JP6620611B2 - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, a facsimile, or a complex machine thereof.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, image forming apparatuses such as copying machines and printers are widely known in which an opening / closing cover for attaching / detaching (changing) an attaching / detaching unit such as a process cartridge or a developer container is installed (for example, patents). Reference 1).

  Specifically, in Patent Document 1 and the like, the open / close cover (cover) is configured to be openable and closable so that a cartridge (detachable unit) that is detachably installed inside the image forming apparatus main body can be exposed when the door is opened. Yes. Then, with the opening / closing cover open, the cartridge (detachable unit) is taken out from the main body of the image forming apparatus and the process cartridge is replaced.

  On the other hand, in Patent Document 1, for the purpose of increasing the rigidity of the opening / closing cover (cover), the position is opposed to a plurality of cartridges (detachable units) installed inside the image forming apparatus main body. A technique for installing a metal reinforcing plate over almost the entire bottom is disclosed.

  In the conventional image forming apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 or the like, since the metal reinforcing plate is installed on the opening / closing cover made of a resin material, the strength of the opening / closing cover is increased, but the opening / closing cover is increased in weight. In other words, there may be a problem that the operability when opening and closing the opening / closing cover is deteriorated and a problem that the opening / closing cover is deformed.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems. The opening / closing cover is not so heavy, and the operability when opening / closing the opening / closing cover is reduced. An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus in which the strength of the opening / closing cover can be increased without causing problems such as deformation.

  In the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, the detachable unit that is detachably attached to the image forming apparatus main body and the detachable unit that is installed inside the image forming apparatus main body when the door is opened are exposed in the width direction. An opening / closing cover formed to be openable and closable about a support shaft extending to the opening, and the opening / closing cover is fitted to a fitting portion installed in the image forming apparatus main body when the door is closed. When the door is opened, it is formed so as to be pivotable about a latch shaft extending in the width direction so that the fitting with the fitting portion is released, and the support shaft is installed in the opening / closing cover. A latch lever installed together with the latch shaft on the other end side opposite to the one end side, and suspended on the support shaft and the latch shaft at a position corresponding to an end in the width direction of the opening / closing cover. Installed A metal frame provided with the urging member for urging the unit in the mounting direction to the image forming apparatus main body is obtained by including a.

  According to the present invention, the opening / closing cover can be opened and closed without causing a problem that the operability when opening / closing the opening / closing cover is deteriorated or the opening / closing cover is deformed without the weight of the opening / closing cover being so heavy. An image forming apparatus in which the strength of the cover is increased can be provided.

1 is an overall configuration diagram illustrating an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an image forming unit in the image forming apparatus. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an image forming apparatus. It is a schematic sectional drawing which shows the state by which the opening / closing cover was closed. It is a schematic sectional drawing which shows the state by which the opening / closing cover was opened. It is a schematic sectional drawing which shows the state by which the opening / closing cover was closed in the width direction. The opening / closing cover as the modification 1 is (A) a schematic sectional view showing a closed state, and (B) a schematic sectional view showing a opened state. It is a schematic perspective view which shows the metal frame as the modification 2. FIG. 6A is a perspective view showing an image forming apparatus as a third modification, and FIG. 5B is a schematic sectional view showing a state in which the opening / closing cover is closed in the width direction.

  Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In addition, in each figure, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the part which is the same or it corresponds, The duplication description is simplified or abbreviate | omitted suitably.

First, the overall configuration and operation of the image forming apparatus 100 will be described with reference to FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 1, an intermediate transfer belt device 15 is installed in the center of the image forming apparatus main body 100. Further, process cartridges 6Y, 6M, 6C, 6K (detachable units) corresponding to the respective colors (yellow, magenta, cyan, black) are provided so as to face the intermediate transfer belt 8 (intermediate transfer member) of the intermediate transfer belt device 15. It is installed side by side.

  Referring to FIG. 2, a process cartridge 6Y corresponding to yellow includes a photosensitive drum 1Y as an image carrier, a charging device 4Y (charging unit) disposed around the photosensitive drum 1Y, and a developing device 5Y ( The developing unit), the cleaning device 2Y (cleaning unit), the charge eliminating unit, the toner container 60 (developer container), and the like are configured to be detachable (replaceable) from the image forming apparatus main body 100 as one unit. . Then, an image forming process (charging process, exposure process, developing process, transfer process, cleaning process) is performed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 1Y, and a yellow image is formed on the photosensitive drum 1Y. That is, the process cartridge 6Y constitutes an image forming unit together with the primary transfer roller 9Y (primary transfer device) and the like.

  The other three process cartridges 6M, 6C, and 6K (image forming unit) have substantially the same configuration as the process cartridge 6Y (image forming unit) corresponding to yellow except that the color of the toner used is different. Therefore, an image corresponding to each toner color is formed. Hereinafter, description of the other three process cartridges 6M, 6C, and 6K (image forming unit) will be omitted as appropriate, and only the process cartridge 6Y (image forming unit) corresponding to yellow will be described.

Referring to FIG. 2, photosensitive drum 1Y (image carrier) is driven to rotate clockwise by a motor. Then, the surface of the photosensitive drum 1Y is uniformly charged at the position of the charging device 4Y (charging roller) (this is a charging process).
Thereafter, the surface of the photosensitive drum 1Y reaches the irradiation position of the exposure light L emitted from the exposure device 7 (see FIG. 1), and the electrostatic latent image corresponding to yellow by exposure scanning at this position. Is formed (this is an exposure step).

Thereafter, the surface of the photosensitive drum 1Y reaches a position facing the developing device 5Y (developing device main portion 50), and the electrostatic latent image is developed at this position to form a yellow toner image (development). Process.)
Thereafter, the surface of the photosensitive drum 1Y reaches a position facing the intermediate transfer belt 8 and the primary transfer roller 9Y, and the toner image on the photosensitive drum 1Y is transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 8 at this position ( Primary transfer step). At this time, a small amount of untransferred toner remains on the photosensitive drum 1Y.

Thereafter, the surface of the photosensitive drum 1Y reaches a position facing the cleaning device 2Y, and untransferred toner remaining on the photosensitive drum 1Y at this position is collected in the cleaning device 2Y by the cleaning blade 2a (cleaning). Process.)
Finally, the surface of the photosensitive drum 1Y reaches a position facing the neutralization unit, and the residual potential on the photosensitive drum 1 is removed at this position.
Thus, a series of image forming processes performed on the photosensitive drum 1Y is completed.

The image forming process described above is performed in the same manner as the process cartridge 6Y (image forming unit) for yellow in the other process cartridges 6M, 6C, and 6K (image forming unit). That is, exposure light based on image information is emitted from the exposure device 7 disposed above the image forming unit onto the photosensitive drums of the process cartridges 6M, 6C, and 6K.
Thereafter, the toner images of the respective colors formed on the respective photosensitive drums through the developing process are transferred onto the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 8 in a superimposed manner. In this way, a color image is formed on the intermediate transfer belt 8.

  Here, referring to FIG. 1, the intermediate transfer belt device 15 includes an intermediate transfer belt 8, four primary transfer rollers 9Y (see FIG. 2), a driving roller, a driven roller, and the like. The intermediate transfer belt 8 is stretched and supported by a driving roller, a driven roller, and a primary transfer roller, and is endlessly moved in the arrow direction (counterclockwise direction) in FIG. 1 by the rotational driving of the driving roller.

The primary transfer roller 9Y sandwiches the intermediate transfer belt 8 with the photosensitive drum 1Y to form a primary transfer nip. A transfer voltage (transfer bias) opposite to the polarity of the toner is applied to the primary transfer roller 9Y.
The intermediate transfer belt 8 travels in the direction of the arrow and sequentially passes through the primary transfer nip of each primary transfer roller (9Y). In this way, the toner images of the respective colors on the respective photosensitive drums (1Y) are primarily transferred while being superimposed on the intermediate transfer belt 8.

  Thereafter, the intermediate transfer belt 8 onto which the toner images of the respective colors are transferred in an overlapping manner reaches a position facing the secondary transfer roller 19 (secondary transfer device). At this position, the drive roller (secondary transfer counter roller) sandwiches the intermediate transfer belt 8 with the secondary transfer roller 19 to form a secondary transfer nip. The four-color toner images formed on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 8 are transferred onto a recording medium P such as transfer paper conveyed to the position of the secondary transfer nip (secondary transfer process). ). At this time, untransferred toner that has not been transferred to the recording medium P remains on the intermediate transfer belt 8.

Thereafter, the intermediate transfer belt 8 reaches the position of the intermediate transfer cleaning device 16 (intermediate transfer cleaning blade). At this position, the untransferred toner on the intermediate transfer belt 8 is mechanically removed by an intermediate transfer cleaning blade (intermediate transfer cleaning device 16) that is in pressure contact with the intermediate transfer belt 8.
Thus, a series of transfer processes performed on the intermediate transfer belt 8 is completed.

Here, referring to FIG. 1, the recording medium P conveyed to the position of the secondary transfer nip is fed from a sheet feeding unit 26 disposed below the apparatus main body 100 to a sheet feeding roller 27 and a registration roller pair 28. (A pair of timing rollers) or the like.
Specifically, a plurality of recording media P (paper) such as transfer paper are stored in the paper supply unit 26 in a stacked manner. When the paper feed roller 27 is driven to rotate counterclockwise in FIG. 1, the uppermost recording medium P is fed toward the rollers of the registration roller pair 28.

  The recording medium P transported to the registration roller pair 28 temporarily stops at the position of the roller nip of the registration roller pair 28 whose rotation drive has been stopped. Then, the registration roller pair 28 (timing roller pair) is rotationally driven in synchronization with the color image on the intermediate transfer belt 8, and the recording medium P is conveyed toward the secondary transfer nip. In this way, a desired color image is transferred onto the recording medium P.

Thereafter, the recording medium P on which the color image is transferred at the position of the secondary transfer nip is conveyed to the position of the fixing device 20 (fixing nip). At this position, the color image (toner image) transferred to the surface is fixed on the recording medium P by heat and pressure generated by the fixing belt 21 (fixing member) and the pressure roller 22 (pressure member). (This is a fixing process.)
Thereafter, the recording medium P is discharged out of the apparatus by a pair of paper discharge rollers. The recording medium P discharged to the outside of the apparatus by the pair of paper discharge rollers is sequentially stacked on the opening / closing cover 110 functioning as a paper discharge tray (stack unit) as an output image.
Thus, a series of image forming processes in the image forming apparatus is completed.

Next, the image forming unit in the image forming apparatus will be described in detail with reference to FIG.
As shown in FIG. 2, the process cartridge 6Y as an attachment / detachment unit includes a photosensitive drum 1Y (image carrier), a charging device 4Y (charging roller), a developing device 5Y, a cleaning device 2Y, and a toner container 60 (developer container). , Etc.
A photoconductive drum 1Y as an image carrier is a negatively charged organic photoconductor, and is rotationally driven in the clockwise direction in FIG. 2 by receiving a driving force from a motor installed on the apparatus main body 100 side.

The charging device 4Y (charging roller) is an elastic roller member in which a medium-resistance urethane foam layer in which a urethane resin, carbon black as conductive particles, a sulfurizing agent, a foaming agent, and the like are formulated is formed on a core metal. . The material of the middle resistance layer of the charging device 4Y (charging roller) is urethane, ethylene-propylene-diene polyethylene (EPDM), butadiene acrylonitrile rubber (NBR), silicone rubber, isoprene rubber, etc. A rubber material in which a conductive material such as metal oxide is dispersed, or a foamed material of these materials can also be used.
The cleaning device 2Y is provided with a cleaning blade 2a that is in sliding contact with the photosensitive drum 1Y, and mechanically removes and collects untransferred toner on the photosensitive drum 1Y. The cleaning blade 2a is a substantially plate-like member formed of an elastic material such as urethane rubber, and is in contact with the photosensitive drum 1Y with a predetermined contact pressure and contact angle.

  The developing device 5Y is arranged such that a developing roller 51 as a developer carrying member is opposed to the photosensitive drum 1Y with a small gap therebetween, and between the members 1Y and 51 (opposing position). A development area is formed. In the developing device 5Y, toner (nonmagnetic or magnetic one-component developer) as a developer is accommodated. The developing device 5Y develops the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 1Y (forms a toner image).

Referring to FIG. 2, developing device 5Y is a non-contact one-component developing type developing device, and mainly developing device main part 50 for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on photosensitive drum 1Y; And a toner container 60 as a developer container in which toner (one-component developer) for replenishing the developing device main part 50 is accommodated.
The developing device 5Y is detachably (replaceable) from the apparatus main body 100 together with the other image forming members 1Y, 2Y, 4Y as a process cartridge 6Y. Then, the opening / closing cover 110 (see FIG. 1) is rotated about the support shaft 112 (rotation center) and opened (opened), and the process cartridge 6Y as an attachment / detachment unit is attached or detached (replacement). Work).
Here, in the present embodiment, the exposure device 7 is installed in the opening / closing cover 110, and the exposure device 7 also rotates together with the opening / closing cover 110 by rotating the opening / closing cover 110 around the support shaft 112. Will do. Thus, when the open / close cover 110 is in the open state, the four process cartridges 6Y, 6M, 6C, and 6K (detachable units) are exposed without being blocked by the exposure device 7.

  In this embodiment, the toner container 60 is configured to be detachably (replaceable) with respect to the apparatus main body 100 together with the developing device main part 50 as a constituent member of the process cartridge 6Y. The toner container 60 is separated from the main portion 50 (process cartridge 6Y) and only the toner container 60 is attached or detached (replaced), or the developing device main portion 50 (process cartridge 6Y) with the toner container 60 attached is attached or detached (replacement). It can also be configured to be exchangeable.

  Referring to FIG. 2, the developing device main unit 50 includes a developing roller 51 as a developer carrier, a supply roller 53 as a developer supply member, a doctor blade 52 as a developer regulating member, and a plurality of conveying members. Main part side replenishment in which toner is replenished from the partition member 56 and the toner container 60 that separate the first transport path B1 by the transport screws 54 and 55, the first transport screw 54 and the second transport path B2 by the second transport screw 55 It consists of a mouth 57 and the like.

The developing device 5Y configured as described above operates as follows.
First, the toner replenished from the toner container 60 into the second transport path B2 through the replenishing ports 57 and 63 is stirred and mixed by the second transport screw 55 together with the toner circulating in the main part 50 of the developing device. , Supplied to the first transport path B1. A part of the toner transported to the first transport path B1 is supplied to and supported by the supply roller 53 while being transported to the first transport screw 54. The toner carried on the supply roller 53 is frictionally charged at the pressure contact portion (contact position) with the developing roller 51 and then moved and carried on the developing roller 51. Thereafter, the toner carried on the developing roller 51 reaches a position (developing area) facing the photosensitive drum 1Y after being thinned and uniformed at the position where it contacts the doctor blade 52. At this position, the toner is attracted to the latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 1Y by the electric field (developing electric field) formed in the developing region.

Hereinafter, the characteristic configuration and operation of image forming apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment will be described in detail.
As described above with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the process cartridges 6 </ b> Y, 6 </ b> M, 6 </ b> C, and 6 </ b> K as attachment / detachment units are attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus main body 100 in the image forming apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment. It is installed as possible. Specifically, referring to FIGS. 1 and 4 and the like, a plurality of process cartridges 6Y and 6M are provided between one end side and the other end side in the X direction (a direction perpendicular to the Y direction which is the width direction). , 6C, 6K (detachable unit) are juxtaposed.

Further, in the image forming apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment, the process cartridges 6Y, 6M, 6C, and 6K (detachable units) installed inside the image forming apparatus main body 100 are exposed in the width direction (open / close unit) when the door is opened. An opening / closing cover 110 is provided that is pivotable about a support shaft 112 extending in the direction Y in the drawing) and can be opened and closed.
Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4 (and FIGS. 1 and 3), the opening / closing cover 110 is normally closed (the door is closed, and the inside of the apparatus main body 100 is not exposed). )), The image forming process described above is performed. Then, as shown in FIG. 5, the opening / closing cover 110 is opened around the support shaft 112 (the door is open, and the inside of the apparatus main body 100 is exposed upward). ), The process cartridges 6Y, 6M, 6C, and 6K are exchanged, and the opening / closing cover 110 is returned to the closed state (closed state) again.

  As described above, the image forming apparatus main body 100 is not so large in the height direction, and the opening / closing cover 110 exposes the inside of the image forming apparatus main body 100 upward. The person can smoothly exchange the replacement unit of the process cartridge 6Y while checking his / her hand from above.

Note that the opening / closing cover 110 in the present embodiment also functions as a paper discharge tray (stack unit) on which the recording medium P is placed on the upper surface in a closed state, as shown in FIGS. 1, 3, and 4. .
Specifically, the opening / closing cover 110 is arranged from the other end side in the X direction (right side in FIG. 4) to the one end side (left side in FIG. 4) from the width direction central portion (the center portion in the Y direction). There is a recess 111a formed so as to be inclined upward. The inclined concave portion 111a is formed so that the recording medium P is placed on the upper surface in the closed state. Then, the recording medium P after the image is formed in the image forming apparatus main body 100 is discharged and placed on the upper surface of the recess 111a (opening / closing cover 110).

Then, the user grasps and removes the recording medium P placed in the recess 111a of the opening / closing cover 110 from above. At that time, the side end concave portion 111b is formed so that a part of the wall portion is lowered so that the wall portion formed on the side portion of the concave portion 111a does not get in the way. The recording medium P can be taken out relatively easily.
Further, in the present embodiment, the space above the image forming apparatus main body 100 (opening / closing cover 110) is used as a paper discharge space for loading the recording medium P after image formation. As compared with the case where the above-mentioned space is used as the paper discharge space, the installation area of the image forming apparatus (the projected area of the apparatus as viewed from above) can be reduced.

  Here, in the present embodiment, the open / close cover 110 is provided with a latch lever 113 and a metal frame 114 (reinforcing member) separately from the cover body 111 made of the resin material in which the concave portion 111a and the side end concave portion 111b are formed. ) Is installed.

  With reference to FIGS. 3 to 5, the latch lever 113 is fitted into a fitting portion 130 installed in the image forming apparatus main body 100 when the door is closed as shown in FIG. 4, and the door is opened as shown in FIG. 5. It is formed so as to be rotatable about a latch shaft 113a extending in the width direction (Y direction) so that the fitting with the fitting portion 130 is sometimes released. The latch lever 113 is installed together with the latch shaft 113a on the other end side of the opening / closing cover 110 opposite to the one end side in the X direction where the support shaft 112 is installed. The latch lever 113 has a fitted portion 113c that fits into the fitting portion 130 at one end, and a grip 113b that is exposed to the recess 111a at the opposite end. The latch lever 113 is connected to a spring that urges the latch lever 113 to rotate counterclockwise in FIG. 4 about the latch shaft 113a.

  In a normal state, the engagement portion 113c of the latch lever 113 is maintained in the engagement portion 130 of the apparatus main body 100 by the biasing force of the spring, and the door closing state of the opening / closing cover 110 is maintained. become. On the other hand, when opening the opening / closing cover 110, the user rotates the latch lever 113 around the latch shaft 113a in the direction of the broken line arrow in FIG. As shown, the fitting between the fitted portion 113c and the fitting portion 130 is released, and the opening / closing cover 110 is rotated in the direction of the dashed-dotted arrow.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 6 and the like, the metal frame 114 is a sheet metal member formed in a substantially U-shape, and is located at the end in the width direction of the opening / closing cover 110 (to the right in FIG. 6). It is installed so as to be suspended between the support shaft 112 and the latch shaft 113a at a corresponding position. Further, the metal frame 114 serves as a biasing member that biases the process cartridges 6Y, 6M, 6C, and 6K (detachable units) in the mounting direction (downward) to the image forming apparatus main body 100 when the door is closed. Compression springs 115 are provided so as to correspond to the four process cartridges 6Y, 6M, 6C, and 6K, respectively.
In this way, when the door is closed, the process cartridges 6Y, 6M, 6C, and 6K are urged by the compression spring 115 (biasing member) installed on the opening / closing cover 110, whereby the process cartridge is moved with respect to the intermediate transfer belt device 15. 6Y, 6M, 6C, and 6K can be prevented from floating and the normal image forming process such as primary transfer failure cannot be performed.

  Thus, in the present embodiment, the compression spring 115 that biases the process cartridges 6Y, 6M, 6C, and 6K is not directly installed on the cover body 111 of the opening / closing cover 110 made of a resin material. Since it is installed directly on the metal frame 114 held by the opening / closing cover 110, the opening / closing cover 110 (cover body 111) is less likely to be bent due to the reaction force of the urging force of the compression spring 115. That is, the strength of the opening / closing cover 110 is increased. The metal frame 114 for increasing the strength of the opening / closing cover 110 is not installed over the entire bottom portion of the opening / closing cover 110 but is installed in the minimum necessary range. 110 does not increase in weight so that the operability when opening and closing the opening / closing cover 110 is reduced and the opening / closing cover 110 is not deformed due to the weight.

Here, in the present embodiment, referring to FIG. 6 and the like, the support shaft 112 and the latch shaft 113a are each formed of a conductive material such as a metal material, and are electrically connected via the metal frame 114. And is grounded (earthed) together with the metal frame 114.
Specifically, the support shaft 112 is attached to the opening / closing cover 110 so as to be inserted into a hole (bearing portion) formed in the apparatus main body 100 (or to form a hinge mechanism with the apparatus main body 100). Is retained. On the other hand, the latch shaft 113a is held by the opening / closing cover 110 so as not to interfere with the apparatus main body 100 even if the opening / closing operation of the opening / closing cover 110 is performed. The support shaft 112 is connected to the ground path 131 installed in the apparatus main body 100 at the position of the hole described above, so that all of the metal material in the open / close cover 110 (support shaft 112, metal frame 114, latch Shaft 113a) is grounded.
With this configuration, the opening / closing cover 110 that is opened and closed with respect to the apparatus main body 100 can be grounded in the same manner as the apparatus main body 100 regardless of whether the door is closed or opened. In addition, it is possible to prevent problems caused by static electricity accumulated in the opening / closing cover 110.

In this embodiment, with reference to FIGS. 4 and 6, etc., the metal frame 114 is installed with a gap so that it does not contact the main part (the cover body 111) of the opening / closing cover 110. Has been.
With this configuration, even if the metal frame 114 is deformed due to the reaction force of the urging force of the compression spring 115, the influence of the deformation hardly reaches the cover body 111. That is, the problem that the opening / closing cover 110 (cover body 111) is bent is further less likely to occur.

Further, in the present embodiment, referring to FIG. 6 and the like, the metal frame 114 is installed at the position of the end portion in the width direction where the recess 111a is not formed.
By configuring in this way, it is possible to prevent the opening / closing cover 110 from being enlarged in the vertical direction by installing the metal frame 114.
In the present embodiment, the metal frame 114 is installed on the inner side so as not to interfere with the side end recess 111b (see FIG. 3) at the position of the end in the width direction.

<Modification 1>
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating the first modification, and is a diagram illustrating a state in which the opening / closing cover 110 is opened / closed.
As shown in FIG. 7, in the first modification, the rail groove 114a is formed in the metal frame 114 so as to extend from one end side in the X direction toward the other end side. In addition, one end portion (rotating shaft 116a) is rotatably held by the image forming apparatus main body 100, and the other end portion (a portion surrounded by a broken line) is fitted to the rail groove portion 114a. Is provided.

When the door is opened (when the door is changed from the closed state shown in FIG. 7A to the opened state shown in FIG. 7B), the arm 116 has the other end (the portion surrounded by a broken line). 7) while rotating along the rail groove 114a, rotating around the rotation shaft 116a (one end) and contacting the end of the rail groove 114a as shown in FIG. 7B. Thus, the rotational position when the opening / closing cover 110 is opened is restricted. That is, as shown in FIG. 7B, the opening / closing cover 110 does not rotate beyond the position where the other end of the arm 116 abuts the end of the rail groove 114a.
With such a configuration, it is possible to prevent the opening / closing cover 110 from being opened indefinitely and causing the opening / closing cover 110 to be damaged.

In the first modification, as shown in FIG. 7, a compression spring as an elastic member is provided between the starting end 114 a 1 of the rail groove 114 a and the other end of the arm 116 (a portion surrounded by a broken line). 117 is installed.
The compression spring 117 (elastic member) installed in this way functions as a member that urges the opening / closing cover 110 in the door opening direction (in the direction of the one-dot chain line in FIG. 7B).
By comprising in this way, the malfunction which the opening-and-closing cover 110 in a door open state falls down vigorously in the door closing direction can be reduced.

<Modification 2>
FIG. 8 is a schematic perspective view showing the metal frame 114 according to the second modification.
As shown in FIG. 8, in the second modification, the metal frame 114 is formed not by a U-shaped column structure but by a hollow prismatic structure. Inside the metal frame 114, electrical components such as a harness 119 and an IC chip 118 are installed.
With this configuration, even when harnesses or electrical components are arranged on the opening / closing cover 110, they are surrounded by a rigid body. Therefore, even if the opening / closing operation of the opening / closing cover 110 is performed, those components are also included. Can be prevented from being damaged. Furthermore, since the harness and the electrical component are installed inside the grounded metal frame 114, it is difficult for such a component to cause an electrical malfunction.

<Modification 3>
FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a third modification, in which FIG. 9A corresponds to FIG. 3 in the present embodiment, and FIG. 9B corresponds to FIG. 6 in the present embodiment. It is a figure to do.
As shown in FIG. 9B, in the third modification, the metal frames 114 are respectively installed at both ends in the width direction. Such a configuration is effective when the process cartridges 6Y, 6M, 6C, and 6K (detachable units) are configured to pressurize at both ends in the width direction (Y direction), and are installed at both ends in the width direction. The metal frames 114 are installed so as to correspond to the compression springs 115, respectively. Even in such a case, the two metal frames 114 are configured in substantially the same manner as in the present embodiment, so that the opening / closing cover 110 is not so heavy as in the present embodiment. The strength of the opening / closing cover 110 can be increased without causing a problem that the operability when opening / closing the opening / closing cover 110 is lowered or a problem that the opening / closing cover 110 is deformed.

In Modification 3, as shown in FIG. 9A, both the right-handed user and the left-handed user can take out the recording medium P (paper) placed in the recess 111a. Side end recesses 111b are formed at both ends in the width direction of the cover main body 111, respectively.
And in the modification 3, the two metal frames 114 are installed in the inside so that it may not interfere with the side edge recessed part 111b in the position of the width direction edge part, respectively.

As described above, in the image forming apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment, the latch lever 113 is provided on the other end side opposite to the one end side where the support shaft 112 serving as the rotation center is installed on the opening / closing cover 110. It is installed so as to be rotatable about the latch shaft 113a. A metal frame 114 is installed so as to be suspended from the support shaft 112 and the latch shaft 113a at a position corresponding to the end in the width direction of the opening / closing cover 110, and the process cartridges 6Y, 6M, A compression spring 115 (biasing member) for urging 6C and 6K (detachable unit) in the mounting direction is provided.
As a result, the opening / closing cover 110 is not so heavy, and the opening / closing cover 110 can be opened and closed without causing problems such as poor operability when opening / closing the opening / closing cover 110 and deformation of the opening / closing cover 110. The strength of the cover 110 can be increased.

In the present embodiment, the present invention is applied to the color image forming apparatus 100, but the present invention can also be applied to a monochrome image forming apparatus.
In this embodiment, the present invention is applied to the electrophotographic image forming apparatus 100. However, the application of the present invention is not limited to this, and other types of image forming apparatuses (for example, inkjet) Of course, the present invention can be applied to an image forming apparatus of a system, an offset printing machine, and the like.
Further, in the present embodiment, the present invention is applied to the opening / closing cover 110 on which the recording medium P after image formation is discharged and stacked. On the other hand, in a copying machine or the like equipped with an automatic document transport device that automatically transports a document and reads document information and then discharges the document information, the discharge tray serves as an open / close cover. Of course, the present invention can be applied to the opening / closing cover even when it is functioning.
In the present embodiment, the present invention is applied to the image forming apparatus 100 in which the process cartridges 6Y, 6M, 6C, and 6K are installed as attachment / detachment units that are urged by the urging member installed in the opening / closing cover 110. Applied. However, the detachable unit urged by the urging member installed on the opening / closing cover is not limited to this, and for example, as a detachable unit urged by the urging member installed on the opening / closing cover, the toner container The present invention can also be applied to an image forming apparatus that is configured to be energized only.
Even in those cases, the same effects as in the present embodiment can be obtained.

  It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the present embodiment, and it is obvious that the present embodiment can be appropriately modified within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention, other than suggested in the present embodiment. is there. Further, the number, position, shape, and the like of the constituent members are not limited to the present embodiment, and the number, position, shape, and the like that are suitable for implementing the present invention can be used.

6Y, 6M, 6C, 6K process cartridge (detachable unit),
100 Image forming apparatus (image forming apparatus main body),
110 Opening and closing cover,
111 cover body,
111a recess, 111b side end recess,
112 spindle (rotation center),
113 Latch lever,
113a latch shaft, 113b gripping part, 113c fitted part,
114 metal frame,
114a rail groove, 114a1 start end,
115 compression spring (biasing member),
116 arms,
116a Rotating shaft (one end),
117 compression spring (elastic member),
118 ID chip (electric parts),
119 harness,
130 fitting part.

JP2013-205705A

Claims (9)

A detachable unit detachably installed on the image forming apparatus main body;
An opening / closing cover formed to be capable of opening and closing by rotating around a support shaft extending in the width direction so that the detachable unit installed inside the image forming apparatus main body is exposed when the door is opened;
With
The opening / closing cover is
Centering on a latch shaft extending in the width direction so as to be fitted to a fitting portion installed in the main body of the image forming apparatus when the door is closed and to be released from the fitting portion when the door is opened. A latch lever which is formed so as to be rotatable and is installed together with the latch shaft on the other end side opposite to the one end side where the support shaft is installed in the opening and closing cover;
An urging force that is installed to be suspended from the support shaft and the latch shaft at a position corresponding to an end in the width direction of the opening / closing cover and urges the detachable unit in the mounting direction to the image forming apparatus main body. A metal frame with members;
An image forming apparatus comprising:   2. The support shaft according to claim 1, wherein the support shaft and the latch shaft are each formed of a conductive material and are electrically connected through the metal frame to be grounded together with the metal frame. The image forming apparatus described. The metal frame is formed with a rail groove so as to extend from the one end side toward the other end side,
One end is rotatably supported by the image forming apparatus main body, and the other end includes an arm that fits into the rail groove.
When the door is opened, the arm is rotated about the one end while the other end moves along the rail groove, and comes into contact with the end of the rail groove, thereby opening and closing the opening / closing cover. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a rotation position when the door is opened is restricted.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein an elastic member is installed between a starting end of the rail groove and the other end of the arm.   The image formation according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the metal frame is a hollow prismatic structure, and at least one of a harness and an electrical component is installed therein. apparatus.   6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the metal frame is installed with a gap so as not to contact the main part of the opening / closing cover.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the metal frames are respectively installed at both ends in the width direction. The opening / closing cover is formed so that a recording medium is placed on the upper surface thereof in a closed state, and is a recess formed at the center in the width direction so as to incline upward from the other end to the one end. Comprising
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the metal frame is installed at a position of an end in a width direction where the concave portion is not formed.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the detachable units are arranged in parallel between the one end side and the other end side.

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