JPH11160941A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [PROBLEMS] To enable an operator in a normal operation posture to easily check the presence or absence of a sheet in a sheet discharge storage section in an in-body discharge type image forming apparatus. SOLUTION: A facsimile function panel unit 59 constituting an operation unit 24 is unitized and made detachable from a structural member 61. A portion 62 of the structural member 61 to which the facsimile function panel portion 59 is attached / detached is cut away from the front edge of the operation portion 24 toward the back side. When the operator stands in front of the operation unit 24 in a state where the facsimile function panel unit 59 is not attached to the cutout portion 62 and looks down, the front edge side of the discharge tray 51 of the discharge storage unit 23 is clearly seen, and the operator forms an image. In a state where a copy operation is performed while standing in front of the apparatus,
If there is a sheet P discharged above, it can be easily recognized without bending.

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 such as a copying machine, a facsimile, a printer, and the like. The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus provided with a paper discharge unit for receiving a sheet.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a widely used copying machine, an original is read by an original reading section provided in an upper portion of the apparatus main body, and the read image information is formed on a paper by an image forming section. After the image is transferred onto the paper and fixed on the paper, the paper is discharged onto a paper discharge tray attached to the side of the apparatus main body. However, with this structure, the paper ejection tray protrudes out of the copier body, so that there is a problem that the area occupied by the machine is large and it is difficult to install the machine in a narrow place.
Therefore, below the document reading unit and above the image forming unit,
2. Description of the Related Art There has been proposed an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine which has a paper discharge storage section for discharging and storing paper after image information formation and fixing, and adopts a structure called internal discharge in which the area occupied by the machine is reduced.

FIG. 1 shows such an image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus of the paper discharge type in the body has an image forming unit 1 substantially at the center.
And a paper feed unit 2 including a plurality of paper feed stages is disposed immediately below the image forming unit 1, and a reading unit 3 that reads a document across a space is disposed above the image forming unit 1. I have. The space between the image forming unit 1 and the reading unit 3 is a discharge storage unit 4, and the paper on which the image has been formed is discharged and stored in the discharge storage unit 4. The image forming unit 1 includes a photoconductor, a developing device, a fixing device, and the like. The paper feeding unit 2 is provided with a paper cassette and the like so as to be able to be inserted and removed, and the reading unit 3 is mounted on a contact glass (not shown). A light source, a mirror, and the like, and a device for driving these components are provided to perform scanning for reading the placed document.

As shown in the figure, a paper discharge storage section 4 surrounds three sides except the front of the apparatus main body by walls forming the apparatus main body, and discharges paper discharged after image formation onto a paper discharge tray 5 in the body. The paper is made to be taken out from the front of the apparatus main body. In some cases, either the front side or the left or right side of the apparatus main body is open.

[0005] The image forming apparatus has a plurality of functions for realizing not only a copy function but also a facsimile function or a printer function. For this reason, an operation unit 6 for operating these functions is provided on the front side of the apparatus main body of the reading unit 3. The operation unit 6 includes a copy function panel unit 11 including a copy start key 7, a numeric keypad 8, a liquid crystal display unit 9, a copy operation unit 10, and the like, and a facsimile function panel unit 13 including a dial key 12 and the like. , And is provided over substantially the entire width of the paper discharge storage unit 4.

In such an image forming apparatus having a plurality of functions, a facsimile function or a printer function is an option based on a copy function, and a multi-function or a single function is selected by a purchaser. Generally, even if the function is made optional, the operation unit 6 has not only the copy function panel unit 11 but also the fax function panel unit 13 (or the printer function unit) in advance.
Is set, and whether the fax function panel unit 13 and the like can be used or not is set according to the purchaser's selection.

For this reason, when the operator stands in front of the image forming apparatus and performs a desired operation, it is usually difficult to see the inside of the paper discharge storage unit 4. That is, since the operator looks down the image forming apparatus obliquely from above the front side of the apparatus, for a general operator of the height, the operation unit 6 covering almost the entire width of the paper discharge storage unit 4 obstructs the field of view and discharges the paper. It becomes difficult to determine whether there is a sheet in the storage unit 4. Of course, in such a case, the operator tries to visually recognize the inside of the paper discharge storage unit 4 by bending down, leaning, or separating, but he / she must keep his / her eyes away from the function panel units on the operation unit 6. As a result, not only is it troublesome, but also there is a problem that an erroneous operation is likely to occur due to the separation of the eyes, and a solution to this point has been desired.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus in which even an operator in a normal operation posture can easily confirm the presence or absence of paper in a paper discharge storage section in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems. And

[0009]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus comprising: a document reading unit for reading an image of a document; An image forming apparatus provided with an image forming unit provided with a space therebetween, and a paper discharge storage unit provided in the space, and having an operation unit in front of the document reading unit. A part of the paper discharged to the paper discharge storage portion is recessed toward a rear side of the document reading portion to a position where it can be seen from obliquely upward and forward.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a device having at least two of a plurality of functions such as a copy function, a facsimile function, and a printer function, wherein the operation unit operates the at least two functions. An operation unit for operating a function corresponding to the recessed portion,
It is characterized in that it is detachable from the recessed portion.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the depressed portion is provided on an end portion of the operation portion which is a leading end in a sheet discharging direction to the sheet discharging storage portion.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the image forming apparatus of the internal discharge type according to the present invention. This image forming apparatus has a plurality of functions to realize not only a copy function but also a facsimile function or a printer function similarly to the image forming apparatus shown in FIG.
An image forming unit 20 is disposed at substantially the center, a sheet feeding unit 21 including a plurality of sheet feeding stages is disposed immediately below the image forming unit 20, and a document reading unit 22 is disposed above the image forming unit 20 with a space therebetween. Image forming unit 2
A space between the reading unit 22 and the reading unit 22 is a discharge storage unit 23,
An operation unit 24 for operating a plurality of functions is provided on the front side of the apparatus main body of the reading unit 22. Also, this image forming apparatus
Two sides except the front of the apparatus main body are surrounded, namely, the back side and the right side in the figure, and the front of the apparatus main body and the left side in the figure are open. In the figure, reference numeral 25 denotes a large-volume sheet feeding device.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing the structure of the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. The image forming section 20 includes a photoconductor 31 as an image carrier, an optical writing device 32 for forming an electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor 31, a charger 33 for uniformly charging the photoconductor 31, Developing device 34 for visualizing an image, paper P
And a fixing device 36 for melting and fixing the toner image on the paper P, a cleaning unit 37 for the photoconductor 31, a static eliminator 38, and the like. In the figure, reference numeral 39 denotes a toner bottle for storing toner to be supplied to the developing device 34. In the figure, reference numeral 40 denotes a paper discharge unit, and the fixing device 3
And a discharge roller pair 41 that discharges the sheet P on which the image has been fixed in step 6 to the discharge storage unit 23.

The paper supply section 21 has a plurality of paper supply cassettes 42, from which a sheet P is separated by a paper supply roller 43.
The sheet is fed, and the registration is performed by the registration roller pair 44 of the image forming unit 20 so that the image is formed in the image forming unit 20. The reading unit 22 includes a light source 46 for illuminating the original, a mirror 47, a lens 48, a CCD 49 for reading image information, and the like, in order to read and scan an image of the original placed on the contact glass 45. The image signal of the document read by the reading unit 22 is digitized and image-processed, formed as an electrostatic latent image on the photoreceptor 31 by the optical writing device 32, and transferred to the paper P. In FIG. 3, the illustration of the large-volume paper feeder 25 and the automatic document feeder (also serving as a pressure plate) 50 on the reading unit 22 shown in FIG. 2 is omitted. Further, the paper discharge storage unit 23
Is provided with a paper discharge tray 51 composed of a plurality of plate-shaped members that are curved with the paper discharge unit 30 side lowered as shown in the figure. A bin tray 52 is provided in the upper part, and the space is divided into upper and lower parts so that sorting or the like can be performed as necessary.

The image forming apparatus of the present embodiment also has a plurality of functions for realizing not only a copy function but also a facsimile function or a printer function, similarly to the conventional apparatus shown in FIG. Operation unit 2 provided in
Reference numeral 4 denotes a copy function panel unit 57 including a copy start key 53, a numeric keypad 54, a liquid crystal display unit 55, a copy operation unit 56, and the like for operating these functions, and a fax function panel unit 59 including a dial key 58 and the like. The two panel portions 57 and 59 are provided in the paper discharge storage portion 2.
3 is provided over almost the entire width. In the figure, reference numeral 60 denotes a power switch.

However, in the operation section 24 of this embodiment, the facsimile function panel section 59 is formed as a unit as shown in FIG. 4, and is detachable from a structural member 61 constituting the operation section 24. FIG. 5 shows a state where the fax function panel section 59 is attached to the operation section 24 (the same applies to FIG. 2).

A structural member 61 constituting the operation section 24 is fixed to the front surface of the structural member of the reading section 22 by screws or the like. As shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 6, the copy function panel portion 57 is recessed from the front edge toward the back side, and is in a cut-out state. Hereinafter, the portion 62 is referred to as a cutout portion 62.

For this reason, as shown in FIG. 6, when the user stands in front of the image forming apparatus of the present embodiment and looks down, when the facsimile function panel section 59 is not mounted, the paper discharge storage section 23 is provided.
The leading edge side of the paper discharge tray 51 can be seen well. Therefore, in a state in which the operator stands at the front of the image forming apparatus and performs an operation for copying, even if the operator looks down the operation unit 24 obliquely from the upper front side, the field of view is blocked and Is not difficult to see and the output tray 5
If the discharged paper P is on the top 1, it can be visually recognized without crouching, leaning, or leaving the apparatus. Of course, the same applies even when the fax function panel section 59 is removed from the mounted state.

In the illustrated embodiment, the position where the cutout portion 62 is provided is the left end on the front side of the apparatus. However, the cutout portion 62 is limited to the position shown in FIG. It will not be done. As for the attachment / detachment structure of the fax function panel portion 59 to / from the notch portion 62, for example, an attachment structure using a male / female connector, or a locking hole provided in the structural member 61 to engage the back surface of the fax function panel portion 59. Various known structures and mechanisms may be adopted, such as a fitting structure having a stop projection. Regardless of which structure is adopted, it is particularly preferable that the structure be one-touch detachable.

[0020]

As described above, in the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, a part of the operation unit provided on the front side of the document reading unit is directed to the rear side, and the image forming apparatus is disposed between the document reading unit and the image forming unit. Since a part of the paper discharged to the paper discharge storage part provided as a space part is recessed to a position where it can be seen obliquely from the upper front, the view is not obstructed and the inside of the paper discharge storage part is not difficult to see,
By blocking the field of view of the paper discharge storage unit by the operation unit, the paper discharged onto the paper discharge storage unit can be visually recognized without the operator crouching, leaning, or leaving the apparatus. There is an effect that it becomes.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an image forming apparatus of a conventional internal discharge type.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the same.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of an operation unit (without a fax function panel unit) of the apparatus of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of an operation unit (fax function panel unit mounted) of the apparatus of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view partially showing an operation unit of the apparatus shown in FIG. 2;

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 20 image forming unit 21 paper feed unit 22 reading unit 23 paper discharge storage unit 24 operation unit 25 mass paper feeder 51 discharge tray 53 copy start key 54 numeric keypad 55 liquid crystal display unit 56 copy operation unit 57 copy function panel unit 58 dial key 59 Fax function panel 60 Power switch 61 Structural member 62 Notch

Claims (3)

[Claims] A document reading unit for reading an image of the document, an image forming unit disposed below the document reading unit with a space therebetween, and a paper discharge storage unit provided in the space; In an image forming apparatus having an operation unit in front of a document reading unit, part of the operation unit is directed to the rear side of the document reading unit, and a part of the sheet discharged to the discharge storage unit is inclined forward. An image forming apparatus characterized by being depressed to a position visible from above. 2. The apparatus has at least two functions among a plurality of functions such as a copy function, a fax function, a printer function, and the like, and the operation unit comprises a part for operating the at least two functions, 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an operation unit for operating a function corresponding to the part is detachable from the depressed part. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recessed portion is provided on an end portion of the operation unit which is a leading end in a sheet discharging direction to the sheet discharging storage unit. .