JP2005181453A - Opening/closing cover lock mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an opening/closing cover lock mechanism by which printing failure or dangerous erroneous operations resulting from latching only on one side can be prevented without sufferring from a cost increase, by realizing the simple structure of the mechanism for operating machinery or the like only when the opening/closing cover of the machinery is properly closed. <P>SOLUTION: The opening/closing cover lock mechanism includes: a machinery main body; the opening/closing cover that turns having a specific shaft as its central axis; a pair of lock pins disposed on both sides of the main body or the opening/closing cover; a reference hook member which is attached to the opening/closing cover or the main body so as to be freely swing and engages with one of the lock pins in the locked position; a pressing means for pressing the reference hook member to the locked position; a follower hook member which engages with the other lock pin in the locked position; a detection sensor which detects the follower hook member that has been set in the locked position; and a setting means for setting the reference hook member and the follower hook member in predetermined positions. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a device that detects an open / closed state of a cover that covers an opening in a mechanical device such as a printer.

JP-A-7-121083 JP 2000-275922 A

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an image forming apparatus such as a printer, a lock mechanism that detects with a switch provided on the main body side when an open / close cover is closed is applied. This locking mechanism is called “laser safety”. In the image forming process, the surface of the photoconductor is irradiated with a laser beam. Therefore, when the image is formed, the open / close cover is securely closed. Because it must be.

  As such an opening / closing cover locking mechanism of the image forming apparatus, there is one in which a pair of hooks are formed at both ends of a shaft portion and pins are provided at positions facing the hooks (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-121083). The lock mechanism engages the hook and the pin, and one of the hooks is provided with an urging means to hold the opening / closing cover in a locked posture with a predetermined holding force. Further, even if the lock and handle member is attached in a loosely fitted state without improving the accuracy of attaching the upper part of the image forming apparatus main body, the locked state can be reliably released when necessary, and jam processing and the like can be performed smoothly. However, this lock mechanism cannot detect that both hooks are engaged with the pins, and does not know whether the open / close cover is closed in a safe state.

  In order to solve this problem, there has been proposed a structure in which a lock body including a lock hook and a lock pin is provided on both sides of the image forming apparatus and the lock hooks provided on both sides of the opening / closing cover are connected by a shaft ( JP 2000-275922). This device is provided with a detection switch for detecting that the lock pin on the main body side corresponding to the lock hook is set at the lock position in the center of the device, and includes a switch operating means for operating the detection switch. is there. The switch that detects opening / closing in conjunction with the opening / closing cover also serves as a safety interlock, and can prevent the occurrence of a problem that the optical laser leaks outside the apparatus body by turning off the power of the motor and the optical laser.

  However, in the case of color printers and the like that are large and heavy in the opening / closing cover, even when the locking hook is connected to the both sides of the cover by a shaft for fixing the opening / closing cover, When the installation interval is widened, the deflection of the opening / closing cover and the twisting of the shaft cannot be ignored, and so-called one-latch, in which only one side of the lock hook is hooked, often occurs. That is, when both sides of the open / close cover are pushed and closed, both lock hooks are hooked and the open / close cover is securely closed, but when only one side of the open / close cover is pushed and closed, Only the lock hook will be caught. This single latch, for example, may cause an offset load on the transfer roll and cause skew, etc. As a countermeasure against this, the shaft is made of square material with higher torsional rigidity or reinforced to improve the rigidity of the opening / closing cover. It was. For this reason, there existed a problem of the weight increase of an apparatus and the cost increase.

  Further, when the lock hooks 101 and the lock pins 102 arranged on both sides of the opening / closing cover 100 are engaged (FIG. 7A) and set to the locked position (FIG. 8A), the user It can be determined that the opening / closing cover 100 is normally closed. When one lock hook 101 is set to the lock position (FIG. 7A) and the other lock hook 101 is set to the non-lock position (FIG. 7B) where the lock pin 102 is not ridden (FIG. 8B). (b)) Since the opening / closing cover 100 is tilted and a gap is formed between the apparatus main body and the opening / closing cover 100, the user can determine that the opening / closing cover 100 is not normally closed. However, when one lock hook 101 is set to the lock position (FIG. 7A) and the other lock hook 101 is set to the riding position where it stops without getting over the lock pin 102 (FIG. 7C) (FIG. 7C). FIG. 8 (c), this state is hereinafter referred to as "one-latch"), it is difficult for the user to determine whether or not the opening / closing cover 100 is normally closed, and it is opened and closed by the device from the viewpoint of safety and prevention of malfunction. It is necessary to accurately detect the state of the cover.

  In response to this need, detection switches that detect engagement between the lock hooks and the lock pins provided on both sides of the opening / closing cover are arranged on both sides of the opening / closing cover, and the lock switches on both sides are detected by the detection switches on both sides. It can be set as the structure which detects reliably that the lock pin is engaging. However, in this configuration, since the detection originally performed by one detection switch is performed by two detection switches, the cost increases. Therefore, a mechanism that can detect the engagement state between the lock hook and the lock pin arranged on both sides of the opening / closing cover with a simple configuration is required.

  The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and the object of the present invention is to simply configure a mechanism for operating the mechanical device only when the opening / closing cover of the mechanical device or the like is normally closed. By realizing the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide an open / close cover lock mechanism that can prevent defective printing and dangerous malfunction caused by a single latch without cost.

  In order to achieve the above object, an opening / closing cover locking mechanism of the present invention includes a machine body, an opening / closing cover that covers an opening of the body and rotates around a specific axis, and both sides of the body or the opening / closing cover. A pair of lock pins provided on the base, a reference hook member that is swingably provided on the open / close cover or the main body when the open / close cover is closed, and engages with the one lock pin at a lock position; An urging means for urging the reference hook member to the lock position, a driven hook member engaged with the other lock pin at the lock position, and a detection sensor for detecting that the driven hook member is set at the lock position And when the reference hook member is set to the locked position, the driven hook member is set to the locked position or the riding position, and the reference hook member rides up. If it is set to location it is characterized in being composed of a setting means for setting a position riding the driven-hook member.

  As a mechanical device to which the opening / closing cover lock mechanism of the present invention is applied, the device is covered with a casing and has an opening for exchanging consumable parts constituting the device, for example, an image forming apparatus, etc. It is good to apply to.

  The opening / closing cover covers an opening provided in the upper part or the side part of the machine apparatus main body, and any opening / closing cover may be used as long as the safety of the user can be ensured with the opening / closing cover closed.

  The urging means for urging the reference hook member to the lock position applies an urging force that prevents the reference hook member from being detached from the lock pin when the reference hook member and the lock pin are engaged. If it is. For example, a coil spring or a leaf spring may be used and the reference hook member may be biased to the lock position.

  The driven hook member is basically set to the locked position when the reference hook member is set to the locked position, and set to the raised position when the reference hook member is set to the raised position. The That is, both the reference hook member and the driven hook member must be set at corresponding positions.

  In addition, the driven hook member must be configured such that the detection sensor can detect that the driven hook member is set at the locked position. For example, in the case of detecting by physically pressing the detection switch, a non-contact type sensor that applies a part of the driven hook member to the detection switch and irradiates light from the light emitting source to the reflection plate is applied. In such a case, it is preferable that a part of the driven hook member is configured to block the optical axis.

  As a means for setting the reference hook member and the driven hook member at corresponding positions, there is a method of connecting the reference hook member and the driven hook member with a connecting shaft. When the connecting shaft is applied, if the reference hook member is set to the locked position, the driven hook member is set to the locked position, and if the reference hook member is set to the riding position, The driven hook member is preferably set to the riding position. Further, when the open / close cover is closed with a weak force, the reference hook member may be set to the lock position, and the driven hook member may be set to the riding position, thereby causing a one-side latch. In order to cope with such a setting, the connecting shaft not only transmits an urging force acting on the reference hook member to the driven hook member, but when the one-side latch occurs, the connecting shaft is twisted, It is preferable that a difference in setting angle between the reference hook member and the driven hook member can be allowed.

  Even if the reference hook member and the driven hook member are connected by the connecting shaft and the urging force of the reference hook member is transmitted to the driven hook member, the urging force to the driven hook member may be insufficient. In such a case, in order to assist the urging force of the driven hook member, auxiliary urging means may be provided on the driven hook member. Even when this auxiliary biasing means is applied, if the reference hook member is set to the locked position, the driven hook member is set to the locked position or the riding position, and the reference hook member is set to the riding position. In this case, the driven hook member must apply a biasing force set at the riding position. Further, the biasing force of the auxiliary biasing means must be weaker than the biasing force to the reference hook member.

  According to the opening / closing cover locking mechanism of the present invention configured as described above, a mechanism for operating the mechanical device is realized with a simple configuration only when both the reference hook member and the driven hook member are set to the locked position. By doing so, it is possible to prevent defective printing and dangerous malfunction caused by one-latch without cost.

  The opening / closing cover locking mechanism of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows an example of the opening / closing cover lock mechanism of the present invention. The open / close cover lock mechanism of the present embodiment includes an open / close cover 1 attached to an opening provided in an upper portion of a machine body (not shown) so as to be rotatable about the axis P, and the opposite side of the axis P. The lock pins 10 and 10 provided in the apparatus main body with an interval substantially corresponding to the width of the apparatus main body, the reference hook member 11 provided in a position corresponding to the lock pins 10 and 10 in the opening / closing cover 1 and The driven hook member 12, the connecting shaft 13 connecting the reference hook member 11 and the driven hook member 12, and the driven hook member 12 are fixed so as to interlock with the driven hook member 12, and the driven hook member 12 is set in the locked position. And a push member 15 that pushes a detection switch (not shown) when the switch is operated.

  In this opening / closing cover 1, since the coil spring 14 is attached to the reference hook member 11, the opening / closing cover 1 is closed and the reference hook member 11 is set to the locked position against the urging force of the coil spring 14, and once. It is necessary to swing the reference hook member 11 to the riding position. Therefore, the opening / closing cover 1 is configured so that it cannot be reliably closed unless a force capable of closing the opening / closing cover 1 is applied against a force against the biasing force. When the reference hook member 11 is set at the lock position, a biasing force that holds the reference hook member 11 at the lock position acts on the reference hook member 11. When opening the opening / closing cover 1, a lever (not shown) may be provided so that the user can set the reference hook member 11 to the riding position, and the opening / closing cover 1 may be opened as necessary.

  The connecting shaft 13 connects the reference hook member 11 and the driven hook member 12, and transmits a biasing force acting on the reference hook member 11 by the coil spring 14 to the driven hook member 12. Therefore, when the reference hook member 11 is set at the lock position, the driven hook member 12 is also set at the lock position. When the opening / closing cover 1 is closed, the reference hook member 11 is set to the locked position, and the driven hook member 12 is set to the riding position. In order to allow the connecting shaft 13 to be set in different positions, the connecting shaft 13 is made of a material that can withstand twisting so that it can be set in a so-called one-latch state. .

  FIG. 2 shows the state of the lock pin 10 and the driven hook member 12 in the locked position and the relationship between the driven hook member 12 and the pushing member 15. The driven hook member 12 has a shape surrounding the lower portion of the lock pin 10, and when the driven hook member 12 is set at the locked position, the driven hook member 12 is securely held at the locked position. . The detection switch connecting rod 16 is pushed downward by the push member 15 fixed to the driven hook member 12 (FIG. 2A). The detection switch connecting rod 16 is connected to a detection switch 17 provided at the lower part of the apparatus, and the pressing force of the pressing member 15 is transmitted to the detection switch 17 via the detection switch connecting rod 16, and the detection switch 17 is pushed. ing. For example, in the image forming apparatus, it is detected for the first time in this state that the opening / closing cover is properly closed, and the apparatus operates normally. On the other hand, FIG. 2B shows a state in which the driven hook member 12 is set to the riding position and the push member 15 is not in contact with the detection switch connecting rod 16. In this state, since the detection switch 17 is not pushed, it is detected that the opening / closing cover is not properly closed, and the apparatus does not operate.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the operation of the apparatus according to the state of the driven hook member 12 when the openable opening / closing cover 1 is closed. When the open / close cover 1 (step S1) is closed (step S2), if the open / close cover 1 is correctly closed, the driven hook member 12 is set to the locked position (step S3). In this state, the detection switch connecting rod 16 is pushed downward by the pressing member 15, and the detection switch 17 is ON (step S4). If this detection switch 17 is ON, the apparatus detects that the opening / closing cover 1 is properly closed, and the apparatus operates (step S5). On the other hand, when the open / close cover 1 is closed, a one-side latch or the like occurs, and when the driven hook member 12 is set to the riding position (step S6), the push member 15 does not contact the detection switch connecting rod 16. The detection switch remains in the OFF state (step S7). In this case, the apparatus detects that the opening / closing cover 1 is not properly closed, and notifies the user of the problem by some means (step S8). When the opening / closing cover 1 is normally closed and the apparatus is operated (step S5), when the opening / closing cover 1 is opened again (step S1), or when the opening / closing cover 1 is not normally closed, a failure is notified. After (step S8), when the opening / closing cover 1 is opened again to reclose the opening / closing cover 1 (step S1), the opening / closing cover 1 is closed (step S2), and the state of the driven hook member 12 is the same as described above. An operation corresponding to the above is performed in the apparatus.

  FIG. 4 shows the state of the reference hook member 11 and the driven hook member 12 when the opening / closing cover 1 is closed. When both sides or the vicinity of the center of the opening / closing cover 1 are pushed and closed, both the reference hook member 11 and the driven hook member 12 are set to the locked position (FIG. 4A), and are pushed by the pushing member 15 (not shown). A detection switch 17 (not shown) is pressed. In this state, the apparatus detects that the opening / closing cover 1 is properly closed, and the apparatus operates normally.

  Next, when only the reference hook member 11 side is pushed and closed, the reference hook member 11 is biased by the coil spring 14 and thus is set to the locked position. On the other hand, the driven hook member 12 is transmitted with an urging force applied to the reference hook member 11 by the connecting shaft 13, and the swinging thereof is suppressed. In addition, since the driven hook member 12 side is not pushed from above the opening / closing cover 1, the driven hook member 12 cannot get over the lock pin 10, and only the reference hook member 11 is set to the locked position. A single latch is formed (FIG. 4B). Here, the connecting shaft 13 transmits the urging force of the reference hook member 11 to the driven hook member 12, and at the same time, twists itself so as to allow one-side latch. In this case, since the detection switch 17 (not shown) is not pushed by the pressing member 15 (not shown) fixed to the driven hook member 12, the device detects that the opening / closing cover 1 is not closed, and the device Does not work.

  Furthermore, when only the driven hook member 12 side is pushed and closed, the driven hook member 12 tries to get over the lock pin 10. However, since the reference hook member 11 biased by the coil spring 14 is restrained from swinging, the reference hook member 11 side is not pushed from above the opening / closing cover 1. Stops in the riding position. At this time, the driven hook member 12 is set to the same setting position as the reference hook member 11 by the connecting shaft 13, that is, the riding position. Accordingly, both the reference hook member 11 and the driven hook member 12 are set to the riding position (FIG. 4C). Even in this case, since the detection switch 17 (not shown) is not pushed by the pushing member 15 (not shown) fixed to the driven hook member 12, the apparatus detects that the opening / closing cover 1 is not closed, The device does not work.

  FIG. 5 shows an opening / closing cover lock mechanism in which the driven hook member 12 in this embodiment is provided with an auxiliary coil spring 20 that urges the driven hook member 12 in an auxiliary manner. The auxiliary coil spring 20 urges the driven hook member 12 to the locked position. However, when the reference hook member 11 is set to the locked position, the driven hook member 12 is set to the locked position or the riding position. When the reference hook member 11 is set to the riding position, the function of the opening / closing cover 1 of the present embodiment for setting the driven hook member 12 to the riding position must be maintained. Therefore, not only the above-described function is satisfied, but also the urging force in which only the driven hook member 12 is not set to the locked position, that is, the urging force weaker than the coil spring 14 that urges the reference hook member 11 is provided. The auxiliary coil spring 20 may be applied. Further, the auxiliary coil spring 20 is also connected to the driven hook when the installation distance between the reference hook member 11 and the driven hook member 12 is wide and it is difficult to transmit the urging force acting on the reference hook member 11 to the driven hook member 12 by the connecting shaft 13. It can be applied to the member 12. Even in this case, the auxiliary coil spring 20 may set a biasing force weaker than the coil spring 14 that biases the reference hook member 11.

  In this embodiment, the reference hook member 11, the driven hook member 12, the connecting shaft 13, the coil spring 14 and the auxiliary coil spring 20 are provided on the opening / closing cover 1. However, these components may be provided on the machine body side, and the detection switch connecting rod 16 and the detection switch 17 may be provided on the opening / closing cover 1, and the arrangement of these components can be selected as appropriate.

  Although the reference hook member 11 and the driven hook member 12 in the present embodiment have curved tip shapes, it is sufficient that each hook member can be engaged with the lock pin 10, and as shown in FIG. The tip can also be formed in a linear shape. Furthermore, in order to securely hold each hook member in the locked position, it is possible to project the tip of the hook member to the inside of the device from the lock pin 10 (FIG. 6B). In this case, you may apply only to the driven hook member 12 instead of both the reference | standard hook member 11 and the driven hook member 12. FIG.

  Further, when the open / close cover lock mechanism of this embodiment is applied to a color image forming apparatus, the apparatus does not operate when the open / close cover is not normally closed, and the optical laser leaks out of the apparatus by mistake. In addition, it is possible to prevent defective printing caused by a single latch. Further, the present invention can be applied not only to a color image forming apparatus but also to a machine apparatus that has a problem in safety when the opening / closing cover is not normally closed. For example, the present invention may be applied to a safety cover locking mechanism in a machine tool or the like that has a safety cover that is locked by two or more sets of hook members and lock pins and that pivots to open and close. And when the said safety cover is not closed normally, it can also have a function which the motor of the said machine tool does not operate | move. With this function, it is possible to prevent malfunction of the machine tool and injury of the operator due to this malfunction.

It is a perspective view of the opening / closing cover to which the opening / closing cover locking mechanism of the present invention is applied. It is a figure which shows the relationship with the detection switch in the lock position and riding-up position of a driven hook member in this invention. It is a block diagram which shows operation | movement of the apparatus according to the state of the driven hook member when an opening / closing cover is closed. It is a figure which shows three states in the opening / closing cover to which the opening / closing cover locking mechanism of this invention is applied. It is a figure which shows the state which provided the auxiliary | assistant biasing means in the driven hook member in this invention. It is the figure which shows the reference | standard hook member and follower hook member which have a linear front-end | tip shape. It is a figure which shows the three setting positions of a lock hook and a lock pin. It is a figure which shows three states of an opening / closing cover.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Open / close cover, 10 ... Lock pin, 11 ... Reference | standard hook member, 12 ... Driven hook member, 13 ... Connecting shaft, 14 ... Coil spring, 15 ... Push member

Claims (3)

A mechanical device main body, an opening / closing cover that covers an opening of the main body and rotates around a specific axis, a pair of lock pins provided on both sides of the main body or the opening / closing cover, and when the opening / closing cover is closed A reference hook member which is swingably provided on the opening / closing cover or the main body and engages with one of the lock pins at a lock position, a biasing means for biasing the reference hook member to the lock position, and the other A driven hook member engaged with the lock pin at the lock position, and a detection sensor for detecting that the driven hook member is set at the lock position;
When the reference hook member is set to the locked position, the driven hook member is set to the locked position or the riding position, and when the reference hook member is set to the riding position, the driven hook member is set to the riding position. And an opening / closing cover lock mechanism. 2. The opening / closing cover lock mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the setting means is a connecting shaft. The opening / closing cover lock mechanism according to claim 2, further comprising auxiliary biasing means for biasing the driven hook member to the lock position.

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