[Name of Document] DESCRIPTION
[Title of Invention] COMPLEX APPARATUS
[Technical Field]
[OOOl]
The present invention relates to complex apparatuses
that include a first device and a second device that covers
the top of the first device in a freely openable/closable
state.
[Background Art I
[0002]
Thus far, apparatuses that include a printer and a
scanner that covers the top of the printer in a freely
openable/closable state have been known as examples of
complex apparatuses (see PTL 1). The printer is configured
by containing a printer engine within an apparatus housing
that has an opening in its upper surface, whereas the
scanner is configured by containing a scanner engine within
an upper housing. The scanner covers the printer by
covering the opening in the upper surface of the apparatus
housing in a freely openable/closable state via a hinge
portion, and when the scanner has been opened, the
replacement of ink cartridges and so on can be carried out
through the opening in the upper surface.
Meanwhile, when the scanner is closed, the apparatus
housing directly supports the scanner through a pair of
As described above, with such a past complex apparatus,
the load of the moment of the scanner central to the hinge
portion is received (supported) by the upper plate of the
apparatus housing via the pair of cylinders (push-pins).
Accordingly, there is a risk that the upper plate will bend
and interfere with the printer engine (the internal units)
as a result. Although providing a space (interval)
sufficient to permit the bending between the upper plate and
the internal units can be considered, such a measure is
problematic in that it leads to an increase in the size of
the overall apparatus.
[00051
cylinders provided in an upper pl.ate that forms the opening
in the upper surface. Each cylinder includes a push-pin
contained within a groove portion in the upper plate and a
spring that biases the push-pin in a projecting direction,
and the tips of the pair of push-pins support the front area
of the scanner.
[Citation List]
[Patent Literature]
[0003]
[PTL 11 JP-A-2002-144673
[Summary of Invention]
[Technical Problem]
[00041
The present invention has its problem to provide a
complex apparatus capable of supporting a second device in a
favorable manner without increasing the size of the overall
apparatus.
[Solution to Problem]
[ 0 0 0 6 ]
According to a complex apparatus includes a first
device that has an apparatus housing including an upper
plate; and a second device provided so as to be freely
openable/closable the upper portion of the first device via
a hinge portion; wherein the second device has a seating
projection directly supported by the first device together
with the hinge portion when being closed, and the first
device has a seating opening which is arranged in the upper
plate and into which the seating projection is fitted and a
reinforcing support portion directly receiving the seating
projection to support the second device.
[0007 1
According to this configuration, the seating projection
of the image second device can be received by the
reinforcing support portion so as to be directly supported,
which makes it possible to support the second device in a
favorable manner. Also, since the seating projection is
fitted into the seating openicg formed in the upper plate,
the moment load of the second device is not applied to the
upper plate to prevent the upper plate from being bent.
With this arrangement, it is unnecessary to consider the
interference with the internal units due to bending of the
upper plate to prevent the size of the overall apparatus
from increasing.
[ 0 0 0 8 ]
In addition, it is preferable that the reinforcing
support portion has a seating receiving portion that
directly receive the seating projection; the seating
projection is formed in an inverted conical-trapezoidal
shape; the seating receiving portion is formed so as to be
complementary to the seating projection.
[00091
According to this configuration, since the seating
projection is engaged with the seating receiving portion
while qeing guided in the closing operation, the second
device is closed while being positioned to the first device,
and positional skew (looseness; of the second device in the
depth direction and the width direction of the second device
in the closing state can be prevented.
[00101
In addition, it is preferable that the upper plate
includes two plate portions disposed so as to be separated
from each other in the width direction of the first device;
a pair of the seating openings is provided corresponding to
s
the two plate portions; a pair of the reinforcing support
portions is provided corresponding to the pair of the
seating openings; and a pair of the seating projection is
provided corresponding to the pair of the seating openings.
[OOll]
According to this configuration, the positions of th&
both plate portions in the depth direction and the width
direction are regulated through the second device as a
result of the pair of seating projections and the pair of
seating openings linked theretc cperating together;
accordingly, it is possible to suppress problems in which
the relative positions of the both plate portions become
further apart from each other or closer to each other due to
heat deformation, external forces, or the like.
[0012 I
Another complex apparatus according to the invention
includes a first device that has an apparatus housing
including an upper plate; and a second device provided so as
to be freely openable/closable the upper portion of the
first device via a hinge portion; wherein the second device
has a seating projection directly supported by the first
device together with the hinge portion when being closed,
and the first device has a seating portion arranged in the
upper plate and receiving the seating projection and a
reinforcing support portion arranged below the seating
portion to prevent the upper plate being bent.
[0013]
According to this configuration, the reinforcing
support portion is provided below the seating portion of the
upper plate so as to prevent the upper plate from being bent,
and thus the bending of the upper plate can be prevented
effectively. With this arrangement, it possible to support
the second device at the upper plate portion of the first
device in a favorable manner. Also, it is unnecessary to
consider the interference with the internal units due to
bending of the upper plate to prevent the size of the
overall apparatus from increasina.
[0014]
In addition, it is preferable that the seating portion
includes a ring-shaped projection that surrounds the seating
projection that is seated and makes contact therewith.
[00151
According to this configuration, since the position of
the seating projection on the upper plate is regulated with
the ring-shape projection, positional skew (looseness) in
the depth direction and the width direction of the second
device can be prevented.
[0016]
In addition, it is preferable that the first device has
the apparatus frame and the reinforcing support portion is
portion and the hinge pin are integrally formed with the
apparatus frame.
[00201
According to this configuration, since the shaft side
of the hinge portion (first attachment portion and pin
hinge) can be formed integrally with the apparatus frame,
the force received by the hinge portion can be dissipated
appropriately.
[0021]
In addition, it is preferable that the second device is
formed of a part of the apparatus frame.
[00171
In addition, it is preferable that the apparatus frame
is formed of resin which is integrally formed.
[0018]
According to this configuration, the number of parts
can be reduced, and the force received by the reinforcing
support portion can be dissipated appropriately.
In addition, it is preferable that the first device
includes an apparatus frame; the hinge portion includes a
first attachment portion attached to the first device, a
second attachment portion attached to the second device, and
a hinge pin for communicating the first attachment portion
and the second attachment portion; and the first attachment
an image reading device that reads an image from a recoding
medium by moving a sensor carriage on which a sensor unit is
mounted in a scanning direction; and the seating projection
is disposed immediately below a trajectory of center of
gravity of the sensor carriage.
LO0221
According to this configuration, the area that requires
the most rigidity is directly supported, which makes it
possible to effectively prevent the unnecessary deformation
of the image reading device.
[00231
In addition, the first device is an image recording
apparatus that records an image on a recording medium.
[0024]
According to this configuration, a printer complex
apparatus capable of supporting aa image reading apparatus
in a favorable manner with reducing the size can be provided
[Brief Description of Drawings]
[0025]
[Fig. 11 Fig. 1 is an external perspective view
illustrating a complex machine according to a first
embodiment.
[Fig. 21 Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the
complex machine when a scanner unit is in an open state.
[Fig. 31 Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the complex
,
machine, seen from the side.
[Fig. 41 Fig. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the
internal structure of the scanner unit.
[Fig. 51 Fig. 5 is a bottom view illustrating a top cover
of the scanner unit.
[Fig. 61 Fig. 6 is a plan view illustrating the internal
structure of a printer unit.
[Fig. 71 Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view illustrating
the internal structure of the printer unit, seen from the
side.
[Fig. 81 Fig. 8 is an exploded perspective view
illustrating the internal structure of the printer unit.
[Fig. 91 Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the vicinity
of a hinge portion, seen from the side.
[Fig. 101 Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view illustrating
the vicinity of a seating projection when the scanner unit
is in a closed state, seen from the side.
[Fig. 111 Fig. 11 is a perspective view illustrating a
complex machine when a scanner unit is in an open state,
according to a second embodiment.
[Fig. 121 Fig. 12 is a perspective view illustrating an
apparatus frame according to the second embodiment.
[Fig. 131 Fig. 13 is a cross-sectional view illustrating
the vicinity of a seating projection when the scanner unit
is in a closed state, seen from the side, according to the
second embodiment.
[Description of Embodiments]
[00261
Hereinafter, a complex machine (complex apparatus) 1 in
which an image recording apparatus according to the
invention is applied will be described with reference to the
appended drawings. Fig. 1 is an external perspective view
illustrating the complex machine 1. As shown in Fig. 1, the
complex machine 1 integrally includes a printer unit (image
recording device; a first device) 2, which serves as a main
apparatus body, and a scanner unit (image reading device; a
second device) 3, which serves as an upper unit disposed
above the printer unit 2. Note that the following
descriptions will be given assuming that the depth direction
in Fig. 1 corresponds to the X axis direction and the
horizontal direction corresponds to the Y axis direction.
[00271
Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the complex
machine 1 when the scanner unit 3 is in an open state. As
shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, the scanner unit 3 is supported
on the printer unit 2 through a hinge portion 4 provided at
the rear end of the scanner unit 3, in a freely pivotable
state, and covers the top of the printer unit 2 in a freely
openable/closable state. In other words, an upper surface
opening 10 in the printer unit 2 is exposed by raising the
i
,
scanner unit 3 in the pivoting direction, and the interior
of the printer unit 2 is exposed through the upper surface
opening 10 (an open state; see Fig. 2). On the other hand,
by lowering the scanner unit 3 in the pivoting direction and
placing the scanner unit 3 upon the printer unit 2, the
upper surface opening 10 is covered by the scanner unit 3 (a
closed state; see Fig. 1). In this manner, the
configuration is such that an ink cartridge 84 can be
replaced, paper jams can be removed, and so on, by opening
the scanner unit 3.
[00281
Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the complex machine
1, seen from the side. As shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, the
scanner unit 3 includes: an upper frame 11, serving as an
enclosure; an image reading unit 12 housed within the upper
frame 11 (see Fig. 4); and a top cover 13 supported on an
upper portion of the upper frame 11 in a freely-pivotable
state. Furthermore, although details will be given later,
components of the scanner unit 3 for the aforementioned
hinge portion 4 are provided in a rear end portion of the
upper frame 11.
[0029]
Fig. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the internal
structure of the scanner unit 3. As shown in Fig. 3 and Fig
4, the upper frame 11 includes a box-shaped lower case 16
that houses the image reading unit 12, and an upper case 17
that covers the top surface of the lower case 16. A
document placement plate (document platform) 21, configured
of glass, is disposed across the upper case 17, and a medium
to be read is placed thereupon with its reading surface
facing downward. Meanwhile, the lower case 16 is formed as
a shallow box whose upper surface is open. An allowance
recess 23, serving as a space in which a sensor carriage 32
(mentioned later) moves, is formed in the base surface of
the lower case 16 in a frontal area thereof, whereas a
housing recess 25 that houses a cable (not shown) whose one
end is connected to a sensor unit 31 (also mentioned later)
is formed in the base surface of the lower case 16 in a rear
area thereof. Furthermore, a pair of left and right seating
projections 24, for seating the scanner unit 3 on the
printer unit 2, are erected in the bottom surface of the
allowance recess 23 (details will be given later).
[00301
As shown in Fig. 4, the image reading unit 12 includes:
the sensor unit 31, which is a line sensor; the sensor
carriage 32, in which the sensor unit 31 is mounted; a guide
shaft 33 that extends in the Y axis direction and supports
the sensor carriage 32 in a freely slidable state; and a
self-propelled sensor movement mechanism 34 that moves the
sensor carriage 32 along the guide shaft 33. The sensor
unit 31 has an image sensor (sensor unit) 41, which is a CCD
(charge-coupled device) line sensor that extends in the X
axis direction, and is moved back and forth in the Y axis
direction along the guide shaft 33 by the motor-driven
sensor movement mechanism 34. Thrwgh this, an image of a
medium to be read (a document! oi: the document placement
plate 21 is read. Note that the pair of seating projections
24 is disposed directly below the trajectory of the center
of gravity of the moving sensor carriage 32, with the
seating projections 24 distanced from each other in the Y
axis direction.
[0031]
Fig. 5 is a bottom view of the top cover 13, looking up
at the top cover 13 from below. As shown in Fig. 5, a white
document suppression board 56 disposed so as to oppose the
document placement plate 21, and a calibration reference
member 57 that is disposed adjacent to the document
suppression board 56 in the Y axis direction (scanning
direction) and that serves as a calibration reference for
the sensor unit 31, are disposed on the top cover 13. When
the scanner unit 3 is turned on, white color reference
calibration and positional reference calibration for the
sensor unit 31 are carried out by moving the sensor unit 31
and capturing an image of the calibration reference member
57.
[0032]
Meanwhile, as shown in Fig. 2, the printer unit 2
includes: a transport unit 61 that sends a sheet-shaped
recording medium (print paper; single sheets of paper) along
a transport path R; a printing unit 62, disposed above the
transport path R, that carries out an ink jet printing
process on the recording medium; a panel-type operation unit
63 disposed on the front surface; an apparatus frame 64 in
which the transport unit 61, the printing unit 62, and the
operation unit 63 are mounted; and an apparatus housing 65
that covers the aforementioned elements. Furthermore,
although not shown, a USB port and a power supply port are
provided in a lower area of the rear surface. In other
words, the complex machine 1 is coilfigured so as to be
capable of connecting to a computer or the like via the USB
port.
[00331
Fig. 6 is a plan view illustrating the internal
structure of the printer unit 2. Fig. 7, meanwhile, is a
cross-sectional view illustrating the internal structure of
the printer unit 2, seen from the side. As shown in Figs. 2,
6, and 7, the printing unit 62 includes: a guide frame 71,
configured of metal plates, that is supported by the
apparatus frame 64 and extends along the entire width in the
Y axis direction; a carriage unit 72 supported by the guide
frame 71 so as to move freely b&ck and forth; and a carriage
movement mechanism 73 (see Fig. 2 ) that moves the carriage
unit 72 back and forth along the guide frame 71. An ink jet
head 83 is mounted in the carriage unit 72.
[00341
The guide frame 71 is formed so as to have a "C" shape
when viewed cross-sectionally, and an interlocking slider
portion 81a of the carriage unit 72 interlocks with the top
and bottom thereof. Through this, the carriage unit 72 is
fitted into the guide frame 71 and supported on one side so
as to be capable of moving back and forth in the extension
direction (the Y axis direction), or in other words, so as
to be capable of sliding. The carriage movement mechanism
73 includes: a timing belt 76 that extends along the guide
frame 71; a primary pulley (not shown) and a slave pulley 78
upon which the timing belt 76 is stretched; a
linking/anchoring member (not shown) that links the timing
belt 76 to the carriage unit 72 (a carriage 81); and a
carriage motor (not shown) that drives the primary pulley.
When the carriage motor rotates f~rward or backward, the
carriage unit 72 moves back and forth in the Y axis
direction (the horizontal direct.ion) via the timing belt 76.
The main scans are carried out by driving the ink jet head
83 in the carriage unit 72 to perform ejecting operations
during this back-and-forth movement.
[00351
As shown in Fig. 6 and Fig. 7, the carriage unit 72
includes: the box-shaped carriage 81, which is supported by
the guide frame 71 via the interlocking slider portion 81a
so as to be capable of freely moving back and forth; the ink
jet head 83, which is embedded in the bottom surface of the
carriage 81 in an integrated state: and four ink cartridges
84 that are housed in the carriage 81 a detachable manner.
The ink jet head 83 has four nozzle rows (not shown) that
eject four colors of ink drcplets, and the four ink
cartridges 84, which hold four colors of ink, are directly
connected to the upper side of the ink jet head 83 by
mounting the four ink cartridges 84 in the carriage 81. The
four nozzle rows in the ink jet head 83 extend parallel to
each other in the X axis direction, and are disposed facing
downward toward the recording medium that is sent with a
predetermined paper gap therebetween.
[0036]
As shown in Fig. 7, the transport unit 61 includes: a
mobile paper tray 91 in which the recording medium is set
aligned to the right; a separation roller 92 that separates
and feeds out the recording niedlun! from the paper tray 91
one sheet at a time; paper supply rollers 93, positioned
downstream from the separation roller 92, that feed the
recording medium to the printing unit 62 along the transport
path R; a medium regulation member (this corresponds to a
platen) 95, positioned downstream from the paper supply
roller 93, that opposes the ink jet head 83; a serrated
guide roller 97 positioned downstream from the medium
regulation member 95; and discharge rollers 96, positioned
downstream from the guide roller 9 7 , that discharge the
recording medium from a discharge port 100 (see Fig. 2).
[00371
The paper supply rollers 93 are configured of nipping
rollers including a lower paper supply driving roller 93a
and an upper paper supply slave roller 93b; likewise, the
discharge rollers 96 are configured of nipping rollers
including a lower discharge driving roller 96a and an upper
discharge slave roller 96b. The guide roller 97 and the
discharge slave roller 96b are supported by a roller frame
113 that is independent from the apparatus frame 64, and
configures a roller assembly 99. The paper supply rollers
93 function as main rollers that control the feeding (sub
scanning) of the recording medium, whereas the discharge
rollers 96 function as tension rollers that apply tension to
the recording medium positioned above the medium regulation
member 95.
[ 0 0 3 8 ]
The recording medium fed from the paper tray 91 by the
separation roller 92 is sent intermittently in the X axis
direction toward the discharge rollers 96 along the top of
the medium regulation member 95 by the paper supply rollers
93 (sub scanning). In synchronization with this
intermittent feeding, the carriage unit 72 selectively
ejects ink while moving back and forth in the X axis
direction (main scans), thus carrying out the desired
printing. Meanwhile, the leading edge of the recording
medium that has passed the medium regulation member 95 and
reached the guide roller 97 is fed into the discharge
rollers 96, with the guide raller 97 correcting upward curls.
In this manner, the recording medium on which the print has
been completed is discharged to the front by the discharge
rollers 96, through the discharge port 100.
[00391
Here, the apparatus frame 64, the upper frame 11, and
the apparatus housing 65 will be described in detail with
reference to Fig. 2, Figs. 8 through 10. Fig. 8 is an
exploded perspective view illustrating the internal
structure of the printer unit 2.
As shown in Fig. 8, the apparatus frame 64 is a frame
that supports the various elements of the printer unit 2,
and is configured of a resin that is formed as a single
entity. Specifically, the apparatus frame 64 includes: a
base frame portion 64a; a pair of left and right side frame
portions 64b, erected from the base frame portion 64a, that
support the various constituent elements of the transport
unit 61 and the guide frame 71 with both sides; a pair of
left and right front frame portions 64c that support the
front of the scanner unit 3 a d szpport the operation unit
63 on the front of the base frame portion 64a; and a pair of
left and right rear frame portions 64d that support the
printer unit 2 in a freely openable/closable state via the
hinge portion 4 on the rear of the base frame portion 64a.
[00401
The front frame portions 64c each include a pair of
reinforcing support portions 135 that receive the front area
of the scanner unit 3 and a pair of operation support
portions 136 that support the operation unit 63 in a freelytiltable
manner. Each of the reinforcing support portions
135 extends along the vicinity of the upper surface of the
apparatus housing 65, and includes a seating receiving
portion 155 thereupon that directly receives the
corresponding seating projecticn 24 of the stated scanner
unit 3. Each seating receiving portion 155 is formed as a
recess, in an inverted conical trapezoidal shape that has a
shape complimentary to that of the corresponding seating
projection 24, and the seating projections 24 are seated
thereon by fitting therewith. Meanwhile, the pair of
seating receiving portions 155 in the pair of reinforcing
support portions 135 are formed so that one is circular when
viewed from above and the other is formed as a rectangle
with rounded corners that extends to the left and right (see
Fig. 6). This allows for the error in the positional
precision between the seating projections 24.
[004 11
The rear frame portions 64d include a pair of lower
hinge portions 181 (first attachment portions) that
configure part of the hinge ort ti on 4, and a pair of hinge
pins 183 that link the pair of lower hinge portions 181 to a
pair of upper hinge portions 182, mentioned later, that are
provided in the scanner unit 3 .
[ 0 04 2 I
As shown in Fig. 2, the apparatus housing 65 includes a
pair of left and right side housings 161 that configure left
and right sheathings of the printer unit 2, and a linking
housing 162 that links the pair of side housings 161 at the
location of the aforementioned guide frame 71. Each of the
side housings 161 is formed of a side surface plate portion
163, having a sideways U shape when viewed from above, that
covers the front, left, right, and rear surfaces, and an
upper plate portion (plate portion) 164 that covers the
upper surface; these portions are formed as a single entity.
In other words, the pair of side housings 161 is configured
so as to attach to the apparatus frame 64 from the left and
right. The two upper plate portions 164 are formed in a
shape of a square with one side open when viewed from above,
and are disposed so as to be separated from each other in
the width direction (the Y axis direction) of the complex
machine 1. In other words, t.he upper surface opening 10 of
the apparatus housing 65 is formed by the region enclosed by
the pair of upper plate portions 164 and the linking housing
162. Furthermore, a rear opening 9 is formed on the rear of
the linking housing 162. The rear opening 9 is configured
of a paper opening with the paper tray 91 and supplying the
recording medium to the intericr of the apparatus, and a
pair of hinge openings, which are provided on the left and
right sides of the paper opening, for disposing the hinge
portion 4. Note that the upper plate referred to in the
claims is configured of the two upper plate portions 164.
[00431
A seating recess 171 that corresponds to the allowance
recess 23 of the upper frame 11 and is formed as a recess
that has a shape complimentary thereto, and a pair of
seating openings 172 formed in the seating recess 171 in
correspondence with the pair of seating projections 24, are
formed in each of the upper plate portions 164. Furthermore,
the aforementioned seating receiving portions 155 formed in
the reinforcing support portions 135 are provided beyond
each of the seating openings 172. In addition, the seating
openings 172 are formed in shapes that correspond to the
seating receiving portions 155; in other words, one is
circular when viewed from above, whereas the other is a
rectangular shape with rounded corners when viewed from
above.
[00441
Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the
hinge portion 4, seen from the side. Fig. 10, meanwhile, is
a diagram illustrating the vicinity of the seating
projection 24 when the scanner unit 3 is in the closed state
As shown in Fig. 9 and Fig. 10, the pair of left and right
upper hinge portions (second attachment portions) 182 (see
Fig. 9) formed integrally with ~ h eup per case 17, and the
pair of left and right seating projections 24 (see Fig. 10)
projecting from the lower surface of the allowance recess 23
in the lower case 16, are provided in the upper frame 11.
The pair of upper hinge portions 182 configures, along with
the aforementioned pair of lower hinge portions 181 and the
pair of hinge pins 183, the hinge portion 4 that links the
printer unit 2 and the scanner unit 3 in a freely-pivotable
state.
[00451
The pair of seating projections 24 is disposed so as to
be parallel in the Y axis direction directly below the
trajectory of the center of gravity of the moving sensor
carriage 32; each seating projection 24 is formed in an
inverse conical trapezoidal shape, and is formed integrally
with the lower case 16. In other words, when the scanner
unit 3 is closed, each seating projection 24 fits into the
corresponding seating receiving portion 155 of the front
frame portion 64c (the reinforcing support portion 135) via
the seating opening 172 in the upper plate portion 164.
[0046]
As shown in Fig. 10, when the scanner unit 3 is placed
on. top of the printer unit 2 with the scanner unit 3 in the
closed state, the pair of seating projections 24 fit into
the pair of seating openings 172, and is seated upon the
respective seating receiving portions 155 of the pair of
reinforcing support portions 135. In other words, the pair
of seating projections 24 is directly supported by the pair
of reinforcing support portions 135. In this manner, the
reinforcing support portions 135 receive and directly
support the seating projections 24 of the scanner unit 3;
accordingly, the moment load of the scanner unit 3, whose
support point is the hinge portion 4 (the weight of the
scanner unit 31, can be directly supported by the
reinforcing support portions 135. Accordingly, the scanner
unit 3 can be supported in a favorable manner. Furthermore,
because the seating projections 24 fit into the seating
openings 172 formed in the upper plate portions 164, the
moment load of the scanner unit 3 is not exerted on the
upper plate portion 164, and thus the upper plate portion
164 does not bend.
[0047]
Next, a second embodiment of the complex machine 1 will
be described with reference to Figs. 11 through 13, with the
descriptions focusing only on the points that differ from
the complex machine 1 according to the first embodiment.
The seating projections 24 in this embodiment are, as in the
first embodiment, formed integrally with the lower case 16,
and are formed so as to have an inverse conical trapezoidal
shape. However, as shown in Fig. 11 and Fig. 13, each upper
plate portion 164 has a seating portion 211 instead of the
seating opening 172. Each seating portion 211 has a ringshaped
projection 212 that surrounds the corresponding
seated seating projection 24. In this case, as shown in Fig.
12 and Fig. 13, each reinforcing support portion 135 is
disposed below the corresponding seating portion 211, and a
contact portion 213 that supports the corresponding upper
plate portion 164 from below is formed in the upper surface
thereof.
In other words, each reinforcing support portion 135 is
disposed (formed) so as to block the corresponding upper
plate portion 164 from bending. In this manner, the
reinforcing support portions 135, which serve as support
structures for the moment load of the scanner unit 3,
support the upper plate portions 164 so as to block the
upper plate portions 164 from bending, and thus the upper
plate portions 164 can be effectively prevented from bending
Accordingly, the scanner unit 3 can be supported in a
favorable manner by portiorls in the upper plate portions 164
of the printer unit 2.
[0048]
Although the configuration in this embodiment is such
that the seating projections 24 are formed so as to extend
(project) from the lowermost area of the allowance recess 23
in the lower case 16, and the seating is carried out on
these projecting portions, it should be noted that the
configuration may be such that the lowermost area of the
allowance recess 23 itself is used as the seating
projections 24; in other words, the projecting portions may
be omitted, and the seating may be carried out directly on
the lower surfaces of the lowermost area of the allowance
recess 23. However, providing the seating projections 24 so
as to project from the lowermost area of the allowance
recess 23, as in this embodiment, makes it possible to
adjust the height using a method for shaving down the
seating projections 24, which makes it easy to make subtle
adjustments to the height thereof.
[00491
Meanwhile, with respect to the seating portions 211,
the ring-shaped projections 212 that extend (project) from
the upper plate portions 164 are provided in this
embodiment; however, the configuration may be such that such
ring-shaped projections 212 that project are not provided.
Furthermore, although the contact portions 213 extend
(project) from the reinforcing support portions 135 in this
embodiment, the contact portions 213 are also not absolutely
necessary; the configuration may be such that the contact
portions 213 are omitted, and the support is carried out
directly by the reinforcing support portions 135 (the upper
surfaces thereof). However, in the case where the contact
portions 213 are not provided, the area of contact with the
upper plate portions 164 is widened, and thus a
corresponding degree of precision in the components is ,
necessary; on the other hand, providing the contact portions
213 makes it possible to adjust the height using a method
for shaving down the contact portions 213, as is the case
with the aforementioned seating projections 24, which makes
it easy to make subtle adjustments to the height thereof.
[0050]
According to the configurations of the aforementioned
embodiments, the scanner unit 3 can be supported in a
favorable manner without the upper plate portions 164
bending, by using the stated support structure for the
moment load. Accordingly, it is not necessary to consider
interference with the inner units caused by bending in the
upper frame portions 164, which makes it possible to
suppress the apparatus as a whole from increasing in size.
[00511
In addition, by configuring the reinforcing support
portion 135 of part of the apparatus frame 64, and thus
configuring the apparatus frame 64 from a resin formed as a
single entity, the number of components can be reduced, and
the force received by the reinforcing support portion 135
can be dissipated appropriately.
LOO521
Furthermore, by forming the shaft sides of the hinge
portion 4 (the lower hinge portions 181 and the hinge pins
183) integrally with the apparatus frame 64, the force
received by the hinge portion 4 can be dissipated
appropriately.
[0053 I
In addition, by disposing the seating projections 24
directly below the trajectory of the center of gravity of
the sensor carriage 32, the area in the printer unit 2 that
requires the most rigidity is directly supported, which
makes it possible to effectively prevent the unnecessary
deformation of the printer unit 2. Although not explicitly
referred to in the aforementioned embodiments, it should be
noted that the center of gravity of the sensor carriage 32
is the center of the weight sf the sensor carriage 32
including the various members mounted thereon.
Of course, if, of the members that are mounted, the
sensor carriage 32, and so on, there is a member that makes
up a large portion of the weight of the sensor carriage 32
(for example, a sensor motor), the configuration may be such
that the seating projections 24 are disposed directly below
the trajectory of the center of gravity of that member.
[00541
In addition, according to the configuration of the
first embodiment, the seating projections 24 are formed of
inverted conical trapezoidal shapes and the seating
receiving portions 155 are formed of shapes that are
complementary to those of the seating projections 24, and
the seating projections 24 fit into the seating receiving
portions 155 while being guided thereby when the scanner
unit 3 is closed; accordingly, the scanner unit 3 can be
closed in a state in which the scanner unit 3 is positioned
relative to the printer unit 2, and positional skew
(looseness) in the depth direction and the width direction
of the scanner unit 3 can be effectively prevented when the
scanner unit 3 is in a closed state
Furthermore, according LO the configuration of the
first embodiment, pairs of the seating openings 172,
reinforcing support portions 135, and seating projections 24
are provided corresponding to the two upper plate portions
164, and the positions of the upper plate portions 164 in
the depth direction and the width direction are regulated
through the scanner unit 3 as a result of the pair of
seating projections 24 and the pair of seating openings 172
linked thereto operating together; accordingly, it is
possible to suppress problems in which the relative
positions of the upper plate portions 164 become further
apart from each other or closer to each other due to heat
deformation, external forces, or the like.
[ 0 0 5 6 ]
Meanwhile, according to the configuration of the second
embodiment, the ring-shaped projections 212 are provided,
and the positions of the seating projections 24 on the upper
plate portions 164 are regulated by the ring-shaped
projections 212; accordingly, positional skew (looseness) in
the depth direction and the width direction of the scanner
unit 3 can be prevented.
[ 0 0 5 7 ]
Although the configuration is such that a pair of
seating projections 24 is provided in parallel in the width
direction (the axial direction of the hinge portion 4 ) in
the aforementioned embodiments, it should be noted that the
configuration may be such that only one seating projection
24 is provided, or three or more seating projections 24 are
provided. In this case, a corresponding number of
reinforcing support portions 135, seating openings 172,
seating portions 211, and so on are provided as well.
[00581
Furthermore, although the reinforcing support portions
135 are configured of parts of the apparatus frame 64 in the
aforementioned embodiments, the configuration may be such
that reinforcing support portions 135 that are separate
entities from the apparatus frame 64 are employed.
[00591
Furthermore, although the invention is applied in the
complex machine 1 that includes the printer unit 2 and the
scanner unit 3 in the aforementioned embodiments, the
invention is not limited thereto, and may be applied in any
complex apparatus as long as that complex apparatus includes
a first device and a second device, such as a complex
apparatus including a copy machine and a facsimile device,
and so on.
[00601
Furthermore, although the configuration is such that
the seating projections 24 are formed as parts of the lower
case 16 in the aforementioned embodiments, the seating
projections 24 may be configured of elastic members (such as
elastic rubber members).
[Reference Signs List]
[0061]
1: complex machine, 2: printer unit, 3: scanner unit,
4: hinge portion, 24: seating projection, 32: sensor
carriage, 41: image sensor, 64: apparatus frame, 65:
apparatus housing, 135: reinforcing support portion, 155:
seating receiving portion, 164: upper plate portion, 172:
seating opening, 181: lower hinge portion, 182: upper hinge
portion, 183: hinge pin, 211: seating portion, 212: ringshaped
projection

CLAIMS
[Claim I1
A complex apparatus comprising:
a recording device including a recording unit that
executes recording on a medium;
an image reading device, provided so as to open and
close an upper portion of the recording device with a hinge
portion, including an image reading unit that reads an
image ;
a first contact portion, provided in the image reading
device, that makes contact with a housing of the recording
device when the image reading device is in a closed state;
a second contact portion, provided in the housing of
the recording device, that makes contact with the first
contact portion when the image reading device is in a closed
state; and
a third contact portion, provided in an apparatus frame
that holds the recording unit, that makes contact with the
housing of the recording device at the lower area of the
second contact portion.
[Claim 21
(Amended) The complex apparatus according to Claim 1,
wherein the image reading device includes a sensor for
reading an image and an image reading device carriage on
which the sensor is mounted and that moves; and
when the image reading device is in a closed state, the
first contact portion is disposed below a region of movement
of the image reading device carriage.
[Claim 31
(Amended) The complex apparatus according to Claim 1,
wherein the housing includes two plate portions
disposed so as to be separated from each other in a width
direction of the recording device;
a pair of the second contact portions is provided
corresponding to the two plate portions; and
a pair of the first contact portions and a pair of the
third contact portions are provided each corresponding to
the pair of the second contact,portions.
[Claim 41
(Amended) The complex apparatus according to Claim 1,
further comprising:
an information input unit that instructs the recording
to be executed; and
a pair of support portions, provided in the apparatus
frame, that spans the information input unit and supports
the information input unit on the apparatus frame,
wherein the third contact portions are provided in
areas extended from the support portions.
[Claim 51
(Amended) The complex apparatus according to Claim 1,
wherein a periphery of the second contact portion of
the housing has a shape that surrounds the first contact
portion that makes contact therewith.
[Claim 61
(Amended) The complex apparatus according to Claim 2,
wherein the image reading device carriage includes a
motor and a housing portion that houses the motor, and when
the image reading device is in a closed state, the first
contact portion is disposed below the housing portion.
[Claim 71
(New) The complex apparatus according to Claim 6,
wherein the recording device includes:
a transport unit that transports the medium on which
recording is executed;
a recording head that executes recording; and
a recording device carriage on which the recording head
is mounted and that moves,
wherein a region of movement of the image reading
device carriage and a region of movement of the recording
device carriage are distanced from each other in a transport
direction of the medium.
[Claim 81
(New) The complex apparatus according to Claim 7,
wherein the region of movement of the image reading
device carriage is downstream from the region of movement of
the recording device carriage in the transport direction of
the medium.
[Claim 91
(Amended) A complex apparatus comprising:
a recording device including a recording unit that
executes recording on a medium;
an image reading device, provided so as to open and
close an upper portion of the recording device with a hinge
portion, including an image reading unit that reads an
image ;
an apparatus frame that holds the recording unit of the
recording device;
a fourth contact portion, provided in the image reading
device, that makes contact with the apparatus frame when the
image reading device is in a closed state;
an opening, provided in a housing of the recording
device, into which the fourth contact portion is inserted
when the image reading device is in a closed state; and
a fifth contact portion, provided in the apparatus
frame, that makes contact with the fourth contact portion.
[Claim 101
(Amended) The complex apparatus according to Claim 9,
wherein the image reading device includes a sensor for
reading an image and an image reading device carriage on
which the sensor is mounted and that moves; and
when the image reading device is in a closed state, the
fourth contact portion is disposed below a region of
movement of the image reading device carriage.
[Claim 111
(Amended) The complex apparatus according to Claim 9,
wherein the housing includes two plate portions
disposed so as to be separated from each other in a width
direction of the recording device;
a pair of the openings is provided corresponding to the
two plate portions; and
a pair of the fourth contact portions and a pair of the
fifth contact portions are provided each corresponding to
the pair of the openings.
[Claim 121
(Amended) The complex apparatus according to Claim 9,
further comprising:
an information input unit that instructs the recording
to be executed; and
a pair of support portions, provided in the apparatus
frame, that spans the information input unit and supports
the information input unit on the apparatus frame,
wherein the fifth contact portions are provided in
areas extended from the support portions.
[Claim 131
(Amended) The complex apparatus according to Claim 9,
wherein the fourth contact portion and the fifth
contact portion are formed having complimentary shapes.
[Claim 141
(Amended) The complex apparatus according to Claim 10,
wherein the image reading device carriage includes a
motor and a housing portion that houses the motor, and when
the image reading device is in a closed state, the fourth
contact portion is disposed below the housing portion.
[Claim 151
(New) The complex apparatus according to Claim 14,
wherein the recording device includes:
a transport unit that transports the medium on which
recording is executed;
a recording head that executes recording; and
a recording device carriage on which the recording head
is mounted and that moves,
wherein a region of movement of the image reading
device carriage and a region of movement of the recording
device carriage are distanced from each other in a transport
direction of the medium.
[Claim 161
(New) The complex apparatus according to Claim 15,
wherein the region of movement of the image reading
device carriage is downstream from the region of movement of
the recording device carriage in the transport direction of
the medium.