JP2008122452A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus that is compact and small and obtains a space which a user can easily access and is capable of contributing to reductions in cost, the number of components, and size by forming a synchronization mechanism for a shutter and opening/closing cover by the use of surrounding engaging components. <P>SOLUTION: The opening/closing cover 9 is supported by the main body of the apparatus so as to be rotatable around the rotation fulcrum 10, and is formed as a unit by holding a laser optical unit 16 and lock members (shaft, lock claws, handle, and spring). The lock claws are held by the opening/closing cover 9. The right and left lock claws and handle 13 are integrated with the shaft 11 and rotated around the axis, and are hooked around the projecting part of the apparatus main body by the pressing force of the spring 14. The laser optical unit 16 is retracted in synchronization with the opening/closing of the opening/closing cover, thereby obtaining an operation space for attaching/detaching a development unit. Even when the laser optical unit is exposed, an electric circuit is shut off by an interlock switch using a micro switch, and thus a laser leak is prevented. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus.

  Conventional image forming apparatuses generally employ a mechanism in which a laser shutter is interlocked with the attaching and detaching operation of the developing unit, and a mechanism in which the shutter is opened and closed by a link mechanism that interlocks with opening and closing of the cover. It is assumed that the forming apparatus is fixed to the apparatus main body side.

  For example, the image forming apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a configuration in which a light shielding member in the laser unit serves as both light shielding and interlock (microswitch) ON / OFF operation in conjunction with opening and closing of the main body opening / closing cover. In the laser shutter device of Document 2, the laser shutter is rotated by a link mechanism that is interlocked with the attachment / detachment of the developing device.

  The inventor of the present application investigated a shutter structure in a configuration in which an engineering unit such as a laser unit is held on the opening / closing cover side, but was not found. In other words, although there is a track record of producing a device configuration with an optical unit attached to the opening / closing cover side, it cannot be said to be known.

JP 2002-356004 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-157031

  By the way, in the development of an image forming apparatus, downsizing, simplification, and cost reduction of the apparatus are important issues. In order to reduce the size of the device, it is necessary to efficiently arrange the components, and as a result, extra space inside the device is reduced.

  However, in the image forming apparatus, there are consumables and parts that need to be replaced within the life of the main body, and in order to take out consumables and replacement parts inside the main body, it is necessary to have a configuration that allows easy access to them. For this reason, when consumables and replacement parts are present inside the apparatus, the parts outside the apparatus need to be configured to be easily retractable from the position. Especially when they are taken out, the contents are exposed outside the machine.

  When the inside of a laser unit or the like is exposed, an apparatus using a laser is cut off on an electric circuit by an interlock switch such as a micro switch in order to prevent damage to the human body due to leakage of the laser outside the machine. It is considered to be.

  However, if the laser emission unit is retracted out of the machine and takes a configuration with high exposure, it is assumed that electrical control does not function due to abnormal operation, and a mechanical shut-off device is installed to ensure safety reliability. It is necessary to raise more.

  Therefore, the present invention provides an image forming apparatus having a configuration that reasonably achieves a mechanical shutter mechanism that prevents laser leakage due to external exposure of a laser unit as a side effect of a configuration that allows easy replacement of consumables and replacement parts. It is aimed.

  It is another object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus that can synchronize cover opening / closing and shutter operation with a rational configuration.

  It is another object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus having a configuration in which a shutter can block an optical path inside and outside a laser optical unit.

  It is another object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus having a configuration capable of simultaneously achieving blocking and cleaning by providing a cleaning member in the shutter mechanism.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus configured to prevent dust and toner from entering from a shutter fitting portion.

  An image forming apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention includes a cover in which the apparatus main body can be opened and closed, an optical unit provided on the cover side, and the optical unit engaged with the apparatus main body side. The optical unit includes an optical path blocking member, and an interlocking mechanism that interlocks the blocking member and the engagement member of the apparatus main body. The interlocking mechanism synchronizes the blocking member when the cover is opened and closed. It operates, and the optical path can be blocked. That is, in the image forming apparatus according to the first aspect, as a side effect of a configuration in which consumables and replacement parts can be easily replaced, a mechanical shutter mechanism including a blocking member that prevents laser leakage due to exposure of the laser unit to the outside of the machine is rationally achieved. To do.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the first aspect, the engagement member is a lock member with a handle, and the engagement between the cover and the apparatus main body is released by an opening / closing operation of the handle. It is characterized by that.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the second aspect, the lock member with the handle includes a pressure spring that biases in the lock direction, and is temporarily locked by the opening operation of the handle. Except for releasing, the urging in the locking direction is always maintained.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the second or third aspect, the apparatus includes an elastic member and a lever that press the developing unit against the main body positioning portion of the apparatus main body, and the elastic member and the lever are The blocking member can be synchronized with the opening and closing of the cover by linking to the pressing and releasing strokes generated when the cover is opened and closed.

  That is, in the image forming apparatus according to the second to fourth aspects, the opening / closing of the cover and the shutter operation by the blocking member can be synchronized with a rational configuration.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, the blocking member is present outside the optical unit and covers the exit window of the optical unit to block the optical path. It is possible.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the fifth aspect, the blocking member has a guide-shaped portion having a long hole, and includes a fixed part in the opening / closing cover unit including the cover. An image forming apparatus comprising a mechanism that slides in a longitudinal direction of the guide-shaped portion along a plane of the exit window of the optical unit by being fitted to a shaft-shaped portion provided in any of the above. .

  In other words, in the image forming apparatus according to the fifth and sixth aspects, the shutter, which is a blocking member, is configured to block the optical path inside and outside the optical unit.

  According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the fifth or sixth aspect, a cleaning member is disposed in a gap between the exit window and the blocking member by using the horizontal sliding operation of the blocking member. An image forming apparatus having a blocking mechanism that also functions as a cleaning function for removing dust and toner adhering to the emission window.

  8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the cleaning member is made of an elastic member such as a sponge.

  The image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the cleaning member is made of a brush material.

  According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the eighth aspect, the cleaning member is in close contact with the gap between the blocking member and the exit window, thereby preventing adhesion of dust and toner. An image forming apparatus comprising a blocking mechanism.

  That is, in the image forming apparatus according to the seventh to tenth aspects of the present invention, the shutter mechanism including the blocking member is equipped with the cleaning member so that the optical path can be blocked and cleaned at the same time.

  According to the eleventh aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to any one of the second to eighth aspects, a blocking member penetrating the outer wall of the optical unit is linked to the engaging member and is disposed inside the optical unit. An image forming apparatus having a configuration capable of blocking an optical path.

  That is, in the image forming apparatus of the eleventh aspect, the blocking member can block the optical path inside and outside the optical unit.

  According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the ninth aspect, an elastic member is provided at a fitting portion between the blocking member and the optical unit, and a gap is eliminated to prevent light leakage and the optical device. An image forming apparatus capable of preventing dust and toner from entering a unit. The object of the present invention is to prevent the entry of dust and toner from the fitting portion of the blocking member.

  The present invention secures a space that is easily accessible to the user in a compact and compact configuration, and can contribute to low cost, parts reduction, and downsizing by diverting the shutter and opening / closing cover synchronization mechanism from the surrounding engaging parts. .

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

<Basic configuration>
FIG. 1 shows an overall view (central sectional view) of the present invention. In the figure, a one-dot chain line indicates a sheet conveyance path. The sheets are separated one by one from the sheet bundle 1 by the sheet feed roller 2 and reach the transfer roller 4 through the registration roller 3. Then, an image is formed on the photosensitive member 5, the image is transferred onto the sheet by the transfer roller 4, the image is heated and fixed by the pair of fixing rollers 6, and the sheet is discharged to the sheet discharge tray 8 by the pair of discharge rollers 7. .

<Configuration 1 of opening / closing cover>
As shown in FIG. 2, the opening / closing cover 9 is supported so as to be rotatable with respect to the apparatus main body 100 about a rotation fulcrum 10. The open / close cover 9 is formed as a unit that holds the laser optical unit 16 and a lock member (shaft 11, lock claws 12L and 12R, handle 13, spring 14). As the configuration for holding the laser optical unit 16 on the opening / closing cover 9 side, any of various conceivable configurations can be adopted, and the present invention is not affected by what type of holding structure is adopted, so the illustration and detailed description thereof are omitted. Is omitted. The optical unit provided on the cover side is not limited to the laser optical unit.

  FIG. 5 shows the configuration of the lock members 11-14. The lock claws 12L and 12R are held by the opening / closing cover 9. The lock claw right 12R, the lock claw left 12L, and the handle 13 are integrated with the shaft 11, and the shaft rotates. The urging force is acted on by the spring 14 and is caught by the protrusion on the apparatus main body 100 side (indicated by an arrow X in FIG. 3). Thus, the positional relationship between the opening / closing cover 9 and the apparatus main body 100 is maintained.

<User operability: replacement of consumables>
As described above, the developing unit 15 needs to be replaced within the lifetime of the apparatus, and a configuration that can be easily replaced by the user is required. The laser optical unit 16 is retracted in accordance with the opening / closing of the opening / closing cover 9, thereby securing an operation space for attaching and detaching the developing unit (see FIG. 2).

<User protection: Laser light shut off when cover is open>
As shown in FIG. 2, in this embodiment, when the opening / closing cover 9 is opened, the inside of the machine is exposed. Even if the laser optical unit 16 is exposed, by providing an interlock switch using a micro switch, laser leakage can be prevented by blocking on the electric circuit. These switches are not shown. However, as already described, a mechanical shutter is required to cope with laser leakage when electrical control does not function due to abnormal operation.

<Opening / closing cover configuration 2>
In the present embodiment, the shaft portion 16A disposed on the side surface of the laser optical unit 16 and the elongated hole 17X of the shutter member 17 are engaged and slid to close the laser emission window 16B and perform a blocking function. It has become. Further, when the opening / closing cover 9 is open, interlocking control of the position of the shutter member 17 at the time of closing and urging force of the shutter member 17 at the time of closing are required. In this embodiment, the shaft 12A provided on the left side of the lock claw By engaging the shutter member 17, it is possible to divert the interlocking position control and the urging force, and the shutter mechanism interlocked with the opening / closing of the opening / closing cover 9 is achieved (see FIG. 6).

<Open / close cover configuration 3>
In addition to the lock claw configuration described in the configuration 1 of the opening / closing cover, the shutter member 17 can be opened / closed using the pressing lever mechanism of the developing unit 15. That is, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the pressing lever 19 is held in a swingable state by the opening / closing cover 9, and when the opening / closing cover 9 is closed by the pressing force from the elastic member 18, the developing unit 15. Is positioned to a predetermined position. It is also possible to open and close the opening / closing cover 9 by further linking the holding lever 19 with the link 19.

<Open / close cover configuration 4>
In addition to the open / close cover configuration 3 described above, it is possible to prevent laser leakage outside the apparatus by blocking the optical path in the laser optical unit 16. For example, a fitting hole is provided in the housing of the laser optical unit 16, and the shutter member 17A penetrating the hole is slidable in the axial direction. One direction of the stroke is a position crossing the laser beam path, and the opposite direction is Set to the position retracted from the optical path. The shutter member 17A can prevent laser leakage in the laser optical unit by engaging with the link 12A or the pressing lever 19 described above.

<Development of shutter configuration: CLINA>
The shutter member 17 described above can take advantage of the configuration of blocking from the outside of the laser optical unit 16 and can add a cleaning function. However, as shown in FIG. Affixing a sponge material or brush material (for example, maltoprene 22 or flocking material 23) to a position that crosses the laser emission window 16B when the cover is opened and closed, removes dust and scattered toner that has adhered to the emission window. Is possible.

<Development of shutter configuration: airtightness>
In the shutter configuration described in the opening / closing cover configuration 4, the elastic member 21 is used to form a clearance between the fitting portion of the shutter member 17A that can be projected and retracted with respect to the housing of the laser optical unit 16 shown in FIG. By doing so, it is possible to prevent dust and scattered toner from entering the laser optical unit 16 and to prevent leakage of the laser to the outside of the laser optical unit 16. With this configuration, a simple, small, and low-cost shutter can be configured without the need for newly installing an independent mechanism for the interlocking mechanism of the shutter member 17A and the opening / closing cover 9 and the elastic component necessary for the biasing force of the shutter member 17A. Is possible.

  That is, according to the present invention, a space that is easy for the user to access can be secured in a compact and compact configuration, and the synchronization mechanism of the shutter member and the opening / closing cover is diverted from the surrounding engaging parts, thereby reducing the cost, reducing the parts, and reducing the size. It is possible to provide a machine that can contribute to the realization of the machine and is safe and reliable despite the small size and the user-accessible configuration. Also, an abnormal image due to exposure kicking can be prevented, and a machine with few failures can be configured.

FIG. 1 is an overall view of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention (a central cross-sectional view). Enlarged view of the main part Side view of the main part (engaged state) Side view of the main part (non-engaged state) An exploded perspective view showing the lock member assembly Exploded perspective view showing the unit assembly of the opening / closing cover Side sectional view showing the pressing member and link system of the development unit Exploded perspective view showing pressing member and link system of development unit The perspective view which shows the laser cutoff mechanism in a laser optical unit

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Sheet bundle 2 Paper feed roller 3 Registration roller 4 Transfer roller 5 Photoreceptor 6 Fixing roller pair 7 Paper discharge roller pair 8 Paper discharge tray 9 Opening / closing cover 10 Rotating fulcrum 11 Shaft 12 Link 12A Shutter shaft 12L, 12R Lock claw 13 Handle 14 Spring 15 Development Unit 16 Laser Optical Unit 16A Laser Optical Unit Shaft 16B Laser Ejection Window 17, 17A Shutter Member 17X Elongated Hole 18 Elastic Member 19 Pressing Lever 22 Moltoprene 23 Hairplant 100 Device Main Body

Claims (12)

The apparatus main body has an openable / closable cover, the cover side includes an optical unit, the optical unit includes an engaging member that engages with the apparatus main body side, and the optical unit includes an optical path blocking member. An image having an interlocking mechanism that interlocks the blocking member and the engaging member of the apparatus main body, and the interlocking mechanism causes the blocking member to synchronize when the cover is opened and closed, thereby blocking the optical path. Forming equipment. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the engagement member is a lock member with a handle, and the engagement between the cover and the apparatus main body is released by an opening / closing operation of the handle. . The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the lock member with the handle includes a pressure spring that biases in the lock direction, and is always locked except that the lock is temporarily released by the opening operation of the handle. An image forming apparatus characterized by maintaining a direction bias. 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising an elastic member and a lever for pressing the developing unit against a main body positioning portion of the apparatus main body, and the elastic member and the lever are generated when the cover is opened and closed. An image forming apparatus characterized in that the blocking member can be synchronized with opening and closing of the cover by linking to a stroke of pressing and releasing. 5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the blocking member is present outside the optical unit and covers an exit window of the optical unit so as to block an optical path. An image device. 6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the blocking member includes a guide-shaped portion having an elongated hole, and the shaft-shaped portion provided on any of the fixed parts in the opening / closing cover unit including the cover. An image forming apparatus comprising: a mechanism that slides in a longitudinal direction of the guide-shaped portion along a plane of the exit window of the optical unit by being fitted. 7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a cleaning member is disposed in a gap between the exit window and the shut-off member using the horizontal slide operation of the shut-off member, and dust adhered to the exit window. An image forming apparatus having a blocking mechanism that also functions as a cleaning function for removing toner and toner. 8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the cleaning member is an elastic member such as a sponge.   8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the cleaning member is made of a brush material.   9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the cleaning member is in close contact with a gap between the blocking member and the exit window to constitute a blocking mechanism capable of preventing adhesion of dust and toner. Image forming apparatus.   9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a blocking member that penetrates an outer wall of the optical unit is configured to be linked to the engaging member to block an optical path inside the optical unit. An image forming apparatus. 10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein an elastic member is provided at a fitting portion between the blocking member and the optical unit, and by eliminating a gap, light leakage is prevented and dust and toner enter the optical unit. An image forming apparatus capable of preventing the above.