Abstract:
The height of an image reading unit or an operating panel in an image forming apparatus is adjusted to facilitate their operation depending on the physical characteristics of a user, such as his height or use of a wheel chair. A second operating panel and a second automatic document feeder (ADF) are disposed on the side of the image forming apparatus, so that a user on a wheel chair can access them easily. The second ADF houses plural sheet trays that are configured to open or close together. When the sheet trays are closed, a first operating panel disposed at the top of the apparatus is activated while the second operating panel on the side is deactivated. When the sheet trays are open, the second operating panel is activated while the first operating panel is deactivated.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention generally relates to image forming apparatuses having an image reading unit for reading an original manuscript image or an operating panel for entering operation instructions and the like. More particularly, the invention relates to the installation of an image reading unit or an operating panel in an image forming apparatus in a manner accommodating users with various bodily characteristics, such as different heights or the use of a wheel chair, to provide enhanced user-friendliness. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     In recent years, there has been a steady increase in barrier-free environments in public facilities, work places, houses, and various other places. The demand for barrier-free access is also felt in not just buildings but also in household appliances and information equipment used in buildings. With the changes in social structure that have been made over the years, including the increasing participation of people with disabilities in society, there is a demand for user interface designs for devices and equipment installed at public facilities or workplaces that are friendly to physically disabled persons. 
     In the currently available office automation (OA) equipment, such as copy machines, printers, facsimile machines, multifunction peripherals, and other image forming apparatuses, the height of their operating units are designed on the basis of someone of average height, and the height is typically fixed. As a result, some users feel that the operating unit is inconvenient because the unit is located too high or when the user is on a wheel chair, for example. 
     In order to deal with this problem, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2000-214731 discloses an image forming apparatus having an elevator unit for lifting or lowering the apparatus main body, so that the height of the image forming apparatus as a whole can be adjusted. Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 06-003881 discloses that an operating panel alone can be height-adjusted. Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2005-010394 discloses that both an operating panel and an ejected sheet tray can be height-adjusted. 
     While these technologies enable the height of the operating panel to be adjusted, it is also necessary, when using an image forming apparatus, to achieve enhanced operability in terms of the height of an original manuscript stage of an image reading unit on which an original manuscript is placed. Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2005-099567 discloses that the image reading unit is separated from the image forming apparatus main body, and a height adjustment mechanism is provided for the image reading unit. Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2005-300872 discloses that the height of both an image reading unit and an operating panel can be adjusted. 
     Other conventional technologies for making the operating panel easier to use include a tilting mechanism for changing the installed angle of the operating panel. 
     However, with regard to the aforementioned technology according to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2000-214731, the need to lift or lower the entire image forming apparatus results in an increase in the cost and size of the elevator mechanism, which in turn leads to an increase in the size and cost of the image forming apparatus. 
     In the conventional technologies according to the rest of the publications mentioned above, although the height adjustment mechanisms enable vertical adjustment, the downward movement is limited. Namely, the operating panel cannot be positioned lower than the total height of sheet cassettes, an image forming unit, and the image reading unit due to the physical configuration of the image forming apparatus. Particularly, it has been difficult for wheel-chair users to make sure that an original manuscript has been correctly placed on the original manuscript stand of the image reading unit, or to operate the operating panel while monitoring information displayed thereon. Thus, a need has been felt for improving the convenience of the operating panel and the image reading unit. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus in which the aforementioned problems are eliminated. A more specific object is to provide an image forming apparatus in which the height of an image reading unit and an operating panel is adjusted in order to facilitate their operations depending on the physical characteristics of a user, such as his height, or the use of a wheel chair. 
     In one aspect, the invention provides an image forming apparatus comprising a first image reading unit disposed at an upper portion of a main body of the image forming apparatus; and a second image reading unit disposed at a lateral portion of the apparatus main body. The second image reading unit includes a unit configured to establish a first state for transporting an original manuscript for image reading, and a second state for transporting a transfer sheet that is manually fed for image formation by the apparatus main body. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the second image reading unit has an automatic transport function for transporting the original manuscript for image reading and includes a first tray unit for placing the original manuscript prior to image reading, and a second tray unit into which the original manuscript after image reading is ejected. The first and the second tray units can be set in a stored state in which the first and the second tray units are closed toward the surface of the apparatus main body on which the second image reading unit is mounted, or in an image-reading state in which the first and the second tray units are opened away from the mounted surface. At least one of the first and the second tray units can be set in a third state that differs from either the stored state or the image-reading state, for transporting the transfer sheet that is manually fed. 
     In another preferred embodiment, the first and the second tray units are configured to open or close in a corresponding manner. 
     In another preferred embodiment, the image forming apparatus further comprises an operating unit disposed near each of the first and the second image reading units and configured to exchange information with the apparatus main body. 
     In another embodiment, the operating units are operated in a mutually exclusive manner depending on the operating status of the first and the second image reading units. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the invention, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of a conventional image forming apparatus; 
         FIG. 1B  is a perspective view of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention in which a lateral unit is provided; 
         FIG. 2A  shows a user A on a wheel chair trying to operate the conventional image forming apparatus of  FIG. 1A ; 
         FIG. 2B  shows the user A on a wheel chair using the image forming apparatus equipped with the lateral unit according to the embodiment of  FIG. 1B ; 
         FIG. 3  shows an ejection path for an original manuscript sheet transported by a second ADF in the lateral unit; 
         FIG. 4A  shows a first state of an original manuscript sheet in an ejection path in the lateral unit in the case of a both-side reading; 
         FIG. 4B  shows a second state of the original manuscript sheet in the ejection path; 
         FIG. 4C  shows a third state of the original manuscript sheet in the ejection path; 
         FIG. 4D  shows a fourth state of the original manuscript sheet in the ejection path; 
         FIG. 4E  shows a fifth state of the original manuscript sheet in the ejection path; 
         FIG. 5A  shows a transport path M for the manual feeding of a transfer sheet; 
         FIG. 5B  shows a transport path S for the reading of an original manuscript sheet; 
         FIG. 6  shows a flowchart of an operation of the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment; and 
         FIG. 7  shows a control block diagram of the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     In the following, an embodiment of the invention is described with reference to the drawings. 
       FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of a conventional image forming apparatus including an upper unit  35 . The upper unit  35  includes an automatic document feeder (ADF)  1  for sending an original manuscript to a scanner unit, an operating panel  2  as an operating unit for exchanging information with an apparatus main body, and a scanner  3  for reading the original manuscript. The image forming apparatus further includes a printer  8  (which is built inside the main body and thus invisible in the drawing) for outputting an image, an ejected sheet tray  7 , and a sheet feeding tray  9 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1A , the apparatus main body comprises, from the bottom, the sheet feeding tray  9  (which has four stacks in the drawing), the image forming unit (printer  8 ), the ejected sheet tray  7  (which may not be present, depending on the type of the apparatus), the image reading unit (scanner  3 ), and the ADF  1 . 
       FIG. 1B  shows an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention. In this image processing apparatus, a lateral unit  49  that includes a second ADF  4 , a second operating panel  5 , and a second scanner  6  is disposed on the side of the apparatus main body to enable a user to operate the image reading unit including the ADF and the operating panel at a low position. 
       FIG. 2A  illustrates how a user A on a wheel chair typically operates the conventional image forming apparatus of  FIG. 1A . Because of the presence of the user&#39;s legs (the foot-rest portion X of the wheel chair), the user A has difficulty accessing the upper unit  35 , such as the ADF  1 , the operating panel  2 , and the scanner  3 . Thus, the user A is faced with problems such as that he cannot place an original manuscript easily, read the information displayed on the operating panel  2 , or operate the operating panel  2 . 
     In accordance with the present embodiment, the lateral unit  49  including the second ADF  4 , the second operating panel  5 , and the second scanner  6  is positioned on the lateral surface of the image processing apparatus (see  FIG. 1B ). The height of an operating range for the upper unit  35  may be approximately 110 to 120 cm, whereas the height for the lateral unit  49  may be approximately 65 to 80 cm. Thus, a user without a wheel chair can operate the upper unit  35  in the conventional way, i.e., looking downward when operating the operating panel  2  or setting an original manuscript on the ADF  1 . On the other hand, when the user A on the wheel chair operates the lateral unit  49 , as shown in  FIG. 2B , the user A can see the second operating panel  5  directly in front of his eyes, or set an original manuscript on the second ADF  4  looking downward. Thus, the operation is greatly facilitated for the user A on the wheel chair. 
     With reference to  FIG. 2B , the lateral unit  49  includes sheet trays  53  and  54 . The sheet trays  53  and  54  are normally housed within the second ADF  4  and are opened only when used. When one of the sheet trays  53  and  54  is opened (or closed), the other tray is automatically and correspondingly opened (or closed). When the sheet trays  53  and  54  are closed, the operating panel  2  of the upper unit  35  is activated while the second operating panel  5  of the lateral unit  49  is deactivated in order to prevent an erroneous operation. When the sheet trays  53  and  54  are open, the second operating panel  5  is activated while the upper operating panel  2  is deactivated, assuming that the second ADF  4  and the second scanner  6  on the side are going to be used. 
       FIG. 3  shows a sheet ejection path along which an original manuscript is transported by the second ADF in the lateral unit  49 . In the second ADF  4 , the original manuscript sheet prior to entry into the second scanner  6  is placed at a first position  10 . After the sheet is read by the second scanner  6 , the sheet is positioned at a second position  11 . The original manuscript sheet is thus transported between the first position  10  and the second position  11  by an ejection roller  12  and first through third ejection roller pairs  13 ,  14 , and  15 , along which the original manuscript is read by the second scanner  6  and information that is read is rendered into electronic information (first state). 
     With reference to  FIG. 3 , the sheet ejection path in the case of a one-side reading of the original manuscript sheet is described. The sheet is transported from the first position  10  via the first ejection roller pair  13 . At the ejection roller  12 , the original manuscript is read by the second scanner  6  and the information that is read is rendered into electronic information. The sheet is then transported via the second ejection roller pair  14  and the third ejection roller pair  15  to the original manuscript second position  11 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 4A through 4E , a sheet ejection path in the case of a both-side reading of the original manuscript sheet is described. First, as in the case of the one-side reading, one side of the original manuscript is read by the second scanner  6  and the information that is read is rendered into electronic information, in the first state ( FIG. 4A ). 
     Then, as shown in  FIG. 4B , the original manuscript is transported by the third ejection roller pair  15  in the opposite direction and then the sides of the sheet are reversed by the second ejection roller pair  14 , in the second state. The original manuscript is further sent to the original manuscript second position  11 , in the third state ( FIG. 4C ). This is followed by the fourth state, in which the original manuscript is sent in the reverse direction via the third ejection roller pair  15  and the second ejection roller pair  14  to the ejection roller  12  ( FIG. 4D ), where the original manuscript sheet is read by the second scanner  6  on the opposite side, and the information that is read is rendered into electronic information. 
     Finally, in the fifth state, the original manuscript is transported via the ejection roller  12 , the second ejection roller pair  14 , and the third ejection roller pair  15  to the second position  11  ( FIG. 4E ). 
     With reference to  FIGS. 5A and 5B , the simultaneous opening and closing of the two or more sheet trays  53  and  54  in the lateral unit  49 , and an example of a manual feeding operation, are described.  FIG. 6  shows a flowchart of the operations of  FIGS. 5A and 5B . 
     The flowchart of  FIG. 6  is described with reference to  FIGS. 5A and 5B . In the lateral unit  49 , upon detection by a sensor  51  (or  55 ) of the opening of one of the sheet trays  53  (or  54 ) in S 1  (or S 2 ), the motor  56  (or  52 ) is activated to open the sheet tray  54  (or  53 ) in S 3  (or S 4 ), thus opening all of the trays  53  and  54 . 
     In order to prevent an erroneous operation, upon detection of opening of the sheet trays  53  and  54  by the sensors ( 51  or  55 ), the upper unit  35  is deactivated and disabled, assuming that the upper unit  35  (including ADF  1 , operating panel  2 , and scanner  3 ) is not going to be used, while the lateral unit  49  (including second ADF  4 , second operating panel  5 , and second scanner  6 ) alone is activated and enabled (S 5 ). 
     Conversely, upon detection of the closing of the sheet trays  53  and  54  (by sensor  51  or  55 ) in step S 1  or S 2 , because the lateral unit  49  is not going to be used, the lateral unit  49  is disabled and deactivated while the upper unit  35  alone is activated and made operable (S 6 ). 
     The angle of the sheet tray  54  and the first ejection roller pair  13  may be varied in two levels in order to distinguish between the feeding of an original manuscript sheet for image reading and the manual feeding of a transfer sheet for image formation. Specifically, the manual feeding is selected when the sheet tray  54  and the first ejection roller pair  13  are both open and set at the lower angle facing downward, as shown in  FIG. 5A  (corresponding to “Yes: 2 nd  level” in S 2 ). In this case, the manual feeding transport path M extends along the fourth ejection roller pair  50  in the apparatus main body onto the printer  8  (S 7 ). 
       FIG. 5B , on the other hand, shows the original manuscript sheet transport path S that is selected when the sheet tray  54  and the first ejection roller pair  13  are open and in a first level facing upward, as also shown in  FIG. 4 . 
     When it is detected by the sheet tray sensor  51  that the sheet tray  53  is open upon detection by the sheet tray sensor  55  that the sheet tray  54  is in the second level for manual feeding of a transfer sheet, the sheet tray motor  52  is activated to close the sheet tray  53 . 
       FIG. 7  shows a control block diagram of the image forming apparatus  100  according to the present embodiment. As shown in  FIG. 7 , upon detection that an original manuscript sheet is placed on a sheet position sensor  33  in the ADF  1  in the upper unit  35 , a message is displayed on a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD)  44  on the second operating panel  5  of the other unit, i.e., the lateral unit  49 , indicating that the second ADF  4  and the second scanner  6  are disabled. Entry of data on a key switch  41  and a touch panel  42  in the second operating panel  5  is invalidated. 
     Conversely, upon detection that an original manuscript sheet is placed on a sheet position sensor  48  in the second ADF  4  in the lateral unit  49 , a message is displayed on an LCD  29  of an operating panel  2  of the other unit, i.e., the upper unit  35 , that the ADF  1  and the scanner  3  are disabled. Entry of data on a key switch  26  and a touch panel  27  in the operating panel  2  is invalidated. 
     A main body control unit  16  of the image processing apparatus  100  communicates with a control unit  20  of the operating panel  2  of the upper unit  35  via an operating panel control unit  17  as follows. 
     The operating panel  2  includes the control unit  20 , a memory unit  23 , the key switch  26 , the touch panel  27 , a Light Emitting Diode (LED)  28 , and the LCD  29 . The key switch  26 , which includes a hard key using a key matrix, and the touch panel  27 , which includes a soft key, provide operating buttons for the input of various information. The LED  28  and the LCD  29  are used for displaying operating states or instructions from a device. The control unit  20  of the operating panel  2  controls the aforementioned individual units centrally. The control unit  20  also communicates with the memory unit  23  or the operating panel control unit  17  on the main body side to exchange input information or display data. 
     The main body control unit  16  of the image processing apparatus  100  communicates with a control unit  21  in a scanner  3  of the upper unit  35  via a scanner control unit  18  as follows. 
     The scanner  3  includes a lamp  32  as a light source required for reading an image, a contact image sensor (CIS)/charge coupled device (CCD) sensor  30 , a scanner motor  31  for operating the CIS/CCD sensor  30 , and a motor driver  24  for driving the scanner motor  31 . The scanner control unit  18  outputs a control signal to the motor driver  24 , whereby the scanner motor  31  and the lamp  32  are operated. The CIS/CCD sensor  30  provides image data that is fed to the control unit  21 . The control unit  21  renders the image data into a video signal that is eventually transmitted to the main body control unit  16 . 
     The main body control unit  16  of the image processing apparatus communicates with a control unit  22  in the ADF  1  via an ADF control unit  19  as follows. 
     The ADF  1  includes the control unit  22 , the sheet position sensor  33 , an ejection roller  34 , and a motor driver  25  for driving the ejection roller  34 . Upon detection of placement of a sheet on the sheet position sensor  33 , the control unit  22  sends relevant information to the main body control unit  16  and thereafter receives from the main body control unit  16  an operation signal for the ejection roller  34 . The control unit  22  then sends a signal to the motor driver  25  to operate the ejection roller  34 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 7 , the second operating panel  5  includes a control unit  36 , a memory unit  39 , the key switch  41 , the touch panel  42 , an LED  43 , and the LCD  44 . As also shown in  FIG. 7 , the second scanner  6  includes a control unit  37 , a motor driver  40 , a CIS/CCD sensor  45 , a scanner motor  46 , and a lamp  47 . Additionally, as shown in  FIG. 7 , the second ADF  4  includes a control unit  38 , a motor driver  57 , the sheet position sensor  48 , the ejection roller  12 , and the first through third ejection roller pairs  13 ,  14 , and  15 . 
     In the present embodiment, because the operating panels, the scanners, and the ADFs are provided at the two locations, i.e., in the upper unit  35  and in the lateral unit  49 , it is necessary to recognize and save information about individual states of each device in those units. Thus, in the main body of the image forming apparatus  100 , a memory unit is provided for each of the operating panel control unit  17 , the scanner control unit  18 , and the ADF control unit  19 . In this way, the operating panels, the scanners, and the ADFs at the two locations can communicate with the individual control units in the main body and information about individual states can be saved in the individual memory units. 
     Each of the control units in the main body and the main body control unit  16  may communicate with each other in the same way as if the operating panels, the scanners, and the ADFs were provided at one location. The configuration of each of the scanners, the operating panels, and the ADFs may be the same as in an existing system. 
     Thus, in accordance with the present embodiment, by providing the lateral unit  49  (including the second ADF  4 , the second operating panel  5 , and the second scanner  6 ) on the side of the apparatus main body, enhanced operability at a lower position can be achieved without adversely affecting the manual feeding function. The present embodiment thus provides an image forming apparatus that can be easily operated by a user on a wheel chair or with a small height. 
     The image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment includes a second image reading unit disposed on the side of the apparatus main body. Thus, enhanced operability can be obtained at a lower position without adversely affecting the manual feeding function, thereby facilitating operations by a person on a wheel chair or with a small height. The present embodiment therefore provides an image forming apparatus that is friendly to various kinds of users and offers enhanced convenience. 
     Although this invention has been described in detail with reference to certain embodiments, variations and modifications exist within the scope and spirit of the invention as described and defined in the following claims. 
     The present application is based on the Japanese Priority Application No. 2007-228874 filed Sep. 4, 2007, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.