JP3262243B2 - Facsimile machine - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a facsimile apparatus employing an electrophotographic recording system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a facsimile apparatus adopting an electrophotographic recording system, as shown in FIG. 4, for example, includes a facsimile main body 1, a paper feed cassette 2 for accommodating regular recording paper such as A4, and an electrophotographic recording system. , A document reading unit 4, an operation surface unit 5, and the like.

A printer unit 3 forms an electrostatic latent image on a photosensitive drum 6b by irradiation from an optical unit 6a, and transfers the toner adhered to the electrostatic latent image onto a recording paper. A fixing unit 7 for fixing the toner is provided, and has a large configuration as compared with a thermal recording type printer.

A paper feed cassette 2 is disposed at the bottom of the facsimile main body 1, a printer unit 3 is disposed above the paper feed cassette 2, and a document reading unit 4 is disposed above the printer unit 3 (see FIG. 1). In the illustrated example, the operation surface section 5 is disposed on the upper surface of the facsimile main body 1 (above the fixing section 7).

[0005] The flow a of the recording paper at the time of printing is such that the recording paper is fed from the paper feed cassette 2 rightward in the drawing and sent to the printer unit 3 and printed while being conveyed through the printer unit 3 leftward in the drawing. The printed recording paper carried out of the printer unit 3 is discharged from the left side of the facsimile main body 1 in the figure. The document flow b at the time of document reading is read while the document is loaded into the document reading unit 4 from the right side in the figure, and the read document is discharged from the left side surface of the facsimile main body 1 in the figure.

[0006]

The facsimile apparatus having the above-described electrophotographic recording system has a printer unit 3 having a developing unit 6 and a fixing unit 7 arranged side by side. The document reading sections 4 are arranged at predetermined intervals so as to eliminate the thermal influence of the section 7 and the like. Therefore, the height of the facsimile main body 1 increases, and the document reading section 4 and the operation surface section 5 are arranged at a high position above the facsimile main body 1. For this reason, there is a problem that the handling property such as setting of a document on the document reading unit 4 and key input operation of the operation surface unit 5 is poor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and in a facsimile apparatus employing an electrophotographic recording method, the height of the facsimile main body is reduced while taking thermal measures to reduce the original reading unit. An object of the present invention is to improve the ease of handling such as setting an original on a document and an operation unit on the upper surface of the facsimile main body.

[0008]

According to the first aspect of the present invention,
A facsimile main unit, an electrophotographic recording type printer unit disposed in the facsimile main unit and having a developing unit and a fixing unit along a printing path communicating with a discharge port on a side surface of the facsimile main unit; and a fixing unit of the printer unit. A document reading unit disposed above a print path between the printer unit and the discharge port and on a side of the fixing unit; and a shielding unit that shields between the printer unit and the document reading unit. Is also used as a document guide for guiding a document to the document reading unit.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a facsimile body.
And a facsimile provided in the facsimile main body.
Developing section along the print path communicating with the discharge port on the side of the main body
Printer unit having electrophotographic recording system having fixing unit and fixing unit
And a printing path between a fixing unit and an outlet of the printer unit.
A document reading unit disposed above and at the side of the fixing unit;
A shielding unit for shielding between the printer unit and the document reading unit;
Wherein the shielding portion includes an upper surface cover forming the printing path.
It is also used as an id.

[0010]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the facsimile main body is heightened because the document reading section is disposed above the printing path between the fixing section and the discharge port of the printer section and on the side of the fixing section. It is possible to easily set the original on the original reading unit and operate the operation unit on the upper surface of the facsimile main body. Further, arranging the document reading section on the side of the fixing section, since the fixing section becomes high in temperature, the section between the document reading section and the fixing section is shielded by a shielding section, and the influence of heat on the document reading section is reduced. To reduce Further, the shielding part, also be used also as the original guide for guiding the document to the document reading unit, it is kept low the height of the facsimile main body.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the original reading section is
Above the print path between the fusing section of the linter section and the discharge port
The facsimile body
The originals can be set on the original reading section,
Easy operation of the operation unit on the top of the facsimile body
I can. In addition, place the document reading section on the side of the fixing section.
This means that the fixing unit becomes hot,
To shield the document reading section from heat.
To reduce. Further, the shielding portion is formed on the upper surface constituting the printing path.
The height of the facsimile body can also be
Can be kept low.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The construction of an embodiment of the facsimile apparatus of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 2 shows the external appearance of the facsimile apparatus.
Is a facsimile main body. The facsimile main body 11 is formed by a lower case 12, an upper case 13, upper surface covers 14a and 14b, and a rear cover 15 (shown in FIG. 1). Surfaces 16a and 16b are formed in a substantially wedge shape.

The lower case 12 has a concave recording paper storage portion 21 having a lower surface and front and rear surfaces opened at the center of the bottom surface, and rubber legs 22 attached to four corners of the bottom surface.

The upper case 13 has upper and lower surfaces opened, and the upper surface is formed in a front-down frame shape with a lower front portion and a higher rear portion. An outlet 23 for originals and recording paper is formed in the center of the front surface of the upper case 13.

The upper covers 14a and 14b are arranged such that the upper cover is located on the rear side of the inclination angle of the inclined surface 16a of the front upper cover 14a.
The inclination angle of the inclined surface 16b of 14b is formed large.
The front top cover 14a is a support shaft on the front end side of the upper case 13.
With reference to 24 (shown in FIG. 1) as a fulcrum, it is attached to be rotatable forward from a position shown in FIG. The rear upper surface cover 14b is attached to the rear side of a support shaft 25 (shown in FIG. 1) on the rear side of the upper case 13 from a position shown in FIG.

An operation section 26 is provided on the upper surface of the front upper cover 14a.
Are formed. The operation unit 26 includes a display 27, a numeric keypad 28, a one-touch dial key 29, a start key 30, and the like. These indicators 27 and keys 28-
The operation unit body 31 (shown in FIG. 1) of the
It is attached to the back of a.

A document tray 32 is formed integrally with the rear upper cover 14b. The document tray 32 includes a document placing surface 33 that is inclined forward and downward from the rear end of the rear upper cover 14b below the upper surface of the rear upper cover 14b. 33 between the front end of the rear top cover 14b and the front edge 34 of the rear top cover 14b.
Are formed. A paper guide 36 having a substantially L-shaped cross section that guides both sides of the document is slidably mounted on both sides of the upper surface of the document placing surface 33 in the left-right direction. The paper guide 36 is provided on the back of the document placing surface 33. It is slid in relative and contradictory left and right directions synchronously by an interlocking mechanism (not shown).

A mounting portion 37 is attached to the left side of the upper case 13, and a handset 38 is mounted on the mounting portion 37.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing the internal structure of the facsimile apparatus. A recording paper storage section 21 is provided at the bottom of the facsimile main body 11, and a printer section is provided above the recording paper storage section 21 at the rear side. A document reading unit 42 is provided on the front side while a document reading unit 42 is provided.

The recording paper storage unit 21 is formed by opening the lower surface and the front and rear surfaces by the upper wall portion 51 and the both wall portions 52 of the lower case 12, and the rear cover 15 is provided on the rear surface. .

A pickup roller 53 is supported on a rear upper side of the recording paper storage unit 21 by a support shaft 54. The pickup roller 53 is formed in a fan shape having a notch 55 on its peripheral surface. A state in which the sheet faces downward is a standby position, and the sheet is driven one rotation in a counterclockwise direction in FIG.

At the rear of the facsimile body 11, a U-turn transport path 56 for transporting the recording paper from the upper rear part of the recording paper storage unit 21 to the printer unit 41 is provided. The U-turn conveyance path 56 is formed by a guide plate 57 on one side and a rear cover 15 on the other side.
Between the guide portion 64 and the guide plate 58. On one side of the start end of the U-turn conveyance path 56, a conveyance roller 59 is provided.
A pinch roller 60 pressed against the transport roller 59 is rotatably attached to the rear cover 15 at the other end of the start end of the U-turn transport path 56.

The rear cover 15 has a rib 61 projecting from the inner surface thereof. The rear cover 15 is rotatable between a closed position shown in FIG. The paper cassette 111 described below is located below the
A contact portion 63 with which the rear surface contacts is formed. A guide portion 64 is formed on the rib 61 of the rear cover 15 to form the other end of the U-turn conveyance path 56 at the start end, and a pinch roller 60 is rotatably attached thereto.

A printing path 73 for passing the recording paper through the developing section 71 and the fixing section 72 of the printer section 41 is formed from the U-turn conveying path 56 toward the front discharge port 23.

The developing section 71 of the printer section 41 includes a photosensitive drum 74
A charge is applied to the outer peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 74 with a laser beam from the optical system unit 76 on the outer peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 74 to form an electrostatic latent image of a recording pattern. Toner is applied to the photosensitive drum 74 by the developing unit 77,
The transfer unit 78 transfers the toner image adhered to the recording paper onto the recording paper. A transport roller 79 and a pinch roller 80 that is in pressure contact with the transport roller 79 are disposed at the entrance of the developing unit 71.

The fixing section 72 presses the recording paper, to which the toner is attached, on the heated fixing roller 81 with a pinch roller 82 to fix the toner on the paper. A discharge roller 83 and a pinch roller 84 that is in pressure contact with the discharge roller 83 are disposed at the exit of the fixing unit 72.

The optical system unit 76 includes a facsimile main body 11.
The rear side of the facsimile main body 11 is disposed at the highest part of the height dimension, the laser beam emitted from the laser light emitter 85 is controlled by the polygon mirror 86, and the deflection is controlled by the polygon mirror 86. The laser beam emitted from the laser emitting unit 88 is applied to the photosensitive drum 74 via a plurality of mirrors 87. The laser emitting section 88 is disposed at the highest position of the facsimile main body 11 to secure a required laser irradiation distance between the laser emitting section 88 and the photosensitive drum 74.

A printing path 73 extending from the fixing section 72 to the discharge port 23 is formed between a recording paper guide plate 92c as an upper upper surface guide and a lower guide plate 89.

Next, the document reading section 42 is disposed above the printing path 73 between the fixing section 72 and the discharge port 23 of the printer section 41 and on the front side of the fixing section 72. A document path 91 is formed from 35 to the front discharge port 23.

An original guide plate provided with an original guide plate portion 92a as an original guide for guiding the original to the original reading portion 42 continuously from the front end of the original placing surface portion 33 of the original tray 32 at the start end side of the original passage 91. 92 are arranged. A draw-in roller 93 and a separation plate 94 are provided at the start end of the document path 91, and the separation plate 94 presses the document against the draw-in roller 93 and regulates the drawing in of the upper layer document. One sheet at a time is drawn into the document path 91. Further, a reading unit 96 having a reading surface 95 as an upper surface, and a white roller 97 that conveys the document while pressing the document against the reading surface 95 of the reading unit 96 are provided in an intermediate portion of the document path 91. Before and after the reading position by the reading unit 96, a pair of transport rollers 98 are provided.

The document guide body 92 is formed from a heat insulating material along the left-right width direction of the facsimile main body 11, protrudes substantially vertically downward from the tip of the document guide plate portion 92a, and protrudes from the printer portion 41. A shielding part 92b for shielding between the fixing part 72 and the document reading part 42 is integrally formed, and a recording paper guide plate part 92c which projects from the lower end of the shielding part 92b forward and in parallel with the guide plate 89 to guide the recording paper. Are integrally formed. That is, the document guide body 92 integrally formed as described above shields the space between the fixing section 72 and the document reading section 42 including the document guide plate section 92a and the recording paper guide plate section 92c together with the shielding section 92b. Functions as a shield. And
A document guide body 92 having a function as a shielding unit is a document guide plate unit as a document guide for guiding a document to the document reading unit 42.
Shared with 92a, also shared with the recording paper guide plate portion 92c of the upper surface guide for constituting a printing path 73.

The upper case 13 is located at the rear of the printer section 41.
A substrate 101 on which electric components such as a control circuit having a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and the like are mounted is provided.

The recording paper storage section of the facsimile main body 11
A paper cassette 111 for storing the recording paper P is detachably mounted on the recording paper P through the front surface of the recording paper storage unit 21. The paper feed cassette 111 is formed in a rectangular frame shape in which a plurality of recording sheets P are stored in a stacked state from a bottom portion 112, both side portions 113, a front portion 114, and a rear portion 115, and a facsimile is provided on the front surface. A handle 116 having substantially the same width as the width of the main body 11 is formed so as to protrude. Guide projections (not shown) are formed on the outer surfaces of both side surfaces 113 so as to slide into guide grooves (not shown) formed in the front and rear walls 52 on both sides of the recording paper storage unit 21. The paper cassette 111 is inserted and removed horizontally in the front-rear direction by engaging as much as possible. Further, the paper feed cassette 111 is provided with a locking structure for locking at a position most inserted in the recording paper storage unit 21.

A push-up plate 117 for supporting the bottom surface of the recording paper P is disposed at the bottom of the paper feed cassette 111. The front end of the push-up plate 117 is swingably supported at a fulcrum (not shown), and is located at the rear end. Is urged upward by a spring 118.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.

In the facsimile apparatus of this embodiment, the facsimile main body 11 is formed into a substantially downward wedge shape with a lower front portion and a higher rear portion, and the document tray 32 is arranged at the rear side in the arrangement of the components described above. It is formed on the top cover 14b and does not protrude from the facsimile main body 11, discharges the recording paper P and the original from the discharge port 23 at a lower position on the front surface of the facsimile main body 11, and does not require a tray. Since it is arranged on the sloping surface 16a on the front side that can be operated, it can be used as a table-top type placed on the back corner of the upper surface of the office desk.

The recording paper P is stored on the push-up plate 117 of the paper cassette 111, and the paper cassette 111 is inserted into the recording paper storage section 21 of the facsimile main body 11 from the front. With the insertion of the sheet cassette 111, the contact portion 63 of the rear cover 15 is pressed rearward by the rear portion 115 of the sheet cassette 111 to move and hold the rear cover 15 to the closed position. Further, when the paper feed cassette 111 is inserted to a predetermined insertion position of the recording paper storage section 21, it is locked by the locking structure.

The recording paper P in the paper feed cassette 111 is pushed up by a spring 118 via a push-up plate 117. Since the pickup roller 53 has the notch 55 facing downward, the pickup roller 53 is Does not touch.

During the printing operation, the pickup roller 53 is driven to rotate, and the uppermost recording sheet P in the sheet cassette 111 is sent out to the entrance of the U-turn conveyance path 56, where the conveyance roller 59 and the pickup roller 53 Sandwiched between U
It is taken into the turn transfer path 56 and transferred. When the conveyance of the recording paper P is started by the conveyance roller 59, the notch 55 of the pickup roller 53 faces the recording paper P, and the recording paper P
Is switched to the transport roller 59 side.

The recording paper conveyed to the print path 73 via the U-turn conveyance path 56 is transferred with the toner by the developing unit 71 of the printer unit 41 and is fixed with the toner by the fixing unit 72. The printing surface is carried out toward the discharge port 23 through the gap between the recording paper guide plate portion 92c of the guide body 92 and the facsimile main body 11 in front of the facsimile main body 11 through the discharge port 23. (Face up).

When a paper jam occurs in the U-turn conveyance path 56, the paper feed cassette 111 is moved to the recording paper storage section 21.
To allow the rear cover 15 to be opened by pulling it forward, and the user can tilt the rear cover 15 backward and open it by himself, or automatically fall backward and open with the bias of a spring or the like, and the pinch roller 60 is opened. Is separated from the transport roller 59.
Therefore, the paper jam is eliminated by removing the recording paper P from the open portion of the rear cover 15. If a paper jam occurs in the developing section 71 or the fixing section 72 of the print path 73, the rear upper cover 14b is opened rearward, and the paper jam is cleared from the opening of the rear upper cover 14b. By removing the generated recording paper P, the paper jam is eliminated.

Next, when reading a document, the paper guides 36 on the right and left sides of the document tray 32 are adjusted to the width of the document, and the document is placed between the paper guides 36 with the reading surface facing down (face down).
The original is inserted into the original insertion slot 35 while the rear end of the original is placed face down on the original placing surface 33 of the original tray 32. The leading edge of the document is guided between the draw-in roller 93 and the separation plate 94 through the document guide plate portion 92a of the document guide body 92.

When the original reading operation is started, the draw-in roller 93 is rotated, and the originals are drawn one by one into the original passage 91 and carried into the reading position between the reading section 96 and the white roller 97. You. At the reading position, the document is conveyed while being pressed against the reading surface 95 of the reading unit 96 by the white roller 97, and the reading unit 96 reads the document. The document that has passed the reading position is discharged through the discharge port 23 onto the office desk surface on which the facsimile main body 11 is placed in front of the facsimile main body 11.

When a document is jammed in the document path 91 or when maintenance of the document reading unit 42 is performed,
The front upper cover 14a is opened forward to eliminate paper jams and perform maintenance.

As described above, the document reading section 42 is
The fixing roller 81 of the fixing section 72 is heated to a high temperature, and is disposed above the printing path 73 between the fixing section 72 and the discharge port 23 and at the front side of the fixing section 72. The document reading unit 42 and the fixing unit 72 are shielded by a shielding unit 92b formed integrally with the document guide unit 92 while preventing the influence of heat on the document reading unit 42. Since the recording paper guide plate portion 92c formed integrally with the facsimile is also used as a guide member on the upper surface of the recording paper P, the height of the front side of the facsimile main body 11 can be reduced, and the facsimile main body 11 has a lower front portion and a lower rear portion. It can be made into a high wedge shape with a front drop. From these elements, it is possible to easily set a document on the document reading unit 42 and to operate the operation unit 26 arranged on the front upper surface of the facsimile main body 11, and even in a facsimile apparatus adopting the electrophotographic recording method, Because the height of the front side can be reduced, it can be used as a small table-top type to be placed on an office desk or the like.

Next, FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the present invention.
In this embodiment, the document guide plate portion 92a of the document guide body 92
A wall portion 92d is integrally formed so as to cover the rear surface of the fixing portion 72 from the upper end of the document guide plate portion 92a, the shielding portion 92b, and the wall portion.
A space 121 for accommodating the fixing unit 72 is formed in the entire left and right width area of the facsimile main body 11 by 92d. Further, on the side of the facsimile body 11, an exhaust port (not shown) for communicating the space 121 with the outside is formed.
An exhaust fan 122 for forcibly exhausting the air inside 121 to the outside is attached.

In this embodiment, the air warmed by the heat generated from the fixing unit 72 stays in the space 121, and the warm air staying in the space 121 is exhausted by the exhaust fan 122.
Is exhausted to the outside of the facsimile main body 11. Therefore, the effect of heat from the fixing unit 72 on the document reading unit 42 is further reduced.

[0049]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the document reading section is disposed above the printing path between the fixing section and the discharge port of the printer section and on the side of the fixing section. The facsimile main unit is kept low because the shielding unit is provided between the facsimile unit and the fusing unit, making it easy to set documents on the original reading unit and operate the operation unit on the top of the facsimile main unit. In addition, the handling efficiency can be improved, and the influence of heat on the document reading unit can be reduced. In addition, the shielding section guides the original to the original reading section.
Also used as a document guide,
In comparison, the height of the facsimile body is kept lower
Can be.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the original reading section
Above the print path between the fuser section of the printer section and the discharge port.
And is disposed on the side of the fixing section so that the original reading section and the fixing section
The facsimile body has a height
Can be kept low,
Easy operation of the operation unit on the top of the facsimile body
In addition, handling efficiency can be improved, and the effect of heat on the document
Can be reduced. Further, the shielding portion is formed on the upper surface constituting the printing path.
Combined use as a guide, compared to a shield-only case
The height of the facsimile body can be kept lower.
Wear.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an embodiment of a facsimile apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing another embodiment of the facsimile apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a conventional facsimile machine.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 Facsimile main unit 23 Output port 41 Printer section 42 Document reading section 71 Developing section 72 Fixing section 73 Printing path 92a Document guide plate section as document guide 92b Shield section 92c Recording paper guide plate section as top guide

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] A facsimile main body; an electrophotographic recording type printer unit disposed in the facsimile main body and having a developing unit and a fixing unit along a print path communicating with a discharge port on a side surface of the facsimile main unit; A document reading unit disposed above a printing path between a fixing unit and a discharge port of the printer unit and on a side of the fixing unit; and a shielding unit that shields between the printer unit and the document reading unit. A document guide for guiding the document to the document reading unit;
Facsimile apparatus is characterized in that also serves as a. 2. A facsimile main body and a facsimile main body disposed in the facsimile main body.
Along the print path communicating with the discharge port on the side of the
And a printer section of an electrophotographic recording system having a fixing section and a printing path between a fixing section and a discharge port of the printer section.
A document reading unit arranged on the side of the fixing unit and a shielding unit for shielding between the printer unit and the document reading unit.
The shielding unit also serves as an upper surface guide constituting the printing path.
Facsimile apparatus characterized by the use.