JPH0717085Y2 - Unit fixing device for electrophotographic device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial application] The present invention relates to a unit fixing device for fixing a unit at a predetermined position with respect to a photosensitive drum in an electrophotographic apparatus.

[Prior Art] In an electrophotographic apparatus, several unitized operating devices such as a developing device and a cleaning device are arranged along the periphery of a photosensitive drum. These units are removed from the electrophotographic apparatus as needed for inspection, etc., and are remounted after inspection. By the way, since such a unit works in contact with or in close proximity to the surface of the photosensitive drum,
It must be fixed at a precise position with a predetermined distance from the surface of the photosensitive drum. A conventionally known apparatus for performing such fixing is provided with a mounting table for the unit so as to be slidable toward and away from the surface of the photosensitive drum, and after mounting the unit on the mounting table, the mounting table is mounted. A configuration is known in which the mounting table is biased toward the surface of the photosensitive drum, and the distance between the unit and the photosensitive drum is regulated by an intervening means such as a roller located between them.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, such a conventional fixing device requires an urging unit for urging the unit toward the photosensitive drum and an intervening unit such as a roller for positioning, and thus has a structure. It was complicated.

An object of the present invention is to provide a unit fixing device for accurately fixing a unit in a predetermined position in a simple and convenient manner.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a unit fixing device of an electrophotographic apparatus for fixing a unit to a photosensitive drum at a predetermined position. An upper pin and a lower pin, which are provided so as to project outward to the corresponding upper and lower parts respectively, and an inner surface of the mounting member of the main body of the electrophotographic apparatus, and the upper pin is fitted into the upper pin to attach the unit A first groove that is pivotally supported in a direction toward and away from the photosensitive drum about the center of the photosensitive drum, the upper side of which starts and the lower side of which is closed; and the lower pin that is provided in the mounting member and that pivots the unit. A second groove for receiving and guiding the upper part of the lower pin and an opening of the lower part for closing the lower part, and a lower part of the second pin for pivoting in the main body of the electrophotographic apparatus. And having a clamp for locking, the.

Furthermore, the second groove and the clamp are formed such that a line connecting the pivot and the lower pin is substantially perpendicular to a line connecting the lower pin and the upper pin when the lower pin is locked.

[Operation] By such means, the unit is first fitted with the lower pin in the second groove and the upper pin in the first groove in order, and is pivoted around the upper pin toward the side closer to the photosensitive drum. , While the lower pin is positioned at the end of the second groove, the clamp is pivoted to lock the lower pin.

[Embodiment] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2 shows an example of an electrophotographic apparatus to which the present invention can be applied. Reference numeral 1 is a photosensitive drum rotatably provided,
It has a photoconductor capable of forming an electrostatic latent image on its outer peripheral surface. The moving drum 1 is connected to a driving device (not shown), rotates in the direction indicated by an arrow A during printing, and stops after printing. Around the photosensitive drum 1, a charging device 2, an image exposing device 3, a developing device 4, and a transfer / separating device 5 having a known configuration are provided.
Further, the cleaning device 6 is sequentially operatively arranged, and the charging device 2, the image exposure device 3, and the developing device 4 form a toner image on the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 according to the document information. This toner image is transferred by the transfer separation device 5 onto the transfer material conveyed from the paper feeding section 7, the transfer material is then peeled from the surface of the photosensitive drum, and is conveyed to the fixing device 7 to fix the image. The surface of the photosensitive drum after the transfer is sent to the cleaning device 6 for removing the toner and other foreign matter remaining on the surface of the photosensitive drum without being transferred.

In such a configuration, the developing device 4 and the cleaning device 6 are unitized and removably attached to the main body of the electrophotographic apparatus, and members such as the developing sleeve and the cleaning blade have a predetermined positional relationship at the time of attachment. It is fixed in position so that it is close to or in contact with the drum surface.

FIG. 1 shows a fixing device for fixing the cleaning device (unit) 6 at a predetermined position in the electrophotographic apparatus. When the unit 6 is fixed in a fixed position, the front edge of the left and right side plates 10 is located close to the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 1, and a cleaning blade (not shown) arranged between the side plates 10 is provided. Presses against the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 1 to remove the residual toner on the drum. The lower surface 13 of the unit 6 extends toward the lower side of the photosensitive drum 1 and receives the toner scraped off by the cleaning blade so as not to fall downward from the unit 6.

The left and right side plates 10 of the unit 6 are upper pins that project outward at upper and lower positions at corresponding positions.
11 and lower pin 12 are fixed. The line connecting the upper pin 11 and the lower pin 12 is the photosensitive drum 1 as it goes downward.
It is inclined away from.

On the other hand, a pair of spaced mounting members of the electrophotographic apparatus
A first groove 16 having an open upper portion and a lower closed portion is formed on the inner surface of each of 14 (only one is shown).
The upper pin 11 of the unit 6 is fitted into the 16 from above.
The front edge 16a of the first groove 16 extends substantially in the direction of gravity, and the pin 11 abuts against the edge 16a to prevent the unit 6 from moving away from the photosensitive drum 1. The rear edge 16b of the unit 6 is inclined so as to spread upward. The lower end of the first groove 16 forms an arc having substantially the same diameter as the upper pin 11, and the upper pin 11 is located in contact with this arc portion. In this way the unit 6 can pivot about the upper pin 11.

With the pivoting of the unit 6, a second groove 17 open at the top and closed at the bottom to receive and guide the lower pin 12
Are formed on the inner surfaces of the pair of mounting members 10. The groove 17 is formed so that the unit 6 remains horizontal when the lower pin 12 is located at the end 17a of the second groove 17 as shown. groove
The vicinity of this terminal end of 17 forms a circular arc portion having a width approximately the same as the diameter of the pin 12 centered on the upper pin 11, and positions the lower pin 12 at its terminal end 17a without wobbling.

A clamp 21 is pivotally provided on the main body of the electrophotographic apparatus via a pivot 22 so as to lock the lower pin 12 located at the end of the second groove 17. The clamp 21 is molded by molding a synthetic resin or the like, has an elastic piece 21a on its free end side, and defines a fitting groove 21b which is open at the bottom for fitting the lower pin 12 by the elastic piece 21. The clamp 21 releases the unit 6 at the position shown by the broken line in the figure, pivots about the pivot 22 and arranges it at the position of the solid line, so that the lower pin 12 is fitted in the fitting groove 21b, and the elastic piece 21a is elastic. To support. In this state, the line connecting the pivot 22 and the lower pin 12 forms a substantially right angle with the line connecting the upper pin 11 and the lower pin 12, so that the unit 6 pivots clockwise about the upper pin 11. And the counterclockwise pivoting is blocked by the abutment of the upper pin 11 with the front edge 16a of the first groove 16 and the unit 6 is fixed in position.

When removing the unit 6, after releasing the clamp 21, pull the unit 6 slightly away from the photosensitive drum 1 to pull it out from the arc portion near the end, and then pull it up so as to pivot about the upper pin 11. Done.

Although the cleaning unit is described in the above example, the fixing device of the present invention can be applied to other units.

[Advantages of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, the unit can be fixed to a predetermined position with a simple configuration by combining two pins, two grooves, and a clamp.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing an essential part of a unit fixing device according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a side sectional view showing an essential part of an example of an electrophotographic apparatus. 1 ... Photosensitive drum, 6 ... Unit, 10 ... Side plate, 11 ... Upper pin, 12 ... Lower pin, 16 ... First groove, 17 ... Second groove, 21 ...
Clamp.

Claims (2)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A unit fixing device of an electrophotographic apparatus for fixing a unit to a photosensitive drum at a predetermined position, the unit fixing device being provided at an upper portion and a lower portion of corresponding left and right side plates of the unit so as to project outward. Formed on the inner surface of the mounting member of the main body of the electrophotographic apparatus and the upper pin and the lower pin, and the unit can be pivoted in a direction in which the unit is moved toward and away from the photosensitive drum about the upper pin. A first groove for supporting the upper part opened and a lower part closed; and a second groove provided on the mounting member for receiving and guiding the lower pin according to the pivotal movement of the unit, the upper part opened and the lower part closed. And a clamp that is pivotally provided in the main body of the electrophotographic apparatus and that locks the lower pin when the lower pin is positioned at the end of the second groove. Unit fixing apparatus of the photographic apparatus. 2. The second groove and the clamp are formed such that a line connecting the pivot and the lower pin is substantially perpendicular to a line connecting the lower pin and the upper pin when the lower pin is locked. The unit fixing device for an electrophotographic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein