Abstract:
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus comprising a printer section having a sheet delivery portion at a top thereof; and a frame arranged at a top surface of the printer section as to extend in substantially a letter L-shape to a rear side and one lateral side of the printer section. An image reader is optionally attached to the top surface of the frame, and wherein a sheet can be pulled out of both of a front side and another lateral side at which no frame is provided.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    This invention relates to a solely usable image recording apparatus, and an image forming apparatus that can read images as well as can make recording upon coupling to optional image reader apparatus with the image recording apparatus.  
           [0003]    2. Description of Related Art  
           [0004]    Digital image processing today allows reading and recording images separately, and coupling of an image reader apparatus and an image recording apparatus, usable individually, allows using a photocopier or the like capable of reading and recording images.  
           [0005]    For example, as shown in FIG. 12, an image forming apparatus exists which coupling an image reader apparatus  11 A (hereinafter referred to as “reader apparatus”) with an image recording apparatus  111 A (hereinafter referred to as “printer apparatus”).  
           [0006]    In the image forming apparatus as shown in FIG. 12, an original document automatic feeding apparatus  40 A feeds an original document on an original document glass  201 A when a copying button is pushed, and an exposing apparatus  202 A radiates the original document and moves in arrow a direction to scan the entire side of the original document.  
           [0007]    Light beam radiating the original document from the exposing apparatus is reflected at second and third mirrors  203 A and converges on a CCD  204 A by lens. The original document read by the CCD  204 A is sent to a laser scanner  100 A upon conversion to an electrical signal at the image processing section. An image recording optical system scans beam corresponding to image information radiated from the laser scanner  100 A to converge images on a photosensitive drum  101 A to produce an electrostatic latent image. The electrostatic latent image is developed by a developing device  102 A.  
           [0008]    Recording sheets are set in a feeding cassette  1 A and contained in the apparatus body. When the feeding cassette  1 A is set with the body, a sheet surface in the feeding cassette  1 A is lifted by a lifting motor, not shown, to render the sheets ready to be fed. The recording sheets start to be moved according to rotation of a feeding roller  2 A, are separated sheet by sheet with separation roller pair  3 A,  4 A, and are conveyed to the registration roller pair  7 A,  8 A via upstream side conveyance roller pair  5 A.  6 A.  
           [0009]    The recording sheets whose registration, or position, is corrected by the registration roller pair  7 A,  8 A are further conveyed to a transfer section, and the images previously developed by the developing device  102 A are transferred with the photosensitive drum  101 A and a transfer roller  103 A on a recording sheet. Recording sheets to which the images are thus transferred are removed from the photosensitive drum  101 A by a separation charger.  
           [0010]    Then, a fixing device  11 A fixes the images on the recording sheets via a conveyance section and delivers the sheets with a delivery roller  12 A, thereby finishing a photocopier operation on one side in which the copied images come to the back side.  
           [0011]    A coupling method for the conventional reader apparatus  110 A and the conventional printer apparatus  111 A, for such a photocopying image forming apparatus, is described in referring to FIGS.  13  to  15 .  
           [0012]    [0012]FIG. 13(A) shows a printer apparatus  111 A for rendering transferring, recording, and delivering of the images, and a delivery section  112 A is placed to a top surface thereof to deliver the recording sheets. FIG. 13(B) shows a reader apparatus  110 A for reading the images to be copied; FIG. 13(C) shows a rack apparatus serving as a frame for holding the reader apparatus  11 A when the printer apparatus  111 A and the reader apparatus  110 A are coupled.  
           [0013]    [0013]FIG. 14(A) shows a photocopying image forming apparatus  114 A to which the printer apparatus  111 A and the reader apparatus  110 A are coupled via the rack apparatus  113 A. FIG. 14(B) shows a wire connection of the printer apparatus  111 A and the reader apparatus  110 A of the photocopying image forming apparatus  114 A; a printer controller  115 A for electrically controlling the printer apparatus body installed in the printer apparatus  111 A and a reader controller  116 A for controlling the reader apparatus  110 A communicate to each other through a communication cable  117 A.  
           [0014]    A power is supplied to the reader apparatus  110 A via a power supply cable  119 A from a power supply unit  118 A for supplying power for the printer apparatus body installed in the printer apparatus  111 A.  
           [0015]    It is to be noted that with the conventional example, a control panel  120 A of the photocopying image forming apparatus is attached to the reader apparatus  110 A, and no control panel  120 A is attached to the printer apparatus  111 A, thereby forming the photocopying image forming apparatus  114 A, as a premise, upon coupling the reader apparatus  110 A to the printer apparatus  111 A. Therefore, the printer apparatus  111 A itself does not have any control panel and does not function as a printer apparatus  111 A solely.  
           [0016]    It is to be noted that as shown in FIG. 15, if a control panel  120 B is provided on a side of the printer apparatus  11 B, the apparatus can operate as the printer apparatus  111 B solely.  
           [0017]    With the conventional structure, as shown in FIG. 14 and FIG. 15, the reader apparatuses  111 A,  110 B cannot be supported without the rack apparatuses  113 A,  113 B. The rack apparatuses  113 A,  113 B hold the reader apparatuses  111 A,  110 B, and are formed with high strength because needing to guarantee durability against exertion of downward force of 10 kg or more when the user manipulates the reader apparatuses  110 A,  110 B. The rack apparatus  113 A,  113 B are very expensive.  
           [0018]    As shown in FIG. 15, where a control panel  120 B is arranged to the printer apparatus  111 B, the user cannot manipulate easily the photocopying image forming apparatus when the apparatus is manipulated only by this control panel  120 B because the level (arrow a 1 ) of the unit is low.  
           [0019]    First, providing the control panel  120 A even to the side of the reader apparatus  110 B may be a solution but increases the costs of the apparatus. Second, lifting a level of the printer apparatus  111 B as to render the control panel  120 B easily controlled is another solution, but this narrows the delivery section  112 B, thereby making the user difficult to pick up the sheets. The high level of the reader apparatus  110 B generates problems such that the copied original documents are not easily placed.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0020]    It is an object of the invention to provide an image forming apparatus in which an image reader can be attached directly to a printer apparatus.  
           [0021]    It is another object of the invention to provide an image forming apparatus in which delivered sheets can be pulled out between an optionally provided image reader and a printer apparatus.  
           [0022]    It is yet another object of the invention to provide an image forming apparatus including a printer apparatus having a sheet delivery portion at a top thereof; and a frame arranged at a top surface of the printer apparatus as to extend in substantially a letter L-shape to a rear side and one lateral side of the printer apparatus, wherein an image reader is optionally attached to the top surface of the frame, and wherein a sheet can be pulled out of both of a front side and another lateral side at which no frame is provided.  
           [0023]    Further objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0024]    [0024]FIG. 1 is a structural illustration showing a photocopying image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 2 is an illustration showing a printer apparatus and a reader apparatus;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 3 is an illustration showing the printer apparatus;  
         [0027]    FIGS.  4 ( a ) to  4 ( c ) are illustrations showing a housing of the printer apparatus;  
         [0028]    FIGS.  5 ( a ) to  5 ( d ) are illustrations showing coupling of the printer apparatus and the reader apparatus;  
         [0029]    FIGS.  6 ( a ) to  6 ( e ) are illustrations showing coupling of the printer apparatus and the reader apparatus;  
         [0030]    FIGS.  7 ( a ),  7 ( b ) are illustrations showing coupling of the printer apparatus and the reader apparatus;  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 8 is an illustration showing a photocopying image forming apparatus;  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 9 is an illustration showing a housing for supporting the reader apparatus of the printer apparatus;  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a photocopying image forming apparatus;  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 11 is an illustration showing a display panel of a control panel;  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 12 is a structural diagram showing a photocopying image forming apparatus as a prior art;  
         [0036]    FIGS.  13 ( a ) to  13 ( c ) are illustrations showing a printer apparatus, a reader apparatus, and a rack apparatus as a prior art;  
         [0037]    FIGS.  14 ( a ),  14 ( b ) are structural illustrations showing a photocopying image forming apparatus as a prior art; and  
         [0038]    [0038]FIG. 15 is a structural illustration showing a photocopying image forming apparatus as a prior art. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0039]    Referring to the drawings, an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention is described.  
         [0040]    [First Embodiment] 
         [0041]    [Whole Apparatus Structure] 
         [0042]    First, referring to FIG. 1, the whole structure of a photocopying image forming apparatus  114 C in which an image reading apparatus  110 C (hereinafter referred to as “reader apparatus”) and an image recording apparatus  111 C (hereinafter referred to as “printer apparatus”) are coupled.  
         [0043]    It is to be noted that the printer apparatus  111 C can be used solely, and functions as an image forming apparatus serving as a photocopier or facsimile machine capable of reading or recording images upon coupling a reader apparatus  110 C.  
         [0044]    The basic structure of image reading and image recording is substantially the same as the structure of the prior art. That is, an original document automatic feeding apparatus  40 C feeds an original document on an original document glass  201 C when a copying button is pushed, and an exposing apparatus  202 C radiates the original document and moves in arrow a direction to scan the entire side of the original document.  
         [0045]    Light beam radiating the original document from the exposing apparatus is reflected at second and third mirrors  203 C and converges on a CCD  204 C by lens. The original document read by the CCD  204 C is sent to a laser scanner  100 C upon conversion to an electrical signal at the image processing section. An image recording optical system scans beam corresponding to image information radiated from the laser scanner  100 C to converge images on a photosensitive drum  101 C to produce an electrostatic latent image. The electrostatic latent image is developed by a developing device  102 C.  
         [0046]    Recording sheets are set in a feeding cassette IC and contained in the apparatus body. When the feeding cassette IC is set with the body, a sheet surface in the feeding cassette IC is lifted by a lifting motor, not shown, to render the sheets ready to be fed. The recording sheets start to be moved according to rotation of a feeding roller  2 C, are separated sheet by sheet with separation roller pair  3 C,  4 C, and are conveyed to the registration roller pair  7 C,  8 C via upstream side conveyance roller pair  5 C.  6 C.  
         [0047]    The recording sheets whose registration, or position, is corrected by the registration roller pair  7 C,  8 C are further conveyed to a transfer section, and the images previously developed by the developing device  102 C are transferred with the photosensitive drum  101 C and a transfer roller  103 C on a recording sheet.  
         [0048]    Recording sheets to which the images are thus transferred are removed from the photosensitive drum  101 C by a separation charger. Then, a fixing device  11 C fixes the images on the recording sheets via a conveyance section  10 C and delivers the sheets with any of a first delivery roller  12 C, a second delivery roller  13 C, and a third delivery roller  14 C, thereby finishing a photocopier operation on one side.  
         [0049]    [Coupling Structure of the Reader Apparatus and the Printer Apparatus] 
         [0050]    Subsequently, a coupling method of the reader apparatus  110 C and the printer apparatus  111 C is described in reference to FIG. 2 to FIG. 11.  
         [0051]    [0051]FIG. 2(A) is a perspective illustration showing the printer apparatus  111 C and the reader apparatus  110 C of the embodiment. It is to be noted that arrow b direction in FIG. 2(A) is a direction toward the apparatus front; the proximal end of arrow b is a front side of the apparatus; and the distal end of arrow b is a rear aide of the apparatus.  
         [0052]    The printer apparatus  111 C has a structure that the reader apparatus  110 C is directly placed to a top of the printer apparatus  111 C, requiring no rack apparatus unlike the prior art, so that the costs for the apparatus becomes inexpensive. The printer apparatus  111 C therefore has a housing or frame for supporting the reader apparatus  110 C at the top of the printer apparatus  111 C; side walls  121 C,  122 C (hatching regions in FIG. 2(A)) of two directions other than the front side extend upward (arrow c direction) so as to open a delivery portion  112 C when viewed from a front side of the printer apparatus  111 C (arrow b direction); a holding portion  123 C couples the two side walls  121 C,  122 C as to connect the two walls. The reader apparatus  110 C is to be mounted on the top surface of the holding portion  123 C.  
         [0053]    A control panel  120 C for instructing the apparatus manipulations is secured to an upper portion of the side wall  122 C for mounting the reader apparatus  110 C and is arranged at a location where the users can control easily.  
         [0054]    It is to be noted that the side wall serving as a holding portion for the reader apparatus  110 C can be placed at a region  151 C (hatching region in FIG. 2(B)) opposing to the delivery section  150 C in arrow E direction as shown in FIG. 2(B). If the side wall is provided at this region, however, the delivered recording sheets are difficult to be pulled out by the users, so that it is desirable to place the side wall  122  at the portion of the delivery means as described above whereas the side wall  121 C is placed on the rear side of the apparatus body.  
         [0055]    If a side wall is arranged at the region  151 C opposing to the delivery section  150 C in arrow E direction, a side wall  129 D having an opening  130 D (hatching region in FIG. 3) is desirably arranged as shown in FIG. 3 so as to allow the users to pull out the recording sheets from arrow F direction, and in such a situation, the side walls are constituted of three faces ( 121 D,  122 D,  129 D).  
         [0056]    [Housing Structure] 
         [0057]    A housing structure of the printer apparatus  111 C to which the reader apparatus can be mounted is described in reference to FIG. 4. FIG. 4(A) shows the housing of the printer apparatus  111 C. A front frame  124 C and a rear frame  125 C of the body extend upwardly (arrow C direction), and a holding frame  126 C is secured to a top surface of the body as to connect the front frame  124  and the rear frame  125 C. That is, the hosing for holding the reader apparatus  110 C is structured of a body frame of the printer apparatus  111 C.  
         [0058]    It is to be noted that as shown in FIG. 4(B), a top cover  127 C is secured to a top surface of the holding frame  126 C so as to constitute a top outer portion of the printer apparatus  111 C. Numeral  128 C is a holding surface on which the reader apparatus is mounted. In this structure, the surfaces  128 C are provided at three locations, and those can raise the accuracy of the level direction (arrow C direction) where the surfaces are provided at or more locations.  
         [0059]    It is to be noted that FIG. 4(C) shows cross section d-d in FIG. 4(B) as a cross section of the holding surface  128 C. The holding surface  128 C of the top cover  127 C is made higher than the other surface  129 C, and with the top cover  127 C, the level at which the reader apparatus  110 C is mounted becomes highly accurate only by rendering accurate the size in the level direction (arrow C direction) of the holding surface  128 C (three locations in this embodiment), so that the position in the level direction of the reader apparatus is guaranteed. It is to be noted that the levels of the holding surfaces  128 C at three locations become substantially the same in this embodiment.  
         [0060]    Substantially the same advantages can be obtained even without the holding frame  126 C, if the front frame  124 C and the rear frame  125 C support the holding surfaces  128 C for guaranteeing the level of the reader apparatus  110 C.  
         [0061]    [Coupling of the Printer Apparatus and the Reader Apparatus] 
         [0062]    Next, the steps for coupling the reader apparatus  110 C to the printer apparatus  111 C are described in reference to FIG. 5 through FIG. 7.  
         [0063]    As shown in FIG. 5(A), two blinding portion  131 C located on a rear side of the control panel  120 C secured to the printer apparatus  111 C are cut out by a nipper or the like. It is to be noted that although in this embodiment the blinding portions  131 C are provided, such a blinding portion may not be provided, and if no blinding portion is placed, the process at the step shown in FIG. 5(A) is unnecessary.  
         [0064]    Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 5(B), front fixing member  132 C for the reader apparatus  110 C are attached at two locations by screws  133 .  
         [0065]    As shown in FIG. 5(C), the rear holding member  134 C for the reader apparatus is secured to the holding member  123 C at two locations by screws  135 C from the rear side of the printer apparatus  111 C.  
         [0066]    As shown in FIG. 5(D), the reader apparatus  110 C is moved in arrow G direction, and position alignment holes  136 C formed at the reader apparatus  110 C are inserted into the front fixing member  132 C for the reader apparatus. The reader apparatus  110 C are thus aligned in arrow H 1 , H 2  directions.  
         [0067]    As shown in FIG. 6(A), the screws  137 C for securing the optical apparatus in the reader apparatus  110 C are disengaged (at three locations).  
         [0068]    Then, as shown in FIG. 6(B), a connector for power supply of an original document automatic feeding apparatus  40 C, and fixing screws  140 C for a rear cover  139 C of the reader apparatus  110 C are disengaged, and the rear cover  139 C is detached.  
         [0069]    As shown in FIGS.  6 (C),  6 (D), a rear fixing member  141 C for the reader apparatus is secured to the rear holding member  134 C for the reader apparatus by screws  142 C. This makes grounded a holding member  143 C of the reader apparatus  110 C and the rear holding member  134 C for the reader apparatus and aligned the reader apparatus  110  in arrow J, K directions.  
         [0070]    As described above, by coupling the front fixing member  132 C for the reader apparatus described with FIG. 5(D) with the rear fixing member  141 C for the reader apparatus described with FIG. 6(C), (D), the reader apparatus  110 C can be positionally restricted in all directions of arrows H, J, K shown in FIG. 6(E). This refrains the users from touching the reader apparatus  110 C and the reader apparatus  110 C from moving even when an earthquake occurs.  
         [0071]    Next, as shown in FIG. 7(A), the communication cable  117 C for the reader apparatus  110 C and the printer apparatus  111 C is connected, and as shown in FIG. 7(B), a power supply cable  119 C is connected for supplying electrical power to the reader apparatus  110 C from the printer apparatus  111   c.    
         [0072]    A cable for a heater preventing the moisture from condensing on the reader apparatus incorporated in the reader apparatus  110 C may be connected when necessary.  
         [0073]    As described above, by assembling the reader apparatus  110 C to the printer apparatus  111 C, coupling of the reader apparatus  110 C and the printer apparatus  111 C is completed with a preparation against earthquake. It is to be noted that the steps in FIGS.  7 (A),  7 (B) are completed if the reader apparatus  110 C are placed on the printer apparatus  111 C.  
         [0074]    [Layout of Cable and Delivery Means] 
         [0075]    Next, the layout of respective cables and delivery means is described. FIG. 8 is for a layout in which the printer apparatus  111 C is placed with the reader apparatus  110 C; FIG. 8(A) is a front perspective view; FIG. 8(B) is an illustration viewed from the rear side. The communication cable  117 C and the power supply cable  119 C are coupled.  
         [0076]    [0076]FIG. 9(A) is an illustration of the image forming apparatus viewed from the front side; FIG. 9(B) is an illustration of the image forming apparatus viewed from the rear side. As shown in FIG. 9(A), the side wall  122 C is disposed over a first delivering means  145 C, and utilizing this space, a second delivering means  146 C and a third delivering means  147 C can be arranged above the first delivering means  145 C. This layout allows the first to third delivering means to serve as multiple delivery outlets in matching to use of the users such as the delivery outlets special for, e.g., photocopier, printer, and facsimile machine.  
         [0077]    Thus, since the side wall  122 C for mounting the reader apparatus  110 C is arranged over the first delivering means  145 C, the optional delivering means  146 C,  147 C can be placed and can improve the usability.  
         [0078]    As shown in FIG. 9(B), the side wall  121 C for mounting the reader apparatus  110 C extends upward on the rear side of the printer apparatus. This structure allows electrical controlling members such as a printer controller  115 C for electrically controlling the printer apparatus mechanism incorporated in the printer apparatus  111 C and a DC controller  149 C for controlling a hard disc drive  148 C and respective drive sources, thereby utilizing advantageously the space on a rear side of the body.  
         [0079]    The electrically controlling members (the printer controller  115 C, the hard disc drive  148 C, and DC controller  149 C) can be arranged near the reader apparatus  110 C, so that the communication cable  117 C for coupling the printer controller  115 C with the reader controller  116 C, and the power supply cable  119 C from the printer apparatus power unit  118 C to the reader apparatus  110 C are shortened, and so that an effect is obtainable against electromagnetic noises. Thus, by providing the layout for the electrically controlling members (the printer controller  115 C, the hard disc drive  148 C, and the DC controller  149 C) from an extension of the mounting region on the rear side of the printer apparatus  111 C, the depth L of the printer apparatus  111 C as shown in FIG. 10 can be reduced, thereby rendering the size of the entire apparatus compact.  
         [0080]    [Controlling Panel] 
         [0081]    The controlling panel  120 C for instructing the apparatus manipulations is formed at the housing for mounting the reader apparatus  110 C, is secured on a front side of the apparatus body over the side wall  122 C as described above, and is disposed at a position allowing the users to manipulate easily the panel.  
         [0082]    The controlling panel  120 C is structured for a common controlling panel used for the printer apparatus and for the photocopying image forming apparatus.  
         [0083]    In the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment described above, the housing for holding the reader apparatus  110 C on the printer apparatus  111 C is provided to make unnecessary a separated arrangement of the rack apparatus for mounting the reader apparatus like in the prior art, so that the apparatus can be formed with greatly decreased costs.  
         [0084]    Because the sheet delivery portion of the printer apparatus  111 C is located at a lower portion of the reader apparatus  110 C when the reader apparatus  110 C is coupled to the top of the printer apparatus  111 C, and because the side walls  121 C,  122 C serving as holding portions for holding the reader apparatus  110 C are formed at two sides other than the front side of the apparatus body, the recorded sheets can be pulled out from the front side at an upper portion of the image forming apparatus, so that the sheets can be pulled out easily. The reader apparatus is accurately arranged by placing at the same level all of the holding surfaces placed at three or more locations for mounting the reader apparatus  110 C.  
         [0085]    Furthermore, the optional delivering means and the electrical controlling means can be arranged in the housing, so that the delivering means can be formed with good extensionality, so that the electrostatic noises can be reduced, and so that the entire apparatus body can be made compact as the mounting space is extended.  
         [0086]    The arrangement of the common controlling panel  120 C on a front side of the housing allows the controlling panel  120 C to be placed at the level that the users can easily manipulate the panel  120 C and renders unnecessary formation of respective controlling panels to the printer apparatus and the reader apparatus where the apparatus is extended from the mere printer apparatus  111 C to the photocopying image forming apparatus to which the printer apparatus  111 C and the reader apparatus  110 C are coupled, so that the controlling panel can be placed at the most appropriate location as reducing the part numbers.  
         [0087]    [Second Embodiment] 
         [0088]    Next, as a second embodiment, an example in which a display screen of the controlling panel is switched between a case where the apparatus above described is solely used as a printer apparatus and a case where the apparatus is used as a photocopying image forming apparatus coupling the printer apparatus and the reader apparatus.  
         [0089]    It is to be noted that the printer apparatus, the reader apparatus, and the coupled structure of those are the same as structures in the first embodiment described above.  
         [0090]    The common controlling panel  120 C is provided for a situation where the apparatus is used as the printer apparatus  111 C and for a situation where the apparatus is used as the photocopying image forming apparatus, and has various manipulation monitor screens.  
         [0091]    Upon connection via the communication cable  117 C shown in FIG. 7(A) between the printer apparatus  111 C and the reader apparatus  110 C, the apparatus body recognizes switching to the photocopying image forming apparatus to which the printer apparatus  111 C and the reader apparatus  110 C are coupled. The screen is switched, upon turning on and off of the power switch, from a display screen of the controlling panel for the printer as shown in FIG. 11(A) to a display screen of the controlling panel for photocopying image forming apparatus at which photocopying, printing, and faxing are selectable as shown in FIG. 11(B).  
         [0092]    With the display screen of the controlling panel for the printer as shown in FIG. 11(A), there is no indication of photocopying and faxing, and as electrical information, the screen shows information such as “BOX” as a holder for accumulating respective sources of information by the users stored in the electrical memory or other information accumulating apparatus in the printer apparatus body as well as information of the printer apparatus.  
         [0093]    On the other hand, with display screen of the controlling panel for photocopying image forming apparatus as shown in FIG. 11(B), indicated are photocopy, facsimile, print (box), and extension (network information), and where the reader apparatus and facsimile machine is added to the printer apparatus  111 C, this apparatus becomes the photocopying image forming apparatus in a multi-form of photocopier, facsimile machine, and printer.  
         [0094]    It is to be noted that although in this embodiment the distinction between the using state for the printer apparatus and the using state for the photocopying image forming apparatus depends on whether the communication cable  117 C is connected or disconnected, other structures may be possible such that the distinction is made depending on whether a cable for coupling when the reader apparatus is grounded is connected or disconnected, that the distinction is made depending on a switch provided for the printer apparatus or the reader apparatus, and that the distinction is made depending on an occurrence of downloading or memory replacement when the reader apparatus is grounded.  
         [0095]    Thus, the screen of the display portion of the common controlling panel is automatically switched depending on the situations where the apparatus is used solely as the printer apparatus  111 C and where the apparatus is used as the photocopying image forming apparatus in which the printer apparatus  111 C is coupled to the reader apparatus  110 C, thereby improving the usability.  
         [0096]    It is to be noted that the structure that the controlling panel for controlling the printer apparatus  111 C and the controlling panel for controlling the photocopying image forming apparatus are made common and that the display screen of the controlling panel when the apparatus is used solely as the printer apparatus  111 C and when the apparatus is used as the photocopying image forming apparatus in which the printer apparatus  111 C is coupled to the reader apparatus  110 C, is automatically switched, is advantageous not only for a situation where the reader apparatus  110 C is arranged on the housing of the printer apparatus  111 C as described above but also for a distinction made at a glance to the screen of the controlling panel as to whether the apparatus is usable solely for the printer apparatus  111 C or for the photocopying image forming apparatus even though the apparatus is useable as a photocopying image forming apparatus coupling the reader apparatus with the printer apparatus where the reader apparatus  110 C is arranged on a lateral side of the printer apparatus  111 C.  
         [0097]    This invention, as described above, enhances the layout space of respective apparatuses constituting the image forming apparatus without needing any separate rack or the like but with lower costs, upon the arrangement of the reader apparatus to the housing of the printer apparatus where the image forming apparatus of an intra-machine delivery type is constituted from coupling of the reader apparatus and the printer apparatus, and enables the best layout of the respective parts.  
         [0098]    Descriptions of the embodiments of the invention are as the above, but the invention is not limited to those embodiments, and various modifications can be made within a scope of technological conception of the invention.