Electrophotography – Machine operation – Operator interface
Reexamination Certificate
2002-09-17
2004-07-20
Chen, Sophia S. (Department: 2852)
Electrophotography
Machine operation
Operator interface
C399S107000, C399S380000, CD18S041000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06766126
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a modified control panel used in office machines and, more particularly, to a modified control panel used in office machines, which is capable of effectively shrinking machine size to meet the requirement of miniaturization without affecting operational convenience, thereby reducing material cost and packaging and transportation cost to enhance the competitive capacity of product.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Nowadays, various kinds of OA (office automation) products and information products are required to be miniaturized in design. However, the volume of an existent office machine is still too large, hence not meeting the requirement of miniaturization.
Office machines can roughly be divided into two types: single-function type and multiple-function type. For example, a photocopier, a printer, or a scanner is a single-function office machine, while a multiple-function printer integrating scanning, copying, printing, and faxing together is a multiple-function office machine.
For various kinds of conventional office machines in the market, control panels thereof to be operated and controlled by users are separately disposed at a separate block (projective portion) projecting from the machine. This is because the area for flatbed type scan/copy is very large. In order to prevent from blocking placement and incoming/outgoing of papers, a projective portion is required for the control panel. However, because the projective portion is beyond the main body of the machine, the machine has a larger volume and occupies a larger area, hence not meeting the requirement of miniaturization. Moreover, the design of internal components of the machine will be affected, and material cost and packaging and transportation cost of the machine will increase.
As shown in
FIG. 1
, a conventional office machine
1
comprises a main body
11
, a unfoldable upper cover
12
disposed on the main body
11
, and a control panel
13
.
As shown in
FIG. 2
, another conventional office machine
2
comprises a main body
21
, an unfoldable upper cover
22
disposed on the main body
21
, and a control panel
23
. Moreover, an automatic document feeder (ADF)
25
is disposed on the upper cover
22
.
In order to keep away from the scan or copy region (i.e., the portion covered by the upper cover in the figures), the control panels
13
and
23
disposed on projective portions
14
and
24
projecting from front sides of the main bodies
11
and
21
, respectively. The projective portions
14
and
24
projecting from the machines for disposition of the control panels
13
and
23
let volumes of the conventional office machines
1
and
2
be large, hence not meeting the requirement of miniaturization. Moreover, due to a large volume, material cost and packaging and transportation cost of the machine will be higher. Design of internal components thereof will also be much limited.
Accordingly, the present invention aims to provide a modified control panel applied to office machines so as to resolve the problems in the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary object of the present invention is to provide a modified control panel used in office machines so as to prevent the control panel from projecting from the machines. Therefore, the machines will have a smaller volume to meet the requirement of miniaturization. Moreover, material cost and packaging and transportation cost of the machines will be lowered. Limit to the design of internal components thereof will also be reduced.
To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a modified control panel used in office machines, which comprises a main body, an unfoldable upper cover connected at the main body, and a control panel disposed at the upper cover. Because the control panel is disposed at the upper cover, the machine size can be effectively shrunk to meet the requirement of miniaturization without affecting operational convenience, thereby reducing material cost and packaging and transportation cost of the machine to enhance the competitive capacity of product.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4831457 (1989-05-01), Watanabe et al.
patent: 4996561 (1991-02-01), Yoshimura et al.
patent: 6163668 (2000-12-01), Takahashi et al.
patent: D455779 (2002-04-01), Falk et al.
patent: 05-204058 (1993-08-01), None
Hsu Ming-Hung
Lin Chi-Chien
Birch & Stewart Kolasch & Birch, LLP
Chen Sophia S.
Silitek Corporation
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