JP2883448B2 - Image recording device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus such as a printer, a copying machine and a facsimile.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Various types of image recording apparatuses such as copying machines and printers are used. For example, as an image forming method, there are a powder developing method, a thermal transfer printing method, an ink jet printing method, a wire dot printing method, and the like. In each method, a monochrome image and a color image are used separately.

[0003] In the conventional image recording apparatus, apparatuses of each system are individually manufactured, and if it is desired to use the ink jet printing system and the thermal transfer printing system, at least two printers must be prepared. Further, when there is a printer for black and white and color printing is required, a printer for color printing must be additionally prepared or replaced with a device that can be used for black and white and color. Therefore, a lot of expense is required for the user, and there is a problem that a maker has to manufacture many devices.

In order to solve this problem, the present applicant has
Although not yet known, the electric control device and, if necessary, the mechanical drive device as one base unit, various types of image forming devices as one image forming unit, and the base unit and a plurality of image forming units. It has been proposed to construct an arbitrary image recording apparatus by assembling them side by side.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been developed and improved from the image recording apparatus proposed by the present applicant, and provides an image recording apparatus in which a consumable member or the like can be easily attached and detached and maintenance and inspection are easy. The task is to

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems by providing a base unit in which an electric control device for controlling an image information signal and the like is housed in one case, and a base unit for forming an image based on the image signal. It has an image forming unit in which the constituent members are stored in one case, a plurality of image forming units are arranged side by side on the base unit, and adjacent image forming units are connected to each other by a parallel connecting member, and the adjacent units can be moved closer and further away. The problem has been solved by an image recording apparatus characterized in that the image recording apparatus is formed as follows.

[0007]

According to the present invention, two adjacent units are connected to each other by a parallel connecting member to form a parallel link mechanism, and by rotating the parallel connecting member around the unit, one unit is connected to the other unit. The units move parallel to each other between a point of contact and a point of separation. When the units move away from each other and the units are separated from each other, the units are shifted from each other in the front-rear direction, so that at least a part of one of the units is opened to the outside, and maintenance of components in the unit and consumption of consumable members, that is, supply parts. Exchange can be easily performed.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The details of the present invention will be described based on an embodiment shown in the drawings.

In FIG. 1, an image forming unit 2 having a substantially identical case is superimposed on a base unit 1. The base unit 1 and the transport unit 3 are integrally formed and can be formed into one L-shaped unit as shown in the figure. However, the base unit 1 has a case having a substantially same shape as the image forming unit 2. It is also possible to adopt a structure in which the transport units 3 formed separately are connected.

One image forming unit 2 is fixed on the base unit 1, and each image forming unit 2 is connected by a connecting member 4. The connecting member 4 is formed as a parallel link lever, and a pair of the connecting members 4 is provided on each side of the image forming unit.
Set up for groups. That is, the imaging units 2 are at least 4
Are connected by a plurality of link levers.

Each connecting member 4, for example, a link lever, is pivotally attached at both ends to the image forming unit 2 by support pins 5.
Four link levers 4 and two image forming units 2
A node rotation chain is formed, and the two image forming units 2 can relatively move in parallel.

In the operating position shown in FIG. 1A, the image forming units 2 are arranged on the base unit 1 so as to be in contact with each other and to overlap one another. In this case, it is possible to arrange not only vertically but also horizontally. When one image forming unit 2 is moved from this operation position, for example, in FIG.
When the second imaging unit 2 is moved to a separation position where the second imaging unit 2 is separated from the lower imaging unit 2, that is, the exchange position, the connecting member 4 is moved.
Rotates with respect to each image forming unit 2. Since the two image forming units 2 are configured as the connecting member 4 and a kind of pantograph mechanism, the two image forming units 2 move in parallel with each other by the rotation of the connecting member 4 with respect to the image forming unit 2.

When one image forming unit 2 is moved, the image forming unit 2 above the image forming unit 2 in the figure moves as it is in an overlapping state. A part of the image forming unit 2 below the moving image forming unit 2 is opened, and the supply member 6, for example, toner or printer paper, can be easily detached, and maintenance and inspection can be easily performed. Each image forming unit 2 can be individually moved.

As shown in FIG. 2, a locking means for locking each image forming unit 2 at the separated position may be provided in the example of FIG. As the locking means, for example, at least one
A member that locks between the two connecting members 4 and the corresponding image forming unit 2 can be used. In this case, as shown in FIG. 2A, a lock member 7, for example, a lock pin is provided in each image forming unit 2, and a lock engagement member 8, for example, a lock hole is provided in the corresponding connecting member 4, as shown in FIG. 2A. As shown in FIG. 2B, when one image forming unit (the uppermost image forming unit in the figure) 2 is separated from the other image forming unit 2, the lock pin 7 is engaged with the lock hole 8, and the connecting member 4 can be locked in that position and the imaging unit 2 can be held in a position farthest away from the adjacent imaging unit 2. In this state, supply member 6
Can be easily attached and detached at the opening of one image forming unit 2. The lock member 7 and the lock engagement member 8 can be formed opposite to each other, that is, the lock member 7 can be formed as a lock hole.

In FIG. 1B, the image forming units 2 are partially in contact with each other even when they are separated from each other, and they are not completely open. However, in the example of FIG. In addition to the attachment and detachment of the supply member 6 in the direction, it is possible to attach and detach another supply member 9 in the left and right direction in the drawing. Is a supply member 9 can be applied printing paper or the like for detachable from the sheet feeding device, for example.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show an example in which two image forming units 2 are mechanically connected to each other by a connecting member 4.
As shown in FIG. 3, it is possible to adopt a structure in which one connecting member 4 also serves as an electrical connecting member.

At least one connecting member 4 for each image forming unit 2, for example, the connecting member 4 without the lock locking member 8 in FIG.
For example, the electrical connector 10 is integrally formed, and the connectors 10 are connected to each other to electrically connect the two image forming units 2.

The connecting member 4 is connected to the electric connector 10 so that the connecting member 4 can be divided.
At the separated position B, when the connecting members of the two image forming units 2 are connected by insertion or the like, in addition to mechanical connection, the electrical connector 10 can be connected at the same time by insertion or the like. The connecting member 4 and the electric connector 10 are formed as independent separate bodies, the connecting member 4 mechanically connects the two image forming units, and the electric connector 10 is connected to each other individually by insertion or the like. You can also.

FIG. 3B shows a state in which the uppermost image forming unit 2 has been moved, at which time the connecting member 4 and the electric connector 1 are moved.
Reference numeral 0 designates an arrangement as shown in the figure, and the supply member 6 can be easily attached to and detached from the open portion of the image forming unit 2 below. By operating the locking means in the same manner as in FIG. 2, the supply member 9 shown in FIG. 2 can be attached and detached.

As shown in FIG. 4 as an example in which only the electrical connection member is provided separately, as in the case of the mechanical connection member 4, it is formed in one lever shape, and the terminal 11 provided in each image forming unit 2 is electrically connected to the terminal 11. A connection structure can be used. In order to obtain a smooth movement of the imaging unit 2, two sets of connecting members 4 and 1
The pair of electrical connection members 10 'provided on one or both sides are advantageously configured as parallel links of the same length.

In the example shown in the figure, the electric connecting member 10 'is arranged between the two connecting members 4, but it can be arranged outside.

FIG. 4B shows a state in which the uppermost image forming unit 2 has been moved to the separation position, that is, the exchange position, with respect to the operation position shown in FIG. 4A.

In contrast to the example shown in FIG. 3, as shown in FIG.
The length of the electric connecting member 10 "can be formed shorter than the length of the connecting member 4, and the electric connecting member 10" and the connecting member 4 can be formed so as to be parallel to each other in the operating position.
As an example, in FIG. 5, one end of the electric connecting member 10 ″ is pivotally connected to one end of the connecting member 4 and a common support pin 5, while the other end of the electric connecting member 10 ″ is connected to the supporting pin 5 of the connecting member 4. In this structure, the pin is pivotally connected to the image forming unit 2 by another pin 12. In this case, in the operating position shown in FIG. 5A, the two support pins 5 and 12 are arranged in a straight line, and the distance between the support pins 5 and 12 is shorter than the distance between the two support pins. Is set to

When one of the image forming units 2 is moved to the replacement position as shown in FIG. 5B, the electrical connection member 10 ″ is shifted by an angle α determined according to the displacement between the support pins 5 and the pins 12.
Is rotated more than the connecting member 4, and the pins 5 and 1
2 becomes longer at the exchange position than at the operation position, the length of the electric connecting members 10 "is changed, and if they are inserted into each other, the electric connecting members 10" are automatically electrically connected. Is released.

The electrical connection and release may be replaced by the locking member 7 and the locking member 8 having a switch function.

All the image forming units can be connected to one common connecting member. In this case, however, all the image forming units 2 are simultaneously moved to the separated positions, respectively, so that the entire moving amount is large and the center of gravity is to the mobile to become larger, the center of gravity movement amount can be reduced the amount of movement of the imaging unit as a whole by connecting the image forming unit together adjacent individually as shown in the example of FIG. 1-5 Can be smaller.
An electrical connection for turning on and off the electrical connection described above.
The connecting member directly turns ON / OFF the voltage from the power supply.
For this reason, optical switches,
ON-OF the voltage from the power supply indirectly with a magnetic switch, etc.
F.

The following is a brief description of each unit.

As shown in FIG. 6, the base unit 1 has a case 21 provided with a paper feed port 22. The case 21 includes an image processing unit including an electric control unit, for example, a CPU, an interface, and a signal memory. Motor 24 and drive motor 2 for operating the system and the system in the imaging unit
A mechanical driving device 25 for transmitting the driving force of the fourth to the image forming unit 2 is stored.

The mechanical driving device 25 is provided with, for example, a first bevel gear 26a, and the first bevel gear 26a is provided, for example, with a bevel gear provided in the image forming unit 2 and the like mounted on the base unit 1. It meshes with the gear 27. The second bevel gear 26b meshes with a bevel gear provided in the image forming unit 2 above.

In the image forming unit 2, a bevel gear 27 is supported by a transmission shaft 28, and a combination of a worm 29 and a worm gear 30 and other mechanisms and a transmission ON / OFF mechanism 31 such as a clutch or a solenoid are transmitted from the transmission shaft 28. It is transmitted to each rotating body such as a roller via an accelerating / decelerating mechanism 32 or the like.

The base unit 1 has a built-in tray as a paper feeder, or a paper feed cassette 33 (FIG. 7) is detachably formed. Note that one paper feeder is
It is also possible to form them as separate units as one unit.

In each of the image forming units 2, similarly to the base unit 1, a transmission shaft 25 b that can be connected to a transmission shaft 25 a for driving transmission to the image forming units arranged side by side is provided. 26b and the like are provided. The above example is an example, and any structure can be used as long as the drive can be transmitted from one unit to another unit.

The image forming unit 2 can be formed as shown in FIG. 7 as an example of a powder developing system. The image forming unit 2 has one case 41 in which a recording opening 42 for recording paper is formed.

In the case of the electrophotographic system, a printing position by a first roller 43 and a transfer roller 44 pressed against the first roller 43 is arranged in the middle of a substantially straight paper passing path.

A latent image belt 46 is wound around the first roller 43 and the tension roller 45. The latent image belt 46 is driven in the direction of the arrow, and the writing optical system 47, the developing device 48,
An image forming process is performed by the cleaner 49 and the eraser 50. That is, the writing optical system 47 is uniformly charged by the primary charging roller 51, and a writing signal from the base unit 1 drives the LED array, for example, drives the LED array, records an image latent image on the latent image belt 46, and develops the latent image into a developing device. The image is developed and developed by a developing roller (or sleeve) 48a of 48, and the developed image is transferred to the recording paper 34 passing between the first roller 43 and the transfer roller 44 arranged opposite to the first roller 43. The recording paper 34 after the transfer is fixed later. The recording paper 43 is sent out from the paper feed cassette 33 by a paper feed roller 33a,
It is transported by the transport unit 4. The residual developer is removed from the latent image belt 46 after the transfer by the cleaner 49, and the residual charge is erased by the eraser 50. Latent image belt 4
Reference numeral 6 may be a dielectric belt on which a latent image can be formed by a stylus or a thermal head, or a ferroelectric material.

Each of the transfer rollers 44 can be connected to an independent power source for generating an electric field necessary for transferring the visualized particles. If necessary, a common power supply may be used.

In the example of FIG. 7, the first roller 43, the tension roller 45, and the developing roller 48a can form a flat unit by arranging their central axes substantially in the same plane. In this case, it is advantageous that the container of the developing device 48 is also formed as a thin container extending along the plane where the rollers are arranged.

When it is desired to use a black image and a monochromatic color image by appropriately switching between them or to form a multicolor image, one image forming unit is provided with a black developer and the other is provided with each color developer. In the case of a color, the request can be satisfied by containing a developer of a color corresponding to the separated color, for example, a developer of three colors of yellow, magenta, and cyan, or four colors including black as needed.

Instead of the electrophotographic method, a thermomagnetic writing method can be similarly formed. An image forming unit can be configured by disposing a thermal head in place of the primary roller 43 and disposing a supply roll and a take-up roll of the ink ribbon in the case 41. Similarly, an image can be formed by an ink jet or wire dot method.

A circuit constituting a control device as shown in FIG. 8 is formed on a substrate 23 in the base unit 1. In FIG. 8, an AC input is supplied to the inside of the base. The low voltage DC power supply supplies DC to each electric circuit board and motor. The control unit drives the entire apparatus and controls image signals and the like to the image forming unit.

The display device is a device for displaying the operating state of the base and the image forming unit to the operator.

The operation switch is set in accordance with the image forming unit to perform manual operation or feature detection (reading) of the image forming unit.

For image processing and memory control, an image signal is transmitted to a drive circuit such as a thermal head and an ink jet in the image forming unit.

The motor and the solenoid control the operation and drive of the image forming unit.

A to e indicate input / output of electric signals. a supplies a DC voltage to an electrical circuit in the imaging unit. b sends operation signals of solenoids in the same unit. c receives signals from sensors and the like from within the imaging unit. d transmits an image signal. "e" is a connector connected to a facsimile scanner or word processor.

A to d are composed of Centronics. e
Is composed of RS-232c. A indicates a rotating shaft that transmits the rotational drive of the motor to the image forming unit.

Although a driving source and a control device are not provided in each image forming unit in principle, a cooling fan, a detecting device and a circuit, a solenoid, and a solenoid for excellent image formation are provided in the image forming unit. , Small motors and the like may be incorporated.

For color image formation, a plurality of image forming units 2 of the same image forming system are stacked on the base unit 1. The number to be stacked is determined by the number of colors to be imaged. The recording paper fed from the base unit 1 can form an image by superimposing another color image in the first image forming unit 2.

In forming a full-color image, it is necessary to overlap three or four image forming units.

As shown in FIG. 9, the transport unit 3 has a case 61, a driving roller 62 and a driven roller 63 disposed in the case 61. A transport belt 64 is wound around the driving roller 62 and the driven roller 63. Although not shown, a drive motor for driving the drive roller 62 can be disposed in the case 61.

The driven roller 63 with the conveyor belt 64 therebetween
, A potential forming roller 65 is rotatably supported. The potential forming roller 65 is connected to a potential forming power source 66, and the driven roller 63 is grounded.

The transport belt 64 is formed as a dielectric sheet, and a voltage is applied by a potential forming roller 65 and a pattern convenient for adsorbing and transporting the recording paper, for example, a positive potential and a negative potential in a striped or checkered pattern. Is formed.

The transport belt 64 is guided by a guide roller 67 between the drive roller 62 and the driven roller 63. Each guide roller 67 can be configured to also serve as the transfer roller 44 in the image forming unit 2. In the image forming unit 2 of another system, the platen, the ink absorber, and the like may be arranged in the case 61 of the transport unit 3 so as to be opposed to the recording head of each image forming unit.

7 and FIG.
Paper 34 fed from paper feed roller 33a
Is transported by being attracted to the transport belt 64 where the potential is formed by the potential forming roller 65, and an image is sequentially formed on the recording paper 34 at the recording position of each image forming unit 2. When the guide roller 67 is also used as the transfer roller 44, an image is formed with the recording paper 34 pressed against each guide roller 67.

Since the recording paper is conveyed by suction into the transport belt and passes through a plurality of image forming units to sequentially form images, the positional deviation of the recording paper and the color deviation are prevented.

The recording paper on which the image formation by all the image forming units is completed is separated from the conveyor belt 64 by the separation claw 68 and is discharged to the upper discharge tray 69 by switching of the switching claw 71 or the horizontal discharge tray 70. Is discharged to The upper discharge tray 69 and the horizontal discharge tray 70 can be fixed to the case 61 or can be integrally formed. The upper end of the case 61 is covered by a cover 62.

When the image forming unit 2 uses a powder developer as shown in FIG. 7, fixing is required. Although a fixing device can be provided for each image forming unit, fixing is often performed after all image forming units 2 have been transferred.
In this case, a transport fixing unit in which the transport unit 3 and the fixing unit are integrated can be used.

Since the transport fixing unit itself is not the gist of the present invention, the description is omitted.

[0059]

According to the present invention, the image forming units can be spaced apart from each other when necessary, thereby facilitating unit replacement, maintenance and inspection, and supply replacement.

According to the present invention, an appropriate image recording apparatus can be formed by adding an image forming unit based on a combination of one image forming unit and one base unit. A device in which units are arbitrarily combined can be formed, a color recording device can be optionally formed, and an arbitrary color recording device can be constituted by increasing the device as needed.

According to the present invention, it is possible to separate the image forming unit from the operating position in contact with the image forming unit to the separated position by a simple structure of a connecting member for rotating an appropriate one of the superposed image forming units. In addition, it is possible to easily overlap the image forming positions again with accurate positional accuracy.

According to the present invention, the image forming unit can be held at the separated position by the lock means having a simple structure, and the operation of supplying consumables and the like is facilitated.

According to the present invention, by forming the connecting member and the electric connecting member separately or integrally, the electric connection can be easily performed at the time of assembling the image forming member.

According to the present invention, the electrical connection can be automatically opened and closed simultaneously with the movement of the image forming unit, and the safety of the operation of the user can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIGS. 1A and 1B are schematic front views showing an embodiment of an image recording apparatus according to the present invention.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are schematic front views showing another embodiment of the image recording apparatus according to the present invention.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are schematic front views showing still another embodiment of the image recording apparatus according to the present invention.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are schematic front views showing another embodiment of the image recording apparatus according to the present invention.

5A and 5B are schematic front views showing a modified embodiment of the image recording apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a base unit.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of an image forming unit.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a relation between components of a substrate of the base unit.

FIG. 9 is a schematic view of an example of a transport unit.

[Explanation of symbols]

Reference Signs List 1 base unit 2 imaging unit 3 transport unit 4
Connection member 5 Support pin 6 Supply member 7 Lock member 8 Lock engagement member 9 Supply member 10 Electrical connection member 10 'Electrical connection member 10 "Electrical connection member 11
Terminal 12 pin

Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Takashi Mori 1-3-6 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Ricoh Company (72) Inventor Akira Ishida 1-3-6 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo Stock Company In Ricoh (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) B41J 29/00 G03G 15/00 550 H04N 1/00

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] 1. A base unit in which an electric control device for controlling an image information signal or the like is stored in one case, and an image forming unit in which each component for forming an image based on the image signal is stored in one case. An image recording apparatus comprising: a plurality of image forming units arranged side by side on a base unit; and adjacent image forming units are connected to each other by a parallel connecting member so that adjacent units can be moved toward and away from each other. 2. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a lock member is provided on the unit and a connecting member is provided with a lock engagement member for holding the unit at the separated position. 3. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one connecting member is also used as an electrical connecting member between adjacent units. 4. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an electrical connecting member for electrically connecting adjacent units is provided separately from the connecting agent. 5. The connection length of the electrical connection member to be electrically connected is formed smaller than the length of the connection member for mechanical connection, and the electrical connection is turned on when the unit is moved.
The image recording apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a switch for turning off is formed.