Abstract:
If a scanner and a desktop printer are stacked, the occupied space is reduced. However, in the printer unit below the scanner unit, the operationality such as feeding papers may be reduced and the access to the inside may not easy in doing maintenance. In the structure in which the scanner unit is fixedly placed on the top of the printer, the scanner printer multi-function apparatus has a sliding mechanism for sliding back and forth as means for connecting the scanner unit and a printer unit. Fixing positions are provided on at least two points back and forth. Each of the positions can be freely and easily selected. At the backward position, the scanner unit and the printer unit are stacked like a multitiered box so that the space occupied by the whole of the apparatus can be minimized, while at the forward position, the backward paper feeding opening is opened so that the operationality of the printer unit can be improved.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     The present application claims priority from a Japanese Patent Application No. JP 2005-068514 filed on Mar. 11, 2005, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates to a scanner printer multi-function apparatus. Particularly, the present invention relates to a scanner printer multi-function apparatus in which a scanner unit is mounted on a printer unit.  
         [0004]     2. Related Art  
         [0005]     Recently, a multi-function apparatus including a scanner unit and a printer unit integrated has been known along with the popularization of digital printing of photographs. Here, a multi-function apparatus in which the scanner unit is stacked on the printer unit in order to reduce the overall size of the multi-function apparatus, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-260618.  
         [0006]     In the above disclosed invention, a paper feed section of the printer unit projects to a back face side in the multi-function apparatus. Therefore, a wasted space is generated on both sides of the paper feed section when the multi-function apparatus is installed against a wall. Further, the operativity is not good.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     To solve the above-described problem, a first aspect of the present invention provides a scanner printer multi-function apparatus. The multi-function apparatus includes: a scanner unit having an substantially rectangular solid casing and a document platform on which a document is placed on the top surface of the casing, for optically reading the document placed on the document platform to generate image information; and a printer unit for recoding the recording medium, which is disposed below the scanner unit and has a substantially rectangular solid casing, a paper feed section for feeding a recording medium from a backside paper feeding opening disposed near the back end of the top surface of the casing into the casing and a paper discharge section for ejecting the recording medium fed by the paper feed section from the front of the casing. The casing of the scanner unit slides between a backward position at which the casing of the scanner unit covers the backside paper feeding opening and a forward position at which the backside paper feeding opening opens on the casing of the printer. When the casing of the printer unit is located on the backward position on the casing of the scanner unit, the casing of the scanner unit and the casing of the printer unit are in the shape of a substantially rectangular solid.  
         [0008]     Therefore, when the paper feed section of the printer unit is not in use, the overall size of apparatus can be reduced. Additionally, when the apparatus is installed, the rear end can be adjacent to the wall.  
         [0009]     In the above-described scanner printer multi-function apparatus, the printer unit may further include a frontside paper feeding opening disposed on the front of the casing. Therefore, the number of times at which the casing of the scanner unit moves can also be reduced, so that the usability can be improved.  
         [0010]     In the scanner printer multi-function apparatus, the scanner unit may further include a document cover which opens/closes to the document platform around the back end of the document platform. Therefore, the document platform can be prevented from being damaged and polluted. Further, the document cover can be prevented from unexpectedly opening when the casing of the scanner unit is slid.  
         [0011]     Here, all necessary features of the present invention are not listed in the summary of the invention. The sub-combinations of the features may become the invention. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]      FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a scanner printer multi-function apparatus  10 ;  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  is a back perspective view of the scanner printer multi-function apparatus  10 ;  
         [0014]      FIG. 3  is an external view showing a multitiered box like scanner unit  20 ;  
         [0015]      FIG. 4  is an external view of a single printer unit  30 .  
         [0016]      FIG. 5  is an external view when a cover  24  of the scanner unit  20  is opened;  
         [0017]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view showing a feeding path in the printer unit  30 ;  
         [0018]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view showing the interior of the printer unit  30 ;  
         [0019]      FIG. 8  is a front perspective view of the scanner printer multi-function apparatus  10 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0020]     Hereinafter, the present invention will now be described through referred embodiments. The embodiments do not limit the invention according to claims and all combinations of the features described in the embodiments are not necessarily essential to means for solving the problems of the invention.  
         [0021]      FIG. 1  is a front perspective view showing a scanner printer multi-function apparatus  10  according to an embodiment of the present invention. The scanner printer multi-function apparatus  10  includes a scanner unit  20  and a printer unit  30 .  
         [0022]     The printer unit  30  is disposed below the scanner unit  20  and has a substantially rectangular solid casing. The printer unit  30  includes a paper feed section  141  for feeding a recording medium from a backside paper feeding opening  142  disposed near the back end of the top surface of the casing into the casing, a paper discharge section  170  and a paper discharge outlet  174  for ejecting the recording medium fed by the paper feed section from the front of the casing, so that the printer unit  30  record on the recording medium. A paper discharge platform  194  is provided on the extension of the paper discharge section  170 . The recording medium which has been recorded is deposited on the paper discharge platform. The paper discharge platform  184  is pivotally mounted in openable/closable manner to a frame  110  of the printer unit  30  through a hinge or pivot. The paper discharge platform  184  vertically arises in order to serve as a cover to close the paper discharge outlet  174 .  
         [0023]     The scanner unit  20  is formed of a rectangular solid both of which height and width are same as those of the printer unit  30 , or of which size is approximately same as that of the printer unit  30 . The scanner unit  20  connects to the printer unit  30  through a sliding mechanism  205  such that scanner unit  20  is slidably moved between a backward position at which the scanner unit  20  covers the backside paper feeding opening  142  and a forward position at which the backside paper feeding opening  142  is opened. The sliding mechanism  205  includes two rails  201  provided in the printer unit  30  and two grooves  202  provided in the scanner unit  20 , which are engaged each other.  
         [0024]      FIG. 3  shows the outward appearance of the printer unit  30  in idle state. Here, the scanner unit  20  moves to the backward position on the printer unit  30 . When the paper discharge platform  184  is folded, the scanner unit  20  is stacked on the printer unit  30  in the form of such as a multitiered box and the whole shape is substantially rectangular solid. Therefore, when the printer unit  30  is in idle state, the entire size of the scanner printer multi-function apparatus  10  can be reduced. Additionally, when the apparatus is installed, the back end surface can be adjacent to the wall surface.  
         [0025]     The scanner unit  20  is slid forward over the forward position and then released from the rails  201 , so that the whole of the scanner unit  20  can be completely separated from the printer unit  30 .  FIG. 4  shows the outward appearance of only the printer unit separated from the scanner unit  20 . The paper discharge platform  184  may operate as an openable/closable cover for covering the top of the printer unit  30 . The paper discharge platform  184  can be removed when the inside of the printer unit  30  is maintained. In this case, the scanner unit  20  and the printer unit  30  may be electrically connected through a connector (not shown in the figure) in use to communicate information therebetween. When the scanner unit  20  is separated from the printer unit  30 , the connector may be removed.  
         [0026]     In the scanner printer multi-function apparatus  10 , the scanner unit  20  has a document cover  24  which opens/closes around the hinge  26  provided near the back end thereof. A document platform  22  on which documents are placed is disposed under the document cover  24 . The scanner unit  20  optically reads the reversed document which is placed on the document platform  22  to generate image information.  
         [0027]      FIG. 5  shows the scanner unit  20  of which cover  24  is opened. The cover  24  is evenly fixes the document placed on the glass document platform  22  thereto and shuts out outside light. Therefore, an optical scanning d from beneath through the glass can be certainly performed. Additionally, the document platform  22  can be prevented from being polluted and damaged. Further, the cover  24  can be prevented from unexpectedly opening when the scanner unit  20  is slid.  
         [0028]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view showing the cross section obtained by vertically cutting the inside of the printer unit  30  along transferring direction of the recording medium  100 .  FIG. 7  is a perspective view showing the outline of the printer unit  30  from which the casing and a part of the cover have been removed.  
         [0029]     Now, it will generally describe the internal structure of the feeding path through which the recording medium passes from the paper feeding opening  142  to the paper discharge outlet  174  with reference to  FIG. 6  and  FIG. 7 . The printer unit  30  according to the present embodiment employs an inkjet recording method. The printer unit  30  includes a paper feed section  141  for feeding the recording medium  100  inserted from the paper feeding opening  142  to a recording position, a recording section  160  for ejecting ink to the fed recording medium  100  to record on the same, an waste liquid section  135  for collecting the ink excessively ejected from the recoding section  160  as an waste liquid and a paper discharge section  170  for ejecting the recording medium which has been recorded to the outside of the printer unit  30 .  
         [0030]     The paper feed section  141  includes a paper feed guide  150  for guiding the recording medium  100  from the paper feeding opening  142  to the recording section  160 , and a pair of a paper feed drive roller  144  and a paper feed compliance roller  146  which are disposed near the paper feeding opening  142 . The paper feed guide  150  is a plate member bending downward from the paper feeding opening  142  to below a recording head  51 . The paper feed guide  150  is supported by the frame  110 . The paper feed roller  144  is rotatably supported by the frame  110 . When the paper feed roller  144  is cut by a cross section vertical to the rotation axis, the shape is substantially D. The paper feed roller  144  is rotated around the rotation axis by the driving force from a motor (not shown in the figure). The paper feed compliance roller  146  is disposed such that the recording medium  100  is sandwiched between the paper feed compliance roller  146  and the paper feed drive roller  144  and rotatably supported by the frame  110 .  
         [0031]     Feed rollers  151  and  152  are disposed in the intermediate part between the paper feed section  141  and the recording section  160 , which transfer the recording medium  100  fed from the paper feed section  141  onto a platen  161 .  
         [0032]     The recording section  160  includes a carriage  50 , a guide shaft  52  supported by the frame  110  and passed through the carriage  50 , an endless timing belt  54  gripped by the carriage  50  and a motor  55  for rotationally driving the timing belt  54 . One or more ink cartridges  58  for storing ink and providing the same onto the recording head  51  and the recording head  51  for ejecting the ink to the recording medium  100  are mounted on the carriage  50 . The recording section  160  further includes the platen  161  disposed opposite to the direction to which the recording head  51  ejects the ink droplets. The platen  161  extends parallel to the guide shaft  52  and is rotatably supported by the frame  110 . The platen  161  is driven in synchronism with the paper feed drive roller  144  by a motor (not shown in the figure) for driving the paper feed drive roller  144 .  
         [0033]     The paper discharge section  170  includes a pair of plate-like under paper discharge guide  180  and upper paper discharge guide  182  for guiding the recording medium  100  from the position opposite to the recording head  51  to the paper discharge outlet  174 , a paper discharge drive roller  171  disposed in the under paper discharge guide  180  side and a paper discharge compliance roller  172  disposed opposite to the paper discharge drive roller  171 . The paper discharge drive roller  171  is rotatably supported by the frame  110 . Additionally, the paper discharge drive roller  171  is driven in synchronism with the paper feed drive roller  144  by a motor (not shown in the figure) for driving the paper feed drive roller  144 . The paper discharge compliance roller  172  is disposed such that the recording medium  100  is sandwitched between the paper discharge compliance roller  172  and the paper discharge drive roller  171  and rotarably supported by the frame  110 .  
         [0034]     According to the above-described configuration, the printer records on the recording medium  100  as follows. Firstly, when the recording medium  100  is inserted from the paper feeding opening  142 , the paper feed drive roller  144  and the paper feed compliance roller  146  sandwich the recording medium  100 . Then, the paper feed drive roller  144  is rotationally driven so that the paper feed compliance roller  146  is rotated along with the paper feed drive roller  144 . Therefore, the paper feed drive roller  144  and the paper feeding opening  142  feed the recording medium  100  to the direction of an arrow B in the figure along the paper feed guide  150 . The feed rollers  151  and  152  convey the recording medium  100  fed from the paper feed section  141  onto the platen  161 .  
         [0035]     When the recording medium  100  is fed between the recording head  51  and the platen  161 , the motor  55  rotationally drives the timing belt  54  so that the timing belt  54  reciprocates the carriage  50  horizontally and along the direction vertical to the conveyance direction. Therefore, the recording head  51  reciprocates on the recording medium  100  and ejects ink to the recording medium  100  to record on the recording medium  100 . After the carriage  50  reciprocates on the recording medium  100  once, the feed rollers  151  and  152  slightly shift the recording medium  100  and the carriage  50  is repeatedly reciprocated. Thus, the recording head  51  can eject ink all over the recording medium  100  to record on the same.  
         [0036]     The feed rollers  151  and  152  further move the recording medium  100 , so that the recording medium  100  arrives at the gap between the paper discharge drive roller  171  and the paper discharge compliance roller  172 . The paper discharge drive roller  171  and the paper discharge compliance roller  172  sandwich the recording medium  100  in the gap. Then, the paper discharge drive roller  171  is rotationally driven so that the paper discharge compliance roller  172  is rotated along with the paper discharge drive roller  171 . Therefore, the paper discharge drive roller  171  and the paper discharge compliance roller  172  convey the recording medium  100  between the under paper discharge guide  180  and the upper paper discharge guide  182  and eject the recording medium  100  to the outside of the printer unit  30  via the paper discharge outlet  174 .  
         [0037]     When the printer unit  30  is in idle state, the recording head  51  is guided by the guide shaft  52  and escaped to a standby position at the outside of the right end in  FIG. 7  in the longitudinal direction of the platen  161 . When the recording head  51  is located such position, the waste liquid section  135  covers the bottom surface of the recording head  51 . Therefore, it can prevent the ink from clogging into the recording head  51  due to evaporating the solvent of the ink when the recording head is not used. When cleaning and flushing of the recording head  51  is performed while the printer unit  30  is used, the recording head  51  is moved in the longitudinal direction to a standby position of the outside of the platen  161 .  
         [0038]     In the above-described scanner printer multi-function apparatus  10 , the printer unit  30  may further include therein a second recording medium feeding path being capable of feeding recording medium from the front. The dotted line shown in  FIG. 6  represents an example of a recording medium feeding path added in this case. The recording medium feeding path can feed a relatively thin recording medium without problems although there is a steep slant at the turnaround in the right end in the figure. When a front paper feeding opening is used, the backward paper feeding opening  142  is not used so that the printer unit  30  can used without moving forward the scanner unit  20 . Meanwhile, when a thick recording medium such as a postcard or a large-size print is recorded, the paper feeding opening  142  can be used. Therefore, the number of times at which the scanner is moved is reduced so that the usability can be further improved. Many examples of the feeding path have been known, so that the description of the specific configuration thereof is omitted.  
         [0039]     While the present invention have been described with the embodiment, the technical scope of the invention not limited to the above described embodiment. For example, the printer unit  30  can be applied not only the inkjet recording apparatus but also various apparatus such as a copy machine having a paper feeding opening and a paper discharge outlet back and forth, a facsimile, a laser beam printer and a printer including a transfer roller with a magnetic latent image or an electrostatic latent image.  
         [0040]     The scanner unit  20  placed on the top of the printer may be not only the flatbed scanner but also the other type of scanners. The scanner unit  20  may be disposed on an empty space in the top of the printer unit  30  without reducing paper feed ability of the printer unit  30  by sliding forward by a length equal to the width of the paper feeding opening  142  of the printer unit  30  and opening the paper feeding opening  142 . Additionally, the sliding mechanism  205  is not only the sliding mechanism  205  according to the present embodiment but also a roller may be used.  
         [0041]      FIG. 8  shows that the scanner unit  20  is slid more forward than in  FIG. 1  on the printer unit  30  in the scanner printer multi-function apparatus  10  according to the present embodiment. As shown in  FIG. 8 , the scanner unit  20  can be slid from the position at which the paper feeding opening  142  is opened to further forward position, so that the following effect can be generated. Firstly, when the recording medium  100  fed from the backward paper feeding opening  142  is clogged in the printer unit  30 , the scanner unit  20  is slid to the position shown as  FIG. 8 , so that the user can put his/her hand into the printer unit  30  to remove the clogged recording medium  100 . Additionally, when the ink cartridge  58  is replaced, the top face above the ink cartridge  58  is opened, and then, the scanner unit  20  is slid to a position shown in  FIG. 8  and the ink cartridge  58  is exposed, so that the ink cartridge  58  can be easily replaced. Further, a lever for adjusting the gap between the recording head  51  and the platen  161 , and a lever for escaping a paper discharge tray during recording on a CDR are disposed such that both levers are exposed at the position shown in  FIG. 8 , so that the apparatus can be made compact. When the scanner unit  20  is removed from the printer unit  30 , the connecter which electrically connects the printer unit  30  and the scanner unit  20  can be attached/detached in the state shown as  FIG. 8 . Additionally, when the guide for the CDR is pulled out to the front of the apparatus during recording on the CDR, the scanner unit  20  is moved to the position as shown in  FIG. 8 , so that the user can put his/her hand into the printer unit  30  to push the guide to move to the front of the apparatus. Further, any spare ink cartridge  58  may be prepared in the empty space in the printer unit  30  as shown in  FIG. 8 .  
         [0042]     It is apparent to persons skilled in the art that various alternations and improvements can be added to the above-described embodiment. It is apparent from the scope of the claims that the embodiment added such alternation or improvements can be included in the technical scope of the invention.