Image forming apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9736327-B2
Application number	US-201514976265-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 21, 2015
Priority date	Dec 22, 2014
Publication date	Aug 15, 2017
Grant date	Aug 15, 2017

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes a first human body detector, a second human body detector, and a controller. The first human body detector has a first detection span to detect a human body to output a signal. The second human body detector has a second detection span to detect a human body to output a signal. The controller changes a state of the image forming apparatus from a standby state to an operation state in accordance with the output signal from each of the first human body detector and the second human body detector. A first center line of the first detection span intersects with a second center line of the second detection span at a portion where the first detection span and the second detection span overlap with each other in a planar view.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a first human body detector oriented to a direction, including a first detection span to detect a human body, and outputting a signal in response to detecting the human body;
a second human body detector oriented to another direction different from the direction of the first human body detector, including a second detection span to detect the human body, and outputting a signal in response to detecting the human body, the first human body detector being spaced apart from the second human body detector in a body of the image forming apparatus; and
a controller to change a state of the image forming apparatus in accordance with the output signal from each of the first human body detector and the second human body detector,
the first human body detector and the second human body detector, being spaced apart from each other, and each including an inward facing orientation with respect to each other such that a first center line of the first detection span intersects with a second center line of the second detection span at a portion where the first detection span and the second detection span overlap with each other in a planar view, enabling a combined viewing angle to be obtained that is relatively wider than a first viewing angle defining the first detection span and a second viewing angle defining the second detection span individually.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein each of the first human body detector and the second human body detector is oriented to direct each of the first center line and the second center line downwardly toward an installation surface.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising an air sucker at a position to blow air towards the first human body detector and the second human body detector.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising an operation device at a position having a same height as the first human body detector and the second human body detector.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising an operation device at a position having a height below the first human body detector and the second human body detector.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein changing the state of the image forming apparatus includes changing from a standby state to an operation state.

7. A method performed by a processor of an image forming apparatus, the method comprising:
receiving, at the processor, a first detection signal from a first human body detector oriented to a first direction and including a first detection span to detect a human body, the first human body detector outputting the first detection signal in response to detecting the human body;
receiving, at the processor, a second detection signal from a second human body detector oriented to a second direction that is different from the first direction of the first human body detector and including a second detection span to detect a human body, the second human body detector outputting the second detection signal in response to detecting the human body,
the first human body detector being spaced apart from the second human body detector in a body of the image forming apparatus, and
the first human body detector and the second human body detector, being spaced apart from each other, and each including an inward facing orientation with respect to each other such that a first center line of the first detection span intersects with a second center line of the second detection span at a portion where the first detection span and the second detection span overlap with each other in a planar view, enabling a combined viewing angle to be obtained that is relatively wider than a first viewing angle defining the first detection span and a second viewing angle defining the second detection span individually; and

changing, by the processor, a state of the image forming apparatus upon receiving the first detection signal output by the first human body detector and the second detection signal output by the second human body detector in accordance with the received first and second detection signals.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein changing the state of the image forming apparatus includes canceling a power saving mode so as to return the image forming apparatus to a normal standby mode.

Assignees

• Akiyama Mami
• Sato Yuki
• Akama Shiro
• Ueda Yuta
• Ishimitsu Hiroki
• Higuchi Sakie
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Akiyama Mami
• Sato Yuki
• Akama Shiro
• Ueda Yuta
• Ishimitsu Hiroki
• Higuchi Sakie

Classifications

• H04N2201/0094

  Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception · CPC title

• H04N1/00928

  Initialisation or control of normal start-up or shut-down, i.e. non failure or error related · CPC title

• G06K9/00362

  Physics · mapped topic

• H04N1/00896 Primary

  using a low-power mode, e.g. standby · CPC title

• G03G21/00

  Arrangements not provided for by groups G03G13/00 - G03G19/00, e.g. cleaning, elimination of residual charge · CPC title