JPH05273803A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To achieve easy handling, the removal of the need for a lock mechanism dedicated to the upper main body, simple constitution, reduction in costs, and miniaturization of a device by restricting the opening/closing of the upper main body by means of a front door. CONSTITUTION:The image forming device 1 is provided with the lower main body 3, which mainly incorporates a mechanism part 2 such as a sheet carrying device, and the upper main body 5, which mainly incorporates a mechanism part 4 such as a processing device for image formation. The upper main body 5 can be opened and closed with respect to the lower main body 3 around a support shaft 9 parralel to a sheet carrying path, further, a front cover 11 which covers the mechanism parts 2 and 4 of the lower and upper main body parts 3 and 5, respectively, is provided opposite to the support shaft 9 of the lower main body 3, and the opening/closing of the upper main body 5 is restricted by means of the front door 11 with the front door 11 closed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as an upper and lower two-division type copying machine or printer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, image forming apparatuses such as copiers and printers, which are mainly used for office work, are used very frequently and are often handled by users unfamiliar with them. It is desired that the user can easily perform troubles such as a paper jam and simple repair / inspection and cleaning of each part of the mechanism.

For such a purpose, the main body of the image forming apparatus is divided into two blocks, a lower main body mainly including a mechanical section such as a paper conveying apparatus and an upper main body mainly including a mechanical section such as an image forming process apparatus. If necessary, the upper body can be hingedly opened from the lower body, and the front door that covers the front of the body can be opened to easily handle the mechanical parts of the upper and lower bodies. Image forming apparatus is provided.

However, in such an image forming apparatus, since the lower main body and the upper main body can be opened and closed with a support shaft orthogonal to the paper conveying path as a fulcrum, the entire upper part of the paper conveying path cannot be opened. In particular, there is a problem that the jam processing of the transfer paper requires trouble. For this reason, in the image forming apparatus, the lower main body and the upper main body can be opened and closed with a support shaft parallel to the paper transport path as a fulcrum, and a front door that covers the mechanical units of the lower main body and the upper main body is supported by the lower main body. Some are provided on the opposite side of the shaft.

[0005]

By the way, in such an image forming apparatus, in order to maintain the image forming function, the upper main body and the lower main body are integrally locked by the lock mechanism. The door is also closed to cover the mechanical parts of the lower body and the upper body.

Therefore, for example, when the transfer paper is to be jammed, it is necessary to first open the front door and then unlock the lock mechanism to open the upper main body, which is troublesome and troublesome. In addition, when a user who is unfamiliar with handling handles the lock mechanism, the lock mechanism may not be unlocked.

Further, a lock mechanism for the front door and a lock mechanism for the upper main body are required, which increases the number of parts accordingly,
The cost is high, and it may be difficult to secure a mounting space for these lock mechanisms particularly in a small-sized image forming apparatus.

The present invention has been made in view of the above situation, and is easy to handle by restricting the opening and closing of the upper main body by utilizing the front door, and further, the exclusive lock mechanism of the upper main body is not required, The structure is simple, the cost is reduced,
Further, it is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus that can be downsized.

[0009]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the invention according to claim 1 has a lower main body mainly containing a mechanical part such as a paper conveying device and a mechanical part mainly including an image forming process device. The lower main body has a built-in upper main body, and the upper main body can be opened and closed on the lower main body with a support shaft parallel to the paper conveyance path as a fulcrum. In an image forming apparatus provided with a front door that covers the mechanical portion of the main body, opening and closing of the upper main body is restricted by the front door when the front door is closed.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the first aspect, the upper body can be opened and closed by the opening operation of the front door, and the front body is interlocked with the closing operation of the upper body. It is characterized in that a lock mechanism is provided for closing the door and restricting the opening and closing of the upper body.

[0011]

In the invention according to claim 1, when the front door is closed,
Opening and closing of the upper body is restricted by this front door, and when the front door is opened, the upper body can be opened and closed, and the upper body is locked using the front door.

According to the second aspect of the invention, the upper body can be opened and closed by the opening operation of the front door, and the front door is closed in conjunction with the closing operation of the upper body to restrict the opening and closing of the upper body,
The upper body can be opened and closed with one touch.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the image forming apparatus of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a front view of the image forming apparatus,
2 is a right side view of the image forming apparatus, FIG. 3 is a right side view showing the opened state of the image forming apparatus, and FIG. 4 is a partially cutaway right side view showing the locked state of the image forming apparatus.

The image forming apparatus 1 has a lower main body 3 containing a mechanism section 2 and an upper main body 5 containing a mechanism section 4. The mechanical portion 2 of the lower main body 3 is mainly composed of a paper conveying device for the transfer paper supplied from the paper feeding cassette 6, and the transfer paper taken out from the paper feeding cassette 6 is conveyed from the right side of the lower main body 3 by the conveying device. The sheet is conveyed to the left side, and a sheet conveying path 7 is formed in the lateral direction. Further, the mechanism portion 4 of the upper main body 5 is mainly composed of an image forming process device including a photosensitive drum, and a document pressing cover 8 is provided on the upper portion of the upper main body 5.

A support portion 3a is formed on the inner side of the lower body 3, and an upper body 5 is provided on the support portion 3a so as to be openable and closable around a support shaft 9 parallel to the paper transport path 7 as a fulcrum. A buffer member such as a gas spring 10 is attached between the main body 3 and the upper main body 5 to buffer and support the upper main body 5.

Further, on the front side of the lower body 3 opposite to the support shaft 9, a front door 11 for covering the mechanical portions 2 and 4 of the lower body 3 and the upper body 5 is provided by a hinge 12 so as to be opened and closed. Inside the front door 11, locks 13 are provided on both upper sides, and cams 14 are provided on both lower sides. On the other hand, on the front side of the upper main body 5, locking portions 15 are provided on both upper sides.
And projections 16 are provided on both lower sides.

When the front door 11 is closed, the protrusion 16 of the upper body 5 abuts on the cam 14 of the front door 11, while the lock 13 of the front door 11 engages with the locking portion 15 of the upper body 5. ,
The front door 11 regulates the opening and closing of the upper body 5. When this front door 11 is pulled to the front side and opened, the lock 13 of the front door 11
Is disengaged from the locking portion 15 of the upper body 5 and the upper body 5 can be opened and closed. With this, the upper main body 5 is opened and closed with the support shaft 9 parallel to the paper transport path 7 as a fulcrum, and the entire upper side of the paper transport path 7 is opened, so that the transfer paper can be easily jammed.

When closing the upper body 5, the upper body 5
When the upper body 5 is closed, the front door 11 is closed and the lock 13 is locked because the projection 16 comes into contact with the cam 14 of the front door 11 and pushes it downward by the closing operation of. The locking portion 15 of the upper main body 5 is engaged to regulate the opening and closing of the upper main body 5, and these constitute a lock mechanism.

In this image forming apparatus 1, in order to maintain the image forming function, the upper main body 3 and the lower main body 5 are integrally locked by a lock mechanism, and the front door 11
Is also closed and the mechanical parts 2, 4 of the lower body 3 and the upper body 5
Covers.

In this way, the opening and closing of the upper body 5 is restricted by the front door 11, and when the front door 11 is opened, the upper body 5 is opened.
Can be opened and closed, and the front door 11 is closed in conjunction with the closing operation of the upper main body 5 to regulate the opening and closing of the upper main body 5,
It is easy to handle, and the dedicated lock mechanism for the upper body 5 is not required. The structure is simple and the cost is reduced.
Further, the size of the device can be reduced.

[0021]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the invention, when the front door is closed, the opening and closing of the upper body is restricted by the front door. Therefore, when the front door is opened, the upper body can be opened and closed. It is easy to handle, does not require a dedicated lock mechanism for the upper body, has a simple structure, reduces cost, and can further downsize the device.

Further, the invention according to claim 2 makes it possible to open and close the upper main body by the opening operation of the front door, and the front door closes in conjunction with the closing operation of the upper main body to restrict the opening and closing of the upper main body. Since the upper body can be opened and closed with one touch, it is easy to handle, and even a user who is unfamiliar with the handling can perform the jam treatment of the transfer paper.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of an image forming apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a right side view of the image forming apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a right side view showing an open state of the image forming apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a partially cutaway right side view showing a locked state of the image forming apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 2 Mechanism parts such as paper conveying device 3 Lower body 4 Mechanism part such as image forming process apparatus 5 Upper body 7 Paper conveying path 9 Support shaft 11 Front door

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A lower main body mainly containing a mechanical section such as a paper conveying device, and an upper main body mainly containing a mechanical section such as an image forming process apparatus, and the upper main body is provided with a paper conveying path in the lower main body. In the image forming apparatus, which is openable and closable with a parallel support shaft as a fulcrum, and further provided on the opposite side of the support shaft of the lower main body with a front door that covers the mechanical parts of the lower main body and the upper main body, An image forming apparatus, characterized in that, in a closed state, opening and closing of the upper main body is restricted by the front door. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the opening operation of the front door enables the upper main body to be opened and closed, and the front door is closed in association with the closing operation of the upper main body. An image forming apparatus having a lock mechanism for restricting opening and closing of the image forming apparatus.