KR100433423B1 - Electric power supplying apparatus to developing device for electrophotographic image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

The developing device power supply of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes a first terminal protruding from a side of the developing unit detachably mounted to the main body of the image forming apparatus, and a lower portion of the mounting portion of the main body of the image forming apparatus. A second terminal connected to the substrate, a third terminal protruding from the side surface of the mounting portion and electrically connected to the second terminal, and a plate-shaped conductive portion partially bent at least once to connect the second terminal to the third terminal; It includes a power connection member formed of a sieve. According to this, the manufacturing process of the image forming apparatus can be simplified, the manufacturing cost can be reduced, and the power of the main body of the image forming apparatus can be stably supplied to the developing device.

Description

Electric power supplying apparatus to developing device for electrophotographic image forming device}

The present invention relates to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus in which a developing unit is detachably mounted, and more particularly, to a power supply for supplying power to a developing unit mounted on an image forming apparatus main body.

Typically, an electrophotographic image forming apparatus such as a printer, a copying machine, a multifunction printer, or the like, is attached to or detached from the image forming apparatus main body 100 and the mounting portion 130 of the image forming apparatus main body 100, as shown in FIG. And a developer 200 that is possibly mounted. The developing unit 200 includes a driving unit such as a photosensitive drum, a feeding roller, a developing roller, and the like, in which a developer necessary for image printing is accommodated. Then, after the developer 200 is seated on the mounting portion 130, the mounting protrusion 210 is slid to the mounting groove 135 by sliding along the arrow A direction shown in FIG. 1, so that the developing unit 200 is mounted ( 130).

As such, the developing unit 200 mounted on the image forming apparatus main body 100 needs a power source for driving each driving unit such as a photosensitive drum, a supply roller, and a developing roller, and the power source is mounted on the mounting unit 130. The image forming apparatus main body 100 is supplied through a power supply device.

The power supply device may be configured in various ways according to the size and type of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus. However, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the power supply device may supply power from the side or the bottom of the mounting unit 130. Is often used.

First, FIG. 2 illustrates a developer power supply device capable of supplying power from a lower surface of the mounting unit 130. Referring to this, the conventional power supply device is connected to each driving unit such as a developing roller 220, and so on. A first terminal 231 extending from the side surface to the bottom surface of the 200, a main substrate 110 installed under the bottom surface of the mounting unit 130 and driven by the power of the image forming apparatus main body 100; It includes a second terminal 121 is installed on the main substrate 110 so that the tip thereof protrudes from the bottom surface of the mounting portion 130, the power is connected.

When the power supply device is configured as described above, since the first terminal 231 connected from the side surface of the developing device 200 to the lower surface must be provided, the manufacturing process of the developing device 200 becomes complicated and the manufacturing cost is high. . Accordingly, a problem arises in that the maintenance cost of the image forming apparatus using the developing device as a consumable is high. In addition, a problem of poor contact between the first terminal 231 and the second terminal 121 caused by dirt, such as developer residue, accumulated on the bottom surface of the mounting unit 130 during printing driving of the image forming apparatus main body 100. There is also.

3 illustrates another configuration example of the power supply device. Referring to this, the conventional power supply device includes a first terminal 232 installed on the side of the developing unit 200 and a bottom surface of the mounting unit 130. It is installed in the main substrate 111 and the mounting unit 130, the side of the image forming apparatus main body 100 is provided in the main board 111 and the interconnection with the conductor 113 to enable the input and output of electrical signals and control signals to each other. And a second terminal 122 installed on the power supply control panel 111 and contacted with the first terminal 232 when the developer 200 is mounted. Typically, the second terminal 122 is formed of a leaf spring so that the second terminal 122 is smoothly connected to the first terminal 232 of the developing device 200 which slides in the mounting portion 130.

When the power supply device is configured as described above, as described above, there is an effect of preventing an electrical connection failure between the developer 200 and the image forming apparatus main body 100 due to developer residues. However, the power supply control board 112 must be separately installed on the side of the mounting unit 130, and both ends of the lead wires 113 must be soldered to connect the power supply control board 112 and the main board 111. The manufacturing process of the forming apparatus main body 100 becomes more complicated and there is a problem that the manufacturing cost is high. In addition, since the second terminal 122 is formed of a leaf spring, the shape of the spring may be permanently deformed when the developer 200 is frequently attached or detached, thereby deteriorating power supply to the developer 200.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and provides a developer power supply of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus whose structure is improved so that power can be accurately supplied from the main body of the image forming apparatus to the developing apparatus with a simpler structure. There is a purpose.

1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a general image forming apparatus and a developer;

2 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a conventional developer power supply;

3 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of a conventional developer power supply;

Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view showing a power supply of the developing device according to the present invention,

5 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of use of the power supply of FIG.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

100: main body 110: main substrate

115: engaging projection 130: mounting portion

200: developer 220: developer roller

230: first terminal 120: second terminal

150: power connection member 151,153: mounting hole

170: third terminal 173: contact terminal

175: elastic body

The developer power supply of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus according to the present invention for achieving the above object is projected to the side of the developer detachably mounted to the mounting portion of the main body of the image forming apparatus and electrically connected to each of the driving units of the developer. A first terminal to be connected, a second terminal provided below the bottom of the mounting unit and connected to a power supply unit built in the main body, and the mounting unit to be in contact with the first terminal of the developing unit mounted to the mounting unit. A third terminal protruding from a side surface of the side, and a portion of the body is formed in a plate shape bent at least one or more times to electrically connect the second terminal to the third terminal, and one end contacting the second terminal is formed And a power connection member elastically contacted with the second terminal.

According to this, since the power supply to the developing device is made elastically on the side of the mounting portion, it is possible to prevent contact failure due to developer residues and the like, and the installation thereof is simple, thereby reducing the manufacturing labor and manufacturing cost.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, at least one coupling hole is formed in the power connection member to be coupled to the coupling protrusion formed inside the main body of the image forming apparatus.

The third terminal has a fixing part formed therein with a space portion having at least one through hole formed therein and fixed to a side wall of the mounting portion such that the through hole faces the first terminal while the developing unit is mounted on the mounting portion. And an elastic body provided at an inner side of the fixing bracket so that the distal end thereof is elastically biased in the first terminal direction, and a contact terminal provided on the fixing bracket to allow access to the mounting portion through the through hole. It includes, it is preferable that the elastic body is connected to the power connection member to electrically connect the contact terminal and the power connection member.

Here, the contact terminal is preferably a rounded end portion in contact with the first terminal.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Meanwhile, in describing the present invention, components having the same configuration and function as those shown and described above with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in Figure 4 and 5, the power supply of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus according to the present invention, the developing device in a state that is electrically connected to each of the driving unit of the developing device 200, such as the developing roller 220 The image forming apparatus main body 100 is installed on the first terminal 230 protruding from the side of the 200 and the main substrate 110 provided inside the image forming apparatus main body 100 at the bottom of the mounting surface 130. A second terminal 120 connected to a power supply means built in the second), a third terminal 170 protruding from a side surface of the mounting unit 130 to be in contact with the first terminal 230 of the developer 200, And a power connection member 150 connecting the second terminal 120 to the third terminal 170.

Since the first terminal 230 and the second terminal 120 have the same structure and function as in the conventional case (see FIG. 3), detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The third terminal 170 has a fixing bracket 171 fixed to the side wall of the mounting portion 130, a contact terminal 173 installed on the fixing bracket 171, and so as to elastically support the contact terminal 173. Including the elastic body 175 installed inside the fixing bracket 171, it is configured in the form of a push button. The fixing bracket 171 is formed in a tubular shape having a space formed therein, and a through hole 172 connected to the space is formed at a portion facing the first terminal 230. The contact terminal 173 is installed in the through hole 172. The contact terminal 173 passes through the through hole 172 and is installed to allow entry and exit of the tip onto the mounting portion 130. Here, it is preferable that the contact terminal 173 is installed to allow the front end to elastically enter and exit the through hole 172 due to interference with the sliding movement of the developing device 200. This is achieved by the elastic body 175 installed inside the fixing bracket 171. That is, the elastic member 175 elastically supports the contact terminal 173 in the fixing bracket 171 in the direction in which the first terminal 230 is pressed when the developing unit 200 is mounted, thereby being mounted with the developing unit 200. The contact terminal 173 may elastically enter and exit the through hole 172 by the first terminal 230 sliding together. As a result, when the first terminal 230 and the contact terminal 173 contact each other, it is possible to suppress contact failure between the terminals 173 and 230, and to contact the first terminal 230 with the terminal 173. ) Can also be suppressed. On the other hand, it is preferable that the front end portion of the contact terminal 173 is rounded so that the sliding contact between the contact terminal 173 and the first terminal 230 as described above is made smoothly.

The power connection member 150 is formed of a metal of a conductive material, and the central portion of the plate-shaped body is bent at least one or more times, so that the second terminal 120 and the side of the mounting portion 130 are disposed below the mounting portion 130. Connect the third terminal 170 disposed in the. According to the power connection member 150 configured as described above, the contact connection between the first terminal 230 of the developing unit 200 and the third terminal 170 of the mounting unit 130 is made at the side of the mounting unit 130. As a result, it is possible to prevent a poor contact between the first terminal 230 and the contact terminal 173 generated by dirt such as developer waste.

Here, one end of the power connection member 150 connected to the second terminal 120 is bent in a "C" shape. Accordingly, the second terminal 120 in a form in which the power connection member 150 is elastically pressurized can maintain a good contact state between the second terminal 120 and the power connection member 150.

On the other hand, a plurality of mounting holes (151, 153) are formed in the power connection member 150 configured as described above. The mounting holes 151 and 153 are for inserting the coupling protrusion 115 formed in the image forming apparatus main body 100, and fixing the power connection member 150 to the image forming apparatus main body 100. In addition, the second and third terminals 120 and 170 simultaneously perform a function of holding a position so that contact can be made accurately. The power connection member 150 in the present embodiment corresponds to the first mounting hole 151 formed in a part of the power connection member 150 corresponding to the bottom surface of the mounting portion 130 and the side wall of the mounting portion 130. It includes a second mounting hole 153 formed in a portion of the power connection member 150. According to this, the power connection member 150 can be mounted to the image forming apparatus main body 100 by simple fitting, thereby simplifying the manufacturing process of the product and reducing the number of manufacturing parts.

According to the present invention configured as described above, it is possible to more accurately supply the driving power to the developing device mounted on the image forming apparatus main body with a simple structure using a power connection member and a third terminal in the form of a push button. As a result, the manufacturing cost and maintenance cost of the product can be reduced, and the effect of simplifying the manufacturing process of the product is generated. In addition, the poor electrical contact between the developing device and the main body of the image forming apparatus can be minimized.

While the invention has been shown and described with respect to preferred embodiments for illustrating the principles of the invention, the invention is not to be limited to the construction and operation as shown and described. Rather, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various changes and modifications can be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Accordingly, all such suitable changes, modifications, and equivalents should be considered to be within the scope of the present invention.

Claims (4)

A developer power supply of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus for supplying power to a developing unit detachably mounted to a mounting portion of an image forming apparatus main body, A first terminal protruding from a side of the developer and electrically connected to each of the driving units of the developer; A second terminal provided below the bottom of the mounting portion and connected to a power supply means built in the main body; A third terminal protruding from a side surface of the mounting portion to be in contact with the first terminal of the developing unit mounted on the mounting portion; And A portion of the body is formed in a plate shape bent at least one or more times to electrically connect the second terminal to the third terminal, and one end contacting the second terminal is bent to elastically contact the second terminal. And a power supply member. The developing device power supply of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The method of claim 1, wherein the power connection member, And at least one coupling hole formed into the coupling protrusion formed inside the image forming apparatus main body, wherein the developing device power supply device of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus is formed. The method of claim 1, wherein the third terminal, A fixing bracket having a through-hole formed at one side thereof, the fixing bracket being fixed to a side wall of the mounting part such that the through-hole faces the first terminal while the developing unit is mounted on the mounting part; A contact terminal having a distal end installed on the fixing bracket to allow access to the mounting portion through the through hole; And And an elastic body installed inside the fixing bracket to elastically bias the contact terminal in the first terminal direction. And the elastic body is connected to the power connection member to electrically connect the contact terminal and the power connection member. The method of claim 3, wherein And the contact terminal has a rounded end portion in contact with the first terminal.