IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS THAT INDICATES OPERATING STATUS USING LUMINOUS BODY

• US 20150177661A1
• Filed: 03/02/2015
• Published: 06/25/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions, Inc. (Kyocera Corporation)
• Original Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions, Inc. (Kyocera Corporation)
• Inventors: Miyagawa, Tomoo
• Granted Patent: US 9,268,278 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/04036 Details of illuminating systems, e.g. lamps, reflectors lamp housings for copying cameras, reflex exposure lighting G03B27/542
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/50 Machine control of apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern, e.g. regulating differents parts of the machine, multimode copiers, microprocessor control sequencing control G03G21/14
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/5016 User-machine interface; Display panels; Control console

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes an image forming section, a body housing, a protruding housing, a light diffusing portion, a light source, a light guide path, and a control unit. The image forming section performs image formation on a sheet. The body housing is formed by a box body with a top surface, and contains the image forming section. The protruding housing is located on the top surface, and has a top portion protruding upwardly above the top surface. The light diffusing portion is located in or near the top portion of the protruding housing. The light source is located inside the body housing or the protruding housing, and emits light. The light guide path guides light emitted by the light source to the light diffusing portion. The control unit controls illumination of the light source based on the information related to the image formation.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:

an image forming section configured to perform image formation on a sheet;

a body housing formed by a box body with a flat top surface and configured to contain the image forming section;

a protruding housing protruding upward from the flat top surface, the protruding housing having an upward slope rising from front side to back side and a top portion formed by a convex surface;

a light diffusing portion disposed in the protruding housing;

a light source located inside the body housing or the protruding housing and configured to emit light;

a light guide configured to guide light emitted by the light source to the light diffusing portion; and

a control unit configured to control illumination of the light source based on information related to the image formation, wherein

the top portion is in the highest position in the image forming apparatus,

the light diffusing portion is formed by a transparent member having a light diffusing surfaces for diffusing the light outwardly,

the protruding housing has a groove, the groove that are recessed part of the top portion, and

the light diffusing portion is positioned inside the groove.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light diffusing surface having cut surfaces for refracting light and diffusing the light outward.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the protruding housing have the top portion and an inclined surface which is located below the top portion that have a mountain-like shape, and

a display panel is placed on the inclined surface.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a light guide having a base portion into which light emitted by the light source is incident, an end portion that functions as a light diffusing portion which diffuses the light outward, and a body portion that connects the base portion to the end portion,

the protruding housing has an opening in or near the top portion;

and

the end portion is exposed outward through the opening, and the body portion is covered by the protruding housing.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the light source is a light emitting diode lamp formed by molding a light emitting diode chip,

the image forming apparatus further comprising a printed circuit board having the light emitting diode lamp mounted thereon,

wherein the printed circuit board is covered by the protruding housing, with a mounting surface thereof for mounting the light emitting diode lamp facing upwardly;

the opening of the protruding housing is positioned directly above the mounting position of the light emitting diode lamp; and

the light guide is a rod-like member linearly extending in an up-down direction, and the rod-like member has the base portion and the end portion at a lower end thereof and an upper end thereof, respectively.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a supporting member located on the printed circuit board and configured to support the light guide,

the supporting member is a cylindrical body surrounding the light emitting diode lamp, and a lower end of the cylindrical body is in contact with the mounting surface of the printed circuit board and an upper end of the cylindrical body holds the base portion of the light guide.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein there are a plurality of light emitting diode lamps;

there are a plurality of light guides, and the light guides are arranged to correspond to the respective light emitting diode lamps; and

the light guides are connected together by at least one joint member to form a single unit.

8. An image forming apparatus comprising:

an image forming section configured to perform image formation on a sheet;

a body housing formed by a box body with a top surface and configured to contain the image forming section;

a protruding housing protruding upward from the top surface, the protruding housing having an upward slope rising from front side to back side and a top portion formed by a convex surface;

a light diffusing portion disposed in the protruding housing;

a light source located inside the body housing or the protruding housing and configured to emit light;

a light guide configured to guide light emitted by the light source to the light diffusing portion; and

a control unit configured to control illumination of the light source based on information related to the image formation, wherein

the light diffusing portion is formed by a transparent member having a light diffusing surface for diffusing the light outwardly,

the protruding housing has a groove, the groove that are recessed part of the top portion, the groove comprises a flat bottom portion,

the light diffusing portion is positioned inside the groove, the light diffusing portion projecting upwardly from the bottom portion, and

a top portion of the light diffusing portion is contained in the groove.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the light diffusing surface having cut surfaces for refracting light and diffusing the light outward.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a light guide having a base portion into which light emitted by the light source is incident, an end portion that functions as a light diffusing portion which diffuses the light outward, and a body portion that connects the base portion to the end portion,

the protruding housing has an opening in or near the top portion;

and

the end portion is exposed outward through the opening, and the body portion is covered by the protruding housing.

11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising the end portion have a mountain-like shape by the formation of a cut surface comprising a pair of inclined surfaces, and a pair of inclined surfaces facing each bottom.

12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the light source is a light emitting diode lamp formed by molding a light emitting diode chip,

the image forming apparatus further comprising a printed circuit board having the light emitting diode lamp mounted thereon,

wherein the printed circuit board is covered by the protruding housing, with a mounting surface thereof for mounting the light emitting diode lamp facing upwardly;

the opening of the protruding housing is positioned directly above the mounting position of the light emitting diode lamp; and

the light guide is a rod-like member linearly extending in an up-down direction, and the rod-like member has the base portion and the end portion at a lower end thereof and an upper end thereof, respectively.

13. The image forming apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising a supporting member located on the printed circuit board and configured to support the light guide,

the supporting member is a cylindrical body surrounding the light emitting diode lamp, and a lower end of the cylindrical body is in contact with the mounting surface of the printed circuit board and an upper end of the cylindrical body holds the base portion of the light guide.

14. The image forming apparatus according to claim 12, wherein there are a plurality of light emitting diode lamps;

there are a plurality of light guides, and the light guides are arranged to correspond to the respective light emitting diode lamps; and

the light guides are connected together by at least one joint member to form a single unit.