JP2012210801A - Ic card reader mounting part and image forming apparatus with the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an IC card reader mounting part that can mount a plurality of kinds of IC card readers by an easy work and an image forming apparatus that includes the IC card reader mounting part.SOLUTION: The IC card reader mounting part 31 includes: a housing 32 being composed of a housing body 32a, and a cover part 31b installed openably and closably to a housing body 32a at a hinge part 35a and 35b; a mounting base 37 arranged in the housing 32; and a mounting attachment 40. The surface side (convex side) of the mounting attachment 40 is a first mounting surface 41 and the rear side (concave side) is a second mounting surfaces 43. Both a thin IC card reader 50 and a thick IC card reader 50 can be mounted by selecting and using either of the first mounting surface 41 or the second mounting surface 43 according to the thickness of IC card reader 50.

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, and a facsimile, and more particularly to a structure for mounting an IC card reader to the image forming apparatus.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an image forming apparatus provided with an IC card reader that reads IC card information such as personal information and security authentication information in response to a request for security enhancement for the image forming apparatus is known. If the information read from the IC card is appropriate, the image forming apparatus operates. If the read information is not appropriate, the operation of the image forming apparatus is stopped to prevent unauthorized use of the image forming apparatus. .

  As such an image forming apparatus, for example, in Patent Document 1, an elastic body is provided between the IC card reader and the mounting portion so as to absorb an impact when the IC card is brought into contact with the IC card reader. An image forming apparatus is disclosed.

JP 2010-271671 A

  By the way, in the conventional configuration, the IC card reader is fixed to the operation panel of the image forming apparatus in advance or attached as an option, and only a specific IC card reader can be attached.

  However, there are a wide variety of IC card readers in general use, and the thickness of the card reader body, the length of the USB cable, and the like vary depending on the specifications of the IC card reader. In addition, there may be a case where the user wishes to attach an IC card reader that is already in use. Due to the above demand, an image forming apparatus capable of mounting a wide variety of IC card readers has been desired.

  In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide an IC card reader mounting portion to which a plurality of types of IC card readers can be mounted by a simple operation, and an image forming apparatus including the IC card reader mounting portion.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a housing having a housing main body that houses an IC card reader, a cover portion that is detachably attached to the housing main body, and a mounting base disposed in the housing. A first attachment surface and a second attachment surface, which are arranged in a storage portion of the attachment base and have different mounting heights of the IC card reader on the front surface and the rear surface, the attachment attachment comprising: An IC card reader attachment portion that can be attached to an IC card reader by selecting either the first attachment surface or the second attachment surface by being inverted in the front-back direction and disposed in the storage portion.

  According to the present invention, in the IC card reader mounting portion configured as described above, the mounting base includes a cable winding portion for winding a USB cable of the IC card reader.

  According to the present invention, in the IC card reader mounting portion configured as described above, the cable winding portion is selectively disposed at a plurality of locations on the mounting base.

  According to the present invention, in the IC card reader mounting portion configured as described above, the cable winding portion is rotatably supported by the storage portion.

  According to the present invention, in the IC card reader mounting portion configured as described above, the cable winding portion is detachably supported at a plurality of locations of the storage portion.

  According to the present invention, in the IC card reader mounting portion configured as described above, at least a part of the cover portion is formed of a transparent material.

  The present invention is also an image forming apparatus provided with the IC card reader mounting portion having the above-described configuration.

  According to the present invention, in the image forming apparatus having the above-described configuration, the IC card reader mounting portion is disposed so as to protrude laterally from the image forming apparatus body, and can be rotated up and down with respect to the image forming apparatus body. It is characterized by being.

  According to the present invention, in the image forming apparatus having the above-described configuration, the IC card reader mounting portion is rotatable to the left and right with respect to the image forming apparatus main body.

  Further, the present invention is an image forming apparatus having the above-described configuration, and further includes an operation panel that protrudes laterally from the image forming apparatus main body adjacent to the IC card reader mounting portion, and the IC card reader mounting portion and the operation panel include: Each is characterized in that it can be rotated up and down independently of the image forming apparatus main body.

  According to the first configuration of the present invention, either the first mounting surface or the second mounting surface with different mounting heights of the IC card reader formed on the front surface and the back surface of the mounting attachment is selected and used. This makes it possible to easily attach IC card readers having different thicknesses. Further, since the distance from the upper surface (reading surface) of the IC card reader to the upper surface of the housing (IC card contact surface) is substantially constant regardless of the thickness of the IC card reader, the readability of the IC card can be maintained.

  According to the second configuration of the present invention, in the IC card reader mounting portion of the first configuration, an IC card reader is provided by providing a cable winding portion for winding the USB cable of the IC card reader on the mounting base. USB cable can be stored compactly. In addition, the length of the USB cable can be easily adjusted by changing the winding amount of the USB cable.

  Further, according to the third configuration of the present invention, in the IC card reader mounting portion of the first or second configuration, the protruding direction and protruding position of the USB cable from the IC card reader, the thickness of the IC card reader main body, etc. Depending on the cable, the cable winding part can be selectively placed at multiple locations on the mounting base, so that the USB cable can be compactly wound around the cable winding part without excessive bending or bending. Can do. In addition, deterioration and breakage of the USB cable can be prevented.

  Further, according to the fourth configuration of the present invention, in the IC card reader mounting portion of the third configuration, the cable winding portion is rotatably supported by the storage portion, so that the cable winding can be performed with a simple configuration. The portion can be selectively disposed at a plurality of locations on the mounting base.

  Further, according to the fifth configuration of the present invention, in the IC card reader mounting portion of the third configuration, the cable winding portion is detachably supported at a plurality of locations of the storage portion. The cable winding portion can be selectively disposed at a plurality of locations on the mounting base.

  According to the sixth configuration of the present invention, in the IC card reader mounting portion of any one of the first to fifth configurations, at least a part of the cover portion is formed of a transparent material, so that the inside of the housing The type of the attached IC card reader can be confirmed visually.

  Further, according to the seventh configuration of the present invention, by providing the IC card reader mounting portion of any one of the first to sixth configurations, it is possible to prevent unauthorized use using the IC card reader, and Therefore, the image forming apparatus can be equipped with a wide variety of IC card readers according to the user's request.

  According to the eighth configuration of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus having the seventh configuration, the IC card reader mounting portion is disposed so as to protrude laterally from the image forming apparatus main body. By making the mounting part pivotable up and down with respect to the image forming apparatus main body, when the user is a short user, when the user is a wheelchair user, or when using the apparatus while sitting on a chair The operability of the IC card reader is improved.

  Further, according to the ninth configuration of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus having the eighth configuration, the IC card reader mounting portion can be rotated to the left and right with respect to the image forming apparatus main body. The IC card can be brought into contact with the IC card reader mounting portion even from the side of the IC card and the operability of the IC card reader is further improved.

  According to the tenth configuration of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus having the eighth or ninth configuration, the IC card reader mounting portion and the IC card reader mounting portion are adjacent to the side from the image forming apparatus main body. The protruding operation panel can be rotated up and down independently of the image forming apparatus main body, so that the user is a short user, the user is a wheelchair user, or is sitting in a chair. When using the device, the operability of both the IC card reader mounting portion and the operation panel is improved.

The perspective view which shows the external appearance structure of the color compound machine provided with the IC card reader attachment part of this invention Partial enlarged view of the periphery of the operation unit 1 of the color MFP shown in FIG. External appearance perspective view of IC card reader attachment part 31 concerning a 1st embodiment of the present invention. The perspective view which shows the internal structure of the IC card reader attachment part 31 of 1st Embodiment. The perspective view of the attachment base 37 used for the IC card reader attachment part 31 of 1st Embodiment. The perspective view which looked at the attachment 40 used for the IC card reader attachment part 31 of 1st Embodiment from the surface side (1st attachment surface 41 side). The perspective view which looked at the attachment 40 used for the IC card reader attachment part 31 of 1st Embodiment from the back surface side (2nd attachment surface 43 side). The perspective view which shows the state which mounted IC card reader 50 on the 1st attachment surface 41 of the attachment 40. The perspective view which shows the state which accommodated the attachment attachment 40 in the accommodating part 37a of the attachment base 37 with the 2nd attachment surface 43 facing upward. The perspective view which shows the state which mounted IC card reader 50 on the 2nd attachment surface 43 of the attachment 40. The perspective view which shows the state which wound the USB cable 51 of IC card reader 50 around the cable winding part 37b of the attachment base 37 The perspective view which shows the state which wound the USB cable 51 of the IC card reader 50 around the cable winding part 37b of the attachment base 37 used for the IC card reader attachment part 31 which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. The side view which shows the structure by which the cable winding part 37b of the attachment base 37 used for the IC card reader attachment part 31 of 2nd Embodiment is rotatably supported by the accommodating part 37a. The side view which shows the structure which the cable winding part 37b of the attachment base 37 used for the IC card reader attachment part 31 of 2nd Embodiment can be attached or detached in the several position of the accommodating part 37a. The top view of the operation part 1 which has the IC card reader attachment part 31 which concerns on 3rd Embodiment of this invention. Side view of IC card reader mounting portion 31 of the third embodiment The perspective view of IC card reader attachment part 31 of a 3rd embodiment. The perspective view of the operation part 1 which shows the state which rotated the IC card reader attachment part 31 of 3rd Embodiment downward. The perspective view of the operation part 1 which shows the state which rotated the operation panel 30 below. The perspective view of the operation part 1 which shows the state which rotated the IC card reader attachment part 31 of 3rd Embodiment to the right direction.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an external configuration of an image forming apparatus having an IC card reader mounting portion according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, the color multifunction peripheral 100 includes a main body housing 20 and an upper housing 21 disposed on the upper portion of the main body housing 20. An image reading unit for reading an image of a document as an electrical signal is provided in the upper housing 21. On the other hand, an image is formed in the main body housing 20 on a sheet based on the electrical signal of the read document image. Various mechanisms are provided.

  The main body housing 20 is composed of a lower housing 20a and a connecting housing 20b that is located above and on the back side of the apparatus and is connected to the upper housing 21. Inside the lower housing 20a, paper is fed. A paper mechanism, an image forming unit for forming a toner image on the paper, a fixing unit for fixing the toner image on the paper, and the like are provided. On the other hand, the fixed paper is conveyed inside the connection housing 20b. A paper discharge unit is provided for discharging the paper.

  A cylinder discharge space that is largely open toward the front side of the apparatus is formed on the side of the connection housing 20b immediately below the upper housing 21, and the connection housing 20 A paper discharge tray 23 is provided for receiving and stacking paper discharged horizontally from a paper discharge port (not shown) provided on the front side of 20b. A paper feed cassette 25 that accommodates sheets of various sizes and can be taken in and out from the front is disposed at the bottom of the lower housing 20a.

  On the upper surface of the upper housing 21, there are disposed a document placing table (not shown) made of a transparent glass plate and an operation unit 1 protruding to the front side of the apparatus. Further, above the upper housing 21, a document holding unit 28 equipped with a document conveying device 27 for conveying a document to an image reading position on the document placing table is provided by a hinge portion (not shown) on the back surface of the upper housing 21. It is supported so that it can be opened and closed.

  FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged view of the periphery of the operation unit 1 of the color multifunction peripheral 100 shown in FIG. The operation unit 1 includes an operation panel 30 provided with a liquid crystal display unit 30a, operation keys 30b, and the like, and an IC card reader attachment unit 31 that is disposed adjacent to the right side of the operation panel 30 and to which an IC card reader is attached. Has been. The liquid crystal display unit 30a displays the state of the color multifunction peripheral 100, and displays the image forming status and the number of copies to be printed. The operation key 30b includes a stop / clear button used when image formation is stopped, a setting key used when performing various settings, and the like.

  FIG. 3 is an external perspective view of the IC card reader mounting portion 31 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the internal structure of the IC card reader mounting portion 31 of the first embodiment. . The IC card reader attachment portion 31 includes a housing 32 formed of a housing body 32a formed integrally with the operation panel 30, and a cover portion 32b attached to the housing body 32a at the hinge portions 35a and 35b so as to be opened and closed. The mounting base 37 and the mounting attachment 40 are arranged inside.

  The cover portion 32b has a frame shape having an opening at the center, and a transparent cover 33 is fitted into the opening so that the internal IC card reader can be seen. Further, an opening / closing finger hook portion 34 is formed at the rotation side end portion (the right end portion in FIG. 3) of the cover portion 32b.

  FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the mounting base 37, and FIGS. 6 and 7 are perspective views of the mounting attachment 40 as viewed from the front surface side and the back surface side, respectively. The mounting base 37 is made of resin, and as shown in FIG. 5, a storage portion 37a in which the mounting attachment 40 is stored, and a cable winding portion 37b in which the USB cable 51 (see FIG. 11) of the IC card reader 50 is wound. Are integrally formed.

  The mounting attachment 40 is a resin-made flat plate member that supports the IC card reader 50 (see FIG. 8). The front side (convex side) of the mounting attachment 40 is the first mounting surface 41 and the back side (concave side) is the first side. 2 mounting surface 43. The first attachment surface 41 and the second attachment surface 43 are selectively used according to the thickness of the IC card reader 50 placed on the attachment attachment 40. In addition, the 1st attachment surface 41 and the 2nd attachment surface 43 are designed by the magnitude | size which can mount the thing of the largest size among the IC card readers generally used.

  Next, a procedure for attaching the IC card reader 50 to the IC card reader attaching portion 31 will be described. When the thin IC card reader 50 is attached, the attachment attachment 40 is accommodated in the accommodation portion 37a of the attachment base 37 with the first attachment surface 41 facing upward as shown in FIG. Then, as shown in FIG. 8, the IC card reader 50 is placed on the first mounting surface 41 of the mounting attachment 40.

  On the other hand, when the thick IC card reader 50 is attached, the attachment attachment 40 is accommodated in the accommodation portion 37a of the attachment base 37 with the second attachment surface 43 facing upward as shown in FIG. Then, as shown in FIG. 10, the IC card reader 50 is placed on the second mounting surface 43 of the mounting attachment 40.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 11, the USB cable 51 of the IC card reader 50 is wound around the cable winding portion 37 b of the mounting base 37 and adjusted to a predetermined length. Thereafter, the USB connector 53 is inserted into a connector insertion port (not shown) in the housing 32 and the mounting base 37 is accommodated in the housing main body 32a, and then the cover portion 32b is closed to complete the mounting of the IC card reader 50.

  According to this embodiment, the first attachment surface 41 and the second attachment surface 43 having different heights are formed on the attachment attachment 40, and the first attachment surface 41 or the second attachment surface is formed according to the thickness of the IC card reader 50. By selecting and using any one of the surfaces 43, both the thin IC card reader 50 as shown in FIG. 8 and the thick IC card reader 50 as shown in FIG. 10 can be attached. In addition, since the distance from the upper surface (reading surface) of the IC card reader 50 to the transparent cover 33 (IC card contact surface) is substantially constant regardless of the thickness of the IC card reader 50, the readability of the IC card is maintained. Can do.

  Further, since the cable winding portion 37b is provided on the mounting base 37, the USB cable 51 of the IC card reader 50 can be stored in a compact manner. Further, the length of the USB cable 51 can be easily adjusted simply by changing the winding amount of the USB cable 51.

  FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a state in which the IC card reader 50 is attached to the attachment base 37 of the IC card reader attachment portion 31 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The mounting base 37 used for the IC card reader mounting portion 31 of the present embodiment can be selectively arranged on the side surface and the back surface of the storage portion 37a with the cable winding portion 37b around which the USB cable 51 is wound. The state which has arrange | positioned the taking part 37b on the back surface of the accommodating part 37a is shown.

  Depending on the protruding direction and protruding position of the USB cable 51 from the IC card reader 50 stored in the storage unit 37a, the thickness of the IC card reader 50 body, etc., it is smoother to wind the USB cable 51 on the side surface side of the storage unit 37a. There are cases where winding can be performed smoothly, and winding on the back side of the storage portion 37a can be performed more smoothly. Therefore, the position of the cable winding portion 37b is changed according to the specifications of the IC card reader 50 by adopting a configuration in which the cable winding portion 37b can be moved to a plurality of positions of the storage portion 37a as in the present embodiment. be able to.

  For example, when the USB cable 51 protrudes toward the back surface of the IC card reader 50 main body, or when the thickness of the IC card reader 50 main body is relatively thick and the USB cable 51 protrudes from the lower side of the main body side, FIG. As shown, the cable winding portion 37b is disposed on the back surface of the storage portion 37a. Accordingly, the USB cable 51 can be compactly wound around the cable winding portion 37b without excessively bending or bending the USB cable 51.

  As a method of arranging the cable winding portion 37b at a plurality of positions of the storage portion 37a, for example, as shown in FIG. 13, a rotation fulcrum 60 is provided at a connecting portion between the storage portion 37a and the cable winding portion 37b. A configuration in which the cable winding portion 37b is rotated by 90 ° about the moving fulcrum 60, and the cable winding portion 37b is selectively arranged on the side surface (solid line in the drawing) and the back surface side (dashed line in the drawing) of the storage portion 37a. Is mentioned.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 14, the storage portion 37a and the cable winding portion 37b are detachable, and the protrusions 61 provided at the connecting portion of the cable winding portion 37b are arranged at a plurality of locations (here, side surfaces). And the cable winding portion 37b can be selectively arranged on the side surface side and the back surface side of the storage portion 37a by being inserted into any of the insertion holes 63a and 63b formed in the bottom surface).

  In the present embodiment, the configuration in which the cable winding portion 37b can be selectively arranged at two positions on the side surface side and the back surface side of the storage portion 37a has been described as an example, but the side surface on the opposite side of the storage portion 37a (see FIG. 13 and the left side surface of FIG. 14) or a side surface in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the storage portion 37 a (a direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIGS. 13 and 14). In FIG. 14, the protrusion 61 is provided on the cable winding portion 37b side and the insertion holes 63a and 63b are formed on the storage portion 37a side. However, the insertion hole is formed on the cable winding portion 37b side, and the storage portion 37a side is formed. Projections may be provided at a plurality of positions.

  FIG. 15 is a plan view of the operation unit 1 having the IC card reader mounting part 31 according to the third embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 16 and 17 respectively illustrate the IC card reader mounting part 31 of the third embodiment. It is a side view and a perspective view. In the present embodiment, the housing main body 32a and the operation panel 30 of the IC card reader mounting portion 31 constituting the operation portion 1 are formed separately, and the housing main body 32a is formed in the color multifunction peripheral 100 via the support portion 55. It is connected to the upper housing 21.

  The support portion 55 is supported by the first rotation shaft 57 so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction (the direction of the arrow AA ′ in FIG. 16) with respect to the upper housing 21. Further, the housing main body 32a is supported by the second rotating shaft 58 so as to be rotatable in the left-right direction (the direction of arrow BB ′ in FIG. 17) with respect to the support portion 55. Since the internal configuration of the IC card reader mounting portion 31 is the same as that of the first embodiment, the description thereof is omitted.

  According to the configuration of the present embodiment, the IC card reader mounting portion 31 can be rotated up and down independently of the operation panel 30 together with the support portion 55. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 18, by rotating the IC card reader mounting portion 31 downward (arrow A direction), the position of the transparent cover 33 (IC card contact surface) can be lowered and inclined forward. The operability of the IC card reader 50 is improved when the user is a short user, when the user is a wheelchair user, or when the apparatus is used while sitting on a chair.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 15, the first rotation shaft 57 is disposed so as to penetrate the base end portion (upper end portion of FIG. 15) of the operation panel 30, and the operation panel 30 is also vertically moved with respect to the upper housing 21. It is supported so as to be rotatable in the direction. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 19, by rotating the operation panel 30 downward (in the direction of arrow A), when the user is a short user, the user is a wheelchair user, or sitting in a chair. When the device is used, the operability of the operation panel 30 is improved.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 20, the transparent cover 33 (IC card contact surface) is obtained by rotating the IC card reader attachment portion 31 around the second rotation axis 58 in the right direction (arrow B direction) with respect to the support portion 55. Tilts sideways. Thereby, the IC card can be brought into contact with the IC card reader mounting portion 31 even from the side of the color multifunction peripheral 100. That is, the direction and inclination of the IC card contact surface of the IC card reader mounting portion 31 can be arbitrarily changed according to the use mode of the user.

  In addition, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, the shape and size of the mounting base 37 and the mounting attachment 40 can be arbitrarily designed according to the specifications of the IC card reader 50 to be mounted.

  In the above embodiment, one type of attachment 40 having the first attachment surface 41 and the second attachment surface 43 formed on both sides is used. However, a plurality of types of attachments 40 having different thicknesses and shapes are prepared. As a result, the IC card reader mounting portion 31 is compatible with a wider variety of IC card readers 50.

  Further, the IC card reader mounting portion 31 of the present invention is not limited to the color multifunction device shown in FIG. 1, but is a color printer, a digital or analog monochrome multifunction device, a monochrome printer, and a color equipped with an inkjet image forming portion. Needless to say, the present invention can be applied to other image forming apparatuses such as a multifunction machine and a color printer, and can also be applied to an IC card reader mounting portion of an electronic device other than the image forming apparatus.

  The present invention can be used in an electronic apparatus such as an image forming apparatus on which an IC card reader is mounted. By using the present invention, it is possible to provide an IC card reader mounting portion to which a plurality of types of IC card readers can be mounted by a simple operation.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Operation part 30 Operation panel 31 IC card reader attachment part 32 Housing 32a Housing main body 32b Cover part 33 Transparent cover 37 Attachment base 37a Storage part 37b Cable winding part 40 Attachment attachment 41 1st attachment surface 43 2nd attachment surface 50 IC card Leader 51 USB cable 53 USB connector 60 Rotating fulcrum 61 Protrusion 63a, 63b Insertion hole 100 Color compound machine

Claims (10)

A housing having a housing main body for storing the IC card reader, and a cover portion that is detachably attached to the housing main body;
A mounting base disposed within the housing;
A mounting attachment which is disposed in the storage portion of the mounting base and has a first mounting surface and a second mounting surface formed on the front surface and the back surface, the mounting heights of which are different from each other;
With
An IC card reader mounting portion that allows the IC card reader to be mounted by selecting either the first mounting surface or the second mounting surface by inverting the mounting attachment in the front and back direction and disposing the mounting attachment in the storage portion. .   The IC card reader mounting portion according to claim 1, wherein the mounting base includes a cable winding portion that winds a USB cable of the IC card reader.   The IC card reader attachment part according to claim 2, wherein the cable winding part is selectively disposed at a plurality of locations on the attachment base.   4. The IC card reader mounting portion according to claim 3, wherein the cable winding portion is rotatably supported by the storage portion.   4. The IC card reader mounting portion according to claim 3, wherein the cable winding portion is detachably supported at a plurality of locations of the storage portion.   6. The IC card reader mounting portion according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of the cover portion is formed of a transparent material.   An image forming apparatus comprising the IC card reader mounting portion according to claim 1.   8. The IC card reader mounting portion is disposed so as to protrude laterally from the image forming apparatus main body, and is rotatable up and down with respect to the image forming apparatus main body. Image forming apparatus.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the IC card reader mounting portion is rotatable to the left and right with respect to the image forming apparatus main body.   An operation panel that protrudes laterally from the image forming apparatus main body is provided adjacent to the IC card reader mounting section, and the IC card reader mounting section and the operation panel are vertically moved independently from each other with respect to the image forming apparatus main body. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the image forming apparatus is rotatable.

Images