JP2012053211A - Control panel, and image forming apparatus equipped with the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a control panel that allows a user to replace only a control panel body, an elastic member, and a display member that are need to be replaced with little waste as possible.SOLUTION: A control panel of the present invention includes a panel-shaped display part 130 provided on a control panel body 132, and an elastic member 144 provided between the control panel body 132 and the display part 130. Conductive releasable adhesive layers 160, 161 are formed in a first gap between the control panel body 132 and the elastic member 144, and in a second gap between the elastic member 144 and the display part 130, respectively.

Description

  The present invention relates to attachment of an operation panel of an image forming apparatus or the like, and particularly has a plate-shaped display member (touch panel) for displaying an operation screen or a message on the operation panel housing. The present invention relates to an operation panel in which an elastic member is provided between the display member and the display member.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, electrophotographic image forming apparatuses such as copying machines, multifunction machines, and printers are known. Such an image forming apparatus has an operation panel for a user to operate the image forming apparatus. Such an operation panel is usually provided as a touch panel type operation panel in which a touch panel is laminated on a display panel such as an LCD. Patent document 1 is mentioned as a conventional structure of a touch panel type operation panel.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the operation panel in Patent Document 1 is an LCD 201 that is a plate-shaped display member that displays an operation screen or a message, and a transparent plate-shaped input member that is placed on the LCD 201. And a touch panel 202. Around the periphery between the LCD 201 and the touch panel 202, a displacement prevention member 203 made of an elastic material that prevents displacement is disposed. The misalignment prevention member 203 is fixed by being attached to the LCD 201 or the touch panel 202 with a double-sided adhesive tape 204. The LCD 201 or the touch panel 202 attached and fixed with the double-sided adhesive tape 204 is held in the operation panel case 205.

  In the operation panel in Patent Document 1, the work of reuse can be easily performed by sticking and fixing the displacement prevention member to the display member or the input member with a double-sided adhesive tape. It is possible to provide an operation panel that suppresses the reduction and cost.

JP 2004-191782 A (published July 8, 2004)

However, in the configuration in Patent Document 1, since the misalignment prevention member 203 is fixed to the LCD 201 or the touch panel 202 with the double-sided adhesive tape 204, the protective paper that protects the adhesive surface of the double-sided adhesive tape 204 is inevitably garbage. turn into. In recent years, the needs of the era to reduce CO ₂ emissions such as zero waste emission from manufacturing plants for the purpose of preventing global warming have not been considered.

The present invention solves the above-described problems, and can reduce CO ₂ emissions such as zero waste emission from manufacturing factories for the purpose of preventing global warming in recent years, and requires an operation panel to be replaced. Since only a housing, an elastic member, and a display member can be replaced, an operation panel that does not require disposal of unnecessary members, an image forming apparatus including the same, an image forming method, and an operation panel reproducing method are provided.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention provides an operation panel having a panel-like display unit on an operation panel housing, and an elastic member provided between the operation panel housing and the display unit. In the first gap between the operation panel casing and the elastic member and the second gap between the elastic member and the display unit, an electrically peelable adhesive layer is formed. It is characterized by that.

  According to said structure, compared with the case where a double-sided tape is used for adhere | attaching the 1st gap | interval and the 2nd gap | interval, garbage, such as protective paper which protects a double-sided tape adhesion surface beforehand, is not taken out, but resource-saving. Therefore, it is excellent in environmental resistance, and it is easy to bond or peel off the first gap and the second gap. For this reason, it is possible to replace only the operation panel casing, the elastic member, and the display member that need to be replaced, and there is no need to discard unnecessary members.

  Moreover, in the said operation panel, it is preferable that the electrically conductive peelable adhesive layer which adhere | attaches the said 1st gap | interval and the said 2nd gap | interval is pinched | interposed by the metal member. In the operation panel, the metal member is preferably a member selected from true casting, SUS, aluminum, and surface-coated iron.

  According to said structure, the adhesiveness by an electrically peelable adhesive can be improved and peeling can also be made easy.

  In the operation panel, the display member is preferably covered with a cover member provided in the operation panel casing.

  According to the above configuration, the metal member can be easily energized by opening the cover member, and the energizing peelable adhesive layer can be easily peeled off.

  The present invention is an operation panel having a panel-like display section on an operation panel casing and provided with an elastic member between the operation panel casing and the display section. An electrically peelable adhesive layer is formed in a first gap between the elastic member and a second gap between the elastic member and the display portion.

Therefore, compared to the case where double-sided tape is used to bond the first gap and the second gap, dust such as protective paper that protects the double-sided tape adhesive surface in advance is not emitted, and CO accompanying incineration of garbage suppress ₂ emissions excellent environmental resistance with Ban saving resources when achieving global warming by and first gap, and effects such is easy to the second gap or peeling or adhesive Play.

It is a schematic sectional drawing of the operation panel which concerns on embodiment of this invention. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration example of an image forming apparatus to which the present invention is applied. It is a top view of the operation panel which concerns on this Embodiment. It is a schematic perspective view at the time of closing a display part cover in the said operation panel. It is a schematic perspective view at the time of opening a display part cover in the said operation panel. It is a detailed enlarged view of the A section of FIG. It is a figure which shows the assembly | attachment of the display part in this Embodiment. It is a state figure at the time of removing the display part attached to the said operation panel. It is a schematic sectional drawing of the conventional operation panel.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing one configuration example of an image forming apparatus to which the present invention is applied.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the image forming apparatus 100 forms multicolor and single color images on a predetermined sheet (recording paper) in accordance with image data transmitted from the outside. The automatic document processing apparatus 120 is configured.

  The apparatus main body 110 includes an exposure unit 1, a developing device 2, a photosensitive drum 3, a cleaner unit 4, a charger 5, an intermediate transfer belt unit 6, a fixing unit 7, a paper feed cassette 81, a paper discharge tray 91, and the like. It is configured.

  A document placing table 92 made of transparent glass on which a document is placed is provided on the upper portion of the apparatus main body 110, and an automatic document processing device 120 is attached to the upper side of the document placing table 92. The automatic document processing device 120 automatically conveys the document on the document placing table 92. The document processing device 120 is configured to be rotatable in the direction of arrow M, and the document can be placed manually by opening the document table 92.

  The apparatus main body 110 is provided with an operation panel 99 according to the present embodiment. The operation panel 99 displays an operation and message of the apparatus main body 110, a progress status of the print job, a preview display, information on transmission / reception with the network, and the like.

  The image data handled in this image forming apparatus corresponds to a color image using each color of black (K), cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y). Accordingly, four each of the developing device 2, the photosensitive drum 3, the charger 5, and the cleaner unit 4 are provided so as to form four types of latent images corresponding to each color, and these constitute four image stations. ing. That is, each image station is set to black, cyan, magenta, and yellow, respectively. In this embodiment, four color images will be described. However, the present invention is not limited to four colors. For example, light cyan (LC) and light magenta (LM) having the same hue as cyan and magenta and lighter density. 6 colors may be added.

  The charger 5 is a charging means for uniformly charging the surface of the photosensitive drum 3 to a predetermined potential. In addition to the charger type as shown in FIG. 2, a contact type roller type or brush type charger may be used. Sometimes used.

  The exposure unit 1 is configured as a laser scanning unit (LSU) provided with a laser emitting portion, a reflection mirror, and the like. The exposure unit 1 includes a polygon mirror that scans a laser beam and optical elements such as a lens and a mirror for guiding the laser beam reflected by the polygon mirror to the photosensitive drum 3. As the exposure unit 1, for example, a technique using an EL or LED writing head in which other light emitting elements are arranged in an array can be employed. The exposure unit 1 has a function of forming an electrostatic latent image corresponding to the image data on the surface thereof by exposing the charged photosensitive drum 3 according to the input image data. The developing unit 2 visualizes the electrostatic latent images formed on the respective photosensitive drums 3 with toner of four colors (YMCK). The cleaner unit 4 removes and collects toner remaining on the surface of the photosensitive drum 3 after development and image transfer.

  The intermediate transfer belt unit 6 disposed above the photosensitive drum 3 includes an intermediate transfer belt 61, an intermediate transfer belt driving roller 62, an intermediate transfer belt driven roller 63, an intermediate transfer roller 64, and an intermediate transfer belt cleaning unit 65. I have. Four intermediate transfer rollers 64 are provided corresponding to each color for YMCK.

  The intermediate transfer belt driving roller 62, the intermediate transfer belt driven roller 63, and the intermediate transfer roller 64 are driven to rotate while the intermediate transfer belt 61 is stretched. Each intermediate transfer roller 64 provides a transfer bias for transferring the toner image on the photosensitive drum 3 onto the intermediate transfer belt 61.

  The intermediate transfer belt 61 is provided in contact with each photosensitive drum 3. A function of forming a color toner image (multicolor toner image) on the intermediate transfer belt 61 by sequentially superimposing and transferring the toner images of the respective colors formed on the photosensitive drum 3 onto the intermediate transfer belt 61. have. The intermediate transfer belt 61 is formed in an endless shape using, for example, a film having a thickness of about 100 μm to 150 μm.

  Transfer of the toner image from the photosensitive drum 3 to the intermediate transfer belt 61 is performed by an intermediate transfer roller 64 that is in contact with the back side of the intermediate transfer belt 61. A high-voltage transfer bias (a high voltage having a polarity (+) opposite to the toner charging polarity (−)) is applied to the intermediate transfer roller 64 in order to transfer the toner image. The intermediate transfer roller 64 is a roller whose base is a metal (for example, stainless steel) shaft having a diameter of 8 to 10 mm and whose surface is covered with a conductive elastic material (for example, EPDM, urethane foam, or the like). With this conductive elastic material, a high voltage can be uniformly applied to the intermediate transfer belt 61. In this embodiment, a roller shape is used as the transfer electrode, but a brush or the like can also be used.

  As described above, the electrostatic images visualized on the respective photosensitive drums 3 according to the respective hues are stacked on the intermediate transfer belt 61. As described above, the laminated image information is transferred onto the sheet by the transfer roller 10 disposed at a contact position between the sheet and the intermediate transfer belt 61 described later by the rotation of the intermediate transfer belt 61.

  At this time, the intermediate transfer belt 61 and the transfer roller 10 are pressed against each other at a predetermined nip, and a voltage for transferring the toner onto the sheet is applied to the transfer roller 10 (the polarity opposite to the toner charging polarity (−)). (+) High voltage). Further, in order to obtain the nip constantly, the transfer roller 10 uses either the transfer roller 10 or the intermediate transfer belt drive roller 62 as a hard material (metal or the like), and the other as a soft material (elasticity such as an elastic roller). Rubber roller, foaming resin roller, etc.).

  Further, the residual toner that causes the toner color mixture in the next process is set to be removed and collected by the intermediate transfer belt cleaning unit 65. The residual toner includes toner attached to the intermediate transfer belt 61 by contacting the photosensitive drum 3 or toner remaining on the intermediate transfer belt 61 without being transferred onto the paper by the transfer roller 10. The intermediate transfer belt cleaning unit 65 includes, for example, a cleaning blade as a cleaning member that contacts the intermediate transfer belt 61. The intermediate transfer belt 61 in contact with the cleaning blade is supported by an intermediate transfer belt driven roller 63 from the back side.

  The paper feed cassette 81 is a tray for storing sheets (recording paper) used for image formation, and is provided below the exposure unit 1 of the apparatus main body 110. A sheet used for image formation can also be placed in the manual paper feed cassette 82. A paper discharge tray 91 provided above the apparatus main body 110 is a tray for collecting printed sheets face down.

  In addition, the apparatus main body 110 is provided with a substantially vertical sheet conveyance path S for feeding the sheets of the sheet feeding cassette 81 and the manual sheet feeding cassette 82 to the sheet discharge tray 91 via the transfer roller 10 and the fixing unit 7. It has been. In the vicinity of the paper transport path S from the paper feed cassette 81 or the manual paper feed cassette 82 to the paper discharge tray 91, pickup rollers 11a and 11b, a plurality of transport rollers 12a to 12d, a registration roller 13, a transfer roller 10, and a fixing unit. 7 etc. are arranged.

  The conveyance rollers 12 a to 12 d are small rollers for promoting and assisting conveyance of the sheet, and a plurality of conveyance rollers 12 a to 12 d are provided along the sheet conveyance path S. The pickup roller 11 a is provided near the end of the paper feed cassette 81, picks up sheets one by one from the paper feed cassette 81, and supplies them to the paper transport path S. Similarly, the pickup roller 11 b is provided near the end of the manual paper feed cassette 82, picks up one sheet at a time from the manual paper feed cassette 82, and supplies it to the paper transport path S.

  Further, the registration roller 13 temporarily holds the sheet being conveyed through the sheet conveyance path S. The sheet has a function of conveying the sheet to the transfer roller 10 at the timing when the leading edge of the toner image on the photosensitive drum 3 and the leading edge of the sheet are aligned.

  The fixing unit 7 includes a heat roller 71 and a pressure roller 72, and the heat roller 71 and the pressure roller 72 rotate with the sheet interposed therebetween. The heat roller 71 has a function of fusing, mixing, and pressing the multicolor toner image transferred to the sheet and thermally fixing the sheet to the sheet by thermocompression bonding the toner to the sheet together with the pressure roller 72. . The heat roller 71 is set by the control unit so as to reach a predetermined fixing temperature based on a signal from a temperature detector (not shown). Further, an external fixing belt 73 for fixing the heat roller 71 from the outside is provided.

  Next, the sheet conveyance path will be described. As described above, the image forming apparatus is provided with the paper feed cassette 81 for storing sheets and the manual paper feed cassette 82 in advance. Pickup rollers 11a and 11b are arranged to feed sheets from the sheet feeding cassettes 81 and 82, respectively, and guide the sheets one by one to the conveyance path S.

  The sheet conveyed from each of the sheet feeding cassettes 81 and 82 is conveyed to the registration roller 13 by the conveying roller 12a in the sheet conveying path S, and the transfer roller is aligned at a timing when the leading edge of the sheet and the leading edge of the image information on the intermediate transfer belt 61 are aligned. 10 and image information is written on the sheet. Thereafter, the sheet passes through the fixing unit 7, whereby the unfixed toner on the sheet is melted and fixed by heat, and then discharged onto the paper discharge tray 91 through the conveying roller 12 b disposed thereafter.

  The above-mentioned conveyance path is used when a single-sided printing request is made on a sheet. On the other hand, when double-sided printing is requested, when the single-sided printing is finished and the trailing edge of the sheet that has passed through the fixing unit 7 is gripped by the final conveying roller 12b, the conveying roller 12b rotates in the reverse direction. As a result, the sheet is guided to the conveying rollers 12c and 12d. Then, after printing is performed on the back surface of the sheet through the registration roller 13, the sheet is discharged to the discharge tray 91.

  Next, an operation panel according to the present invention will be described. FIG. 3 is a plan view of operation panel 99 according to the present embodiment.

  The operation panel 99 is provided with a display unit 130 and various keys (such as a numeric keypad, an all clear key, and a start key). The display unit 130 can be a touch panel, for example, and a display unit cover (cover member) 131 is provided on the front side (downward in the drawing) of the display unit 130.

  FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view when the display unit cover 131 is closed. FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view when the display unit cover 131 is opened. In the figure, only the display unit 130, the operation panel housing 132, and the display unit cover 131 are illustrated.

  The display unit cover 131 is supported by a support member 131 </ b> A provided so as to penetrate and support a boss 132 </ b> A provided in the operation panel housing 132, and opens and closes by being pulled out from the operation panel housing 132. Further, when the display unit cover 131 is pulled out, a guide 132B is provided on the operation panel housing 132 so that the display unit cover 131 can be smoothly pulled out by coming into contact with the support member 131A.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the operation panel. Further, FIG. 6 shows a detailed enlarged view of part A of FIG. The right side in the drawing of the display unit 130 in FIG. 1 is the same as the A part except for the drawing processing of a metal member, which will be described later.

  A first metal member 140 is screwed to the bottom rear surface of the display unit 130 with an M2 tapping male screw 150. The display unit 130 is covered with ABS resin or the like, and the first metal member 140 is screwed to the ABS resin. A fourth metal member 143 is screwed to the upper surface of the operation panel housing (ABS resin or the like) 132 with an M2 tapping male screw 150. Between the 1st metal member 140 and the 4th metal member 143, the elastic member (foaming urethane resin etc.) 144 by which the 2nd metal member 141 and the 3rd metal member 142 were affixed on both surfaces is distribute | arranged. That is, the elastic member 144 is sandwiched between the second metal member 141 and the third metal member 142.

  Between the first metal member 140 and the second metal member 141, an electrically peelable adhesive layer 160 is provided with a layer thickness of approximately 30 μm. Further, between the third metal member 142 and the fourth metal member 143, an electrically peelable adhesive layer 161 is provided with a layer thickness of approximately 30 μm. That is, an electrically peelable adhesive layer 160 is formed between the operation panel housing 132 and the elastic member 144 (first gap), and between the elastic member 144 and the display unit 130 (second gap). ) Is formed with an electrically peelable adhesive layer 161. As the electrically peelable adhesive layers 160 and 161, for example, Elect Release E4 manufactured by Taiyo Wire Mesh Co., Ltd. can be used. Further, the structure in which the elastic member 144 is sandwiched between the second metal member 141 and the third metal member 142 is screwed to the fourth metal member 143 with an M2 male screw 151.

  The fourth metal member 143 is drawn. This drawing process is performed on the third metal member 142, and the display unit 130 is positioned by the head of the M2 male screw 151.

  The M2 tapping male screw 150 has a groove on its head so that it can be tightened with a flat-blade screwdriver or a Phillips screwdriver (not shown). The boss portion has a length of 1 mm, similar to the plate thickness t1.0 mm of the first metal member 140, and the outer diameter is φ3 mm. The screw portion is a M2 tapping screw.

  The M2 male screw 151 has a cylindrical head, and has a groove so that it can be tightened with a not-shown flathead screwdriver or positive screwdriver. The length of the head is 1 mm like the plate thickness t1.0 mm of the first metal member 140, and the outer diameter is φ4 mm. The boss portion has a length of 5 mm, which is the sum of the plate thickness t1.0 mm of the second metal member 141, the layer thickness t3.0 mm of the elastic member 144, and the plate thickness t1.0 mm of the third metal member 142. The outer diameter is 3 mm. The screw portion is screwed to the M2 female screw portion of the fourth metal member 143, and the length of the screw portion is 0.8 mm to less than 1.0 mm, which is shorter than the plate thickness t1.0 mm of the fourth metal member 143.

  The material of the first to fourth metal members 140 to 143 is a cast iron, SUS, aluminum die cast, surface treated (surface coating such as electroless nickel plating, UNIQLO plating, chrome plating) or a solid iron member. Consists of. In particular, when an image forming apparatus is frequently used in a high-temperature and high-humidity environment, true cast, SUS, aluminum die-cast, and surface-treated iron members are preferable from the viewpoint of rust prevention, and surface treatment is performed from an inexpensive point. An iron member is preferred. In addition, when used frequently in an environment other than a high-temperature and high-humidity environment, a solid iron member is preferable because of its low cost.

  FIG. 7 shows assembly of the display unit 130 in the present embodiment. In FIG. 7, layers below the first metal member 140 are illustrated, and the display unit 130 and the first metal member 140 are not illustrated.

  First, the fourth metal member 143 is attached to the operation panel housing 132 with the M2 tapping male screw 150 (see FIG. 6).

  Next, an electrically peelable adhesive is applied to the surface of the fourth metal member 143, and a structure in which the elastic member 144 is sandwiched between the second metal member 141 and the third metal member 142 is disposed thereon. The structure is further screwed to the fourth metal member 143 by an M2 male screw 151. At this time, the electrically peelable adhesive protrudes somewhat from the periphery of the fourth metal member 143 depending on the tightening state of the M2 male screw 151, but there is no particular problem. In order to prevent the electrically peelable adhesive from protruding, sandpaper or sandblasting may be performed so that the surfaces of the fourth metal member 143 and the third metal member 142 have a depth of about 30 μm. The current-releasable adhesive layer 161 is formed by curing the current-releasable adhesive, and the fourth metal member 143 and the third metal member 142 are bonded.

  Next, an electrically peelable adhesive is applied to the upper surface of the second metal member 141, and the first metal member 140 previously attached to the display unit 130 with the M2 tapping male screw 150 is the head of the M2 male screw 151. It attaches so that a part and the round hole of the 1st metal member 140 may correspond. By the curing of the current peelable adhesive, the current peelable adhesive layer 1601 is formed, and the first metal member 140 and the second metal member 141 are bonded. Note that the harness of the display unit 130 (not shown) is also connected to the harness of the operation panel housing 132 (not shown).

  Finally, the operation panel including the display unit 130 is completed by closing the display unit cover 131.

  FIG. 8 is a state diagram when the display unit 130 attached to the operation panel is removed. When the display unit 130 is removed, the display unit cover 131 is pulled out (not shown). In other words, the structure in which the display cover 131 can be pulled out from the operation panel housing 132 makes it easy to secure a work space when the display unit 130 is removed (or attached).

  In the case of peeling the current-peeling adhesive layer 160, as shown in FIG. 8, DC + 50 (V) is connected to the first metal member 140 and DC0 (V) GND is connected to the second metal member 141, and the current peeling is performed. The conductive adhesive layer 160 is energized. By this operation, the display unit 130 and the second metal member 141 can be separated. Note that peeling of the electrically peelable adhesive layer due to energization occurs on the anode side, and therefore peeling occurs between the first metal member 140 and the electrically peelable adhesive layer 160 when energizing due to the connection in FIG. Therefore, when the polarity of the electrode to be connected is changed and the current is supplied again, peeling can be caused between the second metal member 141 and the current-peeling adhesive layer 160.

  Next, when the third metal member 142 and the fourth metal member 143 are energized in the same manner, the structure in which the elastic member 144 is sandwiched between the second metal member 141 and the third metal member 142 from the operation panel housing 132. Can be peeled off.

  Therefore, in the operation panel according to the present embodiment, the display unit, the elastic member, and the operation panel housing can be individually replaced without taking out dust such as protective paper that protects the double-sided tape adhesive surface.

  In the present embodiment, the display unit has been described, but it goes without saying that keys and the like arranged on the operation panel can be peeled in the same manner.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope shown in the claims, and embodiments obtained by appropriately combining technical means disclosed in different embodiments. Is also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

130 Display 131 Display Cover (Cover Member)
132 Operation Panel Housing 140 First Metal Member 141 Second Metal Member 142 Third Metal Member 143 Fourth Metal Member 144 Elastic Member 160 Current Peelable Adhesive Layer 161 Current Peelable Adhesive Layer

Claims (5)

An operation panel having a panel-like display section on the operation panel casing and provided with an elastic member between the operation panel casing and the display section,
An electrically detachable adhesive layer is formed in a first gap between the operation panel casing and the elastic member and a second gap between the elastic member and the display unit. Operation panel.   2. The operation panel according to claim 1, wherein the current-peeling adhesive layer that bonds the first gap and the second gap is formed by being sandwiched between metal members.   The operation panel according to claim 2, wherein the metal member is a member selected from brass, SUS, aluminum, and surface-coated iron.   The operation panel according to claim 1, wherein the display unit is covered with a cover member provided in the operation panel casing.   An image forming apparatus comprising the operation panel according to claim 1.

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