JP3044490B2 - Image recording device with image reading function - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus having an image reading function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Although simple bookbinding and editing technology such as DTP (Desk Top Publising) has been born, at present, an image recording device (printer) for making a final manuscript and other documents to be incorporated into the manuscript are used. Information (eg, graphs, figures, etc.) is edited by a reading host by another document reading unit (scanner).

[0003]

As described above, conventionally, the apparatus is uneconomical in that the printer and the scanner are used separately.

[0004] It is an object of the present invention to solve such an uneconomical device configuration and to provide a device which satisfies both functions of a printer and a scanner.

[0005]

According to the present invention, there is provided an image reading unit which can be attached to and detached from a paper feed port of an image recording apparatus, and an image reading mode or an image reading mode in a document conveying path of the image reading unit.
Means for detecting a switching <br/> means for switching the RiGen draft conveying path by the image recording mode, the image reading mode and the image recording mode by the switching operation by the changeover means, the document conveying path
The image reading mode is detected by the operation of the switching means inside
The image recording process of the image recording device
And the heat source of the heat fixing means of the image recording device is turned off.
Control means .

[0006]

According to the present invention, image recording and image reading can be performed by one device, and switching means in the document conveying path is switched by an operator's operation, and the apparatus is detected by the image reading mode and the detecting means. In this case, the image recording process of the image recording apparatus is deactivated, and the heat source of the heat fixing unit of the image recording apparatus is turned off to save power.

[0007]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall structure of an internal mechanism of a laser printer as an example in which the present invention is implemented. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes an apparatus main body. The apparatus main body 1 includes an upper structure 1a and a lower structure 1b, and the upper structure 1a is attached to the lower structure 1b by a shaft 2 so as to be freely opened and closed. In the apparatus main body 1, a photosensitive member 3 having a scalene triangular shape is provided substantially at the center.

[0008] Around this photosensitive member 3, in order in the direction of the rotation axis of the photosensitive member indicated by an arrow, optical writing means 8 such as charging means 4, developing means 5, transfer means 6, and cleaning means 7.
Other electrophotographic process means except for the above are arranged.
A paper feed cassette 9 is disposed above these other electrophotographic process means, and an optical writing means 8 is provided below.
Is arranged.

The recording operation of the laser printer will be described. The paper 11 fed from the paper feed cassette 9 by the paper feed roller 10 is conveyed to the upper side of the photoreceptor 3 at a timing by the pair of registration rollers 12. . This photoconductor 3
Is rotationally driven in a counterclockwise direction as indicated by an arrow. At this time, the surface is uniformly charged by the charging means 4, and is irradiated with the laser light L from the optical writing means 8 to electrostatically A latent image is formed.

This latent image is visualized by toner when passing through the developing means 5. Then, this visible image is transferred to the lower surface of the sheet 11 conveyed above the photoreceptor 3 by the transfer means 6.
Is transferred. The transferred paper is transferred to a transport guide
The toner image is guided by the fixing unit 13 and conveyed between the fixing roller 14a and the pressure roller 14b of the fixing unit 14, where the visible image is fixed. The sheet exiting the fixing unit 14 is further conveyed to a sheet ejection unit 16 by sheet ejection rollers 15, guided by an ejection guide 17, and stacked on an ejection tray 18.

The manual paper feed unit 19 of the laser printer having the above configuration includes a manual feed roller 20, a manual press plate 21,
It is composed of a manual feed set guide 22 and a manual feed set sensor 23, and is attached to the apparatus main body 1 by positioning pins 24.

When a sheet is set in the manual feed slot 25, it is detected by a manual feed set sensor 23, the manual feed pressing plate 21 rotates toward the manual feed roller 20, and the manual feed roller 20 rotates to be sent to the registration roller pair 12. After that, the paper cassette 9
Printing is performed in the same manner as when feeding from the side. Here, the manual sheet feeding unit 19 can be attached to and detached from the apparatus main body 1 with a positioning pin 24, and this portion can be replaced with an image reading unit 26 (hereinafter, referred to as a scanner unit) as shown in FIG.

FIG. 2 is an overall configuration diagram of an internal mechanism of a laser printer with a scanner unit according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the scanner unit 26 includes a document set detection sensor 27, a conveying roller pair A28, a reading unit 29,
(In this example, an image reading apparatus using a light reflection type sensor) It is composed of a transport roller pair B30, a switching guide 31, a transport guide pair 32, a discharge roller 33, and a pressing spring.

As shown in the perspective view of FIG. 3, the switching guide 31 shown in FIG.
It is possible to switch between the solid line direction and the one-dot chain line direction in FIG.

A detection lever 36 for detecting the switching direction is connected to the switching guide 31, so that it is possible to determine which direction the switching is being performed. That is, when the switching guide 31 is in the direction of the solid line, the detection lever 36 does not block the detection sensor 37, and in this state, a normal image recording mode (hereinafter, referred to as a print mode) is established. The photo processing means 4 to 8 are ready for printing.

In the print mode, the scanner unit 26 can be used as a single sheet feed port for manual feeding. When a document is detected by the document set detection sensor 27, a pair of transport rollers A28, a transport roller The sheet is conveyed to the pair of registration rollers 12 by the pair B30, and thereafter, printing is performed by the same process as the above-described printing.

When the switching guide 31 is switched by the switching lever 35 in the direction of the dashed line, the detection lever 36
Intercepts the detection sensor 37, and in this state, is detected as an image reading mode (hereinafter, referred to as a scanner mode).

In the scanner mode, the apparatus main body 1 does not need to perform a printing operation, so that the scanner unit 26 can be driven (the scanner unit 26).
May have a built-in independent drive source in the unit, or may be turned on and off using a clutch or the like during continuous driving of the apparatus body and the scanner unit.)

Further, since there is no need to perform a printing operation for creating an image in the apparatus main body 1, optical writing, charging, development,
Each process means such as transfer is also inoperative.

Further, the fixing means 14 having a larger power capacity.
Is also in a non-operating state, and in this embodiment, the fixing roller 14
If the heater 14c in a is turned off, power can be saved in the scanner mode, and temperature rise by the heater inside the apparatus main body can be suppressed.

When a document is set on the scanner unit 26 face down in the scanner mode as described above, the document is detected by the document set detection sensor 27, and the document is transported to the reading section 29 by the transport roller pair A28. The original is read by the reading unit 29, and the switching guide 31 is further moved by the conveying roller pair B 30.
(The switching guide 31 is in the state of dashed line in FIG. 2), and is discharged by the discharge roller 33 and the pressing spring 34 to the document stacker section 38 in the upper portion of the apparatus main body.

With the above configuration, it is possible to obtain an apparatus having two functions as a printer with a scanner by an inexpensive and simple method simply by replacing the manual paper feed unit 19 and the scanner unit 26 of the printer.

FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram of the control system of the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 39 denotes an operation panel for operating the switching lever 35 (FIG. 3), and reference numeral 40 denotes the overall operation of the laser printer apparatus main body 1. It is a control unit composed of a CPU.

That is, by switching the document feed path switching lever 35 on the operation panel 39, the image recording mode is set.
(Laser printer operation) and an image reading mode (scanner unit operation) are detected by the detection sensor 37, and the detection signal is input to the CPU 40.

The CPU turns on the process means 4 to 8 and the like for image recording and the heater 14c of the heat fixing means 14 when in the print mode.
These units 4 to 8, 14 and the like are turned off, and the reading unit 29
Is turned on, both print and scanner operations can be performed.

[0026]

As described above, the image recording apparatus with the image reading function of the present invention can switch the print mode to the scanner mode by the operation of the operator by exchanging the paper supply unit and the scanner unit. Therefore, it is economical because one device performs two functions, floor space can be saved , and scanner mode can be reduced.
When the printer is in operation, the heater inside the fixing unit is turned off to save power.
And, Ru it is possible to suppress the temperature rise.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the entire configuration of an internal mechanism of a laser printer as an example in which the present invention is implemented.

FIG. 2 is an overall configuration diagram of an internal mechanism of a laser printer with a scanner unit according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a structure of a switching guide of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram of a control system of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1: laser printer, 19: manual feed unit, 24: positioning pin, 26: image reading unit
(Scanner unit), 27: Original set detection sensor, 29: Reading unit, 31: Switching guide, 35: Switching lever, 36: Detection lever, 37: Detection sensor, 39: Operation panel, 40: Control unit (CPU).

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Fields surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B41J 3/44 B41J 13/10 B41J 29/00 B41J 29/38 H04N 1/00 108

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A and the image reading unit detachably mountable to the paper feed port of the image recording apparatus, the document transport of the image reading unit
There is an image reading mode or an image recording mode
Switching means for switching the document conveying path;
Reading mode and image recording by switching operation by means
Mode detecting means, and switching means in the document conveying path
When the image reading mode is detected by the operation of
Disable the image recording process of the recording device and
Control to turn off the heat source of the thermal fixing means of the image recording device
Image reading function image recording apparatus characterized by comprising means.