JP3530785B2 - Resin member and cover - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to the reuse of resin members used in electrophotographic image forming apparatuses such as copying machines, laser beam printers and facsimiles.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when a resin component used in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus (hereinafter referred to as an image forming apparatus) is combined with another component, for example, an outer cover made of a resin material and a frame made of sheet metal are used. In order to improve the ease of assembly due to the so-called screwless structure, there is a snap fit on the exterior cover side and a hole on the frame side where the snap fit can be hooked, and both parts are joined by snap fit and hole fitting. This method is often used.

On the other hand, in recent years, environmental protection and resource saving have been demanded, and from the viewpoint of resource reuse, improvement of the reuse rate of parts is desired.

[0004]

However, in the above conventional example, the snap fit is integrally attached to the exterior cover by molding. Therefore, if the snap fit is broken or broken during disassembly, the exterior cover itself cannot be reused.
This has been an obstacle to improving the reuse rate of resin members.

[0005]

The main invention of the present invention is as follows, when it is shown with the numbers corresponding to the claims.

A first invention according to the present application is a resin member which is made of a resin material and has a snap fit portion for coupling with another member. A snap-fit member detachably provided on the main body member, the snap-fit member having a snap-fitting claw portion for attaching the main body member to another member by snap-fitting.
Shows the bending of the claw near the claw of the claw part and elastically deforms the claw material.
It has a regulation part to regulate within the range,
The height is equal to or higher than the height of the claw portion, which is a resin member.

A fourth aspect of the present invention is directed to a frame.
Cover attached by snap-fit member
In, the snap fit member is the frame
An elastically deformable claw part that is fixed by being hooked on
Within the elastic deformation range of the material of the claw, make the claw bend near the claw of the claw part.
And a restriction portion for restricting
It is provided along the cover mounting direction and the regulating part is fitted.
The escape hole and the hook hole where the claw is hooked.
The snap-fit member with respect to the cover
Removable, the snap-fit member is attached
The cover in the mounting direction.
By doing so, the regulation part fits into the relief hole,
By hooking the part in the hanging hole,
It is a cover that is fixed .

[0008]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION (Embodiment 1) The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an exterior cover part to which the present invention can be applied.

In FIG. 1, the edge 1 of the outer cover body 10 is shown.
A cutout 11 is provided from 0a on the one surface 10b side. The notch 11 has a rectangular cross section and is provided in a direction intersecting with the edge 10a. The side face 11a of the notch 11 has a side face 1a.
A rail 12 is provided in parallel with 1a and one surface 10b.

The snap fit member 20 has a notch 1
A base material 21 having a shape that complements 1 is provided. Base material 2
1 is provided with a groove 22 which can be fitted into the rail 12. On the base material 21, a claw 23 and a restriction portion 24 for restricting the bending range of the claw 23 are provided. The snap-fit claw 23 has a flat spring portion 23 so as to have springiness.
A reverse claw 23a is provided at the tip of b. The slope 23a1 of the reverse claw 23a faces the side opposite to the back side of the notch 11. The restriction portion 24 has a hollow rectangular tube shape.

Here, the height A of the regulating portion 24 is not less than the height B of the claw 23. Therefore, even when the claw 23 is turned upside down, the regulating portion 24 comes into contact first and the claw 23 is not damaged. Further, the distance C between the claw 23 and the restriction portion 24
Is provided so that the deformation of the claw member does not exceed the elastic deformation range even when the claw 23 bends in the direction of the restriction part until it hits the restriction part 24. Therefore, when assembling and disassembling, the nail 2
The damage of the claw 23 due to the deformation of No. 3 exceeding the elastic deformation range is also eliminated.

The snap fit member 20 is removably attached to the outer cover 10 with the groove 22 provided in the base member 21 guided by the rail 12 of the outer cover 10.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which the snap fit portion 20 is attached to the exterior cover 10.

Here, the frame 30 to which the exterior cover 10 is attached is provided with an engaging hole 31 for catching the claw 23 and an escape hole 32 for escaping the interference with the restriction portion 24.
Then, the exterior cover 10 and the snap fit member 20 are pushed into the frame 30 in the direction of the arrow to be attached.

When the exterior cover 10 is advanced in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 2, the regulating portion 24 first fits into the escape hole 32. Next, the slope 23a1 of the reverse claw 23a contacts the edge of the hook hole 31. Here, the outer cover 10 is moved in the direction of the arrow by the spring portion 23.
When pushed in against the resistance based on the spring force of b, the slope 2
3a1 slides on the edge of the hook hole 31 to bend the spring portion 23b, and the reverse claw 23a enters the hook hole 31. When the exterior cover 10 is further pushed in, the reverse claw 23a passes through the frame 30 and the spring portion 23b is restored, and the check surface 2 of the reverse claw 23a is restored.
3a-2 is a hook hole 31 on the upper surface side of the frame 30.
Return to the position where it hangs on the edge of.

FIG. 3 shows the mounted state.

In this way, the reverse claw 23a of the claw 23 is caught by the hook hole 31, so that the exterior cover 10 is fixed to the frame 3.
Stick to 0. Here, the claw 23 of the snap-fit member 20 is provided with a convex reverse claw 23a on the side opposite to the insertion direction of the snap-fit member 20, so that the portion where the claw 23 is hooked on the frame 30 protrudes from the claw 23. Since it is on the side, the snap fit member 20 does not fall off from the outer cover 10 even if there is no particular means for fixing the snap fit member 20 and the outer cover 10.
Further, since the claw 23 bends in the same direction as the insertion direction of the snap-fit member 20, the snap-fit member 20 may be pulled out from the cutout 11 when the exterior cover 10 is attached to the frame 30 even when the regulation portion 24 is not provided. Absent. Here, the configuration without fixing means for the snap fit member 20 and the exterior cover 10 has been described, but it may be fixed by another snap fit member or the like. Further, the exterior cover 10 is required to have high rigidity and high flame retardancy from the viewpoint of strength and safety.
Is commonly used. On the other hand, the snap fit member 2
0 is made of POM because high elasticity and slidability are required from the viewpoint of assembling.

As described above, the snap-fit portion is often formed of PC-ABS because it is an integral part, and there are problems in terms of high elasticity and slidability. During that time, my nails were often damaged. But,
By using separate parts, it is possible to select the material suitable for each function, and it is possible to prevent the reuse rate from decreasing due to damage.

In the above description, the main body member is the exterior cover excluding the snap-fit portion, and the other member to which the exterior cover is attached is the frame. However, if the main body member having the structural portion and attached to the other member is a resin product, Not limited.

(Second Embodiment) A second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

A plurality of colors of snap-fit members are prepared. For example, a white snap-fit member 20 is attached when the exterior cover 10 is a new one, and a blue snap-fit member 20 is attached when it is reused for the first time. Attach 2
At the time of reuse for the first time, the red snap-fit member 20 is attached. As described above, by changing the color of the snap fit member 20 according to the number of times the outer cover 10 is used, it is possible to manage the number of times the outer cover 10 is reused.

As described above, the main body member having the structural portion to be attached to another member and the resin member having the snap fit portion are separated into the main body member and the snap fit member detachable from the main body member. Even if the claw of the snap fit member is damaged when the main body member is reused by making it into a member, the main body member can be reused by replacing the snap fit member with the main body member. Becomes

Further, the snap-fit member is slidably inserted into the main body member and attached, and when the inserting direction is the same as the direction in which the claw portion bends when the resin member is coupled with another member, the resin is When attaching a member to another member,
Since the snap fit member does not come off from the main body member and the snap fit member is detachable from the main body member, no other means is required.

Further, near the claws of the snap fit member,
By providing the restricting portion, the bending of the claw can be contained within the elastic deformation area, and the damage of the claw due to handling can be prevented.

Further, by forming the main body member and the snap fit portion as separate members, the main body member and the snap fit member can be made of different materials, and the materials satisfying the conditions required for the respective parts. Became possible. Therefore, it is possible to select a material having a large elastic coefficient for the snap fit portion, and it is possible to reduce damage itself.

If a plurality of colors of the snap fit member are prepared, for example, when the structural member is reused,
If the color of the snap fit member is changed according to the number of reuses, it is possible to identify the number of reuses of the main body member by the color of the snap fit member without taking another means.

【The invention's effect】 According to the invention of claim 1 of the present invention,
Even if the claws are turned upside down, the control
The nails will not be damaged. The invention according to claim 4
According to this, reuse that has strong and highly accurate mounting performance
We can provide a usable cover. That is, of the frame
Snap-fitting member regulation part in the escape hole and the hanging hole
The cover is fixed by fitting the claw and
Since it is made of a strong material, the cover can be attached securely and with high accuracy.
It can be carried out.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a resin component according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a resin component according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a resin component according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 ... Exterior cover main body 10a ... Edge 10b ...- Surface 11 ... Notch 11a ... Side surface 12 ... Rail 20 ... Snap fit member 21 ... Base material 22 ... Groove 23 ... Claw 23a ... Reverse claw 23a1 ... Slope 23a2
... Non-return surface 23b ... Spring part 24 ... Restricting part 30 ... Frame 31 ... Engagement hole 32 ... Escape hole

Front page continuation (58) Fields surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) F16B 5/00-5/12 F16B 17/00-19/14

Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] 1. A resin member made of a resin material and having a snap-fit portion for coupling with another member, wherein a main body member having a structural portion to be attached to the other member and the main body member are snap-fitted. by for attachment to another member, comprises a snap fit member provided detachably on the main body member has a claw portion for snap-fit, the said snap-fit member, the pawl on the pawl near the claw portion
Regulation to regulate bending within the elastic deformation range of the claw material
And a height of the restriction portion is equal to or higher than a height of the claw portion . Wherein said snap-fit member, said body member is inserted by sliding attached to, but-out direction to be inserted, and can countercurrent claw portion bends when the resin member bonded to another member claim, wherein the same is-out direction 1
The resin member according to. Wherein the resin member according to claim 1, characterized in that the snap-fit member and the body member and another material. 4. A cover attached to a frame by a snap fit member, wherein the snap fit member has an elastically deformable claw portion that is fixed by being caught on the frame, and a claw near the claw portion of the claw portion. A restriction part for restricting the bending of the claw within the elastic deformation range of the material of the claw, the frame is provided along the cover mounting direction, the clearance hole into which the restriction part fits, and the claw part The snap fit member is attachable to and detachable from the cover, and the regulation is performed by moving the cover to which the snap fit member is attached in the cover attachment direction. A cover is fixed to the frame by fitting a portion into the escape hole and hooking the claw portion into the hook hole. 5. The snap fit member is slidably inserted into and attached to the frame, and the inserting direction is the same as the direction in which the claw portion bends when the cover is attached. The cover according to claim 4, wherein the cover is a cover. 6. The cover according to claim 4, wherein the snap-fit member is made of a material different from that of the cover.