EP0429657A1 - Bildformungsanordnung - Google Patents
Bildformungsanordnung Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP0429657A1 EP0429657A1 EP90907452A EP90907452A EP0429657A1 EP 0429657 A1 EP0429657 A1 EP 0429657A1 EP 90907452 A EP90907452 A EP 90907452A EP 90907452 A EP90907452 A EP 90907452A EP 0429657 A1 EP0429657 A1 EP 0429657A1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- bevel gear
- axis
- gear
- rotation
- developing unit
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
Links
Images
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
- G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
- G03G15/00—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern
- G03G15/06—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for developing
- G03G15/08—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for developing using a solid developer, e.g. powder developer
- G03G15/0896—Arrangements or disposition of the complete developer unit or parts thereof not provided for by groups G03G15/08 - G03G15/0894
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
- G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
- G03G21/00—Arrangements not provided for by groups G03G13/00 - G03G19/00, e.g. cleaning, elimination of residual charge
- G03G21/16—Mechanical means for facilitating the maintenance of the apparatus, e.g. modular arrangements
- G03G21/1642—Mechanical means for facilitating the maintenance of the apparatus, e.g. modular arrangements for connecting the different parts of the apparatus
- G03G21/1647—Mechanical connection means
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
- G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
- G03G2221/00—Processes not provided for by group G03G2215/00, e.g. cleaning or residual charge elimination
- G03G2221/16—Mechanical means for facilitating the maintenance of the apparatus, e.g. modular arrangements and complete machine concepts
- G03G2221/1651—Mechanical means for facilitating the maintenance of the apparatus, e.g. modular arrangements and complete machine concepts for connecting the different parts
- G03G2221/1654—Locks and means for positioning or alignment
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
- G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
- G03G2221/00—Processes not provided for by group G03G2215/00, e.g. cleaning or residual charge elimination
- G03G2221/16—Mechanical means for facilitating the maintenance of the apparatus, e.g. modular arrangements and complete machine concepts
- G03G2221/1651—Mechanical means for facilitating the maintenance of the apparatus, e.g. modular arrangements and complete machine concepts for connecting the different parts
- G03G2221/1657—Mechanical means for facilitating the maintenance of the apparatus, e.g. modular arrangements and complete machine concepts for connecting the different parts transmitting mechanical drive power
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
- G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
- G03G2221/00—Processes not provided for by group G03G2215/00, e.g. cleaning or residual charge elimination
- G03G2221/16—Mechanical means for facilitating the maintenance of the apparatus, e.g. modular arrangements and complete machine concepts
- G03G2221/18—Cartridge systems
Definitions
- the present invention relates to an electro-photographic image forming apparatus which causes a developing unit to come close to or to be separated from a photoconductive drum in conjugation with the opening or closing operation of the upper frame and particularly to a gear power transfer mechanism for transmitting a rotating force of a drive motor to the developing unit side from the photoconductive drum unit side when the developing unit is caused to come close to the photoconductive drum unit.
- This image forming apparatus is so structured that the upper frame can be opened or closed for the lower frame forming the boundary at the paper transfer path in order to reset the paper jam and replacement of the developing unit and photoconductive drum unit. Moreover with such opening or closing operation, the photoconductive drum provided within the upper frame is caused to come close to or to be separated from the developing unit and the power in the photoconductive drum unit side is transferred to the developing unit side with the power transmitting mechanism when the developing unit and photoconductive drum are caused to become close with each other.
- Fig. 10A and Fig. 10B are structural diagrams schematically showing typical example (Japanese unexamined patent sublication HEI 1-92776) of the image forming apparatus explained above.
- This image forming apparatus divides the frame into the upper and lower frame
- the lower frame (hereinafter called base) 1 is provided with a paper cassette setting part 11, a paper transfer path 12, a fixing unit 13 and a pick roller, transfer roller not illustrated.
- the upper frame (hereinafter called cover) 2 is provided with a photoconductive drum unit 3, a deveoping unit 4 and a link mechanism 5 and is rotatable around the rotating axis 14 for the base 1.
- the paper transfer path is formed at the dividing section of the base 1 and cover 2, the paper transfer path is formed.
- the cover 2 can be opened for the base 1 at the boundary of paper transfer path by rotating it around the rotating axis 14.
- the photoconductive drum unit 3 is fixed to the cover 2 and the developing unit 4 is swayably provided to the cover 2.
- a mag roller (not illustrated) within the developing unit 41 can be moved closely to or separated from the photoconductive drum 31 through such swaying operation.
- the link mechanism 5 sways the developing unit 4 in accordance with the closing and opening operation of cover 2, namely causes the developing unit 41 to come close to or separate from the photoconductive drum 31.
- the link mechanism 5 is composed of an L type rotatable arm 51, an L type transmitting arm 52 and a rotatable arm 53.
- the L type rotatable arm 51 has a guide hole 512 which engages with an engaging pin 511 provided on the base 1 at the one end thereof and rotates around the center axis 513 in accordance with the closing and opening operation of cover 2.
- the L type transmitting arem 52 couples the other end of the L type rotatable arm 51 and the one end of rotatable arm 53 to realize integrated operation of these arms.
- the rotatable arm 53 rotates around the rotating axis 531 and is provided, at the one end thereof, with a pushing mechanism 54 consisting of a plate spring to push the devloping unit 4 toward the photoconductive drum unit 3.
- the cover 2 shown in Fig. 10A is closed to the base 1.
- the L type rotatable arm 51 of the link mechanism is rotated around the rotating axis 513 simultaneously with depression in the direction of arrow mark A, thereby the transmitting arm 52 is pulled in the direction of arrow mark B and the rotatable arm 53 is driven to rotate counterclockwise around the rotating axis 531.
- the pushing mechanism 54 integrated with the rotatable arm 53 is moved to the right side, pushing the developing unit 4 toward the photoconductive drum unit 3.
- the developing unit 41 and the photoconductive drum 31 are set in the closing condition. Since the developing unit 41 is provided with a pair of gap rollers 42 which are in contact with both end portions of external circumference of the photoconductive drum 31, the mag roller and photosensitive drum in the developing unit are provided opposed with each other with a constant interval between them under such closed condition.
- the cover 2 shown in Fig. 10B is opened. Under this condition, the transmitting arm 52 of the link mechanism is moved in the direction of arrow mark C and thereby a pushing force of the pushing mechanism 54 toward the developing unit 4 is eased. As a result, the developing unit 4 is separated from the phtoconductive drum unit 3 with a recovery force of spring not illustrated and the photoconductive drum 31 is so far separated from the gap roller 42.
- the image forming apparatus causes the developing unit 4 to come close to or to be separated from the photoconductive drum unit 3 in accordance with the opening and closing operations of the cover 2 and is also provided with the gear power transfer mechanism for transmitting the rotating force of drive motor to the rotating part of developing unit from the photoconductive drum unit under the closed condition of these units explained above.
- This gear power transfer mechanism 6 is composed, as shown in Figs. 11A, 11B and Fig. 12, of a drive gear unit 62 coupled with the drive motor (not illustrated) in the side of photoconductive drum unit 3 and a driven gear unit 63 coupled with the rotating part of developing unit 41 (mag roller, developer agitating screw, etc.).
- the drive gear unit 62 is provided with three gears rotatably provided on a fixed substrate 61, namely a first intermediate gear 621 engaged with the drive motor, a second intermediate gear 622 always engaged with the first intermediate gear and a drive gear 623 always engaged with the second intermediate gear.
- the axis of first intermediate gear 621 is coupled with the drive mechanism of the photoconductive drum 31 and the second intermediate gear 622 is coupled with the rotating aixs of paper transfer roller not illustrated.
- the driven gear unit 63 is composed of a movable bracket 634 (hatched area in Fig. 12) provided movably in the direction of arrow mark to the fixed substrate 61 and the three gears rotatably provided to this bracket.
- Three gears include a driven gear 631 engaging with the drive gear 623 in the side of photoconductive drum when the developing unit 4 comes close to the photoconductive drum unit 3, a third intermediate gear 632 always engaging with the driven gear and a fourth intermediate gear 633 always engaging with the third intermediate gear.
- the fourth intermedaite gear 633 is provided with four pawls coupled with a coupling pawl gear in the side of developing unit 41 as shown in the figure. When these pawls couple, the mag roller and the developer agitating screw in the developing unit 41 are rotated.
- the gears explained above, although not limited thereto, may be manufactured through the molding of synthetic resin material.
- the cover 2 shown in Fig. 11A is closed for the base 1 and the developing unit 4 is moved toward the photoconductive drum unit 8.
- the driven gear 631 of the gear power transfer mechanism engages with the drive gear 623 becaise both units are in the closed condition.
- a rotating force of the drive motor transmitted to the grive gear 623 through the first intermediate gear 621 and second intermediate gear 622 is further transferred sequentially to the driven gear 631, third intermediate gear 632 and fourth intermediate gear 633 from such drive gear to rotate the mag roller within the developing unit 41. Therefore, the photoconductive drum 31 and developing unit 41 are driven by the single drive motor.
- the cover 2 shown in Fig. 11B is opened and thereby the developing unit 4 is separated from the photoconductive drum unit 3.
- the driven gear 631 of the gear powre transfer mechanism 6 is separated from the drive gear 623 releasing the engagement and thereby the rotating force of drive motor is not transferred to the developing unit 41. Accordingly, the mag roller in the developing unit 41 is no longer rotated.
- gap between the photoconductive drum 31 and developing unit 41 changes depending on a little deviation of supporting axis of the gap roller 42 and rotating axis of photoconductive drum 31 specifying such gap.
- Such change of gap gives large influence on the engagement between the drive gear 623 of the drive gear unit 62 and the driven gear 631 of driven gear unit 63.
- positional relation between the drive gear unit 62 and driven gear unit 63 is determined with reference to the axis center of the gap roller 42 of developing unit and rotating center of the photoconductive drum 31, even if the center positions are little deviated, adequate engagement between the drive gear 623 and driven gear 631 can no longer be attained.
- the present invention proposes an image forming apparatus in which the developing unit is provided movably so that it can be moved closely to or separated from the photoconductive drum and the gear power transfer mechanism is provided so that the rotating axis in the side of photoconductive drum unit coupled with the drive motor is coupled with the rotating axis in the side of developing unit under condition that the photoconductive drum and the developing unit are provided closely and paritucularly has structured such gear power transfer mechanism as explained hereunder.
- the gear power transfer mechanism characterizing the present invention comprises, as shown in Fig. 1, a first bevel gear 71 fixed to the rotating axis 624 in the side of photoconductive drum unit, a second bevel gear 72 provided to always engage with the first bevel gear, a third bevel gear fixed to the rotating axis 635 in the side of developing unit, a fourth bevel gear 82 provided to always engage with the third bevel gear, and a gear coupling means 91 to engage the second bevel gear 72 and the fourth bevel gear 82 in order to transfer the rotation of second bevel gear 72 to the fourth bevel gear 82 in the axis of the direction orthogonally crossing each rotating axis and allow the movement of fourth bevel gear 82 in the axial direction in conjunction with the movement of developing unit 41
- the present invention has eliminated direct coupling between the drive gear and driven gear which has been conducted in the prior art. Therefore, gap adjustment between the drive gear and driven gear can be eliminated. Moreover, gear missing and gear skipping of gears can be prevented and adequate motor power can always be transferred to the rotating part of the developing unit.
- the rotating axis 624 of drive gear 623 is coupled with the first bevel gear 71, which is always coupled with the second bevel gear 72.
- the second bevel gear 72 has a boss at the single side surface. This boss is rotatably supported through a bearing 74 for the L type supporting member 73 provided on the fixed substrate 61.
- the one end of rotation transfer axis 91 is fixed to the axis hole of the secong bevel gear 72.
- the other end of rotation transfer axis 91 has a flat area 911 formed by cutting out a part of the external circumference and this flat area is inserted into the axis hole of the fourth bevel gear 82 which will be explained later.
- the rotation axis 635 of driven gear 631 is coupled with the third bevel gear 81, which is always coupled with the fourth bevel gear 82.
- This fourth bevel gear 82 has a boss at the single side surface and this boss is rotatably supported through a bearing 84 by the L type supporting member 83 provided on the movable bracket 634.
- the other end of the rotation transfer axis 91 is inserted into the axis hole of the fourth bevel gear 82. Under this insertion condition, the fourth bevel gear 82 is slidable for the rotation transfer axis 91 and it rotates together with the rotation transfer axis 91.
- the fourth bevel gear 82 can be rotated because this gear and rotation transfer axis 91 are tentatively coupled with each other by a contact force at the edge portion of flat area 911 provided at the other end of the rotation transfer axis 91.
- the fourth bevel gear 82 slides on the rotation transfer axis 91 together with the bracket.
- the rotating force of the drive motor transferred to the rotation transfer axis 91 is then transmitted to the third bevel gear 81 through the fourth bevel gear 82 and is then tranferred to the driven gear 631.
- the rotating part of the developing unit 4 is driven, like a prior art, by the drive motor in the side of photoconductive drum unit 3.
- the drive gear in the side of photoconductive drum unit is not coupled in direct with the driven gear in the side of developing unit. Therefore, gap adjustment between such gears is unnecessary. Accordingly, the gear powr transfer mechanism as a whole can be prepared as a unit element for maintenance work.
- two rotation transfer axes 92, 93 are used as shown in Fig. 6, and one of them is fixed to the second bevel gear 72 while the other to the fourth bevel gear 82.
- the free end of the first rotation transfer axis 92 fixed to the second bevel gear is provided with a split groove 921
- the free end of the second rotation transfer axis 93 fixed to the fourth bevel gear is provided with an engaging part 931 which may be fitted to the splig groove 921.
- the second rotation transfer axis 93 may be freely moved in the axial direction and rotates together with the first rotation transfer axis 92.
- the fourth bevel gear 82 can be moved together with the bracket and rotation of the second bevel gear 72 can be transferred to the fourth bevel gear 82 under the condition that the developing unit 4 and photoconductive drum 3 are located adjacently.
- the coupling can further be stabilized by fixing a cylindrical portion surrounding the coupling portion of the first rotation transfer axis 92 and the second rotation transfer axis 93 to the side of any one of these axes.
- two pairs of bevel gears are coupled with two rotation transfer axes 94, 95.
- this embodiment is different from the previous one in such points that the axis center of second bevel gear 72 is deviated in the upper and horizontal directions for the axis center of fourth bevel gear 82 and the two rotation transfer axes 94, 95 to be fixed to respective axis holes are allocated in different positions and the free end of each rotation transfer axis is provided with a pair of flat gears 96, 97 which are always engaged with each other.
- each flat gear employs the gear structure where height of tooth is high and number of teeth is considerably small and moreover the number of teeth of bevel gears forming a pair is different. In more practical, as shown in Fig. 8 and Fig.
- the number of teeth of the first bevel gear 71 and third bevel gear 81 is set larger than the number of teeth of the second bevel gear 72 and fourth bevel gear 82.
- the rotating axis 635 of the driven gear 631 is longer than the rotating axis 624 of the drive gear 623. Therefore, the third bevel gear 81 is located higher than the first bevel gear 71.
- the center area of the longer rotating axis 624 is supported by a bearing 637 for stabilizing rotation thereof.
- the movable bracket 634 is provided with a pair of supporting members 98, 99 in order to movably support two rotation transfer axes 94, 95.
- the second bevel gear 72 and first flat gear 96 are fixed to the first rotation transfer axis 94, while the fourth bevel gear 82 and second flat gear 97 to the second rotaton tranfer axis 95.
- the rotating power can be transferred to the developing unit from the side of photoconductive drum like the above two embodiments.
- This embodiment has the following peculiar effect that high accuracy is not required for positioning of opposed second bevel gear 72 and fourth bevel gear 82.
Landscapes
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Electrophotography Configuration And Component (AREA)
- Gear Transmission (AREA)
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP12719789 | 1989-05-19 | ||
| JP127197/89 | 1989-05-19 | ||
| PCT/JP1990/000619 WO1990014618A1 (en) | 1989-05-19 | 1990-05-16 | Image forming apparatus |
Publications (3)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| EP0429657A1 true EP0429657A1 (de) | 1991-06-05 |
| EP0429657A4 EP0429657A4 (en) | 1993-01-20 |
| EP0429657B1 EP0429657B1 (de) | 1995-02-08 |
Family
ID=14954104
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| EP90907452A Expired - Lifetime EP0429657B1 (de) | 1989-05-19 | 1990-05-16 | Bildformungsanordnung |
Country Status (4)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| EP (1) | EP0429657B1 (de) |
| CA (1) | CA2028150C (de) |
| DE (1) | DE69016751T2 (de) |
| WO (1) | WO1990014618A1 (de) |
Families Citing this family (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN110568743B (zh) * | 2019-09-24 | 2024-07-05 | 珠海市汇威精密制造有限公司 | 一种驱动力接收部件及处理盒 |
Family Cites Families (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPS62280866A (ja) * | 1986-05-30 | 1987-12-05 | Canon Inc | 画像形成装置 |
| JPH01120458A (ja) * | 1987-10-31 | 1989-05-12 | Canon Inc | 動力伝達装置 |
-
1990
- 1990-05-16 CA CA 2028150 patent/CA2028150C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1990-05-16 WO PCT/JP1990/000619 patent/WO1990014618A1/ja not_active Ceased
- 1990-05-16 DE DE69016751T patent/DE69016751T2/de not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1990-05-16 EP EP90907452A patent/EP0429657B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| EP0429657A4 (en) | 1993-01-20 |
| CA2028150A1 (en) | 1990-11-20 |
| WO1990014618A1 (en) | 1990-11-29 |
| CA2028150C (en) | 1997-12-02 |
| EP0429657B1 (de) | 1995-02-08 |
| DE69016751D1 (de) | 1995-03-23 |
| DE69016751T2 (de) | 1995-06-14 |
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