JP2006056017A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain an image forming apparatus applied with wireless communication technology in which good communication state is ensured by preventing reduction in effect of electric noise countermeasure while lowering the cost by disusing a coaxial cable, and enhancing usability without deteriorating appearance. <P>SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus comprises a means for feeding a recording material into the body of the apparatus, a section for forming an image on the recording material, and a means for discharging the recording material to the outside of the body of the apparatus wherein the feeding means and the image forming section are arranged between two metallic side plates. One of the two side plates is provided with a cut at an upper part on the side of the feeding means, and a wireless communication means for transmitting/receiving information of the image output data from an external information apparatus or the error in the image-forming apparatus is provided at the cut. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that forms an image on a recording medium.

  Examples of the image forming apparatus include an electrophotographic copying machine, a printer, a word processor, and a facsimile machine.

  Hereinafter, a laser beam printer will be described as an example of an image forming apparatus.

  As an example of a conventional image forming apparatus, a schematic configuration will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view of a main mechanism portion of a conventional image forming apparatus.

  In FIG. 6, the image forming apparatus 1 includes a cassette paper feeding device 8 provided at the bottom of the apparatus main body that is a paper feeding unit, and a process cartridge 13 that is a part of the image forming unit and is detachable from the apparatus main body. ing. Reference numeral 19 denotes a pair of paper discharge rollers as paper discharge means, and 11 denotes a laser scanner, which is fixed to a laser scanner holding stay 23. The cassette paper feeding device 8, the image forming unit, and the laser scanner holding stay 23 are sandwiched between a right side plate 24 made of sheet metal and a left side plate 25 made of sheet metal to constitute a frame of the apparatus main body. ing. A video controller board 26 for processing image creation request information from an external information device such as a host computer is installed outside the main body of the left side plate 25. The video controller board 26 is connected to an external information device by an external connection cable connector 36.

  By the way, in recent years, wireless communication technology has been developed, and a lot of information processing apparatuses such as computers are beginning to be installed. As for the image forming apparatus 1, naturally, wireless communication technology is applied, and it is conceivable to use the image forming apparatus 1 without a cable connector.

  When the wireless communication technology is adopted in the conventional image forming apparatus 1, it is conceivable to mount a wireless communication antenna or a wireless communication circuit on the video controller board 26 having an interface function for external connection.

  In addition, as an example of a printer that employs wireless communication technology, there is a printer in which a wireless communication antenna and a printer are connected by a coaxial cable as shown in FIG.

JP-A-11-138944 (FIG. 1)

  However, when the wireless communication antenna and the wireless communication circuit are mounted on the video controller board 26 having the interface function for external connection in the image forming apparatus 1 as in the above-described conventional example, the wireless communication antenna is the left side plate. Since it is arranged outside the main body, radio waves are blocked by the left side plate, and there arises a problem that a good communication state cannot be secured in the outer region of the right side plate of the apparatus main body.

  In addition, the video controller board 26 on which an electronic circuit for processing image creation request information from an external information device such as a host computer is mounted may be disposed in a shield case made of a metal plate as a measure against electric noise. When the video controller board 26 on which the wireless communication antenna and the wireless communication circuit are mounted is disposed in the shield case for preventing electric noise, it is necessary to provide an opening in the shield case in order to ensure a good communication state. However, if an opening is provided in the shield case, the effect of countermeasures against electrical noise is reduced, and it has been difficult to achieve both good communication conditions and countermeasures against electrical noise.

  In addition, as an example of a printer that employs wireless communication technology, there is a printer in which a wireless communication antenna and a printer are connected by a coaxial cable as shown in FIG. 1 of Patent Document 1, and the wireless communication antenna is connected using a coaxial cable. There has also been proposed a technique for ensuring a good communication state by pulling out from the apparatus main body and using it.

  However, in this configuration, the use of a coaxial cable increases the cost. Moreover, since the installation number is increased by using the antenna for wireless communication with a coaxial cable by pulling out from the apparatus main body, the usability is lowered and the appearance is not good.

  An object of the present invention is to realize a good communication state in an image forming apparatus to which a wireless communication technique is applied. Another object of the present invention is to reduce the effect of measures against electric noise, to reduce the cost without using a coaxial cable, to improve usability, and to reduce the appearance of the appearance when ensuring a good communication state.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a sheet feeding unit that feeds a recording material into the apparatus main body, an image forming unit that forms an image on the recording material, and a paper discharge that discharges the recording material outside the apparatus main body. In the image forming apparatus in which the sheet feeding unit and the image forming unit are arranged between two side plates made of a metal plate, an upper side of one side plate of the two side plates on the sheet feeding unit side. It has a notch, and wireless communication means for transmitting and receiving information such as image output data from an external information device and an error of the image forming apparatus is provided in the notch.

  The wireless communication means includes a wireless communication substrate mounted with an antenna element, and has a wireless communication substrate holding member formed of a molding resin material for holding the wireless communication substrate in the notch portion. .

  Further, the image forming apparatus has a controller board having an electronic circuit that performs arithmetic processing to output a signal received by the wireless communication board, and the wireless communication board and the controller board are disposed on the same side of the apparatus body, The controller board is housed in a shield member.

  According to the present invention, a notch portion is provided on the upper side of the one side plate of the two side plates on the sheet feeding means side, and wireless notifying means for transmitting and receiving information from the external information device is provided in the notch portion. A good transmission / reception state can be ensured without the radio wave being blocked by the side plate.

  Further, the wireless transmission / reception means includes a wireless transmission / reception board on which an antenna element is mounted, and has a wireless transmission / reception board holding member formed of a molding resin material for holding the wireless transmission / reception board in the notch, thereby A good transmission / reception state can be ensured without being blocked by the side plate.

  The image forming apparatus includes a controller board having an electronic circuit that performs arithmetic processing to output an image of a signal received by the wireless communication board, and the wireless communication board and the controller board are disposed on the same side of the apparatus body. Since the controller board is housed in the shield member, it is possible to ensure a good transmission / reception state without the radio wave being blocked by the side plate and without being disturbed by the electric noise generated from the controller board. .

<Embodiment 1>
An image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below by taking a laser beam printer that employs an electrophotographic system in which a photosensitive member is scanned and recorded with a laser beam as an example.

  FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an image forming apparatus 1 according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view of main mechanisms of the image forming apparatus 1.

  A schematic configuration of the laser beam printer according to the present embodiment will be described below.

  In the figure, reference numeral 2 denotes a paper feed cassette of a recording material storage means for storing a recording paper P that is a recording material fed into the image forming apparatus, and the recording paper P stored in the paper feed cassette 2 is fed. A paper feeding roller 3 as a paper feeding means disposed on the upper front end side of the paper cassette 2 is pressed and picked up by a pressure plate 4 as a pressing member. Then, the sheets are separated one by one by the separation pad 5 and the sheet feeding roller 3 constituting the separating unit, and are fed toward the first conveying roller pair 6. The first transport roller pair 6 is provided in the curved transport path 7 and transports the recording paper P fed from the paper feeder 8 to the second transport roller pair 9. Then, the recording paper P is conveyed to the transfer unit by the second conveyance roller pair 9. Reference numeral 10 denotes a registration sensor, which synchronizes the leading edge position of the recording paper P and the light emission timing of the laser scanner 11 as an exposure light source, and draws an image from a predetermined position on the recording paper P. Reference numeral 12 denotes a folding mirror.

  Reference numeral 13 denotes a process cartridge including image forming means such as a photosensitive member 14, a developing device, a cleaner, and a charging roller. Reference numeral 15 denotes a transfer roller for transferring a visible image on the photosensitive member 14 onto a recording material P. Reference numeral 16 denotes a post-transfer roller. The conveyance guide guides the recording material P to the fixing device 17, and the fixing device 17 heat-fixes the visible image on the recording material P. Reference numeral 18 denotes a paper discharge sensor for detecting a jam by detecting the leading end position and the trailing end position of the recording sheet P after the heat fixing.

  The recording material P after heat-fixing is discharged onto a paper discharge tray 21 formed integrally with the exterior cover 20 by a paper discharge roller pair 19.

(About the recording material conveyance path)
As shown in FIG. 1, the paper feed cassette 2 is provided in the lower part of the apparatus main body (lower part of FIG. 1), and the paper discharge tray 21 is provided in the upper part of the apparatus main body. The leading end of the sheet cassette 2 and the trailing end of the sheet discharge tray 21 are connected by a conveyance path including the image forming unit and the fixing unit 17, and these are generally S-shaped paths. Is configured. By using the sheet feeding cassette 2 as the lower part of the apparatus main body and the paper discharge tray 21 as the upper part of the apparatus main body, the apparatus main body is made compact and the installation area is reduced.

(About laser scanner placement)
As shown in FIG. 1, the laser scanner 11 is arranged in a unit-up arrangement from the scanner polygon 11a. Here, in order to reduce the size of the image forming apparatus as much as possible, as shown in FIG. 1, the photosensitive member is viewed from a direction substantially perpendicular to the recording material conveyance path from the sheet feeding device to the transfer unit to the fixing device. It is most effective to make the laser beam enter 14. With such a configuration, it is possible to keep the depth and height of the image forming apparatus within the minimum dimensions.

(About the electrical layout)
Reference numeral 22 denotes an electrical component including an AC power source, a DC power source, and a high voltage power source. As shown in FIG. 1, it is arranged in the lower part of the recording material conveyance path from the developing unit to the fixing unit and in the upper part of the paper feed cassette 2, so that the installation area of the electrical unit 22 can be used without waste of the apparatus main body. The increase is prevented. Further, by arranging the electrical unit below the recording material conveyance path from the developing unit to the fixing unit, it is possible to simplify the bundles necessary for electrical connection with the transfer roller 15 and the fixing unit 17.

(About the body frame structure)
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the image forming apparatus 1 includes a cassette sheet feeding device 8 including a sheet feeding cassette 2 and a sheet feeding roller 3 at the bottom of the apparatus main body, and a part of the image forming unit. It has a detachable process cartridge 13, a recording material conveyance path 16, a laser scanner 11, a fixing device 17, a discharge roller pair 19, and an electrical equipment section 22. The laser scanner 11 is fixed to a laser scanner holding stay 23. The cassette feeder 8, the image forming unit, the recording material conveyance path, the laser scanner 11, the fixing device 17, the paper discharge roller pair 19, and the electrical mechanism 22 are arranged on the right side plate. 24 and a left side plate 25 made of sheet metal to form a frame body of the apparatus main body. The main frame is sandwiched between the right side plate 24 made of sheet metal and the left side plate 25 made of sheet metal, thereby ensuring product rigidity and reducing electrical noise generated from the electrical component 22. is doing.

(About the arrangement of the Videoron Roller Board and the wireless communication board)
A video controller board 26 for processing image creation request information from an external information device such as a host computer is attached to the outside of the main body of the left side plate 25. FIG. 3 shows a left side view of the apparatus main body.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the left side plate 25 is provided with a notch portion 27 in the upper part on the paper feed side of the apparatus main body, and is made of a non-conductive resin material that holds the wireless communication substrate 28 in the notch portion 27. A wireless communication substrate holder 29 is installed. An antenna element 30 is mounted on the wireless communication board 28 on the upper side of the apparatus main body. The wireless communication board 28 and the video controller board 26 are connected by a connector cable 31, and external information received by the wireless communication board 28 is processed by the video controller board 26 and sent to the electrical unit 22 of the apparatus main body. The video controller board 26 and the electrical unit 22 are connected by a connector 32.

  In the image forming apparatus 1 to which the wireless communication technology of the present invention is applied, the left side plate 25 is provided with a notch 27 at the upper part on the sheet feeding side of the apparatus main body, and the notch 27 is made of a non-conductive resin material. The radio communication board holder 29 is installed, and the radio communication board 28 is disposed on the radio communication board holder 29, so that a radio wave is not blocked by the left side plate 25 and a good reception state can be secured. There is an effect of increasing the degree of freedom of the installation location.

  Further, in this embodiment, the notch 27 is provided in the upper part of the left side plate 25 on the apparatus main body feeding side, and the wireless communication substrate 28 is disposed. The same effect can be obtained even if the notch is provided and the wireless communication substrate 28 is disposed.

<Embodiment 2>
Next, a second embodiment of the paper feeding device according to the present invention will be described.

  FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the main mechanism portion of the image forming apparatus 1 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Only the differences from the first embodiment will be described, and the description of the other parts will be omitted.

  In the image forming apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 4, the video controller board 26 is housed in a shield case 33 made of sheet metal for electric noise countermeasures.

  Also in the image forming apparatus 1 to which the wireless communication technology of the present invention is applied, the left side plate 25 is provided with a notch 27 at the upper part on the sheet feeding side of the apparatus main body, and the notch 27 is made of a non-conductive resin material. The radio communication board holder 29 is installed, and the radio communication board 28 is disposed on the radio communication board holder 29, so that a radio wave is not blocked by the left side plate 25 and a good reception state can be secured. There is an effect of increasing the degree of freedom of the installation location. Further, radio wave disturbance due to electrical noise generated during operation of the video controller board 26 can be reduced, and a better reception state can be maintained.

<Embodiment 3>
Next, a third embodiment of the paper feeding device according to the present invention will be described.

  5A and 5B are schematic perspective views showing Embodiment 3 of the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present invention. Hereinafter, only differences from the first and second embodiments will be described, and description of the other will be omitted.

  In the image forming apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 5A, the B surface is configured as the front of the apparatus main body, and the paper feed cassette 2 is detachable in the front direction of the apparatus main body (the direction of arrow A). Reference numeral 34 denotes an openable / closable cover, and as shown in FIG. 5B, the process cartridge 13 can be taken out in an open state. The exterior cover 20 on the upper surface of the apparatus main body is integrally formed with a paper discharge tray 21, and the paper discharged onto the paper discharge tray 21 can be easily collected from the front of the apparatus main body. Also in the present embodiment, the radio communication substrate 28 is provided with a notch 27 on the upper side of the apparatus body of the left side plate 25 on the sheet feeding side, and is arranged in this notch 27. The left side surface of the apparatus main body including the wireless communication board 28 and the video controller board 8 is covered with a left cover 35.

  Also in the image forming apparatus 1 to which the wireless communication technology of the present invention is applied, the left side plate 25 is provided with a notch 27 at the upper part on the sheet feeding side of the apparatus main body, and the wireless communication substrate 28 is provided in the notch 27. By arranging the, it is possible to secure a good reception state without blocking radio waves by the left side plate 25 and to increase the degree of freedom of the installation location of the apparatus main body. In addition, since an excellent reception state can be secured without an antenna protruding outside the apparatus main body or an antenna using a coaxial cable, it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus that has a good appearance and is compact in appearance. it can.

1 is a cross-sectional view of an image forming apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. 1 is a perspective view of main mechanisms of an image forming apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. 1 is a left side view of an image forming apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. It is a perspective view of the main mechanism part of the image forming apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention. FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view of an image forming apparatus according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. It is a perspective view of the main mechanism part of the conventional image forming apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 2 Paper feed cassette 3 Paper feed roller 4 Pressure plate 5 Separation pad 6 1st conveyance roller pair 7 Curved conveyance path 8 Paper feed apparatus 9 1st conveyance roller pair 10 Registration sensor 11 Laser scanner 12 Folding mirror 13 Process Cartridge 14 Photoconductor 15 Transfer roller 16 Transport guide 17 Fixing device 18 Paper discharge sensor 19 Paper discharge roller pair 20 Exterior cover 21 Paper output tray 22 Electrical component 23 Laser scanner holding stay 24 Right side plate 25 Left side plate 26 Video controller board 27 Notch Part 28 Wireless communication substrate 29 Wireless communication substrate holder 30 Antenna element 31 Connector cable 32 Connector 33 Shield case 34 Open / close cover 35 Left cover

Claims (3)

A sheet feeding unit configured to feed a recording material into the apparatus main body; an image forming unit configured to form an image on the recording material; and a sheet discharging unit configured to eject the recording material outside the apparatus main body. In the image forming apparatus in which the image forming unit is disposed between two side plates made of a metal plate,
The one side plate of one of the two side plates has a notch on the upper side of the sheet feeding means side, and transmits / receives information such as image output data from an external information device or an error of the image forming apparatus to the notch. An image forming apparatus provided with wireless communication means for performing   The wireless communication means includes a wireless communication substrate on which an antenna element is mounted, and has a wireless communication substrate holding member formed of a molding resin material that holds the wireless communication substrate in the notch portion. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1.   The image forming apparatus includes a controller board having an electronic circuit that performs arithmetic processing to output a signal received by the wireless communication board, and the wireless communication board and the controller board are arranged on the same side surface of the apparatus body. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller board is housed in a shield member.

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