JP4235320B2 - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a flat bed scanner (image reading means) for placing a document on a transparent document table and reading the document and an image forming function, for example, a digital copying machine, and also a FAX function. The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus with an image reading function that is used in a combined MFP (Multi Function Printer).
[0002]
[Prior art]
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a copying machine which is an image forming apparatus having both a reading unit of a flatbed type scanner as a conventional image reading unit and a printer unit as an image forming unit.
[0003]
The configuration of the reading unit is as follows: a case 2 having a transparent document platen 1 on the entire upper surface, a first scanning unit 5 in which a rod-like light source 3 and a mirror 4 are fixed inside the case 2, and a mirror 6 , 7 includes a second scanning unit 8, a motor 9, a lens 10, and a CCD 11 that are arranged and fixed so that the reflecting surfaces thereof are perpendicular to each other.
[0004]
The first scanning unit 5 has a surface parallel to the document table 1 and a motor 9 over the entire document table 1 in a direction (arrow direction in the figure: sub-scanning direction) perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (main scanning direction) of the mirror 4. The light from the light source 3 is irradiated to the document 12 placed on the document table 1 while being moved by the light beam, the reflected light is guided to the mirror 6 by the mirror 4, and then reflected by the mirror 7. Then, the image is read in each line (main scanning direction).
[0005]
At this time, the second scanning unit 8 to which the mirrors 6 and 7 are fixed moves in the same direction with a half movement amount of the first scanning unit 5. As a result, the optical path length from the document 12 to the CCD 11 is kept constant.
[0006]
The document 12 placed on the document table is read by the CCD 11 by moving the first and second scanning units in the sub-scanning direction.
[0007]
On the other hand, in the printer unit, a latent image is formed on the photosensitive drum 13 by the laser light L modulated according to the image information, and a toner image is formed by placing toner on the latent image.
[0008]
At almost the same time, sheets as sheets are separated one by one by the sheet feeding mechanism from the cassette 14 disposed at the bottom of the printer unit and supplied to the inside.
[0009]
The fed paper is conveyed to the photosensitive drum 13, the toner image is transferred onto the paper surface, and then the toner image is fixed on the paper surface with heat and pressure by the fixing device 15, and the reading unit, the printer unit, The paper is discharged into a paper discharge space 16 provided between the two.
[0010]
An MFP is provided by providing the copying machine with a FAX function and an input / output function with a personal computer.
[0011]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the case of the conventional technology as described above, the reading unit height area A and the printer unit height area B do not overlap in the height direction, and the disadvantage is that the height of the MFP apparatus is high and the apparatus is large. there were.
[0012]
SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides an image forming apparatus that can reduce the size of the apparatus.
[0013]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In the present invention in order to achieve the above object, a sheet image formed on an image forming means for discharging the sheet to the discharge space provided in the upper, arranged above the discharge space of the image forming means an image reading means that will be, a light source for illuminating the document table document on top is placed, a light to a document placed on the document table, a plurality of sequentially reflects the reflected light reflected by the original And a light receiving means for guiding the light sequentially reflected by the plurality of mirrors, and the document table, the light source, the plurality of mirrors, and a housing including the light receiving means. An image reading unit that reads an image of a document placed on a table; and an image forming apparatus provided with an upper surface forming the discharge space of the image forming unit inclined so that a downstream side in a sheet discharge direction is higher . , the image reading Wherein the lower surface of the housing of the step is inclined to match the upper surface to form the discharge space of the image forming means.
[0019]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. However, the dimensions, materials, shapes, relative arrangements, and the like of the components described in this embodiment are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention only to those unless otherwise specified. Absent.
[0020]
(First embodiment)
The first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.
[0021]
FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a copying machine as an image forming apparatus having both a reading unit of a flat bed type scanner as an image reading unit and a printer unit as an image forming unit in the present invention.
[0022]
2 and 3 are a plan sectional view and a front sectional view showing a reading unit according to the first embodiment.
[0023]
The reading unit includes a casing 2 in which the entire upper surface is a transparent document table 1, a first scanning unit 5 in which a rod-like light source 3 and a mirror 4 are fixed inside the casing 2, a mirror 6 and a mirror 7. The second scanning unit 8, the motor 9, the lens 10 and the CCD 11 as the light receiving means are arranged and fixed so that their respective reflecting surfaces are perpendicular to each other.
[0024]
The internal movement of the reading unit when reading a document will be described with reference to FIG.
[0025]
The first scanning unit 5 moves on the entire surface of the document table in a direction parallel to the document table 1 and perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (main scanning direction) of the mirror 4 (arrow direction in the figure: sub-scanning direction). The document 12 placed on the document table 1 is irradiated with light from the light source 3, and the reflected light is guided to the mirror 6 by the mirror 4.
[0026]
Thereafter, the light is reflected by the mirror 7, and an image is formed on the CCD 11 from the lens 10 for each line (main scanning direction) and read.
[0027]
At this time, the second scanning unit 8 to which the mirrors 6 and 7 are fixed moves in the same direction with a half movement amount of the first scanning unit 5. As a result, the optical path length from the original 13 to the CCD 11 is kept constant, and the original placed on the original table 1 is read in the sub-scanning direction.
[0028]
Further the mirror 4, 6 and 7, as shown in FIG. 2, since Ru is reduced gradually toward the reading area on the lens 10 and CCD11 by reduction optical system, requires reflection area of the mirror for reflecting the reading area (mirror The total length is gradually shorter. For this reason, the lower part of the second scanning unit 8 has a short shape as shown in FIG.
[0029]
Next, the printer unit will be described with reference to FIG.
[0030]
In the printer unit, paper is separated one by one from the cassette 18 arranged at the bottom of the printer unit by a paper feeding mechanism and supplied to the inside. On the other hand, the photosensitive drum 19, by a laser beam L modulated in accordance with image information latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 19, a toner image is formed by toner loaded et al is in the latent image.
[0031]
Next, the toner image is transferred to the conveyed paper, and the toner image is fixed on the paper surface by heat and pressure in the fixing device 20, and then downstream in the paper discharge direction between the reading unit lower surface and the printer unit upper surface. The paper is discharged into a paper discharge space 17 serving as a discharge space provided obliquely so as to be inclined so that the side becomes higher .
[0032]
An MFP can be obtained by providing the copying machine with a FAX function and an input / output function with a personal computer.
[0033]
Next, the arrangement of the printer unit and the reading unit will be described. The layout of the printer unit and reading unit is
As shown in FIG. 1, the reading unit height C and the printer unit height (sheet discharge ) are formed by inclining the lower part of the reading unit (the lower surface of the housing 2) in parallel with the sheet discharge space 17 of the printer unit. The space D (including the space 17) is arranged so as to partially overlap. The paper discharge direction of the printer unit is the same as the main scanning direction of the reading unit.
[0034]
The width of the reading unit in the main scanning direction is narrower in the lower part than in the upper part (between E and F in the figure) due to the overlap with the paper discharge space 17 of the printer part. For this reason, the second scanning unit 8 having a short lower portion is arranged at the lower portion where the width of the reading unit in the main scanning direction is narrowed so that the height of the entire apparatus is lowered.
[0035]
As described above, in the present embodiment, since the reading unit height region C and the printer unit height region D are arranged so as to overlap each other, the overall height of the copying machine can be reduced and the size can be reduced. be able to.
[0036]
(Second Embodiment)
4 to 6 show a second embodiment. The same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted.
[0037]
FIG. 4 shows a copying machine in which a reading unit according to the second embodiment is arranged on the top, and FIGS. 5 and 6 show a plan sectional view and a front sectional view of the reading unit according to the second embodiment.
[0038]
The configuration of the reading unit includes a casing 2 in which the entire upper surface is a transparent document table 1 and a carriage 21 that moves inside the casing 2 so as to scan the entire area of the document table 1 by a motor 9. It is assembled so that it can move in the left-right direction.
[0039]
Inside the carriage 21, a rod-shaped light source 3, mirrors 22, 23, 24, 25, a lens 10, and a CCD 11 are fixed. That is, the carriage 21 stores all the optical components of the reading unit.
[0040]
Reading the document 12 placed on the document table 1 irradiates the document 12 with light from the light source 3, reflects and deflects the reflected light to the mirrors 22, 23, 24, and 25 and guides it to the lens 10. By forming an image on the light receiving surface of the CCD 11, the main scanning direction is read line by line.
[0041]
Reading in the sub-scanning direction is performed while moving the carriage 21 in the sub-scanning direction.
[0042]
Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the mirrors 22, 23, 24, and 25 are gradually reduced in the reading area from the reduction optical system toward the lens 10 and the CCD 11 , so that the necessary reflection area of the mirror for reflecting the reading area is required. The total length of the mirror in the main scanning direction is gradually shorter.
[0043]
Therefore, the carriage 21 has a shape in which the lower part is shortened as shown in FIG. The shortened lower part of the carriage 21 is arranged in a lower part (between E and F in the figure) where the width of the reading part in the main scanning direction is narrower than the upper part in order to overlap the paper discharge space 17 of the printer part.
[0044]
According to the present embodiment, by overlapping a part of the reading unit height region C and the printer unit height region D, it is possible to reduce the height of the entire apparatus, to achieve downsizing, and to reduce all of the optical system. By arranging the components inside one carriage 21, it was possible to realize a stable image reading without changing the arrangement of the optical system.
[0045]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, the lower surface of the housing of the image reading unit is disposed on the discharge space of the image forming unit.
Since the height of the device can be lowered by inclining in accordance with the upper surface forming the device, it is possible to reduce the size of the device.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a copying machine according to a first embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a plan sectional view showing a reading unit according to the first embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a front cross-sectional view showing a reading unit according to the first embodiment.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a copying machine according to a second embodiment.
FIG. 5 is a plan sectional view showing a reading unit according to a second embodiment.
FIG. 6 is a front sectional view showing a reading unit according to a second embodiment.
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a conventional copying machine.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Document stand 2 Case 3 Light source 4, 6, 7, 22, 23, 24, 25 Mirror 5 1st scanning unit 8 2nd scanning unit 9 Motor 10 Lens 11 CCD
12 Document 17 Discharge Space 18 Cassette 19 Photosensitive Drum 20 Fixing Device 21 Carriage

Claims (2)

An image forming means for forming an image on the sheet and discharging the sheet into a discharge space provided at an upper portion;
An image reading means for the Ru is disposed above the discharge space of the image forming means, a light source for illuminating the document table document on top is placed, a light to a document placed on the document table, A plurality of mirrors for sequentially reflecting the reflected light reflected by the document; a light receiving means for guiding the light reflected by the plurality of mirrors; the document table; the light source; the plurality of mirrors; and the light receiving means. An image reading means for reading an image of a document placed on the document table ;
Equipped with a,
In the image forming apparatus, the upper surface of the image forming unit forming the discharge space is inclined so that the downstream side in the sheet discharge direction is higher .
An image forming apparatus, wherein a lower surface of the housing of the image reading unit is inclined in accordance with an upper surface forming the discharge space of the image forming unit. The image reading unit has a main scanning direction as a sheet discharging direction to the discharge space of the image forming unit, and a main scanning direction width of reflected light reflected from the document is gradually reduced toward the light receiving unit. Which constitutes a reducing optical system
In the height direction of the apparatus, an area sandwiched between the uppermost end and the lowermost end of the inclined lower surface of the housing of the image reading means has the light reception among the plurality of mirrors on the optical path of the reflected light. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a mirror closest to the light receiving unit is arranged, and a width of the mirror closest to the light receiving unit among the plurality of mirrors is the shortest in a main scanning direction .

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