JP2016012065A - Wire member and image forming apparatus including the wire member - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a wire member 40 having at least one bent parts 44a to 44d that electrically connect a processing unit for performing image forming processing to sheets and a high voltage board for supplying a high voltage to the processing unit, and improve assembly accuracy of the wire member 40 by devising its configuration.SOLUTION: At least one bent parts 44a to 44d have a coil shape with one or more wounds.

Description

  The present invention relates to an electric wire member and an image forming apparatus including the electric wire member.

  In general, an image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic system has a plurality of processing units for performing image forming processing on paper. Examples of the processing unit include a photosensitive drum unit on which a toner image is formed, a developing unit that supplies toner to the photosensitive drum to form a toner image on the photosensitive drum, and a color when the image forming apparatus is a tandem type. And an intermediate transfer unit having an intermediate transfer belt to which the toner image is transferred. The image forming apparatus has a high voltage substrate for supplying a high voltage to these processing units. The processing unit and the high voltage substrate are connected to each other by an electric wire member made of a metal wire.

JP 2010-008670 A

  By the way, in recent years, as the image forming apparatus is further reduced in size, many other components are arranged between the processing unit and the high voltage substrate. For this reason, as shown in Patent Document 1, in an image forming apparatus in which a processing unit and a high voltage substrate are connected by an electric wire member, the electric wire member is often bent so as not to interfere with other components.

  However, if a bent portion is formed on the electric wire member, the electric wire member is plastically deformed when a force in the bending direction or the unbending direction is applied to the bent portion of the electric wire member, for example, during the assembly work. There is a problem that it is difficult to arrange the members at predetermined positions.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a processing unit for performing image forming processing on a sheet and a high voltage substrate for supplying a high voltage to the processing unit. It is to improve the assembly accuracy of the electric wire member to be connected.

  An electric wire member according to the present invention electrically connects a processing unit for performing image forming processing on a sheet and a high voltage substrate for supplying a high voltage to the processing unit, and at least one bent portion. Have. The at least one bent portion has a coil shape of one or more turns.

  According to this configuration, since the bent portion is formed in the electric wire member that connects the processing unit and the high voltage substrate, the electric wire member can be easily placed in a predetermined position of the image forming apparatus without interfering with other components. Can be assembled.

  Moreover, since the bent portion of the electric wire member has a coil shape of one or more turns, a force in the bending direction or the bending release direction is temporarily applied to the bent portion of the electric wire member when the electric wire member is assembled. Even when it acts, the bending angle of the bent portion is naturally returned to the initial angle by the restoring force of the coil. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the assembly accuracy of the electric wire member from being impaired by plastic deformation of the electric wire member at the bent portion.

  It is preferable that the bent portion is plural and further includes a straight portion positioned between the two bent portions, and a stretchable portion having a plurality of winding coil shapes is formed at an intermediate portion of the straight portion. .

  According to this configuration, the expansion / contraction part having a plurality of coil shapes is formed in the middle part of the linear part located between the two bent parts, so that the straight line can be formed during the assembly work of the electric wire member. Even if a bending load or a buckling load is applied to the portion, it is possible to prevent these linear portions from being plastically deformed by absorbing these loads by the stretchable portion. Therefore, the assembly accuracy (positioning accuracy) of the electric wire member can be further increased.

  The wire member is preferably made of spring steel.

  According to this configuration, the flexibility (elasticity) of the electric wire member can be increased. Therefore, when the electric wire member is assembled to the image forming apparatus, it is possible to reliably prevent the electric wire member from being plastically deformed. As a result, the assembly accuracy of the electric wire member can be increased as much as possible.

  An image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes a processing unit that performs image forming processing on paper, the electric wire member that supplies electric power to the processing unit, and a holding frame that holds the electric wire member. .

The holding frame is formed with a boss portion at a location corresponding to the at least one bent portion of the electric wire member, and the electric wire member has a coil-shaped portion of the at least one bent portion outside the boss portion. By being inserted, it is held by the holding frame.
According to this configuration, the positioning accuracy of the electric wire member can be improved by extrapolating the coil-shaped portion to the boss portion.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to improve the assembly accuracy of an electric wire member that connects a processing unit for performing image forming processing on a sheet and a high-voltage substrate that supplies a high voltage to the processing unit. .

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an image forming apparatus provided with an electric wire member in the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a rear frame portion of the image forming apparatus. FIG. 3 is an enlarged view showing a part of the electric wire holding frame. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a wire member in the embodiment. FIG. 5 is an enlarged view showing a bent portion of the electric wire member assembled to the electric wire holding frame 31 in an enlarged manner. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing an electric wire member in a modified example.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the following description of the preferred embodiment is merely illustrative in nature, and is not intended to limit the present invention, its application, or its use.

<Embodiment>
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus 1 including an electric wire member 40 according to the present embodiment. The image forming apparatus 1 is a tandem type color printer, and includes an image forming unit 3 in a box-shaped casing 2. The image forming unit 3 is a section that transfers and forms an image on the recording paper P based on image data transmitted from an external device such as a computer connected to a network. An exposure device 4 for irradiating laser light is disposed below the image forming unit 3, and a transfer belt 5 is disposed above the image forming unit 3. Below the exposure device 4, a paper storage unit 6 that stores the recording paper P is disposed, and a manual paper supply unit 7 is disposed on the side of the paper storage unit 6. A fixing unit 8 that performs a fixing process on the image transferred and formed on the recording paper P is disposed on the upper side of the transfer belt 5. Reference numeral 9 denotes a paper discharge unit that is disposed on the casing 2 and discharges the recording paper P that has been subjected to fixing processing by the fixing unit 8.

  The image forming unit 3 includes four photosensitive drum units 10 arranged in a line along the transfer belt 5. Each photoconductor drum unit 10 has a photoconductor drum 11. A charger 12 is disposed immediately below each photoconductive drum 11, a developing unit 13 is disposed on one side of each photoconductive drum 11, and a primary transfer roller is directly above each photoconductive drum 11. 14, a cleaning unit (hereinafter referred to as a cleaning device) 15 for cleaning the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 11 is disposed on the other side of each photosensitive drum 11.

  Each photosensitive drum 11 is uniformly charged at its peripheral surface by the charger 12, and each color based on image data input from the computer or the like is applied to the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 11 after charging. Corresponding laser light is irradiated from the exposure device 4, and an electrostatic latent image is formed on the peripheral surface of each photosensitive drum 11. Developer is supplied to the electrostatic latent image from the developing unit 13, and a yellow, magenta, cyan, or black toner image is formed on the peripheral surface of each photosensitive drum 11. These toner images are respectively transferred to the transfer belt 5 by a transfer bias applied to the primary transfer roller 14.

  Reference numeral 16 denotes a secondary transfer roller disposed below the fixing unit 8 in contact with the transfer belt 5. The recording sheet P is transported through the paper transport path 17 from the paper storage unit 6 or the manual paper feed unit 7. Is sandwiched between the secondary transfer roller 16 and the transfer belt 5, and the toner image on the transfer belt 5 is transferred onto the recording paper P by the transfer bias applied to the secondary transfer roller 16.

  The fixing unit 8 includes a heating roller 18 and a pressure roller 19. The recording paper P is sandwiched and heated by the heating roller 18 and the pressure roller 19, and a toner image transferred to the recording paper P is recorded. It is fixed on the paper P. The recording paper P after the fixing process is discharged to the paper discharge unit 9. Reference numeral 20 denotes a reversing conveyance path for reversing the recording paper P discharged from the fixing unit 8 during double-sided printing.

  FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the image forming apparatus 1 as viewed from the rear. The rear side of the image forming apparatus 1 is usually covered with a sheet metal cover, but FIG. 2 shows a state in which the sheet metal cover is removed. Reference numeral 30 in the drawing is a sheet metal frame attached above the rear part of the casing 2. A resin wire holding frame 31 is attached to the lower end portion of the sheet metal frame 30, and a high voltage substrate 50 is mounted on the rear side of the wire holding frame 31. The high voltage substrate 50 is a substrate for supplying a high voltage to various processing units for performing image forming processing on paper. The high voltage substrate 50 has a mounting surface on which various elements for power supply such as a high voltage semiconductor element and a transformer are mounted. The high voltage substrate 50 is disposed so that the mounting surface faces the base plate 32 of the wire holding frame 31.

  The electric wire holding frame 31 holds a plurality of electric wire members 40 that electrically connect the various processing units described above and the high voltage substrate 50. Each electric wire member 40 is formed by plastically deforming a metal wire. Examples of the processing unit include the photosensitive drum unit 10, the developing unit 13, and an intermediate transfer unit.

  The electric wire holding frame 31 has a plate-like base plate 32. The base plate 32 is vertically arranged on the rear side of the four photosensitive drum units 10. On the surface of the base plate 32 opposite to the photosensitive drum unit 10 side, a total of four wire holding regions 33 are provided corresponding to the four photosensitive drum units 10. Each wire holding area 33 holds a wire member 40 connected to various processing units such as the developing unit 13 and the intermediate transfer unit as well as the photosensitive drum unit 10. Since the configuration of each wire holding area 33 is the same, only the wire holding area 33 positioned on the rightmost side of the image forming apparatus 1 will be described below.

  As shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of guide walls 35 a to 35 c are erected in the wire rod holding region 33. Among these, the guide wall 35 a guides the electric wire member 40 connected to the photosensitive drum unit 10. The electric wire member 40 is disposed along the guide wall 35a. The guide wall 35 a is bent in a step shape corresponding to the shape of the electric wire member 40. A plurality (five in the present embodiment) of boss portions 36 are provided on the guide surface side of the guide wall 35a. Each boss portion 36 protrudes from the base plate 32 and is used for positioning when the electric wire member 40 is assembled to the image forming apparatus 1. In the present embodiment, each protruding boss portion 36 is formed in a cylindrical shape, but is not limited thereto, and may be formed in, for example, a quadrangular prism shape or a triangular prism shape. 3 is a through hole through which the drive shaft of the photosensitive drum 10 passes.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the electric wire member 40 is composed of a single wire. The electric wire member 40 includes an input side connection portion 41, an output side connection portion 42, and a connecting line portion 43 that connects the input side connection portion 41 and the output side connection portion 42 to each other. The wire is made of spring steel, for example.

  The input side connection part 41 and the output side connection part 42 of the said electric wire member 40 are formed in the coil shape (it is also called a spiral hook) of multiple turns. The input side connection portion 41 is sandwiched between the high voltage substrate 50 and the base plate 32 of the electric wire holding frame 31 in a state where the high voltage substrate 50 is attached to the electric wire holding frame 31, and is compressed and deformed. Thereby, the contact pressure between the input side connection portion 41 and the high voltage substrate 50 can be sufficiently secured. The output side connection portion 42 is in contact with a connection terminal portion (not shown) provided in the photosensitive drum unit 10 through the base plate 32. The output side connection portion 42 is sandwiched between the high voltage substrate 50 and the connection terminal portion of the photosensitive drum unit 10 in a state where the high voltage substrate 50 is mounted on the wire holding frame 31 and is compressed and deformed. As a result, a sufficient contact pressure between the output side connection portion 42 and the connection terminal of the photosensitive drum unit 10 can be secured.

  The connection line portion 43 extends from one end of the input side connection portion 41 in the tangential direction, and then bends in a stepwise manner in the same plane toward the lower right side of FIG. Are connected from the tangential direction. Specifically, the connecting line portion 43 has five bent portions 44a to 44e and six straight portions 45a to 45f. Each of the bent portions 44a to 44e is a portion bent at about 90 ° by winding the wire rod and deforming it into a coil shape. As shown in FIG. 5, the bent portions 44 a to 44 e (only the bent portion 44 d is shown in FIG. 5) are extrapolated to a boss portion 36 that protrudes from a location corresponding to the bent portions 44 a to 44 e in the base plate 32. Is positioned. Thereby, the positioning accuracy of the electric wire member 40 is improved.

  As described above, in the above-described embodiment, the wire member is bent at a plurality of locations to form the wire member 40, so that the wire member 40 does not interfere with other parts and the predetermined portion of the image forming apparatus 1. Can be assembled to.

  Moreover, since the bent portions 44a to 44e of the electric wire member 40 have a one-turn coil shape, the bending direction (see FIG. 5) with respect to the respective bent portions 44a to 44e when the electric wire member 40 is assembled. In the example of FIG. 5, even when a force in the F1 direction) or the bending release direction (F2 direction in the example of FIG. 5) is temporarily applied, the bending angles of the bending portions 44a to 44e are the initial angles (the above-described implementation) The shape is naturally returned to 90 °). Therefore, the electric wire member 40 can be easily assembled at a predetermined position of the electric wire holding frame 31 while preventing the electric wire member 40 from being plastically deformed at each of the bent portions 44a to 44e.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, the wire which comprises the electric wire member 40 is comprised with the spring steel. Therefore, the flexibility (elasticity) of the electric wire member 40 can be increased. Therefore, when assembling the electric wire member 40 to the electric wire holding frame 31, it is possible to reliably prevent the electric wire member 40 from being plastically deformed at the bent portions 44a to 44e. As a result, the assembly accuracy of the wire member 40 can be increased as much as possible.

<Modification>
FIG. 6 shows the deformability of the first embodiment. This modification is different from the above embodiment in that the expansion / contraction part 46 is formed in the middle part of the straight part 45d located between the two bent parts 44c and 44d. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the same component as FIG. 5, and the detailed description is abbreviate | omitted. The expansion / contraction part 46 is formed in the shape of a plurality of coils (also referred to as a spiral rod).

  According to this configuration, even when a bending load or a buckling load is applied to the linear portion 45d during the assembly work of the electric wire member 40, these loads are absorbed by the expansion / contraction of the expansion / contraction portion 46 and the linear portion 45d. Can be prevented from plastic deformation. Therefore, the assembly accuracy (positioning accuracy) of the electric wire member 40 can be further increased.

<< Other embodiments >>
In each of the above embodiments, the coil-shaped bent portions 44a to 44e formed on the electric wire member 40 are extrapolated to the cylindrical boss portion 36, but the protruding boss portion 36 is not necessarily required.

  In each said embodiment, although the winding number of each bending part 44a-44e is made into 1 turn, it is not restricted to this, Two turns or more may be sufficient.

  In each of the above embodiments, the five bent portions 44a to 44e are formed in the electric wire member 40. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and if at least one bent portion 44a to 44e is formed. Good.

  In the second embodiment, the stretchable portion 46 is formed in one straight portion 45d of the six straight portions 45a to 45f. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, the six straight portions 45a to 45f. You may make it form the expansion-contraction part 46 in all.

  Further, the present invention is not limited to the first and second embodiments, and the present invention includes a configuration in which these first and second embodiments are appropriately combined.

  As described above, the present invention is useful for an electric wire member and an image forming apparatus including the electric wire member.

1 Image forming apparatus 10 Photosensitive drum unit (processing unit)
13 Development unit (processing unit)
31 Electric wire holding frame 40 Electric wire member 41 Input side connection part
42 Output side connection part 43 Connecting line part 44 Bending part 45 Straight line part 50 High voltage board

Claims (5)

A wire member that electrically connects a processing unit for performing image forming processing on a sheet and a high-voltage substrate for supplying a high voltage to the processing unit and has at least one bent portion,
The electric wire member, wherein the at least one bent portion has a coil shape of one or more turns. In the electric wire member according to claim 1,
The bent portion is plural,
A straight portion located between the two bent portions;
An electric wire member in which an expansion / contraction part having a plurality of winding coil shapes is formed in an intermediate part of the linear part. In the electric wire member according to claim 1 or 2,
An electric wire member, wherein the constituent material of the electric wire member is spring steel. A processing unit for performing image forming processing on paper;
The electric wire member according to any one of claims 1 to 3, which supplies electric power to the processing unit,
An image forming apparatus comprising: a holding frame that holds the electric wire member. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4.
In the holding frame, a boss portion is formed at a location corresponding to the at least one bent portion of the electric wire member,
The image forming apparatus, wherein the wire member is held by the holding frame when the coil-shaped portion of the at least one bent portion is extrapolated to the boss portion.

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