JP4374071B2 - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that can perform multiple functions such as a copy function and a facsimile function with a single apparatus.

  In recent years, there has been an increasing demand for image forming apparatuses that perform multiple functions with a single unit. For example, a copy function, a FAX function, a printer function, a PC-FAX function, a scanner function, and the like are provided. Such a multi-function image forming apparatus can be used in a narrow office because space can be remarkably saved as compared with the case where a plurality of apparatuses are arranged corresponding to each function.

  On the other hand, if a paper feed cassette for supplying paper for image recording and a paper discharge tray for discharging paper on which an image is recorded protrude on both sides of the image forming apparatus main body, this is the amount of installation space. Is widely needed. In view of this, there has been provided a paper feed cassette that can be loaded into the main body of the image forming apparatus and that has a paper discharge space in the main body of the image forming apparatus.

  Generally, the space on the front side of the main body of the image forming apparatus is an empty space for the operation of the image forming apparatus, and the above-described paper feeding cassette can be taken out to the front side. Further, the paper discharge space is opened to the front side of the image forming apparatus main body, and the paper discharged to the paper discharge space is taken out to the front side.

  However, since the paper discharge space is installed in the main body of the image forming apparatus, the inside tends to become dark. For this reason, it is difficult to check whether or not there is paper in the paper discharge space. For this reason, the operator checks the presence / absence of paper by pushing his hand into the paper discharge space, but such an operation is very troublesome for the operator.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of easily visually confirming the presence or absence of paper discharged to a paper discharge unit.

An image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes a first part that houses an optical system that reads an original image, and a second part that houses an image forming unit, and the first part is the second part. In the image forming apparatus placed on top, an operation panel disposed in front of the first portion and provided with various operation keys, and positioned in front of the first portion and on the side of the operation panel. Side space,
A paper discharge unit formed between the first part and the second part so as to be opened forward on the paper take-out side and on which an image is recorded; A side wall that exists on the rear end side in the paper transport direction and an opening for daylighting the paper discharge unit. The opening is provided on the side wall, so that the space of the paper discharge unit is not darkened. Can be introduced and
A part of the paper discharge unit is arranged directly below the side space (claim 1).

In the above configuration, the sheet is discharged in a state where the front edge on the side from which the sheet discharged to the sheet discharge unit is taken out follows a line that is separated from the line of the front edge of the sheet discharge unit by a predetermined distance. It is desirable that the paper transport path is set

  In these configurations, the paper discharge unit has an inclined portion that is inclined so that a portion corresponding to the rear end portion in the transport direction of the discharged paper is lowest, and the opening is the most of the inclined portion. It is desirable to be provided on the side surface on the lower side (Claim 3).

  According to the present invention, by providing the opening and the side space, it is possible to prevent the space where the paper discharge unit from which the paper is discharged from being darkened. Further, since the paper transport path is set so that the paper is ejected rearward from the front edge line of the paper ejection unit by a predetermined distance, the paper can be visually recognized directly under the side space. Further, by providing the opening on the side wall on the lowest side of the inclined portion, it is possible to prevent the paper discharged to the paper discharge portion from becoming dark at the rear end in the transport direction. As a result, it becomes easier to take out the paper forward from the paper discharge unit.

1 is a schematic perspective view illustrating an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic front view showing an internal configuration of the image forming apparatus. FIG. 3 is an enlarged schematic perspective view of a paper discharge unit. FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway schematic right side view of the image forming apparatus main body. It is a schematic side view showing one process when assembling the image forming apparatus main body. It is the schematic of the rear surface frame of the 1st part.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, this image forming apparatus is equipped with an automatic document feeder 10 (hereinafter simply referred to as ADF 10) on the upper surface of image forming apparatus main body 1, and an upper portion on the front X1 side of image forming apparatus main body 1. An operation panel 13 having various operation keys 11 and a display unit 12 is arranged. By disposing the operation panel 13 on the front X1 side upper portion of the image forming apparatus main body 1 in this way, the upper surface of the image forming apparatus main body 1 is effectively used for arranging the ADF 10.
Further, the image forming apparatus main body 1 has a paper discharge unit 15 that opens to the front X1 below the operation panel 13. A paper feeding cassette 14 that can be pulled out to the front X 1 of the image forming apparatus main body 1 is mounted at the lower part of the image forming apparatus main body 1.

  On the other hand, the image forming apparatus performs a copying function and, although not shown, a modem for modulating image data to be transmitted and demodulating received image data in order to perform a facsimile function, Equipped with an NCU (Network Control Unit) for connecting to an external communication line.

  Referring to FIG. 2 which is a schematic front view showing an internal cross section of the image forming apparatus, when the ADF 10 is used in the image forming apparatus, the original is conveyed to the ADF reading area 2a by the ADF 10, The original surface is illuminated and scanned by the fixed optical system, and an image is formed based on the illuminated scanning. On the other hand, when a book document or the like is placed on the document placement surface 2 and copying is performed, the document surface is illuminated and scanned by a moving optical system, and an image is formed based on the illumination scanning.

  In the ADF 10, when a plurality of originals with the front side facing up are set on the original setting unit 10a, the originals are reversed through the original conveyance path 10b, and the reading area set at the end of the original placement surface 2 is set. After passing 2a, it is sequentially discharged to the document discharge table 10c in the inverted state from the first sheet.

  Inside the image forming apparatus main body 1, the original placed on the original placement plate 2 or the original conveyed to the ADF reading area 2 a by the ADF 10 is illuminated and scanned, and the reflected light from the original is photoreceptor drum 42. After the electrostatic latent image formed on the optical system 3 and the photosensitive drum 42 is developed by the developing device 41, the image forming unit 4 and the sheet feeding cassette 61 which are transferred to a sheet or opened when necessary. A paper transport unit 5 is provided that pulls out the paper from the manual paper feed tray 62 and discharges the paper to the paper discharge unit 15 in the image forming apparatus main body 1 through the image forming unit 4.

The optical system 3 illuminates the original with a fluorescent lamp (not shown) with a reflector fixed to the first moving frame 3A, and the reflected light from the original is fixed to the first moving frame 3A. The first mirror 33, the second mirror 34 and the third mirror 35 fixed to the second moving frame 3B, and the lens 36 are sequentially taken into the line sensor 37, and laser light corresponding to the input to the line sensor 37 is obtained. Is irradiated onto the photosensitive drum 42 by the laser optical system 38. Although not shown in detail, the laser optical system 38 is a known one including a laser oscillator, a modulator, a lens, a rotating polygon mirror, and the like.

  As the image forming unit 4, a charging charger 43, a developing device 41, a transfer roller 44, and a cleaning roller 45 are arranged around the photosensitive drum 42 in this order. The image forming unit 4 forms an electrostatic latent image by forming an original image on the outer peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 42 uniformly charged by the charging charger 43, and then the electrostatic latent image is developed by the developing device 41. The toner image is visualized, the toner image is transferred to a sheet by a transfer roller 44, and the residual toner is collected by a cleaning roller 45. The entire image forming unit 4 is unitized and can be pulled out to the front X1 side integrally.

  The paper transport unit 5 is transported by a paper feed roller 51 that pulls out the paper P one by one from the paper feed cassette 61, a paper feed roller 52 that pulls out the paper from the manual paper feed tray 62, and the paper feed rollers 51 and 52. A pair of registration rollers 53 and 53 that abut the leading edge of the paper P and temporarily wait the paper P, and a heat roller 54b and a pressure roller that constitute a fixing roller 54 that fixes the toner image transferred to the paper P. 54a and a pair of discharge rollers 55, 55 are provided in this order. These discharge rollers 55, 55 discharge the paper P along the conveyance direction K, which is the left side Y1 in the drawing.

  Referring to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 which is an enlarged schematic perspective view of the paper discharge unit 15, the paper is discharged to the paper discharge unit 15 along the conveyance direction K which is the left side Y1. The paper discharge unit 15 is inclined so that the portion corresponding to the rear end portion Pa in the transport direction of the discharged paper P is the lowest (so as to decrease toward the right side Y2 in the drawing). have. By the action of the inclined portion 15 c, the rear end portion Pa in the transport direction of the paper P discharged to the paper discharge portion 15 is aligned with the rear end portion 15 a in the transport direction of the paper discharge portion 15. Further, even when a large number of sheets P are discharged to the paper discharge unit 15 and are stacked, the rear end portion Pa in the transport direction of the stacked sheets P does not prevent discharge of the next discharged sheet P. It has become.

  As described above, the image forming apparatus main body 1 contains the optical system 3, the image forming unit 4, the paper transport unit 5, and the like. Referring to FIG. The first portion 1a and the second portion 1b that accommodates the image forming unit 4 and the sheet conveying unit 5 below are separated from each other. When the image forming apparatus is assembled, as shown in FIG. The first portion 1a is placed on the second portion 1b and combined with each other. The paper discharge unit 15 is provided above the second portion 1b and is interposed between the first portion 1a and the second portion 1b.

  On the other hand, referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, openings 17 (only one of them is shown in FIG. 1) are provided on both sides of the image forming apparatus main body 1 as a daylighting window portion that communicates the paper discharge portion 15 to the outside. ), So that light is introduced into the paper discharge unit 15 so that the space of the paper discharge unit 15 is not darkened, and the paper P discharged to the paper discharge unit 15 is easily visible. Yes.

  Moreover, each opening part 17 is provided in the joint part of each side surface of 1st and 2nd part 1a, 1b. As shown in FIG. 5, each opening 17 is set to a size and a position where a hand supporting the lower edge of the substantially central position of each side surface of the first portion 1a can be introduced when the image forming apparatus is assembled. Yes. This prevents the hands from being pinched between the first part 1a and the second part 1b when assembling the image forming apparatus main body 1, and allows the parts 1a and 1b to be combined with high positional accuracy. It is like that. In addition, although the opening part 17 is arrange | positioned in the 2nd part 1b in this embodiment, it may be arrange | positioned in the 1st part 1a and straddles both parts 1a and 1b. It may be arranged in a stripped manner.

In addition, a plurality of main ventilation openings 18 facing the opening 17 of the right side surface 1c of the image forming apparatus main body 1 are provided in a portion 19 that continuously partitions the right upper surface of the second portion 1b with the paper discharge unit 15. . On the other hand, a sub vent hole 20 having an opening area much smaller than the opening area of the plurality of main vent holes 18 as a whole is formed in the upper part of the front surface 1d of the second portion 1b. Cooling air is supplied to the fixing roller 54 through the ventilation ports 20 and 18.

  Refer to FIG. 4 which is a partially broken right side view of the image forming apparatus main body 1 (FIG. 4 shows a state in which the surface cover of the right side surface of the image forming apparatus main body 1 is removed and the plate frame is exposed). The fixing roller 54 is disposed along the front-rear directions X1 and X2 of the image forming apparatus and is close to the main ventilation opening 18. A blower fan 21 is disposed in the vicinity of the rear end of the fixing roller 54 in the axial direction. The fan 21 sucks air from the vent holes 20 and 18 and is rearward in the axial direction of the fixing roller 54. The wind is sent toward (that is, backward X2). Outside of the vents 20 and 18, the periphery of the fixing roller 54 is partitioned so that almost no air flows into the fixing roller 54, and the amount of air introduced from the sub vent 20 is the main ventilation path. The amount of air introduced from the entire 20 is set to be much smaller.

  On the other hand, the main ventilation port 18 mainly corresponds to the downstream side portion of the fixing roller 54 in the blowing direction, and mainly cools the downstream side portion in the blowing direction. Thereby, the temperature distribution in the axial direction of the fixing roller 54 is made uniform. In addition, the height of the lower end of the rear surface frame 1e is set so that the rear surface frame 1e does not block the air flow exhausted by the fan 21.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the first part 1a is arranged in a state shifted by a predetermined amount to the rear X2 from the second part 1b (in the figure, C1 indicates the central part of the optical system 3 in the front-rear direction). C2 is a line indicating the central portion of the image forming unit in the front-rear direction.) As a result, an empty space is formed on the front X1 side of the first portion 1a, but the operation panel 13 is arranged so as to occupy a part of this empty space (see FIG. 1), and the remaining empty space A side space 16 is formed on the right side Y2 of the operation panel 13 by the space, and through this side space 16, the operator determines whether or not there is the paper P discharged to the paper discharge unit 15, as shown in FIG. It can be confirmed visually from above. As shown in FIG. 1, the side space 16 is located above the rear end portion Pa in the transport direction of the discharged paper P. Therefore, the paper P is present in the paper discharge portion 15 regardless of the paper size. It is possible to easily recognize whether or not.

  Further, referring to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 showing the rear frame of the first part 1a, the optical system 3 accommodated in the first part 1a is driven in the rear frame 1e of the first part 1a. A driving member 22 is supported. The drive member 22 includes a motor 23, a drive pulley 24 fixed to the rotation shaft of the motor 23, a driven pulley 26 driven by the drive pulley 24 via a belt 25, and rotation with the driven pulley 26. The first gear 27 and the second gear 28 meshing with the first gear 27 are provided.

  Of the members 23 to 27 included in the drive member 22, the motor 23 and the drive pulley 24 are disposed at the rear X2 of the second portion 1b. In particular, the motor 23 is disposed in an empty space formed behind the second portion 1b by shifting the first portion 1a rearward. If the motor 23 is disposed on the rear surface of the first portion 1a and the first portion 1a is simply shifted rearward, the plane space occupied by the entire image forming apparatus is increased. Since the motor 23 is disposed behind the second portion 1b, the plane space occupied by the image forming apparatus is not increased.

Since the motor 23 is attached to the inner surface of the rear frame 1e, the motor 23 is separated from the rear cover of the image forming apparatus main body 1 as compared with the conventional case attached to the outer surface of the rear frame 1e. (I.e., closer to the inner side of the image forming apparatus main body 1) and in a state of being shielded by the rear frame 1e. As a result, it is possible to make it difficult for the motor sound during operation of the apparatus to leak out of the apparatus, and noise reduction is expected.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the front edge Pb on the side from which the paper P discharged to the paper discharge unit 15 is taken out is separated from the front edge Pb of the paper discharge unit 15 by a predetermined distance d (for example, 20 mm). The paper transport path is set so that the paper P is discharged in a state along That is, the sheet conveyance path is a so-called machine front side reference. As described above, since the front side is the reference, the front edge Pb of the paper P discharged to the paper discharge unit 15 is at a certain proximity distance (for example, 20 mm) from the front edge 15b of the paper discharge unit 15 regardless of the paper size. As a result, the paper P can be easily taken out from the paper discharge unit 15 regardless of the paper size.

  According to the present embodiment, light enters the paper discharge unit 15 through the daylighting opening 17, so it is easy to visually recognize whether or not the paper P is in the paper discharge unit 15. Further, when assembling the image forming apparatus, when the first part 1a is placed on the second part 1b in a state where the substantially central portions of both side surfaces of the first part 1a are supported by both hands, Since it enters into the opening part 17, it can assemble with good positional accuracy without pinching a hand.

  Further, the wind sucked from the outside through the opening 17 and the main ventilation port 18 mainly cools the downstream portion of the fixing roller 54 in the air blowing direction, which tends to deteriorate the cooling efficiency. As a result, the temperature of the fixing roller 54 The distribution can be made uniform in the axial direction. As a result, it is possible to eliminate fixing problems caused by temperature nonuniformity. In the above-described embodiment, the present invention uses the daylighting opening 17 also for taking in cooling air. However, when the present invention is used only for daylighting, the opening is closed with a transparent plate. It is also good.

  The cooling air may cool only the heat roller 54b, may cool only the pressure roller 54a, or may cool both the rollers 54a and 54b. In addition, various modifications can be made within the scope of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus main body 1a 1st part 1b 2nd part 1c Right side surface 2 Original placement surface 3 Optical system 4 Image formation part 5 Paper conveyance part 15 Paper discharge part 16 Side space 17 Opening part 18 Main ventilation opening 20 Vice vent 21 Fan (Blowing means)
X1 Front X2 Back Y1 Left Y2 Right K Transport direction 54 Fixing roller 54a Pressure roller 54b Heat roller

Claims (3)

An image having a first part for accommodating an optical system for reading a document image and a second part for accommodating an image forming unit, and the first part is placed on the second part. In the forming device,
An operation panel disposed in front of the first portion and provided with various operation keys;
A side space located in front of the first portion and to the side of the operation panel;
A paper discharge unit that is formed between the first part and the second part so as to open forward on the paper take-out side, and discharges the paper on which an image is recorded.
A side wall of the paper discharge unit on the rear end side in the paper conveyance direction;
An opening for daylighting the discharge section,
The opening is provided in the side wall and can introduce light so that the space of the paper discharge unit does not become dark,
An image forming apparatus, wherein a part of the paper discharge unit is arranged immediately below the side space. Paper transport so that the paper is discharged in a state in which the front edge on the side from which the paper discharged to the paper discharge unit is taken out follows a line that is separated from the front edge line of the paper discharge unit by a predetermined distance. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a route is set. The paper discharge unit has an inclined portion that is inclined so that a portion corresponding to a rear end portion in the conveyance direction of the discharged paper is lowest,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the opening is provided on a side wall on the lowest side of the inclined portion.