JPH0114589B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a fixing device for an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a printer, which is detachably attached to the main body of the image forming apparatus and is divided into two units. It is about improvement.

Conventionally, there have been devices in which a fixing device can be freely pulled out from the main body of an image forming apparatus and is divided into two units (for example, Utility Model Application No. 54-153240). However, the operation of pulling out the fixing device and the operation of opening and closing the unit must be performed separately, and the operation lacks speed.

The present invention has been made in view of such conventional difficulties, and is divided into at least two units, which are housed in the main body of the device so that they can be freely drawn out, are hinged on one side, and can be opened and closed on the other side. In the fixing device, a support shaft is fixed to the swing unit, and an engagement lever that can freely engage the engagement shaft fixed to the fixed unit is attached to the support shaft. A spring is mounted to bias this in the engaging direction, and a rotating shaft is rotatably mounted, and the rotating shaft includes a second engagement lever that can be freely engaged with a part of the device body, and a fixing device. The fixing device is characterized in that an operating lever for pulling out the second engagement lever is fixedly installed, and a spring is attached for biasing the second engagement lever in the engagement direction.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a copying machine in which a fixing device according to an embodiment of the present invention is housed, Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the main parts, and Figs. It is an operation|movement explanatory diagram which sequentially explains each operation|movement of opening.

In FIG. 1, a document table 2 is placed on the top surface of a copying machine main body 1 and is movable in the left and right directions. In addition, a photoreceptor drum 3 is rotatably mounted in the center,
Around it, a developing device 4, a transfer corotron 5, a separating corotron 6, a neutralizing corotron 7, a cleaning device 8, and a charging corotron 9 are arranged in order in the counterclockwise direction. Reference numeral 10 denotes a paper feed cassette in which copy sheets are stacked and stored, and register rollers 11, 11 are provided on the downstream side of the paper feed cassette. Further, downstream of the separation corotron 6, there is provided a conveyor 12 for conveying the copy paper onto which the toner image has been transferred. Reference numeral 13 denotes a short focus lens array provided on the top of the photoreceptor drum 3, which forms an image of the document illuminated by the exposure lamp 14 on the side surface of the photoreceptor drum 3.

The above is the general structure of the copying machine. Next, the structure of the fixing device 15 located downstream of the conveyor 12 will be explained mainly based on FIG. 2.
The fixing device 15 is composed of a swinging unit 17 having a heating roller 16 installed therein, and a fixed unit 19 having a pressure roller 18 installed therein. It is connected with a hinge 20 at. 21 is the copying machine main body 1
A guide rail extending downstream from the bottom of the
This may be configured to be able to move in and out of the copying machine main body 1. Furthermore, this guide rail 21
A stopper 22 for stopping the fixing device 15 when it is pulled out is fixedly provided at the downstream end of the fixing device 15 . A support shaft 23 as a support member is fixed to the swing unit 17 on the downstream side of the heating roller 16, and a first engagement lever 24 having a hook-shaped lower end is rotatably attached to the support shaft 23. Ru. Further, a rotation shaft 25 parallel to the rotation axis of the heating roller 16 is loosely fitted into the upper part of the first engagement lever bar 24 so as to be freely rotatable. Reference numeral 26 denotes a first tension spring that urges the first engagement lever 24 to rotate counterclockwise about the rotating shaft 25, and is tensioned between a part of the swing unit 17 and the first engagement lever 24. be done. 2
Reference numeral 7 denotes an engagement shaft as an engagement member fixed to the fixing unit 19, with which the lower end of the first engagement lever 24 is engaged by the first tension spring 26. A second engagement lever 28 extending toward the upstream side is fixed to the rotating shaft 25, and its free end is formed into a hook shape, and is connected to an engagement hole 29 formed in a part of the copying machine main body 1.
is engaged with. Reference numeral 30 denotes an operating lever that is fixed to the center of the rotating shaft 25 and extends downstream, and is used to pull out the entire fixing device 15 from the copying machine main body 1.
It serves as a handle for lifting the swing unit 17.
31 is a second tension spring stretched between the operating lever 30 and a part of the fixing unit 19;
The engagement lever 28 is biased in the direction of engagement with the engagement hole 29 of the copying machine main body 1.

Next, the operation of pulling out and opening the fixing device 15 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be explained in FIGS. 3 to 7.
This will be explained based on the diagram.

FIG. 3 shows a state in which the fixing device 15 is housed in the main body 1 of the copying machine. From this state, when the operator lifts the operating lever 30 in the direction of the arrow, the second engagement lever 28 rotates counterclockwise against the second tension spring 31, and the engagement hole 28 of the copying machine body 1 rotates counterclockwise. depart from,
It becomes a disengaged state. Therefore, when the operator pulls the operating lever 30 to the right in this state, the fixing device 15 moves on the rail 21 until it is stopped by the stopper 22. FIG. 5 shows this state, in which the fixing device 15 is completely pulled out from the main body 1 of the copying machine. From this state, when the operating lever 30 is further pulled slightly to the right, the rotating shaft 25 is moved to the supporting shaft 2, as shown in FIG.
Move slightly clockwise using 3 as a fulcrum. As a result, the first engagement lever 24 separates from the engagement shaft 27 against the first tension spring 26 and enters the non-engaged state. When the actuating lever 30 is lifted significantly upward, the swing unit 17 rotates counterclockwise about the hinge 20, and both units 17 and 19 are opened. FIG. 7 shows this state.

In order to house the fixing device 15 in the copying machine main body 1, the fixing device 15 can be pushed into the copying machine main body 1 along the rail 21 after rotating the swinging unit 17 clockwise. At this time, since the tips of the first engagement lever 24 and the second engagement lever 28 are sharp, both the engagement levers 24 and 28 automatically engage with the engagement shaft 27 and the engagement hole 29, respectively. .

As described above, according to the present invention, the operator slightly lifts the operating lever while holding it.

Keep pulling while the fixing device moves.

With the fixing device pulled out, pull it out a little more.

Lift it up with a slight tension.

By simply performing this series of actions, both units can be released.

Therefore, even if a paper jam occurs in the fixing device, it can be cleared with a single touch, and the operation can be performed quickly.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Each of the drawings shows one embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a perspective view showing the main parts of the fixing device, and FIGS. 3 to 7 are operation explanatory diagrams sequentially explaining the opening operation of the fixing device. 1... Copying machine main body, 15... Fixing device, 17...
... Swinging unit, 19... Fixed unit, 20...
... Hinge, 23 ... Support shaft, 24 ... First engagement lever, 25 ... Rotation shaft, 26 ... First tension spring, 2
7... Engagement shaft, 28... Second engagement lever, 30...
...Operating lever, 31...Second tension spring.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A fixing device that is housed in a device main body so that it can be freely drawn out, is hinged on one side, and is divided into at least two parts, a swinging unit and a fixed unit, so that it can be opened and closed, and the swinging unit has a supporting unit. The parts are fixed,
This supporting member has a first member which can be freely engaged with an engaging member fixedly provided on the fixing unit and is applied with an engaging force.
An engagement lever is attached, and a rotary shaft is rotatably attached to the first engagement lever, and the rotation shaft is capable of engaging with the operating lever and a part of the device body, and is biased by an engagement force. A fixing device characterized in that a second engagement lever is fixedly provided. 2. The fixing device according to claim 1, wherein the swinging unit includes a heating roller, and the fixed unit includes a pressure roller.