JP7789558B2 - Image forming device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus having a detachable electrical unit.

Image forming devices such as copiers, facsimile machines, printers, and multifunction devices are constructed with multiple removable electrical units. For example, image forming devices include electrical units such as a document reader for reading documents, a fuser equipped with a heater for fixing toner to paper, and a developing device for forming a toner image on the surface of a photosensitive drum. Furthermore, image forming devices with a sorting function that aligns the pages of each copy when printing multiple copies of a multi-page document may include a shifter drive unit that shifts the ejection position of each copy of paper as it is ejected in order to distinguish between them. This shifter drive unit is also an electrical unit.

Since these electrical units operate electrically, it is preferable to ground them when they are installed in the image forming device to prevent problems such as short circuits and the generation of static electricity. One method of grounding, for example, is to connect a harness that supplies power and inputs and outputs signals to the electrical unit using a connector, and then use one terminal of this connector (harness) as an earth wire, pull out the earth wire, and fasten it to an earth plate or the like provided on the main body of the image forming device to achieve grounding.

When installing the electric unit in the image forming device, the connector connected to the harness can be attached to a connector provided on the electric unit, allowing easy connection to the electric unit, the power supply that supplies electricity, and the circuit board on which the electric unit and the control device that inputs and outputs control signals are mounted. However, since one end of the ground wire is fastened to the ground plate with a screw or the like, the connection process is time-consuming and requires fasteners such as screws, which increases manufacturing costs.

For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technology for achieving electrical continuity in an image forming device using a contact member with a coil spring structure that has spring properties. Specifically, the coil spring structure is expandable along its central axis, allowing the contact member to urge against and contact a conductive portion, thereby establishing an electrical connection. By using this coil spring structure, it is possible to ground an electrical unit without using screws or other fastening devices. Specifically, if a contact member with this coil spring structure is used to ground an electrical unit that is detachable from an image forming device, the contact member with this coil spring structure can be configured to contract along the central axis when the electrical unit is attached, and then come into contact with the electrical unit or other device due to the urging force.

JP 2014-120311 A

However, when removing or installing the electrical unit, there is a possibility that force will be applied to the coil spring structure from a direction other than the direction in which the coil spring expands or contracts (such as a direction approximately perpendicular to the direction in which the spring expands or contracts). This can cause plastic deformation in the coil spring structure, potentially resulting in deformation that is difficult to repair. This can impair the function of the contact members or cause them to break. As such, the configuration disclosed in Patent Document 1 above has the potential for unstable and insufficient grounding, leading to problems such as electric leakage.

The present invention was made in consideration of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to provide an image forming apparatus that has a detachable electrical unit and that allows for easy and reliable grounding of this electrical unit.

An image forming apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention is an image forming apparatus equipped with a detachable electric unit, comprising: a mounting portion for mounting the electric unit; and a coil spring-shaped grounding member arranged at a location that interferes with the electric unit. The electric unit is mounted on the mounting portion by rotating a portion of the electric unit as the center of rotation. The grounding member is arranged so that, when the electric unit is mounted on the mounting portion, the electric unit moves perpendicular to the central axis of the grounding member and interferes with the grounding member, thereby deforming the grounding member. The electric unit has a grounded member, which has an axis that is approximately parallel to the central axis when the electric unit is mounted on the mounting portion, extends from the main body of the electric unit in a direction along the axis, and is approximately cylindrical with one bottom surface exposed. When the electric unit is mounted on the mounting portion, the grounding member bends and contacts the outer periphery of the grounded member.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus including a detachable electric unit, the image forming apparatus including a mounting portion for mounting the electric unit, and a coil spring-like grounding member arranged at a location where the electric unit interferes with the mounting portion, the electric unit being rotated so that a portion of the electric unit becomes the center of rotation when mounted on the mounting portion, the grounding member being arranged so that when the electric unit is mounted on the mounting portion, the electric unit moves in a direction perpendicular to the center axis of the grounding member and interferes with the grounding member, thereby deforming the grounding member, and the electric unit is a grounded The grounding member has a grounding member and is placed on a support portion formed below the mounting portion, one end of the grounding member which is in the form of a coil spring is fixed to the support portion and the other end is a free end which is movable, and when the electrical unit is mounted on the mounting portion, a part of the other end side of the grounding member which is in the form of a coil spring interferes with the grounded member and moves vertically to the central axis of one end of the grounding member, causing the central axis of one end of the grounding member to misalign with the central axis of the part of the other end side of the grounding member, and the grounded member is pressed by the spring force of the grounding member which is in the form of a coil spring.

As a result, when the electric unit is attached to the attachment section, the grounding member interferes with the electric unit, making contact and electrically connecting, thereby grounding the electric unit and suppressing electrical malfunctions such as electric leakage. Furthermore, because the grounding member is a coil spring wound up along its central axis, it is free to deform in various directions and can move flexibly. Therefore, even if the direction in which the electric unit is attached or detached is not fixed, it will reliably come into contact with and deform the electric unit, ensuring reliable grounding of the electric unit. Furthermore, when the electric unit is attached, it is rotated and moves perpendicular to the central axis of the grounding member to be attached to the attachment section. Therefore, the electric unit will interfere with the grounding member as it moves in a curved line. However, because the grounding member is free to deform in various directions and moves flexibly, it can reliably ground the electric unit without hindering attachment.

The image forming apparatus described above may further include a locking portion that locks a lockable portion provided at one end of the electric unit, the electric unit being rotatable when the lockable portion is locked by the locking portion, the electric unit being attached to the mounting portion by rotating the electric unit when the lockable portion is locked by the locking portion, and the grounding member being located at a position spaced apart from the lockable portion of the electric unit when the electric unit is attached to the mounting portion.

In this way, the electric unit rotates and is attached to the attachment part while the latched portion on one end of the electric unit is latched to the latching portion. This means that the range of movement of the electric unit near the latched portion is smaller than the range of movement of the end opposite the latched portion. Therefore, it is preferable to connect wiring such as a harness near the latched portion. Furthermore, because the grounding member is located away from the latched portion, it is less likely for the grounding member and the harness to come into contact, which reduces the risk of problems such as damage to the harness due to contact between the grounding member and the harness.

Furthermore, in the above-mentioned image forming apparatus, the electric unit may have a substantially columnar drive unit, and when the electric unit is attached to the attachment part, the grounding member may bend and come into contact with the outer periphery of the drive unit.

This allows the grounding member to bend and make contact with the outer periphery of the roughly columnar drive unit, such as its side surface, ensuring reliable contact between the drive unit and the grounding member, thereby more reliably grounding the electric unit.

Furthermore, in the above-described image forming apparatus, the grounding member may be arranged so that its central axis is near the outside of the outer periphery of the drive unit when the electric unit is attached to the attachment section, and is located near the downstream side in the rotation direction when the electric unit is rotated and attached to the attachment section.

This prevents the coil spring-shaped grounding member from undergoing plastic deformation that is difficult to repair, and ensures reliable contact with the electrical unit, ensuring reliable grounding of the electrical unit.

Furthermore, in the above-mentioned image forming apparatus, the grounding member may be tightly wound.

In this way, the grounding member is not a compression spring that can freely expand and contract in the direction of the central axis of the coil spring, but is tightly wound, making it difficult to contract in the direction of the central axis of the coil spring. Therefore, when the electric unit is attached to the attachment part, the grounding member does not deform in the direction of contraction, but rather bends and comes into contact with the electric unit. This prevents the grounding member from deforming to a point where it is difficult to repair, and ensures that the electric unit is reliably grounded.

In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus having a detachable electric unit, the image forming apparatus comprising: a mounting portion for mounting the electric unit; and a coil spring-shaped grounding member arranged at a location where it interferes with the electric unit, wherein the electric unit is rotated so that a portion of the electric unit becomes the center of rotation when mounted on the mounting portion, and the grounding member is arranged so that when the electric unit is mounted on the mounting portion, the electric unit moves perpendicular to the center axis of the grounding member and interferes with the grounding member, thereby deforming the grounding member; The electric unit has a grounded member, which has an axis that is approximately parallel to the central axis when the electric unit is attached to the attachment part, extends from the main body of the electric unit in a direction along the axis, and is approximately cylindrical with one bottom surface exposed, and when the electric unit is attached to the attachment part, the grounded member contracts and an end of the grounded member comes into contact with the bottom surface of the grounded member, the end of the grounded member that comes into contact with the grounded member is a conical, tightly wound member, and the part of the grounded member other than the end that is a conical , tightly wound member is a compression spring.

As a result, when the electric unit is attached to the attachment section, it interferes with the end of the conical, tightly wound portion of the grounding member, and as the electric unit moves, the compression spring portion of the grounding member contracts in the direction of the central axis, causing the grounding member to slip into the bottom surface of the roughly columnar drive section. This ensures that the end of the conical, tightly wound portion of the grounding member comes into contact with the bottom surface of the drive section without interfering with attachment, ensuring reliable grounding of the electric unit.

Furthermore, in the above-mentioned image forming apparatus, one end of the grounding member may be fixed, the other end may be movable, and a tilt prevention unit may be provided that does not interfere with the electric unit and is arranged to surround at least a portion of the outer periphery of the grounding member.

By providing this tilt prevention section, deformation and movement of the portion of the grounding member surrounded by the tilt prevention section are restricted, allowing the coil spring-shaped grounding member to come into contact with the electric unit with a stable pressure, ensuring stable grounding of the electric unit.

This invention provides an image forming apparatus that has a detachable electrical unit and allows for easy and reliable grounding of this electrical unit.

1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a schematic exploded perspective view showing a state in which a shifter drive device is removed in an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 1 is a first schematic perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a shifter drive device according to a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a second schematic perspective view showing the schematic configuration of the shifter drive device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing the position of a mounting portion in the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a mounting unit in an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing a state in which a shifter drive device is attached to an attachment portion in an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 5A to 5C are first schematic perspective views illustrating a procedure for mounting the shifter drive device in the mounting portion in the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 10A to 10C are second schematic perspective views illustrating a procedure for mounting the shifter drive device in the mounting portion in the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing a configuration of a connecting member of the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing the arrangement of a motor and a connecting member in the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is an enlarged bottom view illustrating the arrangement position of a connecting member in the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is an enlarged perspective view showing a configuration of a connecting member of an image forming apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is an enlarged side view illustrating a configuration of a connecting member of an image forming apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is an enlarged perspective view showing the arrangement of a motor and a connecting member in an image forming apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, identical components are designated by the same reference numerals. Their names and functions are also the same. Therefore, detailed descriptions of them will not be repeated.

(First embodiment)
An image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing in perspective the general configuration of an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

The following diagrams show coordinates, with the X-axis direction being the left-right direction (horizontal direction) when viewing the image forming apparatus 100 from the front, and the positive and negative X-axis directions representing the left and right sides, respectively. The Y-axis direction is the depth direction (front-to-back direction) perpendicular to the left-to-right X-axis, and the positive and negative Y-axis directions represent the operating side (front side) and the rear side, opposite the operating side, respectively. The Z-axis direction represents the up-down direction, or vertical direction, and the positive and negative Z-axis directions represent the upper and lower sides, respectively. Note that when the image forming apparatus 100 is not shown and only the components of the image forming apparatus 100 are illustrated, the coordinates shown represent the state in which the components are incorporated into the image forming apparatus 100.

As shown in FIG. 1, image forming device 100 is a multifunction device with copy, scanner, facsimile, and printer functions, and transmits an image of original G read by image reading device 102 to the outside. Image forming device 100 also forms an image, in color or monochrome, of original G read by image reading device 102 or an image received from the outside on a sheet P such as paper, which is a recording medium.

A document feeder 160 (automatic document feeder (ADF)) is provided above the image reading unit 130 and is supported so as to be freely opened and closed relative to the image reading unit 130. The image reading device 102 is equipped with the document feeder 160. The document feeder 160 transports one or more documents G one by one. The image reading device 102 reads the documents G transported one by one by the document feeder 160. The image reading device 102 is equipped with a document placing table 130a on which the documents G are placed, and a placed document reading function that reads the documents placed on the document placing table 130a. When the document feeder 160 is opened, the document placing table 130a above the image reading unit 130 is opened, allowing the documents G to be placed manually. The document feeder 160 also has a document loading tray 161 on which documents G are placed, and a document discharge tray 162 on which documents G discharged to the outside are stacked. The image reading device 102 has a transported document reading function that reads documents G transported by the document feeder 160. The document feeder 160 transports documents G placed on the document loading tray 161 onto the document reading section 130b of the image reading section 130. The image reading section 130 scans the scanning optical system 130c to read documents placed on the document loading table 130a, or reads documents G transported by the document feeder 160 and generates image data.

The image forming apparatus main body 101 includes an optical scanning device 1, a developing device 2, a photosensitive drum 3, a drum cleaning device 4, a charger 5, an intermediate transfer belt device 70, a secondary transfer device 11, a fixing device 12, a sheet transport path S, a paper feed cassette 18, and a sheet discharge tray 141.

Image forming device 100 handles image data corresponding to color images using black, cyan, magenta, and yellow, or monochrome images using a single color (e.g., black). The image transfer unit 50 of image forming device 100 is provided with four developing devices 2, four photosensitive drums 3, four drum cleaning devices 4, and four chargers 5 for forming four types of toner images, each corresponding to black, cyan, magenta, and yellow, forming four image stations Pa, Pb, Pc, and Pd.

The optical scanning device 1 exposes the surface of the photosensitive drum 3 to light to form an electrostatic latent image. The developing device 2 develops the electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photosensitive drum 3 to form a toner image on the surface of the photosensitive drum 3. The drum cleaning device 4 removes and collects residual toner from the surface of the photosensitive drum 3. The charger 5 uniformly charges the surface of the photosensitive drum 3 to a predetermined potential. Through the series of operations described above, a toner image of each color is formed on the surface of each photosensitive drum 3.

The intermediate transfer belt device 70 comprises an intermediate transfer roller 6, an endless intermediate transfer belt 71, an intermediate transfer drive roller 72, an intermediate transfer driven roller 73, and a cleaning device 9. Four intermediate transfer rollers 6 are provided inside the intermediate transfer belt 71 so as to form four types of toner images, one for each color. The intermediate transfer rollers 6 transfer the toner images of each color formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 3 onto the intermediate transfer belt 71, which moves around in the circumferential direction C.

The intermediate transfer belt 71 is stretched over an intermediate transfer drive roller 72 and an intermediate transfer driven roller 73. In the image forming device 100, the toner images of each color formed on the surface of each photosensitive drum 3 are sequentially transferred and superimposed to form a color toner image on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 71. The cleaning device 9 removes and collects waste toner that remains on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 71 without being transferred to the sheet P.

The secondary transfer device 11 forms a transfer nip TN between the secondary transfer roller 11a and the intermediate transfer belt 71, and transports a sheet P transported through the sheet transport path S by sandwiching it in the transfer nip TN. As the sheet P passes through the transfer nip TN, the toner image on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 71 is transferred onto the sheet P, and the sheet P is then transported to the fixing device 12.

The fixing device 12 includes a fixing belt 31 and a pressure roller 32 that rotate while sandwiching the sheet P. The fixing device 12 sandwiches the sheet P, onto which the toner image has been transferred, between the fixing belt 31 and the pressure roller 32 and applies heat and pressure to fix the toner image to the sheet P.

The paper feed cassette 18 is a cassette for storing sheets P used for image formation, and is located below the optical scanning device 1. The sheets P are pulled out of the paper feed cassette 18 by the pickup roller 16 and transported to the sheet transport path S. The sheets P transported to the sheet transport path S are sent to the discharge section 140 via the secondary transfer device 11 and the fixing device 12.

The discharge section 140 includes a sheet discharge tray 141 onto which sheets P are discharged, and a shifter drive device 200. The shifter drive device 200 discharges sheets P onto the sheet discharge tray 141. Furthermore, when using the sorting function, which prints each copy in page order when printing multiple copies of a multi-page document, the shifter drive device 200 has the function of shifting the discharge position of sheets P alternately toward the operation side and the rear side along the depth direction each time a copy is discharged, in order to distinguish between the individual copies of the printed document. As a result, the printed documents are stacked one copy at a time on the sheet discharge tray 141, and are discharged stacked alternately in the depth direction, making it easy to separate the individual copies.

Details of the shifter drive device 200 will be provided later. The shifter drive device 200 is an electric unit that can be attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus 100 and has a motor 202 (see Figure 3B) that serves as the drive unit. Note that an electric unit refers to a device that operates electrically.

After passing through the fixing device 12, the sheet P is transported by discharge rollers (not shown) provided in the shifter drive device 200 and discharged onto the sheet discharge tray 141. Thus, the sheet transport path S is arranged with transport rollers 13, registration rollers 14, and discharge rollers (shifter drive device 200). The transport rollers 13 promote the transport of the sheet P. The registration rollers 14 temporarily stop the sheet P and align the leading edge of the sheet P. The registration rollers 14 transport the stopped sheet P in accordance with the timing of the color toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 71. The color toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 71 is transferred to the sheet P at the transfer nip TN between the intermediate transfer belt 71 and the secondary transfer roller 11a.

Note that while Figure 1 shows one paper feed cassette 18, this is not limited to this; multiple paper feed cassettes 18 may be provided, each containing a different type of sheet P.

When forming an image on the back side of sheet P in addition to the front side, image forming apparatus 100 transports sheet P in the opposite direction from the discharge rollers (shifter drive device 200) to the sheet inversion path Sr. Image forming apparatus 100 inverts sheet P transported in the opposite direction and guides it again to registration rollers 14. Image forming apparatus 100 also forms an image on the back side of sheet P guided to registration rollers 14 in the same manner as on the front side, and then transports it to sheet discharge tray 141.

The shifter drive device 200 will be described using the drawings. Figure 2 is a schematic exploded perspective view showing the state in which the shifter drive device has been removed from an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3A is a first schematic perspective view showing the general configuration of the shifter drive device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3B is a second schematic perspective view showing the general configuration of the shifter drive device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 2, the shifter drive device 200 is detachable from the image forming apparatus 100. When installing the shifter drive device 200, the exterior panels located on the operation side (ZX surface) and left side (YZ surface) of the image forming apparatus 100 are removed. The image forming apparatus 100 has a mounting section 250 on its right side, where the shifter drive device 200 is installed. As will be described in detail later, the mounting section 250 has an opening 250a (see FIG. 4), and the shifter drive device 200 is installed by fitting into the opening 250a of this mounting section 250. In this way, the shifter drive device 200 is incorporated into the image forming apparatus 100. Note that the exterior panels are installed after the shifter drive device 200 is installed.

3A and 3B, the shifter drive device 200 includes a shifter drive device main body 210, a cylindrical motor 202 installed on the underside of the shifter drive device main body 210 so as to extend downward, and two engaging portions 201 installed on the rear side, which is one longitudinal end of the shifter drive device main body 210. The engaging portions 201 are claw-shaped and are engaged with engaging portions 252 (see FIG. 4), which will be described later, when the shifter drive device main body 210 is attached to the attachment portion 250. The shifter drive device 200 also includes a paper passage portion 203. As described above, a sheet P that has passed through the fixing device 12 is fed to the shifter drive device 200. The sheet P fed from the fixing device 12 enters the paper passage portion 203 from the right side of the shifter drive device 200 and is ejected onto the sheet ejection tray 141 from the left side. Although not shown, the shifter drive device 200 is equipped with a discharge roller, and the sheet P passes through the paper passage section 203 when the discharge roller rotates.

When the sorting function is used to discharge multiple copies of sheets P onto the sheet discharge tray 141, the motor 202 operates to adjust the discharge position of the sheets P discharged from the paper passage section 203, and each copy is discharged at a position that is alternately shifted.

Next, the mounting unit 250 will be described using the drawings. Figure 4 is a schematic perspective view showing the position of the mounting unit in the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 is a schematic perspective view showing the general configuration of the mounting unit in the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Note that Figure 4 is a view from the front right of the mounting unit 250 when the shifter drive device 200 is not attached, and Figure 5 is a view from the front left. Note that in Figures 4 and 5, the exterior panel located on the right side (YZ plane) of the image forming apparatus 100 has also been removed.

As shown in Figures 4 and 5, an opening 250a is formed in the mounting portion 250, and the shifter drive device 200 fits into this opening 250a to mount the shifter drive device 200. Two locking portions 252 corresponding to the two locked portions 201 are provided on the back side of the mounting portion 250. The locking portions 252 are shaped so that, when the locked portions 201 are locked, the shifter drive device 200 can rotate around the locking portions 252. More specifically, the claw-shaped locked portions 201 hook onto the rod-shaped locked portions 201, allowing the shifter drive device 200 to rotate around the locked portions 201.

Furthermore, a mounting portion 253 is formed below the mounting portion 250, and a grounding member 251 is disposed on the mounting portion 253. The shape of the grounding member 251 will be described in detail below, but it is a coil spring, and is disposed so that the center axis 251a of the coil spring (see FIG. 9) is oriented in the vertical direction. Although not shown, a conductor is connected to the grounding member 251, and this conductor is connected to a ground plate or the like provided on the image forming apparatus 100 for proper grounding. By properly grounding the electrical unit incorporated in the image forming apparatus 100 via the grounding member 251, electrical problems such as electrical leakage and static electricity can be suppressed. Specifically, in this embodiment, by mounting the shifter drive device 200 on the mounting portion 250, the outer surface of the motor 202 of the shifter drive device 200 comes into contact with the grounding member 251, thereby properly grounding the shifter drive device 200.

Next, the procedure for mounting the shifter drive device 200 in the mounting section 250 will be described using the drawings. FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view showing the state in which the shifter drive device is mounted in the mounting section in the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a first schematic perspective view showing the procedure for mounting the shifter drive device in the mounting section in the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a second schematic perspective view showing the procedure for mounting the shifter drive device in the mounting section in the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

First, we will explain the relationship between the motor 202 and the grounding member 251 when the shifter drive device 200 is attached to the attachment portion 250. As shown in Figure 6, the shifter drive device 200 is attached to the attachment portion 250 by fitting into the opening 250a of the attachment portion 250. At this time, the outer periphery of the motor 202 of the shifter drive device 200 comes into contact with the grounding member 251. This causes the motor 202 to be grounded.

To attach the shifter drive device 200 to the mounting portion 250, first, the latched portion 201 is hooked onto the latching portion 252. As described above, by hooking (engaging) the claw-shaped latched portion 201 onto each of the rod-shaped latching portions 252, the shifter drive device 200 becomes rotatable relative to the image forming apparatus 100 around the latching portion 252 as shown in FIG. 7. Specifically, the rear side of the shifter drive device 200 is fixed, and the operating side of the shifter drive device 200 can be rotated so as to swing. With the latched portion 201 latched onto the latching portion 252, the operating side of the shifter drive device 200 is rotated to fit into the opening 250a, and the shifter drive device 200 is attached to the mounting portion 250 as shown in FIG. 8. In this way, because the shifter drive device 200 is mounted to the mounting portion 250 while rotating, the motor 202 moves in a curved line relative to the ground contact member 251, causing it to come into contact with and interfere with the ground contact member 251. However, the direction of movement of the motor 202 (shifter drive device 200) is along a plane (XY plane) that is perpendicular to the up-down direction (Z-axis direction). Therefore, the motor 202 interferes with the ground contact member 251 while moving in a curved line perpendicular to the central axis 251a of the ground contact member 251.

Next, the configuration of the grounding member 251 will be described using the drawings. Figure 9 is an enlarged perspective view showing the configuration of the connecting member of the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Also, Figure 10 is an enlarged perspective view showing the arrangement of the motor and connecting member in the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 9 , the grounding member 251 is installed on the mounting portion 253. As described above, the grounding member 251 is installed so as to align vertically with the central axis 251a. One end of the grounding member 251 is fixed to the mounting portion 253, while the other end of the grounding member 251 is free. A tilt prevention portion 254 is installed to surround the grounding member 251. The height of the tilt prevention portion 254 is set so as not to interfere with the motor 202 when the shifter drive device 200 is mounted on the mounting portion 250. The tilt prevention portion 254 is installed to prevent the grounding member 251 from bending too much (tilting too much) so that the grounding member 251 can stably contact the motor 202 when the shifter drive device 200 is mounted on the mounting portion 250 and the grounding member 251 comes into contact with the motor 202. Therefore, it does not need to be formed on the side from which the motor 202 enters. In other words, the tilt prevention portion 254 needs to be formed on the side where the ground contact member 251 bends upon contact with the motor 202.

As shown in Figure 10, when the shifter drive device 200 is attached to the attachment portion 250, the motor 202 interferes with the grounding member 251, and pressure is applied by the side surface 202a of the motor 202, causing the grounding member 251 to bend. As a result, the grounding member 251 comes into contact with the side surface 202a of the motor 202 and is electrically connected. Therefore, the motor 202 is properly grounded. Note that depending on the arrangement of the motor 202 and the grounding member 251, the grounding member 251 may come into contact with not only the side surface 202a but also the bottom surface 202c.

Motor 202 is also provided with connector 204 for supplying power and inputting and outputting control signals. Since electrical wires such as a harness are connected to this connector 204, if the grounding member 251 and connector 204 are placed close to each other, there is a possibility that the harness may interfere with the grounding member 251, causing problems such as a broken wire, and therefore it is preferable to place connector 204 and grounding member 251 at a distance. For example, it is preferable to place connector 204 and grounding member 251 with motor 202 sandwiched between them.

As described above, the shifter drive device 200 is rotated and attached to the attachment portion 250 with the latched portion 201 located on the rear side latched to the latching portion 252. Therefore, it is preferable to connect a harness or the like to the rear end of the shifter drive device 200 where the latched portion 201 is located, as this requires a smaller rotation range than the operating side. Therefore, the connector 204 is located near the rear side of the shifter drive device 200. Therefore, it is preferable to place the grounding member 251 on the operating side of the motor 202.

The installation position of the grounding member 251 will now be explained using the drawings. Figure 11 is an enlarged bottom view illustrating the placement position of the connection member in the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Note that Figure 11 is a view of the grounding member 251 and motor 202 from below, omitting the illustration of the mounting portion 253, and is a diagram for explaining the placement of the grounding member 251 and motor 202.

As shown in FIG. 11, when the shifter drive device 200 is attached to the attachment portion 250, the center axis 251a of the ground contact member 251 is preferably positioned near the outside of the side surface 202a of the motor 202. Furthermore, it is preferable that the ground contact member 251 is installed near the outside of a range 202b on the side surface 202a that is downstream in the entry direction 220 when the shifter drive device 200 is rotated and attached to the attachment portion 250. This allows the ground contact member 251 to bend without plastic deformation when the shifter drive device 200 is attached to the ground contact member 251, ensuring reliable contact over a wider area with the motor 202.

With the image forming apparatus 100 described above, the shifter drive device 200 can be easily and reliably grounded simply by mounting the shifter drive device 200 in the mounting portion 250. Furthermore, the grounding member 251 ensures that the electrical unit is grounded without interfering with the mounting of the shifter drive device 200.

The image forming apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment has been described above, but is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, while the grounding member 251 is a contact spring, it may be a spring other than a contact spring. For example, it may be a compression spring that can compress in the direction of the central axis 251a. When the shifter drive device 200 is attached to the attachment portion 250, the motor 202 interferes with the grounding member 251, causing contact between the motor 202 and the grounding member 251. When the shifter drive device 200 is removed from the attachment portion 250, the grounding member 251 simply returns to its original shape. Note that when a force is applied to the grounding member 251 perpendicular to the central axis 251a, a contact spring bends more smoothly and flexibly than a compression spring, making contact with the motor 202 at multiple points. Therefore, a contact spring is preferable because it contacts the motor 202 more reliably.

Second Embodiment
The image forming apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention differs in that a grounding member 261 is installed instead of the grounding member 251 of the image forming apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment, but otherwise has the same configuration as the image forming apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment. Therefore, the grounding member 261, which is the difference, will be described using the drawings, and a description of the other configurations will be omitted.

Figure 12 is an enlarged perspective view showing the configuration of the connecting member of the image forming apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Also, Figure 13 is an enlarged side view for explaining the configuration of the connecting member of the image forming apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Also, Figure 14 is an enlarged perspective view showing the arrangement of the motor and connecting member in the image forming apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 12, the grounding member 261 is placed on the mounting portion 253, with the central axis 261c of the grounding member 261 aligned in the vertical direction. One end of the grounding member 261 is fixed to the mounting portion 253, while the other end of the grounding member 261 is a free end. In addition, a tilt prevention portion 254 is installed so as to surround the grounding member 261.

As shown in FIG. 13, the contact portion 261a, which is the free end of the grounding member 261, is a conical contact spring. Meanwhile, the expandable portion 261b, which is the end of the grounding member 261 that is fixed to the mounting portion 253, is a compression spring. The contact portion 261a, which is a contact spring, is conical and its vertical length is short compared to the overall length of the grounding member 261. Therefore, not only does it have difficulty compressing in the direction of the central axis 261c, it also has little tendency to bend when pressure is applied perpendicular to the central axis 261c. Furthermore, the expandable portion 261b is a compression spring, so it can bend in the direction of the central axis 261c. Structurally, the expandable portion 261b will bend when pressure is applied perpendicular to the central axis 261c, but the tilt prevention portion 254 limits this bending.

When the shifter drive device 200 is rotated to attach it to the attachment portion 250, the motor 202 interferes with the ground contact member 261, causing the motor 202 to move perpendicular to the central axis 261c. At this time, the motor 202 comes into contact with the side of the conical contact portion 261a. However, because the side of the contact portion 261a is sloped, as the motor 202 moves, pressure is applied to the ground contact member 261 not only perpendicular to the central axis 261c, but also downward. As described above, both the contact portion 261a and the expandable portion 261b are difficult to bend even when pressure is applied perpendicular to the central axis 261c, so the expandable portion 261b deforms in a contracting direction. Therefore, the downward pressure causes the contact portion 261a to contract, causing the ground contact member 261 to slide beneath the motor 202.

As a result, as shown in FIG. 14, when the shifter drive device 200 is attached to the attachment portion 250, the grounding member 261 is positioned below the motor 202, and the contact portion 261a of the grounding member 261 comes into contact with the bottom surface 202c of the motor 202, thereby achieving grounding. This ensures that the contact portion 261a (grounding member 261) comes into reliable contact with the motor 202, ensuring reliable grounding.

In the first embodiment, it was preferable that the central axis 251a of the grounding member 251 be located near the outside of the side surface 202a of the motor 202. However, in the second embodiment, it is preferable that the tip of the contact portion 261a be in contact with the bottom surface 202c. Therefore, it is preferable that the central axis 261c be located at a lower position on the motor 202.

(Other embodiments)
Although the embodiments of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention have been described above, embodiments other than the first and second embodiments may also be used. The present invention is not limited to these embodiments and can be modified as appropriate. For example, while the shifter drive device 200 has been used as the electrical unit to be grounded, the present invention is not limited to the shifter drive device 200. Any electrical unit that is detachable from the image forming apparatus 100 and that is suitable for grounding can be similarly grounded. Furthermore, although the motor 202 is used as the grounding point in the shifter drive device 200, the grounding member 251 may contact a location other than the motor 202 as long as grounding is possible.

In addition, when attaching the shifter drive device 200 to the mounting portion 250, the locked portion 201 provided at one end of the shifter drive device 200 is locked with the locking portion 252, and then the shifter drive device 200 is rotated to attach it to the mounting portion 250. However, this is not limited to this configuration, and the shifter drive device 200 may be attached to the mounting portion 250 by moving it linearly. In addition, while the locked portion 201 has a claw structure and the locking portion 252 has a rod-shaped structure, the locked portion 201 and the locking portion 252 may have other structures, and the shifter drive device 200 may be rotated to attach it to the mounting portion 250.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the grounding of the detachable shifter drive device 200 in the image forming apparatus 100 was described, but the present invention can also be used to ground detachable electrical units in electrical equipment other than the image forming apparatus 100.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be embodied in various other forms. Therefore, these embodiments are merely illustrative in all respects and should not be interpreted as limiting. The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims and is not bound by the text of the specification. Furthermore, all modifications and variations that fall within the equivalent scope of the claims are within the scope of the present invention.

1 Optical scanning device 2 Developing device 3 Photosensitive drum 4 Drum cleaning device 5 Charger 6 Intermediate transfer roller 9 Cleaning device 11 Secondary transfer device 11a Secondary transfer roller 12 Fixing device 13 Conveying roller 14 Registration roller 16 Pickup roller 18 Paper feed cassette 31 Fixing belt 32 Pressure roller 50 Image transfer section 70 Intermediate transfer belt device 71 Intermediate transfer belt 72 Intermediate transfer drive roller 73 Intermediate transfer driven roller 100 Image forming apparatus 101 Image forming apparatus main body 102 Image reading device 130 Image reading section 130a Document placing table 130b Document reading section 130c Scanning optical system 140 Discharge section 141 Sheet discharge tray 160 Document feeding device 161 Document placing tray 162 Document discharge tray 200 Shifter drive device 201 Engaged portion 202a Side surface 202b Range 202c Bottom surface 203, paper passage section 202, motor 210, shifter drive device main body 220, entry direction 250, mounting section 250a, openings 251, 261, grounding members 251a, 261c, central shaft 252, engaging section 253, placement section 254, tilt prevention section 261a, contact section 261b, expansion section G, document P, sheet S, sheet transport path Sr, sheet reversing paths Pa, Pb, Pc, Pd, image station C, circumferential direction TN, transfer nip section

Claims (9)

An image forming apparatus having a detachable electric unit,
a mounting portion for mounting the electric unit;
a coil spring-shaped grounding member disposed at a location where it interferes with the electric unit,
the electric unit is rotated so that a part of the electric unit becomes a center of rotation and is attached to the attachment part;
the grounding member is arranged such that, when the electric unit is attached to the attachment portion, the electric unit moves in a direction perpendicular to a central axis of the grounding member and interferes with the grounding member, thereby deforming the grounding member;
the electric unit has a grounded member;
the grounded member has an axis that is approximately parallel to the central axis when the electric unit is attached to the attachment portion, extends from a main body of the electric unit in a direction along the axis, and is approximately columnar in shape with one bottom surface exposed,
When the electric unit is attached to the attachment portion, the grounding member bends and contacts the outer periphery of the grounded member. An image forming apparatus having a detachable electric unit,
a mounting portion for mounting the electric unit;
a coil spring-shaped grounding member disposed at a location where it interferes with the electric unit,
the electric unit is rotated so that a part of the electric unit becomes a center of rotation and is attached to the attachment part;
the grounding member is arranged such that, when the electric unit is attached to the attachment portion, the electric unit moves in a direction perpendicular to a central axis of the grounding member and interferes with the grounding member, thereby deforming the grounding member;
the electric unit has a grounded member;
the grounding member is placed on a mounting portion formed below the mounting portion, one end of the grounding member having a coil spring shape is fixed to the mounting portion, and the other end is a free end that is movable;
An image forming apparatus characterized in that, when the electrical unit is attached to the attachment portion, a portion of the other end of the grounding member, which is in the form of a coil spring, interferes with the grounded member and moves perpendicular to the central axis of one end of the grounding member, causing the central axis of one end of the grounding member to misalign with the central axis of a portion of the other end of the grounding member, and causing the grounded member to be pressed by the spring force of the grounding member, which is in the form of a coil spring. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,
a locking portion that locks a locked portion provided at one end of the electric unit,
the electric unit is rotatable in a state in which the locked portion is locked by the locking portion,
The electric unit is attached to the attachment portion by rotating the electric unit while the engaged portion is engaged by the engagement portion,
an electric unit mounted on the mounting portion, the grounding member being disposed at a position spaced apart from the latched portion of the electric unit; 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3 ,
An image forming apparatus characterized in that the grounding member is arranged so that its central axis is near the outside of the outer periphery of the grounded member when the electric unit is attached to the attachment portion, and is located near the downstream side of the rotation direction when the electric unit is rotated and attached to the attachment portion. 5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,
10. An image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the grounding member is tightly wound. An image forming apparatus having a detachable electric unit,
a mounting portion for mounting the electric unit;
a coil spring-shaped grounding member disposed at a location where it interferes with the electric unit,
the electric unit is rotated so that a part of the electric unit becomes a center of rotation and is attached to the attachment part;
the grounding member is arranged such that, when the electric unit is attached to the attachment portion, the electric unit moves in a direction perpendicular to a central axis of the grounding member and interferes with the grounding member, thereby deforming the grounding member;
the electric unit has a grounded member;
the grounded member has an axis that is approximately parallel to the central axis when the electric unit is attached to the attachment portion, extends from a main body of the electric unit in a direction along the axis, and is approximately columnar in shape with one bottom surface exposed,
When the electric unit is attached to the attachment portion, the grounding member contracts and an end of the grounding member comes into contact with a bottom surface of the grounded member,
The end of the grounding member that contacts the grounded member is tightly wound in a conical shape,
an image forming apparatus, characterized in that the grounding member is made of a compression spring other than the end portion of the conical tightly wound member; 7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6 ,
a locking portion that locks a locked portion provided at one end of the electric unit,
the electric unit is rotatable in a state in which the locked portion is locked by the locking portion,
The electric unit is attached to the attachment portion by rotating the electric unit while the engaged portion is engaged by the engagement portion,
an electric unit mounted on the mounting portion, the grounding member being disposed at a position spaced apart from the latched portion of the electric unit; 8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,
One end of the grounding member is fixed and the other end is movable;
An image forming apparatus comprising: a tilt prevention portion that does not interfere with the electric unit and is arranged to surround at least a portion of the outer periphery of the grounding member. 9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,
10. An image forming apparatus, wherein the grounded member is a drive unit.