JPH11352860A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming device capable of automatically performing the releasing of fixing pressure and performing press-fixing again in the case of jamming processing, etc., with a simple operation. SOLUTION: As to this image forming device to which a drawing frame (recording unit) 200 is provided so that it can be drawn in parallel an at right angle with the carrying direction of a recording paper; the fixing pressure of a fixing device 116 inside the frame 200 is automatically released linked with the drawing operation of the frame 200. By this invention. since the fixing pressure of the device 116 inside the frame 200 is automatically released linked with the drawing operation of the frame 200, this device can automatically perform the releasing of the fixing pressure and the press-fixing again in the case of the jamming processing, etc., with a simple operation.

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 such as a copying machine, a printer, a facsimile, and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a laser beam printer (LB) is used.
In an image forming apparatus having a recording unit such as P), an electrostatic latent image is formed on a photosensitive drum, and a toner image obtained by developing the electrostatic latent image is transferred to recording paper. After the toner image is fixed on the recording paper, the recording paper on which the toner image is fixed is discharged outside the apparatus.

A fixing device for fixing a toner image to recording paper is generally configured such that toner is fused and fixed by heat and pressure (hereinafter, referred to as fixing pressure) by a pair of pressure rollers facing each other. If the recording paper jams around the fixing device, the fixing pressure is released / pressed by manually operating a lever for releasing the fixing pressure in order to easily remove the recording paper sandwiched between the pressure rollers. Further, a mechanism for releasing / compressing the fixing pressure in conjunction with the operation of detaching and fixing the fixing device from the image forming apparatus is provided.

[0004]

However, the operation of releasing / pressing the fixing pressure by manually operating the fixing pressure releasing lever is troublesome, and many works such as a copying machine and a facsimile installed in an office. In the case of an image forming apparatus operated by a person, there is a possibility that the jam processing is performed without releasing the fixing pressure without noticing the relatively small release lever, or the operation is performed without pressing the fixing pressure again after the jam processing. Is large, it is conceivable that the device may be damaged.

Further, even in an image forming apparatus provided with a mechanism for releasing / compressing the fixing pressure in conjunction with an operation of detaching and fixing the fixing device from the image forming apparatus, the operation of detaching and fixing the fixing device every time jam processing is performed. It is troublesome, and if a general user attaches and detaches the fixing device every time jam processing is performed, it may cause a trouble. In particular, due to the layout of the entire device,
This problem is exacerbated when an operator's hand is difficult to reach the fixing device because the fixing device is not near the outer periphery of the device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and an object thereof is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of automatically releasing a fixing pressure and re-pressing at the time of jam processing or the like by a simple operation. Is to provide.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus wherein a recording unit is provided so as to be able to be pulled out in parallel or at right angles to a recording paper conveyance direction. It is characterized in that the fixing pressure of the fixing device in the recording unit is automatically released in conjunction with the pull-out operation of the unit.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, a fixing pressure release handle is rotatably provided on the recording unit, and when the recording unit is pulled out, a recording stroke of the apparatus main body is utilized by using the drawing stroke. The fixing pressure of the fixing device is automatically released by rotating the fixing pressure releasing handle by bringing the projection of the fixing pressure releasing handle into contact with a guide member provided on the inner wall of the unit mounting space. It is characterized by the following.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect of the present invention, the guide member selects a predetermined projection from a plurality of projections formed on the fixing pressure release handle and traces the path of the guide. It is characterized in that switching is performed on the way.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, there is provided a reading section for converging a reflected light image obtained by exposing and scanning the image forming apparatus to a reading sensor and converting the reflected light image into an image signal. And a copying machine including a recording unit for recording the image signal from the reading unit.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a reading unit for converging a reflected light image obtained by exposing and scanning the image forming apparatus to a reading sensor and converting the reflected light image into an image signal. And a facsimile including a recording unit for recording an image signal from the reading unit.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the fourth aspect of the present invention, the recording section is constituted by a laser beam printer.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the fifth aspect of the invention, the recording section is constituted by a laser beam printer.

Therefore, according to the present invention, since the fixing pressure of the fixing device in the recording unit is automatically released in conjunction with the pulling-out operation of the recording unit, a simple operation for fixing a jam or the like is performed. Release of pressure and re-compression can be performed automatically.

[0015]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

First, the overall structure of the image forming apparatus main body is shown in FIG.
A description will be given based on FIG.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the image forming apparatus, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus main body shown in FIG. A scanner unit 130, and an image forming unit 104 as an image forming unit below the scanner unit 130.
Further, a seat deck 112 is attached to a lower portion thereof.

The scanner unit 130 includes a scanning system light source, a document table glass 130a, a document platen 102 that can be opened and closed with respect to the apparatus main body, a mirror table 108a, a lens and a light receiving element (photoelectric conversion element) 108, an image processing unit, and the like. It is configured.

A book document, a sheet document, or the like, such as a book, cardboard, or curled paper, is placed on the document table glass 103a with the document surface facing down. When the reading start key (not shown) is pressed after setting in the state, the mirror table 108a
The lower part of a is scanned in the direction of arrow a in FIG. 2 to read image information on the document surface. Then, the image information of the document read by the light receiving element 108 by the light from the scanning system light source is processed by the image processing unit, converted into an electric signal, and transmitted to the laser scanner 110.

Here, the main body of the image forming apparatus functions as a copying machine when the processing signal of the image processing section is input to the laser scanner 110, and functions as a printer when the output signal of the personal computer is input. If a transmission signal is input from a facsimile of this type or a processing signal of the image processing unit is transmitted to a facsimile of another device, the device functions as a facsimile.

Further, the original transport section 106 is provided on the original table 10.
The sheet originals stacked on 2b are separated one by one and conveyed to the sheet reading unit 107. When reading the sheet document, the reading is performed in a state where the mirror base 108a is stopped below the sheet reading unit 107.

On the other hand, a sheet cassette feeding section 112 is mounted below the image forming section 104, and this sheet cassette feeding section 112 can mount two cassettes in the present embodiment. The upper cassette is detachably attached to the apparatus main body, and the lower cassette is detachably attached to the sheet deck.

The sheets P accommodated in the cassette of the sheet cassette paper feeding section 112 are fed out by a pickup roller 112a which is a feeding rotating body, and are separated and fed one by one by a feeding roller pair 112b. rear,
The sheet is guided to the registration roller pair 124 and is fed to the image forming unit 104 by the registration roller pair 124 at a timing synchronized with the image forming operation.

The image forming unit 104 includes a process cartridge 111 integrally including an electrophotographic photosensitive drum 111a, a charger 111b, a developing unit 111c, a transfer charger 111d, and the like, a laser scanner 110, and the like. .

The laser beam corresponding to the image information emitted from the laser scanner 110 forms a latent image on the surface of the photosensitive drum 111a which is uniformly charged by the charger 111b. The transfer roller 111 develops the toner image into a toner image, and the toner image is transferred to the sheet P conveyed by the registration roller pair 124 in synchronization with the rotation of the photosensitive drum 111a.
The image is transferred to the first surface of the sheet P by the action of d.

Reference numeral 115 denotes a conveying belt for conveying the sheet P on which a toner image is formed, 116 denotes a fixing device,
Reference numeral 117 denotes a discharge roller. The sheet on which the toner image has been transferred is conveyed to a fixing device 116 by a conveying belt 115, and is heated and pressed by the fixing device 116 to fix the toner image on the surface of the sheet P. The sheet P on which is fixed is discharged by a discharge roller 117 to a recording paper discharge tray 113 disposed outside the apparatus, and stacked.

The whole process cartridge 111 is replaced with a new one at the time of maintenance due to running out of toner or drum wear. Also, the sheet cassette feeding section 11
The cassette No. 2 and the recording paper discharge tray 113 are installed on the frame of the apparatus main body, and the remaining pair of feeding rollers 112b, pair of registration rollers 124, manual paper feed unit, process cartridge 111, transport belt 115, fixing device 116,
The discharge rollers 117 are combined as one frame structure (hereinafter, referred to as a pull-out frame) 200 to constitute a recording unit. The drawer frame 200 is supported by rails 10a and 10b (see FIG. 5) so that the drawer frame 200 can be pulled out of the frame of the apparatus main body.

Next, the gist of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 is a perspective view of the image forming apparatus showing a state in which the drawer frame is pulled out, FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the image forming apparatus, FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 4, and FIG. It is an operation explanatory view of a drawer mechanism.

In this image forming apparatus, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the image forming portion 104 is integrated as a drawer frame 200, and when the drawer frame 200 is pulled out from the frame of the main body, the insertion portion of the process cartridge 111 is inserted. The opening is large, and the processing cartridge 111 is configured to be easily replaced and the sheet P (see FIG. 3) jammed in the conveyance path can be processed.

Here, a mechanism for pulling out the drawer frame 200 will be described with reference to FIG.

The frame of the apparatus body and the drawer frame 200
Are connected by rails 10a and 10b,
The rail portions 10a and 10b are configured symmetrically.
Although not shown, the rail portions 10a and 10b are provided with ball bearings, and
Is drawn out smoothly without rattling. Further, a positioning mechanism and a lock mechanism are provided so that when the drawer frame 200 is pulled out, opened and closed, the drawer frame 200 is accurately and reliably fixed at each position.

In this embodiment, the fixing pressure of the fixing device 116 is automatically released / pressed in conjunction with the pulling-out and closing operations of the drawer frame 200. The mechanism will be described with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 6, only the components related to the fixing pressure releasing mechanism are shown and peripheral components are not shown, but the fixing device 116 is in a normal closed state at the left position (FIG. 2). (The state shown in FIG. 4), the position moved to the right is the state in which the drawer frame 200 is pulled out (the state shown in FIG. 4).

The fixing device 116 includes a fixing pressure release handle 1
16a, the fixing pressure release handle 11
Reference numeral 6a is fixed to a front end of a rotatable shaft 116b provided in front of and behind the drawer frame 200 (in a direction perpendicular to the sheet P conveying direction), and rotates integrally with the shaft 116b. The two projections 116a-1 and 116a are provided on the fixing pressure release handle 116a at positions away from the center of rotation.
a-2 are formed, and these projections 116a-1,
Either one or both of the fixing pressure release handles 1a-2a are provided on the inner wall of the drawer frame storage portion of the frame body of the apparatus main body.
Fixing pressure release guide 116d fixed opposite to 16a
(The hatched portion and the grid portion in the figure) are always urged so that the position of the fixing pressure release handle 116a is determined.

When the drawer frame 200 is pulled out, the fixing device 116 fixed to the drawer frame 200 moves from the left position to the right position in FIG. At the left position, only one protrusion 116a-1 of the fixing pressure releasing handle 116a is in contact with the guide portion of the fixing pressure releasing guide 116d, and when the fixing device 116 moves slightly to the right, the fixing pressure releasing handle 116a releases the fixing pressure. The guide 116d is pushed by the guide portion (hatched portion in the figure) and starts rotating clockwise about the shaft 116b.
When the fixing device 116 further moves to the right, the rotation of the fixing pressure release handle 116a also advances. Near the center of the movement, both the projections 116a-1 and 116a-2 contact the guide portion of the fixing pressure guide 116d. The other protrusion 116
Only a-2 is pushed by the guide portion (grid portion in the figure) of the fixing pressure release guide 116d, and finally reaches the right position. Thus, the two protrusions 116a-1,
Fixing pressure release guide 1 by using 116a-2
The size of the 16d and the space required for the guide are almost half, and the fixing pressure releasing handle 116a rotates smoothly because the force for rotating the fixing pressure releasing handle 116a always acts in the escape direction with respect to the traveling direction. I do.

A fixing pressure releasing cam 116c is fixed in the middle of the shaft 116b provided before and after the drawer frame 200.
c rotates by the same angle as the fixing pressure release handle 116a and pushes up the fixing pressure release lever 116e. Since the fixing pressure releasing lever 116e is linked with a fixing pressure pressing mechanism provided in the fixing device 116, the fixing pressure is released by being pushed upward.

When the drawer frame 200 is closed after the jam processing or the like is completed, the fixing device 116 moves from the right position to the left position in FIG. Fixing pressure release handle 116a
The two protrusions 116a-1 and 116a-2 are rotated counterclockwise by being guided by the fixing pressure releasing guide 116d, and the fixing pressure releasing cam 116c on the shaft 116b to which the fixing pressure releasing handle 116a is fixed rotates by the same angle. Then, the fixing pressure releasing lever 116e that has been pushed up is moved to the fixing pressure releasing cam 1.
Since the fixing pressure is returned to the lower position by 16c, the fixing pressure acts again.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the fixing device 1 in the drawer frame 200 is linked to the drawer operation of the drawer frame 200 constituting the recording unit.
Since the fixing pressure of the fixing pressure 16 is automatically released, the releasing of the fixing pressure and the re-compression at the time of a jam clearance or the like can be automatically performed by a simple operation.

In the first embodiment, only the automatic release mechanism is used to release the fixing pressure. However, the operator can directly operate the fixing pressure handle by hand, for example, by extending the fixing pressure release handle. For example, the release mechanism may be used both automatically and manually.

In the first embodiment, the scanner unit is integrally mounted on the apparatus body frame. However, a separate type in which the scanner of the reading unit is disassembled on the printer of the recording unit. In this case, the present invention may be realized by configuring the image forming unit so as to be able to be pulled out as a drawer frame inside the frame of the recording unit.

Further, in the first embodiment, the rotating shafts are provided before and after the drawer frame to transmit the fixing pressure releasing force. However, a short shaft or lever only at the front or rear of the drawer frame is used. May be used to transmit the fixing pressure releasing force.

In the first embodiment, the numbers of the fixing pressure releasing cams and the fixing pressure releasing levers and the size in the direction along the front and rear of the drawer frame are not shown, but in order to surely release a large fixing pressure. A plurality of fixing pressure releasing cams and fixing pressure releasing levers may be arranged in a well-balanced manner along the front-rear direction of the drawer frame, or they may be formed as long parts along the front-rear direction of the drawer frame.

Further, in the first embodiment, the fixing pressure releasing guide is fixedly supported as an independent component on the inner wall of the drawer frame storage portion of the image forming portion of the apparatus main body frame, but as a part of the frame. You may comprise integrally.

Further, in the first embodiment, the portion which is guided in contact with the guide portion of the fixing release guide of the fixing pressure releasing handle is constituted by the two projections. The load may be reduced to guide the fixing pressure release handle more smoothly.

[0045]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, in an image forming apparatus provided with a recording unit capable of being pulled out in a direction parallel to or perpendicular to the direction in which a recording sheet is conveyed, the recording unit is pulled out. Is configured to automatically release the fixing pressure of the fixing device in the recording unit in conjunction with the recording unit, so that the fixing pressure can be automatically released and the re-pressing can be automatically performed at the time of a jam clearance or the like with a simple operation. Is obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state in which a drawer frame of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention is pulled out.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which a drawer frame of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention is pulled out.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an operation explanatory view of a drawer mechanism of the drawer frame.

[Explanation of symbols]

 104 Image forming unit (recording unit) 107 Sheet reading unit (reading unit) 108 Light receiving element (reading sensor) 116 Fixing device 116a Fixing pressure release handle 116a-1, 116a-2 Projection (protrusion) 116d Fixing pressure release guide (guide) 200) Drawer frame (recording unit) P sheet (recording paper)

Claims (7)

[Claims] An image forming apparatus provided with a recording unit that can be pulled out in parallel or at right angles to a recording paper conveyance direction, wherein the fixing pressure of a fixing device in the recording unit is interlocked with the pulling-out operation of the recording unit. An image forming apparatus characterized in that the image forming apparatus is configured to be automatically released. 2. A fixing pressure release handle is rotatably provided on the recording unit, and the fixing unit is fixed to a guide member provided on an inner wall of a recording unit mounting space of the apparatus body by using a drawing stroke when the recording unit is pulled out. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the fixing pressure of the fixing device is automatically released by rotating the fixing pressure releasing handle by abutting the protrusion of the pressure releasing handle. 3. The image according to claim 2, wherein the guide member selects a predetermined protrusion from a plurality of protrusions formed on the fixing pressure release handle and switches the guide trajectory halfway. Forming equipment. A reading unit for condensing a reflected light image obtained by exposure scanning on a reading sensor and converting the reflected light image into an image signal;
2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus is configured as a copying machine including a recording unit that records an image signal from the reading unit. 5. A reading unit for condensing a reflected light image obtained by performing exposure scanning on a reading sensor and converting the reflected light image into an image signal;
2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus is configured as a facsimile including a recording unit that records an image signal from the reading unit. 6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said recording unit is constituted by a laser beam printer. 7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said recording unit is constituted by a laser beam printer.