JP4878151B2 - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that forms an image on a sheet, and more particularly, to an image forming apparatus including a storage-type auxiliary power supply unit that can be detached from the apparatus main body.

  Conventionally, in an image forming apparatus represented by an electrophotographic copying machine, in order to cope with an increase in copying speed, and by making multifunctional functions of a copying system including applications such as an automatic document feeder and a sorting apparatus, copying is performed. Electricity consumed when the machine is in operation tends to increase.

  In such a situation, in order to keep the rated power of the copying machine within a legally stipulated value, for example, a limitation is imposed on the power supplied to the heating means of the fixing device.

  On the other hand, as a means for keeping the rated power of the copying machine within a specified value, the surplus power of the apparatus is stored in an auxiliary power supply unit using an electric double layer capacitor or the like, and is discharged at the time of image forming operation that requires power. Therefore, a system that assists the power supply has been proposed.

In such a configuration, as a safety measure when performing maintenance on the auxiliary power supply unit or its surroundings, a configuration is proposed in which the supply path from the auxiliary power supply unit is shut off when the power switch of the apparatus is turned off (for example, , See Patent Document 1).
JP 2004-303436 A

  However, in the case of the above configuration, if the auxiliary power supply unit is carelessly removed or attached, the supply path of the auxiliary power supply unit will not be cut off normally. There is a risk of problems such as

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a configuration that reliably cuts off the power supply path from the auxiliary power supply unit even if the auxiliary power supply unit is carelessly removed or attached.

In order to achieve the above object, an image forming apparatus according to the present invention is connected to an image reading apparatus that reads an image of a document, and the image reading apparatus forms an image read by the image reading apparatus on a sheet. a DC power supply unit for supplying power to the apparatus, which is connected by the image forming apparatus and the connector, the power supply from the DC power supply unit an auxiliary power supply unit which is charged via the terminals of the connector, the terminal A protective cover for covering, and when the auxiliary power supply unit is attached to the image forming apparatus, the protective cover is opened and the terminal is connected to a terminal on the image forming apparatus side, and the auxiliary power supply unit is removed from the image forming apparatus. cover the cover and the auxiliary power supply unit configured to protective cover to protect the contacts, the auxiliary power unit mounted in the image forming apparatus in a state And the exterior of and by the outer portion is removed from the image forming apparatus, and a blocking portion for blocking the power supply independently of the operation of the control unit from the DC power supply unit to the auxiliary power unit, It is characterized by having.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to cut off the energization path from the auxiliary power supply unit before removing the auxiliary power supply unit, and the safety during maintenance of the auxiliary power supply unit or its surroundings is improved.

  The image forming apparatus according to the present invention will be described below in more detail with reference to the drawings.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. Since the image forming operation itself is a general electrophotographic method, a series of description of the copying operation is omitted.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an image forming apparatus (for example, a multifunction machine having both a copying function, a printer function, and a FAX function) according to this embodiment. In this embodiment, the reader unit 300 is provided in the upper part and the printer unit 100 is provided in the lower part.

  A control unit 1 controls the DC load 4 (motor, clutch, etc.) of the printer unit 100 to perform an image forming operation and communicate with the reader unit 300, and is generally called a DC controller.

  A fixing unit 2 fixes the toner image transferred onto the recording paper by heat. A DC power supply unit 3 supplies power to the control unit, the DC load 4 and the reader unit 300. Reference numeral 5 denotes a DCDC converter, which converts the voltage supplied from the DC power supply unit 3 into a necessary voltage by the reader unit 300.

  Reference numeral 6 denotes an auxiliary power supply unit, which employs an electric double layer capacitor in this embodiment. Reference numeral 7 denotes an exterior part that doubles as an auxiliary power supply unit 6 and a cover. A connector unit 8 connects the power supply path between the printer unit 100 and the auxiliary power unit 6. Reference numeral 9 denotes a switch unit that detects attachment / detachment of the exterior unit 7.

  Reference numeral 10 denotes an interlock switch for cutting off the power supply path from the auxiliary power supply unit 6. Reference numeral 11 denotes a switch for switching whether the power supplied to the DCDC converter 5 is the DC power supply unit 3 or the auxiliary power supply unit 6 according to the power consumption.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram showing details in the vicinity of the interlock switch. Here, an operation when the auxiliary power supply unit 6 is detached from the printer unit 100 will be described. First, a screw (not shown) fixing the exterior portion 7 is removed, and then the exterior portion 7 is removed. Then, the contact 9a of the switch 9 pushed by the pin 201 attached to the exterior portion 7 moves in the direction of the arrow by the force of the spring and moves away from the electrode 9b, so that the switch 9 becomes non-conductive. Then, the contact 10a is attracted in the interlock switch 10 and the coil 10b that keeps the interlock switch 10 in a conductive state is turned OFF, so that the contact 10a is separated from the electrode 10c, and the supply path from the auxiliary power source 6 is cut off.

  Next, when the auxiliary power supply unit 6 is separated from the printer unit 100, the connector unit 8 is divided into a male unit 8b and a female unit 8c. At this time, the protective cover 8a is attached to the female part 8c, and the terminal 8d of the auxiliary power supply part 6 cannot be touched by closing in the direction of the arrow, and an electric shock due to the residual voltage of the auxiliary power supply part 6 can be prevented.

  When the interlock switch 10 can be disposed at a position close to the exterior of the printer unit 100, a configuration as shown in FIG.

  In FIG. 3, when the exterior portion 7 is removed, the pin 201 that has pushed the contact 10a of the interlock switch 10 is also removed, the contact 10a moves in the direction of the arrow, and the interlock switch 10 becomes non-conductive, so that the auxiliary power supply can be safely 6 can be removed.

  FIG. 4 shows a configuration in which no voltage is applied to the terminals 401c and 401d on the side of the auxiliary power supply unit 6 when the auxiliary power supply unit 6 is removed in order to provide a safer configuration.

  In FIG. 4, during the charging operation, power is supplied from the DC power supply unit 3 to the auxiliary power supply unit 6 through the path A, and during discharging, power is supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit 6 to the DCDC converter 5 through the path B.

  When the exterior switch 7 is removed by the procedure in the first embodiment and the interlock switch 10 becomes non-conductive, the energization to the coil 402b of the switch 402 inside the auxiliary power supply 6 is cut off, and the contact 402a moves in the direction of the arrow. The switch 402 is turned off from the electrode 402c. In this state, no voltage is applied to the terminals 401c and 401d, so safety is ensured.

  Conversely, when the auxiliary power supply unit 6 is attached to the printer unit 100, the contact 402 a of the connector unit 401 comes into contact with the electrode 402 c first, and then the pin 201 of the exterior unit 7 pushes the switch 9, thereby interlocking the switch. Power is supplied to the ten coils 10b. Then, the contact point 10a comes into contact with the electrode 10c, and the interlock switch 10 becomes conductive.

  Then, the coil 402b of the switch 402 in the auxiliary power supply unit 6 is also energized, the switch 402 becomes conductive, and the auxiliary power supply unit 6 can be charged and the auxiliary power supply unit 6 can be discharged.

  According to the first to third embodiments described above, the energization path from the auxiliary power supply unit 6 can be cut off before the auxiliary power supply unit 6 is removed, and maintenance of the auxiliary power supply unit 6 or its surroundings is performed. Safety is improved.

  In addition, in the load for supplying power by the auxiliary power supply unit 6, for example, when an inverter circuit for driving the light source of the image reading unit is included, the inverter is interlocked with the removal of the cover and the supporting member near the auxiliary power supply unit By stopping the operation of the circuit, it is possible to prevent an electric shock or failure due to an abnormal operation of the inverter circuit.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the detailed structure around the interlock switch in Example 1. FIG. It is a figure which shows the detailed structure around the interlock switch in Example 2. FIG. It is a figure which shows the detailed structure around the interlock switch in Example 3. FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Control part 3 DC power supply part 5 DCDC converter 6 Auxiliary power supply part 7 Exterior part 8 Connector part 9 Switch 10 Interlock switch 11 Switch 100 Printer part 300 Reader part 401 Interlock switch 402 Switch

Claims (3)

In an image forming apparatus that is connected to an image reading apparatus that reads an image of a document and forms an image read by the image reading apparatus on a sheet,
Control means for controlling the load of the image forming apparatus to perform an image forming operation;
A DC power supply for supplying power to the image reading device;
An auxiliary power supply unit connected to the image forming apparatus by a connector and charged with power supplied from the DC power supply unit via a terminal of the connector, the auxiliary power supply unit including a protective cover that covers the terminal, When attached to the image forming apparatus, the protective cover is opened, the terminal is connected to the terminal on the image forming apparatus side, and the protective cover is connected to the contact when the auxiliary power source is removed from the image forming apparatus. An auxiliary power supply configured to protect ;
An exterior part as a cover covering the auxiliary power supply part mounted on the image forming apparatus ;
A disconnecting unit that disconnects power supply from the DC power supply unit to the auxiliary power supply unit independently of the operation of the control unit by removing the exterior unit from the image forming apparatus ;
An image forming apparatus comprising:   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary power supply unit is an electric double layer capacitor. The output of the auxiliary power supply unit and the output of the DC power supply unit are switched and input to a DCDC converter, and the output unit of the DC power supply unit has a changeover switch unit that can charge the auxiliary power supply unit. The image forming apparatus according to 1.

Images