JP3707635B2 - Cover mounting structure - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a cover that covers devices such as an image forming apparatus, and more particularly, to an attachment structure between covers, or a cover and a housing or unit of the devices (collectively referred to as “covers”).
[0002]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
A cover in a conventional apparatus such as an image forming apparatus is provided with a hole or a notch in the cover, and the portion is fixed to the housing by screwing or riveting.
However, this method requires fastening parts such as screws and rivets and work for attaching them. Further, since there is a slight backlash between the hole or notch and the screw or rivet, the cover cannot be accurately positioned.
[0003]
On the other hand, there is a method in which hooks such as claws are provided on the cover, and the hooks are attached to holes or claws formed in the housing. In this case, there is an advantage that the positioning becomes accurate, but there is a problem that the nail portion is weak and easily broken, and the cover itself is difficult to remove.
[0004]
FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a configuration of a connection portion of a conventional cover. Conventionally, as shown in the figure, it has been usual to arrange a mating portion of a cover a and a cover b at a corner portion. However, if this method is used, the corners of the equipment are too sharp. Also, since the covers do not overlap or engage with each other, each cover must be fixed to the equipment with screws and rivets, which increases the number of fastening parts such as screws and rivets. there were.
[0005]
FIG. 10 shows that the connecting end portion of one cover c in the corner portion is formed in an L shape so that the corner is rounded, and the end portion of the other cover d is bent into a crank shape. The fastening parts can be hidden. However, when the cover c is made of sheet metal, the edge c ′ may be exposed or warped like a dotted line and may not come to the target position indicated by the solid line.
[0006]
As shown in FIG. 11, when the cover e and the cover f are molded products of synthetic resin, a phenomenon of “inward tilt” in which the connection end of the cover e becomes an acute angle or is curved, There was a problem that it was difficult to attach to the counterpart cover f.
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The present invention has been conceived from the above facts, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a cover mounting structure in which the positioning of covers is simple, the number of fastening parts can be reduced, and attachment and removal are easy. It is another object of the present invention to provide a cover that can be prevented from falling off and coming off without using screws at the same time as positioning the covers.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, in a cover mounting structure that covers a predetermined portion of equipment with a plurality of sheets, adjacent covers overlap at a corner portion, and the length of the overlapping portion is 10 mm or more. Ri, and configured to cover formed outside a portion where each other become heavy to urge the cover formed inwardly at a portion where mutually become heavy to equipment by its elastic force, Or, partial cover made outward at portions mutually become heavy The end of the cover is inwardly curved, and the end of the part of the cover that becomes the inner side in the overlapping part is guided to the end of the cover that becomes the outer side while correcting the curvature. A guide slope having a direction length larger than the curved width is formed . It is also possible to the top Symbol cover and the housing of the equipment.
[0011]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention, in which a connecting end portion of a sheet metal cover 11 which becomes an outer side at an overlapping portion has an acute angle and is curved to form an inwardly tilting structure. On the other hand, connection of the sheet metal cover 12 on the inside in the overlapping portion bent in a crank-type and forms a guide inclined surface on the tip 1 2 a. The overlapping length L of the cover 11 and the cover 12 is 10 mm or more. At this time, the width D of the overlapping portion of the cover 12 is made larger than the curved width W of the outer cover 11 shown in the figure.
[0012]
When the cover 11 is overlapped with the overlapping part of the crank type of the cover 12, the length is 10 mm or more and the width D is larger than W, so the outer cover 11 and the inner cover 12 must overlap each other. Therefore, it can be prevented that the maximum portion of the curve does not overlap and the attachment becomes difficult as in the conventional case. Also, the tip 1 2 a is in the guide slope, a large portion of the curved riding here, slides up the surface, easily fit into a normal position shown in FIG. 1 (b). Then, by correcting the inward tilt, a large urging force F acts from the outer cover 11 to the inner cover 12, and the inner cover 12 falls off even if there are no fastening parts such as screws and rivets. Or will not come off.
[0013]
FIG. 2 is the same as FIG. 1 except that the covers 13 and 14 are molded products of synthetic resin, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an attachment portion. The cover 13 shown in these drawings can obtain the same urging force even if the degree of inward tilt is smaller than the cover made of sheet metal in FIG.
[0014]
FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. The A cover 15 in the figure has engaging portions made of a semicircular convex shape 15a at both ends. The adjacent B cover 16 and C cover 17 are formed with concave shapes 16a and 17a that fit into the convex shape 15a. Therefore, when the B cover 16 and the C cover 17 are positioned at predetermined positions, the A cover 15 is automatically positioned at a predetermined position even if there are no screw holes for positioning parts or positioning holes. Is done. The semicircular convex shape 15a and the semicircular concave shapes 16a and 17a may be any shape as long as positioning is possible. However, the thing which cannot rattle when it fits is desirable.
[0015]
FIG. 5 shows a third embodiment of the present invention. The D cover 18 shown in the figure has engaging portions 18a and 18a that are lowered by one step at both ends. The E cover 19 and the F cover 20 on both sides of the D cover 18 have engaged portions 19a and 20a that are dimensioned to hold down the depressed engaging portions 18a and 18a. When fixed, the D cover 6 can be prevented from falling off and coming off without having a hole for a fastening part.
[0016]
The positioning of the D cover 18 may be a means for projecting the pin 18b from the D cover 18 and inserting it into the hole 10a of the housing 10. Although illustration is omitted, it is possible to adopt a configuration opposite to that shown in the figure in which a pin protrudes from the housing 10 and a hole is formed in the D cover 18.
[0017]
The engaged portions 16a and 17a of the B cover 16 and the C cover 17 shown in FIG. 4 are used as the engaged portions 18a of the D cover 18 shown in FIG. 5, and the convex engaging portion 15a of the A cover 15 is used as the E cover. 19, the engaging portions 19a and 20a of the F cover 20 may be used.
[0018]
FIG. 6 shows an embodiment in which one cover is a housing 10 for equipment. In this figure, the G cover 21 having the convex engaging portion 21a is positioned by providing the engaged portion 10b having a semicircular concave shape in a part of the housing 10. An H cover 22 is provided on the opposite side of the housing 12 and similarly has a semicircular concave engaged portion 22a. With such a configuration, the G cover 21 can be positioned similarly to the A cover 15 in the embodiment of FIG.
[0019]
FIG. 7 is an embodiment similar to FIG. 6, but the housing 10 has a hole as the engaged portion 10c, and the J cover 23 has a pin-like engaging portion that enters the engaged portion 10c. 23a is provided. Further, the K cover 24 on the opposite side of the housing 10 has a pin-like engaging portion 24a, and the J cover 23 is provided with a hole-like engaged portion 23b. By fixing the K cover 24, the J cover 23 can be prevented from falling off and coming off as in the embodiment of FIG. In this example, the J cover 23 is perforated. However, a fastening part is not particularly used, and the connection portion is also hidden, so that the appearance can be improved.
[0020]
Furthermore, if the fitting relationship between the engaging portion 23a and the engaged portion 10c and the engaging portion 24a and the engaged portion 23b is set to a small eye gap size, the J cover 23 can be positioned at the same time. Become.
[0021]
In the above-described embodiment, the relationship in which the covers are sandwiched between the covers or between the cover and the casing has been described. However, the configuration of the present invention is possible even when both sides of the cover are casings. In this case, however, the positioned cover cannot be easily removed unless one of the casings is easily removable. However, if the positioned cover does not need to be removed at all, it is not necessary.
[0022]
Further, the same as described in the above embodiment can be said between the housing and the component unit. That is, one of the adjacent covers is a case and the other is a unit. Since this is a configuration in which the H cover 22 in FIG. 6 and the K cover 24 in FIG. 7 are replaced with units, the illustration is omitted.
[0023]
The same can be said for the U-shaped covers 25 and 26 as shown in the embodiment of FIG. 8, which illustrates a cover having a planar or corner bent connection portion in the above embodiment. That is, there is a convex engagement portion 25a at the connection portion of the cover 25 with the cover 26, and the concave engagement portion 26a formed on the cover 26 is fitted, positioned, and dropped or detached. Is prevented.
[0024]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, in the cover mounting structure, adjacent covers overlap at the corner portion, and the end portion of the cover that is outside at the overlapping portion is curved inward, At the end of the part of the cover that becomes the inner side in the overlapping part, the length of the inner side is larger than the bending width so as to guide the end of the cover that becomes the outer side while correcting the curve. If it is set as the structure in which the slope was formed, even if the attaching part is curving, covers can be attached easily. If the outer cover urges the inner cover toward the devices by its elastic force, the number of fastening parts can be reduced. Further, the appearance (look) is improved by reducing the number of fastening parts.
[Brief description of the drawings]
1A and 1B are views showing an embodiment of a cover mounting structure according to the present invention, in which FIG. 1A is a side view of the cover, FIG. 1B is a view showing a mounting state, and FIG.
FIGS. 2A and 2B are diagrams of an embodiment in which the cover in FIG. 1 is made of a synthetic resin mold, in which FIG. 2A is a side view of the cover, and FIG.
3 is a perspective view showing a state where a cover of the embodiment of FIG. 2 is attached. FIG.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an embodiment in which covers are connected and connected by a convex engaging portion and a concave engaged portion.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of an attachment structure in which a cover having an engaging portion that is depressed at both ends is pressed by covers on both sides.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an embodiment in which a cover and a housing of equipment are connected and attached.
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment in which the engaging portion and the engaged portion are formed of protrusions and holes.
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an embodiment in which covers are U-shaped.
FIG. 9 is a view showing a conventional cover mounting structure.
FIG. 10 is a view showing another mounting structure of a conventional cover.
11A and 11B are diagrams for explaining inward tilting of a conventional cover, in which FIG. 11A is a side view illustrating a state where the covers do not overlap each other, and FIG. 11B is a perspective view illustrating the inward state of the cover;
[Explanation of symbols]
12, 13 Cover 15, 16, 17 Cover 18, 19, 20 Cover 21, 22 Cover 23, 24 Cover 15a, 18a Engagement part 21a, 23a, 24a Engagement part 16a, 19a, 20a Engagement part 10b, 10c , 22a Engaged part 23b, 26a Engaged part W Curved width L Length of inner cover overlapping part D Width of inner cover overlapping part

Claims (3)

In the mounting structure of the covers, which covers a predetermined portion of the equipment in plurality, overlapping adjacent cover in the corner section state, and are the 10mm or more the length of the portion each other become heavy, and cover made outward at portions each other become heavy its A cover mounting structure characterized by urging a cover, which is inside at the overlapping portion, toward the devices by elastic force .   In a cover mounting structure that covers a predetermined part of equipment with a plurality of sheets, adjacent covers overlap at the corner, and the end of the part of the cover that is outside at the overlapping part is curved inward and overlaps At the end of the portion of the cover that becomes the inner side of the portion, there is a guide slope whose length in the inner direction is larger than the bending width so as to guide the end of the cover that becomes the outer side while correcting the curvature. Cover mounting structure characterized by being formed. The cover mounting structure according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cover is a housing of equipment .

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