JPH0346674A - Imaging unit - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To facilitate fitting a spring between a supporting frame body and a developing device by providing a spring means, which energizes the developing device toward a photosensitive body, between a first locking part fixed on the developing device and a second locking part fixed on a member so that it can relatively move on the supporting frame body. CONSTITUTION:The imaging unit 1 is composed of a first unit 2 wherein the developing device 6 is mounted on the supporting frame body 4, and a second unit 3 equipped with the photosensitive body 8 and being attachable to and detachable from the first unit 2. When the second unit 3 is mounted to the first unit 2, both ends of a rotating drum 8 abut on color members 16 fitted to both ends of the sleeve of the developing device 6. Consequently, the developing device 6 is relatively turned in a direction B with respect to the supporting frame body 4 against the energizing force of the spring 11, by pulling the device, centered around a rocking shaft 5, and a space between projections 12 and 13 is slightly widened. Thereby, the sleeve is brought into press-contact with the rotating drum by the action of a tension spring 11. Thus, fitting the spring between the supporting frame body and the developing device is facilitated.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to an imaging unit used in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a laser beam printer.

(Prior Art) Generally, an image forming apparatus such as a laser beam blinker or a copying machine includes a rotating drum having a photoreceptor on its surface, a developing device that develops an electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the photoreceptor, and a developing device that develops an electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the photoreceptor. Equipped with a cleaning device to remove residual toner. From the viewpoint of ease of maintenance, the rotating drum, developing device, and cleaning device are attached to a unit frame to form an imaging unit, and such an imaging unit is detachably attached to the main body of the device. There is.

When it is detected that an imaging unit configured in this way has reached the end of its life and is to be replaced, all of them must be replaced even if some of them are still usable, and the developing device, etc. must be replaced. It was wasted in vain.

Therefore, in order to solve these drawbacks, for example, a first unit in which a developing device is attached to a support frame and a second unit in which a rotating drum is attached are removably configured to form an imaging unit, each having a different lifespan. One possible method is to discard or replace only those units that are no longer usable. These first and second units may be provided with not only a developing device and a rotating drum, but also a cleaning device, a main charger, etc., as required.

In this way, when an imaging unit is constructed from the first unit in which the developing device is attached to the support frame and the second unit in which the rotating drum is attached, each of these units is integrated into the imaging unit 1. When the image forming apparatus is developed, a small distance between the developing sleeve of the developing device and the rotary drum must be maintained appropriately. For this reason, the method used for boat fishing is to attach collar members coaxial with the developing sleeve to both ends of the developing sleeve, and to bring these collar members into contact with both ends of the rotating drum, thereby maintaining a constant minute distance. I try to keep it that way. In order to prevent variations in the above-mentioned minute distances due to the load when driving the device or the difference in how each unit is attached to each other, the imaging unit is equipped with, for example, a locking part provided on the developing device and a support frame. A spring means is attached between the developing device and the locking portion provided on the body, so that the developing device is brought into pressure contact with the rotating drum. As described above, this spring means must have a strong biasing force so as not to be affected by load fluctuations when the device is driven.

(Problems with the Prior Art) However, when assembling the first unit as described above, the spring means attached between the support frame and the developing device is usually placed in a position where it cannot be seen by the user, that is, the spring means is placed between the support frame and the developing device. must be installed in the gap between it and the developing device. In addition, as mentioned above, the spring means must have a strong biasing force to withstand the load when driving the device, so it is necessary to remove the spring between the two locking parts. The disadvantage was that it was difficult to

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an imaging unit that overcomes the above-mentioned conventional drawbacks.

(Means for Solving the Problems) An imaging unit for achieving the object of the present invention includes a first unit in which a developing device is attached to a support frame;
A photoreceptor is mounted thereon, and the developing device is configured to be movable relative to the support frame, and the developing device is provided so as to be movable relative to the support frame. The developing device is positioned between a first locking portion fixed to the developing device and a second locking portion fixed to a member provided relatively movably with respect to the support frame, with the developing device facing the photoreceptor. The device is characterized in that a biasing spring means is provided.

(Example) Next, an example of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an imaging unit 1-, the entirety of which is indicated by 1. The imaging unit 1 mainly includes a first unit 2 and a second unit 3.

The first unit 2 further includes a support frame 4 shown by a solid line in FIG.
are provided inside the front and rear side plates 6a and 6b (disposed at intervals in the direction perpendicular to the paper surface in FIG. 1, and only the front side plate 6a is shown) of the developing device 6, protruding toward the inside thereof. There is. The developing device 6 includes a first developing device in a predetermined space of the support frame 4.
It is arranged as shown in the figure, and has a swing shaft 5 protruding outward from front and rear side plates 6a, 6b (only 6a is shown in FIG. 1) of the developing device 6. There is. By fitting the bearing portion 7 provided on the support frame 4 into the swing shaft 5 provided on the developing device 6, the development device 6 can be freely swung relative to the support frame 4 about the swing shaft 5. It consists of

The second unit 3 mainly has a rotating drum 8 and the first
The first unit 2 is configured to be removably attached to the first unit 2 by being guided by a guide means (not shown) provided on the support frame 4 of the unit 2.

Describing the first unit 2 again, the support frame 4 has a lever 10 provided coaxially with the swing shaft 5. The lever 10 is also swingable about the swing shaft 5 in the direction of arrow C and the direction indicated by the arrow.

In FIG. 1, a projection 12 serving as a second locking portion for locking the tension spring 11 is provided at the right end portion of the lever 10 so as to protrude toward the front side plate 6a of the developing device 6. As shown in FIG. Similarly, a projection 13 is provided as a first locking portion for locking the tension spring 11 and protrudes toward the support frame 4 from the front side plate 6a of the developing device 6. The first roller installed in the developing device 6
The protrusion 13 as a locking portion and the protrusion 12 as a second locking portion provided on the lever 10 are not shown when the lever 10 is moved in the direction indicated by the arrow around the swing shaft 5, as shown in FIG. By rotating the stomper until it comes into contact with the member, the distance between them can be narrowed.

Conversely, by rotating the lever 10 in the direction of arrow C, the distance between the two locking portions can be increased.

Next, a method of assembling the first unit 2 as described above will be explained.

As shown in FIG. 1, the lever 10 is rotated so that the protrusion 12 provided on the lever 10 approaches the protrusion 13 provided on the developing device 6, that is, the lever 10 is rotated in the direction (in the direction of the arrow) to narrow the distance therebetween. At this time, the lever 10 comes into contact with a stopper member (not shown), and the distance therebetween is set appropriately. This interval allows the tension spring 11 in its natural state, which is not stretched, to be
When the tension spring 11 is positioned between the protrusions 12 and 13 from the direction shown by arrow E in the figure, the hook portions at both ends of the tension spring 11 are set to be exactly at the protrusions 12 and 13.

In this state, there is no need to forcefully extend the tension spring 11 and hook it to both protrusions 12, 13, so that it can be easily hooked even in a position that is somewhat difficult to see from the outside.

Thereafter, by rotating the lever 10 in the direction of arrow C, the distance between the protrusions 12 and 13 is widened, and the tension spring 11 is brought into an extended state (see FIG. 2). By doing so, the developing device 6 is urged to rotate in the direction of arrow A about the swing shaft 5 with respect to the support frame 4. Incidentally, when the lever 10 is in the state shown in FIG. 2, it is fixed to the support frame 4 by means such as screws 15.

When the second unit 3 is attached to the first unit 2 as an imaging unit as shown in FIG. By coming into contact with the spring 1, the developing device 6 is pulled around the swing shaft 5.
The protrusions 12 and 13 are rotated in the direction of arrow B relative to the support frame 4 while resisting the urging force of 1, and the distance between the protrusions 12 and 13 is further widened slightly. As a result, the sleeve and the rotating drum are brought into pressure contact with each other by the action of the tension spring 11.

In the embodiment described above, the developing device 6 is configured to be rotatable relative to the support frame 4, but a configuration may be adopted in which the support frame and the developing device are linearly slidable.

Similarly, although the lever 10 is configured to be rotatable relative to the support frame 4, it is also possible to configure the lever 10 to be slidable in a direction parallel to the tensioning direction of the tension spring 11.

Furthermore, although an example has been described in which the first unit and the second unit are each equipped with a developing device and a rotating drum, other process means such as a main charger, a cleaning device, a static eliminator, etc. may be attached.

(Effects) As described above, in the imaging unit of the present invention, the spring means can be attached relatively easily between the support frame and the developing device.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 and 2 are schematic sectional views explaining the present invention in detail. 1 ・ ・ 2 ・ ・ 3 ・ ・ 4 ・ ・ 6 ・ ・ 8 ・ ・ 11 ・ ・ 12, 13 Imaging unit 1st unit 2nd unit support frame developing device rotating drum pulling spring protrusion

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A first unit in which a developing device is attached to a support frame, and a second unit in which a photoreceptor is attached and which is detachably attached to the first unit.
The developing device is provided to be movable relative to the supporting frame, and a first locking portion fixed to the developing device and a unit configured to be connected to the supporting frame. An imaging unit characterized in that a spring means for biasing the developing device toward the photoreceptor is provided between the developing device and the second locking portion fixed to the member provided so as to be relatively movable.