JPH06348076A - Image reading/printing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide an image reading/printing device light in weight and small in size and capable of easily exchanging a consumable part. CONSTITUTION:In an integrally molded resin frame 22 of a facsimile equipment 21, its upper flat surface 22a is used for an original reading surface, and an optical unit 33 is provided on the side thereof via the original reading surface. On the other side thereof, an original-carrying unit 59 is provided, and the image information of an original is optically read while carrying the original. Further, both ends of process cartridges 24 and 27 are locked in both sides 22c and 22d of the frame 22, an they are held between them. Thus, because component members overlapping in each part of the facsimile equipment 21 and unnecessary spaces inside the frame 22 are reduced, the facsimile equipment 21 can be made light in weight and small in size, and also the strength of the frame 22 can be kept high by attaching the process cartridges 24 and 27 to the frame 22.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image reading / printing apparatus in which a process cartridge can be mounted on a frame forming a document reading section.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a schematic structure of a conventional facsimile apparatus 1, and FIG.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the arrangement of the frame 2 and the cartridges 3 to 6. The facsimile device 1 optically reads a transmission original, converts image information of the read transmission original into communication data, and transmits the communication data. Further, the facsimile apparatus 1 converts the received communication data into image information and outputs it to the printer.

The electrophotographic printer forms a toner latent image on the surface of a photoconductive photoconductive drum by a light beam based on received image information, and the toner has a charge opposite to the latent image on the latent image. The received image is printed by adsorbing and developing it, and transferring it to recording paper.

Although the photosensitive drum of the printer can be used repeatedly as many times as necessary by cleaning after printing, it has a shorter life than the main body of the facsimile apparatus 1. Therefore, in the conventional facsimile apparatus 1, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a photosensitive portion 4 including a photoconductive photosensitive drum, a developing portion 5 including a developing tank for adsorbing the charged toner on the photosensitive portion, Consumable portions such as the toner portion 6 for supplying the toner and the paper feeding portion for supplying the recording paper are made into a cartridge and attached to corresponding portions of the frame 2. In this way, maintenance and inspection work of the facsimile machine 1 such as replacement and adjustment of consumable parts is facilitated.

In the facsimile device 1, the reading unit,
Since each part of the printer and the like requires assembly and adjustment in each part, they are produced individually and integrated as a facsimile device 1 by assembly.

[0006]

However, as described above, when the respective components such as the reading unit and the printer are individually produced, each component requires individual holding strength. Therefore, the facsimile apparatus 1 is required. There is no choice but to include mutually overlapping structures that are unnecessary after assembly. Further, as described above, when each component is individually produced, it is necessary to change each production line for producing each component in response to a change in the specifications of the facsimile machine 1, which is a restriction for improving the facsimile machine. Occurs. Further, by assembling each component produced individually, the facsimile machine 1
There is a problem that an unnecessary space is created inside, and the facsimile device 1 becomes large.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an image reading / printing apparatus which solves the above-mentioned problems and which is small in size and can be easily replaced with consumable parts.

[0008]

According to the present invention, there is provided an image reading / printing apparatus including a reading means for reading image information of a document and a printing means for printing an image on a recording sheet based on the image information. Includes a plurality of process cartridges in which consumable parts are individually stored in a storage container, and the reading unit includes an image of a document through a housing having a document guide surface and a reading window formed on the document guide surface. The housing includes an optical unit that reads information and a document transport unit that is disposed on a side facing the optical unit via the document guide surface and transports a document to a reading window. An image reading / printing apparatus characterized by holding a cartridge.

[0009]

According to the present invention, in the image reading / printing apparatus including the reading means and the printing means, the plurality of process cartridges included in the printing means have the consumable parts individually stored in the storage container. Further, in the reading means, the casing forms the document guide surface of the reading means, and the optical unit reads the image information of the document through the reading window formed on the document guide surface. A document transport unit for transporting the document to the reading window is formed on the side facing the optical unit through the document guide surface. Therefore, the housing and the reading unit can share one plane, and the number of members overlapping each other can be reduced. Further, since the above-mentioned housing holds the above-mentioned plurality of process cartridges on the inner surface, it is possible to reduce the number of members for mounting the process cartridge in the housing.
The strength of the housing can be maintained by mounting the process cartridge in the housing. Further, since the case holds the process cartridge, the process cartridge can be displaceably held in the case, and the process cartridge can be arranged at the optimum position. By thus reducing the overlapping structure between the housing and the reading unit and the printing unit, it is possible to reduce the weight and size of the image reading / printing apparatus.

[0010]

1 is a sectional view showing the construction of a facsimile apparatus 21 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the arrangement of a frame 22 of the facsimile apparatus 21 and process cartridges. As shown in FIG. 1, the upper surface 22a of the frame 22 constitutes the document transport surface of the reading unit 23, and the document feed roller 30, the scanning window 31 for reading the document, the document transport roller 32, and the like are attached. The original document placed on the original document placing portion 34 is detected by the detector 37, and is separated into individual sheets and conveyed to the reading portion 23.

An optical system unit 33, which constitutes a reading section 23 such as a scanner, is made into a cartridge and attached to the lower portion of the upper surface 22a of the frame 22. The optical system unit 33 scans the original surface with the light from the irradiation lamp 35 through the scanning window 31, and forms the reflected light from the original surface on the photoelectric converter 36 such as CCD by a reflecting mirror or the like.
Image information is output as an electric signal.

A document transport unit 59 is mounted above the document transport surface 22a so that the document transport surface 22a can be opened and closed, and a document feed roller 30 and a document transport roller 32 provided on the upper surface 22a of the frame 22 described above. A document pressing member 45 and a document transport roller 32 for transporting the document are attached in opposition to the.

As shown in FIG. 2, the document transport unit 5
Reference numeral 9 includes a mounting plate 60 to which the above-described document feeding roller 32 and the like are mounted, and a protective cover 61 for covering and protecting each member mounted to the mounting plate 60. Supporting pieces 60a and 60b are formed at one end of both side surfaces of the mounting plate 60 parallel to the document conveying direction A.
The document conveyance unit 59 is mounted around the axis R so as to be angularly displaceable by screwing 60b to both side surfaces 22c and 22d of the frame 22.

As shown in FIG. 2, the bottom surface of the frame 22 is open, and the process cartridges constituting the printing section 38, that is, the photosensitive drum 40 including the photosensitive drum 40, the cleaner 41 and the charger 42, and the toner container. Developing cartridge 2 comprising 26 and developing tank 25
7 and the like are supported by sandwiching both ends of the cartridge on both side surfaces 22c and 22d of the frame 22. More specifically, the developing cartridge 27 has a pair of projecting portions 52 provided at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the housing of the developing cartridge 27, and an end portion of a pair of guide grooves 53 provided inside both side surfaces 22c and 22d of the frame 22. It is supported by being locked to.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1, a beam generator 43, a fixing device 49 and a cooling fan 50 are provided above the printing section 38.
And the like, and a transfer unit 44, a paper feed roller 46 for conveying the recording paper, a conveying roller 47, and the like are provided below the printing unit 38, and are synchronized with the conveyance of the recording paper detected by the detectors 48 and 51. Charging, exposure, development, transfer,
The printing process of cleaning is repeated to print on the recording paper. The recording paper is conveyed in parallel to the document conveyance direction indicated by arrow A in FIG. 1, that is, in the arrow B direction.

As shown in FIG. 1, the frame 22 is formed by integrally molding reinforced plastic, and has supporting pieces 22e, 22e formed on the ends of both side surfaces 22c, 22d of the frame 22.
22f is attached to the main body of the facsimile device 21 so as to be angularly displaceable around the axis P. Frame 22 is arrow Q
By being angularly displaced about the axis P in the direction indicated by
The recording paper conveyance surface 58 and the transfer surface in contact with the transfer device 44 are opened, and the paper jam (jam) of the recording paper can be removed. At this time, both ends of the process cartridge of the above-described process cartridge are supported by both side surfaces 22c and 22d of the frame 22. Further, from the state where the recording paper conveyance surface 58 is opened, the frame 22 is rotated around the axis P by an arrow Q.
When the facsimile device 21 is made to be in a printable state by angularly displacing in the opposite direction,
4 is arranged in a predetermined positional relationship with the transfer device 44 with reference to the position of the base plate 29 supporting the paper feed cartridge 28.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view for explaining how the photoconductor cartridge 24 is positioned in a printable state. As described above, in the state where the recording paper conveyance surface 58 is opened, as shown in FIG. 2, the photoconductor cartridge 24 has a pair of locking shafts 54 projecting from both ends of the photoconductor cartridge 24 in the longitudinal direction. Both sides 22 of the frame 22
It is supported by being locked by a pair of locking pieces 55 provided on c and 22d. When the recording paper conveyance surface 58 is closed and the facsimile device 21 is ready for printing, the photoconductor cartridge 24 is engaged by the engagement groove 57 of the positioning block 56 located above the engagement piece 55. It is stopped and positioned at a predetermined printing position. The positioning block 56 is provided on the base plate 29 of the facsimile device 21.

As a result of configuring the facsimile device 21 using the frame 22 as described above, the facsimile device 21
It was possible to reduce the device volume to about 40% of the conventional one.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the facsimile apparatus 21 uses the upper flat surface 22a of the resin integrally molded frame 22 as the original reading surface, and separately produces the optical system unit 33 constituting the reading unit 23. Mount it in a cartridge. As a result, the CCD 36 of the optical system unit 33
It is possible to easily adjust important adjustment points such as the mounting position adjustment and lens magnification adjustment. Further, the frame 22
By using the upper flat surface 22a as the original reading surface, the overlapping structure of the frame 22 and the reading unit 23 can be reduced.

Further, in the facsimile device 21, the process cartridges 24 and 27 of the printing section 38 are provided on the frame 22.
When the recording paper conveyance surface 58 is opened without directly attaching the cartridge, both ends 22c and 22d of the frame 22 are locked and clamped at both ends of the cartridge. It is possible to reduce the weight and size.

[0021]

As described above, according to the present invention, since the housing of the image reading / printing apparatus forms the document guiding surface of the document reading means, the housing and the document reading means share the same plane. Therefore, the overlapping structure of the image reading / printing device can be reduced. Further, since the plurality of process cartridges of the printing unit are sandwiched by the side surfaces of the housing, the number of members for mounting the process cartridge in the housing can be reduced, and the strength of the housing allows the process cartridge to be mounted on the image reading / printing apparatus. Can be held by In addition, since the case holds the process cartridge,
The process cartridge can be displaceably held in the housing, and the process cartridge can be arranged at the optimum position. As described above, by reducing the overlapping structure and unnecessary space of the image reading / printing apparatus, it is possible to reduce the weight and size of the image reading / printing apparatus.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a facsimile device 21 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of FIG.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing an arrangement of a frame 22 of a facsimile device 21 and process cartridges.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view for explaining how the photosensitive cartridge 24 is positioned in a printable state.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a main configuration of a conventional facsimile apparatus 1.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an arrangement of a frame 2 and respective cartridges 3 to 6 of the facsimile apparatus 1.

[Explanation of symbols]

 21 Facsimile Machine 22 Frame 22a Original Reading Surface 22e, 22f Supporting Piece 23 Reading Part 24 Photosensitive Cartridge 25 Developing Tank 26 Toner Container 27 Developing Cartridge 28 Paper Feeding Cartridge 29 Bed Plate 30 Original Feeding Roller 31 Scanning Window 32 Original Feeding Roller 33 Optical System unit 34 Original placement part 35 Irradiation lamp 36 Photoelectric converter 37 Detector 38 Printing part 40 Photosensitive drum 41 Cleaner 42 Charger 43 Beam generator 44 Transfer device 45 Original holding member 46 Paper feed roller 47 Conveying roller 48 Detector 49 Fixing device 50 Cooling fan 51 Detector 59 Original transport unit A Original transport direction B Recording paper transport direction

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An image reading / printing apparatus including a reading unit for reading image information of a document and a printing unit for printing an image on a recording sheet based on the image information, wherein the printing unit separately stores consumable parts. The reading unit includes a plurality of process cartridges housed in a container, the reading unit includes a housing having an original guide surface, an optical unit for reading image information of an original through a reading window formed in the original guide surface, and A document transport unit that is disposed on a side facing the optical unit via a document guide surface and transports a document to a reading window; and the casing holds the plurality of process cartridges on an inner surface thereof. Image reading / printing device.