JP2023076542A - Image formation device - Google Patents

Abstract

To improve the operability of an image formation device using a communication instrument.SOLUTION: An image formation device includes: an image formation part forming images on sheets; a discharge tray which supports the sheet on which images are formed by the image formation part and which is discharged from a discharge port; and an antenna part for short-range radio communication. The antenna part is provided at a position offset relative to the discharge tray to the outer side in a width direction orthogonal to a sheet discharge direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus having an antenna section for short-range wireless communication.

For example, in the image forming apparatus described in Patent Document 1, short-range wireless communication is possible between the image forming apparatus and a mobile device.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2011-103572

However, if the arrangement position of the antenna unit used for short-range wireless communication is inappropriate, the operability of the image forming apparatus using a communication device such as a mobile device is deteriorated.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to improve the operability of an image forming apparatus using a communication device.

In order to achieve the above objects, the present invention provides an image forming section (5) for forming an image on a sheet, a housing (3) constituting an exterior design surface, and a A communication unit (11B) having an antenna unit (11A) for short-range wireless communication, and corresponding to the antenna unit (11A) in the housing (3) can see through the communication unit (11B) from above. It is characterized by being provided in a possible position.

Accordingly, in the present invention, the communication device can be easily brought close to or in contact with the communication unit (11B), so that wireless communication between the antenna unit (11A) and the communication device can be established satisfactorily. It is possible to improve the operability of the image forming apparatus using the .

Note that “near field communication” means, for example, wireless communication within a range of up to about one mail.
By the way, the symbols in parentheses of the above means and the like are examples showing the correspondence with specific means and the like described in the embodiments described later, and the present invention is indicated by the symbols in the parentheses of the above means and the like. It is not limited to specific means or the like.

1 is an external perspective view of an image forming apparatus 1 according to a first embodiment of the invention; FIG. 1 is a central sectional view of an image forming apparatus 1 according to a first embodiment of the invention; FIG. 1 is a projection view of an image forming apparatus 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention on a horizontal plane; FIG. FIG. 7 is an external perspective view of an image forming apparatus 1 according to a second embodiment of the invention; FIG. 11 is an external perspective view of an image forming apparatus 1 according to a third embodiment of the invention; FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a modified example of the image forming apparatus 1 according to the third embodiment of the invention; FIG. 11 is an external perspective view of an image forming apparatus 1 according to a fourth embodiment of the invention;

The "embodiment of the invention" described below indicates an example of the embodiment. In other words, the matters specifying the invention described in the claims are not limited to the specific means, structures, etc. shown in the following embodiments. Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

(First embodiment)
1. Schematic Configuration of Image Forming Apparatus As shown in FIG. 1, a housing 3 of the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment constitutes an exterior design surface of the image forming apparatus 1. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, an image forming section 5 for forming an image on a sheet such as paper is housed inside the main body of the apparatus, that is, inside the housing 3 .

Note that the image forming unit 5 according to the present embodiment is an electrophotographic image forming means having a photosensitive member 5A, a charging device 5B, an exposing device 5C, a transfer member 5D, a fixing device 5E, and the like. Department.

Photoreceptor 5A carries a developer image. The charger 5B charges the photoreceptor 5A. The exposure device 5C forms an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photoreceptor 5A by exposing the charged surface of the photoreceptor 5A. Then, when a charged developer is supplied to the photoreceptor 5A on which the electrostatic latent image is formed, the developer image is carried on the surface of the photoreceptor 5A.

The transfer body 5D is means for transferring the developer image carried on the photoreceptor 5A onto a sheet, and is disposed at a position facing the photoreceptor 5A. The fixing device 5E fixes the developer image transferred to the sheet. Note that the fixing device 5E according to the present embodiment is a heating-type fixing device that heats the developer and fuses it to the sheet.

Then, the sheet on which image formation has been completed is discharged from the discharge port 7A and placed on the discharge tray 7 . Note that the discharge port 7A according to the present embodiment opens forward in the upper rear portion of the housing 3 . The discharge tray 7 is formed with an inclined surface that is inclined so as to become lower as it approaches the discharge port 7A.

A paper feed tray 9 having a stacking portion 9A on which a plurality of sheets can be placed is provided below the image forming portion 5 in the housing 3 . The paper feed tray 9 is detachably attached to the main body of the apparatus, that is, the housing 3 . Note that, in the present embodiment, the paper feed tray 9 can be attached to and detached from the housing 3 by moving the paper feed tray 9 forward and backward.

The sheets stacked on the paper feed tray 9 are sequentially fed to the image forming section 5 from the upper end in the stacking direction.
2. As shown in FIG. 2, a communication board 11 having an antenna section 11A for short-range wireless communication is arranged in the antenna section housing 3 for short-range wireless communication. In the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, by performing short-range wireless communication with a communication device (not shown) such as a portable device via the antenna section 11A, for example, the following actions are possible. .

That is, (a) the image forming apparatus 1 is operated via the operation unit of the communication device. (b) The image data to be formed on the sheet is directly transmitted from the communication device to the image forming apparatus 1 without using a computer or the like, and printed. or (c) by authenticating the owner of the communication device, the owner is permitted to perform an operation that is permitted in advance, and any operation other than the permitted operation is prohibited.

Further, of the outer surface of the housing 3, the communication section 11B corresponding to the antenna section 11A is provided at a position where the communication section 11B can be seen from above, as shown in FIG.
In other words, at least on the upper side of the communication section 11B, there is no part constituting the image forming apparatus 1, and the communication section 11B is a space. Therefore, there is nothing blocking the user's field of vision from the upper side of the communication section 11B to the communication section 11B, and the user can see through the communication section 11B from the upper side.

Specifically, the communication unit 11B is provided on the upper surface of the housing 3 on the front side. An operation unit 13 operated by a user is provided on the front side of the housing 3 . That is, the communication unit 11B according to the present embodiment is provided on the same side as the operation unit 13 at least in the front-rear direction of the housing 3 .

More specifically, the communication unit 11</b>B according to the present embodiment is provided at a position shifted forward with respect to the discharge tray 7 in the front-rear direction of the housing 3 . Note that “the front side of the housing 3 in the front-rear direction” refers to, for example, the side on which the operation unit 13 is provided with respect to the center in the front-rear direction.

Therefore, when the antenna section 11A and charger 5B are projected on the horizontal plane, the antenna section 11A projected on the horizontal plane is shifted from the charger 5B projected on the horizontal plane, as shown in FIG. That is, in the present embodiment, the antenna section 11A projected on the horizontal plane is located on the opposite side of the fixing device 5E projected on the horizontal plane with the charging device 5B projected on the horizontal plane interposed therebetween.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the communication section 11B is formed in a horizontal plane. Note that the term “horizontal” refers to a horizontal level to the extent that when the communication device is placed on the communication section 11B, the communication device does not slide down from the communication section 11B, that is, the housing 3 . Further, the term "planar" refers to a planar shape that does not cause large rattling in the communication device when the communication device is placed on the communication section 11B.

An opening 3A and a front cover 3B are provided on the front surface of the housing 3. As shown in FIG. The opening 3A allows the inside and outside of the housing 3 to communicate with each other. The front cover 3B is assembled to the housing 3 so as to be displaceable between a position that closes the opening 3A and a position that opens it. Note that the front cover 3B according to the present embodiment opens and closes the opening 3A by swinging about the lower end side.

The antenna section 11A is arranged above the upper end of the front cover 3B.
In other words, the antenna section 11A is located at a position shifted outward from the outer edge of the opening 3A when viewed from the opening direction of the opening 3A (the front-rear direction in this embodiment).

Note that the opening 3A according to the present embodiment is a work opening for performing the work of attaching and detaching the process unit 5F, the work of removing jammed sheets, and the like. Incidentally, the process unit 5F is a casing containing the photoreceptor 5A, developer, and the like.

3. Features of the Image Forming Apparatus According to this Embodiment In this embodiment, the communication section 11B is provided at a position where the communication section 11B can be seen from above, so communication can be easily performed with a communication device such as a smartphone. It can be brought close to or in contact with portion 11B. Therefore, since the wireless communication between the antenna section 11A and the communication device can be satisfactorily established, the operability of the image forming apparatus using the communication device can be improved.

In the present embodiment, the antenna section 11A projected on the horizontal plane is arranged such that the antenna section 11A is shifted from the charging device 5B projected on the horizontal plane. The distance can be a relatively large distance. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the antenna section 11A from receiving electrical noise from the charger 5B.

In this embodiment, the antenna portion 11A projected on the horizontal plane is disposed on the opposite side of the fixing device 5E projected on the horizontal plane with the charging device 5B projected on the horizontal plane interposed therebetween. Therefore, the antenna section 11A can be separated from the fixing device 5E. Therefore, when the heating type fixing device 5E is employed, the antenna section 11A can be protected from the heat of the fixing device 5E.

In the present embodiment, the communication unit 11B is provided at a position shifted from the discharge tray 7, so that the sheets placed on the discharge tray 7 become an obstacle, causing the communication device to approach or approach the communication unit 11B. It is possible to prevent the occurrence of a problem that the contact cannot be made.

In this embodiment, the communication unit 11B is located on the upper surface of the front side, so that the user can easily bring the communication device closer to or contact the communication unit 11B.
In this embodiment, the communication unit 11B is formed in a horizontal plane shape, so that the communication device can be left in a state of being placed on the communication unit 11B. Therefore, since the user does not need to keep holding the communication device, the usability of the image forming apparatus can be improved.

In this embodiment, since the antenna section 11A is arranged above the upper end of the front cover 3B, the user can easily bring the communication device closer to or close to the communication section 11B regardless of the position of the front cover 3B. can be contacted.

That is, if the communication unit 11B is provided on a movable member such as the front cover 3B, the position of the communication unit 11B will be displaced depending on the state of the movable member. or difficult to contact.

(Second embodiment)
The communication unit 11B according to the first embodiment is provided at a position shifted forward with respect to the ejection tray 7 in the front-rear direction of the housing 3. However, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. A communication unit 11B is provided at a position shifted from the discharge tray 7 in the left-right direction of the housing 3 .

Further, the communication portion 11B according to the present embodiment is formed in an inclined surface shape that becomes lower toward the front side. A holding portion 11C for holding the communication device is provided on the lower end side of the communication portion 11B.

The inclined surface forming the communication section 11B of the housing 3 is integrally formed with the top cover 3C forming the housing 3, or formed separately from the top cover 3C and assembled with the top cover 3C. There is no question about the composition, such as

Further, since the communication unit 11B according to the present embodiment is formed in the shape of an inclined surface that becomes lower toward the front side, for example, when the communication device is provided with a display unit, the user can easily communicate. This makes it possible to easily view the display section while the machine is placed on the communication section 11B.

Further, in this embodiment, since the holding section 11C for holding the communication device is provided at the lower end side of the communication section 11B, the user does not have to keep holding the communication device. Therefore, it is possible to improve usability of the image forming apparatus.

In FIG. 4, the communication unit 11B is provided on the rear side, that is, on the rear side of the center in the front-rear direction, but the present embodiment is not limited to this, and the communication unit 11B is provided on the front side. good too.

In addition, in FIG. 4, the holding portion 11C is configured by a groove extending in the left-right direction, but the present embodiment is not limited to this. 11C, the flat surface of the top cover 3C may be used as it is as the holding portion 11C, or the holding portion 11C may be eliminated.

(Third embodiment)
In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the present invention is applied to an image forming apparatus 1 integrated with a reading unit 20 for reading image information written on a document.

That is, the housing 3 according to this embodiment is configured to have a first housing portion 31, a second housing portion 32, and the like. The first housing portion 31 is a housing portion in which the image forming portion 5 is accommodated, and is a portion corresponding to the housing according to the first embodiment.

The second housing portion 32 is a housing portion that accommodates the reading portion 20 and is positioned above the first housing portion 31 with a space 30A therebetween. In other words, the reading unit 20 is positioned above the ejection tray 7 with the space 30A therebetween.

Further, an operation panel 32</b>A that constitutes a part of the second housing portion 32 and has the operation portion 13 is provided at a position shifted from the reading portion 20 in the second housing portion 32 . A communication unit 11B is provided on the operation panel 32A.

Therefore, when the reading section 20 and the antenna section 11A are projected on the horizontal plane, the antenna section 11A projected on the horizontal plane is shifted from the reading section 20 projected on the horizontal plane.
Further, in this embodiment, the operation panel 32A is provided at a position that is shifted forward with respect to the reading unit 20 and that the operation panel 32A can be seen from above.

Therefore, in this embodiment, the user can easily bring the communication device closer to or contact the communication unit 11B without the reading unit 20 becoming an obstacle. Since the communication unit 11B is provided in the second housing unit 32 arranged above the first housing unit 31, the user can easily bring the communication device close to the communication unit 11B from above. or can be brought into contact.

As shown in FIG. 5, the communication section 11B according to the present embodiment is configured in the same inclined surface shape as in the second embodiment, but the holding section 11C is not provided. However, this embodiment is not limited to this, and the holding portion 11C may be provided on the lower end side of the communication portion 11B, or the communication portion 11B may be formed in a horizontal plane.

When the holding portion 11C is provided, for example, as shown in FIG. 6, a concave portion 11D recessed downward from the upper surface of the operation panel 32A is provided, and the lower end side of the communication portion 11B or the entire communication portion 11B is the concave portion 11D. It is good also as a structure located in the bottom part of. With such a configuration, the communication device can be fitted into the concave portion 11D, so that the concave portion 11D can function as the holding portion 11C.

(Fourth embodiment)
In the third embodiment, the communication section 11B is provided in the second housing section 32, but in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. is provided with a communication unit 11B.

Also in this embodiment, when the reading unit 20 and the antenna unit 11A are projected on the horizontal plane, the antenna unit 11A projected on the horizontal plane is shifted from the reading unit 20 projected on the horizontal plane.

Therefore, also in this embodiment, the user can easily bring the communication device close to or in contact with the communication section 11B without the reading section 20 becoming an obstacle.
(Other embodiments)
The image forming unit according to the above-described embodiment uses a monochrome electrophotographic system, but the present invention is not limited to this. Any type of image forming unit may be used.

Further, the specific usage of short-range wireless communication is not limited to the usage described in the above embodiment, and may be other usage.
For example, in a communication device having a display section such as a liquid crystal panel, the display section of the communication device may function as the display section of the image forming apparatus by short-range wireless communication. Further, by using the communication device as the display section of the image forming apparatus, it is possible to realize a configuration in which the display section is omitted from the image forming apparatus, so that the manufacturing cost of the image forming apparatus can be reduced.

Further, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments as long as it conforms to the spirit of the invention described in the claims. may be used.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 image forming apparatus 3 housing 3A opening 3B front cover 3C top cover 5 image forming section 5A photoreceptor 5B charger 5C exposure device 5D transfer body 5E fixing device 5F process unit 7A...Ejection port 7...Ejection tray 9A...Placement part 9...Paper feed tray 11A...Antenna part 11...Communication board 11B...Communication part 11C...Holding part 13...Operation part 20...Reading part 30A...Space 31...First housing Body part 32... Second housing part 32A... Operation panel

Claims (12)

a housing;
an image forming unit having a fixing device and forming an image on a sheet;
a discharge tray arranged on the upper surface of the housing for supporting a sheet on which an image is formed by the image forming unit and discharged from a discharge port;
An antenna unit for short-range wireless communication provided at a position corresponding to the upper surface of the housing,
The antenna portion is shifted outward in the width direction orthogonal to the sheet discharge direction with respect to the discharge tray and is shifted downstream in the sheet discharge direction with respect to the discharge port so as to be separated from the fixing device. An image forming apparatus, characterized in that the image forming apparatus is provided at a position where the image forming apparatus is located. Equipped with an operation unit,
2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the antenna section is provided on a side opposite to the operation section with the discharge tray interposed therebetween in the width direction. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communication section corresponding to the antenna section in the housing is formed to have an inclined plane with respect to a horizontal plane. Device. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communication section corresponding to the antenna section in the housing is formed in a horizontal plane. The image forming unit includes a photoreceptor that carries a developer image, a charger that charges the photoreceptor, an exposure device that exposes the charged photoreceptor, and a developer image carried on the photoreceptor that is transferred onto a sheet. It is an electrophotographic method having a transfer body that allows
Further, when the antenna section and the charger are projected on a horizontal plane, the antenna section projected on the horizontal plane is deviated from the charger projected on the horizontal plane. 5. The image forming apparatus according to any one of 4. When the antenna section, the fixing device, and the charger are projected on a horizontal plane, the antenna section projected on the horizontal plane is opposite to the fixing device projected on the horizontal plane with the charger projected on the horizontal plane interposed therebetween. 6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the image forming apparatus is positioned on the side. The front surface of the image forming apparatus is provided with an opening for communication between the inside and the outside, and a front cover that can be displaced between a position that closes the opening and a position that opens the opening,
7. The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the antenna section is arranged above an upper end of the front cover. an image forming unit having a fixing device and forming an image on a sheet;
a top cover that covers the image forming unit;
a short-range wireless antenna unit disposed inside the top cover;
a discharge tray provided on the top cover for stacking sheets on which an image is formed by the image forming unit and discharged from a discharge port;
The antenna section is arranged to face the top cover at a position offset in the horizontal direction from the ejection tray and at a position offset downstream in the sheet ejection direction with respect to the ejection port so as to be separated from the fixing device. and capable of short-distance wireless communication with a communication device held over the top cover. 9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the antenna section is arranged at a position shifted outward from the discharge tray in a width direction orthogonal to a direction in which the sheet is discharged to the discharge tray. 10. An operation unit is provided, and the antenna unit is arranged on the opposite side of the operation unit with the ejection tray interposed in a width direction orthogonal to the sheet ejection direction. The image forming apparatus according to any one of . 11. An operation unit is provided, and the antenna unit is arranged on the same side of the operation unit with respect to the discharge tray in a width direction orthogonal to the sheet discharge direction. The image forming apparatus according to any one of . 12. The image forming method according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the communication section corresponding to the antenna section in the top cover is formed in an inclined plane shape with respect to a horizontal plane. Device.

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