JP2010262118A - Electronic device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electronic device including an operation panel in which a tilt angle or a rotational angle of the operation panel can be freely changed, and also the operation panel is prevented from largely projecting from a device body. <P>SOLUTION: The operation panel 2 is attached to the device body 10 by an attaching means 3. The attaching means 3 has base substance 31 to be attached to the device body side, and a supporting body 32 to be attached to the operation panel side. Two slots 321a and 321b are formed on at least one surface of either of the base substance 31 and the supporting body 32, and two projections 311a and 311b engaged with the two slots 321a and 321b respectively are formed on the other. Then, the two projections 311a and 311b are relatively moved in the two slots 321a and 321b, thereby changing the tilt angle and/or the rotational angle of the operation panel 2. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic device, and more particularly to an electronic device in which an operation panel having a variable inclination angle with respect to a horizontal plane and / or a rotation angle within the horizontal plane is provided in the apparatus main body.

  In recent years, universal designs that are easy to use not only for healthy people but also for physically handicapped people are being adopted in industrial products in various fields. Various techniques for changing the orientation of the operation panel in accordance with the height of the user and the like have also been proposed for electronic devices including the operation panel.

  For example, in Patent Document 1, an operation panel provided on the front surface of the apparatus main body can be rotated around a rotation shaft positioned in the horizontal direction, and the inclination angle can be changed in a plurality of stages by an attitude adjustment mechanism. Technology has been proposed.

JP2007-334157

  However, in the configuration in which the operation panel is rotated around a horizontal rotation axis and the inclination angle with respect to the horizontal plane is changed as in the proposed technique, a rotation area of the operation panel must be secured. Is often attached in a state of protruding from the apparatus main body. FIG. 9 shows a side view of a conventional apparatus. The operation panel 2 shown in this figure is attached to the apparatus main body 10 so as to be rotatable about a rotation shaft 61. In the electronic apparatus shown in this figure, the operation panel 2 protrudes from the apparatus main body 10 by a maximum of X ′ mm.

  Similarly, in a configuration in which the operation panel is rotated around a vertical rotation axis and changed in a horizontal plane, the operation panel protrudes from the apparatus main body because it is necessary to secure a rotation area of the operation panel. It is attached to the state. FIG. 10 is a plan view of an apparatus showing a conventional example. The operation panel 2 shown in this figure is attached to the apparatus main body so as to be rotatable in a horizontal plane around a rotation shaft 71 positioned in the vertical direction. In the electronic apparatus shown in this figure, the operation panel 2 is attached with a gap of Y ′ mm from the apparatus main body in plan view.

  When the operation panel protrudes from the apparatus main body in this way, it is necessary to increase the size of the box when packing. Further, at the time of conveyance, the operation panel protruding from the apparatus main body may be damaged by being hooked on a wall or a pillar, or may not pass through a door of a room or an elevator door.

  The present invention has been made in view of such conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to freely change an inclination angle and a rotation angle of the operation panel in an electronic device including the operation panel, and to operate the electronic device. It is to prevent the panel from protruding greatly from the apparatus main body.

  According to the present invention, there is provided an electronic apparatus in which an operation panel is attached to an apparatus body so that an inclination angle with respect to a horizontal plane and / or a rotation angle within the horizontal plane can be varied by an attachment means. A base attached to the main body and a support attached to the operation panel; two elongated holes are formed on at least one surface of the base and the support; Two protrusions that engage with each of the two long holes are formed, and the two protrusions move relative to each other in the two long holes, thereby changing the tilt angle and / or the rotation angle of the operation panel. An electronic device is provided.

  Here, it is preferable that the tilt angle and / or the rotation angle of the operation panel is changed stepwise.

  Further, the operation panel is fixed at a predetermined inclination angle and / or a predetermined rotation angle by engaging a pin hole formed on one of the base and the support and a pin formed on the other, or It is preferable to carry out by engaging a step formed on one of the base and the support and a claw formed on the other.

  In the electronic apparatus of the present invention, the tilt angle and the rotation angle of the operation panel can be freely changed, so that excellent operability can be obtained. In addition, the amount of protrusion of the operation panel from the apparatus main body can be kept short, and the size of the packing box can be increased, and the operation panel protruding from the apparatus main body can be prevented from colliding with a wall or the like during transportation. Furthermore, it becomes easy to pass the door of a room and the door of an elevator.

  If the tilt angle and / or the rotation angle of the operation panel are changed stepwise, the position of the operation panel can be easily set. In addition, the operation panel is fixed at a predetermined inclination angle and / or a predetermined rotation angle by engaging a pin hole formed in one of the base and the support with a pin formed on the other, or When the step portion formed on one side of the support is engaged with the claw portion formed on the other side, the structure of the attachment means is prevented from becoming complicated.

1 is an overall perspective view of an image forming apparatus as an example of an electronic apparatus according to the invention. The top view which shows an example of an operation panel. The principal part sectional drawing which shows an example of the attachment means of an operation panel. The state figure at the time of changing the inclination-angle of the operation panel shown in FIG. The partial top view which shows an example of the panel angle fixing means seen from the A direction of FIG. BB sectional drawing of FIG. The state figure at the time of changing the rotation angle in the horizontal surface of an operation panel. The perspective view which shows other embodiment of the attachment means and panel angle fixing means which are used by this invention. The state figure at the time of changing the inclination-angle of the conventional operation panel. The state figure at the time of changing the rotation angle in the horizontal surface of the conventional operation panel.

  Hereinafter, although the electronic device concerning the present invention is explained based on a figure, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments at all.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an image forming apparatus 1 having an operation panel as an example of an electronic apparatus according to the present invention. The image forming apparatus 1 of FIG. 1 includes a document image reading unit 11 in the upper stage, and an image is reproduced by an image forming unit 13 based on electronic data of an image read by the unit 11. The reproduced image is transferred to a sheet that is stacked and stored in the sheet feeding cassette 12 and supplied one by one, and the sheet is discharged to the sheet discharge space 14.

  The operation panel 2 is installed at a position on the front upper right side of the image forming apparatus 1 so as to protrude slightly from the apparatus main body 10 to the front side.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the operation panel 2 includes a display unit 21 including a liquid crystal display that displays the contents of setting input and the operating state of the apparatus, and an operation unit including a group of keys for setting input. 22. The display unit 21 may have an input function together with a display function such as a touch panel.

  The operation panel 2 is attached to the apparatus main body 10 by the attachment means 3 so that the inclination angle with respect to the horizontal plane and the rotation angle within the horizontal plane can be varied. FIG. 3 shows an example of the attachment means 3. The attachment means 3 shown in FIG. 3 includes a base 31 that is rotatably attached to the frame 101 of the apparatus main body 10 with bolts 102, and a support body 32 that is attached to the back surface of the operation panel 2.

  The base 31 has a shape in which a pair of side walls are formed by bending both sides of a flat plate, and the protrusions 311a and 311b are formed on the inner peripheral surfaces of the pair of side walls so as to protrude inward. Has been. On the other hand, the support body 32 has a shape in which both sides of the flat plate are bent to form a pair of side walls facing each other in the same manner as the base body 31, and the upper ends of the pair of side walls are substantially perpendicular to the side walls. A bent attachment portion 324 (shown in FIG. 6) is formed, and the back surface of the operation panel 2 is attached thereto. A long hole 321a and a long hole 321b are formed in the pair of side walls of the support 32, respectively. The direction in which the long hole 321b is formed is a substantially horizontal direction, and the direction in which the long hole 321a is formed is a direction that goes upward as the distance from the apparatus main body 10 increases (in the upward direction in FIG. 3). The base 31 and the support 32 are connected by engaging the protrusions 311a and 311b of the base 31 into the long holes 321a and 321b of the support 32.

  As shown in FIG. 4, when the operation panel 2 is pulled out from the apparatus main body 10 in the front direction, the support body 32 attached to the back surface of the operation panel 2 is also pulled out together with the operation panel 2 in the front direction. At this time, the long holes 321a and 321b of the support body 32 move so as to maintain the positional relationship between the protrusions 311a and 311b of the base 31. As a result, the support 32 is rotated clockwise in FIG. 4, and the operation panel 2 has an inclination angle with respect to the horizontal plane. When the operation panel 2 is tilted, in the conventional electronic device that rotates the operation panel 2 around the fixed rotation shaft 61 as shown in FIG. 9, the amount of projection of the operation panel 2 from the device body 10 is small. In contrast to X′mm, in the electronic device of the present invention, the operation panel is rotated by relative movement of the two elongated holes and the two protrusions. Shorter than Xmm. The position and shape of the elongated hole are not particularly limited as long as the inclination angle of the operation panel 2 is changed while the center of rotation is moving, and is appropriately determined from the shape and mounting position of the operation panel 2. do it.

  When the operation panel 2 is changed between the normal position and the inclined position, only the mechanism in which the long hole and the protrusion are engaged is sufficient, but the inclination angle of the operation panel 2 is changed stepwise. In this case, a mechanism for fixing the operation panel 2 at a predetermined inclination angle is further required. Next, a panel angle fixing mechanism that fixes the inclination angle of the operation panel 2 will be described.

  FIG. 5 shows an example of the panel angle fixing mechanism. FIG. 5 is a partial plan view seen from the direction A in FIG. 3 with the operation panel 2 removed. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG.

  The panel angle fixing mechanism shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 includes a plurality of pins 41 a and 41 b that are provided on the support body 32 and that can be protruded and retracted outward. The inclination angle of the operation panel 2 is fixed by engaging with the pin holes 42a and 42b. The pins 41a and 41b appear and disappear from the support body 32 as follows. The pins 41a and 41b are attached to a pair of L-shaped supports 44a and 44b. The support tools 44 a and 44 b are provided so as to be movable in the vertical direction with respect to the side wall of the support body 32. The vertical pins 45a and 45b provided on the support tools 44a and 44b are movably engaged with the pair of long holes 46a and 46b of the long plate-like body 431 slidably provided on the inner bottom surface of the support 32. It has entered.

  The long plate-like body 431 is always urged leftward in the drawing by a spring member (not shown). Further, the pins 48a and 48b attached to the bottom surface of the support 32 are engaged with the two long holes 47a and 47b formed in the long plate-like body 431, and the sliding amount and positioning of the long plate-like body 431 are performed. Is called. A lever 43 is connected to the outer end of the long plate-like body 431.

  When changing the inclination angle of the operation panel 2, the lever 43 is pulled outward (right side in FIG. 5). Then, the long plate-like body 431 moves to the right in FIG. 5 against a spring member (not shown). Since the long holes 46a and 46b formed in the long plate-like body 431 are formed at an angle with respect to the moving direction of the long plate-like body 431, the long plate-like body 431 is directed rightward in FIG. When moved, the pair of vertical pins engaged with the long holes 46 a and 46 b move inward in the width direction of the support body 32. As a result, the support tools 44 a and 44 b move inward in the width direction of the support body 32, and the pins 41 a and 41 b are immersed in the side wall of the support body 32. Then, the engaged state between the pins 41 a and 41 b and the pin holes 42 a and 42 b of the base 31 is released, and the support 32 can be rotated with respect to the base 31. Next, after rotating the operation panel 2 to obtain a desired inclination angle, when the force applied to the lever 43 is released, the long plate-like body 431 moves to the left in FIG. 5 by the elastic force of a spring member (not shown). To do. Accordingly, the vertical pins 45a and 45b are moved outward in the width direction of the support body 32 by the pair of long holes 46a and 46b having an angle with respect to the moving direction of the long plate-like body 431. The pins 41a and 41b protrude from the surface of the side wall, engage with the pin holes 42a and 42b formed in the base 31, and the operation panel 2 is fixed at a new inclination angle.

  Next, a case where the rotation angle of the operation panel 2 in the horizontal plane is changed will be described. FIG. 7 is a plan view of the operation panel 2 showing an example thereof. Although the means for attaching the operation panel 2 to the apparatus main body 10 is not shown in this figure, it is attached to the base 31 attached to the apparatus main body 10 and the back surface of the operation panel 2 as in the above embodiment. And a support 32. The protrusions 312a and 312b formed on the base 31 are connected to each other so as to be relatively movable by engaging with the elongated holes 322a and 322b formed in the support 32.

  When changing the rotation angle of the operation panel 2 in the horizontal plane, the operation panel 2 is pulled in the front direction. Then, the elongated holes 322a and 322b of the support body 32 attached to the back surface of the operation panel 2 move so as to maintain the positional relationship between the protrusions 312a and 312b of the base 31. As a result, the operation panel 2 rotates clockwise in FIG. When the operation panel 2 is rotated in a horizontal plane, in the conventional electronic device that rotates the operation panel 2 around a fixed rotation shaft 71 as shown in FIG. 10, the operation panel 2 protrudes from the device body 10. Whereas the amount is Y ′ mm, in the electronic device of the present invention, the operation panel is rotated by the relative movement of the two long holes and the two protrusions. Becomes Ymm shorter than the conventional case. The position and shape of the elongated hole are not particularly limited as long as the inclination angle of the operation panel 2 is changed while the center of rotation is moving, and is appropriately determined from the shape and mounting position of the operation panel 2. do it.

  FIG. 8 shows another embodiment of the attaching means 3 ′ and the panel angle fixing mechanism. The attachment means shown in this figure includes a base 33 that is attached to the frame 101 of the apparatus main body 10 so as to be freely rotatable in a horizontal plane by a shaft member 102, and a support 34 that is attached to the back surface of the operation panel 2. A long hole 331a and a long hole 331b are formed in the side walls of the base 33, respectively. A shaft member 341 a and a shaft member 341 b as projections are installed between the side walls of the support 34 so as to pass through the long holes 331 a and 331 b of the base 33.

  In the mounting means 3 ′ having such a configuration, when the support body 34 is pulled out from the base body 33 in the front direction, the shaft members 341 a and 341 b installed between the side walls of the support body 34 move in the elongated holes 331 a and 331 b. Accordingly, in FIG. 8, the support 34 rotates so as to have an inclination angle with respect to the horizontal plane.

  On the other hand, the panel angle fixing mechanism shown in FIG. 8 includes a stepped portion 332 formed on one side wall of the base 33, a lever 53 attached to a side surface of the support 34, and rotating together with the support 34, and a lever. 53 and a locking claw (claw part) 51 that moves with the stepped part 332 and engages with the step part 332. The lever 53 is always urged toward the apparatus main body by the pull spring S. The locking claw 51 formed as a part of the lever 53 protrudes inward from an opening 52 formed in the side wall of the support 34, and is locked to the stepped portion 332 of the base 33 by the urging force of the pulling spring S. ing.

  When the inclination angle of the operation panel 2 is changed, that is, when the inclination angle of the support 34 is changed, the lever 53 is pulled to the front side against the urging force of the tension spring S. Then, the latching claw 51 which is a part of the lever 53 moves in the front direction, the engagement state with the step portion 332 of the base body 33 is released, and the support body 34 becomes movable. Next, after the support 34 is moved to a desired inclination angle, when the force applied to the lever 53 is released, the lever 53 returns to the apparatus main body side by the biasing force of the pulling spring S, and the locking claw 51 The support 34 is fixed at a new inclination angle by being engaged with the step portion 332 of the base 33. Note that the number of steps of the step portion 332 is not limited, and the inclination angle of the operation panel 2 can be gradually changed as the number of steps of the step portion 332 is increased.

  In the electronic device according to the present invention, since the tilt angle and the rotation angle of the operation panel can be freely changed, excellent operability is obtained, and in addition, the operation panel does not protrude greatly from the device main body. It is useful because the size of the box can be increased or the operation panel protruding from the apparatus main body can collide with a wall or the like and be damaged during transportation.

1 Image forming device (electronic device)
2 Operation panel 3 Mounting means 10 Device body 31 Base body 32 Support body 33 Base body 34 Support body 41a, 41b Pin 42a, 42b Pin hole 51 Locking claw (claw part)
311a, 311b Protrusion 321a, 321b Elongate hole 331a, 331b Elongate hole 332 Step part 341a, 341b Shaft member (protrusion)

Claims (4)

An electronic device in which an operation panel is attached to an apparatus main body so that an inclination angle with respect to a horizontal plane and / or a rotation angle within the horizontal plane can be varied by an attachment means.
The attachment means includes a base body attached to the apparatus main body side and a support body attached to the operation panel side,
Two elongated holes are formed on at least one surface of one of the base and the support, and two protrusions that engage with the two elongated holes are formed on the other,
2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the inclination angle and / or the rotation angle of the operation panel changes as the two protrusions move relative to each other in the two long holes.   The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the tilt angle and / or the rotation angle of the operation panel changes stepwise.   The operation panel is fixed at a predetermined inclination angle and / or a predetermined rotation angle by engaging a pin hole formed on one of the base and the support and a pin formed on the other. Electronic equipment.   The operation panel is fixed at a predetermined inclination angle and / or a predetermined rotation angle by engaging a step formed on one of the base and the support and a claw formed on the other. The electronic device described.