JPH07295319A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide an image forming device constituted so that an optional cassette feeder is easily added to the device main body. CONSTITUTION:The optional cassette feeder 12 is added to the lower part of the image forming device main body (device main body 11 and cassette feeder 18). Then, an electric signal is transmitted by connecting floating connectors 24 and 25 being the connectors respectively provided at the bottom part of the feeder 18 and the upper part of the feeder 12. Besides, sheet materials 1 and 1' are fed from the cassette 2 of the feeder 18 and the optional cassette 2' of the feeder 12. By moving the connectors 24 and 25 provided at the bottom part of the feeder 18 or the upper part of the feeder 12 up and down after the main body 11 and the feeder 18 are positioned and fixed on the feeder 12, the connectors 24 and 25 are connected.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a connector connecting mechanism for a main body of an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a laser beam printer (LBP) and an option cassette feeder to be additionally installed under the main body.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 6 shows a main sectional view of a laser beam printer (LBP) as a conventional example.

In FIG. 6, a cassette feeder 118 as a paper feeding unit is integrated with the apparatus main body 111, and an optional cassette feeder 112 is a separate unit apparatus separate from the apparatus main body 111. A laser beam printer (hereinafter referred to as an LBP) 120A is configured by combining the apparatus body 111 by positioning and mounting the apparatus body 111.

The LBP 120A has two cassette insertion ports 113 'and 113 on the front end face (right end face in FIG. 6) side so that a cassette as a sheet material stacking device can be inserted and removed in the directions of the arrows. There is. The sheet material 101 is stacked on the main body cassette 102, and the sheet feeding roller 103
The paper is fed and conveyed by the rotation of the registration roller 10
Reach position 4.

On the other hand, the luminous flux 10 emitted from the light source 105
6 is reflected by the mirror 108 and imaged on the photosensitive drum 107.

The photosensitive drum 107 is rotating at a constant speed, so that the latent image formed at the point A'is developed by the toner in the developing device 109 and transferred to the sheet material 101 at the point B '. Further, the registration rollers 104 carry out the intermittent rotation to convey the sheet material 101.

Sheet material 101 carrying an unfixed toner image
The unfixed toner image is fixed when the paper is held by the fixing roller 110 and is discharged to the outside of the machine by the conveyance roller 114 and the face-up paper discharge roller 115, or the conveyance rollers 114 and 116 and the face-down paper discharge roller. It is discharged to the outside of the machine via 117.

The main components of the image forming process (photosensitive drum 107, light source 105, etc.) are included in the apparatus main body 111, and also include the conveyance and fixing of the sheet material.

On the other hand, the optional cassette feeder 112
Includes an optional cassette 102 'in which sheet materials 101' are stacked and housed, and a paper feed roller 103 ', and has a function of feeding and conveying the sheet material 101'.

In FIG. 7, positioning pins 121, 122 and a floating connector (female side) 124 are provided on the upper surface of the option cassette feeder 112.

Further, a general positioning pin 123 is provided near the floating connector 124. The positioning pin 12 of the optional cassette feeder 112 is provided on the bottom of the cassette feeder 118 integrated with the apparatus main body 111.
1, 122 are provided with round holes 127 and oval holes 128, and a floating connector (female side) 124 is further provided.
Floating connector (male side) 125 to connect with
And a general positioning hole 126 that fits into the general positioning pin 123 is provided.

Further, a rubber or resin foot 129 is provided at the bottom of the main body side cassette feeder 118, and an expansion path 119 for conveying the sheet material 101 'conveyed from the optional cassette feeder 112 is provided. There is.

Generally, floating connectors 124, 1
Either one of the 25 can freely move within a range of several millimeters on a plane, and the connecting portion is provided with a taper to serve as a guide.

Positioning pins 121 and 22 and positioning hole 1
Numerals 27 and 128 are for fitting the apparatus main body 111 and the optional cassette feeder 112 to each other without any play,
The floating connectors 124 and 125 are fitted to each other before the connection is started, and the floating connectors 124 and 1 are connected.
The heights of the positioning pins 121 and 122 are set high so as to prevent the mutual collision between them.

Further, the floating connectors 124, 1
It is also possible to reduce the height of the positioning pins 121, 122 to some extent by providing the general positioning pin 123 and the general positioning hole 126 for the connection guide of the floating connectors 124, 125 with a slight play in the vicinity of 25.

The movement of the sheet material 101 'depends on the sheet feeding roller 10.
After the sheet is fed at 3 ', it reaches the registration roller 104 via the expansion path 119 of the main body side cassette feeder 118, and is similar to the above.

[0017]

Conventionally, the apparatus main body 111
When adding the optional cassette feeder 112 to
Aligning the positioning pins 121 and 122 provided on the upper part of the option cassette feeder 112 with the round holes 127 and the oblong holes 128 which are fitting holes provided at the bottom of the device body 111, the device body 111 is attached to the option cassette feeder 1
By mounting it on 12, the bottom portion of the apparatus main body 111 and the floating connectors 124 and 125 provided on the upper portion of the option cassette feeder 112 are connected.

Therefore, after the positioning pins 121 and 122 have been positioned, the floating connector 1
24,125 Positioning pins must be raised so that they can start connecting, or floating connectors 124,1
It was necessary to provide a general positioning pin 123 for the floating connectors 124 and 125 in the vicinity of 25.

However, these high locating pins are good in the case where the apparatus main body 111 is a comparatively light apparatus having a weight of about 20 kg or less, but are extremely difficult in the case of a heavy apparatus which the apparatus main body 111 cannot have unless it is held by two or more persons. It is difficult to fit the device main body 111 to the positioning pins 121 and 122, or the floating connectors 124 and 1
Since 25 is projected from the device, there is a possibility that it may be hit and damaged.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and its object is to provide an image forming apparatus in which an optional cassette feeder can be easily added to the apparatus main body.

[0021]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, an option cassette feeder is added to the image forming apparatus main body, and connectors provided respectively for the image forming apparatus main body and the option cassette feeder. In the image forming apparatus configured to transmit the electric signal by connecting the sheet cassette and the optional cassette feeder of the cassette of the image forming apparatus main body and the optional cassette of the optional cassette feeder, the optional cassette feeder is provided to the main body of the image forming apparatus. After the connector is positioned, the connector provided on the main body of the image forming apparatus or the optional cassette feeder is moved to the connection position to connect the connector.

In a state where the connector is separated before the option cassette feeder is positioned in the image forming apparatus body, the connectors provided in the image forming apparatus body and the option cassette feeder are completely housed inside. Good.

By disconnecting the image forming apparatus main body from the optional cassette feeder, the connector may be returned to the state before connection.

It is preferable that the connector is moved and connected in association with positioning of the optional cassette feeder in the main body of the image forming apparatus.

The optional cassette feeder may be detachably attached to the lower side of the image forming apparatus main body.

[0026]

In the image forming apparatus configured as described above, the connector provided on at least one of the image forming apparatus main body and the optional cassette feeder is moved to the connection position after the option cassette feeder is positioned in the image forming apparatus main body. Since the connector is connected, it is possible to mount the image forming apparatus main body on the option cassette feeder without considering the connector connection.

When the connectors are separated before the option cassette feeder is positioned in the main body of the image forming apparatus, the connectors provided in the main body of the image forming apparatus and the optional cassette feeder are completely housed inside, respectively. When the main body of the image forming apparatus is placed on the upper part of the optional cassette feeder, the connector does not come into contact with other members.

By disconnecting the main body of the image forming apparatus and the optional cassette feeder, the connector returns to the state before connection, so that there is no need to return the connector to the state before connection.

Since the connector is moved and connected in association with the positioning of the optional cassette feeder in the main body of the image forming apparatus, the trouble of connecting the connector is eliminated.

[0030]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to illustrated embodiments.

1 to 3 are views showing a laser beam printer main body which is an image forming apparatus main body and an optional cassette feeder embodying the present invention.

In FIG. 1, a cassette feeder 18 as a paper feeding unit is integrated with the apparatus main body (image forming apparatus main body) 11, and an optional cassette feeder 12 is a separate unit apparatus separate from the apparatus main body 11. A laser beam printer (hereinafter referred to as LBP) 20A is configured by combining the apparatus main body 11 by positioning and mounting the apparatus main body 11 on the unit device.

The LBP 20A has two cassette insertion ports 13 ', 13 on the front end face (right end face in FIG. 1) side,
A cassette as a sheet material stacking device can be inserted and removed in the directions of the arrows. The sheet material 1 is stacked on the main body cassette 2, and is fed and conveyed by the rotation of the sheet feeding roller 3, and reaches the position of the registration roller 4.

On the other hand, the light beam 6 emitted from the light source 5 is reflected by the mirror 8 and imaged on the photosensitive drum 7.

The photosensitive drum 7 is rotating at a constant speed, and the latent image formed at the point A is developed by the toner in the developing device 9 and transferred to the sheet material 1 at the point B by the resist. The roller 4 rotates intermittently to convey the sheet material 1.

When the transfer material 1 carrying the unfixed toner image is sandwiched by the fixing roller 10, the unfixed toner image is fixed and is discharged outside the machine by the conveying roller 14 and the face-up discharge roller 15. Or transport rollers 14,1
6. The sheet is discharged to the outside of the machine through the face-down sheet discharge roller 17.

The main components (photosensitive drum 7, light source 5, etc.) of the image forming process are included in the apparatus main body 11, and also include the conveyance and fixing of the sheet material.

On the other hand, the optional cassette feeder 12 is an optional cassette 2'on which sheet materials 1'are stacked and stored,
It includes a sheet feeding roller 3 ', and has a function of feeding and conveying the sheet material 1'.

In FIG. 2, on the upper surface of the option cassette feeder 12, there are provided square holes 25a through which the positioning pins 21 and 22 and the floating connector (connector / male side) 25 come out.

Further, a knob or lever 30 for pushing up the floating connector 25 is provided on the side surface near the square hole.

A cassette feeder 1 integrated with the apparatus main body 11
8 is provided with a round hole 27 and an oval hole 28 that fit with the positioning pins 21 and 22 of the optional cassette feeder 12, and is further conveyed from the option cassette feeder 12 with a rubber or resin foot 29. An expansion path 19 and a floating connector (connector / female side) 24 for transporting the sheet material 1 to the apparatus body 11 are provided at positions retracted from the bottom surface of the apparatus body 11.

FIG. 3A shows a state before the apparatus main body 11 is mounted and set on the optional cassette feeder 12 and the floating connectors (connectors) 24 and 25 are connected, and FIG. 3 shows the floating connectors 24 and 25 connected. It shows the state of being done.

In FIG. 2, the floating connector 25
Is attached to the bracket 33 with step screws 32.

The diameter d of the step screw 32 and the diameter d'of the mounting hole 25b of the floating connector 25 have a relationship of d <d ', and the difference allows the floating connector 25 to move freely on a plane.

The tips of the floating connectors 24 and 25 are tapered to serve as guides for connection.

The bracket 33 is supported by two columns 34 and can freely move up and down, and is pushed down to the position of the stopper 36 by its own weight and the compression spring 35 passing through the columns 34.

The bottom of the bracket 33 is in contact with the cam 37. In FIG. 2, the knob 37 or the lever 30 on the side of the option cassette feeder 12 is rotated to rotate the cam 37 via the shaft 31 to push up the floating connector 25. As shown in FIG. 3 (b), it can be connected to the floating connector 24 of the apparatus main body 11.

Here, the relationship between the spring force of the compression spring 35, the force F that adds the weight of the floating connector 25 and the insertion / removal force F'of the floating connectors 24 and 25 is F '<F.
Then, when the cam 37 is rotated to the state of FIG. 3A, the floating connector 25 descends according to the shape of the cam 37, and the connection is disconnected.

If F '> F, the cam 37 is rotated and the condition shown in FIG.
Even in the state of (a), the floating connectors 24 and 25 are still connected, and the connection is disconnected when the apparatus main body 11 is disconnected from the option cassette feeder 12.

When the weight of the apparatus main body 11 is too heavy to be held by two or more persons, the floating connectors 24 and 25 are disconnected by using the former force relationship, and then the apparatus main body 11 is moved to the optional cassette feeder 12. It is possible to prevent the floating connectors 24 and 25 from being damaged by disconnecting the floating connectors.

When the weight of the apparatus main body 11 is light, the latter force relationship is more convenient.

(Other Embodiments) FIGS. 4 and 5 are views showing another embodiment of the laser beam printer main body and option cassette feeder embodying the present invention.

In FIG. 4, a round hole 27 and a long round hole 28 for fitting with the positioning pins 21 and 22 of the optional cassette feeder 12 are provided at the bottom of the cassette feeder 18 which is integrated with the main body 11 of the apparatus. A resin foot 29, an expansion path 19 for conveying the sheet material 1'conveyed from the option cassette feeder 12 to the apparatus body 11, and a floating connector 24 are provided at a position retracted from the bottom surface of the apparatus body 11. There is.

Further, when the apparatus main body 11 and the optional cassette feeder 12 are mounted and set, the fixing pin 40 is provided at the bottom of the apparatus main body 11 to lock the apparatus main body 11 and the optional cassette feeder 12 and prevent them from coming off.
Lock lever 4 on the optional cassette feeder 12 side
1 is provided, and a lock release lever 42 is provided on the side surface thereof.

FIG. 5A is a diagram showing a state immediately before the apparatus main body 11 is mounted on the option cassette feeder 12, and FIG. 5B is a diagram showing a state after the mounting and setting.

The lock lever 41 is attached rotatably around a rotary shaft 43, and a tension spring 44 is used to stop a stopper 45.
Have been pushed to.

When the apparatus main body 11 is positioned by the positioning pins 21 and 22 and comes down, the fixing pin 40 on the apparatus main body 11 side pushes the taper portion 41a of the lock lever 41 on the optional cassette feeder 12 side, so that the lock lever 41 is pulled out. As shown in FIG. 5 (b), it rotates about the rotary shaft 43,
The other end 41b of the lock lever 41 pushes up the floating connector 25,
5 Connection of comrades is completed. The force F, which is the sum of the spring force of the compression spring 35 and the self-weight of the floating connector 25, is set to be smaller than the inserting / withdrawing force F ′ of the floating connectors 24 and 25 (F <F ′).

The fixing pin 40 is shown in FIGS. 5 (a) and 5 (b).
As shown in FIG. 5, the lock lever 41 has the vertical portion 40a so that the lock connector 41 pushes up the floating connector 25 until the apparatus main body 11 is mounted and set on the optional cassette feeder 12.

When the mounting setting is completed and the floating connectors 24 and 25 are connected, the lock lever 41 is returned by the tension spring 44 and is caught by the fixing pin 40 to fix the apparatus body 11 and the optional cassette feeder 12. At this time, the floating connectors 24 and 25 will not come off due to the relationship of F <F '.

Here, in FIG. 4, the lock release lever 4
2 is fixed to the rotary shaft 43 of the lock lever 41,
It is configured to turn when unlocked.

In this embodiment, a mechanism for locking the apparatus body 11 and the optional cassette feeder 12 is also used, but the lever connects the apparatus body 11 and the optional cassette feeder 12 without providing a lock mechanism. The floating connector 25 may be rotated and lifted to be connected. According to this configuration, the floating connector 25 is automatically raised and connected only by mounting the apparatus main body 11 on the option cassette feeder 12, and the handling becomes extremely easy.

The present invention is not limited to the structure of the above embodiment, and the connector may be lowered from the apparatus main body side for connection, or the connector may be protruded from the apparatus main body and the optional cassette feeder for connection. .

Further, a type in which an optional cassette feeder is connected to the apparatus main body from the side, or
It may be applied to a type in which an optional cassette feeder is connected to the upper part of the apparatus main body.

[0064]

The present invention has the above-described structure and operation, and after the option cassette feeder is positioned in the image forming apparatus main body, the connector provided in at least one of the image forming apparatus main body and the option cassette feeder is set at the connecting position. Since the connector is connected by moving the connector, even if a heavy image forming apparatus main body is placed on the option cassette feeder, it can be performed without considering the connector connection, and the position can be easily adjusted. The main body of the image forming apparatus can be placed on the optional cassette feeder.

When the connectors are separated before the option cassette feeder is positioned in the main body of the image forming apparatus, the connectors provided in the main body of the image forming apparatus and the optional cassette feeder are completely housed inside. When the main body of the image forming apparatus is placed on the upper part of the optional cassette feeder, the connector does not come into contact with other members, the connector is prevented from being damaged, and the other members are not damaged by the connector.

By disconnecting the main body of the image forming apparatus and the optional cassette feeder, the connector returns to the state before the connection. Therefore, there is no need to return the connector to the state before the connection, and it is difficult for the connector to contact other members during the disconnecting work. Becomes
It also prevents damage to the connector.

By interlocking with positioning the optional cassette feeder in the main body of the image forming apparatus, the connector is moved and connected, thereby eliminating the trouble of connecting the connector and improving the operability.

The optional cassette feeder is detachably attached to the lower side of the main body of the image forming apparatus, so that the connector can be easily connected to the connector.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing an image forming apparatus which is an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an image forming apparatus which is an embodiment of the present invention.

3 (a) and 3 (b) are detailed cross-sectional views of main parts showing connection of a connector of an image forming apparatus which is an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an image forming apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.

5 (a) and 5 (b) are detailed cross-sectional views of main parts showing connection of a connector of an image forming apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing a conventional image forming apparatus.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a conventional image forming apparatus of the related art.

[Explanation of reference numerals] 1,1 ', 101, 101' Sheet material 2,102 Main body cassette 2 ', 102' Optional cassette 11,111 Device main body 12,112 Optional cassette feeder 18,118 Cassette feeder 24,25,124, 125 Floating Connector (Connector)

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An optional cassette feeder is added to the main body of the image forming apparatus, and electric signals are transmitted by connecting the connectors respectively provided on the main body of the image forming apparatus and the optional cassette feeder, and a cassette of the main body of the image forming apparatus and In an image forming apparatus configured to feed a sheet material from an option cassette of an optional cassette feeder, the sheet is provided on at least one of the image forming apparatus main body and the optional cassette feeder after the image forming apparatus main body is positioned on the optional cassette feeder. An image forming apparatus, wherein the connector is connected by moving the connector to a connection position. 2. The connector provided on the image forming apparatus main body and the connector provided on the optional cassette feeder are completely housed inside, respectively, when the connector is separated before the option cassette feeder is positioned in the image forming apparatus main body. Claim 1 characterized by the above.
The image forming apparatus according to item 1. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the connector returns to the state before the connection by separating the main body of the image forming apparatus from the optional cassette feeder. 4. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the connector is moved and connected in conjunction with positioning the option cassette feeder on the main body of the image forming apparatus. Image forming device. 5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the option cassette feeder is detachably attached to a lower side of the image forming apparatus main body.