JP2018077396A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To expand the range of motion of an operation panel to reduce the area of the apparatus, and thereby reducing a space during transport of the apparatus and reducing the risk of contacting an obstacle.SOLUTION: An operation part 6 comprises: an operation panel holding member 12 that holds an operation panel 11; a rotation hinge 13 that is rotatably connected in the horizontal direction to the operation panel holding member 12 and has a stopper piece 13a; a cylinder part 14 having a first notch part 14a that is engaged with the stopper piece 13a when the rotational angle of the rotation hinge 13 becomes a first regulation angle α to regulate the rotation angle from exceeding the first regulation angle α, and a second notch part 14b that is engaged with the stopper piece 13a when the rotational angle of the rotation hinge 13 becomes a second regulation angle β to regulate the rotation angle from exceeding the second regulation angle β; and an operation part structure body 15 and a body holding member 16. The operation panel 11 can rotate in the horizontal direction to be retreated to the inside with respect to the front side of an apparatus 1M body.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 14

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus including a rotatable operation panel.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an operation panel provided in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a printer is known to be rotated in the horizontal direction in order to adjust the operation panel to an angle at which the operation panel is used according to the use conditions of the user. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1). Since the operation panel is provided on the assumption that the user stands and operates in front of the image forming apparatus, the movable range for adjusting the position thereof is limited.

  The operation panel described in Patent Literature 1 can be rotated in the horizontal direction or the vertical direction using a hinge mechanism provided with a rotation stopper.

  However, since the conventional operation panel reduces the area of the apparatus when the image forming apparatus is transported, the operation panel protrudes from the front side of the apparatus to the front side even if it is rotated to the maximum movable range of the operation panel. Therefore, when the image forming apparatus is transported through a narrow passage or a passage having protrusions, the operation panel comes into contact with an obstacle.

  In addition, when a strong force exceeding the movable range is applied to the operation panel in the rotation direction, if the load resistance of the stopper is exceeded, the stopper will not work and the operation panel will rotate indefinitely. If so, the harness housed inside the operation panel may be disconnected.

  The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and by expanding the movable range of the operation panel, the area of the apparatus can be suppressed, and space saving and risk of contact with obstacles can be reduced when the apparatus is transported. An object is to provide an image forming apparatus.

  In order to achieve the above object, an image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes an apparatus main body including an image forming unit that forms an image, and an operation panel that can be attached to and detached from the apparatus main body and can be rotated in a horizontal direction. An image forming apparatus including an operation unit, wherein the operation unit is connected to an operation panel holding member that holds the operation panel, the operation panel holding member, and the operation panel holding member so as to be rotatable in a horizontal direction. A rotation hinge having a stopper piece for restricting the rotation range of the rotation hinge, and the rotation hinge is rotated clockwise, and is engaged with the stopper piece when the rotation angle becomes the first restriction angle. The first notch for restricting the rotation angle so as not to exceed the first restriction angle and the rotation hinge rotate counterclockwise, and the rotation angle becomes the second restriction angle. Engage with the stopper piece and the rotation angle is And a connecting member that connects the apparatus main body and the cylindrical member, and the operation panel rotates in a horizontal direction. By doing so, it is the structure which can retract | save inside the front side of the said apparatus main body.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus capable of reducing the area of the apparatus by expanding the movable range of the operation panel, saving space and reducing the risk of contact with obstacles when the apparatus is transported.

1 is a perspective view illustrating an overall configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a front sectional view showing a schematic configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a configuration of an operation unit of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a configuration of an operation panel unit of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating an arrangement configuration of an operation unit of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a configuration for turning an operation unit of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a configuration for turning an operation unit of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an operation panel unit of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure explaining the mode of rotation of the operation panel unit of the image forming apparatus concerning an embodiment of the invention. It is a figure explaining the structure of the stopper of the conventional image forming apparatus. It is a figure explaining the structure of the stopper piece of the image forming apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows a contact state with the notch part of the stopper piece of the image forming apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a state of rotation of an operation unit of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a state in which an operation unit of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention is rotated and retracted to the inside of the apparatus main body. It is a figure explaining the mode of rotation of the operation part of the conventional image forming apparatus. It is a figure explaining the arrangement configuration of the operation part at the time of conveying the conventional image forming apparatus. It is a figure explaining the structure of the operation panel unit of the conventional image forming apparatus. It is a figure explaining the mode at the time of rotation of the operation panel unit of the conventional image forming apparatus. It is a figure explaining the mode at the time of the contact of the stopper of the conventional image forming apparatus. It is a figure explaining the state which the stopper of the conventional image forming apparatus deform | transformed. It is a figure explaining the state which the stopper of the conventional image forming apparatus deform | transformed. It is a figure explaining the relationship between the deformation | transformation of the stopper of the conventional image forming apparatus, and a harness.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  As shown in FIG. 1, an image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment includes an apparatus main body 1M having a paper feed section 2, an image forming section 3, and an image reading apparatus 4, and an automatic document arranged on the apparatus main body 1M. This is a digital multi-function machine including a transport device (ADF) 5 and an operation unit 6.

  On the front side F of the image forming unit 3, a toner replenishing unit 7 provided with a front door unit and a drawer unit 8 are provided. A plurality of casters 18 are provided on the bottom surface of the apparatus main body 1M to facilitate the movement of the image forming apparatus 1. The front side F of the image forming apparatus 1 means the front side of the image forming apparatus 1, and the rear side R means the back side of the image forming apparatus 1. A region between the front side F and the rear side R is also referred to as an inner side.

  FIG. 2 is a front sectional view showing a schematic configuration of the image forming apparatus 1. The paper feed unit 2 includes a plurality of stages of paper feed cassettes 21A, 21B, and 21C that can store cut sheet-like transfer papers P in a stacked state. In each of the paper feed cassettes 21A, 21B, and 21C, for example, transfer paper P (for example, white paper) having a sheet size selected in advance from a plurality of sheet sizes is accommodated in the vertical or horizontal paper feeding direction. ing.

  The paper feeding unit 2 includes paper feeding devices 22A, 22B, and 22C that sequentially pick up and separately transfer the transfer paper P stored in the paper feeding cassettes 21A, 21B, and 21C from the respective uppermost layers. The paper feeding unit 2 is further provided with various rollers 23 and the like. By these, the transfer paper P fed from each of the paper feeding devices 22A, 22B, and 22C is transferred to a predetermined image forming position of the image forming unit 3. A sheet feeding path 24 is formed to convey the sheet.

  The image forming unit 3 includes an exposure device 31, photosensitive drums 32K, 32Y, 32M, and 32C, and a developing device filled with black (K), yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C) toners. 33K, 33Y, 33M, and 33C are provided for image formation. The image forming unit 3 includes a primary transfer unit 34, a secondary transfer unit 35, and a fixing unit 36.

  For example, the exposure device 31 generates the laser light L for exposure of each color based on the image read by the image reading device 4. Further, the exposure device 31 exposes the photosensitive drums 32K, 32Y, 32M, and 32C of the respective colors with laser light, and static images of the respective colors corresponding to the read images on the surface layer portions of the photosensitive drums 32K, 32Y, 32M, and 32C. An electrostatic latent image is formed.

  The developing devices 33K, 33Y, 33M, and 33C supply thin layer toner to the corresponding photosensitive drums 32K, 32Y, 32M, and 32C so as to make the electrostatic latent image visible with the toner. Is supposed to do.

  The image forming unit 3 primarily transfers the toner image developed on the photosensitive drums 32K, 32Y, 32M, and 32C to the primary transfer unit 34, and the toner image is transferred by the secondary transfer unit 35 adjacent to the primary transfer unit 34. Secondary transfer is performed on the transfer paper P. Further, the image forming unit 3 heats and pressurizes the toner image secondarily transferred onto the transfer paper P and melts it, and fixes the color image on the transfer paper P for recording.

  The image forming unit 3 has a transport path 39A for transporting the transfer paper P carried from the paper feed unit 2 through the paper feed path 24 to the secondary transfer unit 35 side. In the transport path 39A, first, the transport timing and transport speed of the transfer paper P are adjusted by the registration roller pair 37. The transfer sheet P passes through the secondary transfer unit 35 and the fixing unit 36 in synchronization with the belt speed at the primary transfer unit 34 and the secondary transfer unit 35 and is then discharged onto the discharge tray 38. It is like that.

  The image forming unit 3 also has a manual paper feed path 39B that feeds transfer paper (not shown) placed on the manual feed tray 25 to the transport path 39A upstream of the registration roller pair 37. ing.

  Below the secondary transfer unit 35 and the fixing unit 36, a switchback conveyance path 39C and a reverse conveyance path 39D each including a plurality of conveyance rollers and conveyance guides are disposed.

  When forming an image on both sides of the transfer paper P, the switchback transport path 39C moves backward after moving the transfer paper P on which one side of the image has been fixed from one end (moves in the opposite direction to the time of entry). ) To carry out switchback.

  The reverse conveyance path 39D reverses the front and back of the transfer paper P that is switched back by the switchback conveyance path 39C, and feeds the paper again to the registration roller pair 37.

  The transfer paper P that has been subjected to the image fixing process on one side by the switchback conveyance path 39C and the reverse conveyance path 39D is reversed in its forward and reverse directions, and again enters the secondary transfer nip. . The transfer paper P is discharged onto the paper discharge tray 38 after the secondary transfer processing and fixing processing of the image are performed on the other surface.

  The automatic document feeder 5 is connected to the upper part of the apparatus main body 1M of the image forming apparatus 1 through a hinge mechanism so as to be opened and closed. The automatic document feeder 5 is rotated between an open position where the sheet document reading glass 43 and the contact glass 42 are exposed in the image reading device 4 and a closed position where the sheet document reading glass 43 and the contact glass 42 are covered. It is like that.

  The automatic document feeder 5 is configured as a sheet-through type automatic document feeder. The automatic document feeder 5 includes a document table 51 serving as a document placement table, a document transport unit 52 including various rollers and guide members, and a document discharge tray 53 that stacks document sheets S after image reading. Yes.

  The arrangement and configuration of the operation unit 6 will be described with reference to FIGS.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the operation unit 6 includes an operation panel unit 10 and a harness 20. The harness 20 passes through the operation panel unit 10 and is connected to the operation panel 11 from the apparatus main body 1M. The harness 20 is a circuit for transmitting and receiving digital signals between the apparatus main body 1M and the operation panel 11.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the operation panel unit 10 includes an operation panel 11, an operation panel holding member 12, a rotation hinge 13, a columnar member 14, an operation unit structure 15, and a main body holding member 16. The operation panel unit 10 can be attached to and detached from the apparatus main body 1M and can be rotated in the horizontal direction.

  The operation panel 11 has a liquid crystal display device provided with a touch sensor. The operation panel 11 accepts various inputs corresponding to user operations on the liquid crystal display device, and various information such as information corresponding to the accepted input, information indicating the operation status of the image forming apparatus 1, information indicating a setting state, and the like. Display information of.

  The operation panel holding member 12 is provided on the back side of the operation panel 11 and holds the operation panel 11. The distal end portion 12 a of the operation panel holding member 12 is adapted to engage with the hinge center shaft 13 b of the rotary hinge 13.

  The rotating hinge 13 has a stopper piece 13a, a hinge center column 13b, and a flat plate portion 13c. The rotation hinge 13 is connected to the operation panel holding member 12 so as to be rotatable in the horizontal direction.

  The flat plate portion 13c has a plurality of engagement holes 13d and is fixed to the distal end portion 12a. The hinge center column 13b is a column that becomes the rotation center of the rotation hinge 13, and is a substantially cylindrical member.

  The stopper piece 13a is a plate-like member provided at one end of the flat plate portion 13c, and is provided so as to protrude downward from the flat plate portion 13c. When the stopper piece 13a exceeds a predetermined position during rotation, the stopper piece 13a engages with a first cutout portion 14a or a second cutout portion 14b described later, and restricts the rotation range of the operation panel 11.

  The columnar member 14 includes a first cutout portion 14a, a second cutout portion 14b, a shaft portion 14c, and a hole portion 14d. The first cutout portion 14a is engaged with the stopper piece 13a when the rotation hinge 13 rotates clockwise and the rotation angle becomes a first restriction angle described later, and the rotation angle is the first restriction. Regulations are made so as not to exceed the angle α. The first notch portion 14a protrudes upward from a part of the upper surface of the shaft portion 14c, and when the rotation hinge 13 rotates clockwise, the rotation angle becomes the first restriction angle α. One side surface 13a1 of the stopper piece 13a is in surface contact with one side surface 14a1 of the first cutout portion 14a.

  The second notch 14b is engaged with the stopper piece 13a when the rotation hinge 13 rotates counterclockwise and the rotation angle becomes a second regulation angle β described later, and the rotation angle is the second. Is regulated so as not to exceed the regulation angle β. The second notch portion 14b protrudes upward from a part of the upper surface of the shaft portion 14c, and when the rotation hinge 13 rotates counterclockwise and the rotation angle becomes the second restriction angle β. The other side surface 13a2 of the stopper piece 13a is in surface contact with the one side surface 14b1 of the second notch portion 14b.

  A hole portion 14d is provided at the center of the cylindrical shaft portion 14c, and a prismatic operation portion structure 15 is connected to a lower portion of the shaft portion 14c into which the hinge center column 13b is inserted from above. A space through which the harness 20 can pass is provided inside the operation unit structure 15. A plurality of small holes are provided on the side surface of the operation unit structure 15 in order to allow heat dissipation.

  The main body holding member 16 is connected to the operation unit structure 15 and is pressed and fixed to the main body fixing unit 17 provided on the right side surface of the apparatus main body 1M to connect the apparatus main body 1M and the operation unit 6. On the side surface of the main body holding member 16, a plurality of holes for screwing the main body 1M is provided. The operation unit structure 15 and the main body holding member 16 constitute a connecting member according to the present invention.

  The reason why the operation unit 6 is provided on the right side surface of the apparatus main body 1M is that the layout is intended to allow the user to perform machine operations on the assumption that there are generally many right-handed users. When the user holds the vicinity of the right end portion 11a of the operation panel and rotates in the horizontal direction, the user can adjust the angle to be easily operated by the user.

  The rotation of the operation unit 6 will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 6 shows a state before the rotating hinge 13 is assembled to the cylindrical member 14. When the operation unit panel 11 rotates, the rotation hinge 13 rotates about the center of the columnar member 14 as the rotation axis inside the operation panel unit 10. The dotted line in FIG. 6 indicates the rotation axis of the rotation hinge 13 and the arrow indicates the rotation direction.

  A stopper piece 13 a provided on the movable rotating hinge 13 rotates in conjunction with the operation panel holding member 12. Further, since the columnar member 14 of the operation panel unit is fastened to the operation unit structure 15 pressed and fixed to the main body fixing unit 17, it is fixed to the apparatus main body 1M as shown in FIG. .

  When the operation panel 11 is rotated, the stopper piece 13 a provided on the rotation hinge 13 of the operation panel unit 10 is rotated by contacting the first notch portion 14 a or the second notch portion 14 b of the columnar member 14. Be regulated. FIG. 7 shows a state where the stopper piece 13a is rotated counterclockwise and is in contact with the second cutout portion 14b. The movable range of the operation unit 6 is determined by the positional relationship between the first notch part 14 a or the second notch part 14 b of the cylindrical member 14 and the end of the stopper piece 13 a of the rotating hinge 13.

  FIG. 8 is a front view of the operation panel unit 10, and FIG. 9 shows a top view and AA cross-sectional views at each rotation angle when the operation panel unit 10 is rotated within a movable range.

  The rotation angle is based on the case where the operation surface of the operation panel 11 is parallel to the front surface of the apparatus main body 1M, and the angle at this time is 0 °. A rotation angle when the operation panel 11 is rotated clockwise is a positive angle, and a rotation angle when the operation panel 11 is rotated counterclockwise is a negative angle.

  FIG. 9A shows a state in which the operation panel 11 is rotated clockwise by the first restriction angle α around the rotation center of the tip end portion 12a. The first restriction angle α is an angle at which one side surface 13a1 of the stopper piece 13a comes into surface contact with and engages with one side surface 14a1 of the first notch portion 14a. Therefore, the state shown in FIG. Is the limit of movement.

  FIG. 9B shows an AA cross section of the operation panel 11 in this state. One side surface 13a1 of the stopper piece 13a is in surface contact with one side surface 14a1 of the first cutout portion 14a, and the clockwise rotation of the operation panel 11 that is equal to or greater than the first regulation angle α is restricted.

  FIG. 9C shows a state where the rotation angle of the operation panel 11 is 0 °. FIG. 9D shows a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of the operation panel 11 in this state. The stopper piece 13a is not in contact with either the first cutout portion 14a or the second cutout portion 14b, and is rotated. Is not regulated.

  FIG. 9E shows a state in which the operation panel 11 is rotated counterclockwise by the second restriction angle β around the rotation center of the tip end portion 12a. Since the second regulating angle β is an angle at which the other side surface 13a2 of the stopper piece 13a comes into surface contact with the one side surface 14b1 of the second notch 14b, the state shown in FIG. It is the limit of movement in the direction.

  FIG. 9F shows an AA cross section of the operation panel 11 in this state. The other side surface 13a2 of the stopper piece 13a is in surface contact with the one side surface 14b1 of the second notch portion 14b, and the rotation of the operation panel 11 in the counterclockwise direction equal to or greater than the second regulation angle β is restricted.

  As described above, the movable rotation range of the operation panel 11 is between the first restriction angle α and the second restriction angle β. An example of the first restriction angle α is 135 °, and an example of the second restriction angle is −48 °. However, when the operation panel 11 is rotated, the operation panel 11 is not in front of the apparatus body 1M. Any other angle range may be used as long as the end face is inside the apparatus main body 1M and can be retracted.

  As an example of a conventional product, there is an example in which the first restriction angle is set to 65 °, but at this angle, the operation panel could not be retracted inward with respect to the front surface of the apparatus body. The operating angle of the operation panel 11 is increased. Thereby, the operation panel 11 can be retracted inside the front side of the apparatus main body 1M. By retracting the operation unit 6 to the inside when the image forming apparatus 1 is transported, it is possible to prevent contact with an obstacle that is outside the front.

  Here, a conventional operation panel will be described with reference to FIGS.

  As shown in FIGS. 15 (a) to 15 (c), the range of motion during rotation in the configuration of the conventional operation unit 106 was 83 °. When the apparatus main body 101M is viewed from above, the direction in which the user operates and the angle at which the operation panel 111 is parallel to the front surface of the apparatus main body 101M is 0 °, 65 ° clockwise, It becomes 28 ° counterclockwise.

  Even if the operation unit 106 is rotated clockwise as viewed from the upper surface of the machine, the operation unit 106 protrudes from the front of the machine at the position of the operation unit 106 that is the maximum movable range. FIG. 16 shows a schematic diagram when the image forming apparatus 101 is transported. When the operation unit 106 is collided with an obstacle during transport or when the operation unit 106 is intentionally pressed inward from the front of the apparatus main body 101M, the operation panel unit is shown. Stress is applied to the stopper portion 112 a provided on the operation panel holding member 112 inside the 110.

  FIG. 17 shows a state before the conventional apparatus panel unit 110 is assembled, and FIG. 18 shows a state where the conventional operation panel unit 110 is assembled.

  In the conventional product, the stopper portion 112a of the operation panel holding member 112 provided in the operation panel unit 110 is used as a stopper when the operation portion is rotated. When the operation panel 11 is rotated, the operation panel holding member 112 is rotated by the rotation hinge 113, and the rotation is restricted by the stopper portion 112 a of the operation panel holding member 112 coming into contact with the notches 114 a and 114 b of the cylindrical member 114. . Since the stress of the operation panel holding member 112 concentrates at that time, the stopper portion 112a of the operation panel holding member 112 and the bent portion 113a of the rotary hinge 113 are fastened with screws 121, so that the strength is higher than that received by one piece. The structure was increased.

  The power point for rotating the operation unit 106 is an end of the operation panel 111 and has a distance from the rotation axis center. As a result, the stopper portion 112a cannot withstand the moment generated with respect to the force applied to the end portion of the operation panel 111, and the stopper portion 112a may be deformed.

  FIG. 19A is a cross-sectional view inside the conventional operation panel unit 110, and FIG. 19B is an enlarged view thereof.

  The contact positions of the notches 114a and 114b of the columnar member 114 provided in the conventional operation panel unit 110 and the stopper 112a of the operation panel holding member 112 are such that the notches 114a and 114b of the columnar member 114 are in contact with each other. On the other hand, the stopper portion 112a of the operation panel holding member 112 comes into contact with the edge. When the stopper portion 112a moves around the rotation axis of the rotary hinge 113, the stopper portion 112a of the operation panel holding member 112 that is in contact is continuously pressed by the notches 114a and 114b, and an obtuse angle as shown in FIG. Open to.

  When the stopper portion 112a is deformed and the bent portion is opened to the obtuse angle side, the notches 114a and 114b of the cylindrical member 114 are not engaged with the stopper portion 112a of the operation panel holding member 112 as shown in FIG. . Therefore, the stopper portion 112a of the operation panel holding member 112 does not serve as a rotation restriction, and the operation portion 106 rotates indefinitely when stress is applied as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 22, the operation unit 106 includes a harness 120 that passes through the inside of the operation unit structure 115 and is connected to the operation panel 111. Since the harness 120 is limited in length, if the harness 120 continues to rotate indefinitely, the harness 120 stretches and leads to disconnection.

  In order to prevent this disconnection, it is possible to reduce the risk of impact by expanding the movable range of the operation unit 106 and retracting it to the inside of the front surface of the apparatus main body 101M, and to prevent rotation even if the operation unit 106 is stressed. Therefore, it is necessary to prevent the operation unit 106 from excessively rotating.

  Next, the prevention of deformation of the stopper piece 13a according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

  The operation panel 11 is provided with a stopper piece 13a integrated with the rotary hinge 13 instead of the operation panel holding member 12 as a stopper that engages with the first cutout portion 14a and the second cutout portion 14b of the cylindrical member 14. The strength is increased.

  The operation panel 11 uses a vacant space by eliminating the stopper portion 112 a of the conventional operation panel holding member 112. The thickness of the sheet metal integrated with the rotary hinge 13 is 1.2 mm while the thickness of the bent portion 113a of the conventional rotary hinge 113 is 1.2 mm, whereas the thickness of the stopper piece 13a integrated with the rotary hinge 13 is 1.2 mm. Was larger than 2.9 mm. The plate thickness of the rotary hinge 13 is not limited to this plate thickness as long as a certain strength can be maintained, and may be another plate thickness.

  Conventionally, as shown in FIG. 19B, the stopper portion 112a is in contact with the notches 114a and 114b at the edges, but the positions of the first notch portion 14a and the second notch portion 14b of the cylindrical member 14 are changed. By changing, the stopper piece 13a was brought into surface contact as shown in FIG. 9 and FIG. 12 (a). By bringing the first notch part 14a, the second notch part 14b, and the stopper piece 13a into surface contact, the stress is prevented from being concentrated locally and the deformation of the stopper piece 13a is prevented. FIG. 12B is an enlarged view of a contact portion between the stopper piece 13a and the cutout portion 14a1.

  As shown in FIG. 10, the conventional product uses a technique in which strength is obtained by fastening the stopper portion 112 a of the operation panel holding member 112 and the bent portion 113 a of the rotating hinge 113, that is, two metal plates with screws. However, since each plate thickness is 1.2 mm and a fastening hole is necessary for each sheet metal, sufficient strength cannot be secured.

  By setting the shape of the stopper piece 13a to the shape and thickness shown in FIG. 11, the stopper portion 112a that has been deformed at an obtuse angle by applying a stress of 30N to the end of the operation panel 106 has not been deformed even when a stress of 200N is applied. Fulfill the regulatory effect.

  Actually, since the casters 18 are provided on the legs of the apparatus main body 1M, the entire image forming apparatus 1 is configured to move when a stress of 150 N is applied. Therefore, since the image forming apparatus 1 moves when a stress exceeding 150 N is applied, the stopper piece 13 a is not normally subjected to a stress of 200 N, and deformation can be prevented.

  A positional relationship with respect to the apparatus main body 1M when the operation unit 6 is rotated will be described with reference to FIGS. 13 and 14. FIG. 13 shows a state where the operation unit 6 is rotated clockwise from the second restriction angle β. The operation unit 6 protrudes to the right side of the apparatus main body 1M when the rotation angle indicated by the solid line is near the second regulation angle β, and protrudes to the front side of the apparatus main body 1M when the rotation angle indicated by the dotted line is near 90 °.

  When the operation unit 6 is rotated clockwise from the state shown in FIG. 13 to the vicinity of the first regulation angle α, the operation unit 6 is accommodated inside the apparatus main body 1M as shown in FIG. Become. The movable range when the operation panel 11 is retracted inward from the front side of the apparatus main body 1M is configured to be outside the range of the area occupied by the automatic document feeder 5 on the upper surface of the apparatus main body 1M. As a result, in the image forming apparatus 1 including the automatic document feeder 5 above the apparatus main body 1M, the operation unit 6 does not come into contact with the automatic document feeder 5 even if the operation unit 6 is rotated.

  When the stopper piece 13a provided on the rotation hinge 13 of the operation panel unit 10 and the first notch portion 14a of the column member 14 are engaged, the engagement position of the column member 14 is set on the operation unit 6 on the apparatus main body 1M. The end portion is restrained in front of the apparatus from the position where the automatic document feeder 5 comes into contact. As a result, it is possible to prevent overloading due to interference between the automatic document feeder 5 and the operation unit 6.

  As described above, the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment is detachable from the apparatus main body 1M including the image forming unit 3 that performs image formation and the apparatus main body 1M, and can be rotated in the horizontal direction. Is provided.

  The operation unit 6 is connected to the operation panel holding member 12 for holding the operation panel 11 and the operation panel holding member 12 so as to be rotatable in the horizontal direction, and a stopper piece for restricting the rotation range of the operation panel 11. The rotation hinge 13 having 13a and the rotation hinge 13 rotate clockwise, and when the rotation angle becomes the first restriction angle α, the rotation hinge 13 is engaged with the stopper piece 13a and the rotation angle is the first restriction. When the first cutout portion 14a and the rotation hinge 13 that regulate not to exceed the angle α rotate counterclockwise and the rotation angle becomes the second regulation angle β, the first cutout portion 14a engages with the stopper piece 13a. A columnar member 14 having a second notch 14b that restricts the moving angle from exceeding the second regulation angle β, an operation unit structure 15 that connects the apparatus main body 1M and the columnar member 14, and a main body holding member 16 And have.

  Further, the operation panel 11 is configured to be retractable inward from the front side of the apparatus 1M main body by rotating in the horizontal direction.

  With this configuration, in the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, the operation panel 11 has a stopper piece in the counterclockwise direction until the stopper piece 13a engages with the first notch 14a in the clockwise direction. It can be rotated in the range until 13a engages with the second notch 14b, and the range of motion is widened. Since the operation panel 11 is configured to be retractable to the inner side from the front side of the apparatus main body 1M by rotating, the apparatus area can be suppressed, and space saving and risk of contact with obstacles can be reduced when the apparatus is transported. it can.

  In the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, the operation unit 6 includes a harness 20 connected to the apparatus main body 1M.

  With this configuration, the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment has the harness 20 connected to the operation panel 11 from the apparatus main body 1M, so that digital signals can be transmitted to and received from the apparatus main body 1M.

  Further, in the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, the side surface 13a1 of the stopper piece 13a is the first when the rotation hinge 13 rotates clockwise and the rotation angle becomes the first restriction angle α. When the rotation hinge 13 rotates counterclockwise and the rotation angle becomes the second regulation angle β, the other side surface 13a2 of the stopper piece 13a is second. The cutout portion 14b is in surface contact with the one side surface 14b1.

  With this configuration, in the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, when the rotation hinge 13 is rotated to the maximum extent, one side surface 13a1 or the other side surface 13a2 of the stopper piece 13a is one side surface of the first notch portion 14a. 14a1 or one side surface 14b1 of the second notch portion 14b is in surface contact, so that stress due to contact with the stopper piece 13a can be dispersed. Therefore, even when the stopper piece 13a is in contact with the first cutout portion 14a or the second cutout portion 14b and a load is applied, the stopper piece 13a can be prevented from being deformed. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the rotation of the rotation hinge 13 from being restricted due to the deformation of the stopper piece 13a.

  Further, the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment includes the automatic document feeder 5 on the upper part of the apparatus main body 1M, and the movable range when the operation panel 11 is retracted inward from the front side of the apparatus main body 1M is The upper surface of the apparatus main body 1M is configured to be outside the range of the area occupied by the automatic document feeder 5.

  With this configuration, in the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, the movable range of the operation panel 11 is restricted by the first cutout portion 14a and the second cutout portion 14b, and the operation panel 11 is on the front side of the apparatus main body 1M. When retracted inward, the automatic document feeder 5 is prevented from contacting. Therefore, it is possible to prevent overloading due to interference between the automatic document feeder 5 and the operation panel 11.

  In the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, the operation unit structure 15 and the main body holding member 16 are provided on the side surface of the main body 1M.

  With this configuration, in the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, the operation unit structure 15 and the main body holding member 16 are provided on the side surface of the apparatus main body 1M, and the operation panel 11 can be easily detached from the apparatus main body 1M. It has become.

  In the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, the apparatus main body 1M is provided with casters 18 on the bottom surface.

  With this configuration, when an excessive force is applied to the operation panel 11, the image forming apparatus 1 can easily move, so that the stopper piece 13 a can be prevented from being deformed. Further, the deformation of the stopper piece 13a makes it impossible to regulate the rotation of the operation panel 11, and the harness 20 can be prevented from being disconnected.

  As described above, according to the present invention, there is an effect that the device area can be suppressed by widening the movable range of the operation panel, and the space saving and the risk of contact with obstacles can be reduced when the device is transported. This is useful for all image forming apparatuses.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 1M Apparatus main body 3 Image forming part 6 Operation part 10 Operation panel unit 11 Operation panel 12 Operation panel holding member 13 Rotating hinge 13a Stopper piece 13a1 One side surface 13a2 Other side surface 14 Cylindrical member 14a First notch part 14a1 One Side surface 14b Second cutout portion 14b1 One side surface 15 Operation unit structure (connecting member)
16 Main body holding member (connecting member)
17 Main body fixing part 18 Caster 20 Harness α First restriction angle β Second restriction angle

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-152018

Claims (6)

An image forming apparatus including an apparatus main body including an image forming unit that performs image formation, and an operation unit including an operation panel that is attachable to and detachable from the apparatus main body and is rotatable in a horizontal direction,
The operation unit includes an operation panel holding member that holds the operation panel;
A rotation hinge coupled to the operation panel holding member so as to be rotatable in the horizontal direction, and having a stopper piece for regulating a rotation range of the operation panel;
The rotation hinge is rotated clockwise, and when the rotation angle becomes the first restriction angle, the stopper hinge is engaged and the rotation angle is restricted so as not to exceed the first restriction angle. When the notch of 1 and the rotation hinge rotate counterclockwise and the rotation angle becomes the second restriction angle, the stopper piece is engaged and the rotation angle becomes the second restriction angle. A cylindrical member having a second notch that regulates not to exceed,
A connecting member that connects the apparatus main body and the cylindrical member;
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation panel can be retracted inward from the front side of the apparatus main body by rotating in the horizontal direction.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation unit includes a harness connected to the apparatus main body.   When the rotation hinge rotates clockwise and the rotation angle becomes the first restriction angle, one side surface of the stopper piece comes into surface contact with one side surface of the first notch portion, and the rotation hinge 2 is rotated counterclockwise and the other side surface of the stopper piece comes into surface contact with one side surface of the second notch when the rotation angle becomes the second restriction angle. Alternatively, the image forming apparatus according to claim 2. An automatic document feeder is provided at the top of the apparatus body,
2. The movable range when the operation panel retracts inward from the front side of the apparatus main body is outside the range of the area occupied by the automatic document feeder on the upper surface of the apparatus main body. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the connecting member is provided on a side surface of the apparatus main body.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a caster is provided on a bottom surface of the apparatus main body.

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