JP2014069475A - Electronic apparatus, and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To detect a body height of an object immediately after detecting approach of the object.SOLUTION: An image forming apparatus 1 comprises: a human body sensor section 50 which has a pyroelectric infrared sensor 502; a body height sensor section 54 which has a pyroelectric infrared sensor 542, is installed at an upper part or a lower part of the human body sensor section 50, and of which a viewing angle and detection distance in the horizontal direction are the same as those of the human body sensor section 50; an oscillation mechanism 60 for vertically performing an oscillation operation of the body height sensor section 54; an oscillation control section 100 which makes the oscillation mechanism 60 start the oscillation operation when an object is detected by the human body sensor section 50 and the body height sensor section 54; and a body height detection section 101 which detects a body height of the object from an oscillation angle of the body height sensor section 54 when the object becomes non-detection by the body height sensor section 54 which performs the oscillation operation.

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic apparatus and an image forming apparatus, and more particularly to a technique for detecting the height of an operator using a pyroelectric infrared sensor.

  Recent image forming apparatuses such as electronic apparatuses such as electronic copying machines are often configured to accept instructions from an operator on various operations and processes that can be performed by a touch panel unit. Moreover, a relatively large color liquid crystal display screen having a touch panel function is often employed for the touch panel portion. However, such a liquid crystal display screen has a relatively narrow viewing angle, and light reflection on the panel surface may result in poor visibility depending on the angle viewed by the operator. For example, since the eyes of wheelchair users are much lower than those of general adults, the display on the touch panel is visible to wheelchair users when the angle of the liquid crystal display screen is adjusted to that of normal adults. It becomes difficult and inconvenient.

  In order to deal with this problem, an image forming apparatus has been developed that can detect the height of an operator and automatically change the position and posture of the touch panel unit according to the height. For example, in Patent Document 1 below, if the human body detection duration by the human body sensor unit reaches a predetermined determination time or if an operation is performed by the operator before the determination time is reached, the height sensor unit causes the height of the operator. An image forming apparatus is proposed in which the position and posture of an operation panel are automatically changed according to the detected height.

JP 2007-322484 A

  In the above-mentioned patent document 1, the height of the operator is detected using a reflection type sensor composed of a pair of projectors and receivers in the height sensor unit. More specifically, the light beam emitted from the projector is first set in the most upward state, and then the light beam irradiation direction is gradually changed downward to reflect the reflected light from the top of the operator's head. The height of the operator is detected from the irradiation angle of the beam light when the light is received. As described above, in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, the human body approaching the image forming apparatus can be detected with a wide viewing angle by using the infrared sensor for the human body sensor unit, whereas the height sensor unit is as described above. A reflective sensor with a narrow viewing angle is used. Therefore, in Patent Document 1, the human body detection duration reaches a predetermined determination time or some operation is performed by the operator, that is, the object detected by the human body sensor unit is the operator of the image forming apparatus. Thus, height detection is performed only when the probability of standing in front of the image forming apparatus is high. For this reason, there is a slight time lag from when the operator stands in front of the image forming apparatus to when the operation panel is changed to a position or posture that matches the height of the operator. To do.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problem, and an object of the present invention is to make it possible to detect the height of an object as soon as the approach of the object is detected.

An electronic device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a first sensor unit having a pyroelectric infrared sensor,
A second sensor unit having a pyroelectric infrared sensor, installed above or below the first sensor unit, and having the same horizontal viewing angle and detection distance as the first sensor unit; ,
A swing mechanism for swinging the second sensor unit up and down;
A swing control unit for causing the swing mechanism to start the swing motion when an object is detected by the first and second sensor units;
A height detection unit that detects a height of the object from a swing angle of the second sensor unit when the object is not detected by the second sensor unit that swings;

  According to the present invention, it is possible to detect the height of an object as soon as the approach of the object is detected in the image forming apparatus.

1 is a front sectional view showing a structure of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows the principal part of a height sensor part and a swing mechanism. (A) (B) is a schematic schematic diagram which shows the principal part of a drive part. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a main internal configuration of the image forming apparatus. FIG. (A) (B) is a figure which shows the relationship between the angle of a height sensor part, and the height of a target object. (A) (B) is a schematic diagram which shows the detection of the target object by a human body sensor part and a height sensor part. 6 is a flowchart illustrating height detection and operation unit driving processing in the image forming apparatus.

  Hereinafter, an electronic apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a front sectional view showing the structure of an image forming apparatus as an electronic apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  An image forming apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention is a multifunction machine having a plurality of functions such as a copy function, a printer function, a scanner function, and a facsimile function. The image forming apparatus 1 includes an apparatus main body 11 that includes an operation unit 47, an image forming unit 12, a fixing unit 13, a paper feeding unit 14, a document feeding unit 6, a document reading unit 5, and the like.

  The operation unit 47 receives instructions such as an image forming operation execution instruction and a document reading operation execution instruction from the operator regarding various operations and processes that can be executed by the image forming apparatus 1. The operation unit 47 includes a display unit 473 formed of an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or the like, and various key units that receive input of operation instructions from the operator. The operation unit 47 includes a drive unit 80 described later.

  When the image forming apparatus 1 performs a document reading operation, the document reading unit 5 optically reads a document fed by the document feeding unit 6 or a document placed on the document placing glass 161, Generate image data. Image data generated by the document reading unit 5 is stored in a built-in HDD or a network-connected computer.

  When the image forming apparatus 1 performs an image forming operation, it is based on image data generated by the document reading operation, image data received from a computer connected to a network, image data stored in a built-in HDD, or the like. Then, the image forming unit 12 forms a toner image on the recording paper P as a recording medium fed from the paper feeding unit 14. When performing color printing, the magenta image forming unit 12M, the cyan image forming unit 12C, the yellow image forming unit 12Y, and the black image forming unit 12Bk of the image forming unit 12 respectively A toner image is formed on the photosensitive drum 121 by charging, exposure, and development processes based on an image composed of each color component constituting data, and the toner image is formed on the intermediate transfer belt 125 by the primary transfer roller 126. Let them transcribe.

  The toner images of the respective colors transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 125 are superimposed on the intermediate transfer belt 125 with the transfer timing adjusted to form a color toner image. The secondary transfer roller 210 passes the toner image of the color formed on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 125 from the paper supply unit 14 through the conveyance path 190 at a nip N between the intermediate transfer belt 125 and the driving roller 125a. It is transferred to the recording paper P that has been conveyed. Thereafter, the fixing unit 13 fixes the toner image on the recording paper P to the recording paper P by thermocompression bonding. The recording paper P on which the color image has been formed after completion of the fixing process is discharged to a discharge tray 151.

  In the case of performing double-sided printing in the image forming apparatus 1, the recording paper P having an image formed on one side by the image forming unit 12 is nipped by the discharge roller pair 159, and then the recording paper P is switched back by the discharge roller pair 159 and sent to the reverse conveyance path 195, and the conveyance roller pair 19 conveys the recording paper P again upstream in the conveyance direction of the recording paper P with respect to the nip portion N and the fixing unit 13. As a result, an image is formed on the other surface of the recording paper by the image forming unit 12.

  A pyroelectric infrared sensor 502 for detecting an object (human body) approaching the image forming apparatus 1 at an appropriate position on the front surface of the image forming apparatus 1, preferably at the left and right center positions of the front surface of the image forming apparatus 1. A human body sensor unit 50 (FIG. 4) having a height sensor and a height sensor unit 54 (FIG. 4) having a pyroelectric infrared sensor 542 for detecting the height of the object are installed side by side. . Note that either the human body sensor unit 50 or the height sensor unit 54 may be installed on the top. Further, the image forming apparatus 1 includes a swing mechanism 60 (FIG. 4) that swings the height sensor unit 54 up and down. The attachment positions of the human body sensor unit 50 and the height sensor unit 54 can be changed as appropriate. However, in the present embodiment, the case where the human body sensor unit 50 and the height sensor unit 54 are attached to the front side surface of the image forming apparatus 1 at a height of about 70 cm is taken as an example. I will explain.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the main part of the height sensor unit 54. The height sensor unit 54 includes a pyroelectric infrared sensor 542. The height sensor unit 54 is an example of a second sensor unit in the claims. The height sensor unit 542 can detect a human body approaching the image forming apparatus 1 from the left and right, and a detection area with a viewing angle of 55 degrees to the left and right with respect to the normal of the sensor surface 540 of the pyroelectric infrared sensor 542. The overall viewing angle in the horizontal direction is approximately 110 degrees, and the detection distance is 1 m, for example. The vertical viewing angle of the pyroelectric infrared sensor 542 is, for example, 20 degrees. In the present embodiment, the pyroelectric infrared sensor 542 will be described as having characteristics composed of these numerical values. The detectable distance by the height sensor unit 54 in the front front direction of the image forming apparatus 1 is, for example, 1 m. Note that “height” in the present embodiment refers to the distance from the floor surface to the user's head when the object (user) intends to use or uses the image forming apparatus. Shall point to.

  The pyroelectric infrared sensor 542 includes a pyroelectric element having an electrode on a substrate surface having a pyroelectric effect, and an object (a person or an object) within a predetermined detection region using the pyroelectric element. Perform detection. The pyroelectric infrared sensor 542 includes a pyroelectric substrate having a pyroelectric substrate made of a ferroelectric material and the like and electrodes provided to face both sides of the pyroelectric substrate, and is generated by the action of a human body. Infrared light is condensed on the light receiving part of the pyroelectric element, a signal due to polarization of the pyroelectric element generated according to the change of the infrared light is converted into a voltage signal, and the voltage signal that has undergone predetermined processing is compared with a threshold value by a comparator. When the level is high or low, a signal indicating the high level or low level is output as an object detected. The number of pyroelectric elements included in the pyroelectric infrared sensor 542 is not particularly limited, but the pyroelectric infrared sensor 542 preferably includes a plurality of pyroelectric elements. In the present embodiment, the pyroelectric infrared sensor 542 includes the pyroelectric infrared sensor 542. The case where a dual element in which two pyroelectric elements 542a and 542b are arranged side by side will be described as an example. The pyroelectric elements 542a and 542b are arranged in the horizontal direction, and the light receiving areas of the pyroelectric elements 542a and 542b are different in the horizontal direction. It is assumed that the height sensor unit 54 detects the object when the object is detected by any of the pyroelectric elements 542a and 542b. The light receiving surface electrode or the counter surface electrode of each pyroelectric element 541a, 541b is connected in series so that the charge generated by the temperature change of the pyroelectric substrate has a reverse polarity, compared to the case where only one pyroelectric element is used. The detection accuracy of the object is improved.

  The lens 501 is, for example, a Fresnel lens, and widens the viewing angle of the pyroelectric infrared sensor 542 and condenses infrared rays generated in respective predetermined ranges of the detection region, so that the above-mentioned of the pyroelectric infrared sensor 542 is collected. Each pyroelectric element is irradiated. In particular, the horizontal viewing angle is as described above for each pyroelectric element 542a, 542b with respect to the sensor surface 540 of the pyroelectric infrared sensor 542 so that a human body approaching the image forming apparatus 1 can be detected from the left and right. Each has a viewing angle of 55 degrees, and a total of 110 degrees.

  The head swing mechanism 60 rotates up and down around a rotation axis (not shown) as indicated by an arrow A in the drawing, and can be realized by a stepping motor, for example. The height sensor unit 54 is fixed to a rotation shaft (not shown) of the swing mechanism 60, and swings when the swing mechanism 60 rotates up and down (vertical direction).

The head swing mechanism 60 supports the side portion of the sensor unit 50 and has, for example, a disk shape. The swing mechanism 60 has a circular center of the upper surface portion 601 as a rotation axis, and is predetermined from an initial position (an initial position angle θ ₀ described later) in the direction indicated by an arrow A in FIG. 2 around the rotation axis. It turns by the specified angle. The head swing mechanism 60 includes, for example, a stepping motor, and the stepping motor is used as a drive source for the turning operation of the head swing mechanism 60. The swing mechanism 60 is provided at its lower part with a rotation shaft (not shown) at the center of rotation, and rotates the rotation shaft with a rotational driving force supplied from a stepping motor. Under the control of the rotation amount of the stepping motor by the swing control unit 100, the swing operation and the swing angle operation of the swing mechanism 60 are controlled.

  Although not shown, the human body sensor unit 50 has the same configuration as the height sensor unit 54, and the human body sensor unit 50 also includes a pyroelectric infrared sensor 502 having the same configuration as described above. I don't have it. The human body sensor unit 50 is an example of a first sensor unit in the claims. The human body sensor unit 50 has a detection area with a viewing angle of 55 degrees to the left and right with respect to the normal of the sensor surface of the pyroelectric infrared sensor 502 so that a human body approaching the image forming apparatus 1 can be detected from the left and right. The total viewing angle in the horizontal direction is approximately 110 degrees, and the detection distance is 1 m, for example. Further, the detectable distance by the human body sensor unit 50 in the front front direction of the image forming apparatus 1 is, for example, 1 m. That is, the human body sensor unit 50 and the height sensor unit 54 have the same viewing angle and detection distance in the horizontal direction, and a detectable distance in the front front direction of the image forming apparatus 1. Note that the vertical viewing angle of the pyroelectric infrared sensor 502 is, for example, 40 degrees. In the present embodiment, the pyroelectric infrared sensor 522 will be described as having characteristics composed of these numerical values.

  As described above, the pyroelectric infrared sensor has the same horizontal viewing angle and the same detection distance, and the human body sensor unit 50 for detecting the object (human body) and the height sensor for detecting the height of the object. By using the unit 54, the object can be reliably detected even when the object is approached not only from the front but also from the left and right. Further, when the object is detected, the height of the object can be detected immediately. become.

  FIGS. 3A and 3B are schematic schematic diagrams illustrating the main part of the drive unit 80 that drives the operation unit 47.

  As shown in FIG. 3A, the operation unit 47 is normally held by the main body of the image forming apparatus 1 so as to be movable in the front-rear direction while being inclined by θ1 (for example, 15 degrees) with respect to the horizontal line. . The state of the operation unit 47 shown in FIG. 3A is such that when an operator having a height of a predetermined height or more operates the operation unit 47, the visibility and operability of the operation unit 47 are favorable for the operator. (Home position).

  A worm 475 is formed on the lower surface of the operation unit 47. The image forming apparatus 1 is instructed to rotate a worm wheel 82 that meshes with the worm 475. The worm wheel 82 is rotationally driven using a stepping motor (not shown) or the like as a drive source. The worm 475, the worm wheel 82, and the stepping motor constitute a drive unit 80. When the worm wheel 82 rotates counterclockwise, the operation unit 47 moves forward. As the operation unit 47 moves forward, the height position of the operation unit 47 decreases and the inclination angle with respect to the horizontal line increases. FIG. 3B shows a state where the operation unit 47 has moved forward. The inclination angle θ2 of the operation unit 47 is larger than the inclination angle θ1 at the home position.

  The relationship between the height of the operator and the rotation amount of the worm wheel 82 suitable for the height (the amount of forward movement of the operation unit 47, that is, the angle of the operation unit 47) is obtained in advance, and the HDD 92 ( 4) and the like. The amount of forward movement of the operation unit 47 suitable for the height of the operator is, for example, an angle formed by a horizontal line passing through the height of the operator's eyes and a line of sight when the operator views the display unit 473 in the operation unit 47 Is determined from the viewpoint of preferably about 40 degrees.

  FIGS. 3A and 3B show a configuration in which the angle of the operation unit 47 is changed as an example in which the operation unit 47 changes both the position and the posture. Or what is necessary is just the structure which changes at least one of an attitude | position according to an operator's height.

  The angle of the operation unit 47 between the angle θ1 and the angle θ2 is determined by the drive control unit 102 (FIG. 4) described later according to the rotation amount of the worm wheel 82 corresponding to the height of the operator. It is adjusted by controlling the amount.

  Next, the configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 will be described. FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram showing the main internal configuration of the image forming apparatus 1.

  The image forming apparatus 1 includes a control unit 10. The control unit 10 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a RAM, a ROM, a dedicated hardware circuit, and the like, and controls overall operation of the image forming apparatus 1.

  The document reading unit 5 includes the reading mechanism 163 having a light irradiation unit, a CCD sensor, and the like under the control of the control unit 10. The document reading unit 5 reads an image from the document by irradiating the document with the light irradiating unit and receiving the reflected light with a CCD sensor.

  The image processing unit 31 performs image processing on the image data of the image read by the document reading unit 5 as necessary. For example, the image processing unit 31 performs predetermined image processing such as shading correction in order to improve the quality after the image read by the document reading unit 5 is formed by the image forming unit 12.

  The image memory 32 is an area for temporarily storing document image data obtained by reading by the document reading unit 5 and temporarily storing data to be printed by the image forming unit 12.

  The image forming unit 12 forms an image such as print data read by the document reading unit 5 and print data received from the computer 200 connected to the network.

  The operation unit 47 receives instructions from the operator regarding various operations and processes that can be executed by the image forming apparatus 1. The operation unit 47 includes a display unit 473.

  As described above, the drive unit 80 drives the operation unit 47 so that at least one of the position and orientation of the operation unit 47 is changed.

  The facsimile communication unit 71 includes an unillustrated encoding / decoding unit, modulation / demodulation unit, and NCU (Network Control Unit), and performs facsimile transmission using a public telephone network.

  The network interface unit 91 includes a communication module such as a LAN board, and transmits / receives various data to / from the computer 200 in the local area via a LAN connected to the network interface unit 91.

  The HDD 92 is a large-capacity storage device that stores document images and the like read by the document reading unit 5.

  The human body sensor unit 50 includes a pyroelectric infrared sensor 502 that detects the presence of an object based on a change in infrared rays, and notifies the swing control unit 100 of detection and non-detection of the object.

  The height sensor unit 54 includes a pyroelectric infrared sensor 542 that detects the presence of an object based on a change in infrared rays, and notifies the swing control unit 100 and the height detection unit 101 of detection and non-detection of the object. .

  The head swing mechanism 60 swings the height sensor unit 54 up and down under the control of the head control unit 100.

  The driving motor 70 is a driving source that applies a rotational driving force to each rotating member of the image forming unit 12, the conveyance roller pair 19, and the like.

  The control unit 10 includes a swing control unit 100, a height detection unit 101, and a drive control unit 102.

  The drive control unit 102 includes a document reading unit 5, a document feeding unit 6, an image processing unit 31, an image memory 32, an image forming unit 12, an operation unit 47, a facsimile communication unit 71, a network interface unit 91, and an HDD (hard disk drive). 92, connected to the human body sensor unit 50, the height sensor unit 54, the swing mechanism 60, the drive unit 80, and the like, and performs drive control of these units.

  The head swing control unit 100 causes the head swing mechanism 60 to start a head swing operation when an object is detected by the human body sensor unit 50 and the height sensor unit 54.

  The height detection unit 101 detects the height of the object from the swing angle of the height sensor unit 54 when the object is not detected by the height sensor unit 54 that swings. The swing angle of the height sensor unit 54 is, for example, a detection signal from the height sensor unit 54 during the swing operation and drive control information for the swing mechanism 60 (for example, the number of drive pulses of the stepping motor of the swing mechanism 60). It can measure based on.

5A and 5B are diagrams showing the relationship between the angle of the height sensor unit 54 and the height of the object 200. FIG. The case where the detectable distance by the human body sensor unit 50 and the height sensor unit 54 in the front front direction of the image forming apparatus 1 described above is 1 m will be described as an example. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the initial position angle θ ₀ of the height sensor unit 54 (explained by taking an angle of 60 degrees in the vertical direction from the front side surface of the image forming apparatus 1 as an example), and this initial position angle θ _0. For example, if the swing angle θ from 1 is 1) θ ≦ 45 °, the height is 100 cm or less. 2) If 45 ° <θ ≦ 70 °, the height is 150 cm or less. 3) If 70 ° <θ ≦ 95 °, the height is 200 cm. As described below, the relationship between the swing angle of the height sensor unit 54 and the height of the object may be defined in advance in a table, and the table may be stored in the HDD 92 or the like. The height detection unit 101 refers to the table, detects the height of the object from the measured swing angle of the height sensor unit 54, and stores the detection result in a RAM or the like in the control unit 10.

  The drive control unit 102 drives the drive unit 80 with a drive amount corresponding to the height of the object. As described above, the correspondence between the height of the operator and the drive amount of the drive unit 80 suitable for the height is stored in the HDD 92 or the like as a table. The drive control unit 102 reads the height of the object detected by the height sensor unit 54 from the RAM or the like in the control unit 10, and determines the drive amount of the drive unit 80 with reference to a table stored in the HDD 92 or the like. Then, the driving unit 80 is driven.

  Next, a method for detecting the height of the operator in the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating detection of an object by the human body sensor unit 50 and the height sensor unit 54. FIG. 6A shows a state when the object 300 enters the detection area of the human body sensor unit 50 and the height sensor unit 54 and the human body sensor unit 50 and the height sensor unit 54 detect the object 300. Show. The vertical direction in the figure is the vertical direction. 6A and 6B show an example in which the height sensor unit 54 is disposed below the human body sensor unit 50. FIG. The conditions such as the viewing angle and the detectable area of the human body sensor unit 50 and the height sensor unit 54 are the same as those described above.

  As shown in the figure, the human body sensor unit 50 has a detection region 511. The height sensor unit has a detection area 541. As described above, the horizontal viewing angle and the detection distance of the detection areas 511 and 541 are the same. Further, in the steady state, the height sensor unit 54 is in a state where the normal of the sensor surface of the pyroelectric infrared sensor 504 (broken line in the drawing) is downward from the horizontal plane. When the object 300 that emits infrared rays approaches the image forming apparatus 1, the object 300 enters the detection region 511 of the human body sensor unit 50 and the detection region 541 of the height sensor unit 54 at the same time, and the human body sensor unit 50 and The height sensor unit 54 detects the target unit 300 at the same time. When the object 300 is detected by the human body sensor unit 50 and the height sensor unit 54, the height sensor unit 54 swings to detect the height of the object 300.

  FIG. 6B shows how the height sensor unit 54 swings to detect the height of the object 300. As described above, the height sensor unit 54 swings upward because the normal of the sensor surface of the pyroelectric infrared sensor 542 is downward from the horizontal plane in the steady state. Then, as shown in FIG. 6B, the height detection unit 101 detects the object 300 from the swing angle θ of the height sensor unit 54 when the object 300 is not detected by the height sensor unit 54. Detect height. The swing angle of the height sensor unit 54 is, for example, drive control information (for example, the swing mechanism described above) from when the height sensor unit 54 detects that the object 300 is not detected by the height sensor unit 54 from the initial position. 60 stepping motor drive pulses).

  In general, a pyroelectric infrared sensor has a wide viewing angle, and such a pyroelectric infrared sensor has the same horizontal viewing angle and detection distance, and a human body sensor for detecting the object 300. By using the height sensor unit 54 for detecting the height of the part 50 and the target object 300, the target object 300 can be reliably detected even when the target object 300 is approached not only from the front but also from the left and right. Furthermore, as soon as the object 300 is detected, the height of the object 300 can be detected.

  Thus, when the object 300 is detected, the height of the object 300 can be detected immediately, so that when the object is the operator of the image forming apparatus 1, the operator of the image forming apparatus 1 The approach to the operator is detected at an early stage, and the position or posture of the operation unit 47 is changed to match the height of the operator until the operator reaches the operation unit 47 of the image forming apparatus 1. This makes it possible to eliminate the waiting time for the operator.

  The height sensor unit 54 first detects the object 300 in a state where the normal line of the sensor surface 540 of the pyroelectric infrared sensor 542 is below the horizontal plane, and then detects the object 300 in an upward direction while continuing to detect the object 300. The height detection unit 101 detects the height of the object 300 from the swing angle of the height sensor unit 54 when the object 300 rotates and is not detected. Therefore, the position of the top of the target object 300 can be reliably detected, and the height of the target object 300 can be reliably detected without error.

  In addition, the drive control unit 102 continues to detect the object 300 by the human body sensor unit 50 after the height detection unit 101 detects the height of the object 300 or until a certain time elapses. It is preferable to inhibit the operation unit 47 from being driven by the drive unit 80. In addition, the swing control unit 100 continues until the height of the object 300 is detected by the height detection unit 101 and continues to be detected by the human body sensor unit 50 or until a certain time elapses. It is preferable to suppress the swing motion of the swing mechanism 60. Thus, the height of the object 300 (operator) is detected, and when at least one of the position and posture of the operation unit 47 is set to match the height of the operator, the human body sensor unit 50 causes the object 300 to be detected. The height and the posture of the operation unit 47 are fixed without detecting the height again until no longer detected or until a predetermined time elapses. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the position and posture of the operation unit 47 from being frequently changed during operation by the operator, and to avoid the stress of the operator.

  Next, height detection and operation unit drive processing in the image forming apparatus 1 will be described. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the height detection and operation unit drive processing in the image forming apparatus 1.

  When a person approaches the image forming apparatus 1 and enters the detection area of the human body sensor unit 50 and the height sensor unit 54, the human body sensor unit 50 and the height sensor unit 54 detect the approaching person as an object (S1). YES)

  When a person is detected by the human body sensor unit 50 and the height sensor unit 54, the swing control unit 100 causes the swing mechanism 60 to start a swing motion (S2). Then, the swing control unit 100 causes the height sensor unit 54 to continue the swing operation until the detected object is not detected (YES in S3).

  When the height sensor unit 54 swings to a certain extent, the detection range passes the top of the object and the object is not detected (NO in S3). The height detection unit 101 stores the swing angle θ of the height sensor unit 54 at that time (when the object is not detected by the height sensor unit 54) (S4). Further, the swing control unit 101 stops the swing operation of the swing mechanism 60 and stops the swing operation of the height sensor unit 54 (S5).

  The height detection unit 101 compares the stored θ with various thresholds. For example, if θ ≦ 45 ° (YES in S6), the height detection unit 101 detects that the height of the object is 100 cm or less (S7), and 45 ° <θ ≦. If it is 70 ° (NO in S6, YES in S8), it detects that the height of the object is 150 cm or less (S9), and if 70 ° <θ ≦ 95 ° (NO in S8, YES in S10), It is detected that the height is 200 cm or less (S11).

  When the height of the target is detected by the height detection unit 101, the drive control unit 102 drives the drive unit 80 with a drive amount corresponding to the height. As a result, the operation unit 47 is driven, and at least one of its position and posture changes to the one corresponding to the height of the operator (S12).

  In S10, when the height detection unit 101 determines that 70 ° <θ ≦ 95 ° is not satisfied (NO in S10), it detects that the height of the object is more than 200 cm (S13). At this time, the drive control unit 102 may drive the drive unit 80 with a drive amount corresponding to a height of over 200 cm, and the drive control unit 102 assumes that the height of the object is 200 cm, assuming that the height is over 200 cm. The drive unit 80 may be driven with the same drive amount as in the following case.

  As described above, the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment generally has the same horizontal viewing angle and the same pyroelectric infrared sensor based on the characteristics that the pyroelectric infrared sensor has a wide viewing angle. Even when the object 300 is approached not only from the front but also from the left and right by being used for the human body sensor unit 20 and the height sensor unit 54 related to the detection of the object (human body) so as to have a detection distance. Further, the height of the object 300 can be detected as soon as the object 300 is detected. And the angle adjustment of the operation part according to the detected height can be performed with zero waiting time for the operator.

  The present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention has been described using a multifunction peripheral. However, this is only an example, and other image forming apparatuses such as a printer, a copier, A facsimile machine or the like may be used.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, the structure and process which were shown by the said embodiment using FIG. 1 thru | or FIG. 7 are only one Embodiment of this invention, and are not the meaning which limits this invention to the said structure and process.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 47 Operation part 473 Display part 50 Human body sensor part 502 Pyroelectric infrared sensor 54 Height sensor part 542 Pyroelectric infrared sensor 60 Head swing mechanism 80 Drive part 100 Head swing control part 101 Height detection part 102 Drive control part 300 objects

Claims (6)

A first sensor unit having a pyroelectric infrared sensor;
A second sensor unit having a pyroelectric infrared sensor, installed above or below the first sensor unit, and having the same horizontal viewing angle and detection distance as the first sensor unit; ,
A swing mechanism for swinging the second sensor unit up and down;
A swing control unit for causing the swing mechanism to start the swing motion when an object is detected by the first and second sensor units;
An electronic apparatus comprising: a height detection unit that detects a height of the object from a swing angle of the second sensor unit when the object is not detected by the second sensor unit that swings . In the steady state, the second sensor unit is in a state in which the normal line of the sensor surface of the pyroelectric infrared sensor faces downward from a horizontal plane,
The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the swing mechanism rotates the second sensor unit in an upward direction from the steady state. An operation unit having a display unit and configured to change at least one of a position and a posture;
A drive unit that drives the operation unit such that at least one of the position and orientation of the operation unit is changed; and
The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a drive control unit that drives the drive unit with a drive amount corresponding to the height of the object.   The drive control unit is configured such that the height of the target object is detected by the height detection unit, and the drive unit continues to detect the target object by the first sensor unit or within a certain period of time. The electronic device according to claim 3, wherein the operation unit is prevented from being driven.   The swing control unit is configured to detect the height of the object by the height detection unit and continue to detect the object by the first sensor unit or within a predetermined time. The electronic device according to claim 3, wherein the swing motion of the swing mechanism is suppressed. An electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
An image forming unit for forming an image on a recording medium;
An image forming apparatus comprising: a fixing unit that fixes an image on a recording medium on which an image is formed by the image forming unit.

Images