JPH086458A - Image forming device provided with dividing mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To smoothly perform the pushing of a release member without impairing the appearance by interposing an elastic member between a part of a movable catch provided on the upper frame body of an image forming device and the release member and always holding the release member at the prescribed position of the upper frame body. CONSTITUTION:The upper frame body 101 is released from the lower frame body by which the image forming device is constituted by operating the releasing member 106, and releasing the locking member 704 provided in the lower frame body 101 and the movable catch 105 provided in the upper frame body 101. At this time, there are risk that the release member 106 is fallen from the surface position of the upper frame body 101 in accordance with the state of the stack error by assembling the parts of the engaging member 104 provided in the lower frame body and the movable catch 105 provided in the upper frame body 101. Hence, the elastic member 114 for always energizing the release member 106 upward is provided between the movable catch 105 and the release member 106 to hold the release member 106 at all times in the prescribed position.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to means for dividing a frame constituting an image forming apparatus and for locking the divided frame.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, in an image forming apparatus such as a small copying machine or a printer, it is easy to replace or inspect an image forming member incorporated in the machine and to remove a defectively fed recording paper. Therefore, the frame body that constitutes the image forming apparatus is
The above processing is performed by dividing and opening. In the configuration in which the frame body is divided into two, the frame body is divided into a lower frame body and an upper frame body, one end is coupled by a core shaft, and the other end is opened. Then, for example, a locking member is provided on the lower frame body, a movable locking claw is provided on the upper frame body, and during normal use, the locking member and the movable locking claw are engaged with each other to form the lower frame body, The closed state of the upper frame is maintained. When releasing, with respect to the locking member, the release member interlocked with the movable locking claw is operated to release the locked state between the movable locking claw and the locking member, The other end of the upper frame is opened upward around the core shaft, and the open state is maintained by a damper or a holding arm member.

At the time of closing, the holding arm member and the like are removed from the upper frame body, and the open end of the upper frame body is pushed against the lower frame body, and by this operation, the locking member is engaged. The movable locking claws are locked to maintain the closed state.

[0004]

As described above, a locking member is provided on the lower frame body on which the image forming apparatus is formed, and a movable locking claw is provided on the upper frame body so as to interlock with the movable locking claw. The movable locking claw and the locking member are released by activating a release member provided on the lower frame, and the locking member and the movable locking claw are engaged with each other by the closing operation of the lower frame body and the upper frame body. I am fit. When performing the releasing and engaging as described above, the releasing member for performing the releasing is particularly exposed on a part of the outer surface of the upper frame body, provided separately, and slidably fitted. There is.
On the other hand, the movable locking claw provided in the upper frame body is provided separately from the release member, and the release member and a part of the movable locking claw are provided so as to face each other. With the above-mentioned configuration, the locking positions of the locking member provided on the lower frame and the movable locking claw provided on the upper frame are slightly changed while the locking operation and the releasing operation are repeated. Come on. In addition, a stacking error of parts may occur due to the assembly of the movable locking claws provided on the upper frame. Therefore, despite the fact that the movable locking claw is accurately engaged with the locking member, the joint position between the release member facing a part of the movable locking claw changes, and for example, the movable locking claw is changed. When the return position of the pawl is below the predetermined position, the release member also descends and is held in a state of being depressed from the outer surface of the upper frame,
There are problems that the appearance is unsightly and that the releasing operation by the releasing member is bad.

The present invention has been particularly conceived in order to solve the above problems. That is, an elastic member is interposed between a part of the movable locking claw provided on the upper frame of the image forming apparatus and the releasing member so that the releasing member is always held at a predetermined position of the upper frame. The purpose is to do.

[0006]

For the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides an image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus is separable about a core axis. The image forming apparatus comprises a lower frame and an upper part. A locking member configured of a frame body, which locks the lower frame body and the upper frame body to each other, a movable locking claw which locks the locking member, and the movable locking claw of the locking member. An elastic member that urges in the stopping direction, a release member that releases the movable locking claw from the locking member, and an elastic member are provided between the movable locking claw and the release member. 3. The locking member according to claim 2, wherein the locking member is provided on the lower frame body, and the movable locking claw and the release member are provided on the upper frame body. The invention according to claim 3, wherein the lower frame has at least a paper feed cassette and a paper feeding means, and the upper frame has at least an exposure device, an image carrier, and a developing device. To be done.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the structure of a color image forming apparatus 100 of an embodiment equipped with a dividing mechanism of the present invention.
An outline of the configuration and a series of operations will be described based on the drawings.

A photosensitive drum 10 as an image carrier having an OPC photosensitive layer coated on the upper frame 101 constituting the color image forming apparatus 100 is 75 mm / sec in one direction (clockwise direction in the figure). After being driven and rotated at the linear speed of, the static eliminator 11 is used to remove the charge and the charge at the previous printing is removed,
The charging device 12 uniformly charges the peripheral surface to prepare for a new print. After this uniform charging, the image exposure means 13 performs image exposure based on the image signal. The image exposure means 13 is a rotating polygon mirror that emits laser light emitted from a laser light source described later.
It is rotationally scanned by 131, the optical path is bent by the reflection mirror 133 via the fθ lens 132, etc., and is projected onto the peripheral surface of the previously charged photosensitive drum 10, so that a latent image is formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 10. .

Around the periphery of the photosensitive drum 10, there are developers composed of a mixture of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), black (K) and other toner and a magnetic carrier. Filled developing devices 14A, 14B, 14
C and 14D are provided. First, the development of the first color is carried out by the developing rotary sleeve 141 which has a magnet built therein and rotates while holding the developer. The developer is regulated to a predetermined thickness on the developing rotary sleeve 141 by the layer forming rod and is conveyed to the developing area. AC bias voltage VAC and DC are applied between the photosensitive drum 10 and the developing rotary sleeve 141.
The bias voltage VDC is superimposed and applied. Here, the potential of the exposed portion of the photosensitive drum 10 is VL, the surface potential of the charged photosensitive layer other than the exposed portion is VH, and the DC bias voltage VDC is | VH |> | VDC |> | VL | By setting so that the condition holds, the toner given the opportunity to be separated from the carrier by the AC bias voltage VAC does not adhere to the portion of VH having a higher potential than VDC, and
It adheres to the exposed portion of the lower potential VL, is visualized and developed.

After the development of the first color is completed in this way, the image forming process of the second color (for example, magenta) starts.
The photosensitive drum 10 is uniformly charged again, and a latent image based on the image data of the second color is formed by the image exposure means 13. For the third color (cyan) and the fourth color (black), the same image forming process as for the second color is performed, and a total of four colors are developed on the photosensitive drum 10.

To supply toner to each of the yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K),
Four toner supply devices 40 are provided, the toner supply pipe 44 for the developing device 14A, the toner supply pipe 45 for the developing device 14B, the toner supply pipe 46 for the developing device 14C, and the toner supply pipe 47 for the developing device 14D. Are configured to be replenished by the toner replenishing device 40. On the other hand, the recording paper P, which is the transfer material fed by the paper feeding mechanism 22 by the paper feeding cassette 21 provided in the lower frame 102, is transferred to the photosensitive drum 10 by the transfer belt device 30 in which the transfer belt 31 is stretched. The multi-color image formed on the peripheral surface of the photoconductor drum 10 is fed to the nip portion (transfer area) 35 formed between the recording paper P and the recording paper P.
Moved to. Here, the upstream holding roller of the transfer belt 31
A high voltage is applied to the shaft 32a of 32, the conductive brush 34 installed at a position facing the shaft 32a with the transfer belt 31 sandwiched therebetween is grounded, and the recording paper P fed is brushed. It enters between the transfer belt 31 and the transfer belt 31 and enters the transfer area while being attracted to the transfer belt 31 by the electric charge injected into the recording paper P from the brush 34. The recording paper P separated from the photoconductor drum 10 is a holding roller on the downstream side on which the transfer belt 31 is stretched.
The transfer belt is charged while the shaft 33b of 33 is used as an opposite electrode
Separate from 31. The toner attached to the transfer belt 31 is removed by the cleaning blade 37. The transfer belt
During the formation of the multicolor image, the reference numeral 31 is separated from the photosensitive drum 10 about the shaft 33b of the holding roller 33 on the downstream side as a rotation center.

Recording paper P separated from the transfer belt device 30
Has a heating heater 232 inside at least one heating fixing roller 231, and is conveyed to a fixing device 23 composed of a pair of pressure-bonding rollers 233, and the heating fixing roller 231 and the pressure-bonding roller. By applying heat and pressure between 233, the toner adhering to the recording paper P is melted, fixed on the recording paper P, and then carried out of the apparatus.

After the transfer, the toner remaining on the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 10 is discharged by the static eliminator 15 to reach the cleaning device 16, and the cleaning blade 16a in contact with the photosensitive drum 10 causes the toner inside the cleaning device 16 to be removed. It is scraped off by the scraper, carried out by a screw, etc. and stored in the collection box. The photoconductor drum 10 from which the residual toner has been removed by the cleaning device 16 is neutralized by the static eliminator 11 and then uniformly charged by the charger 12 to enter the next image forming cycle. If the recording paper P is not separated from the transfer belt 31 and winds around the photoconductor drum 10 and enters above the static eliminator 15, the cleaning blade 16a and the electrode wire may be damaged. A jam sensor 36 for detecting wrapping is attached near the static eliminator 15.

The lower frame body 102 and the upper frame body 101 are joined at one end by a core shaft 103, and the other end of the upper frame body 101 can be opened.

A locking member 104 is fixedly provided on the lower frame 102, and a movable locking claw 105 and a releasing member 106 for operating the movable locking claw 105 are provided on the upper frame 101. Has been.

FIG. 2 shows the upper frame body 101 of the color image forming apparatus 100 which is divided and opened with respect to the lower frame body 102 with the core shaft 103 serving as a support shaft. By pushing the release member 106 of the body 101, the movable locking claw 105 of the lower frame body 102 is released from the locking member 104,
The opening operation is performed by moving the other end of the upper frame 101 upward about the core shaft 103 in a divided manner. Then, as shown in FIG. 2, the upper frame 101 is held at the open position by a damper 1071.

FIG. 3 shows a locking member 104 of the lower frame 102.
A movable locking claw 105 of the upper frame body 101, and the movable locking claw 105
The release member 106 for actuating 105 is shown. Fixed to the support shaft 108 in a locking hole 107 provided in the locking member 104,
The upper frame 101 is rotatably provided by the support shaft 108, and the movable locking claw 105 elastically held in the locking direction by the spring 109 is locked, so that the upper frame 101 is moved relative to the lower frame 102. The closed state is retained. When the upper frame 101 is closed from the open state, the inclined surface 105A formed on the movable locking claw 105 and the curved guide surface 10 provided at the tip of the locking member 104.
4A, the movable locking claw 105 slightly rotates in the clockwise direction against the elastic force of the spring 109, and the movable locking claw 105 is locked by the elastic force of the spring 109 as shown in FIG. It is configured to be locked in the hole 107.

On the other hand, at the other end 105B of the movable locking claw 105,
Release member for releasing the movable locking claw 105 from the locking hole 107
106 are provided. The release member 106 is the upper frame body.
It is slidably fitted in a fitting hole 110 formed in 101. A locking portion 111 is formed on the outer peripheral edge of the release member 106, and a pushing surface 112 that is pushed by the other end portion 105B of the movable locking claw 105 is formed in the central portion. A circular groove 113 is formed around the pushing surface 112 toward the inside of the release member 106, and the other end 105B of the movable locking claw 105 and the circular groove 11 are formed.
A spring 114 is held between the three ends. The spring
One end of 114 has a base 115 provided in the release member 106.
It is fixed to the screw with a fixing screw 116. The releasing member 106 configured as described above is always pushed upward by the pushing surface 112 via the other end portion 105B of the movable locking claw 105 by the elastic force of the spring 109. A stopper 111 is locked to an end 110A formed at one end of the fitting hole 110 and held at a predetermined position. When the releasing member 106 is held at the predetermined position, the external pushing surface of the releasing member 106
117 corresponds to the outer surface 101A of the upper frame 101.

With the above structure, when the image forming apparatus 100 is manufactured, for example, the mounting positions of the lower frame 102 and the locking member 104 or the mounting positions of the support shaft 108 of the upper frame 101 and the movable locking claw 105. It is assumed that it was attached with a slight variation. In such a case, the movable locking claw 105 is inserted into the locking hole 107 of the locking member 104.
Despite being locked, the other end 105B of the movable locking claw 105 fluctuates and drops, and accordingly the release member 106 also drops downward, so that the external pushing surface 117 is moved to the upper part. Frame 101
The outer surface 101A is depressed. The movable locking claw 105 is pushed by the spring 109,
Even when the locked state is held by 104, but the case where it does not operate to the completely locked state, the outer surface 101 of the release member 106 is similar to the above.
A becomes depressed or inconsistent.

Even in such a case, the release member 106 is pushed upward by the elastic action of the spring 114 from the other end portion 105B, and the locking portion 111 is locked to the end portion 110A and held in the normal position. The external pushing surface 117 of the release member 106 is
It coincides with the outer surface 101A of the upper frame 101, and is not affected by the external pushing surface 117 dropping downward.

The spring 114 is the spring 1
Needless to say, a material having an elastic force weaker than 09 is used.

FIG. 4 shows the release member 106 and the spring 1
FIG. 14 is an exploded perspective view of 14 from the back side, showing a state in which the fixing screw 116 is removed from the base 115 of the release member 106 and the spring 114 is taken out as shown in the figure. As shown in the figure, the spring 114 is fixed to the inner side of the circular groove 113 with a fixing screw 116, and the other end 105 of the movable locking claw 105 is fixed.
The side in contact with B is configured to obtain an elastic action in the released state.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the locking member 104, the movable locking claw 105, the releasing member 106 and the spring 114. The movable locking claw 105 is fixed to the support shaft 108. Further, at the other end of the rotatable support shaft 108, an inclined surface 105
A pair of movable locking claws 105A forming C are fixed, and are biased in the same direction as the movable locking claws 105 by a spring 109A. The movable locking claw 1 is integrally formed with the locking member 104.
A locking hole 107A for locking 05A and a pair of locking members 104B having a curved guide surface 104C are provided, and the other end 105B of the movable locking claw 105 is pushed by the release member 106. As a result, the movable locking claw 105 and the support shaft 108 are
The movable locking claw 105A is connected to the springs 109, 10 via
The upper frame body 101 is released from the lower frame body 102 by simultaneously operating against 9A and being released from the locking holes 107 and 107A.

When the upper frame 101 is closed, the inclined surface 105 of the movable locking claw 105A is similar to the movable locking claw 105.
When C is guided by the curved guide surface 104C of the locking member 104B, the movable locking claw 105A escapes against the spring 109A, and then is locked in the locking hole 107A.

[0025]

As described above, according to the present invention, in order to open the upper frame body 101 from the lower frame body 102 which constitutes the image forming apparatus 100, the release member 106 is actuated so that the lower frame body 102 is provided. The stopper member 104 and the movable locking claw 105 provided on the upper frame 101 are released to perform the opening operation. The lower frame body 102
The release member 106 may drop from the surface position of the upper frame body 101 depending on the mounting state of the locking member 104 provided on the upper frame body 101 and the movable locking claw 105 provided on the upper frame body 101. Since an elastic member that always urges upward is provided between the pawl 105 and the release member 106 and the release member 106 is always held at a predetermined position, the appearance of the entire apparatus is not deteriorated. Also, the pushing operation of the release member 106 can be smoothly performed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing a state in which an image forming apparatus embodying the present invention is divided and opened.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a releasing means for dividing and opening the image forming apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing a release member of the image forming apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing a releasing member and a releasing mechanism of the image forming apparatus of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Photosensitive drum 12 Charging device 13 Image exposure means 14A, 14B, 14C, 14D Developing device 101 Upper frame 102 Lower frame 104 Locking member 105 Movable locking claw 106 Release member 107 Locking hole 108 Spindle 111 Locking Part 115 part

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An image forming apparatus capable of being divided around a core axis, the image forming apparatus comprises a lower frame body and an upper frame body, and the lower frame body and the upper frame body are locked to each other. Locking member, a movable locking claw for locking the locking member, an elastic member for urging the movable locking claw in the locking direction of the locking member, and the movable locking claw for locking An image forming apparatus comprising: a releasing member that is released from a member; and a splitting mechanism that is provided with an elastic member between the movable locking claw and the releasing member. 2. The dividing mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the locking member is provided on the lower frame body, and the movable locking claw and the release member are provided on the upper frame body. Image forming device. 3. The lower frame has at least a paper feed cassette and a paper feed means, and the upper frame has at least an exposure device, an image carrier, and a developing device. An image forming apparatus comprising the dividing mechanism according to claim 1.