JP4239364B2 - control panel - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an operation panel that is provided in a copying apparatus, a facsimile machine, and the like and includes various operation keys.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In general, an operation panel provided with various operation keys for performing operations is provided on the front surface of a facsimile machine or the like. In a multifunction machine having a copy function and a facsimile function, the operation panel is provided with a number of keys in order to provide both functions.
As various operation keys provided on the operation panel, there are various keys related to the copy operation in the case of a copy apparatus, and one-touch keys for previously registering a destination number for facsimile communication in the case of a facsimile apparatus. Alternatively, in the case of a multifunction machine having the functions of both apparatuses, a mode switching key for switching between a copy mode and a facsimile mode is further added.
As described above, a large number of keys are densely provided on the operation panel in accordance with the multi-functionality of the device itself, which impairs the design. In addition, in an image forming apparatus having a function of discharging a sheet recorded in a space formed between a reading unit and an image forming unit, the number of keys increases according to the function enhancement, and an operation panel is provided over the front of the apparatus. Be placed. Then, the line of sight is blocked by the operation panel, and there is a problem that the discharged paper cannot be confirmed from above. Therefore, conventionally, a part of the operation panel is cut away so that the recording paper discharged from the cutout can be seen.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, simply reducing the size of the operation panel necessitates deletion of a key having a certain function, which hinders multifunctionalization. In addition, there is a demand for users who mainly use the copy function in the multi-function peripheral because the one-touch keys used in the facsimile mode are not often used, so that they are usually stored.
Therefore, the present invention provides an operation panel having a compact panel surface while maintaining the multifunction of the apparatus.
[0004]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The problems to be solved by the present invention are as described above. Next, means for solving the problems will be described.
That is, in the claim 1, comprising a plurality of keys, a first operation panel fixedly attached to the apparatus main body, comprising a plurality of keys, freely second attached haunt the apparatus body An operation panel composed of an operation panel,
The second operation panel includes a plate extending downward from a side portion, a stopper pin standing on the rear portion of the plate, and a hinge standing on the lower portion of the plate,
The apparatus main body guides the hinge so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction, guides the hinge rail formed so that the hinge can be rotated at the center position of the front end, and the stopper pin in the front-rear direction. The stopper pin is movable in a circular arc from the closed position, which is the position of the stopper pin when the hinge is located at the center position, to the open position at the front upper side. A stopper rail formed in an arc shape from the closed position to the open position,
The second operation panel is slidable in the front-rear direction from the state housed in the apparatus main body to the closed position, and can be opened and closed from the closed position to the open position. It is.
[0007]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Next, examples of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a multifunction machine, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a one touch panel, FIG. 3 is a front view showing a slide and rotation mechanism of the one touch panel, and FIG. It is a side view which shows a rotation mechanism.
[0008]
First, a schematic configuration of a multifunction machine having a copy function and a facsimile function, which is an apparatus having a plurality of keys, as an example to which the one touch panel of the present invention is applied will be described with reference to FIG.
The multi-function device C is configured by arranging a reading unit 2 above the recording unit 1, and in the recording unit 1, an image forming unit 3 and a paper feed cassette 4 are respectively built up and down, and the paper feed cassette The paper accumulated in the paper 4 is fed to the image forming unit 3 for recording, and then discharged to the paper discharge tray 5. A tray 51 that can be pulled out is disposed in front of the paper discharge tray 5, and the paper discharge tray 5 and the tray 51 constitute a paper discharge unit.
[0009]
On the other hand, in the reading unit 2, a reading device for reading the contents of a document or the like is housed in the reading case 13, and the document placed on the upper surface of the reading case 13 is scanned by the reading device and read. Like to do.
Further, a document presser cover 7 that can be opened and closed with its one side as a center is disposed above the reading case 13, and the document placed on the upper surface of the reading case 13 is pressed from above by the document presser cover 7. It is said.
[0010]
Further, an automatic paper feeder (ADF device) 8 that automatically feeds a document is attached to one end of the document presser cover 7, and one document placed on the document supply tray 9 is fed by the automatic paper feeder 8. The paper is picked up one by one and conveyed to an ADF reading unit (not shown) provided at one end of the upper surface of the reading case 13 by a conveying device (not shown) in the automatic paper feeder 8. The content is read by (not shown) and then discharged to the document discharge tray 10 formed on the upper surface of the document pressing cover 7.
[0011]
That is, the reading unit 2 is used as a flat bed type scanner that scans a reading device to read a stationary document, and is also used as a sheet feed type scanner that reads a document while fixing the position of the reading device. It is configured to be able to.
[0012]
The multifunction machine C is provided with two operation panels provided with various operation keys, the first operation panel is a fixed operation panel 15, and the second operation panel is a retractable operation panel. This is a one touch panel 16. The one touch panel 16 is disposed below the operation panel 15.
[0013]
The operation panel 15 is attached to one side of the reading case 13, and by operating various operation keys of the operation panel 15, the contents of the original are read or the transmission destination is set when the read contents are transmitted by facsimile. Or the received content and the read content are recorded by the image forming unit 3.
[0014]
On the operation panel 15, various operation keys constituting the first key group that is always exposed are provided. For example, a start key 21 that is operated when starting facsimile transmission or copying of document contents, a stop key 22 that is operated when stopping these operations, dialing a facsimile transmission destination, and setting the number of copies. A numeric keypad 23 to be operated at the time, a cursor key 26 for selecting / determining various settings of the multifunction device C and contents of the operation, a display 27 for displaying an operation state and a setting state of the multifunction device C, and the like are provided. .
That is, on the operation panel 15, the keys of the first key group that are frequently used keys are arranged.
[0015]
The one touch panel 16 of the present invention will now be described.
As shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of one-touch keys 29, 29,... As will be described in detail later, the one-touch panel 16 is configured to be able to appear and retract with respect to the multi-function device C, and the one-touch keys 29, 29,... Constitute a second key group with respect to the first key group. .
These second key groups are mainly composed of keys for performing complex operations and special operations.
[0016]
Here, for convenience, the side on which the operation panel 15 is disposed in the multifunction peripheral C is defined as a front portion, and the side on which the automatic paper feeder 8 is disposed is defined as a left portion.
A rail 17 is extended at the right end of the one touch panel 16, and as shown in FIG. 3, the rail 17 slides on a rail receiver 31 formed inside the right wall 3 a of the image forming unit 3. It is fitted freely. For this reason, the one touch panel 16 can slide back and forth with respect to the multifunction peripheral C main body.
[0017]
A plate 18 is extended downward from the rear end of the right end of the one touch panel 16. The plate 18 is formed in an inverted L-shape combining a horizontal portion 18a extending rearward and a vertical portion 18b extending downward. A columnar stopper pin 19 is erected on the rear part of the horizontal part 18a and extends rightward, and a hinge 20 is erected on the lower part of the vertical part 18b and also extends rightward. The cross section of the hinge 20 has a ring shape that is long in one direction.
[0018]
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a stopper rail 32 is formed below the rail receiver 31 and a hinge rail 33 is formed below the stopper rail 32 inside the right wall 3a. The stopper rail 32 and the hinge rail 33 are both substantially U-shaped, and can be slid by guiding the stopper pin 19 and the hinge 20 from above and below.
[0019]
As described above, the cross section of the hinge 20 has an annular shape that is long in one direction, and is fixed to the plate 18 with the major axis direction of the hinge 20 being the front-rear direction. For this reason, the distance of the hinge 20 cross section in the up-down direction is the shortest distance of the hinge 20 cross section. The hinge rail 33 holds the hinge 20 from above and below at the shortest distance except for the rear end and front end that are open, and the hinge 20 can be slid in the front-rear direction.
Further, the hinge 20 is configured to be rotatable at the front end of the hinge rail 33. Here, the front end portion of the hinge rail 33 is bent into a circular shape with the center position Pc as the center, and the diameter of the circular shape is equal to the longitudinal length of the section of the hinge 20, that is, the length equal to the longest distance of the section of the hinge 20. Is given.
The one touch panel 16 can slide backward until it comes into contact with the front wall 3b of the main body of the image forming unit 3. That is, the one touch panel 16 is configured to be able to slide back and forth for the slidable distance Ls.
[0020]
As described above, the stopper rail 32 guides the stopper pin 19 in a slidable manner except for the open rear end. The stopper rail 32 is configured in a straight line from the rear end of the stopper rail 32 to the closed position Ps that is positioned forward by the slidable distance Ls. Here, the closed position Ps is the position of the stopper pin 19 when the hinge 20 is positioned at the center position Pc when the one touch panel 16 slides forward as shown in FIG.
[0021]
The one touch panel 16 is configured to be rotatable around the center position Pc when the hinge 20 is positioned at the center position Pc. At this time, the stopper pin 19 is located above the closed position Ps and above the closed position Ps. Move to the open position Po.
The stopper rail 32 has an upper and lower rail that holds the stopper pin 19 in an arc shape so that the stopper pin 19 can slide on an arc having a radius R centered at the center position Pc from the closed position Ps to the open position Po. It is configured. Here, the radius R is equal to the distance from the center of the hinge 20 to the center of the stopper pin 19.
Further, the one touch panel 16 rotates by an angle θ while the stopper pin 19 moves from the closed position Ps to the open position Po.
That is, the one touch panel 16 can be opened and closed by rotating in a range between the closed position Ps and the open position Po.
[0022]
With the above configuration, when the hinge 20 is located at the center position Pc and the stopper pin 19 is located at the open position Po, the upper surface of the one touch panel 16 is tilted forward with respect to the main body of the multifunction machine C and can be visually recognized by the operator. It becomes a state.
Further, when the one touch panel 16 is rotated and the stopper pin 19 is positioned at the open position Ps, the one touch panel 16 shifts to a slidable state in the front-rear direction. From this state, the one touch panel 16 can slide to the front wall 3b. That is, the one touch panel 16 can be opened and closed with the center position Pc as the center, and the one touch panel 16 is configured to be slidable back by a slidable distance Ls.
Further, protrusions 32a and 32a are provided on the stopper rail 32 immediately below the closed position Ps in the front-rear direction. For this reason, when the stopper pin 19 is located at the closed position Ps, it acts as an obstacle to prevent the stopper pin 19 from being removed from the position. Further, when the operator slides the one touch panel 16, it is possible to know that the stopper pin 19 has reached the closed position Ps from the feeling of contact between the protrusion 32 a and the stopper pin 19.
[0023]
When the one-touch keys 29, 29,... Are operated, the one touch panel 16 is fixed in a state where the stopper pin 19 is positioned at the open position Po, and the operator can copy, facsimile while keeping the one touch panel 16 open. It is possible to perform operations such as these.
[0024]
In addition, since a part of the various key groups of the multifunction machine C is arranged on the one touch panel 16, the number of keys to be arranged on the operation panel 15 can be reduced without impairing the function, and the panel surface of the operation panel 15 can be reduced. Can be reduced, particularly in the width direction.
For this reason, an operator looking down from the upper side of the multi-function device C can view the paper discharge tray 5 even in a key-operated posture, and confirms how the recording paper is discharged from the multi-function device C. It can be done.
[0025]
【The invention's effect】
According to the first aspect of the present invention, a part of the key group provided in the apparatus is disposed on the second operation panel that is slidable and openable, and is disposed on the first operation panel that is always exposed. The number of keys can be reduced.
In addition, a large number of keys can be exposed to the operator as required for work, and can be stored in the apparatus main body when the second operation panel is not used.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a multifunction machine.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a one-touch panel.
FIG. 3 is a front view showing a slide and rotation mechanism of a one-touch panel.
FIG. 4 is a side view showing a slide and rotation mechanism of a one-touch panel.
[Explanation of symbols]
15 Operation panel 16 One touch panel 29 One touch key

Claims (1)

Comprising a plurality of keys, the operation consists of a first operation panel fixedly attached to the apparatus main body, comprising a plurality of keys, the second operation panel mounted retractably with respect to the apparatus main body A panel,
The second operation panel includes a plate extending downward from a side portion, a stopper pin standing on the rear portion of the plate, and a hinge standing on the lower portion of the plate,
The apparatus main body guides the hinge so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction, and guides the hinge rail formed so that the hinge is rotatable at the center position of the front end, and the stopper pin in the front-rear direction. The stopper pin is movable in a circular arc from the closed position, which is the position of the stopper pin when the hinge is located at the center position, to the open position at the front upper side. A stopper rail formed in an arc shape from the closed position to the open position,
The second operation panel is slidable in the front-rear direction from the state housed in the apparatus main body to the closed position, and can be opened and closed from the closed position to the open position. .

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