JP2590387B2 - Electrophotographic apparatus and cartridge - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electrophotographic apparatus such as a laser beam printer and a cartridge detachably mounted on the electrophotographic apparatus.
It is about the luggage .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional laser beam printer, as shown in FIG. 5 of a perspective view, an operation method for feeding and discharging an object to and from a printer main body 23 is as follows. At least two directions were required: the discharge side of the print carrying the image from the printer 24, the loading / unloading side of the drum cartridge 5, and the side surface of the printer body 23.

A conventional laser beam printer in which an electrophotographic system and a laser scanner shown in FIG. 5 are combined has a configuration as shown in FIG. 6 which is a side sectional view. Reference numeral 1 denotes a scanning optical device, which internally includes a semiconductor laser, a collimator lens, a polygon mirror rotated by a motor, and an imaging lens group. A reflecting mirror 2 guides a light beam scanned by the scanning optical device 1 onto the surface of the photosensitive drum 3. The scanning optical device 1 and the reflecting mirror 2 are mounted on a base 4. A drum cartridge 5 develops a latent image generated by forming an image on the photosensitive drum 3 in this portion. And paper feed cassette 7
The image is transferred by the transfer charger 9 to the sheet sent from the printer. Then, the sheet on which the image has been transferred is sent to the fixing device 6, and the image is fixed. Thereafter, the sheet is discharged by the discharge roller pair 24.

[0004]

With such a configuration, in order to improve the image quality, the drum cartridge 5 and the optical means for giving the photosensitive drum 3 information according to the image information are required. It is desired to improve the position accuracy.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, an image is provided.
Having a carrier and processing means acting on the image carrier
The cartridge can be attached and detached, and the image is
In the electrophotographic apparatus to be formed, a first main body and a spine first main body
A second body that is relatively openable with the first body
The cartridge is removably mounted.
Mounting means, and the second body is elastically displaceable.
Mounted on the mounting means provided on the first body.
According to image information on the image carrier of the cartridge
Optical means for providing information, said first body
And the second body is in the closed position, the first
Positioning reference part of the cartridge mounted on the main body
And the reference portion of the optical means is configured to abut.
An electrophotographic apparatus characterized in that:

According to a second aspect of the present invention , an image is formed on a recording medium.
Cartridge that is removable from the electrophotographic
Thus, the electrophotographic apparatus main body includes a first main body and the first main body.
A second body that can be opened relatively to the body, and the first body
The provided cartridge is removably mounted.
Mounting means for elastically displacing the second body
Mounted on mounting means provided on the first main body provided on the first body.
The image bearing member of the attached cartridge responds to the image information.
Optical means for giving the information
The cartridge has the cartridge attached to the first main body.
The first body and the second body are located in a closed position.
Is pressed elastically against the reference portion of the optical means.
Cartridge characterized by having a positioning reference portion
Judge.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of an electrophotographic apparatus according to the present invention. Reference numeral 8 denotes a photosensitive drum 3 having a photosensitive member used in an electrophotographic system, or a non-conductive member disposed around the photosensitive drum 3. A cartridge detachably mountable to a main body 23 incorporating at least one of electrophotographic process means acting on a photoreceptor such as a primary charger, a developing device, and a cleaner shown in FIG. Is a paper feed cassette. 1
Reference numeral 1 denotes a scanning optical device, in which a light source, which is a semiconductor laser, a collimator lens for converting a light beam emitted from the light source into a parallel light beam, and a polygon mirror that rotates at a constant speed by a motor to scan the light beam. And a focusing lens group for condensing the scanning light beam on the surface of the photosensitive drum 3 and are disposed in the main body 23. 1
Reference numeral 2 denotes an openable lid which is pivotally attached to an upper surface of a printer main body 23 by a hinge 22 and which can open and close an opening 21 for inserting and removing the cartridge 8 provided on the upper surface of the printer main body. The lid 12 is opened when the cartridge 8 is replaced or when the cartridge 8 is replaced.
3. Take the cartridge 8 upward from the inside. When the opening 21 of the printer main body 23 is closed, the opening / closing lid 12 is immovable by a fixing means (not shown) such as a latch, a screw or the like with respect to the printer main body 23.

Although the opening / closing lid 12 is one-sided, it may be a two-sided opening or a simple detachable lid. When the cartridge 8 is stored in the main body 23, the cartridge 8 is positioned and supported by the support member 18 fixed to the main body 23.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the attachment of the reflecting mirror 13 to the opening / closing lid 12 and the standard for matching the reflecting mirror and the cartridge. A reflector support member 14 made of a leaf spring is brought into contact with the back surface of both ends in the longitudinal direction of the reflector 13 to bend the distal end portion 14a of the reflector support member to hold one end of the reflector 13 in the lateral direction. At the same time, the other end in the short direction of the reflector 13 is held and fixed by the intermediate portion 14b formed by punching and bending the reflector support member 14, and the root side of the reflector support member 14 is brought into contact with the opening / closing lid 12. , Hole 14 for small screw of reflector support member 14
The small screw 10 is screwed into the opening / closing lid 12 by inserting c.

On both sides of the cartridge 8 that rotatably supports the photosensitive drum therein, there are provided reflecting mirror pressing positioning reference surfaces 15 with which the reflecting surfaces at the ends of the reflecting mirror 13 abut.

When printing is started, the scanning optical device 11
1 is reflected by the reflecting mirror 13 at the operation position shown by the solid line in FIG. 1 and is imaged on the photosensitive drum 3 rotating in synchronization with the optical scanning to form an electrostatic latent image, which is developed by an electrophotographic process. The visualized image is transferred by a transfer charger 9 to a sheet fed from a sheet cassette 7 in synchronization with the photosensitive drum 3, fixed by a fixing unit 6, and sent out of the apparatus.

When the cartridge 8 is replaced or inspected, the lid 12 is opened about the hinge 22 and the reflecting mirror 13 is opened.
To the inoperative position to open the opening 21 and open the upper part of the cartridge 8, then take out the cartridge 8 through the opening 21, insert it again into the printer main body 23 through the opening 21, and attach the opening / closing lid 12 around the hinge 22. When the aperture 21 is rotated counterclockwise to close the opening 21, both ends of the reflecting mirror 13 abut against the reflecting mirror pressing positioning reference surface 15. In this state, the opening / closing lid 12 is not sufficiently closed.
The opening / closing lid 12 closes the opening 21 against the spring force of 4, and a fixing means such as a latch (not shown) locks the opening / closing lid 12. By the last closing operation of the opening / closing lid 12, the reflecting surface of the reflecting mirror 13 is pressed against the reflecting mirror pressing positioning reference surface 15 with a sufficient force for preventing vibration by the elastic force of the spring.

As a result, the vibration and the backlash of the opening / closing lid 12 are absorbed by the reflecting mirror support member 14, and the reflecting mirror 13 is constantly pressed against the reference surface 15 on the cartridge 8, so that the scanning line pitch unevenness does not occur. And reflector 1
The reflecting mirror 13 is provided with the reflecting mirror support member 14 so that almost both end portions of the reflecting surface of the cartridge 3 press against the reflecting mirror pressing positioning reference surfaces 15 and 15 of the cartridge 8.
The imaging position does not change even if it is moved along the reflecting mirror pressing positioning reference planes 15, 15 on the reflecting mirrors 5, 15.

In this embodiment, the reflector supporting member can be made of rubber or plastic such as urethane foam, in addition to a leaf spring, and can be any member that can be elastically attached to the opening / closing lid 12. Also, 15 is not a surface, one is provided with one projection, the other is provided with two projections,
The reflecting mirror may be supported and positioned at three points.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention.
5 is provided with iron pieces 16 and 16 and magnet pieces 17 and 17 are respectively fixed integrally to the reflecting mirror surfaces in contact therewith. Iron piece 1
The reflecting mirror 13 is attracted to the mirrors 6 and 16 and responds to external vibrations.
Is further prevented from moving independently of the cartridge 8. The relationship between the magnet and the iron piece can be reversed, and magnets of different polarities may be provided in the reflecting mirror and the cartridge, respectively.

By doing so, the reflecting mirror is firmly fixed to the cartridge 8 by the attractive force of the magnet and the elastic pressing force of the supporting member of the reflecting mirror, and is accurately positioned. Further, a rigid plate is integrally held between the reflecting mirror support member 14 and the reflecting mirror 13 so as to protrude further from the longitudinal end of the reflecting mirror 13, and the rigid plate is pressed against the reference surface 15. It is also possible to position the reflecting mirror 13 by using the following method.

[0017]

As described above, the first invention of the present application has
In the second invention, the optical means provided on the apparatus main body is
Can the positioning be performed by the positioning reference part of the cartridge?
The position of the optical means and the image carrier of the cartridge.
The accuracy can be further improved. This allows
The image quality has been improved.

In particular, according to the present invention, the second optical means is used.
Since it is elastically displaceable on the body, the reference part of the optical means
Is pressed by pressing the positioning reference part of the cartridge.
Position between the optical means and the cartridge.
It has been realized that the placement accuracy can be further improved.

The cartridge is pressed by optical means.
The seating on the mounting means is secure and stable
In other words, the position relative to the recording medium becomes accurate.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a drum cartridge.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a part of a reflecting mirror pressing portion of the drum cartridge, and a part of a reflecting mirror and a reflecting mirror supporting member.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a conventional laser beam printer.

FIG. 6 is a side sectional view of a conventional laser beam printer.

[Description of Signs] 3 Photosensitive drum 8 Drum cartridge 12 Opening / closing lid 13 Reflector 14 Reflector support member 15 Reference surface 18 Support member 21 Opening 23 Main body

Continuation of front page (56) References JP-A-61-97663 (JP, A) JP-A-57-154255 (JP, A) JP-A-57-73748 (JP, A) JP-A-59-147377 (JP) JP-A-58-139162 (JP, A) JP-A-59-31988 (JP, A) JP-A-60-121459 (JP, A) JP-A-57-154230 (JP, A) 61-279870 (JP, A) JP-A-51-2433 (JP, A) JP-A-58-121040 (JP, U) JP-A-58-157332 (JP, U) JP-A-58-126460 (JP, A) U) Jpn. Sho 62-96644 (JP, U) JP 6-19599 (JP, B2) JP 4-21187 (JP, B2) JP 4428747 (JP, Y2)

Claims (7)

(57) [Claims] An image bearing member and a professional acting on said image bearing member.
The cartridge having the access means is removable,
In an electrophotographic apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium, and a second body capable relatively open and said the first body first body, provided on the first body, remove the cartridge
Mounting means for removably mounting, and the second body provided elastically displaceable on the second body.
Cartridge mounted on mounting means provided in one main body
To provide information corresponding to image information to the image carrier of
It has the optical means, and when said first body and the second body is positioned at a position closed
The position of the cartridge mounted on the first body is
The reference portion of the optical means comes into contact with the positioning reference portion
An electrophotographic apparatus characterized by having a configuration as described above. (2) The second body is with respect to the first body
An openable and closable lid, wherein a cartridge is attached to the first body.
Claim: Opening when taking in and out
2. The electrophotographic apparatus according to 1. (3) The optical means has a reflecting mirror, and the reflecting means
The mirror is elastically displaceable on the second body by a spring.
2. The electronic photograph according to claim 1, wherein
True device. (4) The optical means has both ends in the longitudinal direction.
The second body is elastically transformed by a spring abutting on the back.
2. The device according to claim 1, wherein
Electrophotographic device. (5) Electrophotographic apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium
A cartridge that is removable from the main body, The electrophotographic apparatus body, A first body, A second body that can be opened relatively to the first body, Removing the cartridge provided on the first main body
Mounting means for mounting as possible The second main body, which is elastically displaceable;
Cartridge mounted on mounting means provided in one main body
To provide information corresponding to image information to the image carrier of
Optical means of Has, In the cartridge, the cartridge is attached to the first main body.
Attached, the first body and the second body in a closed position
When positioned, the optical means elastically
A power source having a positioning reference portion to be pressed.
Cartridge. 6. The positioning reference portion is provided for the cartridge.
The device according to claim 5, wherein the device is provided on an upper surface.
Cartridges. 7. The cartridge may be used as the image carrier.
All the photosensitive drums, a charger as the process means,
Having at least one of a developing device and a cleaner.
The cartridge according to claim 5 or 6, wherein