JP2000186711A - Connecting device for article - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To facilitate the mutual connection between articles by inserting one locking part into each bearing hole of each bearing part through an elastic part to engage one side of each bearing part with the one locking part, and engaging the other side of each bearing part with the other locking part. SOLUTION: The tip 31 of a pin 30 that is a connecting member or one locking part is fitted to each bearing hole 9a, 11, 9a' in this order to contract the maximum outer diameter M1 of a pair of forked parts 40, 41 which are elastic parts formed at the tip 31 of the pin 30 so that the resulting diameter M1 is smaller than the diameters L1, L2, L3 of bearing holes 9a, 9a', 11a. The tip 31 of the pin 30 is slipped out from each bearing hole 9a, 9a', 11a, and returned to the initial position where the maximum outer diameter M1 of the forked parts 40, 41 is larger than the diameter L2 of the bearing hole 9a', and the outer diameter M1 of the forked parts 40, 41 of the pin 30 and the outer diameter M2 of the rear end part 32 thereof are engaged with each bearing part 9, 11, respectively.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an article connecting apparatus for rotatably connecting one article and another article to each other, and more particularly to a pair of articles used in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, and a facsimile. The present invention relates to an article connecting apparatus for rotatably connecting articles to each other.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a device for rotatably connecting one article and another article having a certain function to each other, an article connecting apparatus has been used.

[0003] An apparatus for rotatably connecting a pair of articles to each other comprises a bearing hole of a bearing portion formed for each article to be connected, and a shaft inserted into the bearing hole of each article. I have.

[0004] On the other hand, such an article connecting device is conventionally used also as a device for rotatably connecting a pair of articles used in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, and a facsimile. .

[0005] FIG. 11 shows a conventional article connecting apparatus 1 described above.
FIG. 3 is a conceptual cross-sectional view of a process unit 2 using the method shown in FIG.

The process unit 2 is used in an image forming apparatus using electrophotography to convert image information into an electrostatic latent image,
A device that performs various image forming processes such as visualization of an electrostatic latent image and transfer of the visualized image information to paper. Recently, the image forming device has been integrated into a unit to improve workability such as maintenance and inspection. It is configured to be detachably mounted in the main body.

The process unit 2 is roughly divided into an image forming unit 4 including a photosensitive member 3 as an image carrier, and a developing unit 7 including a toner 5 and a developing roll 6 as a developer.
The two articles are connected to each other via an article connecting device 1 so as to be freely rotatable with each other.

In the above-described process unit 2, a pair of the article connecting devices 1 are disposed on both sides of the fulcrum A of the developing unit 7 with respect to the image forming unit 4. Connecting device 1 installed
Are connected so that the units 4 and 7 can rotate freely.

The above-described article connecting apparatus 1 includes a bearing hole 9a of a bearing 9 formed in a housing 8 of the image forming unit 4 and a bearing hole 11a of a bearing 11 formed in a housing 10 of the developing unit 7. And a pin 12 which is a shaft that fits between the bearing holes 9a and 11a.

The conventional pin 12 of the connecting device 1 described above
The shape of is to improve the mounting and detachability of the
One end has a tapered shape having a smaller diameter than each of the bearing holes 9a and 11a, or a substantially spherical shape with an R.

In FIG. 7, reference numeral 13 denotes a charging roll;
Is a transfer roll, 15 is an agitator for stirring the toner 5,
Reference numeral 16 denotes a cleaning blade, and reference numeral 18 denotes a pressing unit including a coil spring that presses the photoconductor 3 of the image forming unit 4 against the developing roll 6 of the developing unit 7 with a predetermined pressure.

[0012]

According to the article connecting device 1 described above, one end of the pin 12, which is a shaft inserted into each bearing hole 9a, 11a, is connected to each bearing hole 9a, 11a.
Since it is formed in a tapered shape or a spherical shape having a diameter smaller than a, the structure is easy to come out of itself. Bearing holes 9a, 11
a, there is a problem that the image forming unit 4 and the developing unit 7 are inadvertently separated from each other.

In order to solve such a problem,
Conventionally, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1-116262, the pin itself is fixed to the bearing portion through joining means such as welding, but in this case, the fixing work is troublesome. In addition, the assembling process becomes complicated, and at the time of maintenance and inspection, the work of disassembling the image forming unit 4 and the developing unit 7 becomes extremely difficult.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has an object-to-article connection that is easy to connect to an article, does not easily fall off due to impact or the like, and can easily disconnect the article-to-article connection. It is intended to provide a device.

[0015]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, according to the present invention, a bearing hole of a bearing portion formed on one article and a bearing hole of a bearing portion formed on the other article are respectively provided. In an article connecting device having a connecting member that is inserted and rotatably connects one article to the other article, the connecting member includes one and the other locking portions that engage with the bearing holes, An elastic portion for elastically deforming at least one of the one and the other engaging portions so as to be fitted into each of the bearing holes; and Inserted into each bearing hole of each bearing portion to engage one side of each bearing portion with the one locking portion, and connect the other side of each bearing portion and the other locking portion with each other. It is made to engage.

[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of an article connecting apparatus according to the present invention will be described below in detail.

FIG. 1 is an enlarged exploded sectional view of a main part of a process unit 2 showing an article connecting device 20 according to the present invention, and the same parts as those in FIG.

The article connecting device 20 includes a pair of bearing holes 9a and 9a 'formed in a bearing portion 9 formed of a pair of tongue pieces 21 and 22 formed in a housing 8 of the image forming unit 4.
A bearing hole 11a formed in a bearing portion 11 formed of a tongue piece 23 formed in a housing 10 of the developing unit 7; and a bearing hole 9a, 9a formed in each of the tongue pieces 21, 22, 23.
', A metal pin 3 which is a connecting member to be inserted into 11a
0. Note that the above-described housings 8, 10
And each tongue piece 21, 22, 23 is formed of synthetic resin such as plastic.

Among these, the diameters L1, L2, L3 of the bearing holes 9a, 9a ', 11a formed in the bearing portions 9, 11 are formed to be substantially the same diameter (L1 = L2 = L3).

On the other hand, the above-mentioned metal pin 30 as a connecting member has a large-diameter distal end portion 31 serving as one locking portion, a small-diameter intermediate portion 32, and a large-diameter rear portion serving as the other locking portion. End 3
And 3.

The large-diameter distal end portion 31, which is one of the locking portions, is formed in a bifurcated form toward the distal end, and is resiliently detachable from each other, that is, a pair of elastic portions that are elastically deformable. And the maximum outer diameter M1 of the distal end portion 31 is determined by the bearing holes 9a, 9a ', 11a.
Larger than the diameters L1, L2, L3 (M1> L1, L2
2, L3), and when the pair of front cracks 40, 41 are brought closer to each other, the diameter of the maximum outer diameter M1 becomes larger than that of the bearing hole 9.
a, 9a ', and 11a are configured to be smaller than the diameters L1, L2, and L3.

The diameter M2 of the intermediate portion 32 of the pin 30
Are the diameters L1, L2, L of the bearing holes 9a, 9a ', 11a.
3, the diameter M3 of the rear end 33 of the pin 30 is larger than the diameters L1, L2, L3 of the bearing holes 9a, 9a ', 11a (M3> L1, L2, L3).
3) It is formed.

Next, the operation of the connecting device 20 will be described.

As shown in FIG. 1, a tongue 23 of the developing unit 7 is positioned between the tongues 21 and 22 of the image forming unit 4, and a bearing hole 9a formed in each of the tongues 21, 22 and 23. , 9a ', and 11a,
As shown by an arrow B, the distal end portion 31 of the pin 30 as a connecting member, that is, one locking portion is connected to each of the bearing holes 9a, 11, 9
When they are inserted in the order of a ′, respectively, as shown in FIG. 2 in which the same parts as those in FIG.
41 approach each other due to the pressing force received when the bearing holes 9a, 9a 'and 11 are inserted into the bearing holes 9a, 9a' and 11, reduce the maximum outer diameter M1, and reduce the diameter M1 'to the diameter of the bearing holes 9a, 9a' and 11a. Smaller than L1, L2, L3 (M1 '<L1, L2,
L3).

For this reason, the pin 30 is smoothly inserted into the bearing holes 9a, 9a ', 11 along the direction of arrow B, and finally, as shown in FIG.
When 0, 41 escapes from the last bearing hole 9a ', the pair of cracked portions 40, 41 are separated by their elastic force, and the maximum outer diameter M1 of the distal end portion 31 is changed to the diameter L2 of the bearing hole 9a'.
(M3> L2).

As described above, the distal end portion 31 as one locking portion of the pin 30 as the connecting member is connected to the bearing holes 9a, 9a ', 11 via the pair of cracked portions 40, 41 as elastic portions.
a, and escape therefrom to form a pair of cracks 40,
When returning to the initial position where the maximum outer diameter M1 of 41 is larger than the diameter L2 of the bearing hole 9a '(M1> L2), the portion of this maximum outer diameter M1, that is, one of the locking portions and the bearing hole 9a' are connected. The portions of the outer diameter M3 formed at the rear end portion 32 of the pin 30, that is, the other engaging portion and the bearing hole 9 a engage with each other, so that each bearing portion 9, 11 is engaged with the pin 30. The outer diameter M1 of the pair of front cracks 40, 41, that is, one engaging portion, and the outer diameter M2 formed at the rear end portion 32, that is, the other engaging portion, are engaged. The inserted pin 30 is prevented from dropping therefrom.

In order for the pin 30 to escape from the bearing holes 9a, 9a 'and 11a of the bearings 9 and 11,
As shown in FIG. 2, the outer diameter M1 ′ of the bearing holes 9a, 9a ′, 11a is reduced by the diameter L1, L2, L
If it is set smaller than 3, the pin 30 is easily pulled out from the bearing hole 9a side, so that the housing 8 of the image forming unit 4 of the process unit 2 and the housing 10 of the developing unit 7 can be easily separated during maintenance and inspection. Can be separated.

In the above embodiment, the pins 30 as connecting members are made of metal, and the casings 8 and 10 and the tongue pieces 21 are formed.
Each of the tongue pieces 21, 22, and 23 is formed by using the synthetic resin such as plastic for the tongue pieces 22 and 23 for a long time.
The bearing holes 9a, 9a ', and 11a and the periphery thereof slide with the metal pins 30 to increase the diameter thereof, whereby the pins 30 may fall out of the bearing holes 9a, 9a', and 11a. However, in order to prevent such a fear, FIG.
Each tongue piece 2 as shown in FIG.
A metal plate 50 is provided so as to cover each of the bearing holes 9a, 9a ', 11a of the first, second, and 23, and the bearing is provided at a portion of the metal plate 50 facing the bearing holes 9a, 9a', 11a. A bearing hole 50a having the same diameter as the holes 9a, 9a 'and 11a may be formed.

As described above, each bearing hole 9a, 9a ', 11
a of the bearing holes 9a, 9a
When the pin 30 is rotatably supported by the bearing hole 50a, the tongue piece 2 is formed.
The wear of the bearing holes 9a, 9a ', 11a of 1, 22, and 23 and the periphery thereof is reduced, and when the pin 30 slides, the diameter of the bearing holes 9a, 9a', 11a and the increase of the wear of the periphery thereof are reduced. It can be prevented as much as possible.

FIG. 4 shows the metal plate 50 described above.
Is bent into a two-step U-shape in cross section, whereby the tongue piece 2 is bent.
FIG. 2 shows a state in which a portion between the tongue piece 23 and the tongue piece 23, a portion between the tongue piece 23 and the tongue piece 22 and a right side surface of the tongue piece 22 are covered.

In FIG. 5, in which the same parts as those in FIG. 4 are denoted by the same reference numerals, two metal plates 51 and 52 bent in a U-shape in cross section are used.
1, 52, the left side surface of the tongue piece 21, the tongue piece 21 and the tongue piece 23
, Between the tongue piece 23 and the tongue piece 22, and the right side surface of the tongue piece 22.

Further, in FIG. 6, in which the same parts as those in FIG. 5 are denoted by the same reference numerals, one metal plate 60 is alternately bent into a three-step U-shape in cross section, whereby the left side surface of the tongue piece 21 and the tongue Between the piece 21 and the tongue piece 23, the tongue piece 23 and the tongue piece 22
2 and the right side surface of the tongue piece 22 is shown.

The pin 30 serving as a connecting member is not limited to the shape shown in FIG. 1, but may be, for example, a shape as shown in FIG.
9 is a right side view of FIG. 7).
Further, a shape as shown in FIG. 10 in which the same parts as those in FIG.

In the above embodiment, the pin 3 as the connecting member is used.
Although 0 is made of metal, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and the pin 30 as the connecting member may be formed of a synthetic resin such as a hard plastic.

Further, in the above embodiment, the elastic portion is formed by a pair, that is, two cracked portions 40 and 41, but this cracked portion is constituted by a pair or more, for example, three or more cracked portions. Is also good.

[0036]

As described above, in the article connecting device according to the present invention, the bearing hole of the bearing portion formed on one article and the bearing hole of the bearing portion formed on the other article are fitted respectively. A connecting member that is inserted and rotatably connects one article to the other article includes one and the other locking portions that engage with the bearing holes, and at least one of the one and the other locking portions. Since the locking portion is constituted by an elastic portion which is elastically deformed so as to be inserted into each bearing hole, when each article is connected to each other, one locking portion is connected to each bearing via the elastic portion. It can be connected by simple work to be inserted into the hole,
For this reason, the connection work between articles is easy, and after the connecting member is inserted into each bearing hole, each bearing portion is engaged with one locking portion and the other locking portion, and the Since dropping is prevented as much as possible, it is possible to prevent unintentional dropping between articles as much as possible. Further, since the connection between the articles can be released by a simple operation of elastically deforming at least one of the locking sections via the elastic section, the maintenance and inspection work of the article to be connected can be performed extremely easily. .

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded cross-sectional view of a main part of an article, showing an article connecting apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an essential part cross-sectional view of the article showing a state where a pin is inserted into a bearing hole;

FIG. 3 is an essential part cross-sectional view of the article showing a state in which a pin is inserted into a bearing hole;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of an article showing another embodiment of the article connecting apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of an article showing another embodiment of the article connecting apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of an article showing another embodiment of the article connecting apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a view showing another embodiment of the connecting member.

FIG. 8 is a left side view of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a right side view of FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is a view showing still another embodiment of the connecting member.

FIG. 11 is a conceptual cross-sectional view of an article showing an example in which the article connecting device is applied to a process unit of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 8 One article (housing of image forming unit) 9, 11 Bearing part 9a, 9a ', 11a, 50a Bearing hole 10 The other article (housing of developing unit) 20 Article connecting device 30 Connection member (pin) 31 One locking portion (tip) 32 Middle portion 33 Other locking portion (rear end) 40, 41 Elastic portion (cracked portion) 50, 51, 52, 60 ... Metal plate L1, L2, L3 ... Diameter of bearing hole M1, M2, M3 ... Outer diameter

Continued on front page F-term (reference) 2H071 BA05 BA29 2H077 BA09 GA04 3J036 AA01 BA02 BB09 CA03 DB06 3J105 AA02 AA04 AB48 AB50 AC10 BA15 BA22 BB15

Claims (4)

[Claims] An article is inserted into a bearing hole of a bearing portion formed on one article and a bearing hole of a bearing section formed on the other article so that one article is rotatable with respect to the other article. In the article connecting device having a connecting member to be connected, the connecting member includes one and the other locking portions that engage with the bearing holes, and at least one of the one and the other locking portions. And an elastic portion that elastically deforms so as to be able to be inserted into each of the bearing holes. The one of the locking portions is inserted into each of the bearing holes of each of the bearing portions via the elastic portion, so that each of the bearings An article connecting device, wherein one side of a portion is engaged with the one locking portion, and the other side of each bearing portion is engaged with the other locking portion. 2. An article is inserted into a bearing hole of a bearing portion formed on one article and a bearing hole of a bearing section formed on the other article so that one article is rotatable with respect to the other article. In the article connecting device having a connecting member to be connected, the connecting member is a split portion that is separated and formed at least in a forked shape toward a distal end, and is a resiliently detachable tip-break portion, and has a diameter of each of the bearing holes. A tip portion having a larger, and a cracked portion formed to be smaller than the diameter of each bearing hole when the cracked portion is brought closer; an intermediate portion having a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of each bearing hole; A rear end portion having a diameter larger than the diameter of each of the bearing holes; fitting the front crack portion of the connecting member into each of the bearing holes while approaching the front crack portion; When the part was escaped, the intermediate part of the connecting member was inserted Coupling device of the articles, characterized in that the pronged portions of the connecting member to the bearing portions so as to engage with the rear end portion. 3. An image forming unit constituting one of the process units provided in the electrophotographic image forming apparatus, and the other article is a developing unit constituting the other of the process units. The article connecting device according to claim 2, wherein: 4. The connecting member is made of metal, and a metal plate is provided on a side of each of the bearing portions, and the connecting member is inserted into a position of the metal plate facing the bearing hole. A bearing hole is formed.
(2) The article connecting device according to (2).