JPH11341202A - Image recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make it difficult for a contact type image sensor (CIS) facsimile equipment to receive heat influences by a heating roller. SOLUTION: A CIS 34 in a document reading unit 6 arranged on a lower surface side of an operation panel 8 of facsimile equipment is arranged on an upper surface of an upper case 1b above a process unit 3, which is arranged on an upstream side of a cooled air flow of a heating roller 21 of a fixing unit 4 arranged in a main lower case, and above the narrowest point between an upper and a lower gaps of a path 85 of the cooled air between a lower surface of the upper case 1b and an upper surface of the process unit 3.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus such as a facsimile apparatus and a copying machine, and more particularly, to an image sensor for reading an original in an original reading section by heat generated from a heating and fixing section in an image recording means. The present invention relates to a cooling structure for preventing the performance of the device from deteriorating.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an image recording apparatus such as a facsimile machine or a copying machine has a document reading section, a recording section for recording image data on paper, and a paper feeding section for supplying paper to the recording section. Is usually provided. And
In recent small facsimile machines and copiers, in order to reduce the size, a contact type image sensor (CIS) in which a light source and an image detecting unit are housed in an integrated case in a document reading unit.
Has been adopted.

[0003]

However, since this type of contact image sensor (CIS) currently uses an amorphous film (amorphous semiconductor) as a photoelectric conversion element, it has detected an increase in ambient temperature. There is a problem that unevenness is easily generated in the density of image data. On the other hand, as a recording unit, a process unit having a photoreceptor on which an electrostatic latent image is formed and a developing unit for forming a toner image on the photoreceptor, and a fixing unit for heating and fixing the toner image transferred to paper are described. When the fixing unit is used, heat of a considerably high temperature is generated from the fixing unit. Therefore, if the close contact type image sensor is arranged near the fixing unit, it is easily affected by the heat. To avoid this, if the distance between the two is increased, there is a problem that the image recording apparatus becomes large.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve these problems, and has as its object to provide an image recording apparatus which can be downsized without adversely affecting heat on a contact type image sensor in a document reading section. Is what you do.

[0005]

In order to achieve this object, an image recording apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention comprises a recording unit for recording at least on a sheet, and a fixing unit for heating and fixing an image recorded on the sheet. An image recording apparatus comprising: an upper case that covers an upper surface of a main lower case accommodating a document reading unit; and a document reading unit disposed on an upper surface side of the upper case. While the recording unit is arranged upstream of the cooling air flow by the fixing unit and the fixing unit is arranged downstream, the contact type image sensor for reading the image data of the conveyed document in the document reading unit is provided in the fixing unit. It is arranged at a position corresponding to the upstream side of the cooling air flow from the arrangement position.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the image recording apparatus of the first aspect, a gap between a lower surface of the upper case and an upper surface of the recording section is formed by the cooling air flow. A plurality of rows of ribs protruding downward from the lower surface of the upper case face the inside of the passage, and the ribs also function as a rectifying plate and a paper guide plate to a recording unit. It is configured as follows.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the image recording apparatus according to the second aspect, wherein the cooling air flow formed between the lower surface of the upper case and the upper surface of the recording unit is provided. In the passage, the contact type image sensor is disposed above the vicinity of the narrowest portion of the vertical gap. According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the image recording apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects, the unit case in the original reading unit includes a pair of rollers for conveying the original. And a drive motor unit for driving the pair of rollers, and an air passage to the cooling fan is provided on a lower surface side of the unit case where the drive motor unit is disposed.

[0008]

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of main components of a facsimile apparatus as an example of an image recording apparatus to which the present invention is applied, FIG. 2 is a schematic side sectional view of the facsimile apparatus, and FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway plan view of the facsimile apparatus. 1
1 is an enlarged side sectional view of a main part showing a passage of a cooling air flow, FIG.
Is a front enlarged side sectional view of the main body case, and FIG. 13 is a partially cutaway sectional view including a document reading unit.

The main body case of the facsimile apparatus 1 is shown in FIG.
As shown in (1), a recording unit as an image recording means including a scanner unit 2, a process unit (recording unit) 3, and a fixing unit (fixing unit) 4, and a paper supply for supplying a sheet P for forming an image And a side portion of the main lower case 1a which covers the upper side of the main lower case 1a and which can be turned up and down largely. An upper case 1b made of a synthetic resin pivotally attached to a rear portion of the upper case 1b. On the upper surface of the upper case 1b, a document reading unit 6 and a document feeder 7 as a document reading unit can be placed. The operation panel 8 is configured so as to be detachably covered with the operation panel 8.

A drive system unit 9 including a drive motor and a gear train for transmitting power to the process unit 3, the fixing unit 4, and the paper feed unit 5 is housed in a storage recess on the left side of the main lower case 1a (see FIG. (Not shown). 2, FIG. 4, FIG. 6A, and FIG. 6A are provided on one side of the rear surface portion of the main lower case 1 a (the right side portion in the embodiment).
As shown in FIGS. 6 (b) and 7, a window hole 59 is formed from the lower edge of the rear wall 1c of the main lower case 1a to the rear surface and the upper surface above the lower continuous piece 1d as appropriate. ing. The window hole 59 is configured to be removably opened by an inverted L-shaped sub cover 62 in side view.

Further, a control board 1 is provided above a bottom cover 10 made of a metal plate which covers the lower surface of the main lower case 1a.
1. NCU for enabling conversation and transmission / reception of facsimile data with another telephone device or facsimile device via low voltage power supply substrate 12, high voltage power supply substrate 13, and telephone line
(Network control unit) High voltage power supply substrate 1 for substrate 14, charger 28 of process unit 3, etc.
3 are arranged. That is, FIGS. 2, 4, 6, and 7
As shown in FIG. 2, the upper surface wall 1e and the rear surface wall 1c of the main lower case 1a on which the lower end portion of the paper feed unit 5 is placed, the partition wall surface 1f facing the rear end of the process unit 3, and the bottom cover 10 are formed. The enclosed space is defined by the control board 11,
The low-voltage power supply board 12, the NCU board 14, and an additional RAM (randomly readable and writable memory) board 60 and an LAN (local area network) as additional electronic components
A storage space 78 in which an optional board such as the board 61 can be stored. In the upper surface of the bottom cover 10, a portion near the window hole 59 (a portion near the rear right end in the embodiment)
The control board 11 is fixedly arranged with screws or the like. Also,
A support portion (base portion) of a connector 76 for a cable 75 for connecting the control board 11 to an external device (not shown) such as a personal computer includes an upwardly directed piece 10 a rising from the rear end of the bottom cover 10 and the main body. Lower case 1
It is fastened together with the lower connecting piece 1c by a screw 77 (see FIGS. 6A and 6B).

As shown in FIG. 7, the main lower case 1
In the storage space 78 on the left side of the window hole 59 of FIG. 4A, the left side of the bottom cover 10 near the rear end is electrically connected via a screw 79 to stand upright, and the upper end is screwed to the upper surface wall 1e.
At 0, a support plate 14a made of a metal plate also serving as a partition plate for magnetic field shielding is fixed. And the support plate 14a
Are arranged vertically so that the component side of the NCU substrate 14 fixed to one surface of the main lower case 1a faces the rear wall 1c of the main lower case 1a. A low-voltage power supply board 12 is fixedly mounted on the bottom cover 10 near the NCU board 14 with screws or the like. Therefore, the heat generated from the low-voltage power supply board 12 is blocked by the support plate 14a, so that it does not directly hit the component surface of the NCU board 14.

The rear wall 1 of the main lower case 1a is provided.
c and a large number of ventilation holes 50a, 50
By the air passing through b, the heat radiation from the low-voltage power supply board 12 can be efficiently discharged outside the apparatus, and the component surface of the NCU board 14 can be efficiently cooled. Further, a support plate 14 made of a metal plate is placed against the bottom cover 10 made of a metal plate.
a, the ground section of the NCU substrate 14 is electrically connected to the ground section (ground).
The CU substrate 14 can be firmly attached at the same time.

Since the partition plate 81 is provided upright on the inner side of the left end of the window hole 59, when an operator hands into the storage space 78 from the window hole 59, the NCU board 14 and the low-voltage power supply board are inadvertently inserted. It is configured not to come into contact with 12. NC
The modular connector 82 provided on the U board 14 is exposed on the side surface of the main lower case 1a, so that a telephone line modular jack (not shown) is connected.

Next, the configuration of each unit in the image recording means will be described. The leading end side of the sheets P set in a state of being stacked in the feeder unit case 5a of the sheet supply unit 5 is pressed toward the sheet supply roller 16 by the support plate 15 with the biasing spring 15a in the feeder unit case 5a. And
The sheet is separated one by one by the paper feed roller 16 and the separation pad 17 which are rotated by the power transmitted from the drive system unit 9. The separated sheet P is fed to the upper side of the process unit 3 by a pair of upper and lower registration rollers 18 and 19, and the sheet P on which an image is formed by toner on the surface of the process unit 3 is transferred to the fixing unit 4. Heating roller 2
After the image is fixed by the first roller 1 and the pressing roller 22, the image is discharged from the paper discharge port 20 and discharged onto a discharge tray (not shown).

A scanner unit 2 is provided at a position below the process unit 3 which is disposed substantially in the center of the main lower case 1a having a box shape with an open top in a plan view.
It is fixed to the stay part integrally formed on the upper surface side of the bottom plate part by a screw or the like. As shown in FIG. 2, a scanner unit 2 as an exposure unit has a laser emitting unit, a polygon mirror 23,
A lens 24, a reflecting mirror 25 and the like are arranged, and the upper support plate 2a
The laser beam is applied to the outer peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 26 in the process unit 3 by passing through a glass plate that covers a horizontally long scanner hole formed so as to extend along the axis of the photosensitive drum 26. It is configured.

The process unit 3 includes the photosensitive drum 26 and the transfer roller 2 which rotates while being in contact with the upper surface thereof.
7, a scorotron type charger 28 disposed below the photosensitive drum 26, a developing roller 29 and a supply roller 3 disposed upstream of the photosensitive drum 26 in the sheet feeding direction.
0, a developer (toner) supply unit disposed upstream thereof, that is, a detachable toner cartridge 31, a cleaning device 32 disposed downstream of the photosensitive drum 26, and the like. An electrostatic latent image is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 26 by scanning a laser beam from the scanner unit 2 on the charged layer formed by the charger 28. The developer (toner) in the toner cartridge 31 is agitated by a stirrer (not shown) and released, and then carried on the outer peripheral surface of the developing roller 29 via the supply roller 30. The thickness is regulated. The electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 26 is visualized by the developer adhering from the developing roller 29, and the transfer roller 27 and the photosensitive drum 2
6 is transferred to a sheet P passing between the sheets 6. Then, the developer remaining on the photosensitive drum 26 is collected by the cleaning device 32.

The process unit 3 is made into a cartridge by being incorporated in a case made of synthetic resin.
The cartridge-formed process unit 3 is detachably mounted on the main lower case 1a. As shown in FIGS. 2, 8, 9 and 10, the original reading unit 6 arranged on the upper case 1b is a horizontally long contact type image sensor ( (CIS) 34, a document separation feed roller 35 a and a separation pad 35 b disposed near the document feeder 7, a conveyance drive roller 36 a and a driven roller 36 b disposed on the conveyance upstream side of the close contact type image sensor 34, A drive motor unit 39 in which a transport drive roller 37a and a driven roller 37b disposed on the downstream side of the transport, a drive motor 40 for driving the rollers 35, 36a, 37a, and a gear train 41 are accommodated in a frame. A document (not shown) fed one by one via the document separating / feeding roller 35a and the separation pad 35b has a white surface with a downwardly convex lower surface. When passing between the pressing plate 38 disposed on the song-like and the upper surface of the CIS 34, and is configured so that the image of the original is read.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 11 and 13, the contact type image sensor (CI
S) 34 is a position above the process unit 3 which is on the upstream side of the cooling air flow from the position where the fixing unit 4 is disposed.
As shown in FIGS. 11 and 13, a gap between the lower surface of the upper case 1b and the upper surface of the process unit 3 serves as the cooling air flow passage 85 as shown in FIGS. The contact type image sensor 34 is disposed above the vicinity of a portion of the passage 85 having the narrowest vertical gap dimension H1.

A plurality of projections project downward from the lower surface of the upper case 1b so as to extend in parallel with the transport direction of the paper P, and are disposed at appropriate intervals in the width direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the paper P. The ribs 86 of the row face the passage 85, and the ribs 86 function as a rectifying plate for cooling air flow and a paper guide plate between the photosensitive drum 26 and the transfer roller 27 in the process unit 3. Is also used.

Further, as shown in FIG. 13, one side of the lower surface side of the unit case 42 of the document reading unit 6 is connected to the cooling fan 43 on the lower surface side of the place where the drive motor unit 39 is disposed. Air passage 87 is formed, and air entering from the space between the upper surface of the document table 7 and the operation panel 8 is disposed for the driven rollers 36b and 37b formed in the upper surface of the unit case 42. After the CIS 34 is cooled through the inside of the unit case 42 through a hole or the like, the drive motor 40 is cooled when passing through the air passage 87.

A cooling fan 4 for blowing air to the outside of the main lower case 1a is provided at a front right portion of the main lower case 1a.
A storage section 44 for storing the sheet P 3 and a ventilation duct 45 extending in a direction orthogonal to the sheet P passage direction are formed so as to communicate with each other. In this case, as shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 12, and FIG. 13, the upper surface plate portion 45a of the ventilation duct 45 is formed in a substantially V shape with a downward cross section, and the upper surface plate portion 45a is formed on the upper surface side of the main lower case 1a. The heat of the heating roller 21 in the fixing unit 4 located between the process unit 3 and the fixing unit 4 to be disposed is not transmitted to the process unit 3 side. In addition, the upper surface plate portion 4 having a substantially V-shaped downward cross section.
The lower end of 5a is continuously connected by a partition plate 46 made of a synthetic resin plate or the like, and a portion surrounded by these members becomes a ventilation duct 43.

FIGS. 4, 5, 6 (a) and 6
As shown in FIG. 7B and FIG. 7, a large number of ventilation holes 50a and 50b are respectively formed in the rear wall 1c (a portion facing the NCU substrate 14) and the upper wall 1e of the main lower case 1a and the sub cover 62. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 13, a large number of blowout holes 52 are formed in the right side surface of the main lower case 1a in which the cooling fan 43 is disposed. A large number of air suction holes 53a and 53b are also formed in the rear leftward portion and the front leftward portion.

As shown in FIG. 5, FIG. 7, FIG. 11, and FIG. 12, inside the main lower case 1a, a ventilation hole 54 is provided below the mounting portion of the sheet feeding unit 5, and a rear surface of the process unit 3 is provided. Vent holes 55a and 55b at opposing locations, vent holes 56 at locations of the top plate 45a, and cooling fan 4
A ventilation hole 57 is formed in a wall or the like that partitions the third storage section 44.

Further, as shown in FIG. 7 and FIG.
In the vicinity of the upper surface wall 1e of the main lower case 1a, a seal 88 is stretched at a position where it comes into contact with the back surface of the unit case 5a in the paper feeding unit 5 but approaches. Block the air from entering through the gap between the back surface and the plurality of ventilation holes 50a, 50b.
From the main lower case 1a. Further, a seal 89 stretched over the upper surface plate portion 45a is configured to close a gap with the front surface of the process unit 3 so that cooling air can easily flow along the ventilation duct 43.

A handset 64 for conducting a conversation with another telephone device is provided in the main lower case 1.
The speaker 66 for placing a call is mounted on a receiving stand 65 projecting outward from the left side of the main body 1a, and is fixed to the rear side of the right side inside the main lower case 1a. FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing a control system of the facsimile machine 1 to which the present invention is applied. The facsimile apparatus 1 sets various processing operations, reads a document image by the document reading unit 6, converts the document image into transmission data, and transmits the transmission data in response to various commands input from the user through the operation panel 8. In addition to executing encoding, transmission and reception of facsimile data, decoding of received data, recording of the decoded facsimile data on the paper P in the recording unit, the C of the document reading unit 6
A copy (copying) processing function of reading an original by an IS (contact image sensor) 34 and recording an image on a sheet P by each unit in the image recording means, and transmission based on data transmission from an external device such as a personal computer (not shown). It also has a printer processing function of printing the read data on paper P, and a scanner processing function of transmitting image data read using the document reading unit 6 to the external device.

In order to perform these operations, the facsimile apparatus 1 includes an operation panel 8, an original reading unit 6, a scanner unit 2 for laser light, a process unit 3, and a fixing unit 4. A CPU 67 mounted thereon to execute various controls and calculations, a ROM 68 storing a control program, a RAM 69 partially used as a reception buffer memory 69a, an NCU board 14, and other facsimile machines via the NCU board 14. A modem 70 for transmitting and receiving facsimile data between the telephone, a handset 64 for talking with another telephone device, a speaker 66 for calling, and a driving unit of each unit in the image recording means. A drive system unit 9 having a stepping motor for applying power, the control board 1 Low voltage power board 12 for supplying low pressure power etc, charger 2 of the process unit 3
8 is provided with a high-voltage power supply board 13 for supplying high-voltage power, a cooling fan 43 for discharging cooling air out of the machine, and a bus line 71 for connecting these.

The additional RAM board 60 for increasing the amount of memory which can be added at the request of the user, and a LAN board for constructing a network for transmitting data to and from external devices such as a plurality of computers. 61
Can be connected as shown in FIG. In the above configuration,
When power is turned on, each of the substrates 11, 12, 13, 14
, And various controls can be executed, while the cooling fan 43 is rotationally driven. Then, the cooling air sucked from the ventilation holes 50a and 50b such as the rear end face of the main lower case 1a passes through the surface portions of the NCU board 14, the control board 11, and the low-voltage power supply board 12, and then the lower surface of the scanner unit 2. While passing between the side and the bottom cover 10 and reaching the front of the main lower case 1a, the ventilation hole 54 below the mounting portion of the sheet feeding unit 5 and the ventilation hole 55a at a position facing the rear surface of the process unit 3. , 55b, the passage 85 between the upper surface of the process unit 3 and the lower surface of the upper case 1b.
Is passed through the ventilation holes 56 and the ventilation holes 57 at the upper surface plate portion 45a, collects in the storage portion 44, and is discharged outside the main body case by the cooling fan 43. Thus, the heat of the heating roller 21 of the fixing unit 4 does not adversely affect the process unit 3.

The CIS in the reading unit 6
34 is disposed on the upper surface of the upper case 1b above the process unit 3 on the upstream side of the cooling air flow from the location of the fixing unit 4 which generates a large amount of heat. It is hard to receive. Also, upper case 1
b in the passage 85 between the upper surface of the process unit 3 and the portion having the smallest vertical clearance.
When the nozzle 34 is disposed, the passage 85 is formed due to the nozzle effect.
, The flow velocity of the cooling air flow passing through the portion having a small gap size becomes faster, and the effect of cooling the upper case 1b becomes larger.
Further, the sheet P extends in the conveying direction of the paper P into the passage 85,
Due to the large number of ribs 86 arranged at appropriate intervals in the width direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the paper P, the cooling air flow is distributed over the entire length of the horizontally long CIS 34 extending substantially parallel to the width direction of the paper P. The paper P flows almost uniformly along the transport direction of the paper P in the passage 85, and the upper case 1b corresponding to the entire length of the CIS 34 can be efficiently cooled. Since it can be smoothly supplied to the process unit 3 without clogging, and the rib 86 simultaneously performs the two functions of the current plate (cooling fin) and the paper guide, the configuration is simplified.

The air entering from the space between the upper surface of the document table 7 and the operation panel 8 flows from the holes for disposing the driven rollers 36b and 37b formed on the upper surface of the unit case 42 through the unit case 42 and the like. After passing through the inside of the air passage 87 and passing through the inside of the air passage 87, the CIS 34 arranged on the windward side of the drive motor 40 can be efficiently cooled by a cool airflow of outside air, and then the drive motor 40 can also be cooled.

In addition, since the air passage 87 is formed at a location near the ventilation hole 57 for the storage section 44 in which the cooling fan 43 is built, the air suction action of the cooling fan 43 is improved. It also has an effect. The present invention, as described above, not only facsimile machine,
It goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to a copying machine using CIS34.

[0032]

As described above, according to the image recording apparatus of the first aspect of the present invention, the contact type image sensor in the reading section has a higher cooling air flow than the fixing section having a large heat value. Being located upstream of the passage,
Since the heat transfer is interrupted at two points between the passage and the upper case above the recording unit, even if the image recording apparatus is downsized,
This has the effect of making it less likely to be adversely affected by the heat from the fixing unit, without deteriorating the performance of the contact-type image sensor, and enabling good image data to be read.

According to the image forming apparatus of the second aspect of the present invention, since a plurality of rows of ribs project downward from the lower surface of the upper case, the cooling air flows over the entire length of the contact type image sensor. The paper flows almost uniformly along the paper transport direction in the passage, and the upper case corresponding to the entire length of the contact type image sensor can be efficiently cooled. Since the rib simultaneously performs the two functions of the cooling fin and the paper guide so that the paper can be supplied smoothly, the structure is simplified and the production cost can be reduced.

According to the image forming apparatus of the third aspect of the present invention, the flow rate of the cooling air flowing through the passage having a small gap is increased due to the nozzle effect, thereby cooling the upper case. And the heat transfer from the fixing unit to the contact image sensor can be more efficiently cut off. Further, according to the image recording apparatus of the present invention, air entering from the upper surface side of the unit case passes through the inside of the unit case from a hole or the like formed for a pair of rollers for document conveyance. After passing through the location of the air passage, the contact type image sensor disposed on the windward side of the location of the drive motor unit can be efficiently cooled by the cool airflow of outside air, and then the drive motor can also be cooled.

In addition, since the air passage is formed in a portion near the ventilation part to the cooling fan, the effect of suction of air by the cooling fan is improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of main components of a facsimile machine.

FIG. 2 is a schematic side sectional view of the facsimile machine.

FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway plan view of the facsimile apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing an arrangement of a bottom cover, a control board, and the like covering a lower surface of a main lower case.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a main lower case.

FIG. 6A is a perspective view of a rear portion of the facsimile machine,
(B) is a perspective view of the rear part of the facsimile apparatus with the cover removed.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line VII-VII of FIG. 6 (b).

FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating components of a document reading unit.

FIG. 9 is a plan view of the document reading unit.

FIG. 10 is a bottom view of the document reading unit.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged side sectional view of a main part of the facsimile apparatus.

FIG. 12 is an enlarged side sectional view of a main part of a portion of a ventilation duct.

FIG. 13 is a sectional view taken along line XIII-XIII in FIG. 11;

FIG. 14 is a block diagram of a control unit.

[Explanation of symbols]

 P paper 1 facsimile machine 1a main lower case 1b upper case 3 process unit 4 fixing unit 5 paper feed unit 6 document reading unit 7 document feeder 8 operation panel 10 bottom cover 21 heating roller 34 contact image sensor (CIS) 43 cooling Fan 50b Vent 55a Vent 85 Passage 86 Rib 87 Air passage

Claims (4)

[Claims] A recording unit for recording at least on paper;
An image recording apparatus comprising: an upper case that covers an upper surface of a main lower case that houses a fixing unit that heats and fixes an image recorded on a sheet, and a document reading unit that is disposed on an upper surface side of the upper case; In the lower case, the recording unit is arranged on the upstream side of the cooling air flow by the cooling fan, and the fixing unit is arranged on the downstream side, while the image reading unit reads the image data of the conveyed document in the document reading unit. An image recording apparatus, wherein a mold image sensor is arranged at a position corresponding to an upstream side of a cooling air flow from an arrangement position of the fixing unit. 2. A gap between a lower surface of the upper case and an upper surface of a recording unit is formed to be a passage of the cooling air flow.
A plurality of rows of ribs protruding downward from the lower surface of the upper case face the inside of the passage, and the ribs are configured to also function as a rectifying plate and a paper guide plate to a recording unit. The image recording device according to claim 1. 3. The close contact type image sensor is disposed above the vicinity of the narrowest portion of the vertical gap in the cooling air flow path formed between the lower surface of the upper case and the upper surface of the recording unit. The image recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: 4. A unit case in the document reading section, wherein a pair of rollers for document conveyance and a drive motor unit for driving the pair of rollers are arranged, and an arrangement of the drive motor unit in the unit case is provided. 4. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an air passage to the cooling fan is provided on a lower surface side of the location.