JP2000131907A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable sustaining the connection of the connector-connected portion of an electric-wire member exposed outside or protecting the same portion by a simple structure. SOLUTION: A connector and the end of an electric wire 60 set in an electric- wire connecting part 62 are covered with a lid 70, thereby preventing each member from being seen and touched from outside. Therefore even in the condition where a scanner unit body 1 is turned and the upper part of a printer unit 2 is exposed outside, the lid 70 covers the electric-wire connecting part 62, therefore such a problem that the connector and the electric wire 60, a connector-connected portion, are unintentionally pulled out by a worker is prevented from occurring.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus having a scanner unit having a scanner for reading a document image and a printer unit having a printer for forming an image on paper. In particular, the present invention relates to protection of electric wires for electrically connecting a scanner unit and a printer unit.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is an image forming apparatus in which a scanner device and a printer device are integrated. In this type of image forming device, a problem occurs due to replacement of components mounted on the printer device or trouble in conveyance. In order to remove jammed paper, it is necessary to open a part of the printer device to the outside so that work can be performed. In a small device, the scanner unit body of the scanner device is replaced with the printer unit of the printer device. A configuration is adopted in which the upper opening of the printer unit body can be opened to the outside by pivotally supporting the scanner unit body and rotating the scanner unit body.

[0003] In the image forming apparatus having the above configuration,
Usually, the electrical components on the scanner unit body side and the electrical components on the printer unit body side are electrically connected by wires, and a plurality of wire members are pulled out from both unit bodies and routed. It is wired in such a way.

[0006] As shown in FIG. 6, a male connector 102 is provided at an end of a wire 101, and a female connector 104 fixed to an electrical board 103 is provided.
Generally, a method of fitting the male connector 102 to the male connector and electrically connecting the male connector 102 to the male connector 102 is used.

[0005]

In the image forming apparatus having the above-mentioned structure, the upper opening of the printer unit can be opened to the outside by rotating the scanner unit. Therefore, if a wire connection portion as shown in FIG. 6 is installed in the open portion, the connector connection portion is exposed,
The user may inadvertently pull out the wire member.

If such a problem occurs, it goes without saying that the scanner or printer does not operate because the processing information cannot be transmitted or the drive control signal is not input / output.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, and provides an image forming apparatus in which the connection of a connector connecting portion of an electric wire member exposed to the outside is maintained or protected with a simple structure. The purpose is to:

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a scanner unit having a scanner for reading an original image and a printer unit having a printer for forming an image on paper. An image forming apparatus comprising the scanner unit body and the printer unit body openably and closably supported, wherein an electrical component of the scanner unit body and the printer unit body is a wire member. Connected by
It is the outside open side of the printer unit body, and is covered with a lid of the connector connection portion exposed to the outside of the wire member.With this configuration, the connector connection portion is not exposed to the outside,
It is possible to prevent the occurrence of trouble due to careless withdrawal or removal of the electric wire member by the user at the connector connection portion.

Further, according to the present invention, the cover covers the electrical connection board holding the connector connection portion together with the connector connection portion.
The electrical board is no longer exposed to the outside, and it is possible to prevent a problem such as a short-circuit or the like from occurring when a conductive member such as a metal material falls on the electrical board.

Further, according to the present invention, the lid and a locking portion of the lid fitted to the fixed side member are integrally formed of a resin material. With this configuration, a screw for fixing the lid is provided. It is not necessary to use such a device, the structure and operation for fixing are simplified, and the manufacturing is also simplified.

Further, the present invention is characterized in that the connector connecting portion is provided with only one wire outlet for leading out a wire bundle formed by binding a plurality of the wire members into one wire. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the electric wire members from becoming entangled with each other and easily coming off due to vibration or the like.

Further, in the present invention, the cover is provided with a thin plate member for restricting the movement of the electric wire member in contact with the electric wire member. Can be prevented, or the wire member can be prevented from being damaged by other members.

[0013]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of an image forming apparatus in which a scanner and a printer are integrated for explaining an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an upper view of a scanner unit in the image forming apparatus of FIG. FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a side cross-sectional state for schematically explaining an internal structure of the image forming apparatus of FIG. 1, and 1 is a scanner unit body on which a scanner device is mounted. Reference numeral 2 denotes a printer unit body on which a printer device is mounted, and the scanner unit body 1 is rotatably supported on the back side of the printer unit body 2 as described later.

The scanner unit body 1 has a contact glass 1 on which an original is placed on a scanner unit body 10 made of a resin (for example, ABS resin) which is also an outer frame member.
1 is provided on the front side (the right side in FIGS.
Are provided with switches for setting various operation modes, and an operation / display panel 12 for displaying an operation state or a mode setting state. On the upper side of the contact glass 11, a pressure plate 13 for pressing a placed book-type document against the contact glass 11 is provided. The pressure plate 13 is rotatable, and its end is supported by a part of the document transport unit 14.

The original transport unit 14 is for transporting a sheet-type original.
As shown in FIG. 3, a paper feed roller 15 for feeding the originals stacked on the upper surface of the pressure plate 13, a separation transport roller 16 for transporting the originals one by one, a pair of transport rollers 17, A document reading position a provided between these transport roller pairs 17
Are provided with a document pressing plate 18 and a document discharge tray 19.

A pressure plate 13 on which a sheet type original is placed
Document width guide plates 20 and 21 for regulating the document width are provided on the upper side, and one document width guide plate 20 is movable with respect to the other document width guide plate 21 so that the placed document can be moved. The position is regulated with reference to the other document width guide plate 21.

An optical pick-up 22 is movably provided below the contact glass 11 in the scanner unit main body 10, and an optical pickup is provided for a book-type original placed on the contact glass 11. 22 moves laterally to read the document information. For a sheet-type original conveyed by the original conveying unit 14, the original reading position a is moved (rightward in FIG. 3) while the optical pickup 22 is fixed at the original reading position a.
Read the information of the original to be scanned.

The printer unit 2 has an electrostatic image forming apparatus mounted in a printer unit main body 30 made of a resin (for example, ABS resin) which is also an outer frame member. The configuration of the electrostatic image forming apparatus is publicly known, and as shown in FIG. 3, a laser light emitting unit mainly including a photoconductor 31 and exposing the photoconductor 31 to form a latent image on the photoconductor 31. Section 32, a developing section 33 for developing the latent image on the photoreceptor 31 with toner, and a transfer section 34 for transferring the toner image to the paper
And a fixing unit 35 for fixing the transferred image by heating and pressing the transferred paper, a paper storage cassette 36, and a sheet fed from the paper storage cassette 36 to the photosensitive member 31 and the transfer unit at appropriate timing. Registration roller 3 to be sent to nip 34
7 and a discharge roller 38 and the like.

On the front side of the printer unit main body 30, there is integrally formed a discharge tray section 40 which is a discharge stack section for receiving a sheet on which an image discharged by a discharge roller 38 is formed. , The discharge tray section 40
An extension tray 41 is provided at the front side of the printer so that it can be received when large-sized paper is discharged.

As shown in FIG. 2, a damper member 45 is provided between the scanner unit body 1 and the printer unit body 2 to buffer an impact or the like generated when the scanner unit body 1 rotates. I have. This damper member 4
Reference numeral 5 denotes a gas damper portion 46 in which a highly viscous gas is sealed, and a rod portion 47 provided so as to be able to enter and exit the gas damper portion 46. In this example, the gas damper portion 46 is a scanner unit main body 10 Is rotatably supported by a part of the printer unit main body 30.
Is rotatably supported by a part of the.

An operation hook portion 50 of a lock mechanism for locking the operation of the scanner unit body 1 is provided on one lower side of the scanner unit body 10 on the front side. As shown in FIG.
It is provided at one end of a character-shaped slide body 51. The slide body 51 is provided so as to be slidable on the inner surface of a bottom cover 52 provided on the bottom of the scanner unit main body 10. Is provided. The engaging claw 53 is exposed to the outside from a part of the bottom cover 52 similarly to the operation hook 50.

The engaging claw portion 53 is engaged with a part of an inner periphery of a locking hole 55 formed at a front upper portion of an upright wall portion 30a integrally projecting from both sides of the paper discharge tray portion 40 in the printer unit body 30. At the same time, the scanner unit 1 is held in the locked state.

One end of a tension spring 56 is engaged with a portion of the slide body 51 constituting the lock mechanism on the side where the operation hook portion 50 is provided and on the portion where the one engagement claw portion 53 is provided. The slide body 51 is pulled to the rear side, so that the engagement state between the engagement claw 53 and the locking hole 55 in the locked state is maintained.

Therefore, the operator can operate the operation hook 50.
And pulling it outward against the pulling force of the tension spring 56, the engagement between the engaging claw 53 and the locking hole 55 can be released by moving the slide body 51 to the near side. Thus, the scanner unit body 1 can be rotated.

The scanner unit 1 and the printer
As shown in FIG. 2, between the unit bodies 2, there are electric wire members for electrically connecting electrical components (not shown) mounted on the scanner unit body 1 and the printer unit body 2, respectively. A plurality of electric wires 60 and a harness 61 are wired. The ends of the electric wires 60 are connected to an electric wire connecting portion 62 provided in the upper part on the back side of the upright wall portion 30a of the printer unit main body 30 as one bundle.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the structure of the electric wire connecting portion. The connector itself has a known structure as shown in FIG. 6, and a male connector 63 is provided at the end of each electric wire 60. A male connector 63 corresponding to a plurality of female connectors 65 provided on an electrical board 64 installed on the vertical wall portion 30a of the printer unit main body 30 is fitted.

In FIG. 4, reference numeral 70 denotes a resin lid for covering the opening of the upright wall portion 30a in the electric wire connection portion 62. A plurality of elastic legs 7 are provided at the front and rear portions.
1 and 72 are integrally formed, and the elastic leg portions 71 and 72 are fitted into locking holes 73 and 74 provided at the front and rear portions of the peripheral wall of the opening of the standing wall portion 30a.
fixed to a. The electric wire connection part 62 is formed by the lid 70.
The connectors 63 and 65, the ends of the electric wires 60, and the electrical board 64 are covered, and are in a state in which they cannot be seen from the outside and cannot be contacted.

Therefore, even when the scanner unit 1 is rotated to open the upper part of the printer unit 2 to the outside, the lid 70 is connected to the wire connection portion 62.
The connectors 63, 65 by the operator.
In addition, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of troubles such as the wire 60 at the connector connection part being pulled out carelessly. Further, since the electric board 64 is also covered by the cover 70, the finger of the operator or a metal member is used to cover the electric board 64.
It is also possible to prevent a problem such as a short circuit from occurring due to touching.

Further, since the lid 70 has a structure in which the elastic legs 71 and 72 as solid means are formed by integral molding with resin, it is easy to manufacture, and the fixing of the lid 70 is performed as described above. The elastic legs 71, 7 are provided for the stopper holes 73, 74.
2 is elastically fitted, and there is no need to use screws or the like, so that the lid fixing operation can be easily performed.

A resin plate 75 which is a thin plate member extending into the printer unit main body 30 is provided on a side portion of the lid 70.
As shown in FIG. 2, the harness 61 is wired below the resin plate 75 to restrict the movement of the harness 61, and a member disposed around the harness 61 is a harness 6.
1 is prevented.

FIG. 5 shows an electric wire connecting portion 62 according to this embodiment.
It is a perspective view showing a modification of the portion, in this example, the connector portion of the electric wire 60 is covered with the lid 70 as described above, the electric wire outlet 80 is formed at one place of the upright wall portion 30a, and the electric wires 60 are bundled. By drawing out from the electric wire outlet 80, it is possible to prevent the plurality of electric wires 60 from coming off due to variation and entanglement.

[0033]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Inadvertent withdrawal of the wire member at the connector connection portion by covering the connector connection portion of the wire member on the outside open side of the printer unit body with a lid so that the connector connection portion is not exposed to the outside, Failures such as short-circuiting due to removal or contact with the conductor can be prevented beforehand, and the lid can be attached with a simple configuration, etc.
An image forming apparatus having a large practical effect can be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of an image forming apparatus in which a scanner and a printer are integrated for describing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a scanner and an image forming apparatus in the image forming apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment.
Perspective view showing a state where the unit body has been turned upward.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram in a side sectional view for schematically explaining an internal structure of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a configuration of a wire connection unit in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a modification of the electric wire connection portion in the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional electric wire connection method and configuration.

[Description of Signs] 1 Scanner unit body 2 Printer unit body 10 Scanner unit main body 30 Printer unit main body 30a Standing wall portion of printer unit main body 60 Electric wire 61 Harness 62 Electric wire connection portion 63 Male connector 64 Electrical board 65 Female Side connector 70 Lid 71,72 Elastic legs 73,74 Engagement hole in vertical wall 75 Resin plate 80 Electric wire outlet

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A scanner unit having a scanner device for reading an original image, and a printer unit having a printer device for forming an image on a sheet, wherein the scanner unit is connected to the printer unit. In an image forming apparatus that is supported so as to be openable and closable with respect to a body, an electrical component in the scanner unit body and the printer unit body is connected by a wire member,
An image forming apparatus, wherein a connector connecting portion, which is an open side of the printer unit body and is exposed to the outside of the electric wire member, is covered with a lid. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cover covers the electrical connection board holding the connector connection portion together with the connector connection portion. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lid and a locking portion of the lid elastically fitted to the fixed member are integrally formed of a resin material. 4. An electric wire outlet provided at the connector connecting portion, wherein only one electric wire outlet is provided to lead out an electric wire bundle formed by binding a plurality of the electric wire members into one. 3. The image forming apparatus according to 2. 5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a thin plate member is provided on the lid to restrict movement of the electric wire member by contacting the electric wire member.