JP2006017848A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent the intrusion of metallic foreign substances, such as staples and clips, from the clearances between exterior members of an image forming device. <P>SOLUTION: A copying machine has a device casing combined with a plurality of the exterior members 51 and 52 and is constituted by arranging an image forming mechanism for performing image formation into the device casing. And the clearances exist between the exterior members. An elastic member 53 is inserted into the clearances. Consequently, the clearances are shielded. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a facsimile machine, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus capable of preventing a failure due to an intrusion of a metallic foreign object (for example, a clip and a staple).

  Generally, when copying (copying) with a copying machine, the document is set on an automatic document feeder (ADF) or the like, but the document is often bundled together with a clip or a staple. In this case, the user removes the clip or the staple from the document, and then sets the document on the ADF or the like.

  However, there are cases where the user forgets to remove the clip or the staple and the document restrained by the clip or the staple is mixed in the document. If the original is set in the automatic document reader in such a state, the original automatic reader may forcibly separate the original constrained by a staple or the like, and the original may be damaged.

  In order to prevent such a problem, for example, a staple that restrains the document is a portion through which the document can be fed, and is stapled upstream of the feed roller that separates the documents one by one in the document feeding direction. There is a metal detector that detects a needle in a non-contact manner, and stops feeding an original in accordance with a detection signal from the metal detector (see Patent Document 1).

  Further, a magnetic sensor for detecting a staple from a document set on the automatic document feeder is provided, and when the staple is detected from the document set on the automatic document feeder by this magnetic sensor, a message to that effect is provided. Is displayed and the feeding operation by the automatic document feeder is prohibited (see Patent Document 2).

JP-A-9-77282 (paragraph (0005) to paragraph (0009), FIGS. 1 to 3) JP 2002-221880 (paragraph (0008) to paragraph (0028), FIGS. 1 to 3)

  By the way, in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, the casing is provided with a large number of exterior members, and the casing is configured by combining these exterior members. For this reason, a slight gap is inevitably generated at the boundary between the exterior members, and when the user removes the staple from the document constrained by the staple, etc. In many cases, the staple is removed in the vicinity of the ADF disposed on the upper surface of the copying machine. For this reason, the staple may enter the copying machine from a gap existing on the upper surface of the copying machine. Then, an unexpected failure may occur due to the staple being attached to the electric board inside the copying machine. Furthermore, the staple may enter the image forming unit or the like and cause an image defect.

  On the other hand, in the conventional image forming apparatus, when a document is set on the ADF in a state where the staple is present in the document, the document feeding operation is prohibited when the staple is detected in order to prevent the document from being damaged. However, if the user removes the staple when setting the document, the staple (or clip) may intrude into the copier from the gap on the top of the copier (the gap between the exterior members). There is a problem that the situation cannot be prevented.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus that can reliably prevent intrusion of a metal foreign object such as a staple or a clip from a gap between exterior members.

  Therefore, in order to solve such a problem, the present invention has an apparatus casing in which a plurality of exterior members are combined, an image forming mechanism for forming an image is disposed in the apparatus casing, and a gap is provided between the exterior members. In the image forming apparatus in which the gap is present, the image forming apparatus includes a blocking member that is disposed corresponding to the gap and blocks the gap.

  In the present invention, the blocking member is arranged in association with a gap existing on the upper surface side of the apparatus housing. For example, the blocking member is an elastic member fitted into the gap. In addition, when the gap is generated by the end portions of the first and second exterior members, the end portion of the first exterior member extends below the end portion of the second exterior member and the tip thereof is upward. A protruding flange portion may be formed, and the flange portion may function as the blocking member. Further, the blocking member may be a magnetic member having magnetism, and the magnetic member may be arranged in association with the gap in a state that does not hinder ventilation between the inside of the apparatus housing and the gap.

  In the present invention, a ventilation hole is formed in a part of the exterior member, and a magnetic member is disposed in association with the ventilation hole in a state that does not hinder ventilation between the inside of the apparatus housing and the ventilation hole. You may make it do.

  As described above, in the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the blocking member that blocks the gap is disposed corresponding to the gap between the exterior members, so that the entry of metal foreign matter such as staples or clips from the gap between the exterior members. There is an effect that can be reliably prevented.

  In the present invention, since the blocking member is a magnetic member having magnetism, the magnetic member is disposed in association with the gap in a state that does not hinder the ventilation between the inside of the apparatus housing and the gap. In addition, there is an effect that metal foreign matter such as a staple or a clip can be reliably prevented from entering from the gap between the exterior members.

  Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the dimensions, materials, shapes, relative arrangements, and the like of the components described in this embodiment are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention unless otherwise specified, but are merely illustrative examples. Not too much.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing a copying machine which is an example of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention. A reader 13 is positioned. Further, a paper feed cassette 14 is positioned at the lower part of the copier casing 11, and an image forming unit 15 and a fixing unit 16 are disposed above the paper feed cassette 14. A paper discharge space (in-body paper discharge space) 17 is defined between the document reading device 13 and the image forming unit 15 (the image forming mechanism is configured by the image forming unit 15 and the fixing unit 16 and the like. )

  The image forming unit 15 includes a photosensitive drum 15a, a laser scanner unit (LSU) 15b, a developing unit 15c, and the like. The LSU 15b uses the photosensitive drum 15a according to the image on the document read by the document reading device 13. Are exposed to form an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 15a. Then, the electrostatic latent image is developed into a toner image by the developing device 15c, and the toner image is transferred onto the recording paper conveyed from the paper feed cassette 14. Thereafter, the recording sheet is sent to the fixing unit 16 where the toner image is fixed, and the recording sheet is discharged into the in-body discharge space 17.

  Referring to FIG. 2, FIG. 2 is a partially exploded perspective view showing the copying machine casing 11, and the copying machine casing 11 is composed of a number of exterior members. For example, the copying machine casing 11 includes a document presser 21, an upper right cover 22, a right middle cover 23, a lower right cover 24, an upper left cover 25, a left middle cover 26, a lower left cover 27, a front cover 28, a rear upper cover 29, and a rear. It has a lower cover 30, upper inner covers 31 and 32, a right inner cover 33, a left inner cover 34, an operation unit 35, and a toner collection tank cover 36, and the copier casing 11 is configured by combining these covers. When doing so, a gap is inevitably generated between the covers.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 3A, in the combination part (the part indicated by the symbol A in FIG. 2) of the upper left cover 25 and the rear upper cover 29 that define a part of the upper surface of the copying machine casing 11, The upper left cover 25 is supported by the frame 40, and the end portion of the rear upper cover 29 is associated with the end portion of the upper left cover 25. At this time, although the end portion of the upper left cover 25 is positioned below the end portion of the rear upper cover 29, the end portion of the upper left cover 25 and the end portion of the rear upper cover 29 are between the end portions of the upper upper cover 29 due to dimensional accuracy. There is a gap G1.

  Similarly, as shown in FIG. 3B, in the combination portion (portion indicated by B in FIG. 2) of the upper right cover 22 that defines a part of the upper surface of the copying machine casing 11 and the operation unit 35, The upper right cover 22 is supported by a frame 41, and a mounting portion 41 a is formed on the frame 41 at a predetermined interval from the front side to the back side of the paper surface. The lower end flange 35 a of the operation unit 35 is attached to the frame 41 by a mounting screw 42. The upper end flange 35b of the operation part 35 is inserted into the attachment part 41a, and the upper right cover 22 and the operation part 35 are combined. At this time, a gap G2 is inevitably generated between the end portion of the upper right cover 22 and the end portion of the operation portion 35 due to dimensional accuracy.

  Further, similarly, as shown in FIG. 3C, a contact glass 43 is attached to the upper right cover 22 that defines a part of the upper surface of the copier casing 11, but the upper right cover 22 and the contact glass 43 are in contact with each other. In the combination portion with the glass 43 (the portion indicated by the symbol C in FIG. 2), the end portion of the contact glass 43 is disposed at the end portion of the upper right cover 22. A gap G3 is inevitably generated between the end of the cover 22 and the end of the contact glass 43. As shown in FIG. 3D, even when the contact glass 43 is supported by the stay 44 and the end portion of the contact glass 43 and the end portion of the upper right cover 22 are combined, such a gap G3 is generated. End up.

  The gap as described above also occurs in other parts, and the gap is generally about 0.5 mm to 1.0 mm, while the thickness of the clip is about 0.3 mm to 0.4 mm, and the thickness of the staple needle Is about 0.2 mm to 0.3 mm, when the user sets the document restrained by the staple needle or clip on the ADF, the staple needle or clip is removed on the upper surface side of the copying machine, A stapling needle or clip (hereinafter collectively referred to as a metal foreign object) may intrude into the copying machine 10 by mistake from a gap existing on the upper surface of the copying machine housing.

  Here, in order to prevent intrusion of metallic foreign substances from the gap as described above, for example, as shown in FIG. 4A, an elastic member (for example, rubber or rubber) is formed in the gap formed between the exterior members 51 and 52. Styrofoam) 53 was inserted to block the gap. The exterior members 51 and 52 shown in FIG. 4A have flange portions 51a and 52a extending downward, and the elastic member 53 is inserted into a gap formed between the flange portions 51a and 52a.

  In the example shown in FIG. 4B, the outer member 51 is formed with a bowl-shaped flange portion 51b, and the elastic member 53 is inserted into a gap generated between the flange portion 51b and the flange portion 52a. The thickness of the elastic member 53 is slightly larger than the width of the gap, and when the elastic member 53 is inserted into the gap, the gap is completely closed (blocked) by the elastic member 53 to prevent intrusion of metallic foreign matter. be able to.

  In the above example, the example in which the elastic member is inserted into the gap has been described. However, when the end portions of the exterior members 54 and 55 are combined, as shown in FIG. It is also possible to form a flange portion 55a located on the lower side of the end portion of the flange portion 55a, and to form a protruding portion 55b protruding upward at the tip of the flange portion 55a. As shown in FIG. 5B, the flange portion 55a has a length of, for example, 4 mm or more, and the protruding amount of the protruding portion 55b is, for example, 0.5 mm or more.

  As described above, when the protruding portion 55b is formed, the protruding portion 55b acts as a bank even when the metal foreign object falls into the gap by mistake, and the metal foreign object is prevented from entering the copying machine.

  Referring to FIG. 6, in FIG. 4A described above, the elastic member 53 is inserted into the gap formed between the flange portions 51 a and 52 a, but instead of using the elastic member 53, FIG. As shown, the magnet sheet 56 is supported on the inner surface of the exterior member 51 and the tip of the flange portion 51a, and the magnet sheet 56 extends obliquely downward to the flange portion 52a so as to block the gap as shown in the figure. You may do it.

  If the magnetic sheet 56 is provided in this way, even if a metal foreign object falls accidentally through the gap, the metal foreign object does not enter the copying machine 10 as a result of being attracted to the magnet sheet 56.

  Further, also in FIG. 4B described above, a magnet sheet 56 may be used instead of the elastic member 53. At this time, as shown in FIG. 6 (b), the lower surface of the flange portion 51b may be an inclined surface extending obliquely upward, and the magnet sheet 56 may be attached to the inclined surface. In this way, even if a metal foreign object is accidentally dropped from the gap, the metal foreign object does not enter the copying machine 10 as a result of being attracted to the magnet sheet 56.

  When attaching the magnet sheet 56, as shown in FIG. 6C, one exterior member, for example, an inclined portion 57 having an inclined surface extending obliquely downward is formed at the end of the exterior member 51, It is desirable to fix the magnet sheet 56 by screwing the screw 58 into the inclined portion 57 after the magnet sheet 56 is brought into contact with the inclined surface.

  Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 7, when combining the end portions of the exterior members 54 and 55, a flange portion 54 a extending downward is formed at the end portion of the exterior member 54, and the exterior member 54 is formed at the end portion of the exterior member 55. A flange portion 55a located below the end of the flange portion 55a is formed, a protruding portion 55b protruding upward is formed at the tip of the flange portion 55a, and a magnet sheet 56 is mounted on the surface of the flange portion 55a. You may make it do. In this way, not only the metal foreign matter is blocked by the flange portion 54a and the protruding portion 55b, but also the metal foreign matter is blocked by the magnet sheet 56. As a result, the metal foreign matter can be more reliably intruded into the copying machine 10. Can be prevented.

  By the way, in the copying machine 10, a heat generation source such as a fixing unit is accommodated. For this reason, in order to cool the inside of the copying machine 10, for example, a blower fan is provided on the back side of the copying machine 10, and the copying machine 10 A ventilation hole is provided in the exterior member that constitutes the side surface of the apparatus, and by driving the blower fan, external air is caused to flow into the copying machine through the ventilation hole to exhaust the air inside the copying machine. In this case, air will also flow from the gap described above, but when the gap is blocked by the elastic member, if only the gap located on the upper surface side of the copying machine is blocked by the elastic member, Cooling inside the copier does not become defective.

  As described above, if the metal foreign object is blocked by the magnet sheet, the metal foreign object can be blocked without hindering ventilation. Then, as shown in FIG. 8A, the magnet sheet 56 may be disposed in association with the ventilation hole 60a provided in the exterior member 60. In this way, the magnet sheet 56 is disposed. For example, even when the ventilation hole 60a is arranged on the upper surface of the copying machine 10, the magnetic foreign material is blocked by the magnet sheet 56, so that the inside of the copying machine 10 is well ventilated and the foreign material is prevented from entering. Will be able to.

  Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 8B, the foamed elastic member 61 may be attached in association with the ventilation holes 60a, and the foamed elastic member 61 has a ventilation function (that is, porous). Therefore, not only ventilation is performed from the ventilation hole 60a, but also metal foreign matter can be prevented from falling from the ventilation hole 60a.

  In the copying machine having the in-body discharge space shown in FIG. 1, it is desirable to take the above-described metal foreign matter blocking measures in the range indicated by reference numerals D and E in FIG. In other words, it is desirable to take a metal foreign matter blocking measure in the gap corresponding to the upper surface of the copying machine 10. In the above-described example, the copying machine has been described. However, in the facsimile apparatus, a metallic foreign matter blocking measure may be applied to a gap existing on the upper surface of the facsimile apparatus.

  Since the blocking member for blocking this gap is arranged corresponding to the gap between the exterior members, it is possible to reliably prevent the entry of metal foreign matters such as staples or clips from the gap between the exterior members. The present invention can be applied to prevention of intrusion of metallic foreign matter in an image forming apparatus such as a facsimile apparatus.

1 is a diagram schematically showing an example of an image forming apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. 2 is a partially exploded perspective view showing an image forming apparatus housing. FIG. It is a figure which shows the clearance gap which arises between exterior members, (a)-(d) is a figure for demonstrating the example of a clearance gap. It is a figure which shows an example of interruption | blocking of the clearance gap produced between exterior members, (a) And (b) is a figure for demonstrating the example of clearance interruption | blocking. It is a figure which shows the other example of interruption | blocking of the clearance gap produced between exterior members, (a) And (b) is a figure for demonstrating the example of clearance gap interruption | blocking. It is a figure which shows the other example of interruption | blocking of the clearance gap produced between exterior members, (a)-(c) is a figure for demonstrating the example of clearance interruption | blocking. It is a figure which shows the other example of interruption | blocking of the clearance gap which arises between exterior members. It is a figure which shows an example in order to prevent the penetration | invasion of the metal foreign material from the ventilation hole formed in an exterior member, (a) And (b) is a figure for demonstrating prevention of the metal foreign material penetration | invasion.

Explanation of symbols

51, 52, 54, 55, 60 Exterior members 51a, 52a, 51b, 55a Flange portion 53 Elastic member 55b Protruding portion 56 Magnet sheet 57 Inclined portion 58 Screw 60a Ventilation hole 61 Foamed elastic member

Claims (6)

In an image forming apparatus having an apparatus housing in which a plurality of exterior members are combined, an image forming mechanism for forming an image is disposed in the apparatus housing, and a gap exists between the exterior members.
An image forming apparatus comprising: a blocking member that is disposed corresponding to the gap and blocks the gap.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the blocking member is disposed in association with a gap existing on an upper surface side of the apparatus housing.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the blocking member is an elastic member fitted into the gap.   When the gap is generated by the end portions of the first and second exterior members, the end portion of the first exterior member extends below the end portion of the second exterior member and the tip projects upward. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a flange portion is formed, and the flange portion functions as the blocking member. The blocking member is a magnetic member having magnetism,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the image forming apparatus is disposed in association with the gap in a state in which ventilation between the inside of the apparatus housing and the gap is not hindered. Ventilation holes are formed in a part of the exterior member,
3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a magnetic member is disposed in association with the ventilation hole in a state in which ventilation between the inside of the apparatus housing and the ventilation hole is not hindered.

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