JP2005297278A - Hinge mechanism and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a hinge mechanism which can be smoothly opened and closed by a simple structure. <P>SOLUTION: A braking device 206 has braking units 206a of a nearly equal shape positioned with predetermined angle and interval, holding a braking shaft 202 of a double face device 98 therebetween. The braking unit 206a consists of an elastic body 210 which absorbs shocks due to the movement (in a black arrow direction) of the braking shaft 202 by elasticity, a gripping part 208 for gripping the elastic body 210, and a friction face 212 set at a surface of the elastic body 210 so as to brake the braking shaft 202 through contact with this. The braking units are arranged so that an interval of the two elastic bodies 210 becomes narrow in an advancement direction (black arrow direction) of the braking shaft 202 when the double face unit 98 rotates around a rotary shaft 200 in a white arrow direction and the braking shaft 202 moves in the black arrow direction. Accordingly, the braking shaft 202 is braked while the elastic bodies 210 are elastically deformed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a hinge mechanism and an image forming apparatus.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, image forming apparatuses such as printers and copiers generally use cut sheets (copy sheets) as a medium on which an image is formed. There is an open / close unit that is opened and closed in order for a user or a service person to perform trouble processing when a problem occurs.

  Such an opening / closing unit becomes heavier as it becomes larger, and the downward force applied when it is opened or closed increases accordingly. Therefore, it becomes difficult to hold the opening / closing unit at an arbitrary opening / closing position or to avoid sudden opening / closing. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5, a configuration of a hinge mechanism having a structure for reducing the weight at the time of opening is disclosed (for example, see Patent Document 1). In this configuration, the rib 302 in the vicinity of the hinge 300 is sandwiched between the friction plates 304, and pressure is applied in the direction of the black arrow to apply a load due to frictional resistance to brake the open / close unit 306, so that the open / close unit 306 can be opened at any open / close angle. Hold.

  However, in the above example, a load due to frictional resistance in a substantially rotating direction is applied to the rib, and the load at the time of opening and closing is only the frictional resistance. ) When the opening / closing unit rotates with acceleration, the ability to alleviate the impact is not sufficient.

  A mechanism has been proposed in which a shaft extending from a position other than the rotation axis of the opening / closing unit is gripped by a pressing plate, a load is applied according to the opening / closing angle of the opening / closing unit, and the opening / closing is braked (see, for example, Patent Document 2). ). In the above example, since the opening / closing of the opening / closing unit is braked by the tightening force of the holding plate that clamps the shaft, it is difficult to adjust the braking force according to the opening / closing angle of the opening / closing unit, and the mechanism becomes complicated.

  Alternatively, there is a known method for regulating the operation of the opening / closing unit by adding a regulating member such as a chain or a strap to the hinge mechanism, but this is effective when the regulating member is activated (when the opening / closing unit is opened). It cannot be mitigated.

In the above hinge mechanism, in order to suppress the impact, when the operator opens the opening / closing unit, the opening / closing unit needs to be held at all times until the opening / closing unit is fully opened (until regulated). In addition, it is necessary to close the open / close unit by performing a closing operation while always holding the open / close unit even after the trouble processing is completed. Therefore, workability is poor, and there is a risk that fingers may be caught between the opening / closing unit and the nearest wall or desk.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-274070 (FIG. 2, pages 6 to 17) JP-A-9-324814 (FIG. 3, pages 3 to 5)

  An object of the present invention is to provide a hinge mechanism that can be opened and closed smoothly with a simple structure in consideration of the above facts.

  The hinge mechanism according to claim 1 includes a support shaft that rotatably supports a rotating body, a brake shaft that is provided substantially parallel to the support shaft, and a braking unit that holds the brake shaft and brakes the brake shaft. It is characterized by having.

  In the invention with the above configuration, a large and heavy rotating body can be braked with a simple mechanism by holding and braking a braking shaft provided on the rotating body.

  The hinge mechanism according to a second aspect is characterized in that the braking means includes an elastic member provided with a wear-resistant member on a surface sandwiching the braking shaft.

  In the invention with the above configuration, the holding force can be kept constant by holding the brake shaft with the elastic member provided with the wear-resistant member on the surface holding the brake shaft, and the durability of the hinge mechanism can be enhanced.

  The hinge mechanism according to a third aspect is characterized in that the interval between the holding surfaces of the braking means decreases in accordance with the braking direction.

  In the invention with the above configuration, the braking force increases as the rotating body is rotated, so that the inertia when the rotating body rotates can be efficiently braked.

  The hinge mechanism according to a fourth aspect is characterized in that the brake shaft is provided so as to be movable in a substantially rotational radius direction of the rotating body.

  In the invention with the above configuration, since the braking shaft can be moved in the substantially rotational radial direction, a large braking distance can be obtained even when a planar braking member is used, and the braking member interferes with rotation. There is no.

  The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, a storage unit that stores a sheet, a transfer unit that transfers a toner image to one surface of the sheet, and the sheet stored in the storage unit to the transfer unit. An image forming apparatus comprising: a conveying unit that conveys; a fixing unit that fixes the toner image transferred onto the sheet; and a sheet reversing unit that flips the sheet on which the toner image is formed on the one surface. The sheet reversing means is supported by the image forming apparatus by the hinge mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

  In the invention of the above configuration, the paper reversing means having a long reversing conveyance path and easily increasing in size is held by the hinge mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 4 because the paper that has passed through the fixing means needs to be returned to the conveying means again. As a result, an image forming apparatus that is safe and easy to operate during maintenance or troubleshooting of the sheet reversing means has been achieved.

  Since the present invention has the above-described configuration, the hinge mechanism can be opened and closed smoothly with a simple structure.

  FIG. 1 shows an image forming apparatus provided with a hinge mechanism according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

  First, the configuration and image formation of the image forming apparatus 10 will be described. The image forming apparatus 10 mainly includes an image forming apparatus main body 12, an image carrier 50 made of a photosensitive member, a charging device 52 that charges the image carrier 50, an exposure device 60 that exposes the image carrier 50, and the surface of the image carrier 50. The image forming apparatus includes a rotary developing unit 38 that develops the latent image formed on the toner with toner, and an intermediate transfer member 64 to which the toner image on the image carrier 50 is transferred.

  When an image forming signal is sent to the image forming apparatus 10 from a scanner or a personal computer (not shown), the image carrier 50 is uniformly charged by the charging device 52. The charged image carrier 50 is irradiated with a light beam such as a laser for forming an image from the exposure device 60 based on the image signal. The light beam from the exposure device 60 exposes the surface of the charged image carrier 50 to form a latent image. The latent image formed on the image carrier 50 formed by the exposure device 60 is developed into yellow, magenta, cyan, and black toner images by the rotary developing unit 38 and is primarily transferred onto the intermediate transfer member 64 in a superimposed manner. Thereafter, the waste toner remaining on the image carrier 50 is collected by the image carrier cleaner 54.

  When the sheet supply signal is received, the paper P stored in the sheet supply cassette 22 is transported by the feed roll 24, is turned by the retard roll 26, is sent to the transport path 28, is temporarily stopped by the registration roll 32, and is transported timing. Accordingly, it is guided between the secondary transfer roll 80 and the secondary transfer backup roll 72.

  The toner image that has been primarily transferred to the intermediate transfer body 64 on the sheet P guided between the secondary transfer roll 80 and the secondary transfer backup roll 72 is transferred by the secondary transfer roll 80 and the secondary transfer backup roll 72. Secondary transferred. After the secondary transfer, waste toner remaining on the intermediate transfer body 64 is collected by the intermediate transfer body cleaner 82.

  The sheet P to which the toner image is transferred is guided to the fixing device 90. Here, the toner image on the paper P is thermally welded by the heating roll 92 and the pressure roll 94 and fixed on the paper P as an image.

  Next, the operation of the duplex unit 98 will be described. The sheet P on which the toner image is fixed is guided to the conveyance path switching plate 112 and guided to the reverse roll 106. The paper P guided to the reversing roll 106 is sent out to the front side of the image forming apparatus 10 (near A in FIG. 1) by the reversing roll 106 until the rear end of the paper P is sent out from the fixing device 90.

  When the trailing edge of the sheet P is unloaded from the fixing device 90, the reversing roll 106 is reversed, the transport path switching plate 112 is switched, and the paper P is guided to the reversing transport path 110 and guided to the transport roll 114. The transport rolls 114 and 116 transport the paper P downward, that is, to the vicinity of the registration roll 32.

  The sheet P guided to the registration roll 32 is transported again to the intermediate transfer device 62 with the rear end portion at the beginning as the head, and the toner image is transferred from the intermediate transfer body 64 to the surface where the toner image is not formed. After the transfer, the paper P is conveyed again to the fixing device 90 and fixes the transferred toner image. When the paper P passes through the fixing device 90, the paper P is guided to the transport path switching plate 112 and is discharged out of the device by the discharge roll 34.

  Next, the hinge mechanism of the duplex unit 98 will be described.

  FIG. 2 shows a duplex unit having a hinge mechanism according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the duplex unit 98 is rotatably supported by a rotating shaft 200 in a housing (not shown). When the duplex unit 98 is closed, that is, when the image forming apparatus 10 is in operation, the duplex unit 98 is fixed to the casing in an upright state. Thus, the inside of the duplex unit 98 can be accessed.

  A braking shaft 202 is provided in the vicinity of the rotation shaft 200 of the duplex unit 98 in parallel with the rotation shaft 200. The braking shaft 202 is not fixed to the double-sided unit 98, but is supported so as to be movable as indicated by a black arrow along a long hole 204 extending in the rotational radius direction of the double-sided unit 98.

  The brake shaft 202 is sandwiched by a brake device 206 fixed to the housing of the image forming apparatus 10, and the movement in the rotation direction, that is, the rotation is braked to brake the rotation of the duplex unit 98 itself.

  FIG. 3 shows a braking device for a hinge mechanism according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 3, in the braking device 206, a braking unit 206 a having substantially the same shape is positioned with a predetermined angle and interval, and the braking shaft 202 of the double-sided device 98 is clamped. The brake unit 206a elastically absorbs an impact caused by the movement of the brake shaft 202 (in the direction of the black arrow), elastically holds the elastic body 210, a grip portion 208 that grips the elastic body 210, and the brake shaft 202 to apply braking to the elastic body 210a. The friction surface 212 is provided on the surface of the body 210.

  When the double-sided unit 98 rotates around the rotation shaft 200 in the white arrow direction and the braking shaft 202 moves in the black arrow direction, the distance between the two elastic bodies 210 is narrow in the traveling direction of the braking shaft 202 (black arrow direction). Therefore, the brake shaft 202 is braked while elastically deforming the elastic body 210. At the same time, the friction surface 212 provided on the surface of the elastic body 210 generates a frictional resistance with the braking shaft 202 and brakes the braking shaft 202.

  FIG. 4 shows a hinge mechanism according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 4A, the double-sided unit 98 rotates around the rotation shaft 200 in the direction of the white arrow. Therefore, if the braking shaft 202 is fixed, the locus of the braking shaft 202 also draws an arc. For this reason, the braking device 206 also needs to sandwich the braking shaft by the arc-shaped braking unit 206a in order to obtain a sufficient braking distance without interfering with the braking shaft 202. However, since the circular arc shape is difficult to process, the manufacturing cost increases.

  Therefore, in this embodiment, the braking unit 206a is planar as shown in FIG. 4A, and braking is performed by holding the braking shaft 202 with the elastic body 210 having a planar shape. In this case, if the braking shaft 202 draws an arc-shaped locus, the braking shaft 202 interferes with the braking device 206, so that the braking shaft 202 is movable along the elongated hole 204 in the rotational radius direction of the duplex unit 98. As a result, the trajectory of the braking shaft 202 can be made linear so as not to interfere with the planar braking device 206.

  Specifically, first, when the duplex unit 98 is in a closed state as shown in FIG. 4A, the braking shaft 202 is sandwiched between the two elastic bodies 210 at the widest interval, and braking is applied. Absent. The braking shaft 202 is held at a position of the elongated hole 204 closest to the rotating shaft 200.

  As shown in FIG. 4B, when the double-sided unit 98 rotates around the rotation shaft 200 in the direction of the white arrow, the braking shaft 202 moves linearly through the gap of the elastic body 210 as indicated by the black arrow. At this time, the brake shaft 202 is held at a location where the elongated hole 204 has moved in the rotational radius direction from the end close to the rotary shaft 200. The friction surface 212 provided on the surface of the elastic body 210 and the braking shaft 202 come into contact with each other, and a frictional resistance is generated to brake the braking shaft 202 and the duplex unit 98.

  As shown in FIG. 4C, when the double-sided unit 98 further rotates in the direction of the white arrow about the rotation shaft 200 and is released to the limit position, the braking shaft 202 further increases the gap between the elastic bodies 210 as indicated by the black arrow. Move linearly. At this time, the braking shaft 202 is held at the end of the long hole 204 far from the rotating shaft 200. The braking shaft 202 is clamped by the elasticity of the elastic body 210, and the friction surface 212 provided on the surface of the elastic body 210 and the braking shaft 202 come into contact with each other, and a frictional resistance is generated to strongly brake the braking shaft 202 and the double-sided unit 98. To do.

  At this time, a stopper mechanism (not shown) is provided to brake the double-sided unit 98 so that the double-sided unit 98 is not opened any more in order to ensure the safety of the operator and prevent the image forming apparatus 10 from being damaged. Even in this case, the braking device 206 brakes the double-sided unit 98 until the stopper mechanism operates, so that it is possible to suppress an impact or the like when the stopper mechanism operates.

  The embodiments described above are examples of the image forming apparatus. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the present invention can be applied to all apparatuses including an opening / closing unit such as a door.

  For example, a felt material is suitable as the elastic body 210, and a PET (polyethylene terephthalate) film is suitable as the friction surface 212. However, the elastic body 210 is not limited to this.

It is sectional drawing which shows the image forming apparatus using the hinge mechanism which concerns on the 1st form of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the hinge mechanism which concerns on the 1st form of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the hinge mechanism which concerns on the 1st form of this invention. It is a side view which shows operation | movement of the hinge mechanism which concerns on the 1st form of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the conventional hinge mechanism.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Image forming apparatus 98 Duplex unit 200 Rotating shaft 202 Braking shaft 204 Elongated hole 206 Braking device 210 Elastic body 212 Friction surface

Claims (5)

A support shaft that rotatably supports the rotating body;
A braking shaft provided substantially parallel to the support shaft;
A hinge mechanism comprising: braking means for holding and braking the brake shaft. The hinge mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the braking means includes an elastic member provided with a wear-resistant member on a surface sandwiching the braking shaft. The hinge mechanism according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the interval between the clamping surfaces of the braking means decreases in accordance with the braking direction. The hinge mechanism according to claim 3, wherein the brake shaft is provided so as to be movable in a substantially radial direction of the rotating body. Storage means for storing paper;
Transfer means for transferring a toner image to one side of the paper;
Transport means for transporting the paper stored in the storage means to the transfer means;
Fixing means for fixing the toner image transferred on the paper;
A sheet reversing unit for turning over the sheet on which the toner image is formed on the one surface;
5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sheet reversing unit is supported by the image forming apparatus by the hinge mechanism according to claim 1.

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