JPH06202391A - Image forming device capable of loading reader - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make the image forming device able to deal with as occasion may demand and compact, and further, to reduce the cost by attachably/ detachably installing an image reader on an M. F. P. main body and using a paper ejecting tray in common. CONSTITUTION:The M. F. P. (multi-functional printer) is composed of an image reader part B and a laser beam printer A as an image forming device and the image reader part B and an image forming part A can be fitted and combined by a pin 40 and a hole 29. After they are combined, a paper (original) feeding tray 32 is attached to the image reader part B to feed a paper. When the originals 34 are placed on the tray 32 in such a manner that printing surfaces face upward, the originals 32 are fed while being separated from the top one by one by a pair of paper feeding rollers 35. While the fed original is carried by a pair of carrying rollers 36 and 38 in the device, an image on the original is read by a sensor 37. After that, the fed original is ejected onto a paper ejecting tray 14 by a pair of paper ejecting rollers 39.

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 in which a reading device can be loaded, and more particularly, to an office machine which is an image forming apparatus such as a printer and in which a reading device called an image reader can be loaded.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an M.P. which has an image reader mounted on an image forming apparatus such as a printer. F. P. In some (multi-function printers), an image reader is fixedly provided at the rear of the image forming unit, and a discharge tray is provided for each.

[0003]

However, as in the conventional example, the M.D. F. The image reader unit is fixed to the P (multifunctional printer) main body at the rear of the main body, and moreover,
A discharge tray for printed matter discharged from the image forming apparatus,
If each document discharge tray for the original read by the image reader is provided, the following drawbacks occur.

1) M. F. P. When a user purchases M., the user must first decide whether or not the image reader is required. F. P. If you do not need an image reader after purchasing the product, it will be completely useless. Conversely, if a user who did not need an image reader at the time of purchasing feels the need for an image reader later, he / she should replace it with a new one. turn into.

2) Since the combination of the printer and the image reader is determined in advance, the user cannot select the combination of the printer and the image reader that meets his needs.

3) M. F. P. Since the image reader was attached to the rear part of the main body and each discharge tray was provided, the machine became large.

[0007]

According to the present invention, 1) M. F. P. By making the image reader attachable to and detachable from the main body, the image reader can be attached or removed at any time according to the needs of the user. 2) Also, the user can select his / her favorite combination of printer and image reader. 3) M. F. P. By installing it on the upper part of the main body and sharing the paper ejection tray, not only the machine becomes smaller, but also the cost is reduced. 4) M. F. P. When ejecting the printed matter created by the image forming unit and the original read by the image reader onto the same tray, the machine is downsized by shifting the paper in the paper transport direction or in the direction perpendicular to it. While keeping it, it is possible to discharge the printed matter separately from the important original document.

[0008]

【Example】

(Embodiment 1) An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the M.M. F. P.
FIG. The M. F. P. Includes an image reader unit B shown in FIG. 3 and a laser beam printer A which is an image forming apparatus, and is configured by combining both as shown in FIG.

The image reader unit B and the image forming unit A are
The pin 40 and the hole 29 allow for fitting and positioning for connection. At that time, the connector pin 30 and the connector socket 31
Can be combined with each other to supply power and communicate.
Further, after the both are combined, the paper feed (original) tray 32 is attached (insertable) to the image reader section to perform paper feeding. Note that reference numerals 33a and 33b denote document width regulating plates.

Now, the laser beam printer A which is an image forming section will be described. FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the laser beam printer A.

In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a paper cassette which can be attached to and detached from the main body of the image forming apparatus. A recording material P is loaded in the paper cassette 1. This recording material P is a paper cassette 1
The sheets are separated and fed one by one by the sheet feeding roller 2 disposed on the front end side of the upper part of the sheet, and are conveyed to the transfer section through the guide portion 15a integrally formed with the frame 15 by the conveying rollers 3a and 3b.

Reference numeral 4 is a resist sensor, which is a front end position of the recording material P and a laser scanner 5 which is an exposure light source.
The image is drawn from a predetermined position on the recording material P by synchronizing the light emission timings of the above.

Reference numeral 6 is a folding mirror, which is fixed to the frame 15 via a mirror holder 6a.
Reference numeral 7 denotes a process cartridge including an image forming unit such as a photoconductor 8, a developing device (not shown), a cleaner, and a charger.
Reference numeral 9 is a transfer roller for transferring the visible image on the photoconductor 8 onto the recording material P, 10 is a conveying guide for guiding the transferred recording material P to the fixing device 11, and the fixing device 11 is for exposing the recording material P on the recording material P. Heat and fix the image. The recording material P has a guide portion 15b integrally formed with the frame 15, and the outer cover 12
The sheet is ejected onto the tray 14 by the sheet ejection roller 13 through a guide portion 12a integrated with the sheet.

Next, the image reader section B will be described.

As described above, when the original 34 is placed on the tray 32 with the printing surface facing upward, the paper feed roller pair 3
The sheets are fed while being separated one by one from the top by 5.
The fed originals are fed by a pair of conveyance rollers 36, 38 in the machine.
The image on the document is read by the sensor 37 while being conveyed by. Then, after that, the pair of discharge rollers 3
Then, the sheet is discharged onto the sheet discharge tray 14 by the switch 9.

Next, a method of discharging the printed matter produced by the laser beam printer and the original read by the image reader B onto the discharge tray 14 will be described.

As shown in FIG. 5, laser beam printer A
The printed matter produced by is discharged in the direction of the arrow α, and the rear end is stacked at the position of point D. And FIG.
As shown in, the document discharged from the image reader B is discharged in the direction of the arrow β, and the rear end is stacked at the position of the point E.

In this way, the printed matter from the printer section and the original from the image reader section are shifted in the paper transport direction and discharged and stacked, so that the printed matter and the original can be distinguished at a glance.

(Embodiment 2) In Embodiment 1, the printed matter and the original are shifted (shifted) in the paper conveying direction and discharged, but in Embodiment 2, the printed matter discharge port of the laser beam printer and the image reader are used. The document discharge port may be set by shifting in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction (shifting in the horizontal direction). By doing so, the printed matter and the original can be discharged and stacked so that the printed matter and the original can be distinguished at a glance as in the first embodiment.

(Third Embodiment) FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of the third embodiment.

In the third embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, the image reader section B is composed of two parts B ₁ and B ₂ . The B ₁ section has a paper conveying section, a document reading section, and the like, and the B ₂ section has an interface and the like for communicating with the printer section. Further, B ₁ and B ₂ are also connected so that they can communicate with each other or supply power.
The B ₂ section and the B ₁ section are movable in the arrow δ direction in the figure. Therefore, B ₂ is in a fixed position with respect to the printer in any case, but since B ₁ can slide in the δ direction, the image reader unit B normally communicates with the printer A. Meanwhile, the position of the discharge port can be changed with respect to the discharge tray 14.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 7, even small size paper (40 in the figure) can be stacked at the position where the rear end is at the point γ, and the paper discharged from the printer is It can be slid with the loading place and can be identified at a glance.
Since the tip 40a projects with respect to the lower bundle, it is easy to take out.

M. operated from the cassette port (right side of the machine in the figure) F. P. In this case, as in the present embodiment, a large amount of deviation at the tip portion 40a has an advantage that distinction can be made clear.

As described above, 1) Since the user can easily attach / detach the image reader by himself, it is not necessary to decide the necessity of the image reader when purchasing the machine body, and it is possible to change the situation. Can respond flexibly. 2) The user can choose his / her favorite combination of printer and image reader. 3) The image reader is M. F. P. Installed on the main body,
By sharing the paper ejection tray, the machine becomes smaller and the cost is reduced. 4) By shifting and ejecting and stacking printed matter and originals on the shared sheet ejection tray, the originals and printed matters can be distinguished at a glance. There are advantages.

[0026]

The image forming apparatus according to the present invention has an effect that the reading device can be loaded as necessary because the reading device can be attached and detached.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 shows the M. F. P. Sectional view of.

FIG. 2 shows the M. cerevisiae used in the examples of the present invention. F. P. Sectional view of the printer unit of FIG.

FIG. 3 shows M. F. P. FIG.

FIG. 4 shows the M. F. P. FIG.

FIG. 5 shows M. F. P. Discharge of
The figure which showed the mode of loading.

FIG. 6 shows the M. F. P. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating how the documents are stacked.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing a second example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 A printer B reading device 14 paper ejection tray

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An image forming apparatus comprising a paper discharge tray for stacking and storing image-formed sheet materials, wherein a reading device is provided above the paper discharge tray, and a document after reading is stored in the paper discharge tray. An image forming apparatus in which a reading device can be loaded. 2. The image-formed sheet material discharged onto the discharge tray and the document whose image is read by the reading device are discharged onto the tray at a position shifted with respect to the paper conveyance direction or the lateral direction. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus is paper. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a sheet discharge port of the reading device is movable in a document conveying direction.