JP3484426B2 - Image forming device - 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 forming apparatus having an image reading section.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic system, which is usually used in a copying machine or a fax machine, has a structure as shown in FIG.
As shown in (a), (b), and (c), the recording paper cassette 2 and the image forming mechanism 3 are provided inside the image forming apparatus main body 1, and the original is placed on a stationary state and written on the original. Since the static document reading unit 4 that reads information is a part that the user M uses most frequently, the still document reading unit 4 is provided on the upper surface of the image forming apparatus main body 1 so that the user M can easily operate it while standing. It is provided. In addition, a control panel 5 in which keys for performing various operations in the image forming apparatus and a display unit are arranged
Is also provided on the upper surface of the image forming apparatus main body 1 so that the user M can easily operate it.

Further, the front portion 6 of the image forming apparatus main body 1
Is formed as a vertical plane without a protrusion that hits the user M because it is located on the side when the user uses the image forming apparatus. 10 shows a conventional image forming apparatus, (a) is a front view, (b) is a side view, and (c) is a plan view.

[0004]

Such a conventional image forming apparatus is intended for the case where the user is a healthy person as shown in FIG. 10 (b). That is, the user M to move a wheelchair 7 as shown in FIG. 11, when it came to the front side of the image forming apparatus main body 1 in order to use the image forming apparatus, the conventional image forming apparatus, images forming apparatus and the lower side of the stationary document reading unit 4 is a sheet feeding cassette 2 and the image forming mechanism 3 provided in the body 1, also the front portion of the image forming apparatus main body 1 is in the vertical plane. Therefore, the upper body of the user M riding over the hips to wheelchairs 7 would away from the front portion of the length worth it only images forming apparatus main body 1 in a plane at least the leg portion occupied. The user M is a degree this <br/> a Ikaa Rui even reach out toward the image forming apparatus main body 1 reach the stationary original reading unit 4 and the control panel 5 from the position to reach the tip of the finger, electrostatic it is difficult to operate the keys of this Toyako Ntoro <br/> Panel 5 for read operations by placing a document on the stop document reading section 4.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus which allows a user in a wheelchair to easily and easily operate it.

[0006]

The image forming apparatus of the present invention SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION is equipped with the image forming apparatus main body, an original reading unit mounted in the width direction left side surface or right side surface of the image forming apparatus main body. According to the above configuration, when used by a user in a wheelchair, the wheelchair and legs can be inserted into the space below the document reading unit.

[0007] Alternatively, the image forming apparatus of the present invention includes an image forming apparatus main body, an image reading unit which can be attached to each detachably both widthwise left side portion and the right portion of the image forming apparatus main body.

Further, in the picture image forming apparatus, disposed outside the control panel Yoo <br/> Knitting on the front portion of the image forming apparatus main body, the control panel unit,
Movably <br/> attached Keru along its width direction to the image forming apparatus main body.

[0009]

An embodiment of the embodiment of the present invention with reference to FIGS explained. FIG. 1 schematically shows an image forming apparatus according to this embodiment. (A) is a front view, (b) is a left side view, and (c) is a plan view.
FIG. 3A is a side view showing a state where the image forming apparatus is used, FIG. 3B is a plan view, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state before the stationary document reading unit is attached to the left side surface portion of the image forming apparatus main body. 4 is a perspective view showing a state in which the stationary original reading unit is attached to the left side surface of the image forming apparatus main body, and FIG. 5 is a left side surface of the image forming apparatus main body in the still original reading unit.
It is a perspective view which shows the mounted state from a lower side.

[0010] figure 11 is an image forming apparatus main body, 12 is a stationary original reading unit, 13 control panel Uni
Tsu is a door. The image forming apparatus main body 11 is a rectangular parallelepiped, 11a is a vertical front surface portion of the image forming apparatus main body 11, 11b is a horizontal upper surface portion, 11c is a vertical left side surface, 1
1d is a vertical right side surface. This image forming apparatus body 1
1, a plurality of sheet feeding cassettes 21 are vertically stacked and provided in the lower part of the sheet feeding device 1. The sheet feeding cassettes 21 are to be taken in and out from the front surface portion 11a of the image forming apparatus main body 11. Two accommodating portions 21a and 21b for accommodating recording papers of different sizes that are stacked and accommodated inside 21
have. In this way, by accommodating two types of recording papers in one paper feeding cassette 21, the number of stages of the paper feeding cassettes 21 can be suppressed without reducing the number of types of recording papers to be accommodated. The body 11 can be set to a height that is easily used by the user M on the wheelchair 60. That is, the image forming apparatus main body 11 is the wheelchair 6
The height is set to be easy for the user M who rides 0 to operate.

An image forming mechanism 22 for forming an image on a recording sheet by using an electrophotographic system is provided in the upper part inside the image forming apparatus main body 11, and the recording sheet is fed from a sheet feeding cassette 21. After the image is formed, it is sent out to the upper side.

The upper surface portion 11b of the main body 11 of the image forming apparatus is provided with a paper ejection port 23 for ejecting the recording paper on which an image has been formed by the image forming mechanism 22 and which has been conveyed upward. A conveyance document reading unit 24 is arranged side by side at a position closer to the left side surface portion 11c of the main body with respect to 23. A sheet discharge port 23, a recording paper discharge tray 25 of the multiple is provided side by side in the body width direction in the state that rises from the upper surface of the body portion 11b (the right and left side portions directions), and is discharged upward from the discharge port 23 I am supposed to receive it . Also, the fed-document reading unit 24, according to the document by conveying the document down by the transport mechanism not shown FIG is conveyed upward after passing through the scanner 26, a scanner 26 provided at rest is transported The information that is read is read. Accordingly, the fed-document reading unit 24, for receiving the conveyed document and to receive a previous document feed transportable, two document tray 27 is provided side by side in the body width direction.

These paper discharge tray 25 and document tray 27
Has a shape shown in FIG.
1 is arranged along the front-back direction. That is,
Discharge tray 25 and the document tray 27, intended to form a rectangular A3 paper and university is the maximum size of the recording paper and the original document to be used in the images forming apparatus, the front edge, an upper edge portion and trailing portion Notches 25a and 27a that overlap with the edges of the A3 paper, A4 paper, and B4 paper received by the paper discharge tray 25 and the document tray 27 are formed in (the portions corresponding to the front side, the upper side, and the rear side of the image forming apparatus main body 11). that has been formed. User This ensures the front images forming apparatus main body 11 from the upper and rear sides, A3 paper, A4 paper, and B4 paper of the recording paper and the original notch 25a of these paper discharge tray 25 and the document tray 27 receives , 27a for easy picking. Therefore, as described later, used for user can be taken out easily be a human riding a wheelchair. Incidentally, the use state of the image forming apparatus, the recording paper and cut-out portion 25a that overlaps the trailing edge of the original, 27a may be omit well, notch overlapping the front edge or the upper edge of at least the recording paper and the original document It is sufficient if the portions 25a and 27a are formed.
Yes. In this embodiment, the document reading unit is intended for the stationary document reading unit 12 that reads the information by placing the document stationary. The stationary document reading unit 12 has a flat rectangular shape having a width dimension and a depth dimension according to the maximum size of a document to be used, and includes a unit case 31 and a transparent glass plate provided on an upper surface of the unit case 31. The original placing plate 32, the scanner 33 provided inside the unit case 31, which is linearly reciprocally moved in the width direction by a driving mechanism (not shown), is located above the original placing plate 32 and can be opened and closed in the unit case 31. The document holding cover 34 provided in the above. That is, the document is placed still on the upper surface of the document mounting plate 32 with the information writing surface facing downward, and the document pressing cover 34 is closed to press the document from above. The scanner 33 is reciprocally moved along the width direction of the case to read the information written on the document.

The stationary original reading unit 12 includes a left side surface portion 11c or a right side surface portion 11 of the image forming apparatus main body 11.
It is attached to d. A configuration for attaching the stationary document reading unit 12 to the image forming apparatus main body 11 will be described.
Arms movable along the width direction of the image forming apparatus main body 11 are respectively located at the upper end front side surface portion side and the upper end rear surface portion side of the left side surface portion 11c and the right side surface portion 11d of the image forming apparatus main body 11 in the width direction. A member 35 is provided. In other words, each side portion 11c, the pair of arm members 35 provided on the 11d is provided along this body width direction, the drawer in the body outside by the movement, you room access inside the body. The protruding length is the length required to support the static stop document reading unit 12, the height from the floor, the user performs an operation the front of the wheelchair has got on the possible wheelchair inserted It is possible height. Incidentally, a mechanism for restricting a projecting position while movably supporting the pair of arm members 35, to adopt appropriate ones accordance come known. Each side portion 11c, in each pair of arm members 35 provided on the 11d, for example, the front side of the distal end portion of the arm member 35, images forming apparatus 11 an electric circuit electrically connected to a connector provided on the 36 Is provided.

The left side surface portion 31a and the right side surface portion 3 of the unit case 31 of the stationary document reading unit 12 in the width direction.
In 1b, mounting holes 37 are provided at positions on the front side of the upper end and on the rear side of the upper end, respectively, along the unit width direction. Each of side portions 31a, a pair of mounting holes 37 provided respectively in 31b is for the arm member 35 of the images forming apparatus main body 11 is inserted, is withdrawn. Inside the front side of the mounting hole 37, a connector to be connected to a connector 36 attached to the front side of the arm member 35 (not shown) is provided. In addition, in the widthwise central portion of the unit case 31 ,
Side portions 31a of both, shared the mounting hole 37 between the front formed in 31b, also a pair of lock mechanism attachment hole 37 between the rear side share is provided. These pair of lock mechanisms are provided for the arm member 3 inserted in each mounting hole 37.
It locks 5. Further, the bottom portion of the unit case 31 as shown in FIG. 5, a pair of release buttons 38 to release the locking of the arm member 35 by these locking mechanism is provided.

[0016] Then, for example, FIG. 3 to the image forming apparatus still original reading unit 12 as shown in FIG. 5 body 11
When attached to the left side surface portion 11c of the stationary document reading unit 1, the pair of arm members 35 are moved in the width direction from the left side surface portion 11c of the image forming apparatus main body 11 and pulled out to the outside.
2 is horizontally disposed outside the left side surface portion 11c of the image forming apparatus main body 11 at the same height as the image forming apparatus main body 11. A pair of arm members 35 are inserted into a pair of mounting holes 37 provided in the right side surface portion 31b of the unit case 31 facing the left side surface portion 11c of the image forming apparatus body 11, and the stationary document reading unit 12 is attached to the image forming apparatus body 11. When the pair of arm members 35 are moved toward each other and inserted into the entire pair of attachment holes 37, the lock mechanism provided in the stationary document reading unit 12 locks the arm members 35. As a result, the stationary document reading unit 12 can be inserted into the front portion of the wheelchair 60 and can be operated by the user M on the wheelchair 60. The stationary document reading unit 12 has a sufficient strength and is stable and stable. It is attached to 11. That is, below the stationary document reading unit 12, a space is formed in which the front part of the wheelchair 60 and the legs of the user M on the wheelchair 60 can enter. In this case, the height of the document placing plate 32 in the stationary document reading unit 12 is the same as the height of the upper surface portion 11b of the image forming apparatus main body 11. In other words, the height of the upper surface portion 11b of the image forming apparatus main body 11 is also a height that the user M on the wheelchair 60 can easily operate.

Further, the connector 36 provided on the one arm member 35 is connected to the connector provided in the mounting hole 37, and power is supplied from the image forming apparatus main body 11 to a mechanism for moving the scanner 33 , and Scanner 33
It is possible to send a signal of the information read by the image forming apparatus main body 11. When the stationary document reading unit 12 is removed from the image forming apparatus main body 11, a release button 38
By pressing, the arm member 35 is unlocked, the stationary document reading unit 12 is pulled out from the arm member 35, and the arm member 35 is moved in the width direction of the main body to retract into the main body 11 of the image forming apparatus.

Although the mounting hole 37 of the left side surface 31a of the stationary document reading unit 12 is shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, when it is actually used, it is not mounted on the image forming apparatus main body 11 but outside. The exposed surface is covered with a cover (not shown) to close the mounting hole 37 for protection.

For example, when the stationary document reading unit 12 is attached to the right side surface portion 11d of the image forming apparatus main body 11 as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the pair of arm members 35 are attached to the right side surface portion 11d of the image forming apparatus main body 11. drawer is moved in the width direction to the outside, it is arranged horizontally at the same height as the image forming apparatus main body 11 to the outside of the right side portion 11d of the stationary original reading unit 1 2 the images forming apparatus main body 11. A unit case 3 facing the right side surface portion 11d of the image forming apparatus main body 11.
1, the pair of arm members 35 are inserted into the pair of mounting holes 37 provided in the left side surface portion 31a of the first unit, and the stationary document reading unit 12 is further moved toward the image forming apparatus main body 11 to remove the entire pair of arm members 35. inserting the entire pair of mounting holes 37, the locking mechanism provided on the stationary original reading unit 12 that locks the arm member 35. This is by the still original reading unit 12, it is possible heights user M to the front of the car chair child 60 has got on the possible <br/> wheelchairs 60 inserted to perform an operation, charging and a stable It is attached to images forming apparatus main body 11 by a pair of arms in minutes strength. Further, the connector 36 provided on the one arm member 35 is connected to the connector provided on the mounting hole 37. Note that FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a state of mounting the stationary original reading unit 12 to the right <br/> side surface portion 11d of the image forming apparatus Main body 11.

The control panel unit 13 is provided at the uppermost portion of the front surface portion 11 a of the image forming apparatus main body 11 so as to be movable over both side surface portions 11 c and 11 d along the main body width direction. Control panel unit 1
3 will be described with reference to FIG. 8A is an enlarged front view showing the control panel unit 13, and FIG. 8B is a transverse sectional view. Reference numeral 41 in the drawing denotes a panel body, which is an upper surface portion 11 of the image forming apparatus body 11.
It has a portion facing b and a portion facing the front surface portion 11a, and an operation key 42 and a display portion 43 are provided in the portion facing the upper surface portion 11b. The engagement protrusion 44 formed along the main body width direction at the upper edge portion of the panel main body 41 facing the upper surface portion 11b is movable to the rail 45 formed along the main body width direction on the upper surface portion 11b. Is engaged with. Further, the uppermost portion of the front surface portion 11a of the image forming apparatus main body 11 is a stepped portion that is a step along the depth direction over the entire width direction. The step portion is formed with stoppers 48A and 48B that are lowest at the center in the width direction and incline so as to become higher toward both side surface portions 11c and 11d, and the inside of the step portion extends over the entire width direction of the main body. It has been cut out. Inside the notch, a horizontal guide rail 47 is provided along the width direction of the main body. Front part 11a of the image forming apparatus main body 11 in the panel main body 41
A roller 46, which is inserted inward through a notch formed in the front surface portion 11a and is in contact with the guide rail 47, is rotatably provided at a lower portion of the portion facing the. As a result, the panel body 41 is movably supported by the image forming apparatus body 11 along the width direction thereof. In the portion of the panel body 41 facing the front surface portion 11a of the image forming apparatus body 11, stoppers 41a and 41b are formed, which have the lowest center in the width direction and incline so as to increase toward both side portions, When the panel body 41 is moved to the side surface portions 11c and 11d of the image forming apparatus body 11, the panel body 41 comes into contact with the stoppers 48A and 48B of the image forming apparatus body 11 and stops.

In the image forming apparatus configured as described above, a case will be described with reference to FIG. 2, in which a user M who sits on the wheelchair 60 and makes a copy performs a document operation. FIG. 2 shows a state in which the stationary document reading unit 12 is attached to the left side surface portion 11c of the image forming apparatus main body 11. In this case, the control panel unit 13 is moved to the left side of the image forming apparatus body 11, and the stopper 41a of the panel body 41 is moved to the stopper 48 of the image forming apparatus body 11.
Contact A. This allows the control panel unit
The belt 13 is located at the end closest to the left side surface portion 11c of the image forming apparatus main body 11. When performing an operation of placing an original on the stationary original reading unit 12 to make a copy, the user M
Moves the wheelchair 60 to the front side of the stationary manuscript reading unit 12, and further moves it to the front side so that the front part of the wheelchair 60 and the leg of the user M on the wheelchair 60 are moved to the lower side of the stationary manuscript reading unit 12. It is inserted in the space formed in. As a result, the user M is positioned at a distance that allows the user M to perform an operation of copying a document on the stationary document reading unit 12 without being forced while sitting on the wheelchair 60. Therefore, the user M sits on the wheelchair 60, and the manuscript plate 3 of the stationary manuscript reading unit 12 is placed.
2 is put out to open the document pressing cover 34, and the document is placed still on the document platen 32 with the side on which the information is written facing down, and then the document pressing cover 34 is closed. User M
In order to read the information written on the document, the user puts out his right hand and operates the operation key 42 of the control panel unit 13 to drive the scanner 33 as described above. The read information is sent to the image forming mechanism 22 provided in the image forming apparatus main body 11. The image forming mechanism 22 forms an image on recording paper. The recording paper is the upper surface portion 1 of the image forming apparatus main body 11.
The sheet is discharged to a sheet discharge tray 25 provided outside the image forming apparatus main body 11 through a sheet discharge port 23 provided in 1b.
The user M extends his right hand and takes out the recording paper discharged to the paper discharge tray 25. In this case, the output tray 2
The recording paper can be easily picked up and taken out by the notch portion 25a formed in 5. In addition, the stationary document reading unit 1
The original placed on the second original placing plate 32 is also taken out.

Further, when a document is conveyed to read information, the conveyed document reading section 24 provided on the upper surface of the image forming apparatus main body 11 is used. That is, the original is placed on one original tray 27, conveyed through the scanner 26 to the other original tray 27, and the information is read.

Also, the stationary original reading unit 12 is similarly attached to the right side surface portion 11d of the image forming apparatus main body 11.

As described above, in this image forming apparatus, the stationary original reading unit 12 as an original reading unit is arranged outside the image forming apparatus main body 11 independently of the image forming apparatus main body 11 and attached to the image forming apparatus main body 11. . The stationary document reading unit 12 is attached to the image forming apparatus main body 11 at a height higher than the front portion of the wheelchair 60, so that the front portion of the wheelchair 60 is placed in the space formed below the stationary document reading unit 12. Wheelchair 6 as you can enter
The user M who rides 0 can read the information written on the document in a comfortable posture at a position close to the stationary document reading unit 12 without being hindered by the image forming apparatus main body 11.

Further, as the document reading unit, only the stationary document reading unit is mounted without mounting the conveyed document reading unit .
Because of the use of stationary originals reading unit 12, a simple structure is lightweight, it can be attached easily to the image forming apparatus main body 11.

The stationary original reading unit 12, Contact Keru width direction in the image forming apparatus main body 11 left portion 11c and right
Runode attached to the side surface portion 11d, a user M riding on the wheelchair 60 is positioned in front of the stationary original reading unit 12, operates a taking out the recording paper operations and image is formed for reading the document, It can be done easily.

Further, the stationary original reading unit 12
Can be selectively attached to both the left side surface portion 11c and the right side surface portion 11d of the image forming apparatus main body 11,
It is possible to select and attach an appropriate side surface portion according to the conditions such as the specifications of the image forming apparatus and the installation place of the image forming apparatus.

Furthermore, a control panel unit 13 is arranged outside the front surface portion 11a of the image forming apparatus body 11, and the control panel unit 13 is attached to the image forming apparatus body 11 so as to be movable in the width direction thereof. There is. By moving also the control panel unit 13 in accordance with the position (side surface of the image forming device 11) for mounting the stationary original reading unit 12, a user located in front of the stationary original reading unit 12 is a control panel unit 13 It is very convenient to operate.

Since the discharge port 23 for discharging the recording paper is provided on the upper surface 11b of the image forming apparatus main body 11, the operation of reading the original and the operation of taking out the recording paper on which the image is formed are performed. The operation is very convenient because it can be concentrated on the upper surface 11b. In particular, when the user M on the wheelchair 60 performs an operation, the image forming apparatus main body 11
The operation is very convenient because it is not necessary to move to a position away from the stationary document reading unit 12 in order to take out the recording paper discharged from.

By providing the stationary original reading unit 12 outside the side surface of the image forming apparatus main body 11,
Runode can the height of the image forming apparatus main body 11 and the height excluding the stationary original reading unit 12, the operation at reasonable without attitude when the user performs an operation to stand by the front side of the image forming apparatus main body 11 It can be performed.

In FIG. 2, for example, H is 850 m.
m and h are 650 mm, S1 is 500 mm, S2 is 700
mm.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but can be modified in various ways.

[0033]

According to the image forming apparatus of the first aspect of the invention, the document reading unit is independent of the image forming apparatus main body, and the left side surface or the right side in the width direction of the image forming apparatus main body .
Since it is attached to the side surface , by mounting the document reading unit on the image forming apparatus main body at a height higher than the front part of the wheelchair, the front part of the wheelchair can be inserted into the space formed under the document reading unit to be mounted on the wheelchair. Image taken by the user
It is possible to perform the operation of reading the information written on the original document at a position close to the original reading unit without being obstructed by the main body of the forming apparatus and in a comfortable posture.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the document reading unit can be selectively attached to both the left side surface and the right side surface of the image forming apparatus main body, so that the user in a wheelchair can read the document reading unit. located in front, the operation and the retrieval to the recording sheet on which an image is formed for reading the original
And operation, it is possible to perform the easy, it can be attached by selecting the appropriate side portion according to the document reading unit to the installation site, such as the conditions of specifications and the image forming apparatus of the image forming apparatus.

According to the third aspect of the invention, the control panel unit is arranged outside the front surface of the image forming apparatus body, and the control panel unit is attached to the image forming apparatus body so as to be movable along the width direction thereof. since being, by also moving the control panel unit according to a position of mounting the document reading unit, it is very convenient that a user positioned in front of the original reading unit to operate the control panel.

[Brief description of drawings]

[Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Fig. 2] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a state in which the image forming apparatus of the embodiment is used.

[Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the image forming apparatus of the embodiment.

[Figure 4] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the image forming apparatus of the embodiment.

[Figure 5] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the image forming apparatus of the embodiment.

[Figure 6] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the image forming apparatus of the embodiment.

[Figure 7] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the image forming apparatus of the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a control panel unit in the image forming apparatus of the embodiment.

[Figure 9] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a tray in the image forming apparatus of the embodiment.

[Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a conventional image forming apparatus.

FIG. 11 FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a conventional image forming apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

11 ... Image forming apparatus main body, 12 ... Still original reading unit, 13 ... Control panel unit , 22 ... Image forming mechanism, 23 ... Paper ejection port, 24 ... Conveyed original reading unit, 25 ... Paper ejection tray, 27 ... Original tray, 31 ... Unit case, 32 ... Original plate, 33 ... Scanner, 35
... arm members, 41 ... panel body, 60 ... wheelchair, M ... user.

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A image forming apparatus and an image forming apparatus main body, characterized by comprising an original reading unit mounted in the width direction left side surface or right side surface of the image forming apparatus main body. Wherein said original reading unit, in the widthwise direction left side surface or right side surface portion before Symbol image forming apparatus main body,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that it is mounted for wear removal. 3. An outer surface of a front surface portion of the image forming apparatus main body
The control panel unit is placed in this controller.
The panel panel unit is the width of the image forming apparatus body.
Characterized by being mounted so as to be movable along the direction
The image forming apparatus according to claim 2.