JP4251547B2 - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a facsimile machine, a printer, or a multifunction machine having both functions.

  In general, in an office, a plurality of users jointly use an image forming apparatus such as a copier, a facsimile machine, a printer, or a multifunction machine having both functions. Users can check whether the image forming device they want to use is currently available by looking at the display panel of the image forming device, looking directly at the image forming device to see the paper passing status, or printing with sound. Judging whether it is in the middle.

  For this reason, as a conventional image forming apparatus, an apparatus that displays whether or not it is in use by blinking, turning on, or color-coding a light emitting diode (LED) is known (for example, see Patent Document 1). .)

  As another conventional image forming apparatus, a liquid crystal display screen, which is an operation display unit, has a viewing angle, so that the angle of the liquid crystal display screen is changed to a desired angle in order to make display contents easy to see. (For example, refer to Patent Document 2).

JP 2001-154606 A (Page 3, FIG. 5) JP 2001-242673 A (3rd page, FIG. 1)

  However, for example, when the image forming apparatus is far from the output location, such as a network printer, whether other users send data to the image forming apparatus to process or stop the data, whether light emitting diodes or liquid crystals It is difficult to confirm by displaying the display screen, and it is necessary to go to the vicinity of the image forming apparatus.

  Therefore, the present invention has been devised in view of the above-described problems, and provides an image forming apparatus capable of confirming a use state from a distance, thereby shortening the time required for confirmation. The purpose is to do.

The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 is: (A) at least one state display movable member rotatably supported so as to be in an upright state with respect to the apparatus main body; A rotation drive unit for rotating the state display movable member; (C) a rotation drive source for transmitting a rotation drive force to the rotation drive unit; and (D) outputting a drive signal to the rotation drive source for the rotation. And a control unit that controls the operation of the drive source. In the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, the control unit outputs (1) a drive signal to the rotation drive source when paper is being fed, data is being input, or data is being processed, and the rotation drive source Rotating the rotation drive unit with a rotation drive force to bring the state display movable member into an upright state, and (2) outputting a drive signal to the rotation drive source during a pause or when image formation is completed, The rotation drive unit is rotated by a rotation drive force of the rotation drive source, and the state display movable member is tilted from an upright state to return to the original position .

The image forming apparatus according to the second aspect of the present invention includes: (A) at least one state display movable member that is rotatably supported with respect to the apparatus main body so as to be in an upright state; A rotation drive unit for rotating the state display movable member; (C) a rotation drive source for transmitting a rotation drive force to the rotation drive unit; and (D) outputting a drive signal to the rotation drive source for the rotation. And a control unit that controls the operation of the drive source. In the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, one of the state display movable members is a discharge guide member that is provided in the apparatus main body and is rotatably provided in a sheet discharge portion that discharges a sheet. And (1) when JAM occurs, the control unit outputs a drive signal to the rotation drive source, rotates the rotation drive unit by the rotation drive force of the rotation drive source, and moves the discharge guide member (2) When JAM processing is completed, a drive signal is output to the rotation drive source, the rotation drive unit is rotated by the rotation drive force of the rotation drive source, and the discharge guide member is raised. It is characterized by returning to its original position after being defeated .

The invention described in claim 3 relates to the image forming apparatus described in claim 2 . In the present invention, the sheet is a recording sheet on which an image is formed or a read sheet .

  According to the present invention, the usage state of the image forming apparatus can be clearly confirmed from a distance. For this reason, since it is not necessary to check whether another user is using the image forming apparatus as close as possible to the vicinity of the apparatus, it is possible to save time until the usage state is recognized.

  An image forming apparatus according to the best mode for carrying out the present invention includes at least one state display movable member that is rotatably supported so as to be able to stand up with respect to the image forming apparatus main body. Is the gist. The sheet is a recording sheet on which an image is formed or a read sheet (original).

  The state display movable member is a discharge guide member provided on the upper surface of the image forming apparatus main body so as to be rotatable on a liquid crystal display unit, an operation key portion, or a sheet discharge unit for discharging a sheet. These operation display units may be set to be rotatable independently, or a plurality of the operation display units may be set to be rotatable.

  Further, when the discharge guide member is provided so as to be rotatable, the opening of the sheet discharge portion can be opened and closed, and the discharge guide member is closed to the guide position of the opening of the sheet discharge portion except when JAM occurs. It is preferable that it is set. For this reason, the discharge guide member is normally located at a guide position for guiding the sheet discharged from the opening of the sheet discharge portion. When an abnormality occurs such as when JAM occurs, the discharge guide member rises to recognize the occurrence of JAM. This makes it easy to perform JAM processing.

  Further, if the state display movable member is set so as to perform a reciprocating operation when the apparatus is in use, the state display movable member can be easily seen.

  Hereinafter, details of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, it should be noted that the drawings are schematic and dimensional ratios and the like are different from actual ones. In addition, the drawings include portions having different dimensional ratios and angles formed by members. Hereinafter, details of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

(Schematic configuration of image forming apparatus)
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram schematically showing an image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment. The image forming apparatus 1 includes a sheet feeding unit (pickup roller) 4 that feeds a recording sheet P such as a print sheet or a plastic film from a sheet feeding tray 3 and a sheet feeding unit 4 A sheet conveying unit 5 that conveys the recording sheet P along the sheet conveying path R, an image forming unit 6 that forms an image on the recording sheet P conveyed by the sheet conveying unit 5, and the recording sheet P by the image forming unit 6. Formed on the upper surface of the image forming apparatus main body 2, a fixing device 7 that fixes the image formed on the sheet, a sheet discharge portion 9 that discharges the recording sheet P on which the image is fixed by the fixing device 7 to the discharge tray 8, and The operation display unit 20 and a discharge guide member 30 provided above the opening 9A of the sheet discharge unit 9 are generally configured.

  In particular, the image forming apparatus 1 of the present embodiment is characterized in that the operation display unit 20 and the discharge guide member 30 are driven to rotate so that they can stand up.

(Configuration of image forming unit)
Next, the configuration of the image forming unit 6 will be briefly described with reference to FIG. The image forming unit 6 includes a drum-type photoconductor (hereinafter referred to as a photoconductor drum) 10, a charger 11 disposed around the drum-type photoconductor 10, and a position on the photoconductor drum 10 downstream of the charger 11 in the rotation direction. A scanning unit 12 composed of an exposure device and a reflection mirror that irradiates the laser beam, a developing unit 13, a transfer unit 14, a static eliminator 15, and a sheet separating unit that separates the recording sheet P from the surface of the photosensitive drum 10. In general, a cleaning device is provided.

  The photosensitive drum 10 described above is rotationally driven in the direction of arrow A at a predetermined process speed (circumferential speed) by a driving means (not shown). The surface of the photosensitive drum 10 is uniformly charged by the charger 11 with a predetermined polarity and potential.

  An electrostatic latent image is formed on the photosensitive drum 10 after charging by the scan unit 12. The exposure unit 12 of the scan unit 12 generates laser light that is ON / OFF controlled based on image information input from an image processing unit (not shown), reflects the laser beam on a reflection mirror, and charges the surface of the photosensitive drum 10 after charging. The electrostatic latent image corresponding to the image information is formed by removing the electric charge of the laser light irradiated portion. The electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the photoconductor drum 10 is developed as a toner image by the developing unit 13 electrostatically adhering charged toner. As this toner, powder made of synthetic resin is generally used. Although not shown, the scan unit 12 includes various optical systems such as a polygon mirror.

  The toner image thus formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 10 is transferred to the recording sheet P supplied from the paper feed tray 3. The recording sheet P stored in the paper feed tray 3 is supplied to a transfer nip portion between the photosensitive drum 10 and the transfer portion 14 by a paper feed portion 4, a transport roller (not shown), and a registration roller 17. . At this time, the recording sheet P is supplied to the transfer nip portion by the registration roller 17 so as to coincide with the toner image formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 10. As the recording sheet P supplied to the transfer nip portion is nipped and conveyed by the transfer nip portion, the toner image on the surface of the photosensitive drum 10 is electrostatically transferred to the surface by the transfer portion 14. Then, after the toner image is fixed by the fixing device 7, the recording sheet P is discharged from the opening 9 </ b> A to the discharge tray 8 while being guided by the discharge guide member 30 through the sheet discharge portion 9. .

(Configuration of operation display)
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the operation display unit 20 has a position indicated by a solid line and a position indicated by a broken line shown in FIG. The rotation is controlled within the range of the standing position. The operation display unit 20 is an operation unit including a liquid crystal display screen unit and operation keys (not shown). The rotation drive unit 21 is set to rotate and rise to a standing position indicated by a broken line by outputting a standing drive signal from the control unit 40 shown in FIG. 1 to the rotation drive source. For example, the control unit 40 is set to output the upright drive signal by receiving a detection signal indicating that data is being input. Further, when there is no data input and the image formation on the recording sheet P is completed, the control unit 40 outputs a return drive signal so that the operation display unit 20 in the standing position is tilted to the solid line position. ing.

(Configuration of discharge guide member)
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the discharge guide member 30 is a plate having a width dimension substantially the same as the width dimension of the opening 9 </ b> A of the sheet discharge section 9. The discharge guide member 30 rotates in a range between a position indicated by a solid line and a position indicated by a broken line (standing position) shown in FIG. 1 with a rotation drive unit 31 to which a rotation drive force is transmitted from a rotation drive source as a fulcrum. To be controlled. The rotation drive unit 31 is set to rotate and rise to the standing position indicated by the broken line by outputting the standing drive signal from the control unit 40 shown in FIG. 1 to the rotation drive source. In the control unit 40, for example, as shown by a wavy broken line in FIG. 1, when a sensor unit (not shown) detects the occurrence of JAM, the upright drive signal is output based on this detection signal. Is set. Further, when it is detected that the JAM processing is completed, a return drive signal is output so that the discharge guide member 30 in the standing position is tilted to the solid line position.

In this embodiment, for example, if the operation display unit 20 and the discharge guide member 30 are in the process of passing paper in the image forming apparatus 1, the operation display unit 20 and the discharge guide member 30 are both disposed in the standing position. It is is controlled to so that. Therefore, if another user wishes to use this image forming apparatus 1, viewed with the operation display unit 20 that the other user has erected the image forming apparatus 1 of this is in use and the discharge guide member 30 Can be recognized even in the distance.

  Further, when the image forming apparatus 1 is processing data, the operation display unit 20 is set to the upright position, and the discharge guide member 30 is set to the guide position (position indicated by a solid line).

  Further, when JAM is generated in the image forming apparatus 1, the operation display unit 20 is in the position of the solid line, and the discharge guide member 30 is set to be disposed in the standing position.

  Further, when the image forming apparatus 1 is in a resting state such as an energy saving mode, the operation display unit 20 and the discharge guide member 30 are set to be disposed at a solid line position.

(Effect of Example)
According to the present embodiment, the operation state of the image forming apparatus 1 (for example, during paper passing, during data processing, occurrence of JAM, standby state, etc.) is recognized from a distance by the operation of the operation display unit 20 and the discharge guide member 30. Easy to do. For this reason, it is not necessary for the prospective user to approach the vicinity of the image forming apparatus 1, so that time can be saved.

  It should not be understood that the above description and drawings, which form part of the disclosure of the embodiments of the present invention, limit the present invention. From this disclosure, various alternative embodiments and operational techniques and examples will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, the operation display unit 20 and the discharge guide member 30 are configured to move between the standing position and the normal position according to the detection signal. However, the user or the like can easily recognize the use state. As described above, for example, it may be set to perform a specific operation such as a swing operation, an intermittent swing operation, and a rotation operation by a predetermined angle.

  In the above-described embodiments, a printer is used as the image forming apparatus 1. However, the present invention can be applied to other image forming apparatuses such as a copying machine, a facsimile, or a multifunction machine having both functions. it can. Here, when the present invention is applied to a copying machine, it is possible to perform control in consideration of the document feeding state.

  The present invention can be used in the field of manufacturing image forming apparatuses.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a state where the operation display unit and the discharge guide member are in a standing position in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating a state where the operation display unit and the discharge guide member are in a normal position in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Image forming apparatus, 2 ... Image forming apparatus main body, 9 ... Sheet discharge part, 9A ... Opening part, 20 ... Operation display part, 21 ... Rotation drive shaft, 30 ... Discharge guide member, 31 …… Rotation drive shaft, 40 …… Control unit

Claims (3)

At least one state display movable member rotatably supported so as to be in an upright state with respect to the apparatus main body ;
A rotation drive unit for rotating the state display movable member;
A rotational drive source for transmitting rotational drive force to the rotational drive unit;
A control unit that outputs a drive signal to the rotational drive source and controls the operation of the rotational drive source, and an image forming apparatus comprising:
The control unit (1) outputs a drive signal to the rotation drive source when paper is being fed, data is being input, or data is being processed, and the rotation drive unit is driven by the rotation drive force of the rotation drive source. To turn the state display movable member upright, and (2) output a drive signal to the rotational drive source during a pause or when image formation is completed, and the rotational drive force of the rotational drive source The rotational drive unit is rotated by, and the state display movable member is tilted from the standing state to return to the original position.
An image forming apparatus. At least one state display movable member rotatably supported so as to be in an upright state with respect to the apparatus main body;
A rotation drive unit for rotating the state display movable member;
A rotational drive source for transmitting rotational drive force to the rotational drive unit;
A control unit that outputs a drive signal to the rotational drive source and controls the operation of the rotational drive source, and an image forming apparatus comprising:
One of the state display movable members is a discharge guide member that is provided in the apparatus main body and is rotatably provided in a sheet discharge portion that discharges a sheet,
(1) When JAM occurs, the control unit outputs a drive signal to the rotation drive source, rotates the rotation drive unit by the rotation drive force of the rotation drive source, and raises the discharge guide member (2) When the JAM processing is completed, a drive signal is output to the rotation drive source, the rotation drive unit is rotated by the rotation drive force of the rotation drive source, and the discharge guide member is tilted from the standing state. To return to the original position,
An image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the sheet is a recording sheet on which an image is formed or a sheet to be read .

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