JP2007114273A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce the number of parts in an image forming apparatus equipped with an openable/closable electric part. <P>SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus is constituted so that an electric wire 54 wired from the electric part 50 to an apparatus body 12 presses the electric part 50 in an opening direction, and holds the opening state of the electric part 50. Thus, a holding member need not be provided separately in order to hold the opening state of the electric part 50, so that the number of component parts is reduced. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that forms an image on a recording medium.

  As an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium, an image forming apparatus is known in which an electrical component is supported so as to be openable and closable with respect to the device body so that maintenance of the electrical component that accommodates electrical components is facilitated ( For example, Patent Document 1).

  The image forming apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 is configured such that the electrical component can be opened and closed by rotating in the vertical direction about a support shaft at the top of the apparatus main body. Also, one end of the rod-shaped holding member is attached to the apparatus main body, and the other end of the holding member is engaged with a hook provided at the rotating end of the electric component so as to hold the open state of the electric component. It is configured.

  In addition, as an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium, an opening / closing door is rotatably supported with respect to the apparatus main body so that jam processing and maintenance can be easily performed so that the inside of the apparatus main body can be opened / closed. Such an image forming apparatus is known (for example, Patent Document 2).

  The image forming apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 2 is provided with a torsion coil spring that biases the opening / closing door in the opening direction, and maintains the opening / closing state of the opening / closing door.

In addition, as another example of the configuration for maintaining the open state of the door, a permanent magnet is provided at the coupling portion between the main body of the device and the door, and the base end of the door is attracted to maintain the open state of the door The structure to perform is disclosed.
JP 2001-334725 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-278197

  However, in the image forming apparatuses of Patent Documents 1 and 2, since the holding member, the torsion coil spring, and the permanent magnet are used to hold the open state of the electrical unit and the door, the number of parts increases and the manufacturing cost increases. Get higher.

  In view of the above-described facts, an object of the present invention is to reduce the number of components in an image forming apparatus including an openable / closable electrical component.

  An image forming apparatus according to claim 1 of the present invention includes an electrical component that is supported to be openable and closable with respect to the apparatus main body, and that accommodates electrical components, and an electric wire wired from the electrical component to the apparatus main body. In the image forming apparatus, the open state of the electrical component is held by the shape restoring force of the electric wire.

  According to this configuration, the open state of the electrical component is held by the shape restoring force of the electric wire wired from the electrical component to the apparatus main body. Thereby, in order to hold | maintain the open state of an electrical equipment part, it is not necessary to provide a holding member separately, and can reduce the number of parts of a component.

  The electric wire which concerns on Claim 1 of this invention is twisted helically toward the said electrical equipment part from the apparatus main body, and is extended | stretched and pressed in the direction which opens the said electrical equipment part, as described in Claim 2 of this invention. You may comprise as follows.

  The electric wire which concerns on Claim 1 of this invention may be comprised so that it may be urged | biased by the direction which opens an electrical equipment part by twisting helically, and twisting back like Claim 3 of this invention.

  The electric wire according to the first aspect of the present invention is configured to be spirally twisted and sandwiched between the apparatus main body and the electric component section in the open state of the electric component section as described in the fourth aspect of the present invention. May be.

  An image forming apparatus according to a fifth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the configuration according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, a plurality of electric wires are bundled.

  According to this configuration, since the electric wires are bundled into a plurality and the open state of the electrical component is maintained, the holding force for maintaining the open state of the electrical component is increased.

  Since the present invention has the above-described configuration, the number of parts can be reduced in the image forming apparatus including the electrical component that can be opened and closed.

  Hereinafter, an exemplary embodiment according to an image forming apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[First Embodiment]
First, the overall configuration of the image forming apparatus will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, an image forming apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment includes an apparatus main body 12, and the apparatus main body 12 includes an image forming unit 11 that forms an image on a sheet (recording medium) P to be conveyed. ing.

  The image forming unit 11 includes a photosensitive drum 14 that rotates in one direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 1). A charging roll 18 that uniformly charges the surface of the photosensitive drum 14 is disposed below the photosensitive drum 14.

  The photosensitive drum 14 is scanned and exposed with laser light B emitted to the surface of the photosensitive drum 14 on the downstream side in the rotation direction of the photosensitive drum 14 from the charging roll 18 and below the photosensitive drum 14. An optical scanning device 16 for forming an electrostatic latent image is arranged on the image 14.

  The electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 14 is developed to form a toner image on the downstream side in the rotation direction of the photosensitive drum 14 from the optical scanning device 16 and in the horizontal direction of the photosensitive drum 14. A rotary developing device 20 is disposed. The rotary developing device 20 includes a toner cartridge 22 that accommodates toners of four colors, yellow, magenta, cyan, and black, and is unidirectional (see FIG. 1 (clockwise in FIG. 1).

  The four-color toner cartridges 22 are arranged at intervals of 90 ° about the rotation support shaft 24 and each have a developing roll 26. The developing roll 26 is configured to supply toner to the photosensitive drum 14.

  The toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 14 is primary-transferred at the primary transfer position downstream of the rotary developing unit 20 in the rotation direction of the photosensitive drum 14 and obliquely above the photosensitive drum 14. An intermediate transfer belt 28 for conveying the toner image to the secondary transfer position is provided.

  The intermediate transfer belt 28 is stretched by a primary transfer roll 30, a secondary transfer backup roll 32, and a plurality of (for example, three) tension rolls 34, and is driven to rotate in one direction (clockwise in FIG. 1). It is like that.

  On the other hand, a paper feed cassette (recording medium storage unit) 36 in which the sheets P are stacked and stored in a bundle is disposed below the apparatus body 12. A transport unit 39 that transports the paper P from the paper feed cassette 36 to the discharge tray 42 is provided in the apparatus main body 12.

  The transport unit 39 includes a pick-up roll 38 that takes out the paper P from the inside of the paper feed cassette 36 by being in pressure contact with the front end side of the upper surface of the paper P at the top of the front end side (left end side in FIG. .

  Further, a conveyance path 40 that extends from the front end of the paper feed cassette 36 and gently curves and extends upward is provided. A secondary transfer backup roll around which a plurality of (for example, two) transport roll pairs 44, a secondary transfer roll 27, and an intermediate transfer belt 28 are wound in this order along the transport path 40 from the upstream side in the paper transport direction. Thirty-two roll pairs, a fixing device 46 having a heating roll and a pressure roll, and a discharge roll pair 48 are arranged.

  Next, an image forming operation of the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described.

  First, in the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment, the surface of the photosensitive drum 14 is uniformly charged by the charging roll 18. An electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of the charged photosensitive drum 14 by the optical scanning device 16 performing scanning exposure. The electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 14 is developed with the toner of each color by the developing roller 26 of the rotary developing device 20, and a toner image is formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 14.

  The toner image on the photosensitive drum 14 is primarily transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 28 at the primary transfer position by the primary transfer roll 30, and the primary transferred toner image is secondary transferred by the intermediate transfer belt 28. The sheet is conveyed between the transfer roll 27 and the secondary transfer backup roll 32 (secondary transfer position).

  On the other hand, the paper P taken out from the paper feed cassette 36 is transported upward along the transport path 40 by a plurality of transport roll pairs 44, and between the secondary transfer roll 27 and the intermediate transfer belt 28 (secondary transfer) at a predetermined timing. The toner image is transferred from the intermediate transfer belt 28. The sheet P on which the toner image has been transferred is conveyed to the fixing device 46, and the transferred toner image is thermocompression bonded by a heating roll and a pressure roll, and is discharged to the discharge tray 42 by the discharge roll pair 48. As described above, a series of image forming operations are performed.

  Here, the electrical component part in which an electrical component is accommodated will be described.

  The electrical component 50 according to the present embodiment is disposed on the back side (right end in FIG. 1) of the image forming apparatus 10 and is supported by the apparatus main body 12 so as to be openable and closable with respect to the apparatus main body 12 (FIG. 2 ( A) and (B)).

  That is, as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the electrical component 50 is supported by the apparatus main body 12 via a support shaft 52 provided at the base end portion of the electrical component 50 and extending in the vertical direction. Thus, the structure is configured such that the support shaft 52 is rotated in the lateral direction about the rotation center to open and close the inside of the apparatus main body 12 and the surface 50A of the electrical component 50 facing the apparatus main body 12.

  Further, the electrical component 50 is configured to rotate integrally with the exterior of the back side (the right end in FIG. 1) of the image forming apparatus 10. In addition, it may be separate from the exterior.

  The electrical components housed in the electrical component 50 include a power source that supplies power to the image forming unit 11 and the transport unit 39, a control board that controls the image forming operation of the image forming unit 11, and a drive of the transport unit 39. There are control boards.

  The electrical components housed in the electrical component 50 can be accessed from the surface 50A side facing the apparatus main body 12, and maintenance and parts replacement can be performed from the surface 50A side facing the apparatus main body 12. It is configured.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, a plurality of bundled wires 54 are wired from the electrical components housed in the electrical component 50 to the transport unit 39 and the image forming unit 11 of the apparatus main body 12. Has been. The electric wire 54 is connected to the electrical component part 50 via a connection part 56 attached to the surface 50 </ b> A side of the electrical component part 50 facing the apparatus main body 12. The electric wire 54 includes a signal line connected to the control board, a power harness connected to a power source, and the like.

  The electric wire 54 is spirally wound (wound) from the apparatus main body 12 toward the electrical component 50. In addition, a gap having a predetermined interval is formed between the spiraled electric wire 54 and the electric wire 54. As a result, the electric wire 54 acts as a compression spring (pressing spring), and the electric wire 54 expands due to the shape restoring force of the electric wire 54 and presses in the direction in which the electric component 50 is opened, thereby holding the open state of the electric component 50. Is configured to do.

  Note that an engaging portion (not shown) is provided at the free end of the electrical component 50, and the closed state of the electrical component 50 is maintained by engaging the engagement portion with the apparatus main body 12.

  Moreover, you may make it press the electrical equipment part 50 by making the edge part by the side of the apparatus main body of the electric wire 54 made helical form contact | abut to the flame | frame etc. of an apparatus main body.

  Moreover, as a shape of the electric wire pressed in the direction in which the electric component 50 is opened, an electric wire 49 formed in a meandering shape may be used as shown in FIG.

  Next, an effect | action is demonstrated about said 1st Embodiment.

  The surface of the electrical component 50 facing the device main body 12 when it is desired to access the inside of the device main body by maintenance or replacement of components provided in the device main body 12 or when maintenance or replacement of electrical components of the electrical component 50 is performed. In order to access the 50A side, the electrical unit 50 is rotated in the opening direction to open the surface of the electrical unit 50 and the surface 50A side of the electrical unit 50 facing the device body 12.

  In a state where the electrical component 50 is opened, the electric wire 54 is pressed in the direction in which the electrical component 50 is opened, and the open state of the electrical component 50 is maintained. As described above, in the first embodiment, the open state of the electrical unit 50 is held by the electric wire 54 wired from the electrical unit 50 to the apparatus main body 12. Therefore, in order to maintain the open state of the electrical unit 50, separately, There is no need to provide a holding member, and the number of components can be reduced.

[Second Embodiment]
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the part same as 1st Embodiment, and description is abbreviate | omitted. In addition, the overall configuration of the image forming apparatus is the same as that of the first embodiment, and a description thereof will be omitted.

  In 2nd Embodiment, as shown to FIG. 4 (A) and (B), the electric wire 58 is connected to the electrical equipment part 50 via the connection part 56 attached to the side surface 50B in the base end side of the electrical equipment part 50. FIG. It is connected.

  The electric wire 58 is spirally wound (wound) along the vertical direction (vertical direction). Thereby, the electric wire 58 is comprised so that it may act as a torsion coil spring, and the open state of the electrical equipment part 50 may be hold | maintained. That is, due to the shape restoring force of the electric wire 58, the electric wire 58 is twisted back, and a force is applied so that both ends of the electric wire 58 open outward, and the electric component 50 is urged in the opening direction. .

  As described above, in the second embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the open state of the electrical unit 50 is held by the electric wires 58 wired from the electrical unit 50 to the apparatus main body 12. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide a separate holding member, and the number of components can be reduced.

[Third Embodiment]
Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the part same as 1st Embodiment, and description is abbreviate | omitted. In addition, the overall configuration of the image forming apparatus is the same as that of the first embodiment, and a description thereof will be omitted.

  In 3rd Embodiment, as shown to FIG. 5 (A) and (B), the electric wire 60 is connected to the electrical equipment part 50 via the connection part 56 attached to the side surface 50B in the base end side of the electrical equipment part 50. It is connected.

  The electric wire 60 is twisted (wound) spirally along the vertical direction (vertical direction). The electric wire 60 is configured to be sandwiched between the frame 12A of the apparatus main body 12 and the surface 50A of the electric component 50 facing the apparatus main body 12 in the open state of the electric component 50. Thereby, the outer peripheral surface of the spiraled electric wire 60 is in contact with the frame 12A of the device main body 12 and the surface 50A of the electric component 50 facing the device main body 12, and presses the electric component 50 in the opening direction. The open state of the electrical component 50 is maintained.

  As described above, in the third embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the open state of the electrical unit 50 is held by the electric wire 60 wired from the electrical unit 50 to the apparatus main body 12. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide a separate holding member, and the number of components can be reduced.

  In addition, in said 1st-3rd embodiment, although it comprised so that an electric wire was bundled in multiple and the open state of an electrical equipment part was hold | maintained, as an electric wire of this invention, it is a single electric wire, Alternatively, the open state of the electrical component may be maintained by a single electric wire.

  Moreover, although the electrical equipment part which concerns on said 1st-3rd embodiment became a horizontal opening opened and closed by turning in a horizontal direction, as an electrical equipment part of the present invention, it turned up and down. It may be configured to be opened and closed vertically. The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications, changes, and improvements can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an electrical component supported by the apparatus main body so as to be openable and closable and an electric wire connected to the electrical component in the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment. (A) is a perspective view, (B) is a view seen from above. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a modification of the electric wire according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an electrical component supported by the apparatus main body so as to be openable and closable and an electric wire connected to the electrical component in the image forming apparatus according to the second embodiment. (A) is a perspective view, (B) is a view seen from above. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an electrical component supported by the apparatus main body so as to be openable and closable and an electric wire connected to the electrical component in the image forming apparatus according to the third embodiment. (A) is a perspective view, (B) is a view seen from above.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Image forming apparatus 12 Apparatus main body 49 Electric wire 50 Electrical component part 54 Electric wire 58 Electric wire 60 Electric wire

Claims (5)

An electrical component that is supported so as to be openable and closable with respect to the apparatus body, and that houses electrical components;
An electric wire wired from the electrical component to the device body;
In an image forming apparatus comprising:
The image forming apparatus, wherein the open state of the electrical component is held by a shape restoring force of the electric wire.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electric wire is spirally twisted from the apparatus main body toward the electrical component, and is extended and pressed in a direction to open the electrical component.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electric wire is twisted in a spiral shape and biased in a direction to open the electric component by twisting back.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electric wire is twisted in a spiral shape and is sandwiched between the apparatus main body and the electric component in an open state of the electric component.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the electric wires are bundled.

Images