JP2014235214A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus which is capable of preventing the damage of a document and entering of foreign matter, even when the installation space of the lock device of a document cover with respect to a document reader is limited.SOLUTION: In a composite machine P, in a scanner part f, an opening 12 for locking the opening and closing of a document cover h is formed on the same plane as a document placing surface 11 on which the document is placed and a first lock device 30 includes a lock member 31 which is provided in the document cover h and can be inserted into the opening 12, when the document cover h is in a state of being closed with respect to the scanner part f, a hook member 32 which is provided in the scanner part f and can be engaged with the lock member 31 inserted into the opening 12 below the document placing surface 11, and a cover member 33 which is provided in the scanner part f and is freely movable between a closing position where the cover member 33 closes the opening 12 and an opening position where the cover member 33 is moved below the document placing surface 11, to open the opening 12.

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus.

  2. Description of the Related Art Some image forming apparatuses such as copiers and multifunction peripherals (MFPs) that form images on paper using an electrophotographic system include a document reading device at the top of the apparatus body. The document reader illuminates the document from the back side of the contact glass and optically reads the document using a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) sensor or the like. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2005-228561 discloses an image forming apparatus including a document reading device.

  In the image forming apparatus of Patent Document 1, a document reading device is provided to be openable and closable with respect to the apparatus main body in order to replace a drum unit, a toner cartridge, and the like provided in the apparatus main body. When this document reading device is lifted, the opening of the device main body that has been blocked by the document reading device is opened, and the user accesses the inside of the device main body through the opening to perform replacement work of predetermined parts, etc. This can be performed (see FIG. 2 of Patent Document 1).

  By the way, the document reader is provided with a document presser that can be opened and closed to press the document against the document placement surface. When the document reader is opened when the document reading device is opened, the document retainer is largely tilted to the rear side of the apparatus main body, the center of gravity of the entire image forming apparatus is moved, and the apparatus main body is easily tilted to the rear side. In particular, when a document feeder (ADF) is attached to the document retainer, the weight of the document retainer increases, so that the apparatus main body is more likely to fall down on the rear side.

  For this reason, the image forming apparatus of Patent Document 1 includes a second lock mechanism (lock device) that locks the opening and closing of the document presser with respect to the document reading device. The second lock mechanism includes a document pressing lock member provided on the document pressing side and a hook rotatably provided on the document reading device side and engaged with and disengaged from the document pressing lock member. The hook is rotated in conjunction with the opening and closing operation, and is engaged with and disengaged from the document pressing lock member, thereby allowing the document pressing unit to be opened and closed when the document reading device is closed, and when the document reading device is opened, the document is opened. It is configured to lock the opening and closing of the presser.

JP 2011-227495 A

However, since the second lock mechanism mechanically requires an engaging part (a document pressing lock member in Patent Document 1) that penetrates the document placement surface of the document reading device, the second locking mechanism has an opening in the document reading device. The part must be formed. However, if the opening is formed in the same plane as the document placement surface of the document reading device, there is a concern that the document is damaged or foreign matter is mixed into the device.
In the prior art, a lock mechanism or an opening is provided at a place where the user cannot touch as much as possible, such as the rear side of the image forming apparatus (see FIG. 3 of Patent Document 1). However, with the recent miniaturization of image forming apparatuses, it is necessary to save space, and there are cases where it is necessary to provide a lock mechanism and an opening on the front side of the image forming apparatus.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and can prevent document damage and foreign matter from being mixed even when the installation space of the document pressing lock device with respect to the document reading device is limited. An object is to provide a forming apparatus.

In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention provides a document reading device that is openable and closable with respect to an apparatus body, a document pressing member that is openable and closable with respect to the document reading device, and the document reading device. A locking device that locks the opening and closing of the document presser when the document is opened and closed, wherein the document reading device includes the document on the same plane as a document placement surface on which the document is placed. An opening for locking the opening and closing of the press is formed, and the lock device is provided in the original press, and the opening is provided in the opening when the original press is closed with respect to the original reading device. A lock member that can be inserted, a hook member that is provided in the document reading device and that can be engaged below the document placement surface, and the lock member that is inserted into the opening, and is provided in the document reading device. , And a closed position for closing the serial opening, having a cover member which is movable between an open position for opening the move even below the document placement surface the opening, a construction is adopted.
By adopting this configuration, in the present invention, an opening is provided in the document reading device, a lock member provided on the document pressing member is inserted into the opening, and a hook member is provided on the lock member below the document placement surface. By engaging, the opening and closing of the document presser is locked. A lid member is provided in the opening provided on the same plane as the document placement surface, and can be closed before the lock member is inserted. For this reason, even in a limited space due to space saving or the like, it is possible to prevent damage due to the falling edge of the document in the opening, and to prevent foreign matter from entering the inside of the apparatus through the opening. Can do.

According to the present invention, the lock device includes a biasing member that is provided in the document reading device and biases the lid member from the open position toward the closed position, and the lid member includes the lock member. A configuration is adopted in which the member moves from the closed position to the open position against the bias by pressing the member.
By adopting this configuration, in the present invention, an urging member is provided in the document reading device, and the lid member is urged toward the closing position, so that the lock member lowers the lid member when the document presser is closed. The opening is opened by pushing down, and when the document presser is opened, the pressing of the lock member is released, and the lid member moves upward to automatically close the opening.

Further, the present invention employs a configuration in which the lock member is provided so as to be movable between a protruding position protruding from the document pressing member and an immersion position immersing in the document pressing member.
By adopting this configuration, in the present invention, the lock member can be moved to the protruding position and the immersive position, so that the lock member can be used for holding the document even when a foreign object is placed on the opening. Damage can be prevented because it can be retracted inside.

In the present invention, the lock device includes a second urging member that is provided on the document pressing member and urges the lock member from the retracted position toward the projecting position. A configuration is adopted in which when a foreign object is sandwiched while being inserted into the opening, it moves from the protruding position to the immersive position against the bias.
By adopting this configuration, in the present invention, the document reading apparatus is provided with the second urging member, and the lock member is urged toward the protruding position, so that a foreign object (such as a document) is formed between the opening. When the cover is pinched, the lock member is immersed in the document holder against the bias to prevent damage to the foreign object. Can be possible.

In the present invention, the hook member is provided movably between an engagement position that engages with the lock member and an engagement release position that releases the engagement with the lock member. The locking device is provided in the document reading device, and includes a third urging member that urges the hook member from the disengagement position toward the engagement position, and a protrusion provided on the apparatus body. Provided in the document reading device, abuts against the protrusion when the document reading device is closed with respect to the apparatus body, and the hook member is moved from the engagement position against the bias. The structure which has a link member moved to the said engagement release position is employ | adopted.
By adopting this configuration, in the present invention, the hook member can be moved between the engagement position and the engagement release position, the document reader is provided with a third urging member, and the hook member is moved to the engagement position. By urging, when the document reading device is opened, the hook member is moved to the engagement position in conjunction with the movement of the document reading device, so that the opening and closing of the document presser can be automatically locked. In addition, when the document reading device is in a closed state by providing a projection on the apparatus body, providing a link member on the document reading device, and moving the hook member to the disengagement position against the biasing force (normally) When in use, the opening and closing of the document presser can be locked.

In the present invention, a configuration is adopted in which a second locking device that locks the opening and closing of the document reading device is provided.
By adopting this configuration, in the present invention, the opening and closing of the document reading device with respect to the apparatus main body can be locked by providing the second lock device.

In the present invention, the second lock device is provided in the document reading device, and a second engagement position for engaging with the device main body and a second engagement position for releasing the engagement with the device main body. A second hook member that is movable between the disengagement position and the movement of the second hook member to the second disengagement position when the lid member is located at the closed position. And a restricting member for releasing the restriction of the movement of the second hook member to the second disengagement position when the lid member is located at the open position.
By adopting this configuration, according to the present invention, the document reading apparatus is provided with a second hook member that is movable between the second engagement position and the second engagement release position, and can be opened and closed with respect to the apparatus main body. Locking / unlocking is possible, and a restricting member is provided to restrict the movement of the second hook member when the lid member is in the open position so that the lock on the apparatus main body cannot be released. When the is in the closed position, the movement restriction of the second hook member is released so that the lock on the apparatus main body can be released. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the document reading device from being opened and closed when the document press is not closed (the document press cannot be locked).

  According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain an image forming apparatus that can prevent document breakage and foreign matter from being mixed even when the installation space for the document pressing lock device with respect to the document reading device is limited.

1 is a perspective view illustrating an external appearance of a multifunction machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an internal configuration of a multifunction peripheral according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a plane side perspective view which shows the external appearance of the scanner part in embodiment of this invention. It is a bottom side perspective view showing the appearance of a document presser in an embodiment of the present invention. It is a right side perspective view showing the appearance of the open / close lock unit in an embodiment of the present invention. It is a left side perspective view showing the appearance of the open / close lock unit in the embodiment of the present invention. It is sectional drawing which shows arrangement | positioning of each structural member of an opening-and-closing lock unit when the cover member in the embodiment of this invention is located in the obstruction | occlusion position. It is sectional drawing which shows arrangement | positioning of each structural member of an opening-and-closing lock unit when the cover member in the embodiment of this invention is located in an open position. It is a perspective view which shows the external appearance of the 2nd hook member in embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows arrangement | positioning of each structural member of the opening-and-closing lock unit when the scanner part in the embodiment of this invention is closed. It is sectional drawing which shows arrangement | positioning of each structural member of the opening-and-closing lock unit when the scanner part in the embodiment of this invention is in the open state. It is a figure for demonstrating the effect | action of the opening-and-closing lock unit in embodiment of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the effect | action of the locking member in embodiment of this invention.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Hereinafter, as an image forming apparatus according to the present invention, a multifunction machine having a document reading function will be described as an example.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an external appearance of a multifunction peripheral P according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an internal configuration of the multifunction peripheral P according to the embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 2, the multifunction peripheral (image forming apparatus) P includes a discharge unit a, a toner storage unit b, an image forming unit c, and a paper unit d. In addition, the multifunction device P is provided with a transport unit e from the sheet unit d located at the lower part to the discharge unit a located at the upper part. Further, the multifunction device P is provided with a scanner unit (document reading device) f, an operation unit g, and a document presser h at the top of the discharge unit a.

The discharge unit a is configured such that a sheet (sheet material) on which a predetermined image is formed is discharged through the transport unit e. The bottom surface of the discharge portion a is inclined so that when a plurality of sheets are discharged, the one end side is aligned and stacked.
The toner storage unit b is made of, for example, a black toner (BK) toner container, and is configured to supply toner to the developing unit c2 of the image forming unit c.

The image forming unit c includes a laser scanning unit c1, a developing unit c2, a drum unit c3, a transfer unit c4, and a fixing unit c5.
Similarly to the known laser scanning unit, the laser scanning unit c1 includes a light beam generator that generates laser light, a polygon mirror that scans a light beam emitted from the light beam generator, and the polygon mirror. And an fθ lens that forms an image on the photosensitive drum 1 to be described later.

The developing unit c <b> 2 develops an electrostatic latent image formed on the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 1 by supplying toner to the photosensitive drum 1. The developing roller 2 is disposed so as to face each other in the radial direction.
The drum unit c3 is a photosensitive drum on which an electrostatic latent image is generated on the peripheral surface of the drum by using the laser scanning unit c1 and a toner image is formed by toner supplied from the toner storage unit b to the developing unit c2. 1

Around the photosensitive drum 1, a charger 3 for charging the peripheral surface thereof and a cleaner 4 for removing toner remaining on the peripheral surface after transfer are disposed opposite to each other. The charger 3 and the cleaner 4 of the present embodiment are detachably united with the photosensitive drum 1 as a drum unit c3.
The transfer unit c4 includes a transfer roller 5 that is disposed to face the circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum 1 in the radial direction. The transfer roller 5 is provided so as to press the photosensitive drum 1.

  Accordingly, when the photosensitive drum 1 is driven to rotate, the transfer roller 5 can rotate along with the rotation. In addition, when a predetermined sheet material, for example, a sheet has been conveyed through the conveying unit e, the transfer roller 5 can be rotated while the sheet is interposed between the photosensitive drum 1 and the sheet. The sheet can be conveyed to the fixing unit c5 side.

  The fixing unit c5 is provided in a part of the transport unit e on the downstream side of the transfer unit c4, and is a pair of rollers arranged so as to sandwich the paper transported through the transport unit e. It is configured. The fixing unit c5 is configured so that the toner image on the paper transferred by the transfer unit c4 by being pressed and heated by the pair of rollers can be fixed on the paper.

  The paper portion d includes a paper feed tray d1 provided so as to be openable and closable with respect to the apparatus main body 10 and a paper feed cassette d2 provided so as to be drawable with respect to the apparatus main body 10. The sheet feeding tray d1 or the sheet feeding cassette d2 is configured to be able to supply sheets one by one to the transport unit e.

  The conveyance part e is provided from the paper part d located in the lower part to the discharge part a located in the upper part, and includes a plurality of conveyance rollers and a guide plate. The transport unit e is configured to transport the sheets supplied from the sheet unit d one by one toward the discharge unit a.

  The scanner unit f reads a set original and acquires original image data indicating an image of the original. The scanner section f includes a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) sensor (not shown) mounted on a carriage, and is sequentially fed by a document set on a contact glass f1 (see FIG. 3) or a document feeding device h1. Configured to read a document to be read.

  The operation unit g outputs a signal (operation signal) according to an operation by the user and displays various information such as information indicating the state of the multifunction peripheral P. The operation key g1 and the operation display unit g2 (FIG. 1). The operation key g1 is a hard key such as a copy start key, a copy stop / clear key, a numeric keypad (numerical value input key), and a function switching key. The operation display unit g2 is a touch panel disposed opposite to the display screen of the liquid crystal panel or the organic EL panel, and outputs a signal indicating the coordinates of the part pressed by the user as an operation signal.

  The document holder h presses the document against the reading surface of the scanner unit f, and is provided so as to be openable and closable with respect to the scanner unit f. The document presser h is provided with a document feeding device h1 for automatically automatically feeding documents to be read sequentially. The document feeder h1 introduces the set document to a conveyance path (not shown) passing through the scanner unit f by a pickup roller (not shown). The scanner section f includes a slit-shaped contact glass f2 (see FIG. 3) in addition to the contact glass f1, and a document automatically fed by the document feeding device h1 passes through the slit-shaped contact glass f2. Read.

  In the multi-function device P configured as described above, an electrostatic latent image is formed by irradiating the photosensitive drum 1 with laser light corresponding to image data from the laser scanning unit c1, and the toner image is developed with the supplied toner. . The toner image carried on the photosensitive drum 1 is transferred to a sheet by the transfer unit c4, and then subjected to a fixing process by being pressurized and heated by the fixing unit c5. Finally, the sheet on which the image is printed is discharged to the discharge unit a.

Next, with reference to FIG. 3 to FIG. 13, the structure of the scanner unit f and the document holding h opening / closing lock unit 20 provided in the MFP P having the above configuration will be described in detail.
FIG. 3 is a plan side perspective view showing the appearance of the scanner unit f in the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a bottom perspective view showing the appearance of the document holder h in the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a right side perspective view showing the appearance of the open / close lock unit 20 according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a left side perspective view showing the appearance of the open / close lock unit 20 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the arrangement of the constituent members of the open / close lock unit 20 when the lid member 33 is located at the closed position in the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing the arrangement of the constituent members of the open / close lock unit 20 when the lid member 33 is located at the open position in the embodiment of the present invention. 7 and 8 correspond to an AA cross section in FIG. FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing an appearance of the second hook member 41 in the embodiment of the present invention.

  FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the arrangement of the constituent members of the open / close lock unit 20 when the scanner section f is closed in the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing the arrangement of the constituent members of the open / close lock unit 20 when the scanner unit f is opened in the embodiment of the present invention. 10 and 11 correspond to the cross section taken along the line BB in FIG. FIG. 12 is a view for explaining the operation of the open / close lock unit 20 in the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a view for explaining the operation of the lock member 31 in the embodiment of the present invention.

  As described above, the document presser h is provided so as to be openable and closable with respect to the scanner unit f. Further, as shown in FIG. 12, the scanner unit f is provided to be openable and closable with respect to the apparatus main body 10. The opening / closing lock unit 20 includes a first locking device 30 that locks the opening and closing of the document holder h with respect to the scanner unit f, and a second locking device 40 that locks the opening and closing of the scanner unit f with respect to the apparatus body 10. The opening / closing lock unit 20 is mechanically unitized so that the operation of the first lock device 30 and the second lock device 40 are linked to each other (see FIGS. 5 and 6).

  The first locking device 30 locks the opening and closing of the document presser h when the scanner unit f is opened and closed. As shown in FIG. 3, the scanner section f is formed with an opening 12 for locking the opening and closing of the document pressing h in the same plane as the document placing surface 11 on which the document is placed. The opening 12 is formed so as to open upward at the corner corner on the front side of the scanner part f. The opening 12 is arranged at a position farther from the contact glass f1 that is easy for the user to touch than the slit-shaped contact glass f2.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the first locking device 30 is provided on the document retainer h, and includes a lock member 31 that can be inserted into the opening 12 when the document retainer h is closed with respect to the scanner unit f. Have. A hinge unit 13 is provided on the rear side of the document presser h. The hinge unit 13 is attached to the opening 14 on the rear side of the scanner unit f shown in FIG. Therefore, the document retainer h can be opened and closed with the rear side of the scanner part f as a fulcrum. On the other hand, the lock member 31 is provided so as to protrude downward at the corner of the front side of the document retainer h.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the first locking device 30 is provided in the scanner unit f and can be engaged with the locking member 31 inserted into the opening 12 below the document placement surface 11. A hook member 32 is provided. The lock member 31 is provided with a through hole 31a penetrating in a direction orthogonal to the protruding direction. As shown in FIG. 11, the hook member 32 is inserted into the through hole 31 a so as to be engaged with the lock member 31. As described above, when the hook member 32 is engaged with the lock member 31, the opening and closing of the document presser h with respect to the scanner unit f is locked.

  The first locking device 30 has a closed position (see FIG. 7) for closing the opening 12 and an open position (see FIG. 8) that moves downward from the document placement surface 11 to open the opening 12. The lid member 33 is movable between the two. As shown in FIG. 6, the lid member 33 has a substantially T shape, and is configured to be slidable in the vertical direction with respect to the frame 21 of the open / close lock unit 20 fixed to the scanner unit f. . The upper part of the lid member 33 has a flat plate shape and has a size that can close the opening 12 from the lower side.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the first locking device 30 includes a spring member (biasing member) 34 that is provided in the scanner unit f and biases the lid member 33 from the open position toward the closed position. The spring member 34 is disposed inside the frame 21 and biases the lid member 33 upward. Thereby, as shown in FIG. 8, the lid member 33 moves from the closed position to the open position against the bias by the pressing of the lock member 31. Further, as shown in FIG. 7, when the pressing of the lock member 31 is released, the lid member 33 automatically moves upward from the open position toward the closed position. The spring member 34 only needs to have a slight force to push up the lid member 33.

  The lock member 31 that comes into contact with the lid member 33 is provided so as to be movable between a protruding position protruding from the document retainer h (see FIGS. 7 and 8) and an immersive position immersing the document retainer h (see FIG. 13). It has been. The lock member 31 is provided so as to be able to protrude and retract with respect to the opening 15 formed in the document retainer h. As shown in FIG. 7, the base end portion 31 b of the lock member 31 is formed larger than the width of the opening 15 and can be locked to the back side of the opening 15. Thereby, the lock member 31 protrudes to the bottom surface side of the document retainer h without falling off from the document retainer h.

  The first locking device 30 includes a spring member (second urging member) 35 that is provided on the document retainer h and urges the lock member 31 from the retracted position toward the protruding position. The spring member 35 is provided inside the opening 15 and is configured to urge the lock member 31 downward. As a result, as shown in FIG. 13, when the foreign object (such as a document) 100 is sandwiched between the lock member 31 and the opening 12, the lock member 31 is immersed in the document retainer h against urging. Further, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the lock member 31 automatically protrudes from the document presser h by urging as shown in FIGS. The spring member 35 has a stronger urging force than the spring member 34 that pushes up the lid member 33 with a slight force, so that the lock member 31 is not pushed against the lid member 33.

  The hook member 32 that can be engaged with the lock member 31 has an engagement position (see FIG. 11) for engaging with the lock member 31, and an engagement release position (see FIG. 10) for releasing the engagement with the lock member 31. Between the two. The hook member 32 has a support shaft 32a, and is provided so as to be rotatable about the support shaft 32a. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the support shaft 32 a is rotatably held by the frame 21 of the opening / closing lock unit 20. When the hook member 32 is located at the disengagement position shown in FIG. 10, the hook member 32 is retracted from the movement path of the lid member 33. Further, when the hook member 32 is located at the engagement position shown in FIG. 11, the hook member 32 projects into the movement path of the lid member 33 and engages with the through hole 31 a of the lock member 31.

  The first locking device 30 is provided in the scanner unit f, and a spring member (third urging member) 36 that urges the hook member 32 from the disengagement position toward the engagement position, and the apparatus main body. 10 and the projection part 37 provided in the scanner part f. When the scanner part f is in a closed state with respect to the apparatus main body 10, the projection part 37 comes into contact with the hook member 32 and resists biasing. And a link member 38 that moves from the engagement position to the engagement release position. The spring member 36 is disposed inside the frame 21 and biases the end 32b on the opposite side of the hook member 32 with the support shaft 32a interposed therebetween.

  The protrusion 37 is erected on the surface on which the scanner unit f of the apparatus main body 10 is placed, and has a columnar shape with a flat tip. The protrusion 37 can be inserted into the scanner f through the opening 16 provided on the bottom surface of the scanner f. The link member 38 has a shape bent in a substantially L shape. The link member 38 has a support shaft 38a, and is provided so as to be rotatable about the support shaft 38a. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the support shaft 38 a is rotatably held by the frame 21 of the open / close lock unit 20. As shown in FIG. 10, one end of the link member 38 is configured to be able to abut on the side opposite to the side on which the spring member 36 abuts against the end 32 b of the hook member 32. Further, the other end portion of the link member 38 can be brought into contact with the tip end of the projection portion 37.

  As a result, the hook member 32 resists urging by the link member 38 that comes into contact with the protrusion 37 when the scanner unit f is closed with respect to the apparatus main body 10 as shown in FIG. It moves to the disengagement position. Further, as shown in FIG. 11, the hook member 32 pushes back the link member 38 released from the contact with the projection 37 when the scanner part f is opened with respect to the apparatus main body 10, thereby engaging the hook member 32. It automatically moves from the mating release position toward the engagement position. Therefore, when the scanner unit f is closed with respect to the apparatus main body 10, the document holder h is not locked. On the other hand, when the scanner unit f is opened with respect to the apparatus body 10, Can be locked.

  On the other hand, the second locking device 40 locks the opening / closing of the scanner unit f. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the second lock device 40 is provided in the scanner unit f, and releases the engagement between the second engagement position that engages with the apparatus main body 10 and the apparatus main body 10. The second hook member 41 is movable between the second disengagement position. The second hook member 41 is configured to be engageable with the engaging portion 17 provided below the surface on which the scanner portion f of the apparatus main body 10 is placed. As shown in FIG. 8, the second hook member 41 is provided so as to be rotatable about a rotation shaft 41a. The rotating shaft 41a is urged in a rotating direction in which the second hook member 41 is locked by a torsion coil spring (not shown) or the like.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the second hook member 41 is provided at both ends of the rotation shaft 41 a and is configured to rotate integrally. The rotation shaft 41 a is provided so as to extend in the width direction of the scanner unit f, and the scanner unit f can be engaged with the apparatus main body 10 by the two second hook members 41. An arm member 41b is attached to one end of the rotating shaft 41a. The arm member 41b has a substantially L-shaped key shape facing the front side. As shown in FIG. 6, the arm member 41 b is disposed below the lid member 33. That is, one end of the rotating shaft 41a passes through the frame 21 of the open / close lock unit 20 and is rotatably held.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the second locking device 40 regulates the movement of the second hook member 41 to the second disengagement position when the lid member 33 is located at the closed position. As shown in FIG. 8, when the lid member 33 is located at the open position, the second hook member 41 has a restricting portion 42 for releasing the restriction of the movement to the second disengagement position. The restricting portion 42 is formed integrally with the lid member 33 and is configured to be slidable up and down integrally with the lid member 33. A space is formed on the back side of the lower end portion of the lid member 33 so as not to interfere with the arm member 41b in the vertical direction (see FIGS. 6 to 8).

  The restricting portion 42 has a convex shape protruding inward at the lower end portion of the lid member 33. As shown in FIG. 7, the restricting portion 42 faces the tip of the arm member 41b when the lid member 33 is located at the closed position, and restricts the rotation of the second hook member 41. As shown, when the lid member 33 is located at the open position, the tip of the arm member 41b is not opposed, and the restriction on the rotation of the second hook member 41 is released.

  Further, the second locking device 40 has a hook release button 43 for releasing the engagement of the second hook member 41 as shown in FIG. The hook release button 43 is a substantially L-shaped member slidably provided along the bottom surface of the scanner unit f, and includes a front surface part 43a (see FIG. 3) exposed on the front surface of the scanner part f, and a second part. And a distal end portion 43b that pushes the hook member 41 to release the engagement. As shown in FIG. 7, when the movement of the second hook member 41 is restricted by the restricting portion 42, the hook release button 43 cannot be pushed in, so the document retainer h is not closed (the document retainer h is The scanner unit f can be prevented from being opened and closed in a state where it cannot be locked.

  Next, the opening / closing operation of the scanner unit f in the MFP P having the above configuration will be described.

  First, as shown in FIG. 1, the user closes a document presser h provided to be openable and closable with respect to the scanner unit f. When the document retainer h is closed, the lock member 31 shown in FIG. 4 is inserted into the opening 12 shown in FIG. The opening 12 is provided on the same plane as the document placement surface 11 and is closed by a lid member 33 as shown in FIG. The lid member 33 moves from the closed position to the open position against the bias of the spring member 34 by the pressing of the lock member 31 (see FIG. 8). When the lid member 33 is lowered, the restricting portion 42 formed on the lid member 33 is also lowered. As shown in FIG. 8, when the lid member 33 is located at the open position, the restricting portion 42 is in a non-opposing state with the arm member 41 b. Thereby, the rotation restriction of the second hook member 41 is released, and the user can push in the hook release button 43.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 3, the user presses the hook release button 43 exposed on the front surface of the scanner unit f. When the hook release button 43 is pushed in, as shown in FIG. 8, the tip end portion 43 b of the hook release button 43 releases the engagement between the second hook member 41 and the engaging portion 17. When the second hook member 41 is disengaged from the engaging portion 17 by pushing the hook release button 43, the lock of the opening and closing of the scanner unit f with respect to the apparatus main body 10 (the lock by the second lock device 40) is released, and the apparatus main body 10, the scanner unit f can be opened and closed.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 12, the user opens the scanner unit f that can be opened and closed with respect to the apparatus main body 10. When the scanner unit f is opened, the contact between the projection 37 and the link member 38 is released as shown in FIG. The link member 38 released from contact with the protrusion 37 is pushed back by the hook member 32 biased by the spring member 36. The hook member 32 that has pushed back the link member 38 is automatically rotated from the disengagement position toward the engagement position by the bias of the spring member 36.

The hook member 32 rotated toward the engagement position is inserted into the through hole 31 a and engages with the lock member 31. When the hook member 32 is engaged with the lock member 31, the opening / closing of the document presser h with respect to the scanner unit f is locked (locked by the first lock device 30).
As described above, when the opening / closing of the document holder h with respect to the scanner unit f is locked, the document holder h is not opened when the scanner unit f is opened as shown in FIG. The center of gravity of the apparatus does not move rearward, and the apparatus body 10 can be reliably prevented from falling.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the opening portion 12 is provided in the scanner portion f, the lock member 31 provided in the document pressing h is inserted into the opening portion 12, and the lock member 31 is located below the document placement surface 11. By engaging the hook member 32, the opening and closing of the document retainer h is locked. A lid member 33 is provided in the opening 12 provided on the same plane as the document placement surface 11 and can be closed before the lock member 31 is inserted. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3, even when the opening 12 is disposed on the near side for easy access due to space saving or the like, damage due to the end of the document falling into the opening 12 or the opening 12. It is possible to prevent foreign matter (paper waste, dust, etc.) from entering the inside of the apparatus.

In the present embodiment, the spring member 34 is provided in the scanner section f, and the cover member 33 is urged toward the closing position so that the lock member 31 pushes the cover member 33 downward when the document pressing h is closed. Thus, when the opening 12 is opened and the document presser h is opened, the pressing of the lock member 31 is released, and the lid member 33 moves upward to automatically close the opening 12. For this reason, when the document retainer h is opened, the opening 12 is always in a closed state, and it is possible to surely prevent the end of the document from dropping and mixing of foreign matters.
Further, the following configuration is adopted as a countermeasure against the jamming of a document or the like by the lock member 31 that is assumed when the opening 12 is disposed on the front side where access is easy.

  That is, the lock member 31 is provided so as to be movable between a projecting position that projects from the document retainer h and an immersion position that is immersed in the document retainer h. According to this configuration, as shown in FIG. 13, even when a foreign object (a document, a sheet material, a plate material, etc.) 100 is placed on the opening 12, the lock member 31 is placed in the document retainer h. Since it can evacuate, it can prevent damage. In this way, by adopting a configuration in which the lock member 31 moves from the protruding position to the immersive position against the bias of the spring member 35 when a foreign object is sandwiched while being inserted into the opening 12. Further, it is possible to prevent damage such as perforation or tearing of the foreign material 100, or damage to the lock member 31 itself when the foreign material 100 is hard.

  In the present embodiment, the hook member 32 is movable between the engagement position and the engagement release position, the spring member 36 is provided in the scanner section f, and the hook member 32 is biased to the engagement position. When the scanner unit f is opened, the hook member 32 is moved to the engagement position in conjunction with the movement thereof, and the opening and closing of the document presser h is automatically locked, and the projection body 37 is provided on the apparatus body 10. The link member 38 is provided in the scanner unit f, and the hook member 32 is moved to the disengagement position against the bias, so that the opening / closing of the document pressing h is not locked when the scanner unit f is in the closed state. I have to. According to this configuration, as shown in FIG. 10, it is possible to prevent inadvertently locking the opening / closing of the document presser h with respect to the scanner unit f during normal use without opening / closing the scanner unit f.

  In the present embodiment, the scanner unit f is provided with a second hook member 41 that is movable between the second engagement position and the second engagement release position, so that the opening / closing of the apparatus main body 10 is locked / locked. Further, a restriction portion 42 is provided to restrict the movement of the second hook member 41 when the lid member 33 is in the open position so that the lock on the apparatus main body 10 cannot be released. When the member 33 is located at the closed position, the movement restriction of the second hook member 41 is released so that the lock on the apparatus main body 10 can be released. According to this configuration, as shown in FIG. 7, it is possible to prevent the scanner unit f from being opened and closed when the document retainer h is not closed (the document retainer h cannot be locked). Therefore, when the scanner unit f is opened, the document presser h is not opened without being locked, and the apparatus body 10 can be more reliably prevented from falling.

  As described above, according to the above-described embodiment, the scanner unit f provided to be openable / closable with respect to the apparatus main body 10, the document pressing member h provided to be openable / closable with respect to the scanner unit f, and the scanner unit f. And a first lock device 30 that locks the opening and closing of the document presser h when the document is opened and closed, and the scanner unit f is flush with the document placement surface 11 on which the document is placed. In addition, an opening 12 for locking the opening and closing of the document retainer h is formed, and the first lock device 30 is provided in the document retainer h, and the document retainer h is closed with respect to the scanner unit f. A lock member 31 that can be inserted into the opening 12 at the time, a lock member 31 that is provided in the scanner unit f and is inserted into the opening 12, and a hook member 32 that can be engaged below the document placement surface 11. ,scanner a lid member 33 provided at f and movable between a closed position that closes the opening 12 and an open position that moves below the document placement surface 11 and opens the opening 12. By adopting the configuration, it is possible to prevent the document holder h from falling down and the apparatus body 10 from falling down with a simple configuration even in a limited space due to a low-profile design or space saving. As a result, it is possible to obtain the multi-function device P that can prevent the document from being damaged due to the protrusions (the lock member 31) of the lock device 30 and the entry of foreign matter through the opening 12.

  As mentioned above, although preferred embodiment of this invention was described referring drawings, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment. Various shapes, combinations, and the like of the constituent members shown in the above-described embodiments are examples, and various modifications can be made based on design requirements and the like without departing from the gist of the present invention.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, the configuration in which the opening into which the lock member is inserted is disposed on the front side of the scanner unit has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and the document placement surface of the scanner unit As long as they are in the same plane, they may be provided at any position.

  Further, for example, in the above-described embodiment, the configuration in which the lid member is moved by the biasing member has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and the lid member is moved using a drive source such as a motor or a solenoid. It may be a configuration. The same applies to other moving configurations.

  Further, for example, in the above embodiment, the configuration in which the first locking device and the second locking device are linked and operated has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and each operates independently. It may be configured to do so.

  Further, for example, in the above-described embodiment, a multifunction peripheral is exemplified as the image forming apparatus, but the present invention can also be applied to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, and a facsimile machine.

  P: MFP (image forming apparatus), f: scanner unit (document reading apparatus), h: document holder, 10: apparatus main body, 11: document placement surface, 12: opening, 20: open / close lock unit, 30 ... 1st lock device (lock device), 31 ... lock member, 32 ... hook member, 33 ... lid member, 34 ... spring member (biasing member), 35 ... spring member (second biasing member), 36 ... Spring member (third urging member), 37 ... projection, 38 ... link member, 40 ... second locking device, 41 ... second hook member, 42 ... regulating part (regulating member), 100 ... foreign matter

Claims (7)

A document reading device provided to be openable / closable with respect to the apparatus main body, a document presser provided to be openable / closable with respect to the document reading device, and opening / closing of the document presser when the document reading device is opened / closed An image forming apparatus having a locking device,
In the document reading device, an opening for locking the opening and closing of the document presser is formed in the same plane as the document placement surface on which the document is placed.
The locking device is
A locking member that is provided on the document presser and that can be inserted into the opening when the document presser is closed with respect to the document reading device;
A hook member that is provided in the document reading device and that can be engaged with the lock member inserted into the opening and below the document placement surface;
A lid member that is provided in the document reading device and is movable between a closing position that closes the opening and an open position that moves below the document placement surface and opens the opening; An image forming apparatus characterized by that. The lock device includes a biasing member that is provided in the document reading device and biases the lid member from the open position toward the closed position.
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lid member moves from the closed position to the open position against the urging by pressing the lock member.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lock member is provided so as to be movable between a protruding position protruding from the document pressing member and an immersion position immersing in the document pressing member. apparatus. The locking device includes a second urging member that is provided on the document pressing member and urges the locking member from the immersive position toward the protruding position;
The image according to claim 3, wherein the lock member moves from the protruding position to the retracted position against the bias when a foreign object is sandwiched while being inserted into the opening. Forming equipment. The hook member is provided movably between an engagement position that engages with the lock member and an engagement release position that releases engagement with the lock member;
The locking device is
A third biasing member provided in the document reading device and biasing the hook member from the disengagement position toward the engagement position;
A protrusion provided on the apparatus body;
The document reading device is provided in the document reading device, contacts the projection when the document reading device is closed with respect to the device main body, and moves the hook member from the engagement position against the bias. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a link member that is moved to an engagement release position.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a second lock device that locks the opening and closing of the document reading device. The second locking device includes:
A second engagement position provided on the document reading device and movable between a second engagement position for engaging with the apparatus main body and a second engagement release position for releasing the engagement with the apparatus main body; A hook member;
When the lid member is located at the closed position, the movement of the second hook member to the second disengagement position is restricted, and when the lid member is located at the open position, the second hook member is restricted. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising a restriction member that releases restriction of movement of the hook member to the second disengagement position.

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