JP4275906B2 - Driving device and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a driving device and an image forming apparatus using the same, and more particularly to a driving force transmission mechanism in a fixing device.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, a facsimile machine, or a printing machine, a toner image after development transferred from a photosensitive member forming a latent image carrier is prevented from peeling off from a transfer medium such as recording paper. Therefore, a fixing process is executed.
As one of the configurations used in the fixing process, there is a configuration in which a fixing roller having a built-in heat source and a pressure roller facing the fixing roller are combined.
[0003]
On the other hand, in the image forming apparatus provided with the fixing device having the above-described configuration, a conveyance path is provided in the vertical direction until the recording paper fed from the paper feeding unit reaches the fixing apparatus, and the image forming apparatus provided with this conveyance path. Some cases have a configuration in which a part of the wall surface of the housing can be opened.
[0004]
In the above configuration, when a part of the wall portion is opened, most of the conveyance path can be visually recognized from the outside, and the length of the conveyance path can be shortened by collecting the conveyance paths in almost one place. As a result, there is an advantage that the conveyance time can be shortened.
[0005]
When a paper jam or a so-called jam occurs in the conveyance path having the above configuration, the recording paper can be taken out when a part of the wall is opened.
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
If a part of the recording paper is nipped by the roller of the fixing device when taking out the recording paper on which the jam has occurred, the roller of the fixing device is rotated in the direction in which the recording paper can be fed. Since it is engaged with a gear which is a drive transmission member on the apparatus main body side, in order to pull out the recording paper, it is affected by the rotational torque of the gear in the meshing relationship, and it may not be easily removed.
[0007]
Conventionally, a configuration has been proposed in which the engagement of a gear used for a driving force transmission mechanism between a fixing device and an image forming apparatus is released so that a recording sheet can be taken out without being affected by the rotational torque described above. (For example, Unexamined-Japanese-Patent No. 2000-321915).
[0008]
In the above publication, a lever that swings by a protrusion provided on a part of a housing wall, and a slidable member that is pushed and pulled by one of the swinging ends of the lever in conjunction with the swinging of the lever. A bracket having one of the swing ends attached to one end of the link and the link is provided, and the other end of the swing end of the bracket supports the fixing device side gear so that a part of the housing wall is opened. Then, a structure is disclosed in which the link swings the bracket in conjunction with the swing of the lever, and the gear on the fixing device side is separated from the gear on the image forming device side.
[0009]
However, in the configuration disclosed in the above publication, a configuration for releasing the meshing coupling between the fixing device side and the image forming device side is incorporated in the image forming device side together with the fixing roller. For this reason, even when the fixing roller is replaced, the fixing roller must be removed from the image forming apparatus together with the mechanism for meshing the gears and releasing the coupling, and not only the fixing and mounting work is troublesome but also the fixing roller only. The cost as a replacement part becomes high because the replacement of the battery cannot be performed.
[0010]
The mechanism for releasing the meshing connection between the gears is a combination of a lever and a link interlocking with the lever. The operating directions of the lever and the link are a horizontal direction and a vertical direction perpendicular to each other. The occupied space in the horizontal direction parallel to the axial direction of the roller is increased. For this reason, the length in the longitudinal direction of the fixing device parallel to the axial direction of the fixing roller is increased, and it is difficult to reduce the size of the image forming apparatus incorporating the device.
[0011]
On the other hand, when the power supply of the image forming apparatus is turned on, that is, at the time of starting, it is necessary to set a predetermined fixing temperature in the fixing device. For this reason, in the fixing device, the heater is turned on and the heating roller and the pressurizing force are set. A so-called fixing temperature raising process is performed by rotating the roller.
[0012]
The rotational driving force applied to the heating roller and the pressure roller provided in the fixing device may use the driving force from the main motor provided to drive the photosensitive member in the image forming apparatus. There is a case where the rotation of the main motor stops and waits until the temperature rise in the apparatus is completed. This is because the most time-consuming device in the image forming apparatus is a fixing device that targets temperature, so if the main motor is operated until the temperature has been completed in another device, the power consumption increases accordingly. One of the reasons is to prevent inviting. However, when starting the image forming apparatus, it is necessary to check the operating state of each apparatus and to clean the member in contact with the photoconductor, so that the main motor is driven within a time shorter than the temperature rise time. There is.
[0013]
In this way, the fixing device, whose operating state (rotation drive time) is set under conditions different from those of other devices for temperature rise, is equipped with a motor as a dedicated drive source in addition to the main motor. To be done.
When a motor dedicated to the fixing device is provided in addition to the main motor, there are the following types of driving methods for the motor.
First, a type in which the fixing roller and the pressure roller are driven for a time longer than the driving time of the photosensitive member by the main motor and the driven member in another device, and secondly, the photosensitive is opposite to the first. This is a type in which the fixing roller and the pressure roller are driven for a time shorter than the driving time of the driven member in the body or another device.
The first model is intended for models capable of relatively high-speed printing. This is because in models capable of high-speed printing, the wall thickness and outer diameter that affect the heat capacity of the fixing roller are increased in order to reduce the temperature drop of the fixing roller even when a large amount of fixing processing is performed. The time required to raise the temperature on the surface of the fixing roller becomes longer. During this time, if the operating time is similarly increased for the photosensitive member and the developing device that do not require the operating time as much as the fixing device, the life of the photosensitive member is shortened and the developing device. The reason for this is to eliminate such problems.
[0014]
Contrary to models that use the first model, the second model targets models that have a fast rise in temperature due to the relatively small thickness and outer diameter of the fixing roller and pressure roller, and small heat capacity. It is said. In other words, even if the photoconductor or developing device is stopped during operation, if the model starts up quickly until the fixing temperature starts, even if the temperature of the fixing roller drops once at the start of operation, the specified fixing temperature is immediately This is because the operation time of the fixing device can be shorter than the operation time of the photoconductor and the developing device.
[0015]
However, in any type, the image forming apparatus requires a drive source different from the main motor dedicated to the fixing device. Therefore, a drive source that is assumed to be used only when the fixing device is started is used. Providing it causes an increase in cost due to an increase in the number of parts and man-hours. In addition to the main motor, operation control with a drive source dedicated to the fixing device is required, and process control in the entire image forming apparatus may be complicated.
[0016]
An object of the present invention is to provide a driving apparatus and an image forming apparatus having a configuration in which a single main motor that is equipped in advance by simple control can be used as it is without causing an increase in cost in view of the problems in the conventional driving structure. To provide an apparatus.
[0017]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
  The invention according to claim 1 is housed in a housing having an opening / closing part in which a part of the wall part can be opened and closed.Drive source,Drive power from the drive sourceTo driven memberA driving force transmitting means for transmitting, wherein the driving force transmitting means includes a transmission gear capable of transmitting a driving force from the driving source, and the transmission gear.TheA swingable swinging member, and the swinging member, From the transmission gear to the driven memberOscillating biasing means for biasing in a direction to release transmission of the driving force;in frontThe swing member, From the transmission gear to the driven memberDriving means for swinging in a direction to release transmission of the driving force, and the swing biasing meansWithAn elastic member having an elastic force stronger than a force and weaker than a force for oscillating the oscillating member of the driving means, an actuating member for transmitting the opening / closing of the opening / closing portion to the oscillating member, and the elastic member And an urging sliding body sandwiched between the actuating member, and the actuating member slides in a direction to compress the elastic member when the opening / closing portion is closed and when the driving means is actuated. Yes.
[0018]
  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the drive device according to the first aspect,
  The actuating member has a sliding mechanism;
  The actuating member is
  When the opening / closing part is opened, it slides in a direction approaching the opening / closing part,
  When the opening / closing part is closed, it slides in a direction away from the opening / closing part,
  When the opening / closing part is closed and the driving device is activated, the sliding part slides in a direction approaching the opening / closing part.That
Features
[0019]
  The invention according to claim 3 is the invention according to claim 1.Or claim 2In the described drive device,
  A torsion spring is used for the swing biasing means,
  One end of the rocking member is opposed to one end of the torsion spring, and an operating part of the driving means is connected,
  The operating portion is interlocked with one end of the torsion spring.It is characterized by that.
[0020]
  The invention according to claim 4 is the invention according to claim 1.In any one of ~ 3In the described drive device,
  The driving means is composed of a solenoid,
  The solenoid is
  Operates for a predetermined time immediately after starting the driving source or after the opening / closing part changes from the open state to the closed state.It is characterized by that.
[0021]
  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the drive device according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, the drive means is a front device.RecordFront with the opening / closing part closedRecordThe operation is based on the temperature in the casing or the temperature of the driven member at the time when the driving source is started.
[0022]
  The invention according to claim 6 is the claimThe image forming apparatus includes the driving device according to any one of 1 to 5.It is characterized by that.
[0023]
  According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the sixth aspect,RecordIt is characterized in that the start time of the drive source corresponds to the warm-up time for image forming processing.
  According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the sixth or seventh aspect, the driven member is a fixing roller in the fixing device.
[0024]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the illustrated examples.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an image forming apparatus to which a driving device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. The image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 1 is a printer that can form an electrostatic latent image corresponding to an image on a photosensitive member by optical writing corresponding to image information. In the printer 1 shown in FIG. 1, the driving device according to the present embodiment targets a fixing roller used in the fixing device.
[0025]
  In FIG. 1, the printer 1 includes a drum-shaped photoconductor 2, and a charging device (illustrated) that performs image forming processing on the photoconductor 2 during the rotation of the photoconductor 2.Set), Optical writing device 3, developing device (shown)Set), Transfer device 4 and cleaning device (illustrated)Set) Is arranged. Recording paper is fed from the paper feeding device 5 to the transfer device 4 to transfer the visible image carried on the photosensitive member 2, and the image on the recording paper after transfer is fixed by the fixing device 6. Then, it is discharged toward the paper discharge tray 7.
[0026]
In the printer 1 shown in FIG. 1, the conveyance path of the recording paper fed out from the paper feeding device 5 is extended in the vertical direction, and an openable / closable cover 1A is provided on a part of the casing wall portion of the printer main body facing the conveyance path. Is provided to form an opening / closing part. For this reason, when a jam occurs in the transport path, most of the transport path can be exposed to the outside by opening the cover 1A. In addition, by using such a conveyance path, the conveyance path length can be shortened as compared with the case where the conveyance path is configured to be detoured inside the printer 1, so that the conveyance time is shortened and the printout process is accelerated. be able to.
[0027]
The fixing device 6 positioned near the end of the recording paper conveyance path includes a fixing roller 6A and a pressure roller 6B that face each other across the recording paper conveyance path, and the fixing roller 6A is disposed on the image carrying surface of the recording paper. Opposite. In the fixing device 6, an unfixed image can be heated and fixed while the recording paper is nipped and conveyed by the fixing roller 6 </ b> A and the pressure roller 6 </ b> B.
[0028]
In the fixing device 6 shown in FIG. 1, when a part of the recording paper is sandwiched between rollers when a jam occurs in the conveyance path, transmission of driving force to the fixing roller 6 </ b> A is released. ing. Hereinafter, this configuration will be described.
The fixing device 6 includes a fixing roller 6 </ b> A corresponding to a driven member in the driving device according to the embodiment of the present invention and a mechanism unit that transmits a driving force to the fixing roller 6 </ b> A. As shown in the drawings after FIG.
[0029]
FIG. 2 is a view of the unit 10 in which the driving force transmission units are arranged together as viewed from the side on which the fixing roller 6A is attached. Therefore, the fixing roller 6A is attached to the front side with respect to the paper surface. Incidentally, the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 5 which is a plan view of the driving force transmission unit is the direction indicated by reference numeral (2).
[0030]
In FIG. 2, the unit 10 has a box-like structure that includes a peripheral wall 10A and opens one surface of the peripheral wall 10A in the rising direction. As shown in FIG. Are attached individually.
On the bottom surface of the unit 10, a main motor housing 11 equipped with a main motor as a rotational drive source in the printer 1 that collectively drives the fixing roller 6 </ b> A and the developing roller in the developing device is screwed. The output shaft of the main motor protrudes into the internal space of the unit 10 from a part of the bottom surface.
[0031]
As shown in FIG. 2, a main motor gear 12 is attached to the output shaft of the main motor, and one of the intermediate transmission gears 13 is engaged with the main motor gear 12.
The rotation of the intermediate transmission gear 13 is transmitted to the idle gears 16 and 16A via a plurality of intermediate gears 14 and 15 set in consideration of the reduction ratio, and the rotation of the idle gear 16A is coaxial with the fixing roller 6A. It is transmitted to a driven gear 17 that constitutes a transmission gear that can mesh with the fixing gear 6A1 (see FIG. 5) supported by the motor. 3 is a bottom view of the unit 10 shown in FIG. 2 (an arrow view in the direction indicated by reference numeral (3) in FIG. 5).
[0032]
The driven gear 17 is attached to the swing end 18A (see FIG. 4) of the swing member 18, as shown in FIGS.
The swing member 18 is supported so as to be swingable with the support shaft 16B of the idle gear 16 as a swing support point. As a result, the driven gear 17 is engaged with the fixing gear 6A1 according to the swing position of the swing member 18 as shown in FIG. 4A, and the fixing as shown in FIG. 4B. One of the states where the meshing with respect to the gear 6A1 is released is selected. Each of these states is set by switching the direction of swinging in conjunction with a sliding operation of an operating member 19 described later.
[0033]
The swing member 18 includes the swing end 18B located on the opposite side, which is an end portion different from the swing end 18A with the support shaft 16B interposed therebetween, in addition to the swing end 18A described above, and on the same side as the swing end 18A. A swing end 18C is provided at a different position.
One end of the torsion spring 20 used as a swinging biasing means for swinging and biasing the swinging member 18 is locked to the swinging end 18B opposite to the swinging end 18A. The actuating member 19 faces the swing end 18C on the same side as 18A.
[0034]
The other end of the torsion spring 20 in the chord winding direction is locked to the stopper portion K of the unit 10 as shown in FIG. 3, so that the restoring elastic force can be stored, and the swinging member 18 can be stored by the stored elastic force. 4B is provided with a habit of swinging clockwise about the support shaft 16B. Thus, the swinging biasing means that swings and biases the swinging member 18 so that the operating member 19 facing the swinging end 18C of the swinging member 18 slides toward the cover 1A that forms the opening / closing portion. As a result, the torsion spring 20 is used.
[0035]
The swinging position of the swinging member 18 due to the accumulated elastic force of the torsion spring 20 is defined by a stop provided on the unit 10 side, as indicated by reference numeral H in FIG. This position corresponds to a position where the driven gear 17 positioned at the swing end 18A normally meshes with the fixing gear 6A1.
[0036]
Since the oscillating end 18C is located on the same side as the oscillating end 18A on which the driven gear 17 is supported with respect to the support shaft 16B, the oscillating end 18C corresponds to the oscillating end 18A corresponding to the oscillating direction of the oscillating member 18. Swings in the direction of
In this embodiment, when the oscillating member 18 is oscillated clockwise by the biasing of the torsion spring 20, the driven gear 17 is disengaged from the fixing gear 6A1 as shown in FIG. 4B. When the swinging member 18 swings counterclockwise, as shown in FIG. 4A, the driven gear 17 is engaged with the fixing gear 6A1. The state shown in FIG. 4A is a state in which the swing member 18 is positioned by the stop H as described above.
[0037]
The actuating member 19 facing the swinging end 18C of the swinging member 18 is a sliding member whose operation direction is set in the same plane as the swinging member 18, and as shown in FIG. The surface on the same side in the thickness direction is positioned on a substantially continuous straight line.
[0038]
In FIG. 5, the actuating member 19 is composed of a sheet metal member having a longitudinal direction parallel to the sliding direction, and one end edge in the sliding direction faces the swinging end 18C of the swinging member 18, and the other end in the sliding direction. Is provided with an urging slide 21 described later.
[0039]
In FIG. 4, the operating member 19 is supported by the unit 10 while the sliding direction is defined by using a screw 19B as a guide member in a long hole 19A having a longitudinal direction along the sliding direction.
[0040]
The biasing sliding body 21 located at the other end of the operating member 19 in the sliding direction effectively applies the closing pressure generated when the cover 1A is closed as the meshing coupling force between the driven gear 16 and the fixing gear 6A1. It is a member. In other words, in FIG. 4, the biasing slide body 21 includes a stepped screw 22 inserted into an elongated hole 19 </ b> C formed in parallel with the sliding direction in the operating member 19 at one end in the sliding direction. The other end is provided with a receiving portion 21A on which the tip of the projection 1A1 fixed to the cover 1A can abut against. As shown in FIG. 5, the receiving portion 21 </ b> A is a portion that receives the urging force of the compression spring 23 disposed between the operating member 19 and the support portion 19 </ b> D provided at the other end in the sliding direction. The biasing slide 21 can move toward the cover 1A by the biasing force acting on the receiving portion 21A.
[0041]
The relationship of F1> F2 is set between the elastic force (F1) of the compression spring 23 and the elastic force (F2) of the torsion spring 20, so that the actuating member by the elastic restoring force when the compression spring 23 is compressed. The moving force 19 is made stronger than the moving force of the swing member 18 </ b> B due to the elastic restoring force of the torsion spring 20. For this reason, when the cover 1A is closed, if the projection 1A1 comes into contact with the receiving portion 21A of the urging slide 21, the compression is performed even if the positions of the projection 1A1 and the receiving portion 21A of the cover 1A are slightly shifted. Since the spring 23 contracts and deforms, the swinging member 18 swings in the direction in which the driven gear 17 meshes with the fixing gear 6A1 against the bias of the torsion spring 20.
[0042]
In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4 (B), the position of the receiving portion 21A of the biasing sliding body 21 when the cover 1A is opened (indicated by reference numeral P1 in FIG. 4 (B) for convenience). However, as shown in FIG. 4A, {X− (Y−Z)} is obtained as the amount of displacement when the cover 1A is closed.
[0043]
The compression spring 23 is always pressed against both members by disposing each end portion in the extending direction between the receiving portion 21A of the biasing sliding body 21 and the other end portion in the sliding direction of the actuating member 18. Therefore, not only at the time of contraction deformation, but also when the contraction deformation is released, both members are pressed against each other so as not to fall off.
[0044]
As shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, the torsion spring 20, which is the oscillating urging means, has an end portion different from the end portion located on the oscillating member 18 side against the urging force of the torsion spring 20. A solenoid 24 is provided as a driving means that can swing the swing member 18 in a direction in which the actuating member 19 moves away from the cover 1 </ b> A that is an opening / closing portion.
The solenoid 24 is fastened and fixed to a bracket 25 attached to the unit 10, and the end of the torsion spring 20 is inserted into an engagement hole 24A1 formed in the actuator 24A that is an operation part. Are engaged and connected.
[0045]
The solenoid 24 is energized at the time of operation, and the actuator 24A is drawn into the solenoid main body at the time of operation. This is equivalent to a stroke that can move the actuating member 19 toward the cover 1A against the biasing force of the torsion spring 20 by pulling the stopped swinging end 18B. At this time, as shown by an arrow in FIG. 4B, the swing member 18 swings clockwise.
The movement stroke of the actuator 24A is defined by a flange 24B fixed to the actuator 24A. Further, when the solenoid 24 is excited and actuated, the suction force (SD) at the solenoid 24 and the compression spring provided on the sliding member 19 side are used to slide the actuating member 19 toward the cover 1A. The relationship between the elastic force (F1) 23 and SD> F1 is set.
[0046]
The operation timing of the solenoid 24 corresponds to the start time of the printer 1 corresponding to the start time of the main motor, and is a predetermined time immediately after the start of the main motor or after the cover 1A is changed from the opened state to the closed position. In addition to being set during the time, the ambient temperature in the printer at the time of warm-up or the surface temperature of the fixing roller 6A is a condition.
[0047]
  In this embodiment, a temperature sensor (not shown) that can detect the temperature in the printer and the surface temperature of the fixing roller 6A.SetThe temperature sensor output is driven by a solenoid 24 drive control unit (not shown).SetOutput). When the ambient temperature in the printer 1 and the surface temperature of the fixing roller 6A are used as conditions, the surface temperature of the fixing roller 6A is a predetermined temperature, in this case, close to a fixable temperature, or the ambient temperature in the printer 1 Is set so that the solenoid 24 is not operated when the temperature is close to the ambient temperature during the normal printing operation or when the temperature is lower than the guaranteed use temperature of the printer. Unlike these conditions when the temperature of the fixing roller 6A is raised, these conditions are such that the temperature gradient when the fixing roller 6A comes into contact with the pressure roller 6B is less likely to occur or the temperature gradient is quickly eliminated. The power consumption in the solenoid 24 is reduced without interrupting the transmission of the driving force to the roller 6A.
[0048]
When the solenoid 24 is operated, the torsion spring 20 is pulled by pulling the actuator 24A into the solenoid body, and the swing member 18 swings in a direction in which the driven gear 17 releases the meshing with the fixing gear 6A1. Become.
[0049]
When the solenoid 24 is not in operation, that is, in a non-excited state, the actuator 24A can be interlocked with the displacement of the end of the torsion spring 20. When the cover 1A is closed, the solenoid 24A is shown in FIG. As described above, based on the relationship between the elastic force of the compression spring 23 and the torsion spring 20 described above, the swing member 18 swings in the direction in which the driven gear 17 meshes with the fixing gear 6A1 against the bias of the torsion spring 20. In the state where the cover 1A is opened, as shown in FIG. 4B, the swinging member 18 of the torsion spring 20 is interlocked with the movement of the actuating member 19 toward the cover 1A. By urging, the driven gear 17 and the fixing gear 6A1 can be swung in a direction to release the meshing.
[0050]
In the present embodiment, in the configuration as described above, the operating state of the solenoid 24 as the driving means is set based on the above-described conditions, so that the cover 1 is in the closed state separately from the open / closed state of the cover 1A. Sometimes, the meshing relationship between the driven gear 17 and the fixing gear 6A1 can be changed. That is, when the main motor is started when the cover 1A is in the closed position, the operation state of the solenoid 24 is set corresponding to the timing, and the fixing roller 6A is set from the main motor according to this operation state. The connection / disconnection switching of the rotational driving force is performed. As a result, the rotation state of the fixing roller 6A can be controlled using the main motor provided in the printer 1 without using a new drive source for the fixing roller 6A.
[0051]
In particular, when the printer 1 is started, which is when the main motor is started, it is driven for a predetermined time regardless of the warm-up rotation of the developing roller in the photosensitive member or developing device other than the fixing roller 6A driven by the main motor. Since the transmission of the rotational driving force to the fixing gear 6A1 via the gear 17 can be released, when the fixing roller 6A rotates, the temperature of the fixing roller 6A is lost due to contact with the pressure roller 6B and the removal of heat. Can be prevented from decreasing. Moreover, when the temperature of the fixing roller 6A is not in a condition that causes a temperature drop, in other words, when the fixing roller 6A is close to a predetermined fixing temperature and when the fixing roller 6A is at an ambient temperature where there is little reduction in the fixing temperature, a state where power is intentionally consumed. By eliminating the above, it is possible to suppress an increase in cost as a printer due to power consumption.
[0052]
【The invention's effect】
  Claim 1And 2According to the described invention, when the opening / closing part is closed, the transmission means and the driven member are operated by the driving means being operated in a state where the operating member is in contact with the opening / closing part by the biasing of the swing biasing means. Since the swinging member is set in the swinging position in the direction in which the meshing with the side gear is released, the driving force transmission switching to the driven member can be performed using only the main motor as the driving source. As a result, there is no need to provide a drive source dedicated to the driven member, so that it is possible to eliminate the cost increase and control complexity that would otherwise occur when a drive source is newly provided.
[0054]
According to the third aspect of the present invention, the torsion spring is used as the swinging biasing means, and the driven means is connected to the end of the torsion spring, that is, driven only by utilizing the behavior of the torsion spring, that is, tightening and loosening. The transmission control of the driving force to the member can be performed, and the configuration complexity can be eliminated.
[0055]
  According to invention of Claim 4,Since a solenoid is used as the drive means, it is easy to install in the drive force transmission unit in addition to the drive force transmission control of the driven member using only the main motor by simple control that only sets the excitation time With this configuration, it is possible to control the driving force transmission.
[0056]
  According to invention of Claim 5,Since the operating state of the driving means can be set based on the temperature in the housing or the temperature of the driven member, it is possible to optimize energy usage in the driving means to save energy.
[0057]
  Claim6 notesAccording to the invention described,Since only the main motor can be used without requiring a special drive source for the driven member, it is possible to prevent the structure from becoming complicated and to suppress an increase in cost.
  According to the seventh and eighth aspects of the invention, the start-up time of the main motor is equivalent to the warm-up time for image forming processing, and the operating state of the driving means is set based on this time point. At this time, the fixing roller used as the driven member can be stopped when driven by the photosensitive member or the developing device, thereby minimizing the amount of heat taken from the fixing roller to the pressure roller, and starting from the stopped state. It is possible to shorten the start-up time when the image is generated, and to shorten the waiting time required for starting the first image forming process.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram for explaining an example of an image forming apparatus including a fixing device in which a driving device according to an embodiment of the present invention is used.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a unit as a driving force transmission unit provided in a fixing device in which a driving device according to an embodiment of the present invention is used.
3 is a bottom view of the unit shown in FIG. 2. FIG.
4A and 4B are diagrams for explaining the operation of the driving force transmission unit shown in FIG. 2, wherein FIG. 4A shows a state in which the cover is closed, and FIG. 4B shows a state in which the cover is released. ing.
FIG. 5 is a plan view showing the relationship between the unit shown in FIG. 2 and a fixing roller.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Printer as one of image forming devices
1A Cover as printer opening / closing part
6A Fixing roller as driven member
6A1 Gear of driven member
10 Unit as drive force transmission unit
11 Main motor housing
16B Oscillation fulcrum
17 Transmission gear
18 Swing member
19 Actuating member
20 Swing biasing means
24 Solenoid as drive means

Claims (8)

Some walls are housed in a housing having an openable / closable part,
A driving source;
Driving force transmitting means for transmitting the driving force from the driving source to the driven member ;
In a drive device comprising:
The driving force transmission means is
A transmission gear capable of transmitting a driving force from the driving source;
A swingable swinging member comprising the transmission gear;
Oscillating biasing means for urging the oscillating member in a direction to release transmission of driving force from the transmission gear to the driven member ;
The pre KiYurado member, drive means for oscillating a direction to release the transmission of the driving force from the transmission gear to the driven member,
An elastic member which is the weaker elastic force than the force to swing the swing member of the driving means stronger than the urging force of the swing biasing means,
An actuating member for transmitting the opening / closing of the opening / closing portion to the swing member;
A biasing sliding body for sandwiching the elastic member with the operating member;
The driving device according to claim 1, wherein the operating member slides in a direction in which the elastic member is compressed when the opening / closing portion is closed and the driving means is operated. The drive device according to claim 1,
The actuating member has a sliding mechanism;
The actuating member is
When the opening / closing part is opened, it slides in a direction approaching the opening / closing part,
When the opening / closing part is closed, it slides in a direction away from the opening / closing part,
A driving device that slides in a direction approaching the opening / closing portion when the opening / closing portion is closed and when the driving device is operated. The drive device according to claim 1 or 2,
A torsion spring is used for the swing biasing means,
One end of the rocking member is opposed to one end of the torsion spring, and an operating part of the driving means is connected,
The actuating unit is interlocked with one end of the torsion spring. The drive device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The driving means is composed of a solenoid,
The solenoid is
A drive device that operates for a predetermined time immediately after starting of the drive source or after the opening / closing portion changes from an open state to a closed state. In the drive device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The driving means includes
Driving apparatus characterized by operating on the basis of the temperature of the temperature in the case or the driven member at the time the previous SL drive source in a state where the opening and closing portion is closed is started.   An image forming apparatus comprising the driving device according to claim 1. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6.
Image forming apparatus characterized by at the start of the previous SL drive source are made to correspond to the time of warm-up for the image forming process. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6 or 7, wherein:
The image forming apparatus, wherein the driven member is a fixing roller in a fixing device.

Images