JP4295646B2 - Open / close detection device and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an open / close detection device for detecting an open / close state of an open / close member provided in a housing of an electronic apparatus such as an image forming apparatus such as a facsimile machine, a copying machine, a printer, a printing machine, or a document reading apparatus such as a document scanner. And an image forming apparatus having the open / close detection device.

  Conventionally, in an electronic apparatus such as an image forming apparatus or a document reading apparatus, the entire apparatus is covered with an apparatus protection cover in order to protect each member inside the apparatus from the outside. For example, in an image forming apparatus, a part of the protective cover is provided with a door member that can be opened and closed to perform so-called jam processing, in which a process cartridge is replaced, toner is replenished, or a recording medium staying in the apparatus is removed. The door member is opened by the user so that appropriate treatment can be performed. The protective cover is usually electrically insulated, but the current in the apparatus is cut off in response to the door member being opened.

  Therefore, an open / close detection mechanism for detecting the open / closed state of the door member is required. As an example of a door opening / closing detection mechanism, as shown in FIG. 6, a switch 30 that detects the opening / closing state of the door and a pressing member 31 that presses the switch 30 are supported, and a slidable support base 33 that includes a seesaw arm 32. An open / closed detection device having the above has been proposed (see Patent Document 1).

  This open / close detection device will be described with reference to FIG. 6A is a schematic configuration diagram of a switch-off state of the open / close detection device, and FIG. 6B is a schematic configuration diagram of a switch-on state of the open / close detection device. In this open / close detection device, the pressing member 31 detects the movement of the three open / close members in the directions of arrows c, d and e in FIG. 6A, and the three open / close members are respectively viewed from the directions of arrows c, d and e. The switch 30 is configured to be turned on when all are closed.

  The pressing member 31 is swingably supported on the support base 33 about the shaft 34. The support 33 is provided with grooves 33a and 33b. When the slide guide members 35a and 35b fixed to the apparatus main body are fitted into the grooves 33a and 33b, the support 33 can be slid in the horizontal direction. ing. A tension spring 37 is locked between the locking projection 33c of the support base 33 and the main body of the apparatus, and urges the support base 33 in the opposite direction of the arrows c and d (right direction in FIG. 6). ing.

  The seesaw arm 32 is attached to the support base 33 so as to be rotatable about a shaft 36, detects the state of the first opening / closing member whose upper end portion 32a closes in the direction of arrow c, and lower end portion 32b in the direction of arrow d. The state of the closed second opening / closing member is detected. That is, when the first opening / closing member is closed, the upper end portion 32a is pushed in the direction of the arrow c by the first opening / closing member. At this time, when the second opening / closing member is in the open state, the seesaw arm 32 only rotates counterclockwise and the support base 33 does not slide. The same applies to the case where the first opening / closing member is opened and the second opening / closing member is closed. At this time, the seesaw arm 32 only rotates clockwise and the support base 33 does not slide.

  Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 6B, the support base 33 is only provided when both the first opening and closing member and the second opening and closing member are closed and both the upper and lower ends 32a and 32b are pushed in the directions of the arrows c and d. Slides. By this movement, the pressing member 31 moves to a position where the switch 30 can be pressed.

  When the third opening / closing member is closed in the arrow e direction in this state, the pressing member 31 is pressed in the arrow e direction by the third opening / closing member, the pressing member 31 rotates in the clockwise direction, and the switch 30 is turned on.

Japanese Patent No. 3157585

  However, in the open / close detection device, the support base 33 is configured to slide when receiving force from the first and second open / close members via the seesaw arm 32. There is a problem that the grooves 33a and 33b are gnawed with the slide guide members 35a and 35b, making it difficult to smoothly open and close the opening and closing member.

  Therefore, the present invention provides an open / close detection device that can reduce the number of parts and reduce the cost by detecting the open / closed states of a plurality of open / close members with a single switch, and can open and close the open / close members smoothly. The purpose is to do.

  In order to solve the above problems, a typical configuration of an open / close detection device and an image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes a switch that detects an open / close state of an open / close member, a pressing unit that presses the switch, and a first open / close member. A first arm that is pressed when closed, and a second arm that is pressed when the second opening / closing member is closed, and when the first arm is pressed and when the second arm is pressed A seesaw arm that rotates in a reverse direction between the first arm and the second arm, and a support base that supports the pressing means and the seesaw arm. When only one of the first and second opening / closing members is closed, the seesaw arm is rotated by pressing either the first or second arm. The support base does not swing and both the first and second opening / closing members are closed. Is characterized in that said first and second both arms are pressed of the seesaw arm and said support base is swung without rotating the pressing means is capable of pressing the switch.

  As described above, in the opening / closing detection device and the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, only when both the first and second opening / closing members are closed, the force acting on both arms of the seesaw arm swings the support base. Instead, the switch can be pressed. Thereby, the open / closed state of a plurality of open / close members can be detected by one switch, and the number of parts can be reduced and the cost can be reduced. Further, since the support base is configured to be swingable, the opening / closing member can be smoothly opened / closed without causing any squeezing or galling between the slide groove and the slide guide member as in the slide movement method.

[First embodiment]
A first embodiment of an open / close detection device and an image forming apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus using an open / close detection device according to the present embodiment, FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of opening / closing of an open / close member of the image forming device, and FIG. 3 (a) is an open / close detection device in a switch-off state. FIG. 3B is a schematic configuration diagram of the open / close detection device in a switch-on state. First, the overall configuration of the image forming apparatus and the configuration of each unit will be described, and then the configuration of the open / close detection device will be described.

(Image forming device)
As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus A transports a recording medium P loaded on a feeding cassette 1 a or a manual feed tray 1 b by a transport unit 1 and winds it around a transfer drum 2 a constituting a transfer unit 2. Synchronously with this, a latent image is formed by irradiating the photosensitive drum 4a, which is an image carrier in the image carrier unit 4, from the scanner unit 3 to form a latent image, and the developing unit 5 is operated to perform development corresponding to each color. An image is formed with an agent (hereinafter referred to as “toner”). Then, the toner images of the respective colors are transferred onto the recording medium P wound around the transfer drum 2 a so as to overlap each other, conveyed to the fixing unit 6, fixed with toner, and discharged to the discharge unit 7.

  In the image forming apparatus A, the toner cartridge of the image carrier unit 4, the developing unit 5, and the feeding cassette 1a are detachable from the same direction of the apparatus main body. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, an opening / closing cover 10 as a third opening / closing member covering the front surface of the apparatus main body 8 is rotatably attached by a hinge 10a, and the toner provided on the protective cover 9 when the opening / closing cover 10 is opened. The cartridge attaching / detaching port 9a, the image carrier unit attaching / detaching port 9b, the transfer drum maintenance opening 9c, and the rotation knob 9d for rotating the developing unit are exposed so that the image carrier unit 4 and the like can be attached and detached.

  The opening / closing cover 11 as the second opening / closing member for covering the manual feeding tray 1b with the apparatus main body 8 is rotated by the hinge 11a at the lower right side of the apparatus main body 8 with the manual feeding tray 1b in the apparatus main body 8. It is attached as possible. The manual feed tray 1b can be pulled out and set by opening the opening / closing cover 11, and the recording medium P can be fed from the manual feed tray 1b.

  Further, an opening / closing cover 12 as a first opening / closing member is rotatably attached to the upper part of the opening / closing cover 11 (upper right side of the apparatus main body 8) by a hinge part 12a. The open / close cover 12 constitutes a part of the discharge path of the discharge unit 7, and the recording medium P jammed by the discharge unit 7 can be removed by opening the open / close cover 12.

  Further, an open / close detection device B for detecting the open / close state of the open / close covers 10 to 12 is provided in order to cut off the current of each member in the apparatus body when all of the open / close covers 10 to 12 are opened.

(Open / close detection device)
Next, the open / close detection device B will be described. FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of the open / close detection device B viewed from the open / close cover 10 side. As shown in FIG. 3, the open / close detection device B includes a switch 19, a support base 15, a pressing member 13 that is pressing means, and a seesaw arm 17.

  The switch 19 is fixed to the apparatus main body 8 by a fastening member such as a screw (not shown), detects the open / closed state of the open / close covers 10 to 12, and turns on / off the current of each member in the apparatus main body 8. The switch 19 is preinstalled with a switch button 19a for detecting the amount of displacement, and a lever 19b made of a leaf spring or the like that pushes the switch button 19a as the final stage, and a rotating roller 19c is attached to the lever 19b. When the rotating roller 19c is pressed by the pressing member 13, the lever 19b presses the switch button 19a, the switch 19 is turned on, and a current flows.

  The support base 15 is supported at the lower end by a support shaft 18 provided in the apparatus main body 8, and swings around the support shaft 18 in the direction of arrow a1 (direction in which the switch 19 is turned on) and in the opposite direction (direction of arrow a2). It is formed to be movable. The support base 15 pivotally supports a seesaw arm 17 on a projecting portion 15a projecting toward the opening and closing covers 11 and 12, and pivotally supports a pressing member 13 on a switch 19 side.

  As shown in FIG. 3A, the support base 15 is constantly subjected to a force that swings in the direction of the arrow a2 (the direction in which the switch 19 is turned off) due to the weight of the protrusion 15a and the weight of the seesaw arm 17. When the open / close cover 11 or 12 is open, the open / close cover 11 or 12 is tilted to the side. On the other hand, when the open / close covers 11 and 12 are closed and the support base 15 is pressed by the open / close covers 11 and 12 through the seesaw arm 17 in the direction of the arrow a1, the support base 15 turns off the switch 19 (arrow a2). Move in the direction of the arrow a1 against the force of turning in the direction). Then, as shown in FIG. 3B, the pressing member 13 rotates and moves to a position where the switch button 19a can be pressed.

  The pressing member 13 is supported by the support base 15 so as to be rotatable about the support shaft 14. The pressing member 13 has a contact sliding surface 13a that presses the rotating roller 19c in a tapered shape. In addition, the pressing member 13 normally stands by at a position rotated vertically downward by its own weight. As shown in FIG. 4, the surface pressed by the opening / closing cover 10 has a vertically tapered shape. A moving surface 13b is formed. As a result, the pressing member 13 is lifted upward in the vertical direction (arrow e direction) by the force with which the opening / closing cover 10 presses the sliding surface 13b in the horizontal direction.

  With the support base 15 swinging in the direction of arrow a1 and the pressing member 13 being in a position where the switch button 19a can be pressed, the pressing member 13 is moved by the opening / closing cover 10 in the direction of arrow e (vertical direction) perpendicular to the directions of arrows c and d. When pressed upward, the contact sliding surface 13a comes into contact with the rotating roller 19c, pushes up the lever 19b, and pushes the switch button 19a.

  The seesaw arm 17 is supported by the protrusion 15a of the support base 15 so as to be rotatable about a shaft 16. Further, the seesaw arm 17 is formed so that the first and second arms are symmetrical about the central axis 16. The upper end 17a of the first arm is formed to be pressed in the direction of arrow c by the opening / closing cover 12, and the lower end 17b of the second arm is pressed in the direction of arrow d by the opening / closing cover 11. Is formed.

  Here, when only one of the opening / closing cover 11 and the opening / closing cover 12 is closed, either the upper end portion 17a or the lower end portion 17b is pressed, and the seesaw arm 17 is merely rotated. 15 does not swing. That is, when the opening / closing cover 12 is closed and the upper end portion 17a is pressed, the seesaw arm 17 rotates about the shaft 16 in the counterclockwise direction in the figure, and the upper end portion 17a is on the switch 19 side, lower end. The portion 17b moves to the opening / closing cover 11 side. Further, when the opening / closing cover 11 is closed and the lower end portion 17b is pressed, it rotates in the reverse direction (clockwise in the figure) around the shaft 16, and the lower end portion 17b is located on the switch 19 side, upper side. The end 17a moves to the opening / closing cover 12 side.

  On the other hand, when both the opening and closing covers 11 and 12 are closed, both the upper end 17a and the lower end 17b are pressed from the same direction (arrows c and d directions), and the seesaw arm 17 does not rotate and is supported. The base 15 swings toward the switch 19 (arrow a1 direction), and the pressing member 13 can press the switch 19.

  Next, the operation of the open / close detection device B configured as described above will be described. First, when the opening / closing cover 12 is closed, the upper end 17a is pushed in the direction of the arrow c by the opening / closing cover 12. At this time, if the open / close cover 11 is in an open state, the seesaw arm 17 is not restricted from rotating, and therefore only rotates counterclockwise and the support base 15 does not swing. Even if the opening / closing cover 10 is closed in this state, the pressing member 13 cannot press the switch 19, and the switch 19 cannot be turned on.

  Similarly, when the opening / closing cover 11 is closed, the lower end 17b is pushed by the opening / closing cover 11 in the direction of the arrow d. At this time, if the open / close cover 12 is in an open state, the seesaw arm 17 is not restricted from rotating, so it only rotates in the clockwise direction and the support base 15 does not swing. Even if the opening / closing cover 10 is closed in this state, the pressing member 13 cannot press the switch 19, and the switch 19 cannot be turned on.

  On the other hand, when both the open / close cover 11 and the open / close cover 12 are closed, both the upper end 17a and the lower end 17b are pushed by the open / close covers 11 and 12 in the directions of arrows c and d, and the support base 15 swings in the direction of the arrow a1. Move. By this swinging, the pressing member 13 is placed on a turning locus capable of pressing the switch button 19a. When the opening / closing cover 10 is closed in this state, the pressing member 13 is pushed in the direction of arrow e and rotated clockwise, and the contact sliding surface 13a contacts the rotating roller 19c to push up the lever 19b to switch The button 19a is pressed and the switch 19 is turned on.

  When the open / close cover 10 is opened from the state in which all the open / close covers 10 to 12 in FIG. 3B are closed, the pressing member 13 is rotated vertically downward by its own weight, and the contact sliding surface 13a is rotated. Apart from the roller 19c, the switch 19 is turned off.

  As described above, only when both the opening and closing covers 11 and 12 are closed, the force acting on both arms (upper end 17a and lower end 17b) of the seesaw arm 17 changes to swinging of the support base 15 and switches. 19 was configured to be pressable. Thereby, the open / close state of the plurality of open / close members (open / close covers 10 to 12) can be detected by one switch 19.

  Further, the support base 15 is energized by the force that rotates in the direction in which the switch 19 is always turned off (the direction of arrow a2 in FIG. 3A) due to its own weight and the weight of the seesaw arm 17. There is no need for a biasing member. Similarly, since the pressing member 13 always has a force that rotates in the direction in which the switch 19 is turned off by its own weight, an urging member that urges the pressing member 13 is not required.

  Therefore, the number of parts can be reduced as compared with an open / close detection device that requires a plurality of switches and an urging member to detect the open / closed state of the open / close covers 10 to 12, and a significant cost reduction can be achieved.

  In addition, since the support base 15 is configured to be swingable, the opening / closing cover does not generate any squeezing or galling between the slide groove and the slide guide member as in the slide movement method in which the support base 15 is slid. 11 and 12 can be opened and closed smoothly

  Further, the contact sliding surface 13a of the pressing member 13 is tapered with respect to both the swing direction of the support base 15 (arrows a1 and a2 directions) and the pressing stroke direction of the switch button 19a (arrow e direction). Therefore, when the open / close cover 10 is closed and the open / close cover 11 or the open / close cover 12 is opened, the support base 15 is turned off by the component force of the pressing force acting on the contact sliding surface 13a. A force for returning to the direction (in the direction of arrow a2 in FIG. 3B) is generated, the support base 15 swings toward the open / close covers 11 and 12, and the switch 19 is turned off. Thereby, the reliability of the off detection of the open / close covers 10 to 12 can be improved.

  The device to which the open / close detection device B is attached is not limited to the image forming device A. The open / close detection device B is an image forming device such as a facsimile machine, a copying machine, a printer, a printing machine, or a document scanner. It can be attached to various electronic devices such as original document reading devices.

[Second Embodiment]
Next, a second embodiment of the open / close detection device and the image forming apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 5A is a schematic configuration diagram of the open / close detection device in a switch-off state, and FIG. 5B is a schematic configuration diagram of the open / close detection device in a switch-on state. About the part which overlaps with said 1st embodiment, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected and description is abbreviate | omitted.

  The image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment is changed to the open / close detection device B that detects the open / closed states of the three open / close members of the open / close covers 10 to 12 according to the first embodiment, and the two open / close members of the open / close covers 10 and 11 are used. This is an open / close detection device C that detects the open / closed state of. FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram of the open / close detection device C as viewed from above the device body 8. As shown in FIG. 5, the open / close detection device C includes a switch 29, a support base 25, and a seesaw arm 27.

  The switch 29 is fixed to the apparatus main body 8 by a fastening member such as a screw (not shown), detects the open / closed state of the open / close covers 10 and 11, and turns on / off the current of each member in the apparatus main body 8. A switch button 29a for detecting the amount of displacement is assembled to the switch 29 in advance. When the switch button 29a is pressed by a pressing portion 27c that is a pressing means of the seesaw arm 27, the switch 29 is turned on and current flows.

  As shown in FIG. 5A, the support base 25 is pivotally supported by a support shaft 28 provided at the lower end of the apparatus main body 8, and has an arrow a1 direction (a direction in which the switch 29 is turned on) around the support shaft 28. It is formed so as to be swingable in the opposite direction (arrow a2 direction). A seesaw arm 25 is attached to the center of the support base 25 so as to be rotatable about a shaft 26. In the seesaw arm 27, a pressing portion 27c for pressing the switch button 29a is formed in the vicinity of the shaft 26.

  The end of the support base 25 is always urged by the compression spring 20 in the direction of the arrow a2 (the direction in which the switch 29 is turned off), and when the open / close cover 10 or 11 is open, It has fallen. On the other hand, when the open / close covers 10 and 11 are closed and the support base 25 is pressed by the open / close covers 10 and 11 through the seesaw arm 27 in the direction of the arrow a1, the support base 25 turns off the switch 29 (arrow a2). Move in the direction of the arrow a1 against the force of turning in the direction). Then, as shown in FIG. 5B, the pressing portion 27c presses the switch button 29a.

  The seesaw arm 27 is supported at the center of the support base 25 so as to be rotatable about a shaft 26. The seesaw arm 27 has first and second arms formed around a central axis 16. The seesaw arm 27 is formed so as to be pressed from two directions (arrows d and e directions) orthogonal to each other, and the right end portion 27a of the first arm is pressed by the opening / closing cover 11 in the arrow d direction. The left end portion 27b of the second arm is formed to be pressed in the direction of arrow e by the opening / closing cover 10. The first arm is formed to be inclined so as to be easily rotated counterclockwise by being pressed from the direction of the arrow d by the opening / closing cover 11.

  Here, when only one of the opening / closing cover 10 and the opening / closing cover 11 is closed, either the right end portion 27a or the left end portion 27b is pressed, and the seesaw arm 27 only rotates, and the support base 25 is Does not rock. That is, when the opening / closing cover 11 is closed and the right end portion 27a is pressed, the seesaw arm 27 rotates about the shaft 26 in the counterclockwise direction in the figure, the right end portion 27a is on the switch 29 side, and the left end portion 27b is Move to the opening / closing cover 10 side. Further, when the opening / closing cover 10 is closed and the left end 27b is pressed, it rotates in the reverse direction (clockwise in the figure) around the shaft 26, and the left end 27b is on the switch 29 side and the right end 27a. Moves to the opening / closing cover 10 side.

  On the other hand, when both the opening and closing covers 10 and 11 are closed, both the right end portion 27a and the left end portion 27b are pressed from the same direction (arrows d and e directions), and the seesaw arm 27 does not rotate. Swings toward the switch 29 (in the direction of arrow a1) against the urging force of the compression spring 20, and the pressing portion 27c presses the switch 29.

  When the open / close cover 10 or 11 is opened from the state in which the open / close covers 10 and 11 of FIG. 5B are all closed, the seesaw arm 27 rotates and the support 25 is opened and closed by the urging force of the compression spring 20. The switch part 29c is moved away from the switch button 29a, and the switch 29 is turned off.

  As described above, the force acting on both arms of the seesaw arm 27 (the right end portion 27a and the left end portion 27b) is supported only when one end of the seesaw arm 27 is inclined and both the opening and closing covers 10 and 11 are closed. Instead of swinging the base 25, the switch 29 can be pressed. Thereby, the open / closed state of the plurality of opening / closing members (opening / closing covers 10, 11) can be detected by one switch 29. Therefore, the number of parts can be reduced as compared with an open / close detection device that requires a plurality of switches to detect the open / close state of the open / close covers 10 and 11, and the cost can be greatly reduced.

  In addition, since the support base 25 is configured to be swingable, the opening / closing cover does not cause any squeezing or galling between the slide groove and the slide guide member as in the slide movement method in which the support base 25 is slid. 10 and 11 can be opened and closed smoothly

  Note that the support 25 may be configured so that a force that rotates in the direction in which the switch 19 is always turned off (the direction of the arrow a2 in FIG. 5A) due to its own weight is used instead of the compression spring 20. Thereby, the compression spring 20 that urges the support base 25 can be omitted, and the cost can be reduced by reducing the number of parts.

1 is a configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus using an open / close detection device according to a first embodiment. It is explanatory drawing of opening and closing of the opening / closing member of an image forming apparatus. It is a schematic block diagram of an opening / closing detection apparatus. It is a perspective view of a seesaw arm. It is a schematic block diagram of the opening / closing detection apparatus concerning 2nd embodiment. It is a schematic block diagram explaining the conventional opening / closing detection apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

A: Image forming apparatus B: Open / close detection device P: Recording medium 1 ... Conveying means 2 ... Transfer means 3 ... Scanner section 4 ... Image carrier unit 5 ... Developing unit 6 ... Fixing means 7 ... Ejecting section 8 ... Main body 9 ... Protective cover
10-12 ... Open / close cover (corresponding to open / close member)
13… Pressing member (corresponding to pressing means)
13a ... Contact sliding surface
13b ... Sliding surface
14… support shaft
15… support stand
15a ... Projection
16 axis
17… Seesaw arm
17a ... upper end (corresponding to the first arm)
17b ... Lower end (corresponding to the second arm)
18… support shaft
19… Switch
19a ... Switch button
19b ... Lever
19c… Rotating roller

Claims (5)

A switch for detecting the open / closed state of the open / close member;
Pressing means for pressing the switch;
A first arm that is pressed when the first opening and closing member is closed; and a second arm that is pressed when the second opening and closing member is closed; and when the first arm is pressed and the first arm When the two arms are pressed, a seesaw arm that rotates in the opposite direction around the first arm and the second arm;
A support base for supporting the pressing means and the seesaw arm,
The support base is formed to be swingable, and when only one of the first and second opening / closing members is closed, either the first or second arm is pressed and the seesaw arm is pressed. When the first and second opening / closing members are closed, both the first and second arms are pressed to rotate the seesaw arm. The opening / closing detection apparatus is characterized in that the supporting base swings and the pressing means can press the switch. The seesaw arm is pressed from the same direction by the first and second opening and closing members,
The pressing means is rotatably supported by the support base, and when the support base swings and the switch can be pressed, the first opening and closing member is provided by a third opening / closing member. The opening / closing detection device according to claim 1, wherein the switch is rotated by being pressed from a direction orthogonal to a direction in which the seesaw arm is pressed. The seesaw arm is pressed from two directions orthogonal to each other by the first and second opening / closing members, and either the first or second arm of the seesaw arm is formed to be inclined,
2. The open / close detection device according to claim 1, wherein the pressing means is formed at the center of the seesaw arm, and presses the switch when the support base swings. 4. The open / close detection device according to claim 1, wherein a force that rotates the switch in a direction of turning off the switch is applied to the support base by its own weight. 5. An image forming apparatus having image forming means for forming an image on a recording medium,
A first opening / closing member and a second opening / closing member that cover the image forming apparatus and press the seesaw arm;
An image forming apparatus comprising: the open / close detection device according to claim 1.

Images