JPH0519550A - Process unit for image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To facilitate the work of respective shafts through which the rotating member or the rocking member of a process unit provided in an image forming device is connected to a driving transmitting member in the device and to obtain a connecting means which is easily assembled. CONSTITUTION:Male couplings 10 for attachably/detachably fitting the respective stirring members 7 and 8 and the supply roller 9 of a developing device being a driven side and the respective stirring member transmitting shafts 7a and 8a and the supply roller transmitting shaft 9a of a driving transmitting mechanism part 20 being a driving side, for example, by respectively applying detents to them are provided. A tooth profile 10f formed to be star is provided on the connection part of the coupling 10. On the other hand, the same tooth profile is provided on the shaft hole of each of the stirring members 7 and 8 made of synthetic resin material and meshed with the tooth profile 10f of the coupling 10 so as to transmit driving. Then, a female coupling 11 to which a detent is applied is previously fitted to the shaft of the supply roller 9 made of metallic material, and the coupling 10 is meshed with the same tooth profile, which is provided on the shaft hole, as the tooth profile 10f so as to transmit driving.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a connecting means for connecting each process unit provided in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus and a drive transmitting means for transmitting drive thereto.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, an electrophotographic image forming apparatus of this type includes a photosensitive drum unit which is an image carrier and a developing device which applies toner to an electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum to develop the electrostatic latent image. A process unit including a unit, a fixing unit for heating and fixing the toner image transferred to the recording sheet, and a cleaning unit for cleaning the surface of the photosensitive drum after the toner image is transferred are provided. Then, the required toner images are successively recorded on the recording paper by the respective process units. Conventionally, the drive transmission means on the drive side and the rotary member or swing member mounted on each process unit on the driven side are connected to each other by fitting their shafts and shaft holes together and then screwing them together. D-shaped or mouth-shaped fitting portions are formed on the shafts and the shaft holes so as to be connected to each other so that they can be fitted and transmitted.

[0003]

However, machining a D-shaped or mouth-shaped fitting portion on a driving-side or driven-side shaft or shaft hole for transmitting drive does not only require a lot of man-hours. However, it is difficult to machine the shaft hole of a metal material. Further, even when the shaft and the shaft hole are coupled by screwing, it is a laborious work that requires a lot of man-hours to perform screwing and to connect them in phase with each other during assembly.

The present invention solves such a problem by forming the connecting portion between the driving side and the driven side into a shape that facilitates the processing of parts, and at the same time, the driving force is transmitted by the connecting means that can be easily connected even during assembly. It is an object of the present invention to provide a process unit for an image forming apparatus.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus having at least process units of a photoconductor, a developing device, a fixing device, and a cleaning device, and an attaching / detaching member or a swinging member attached to each process unit. And a drive transmission means for transmitting the drive of a drive source to each member, and a coupling member rotatably fitted to the drive transmission means is provided, and the drive members are connected to each other so that the drive transmission is possible. Achieved by the process unit.

[0006]

1 is a side view showing the shape of a male coupling member of FIG. 1, a front view of FIG. 2 and a side view showing the shape of a female coupling member of FIG. 8 is a front view thereof, FIG. 5 is a side sectional view showing the structure of the drive transmission mechanism portion, FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing the connection state of the coupling member, FIG. 7 is a side sectional view showing the structure, and FIG. 8 is an image forming apparatus. Will be described with reference to the schematic diagram showing the configuration of FIG.

However, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 8, an electrophotographic image forming apparatus
Reference numeral 18 denotes a photosensitive drum 16 which is an image bearing member that rotates at least endlessly, a developing device 1 for applying toner to an electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the photosensitive member 16 to develop it, and a periphery of the photosensitive member 16. A transfer electrode 13 for transferring a toner image onto the surface of the recording paper 12 conveyed downward to the surface, a removing electrode 14, a fixing device 15 for fixing the toner image transferred onto the surface of the recording paper 12, and a toner image. A cleaning device 17 for removing toner, powdered paper, and the like remaining on the surface of the photoconductor 16 after being transferred to the recording paper 12.
And each process unit.

Then, the process units 1, 13,
A desired toner image is successively recorded on the surface of the recording paper 12 which is intermittently conveyed by 14, 15, 16, 17 along a predetermined conveying path.

In the present invention, the above-mentioned problems are eliminated and the connecting means for connecting the rotary member or the swinging member of each process unit and the drive transmission mechanism portion arranged in the image forming apparatus 18 is constructed as follows. An embodiment of the present invention will be described by taking as an example a connecting means of a plurality of stirring members mounted on the developing device 1, a supply roller, and a drive transmission mechanism section for transmitting drive to these.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the main part of the developing device 1. 16 is the photosensitive drum, 2 is the developing device body, 3 is the developing sleeve, 5 is the upper lid, 7 is the first stirring member, and 8 Is a second stirring member, and 9 is a supply roller.

The toner replenished in the developing device 1 is sufficiently carrier by the first stirring member 7 rotating in the arrow direction and the second stirring member 8 rotating so as to overlap each other in the opposite direction. The upper developer D mixed by stirring is sent to the developing sleeve 3 via the supply roller 9.

The first stirring member 7 and the second stirring member 8
Is a screw-shaped member having a left-handed helix angle that rotates in mutually opposite arrow directions, and is the second stirring member 8
The toner and carrier transported to the back by the thrust of
The stirring partition plate whose upper edge is slanted in the direction toward the back of the drawing is successively passed over to move to the first stirring member 7 side and is conveyed to the front side of the drawing by its thrust, and friction is generated by the mixing action of the toner and the carrier in the meantime. The charged homogeneous developer D is deposited on the peripheral surface of the developing sleeve 3 by the supply roller 9 that is sponge-like and rotates in the direction of the arrow.

The toner conveyed by the developing sleeve 3 is added to the electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 16 which is adjacent to the surface of the developing sleeve 3 with a predetermined gap. The toner image is developed. And
The rotation of each of the stirring members 7, 8, the supply roller 9, and the developing sleeve 3 is transmitted by a drive transmission mechanism portion mounted on a side surface portion of the developing device main body 2.

As shown in FIG. 5, the drive transmission mechanism portion 20 comprises a drive portion substrate 21 and a drive portion side plate 22 constituting the drive main body 20a, a second stirring member transmission shaft 8a, and a fitting member attached thereto in order from the top of the drawing. The first gear 23 to be coupled, the first stirring member transmission shaft 7a, the second gear 24 fitted and coupled thereto, the roller 28 rotatably fitted to the first stirring member transmission shaft 7a, and the supply A roller transmission shaft 9a and a belt second gear fitted and coupled to the roller transmission shaft 9a.
25, a belt third gear 27 that is fitted and coupled to the developing sleeve shaft 3a and integrally rotates, a belt first gear 23a integrally provided with the first gear 23, and a belt second gear. 24 and the third belt gear 27, and an endless timing belt 26 wound around the belt. Figure 5
As shown in FIG. 3, the drive part substrate 21 is a molding member made of a synthetic resin material having an outer shape of substantially the same size as the outer circumference of the side surface of the developing device main body 2 to which the upper lid 5 is attached. Then, as shown in the drawing, the drive substrate 21 has a column 21d that is erected from the upper right end of the surface of the base 21h and another column (not shown) that interferes with the driving of the drive transmission mechanism 20. It is provided with an appropriate width and thickness that it can withstand.

The right end face shown in FIG. 5 in which each of the columns 21d and the other columns are erected is the mounting surface of the drive unit side plate 22. Then, from the top to the position corresponding to each of the stirring members 8 and 7 and the supply roller 9 and the developing sleeve 3 at approximately the center in the width direction of the base 21h.
Bearing boss 21a for the stirring member transmission shaft 8a, bearing hole 8b and bearing boss 21b for the first stirring member transmission shaft 7a, bearing hole 7
b, a bearing boss 21c for the supply roller transmission shaft 9a, a bearing hole 9b, an escape hole for the developing sleeve shaft 3a, and a seat 21f for the third belt gear.
The bearing bosses 21a, 21b, 21c are formed on the support column 21.
The bearing holes 8b, 7b, 9b are provided so as to project at a predetermined height in the rising direction of d and penetrate the bearing bosses 21a, 21b, 21c. Each bearing boss 21
The right end faces shown in a, 21b, and 21c are the gears 23 and 25, respectively.
And a positioning surface and a sliding contact surface for the roller 28. Then, when the drive unit substrate 21 is molded, the columns 21 are formed.
d, other columns, the bearing bosses 21a, 21b, 21c, the bearing holes 8b, 7b, 9b, the escape hole of the developing sleeve shaft 3a, the third gear 27 for the belt 27, and the receiving seat 21f (not shown) as appropriate. The reinforcing ribs and the reliefs to be applied are integrally and simultaneously formed.

On the other hand, the drive unit side plate 22 is the drive unit substrate 21.
Is a molded member made of a synthetic resin material having the same outer shape as that of

Then, as shown in FIG.
The bearing boss 21 provided on the drive unit substrate 21 is shown at 22.
a, a bearing boss 22a for the second stirring member transmission shaft 8a, which projects at a predetermined height on both side surfaces of the drive unit side plate 22 at a position facing the bearing hole 8b, and a bearing hole 8c penetrating the boss 22a. It is provided. Then, the drive unit substrate 21
And a bearing boss 22b for the first agitating member transmission shaft 7a which protrudes at a predetermined height on both side surfaces of the drive unit side plate 22 at a position facing the bearing bosses 21b, 21c and the bearing holes 7c, 9c. A bearing hole 7c penetrating the boss 22b, a bearing boss 22c for the supply roller transmission shaft 9a, and a bearing hole 9c penetrating the boss 22c are provided. Further below that, there is an escape hole for the third belt gear that fits on the developing sleeve shaft 3a.
27a and an escape hole 27b provided concentrically therewith are provided. When the drive unit side plate 22 is molded, the bearing bosses 22a, 22b, 22c, the bearing holes 8c, 7c, 9c, the escape holes 27a, 27b, and reinforcing ribs or escape portions (not shown) that are appropriately provided are formed. It is designed to be integrally and simultaneously formed. The drive unit main body 20a is configured by integrally mounting the columns 21d provided on the drive unit substrate 21 and the right end faces of the other columns with screws or the like. Then, the drive unit side plate is attached to the drive unit substrate 21.
When the bearings 22 are attached, the bearing holes 8b facing each other,
Alignment of the respective central axes of 7b, 9b and the bearing holes 8c, 7c, 9c is accurately performed. The distance between the bearing boss 21a surface of the drive unit substrate 21 and the bearing boss 22a surface of the drive unit side plate 22 facing each other is set to be slightly longer than the lengthwise dimension of the first gear 23. The first gear 23 is integrally fitted to the second stirring member transmission shaft 8a which is borne by the bearing holes 8b and 8c and is rotatably mounted between the two bosses 21a and 22a. The stirring member transmission shaft 8a is axially positioned. In the same manner, the second boss is placed between the bearing bosses 21b and 22b, which face each other.
The first gear, in which the gear 24 is borne by the bearing holes 7b, 7c,
The roller 28 is rotatably mounted on the left side of the stirring member transmission shaft 7a that is integrally fitted.

Also, the second belt gear 25 is also fitted integrally with the supply roller transmission shaft 9a bearing between the bearing bosses 21c and 22c and the bearing holes 9b and 9c. It has become. The rotation of the second stirring member transmission shaft 8a is transmitted by the first gear 23 that meshes with a drive source (not shown).

Then, the third belt gear 27 is inserted into an escape hole 27a provided at a predetermined position below the third hole 27a.
The developing sleeve shaft 3a is fitted in a bearing hole provided in the shaft center of the gear 27, and a D-shaped hole (not shown) provided in the bearing hole of the third gear 27 and a D-shaped hole (not shown) provided in the developing sleeve shaft 3a. The shaft is fitted and the drive is transmitted.

The endless timing belt 26, which is previously inserted when the drive unit substrate 21 and the drive unit side plate 22 are assembled, is provided with the belt first gear 23a, the belt second gear 25, and the belt second gear. Drive power is transmitted to the supply roller transmission shaft 9a and the developing sleeve 3 via the first gear 23 that is wound around the third gear 27 and rotates in mesh with the drive source. The first stirring member transmission shaft 7a
The rotation is transmitted by the second gear 24 that directly meshes with the first gear 23. The roller 28 acts on the upper side (FIG. 5) of the endless timing belt 26 wound around the belt gears 23a, 25, 27, and is tensioned downward to transmit rotation without loss. It is like this.

A male coupling 10 (to be described later) is provided at the axial center of each of the stirring member transmission shafts 7a, 8a protruding from the left side surface of the drive unit substrate 21 and the supply roller transmission shaft 9a.
A hole to be inserted and a notch for rotation transmission are provided so that the male coupling 10 can be fitted.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the male coupling 10 is a round bar-shaped molded member made of synthetic resin material such as Delrin or Duracon. A fitting portion 10b for fitting into a hole provided in the shaft center of the member transmission shafts 7a, 8a and the supply roller transmission shaft 9a is provided, and a slit of one character is formed from the central portion of the fitting portion 10b to the right end. 10c is provided, and an inclined surface is provided on the peripheral surface at the right end, so that the transmission members 7a, 8
It is easy to insert when fitting in the holes a, 9a and
The elastic force of the fitting portion 10b having 10c allows it to be fitted tightly.

Further, the shaft diameter of the tip portion of the fitting portion 10b provided with the slit 10c is the transmission shafts 7a and 8a.
By making the diameters of the holes a and 9a slightly larger as shown in the figure, the coupling 10 fitted therein is prevented from coming out easily.

On the right side of the flange 10e, a protrusion 10d as shown in the figure is raised from a part of the peripheral surface of the fitting portion 10b at a height continuous with the peripheral surface of the flange 10e. There is. The projection 10d and the transmission shafts 7a, 8
a and 9a are fitted with the notches (not shown), and the right end face of the flange 10e is abutted against the left end faces of the transmission shafts 7a, 8a, 9a to be fitted together. Each coupling 10 and each transmission shaft 7a,
It is adapted to rotate integrally with 8a and 9a.

On the other hand, on the left side of each of the flanges 10e, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a connecting portion 10a for connecting with each of the stirring members 7, 8 and the supply roller 9 is provided. The connecting portion 10a has, for example, a circumferential surface of the connecting portion 10a.
A tooth profile 10f formed in a star shape that is equally divided is provided, and an appropriate inclined surface is provided on the peripheral surface of the left tip portion thereof.

The angle formed by the star-shaped tooth profile 10f is set to 90 ° and the tooth height is set to 0.2 mm. Then, the coupling 10 is detachably fitted to each of the transmission shafts 7a, 8a, 9a at the final stage of the drive transmission mechanism portion 20 to form a unit. On the other hand, although not shown, the connecting portion 10a of the coupling 10 is fitted to the shaft center of the tip end portion of the right support shafts 7d and 8d of the stirring members 7 and 8 molded of synthetic resin material. A star-shaped connecting hole having the same shape as the meshing connecting portion 10a is formed at a predetermined depth from the end face of each of the right support shafts 7d and 8d.

Further, since the supporting shaft 9d of the supply roller 9 is made of a metal material, a female coupling is previously formed on the shaft center of the supporting shaft 9d facing the coupling 10 in order to connect with the coupling 10. 11 is fitted.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the female coupling 11 is a round bar-shaped molding member made of synthetic resin such as Delrin or Duracon, and the feed roller is provided on the left side of the flange 11e. 9 is provided with a fitting portion 11b for fitting in a hole provided in the shaft center of the support shaft 9d, and one character of the slit 11 is formed from the central portion of the fitting portion 11b to the left end.
c is provided and an inclined surface is provided on the peripheral surface at the left end, so that it is easy to insert when fitting into the hole of the support shaft 9d, and it is exactly due to the elastic force of the fitting portion 11b having the slit 11c. It is designed to be fitted.

Further, as shown in the figure, the shaft diameter of the tip of the fitting portion 11b provided with the slit 11c is made slightly larger than the hole diameter provided in the support shaft 9d so that the shaft 9d The fitted female coupling 11 is designed so as not to come out easily.

On the left side of the flange 11e, a protrusion 11d as shown in the figure is raised from a part of the peripheral surface of the fitting portion 11b at a height continuous with the peripheral surface of the flange 11e. .. Then, the protrusion 11d and the notch (not shown) provided on the support shaft 9d are fitted to each other, and the left end surface of the flange 11e is abutted against the right end surface of the support shaft 9d so as to be fitted. The female coupling 11 and the supply roller 9 are designed to rotate integrally.

On the other hand, on the right side of the flange 11e, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a connecting portion 11a for connecting with the coupling 10 is provided. The connection hole provided at a predetermined depth from the end face of the connection portion 11a is provided with, for example, a star-shaped tooth profile 11f that divides the peripheral surface of the connection hole into 10 equal parts, Tooth profile 10f of connecting part 10a
The tooth profile 11f is formed in a star shape that meshes with
The angle and height formed by are set to the same dimensions as the tooth profile 10f.

The drive transmission mechanism section configured as described above
20 is a right side surface portion 2b of the developing device main body 2 as shown in FIG.
Each of the transmission shafts 7 can be mounted at a predetermined position of
The male couplings fitted in a, 8a and 9a
The connecting portion 10a of 10 passes through a bearing hole provided in the right side surface portion 2b and is located inside the developing device main body 2 in the vicinity of the right side surface portion 2b. The star-shaped teeth that are inserted into the connection holes are meshed with each other and integrally fitted.

At the same time, the transmission shafts 7a, 8a,
9a is pivotally supported in each bearing hole provided in the right side surface portion 2b.

Alignment between the shaft centers of the stirring members 7 and 8 and the supply roller 9 and the bearing holes for the transmission shafts 7a, 8a and 9a provided on the right side surface portion 2b is accurately made in advance. There is.

Therefore, the drive transmission mechanism 20 is set from the right side of the developing device main body 2 to a predetermined position of the developing device main body 2 so that the three transmission shafts 7a, 8a and 9a are simultaneously moved to the male side. The agitating members 7 and 8 and the supply roller 9 can be fitted in one-touch by simply engaging the mutual tooth shapes via the shape coupling 10 and can be connected very easily and surely. It became very easy to assemble.

Further, the developing sleeve 3 is connected to the belt third gear 27 at the same time as the drive transmission shafts 7a, 8a and 9a are connected to the stirring members 7 and 8 and the supply roller 9 as described above. Is pivotally supported.

Then, for example, even if the driven side connecting shaft is made of a metal material, the female coupling 11 is fitted in advance to the axial center of the female coupling 11 and connected to the male coupling 10. Therefore, the shaft hole into which the female coupling 11 is fitted can be machined simply by boring and a slit for preventing rotation, which is far easier than the conventional D-shaped or mouth-shaped processing, and the man-hours can be saved greatly.

The embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the connecting means for connecting the agitating members 7, 8 mounted on the developing device 1, the supply roller 9, and the drive transmission shafts 7a, 8a, 9a. Is the driven side, for example, the photosensitive drum 16, the fixing roller of the fixing device, the cleaning roller of the cleaning device 17, or the rotating member or the swinging member of another process unit arranged in the image forming device 18. Needless to say, a member based on the same purpose as the male coupling 10 and the female coupling 11 is appropriately applied to the connecting means for connecting the drive transmitting means to the drive coupling.

[0040]

According to the present invention, for example, a metal material is used for the respective shafts for connecting the drive member and the rotary member or the swing member of each process unit arranged in the image forming apparatus by the connecting means of the present invention. However, the shaft and the shaft hole can be processed extremely easily, and the assembly is facilitated, so that the man-hours are greatly reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing the shape of a male coupling member according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the same.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing the shape of a female coupling member according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the same.

FIG. 5 is a side sectional view showing a configuration of a drive transmission mechanism portion according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a connection state of each coupling member according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a side sectional view showing a configuration of a developing device.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of an image forming apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 developing device 2 developing device main body 2b right side surface 7 first stirring member 7a first stirring member transmission shaft 8 second stirring member 8a second stirring member transmission shaft 9 supply roller 9a supply roller transmission shaft 10 male coupling 10a connection portion 10b Fitting part 10f Tooth profile 11 Female coupling 11a Joining part 11b Fitting part 11f Tooth profile 16 Photoreceptor drum 18 Image forming device 20 Drive transmission mechanism part

Claims (1)

Claim: What is claimed is: 1. An image forming apparatus having at least process units of a photoconductor, a developing device, a fixing device, and a cleaning device, and a rotating member or a swinging member mounted on each process unit. A process of an image forming apparatus characterized in that each member is provided with a coupling member that is detachably fitted to a driving force transmitting means for transmitting the driving force of a driving source, and the driving force is transmitted by the coupling member. unit.