JP2002014596A - Process cartridge - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent the accident of dropping or colliding a process cartridge by constituting the process cartridge in such a manner that the cartridge may be stably held when holding the cartridge. SOLUTION: The top surface of the process cartridge 50 is provided with two handles 18 and 19 and the directions of these handles are intersected orthogonally with each other.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus used in an electrophotographic type electrophotographic image forming apparatus for developing a latent image formed by exposing a photoreceptor, transferring the latent image to recording paper, and performing recording. The present invention relates to a process cartridge in which a unit is integrated and can be replaced.

Here, an electrophotographic image forming apparatus forms an image on a recording medium using an electrophotographic image forming method. And, as an example of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus,
For example, an electrophotographic copying machine, an electrophotographic printer (for example, a laser beam printer, an LED printer, and the like), a facsimile machine, a word processor, and the like are included.

A process cartridge is a unit in which a charging unit, a developing unit or a cleaning unit and an electrophotographic photosensitive drum are integrally formed into a cartridge, and this cartridge is made detachable from an image forming apparatus main body. In addition, at least one of the charging unit, the developing unit, and the cleaning unit and the electrophotographic photosensitive drum are integrally formed into a cartridge so that the cartridge can be attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus main body. Further, it means that at least the developing means and the electrophotographic photosensitive drum are integrally formed into a cartridge so as to be detachable from the apparatus main body.

[0004]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic image process, an electrophotographic photosensitive member and a process means acting on the electrophotographic photosensitive member are integrally formed into a cartridge, and this cartridge is used as a main body of the image forming apparatus. A process cartridge system which can be attached to and detached from is used. According to this process cartridge system, the maintenance of the apparatus can be performed by the user himself without relying on a serviceman, so that the operability can be remarkably improved. Therefore, this process cartridge system is widely used in image forming apparatuses.

Since such a process cartridge has an image forming section such as a developing device and a photosensitive drum inside, care must be taken when handling the process cartridge. That is, rough handling of the process cartridge may damage the internal developing roller and the photosensitive drum and cause an image defect, or may deform the developing blade that regulates the amount of the developer on the developing roller. As a result, this may also cause image defects.

Conventionally, there has been a case where a handle is provided on a process cartridge so that a user or a serviceman can easily handle the cartridge when replacing it. FIG. 5 (see FIG. 3) shows an example. Since the opening 7 for exposure is provided above the photosensitive drum above the process cartridge 50, the handle 18 is provided above the developing device 3.
Also, it is usually stored flat so as not to interfere with the hopper when the main body is mounted.

[0007]

However, when the handle 18 is provided on the developing device, the following problem occurs. The process cartridge has a configuration in which the developing device 3 and the charging device 2 are arranged side by side with the photosensitive drum 1 centered on the photosensitive drum 1, but when the handle 8 is provided on the developing device 3, However, since the end of the process cartridge 50 is lifted not at the center but at the end, the balance becomes very poor.

An object of the present invention is to provide a process cartridge which can be lifted well in a well-balanced manner.

[0009]

The main aspects of the present invention are as described below with reference to the claims.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a process cartridge detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus main body, wherein an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, process means acting on the electrophotographic photosensitive drum, and the electrophotographic photosensitive drum are provided. A cartridge frame supporting the process means, and a handle held by an operator during handling, wherein two handles are provided on the upper portion of the cartridge frame, and grip portions to be gripped by each hand are substantially perpendicular to each other. And a process cartridge.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

In the following description, Y, M, C and K are abbreviations for yellow, magenta, cyan and black, respectively.
When the members are related to the respective colors, they are used by adding to the reference numerals (numbers) as needed.

FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view of an image forming apparatus using a process cartridge to which the present invention is applied. This device has four colors: yellow, magenta, cyan, and black.
This is a color electrophotographic copying machine that forms an image by superimposing color toners.

Reference numerals 50Y, 50M, 50C, and 50K denote yellow, magenta, cyan, and black image forming units, respectively, and reference numeral 21 denotes a transfer belt.

The recording paper stored in the cassettes 7a and 7b is fed by the feed rollers 8a and 8b, and then is transported by the transport roller 9 to reach the registration roller 10.
The recording paper is sent out toward the transfer belt 21 with a timing by correcting skew and the like by the registration roller 10. The transfer belt 21 includes a driving roller 22 and a driven roller 23.
And travels in the direction of arrow A in the figure. The transfer belt 21 is made of an insulating resin sheet material, and the surface of the sheet is charged by a charger 29 below the transfer belt 21. During this time, the original reading device 1
2 or the photosensitive drums 1Y and 1Y based on image information signals sent from an output device (not shown) such as a computer.
Latent images corresponding to each color are formed on M, 1C, and 1K. The recording paper sent out from the registration roller 10 is electrostatically attracted onto a charged transfer belt 21, and is transferred by the transfer belt 21 to each of the color image forming units 50 </ b> Y, 50 </ b> M, 50.
C, it is conveyed while passing under 50K.

Each of the image forming units 50Y, 50M, 50C, 5
0K, the charger 2 around the photosensitive drum 1
An exposure LED head 6 and a developing device 3 are arranged, and a toner image of each color is formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 by an electrophotographic process.

When the recording paper conveyed by being electrostatically attracted to the transfer belt 21 is transferred to the transfer belt 21 and the photosensitive drum 1, the toner images of each color are transferred to the transfer chargers 4 Y and 4 Y disposed below the transfer belt 21. 4M, 4C, and 4K sequentially transfer the image onto a recording sheet. The recording paper on which the transfer of the four colors has been completed is separated from the transfer belt 21 by the curvature separation at the position of the driving roller 22, and reaches the fixing roller pair 11. The fixing roller 11 is heated by a heater (not shown), and the toner of each color is melted by heat and fixed on recording paper to complete a color image.

The recording paper on which the toner image has been fixed on the surface by the fixing roller pair 11 is discharged onto a discharge tray 30 protruding outside the apparatus.

As shown in FIG. 3, each of the image forming sections constitutes a process cartridge, and is detachable from the apparatus main body 14. Here, the process cartridge 50 (using the same reference numeral as that of the image forming unit) is one in which the photosensitive drum 1 and at least one process means are integrated by the cartridge frame 13. In this embodiment, the photosensitive drum 1, the charger 2 and the developing device 3 are integrated by a cartridge frame 13 to form a process cartridge 50.
When the frame 15 is inserted into the apparatus main body 14 and the frame 15 is inserted into the apparatus main body 14, the guide portion 13 a is guided by a guide rail (not shown) of the apparatus main body 14, and is positioned.
The coupling in the mounting direction 0 is connected to the drive coupling on the back side of the apparatus main body 14, and the process cartridge 50 can be driven.

Here, the image forming section 50 will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 4 is a view showing a state in which the frame 15 on which the process cartridge 50 is mounted is pulled out from the apparatus main body 14 in order to attach / detach the process cartridge 50 (using the same reference numerals as those of the image forming section). . In this state, the operator holds the two handles 18 and 19 provided on the upper surface of the process cartridge 50, and lifts the process cartridge 50 upward to attach and detach the process cartridge 50 from the apparatus main body 14. The workers referred to here include not only so-called service workers who are skilled in the work to some extent and perform maintenance of the apparatus, but also general users who actually perform printing work on the apparatus.

Above the photosensitive drum 1, an apparatus main body 14 is provided.
Exposure LED provided on the apparatus main body 14 when attached to
There is an opening 7 for exposing the photosensitive drum 1 by the head 6. The opening 7 is provided in the cartridge frame 13. The handle 18 is provided on the cartridge frame 13 above the developing device 3. In addition, the process cartridge 5
Another handle 19 is provided on the upper surface of the front part of 0 (on the front side as viewed from the operator). The handle 19 is surrounded by an axis (referred to as a gripping direction) surrounded by fingers held by the right hand of the worker who also has the grip portion 18b of the handle 18 and a finger held by the left hand of the worker holding the handle 19b of the handle 19. The axis (referred to as the grip direction) is attached in a direction orthogonal to the axis. That is, handle 1
The grips 18b and 19b of the grips 8 and 19 are substantially orthogonal to each other on the same plane. When the handles 18 and 19 are attached in such an orientation, the operator inevitably lifts the process cartridge 50 with both hands, and can hold the process cartridge 50 more stably than when holding it with one hand. In addition, by making the two handles 18 and 19 orthogonal to each other, it is more stable when they are held than when they are facing in the same direction, and the process cartridge 50 may be dropped or hit somewhere. Will also prevent. The handles 18 and 19 are rotatably attached to hinges 18a and 19a provided on the cartridge frame 13, respectively. The handles 18 and 19 are used upright when used, and are mounted on the cartridge frame 13 when not used, as shown in the figure. It has been knocked down along the way. The handle 18 has a crank shape and the hinge 1
The shaft portion 18c and the grip portion 18b that are fitted to 8a are parallel to each other. The handle 19 has a shaft portion 19c which is bent so that the U-shaped ends thereof are opposed to each other.
9a. The grip 19b and the shaft 19c are parallel.

The above-described embodiment will be summarized and further described in detail. The process cartridge 50 is detachable from the image forming apparatus main body 14, and includes an electrophotographic photosensitive drum 1, a charging unit 2, a developing device 3 which is a process unit acting on the electrophotographic photosensitive drum 1, Body drum 1
And a cartridge frame 13 for supporting the process means,
Handles 18 and 19 held by an operator during handling, two of which are provided above the cartridge frame 13 and each of which is capable of holding the operator's hand in a direction substantially perpendicular to the handle, Having.

Thus, the process cartridge can be reliably held in good balance with both hands.

The handles 18, 19 rotate integrally with the process cartridge in a plane including the axis of the gripping portions 18b, 19b gripped by hand with a moment in a direction to cross the axis with this plane. , Grip part 18b, 1
It has a configuration that is movable by a force in a direction crossing the axis of 9b. This further increases the ease of holding the process cartridge.

The handles 18, 19 are provided with grip portions 18b, 19
The cartridge frame 1 is gripped on the cartridge frame 13 so as to draw an arc with the axis b of the cartridge frame 1 and is pivotally mounted parallel to the cartridge frames 18b and 19b.
It is possible to have a storage position along 3 and an upright working position. As a result, the space occupied by the process cartridge does not increase when the handle is not used.

One handle 18 is rigidly connected to the cartridge frame 13 in the longitudinal direction substantially parallel to the electrophotographic photosensitive drum 1, and is connected to the cartridge frame 13 in the short direction. The handle 18b is attached to the cartridge frame 13 so as to be movable, and the other handle 19 is rigidly connected to the cartridge frame 13 in the short direction and at the same time in the longitudinal direction. The grip 19b is attached to the cartridge frame 13 so as to be movable.

Therefore, since the hands holding the two handles 18 and 19 suppress the swing of the process cartridge caused by only one handle, the process cartridge can be held in a stable state.

The two handles 18 and 19 are disposed with the center of gravity CG of the process cartridge therebetween in the longitudinal direction parallel to the electrophotographic photosensitive drum 1.

Since the center of gravity of the process cartridge is located between the two handles, the moment of the hand holding the process cartridge in the direction intersecting with each gripping direction is small, and it is not conscious that the process cartridge becomes unstable. No.

With the above configuration, when the process cartridge is held, it can be stably held, thereby preventing an accident of dropping or hitting.

[0032]

According to the present invention, the worker can handle the process cartridge by using two handles which are substantially perpendicular to each other without being conscious when handling the process cartridge. Alternatively, when carrying the process cartridge for maintenance of other devices, it can be held in a well-balanced manner with both hands, and handled without dropping or hitting the process cartridge, or dropping the balance and dropping toner around. be able to.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a process cartridge according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the process cartridge.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating attachment and detachment of a process cartridge with respect to the electrophotographic image forming apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a conventional process cartridge.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Photoreceptor drum 1Y, 1M, 1C, 1K ... Photoreceptor drum 2 ... Charger 3 ... Developing device 4 ... Transfer charger 4Y, 4M, 4C, 4K ... Transfer charger 6 ... LED head 7a, 7b ... Cassette 8 ... Supply roller 9 ... Conveying roller 10 ... Registration roller 11 ... Fixing roller pair 12 ... Document reading device 13 ... Cartridge frame 13a ... Guide unit 14 ... Device body 15 ... Frame 18 ... Handle 18a, 18b ... Grip portion 19 ... Handle 19a, 19b grip portion 21 transfer belt 22 drive roller 23 driven roller 24 driven roller 25 driven roller 29 charger 30 discharge tray 50 image forming unit (process cartridge) 50Y
50M, 50C, 50K: Image forming unit (process cartridge).

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main body of an image forming apparatus, comprising: an electrophotographic photosensitive drum; process means acting on the electrophotographic photosensitive drum; and a cartridge for supporting the electrophotographic photosensitive drum and the process means. A frame, and two handles provided at the top of the cartridge frame, the handles being held by the operator, and the grip portions to be gripped by each hand are substantially perpendicular to each other. Process cartridge. The handle is rotated integrally with the process cartridge in a plane including the axis of the grip portion gripped by a hand with a moment in a direction to cross the axis with respect to the plane. 2. A structure which is movable by a force in a direction intersecting the axis of the axis.
The process cartridge according to 1. 3. The handle according to claim 1, wherein the handle is pivotally attached to the cartridge frame so that the axis of the grip portion forms an arc, and can be set in a storage position along the cartridge frame and in an operating position. The process cartridge according to any one of the above. 4. A handle is rigidly connected to the cartridge frame in a longitudinal direction substantially parallel to the electrophotographic photosensitive drum, and is gripped by the cartridge frame in a short direction. Is attached to the cartridge frame so as to be movable, and the other handle is rigidly connected to the cartridge frame in the short direction and the grip portion is movable in the longitudinal direction with respect to the cartridge frame. 4. The process cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the process cartridge is attached to the cartridge frame such that 5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the two handles are disposed with a center of gravity of the process cartridge therebetween in a longitudinal direction parallel to the electrophotographic photosensitive drum. The process cartridge as described. 6. The process cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the charging unit, the developing unit or the cleaning unit and the electrophotographic photosensitive member are integrally formed into a cartridge, and the cartridge is detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus main body. Item 6. The process cartridge according to any one of Items 1 to 5. 7. The process cartridge according to claim 1, wherein at least one of a charging unit, a developing unit, and a cleaning unit and an electrophotographic photosensitive member are integrally formed as a cartridge so as to be detachable from an image forming apparatus main body. Item 6. The process cartridge according to any one of Items 1 to 5. 8. The process cartridge according to claim 1, wherein at least the developing means and the electrophotographic photosensitive member are integrally formed as a cartridge so as to be detachable from the apparatus main body.
6. The process cartridge according to any one of items 1 to 5,