Image forming apparatus

Abstract

A touch key of an operation console includes a circuit board ( 310 ) having a light source ( 312, 314 ), a light transmitting portion ( 322 ) transmitting light, a non-transparent light shielding portion ( 324 ) and a semi-transparent operation panel ( 300 ) covering upper surfaces of the light transmitting portion and the light shielding portion. The light transmitting portion accommodates the light source. The surfaces of light transmitting portion and light shielding portion in contact with each other are tightly sealed, and the circuit board ( 310 ) and the light shielding portion ( 324 ) cover the light transmitting portion ( 323 ) such that the light is emitted only from the surface in contact with the operation panel ( 300 ). Thus, leakage of light from around a figure indicating a touch key can be prevented, and the operation console comes to have a high-class look.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . An image forming apparatus comprising:
 an operation console including:
 a display; 
 a function setting key, displayed on the display, to set a function of the image forming apparatus; 
 an instruction key to cause the display to display a basic screen image allowing setting of at least a copy function; and 
 an energy saving key to cause the image forming apparatus to make a transition to a power-saving state; wherein 
   the function setting key is a capacitance key;   the energy saving key is a mechanical key; and   at least one portion of the energy saving key is located outside of an upper longitudinal periphery of a display area of the display in a second direction orthogonal to a first direction that is a widthwise direction of the operation console.   
     
     
         3 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the energy saving key is located within a width dimension of the display area in the second direction except for the at least one portion. 
     
     
         4 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the instruction key and the energy saving key are located outside of the display area in the first direction; and   the instruction key is located closer in the second direction to an operation side where the operation console is operated than the energy saving key and within a width dimension of the display area in the second direction.   
     
     
         5 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the instruction key is located farther from an operation side where the operation console is operated than a center of the display area in the second direction. 
     
     
         6 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the operation console includes a plurality of mechanical keys including the energy saving key;   the plurality of mechanical keys includes an execution key to cause the image forming apparatus to execute copying;   among the plurality of mechanical keys, the energy saving key is located at a position farthest from an operation side where the operation console is operated in the second direction; and   among the plurality of mechanical keys, the execution key is located at a position closest to the operation side in the second direction.   
     
     
         7 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the operation console includes an execution key to cause the image forming apparatus to execute copying; and   the instruction key is located between the energy saving key and the execution key in the second direction.   
     
     
         8 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein on an upper left portion of the basic screen image, characters representing contents of the instruction key are displayed. 
     
     
         9 . An image forming apparatus comprising:
 an operation console including:
 a display; 
 a function setting key, displayed on the display, to set a function of the image forming apparatus; 
 a plurality of first touch keys located closer to an operation side where the operation console is operated than the display; and 
 a plurality of second touch keys located outside of the display in a first direction that is a widthwise direction of the operation console; wherein 
 the function setting key is a capacitance key; and 
 the plurality of second touch keys are mechanical keys. 
   
     
     
         10 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of first touch keys includes at least an execution key to cause the image forming apparatus to execute copying. 
     
     
         11 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein a stop key to stop execution of a job is located adjacent to the execution key in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. 
     
     
         12 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of first touch keys includes a stop key to stop execution of a job. 
     
     
         13 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of second touch keys includes at least numeric keys. 
     
     
         14 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein at least one of the numeric keys is located within a width dimension of a display area in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. 
     
     
         15 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein a copy mode key is located adjacent to the display in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction.