JPS593451A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce the size of a device by interlocking a member for detecting the presence or absence of a feed cassette to a locking mechanism for closing and engaging upper and lower bodies, and attaching and detaching the feed cassette thereby making both unlockable but making the same unlockable in the stage of mounting the cassette. CONSTITUTION:When a feed cassette 7 is mounted to a lower body 13, an end part 31a of a lever 31 for detecting the presence or absence of the cassette is pressed and moves a connecting rod 33 to the right, thereby turning a locking lever 27 counterclockwise against a spring 30 and engaging the pawl 27a at the forward end thereof with an engaging hole 29. Therefore, the unlocking of the upper and lower bodies 13, 14 is infeasible, or the opening of the body 14 is infeasible. Thereupon, the operator detaches the cassette 7 and unlocks the bodies 13, 14 which are held locked by the arm 27. When an original platen 16 is retreated to a prescribed position, the operation of a knob 17 is made possible, and the body 14 is opened by a lifting spring mechanism 39.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus in which nine main bodies can be divided and opened into an upper machine frame and a lower machine frame. The present invention will be described below by taking as an example a copying machine with a movable document table that can be divided into an upper and lower machine frame.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the main parts of the movable document table type copying machine. Reference numerals 2, 6, 4, 5, and 6 are charging, exposure, development, transfer, and IJ-printing members, respectively, which are process elements for forming images, which are arranged around the photosensitive drum 1. The large-sized transfer material is sent out from the cassette 7 by a delivery row 28, further conveyed by a conveyance roller not shown in FIG.

The paper is ejected to the tray 12 by a paper ejection roller 111111a.

The main body of such a copying machine is divided into a lower main body 16 and an upper main body 14, which are connected so as to be openable and closable by a shaft 15 on the paper feeding side. Then, cassette 7, feed roller 8, drum 1,
The transfer charger 5, the conveyance belt 9, the fixing device 10, the lower paper discharge roller 11, and the lower conveyance roller provided in the paper feed conveyance path, although not shown in the figure, are attached to the lower main body 13, and the charging 2.
Each of the exposure 3, development 4, and cleaning processes 2, the upper conveyance roller, and the upper paper discharge roller 211a are attached to the upper main body 14.

In this way, when the upper main body 14 is opened with the shaft 15 as the center, the upper and lower main bodies are separated by the paper feeding and conveying path as a boundary.9 For example, if a paper jam occurs, the jammed paper can be removed very easily can be done. Furthermore, when carrying out repairs or inspections, nine machine frames can be opened to provide a wider space for cleaning or processing drums, etc., making operations easier.

However, in the above configuration, if the upper body 14 is opened inadvertently, 1. For example, in a copying machine with a movable document table as shown in the figure, the document table 16 becomes a sloped guide when the upper body 14 is opened. It may slide down the rail, come into contact with other parts, and come to a halt with an impact, resulting in damage or loss of movement accuracy. Furthermore, in a copying machine with a moving optical system in which the document table is fixed, the above-mentioned possibility exists in the optical system.

Therefore, the upper body 14. The applicant has proposed a configuration in which the main body can be opened only when a moving object such as a document table or an optical system is evacuated to a predetermined position near the end where it slides when the main body is opened. (Refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 153949/1983).

Note that the distribution of the process device members attached to the upper and lower bodies 13 and 14 is merely an example;
There are numerous designs for supporting the upper body 14 as well. Furthermore, the spirit of the present invention also includes the use of one of the members 1 to 4 and 6, for example.

That is, when opening the upper body 14, pull the knob 17 of the upper and lower body closing lock member clockwise as shown in Figs. As illustrated, an attempt is made to remove the claw 19a of the lock arm 19 fixed to the shaft 18 from the opposing engagement portion 20 provided on the lower body 13.

However, the upper extension 19b of the lock arm 19 (or another lever attached to the shaft 18) is interlocked with a lever 22 that senses the presence or absence of a moving object (original platen 16 in the illustrated example) via a connecting rod 21. The sensing lever 2. ．． 2 toward the document table 16.

Therefore, when the document table 16 is at the normal stop position in alignment with the upper body 14, the sensing lever 22 abuts against the lower surface of the document table 16 and prevents the lock knob 17 from rotating to the unlocked position. That is, the upper body 14 cannot be opened. Then, the document table 16 is moved to near the end of the movement stroke 16 shown by the chain line in FIG.

When the knob 17 is operated in this retracted state.

The document platen sensing lever 22 protrudes upward from the hole 25 of the document platen receiving frame 24 to enable unlocking. Therefore, even when the upper main body 14 is opened, the document table is already at the retracted position 16, so that the above-mentioned inconvenience caused by the document slipping off is eliminated.

However, with copying machines, although the size of originals that can be copied remains the same as technology advances, the devices have become smaller and lighter, and with the spread of short-focus lens arrays, clearer images can be obtained even with extremely short light exposures. As a result, compactness has progressed.

Therefore, although the length and width of the apparatus and the length of the copy paper cassette 7 have not become smaller, the height has tended to become smaller.

As a result, even if the above-mentioned safety is taken into consideration regarding the document table 16,
As shown by the point #16 in FIG. 1, when the upper main body is opened, the document table 16 hits the cassette 7, which again causes the above-mentioned problem.

Therefore, the present invention detects the presence or absence of the paper feed cassette 7 before opening the upper main body, and makes it impossible to open the paper feed cassette 7 if it remains attached. The main feature is that the locking mechanism is interlocked with the closing/latching lock mechanism of the main body of the unit, so that the lock cannot be released unless the paper feed cassette is removed.

The present invention will be explained below with reference to the illustrated embodiments.

In FIGS. 3 and 4, reference numeral 27 denotes a lock arm pivotally attached to the lower body 16 so as to be rotatable about a shaft 28, and the claw 27a at the tip of the lock arm is inserted into a retaining hole provided in a part of the upper body 14. 29
The upper body 14 and the lower body 16 are engaged and locked together. Reference numeral 60 denotes a spring that constantly acts on the rotary arm 27 in the direction of disengaging it from the engagement hole 29.

Reference numeral 61 in FIG. 4 is a cassette presence/absence detection lever which is pivotally attached to the lower body 13 by a shaft 32 and connected by a lock arm 27 and a connecting rod 33. The paper feed cassette 7 is installed in the lower body 13 at a fixed position. Then, the one end 31a of the cassette presence/absence detection lever 61 is pressed on the back side and rotates counterclockwise in the case of FIG. and rotate it counterclockwise to engage the claw 27a at the tip with the engagement hole 29. Therefore, the engagement lock of the upper and lower bodies 1 and φ14 cannot be released, that is, the upper body 14 cannot be opened.

Therefore, operation of the knob 17 is allowed only when the cassette 7 is removed, the upper and lower main bodies 13 and 14 are unlocked by the lock arm 27, and the document table 16 is retracted in the manner shown in FIG. The upper main body 14 is opened by the push-up spring mechanism filter 9, and the safety of the document table (or moving optical system) is maintained.

FIG. 5 shows a second embodiment of the invention. The retention lock levers 27 of the upper and lower main bodies in the first embodiment and the cassette presence/absence detection member are electrically interlocked.

That is, when the paper feed cassette 10 is attached to the main body, the micro switch '54 closes and the peep magnetic plunger 65 is energized, and the lock lever 27 is attracted against the spring roller 0 to close the upper and lower main bodies 13@14. This is a configuration that locks the lock.

On the two sides mentioned above, the upper and lower main bodies 13 and 14 are doubly locked by a lock arm 19 and a lock lever 27.
When the interlock lever 66 fixed to the lock arm 19 or its shaft 18 shown in FIG. .

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a front view of the main parts of an example of a copying machine with a movable document table to which the present invention is applied, FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the relationship between the locking mechanism of the upper and lower main bodies and the document table, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a front view of the main part of the present invention, FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view thereof, and FIGS. 5 and 6 are front views of a modified version 11. 13@14 is the lower and upper main body, 15 is its opening/closing axis, 1
7 and 18 @ 19-20 are the upper and lower body closing locking parts, 61 and 64 are paper feed cassette presence/absence detection members, 63φ6
Reference numeral 5 denotes an interlocking member between the paper feed cassette presence/absence detection member and the upper and lower main body locking members 27.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (11) An image forming apparatus that can be divided and opened into an upper main body and a lower main body. A locking member for closing and locking the upper main body and the lower main body. A member for detecting the presence or absence of a paper feed cassette that is detachable from the apparatus main body. An image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming apparatus which allows the closing locking member to be released when the paper feed cassette is removed by interlocking these two members.