Abstract:
An image forming apparatus includes a scanner section, an image forming section, and a functional unit. The scanner section is configured to read image information by scanning an image bearing side of a document sheet. The image forming section is located above or below the scanner section with a space section provided therebetween and is configured to perform image formation processing on a recording medium based on the image information read. The space section has at least one open vertical side. The functional unit is removably fitted into the space section through the open side.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE  
       [0001]     This Nonprovisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) on Patent Application No. 2004-368428 filed in Japan on Dec. 20, 2004, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus configured to perform image formation processing on a recording medium by an image forming section based on image information read from a document at a scanner section.  
         [0003]     Among conventional image forming apparatus, such as copying machines and multifunctional digital processors, of the type having a scanner section for reading image information from an image bearing side of a document sheet and an image forming section for performing image formation processing based on such image information, there is one which is provided with a post-processing device for performing post-processing on a recording medium finished with image formation. Examples of such post-processing to be performed by the post-processing device include punching and stapling.  
         [0004]     Further, such a conventional image forming apparatus is configured to deliver a recording medium finished image formation onto a delivered sheet tray fitted on a lateral side of the apparatus. For this reason, the post-processing device flanks the image forming apparatus to enlarge the footprint of the apparatus as a whole, with the result that the image forming apparatus requires an increased space for its installation.  
         [0005]     In attempt to avoid such an inconvenience, one known apparatus includes vertically arranged scanner section and image forming section with an intervening space section therebetween, a sheet delivery section formed in the space section, and a post-processing device disposed in the sheet delivery section, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-308520. This arrangement makes it possible to accommodate the post-processing device within the image forming apparatus thereby to reduce the installation space-for the apparatus.  
         [0006]     Because the conventional image forming apparatus, as a whole, has an integral configuration comprising the scanner section and the image forming section, the scanner section or the image forming section cannot individually be replaced with an alternative. For this reason, the conventional apparatus cannot flexibly accommodate changes in function such as processing speed changes or replacements required in the event of failure.  
         [0007]     In attempt to avoid such an inconvenience, one known apparatus has scanner section, operating section and image forming section designed in respective modules which are electrically interconnected after their positioning and fixing to enable easy changes in function or easy replacements in the event of failure, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-171372.  
         [0008]     Though the arrangement described in the former publication utilizes the space formed between the scanner section and the image forming section, the delivered sheet tray and the post-processing device are fixedly disposed in the space and, hence, the space cannot be utilized more effectively.  
         [0009]     The arrangement described in the latter publication is characterized by comprising replaceable modules or units for replacement when necessary for improvement in the performance of the apparatus, but is not designed to utilize such a space effectively.  
         [0010]     A feature of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus which is capable of easily and effectively utilizing its space section to meet a required function thereby facilitating changes in specifications about processing on recording mediums finished with image formation for improvement in versatility.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0011]     An image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes a scanner section, an image forming section, and a functional unit. The scanner section is configured to read image information by scanning an image bearing side of a document sheet. The image forming section is located above or below the scanner section with a space section provided therebetween and is configured to perform image formation processing on a recording medium based on the image information read. The space section has at least one open vertical side. The functional unit is removably fitted into the space section through the open side.  
         [0012]     It is possible that: the image forming section of the image forming apparatus is provided with a delivery section; and the functional unit comprises a delivered sheet tray. The delivery section is configured to deliver a recording medium having undergone image formation processing to the space section. The delivered sheet tray is configured to receive the recording medium delivered from the delivery section.  
         [0013]     It is possible that: the image forming apparatus according to the present invention further comprises a post-processing section; the image forming section is provided with a delivery section; and the functional unit comprises a transport path. The post-processing section is located on one lateral side of the space section and configured to perform post-processing on a recording medium having undergone image formation processing by the image forming section. The delivery section is configured to deliver the recording medium having undergone image formation processing to the space section. The transport path is configured to transport the recording medium delivered from the delivery section to the post-processing section.  
         [0014]     The foregoing and other features and attendant advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the reading of the following detailed description of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view showing the construction of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0016]      FIG. 2A  is a perspective view showing the image forming apparatus in a state where a functional unit is fitted in a space section of the apparatus;  
         [0017]      FIG. 2B  is a perspective view showing the image forming apparatus in a state where the functional unit is half fitted into or removed from the space section of the apparatus;  
         [0018]      FIG. 3A  is a schematic view showing the structure of a first functional unit for use in the image forming apparatus;  
         [0019]      FIG. 3B  is a schematic view showing the structure of a second functional unit for use in the image forming apparatus;  
         [0020]      FIG. 3C  is a schematic view showing the structure of a third functional unit for use in the image forming apparatus;  
         [0021]      FIG. 4A  is a perspective view showing an image forming apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention in a state where a functional unit is fitted in a space section of the apparatus; and  
         [0022]      FIG. 4B  is a perspective view showing the image forming apparatus according to the second embodiment in a state where the functional unit is half fitted into or removed from the space section of the apparatus. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0023]     Hereinafter, the construction of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.  FIG. 1  is a schematic view showing the construction of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The image forming apparatus  100  shown includes a scanner section  1 , an image forming section  2 , a sheet feed section  3 , a space section  4 , a delivery section  5 , and a post-processing device  6 .  
         [0024]     The image forming section  2  is disposed below the scanner section  1 , with the space section  4  and delivery section  5  intervening therebetween. The sheet feed section  3  is located below the image forming section  2 . The post-processing device  6 , which corresponds to the post-processing section defined by the present invention, is fitted on the left-hand side of the image forming apparatus  100 .  
         [0025]     The scanner section  1  includes a platen  11  on the upper side thereof, and, below the platen  11 , first and second scan units  12  and  13 , a lens  14 , and a solid-state imaging device (CCD)  15 . The first scan unit  12  carries a light source  16  and a mirror  17  thereon and is configured to move horizontally. The second scan unit  13  carries mirrors  18  and  19  thereon and is configured to move horizontally at a velocity ½ as high as the velocity of the first scan unit  12 .  
         [0026]     In the scanner unit  1 , the light source  16  exposes the entire surface of a document sheet placed on the platen  11  to light as the first and second scan units  12  and  13  move horizontally away from their home positions. Light emitted from the light source  16  and then reflected by the document sheet is guided toward the lens  14  with its optical path length kept constant by the mirrors  17  to  19 . The lens  14  focuses the reflected light on the light-receiving surface of the CCD  15 . The CCD  15  outputs an electric signal corresponding to the quantity of light of the reflected light received at the light-receiving surface to the image forming section  2 . The electric signal outputted from the scanner section  1  is converted to digital data, which in turn is subjected to predetermined image processing and then stored as image data in the image forming section  2 .  
         [0027]     A photosensitive drum  21  is rotatably supported in the image forming section  2 . Around the photosensitive drum  21  there are disposed an electrostatic charger  22 , an exposure unit  23 , a development unit  24  and a transfer roller  25 . The electrostatic charger  22  electrostatically charges the surface of the photosensitive drum  21  uniformly. The exposure unit  23  irradiates the surface of the photosensitive drum  21  with a light image modulated according to the image data to form an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photosensitive drum  21 . The development unit  24  feeds developer to the surface of the photosensitive drum  21  to develop the electrostatic latent image into a toner image. The transfer roller  25  is positioned opposite to the surface of the photosensitive drum  21  across a recording sheet fed from the sheet feed section  3  and produces a transfer electric field between the surface of the photosensitive drum  21  and the transfer roller  25  to transfer the toner image to the recording sheet.  
         [0028]     Within the image forming apparatus  100  the image forming section  2  is continuous with the delivery section  5 . The delivery section  5  is located on the right-hand side of the space section  4 . The image forming section  2  defines a sheet feed path  26  having a lower end continuous with the sheet feed section  2  and an upper end reaching the delivery section  5 . A fixing unit  27  is disposed on the sheet feed path  26 . The fixing unit  27  heats and pressurizes the recording sheet bearing the toner image transferred thereto to fix the toner image to the surface of the recording sheet. The delivery section  5  has vertically arranged two delivery ports  51  and  52  in communication with the space section  4 . The recording sheet having passed through the fixing unit  27  is delivered into the space section  4  by the delivery section  5 .  
         [0029]     The sheet feed section  3  includes sheet feed cassettes  31  and  32 , each of which contains a predetermined number of recording sheets. A manual feed tray  33  is attached to the right-hand side of the sheet feed section  3 . A predetermined number of recording sheets are placed on the manual feed tray  33 . The sheet feed section  3  feeds recording sheets one by one into the sheet feed path  26  of the image forming section  2  by a sheet feed roller  34 ,  35  or  36  rotating.  
         [0030]     The post-processing device  6  defines an inlet  62  in its upper portion on the right-hand side thereof and is fitted with plural trays arranged in tiers on the left-hand side thereof. The post-processing device  6  sorts or stacks plural recording sheets finished with image formation by means of the trays  61 , the recording sheets having been transported into the device  6  through the inlet  62 . The post-processing device  6  is optionally fitted to the image forming apparatus  100  as the need arises.  
         [0031]     The space section  4  has a rectangular parallelepiped configuration with its front and left-hand sides open. Rails  41  and  42  are fixed on the right and left edges of the bottom of the space section  4 . For example, the rail  41  has an L-shaped section that is invariant in the fore-and-aft direction and the rail  42  has an L-shaped section that is 90° rotated counterclockwise from the L-shape of the rail  41  and is invariant in the fore-and-aft direction. The rail  42  may be eliminated by the use of the left-hand sidewall of the delivery section  5  instead. A functional unit to be described later is removably fitted into the space section  4  from the front side.  
         [0032]      FIG. 2A  is a perspective view showing the image forming apparatus in a state where the functional unit is fitted in the space section of the apparatus and  FIG. 2B  is a perspective view showing the image forming apparatus in a state where the functional unit is half fitted into or removed from the space section of the apparatus. A projected figure of the functional unit  7  on the front side is the same as that of the space section  4  of the image forming apparatus  100  and is invariant in the fore-and-aft direction. Accordingly, the functional unit  7  can be fitted into the space section  4  from the front side of the space section  4  to assume the state shown in  FIG. 2A  via the state shown in  FIG. 2B . Also, the functional unit  7  can be withdrawn to assume the state shown in  FIG. 2B  from the state shown in  FIG. 2A . For fitting or removal of the functional unit  7  the rails  41  and  42  guide the functional unit  7  in the direction in which the functional unit  7  is required to move. Though not shown in  FIGS. 2A  and  2 B, the functional unit  7  is open on its right- and left-hand sides and front side.  
         [0033]      FIGS. 3A  to  3 C each schematically illustrates the structure of a functional unit for use in the aforementioned image forming apparatus. The first functional unit  7 A shown in  FIG. 3A  includes two delivered sheet trays  71  and  72  arranged in tiers therein. The second functional unit  7 B shown in  FIG. 3B  includes a transport path  73  in an upper portion within the unit  7 B and a delivered sheet tray  72  in a lower portion within the unit  7 B. The third functional unit  7 C shown in  FIG. 3C  includes delivered sheet tray  71  in an upper portion within the unit  7 C and transport path  73  in a lower portion within the unit  7 C.  
         [0034]     The delivered sheet trays  71  and  72  each receive and hold thereon recording sheets finished with image formation. Each of the delivered sheet trays  71  and  72  has an open upper side. The transport path  73  transports each recording sheet finished with image formation from the right-hand side to the post-processing device  6 . The transport path  73  has an inlet  73 A on the right-hand side and an outlet  73 B on the left-hand side. The front side of the transport path  73  can be closed and opened by means of a cover member.  
         [0035]     When the functional unit  7 A is fitted into the space section  4  of the image forming apparatus  100 , the two delivered sheet trays  71  and  72  are positioned in tiers in the space section  4 . The functional unit  7 A as fitted in the space section  4  has its right-hand side positioned close to the left-hand side of the delivery section  5 . In this state, the delivery ports  51  and  52  of the delivery section  5  are located on the upper right side of the delivered sheet tray  71  and the upper right side of the delivered sheet tray  72 , respectively. Since the right-hand side of the functional unit  7 A is open, each recording sheet delivered from the delivery port  51  is received and held on the delivered sheet tray  71 , while each recording sheet delivered from the delivery port  52  received and held on the delivered sheet tray  72 .  
         [0036]     The functional unit  7 A and the space section  4  are open on their left-hand sides and on their front sides and the delivered sheet trays  71  and  72  are open on their upper sides. For this reason, recording sheets held on the delivered sheet tray  71  or  72  can be removed from the left-hand side or front side of the image forming apparatus  100 .  
         [0037]     Since the scanner section  1  is located above the delivered sheet trays  71  and  72 , the image-bearing side of a recording sheet held on each of the delivered sheet trays  71  and  72  cannot easily be seen. Therefore, an outsider passing by the image forming apparatus  100  cannot easily see or read the details of the image formed on the recording sheet held on the delivered sheet tray  71  or  72  and, hence, the confidentiality of the image can be maintained.  
         [0038]     When the functional unit  7 B is fitted into the space section  4  of the image forming apparatus  100 , the transport path  73  is positioned above the delivered sheet tray  72  in the space section  4 . The functional unit  7 B as fitted in the space section  4  has its right-hand side positioned close to the left-hand side of the delivery section  5 . In this state, the delivery port  51  of the delivery section  5  faces the inlet  73 A of the transport path  73  while the delivery port  52  of the delivery section  5  is located on the upper right side of the delivered sheet tray  72 . Since the right-hand side of the functional unit  7 B is open, each recording sheet finished with image formation and delivered from the delivery port  51  is introduced into the transport path  73  while each recording sheet finished with image formation and delivered from the delivery port  52  received and held on the delivered sheet tray  72 .  
         [0039]     In the case where the functional unit  7 B is fitted in the space section  4 , the post-processing device  6  is fitted on the left-hand side of the image forming apparatus  100 . Therefore, the functional unit  7 B as fitted in the space section  4  has its left-hand side positioned close to the right-hand side of the post-processing device  6 . In this state, the outlet  73 B of the transport path  73  faces the inlet  62  of the post-processing device  6 . Since the left hand side of the functional unit  7 B is open, each recording sheet finished with image formation and delivered from the outlet  73 B is introduced into the post-processing device  6  through the inlet  62 .  
         [0040]     When the functional unit  7 C is fitted into the space section  4  of the image forming apparatus  100 , the delivered sheet tray  71  is positioned above the transport path  73  in the space section  4 . The functional unit  7 C as fitted in the space section  4  has its right-hand side positioned close to the left-hand side of the delivery section  5 . In this state, the delivery port  51  of the delivery section  5  is located on the upper right side of the delivered sheet tray  71  while the delivery port  52  of the delivery section  5  faces the inlet  73 A of the transport path  73 . Since the right-hand side of the functional unit  7 C is open, each recording sheet finished with image formation and delivered from the delivery port  51  is received and held on the delivered sheet tray  71  while each recording sheet finished with image formation and delivered from the delivery port  52  introduced into the transport path  73 .  
         [0041]     In the case where the functional unit  7 C is fitted in the space section  4 , another post-processing device not shown is fitted on the left-hand side of the image forming apparatus  100 . This post-processing device has an inlet positioned to face the outlet  73 B of the transport path  73  of the functional unit  7 C. Since the left hand side of the functional unit  7 C is open, each recording sheet finished with image formation and delivered from the outlet  73 B is introduced into the post-processing device through the inlet.  
         [0042]     Because the front side of the transport path  73  in the functional unit  7 B or  7 C can be closed and opened by means of the cover member, a recording sheet that remains within the transport path  73  when a paper jam occurs can be removed by opening the front side of the transport path  73 .  
         [0043]     As described above, the image forming apparatus  100  is configured to allow the functional unit  7  to be removably fitted into the space section  4  from the front side of the space section  4 . For this reason, even after installation of the image forming apparatus  100 , the delivery ports  51  and  52  of the delivery section  5  can be exposed by withdrawal of the functional unit  7  from the space section  4 . Thus, it is possible to facilitate maintenance operations including parts replacement operations in the vicinity of the delivery ports  51  and  52  of the delivery section  5  and jam eliminating operations.  
         [0044]      FIG. 4A  is a perspective view showing an image forming apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention in a state where a functional unit is fitted in a space section of the apparatus; and  FIG. 4B  is a perspective view showing the image forming apparatus according to this embodiment in a state where the functional unit is half fitted into or removed from the space section of the apparatus. In the image forming apparatus  200  shown, a rail  241  is fixed on the front edge of the bottom of the space section  4 . For example, the rail  41  has an L-shaped section that is invariant in the transverse direction. The image forming apparatus  200  is similar in other features to the image forming apparatus  100 .  
         [0045]     A projected figure of the functional unit  207  on the lateral side is the same as that of the space section  4  of the image forming apparatus  200  and is invariant in the transverse direction. Accordingly, the functional unit  207  can be fitted into the space section  4  from the left-hand side of the space section  4  to assume the state shown in  FIG. 4A  via the state shown in  FIG. 4B . Also, the functional unit  207  can be withdrawn to assume the state shown in  FIG. 4B  from the state shown in  FIG. 4A . For fitting or removal of the functional unit  7  the rear wall of the space section  4  and the rail  241  guide the functional unit- 207  in the direction in which the functional unit  207  is required to move.  
         [0046]     Though not shown in  FIGS. 4A and 4B , the functional unit  207  is open on its right- and left-hand sides and front side. Further, the functional unit  207  has an inside structure as same as any one of the structures shown in  FIGS. 3A  to  3 C, like the functional unit  7 .  
         [0047]     As described above, the image forming apparatus  200  is configured to allow the functional unit  207  to be removably fitted into the space section  4  from the left-hand side of the space section  4 . For this reason, even after installation of the image forming apparatus  200 , the delivery ports  51  and  52  of the delivery section  5  can be exposed by withdrawing the functional unit  207  toward the left-hand side of the image forming apparatus  200  to a certain extent without the need to completely removing the functional unit  207  from the space section  4 . Thus, it is possible to facilitate maintenance operations including parts replacement operations in the vicinity of the delivery ports  51  and  52  of the delivery section  5  and jam eliminating operations.  
         [0048]     The foregoing embodiments are illustrative in all points and should not be construed to limit the present invention. The scope of the present invention is defined not by the foregoing embodiment but by the following claims. Further, the scope of the present invention is intended to include all modifications within the meanings and scopes of claims and equivalents.