JP2718011B2 - Transfer charger - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a transfer charger which is provided in a transfer guide section of an image forming apparatus and which transfers a toner image on a photosensitive drum surface to a conveyed sheet by applying a charge to the sheet. It is about.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, in an image forming apparatus, a transfer guide portion is disposed at a position facing a photosensitive drum. The transfer guide unit guides the paper to transfer the image on the photosensitive drum onto the conveyed paper, and applies a charge to the paper guided by the transfer guide to expose the paper. And a transfer charger for transferring the toner image on the drum surface.

Here, the transfer charger has a structure in which small-diameter transfer and separation wires are stretched in a shield case, and a paper guide is provided above the separation wires. The image forming apparatus is provided so as to be easily detachable at the time of cleaning or the like along a guide rail provided on the apparatus main body side of the image forming apparatus so as to be removable from the apparatus main body. In order to position the transfer charger at a predetermined insertion position while maintaining a predetermined interval with respect to the photosensitive drum, the guide rail is usually provided with a leaf spring for pressing the transfer charger toward the photosensitive drum. Such a pressing spring is attached.

[0004]

However, in the conventional transfer charger, when the transfer charger is removed from the apparatus main body for cleaning or the like and then reinserted, the transfer charger reaches a predetermined insertion position (set position). There is a problem that even if it is pushed in, it cannot be surely confirmed that the insertion position is the correct position.

Further, in this conventional transfer charger,
When inserting / removing this transfer charger from / to the apparatus body,
The problem that the notch formed on the transfer charger side catches on the front end of the guide rail on the main body of the device when it is slightly inclined in the horizontal direction from the regular insertion / removal direction, and the removal / removal cannot be performed smoothly. There was also.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and provides a click feeling when a transfer charger is inserted into an apparatus main body so that an operator can easily and reliably locate a predetermined insertion position. It is another object of the present invention to enable the transfer charger to be smoothly inserted into and removed from the apparatus main body.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, a transfer charger according to the present invention comprises a pair of guides which are guided along a guide rail provided on an apparatus main body side of an image forming apparatus.
In the transfer charger which is provided to be inserted and removed the support legs to the longitudinal direction of the got to the apparatus main body on both sides, to open leg
Transfer supporting the L-shaped support leg having a horizontal portion
Provided in the casing bottom wall of the vessel, the supported to the guide rail
A pressing spring for pressing the holding leg from below , and the support leg horizontal portion at a predetermined insertion position of the transfer charger;
Is formed in a horizontal portion of the support leg so as to open toward the side in the insertion / removal direction of the transfer charger at a position opposed to the pressing spring, and is formed in a substantially V-shape on the horizontal portion of the support leg. It provided with a notch.

It is preferable that a plurality of the notches are provided corresponding to the number of the pressing springs.

[0009]

In the transfer charger of the present invention, when the transfer charger is inserted to a predetermined insertion position, which is a set position, a pressing spring provided on a guide rail of the apparatus main body causes the pressing spring of the transfer charger to operate. By being engaged with the notch, the operator can be provided with a sensation of clicking (a so-called click feeling) at the time of fitting, whereby a predetermined insertion position can be easily and reliably confirmed.

The notch is formed in a substantially V-shape such that the notch is opened toward the side in the insertion / removal direction of the transfer charger and the opening side is widened.
When the transfer charger is inserted into the apparatus main body, even if the transfer charger is slightly inclined horizontally from the normal insertion / removal direction and the notch is caught on the front end of the guide rail on the apparatus main body side, The front end of the guide rail is guided along the substantially V-shaped inclined surface of the notch, and can smoothly escape from the notch. Similarly, when the transfer charger is separated from the apparatus main body, the front end of the guide rail is guided along the inclined surface opposite to that at the time of insertion, so that the transfer charger can smoothly escape from the notch. Thus,
The transfer charger can be smoothly inserted into and removed from the apparatus main body.

[0011]

Next, a specific embodiment of the transfer charger according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of a main part of an image forming apparatus to which a transfer charger according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. As shown in the figure, the image forming apparatus of the present embodiment includes a photosensitive drum 11, a pre-charger 12 for uniformly charging the surface of the photosensitive drum 11, and an image on the surface of the photosensitive drum 11 charged by the pre-charger 12. An optical unit 13 that irradiates light to a portion other than the image forming unit to form an electrostatic latent image, and adheres to the electrostatic latent image formed by the optical unit 13 a toner charged to a polarity opposite to that of the electrostatic latent image Developing unit 14 for forming a visible image
Then, a sheet (recording paper) 15 is superimposed on the toner image formed by the developing unit 14, and a charge having a polarity opposite to the charge polarity of the toner is applied to the sheet 15 from the back side of the sheet 15, and the toner image is formed by electrostatic force. A transfer guide section 16 for transferring the toner image onto the sheet 15, a fixing section 17 for fusing the toner image transferred on the sheet 15 to the sheet 15 by heat or pressure and permanently fixing the same, and Photosensitive drum 11
The photosensitive drum 11 includes a cleaner unit 18 for removing residual toner remaining thereon, and a tractor unit 19 and a suction feeder unit 20 provided on the upstream and downstream sides of the photosensitive drum 11 for transporting the paper 15.

The detailed structure of the transfer charger of the present embodiment and the guide rail for sliding the transfer charger is shown in FIGS. The transfer charger 21 of the present embodiment includes:
The transfer guide 16 constitutes a part of the transfer guide 16, and is provided above the transfer guide 16 so as to be able to be inserted into and removed from the apparatus main body of the image forming apparatus. The transfer charger 21 is, as clearly shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 5, an upper open casing 23 that extends in the width direction of the paper 15 and has a partition wall 22 formed at the center.
The casing 23 has two side walls 2.
4, 25, and a first chamber 27 and a second chamber 28 for transfer (charging) and separation (static elimination), which are shielded from the surrounding space by the bottom wall 26 and the partition wall 22, respectively. At the approximate center of the first chamber 27 and the second chamber 28, wires 29 and 30 having a small diameter are stretched, respectively. In addition, the upper ends of the partition walls 22 and the side walls 25 of the second chamber 28 are each provided with a bent portion 22 which is directed toward the sheet conveying direction.
a, 25a are provided, and a ladder-shaped paper guide 31 is attached so as to cover the mouth of the second chamber 28. The paper guide 31 and the bent portions 22a and 25a are used by the photosensitive drum 1 when the paper 15 is automatically loaded (automatically transported).
1 when passing between the transfer charger 21 and the transfer charger 21
5 serves to prevent the leading end of the fifth chamber 5 from entering the second chamber 28.

The bottom wall 2 of the first chamber 27 and the second chamber 28
6, each of these chambers 27, 28 is directed downward and in the longitudinal direction.
And two support legs 32 and 33 extending to the ends of the two. These support legs 32 and 33 have lower portions bent outwardly in an L-shaped cross section, and the bent horizontal portions 32 are formed.
a and 33a are formed at both ends in the longitudinal direction thereof with chamfered portions 34 and horizontal portions 32a and 33a.
a both end portions near and in total six places of the central portion-out V-shaped notch on each of the three 5 is formed of. Further, a grip 36 serving as a handle for inserting and removing the transfer charger 21 is provided at an end of the transfer charger 21 on the front side of the apparatus.

On the other hand, a guide rail 37 for sliding the transfer charger 21 in and out of the apparatus body is fixed to the apparatus body of the image forming apparatus.
The guide rail 37 is formed so that both side edges in the longitudinal direction are bent in a U-shape so as to hold the support legs 32 and 33, and the lower surface thereof corresponds to the above-described six notches 35, respectively. A leaf spring (pressing spring) 38 is screwed. The leaf spring 38 extends in the longitudinal direction of the guide rail 37 and has a tip portion bent in a V-shape, and the bent portion is formed through an elliptical hole 39 formed in the bottom wall of the guide rail 37. It projects upward and comes into contact with the lower surfaces of the support legs 32 and 33 of the transfer charger 21.

With the above-described structure, the transfer charger 21 is pulled out of the apparatus main body for cleaning or the like, and the transfer charger 2 is held by the grip 36.
When the transfer charger 21 is inserted into the apparatus main body along the guide rail 37, the horizontal portions 32a, 33a of the support legs 32, 33 of the transfer charger 21 are held by the guide rail 37, and the horizontal portions 32a, 33a The leaf spring 38 is inserted toward the back of the apparatus while pressing the leaf spring 38 downward by the lower surface. When the transfer charger 21 is pushed into a predetermined insertion position (set position) at the innermost portion of the apparatus, the leaf springs 38 are simultaneously fitted into the corresponding notches 35, whereby the fitting is performed. Occasionally, the operator can be provided with a tactile sensation (a so-called click feeling), so that the operator can easily and reliably confirm the set position. In this setting position, the horizontal portions 32a, 33 of the support legs 32, 33 are set.
a is pressed upward by a leaf spring 38,
The guide rails 37 whose upper surfaces 2a and 33a face each other.
Thus, the gap between the transfer charger 21 and the photosensitive drum 11 is maintained at a predetermined gap. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing such a state.
Guide rail for pressing the horizontal part of the support leg of the transfer charger 21
Of the support leg of the transfer charger 21
Fitted in a notch 35 formed in a substantially V-shape
Is shown.

Since each of the notches 35 has a V-shape in plan view, the transfer charger 21 is connected to the guide rail 3 when inserted.
7, the notch 35 is hooked on the front end of the guide rail 37, and the front end of the guide rail 37 is notched.
5 is guided along the V-shaped inclined surface and the notch 3
5 can escape smoothly. Similarly, when removing the transfer charger 21 from the apparatus main body, the transfer charger 2
Even when the 1 is slightly inclined to the horizontal direction to the guide rail 37 is guided again the front end of the guide rail 37 along the inclined surface of the V-shape of the notch 35 from the notch 35 You can escape smoothly.

Further, according to the transfer charger 21 of the present embodiment, since the notch 35 is formed not in the casing 23 itself but in the support legs 32, 33, the opening provided on the lower surface of the casing 23 can be freely formed. , Can be sized. Therefore, an ideal air flow can be created in the casing 23.

[0019]

As described above, according to the present invention, the notch for engaging the pressing spring is provided at the position opposing the pressing spring provided on the guide rail of the apparatus main body. When the device is inserted into the main body of the apparatus, the pressing spring engages with the notch, and a click feeling can be given to the operator when the device is fitted. Can be.

In this case, the shape of the notch is substantially V-shaped so as to open toward the side in the insertion / removal direction of the transfer charger and to widen the opening side. When the transfer charger is slightly inclined horizontally from the normal insertion / removal direction when the transfer charger is inserted into the apparatus main body, even if the notch is caught by the front end of the guide rail on the apparatus main body side, the guide rail front end is Can be guided along the substantially V-shaped inclined surface of the notch, and can escape from the notch smoothly. Similarly, when the transfer charger is separated from the apparatus main body, the front end of the guide rail is guided along the inclined surface opposite to that at the time of insertion, so that the transfer charger can smoothly escape from the notch. Thus, the transfer charger can be smoothly inserted into and removed from the apparatus main body.

In the present invention, since the notch is provided so as to open toward the side in the insertion / removal direction of the transfer charger, the opening on the lower surface of the transfer charger can be freely formed. Thus, there is also an effect that an ideal air flow can be created in the transfer charger.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a main part of an image forming apparatus to which a transfer charger according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of the transfer charger according to one embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the back side.

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the transfer charger according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a guide rail that slides the transfer charger according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the transfer charger according to one embodiment of the present invention in a state where the transfer charger is mounted on an apparatus main body.

FIG. 6 is a view taken in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line BB of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 Notch engagement with leaf spring according to one embodiment of the present invention
Sectional view showing the state

[Explanation of symbols]

21 transfer charger 35 notch 37 guide rail 38 leaf spring (pressing spring)

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A pair of support legs guided along a guide rail provided on an apparatus main body side of an image forming apparatus in a longitudinal direction.
In the transfer charger which is provided so as to be able to be inserted into and removed from the apparatus main body at both sides in the direction, the supporting legs having an L-shaped cross section having a horizontal portion which is openable are provided.
Transfer charger provided in the casing bottom wall of the said support leg a guide rail provided press <br/> with springs for pressing from below, and the support in the predetermined insertion position of the transfer charger
At the position of the leg horizontal portion facing the pressing spring , the transfer charger is opened to the side in the insertion / removal direction, and is formed substantially V-shaped at the horizontal portion of the support leg so that the opening side is widened. A transfer charger characterized by having a notch formed by: 2. The transfer charger according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the notches are provided corresponding to the number of the pressing springs.