Facsimile and static presentation processing – Static presentation processing
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-10
2004-09-21
Evans, Arthur G. (Department: 2622)
Facsimile and static presentation processing
Static presentation processing
C358S001140, C358S001500
Reexamination Certificate
active
06795203
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image input/output apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to an image input/output apparatus including an image reading portion which converts light from an original into an electric signal and reads an image data, and an image printer which prints an image on a printing medium based on an image data that are read by the image reading portion.
The present application is based on Japanese Patent Application Nos. Hei. 11-226315, Hei. 11-230454, and 2000-222005, which are incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there is well known an image scanner, which moves a carriage in parallel to the surface of an original, and which reads the original image. An image pickup means has a line sensor, such as a CCD, and is mounted on the carriage.
For example, a flat-bed-type image-reading apparatus has a transparent table, on which an original is placed, on the top of a box-shaped housing. A movable carriage, which is movable in parallel to the original table, is provided inside the housing. A light source and an image pickup means are mounted on the carriage. The light irradiated from the light source is reflected by the surface of an original that is placed on the original table, and is concentrated and transmitted to the pickup means by a condenser.
The image data that are read by the image scanner thus arranged are finally printed. To print the image data, a processor, such as a personal computer, must be employed.
When a user employs a personal computer in order to print an image, the user must enter a command as determined by an operating system, and must activate a printing application program and a printer driver stored on a storage device, such as a magnetic disk.
However, a predetermined period of time is required to activate the application program or the printer driver, and many problems must be overcome in order for a personal computer to be used as desired. Since there are many users who can not use their personal computers as they desire, for printing images that are read by image scanners, it is apparent that either it is difficult for users to install printing application programs or printer drivers in personal computers, or else that users do not understand how to enter appropriate commands.
Therefore, an image input/output apparatus has been proposed to be able to print an image, based on an image data acquired by reading an original, without the apparatus being connected to a personal computer. This image input/output apparatus has a two-story image scanner construction in which an image scanner reads an original to obtain an image data and an image printer prints an image on a printing medium based on the image data read by the image reading portion. Generally, the image scanner is located on the upper stage and the image printer is located on the lower stage.
In the meantime, the pickup means, which is mounted on the carriage of the image scanner, must read a white reference before the original is read. Therefore, the initial position of the carriage before conducting the image reading is located adjacent to the starting point of the original. In other words, the initial position of the carriage, at which the carriage is put in the power-off state or the white reference of the original is read, is located adjacent to the starting point of the original. Furthermore, the ink cartridge of the image printer can not be exchanged at the initial position of the image printer in which the image printer is put in the power-off state, because the apparatus detects the remaining ink quantity. Thus, the initial position of the ink cartridge is located a predetermined distance away from the position of a cartridge exchange door at which the ink cartridge can be exchanged. For example, the readout starting point and the initial position of the carriage are located at one end portion of the housing in which the image scanner and the image printer are accommodated, and the cartridge exchange door is located at the other end portion of the housing. With this arrangement, any difficulty in exchanging ink cartridges is prevented.
As described above, in case where the readout starting point and the initial position of the carriage, and the cartridge exchange door are located at opposite end portions of the housing, when a powdery dust generated from a printing medium or a dispersed ink enters an inside of the image scanner from the image printer and also adheres to the white reference or a place adjacent to the readout starting point on the original table, neither the powdery dust nor the dispersed ink is easily removed. Furthermore, since the space required for accommodating the carriage and the white reference must be obtained at the end portion of the housing, the size of the apparatus is increased and a large installation area is required for it.
As one means for preventing a paper powdery dust or a dispersed ink from entering the image scanner, it is considered that a partition is formed between the image scanner and the image printer.
However, in case where the partition is formed between the image scanner and the image printer, if a paper jam occurs in the image printer for some reason, it is difficult to remove the paper which has caused the jam. Furthermore, since the image printer is located at the lower stage, it is not easy to for a user to ascertain how the paper is jammed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an image input/output apparatus, which can be miniaturized, and for which the maintenance is easily conducted.
Further, it is another object of the present invention to provide an image input/output apparatus, in which a printing medium jammed in an image printing portion can be easily removed.
Furthermore, it is the other object of the present invention to provide an image input/output apparatus with which it can easily be ascertained how a printing medium is jammed in an image printing portion.
In a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image input/output apparatus which comprises an image reading portion having an original table on which an original is mountable, and a carriage which is movable in parallel to the original table, an image printing portion which is capable of printing on a printing medium an image based on an image data which has been read by the image reading portion, a signal processing portion which is capable of controlling the image reading portion and the image printing portion, a housing which forms a space into which the image reading portion, the image printing portion and the signal processing portion are attachable, and a door unit disposed on the housing at an initial position side of the carriage at which the carriage is positioned before reading an image.
In a second aspect of the present invention, preferably, the space formed by the housing includes a first accommodation space in which the image reading portion is accommodated, and a second accommodation space in which the image printing portion is accommodated.
According to the first aspect or the second aspect of the present invention, the door unit is located at the initial position side of the carriage. Thus, when a powdery dust generated from a printing medium or a dispersed ink enters the image reading portion from the image printing portion, and adheres to a white reference or to a place adjacent to the readout starting point of the original table, a user can insert the hand through an opening of the door unit and easily remove the powdery dust or the dispersed ink. Accordingly, the maintenance for the image input/output apparatus is easily performed. Additionally, since the initial position of the carriage can be so set that it is located between the original table and the door unit, a space for storing the carriage at the initial position is not required to ensure at the end portion of the housing, and therefore, the image input/output apparatus can be
Akahane Hisayuki
Yokoyama Hiroyasu
Evans Arthur G.
Seiko Epson Corporation
Sughrue & Mion, PLLC
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