JP2010260265A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus capable of achieving reduction of installation area. <P>SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus 1 includes: a liquid crystal monitor 10 provided such that a screen turns to the front; a housing 12 provided on a lower side along an erect direction of an image on the liquid crystal monitor 10 and having a fed paper ejection port 124 formed lower than a lower end in a vertical direction of the liquid crystal monitor 10; a switching roller 24 provided inside the housing 12 and conveying the paper inserted from the fed paper ejection port 124 to a first conveying direction from the fed paper ejection port 124; an ink carriage 28 provided on an upstream side of the switching roller 24 in the first conveying direction and printing a predetermined image on paper; and a CPU controlling rotation of the switching roller 24. The CPU allows the switching roller 24 to reversely rotate after the trailing edge of the paper in the first conveying direction passes through the switching roller 24. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly to a technique for downsizing the apparatus.

  Peripheral devices for PC (Personal Computer) include display devices such as a liquid crystal monitor, input devices such as a keyboard and a mouse, scanner devices, and image forming devices such as printer devices. These PC peripheral devices are preferably installed on one workbench from the viewpoint of improving the user's work efficiency, and a reduction in the installation area of the PC peripheral devices is desired. In order to reduce the installation area of the PC peripheral device, for example, a technique for integrating a PC main board, which has been reduced in size by reducing the size of the control unit, into the display device has been proposed.

  In recent years, in order to reduce the consumption of recording paper used for printing, a technique for converting a document image into a PDF file by reading a document image with a scanner device has become widespread. Thus, by sending the PDF data attached to the e-mail, the desired document image can be distributed without printing on the recording paper, and the distributed PDF data can be printed or edited as necessary. Improved convenience. With the progress of such technology, the use of image forming apparatuses tends to decrease, and a reduction in the installation area of image forming apparatuses is strongly desired.

  An inkjet printer, which is one of image forming apparatuses, is widely used as a printer device for individuals because of its low power consumption and low cost. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a conventional inkjet printer 100. Referring to FIG. 1, in a conventional inkjet printer 100, a recording sheet fed from the back side of the apparatus is transported in a transport direction indicated by an arrow D by a paper feed roller 101, a transport roller 103, and a paper discharge roller 105. In the middle of printing, after printing by the ink head 107, the paper is discharged from the front side of the apparatus. In the conventional ink jet printer 100, when the height H of the apparatus is about 140 mm which is a general height, the recording paper is printed on the recording paper for the reason of printing by spraying ink onto the recording paper from above. The conveyance direction D is one direction from the apparatus back side to the front side. In such a case, the depth L of the apparatus is about 200 mm.

  In order to reduce the installation area of such an image forming apparatus, various techniques have been proposed. For example, a PC desk in which the installation space for the image forming apparatus is formed above the installation space for the PC is commercially available.

  Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-133620 discloses an image forming apparatus in which a recording paper conveyance path is a vertical U path type and a liquid crystal monitor is detachable from the front or side of the apparatus main body.

JP 2002-55501 A

  The PC desk in which the installation space of the image forming apparatus is formed above the installation space of the PC is merely moving the installation place of the image forming apparatus, and the installation area of the image forming apparatus is substantially reduced. Not.

  In the vertical U-pass type image forming apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1, the depth of the apparatus is 240 mm or more. In such an image forming apparatus, when a liquid crystal monitor is mounted on the front of the apparatus main body, the depth of the entire apparatus becomes 300 mm or more, and the installation area of the PC peripheral device cannot be sufficiently reduced. In recent years, the screen size of the liquid crystal monitor tends to increase to 15 inches to 24 inches as the price of the liquid crystal monitor is reduced and the demand for convenience is increased. When such a large liquid crystal monitor is attached to the image forming apparatus of Patent Document 1, there is a risk that the balance is not balanced and the tilting is likely to occur, and the strength may be insufficient.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus that can achieve a reduction in installation area.

  An image forming apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention includes a display device provided so that a screen faces a predetermined direction, and a lower end in a vertical direction of the display device provided on a lower side along an image erecting direction of the display device. A housing in which an opening is formed below, a roller that is provided inside the housing and conveys a sheet inserted from the opening in a predetermined conveying direction from the opening, and an upstream side in a predetermined conveying direction with respect to the roller A printing unit that prints a predetermined image on the paper, and a rotation control unit that controls rotation of the roller. The rotation control unit passes the roller at the end of the predetermined conveyance direction of the paper. Then, the roller is rotated in the reverse direction.

  Thus, the roller conveys the paper inserted from the opening of the housing in a predetermined conveyance direction, and the rotation control unit reversely rotates the roller after the end of the predetermined conveyance direction of the paper passes through the roller. The sheet is transported in the direction opposite to the predetermined transport direction and discharged from the opening. As a result, the paper feed path and the paper discharge path can be used together, and the opening functions as a paper feed opening and a paper discharge opening. Compared with the case where each is provided separately, the apparatus can be made smaller and the paper can be conveyed without damaging the paper. The display device is generally installed so that the lower end in the vertical direction of the display device is about 90 mm away from the installation surface of the work table in consideration of the height of the user's eye line, work efficiency, and the like. . As described above, by forming the opening so as to be below the lower end in the vertical direction of the display device, the space generated below the display device can be used effectively. Therefore, the installation area of the image forming apparatus can be further reduced.

  Preferably, the printing unit prints a predetermined image on the paper when the paper is transported in a direction opposite to the predetermined transport direction by reverse rotation of the roller. As a result, compared with the case where printing is performed when the paper is transported in a predetermined direction, stains and the like of the print image that occur during the transport can be reduced, so that a printed image can be obtained in a better state. it can.

  More preferably, the image forming apparatus further includes an image reading unit that is provided upstream of the roller in a predetermined transport direction and reads a document image formed in advance on a sheet. As a result, the image forming apparatus has a scanner function in addition to the printing function, thereby further improving the convenience for the user.

  More preferably, the image forming apparatus further includes a detecting unit that detects a leading end and a trailing end of the sheet in a predetermined transport direction based on the read image read by the image reading unit, and the rotation control unit is detected by the detecting unit. The rotation of the roller is controlled on the basis of the leading and trailing ends of the sheet in the predetermined transport direction. As described above, since the detection is performed based on the read image read by the image reading unit, it is possible to detect the front end and the end of the sheet in the predetermined transport direction without providing another configuration. Therefore, further downsizing and cost reduction of the apparatus can be achieved.

  More preferably, the image forming apparatus determines, based on the read image read by the image reading unit, whether or not there is a document image on the sheet, and determines whether or not there is a document image on the sheet. And a display control means for causing the display device to display an image based on the read image. Thus, the user can confirm the read document image by viewing the image displayed on the display device. Therefore, user convenience is further improved.

  More preferably, the image forming apparatus further includes a receiving unit that receives an instruction for requesting reverse rotation of the roller by the user, and the image reading unit is previously formed on the sheet when the sheet is conveyed in a predetermined conveyance direction. The rotation control means reversely rotates the roller when the end of the predetermined conveyance direction of the paper has passed the roller and the receiving means receives the instruction. As a result, the reverse rotation of the roller is waited until the user gives an instruction after the document image is read, so that the user determines whether or not to reverse the roller after confirming the read image. Can do. Therefore, user convenience is further improved.

  More preferably, the predetermined transport direction is a direction directed upward in the vertical direction on the back side of the display device. This makes it possible to reduce the depth or width of the housing as compared with the case where the predetermined transport direction is one direction toward the horizontal direction. Therefore, the apparatus can be further reduced in size, and the installation area of the image forming apparatus can be further reduced.

  More preferably, the image forming apparatus further includes a paper reversing unit for reversing the front and back of the paper. This makes it possible to perform double-sided printing and double-sided reading of an original image, thereby further improving user convenience.

  More preferably, the sheet reversing unit includes a guide claw that guides the conveyed sheet to circulate around the roller and returns the sheet to the upstream side in the conveyance direction. In this way, since the small guide claws are used, the paper can be reversed without enlarging the apparatus. Accordingly, it is possible to further reduce the size of the apparatus. Further, since there is no need to newly provide a paper transport path for reversal, the paper can be reversed and transported without damaging the paper.

  More preferably, the printing unit includes an ink tank that stores ink, and a scanning ink head that prints a predetermined image on paper using the ink. As described above, since the image forming apparatus employs an inkjet method, it is possible to obtain an image forming apparatus that has low power consumption and can further reduce the printing cost.

  More preferably, the housing includes a cover member formed to be openable and closable with respect to the housing. Thus, the user can open the inside of the housing by opening the cover member. Therefore, the members such as the ink tank and the ink head can be replaced, the paper jammed paper can be removed, the rollers provided inside the housing, It is possible to easily clean a member such as a printing unit.

  More preferably, the display device is provided so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction. Accordingly, the user can check the screen from a desired direction without being affected by a sitting state or a standing state, so that the convenience is further improved. In addition, by adjusting the orientation of the screen, the cover member can be easily opened with respect to the housing, so that replacement of members such as the ink tank and ink head, removal of paper jammed paper, and the inside of the housing Cleaning of a member such as a roller and a printing unit provided can be performed more easily.

  More preferably, the display device functions as a peripheral device of the PC. Thereby, the installation area of the peripheral device for PC can be reduced. Further, since the editing of the image displayed on the display device and the operation of the printing unit can be directly controlled by the PC, the convenience for the user is further improved.

  More preferably, the roller automatically conveys the sheet inserted from the opening toward the predetermined conveying direction from the opening. Thus, the user can save the trouble of giving an instruction for requesting the conveyance of the sheet in a predetermined conveyance direction before inserting the sheet. Therefore, user convenience is further improved.

  According to the present invention, the roller conveys the sheet inserted from the opening of the housing in a predetermined conveyance direction, and the rotation control unit reversely rotates the roller after the end of the predetermined conveyance direction of the sheet has passed the roller. Therefore, the sheet is transported in the direction opposite to the predetermined transport direction and discharged from the opening. As a result, the paper feed path and the paper discharge path can be used together, and the opening functions as a paper feed opening and a paper discharge opening. Compared with the case where each is provided separately, the apparatus can be made smaller and the paper can be conveyed without damaging the paper. Further, by forming the opening so as to be below the lower end in the vertical direction of the display device, the space generated below the display device can be effectively used. Therefore, the installation area of the image forming apparatus can be further reduced.

It is a figure which shows an example of the conventional inkjet printer. 1 is a front view of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a left side view of the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a front view of the image forming apparatus when the liquid crystal monitor is rotated upward. FIG. 6 is a left side view of the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 5. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an operation of the image forming apparatus when reading a document image from a document. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an operation of the image forming apparatus when reading a document image from a document. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an operation of the image forming apparatus when reading a document image from a document. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an operation of the image forming apparatus when reading a document image from a document. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an operation of the image forming apparatus when printing is performed on a recording sheet. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an operation of the image forming apparatus when printing is performed on a recording sheet. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an operation of the image forming apparatus when printing is performed on a recording sheet. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an operation of the image forming apparatus when printing is performed on a recording sheet.

  In the following description and drawings, the same reference numerals and names are assigned to the same components. Their functions are also the same. Therefore, detailed description thereof will not be repeated.

<Constitution>
2 is a front view of the image forming apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a left side view of the image forming apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 2 and 3, the image forming apparatus 1 is an ink jet printer apparatus. The image forming apparatus 1 includes a liquid crystal monitor 10 provided so that the screen faces the front, a casing 12 provided below a lower end in the vertical direction of the liquid crystal monitor 10 in this state, and the liquid crystal monitor 10 can be rotated in the vertical direction. Includes a hinge portion 14 connected to the housing 12.

  The liquid crystal monitor 10 includes a screen composed of a liquid crystal display. The liquid crystal monitor 10 has a function as a PC display device, and displays a processing result of the PC. The screen size of the liquid crystal monitor 10 is not particularly limited as long as it is a common size in the field, but it is 15 inches to 24 inches, which is a size that allows the liquid crystal monitor 10 to be easily rotated in the vertical direction. preferable. In the present embodiment, a liquid crystal monitor 10 having a screen size of 16 inches (vertical 298 mm × horizontal 380 mm) is used. The liquid crystal monitor 10 is a work in which the image forming apparatus 1 is installed at the lower end in the vertical direction of the liquid crystal monitor 10 when the screen is facing the front in consideration of the height of the user's line of sight and work efficiency. It is preferably provided so as to be located about 90 mm away from the installation surface of the table.

  The liquid crystal monitor 10 also has a function as a PC main body. That is, the liquid crystal monitor 10 includes a PC main board (not shown) on which a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read-Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory) and the like are mounted, a PC peripheral device, and the like. And various interfaces (not shown) for connecting to each other. The CPU controls each part of the image forming apparatus 1 according to various computer programs stored in the ROM or the like. An input device (not shown) such as a keyboard and a mouse for performing various inputs in accordance with user instructions and the like is connected to the interface. For example, various screens such as a “print” menu, a “paper discharge” menu, a “back side printing” menu, and a “back side reading” menu are displayed on the screen of the liquid crystal monitor 10, and the user performs an input operation using the input device. Thus, a desired menu can be selected from the various menus described above.

  The housing 12 is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped member having an internal space. The housing 12 is provided on the lower side along the upright direction of the image of the liquid crystal monitor 10. Here, the erect image direction is a direction in which an erect image normally displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 10 faces. An erect image is an image in which the vertical and horizontal directions of the image are the same as that of the subject. Considering the general size of the work table on which the image forming apparatus 1 is installed (width 1200 mm × depth 900 mm), the width (D) is approximately the same as the width of the liquid crystal monitor 10. It is preferable that it is or smaller than that, and the depth (L) is preferably about 200 mm. Further, the height (H) of the rectangular parallelepiped portion of the housing 12 is preferably smaller than the upper end in the vertical direction of the liquid crystal monitor 10 with the screen facing the front, and more particularly than the lower end in the vertical direction of the liquid crystal monitor 10. Small is preferable. In the present embodiment, a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape having a width (D) 320 mm × height (H) 90 mm × depth (L) 160 mm is used as the housing 12.

  4 is a cross-sectional view of the image forming apparatus 1 shown in FIG. Referring to FIG. 4, a front cover 122 is provided over the front surface and the upper surface of the housing 12. The front cover 122 is provided on the upper surface of the housing 12 so as to be pivotable in the vertical direction about a fulcrum shaft (not shown) extending in the lateral width (D) direction of the housing 12. The user can open or close the front cover 122 with respect to the housing 12 by rotating the front cover 122.

  In the lower front portion of the housing 12, a paper supply / discharge port 124, which is an opening that functions as a paper supply port and a paper discharge port for a document or recording paper (hereinafter may be simply referred to as “paper”), is formed. . The paper supply / discharge port 124 is formed to be positioned below the front cover 122 when the front cover 122 is in a closed state. In the present embodiment, the housing 12 is provided below the lower end in the vertical direction of the liquid crystal monitor 10 with the screen facing the front, so that the paper supply / discharge port 124 is provided in the vertical direction of the liquid crystal monitor 10 in the above state. It is formed below the lower end in the direction.

  Inside the housing 12, a paper entry detection switch (not shown) for detecting insertion of paper into the paper supply / discharge port 124 is provided in the vicinity of the paper supply / discharge port 124. When the paper insertion detection switch detects insertion of paper, it transmits a paper insertion detection signal to a CPU provided in the liquid crystal monitor 10.

  On the upper surface of the housing 12 on the back side of the liquid crystal monitor 10, an upper transport part 126 extending upward in the vertical direction is formed. Inside the upper transport unit 126, an upper transport path 128, which is a space for allowing a sheet to pass upward or downward in the vertical direction, is formed. The upper transport unit 126 communicates the internal space and the external space of the housing 12 via the upper transport path 128.

  Inside the housing 12, a paper supply / discharge roller 20, a PS (Paper Stop) roller 22, and a switching roller 24 are provided in this order from the front side to the back side of the housing 12. A transport roller 26 is provided above the switching roller 24 and below the upper transport unit 126. The feed / discharge roller 20, PS roller 22, switching roller 24, and transport roller 26 are rotated by a rotation transmission mechanism (not shown) of a main motor (not shown) that is a drive source provided inside the housing 12. Rotate forward or reverse by being transmitted through the.

  When the main motor rotates normally, the four rollers described above rotate normally. As a result, the paper inserted from the paper supply / discharge port 124 passes through the paper supply / discharge roller 20 and the PS roller 22, and then passes around the switching roller 24 and the conveyance roller 26 on the rear side of the housing 12, thereby being conveyed upward. In the path 128. Hereinafter, the sheet conveyance direction at the time of normal rotation of the main motor is referred to as a first conveyance direction.

  When the main motor rotates in the reverse direction, the four rollers described above rotate in the reverse direction. As a result, the paper in the upper transport path 128 passes through the periphery of the transport roller 26 and the switching roller 24 on the rear side of the housing 12, and then passes through the PS roller 22 and the paper supply / discharge roller 20, thereby It is discharged from 124. Hereinafter, the sheet conveyance direction during the reverse rotation of the main motor is referred to as a second conveyance direction.

  The paper supply / discharge roller 20 is a roller member provided so as to face the paper supply / discharge port 124. The paper supply / discharge roller 20 forms a pair of rollers and a driven roller that is elastically biased with respect to the paper supply / discharge roller 20, and passes the paper between the pair of rollers, whereby the paper is fed in a predetermined transport direction. Transport.

  An ink carriage 28 is provided between the paper supply / discharge roller 20 and the PS roller 22 and above the paper passage position. The ink carriage 28 includes a scanning ink head 282 that forms an image on a sheet, and an ink tank 284 that stores ink. The ink head 282 and the ink tank 284 are detachably provided on the housing 12. The ink carriage 28 reciprocates on the shaft 30 extending in the lateral width (D) direction of the housing 12 to perform printing, so that the paper transported in the second transport direction is relative to the second transport direction. Smooth printing scan in the vertical direction (hereinafter referred to as “main scanning direction”).

  The PS roller 22 forms a pair of rollers and a driven roller that is elastically biased with respect to the PS roller 22, and a roller member that conveys the sheet in a predetermined conveyance direction by passing the sheet between the pair of rollers. It is. When the paper is transported in the second transport direction, the PS roller 22 temporarily stops rotating until the front end of the paper in the second transport direction hits the PS roller 22. Then, the rotation is started by adjusting the timing so that the leading edge of the second conveyance direction of the paper and the leading edge of the print image overlap, and the paper is sent toward the ink carriage 28.

  A conveyance guide 32 is provided between the PS roller 22 and the switching roller 24 and below the sheet passing position. The conveyance guide 32 is a plate-like member provided along the first and second conveyance directions, and plays a role of guiding the sheet to the switching roller 24 or the PS roller 22. In the present embodiment, the conveyance guide 32 is made of a sheet-like member affixed to the upper surface of a plate member made of resin.

  An image reading unit 34 is provided above the conveyance guide 32 and above the sheet passage position. The image reading unit 34 is not particularly limited as long as it is generally used in a scanner device, a facsimile device, or the like. For example, an exposure lamp made of LED (Light Emitting Diode) or the like, a SELFOC (registered trademark) lens, and a contact image sensor (CIS (Contact Image Sensor)) such as a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) sensor. Things can be used. In such an image reading unit 34, the exposure lamp irradiates light from above on the surface of the conveyed paper. The SELFOC (registered trademark) lens collects reflected light from the original. CIS photoelectrically converts the collected reflected light and outputs the obtained image signal to the CPU. For example, commercially available products (trade name: HE06G-W01, manufactured by Canon Components Co., Ltd.) can be used for the CIS described above. The image reading unit 34 repeatedly reads a document image formed in advance on the surface of the paper in the main scanning direction when the paper passes below, and converts the optically read image information into an image signal to the CPU. Output.

  A guide claw 36 is provided between the PS roller 22 and the switching roller 24 and downstream of the conveyance guide 32 in the first conveyance direction. The guide claw 36 is a claw-like member that is provided below the paper passage position so as to be rotatable about a fulcrum provided at one end in the longitudinal direction. When the paper is transported in the first or second transport direction, the guide claw 36 is switched to a posture along the transport direction, that is, a posture separated from the paper transport path. On the other hand, when reversing the front and back of the sheet, the posture is switched to a position that blocks the conveyance path of the sheet conveyed in the second conveyance direction. As a result, when the paper is reversed, the guide claw 36 guides the paper conveyed in the second conveyance direction so as to circulate around the switching roller 24 from the rear side of the housing 12 toward the front side. Return to the upstream side in the transport direction and reach the upper transport path 128 again. Hereinafter, the sheet conveyance direction when the sheet is reversed is referred to as a third conveyance direction.

  The switching roller 24 forms a pair of roller and a driven roller that is elastically biased with respect to the switching roller 24, and a roller member that conveys the sheet in a predetermined conveying direction by passing the sheet between the pair of rollers. It is. When the switching roller 24 rotates forward, the sheet is conveyed in the first conveyance direction. If the guide claw 36 is in a posture away from the paper conveyance path during the reverse rotation of the switching roller 24, the paper passes through the periphery of the switching roller 24 on the back side of the housing 12 and is second conveyed. Conveyed in the direction. On the other hand, when the guide claw 36 is in a posture that blocks the sheet conveyance path, the sheet rotates in the third conveyance direction by circling around the switching roller 24 from the back side to the front side of the housing 12. Be transported. The outer diameter of the switching roller 24 is not particularly limited, but is preferably 40 mm to 60 mm. In the present embodiment, a switching roller 24 having an outer diameter of 50 mm is used. When the outer diameter of the switching roller 24 is smaller than 40 mm, it may be difficult to transport a sheet of thick paper.

  The transport roller 26 forms a roller pair with a driven roller that is elastically biased with respect to the transport roller 26 on the back side of the housing 12, and is elastically biased with respect to the transport roller 26 on the front side of the housing 12. A roller member that forms a roller pair with the driven roller. The conveying roller conveys the sheet in a predetermined conveying direction by passing the sheet between a pair of rollers formed on the back side and the front side of the housing 12.

  Two hinge portions 14 are provided at the front end portion of the upper conveyance portion 126 in the vertical direction with a predetermined interval in the horizontal direction of the screen of the liquid crystal monitor 10. The two hinge portions 14 are respectively connected to opposing portions on the back surface of the liquid crystal monitor 10. Accordingly, the liquid crystal monitor 10 is provided so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction with the hinge portion 14 as a fulcrum. The user can freely change the direction in which the screen faces by rotating the liquid crystal monitor 10 manually, for example.

  FIG. 5 is a front view of the image forming apparatus 1 when the liquid crystal monitor 10 is rotated upward, and FIG. 6 is a left side view of the image forming apparatus 1 shown in FIG. Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the user can turn the liquid crystal monitor 10 so that the screen faces upward in the vertical direction. Accordingly, the front cover 122 can be easily rotated with respect to the housing 12 so as to be in an open state. Accordingly, the user can replace members such as the ink tank 284 and the ink head 282, remove paper jammed paper, and clean various members provided in the housing 12, the conveyance guide 32, the ink carriage 28, and the like. Can be performed more easily.

  A power source (not shown) is connected to each part of the image forming apparatus 1, and each part of the image forming apparatus 1 operates when power is supplied from this power source.

<Operation>
Referring to FIGS. 7 to 14, image forming apparatus 1 operates as follows. The operations of the image forming apparatus 1 except for the operations described below are the same as the operations of a conventional general image forming apparatus. When there is no notice in the following operation, the guide claw 36 is in a posture separated from the paper transport path.

[When reading original image from original]
7 to 10 are diagrams illustrating the operation of the image forming apparatus 1 when reading a document image from a document.

  Referring to FIG. 7A, the user first inserts document D into paper supply / discharge port 124. The paper entry detection switch detects the insertion of the document D and transmits a paper entry detection signal to the CPU. When receiving the input detection signal, the CPU rotates the main motor in the forward direction. The rotation of the main motor is transmitted to the paper supply / discharge roller 20, the PS roller 22, the switching roller 24, and the transport roller 26 through the rotation transmission mechanism, and thereby these rollers are rotated forward.

  Referring to FIG. 7B, the document D is sent to the PS roller 22 by the paper supply / discharge roller 20 and is also on the rear side of the housing 12 along the first transport direction indicated by the arrow A1. It passes around the switching roller 24 and the transport roller 26 and reaches the upper transport path 128 in the upper transport unit 126. At this time, the document D is in a state where the front end in the first transport direction A1 protrudes from the upper transport unit 126 on the back side of the liquid crystal monitor 10.

  During the conveyance of the original D in the first conveyance direction A1, the image reading unit 34 reads the image information on the surface of the original D and reads the read image information when the original D passes below the image reading unit 34. Is output to the CPU.

  The CPU determines whether or not a document image is previously formed on the surface of the document D based on the image signal input from the image reading unit 34. When the CPU determines that the document image is formed in advance, the CPU creates PDF data based on the input image signal, and causes the liquid crystal monitor 10 to display an image based on the created PDF data.

  The CPU also reads the difference between the sheet metal on the surface of the conveyance guide 32 and the document D based on the image signal input from the image reading unit 34, so that the leading edge and the trailing edge of the document D in the first conveyance direction A1 are detected. Is detected. Then, the transport position of the document D is obtained based on the detection result, and the rotation of the main motor is controlled based on the obtained result. When the CPU determines that the end of the document D in the first transport direction A1 has passed the transport roller 26, the CPU stops the normal rotation of the main motor.

  After confirming the PDF data, the user selects a “discharge” menu from various menus displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 10 by an input operation using the input device. When the “discharge” menu is selected, the CPU rotates the main motor in the reverse direction. The rotation of the main motor is transmitted to the paper supply / discharge roller 20, the PS roller 22, the switching roller 24, and the transport roller 26 through the rotation transmission mechanism, and these rollers are rotated in reverse.

  Referring to FIG. 8C, the document D passes through the periphery of the conveying roller 26 and the switching roller 24 on the rear side of the housing 12 along the second conveying direction indicated by the arrow A2, and then the PS roller 22 The paper passes through the paper supply / discharge roller 20 and is discharged from the paper supply / discharge port 124. When the user desires single-sided reading of the document D, the user takes out the discharged document D from the paper supply / discharge port 124. On the other hand, when it is desired to read both sides of the document D, the user selects a “back side reading” menu from various menus displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 10 by an input operation using the input device.

  Referring to FIG. 8D, when the “back side reading” menu is selected, the CPU rotates the main motor in the forward direction. The rotation of the main motor is transmitted to the paper supply / discharge roller 20, the PS roller 22, the switching roller 24, and the transport roller 26 via the rotation transmission mechanism, and thereby these rollers are rotated in the forward direction. The document D is sent to the PS roller 22 by the paper supply / discharge roller 20 and passes around the switching roller 24 and the transport roller 26 on the rear side of the housing 12 along the first transport direction A1.

  At this time, the image reading unit 34 reads the image on the surface of the document D in the same manner as described above, and the CPU reads the first image of the document D based on the image signal input from the image reading unit 34 in the same manner as described above. The leading edge and the trailing edge in the transport direction A1 are detected. Then, the transport position of the document D is obtained based on the detection result.

  Referring to FIGS. 9E and 9F, when the CPU determines that the end of document D in the first transport direction A1 has passed through switching roller 24, the CPU rotates the main motor in the reverse direction. At the same time, the attitude of the guide claw 36 is switched to an attitude that blocks the conveyance path of the document D in the second conveyance direction A2. The reverse rotation of the main motor described above is transmitted to the switching roller 24 and the transport roller 26 via the rotation transmission mechanism, and thereby these rollers are rotated in reverse. When the reverse rotation of the switching roller 24 and the conveyance roller 26 is started, the document D is in a state where the leading end in the first conveyance direction A1 protrudes from the upper conveyance unit 126 on the back side of the liquid crystal monitor 10. From this state, the document D circulates around the switching roller 24 and the conveying roller 26 from the back side to the front side of the housing 12 in accordance with the reverse rotation of the switching roller 24 and the conveying roller 26. It is transported in the third transport direction indicated by A3. As a result, the front and back sides of the document D are reversed.

  Referring to FIGS. 10G and 10H, when the CPU determines that the end of the document D in the third transport direction A3 has passed the transport roller 26, the CPU changes the posture of the guide claw 36 to the guide claw 36. 36 is switched to a posture separated from the conveyance path of the original D in the second conveyance direction A2. The document D passes through the periphery of the transport roller 26 and the switching roller 24 on the rear side of the housing 12 along the second transport direction A2 with the reverse rotation of the switching roller 24 and the transport roller 26, and then the PS roller 22 The paper passes through the paper supply / discharge roller 20 and is discharged from the paper supply / discharge port 124.

  During the conveyance of the document D in the second conveyance direction A2, the image reading unit 34 reads the image information on the surface of the document D when the document D passes below the image reading unit 34, and reads the read image information. Is output to the CPU.

  The CPU determines whether or not a document image is previously formed on the surface of the document D based on the image signal input from the image reading unit 34. When the CPU determines that the document image is formed in advance, the CPU creates PDF data based on the input image signal, and causes the liquid crystal monitor 10 to display an image based on the created PDF data. The user confirms the PDF data and takes out the original D read on both sides from the paper supply / discharge port 124.

[When printing on recording paper]
FIGS. 11 to 14 are diagrams illustrating the operation of the image forming apparatus 1 when printing is performed on a recording sheet.

  Referring to FIG. 11A, the user first inserts the recording paper P into the paper supply / discharge port 124. The paper entry detection switch detects the insertion of the recording paper P and transmits a paper entry detection signal to the CPU. When receiving the input detection signal, the CPU rotates the main motor in the forward direction. The rotation of the main motor is transmitted to the paper supply / discharge roller 20, the PS roller 22, the switching roller 24, and the transport roller 26 through the rotation transmission mechanism, and thereby these rollers are rotated forward.

  Referring to FIG. 11B, the recording paper P is sent to the PS roller 22 by the paper supply / discharge roller 20, and the switching roller 24 on the rear side of the housing 12 along the first transport direction A1. And passes around the transport roller 26 and reaches the upper transport path 128 in the upper transport section 126. At this time, the recording paper P is in a state in which the front end in the first transport direction A1 protrudes from the upper transport unit 126 on the back side of the liquid crystal monitor 10.

  During the conveyance of the recording sheet P in the first conveyance direction A1, the image reading unit 34 reads and reads the image information on the surface of the recording sheet P when the recording sheet P passes below the image reading unit 34. An image signal based on the obtained image information is output to the CPU.

  The CPU determines whether a document image is formed in advance on the surface of the recording paper P based on the image signal input from the image reading unit 34. When the CPU determines that the document image has not been formed in advance, the CPU displays a message such as “No image printed” on the liquid crystal monitor 10. In this case, a message notifying that the recording paper P is waiting may be displayed.

  The CPU also reads the difference between the sheet metal on the surface of the conveyance guide 32 and the recording paper P based on the image signal input from the image reading unit 34, so that the leading edge of the recording paper P in the first conveyance direction A <b> 1 is detected. Detect the end. Then, the transport position of the recording paper P is obtained based on the detection result, and the rotation of the main motor is controlled based on the obtained result. When the CPU determines that the end of the recording paper P in the first transport direction A1 has passed the transport roller 26, the CPU stops the forward rotation of the main motor.

  After confirming the message, the user selects a “print” menu from various menus displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 10 by an input operation using the input device. When the “print” menu is selected, the CPU rotates the main motor in the reverse direction. The rotation of the main motor is transmitted to the paper supply / discharge roller 20, the switching roller 24, and the transport roller 26 through the rotation transmission mechanism, and these rollers are rotated in reverse. At this time, the rotation of the main motor is not transmitted to the PS roller 22, and the rotation of the PS roller 22 is temporarily stopped.

  Referring to FIG. 12C, the recording paper P passes through the periphery of the conveying roller 26 and the switching roller 24 on the rear surface side of the housing 12 along the second conveying direction A2, and the second recording paper P is printed. It is conveyed until the leading end in the conveyance direction A2 hits the PS roller 22. The PS roller 22 adjusts the timing at which rotation by transmission of the rotation of the main motor is started, so that the recording paper P is fed so that the leading edge of the recording paper P in the second transport direction A2 and the leading edge of the print image overlap. It is conveyed with respect to the ink carriage 28. The ink carriage 28 reciprocates on the shaft 30 to print a desired image on the conveyed recording paper P. This print image is an image based on image data selected in advance by the user by an input operation using the input device.

  The recording paper P on which the image is printed is discharged from the paper supply / discharge port 124 by the rotation of the paper supply / discharge roller 20. When the user desires single-sided printing of an image, the user takes out the discharged recording paper P from the paper supply / discharge port 124. On the other hand, when the user desires double-sided printing of an image, the user selects a “backside printing” menu from various menus displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 10 by an input operation using the input device.

  Referring to FIG. 12D, when the “back side printing” menu is selected, the CPU rotates the main motor in the forward direction. The rotation of the main motor is transmitted to the paper supply / discharge roller 20, the PS roller 22, the switching roller 24, and the transport roller 26 via the rotation transmission mechanism, and thereby these rollers are rotated in the forward direction. The recording paper P is sent to the PS roller 22 by the paper supply / discharge roller 20 and passes around the switching roller 24 and the conveyance roller 26 on the rear side of the housing 12 along the first conveyance direction A1.

  At this time, the image reading unit 34 reads the image on the surface of the recording paper P in the same manner as described above, and the CPU reads the image on the recording paper P based on the image signal input from the image reading unit 34 in the same manner as described above. The leading edge and the trailing edge in the first transport direction A1 are detected. Then, the transport position of the recording paper P is obtained based on the detection result.

  13E and 13F, when the CPU determines that the end of the recording paper P in the first transport direction A1 has passed the switching roller 24, the CPU rotates the main motor in the reverse direction. At the same time, the attitude of the guide claw 36 is switched to an attitude that blocks the conveyance path of the recording paper P in the second conveyance direction A2. The reverse rotation of the main motor described above is transmitted to the switching roller 24 and the transport roller 26 via the rotation transmission mechanism, and thereby these rollers are rotated in reverse. When the reverse rotation of the switching roller 24 and the transport roller 26 is started, the recording paper P is in a state where the leading end in the first transport direction A1 protrudes from the upper transport unit 126 on the back side of the liquid crystal monitor 10. From this state, the recording paper P circulates around the switching roller 24 and the conveying roller 26 from the back side to the front side of the housing 12 as the switching roller 24 and the conveying roller 26 rotate in reverse. 3 in the transport direction A3. As a result, the front and back sides of the recording paper P are reversed.

  Referring to FIGS. 14G and 14H, when the CPU determines that the end of the recording paper P in the third transport direction A3 has passed the transport roller 26, the CPU guides the posture of the guide claw 36. The claw 36 is switched to a posture separated from the conveyance path of the recording paper P in the second conveyance direction A2. With the reverse rotation of the switching roller 24 and the conveying roller 26, the recording paper P passes around the conveying roller 26 and the switching roller 24 on the rear side of the housing 12 along the second conveying direction A2, and the recording paper P It is conveyed until the tip in the second conveying direction A2 hits the PS roller 22. The PS roller 22 adjusts the timing at which rotation by transmission of the rotation of the main motor is started, so that the recording paper P is fed so that the leading edge of the recording paper P in the second transport direction A2 and the leading edge of the print image overlap. It is conveyed with respect to the ink carriage 28. The ink carriage 28 reciprocates on the shaft 30 to print a desired image on the conveyed recording paper P.

  The recording paper P on which the image is printed is discharged from the paper supply / discharge port 124 by the rotation of the paper supply / discharge roller 20. The user takes out the recording paper P printed on both sides from the paper supply / discharge port 124.

<Action and effect>
According to the above embodiment, the image forming apparatus 1 is provided on the lower side of the liquid crystal monitor 10 provided so that the screen faces the front and along the upright direction of the image of the liquid crystal monitor 10. A housing 12 in which a paper supply / discharge port 124 is formed below the lower end in the vertical direction, and a sheet that is provided inside the housing 12 and is inserted from the paper supply / discharge port 124 is fed from the paper supply / discharge port 124 in the first transport direction. A switching roller 24 that conveys toward the paper, an ink carriage 28 that is provided upstream of the switching roller 24 in the first conveyance direction, and prints a predetermined image on the paper, and controls the rotation of the switching roller 24. The CPU rotates the switching roller 24 in the reverse direction after the end of the first conveyance direction of the paper passes through the switching roller 24.

  In this way, the switching roller 24 transports the paper inserted from the paper supply / discharge port 124 of the housing 12 in the first transport direction, and the CPU passes the switching roller 24 at the end of the first transport direction of the paper. Later, since the switching roller 24 is rotated in the reverse direction, the sheet is conveyed in the reverse direction of the first conveying direction and is discharged from the paper supply / discharge port 124. As a result, the paper feed path and the paper discharge path can be used together, and the paper feed / discharge port 124 functions as a paper feed port and a paper discharge port. Compared with the case where the paper discharge ports are provided separately, the apparatus can be made smaller and the paper can be conveyed without damaging the paper. Further, the liquid crystal monitor 10 is generally arranged such that the vertical lower end of the liquid crystal monitor 10 is located at a position about 90 mm away from the installation surface of the work table in consideration of the height of the user's eye line, work efficiency, and the like. Installed. As described above, by forming the paper supply / discharge port 124 below the lower end of the liquid crystal monitor 10 in the vertical direction, the space generated below the liquid crystal monitor 10 can be used effectively. Therefore, the installation area of the image forming apparatus 1 can be further reduced.

  Further, according to the above embodiment, the ink carriage 28 has a predetermined image with respect to the recording paper when the recording paper is conveyed in the second conveyance direction by the reverse rotation of the switching roller 24 and the conveyance roller 26. To print. As a result, compared with the case where printing is performed when the recording paper is transported in the first transport direction, it is possible to reduce the smear of the print image that occurs during the transport, so that the print image can be displayed in a better state. Obtainable.

  Further, according to the above-described embodiment, the image forming apparatus 1 further includes the image reading unit 34 that is provided on the upstream side in the first transport direction with respect to the switching roller 24 and reads a document image formed in advance on a document. As a result, the image forming apparatus 1 has a scanner function in addition to the printing function, which further improves user convenience.

  Further, according to the above-described embodiment, in the image forming apparatus 1, the CPU detects the front end and the end of the paper in the predetermined transport direction based on the image signal input from the image reading unit 34. And based on a detection result, rotation of the various rollers containing the switching roller 24 is controlled by controlling rotation of the main motor. As described above, since the detection is performed based on the image signal input from the image reading unit 34, it is possible to detect the leading edge and the trailing edge of the sheet in the predetermined conveyance direction without providing another configuration. Therefore, further downsizing and cost reduction of the apparatus can be achieved.

  In the above-described embodiment, the CPU detects the leading end and the trailing end of the paper in the predetermined transport direction based on the image signal input from the image reading unit 34, but the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment. . For example, both ends in the direction perpendicular to the predetermined conveyance direction of the paper may be detected. As a result, the width of the paper can be detected, so that it is possible to reduce the ejection of ink to a portion where there is no paper, which is one of the problems of the inkjet image forming apparatus. Therefore, contamination inside the housing 12 can be prevented.

  Further, according to the above embodiment, in the image forming apparatus 1, the CPU determines whether or not there is a document image on the sheet based on the image signal input from the image reading unit 34. When it is determined that there is a document image on the paper, the liquid crystal monitor 10 displays an image based on PDF data based on the image signal. Thus, the user can confirm the read document image by looking at the image displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 10. Therefore, user convenience is further improved.

  In the above embodiment, since the ink carriage 28 and the image reading unit 34 are provided along the same sheet conveyance path, when printing an image read by the image reading unit 34, the read image and the print are printed. The positional deviation from the image can be further reduced. Therefore, a higher quality printed image can be obtained when overprinting is performed.

  Further, according to the above-described embodiment, the image forming apparatus 1 further includes an input device that accepts a menu selected by the user from various menus including the “print” menu, and the image reading unit 34 includes the first sheet. The original image is read when transported in the transport direction, and the CPU switches the switch roller 24 after the end of the first transport direction of the paper has passed through the switch roller 24 and when the input device accepts the menu. Reverse rotation of the various rollers. As a result, the reverse rotation of the various rollers is waited until the user selects the menu after the original image is read, so the user confirmed the image based on the PDF data displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 10. Later, it can be determined whether or not the various rollers are reversely rotated. Therefore, user convenience is further improved.

  In the above-described embodiment, the “print” menu, the “paper discharge” menu, the “back side print” menu, and the “back side scan” menu are provided as selectable menus. The present invention is not limited to the embodiment. For example, a “filing” menu for discharging paper after filing PDF data and a “conversion” menu for discharging paper after converting the storage format of image data may be provided. Good.

  In the above embodiment, a keyboard and mouse, which are peripheral devices for PC, are used as input devices for selecting various menus. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment. For example, the liquid crystal monitor 10 may be a user interface configured by overlapping a touch panel and a liquid crystal display, and the touch panel may be used as an input device.

  Further, according to the above embodiment, the first transport direction is a direction directed upward in the vertical direction on the back side of the liquid crystal monitor 10. As a result, the sheet being conveyed can be conveyed in the vertical direction, so that the depth of the housing 12 can be set to a general liquid crystal monitor as compared with the case where the first conveyance direction is one direction toward the horizontal direction. It can be made smaller so that it is within 200 mm, which is the space occupied by the base. Therefore, the apparatus can be further reduced in size, and the installation area of the image forming apparatus 1 can be further reduced.

  Further, according to the above embodiment, the image forming apparatus 1 includes the paper reversing mechanism for reversing the front and back of the paper. This makes it possible to perform double-sided printing and double-sided reading of an original image, thereby further improving user convenience.

  In addition, according to the embodiment, the sheet reversing mechanism includes the guide claw 36 that guides the sheet conveyed in the second conveying direction to circulate around the switching roller 24 and returns the sheet to the upstream side in the conveying direction. . Thus, since the guide claw 36 having a small size is used, the sheet can be reversed without enlarging the apparatus. Accordingly, it is possible to further reduce the size of the apparatus. Further, since there is no need to newly provide a paper transport path for reversal, the paper can be reversed and transported without damaging the paper.

  In addition, according to the above embodiment, the ink carriage 28 includes the ink tank 284 that stores ink, and the scanning ink head 282 that prints a predetermined image on the paper using the ink. As described above, since the image forming apparatus 1 employs the ink jet method, an image forming apparatus that consumes less power and can reduce the printing cost can be obtained.

  Further, according to the above-described embodiment, the image forming apparatus 1 includes the front cover 122 that can be opened and closed with respect to the housing 12. Thereby, the user can open the inside of the housing 12 by opening the front cover 122. Therefore, it is easy to replace the members such as the ink tank 284 and the ink head 282, remove the paper jammed paper, and clean the various rollers provided in the housing 12, the conveyance guide 32, the ink carriage 28, and the like. Can be done.

  Further, according to the above embodiment, the liquid crystal monitor 10 is provided so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction. Thus, the user can check the screen from a desired direction without being affected by a sitting state or a standing state. Therefore, the convenience of the user is further improved as compared with the case of using a general liquid crystal monitor installed on the pedestal and tiltable at an angle of about 5 degrees. Further, since the front cover 122 can be easily rotated so as to be opened with respect to the housing 12 by making the screen face upward in the vertical direction, replacement of members such as the ink tank 284 and the ink head 282, Removal of paper jammed paper, cleaning of various rollers provided in the housing 12, the conveyance guide 32, the ink carriage 28, and the like can be performed more easily.

  Further, according to the above embodiment, the liquid crystal monitor 10 functions as a peripheral device of the PC. Thereby, the installation area of the peripheral device for PC can be reduced. Further, since the operation of each unit such as the editing of the image displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 10 and the printing operation and the reading operation of the original image can be directly controlled by the PC, the convenience for the user is further improved.

  Further, according to the above-described embodiment, when the insertion of the sheet is detected by the sheet insertion detection switch provided in the vicinity of the sheet supply / discharge port 124, the CPU rotates the various rollers in the normal direction. As described above, the various rollers automatically convey the paper inserted from the paper supply / discharge port 124 in the first conveyance direction. Further, the image reading unit 34 automatically reads an image on the surface of the paper transported in the first transport direction. Therefore, the user can save the trouble of giving an instruction for requesting paper conveyance, image reading, and the like before inserting the paper, and the convenience for the user is further improved.

  The embodiment disclosed this time is merely an example, and the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above. The scope of the present invention is indicated by each claim in the scope of claims after taking into account the description of the detailed description of the invention, and all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the wording described therein are included. Including.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 10 Liquid crystal monitor 12 Housing 14 Hinge part 20 Feeding / discharging roller 22 PS roller 24 Switching roller 26 Conveying roller 28 Ink carriage 30 Shaft 32 Conveying guide 34 Image reading part 36 Guide claw 122 Front cover 124 Feeding / discharging port 126 Upper transport section 128 Upper transport path 282 Ink head 284 Ink tank

Claims (14)

A display device provided so that the screen faces a predetermined direction;
A housing provided on the lower side along the upright direction of the image of the display device, and having an opening formed below the lower end in the vertical direction of the display device;
A roller provided inside the housing and configured to convey a sheet inserted from the opening toward the predetermined conveying direction from the opening;
Printing means provided on the upstream side in the predetermined conveyance direction with respect to the roller, and for printing a predetermined image on the paper;
Rotation control means for controlling the rotation of the roller,
The image forming apparatus, wherein the rotation control unit reversely rotates the roller after the end of the predetermined conveyance direction of the sheet has passed the roller.   The said printing means prints a predetermined image with respect to the said paper, when the said paper is conveyed in the reverse direction with respect to the said predetermined conveyance direction by reverse rotation of the said roller. Image forming apparatus.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an image reading unit that is provided upstream of the roller in the predetermined conveyance direction and reads a document image formed in advance on the paper. And further comprising detection means for detecting the front end and the end of the predetermined transport direction of the paper based on the read image read by the image reading means,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the rotation control unit controls the rotation of the roller based on the front end and the end of the predetermined conveyance direction of the paper detected by the detection unit. Determination means for determining whether or not the original image is present on the paper based on the read image read by the image reading means;
5. The display control unit according to claim 3, further comprising: a display control unit that causes the display device to display an image based on the read image when the determination unit determines that the original image is on the sheet. The image forming apparatus described in 1. And further comprising a receiving means for receiving an instruction for requesting reverse rotation of the roller by the user,
The image reading unit reads a document image formed in advance on the paper when the paper is transported in the predetermined transport direction;
The rotation control means reversely rotates the roller when the end of the predetermined conveyance direction of the sheet has passed the roller and the receiving means receives the instruction. Item 6. The image forming apparatus according to any one of Items 5.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined transport direction is a direction directed upward in the vertical direction on the back side of the display device.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a sheet reversing unit configured to reverse the front and back of the sheet.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the sheet reversing unit includes a guide claw that guides the conveyed sheet to circulate around the roller and returns the sheet to the upstream side in the conveyance direction.   10. The printing device according to claim 1, wherein the printing unit includes an ink tank that stores ink, and a scanning ink head that prints a predetermined image on the paper using the ink. The image forming apparatus according to one.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the casing includes a cover member formed to be openable and closable with respect to the casing.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display device is provided to be rotatable in a vertical direction.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display device functions as a peripheral device of a personal computer.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the roller automatically conveys a sheet inserted from the opening in a predetermined conveyance direction from the opening.

Images