JP2006259233A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus for improving the insertion operability of a developing unit, etc. <P>SOLUTION: In the image forming apparatus 1 which is constituted so that a drum unit 10 and the developing unit 20 are taken in/out from an apparatus body 2, a take-in/out opening 2A for taking in/out the units 10 and 20 is formed in the apparatus body 2, and on both sides of the inside of the take-in/out opening 2A, guiding parts 37 and 38 are formed which are engaged with parts to be guided 11A and 24A and 24B on both sides of the outsides of the units 10 and 20 to guide the insertion of the units 10 and 20 up to a prescribed mounting position and guiding plates 29 which are erected respectively on both sides of the extended lines L1 and L2 of the guiding parts 37 and 38 on both sides are provided in the vicinity of the entrance of the take-in/out opening 2A, so that the movement of the of the units 10 and 20 in the width direction is regulated and the parts to be guided 11A and 24A and 24B of the units 10 and 20 are smoothly engaged with the guiding parts 37 and 38 of the apparatus body 2. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image format apparatus such as a copying machine, a facsimile machine, a printer, or a multifunction machine having both functions.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as an image forming apparatus, a drum unit including a photosensitive drum and a developing unit including a developing sleeve are integrally or separately configured, and the unit is inserted into and removed from the apparatus main body at the time of replacement. (Patent Document 1).

In the image forming apparatus as described above, a loading / unloading opening for inserting / removing the unit is formed in the apparatus main body, and the guided portions on both sides of the unit on both sides of the loading / unloading opening are engaged with each other. Some have formed a guide portion that guides insertion to a position.
JP 11-174933 A

  However, when replacing the guided part of the unit with the guide part through the opening / closing, such as during replacement, the position of the guide part is difficult to understand, and if the unit is tilted, the guided part of the unit remains tilted. There is a risk that the unit may be engaged with the guide portion of the apparatus main body, so that the operability of inserting the unit is poor. In particular, since the developing unit is frequently taken in and out of the image forming apparatus for jam processing or the like, improvement in insertion operability is required.

  SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides an image forming apparatus with improved unit operability.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a first aspect of the present invention comprises a drum unit including a photosensitive drum and a developing unit including a developing sleeve as a single unit or a separate unit, and the unit is replaced at the time of replacement or the like. In an image forming apparatus adapted to be inserted into and removed from the apparatus main body, an opening / removal opening for inserting / removing the unit is formed in the apparatus main body, and guided portions on both outer sides of the unit are formed on both sides inside the loading / unloading opening. A guide plate that guides the insertion to a predetermined mounting position by engaging the portion is formed, and a guide plate that rises on both sides of the extension line of the guide portions on both sides is provided near the entrance of the access opening. An image forming apparatus characterized by the above is provided.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the first aspect, an opening cover capable of opening and closing the opening / closing opening is provided, and the guide plate is supported by the apparatus main body so as to be movable up and down. When the opening cover is opened, the guide plate is moved up to the rising position by the urging force of the spring member while following the opening cover, and when the opening cover is closed, The guide plate is moved down to the storage position while being pushed down against the biasing force of the spring member.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the guided portion of the unit is put in and out of the opening and engaged with the guide portion at the time of replacement or the like, the movement in the width direction of the unit is restricted by the guide plate, and the unit does not tilt. Therefore, the guided portion of the unit can be smoothly engaged with the guide portion of the apparatus main body, so that the operability of inserting the unit is improved. Further, since the guide plate rises on both sides of the extension line of the guide portions on both sides, the starting end position of the guide portion is also easily understood.

  According to the invention of claim 2, since the guide plate automatically moves up to the rising position and moves down to the storage position in conjunction with opening and closing of the opening cover, the operability of inserting the unit is further improved. To come.

  Hereinafter, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of the image forming apparatus 1. In a square box-shaped apparatus main body 2, a sheet-like recording material P is fed from a sheet feeding tray 3 and a sheet feeding unit 4. A paper transport unit 5 that transports the recording material P sent out from the paper unit 4, an image forming unit 6 that transfers a toner image to the recording material P transported by the paper transport unit 5, and a toner by this image forming unit 6 A fixing device 7 for fixing the toner image on the recording material P to which the image has been transferred, and a discharge unit 9 for discharging the recording material P on which the toner image has been fixed by the fixing device 7 onto an external discharge tray 8 are provided. ing. The recording material P is, for example, paper, a plastic film, an OHP sheet, or the like.

  The image forming unit 6 includes a drum unit 10 having a photosensitive drum 11, a developing unit 20 having a developing sleeve 22, a transfer roller 19 for copying a toner image on the surface of the photosensitive drum 11 onto a recording material P, and the like. . The drum unit 10 and the developing unit 20 are configured separately, and can be inserted into and removed from the apparatus main body 2 at the time of replacement. If the drum unit 10 and the developing unit 20 are integrated into a process unit, the process unit can be inserted into and removed from the apparatus main body 2.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the apparatus main body 2 is covered with an exterior cover 35, and a front / rear opening 2 </ b> A for inserting / removing the units 10 and 20 is formed at the front of the apparatus main body 2. An opening cover 35A capable of opening and closing the entrance / exit opening 2A is provided to be rotatable in the vertical direction.

  Returning to FIG. 1, when the drum unit 10 is coupled to the developing unit 20, the drum unit 10 is provided with a photosensitive drum 11 on the lower side facing the developing unit 20, and the photosensitive drum 11 is connected to the drum unit 10 by a drum shaft 11A. Is rotatably supported by the shaft.

  Around the photosensitive drum 11, there are a cleaner 12 for removing toner remaining on the surface of the photosensitive drum 11, a charger 13 for uniformly charging the surface of the photosensitive drum 11, and a static eliminator (for removing residual charges). (Not shown) and the like are arranged, and laser light is incident on the photosensitive drum 11 from the exposure unit 14.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the drum unit 10 has a guide groove (guide portion) 37 formed on the inner surface of the main body frame 36 located on both sides inside the loading / unloading opening 2A. By engaging 11 drum shafts (guided portions) 11A (see FIG. 1), the insertion is guided to the mounting position.

  As shown in FIG. 5, a positioning portion 37a for the mounting position of the drum unit 10 is formed on the terminal end side of the guide groove 37 in the insertion direction. When the drum unit 10 is positioned at the mounting position, the driven gear (not shown) of the drum shaft 11A of the photosensitive drum 11 is engaged with the driving gear (not shown) on the apparatus body 2 side, The photosensitive drum 11 is rotated.

  FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the developing device 20 with the drum unit 10 mounted in the apparatus main body 2 and before the developing unit 20 is inserted. As shown in FIG. A developing sleeve 22 that faces the photosensitive drum 11 with a predetermined developing gap is provided at the lower part on the facing side when mounted in the apparatus main body 2. The developing sleeve 22 is for supplying toner to the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 11 for development.

  A toner storage container 21 for storing toner containing a magnetic material is provided at a position opposite to the developing sleeve 22 of the developing unit 20.

  On both sides of the developing unit 20 on the developing sleeve 22 side, arc-shaped front support portions (guided portions) 24A projecting sideways are formed, and on both sides on the toner container 21 side, A round shaft-shaped rear support portion (guided portion) 24B protruding in the direction is formed.

  A guide surface (guide portion) 38 substantially parallel to the guide groove 37 is formed in a step shape on the inner surface of the main body frame 36 located on both sides of the inside / outside opening 2 </ b> A of the apparatus main body 2. By inserting and sliding the front support portion 24A and the rear support portion 24B on the guide surface 38, the insertion is guided to the mounting position.

  The developing unit 20 is pressed against the drum unit 10 by pressing means (not shown) in a state of being mounted in the apparatus main body 2.

  Since the guide surface 38 is formed at an inner position in the width direction than the guide groove 37, the unit insertion width of the guide groove 37 is wider than the unit insertion width of the guide surface 38. When engaging with the guide groove 37, the drum shaft 11 </ b> A cannot be placed on the guide surface 38. Conversely, since the unit insertion width of the guide groove 37 is wide, when the development support portions 24A and 24B of the development unit 20 are placed on the guide surface 38, the development support portions 24A and 24B cannot be engaged with the guide groove 37. . Therefore, erroneous engagement can be prevented beforehand.

  As described above, the drum unit 10 is guided to the mounting position by engaging the guide shaft 37 of the main body frame 36 with the drum shaft 11A of the photosensitive drum 11 from the opening 37A. The developing unit 20 is guided to the mounting position by placing the front support portion 24A and the rear support portion 24B on the guide surface 38 of the main body frame 36 and sliding them.

  At this time, for example, in the image forming apparatus 1 ′ of the comparative example shown in FIG. 13A, when the developing unit 20 is replaced, the front support portion 24A of the developing unit 20 is placed on the guide surface 38 from the loading / unloading opening 2A. In addition, the position of the guide surface 38 is difficult to understand, and as shown in FIG. 13B, when the developing unit 20 is tilted, the front support portion 24A of the developing unit 20 is placed on the guide surface 38 and is slid. Therefore, the operability of inserting the developing unit 20 is deteriorated.

  In particular, since the developing unit 20 is frequently taken in and out of the image forming apparatus 1 for jam processing or the like, an improvement in insertion operability is required.

  Therefore, as shown in FIG. 7, guide plates 29 are provided in the vicinity of the entrance of the access opening 2A of the apparatus body 2 so as to rise on the left and right sides of the guide grooves 37 on both sides and the extension lines L1 and L2 of the guide surface 38, respectively. ing.

  As shown in FIGS. 8 (a) and 8 (b), the guide plate 29 is formed in a quadrangular shape, and has an outward boss 29a and uneven spring hooks 29b and 29c.

  The guide plate 29 is disposed in the storage slit 2a formed on both sides of the apparatus body 2, and the seated shafts 30 are arranged on both sides of the apparatus body 2 as shown in FIGS. By penetrating the boss 29a from the shaft hole 2b, it is supported in the housing slit 2a of the apparatus main body 2 so as to be vertically movable.

  A torsion coil spring (spring member) 31 is fitted to the boss portion 29a, and one end portion 31a of the torsion coil spring 31 is engaged with the spring hook portions 29b and 29c of the guide plate 29, and the other end portion. The guide plate 29 is urged in the rising direction by locking 31b to the spring hook 2c on the apparatus main body 2 side.

  When the guide plate 29 is moved up to the rising position U by the urging force of the torsion coil spring 31, as shown in FIG. 10 (a), the guide plate 29 is stopped by a stopper (not shown) and FIG. 10 (b). As described above, when the torsion coil spring 31 is moved down to the storage position D against the biasing force of the torsion coil spring 31, it is stored in the storage slit 2a.

  As shown in FIG. 11, the inner width W1 of the left and right guide plates 29 is set to be slightly wider than the outer width W2 of the front support portion 24A and the rear support portion 24B of the developing unit 20.

  Since the guide plate 29 is located directly below the opening cover 35A that can open and close the opening / closing opening 2A, as shown in FIG. 10A, when the opening cover 35A is opened, it contacts the inner surface of the opening cover 35A. As a result, the urging force of the torsion coil spring 31 moves upward to the rising position U. Further, as shown in FIG. 10B, when the opening cover 35A is closed, the opening cover 35A comes into contact with the inner surface of the opening cover 35A and is moved down to the storage position D while being pushed down against the urging force of the torsion coil spring 31. It becomes like this.

  If the image forming apparatus 1 is configured as described above, the guide plate 29 rises to the rising position U in the vicinity of the inlet / outlet opening 2A when the opening cover 35A is opened as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 11, when the developing unit 20 is replaced or the like, when the front support portion 24A of the developing unit 20 is put in and taken out (engaged) from the opening / closing opening 2A to the guide surface 38, the left and right guide plates 29 use the developing unit. The movement of the width direction W of 20 is restricted, and the developing unit 20 does not tilt.

  Accordingly, the front support portion 24A of the developing unit 20 can be smoothly placed on the guide surface 38 of the apparatus main body 2, and the developing unit 20 can be slid and inserted smoothly to the mounting position as shown in FIG. Therefore, the insertion operability of the developing unit 20 is improved.

  Further, since the guide plate 29 rises on both sides of the extension lines L1 and L2 of the guide surfaces 38 on both sides, the starting end position of the guide surface 38 is also easily understood. In particular, if a mark such as an arrow M indicating the starting end position of the guide surface 38 is provided on the inner surface of the guide plate 29 as shown in FIG. 10A, the insertion operability of the developing unit 20 can be further improved. it can.

  Further, in conjunction with opening and closing of the opening cover 35A, the guide plate 29 automatically moves up to the rising position U and moves down to the storage position D, so that the operability of inserting the developing unit 20 is further improved. It becomes like this.

  The description in the above embodiment is to improve the insertion operability of the developing unit 20, but similarly, the drum shaft (guided portion) 11A of the drum unit 10 is engaged with the guide groove (guide portion) 37. Also in this case, the movement of the drum unit 10 in the width direction W is restricted by the left and right guide plates 29 and the drum unit 10 does not tilt, so that the operability of inserting the drum unit 10 is also improved.

  Further, if the drum unit 10 and the developing unit 20 are integrated, the process unit does not tilt, so that the process unit insertion operability is improved.

1 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a perspective view of an image forming apparatus with an opening cover opened. It is a perspective view of a developing unit. It is a principal part perspective view of the main body frame which shows a guide groove and a guide surface. It is a principal part inner surface figure of the main body frame which shows a guide groove and a guide surface. It is a principal part perspective view of the main body frame which shows the guide groove and guide surface when a drum unit is mounted | worn. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a main part of the image forming apparatus with an opening cover opened. (A) is a perspective view of a guide plate, (b) is a perspective view which shows a guide plate in a rising position by partially breaking an exterior cover. (A) is an exploded perspective view of the guide plate and the seated shaft before assembly, and (b) is an exploded perspective view of the guide plate and the seated shaft after assembly. (A) is a side sectional view of the apparatus main body when the opening cover is opened and the guide plate is raised, and (b) is a side sectional view of the apparatus main body when the opening cover is closed and the guide plate is stored. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a relationship between a guide plate of the apparatus main body and a developing unit. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an apparatus main body equipped with a drum unit and a developing unit. (A) and (b) are perspective views of an image forming apparatus and a developing unit of a comparative example, respectively.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 2 Apparatus main body 2A Out / in opening 10 Drum unit 11 Photosensitive drum 11A Drum shaft (guided part)
20 Development Unit 22 Development Sleeves 24A, 24B Development Support Section (Guide Section)
20 Guide plate 31 Torsion coil spring (spring member)
35A Opening cover 36 Main body frame 37 Guide groove (guide part)
38 Guide surface (guide part)
D Storage position U Rising position L1, L2 Extension line

Claims (2)

In an image forming apparatus in which a drum unit including a photosensitive drum and a developing unit including a developing sleeve are configured integrally or separately, and the unit is inserted into and removed from the apparatus main body at the time of replacement.
An insertion / removal opening for inserting / removing the unit is formed in the apparatus main body, and guided portions on both outer sides of the unit are engaged on both sides inside the insertion / removal opening to guide insertion to a predetermined mounting position. An image forming apparatus characterized in that a guide plate is formed, and guide plates are provided in the vicinity of the entrance of the entrance / exit opening so as to rise on both sides of an extension line of the guide portions on both sides.   An opening cover that can open and close the opening / closing opening is provided, the guide plate is supported by the apparatus main body so as to be movable up and down, and is urged in a rising direction by a spring member, and the guide plate opens the opening cover. When the opening cover is closed, the guide plate is moved down to the storage position while being pushed down against the urging force of the spring member when the opening cover is closed. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

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