U.S. patent application number 11/391345 was filed with the patent office on 2007-01-25 for image forming device.
This patent application is currently assigned to FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Takeshi Okoshi.
Application Number | 20070018384 11/391345 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37674035 |
Filed Date | 2007-01-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070018384 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Okoshi; Takeshi |
January 25, 2007 |
Image forming device
Abstract
There is provided an image forming device which has an
opening/closing portion rotatably mounted to a device main body,
and at which plural cartridges accommodated in the device main body
can be exposed due to the opening/closing portion being rotated. In
the image forming device, a portion of an outer peripheral surface
of a belt, which is provided at the opening/closing portion, is
positioned at a cartridge side of the opening/closing portion. An
opposing member is provided at the opening/closing portion so as to
oppose the portion of the outer peripheral surface of the belt. A
guide portion, which guides the opposing member such that the
opposing member can slide with respect to the device main body, is
provided at the device main body.
Inventors: |
Okoshi; Takeshi;
(Saitama-shi, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
SUGHRUE MION, PLLC
2100 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, N.W.
SUITE 800
WASHINGTON
DC
20037
US
|
Assignee: |
FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
Tokyo
JP
|
Family ID: |
37674035 |
Appl. No.: |
11/391345 |
Filed: |
March 29, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
271/264 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G03G 2221/169 20130101;
G03G 21/1638 20130101; G03G 2221/18 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
271/264 |
International
Class: |
B65H 5/00 20060101
B65H005/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 25, 2005 |
JP |
2005-215026 |
Claims
1. An image forming device comprising: a device main body
accommodating a plurality of cartridges; an opening/closing portion
which is rotatably mounted to the device main body, and which, by
rotating, is able to expose the plurality of cartridges; a belt
provided at the opening/closing portion, a portion of an outer
peripheral surface of the belt being positioned at a cartridge side
of the opening/closing portion; an opposing member provided at the
opening/closing portion so as to oppose the portion of the outer
peripheral surface of the belt; and a guide portion, provided at
the device main body and guiding the opposing member such that the
opposing member can slide with respect to the device main body.
2. The image forming device of claim 1, wherein the belt is a
conveying belt which conveys a sheet, and the opposing member is an
attracting/holding roller which electrostatically attracts and
holds a sheet against the outer peripheral surface of the belt.
3. The image forming device of claim 2, wherein a guide member,
which guides the attracting/holding roller at times when the
opening/closing portion is opening and closing, is disposed at the
device main body as a structural member of the guide portion.
4. The image forming device of claim 3, wherein the guide member is
provided so as to guide the attracting/holding roller from below,
and when the opening/closing portion is closing, a heightwise
position of the attracting/holding roller rises by sliding due to
the guide member.
5. The image forming device of claim 4, further comprising an
urging member urging the attracting/holding roller toward a roller
which abuts an inner peripheral surface side of the belt.
6. The image forming device of claim 5, wherein urging force of the
urging member varies in accordance with an open/closed state of the
opening/closing portion.
7. The image forming device of claim 4, wherein the
attracting/holding roller slides due to an axial center thereof
moving.
8. The image forming device of claim 4, further comprising an
urging member urging the attracting/holding roller in order to
slide the attracting/holding roller.
9. The image forming device of claim 1, wherein a shaft-receiving
portion of the opposing member, and a supporting member which
supports the opposing member in order to slide the opposing member,
are structured by a single part.
10. The image forming device of claim 1, wherein the belt and the
opposing member are integrally structured so as to be replaceable.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority under 35 USC 119 from
Japanese Patent Application No. 2005-215026, the disclosure of
which is incorporated by reference herein.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to an image forming device
which has an opening/closing portion rotatably mounted to a device
main body, and at which plural cartridges accommodated in the
device main body can be exposed by the rotating of the
opening/closing portion.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Color image forming devices generally have plural (e.g.,
four) process cartridges (see, for example, Japanese Patent
Applications Laid-Open (JP-A) Nos. 2003-241466 and 2003-241620). In
most cases, an opening/closing portion is mounted to the device
main body, so that these plural process cartridges can be exposed
for maintenance and the like. Hereinafter, an example of a
conventional image forming device will be described with reference
to an accompanying drawing.
[0006] As shown in FIG. 12, a conventional image forming device 81
has an opening/closing portion 80 which is rotatably mounted to the
device main body. Plural process cartridges 86 and the like, which
are accommodated in the device main body, can be exposed by the
opening/closing portion 80 being rotated.
[0007] A belt outer peripheral surface 87E of a transfer belt 87 is
disposed at the process cartridge side of the opening/closing
portion 80. An opposing member (in FIG. 12, an attracting/holding
roller) 90 is provided so as to oppose the belt outer peripheral
surface 87E.
[0008] In order to make the height of the image forming device 81
low, the process cartridges 86 and the opposing member (in FIG. 12,
the attracting/holding roller) 90 must be provided close to one
another. However, if they are placed too close together, there is
the problem that, at the time of opening and closing the
opening/closing portion 80, the opposing member 90 interferes with
the process cartridges 86. In a structure in which the process
cartridges are disposed so as to be lined-up vertically, it is
important to keep to height of the image forming device 81 low, and
this problem becomes particularly serious.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] In view of the aforementioned, the present invention
provides an image forming device whose device height can be kept
low.
[0010] A first aspect of the present invention provides an image
forming device including: a device main body accommodating plural
cartridges; an opening/closing portion which is rotatably mounted
to the device main body, and which, by rotating, is able to expose
the plural cartridges; a belt provided at the opening/closing
portion, a portion of an outer peripheral surface of the belt being
positioned at a cartridge side of the opening/closing portion; an
opposing member provided at the opening/closing portion so as to
oppose the portion of the outer peripheral surface of the belt; and
a guide portion, provided at the device main body and guiding the
opposing member such that the opposing member can slide with
respect to the device main body.
[0011] The opposing member may be a blade, a scraper, a brush, an
attracting/holding roller, a secondary transfer roller, a cleaner,
or the like.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] An embodiment of the present invention will be described in
detail based on the following figures, wherein:
[0013] FIG. 1 is a side sectional view showing the structure of a
printer relating to the embodiment of the present invention (a
state in which a manual feed tray is open);
[0014] FIG. 2 is a side sectional view showing the structure of the
printer relating to the embodiment of the present invention (a
state in which a sheet feed cassette is pulled-out without opening
the manual feed tray);
[0015] FIG. 3 is a side sectional view showing the structure of the
printer relating to the embodiment of the present invention (a
state in which the manual feed tray is closed and the sheet feed
cassette is accommodated);
[0016] FIG. 4 is a side sectional view showing the structure of the
printer relating to the embodiment of the present invention (a
state in which an opening/closing member is open);
[0017] FIG. 5 is a partial side sectional view showing that a
process cartridge does not impede rotational movement of an
attracting/holding roller in the printer relating to the embodiment
of the present invention (only a lowermost process cartridge among
process cartridges is shown);
[0018] FIG. 6 is a partial perspective view of the opening/closing
portion structuring the printer relating to the embodiment of the
present invention;
[0019] FIG. 7 is a partial enlarged view of FIG. 6;
[0020] FIG. 8 is a side sectional view showing the structure of the
printer relating to the embodiment of the present invention (a
state in the midst of closing the opening/closing portion);
[0021] FIG. 9 is a side sectional view showing the structure of the
printer relating to the embodiment of the present invention (a
state in the midst of closing the opening/closing portion);
[0022] FIGS. 10A through 10C are schematic side views showing the
attracting/holding roller being guided by guide rails at a time of
closing the opening/closing portion, in the printer relating to the
embodiment of the present invention;
[0023] FIGS. 11A through 11C are schematic side views showing the
attracting/holding roller being guided by the guide rails at the
time of closing the opening/closing portion, in the printer
relating to the embodiment of the present invention; and
[0024] FIG. 12 is a partial side sectional view showing an
arrangement of a process cartridge and an attracting/holding
roller, which is an opposing member, in a conventional image
forming device (only a lowermost process cartridge among process
cartridges is shown).
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0025] An embodiment of the present invention will be described
hereinafter. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a printer 1 relating to the
embodiment of the present invention is a full-color printer. Note
that the right side in FIG. 1 corresponds to the front side of the
device, and the left side in FIG. 1 corresponds to the rear side of
the device. Four process cartridges 3, 4, 5, 6 which are disposed
in a vertical row substantially vertically, and a transfer belt 7
which is disposed along the process cartridges 3, 4, 5, 6, are
provided within a printer main body 1M which structures the printer
1. The transfer belt 7 is opened, and the process cartridges 3, 4,
5, 6 can be installed and removed in a substantially horizontal
direction into and from the open space. Photosensitive drums (image
carriers) 11, 12, 13, 14 are provided at the process cartridges 3,
4, 5, 6, respectively.
[0026] The printer 1 has an ROS (Raster Output Scanner) 8 which
carries out image exposure at the respective photosensitive drums
11, 12, 13, and 14. Electrostatic latent images formed on the
photosensitive drums 11, 12, 13, 14 are respectively developed by
toners of the colors of black (K), cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow
(Y) at the process cartridges 3, 4, 5, 6. The ROS 8 which serves as
an exposure device is structured from four semiconductor lasers
which are driven and lit on the basis of image data corresponding
to the respective colors of black (K), cyan (C), magenta (M),
yellow (Y), and f.theta. lenses and polygon mirrors, and/or plural
reflecting mirrors, for deflecting and scanning the four laser
lights exiting from the four semiconductor lasers, and the
like.
[0027] Beneath these process cartridges, the printer 1 has a sheet
feed cassette 16 (see FIG. 2) which supplies sheets P which serve
as transfer materials. A cassette accommodating section, which
accommodates the sheet feed cassette 16 such that the sheet feed
cassette 16 can be pulled-out therefrom, is formed at the printer
main body 1M.
[0028] The printer 1 has a cover-like opening/closing portion 20,
which structures the device side wall portion at the pull-out side
(the front side in FIGS. 1 through 4) of the sheet feed cassette 16
above the sheet feed cassette 16. The opening/closing portion 20 is
provided so as to be able to open and close the side surface of the
device by being able to rotate around a rotation fulcrum J which is
provided at the lower portion of the cassette accommodating
portion. By opening the opening/closing portion 20, the process
cartridges 3, 4, 5, 6 can be exposed and can be replaced, and
maintenance with respect to paper jams or the like can be carried
out in the state in which the photosensitive drums 11, 12, 13, 14
are exposed. The opening/closing portion 20 has a manual feed tray
22 which can open and close. A desired sheet P can be fed, from the
exterior of the printer main body I M, through the manual feed tray
22.
[0029] In addition to the structures described above, the printer 1
also has a fixing device carrying out fixing processing on the
sheet P to which toner images have been transferred; a conveying
path 9 for double-sided printing, which conveys the sheet P, on
whose one surface an image has been fixed by the fixing device, to
the transfer section again in a state in which the obverse and
reverse of the sheet P are reversed; a control circuit controlling
operations of the printer; a controller structured from image
processing circuits and the like, which carry out image processings
on image signals; electrical circuits formed from a high-voltage
power source circuit and the like; and the like. Note that, in
FIGS. 1 through 4, T indicates a discharge tray into which the
sheet P, on which an image has been formed, is discharged. This
discharge tray T is disposed integrally with the top portion of the
printer main body 1M.
(Opening/Closing Portion)
[0030] A structure that the rotational operation of the
opening/closing portion 20 can be smooth, and that can position the
opening/closing portion 20 when the opening/closing portion 20 is
closed, will be described in detail hereinafter.
[0031] As shown in FIGS. 1 through 4, the opening/closing portion
20 is rotatably mounted to the printer main body 1M. By rotating
and opening the opening/closing portion 20, the process cartridges
3, 4, 5, 6 accommodated in the printer main body 1M are
exposed.
[0032] A belt outer peripheral surface 7E of a transfer belt 7 is
positioned at the process cartridge side of the opening/closing
portion 20 (toward the inside of the device main body) (see FIG.
5). (Here, the belt outer peripheral surface 7E refers to a portion
of the outer peripheral surface of the belt 7, that faces the
process cartridge side.) An attracting/holding roller 30 is
provided at the opening/closing portion 20 so as to oppose the belt
outer peripheral surface 7E. The roller surface of the
attracting/holding roller 30 presses against the belt outer
peripheral surface 7E.
[0033] A guide portion, which slidably guides the
attracting/holding roller 30, is provided at the printer main body
1M. The attracting/holding roller 30 slides as the opening/closing
portion 20 is opened and closed.
[0034] As shown in FIGS. 5 through 7, in the present embodiment,
the attracting/holding roller 30 is provided as the opposing
member. However, instead of the attracting/holding roller, a blade,
a scraper, a brush, a secondary transfer roller, a cleaner, or the
like may be provided.
[0035] The guide portion will be described hereinafter by using
FIG. 8 through FIGS. 11A-11C. Guide rails (guide members) 34 which
guide the attracting/holding roller 30 from the lower side, link
members 36 which support the attracting/holding roller 30 at the
both end portions, and tension coil springs 38 (see FIGS. 11A
through 11C) which are mounted to the link members 36 and urge the
attracting/holding roller 30 toward the belt outer peripheral
surface 7E, are provided at the printer 1 as a guide portion 32.
The guide rails 34 are provided at the printer main body 1M (see
FIGS. 8 and 9).
[0036] As shown in FIGS. 11A through 11C, the tension coil springs
38 are hooked on projections (not shown) which are formed at the
link members 36 and the opening/closing portion 20, and are
disposed so as to urge the attracting/holding roller 30 toward a
driving roller 40 which abuts the belt inner peripheral surface
side of the transfer belt 7. When the opening/closing portion 20 is
open and the attracting/holding roller 30 is not abutting the guide
rails 34 (see FIG. 11A), the link members 36 is pulled by the
tension coil springs 38, and further, movement thereof is
restricted by stoppers (not shown), so that the attracting/holding
roller 30 is positioned diagonally downward of the driving roller
40.
[0037] When the opening/closing portion 20 which is open is rotated
in the closing direction, a rotating shaft projecting from the end
portions of the attracting/holding roller 30 abuts the top surfaces
of the guide rails 34 (see FIGS. 8, 9, and 10A). Note that in FIG.
8 through FIGS. 10A through C, for simplification, the drawings
show the attracting/holding roller 30 abutting the guide rail 34,
but in actuality, the rotating shaft of the attracting/holding
roller 30 abuts the guide rails 34.
[0038] When the opening/closing portion 20 is rotated further in
the closing direction, the attracting/holding roller 30 is guided
by and slides on the top surfaces of the guide rails 34, such that
the heightwise position of the attracting/holding roller 30
gradually rises (see FIG. 10B).
[0039] When the opening/closing portion 20 is completely closed,
the attracting/holding roller 30 reaches a predetermined position
(see FIG. 10C). The mounting positions of the tension coil springs
38 are determined such that, in this state, the tension coil
springs 38 urge the link members 36 downward. In this way, there is
a simple structure in which the guide rails 34 guide the
attracting/holding roller 30 only from the lower side.
[0040] As described above, in the present embodiment, even if the
attracting/holding roller 30 is disposed near to the cartridge 6,
the attracting/holding roller 30 and the cartridge 6 do not
interfere with one another at times of opening and closing of the
opening/closing portion 20, and therefore, the height of the device
can be kept low. Further, because interference between the
attracting/holding roller 30 and the cartridge 6 can be avoided
regardless of the position of the rotating fulcrum J of the
opening/closing portion 20, the degrees of freedom in selecting the
position of the rotating fulcrum J increase.
[0041] The tension coil springs 38 are provided as described above.
In this way, the urging forces which urge the attracting/holding
roller 30 toward the driving roller 40 change in accordance with
the open/closed state of the opening/closing portion 20. In the
state in which the opening/closing portion 20 is open, the urging
forces are released, and it is possible to make it such that sheets
which have jammed are not nipped by the attracting/holding roller
30 and the driving roller 40. Therefore, the operability improves.
In addition, the slid position of the attracting/holding roller 30
can be made to coincide with the open/closed position of the
opening/closing portion 20, and problems in the sliding operation
and the like can be prevented. Therefore, the reliability
improves.
[0042] Further, because the link members 36 are provided as
described above, the shaft-receiving portions of the
attracting/holding roller 30, and the supporting members which
support the attracting/holding roller 30 in order to slide the
attracting/holding roller 30, can be structured integrally. In this
way, the structure can be simplified, and costs can be reduced.
[0043] Because the attracting/holding roller 30 is provided at the
opening/closing portion 20, maintenance, such as cleaning of the
attracting/holding roller 30 and the like, is easy. Further, when
the transfer belt 7 is replaced, the attracting/holding roller 30
can be replaced at the same time. Therefore, the workability at the
time of replacing the attracting/holding roller 30 is good, and
lifetime care of the attracting/holding roller 30 is easy.
Moreover, it is easy to make the diameter of the attracting/holding
roller 30 large, and the guidability at the time when a sheet is
thrust-in improves. In addition, by opening the opening/closing
portion 20, sheets which are nipped between the transfer belt 7 and
the attracting/holding roller 30 can be easily removed, and the
ability to clear paper jams is good.
[0044] The guide rails 34, which support the attracting/holding
roller 30 while guiding the attracting/holding roller 30 at the
times when the opening/closing portion 20 opens and closes, are
provided at the printer main body 1M. In this way, when opening the
opening/closing 20 portion, the locus of movement of the sliding of
the attracting/holding roller 30 can be controlled reliably, and it
is possible to reliably avoid interference between the
attracting/holding roller 30 and the cartridge 6.
[0045] As described above, in accordance with the present
invention, an image forming device in which the height of the
device is kept low can be realized.
[0046] In the image forming device which is structured in this way,
the opposing member is provided at the opening/closing portion, and
not at the device main body. Therefore, the opening/closing portion
can be positioned highly accurately.
[0047] Further, because the opposing member slides as the
opening/closing portion is opened and closed, it is possible for
the cartridges and the opposing member to not interfere with one
another even if the opposing member is disposed near to the
cartridges, and the height of the device can be kept low. Further,
because interference between the opposing member and the cartridges
can be avoided regardless of the position of the rotation fulcrum
of the opening/closing portion, the degrees of freedom in selecting
the position of the rotation fulcrum increase.
[0048] An embodiment of the present invention was described by
using a full-color printer as an example. However, note that the
above-described embodiment is an example, and the present invention
can be implemented by making various changes within a scope which
does not deviate from the gist thereof. Further, the scope of the
present invention is, of course, not limited to the above-described
embodiment.
* * * * *