JP2021018298A - Locking device and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a locking device that has good operability of attachment and detachment and can certainly perform locking with a simple configuration, and an image forming apparatus.SOLUTION: A locking device comprises: an arm member that has a pair of arms; and a locking member that is inserted between the arms and is engaged with the arms to lock the arm member. Each arm of the arm member has engagement parts with the locking member that are extended from an attachment base toward the locking member in an opposite state and are formed such that an opposing interval therebetween is reduced toward a tip part, and arm tip parts that are formed at positions at which the opposing interval between the engagement parts becomes smallest. The locking member has a guide tip part and a guide support part that each have a width part smaller than the opposing interval between the arm tip parts, and a locking guide part that is arranged between the guide tip part and the guide support part, has a width part wider than the opposing interval between the arm tip parts, and is engaged with the engagement parts of the arm member. The guide support part is supported by a base part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 14C

Description

The present invention relates to a locking device, particularly a locking device used for a device body and a detachable unit that can be attached to and detached from the device body, and an image forming device such as a copying machine, a multifunction device, or a printer.

Screwing is widely known as a general method for attaching parts. However, screwing increases the number of parts and requires a process of turning screws. Therefore, a pair of engaging claws are formed on the mounting part and engaged with the engaging portion provided on the mounted part. Mounting methods may be used.

Regarding this point, in Patent Document 1, the decoration panel is engaged with the front panel by inserting a pair of engaging claws formed in the decoration panel into the holes (engaged portions) provided in the front panel. A mounting structure is disclosed in which a rib-shaped plate piece formed on a rear panel is inserted between a pair of engaging claws after being mounted on the rear panel. In this mounting structure, the rib-shaped plate piece inserted between the engaging claws limits the bending deformation of each engaging claw, so that the decoration panel cannot be easily removed from the front panel. ..

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2013-33109

However, in the mounting structure described in Cited Document 1, when the decoration panel is to be removed, the rear panel must be removed without fail. Therefore, when this mounting structure is used for a mounting portion of a part that requires maintenance, the work process may increase and the workability of maintenance may deteriorate. Another problem is that the number of parts increases.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a locking device and an image forming device that have a simple configuration, are easy to install and remove, and can be securely locked.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the locking device according to the present invention locks the arm members by being inserted between the arm members having a pair of arms and the arms and engaging with the arms. Each arm of the arm member is provided with a locking member, and each arm of the arm member is extended from the mounting base to the locking member side in a facing state, and is formed so that the distance between the arms facing each other becomes narrower toward the tip portion. Each has an engaging portion with the locking member and an arm tip portion formed at a position where the facing distance between the engaging portions is the narrowest, and the locking member is the tip portion of each arm. The guide tip portion and the guide support portion each have a width portion narrower than the facing distance, and the guide tip portion and the guide supporting portion are arranged between the guide tip portion and the guide support portion, and have a width portion wider than the facing distance between the arm tip portions. The arm member has a locking guide portion that engages with each engaging portion, and the guide support portion is supported by the base portion. Further, the image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes an image forming apparatus main body, a detachable unit that can be attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus main body, and a locking device according to claim 16, and the image forming apparatus main body includes the image forming apparatus main body. Is provided at a position where any one of the arm member and the locking member is separated by a predetermined distance, and the other of the arm member and the locking member is provided at a corresponding position in the detachable unit. ing.

According to the present invention, in a locking device that locks each other, the operability of attachment / detachment can be improved with a simple configuration, and further locking can be performed reliably.

It is the schematic sectional drawing which looked at the image forming apparatus which concerns on this embodiment from the front. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 1 in which the opening / closing door is opened and the powder collecting container is removed from the image forming apparatus main body as viewed from diagonally above on the front side. It is a perspective view of how the powder recovery container is attached or detached from the image forming apparatus main body shown in FIG. 1 as viewed from diagonally above on the left side. It is a perspective view seen from diagonally above on the side surface side which shows the state which the powder discharge part is not inserted into the insertion chamber of a powder recovery container. It is a perspective view seen from diagonally above on the side surface side which shows the state which the powder discharge part was inserted into the insertion chamber of a powder recovery container. It is a perspective view which looked at the state of attaching and detaching the powder collection container from the image forming apparatus main body shown in FIG. 1 from diagonally above on the left side. It is a perspective view which looked at the state before the arm member was locked with respect to the locking member of the powder recovery container shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the state after the arm member is locked with respect to the locking member of the powder recovery container shown in FIG. 2 as viewed from diagonally above on the back side. It is a side view which looked at the state which the powder recovery container was locked with the image forming apparatus main body from the left side. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a powder recovery container mounted on the image forming apparatus main body shown in FIG. 1 as viewed from diagonally above on the right side. It is a perspective view which shows the arm member. It is a perspective view which includes the cross section along the A plane shown in FIG. 9 of an arm member. It is a perspective view which includes the cross section along the B plane shown in FIG. 9 of an arm member. It is a side view which shows the arm member. It is sectional drawing which shows the locking member. It is an enlarged view of the 1st inclined part and the 2nd inclined part of the locking member. It is a perspective view which looked at the locking member from a different direction. It is a perspective view which looked at the locking member from a different direction. It is sectional drawing which shows the 1st process which a locking member is attached to and detached with respect to an arm member. It is sectional drawing which shows the 2nd process which a locking member is attached to and detached with respect to an arm member. It is sectional drawing which shows the 3rd process which a locking member is attached to and detached with respect to an arm member.

Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same parts are designated by the same reference numerals. Their names and functions are the same. Therefore, the detailed description of them will not be repeated.

[Image forming device]
FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the image forming apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment as viewed from the front. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the opening / closing door 101 of the image forming apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 1 opened and the powder collecting container 200 removed from the image forming apparatus main body 110 as viewed from diagonally above on the front side. In FIGS. 1 and 2, the powder recovery container 200 is not shown. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the powder recovery container 200 attached or detached from the image forming apparatus main body 110 shown in FIG. 1 as viewed from diagonally above on the left side. In the figure, reference numeral X represents a left-right direction (horizontal direction), reference numeral Y represents a depth direction, and reference numeral Z represents a vertical direction (vertical direction).

The image forming apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment is a color image forming apparatus that forms a multicolored or monochromatic image on a sheet P such as paper. The image forming apparatus 100 performs an image forming process according to the image read by the document reading apparatus 90 or the image data transmitted from the outside. The image forming apparatus 100 may be a color image forming apparatus of another form. Further, the image forming apparatus 100 may be a monochrome image forming apparatus.

The image forming apparatus 100 includes a document reading apparatus 90 and an image forming apparatus main body 110. The image forming apparatus main body 110 is provided with an image forming unit 102 and a sheet conveying system 103.

The document reading device 90 is for reading a document that forms an image on the sheet P, and is provided on the upper portion of the image forming device main body 110. The document reading device 90 includes a document placing table 92 made of transparent glass on which the document is placed. The document placed on the document placing table 92 is read as digital data by the document reading device 90, and processed into image data necessary for the image forming process by the image forming apparatus main body 110.

The image forming unit 102 provided in the image forming apparatus main body 110 includes an exposure unit 1, a plurality of developing units 2BK, 2C, 2M, 2Y, a plurality of photoconductor drums 3 to 3 acting as an image carrier, and a plurality of photoconductors. It includes a cleaning unit 4BK, 4C, 4M, 4Y, a plurality of charging devices 5 to 5, an intermediate transfer belt device 6, a secondary transfer roller 10, a belt cleaning device 4T, a plurality of toner cartridges 21 to 21, and a fixing unit 7. .. Here, BK, C, M, and Y mean black, cyan, magenta, and yellow, respectively. The intermediate transfer belt device 6 includes intermediate transfer rollers 65 to 65 and an intermediate transfer belt 61. Further, the photoconductor cleaning units 4BK, 4C, 4M, 4Y and the belt cleaning device 4T are provided with powder discharge units 41BK, 41C, 41M, 41Y, 41T, respectively.

The sheet transport system 103 provided in the image forming apparatus main body 110 includes a paper feed tray 81, a discharge roller 31, a discharge tray 14, a sheet transport path W1, and an inverted sheet transport path W2. The sheet transport path W1 is provided with a pickup roller 11a, a plurality of transport rollers 12a to 12a, a resist roller 13, a secondary transfer roller 10, a heat roller 71 and a pressure roller 72 in the fixing unit 7, and a discharge roller 31. Will be done.

Next, a process in which the image forming apparatus main body 110 performs the image forming process will be described. First, the photoconductor drums 3 to 3 are uniformly charged to a predetermined potential by the charging devices 5 to 5. Then, the exposure unit 1 irradiates the photoconductor drums 3 to 3 charged with a uniform potential with light corresponding to the image data. Although the photoconductor drums 3 to 3 are insulators, the potential drops at the place where the light hits, so that an electrostatic latent image having a potential distribution corresponding to the image data is formed on the photoconductor drums 3 to 3. Then, the developing units 2BK, 2C, 2M, and 2Y develop by adhering the charged toner to the electrostatic latent image formed on the photoconductor drums 3 to 3. That is, a toner image corresponding to the potential distribution of the electrostatic latent image is formed on the photoconductor drums 3 to 3. The toner image formed on the photoconductor drums 3 to 3 is electrostatically transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 61 by the intermediate transfer rollers 65 to 65. The toner image transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 61 is electrostatically charged when the sheet P sent along the sheet transfer path W1 is sandwiched between the intermediate transfer belt 61 and the secondary transfer roller 10 and conveyed. It is secondarily transferred onto the sheet P by force. The toner image secondarily transferred onto the sheet P is fixed on the sheet P by heat and pressure when the heat roller 71 and the pressure roller 72 of the fixing unit 7 sandwich and convey the sheet P. The sheet P on which the toner image is fixed by the fixing unit 7 as described above is conveyed along the sheet conveying path W1 and discharged from the discharge roller 31 to the discharge tray 14.

Although the explanation is different, the sheets P loaded on the paper feed tray 81 are sent one by one to the sheet transport path W1 by the pickup roller 11a. The sheet P sent to the sheet transfer path W1 by the pickup roller 11a passes through the transfer rollers 12a to 12a and stops when it reaches the resist roller 13. Then, the sheet P stopped at the position of the registration roller 13 is resumed at the timing when the toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 61 reaches the secondary transfer roller 10, and when it reaches the secondary transfer roller 10, the toner is transferred. The image is transferred. Subsequent steps are as described above.

When the image is formed not only on the front surface of the sheet P but also on the back surface, the sheet P is conveyed from the discharge roller 31 to the reversing sheet conveying path W2 in the opposite direction. The sheet P is guided to the resist roller 13 again by inverting the front and back sides of the sheet P via the reversing transfer rollers 12b to 12b. Then, the sheet P is discharged toward the discharge tray 14 after the toner image is formed and fixed on the back surface in the same manner as on the front surface.

The process of forming an image on the sheet P has been described above.

Next, the powder recovery mechanism of the image forming apparatus main body 110 will be described.

The photoconductor cleaning units 4BK, 4C, 4M, 4Y collect the residual toner remaining on the photoconductor drums 3 to 3 without being transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 61, and the powder discharge units 41BK, 41C, shown in FIG. Discharge as waste toner from 41M and 41Y. Similarly, the belt cleaning device 4T collects the residual toner remaining on the intermediate transfer belt 61 without being transferred to the sheet P, and discharges it as waste toner from the powder discharge unit 41T. The powder discharged from these powder discharge units 41BK, 41C, 41M, 41Y, 41T (which is waste toner in this embodiment, but may be a waste developer) is attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus main body 110. It is collected in a powder collection container 200 that is possibly attached.

The powder recovery container 200 is provided on one side Y1 (front side, operation side in this example) of the depth direction Y in the image forming apparatus main body 110. The powder recovery container 200 is detachably provided on the image forming apparatus main body 110 by a locking device 300 (see FIG. 3). The operation of attaching / detaching the locking device 300 and the powder recovery container 200 will be described later.

(Powder recovery container)
Next, the powder recovery container 200 according to the present embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS. 4A to 8.

-Structure of powder recovery container-
First, the figure will be explained. FIG. 4A is a perspective view of the state before the powder recovery container 200 is attached to the image forming apparatus main body 110, as viewed from diagonally above on the back side so that the position with the powder discharge unit 41BK can be seen. FIG. 4B is a perspective view of a state in which the powder recovery container 200 is attached to the image forming apparatus main body 110 and is connected to the powder discharge unit 41BK as viewed from diagonally above on the back side. The perspective views shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B include a partial cross section. 4A and 4B show a recovery configuration in which the powder recovery container 200 collects the powder F discharged from the photoconductor cleaning unit 4BK, but other photoconductor cleaning units 4C, 4M, 4Y and belt cleaning are shown. The same applies to the device 4T, which is represented by the recovery configuration shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B. The powder discharge units 41BK, 41C, 41M, 41Y, and 41T are simply referred to as powder discharge units 41 to 41 in the following description and drawings. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the attachment / detachment of the powder recovery container 200 from the image forming apparatus main body 110 shown in FIG. 1 as viewed from diagonally above on the left side. The perspective view shown in FIG. 5 includes a cross section obtained by vertically cutting the image forming apparatus main body 110 at the first shaft portion 200a on the left side of the powder recovery container 200. FIG. 6A is a perspective view of the state of the powder recovery container 200 shown in FIG. 5 viewed from diagonally above on the back side, and is an arm member attached to the locking member 320 of the powder recovery container 200 and the image forming apparatus main body 110. It shows the state before locking with 310. In FIG. 6B, the powder recovery container 200 is rotated in the direction of arrow a in the drawing from the state of FIG. 6A, and the locking member 320 of the powder recovery container 200 is engaged with the arm member 310 attached to the image forming apparatus main body 110. It is a perspective view which looked at the stopped state from diagonally above on the back side. Note that FIGS. 6A and 6B omit the illustration of the opening / closing member 210 and the image forming apparatus main body 110. FIG. 7 is a side view showing a state in which the arm member 310 and the locking member 320 arranged on the left side are locked, and a cross-sectional display is partially included. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the powder recovery container 200 mounted on the image forming apparatus main body 110 shown in FIG. 1 as viewed from diagonally above on the right side. The perspective view shown in FIG. 8 includes a cross section obtained by vertically cutting the image forming apparatus main body 110 at the second shaft portion 200b on the right side of the powder recovery container 200.

As shown in FIG. 5, the powder recovery container 200 is removed from the image forming apparatus main body 110 on one side Y1 in the depth direction Y (front side in this example), and the other side Y2 in the depth direction Y (this example). Then it is attached to the back side). The structure of attaching and detaching the powder recovery container 200 to the image forming apparatus main body 110 will be described later.

As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the powder recovery container 200 includes insertion chambers 201 to 201, powder recovery chambers 202, drop ports 203 to 203, and opening / closing members 210 to 210.

The insertion chambers 201 to 201 have inlet portions 201a to 201a into which powder discharge portions 41 to 41 are inserted, and drop ports 203 to 203 are formed at the bottom thereof. The powder recovery chamber 202 is arranged adjacent to the lower side of the insertion chambers 201 to 201, and communicates with the insertion chambers 201 to 201 by the drop ports 203 to 203. Then, the powders F to F discharged from the discharge ports 41a to 41a of the powder discharge units 41 to 41 are collected in the powder recovery chamber 202 via the drop ports 203 to 203.

Further, the powder recovery container 200 also collects the powder F (waste toner) sent from the belt cleaning device 4T into the powder recovery chamber 202 via the drop port 203 (not shown).

The powder recovery chamber 202 is provided with a powder leveling member 220. The powder leveling member 220 leveles the powder F that has fallen into the powder recovery chamber 202 by rotating.

The opening / closing member 210 is provided so as to be movable in the opening / closing direction T in the insertion chamber 201. Then, when the powder discharge unit 41 is inserted into the insertion chamber 201, the opening / closing members 210 to 210 are pushed by the powder discharge unit 41 and move in the opening direction T2 to open the drop port 203. When the drop port 203 is opened, the discharge port 41a and the drop port 203 communicate with each other.

The powder recovery container 200 includes an urging member 280 (compression coil spring) as shown in FIG. 4A. The urging member 280 urges the opening / closing member 210 in the closing direction T1 in which the drop port closes. Therefore, when the powder discharge unit 41 is taken out from the insertion chamber 201, that is, when the powder recovery container 200 is removed from the image forming apparatus main body 110, the opening / closing member 210 moves in the closing direction T1 and falls in the drop port 203. To block.

-Mounting structure of powder recovery container-
From here, the mounting structure of the powder recovery container 200 to the image forming apparatus main body 110 will be described.

As shown in FIGS. 5, 6A, 6B, 7 and 8, the powder recovery container 200 has a first shaft portion 200a provided below the left side surface (X1 side) and a right side surface (X2 side). ), And a second shaft portion 200b provided below the). The first shaft portion 200a and the second shaft portion 200b have the same rotation axis α, and are formed so as to project from the respective side surfaces of the powder recovery container 200 in the left-right direction X. Then, the powder recovery container 200 is rotatably attached to the image forming apparatus main body 110 about the rotation axis α.

Next, the shapes of the first shaft portion 200a and the second shaft portion 200b will be described.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the first shaft portion 200a and the second shaft portion 200b have a pair of arc portions (200a1,200a1) and (200b1,200b1) having a cross-sectional shape and a pair of straight portions (200a2). The shape is composed of 200a2) and (200b2, 200b2).

Here, the pair of arc portions (200a1,200a1) and (200b1,200b1) are arc-shaped portions that face each other vertically with the rotation axis α as the center. Further, the pair of straight portions (200a2, 200a2) and (200b2, 200b2) are linear portions connecting both ends of the pair of arc portions (200a1, 200a1) and (200b1, 200b1), respectively.

On the other hand, the image forming apparatus main body 110 is provided with a first bearing portion 110a and a second bearing portion 110b that support the first shaft portion 200a and the second shaft portion 200b of the powder recovery container 200, respectively.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the first bearing portion 110a and the second bearing portion 110b have a cross-sectional shape including semicircular portions 110a1, 110b1, straight portions 110a2, 110b2, and inclined portions 110a3, 110b3. It is said that.

Here, the semicircular portions 110a1 and 110b1 are semicircular portions with the front side (Y1 side) open. The opening directions of the semicircular portions 110a1 and 110b1 are on the front side and upward. Further, the straight portions 110a2 and 110b2 extend upward from the lower end portions of the semicircular portions 110a1 and 110b1. The inclined portions 110a3 and 110b3 are inclined by a predetermined angle with respect to the vertical direction Z so as to face the front side from the upper end portions of the straight portions 110a2 and 110b2.

The inclined portions 110a3 and 110b3 serve as guide portions when the powder recovery container 200 is attached to the image forming apparatus main body 110.

-Installation procedure of powder recovery container-
The procedure for attaching the powder recovery container 200 to the image forming apparatus main body 110 will be described.

When the powder recovery container 200 is attached to the image forming apparatus main body 110, the operator tilts the upper side of the powder recovery container 200 toward the operator (see FIG. 3). Next, the operator makes the first shaft portion 200a and the second shaft portion 200b of the powder recovery container 200 along the inclined portions 110a3 and 110b3 of the image forming apparatus main body 110, respectively, so that the first bearing portion and the second shaft portion 200b are aligned with each other. Insert it into the bearing (see FIG. 5). Next, the operator rotates the upper side of the powder recovery container 200 toward the image forming apparatus main body 110 about the rotation axis α of the first shaft portion 200a and the second shaft portion 200b (arrow a in FIG. 6A). Direction). Then, the powder recovery container 200 is locked to the image forming apparatus main body 110 by the locking devices 300 (300a) and 300 (300b) provided on the powder collecting container 200 and the image forming apparatus main body 110 (FIG. 7).

The locking devices 300 (300a) and 300 (300b) according to the present embodiment include an arm member 310 and a locking member 320. The arm members 310 are provided near both ends of the image forming apparatus main body 110 in the left-right direction X, and the locking members 320 are provided at positions of the powder recovery container 200 corresponding to the positions of the arm members 310. Then, when the powder recovery container 200 shown in FIG. 6A is rotated in the direction of the arrow a about the rotation axis α, each locking member 320 engages with the arm member 310 provided on the image forming apparatus main body 110, respectively. Then, the powder recovery container 200 is locked to the image forming apparatus main body 110.

(Locking device)
As described above, the locking device 300 according to the present embodiment includes an arm member 310 and a locking member 320. Here, the arm member 310 and the locking member 320 will be described with reference to FIGS. 9 to 14C.

<First Embodiment>
-Arm member-
FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the arm member 310. FIG. 10A is a perspective view including a cross section of the arm member 310 along the A plane shown in FIG. FIG. 10B is a perspective view including a cross section of the arm member 310 along the B plane shown in FIG. FIG. 11 is a side view showing the arm member 310. In the figure, reference numeral Q indicates a attachment / detachment direction in which the locking member 320 is attached / detached to / from the arm member 310. That is, the reference numeral Q1 represents the mounting direction in which the locking member 320 is mounted with respect to the arm member 310, and the reference numeral Q2 represents the detaching direction in which the locking member 320 is also detached from the arm member 310. Reference numeral V indicates a direction in which the pair of arms 311, 311 included in the arm member 310 face each other, that is, a direction in which they face each other. In this embodiment, the direction indicated by the reference numeral V is also a direction orthogonal to the attachment / detachment direction Q.

The arm member 310 has a pair of arms 311, 311 and a mounting base 312 as shown in FIGS. 9 to 11.

The pair of arms 311, 311 are extended from the mounting base 312 toward the detachment direction Q2 in the attachment / detachment direction Q in a state of facing each other, and the engagement is formed so that the distance between them is narrowed toward the tip portion. Parts 311e and 311e are provided. In the present embodiment, the engaging portions 311e and 311e have an arc shape centered on the position of the reference numeral C, but if they have a shape that engages with the locking member 320 described later, they have a shape other than the arc shape. May be good. Then, the arm tip portions 311a and 311a, which are the tip portions of the arms 311, 311, are formed at the positions where the facing distances between the engaging portions 311e and 311e are the narrowest, that is, at the positions where the facing distances are wt1. ..

As shown in FIG. 11, guide protrusions 311c and 311c are provided on the arm tip portions 311a and 311a on the side of the detachment direction Q2 so as to project in a direction in which the distance between them is widened. The guide protrusions 311c and 311c are extended to a predetermined position beyond the thickness h1 (see FIGS. 10B and 11) of the arms 311, 311. Further, the guide portions 311c and 311c are formed with the guide portions 311d and 311d on the sides facing each other. The length h2 of the guide protrusions 311c and 311c in the direction along the guide portions 311d and 331d is longer than the thickness h1 of the arms 311, 311.

The arms 311, 311 have ribs 311b, 311b erected along the extending direction of the arms 311, 311 on the side opposite to the side facing the other arms 311, 311. As shown in FIGS. 10B and 11, the thickness h1 of the arms 311, 311 includes ribs 311b and 311b. That is, the thickness h1 of each arm 311, 311 includes the height of each rib 311b, 311b.

Further, on the mounting base 312 side of the pair of arms 311, 311, a reinforcing rib 311f is provided which extends from the mounting base 312 in a plate shape in the detaching direction Q2 and connects and reinforces between the arms 311, 311. Has been done. The mounting base 312 side of the arms 311, 311 of the present embodiment has an arc shape centered on the reference numeral C, and forms an arc shape having a diameter w continuous with the engaging portions 311e and 311e. The portions 311e and 311e may be formed linearly from the position of the diameter w at which the opposite distance is maximum toward the mounting direction Q1 in the attachment / detachment direction Q.

The mounting base 312 has a plate shape and includes a mounting portion 313 for mounting on the image forming apparatus main body 110. The mounting portion 313 includes positioning bosses 313b and 313b for positioning the arm member 310, a mounting hook 313c for mounting the mounting base 312 on the image forming apparatus main body 110, and a mounting hole 313a for screw fastening. Although two positioning bosses 313b and 313b are formed to determine the mounting direction, one may be used. The mounting portions of the arm member 310 of the image forming apparatus main body 110 are formed with positioning bosses 313b, 313b, mounting hooks 313c, mounting holes 313a, and corresponding mounting portions at corresponding positions (not shown). ..

-Locking member-
From here, the locking member 320 will be described. First, the figure will be described.

FIG. 12A is a side view of the locking member 320 as viewed from the side. FIG. 12B is an enlarged view of the vicinity of the first inclined portion 322 and the second inclined portion 323a in FIG. 12A. 13A and 13B are perspective views of the locking member 320 as viewed from different directions.

The locking member 320 includes a guide tip portion 321, a first inclined portion 322, 322, a locking guide portion 323, 323, a guide support portion 324, 324, and a bottom portion 325, and the guide support portion 324, 324. It is supported by the base 326 via. The locking member 320 is made of synthetic resin in the present embodiment, and the base portion 326 is integrally molded with the powder recovery container 200, but the powder recovery container is used as a mounting portion like the mounting base 312 of the arm member 310. The configuration may be separated from 200.

The guide tip portion 321 and the first inclined portion 322, 322, the locking guide portion 323, 323, and the guide support portion 324, 324 are erected from the flat plate-shaped bottom portion 325 in a wall shape.

The guide tip portion 321 and the guide support portions 324 and 324 have a width (opposite spacing) narrower than the facing distance wt1 of the arm tip portions 311a and 311a. Here, the width of the guide tip portion is g1, and the width of the guide support portions 324 and 324 is g3, both of which are narrower than the facing distance wt1 of the arm tip portions 311a and 311a (g1 <wt1, g3 <wt1).

The locking guide portions 323 and 323 are provided between the guide tip portions 321 and the guide support portions 324 and 324, and have a width portion (opposite spacing g2) wider than the facing spacing wt1 of the arm tip portions 311a and 311a. The value of g2 is formed to be smaller than the diameter w at which the opposing intervals of the engaging portions 311e and 311e are maximized. The locking guide portions 323 and 323 have second inclined portions 323a and 323a whose widths (opposing intervals) are narrowed from the width portion of g2 toward the guide supporting portions 324 and 324, and the second inclined portions 323a, The 323a is connected to the locking guide portions 323 and 323 at the connecting portions 323b and 323b. The widths (opposing distances) of the connecting portions 323b and 323b are the same as the width g3 of the guide supporting portions 324 and 324, and are narrower than the facing spacing wt1 of the arm tip portions 311a and 311a. The second inclined portions 323a and 323a have a surface shape that engages with the engaging portions 311e and 311e of the arms 311, 311. In other words, the surface shape of the second inclined portions 323a, 323a has a shape similar to the shape of the engaging portions 311e, 311e on the side facing the second inclined portions 323a, 323a. The shape of the second inclined portions 323a and 323a in the present embodiment is such that the engaging portions 311e and 311e have an arc shape and therefore engage with the arc shape. That is, it has an arc shape.

The guide support portions 324 and 324 are formed so as to maintain a predetermined facing distance (g3) from the connecting portions 323b and 323b with the second inclined portions 323a and 323a to the base portion 326.

The width (opposing distance) of the first inclined portion 322, 322 becomes wider from the guide tip portion 321 toward the width portion (g2) wider than the facing distance wt1 of the arm tip portions 311a and 311a of the locking guide portions 323 and 323. Is formed as follows. Then, the first inclined portions 322 and 322 are connected to the locking guide portions 323 and 323 by the width portions (g2) of the locking guide portions 323 and 323. In this embodiment, this connection portion will be referred to as a boundary portion γ.

The first inclined portions 322 and 322 each have a planar shape, and are formed so as to have an inclined angle of δ1 with respect to the attachment / detachment direction Q. Further, the second inclined portion has a curved surface shape, and the inclination angle δ2 thereof is larger than the inclination angle δ1 of the first inclined portion (FIG. 12B). The inclination angle δ2 shown in FIG. 12B is the angle at the connecting portions 323b and 323b of the locking guide portions 323 and 323 and the guide support portions 324 and 324, but may be the average angle of the second inclined portions 323a and 323a. However, instead of the inclination angle, it may be expressed by a gradient indicating the amount of change in height when traveling a predetermined distance, or by a distance in the horizontal direction until the predetermined height is reached. Here, the length of the attachment / detachment direction Q from the first inclined portion 322, 322 to the boundary portion γ is L1, and the connecting portions 323b, 323b from the boundary portion γ of the second inclined portions 323a, 323a to the guide support portions 324, 324. Assuming that the length of the attachment / detachment direction Q up to is L2, in this embodiment, L2 is configured to be shorter than L1. That is, it can be said that the slopes of the second inclined portions 323a and 323a having a short L2 are steeper.

-Locking process-
From here, a mechanism in which the arm member 310 and the locking member 320 are locked by engaging with each other will be described step by step.

14A to 14C are views for explaining the process of engaging the arm member 310 and the locking member 320 separately from the first process to the third process. As described above, reference numeral Q in the drawing indicates the attachment / detachment direction in which the arm member 310 and the locking member 320 are attached / detached. Reference numeral Q1 represents a mounting direction in which the locking member 320 is mounted with respect to the arm member 310, and reference numeral Q2 represents a detaching direction in which the locking member 320 is also detached from the arm member 310.

In the present embodiment, the arm member 310 is attached to the image forming apparatus main body 110, and the locking member 320 is provided in the powder recovery container 200. Then, the arm member 310 and the locking member 320 are engaged with the powder recovery container 200 in the state of FIG. 5 as a fulcrum by the operator with the rotation axis α at the lower part of the powder recovery container 200 as a fulcrum as described above. This is done by rotating in the direction of arrow a. The views of FIGS. 14A to 14C describe in detail the engagement process between the arm member 310 and the locking member 320 at this time.

FIG. 14A shows a state in which the locking member 320 provided in the powder recovery container 200 has begun to be inserted between the pair of arms 311, 311 of the arm member 310 attached to the image forming apparatus main body 110 (first process). ) Is shown.

In the figure, the guide tip portion 321 of the locking member 320 is inserted between the arm tip portions 311a and 311a, and the first inclined portions 322 and 322 widen the facing distance between the arm tip portions 311a and 311a to wt2 which is wider than wt1. It shows the state of being. The guide tip portion 321 is reliably guided between the arm tip portions 311a and 311a by the guide protrusions 311c and 311c.

Since the arms 311, 311 are formed so as to extend from the mounting base 312, the arm tips 311a and 311a are displaced in the direction V facing each other, that is, in the direction orthogonal to the attachment / detachment direction Q as shown in FIG. 14A. Can be done. The displacement at this time is due to the elastic deformation of the arms 311, 311 made of synthetic resin, and therefore, a restoring force is generated at the arm tip portions 311a and 311a to return to the original facing distance wt1.

FIG. 14B shows a state in which the locking member 320 is further moved in the direction of Q1 from this state and the arm tip portions 311a and 311a exceed the boundary portion γ (second process). Since the arm tip portions 311a and 311a are subjected to a restoring force that tends to return to the original facing distance wt1, the contact portions of the second inclined portions 323a and 323a with the arm tip portions 311a and 311a are second inclined. A force b1 in a direction orthogonal to the portions 323a and 323a acts. The force b1 acting in the direction orthogonal to the second inclined portions 323a and 323a has a directional component in the mounting direction Q1. Therefore, the locking member 320 automatically moves in the mounting direction Q1 even if the operator does not apply force. In other words, the arm tip portions 311a and 311a move the locking member 320 in the direction of Q2 along the second inclined portions 323a and 323a until they return to the original facing distance wt1.

FIG. 14C is a diagram showing a state in which the facing distances of the arm tips 311a and 311a have returned to the original wt1 (third process). In this state, the engagement between the arm member 310 and the locking member 320 is completed, and the locking member is in the locked state.

In this state, a slight gap 340 is formed between the guide tip portion 321 and the reinforcing rib 311f. Therefore, in the locked state shown in FIG. 14C, the locking member 320 can move in the direction of Q1 by the amount of the gap 340, but when the gap 340 disappears, the guide tip portion 321 hits the reinforcing rib 311f. Since it touches, the movement stops (when there are no pressing members 330, 330 described later). Further, when the locking member 320 tries to move in the disengagement direction Q2, the second inclined portions 323a and 323a try to widen the tips of the arm tip portions 311a and 311a, so that the arm tip portions 311a and 311a A restoring force Pa that tries to return to the original facing distance wt1 acts. As long as the arm tip portions 311a and 311a are not moved to the boundary portion γ by the force that overcomes the restoring force Pa, the arm member 310 and the locking member 320 maintain the engaged state, so that they are surely engaged with each other within a predetermined range. Can be locked to. That is, the arm member 310 has a locking function, and the powder recovery container 200 can be reliably locked to a predetermined position of the image forming apparatus main body 110. In other words, it is not necessary to provide a separate lock mechanism, and the structure can be simplified. Further, the engaging operation and locking of the locking device 300 can be completed only by one operation, that is, the powder collecting container 200 is rotated in the direction of the arrow a with the rotation axis α as a fulcrum. .. That is, engagement and locking can be completed with one action.

When the powder recovery container 200 is removed from the image forming apparatus main body 110, the reverse process is performed. That is, at the beginning of removing the powder recovery container 200, since the operator rotates the powder recovery container 200 in the direction opposite to the arrow a, the arm tip portions 311a and 311a face each other by the second inclined portions 323a and 323a. The interval is widened. Then, when the arm tip portions 311a and 311a cross the boundary portion γ, the arm tip portions 311a and 311a move on the first inclined portion 322 and 322 so that the facing distance returns to the original facing distance wt1. ..

As described above, the roles of the first inclined portions 322 and 322 and the second inclined portions 323a and 323a are reversed between the time of mounting and the time of detachment. The detaching operation can also be easily performed by simply rotating the powder recovery container 200 in the direction opposite to the arrow a.

As described above, the arm member 310 and the locking member 320 are hard to come off by engaging with each other, and can securely lock each other. In other words, since the locking member 320 has a guide tip portion 321 narrower than the facing distance wt1 of the arm tip portions 311a and 311a and a locking guide portion 323 and 323 wider than the facing distance wt1, the operability is good and surely. The arm member 310 and the locking member 320 can be locked.

Further, the guide protrusions 311c and 311c of the arm member 310 can guide the guide tip portion 321 between the arms 311, 311 smoothly, that is, with good operability. Further, when the arm tip portions 311a and 311a move the first inclined portions 322 and 322 in the mounting direction Q1, the arm tip portions 311a and 311a may move smoothly without being caught by the first inclined portions 322 and 322. become able to.

The ribs 311b and 311b provided along the arms 311, 311 can increase the restoring force Pa acting on the arm tip portions 311a and 311a and the engaging portions 311e and 311e (become stronger against bending). The locked state can be made more reliable.

Since the second inclined portions 323a and 323a have a shape of engaging with the engaging portions 311e and 311e, when the arms 311, 311 move from the locked state to the disengagement direction Q2, the engaging portions Attempts are made to move the 311e and 311e in a direction orthogonal to the attachment / detachment direction Q as a whole. That is, since the restoring force Pa generated on the arms 311, 311 is generated on the entire engaging portions 311e and 311e, the arm member 310 and the locking member 320 can be made more difficult to disengage. As described above, since the engaging portions 311e and 311e have a locking function, the arm member 310 and the locking member 320 can be reliably locked.

Further, since the second inclined portions 323a and 323a are steeply inclined with respect to the first inclined portions 322 and 322, the engaged arm member 310 and the locking member 320 can be made more difficult to come off, and the engagement member 320 can be reliably engaged. You will be able to maintain the stopped state.

Further, since the first inclined portions 322 and 322 are flat, the inclination angle can be made gentle. As a result, the facing distance between the arm tip portions 311a and 311a can be slowly and smoothly widened, and the operability can be improved.

The second inclined portions 323a and 323a are formed in a curved surface shape. As a result, the inclination angle can be made steep and the arm member 310 can be made difficult to come off. That is, since the distance between the arm tip portions 311a and 311a is suddenly widened, the restoring force Pa generated between the arm tip portions 311a and 311a and the engaging portions 311e and 311e is such that the locking member 320 is the arm member 310. Since it suddenly increases as the distance traveled from the to the departure direction Q2 increases, the locked state can be maintained more reliably.

In the present embodiment, the arm member 310 has a separate structure from the image forming apparatus main body 110, but may be integrally formed with a component attached to the image forming apparatus main body 110.

<Second Embodiment>
In the present embodiment, the locking member 320 includes a pressing member 330. Since it is the same as the first embodiment except that the pressing member 330 is provided, the pressing member 330 will be described here.

-Pressing member-
The pressing members 330 and 330 will be described with reference to FIGS. 12A, 12B, 13A, and 13B.

The pressing members 330 and 330 include first regulating portions 331 and 331, second regulating portions 332 and 332, protruding portions 333 and 333, and connecting portions 334 and 334. Further, the pressing members 330 and 330 are supported by the base portion 326. In the present embodiment, the pressing members 330 and 330 are made of synthetic resin and are integrally formed in the powder recovery container 200 like the locking members 320 and 320. Similar to the locking members 320 and 320, the base portion 326 that supports the pressing members 330 and 330 may have a structure different from that of the powder recovery container 200.

The first regulating portions 331 and 331 are formed so as to extend from the base portion 326 toward the locking guide portions 323 and 323 in a state of facing each other so as to sandwich the guide supporting portions 324 and 324. That is, the first regulating portions 331 and 331 are extended from the positions of the base portions 326 separated from the guide supporting portions 324 and 324 by a predetermined distance toward the locking guide portions 323 and 323 along the guide supporting portions 324 and 324. To. Then, the first regulating portions 331 and 331 are extended to a position where the shortest distance between the locking guide portions 323 and 323 and the second inclined portions 323a and 323a is dg1. In other words, the first regulating portions 331 and 331 are formed by extending the tip portions 331a and 331a from the base portion 326 so as to be arranged at positions separated from the locking guide portions 323 and 323 by deg1 at predetermined intervals. .. Here, dg1 is referred to as a first gap. The value of the first gap deg1 is set to be the same as or shorter than the length h2 of the guide protrusions 311c and 311c of the arms 311, 331. As will be described in detail later, the tip portions 331a and 331a of the first regulation portions 331 and 331 move the arms 311, 311 engaged with the locking guide portions 323 and 323, or position the arms 311, 311 first. It is regulated by the gap dg1.

Further, since the first regulating portions 331 and 331 are stretched from the base portion 326 in the attachment / detachment direction Q and formed of synthetic resin, the tip portions 331a and 331a can be elastically displaced in the direction orthogonal to the attachment / detachment direction Q. ..

Further, the first regulating portions 331 and 331 are connected to the guide supporting portions 324 and 324 by plate-shaped connecting portions 334 and 334 on the bottom portion 325 side of the locking member 320. The connecting portions 334 and 334 are formed by extending from the base portion 326 toward the locking guide portions 323 and 323. The connecting portions 334 and 334 are formed in a range of a predetermined length L3 from the base portion 326 toward the guide supporting portions 324 and 324. The first regulating portions 331 and 331 are connected to the connecting portions 334 and 334 formed over the range of L3 of the guide support portions 324 and 324 from the base portion 326, so that the first regulating portions 331 and 331 are connected to the attachment / detachment directions Q of the tip portions 331a and 331a. The amount of elastic displacement in the orthogonal direction can be reduced. In other words, a larger restoring force P1 can be generated when compared in the case where the displacement amount in the direction orthogonal to the attachment / detachment direction Q generated in the tip portions 331a and 331a is the same.

The amount of displacement in the direction orthogonal to the attachment / detachment direction Q of the tip portions 331a and 331a and the restoring force P1 generated when the displacement occurs can be adjusted by the length of L3 of the connecting portions 334 and 334 of the guide support portions 324 and 324. .. More specifically, the length of the region where the 334 is not formed in the guide support portions 324 and 324 is L4, and the length of L3 + L4 is the length of the guide support portions 324 and 324 in the attachment / detachment direction Q. Here, by changing the ratio of L3 and L4, the above-mentioned displacement amount and restoring force amount can be easily adjusted.

Next, the second regulation unit 332,332 will be described.

As shown in FIG. 12A, the second regulating portions 332 and 332 are arranged so that the distance between the tips of the first regulating portions 331 and 331 is widened from the tips 331a and 331a to the side opposite to the base 326, and the arm members are opposed to each other. The engaging portions 311e and 311e of 310 are formed so as to engage with the side opposite to each other, that is, the outside. In the present embodiment, since the outer sides of the engaging portions 311e and 311e are formed in an arc shape, the second regulating portions 332 and 332 are formed in an arc shape along the outer sides of the engaging portions 311e and 311e of the arm member 310. It is formed.

The second regulation unit 332,332 is from the tip portions 331a, 331a of the first regulation unit 331, 331 toward the tip portions 332a, 332a of the second regulation unit 332, 332 to a position where the distance between them is g4. After the facing distance from each other is widened, the facing distance is narrowed toward the tip portions 332a and 332a so as to follow the shape of the arms 311, 311. Therefore, the facing distance between the tip portions 332a and 332a is narrower than that of g4.

The portion where the facing distance is g4 is formed to be the same as or slightly larger than the maximum distance O1 (FIG. 14C) between the non-opposing sides of the arms 311, 311. As described above, the second regulation unit 332, 332 has a shape that engages with the arms 311, 311.

The tip portions 332a and 332a of the second regulating portions 332 and 332 formed as described above are in a direction orthogonal to the attachment / detachment direction Q with the connecting portion of the connected first regulating portions 331 and 331 with the base portion 326 as a fulcrum. It can be displaced to V, at which time a restoring force P2 is generated. This is the same as the tip portions 331a and 331a of the first regulation unit 331 and 331.

Protruding portions 333 and 333 are erected on the opposite sides of the second regulating portions 332 and 332 facing each other. The protruding portions 333 and 333 are formed at the ends on the connecting portions 334 and 334 side along the second regulating portions 332 and 332.

By forming the protruding portions 333 and 333, it is possible to adjust the amount of displacement of the tip portions 332a and 332a of the second regulating portions 332 and 332 in the direction V orthogonal to the above-mentioned attachment / detachment direction. Specifically, the displacement amount described above can be reduced by increasing the amount of protrusion of the protruding portions 333 and 333 from the second regulating portions 332 and 332. Further, the magnitude of the restoring force P2 generated at the tip portions 332a and 332a at this time can be increased. This is the same as the first regulation unit 331, 331.

-Locking structure of holding member-
From here on, the engagement structure between the pressing member 330 and the arm member 310 will be described step by step with reference to FIGS. 14A to 14C.

14A to 14C show the process of engaging the arm member 310 and the pressing member 330.

In FIG. 14A, the guide tip portion 321 of the locking member 320 is inserted between the arm tip portions 311a and 311a, and the first inclined portions 322 and 322 reduce the facing distance between the arm tip portions 311a and 311a to wt2 wider than wt1. It shows the unfolded state. In this state, the tip portions 332a and 332a of the second regulating portions 332 and 332 included in the pressing member 330 come into contact with the outside of the arms 311, 311 and elastically displace in the direction of the arrow a2, respectively. That is, the arms 311, 311 and the arm tips 311a and 311a are widened by the first inclined portions 322 and 322 to widen the tip portions 332a and 332a of the second regulating portions 332 and 332. At this time, the above-mentioned restoring force is generated in the second regulation unit 332 and 332.

FIG. 14B shows a state in which the arm tips 311a and 311a have crossed the boundary portion γ. At this time, the guide protrusions 311c and 311c of the arms 311, 311 are the tips of the first regulation portions 331 and 331. The first gap DG1 between the 331a, 331a and the second inclined portions 323a, 323a is expanded and moved in the direction of the arrow b2. Since the lengths of the guide protrusions 311c and 311c are longer than deg2, the tip portions 331a and 331a are displaced in the direction of the arrow b3, but after the guide protrusions 311c and 311c have passed, the original parts are restored by the restoring force. Return to position.

FIG. 14C shows a locked state in which the facing distance between the arm tip portions 311a and 311a returns to the original wt1 and the engagement between the arm member 310 and the locking member 320 is completed.

In the first embodiment, even if a force in the disengagement direction Q2 acts on the locking member 320, a restoring force Pa is generated when the engaging portions 311e and 311e move through the second inclined portions 323a and 323a. The locked state was not released unless a force equal to or higher than the force Pa was applied.

However, when the powder recovery container 200 is locked to the image forming apparatus main body 110 by using the locking device 300 of the present embodiment, the compression coil spring (the urging member 280) that urges the opening / closing member 210 becomes powder. Since the powder collecting container 200 is always compressed in the opening direction T2 by the body discharging portion 41, a reaction force for rotating the powder collecting container 200 in the direction opposite to the arrow a is generated.

This reaction force attempts to move the locking member 320 in the disengagement direction Q2, but as described above, the second inclined portions 323a and 323a of the locking member 320 face each other with the engaging portions 311e and 311e of the arm member 310. Since the movement is widened, a restoring force Pa is generated in the engaging portions 311e and 311e to stop the movement of the locking member 320. That is, the locked state can be maintained.

In this state, if the pressing member 330 is further provided, the tip portions of the first regulating portions 331 and 331 and the tip portions of the tip portions 331a and 331a of the first regulating portion 331 and 331 correspond to the expansion of the facing distance between the engaging portions 311e and 311e of the arm member 310. Since the second regulating portions 332 and 332 are displaced in the direction orthogonal to the attachment / detachment direction Q, restoring forces P1 and P1 and restoring forces P2 and P2 are generated, respectively, and the engagement portions 311e and 311e are further expanded. It can be suppressed. That is, the locked state of the arm member 310 and the locking member 320 can be maintained more reliably.

As described above, the pressing member 330 makes it possible to lock the arm member 310 more reliably.

Further, since the second regulating portions 332 and 332 include the overlapping regions β1 that sandwich the engaging portions 311e and 311e together with the second inclined portions 323a and 323a, the restoring forces P1 and P1 and the restoring force described above are provided. P2 and P2 are generated at the same time as the restoring forces Pa and Pa are generated, and the locked state can be maintained more reliably. That is, since a larger restoring force acts once, the arm member 310 and the locking member 320 are less likely to come off.

Further, since the first gaps DG1 and DG1 between the tip portions 331a and 331a of the first regulating portions 331 and 331 and the second inclined portions 323a and 323a are shorter than the length h2 of the guide protrusions 311c and 311c, the first gap When the guide protrusions 311c and 311c pass through the dg1 and the dg1, the above-mentioned displacement amounts of the tip portions 331a and 331a become larger. At this time, since the restoring forces P1 and P1 generated at the tip portions 331a and 331a are further increased, the passage of the guide protrusions 311c and 311c can be suppressed. As described above, the first regulation unit 331, 331 has a locking function of the guide protrusions 311c and 311c.

Further, since the second regulating portions 332 and 332 are further provided with protruding portions 333 and 333, the restoring force P2 generated when the tip portions 332a and 332a of the second regulating portions 332 and 332 are displaced can be further increased, which is more reliable. It is possible to maintain the locked state.

Further, since the tip portions 331a and 331a are formed so that the facing distance is slightly narrower than the maximum distance g4 (β2 region) and along the outer diameters of the arms 311, 311, the second regulating portion Since the restoring force P2 generated in 332 and 332 can be applied to the arms 31 and 311 as a whole, the locked state can be maintained more reliably.

The distance dg2 between the second regulating portions 332 and 332 and the second inclined portions 323a and 323a is formed so as to be the same as or slightly larger than the thickness h1 of the arms 311, 311. Therefore, the attachment / detachment steps 1 to the attachment / detachment steps 3 shown in FIGS. 14A to 14C can be smoothly performed, and the ribs 311b and 311b formed on the outer sides of the arms 311, 311 allow the arms 311, 311 and the second. Since the contact area with the regulating portions 332 and 332 can be narrowed, even if the parallelism between the facing direction of the arms 311, 311 and the facing direction of the first inclined portions 322 and 322 and the first regulating portion 331 and 331 is slightly different. The above operation can be performed smoothly.

By further pushing the locking member 320 to provide the locking member 330 as described above, the locked state with the arm member 310 can be reliably maintained.

Further, when the locking member 320 is engaged with the arm member 310, the holding member 330 automatically regulates the movement of the arm member 310 and locks the arm member 310. That is, it becomes possible to reliably engage and lock with only one engaging operation.

In the present embodiment, the pressing member 330 includes both the first regulation unit 331, 331 and the second regulation unit 332, 332, but only the first regulation unit 331, 331 may be provided. Further, in the present embodiment, the locking member 320 and the pressing member 330 are integrally formed, but they may be separate bodies.

<Third Embodiment>
As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the locking device 300 of the image forming apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment has the first locking device 300a and the first locking device 300a between the image forming apparatus main body 110 and the powder recovery container 200. Two locking devices 300b are provided.

The first locking device 300a and the second locking device 300b are attached in different directions. Specifically, the opposite directions V1 (vertical direction Z) of the arms 311, 311 of the arm member 310 in the first locking device 300a and the opposite directions of the arms 311, 311 of the arm member 310 in the second locking device 300b. It intersects with V2 (horizontal direction X) (orthogonal or substantially orthogonal in this example).

That is, the second locking device 300b defines the engagement position in the horizontal direction X, that is, the horizontal position, and the first locking device 300a defines the position in the vertical direction Z. By arranging the two locking devices 300 so as to intersect the opposite directions of the arms 311, 311, the powder recovery container 200 can be accurately and reliably locked at a predetermined mounting position of the image forming apparatus main body 110. it can.

A detection unit (not shown) that cooperates with the main body is arranged on the X2 side of the powder recovery container 200, and horizontal positioning is important. Therefore, the facing direction of the arm member 310 of the second locking device 300b is , Is configured to face horizontally.

On the other hand, since the first locking device 300a defines the position in the vertical direction, the dimension of the first bearing portion 110a in the vertical direction Z is formed to be slightly larger than the dimension of the second bearing portion 110b in the vertical direction Z. [A gap SP of a predetermined distance is provided in the vertical direction Z (see FIG. 7)]. Thereby, the position in the vertical direction Z is defined so that the position of the arm member 310 is used as a reference.

In the present embodiment, the locking device 300 is provided between the image forming apparatus main body 110 and the powder recovery container 200, but it may be provided in another unit. Further, it may be provided in the attachment / detachment unit of another device.

(Other embodiments)
In the present embodiment, the arm member 310 is provided in the image forming apparatus main body 110 and the locking member 320 is provided in the powder recovery container 200, but the arm member 310 is provided in the powder recovery container 200 and is engaged. The stop member 320 may be provided on the image forming apparatus main body 110. Further, the locking member 320 or the arm member 310 may be provided in place of or in addition to the powder recovery container 200 in a paper feed cassette accommodating a plurality of sheets P.

Further, in the present embodiment, the arm member 310 and the locking member 320 are made of synthetic resin, but a polyacetal resin (POM) can be typically exemplified as the resin that can be used for the arm member 310. The resin that can be used for the locking member 320 is not particularly limited, and typical examples thereof include acrylonitrile, butadiene, styrene copolymer synthetic resin (ABS), and polystyrene resin (PS).

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be implemented in various other forms. Therefore, such embodiments are merely exemplary in all respects and should not be construed in a limited way. The scope of the present invention is shown by the claims and is not bound by the text of the specification. Furthermore, all modifications and modifications that fall within the equivalent scope of the claims are within the scope of the present invention.

100 Image forming apparatus 110 Image forming apparatus main body 110a First bearing portion 110a1 Semi-circular portion 110a2 Straight portion 110a3 Inclined portion 110b Second bearing portion 110b1 Semi-circular portion 110b2 Straight portion 110b3 Inclined portion 200 Powder recovery container 200a First shaft portion 200b 2nd shaft part 201 Insertion chamber 201a Inlet part 202 Powder recovery chamber 203 Drop port 210 Opening / closing member 220 Powder leveling member 280 Biasing member 300 Locking device 300a 1st locking device 300b 2nd locking device 310 Arm member 311 Arm 311a Arm tip 311b Rib 311c Guide protrusion 311d Guide 311e Engagement 311f Reinforcing rib 312 Mounting base 313 Mounting 313a Mounting hole 313b Positioning boss 313c Mounting hook 320 Locking member 321 Guide tip 322 First inclined part 323 Locking guide part 323a Second inclined part 323b Connection part 324 Guide support part 325 Bottom part 326 Base part 330 Pressing member 331 First regulation part 331a Tip part 332 Second regulation part 332a Tip part 333 Protrusion part 334 Connection part F Powder P Sheet Q Detachment direction S Insertion / removal direction SP Gap X Left / right direction Y Depth direction Z Vertical direction α Rotation axis β1 Overlapping area γ Boundary δ1 Tilt angle δ2 Tilt angle

Claims (19)

An arm member having a pair of arms and a locking member inserted between the arms and engaging with the arms to lock the arm members are provided.
Each arm of the arm member is extended from the mounting base to the locking member side in a facing state, and is formed so that the distance between the arms facing each other becomes narrower toward the tip portion, and is engaged with the locking member. Each has a portion and an arm tip portion formed at a position where the facing distance between the engaging portions is the narrowest.
The locking member is arranged between a guide tip portion and a guide support portion each having a width portion narrower than the facing distance between the arm tip portions and the guide tip portion and the guide support portion, and the respective arms. It has a width portion wider than the facing interval of the tip portions, and has a locking guide portion that engages with each of the engaging portions of the arm member.
The guide support portion is a locking device supported by the base portion. The locking device according to claim 1, wherein each arm tip portion has a guide protrusion portion protruding in a direction in which the distance between the arms is widened on the opposite side of the engaging portion. The locking device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein each arm has ribs erected along the extending direction of each arm on the side opposite to the side facing the other arm. The locking device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the arm member has a mounting portion for fixing formed on the mounting base. The locking member has a pair of first inclined portions whose width increases from the guide tip portion toward the locking guide portion.
The locking guide portion has a pair of second inclined portions whose width narrows from the connecting portion with the first inclined portion toward the guide supporting portion.
The locking device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the second inclined portion has a shape of engaging with each engaging portion of the arm member. The locking device according to claim 5, wherein the inclination of the second inclined portion is steeper than the inclination of the first inclined portion. The locking device according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the first inclined portion is planar. The locking device according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the second inclined portion has a curved surface shape. The locking member has a pressing member that is extended from the base portion to a position facing the locking guide portion at a predetermined interval with the guide support portion interposed therebetween.
The locking device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein each of the pressing members regulates the movement of each engaging portion engaged with the locking guide portion. The locking device according to claim 9, wherein each of the pressing members engages with each of the engaging portions on the side opposite to the side engaged with the locking guide portion. 9. The claim 9 or claim, wherein the distance between the end portion of each pressing member on the locking guide portion side and the locking guide portion is shorter than the length of the guide portion formed in the guide protrusion portion of the tip end portion of each arm. Item 2. The locking device according to any one of Items 10. The pressing members are widened from each other from the first regulating portion extended to a position facing the locking guide portion at a predetermined interval and the locking guide portion side end portion of the first regulating portion. The locking device according to any one of claims 9 to 11, further comprising a second regulating portion extended in the direction. The locking device according to claim 12, wherein the second regulating portion engages with the side of each engaging portion engaged with the locking guide portion and the opposite side. The locking device according to any one of claims 9 to 13, wherein each of the pressing portions is connected to the guide supporting portion by a plate-shaped connecting portion. One end of the connecting portion is connected to the base portion, and the other end is formed up to a position separated from the connecting portion which is the boundary between the locking guide portion and the guide support portion by a predetermined distance. 14. The locking device according to claim 14. The locking device according to any one of claims 1 to 15, which is used for a mounting engagement portion between a device main body and a detachable unit that can be attached to and detached from the device main body. An image forming apparatus main body, a detachable unit that can be attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus main body, and the locking device according to claim 16 are provided.
One of the arm member and the locking member is provided on the image forming apparatus main body at a predetermined distance, and the arm member and the locking member are provided on the detachable unit, respectively. An image forming apparatus provided at a corresponding position. The locking device is composed of a first locking device and a second locking device.
The 17th aspect of the invention, wherein the first facing direction in which the pair of arms in the first locking device faces each other and the second facing direction in which the pair of arms face each other in the second locking device intersect. Image forming device. The image forming apparatus according to claim 17 or 18, wherein the attachment / detachment unit is a powder recovery container for collecting powder.

Images