JP2010016495A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus which can prevent a panel support structure for supporting an operation panel so as to freely change its posture from being damaged even if the operation panel is heavy. <P>SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus has the panel support structure for supporting the operation panel. The panel support structure has a hinge structure composed of two-axis hinges. The hinge structure includes a base end bracket fixed on a machine body, a tip bracket coupled to the operation panel, and an moving arm coupled to both the brackets via first and second moving axes parallel to each other. The machine body is provided with a stopper structure for receiving and supporting the lower movement around the first moving axis of the moving arm. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus represented by a copying machine, a facsimile machine, and the like, which is provided with an operation panel that is supported by a support structure so that its posture can be freely changed. The operation panel can input parameters such as copying conditions and facsimile conditions, or can display input data or data selected by the user.

  Regarding the present invention, it is known in Patent Document 1, for example, to define the swing limit of an operation panel whose posture can be changed. In this case, the display unit is rotatably held by a rotation center axis and a free stop hinge. The free stop hinge is inserted through the shaft in the order of description, the LCD mounting sheet metal fixed to the display, the stopper ring, the panel mounting sheet metal fixed to the operation panel, the friction ring and the caulking ring. It has been integrated. The free stop hinge is provided with first rotation angle restricting means.

  As the first rotation angle restricting means, a concave portion is formed on the stopper ring, and a convex portion that enters the concave portion is formed at the tip of the LCD mounting sheet metal. The convex portion is in contact with both side wall surfaces of the concave portion, thereby restricting the operating angle of the free stop hinge. Therefore, the rotation angle of the display unit is restricted in a state where the attachment sheet metal is fixed to the display unit and the operation panel. In addition, as the second rotation angle restricting means, the two triangular ribs provided on the LCD lower cover also restrict the rotation angle of the display unit by contacting the operation panel.

  A display body provided with a rotation restricting means other than the rotation center axis is known (Patent Document 2). In this case, an arbitrary angle holding mechanism is provided on a display body rotatably supported by a hinge, and this holding mechanism serves as a limiter for restricting the rotation range of the display body. The arbitrary angle holding mechanism includes a guide pin of a link member connected to the display body and a guide groove formed in the lock mechanism block. The posture of the display body can be changed by restricting the movement of the guide pin between the guide groove and the engagement groove.

Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2003-274072 (paragraph number 0012, FIG. 8) JP 2007-51786 A (paragraph number 0024, FIG. 4)

  In Patent Document 1, the rotation angle can be reliably controlled by restricting the rotation range of the display unit with a plurality of restricting means. However, all the rotation restricting means are provided in the vicinity of the rotation center axis. Therefore, when the display unit is displaced to the rotation limit, it is inevitable that the swinging moment is concentrated on the rotation restricting means, and the free stop hinge and the operation panel constituting the rotation restricting means are damaged. There is a disadvantage that is easy to do.

  In this regard, in Patent Document 2, since the distance between the rotation axis center and the rotation restricting means is large, it is possible to avoid the concentration of the swinging moment on the hinge supporting the display body. However, since the rotation restricting means is composed of a plurality of members, the structure is complicated and the cost is increased.

  An operation panel display in an image forming apparatus in recent years tends to increase in size as the amount of information to be displayed increases. Along with this, the weight of the operation panel itself has increased. In addition, since the operation panel is arranged so as to protrude forward from the image forming apparatus, when an image forming apparatus having a large display is installed facing the passage, people and objects are placed on the operation panel. There is a risk of contact.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of preventing the panel support structure from being damaged even when the operation panel is heavy or when the operation panel is swung downward more than necessary due to contact with a person or the like. It is to provide. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of reliably supporting a panel support structure and an operation panel and preventing rattling and reliably inputting control parameters.

  In the image forming apparatus of the present invention, an operation panel arranged on one side of the machine body is supported by a panel support structure that connects the machine body and the operation panel so that the posture can be freely changed. The panel support structure is constituted by a hinge structure composed of a biaxial hinge. The hinge structure is composed of a base end bracket fixed to the fuselage, a front end bracket connected to the operation panel, and a swing arm connected via first and second swing shafts parallel to both brackets. Constitute. A stopper structure that restricts downward swinging of the swing arm around the first swing shaft is provided on the airframe.

  The stopper structure includes a pair of left and right support brackets that are fixed to the airframe, and a support bar that is fixed between the support brackets and receives and supports the swing arm.

  The swing arm has an outer surface covered with an arm cover. The arm cover is formed by joining an upper arm cover that covers the swing arm from the upper surface side and a lower arm cover that covers the swing arm from the lower surface side in a lid-like manner. The lower arm cover is formed with a regulation recess that is received and supported by the support bar.

  When the display surface of the operation panel is oriented toward the upper side of the machine body, the lower surface of the operation panel is received and supported by the support bracket.

  In the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the panel support structure is configured by a hinge structure including a biaxial hinge, and the downward swing of the swing arm around the first swing axis is restricted by the stopper structure. Specifically, the swing arm supported by the base bracket can be swung up and down around the first swing shaft, and the tip bracket can be swung back and forth around the second swing shaft. The downward swing limit around the first swing axis was regulated by a stopper structure fixed to the fuselage. In this way, if the portion away from the first swing shaft is received by the stopper structure, the concentration of rotational moment that is inevitable when the stopper structure is provided on the first swing shaft of the panel support structure is eliminated. Damage to the panel support structure can be prevented. Further, most of the swinging moment around the first swinging shaft generated by the swinging arm is borne by the stopper structure, and the proximal bracket cooperates to bear the oscillating moment. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the burden on the panel support structure and improve its durability.

  The stopper structure includes a pair of left and right support brackets fixed to the airframe, and a support bar fixed between the support brackets to receive and support the swing arm. According to such a stopper structure, the weight and swinging moment of the operation panel supported by the support bar can be distributed and received by the pair of left and right support brackets fixed to the body. Therefore, the durability of the stopper structure can be improved. Further, the entire stopper structure can be simplified, and the cost required for manufacturing the image forming apparatus can be saved accordingly.

  An arm cover that covers the outer surface of the swing arm is formed by joining the upper arm cover and the lower arm cover together in a lid-like manner, and a restriction recess that is received and supported by a support bar is formed on the lower arm cover. According to this, since the support bar receives and supports the swinging arm in the state of entering the restriction recess, not only can the swinging of the swinging arm be regulated downward, but also the movement in the direction perpendicular to the support bar can be performed simultaneously. Can be regulated. Therefore, it is possible to reliably support the swing arm in the vertical direction and the front-rear direction, and to prevent the panel support structure from being damaged.

  If the lower surface of the operation panel is received and supported by the support bracket in a state where the display surface is directed upward, the operation panel and the panel support structure can be reliably received and supported by the support bar and the support bracket. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the operation panel from rattling, and to reliably input control parameters.

(Embodiment) FIGS. 1 to 9 show an embodiment in which an image forming apparatus according to the present invention is applied to a multifunction machine having a copy function and a facsimile function. In FIG. 2, the image forming apparatus includes a recording unit 1 that occupies most of the machine body, an image reading unit 2 provided above the recording unit 1, and the like. The recording unit 1 includes an image recording device, a fixing device, and the like. A platen cover 3 that opens and closes the document reading surface and an automatic document feeder (ADF) 4 that is provided on the platen cover 3 and sends the document to the image reading unit 2 are disposed on the upper surface of the image reading unit 2. A stopper structure 5 is provided on one side of the front surface of the image reading unit 2, and an operation panel 6 is disposed on the upper surface thereof.

  Inside the recording unit 1, there is provided a paper conveyance path from the paper feed cassette 9 to the paper discharge space 100 through the image recording device and the fixing device. The recording unit 1 includes a rectangular box-shaped housing 10 in which a paper feed cassette 9 is assembled, and a side housing 11 that is connected upward from the right end of the housing 10, and includes a housing 10 and an image reading unit 2. A paper discharge space 100 is formed between them. A decorative panel 12 is mounted on the front surfaces of the housings 10 and 11. A front cover 13 is provided at a position above the sheet feeding cassette 9 in front of the decorative panel 12. The front cover 13 is suspended by a hinge (not shown) so as to swing upward with respect to the housing 10. The recording unit 1, the image reading unit 2, both the housings 10 and 11 and the like constitute a machine body 14 of the image forming apparatus.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the paper discharge space 100 is open at the front and left sides of the fuselage, and the right side of the paper discharge space 100 is connected to the side housing 11 and the rear side is connected to the side housing 11. It is blocked by. The previous operation panel 6 is arranged adjacent to the upper right side of the front opening surface of the paper discharge space 100. Note that the front-rear direction and the left-right direction in the present invention are defined by crosshairs and front / rear / left / right notations shown in FIG. In this way, by providing the paper discharge space 100 on one side of the front surface of the machine body and disposing the operation panel 6 on the other side of the front surface of the machine body adjacent to the paper discharge space 100, print sheets discharged into the paper discharge space 100, etc. It is possible to prevent the operation panel 6 from getting in the way when the battery is taken out. Further, it is possible to prevent the visual field when viewing the paper discharge space 100 from being blocked by the operation panel 6.

  The operation panel 6 is configured by arranging a touch panel display 16 and a group of input buttons 17 on the upper surface of a flat rectangular box-shaped panel body 15. By operating the display 16 and the input button 17, copying conditions, facsimile conditions, etc. can be input, or input data can be displayed (see FIG. 2).

  In order to make the attitude and orientation of the operation panel 6 changeable, a panel support structure that supports the operation panel 6 so that the attitude can be changed is provided between the operation panel 6 and the machine body 14. As shown in FIGS. 3 to 6, the panel support structure includes a hinge structure 20 including a biaxial hinge. The hinge structure 20 includes a base end bracket 21 fixed to the body 14, a front end bracket 22 fixed to the back surface of the operation panel 6, and first and second swing shafts 23 and 24 on both the brackets 21 and 22. It is comprised by the rocking | swiveling arm 25 etc. which are connected through this. The outer surface of the swing arm 25 is covered with an arm cover 26. The central axis of the first swing shaft 23 and the second swing shaft 24 are parallel to each other.

  The swing arm 25 is formed of a press-molded product that integrally includes a pair of left and right side walls 30 and a main surface wall 31 that connects the upper edges of the side walls 30. Near the edge of the main surface wall 31 on the base bracket 21 side, insertion holes 32 for fastening the arm cover 26 are opened in two places on the left and right. The base end bracket 21 is formed to be bent at two right and left portions of the bracket base 34 fastened and fixed to the airframe 14, and the left and right base end brackets 21 have a pair of left and right first swings. The shaft 23 is connected to be swingable up and down. The central axes of the left and right first swing shafts 23 are provided on the same straight line. A stopper piece 35 that defines the upper swing limit of the swing arm 25 is bent at the rear edge of the upper edge of the base end bracket 21. The bracket base 34 is formed with an opening through which a distribution line 67 described later is led out (see FIG. 5).

  In order to hold the swing arm 25 at an arbitrary displacement position, the first swing shaft 23 is fastened with a nut 36 via a frictional resistance applying means. The frictional resistance applying means includes a plurality of disc springs 37 and flat washers interposed at both ends of the disc springs 37. When the previous nut 36 is tightened into the male threaded portion of the first swing shaft 23, the plurality of disc springs 37 are elastically deformed flat and come into close contact with the flat washer. As a result, the left and right side walls 30 and the left and right base end brackets 21 are brought into close contact with each other to generate a predetermined frictional resistance. As a result, the swing arm 25 can swing and displace with respect to the base end bracket 21 only when an operating force exceeding the set value is applied, and can normally hold an arbitrary displacement position by the previous frictional resistance.

  The front end bracket 22 is made of an L-shaped press metal fitting, and one surface wall thereof is fastened and fixed to the back surface of the display 16. Left and right side walls 30 of the swing arm 25 are connected to the left and right tip brackets 22 so as to be swingable back and forth by a pair of left and right second swing shafts 24, respectively. The central axes of the left and right second swing shafts 24 are provided on the same straight line. In order to hold the operation panel 6 at an arbitrary displacement position, the second swing shaft 24 is fastened with a nut 38 via a frictional resistance applying means. The frictional resistance imparting means including the disc spring 37 is the same as the frictional resistance imparting means described above, and the description thereof is omitted.

  In FIG. 7, the arm cover 26 is formed into a flat hollow body with an upper arm cover 27 that covers the swing arm 25 from the upper surface side and a lower arm cover 28 that covers the swing arm 25 from the lower surface side. The upper arm cover 27 protrudes rearward from the shell-like portion 40 that simultaneously covers the main surface wall 31 of the swing arm 25 and the side wall 30 on the tip bracket side, and from both sides of the rear edge of the shell-like portion 40. It consists of a plastic molding integrally provided with a protruding arm portion 41 that covers the side wall 30 on the proximal bracket side. Four screw bosses 42 project from the inner surface of the shell-like portion 40, and relief grooves 43 that allow the tip bracket 22 to tilt are notched on the left and right front ends of the shell-like portion 40.

  The lower arm cover 28 is formed of a plastic molded product integrally provided with a shell-like portion 45 and a pair of left and right protruding arm portions 46 similar to the upper arm cover 27. Four screw bosses 47 project from the inner surface of the shell-like portion 45, and relief grooves 48 that allow the tip bracket 22 to tilt are cut out at the front left and right of the shell-like portion 45. In the center of the lower surface of the shell-like portion 45, a restriction recess 49 that allows entry of a support bar 55, which will be described later, is formed so as to dent upward. In this embodiment, the restricting recess 49 is a triangular recess.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the upper arm cover 27 and the lower arm cover 28 are made inseparable by screwing a screw 50 inserted into the screw boss 47 on the lower arm cover 28 side into the screw boss 42 of the upper arm cover 27. Fixed. The arm cover 26 in this state is integrated with the swing arm 25 by sandwiching both side walls 30 of the swing arm 25 between the inner surfaces of the shell-like portions 40 and 45 of the arm covers 27 and 28. Further, the screw bosses 42 of the upper arm cover 27 are inserted into the left and right insertion holes 32 of the main surface wall 31 to be positioned front and rear and left and right. Similarly to covering the outer surface of the swing arm 25 with the arm cover 27, the outer surfaces of the bracket base 34 and the proximal bracket 21 are covered with the proximal cover 51 (see FIG. 6).

  The swing arm 25 defines a downward swing limit by a stopper structure 5 fixed to the body 14. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the stopper structure 5 includes a pair of left and right support brackets 54 fixed to the body 14, a support bar 55 that couples both support brackets 54, and the like. The support bracket 54 is made of a press-molded product integrally including a bracket body 56 having an L-shaped cross section and a fixed wall 57 that is bent at the lower end surface of the bracket body 56. Screw holes 58 for fastening the support bar 55 are opened in two places on the fixed wall 57, and the upper end surface of the bracket body 56 is formed by an inclined surface 59 that is inclined downward toward the front lower side. It is.

  The support bar 55 is formed of a press-formed product having an inverted U-shaped cross section in which attachment pieces 60 are integrally formed at both ends. Two screw holes 61 are formed in the mounting piece 60. The support bar 55 is connected to the left and right support brackets 54 by inserting the screws 62 into the screw holes 58 and then screwing them into the screw holes 61 (see FIG. 5). The support bracket 54 and the support bar 55 constituting the stopper structure 5 are respectively covered with a side cover 64 and a center cover 65 except for the lower surface (see FIG. 4), and the lower surface side is covered with the decorative panel 12. ing. The upper inner wall of the side cover 64 is in contact with the inclined surface 59 and the inner surface of the center cover 65 is in contact with the support bar 55 without any gap. When the swing arm 25 is swung to the lower limit and is received by the support bar 55, the upper surface and the front surface of the center cover 65 covering the support bar 55 are the upper wall of the restriction recess 49 as shown in FIG. And is in contact with the front wall. Therefore, the swing arm 25 is restricted from moving downward and backward.

  The body 14 and the operation panel 6 are connected by a distribution line 67 disposed in the internal space of the arm cover 26. For this purpose, a first wiring opening 68 and a second wiring opening 69 are opened at the end of the arm cover 26 on the machine body 14 side and the end of the operation panel side, respectively. The first wiring opening 68 is formed in a round hole shape at the joining edge of the upper and lower arm covers 27, 28, and the second wiring opening 69 is formed in a long hole shape at the joining edge of the upper and lower arm covers 27, 28. is there. Most of the second wiring opening 69 is formed on the lower arm cover 28 side.

  A long hole 70 that allows the distribution line 67 to swing up and down is formed in the wall surface facing the first wiring opening 68 at the tip of the proximal cover 51, and the wall surface facing the second wiring opening 69 is formed in the operation panel 6. A wiring port 71 is opened. The distribution line 67 led out from the long hole 70 of the base end cover 51 is wired through the first wiring opening 68, the internal space of the arm cover 26 and the second wiring opening 69, and is connected to the operation panel 6 from the wiring port 71. It has been introduced inside. By adopting such a wiring configuration, the distribution line 67 can be concealed by the arm cover 26 and the base end cover 51 and the distribution line 67 can be prevented from touching the user's eyes.

  In the panel support structure configured as described above, the operation panel 6 is displaced around the first swing shaft 23 and the second swing shaft 24, and the posture and orientation of the operation panel according to the user's standing position. Can be changed. In the normal state, the operation panel 6 is used in the basic use posture shown in FIGS. In the basic use posture, the swing arm 25 is swung to the lower limit, and the operation panel 6 tilts the operation panel 6 rearward around the second swing shaft 24 so that the display 16 faces the upper side of the fuselage. Oriented. At this time, the swing arm 25 is received in a state where the support bar 55 has entered the restriction recess 49 of the lower arm cover 28, and the operation panel 6 is received by the support brackets 54 at both left and right ends. In the present embodiment, since the support bracket 54 and the support bar 55 constituting the stopper structure 5 are covered with the side cover 64 and the center cover 65, the swing arm 25 and the operation panel 6 are supported by the support bracket 54. And the support bar 55 are received with the covers 64 and 65 interposed therebetween. Therefore, in the basic use posture, the operation panel 6 is held in a stable state in a forward and downward inclined posture along the inclined surface 59 of the support bracket 54, so that the data input operation by the input button 17 or the display 16 is surely performed. Can be done. Further, since the downward movement and the backward movement of the swing arm 25 are restricted by the stopper structure 5, the panel support structure is not damaged even if a person or the like comes into contact and an impact is applied to the operation panel.

  By operating the operation panel 6 upright around the second swing shaft 24 from the basic posture, the display 16 of the operation panel 6 can be directed forward of the machine body (see FIG. 3). From this state, the operation panel 6 can be further swung around the second rocking shaft 24 so that the display 16 can be oriented obliquely downward and forward. Therefore, the input button 17 and the touch panel can be easily operated even from a low position sitting on a wheelchair, and the display 16 can be clearly seen. Also in this case, since the swing arm 25 is restricted from moving backward by the support bar 55, it is possible to prevent rattling of the operation panel 6 due to a data input operation.

  When the user desires an operation in the upper position, the swing arm 25 is raised from the state shown in FIG. 1 by swinging the swing arm 25 about the first swing shaft 23. In this case, the operation panel 6 may be oriented obliquely upward (see FIG. 6). The swing arm 25 in this state is regulated by the stopper piece 35 of the base end bracket 21 and the receiving surface 73 of the base end cover 51. In this posture, the display 16 can be clearly seen from a high position standing in front of the image forming apparatus without bending down.

  In the above embodiment, the restricting concave portion 49 is formed in a right triangle shape, but it is not necessary, and can be formed in a semicircular shape or a quadrangular shape. In this case, the cross-sectional shape of the support bar 55 is also changed so that it can enter the support recess 49 and be supported.

It is a partially broken side view of the panel support structure in the basic use posture state. 1 is a perspective view of an image forming apparatus. It is a partially broken side view of the panel support structure in a state where the operation panel is operated upright from the basic use posture. It is a partially broken top view of a panel support structure. It is a disassembled perspective view of a panel support structure and a stopper structure. It is a vertical side view of the panel support structure in the state where the swing arm and the operation panel are erected. It is a disassembled perspective view of an arm cover. It is the sectional view on the AA line in FIG. 4 which shows the fixation structure of an arm cover. It is explanatory drawing which shows the back-and-forth tilt limit of the operation panel in the up-and-down swing limit.

Explanation of symbols

5 Stopper structure 6 Operation panel 14 Machine body 20 Hinge structure 21 Base end bracket 22 End bracket 23 First swing shaft 24 Second swing shaft 25 Swing arm 26 Arm cover 49 Restriction recess 54 Support bracket 55 Support bar

Claims (4)

An operation panel disposed on one side of the machine body is an image forming apparatus that is supported by a panel support structure that connects the machine body and the operation panel so that the posture can be freely changed.
The panel support structure is composed of a hinge structure composed of a biaxial hinge,
The hinge structure is coupled to both brackets via a first bracket and a second swing shaft that are parallel to a proximal bracket fixed to the fuselage, a distal bracket coupled to the operation panel, and parallel. It consists of a swing arm,
An image forming apparatus, wherein the airframe is provided with a stopper structure for restricting downward swinging of the swing arm about the first swing axis.   2. The stopper structure includes a pair of left and right support brackets fixed to the airframe, and a support bar fixed between the support brackets to receive and support the swing arm. The image forming apparatus described. The swing arm is covered with an arm cover that covers an outer surface of the swing arm;
The arm cover is formed by joining an upper arm cover that covers the rocking arm from the upper surface side and a lower arm cover that covers the rocking arm from the lower surface side in a lid-like manner,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the lower arm cover is formed with a restriction recess that is received and supported by the support bar.   4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a lower surface of the operation panel is received and supported by the support bracket in a state where a display surface of the operation panel is directed upward of the machine body.

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