Image forming apparatus

An image forming apparatus including an image reading section; a sheet feeding section; an image forming section configured to form an image on the sheet of the receiving material fed from the sheet feeding section; and a sheet discharging section located below the image reading section and configured to discharge the sheet bearing the image fed from the image forming section, wherein the sheet discharging section includes an outlet from which the sheet bearing the image is drawn; an inlet which is located on an upstream side from the outlet relative to the sheet discharging direction and from which the sheet bearing the image is discharged by the image forming section; a sheet receiving portion which receives the sheet bearing the image discharged from the inlet; and a top wall, and wherein the top wall is slanting upward in the sheet discharging direction.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, such as copiers and printers.

2. Discussion of the Background

There is a background image forming apparatus having a configuration as illustrated inFIG. 1. Referring toFIG. 1, an image forming apparatus100includes an image reading section101configured to read an original image to be copied; a sheet feeding section103configured to feed a sheet S of a receiving material; an image forming section105configured to form an image on the sheet S fed from the sheet feeding section103; and a sheet discharge section107to which the sheet bearing the image thereon is discharged.

As illustrated inFIG. 1, the sheet discharge section107projects from the main body of the image forming apparatus100. Therefore, the image forming apparatus100has a problem such that an extra space is needed for the sheet discharging section.

In attempting to solve such a problem, published unexamined Japanese patent application No. (hereinafter referred to as JP-A) 2004-226944 discloses an image forming apparatus in which a sheet discharging section is formed in an space between an image reading section and a sheet feeding section. This image forming apparatus has a configuration such that the sheet receiving portion (i.e., the bottom portion) of the sheet discharging section to which copied sheets are discharged is parallel to the top wall of the sheet discharging section.

In addition, JP-A 11-043253 discloses an image forming apparatus in which a sheet discharging section is formed in an space between an image reading section and a sheet feeding section, wherein part of the operational panel is made of a transparent material so that part of the sheet discharging section can be observed from the outside.

However, the image forming apparatus disclosed by JP-A 2004-226944 has a drawback in that a copy of a print (hereinafter referred to as a copy) present on the sheet receiving portion is hardly observed by a standing adult person because the sheet discharging section is located at a level of the hip of the person and the visual line of the person is obstructed by the top wall of the sheet discharging section. Particularly, when a small-size sheet (such as post cards and envelops) is discharged, the sheet cannot be observed by a standing adult person. Further, it is troublesome to draw a copy from the sheet discharging section particularly when the sheet is a small-size sheet. This is because insertion of a hand is obstructed by the top wall of the sheet discharging section.

The image forming apparatus disclosed by JP-A 11-043253 has drawbacks in that since part of the operation panel is made of a transparent material, the number of parts constituting the image forming apparatus increases, resulting in increase of costs, and in addition the image forming apparatus has a complex configuration.

Because of these reasons, a need exists for an image forming apparatus in which a discharged sheet can be easily observed by a standing person, and in addition a copy can be easily drawn from the sheet discharging section.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

As an aspect of the present invention, an image forming apparatus is provided which includes an image reading section configured to read an original image; a sheet feeding section configured to feed a sheet of a receiving material; an image forming section configured to form a copy image on the sheet of the receiving material fed from the sheet feeding section; and a sheet discharging section which is located below the image reading section and which is configured to discharge a copy fed from the image forming section. The sheet discharging section includes an outlet from which the copy is drawn; an inlet which is located on an upstream side from the outlet relative to the sheet discharging direction and from which the copy is discharged by the image forming section; a sheet receiving portion which receives the copy discharged from the inlet; and a top wall, wherein the top wall is slanting upward in the sheet discharging direction (i.e., the gap between the sheet receiving portion and the top wall is larger at the outlet of the sheet discharging section than at the inlet thereof).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

At first, a first example of the image forming apparatus of the present invention will be explained in detail by reference toFIGS. 2-4.

FIGS. 2-4are respectively a vertical section, a transverse sectional view and a perspective view illustrating the first example of the image forming apparatus of the present invention.

Referring toFIGS. 2-4, an image forming apparatus1is an inkjet copier, and includes an image reading section3(serving as image reading means) configured to read the image of an original document; a sheet discharging section9(serving as sheet discharging means) located below the image reading section3; a sheet feeding section5(serving as sheet feeding means) located below the sheet discharging section9; and an image forming section7(serving as image forming means) configured to form a copy of the original image on a sheet fed from the sheet feeding section5and to discharge the copy to the sheet discharging section9. The sheet feeding section5and the image forming section7is arranged in a case2of the main body of the image forming apparatus.

The sheet feeding section5includes a pickup roller12aconfigured to pickup an uppermost sheet S of sheets set in the sheet feeding section5. The sheet S picked up the pickup roller12ais fed by a feeding roller12b, which is provided in a sheet feeding passage, to a feeding belt12c, at which the sheet S faces a printhead11.

The image forming section7is located so as to be adjacent to an inlet23of the sheet discharging section9. As illustrated inFIG. 3, the image forming section7includes the printhead11(serving as inkjet means) which is supported by two guides10and which is driven by a driving device so as to make back and forth movement in a main scanning direction. The printhead11ejects ink drops toward the sheet S on the feeding belt12cwhile the printhead makes back and forth movement in the main scanning direction and the sheet S is fed in the sub-scanning direction, resulting in formation of an image on the sheet S (i.e., formation of a copy).

The printhead11is connected with an ink tank31(serving as ink storage means) via an ink feeding tube15(serving as ink feeding means) to receive inks from the ink tank31. In addition, the printhead11is connected with a power source17via a flexible cable16(i.e., a printhead control cable serving as inkjet controlling means). The power source17, which also serves as a controller (controlling means), applies a driving power and a drive control signal to a driving motor (not shown) to drive the printhead11and the feeding belt12c. Further, a drive control unit18is provided along the guides10in the case2.

In the case2of the main body of the image forming apparatus, right and left portions2aand2bare provided on both sides of an outlet21of the sheet discharge section9. An ink cartridge setting portion14(serving as ink cartridge receiving means) is provided in one of the right and left portions2aand2bso that an ink cartridge13can be set therein. InFIG. 3, the ink cartridge setting portion14is provided in the right side portion2a. When the ink cartridge13is attached to or detached from the image forming apparatus1, a front cover2d(illustrated inFIG. 4) is opened. The ink cartridge setting portion14is connected with the ink tank31through a tube28(illustrated inFIG. 3) to supply inks to the ink tank31.

The sheet discharging section9includes an inlet23from which a copy (i.e., a sheet bearing an image thereon) is discharged, a sheet receiving portion24(serving as sheet receiving means) which receives the copy discharged from the inlet23, the outlet21from which the copy present on the sheet receiving portion24is drawn, and a top wall20facing the sheet receiving portion24.

The top wall20is slanting upward in the direction of from the inlet23to the outlet21. In addition, the top wall20has two slanting portions, i.e., first and second slanting portions27and25. As illustrated inFIG. 2, the first slanting portion27, which is near the inlet23, has a slanting angle α and the second slanting portion25, which is near the outlet21, has a slanting angle β, wherein α<β. In this regard, the slanting angle β of the second slanting portion is preferably from 50° to 70° and more preferably about 60°. The slanting angle α of the first slanting portion is preferably from 30° to 50° and more preferably about 40°.

As illustrated inFIG. 2, the ink tank31, the power source17, the ink feeding tube15, and the flexible cable16are arranged in a space A formed between the top wall20of the sheet discharging section9and a case top wall32of the case2.

Next, the action and features of the image forming apparatus of the present invention will be explained. A print start signal is sent from an operation panel29(illustrated inFIG. 4and serving as operation means), the pickup roller12a, the feeding roller12band the feeding belt12care rotated to feed the sheet S in the sheet feeding section5one by one. Drops of color inks are ejected toward the sheet S from the printhead11which makes a back and forth movement in the main scanning direction while the sheet S is fed in the sub-scanning direction, to from a color image on the sheet S. The sheet S bearing the color image thereon is discharged from the inlet23of the sheet discharging section9so as to be stacked on the sheet receiving portion24. The sheet S on the sheet receiving portion24is drawn from the outlet21by hand.

Since the sheet discharging section9has a configuration such that the top wall20thereof is slanting upward in the sheet discharging direction of from the inlet23to the outlet21(i.e., the space of the sheet discharging section9at the outlet side thereof is wider than that at the inlet side thereof), a visual line H (illustrated inFIG. 2) of a user standing in front of the image forming apparatus1is not obstructed by the top wall20. Namely, the sheet S (i.e., the copy) on the sheet receiving portion24can be observed by the user even when the sheet S is a small-size sheet such as letters and envelops. Therefore, occurrence of a problem in that a copy remains in the sheet discharging section9without being drawn therefrom can be prevented.

In addition, since the sheet discharging section9has a configuration such that the top wall20thereof is slanting upward in the sheet discharging direction of from the inlet23to the outlet21, a user can easily insert a hand into the sheet discharging section9, and therefore a copy on the sheet receiving portion24can be easily drawn from the sheet discharging section9.

Further, since the top wall20thereof is merely slanted upward in the sheet discharging direction, the sheet discharging section9has a simple configuration.

Furthermore, since the second slanting portion25of the top wall20has a greater slanting angle than the first slanting portion27, the space of the sheet discharging section9on the side of the outlet21can be widened. Therefore, a copy on the sheet receiving portion24can be more easily drawn from the sheet discharging section9.

Since the slanting angle α of the first slanting portion27is less than the slanting angle β of the second slanting portion25, the visual line H of a user, which is along the surface of the second slanting portion25, is not obstructed by the surface of the first slanting portion27, and therefore the visual line H can reach an inner portion of the sheet discharging section9. Therefore, occurrence of a problem in that a copy remains in the sheet discharging section9without being drawn therefrom can be prevented even when the sheet has a small size (such as A-6 size sheets).

The ink tank31, the power source17, the ink feeding tube15and the flexible cable16are arranged in the space A formed between the top wall20and the case top wall32of the case2, the space A is effectively used. Therefore, the image forming apparatus has a compact configuration.

Further, the ink cartridge13is set in the ink cartridge setting portion14provided in the right side portion2awithout projecting from the main body of the image forming apparatus, and therefore the image forming apparatus has good appearance.

Next, other examples of the image forming apparatus will be explained by reference toFIGS. 5-9. Since like reference characters designate like corresponding parts inFIGS. 2-9, the detailed explanation of the parts, which have been explained above in the first example, is omitted here and the difference between the examples and the first example will be mainly explained.

FIG. 5illustrates a second example of the image forming apparatus of the present invention.

In the image forming apparatus, the top wall20of the sheet discharging section9is slanting upward in the sheet discharging direction, wherein the surface of the top wall20is curved. This second example also has the same action and features as those of the first example.

FIGS. 6 and 7illustrate a third example of the image forming apparatus of the present invention. In the third example, the ink cartridge setting portion14is provided on an upper portion2dof the left side portion2bof the main body of the image forming apparatus1. As illustrated inFIG. 6, the ink cartridge setting portion14is located on an upper level or the same level as that of the ink tank31. Therefore, a pump configured to feed the inks from the ink cartridge setting portion14to the ink tank31can feed the inks with a low driving force.

FIGS. 8 and 9illustrate a fourth example of the image forming apparatus of the present invention. An original pressing member3aof the image reading section3has the operation panel29on a front side thereof. As illustrated inFIG. 8, both of right and left side portions of the operation panel29are recessed in the direction of from the front side of the image forming apparatus to the rear side thereof. Namely, the operation panel29has a shape like a character D as illustrated inFIG. 8. Therefore, both of the side portions of the sheet receiving portion24can be observed through the recessed right and left side portions of the operation panel by a user standing in front of the image forming apparatus1as illustrated inFIG. 9. Therefore, occurrence of a problem in that a copy remains in the sheet discharging section9without being drawn therefrom can be prevented.

The image forming apparatus of the present invention is not limited to the above-described examples and many changes and modifications can be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

For example, the surfaces of the first and second slanting portions27and25are flat in the image forming apparatus illustrated inFIG. 2, but the surfaces may be curved.

In addition, in the second example of the image forming apparatus illustrated inFIG. 5, the surface of the top wall20is curved toward the outlet21, but may be curved in the opposite direction.

This document claims priority and contains subject matter related to Japanese Patent Applications Nos. 2006-105077, and 2007-055558 filed on Apr. 6, 2006, and Mar. 6, 2007, respectively, incorporated herein by reference.