JPH03202859A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent an operator from inadvertently touching a photosensitive body by having such a constitution that a light shielding means can be prevented from being moved from a position where the photosensitive body is covered when the upper part of a printing paper path is opened. CONSTITUTION:In a state that the upper part main body of the device is closed, the engagement between the leading edge of a moving control member 10 and the notched part 12 of the light shielding member 6 is released, and a window 5 positioned opposite to the photosensitive body 4 is opened by the member 6. And when the upper part of the printing paper path is opened by turning the main body upper part because of releasing a paper from being jammed, the operating part of the member 10 is separated from the upper end of a driving projecting part, and the leading edge of the member 10 is moved toward the member 6 by the energizing force of a torsion coil spring 11 and then, engaged with the notched part 12. Thus, when the main body upper part is opened, the closed state of the window 5 is attained by the member 6.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] Industrial applications The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus.

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, in order to facilitate maintenance, image forming apparatuses such as copying machines have been developed in which an image forming process section including a photoreceptor drum is formed into a cartridge. Below, such a cartridge type image forming apparatus will be explained.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a conventional image forming apparatus, and FIGS. 5 and 6 are bottom perspective views of a process cartridge. 1 is a lower body, and an upper body 2 is rotatably attached to this lower body 1.

3 is a process cartridge, which is detachably inserted into the upper main body 2. Reference numeral 4 denotes a photoreceptor, which is rotatably housed within the process cartridge 3. 5 is a window formed at a position facing the photoreceptor 4. Reference numeral 6 denotes a light shielding member, which is movable between a position where the window 5 is closed and a position where the window 5 is opened.

7 is a wire that supports the light shielding member 6 in a movable manner. 8
is a torsion coil spring, which biases the lever 9.

The lever 9 is connected to the light shielding member 6, and the light shielding member 6 is urged to close the window 5 by the elasticity of the screw and the recoil spring 8. A movement regulating member 1o is rotatably attached to the process cartridge 3 and urged toward the light shielding member 6 by a torsion coil spring 11. 12
is a notch formed at the end of the light shielding member 6. 14 is a protrusion provided on the side surface of the upper main body 2, and the movement rule i+1
It is located so as to face the lower end of the member 10.

In the conventional image forming apparatus configured as described above, the process cartridge 3 is moved to the upper main body 2 during the image forming operation.
When the printing paper is passed through the passage 13 with the upper main body 2 covering the lower main body 1, an image is formed on the printing paper by the process cartridge 3.

When replacing the process cartridge 3 due to the end of its life, etc., rotate the upper body 2 to open the upper part of the passage 13, pull out the old process cartridge 3 from the upper body 2, and install the new process cartridge 3 into the upper body 2. . Then, as the process cartridge 3 is inserted, the movement regulating member 10 is rotated by the protrusion 14, and the movement regulating member 10 is rotated by the protrusion 14.
The engagement between the tip of the light shielding member 6 and the notch 12 of the light shielding member 6 is released. That is, when the process cartridge 3 is attached to the upper main body 2, the engagement between the tip of the movement regulating member 10 and the notch 12 of the light shielding member 6 is always released.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, in the conventional image forming apparatus described above, when the process cartridge 3 is attached to the upper main body 2, the engagement between the tip of the movement regulating member 10 and the notch 12 of the light shielding member 6 is always released. ing. In this state, when the upper body 2 is rotated to open the upper part of the passage 13, for example, when unjamming the printing paper, the lower surface of the upper body 2 is also opened, making it impossible to touch the light shielding member 6. It becomes possible. Here, the user accidentally touches the light shielding member 6 and the light shielding member 6
When the user moves the window 5, the window 5 is opened and the user's hand is exposed to the photoreceptor 4.
may be touched. There is a problem in that when a hand touches the photoreceptor 4, the surface of the photoreceptor 4 gets dirty and normal image forming operation may not be possible.

The present invention solves the above problems and provides an image forming apparatus in which the movement of the light shielding member is restricted when the printing paper path is opened.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above problems, the image forming apparatus of the present invention has the following features:
The upper part of the passage is configured to be freely openable and closable, and a movement regulating member is provided which restricts the light shielding member from moving from a position covering the window when the upper part of the passage is opened in response to the opening and closing operation of the upper part of the passage. Established.

Function: With this configuration, when the upper part of the passage is opened, the light shielding member is prevented from moving from the position covering the window, and the user is prevented from accidentally moving the light shielding member and touching the photoreceptor. is prevented.

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

1 and 2 are perspective views showing the configuration of an image forming apparatus in an embodiment of the present invention.

Components that are the same as the conventional example are given the same numbers. 2 is a lower body, and an upper body 2 is rotatably attached to this lower body 1. 3 is a process cartridge, which is detachably inserted into the upper main body 2. Reference numeral 4 denotes a photoreceptor, which is rotatably housed within the process cartridge 3. 5 is a window formed at a position facing the photoreceptor 4. Reference numeral 6 denotes a light shielding member, which is movable between a position where the window 5 is closed and a position where the window 5 is opened. 7 is a wire that supports the light shielding member 6 in a movable manner. A torsion coil 8 is sprung and biases the lever 9. The lever 9 is connected to the light shielding member 6, and the light shielding member 6 is moved by the elasticity of the torsion coil spring 8! 5 is biased so as to block it. 10
A movement regulating member is rotatably attached to the process cartridge 3, and is urged toward the light shielding member 6 by a torsion coil spring ll. 12 is a notch formed at the end of the light shielding member 6. 15 is a driving protrusion of the movement regulating member 10 that protrudes from the lower main body 1;
It is provided at a position opposite to the operating section 10b.

The operation of the image forming apparatus of the present invention constructed as described above will be explained below.

During the image forming operation, when the process cartridge 3 is attached to the upper main body 2 and the printing paper is passed through the passage 13 with the upper main body 2 covering the lower main body 1, an image is formed on the printing paper by the process cartridge 3. .

When replacing the process cartridge 3 due to the end of its life, etc., rotate the upper body 2 to open the upper part of the passage 13, pull out the old process cartridge 3 from the upper body 2, and install the new process cartridge 3 into the upper body 2. . Then, when the upper main body 2 is rotated to close the upper part of the passage 13, the movement regulating member 10 is attached to the upper end of the drive protrusion 15 along with the movement.
The operation part 10b hits, the movement regulating member 10 rotates,
The engagement between the tip of the movement regulating member 10 and the notch 12 of the light shielding member 6 is released. In other words, when the upper body 2 is closed,
The distal end of the movement regulating member 10 and the notch 12 of the light shielding member 6 are always disengaged.

When the upper main body 2 is rotated to open the upper part of the passage 13 for the purpose of unjamming printing paper, etc., the operation part 1 of the movement regulating member 10 is moved from the upper end of the drive protrusion 15 as a result of this operation.
0b is separated, and the tip of the movement regulating member 10 moves toward the light shielding member 6 due to the biasing force of the torsion coil spring 11 and engages with the notch 12 of the light shielding member 6. As a result, the light shielding member 6
movement is restricted and the window 5 is kept closed.

When the upper main body 2 is opened in this way, the light shielding member 6
The window 5 is kept closed. Therefore, even if the light shielding member 6 is accidentally touched, the light shielding member 6 will not move and the window 5 will not be opened.

Effects of the Invention As described above, the image forming apparatus of the present invention is configured such that the upper part of the passage can be opened and closed, and when the upper part of the passage is opened in response to the opening and closing operation of the upper part of the passage, the light shielding member is opened. A movement restriction member is provided to prevent the light shielding member from moving from the position covering the window, so when the upper part of the passage is left open, the light shielding member is restricted from moving from the position covering the window, making it difficult for users to accidentally move the light shielding member. This has the effect that the photoreceptor is prevented from being touched by the user's hand and the photoreceptor is not contaminated thereby causing no adverse effect on image formation.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 and 2 are perspective views of an embodiment of the image forming apparatus of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a conventional image forming apparatus, and FIGS. 4 and 5 are perspective views of a process cartridge. , FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of the same main part, and FIG. 7 is an enlarged bottom view of the same main part. l...Lower body 2...Upper body 3...Process cartridge 4...Photoreceptor 5...Window 6...Light blocking member 7.
...Wire 8...Torsion coil spring 9
... Lever 10 ... Movement regulating member 11 ... Torsion coil spring 12 ... Notch 13 ... Passage
15... Drive protrusion 1st m

Claims (1)

[Claims] a main body having a passage through which printing paper passes; a cartridge having a photoconductor and a window located between the photoconductor and the passage; a light shielding member that covers the window of the cartridge so as to be openable and closable; is configured to be able to open and close freely, and a movement regulating member that prevents the light shielding member from moving from a position covering the window when the upper part of the passage is opened in response to opening and closing operations of the upper part of the passage. An image forming apparatus comprising: