JPH05207210A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To save the space of the image forming device by forming the device compact and increasing the degree of freedom of its installation. CONSTITUTION:A sheet stack section 400 stacking sheets whose image is formed by an image forming engine and discharged by a sheet discharging means is formed above the image forming engine 2 of an image forming engine case, and a scanner means 200 converting original picture information into an electric signal and applying the signal to the image forming engine is supported by a supporting means and arranged above the sheet stack section with a space. The supporting means consists of two supports 180a, 180b located on a diagonal line on the upper face of the image forming engine case 100.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer and a facsimile.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, introduction of office automation equipment has been promoted in offices, and therefore many office automation equipments are installed. At present, a large space is occupied for the installation of these office automation equipment, and as a result, a large office floor area is required. On the other hand, especially in urban areas, office rents increase and become expensive, and the office floor area is reduced as much as possible.
It is desired to save as much space as possible for the installation of equipment.

[0003]

In consideration of the layout of office equipment such as desks, chairs, bookshelves, equipment shelves, personal computers, and copiers in offices, in the case of OA equipment such as copiers, paper feeding of the equipment is performed. A large space is required because the tray and the paper discharge tray project outside the device body. In addition, if you can perform operations such as inputting, setting originals, etc. from all directions around the device, and if you can take out the image-formed sheet from all directions as well, the freedom of installation of the device increases,
Space saving can be achieved.

An object of the present invention is to propose an image forming apparatus which saves space for installation in response to the above-mentioned demand.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, the above-mentioned problem is solved by an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a sheet, and a sheet for discharging the sheet on which the image is formed by the image forming engine. Discharging means, an image forming engine housing for forming a sheet stacking portion for stacking the sheets discharged by the sheet discharging means above the image forming engine, and a space above the sheet stacking portion, which are arranged with a space therebetween. This is solved by having scanner means for converting document image information into an electric signal and supplying it to the image forming engine, and supporting means for supporting the scanner means above the sheet stacking portion with a space.

According to the present invention, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the image forming engine casing is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped, and the supporting means is integrally fixed to the image forming engine casing.
It is also proposed that the space between the image forming engine housing and the scanner means is formed so as to be open to the four sides of the image forming engine housing.

Further, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention proposes that the supporting means is a column formed by two points on the diagonal line of the upper surface of the imaging engine housing. ..

Further, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention proposes that the support column is vertically expandable.

Some precision parts and the like in the image forming apparatus are extremely high in precision, and some of them are extremely reluctant to vibrate in order to exert their functions. This is especially the case with optical systems and the like, and various anti-vibration measures have been taken. However, since many vibration systems are held inside the image forming apparatus, it is very difficult to take measures against it. In order to solve this problem as well, the present invention proposes to construct the supporting means separately from the image forming engine casing.

[0010]

In the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the sheet stacking portion is provided above the image forming engine in the image forming engine housing, and the scanner means for supplying the document image information to the image forming engine is supported by the supporting means. A space is provided above the sheet stacking unit. As a result, there is no portion protruding from the main body of the apparatus, and it is possible to save space for installation.

Further, since the supporting means is formed so as to open the space between the image forming engine housing and the scanner means to the four sides of the image forming engine housing, an image is formed. The sheet can be taken out from all directions.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The details of the present invention will be described below with reference to a copying machine to which the present invention is applied shown in the drawings.

In FIG. 1, the copying machine 1 includes an image forming engine casing 100 and a scanner means 20 which are formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped.
0, and a supporting means 180 for supporting the scanner means 200 above the image forming engine housing 100 with a space. In the image forming engine casing 100, an image forming engine 2, a sheet feeding device 3 below the image forming engine 2, and a sheet stacking unit 400 above the image forming engine 2 are arranged.

The sheet conveyed from the sheet feeding device 3 by the sheet feeding roller 4 is conveyed to the image carrier composed of the drum-shaped photoconductor 10 after the timing is adjusted by the registration roller 5 and the skew is corrected. It The photoreceptor is
It is driven to rotate counterclockwise in the figure. During rotation, the surface of the photoconductor is charged by corona discharge by the charging unit 12, and the laser light from the optical unit 13 is irradiated.
This laser light is emitted so that the digital image information read by the scanner means 200 is converted into a latent image. In addition to the scanner means, it is also possible to issue digital image information sent through an external interface so as to form a latent image. A latent image is formed on the photoconductor by these laser beams. This latent image
When passing through the developing unit 6, it is visualized by toner. This visible image is electrostatically transferred to the sheet conveyed to the photoconductor by the transfer unit 9 utilizing corona discharge or the like. The transferred image is fixed by the fixing unit 8. Next, the sheet exiting the fixing unit is fed by the sheet discharging means 402 to the sheet stacking unit 40
0 is discharged to the tray 403. On the other hand, the residual toner is removed from the photoconductor after the transfer of the visible image by the cleaning unit 7, and the removed toner is collected and stored in the cleaning unit.

As shown in FIG. 1, the imaging engine housing 10
0 is the sheet stacking unit 400 above the image forming engine 2.
Have. Further, the scanner means 200 is arranged above the sheet stacking portion 400 with a space provided by the support means 180, as described above. The support means is hollow, and a cable for transmitting the image information converted into an electric signal by the scanner means to the image forming engine, a cable connected to the operation panel, and the like are arranged in the hollow portion. Conventionally, a tray is provided outside the main body of the copying machine and the sheet on which an image is formed is discharged, but with this configuration, the sheet can be discharged into the main body of the apparatus. Further, by providing the above-mentioned space, the discharged sheet can be taken out without the operation of opening the drawer. Similarly, it becomes possible to visually check the image-formed sheet without the above-mentioned operation, thereby making it possible to reduce the proportion of the used space of the copying machine.
Furthermore, it became possible to work without impairing operability.

The supporting means 180 is integrally fixed to the housing of the image forming engine 2. Here, the supporting means is
Do not block any one of the four sides of the copier,
The copying machine is arranged only at the apex position of the horizontal plane or at one point on each of the planes so that the entire surface is not blocked. This eliminates the situation where the sheet cannot be taken out regardless of the direction of the copying machine.
The operability will be improved.

To further explain this, as shown in FIG. 2, two columns 180a and 180b are provided as supporting means.
2 on the upper side of the imaging engine housing 100 that are diagonally opposite
It is located at the position of the two peaks. As a result, when the operator is performing the copying work from the direction A, if the sheet is taken out from the right side of the operator, there is no support on the right side, so that the operability is further improved. Further, when operated from the D direction, if the sheet is taken out from the left, the sheet can be taken out without being obstructed by the support. Similarly, in the B direction and the C direction, one of the left and right directions is a free space, which improves the operability. As described above, by providing the columns of the diagonal support means, it is possible to provide a device having a small number of columns and excellent operability. Further, since it is possible to take out the sheet from four directions, the degree of freedom of the installation location of the device is increased.

In the copying machine 1 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the supporting columns 180a and 180b of the supporting means 180 are extendable and contractible. FIG. 3 shows the column in a contracted state, and FIG. 4 shows the supporting column. The extended state is shown. The structure of the extendable and retractable columns is shown in FIG.

Each strut 180a, 180b comprises three strut portions 108c, 108d, 108e. The column portion 180e is the image forming engine casing 1
It is fixed as one body at 00. On the other hand, the column portion 180d is on the side of the scanner means 200 and supports the scanner means, but is not completely fixed to the scanner means and is immovable in the axial direction with respect to the scanner means. Possible, but rotatably mounted. On the other hand, a column part 180c is arranged between the column parts 180d and 180e. The pillar portion 180c is fixed to the pillar portion 180e. Support part 18
0c has a thread groove on the outside, and the column part 1
The 80d has a thread groove formed inside thereof, and the thread grooves are fitted to each other in the relationship of a female thread and a male thread. Therefore, when the supporting column portion 180d is rotated, the supporting column portion 180d moves up and down along the thread groove of the supporting column portion 180c, whereby the scanner means 200 supported by the supporting column portion 180d also moves up and down. Therefore, the user can adjust the device according to his / her height or the usage space.

Supporting means 1 for supporting the scanner means 200
It is also possible to configure 80 independently of the imaging engine housing 100. A configuration for this is shown in FIG.

Guide grooves 190a and 190b are provided in two diagonal corners of the image forming engine casing 100, respectively. These guide grooves 190a and 190b are
It is formed as a through groove from the top surface to the bottom surface of the image forming engine housing 100. On the other hand, the scanner means 20
Columns 180a and 180b extending downward are fixedly attached to two corners on the diagonal of the lower surface of 0. Guide grooves 190a, 190b and columns 180a, 18
0b has a relationship in which the support columns 180a and 180b are loosely fitted into the guide grooves 190a and 190b, respectively, and the length of the support columns 180a and 180b is the guide groove 190a.
The size is such that the above-described space exists between the upper surface of the image forming engine housing 100 and the scanner means 200 when the assembly is performed by loosely fitting the a and 190b.

A cable containing a signal line for transmitting an electric signal from the scanner means 200 to the image forming engine 2 passes through one of the columns, for example, a hollow portion in the column 180a, and comes out from the middle of the column to form the image forming engine. Guide it into the housing 100.

By virtue of the above-mentioned structure, even if the scanner means is operating, its vibration is not directly transmitted to the image forming engine 2. As a result, it is possible to prevent the vibration of the scanner means from affecting a unit with extremely high precision such as an optical system of the image forming engine.

[0024]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a space is provided between the image forming engine of the image forming apparatus and the scanner means, and the sheet stacking portion for the sheets that have been image-formed and discharged is provided here. Does not project to the outside of the apparatus main body, so that space can be saved when installing the image forming apparatus.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a space is provided between the image forming engine of the image forming apparatus and the scanner means.
By opening the surface, the sheets in the sheet stacking unit can be taken out from all directions of the apparatus, the operability of the apparatus is improved, and the degree of freedom of installation is further increased, which contributes to space saving.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, by arranging the supporting points of the scanner unit on the diagonal line of the upper surface of the image forming engine casing, no matter which direction of the four surfaces the sheet is taken out from, the left or right side is always supported. Since there is no point, the sheet can be taken out without being obstructed by the supporting point, the operability of the apparatus is improved, and the degree of freedom of installation is further increased, which contributes to space saving.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, by making the support column forming the support unit expandable and contractible, the image forming apparatus can be used at a height suitable for the space in which it is used, and the height corresponding to personal differences such as the physical constitution of the user. It can be adjusted for use and changed to make the device easier to operate.

According to the fifth aspect, the supporting means is formed separately from the image forming engine casing, so that the vibration of the scanner means during operation is not directly transmitted to the image forming engine, and the vibration does not occur in an optical system or the like. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a unit with high accuracy from being affected.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a copying machine to which the present invention is applied, in which a part is shown in section.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the copying machine.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a copying machine in which a support column is configured to be extendable and retractable.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the copying machine when a column is extended.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a strut that is configured to extend and contract.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a copying machine according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Copier 2 Image forming engine 100 Image forming engine housing 180 Supporting means 180a, 180b Supports 180c, 180d, 180e Supporting parts 190a, 190b Guide groove 200 Scanner means 400 Sheet stacking part 402 Sheet discharging means 403 Tray

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁵ Identification number Internal reference number in the agency FI Technical indication location // B41J 29/00 (72) Inventor Tetsuo Yamanaka 1-3-6 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Ricoh Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Masakazu Oshita 1-3-6 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Ricoh Co., Ltd.

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An image forming engine for forming an image on a sheet, a sheet discharging unit for discharging a sheet on which an image is formed by the image forming engine, and a sheet stacking unit for stacking the sheet discharged by the sheet discharging unit. An image forming engine casing for forming a section above the image forming engine, and a scanner arranged above the sheet stacking section with a space therebetween, for converting document image information into an electric signal and supplying the electric signal to the image forming engine. An image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming unit; and a supporting unit that supports the scanner unit above the sheet stacking unit with a space therebetween. 2. The image forming engine housing is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped, the supporting means is integrally fixed to the image forming engine housing, and between the image forming engine housing and the scanner means. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a space is formed so as to be open to four sides of the image forming engine casing. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the supporting means is a column formed by two points on the upper surface of the image forming engine casing that are diagonally located. 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the support column is vertically expandable and contractable. 5. The image forming engine housing is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped, the supporting means is separate from the image forming engine housing, and a space between the image forming engine housing and the scanner means. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus is formed so as to be open to four sides of the image forming engine casing.