JP4157726B2 - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a facsimile.
[0002]
[Prior art and problems to be solved by the invention]
In an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a facsimile, a toner supply unit, a photosensitive drum unit, a developing unit, etc. are detachably provided inside the apparatus casing, and are pulled out of the apparatus casing or stored again. In addition, in order to perform maintenance inside the apparatus housing, many have a front cover or a front door (referred to as a front cover in this specification) that can be opened and closed.
[0003]
In many of such image forming apparatuses, during operation, toner is supplied from a toner supply unit in the apparatus casing through a toner path in the photosensitive drum unit to the developing unit, and an image is formed on the photosensitive drum. However, when a service engineer performs maintenance on the photosensitive drum unit, the photosensitive drum unit and the developing unit are detached, and toner or the like existing between the units is spilled. The paper may be soiled.
[0004]
For example, as in the conventional image forming apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the front cover 3 is opened to draw out the developing unit 2 built in the apparatus housing 1, and the developing unit 2 is pulled out (the drawing direction is indicated by an arrow in the figure). X)), the developing unit 2 hits against the reinforcing rib 4 formed on the front cover 3 and cannot be pulled out smoothly, and further, the toner or developer is discharged from the developing unit 2 by a shock hitting the reinforcing rib 4. As described above, the paper feed tray in the paper feed device 5 below the device housing 1, the transfer paper stored in the paper feed tray 5, etc., and various parts in the machine, and the device housing 1 may spill from the gap between the front cover 3 and the outside of the machine.
[0005]
The present invention has been made in view of such conventional problems, and an image forming apparatus that can reliably prevent spillage of toner, etc., and dirt caused by this when a photosensitive drum unit, a developing unit, and the like are attached and detached. The purpose is to provide.
[0006]
Another object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus in which a unit such as a photosensitive drum unit can be attached / detached smoothly, and there is no fear of hitting the unit and breaking it or spilling contents.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, an image forming apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention is an image forming apparatus provided with a front cover that can be opened and closed for attaching / detaching a unit to / from the inside of the apparatus casing or for maintenance inside the apparatus casing. , when the front cover side as the upper surface when opened the front cover, and position lower than the bottom portion base surface of the apparatus housing for mounting the unit, opened the front cover A gap between the front cover and the lower base is located below the lower base, and has a bag-like or groove-like concave portion at the tip of the lower base, and when the front cover is opened, the concave portion It characterized that you located on the front cover.
[0008]
Those according to the second aspect, in order to achieve the above object, an image forming apparatus according to claim 1, by forming the inner surface edge portion and the corner portion of the upper Ki凹 shaped portion in a curved shape, spill wherein the simple and such in the reliably performed as Rukoto cleaning contents were.
[0010]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, common parts are denoted by common reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted.
FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of the first embodiment of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, and FIGS. 4A and 4B are enlarged sectional views of the main part. The image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment includes a developing unit 2, a toner supply unit, a photosensitive drum unit, and the like inside the apparatus housing 1, and the front cover 3 is pivoted around a fulcrum 3a for attachment / detachment and maintenance of each unit. The inner surface of the front cover 3, that is, the upper surface when opened, is positioned further below the surface of the lower base 10 of the apparatus housing 1 in which each unit is housed. It is comprised so that it may do.
[0011]
For this reason, when the front cover 3 is opened as shown in FIG. 4B from the state where the front cover 3 shown in FIG. 4A is closed, the gap between the lower base 10 and the front cover 3 becomes the lower base. Located below 10. Therefore, when the service engineer opens the front cover 3 and performs maintenance on the developing unit 2 or the like, even if the developing unit 2 or the like is detached and the toner or the like is spilled, the spilled toner remains on the upper surface of the lower base 10 or the front. It stays on the upper surface of the cover 3, and it is possible to reliably prevent the parts of the machine such as the paper feed tray in the paper feed device 5 below the apparatus housing 1 and the transfer paper stored therein from being soiled.
[0012]
5A and 5B are enlarged cross-sectional views of the main part of the second embodiment of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention. In this embodiment, a bag-like or groove-like concave portion 11 is formed at the tip of the lower base 10 of the apparatus housing 1. As a result, when the service engineer opens the front cover 3 and performs maintenance on the developing unit 2 and the like, even if the developing unit 2 and the like are detached and the toner or the like is spilled, most of the spilled toner is the concave portion 11. A small amount of toner that enters and does not enter also remains on the upper surface of the lower base 10 or the upper surface of the front cover 3. Therefore, it is possible to surely prevent the toner from being soiled and to easily clean and remove the spilled toner.
[0013]
FIG. 6 shows a modification in which the spilled toner can be easily and reliably cleaned by forming the inner side edge and corner of the concave portion 11 in a curved shape.
[0014]
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an essential part of a third embodiment of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention. The image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment has the same height as the reinforcing rib 4 extending on the inner side surface of the front cover 3 in a direction orthogonal to the unit pulling direction (arrow X in the figure) of the developing unit 2 and the unit pulling direction X The guide rib 4a is formed in the same direction as the guide rib 4a. With this guide rib 4a, the developing unit 2 and the like can be pulled out and inserted smoothly, and toner spillage due to shock or the like can be avoided.
[0015]
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a main part of a fourth embodiment of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention. In the image forming apparatus of this embodiment, in addition to the guide rib 4a of the third embodiment, a pair of lateral misalignment prevention ribs 4b are arranged at positions corresponding to the left and right width w of the developing unit 2 with a slight gap W between the left and right sides of the developing unit 2. It is provided so as to be wider than the width w and serves as a guide for pulling out and inserting the developing unit 2 so that the developing unit 2 can be taken in and out almost straight, thereby eliminating the possibility of breaking the developing unit 2 and the insertion opening on the apparatus housing 1 side. It is.
[0016]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the image forming apparatus according to the first aspect includes a front cover that can be opened and closed for attaching / detaching the unit to / from the inside of the apparatus housing or for maintenance inside the apparatus housing, and when the front cover is opened. Since the inner surface of the front cover, which is the upper surface, is positioned below the lower surface of the lower base of the device housing on which the unit is mounted, when service engineers maintain the developing unit and the photosensitive drum unit, Even if toner or the like is spilled by attaching or detaching a unit or the like, it is possible to prevent scattering of the toner or the like inside or outside the apparatus and contamination due to the toner, and the sheet feeding tray and the sheet feeding tray that are often located below the apparatus casing the transfer sheet of the inner can be reliably prevented from contamination, since the lower base of the apparatus housing has a recess portion in the bag-like or groove-like between the front cover, the photosensitive drum unit Even toner or the like at the time of maintenance such development units spill, can ensure that collects in the recessed portion, there is an effect that ing to the soil the machine and outside can be prevented even more reliably.
[0017]
An image forming apparatus according to claim 2, as has been described above, since to form the inner surface edge portion and the corner portion of the recessed shaped part on the curved shape, in addition to the common effect of the first aspect, this there is an effect that the cleaning of the toner first sight be easily and reliably performed so that.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a front cover of a conventional image forming apparatus is opened.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which the developing unit is pulled out.
FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of the first embodiment of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the main part.
FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part of a second embodiment of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part of a modification of the second embodiment.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of main parts of a third embodiment of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of main parts of a fourth embodiment of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Device housing | casing 2 Developing unit 3 Front cover 4 Reinforcement rib 4a Guide rib 4b Lateral deviation prevention rib 5 Paper feeder 10 Lower base 11 Concave part w Development unit left and right width W Horizontal deviation prevention rib interval X Development unit pull-out direction

Claims (2)

In an image forming apparatus having a front cover that can be opened and closed for attaching / detaching a unit to / from the apparatus housing and for maintenance inside the apparatus housing, the inner surface of the front cover that becomes an upper surface when the front cover is opened is mounted were position below the lower portion base surface of the apparatus housing, front cover and the lower base of the gap when open the front cover is positioned below the said lower base, said lower It has a concave portion of the bag-like or groove-like to the base of the tip, the image forming apparatus the concave portion when opening the said front cover is characterized that you located on the front cover. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, by forming the inner surface edge portion and the corner portion of the upper Ki凹 shaped portion in a curved shape, such as enabling the cleaning of the spilled contents easily and reliably Rukoto An image forming apparatus.

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