This application claims priorities to Japanese Patent Application Nos. 2005-023443 filed on Jan. 31, 2005, 2005-023444 filed on Jan. 31, 2005, 2005-031975 filed Feb. 8, 2005, and 2005-031976 filed on Feb. 8, 2005, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference into the present application.
The invention relates to a configuration of an electrical appliance such as an image recording device equipped with a liquid crystal display panel capable of displaying data including images, characters and so on thereon.
In conventional electrical appliances including single-function devices such as tape printers, inkjet printers, copiers and facsimiles and multifunction image recording devices having a printing function, copying function, scanning function and facsimile transmitting/receiving function, there has been provided a liquid crystal display unit for providing the user with instructions on achieving various functions of the device and informing the user of the current status of the device, operating procedures, and the like.
A tape printer described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. HEI-8-164014 includes a main body case, a cover member disposed on the upper surface of the main body case for covering a region that accommodates a cassette case therein, and a liquid crystal display panel. An inkjet printer with an image scanner described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,804,858 (corresponding to Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2003-103869) includes a main body configured of a lower main body and an upper main body rotatably mounted on the top surface of the lower main body to selectively be in an open state and a closed state. An inkjet printing unit is incorporated into the lower main body. An image scanning unit is incorporated into the upper main body. An operation panel unit with a liquid crystal display panel is disposed on a side of the top surface of the upper main body.
Recent electrical appliances, especially electrical appliances for recording images, have a liquid crystal display panel with an enlarged display area for displaying the entire image to be processed and with a capacity for displaying the image in color.
However, the image recording device described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,804,858 causes the following problem: when the liquid crystal display panel is disposed on the rotatable upper main body, a longer harness for signal or data transmission is required for connecting a control board, that is generally built into the lower main body, to the liquid crystal display panel. This harness tends to pick up noise readily, thereby degrading the performance of the liquid crystal display panel.
Furthermore, when performing such operations as maintenance and the replacement of parts, ink cartridges, and other consumable items while the upper main body is opened relative to the lower main body, the user must be able clearly to see messages with instructions for operating procedures and the like on the liquid crystal display panel.
To solve these problems, the liquid crystal display panel is preferably disposed on the top surface of the lower main body. However, the liquid crystal display panel arranged in this way must not be blocked from view when the upper main body is closed.
Furthermore, it is preferable that the upper main body be shaped substantially the same as the lower main body in a plan view in order to achieve a more compact device overall.
To solve these problems, it is an object of the invention to provide an electrical appliance capable of improving the utility of the liquid crystal display panel disposed on the top surface of the lower main body.
To achieve the above and other objects, an electrical appliance in accordance with the invention includes an upper main body, a lower main body, and a liquid crystal display panel disposed on the top surface of the lower main body. The upper main body is pivotally movable about a first side edge of the lower main body to selectively be in an open state in which the top surface of the lower main body is exposed and a closed state in which the top surface of the lower main body is unexposed by the upper main body disposed above the lower main body. The upper main body is formed with an opening so that the display surface is visible from outside of the upper main body when the upper main body is in the closed state.
The particular features and advantages of the invention as well as other objects will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Specific illustrative examples of the invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings
An electrical appliance according to a first illustrative example of the invention will be described below. In the first illustrative example, the invention is applied to an image recording device 1. The image recording device 1 in accordance with this illustrative example is a multifunction device having a printing function, copying function, scanning function and facsimile transmitting/receiving function. In the first illustrative example shown in
The upper main body 3 is capable of rotating open and closed on the lower main body 2 about pivot shaft units 4 disposed on one side edge of the lower main body 2. Specifically, an opening 2a is formed in the front side (right side in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
An inclined separation plate 16 is provided on the inner side (right side in
A sheet feeding unit 17 is disposed above the sheet feeding cassette 15. The sheet feeding unit 17 includes a sheet feeding arm 17a having a base end rotatably attached to the sides of the lower main body 2, a sheet feeding roller 17b provided at the free end of the sheet feeding arm 17a, and a gear transmission mechanism 17c through which rotation generated from a driving source (not shown) is transmitted to the sheet feeding roller 17b. The sheets P stacked in the sheet feeding cassette 15 are separated and conveyed one by one through the sheet feeding roller 17b and the elastic separation pad of the inclined separation plate 16. The sheet P separated so as to advance in the sheet feeding direction (direction shown by the arrow A) is fed to the recording unit 12 disposed above (at a higher position than) the sheet feeding cassette 15 along a conveyance path 18 including a substantially laterally-facing U-shaped path. The conveyance path 18 is formed in a gap between a first conveyance path body 18a forming the outer periphery of the U-shape and a second conveyance path body 18b forming the inner periphery of the U-shape.
As shown in
To enable this reciprocating movement of the carriage 13, a timing belt (not shown) extending in the main scanning direction (Y-axis direction) is disposed on the top surface of the second guide member 23 positioned downstream in the sheet discharging direction (direction shown by the arrow B), and a carriage motor (not shown) for driving the timing belt is fixed to the bottom surface of the second guide member 23.
A flat platen 26 is fixed to the main flame 21 between both of the guide members 22 and 23 (see
As shown in
A discharge tray 30 is provided on top of the feeding cassette 15. Sheets P that have been recorded in the recording unit 12 are discharged onto the discharge tray 30 with the recorded surface face up. A discharge opening 30a that also functions as the opening 2a on the front surface of the lower main body 2 is in communication with the discharge tray 30. As shown in
A control circuit board 49 (see
The sheet feeding cassette has a bottom plate 15a (see
In the first illustrative example of the image recording device 1, as shown in
The liquid crystal display panel 34 has an area large enough to display a color image thereon (42 mm×54 mm in this illustrative example). The back surface (bottom surface) of the liquid crystal display panel 34 is slidably supported by a pair of arc-shaped guide rails 35 (only one rail is shown in
As shown in
The opening 36 has inner peripheral side surfaces 36a, 36b, and 36c which faces, when the upper main body 3 is closed to be disposed above the lower main body 2, the C-shaped inner peripheral side surfaces 34a, 34b, and 34c of the liquid crystal display panel 34, respectively. In order to prevent the upper main body 3 from impinging against the liquid crystal display panel 34 when the upper main body 3 is pivotally moved about the pivot shaft units 4, spaces 57a and 57b are provided between the corresponding side surfaces of the opening 36 and the liquid crystal display panel 34 (see
In the first illustrative example, when the display surface of the liquid crystal display panel 34 is in the horizontal orientation in which the display surface is face up with respect to the top surface of the lower main body 2, the display surface is substantially at the same height or slightly lower than the height of the top surface of the upper main body 3. The display surface is thus almost in flush with operation panels C and D (described later) provided on the top surface of the lower main body 2.
When the liquid crystal display panel 34 is moved along the pair of arc-shaped guide rails 35 from the horizontal orientation to an erect orientation in which the display surface is inclined at the prescribed angle to the front surface of the lower main body 2 and the display surface is viewable from the front side, the peripheral side surfaces 34a and 34c of the liquid crystal display panel 34 do not impinge against or interfere with the opening 36 due to the spaces 57a and 57b (see
To prevent the user's finger from being pinched between sharp edges of the C-shaped inner peripheral side surfaces 36a, 36b and 36c of the opening 36 and corresponding side surfaces 34a, 34b and 34c of the liquid crystal display panel 34 when the upper main body 3 is closed with respect to the lower main body 2, each of the side surfaces 36a, 36b and 36c and the side surfaces 34a, 34b and 34c form the sides of a trapezoid and slant outward from top to bottom (see
The operation panels C and D are disposed in regions on the top surface of the upper main body 3 adjacent to the opening 36 on the sides farther from and nearer to the pivot shaft units 4, respectively. The operation panels C and D include input keys for specifying a plurality of functions possessed by the image recording device 1. In this illustrative example, as best shown in
Within the front part of the upper main body 3, a first operation panel circuit board 46 corresponding to the input key group on the right side of the opening 36 is disposed on the back side of the top surface of the upper main body 3. Stated differently, the first operation panel circuit board 46 is at a position closer to the top surface of the upper main body 3 than the bottom surface of the upper main body 3. Similarly, the second operation panel circuit board 47 corresponding to the input key group on the left side of the opening 36 is disposed on the back side of the top surface of the upper main body 3. Similar to the first operation panel circuit board 46, the second operational panel circuit board 46 is also at a position closer to the top surface of the upper main body 3 than the bottom surface of the upper main body 3.
A harness 48 runs along the inner side of a frame for the innermost side surface 36b of the opening 36 (see
A handle unit, 54 is provided on the top surface of the document cover 7 near the opening 36 and enables the user to grip the document cover 7 when opening or closing the same. A recessed part 55 is formed in the top surface of the upper main body 3 near the inner side surface 36b of the opening 36. With this construction, the user can easily insert fingers into the recessed part 55 to move the liquid crystal display panel 34 forward or otherwise change the position of the same.
The recessed part 55 is not in communication with side edges of the glass plate 6 and the document cover 7. Therefore, external light does not enter into the space between the document cover 7 and the glass plate 6 from their side edges when the document cover 7 is closed to cover an original document placed on the glass plate 6. Image data read out from the original document is free from noises caused by the external light.
Since the types and arrangement of the input keys on the operation panels C and D in the second illustrative example are the same as those in the first illustrative example (see
As shown in
The side surface 36d of the opening 36 and the side surface 56a of the cover unit 56 oppose the inner side surfaces 34d and 34e of the liquid crystal display panel 34 and operation panels C and D when the upper main body is closed. To prevent the user's finger from being pinched between opposing sharp edges of the inner side surface 36d and the side surface 34d and between opposing sharp edges of the side surface 56a and the side surface 34e when the upper main body 3 is closed over the lower main body 2, each of the side surfaces 36d, 56a, 34d, and 34e form the sides of a trapezoid and slant outward from top to bottom (see FIGS. 10 and 11).
As a variation, the image recording device may be configured so that the liquid crystal display panel 34 is disposed on the lower main body 2 adjacent to the top surface of the ink storage unit 11, while the operation panels C and D are provided together near the pivot shaft units 4.
Since the remaining configuration is the same as that in the first illustrative example, the same reference numerals are given to similar components and a detailed description thereof is omitted. Especially note that
A third illustrative example will be described with reference to
Operation panels C and D are provided on top of the upper main body 3. The operation panels C and D include input keys with a plurality of functions and are provided on the right and left sides of the liquid crystal display panel 34. As shown in
Operation panels E and F are further provided on top of the lower main body 2 at the right and left sides of the liquid crystal display panel 34. The opening 36 formed in the upper main body 3 is large enough to expose not only the display panel 34 but also the operation panels E and F.
More specifically, the opening 36 has a minimum space area to expose the liquid crystal display panel 34 when the upper main body 3 is in the closed state and an extra space area 59a. The extra space area 59a is preserved for preventing the upper main body 3 from impinging against the liquid crystal display panel 34 inclined with respect to the top surface of the lower main body 2 The extra space area 59a is positioned between the minimum space area and a region on the top surface of the upper main body 3 along the side edge nearest to the front surface. This region is, when the upper main body is in the closed state, adjacent to the opening 34 in the right side, i.e., the side farther from the side edge along which the pivot shaft units 4 are aligned. The operation panel E is disposed on the top surface of the lower main body 2 so as to be exposed through the extra area of the opening 36.
The opening 36 may have another extra space area 59b positioned between the minimum space area and a region on the top surface of the upper main body 3 along the side edge nearest to the front surface. This region is, when the upper main body is in the closed state, adjacent to the opening 34 in the left side, i.e., the side nearer to the side edge along which the pivot shaft units 4 are aligned. The operation panel F is disposed on the top surface of the lower main body 2 so as to be exposed through the extra space area 59b of the opening 36.
The extra space areas 59a and 59b, in particular the extra space area 59a, of the opening 36 serve to prevent the upper main body 3 from impinging against the upstanding liquid crystal display panel 34, as can be appreciated from
As described, the liquid crystal display panel 34 and four operation panels C, D, E and F are provided in the vicinity of or along the side edge near the front surface of the lower main body 2, while the side edge on which the pivot shaft units 4 are disposed is perpendicular to the side edge along which the liquid crystal display panel 34 and the four operation panels C, D, E and F are aligned.
Referring to
In the third illustrative example, input keys for selecting a desired function among a plurality of functions, for example, a photo capture input key 39a, a copy input key 39b, a facsimile input key 39c and a scanner input key 39d are aligned longitudinally in the operation panel E (corresponding to the space 59a) disposed to the right of the liquid crystal display panel 34. On the operation panel F (corresponding to the space 59b) disposed to the left of the liquid crystal display panel 34 are arranged a facsimile management report output key 41a, a facsimile number redial input key 40b and the like.
Further, on the operation panel C disposed to the right of the opening 36 in the upper main body 3 are arranged a cross doggle key 38a for searching pre-registered facsimile numbers, adjusting the volume of a telephone receiver, and the like. As shown in
Within the front part of the upper main body 3, a first operation panel circuit board 46 corresponding to the input key group on the right side of the opening 36 is disposed on the back side of the top surface of the upper main body 3. Similarly, the second operation panel circuit board 47 corresponding to the input key group on the left side of the opening 36 is disposed on the back side of the top surface of the upper main body 3. A harness 48 runs along the inner side of a frame for the innermost side surface 36b of the opening 36 (see
Since the remaining configuration is the same as that in the first illustrative example, the same reference numerals are given to similar components and a detailed description thereof is omitted,.
As in the first to third illustrative examples, the provision of the slots 50, 51, and 52 and the USB connector slot 53 at the front surface of the lower main body 2 facilitates using peripheral devices and/or memory cards.
Each of the slots 50, 51, and 52 is internally provided with a supporting mechanism for supporting the inserted memory card and an interface printed circuit board for writing data into and reading data from the memory card. The liquid crystal display panel 34 is also provided with a control printed circuit board. The height of the lower main body 2 can be lowered by horizontally arranging the liquid crystal display panel 34 and the slots 50, 51, and 52, thereby making the overall image recording device 1 in compact size.
As illustrated in the first to third illustrative examples, the ink storage unit. 11 is provided in a side of the lower main body 2 farthest from the pivot shaft units 4 about which the upper main body 3 rotates. Therefore, an old ink cartridge can be easily replaced with a new one by rotating the upper main body 3 and exposing the top surface of the lower main body 2.
Further, the liquid crystal display panel 34 is disposed in a position between the pivot shaft units 4 and the ink storage unit 11 on the top surface of the lower main body 2 and close to the front surface thereof. The liquid crystal display panel 34 is not hindered from viewing by the upper main body 3 during opening the upper main body 3 or when the same has been fully opened. In addition, the orientation of the display surface is not changed caused by the rotational movement of the upper main body 3, so that the user can perform replacement of ink cartridges while viewing the display surface. It is particularly advantageous in that the user can view the display surface even if it is oriented upward. Irrespective of the direction in which the display surface is oriented, the user can read instructions on how to replace the ink cartridges displayed on the panel 34.
As described above, in the first and second illustrative examples, the upper main body 3 is rotatably attached to be freely opened relative to a side region of the lower main body 2; the liquid crystal display panel 34 is disposed on the top surface of the lower main body 2; and the opening 36 is formed on the upper main body 3 so that the display surface of the liquid crystal display panel 34 is visible when the upper main body 3 is closed with respect to the top surface of the lower main body 2. Thus, the harness for transmitting a signal from the control board 49 to the liquid crystal display panel 34 can be made shorter to prevent the harness from picking up noise and to ensure a clear and stable display of images and other data on the liquid crystal display panel 34. Furthermore, since the display surface of the liquid crystal display panel 34 is visible even during normal usage, that is, when the top surface of the lower main body 2 is covered with the upper main body 3, displayed image data and messages are easily viewable. Moreover, when the user performs such operations as maintenance and the replacement of parts when the upper main body 3 is opened relative to the lower main body 2, advantageously, the user can easily view messages for operating instructions on the liquid crystal display panel 34.
When the image recording device is configured so that the liquid crystal display panel 34 is provided on the top surface of the lower main body 2 in the vicinity of the side edge near the front surface thereof and when the side edge on which the pivot shaft unit 4 is disposed is perpendicular to the side edge on which the liquid crystal display panel 34 is disposed in plan view, the user can easily view the display surface of the liquid crystal display panel from the side close to the front surface of the lower main body 2, even when the upper main body 3 is fully open.
Generally, liquid crystal display panels have such a performance that the contrast of displayed images greatly varies depending on the viewing direction toward the display surface. The images are highly contrasted when viewed from the direction perpendicular to the display surface of the liquid crystal display panel. However, when the viewing direction changes from the direction perpendicular to the display surface, contrast of the images is degraded and the images tends to be invisible. With the liquid crystal display panel fixedly disposed on the top surface of the lower main body with no posture adjusting mechanism, the user has to move to a position where the images on the display panel is viewable.
In the first to third illustrative examples, the image recording device is configured so that the position of the display surface on the liquid crystal display panel 34 can be adjusted to any angle between a horizontal orientation and an erect orientation, therefore, the user can readily adjust the viewing angle in order to make the liquid crystal display panel 34 clearly visible.
As shown in the first to third illustrative examples, spaces 57a and 57b (or 58, 59a, 59b) are provided at the right side of or at both right and left sides of the liquid crystal display panel 34. With the presence of such spaces, the upper main body 3 does not impinge against the upstanding liquid crystal display panel 34. In other words, the upper main body 3 can be opened or closed while maintaining the liquid crystal display panel 3 at the upstanding condition. Thus, maintenance of the image recording device can be easily performed.
As in the first illustrative example, input keys used for specifying various functions of the image recording device 1 are arranged in regions on the top surface of the upper main body 3 adjacent to the opening 36 on both sides farther from and nearer to the pivot shaft units 4. Hence, the user's fingers do not touch the input keys when the user performs operations such as maintenance and the replacement of parts and consumables, including ink cartridges, while the upper main body 3 is open, thereby preventing malfunctions. When one of the pair of input key groups disposed on either side of the opening 36 is a ten-key numeric pad, the above-described configuration can prevent the accidental input of telephone and facsimile numbers, in particular.
As in the first illustrative example, when the operation panels C and D having the input keys are disposed on the top surface of the upper main body 3, the operation panels C and D are disposed in regions adjacent to the opening 36 both farther from and closer to the pivot shaft unit 4 (rotational axis), respectively. Accordingly, the length of the harness connecting both operation panel circuit boards to each other along the inner region adjacent to the notched opening can be shortened, thereby reducing the amount of noise picked up by the harness.
As in the second illustrative example, input keys used for specifying various functions of the image recording device 1 are arranged in regions on the top surface of the lower main body 2 on both or either of the regions closer to and farther from the pivot shaft unit 4 and adjacent to the liquid crystal display panel 34. Accordingly, input keys used when performing such operations as maintenance and the replacement of parts and consumables including ink cartridges are easily accessible. When one of the pair of input key groups disposed on either side of the liquid crystal display panel 34 is a ten-key numeric pad, the above-described configuration can facilitate the input of telephone numbers for a service center, for example.
As in the second illustrative example, the operation panel circuit boards 46 and 47 are arranged near the top surface of the lower main body 2 in the regions closer to and farther from the pivot shaft units 4 on either side of the liquid crystal display panel 34. Further, the harness 48 connecting the operation panel circuit boards 46 and 47 to each other is installed in the region running below the liquid crystal display panel 34. In this case as well, the length of the harness 48 can be shortened, thereby preventing noise from being picked up.
It would be apparent, for those skilled in the art that the invention can be applied to various electronic appliances other than the multifunctional image recording device 1 described above while achieving the above-mentioned operations and effects.
Although the invention has been described with respect to specific illustrative examples, it will be appreciated by one skilled in the art that a variety of changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2005023443 | Jan 2005 | JP | national |
2005023444 | Jan 2005 | JP | national |
2005031975 | Feb 2005 | JP | national |
2005031976 | Feb 2005 | JP | national |