Image forming apparatus with lights that help guide jam clearance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9678465-B2
Application number	US-201414268021-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 2, 2014
Priority date	May 7, 2013
Publication date	Jun 13, 2017
Grant date	Jun 13, 2017

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes a first light-emitting unit, a second light-emitting unit, and a remaining-recording-medium detector. The first light-emitting unit is arranged on an outer surface of a recording medium setting unit on which recording media are set, and emits light while the recording media are being conveyed from the recording medium setting unit. The second light-emitting unit is arranged on or near an operating member that is to be operated when a recording medium jammed in a main body of the image forming apparatus is removed. The remaining-recording-medium detector detects presence or absence of a recording medium remaining in the main body of the image forming apparatus. The second light-emitting unit emits light when the operating member needs to be operated, based on a result of detection by the remaining-recording-medium detector. The first light-emitting unit and the second light-emitting unit emit light in different manners.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a first light-emitting unit that is arranged on an outer surface of a recording medium setting unit on which recording media are set and that emits light while the recording media are being conveyed from the recording medium setting unit;
a second light-emitting unit that is arranged on or near a first operating member that is to be operated when a recording medium jammed in a main body of the image forming apparatus is removed; and
a remaining-recording-medium detector that detects presence or absence of a recording medium remaining in the main body of the image forming apparatus, wherein
the second light-emitting unit emits light when the first operating member needs to be operated, based on a result of detection by the remaining-recording-medium detector, and,
the first light-emitting unit and the second light-emitting unit emit light in different manners, wherein
the recording medium setting unit into which recording media is supplied is configured to be drawn from the main body of the image forming apparatus,
the first light-emitting unit includes a light-emitting element and a light guide unit that guides light emitted by the light-emitting element so that the light is outputs via an emission portion,
the light guide unit is arranged on the recording medium setting unit and the light-emitting element is arranged on the main body of the image forming apparatus such that when the recording medium setting unit is housed in the main body of the image forming apparatus, light from the light-emitting element is emitted via the emission portion of the light guide unit, and
the image forming apparatus further comprises a light-amount reducing unit that covers the light-emitting element in conjunction with movement of the recording medium setting unit when the recording medium setting unit is drawn from the main body of the image forming apparatus.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a color of the light emitted by the first light-emitting unit and a color of the light emitted by the second light-emitting unit differ from each other.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
a color of the light emitted by the first light-emitting unit is in a wavelength range of 460 nanometers to 480 nanometers, and
a color of the light emitted by the second light-emitting unit is in a wavelength range of 610 nanometers to 630 nanometers.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a light emission cycle of the first light-emitting unit and a light emission cycle of the second light-emitting unit differ from each other.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the first light-emitting unit emits continuous light, and
the second light-emitting unit emits blinking light.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
a planar shape of a light-emitting portion of the first light-emitting unit on a mounting surface and a planer shape of a light emission portion of the second light-emitting unit on a mounting surface differ from each other.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
a light-emitting portion of the first light-emitting unit is arranged on an inner side of a mounting surface, and
a light-emitting portion of the second light-emitting unit is arranged so as to protrude outward relative to a mounting surface.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
a light-emitting portion of each of the first light-emitting unit and the second light-emitting unit is surrounded by a frame on a mounting surface, and
a shape of the frame of the first light-emitting unit and a shape of the frame of the second light-emitting unit differ from each other.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a second operating member and a third operating member that are to be operated when a recording medium jammed in the main body of the image forming apparatus is removed; and
a third light-emitting unit that emits light based on a result of the detection by the remaining-recording-medium detector,
wherein
the third operating member is to be operated after the second operating member is operated,
the third light-emitting unit is arranged in a position closer to the second operating member than to the third operating member, and
the third light-emitting unit emits light until operation of the second and third operating members is completed and turns off when the operation of the second and third operating members is completed.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising
a movable unit on which the first operating member is arranged; and
a second operating member that is arranged so as to appear when the movable unit is opened and that is to be operated after operation of the first operating member is completed, wherein
a description indicating the second operating member is provided near the second light-emitting unit.

11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a surface member arranged in an arrangement position of the first light-emitting unit, wherein
the surface member is one of a first surface member including a transparent portion through which the light from the first light-emitting unit is transmitted and a second surface member made of a non-transparent material that prevents the first light-emitting unit from being viewed.

12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the recording medium setting unit includes a detecting unit that detects whether the recording media are being conveyed, and
the first light-emitting unit emits light when the detecting unit detects the recording media are being conveyed, and does not emit light when the detecting unit does not detect the recording media are being conveyed.

Assignees

• Katsuyama Goro
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Katsuyama Goro

Classifications

• G06F3/121

  Facilitating exception or error detection and recovery, e.g. fault, media or consumables depleted · CPC title

• G03G15/70 Primary

  Detecting malfunctions relating to paper handling, e.g. jams · CPC title

• B65H2405/11

  Parts and details thereof · CPC title

• B65H2405/113

  Front, i.e. portion adjacent to the feeding / delivering side · CPC title

• B65H2601/11

  Clearing faulty handling, e.g. jams · CPC title