JP2021157201A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

To solve the problem in which: in attachment of an operation panel, when the operation panel is moved while being tilted toward a reading part, the operation panel hits the reading part, and thus the operation panel or the reading part fails and the exterior of the operation panel or the reading part is damaged.SOLUTION: A first supporting member is arranged on the front side of an image forming apparatus and adjacent to a reading part, and the image forming apparatus includes, on the front side, first openings into which front-side engaging pawls are inserted and second openings into which lower engaging pawls are inserted.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

The present invention relates to a mounting structure of an operation panel to be installed in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine.

An operation panel is provided in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine in recent years. The operation panel is provided on the front side of the image forming apparatus with respect to the reading unit arranged in the information of the image forming unit in order to improve the visibility of the display, and the entire operation panel is provided so that the orientation of the display can be changed in the vertical direction. Is generally provided so as to be rotatable with respect to the main body of the image forming apparatus. In recent years, it has been required to increase the size of the display provided on the operation panel in order to improve visibility, but on the other hand, the entire image forming apparatus is required to be compact. In order to satisfy these demands, the image reading unit and the operation panel arranged adjacent to the image reading unit are arranged as close as possible.

When repairing or replacing the operation panel, the operation panel is attached to and detached from the main body of the image forming apparatus. Patent Document 1 discloses a structure in which the operation panel can be easily attached to and detached from the main body of the image forming apparatus. That is, in Patent Document 1, an engaging claw is provided on the operation panel side, the operating panel is moved in the vertical direction, the engaging claw is hooked on the engaging hole of the main body of the image forming apparatus, and the operation panel is further attached to the image forming apparatus. The structure for fixing with screws to the main body is disclosed.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2011-209568

However, since the operation panel mounting structure disclosed in Patent Document 1 moves the operation panel in the vertical direction, when the operation panel is tilted toward the reading unit side when the operation panel is mounted, it is moved to the reading unit. There arises a problem that the operation panel collides with the operation panel, the operation panel or the reading unit is damaged, or the exterior of the operation panel or the reading unit is damaged.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and is an image forming apparatus for a reading unit for reading a document and an image arranged under the reading unit in the vertical direction and read by the reading unit. An image forming portion that forms an image on the transfer material based on the image, and a transfer material that is arranged between the reading portion and the image forming portion in the vertical direction and has an image formed by the image forming portion are discharged. A unit, an operation panel, a first support member that rotatably supports the operation panel, and a second support member that is attached to the main body of the image forming apparatus and to which the first support member is attached. The first support member includes a front side engaging claw extending to the front side of the image forming apparatus and a lower engaging claw extending downward in the vertical direction, and the first support member includes. A first opening, which is arranged adjacent to the reading unit on the front side of the image forming apparatus and into which the front side engaging claw is inserted, and the lower engaging claw are inserted into the front side of the image forming apparatus. It is characterized by comprising a second opening to be formed.

According to the present invention, it is possible to suppress a collision of the operation panel with the reading unit in the mounting work of attaching the operation panel to the main body of the image forming apparatus.

It is a perspective view of the image forming apparatus which concerns on this Example. It is a schematic cross-sectional view of the image forming apparatus which concerns on this Example. It is a perspective view of the operation panel and the operation panel support member which concerns on this Example. It is a perspective view of the operation panel frame which concerns on this Example. It is a side view of the operation panel, the operation panel support member, and the operation panel frame which concerns on this Example. It is a figure which shows the mounting procedure of the operation panel which concerns on this Example. It is a perspective view of the operation panel support member and the operation panel frame.

(Example 1)
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment. The "front" shown in FIG. 1 is the front side of the main body of the image forming apparatus, and the "rear" is the back side of the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus 1 includes a main body 100, a reading unit 101, an operation panel 102, a front door 103, a paper feed tray 104, and a paper output tray 15.

The reading unit 101 reads the original image. The scanning unit 101 provided in the image forming apparatus 1 of the present embodiment can scan and read the original, and by transporting the original by the Auto Document Feeder, the original is passed through the scanning position and the image is read. It is also possible to read. A main body 100, which will be described later, is arranged on the lower side of the reading unit 101 in the vertical direction. A paper ejection tray 15 is arranged between the reading unit 101 and the main body unit 100 in the vertical direction.

The image forming apparatus 1 includes a front door 103 rotatably connected to the main body 100 via a hinge (not shown). The front door 103 is provided on the front side of the main body 100. By opening the front door 103, the user can replace the cartridge. Further, the image forming apparatus 1 includes a paper feed cassette 104. The paper cassette 104 is a unit that can be pulled out to the front side of the image forming apparatus.

The operation panel 101 is arranged adjacent to the reading unit 101 on the front side of the image forming apparatus with respect to the reading unit 101. Therefore, at least a part of the operation panel 102 attached to the main body 100 has a portion that overlaps with the reading unit 101 in the vertical direction. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the upper end side of the operation panel 102 is located at the same height as the reading unit 101.

The operation panel 102 includes a display 102a. The display 102a includes a display panel (not shown) and a touch panel. The display panel displays the status of the image forming apparatus, and the touch panel accepts the user's touch operation. The operation panel 102 is rotatably supported by the main body 100 with respect to the main body 100. The operation panel 102 is provided in the main body 100 in order to facilitate the removal of the sheet loaded on the output tray 15 provided on the main body 100 and to secure a space for the operation panel 102 to rotate (tilt). It is arranged on the upper side in the vertical direction at intervals from 100.

Next, the image forming unit will be described. An image forming portion is arranged on the back side of the image forming apparatus with respect to the front door 103 shown in FIG. FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating the configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 in this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus 1 forms an image of each color of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K), respectively. It is a color image forming apparatus in which 3K is arranged at regular intervals. In this embodiment, the configurations and operations of the image forming portions 3Y, 3M, 3C, and 3K are substantially the same except that the colors of the formed images are different. Therefore, unless otherwise specified, the subscripts Y, M, C, and K given to the symbols to indicate that the elements are provided for any color will be omitted. Further, in the image forming apparatus of FIG. 2, the description of the reading unit and the operation panel shown in FIG. 1 is omitted.

The image forming unit 3 includes a drum-shaped photosensitive member 4 (hereinafter referred to as a photosensitive drum 4), a charging roller 5 as a charging member that comes into contact with the photosensitive drum 4 and charges the photosensitive drum 4, an exposure apparatus 6, and an exposure apparatus 6. It has a developer 7. The developer 7 is arranged so as to be in contact with and separated from the photosensitive drum 4, and develops a toner image on the photosensitive drum 4 by applying a voltage from a developing power source (not shown).

The image forming unit 3 starts the image forming operation when a control means (not shown) such as a controller receives an image signal or the user presses a start button for causing the reading unit to read the original image. In the image forming operation, the photosensitive drum 4 is rotationally driven. During the rotation process, the photosensitive drum 4 is uniformly charged to a predetermined voltage (charging voltage) with a predetermined polarity (negative electrode property in this embodiment) by the charging roller 5a. The exposure apparatus 6 emits light in response to an image signal, and the photosensitive drum 4 charged by the light emitted by the exposure apparatus 6 is exposed. As a result, an electrostatic latent image corresponding to the yellow component image of the target color image is formed on the photosensitive drum 4. The electrostatic latent image is then developed by toner at the developing position by the developer 7.

The intermediate transfer belt 9 as an endless belt-shaped and rotatable intermediate transfer body has conductivity, and has a drive roller 23a as a drive member, a driven roller 23b, an auxiliary roller 23c, and an opposing roller 23d as an opposing member. It is stretched over. On the inner peripheral surface side of the intermediate transfer belt 9, a primary transfer roller 10 as a contact member that comes into contact with the intermediate transfer belt 9 is arranged at a position facing the photosensitive drum 4 via the intermediate transfer belt 9.

When the primary transfer roller 10 presses the intermediate transfer belt 9 toward the photosensitive drum 4, the intermediate transfer belt 9 comes into contact with the photosensitive drum 4 to form the primary transfer portion 2. A primary transfer power source 20 is connected to the primary transfer roller 10, and by applying a voltage from the primary transfer power source 20 toward the primary transfer roller 10, an intermediate transfer belt is passed through the primary transfer roller 10. A current flows through 9. The toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 4 is intermediately transferred from the photosensitive drum 4 by applying a positive voltage from the primary transfer power source 20 to the primary transfer roller 10 in the process of passing through the primary transfer unit 2. The primary transfer is performed on the belt 9.

The image forming apparatus 1 in this embodiment has a so-called cleanerless configuration in which the toner image remaining on the photosensitive drum 4 is recovered by the developing device after the toner image is transferred from the photosensitive drum 4 to the intermediate transfer belt 9. ..

In the cleanerless configuration, with respect to the rotation direction of the photosensitive drum 4, between the primary transfer section 2 where the photosensitive drum 4 and the intermediate transfer belt 9 come into contact with each other and the charging section 8 where the photosensitive drum 4 and the charging roller 5 come into contact with each other. Is not provided with a blade that comes into contact with the photosensitive drum 4. Therefore, the toner remaining on the photosensitive drum 4 after passing through the primary transfer portion is charged negatively again when passing through the charging portion 8 where the charging roller 5 and the photosensitive drum 4 come into contact with each other, and then the developing device 7 It is collected by the developing device 4 at a position where the photosensitive drum 4 and the photosensitive drum 4 come into contact with each other.

In the image forming unit 3 of each color, the toner images are sequentially superimposed from the photosensitive drum 4 on the intermediate transfer belt 9 and primaryly transferred, so that the intermediate transfer belt 9 has a four-color toner image corresponding to the target color image. Is formed. After that, the four-color toner image primaryly transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 9 passes through the secondary transfer portion 19 formed by the contact between the secondary transfer roller 14 and the intermediate transfer belt 9, and is formed on paper or the like. The secondary transfer is collectively performed on the surface of the transfer material P such as an OHP sheet. The transfer material P is fed from the paper cassette 11 by the paper feed roller 12 and conveyed to the secondary transfer unit 19. As shown in FIG. 1, the paper ejection tray 15 is provided directly below the reading unit 101.

The secondary transfer roller 14 as a secondary transfer member that comes into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the intermediate transfer belt 9 is driven to rotate with respect to the intermediate transfer belt 9 and faces the secondary transfer roller 14 via the intermediate transfer belt 9. An opposing roller 23d is arranged at the position where the roller is formed. By applying a positive voltage from the secondary transfer power source 21 to the secondary transfer roller 14, a current flows from the secondary transfer roller 14 toward the opposing roller 23d, and the secondary transfer unit 19 transfers from the intermediate transfer belt 9. The four-color toner image is secondarily transferred to the material P.

The transfer material P to which the four-color toner image is transferred by the secondary transfer is then heated and pressurized in the fixing device 30, so that the four-color toner is melt-mixed and fixed to the transfer material P. The transfer material P on which the four-color toner images are fixed is discharged from the inside of the image forming apparatus 1 to the paper ejection tray 15 (paper ejection portion) by the paper ejection roller 31.

The toner remaining on the intermediate transfer belt 9 after the secondary transfer is provided facing the opposing roller 23d via the intermediate transfer belt 9 on the downstream side of the secondary transfer unit 19 in the moving direction of the intermediate transfer belt 9. It is collected by the cleaning unit 16. The cleaning unit 16 has a cleaning blade 16a that comes into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the intermediate transfer belt 9 and a waste toner container (not shown). The cleaning blade 16a is a recovery member capable of recovering the toner remaining on the intermediate transfer belt 9 in a waste toner container by pressing a fixed surface against the rotating intermediate transfer belt 9. In the image forming apparatus 1 of this embodiment, a full-color printed image is formed by the above operation.

Next, the operation panel frame 301, which is the first support member that rotatably supports the operation panel 102 and the operation panel 102, will be described with reference to FIG. The operation panel frame 301 is an aluminum sheet metal separate from the operation panel 102. The material of the operation panel frame 301 may be other than aluminum as long as it is a metal having a strength higher than that of resin. The operation panel frame 301 is formed by bending and removing. The operation panel frame 301 rotatably supports the operation panel 102 by the rotation shaft 304.

The operation panel frame 301 includes the first engaging claws 303a and 303b (front side engaging portion, front side engaging claw) and the second engaging claws 302a and 302b (lower engaging portion, lower engaging claw). ) Is provided. The first engaging claws 303a and 303b are protruding portions protruding from the main body portion of the operation panel frame 301 toward the front side of the image forming apparatus. The second engaging claws 302a and 302b are protruding portions that project downward in the vertical direction from the main body portion of the operation panel frame 301. As shown in FIG. 3, the second engaging claws 302a and 302b are formed on the operation panel frame 301 so as to have an L-shape, so that the tip side of the L-shape faces the front side of the image forming apparatus. It has a bent shape from the operation panel frame 301.

Next, the operation panel frame 401, which is a second support member attached to the main body 100, will be described with reference to FIG. The operation panel frame 401 is a sheet metal made of aluminum. The material of the operation panel frame 401 may be other than aluminum as long as it is a metal having a strength higher than that of resin. The operation panel frame 401 is formed by bending and removing. As shown in FIG. 4, the operation panel frame 401 is formed with the first openings 403a and 403b and the second openings 402a and 402b. The first engaging claw 403a of the operation panel frame engages with the first opening 403a, and the first engaging claw 403b of the operation panel frame engages with the first opening 403b. Further, the second engaging claw 402a of the operation panel frame engages with the second opening 402a, and the second engaging claw 402b of the operation panel frame engages with the second opening 402b. The first openings 403a and 403b are formed on the front side of the image forming apparatus with respect to the second openings 402a and b.

Next, as shown in FIG. 5, the operation panel frame 401 is fixed to the main body 100 by a screw (not shown). The operation panel frame 401 supports the operation panel frame 301. The operation panel frame 301 rotatably supports the operation panel 102 in the direction of the arrow. As shown in FIG. 5, the operation panel 102 is arranged adjacent to the reading unit 101 on the front side of the image forming apparatus.

A method of attaching the operation panel 102 and the operation panel frame 301 to the operation panel frame 401 will be described with reference to FIG. At the time of assembly, the operation panel frame 301 is first attached to the operation panel 102. A unit in which the operation panel 102 and the operation panel frame 301 are integrated is attached to the operation panel frame 401.

An operator who performs the work of fixing the operation panel frame 301 to the operation panel frame 401 first tilts the operation panel support member 301 and the operation panel 102 attached to the operation panel 102 toward the front side, and the front side engaging claws 303a and 303b. Is directed toward the first openings 403a and 403b. By this operation, as shown in FIG. 6A, the tips of the lower engaging claws 302a and 302b are directed toward the second openings 402a and 402b, and the tips of the lower engaging claws 302a and 302b are the second openings. It becomes easy to insert 402a and 402b. Further, as shown in FIG. 6A, the operation panel 102 moves away from the reading unit 101.

Next, as shown in FIG. 6 (b), the operator rotates the operation panel support member 301 in the direction of arrow A, and as shown in FIG. 6 (c), the lower engaging claws 302a and 302b are moved. It is inserted into the second openings 402a and 402b.

Then, the operator slides the operation panel support member 301 toward the front side of the image forming apparatus and inserts the front side engaging claws 303a and 303b into the first openings 403a and 403b. By this work, the lower engaging claws 302a and 302b are engaged with the operation panel frame 401, so that the operation panel support member 301 cannot be pulled out in the vertical direction. Further, as shown in FIG. 6D, the front side engaging claws 303a and 303b are in a state of being inserted into the first openings 403a and 403b. Further, the lower engaging claws 302a and 302b are in a state of being engaged with the operation panel frame 401. In this state, the moment in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. 6D acts on the operation panel 102 due to the center of gravity of the operation panel 102, but the front side engaging claws 303a and 303b are formed in the first openings 403a and 403b. Since they are engaged, the operation panel 102 and the operation panel support member 301 are held by the operation panel frame even if the operator releases the hands. Finally, the operator fixes the operation panel support member 301 to the operation panel frame 401 with a screw (not shown).

As shown in FIG. 7, the front side engaging portions 303a and 303b of the operation panel support member 301 have an L-shaped cross section in the left-right direction. Similarly, the second openings 403a and 403b of the operation panel support frame 401 are also L-shaped openings so that the front side engaging portions 303a and 303b are engaged. Is doing. By making the front side engaging portions 303a and 303b and the second openings 403a and 403b L-shaped, when the user performs an operation of rotating the operation panel 102, the force in the left-right direction is front side engaging. Since the horizontal plates of the claws 303a and 303b and the vertical forces of the front side engaging claws 4a and 4b are received by the first openings 403a and 403b of the operation panel support member 301, respectively, the plate thickness of the sheet metal The force can be distributed in the direction orthogonal to the sheet metal, and the sheet metal will not be deformed. It is clear that the same effect can be obtained by having the operation panel frame 401 having both horizontal and vertical surfaces and providing and fitting holes corresponding to the operation panel frame 301.

The front and side walls of the operation panel frame 301 are screwed to the operation panel frame 401. Therefore, the strength of the operation panel frame 301 is increased, and the second openings 402a and 402b are provided in the vicinity of the side wall to prevent the bottom surface of the operation panel frame 401 provided with the second opening 402a402b from being deformed.

As described above, the front side engaging claws 303a and 303b of the operation panel 102 are rotated along the front surface of the operation panel frame 301 to be assembled. Alternatively, since the operation panel 102 is lowered along the front surface and slid forward to be assembled, the operation panel frame 401 is arranged even if the reading unit 101 is arranged on the back side of the operation panel 102. Can avoid hitting the reading unit 101 and damaging it. Further, even when the operation panel 1 is in a horizontal state before assembly as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the operation panel 102 can be easily assembled to the operation panel frame 401 and then operated after being engaged. By rotating the panel 102 to the elevation position, it can be tilted with a slight force.

101 Reading unit 102 Operation panel 301 Operation panel support members 302a, 302b Front side engaging claws 303a, 303b Lower engaging claws 401 Operation panel frame 402a, 402b First opening 403a, 403b Second opening

In response to the above problems, the image forming apparatus of the present invention is arranged in a reading unit for reading a document and below the reading unit in the vertical direction, and forms an image on paper based on the image read by the reading unit. An image forming unit, a paper ejection unit arranged between the reading unit and the image forming unit in the vertical direction, and a paper ejecting unit on which an image is formed by the image forming unit is discharged, and a front side of the reading unit. The operation panel arranged in the image forming apparatus, the first support member for supporting the operation panel, and the second support member attached to the main body of the image forming apparatus and to which the first support member is attached are provided. The first support member includes a first engaging claw extending toward the front side of the image forming apparatus and a second engaging claw extending downward in the vertical direction, and the first supporting member is the said. is disposed on the front side of the image forming apparatus, a second opening and first opening said first engaging claw on the front side of the image forming device is inserted, the second engaging claw is inserted It is characterized by having.

Claims (4)

It is an image forming device
A reader that reads the document,
An image forming unit that is arranged below the reading unit in the vertical direction and forms an image on the transfer material based on the image read by the reading unit.
A paper ejection unit that is arranged between the reading unit and the image forming unit in the vertical direction and discharges a transfer material on which an image is formed by the image forming unit.
Operation panel and
A first support member that rotatably supports the operation panel,
A second support member attached to the main body of the image forming apparatus and to which the first support member is attached is provided.
The first support member includes a front side engaging claw extending to the front side of the image forming apparatus and a lower engaging claw extending downward in the vertical direction.
The first support member is arranged adjacent to the reading unit on the front side of the image forming apparatus, and has a first opening into which the front side engaging claw is inserted on the front side of the image forming apparatus. An image forming apparatus comprising: a second opening into which the lower engaging claw is inserted. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lower engaging claw protrudes downward in the vertical direction from the first support member and has a curved shape toward the front side of the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first support member is fixed to the second support member by a screw. The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 or 3, wherein the first support member and the second support member are sheet metal.

Images