JPH0635247A - Structure for attaching protective cover for image carrier - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily and rapidly attach a protective cover to a process unit without damaging an image carrier by constituting the cover so that it may be attached to the process unit just by pressing the cover in a direction orthogonally crossed with the longitudinal direction of the cover or slightly moving it in the longitudinal direction. CONSTITUTION:By pressing the protective cover 20 in the diameter direction of a photosensitive drum 6, the fitting part 21 of the cover 20 is forcibly fitted in a part 33 to be fitted, and an engaging part 22 is engaged with the part to be engaged 34 of the process unit 5, so that the cover 20 is attached to the unit 5. Since the cover 20 is pulled out from the unit 5 by being pulled in the longitudinal direction against the holding force to a part 33b to be held by the fitting part 21, the unit 5 is attached to a copying machine main body without hindrance in process. Besides, in the case of attaching the cover 20 to the unit 5, the cover 20 has only to be pressed in the diameter direction of the drum 6.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a structure for mounting a protective cover for an image carrier, and more particularly to a long structure for covering an exposed portion of an image carrier mounted on a process unit of an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine. The protective cover for the image carrier is attached to the process unit so as to be detachable in the longitudinal direction.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a laser beam printer, process parts such as a photosensitive drum as an image carrier and a cleaner for scraping residual toner from the surface of the photosensitive drum are processed. When integrated as a unit and performing a predetermined amount of image forming operation, the process unit is removed from the image forming apparatus main body,
A new process unit is provided so that it can be installed.

In the image forming apparatus adopting the above process unit, consumables such as collected toner and photoconductor drums can be integrally replaced, so that maintenance can be easily performed and the user can configure each component. This has an advantage that it is possible to surely prevent the occurrence of troubles caused by, for example, taking out a single sheet, and is particularly suitable for a small-sized image forming apparatus.

In the above process unit, in order to prevent the exposed portion of the photosensitive drum from being damaged during transportation, storage, replacement, etc., the exposed portion is long and has a curved cross-section protective cover. Is being covered by. The protective cover can be attached to the process unit by inserting the protective cover into the outer case of the process unit along the axial direction of the photosensitive drum, that is, the longitudinal direction of the protective cover. When it is introduced into the main body, it can be pulled out in the longitudinal direction according to the introduction stroke (see, for example, JP-A-62-62).
-156666 gazette).

[0005]

In the above process unit, since the protective cover can be pulled out in the longitudinal direction, the workability in mounting the process unit on the main body of the image forming apparatus is good, but the protective cover is used as a process. When mounting on the unit, it is necessary to insert it along the axial direction of the photoconductor drum.Therefore, the gap between the protective cover and the photoconductor drum is small. There was a problem that the photoconductor drum was scratched. Further, since the stroke for inserting the protective cover is long, there is a problem that it takes time to attach the protective cover. The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and provides a protective cover mounting structure for an image carrier which can be easily and quickly mounted to a process unit without damaging the image carrier. The purpose is to provide.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the mounting structure of the protective cover for an image carrier of the present invention covers the exposed portion of the image carrier mounted on the process unit of the image forming apparatus. In a mounting structure of an image carrier protective cover for mounting a long protective cover on the process unit so as to be detachable in the longitudinal direction, an engaging portion projecting at an end portion of the protective cover on the downstream side in the removing direction. To
It engages with the engaged part formed in the process unit in a state where the removal of the protective cover is allowed, and the fitting part formed on the upstream side in the extracting direction from the end of the protective cover is It is characterized in that the fitted portion formed in the process unit is forcibly fitted in a state having a predetermined pull-out resistance.

[0007]

According to the mounting structure of the protective cover for the image carrier having the above-mentioned structure, the fitting portion formed on the protection cover is orthogonal to the fitted portion formed on the process unit in the longitudinal direction. Direction or a slight displacement in the longitudinal direction, forcibly fitting, and an engaging portion projecting on the downstream end of the protective cover in the withdrawing direction is engaged with an engaged portion formed on the process unit. The protective cover can be detachably attached to the process unit with a predetermined withdrawal resistance simply by engaging.

[0008]

Embodiments will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings showing embodiments. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an internal configuration of a copying machine as an image forming apparatus in which the process unit 5 is mounted. In this copying machine, a document table 2 is arranged on the upper surface of the copying machine body 1 so as to be capable of reciprocating, and inside the copying machine body 1, a light source 3 for illuminating the document and reflected light from the document are imaged. An optical system 4 that guides the surface of the photoconductor drum 6 as a carrier, a process unit 5 that integrally holds the photoconductor drum 6 and the cleaner 8, and an electrostatic latent image formed on the photoconductor drum 6 as toner. Developing device 7 that visualizes an image
A charging charger 9 for uniformly charging the surface of the photoconductor drum 6, a transfer charger 10 for transferring the toner image on the surface of the photoconductor drum 6 to copy paper, and a copy paper from the surface of the photoconductor drum 6. Separation charger 11 for peeling
A copy paper transport unit 13 for feeding the copy paper from the paper feed cassette 12; a fixing device 14 for heating and fixing the toner image on the copy paper; and a paper discharge tray 15 for receiving the copy paper on which the toner image is heat fixed. is doing.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing the process unit 5 and the protective cover 20. As shown in FIG. 1, the photosensitive drum 6 is mounted on a pair of support frames 31 and 32 provided in the process unit 5. On the other hand, it is rotatably held with a part exposed. The protective cover 2
0 covers the exposed portion of the photosensitive drum 6,
It is configured by a curved elongated body made of synthetic resin. At the end of the protective cover 20 on the upstream side in the removal direction, a plurality of fitting portions 21 each having a notch groove that is open on the upstream side and that can elastically expand in the width direction are formed.
A plurality of tongue-shaped engaging portions 22 protruding inwardly of the curve are formed at the end portion on the downstream side in the extracting direction. This engagement part 2
An engagement hole 22a that engages with an engaged portion 34 of the process unit 5, which will be described later, is formed in the member 2.

On the outer periphery of one of the support frames 31 of the process unit 5, there is a fitted portion 33 into which the fitting portion 21 of the protective cover 20 can be forcibly fitted in the radial direction of the photosensitive drum 6. It is set up. The fitted portion 33 is
When the fitting portion 21 of the protective cover 20 is forcibly fitted in the radial direction, an inclined guide portion 33a for temporarily expanding the fitting portion 21 and a time when the fitting portion 21 gets over the guide portion 33a. A columnar held portion 33b that is elastically held by the fitting portion 21 is formed. Further, the other end of the supporting frame 32 of the process unit 5 is engaged with an engaging hole 22a formed in the engaging portion 22 of the protective cover 20, so that the protective cover 20 is arranged in the radial direction of the photosensitive drum 6. An engaged portion 34 that restricts the movement to the is protruded.

With the above structure, the protective cover 20 is pressed in the radial direction of the photosensitive drum 6 to force the fitting portion 21 into the fitted portion 33, and the engaging portion 22 is processed. The protective cover 20 can be attached to the process unit 5 by engaging with the engaged portion 34 of the unit 5. And in this attached state,
The fitting portion 21 of the protection cover 20 can hold the held portion 33b of the fitting portion 33 to prevent the protection cover 20 from freely moving in the longitudinal direction.

The protective cover 20 has a fitting portion 21.
Since it can be pulled out from the process unit 5 by pulling in the longitudinal direction against the holding force against the held portion 33b by the process unit 5, the process unit 5 can be mounted on the copying machine main body 1 without any trouble. Moreover, when the protective cover 20 is attached to the process unit 5, it is sufficient to press the protective cover 20 in the radial direction of the photoconductor drum 6, so that the attachment can be performed easily and quickly, and the photoconductor drum 6 can be mounted. There is no risk of damaging the.

The protective cover 20 has a fitting portion 21.
The end portion on the open side of the engaging claw 33 is opposed to the side surface of the held portion 33b of the locking claw 33, and is moved slightly along the axial direction of the photosensitive drum 6 in a state of being along the photosensitive drum 6. Then, the fitting portion 21 can be attached to the process unit 5 by forcibly fitting the fitting portion 21 from the open end thereof to the sandwiched portion 33b of the fitted portion 33.

The fitting portion 21 of the protective cover 20 and the fitted portion 33 of the process unit 5 may be provided corresponding to the axially intermediate portion of the photosensitive drum 3 (see FIG. 3). In short, the fitting portion 21 and the fitted portion 3
3 may be formed on the upstream side by a predetermined distance from the downstream end of the protective cover 20 in the removal direction. Also,
The fitting structure between the protective cover 20 and the process unit 5 can be implemented in various modes. For example, the fitting portion 21 of the protective cover 20 may be a protruding piece that extends to the upstream side in the removal direction of the protective cover 20, and the fitted portion 33 of the process unit 5 may be a recessed groove that allows the protruding piece to be force-fitted. (See Figure 4). In addition, the fitting portion 21 of the protective cover 20 is fitted with a fitting groove 26 that protrudes outward of the curved portion of the protective cover 20, and a locking claw 27 that is provided inside the fitting groove 26.
And the fitted portion 33 of the process unit 5
Can be forcibly fitted into the fitting groove 26, and the locking claw 27
It may be a double-legged claw capable of locking (see Fig. 5).

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. For example, instead of the engaging hole 22a of the engaging portion 22, a hemispherical projection is formed, and the engaged portion 34 is replaced with the above-mentioned projection. Various design changes can be made, such as a groove that can be engaged, and an image carrier of the process unit 5 that is a photoconductor belt instead of the photoconductor drum 6.

[0016]

As described above, according to the mounting structure of the protective cover for an image carrier of the present invention, the protective cover is pressed in the direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction thereof, or is slightly moved along the longitudinal direction. Since the protective cover can be attached to the process unit simply by moving the protective cover to the process unit, the protective cover can be easily and quickly attached to the process unit without damaging the image carrier.

Moreover, in the above-mentioned mounted state, the fitting portion on the side of the protective cover is forcibly fitted to the fitted portion on the side of the process unit with a predetermined pull-out resistance. Can be prevented from moving in the longitudinal direction. Furthermore, in the attached state,
Since the protective cover can be pulled out in the longitudinal direction, the work of attaching the process unit to the image forming apparatus main body can be performed without any trouble.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a process unit and a protective cover.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an internal structure of a copying machine equipped with a process unit.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing another embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing still another embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a main part showing still another embodiment.

[Description of Reference Signs] 5 Process Unit 6 Photoreceptor Drum 20 as Image Bearing Member 20 Protective Cover 21 Fitting Part 22 Engaging Part 33 Fitting Part 34 Engaged Part

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A protective cover for an image carrier, wherein a long protective cover for covering an exposed portion of an image carrier mounted on a process unit of an image forming apparatus is attached to the process unit so as to be detachable in a longitudinal direction. In the mounting structure, the engaging portion projecting on the downstream end of the protective cover in the removal direction is engaged with the engaged portion formed in the process unit in a state where the protective cover is allowed to be removed. In addition, the fitting part formed on the upstream side in the extracting direction from the above end of the protective cover cannot be fitted to the fitted part formed in the process unit with a predetermined withdrawing resistance. An attachment structure for a protective cover for an image carrier, which is fitted.