JPH08314216A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To improve the positional accuracy of an electrophotographic process unit, while guaranteeing its smooth attachment/detachment. CONSTITUTION: This image forming device is constituted as follows; the electrophotographic process unit 20 is horizontally moved on a guiding surface 3 in a device main body case 1, to engage a driven rotary body 26 with a driving rotary body 6, in a state where their shaft centers coincide, an engaging recessed part 31 is provided in a bottom part 29 nearer to one end part 27L in the longitudinal direction of the unit 20 and a position regulating member 41 is constituted so that it can projects into/retreated from the engaging recessed part 31 and projects and engaged therewith, when the electrophotographic process unit 20 is placed in a fixed position in the device main body case 1. Further, an engaging releasing means 50 which retreats the position regulating member 41, linked with the lifting up of the other end part 27R in the longitudinal direction of the process unit 20, to forcibly release the engagement of the engaging recessed part 31 is provided.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus provided with an electrophotographic process unit and a position regulating member for regulating the position of this unit in the longitudinal direction.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional structure of an image forming apparatus is shown in FIGS. In these figures, reference numeral 1 is a device body case. The apparatus body case 1 is provided with a paper feed unit 10 (paper feed cassette 11, paper feed roller 12, etc.), and also an electrophotographic process unit 20, an exposure device 9, a transfer device 15 (transfer roller 16), and fixing. The device 17 and the like are provided.

The apparatus body case 1 has a large opening at the top for convenience of attachment / detachment of the electrophotographic process unit 20, paper jam processing, and maintenance of built-in parts (9, 15, etc.). A movable cover 4 capable of opening and closing the upper opening 2 is attached to the apparatus body case 1 via a support shaft 4a.

The electrophotographic process unit 20 includes a cylindrical photosensitive member 21 integrally assembled in a unit case 27,
The charging device 22 and the developing device 23 are included, and are removably mounted at predetermined positions in the apparatus main body case 1. At the left and right ends of the unit case 27 in FIG. 7, handles (28L, 28R) for gripping at the time of attachment / detachment are provided.

At the time of printing, the photoconductor 21 is rotated in a predetermined direction (clockwise in FIG. 6). And the photoconductor 2
The surface of No. 1 is uniformly charged by the charging device 22, and then an exposed portion (electrostatic latent image) is formed by irradiation with laser light (B) based on the print data from the exposure device 9. The electrostatic latent image is developed by the toner supplied from the developing roller 24 of the developing device 23, is transferred onto the paper P sent from the paper feeding unit 10 by the transfer device 15, and is fixed by the fixing device 17. To be done.

By the way, as shown in FIG. 7, the photosensitive member 21 of the electrophotographic process unit 20 is provided in the apparatus main body case 1.
Drive device 5P for rotationally driving the developing roller 24 and the like
Is provided. The drive device 5P is the device body case 1
The inner frame 1F includes a drive rotating body (for example, a drive spur gear 6P) rotatably driven, a motor (not shown) connected to the drive rotating body (6P), and the like.

On the other hand, the electrophotographic process unit 20 is provided with a driven device 25P for receiving the power from the driving device 5P and driving the photosensitive member 21, the developing roller 24 and the like at a predetermined rotation speed. The driven device 25P includes a driven rotating body (for example, a driven spur gear 26P) that engages with the driving rotating body (6P) when the electrophotographic process unit 20 is mounted at a predetermined position in the apparatus body case 1, and The driven rotating body (26P) is composed of a gear train (not shown) for connecting the photoconductor 21, the developing roller 24 and the like. The driven spur gear 26P is rotatably provided at one longitudinal end 27L of the unit case 27, and the driven spur gear 6P.
Is engaged with the shafts parallel to each other.

Therefore, when the driving rotary body (6P) is rotationally driven, the rotational power is transmitted to the electrophotographic process unit 20 side through the driven rotary body (26P) and the like, and the photoconductor 2
1 and the developing roller 24 are rotated at a predetermined speed.

It should be noted that, when the electrophotographic process unit 20 is mounted in the apparatus main body case 1, the engagement state between the drive rotating body (6P) and the driven rotating body (26P) is surely maintained. In addition, a position regulating member (for example, hook lever 8P) that regulates the position of the unit 20 is provided. The position regulating member (8P) is spring-biased,
Each longitudinal end of the unit case 27 (27L, 27
It is configured such that the unit case 27 can be locked by engaging with the engaging protrusion 27a provided on the R).

[0010]

By the way, in the above-mentioned image forming apparatus, the driving rotary body (6P) and the driven rotary body (26P).
P) meshes with the shafts in parallel with each other to transmit power, so that when the positioning accuracy of the electrophotographic process unit 20 is poor, power transmission becomes uncertain due to insufficient meshing. Sometimes, unit case 27
The position regulation member (8P) must regulate the position of the unit case 27 with a certain margin so as to absorb the deviation of the shape in the longitudinal direction and the dimensional error. Is extremely difficult.

In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of enhancing the positioning accuracy of the electrophotographic process unit while ensuring the smooth attachment and detachment thereof.

[0012]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to an apparatus body case having an upper opening, an electrophotographic process unit including a photoconductor and removably mounted at a predetermined position in the apparatus body case, and an apparatus body case. And a driven rotating body that is rotatably driven therein, and a driven rotating body that engages with the driving rotating body and is capable of transmitting power to the photoconductor is provided at one longitudinal end of the electrophotographic process unit, and In an image forming apparatus having a position restricting member for restricting the position of an electrophotographic process unit in an apparatus body case, the drive rotating body and the driven rotating body can be engaged with each other with their axes aligned with each other. Then, a guide surface is provided in the apparatus main body case for laterally guiding the electrophotographic process unit inserted through the upper opening toward the drive rotating body. An engaging portion provided at the bottom of the longitudinal end portion side of the photographic process unit, the position regulating member,
The electrophotographic process unit is capable of projecting / retracting with respect to the engaging portion, and projects when the electrophotographic process unit is laterally moved on the guide surface and the driven rotary body and the drive rotary body are engaged in a state where they are aligned with the axis. And the engaging portion is formed so as to be locked with the engaging portion, and the position regulating member is retracted in conjunction with the lifting of the other end portion in the longitudinal direction of the electrophotographic process unit to forcibly release the locking of the engaging portion. It is characterized in that stop release means is provided.

[0013]

In the present invention having the above-described structure, in order to mount the electrophotographic process unit at a predetermined position in the apparatus body case, the process unit is placed on the guide surface in the apparatus body case through the upper opening.

Next, in this state, the electrophotographic process unit is laterally moved to engage the driven rotary body and the drive rotary body with their axes aligned. Then, in the electrophotographic process unit, the engaging portion is locked by the position regulating member to regulate the position. At this time, the engaging portion is provided at the bottom of the electrophotographic process unit near the one end in the longitudinal direction,
Since the gap between the driven rotating body and the driven rotating body is short, the position regulating member can be engaged with the margin minimized.

As a result, the positioning accuracy of the electrophotographic process unit can be improved, and the driven rotary body and the drive rotary body are engaged with each other with their axes aligned with each other. Power can be smoothly and reliably transmitted between them.

When the other end portion in the longitudinal direction is lifted to remove the electrophotographic process unit from the apparatus main body case, the unlocking means retracts the position restricting member in association with the lifting operation to engage the engaging portion. Forcibly release the lock of. Therefore, the electrophotographic process unit can be laterally moved without being obstructed by the position regulating member to be separated from the drive rotating body, and can be taken out from the apparatus main body case.

When the electrophotographic process unit is positioned at a predetermined position in the apparatus main body case, the position regulating member projects and locks the engaging portion. As a result, the electrophotographic process unit is mounted at a predetermined position in the apparatus body case with high positioning accuracy.

[0018]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, the present image forming apparatus has the same basic configuration as the conventional example (FIGS. 6 and 7), but the electrophotographic process unit 20 is mounted on the guide surface 3 in the apparatus body case 1. Is moved laterally so that the driven rotary body (26) and the drive rotary body (6) can be engaged with each other with their axes aligned, and the engaging portion (31) is attached to the unit 20 in the longitudinal direction. 27L, a position regulating member 41 that can be engaged with the engaging portion (31) on the apparatus body case 1 side, and the engagement of the engaging portion (31) by the position regulating member 41 can be forcibly released. The unlocking means 50 is provided.

The same components as those of the conventional example (FIGS. 6 and 7) are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be simplified or omitted.

The driving bevel gear 6 as a driving rotating body is
It is rotatably provided on the standing wall 7 of the frame 1F in the apparatus body case 1. Further, the driven internal bevel gear 26 as a driven rotating body is provided at one longitudinal end 27L of the unit case 27. The installation positions of the both bevel gears (6, 26) are selected so that when the electrophotographic process unit 20 is positioned at a predetermined position in the apparatus main body case 1, the electrophotographic process unit 20 engages with its axes aligned. ing.

Inside the apparatus main body case 1, there is provided a guide surface 3 capable of moving the electrophotographic process unit 20 inserted through an upper opening (not shown) of the case 1 in the lateral direction toward the driving rotating body (6). Has been.

The bottom 29 of the unit case 27 of the electrophotographic process unit 20 has an engaging recess 3 as an engaging portion.
1 is provided close to the one end portion 27L in the longitudinal direction.
An end face 31a of the engaging recess 31 near the one end 27L in the longitudinal direction.
Are formed so as to be perpendicular to the bottom portion 29 of the unit case 27.

The position regulating member 41 is provided so as to be capable of projecting and retracting with respect to the engaging portion (31), and the electrophotographic process unit 20 is positioned at a predetermined position in the apparatus main body case 1 as shown in FIG. In case of protruding, engaging part (31)
Is formed so that it can be locked.

Specifically, the position regulating member 41 has a base end portion 42 which is supported by the frame portion 1F of the apparatus main body case 1 by the support shaft 4 and the supporting shaft 4 by the support portion 4a.
It is rotatably mounted via 9, and the tip end engaging portion 43 is urged by an urging spring 45 so that it can be projected / retracted from the support surface 3 via the hole 3A. Then, when the electrophotographic process unit 20 is positioned at a predetermined position on the guide guide surface 3 of the frame portion 1F, the tip end engaging portion 43 of the position regulating member 41 projects by the urging force of the urging spring 45. It is designed to be fitted into the engaging recess 31 with a margin as small as possible.

The lock releasing means 50 retracts the position regulating member 41 in conjunction with the lifting of the other end portion 27R in the longitudinal direction of the electrophotographic process unit 20, and moves the engaging portion (3).
It is a means for forcibly releasing the lock of 1), and is composed of a lock release member 51 and a pressure spring 55 in this embodiment.

The unlocking member 51 is rotatably mounted on the frame portion 1F via a support shaft 49. The bottom 29 of the unit case 27 is attached to one end of the unlocking member 51.
A contact portion 52 capable of contacting and engaging with is formed, and a pressing portion 53 capable of pressing the base end portion 42 of the position regulating member 41 from above is formed at the other end portion. The unlocking member 51 is urged by the pressure spring 55 so that the contact portion 52 projects from the support surface 3 through the hole 3B.

As shown in FIG. 4, the pressure spring 55 is provided with the unlocking member 51 when the electrophotographic process unit 20 is not mounted.
The pressing portion 53 has a spring force capable of pushing down the position regulating member 41 against the urging force of the urging spring 45.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. The electrophotographic process unit 20 is attached to the apparatus main body case 1
In order to mount it at a predetermined position in the process unit 2
0 is mounted on the guide surface 3 in the apparatus body case 1 through the upper opening.

Next, in this state, the electrophotographic process unit 20 is laterally moved to engage the driven rotary body (26) and the drive rotary body (6) with their axes aligned.

When the electrophotographic process unit 20 is positioned at a predetermined position on the guide surface 3 as shown in FIG. 1, the tip engaging portion 43 of the position regulating member 41 is fitted into the engaging recess 31 of the unit case 27. Insert the unit case 2
Lock 7 Here, the engagement concave portion 31 is the position regulating member 4
The position is regulated by 1 with the margin as small as possible. Therefore, the electrophotographic process unit 20 can be mounted at a predetermined position on the guide surface 3 with high position accuracy.

When the electrophotographic process unit 20 is to be removed from the apparatus body case 1 for replacement,
As shown in FIG. 3, first, hold the other end 27R in the longitudinal direction of the unit case 27 by the hand 28R and move it upward (A1 direction).
Lift a little to. Then, the unlocking member 51 is rotated counterclockwise in the figure by the spring force of the pressure spring 55 to push down the position regulating member 41. As a result, the tip end engaging portion 43 of the position regulating member 41 retracts below the guide surface 3, and as a result, the engagement recess 31 is unlocked.

Thus, the electrophotographic process unit 20
When the lock is released, the unit 20 is laterally moved to the right (A2 direction) in FIG. 3, and then the left and right handles (28L, 28R) are grasped and lifted to be taken out from the apparatus main body case 1.

When the electrophotographic process unit 20 is mounted on the apparatus main body case 1, both the left and right handles (28) of the unit case 27 are mounted as shown in FIGS.
(L, 28R) is held by hand and lowered to be placed on the guide surface 3. Then, as shown in FIG. 5, the unlocking member 51 is pushed by the bottom portion 29 of the unit case 27 and rotates clockwise in the drawing. As a result, the pressing portion 5 of the unlocking member 51
The pressing of the position regulating member 41 by 3 is released, and the tip end engaging portion 43 of the position regulating member 41 comes into pressure contact with the bottom portion 29 of the unit case 27.

Next, when the unit case 27 is laterally moved toward the drive rotating body (6) in that state, the position regulating member 41 is reached when the driven rotating body (26) engages with the drive rotating body (6). The front end engaging portion 43 of the above is fitted into the engaging concave portion 31 of the unit case 27 to regulate the position of the unit case 27.

However, according to this embodiment, the electrophotographic process unit 20 is moved laterally on the guide surface 3 in the apparatus main body case 1 so that the driven rotary body (26) and the drive rotary body (6) are axially moved. Engagement is possible in a state where the hearts are aligned with each other, an engaging recess 31 is provided in the bottom portion 29 of the unit 20 near the one end 27L in the longitudinal direction, and the position regulating member 41 is
The electrophotographic process unit is formed so as to be capable of projecting and retracting with respect to the engaging recess 31 and projecting when the electrophotographic process unit 20 is positioned at a predetermined position in the apparatus main body case 1 so that the engaging recess 31 can be locked. Since the position releasing member 41 is retracted to interlock with the lifting of the other end portion 27R in the longitudinal direction of 20 and the engagement recess 31 is forcibly released, the electrophotographic process unit. It is possible to enhance the positioning accuracy while ensuring smooth attachment / detachment of 20, and to smoothly and reliably perform power transmission from the drive rotating body (6) to the driven rotating body (26).

[0036]

According to the present invention, the electrophotographic process unit can be laterally moved on the guide surface in the apparatus main body case so that the driven rotary body and the drive rotary body can be engaged with each other with their axes aligned. In addition, an engaging portion is provided on the bottom of the unit near the one end in the longitudinal direction, and the position regulating member can be projected / retracted with respect to the engaging portion, and the electrophotographic process unit is positioned at a predetermined position in the apparatus main body case. When the other end of the electrophotographic process unit is lifted, the position regulating member is retracted to lock the engaging portion. Since the lock releasing means for forcibly releasing is provided, the positioning accuracy can be improved while ensuring the smooth attachment and detachment of the electrophotographic process unit.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining an example of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is likewise an exploded perspective view for explaining the position restricting member and the lock releasing means.

FIG. 3 is also a diagram for explaining removal of the electrophotographic process unit.

FIG. 4 is also a diagram for explaining a non-mounted state of the electrophotographic process unit.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining mounting of the electrophotographic process unit.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a conventional configuration of an image forming apparatus.

FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining attachment / detachment of the electrophotographic process unit.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Device Main Body Case 3 Guide Surface 6 Driving External Bevel Gear (Drive Rotating Body) 20 Electrophotographic Process Unit 21 Photoreceptor 26 Driven Inner Bevel Gear (Driven Rotating Body) 27 Unit Case 27L One End of Unit Case 27R Unit Case The other end 29 The bottom of the unit case 31 Engagement recess (engagement part) 41 Position regulating member 45 Energizing spring 50 Engagement release means 51 Engagement release member 55 Pressure spring

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A device body case having an upper opening,
An electrophotographic process unit that includes a photoconductor and is removably mounted in a predetermined position in the apparatus body case, and a drive rotating body that is rotatably provided in the apparatus body case.
A driven rotating body that engages with a driving rotating body and is capable of transmitting power to the photoconductor is provided at one longitudinal end of the electrophotographic process unit, and a position regulating member that regulates the position of the electrophotographic process unit is provided in the apparatus main body case. In the provided image forming apparatus, the driving rotating body and the driven rotating body are formed to be engageable with each other with their axes aligned with each other, and inserted into the apparatus body case through the upper opening. A guide surface capable of laterally moving and guiding the electrophotographic process unit toward the drive rotating body is provided, and an engaging portion is provided at a bottom portion of the electrophotographic process unit near one end in the longitudinal direction of the electrophotographic process unit. A state in which the electrophotographic process unit is capable of projecting / retracting with respect to the engaging portion and the electrophotographic process unit is laterally moved on the guide surface so that the driven rotary body and the drive rotary body are aligned with the axial center. When it is engaged in the state of the electrophotographic process unit, the projection is formed to be engageable with the engaging portion, and the position regulating member is retracted in association with the lifting of the other end portion in the longitudinal direction of the electrophotographic process unit to engage the engaging portion. An image forming apparatus comprising: a lock releasing unit for forcibly releasing the lock.