JP3420681B2 - Image forming apparatus and process cartridge used therein - 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 forming apparatus and a process cartridge used for the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent image forming apparatuses, not only the toner cartridge but also the photoconductor has been replaced as a consumable item because of a decrease in the price of the photoconductor. For this reason, in many cases, a process cartridge incorporating an image forming process unit such as a toner cartridge or a charging unit or a photoconductor is used so that the photoconductor is replaced with the toner cartridge.

In addition, a user who installs the image forming apparatus in a space that does not have enough room and uses the image forming apparatus requires a compact image forming apparatus. In order to meet this demand, in an image forming apparatus aiming at downsizing, each part is arranged and stored in a high density inside the apparatus main body. Therefore, the process cartridge is also housed in a narrow space.

Further, conventionally, when the process cartridge is mounted at the image forming position, it is prevented that the process cartridge and the apparatus main body are elastically engaged with each other and the process cartridge is displaced during the operation of the image forming apparatus. There is something to do. The operator can confirm that the process cartridge has been securely mounted at the image forming position by the sound emitted at the time of engagement.

[0005]

In the image forming apparatus aiming at downsizing, it is prioritized that the objects to be housed inside the apparatus body are arranged at a high density and the apparatus body is made as small as possible. It is difficult to pay attention to the above, and provision of a handle that is easy to grasp is not prioritized and tends to be treated secondarily. Therefore, there are not many cases in which the handle of the process cartridge is formed large, and it may be difficult to understand which is the handle in some cases. Therefore, an unfamiliar operator cannot easily replace the process cartridge.

Further, in the case where the process cartridge and the apparatus main body are elastically engaged with each other, if the operator does not know that a sound is emitted when the process cartridge is securely mounted, the operation is performed. The person may end the mounting work while operating the image forming apparatus while the mounting of the process cartridge is uncertain.

Therefore, according to the present invention, the handle of the process cartridge is formed so that it can be recognized as a handle only by visual inspection, and whether the process cartridge is securely attached by utilizing this handle and the arrangement inside the apparatus main body. An object is to obtain an image forming apparatus that can be easily identified.

[0008]

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus having a cover provided on an apparatus main body so as to be freely opened and closed.
The photoconductor and at least one image forming process unit.
With a built-in unit, and put it in and out of the image forming position inside the device body.
And a process cartridge that can be freely installed
In the image forming apparatus, the process cartridge
Hand attaches the process cartridge to the image forming position
When the cover is opened, the tip of the handle is close to the inner surface of the cover.
Contact the cover and close the cover in the low position
The process cartridge is pressed against the inner surface of
It is provided at the position where it is set to the imaging position in the body
There Ru.

Therefore, since the handle of the process cartridge has a shape protruding from the plane, it is easy to catch the eye in comparison with the plane and it is easy to recognize that the handle is a handle. Also, since the tip of the handle is close to the inner surface of the cover , the operator can close the cover even if the process cartridge is not inserted to the image formation position and is attached at a halfway position.
When pressed in the twisting direction, the inner surface of the handle presses the handle,
Seth cartridge Ru is attached to the image forming position.

[0010]

[0011] In the image forming apparatus of a second aspect of the present invention,
The handle projects along the guide direction of the process cartridge. Therefore, the process cartridge can be smoothly extracted by pulling the handle in the protruding direction.

[0012] In the image forming apparatus of the invention of claim 3, wherein the
The fixing unit is provided near the lower portion of the handle of the process cartridge, and the hole is formed in the handle. The fixing unit is provided near the lower portion of the handle of the process cartridge, and the hole is formed in the handle. Therefore, the heat generated by the fixing unit is convected without being trapped under the handle, so that it is possible to prevent the heat from being difficult to dissipate due to the large size of the handle.

[0013]

[0014]

[0015]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional right side view showing the structure of the image forming apparatus of the present embodiment in which the process cartridge is mounted at the image forming position, and the left side in FIG. 5 is the front side of the image forming apparatus. This image forming apparatus includes an apparatus main body 1
The printer unit 3 which has a paper conveyance path 2 in the lower part thereof, prints out on the paper conveyed through the paper conveyance path 2 is provided above the paper conveyance path 2, and the scanner unit 4 which reads an image of a document is provided in the printer unit 3. It is provided on the top.

The printer section 3 comprises a latent image forming section 5, a process cartridge 6 and a fixing section 7. First, the process cartridge 6 is formed by rotatably mounting the photoconductor 9 on the unit main body 8 and arranging and attaching the charging member 10 and the developing unit 11 which are image forming process units around the photoconductor 9. Has been done. Photoconductor 9
Is pressed against a transfer portion 12 provided inside the apparatus main body 1. The developing section 11 is in contact with the photoconductor 9 and a developer container 13 formed integrally with the unit main body 8, a rotatable agitator 14 for agitating the developer contained in the developer container 13. Developing roller 15 and this developing roller 15
Supply roller 16 for supplying a developer to the developing roller 15 and developing roller 15
And a blade 17 in contact with.

The latent image forming section 5 includes a process cartridge 6
Is provided on the upper part of the image forming device, and forms an electrostatic latent image by scanning the charged portion of the photoconductor 9 with laser light modulated based on an image signal.

On the back side of the apparatus main body 1, there is provided a paper feed tray 18 for supporting the original read by the scanner unit 4 and for mounting the paper S obliquely. Below the paper feed tray 18, the paper feed roller 1 that is rotationally driven.
9, a pressing plate 20 that is urged in one direction to press the sheet S on the sheet feed tray 18 against the sheet feed roller 19, and the sheet S is elastically contacted with the sheet feed roller 19. A blocking pad 21 and a pinch roller 22 are provided for blocking. Here, the paper feeding unit 23 is the paper feeding tray 1.
8, a paper feed roller 19, a pressing plate 20, a separation pad 21, and a pinch roller 22.

The paper feed roller 19, the separation pad 21, and the pinch roller 22 are arranged on the entrance side of the paper transport path 2.
A bottom path 24, which is located on the downstream side of the paper feed roller 19, communicates with the paper transport path 2. In the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment, it is also possible to place the apparatus main body 1 on a sheet feeding apparatus (not shown) that is separate from the apparatus main body and feed the sheet from the sheet feeding apparatus. When the paper in the paper feeder is used, the paper is fed through the bottom path 24.

A fixing unit 7 for fixing the image transferred on the sheet S is arranged on the downstream side of the sheet conveying path 2. A first paper discharge roller 25 is provided downstream of the fixing unit 7, and a straight paper discharge port 26 for horizontally discharging the paper S is provided on the front surface of the apparatus main body 1.

A paper stacker 27 is provided above the fixing unit 7 and opens on the upper surface of the apparatus main body 1. The sheet stacker 27 separates the bottom portion 28 from the printer unit 3 housed inside the apparatus main body 1, and also forms the sheet S.
And a backing plate 29 for supporting.

A rotatable switching claw 30 is provided on the upstream side of the straight paper discharge port 26. This switching claw 30
Is selectively rotated to be positioned on a line connecting the first paper ejection roller 25 and the straight paper ejection port 26, and the traveling direction of the paper S sent by the first paper ejection roller 25 is set to the straight paper ejection port 2
It is directed away from 6 and faces upward.

Between the switching claw 30 and the sheet stacker 27, a reverse sheet discharge path 31 for guiding the sheet S is provided. The reverse sheet discharge path 31 is provided with a pair of reverse sheet discharge guides 31.
It is formed by a and 31b. A second paper discharge roller 32 that sends the paper S to the paper stacker 27 is provided at the upper end of the reverse paper discharge path 31. This second paper discharge roller 32
Is composed of a pair of rollers 32a and 32b.

Here, the front surface of the apparatus main body 1 is a cover 33 that can be opened and closed. The cover 33 is rotatably supported by a rotation fulcrum 34. Further, the bottom portion 28 of the sheet stacker 27 and the receiving plate 29, and the reverse sheet ejection guide 31
The a and the upper roller 32a are provided on the cover 33 and rotate together.

The scanner section 4 provided on the upper part of the apparatus main body 1 has a reading section 35 for reading an image of an original and an original table 36 on which the original supplied to the reading section 35 is placed. The original table 36 is rotatably supported around a fulcrum shaft 37.

The document table 36 is supported so as to be rotatable between a document guide position and a discharged sheet receiving position. The document table 36 located at the document guide position is shown by a solid line in FIG. 5, and is along the document feeding direction of the scanner unit 4. The document table 36 is configured to be stable by a table support 38 at the document guide position.
The table support 38 is formed on the cover 33.

A document table 36 located at the discharged paper receiving position
Is shown in phantom in FIG. The apparatus main body 1 is provided with a stopper (not shown), and the original table 36 is configured to be stabilized at the discharged sheet receiving position by this stopper. When the document table 36 is located at the paper ejection receiving position,
The back surface of the document table 36 is located on the inner wall of the paper stacker 27, that is, on the upper virtual extension surface of the receiving plate 29 along the discharge direction of the paper S, and is used as an auxiliary paper discharge receiver.

A panel-shaped operation section (not shown) is provided on the upper surface of the outer casing of the scanner section 4. When the copy mode is selected, this operation unit sets the number of copies, the size of the paper, the scaling ratio of the copy, and the like, and when the facsimile mode is selected, the destination telephone number is input. It has a function. Further, a display unit (not shown) is provided near one side of the operation unit to show the operating state of the printer unit 3 such as a power source display, an error display, a jam occurrence, and communication with a personal computer. .

Next, the process cartridge 6 of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. The unit main body 8 of the process cartridge 6 has a grip 39 protruding from the substantially flat upper surface 8a. This handle 39
Is for holding the process cartridge 6 when the process cartridge 6 is pulled out from the apparatus main body 1 or mounted on the apparatus main body 1. The handle 39 is formed long in the longitudinal direction of the unit main body 8 and has a hole 40 in the center. Further, the height of the handle 39 is set to such a height that it just comes into contact with the inner surface of the cover 33, that is, the back surface of the receiving plate 29 when the process cartridge 6 is mounted at the image forming position in the apparatus main body 1. .

A first protrusion 41 and a second protrusion 42 are provided on both side surfaces of the unit body 8. The first protrusion 41 is provided in the vicinity of the rotation shaft of the photoconductor 9, and the second protrusion 42 is formed on the developer container 13. Further, the first protruding portion 41 slidably engages with the first guide groove 43 formed inside the apparatus main body 1. Similarly, the second protrusion 42 has a second guide groove 44 formed inside the apparatus body 1.
Slidably engage with.

The first guide groove 43 and the second guide groove 44 are grooves formed along the inserting / removing guide direction of the process cartridge 6, and the first protruding portion 41 and the second protruding portion 42.
Is to guide. Further, the unit body 8 of the handle 39
The angle with respect to the upper surface 8a corresponds to the direction in which the first guide groove 43 and the second guide groove 44 are guided.

The unit body 8 is provided with a shutter 45 for covering the photoconductor 9 and the like when the process cartridge 6 is not mounted inside the apparatus body 1. Shutter 4
5 is an arm 46 vertically provided in the longitudinal direction at both ends.
Have. Each arm 46 has a shutter 4 at one end.
5 is rotatably attached, and the other end is rotatably attached to both side surfaces of the unit body 8 by a support shaft 47. Further, the arm 46 is biased in a direction of closing the shutter 45 by a spring 48 wound around a support shaft 47.

A spring 49 for urging the tip of the shutter 45 against the unit body 8 is provided at the mounting portion of the arm 46 and the shutter 45. Also,
An engaging portion 50 protruding outward is provided near the portion of the arm 46 attached to the shutter 45.

With such a structure, when the image of the original is read, the original table 36 is maintained at the horizontal original guide position and the original is supplied to the reading section 35. An image of the supplied original is read by the reading unit 35 and is supported on the upper portion of the paper feed tray 18 in a leaning state. The read image is transmitted to the outside in the usage mode of the facsimile transmission mode, or the paper S is fed from the paper feed tray 18 and printed on the paper S in the usage mode of the copy mode. Alternatively, the image transmitted from the outside is printed on the paper S in the usage mode as the reception mode of the facsimile.

When an image is printed on the sheet S, first, the surface of the photoconductor 9 is charged by the charging member 10 in the process of being rotated in the clockwise direction in FIG. An electrostatic latent image is formed on the charged portion of the photoconductor 9 by the latent image forming unit 5 based on the formed image. This electrostatic latent image is developed by the developing unit 11. The developed image is transferred to the paper S fed from the paper feed tray 18 by the paper feed roller 19. The sheet S on which the image is transferred is fixed and discharged when passing through the fixing unit 7.

The direction in which the paper S is ejected can be selected by the operator when printing is performed with the original table 36 in the paper ejection receiving position. Here, since the paper stacker 27 becomes shallow because the overall height of the apparatus main body 1 is reduced, and even if the receiving plate 29 alone does not have a sufficient length to support the sheet S, the original table 36 is virtually above the receiving plate 29. Since it is located on the extension surface, the ejected paper S is supported by the back surface of the original table 36 and the receiving plate 29.

When the document table 36 is rotated to the document guide position, a sensor (not shown) detects that the document table 36 is at the document guide position, and a solenoid (not shown) attached to the switching claw 30 is driven, Switching claw 3
0 is automatically switched to the straight paper discharge port 26. Therefore, when the document table 36 is at the document guide position and the paper stacker 27 is closed, the paper S is discharged from the straight paper discharge port 26 regardless of the operator's selection.

In carrying out the operation, the manuscript table 3
6 and the switching claw 30 may be connected by a connecting lever (not shown), and the connecting lever may be formed to rotate the switching claw 30 when the document table 36 is rotated.
Even with such a configuration, the switching claw 30 is rotated as the document table 36 is rotated to the document guide position, and the discharge direction of the paper S is automatically switched to the straight paper discharge port 26. be able to.

In the image forming apparatus of this embodiment, when replacing the process cartridge 6, the operator first opens the cover 33, grasps the handle 39 of the process cartridge 6, and pulls out the process cartridge 6. Here, the operator instinctively moves the handle 3 in the direction in which the handle 39 is projected.
Since it is considered that 9 is pulled out, the handle 3 of the present embodiment
9 is formed so as to project in the insertion / removal guide direction indicated by the first guide groove 43 and the second guide groove 44. Therefore, the operator can smoothly extract the process cartridge 6 without making a mistake in the extraction direction. In the process cartridge 6 taken out, the shutter 45 is closed by the bias of the spring 48, and the photoconductor 9 is covered.

Then, the operator mounts a new process cartridge 6. When a new process cartridge 6 is mounted, the engaging portion 50 engages with an engaging portion (not shown) inside the apparatus body 1, the shutter 45 is rotated and opened, and the photoconductor 9 in the apparatus body 1 is opened. Is exposed. When the process cartridge 6 is mounted at the image forming position, the cover 33 is closed and the state shown in FIG. Here, FIG.
As shown in (b), when the first guide groove 43 and the second guide groove 44 are not inserted to the end,
The inner surface of the cover 33, that is, the back surface of the receiving plate 29 is a handle 39.
Interfere with the tip of. As a result, it is possible to recognize that the process cartridge 6 is not mounted at the image forming position with a simple structure. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide a sensor for confirming the mounting position of the process cartridge 6 and a display unit for notifying the operator that the process cartridge 6 is not mounted at the image forming position. When the operator presses the cover 33 in the closing direction when the process cartridge 6 is not mounted in the image forming position, the inner surface of the receiving plate 29 presses the handle 39, and the process cartridge 6 is mounted in the image forming position. To be done.

Further, since the handle 39 is formed large, the operator can grasp the handle 39 not necessarily from the front. Here, the handle 39 is formed large, but since the hole 40 is formed in the handle 39, the fixing portion 7 disposed close to the process cartridge 6 is provided.
The generated heat can be convected without being trapped under the handle 39, and since the handle 39 is large, the heat does not easily dissipate. Further, since the hole 40 is formed, the operator can easily grasp the handle 39.

[0042]

According to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the inner surface of the cover provided on the main body of the apparatus can be opened and closed.
Since the tip of the handle of the process cartridge mounted in the image forming position is close to the handle, the handle of the process cartridge can be made to project from the plane so that the handle can be easily caught by the operator's eyes in comparison with the plane. Therefore, it is possible to make it easier for the operator to recognize that it is a handle, and since the tip of the handle is close to the inner surface of the cover,
If the process cartridge is not inserted to the image formation position and is installed in a halfway position, the operator will not be able to cover it.
-When pressed in the closing direction, the inner surface presses the handle
Then, the process cartridge can be mounted at the image forming position .

[0043]

[0044] In the image forming apparatus of a second aspect of the present invention,
Since the handle projects along the guide direction of the process cartridge, the process cartridge can be smoothly pulled out by pulling in the direction in which the handle projects.

In the image forming apparatus according to the third aspect of the invention,
The fixing unit is provided near the lower part of the handle of the process cartridge, and since the hole is formed in the handle, the heat generated from the fixing unit can be convected without being trapped under the handle, and the heat is large because the handle is large. It is possible to prevent it from becoming difficult to diverge.

[0046]

[0047]

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1A is a vertical cross-sectional right side view showing an embodiment of an image forming apparatus of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a vertical cross-sectional right side view showing a state in which a process cartridge is not mounted at an image forming position. Is.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a process cartridge of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side view thereof.

FIG. 4 is a front view thereof.

FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional right side view showing the internal structure of the embodiment of the image forming apparatus of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 device body 6 process cartridges 7 fixing section 10, 11 Image forming process unit 33 cover 39 handle 40 holes S paper

Front page continuation (58) Fields surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G03G 15/00 550 G03G 21/16-21/18

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] And 1. A cover openably provided on the apparatus main body, the photoreceptor and incorporates at least one image forming process unit, and a process cartridge that will be out mounted to image forming position inside the apparatus main body Image shape with,
In the manufacturing apparatus, the handle of the process cartridge is the process car.
With the handle mounted in the image forming position, the handle
The tip of the cover close to the inner surface of the cover,
When it is blocked by the table, it is pressed against the inner surface of the cover and
The process cartridge is at the image forming position in the main unit
An image forming apparatus, which is provided at a position to be set . 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the handle is projected along a guide direction of the process cartridge. 3. A fixing unit of the image forming apparatus is provided below the vicinity of the handle of the process cartridge, an image forming apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the handle, characterized in that the hole is formed.