JPH0241635Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as an electronic copying machine or a recording machine.

In particular, a process in which part or all of the photoreceptor and at least one image forming means disposed around it are made detachable from the main body of the apparatus in order to facilitate maintenance, inspection, cleaning, or repair work. The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus having a kit.

Conventionally, in an image forming apparatus such as an electronic copying machine, it is necessary to replace a photoreceptor as an image carrier, replenish developer, dispose of waste toner, clean charging wires, or maintain the developing device. Most of these tasks were performed by professional service personnel.

However, with electronic copying machines that are small and intended for personal use, the number of units installed is larger than in the past, and the variation in copy volume among users is also large, making it difficult for specialized service personnel to perform maintenance etc. It's coming.

Therefore, a copying machine structure has been proposed in which, for example, a photosensitive drum, a charger, a cleaner, etc. are integrated into a process kit, which can be attached to and removed from the main body of the apparatus, thereby facilitating maintenance.

In this way, the process kit is configured to be removably attached to the apparatus main body, and the kit in which the process kit components such as the charger, photoreceptor, developer, cleaner, etc. are configured to be removably attached to the process kit. The above-mentioned maintenance is relatively easy to perform on a kit copying machine.

Here, a process kit is used to compactly pack a charger, photoreceptor, developer, cleaner, etc., or to provide a kit that is positioned in a way that is not included in the process kit, such as an optical system, a copying material transport system, etc. Due to constraints, the external shape is usually a curved surface or a shape with protrusions.

However, in order to perform maintenance, inspection, repair, etc. on the components that make up the process kit or the main body, if the process kit is removed from the main body, it must be placed on a place other than the main body (e.g., a desk, workbench, etc.). It is necessary to stably place it in the same state as when it is attached to the main body. this is,
This is because if the process kit is placed tilted or unstable, the components of the process kit may be damaged. Further, for example, the waste toner container and developer container cannot be used to fill them sufficiently, resulting in a decrease in performance and furthermore, there is a problem in terms of safety. However, as described above, the external shape of the process kit has many curved surfaces and protrusions, so it is often impossible to place it stably.

Therefore, a proposal has been made (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 57-189176) that allows the process kit to be placed stably when it is removed from the main body. This will be described below as a conventional example.

Figure 1 shows the main unit 1 and process kit 5.
This is a perspective view showing the process kit being attached and detached integrally with the photosensitive drum 2, and shows a state in which the cover 9 is opened and the kit is pulled out before being attached. Note that the process kit is shown without the cover.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the process kit of the apparatus, in which a protrusion 8d is provided at the bottom of the frame 8c. When the process kit is placed on a desk due to the protrusion 8d, the photosensitive drum surface is not damaged because the protrusion 8d and the surface of the desk (dashed line 21) are only in contact with each other. Furthermore, the process kit can be placed stably.

However, with the configuration of the conventional example described above, the protrusion remains protruding when the process kit is housed in the apparatus main body, which has the disadvantage of hindering the downsizing of the apparatus.

In view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, the present invention provides a process kit-type image forming apparatus in which a part or all of a photoreceptor and at least one image forming means disposed around the photoreceptor are integrally attached to and detachable from the main body of the apparatus. In forming equipment, maintenance and repair of paper jams, etc., or maintenance of process kit components, such as replacing photoreceptors, replenishing developer, disposing of waste toner, etc.
When carrying out maintenance inspections such as cleaning charged wires, there is a member integrated with the process kit that is used to stably place the process kit removed from the equipment main body on a flat surface such as a desk or workbench. Furthermore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus characterized in that when the process kit is installed in the apparatus main body, a member for stably placing the process kit is engaged with the operation of the apparatus and can be stored in the process kit. purpose.

Embodiments of a copying apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of an image forming apparatus to which the present invention is directed. Reference numeral 31 denotes a document mounting table made of a transparent member, which reciprocates in the direction of the arrow. 32 is a short and small diameter imaging element array, and the original image placed on the original table 31 is slit-exposed onto the rotating photosensitive drum 33. A charger 34 uniformly charges the photosensitive drum. The uniformly charged drum 33 is subjected to image exposure by the element array 32,
An electrostatic image is formed. Next, the electrostatic image is visualized by a developing device 35. On the other hand, the transfer paper P is fed between the drum 33 and the transfer charger 38 by a paper feed roller 36 and a registration roller 37 that rotates at a certain timing so as to register the image on the photosensitive drum 33, and is then transferred. The toner image on the photosensitive drum 33 is transferred onto the transfer paper P by the charger 38 . The transfer paper P on which the image has been transferred is then separated from the drum 33, guided by a guide 41 to a fixing device 42, where the image is fixed, and is discharged by a paper discharge roller 43 to a tray 44 outside the machine as a copy. On the other hand, the surface of the photosensitive drum 33 after passing through the transfer section is cleaned to remove residual toner images after being transferred by a rubber blade 40 of a cleaning device 39, and is repeatedly used for copying.

45 is a housing of the process kit, which includes a photosensitive drum 33, a charger 34, a developer 35, and a cleaner 3.
9 is assembled and held in this housing as a process kit.

46 is a frame that holds the housing, 47 is a rail guide fixed to the main body, and 48 is a linear bearing. Although the frame 46 is integral with the main body, it can be smoothly translated in parallel along a rail guide 47 by a linear bearing 48.

This figure shows the process kit attached to the equipment main body, but when removing the process kit from the equipment main body for maintenance, inspection, repair, etc., after opening the exterior front panel of the equipment main body (not shown),
The process kit, its casing 45, and frame 46 are pulled out together along the rail guide 47 towards the front of the apparatus (in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the drawing). Then the fourth
As shown in the figure, the process kit and its housing 45 are removed from the frame 46, and the process kit and its housing 45 are removed from the apparatus main body.

In the present invention, when a process kit and its housing 45 are taken out as described above, the legs for stably placing the process kit engage with the taking-out action and protrude, and also engage with the putting-on action and cause the legs to protrude. The structure is characterized by the fact that the
Shown in Figures a and b.

In FIG. 5a, 49 is a retractable leg provided in the housing 45, and 50 is a shaft fixed to the housing 45 to rotatably support the leg 49. 51 is a fixing pin provided on the frame. 5
2 is a tension spring, which pulls the leg 49 counterclockwise in the figure. A stopper 53 stops the rotation of the leg 49 and determines the position. Figure 5a shows the process kit removed from the frame.
The tips 49a of the legs protrude below the bottom surface 45a of the housing.

On the other hand, by mounting the process kit on the frame 46 in the direction of the arrow, the fixing pin 51 provided on the frame
When the lever part 49b provided integrally with the leg hits the lever part 49b, the leg 49 rotates about the shaft 50 against the tension of the tension spring 52, and the tip end 49a of the leg moves into the housing as shown in FIG. 5b. is stored in.

When removing the process kit, the lever portion 49b becomes free in the opposite direction to the mounting operation, and the leg 49 is pulled by the tension spring 52 and positioned and fixed by the stopper 53.

As described above, by providing one or more legs that can be retracted by engaging with the operation of attaching and detaching the process kit, it becomes possible to stably place the process kit when it is removed.

In the above embodiment, the frame was pulled out along the rail guide to take out the housing from the frame, but the present invention is not limited to the method of taking out the process kit from the main body. It is also possible to remove the process kit.

In addition, although the mechanism for storing the legs rotates and stores the legs in the above embodiment, there is no limitation to the method of storing the legs, and for example, the legs may be stored by moving in parallel.

In the above embodiment, the legs are stored in engagement with the action of taking out the casing from the frame, but it may be a mechanism in which the legs are stored in engagement with the action of inserting the frame into the main body. .

As described above, the image forming apparatus according to the present invention has a structure in which the process kit or its casing is provided with legs that can be stored by engaging with the process kit's attachment/detachment operation. It is compact when installed, and when the process kit is removed for maintenance, inspection, repair, etc., it can be placed stably so that work can be done safely without damaging the process kit components. effective.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the conventional example, Fig. 2 is a side view of the main part of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 4 is the main part of Fig. 1. Perspective view, 5th
Figures a and 5b are side views illustrating the operation of Figure 4. 45... Process kit housing, 46... Frame, 49
...Leg, 49a...Tip, 49b...Lever part, 51...
Fixing pin, 52...spring.

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] In an image forming apparatus having a process kit in which a part or all of the photoreceptor and the image forming means disposed around it are integrally attached to and detached from the apparatus body, When the process kit is taken out, the restraint is released and the legs or protrusions protrude, and conversely, the legs or protrusions are housed in the process kit by the operation of attaching the process kit to the main body of the apparatus; An image forming apparatus comprising: means for maintaining the protrusion in a protruding state; and means provided on the apparatus main body for acting on the leg or the protrusion to prevent it from being in the retracted state.