JP2007108432A - Opening/closing device and printer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable an operator to relatively slowly open or close a maintenance cover with little force. <P>SOLUTION: The maintenance cover 1c turnable around a first shaft 16 and an upper unit case 12 turnable around a second shaft 17 are connected by a connection member 20. To open the maintenance cover 1c, the upper unit case 12 is pulled in the direction of the maintenance cover 1c and rotated upward against the pressing force of a torsion spring 21. Accordingly, even if the resistance of a damper 14 to the opening/closing of the maintenance cover is weak, the maintenance cover 1c is prevented from being suddenly opened. In addition, when an operator starts to close the maintenance cover 1c, the maintenance cover 1c is subject to force in the direction in which the cover 1c is closed by the pressing force of the torsion spring 21. This enables the operator to start closing the maintenance cover 1c with little force. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a cover opening / closing mechanism in a printer apparatus.

  In general, a printer device includes a cover that can be freely opened and closed, and an operator can perform maintenance of the image forming engine by opening the cover (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). In many cases, this type of cover (hereinafter referred to as a maintenance cover) is provided with a mechanism for reducing an impact during opening and closing.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the printer apparatus 100 having a maintenance cover, and FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view thereof. The maintenance cover 25 rotates as shown by the dotted line A around the shaft 30. The housing 40 of the printer apparatus 100 is provided with a gear 60 that meshes with a damper 50 attached to the maintenance cover 25, and the maintenance cover 25 opens and closes slowly around the shaft 30 by the resistance action of the damper 50. It is like that. That is, when the operator pulls the maintenance cover 25 forward, the maintenance cover 25 opens slowly and the image forming engine appears. When the operator pushes the maintenance cover 25 to the back, the image forming engine moves to the printer device 100. It will be pushed into the inside slowly. Since a relatively heavy image forming engine is accommodated in the engine cover portion 90 provided inside the maintenance cover 25, if the damper 50 does not have a resistance action against the opening / closing operation, the maintenance cover 25 is caused by the weight of the image forming engine. If the image forming engine is opened suddenly, the image forming engine may be damaged or the operator may be injured.
JP-A-62-158067 Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 4-79657

In order to open and close the maintenance cover 25 sufficiently slowly, it is necessary to use a damper having a large resistance or to increase the diameter of the gear. However, if the resistance force of the damper is increased too much, when the operator tries to open and close the maintenance cover, a large force is required first, and the operability of the maintenance cover 25 is lowered. On the other hand, there is a problem that increasing the diameter of the gear hinders the reduction in size and weight of the printer device.
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described background, and an object thereof is to provide a cover opening / closing technique that allows an operator to open and close relatively slowly without applying too much force.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, the present invention includes a cover that is rotatable about a first axis in a direction toward the outside of the housing or in a direction toward the inside of the housing, and the housing. , A unit case rotatable about a second axis parallel to the first axis, the cover and the unit case are connected, and the cover is rotated in a direction toward the outside of the housing When the unit case is pulled in the direction of the cover, a connecting member that rotates the unit case around the second axis and the cover rotates in a direction toward the outside of the housing. And an urging member for urging the unit case in a direction opposite to a direction in which the unit case is pulled and rotated by the connecting member.

  The cover is provided with a first pin, the unit case is provided with a second pin, and a hole for engaging the first pin is provided at a position of the connecting member connected to the cover. A hole engaging with the second pin is provided at a position connected to the unit case of the connecting member, and at least a hole engaging with the first pin or a hole engaging with the second pin Either one is desirably a long hole.

  Further, the present invention includes a handle near the upper end and a first shaft near the lower end, and rotates around the first shaft in a direction toward the outside of the housing or a direction toward the inside of the housing. A possible cover, a unit case housed inside the housing and rotatable upward or downward about a second axis above the first axis and parallel to the first axis; By connecting the cover and the unit case and pulling the unit case in the direction of the cover when the cover is rotated in a direction toward the outside of the housing, the unit case is moved to the second shaft. A connecting member that rotates upward about the center, and a direction opposite to the direction in which the unit case is pulled and rotated by the connecting member when the cover rotates in a direction toward the outside of the housing. , Activate the unit case Providing a switching device which is characterized by comprising a biasing member that.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printer apparatus comprising the above opening / closing device, wherein an image forming engine for forming an image on a recording sheet is attached to the inside of the cover and the unit case. .

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an appearance of a printer apparatus 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The printer device 10 includes two side panels 1a, an upper panel 1b, a maintenance cover 1c, a rear panel (not shown), and a lower panel (not shown). The casing of the printer apparatus is formed by these panels. The printer device 10 includes an image forming engine for forming an image on a recording sheet and a control unit such as a CPU (all not shown). When the operator instructs printing, the control unit sends an instruction to the image forming engine to form an image on the recording sheet. The recording sheet 6 on which the image is formed is discharged from a paper discharge port 4 provided in the maintenance cover 1c to a paper discharge tray (not shown). A handle 2 is provided in the vicinity of the upper end of the maintenance cover 1c. When the operator holds the handle 2 and pulls the maintenance cover 1c toward the front, the maintenance cover 1c is a casing that is centered on an axis provided in the vicinity of the lower end. Rotate in the direction toward the outside of the door. On the other hand, when the operator holds the handle 2 and pushes the maintenance cover 1c upward, the maintenance cover 1c rotates and closes in a direction toward the inside of the housing around an axis provided near the lower end. .

2 is a cross-sectional view of the printer device 10 when the maintenance cover 1c is closed, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the printer device 10 when the maintenance cover 1c is open. FIG. 4 is a detailed perspective view of the printer device 10 when the maintenance cover 1c is open.
The maintenance cover 1 c is attached to the side panel 1 a by a first shaft 16 provided in the vicinity of the lower end of the cover, and rotates around the first shaft 16. An upper unit case 12 having an upwardly convex curved shape is accommodated in the housing. The upper unit case 12 is attached to the side panel 1 a by a second shaft 17 positioned above the first shaft 16, and rotates about the second shaft 17. A torsion spring 21 as an urging member is attached to the second shaft 17. The torsion spring 21 urges the upper unit case 12 in the direction of arrow B by urging the protrusion 22 provided on the upper unit case 12. As will be described in detail later, this biasing direction is a direction in which the upper unit case 12 is biased in a direction opposite to the direction in which the upper unit case 12 rotates when the maintenance cover 1c is opened.

  An engine cover portion 11 is provided inside the maintenance cover 1c. The engine cover portion 11 and the upper unit case 12 accommodate an image forming engine including various rolls and heating elements (details). (See FIG. 4). The side panel 1a is provided with a gear 15 that meshes with a damper 14 attached to the maintenance cover 1c. The maintenance cover 1c opens and closes around the first shaft 16 while receiving the resistance action of the damper 14. . However, the resistance action of the damper 14 with respect to the maintenance cover opening / closing operation is characteristically relatively small.

  The lower end portion of the engine cover portion 11 on the maintenance cover 1 c side and the lower end portion of the upper unit case 12 are connected by a connecting member 20. More specifically, pins 18 and 19 are provided on the lower end portion of the engine cover portion 11 and the lower end portion of the upper unit case 12, respectively, and these pins 18 and 19 are provided on the connecting member 20. The maintenance cover 1c and the upper unit case 12 are connected by engaging with the two holes, respectively. By connecting the two in this way, the upper unit case 12 rotates upward or downward about the second shaft 17 as the maintenance cover 1c is opened and closed. That is, when the maintenance cover 1c is opened, the lower end portion of the upper unit case 12 is pulled in the direction of the maintenance cover 1c by the connecting member 20 and pivots upward, and stops at the position shown in FIG. When the cover 1c is closed, the upper unit case 12 is pushed in the direction opposite to the above direction by the urging force of the torsion spring 21 and rotates downward, and stops at the position shown in FIG.

  The shape of the hole 24 into which the pin 19 is inserted is a long hole shape extending along the longitudinal direction of the connecting member 20, and there is a so-called “play” between the pin 19 and the hole 24. Therefore, even if the maintenance cover 1 c starts to open, the pin 19 only moves from one end of the hole 24 to the other end, and the upper unit case 12 does not receive a force from the connecting member 20. That is, the maintenance cover 1c is rotated by the force with which the operator pulls the handle toward the front and the weight of the image forming engine, while the upper unit case 12 does not rotate at all and remains stationary at the position shown in FIG. When the maintenance cover 1c is further opened and the pin 19 reaches the other end of the long hole, the upper unit case 12 is pulled by the connecting member 20 in the direction of the maintenance cover 1c for the first time, and the torsion spring 21 is attached. It turns upward against the force. At this time, the maintenance cover 1c receives a reaction force (force pulled in the direction of the upper unit case 12) from the upper unit case 12. Therefore, the maintenance cover 1c opens relatively slowly and stops at the position shown in FIG. 3 even if the operator pulls the handle toward the front and the weight of the image forming engine acts.

Further, when the maintenance cover 1c is closed, it is as follows.
When the operator starts closing the maintenance cover 1c, the upper unit case 12 slowly rotates from the position shown in FIG. 3 to the position shown in FIG. 2 while pulling the connecting member 20 in the direction toward the inside of the apparatus. . At this time, since the upper unit case 12 receives the urging force shown in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 2 from the torsion spring 21, the maintenance unit 1c connected to the upper unit 12 by the connecting member 20 is used. Is applied with a force in a direction toward the inside of the apparatus (that is, a direction in which the maintenance cover 1c is closed). For this reason, the operator can close the maintenance cover 1c without applying much force. When the maintenance cover 1c is further closed, the upper unit case 12 gradually turns downward by the urging force of the torsion spring 21, and stops there when reaching the position shown in FIG.

  According to the embodiment described above, the maintenance member 1c that can be rotated about the first shaft 16 and the upper unit case 12 that can be rotated about the second shaft 17 are connected by the connecting member 20. When the maintenance cover 1c is opened, the upper unit case 12 is pulled in the direction of the maintenance cover 1c and rotated upward against the urging force of the torsion spring 21. That is, the operator must open the maintenance cover 1c against the urging force of the torsion spring 21. Therefore, even if the resistance action of the damper 14 with respect to the maintenance cover opening / closing operation is small, it is possible to prevent a situation in which the maintenance cover 1c is suddenly opened. Even when the maintenance cover 1c starts to be closed, force is applied to the maintenance cover 1c in the closing direction by the biasing force of the torsion spring 21, so that the operator can apply the maintenance cover 1c without applying too much force. Can begin to close.

In addition, a so-called “play” is provided between the pin 19 and the hole 24 by forming a long hole in the shape of the hole 24. As a result, at the beginning of opening of the maintenance cover 1c, the maintenance cover 1c is rotated by the force with which the operator pulls the handle forward and the weight of the image forming engine, while the upper unit case 12 does not rotate at all. It remains stationary at position 2. Since the relatively heavy image forming engine is accommodated in the engine cover portion 11 provided inside the maintenance cover 1c, the maintenance cover 1c can be operated without much effort by the operator due to the weight of the image forming engine. You can start to open. When the maintenance cover 1 c is further opened, the upper unit case 12 is pulled in the direction of the maintenance cover 1 c by the connecting member 20, and rotates upward against the urging force of the torsion spring 21. At this time, the maintenance cover 1c receives a reaction force (force pulled in the direction of the upper unit case 12) from the upper unit case 12, and therefore opens relatively slowly.
Thus, the operability when opening and closing the maintenance cover 1c can be improved.

  Note that the above-described opening / closing mechanism is not limited to a printer device, and can be applied to other devices. In addition, the hole 24 that engages with the pin 19 does not have a long hole shape, but the hole that engages with the pin 18 may have a long hole shape, or both holes may have a long hole shape.

1 is a perspective view of a printer apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the printer device when a maintenance cover is closed. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the printer device when a maintenance cover is open. FIG. 3 is a detailed perspective view of the printer device when a maintenance cover is open. It is a perspective view of the conventional printer apparatus. It is sectional drawing of the conventional printer apparatus at the time of opening and closing of a maintenance cover.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Printer apparatus, 1a Side panel, 1b Top panel, 1c Maintenance cover, 12 Upper unit case, 16 1st axis | shaft, 17 2nd axis | shaft, 21 Torsion spring, 20 Connecting member.

Claims (4)

A cover rotatable about a first axis in a direction toward the outside of the housing or in a direction toward the inside of the housing;
A unit case housed in a housing and rotatable about a second axis parallel to the first axis;
The cover and the unit case are connected, and when the cover is rotated in the direction toward the outside of the housing, the unit case is pulled in the direction of the cover, so that the unit case is attached to the second shaft. A connecting member that rotates about the center;
A biasing member that biases the unit case in a direction opposite to a direction in which the unit case is pulled by the connecting member and pivots when the cover rotates in a direction toward the outside of the housing. A switchgear comprising the switchgear. The cover is provided with a first pin,
The unit case is provided with a second pin,
A hole that engages the first pin is provided at a position of the connecting member connected to the cover,
A hole to be engaged with the second pin is provided at a position where the connecting member is connected to the unit case,
2. The switchgear according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the hole engaged with the first pin and the hole engaged with the second pin is a long hole. A cover provided with a handle in the vicinity of the upper end and a first axis in the vicinity of the lower end, rotatable around the first axis in a direction toward the outside of the housing or in a direction toward the inside of the housing;
A unit case housed in the housing and rotatable upward or downward about a second axis above the first axis and parallel to the first axis;
By connecting the cover and the unit case and pulling the unit case in the direction of the cover when the cover is rotated in a direction toward the outside of the housing, the unit case is moved to the second shaft. A connecting member that rotates upward about
A biasing member that biases the unit case in a direction opposite to a direction in which the unit case is pulled by the connecting member and pivots when the cover rotates in a direction toward the outside of the housing. A switchgear comprising the switchgear. The switchgear according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
An image forming engine for forming an image on a recording sheet is attached to the inside of the cover and the unit case.

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