Image forming apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020204690-A1
Application number	US-201816620097-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 20, 2018
Priority date	Jun 8, 2017
Publication date	Jun 25, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

An image forming apparatus including: an image forming portion configured to form an image on a sheet; an image reading portion provided above the image forming portion and configured to read an image from a document sheet; a housing storing the image forming portion and the image reading portion; an operation/display portion provided more outside the housing than a front surface of the housing, and used to operate the image forming apparatus; and a slit provided at the operation/display portion and configured to hold a mobile terminal that is smaller in size than the operation/display portion.

First claim

1 . An image forming apparatus comprising:
an image forming portion configured to form an image on a sheet; an image reading portion provided above the image forming portion and configured to read an image from a document sheet; a housing storing the image forming portion and the image reading portion; an operation/display portion provided more outside the housing than a specific outer surface of the housing among outer surfaces of the housing, the operation/display portion used to operate the image forming apparatus; and a terminal holding portion provided at the operation/display portion and configured to hold a mobile terminal that is smaller in size than the operation/display portion.

2 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the specific outer surface is a front surface of the housing.

3 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the operation/display portion includes a first display surface, and is formed in a shape of a parallelepiped box that is flat along a plane that is parallel to the first display surface, and the terminal holding portion includes:
a slot formed to extend from one of opposite surfaces of the operation/display portion toward the other, and formed such that the mobile terminal of a flat shape can be inserted therein.

4 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein
the mobile terminal includes a second display surface, and the slot holds the mobile terminal in a state where a part or whole of the second display surface is exposed to outside.

5 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein
the slot extends from an upper surface of the operation/display portion toward a lower surface of the operation/display portion.

6 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein
the terminal holding portion includes:
a slide plate provided on a rear surface of the operation/display portion, and supported in such a way as to be movable between a first position and a second position, wherein at the first position, the slide plate is in a region covered by the rear surface, and at the second position, the slide plate projects to outside the region covered by the rear surface, beyond the upper surface, wherein
in a state where the slide plate is pulled up to the second position, the slide plate supports the mobile terminal inserted in the slot.

7 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the operation/display portion includes a first display surface, and is formed in a shape of a parallelepiped box that is flat along a plane that is parallel to the first display surface, and the terminal holding portion includes:
a projection portion formed to project from a rear surface of the operation/display portion; and
a slide plate disposed to face the rear surface across the projection portion, and supported in such a way as to be movable between a first position and a second position, wherein at the first position, the slide plate is in a region covered by the rear surface, and at the second position, the slide plate projects to outside the region covered by the rear surface, beyond an upper surface of the operation/display portion, wherein
the projection portion and the slide plate, together with the rear surface, form a holding space that is configured to hold the mobile terminal of a flat shape.

8 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the operation/display portion includes a first display surface, and is formed in a shape of a parallelepiped box that is flat along a plane that is parallel to the first display surface, and the terminal holding portion includes:
a pivot plate provided on a rear surface of the operation/display portion, and supported in such a way as to pivot between a proximity position and a separate position, wherein a pivot fulcrum of pivoting of the pivot plate is a portion of the rear surface close to a lower surface of the operation/display portion, the proximity position is in proximity to the rear surface, and the separate position is separated from the rear surface, wherein
the pivot plate is biased in a direction directed from the separate position to the proximity position, and configured to hold the mobile terminal between the pivot plate itself and the rear surface.

Assignees

• Kyocera Document Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Ohata Shinobu
• Tomimori Koshiro

Classifications

• H04N1/00559

  Mounting or support of components or elements (H04N1/00538 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04N1/00557

  Connection or assembly of components or elements (H04N1/00538 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04N1/00408 Primary

  Display of information to the user, e.g. menus · CPC title

• H04N1/00307 Primary

  with a mobile telephone apparatus (constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00) · CPC title

• B41J29/16

  Auxiliary receptacles for articles, e.g. erasers, pencils · CPC title