JP2005198471A - Power supply unit and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a power supply unit capable of preventing a thermal adverse effect on a charging section in which a charging portion and other substrates are provided in the same space, without causing a cost increase. <P>SOLUTION: This power supply unit 1000, having a charging portion 100A and a charge/discharge switching portion 100B in the inside and detachable from an electric device requiring a power supply, has a structure 110A in which an attachment position of a control substrate 100C for the charge/discharge switching portion 100B is discriminated from a space for storing the charging portion 100A and the charge/discharge switching portion 100B and is not communicated with the space. The space has a control structure 1001 for temperature in the unit using a fan 101 for cooling by compulsively taking outside air. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a power supply unit and an image forming apparatus, and more particularly to a power supply mechanism for a high power consumption device.

One of the power consuming configurations is a configuration using a heating element. One of apparatuses having such a configuration is an image forming apparatus.
The image forming apparatus includes a copying machine, a printer, a facsimile machine, and a printing machine. In these apparatuses, for example, a fixing device that performs a fixing process of a toner image transferred onto a recording sheet or the like by an electrophotographic method is provided. Yes.

  As a configuration of the fixing device, there is a configuration using a fixing roller or a heating roller heating fixing system using a heating roller and a pressure roller, or a configuration using a heating belt instead of the heating roller (for example, Non-Patent Document 1). .

  In either method, a resistance heating element or a dielectric heating element is used as one of the components of the heating source, and the heating element has a so-called rise time, that is, a time required to reach a predetermined temperature when the image forming apparatus is started. Power is supplied to shorten the temperature and maintain the fixing temperature.

  Conventionally, as a configuration for shortening the rise time, there is a configuration in which an auxiliary power source is provided in addition to a main power source as a power source for a fixing heat source (for example, Patent Document 1).

Published by Corona, "Basics and Applications of Electronic Technology", page 318 Figure 4.164 (3rd edition, June 20, 1997) JP-A-10-282821 (paragraph "0018" column)

  The heating element has a higher power consumption than during operation during normal image forming processing due to a shorter rise time. Therefore, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, not only a commercial power source is used, but also a heating element that is supplied with power from a commercial power source and a heating element that is supplied with power from a DC power source are combined in the fixing device. It is advantageous to increase the amount of heat generated until a predetermined temperature is reached by using both heating elements.

When a DC power supply is used in addition to a commercial power supply, it is conceivable that each power supply unit is provided in the image forming apparatus. In such a configuration, each power supply unit is provided inside the image forming apparatus. The space required to equip the equipment is likely to increase the size of the device.In addition, internal control, in particular, a configuration for managing both power sources including AC / DC switching is required. Complexity and cost increase.
Regarding the cost increase, the specifications of the fixing device may affect the cost. In other words, the image forming capability includes, for example, the number of copies per unit time.
An increase in the number of copies means an increase in the image forming speed, which is a so-called high-speed machine. As a configuration for this purpose, the fixing temperature rises on the fixing device side, the fixing temperature More often, both power supplies are used to cope with maintenance of
By the way, when a new power supply is added in addition to the existing power supply, the charging unit and the boards are stored in the casing depending on the configuration of the power supply. The rate changes. In particular, when it is housed in a sealed space, it becomes susceptible to the heat generated by adjacent substrates.

  On the other hand, when an electrolytic capacitor in which an electrolytic solution is sealed in a charging part is used, the electrolytic solution sealed inside may leak due to a rise in temperature. In this case, an electric circuit arranged in the vicinity Contact with the substrate will cause a short circuit and cause damage.

  Conventionally, such leakage of the electrolytic solution is prevented by temperature management. However, a configuration for temperature management is necessary, which causes a complicated configuration and an increase in cost.

  Regarding temperature management, it is not limited to the leakage of the electrolyte, but may be necessary for suppressing thermal deterioration of the electrical equipment used for power supply switching. However, the heat generation is not only due to the use of a large current in the charging part, but also due to unforeseen circumstances. The cause of the ignition is a short circuit in the electrical part caused by dust or dirt entering from the outside, besides the abnormal temperature rise in the charging part.

  In view of the above problems in the conventional image forming apparatus, it is an object of the present invention to avoid adverse thermal effects and unpredictable effects in the charging unit when the charging unit and other substrates are provided in the same space without causing an increase in cost. An object of the present invention is to provide a power supply unit and an image forming apparatus that can prevent the situation from occurring.

  The invention according to claim 1 is a power supply unit that includes a charging unit and a charge / discharge switching unit therein and is detachable from an electric device that requires a power source, and accommodates the charging unit and the charge / discharge switching unit. The space and the position where the control board is attached to the charge / discharge switching unit are distinguished from each other so as not to communicate with the space, and the space is provided with a configuration for forcibly taking in the outside air and cooling it. It is characterized by that.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the power supply unit according to the first aspect, a fan capable of forcibly taking in outside air is provided in the space, and the fan can cool a capacitor constituting the charging unit. It is characterized by that.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the power supply unit according to the first or second aspect, the temperature detecting means capable of detecting the temperature in the space accommodating the charging unit and the charge / discharge switching unit, and the temperature detecting means are on the input side And a control unit connected to the output side of the fan, wherein the control unit drives the fan when the detected temperature from the temperature detecting means reaches a predetermined value. Yes.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the power supply unit according to the first or second aspect, the airflow direction from the capacitor side constituting the charging unit toward the charge / discharge switching unit is set in the space. It is a feature.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the power supply unit according to any one of the first, second, and fourth aspects, the fan provided to take outside air into the space is at least a capacitor constituting the charging unit. It is characterized by being driven during charging and stopped during discharging.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the power supply unit according to one of the second to fourth aspects, the fan is provided with a dust filter on the outside air intake side.

  According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the power supply unit according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, the charging unit, the charge / discharge switching unit and the control board are accommodated in a box constituting the unit, and the control The board is provided on the outer surface of the wall surface of the box, and the charging unit and the charge switching unit are provided in the box, and the wall surface of the box other than the mounting position of the control board is swung in a tilting direction. A possible handle member is provided.

  According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the power supply unit according to the seventh aspect, the handle member is engaged when the handle member is tilted with respect to a part of a support frame having a structure for mounting the box. A stop portion is provided.

  According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, in the power supply unit according to any one of the first to eighth aspects, the box of the unit is fastened by a fastening jig that is not normally used to form each surface. It is characterized by that.

  According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the power supply unit according to the ninth aspect, as a fastening jig that is not normally used, a first fastening is performed at the time of assembly, and subsequent fastening and fastening release are performed at the second time. In the case of fastening, a configuration is used in which the fastening operation is different between the first time and the second time.

  According to the eleventh aspect of the present invention, in the power supply unit according to the ninth or tenth aspect, as a fastening jig that is not normally used, the same fastening and fastening release operations as the first time cannot be performed when the first time fastening is completed. A jig having a configuration capable of changing the fastening portion of the fastening member to a state is used.

  According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, the power supply unit according to any one of the first to eleventh aspects is used.

  According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus having the power supply unit according to the third aspect, the control unit is configured to detect the fan when the temperature detected by the temperature detecting unit is higher than a predetermined value for driving the fan. It is characterized in that the driving in the image forming processing unit is not started in accordance with the stop of driving.

According to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the twelfth aspect, when the power supply unit is used as a DC power supply in addition to a commercial power supply, the image forming apparatus is detachably provided on the apparatus main body wall.
According to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the fourteenth or fifteenth aspect, a commercial power source is supplied as a power source of a fan that is a means for taking in outside air provided in the power source unit. The power feeding state is performed on the apparatus main body side or the control board.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the space where the charging unit and the charge / discharge switching unit are provided and the position where the control board is attached to the charge / discharge switching unit are distinguished from each other so as not to communicate with each other, and the inside of the space is Cooling by forced introduction of outside air ensures that the influence of heat on the control board can be prevented reliably, and temperature rise due to forced heat dissipation prevents deterioration of charging efficiency in the charging section. It becomes possible to do.

  According to the second, fourth, and fifteenth aspects of the present invention, cooling by forced introduction of outside air in the space is performed by the fan that generates an airflow from the charging unit to the charge / discharge switching unit. Thus, it is possible to prevent the charging efficiency from being lowered. In particular, in the invention described in claim 15, since the charging unit is not used as the power source of the fan, it is possible to suppress an inadvertent decrease in the amount of charge in the charging unit.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, when the temperature in the space where the charging unit and the charge / discharge switching unit are separated abnormally increases, the forced cooling by the fan can be performed, so the components housed in the space It is possible to prevent the thermal deterioration of the battery, and the durability as a power source can be improved.

  According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the forced cooling by the fan is stopped when the capacitor used in the charging unit is discharged, so that unnecessary power consumption can be prevented.

  According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, since the dustproof filter is provided on the outside air intake side of the fan, it is possible to prevent the entry of dust and dirt from the outside, particularly conductive dust, etc. A short circuit at the switching unit can be prevented. As a result, it is possible to prevent fire accidents caused by accidental charging / discharging or sparks caused by a short circuit.

  According to invention of Claim 7, a unit is comprised by the box which can accommodate a charging part, a charging / discharging switching part, and a control board, a control board is charged in the outer surface side of the box which comprises a unit, and an inside Part and charge / discharge switching part are provided, and furthermore, a handle member that can be raised and lowered is provided on the box body, so that it is possible to improve the convenience when replacing the unit by providing portability, Since the charging unit and the charging switching unit are accommodated in the box when being carried, it is possible to suppress inadvertent heat dissipation from the position of the handle member.

  According to the eighth aspect of the present invention, the handle member is provided with a locking portion that is locked when the box body is tilted with respect to a part of the support frame on which the box can be mounted. It is possible to prevent the handle member from getting in the way after being attached to the device. Thereby, it becomes possible to improve the portability and improve the handleability of the member used at the time of portability.

  According to the ninth to eleventh aspects of the invention, it is not possible to adopt a configuration in which different fastening jigs must be used for the first fastening work and for the fastening work performed after that. It is possible to prevent ready removal. As a result, the charging unit can be used for collection such as recycling without being carelessly collected. In particular, in the inventions according to claims 8 and 9, the first and second fastening operations are different from each other so that fastening can be released after assembly by using a special jig. Thus, it is possible to promote the collection for recycling without disassembling the charging unit on the user side.

  According to the twelfth and fourteenth aspects of the present invention, it is possible to equip an image forming apparatus having an existing power supply with a different type of power supply, without requiring a special structural change in the image forming apparatus. I can finish it.

  According to the thirteenth aspect of the present invention, when an abnormally high temperature state higher than the temperature required for cooling by the fan occurs in the power supply unit, the image forming operation can be stopped in accordance with the stop of driving of the fan. Therefore, if a fire occurs in the power supply unit, it is possible to prevent the spread of fire by preventing the intake of fresh air by the fan.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the illustrated embodiments.

FIG. 1 shows an image forming apparatus 1 according to this embodiment.
A schematic configuration thereof will be described with reference to FIG.
The image forming apparatus 1 has an image forming processor P1 at the center in the height direction, a paper feed bank P2 at the lower side of the image forming processor P1, and a document scanning unit P3 at the upper side. Has been.

  In the image forming processing section P1, a drum-shaped photoconductor (hereinafter referred to as a photoconductor drum) 2 is disposed as a latent image carrier, and around the photoconductor drum 2, the rotation direction of the photoconductor drum 2 is provided. In FIG. 1, a charging device 3, a writing device 4, a developing device 5, a transfer device 6, and a cleaning device 7 for sequentially executing image forming processing along a clockwise rotation direction are arranged.

  In this embodiment, the writing device 4 uses a configuration capable of forming a latent image for image formation for a single color. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and latent image formation for image formation of different colors is used. For example, it is possible to provide two writing optical paths.

  The paper feed bank P2 is a paper feed cassette (for the sake of convenience, in FIG. 1, the size of the paper feed cassette P2) stores a sheet of a size selected toward the registration roller 8 disposed in front of the transfer position in the image forming processing unit P1. Different cassettes are indicated by the symbols P2A and P2B). For this reason, the feed bank P2 uses the feeding roller 9 having the same configuration on the outlet side of the plurality of feed cassettes P2A and P2B, and the friction force between the sheet and the roller is utilized by reversing one of them. In addition, a separation roller 10 capable of feeding one sheet at a time and a feeding roller 11 for feeding a sheet in a single feeding state are arranged (in FIG. 1, for convenience, reference numerals are used for one cassette). )

  The document scanning section P3 is provided with an optical device 12 and an automatic document feeder (ADF) 13 for scanning a document placed on the document placement table P3A. Although not provided, a light source, a mirror and a lens mounted on the moving carriage, and a photoelectric conversion element capable of receiving reflected light from an original collected by the mirror and the lens are provided.

The automatic document feeder 13 has a configuration generally known in this type of image forming apparatus, and feeds a document placement unit and a document from the document placement unit toward a document placement table. A feeding roller group and a discharging roller group for feeding from the document placing table P3A to the document discharging table 13A after scanning are provided.
The automatic document feeder is also provided with a configuration for reversing the document in order to perform double-sided scanning of the document, but a description thereof is omitted.

In the image forming processing unit P1, the transfer device 6 used when transferring the toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 2 to a sheet is provided with a conveyance belt and can also serve as a sheet suction conveyance unit. The sheet on which the toner image carried on the photosensitive drum 2 is transferred while being conveyed by the transfer belt passes through the transfer device 6 and is then introduced into the fixing device 14 to fix the toner image.
The fixing device 14 is a device capable of fixing by a heat roller fixing system including a heating roller having a built-in heat source and a pressure roller, and is configured to be able to sandwich and convey the sheet together with fixing of the sheet.

  The sheet that has passed through the fixing device 14 moves on a conveyance path provided as a path to the paper discharge tray A. In this conveyance path, a sheet discharged from the fixing device 14 is discharged to a paper discharge tray (not shown) and A sheet conveyance switching unit 15 is provided for conveying toward the refeeding unit 16 for reversing the front and back surfaces and feeding the photosensitive drum 2 again.

  In FIG. 1, the symbol OP indicates an operation panel. The operation panel OP is provided with a display section for various messages including selection of a copy mode and a sheet size and a trouble state, and a start switch. Yes.

  The fixing roller 14A used in the fixing device 14 includes a heat source (not shown) using an AC power source (not shown) provided in the apparatus housing as a power source for the built-in heat source, and a DC power source. And an AC power source is provided in the apparatus housing as a power source for the image forming apparatus 1.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram for explaining a configuration used for power supply to the heat source of the fixing device 14. In FIG. 2, the heating elements 14 A and 14 B equipped in the fixing device 14 are the image forming apparatus 1 side. A power supply path L1 from the AC power supply and a power supply path L2 from the DC power supply 100 are provided.
Rated AC is applied from the AC power supply via the fixing relay 14C.

  The DC power supply 100 includes a capacitor (charging unit) 100A in which an electrolytic capacitor composed of an electric double layer is used between a heat source, a charge / discharge switching unit 100B of the capacitor (charging unit) 100A, and a control board 100C. In the capacitor (charging unit) 100A, a charging state to the heating element 14B and a charging state using an AC power source are selected by the charging / discharging switching unit 100B. The control board 100C is provided to control the drive of the fan 101 used for forced cooling of the capacitor (charging unit) 100A, and is arranged in the vicinity of the capacitor (charging unit) 100A to detect the temperature inside the unit. The fan 101 is driven and controlled in accordance with the detection result of the temperature sensor 102 as an appropriate means.

  In this embodiment, the DC power supply 100 is used as a power supply unit that can be attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus 1 (hereinafter referred to as a power supply unit), and without changing the configuration such as removing the heat source in the image forming apparatus 1. It is characterized by a configuration that can be mounted on the image forming apparatus 1 to increase the power. Hereinafter, this configuration will be described.

  FIG. 3 shows either the state before the power supply unit 1000 is attached to the image forming apparatus 1 or the state in which the power supply unit 1000 is detached. In FIG. 1000 is detachably provided.

  A part of the wall portion (indicated by reference numeral 1A for convenience) to which the power supply unit 1000 is attached is provided with a power supply intake portion 1A1 when the power supply unit 1000 is attached. Connectors 103 and 104 as connecting members are provided on the support base 1A2 protruding toward the front.

The connectors 103 and 104 provided on the support base 1A2 have the configuration shown in FIG.
FIG. 4 shows connectors 103 and 104 (see FIG. 4A) of the support base 1A2 provided on the power supply portion 1A1 side and connectors 103 ′ and 104 ′ provided on the power supply unit 1000 side (see FIG. These connectors 103, 103 ′ and 104, 104 ′ are provided with AC connection line terminals and DC connection line terminals, and each connection line terminal is connected to the support base 1A2 side. The insertion and insertion relationship are opposite to the power supply unit 1000 side. That is, one connector 103, 103 ′ has AC connection line terminals 103A, 103A ′ on both sides in the width direction, and DC connection line terminals and DC input / outputs to the heating elements 14A, 14B in the center in the width direction. The signal line terminals 103B and 103B ′ to be used are provided, and the other connector 104 is similarly provided with AC connection line terminals 104 and 104 ′ and DC connection terminals and signal line terminals 104B and 104B ′. Yes. These terminals are the AC connection line terminals of the connector 103 ′ on the power supply unit 1000 side connected to the AC connection line terminal 103 </ b> A on the support base 1 </ b> A <b> 2 side connector 103 </ b> A on the insertion side (receptacle). If 103A ′ is the insertion side (plug) and the DC connection line terminal 103B on the support base 1A2 side is the insertion side (plug), the DC connection line at the connector 103 ′ on the power supply unit 1000 side connected thereto The terminal 103B ′ is on the insertion side (receptacle), and the insertion and insertion relationship is made to be opposite between the power supply portion side and the DC power supply side. With respect to this relationship, the other connectors 104 and 104 'are the same.
Terminals to be inserted (receptacles) 103B, 103B ′, 104B, and 104B ′ are located deeper than the opening of the connector so that a fingertip or the like is difficult to touch.

  In FIG. 3, the connectors 103 and 104 having the configuration shown in FIG. 4 are juxtaposed in the vertical direction on the support base 1A2 located in the power supply portion 1A1 provided on the wall 1A of the housing. A guide hole 1A3 into which a guide member on the power supply unit 1000 side can be inserted is formed at the side of the central portion of the interval (interval indicated by symbol H1 in FIG. 3). Further, in the vicinity of both side surfaces of the wall portion 1A, there is provided a sheet metal support bracket 1A4 on which a side portion of a power supply unit 1000 described later is placed and supported.

  On the wall 1A side, the support base 1A2 provided as the power supply taking-in portion 1A1 is exposed from the wall 1A, so that it is easy to check the connector connection portion when the power supply unit 1000 is mounted from the outside. Yes. Accordingly, when the power supply unit 1000 is not mounted, the casing is configured only by exposing the support base 1A2, so that the operation of the image forming apparatus 1 is not affected, and the power supply unit 1000 is not affected. Is attached, the power supply unit 1000 can be attached to the wall surface without changing the configuration of the wall portion 1A, and the operation of the image forming apparatus 1 can be continued.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the power supply unit 1000 includes a space that can accommodate a capacitor 100 </ b> A that forms a charging unit and a charge / discharge switching unit 100 </ b> B. The charging / discharging switching unit 100B is provided with a casing 110 formed of a box that can be accommodated in the same space.

As shown in FIG. 5, the casing 110 has front, rear, left and right wall surfaces, of which the surface facing the housing wall 1 </ b> A (see FIG. 3) is configured with a detachable lid substrate 110 </ b> A.
The capacitor 100A arranged inside the casing 110 uses an electrolytic capacitor 111 composed of a plurality of electric double layers arranged in a staggered manner, and the electrolytic capacitor 111 is dropped by an attachment support frame denoted by reference numeral 112 in FIG. It is held in a state not to be integrated with the casing 110.
A wiring board (not shown) for connecting the electrolytic capacitors 111 in parallel is provided at the end of the support frame 112 corresponding to one end side of the electrolytic capacitor 111 in the longitudinal direction, and the support frame to which the wiring board is attached is provided. The support portion closes one end side of the electrolytic capacitor 111.

As shown in FIG. 6, a heat insulating material 113 is provided at a boundary position between the capacitor 100 </ b> A corresponding to the charging unit and the charge / discharge switching unit 100 </ b> B inside the casing 110.
The heat insulating material 113 is a member provided to suppress the thermal influence from the charge / discharge switching unit 110B on the capacitor 110A, and the height rising from one surface of the casing 110 is slightly lower than the height of the internal space of the casing 100 Is set to a height. As a result, a gap that allows ventilation is formed between the internal space of the casing 110.

On the other hand, fans 101 are respectively provided on the wall surfaces of the casing 110 on both sides in the longitudinal direction.
The fan 101 is a member for taking outside air into the internal space of the casing 110 and forcibly circulating it. The fan 101 located on the wall surface on the side where the electrolytic capacitor 111 forming the capacitor 100A is arranged can take in outside air. A suction fan, and a fan (indicated by reference numeral 101 'for convenience) located on the wall surface on the charge / discharge switching unit 100B side is an exhaust fan. As a result, as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 5, the outside air is taken into the internal space from the electrolytic capacitor 111 used as the capacitor 100A, and the direction of the airflow discharged from the charge / discharge switching unit 100B is set. Therefore, the temperature rise in the capacitor 100A can be suppressed, and the deterioration of the charging efficiency due to the temperature rise can be prevented.
As shown in FIG. 7, the fan 101 is driven by a control board 100C provided on a lid board 110A included in the casing 110. The control board 100C drives the fans 101 and 101 ′ at least during charging, and discharges. Sometimes the fans 101 and 101 ′ are stopped. However, when the temperature in the internal space of the casing 110 reaches a temperature that leads to deterioration of the capacitor 100A or a decrease in charging efficiency, it is of course possible to drive the fans 101 and 101 ′ even when not charging. is there.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the driving power to the fans 101 and 101 ′ is supplied from the AC power source in consideration of being supplied from the control circuit 100C connected to the AC power source, and the capacitor 100A. Power is not supplied from the power supply unit 1000 having As a result, it is possible to prevent the amount of power supplied to the image forming apparatus 1 from decreasing.

The heat insulating material 113 described above is not limited to being provided at the housing position between the capacitor 100A and the charge / discharge switching unit 100B. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, heat insulation having a configuration in which the support frame 112 holding the electrolytic capacitor 111 is disposed on at least a surface facing the bottom surface of the electrolytic capacitor 211 and a back surface and a side surface continuous at right angles to the surface. It is also possible to use a material (indicated by reference numeral 113 'for convenience).
In this case, an enclosure structure is obtained that surrounds each surface except the surface on which the wiring board is located and the surface facing the lid substrate 110A (in FIG. 8, the heat insulating material is indicated by reference numeral 113 'for convenience).

  In the configuration of the heat insulating material 113 ′ shown in FIG. 8, the surface facing the bottom surface of the electrolytic capacitor 111 is dish-shaped to form a liquid receiving portion 113 </ b> A ′ (see FIG. 8B). In other words, the electrolytic capacitor 111 in the present embodiment employs a configuration having an exposure valve on the same installation surface as the charge / discharge terminal (not shown), and is sealed inside when the exposure valve is opened. Electrolyte may leak out. For this reason, since the electrolytic solution in the case of leakage is received by the liquid receiving portion 113A ′ of the heat insulating material 113 ′, the leaked electrolytic solution flows into the casing 100 as it is and enters the charge / discharge switching portion 100B provided at the adjacent position. It is possible to prevent a short circuit that occurs when the limit is reached. Further, although not shown, the liquid receiving portion 113 ′ is provided with a storage tank (not shown) having a volume larger than the volume of the dish shape, a recovery pipe (not shown), and the like to the inside of the casing 110. It is also possible to prevent outflow.

The casing 110 constituting the power supply unit has a configuration that can be attached to the wall 1 </ b> A of the image forming apparatus 1 in a state where both longitudinal sides thereof are mounted on the support frame 116. Hereinafter, this configuration will be described.
In FIG. 7, L-shaped support frames 116 are integrated on both sides in the longitudinal direction of the casing 110, and the support frames 116 are upright struts positioned at four corners as shown in FIG. 116A is fixed, and is comprised with the frame member provided with the baseplate 116B which can mount the casing 110. FIG.

On the other hand, a handle member 117 is provided on the side surface of the casing 110 facing the support frame 116 as shown in FIG.
In FIG. 9, the handle member 117 is a member that can swing in a direction that can be tilted with respect to the ceiling surface of the casing 110 by a support shaft 117 </ b> A provided on the side surface of the casing 110.

On the surface on which the support shaft 117 </ b> A is located, a mounting lip portion 117 </ b> B composed of a bent piece projecting toward the support frame body 116 is provided.
The mounting lip portion 117B is placed on the upper surface of the support frame body 116 when the handle member 117 is tilted when the casing 110 is mounted on the support frame body 116, so that the mounting lip portion 117B does not enter the support frame body 116 any more. It has become.
As shown in FIGS. 9 to 11, the handle member 117 has a long hole 117 </ b> C formed in a piece supported by the support shaft 117 </ b> A. When the handle member 117 is raised, the position of the support shaft 117 </ b> A changes. As shown in FIG. 9, when the handle member 117 is gripped, a gap S into which the finger of the hand H is inserted can be formed.

  Such a structure of the handle member 117 can improve the convenience of suspension support by providing a function as a handle at the time of mounting or carrying the casing 110 to the support frame 116 or the like. In addition, when mounted on the support frame 116, it can be prevented from getting in the way by not projecting upward.

The support frame 116 on which the casing 110 is mounted is provided with a configuration for maintaining the mounting state when the casing 110 is mounted on the wall 1 </ b> A of the image forming apparatus 1. Hereinafter, this configuration will be described.
As a configuration for maintaining the mounting state, among the upright support pillars 116A in the support frame body 116, the upright support pillars on the side facing the housing wall 1A1 (for convenience, the support pillars denoted by reference numerals 116A ′ in FIGS. 9 to 11). ) Is used as a locking member supported so as to be swingable.
As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the locking claw 118 is a member that swings about a support shaft 116A2 ′ provided on a support bracket 116A1 ′ formed on the upright support column 116A ′. As shown in FIG. 12, a claw portion that can be engaged with and disengaged from a support pin 119 fixed to a support bracket 1A4 provided on the housing wall portion 1A side is formed.

  The latching claw 118 is given a habit that the claw portion engages with the support pin 119 by an urging means (not shown), and the swinging amount due to the habit is supported by the upright support 116A ′ as shown in FIG. This is defined by the fact that the bent piece 118A of the locking claw 118 is locked to the upper surface of the bracket 116A1 ′. Therefore, when the support frame 116 with the casing 110 mounted is mounted toward the housing 1A, the locking claw 118 rides on the support pin 119 and the claw portion is latched. The power supply unit 1000 is prevented from being detached from the wall portion 1A while the engagement state of the support pin 119 and the locking claw 118 is maintained.

  The support frame body 116 maintains a suspended support state by dropping the mounting pins 120 included in the upright support columns 116A ′ with respect to the support bracket 1A4 (see FIGS. 3 and 12) provided in the housing 1A. be able to. 9 and 10, reference numeral 121 indicates a leg portion of the support frame 116.

On the other hand, the power supply unit 1000 is provided with a configuration that can be attached to and detached from the housing 1A only by inserting and removing the connector with respect to the power supply portion 1A2 on the housing 1A side in addition to the locking claw 118 described above. Hereinafter, this configuration will be described.
In FIG. 7, the lid substrate 110A in the casing 110 has a connector 103 ′ having line terminals facing the connectors 103, 104 located on the support 1A2 on the housing 1A side on the same surface as the installation surface of the control substrate 100C. 104 ′, and a guide pin 122 as a guide member that can be inserted into and removed from the guide hole 1A3 on the support base 1A2 side is provided on the side of the central portion of the juxtaposition interval H1 between the connectors 103 ′ and 104 ′. It has been.
In FIG. 7, the guide pin 122 has an axial length that is higher than the height of the connectors 103 ′ and 104 ′, and can be introduced into the guide hole 1A3 before the connectors 103 ′ and 104 ′.

As shown in FIG. 12, the guide pin 122 is positioned in the vertical direction from the bottom surface of the support frame body 116, when the bottom surface of the support frame body 116 is separated from the floor surface when the connectors are connected (FIG. 12). In this case, the distance between the floor and the floor indicated by the symbol L can be set.
Such positioning of the guide pins 122 in the vertical direction allows the support frame body 116 to swing in the vertical plane with the guide pins 122 as fulcrums, as indicated by reference numeral R in FIG. The connection position can be directed.
In particular, when positioning is made at a position where the bottom surface of the support frame 116 contacts the floor surface, the above-mentioned swing action cannot be obtained, so that the connection position between the connectors is shifted due to processing accuracy. However, according to the configuration of this embodiment, such a problem does not occur.
Accordingly, the connectors can be connected almost simultaneously while the guide pins 122 are introduced into the guide holes 1A3 of the support base 1A1 while the power supply unit 1000 is held.

As shown in FIG. 7, the power supply unit 1000 is configured by attaching the lid substrate 110A to the casing 110 and attaching the lid substrate 110 to the support frame 116. In this embodiment, the attachment is performed by fastening.
The fastening member for attachment is not a fastening tool such as a commonly used driver, but a special fastening jig or technique.
Usually, in a fastening structure using a fastening tool such as a screwdriver, the screw as a fastening member is a standard product, so that the fastening can be released or re-fastened even after assembly.

  On the other hand, in the present embodiment, when the assembly time is the first fastening operation, a configuration in which the subsequent fastening and fastening release can be performed only by using a special fastening jig. In other words, taking a screw used for fastening as an example, the head portion of the screw is covered with a thermoplastic resin and heated after the first fastening operation to fill the insertion portion of the driver with resin. At the time of the second fastening or fastening release, the driver is inserted using a heated driver to release the fastening. In addition to this, it is also possible to adopt a configuration that can be caulked, and the screw may be broken with a drill or the like at the time of second fastening or fastening release. Furthermore, a normal driver may not be used as a structure completely different from the structure of a normal screw head.

  By adopting the above-mentioned special configuration for the mounting portion, it is possible to prevent the casing from being inadvertently opened on the user side so that the recovery can be promoted when the lifetime is exhausted. It is possible to prevent environmental pollution in the case of liquid leakage when it is fully opened. Therefore, when the power supply unit is defective or at the end of its service life, the user provides it to the collection center without being disassembled by the user himself / herself.

As shown in FIG. 13, the power supply unit 1000 in the present embodiment has a casing 110 and a support frame 116 that supports the casing 110, and the cover substrate 110 </ b> A in the casing 110 is exposed to the outside by a cover 123 as an outer portion. Covered part.
The cover 123 is integrated with the casing 110 so as to cover the wall portion of the apparatus main body and form one shape portion of the wall portion. Thereby, when the power supply unit 1000 is mounted, an impression as a part of the wall portion can be given without changing the configuration of the wall portion by the special structure. Moreover, since it becomes a part of the wall, it is not necessary to change the installation gap between the wall and the wall where the wall has been installed so far. It is possible to eliminate the burden on the user such as changing the installation location. In order to improve the transportability of the power supply unit 1000, it is possible to provide a wheel 1000A or the like at the bottom of the unit 1000 shown in FIG.

Next, a configuration related to temperature management in the power supply unit 1000 will be described.
In the power supply unit 1000, the capacitor 100A, which is an electrical component through which a relatively large current flows, is used, so that the capacitor 100A serves as a heat generating member, leading to a temperature rise inside the unit. For this reason, depending on the temperature in the unit, other electrical components may be thermally deteriorated, and durability may not be maintained. Therefore, in this embodiment, temperature management in the unit is performed in order to prevent such an unexpected situation.

  With respect to temperature management, the fans 101 and 101 ′ equipped in the power supply unit 1000 are not only controlled for driving timing during charging and discharging, but are also driven and controlled according to the temperature inside the unit. It is also.

  FIG. 14 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a control unit for controlling driving of the fans 101 and 101 ′. In FIG. 14, the control unit 1001 is a sequence for image forming processing on the image forming apparatus 1 side. A control unit that performs various controls including control. As a configuration related to the present embodiment, an operation panel OP (see FIG. 1) is provided on the input side, and a temperature detection unit provided in the power supply unit 1000. A temperature sensor 102 (see FIG. 2) is connected, and on the output side, a driving unit OD related to the image forming process and a fan 101 located on the power supply unit 1000 side on the side where external air can be taken in are connected.

The control unit 1001 manages the temperature in the power supply unit 1000. When the temperature from the temperature sensor 102 reaches a predetermined value, the fan 101 is driven to cool the inside of the unit, and the temperature becomes higher than the predetermined temperature. In this case, control is performed to stop the image forming process as well as stop driving of the fan 101.
The temperature detected by the temperature sensor 102 is a predetermined value and a temperature higher than the predetermined value is used as a threshold value for driving the fan 101, and the predetermined value (for convenience, the symbol Ta) is used as a lower limit value for driving the fan. A value higher than a predetermined value (for convenience, the symbol Tb) is used as an upper limit value for driving the fan.

In the control unit, the detected temperature from the temperature sensor 102 is forcibly driven between the lower limit value (Ta) and the upper limit value (Tb) regardless of the charge / discharge state to cool the inside of the unit, and the upper limit value (Tb ) When the above is reached, the drive of the fan 101 is stopped.
When reaching the upper limit (Tb) or more, in the case of the present embodiment, it is handled as a case where, for example, ignition or the like that cannot normally occur in the unit, and in this case, the intake of new outside air is continued. Stop the fan to prevent the spread of fire. Along with this, along with the stop of the image forming process, the operation panel OP or the like warns that an abnormal situation has occurred in the power supply unit 1000.

  FIG. 15 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the control unit 1001 shown in FIG. 14. The flowchart shown in FIG. 15 is a temperature management of the power supply unit 1000 executed as one advantage in the sequence of the image forming process. Processing is shown.

In FIG. 15, when the temperature information in the unit from the temperature sensor 102 is taken in (ST1) and the temperature is below a predetermined value, that is, the lower limit value (Ta), charging / discharging is a normal fan drive control. The drive control in the state is executed (ST2).
When the internal temperature of the unit is equal to or higher than a lower limit value (Ta) as a predetermined value, a determination is made with respect to the upper limit value (Tb) whose temperature is equal to or higher than the predetermined value (ST3), and the upper limit value (Tb). In the following cases, the fan is driven while monitoring whether it is within the temperature range with the lower limit value (Ta), the outside air is taken into the unit, and the inside is cooled (ST4, ST5). As a result, even if the user touches the power supply unit 1000 carelessly, abnormal heat sensitivity can be prevented.

On the other hand, if the value is equal to or greater than the upper limit (Tb), it is determined that an abnormal situation has occurred, and the fan drive stop and the image forming process are stopped, and if necessary, an alarm is given that an abnormal situation has occurred. (ST6).
According to the above embodiment, abnormal situations such as ignition can be prevented beforehand by temperature management in the unit.

  As a cause of the occurrence of an abnormal situation such as ignition, there is a case where dust or dust entering the unit along with the intake of outside air adheres to the contact point, and this causes a short circuit. Therefore, in this embodiment, a configuration is provided to prevent entry of dust from the outside, particularly conductive dust from the image forming apparatus 1 side to which the power supply unit 1000 is attached.

FIG. 16 is a diagram in which a dust-proof filter 1002 is provided on the fan 101. In the figure, in the power supply unit 1000, the side wall where the suction fan 101 is provided is provided with a locking portion made up of a locking claw piece in the vertical position. 1000P1 and 1000P2 are provided, and the dustproof filter 1002 is detachably supported with respect to the locking portions 1000P1 and 1000P2.
The dustproof filter 1002 can be attached and detached by grasping the handle portion 1002A, and is convenient for replacement.

  In such a configuration, dust and dirt from the outside by the dustproof filter 1002, particularly conductive dust generated from within the image forming apparatus 1 disposed in the vicinity, for example, a static elimination brush provided in the cleaning device The entry of brush pieces can be prevented. As a result, it is possible to prevent a short circuit caused by such dust and dirt adhering to the contact points of the substrate, thereby preventing the risk of ignition.

1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram for explaining a power supply configuration for a fixing device used in the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a relationship between a wall portion in the image forming apparatus and a power supply unit attached to the wall portion. It is a figure for demonstrating the structure of the connector provided in the power supply unit shown in FIG. 3 and the power supply taking-in part of the wall part to which this is mounted | worn, (A) is a connector of the power supply taking-in part side of a housing | casing wall part, (B) Each connector on the power supply unit side is shown. It is a figure for demonstrating the internal structure of a power supply unit. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating the arrangement configuration of a heat insulating material used for the power supply unit shown in FIG. FIG. 6 is an exploded view showing a main configuration of the power supply unit shown in FIG. 5. It is a figure for demonstrating another structure of the heat insulating material shown in FIG. 6, (A) is a typical perspective view, (B) is a side view. It is a figure for demonstrating the portable structure of the power supply unit shown in FIG. It is a figure for demonstrating the relationship between the casing used for the portable structure shown in FIG. 9, and its support frame. It is a figure for demonstrating the structure of the engaging part used for the principal part structure shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows the state with which the power supply unit shown in FIG. 5 is mounted | worn with the housing | casing wall part. It is an external view of the power supply unit shown in FIG. It is a block diagram for demonstrating the structure regarding the drive control of the fan used for the power supply unit by a present Example. It is a flowchart for demonstrating an effect | action of the drive control part shown in FIG. It is a figure for demonstrating the structure regarding the dustproof filter of the fan used for the power supply unit by a present Example.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 1A Wall part 1A1 Power supply taking-in part 1A2 Support stand 1A3 Guide hole 14 Fixing device 14A, 14B Heating body 1000 Power supply unit 100A Capacitor which forms charging part 100B Charge / discharge switching part 100C Control board 101 Fan 103, 104, 103 ' 104 ′ Connector 103A, 103A ′, 104A, 104A ′ AC connection line terminal 103B, 103B ′, 104B, 104B ′ DC connection line terminal 110 Casing 111 Electrolytic capacitor 113, 113 ′ Insulation material 113A ′ Liquid receptacle used as capacitor Parts 114, 115 Fan 116 Support frame body 117 Handle member 118 Locking claw 119 Support pin 1001 Control unit 1002 Dustproof filter H1 Spacing distance between connectors L Spacing distance between the power unit from the floor surface

Claims (15)

A power supply unit that includes a charging unit and a charge / discharge switching unit therein and is detachable from an electric device that requires a power source,
The space for housing the charging unit and the charge / discharge switching unit and the position where the control board is attached to the charge / discharge switching unit are distinguished from each other so that the space does not communicate with the space. A power supply unit comprising a structure for taking in and cooling. In the power supply unit according to claim 1,
The power supply unit, wherein a fan capable of forcibly taking in outside air is provided in the space, and the fan can cool a capacitor constituting the charging unit. The power supply unit according to claim 1 or 2,
Temperature detecting means capable of detecting the temperature in the space accommodating the charging unit and the charge / discharge switching unit;
The temperature detection means is connected to the input side, and the fan is connected to the output side,
The power supply unit, wherein the control unit drives the fan when a temperature detected by the temperature detection means reaches a predetermined value. The power supply unit according to claim 1 or 2,
An air flow direction from the capacitor side constituting the charging unit toward the charge / discharge switching unit is set in the space. In the power supply unit according to any one of claims 1, 2, and 4,
A power supply unit characterized in that a fan provided for taking outside air into the space is driven at least when a capacitor constituting the charging unit is charged and stopped at the time of discharging. The power supply unit according to any one of claims 2 to 4,
A power supply unit, wherein the fan is provided with a dustproof filter on the outside air intake side. The power supply unit according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
The charging unit, the charge / discharge switching unit, and the control board are accommodated in a box constituting the unit, the control board is provided on the outer surface of the wall of the box, and the charging unit and the charge switching unit are provided in the box. A power supply unit characterized in that a grip member that can swing in a tilting direction is provided on a wall surface of the box other than the mounting position of the control board. The power supply unit according to claim 7,
The power supply unit according to claim 1, wherein the handle member is provided with a locking portion that engages with a part of a support frame having a configuration for mounting the box body when the handle member is tilted. The power supply unit according to claim 1,
The box of the unit is fastened by a fastening jig that is not normally used, and each surface is configured. The power supply unit according to claim 9, wherein
As a fastening jig that is not normally used, when the assembly is the first time fastening, and the subsequent fastening and fastening release are the second time fastening, the fastening operation between the first time and the second time is A power supply unit characterized in that different configurations are used.   The power supply unit according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the fastening portion of the fastening member is in a state in which the same fastening and fastening release operation as the first time cannot be performed when the first fastening time is completed as a fastening jig that is not normally used. A power supply unit using a jig having a configuration that can be changed.   An image forming apparatus using the power supply unit according to claim 1. The image forming apparatus having the power supply unit according to claim 3.
The control unit is configured not to start driving in the image forming processing unit when the fan is stopped when the temperature detected by the temperature detecting unit is higher than a predetermined value for driving the fan. An image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus according to claim 12.
An image forming apparatus characterized in that when the power supply unit is used as a DC power supply in addition to a commercial power supply, the power supply unit is detachably attached to the wall of the apparatus main body. The image forming apparatus according to claim 14 or 15,
Image forming characterized in that commercial power is supplied as a power source for a fan that is a means for taking in outside air provided in the power unit, and the power supply state of the commercial power source is performed on the apparatus main body side or the control board. apparatus.

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