Image forming apparatus having regulating mechanism for positioning exposure mechanism
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
G03G-015/00
G03G-021/16
G03G-021/18
출원번호
US-0849827
(2013-03-25)
등록번호
US-8918018
(2014-12-23)
우선권정보
JP-2012/122561 (2012-05-30)
발명자
/ 주소
Wei, Zhang
Hayakawa, Atsushi
출원인 / 주소
Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
대리인 / 주소
Banner & Witcoff, Ltd.
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
0인용 특허 :
14
초록▼
There is provided an image forming apparatus including a main apparatus body, a photoconductor, an exposure mechanism, a frame, and a regulating mechanism. The regulating mechanism includes a fixing member, a movable member, and a biasing member. The frame includes a first contacting surface. The ex
There is provided an image forming apparatus including a main apparatus body, a photoconductor, an exposure mechanism, a frame, and a regulating mechanism. The regulating mechanism includes a fixing member, a movable member, and a biasing member. The frame includes a first contacting surface. The exposure mechanism includes second and third contacting surfaces, and the fixing member includes a fourth contacting surface, first and second facing surfaces. The movable member includes third and fourth facing surfaces. When the exposure mechanism is disposed at the approach position, the biasing member allows the second and third facing surfaces to make a contact with the second and third contacting surfaces, respectively. When the exposure mechanism is disposed at the separation position, the biasing member allows the first and fourth facing surfaces to make a contact with the first and fourth contacting surfaces, respectively.
대표청구항▼
1. An image forming apparatus configured to form an image on a sheet comprising: a main apparatus body;a photoconductor which is held by the main apparatus body, which is configured to carry a toner image, and which is configured to transfer the toner image to the sheet transported in the main appar
1. An image forming apparatus configured to form an image on a sheet comprising: a main apparatus body;a photoconductor which is held by the main apparatus body, which is configured to carry a toner image, and which is configured to transfer the toner image to the sheet transported in the main apparatus body;an exposure mechanism supported by the main apparatus body displaceably to an approach position at which the exposure mechanism approaches the photoconductor and a separation position at which the exposure mechanism is separated from the photoconductor and which is configured so that a latent image is formed on the photoconductor at the approach position to allow the photoconductor to carry the toner image;a frame which is provided on the main apparatus body so that the frame is positioned on one end side of the photoconductor in a widthwise direction thereof that is parallel to an axial center of the photoconductor; anda regulating mechanism which is provided on the frame and which is configured so that the exposure mechanism disposed at the approach position is positioned in a positioning direction which is perpendicular to the widthwise direction and which intersects an approaching/separating direction in which the exposure mechanism is displaced between the approach position and the separation position,wherein the regulating mechanism includes a fixing member which is supported by the frame displaceably in the positioning direction, a movable member which is supported by the fixing member displaceably in the positioning direction, and a biasing member which is provided between the frame and the movable member;the frame includes a first contacting surface which is directed to one side in the positioning direction;the exposure mechanism includes a second contacting surface which is directed to the other side in the positioning direction at the approach position, and a third contacting surface which is directed to one side in the positioning direction at the approach position;the fixing member includes a fourth contacting surface which is directed to one side in the positioning direction, a first facing surface which faces the first contacting surface from one side in the positioning direction, and a second facing surface which faces the second contacting surface from the other side in the positioning direction under a condition that the exposure mechanism is disposed at the approach position;the movable member includes a third facing surface which faces the third contacting surface from one side in the positioning direction under a condition that the exposure mechanism is disposed at the approach position, and a fourth facing surface which faces the fourth contacting surface from one side in the positioning direction under a condition that the exposure mechanism is disposed at the separation position; andthe biasing member biases the movable member from one side in the positioning direction to the other side in the positioning direction, the biasing member including such a biasing force that the third facing surface is allowed to make a contact with the third contacting surface, the second facing surface is allowed to make a contact with the second contacting surface, and the first facing surface is allowed to make a contact with the first contacting surface under a condition that the exposure mechanism is disposed at the approach position, while the fourth facing surface is allowed to make a contact with the fourth contacting surface, and the first facing surface is allowed to make a contact with the first contacting surface under a condition that the exposure mechanism is disposed at the separation position. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the fixing member is configured such that one end side of the fixing member is supported by the frame swingably about a first swinging axial center parallel to the widthwise direction, and the other end side of the fixing member is displaceable in the positioning direction; and the movable member is configured such that one end side of the movable member is supported by the fixing member swingably about a second swinging axial center parallel to the widthwise direction, and the other end side of the movable member is displaceable in the positioning direction. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the frame includes a first side surface which faces the photoconductor in the widthwise direction and a second side surface which is directed oppositely to the first side surface, the frame being formed with a cutout which is configured such that the cutout is open on the first side surface and the second side surface and the exposure mechanism is movable back and forth therein in the approaching separating direction; the fixing member is positioned on a side of the second side surface and the fixing member is configured so that the fixing member is engageable on a side of the first side surface to regulate displacement in the widthwise direction; andthe movable member is positioned on the side of the second side surface and the movable member is interposed between the frame and the fixing member. 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the first swinging axial center and the second swinging axial center are coaxial with each other. 5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the fixing member includes a swinging shaft which extends in a direction of the first swinging axial center to protrude on the side of the first side surface, and a fastening portion which protrudes in a radially outward direction of the swinging shaft from a forward end of the swinging shaft; the movable member is formed with a first shaft hole into which the swinging shaft is inserted, and a first passing hole which extends from an outer circumferential edge of the first shaft hole in a radially outward direction of the first shaft hole and through which the fastening portion passes; andthe movable member is attached to the fixing member by allowing the movable member to swing with respect to the fixing member about the first swinging axial center so that the fastening portion and the first passing hole are not coincident with each other as viewed in the direction of the first swinging axial center in a state in which the swinging shaft is inserted into the first shaft hole and the fastening portion has passed through the first passing hole. 6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the frame is formed with a second shaft hole which constitutes the first swinging axial center and through which the swinging shaft is allowed to pass, and a second passing hole which extends in a radially outward direction of the second shaft hole from an outer circumferential edge of the second shaft hole and through which the fastening portion is allowed to pass; the fixing member includes a protrusion which protrudes while being directed from one side in the positioning direction to the other side in the positioning direction, a forward end of the protrusion defining the first facing surface;the frame has a recess which is formed while being directed from one side in the positioning direction to the other side in the positioning direction, a bottom of the recess defining the first contacting surface; andthe fixing member and the frame are configured such that the fixing member makes swinging movement about the first swinging axial center with respect to the frame so that the fastening portion and the second passing hole are not coincident with each other as viewed in the direction of the first swinging axial center and the protrusion is fitted into the recess in a state in which the swinging shaft of the fixing member attached with the movable member is inserted into the second shaft hole and the fastening portion is allowed to pass through the second passing hole, and thus the fixing member is attached to the frame and the swinging movement is regulated thereby about the first swinging axial center with respect to the frame. 7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the biasing member is a torsion coil spring; one end of the torsion coil spring is fastened first spring receiving portion which is provided on the frame;the other end of the torsion coil spring is fastened by a second spring receiving portion which is provided on the movable member;a coil portion of the torsion coil spring, which is twisted in a coil-shaped form between one end and the other end, is held by the fixing member;the fixing member has a protruding portion which extends in the direction of the first swinging axial center and which protrudes to make separation from the frame, and a pawl which protrudes from a forward end of the protruding portion in a direction to make separation from the first spring receiving portion and the second spring receiving portion; andthe pawl is engaged with the coil portion in a state in which the protruding portion is inserted into the coil portion and the pawl has passed through the coil portion, and thus the coil portion is held by the fixing member. 8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the frame holds one end side in the widthwise direction of the photoconductor. 9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the frame is made of metal, and the fixing member is made of resin.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (14)
Kitayama, Kunihiko; Ohno, Akio; Tanaka, Kiyoharu, Exposing unit having first and second fixing members.
Funahashi, Norimichi, Image forming apparatus and development cartridge in which information stored on the development cartridge can be read by the image forming apparatus.
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