Image forming apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10845643-B2
Application number	US-201916601890-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 15, 2019
Priority date	Oct 17, 2018
Publication date	Nov 24, 2020
Grant date	Nov 24, 2020

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes a status display part. The status display part is provided on a rear side of a touch panel display within the range including the lateral width of an operation unit. The status display part includes LEDs as a light source and a light emitter that transmits light from the LEDs to emit the light to the outside. A filter includes a first surface and a second surface that have different angles in an up-down direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image forming apparatus including an operation unit provided on a front surface side of the image forming apparatus and including at least a touch panel display, the apparatus comprising
a status display part provided on a rear side of the touch panel display,
wherein the status display part includes a light source and a light emitter that emits light from the light source to the outside, and
wherein the light emitter includes a first surface and a second surface that emit light from the light source in different visible directions in an up-down direction;
wherein the light emitter includes a light diffusing member that diffuses the light from the light source, and a filter that transmits the light from the light diffusing member and emits the light to the outside, and
wherein the light diffusing member is disposed closer to the filter than to a midpoint between the light source and the filter in a light guide path from the light source to the filter, and
comprising a light guide path forming member that forms the light guide path,
wherein the light guide path forming member has a shape where the light guide path becomes larger in lateral width as the light guide path gets closer to the light diffusing member from the light source.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising an image reader,
wherein the status display part is provided on a front surface side of a housing of the image reader.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the status display part is provided to face the touch panel display.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first surface is inclined more rearward as it goes downward, and
wherein the second surface is inclined more rearward as it goes upward.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4 ,
wherein the first surface has an area larger than the second surface.

Assignees

• Sharp Kk

Inventors

• Nakamura Yasushi

Classifications

• G02B6/0063

  for extracting light out both the major surfaces of the light guide · CPC title

• H04N1/00129 Primary

  with a display device, e.g. CRT or LCD monitor (with a television apparatus H04N1/00283; arrangements for control of display devices G09G) · CPC title

• G02F1/133603 Primary

  with LEDs · CPC title

• H04N1/00411

  the display also being used for user input, e.g. touch screen · CPC title

• G03G15/5016 Primary

  User-machine interface; Display panels; Control console · CPC title