JP4529186B2 - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that forms predetermined information on a recording sheet.

Maintenance opening holes are formed on the side and back of the conventional image forming apparatus. The opening hole is closed with a cover member during normal use of the image forming apparatus. That is, the cover member is formed with a plurality of claw portions, and the engagement holes that engage with the plurality of claw portions of the cover member are arranged in the height direction (direction of action of gravity) in the vicinity of the opening hole. It is formed with. Then, after hooking each claw portion of the cover member into each engagement hole to engage, the cover member is fixed to the side surface or the back surface of the image forming apparatus with a fixing tool such as a screw, so that the cover member has the opening hole. It can be blocked.
JP 2005-265948 A

  By the way, in the image forming apparatus, the cover member may be inclined due to the gravity only by hooking and engaging the respective claw portions of the cover member with the respective engagement holes. In particular, when the cover member is made of metal, the weight of the cover member also increases, so that the force for tilting the cover member also increases. When the cover member is tilted, it is necessary for the user or operator to put the hand on the cover member to return the tilt of the cover member, and then to fix the cover member with a fixing tool such as a screw. The work could not be done smoothly.

  In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus that prevents the cover member from being inclined and can reliably close the opening hole by the cover member.

The invention according to claim 1 is a wall member in which an opening hole, a first engagement hole, and a second engagement hole are formed, an image forming apparatus main body to which the wall member is attached, the first engagement hole, A plurality of claw portions that respectively engage with the second engagement holes, and the claw portions engage with the first engagement holes and the second engagement holes to close the opening holes; and the lid An image forming apparatus having a fixing member for fixing the member to the wall member , wherein the first engagement hole is formed below the second engagement hole in the direction of gravity action, and the wall member is the image member. The center position of the first engagement hole is shifted in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of gravity with respect to the center position of the second engagement hole in a state of being attached to the forming apparatus main body. Features.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a wall member that constitutes a part of the housing and includes an opening hole, a first engagement hole, and a second engagement hole, and the first engagement hole and the second engagement member. a lid member to which the claw portion a plurality of claw portions are formed to close the first engagement hole and the second engaging holes engaging with said openings to respectively engage with Goana, the said lid member An image forming apparatus having a fixing member fixed to a wall member , wherein the first engagement hole is formed on a lower side of the second engagement hole in a gravity action direction, and the lid member closes the opening hole. in a state, the center position of one of the claw portion engaged with the first engaging hole, with respect to the center position of the other of the claw portion engaged with the second engagement hole, the direction of action of gravity The position is shifted in a substantially vertical direction.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the first or second aspect, the wall member and the lid member are made of metal.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, for example, when maintenance is performed on the inside of the image forming apparatus main body, which is the main body of the image forming apparatus, the wall member is attached to the image forming apparatus main body and the hand is moved from the opening to the inside. To perform maintenance. After the maintenance is completed, the opening hole is closed by the lid member. When the opening hole is closed by the lid member, the plurality of claw portions formed on the lid member are engaged with each other by being hooked on the plurality of engagement holes, respectively. Here, in general, when the claw portion of the lid member is engaged with the engagement hole, the lid member is subjected to the action of gravity and tends to tilt due to its own weight, but the center position of one of the engagement holes is Since the position of the center of the other engaging hole is displaced in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of gravity, the opening can be set to be closed by the lid member without tilting the lid member. As a result, even if the claw portion of the lid member is engaged with the engagement hole, the lid member does not tilt, so that the lid member can be assembled as it is. In particular, when the lid member is assembled to the wall member with a fixing tool such as a screw, it is not necessary to add the operator or user's hand to the lid member to correct the inclination of the lid member, so that the lid member can be assembled smoothly. It can be carried out.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, for example, when maintaining the inside of the image forming apparatus main body constituting the main body of the image forming apparatus, the wall member is attached to the image forming apparatus main body from the opening hole to the inside. Put in your hands and perform maintenance. After the maintenance is completed, the opening hole is closed by the lid member. When the opening hole is closed by the lid member, the plurality of claw portions formed on the lid member are engaged with each other by being hooked on the plurality of engagement holes. Here, generally, when the claw portion of the lid member is engaged with the engagement hole, the lid member is subjected to the action of gravity and tends to tilt due to its own weight, but the lid member closes the opening hole. The center position of the one claw part engaging with the one engagement hole is displaced in the direction substantially perpendicular to the gravity action direction with respect to the center position of the other claw part engaging with the other engagement hole. Therefore, the opening hole can be set to be closed by the lid member without tilting the lid member. As a result, even if the claw portion of the lid member is engaged with the engagement hole, the lid member does not tilt, so that the lid member can be assembled as it is. In particular, when the lid member is assembled to the wall member with a fixing tool such as a screw, it is not necessary to add the operator or user's hand to the lid member to correct the inclination of the lid member, so that the lid member can be assembled smoothly. It can be carried out.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the lid member is made of metal, the lid member becomes heavier and exerts a force to tilt more greatly due to the action of gravity. The lid member can be assembled as it is without tilting the member. In general, since the wall member is made of metal, if the lid member is inclined and a gap is generated in the opening hole, vibration from the internal electronic component or driving component is easily transmitted to the wall member, A relatively large noise is generated. Even in this case, since the opening hole can be reliably closed by closing the opening hole without tilting the lid member, it is possible to prevent the generation of relatively large noise.

  Next, an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  As shown in FIG. 1, an image forming apparatus 10 reads information described in a document, and forms an image for printing out information read from the document or information transmitted from a personal computer or the like on a sheet. An apparatus main body 12 is provided.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a sheet metal member (wall member) 14 constituting the housing of the image forming apparatus main body 12 is attached to the back surface of the image forming apparatus main body 12. An opening 16 is formed in the sheet metal member 14. A substrate on which an electronic circuit or the like is mounted is housed inside the image forming apparatus main body 12, and the internal electronic circuit or the like can be exchanged (other maintenance work) from the opening hole 16.

  The sheet metal member 14 is formed with a first engagement hole (engagement hole) 18 and a second engagement hole (engagement hole) 20. The first engagement hole 18 is formed below the action direction of gravity (the direction of arrow A in FIG. 1) as compared with the second engagement hole 20.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the center position O2 of the second engagement hole 20 is substantially perpendicular to the direction of gravity action (the direction of arrow A in FIG. 1) with respect to the center position O1 of the first engagement hole 18. It is set so as to be displaced in the direction (direction of arrow B in FIG. 1). Specifically, the center position O2 of the second engagement hole 20 is substantially perpendicular to the direction of gravity (in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 1) with respect to the center position O1 of the first engagement hole 18 (FIG. 1). It is set so as to be located at a distance L from the opening hole 16 along the middle arrow B direction).

  Further, the sheet metal member 14 is formed with a screwing groove 22 in the vicinity of the opening hole 16 for screwing with a screw described later. The sheet metal member 14 having the above-described configuration may be attached to a side surface portion of the image forming apparatus main body 12.

  As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a cover member 24 for closing the opening hole 16 is attached to the sheet metal member 14. The cover member (lid member) 24 is made of metal as a whole, and is formed integrally with a rectangular parallelepiped cover member main body 26 that closes the opening hole 16 and one end of the cover member main body 26. The claw portions 28 and 30 are engaged with the holes 18 and 20.

  The claw portions 28 and 30 are set to have substantially the same shape and size, and the first horizontal portions 28A and 30A extending outward along the planar direction of the cover member main body 26 and the cover member main body 26 from the first horizontal portion. The vertical portions 28B and 30B extending along a substantially vertical direction with respect to the planar direction of the first and second horizontal portions 28C and 30C extending outward from the vertical portions 28B and 30B along the planar direction of the cover member body 26. Has been. A through hole 32 for inserting a screw 34 is formed at the other end of the cover member 24.

  Next, the operation of the image forming apparatus 10 of this embodiment will be described.

  When the inside of the image forming apparatus main body 12 is to be maintained, the maintenance is performed by putting a hand inside the opening hole 16 with the sheet metal member 14 attached to the image forming apparatus main body 12. After the maintenance is completed, the opening hole 16 is closed by the cover member 24.

  Here, when the opening hole 16 is closed by the cover member 24, the claw portions 28 and 30 formed in the cover member 24 are engaged with the engagement holes 18 and 20, respectively. Specifically, the vertical portions 28B and 30B of the claw portions 28 and 30 and the second horizontal portions 28C and 30C are inserted into the engagement holes 18 and 20 and engaged, and the cover member 24 is hooked. The cover member 24 is attached to the sheet metal member 14.

  At this time, when the claw portions 28 and 30 of the cover member 24 are engaged with the engagement holes 18 and 20, the cover member 24 receives the action of gravity and tends to tilt in the direction of the arrow X in FIG. However, as shown in FIG. 4, the center position O2 of one engagement hole 20 is substantially the same as the direction of gravity (the direction of arrow A in FIG. 1) with respect to the center position O1 of the other engagement hole 18. Since the position is shifted by a distance L in the vertical direction (the direction of arrow B in FIG. 1), the opening 16 can be set to be closed without a gap without the cover member 24 being inclined. Specifically, the claw portions 28 and 30 of the cover member 24 are engaged with the engagement holes 18 and 20, and the cover member 24 is not inclined with respect to the horizontal direction (the direction of arrow B in FIG. 1). The opening member 16 is closed without a gap by the cover member 24, and the center position of the through hole 32 and the center position of the screwing groove 22 coincide (the through hole 32 and the screwing groove 22 are located concentrically). Set as follows.

  That is, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, even if the cover member 24 is tilted by the action of gravity, the surface side of the vertical portion 28 </ b> B of the claw portion 28 (when the cover member 24 is attached to the sheet metal member 14). The surface on the side exposed to the outside is in contact with the long side 18A farther from the opening hole 16 of the engagement hole 18, and the back side of the vertical portion 30B of the claw portion 30 (the cover member 24 is attached to the sheet metal member 14). When the surface of the engagement hole 20 that is not exposed to the outside contacts the long side 20A on the far side close to the opening hole 16 of the engagement hole 20, the movement of the cover member 24 in the tilt direction is restricted.

  As a result, even if the claw portions 28 and 30 of the cover member 24 are engaged with the engagement holes 18 and 20 of the sheet metal member 14, the cover member 24 does not tilt. Can be assembled as is. In particular, when the cover member 24 is assembled to the sheet metal member 14 with a fixing tool such as a screw 34, it is not necessary to attach a hand of an operator or user to the cover member 24 to suppress the movement of the cover member 24 from tilting. The assembly work of the cover member 24 can be performed smoothly.

  Further, since the cover member 24 is made of metal, the cover member 24 becomes heavier and tends to tilt more greatly due to the action of gravity. Even in this case, the cover member 24 does not tilt and the cover member 24 is tilted. Can be assembled as they are. In general, since the sheet metal member 14 is made of metal, if the cover member 24 is inclined and a gap is generated in the opening hole 16, vibrations from an internal electronic circuit board or the like are easily transmitted to the sheet metal member 14. Therefore, a relatively large noise is generated. Even in this case, since the opening hole 16 can be reliably closed without the cover member 24 being inclined, the generation of relatively large noise can be prevented.

Next, a modified example of the image forming apparatus 10 of the present embodiment will be described.
Note that the same components as those of the image forming apparatus 10 of the above embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted as appropriate.

  In the above embodiment, the configuration in which the center positions O1 and O2 of the engagement holes 18 and 20 are displaced from each other is shown. However, in this modification, the center positions O1 and O2 of the engagement holes 18 and 20 are set to be different from each other. The dimension of the one claw portion 28 of the cover member 24 is changed without being displaced.

  That is, as shown in FIG. 7, in this modification, the center position O2 of the second engagement hole 20 formed in the sheet metal member 14 acts on the center position O1 of the first engagement hole 18 due to gravity. Both O1 and O2 are set on the same straight line l without being displaced in the direction (arrow A direction in FIG. 1) and substantially perpendicular (arrow B direction in FIG. 1).

  Further, as shown in FIG. 8, in the state where the cover member 24 closes the opening hole 16, the center position O3 of the one claw portion 28 that engages with the one engagement hole 18 is the same as that of the other engagement hole 20. With respect to the center position O4 of the other nail | claw part 30 to engage, it sets so that it may position-shift in the action direction (arrow A direction in FIG. 1) and a substantially perpendicular direction (arrow B direction in FIG. 1). . Specifically, the length of the first horizontal portion 28 </ b> A of one claw portion 28 is formed to be longer than the length of the first horizontal portion 30 </ b> A of the other claw portion 30 by L.

  According to this modification, the claw portions 28 and 30 formed on the cover member 24 are engaged with the engagement holes 18 and 20 formed on the sheet metal member 14. Here, in general, when the claw portions 28 and 30 of the cover member 24 are engaged with the engagement holes 18 and 20, the cover member 24 is subjected to the action of gravity and tends to tilt due to its own weight. In a state where the cover member 24 closes the opening hole 16, the center position O3 of the one claw portion 28 that engages with the one engagement hole 18 corresponds to the other claw portion 30 that engages with the other engagement hole 20. The center member O4 is displaced by a distance L in the direction of gravity (in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 1) and in a substantially vertical direction (in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 1), thereby preventing the cover member 24 from tilting. Thus, the opening 16 can be set to be closed by the cover member 24. Specifically, the claw portions 28 and 30 of the cover member 24 are engaged with the engagement holes 18 and 20, and the cover member 24 is not inclined with respect to the horizontal direction (the direction of arrow B in FIG. 1). The cover member 24 closes the opening hole 16 (see FIG. 3) without any gap, and the center position of the through hole 32 and the center position of the screwing groove 22 (see FIG. 3) coincide with each other (threaded with the through hole 32). The groove 22 is set concentrically).

  That is, even if the cover member 24 is inclined by the action of gravity, the surface on the surface side of the vertical portion 28B of the claw portion 28 (the side exposed to the outside when the cover member 24 is attached to the sheet metal member 14) The engagement hole 18 is in contact with the long side 18A farther from the opening hole 16 and on the back side of the vertical portion 30B of the claw portion 30 (the side not exposed to the outside when the cover member 24 is attached to the sheet metal member 14). When the surface abuts on the long side 20A on the far side close to the opening hole 16 of the engagement hole 20, the movement of the cover member 24 in the tilt direction is restricted. As a result, even if the claw portions 28 and 30 of the cover member 24 are engaged with the engagement holes 18 and 20, the cover member 24 does not tilt, so there is no need to correct the inclination of the cover member 24. The member 24 can be assembled as it is.

1 is a rear view of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a diagram illustrating a main part of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a front view of the wall member which comprises the image forming apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the principal part of the wall member which comprises the image forming apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. 1 is a front view of a lid member constituting an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a side view of a lid member constituting an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the principal part of the wall member which comprises the modification of the image forming apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a front view of the lid member which constitutes the modification of the image forming device concerning one embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

10 Image forming apparatus 14 Sheet metal member (wall member)
16 Opening hole 18 First engagement hole (engagement hole)
20 Second engagement hole (engagement hole)
24 Cover member (lid member)
28 Claw part 30 Claw part

Claims (3)

A wall member in which an opening hole, a first engagement hole, and a second engagement hole are formed, an image forming apparatus main body to which the wall member is attached, and the first engagement hole and the second engagement hole , respectively. A plurality of claw portions to be formed, the claw portions engaging with the first engagement hole and the second engagement hole to close the opening hole, and fixing for fixing the lid member to the wall member and ingredients, an image forming apparatus having,
The first engagement hole is formed on the lower side of the second engagement hole in the direction of gravity , and the center position of the first engagement hole is in a state where the wall member is attached to the image forming apparatus main body. An image forming apparatus, wherein the image forming apparatus is displaced in a direction substantially perpendicular to a gravitational direction with respect to a center position of the second engagement hole . A wall member that forms a part of the housing and includes an opening hole, a first engagement hole, and a second engagement hole; and a plurality of members that engage with the first engagement hole and the second engagement hole , respectively. A lid member that has a claw portion formed therein and that engages the first engagement hole and the second engagement hole to close the opening hole; and a fixture that fixes the lid member to the wall member; An image forming apparatus having
The first engagement hole is formed on the lower side of the second engagement hole in the direction of gravity , and the one claw that engages with the first engagement hole in a state where the lid member closes the opening hole. The image forming apparatus is characterized in that the center position of the part is displaced in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of gravity with respect to the center position of the other claw part engaged with the second engagement hole. .   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the wall member and the lid member are made of metal.

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