JP2007093744A - Placing table for image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To simplify a frame configuration and to improve a frame strength in a placing table for an image forming apparatus which has an installation area larger than that of an image forming apparatus main body. <P>SOLUTION: A pair of first parallel frame members, each having wheels at both its ends, are connected to a pair of second frame members disposed in an almost straight-going direction under the first frame members and having U-shaped cross-sectional shapes that are open upward. Thus, a lower frame is configured. The lower ends of four columns are inserted in the U-shaped cross-section of the second frame members so as to be connected to the first and second frames. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a mounting table on which an image forming apparatus is mounted and used.

  Examples of the image forming apparatus include an LBP, a copier, a facsimile, or a combination of these. Conventionally, in these image forming apparatuses, it is common to install the apparatus at a height that is easy for a user to use and to provide a mounting table having wheels for facilitating the movement and installation of the apparatus. In addition, a table provided with a storage function for storing sheets used in the image forming apparatus, operation manuals, or the like, or a sheet supply apparatus for supplying sheets to the image forming apparatus is provided in the mounting table. Many have been put into practical use (see Patent Document 1).

  Further, as shown in FIG. 4, in order to increase the physical stability of the mounting table and the image forming apparatus installed on the mounting table, the mounting area of the mounting table is set wider than the installation area of the image forming apparatus main body. It is also common.

When the installation area of the top table is set to be larger than the installation area of the image forming apparatus main body, the frame structure of the mounting table is a main area configured to have a projection area substantially equal to the installation area of the main body as shown in FIGS. This is realized by fixing the auxiliary frame 201 holding the caster 104 to the side surface of the frame 200.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-035172

  However, as described above, in the method of fixing the auxiliary frame 201 to the side surface of the main frame 200, it is difficult to efficiently fix the auxiliary frame 201 to the main frame 200. As shown in FIGS. It is necessary to use angle members 202 for reinforcement on the upper and lower sides of the auxiliary frame 201, and there is a problem that the structure of the frame of the mounting table becomes complicated.

  Further, in order to assemble the angle member 202, it is necessary to perform screw tightening not only from above and from the side of the frame body but also from below, and there is a problem that the assemblability of the frame body deteriorates.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and in a mounting table of an image forming apparatus having a frame having at least a lower frame, a support column, and a wheel fixed to the lower frame, the wheels are fixed to both ends. The pair of first frame members arranged in parallel is arranged in a direction substantially perpendicular to the lower side of the first frame member, and is a pair of second frame members having a U-shaped cross-sectional shape opened upward. A lower frame is formed by connecting, and the lower ends of the four columns are inserted into the U-shaped cross section of the second frame member, and are coupled to both the first frame and the second frame. Features.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to realize a frame configuration that is easy to assemble and has a reduced number of parts in the mounting table of the image forming apparatus.

  FIG. 1 to FIG. 5 show a case where the mounting table according to the first embodiment of the present invention is applied to a multifunction machine based on an electrophotographic laser beam printer as an example of an image forming apparatus equipped with the mounting table. However, it explains concretely.

  As a mounting table of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, a pedestal that provides a storage space in the lower part of the image forming apparatus is illustrated, FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the pedestal and the image forming apparatus main body, and FIG. It is sectional drawing.

  Reference numeral 1 denotes an image forming apparatus main body, and sheet cassettes 2a and 2b for storing and storing sheets S are detachably mounted on the front side of the image forming apparatus main body 1 in two upper and lower stages. ing. Reference numerals 3a and 3b denote pickup rollers, which appropriately and appropriately send out the sheet S placed on the sheet cassettes 2a and 2b from the uppermost side. 4a and 4b are feed rollers, and 5a and 5b are retard rollers. The sheets fed by the pickup rollers 3a and 3b are separated and fed one by one. Reference numerals 6, 7, 8, and 10 denote conveyance roller pairs, which sequentially receive the sheets fed by the feed rollers 4 a and 4 b and convey the sheets toward the registration roller pair 11.

  The registration roller pair 11 is stopped, and the skew is corrected by forming a loop by bringing the leading edge of the sheet S conveyed by the conveyance roller pair 10 into contact with the nip portion of the registration roller pair 11. Thereafter, the sheet S is conveyed at a predetermined timing to a nip portion between the electrophotographic photosensitive drum 13 serving as an image forming unit incorporated in the process cartridge 14 and the transfer roller 12 facing the electrophotographic photosensitive drum 13.

  A process cartridge 14 containing a known process unit related to the image forming apparatus is detachably provided to the image forming apparatus main body 1. A laser exposure optical system 15 irradiates the uniformly charged surface of the photosensitive drum 13 with laser light corresponding to image information emitted from the laser exposure optical system 15 to form an electrostatic latent image. . A toner image is formed on the electrostatic latent image by a developing roller (not shown) built in the process cartridge 14. In synchronization with the rotation of the photosensitive drum 13, the sheet S conveyed to the nip portion between the photosensitive drum 13 and the transfer roller 12 by the registration roller pair 11 is formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 13 by the action of the transfer roller 12. The toner image is transferred.

  Reference numeral 16 denotes a fixing device. When the sheet S on which the toner image has been transferred passes through the fixing device 16, the toner image is permanently fixed to the sheet S by being heated and pressurized. The sheet S on which the toner image has been fixed by the fixing device 16 is conveyed by a discharge roller pair 18 and selectively discharged onto two discharge trays 19 formed on the upper surface of the image forming apparatus main body 1.

  An image scanner 20 as an image reading device is fixed on the upper part of the image forming apparatus 1. Description of the function and configuration of the image scanner 20 is omitted here.

  A pedestal that provides a storage space 45 for storing sheets, operation manuals, and the like used in the image forming apparatus 1 is disposed below the image forming apparatus 1. The storage space 45 can be used by opening a storage space door 44 provided on the front surface of the pedestal 31.

  Casters 104 for moving the pedestal 31 and the image forming apparatus 1 are arranged below the pedestal 31 and at the four corners of the pedestal frame 100. The installation area of the four casters is larger than the installation area of the image forming apparatus main body. Is also widely set.

  Next, the configuration and assembly order of the pedestal frame 100 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3. As shown in FIG. 1, the casters 104 are fixed to both ends of the lower side of the pedestal 31 at the ends of a pair of caster holding frames 102 arranged substantially parallel to each other. The left and right caster holding frames 102 are connected to each other by a lower connecting frame 103 disposed substantially parallel to the lower part of the pedestal 31 and constitute a lower frame 101. The lower connection frame 103 has a U-shaped cross-sectional shape opened upward.

  Since the lower frame 101 can be assembled in advance, the screws can be fastened from above or from the side with the top and bottom reversed, that is, with the lower connecting frame 103 and the casters 104 set on the caster holding frame 102. As a result, the sheet feeding deck frame 100 can be completed by turning it upside down.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the four columns 105 that support the load of the image forming apparatus 1 are inserted at the lower ends thereof through the upper openings of the U-shaped cross section of the lower connection frame 103. Thereafter, the caster holding frame 102 and the lower connection frame 104 are fastened and fixed with screws 106 from the side.

  Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 3, a pair of upper connection frames 107 are arranged above the four support columns at positions substantially opposite to the lower connection frame 103. Then, with the left and right top plates 108 disposed thereon, the pedestal frame 100 is completed by screwing from above and from the side of the frame.

  As described above, the lower portion of the column 105 can be fixed with a long span by coupling the column 105 to both the caster holding frame 102 and the lower connection frame 104. Thereby, the effect of preventing the column 105 from falling over the lower frame 101 can be expected.

  Further, by adopting the configuration as described above, when assembling the pedestal frame, all the screws can be fastened from above or from the side. The assembly of the pedestal frame can be greatly improved by eliminating the screw fastening from the lower side of the apparatus.

A second embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.
As the mounting table of the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment, a large-capacity paper feeding deck having a function as a sheet feeding device is illustrated, and FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the paper feeding deck and the image forming apparatus main body. is there.

  The difference between the present embodiment and the first embodiment is that a large-capacity sheet feeding deck having a function as a sheet feeding device is adopted as a mounting table of the image forming apparatus, and a column of the uppermost table frame is used. This is the point that the reinforcing member for preventing the collapse is formed integrally.

  The same members as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the descriptions of the components that are the same in configuration and function are omitted.

  A paper feed deck 31 as a mounting table that supports the image forming apparatus main body 1 also functions as a sheet supply device to the image forming apparatus main body 1. The paper feed deck 31 is configured to store a larger amount of sheets S than the sheet cassettes 2 a and 2 b of the image forming apparatus main body 1 and feed them one by one to the image forming unit. Reference numeral 37 denotes a sheet placing table on which the sheet S can be placed and moved up and down. The sheet placing table 37 is equipped so as to be moved up and down in a sheet cassette 32 serving as a sheet storage unit that can be pulled out from the sheet feeding deck 31.

  In the sheet cassette 32, guide rails 40a and 40b provided horizontally on the left and right of the sheet cassette 32 are supported by rail-shaped guides 39a and 39b provided horizontally on the left and right of the sheet feeding deck frame 100, It is configured to be able to be pulled out toward the front side of the paper feed deck 31 along the guides 39a and 39b.

  In addition, a pickup roller 33 that feeds out the sheet S placed on the sheet placing table 37 from the uppermost side is provided above the sheet placing table 37 in the main body of the sheet feeding deck 31. Further, a feed roller 34 and a retard roller 35 are provided for separating and feeding the sheets S fed by the pickup roller 33 one by one. A pair of conveying rollers 36 for feeding the sheet S separated and fed by the feed roller 34 and the retard roller 35 to the image forming apparatus main body 1 is provided.

  The take-up drum 38 is rotated by a driving source (not shown), the wires 41a and 41b fixed to the sheet placing table 37 are taken up, the sheet placing table 37 is raised, and the top of the sheet is always kept constant by the height detecting means 43. It has a configuration that is preserved.

  The sheet S on the sheet mounting table 37 is conveyed to the image forming apparatus main body 1 by a pickup roller 33, a feed roller 34, a retard roller 35, and a conveyance roller pair 36. The conveyed sheet S is conveyed to the image forming unit by the conveying roller pairs 8 and 9 in the image forming apparatus, and is discharged to the paper discharge tray 19 through the image forming process described above.

  Next, the configuration and assembly order of the paper feed deck frame 100 will be described with reference to FIGS. Since the structure and assembly method of the lower frame 101 are the same as those in the first embodiment, description thereof is omitted here.

  As shown in FIG. 7, a reinforcing angle portion 105 a for preventing the falling of the column 105 that supports the load of the image forming apparatus 1 is integrally formed. A rear plate 109 is fixed with screws 106 between the two columns of the sheet feeding deck 31 that are disposed on the substantially rear side with respect to the drawing direction of the sheet cassette 32 described above. The above-described sheet stacking table 37, pickup roller 33, feed roller 34, retard roller 35 or drive roller pair (not shown) of the transport roller pair 36, or a controller (not shown) for controlling these operations can be arranged. Has been.

  The support 105 and the rear side plate 109 are inserted at the lower ends thereof through the upper opening of the U-shaped cross section of the lower connection frame 103 and then fastened and fixed to the caster holding frame 102 and the lower connection frame 104 by screws 106 from the side. Is done. Further, a reinforcing angle portion 105 a formed integrally with the support column 105 is fastened to the caster holding frame 102 with screws 106 from above.

  Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 7, a pair of upper connection frames are disposed above the four columns at positions substantially opposite to the lower connection frames. Then, with the left and right top plates arranged thereon, after screwing from above and from the side of the frame, rail-shaped guides for guiding the drawer of the sheet cassette 32 to the left and right of the sheet feed deck frame 100 The screws 39a and 39b are fastened from the side of the frame. Thereby, the frame of the paper feed deck is completed.

  As described above, by forming the reinforcing angle portion 105a integrally with the support column 105, the strength against the collapse of the support column 105 can be further increased without increasing the number of parts or impairing the assembling property.

  Further, the sheet of the image forming apparatus 1 is arranged by arranging the rear plate 109 between the two columns of the sheet feeding deck 31 that are disposed substantially inward with respect to the drawing direction of the sheet cassette 32 described above. It can be applied to a supply device.

  Further, the rear side plate 109 can be formed integrally with two support columns disposed substantially on the rear side with respect to the drawing direction of the sheet cassette 32.

The perspective view which shows the structure of the mounting base frame of the image forming apparatus of 1st Embodiment. The perspective view which shows the structure of the mounting base frame of the image forming apparatus of 1st Embodiment. The perspective view which shows the structure of the mounting base frame of the image forming apparatus of 1st Embodiment. 1 is a perspective view showing an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment and a mounting table thereof. Sectional drawing which shows the image forming apparatus of 1st Embodiment, and its mounting base Sectional drawing which shows the image forming apparatus of 2nd Embodiment, and its mounting base The perspective view which shows the structure of the mounting base frame of the image forming apparatus of 2nd Embodiment. The perspective view which shows the structure of the mounting base frame of the image forming apparatus of 2nd Embodiment. The perspective view which shows the structure of the mounting base frame of the conventional image forming apparatus. The perspective view which shows the structure of the mounting base frame of the conventional image forming apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 31 Placement stand 100 Mounting stand frame body 101 Lower frame 102 Caster holding frame 103 Lower connection frame 104 Caster 105 Post 106 Screw 107 Upper connection frame 108 Top plate 109 Rear side plate

Claims (3)

It is a mounting table for an image forming apparatus that can be used by mounting the image forming apparatus on the top,
A frame having at least a lower frame, a support column, and a wheel fixed to the lower frame;
The lower frame is disposed in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first frame member, on a lower side of the first frame member, with a pair of first frame members having wheels fixed at both ends and disposed substantially in parallel. The column is configured by a pair of second frame members having a U-shaped cross-sectional shape opened upward, and the lower end of the column is inserted into the U-shaped cross section of the second frame member, and the first A mounting table for an image forming apparatus, wherein the mounting base is coupled to both the frame and the second frame.   2. The mounting table for an image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a reinforcing member for fixing the column to the lower frame is formed integrally with the column.   The mounting table for an image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mounting table is a sheet supply device for the image forming apparatus.

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