, when the leading edge of the conveyed paper is detected by the paper detection sensor 18, this detection signal is input to the CPU 37. Using the detection signal as a trigger, the motors 32a and 32b start to rotate. The motor 32a rotates until a predetermined number of steps are counted to convey the paper, and the motor 32b presses the thermal head 10 against the platen 11 by the head arm 15. At the same time, the head / motor controller 36 controls the thermal head 10 to thermally transfer Y of the ink sheet 12 onto the paper.

  When the motor 32a rotates by the length of the image formation area, the head / motor controller 36 raises the head arm 15 and reverses the drive system motor 32a. By reverse rotation of the motor 32a, the paper is conveyed in the reverse direction on the conveyance path A, and when the rear edge of the paper reaches the position of the paper detection sensor 18, the rear edge is detected. During this time, the take-up reel 14 is rotated and the ink sheet 12 is taken up to the M position.

  When this detection signal is output from the paper detection sensor 18, the CPU 37 starts rotation of the motors 32a and 32b by this detection signal. As a result, the motor 32a rotates a predetermined number of steps to convey the paper, and the motor 32b presses the thermal head 10 against the platen 11 to thermally transfer M of the ink sheet 12 onto the paper. Further, the sheet is conveyed in the reverse direction along the conveyance path A, and the trailing edge is detected when the trailing edge of the sheet reaches the position of the sheet detection sensor 18.

  The same operation as described above is repeated in the C image formation. When C is thermally transferred and the trailing edge of the paper is detected by the paper detection sensor 18, the CPU 37 finally performs thermal transfer of the OC layer. As with each color, the motors 32 a and 32 b are rotated, the paper is conveyed by the motor 32 a, and the motor 32 b presses the thermal head 10 to the platen 11 by the head arm 15. At the same time, the head / motor controller 36 controls the thermal head 10 to thermally transfer the OC layer onto the paper.

  Thereafter, the reverse roller 16 continues normal rotation, and when the leading edge of the paper is gripped between the paper discharge roller 25 and the paper discharge pinch roller 24, the reverse roller 16 is discharged from the opening 30 of the bottom surface 2a of the apparatus body 2 according to the posture. The paper paths n and m are switched, and the paper is discharged through one of the paper discharge paths. When the apparatus body 2 is standing substantially vertically, the sheet is discharged by the sheet discharge path n, and when the apparatus body 2 is in the inclined posture, the sheet is discharged by the sheet discharge path m.

  Next, control for switching the operation mode in the normal operation mode or the forced input mode will be described. First, from the viewpoint of being basic and easy to understand, the operation mode switching in the forced input mode not related to the attitude of the apparatus main body 2 will be described.

  This forcible mode switching is performed by using the screen of the monitor 4 to display an active area related to coordinate input on the display surface, such as the input button or icon displayed in each mode, and touching it with a fingertip or the like. Then, the touch panel controller 35 outputs this input signal to the CPU 37. As a result, the mode can be changed on the touch panel. For example, a monitor button for inputting an image display mode and a print button for inputting an image forming mode may be displayed on the screen of the monitor 4 and input from now on. In addition, a setting for automatically shifting to a power-down mode (low power consumption mode) when a predetermined time t has elapsed since the user last touched the device can be performed from the touch panel.

  However, in the case of Embodiment 1, the image forming apparatus 1 is set to the normal operation mode. When inputting, the posture of the apparatus main body 2 of the image forming apparatus 1 must be changed. In the image display mode, it is set to be substantially vertical, and in the image formation mode, it is tilted and used.

  Such a setting is considered to be easy to use when a large number of users display an image with the apparatus body 2 standing vertically, and conversely, many users tilt the apparatus body 2. This is because it is easy to use printing such as image formation in such a posture, and an extra burden such as bending is not added to the paper that is formed and discharged.

  Therefore, in the first embodiment, the most frequently used form is set as the normal operation mode by combining the posture of the apparatus main body 2 of the image forming apparatus 1 and the use form, and when used in this state, the apparatus main body is used. It is possible to switch modes without changing anything in the operation only by changing the posture of 2.

  In addition, in these operation modes, not only the ease of use but also the power supply can be differentiated according to the mode. The image forming mode requires the most power, and then power is required in the image display mode. In the power down mode aiming at low power consumption, the minimum activity for maintaining the ASIC function shown in FIG. Minimal power is supplied to the maintenance circuit B. The same applies to the CPU 37. However, if the power key 40 is turned off, all the circuits are naturally turned off.

  Therefore, in the first embodiment, the control of the power supply mode related to the power supply can be changed by simply changing the attitude of the apparatus main body 2 or can be automatically restored. By using the power supply mode change and automatic return based on such an attitude, the user can control everything by simply operating the external form of the apparatus, and it is easy to use and provides the image forming apparatus 1 with low power consumption. Can do.

  Here, the power supply unit 41 will be described. The image forming apparatus 1 is connected to a DC power source of 24 V, for example, from the outside. A DC / DC converter (not shown) provided in the power supply unit 41 is used. The voltage is dropped to 1.3 V, 1.8 V, 3.3 V, 5 V, etc., and power is supplied as a power source for the CPU 37 and other ASICs and the thermal head 10.

  The 24V power is supplied as it is to the motors 32a and 32b. As another example of power supply, 3.3 V is supplied to the thermal head 10, ROM 39 and monitor 4, 1.8 V is supplied to the RAM 38, 3.3 V and 1.8 V are supplied to the head / motor controller 36. In addition, 5V is supplied to the touch panel.

  Therefore, a more detailed description of this normal operation mode will be given below with reference to FIGS. In addition, screen display modes that have not been described in detail will be described. 8 and 9, the power key 40 is shown on the monitor 4 for the sake of explanation.

  First, the image forming apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment uses the first switch 28 and the second switch 29, which are detection means for detecting the posture, and the combination of the power supply state, that is, the ON / OFF state of the power supply key 40. Then, it will be described that the mode can be automatically switched depending on the posture of the apparatus main body 2.

  That is, as shown in the left end of FIG. 8 in the normal operation mode, the first switch 28 is turned on and the second switch 29 is turned off when the apparatus main body 2 is in the posture of standing substantially vertically. The ON and OFF input signals are input to the CPU 37 in order from the second switch 29.

  Therefore, if the forced input mode is not set and the power key 40 is turned on in this state, the posture determination means 37b of the CPU 37 logically changes this state to the image display mode of the normal operation mode as shown in FIG. to decide. Note that when this posture is intentionally set to the image forming mode, the image forming mode may be selected using the touch panel. In this state, the image display instruction unit 37 c of the CPU 37 operates the monitor driver 34 to display an image on the monitor 4.

  In the image display mode of the normal operation mode, as shown in FIG. 14, the power supply mode is also controlled based on the determination of the attitude determination unit 37b, and the thermal head 10 and the motor driver 33a are controlled from the power supply unit 41. , 33b, the power supply to the motors 32a, 32b can be suppressed, and the power supply for making the ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) of the head / motor controller 36 operable at any time, and for operating the CPU 37 and the monitor driver 34 Only the necessary circuits are activated.

  Conversely, as shown in the right end of FIG. 9, in the image forming apparatus 1 in which the apparatus main body 2 is inclined obliquely, the first switch 28, the second switch 29, and the second switch 29 are turned on. 2 An input signal of OFF and ON is input from the switch 29 to the CPU 37.

  Therefore, if the forced input mode is not set and the power key 40 is turned on in this state, the attitude determination unit 37b of the CPU 37 logically determines this state as the image forming mode in the normal operation mode. In this state, the image formation instruction unit 37a of the CPU 37 outputs an image formation instruction to the head / motor controller 36, and operates the thermal head 10, motor drivers 33a and 33b, and motors 32a and 32b to form an image on the sheet. At this time, the power supply mode is also controlled based on the determination of the posture determination means 37b, and power is supplied from the power supply unit 41 so as to activate all circuits including the motor drive system. When this mode is intentionally set to the image display mode, the image display mode may be selected using the touch panel.

  In the case of a posture having an intermediate inclination between the two postures, both the first switch 28 and the second switch 29 are turned off, so that an input signal indicating that both are turned off is input to the CPU 37. .

  Therefore, when the power key 40 is turned on in the normal operation mode and the posture is in such a position, the user does not normally expect to enter the predetermined image forming mode and image display mode. The power supply mode is also controlled based on the determination of the posture determination means 37b, and the power supply unit 41 is set to the power down mode. At this time, the power supply unit 41 supplies power sufficient to make a part of the ASIC of the head / motor controller 36 operable, and stops supplying electricity to other circuits. When the power key 40 is turned off, the image forming apparatus 1 is stopped.

  Further, when the image forming apparatus 1 is in such a posture, the image forming apparatus 1 is stopped and the image forming mode is set only when the image forming apparatus 1 is in any other posture. It is possible to prevent paper jammed or curled from abutting at the upstream end in the transport direction of the second guide surface 27 provided between the paper discharge path m and the paper discharge path n.

  As described above, the mode switching including the power mode can be automatically performed only by the posture of the apparatus main body 2 without providing the power key 40. When the first switch 28 is ON and the second switch 29 is OFF, the CPU 37 instructs the power supply unit 41 to turn on the power and the image display mode, and when the first switch 28 is OFF and the second switch 29 is ON. The CPU 37 commands the power supply unit 41 to turn on the power and image forming mode. When both the first switch 28 and the second switch 29 are OFF, the CPU 37 may instruct the power supply unit 41 to turn off the power. In this case, not the power down mode but the OFF mode.

  The image forming apparatus 1 in the image display mode at this time stands like a photo frame with the monitor 4 facing the front. If the apparatus main body 2 is tilted slightly, the mode is switched to the OFF mode, and if the apparatus main body 2 is further tilted, the image forming mode is set to enable printing if paper is fed.

  The relationship between the operation modes described above is summarized as shown in (Table 1).

  According to (Table 1), in the normal operation mode, it basically depends on the signals from the first switch 28, the second switch 29 and the power key 40, and in the forced input mode, these inputs are stopped. The operation mode is changed by a monitor button, a print button, or a power-down mode setting input displayed on the touch panel or the like. Even in the normal operation mode, it is possible to power down the power supply by setting not only the posture of the apparatus main body 2 but also the power down mode over time.

  As described above, according to the image forming apparatus 1 in the first embodiment of the present invention, the posture of the apparatus main body 2 can be changed, the display on the monitor 4 is easy to see, and not only the forced input mode using the touch panel but also the apparatus main body 2. The operation mode can be changed depending on the posture, and the operation is easy, and the discharged paper does not get dirty or scratched or the paper is not curled. The monitor 4 and the paper transport path A are substantially parallel, And since the conveyance path is fixed, the depth width from the front of the apparatus main body 2 to the back can be made small, and it can be made a compact structure.

  By changing the posture of the apparatus main body 2, the space occupied in the space in which the image forming apparatus 1 is installed can be reduced to a minimum occupied area and an optimum form according to the installation location, the use state, the surrounding interior, and the like. In addition to being used for image formation such as printing, you can display photos taken with a digital camera, etc. like a photo frame, check in advance before printing images, touch panel or operation It is possible to print after editing a photograph or other image by input from the section 5.

  The present invention can be applied to an image forming apparatus that forms an image such as a photograph taken with a digital camera on a sheet.

1 is an overall perspective view of an image forming apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. XX sectional view for showing an internal configuration of the image forming apparatus of FIG. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the image forming apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention when viewed from the back side of the apparatus main body. 1 is a perspective view of a holding stand of an image forming apparatus in Embodiment 1 of the present invention. 1 is a block configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. XX sectional view when the posture of the image forming apparatus of FIG. 1 is tilted FIG. 3 is a perspective view when replacing the ink ribbon of the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Explanatory drawing which shows the relationship with the control mode when tilting the attitude | position of the image forming apparatus in Embodiment 1 of this invention. Explanatory drawing which shows the relationship with the control mode when returning the attitude | position of the image forming apparatus in Embodiment 1 of this invention to perpendicular | vertical. First modified view of holding base of image forming apparatus in Embodiment 1 of the present invention 2nd modification of the holding stand of the image forming apparatus in Embodiment 1 of this invention Illustration of ink sheet (A) First cross-sectional view of holding base of image forming apparatus in Embodiment 1 of the present invention, (b) Second cross-sectional view of holding base of image forming apparatus in Embodiment 1 of the present invention, (c) ) First sectional view of holding base of image forming apparatus in Embodiment 1 of the present invention Explanatory drawing of functional blocks of the image forming apparatus in Embodiment 1 of the present invention (A) Explanatory drawing of conveyance path in conventional first image forming apparatus, (b) Explanatory drawing of conveyance path in conventional second image forming apparatus, (c) Conveyance path in conventional third image forming apparatus. Illustration of

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 2 Apparatus main body 2a Bottom surface 3 Holding stand 4 Monitor 5 Operation panel 6 Paper feed port 7 Paper discharge port 8 Cover 9 Heat shielding board 10 Thermal head 11 Platen 12 Ink sheet 13 Supply reel 14 Take-up reel 15 Head arm 16 Reverse roller 17 Pinch roller 18 Paper detection sensor 19 Conveying pinch roller 20 Paper feed roller 21 Guide plate 22 Cam 23 Second guide plate 24 Paper discharge pinch roller 25 Paper discharge roller 26 First guide surface 27 Second guide surface 28 First switch (First SW)
29 Second switch (second SW)
30 opening 30a guide opening 31 ink ribbon 32a, 32b motor 33a, 33b motor driver 34 monitor driver 35 touch panel controller 36 head / motor controller 37 CPU
37a Image formation instruction means 37b Attitude determination means 37c Image display instruction means 38 RAM
39 ROM
40 Power Key 41 Power Supply Unit 43 Arm 44 Sliding Surface 45 Step 100a, 100b, 100c Image Forming Apparatus 101a, 101b, 101c Paper Storage Cassette 102a, 102b, 102c Display A A Conveyance Path B Activity Maintenance Circuit m, n Paper Discharge Road

Claims (10)

A housing having image forming means for forming an image on a sheet therein, display means for displaying an image formed on the surface of the housing, and holding means for rotatably holding the housing. An image forming apparatus. A housing having image forming means for forming an image on a paper, display means for displaying an image formed on the surface of the housing, and holding means for rotatably holding the housing; An image forming apparatus, wherein a relative position of the image forming unit with respect to a sheet conveyance path with respect to a display surface of the display unit is fixed. Image forming means for forming an image on a sheet, a casing having a recording agent used in the image forming means therein, display means for displaying an image formed on the surface of the casing, and rotating the casing Holding means for holding freely, and the sheet conveying path of the image forming means is substantially perpendicular to the axis that is the center of rotation of the holding means, and the recording agent is inserted into the housing The image forming method is characterized in that the direction is the axial direction, and the contact portion of the holding means with respect to the housing is provided on a surface different from the surface of the housing where the recording agent is inserted into the housing. apparatus. 4. The image according to claim 1, wherein a sheet conveyed through the sheet conveyance path is discharged from the housing and then discharged through the holding unit. 5. Forming equipment. When the display surface of the display means is less than a first predetermined angle with respect to the horizontal surface of the holding means, the paper transported through the paper transport path is discharged from the housing without passing through the holding means. When the display surface of the display means is greater than or equal to the second predetermined angle greater than the first predetermined angle with respect to the horizontal plane of the holding means, the paper transported through the paper transport path passes through the holding means. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus discharges the image. The image forming unit forms an image only at a first predetermined angle that is less than the first predetermined angle and a second predetermined angle that is greater than or equal to the second predetermined angle. 6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a control means for controlling the operation. An image formation instructing unit that instructs the image forming unit to form an image of the image displayed on the display unit, and the display surface of the display unit has a predetermined angle or more with respect to a horizontal plane of the holding unit; 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein power is not supplied to the image formation instruction unit. 8. The power supply unit for supplying power to the image forming unit and the display unit is provided in the holding unit. 8. The image forming apparatus described in 1. A housing having image forming means for forming an image on a paper, display means for displaying an image formed on the surface of the housing, and holding means for rotatably holding the housing; A sheet discharged downward from the housing is discharged through the holding unit, and the holding unit is placed on the downstream end of the guide surface that guides the lower surface of the holding unit in the sheet conveying direction. An image forming apparatus, wherein the image forming apparatus is provided higher than the placement surface. The image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein a warping surface formed to be inclined upward toward the downstream side in the paper transport direction is provided at a downstream end portion of the guide surface in the paper transport direction.

Images