JP3385246B2 - Frame structure of image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a frame structure for an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer and a facsimile.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Inside an image forming apparatus, functional parts such as an image forming unit such as a photosensitive drum, a developing device, a transfer device, and a fixing unit are provided. These functional parts are positioned so that the mutual positional relationship is a predetermined relationship. To that end, surface side plates (eg, front and rear plates) and reinforcing side plates (eg, left reinforcing side plate and right reinforcing side plate) are usually provided on the inside of the outer wall forming the appearance of the device, and The planar side plates are combined in a box shape to form a highly rigid frame.

Functional parts are positioned and fixed to the planar side plates and reinforcing side plates.

[0004]

In the frame structure of the conventional image forming apparatus, the side plates and the reinforcing side plates are thick and heavy. Therefore, the size and weight of the entire apparatus are increased. Moreover, there was a problem that the cost would increase. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to achieve a problem of obtaining a frame structure in which rigidity is ensured while reducing the overall shape of the device.

Further, according to the present invention, the functional parts of the image forming apparatus can be positioned and attached so as to be integrated,
Moreover, it is an object of the present invention to provide a frame structure in which the strength for mounting is sufficiently secured.

[0006]

Means for Solving the Problems and Effects of the Invention In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the invention of claim 1 includes a main body base forming a bottom surface portion having a substantially rectangular outline in a plan view,
Two metal struts, each of which is erected in two adjacent corners along one side of the main body base, a metal connecting member that connects the upper ends of the two stanchions, and the other of the main body bases. The two pillars include a supporting side plate erected along the side edge, and a metal reinforcing member that is bridged between the connecting member or one of the columns and the supporting side plate and couples the two. A frame structure of an image forming apparatus, comprising a mounting structure for mounting a functional component of the image forming apparatus.

According to the structure of claim 1, the two columns are made of metal and have high rigidity. The lower ends of the two columns are erected on the main body base, and the upper ends of the two columns are connected by a metal connecting member. Therefore, the two columns, the connecting member, and the main body base ensure the rigidity of the quadrangle. The frame is shaped. Since the supporting structure is provided with the functional component mounting structure, the functional component can be firmly mounted at a desired position by positioning the functional component on the rigid supporting column.

Examples of the mounting structure include mounting holes, locking hooks for positioning, bosses, and the like. Further, by attaching the functional components to the two columns, the functional components necessary for the image forming apparatus can be integrated in the column portions, and the image forming apparatus can be made compact.

A reinforcing member may be further connected to the frame composed of the two columns and the connecting member, and one end of the reinforcing member may be attached to a supporting side plate erected on the main body base. In this case, the rigidity of the frame formed by the columns and the connecting members is further increased. The supporting side plate may be a planar side plate or a columnar side plate. When the supporting side plate is planar, it may be made of resin, like the main body base, but when it is columnar, it is preferably made of metal.

According to the second aspect of the invention, since the mounting columns for mounting the columns on the main body base are erected, the lower end edges of the columns can be correctly positioned on the main body base, and the height accuracy at the time of standing is also good. . In this case, if the structure of claim 3 is adopted, the support can be easily mounted and the mounting accuracy is improved.

According to the above configuration of the present invention, by using the two metal columns and the metal connecting members for connecting the upper ends thereof, the rigidity is high, the size is compact, and the weight can be reduced. A frame structure of the forming device can be provided.

[0012]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings. Figure 1
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a configuration of an image forming apparatus 1 according to this embodiment. The image forming apparatus 1 is an apparatus that can be used as a copying machine. The image forming apparatus 1 includes an optical unit 2 including a reading mechanism for reading a document, a main body housing 3 that supports the optical unit 2, and a main body base 4 that forms a bottom portion of the image forming apparatus 1. There is.

The main body base 4 is made of resin having a substantially rectangular planar shape, and a paper cassette 5 is accommodated in the main body base 4. In the main body housing 3,
The paper receiving tray 8 provided in the middle of the main body housing 3 in the vertical direction, from the vicinity of the paper cassette 5 to the paper receiving tray 8
A transport unit (not shown) for transporting the sheet to the vicinity, an image forming unit 6 for forming an image on the sheet transported from the sheet cassette 5, and a fixing unit for fixing the image formed by the image forming unit 6 on the sheet. Functional parts such as 7 are provided. Since the sheet conveyed in the convey unit (not shown) is conveyed to the image forming unit 6 and the fixing unit 7, these functional components are positioned so that their mutual positional relations are in a predetermined relationship. Then, the fixed sheet is discharged to the sheet receiving tray 8. That is, the image forming apparatus 1 is a so-called in-body sheet discharge type in which the sheet is discharged into the main body housing 3.

A frame 11 is provided inside the outer wall 10 of the main body housing 3. One of the features of the present invention is the frame structure of the main body housing 3. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the frame structure of the image forming apparatus 1 as seen from the arrow A in FIG. Two metal columns 12, 12 are erected at two corners adjacent to each other along one lateral side 4a of the main body base 4, respectively. Two columns 1
The upper end portions 12a of the members 2 and 12 are connected to each other by a connecting member 13 made of metal.

A base 14 integrally formed with the main body base 4 is formed along the other side edge 4b of the main body base 4 in the width direction. The base 14 has a space formed by scribing the right end portion of FIG. 2, and a circuit board or the like can be accommodated in this space. The support side plate 15 is erected on the stand 14 in a fixed state. The support side plate 15 is made of metal, for example.

The left rear end portion 13a of the connecting member 13 shown in FIG.
Between the vicinity and the vicinity of the upper end 15a of the support side plate 15, a metal reinforcing member 16 connecting the both is hung.
As the connecting member 13 and the reinforcing member 16, for example, a sheet metal processed into a substantially U-shaped cross section can be used. That is, the two columns 12,
A frame 11 is constituted by 12, the connecting member 13, the supporting side plate 15, the reinforcing member 16 and the main body base 4.

Two pillars 12 made of metal having high rigidity are erected on the main body base 4, and the upper ends 12 of the pillars 12 are provided.
Since a is connected to each other by the metal connecting member 13,
The frame 11 has sufficient rigidity. Since the image forming apparatus 1 according to this embodiment is of the so-called in-body discharge type as described above, the upper right front side of the main body housing 3 is entirely opened as shown in FIG. It has a structure that can be obtained. Therefore, the column 12 cannot be arranged on the right front side. However, since the frame structure described above is adopted, it is possible to obtain sufficiently high rigidity without disposing the column 12 on the right front side.

Further, the fixing unit 7 having a heating roller can be attached to the two columns 12, 12. Specifically, each pillar 12 is formed with a hook 18 for hooking the fixing unit 7 and a screw hole 19 for fixing the fixing unit 7. The upper side of the engagement hole 20 formed in the side plate 7A of the fixing unit 7 is hooked on the hook 18, and in this state, the fixing screw 22 is passed through the through hole 21 formed in the side plate 7A of the fixing unit 7, The fixing unit 7 is fixed to the pillar 12 by being fastened to the screw hole 19 of the pillar 12. The fixing unit 7 may be attached to the column 12 only by passing the screw 22 through the through hole 21 formed in the side plate 7A of the fixing unit 7 and screwing the screw 22 into the screw hole 19. Further, as the mounting structure provided on the column 12, in addition to the above-mentioned hook 18 and screw hole 19, an engagement hole,
It may be a boss or something else.

Further, as shown by the alternate long and short dash line in FIG.
Image forming unit 6 including photoconductor drum and developing device
Also, similarly to the fixing unit 7, it is fixed to the two columns 12. Further, although not shown, the transport unit for transporting the paper pulled out from the paper cassette 5 is also fixed to the two columns 12 as in the case of the fixing unit 7.

Since the two highly rigid columns 12 provided upright on the main body base 4 are provided with the fixing unit 7 mounting structure, the fixing unit 7 can be firmly mounted in the image forming apparatus 1. Further, since the fixing unit 7, the image forming unit 6 and the transport unit are fixed to the two support columns 12, these two support columns 12 are arranged so that their positional relationship is predetermined.
Positioned by

In the above description, the reinforcing member 16 is described as connecting the connecting member 13 and the supporting side plate 15, but any one of the columns 12 and the supporting side plate 15 may be connected. . Also in this case, the frame 11 has sufficient rigidity. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a main part for explaining a structure for fixing the support column 12 to the main body base 4.

The column 12 is formed by bending a sheet metal. Specifically, a part of one surface of a quadrangular tubular shape is cut out from the upper end portion 12a to the lower end edge 12b, and its cross-sectional shape is a substantially U shape. The remaining three surfaces are adjacent to each other and are orthogonal to each other. In addition, the column 12
May be a casting formed by casting instead of bending.

On the main body base 4, mounting posts 24 integrally formed with the main body base 4 are erected at the standing positions of the columns 12. The lower end 12b of the column 12 is attached to the mounting column 24.
The pillar 12 is erected on the main body base 4 by being fitted. The mounting column 24 is a substantially square column that is sufficiently lower than the column 12. Two adjacent side surfaces 24A, 24B (two front side surfaces shown in FIG. 3) of the side surfaces of the mounting column 24 are arranged along the depth direction shown in FIG. 3 and the width shown in FIG. The two side surfaces 24A and 24B are orthogonal to each other. The two side surfaces 24A, 24B rise vertically from the surface 4c of the main body base 4, and serve as reference side surfaces for vertically setting the support column 12 with respect to the main body base 4.

Further, a plurality of holes 28 (in this embodiment, four holes) extending in the longitudinal direction from the upper surface 24C of the mounting column 24 are provided.
Are formed. In other words, the mounting post 24
Ribs are formed in the cylinder. For this reason,
The mounting column 24 has good strength. Furthermore, of the side surfaces of the mounting column 24, the two side surfaces 24A,
The two side surfaces other than 24B (the two inner side surfaces shown in FIG. 3) are tapered upward so that they can be easily demolded during injection molding.

After the two side faces 12D, 12E (the two front side faces shown in FIG. 3) are positioned on the two side faces 24A, 24B of the mounting column 24, when the column 12 is fitted into the mounting column 24, the lower end edge 12b becomes the main body. It is directly received by the surface 4c of the base 4. Screw holes 25 are formed on the two side surfaces 24A and 24B of the mounting pillar 24, and in this state, fixing screws 26 are passed through the through holes 27 formed in the pillar 12, and the two side surfaces 12D of the pillar 12 are formed. , 12E are fastened to the screw holes 25 formed on the main body base 4 to achieve the fixing of the column 12. Thereby, the column 12 is firmly fixed to the main body base 4 without wobbling.

After the screws 26 are fastened, the two side faces 1 of the column 12
The inner surfaces of 2D and 12E are in close contact with the two side surfaces 24A and 24B of the mounting column 24 that rises vertically from the surface 4c of the main body base 4. As described above, the two side surfaces 24A of the mounting post 24,
24B is a reference side surface, and two side surfaces 24A,
24B includes two side surfaces 12D, 1 of the column 12 which are orthogonal to each other.
By closely contacting the inner surface of 2E, perpendicularity to the surface 4c of the main body base 4 of the column 12 is ensured in two different directions. As a result, the pillar 12 is attached to the surface 4c of the main body base 4.
Can be erected vertically.

Furthermore, fixing screws 26 are used for the columns 12.
Through the through hole 27 formed in the
By fastening the post 12 to the main body base 4, the post 12 is fixed to the main body base 4.
The height from the surface 4c of the column is determined by the distance from the screw hole 25 to the upper end 12a of the column 12. As a result, the dimensional accuracy of the height of the post 12 after being fixed is kept good.

In the above description, the screw 26 is used as the support 1
Although it is configured to be fastened to the two screw holes 25 and to fix the support column 12 to the mounting column 24, in the hole formed on the side surface of the support column 12,
A tapping screw that can cut the tap may be fastened. Further, the mounting column 24 may have a structure without the hole 28, or the two side surfaces thereof may not be vertically raised from the surface 4 c of the main body base 4. Furthermore, it may have a shape other than a square pole.

By the way, when the image forming apparatus 1 is of a type in which the double-sided device can be attached, the double-sided device can be attached to the column 12. FIG. 4 shows the double-sided device 3.
It is sectional drawing which shows the state which attached 1 to typically. The double-sided device 31 is provided with a double-sided path 32 and a pair of double-sided conveying rollers 33 for reversing the paper. Double-sided path 32
The sheet conveyed by is fed from the outlet 37 of the double-sided device 31 to the inlet 38 of the image forming apparatus 1. Therefore, the outlet 37 of the double-sided device 31 needs to match the inlet 38 of the image forming apparatus 1.

The entrance 38 of the image forming apparatus 1 is included in a double-sided conveyance unit (not shown). This double-sided transport unit is fixed to the two columns 12 as in the above-described transport unit. On one side surface 34a of the housing 34 of the image forming apparatus 1, a pair of engaging protrusions 35 (only one of which is shown in FIG. 4) for attachment to the image forming apparatus 1 are provided, and each column 12 is provided. An engagement hole 36 (only one of which is shown in FIG. 4) that engages with the engagement protrusion 35 is formed. The double-sided device 31 is attached to the column 12 by fitting the engagement protrusions 35 into the engagement holes 36.

Since the double-sided device 31 is attached to the two columns 12 to which the double-sided conveyance unit is fixed, the double-sided device 3
The positioning of the first image forming apparatus 1 with respect to the inlet 38 can be performed. That is, the double-sided device 31 is favorably positioned so that the outlet 37 coincides with the inlet 38 of the image forming apparatus 1. Moreover, since the mounting structure of the double-sided device 31 is provided on the two highly rigid columns 12 provided upright on the main body base 4, the double-sided device 31 can be firmly mounted.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the two columns 12, 12 and the metal connecting member 13 for connecting the upper ends 12a, 12a thereof are used, so that the rigidity is high, the size is compact, and the weight is low. It is possible to provide the frame structure of the image forming apparatus 1 that can be achieved. The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. In the above description, the column 12 is a substantially cylindrical body, but it may be a columnar body.

Besides, various design changes can be made within the scope of the matters described in the claims.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a configuration of an image forming apparatus according to this embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a frame structure of the image forming apparatus as seen from an arrow A in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a main part showing a state in which a support column is fixed to a main body base.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a state after mounting the double-sided device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Image forming device 4 body base 7 Fixing unit (functional parts) 11 frames 12 props 12a upper end 13 Connection member 15 Support side plate 16 Reinforcement member 18 hooks 19 screw holes

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) Reference JP-A-10-26854 (JP, A) JP-A-62-65051 (JP, A) JP-A-11-272148 (JP, A) JP-A-11- 84797 (JP, A) JP 10-193742 (JP, A) Actual opening 3-41214 (JP, U) Actual opening 4-119454 (JP, U) Actual opening Sho 55-170235 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G03G 15/00 550 G03G 21/16-21/18 B41J 29/00-29/70 H05K 5/00-5/06

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A main body base forming a bottom surface portion having a substantially rectangular planar shape, and two metal stanchions provided upright at two corners adjacent to one side of the main body base, respectively. A metal connecting member that connects the upper ends of the two columns to each other, a supporting side plate erected along the other side of the main body base, and a connecting member or one of the columns and the supporting side plate. And a reinforcing member made of metal for connecting the two, and the two columns are provided with a mounting structure for mounting a functional component of the image forming apparatus. Frame structure. 2. The main body base is made of resin, and at the standing position of the two columns, a low-mounting column for mounting a column integrally formed with the main body base is planted. The frame structure of the image forming apparatus according to claim 1. 3. The metal support column is formed of sheet metal, and the lower end edge thereof has a hollow cylindrical shape, and the cylindrical lower end edge is fitted and fixed to the mounting column. The frame structure of the image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the supporting column is erected on the main body base.