JP3571306B2 - Image forming device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, and a facsimile.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been known an image forming apparatus capable of forming an image on a sheet having a size equal to or larger than the size of row A (hereinafter referred to as “A1”) of Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS). This type of image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit including, for example, a photosensitive drum, a main charger, an LED print head, a developing device, and the like. The surface of the photosensitive drum is uniformly charged by the main charger, and then selectively exposed by the LED print head, so that a so-called electrostatic latent image is written. The electrostatic latent image is developed into a toner image by a developing device, and the toner image is transferred to a sheet.
[0003]
For example, a toner hopper is attached to the developing device from above. The toner hopper is for supplying toner into the developing device, and contains toner therein.
The toner in the toner hopper gradually decreases with the image forming operation. For example, a toner supply port is provided on the rear side of the upper surface of the image forming apparatus, and when the toner in the toner hopper runs out, toner can be supplied from the toner supply port into the toner hopper.
[0004]
An opening / closing cover that covers the toner supply port is attached to a housing of the image forming apparatus. At the time of toner supply, the toner is supplied from the toner supply port after opening the open / close cover.
Some image forming apparatuses include an opening / closing detection switch for detecting opening / closing of an opening / closing cover. In this type of image forming apparatus, for example, an open / close detection switch is attached to a main body side plate. A pressing portion protrudes from the opening / closing cover, and when the opening / closing cover is closed, the pressing portion presses the operating portion of the opening / closing detection switch. When the open / close cover is in an open state, for example, a message prompting the user to close the open / close cover is displayed on a display unit of an operation panel provided on the upper surface of the housing.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
Since the opening / closing cover is rotatably attached to the housing, a certain amount of play occurs. Therefore, there is a problem that it is difficult to align the pressing portion of the open / close cover with the operation portion of the open / close detection switch attached to the main body side plate.
If the positioning is not accurate, the operation part of the open / close detection switch will not be pressed by the pressing part even if the open / close cover is closed, resulting in erroneous detection. Was sometimes damaged or detached from the main body side plate.
[0006]
The present invention has been made under such a background, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of accurately aligning an open / close detection switch with a pressing portion.
[0007]
Means for Solving the Problems and Effects of the Invention
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an opening / closing cover which is opened when replenishing toner used for image formation, a rear upper portion which forms a rear upper portion of a housing, and which is removable. attached to the rear upper cover, and a hinge member for supporting the cover rotatably opening and closing detection switch for detecting the opening and closing of the cover, the opening and closing sensing switch and the pressing part to press operation An image forming apparatus is provided on each of the hinge member and the opening / closing cover.
[0008]
The outer shape of the image forming apparatus is defined by a substantially rectangular housing. The rear end of the upper surface of the housing is constituted by an openable / closable cover.
A developing device for developing the electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum into a toner image is provided in the housing. A toner hopper is attached to the developing device from above, and toner is supplied from the toner hopper to the developing device.
[0009]
A toner supply port is formed on the upper surface of the toner hopper. The toner supply port appears when the open / close cover is opened. When the toner in the toner hopper runs out, the open / close cover can be opened and toner can be supplied from the toner supply port.
According to the configuration of the present invention, since the hinge member and the opening / closing cover that are integrally formed are provided with the opening / closing detection switch and the pressing portion, respectively, the position of the opening / closing detection switch and the pressing portion can be accurately adjusted.
Further, by attaching the hinge member to the rear upper cover, the open / close cover, the hinge member, the open / close detection switch, and the rear upper cover can be integrally configured. Particularly, in a large-sized image forming apparatus capable of forming an image on a wide sheet, the rear upper cover has a small thickness for its size. be able to.
[0010]
It is preferable that the hinge member has a plate shape and has a thickness greater than the thickness of the opening / closing cover. In this case, since the strength of the hinge member can be made relatively high, it is possible to prevent the hinge member from deforming and displacing the positional relationship between the open / close detection switch and the pressing portion.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, the image forming apparatus is a wide apparatus capable of forming an image on a sheet of A1 size or more, and further includes a photosensitive drum elongated in a horizontal direction, The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cover is long in the lateral direction, is disposed at an upper rear part of the housing, and forms a part of a document conveying path.
[0011]
According to this configuration, even if the opening / closing cover is provided in a wide image forming apparatus capable of forming an image on a sheet of A1 size or more, the opening / closing detection switch and the pressing portion are provided. Positioning can be performed accurately.
[0013]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.
Although a copying machine will be described as an embodiment of the present invention, the present invention is not limited to a copying machine, and can be applied to an image forming apparatus such as a printer and a facsimile.
FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a copying machine 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the rear side. The copying machine 1 is an image forming apparatus that can form an image on a wide sheet of paper such as A0 size. In FIG. 1, the right rear side is the front, and the left front side is the rear.
[0014]
The outer shape of the copying machine 1 is partitioned by a substantially rectangular housing 2. An original transport device 3 for transporting an original is mounted on the upper surface of the housing 2. On the upper surface of the housing 2, a mounting table 4 for setting a document is provided in front of the document transport device 3.
The document set on the mounting table 4 is conveyed backward by the document feeder 3 through the space between the upper surface of the housing 2 and the document feeder 3. A scanner (not shown) is provided on the upper surface of the housing 2 so as to face the document feeder 3. The document set on the mounting table 4 is transported rearward by the document feeder 3. The image is read by the scanner.
[0015]
The document conveyed rearward by the document conveying device 3 is conveyed in a state of hanging downward from the rear edge of the upper surface of the housing 2. The upper surface and the rear surface of the housing 2 form a document transport path for transporting the document.
Above the back plate 2 a of the housing 2, air inlets 5 for taking in air outside the housing 2 into the housing 2 are formed at both left and right ends. However, the intake port 5 is not limited to the left and right ends of the upper part of the back plate 2a, and may be formed at other positions. In addition, the number of intake ports 5 is not limited to two, and may be only one, or may be three or more.
[0016]
The rear end of the upper surface of the housing 2 is formed by an openable / closable cover 6. The opening / closing cover 6 is rotatably held by a rotating shaft 57 provided along the rear edge (see FIG. 3). Knobs 7 are protruded from both left and right ends of the upper surface of the opening / closing cover 6. The operator reaches out from the front side of the copying machine 1 and picks the knob 7 to turn the opening / closing cover 6 rearward. It can be moved and opened.
[0017]
FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view showing the configuration of the copying machine 1. The copying machine 1 is based on an image of a document read by a scanner 13 on a paper storage unit 11 for storing paper such as roll paper, and on paper conveyed from the paper storage unit 11 through a paper conveyance path 12. An image forming unit 14 for transferring the toner image, a fixing device 15 for fixing the toner image transferred to the sheet, and the like are provided.
The image forming unit 14 is disposed at an upper portion in the housing 2 and includes a photosensitive drum 16 that is driven to rotate counterclockwise in FIG. The photoreceptor drum 16 has a photoreceptor layer on its outer peripheral surface, and after being uniformly charged by the discharge of the main charger 17, based on the image of the original read by the scanner 13, the LED print head 18 outputs It is exposed by the irradiated light. As a result, a so-called electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 16.
[0018]
The developing device 19 attaches toner to the surface of the photosensitive drum 16 on which the electrostatic latent image is formed, and a toner image is formed. When the photosensitive drum 16 is further rotated, the transfer device 20 transfers the toner image to the sheet conveyed from the sheet storage unit 11 through the sheet conveyance path 12. The toner remaining on the surface of the photosensitive drum 16 after the transfer of the toner image is collected by the cleaning device 21.
The sheet on which the toner image has been transferred is guided to a fixing device 15, where the fixing process is performed by the fixing device 15, and then the sheet is discharged to the outside of the housing 2 by a discharge roller 22.
[0019]
A duct 23 is connected to the intake port 5 at an upper rear portion inside the housing 2. In the duct 23, a fan 24 for guiding the air outside the housing 2 from the air inlet 5 into the housing 2 is provided. Is to be led to. Accordingly, the image forming unit 14 can be cooled, and oxidation products such as ozone and NOx generated by the discharge of the main charger 15 can be dispersed in the apparatus so that the oxidation products do not stay around the photosensitive drum 16. it can.
[0020]
The housing 2 includes an intermediate plate 48 that appears when the cover 6 is opened. The upper part of the back plate 2a of the housing 2 and the middle plate 48 form a removable rear upper cover 51. The opening / closing cover 6 and the duct 23 are attached to the rear upper cover 51, and the upper cover 51 is then removed to be integrally removed.
FIG. 3 is an external perspective view of the copying machine 1 with the rear upper cover 51 removed, as viewed from the rear side.
[0021]
A toner hopper 52 for supplying toner to the developing device 19 is arranged between the positions where the two ducts 23 are arranged. A toner supply port (not shown) is formed at the bottom of the toner hopper 52, and toner is supplied to the developing device 19 from the toner supply port. On the upper surface of the toner hopper 52, a toner supply port 53 for supplying toner into the toner hopper 52 is formed.
The housing 2 includes an inner plate 70 that appears when the rear upper cover 51 is removed. A vent 54 is formed in the inner plate 70 at a position where the front end of each duct 23 is continuously provided.
[0022]
Since the ducts 23 are arranged in the left and right spaces of the toner hopper 52 and the air outside the housing 2 can be guided to the image forming unit 14 through these ducts 23, the space can be effectively used.
FIG. 4 is an external perspective view of the rear upper cover 51 taken off and viewed obliquely from above, showing a state in which the openable cover 6 is opened.
Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, plate-like hinge members 55 extending in the front-rear direction are attached to the left and right ends of the upper surface of middle plate 48. The hinge member 55 is formed by, for example, bending a single metal plate thicker than the middle plate 48 and the opening / closing cover 6. Each hinge member 55 includes an opening / closing cover mounting piece 56 bent so as to protrude upward from the upper surface of the middle plate 48. A rotation shaft 57 is attached to each opening / closing cover mounting piece 56, and the opening / closing cover 6 is rotatably held by the rotation shaft 57.
[0023]
An opening 67 facing the toner supply port 53 of the toner hopper 52 is formed in the middle plate 48 with the rear upper cover 51 attached to the copier 1. When the toner in the toner hopper 52 runs out, the toner can be supplied from the toner supply port 53 through the opening 67 after the open / close cover 6 is opened.
Each hinge member 55 includes a switch mounting piece 58 that extends downward through the middle plate 48. An open / close detection switch 59 for detecting the open / close of the open / close cover 6 is attached to the switch mounting piece 58.
[0024]
The opening / closing cover 6 is formed of, for example, a single metal plate, and its four sides are each bent substantially perpendicularly in the same direction to form a front side piece 6a, a rear side piece 6b, a left side piece 6c, and Includes right piece 6d. The opening / closing cover 6 is rotatably held by supporting the left and right ends of the rear piece 6b on the corresponding rotating shafts 57.
The left piece 6c and the right piece 6d include a pressing piece 60 formed by being bent inward so as to be parallel to the front piece 6a and the rear piece 6b, respectively. The pressing piece 60 is for pressing an operation unit (not shown) of the open / close detection switch 59 when the open / close cover 6 is closed, and includes a thinly protruding pressing unit 61.
[0025]
A through hole 62 is formed in the middle plate 48 at a position corresponding to the pressing portion 61. When the open / close cover 6 is closed, the pressing portion 61 is inserted into the through hole 62, and the opening / closing detection switch 59 is operated by the tip. The part is pressed.
In this embodiment, since the hinge member 55 is formed to be thicker than the middle plate 48 and the opening / closing cover 6, the strength is relatively high. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the hinge member 55 from being deformed and the positional relationship between the open / close detection switch 59 and the pressing portion 61 from being shifted.
[0026]
FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the open / close detection of the open / close cover 6 by the open / close detection switch 59. FIG. 5A shows a state in which the openable cover 6 is opened, and FIG. 5B shows a state in which the openable cover 6 is closed.
The open / close detection switch 59 has an operation unit 63 held inside so as to be vertically displaceable. The operation unit 63 is urged upward, and projects upward from the upper surface of the open / close detection switch 63 when the open / close cover 6 is open, as shown in FIG. At this time, the open / close detection switch 59 is in the off state.
[0027]
When the open / close cover 6 is closed as shown in FIG. 5B, the operation unit 63 is pressed downward by the tip of the pressing unit 61 of the open / close cover 6 and displaces inside the open / close detection switch 59. At this time, the open / close detection switch 59 is turned on.
The open / close detection switch 59 is connected to a control unit 64 that controls the entire apparatus, and includes, for example, a microcomputer. In the on state as shown in FIG. 5B, a signal is always given to the control unit 64 from the open / close detection switch 59. When the control unit 64 is turned off as shown in FIG. A signal from the open / close detection switch 59 is not provided.
[0028]
Further, an operation panel 65 arranged on the right side of the upper surface of the housing 2 and including a plurality of buttons (not shown) for performing various operations is connected to the control unit 64 (see FIG. 1). The operation panel 65 includes, for example, a display unit 66 with a touch panel. The display unit 66 variably displays keys for performing various operations, various information related to image formation, and the like.
When the open / close cover 6 is opened, the control unit 64 detects that the signal from the open / close detection switch 59 is no longer provided, and causes the display unit 66 to display a message prompting the user to close the open / close cover 6. Accordingly, the operator can be notified that the open / close cover 6 is in the open state, so that forgetting to close the open / close cover 6 can be prevented.
[0029]
The through hole 62 is formed in such a size that a human finger cannot enter. Thus, when the operator puts a finger through the through hole 62 and presses the operation unit 63 of the open / close detection switch 59, the control unit 64 detects that the open / close cover 6 is closed, and the copying machine 1 is suddenly operated. You can prevent them from starting. According to this configuration, safety can be enhanced, but alignment of the pressing portion 61 and the open / close detection switch 59 is important.
[0030]
In the present embodiment, the open / close detection switch 59 attached to the hinge member 55 is pressed by the pressing portion 61 of the open / close cover 6 integrally formed with the hinge member 55. Therefore, the position of the open / close detection switch 59 and the pressing portion 61 can be accurately adjusted.
Further, since the hinge member 55 is attached to the rear upper cover 51, the open / close cover 6, the hinge member 55, the open / close detection switch 59, and the rear upper cover 51 can be integrally formed. In particular, in a large-sized copying machine 1 capable of forming an image on a wide sheet, the rear upper cover 51 is thinner for its size, so that the rear upper cover 51 is integrally formed to prevent deformation. Can be prevented.
[0031]
The present invention is not limited to the contents of the above embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the claims. For example, the open / close detection switch 59 may not be turned on when the open / close cover 6 is closed but may be turned on when the open / close cover 6 is opened. In this case, the control unit 64 may detect that a signal from the open / close detection switch 59 has been given, and display a message prompting the display unit 66 to close the open / close cover 6.
[0032]
Further, when the open / close cover 6 is opened, the control unit 64 displays a message prompting the user to close the open / close cover 6 on the display unit 66 to notify the operator that the open / close cover 6 is open. The notification is not limited to the notification, and may be, for example, notification by sound.
The open / close detection switch 59 may be attached to the open / close cover 6 instead of the hinge member 55. In this case, a pressing portion for pressing the operation portion 63 of the open / close detection switch 59 may be formed on the hinge member 55.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a copying machine according to an embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the rear side.
FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view showing a configuration of a copying machine.
FIG. 3 is an external perspective view of the copying machine with a rear upper cover removed, as viewed from the back side.
FIG. 4 is an external perspective view of a rear upper cover removed and viewed obliquely from above.
FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining detection of opening / closing of an opening / closing cover by an opening / closing detection switch.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Copier 2 Housing 6 Open / close cover 16 Photoreceptor drum 51 Rear upper cover 55 Hinge member 59 Open / close detection switch 61 Pressing part

Claims (2)

An opening / closing cover that is opened when replenishing toner used for image formation;
The rear upper part of the housing, and a removable rear upper cover,
A hinge member attached to the rear upper cover and rotatably supporting the open / close cover,
An image forming apparatus, wherein an opening / closing detection switch for detecting opening / closing of the opening / closing cover and a pressing portion for pressing the opening / closing detection switch are provided on the hinge member and the opening / closing cover, respectively. The image forming apparatus is a wide device capable of forming an image on a sheet of A1 size or more,
Further including a photoconductor drum elongated in the lateral direction,
2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the opening / closing cover is long in the lateral direction, is disposed at a rear upper portion of the housing, and forms a part of a document conveying path.

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