JP7639294B2 - Image forming device - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to an image forming device equipped with a drawer.

Conventionally, there is known an image forming apparatus that includes a main body housing, a drawer having a latch, a cartridge having a photosensitive drum, and an intermediate transfer belt. The drawer is supported so as to be movable relative to the main body housing. When a user installs a cartridge in the main body housing, the user first pulls out the drawer from the main body housing. The user then installs the cartridge in the drawer. After installing the cartridge in the drawer, the user installs the drawer in the main body housing. When the drawer is installed in the main body housing, the photosensitive drum comes into contact with the intermediate transfer belt, making it possible for the developer image on the photosensitive drum to be transferred to the intermediate transfer belt.

In the technology of Patent Document 1, after the cartridge is installed in the drawer, the latch is moved to the lock position, so that the cartridge is positioned in the drawer. The drawer is then installed in the main body housing, and the cover of the main body housing is closed. At this time, the photosensitive drum comes into contact with the intermediate transfer belt.

US Patent Application Publication No. 2020/0142348

However, in the conventional disclosure, the cartridge was positioned in the drawer by the latch alone, which meant that the user had to exert a large operating load to move the latch to the locked position while the cartridge was attached to the drawer.

The present disclosure has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide an image forming device that reduces the operating load required by the user to move the latch to the locked position and allows the cartridge to be positioned relative to the drawer.

To achieve this objective, the present disclosure includes a main body housing, a drawer supported movably in a first direction relative to the main body housing, a first cartridge detachably attached to the drawer, the first cartridge having a first photosensitive drum rotatable about a first drum axis extending in a second direction and a first boss protruding in the second direction, and an intermediate transfer belt located below the drawer and capable of contacting the first photosensitive drum. The drawer has a latch rotatable about a rotation axis extending in the first direction between a lock position that locks the first cartridge to the drawer and an unlock position that unlocks the first cartridge from the drawer, the latch having a hole that allows the first boss to be inserted and a rim located on the outer periphery of the hole when the latch is in the lock position. When the first cartridge is attached to the drawer, the first boss is inserted into the hole, and the drawer is positioned inside the main body housing, if the first photosensitive drum is separated from the intermediate transfer belt, the first boss is separated from the edge, and if the first photosensitive drum comes into contact with the intermediate transfer belt, the first cartridge moves upward relative to the drawer and the first boss comes into contact with the edge.

With this configuration, when the intermediate transfer belt is in the contact position, the first boss comes into contact with the edge of the hole in the drawer, thereby fixing the cartridge to the drawer.

The intermediate transfer belt may also be configured to be movable between a belt contact position where it contacts the first photosensitive drum and a belt separation position where it is separated from the first photosensitive drum.

With this configuration, the intermediate transfer belt can be moved to come into contact with the first photosensitive drum.

The main body housing also has an opening and a cover that can move between a closed position that closes the opening and an open position that opens the opening, and the intermediate transfer belt is in a belt contact position when the cover is in the closed position, and in a belt separation position when the cover is in the open position.

With this configuration, the intermediate transfer belt can come into contact with and be separated from the first photosensitive drum in conjunction with opening and closing the cover.

The main body housing may also have an opening and a cover that can move between a closed position that closes the opening and an open position that opens the opening, and the intermediate transfer belt may be configured to be in a contact position when the cover is in the closed position and to be in a separated position when the cover is in the open position.

With this configuration, it is possible to move the intermediate transfer belt in conjunction with opening and closing the cover.

The device may further include a transfer device having an intermediate transfer belt, a driven roller, and a drive roller, the intermediate transfer belt being stretched between the driven roller and the drive roller, the cover being in contact with the shaft of the driven roller, and the driven roller moving as the cover moves between the belt contact position and the belt separation position.

With this configuration, it is possible to move the intermediate transfer belt by moving the driven roller in conjunction with the opening and closing of the cover.

Also, the drawer may be configured to move upward together with the first cartridge when the first boss is in contact with the edge.

The first cartridge may be detachable from the drawer in a third direction, and the drawer may have a protrusion at an upper end of the drawer in the third direction, the protrusion not contacting the main body housing when the intermediate transfer belt is in the belt separation position, and may be configured to contact the main body housing in the third direction when the intermediate transfer belt is in the belt contact position.

With this configuration, the drawer also moves upward together with the first cartridge, and the protruding portion of the drawer comes into contact with the main body housing, so that the drawer is also positioned relative to the main body housing.

The edge may have a linear surface, and when the latch is in the locked position, the linear surface is located above the first boss, and when the first photosensitive drum is separated from the intermediate transfer belt, the first boss is separated from the linear surface, and when the first photosensitive drum is in contact with the intermediate transfer belt, the first boss may be in contact with the linear surface.

With this configuration, the cartridge is positioned relative to the drawer when the first boss comes into contact with the linear surface.

The second direction may also be perpendicular to the first direction.

The first cartridge may also have a drum coupling that is rotatable together with the first photosensitive drum, and the first boss may have a first cylindrical portion that covers the drum coupling.

With this configuration, the drum coupling fits into the hole in the latch via the first boss, allowing it to be exposed to the drawer and receive driving force from the main body housing.

The main body housing may have a memory main electrode, the latch may have a memory relay electrode, the first cartridge may have a memory electrode that is electrically connected to the memory main electrode via the memory relay electrode, and when the intermediate transfer belt is in the contact position, the memory electrode may be electrically connected to the relay electrode.

With this configuration, when the first boss comes into contact with the edge of the hole, the cartridge electrode and the relay electrode come into contact and are electrically connected.

The memory electrodes may also be configured to face downward.

With this configuration, the memory electrode can easily come into contact with the memory relay electrode.

According to the present disclosure, it is possible to secure the cartridge to the drawer with a small operating load.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an image forming apparatus. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment; 13A and 13B are cross-sectional views showing the relationship between the drawer, the transfer device, and the main housing as viewed from a second direction, in which (a) the linear cam is located in a first position, and (b) the linear cam is located in a second position. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the cartridge as viewed from a second direction. FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the cartridge as viewed from one end side in the second direction. FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the cartridge as viewed from the other end side in the second direction. FIG. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the drawer with the latch in the unlocked position. 11 is a perspective view of the cartridge as viewed from the other end side in the second direction. FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the cartridge as viewed from one end side in the second direction. FIG. FIG. 2 is a side view of the cartridge when it is attached to the drawer. 11A and 11B are schematic diagrams illustrating the cartridge when viewed from a second direction, in which FIG. 1A and 1B are diagrams showing contact and separation between the intermediate transfer belt and the photosensitive drum in conjunction with the opening and closing operations of the cover, in which (a) shows a state in which the intermediate transfer belt is located at a belt separation position, and (b) shows a state in which the intermediate transfer belt is located at a belt contact position. FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a cartridge according to a modified example.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings as appropriate. In the following description, the direction of movement of the drawer 100 between inside the main body housing 10 and outside the main body housing 10 is defined as a first direction. The axial direction of the developing roller 62 is defined as a second direction. The first direction intersects with the second direction. Preferably, the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction. The direction in which the cartridge 20 is attached to and detached from the drawer 100 is defined as a third direction. The third direction intersects with the second direction and the first direction. Preferably, the third direction is perpendicular to the second direction and the first direction. In addition, the expressions "up" and "down" are also used as appropriate for the third direction. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, in the third direction, the exposure unit SU is located on the upper side of the drawer 100, and the intermediate transfer belt 73 is located on the lower side of the drawer 100.

(1) Overview of Image Forming Apparatus 1 As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the image forming apparatus 1 includes a main body housing 10, a transfer device 70, and a drawer 100.

The main body housing 10 has a cover 11, an opening 12, a lever 13, and a main body electrode 14.

The cover 11 is located at one end of the main body housing 10 in the first direction. The cover 11 is movable between a closed position in which the opening 12 is closed and an open position in which the opening 12 is open.

The lever 13 is located on the other end side of the main body housing 10 in the first direction. The lever 13 is located below the drawer 100. The lever 13 is rotatable about a lever axis X3 that extends in the second direction.

The main body electrode 14 is electrically connected to the cartridge electrode 33 of the cartridge 20 via the relay electrode 160 of the drawer 100 described below. The main body electrode 14 has a process main body electrode 15 and a memory main body electrode 16.

The process main body electrode 15 is located inside the main body housing 10. The process main body electrode 15 is located at one end of the main body housing 10 in the second direction. In other words, when the drawer 100 is attached, the process main body electrode 15 is located on the same side in the second direction as the end where the relay electrode 160 of the drawer 100 is located.

The memory main body electrode 16 is located inside the main body housing 10. The memory main body electrode 16 is located at one end of the main body housing 10 in the first direction. In other words, when the drawer 100 is installed inside the main body housing 10, the memory main body electrode 16 is located on the same side in the first direction as the end where the connector 141 of the drawer 100 is located.

The transfer device 70 is located below the drawer 100 in the third direction. In other words, the transfer device 70 is located on the opposite side of the drawer 100 from the top surface 18 of the main body housing 10 in the third direction. The transfer device 70 has a drive roller 71, a driven roller 72, an intermediate transfer belt 73, and a plurality of primary transfer rollers 74. The drive roller 71 is located away from the driven roller 72 in the first direction. The intermediate transfer belt 73 is an endless belt. The drive roller 71 and the driven roller 72 contact each other from the inside of the intermediate transfer belt 73. The intermediate transfer belt 73 is stretched between the drive roller 71 and the driven roller 72. The primary transfer roller 74 is located inside the intermediate transfer belt 73. The primary transfer roller 74 sandwiches the intermediate transfer belt 73 between itself and the photosensitive drum 32 described later. In this embodiment, the number of primary transfer rollers 74 that the transfer device 70 has is four. However, as long as the number is the same as the number of photosensitive drums 32 described below, it may be one to three, or five or more.

The drawer 100 is movable in a first direction between inside and outside the main housing 10. In FIG. 1, the drawer 100 is located outside the main housing 10. The cartridges 20 are individually attachable to and detachable from the drawer 100. When the cartridges 20 are attached to the drawer 100, they can be attached to the main housing 10 together with the drawer 100. The cartridge 20 has a cartridge housing 31, a photosensitive drum 32, an IC chip 36, a charging roller 35, a developing housing 41, a developing roller 42, and a supply roller 45. When attached to the drawer 100, the cartridges 20 are positioned side by side at intervals in the first direction.

The cartridges 20 contain developers of different colors (e.g., cyan, magenta, yellow, and black). The number of cartridges 20 mounted in the drawer 100 of this embodiment is four. More specifically, the cartridges 20 include a first cartridge 20a, a second cartridge 20b, a third cartridge 20c, and a fourth cartridge 20d. The first cartridge 20a includes a first photosensitive drum 32a and a first developing roller 42a. The second cartridge 20b includes a second photosensitive drum 32b and a second developing roller 42b. The third cartridge 20c includes a third photosensitive drum 32c and a third developing roller 42c. The fourth cartridge 20d includes a fourth photosensitive drum 32d and a fourth developing roller 42d. However, the number of cartridges 20 mounted in the drawer 100 may be one to three, or may be five or more.

The image forming device 1 forms images through the following process.

As shown in FIG. 4, the image forming apparatus 1 applies a charging voltage to the charging roller 35 and rotates the charging roller 35 while in contact with the photosensitive drum 32 to charge the surface of the photosensitive drum 32. Next, the image forming apparatus 1 exposes the surface of the photosensitive drum 32 with the exposure device SU (see FIG. 2) to form an electrostatic latent image. In parallel with these operations, the image forming apparatus 1 applies a supply voltage to the supply roller 45 and supplies the developer in the development housing 41 from the supply roller 45 to the development roller 42. By applying a development voltage to the development roller 42, the developer of the development roller 42 adheres to the exposed portion of the photosensitive drum 32, and a developer image is formed on the photosensitive drum 32. Then, the image forming apparatus 1 transfers the developer image to the intermediate transfer belt 73 by sandwiching the intermediate transfer belt 73 between the photosensitive drum 32 having the developer image and the primary transfer roller 74. The developer image transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 73 is transported toward the drive roller 71, and the sheet is sandwiched between the drive roller 71 and the secondary transfer roller 19 of the main body housing 10, thereby transferring the developer image to the sheet. The developer image on the sheet is fixed by the fixing device 80 of the main body housing 10, and the sheet is discharged onto the top surface 18 of the main body housing 10.

(2) Details of the Cartridge 20 As shown in FIGS. 4, 5, and 6, the cartridge 20 has a first unit 30 and a second unit 40.

(2-1) First unit 30
The first unit 30 has a cartridge housing 31 , a photosensitive drum 32 , a drum coupling 32 a , a cartridge electrode 33 , a charging roller 35 , and an IC chip 36 .

The cartridge housing 31 is made of insulating resin. The cartridge housing 31 rotatably supports the photosensitive drum 32. The cartridge housing 31 has a first boss 31a that rotatably supports one end of the photosensitive drum 32 in the second direction, a second boss 31b that rotatably supports the other end of the photosensitive drum 32 in the second direction, and a third boss 31c that rotatably supports a development coupling 40a of a second unit 40 described later. The first boss 31a protrudes from one end of the cartridge housing 31 in the second direction. The second boss 31b protrudes from the other end of the cartridge housing 31 in the second direction. The third boss 31c protrudes from the other end of the cartridge housing 31 in the second direction.

The cartridge housing 31 supports the second unit 40 so that it can rotate relative to the first unit 30 about a rotation axis that extends in the second direction.

The photosensitive drum 32 is rotatable about a drum axis X1 extending in the second direction. The photosensitive drum 32 has a metal base tube and a photosensitive layer applied to the surface of the base tube. The base tube is electrically connected to the drum earth 34c, which will be described later. As a result, when the photosensitive layer is charged, a potential difference is created between the surface of the photosensitive layer and the base tube, generating an electric field.

The drum coupling 32a is located at the other end of the photosensitive drum 32 in the second direction. The photosensitive drum 32 receives a rotational force from the main body housing 10 via the drum coupling 32a and rotates.

The cartridge electrode 33 is located at one end of the cartridge housing 31 in the second direction. The cartridge electrode 33 has a process electrode 34 and an IC chip 36. The cartridge electrode 33 is electrically connected to a relay electrode 160 described later, and is electrically connected to the main housing 10 via the relay electrode 160.

The process electrode 34 has a development electrode 34a, a supply electrode 34b, a drum earth 34c, and a charging electrode 34d. The development electrode 34a is electrically connected to the development roller 42. The supply electrode 34b is electrically connected to the supply roller 45. The drum earth 34c is electrically connected to the base tube of the photosensitive drum 32. The charging electrode 34d is electrically connected to the charging roller 35. The process electrode 34 is exposed and can come into contact with a relay electrode 160 described later.

The IC chip 36 has a memory 36a and a memory electrode 36b. The memory 36a can store information about the cartridge 20. Specifically, the memory 36a can store information about whether the cartridge 20 is new or not, information about the amount of developer used, information about the color of the developer contained in the cartridge 20, and the like. The memory electrode 36b is electrically connected to the memory 36a. The memory electrode 36b is exposed and can come into contact with a relay electrode 160, which will be described later.

(2-2) Second unit 40
The second unit 40 has a development coupling 40a, a development housing 41, a development roller 42, a cam receiving groove 43, an agitator 44, a supply roller 45, and a pressure spring 21 as an example of an elastic member.

The developing coupling 40a is located at the other end of the second unit 40 in the second direction. The developing coupling 40a is rotatable about a developing coupling axis X3, which is a rotation axis extending in the second direction. The developing coupling 40a receives a rotational force from the main body housing 10 and rotates. The developing roller 42 receives a rotational force from the developing coupling 40a via a gear (not shown) and rotates. The agitator 44 also receives a rotational force from the developing coupling 40a via a gear (not shown) and rotates. The supply roller 45 also receives a rotational force from the developing coupling 40a via a gear (not shown) and rotates.

The developing housing 41 contains the developer. The developing housing 41 is located between one end of the cartridge housing 31 and the other end of the cartridge housing 31 in the second direction.

The developing roller 42 adheres the developer supplied to the supply roller 45 to the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 32. At this time, a developing voltage is applied to the developing roller 42 by the developing electrode 34a.

The cam receiving groove 43 comes into contact with a linear cam 170 of the drawer 100, which will be described later. The cam receiving groove 43 is located on the underside of the second unit 40. In other words, the cam receiving groove 43 is located at the other end of the second unit 40 in the third direction. In other words, the cartridge 20 has the cam receiving groove 43 at the other end in the third direction.

The agitator 44 is located inside the developing housing 41 and rotates about an agitator axis X4 extending in the second direction to agitate the developer contained in the developing housing 41.

The supply roller 45 is located inside the developing housing 41 and supplies developer to the developing roller 42. At this time, a supply voltage is applied to the supply roller 45 by the supply electrode 34b.

As shown in FIG. 11, the second unit 40 can rotate relative to the first unit 30 between a contact position where the developing roller 42 contacts the photosensitive drum 32 and a separation position where the developing roller 42 is separated from the photosensitive drum 32. Since the developing coupling 40a is supported by the third boss 31c, the second unit 40 rotates relative to the first unit 30 about the developing coupling axis X3 (see FIG. 6).

The pressure spring 21 is a member that presses the developing roller 42 toward the photosensitive drum 32. The pressure spring 21 is located on the outer surface of the developing housing 41 and contacts the first unit 30. The pressure spring 21 presses the developing housing 41 so that the developing roller 32 abuts against the photosensitive drum 32. Therefore, when no external force is applied to the cartridge 20 (hereinafter referred to as normal), the developing roller 42 is in contact with the photosensitive drum 32. In other words, under normal circumstances, the second unit 32 is located in the contact position.

Even if the second unit 40 rotates, the electrical connection between the developing electrode 34a and the electrode of the developing roller 42 is maintained. Specifically, the contact area of the developing electrode 34a is larger than the contact area of the electrode of the developing roller 42. Therefore, when the second unit 40 rotates, the electrode of the developing roller 42 moves while rubbing against the developing electrode 34a. As a result, even if the second unit 40 rotates, the electrode of the developing roller 42 maintains an electrical connection with the developing electrode 34a. Also, even if the second unit 40 rotates, the electrical connection between the supply electrode 34b and the electrode of the supply roller 45 is maintained. Specifically, the contact area of the supply electrode 34b is larger than the contact area of the electrode of the supply roller 45. Therefore, when the second unit 40 rotates, the electrode of the supply roller 45 moves while rubbing against the supply electrode 34b. As a result, even if the second unit 40 rotates, the electrode of the supply roller 45 maintains an electrical connection with the supply electrode 34b.

(3) Details of Drawer 100 As shown in FIGS. 7, 8, and 9, the drawer 100 includes a first side frame 110, a second side frame 120, a latch 130, a relay electrode 160, and a linear cam 170.

(3-1) First side frame 110, second side frame 120
The first side frame 110 is located at one end of the drawer 100 in the second direction. The first side frame 110 has a first guide groove 111. The first guide groove 111 guides one end of the cartridge 20 in the second direction when the cartridge 20 is attached to or detached from the drawer 100. Specifically, the first guide groove 111 guides the first boss 31a.

The second side frame 120 is located at the other end of the cartridge 20 in the second direction. The second side frame 120 has a second guide groove 121 and a third guide groove 122. The second guide groove 121 and the third guide groove guide the other end of the cartridge 20 in the second direction. Specifically, the second guide groove 121 guides the second boss 31b. The third guide groove 122 guides the third boss 31c.

(3-2) Latch 130
The latch 130 has a plurality of holes 131 that allow the end of the cartridge 20 in the second direction to be inserted. More specifically, when the latch 130 is positioned at a lock position described below with the cartridge 20 attached to the drawer, the latch 130 has a plurality of holes 131 that allow the first boss 31a, the second boss 31b, and the third boss 31c of the cartridge 20 to be inserted, respectively.

The latch 130 can rotate about a rotation axis extending in the first direction between a lock position in which the cartridge 20 is locked to the drawer 100 and an unlock position in which the cartridge 20 is unlocked from the drawer 100. When the cartridge 20 is attached to the drawer 100 and the latch 130 is in the unlock position, the cartridge 20 is in a position in which it can be attached to and detached from the drawer 100. When the cartridge 20 is attached to the drawer 100 and the latch 130 is in the lock position, the cartridge 20 is locked to the drawer 100 and cannot be attached to or detached from the drawer 100. More specifically, when the cartridge 20 is attached to the drawer 100 and the latch 130 is in the lock position, the end of the cartridge 20 in the second direction is inserted into the hole 131. As a result, the latch 130 restricts the cartridge 20 from being removed from the drawer 100. Note that the cartridge 20 being locked in the drawer 100 refers to a state in which the cartridge 20 is restricted from being removed from the drawer 100. In this embodiment, the cartridge 20 is locked in the drawer 100 by a latch 130, and the latch hole 131 is larger than the first boss 31a. Therefore, the cartridge 20 is configured to be movable relative to the drawer 100 by the gap between the latch hole 131 and the first boss 31a.

The latch 130 has a first latch 140 and a second latch 150. The first latch 140 is located at one end of the drawer 100 in the second direction. The first latch 140 is located on the first side frame. The second latch 150 is located at the other end of the drawer 100 in the second direction. The second latch 150 is located on the second side frame.

The first latch 140 has a connector 141 that can be electrically connected to the memory main body electrode 16 of the main body housing 10, a conductor 142 that electrically connects the connector 141 to a memory relay electrode 161 described later, and a groove 143.

The connector 141 is located at one end of the first latch 140 in the first direction. When the drawer 100 is attached to the main body housing 10, the connector 141 is electrically connected to the memory main body electrode 16 of the main body housing 10. In this embodiment, the connector 141 is supported so as to be movable in the third direction relative to the first latch. This allows the connector 141 to absorb positional errors when connecting to the memory main body electrode 16 of the main body housing 10.

The conductor 142 is electrically connected to the memory relay electrode 161. The conductor 142 is located at the end opposite the rotation center of the first latch 140.

The groove 143 is located at the end opposite the center of rotation of the first latch 140. The conductor 142 is located in the groove 143 of the first latch 140. When the conductor 142 is located in the groove 143, the conductor 142 is located between the relay portion 165 of the process relay electrode 162 (described later) and the first latch 140.

In this embodiment, the latch 130 has four memory relay electrodes 161. Therefore, four sets of conductors 142 are provided to correspond to the respective memory relay electrodes 161. The four sets of conductors 142 are connected to one connector 141 without being electrically connected to each other. However, in this embodiment, one set of conductors 142 refers to multiple conductors required to exchange information with one IC chip 36.

(3-3) Hole 131
The first latch 140 has a first hole 145 that allows the first boss 31 a to be inserted therein. The second latch 150 has a second hole 155 that allows the second boss 31 b to be inserted therein. The first hole 145 and the second hole 155 are examples of the hole 131.

The edge 132 of the hole 131 has a wedge-shaped portion 132a and an arc portion 132b. In this embodiment, the edge 132 of the hole refers to a portion of the latch 130 that surrounds the hole 131. The edge 132 of the hole is located on the outer periphery of the hole. More specifically, it refers to the portion that faces the cylindrical portion of the first boss 31a when the first boss 31a is inserted into the hole 131. The cylindrical portion of the first boss 31a can come into contact with the edge 132 of the hole.

The wedge-shaped portion 132a is located at the end of the edge 132 of the hole in the third direction that is farther from the intermediate transfer belt 73. The wedge-shaped portion 132a is configured so that the width of the hole 131 in the first direction gradually narrows as it moves upward in the third direction. In other words, the wedge-shaped portion 132a is configured so that the width of the hole 131 gradually narrows as it moves away from the intermediate transfer belt 73 in the third direction. The wedge-shaped portion 132a has two linear surfaces. The wedge-shaped portion 132a is V-shaped by the two linear surfaces. As a result, when the first boss 31a is raised to the top relative to the drawer 100, the wedge-shaped portion 132a and the first boss 31a come into contact at two points. In other words, when the cartridge 20 is raised to the top relative to the drawer 100, the wedge-shaped portion 132a and the first boss 31a come into contact with each other at two points. When the second boss 31b is raised to the top relative to the drawer 100, the wedge-shaped portion 132a and the second boss 31b come into contact with each other at two points. When the cartridge 20 is raised to the top relative to the drawer 100, the wedge-shaped portion 132a and the second boss 31b come into contact with each other at two points. Note that when the cartridge 20 is raised to the top relative to the drawer 100, the cartridge 20 is moved to a position where it cannot move relative to the drawer 100 when the cartridge 20 is moved in the third direction in the opposite direction to the intermediate transfer belt 73 while attached to the drawer 100.

The arc portion 132b is located at the end of the hole edge 132 in the third direction that is closer to the intermediate transfer belt 73. The arc portion 132b can come into contact with the first boss 31a of the cartridge 20. When the cartridge 20 is lifted, the arc portion 132b moves away from the first boss 31a.

(3-4) Relay electrode 160
The relay electrode 160 is located in the first latch 140. In other words, the relay electrode 160 is located in the latch 130.

In this embodiment, since the number of cartridges 20 mounted in the drawer 100 is four, the drawer 100 has four relay electrodes 160. More specifically, the drawer 100 has four each of the memory relay electrodes 161, development relay electrodes 162a, supply relay electrodes 162b, drum relay electrodes 162c, and charging relay electrodes 162d, which will be described later. However, since each relay electrode 160 is configured in the same way in this embodiment, the following description will focus on each relay electrode 160 corresponding to one cartridge 20.

The relay electrode 160 has a memory relay electrode 161 and a process relay electrode 162.

The memory relay electrode 161 contacts the memory electrode 36b when the cartridge 20 is attached to the drawer 100 and the latch 130 is in the lock position. The memory relay electrode 161 is electrically connected to the connector 141 of the first latch 140 via the conductor 142. The connector 141 can be electrically connected to the memory main body electrode 16 of the main body housing 10. When the drawer 100 is attached to the main body housing 10, the memory relay electrode 161 is electrically connected to the main body memory electrode of the main body housing 10 via the connector 141. Therefore, when the drawer 100 is attached to the main body housing 10 with the cartridge 20 attached to the drawer 100 and the latch 130 in the lock position, the memory electrode 36b is electrically connected to the main body memory electrode of the main body housing 10 via the memory relay electrode 161.

When the first latch 140 is in the locked position, the contact of the memory relay electrode 161 faces upward. In other words, when the first latch 140 is in the locked position, the contact of the memory relay electrode 161 faces in a direction to remove the cartridge 20 from the drawer 100. When the first latch 140 is in the locked position, the contact of the memory relay electrode 161 is located at the end opposite the rotation axis of the first latch 140 in the third direction. When the cartridge 20 is attached to the drawer 100 and the first latch 140 is in the locked position, the memory electrode 36b comes into contact with the memory relay electrode 161. This allows the memory relay electrode 161 to be electrically connected to the memory electrode 36b.

The process relay electrode 162 sandwiches the first latch 140. When the cartridge 20 is attached to the drawer 100 and the latch 130 is in the lock position, the process relay electrode 162 comes into contact with the process electrode 34. This electrically connects the process relay electrode 162 to the process electrode 34. Also, when the cartridge 20 is attached to the drawer 100 and the latch 130 is in the lock position, the process relay electrode 162 comes into contact with the process main body electrode 15. This allows the process relay electrode 162 to be electrically connected to the process main body electrode 15.

The process relay electrode 162 has a development relay electrode 162a, a supply relay electrode 162b, a drum relay electrode 162c, and a charging relay electrode 162d. The process main body electrode 15 has a development main body electrode 15a, a supply main body electrode 15b, a drum main body electrode 15c, and a charging main body electrode 15d. The relay electrode 160 can be electrically connected by contacting the main body electrode 14 when the cartridge 20 is attached to the drawer 100 and the latch 130 is in the lock position.

More specifically, the development relay electrode 162a has a first development contact 163a and a second development contact 164a. The supply relay electrode 162b has a first supply contact 163b and a second supply contact 164b. The drum relay electrode 162c has a first drum contact 163c and a second drum contact 164c. The charging relay electrode 162d has a first charging contact 163d and a second drum contact 164d. The first development contact 163a, the first supply contact 163b, the first drum contact 163c, and the charging relay electrode 162d are examples of the first contact 163. The second development contact 164a, the second supply contact 164b, the second drum contact 164c, and the second drum contact 164d are examples of the second contact 164.

The first development contact 163a can be electrically connected to the development electrode 34a by contacting the development electrode 34a. The first supply contact 163b can be electrically connected to the supply electrode 34b by contacting the supply electrode 34b. The first drum contact 163c can be electrically connected to the drum earth 34c by contacting the drum earth 34c. The first charging contact 163d can be electrically connected to the charging electrode 34d by contacting the charging electrode 34d.

The second development contact 164a can be electrically connected to the development main body electrode 15a by contacting the development main body electrode 15a. The second supply contact 164b can be electrically connected to the supply main body electrode 15b by contacting the supply main body electrode 15b. The second drum contact 164c can be electrically connected to the drum main body electrode 15c by contacting the drum main body electrode 15c. The second drum contact 164d can be electrically connected to the charging main body electrode 15d by contacting the charging main body electrode 15d.

As a result, the developing electrode 34a and the developing main body electrode 15a can be electrically connected via the developing relay electrode 162a. The supply electrode 34b and the supply main body electrode 15b can be electrically connected via the supply relay electrode 162b. The drum earth 34c and the drum main body electrode 15c can be electrically connected via the drum relay electrode 162c. The charging electrode 34d and the charging main body electrode 15d can be electrically connected via the charging relay electrode 162d.

(3-5) Linear cam 170
The linear cam 170 is made of POM. The linear cam 170 is located at the lower end of the drawer in the third direction. In other words, when the drawer 100 is attached to the main body housing, the linear cam 170 is located at the end of the drawer 100 that is closer to the intermediate transfer belt 73 in the third direction.

In this embodiment, the drawer 100 has two linear cams 170. The first linear cam 170 is located between the photosensitive layer of the photosensitive drum 32 and the first boss 31a in the second direction. The second linear cam 170 is located between the photosensitive layer of the photosensitive drum 32 and the second boss 31b in the second direction. The linear cam 170 is configured not to come into contact with the photosensitive drum 32, the first boss 31a, or the second boss 31b.

The linear cam 170 is supported so as to be movable relative to the drawer 100. In this embodiment, the linear cam 170 is supported so as not to come off the first side frame 110 by a snap fit (not shown) of the first side frame 110.

As shown in FIG. 3, the linear cam 170 can move linearly in a first direction relative to the drawer 100. The linear cam 170 can move linearly between a first position (see FIG. 3(a)) and a second position (see FIG. 3(b)).

The linear cam 170 comes into contact with the cartridge 20 when the cartridge 20 is attached to the drawer 100. More specifically, the linear cam 170 has a protrusion 171. When the cartridge 20 is attached to the drawer 100, the protrusion 171 fits into the cam receiving groove 43 of the cartridge 20. The protrusion 171 is configured to have a tapered tip. This makes it easier for the protrusion 171 to fit into the cam receiving groove 43. When the linear cam 170 moves linearly in the first direction with the protrusion 171 fitted into the cam receiving groove 43, the cam receiving groove 43 receives a force from the protrusion 171. Since the first unit 30 is fixed to the drawer 100 by the latch 130, the second unit 40 that receives the force rotates relative to the first unit 30. The second unit 40 rotates about the agitator axis X2. When the linear cam 170 is located at the first position, the photosensitive drum 32 comes into contact with the developing roller 42, and when the linear cam 170 is located at the second position, the photosensitive drum 32 is separated from the developing roller 42. Specifically, when the linear cam 170 is located at the first position, the second unit 40 is located at a position where the photosensitive drum 32 and the developing roller 42 come into contact with each other. When the linear cam 170 moves linearly to the second position, the second unit 40 rotates, and the developing roller 42 is separated from the photosensitive drum 32. Therefore, when the linear cam 170 moves linearly from the first position to the second position, the second unit 40 rotates from a contact position where the developing roller 42 and the photosensitive drum 32 come into contact with each other to a separation position where the developing roller 42 and the photosensitive drum 32 are separated from each other. Similarly, when the linear cam 170 moves linearly from the second position to the first position, the second unit 40 rotates from a separation position where the developing roller 42 and the photosensitive drum 32 are separated to a contact position where the developing roller 42 and the photosensitive drum 32 come into contact.

When the drawer 100 is attached to the main housing 10, the linear cam 170 comes into contact with the main housing 10.

The linear cam 170 has a recess 172 at one end in the first direction. The lever 13 of the main body housing 10 fits into the recess 172. The lever 13 is rotatable about a lever axis X3 extending in the second direction. The linear cam 170 moves linearly between the first position and the second position as the lever 13 rotates. More specifically, the lever 13 has a receiving portion 13a that receives a force from the main body housing 10, and a pressing portion 13b that fits into the recess 172 and contacts the linear cam 170. When the receiving portion 13a receives a force F (see FIG. 3) from the main body housing 10, the lever 13 rotates, and the pressing portion 13b presses the linear cam 170 in the first direction via the recess 172. Therefore, the linear cam 170 moves to the second position. In this embodiment, the force F is applied to the lever 13 by a solenoid (not shown) of the main body housing 10. When the receiving portion 13a does not receive the force F from the main body housing 10, the second unit 40 rotates in a direction in which the developing roller 42 is pressed toward the photosensitive drum 32 by the pressing member 21 of the cartridge 20. As a result, the linear cam 170 is biased by the second unit 40 and rotates to the first position.
(4) Mounting of the Cartridge 20 and the Drawer 100 in the Main Housing 10 First, the operation of bringing the intermediate transfer belt 73 into contact with and separating the photosensitive drum 32 will be described.

The intermediate transfer belt 73 can move in conjunction with the opening and closing operation of the cover 11. The movement of the intermediate transfer belt 73 will be described with reference to FIG. 12. The cover 11 contacts the driven roller shaft 72a of the driven roller 72. The cover 11 has a slope 11a. When the cover 11 rotates with the slope 11a and the driven roller shaft 72a in contact with each other, the driven roller shaft 72a moves in the third direction. This causes the driven roller 72 to move in the third direction. As a result, the intermediate transfer belt 73 moves in conjunction with the opening and closing operation of the cover 11. More specifically, with the drive roller 71 fixed to the main body housing 10, the driven roller 72 moves relative to the main body housing 10. Therefore, the intermediate transfer belt 73 rotates around the drive roller 71 as the center of rotation. As a result, when the cartridge 20 is attached to the drawer 100, the intermediate transfer belt 73 can move between a belt contact position where it contacts the photosensitive drum 32 and a belt separation position where it is separated from the photosensitive drum 32 in conjunction with the opening and closing operation of the cover 11. As a result, when the cover 11 is in the open position, the intermediate transfer belt 73 is located at the belt contact position, and when the cover 11 is in the closed position, it is located at the belt separation position. In this case, the primary transfer roller 74 moves while maintaining a state of contact with the intermediate transfer belt 73. When the intermediate transfer belt 73 contacts the photosensitive drum 32, the intermediate transfer belt 73 is sandwiched between the photosensitive drum 32 and the primary transfer roller 74.

Next, we will explain the sequence of operations that occurs when the cartridge 20 is attached to the drawer 100, the drawer 100 is attached to the main body housing 10, and the cover 11 is moved to the closed position.

With the cover 11 in the open position, the user pulls out the drawer 100 from the main body housing 10, places the latch 130 in the release position, and attaches or detaches the cartridge 20. When the cartridge 20 is attached to the drawer 100, it is guided by the first guide groove 111, the second guide groove 121, and the third guide groove 122 of the drawer 100, and is positioned relative to the drawer 100 in the first direction. Once the attachment of the multiple cartridges 20 is complete, the latch 130 is positioned in the lock position. The multiple cartridges 20 are pressed in the second direction as the process relay electrode 162 comes into contact with the cartridge electrode 33. This positions the cartridge 20 in the second direction relative to the drawer 10. When the drawer 100 is attached to the main body housing 10, the connector 141 is connected to the memory main body electrode 16.

12, when the cover 11 is moved to the closed position, the driven roller 72 is lifted by the cover 11 in the process. As a result, the transfer device 70 is lifted upward relative to the drawer 100. In other words, the transfer device 70 moves toward the drawer 100 in the third direction. More specifically, the driven roller 72 is lifted by the inclined surface 11a of the cover 11, and the intermediate transfer belt 73 moves toward the drawer 100. As a result, the intermediate transfer belt 73 comes into contact with the photosensitive drum 32. Furthermore, when the driven roller 72 is lifted by the cover 11, the photosensitive drum 32 is pressed by the intermediate transfer belt 73. Therefore, the cartridge 20 is lifted upward relative to the drawer 100. As a result, the first boss 31a comes into contact with the edge 132 of the hole 131 of the latch 130. More specifically, the first boss 31a contacts the wedge-shaped portion 132a of the edge 132 of the hole 131. This positions the cartridge 20 relative to the drawer 100 in the third direction. When the cartridge 20 is further lifted with the first boss 31a in contact with the wedge-shaped portion 132a of the latch 130, the drawer 100 is lifted in the third direction. As a result, the protrusion 101 of the drawer 100 contacts the main housing 10.

(5) Effects (1) According to the embodiment of the present disclosure described above, with the intermediate transfer belt 73 in contact with the photosensitive drum 32, the first boss 32a of the cartridge 20 comes into contact with the edge 132a of the hole, thereby fixing the cartridge 20 to the drawer 100. This eliminates the need to attach a spring or the like to the latch 130 to press the cartridge 20, thereby reducing the operational load required by the user to handle the latch 130.

(2) Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the intermediate transfer belt 73 moves between a belt contact position where it contacts the photosensitive drum 31 and a belt separation position where it is separated from the photosensitive drum. This provides better positioning accuracy of the drawer 100 in the first direction than when the drawer 100 is moved.

(3) Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the intermediate transfer belt 73 moves in conjunction with the cover 11, making it easy for the user to operate.

(4) Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the shaft 72a of the driven roller 72 is lifted by the cover 11, so that the intermediate transfer belt 73 can be lifted in conjunction with the cover 11.

(5) Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, when the cartridge 20 is lifted with the first boss 31a in contact with the edge 132 of the hole, the drawer 100 is also lifted upward, and the protrusion 101 of the drawer 100 can come into contact with the main body housing 10. As a result, the drawer 100 is also positioned in the third direction.

(6) Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, when the intermediate transfer belt 73 is located at the belt contact position, the first boss 31a contacts the linear surface of the wedge-shaped portion 132a, so that the first boss 31a is positioned relative to the latch 130. As a result, the cartridge 20 is positioned relative to the drawer 100 via the latch 130.

(7) Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the first boss 31a covers the drum coupling 32a and rotatably supports the drum coupling 32a, so that the photosensitive drum 32 is positioned relative to the first boss 31a. As a result, when the first boss 31a comes into contact with the edge 132 of the hole and is positioned relative to the drawer 100, the photosensitive drum 32 is also positioned relative to the drawer 100 via the drum coupling 32a.

(8) Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, when the cartridge 20 is attached to the drawer 100 and the latch 130 is in the locked position, even if the cartridge 20 moves slightly, the memory electrode 36b and the memory relay electrode 161 maintain contact with each other. This allows the memory 36 to be electrically connected to the memory main body electrode 16 via the memory relay electrode 161 even after the cartridge 20 has been positioned relative to the drawer 100.

(6) Modifications One embodiment of the present disclosure has been described above, but the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiment and can be implemented with appropriate modifications.

For example, in one embodiment, the memory electrodes face downward, but as shown in FIG. 13, the memory electrodes may face outward from the cartridge in the second direction. In this case, the memory relay electrodes face inward from the drawer in the second direction. Therefore, the memory relay electrodes can be electrically connected to the memory electrodes.

In addition, in one embodiment, the drawer is configured with two linear cams, but it may have only one.

In addition, in one embodiment, the photosensitive drum is charged by a charging roller, but the photosensitive drum may also be charged by a scorotron charger.

In one embodiment, each cartridge electrode, specifically the memory electrode, development electrode, supply electrode, drum earth, and charging electrode, is electrically connected to the main body electrode via a relay electrode, but it is not necessary to use a relay electrode. For example, only the memory electrode may be in direct contact with the main body electrode and electrically connected.

In one embodiment, the process relay electrode is configured to sandwich the latch, but the latch may have a hole and the process relay electrode may be inserted into the hole of the latch.

In addition, in one embodiment, one latch is configured to lock multiple cartridges together, but one latch may be configured to lock only one cartridge.

In addition, in one embodiment, both ends of the cartridge in the second direction are locked, but it may be configured to lock only one end.

In one embodiment, the cartridge housing has a cartridge electrode, but the cartridge may have a first side cover that supports one end of the first unit in the second direction and one end of the second unit in the second direction, and a second side cover that supports the other end of the first unit in the second direction and the other end of the second unit in the second direction, and the first side cover may have the cartridge electrode. Also, the second side cover may have a second boss and a third boss. In this case, the cartridge can be assembled by attaching one end of the first unit and the second unit in the second direction to the first side cover, and then attaching the second cover to the other end of the first unit and the second unit, making it easy to assemble the cartridge.

In addition, in one embodiment, the cartridge electrodes are configured to be arranged in the same manner for multiple cartridges, but the arrangement may be different for multiple cartridges. In this case, the cartridge electrodes and main body electrodes can be electrically connected by appropriately changing the arrangement and shape of the relay electrodes.

In one embodiment, the second unit is pressed by a pressure spring, but it is not limited to a pressure spring and may be an elastic member such as a tension spring or a leaf spring. The elastic member may also be configured to directly press against the shaft of the developing roller.

In addition, in one embodiment, the hole into which the first boss is inserted and the hole into which the second boss is inserted are of the same shape, but they may be configured to have different shapes depending on the shape, position, size, etc. of the first boss and the second boss.

Furthermore, the elements described in the above embodiment and variant examples can be implemented in appropriate combinations.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Image forming apparatus 10 Main body housing 14 Main body electrode 20 Cartridge 30 First unit 32 Photosensitive drum 36 IC chip 40 Second unit 42 Developing roller 70 Transfer device 100 Drawer 130 Latch 160 Relay electrode 170 Linear cam

Claims (11)

A main body housing;
a drawer supported movably in a first direction relative to the main body housing;
a first cartridge that is detachably attached to the drawer, the first cartridge having a first photosensitive drum that is rotatable about a first drum shaft that extends in a second direction and a first boss that protrudes in the second direction;
an intermediate transfer belt located below the drawer and capable of contacting the first photosensitive drum;
The drawer includes:
a latch that is rotatable about a rotation axis extending in the first direction between a lock position at which the first cartridge is locked to the drawer and an unlock position at which the first cartridge is unlocked from the drawer,
The latch is
a hole that allows the first boss to be inserted when the latch is in the locked position;
a rim located on the periphery of the hole;
With the first cartridge attached to the drawer, the first boss being inserted into the hole, and the drawer being positioned within the main body housing,
When the first photosensitive drum is separated from the intermediate transfer belt, the first boss is separated from the edge,
an image forming apparatus, wherein, when the first photosensitive drum comes into contact with the intermediate transfer belt, the first cartridge moves upward with respect to the drawer, and the first boss comes into contact with the edge. The image forming device according to claim 1, characterized in that the intermediate transfer belt is movable between a belt contact position where it contacts the first photosensitive drum and a belt separation position where it is separated from the first photosensitive drum. The main body housing has an opening,
a cover movable between a closed position for closing the opening and an open position for opening the opening;
The intermediate transfer belt is
When the cover is in the closed position, the cover is in the belt contact position,
3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein when the cover is in the open position, the cover is in the belt separation position. A transfer device including the intermediate transfer belt, a driven roller, and a drive roller is further provided,
the intermediate transfer belt is stretched between the driven roller and the drive roller,
The cover contacts the shaft of the driven roller,
4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the driven roller moves as the cover moves between the belt contact position and the belt separation position. The image forming device according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that, when the first boss is in contact with the edge, the drawer moves upward together with the first cartridge. the first cartridge is detachable from the drawer in a third direction;
the drawer has a protrusion at an upper end of the drawer in the third direction;
6. An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the protrusion does not contact the main body housing when the intermediate transfer belt is located at the belt separation position, and contacts the main body housing in the third direction when the intermediate transfer belt is located at the belt contact position. The edge has a straight surface,
When the latch is in the lock position, the linear surface is located above the first boss,
When the first photosensitive drum is separated from the intermediate transfer belt, the first boss is separated from the linear surface,
7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the first photosensitive drum contacts the intermediate transfer belt, the first boss contacts the linear surface. The image forming device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction. the first cartridge has a drum coupling rotatable together with the first photosensitive drum,
9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first boss has a first cylindrical portion that covers the drum coupling. The main body housing has a memory main body electrode,
The latch has a memory relay electrode;
the first cartridge has a memory electrode electrically connected to the memory main body electrode via the memory relay electrode;
7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the memory electrode is electrically connected to the memory relay electrode when the intermediate transfer belt is in the belt contact position. The image forming device according to claim 10, characterized in that the memory electrodes face downward.

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