JP6358316B2 - Compound machine - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a multifunction peripheral having a copy function in which an image recording unit records an image on a sheet based on an image read from a document by a scanner unit.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a multifunction peripheral including a scanner unit having a function of reading an image of a document (scan function) and an image recording unit having a function of recording an image on a recording sheet (print function) is widely known. In a general multifunction machine, an image recording unit is provided at the lower part and a scanner unit is provided at the upper part.

  The image recording unit includes a paper discharge tray for discharging a sheet on which an image is recorded. When an image is recorded, the paper discharge tray is extended from the front surface of the multifunction machine. That is, as viewed from the user, the sheet is partially discharged to the front side of the front surface of the multifunction machine.

  A document holding plate of the scanner unit is provided on the upper side surface of the multifunction machine. An image sensor that reads an image from an original placed on the original holding plate by an optical method is disposed below the original holding plate.

  The MFP having such a configuration has a copy function in which an image recording unit records an image on a sheet based on an image read from a document by a scanner unit. A multifunction device having a copy function is disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1 below.

JP 2009-44605 A

  In a multifunction device having the above-described configuration, a user may perform a copy operation using a document larger than the maximum size that can be read by the scanner unit. In this case, the user performs a copy operation in a state where the area to be copied of the document is matched with the readable area of the document holding plate. Depending on the size of the document, a part of the document may not fit on the document holding plate and may be hung downward along the side surface of the multifunction peripheral. Since the paper discharge tray protrudes from the side of the multifunction device, depending on the position of the paper discharge tray, part of the document covers the discharged sheet, and the user checks the image recorded on the sheet. May be difficult to do.

  In the case of mainly small-sized multifunction peripherals, the dimensions in the depth and height directions are relatively short and the dimensions in the width direction may be increased from the viewpoint of storage. Such a multifunction device may be configured such that the longitudinal direction of the paper discharge tray and the document holding plate is the width direction of the multifunction device. When the image to be copied is located on one side with respect to the longitudinal center of the document, the user places the document with the depth direction of the multifunction peripheral as the longitudinal direction of the document. That is, the one side opposite to the one side of the document is suspended downward along the front surface of the multifunction peripheral. In a small-sized multifunction device, a discharge tray is often provided on the front side, and the height dimension is short. Likely to happen.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a part of an image recorded on a sheet even when a part of a document larger than the maximum size that can be read by the scanner unit is copied. It is an object of the present invention to provide a multi-function device that allows the user to confirm the above.

(1) The present invention includes an image recording unit and a flatbed scanner unit provided above the image recording unit, and the image recording unit performs image recording based on an image read from a document by the scanner unit. This is a multifunction device that can record an image on a sheet. The scanner unit has an image reading surface on which a document on which an image is read can be placed, and one end side connected to the back side of the multifunction peripheral, and rotates about the one end side so that the image reading surface is A document cover that opens and closes. The image recording unit transports the first tray on which the sheet can be placed and the sheet placed on the first tray upward from the back side, and then makes a U-turn to A transport path for transporting in the first direction toward the front side, and a second tray at least partly extending from an opening formed in the front surface, and a sheet transported through the transport path is discharged. Have. In the second direction orthogonal to the first direction when viewed from above, the downstream end in the second direction of the discharge area occupied by the maximum size sheet that can be conveyed by the conveyance path discharged to the second tray is the image reading surface. Is shifted by a first distance downstream in the second direction with respect to the downstream end in the second direction of the readable area at.

  According to this configuration, an area that is not covered by the document exists by the length of the first distance on the downstream side in the second direction of the sheet. The user can confirm a part of the recorded image from an area where the sheet is not covered by the document.

(2) The first direction upstream end of the placement region occupied by the maximum size sheet that can be conveyed by the conveyance path placed on the first tray is opposite to the first direction upstream end of the readable region. The first distance may be shifted downstream by a second distance shorter than the first distance. The entire placement area may be located upstream in the first direction from the front surface.

  According to this configuration, the upstream end in the first direction of the readable area is located on the upstream side in the first direction relative to the upstream end in the first direction of the placement area, that is, on the rear side of the apparatus. As a result, the length of the document that hangs downward along the front surface of the apparatus is shortened. That is, it is possible to make it difficult for the document to cover the sheet discharged to the second tray.

(3) An operation panel capable of operating the scanner unit and the image recording unit may be provided on the downstream side in the first direction from the image reading surface. The range that the operation panel occupies in the second direction may be at least partially between the second-direction downstream end of the discharge region and the second-direction downstream end of the readable region.

  In this configuration, at least a part of the operation panel is not included in the document placement area in the second direction. For this reason, the operation panel is not completely covered by the original that hangs downward along the front surface of the apparatus. That is, the user can easily perform the copy operation by arranging a button for the copy operation in an area where the operation panel is not covered with the document.

(4) The readable area and the placement area may have the same length in the first direction and the same length in the second direction. The length in the second direction may be longer than the length in the first direction.

(5) The scanner unit may include an image sensor that reads an image from a document placed on the image reading surface while moving in parallel with the second direction.

  (6) The posture of the second tray may be changeable between a use posture in which at least a part is extended from the opening and a storage posture in which the whole is located upstream in the first direction from the opening. .

  In the present invention, even when a part of a document larger than the maximum size that can be read by the scanner unit is copied, the sheet is not completely covered by the document, and a part of the image recorded on the sheet is not displayed by the user. Can be confirmed.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a multifunction machine 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The document cover 43 is closed, and the paper discharge tray 20 is in the storage position. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the multifunction machine 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention. The document cover 43 is open, and the paper discharge tray 20 is in a use posture. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of the printer unit 11. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of the scanner unit 11. The document cover 43 is omitted. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a positional relationship between the placement area E1 of the printer unit 11, the discharge area E2, and the readable area E3 of the scanner unit 11 in the housing 13. Note that components other than the housing 13 are omitted. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a state in which a document 62 larger than the readable area E3 is placed on the contact glass 41 so that the scanner unit 11 can read an image. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a state where copying is completed based on a document 62 larger than the readable area E3. The document cover 43 is omitted.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings as appropriate. The embodiment described below is merely an example of the present invention, and it is needless to say that the embodiment of the present invention can be changed as appropriate without departing from the gist of the present invention. In the following description, the vertical direction 7 is defined with reference to a state in which the multifunction machine 10 is installed so as to be usable (the state shown in FIGS. 1 and 2), and the front-rear direction 8 is defined as the front side. And the left-right direction 9 is defined when the multifunction machine 10 is viewed from the front side (front side).

[Outline of MFP 10]
1 and 2 is a printer unit 11 (an example of an image recording unit of the present invention, see FIGS. 2 and 3) and a scanner unit 12 (a scanner of the present invention). An example of a unit (see FIGS. 2 and 4) is a multi-function device (MFD: Multi Function Device). The multifunction machine 10 includes a wide and thin, substantially rectangular parallelepiped housing 13 having dimensions in the front-rear direction 8 and the left-right direction 9 that are greater than the vertical direction 7. An ink jet recording type printer unit 11 and a flat bed type scanner unit 12 are accommodated in the housing 13. The scanner unit 12 is provided above the printer unit 11.

  An operation panel 16 (an example of the operation panel of the present invention) is provided on the front surface 14 (an example of the front surface of the present invention) of the housing 13. The operation panel 16 includes a liquid crystal display panel 17 and a plurality of operation buttons 18. The liquid crystal display panel 17 and the operation buttons 18 are electrically connected to a control circuit (not shown) that controls the operations of the printer unit 11 and the scanner unit 12. The user can use some of the functions of the printer unit 11 and the scanner unit 12 by operating the operation panel 16. For example, when the user operates the operation panel 16, an image read by the scanner unit 12 from the document 62 (an example of the document of the present invention, see FIGS. 6 and 7) is recorded by the printer unit 11 on the recording paper 61 (book). An example of the sheet of the invention (see FIGS. 3 and 7) can be used.

[Printer 11]
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a paper feed tray 19 (an example of a first tray of the present invention) on which recording paper 61 is loaded is mounted on the front surface 14 of the housing 13. The paper feed tray 19 is configured to be insertable / removable in the front-rear direction 8 with respect to the multifunction machine 10. A paper discharge tray 20 (an example of the second tray of the present invention) is provided above the paper feed tray 19 from which the recording paper 61 on which an image is recorded is discharged. Further, an opening 15 (an example of the opening of the present invention) for taking out the recording paper 61 discharged to the paper discharge tray 20 is formed on the front surface 14 of the housing 13. The paper feed tray 19, the paper discharge tray 20, and the opening 15 are respectively provided below the operation panel 16.

  In the use posture shown in FIG. 2, the paper discharge tray 20 has an inner portion 21 that fits inside the housing 13 relative to the opening 15, and a first extension that extends from the inner portion 21 toward the outside of the opening 15. A portion 22 and a second extending portion 23 are provided. That is, in the use posture, the paper discharge tray 20 partially extends from the opening 15. As a result, a part of the recording paper 61 discharged to the paper discharge tray 20 on the downstream side in the transport direction is positioned outside the front surface 14 of the housing 13. A protrusion 24 that protrudes upward is formed at the tip of the second extension 23. The recording paper 61 discharged to the paper discharge tray 20 is stopped at the position where the front end in the front-rear direction 8, which is the downstream end in the transport direction, comes into contact with the protrusion 24. A more detailed position at which the recording paper 61 is discharged will be described later.

  The paper discharge tray 20 is expanded and contracted in the front-rear direction 8 so that the storage posture shown in FIG. 1 (an example of the storage posture of the present invention) and the useable posture for image recording shown in FIG. The posture can be changed. When changing the posture of the paper discharge tray 20 from the use posture to the storage posture, the user presses the tip of the second extending portion 23 backward in the front-rear direction 8. The second extension part 23 moves rearward in the front-rear direction 8 with respect to the first extension part 22 and is accommodated in the first extension part 22. Further, the first extension part 22 moves rearward in the front-rear direction 8 with respect to the inner part 21 and is accommodated in the inner part 21. As a result, the first extension part 22 and the second extension part 23 are accommodated inside the inner part 21, and are located inside the housing 13 relative to the opening 15. When the user does not record an image, the user can effectively use the space in front of the multifunction machine 10 by keeping the paper discharge tray 20 in the storage posture.

  Further, the user can change the posture of the paper discharge tray 20 from the storage posture to the use posture by pulling the tip of the second extending portion 23 forward in the front-rear direction 8.

  The printer unit 11 shown in FIG. 3 records an image by selectively ejecting ink droplets onto the recording paper 61 based on an ink jet recording method. However, the recording method of the printer unit 11 is not limited to the ink jet recording method, and for example, a thermal transfer method may be adopted. In addition to the paper feed tray 19 and the paper discharge tray 20 described above, the printer unit 11 includes a transport path 27 that transports the recording paper 61, various rollers that transport the recording paper 61 along the transport path 27, and a transport path 27. 1 includes a recording unit 31 that records an image on a recording sheet 61.

  At the time of image recording, the recording paper 61 placed on the paper feed tray 19 is transported by the paper feed roller 25 toward the rear in the front-rear direction 8 (on the back surface 26 side of the housing 13), and the transport path 27 (present invention). Is supplied to the U-turn path 28 constituting a part of the conveyance path). The U-turn path 28 is a passage formed so as to draw an arc upward. The recording sheet 61 is conveyed along the U-turn path 28 while being curved upward. Thereby, the recording paper 61 is U-turned and the front and back surfaces are reversed. The downstream end of the U-turn path 28 is connected to a straight path 29 that constitutes a part of the transport path 27. The straight path 29 is a passage toward the front in the front-rear direction 8 (the front surface 14 side of the housing 13). The recording paper 61 that has been U-turned in the U-turn path 28 is conveyed forward in the front-rear direction 8 along the straight path 29 by the rotation of the conveyance roller pair 30. Here, the forward direction in the front-rear direction 8 corresponds to the first direction of the present invention. That is, the forward direction is downstream in the first direction and the backward direction is upstream in the first direction.

  The straight path 29 is provided with a recording unit 31 that records an image on the recording paper 61. The recording unit 31 includes a platen 32 that supports the recording paper 61 from below, and a recording head 33 that is provided above the platen 32 across the straight path 29. The recording head 33 is supported by the carriage 35 and reciprocates in the left-right direction 9 together with the carriage 35. The recording head 33 selectively ejects ink droplets onto the recording paper 61 that passes over the platen 32 while reciprocating in the left-right direction 9. As a result, an image is recorded on the recording paper 61 that has passed through the recording unit 31. The recording paper 61 that has passed through the platen 32 is discharged to the paper discharge tray 20 provided on the most downstream side of the straight path 29 by the discharge roller pair 34.

[Scanner unit 12]
The scanner unit 12 shown in FIG. 4 is configured as a so-called flatbed scanner that reads an image from a document 62 placed on a contact glass 41 (an example of an image reading surface of the present invention). The contact glass 41 is provided on the upper surface 42 of the housing 13 and is made of a transparent glass plate or an acrylic plate. A document cover 43 (an example of the document cover of the present invention, see FIGS. 1 and 2) is provided above the housing 13. The document cover 43 is connected to the back surface 26 (an example of the back surface of the present invention) side of the housing 13 via a hinge 44. The document cover 43 rotates around the hinge 44 (FIG. 2) in the directions of arrows 45 (FIG. 1) and 46 (FIG. 2) to open and close the contact glass 41 on the upper surface 42 of the housing 13. .

  A pressing member 48 (FIG. 2) is provided on the back surface 47 of the document cover 43. The pressing member 48 is made of, for example, a plate-like sponge. However, the pressing member 48 is not limited to this, and may be configured of a member having elasticity such as rubber. The pressing member 48 is formed so as to cover the upper surface of the contact glass 41 in the state of FIG. 1 with the document cover 43 closed. At that time, the pressing member 48 presses the document 62 on the contact glass 41 and fixes it on the contact glass 41.

  As shown in FIG. 4, an image reading unit 51 is provided below the contact glass 41. The image reading unit 51 includes a line sensor 52 (an example of an image sensor of the present invention), a carriage 53, a shaft 54, a belt driving mechanism 55, and the like.

  The bar-shaped line sensor 52 is provided below the contact glass 41 with the front-rear direction 8 as a longitudinal direction. The line sensor 52 irradiates the reading area of the contact glass 41 with light and reads the reflected light. In the present embodiment, (CIS: Contact Image Sensor) is used as the line sensor 52. Although not shown, the line sensor 52 includes a light source, a lens, and a light receiving element. A plurality of light sources, lenses, and light receiving elements are arranged along the longitudinal direction (front-rear direction 8) of the line sensor 25 that is the main scanning direction.

  The line sensor 52 is supported from below by a carriage 53, and the carriage 53 is attached to a shaft 54 provided with the left-right direction 9 as a longitudinal direction.

  The carriage 53 is driven and transmitted from a belt drive mechanism 55 having a motor 56, a pulley 57, a belt 58, and the like, and is reciprocated along the trajectory of the shaft 54 in the left-right direction 9 which is the sub-scanning direction. At this time, the line sensor 52 moves together with the carriage 53. In the process, the line sensor 52 emits light from the light source toward the contact glass 41. The line sensor 52 condenses the reflected light of the irradiated light by a lens and converts it into an electrical signal by a light receiving element. This electric signal is transmitted to the control circuit, and image data is formed by the control circuit.

[Positional relationship between printer unit 11 and scanner unit 12]
FIG. 5 shows the positional relationship between the area occupied by the recording paper 61 in the paper feed tray and the paper discharge tray and the area where the scanner unit 12 can read an image when the multifunction machine 10 is observed from above. For simplicity, only the housing 13 is shown in the multifunction machine 10. Although not shown in the figure, in the present embodiment, the dimension of the casing 13 in the front-rear direction 8 is 290 mm, and the dimension in the left-right direction 9 is 480 mm.

  A placement area E1 (an example of the placement area of the present invention) indicated by a one-dot chain line in FIG. 5 is the maximum size recording paper 61 corresponding to image recording by the printer unit 11 (that is, the transport path 27 is transportable). This is an area occupied by the maximum size recording paper 61 when the maximum size recording paper 61 (hereinafter simply referred to as “maximum size recording paper 61”) is set in the paper feed tray 19. The entire placement area E <b> 1 is accommodated inside the housing 13. Further, in the placement region E1, the length L2 in the left-right direction 9 is longer than the length L1 in the front-rear direction 8. That is, the recording paper 61 is placed on the paper feed tray 19 with the left-right direction 9 as the longitudinal direction.

  As an example, the ratio between L1 and L2 may be 1: 1.41. Such an aspect ratio paper is called A series, and is standardized by ISO216 or JIS P0138. In the present embodiment, L1 = 210 mm and L2 = 297 mm. Such a paper size is particularly called A4 in the A series. That is, the transport path 27 transports the A4 size recording paper 61 with the short direction as the transport direction. Accordingly, the width of the conveyance path 27 (the length in the left-right direction 9) is longer than the length in the longitudinal direction of the recording paper 61 (297 mm). However, L1 and L2 are not limited to these values, and may be other values.

  A discharge area E2 (an example of the discharge area of the present invention) indicated by a wavy line in FIG. 5 is an area occupied by the maximum size recording sheet 61 discharged to the discharge tray 20 after image recording. As described above, the recording paper 61 is supplied from the paper feed tray 19 backward in the front-rear direction 8 to the conveyance path 27, is U-turned by the U-turn path 28 that constitutes the conveyance path 27, and passes through the straight path 29. The paper is discharged to the paper discharge tray 20. During this time, the recording paper 61 is not moved in the left-right direction 9. Therefore, in the left-right direction 9, the discharge area E2 coincides with the placement area E1.

  Note that the position of the recording paper 61 discharged to the paper discharge tray 20 varies slightly in the front-rear direction 8 depending on the printing speed of the recording paper 61 and the like. However, the conveyance of most of the recording paper 61 is stopped when the downstream end in the conveyance direction (the front end in the front-rear direction 8) contacts the protrusion 24 of the paper discharge tray 20. Therefore, here, the discharge area E <b> 2 is defined based on the position where the conveyance of the recording paper 61 is stopped by the protrusion 24.

  As described above, the discharge tray 20 has portions corresponding to the first extending portion 22 and the second extending portion 23 extending from the front surface 14 of the housing 13. Therefore, in the discharge area E <b> 2, the front end in the front-rear direction 8 is located in front of the front surface 14 of the housing 13, that is, outside the housing 13. Further, a part on the rear end side in the front-rear direction 8 overlaps a part on the front end side of the placement region E1 in the front-rear direction 8 by a length L3. L3 is about 20% of L1, and in this embodiment, L3 = 46.24 mm. However, the value of L3 also depends on the length of the discharge tray 20 extending from the front surface 14 of the housing 13 and the size of the housing 13 in the front-rear direction 8.

A readable area E3 (an example of the readable area of the present invention) indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 5 is an area on the contact glass 41 of the scanner unit 12 where the line sensor 52 can read an image. . In the present embodiment, the lengths of the readable region E3 in the front-rear direction 8 and the left-right direction 9 are the same as the lengths of the maximum size recording paper 61 in the front-rear direction 8 and the left-right direction 9, respectively. That is, the length of the readable area E3 in the front-rear direction 8 is L1, and the length in the left-right direction 9 is L2.
It is. That is, in the present embodiment, the size of the area where the line sensor 52 can read an image is A4 size. However, the lengths in the front-rear direction 8 and the left-right direction 9 of the readable area E3 are not necessarily the same as the lengths of the maximum-size recording paper 61 in the front-rear direction 8 and the left-right direction 9.

  It should be noted that the left ends of the placement area E1 and the discharge area E2 in the left-right direction 9 are located away from the left end of the readable area E3 by a length L4 (an example of the first distance of the present invention). That is, in the present embodiment, the placement area E1 and the discharge area E2 and the readable area E3 have the same length in the left-right direction 9, and the placement area E1 and the discharge area E2 are the readable area E3 in the left-right direction 9. Is shifted by L4 to the left from the position completely overlapping. As an example, L4 is about 17% of L2, and in this embodiment, L4 = 51.2 mm. Here, the direction toward the left side of the left-right direction 9 corresponds to the second direction of the present invention. That is, the left side is downstream in the second direction, and the right side is upstream in the second direction.

  However, the above configuration is an example, and the displacement of the placement area E1 and the discharge area E2 in the left-right direction 9 may be opposite to this, that is, the placement area E1 and the discharge area E2 in the left-right direction 9. The right end may be located at a position separated from the right end of the readable area E3 by a length L4 in the right direction. In such a configuration, the direction toward the right side of the left-right direction 9 corresponds to the second direction of the present invention.

  Further, the rear end of the placement area E1 in the front-rear direction 8 is located at a position separated from the rear end of the readable area E3 by a distance L5 (an example of the second distance of the present invention) in the front-rear direction 8. In other words, in the present embodiment, the placement area E1 and the readable area E3 have the same length in the front-rear direction 8, and the placement area E1 moves forward from a position completely overlapping the readable area E3 in the front-rear direction 8. It is shifted by L5.

  Here, the relationship of L5 <L4 is established. That is, the placement area E1 and the readable area E3 are greatly shifted in the left-right direction 9 than in the front-rear direction 8. In this embodiment, since L4 = 51.2 mm and L5 = 10.54 mm, the magnitude of the deviation in the left-right direction 9 is about 5 times less than the magnitude of the deviation in the front-rear direction 8.

[Details of copy operation]
Details of the operation performed by the user when copying a part of the document 62 having a size larger than the readable area E3 will be described below.

  First, as shown in FIG. 2, the user opens the document cover 43 and sets the paper discharge tray 20 to the use posture. Subsequently, the user sets the area to be copied to the readable area E3 of the contact glass 41 with the reading surface of the document 62 facing down. At that time, depending on the size of the original 62 used and the area to be copied, the original 62 may protrude from the contact glass 41.

  For example, one A3 in the A series has a length in the short direction of 297 mm, which is the same as the length in the long direction of A4. Therefore, in the multifunction machine 10, when copying an area on one side of the center in the longitudinal direction of the A3 document 62, the user needs to set the document 62 on the contact glass 41 so that the longitudinal direction of the document 62 coincides with the front-rear direction 8. There is. Then, as shown in FIG. 6, a portion of the document 62 that does not fit on the contact glass 41 covers a part of the paper discharge tray 20.

  The user fixes the document 62 on the contact glass 41 with the document cover 43 being closed with the document 62 protruding from the contact glass 41. Alternatively, when the document 62 is a book or booklet having a certain thickness and it is difficult to completely close the document cover 43, the state in which the document 62 is pressed onto the contact glass 41 by the user's hand is maintained.

  From that state, the user performs an operation to instruct the multifunction machine 10 to perform copying. This operation may be performed, for example, through an operation screen of a computer connected to the multifunction machine 10 or may be performed by operating an operation panel 16 provided on the front surface 14 of the housing 13.

  When an operation for instructing copying is performed, the control circuit that recognizes the signal controls the printer unit 11 and the scanner unit 12 to copy the document 62. Specifically, the line sensor 52 reads an image of the document 62 from the lower side of the contact glass 41 to form image data. Subsequently, the recording paper 61 is supplied from the paper feed tray 19 to the transport path 27. When the recording paper 61 passes through the recording unit 31, the recording head 33 ejects ink droplets onto the recording paper 61. Thereby, an image based on the image data is recorded on the recording paper 61. The recording paper 61 on which the image is recorded is discharged to the paper discharge tray 20.

  FIG. 7 shows a state in which the multifunction machine 10 is observed from above. The document 62 covers a part of the recording paper 61 discharged to the paper discharge tray 20. On the left end side of the recording paper 61, an area not covered by the original 62 exists in the left-right direction 9 by a length L4. From this region, a part of the image recorded on the recording paper 61 can be visually recognized.

  When the dimension in the left-right direction 9 of the document 62 in the loaded state is longer than the dimension in the left-right direction 9 of the contact glass 41, the document 62 protrudes from the contact glass 41 not only in the front-rear direction 8 but also in the left-right direction 9. It will be. In this case, the user sets the document 62 on the contact glass 41 so that the left end of the document 62 is aligned with the left end of the readable area E3. By doing so, a part of the document 62 protrudes from the right side of the contact glass 41, but an area not covered by the document 62 on the left end side of the recording paper 61 is secured. That is, the user can visually recognize a part of the image recorded on the recording paper 61.

[Effects of Embodiment]
According to the present embodiment, even when the user performs copying based on a part of the document 62 that is larger than the contact glass 41, the left and right directions 9 are provided on the left end side of the recording paper 61 discharged to the discharge tray. Thus, an area not covered by the document 62 is secured by the length L4. The user can visually recognize a part of the image recorded on the recording paper 61 from the area without moving the document 62.

  By visually recognizing a part of the image recorded on the recording paper 61, the user can, for example, check whether the recorded image area and orientation are correct, and whether the recorded image has appropriate darkness and color. Can be confirmed. That is, the user can notice that the copy is not performed as expected before the copy is completed and the original 62 is removed from the contact glass 41. Therefore, it is possible to eliminate the troublesomeness that the user must set the document 62 on the contact glass 41 again in order to perform the copying operation again.

  Even in the conventional configuration in which the original 62 completely covers the recording paper 61 discharged to the paper discharge tray 20, it is possible to confirm the recording paper 61 discharged to the paper discharge tray 20 by turning up the original 62. Is possible. However, the document 62 is likely to be displaced from the contact glass 41 when the document 62 is turned up. When the document 62 is a book or a booklet having a certain thickness, the document 62 is easily displaced from the contact glass 41 in particular. If the document 62 is displaced from the contact glass 41, the user needs to redo the operation of setting the document 62 on the contact glass 41 even if the user notices that the copy is not performed as expected.

  Further, when copying on a plurality of recording sheets 61, the user can immediately stop copying when he / she notices that copying has not been performed normally. Therefore, it can be avoided that a large amount of erroneous copies are made and the recording paper 61 is wasted.

  In addition, the rear end of the placement area E1 is located at a position separated from the rear end of the readable area E3 by a distance L5 in the rearward direction 8. According to such a configuration, the readable area E3 is located farther rearward in the front-rear direction 8 than the placement area E1 and the discharge area E2, and therefore the document 62 is located below the front surface 14 of the casing 13 in the document 62. It is possible to reduce the length in the front-rear direction 8 that covers the recording sheet 61 from which the document 62 is discharged to the discharge tray 20. Therefore, when the length of the document 62 in the longitudinal direction is relatively short, a part of the front end side of the recording paper 61 can be visually recognized, and the user can further visually recognize a part of the image recorded on the recording paper 61. It becomes easy.

  Further, since L2> L1, an area where the recording paper 61 is not covered by the original 62 is formed along the short side of the recording paper 61 (A4 in the present embodiment). The user confirms the positional relationship between the short side of the recording paper 61 and the edge of the image, so that the document is recorded at the correct position and angle with respect to the recording paper 61, or from the short side of the recording paper 61. It can be confirmed more easily whether the length of the blank area to the image is appropriate. Further, when the image recorded on the recording paper 61 is a horizontally written document with the longitudinal direction as the vertical direction, a document header or title often exists around the short side of the recording paper 61. The user can easily check whether the copied document 62 is wrong by visually recognizing the header and title of the document.

  Since L2> L1 and L4> L5, the space occupied by the printer unit 11 and the scanner unit 12 is larger in the left-right direction 9 than in the front-rear direction 8. That is, the multifunction device 10 can be reduced in size in the front-rear direction 8 instead of being relatively large in the left-right direction 9, and can be easily installed on a shelf having a shallow depth.

  Further, since the entire scanner unit 12 can be shifted in the left-right direction 9 with respect to the printer unit 11, a certain empty space can be secured in the vertical direction 7 where the scanner unit 12 and the printer unit 11 do not overlap. it can. In this space, for example, a control circuit for controlling the printer unit 11 and the scanner unit 12, a power source, and the like can be arranged.

[Modification 1]
In the above-described embodiment, the operation panel 16 is provided in the front surface 14 of the housing 13 at a position that substantially overlaps the readable area E3 in the left-right direction 9. In the present modification, at least a part of the operation panel 16 is provided in a range indicated by R1 in FIG. For example, an operation button 18 for instructing the multifunction machine 10 to copy may be provided in the range of R1. According to such a configuration, when the user operates the operation panel 16 to cause the multifunction machine 10 to perform copying, the document 62 is turned up and the position of the operation button 18 is confirmed, or the document 62 is moved to the lower side. The position of the operation button 18 can be recognized visually without checking the position of the operation button 18 by groping.

[Other variations]
In the above-described embodiment, the values of L1 to L5 are examples, and different values may be employed as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired.

  In the above-described embodiment, the operation panel 16 is provided on the front surface 14 of the housing 13. However, the operation panel 16 is not necessarily provided on the front surface. The upper surface 42 of the body 13 may be provided in front of the contact glass 41 in the front-rear direction 8.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, the paper discharge tray 20 is configured to be stretchable. However, the paper discharge tray 20 is not necessarily stretchable, and is always extended from the front surface of the housing 13. It may be a thing.

  In the above-described embodiment, the conveyance path 27 has the U-turn path 28 and the straight path. However, the conveyance path 27 reverses the front and back surfaces of the recording paper 61 on which an image is recorded on one side. In this case, an additional conveyance path that is sent again to the recording unit 31 may be provided. That is, the printer unit 11 may be configured to be capable of duplex printing.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Multifunction machine 11 ... Printer part 12 ... Scanner part 14 ... Front 15 ... Opening 16 ... Operation panel 19 ... Paper feed tray (1st tray)
20: Paper discharge tray (second tray)
26 ... Back 27 ... Conveying path 41 ... Contact glass (image reading surface)
43 ... Document cover 52 ... Line sensor (image sensor)
61 ... Recording paper 62 ... Original L4 ... Length (first distance)
L5 ... Length (second distance)
E1 ... Placement area E2 ... Discharge area E3 ... Readable area

Claims (9)

An image recording unit and a flatbed type scanner unit provided above the image recording unit are provided, and the image recording unit records an image on a sheet based on an image read from a document by the scanner unit. A possible multifunction machine,
The scanner part
An image reading surface on which a document on which an image is read can be placed;
An image sensor that extends in the front-rear direction facing the image reading surface and reads an image recorded on a document placed on the image reading surface while moving in the left-right direction;
One end side is connected to the rear side of the multifunction peripheral, and has a document cover that rotates around the one end side to open and close the image reading surface,
The image recording unit
A first tray on which sheets can be placed;
After the sheet placed on the first tray is conveyed upward from the rear side, a U-turned conveyance path is conveyed along the front-rear direction to the front side;
A recording unit that is disposed above the conveyance path and records an image on a sheet conveyed through the conveyance path;
A second tray on which an image is recorded by the recording unit and a sheet conveyed through the conveyance path is discharged,
The readable area on the image reading surface occupied by the document of the maximum size that can be read by the image sensor is longer in the left-right direction than in the front-rear direction.
A part of the discharge area occupied by the maximum size sheet conveyed in the conveyance path discharged to the second tray overlaps with a part of the readable area in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction ,
In the front-rear direction, the front end of the discharge area is located in front of the front surface of the multifunction device,
One end in the left-right direction of an area located on the front side of the front surface of the multifunction peripheral in the discharge area is the front end of the closed document cover among the documents placed on the image reading surface. And a first distance to the one side in the left-right direction from the one side end in the left-right direction of the area protruding forward from the front surface of the multifunction device,
The first distance corresponds to a front end of the closed document cover of a document in which a part of an image recorded on the maximum size sheet discharged to the second tray is placed on the image reading surface. And a multi-function device that is a distance that is not covered by an area protruding forward from the front surface of the multi-function device. The front end of the placement area occupied by the maximum size sheet placed on the first tray is shifted forward by a second distance shorter than the first distance with respect to the front end of the readable area. ,
The multifunction device according to claim 1, wherein a front end of the placement area is located behind the front surface.   The multifunction device according to claim 2, wherein the readable area, the discharge area, and the placement area are longer in the left-right direction than in the front-rear direction and have the same size.   4. The multifunction device according to claim 2, wherein a third distance in which the readable area and the discharge area overlap in the front-rear direction behind the opening is shorter than the first distance and longer than the second distance. An operation panel that can operate the scanner unit and the image recording unit is provided in front of the image reading surface.
The range occupied by the operation panel in the second direction is at least partly between the end of the discharge area and the end of the readable area on the one side in the left-right direction. A multi-function machine described in 1.   The posture of the second tray can be changed between a use posture in which at least a part is extended from the opening and a storage posture in which the whole is located behind the opening. Multifunction machine. The scanner unit includes a motor that moves the image sensor in the left-right direction,
At least a portion of the motor, the MFP according to claim 1, which is arranged on the one side in the lateral direction than the readable area 6.   In the front-rear direction, the distance from the rear surface of the multifunction device to the rear end of the readable area is smaller than the distance from the front surface of the multifunction device to the front edge of the readable region, and from the front surface of the multifunction device to the discharge area. The multi-function device according to claim 1, wherein a distance to the front end of the multi-function device is greater than a distance from a front surface of the multi-function device to a rear end of the discharge area.   9. The multifunction device according to claim 1, wherein the second tray can support a document protruding beyond a front end of the closed document cover and a front surface of the multifunction device.

Images