JP4077335B2 - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
[Industrial application fields]
The present invention relates to an electrical unit provided with a plurality of electrical boards, and an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, a facsimile, and a composite machine including these electrical units.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, and a facsimile, a plurality of electrical boards such as a power supply device, a composite high-voltage power supply, and an engine board are used to start and control electrical components such as a motor and a sensor. . Although these electrical boards are accompanied by maintenance work during an abnormal operation of the image forming apparatus, they are arranged at different locations of the image forming apparatus due to the layout of the apparatus. For this reason, at the time of maintenance of the electrical boards, it is troublesome to access and remove the necessary electrical boards from various directions of the image forming apparatus.
In such a background, Patent Document 1 discloses a state in which an electrical component configured by integrating a plurality of electrical components can be opened and closed in the vertical direction, and the electrical component is opened with respect to the apparatus by using a holding member. An image forming apparatus that can be held by the printer is described.
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-334725
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the image forming apparatus described in Patent Literature 1, electrical components as a plurality of electrical boards are gathered in an electrical part that can be opened and closed in the vertical direction, and are opened with respect to the apparatus by a holding member. It is not supposed to be removable. For this reason, depending on the arrangement | positioning location of the electrical component of an electrical equipment part, there exists a part which becomes a shadow of an electrical equipment part or an apparatus, and the subject that a maintenance operation | work is difficult is included.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus that can easily perform maintenance work.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, according to a first aspect of the present invention, in an image forming apparatus provided with a plurality of electrical boards in the apparatus main body, each of the electrical boards can be moved in the insertion direction and the extraction direction with respect to the apparatus main body. In addition to being configured as one electrical unit, there is provided a regulating means that regulates the movement of the electrical unit when it is moved in the pull-out direction. For this reason, an operator can remove a plurality of boards from the equipment body at one time by removing the electrical equipment unit from the equipment body during maintenance of the electrical equipment boards, and inadvertently drop the electrical equipment unit from the equipment body. Disappears.
[0006]
The restricting means is provided on each of the apparatus main body and the electrical unit, and is configured by protrusions that engage with each other when the electrical unit is moved in the pull-out direction from the apparatus main body. The protrusions are shaped so that one protrusion rides over the other protrusion when the electrical unit is further moved in the pull-out direction from the engaged state. For this reason, at the time of maintenance of the electrical equipment boards, the electrical equipment unit can be completely removed from the equipment main body by one operation by an operation in the pulling direction while preventing the electrical equipment unit from being accidentally dropped from the equipment main body.
[0007]
When the electrical unit reaches the installation surface of the device body and the electrical unit is moved in the insertion direction and the withdrawal direction, a support unit is provided to support the movement. The electrical unit will be supported. For this reason, it is preferable because the load on the operator due to the weight of the electrical unit can be reduced.
[0008]
A configuration in which a protective portion is provided between the support portion and the installation surface is preferable because it can prevent rubbing between the support station and the installation surface when the electrical unit is moved in the insertion direction and the pull-out direction.
[0009]
If the handshake part for moving the electrical unit is integrally provided in the protection part, the total number of parts of the image forming apparatus can be reduced, and the cost can be reduced. If the protective part is made of rubber, the impact due to sliding and interference between the support part of the electrical unit and the installation surface when the electrical unit is pulled out and placed is reduced, leading to quietness during work.
In the present invention, the electrical boards are at least a power supply device, a composite high-voltage power supply, and an engine board.
[0010]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an internal schematic configuration of a color printer as an image forming apparatus. In the color printer, a paper feed cassette 2 serving as a paper feed unit for storing paper 3 as a recording material is disposed below the apparatus main body 20. The paper 3 in the paper feed cassette 2 is conveyed into the apparatus main body 20 by a paper feed roller 4 disposed in the vicinity of the paper feed cassette 2. In the apparatus main body 20, a writing unit 1 and a drum-shaped photoconductor as an image carrier to which laser beams separated in each color component of yellow, cyan, magenta, and black in the unit 1 are respectively irradiated. Toner image forming cartridges 6B, 6C, 6M, and 6Y having 60B, 60C, 60M, and 60Y, and an intermediate transfer belt 7 that constitutes an intermediate transfer member to which toner images formed by the image forming cartridges are secondarily transferred; The transfer unit 8 transfers the toner image transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 7 to the paper 3, the fixing unit 9 fixes the transferred toner image to the paper 3, and the fixed paper 3 is placed outside the apparatus main body 20. And a discharge roller 10 to be conveyed. The transfer unit 8 includes an intermediate transfer belt 7 and a transfer roller 8A as a transfer member disposed to face the belt.
[0011]
When the laser beam from the writing unit 1 is irradiated to each photoconductor, a latent image is formed on each photoconductor. These electrostatic latent images are visualized by a developing device (not shown) disposed adjacent to each photoconductor, and are primarily transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 7. The sheet 3 transported into the apparatus main body 20 by the paper feed roller 4 is transported at a delivery timing by a registration roller pair 5 provided in front of the transfer unit 8, and is transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 7 by the transfer unit 8. The formed primary toner image is secondarily transferred. The sheet 3 on which the toner image has been transferred passes through the fixing unit 9 to be fixed, and is discharged by a discharge roller 10 to a sheet discharge unit 11 formed on the upper portion of the apparatus main body 20.
[0012]
In this embodiment, toner bottles 12Y, 12M, 12C, and 12B for supplying toner of each color to the image forming cartridges 6Y, 6M, 6C, and 6B are disposed below the paper discharge unit 11. Each of the toner bottles, the intermediate transfer belt 7 and each of the image forming cartridges are disposed so as to be inclined in the same direction with respect to the apparatus main body 20 and form an excess space on the back surface 20A side of the apparatus main body 20. In this embodiment, the writing unit 1 is similarly inclined and forms a surplus space with the paper feed cassette 2.
[0013]
The color printer includes an electrical unit 25 in the surplus space. As shown in FIG. 2, the electrical unit 25 includes a power supply unit (hereinafter referred to as “PSU”) 14, a composite high-voltage power supply (hereinafter referred to as “HVP”) 15, an engine board (hereinafter referred to as “BCU”). 16). The electrical unit 25 is detachable so that the PSU 14, HVP 15, and BCU 16 can be moved in the insertion direction indicated by the arrow A and the drawing direction indicated by the arrow B with respect to the apparatus main body 20 from the back surface 20 A side that is one direction of the apparatus main body 20 It is configured as a single unit. An opening 19 for attaching and detaching the electrical unit 25 is formed on the back surface 20A.
[0014]
As shown in FIG. 3, the electrical unit 25 includes a plurality of brackets 22 and 23 formed by sheet metal processing. The bracket 22 has an L-shaped cross section in FIG. 3, and a bottom surface 22 a of the bracket 22 is mounted on the frame 21 provided inside the apparatus main body 20 so as to be slidable in the insertion direction A and the extraction direction B. The vertical wall 22b rising substantially perpendicular to the bottom surface 22a constitutes the rear surface of the apparatus when the electrical unit 25 is installed in the apparatus main body 20. The bracket 23 has a U-shaped cross section and is fixed to the bottom surface 22a. The PSU 14 is detachably mounted on the vertical wall 22b above the bracket 23, the HVP 15 is detachably mounted on the bracket 23, and the BCU 16 is detachably mounted on the bottom surface 22a. A plurality of holes (not shown) for mounting and fixing the electrical unit 25 to the apparatus main body 20 are formed in the vertical wall 22b. A mounting portion into which the screw is screwed is formed around the opening 20b.
[0015]
This color printer is provided with a stopper 17 as a regulating means for regulating the movement of the electrical unit 25 in the pull-out direction B. The stopper 17 is provided on each of the frame 21 of the apparatus main body 20 and the bottom surface 22a of the electrical unit 25. The stoppers 17 are projections 18 and 19 that engage with each other when the electrical unit 25 is moved in the pull-out direction B from the apparatus main body 20. It is configured. The protrusion 18 is disposed at the end of the bottom surface 22a located near the inside of the apparatus main body 20, and the protrusion 19 is disposed at the end of the frame 19 positioned from the opening 20B. When the electrical unit 25 is further moved in the pull-out direction B from a state in which the protrusions 18 and 19 are engaged with each other, the protrusion 18 on the moving side that becomes one protrusion becomes the protrusion 19 on the fixed side that becomes the other protrusion. It has a shape to get over. In the present embodiment, the protrusions 18 and 19 have a triangular cross section as shown in FIG. 3, and are arranged so that the tops of the protrusions 18 and 19 are positioned in a vertical direction perpendicular to the pulling direction B.
[0016]
In such a configuration of the electrical unit 25, in order to remove the electrical unit 25 in the mounted state in the apparatus main body 20, a screw (not shown) is loosened by an operator (not shown). Then, as shown in FIG. 4, when the electrical unit 25 is pulled from the apparatus main body 20 in the vertical direction perpendicular to the extraction direction B and the grain extraction direction B, the electrical unit 25 moves horizontally on the frame 21. It is pulled out of the apparatus body 20 while sliding.
[0017]
When the movement of the electrical unit 25 in the pull-out direction B proceeds, the projection 18 that moves integrally with the electrical unit 25 engages with the projection 19 on the fixed side, and the movement of the electrical unit 25 is restricted. For this reason, the electrical unit 25 is prevented from being accidentally detached from the apparatus main body 20 and falling.
[0018]
When the electrical unit 25 is further moved in the drawing direction B from the state in which the protrusions 18 and 19 are engaged, the inclined surface 18 a of the protrusion 18 gets over the inclined surface 19 a of the protrusion 19. For this reason, since the electrical equipment unit 25 can be completely removed from the apparatus main body 20, it becomes very easy to replace and inspect each base. Since the PSU14, HVP15, and BCU16, which are examples of electrical boards, are made into one unit, the operator can reach the board to be maintained by an access method from one direction, and is freed from complicated disassembly work during maintenance. Workability during maintenance becomes easier. By removing the electrical unit 25 from the apparatus main body 20 during maintenance of the PSU 14, HVP 15, and BCU 16, these multiple boards can be removed from the apparatus main body 20 at once, and maintenance work can be performed by removing each part in the removed state. Workability at the time becomes easier.
[0019]
Depending on the amount of protrusion of the protrusions 18 and 19, it may be assumed that the protrusion 18 cannot get over the protrusion 19 simply by pulling in the pulling direction B. In such a case, the protrusions 18 and 19 are engaged. In this state, the electrical unit 25 is pulled upward while being pulled upward. Then, since the contact area between the inclined surface 18a and the inclined surface 19a is reduced, the protrusion 19 can be easily overcome.
[0020]
As described above, the engagement of the protrusions 18 and 19 is released by a series of operations in the pull-out direction B of the electrical unit 25. Therefore, when the electrical boards are maintained, the electrical equipment can be operated without performing a complicated release operation or release operation. The unit 25 can be easily detached from the apparatus main body 20 with one action, and the maintenance work can be simplified.
[0021]
In order to mount the electrical unit 25, the bracket 22 is inserted from the BCU 16 side into the opening 20 </ b> B until the protrusion 18 exceeds the protrusion 19. And it pushes toward the insertion direction A, slides on the frame 21 in the horizontal direction, pushes it into the inside of the apparatus main body 20, and completes by fastening a screw (not shown) to the mounting portion.
[0022]
FIG. 5 shows a configuration in which a support portion 27 is provided to support the movement when the electrical unit 25 reaches the installation surface 31 of the apparatus main body 20 and moves the electrical unit 25 in the insertion direction A and the extraction direction B. Show.
[0023]
The support portion 27 is formed integrally with the bracket 22 so as to form a plane continuous with the vertical wall 22 b of the bracket 22, and the lower portion 27 a is bent at a substantially right angle so as to be longer than the thickness of the support portion 27. The bent portion 28 is in surface contact with the installation surface 31.
[0024]
When the support unit 27 is provided in the electrical unit 25 as described above, the electrical unit 25 is supported from below by the support unit 27 when the unit is moved in the insertion direction A or the pull-out direction B. Therefore, the weight of the electrical unit 25 itself The load on the operator due to the above can be reduced, and the workability when the electrical unit 25 is attached or detached can be further improved. Further, since the support portion 27 and the installation surface 31 are in surface contact with the bent portion 28 that is bent longer than the thickness of the support portion 27, the stability of supporting the electrical unit 25 is supported by the end surface of the support portion 27. If you want to improve.
[0025]
FIG. 6 shows a form in which a foot 29 serving as a protection part is provided between the support part 27 and the installation surface 31 shown in FIG. Each of the foot portions 27 is molded with a resin at each end located at least in the width direction of the bent portion 28 of the support portion 27 and is in contact with the installation surface 31. In the case of this embodiment, the apparatus main body 20 is formed with a step portion 20C for housing the foot 29 on the back surface 20A, and when the electrical unit 25 is attached to the apparatus main body 20, the foot 29 is It is configured so that it can be stored.
[0026]
By providing the resin foot 29 between the installation surface 31 and the support portion 27 in this manner, the installation surface 31 is damaged when the electrical unit 25 is slid in the insertion direction A or the extraction direction B. Can be prevented.
[0027]
FIG. 7 shows a form in which a handshake part 30 is integrally provided for moving the electrical unit 25 to each foot part 29 shown in FIG. The handshake part 30 is formed so as to penetrate the support part 27 in the pull-out direction B, that is, protrude in the pull-out direction B from the support part 27. As shown in FIG. 8, the handshake part 30 has a quadrangular cross section, and a part protruding from the support part 27 is narrowed and squeezed into a shape that fits the hand.
[0028]
As described above, since the handshake part 30 for moving the electrical unit 25 is integrally formed with the plurality of legs 29 provided on the support part 27 of the electrical unit 25, the total number of parts of the image forming apparatus is reduced. Product costs can be reduced.
[0029]
In the above embodiment, the foot portion serving as the protection portion is made of resin, but may be molded from rubber. Thus, when it is made of rubber, impact due to sliding and interference between the foot 29 and the installation surface 31 accompanying the movement of the electrical unit 25 can be reduced.
[0030]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, since the plurality of electrical boards used in the image forming apparatus are configured as one electrical unit, the electrical unit is removed from the apparatus main body at the time of maintenance of the electrical boards, so that A plurality of substrates can be removed from the apparatus main body, and the complicated division work at the time of maintenance is eliminated, and the maintenance work becomes easy. Further, when the electrical unit is pulled out from the apparatus main body, the pulling position is regulated by the restricting means, so that the electric unit can be prevented from being accidentally dropped from the apparatus main body, and the safety of workability is improved. It is possible to prevent damage caused by dropping the unit.
[0031]
According to the present invention, when the electrical unit is further moved in the pull-out direction from the state of being engaged with each other, one of the protrusions constituting the restricting means has a shape that gets over the other protrusion. At the time of maintenance, it is possible to completely remove the electrical unit from the apparatus main body with one action by an operation in the pull-out direction while preventing the electrical unit from being accidentally dropped from the apparatus main body, thereby simplifying the maintenance work.
[0032]
According to the present invention, when the electrical unit reaches the installation surface of the apparatus main body and moves the electrical unit in the insertion direction and the withdrawal direction, the support unit is provided to support the movement. Sometimes, the electrical unit is supported by the support portion. For this reason, it is possible to reduce the load on the operator due to the weight of the electrical unit while reliably preventing the electrical unit from falling and further preventing damage to the unit, thereby improving the efficiency of maintenance work.
[0033]
According to the present invention, by providing the protective portion between the support portion and the installation surface, it is possible to prevent rubbing between the support station and the installation surface when the electrical unit is moved in the insertion direction and the pull-out direction.
[0034]
According to the present invention, the total number of parts of the image forming apparatus can be reduced and the apparatus cost can be reduced by integrally providing a handshake part for moving the electrical unit in the protection part.
[0035]
According to the present invention, when the protective portion is made of rubber, impact due to sliding and interference between the support portion of the electrical equipment unit and the installation surface when the electrical equipment unit is pulled out and placed is reduced, leading to quietness during operation.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an internal configuration of an image forming apparatus including an electrical unit according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a mounting state of the electrical unit.
FIG. 3 is a partial cutaway view of the apparatus showing the configuration of the electrical unit and the regulating means.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged view showing the operation of pulling out the electrical unit and the action of the regulating means.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a schematic configuration of an image forming apparatus including an electrical unit having a support portion.
FIG. 6 is an enlarged view showing a configuration of an electrical unit in which a protection part is provided on a support part and a drawing state.
FIG. 7 is a partially enlarged view of an electrical unit including a protection unit integrated with a handshake unit.
FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating a configuration of a protection unit in which a handshake unit is integrated.
[Explanation of symbols]
14, 15, 16 Electrical board 17 Restriction means 18, 19 Protrusion 20 Device body 25 Electrical unit 31 Installation surface 27 Support part 29 Protection part 30 Handshake part A Insertion direction B Pull-out direction

Claims (5)

In the image forming apparatus provided with a plurality of electrical boards in the apparatus main body,
Each electrical board is configured as one electrical unit that can move in the insertion direction and the withdrawal direction with respect to the apparatus main body, and the movement is defined when the electrical unit is moved in the withdrawal direction. Have regulatory means ,
The electrical unit reaches the installation surface of the apparatus main body, supports the movement when moving the electrical unit in the insertion direction and the extraction direction, and a support unit provided with a protective unit between the installation surface An image forming apparatus characterized in that a handshake unit for moving the electrical unit is integrally provided in the protection unit . In the image forming apparatus provided with a plurality of electrical boards in the apparatus main body,
Each electrical board is configured as one electrical unit that can move in the insertion direction and the withdrawal direction with respect to the apparatus main body, and the movement is defined when the electrical unit is moved in the withdrawal direction. Have regulatory means ,
The restricting means is provided on each of the apparatus main body and the electrical unit, and is configured by protrusions that engage with each other when the electrical unit is moved in the pull-out direction from the apparatus main body.
The electrical unit reaches the installation surface of the apparatus main body, supports the movement when moving the electrical unit in the insertion direction and the extraction direction, and a support unit provided with a protective unit between the installation surface An image forming apparatus characterized in that a handshake unit for moving the electrical unit is integrally provided in the protection unit . In the image forming apparatus provided with a plurality of electrical boards in the apparatus main body,
Each electrical board is configured as one electrical unit that can move in the insertion direction and the withdrawal direction with respect to the apparatus main body, and the movement is defined when the electrical unit is moved in the withdrawal direction. Have regulatory means,
The restricting means is provided on each of the apparatus main body and the electrical unit, and is configured by protrusions that engage with each other when the electrical unit is moved in the pulling direction from the apparatus main body. When the electrical unit is further moved in the pull-out direction from the combined state, one of the protrusions is shaped to ride over the other protrusion ,
The electrical unit reaches the installation surface of the apparatus main body, supports the movement when moving the electrical unit in the insertion direction and the extraction direction, and a support unit provided with a protective unit between the installation surface An image forming apparatus characterized in that a handshake unit for moving the electrical unit is integrally provided in the protection unit . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, 2 or 3.
The image forming apparatus , wherein the protection unit is made of rubber . The image clerk forming device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 ,
The image forming apparatus , wherein the electrical boards are constituted by a power supply device, a composite high-voltage power supply, and an engine board .

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