OPERATION APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME

• US 20170034370A1
• Filed: 07/28/2016
• Published: 02/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Kurita, Shigeharu
• Granted Patent: US 10,674,023 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/5016 User-machine interface; Display panels; Control console
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00384 Key input means, e.g. buttons or keypads electromechanical details of key input means in general H01H13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00392 Other manual input means, e.g. digitisers or writing tablets
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception

Abstract

A single stage side key disposed on a side surface of an operation unit, which is configured to control an image forming apparatus, includes an arm on the rear of an operation surface of the single stage side key (in a direction perpendicular to the operation surface). This configuration enables the operation unit to have a small thickness.

Claims

1. An operation apparatus for controlling an image forming apparatus configured to form an image on a recording medium, the operation apparatus comprising:

a side surface;

an inner side;

a button disposed at the side surface and configured to be moved toward the inner side;

a positioning portion positioning the button; and

a connector disposed adjacent to a side surface of the button, the connector comprising;

a first end connected to the positioning portion;

a second end connected to the button; and

a plurality of bent portions between the first and second ends,

wherein the positioning portion and the button are arranged in a height direction of the side surface, and the connector and the button are adjacent to each other in a direction perpendicular to the height direction.

2. The operation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the connector is disposed on each end of the button in the direction perpendicular to the height direction.

3. The operation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the positioning portion is fixed.

4. The operation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an upper surface, wherein the positioning portion is disposed closer than the button to the upper surface.

5. The operation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the button, the connector, and the positioning portion are integrally formed.

6. The operation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the connector has an S-like shaped portion or an inverted S-like shaped portion.

7. An operation apparatus for controlling an image forming apparatus configured to form an image on a recording medium, the operation apparatus comprising:

a side surface;

an inner side;

a button disposed at the side surface and configured to be moved toward the inner side;

a positioning portion positioning the button; and

a connector disposed adjacent to a side surface of the button, the connector comprising;

a first end connected to the positioning portion;

a second end connected to the button; and

a plurality of bent portions between the first and second ends,

wherein the connector is disposed at a position where a first arrangement direction in that the button and the positioning portion arrange crosses a second arrangement direction in that the button and the connector arrange.

8. The operation apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the connector is disposed on each end of the button in a direction perpendicular to a height direction of the side surface.

9. The operation apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the positioning portion is fixed.

10. The operation apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising an upper surface, wherein the positioning portion is disposed closer than the button to the upper surface.

11. The operation apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the button, the connector, and the positioning portion are integrally formed.

12. The operation apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the connector has an S-like shaped portion or an inverted S-like shaped portion.

13. An image forming apparatus configured to form an image on a recording medium, the image forming apparatus comprising:

an image forming unit configured to form an image on a recording medium; and

an operation apparatus configured to control the image forming unit, the operation apparatus including;

a side surface;

an inner surface;

a button disposed at the side surface and configured to be moved toward the inner side; and

a positioning portion positioning the button in the operation apparatus; and

a connector disposed adjacent to a side surface of the button, the connector comprising;

a first end connected to the positioning portion;

a second end connected to the button; and

a plurality of bent portions between the first and second ends,

wherein the positioning portion and the button are arranged in a height direction of the side surface of the operation apparatus, and the connector and the button are adjacent to each other in a direction perpendicular to the height direction.

14. The image forming apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the connector is disposed on each end of the button in the direction perpendicular to the height direction.

15. The image forming apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the positioning portion is fixed in the operation apparatus.

16. The image forming apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the positioning portion is disposed closer than the button to an upper surface of the operation apparatus.

17. The image forming apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the button, the connector, and the positioning portion are integrally formed.

18. The image forming apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the connector has an S-like shaped portion or an inverted S-like shaped portion.

19. An image forming apparatus configured to form an image on a recording medium, the image forming apparatus comprising:

an image forming unit configured to form an image on a recording medium; and

an operation apparatus configured to control the image forming unit, the operation apparatus including;

a side surface;

an inner side;

a button disposed at the side surface and configured to be moved toward the inner side;

a positioning portion positioning the button in the operation apparatus; and

a connector disposed adjacent to a side surface of the button, the connector comprising;

a first end connected to the positioning portion;

a second end connected to the button; and

a plurality of bent portions between the first and second ends,

wherein the connector is disposed at a position where a first arrangement direction in that the button and the positioning portion arrange crosses a second arrangement direction in that the button and the connector arrange.

20. The image forming apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the connector is disposed on each end of the button in a direction perpendicular to a height direction of the side surface of the operation apparatus.

21. The image forming apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the positioning portion is fixed in the operation apparatus.

22. The image forming apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the positioning portion is disposed closer than the button to an upper surface of the operation apparatus.

23. The image forming apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the button, the connector, and the positioning portion are integrally formed.

24. The image forming apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the connector has an S-like shaped portion or an inverted S-like shaped portion.

25. An operation apparatus for controlling an image forming apparatus configured to form an image on a recording medium, the operation apparatus comprising:

a side surface;

an inner surface;

a button disposed at the side surface and configured to be moved toward the inner side;

a positioning portion positioning the button;

a connector disposed adjacent to a side surface of the button, the connector comprising;

a first end connected to the positioning portion;

a second end connected to the button; and

a plurality of bent portions between the first end and the second end; and

a supporting member disposed on an opposite side of the button from the positioning portion, the supporting member having elasticity for supporting the button.

26. The operation apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the first end of the connector and the second end of the connector are arranged in a direction perpendicular to a height direction of the side surface.

27. The operation apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the supporting member has conductivity.

28. The operation apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the connector is disposed on each end of the button.

29. The operation apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the positioning portion is fixed, and

the supporting member elastically supports the button.

30. The operation apparatus according to claim 25, further comprising an upper surface and a lower surface, wherein the positioning portion is disposed closer than the button to the upper surface, and

the supporting member is disposed closer than the button to the lower surface.

31. The operation apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the button, the connector, and the positioning portion are integrally formed.

32. The operation apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the connector has an S-like shaped portion or an inverted S-like shaped portion.

33. An image forming apparatus configured to form an image on a recording medium, the image forming apparatus comprising:

an image forming unit configured to form an image on a recording medium; and

an operation apparatus configured to control the image forming unit, the operation apparatus including;

a side surface;

an inner surface;

a button disposed at the side surface and configured to be moved toward the inner side;

a positioning portion positioning the button in the operation apparatus;

a connector disposed adjacent to a side surface of the button, the connector comprising;

a first end connected to the positioning portion;

a second end connected to the button; and

a plurality of bent portions between the first and second ends; and

a supporting member disposed on an opposite side of the button from the positioning portion, the supporting member having elasticity for supporting the button.

34. The image forming apparatus according to claim 33, wherein the first end of the connector and the second end of the connector are arranged in a direction perpendicular to a height direction of the side surface of the operation apparatus.

35. The image forming apparatus according to claim 33, wherein the supporting member has conductivity.

36. The image forming apparatus according to claim 33, wherein the connector is disposed on each end of the button.

37. The image forming apparatus according to claim 33, wherein the positioning portion is fixed in the operation apparatus, and

the supporting member elastically supports the button.

38. The image forming apparatus according to claim 33, wherein the positioning portion is disposed closer than the button to an upper surface of the operation apparatus, and

the supporting member is disposed closer than the button to a lower surface of the operation apparatus.

39. The image forming apparatus according to claim 33, wherein the button, the connector, and the positioning portion are integrally formed.

40. The image forming apparatus according to claim 33, wherein the connector has an S-like shaped portion or an inverted S-like shaped portion.