JP4581707B2 - Image recording device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention has an apparatus housing having an opening formed in the lower portion of the outer peripheral surface as a recording medium discharge port or a recording medium insertion port that communicates with the conveyance path, and records the image by conveying the recording medium to the conveyance path. The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus that performs.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, what is called a multi-function device (MFD) is known as an image recording apparatus that performs image recording by conveying a recording medium in an apparatus housing. FIG. 13 shows an external configuration of a conventional image recording apparatus. As shown in FIG. 13, the image recording apparatus 90 includes a printer unit 91 at the bottom and a scanner unit 92 at the top. The printer unit 91, which is a functional device, is mainly connected to a computer (not shown) and records an image or document on a recording sheet based on image data or document data transmitted from the computer. The unit 92 reads image data of various documents, converts it into image data, and outputs the image data to a computer or the like.

  As shown in the drawing, an opening 93 is formed in the front of the printer unit 91, and a paper feed tray 94 and a paper discharge tray 95 are provided in two upper and lower stages so as to be exposed to the opening 93. Inside the printer unit 91, a laterally substantially U-shaped transport path is formed so that the paper feed tray 94 and the paper discharge tray 95 are continuous, and the inkjet recording head is transported in the transport path. A recording unit that scans in the width direction and ejects ink droplets is provided. By such a printer unit 91, the recording paper accommodated in the paper feed tray 94 is fed to a conveyance path in the printer unit 91 by conveyance means such as a conveyance roller (not shown), and in the conveyance path by the recording unit. After a desired image is recorded, it is discharged to the paper discharge tray 95 and image recording is performed.

  The scanner unit 92 is configured as a so-called flatbed scanner, and a platen glass and an image scanner (not shown) are provided below a document cover 96 that is provided as a top plate of the image recording apparatus 90 so as to be freely opened and closed. The image scanner is scanned in a predetermined direction to read an image of a document placed on the platen glass.

  Like the printer unit 91 of the image recording apparatus 90 described above, in the case where the recording paper is held by the paper feed tray 94 or the paper discharge tray 95 in a posture in which the recording surface is substantially horizontal, the width and depth are as shown in the figure. A flat and thin box-shaped device housing larger than the thickness (height) is installed horizontally so that the direction in which the thickness extends becomes the horizontal direction. However, since the horizontally installed image recording device has a large floor area for installation, a vertically installed image recording device in which the direction in which the thickness of the device casing extends is vertical is proposed to reduce the installation space. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).

JP 2003-127484 A

  In the horizontal type apparatus such as the image recording apparatus 90, the paper discharge port serving as the exit of the conveyance path to the paper discharge tray 95 faces sideways, and further, the scanner unit 92 is located above the paper discharge port. And the like, as shown in the figure, the paper discharge port is on the back side of the opening 93, and there is little possibility that foreign matters such as dust and dust enter the inside of the apparatus from the paper discharge port. However, in the vertically-positioned image recording apparatus, for example, when the conveyance path is configured in an L shape and the discharge port is provided so as to open at the lower part of the apparatus housing, the discharge container is connected to the device housing. There is a risk that foreign matter such as dust and dirt may enter the body. In addition, a manual paper insertion port may be provided so as to open to the lower portion of the apparatus housing in the same manner, and there is a possibility that foreign matter may enter the apparatus housing from the paper insertion port. In particular, vertical-type image recording devices are often stored on the floor, which is an empty space under the desk when not in use, so that dust, insects, etc. enter the device case through the device case opening. It is considered that there is a high risk of When ink adheres to foreign matter such as dust that has entered the apparatus housing and accumulates on the transport path, there arises a problem that the recording paper transported through the transport path comes into contact with the dust or the like and becomes dirty. In addition, when an image recording unit such as an ink jet recording head is disposed near the bottom of the apparatus, a foreign matter that has entered the apparatus casing causes an operation failure of the ink jet recording head or a defective ink discharge, resulting in a recorded image. May be affected.

  The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and in an image recording apparatus in which an opening is formed in a lower portion of the outer peripheral surface of an apparatus housing as a recording medium discharge port or a recording medium insertion port that communicates with a conveyance path. It is an object of the present invention to provide means for preventing foreign matter from entering the inside of the apparatus from the opening.

The present invention provides a device casing that is a thin flat box shape whose depth is smaller than the width and height and is used in a vertical position, a recording medium storage portion provided in the apparatus casing, and the recording medium storage A conveyance path that extends from the section and is bent near the bottom, an image recording section that is provided at the lowermost portion of the conveyance path, and an opening at the lower part of the outer peripheral surface of the apparatus casing. A recording medium discharge port and a recording medium insertion port that communicate with a linear portion of the conveyance path along the direction, a closed posture that closes the recording medium discharge port and a recording medium insertion port, and an open posture that opens the recording medium . A transport path opening / closing valve whose posture changes between each of them, and the transport path opening / closing valve is elastically biased so as to be in a normally closed position, and the transport path opening / closing valve is opened when the recording medium is not transported through the transport path. The valve is closed and the recording medium is transported through the transport path. Are intended to be operated to the conveying path on-off valve open position when it is. Since the recording medium outlet and the recording medium insertion slot of the device housing is closed by a closed state of the transport path on-off valve, dirt and dust from the recording medium outlet and the recording medium insertion slot, insect And the like are prevented from entering the apparatus housing. Further, by opening the transport path opening / closing valve, the recording medium discharge port and the recording medium insertion port are opened, and the recording medium is allowed to be discharged from the transport path or fed to the transport path. The Also, since the posture of the transport path opening / closing valve automatically changes in conjunction with the transport of the recording medium, the recording medium can be transported with the transport path opening / closing valve in the closed position, or the transport path can be used when not in use. The open / close valve is not left in the open position. In addition, vertical image recording devices are often installed on the floor, and in particular, foreign matter such as dust and insects can easily enter the device housing from the recording medium discharge port and the recording medium insertion port. The effect of preventing foreign matter from entering by the conveyance path opening / closing valve provided at the recording medium discharge port and the recording medium insertion port is remarkably exhibited.

Further, the present invention provides the image recording apparatus, wherein the transport path opening / closing valve is provided on the downstream side of the recording medium insertion port in the transport direction of the recording medium, and is also used as a positioning member for the recording medium. A paper feed roller for transporting the recording medium is disposed between the transport path opening / closing valve and the recording medium insertion port.

Further, in the above image recording apparatus, the conveyance path on-off valve is for the recording medium is operated so as to open posture driving force is applied when being conveyed the conveying path . As a result, the recording medium discharge port and the recording medium insertion port are opened only when the recording medium is discharged, and otherwise, the recording medium discharge port and the recording medium insertion port are closed by the transport path opening / closing valve. since, it is possible to reliably prevent the entry of foreign matter from the recording medium outlet and the recording medium insertion slot into the device housing.

Further, according to the present invention, in the image recording apparatus, the transport path opening / closing valve is normally closed, and the recording medium transported through the transport path is pressed against the closed transport path opening / closing valve. By moving forward, the conveyance path opening / closing valve is elastically biased so as to be in an open posture. As a result, the recording medium discharge port and the recording medium insertion port are opened only when the recording medium is discharged, and otherwise, the recording medium discharge port and the recording medium insertion port are closed by the transport path opening / closing valve. since, it is possible to reliably prevent the entry of foreign matter from the recording medium outlet and the recording medium insertion slot into the device housing.

According to the present invention, in the image recording apparatus, an image recording unit for recording an image on a recording medium is disposed in a conveyance path near the recording medium insertion port . Since an image recording unit is disposed in the vicinity of the recording medium insertion port , foreign matter such as dust, dust, and insects that has entered the apparatus housing from the recording medium discharge port and the recording medium insertion port. Therefore, the effect of preventing the foreign matter from entering is remarkably exhibited.

Further, in the above image recording apparatus, a recording medium insertion slot, and is formed on an outer peripheral surface opposite to the outer peripheral surface of the apparatus housing the recording medium outlet is formed. Since the recording medium discharge port and the recording medium insertion port are formed on the side surfaces on both sides of the device housing, foreign matter can easily enter the device housing from the recording medium discharge port and the recording medium insertion port . The effect of preventing foreign matter from entering by the conveyance path opening / closing valves provided at the recording medium discharge port and the recording medium insertion port is remarkably exhibited.

Thus, according to the image recording apparatus according to the present invention, the recording medium outlet and the recording medium insertion slot of the device housing is closed by a closed state of the transport path on-off valve, the recording medium ejection Foreign matter such as dust, dust, and insects can be prevented from entering the apparatus casing from the outlet and the recording medium insertion port, so that there is no malfunction caused by the foreign matter and stable image recording operation is realized. There is an advantage. In particular, the vertical image recording apparatus is often used by being installed on the floor, or placed and stored on the floor when not in use, so that the effects of the present invention are remarkably exhibited.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings as appropriate.
FIG. 1 shows an external configuration of a multifunction machine 1 (image recording apparatus) according to an embodiment of the present invention. The multifunction machine 1 is a multi-function device (MFD) having a printer unit 2 on the back side and a scanner unit 3 on the front side, and has both a printer function and a scanner function. is there. Note that the printer unit 2 of the multifunction device 1 corresponds to the image recording apparatus according to the present invention, and functions other than the printer function are arbitrary. Accordingly, a single-function printer that does not have the scanner unit 3 and does not have a scanner function or a copy function may further include a communication unit and a facsimile function.

  The multifunction device 1 is mainly connected to a computer (not shown), the printer unit 2 records an image or document on a recording sheet based on the image data or document data transmitted from the computer, and the scanner unit 3 In addition to reading image data from various originals and converting it to image data, the image data is output to a computer or the like. In addition, image data output from a digital camera connected to a digital camera is recorded on a recording sheet. It is also possible to load various recording media and record image data or the like recorded on the recording medium on a recording sheet.

  As shown in the figure, the printer casing 20 (apparatus casing) of the multifunction device 1 has a width W and a height T corresponding to a recording sheet having the maximum width capable of image recording, for example, an A4 size recording sheet. The width W and the height T are somewhat larger than the A4 size so that the recording paper can be accommodated and conveyed in the apparatus. On the other hand, the depth D is smaller than both the width W and the height T, and the overall shape of the printer housing 20 is a flat thin box shape. The multifunction machine 1 is a vertical type in which such a printer casing 20 is installed with the direction in which the thickness extends, that is, the longitudinal direction of the side surface of the printer casing 20 as the vertical direction (z-axis direction). . Thus, by making the multi-function device 1 vertical, the down-sizing and thinning of the multi-function device 1 is realized, the floor area for installing the multi-function device 1 is reduced, and the portability is improved.

  A recording paper storage unit 21 (not shown) is formed on the back side of the printer housing 20, and a paper discharge port 22 (recording medium discharge port) is formed at the lower part of the outer peripheral surface on the front side of the printer housing 20. Is opened toward the front side. As will be described in detail later, a transport path 23 is formed from the recording paper storage unit 21 to the paper discharge port 22, and the recording paper on which image recording has been performed by the ink jet recording head 24 in the transport path 23 The paper is discharged from the paper discharge port 22 to the front side. Further, as will be described later, a manual insertion slot 25 (recording medium insertion slot) is formed in the lower portion of the outer peripheral surface on the back side of the printer housing 20 as an opening for manually inserting a recording sheet.

  Further, the printer housing 20 has a paper discharge tray 4 and a manual feed tray 5 corresponding to the paper discharge port 22 and the manual insertion port 25 on the front side and the back side, respectively, from the bottom side to the front side or the back side. It is provided so that it may protrude. The paper discharge tray 4 is for holding the recording paper discharged from the paper discharge port 22 after image recording is completed, and the manual feed tray 5 is used for manually feeding thick paper or nonstandard paper as recording paper. This is for holding the recording paper in a predetermined position when inserting from the insertion opening 25. In addition, the paper discharge tray 4 and the manual feed tray 5 also serve as support legs for preventing the multifunction device 1 placed vertically to fall. Since the installation area of the multifunction device 1 is increased by providing the paper discharge tray 4 and the manual feed tray 5, it is preferable that these can be attached to and detached from the printer housing 20 as necessary.

An operation panel 6 for operating the multifunction machine 1 is disposed on the upper surface of the printer housing 20. The operation panel 6 includes various operation buttons for performing various settings of the multifunction device 1 and a screen display unit 8 (see FIG. 3). The multifunction device 1 can also be operated by operating instructions from the operation panel 6. It is also connected to a computer and operates in response to an instruction transmitted from the computer via a printer driver or a scanner driver. The upper surface of the printer housing 20 is inclined downward toward the front side, and the operation panel 6 is also arranged corresponding to the inclination. As a result, the various operation buttons on the operation panel 6 can be viewed and operated from either the front side or the top side, so that visibility and operability can be achieved regardless of whether the multifunction device 1 is installed on the desktop or the floor. There is an advantage of being good.

  Further, a slot portion 7 into which various small memory cards as recording media can be loaded is provided on the side surface of the printer housing 20, and as shown in the figure, the opening is opened by a door that can be opened and closed when not in use. Sealing prevents entry of foreign matters such as dust. It is possible to load a small memory card into the slot portion 7, read image data recorded on the small memory card, and record an arbitrary image on a recording sheet by the printer portion 2.

  Further, an ink cartridge storage unit 8 is provided on the side surface of the printer housing 20 in which ink cartridges of inks of, for example, cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (K) are loaded. As in the case of the slot portion 7, when the ink cartridge is not replaced, the opening is sealed by an openable / closable door to prevent foreign matters such as dust from entering. The positional relationship between the slot portion 7 and the ink cartridge storage portion 8 is arbitrary. However, as shown in the figure, by arranging the slot portion 7 on the upper side of the ink cartridge storage portion 8, the ink cartridge storage portion 8 has ink. Even if leakage or the like occurs, it is preferable that the electronic components of the small memory card and the slot portion 7 are not contaminated by the ink.

  Further, a handle 9 formed in a U-shape so as not to interfere with the operation panel 6 is provided on the upper portion of the printer housing 20 so as to be swingable so as to lie down or stand on the upper surface of the printer housing 20. ing. As shown in the figure, the handle 9 becomes a handle that stands up from the upper surface when carrying the multifunction device 1, and is swung so as to fall to the upper surface when not in use. The outer peripheral surface of the printer housing 20 is configured.

  The scanner unit 3 is configured as a so-called flat bed scanner. As shown in the figure, the width and height of the scanner housing 30 of the scanner unit 3 corresponds to a maximum original that can be read, for example, an A4 size original. On the other hand, the thickness (depth) is smaller than both the width and height, and the entire shape of the scanner housing 30 is a flat thin box shape. The reading surface of the scanner unit 3 is configured as one surface of the scanner housing 30 and is opposed to the outer peripheral surface on the front side of the printer housing 20 although not shown in the drawing. Further, the lower end side of the scanner casing 30 is pivotally attached to the printer casing 20, and the upper end side of the scanner casing 30 can be opened and closed to the front side.

  When the scanner unit 3 is not used, as shown in the figure, the thickness direction of the printer casing 20 and the thickness direction of the scanner casing 30 are the same direction, and the outer shape of the entire apparatus is a flat thin box shape. Thus, the apparatus is installed so that the direction in which the thickness of the entire apparatus extends is the vertical direction, and the entire multifunction device 1 is of a vertical installation type. Further, when the scanner unit 3 is used, a gripping unit 31 formed at the upper end of the scanner housing 30 is gripped to tilt the scanner housing 30 to the front side, and a desired platen glass constituting the reading surface is used. The original is positioned and the image of the original is read by an image sensor.

  FIG. 2 shows the internal configuration of the multifunction machine 1. As shown in the figure, the printer unit 2 is included in the printer housing 20 so as to include a recording paper storage unit 21, a conveyance path 23, an ink jet recording head 24, a platen 26, an electrical component 27, and a paper outlet opening / closing. A valve 28 (conveyance path on-off valve), an insertion port on-off valve 29 (conveyance path on-off valve), and the like are provided.

  The recording paper storage unit 21 stores recording paper, which is a recording medium, and feeds the recording paper to the transport path 23. The recording paper storage unit 21 stores recording papers of various sizes such as A4 size and below, B5 size, and postcard size. Is possible. Specifically, the recording paper storage unit 21 has a space recessed on the back side of the printer housing 20, and the space includes a partition plate 40 provided inside the printer housing 20, and the printer housing. 20 and a lid 41 constituting the back surface of 20. As shown in the figure, the lid 41 is tiltably provided on the back side of the apparatus. The lid 41 is tilted to open the recording paper storage unit 21 so that a desired recording paper can be loaded. . The plurality of recording papers P stored in the recording paper storage unit 21 are held in a standing posture with the recording surface facing the inside of the apparatus, as shown in the figure.

  As shown in the figure, the lower part of the recording paper storage unit 21 continues to the transport path 23, and the recording paper P held in the recording paper storage unit 21 is separated and transported to the lower part of the partition plate 40 one by one. A paper feed roller 42 for supplying to the path 23 is provided. The paper feed roller 42 is rotated by a drive of a motor (not shown) transmitted by a drive transmission mechanism (not shown) in which a plurality of gears are engaged. On the other hand, a guide 43 for holding the lower end portion of the recording paper P at the paper feed position is disposed below the recording paper storage unit 21 so as to face the paper feed roller 42. The guide 43 is biased toward the paper feed roller 42 by a spring or the like (not shown), and presses the recording paper P against the paper feed roller 42 in a standing posture. Accordingly, when the paper feed roller 42 rotates while being in pressure contact with the recording paper P, the recording paper P is fed downward by the frictional force with the paper feeding roller 42 and fed to the transport path 23.

  In the present embodiment, the recording paper storage unit 21 is provided in the printer housing 20, but a so-called paper feed cassette provided along the back surface outside the printer housing 20 may be used. At this time, the sheet feeding cassette may feed the recording sheet to the transport path 23 while standing, or the sheet feeding cassette may be slightly inclined during use.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the conveyance path 23 is formed downward from the lower portion of the recording paper storage unit 21, and is bent at a substantially right angle near the bottom of the printer housing 20 and formed in the front of the printer housing 20. This is a so-called L-shaped path that leads to the discharged paper outlet 22. Therefore, the recording paper P fed from the recording paper storage unit 21 is conveyed downward in a standing posture by the conveyance path 23, then bends approximately 90 ° to a horizontal posture, and is discharged from the paper discharge port 22. It becomes. In this way, the conveyance path 23 is an L-shaped path, and the recording paper P is held and fed in a standing posture, thereby reducing the thickness of the printer housing 20 and reducing the size of the multifunction machine 1. The floor area required for installing the multifunction machine 1 can be reduced.

  The conveyance path 23 is composed of an outer guide surface and an inner guide surface that face each other at a predetermined interval, except for a portion where the inkjet recording head 24 and the platen 26 are disposed. Such an outer guide surface and an inner guide surface may be such that, for example, the guide member is appropriately fixed in the printer housing 20, or the outer guide surface may be formed integrally with the printer housing 20. Although not shown in the figure, if the transport roller is appropriately disposed at a location where the transport path 23 is curved, the recording paper P that contacts the guide surface can be transported smoothly.

  Further, as shown in the figure, an inkjet recording head 24 as an image recording unit is provided at the lowermost portion of the L-shaped conveyance path 23 and in the vicinity of the paper discharge port 22 and the manual insertion port 25. ing. The ink jet recording head 24 is arranged on the inner side of the transport path 23 so as to be able to eject ink droplets downward from its lower surface so as to be able to scan in the width direction of the transport path 23, that is, the y-axis direction in FIG. ing. On the other hand, a platen 26 is disposed outside the conveyance path 23 below the ink jet recording head 24.

  The ink jet recording head 24 includes cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (K) supplied from a cartridge such as a tube from an ink cartridge (not shown) installed in the printer casing 20. ), While scanning each color ink, the image is recorded on the recording paper P transported on the platen 26. Although not shown in the drawing, the transport path is disposed inside the transport path 23. 23 is mounted on a scanning carriage that is slidably provided on a guide member extending in the width direction, and the scanning carriage is slid along the guide member by a belt driving mechanism or the like, thereby Scanning is possible with the width direction of 23 as the main scanning direction. The ink jet recording head 24 can employ a known structure for discharging each ink. For example, if the side wall of each channel is made of a piezoelectric material and ink droplets are discharged by deformation of the piezoelectric material, the structure can be used. Good. The ink jet recording head 24 and related members constitute an image recording unit.

  The platen 26 horizontally supports the recording sheet P conveyed through the conveying path 23 from the inkjet recording head 24 at a predetermined head gap position, and the recording sheet covers the image recording range of the inkjet recording head 24. It has a horizontal plane that supports P. Although not shown in the drawing, the ink jet recording head 24 ejects ink to the side of the platen 26 outside the image recording range of the ink jet recording head 24 in order to prevent thickening of ink and to remove foreign matters. A waste ink tray for storing the ink and a purge mechanism for sucking and removing foreign matters and bubbles from the inkjet recording head 24 are appropriately provided.

  On the upstream side of the ink jet recording head 24, a pair of transport rollers 44 and a pressing roller 45 are provided that sandwich the recording paper P transported through the transport path 23 and transport it onto the platen 26. On the other hand, on the downstream side of the ink jet recording head 24, a pair of paper discharge rollers 46 and a spur roller 47 are provided for nipping and transporting the recorded recording paper P. A driving force is transmitted from a motor (not shown) to the transport roller 44 and the paper discharge roller 46, and is intermittently driven with a predetermined line feed width.

On the other hand, the pressing roller 45 is urged so as to be pressed by the conveying roller 44 with a predetermined pressing force and is rotatably provided. When the recording sheet P enters between the conveying roller 44, the recording sheet P is provided. The recording paper P is retracted by the thickness of P, and the recording paper P is sandwiched together with the transport roller 44, so that the rotational force of the transport roller 44 is reliably transmitted to the recording paper P. The spur roller 47 is also provided in the same manner as the paper discharge roller 46. However, since the spur roller 47 is in pressure contact with the recorded recording paper P, the roller surface has a spur shape so as not to deteriorate the image recorded on the recording paper P. It has become uneven.

  As shown in the figure, a discharge port opening / closing valve 28 is provided in the vicinity of the discharge port 22 so that the posture can be changed between an open posture for opening the conveyance path 23 and a closed posture for closing. Specifically, the discharge port opening / closing valve 28 is a thin plate-like member having a width substantially the same as the width of the conveyance path 23, and is located in the conveyance path 23 near the discharge port 22 and downstream of the spur roller 47. Further, it protrudes so as to close the conveyance path 23 and is provided so as to be rotatable, and is biased so as to rotate upstream of the conveyance path 23 by a biasing member (not shown) such as a spring. The front end of the discharge port opening / closing valve 28 is engaged with a receiving portion 48 that is recessed in the guide member of the conveyance path 23 on the opposite side of the discharge port opening / closing valve 28, and is upstream of the conveyance path 23. The discharge port opening / closing valve 28 urged so as to rotate to the side is locked by the receiving portion 48 and closes the conveyance path 23 to close the discharge port 22. A driving force is transmitted from a motor (not shown) to the paper discharge opening / closing valve 28, and is rotated downstream against the urging force by the driving force to open the conveyance path 23. Thus, the sheet discharge port 22 is opened.

  A manual insertion slot 25 is formed in the lower portion of the outer peripheral surface on the back side of the printer housing 20 as an opening for manually inserting the recording paper. The recording paper P such as A4 size plain paper is usually held in the recording paper storage unit 21 and continuously fed to the transport path 23 for use. However, it is difficult to bend along the transport path 23. The manual insertion slot 25 is provided for recording images on thick paper such as postcards, envelopes, and non-standard paper. A manual feed path 23 a is formed in the horizontal direction from the manual insertion slot 25, and the manual feed path 23 a communicates with the transport path 23 immediately upstream of the platen 26.

  A paper sensor 49 is provided in the manual insertion slot 25. The paper sensor 49 detects whether or not the recording paper P is inserted into the manual insertion slot 25, and the detection signal is transmitted to a control unit constituted by the electrical component 27. In addition, a paper feed roller 50 and a paper guide 51 are provided immediately downstream of the manual insertion slot 25 at a position opposite to the manual conveyance path 23a. Specifically, the paper feed roller 50 provided on the upper side of the manual feed conveyance path 23a is rotated by the drive of a motor (not shown) transmitted by a drive transmission mechanism (not shown) in which a plurality of gears are engaged. It is like that. On the other hand, the paper guide 51 provided on the lower side of the manual feed conveyance path 23 a is arranged to be movable up and down so that the upper surface thereof is in pressure contact with the paper feed roller 50. When the recording paper P is fed from the manual feed tray 5, the paper guide 51 is raised to press the recording paper P against the paper feed roller 50, and the paper feed roller 50 rotates to feed the paper feed roller 50. The recording paper P held between the paper guide 51 and the paper guide 51 is fed into the manual feed path 23a.

  Further, as shown in the figure, an insertion port opening / closing valve 29 is provided in the vicinity of the manual insertion port 25. The insertion port opening / closing valve 29 can change its posture between an open posture for opening the manual feed path 23a and a closed posture for closing. . Specifically, the insertion port opening / closing valve 29 is a thin flat plate-like member having a width substantially the same as the width of the manual feed conveyance path 23 a, in the vicinity of the manual insertion port 25 and downstream of the paper feed roller 50. It is provided so as to protrude and turn so as to close the manual feed path 23a, and is biased so as to rotate upstream of the manual feed path 23a by a biasing member (not shown) such as a spring. Yes. The distal end of the insertion port on / off valve 29 is locked to a receiving portion 52 that is recessed in the guide member of the manual feed conveyance path 23a on the opposite side of the insertion port on / off valve 29, and the manual feed conveyance path 23a. The insertion port opening / closing valve 29 urged so as to rotate upstream is locked by the receiving portion 52 and closes the manual feed passage 23a to close the manual insertion port 25. . Further, a driving force is transmitted to the insertion opening / closing valve 29 from a motor (not shown), and the driving force is rotated downstream against the biasing force, so that the manual feed path 23a is passed through. The open insertion position 25 is opened in the open posture.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2, the scanner unit 3 includes an image scanner 33, a guide shaft 34, a scanning carriage 35, and the like so as to be enclosed in a scanner housing 30 and a platen glass 32.

  The platen glass 32 is a transparent member to which an original for image reading is in close contact, and is a rectangular flat plate that is slightly larger than the maximum size of the original for image reading, here the A4 size. As described above, the flat and thin box-shaped scanner housing 30 is also larger than the A4 size, and the platen glass 32 is provided on the surface on the side where the scanner housing 30 faces the outer peripheral surface of the printer housing 20. The reading surface 32 a is configured and a part of the outer peripheral surface of the scanner housing 30 is configured.

  An image scanner 33 is provided in an internal space formed by the scanner housing 30 and the platen glass 32 so as to face the platen glass 32. The image scanner 33 is a so-called CIS (Contact Image Sensor), extends in the vertical direction (z-axis direction in FIG. 1) of the platen glass 32, and can scan in the width direction (y-axis direction in FIG. 1) of the platen glass 32. It has become. Specifically, a scanning carriage 35 is provided on a guide shaft 34 extending in the width direction in the scanner housing 30 so as to be slidable in the axial direction of the guide shaft 34. 33 is mounted. The scanning carriage 35 is slid along the guide shaft 34 by a belt driving mechanism or the like, so that the image scanner 33 can scan in the width direction of the platen glass 32.

  Near the both ends of the lower end portion of the scanner housing 30, shafts 36 are respectively provided with the width direction as an axial direction, and the shaft 36 is supported by a bearing portion (not shown) of the printer housing 20. The scanner housing 30 can be opened and closed to the front side of the printer housing 20 around the shaft 36.

  The configuration of the printer unit 2 and the scanner unit 3 is an example, and the printer unit 2 can of course be changed from a so-called inkjet printer to a laser printer, and the image sensor of the scanner unit 3 is replaced by a CCD (Charge Coupled Device). However, in general, an inkjet printer is easier to make the printer unit 2 smaller and lighter, and the CIS has a shallower depth of focus than a CCD. Since the scanner unit 3 is thinned by adopting CIS, it is preferable to employ these in order to make the multifunction device 1 small and thin.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the scanner housing 30 of the scanner unit 3 has a reading posture 32a that closes the reading surface 32a constituted by the platen glass 32 on the outer peripheral surface on the front side of the printer housing 20 from the closed posture. Inclined posture P1 in which 32a is inclined to the open side by a predetermined angle from the vertical surface, and further, open position P2 in which the upper end side of the scanner housing 30 is inclined downward by a predetermined angle from the position where the reading surface 32a is a horizontal surface can be opened and closed. It has become.

  When the scanner unit 3 is not used, that is, when the multifunction device 1 is not used, or when only the printer unit 2 is used, the scanner unit 3 is placed in a vertical position by closing the scanner unit 3 as shown in FIG. The space in the thickness direction of the multifunction device 1 can be reduced to save space such as office space. Further, since the reading surface 32a of the platen glass 32 is closed by the outer peripheral surface of the printer housing 20, it is possible to prevent dust and the like from adhering to the reading surface 32a.

  On the other hand, when using the scanner unit 3, the scanner housing 30 is opened to the front side of the printer housing 20, but the scanner housing 30 is disposed on the front side of the printer housing 20. The space required to open and close the body 30 is concentrated on the front side of the printer housing 20, that is, on the front side of the multifunction machine 1. Therefore, since a space other than the installation surface is not required on the rear side of the multifunction device 1, the installation space required when installing the multifunction device 1 near a wall or the like can be reduced.

  When the scanner unit 3 is used, the scanner housing 30 is opened in either the tilted posture P1 or the open posture P2 in accordance with the thickness of the document (read medium) from which the image is read, and the image is read. . Whether the scanner housing 30 is in the tilted posture P1 or the open posture P2 is determined by the thickness of the document. When a thin document such as one plain paper is read, the scanner is set in the tilted posture P1, as in a book or booklet. When a thick original or a heavy original is read, the open posture P2 is set. Even when the scanner housing 30 is once in the inclined posture P <b> 1 and the original is positioned on the reading surface 32 a and then in the closed posture, the image reading by the scanner unit 3 is possible.

  When the user grasps the gripping portion 31 of the scanner housing 30 and opens the scanner housing 30 from the closed posture shown in FIG. 2 to the front side, the scanner housing 30 has a predetermined angle at which the tilted posture P1 is set. It is temporarily fixed with. Such a temporary fixing of the scanner housing 30 is, for example, a pin receiving portion that is provided with a pin that is urged so as to protrude and retract in the radial direction on the shaft 36 and that engages with the pin at a predetermined angle with the bearing portion of the printer housing 20. However, other well-known and arbitrary temporary fixing mechanisms can be employed.

  As a result, a gap is formed between the upper end of the scanner housing 30 and the outer peripheral surface of the printer housing 20, so that the user inserts the original document into the gap from above the multi-function device 1. It can be positioned on the inclined reading surface 32a. Since the reading surface 32a is inclined to the open side, that is, the front side, if the user inserts the document into the gap by dropping the leading end of the document diagonally downward from the front side of the multifunction machine 1, Adheres to the reading surface 32a by its own weight.

  Although not shown in the drawing, a stopper is provided at the lower end of the reading surface 32a in the width direction. As described above, the original inserted from the gap is read by the reading surface 32a by its own weight. And the leading edge of the document comes into contact with the stopper, and is fixed at a predetermined position with reference to the lower end of the reading surface 32a. Thus, the user does not need to look through the gap between the scanner housing 30 and the printer housing 20 to position the document, and the document positioning operation is easy. Further, since the original comes into close contact with the reading surface 32a due to its own weight, it is difficult for floating to occur between the reading surface 32a and the original, and the image reading accuracy by the image scanner 33 is improved. By scanning the image scanner 33 in such an inclined posture P1, an image of a thin original is read.

Further, when the scanner housing 30 is fully opened to the front side, the open posture P2 is obtained. In this open posture P2, a thick original such as a book is placed on the reading surface 32a. Although the thick original is heavy, since the upper end of the scanner housing 30 is in contact with the floor surface in the open position P2, even if the thick original is placed on the reading surface 32a, it is a vertical type multifunction peripheral. 1 does not become unstable. In the open posture P2, since the reading surface 32a is inclined so as to face the front side of the multifunction device 1, it is easy to position the document at a predetermined position on the reading surface 32a from the front side of the multifunction device 1. is there. The image of the thick original is read by scanning the image scanner 33 in such an open posture P2.

  The opening / closing posture of the scanner unit 3 shown in the present embodiment is an example. For example, even if the scanner housing 30 is opened / closed only between the inclined posture P1 and the open posture P2, the closed posture and the open posture are provided. The scanner housing 30 may be opened / closed only by the posture change with the posture P2 so as not to be temporarily fixed in the inclined posture P1.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a control unit by the electrical component 27 of the multifunction machine 1. As shown in the figure, a central processing unit 60 composed of a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), and a RAM (Random Access Memory) is connected via a bus 61 and an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) 62. The printer unit 2 is connected to various sensors such as the paper sensor 49 and the motor, the scanner unit 3, the operation panel 6, the slot unit 7 and the like so as to be able to transmit and receive data. The MFP 1 is connected to a computer (PC) 63 in addition to an input from the operation panel 6, and images and documents are recorded on recording paper based on image data and document data transmitted from the computer 63. Can be recorded. For this purpose, an interface (I / F) for transmitting / receiving data to / from the computer 63 is also provided. The configuration of the control unit shown in this embodiment is an example, and the control unit of the present invention is naturally not limited to the configuration shown in this embodiment.

Hereinafter, image recording by the printer unit 2 of the multifunction machine 1 will be described.
First, a case where image recording is performed using the recording paper P held in the recording paper storage unit 21 will be described. In the multi-function device 1 that starts image recording based on an instruction from the operation panel 6 or the computer 63, the control unit firstly feeds the recording paper P held in the recording paper storage unit 21 to the transport path 23. The motor is driven to rotate the paper feed roller 42. As a result, as shown in FIG. 4, the recording paper P pressed against the paper feed roller 42 by the guide 43 is fed downward and fed to the transport path 23.

  The control unit also transmits the driving force of the motor to the discharge port opening / closing valve 28, and the driving force causes the discharge port opening / closing valve 28 that has closed the conveying path 23 to be downstream of the biasing force. To the open posture in which the conveyance path 23 is opened. A vertical installation type like the multifunction machine 1 is often installed on the floor, and in particular, foreign matters such as dust and insects easily enter the printer housing 20 from the paper discharge port 22. The ink jet recording head 24 and the like disposed in the vicinity are easily affected by foreign matters such as dust, dust, and insects entering the printer housing 20, but the discharge port opening / closing valve 28 provided in the discharge port 22 When the image recording is performed, that is, when the recording paper P is discharged from the discharge port 22, the discharge port opening / closing valve 28 is closed and the discharge port 22 is closed. Foreign matter such as dust, dust and insects from the paper mouth 22 is prevented from entering the printer housing 20.

The recording paper P fed to the transport path 23 is further transported, and when the recording paper P enters between the transport roller 44 and the pressing roller 45 as shown in FIG. The recording paper P is retracted by an amount corresponding to the conveyance roller 44 and the rotational force of the conveyance roller 44 is transmitted to the recording paper P. Then, the recording paper P that is nipped and conveyed by the conveying roller 44 and the pressing roller 45 is conveyed onto the platen 26 while being curved from the vertical direction to the horizontal direction along the conveying path 23.

  Thereafter, when the leading edge of the recording paper P reaches the recording area of the inkjet recording head 24, the recording paper P sandwiched between the transport roller 44 and the pressing roller 45 is intermittently transported on the platen 26 with a predetermined line feed width. The ink jet recording head 24 is scanned for each line feed, and image recording is performed from the leading end side of the recording paper P. As shown in FIG. 5, the front end side of the recording paper P on which image recording has been performed is then held between the paper discharge roller 46 and the spur roller 47, and the recording paper P has its front end side held by the paper discharge roller 46 and the spur roller. The roller 47 is intermittently conveyed with a predetermined line feed width while the rear end side is held between the conveying roller 44 and the pressing roller 45, and image recording is similarly performed by the ink jet recording head 24. When the recording paper P is further transported, the trailing edge of the recording paper P passes through the transporting roller 44 and the pressing roller 45, the nipping by these is released, and a predetermined line feed width is set by the paper discharge roller 46 and the spur roller 47. In the same manner, image recording is performed by the ink jet recording head 24.

  When such image recording is performed by the ink jet recording head 24, as shown in FIG. 5, the leading end of the recording paper P protrudes from the paper discharge port 22 to the outside of the printer housing 20, but as described above, Since the discharge port opening / closing valve 28 is rotated downstream and is in the open posture through which the conveyance path 23 is opened, the recording paper P is allowed to protrude from the discharge port 22. After image recording is performed on a predetermined area of the recording paper P, the paper discharge roller 46 is continuously driven to rotate, and the recording paper P held by the paper discharge roller 46 and the spur roller 47 is discharged from the paper discharge port 22. Is done. After the recording of a predetermined number of images, the control unit cuts off the driving force of the motor and enables the discharge port opening / closing valve 28 to freely rotate, and the discharge port that has opened the transport path 23. The on-off valve 28 is rotated to the upstream side by the urging force, and returns to the closed posture in which the conveyance path 23 is closed. As a result, the paper discharge port 22 is closed and foreign matter is prevented from entering the printer housing 20.

  Next, a case where image recording is performed by manually inserting the recording paper P from the manual insertion slot 25 will be described. First, the user sets the recording paper P in the manual insertion slot 25. As shown in FIG. 6, when the recording paper P is set in the manual insertion slot 25, the paper guide 51 is lowered and is not in contact with the paper feed roller 50, and the insertion slot opening / closing valve 29 is closed. Thus, the manual feed path 23a is closed. Therefore, the recording paper P is set on the manual feed tray 5 in a state where the leading end thereof is in contact with the insertion port opening / closing valve 29. In this way, except when the recording paper P is fed from the manual insertion slot 25, the manual insertion slot 25 is closed with the insertion slot opening / closing valve 29 closed, so that the manual insertion slot 25 is inserted. Foreign matter such as dust, dust, and insects from the mouth 25 is prevented from entering the printer housing 20.

  Next, in the multi-function device 1 that starts image recording based on an instruction from the operation panel 6 or the computer 63, the control unit first determines whether the recording paper P is set in the manual insertion slot 25. Confirm with the detection signal. When the paper sensor 49 detects the recording paper P, the driving force of the motor is transmitted to the insertion port on / off valve 29, and the insertion port on / off valve 29 that has closed the manual feed path 23a by the driving force. Is turned to the downstream side against the urging force, and the open feeding path 23a is opened. When the paper sensor 49 does not detect the recording paper P, the control unit displays an error on the operation panel 6 and prompts the user to set the recording paper P on the manual feed tray 5.

  Further, the control unit transmits the driving force of the motor to the discharge port opening / closing valve 28, and the discharge port opening / closing valve 28, which has closed the conveying path 23, is driven downstream by the driving force against the urging force. To an open posture in which the conveyance path 23 is opened. As described above, except that the recording paper P is fed from the manual insertion port 25, the paper discharge port opening / closing valve 28 is closed and the paper discharge port 22 is closed. Thus, foreign matter such as dust, dust, and insects can be prevented from entering the printer housing 20 from the printer 22.

  Thereafter, in order to feed the recording paper P to the manual feed path 23a, the paper guide 51 is raised to press the recording paper P against the paper feed roller 50, and the motor is driven to rotate the paper feed roller 50. To do. As a result, as shown in FIG. 7, the recording paper P is fed out and fed to the manual feed path 23a.

  The recording paper P fed to the manual feed path 23 a is further transported and enters the transport path 23, and when the leading edge of the recording paper P reaches the recording area of the ink jet recording head 24, recording is performed by the paper feed roller 50. The paper P is intermittently conveyed on the platen 26 with a predetermined line feed width, and the ink jet recording head 24 is scanned for each line feed, and image recording is performed from the leading end side of the recording paper P. As shown in FIG. 8, the leading end side of the recording paper P on which image recording has been performed is then sandwiched between the paper discharge roller 46 and the spur roller 47, and is also intermittently conveyed with a predetermined line feed width. Image recording is performed by the inkjet recording head 24. When the recording paper P is further transported, the trailing edge of the recording paper P passes through the paper feed roller 50 and is intermittently transported by a paper discharge roller 46 and a spur roller 47 with a predetermined line feed width. Image recording is performed by the head 24.

  When such image recording is performed by the ink jet recording head 24, as shown in FIG. 8, the leading edge of the recording paper P protrudes from the paper discharge port 22 to the outside of the printer housing 20, but as described above, Since the discharge port opening / closing valve 28 is rotated downstream and is in an open posture through the conveyance path 23, the recording paper P is allowed to protrude from the discharge port 22. Although not shown in the figure, the insertion port opening / closing valve 29 is also in the open position at the rear end of the recording paper P, so that the recording paper P is allowed to protrude from the manual insertion port 25. ing.

  After image recording is performed on a predetermined area of the recording paper P, the paper discharge roller 46 is continuously driven to rotate, and the recording paper P held by the paper discharge roller 46 and the spur roller 47 is discharged from the paper discharge port 22. Is done. After the recording of a predetermined number of images, the control unit cuts off the driving force of the motor so that the discharge port opening / closing valve 28 and the insertion port opening / closing valve 29 can freely rotate, and the conveyance path 23 is opened. The discharge port opening / closing valve 28 and the insertion port opening / closing valve 29 that has been opened through the manual feeding path 23a are both turned to the upstream side by the biasing force, and the conveying path 23 and the manual feeding path 23a are respectively moved. Closed closed position. As a result, both the paper discharge port 22 and the manual insertion port 25 are closed, and foreign matter is prevented from entering the printer housing 20.

As described above, according to the multifunction machine 1, the paper discharge port 22 is opened only when the recording paper P is discharged, and the manual insertion port 25 is opened only when the recording paper P is fed. In other cases, the discharge port opening / closing valve 28 and the insertion port opening / closing valve 29 are closed to prevent foreign matter from entering the printer housing 20 from the discharge port 22 and the manual insertion port 25. . Further, since the postures of the paper discharge port opening / closing valve 28 and the insertion port on / off valve 29 are automatically changed in conjunction with the conveyance of the recording paper P, the paper discharge port on / off valve 28 or the insertion port on / off valve 29 is in a closed position. Thus, the recording paper P is not transported, and the paper discharge opening / closing valve 28 or the insertion opening / closing valve 29 is not left in the open posture when not in use. In particular, as in the multifunction machine 1, a paper discharge port 22 is formed on the front side of the printer housing 20, and a manual insertion port 25 is formed on the back side. When a recording unit including the ink jet recording head 24 is disposed in the vicinity of the manual insertion slot 25, the effect of preventing foreign matter from entering is remarkably exhibited.

  In this embodiment, when recording an image, the driving force of the motor is transmitted to the discharge port opening / closing valve 28 or the insertion port opening / closing valve 29, and the discharge port opening / closing valve 28 or the insertion port opening / closing is transmitted by the driving force. The valve 29 is rotated downstream against the urging force to open the conveyance path 23 or the manual conveyance path 23a, and after the image recording is completed, the driving force is cut off to open / close the discharge port opening / closing valve 28 or the insertion port. Although the valve 29 is in a freely rotating state and returned to the closed position by the urging force, the recording paper P is discharged without transmitting the driving force of the motor to the discharge port opening / closing valve 28 or the insertion port opening / closing valve 29. By further pushing in contact with the opening / closing valve 28 or the insertion opening / closing valve 29, the discharge opening / closing valve 28 or the insertion opening / closing valve 29 rotates downstream of the conveying path 23 against the urging force. You may make it do. On the other hand, both the opening and closing posture changes of the discharge port opening / closing valve 28 or the insertion port opening / closing valve 29 may be performed by the driving force of the motor.

Hereinafter, a modified example in which the posture is changed only by the urging force of the urging member without transmitting the driving force to the discharge port opening / closing valve 28 and the insertion port opening / closing valve 29 will be described.
Since no driving force is transmitted to the discharge port opening / closing valve 28 and the insertion port opening / closing valve 29, when image recording is performed using the recording paper P held in the recording paper storage portion 21, as shown in FIG. The leading edge of the recording paper P, which has been image-recorded by the ink jet recording head 24 and is nipped by the paper discharge roller 46 and the spur roller 47, is in contact with the paper discharge port opening / closing valve 28 that closes the conveyance path 23. As shown in FIG. 10, the recording paper P to which the conveying force is applied by the paper discharge roller 46 and the spur roller 47 is further pushed forward with the leading end thereof in contact with the paper discharge opening / closing valve 28, and is discharged. The paper mouth opening / closing valve 28 is rotated downstream of the conveying path 23 against the urging force. As a result, the posture of the paper discharge port opening / closing valve 28 changes from the closed posture to the open posture, and the recording paper P is further conveyed to the paper discharge port 22. After the recording paper P is discharged, the discharge port opening / closing valve 28 changes its posture from the open posture to the closed posture by the urging force, and closes the transport path 23.

  When the recording paper P is manually recorded from the manual insertion slot 25, the recording paper P set in the manual insertion slot 25 is manually fed by the paper feed roller 50 as shown in FIG. The leading end of the recording paper P abuts on an insertion opening / closing valve 29 that closes the manual feed path 23a. As shown in FIG. 12, the recording paper P to which the conveying force is applied by the paper feed roller 50 is further pushed in a state where the leading end is in contact with the insertion opening / closing valve 29, and the insertion opening / closing valve 29 is moved. It turns to the downstream side of the manual feed path 23a against the urging force. As a result, the insertion port opening / closing valve 29 changes its posture from the closed posture to the open posture, and the recording paper P is conveyed onto the platen 26.

  Subsequently, the front end of the recording paper P, which is recorded by the inkjet recording head 24 and is held between the paper discharge roller 46 and the spur roller 47, is a paper discharge port that closes the conveyance path 23 as described above. After coming into contact with the opening / closing valve 28, the paper outlet opening / closing valve 28 is further pushed by the conveying force of the paper discharge roller 46 and the spur roller 47 in contact with the paper discharge opening / closing valve 28, against the urging force. Then, it turns to the downstream side of the conveyance path 23. As a result, the posture of the paper discharge port opening / closing valve 28 changes from the closed posture to the open posture, and the recording paper P is further conveyed to the paper discharge port 22. When the trailing edge of the recording paper P passes the manual feed path 23a, the insertion port opening / closing valve 29 changes its posture from the open position to the closed position by the urging force, closes the transport path 23, and the recording paper P When discharged, the discharge port opening / closing valve 28 changes its posture from the open posture to the closed posture by the urging force, and closes the transport path 23.

  As described above, the recording paper P is further brought into contact with the discharge port opening / closing valve 28 or the insertion port opening / closing valve 29 without transmitting the driving force of the motor to the discharge port opening / closing valve 28 or the insertion port opening / closing valve 29. Even if the discharge opening / closing valve 28 or the insertion opening / closing valve 29 is rotated to the downstream side of the conveying path 23 by pushing, the recording paper P is discharged from the discharge opening 22. The manual insertion slot 25 is opened only when the recording paper P is fed, and otherwise it is closed by the discharge port opening / closing valve 28 and the insertion port opening / closing valve 29. It is possible to prevent foreign matter from entering the printer housing 20 from the paper discharge port 22 and the manual insertion port 25.

  Instead of the discharge port opening / closing valve 28 and the insertion port opening / closing valve 29, a flexible synthetic resin film or the like that can be elastically deformed is brought into contact with the opposite end of the conveyance path 23 or the manual conveyance path 23a. As described above, it is possible to provide the same operation and effect as described above by projecting obliquely toward the downstream side so as to be elastically deformable to the downstream side and not to be elastically deformable to the upstream side. However, since the synthetic resin film or the like may be unrecoverably deformed by the insertion of a document, it is not easily deformed by the recording paper P, the document, or the like, like the discharge port opening / closing valve 28 and the insertion port opening / closing valve 29. A thin flat plate is preferred.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an external configuration of a multifunction machine 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the internal configuration of the multifunction machine 1. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a control unit using the electrical component 27. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram for explaining a state in which the recording paper P is conveyed from the recording paper storage unit 21. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram for explaining a state in which the recording paper P is conveyed from the recording paper storage unit 21. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram for explaining a state in which the recording paper P is conveyed from the manual insertion slot 25. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram for explaining a state in which the recording paper P is conveyed from the manual insertion port 25. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram for explaining a state in which the recording paper P is conveyed from the manual insertion slot 25. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram for explaining a state in which the recording paper P is conveyed from the recording paper storage unit 21 in the modification of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram for explaining a state in which the recording paper P is conveyed from the recording paper storage unit 21 in the modification of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram for explaining a state in which the recording paper P is conveyed from the manual insertion slot 25 in the modification of the present invention. FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram for explaining a state in which the recording paper P is conveyed from the manual insertion slot 25 in the modification of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing an external configuration of a conventional image recording apparatus 90.

1 ... Multifunction machine (image recording device)
20 ... Printer housing (device housing)
22: Paper discharge port (recording medium discharge port)
23 ... Conveying path 23a ... Conveying path for manual feeding (conveying path)
24... Inkjet recording head (image recording unit)
25 ... Manual feed slot (recording medium slot)
28: Paper discharge opening / closing valve (Conveyance path opening / closing valve)
29 ... Insertion opening / closing valve (conveyance path opening / closing valve)

Claims (6)

A device box that is in the shape of a thin flat box whose depth is smaller than the width and height and is used in a vertical position ;
A recording medium housing portion provided in the apparatus housing;
A conveyance path that extends from the recording medium storage section and is bent near the bottom ; and
An image recording section provided at the bottom of the transport path;
A recording medium discharge port and a recording medium insertion port which are opened at a lower portion of the outer peripheral surface of the apparatus housing and communicate with a linear portion of the transport path along the depth direction of the apparatus housing;
A conveyance path opening / closing valve that changes its posture between a closed posture for closing the recording medium discharge port and a recording medium insertion port and an open posture for opening the recording medium ;
The conveyance path opening / closing valve is elastically biased so as to be normally closed, and when the recording medium is not conveyed along the conveyance path, the conveyance path opening / closing valve is closed and the recording medium is conveyed along the conveyance path. An image recording apparatus that is operated so as to open the transport path opening / closing valve when the operation is performed . The conveyance path opening / closing valve is provided on the downstream side of the recording medium insertion port in the conveyance direction of the recording medium, and is also used as a positioning member for the recording medium. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image recording apparatus is disposed between a path opening / closing valve and the recording medium insertion port . 3. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the transport path opening / closing valve is operated such that when a recording medium is transported along the transport path, a driving force is applied to an open posture. 4. The conveying path on-off valve, by which the recording medium being transported on the Symbol conveying path is pushing in contact with the conveyance path on-off valve closed position, the elastic as the conveying path on-off valve is opened posture the image recording apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, which has been energized. 5. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an image recording unit that records an image on a recording medium is disposed in a conveyance path near the recording medium insertion port . 6. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recording medium insertion port is formed on an outer peripheral surface opposite to the outer peripheral surface of the apparatus housing in which the recording medium discharge port is formed.

Images