Abstract:
An operating device to operate an electronic device, includes: a display that displays a status of the electronic device; an execution part that restarts an operation of the electronic device; and a stoppage part that stops the operation of the electronic device, the display and the execution part being provided as a group, and the stoppage part being provided away from the display and the execution part.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application is based on and claims priority under 35 USC 119 from Japanese Patent Application No. 2010-237319 filed Oct. 22, 2010. 
       BACKGROUND 
     Technical Field 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to an operating device and an image forming apparatus. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an operating device to operate an electronic device, including: a display that displays a status of the electronic device; an execution part that restarts an operation of the electronic device; and a stoppage part that stops the operation of the electronic device, the display and the execution part being provided as a group, and the stoppage part being provided away from the display and the execution part. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0004]    An exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail based on the following figures, wherein: 
           [0005]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an image forming apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of the image forming apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention viewed from a side surface; 
           [0007]      FIG. 3  schematically shows an operating device according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0008]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view along a line A-A in  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0009]      FIG. 5  is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of the image forming apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0010]      FIGS. 6A to 6D  are explanatory views of an operation of a display upon exhaustion of recording medium; and 
           [0011]      FIGS. 7A to 7D  are explanatory views of an operation of the display upon exhaustion of toner in a container. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0012]    An exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the drawings. 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an image forming apparatus  10  according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0014]    The image forming apparatus  10  has a case body  12 . An upper part of the case body  12  is used as a discharge part  14  to which an image-formed recording medium is discharged. 
         [0015]    An operating device  16  is provided on the front side of the case body  12 . 
         [0016]    The case body  12  is provided with an attachment opening/closing part  22  and a paper-feed opening/closing part  24  respectively openably/closably with respect to the case body  12 . An attachment device  32  to which containers  30 Y,  30 M,  30 C and  30 K are attached is provided in the case body  12 . 
         [0017]    The attachment opening/closing part  22  is opened when the containers  30 Y,  30 M,  30 C and  30 K used as image forming agent containers are attached in the case body  12  or when the containers  30 Y,  30 M,  30 C and  30 K are removed from the case body  12 . Further, the attachment opening/closing part  22  is closed when an image is formed. 
         [0018]    Note that in the exemplary embodiment, the opening/closing of the attachment opening/closing part  22  is made by rotation about a rear part of the case body  12  (a support point is formed on the side of a shorter side of the attachment opening/closing part  22 ); however, the present invention is not limited to this arrangement, and rotation may be made about a side part of the case body  12  (a support point is formed on the side of a longer side of the attachment opening/closing part  22 ). 
         [0019]    The paper-feed opening/closing part  24  is opened when recording media are supplied from the front side of the case body  12 . 
         [0020]    The containers  30 Y,  30 M,  30 C and  30 K respectively contain yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C) and black (K) toner used as image forming agents. 
         [0021]    The containers  30 Y,  30 M and  30 C respectively have the same shape and size and contain approximately the same volume of toner. 
         [0022]    The container  30 K has a shape longer than the containers  30 Y,  30 M and  30 C, and has a capacity larger than that of the containers  30 Y,  30 M and  30 C so as to contain toner in a larger volume than that of these containers  30 Y,  30 M and  30 C. 
         [0023]    Although the containable volume of toner of the containers  30 Y,  30 M and  30 C is different from that of the container  30 K, the constituent elements and functions are the same. 
         [0024]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of the image forming apparatus  10  viewed from a side surface. 
         [0025]    An image forming part  40 , a recording medium supply device  42  to supply a recording medium to the image forming part  40 , and a conveyance passage  44  used for conveyance of the recording medium are provided in the case body  12 . 
         [0026]    The image forming part  40 , the recording medium supply device  42  and the conveyance passage  44  constitute an image forming part that forms an image on a recording medium. 
         [0027]    The image forming part  40  has e.g. four image forming units  52 Y,  52 M,  52 C and  52 K, a latent image forming device  54  and a transfer device  56 . The image forming units  52 Y,  52 M,  52 C and  52 K respectively form a developer image using Y, M, C and K toner. 
         [0028]    Hereinbelow, generic designation such as an “image forming unit  52 ” without Y, M, C or K corresponding to each color may be used. Further, generic designation may be similarly used regarding other constituent elements (container  30 , a photoreceptor drum  62  and the like). 
         [0029]    The image forming unit  52  has a photoreceptor drum  62  used as an image holder, a charging device  64  to charge the photoreceptor drum  62 , a developing device  66  to form a toner image by developing an electrostatic latent image formed with a latent image forming device  54  on the surface of the photoreceptor drum  62  using toner, and a cleaning device  68  to clean the surface of the photoreceptor drum  62 . 
         [0030]    The developing device  66  is supplied with toner in a corresponding color from the container  30 . 
         [0031]    The transfer device  56  has a belt type intermediate transfer body  72  used as a transfer medium, first transfer rollers  74 Y,  74 M,  74 C and  74 K used as first transfer devices, a second transfer roller  76  used as a second transfer device, and a cleaning device  78  to clean the surface of the intermediate transfer body  72 . 
         [0032]    Toner images formed on the respective photoreceptor drums  62  are overlap-transferred on the intermediate transfer body  72 . The intermediate transfer body  72  is rotatably supported with e.g. four support rollers  82   a ,  82   b ,  82   c  and  82   d  used as support members. 
         [0033]    The first transfer rollers  74 Y,  74 M,  74 C and  74 K respectively transfer toner images corresponding to the respective colors formed on the photoreceptor drums  62 Y,  62 M,  62 C and  62 K to the intermediate transfer body  72 . 
         [0034]    The second transfer roller  76  transfers the respective color toner images transferred onto the intermediate transfer body  72  to a recording medium. 
         [0035]    The recording medium supply device  42  has a recording medium container  92  to contain recording media in e.g. a stacked state, an extraction roller  94  to extract a top recording medium contained in the recording medium container  92 , a conveyance roller  96  to convey the recording medium extracted with the extraction roller  94  toward the image forming part  40 , and a separation roller  98 , in contact with the conveyance roller  96 , to separate the recording medium between the conveyance roller  96  and the separation roller  98 . 
         [0036]    The recording medium container  92  can be pulled out to e.g. the front side (left side in  FIG. 2 ) of the case body  12 , and is replenished with the recording media when pulled out from the case body  12 . 
         [0037]    The conveyance passage  44  has a main conveyance passage  100 , a reversing conveyance passage  102  and an auxiliary conveyance passage  104 . 
         [0038]    The main conveyance passage  100  is a conveyance passage for conveyance of a recording medium supplied from the recording medium supply device  42  toward the discharge part  14 . In the main conveyance passage  100 , a registration roller  112 , the second transfer roller  76 , a fixing device  114 , and a discharge roller  116  are arranged sequentially from the upstream side in a recording medium conveyance direction. 
         [0039]    The registration roller  112  starts to rotate at predetermined timing from a stopped status, to supply a recording medium to a contact portion between the intermediate transfer body  72  and the second transfer roller  76 , in accordance with timing of transfer of a toner image to the intermediate transfer body  72 . 
         [0040]    The fixing device  114  fixes the toner image, transferred with the transfer device  56  on the recording medium, to the recording medium. 
         [0041]    The discharge roller  116  discharges the recording medium, on which the toner image has been fixed with the fixing device  114 , to the discharge part  14 . Further, in a case where images are formed on the both surfaces of a recording medium, the discharge roller  116  rotates in an opposite direction to a direction when discharging the recording medium to the discharge part  14 , to convey the recording medium, where an image is formed on one surface, from the rear end side to the reversing conveyance passage  102 . 
         [0042]    The reversing conveyance passage  102  is used for reversing the recording medium with the image formed on the one surface, and conveyance of the recording medium toward the upstream side of the registration roller  112 . In the reversing conveyance passage  102 , e.g. two reverse conveyance rollers  118   a  and  118   b  are provided. 
         [0043]    The auxiliary conveyance passage  104  is used when a recording medium is supplied from the front side of the case body  12  in a status where the paper-feed opening/closing part  24  is opened with respect to the case body  12 . In the auxiliary conveyance passage  104 , an auxiliary conveyance roller  120  to convey the recording medium toward the registration roller  112  and a separation roller  122  in contact with the auxiliary conveyance roller  120  for separation of the recording medium are provided. 
         [0044]    In the case body  12 , an image forming agent detector  132  to detect the attached/non-attached status of the container  30  and the amount of toner contained in the container  30 , a recording medium detector  134  to detect the presence/absence of a recording medium contained in the recording medium container  92 , and a conveyance detector  136  to detect a recording medium conveyance abnormality (e.g. jam) in the conveyance passage  44  are provided. 
         [0045]    The image forming agent detector  132 , the recording medium detector  134 , and the conveyance detector  136  constitute a detection unit that detects an operation status of the image forming part. 
         [0046]    Further, a driving device  138  to drive the recording medium conveyance members such as the registration roller  112  and the members constituting the image forming part  40  such as the developing device  66 , and a controller  140  used as a controller that controls the respective elements constituting the image forming apparatus  10  are provided in the case body  12 . 
         [0047]    The controller  140  is notified of respective detection results from the image forming agent detector  132 , the recording medium detector  134  and the conveyance detector  136 . 
         [0048]    In the exemplary embodiment, the apparatus statuses of the image forming apparatus  10  include an abnormal status, a stopped status and a normal status. 
         [0049]    In the abnormal status, an image cannot be normally formed. More particularly, the container  30  is not attached, or the container  30  contains no toner, or the recording medium container  92  contains no recording medium, or recording-medium jam has occurred in the middle of conveyance. 
         [0050]    In the stopped status, the image forming apparatus  10  is stopped for saving of electric power consumption (sleep mode). 
         [0051]    In the normal status, which is neither the abnormal status nor the stopped status, an image can be normally formed on a recording medium. 
         [0052]    Note that the apparatus statuses are not limited to these statuses, and the statuses may be arbitrarily changed in accordance with usage. 
         [0053]    Next, the details of the operating device  16  will be described. 
         [0054]      FIG. 3  schematically shows the operating device  16 .  FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view along a line A-A in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0055]    The operating device  16  has a display  150 , an execution depression part  152  used as an executing part, and a stoppage depression part  154  used as a stopping part. 
         [0056]    The display  150  has a ring-shaped outer display  160  as a first display, and an inner display  170  formed inside the outer display  160  as a second display. 
         [0057]    The outer display  160  is provided with a first light  162 , a second light  164  and a third light  166 . 
         [0058]    The first light  162  is turned on when the image forming apparatus  10  is in the normal status. 
         [0059]    The second light  164  is turned on when the image forming apparatus  10  is in the stopped status. 
         [0060]    The third light  166  is turned on when the image forming apparatus  10  is in the abnormal status. 
         [0061]    The inner display  170  is provided with more lights (nine in the exemplary embodiment) than the lights (three in the exemplary embodiment) provided in the outer display  160 . 
         [0062]    The lights of the inner display  170  have shapes of characters and figures to indicate the operation statuses of the respective parts in the apparatus statuses indicated with the lights of the outer display  160 . 
         [0063]    That is, the lights of the inner display  170  indicate more detailed operation statuses in comparison with the apparatus statuses indicated with the lights of the outer display  160 . 
         [0064]    In the exemplary embodiment, the operation statuses of the respective parts of the image forming apparatus  10  indicate e.g. whether or not toner is normally supplied (whether or not the container  30  is attached or whether or not the container  30  contains toner), whether or not the recording medium container  92  contains recording media, and whether or not the recording medium is normally conveyed. 
         [0065]    Note that the operation statuses are not limited to these statuses and may be arbitrarily changed in accordance with usage. 
         [0066]    The inner display  170  is sectionalized as a first region  172  corresponding to the first light  162 , a second region  174  corresponding to the second light  164  and a third region  176  corresponding to the third light  166 . 
         [0067]    More particularly, when the light provided in the first region  172  is turned on, the first light  162  is turned on; when the light provided in the second region  174  is turned on, the second light  164  is turned on; and when the light provided in the third region  176  is turned on, the third light  166  is turned on. 
         [0068]    In this manner, the light (any of the first light  162 , the second light  164  and the third light  166 ) in the outer display  160  is set to be turned on in correspondence with each of the lights in the inner display  170 . 
         [0069]    The first region  172 , the second region  174  and the third region  176  are provided in the vicinity of the corresponding first light  162 , the second light  164  and the third light  166  or on the same straight line. Accordingly, in comparison with a case without the present structure, the user is easily reminded of the lights of the inner display  170  in correspondence with the lights of the outer display  160 . 
         [0070]    A normal status light  182 , which is turned on when the image forming apparatus  10  is in the normal status, is provided as a light in the first region  172 . 
         [0071]    A stopped status light  184 , which is turned on when the image forming apparatus  10  is in the stopped status, is provided as a light in the second region  174 . 
         [0072]    An abnormality occurrence light  186 , which is turned on when the image forming apparatus  10  is in the abnormal status, is provided as a light in the third region  176 . 
         [0073]    Further, a recording medium exhaustion light  188 , which is turned on when the recording medium container  92  contains no recording medium, a conveyance abnormality light  190 , which is turned on when an abnormality occurs in recording medium conveyance (e.g. jam), and image forming agent abnormality lights  192 Y,  192 M,  192 C and  192 K, which are turned on when an abnormality occurs in toner supply from the containers  30 Y,  30 M,  30 C and  30 K, are provided in the third region  176 . 
         [0074]    The image forming agent abnormality lights  192 Y,  192 M,  192 C and  192 K are respectively turned on when the corresponding containers  30 Y,  30 M,  30 C and  30 K are not attached and when contained toner runs out, and flash on and off when the amounts of remaining toner are small (e.g. the amounts of remaining toner are smaller than 20% of the maxim volume). 
         [0075]    Note that for the sake of user convenience, it may be arranged such that marks in corresponding colors are attached in the vicinity of the image forming agent abnormality lights  192 Y,  192 M,  192 C and  192 K. 
         [0076]    The recording medium exhaustion light  188 , the conveyance abnormality light  190  and the image forming agent abnormality lights  192 Y,  192 M,  192 C and  192 K indicate the contents of abnormality statuses more concretely than the lights of the outer display  160 . 
         [0077]    In this manner, the display  150  integrally displays the operation statuses of the image forming apparatus  10  in layers (two-stage structure in the exemplary embodiment). 
         [0078]    As shown in  FIG. 4 , the first light  162  has a light source  162   a  such as an LED (Light Emitting Diode), and a transmission part  162   b  of a transparent material to transmit light. The transmission part  162   b  has a convex shape. 
         [0079]    In the outer display  160 , a second light  164  and a third light  164  have the same shape as that of the first light  162 . 
         [0080]    The normal status light  182  has a light source  182   a  such as an LED and a transmission part  182   b  of a transparent material to transmit light. 
         [0081]    In the inner display  170 , the stopped status light  184 , the abnormality occurrence light  186 , the recording medium exhaustion light  188 , the conveyance abnormality light  190 , and the image forming agent abnormality lights  192 Y,  192 M,  192 C and  192 K have the same structure as that of the normal status light  182 . 
         [0082]    The transmission part (transmission part  162   b  or the like) of the outer display  160  is higher than (projected from) the transmission part (transmission part  182   b ) of the inner display  170 . Accordingly, in comparison with a case without the present structure, the display with the outer display  160  is more visible for a user than the display with the inner display  170 . 
         [0083]    For example, in the display  150 , only lighting of the outer display  160  is visible but lighting of the inner display  170  is not visible from a distance, while the lighting of the outer display  160  and the lighting of the inner display  170  are visible at a short distance. 
         [0084]    Not that it may be arranged such that the intensity, color or the like of light in the outer display  160  is different from that in the inner display  170  and the display with the outer display  160  is more visible than the display with the inner display  170 . 
         [0085]    The execution depression part  152  is provided inside the inner display  170  in the display  150 , integrally with the display  150 . The display  150  and the execution depression part  152  form a group with the outer display  160  as a boundary. 
         [0086]    The execution depression part  152  is used for execution of operations of the respective constituent elements of the image forming apparatus  10 . For example, the execution depression part  152  is depressed when executing a preparatory operation (recovery operation) to restore the normal status from the abnormality status. 
         [0087]    The preparatory operation means, when, e.g. recording media have been replenished to the recording medium container  92 , an operation to convey (feed) a recording medium to a desired position, or after attachment of the container  30 , an operation to replenish toner to the developing device  66 . 
         [0088]    The execution depression part  152  is provided with an execution light  202 . The execution light  202  is turned on upon request for execution of the preparatory operation. 
         [0089]    The execution light  202  has a light source  202   a  such as an LED and a transmission part  202   b  of a transparent material to transmit light. 
         [0090]    The execution depression part  152  is provided with a depression member  204  depressed by the user, a pressing member  206  such as a spring to press the depression member  204  upward, a contact member  208  provided integrally with the depression member  204 , and a designation member (switch)  210  connected to the controller  140 . 
         [0091]    When the user depresses the depression member  204 , the contact member  208  pushes the designation member  210  against the pressing force of the pressing member  206 . In the execution depression part  152 , as the designation member  210  is pushed with the contact member  208 , the controller  140  controls the driving device  138  and the display  150  to perform desired operations. 
         [0092]    The stoppage depression part  154  is provided as a separate body from the display  150  and the execution depression part  152 . That is, the stoppage depression part  154  is arranged in a position away from the display  150  and the group of the execution depression part  152 . 
         [0093]    The stoppage depression part  154  stops operations of the constituent elements of the image forming apparatus  10 . For example, the stoppage depression part  154  is depressed upon stoppage of image formation in the middle. 
         [0094]    Next, the functional configuration of the image forming apparatus  10  will be described. 
         [0095]      FIG. 5  is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the image forming apparatus  10 . 
         [0096]    When the execution depression part  152  or the stoppage depression part  154  is depressed, the controller  140  operates or stops the driving device  138  or controls the display  150  to display the corresponding operation status based on the depression. 
         [0097]    Further, based on the result of detection with the image forming agent detector  132 , the recording medium detector  134  or the conveyance detector  136 , the controller  140  controls the display  150  to display the corresponding status. 
         [0098]    Next, the operation of the operating device  16  will be described. 
         [0099]    First, as an example, the operation when the recording medium contained in the recording medium container  92  runs out will be described. 
         [0100]      FIGS. 6A to 6D  are explanatory views of the operation of the display  150  when a recording medium is exhausted. 
         [0101]    When the recording medium container  92  contains recording media (normal status), the controller  140  turns on the normal status light  182  of the inner display  170  in the display  150  and the first light  162  of the outer display  160  indicating the normal status set with respect to the normal status light  182  ( FIG. 6A ). 
         [0102]    When there is no recording medium in the recording medium container  92 , the recording medium detector  134  detects that there is no recording medium and notifies the controller  140  of the exhaustion of the recording medium. 
         [0103]    When the controller  140  receives the result of detection that there is no recording medium from the recording medium detector  134 , the controller  140  turns on the abnormality occurrence light  186  and the recording medium exhaustion light  188  of the inner display  170 , and the third light  166  of the outer display  160  to indicate the abnormal status set with respect to the abnormality occurrence light  186  ( FIG. 6B ). 
         [0104]    When the recording media are replenished to the recording medium container  92 , the recording medium detector  134  detects that there are recording media, and notifies the controller  140  of the existence of the recording media. 
         [0105]    When the controller  140  receives the result of detection that there are recording media from the recording medium detector  134 , the controller  140  turns on the execution light  202  of the execution depression part  152 , in addition to lighting of the abnormality occurrence light  186  and the recording medium exhaustion light  188  of the inner display  170  and lighting of the third light  166  of the outer display  160  ( FIG. 6C ). 
         [0106]    In this case, when the execution depression part  152  is depressed, the controller  140  controls the driving device  138  to perform the preparatory operation. 
         [0107]    When the preparatory operation is completed, the image forming apparatus  10  goes into the normal status, and the controller  140  turns on the normal status light  182  of the inner display  170  and the first light  162  of the outer display  160  indicating the normal status set with respect to the normal status light  182  ( FIG. 6D ). 
         [0108]    Next, as an example, an operation when toner contained in the container  30 M is exhausted will be described. 
         [0109]      FIGS. 7A to 7D  are explanatory views of the operation of the display  150  upon exhaustion of toner in the container  30 M. 
         [0110]    When toner is sufficiently (e.g., 20% of the maximum capacity or higher) contained in the container  30 M (normal status), the controller  140  turns on the normal status light  182  of the inner display  170  in the display  150  and the first light  162  of the outer display  160  indicating the normal status set with respect to the normal status light  182  ( FIG. 7A ). 
         [0111]    When the amount of remaining toner contained in the container  30 M is small (e.g., when the amount of remaining toner is lower than 20% of the maximum capacity), the image forming agent detector  132  detects that the amount of toner is small, and notifies the controller  140  of the shortage of the toner. 
         [0112]    When the controller  140  receives the result of detection that the amount of toner is small from the image forming agent detector  132 , the controller  140  causes the image forming agent abnormality light  192 M to flash on and off, in addition to lighting of the normal status light  182  of the inner display  170  and the first light  162  of the outer display  160  ( FIG. 7B ). 
         [0113]    When the toner contained in the container  30 M runs out, the image forming agent detector  132  detects there is no toner, and notifies the controller  140  of the exhaustion of the toner. 
         [0114]    When the controller  140  receives the result of detection that there is no toner from the image forming agent detector  132 , the controller  140  turns the abnormality occurrence light  186  and the forming agent abnormality light  192 M of the inner display  170  and the third light  166  of the outer display  160  to indicate the abnormal status set with respect to the abnormality occurrence light  186  ( FIG. 7C ). 
         [0115]    When toner is replenished to the container  30 M (new container  30 M is attached), the image forming agent detector  132  detects that there is toner, and notifies the controller  140  of the existence of the toner. 
         [0116]    When the controller  140  receives the result of detection that there is one recording medium from the recording medium detector  134 , the controller  140  turns on the execution light  202  of the execution depression part  152 , in addition to lighting of the abnormality occurrence light  186  and the image forming agent abnormality light  192 M of the inner display  170  and the third light  166  of the outer display  160  ( FIG. 7D ). 
         [0117]    In this case, when the execution depression part  152  is depressed, the controller  140  controls the driving device  138  to perform the preparatory operation. 
         [0118]    When the preparatory operation is completed, the image forming apparatus  10  goes into the normal status, and the controller  140  turns on the normal status light  182  of the inner display  170  and the first light  162  of the outer display  160  to indicate the normal status set with respect to the normal status light  182  ( FIG. 7A ). 
         [0119]    In the above-described exemplary embodiment, the outer display  160  of the display  150  has a ring shape; however, the shape is not limited to this shape and may be another shape such as a square shape. Further, the number, the shape, the contents and the like of the lights of the outer display  160  and the inner display  170  can be arbitrarily changed in accordance with application. 
         [0120]    The foregoing description of the exemplary embodiment of the present invention has been provided for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Obviously, many modifications and variations will be apparent to practitioners skilled in the art. The exemplary embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical applications, thereby enabling others skilled in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments and with the various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the following claims and their equivalents.