JPH07334271A - Image input device and image output device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide the image input device and the image output device which can be installed even within a limited installation area and can provide a part to be a palm rest part on the user side of a keyboard at a notebook type personal computer or word processor. CONSTITUTION:Concerning an image input device 1 and the image output device to be used while being connected to an electronic equipment 100, this device is provided With a paper feeding port 3 arranged while being directed toward the electronic equipment side so as to effectively utilize the upper surface part of an input means 103 placed on the upper surface of the electronic equipment as the conveying plane of an original or a recording sheet, paper ejecting port 4 arranged on the user side in the through state from the paper feeding port, top panel part 30 to be the palm rest plane of the input means, and stand part 5 for arbitrarily setting a palm rest using state for the input means while being housed by positioning the paper feeding port continuously to the upper surface part in the standing state.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image input device and an image output device, and more particularly to an image input device and an image output device which are connected as an optional device to a notebook electronic device which is compact and flat. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art With the recent miniaturization of personal computers, notebook type personal computers and word processors have been put into practical use. The demand for miniaturization of image input / output devices such as printers and scanners connected to such devices is also increasing.

Therefore, assuming that the apparatus of this type is miniaturized, the basic unit of the image input / output apparatus is formed in an elongated box shape matching the width of the original or recording sheet, and the basic unit is formed in the basic unit. A so-called sheet-through type device that inputs and outputs an image over the entire surface by moving the document or the recording sheet so as to penetrate it is suitable. As a basic configuration of a basic unit of such an image input / output device, for example, a contact type reading sensor in a scanner device and a line thermal head or an inkjet head in a printer device are advantageous for miniaturization. It is currently the mainstream for reasons. A roller and a motor for conveying the paper are further arranged in the document reading means and the recording means.

[0004]

However, even if the basic unit is downsized as described above, it is necessary to further secure a moving space for feeding and discharging originals and recording sheets. There is a problem that an extra space must be taken when installing it around a personal computer etc. in a state where it can be used, and it is pointed out that the image input / output device cannot be installed within the limited installation area. ing. In addition, in a notebook-type personal computer or word processor, some users find it difficult to input data because the palm rest portion is not provided on the front side of the keyboard for downsizing.

Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image input / output device even within a limited installation area, and It is another object of the present invention to provide an image input device and an image output device in a notebook type personal computer or word processor which can be provided with a palm rest portion on the front side of the keyboard.

[0006]

In order to solve the above problems and to achieve the object, an image input device and an image output device of the present invention are an image input device and an image output which are used by being connected to an electronic device. In the apparatus, in order to utilize the upper surface portion of the input means arranged on the upper surface of the electronic device as a conveyance surface of the original or the recording sheet, a paper feed port arranged toward the electronic device side and a paper feeding port. The paper exit, which is arranged on the front side in the through state from the paper mouth, the top surface which is the palm rest surface of the input means, the paper feed opening is continuously positioned on the upper surface portion in the standing state, and the input is performed in the retracted state. It is characterized by including a stand portion for arbitrarily setting a palm rest use state for the means.

Further, a part of the top surface other than the palm rest surface is constructed to be one step lower, and the operation switch is arranged at the constituent portion.

Further, the stand portion is characterized by being rotatable.

Further, the electronic device is characterized by being a notebook type personal computer.

The electronic device is a pen input type personal computer.

[0011]

In the above structure, the paper feed port is provided on the side of the electronic device, the paper ejection port is provided on the front side of the hand, and the top face is made the palm rest or the paper feed face by aligning the top face with the height of the input section. And make effective use of the limited installation surface.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. First, FIG. 1 is an external perspective view showing a state in which an embodiment of the present invention is applied to a notebook personal computer. In the figure, a keyboard 101 is arranged on the upper surface of a notebook computer 100, while a liquid crystal display 102 is provided on the rear side in an openable and closable manner.

A scanner 1 as an image input device is arranged on the front surface of the personal computer 100 constructed as described above so as to be in front of the keyboard 101 with respect to the notebook personal computer 100. Are electrically connected to the notebook computer 100. A document G is placed on the scanner 1 with a document surface G
It is provided so as to be conveyed forward with a facing down, passes through the inside of the scanner 1 from the upper surface of the keyboard 101 through the paper feed port 3 of the scanner 1, and is ejected onto the desk D from the paper ejection port 4. Is configured to come. A retractable stand 5 is provided below the scanner 1, and is configured so that it can be put into a state in which the scanner shown in FIG. 1 is put out for use and a state in which it is stored and used as a palm rest. . The scanner 1 further includes a reading start switch 6, an interruption switch 7, and a liquid crystal display 8.
A power lamp 9 and an error lamp 10 are provided at positions that can be operated from the outside, as shown in the figure.

Next, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1, showing a main part structure of the scanner 1.
In this figure, a commonly used paper transport structure is adopted for the scanner 1, and the outline thereof will be briefly described. The front transport roller 11 has a position shown in FIG. 2 so that a document can be easily inserted. It is in a stand-by state and is rotated with the start of a drive motor (not shown).
As shown by, the state where the document G projects upward from the document guide surface 13 is brought into contact with the document G, and the document is conveyed.
A front conveyance spring 14 is provided above the front conveyance roller 11 to press the document G against the front conveyance roller 11 with a predetermined pressure. As a result, when a plurality of documents G are inserted from the upstream side. , Downstream separation roller 15 and separation pad 16
Only the lowermost original G is advanced downstream, is sandwiched between the main transport roller 17 and the pinch roller 18, is transported, and reaches the reading sensor 19.

At this carrying position, the document G is pressed against the document table glass 21 by the document pressing spring 20, so that the document image illuminated by the LED illumination array 22 is contacted by the cell hook lens 23 to the contact sensor 24.
Is imaged on and converted into an electric signal. A paper discharge roller 25 and a pinch roller 26 are provided downstream of the document reading apparatus configured as described above, and are driven by a motor so as to send the read document from the paper discharge port 4 to the outside. That is, the document G is inserted in the direction of the arrow A1,
It is discharged in the direction of arrow A2.

On the bottom surface of the scanner 1 constructed as described above, a non-slip rubber pad 29 and a stand 5 are provided at four corners. By setting the stand 5 to the standing state of the solid line, the paper feed port 3 of the scanner 1 is lifted, and the document is configured to smoothly flow from the upper surface of the key top 103 of the keyboard 101 of the main body to the scanner side. ing.

In the configuration described above, when the scanner 1 is not used for reading a document, the stand 5 is stored at the position shown by the broken line. Then, the state shown in FIG. 3 is obtained, and the top surface 30 of the scanner 1 is the exterior surface 1 of the personal computer 100.
04 and desk D are set to almost the same height H, this surface can be used as a palm rest, and it is designed so that the operation feeling of the keyboard is improved, and it is not disturbed when the scanner is not used. There is.

FIG. 4 is an external perspective view showing the state of use in FIG. 3, and in consideration of the movement of the hand when operating the keyboard, the read switch 6 and the interruption switch 7 (see FIG. 4 is hidden), the liquid crystal display 8, the power lamp 9 and the error lamp 10 are arranged, so that there is no fear of being touched accidentally during operation. Further, the switches are set so as to be lower than the top surface 30 which is the surface of the palm rest so as to be particularly hard to touch.

Since the upper surface of the keyboard 101 has the concave and convex portions of the keys, if the paper edge is taken as the leading end and it advances in the orthogonal direction, it will be caught and it will cause a jam problem. In this embodiment, however, the upstream side becomes the keyboard surface. Since the edge of the paper is on the back side, there is no chance of being caught and the paper can be transported stably.

After being used as described above, the scanner 1
By removing the, you can use it as the original notebook computer alone.

Next, a second embodiment will be described based on the external perspective view of FIG. In this figure, pen input personal computer 2
00 is provided with a liquid crystal display 201 having an input digitizer, and is configured to be operated by using an input pen 202. In front of the above pen input personal computer 200, a printer 3 as an image output device is provided.
1 is connected to the printer 31, and the start switch 34 of the printer 31 is operated, while the stand 35 is set to the standing state shown in FIG. That is, the recording paper S can be printed.

On the other hand, the top surface 33 of the printer 31 keeps a flat surface up to the pen input personal computer side for use as a palm rest during pen operation. In keyboard operation, the palm rest surface is unnecessary because the distance between the key and the position where the hand is supported is long, but in pen input operation the distance is short and it is necessary to continuously form the palm rest surface up to the vicinity of the input part. . Therefore, cover 36 on the continuous part
Is provided.

FIG. 6 shows the cross-sectional structure of the printer 31. The lid 36 is opened around the shaft 38 in the direction of arrow 39 to the position of the chain double-dashed line so that the recording sheet S can be easily inserted. ing. Further, a paper width guide 40 that is movable in the width direction of the recording paper is provided, and the paper width guide 40 is configured to be adjusted in accordance with the width dimension of the recording sheet S to be used and to guide the paper without meandering.

In the above structure, the recording sheet S is inserted in the direction of the arrow A1, is advanced by being sandwiched by the rollers 42 and 43, is guided by the platen 44, and is paired with the paper discharge rollers 45 ,.
The sheet is pinched by 46 and discharged in the direction of arrow A2. on the other hand,
The recording apparatus is a so-called serial recording type inkjet system, and performs printing while reciprocally moving an inkjet head 49 integrally with an inkjet cartridge 48 in a direction perpendicular to a recording sheet conveyance direction.

In the configuration described above, when the printer 31 is not used, the stand 35 is stored in the position shown by the broken line. Then, the operation surface 201 and the lid 3 of the personal computer 200
6 and 6 have almost the same height, and this surface can be used as a palm rest.

As described above, since the image input / output device is placed in front of the operation section of the personal computer and is used as a palm rest and the operation section surface is used as a paper feed surface, a paper feed tray is not required and space is saved. Can be used Also, in a normal use state in which a personal computer is combined, a space is inevitably secured because the operator is seated on the front side of the device, which is the discharge side, and the discharge space is rational. Exists in. As described above, the efficient arrangement of the personal computer and the image input / output device has effects of saving space and improving ease of use.

Of course, the above embodiments are not limited to the scanner and the printer, and are not limited to the notebook type personal computer and the pen input type personal computer.

[0028]

As described above, according to the image input device and the image output device of the present invention, the image input / output device can be provided even within a limited installation area, and the notebook can be used. A book-type personal computer or word processor may have a palm rest portion on the front side of the keyboard.

[0029]

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view showing a usage state of a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 (scanner in use).

FIG. 3 is a transverse cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 (state used as a palm rest).

FIG. 4 is an external view showing a use state as the palm rest of FIG.

FIG. 5 is an external view of a second embodiment.

6 is a cross-sectional view of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Scanner (Image Input Means) 3 Paper Feed Port 4 Paper Ejection Port 5 Stand 6 Start Switch 7 Break Switch 8 Liquid Crystal Display 9 Power Lamp 10 Error Lamp 100 Personal Computer 101 Keyboard 102 Liquid Crystal Display 31 Printer (Image Output Device) 36 Lid 200 Personal Computer 202 pen

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Internal reference number FI Technical display location G06F 15/02 320 A G06T 1/00 G06F 15/64 320 B

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An image input device and an image output device used by being connected to an electronic device, wherein an upper surface portion of an input means arranged on an upper surface of the electronic device is utilized as a conveyance surface for a document or a recording sheet. In order to achieve this, a paper feed port that is arranged to face the electronic device side, a paper discharge port that is arranged on the front side in a through state from the paper feed port, and a ceiling that serves as a palm rest surface of the input means. A face portion; and a stand portion in which the paper feed port is continuously positioned on the upper surface portion in an upright state, and a palm rest for the input means is arbitrarily set in a stored state. Image input device and image output device. 2. The image input device and the image output device according to claim 1, wherein a part of a top surface other than the palm rest surface is configured to be one step lower, and an operation switch is arranged in the constituent portion. 3. The image input device and the image output device according to claim 1, wherein the stand portion is a rotary type. 4. The image input device and the image output device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a notebook personal computer. 5. The image input device and the image output device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a pen input type personal computer.