JPS63149655A - Image forming machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily load/unload a process unit and to prevent a photosensitive body from being damaged at the time of loading/unloading by arranging an auxiliary frame body to which the process unit is attachably/detachably fitted on the inside of a supporting structure so that the frame body can be optionally moved between 1st and 2nd positions. CONSTITUTION:The process unit 16 including a developing device 30 or the like for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an electrostatic photosensitive drum 20 is attachably/detachably fitted to the auxiliary frame body 8. The frame body 8 can be optionally moved between the 1st position for setting up the process unit 16 on a working position and the 2nd position for setting up the process unit 16 on a drawing position drawn from the supporting structure. A slide supporting mechanism is arranged between the frame body 8 and a lower supporting frame 4, and when the frame body 8 is moved from the 1st position in the right direction, the slide supporting mechanism is extended and the frame body 8 is set up on the 2nd position. Under said status, the process unit 16 can be loaded or unloaded to/from the frame body 8.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Technical Field The present invention relates to an image generating machine such as an electrostatic copying machine or an electrostatic printing machine.

<Prior art> In recent years, particularly small and low-cost image generators have been developed, which consist of a lower support frame and an upper support frame attached to the lower support frame so as to be able to pivot between closed positions. An image generator is provided with a so-called shell-type support structure, and a so-called process unit is detachably attached to the upper support frame.
It has been proposed and put into practical use. The process unit includes a unit frame that is detachably attached to the upper support frame, and the unit frame is usually equipped with a rotating drum on which an electrostatic photoreceptor is disposed, as well as a developing device and a cleaning device. has been done.

However, the conventional image generator has the following problem to be solved due to the structure in which the unit frame is moved in the front and back direction to be attached to and detached from the upper support frame.

First, when moving the unit frame in the front-back direction, the lower part of the rotating drum is usually exposed to the outside, so the operator's finger or foreign object may inadvertently come into contact with the photoreceptor during the above-mentioned movement. At the very least, the photoreceptor is often damaged.

Second, the relatively heavy process unit falls downward at the moment the unit frame is separated from the upper support frame, and therefore, the process unit may be inadvertently dropped at such moment, damaging the photoreceptor. There are many things that make me feel bad.

<Object of the Invention> The present invention has been made in view of the above facts, and its main purpose is to make it easy to attach and detach the process unit, and to prevent damage to the photoreceptor during attachment and detachment. The purpose of the present invention is to provide an excellent image generator that is less expensive and less expensive.

<Summary of the Invention> According to the present invention, a supporting structure, a unit frame, an electrostatic photoreceptor attached to the unit frame, and an electrostatic latent attached to the unit frame and formed on the surface of the photoreceptor are provided. In an electrostatic copying machine comprising a process unit including a developing device for developing an image, and a conveying mechanism for conveying a sheet member toward a transfer area; an auxiliary frame is attached to the support structure; The auxiliary frame r is removably mounted to the process unit, and the auxiliary frame has a first position for positioning the process unit in a working position within the support structure, and a first position for positioning the process unit in the supporting structure. An image generator is provided, which is characterized in that it is movable between a pulled-out position pulled out from a structure and a second position.

<Preferred Specific Example of the Invention> Hereinafter, a specific example of an electrostatic copying machine as an example of an image generating machine configured according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1, which is a simplified cross-sectional view of an electrostatic copying machine, the illustrated electrostatic copying machine has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped-shaped housing, which is generally designated by numeral 2. There is. In the specific example, this housing 2 includes a support structure composed of a lower support frame 4 and an upper support frame 6, and an auxiliary frame 8 attached to this support structure.
stipulated by. The support structure and the auxiliary frame 8 will be described later.

A document R placing means 10 is mounted on the upper surface of the housing 2 so as to be able to reciprocate in the left-right direction. This document placement means IO
is a transparent plate 12 on which the original to be copied is placed.
and a document cover 14 which can be opened and closed and which covers the transparent plate 12 and the document placed thereon.

On the right side of the housing 2, a so-called process unit, designated as a whole by the number 16, is arranged. The attachment and detachment of the process unit 16 will be described later. The process unit 16 has a unit frame 18, and a rotating drum 20 is rotatably mounted approximately in the center of the unit frame 18. An opening 24 is formed in the bottom wall 22 of the unit frame 18, and the lower part of the rotating drum 20 projects downward through the opening 24. A suitable electrostatic photoreceptor is disposed on the circumferential surface of the rotating drum 20. The unit frame 18 is further provided with a charging corona discharger 2, in a suitable form generally indicated by the number 30, around the rotating drum 20 which is rotationally driven in the direction shown by the arrow 26. A developing device, which may be of any type, and a cleaning device, which may be of any suitable form and generally designated by the numeral 32, are also provided. Developing device 30
is equipped with a magnetic brush mechanism 36 disposed in the developing chamber 34,
The cleaning device 32 also includes an elastic blade 38 that acts on the surface of the rotating drum 20 and a toner collection chamber 40 .

The upper part of the housing 2 is further provided with the above-mentioned process unit).
An irradiation lamp 42, a reflection plate 44, and an optical system 46 located above the irradiation lamp 16 are also arranged. The optical system 46 is
It is composed of a large number of elongated optical elements extending in the vertical direction (for example, a rondo-shaped lens sold under the trade name "Selfoc Micro Lens" by Nippon Sheet Glass Co., Ltd.). The light from the irradiation lamp 42 is as shown by the dashed line (,
The original placed on the transparent plate 12 is irradiated with light, and the reflected light from the original passes through the optical system 46 and the exposure aperture 50 formed in the upper wall 48 of the unit frame 18 to the exposure area 5.
2 onto the circumferential surface of the rotating drum 20.

At the bottom of the housing 2, a transfer corona discharge means 54 and a stripping static eliminator 56 located adjacent to and downstream thereof are provided. At the right end of the housing 2, a copy paper supply means, generally indicated by the number 58, is disposed, and at the left end of the housing 2, a copy paper tray 60 is disposed.

Between the copy paper supply means 58 and the copy paper tray 60, there is provided a copy paper transport system, generally designated by numeral 64, for transporting the copy paper through the transfer area 62. The copy paper supply means 58 includes a copy paper table 66 and a copy paper delivery roller 68 disposed above the copy paper table 66 on the downstream side. The i-photograph delivery roller 68 is rotationally driven in the direction shown by an arrow 70. The copy paper is inserted onto the copy paper base 66.

Then, when the copy paper feed roller 68 is rotated in the direction shown by the arrow 70, the copy paper is further advanced by the copy paper feed roller 68. Illustrated copy paper transport system 64
A first conveyance mechanism 64a for conveying the copy paper supplied from the copy paper supply means 58 toward the transfer area 62 and a first conveyance mechanism 64a for conveying the copy paper supplied from the copy paper supply means 58 toward the transfer area 62, and a first conveyance mechanism 64a for conveying the copy paper peeled from the photoreceptor of the rotating drum 20 toward the copy paper receiving tray 60. The first conveyance mechanism 64a includes a pair of guide plates 721, a pair of conveyor rollers 76 and a pair of guide plates 78 that are rotationally driven in the direction shown by an arrow 74, and The second transport mechanism 64b has a guide plate 80. A conveyor belt mechanism 84 that is rotationally driven in the direction indicated by arrow 82. A pair of heating and fixing rollers 88° guide plate 90 . It also includes a pair of ejection rollers 94 which are rotationally driven in the direction indicated by 92. Inside the upper heating roller 96 of the heating fixing roller pair 88,
A suitable heating means 98 is provided, and a peeling member 100 is attached to the upper heating roller 96.

In the electrostatic copying machine as described above, the rotating drum 20
The charging corona discharger 2 substantially uniformly charges the photoreceptor on the rotating drum 20 to a specific polarity while the charging corona discharger 2 is rotated in the direction shown by the arrow 26, and then, in the exposure area 52, the transparent plate 12 The upper original image is scanned and exposed onto the photoreceptor, thus forming an electrostatic latent image corresponding to the original image on the photoreceptor. During the above-mentioned scanning exposure, the document placement means 10
, for example, is moved rightward from the scanning exposure end position indicated by the two-dot chain line 10A to the scanning exposure end position indicated by the two-dot chain line 10B. Thereafter, the electrostatic latent image on the photoreceptor is developed into a toner image by the magnetic brush mechanism 36 of the developing device 30. Next, the copy paper supplied from the copy paper supply means 5 and conveyed by the first conveyance mechanism 64a is brought into close contact with the circumferential surface of the rotating drum 20 in the transfer area 62, and the copy paper is brought into close contact with the circumferential surface of the rotary drum 20 by the action of the transfer corona discharge means 54. The upper toner image is transferred onto the copy paper. Thereafter, the copy paper is peeled off from the rotating drum 20 by the action of the peeling static eliminator 56. The peeled copy paper is transferred to the second transport mechanism 6
4b through a pair of heat fixing rollers 88;
During this time, the toner image on the copy paper is heated and fixed, and then discharged to the copy paper tray 6o. Meanwhile, the rotating drum 20 continues to rotate, and the elastic blade 3 of the cleaning device 32
By the action of 8, the toner remaining on the photoreceptor after transfer is removed from the photoreceptor.

The electrostatic copying machine shown in the figure is equipped with the following support structure. Referring to FIGS. 2, 3, and 5 in conjunction with FIG. 1, the illustrated support structure includes a lower support frame 4 and an upper support frame 6 pivotally attached to the lower support frame 4. It consists of The lower support frame 4 includes vertical front substrates 102 arranged at intervals in the front-rear direction (direction perpendicular to the plane of paper in FIGS. 1 to 3, direction from lower left to upper right in FIG. 5).
and a vertical rear substrate 104 (FIGS. 2 and 5), and a conveyor belt mechanism 84. Various components such as a pair of heat fixing rollers 88 and a pair of discharge rollers 94 are installed. Further, the upper support frame 6 also has a vertical front substrate 106 (FIGS. 2 and 5) and a vertical rear substrate 10 arranged at intervals in the front-rear direction.
8 (FIGS. 1 and 3), such vertical front substrate 106
An irradiation lamp 421 and a reflection plate 44 are placed between the rear substrate 108 and the vertical rear substrate 108.
and an electric motor 1 that constitutes a main drive source together with the optical system 46
Components such as 10 are attached. A connecting bracket 12 is provided at the bottom of the left end of the upper support frame 6, and this connecting bracket 112 connects the shaft member 11 mounted between the vertical front board 102 and the vertical rear board 104 of the lower support frame 4.
4 as required. Therefore, this upper support frame 6 can be moved between the closed position shown in FIG. 1 and the closed position shown in FIG.
It is pivotable between the closed positions shown in the figure.

The auxiliary frame 8 is mounted so as to be movable in the left-right direction between a first position shown in FIG. 1 and a second position shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. To explain further, the auxiliary frame 8 includes a front wall 116 and a rear wall 11B arranged at intervals in the front-rear direction, and a left wall 120 and a right wall 122 (in the specific example, a right wall 122 extending between the front wall 116 and the rear wall 11B). The wall 122 defines the right side of the housing 2 (FIG. 5), and sliding support mechanisms 124a and 124b are interposed between the auxiliary frame 8 and the lower support frame 4. There is.

One sliding support mechanism 124a (FIGS. 2 and 5) is
A first member 126 is interposed between the vertical front substrate 102 of the lower support frame 4 and the front wall 116 of the auxiliary frame 8 and is attached to the inner surface of the vertical front substrate 102, and the first member 126 is attached to the outer surface of the front wall 116. the first member 126 and the second member 128
an intermediate connecting member 130 that slidably connects the members 128 of the
Contains. In addition, the other sliding support mechanism 12"4b (
5) is interposed between the vertical rear substrate 104 of the lower support frame 4 and the rear wall 11B of the auxiliary frame 8, and the vertical rear substrate 10
4 and the rear wall 118.
a second member 134 attached to the outer surface of the first member 1;
32 and a second member 134 . As such, when the auxiliary frame 8 is moved to the right in FIG. 1, the sliding support mechanisms 124a and 124b are extended, and the auxiliary frame 8 is thus (When the auxiliary frame 8 is positioned in this manner, the process unit 16 is placed in the drawn-out position shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, as described later). On the other hand, the auxiliary frame 8
When the sliding support mechanisms 124a and 124b are moved to the left in FIG. Once thus positioned, the process unit 16 is brought into the operating position shown in FIG. 1, as described below.)
.

In the specific example, the auxiliary frame 8 is further provided with a pair of support portions spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction.

One of the supporting parts is composed of a supporting member 138 (FIGS. 1 and 5) fixed to the inner surface of the left wall 120 of the auxiliary frame 8,
The other support portion is comprised of a support member 140 (FIG. 1) fixed to the inner surface of the right wall 122 of the auxiliary frame 8. A pair of support members 138 and 140 include front wall 116 and rear wall 1
18 in the longitudinal direction. On the other hand, the unit frame of the process unit 16 is the front wall 141. Posterior wall (not shown).

The left side wall 142 and the right side wall 144 include a pair of support members 138 and 140.
Supported parts 146 and 14 extending in the front-rear direction correspond to
B is provided (Fig. 1, Fig. 5). In such a specific example, as will be described later, the process unit 16 is mounted on the supporting members 138 and 140 of the auxiliary frame 8 by placing the supported parts 146 and 148 provided on the unit frame 18 from above on the supporting members 138 and 140 of the auxiliary frame 8. 8 is removably attached.

3-31 Next, the locking mechanism provided in the illustrated electrostatic copying machine will be explained.

First, in connection with the fact that the upper support frame 6 is pivotable, a first locking means 150 is provided between the lower support frame 4 and the upper support frame 6.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 5, the illustrated first locking means 150 includes a locking member 152 and a locking member 154. As shown in FIGS. In the specific example, the vertical front substrate 106 of the upper support frame 6
A shaft member 156 is rotatably mounted between the vertical rear substrate 108 and the right end portion thereof. The front end of the shaft member 156 projects somewhat forward from the vertical front board 106, and one of the locking members 152 is fixed to the front projecting end, and the shaft member 156
The rear end protrudes somewhat rearward from the vertical rear board 108, and the other locking member 152 is fixed to the rear protruding end. At one end of each locking member 152, a claw portion 152a is provided.
is provided. In the specific example, one lock member 15
2 (lock member located on the front side) projects outward through an opening formed in the right side wall 158 of the upper support frame 6, and an operating section 160 is provided at this projecting end ( (See also FIG. 4), a pair of locking members 154 are provided on the lower support frame 4 in correspondence with a pair of locking members 152 provided on the upper support frame 6. One of the locking members 154 is fixed to the upper inner surface of the front end of the right side wall 162 of the lower support frame 4, and the other locking member 154 is fixed to the upper inner surface of the rear end of the right side 9162. Each locking member 154 is formed with a locking opening 164 into which the claw portion 152a of the corresponding locking member 152 can be locked, and an inclined guide portion 166 extending inwardly is provided at the upper end thereof. It is being As shown above, the sixth
As shown in FIG.
By manipulating the operating portion 160, it can freely pivot between a locked position shown by a solid line in FIG. 6 (a position also shown in FIGS. 2 and 5) and an unlocked position shown by a two-dot chain line.

When the locking member 152 is moved to the locking position in a state where the ridge/Light mark 1 and the upper support frame 6 are in the closed position, the claw portion 152a is locked in the locking opening 164 of the locking member 154, and thus The upper support frame 6 is locked in the closed position, and when the locking member 152 is moved to the unlocked position, the claw portion 152a engages the locking opening 1 of the locking member 154.
64, thus allowing the upper support frame 6 to pivot from the closed position to the open position.

In the specific example, a biasing means (not shown) such as a torsion coil spring is provided to bias the locking member 152 toward the locking position, and a biasing means (not shown) such as a torsion coil spring is further provided to prevent the locking member 152 from pivoting beyond the locking position. A piece 167 (FIGS. 2, 5, and 6) is provided.

Further, in connection with the fact that the auxiliary frame 8 is movable in the left-right direction, a second locking means 168 is provided between the lower support frame 4 and the auxiliary frame 8.

The illustrated second locking means 168 includes a locking member 170 and a locking piece 172. In the specific example, a pair of support pieces 174 (only one is shown in FIG. 2) are fixed to the inner surface of the right side wall 122 of the auxiliary frame 8 at intervals in the front-rear direction, and a shaft member 176 is fixed between the pair of support pieces 174. is rotatably mounted.

The lock member 170 is fixed to both ends of the shaft member 176, that is, the front end and the rear end. An opening 178 (FIG. 5) is formed at one end of each locking member 170.
The inner part is inclined slightly downward from the part where the is. The other end of each lock member 170 is connected to the auxiliary frame 8.
A pair of locks provided on the auxiliary frame 8 protrude outward through an opening formed in the right side wall 122 of the auxiliary frame 8, and both protruding ends are connected by an operating member 180 (see also FIG. 4). Corresponding to the member 170, the lower support frame 4
is provided with a pair of locking pieces 172. One locking piece 172 is fixed to the inner surface of the right end of the vertical front board 102 of the lower support frame 4, and the other locking piece 172 is fixed to the inner surface of the right end of the vertical front board 102 of the lower support frame 4. It is fixed to the inner surface of the right end portion of 104. These locking pieces 1
72 extends downward. With this structure, as shown in FIG. 6, the locking member 170 (the front locking member 170 and related elements are shown in FIG. 6) can be operated as shown in FIG. 6 by operating the operating member 180. It is pivotable between a locked position shown by a solid line (the position also shown in FIGS. 2 and 5) and an unlocked position shown by a two-dot chain line. Then, when the locking member 170 is moved to the locking position with the auxiliary frame 8 in the first position, the locking piece 172 is located within the opening 178 of the locking member 170, and thus the auxiliary frame 8 is When the locking member 170 is locked in the first position and the locking member 170 is moved to the unlocked position, the opening 178 of the locking member 170 opens into the locking piece 172.
The auxiliary frame 8 is thus allowed to move from the first position to the second position.

In the specific example, a biasing means (not shown) such as a torsion coil spring is provided to bias the locking member 170 toward the locking position, and each locking member 170 is provided with a biasing means (not shown) such as a torsion coil spring that biases the locking member 170 toward the locking position. A blocking protrusion 179 that comes into contact with the inner surface of the locking member and prevents the pivoting movement beyond the locking position is integrally provided.

As the leader of the United Nations and
Referring to the drawings and FIG. 3, in the electrostatic copying machine of the specific example, a first transport mechanism 64a is mounted on a transport unit frame mounted on the lower support frame 4. As shown in FIG. To explain further, the illustrated transport unit frame 182 includes a bottom wall 186 (FIGS. 1 and 3), a front wall 187 (FIG. 7) and a rear wall (not shown) located at the front and rear ends of the bottom wall 186. ), and has a front wall 1
87 and the right end of the rear wall are rotatably mounted via a shaft member 18B. In the specific example, as can be understood from FIGS. 1 and 3, the transport unit frame 182 includes a pair of guide plates 72. Along with the R feed roller pair 76 and the guide plate pair 78, the copy paper feed roller 68 in the copy paper supply means 58,
Furthermore, a corona discharge means 54 for transfer and a static elimination means 5 for peeling.
6 is installed.

A transport unit operating mechanism 190 is provided in association with the transport unit frame 182. Referring primarily to FIGS. 5 and 7, the illustrated unit actuation mechanism 190 includes an action member 192 that acts on the bottom wall 186 of the transport unit frame 182, and an operation member 194 for moving the action member 192. , a gear train 196 drivingly connecting the operating member 194 and the effecting member 192 . In a specific example,
Vertical front substrate 102 and vertical rear substrate 10 of the lower support frame 4
A support shaft 198 is rotatably mounted between the support shafts 198 and a pair of working members 192 spaced apart in the axial direction.
(only one is shown in FIGS. 1, 3, and 7) is fixed. The action member 192 includes, as in the specific example,
It is preferable that the rollers 200 acting on the bottom wall 186 of the auxiliary frame 8 are rotatably mounted. Further, the operation member 194 is
A pin 202 is attached to the front surface of the vertical front board 102 of the lower support frame 4.
It is rotatably mounted through the This operating member 19
4 is provided with a fan-shaped portion 194a in which teeth are formed. The other end of the operating member 194 projects outward through an opening formed in the right side wall 162 of the lower support frame 4, and an operating portion 194b is provided at this projecting end. The illustrated gear train 196 includes three gears 204,2
06 and 208, gears 204 and 206 are rotatably mounted on the front surface of the vertical front board 102 via short shafts 210 and 212, and gear 208 is mounted on the support shaft 19.
The vertical front substrate 102 of No. 8 is fixed to a protruding end portion that protrudes through the front substrate 102 . With this configuration, the operation member 19
4 is in the first position shown in solid lines in FIGS. position, in which the actuating member 192 is extended to the road force), and thus the transport unit frame 182 is in the operating position shown in FIG. 1 and shown in solid line in FIG. and is held at a position close to the photoreceptor of the rotating drum 20, while the operating member 194
6 and 7 by turning it in the direction shown by arrow 214.
When the actuating member 192 is brought into the second angular position shown by the chain double-dashed line in the figure, the operating member 192 is moved via the gear train 196 to the second angular position (shown in FIG. 3 and shown by the chain double-dashed line in FIG. 7). Thus, the transport unit frame 182 is placed in the non-working position t (ii!) shown in FIG. 3 and indicated by the two-dot chain line in FIG.
The feeding unit frame 182 moves downward and the rotating drum 20
(a position away from the photoconductor).

In the electrostatic copying machine of the specific example, the transport unit frame 18
In connection with the fact that 2 is pivotable, unit withdrawal prevention means and unit insertion prevention means are further provided.

The drawer blocking means in the specific example includes a part of the auxiliary frame 8 and an operating member 194 in the unit operating mechanism 190. With reference to FIGS. 2, 4 and 7,
The operating portion 194b of the operating member 194 extends somewhat rearward, that is, to the right in FIG.
22 and is shaped somewhat in the front-rear direction, that is, in the left-right direction in FIG. When the operating member 194 is in the first position, the operating member 194b (specifically, the left end surface of the operating member 194b in FIGS. 2, 6, and 7) is at the lower end of the right side wall 122 of the auxiliary frame 8. On the other hand, when the operating member 194 is in the second position, the operating portion 194b is located below the right side wall 122 of the auxiliary frame 8. Therefore, as can be easily understood, when the operating member 194 is in the first position, the operating part 194b acts on the right side wall 122 of the auxiliary frame 8 in the second position, and thus the auxiliary frame body 8
is reliably prevented from moving from the first position to the second position, and when the operating member 194 is placed in the second position, the operating portion 194b is in the first position. The right side of the auxiliary frame 8! ! 122, thus allowing the auxiliary frame 8 to move from the first position to the second position.

Further, the insertion prevention means in the specific example includes the other part of the auxiliary frame 8 and the operating member 19 in the unit operating mechanism 190.
It consists of 4. Mainly referring to FIG. 2, a blocking protrusion 216 projecting downward is provided at the lower end of the left side wall 120 of the auxiliary frame 8. As shown in FIG. One operating member 194
The operating portion 194b is located within the movement path of the blocking protrusion 216 of the auxiliary frame 8 when in the first position, and is located below out of the movement path of the blocking protrusion 216 when in the second position. It is supposed to be done.

Therefore, as is easily understood, when the operating member 194 is in the second position, the operating portion 194b is retracted from the movement path of the blocking protrusion 216, so that the auxiliary frame 8 is not positioned in the first position. However, when the auxiliary frame 8 is in the second position, the operating member 194 is in the first position.
When the auxiliary frame 8 is placed in the first position, the operating portion 194b is located in the movement path of the blocking protrusion 216, and the blocking protrusion 216 comes into contact with the operating portion 194b, thereby positioning the auxiliary frame 8 in the first position. is definitely prevented.

Process Unit 1 For example, to change the color of the produced copy from black to another color such as red,
When removing the process unit 16 equipped with the black developing device 3o and installing a process unit 16 of another color, first, the operating member 19 in the unit operating mechanism 190 is removed.
4 is pivoted from a first position shown by a solid line in FIG. 7 in the direction shown by arrow 214 to a second position shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. In this way, the turning movement of the operating member 194 is transmitted to the operating member 192 via the gear train 196, and the operating member 1
92 is moved from the first angular position to the second angular position, and thus the transport unit frame 182 moves downwardly away from the rotating drum 20 due to its own weight,
The actuating position shown by the solid line in FIG. 7 is moved to the non-acting position shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. *Feeding unit frame 182
When is in the non-operating position, as shown in FIG.
Pair of guide plates attached to it 72. Va feed roller pair 76,
Information board pair 78. The corona discharge means 54 for transfer, the static elimination means 56 for stripping, etc. are spaced downward from the process unit 16 in the operating position shown in FIG. As will be described later, when the auxiliary frame body 8 is moved toward the second position, the lower part of the rotating drum 20 is connected to the first conveyance mechanism 64.
Contact with a, etc. is reliably prevented.

In the specific example, the transport unit frame 18 is connected to the auxiliary frame 8 being pulled out toward the upstream side in the copy paper transport direction.
2 is rotatable around its upstream end in the conveyance direction, and therefore, a pair of guide plates 78° are disposed opposite to each other at the bottom of the rotating drum 20, a corona discharge means for transfer 54, and a static elimination means for peeling. 56 etc. can be sufficiently separated from the photoreceptor.

Furthermore, when the operating member 194 is placed in the second position,
The operating portion 194b is located below the right side wall 122 of the auxiliary frame 8, and the blocking action of the unit drawer blocking means is thus released, thereby causing the auxiliary frame 8 to move from the first position to the second position. All movements are permitted.

Next, the lock by the second locking means 168 is released and the auxiliary frame 8 is placed in the second position. To unlock the second locking means 168, the operating member 180
swivel it somewhat upwards.

As a result, the locking member 170 is moved from the locked position shown by the solid line in FIG. 6 to the unlocked position shown by the two-dot chain line, and the engagement between the locking member 170 and the locking piece 172 is released.
The locked state by the second locking means 168 is released. Thereafter, the operating member 180 is grasped and moved to the right as shown in FIG. 2 from the first position to the second position shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The auxiliary frame 8 is
7. As shown in FIG. 2, the process unit 16 is in the drawn-out position and is substantially pulled out from the support structure, making it easy to remove the process unit 16 as described below. In the electrostatic copying machine of the specific example, the following points are noteworthy. That is, when the operating member 194 is in the first position, the operating portion 194b is moved toward the auxiliary frame 8.
unit actuating mechanism 19 because it acts on the right side wall 122 of
Even if you forget to manipulate the operating member 194 in 0 and release the lock of the second locking means 168, the auxiliary frame 8 cannot be moved to the second position.
cannot be moved towards the position.

Therefore, when the transport unit frame 182 is in the operating position, it becomes virtually impossible for the auxiliary frame 8 to move toward the second position, and the structure attached to the lower support frame 4 of the photoreceptor is Ti scratches due to contact with elements can be reliably prevented.

Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 5, the process unit 16 is
Lift upwards and remove the supporting members 13B and 140 of the auxiliary frame 8.
make them leave. In order to facilitate the removal of the process unit 16 (and the installation of the process unit 16, which will be described later), the earthen wall 48 of the unit frame 18 is provided with, for example,
It is preferable to provide gripping means as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 and 5. The gripping means shown in FIG. Both ends thereof are rotatably attached to the earth wall 48 of the unit frame 18 at intervals. The pair of gripping members 218 are brought into the gripping state shown in FIG. 5 when lifting the process unit 16, and are held in the gripping state shown in FIGS. It is forced into storage. Therefore, in order to remove the process unit 16 from the auxiliary frame 8, the pair of gripping members 218
The process unit 16 can be removed from the auxiliary frame 8 as shown in FIG. When detaching the process unit 16, the operator grasps the grip member 21B and lifts it upward, so that the possibility of accidentally dropping the process unit 16 is significantly reduced. Furthermore, since the PROYASU unit 16 is lifted upward during such detachment, there is a chance that the operator's finger or a foreign object may come into contact with the lower part of the rotating drum 20 that is somewhat protruding through the opening 24 of the bottom wall 22 of the unit frame I8. There is less damage to the photoreceptor due to carelessness during detachment.

Next, process units 16 of other colors are attached to the auxiliary frame 8. During such installation, the process unit 16
As shown in FIG. The process unit 16 is moved downward through the opened opening. Then, as shown in FIG.
40 and engage them with each other, whereby the process unit 16 is removably attached to the auxiliary frame 6 from above.

In the specific example, various components including the bottom wall are not present at the bottom of the auxiliary frame 8, and therefore the process unit I
Damage to the photoreceptor that occurs when attaching the photoreceptor 6 can also be reduced.

Next, the auxiliary frame 8 is moved to the left in FIG. 2 and positioned at the first position. As a result, the locking piece 172 is positioned within the opening 178 of the locking member 170 of the second locking means 16, and the auxiliary frame 8 is positioned within the opening 178 of the locking member 170 of the second locking means 16
8, it is locked in the first position. In this way, the process unit 16 is held in the working position within the housing 2, and various components of the process unit 16 (rotary drum 20, etc.) mounted on the auxiliary frame 8 are thus held.
The various components mounted on the upper support frame 6 (optical element 46, etc.) and the various components mounted on the lower support frame 4 (III transport belt mechanism 84, etc.) are in the positional relationship shown in FIG. Retained.

Thereafter, the operating member 194 in the unit actuating mechanism 190 is operated to the first position shown by the solid line in FIG. In this way, the rotational movement of the operating member 194 is controlled by the gear train 1.
96 to the working member 192, and the working member 19
2 is placed in the first angular position shown in solid line in FIG.
In this way, the transport unit frame 182 is brought to the above-mentioned operating position.

When in this operating position, the transport unit frame 18
Various components attached to 2 (transfer roller discharge means 5
4 etc.), various components mounted on the lower support frame 4, various components mounted on the auxiliary frame 8, etc. are maintained in the positional relationship shown in FIG.

In the electrostatic copying machine of the specific example, the following points are further noted. That is, when the operating member 194 is in the first position, the operating part 194b is located in the movement path of the blocking protrusion 216 of the auxiliary frame 8, so when the auxiliary frame 8 is in the second position, When the operation member 194 is placed in the first position, the blocking protrusion 216 comes into contact with the operation part 194b when the auxiliary frame 8 moves toward the first position, so that the auxiliary frame 8 is moved toward the first position. 8 cannot be placed in the first position. Therefore, the transport unit frame 182
When is in the operating position, it becomes virtually impossible to move the auxiliary frame 8 from the second position to the first position,
Damage caused by contact with components attached to the lower support frame 4 of the photoreceptor can be reliably prevented.

Doai-9 If a copy paper jam occurs in the NOYA copy paper transport system 64, the auxiliary frame 8 is positioned at the second position as described above, and then the upper support frame 6 is moved to the second position. 1 to the open position shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 (or, after the upper support frame 6 is brought to the open position, the auxiliary frame 8
(positioned in the second position), when opening the upper support frame 6, the operating section 160 of the first locking mechanism 150
After disengaging the lock member 152 and the locking member 154 by operating the support frame 6 upward, the support frame 6 is rotated counterclockwise in FIG. When the copy paper transport system 64 is rotated to the open position, most of the copy paper transport path in the copy paper transport system 64 (especially the second transport mechanism 64b) is opened, and the auxiliary frame 8 is located in the second position, the transport unit frame 182
The upper part of the copy paper is also opened, so that copy paper jammed in the copy paper conveyance path can be easily removed. In the specific example, when the upper support frame 6 is placed in the open position, the frame 220 to which the upper heating roller 96 and the peeling member lOO are mounted is centered around the shaft 224 of the ball discharge roller 94 of the discharge roller pair 94. 3 by the action of a biasing means (not shown), thus releasing the nip between the pair of heating and fixing rollers 88.

Next, after the upper support frame pair 6 is brought to the closed position, the auxiliary frame 8 is positioned at the first position as described above (or, after the auxiliary frame 8 is positioned at the first position, the upper support the frame body 6 to the closed position). When the upper support frame 6 is turned clockwise in FIGS. 2 and 3 to the closed position, the locking member 152 of the first locking means 150 engages with the locking member 154, thus locking the upper support frame 6. The body 6 is locked in said closed position. Upper support frame 6
When the fixing roller pair 88 is placed in the closed position, its abutting portion 222 (FIGS. 1 to 3) acts on the upper surface of the frame 220, thereby bringing the pair of heating and fixing rollers 88 into a nip state.

FIG. 8 shows a modification of the first locking means 150 and the second locking means 168. In the specific example described above, the first locking means 150 and the second locking means 1
50 are separately and independently locked and unlocked, but in a modified example, the auxiliary frame 8 is locked in the first position only when the upper support frame 6 is in the closed position. ing. That is, in FIG. 8, the locking pieces 172 provided on the inner surfaces of the vertical front base Fi 102 and the vertical rear base plate 104 of the lower support frame 4 in the specific examples shown in FIGS. Locking means 150
It is fixed to the shaft member 156 of.

The other configurations of the modified example are substantially the same as those of the specific example shown in FIGS. 1 to 7, and the same members will be described with the same numbers.

Locking means 150' and 168' in such variations
When the first locking means 150' is released from the locked state and the upper support frame 6 is brought to the open position, the locking piece 172 of the second locking means 168' also locks into the upper support frame. 6 and thus the second locking means 168' without operating the operating member 180.
The locked state will also be released. Therefore, the operation for removing a copy paper jam in the copy paper conveyance path is simplified. As can be easily understood, if the operating member 180 is moved upward when the upper support frame 6 is in the closed position,
The engagement between the locking member 170 and the locking piece 172 is released, and thus only the second locking means 168' is in the unlocked state.

On the other hand, when the upper support frame 6 is in the closed position, the auxiliary frame 8
When the lock member 170 and the locking piece 172 are placed in the first position, the auxiliary frame 8 is locked in the first position by the action of the second locking means 168'. When the upper support frame 6 is in the open position, the second locking means 168' is not in the locked state.

In the specific example described above, the pair of guide plates 72 . The pair of R feed rollers 76 and the pair of guide plates 78 are attached to the pair of transport unit frames 182, but instead of this,
At least some of these upper elements in the first transport mechanism 64a (upper guide plate).

At least a portion of the upper transport cola and the upper guide plate) may be attached to the auxiliary frame 8. In this case, when the auxiliary frame 8 is placed in the second position, the first
At least a portion of the conveyance mechanism 64a is opened, so that paper jams in this portion can be easily removed.

Furthermore, in the specific example, the present invention has been described as being applied to a structure having a so-called shell-type support structure main body composed of a lower support frame 4 and an upper support frame 6 rotatably attached to the lower support frame 4. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and can be similarly applied to those provided with a normal support structure γ body in which the conveyance path cannot be opened.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a simplified cross-sectional view showing an example of an electrostatic copying machine constructed on one side of an image generating machine according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a front view showing the electrostatic copying machine of FIG. 1 with the upper support frame in the open position and the auxiliary frame in the second position. FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the state shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a right side view of the electrostatic copying machine shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 5 shows the electrostatic copying machine of FIG. 1 in which the upper support frame has been moved to the open position and the auxiliary frame has been moved to the second position, and then the process unit has been removed from the auxiliary frame. FIG. FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing a part of the first locking means, second locking means, and unit operating mechanism installed in the electrostatic copying machine of FIG. 1. FIG. 7 is an enlarged front view of the unit operating mechanism shown in FIG. 6. FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing main parts of a modification of the first locking means and the second locking means. 2... Housing 4... Lower support frame 6... Upper support frame 8... Auxiliary frame 16... Process unit 18... Unit frame 20... Rotating drum 30... Developing device 32...Cleaning device 64...Copy paper transport system 64a...First transport mechanism 150 and 150'...First locking means 168 and 168'...Second locking means 190 ...Unit operating mechanism Fig. 4 Fig. 6

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A supporting structure, a unit frame, an electrostatic photoreceptor mounted on the unit frame, and an electrostatic latent image mounted on the unit frame and formed on the surface of the photoreceptor. In an electrostatic copying machine, the electrostatic copying machine includes a process unit including a developing device, and a conveyance mechanism for conveying a sheet member toward a transfer area; an auxiliary frame is attached to the support structure; The process unit is detachably attached to the body,
The auxiliary frame is between a first position in which the process unit is located in a working position within the support structure and a second position in which the process unit is located in a withdrawn position in which the process unit is pulled out from the support structure. An image generator characterized in that it is movable. 2. The auxiliary frame is provided with a support part, and the unit frame of the process unit is provided with a supported part, and the supported part of the unit frame is connected to the support part of the auxiliary frame. 2. The image generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the process unit is detachably attached to the auxiliary frame by being placed on the auxiliary frame from above. 3. At least a portion of the transport mechanism is attached to a transport unit frame attached to the support structure, and the transport unit frame has an active position close to the photoreceptor and a non-active position remote from the photoreceptor. Further, unit drawer blocking means is provided in association with the auxiliary frame and the transport unit frame, and the drawer preventer is configured to move between the transport unit frame and the working position. When the auxiliary frame is in the non-operating position, the auxiliary frame is prevented from moving from the first position to the second position, while when the transport unit frame is in the inactive position, the auxiliary frame is prevented from moving from the first position to the second position. The image generator according to claim 1 or 2, which allows movement from one position to the second position. 4. A unit insertion prevention means is further provided in association with the auxiliary frame and the transport unit frame, and the unit insertion prevention means prevents the auxiliary frame from moving when the transport unit frame is in the operating position. An image according to claim 3, which prevents positioning in the first position, while allowing positioning of the auxiliary frame in the first position when the transport unit frame is in the inactive position. generator. 5. The auxiliary frame body is movably attached to the support structure so as to be pulled out from the support structure toward the upstream side in the conveyance direction of the sheet member, and the conveyance unit frame body 5. The image generator according to claim 3, wherein the image generator is mounted so as to be pivotable between the working position and the non-working position about the upstream end in the conveyance direction. 6. A transport unit operating mechanism is provided for moving the transport unit frame, and the transport unit operating mechanism includes an operating member that is movable between a first position and a second position; an operating member that moves with the movement of the operating member and acts on the transport unit frame; when the operating member is positioned at the first position, the action member causes the transport unit frame to be in the operating position; On the other hand, when the operating member is positioned in the second position, the operating member causes the transport unit frame to be in the non-operating position.
The image generator according to any of the preceding paragraphs. 7. The unit drawer blocking means is composed of a part of the auxiliary frame and an operating member in the transport unit operating mechanism, and the operating member is in the first position when it is in the first position. acts on the part of the auxiliary frame body to prevent movement of the auxiliary frame body from the first position towards the second position, while in the second position the part of the auxiliary frame body The image according to claim 6, wherein the image is detached from the part of the auxiliary frame located at the position and allows the auxiliary frame to move from the first position to the second position. generator. 8. The unit insertion prevention means is composed of another part of the auxiliary frame and an operating member in the transport unit operating mechanism, and the operating member is configured to close the auxiliary frame when in the first position. is located in the movement path of the other part of the auxiliary frame and prevents the auxiliary frame from being positioned in the first position by acting on the other part, while being in the second position. 8. The image generator according to claim 6, wherein the other part of the auxiliary frame is retreated from the movement path to allow the auxiliary frame to be positioned at the first position. 9. The image generating machine according to any one of claims 3 to 8, wherein the transport unit frame is also equipped with a transfer corona discharge means. 10. The image generating machine according to any one of claims 3 to 9, wherein the transport unit frame is further equipped with a stripping static eliminator. 11. The support structure is composed of a lower support frame and an upper support frame attached to the lower support frame so as to be pivotable between an open position and a closed position, and the auxiliary frame is The image generator according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the image generator is mounted on the lower support frame so as to be movable between the first position and the second position. 12. The lower support frame and the upper support frame are provided with first locking means for releasably locking the upper support frame in the closed position. Image generator. 13. The lower support frame and the auxiliary frame are provided with second locking means for releasably locking the auxiliary frame in the first position. 12
The image generator described in Section 1. 14. The upper support frame and the auxiliary frame are provided with second locking means for releasably locking the auxiliary frame in the first position. 12
The image generator described in Section 1.