JP2007206157A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a control panel whose tilt angle can be adjusted so that it may be easy-to-view for anyone. <P>SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus 1 is equipped with the almost rectangular control panel 20 at its front part. In the image forming apparatus 1, the control panel 20 is supported at four corners, and supporting parts in two corners on a front side out of the four corners are moved back and forth and supporting parts in two corners on an inner side are moved up and down, whereby the tilt angle of the control panel 20 is adjusted. In the image forming apparatus 1, belt members 30 which are almost L-shaped in side view are provided on the right and left sides of the control panel 20, the two corners on the front side of the control panel 20 are attached to freely rock at the horizontal parts of the belt members 30 through supporting members 33, and the two corners on the inner side are attached to freely rock at the vertical parts of the belt members 30 through supporting members 34. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique of an image forming apparatus provided with an operation panel.

Conventionally, an image forming apparatus having an operation panel in front is known. For example, the image forming apparatus of Patent Document 1 includes an operation panel fixed substantially horizontally in front of the apparatus, and various buttons, a liquid crystal display device, and the like for operating the image forming apparatus are arranged on the operation panel. It is installed.
JP 2005-331770 A

However, in the conventional image forming apparatus, since the operation panel is generally fixed, depending on the user, the operation panel is difficult to see from the height of the eyes, and it may be difficult to operate.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an operation panel that can adjust the tilt angle so that anyone can easily see it.

  The problem to be solved by the present invention is as described above. Next, means for solving the problem will be described.

That is, in claim 1,
An image forming apparatus having an operation panel,
The operation panel is supported at a total of four locations, including the front and rear two locations on the left and right sides of the operation panel. Of the four locations, the two support portions on the front side move back and forth, and the two support locations on the rear side. An image forming apparatus in which an inclination angle of the operation panel is adjusted by moving the unit up and down.

  In Claim 2, It has the belt member arrange | positioned by the side view substantially L-shape in the left-right side of the said operation panel, and two places of the near side of this operation panel have a support member in the horizontal part of the said belt member. An image forming apparatus is provided that is movably attached via the support member, and is attached to the vertical part of the belt member via a support member.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, there are provided a guide rail portion disposed vertically and a rack portion disposed horizontally on the left and right sides of the operation panel, and meshes with the rack portion at two positions on the front side of the operation panel. An image forming apparatus is provided in which a gear member is rotatably provided, and roller members guided so as to run on the guide rail are rotatably provided at two positions on the back side of the operation panel.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus for manually adjusting the inclination angle of the operation panel.

  As the effects of the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.

  According to the first aspect, the angle of the operation surface of the operation panel can be changed to an angle desired by the user. In addition, because it is supported at four locations, front, rear, left and right, the panel angle will not be changed arbitrarily even if a large impact is applied to the operation panel.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the front and rear two places are attached to the belt member on the left and right sides of the operation panel, they are stable. In addition, noise generation can be suppressed by the belt conveyance.

  In claim 3, the assembly of the device is simplified by a simple mechanism. In addition, the cost of the apparatus can be reduced.

  In claim 4, a complicated mechanism is not required, and the price of the apparatus can be reduced.

Next, embodiments of the invention will be described.
The present embodiment is an example in which the operation panel angle adjustment mechanism of the present invention is applied to a multifunction machine.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of the image forming apparatus.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the operation panel angle adjusting mechanism of the first embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the operation panel angle adjusting mechanism of the second embodiment.

First, an outline of the image forming apparatus 1 will be described with reference to FIG.
The image forming apparatus 1 is a multifunction machine having an electrophotographic copying machine and a facsimile function. A reading unit 3 is arranged on the upper part of the apparatus 1. In addition, a recording unit 4 for making a copy of the document is disposed below the recording unit 4, and a sheet feeding cassette unit 5 for feeding recording paper to the recording unit 4 is disposed adjacent to the recording unit 4. . An operation panel 20 is provided in front of the reading unit 3.

  The paper feed cassette unit 5 is configured to be capable of arranging a plurality of paper feed cassettes, and is configured to be able to supply recording paper from the paper feed cassette selected for paper feed toward the recording unit 4. The recording unit 4 is also provided with a manual feed tray (not shown).

  The recording unit 4 is configured as an apparatus having a function of forming an image on recording paper using an electrophotographic method. Image information obtained by reading the document by the reading unit 3 or image information received by the facsimile function is recorded on a recording sheet by the recording unit 4 based on the image information, and the recording sheet after image recording is recorded on the recording sheet discharge table 7. Discharged.

  The reading unit 3 is provided with a contact glass as a flatbed scanner (FBS) disposed on the upper part of the frame of the scanning device and a means for reading an original while moving inside the frame of the scanning device. A document pressing member 10 that presses the document set on the contact glass is provided in correspondence with the FBS function. The reading unit 3 also functions as a sheet feed type scanner, and an automatic document feeder (ADF) 11 and its discharge table 12 are provided on the upper surface of the document pressing member 10. The ADF 11 is provided at the left end portion of the reading unit 3, and reads a document set on the document tray 13 by a scanning device while conveying the document through a document conveyance path provided inside the ADF 11.

An operation panel 20 for performing operation control and various settings of the image forming apparatus 1 is provided in front of the reading unit 3. The operation panel 20 has a substantially rectangular shape, and is provided with various buttons and a liquid crystal display device for operating the image forming apparatus and making detailed settings for image formation.
As shown in FIG. 1B, the tilt angle of the operation panel 20 can be adjusted. For example, by changing the tilt angle of the upper surface of the operation panel 20 so as to approach the vertical, It can be adjusted so that it is easy to see for those who use it.

Next, the tilt angle adjustment mechanism of the operation panel 20 will be described with reference to FIG.
Operation panel support portions 23 and 23 are extended at both front ends of the reading unit 3 (see FIG. 1), and the angle of the operation panel 20 is changed inside the operation panel support portions 23 and 23, respectively. The angle adjustment mechanism is built in.

The left and right angle adjustment mechanisms have belt members 30 wound around four pulleys 31, 32, 35, and 36 in a substantially L shape, respectively. In the belt member 30, a portion corresponding to a substantially L-shaped base is a horizontal portion, and a portion corresponding to a substantially L-shaped vertical side is a vertical portion. A pulley 31 is arranged inside the front end of the horizontal portion, a pulley 32 is arranged inside the upper end of the vertical portion, a pulley 35 is arranged outside the connecting portion between the horizontal portion and the vertical portion, and the pulley 36 is also arranged inside the connecting portion. Is placed.
Two corners on the front side of the operation panel 20 are movably attached to the horizontal portion of the belt member 30 via a support shaft 25. Further, two corners on the back side of the operation panel 20 are attached to a vertical portion of the belt member 30 through a support shaft 26 so as to be movable.

  Specifically, on the front side of the left and right side surfaces of the operation panel 20, support shafts 25 that protrude outward in the left and right directions are provided. Further, support shafts 26 are provided on the inner side of the left and right side walls so as to protrude outward in the left and right directions. The front support shaft 25 is inserted into and supported by an attachment 33 as a support member provided above the horizontal portion of the left and right belt members 30. On the other hand, the rear support shaft 26 is inserted into and supported by an attachment 34 as a support member provided on the front side of the upright portion of the belt member 30.

The support shaft 25 on the front side is supported so as to be able to rotate only relative to the attachment 33 of the belt member 30, whereby the support shaft 25 moves as the belt member 30 moves.
On the other hand, the support shaft 26 on the back side is supported so as to be rotatable relative to the attachment 34 of the belt member 30 and movable up and down. As a result, the support shaft 26 also moves as the belt member 30 moves.
By driving the belt member 30, the support shaft 25 moves in the front-rear direction via the attachment 33, and the support shaft 26 moves in the vertical direction via the attachment 34, so that the tilt angle of the operation panel 20 is changed. . Here, when the support shaft 25 moves rearward, the support shaft 26 moves upward to raise the operation panel 20, and when the support shaft 25 moves forward, the support shaft 26 moves downward to move the operation panel. 20 falls down.
Although the distance between the support shaft 25 and the support shaft 26 is constant, the relative distance between the attachment 33 and the attachment 34 varies depending on the driving position of the belt member 30. Is movable up and down with respect to the attachment 34, and can cope with a change in the relative distance between the attachment 33 and the attachment 34.
The left and right pulleys 36 and 36 are interlocked via a connecting shaft, whereby the left and right angle adjusting mechanisms are interlocked.

The adjustment knob 37 which is an operation input means for adjusting the tilt angle of the operation panel will be described.
An adjustment knob 37 is attached to the pulley 36 disposed at the L-shaped bent portion of the belt member 30 via a shaft member. The adjustment knob 37 is arranged on the outside of the operation panel support portion 23. The belt member 30 is moved by manually turning the adjustment knob 37, and the support shaft 25 on the front side of the operation panel 20 is moved back and forth. As the support shaft 26 on the side moves in the vertical direction, the inclination angle of the operation panel 20 changes. In the present embodiment, the adjustment knobs 37 are provided at both ends of the shaft member to which the left and right pulleys 36 are attached. However, the adjustment knobs 37 may be provided only on the left and right sides.
FIG. 1A shows a state where the operation panel 20 is tilted most horizontally, and FIG. 1B shows a state where the operation panel 20 is raised most vertically.
The angle adjustment mechanism of the operation panel 20 is provided with a lock mechanism (not shown) and can be fixed at the adjusted angle.

  In the present embodiment, the adjustment knob 37 is manually turned to adjust the angle of the operation panel 20, but instead, the pulley 36 or the like may be turned by a motor or the like. The mechanism for manually adjusting the tilt angle of the operation panel 20 is simple in structure and low in cost.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.
In this embodiment, except for the angle adjustment mechanism of the operation panel 20, the schematic configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 is the same as that of the first embodiment, and thus the description thereof is omitted.

With reference to FIG. 3, the tilt angle adjustment mechanism of the operation panel 20 will be described.
As in the first embodiment, the angle adjustment mechanism is mounted on an operation panel support portion (corresponding to the operation panel support portions 23 and 23 in the first embodiment) that extends forward from the left and right ends of the front portion of the reading unit 3. Yes.
Each of the left and right angle adjusting mechanisms includes a rack portion 40 provided in the horizontal direction and a guide rail portion 41 erected vertically upward on the back side of the rack portion 40.

Gear members 27 are provided at substantially front end portions on the left and right side surfaces of the operation panel 20 so as to be rotatable with respect to the operation panel 20. The gear member 27 meshes with the rack portion 40.
Although not shown, left and right guides or upper guides sandwiched together with the rack portion 40 are provided so that the gear member 27 does not come off the rack portion 40.
The gear members 27 and 27 are fixed to a shaft member that is inserted through the front end side of the operation panel 20. The shaft member is attached to the operation panel 20 so as to be freely rotatable, and both end portions thereof protrude outside the operation panel support portion. An adjustment knob 28 that is an operation input means for adjusting the tilt angle of the operation panel is provided at the protruding end.

  Roller members 29 guided so as to move up and down along the guide rail portion 41 are provided at substantially rear end portions on the left and right side surfaces of the operation panel 20 so as to be rotatable with respect to the operation panel 20. Yes. The roller member 29 is movable only in the vertical direction with respect to the guide rail portion 41, and is supported so as not to drop in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction.

When the adjustment knob 28 is manually turned, the gear member 27 moves back and forth on the rack portion 40 and the roller member 29 moves up and down along the guide rail portion 41, whereby the tilt angle of the operation panel 20 changes.
The angle adjustment mechanism of the operation panel 20 is provided with a lock mechanism (not shown) and can be fixed at the adjusted angle.

  In the present embodiment, the adjustment knob 28 is manually turned to adjust the angle of the operation panel 20, but instead, the gear member 27 and the like may be turned by a motor or the like. The mechanism for manually adjusting the tilt angle of the operation panel 20 is simple in structure and low in cost.

In the first and second embodiments, the operation panel 20 is rectangular, and the operation panel 20 is supported by the apparatus main body (reading unit 3) at the four corners of the operation panel 20, but the operation panel is supported at four positions. Not limited to corners. For example, the operation panel may be supported at the left and right end faces of the operation panel at two front and rear positions that are not corners. In other words, the operation panel support position may be a total of four positions including the two front and rear positions on the left and right sides of the operation panel.
In addition, in order to provide a symmetrical angle adjusting mechanism in the left and right directions, it is desirable that the support positions arranged on the left and right sides are positioned coaxially in the left and right directions. The support shafts 25 and 25 of the first embodiment, the support shafts 26 and 26, and the gear members 27 and 27 and the roller members 29 and 29 of the second embodiment are all arranged coaxially in the left-right direction.

  The embodiment of the present invention has been described above. It should be noted that the operation panel angle adjusting mechanism of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention is not limited to the configuration described above, and can be easily configured based on the idea that characterizes the present invention. . In the present application, an example in which the angle adjustment mechanism of the operation panel according to the present invention is applied to a multifunction peripheral is shown. However, the present invention can be applied to various image forming apparatuses such as a printer dedicated machine.

  The angle adjustment mechanism of the operation panel of the present invention can be applied to various image forming apparatuses such as a multifunction machine and a printer dedicated machine.

2A and 2B are perspective views showing an overall configuration of the image forming apparatus, in which FIG. 1A shows a state where the operation panel is tilted to the maximum horizontal side, and FIG. 2B shows a state where the operation panel is tilted to the maximum vertical side. Show. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an operation panel angle adjustment mechanism according to the first embodiment. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an operation panel angle adjustment mechanism according to the second embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 20 Operation panel 23 Operation panel support part 25 Support shaft 26 Support shaft 27 Gear member 28 Adjustment knob 29 Roller member 30 Belt member 33 Attachment 34 Attachment 37 Adjustment knob 40 Rack part 41 Guide rail part

Claims (4)

An image forming apparatus having an operation panel,
The operation panel is supported at a total of four locations, including the front and rear two locations on the left and right sides of the operation panel. Of the four locations, the two support portions on the front side move back and forth, and the two support locations on the rear side. The image forming apparatus in which the inclination angle of the operation panel is adjusted by moving the part up and down.   The operation panel has a belt member arranged in a substantially L shape on the left and right sides of the operation panel, and the two positions on the front side of the operation panel are movably attached to the horizontal portion of the belt member via a support member. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the back side two portions are movably attached to a vertical portion of the belt member via a support member.   The control panel has a rack portion that is horizontally disposed on the left and right sides of the operation panel and a guide rail portion that is disposed vertically. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a roller member that is guided to travel on the guide rail is rotatably provided at two positions on the back side of the operation panel.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the inclination angle of the operation panel is manually adjusted.

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