JPH06130742A - Electrophotographic recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent trouble that a process cartridge rubs on parts in a recorder main body at the time of starting opening the upper part of the recorder main body and at the time of finishing closing the upper part in an electrophotographic recorder where the process cartridge is loaded/unloaded by opening the upper part of the recorder main body. CONSTITUTION:One end of a rail 11 is attached to the upper part 10b of the recorder main body 10 so that it can freely turn centering around a shaft 12. On the other hand, the lower end of a link member 15 is attached to the lower part 10b thereof so that it can freely turn centering around a shaft 16. The upper end of the link member 15 is coupled with the other end of the rail 11 so that they can freely turn each other. When the upper part 10b is opened with a supporting shaft 10c as center, the link member 15 is pulled and turned by the rail 11 with the movement of the shaft 12. Thus, the rail 11 is lifted, the process cartridge 13 attached to the rail 11 is somewhat lifted, and the rail 11 is pulled up further by hooking the receiving part 14a of an arm member 14 halfway, so that the process cartridge 13 is set at a loading/unloading position.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printer, a copying machine, a facsimile, etc. using a laser, charging, optical writing,
The present invention relates to an electrophotographic recording device that records on a sheet by an electrophotographic process such as development and transfer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an electrophotographic recording apparatus of this type, for example, a copying machine, as shown in FIG. 12, the apparatus main body 1 is placed at the bottom for facilitating maintenance such as repair and replacement of parts. 1a and an upper part 1b are divided into two parts, and the upper part 1b is rotatable about a supporting shaft 1c with respect to the lower part 1a. Furthermore, peripheral parts having almost the same life as the photoconductor 2 can be collectively replaced. As described above, there is a unit in which the process cartridge 3 is formed by unitizing them and the process cartridge 3 is provided in the apparatus main body 1 in a replaceable manner.

In such a copying machine, one end 4a of the rail 4 is provided with a shaft 5 on both sides of the upper portion 1b, for example.
It is attached so that it can be rotated around. On the other hand, strip-shaped guide ribs 3a are provided on both sides of the process cartridge 3, and the guide ribs 3a are slidably engaged with the rails 4 to attach the process cartridge 3 to the upper portion 1b in a detachable manner.

Therefore, for example, when the process cartridge 3 is replaced because it has reached the end of its life, as shown in FIG. 13, when the upper portion 1b is rotated and opened by a certain angle,
With the rotation of the upper portion 1b, only one end 4a side of the rail 4 is lifted to the upper left in the figure. And the upper part 1b
When the rails 4 are opened, the other end 4b side of the rail 4 is partially lifted by an appropriate means and the upper portion 1b is stopped at a predetermined open position as shown in FIG. Then, the process cartridge 3 was pulled out from the rail 4 and replaced with a new one.

[0005]

However, conventionally, in such a copying machine, for example, when the upper portion 1b is opened as shown in FIG. 13, the left end 3b side of the process cartridge 3 first moves in the upper left direction in the drawing. , The right end 3c side is pulled leftward and displaced. Therefore, for example, there is a problem that the photoconductor 6 and the developing roller 7 rub against each other. Further, even after the closing of the upper portion 1b, the right end side 3c of the process cartridge 3 is displaced in the right direction in the drawing, and there is a similar problem.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to prevent the occurrence of problems such as rubbing of parts inside the apparatus main body with a process cartridge at the beginning of opening and closing of the upper portion of the apparatus main body in the electrophotographic recording apparatus described above. It is in.

[0007]

Therefore, the present invention provides
For example, as shown in the illustrated embodiment below, the device body 10
The upper part 10b of the above is freely openable and closable around a fulcrum, and one end 11a side is rotatably attached to the upper part 10b to provide a rail 11, and the rail 11 guides the other end 11b.
In the electrophotographic recording apparatus in which the process cartridge 13 is detachably attached to the apparatus main body 10 from the side, the upper portion 10b is opened and the rail 11 is lifted up to the middle, and the process cartridge 13 is attached and detached, the upper portion 10b is opened. At the beginning and at the end of closing, the upper part 10b
Up-and-down moving means such as a link member 15 and a spring member for vertically moving the other end 11b side of the rail 11 to move the process cartridge 13 into and out of contact with the parts in the apparatus main body 10 in conjunction with the opening and closing operation of the rail 11. It is characterized by that.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, for example, as shown in the following illustrated embodiment, in the electrophotographic recording apparatus according to the first aspect, the vertical moving means has a lower end 15a fixed within the apparatus main body 10. It is rotatably supported at a position and has an upper end 15
b is constituted by a link member 15 rotatably connected to the other end 11b of the rail 11 with each other.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, for example, as shown in the following illustrated embodiment, in the electrophotographic recording apparatus according to the second aspect, the upper end 15b of the link member 15 is
It is characterized in that the other end 11b of the rail 11 is formed with a long hole 15c movably engaged with it.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, for example, as shown in the following illustrated embodiments, in the electrophotographic recording apparatus according to the second aspect, the link member 15 is provided with a plurality of slidable links 22 and 23. It is characterized in that it can be expanded and contracted in the length direction.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, for example, as shown in the following embodiment, in the electrophotographic recording apparatus according to the first aspect, the vertical moving means has the lower end of the apparatus main body 1
It is supported at a fixed position within 0, and the upper end is the other end 1 of the rail 11.
It is characterized by comprising a spring member such as a compression spring 30 pressed against 1b.

[0012]

When the process cartridge 13 is replaced, for example, when the upper portion 10b of the apparatus main body 10 is opened with the fulcrum as a center, the opening / closing operation of the upper portion 10b is initially performed by the action of the vertically moving means such as the link member 15 and the spring member. The other end 11b side of the rail 11 is moved upward in association with the above, and the process cartridge 13 is separated from the components inside the apparatus main body 10. After that, the rail 11 is partially lifted as the upper portion 10b is rotated, and the rail 11 guides the process cartridge 13 from the apparatus main body 10. After the process cartridge 13 is replaced, the upper part 10b is closed and the upper part 10b is closed.
The rail 11 is lowered halfway along with the rotation. Then, at the end of closing, the other end 11b side of the rail 11 is moved downward by interlocking with the closing operation of the upper portion 10b thereof by the action of the vertical movement means, and the process cartridge 13 is brought into contact with the components inside the apparatus main body 10. Or close.

According to the second aspect, the one end 11a side of the rail 11 is moved by opening and closing the upper part 10b, and the link member 15 is rotated by pulling or pushing the other end 11b side with the movement, and the link member is moved. It is lifted or lowered at 15, and the other end 11b side of the rail 11 is moved up and down in conjunction with the opening / closing operation of the upper portion 10b.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, after moving the other end 11b side of the rail 11 upward to separate the process cartridge 13 from the components in the apparatus main body 10, the rail 11 is pulled up by an appropriate means in the middle, The end 11b side is moved in the elongated hole 15c of the link member 15, and the rail 11 is lifted up partway along with the rotation of the upper portion 10b. On the other hand, the upper 10
When b is closed, first, with the rotation of the upper part 10b, it moves in the elongated hole 15c of the link member 15 to lower the rail 11, and then, at the end of closing, the other end 11b side of the rail 11 is moved downward to move the process cartridge 13 in place. It comes into contact with or comes close to a component in the device body 10.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, when the upper portion 10b is opened, the link member 15 is extended to move on the other end 11b side of the rail 11, and the rail 11 is partially lifted as the upper portion 10b rotates. On the contrary, when the upper portion 10b is closed, the link member 15 is contracted so that the other end 1 of the rail 11 is closed.
1b side is moved, and the rail 1 is moved along with the rotation of the upper portion 10b.
Lower 1

According to the fifth aspect, the spring member is expanded or compressed by opening / closing the upper portion 10b, and the other end 11b side of the rail 11 is vertically moved in association with the opening / closing operation of the upper portion 10b.

[0017]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of a laser printer which is an embodiment of the present invention.

Reference numeral 10 in the figure denotes the apparatus main body. The apparatus main body 10 is composed of a lower portion 10a and an upper portion 10b, and the upper portion 10b is attached to the lower portion 10a so as to be openable and closable with a support shaft 10c as a fulcrum. In the upper portion 10b, one end 11a side of the rail 11 is attached to the opposite side plate portion 10d by the shaft 12
It is attached so that it can be rotated around. Then, belt-shaped guide ribs (not shown) provided on both side surfaces of the process cartridge 13 are engaged with the rails 11 to slidably attach the process cartridge 13. Then, the process cartridge 13 is guided by the rail 11 to be attachable to and detachable from the upper end 10b from the other end 11b side. Further, the arm member 14 is attached to the upper portion 10b downwardly across the rail 11. Arm member 14
Is provided with a receiving portion 14a at its tip.

On the other hand, a lower end 15a of a link member (vertical moving means) 15 is rotatably supported around a shaft 16 on the lower portion 10a. The link member 15 has a long hole 1 at the upper end 15b.
5c is formed. A connecting pin 17 provided on the other end 11b side of the rail 11 is movably engaged with the elongated hole 15c. Thus, the upper end 15b of the link member 15 is rotatably connected to the other end 11b of the rail 11.

Now, for example, the process cartridge 13
When the upper part 1b is opened around the spindle 10c when replacing
As shown in FIG. 2, the rail 11 moves as the shaft 12 moves.
The one end 11a side of the
By pulling on the side b, the link member 15 is rotated counterclockwise in the figure, whereby the other end 11b side is moved upward and the rail 11 is moved.
Process cartridge 1 which was lifted up and attached to it
3 is also lifted a little, and the process cartridge 13 is separated from the parts of the lower portion 10a. After that, the rail 11 is further pulled up by hooking the receiving portion 14a of the arm member 14 while the upper portion 10b is being rotated, and the other end 11b side is moved along the elongated hole 15c of the link member 15. Then, as shown in FIG. 3, with the rotation of the upper portion 10b, the process cartridge 13 is pulled up partway to the attachment / detachment position shown.
Then, the process cartridge 13 is taken out from the apparatus main body 10 while being guided by the rail 11.

After replacing the process cartridge 13, the upper portion 11b is rotated clockwise in FIG. 3 to close it. Then, at the beginning of the closing, the arm member 14 is lowered along with the rotation of the upper portion 10b, and the rail 11 is rotated and lowered according to gravity,
The other end 11b moves in the elongated hole 15c of the link member 15. Then, at the end of closing, the other end 11b of the rail 11
Side to rotate the link member 15 in the clockwise direction in the figure, whereby the other end 11b side of the rail 11 is moved downward in conjunction with the closing operation of the upper part 10b to bring the process cartridge 13 close to the parts of the lower part 10a. Or contact.

By the way, the laser printer of the present invention can be further configured as shown in the following embodiments.

In another embodiment, for example, as shown in FIG. 4, one end 20a of the guide plate 20 is attached to the opposite side plate portion 10d of the upper portion 10b so as to be rotatable around the shaft 12. And on the guide plate 20,
The rail 11 is provided, and the arc-shaped elongated guide hole 20b is provided above the rail 11. Then, the guide slot 2
The fixing pin 21 provided on the upper portion 10b is engaged with 0b.

As shown in FIG. 5, the link member 15 is composed of two links 22 and 23. As shown in FIG. 6, the link member 15 has a shape such that one of the links 22 holds the other link 23. To do. And, as shown in FIG.
One link 22 is provided with an elongated hole 22a, and the other link 2
A pin 24 that engages with the elongated hole 22a is provided at the lower end (the left end in the figure) 23a of the link 3, and the links 22 and 23 are slidably connected to each other. Thus, the link member 15 can be expanded and contracted in the length direction shown by the arrow in the figure. Then, as shown in FIG. 4, one link 22 is attached to the lower portion 10a of the apparatus main body 11 so as to be rotatable around the shaft 16 at the lower end 22b, and the other link 23 is connected at the upper end 23b. It is rotatably connected to the guide plate 20 via a pin 17.

In the illustrated embodiment, for example, when the process cartridge (not shown) is replaced, the upper portion 10b is replaced.
When opened, the guide plate 20 is pulled along with the movement of the shaft 12 to rotate the link member 15 counterclockwise in FIG. 7, whereby the other end 11b side of the rail 11 is moved upward and the guide plate 2 is moved.
0, and the process cartridge is also lifted slightly to separate it from the lower part 10a. After that, the guide slot 2
Fixing pin 21 hits the upper side of 0b
When 0b is rotated, the fixing plate 21 pulls up the guide plate 20. Then, as shown in FIG. 8, the link member 15
Extends and moves upward on the other end 11b side of the rail 11,
With the rotation of 0b, the guide plate 20 is partially lifted. After the replacement, when the upper portion 10b is closed, the fixing pin 21 is lowered with the rotation of the upper portion 10b and the guide plate 20 is rotated by gravity to be lowered, so that the link member 15 contracts. At the end of closing, as shown in FIG. 7, the other end 11b of the rail 11 is pushed to rotate the link member 15 in the clockwise direction in the figure.
The other end 11b side of the rail 11 is moved downward in conjunction with the closing operation of the above process to bring the process cartridge close to or in contact with the component of the lower portion 10a.

In the illustrated embodiment described above, the vertical moving means is composed of the link member 15, but it may be composed of a spring member as in the following illustrated embodiment.

In another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, for example, a supporting member 29 is provided on the lower portion 10a of the apparatus main body 10, and the supporting member 29 serves as a spring member, for example, a compression spring 30.
The lower end of the rail 11 and the upper end of the compression spring 30 of the rail 11
It is pressed against the other end 11b side of the.

When the upper part 10b is opened during the replacement of the process cartridge 13, the compression spring 30 is first expanded by its elasticity as shown in FIG. 10, and the rail 11 and other rails 11 are interlocked with the opening operation of the upper part 10b. The process cartridge 13 is lifted by moving the end 11b side upward and separated from the parts of the lower part 10a to the illustrated mounting / demounting position. Then, as shown in FIG. 11, only the upper portion 10b is further opened and stopped at the open position shown. After this replacement, conversely, when the upper portion 10b is closed, the upper portion 10b hits the rail 11, for example, and the rail 11 is rotated and pushed down. Then, at the end of closing, the compression spring 30 is moved by the rail 11 in conjunction with the closing operation of the upper portion 10b.
Is compressed, and the other end 11b side of the rail 11 is moved downward.
Then, the process cartridge 13 is brought close to or in contact with the component of the lower portion 10a.

[0029]

Therefore, according to the present invention, in the electrophotographic recording apparatus in which the upper part of the main body of the apparatus is opened and the process cartridge is attached / detached, the vertical movement means works at the beginning and the end of the opening of the upper part. The other end of the rail moves up and down in conjunction with the opening / closing operation of the upper part to bring the process cartridge into and out of contact with the parts inside the main body of the device. It is possible to prevent problems such as rubbing from occurring.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the vertical movement means is composed of the link member, the connecting position of the upper end and the fulcrum position of the lower end of the link member are appropriately adjusted to provide the device main body. The movement trajectory of the process cartridge can be appropriately adjusted according to the layout of each component inside.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, a long hole is formed at the upper end of the link member so that the other end of the rail is movably engaged, and the process cartridge of the process cartridge is formed in accordance with the length of the long hole. The attachment / detachment position can be adjusted appropriately.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, since the link member is configured to be expandable and contractable,
The link member can be easily installed even in a place where the layout space is limited.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a laser printer that is an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of the state of the apparatus main body while the upper part is being opened.

FIG. 3 is a state explanatory view of the apparatus main body whose upper part has been opened.

FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram of a main part of a laser printer according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a link member in the laser printer.

FIG. 6 is a view of the link member as viewed in the direction of arrow A.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory view of the state of the apparatus main body during opening of the upper portion in the embodiment shown in FIG.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory view of the state of the apparatus main body whose upper part has been opened.

FIG. 9 is a schematic configuration diagram of a main part of a laser printer which is still another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory view of the state of the apparatus main body while the upper part is being opened.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory view of a state of the apparatus main body whose upper part has been opened.

FIG. 12 is a schematic configuration diagram of a conventional copying machine.

FIG. 13 is an explanatory view of the state of the apparatus main body while the upper part is being opened.

FIG. 14 is an explanatory view of a state of the apparatus main body whose upper part has been opened.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Device Main Body 10b Upper Part 11 Rail 11a One End of Rail 11b The Other End of Rail 13 Process Cartridge 15 Link Member 15a Lower End of Link Member 15b Upper End of Link Member 15c Long Hole 22/23 Link 30 Compression Spring (Spring Member)

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An upper part of the main body of the device can be freely opened and closed around a fulcrum, one end of which is rotatably mounted on the upper part of the device to provide a rail, and the rail guides the other end of the device to the main part of the device. In an electrophotographic recording apparatus in which a process cartridge is freely attached, the upper part is opened and the rail is partially lifted, and the process cartridge is attached and detached, at the beginning of opening and the end of closing of the upper part,
An electrophotographic recording apparatus comprising a vertically moving means for vertically moving the other end side of the rail in conjunction with the opening / closing operation of the upper part thereof to bring the process cartridge into contact with and separate from a component in the apparatus main body. 2. The up-and-down moving means comprises a link member having a lower end rotatably supported at a fixed position in the apparatus body and an upper end rotatably connected to the other end of the rail. The electrophotographic recording apparatus according to claim 1. 3. The electrophotographic recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the link member has an upper end formed with an elongated hole into which the other end of the rail is movably engaged. 4. The link member is constituted by a plurality of links which are slidable with respect to each other so as to be capable of expanding and contracting in the length direction.
The electrophotographic recording apparatus according to claim 2. 5. The electrophotographic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the vertical movement means is composed of a spring member that has a lower end supported at a fixed position in the apparatus body and an upper end pressed against the other end of the rail. Recording device.