JP7035450B2 - Frame structure and image forming device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a frame structure and an image forming apparatus.

An image forming apparatus frame having a first plate member and a second plate member fixed to each other.
The first plate member is provided at a positioning portion that abuts perpendicularly to the second plate member to determine the position of the second plate member with respect to the first plate member, a bent portion that is bent along the second plate member, and a bent portion. The second plate member has a fixed portion to be fixed to the second plate member, and the second plate member has a fixed portion to which the fixed portion is fixed, and the tip of the positioning portion is higher than the fixed portion. It is arranged at a position protruding toward the two-plate member side, and the second plate member bends so that the second plate member abuts on the positioning portion and the fixed portion abuts on the fixed portion and is fixed. A frame for an image forming apparatus in which a first plate member and a second plate member are fixed is known (Patent Document 1).

A device frame including a first frame component and a second frame component fastened to the first frame component, the first fastening portion and the second fastening portion of the first frame component. At least one of the second fastening portions of the frame body component of the above has a fixing area for fixing and a slit provided around the fixing area, and the first frame body component has a second frame body. When the first fastening portion and the second fastening portion are separated from each other when the parts are abutted and fixed, the fixing region is deformed by the slit, so that the first fastening portion and the second fastening portion come into contact with each other. A device frame body to which the first frame body component and the second frame body component are fastened is also known (Patent Document 2).

JP-A-2015-163959 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2015-118339

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY In the frame structure in which the front and rear side plates of the frame body are connected by a connecting member to define the distance between the front and rear side plates, the fastening portion is provided on the extension line of the abutting position where the abutting portion is abutted against the side plates. It is an object of the present invention to provide a frame structure and an image forming apparatus capable of suppressing deformation of a side plate due to a fastening force of a fastening portion as compared with a configuration not provided.

In order to solve the above problems, the frame structure according to claim 1 is
A pair of facing side plates and
A connecting member arranged between the side plates and defining a distance between the side plates is provided.
The connecting member is connected by a fastening portion fixed to a fastened portion of the side plate, an abutting portion abutted against the side plate , and at least two bending lines including a first bending line and a second bending line. It has a connecting portion extending in a direction connecting the side plates and a bent portion in contact with the inner surface of the side plates .
The first bending line and the second bending line are bent in opposite directions to form a convex convex portion between the connecting portion and the bent portion.
The bent portion includes a portion extending from the convex portion toward the connecting portion and intersecting the surface extending the connecting portion.
The fastening portion is provided on an extension line of the abutting position where the abutting portion is abutted against the side plate , and the connecting portion of the bent portion is provided on the extension surface .
Characterized by

The frame structure according to claim 2 is
A pair of facing side plates and
A connecting member , which is arranged between the side plates and defines a distance between the side plates, is provided.
The connecting member includes a fastening portion fixed to a fastened portion of the side plate, an abutting portion abutted against the side plate , and a connecting portion extending in a direction connecting the side plates connected by a bending line and the side plate. Has a bent part that comes into contact with the inner surface of
The bent portion includes a portion that intersects with a surface extending the connecting portion by a notch portion that straddles the bending line.
The fastening portion is provided on an extension line of the abutting position where the abutting portion is abutted against the side plate , and the connecting portion of the bent portion is provided on the extension surface .
It is characterized by that.

The invention according to claim 3 has the frame structure according to claim 1 or 2 .
The abutting portion is formed so as to project from the surface of the bent portion on the side in contact with the side plate .
The fastened portion is formed in a convex throttle portion formed on the surface on the side where the connecting member comes into contact.
The convex height of the convex squeezed portion is larger than the amount of protrusion from the surface of the abutting portion on the side in contact with the side plate.
It is characterized by that.

The invention according to claim 4 has the frame structure according to claim 3.
The connecting member is made of a plate material.
The convex height of the convex throttle portion is larger than the plate thickness of the connecting member.
It is characterized by that .

In order to solve the above problems, the image forming apparatus according to claim 5 is used.
The frame structure according to any one of claims 1 to 4 is provided.
It is characterized by that.

According to the first and fifth aspects of the invention, as compared with the configuration in which the fastening portion is not provided on the extension line of the abutting position where the abutting portion is abutted against the side plate, the side plate due to the fastening force of the fastening portion is provided. Deformation can be suppressed.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the deformation of the side plate due to the fastening force of the fastening portion is different from the configuration in which the fastening portion is not provided on the extension line of the abutting position where the abutting portion is abutted against the side plate. It can be suppressed.

According to the invention of claim 3, the distance between the side plates can be defined.

According to the invention of claim 4 ,
Deformation of the side plate due to the fastening force between the fastening portion and the fastened portion can be suppressed.

It is sectional drawing which shows the internal structure of an image forming apparatus. It is an external perspective view of a frame structure. It is a perspective view which shows an example of the abutting portion and the fastening portion of a connecting member. It is a figure which shows the connection between a side plate and a connecting member, (a) is a schematic cross-sectional view, and (b) is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view. It is a figure which shows the arrangement of the abutting part and the fastening part of a connecting member. It is a perspective view which shows the abutment part and the fastening part which concerns on modification 1. FIG. It is a figure which shows the drawing part formed for the strength improvement of the to be fastened part of a side plate, (a) is a back view which shows the back surface of a side plate, (b) is a schematic cross-sectional view, (c) is a schematic vertical section. It is a figure. It is a figure which shows the drawing part formed for the strength improvement of the to be fastened part of the side plate which concerns on modification 2, (a) is a schematic cross-sectional view, and (b) is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view. It is a figure which shows the connection between the side plate and the connecting member which concerns on modification 3, (a) is a schematic cross-sectional view, and (b) is a schematic vertical sectional view.

Next, with reference to the drawings, embodiments and specific examples will be given below to explain the present invention in more detail, but the present invention is not limited to these embodiments and specific examples.
In addition, in the explanation using the following drawings, it should be noted that the drawings are schematic and the ratio of each dimension is different from the actual one, which is necessary for the explanation for easy understanding. Illustrations other than the members are omitted as appropriate.
In order to facilitate the understanding of the following explanations, in the drawings, the front-back direction is the X-axis direction, the left-right direction is the Y-axis direction, and the up-down direction is the Z-axis direction.

(1) Overall Configuration and Operation of the Image Forming Device FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the internal configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment.
Hereinafter, the overall configuration and operation of the image forming apparatus 1 will be described with reference to the drawings.

(1.1) Overall Configuration of Image Forming Device The image forming apparatus 1 includes an image forming unit 10, a paper feeding device 20 mounted on the bottom of the image forming unit 10, an operation display unit 30, and an image processing unit 40. , Is configured.

The image forming unit 10 has a system control device 11, an exposure device LH, a photoconductor unit 13, a developing device 14, a transfer device 15, a paper transport device 16, and a fixing device 17 inside a device frame as an example of a frame structure. The image information received from the image processing unit 40 is formed as a toner image on the paper P fed from the paper feeding device 20.

A paper feeding device 20 having paper trays 21 and 22 is provided at the bottom of the image forming unit 10, and is further arranged in multiple stages (two stages in this embodiment) in the vertical direction below the paper feeding device 20. , A tray module TM including paper trays T1 and T2 for accommodating the paper P is connected to supply paper to the image forming unit 10.
That is, a plurality of trays for accommodating papers of different types (for example, material, thickness, paper size, paper grain) are provided, and paper fed from any one of these plurality of trays is used in the image forming unit 10. It is configured to supply to.

The operation display unit 30 corresponds to a so-called user interface, and is specifically configured by combining a liquid crystal display panel, various operation buttons, a touch panel, and the like, and is used for inputting various settings and instructions and displaying information.
The image processing unit 40 generates image data from print information transmitted from an external device.

(1.2) Configuration and Operation of Image Forming Unit 10 In the image forming apparatus 1 having such a configuration, each sheet of the paper feeding device 20 or the tray module TM to be printed by the print job is set according to the timing of image formation. The paper P unwound from the tray designated in 1 is fed to the image forming unit 10.

The photoconductor unit 13 is provided above the paper feed device 20 (in the Z direction) in parallel, and includes a photoconductor drum 31 that is rotationally driven. Yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K) toner images are formed by the respective developing devices 14 on the respective photoconductor drums 31 on which the electrostatic latent image is formed by the exposure device LH. Is formed.

The transfer device 15 includes an intermediate transfer belt 51 as an image holder on which each color toner image formed on the photoconductor drum 31 of each photoconductor unit 13 is multiplex-transferred, and each color toner formed by each photoconductor unit 13. A primary transfer roller 52 for sequentially transferring (primary transfer) the image to the intermediate transfer belt 51 is provided.

The paper transport device 16 includes a driven roller 24b of a register roller pair 24 that corrects the posture of the paper P fed from the paper feed device 20 and feeds the paper P to the secondary transfer unit TR in accordance with the timing of the secondary transfer. It is provided with a secondary transfer roller 62 for batch transfer (secondary transfer) of each color toner image superimposed and transferred on the intermediate transfer belt 51 onto paper P as a recording medium. Further, the paper P on which the transferred toner image is held is guided to the fixing nip portion NF of the fixing device 17 via the transport guide 66.

Each color toner image formed on the photoconductor drum 31 of each photoconductor unit 13 is placed on the intermediate transfer belt 51 by a primary transfer roller 52 to which a predetermined transfer voltage is applied from a power supply device controlled by the system control device 11. Sequential electrostatic transfer (primary transfer) is performed to form a superimposed toner image on which each color toner is superimposed.

The superimposed toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 51 is conveyed to the secondary transfer unit TR as the intermediate transfer belt 51 moves. When the superimposed toner image is conveyed to the secondary transfer unit TR, the paper P is supplied to the secondary transfer unit TR from the resist roller pair 24 at the timing.
A predetermined transfer voltage is applied to the secondary transfer roller 62 from the power supply device controlled by the system control device 11, and the multiple toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 51 is displayed on the paper P sent out from the resist roller pair 24. It is transferred all at once.

The fixing device 17 has a heating module 71 and a pressure module 72, and a fixing nip portion NF (fixing region) is formed by a pressure contact region between the heating module 71 and the pressure module 72. The paper P on which the toner image is transferred in the secondary transfer unit TR is conveyed to the fixing device 17 via the conveying guide 66 in a state where the toner image is not fixed. The toner image of the paper P conveyed to the fixing device 17 is fixed by the action of heating and crimping by the pair of heating modules 71 and the pressure module 72.

The paper P on which the fixing toner image is formed is guided by the switching gate G1 and is discharged and stored in the paper ejection tray portion TR1 on the upper surface of the image forming apparatus 1 from the first ejection roller pair 73. Further, in the case of reversing for double-sided printing or discharging with the image recording surface facing upward, the transport direction is switched by the switching gate G1.

(2) Frame structure FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of the frame structure 100, FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an example of an abutting portion 132 and a fastening portion 133 of the connecting member 130, and FIG. 4 is a side plate 110, 120 and a connecting member. It is a figure which shows the connection with 130, (a) is a schematic cross-sectional view, (b) is a vertical sectional view, and FIG. ..

(2.1) Overall Structure of Frame Structure As shown in FIG. 2, the frame structure 100 of the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment has a pair of side plates 110 and 120 facing each other and between the side plates 110 and 120. It has a connecting member 130 which is arranged in and defines a distance between the side plates 110 and 120. These side plates 110 and 120 and the connecting member 130 are formed by punching and bending a metal plate having a thickness of 0.6 mm to 1.6 mm by press working.

The side plates 110 and 120 are arranged in parallel facing each other, and a connecting member 130 is arranged between the side plates 110 and 120 so as to be abutted against the inner surfaces 110a and 120a of the side plates 110 and 120 by the abutting portion 132. With the distance W between the side plates 110 and 120 defined, the fastening portion 133 is fastened to the fastened portions 111 and 121 provided on the side plates 110 and 120 by pulling in the side plates 110 and 120 with screws, welding or an adhesive. Has been done.

The transfer device 15, the paper transfer device 16, the fixing device 17, and the like that form the image forming unit 10 are assembled to the side plates 110 and 120 of the frame structure 100 configured in this way. Therefore, if the side plates 110 and 120 are deformed when the side plates 110 and 120 are fastened by the connecting member 120, the transfer device 15, the paper transfer device 16, the fixing device 17, and the like may be displaced from each other. rice field.

(2.2) Connecting member The connecting member 130 has a bent portion 131 that abuts on the inner surfaces 110a and 120a of the side plates 110 and 120. Further, the connecting member 120 has an abutting portion 132 protruding from the outer surface 131a of the bent portion 131 that abuts on the inner surfaces 110a and 120a of the side plates 110 and 120. Further, the connecting member 120 has a fastening portion 133 that is fastened in contact with the fastened portions 111 and 121 provided on the inner surfaces 110a and 120a of the side plates 110 and 120.

As shown in FIG. 4, the abutting portion 132 projects from the outer surface 131a of the bent portion 131 by 0.3 mm to 0.45 mm and comes into contact with the inner surfaces 110a and 120a of the side plates 110 and 120. Further, the fastening portion 133 is formed along the inner surfaces 110a and 120a of the side plates 110 and 120 so as to be flush with the outer surface 131a of the bent portion 131. Therefore, the side plates 110 and 120 are connected to the fastening portion 133 by connecting the fastening portion 133 and the fastened portions 111 and 121 in a state where the distance between the side plates 110 and 120 is defined by the abutting portion 132 of the connecting member 130. The fastened portions 111 and 121 are bent and fastened by a distance corresponding to the protrusion amount D of the abutting portion 132.

In the frame structure 100 in which the side plates 110 and 120 are connected by the connecting member 130 in this way, as shown in FIG. 5, the abutting portion 132 abuts the abutting portion 132 against the inner surfaces 110a and 120a of the side plates 110 and 120. It is provided on an extension line of the abutting position (see lines AA in FIG. 5).
As a result, by fastening in the vicinity of the abutting portion 132, the fastening portion 133 is not provided on the extension line of the abutting position where the abutting portion 132 is abutted against the side plates 110 and 120. Deformation of the side plates 110 and 120 can be suppressed with less pulling of the side plates 110 and 120 toward the connecting member 130 side due to the fastening force between 133 and the fastened portions 111 and 121.

As shown in FIG. 5, the fastening portion 133 is erected by being bent downward from the squeezed portion 134 having a convex shape toward the lower side of the connecting member 130 by the bent portion 133a along the bent portion 131. As a result, the fastening portion 133 is fastened so as to follow the inner surfaces 110a and 120a provided with the fastened portions 111 and 121 of the side plates 110 and 120 starting from the bent portion 133a, and the deformation of the side plates 110 and 120 is suppressed. be able to.

"Modification example 1"
FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the abutting portion 132 and the fastening portion 133A according to the modified example 1.
As shown in FIG. 6, the fastening portion 133A may be formed in a plate shape having notches 135 and 135 on both sides along the bent portion 131 and having the tip portion 133Aa as a free end. As a result, the side plates 110 and 120 are fastened so as to follow the inner surfaces 110a and 120a provided with the fastened portions 111 and 121 starting from the base end portion 133Ab of the fastening portion 133, and the deformation of the side plates 110 and 120 is suppressed. be able to.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the throttle portions 112 and 122 formed to improve the strength of the fastened portions 111 and 121 of the side plates 110 and 120, and FIG. 7A is a back surface showing the back surfaces 110b and 120b of the side plates 110 and 120. The figure, (b) is a schematic cross-sectional view, and (c) is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view.
As shown in FIG. 7, the fastened portions 111 and 121 of the side plates 110 and 120 have convex throttle portions 112 and 122 on the back surfaces 110b and 120b of the inner surfaces 110a and 120a to which the fastening portions 133 of the connecting member 130 come into contact. It is formed radially around the fastened portions 111 and 121. The height of the convex shape is not particularly limited, but usually about 1 mm to 2 mm is sufficient to exert a reinforcing effect.
As a result, the strength of the fastened portions 111 and 121 of the side plates 110 and 120 can be improved, and the deformation of the side plates 110 and 120 due to the fastening force between the fastened portion 133 and the fastened portions 111 and 121 can be suppressed.

"Modification 2"
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the throttle portions 113 and 123 formed for improving the strength of the fastened portions 111 and 121 of the side plates 110 and 120 according to the modified example 2, in which FIG. 8A is a schematic cross-sectional view, (b). ) Is a schematic vertical sectional view.
As shown in FIG. 8A, convex throttle portions 113 and 123 are formed on the inner surfaces 110a and 120a to which the fastening portions 133 of the connecting member 130 come into contact with the fastened portions 111 and 121 of the side plates 110 and 120. You may. The height of the convex shape is not particularly limited, but usually about 1 mm to 2 mm is sufficient to exert a reinforcing effect. As shown in FIG. 8B, the fastening portion 133 of the connecting member 130 is formed in a concave shape in accordance with the convex drawing portions 113 and 123 formed in the fastened portions 111 and 121 of the side plates 110 and 120. To.
As a result, the strength of the fastened portions 111 and 121 of the side plates 110 and 120 can be improved, and the deformation of the side plates 110 and 120 due to the fastening force between the fastened portion 133 and the fastened portions 111 and 121 can be suppressed.

"Modification 3"
9A and 9B are views showing the connection between the side plates 110 and 120 and the connecting member 130B according to the modified example 3, where FIG. 9A is a schematic cross-sectional view and FIG. 9B is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view.
FIG. 9 shows the connection between the connecting member 130B and the side plates 110 and 120 according to the modified example 3. The connecting member 130B is formed by being bent at an obtuse angle so that the tip portion 133Ba comes into contact with the inner surfaces 110a and 120a of the side plates 110 and 120 first.
Specifically, as shown in FIG. 9, in the fastening portion 133B, the tip portion 133Ba starts from the bent portion 133Bb and is outward from the bent portion 131 of the connecting member 130B within the range of the protrusion amount D of the abutting portion 132. It is bent at an obtuse angle so that it becomes.

When the connecting member 130B having the fastening portion 133B formed in this way is fastened to the fastened portions 111 and 121 of the side plates 110 and 120, the fastening portion 133B has the tip portion 133Ba and the inner surfaces 110a and 120a of the side plates 110 and 120. Contact first. Then, the fastening portion 133B is deformed and fastened along the inner surfaces 110a and 120a of the side plates 110 and 120 by the fastening force of the fastening portion 133B and the fastened portions 111 and 121, and the deformation of the side plates 110 and 120 can be suppressed. can.

According to the frame structure 100 according to the present embodiment, the abutting portion 130 is connected in parallel by abutting the abutting portion 132 against the side plates 110 and 120 and defining the distance between the side plates 110 and 120. By fastening to the side plates 110 and 120 on the extension line of the abutting position of 132, the deformation of the side plates 110 and 120 can be suppressed without increasing the plate thickness of the side plates 110 and 120.
As a result, misalignment of the transfer device 15, the paper transfer device 16, the fixing device 17, etc., which are image forming members of the image forming unit 10 supported by the side plates 110 and 120, is suppressed, and the color image is misaligned and the paper is misaligned. It is possible to suppress the occurrence of image defects such as skewed transport, paper wrinkles, and transfer defects.

1 ... Image forming device 10 ... Image forming unit 11 ... System control device 12 ... Exposure device 13 ... Photoconductor unit 14 ... Developing device 15 ... Transfer device 16 ... Paper transport device 17 ... Fixing device 20 ... Feeding device 30 ... Operation display unit 40 ... Image processing unit 100 ... Frame structure 110, 120 ... Side plates 110a, 120a ... Inner surface 111, 121 ... Fastened portion 130, 130A, 130B ... Fastening member 131 ... Bent portion 132 ... Butting portion 133, 133A, 133B ... Fastening portion

Claims (5)

A pair of facing side plates and
A connecting member arranged between the side plates and defining a distance between the side plates is provided.
The connecting member is connected by a fastening portion fixed to a fastened portion of the side plate, an abutting portion abutted against the side plate , and at least two bending lines including a first bending line and a second bending line. It has a connecting portion extending in a direction connecting the side plates and a bent portion in contact with the inner surface of the side plates .
The first bending line and the second bending line are bent in opposite directions to form a convex convex portion between the connecting portion and the bent portion.
The bent portion includes a portion extending from the convex portion toward the connecting portion and intersecting the surface extending the connecting portion.
The fastening portion is provided on an extension line of the abutting position where the abutting portion is abutted against the side plate , and the connecting portion of the bent portion is provided on the extension surface .
The frame structure is characterized by that. A pair of facing side plates and
A connecting member , which is arranged between the side plates and defines a distance between the side plates, is provided.
The connecting member includes a fastening portion fixed to a fastened portion of the side plate, an abutting portion abutted against the side plate , and a connecting portion extending in a direction connecting the side plates connected by a bending line and the side plate. Has a bent part that comes into contact with the inner surface of
The bent portion includes a portion that intersects with a surface extending the connecting portion by a notch portion that straddles the bending line.
The fastening portion is provided on an extension line of the abutting position where the abutting portion is abutted against the side plate , and the connecting portion of the bent portion is provided on the extension surface .
The frame structure is characterized by that. The abutting portion is formed so as to project from the surface of the bent portion on the side in contact with the side plate .
The fastened portion is formed in a convex throttle portion formed on the surface on the side where the connecting member comes into contact.
The convex height of the convex squeezed portion is larger than the amount of protrusion from the surface of the abutting portion on the side in contact with the side plate.
The frame structure according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the frame structure is characterized in that. The connecting member is made of a plate material.
The convex height of the convex throttle portion is larger than the plate thickness of the connecting member.
The frame structure according to claim 3, wherein the frame structure is characterized by the above. The frame structure according to any one of claims 1 to 4 is provided.
An image forming apparatus characterized in that.

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