# US 8,786,647 B2 · Image recording apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,786,647 B2 - Document ID: US8786647B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/434,500 - Filed: 2012-03-29 - Published: 2013-04-04 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2011-09-30 - Assignees: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Motohito Muraki - Inventors: Motohito Muraki - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8786647B2 ## CPC - H04N 1/00236: {using an image reading or reproducing device, e.g. a facsimile reader or printer, as a local input to or local output from a computer (image input to or image output from a computer via a network H04N1/00209)} - H04N 1/00302: {with a telephonic apparatus, e.g. telephone answering machine or videotex terminal (H04N1/00307 takes precedence; telephonic communication H04M)} - H04N 1/00525: {Providing a more compact apparatus, e.g. sheet discharge tray in cover} - H04N 2201/0039: Connection via a network - H04N 2201/0041: Point to point (H04N2201/0039 takes precedence) - H04N 2201/0049: By wire, cable or the like - H04N 2201/0063: Constructional details - H04N 2201/0093: Facsimile machine (H04N2201/0094 takes precedence) - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract An image recording apparatus, including: a housing; an image recording portion held by the housing; a control board having a mounting face and disposed in the housing such that the mounting face extends along a perpendicular plane perpendicular to a height direction, a control circuit for controlling the image recording portion being provided on the control board; and a communication board having a mounting face and disposed in the housing such that the mounting face extends along the perpendicular plane, such that the communication board is distant from the control board in a direction along the perpendicular plane, and such that the communication board is located within a height range ranging to the control board from a distal end of a highest one of mounted components mounted on the control board, an interface circuit to be connected to a telephone line being provided on the communication board. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image recording apparatus, comprising: a housing; an image recording portion held by the housing and configured to record an image on a recording medium; a control board having a mounting face and disposed in the housing such that the mounting face extends along a perpendicular plane that is perpendicular to a height direction of the image recording apparatus, a control circuit for controlling operations of the image recording portion being provided on the control board; and a communication board having a mounting face and disposed in the housing such that the mounting face of the communication board extends along the perpendicular plane, such that the communication board is located distant from the control board in a direction along the perpendicular plane, and such that at least a portion of the communication board is located within a height range ranging to the control board from a distal end of a highest one of mounted components mounted on the control board, an interface circuit to be connected to a telephone line being provided on the communication board. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image recording portion includes: a cartridge mount on which an ink cartridge is mountable; a tube having one end connected to the cartridge mount; a recording head to which the other end of the tube is connected, the recording head being configured to eject, onto the recording medium, ink supplied from the ink cartridge via the tube, and wherein the communication board is disposed above a height level of the cartridge mount. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a first connector mounted on the control board and connectable to the other end of a cable whose one end is connected to an external device; and a second connector mounted on the communication board and connectable to a telephone cable, wherein the housing includes an upper wall having: a first opening for exposing the first connector; and a second opening for exposing the second connector. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The image recording apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the housing includes: a first path extending on the upper wall from the first opening to an edge of the upper wall, the cable being to be disposed in the first path; and a second path extending from the second opening to an end of the first path which is located at the edge of the upper wall, the telephone cable being to be disposed in the second path. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The image recording apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the first connector and the second connector are disposed so as to face in the same direction. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The image recording apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the first connector and the second connector are disposed at respective positions different from each other in both of a first direction perpendicular to the height direction and a second direction that is perpendicular to the height direction and the first direction. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The image recording apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the first connector is a USB connector, wherein a third connector is mounted on the control board at a position next to the first connector, a connector of a LAN cable being to be connected to the third connector, and wherein a fourth connector is mounted on the communication board at a position next to the second connector so as to be connected to the interface circuit, the other end of the telephone cable whose one end connected to an external telephone device being to be connected to the fourth connector. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The image recording apparatus according to claim 2, comprising a tray disposed adjacent to the cartridge mount in a direction perpendicular to the height direction, the recording medium is to be placed on the tray, wherein the control board is disposed on an upper side of the tray, and wherein the communication board is disposed on an upper side of the cartridge mount. ### Claim 9 (depends on 4) The image recording apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the second path merges with the first path at a position in the first path between the first opening and the end of the first path which is located at the edge of the upper wall, and extends to the end of the first path which is located at the edge of the upper wall. ### Claim 10 (depends on 4) The image recording apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a cover pivotable so as to take (i) a first posture in which the cover covers the first path and the second path and (ii) a second posture in which the first path and the second path are exposed to an outside of the image recording apparatus. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The image recording apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the cover is provided so as to be pivotable about an end portion of the housing in a direction perpendicular to the height direction, and wherein the first connector and the second connector are disposed so as to face in one or respective ones of directions other than a direction toward the end portion. ### Claim 12 (depends on 4) The image recording apparatus according to claim 4, wherein each of the first path and the second path is constituted by a grooved recess formed in an upper face of the upper wall, wherein at least one of the first path and the second path includes a curved portion, and wherein a depth of a grooved recess in the curved portion is deeper than a depth of a grooved recess in the other portions of the at least one of the first path and the second path. ### Claim 13 (depends on 4) The image recording apparatus according to claim 4, wherein each of the first path and the second path is constituted by a grooved recess formed in an upper face of the upper wall, and wherein each of a portion of the first path which is near the first opening and a portion of the second path which is near the second opening has a greater width than that of the other portions of the first path and the second path. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communication board is disposed such that an entirety thereof is located at a position different from an entirety of the control board in a first direction perpendicular to the height direction. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a first connector mounted on the control board and connectable to the other end of a cable whose one end is connected to an external device; and a second connector mounted on the communication board and connectable to a telephone cable, wherein the first connector and the second connector are disposed so as to face in the same direction, wherein the first connector is provided on a downstream portion of the control board in a second direction that is perpendicular to the height direction and a first direction perpendicular to the height direction, and wherein a downstream end of the communication board in the second direction is located on an upstream side of a downstream end of the control board in the second direction. ### Claim 16 An image recording apparatus, comprising: a housing; an image recording portion held by the housing and configured to record an image on a recording medium; a first connector mounted on a control board and connectable to the other end of a cable whose one end is connected to an external device, the control board including a control circuit for controlling operations of the image recording portion; a second connector mounted on a communication board having an interface circuit, the second connector being connected to the interface circuit and connectable to a telephone cable; and a cover pivotable about one of opposite end portions of the housing in a first direction perpendicular to a height direction of the image recording apparatus, so as to take (i) a first posture in which the cover covers the first connector and the second connector from an upper side thereof and (ii) a second posture in which the first connector and the second connector are exposed to an outside of the image recording apparatus, wherein the first connector and the second connector are disposed at respective positions nearer to the other of the opposite end portions of the housing than to the one of the opposite end portions of the housing, and disposed at respective positions different from each other in at least one of the first direction and a second direction that is perpendicular to the height direction and the first direction.