JP2006349783A - Container device, its manufacturing method, and method of manufacturing paper feed cassette device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a container device having such a shape that erroneous attachment is surely informed. <P>SOLUTION: The container device 10 which is attached to an image forming apparatus and supplies toner comprises a lower frame 11 storing the toner and an upper frame 12 covering the lower frame 11. The lower frame 11 has a projected erroneous attachment prevention shape 13 and when the projected erroneous attachment prevention shape 13 is destroyed, the inside and outside of the lower frame 11 are communicated. Thus, the toner leaks out, so that erroneous attachment is informed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a container device that supplies toner, a manufacturing method thereof, and a manufacturing method of a paper feeding cassette device that supplies paper.

  An image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a printer is provided with a container device that supplies toner and a paper feed cassette device that supplies paper. These container devices and paper cassette devices have different shapes in order to make them incompatible with each other depending on the model and destination, and to prevent erroneous mounting on the front, rear, left and right.

  For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which the distance between the dowel and the short guide is made different on the left and right sides of the process cartridge, and the process cartridge does not enter the main body of the image forming apparatus even if the process cartridge is inserted back and forth. Has been.

Further, for example, in Patent Document 2, a detachable first to fourth process cartridge in which a photosensitive drum, a developing device, and a cleaning device are integrated, a detachable transfer conveyance belt mechanism, and a front surface of the transfer conveyance belt mechanism are disclosed. The waste toner box and each process cartridge are fitted to each other when the process cartridge is mounted between the waste toner box and each process cartridge at the separation position of the transfer conveyance belt mechanism. Incorrect mounting prevention means for preventing erroneous mounting by means of the above and erroneous mounting confirmation means for checking erroneous mounting by fitting the waste toner box and each process cartridge to each other when the transfer conveyance belt mechanism is converted to the mounting position. An image forming apparatus is disclosed.
JP 10-2222041 A JP 2002-123051 A

  However, if the shape for preventing incompatibility or preventing incorrect mounting is similar or small, it may be accidentally mounted on an incompatible model. May be connected. In addition, even when a compatible model is installed, there is a possibility that the front, back, left and right may be installed in reverse. On the other hand, if an uneven shape with a certain degree of strength is used to prevent incompatibility and prevent incorrect mounting, it is necessary to replace the mold nesting for both male and female types to change the uneven shape according to the product specifications. . For this reason, it takes time to replace the insert, and the workability deteriorates.

  An object of this invention is to provide the manufacturing method of the container apparatus and paper feed cassette apparatus which can form easily the shape of incorrect mounting prevention. It is another object of the present invention to provide a container device having a shape for reliably reporting erroneous mounting.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a container device manufacturing method comprising a lower frame for storing toner and an upper frame for covering the lower frame, which is mounted on an image forming apparatus and supplies toner. When forming the lower frame, a recess provided in a part of one of the female or male molds and a pin provided at a position corresponding to the recess of the other mold form an erroneous mounting prevention shape. It is characterized by that.

  By the manufacturing method described above, an erroneous attachment preventing shape is easily formed on the lower frame.

  In the manufacturing method described above, it is desirable that the recess is formed in a nesting, the nesting can be attached to and detached from the one mold, and the length of the pin protruding from the other mold can be adjusted.

  Thereby, the shape of the erroneous mounting preventing shape can be changed only by replacing the insert and adjusting the length of the pin.

  In addition, when the erroneous mounting preventing shape is broken, the inside and the outside of the lower frame communicate with each other, so that the toner leaks from the damaged portion when broken.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, in a method of manufacturing a paper feed cassette apparatus that is mounted on an image forming apparatus and supplies paper, the paper feed cassette apparatus is provided at a part of one of a female mold and a male mold. And a pin provided at a position corresponding to the concave portion of the other mold to form an erroneous mounting preventing shape.

  In this manner, a wrong mounting preventing shape can be easily formed in the sheet feeding cassette device.

  In the manufacturing method described above, it is desirable that the recess is formed in a nesting, the nesting can be attached to and detached from the one mold, and the length of the pin protruding from the other mold can be adjusted.

  Thereby, the shape of the erroneous mounting preventing shape can be changed only by replacing the insert and adjusting the length of the pin.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a container device that includes a lower frame that stores toner and an upper frame that covers the lower frame, and that is attached to the image forming apparatus and supplies toner. And the inside of the lower frame communicates with the outside when the erroneous mounting preventing shape is damaged.

  According to this configuration, the toner leaks from the damaged portion when it is damaged.

  According to the present invention, when forming the lower frame of the container device or the paper feed cassette device, the pins are used for forming the erroneous mounting preventing shape, so that it can be easily formed. Moreover, since the shape of the erroneous mounting preventing shape can be changed only by exchanging the insert and adjusting the length of the pin, the manufacturing cost of the mold is reduced and the working efficiency is also improved.

  Further, according to the present invention, when the incompatible container device is forcibly mounted and the erroneous mounting preventing shape is broken, the toner leaks. As a result, the printed paper becomes dirty, so that the user can notice the toner leakage and know that the container device is erroneously attached.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container device. The container device 10 is a device that is attached to an image forming apparatus and supplies toner, and includes a lower frame 11 that stores toner and an upper frame 12 that covers the lower frame 11. The lower frame 11 and the upper frame 12 can be made of resin.

  A convex mismounting prevention shape 13 is formed on the lower frame 11. The erroneous attachment preventing shape 13 is fitted into a concave shape formed on the image forming apparatus side to which the container device 10 is attached. Due to this uneven shape, it is possible to prevent erroneous mounting on the front, rear, left and right when the container device 11 is mounted. Moreover, when using uneven | corrugated shape in order to make it incompatible with a model or a destination, it can respond easily by changing the magnitude | size and shape of an unevenness | corrugation.

  FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the lower frame 11. A recess 14 is formed in the mismounting prevention shape 13. For example, when the incompatible container apparatus 10 is forcibly mounted on the image forming apparatus without noticing, the erroneous mounting preventing shape 13 is damaged. Thereby, the inside and the outside of the lower frame 11 communicate with each other through the recess 14. Then, the toner stored in the lower frame 11 leaks out. As a result, the printed paper becomes dirty, and the user notices the toner leakage and knows that the container apparatus 10 is erroneously attached.

  As described above, since the erroneous mounting prevention shape 13 is informed of the erroneous mounting due to damage, there is no particular limitation on the shape of the erroneous mounting prevention shape 13 as long as it is easy to break at the time of erroneous mounting. Considering the fitting property, a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape as shown in FIGS. Further, the mismounting prevention shape 13 can save space as compared with a technique for preventing mismounting with a lever or the like, and thus can be applied to a small image forming apparatus.

  Next, a method for manufacturing the lower frame will be described. The resin lower frame 11 is molded using a mold. The mold includes a female mold that forms the external shape of the lower frame 11 and a male mold that forms the internal shape of the lower frame 11.

  FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the erroneous mounting preventing shape 13 during molding. A recess 22 for forming an external shape of the erroneous mounting preventing shape 13 is provided in the insert 21 that is detachably fitted to the female die 20. On the other hand, a pin 24 for projecting the concave portion 14 of the erroneous mounting preventing shape 13 is provided at a position corresponding to the concave portion 21 of the female die 20 of the male die 23. As a result, the resin flows between the recess 22 and the pin 24 at the time of molding, and the lower frame 11 and the erroneous mounting preventing shape 13 are integrally molded.

  The head screw 25 is in contact with the top of the pin 24, and the protrusion length of the pin 24 is adjusted by adjusting the head screw 25. When only the shape of the erroneous mounting preventing shape 13 is changed due to a specification change depending on the destination, it is only necessary to replace the insert 21 of the female die 20 and change the protruding length of the pin 24 of the male die 23. In this way, the lower frame 11 having a different shape of the erroneous attachment preventing shape 13 can be produced by a simple operation.

  Further, since the concave portion 14 is formed by the pin 24, if a general-shaped pin is employed, the cross section thereof becomes an oval shape, an oval shape, a circular shape, or the like.

  FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the image unit of the image forming apparatus and the container apparatus 10. The image unit 30 is a part that forms an image, and includes a drum, a developing device, a charging device, a cleaning device, and the like. The container device 10 is attached to supply toner to the image unit 30. A concave fitting portion 31 is formed in a portion corresponding to the erroneous mounting preventing shape 13 of the image unit 30, and the erroneous mounting preventing shape 13 and the fitting portion 31 are fitted when an appropriate container device 10 is mounted. To do.

  FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the image forming apparatus 40 in which the image unit 30 and the container apparatus 10 are mounted. As the image forming apparatus 40, there are a copying machine, a printer, a facsimile machine, a complex machine thereof, and a multifunction machine having a network function.

  In the above-described embodiment, the convex configuration is used as the erroneous mounting preventing shape. However, there is no problem with the concave shape, and in this case, the fitting portion formed on the image unit 30 side may be convex. In this case, as a mold for molding the lower frame 11, a female mold with pins and a male mold with recesses may be used.

  In the above embodiment, the container apparatus 10 has been described as an example. However, the paper cassette apparatus can be similarly provided with an erroneous mounting prevention shape, and the erroneous mounting prevention shape can be formed by the same manufacturing method. .

  The present invention can be used for a container device or a paper feeding cassette device that has different shapes in order to make it incompatible depending on the model or destination, and to prevent erroneous mounting on the front, rear, left, and right.

It is a perspective view of the container apparatus of this invention. It is a perspective view of the lower frame of the present invention. It is sectional drawing at the time of shaping | molding of the incorrect attachment prevention shape of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the image unit and container apparatus of the image forming apparatus of this invention. 1 is a perspective view showing an image forming apparatus equipped with an image unit and a container apparatus of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Container apparatus 11 Lower frame 12 Upper frame 13 Misinstallation prevention shape 14 Recess 20 Female type 21 Nesting 23 Male type 24 Pin

Claims (6)

In a manufacturing method of a container device that includes a lower frame that stores toner and an upper frame that covers the lower frame, and is attached to an image forming apparatus and supplies toner.
When molding the lower frame, a concave portion provided in a part of one of the female or male molds and a pin provided at a position corresponding to the concave portion of the other mold form an erroneous mounting prevention shape. A method for manufacturing a container device. The recess is formed in a nesting, and the nesting is detachable from the one mold.
The method for manufacturing a container device according to claim 1, wherein a length of the pin protruding from the other mold is adjustable.   The method for manufacturing a container device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the inside and outside of the lower frame communicate with each other when the erroneous mounting preventing shape is damaged. In a manufacturing method of a paper feed cassette device that is mounted on an image forming apparatus and supplies paper,
When forming the paper feeding cassette device, an erroneous mounting prevention shape is formed by a recess provided in a part of one of the female or male molds and a pin provided at a position corresponding to the recess of the other mold. A method of manufacturing a paper feed cassette device characterized by comprising: The recess is formed in a nesting, and the nesting is detachable from the one mold.
5. The method of manufacturing a sheet feeding cassette device according to claim 4, wherein a length of the pin protruding from the other mold is adjustable. In a container device that includes a lower frame that stores toner and an upper frame that covers the lower frame, and is mounted on an image forming apparatus and supplies toner.
A container device, wherein the lower frame is provided with an erroneous mounting prevention shape, and when the erroneous mounting prevention shape is broken, the inside and the outside of the lower frame are communicated.

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