Image forming apparatus

Abstract

This application belongs to the field of printing equipment, and particularly relates to an image forming apparatus. The internal structure of the housing is divided into a first mounting cavity and a second mounting cavity by a partition. The paper feeding assembly, developing assembly, and fixing assembly are all disposed in the first mounting cavity, while the control module and drive assembly are disposed in the second mounting cavity. The LED printhead has a maintenance position located outside the first mounting cavity and a working position located inside the first mounting cavity and facing the photosensitive drum. When it is necessary to replace the developing assembly or perform internal maintenance, the LED printhead is switched to the maintenance position. This prevents damage to the LED printhead during replacement or maintenance. After replacement or maintenance, the LED printhead is switched to the working position for exposing the photosensitive drum during image forming. This image forming apparatus, through its rational layout of the internal space, results in a compact and small-sized machine.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of printing equipment technology, and more particularly to an image forming device. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, printers commonly use two types of light sources: lasers and LED printheads. Unlike lasers, LED printheads consist of an array of LEDs, with one LED corresponding to each pixel. Under the control of the printing signal, the LEDs in the area to be printed are illuminated, and the light they produce is projected directly onto the surface of the photosensitive drum through a focusing head, completing the photosensitizing process.

[0003] For portable printers, their portability dictates that their size cannot be too large. The necessary printing components must be arranged within the limited internal space. Therefore, most portable printers are inkjet printers. The core of an inkjet printer is a carriage that drives the printhead in an axial reciprocating motion, facilitating miniaturization. However, inkjet printers commonly suffer from printhead clogging issues; for example, after a period of inactivity, the liquid ink dries and clogs the printhead. Laser printers use high-power laser sources, and their structure requires multiple optical components such as deflectors and lenses to generate a single-point beam. This results in a longer optical path, occupying more space and making it difficult to miniaturize laser printers. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides an image forming apparatus designed to utilize the limited internal space of a printer to lay out the necessary components based on an LED printhead, thereby achieving a compact, small-sized, and portable LED image forming apparatus using a toner cartridge.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, this application provides an image forming apparatus, including a housing, a cover, a paper feeding assembly, a fixing assembly, an LED printhead, a control module, and a drive assembly; the housing has an opening at its top, and the cover is disposed at the top of the housing for opening or closing the opening; a partition is provided inside the housing to divide the interior of the housing into a first mounting cavity and a second mounting cavity; a paper inlet is provided on the front side of the first mounting cavity, and a paper outlet is provided on the rear side of the first mounting cavity, the height difference between the paper inlet and the paper outlet relative to the bottom surface of the housing is within 2 cm;

[0006] The paper feeding assembly is laid flat at the bottom of the first mounting cavity, the developing assembly is detachably disposed above the paper feeding assembly, and the fixing assembly is disposed on the paper feeding assembly near the paper outlet, with the output end of the fixing assembly facing the paper outlet; the developing assembly has an opening above the photosensitive drum to accommodate the LED printhead, and the LED printhead can switch between positions close to and away from the photosensitive drum;

[0007] The second mounting cavity is provided with a control module and a drive assembly. The control module is electrically connected to the drive assembly, the developing assembly, the fixing assembly, and the LED printhead. The drive assembly is used to drive the paper feeding assembly, the developing assembly, and the fixing assembly.

[0008] Preferably, the height difference between the paper inlet and the paper outlet relative to the bottom surface of the housing is within 1 cm.

[0009] Preferably, the driving assembly includes a drive motor and a transmission gear set. A motor mounting plate is provided on the side of the partition facing the second mounting cavity via a support column. A gap is provided between the motor mounting plate and the partition. The transmission gear set is located within the gap and rotatably mounted on the partition. The transmission gear set includes an input gear shaft, a first drive gear, a second drive gear, and a third drive gear that mesh with each other. The drive motor is located on the side of the motor mounting plate facing away from the partition, and the output shaft of the drive motor is connected to the input gear shaft. The first drive gear meshes with the end of the paper feeding roller in the paper feeding assembly. A clearance opening is provided on the partition corresponding to the end of the paper feeding roller, the second drive gear, and the third drive gear. The second drive gear meshes with the end of the photosensitive drum in the developing assembly, and the third drive gear meshes with the end of the heating roller in the fixing assembly.

[0010] Preferably, the partition plate is provided with guide grooves on the side facing the first mounting cavity and on the side of the inner wall of the first mounting cavity opposite to the partition plate, for the end of the developing assembly to be inserted.

[0011] Preferably, the paper feeding assembly includes a support plate, a transfer roller rotatably disposed on the top of the support plate, and a pair of paper feeding rollers rotatably disposed on the top of the support plate and in contact with each other. The support plate is disposed at the bottom of the first mounting cavity, and the paper feeding rollers are directly opposite the paper inlet.

[0012] Preferably, the top of the second mounting cavity is provided with a cover plate, and the cover plate is provided with a power button electrically connected to the control module.

[0013] Preferably, the image forming apparatus further includes a bracket, one end of which is rotatably connected to the side of the top of the partition facing the first mounting cavity. The bracket is rotatable relative to the housing between the maintenance position and the working position. The LED printhead is disposed on the bracket. During the process of the bracket rotating from the maintenance position to the working position, the bracket drives the LED printhead from outside the housing into the first mounting cavity and close to the photosensitive drum. During the process of the bracket rotating from the working position to the maintenance position, the bracket drives the LED printhead away from the photosensitive drum and moves it out of the first mounting cavity.

[0014] Preferably, a hinge seat is provided on the side of the top of the partition facing the first mounting cavity, and a limiting notch is provided on the inner wall of the first mounting cavity opposite to the hinge seat. One end of the bracket is hinged to the hinge seat. When the bracket is in the working position, the end of the bracket away from the hinge seat is limited within the limiting notch, and the LED printhead is parallel to the axis of the photosensitive drum in the developing assembly. When the bracket is in the maintenance position, the end of the bracket away from the hinge seat disengages from the limiting notch.

[0015] Preferably, the developing assembly has an opening for inserting the LED printhead, and both ends of the developing assembly along its length are provided with support platforms for supporting the two ends of the LED printhead along its length.

[0016] Preferably, the image forming apparatus further includes a linkage mechanism, through which the LED printhead is connected to the inside of the cover. During the process of the cover switching from the open position to the closed position, the linkage mechanism drives the LED printhead closer to the photosensitive drum in the developing assembly; during the process of the cover switching from the closed position to the open position, the linkage mechanism drives the LED printhead away from the photosensitive drum.

[0017] Preferably, during the process of the cover switching from the closed position to the open position, the linkage mechanism drives the LED printhead away from the photosensitive drum and finally attaches it to the inside of the cover, and the length direction of the LED printhead is always parallel to the axial direction of the photosensitive drum in the developing assembly.

[0018] Preferably, the linkage mechanism includes a swing arm and a connecting rod. One end of the swing arm is hinged to the inside of the cover, and the other end of the swing arm is connected to the LED print head. One end of the connecting rod is hinged to the housing, and the hinge point is close to the hinge point between the housing and the cover. The other end of the connecting rod is hinged to the swing arm.

[0019] The beneficial effects of the image forming apparatus provided in this application are as follows: Compared with the prior art, the image forming apparatus of this application includes a first mounting cavity and a second mounting cavity separated by a partition. The drive and control components are disposed in the second mounting cavity. The paper feeding assembly and the fixing assembly are laid flat at the bottom of the first mounting cavity. The developing assembly is detachably disposed above the paper feeding assembly, near the paper inlet. The developing assembly includes a developing cartridge and a photosensitive drum cartridge. The developing cartridge includes a toner hopper, a developing roller, a toner feeding roller, etc., and the photosensitive drum cartridge includes a photosensitive drum, a charging roller, etc. The developing assembly can be a separate structure of the developing cartridge and the photosensitive drum cartridge, or an integrated structure of the developing cartridge and the photosensitive drum cartridge. The fixing assembly is disposed adjacent to the paper feeding assembly on the side near the paper outlet, and the output end of the fixing assembly faces the paper outlet. The horizontal height difference between the paper inlet and the paper outlet is small, and the paper path is basically in a straight line. By rationally setting the physical space of the image forming apparatus, the components are partitioned, resulting in a compact structural layout between the components and a short paper path, making the image forming apparatus smaller in size and easier to carry.

[0020] The developing unit has an opening above the photosensitive drum to accommodate the LED printhead, which can switch between positions close to and away from the photosensitive drum. When replacing the developing unit or performing internal maintenance, the cover is opened, and the LED printhead is switched to a position away from the photosensitive drum. This prevents damage to the LED printhead during replacement or maintenance. After replacement or maintenance, the LED printhead is switched back to a position close to the photosensitive drum for exposure during image formation. This non-fixed contact arrangement between the LED printhead and the photosensitive drum provides reasonable operating space for users during developing unit replacement or image forming equipment troubleshooting, and also protects the LED printhead. Furthermore, the ability to switch the LED printhead between positions close to and away from the photosensitive drum saves space in the image forming equipment compared to a fixed arrangement (i.e., a fixed space is reserved between the printhead and the photosensitive drum). Attached Figure Description

[0021] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0022] in:

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of this application;

[0024] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the image forming device from another perspective;

[0025] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of the image forming apparatus in operation according to an embodiment of this application;

[0026] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the left side of the second mounting cavity in the image forming apparatus after the outer casing is hidden;

[0027] Figure 5 Is Figure 4 A schematic diagram showing the control module and drive motor hidden on the original basis;

[0028] Figure 6 Is Figure 5 The diagram shows the motor mounting plate hidden on the original basis.

[0029] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a paper feeding assembly in an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of this application;

[0030] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the developing component in an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of this application;

[0031] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a fixing component in an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of this application;

[0032] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of an image forming apparatus according to another embodiment of this application;

[0033] Figure 11 yes Figure 10 The image forming device shown is a side view.

[0034] Figure 12 yes Figure 10 The diagram shows a cross-sectional view of the image forming device in operation.

[0035] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first mounting cavity in an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of this application;

[0036] Figure 14 yes Figure 13 A schematic diagram of the first mounting cavity from another perspective is shown;

[0037] Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the hinge seat in an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of this application;

[0038] Figure 16This is a schematic diagram illustrating the connection between the LED printhead and the support in an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of this application;

[0039] Figure 17 yes Figure 16 This is a schematic diagram from another perspective showing the connection between the LED printhead and the support.

[0040] Figure 18 yes Figure 16 This is another schematic diagram showing the connection between the LED printhead and the support.

[0041] Explanation of key component symbols:

[0042] 10. Housing; 101. Paper inlet; 102. Paper outlet; 11. Partition; 12. Hinge seat; 121. Side plate; 122. Fixing plate; 1221. Wire guide hole; 123. Shaft; 13. Limiting notch; 131. First snap-fit ​​part; 14. Motor mounting plate; 15. Cover plate; 16. Power button;

[0043] 20. Engine cover;

[0044] 30. Paper feeding assembly; 31. Carrier plate; 32. Transfer roller; 33. Paper feeding roller;

[0045] 40. Developing assembly; 41. Photosensitive drum; 42. Opening; 43. Stage;

[0046] 50. Fixing assembly;

[0047] 60. LED printhead; 601. Folded section; 602. End edge; 603. Protrusion; 604. Flat surface;

[0048] 70. Control module;

[0049] 81. Drive motor; 82. Transmission gear set; 821. Input gear shaft; 822. First drive gear; 823. Second drive gear; 824. Third drive gear;

[0050] 90. Bracket; 901. Hinge ear; 91. Second snap-fit ​​part; 92. Top plate; 93. Turning plate; 94. Receiving plate; 95. Mounting plate; 96. Spring; 97. Limiting head; 98. Pin;

[0051] 100. Linkage mechanism; 110. Swing arm; 111. Mounting strip; 112. Connecting rod; 120. Linkage rod;

[0052] 200. Guide groove;

[0053] 300. Elastic protrusion. Detailed Implementation

[0054] To facilitate understanding of this application, a more complete description will be provided below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Preferred embodiments of this application are shown in the drawings. However, this application can be implemented in many other different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to provide a thorough and complete understanding of the disclosure of this application.

[0055] It should be noted that when a component is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another component, it can be directly on or indirectly on that other component. When a component is referred to as being "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to or indirectly connected to that other component.

[0056] It should be understood that the terms "length", "width", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application.

[0057] Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and similar descriptions are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0058] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the application.

[0059] It should also be noted that in the embodiments of this application, the same reference numerals are used to represent the same component or part. For the same part in the embodiments of this application, the reference numerals may only be used to mark one part or component as an example. It should be understood that the reference numerals are also applicable to other identical parts or components.

[0060] Embodiments of this application provide an image forming apparatus, such as... Figures 1-4 and Figures 7-9As shown, the image forming apparatus includes a housing 10, a cover 20, a paper feeding assembly 30, a fixing assembly 50, an LED printhead 60, a control module 70, and a drive assembly. The housing 10 has an opening at its top, and the cover 20 is located on top of the housing 10 for opening or closing the opening. A vertical partition 11 is installed inside the housing 10, dividing the interior of the housing 10 into a first mounting cavity and a second mounting cavity. A paper inlet 101 is located on the front side of the first mounting cavity, and a paper outlet 102 is located on the rear side of the first mounting cavity. The difference between the lower end of the paper inlet 101 and the lower end of the paper outlet 102 from the bottom surface of the housing 10 is within 2 cm. Preferably, the difference between the lower end of the paper inlet 101 and the lower end of the paper outlet 102 from the bottom surface of the housing 10 can be within 1 cm, for example, 1 cm or 0.7 cm. This ensures that the paper path is essentially in a straight line. The paper feeding assembly 30 is laid flat at the bottom of the first mounting cavity, and the developing assembly 40 (toner drum) is detachably mounted above the paper feeding assembly 30. The developing assembly includes a developing cartridge and a photosensitive drum cartridge. The developing cartridge includes a toner hopper, a developing roller, a toner feeding roller, etc., and the photosensitive drum cartridge includes a photosensitive drum, a charging roller, etc. The developing assembly can be a separate structure of the developing cartridge and the photosensitive drum cartridge, or it can be an integrated structure of the developing cartridge and the photosensitive drum cartridge. When the developing assembly 40 is installed in the image forming equipment, when no paper passes through, the photosensitive drum 41 in the developing assembly 40 is in contact with the transfer roller 32 in the paper feeding assembly 30. When paper passes through, the paper is transferred between the photosensitive drum 41 and the transfer roller 32 to complete the transfer process. The fixing assembly 50 is located on the paper feeding assembly 30 near the paper output port 102, and the output end of the fixing assembly 50 faces the paper output port 102. The photosensitive drum 41 of the developing assembly 40 has an opening above it to accommodate the LED printhead 60, which can switch between positions close to and away from the photosensitive drum 41. Under the action of the paper feeding assembly 30, the paper entering the paper inlet 101 is fed into the fixing assembly 50 after passing through the imprinting area formed by the photosensitive drum 41 and the transfer roller of the developing assembly 40. The control module 70 and the drive assembly are both located in the second mounting cavity. The control module 70 is electrically connected to the drive assembly, the developing assembly 40, the fixing assembly 50, and the LED printhead 60. The drive assembly is used to drive the paper feeding assembly 30, the developing assembly 40, and the fixing assembly 50 to operate.

[0061] Working principle: Combining Figure 3 As shown, during printing, paper can be fed into the paper inlet 101 manually or via an external paper tray. Driven by the paper feeding assembly 30, the paper first passes through the impression area formed by the photosensitive drum 41 and the transfer roller of the developing assembly 40 to complete the transfer process, and then passes through the fixing impression area formed by the contact of the heating roller and the pressure roller in the fixing assembly 50 to complete the fixing process, and is then output from the paper outlet 102.

[0062] It should be noted that if the LED printhead 60 is fixedly installed inside the housing 10, the user needs operating space to replace the developing assembly 40 or to repair the equipment. Therefore, space must be reserved between the LED printhead 60 and the developing assembly 40, and the LED printhead 60 must be far away from the photosensitive drum 41 of the developing assembly 40 in space (ensuring that it can be directly exposed to the photosensitive drum 41). This will increase the size of the printer and is not conducive to miniaturization design.

[0063] In this embodiment, the image forming apparatus divides the interior of the housing 10 into a first mounting cavity and a second mounting cavity via a partition 11. The paper feeding assembly 30, the developing assembly 40, and the fixing assembly 50 are all disposed in the first mounting cavity, while the control module 70 and the drive assembly are disposed in the second mounting cavity. An LED printhead 60 provides exposure to the photosensitive drum 41. The LED printhead 60 can switch between positions close to and away from the photosensitive drum 41. When the developing assembly 40 needs to be replaced or the internal parts of the equipment need to be inspected, the cover 20 is opened, and the LED printhead 60 is switched to a position away from the photosensitive drum 41. This prevents damage to the LED printhead 60 during replacement or inspection. After replacement or inspection, the LED printhead 60 is switched back to a position close to the photosensitive drum 41 for exposure during image formation. This rational layout of the internal space of the housing 10 results in a compact and small machine structure, making it easy to carry.

[0064] Furthermore, to prevent the control module 70 and drive components located in the second mounting cavity from being exposed after opening the cover 20, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the top of the second mounting cavity is provided with a cover plate 15, and the cover plate 15 is provided with a power button 16 electrically connected to the control module 70.

[0065] In one embodiment, such as Figures 4-6As shown, the drive assembly includes a drive motor 81 and a transmission gear set 82. A motor mounting plate 14 is mounted on the side of the partition 11 facing the second mounting cavity via a support column. A gap exists between the motor mounting plate 14 and the partition 11. The transmission gear set 82 is located within this gap and rotatably mounted on the partition 11. The transmission gear set 82 includes an input gear shaft 821, a first drive gear 822, a second drive gear 823, and a third drive gear 824 that mesh with each other. The drive motor 81 is located on the side of the motor mounting plate 14 facing away from the partition 11, and the output shaft of the drive motor 81 is connected to the input gear. Shaft 821, first drive gear 822 meshes with the end of paper feed roller 33 in paper feed assembly 30, partition plate 11 is provided with clearance openings at positions corresponding to the end of paper feed roller 33, second drive gear 823 and third drive gear 824 respectively, first mounting cavity and second mounting cavity at clearance opening, for example, the end of gear or paper feed roller 33 to pass through and connect with other structures, for example, second drive gear 823 meshes with the end of photosensitive drum 41 in developing assembly 40 at clearance opening, and third drive gear 824 meshes with the end of heating roller in fixing assembly 50 at clearance opening.

[0066] The drive motor 81 drives the input gear shaft 821 to rotate, and the input gear shaft 821 drives the first drive gear 822, the second drive gear 823 and the third drive gear 824 to rotate synchronously, thereby realizing the use of one drive motor 81 in conjunction with the transmission gear set 82 to drive the paper feeding assembly 30, the developing assembly 40 and the fixing assembly 50 to operate, thus saving costs.

[0067] Specifically, the transmission gear set 82 also includes multiple intermediate gears and a clutch. The clutch is electrically connected to the control module 70. A paper sensor for monitoring the presence of paper is provided at the paper inlet 101. The paper sensor is electrically connected to the control module 70. An intermediate gear and a clutch are provided between the input gear shaft 821 and the first drive gear 822. The clutch is used to transmit the rotational torque output by the input gear shaft 821 to the first drive gear 822 when paper is present at the paper inlet 101.

[0068] In one embodiment, combined with Figure 1 and Figures 13-14 As shown, the partition 11 is provided with guide grooves 200 on the side facing the first mounting cavity and on the side of the inner wall of the first mounting cavity opposite to the partition 11, for the end of the developing assembly 40 to be inserted.

[0069] The design of the guide groove 200 improves the installation accuracy of the developing assembly 40 and ensures the stability of its position after installation. During installation, the protrusions at both ends of the developing assembly 40 enter the installation position of the first mounting cavity along the L-shaped guide groove 200. Simultaneously, within the first mounting cavity, elastic protrusions 300 are provided at both ends near the front of the housing 10 (i.e., the side with the paper inlet 101), corresponding to the rear side of the developing assembly 40. As the developing assembly 40 moves to its final position via the guide groove 200, the rear side of the developing assembly 40 contacts and presses against the elastic protrusions 300. As the developing assembly 40 continues to move along the guide groove 200, the pressure between the developing assembly 40 and the elastic protrusions 300 changes from a pressure state to a non-pressure state. The elastic protrusions 300 can restrict the vertical movement of the developing assembly 40 after installation, thus limiting its position.

[0070] In one embodiment, such as Figure 3 and Figure 7 As shown, the paper feeding assembly 30 includes a carrier plate 31, a transfer roller 32 rotatably disposed on the top of the carrier plate 31, and a pair of paper feeding rollers 33 rotatably disposed on the top of the carrier plate 31 and in contact with each other. The carrier plate 31 is disposed at the bottom of the first mounting cavity, the paper feeding rollers 33 are directly facing the paper inlet 101, and the transfer roller 32 is in contact with the photosensitive drum 41 in the developing assembly 40.

[0071] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3 and Figure 7 As shown, the image forming apparatus also includes a support 90, one end of which is rotatably connected to the top of the partition 11 facing the first mounting cavity. The support 90 can rotate relative to the housing 10 between a maintenance position and a working position. The LED printhead 60 is disposed on the support 90. During the process of the support 90 rotating from the maintenance position to the working position, the support 90 drives the LED printhead 60 to move from outside the housing 10 into the first mounting cavity and close to the photosensitive drum 41 in the developing assembly 40. During the process of the support 90 rotating from the working position to the maintenance position, the support 90 drives the LED printhead 60 away from the photosensitive drum 41 and moves it out of the first mounting cavity.

[0072] The LED printhead 60 is mounted on a bracket 90 that is rotatably connected to the top of the partition 11. The bracket 90 can rotate relative to the housing 10 between a maintenance position and a working position. This configuration allows the LED printhead 60 to be rotated between a maintenance position and a working position when the developing assembly 40 needs to be replaced or the internal parts of the equipment need to be inspected. When the machine cover 20 is opened, the bracket 90 is flipped to the maintenance position. At this time, the LED printhead 60 is located outside the first mounting cavity. The user will not cause any bumps or damage to the LED printhead 60 during the replacement of the developing assembly 40 or the internal parts of the equipment. After the replacement or maintenance is completed, the LED printhead 60 is moved from outside the first mounting cavity to inside the first mounting cavity during the process of lowering the bracket 90. It then approaches and finally aligns with the photosensitive drum 41 in the developing assembly 40 to expose the photosensitive drum 41 during the image formation process. Finally, the machine cover 20 is closed.

[0073] In some specific embodiments, such as Figure 1 , Figure 4 , Figure 6 As shown, a hinge seat 12 is provided on the side of the partition 11 facing the first mounting cavity. A limiting notch 13 is provided on the inner wall of the first mounting cavity opposite to the hinge seat 12. One end of the bracket 90 is hinged to the hinge seat 12. When the bracket 90 is in the working position, the end of the bracket 90 away from the hinge seat 12 is limited within the limiting notch 13, and the axial direction of the LED printhead 60 is parallel to that of the photosensitive drum 41 in the developing assembly 40. When the bracket 90 is in the maintenance position, the end of the bracket 90 away from the hinge seat 12 is disengaged from the limiting notch 13, and the axial extension line of the LED printhead 60 intersects with that of the photosensitive drum 41.

[0074] By setting the hinge seat 12, the bracket 90 is easy to install. The limiting notch 13 is used to limit the end of the bracket 90 away from the hinge seat 12, ensuring that the relative position between the LED print head 60 on the bracket 90 and the photosensitive drum 41 in the developing assembly 40 remains stable during the operation of the image forming equipment.

[0075] Furthermore, the inner wall of the limiting notch 13 is provided with a first engaging portion 131, and the end of the bracket 90 away from the hinge seat 12 is provided with a second engaging portion 91 that can engage with the first engaging portion 131. When the bracket 90 is in the working position, the first engaging portion 131 and the second engaging portion 91 engage with each other to fix the end of the bracket 90 away from the hinge seat 12 in the limiting notch 13, further improving the reliability and stability of the LED print head 60 located on the bracket 90 during operation.

[0076] Specifically, one of the first engaging portion 131 and the second engaging portion 91 is a slot, and the other is a protrusion adapted to the slot. Exemplarily, the first engaging portion 131 is a vertically downward extending notch, and the second engaging portion 91 is a cylindrical rod. When an external force is applied to the bracket 90, the cylindrical rod can be engaged into or pulled out of the notch. It is conceivable that the first engaging portion 131 and the second engaging portion 91 can have other structural forms, which are not limited here.

[0077] In one specific embodiment, such as Figure 1 and Figure 15 As shown, the hinge base 12 includes two spaced-apart side plates 121 and a fixed plate 122 connected between the two side plates 121. The hinge base 12 can be made of sheet metal and is U-shaped. The fixed plate 122 is fixed to the inner wall of the housing 10. A rotating shaft 123 connects the two side plates 121. Two hinge ears 901 are spaced apart at one end of the bracket 90. The two hinge ears 901 are located between the two side plates 121 and are rotatably connected to the rotating shaft 123. When the bracket 90 is in the maintenance position, one side of the bracket 90 (e.g., the side of the top plate) abuts against the inner side of the fixed plate 122 to keep the bracket 90 stable. Figure 1 As shown, the bracket 90 finally stops at the maintenance position. At this time, the angle between the bracket 90 and the photosensitive drum 41 is greater than 90 degrees, which provides the user with operating space to facilitate the user to remove or install the developing assembly 40 and to perform maintenance on the inside of the equipment.

[0078] In addition, to facilitate the control of the cable routing of the LED printhead 60, such as Figures 15-18 As shown, a cable guide hole 1221 is provided on the fixing plate 122, through which cables for transmitting data and power signals pass. After passing through the cable guide hole 1221, the cable is fixed to the inner side of the top plate 92 of the bracket 90, with the cable positioned close to the inner side of the top plate 92. Preferably, the bracket 90 is rotatable, and the width of the cable can be less than the distance between the hinge ears 901 to prevent the bracket 90 from touching the cable when rotating.

[0079] In one embodiment, such as Figures 15-18As shown, the bracket 90 can be a sheet metal part, made of a strip of metal sheet through bending and punching. The bracket 90 includes a top plate 92, a turning plate 93, and a receiving plate 94 connected in sequence. One end of the top plate 92 is rotatably connected to the side of the partition 11 facing the first mounting cavity. When the bracket 90 is in the maintenance position, one side of the top plate 92 abuts against the inner side of the fixing plate 122. The bracket 90 is provided with a wiring channel composed of the top plate 92, the receiving plate 94, and the mounting plate 95. Cables used to transmit data and power signals are connected to the LED printhead 60 through the wiring channel. Specifically, the receiving plate 94 of the bracket 90 has an opening in the middle, and the mounting plate 95 has an opening at the corresponding position of the cable socket on the printhead. The cable that is close to the inner side of the top plate 92 passes through the opening of the receiving plate 94 and is connected to the ribbon cable socket (cable socket) of the LED printhead 60 at the opening of the mounting plate 95.

[0080] Preferably, the bracket 90 can be made of sheet metal, which is convenient to process, has high structural strength, and occupies less space, making it convenient for miniaturization and portable design of image forming equipment.

[0081] Specifically, the angles between the transition plate 93 and the receiving plate 94 and between the transition plate 93 and the top plate 92 are both acute. In the working position, the top plate 92 is horizontal, and the LED print head 60 located on the receiving plate 94 is obliquely inserted into the photosensitive port (i.e., the opening 42 above the photosensitive drum 41) on the developing assembly 40, and is directly facing the photosensitive drum 41 in the developing assembly 40.

[0082] Of course, in other embodiments, the bracket 90 can also be integrally injection molded from plastic.

[0083] In one specific embodiment, such as Figure 1 and Figure 8 As shown, the developing assembly 40 has an opening 42 for inserting the LED printhead 60, and both ends of the developing assembly 40 in the length direction are provided with support platforms 43 for supporting the two ends of the LED printhead 60 in the length direction. The support platforms 43 limit the depth of the LED printhead 60 inserted into the opening 42, ensuring that the distance between the LED printhead 60 and the photosensitive drum 41 remains constant each time the support 90 switches to the working position.

[0084] Specifically, in combination Figure 8 and Figure 18As shown, when the bracket 90 switches to the working position, during the interlocking process between the first latching part 131 of the housing 10 and the second latching part 91 of the bracket 90, the spring 96 between the mounting plate 95 and the receiving plate 94 of the bracket 90 is compressed, thereby causing the two ends of the LED printhead 60 to abut against the stage 43. Ultimately, this ensures a tight, gapless contact between the LED printhead 60 and the stage 43 on the developing assembly 40, achieving a positioning accuracy of tens of micrometers between the LED printhead 60 and the photosensitive drum 41.

[0085] For example, such as Figures 16-18 As shown, the LED printhead 60 has an end ridge 602 at the end of the folded section 601 extending outwards from the end, and the end ridge 602 abuts against the support platform 43. Optionally, the support platform 43 may be provided with a notch to accommodate the end protrusion 603 of the LED printhead 60, so that the plane 604 behind the end ridge 602 of the LED printhead 60 can also abut against the support platform 43, increasing the contact area between the end of the LED printhead 60 and the support platform 43 and ensuring structural strength. The end ridge 602 and the plane 604 are coplanar.

[0086] In one embodiment, such as Figure 18 As shown, the LED printhead 60 is elastically connected to the bracket 90. The LED printhead 60 is detachably mounted on the mounting plate 95. For example, through holes are provided at both ends of the LED printhead 60, and threaded holes are correspondingly provided on the mounting plate 95. Screws pass through the through holes and into the threaded holes to achieve a fixed connection between the LED printhead 60 and the mounting plate 95. Specifically, in one implementation, multiple pins 98 are fixedly connected to the mounting plate 95 or are integral parts. Multiple through holes are provided at intervals along the length of the receiving plate 94 of the bracket 90. Multiple pins 98 can pass through multiple through holes. A limiting head 97 with a size larger than the inner diameter of the through hole is provided at the end of the pin 98, thereby connecting the receiving plate 94 and the mounting plate 95. A spring 96 is sleeved on the pin 98, and the two ends of the spring 96 elastically abut against the mounting plate 95 and the receiving plate 94, respectively, thereby achieving an elastic connection between the mounting plate 95 and the receiving plate 94. Preferably, there can be two pins 98 and two through holes. The pins 98 can be respectively set at both ends of the mounting plate 95 along its length, and correspondingly, the through holes can be respectively set at both ends of the receiving plate 94 along its length.

[0087] Therefore, when the bracket 90 is in the maintenance position, the spring 96 between the mounting plate 95 and the receiving plate 94 of the bracket 90 is in a free state. During replacement of the developing assembly 40 or maintenance of the image forming equipment, if the LED printhead 60 is accidentally bumped, the elastic structure between the LED printhead 60 and the bracket 90 can provide a certain degree of cushioning and shock absorption, reducing the chance of damage to the LED printhead 60. Furthermore, during the rotation of the bracket 90 from the maintenance position to the working position, it prevents the ends or edges of the LED printhead 60 from making hard contact with the area near the opening 42 on the developing assembly 40, thus avoiding damage to the LED printhead 60.

[0088] Of course, the flexible connection between the LED printhead 60 and the bracket 90 can also have other structural forms, which are not limited here.

[0089] In other embodiments, such as Figure 10 and Figure 12 As shown, the image forming apparatus also includes a linkage mechanism 100. The LED printhead 60 is connected to the inside of the cover 20 via the linkage mechanism 100. During the process of the cover 20 switching from the open position to the closed position, the linkage mechanism 100 drives the LED printhead 60 to approach the photosensitive drum 41 in the developing assembly 40; during the process of the cover 20 switching from the closed position to the open position, the linkage mechanism 100 drives the LED printhead 60 away from the photosensitive drum 41.

[0090] The LED printhead 60 is connected to the inside of the cover 20 via a linkage mechanism 100. During the process of switching the cover 20 from the open position to the closed position, the linkage mechanism 100 drives the LED printhead 60 through the opening at the top of the housing 10 into the first mounting cavity and ultimately close to the photosensitive drum 41 in the developing assembly 40. During the process of switching the cover 20 from the closed position to the open position, the linkage mechanism 100 drives the LED printhead 60 away from the photosensitive drum 41. With this configuration, after opening the cover 20, the LED printhead 60 retracts, preventing damage to the LED printhead 60 during the user's replacement of the developing assembly 40. After the developing assembly 40 is replaced, during the process of lowering the cover 20, the LED printhead 60, under the action of the linkage mechanism 100, falls into the first mounting cavity as the cover 20 closes, approaching and ultimately aligning with the photosensitive drum 41, for exposure of the photosensitive drum 41 during image formation.

[0091] In some specific embodiments, during the process of switching the cover 20 from the closed position to the open position, the linkage mechanism 100 drives the LED print head 60 away from the photosensitive drum 41 and finally attaches it to the inside of the cover 20, and the length direction of the LED print head 60 is always parallel to the axial direction of the photosensitive drum 41 in the developing assembly 40.

[0092] This design allows for more space above the opening, making it less likely for the developing assembly 40 to collide with the LED printhead 60 during replacement.

[0093] like Figures 10-12 As shown, during the switching between the open and closed positions of the cover 20, the length direction of the LED printhead 60 is always parallel to the axis of the photosensitive drum 41 in the developing assembly 40.

[0094] Specifically, the cover 20 is hinged to one side of the top opening of the housing 10, and the rotation axis of the cover 20 relative to the housing 10, the length direction of the LED print head 60, and the axis of the photosensitive drum 41 are parallel to each other.

[0095] It should be noted that the longitudinal direction (also known as the "main scanning direction") of the LED printhead 60 is parallel to the axis of the photosensitive drum 41. The LED printhead 60 typically includes an LED array, a bar lens array, and a housing as a support component, which is configured to support the LED array and the bar lens array, and the bar lens array is configured to project the light emitted by the LED array onto the photosensitive drum 41.

[0096] In some specific embodiments, such as Figure 10 and Figure 11 As shown, the linkage mechanism 100 includes a swing arm 110 and a connecting rod 120. One end of the swing arm 110 is hinged to the inside of the cover 20, and the other end of the swing arm 110 is connected to the LED print head 60. One end of the connecting rod 120 is hinged to the housing 10, and the hinge point is close to the hinge point between the housing 10 and the cover 20. The other end of the connecting rod 120 is hinged to the swing arm 110.

[0097] As configured above, during the opening of the cover 20, the LED print head 60 is lifted upward by the swing arm 110 and gradually approaches the inner wall of the cover 20 under the action of the connecting rod 120; during the closing of the cover 20, the LED print head 60 falls and falls into the first mounting cavity under the combined action of the connecting rod 120 and the swing arm 110, and finally positions itself to align with the photosensitive drum 41.

[0098] In one specific embodiment, such as Figure 10 As shown, the inner side of the housing 10 is provided with ribs, and the end of the connecting rod 120 away from the swing arm 110 is hinged to the ribs. With this design, the ribs can both enhance the strength of the housing 10 and serve as a mounting carrier for the connecting rod 120.

[0099] like Figures 10-11As shown, the swing arm 110 includes a mounting strip 111 and a connecting rod 112 connected to the mounting strip 111. The end of the connecting rod 112 away from the mounting strip 111 is hinged to the inside of the cover 20. The LED print head 60 is mounted on the mounting strip 111 along the length of the mounting strip 111. The LED print head 60 is parallel to the photosensitive drum 41 in the developing assembly 40. The end of the connecting rod 120 away from the housing 10 is hinged to the end of the connecting rod 112 near the mounting strip 111. Specifically, the connecting rod 112, the connecting rod 120, the cover 20, and the housing 10 cooperate to form a four-bar linkage mechanism.

[0100] The mounting strip 111 has a notch through which the cable is connected to the LED printhead 60 for controlling and powering the LED printhead 60.

[0101] Furthermore, to improve the reliability and stability of the connection between the swing arm 110 and the inner side of the cover 20, the swing arm 110 includes at least two connecting rods 112, which are spaced apart along the length of the mounting strip 111. The end of the connecting rod 120 away from the housing 10 is hinged to the end of one of the connecting rods 112 near the mounting strip 111.

[0102] To facilitate manufacturing, the mounting strip 111 and the connecting rod 112 are an integral structure, which can be integrally injection molded from plastic.

[0103] In one specific embodiment, the LED printhead 60 is detachably mounted on the mounting strip 111, thereby facilitating the replacement and maintenance of the LED printhead 60 in the future.

[0104] Specifically, the LED printhead 60 can be mounted to the mounting strip 111 via a snap-fit ​​structure or screws.

[0105] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0106] The above embodiments are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and their descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, but they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus, characterized in that, The device includes a housing, a cover, a paper feeding assembly, a fixing assembly, an LED printhead, a control module, and a drive assembly. The housing has an opening at its top, and the cover is located at the top of the housing for opening or closing the opening. The housing contains a partition that divides its interior into a first mounting cavity and a second mounting cavity. The first mounting cavity has a paper inlet at its front and a paper outlet at its rear, with the height difference between the paper inlet and the paper outlet relative to the bottom surface of the housing being within 2 cm. The paper feeding assembly is laid flat at the bottom of the first mounting cavity, the developing assembly is detachably disposed above the paper feeding assembly, and the fixing assembly is disposed on the paper feeding assembly near the paper outlet, with the output end of the fixing assembly facing the paper outlet; the developing assembly has an opening above the photosensitive drum to accommodate the LED printhead, and the LED printhead can switch between positions close to and away from the photosensitive drum; The second mounting cavity is provided with a control module and a drive assembly. The control module is electrically connected to the drive assembly, the developing assembly, the fixing assembly, and the LED printhead. The drive assembly is used to drive the paper feeding assembly, the developing assembly, and the fixing assembly. The image forming apparatus further includes a bracket, one end of which is rotatably connected to the top of the partition facing the first mounting cavity. The bracket is rotatable relative to the housing between a maintenance position and a working position. The LED printhead is disposed on the bracket. During the rotation of the bracket from the maintenance position to the working position, the bracket drives the LED printhead from outside the housing into the first mounting cavity and closer to the photosensitive drum. During the rotation of the bracket from the working position to the maintenance position, the bracket drives the LED printhead away from the photosensitive drum and moves it out of the first mounting cavity. A hinge seat is provided on the top of the partition facing the first mounting cavity. A limiting notch is provided on the inner wall of the first mounting cavity opposite to the hinge seat. One end of the bracket is hinged to the hinge seat. When the bracket is in the working position, the end of the bracket away from the hinge seat is limited within the limiting notch, and the LED printhead is parallel to the axis of the photosensitive drum in the developing assembly. When the bracket is in the maintenance position, the end of the bracket away from the hinge seat is disengaged from the limiting notch.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The height difference between the paper inlet and the paper outlet relative to the bottom surface of the housing is within 1 cm.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive assembly includes a drive motor and a transmission gear set. A motor mounting plate is provided on the side of the partition facing the second mounting cavity via a support column. A gap is provided between the motor mounting plate and the partition. The transmission gear set is located within the gap and rotatably mounted on the partition. The transmission gear set includes an input gear shaft, a first drive gear, a second drive gear, and a third drive gear that mesh with each other. The drive motor is located on the side of the motor mounting plate away from the partition, and the output shaft of the drive motor is connected to the input gear shaft. The first drive gear meshes with the end of the paper feeding roller in the paper feeding assembly. The partition has clearance openings at positions corresponding to the end of the paper feeding roller, the second drive gear, and the third drive gear. The second drive gear meshes with the end of the photosensitive drum in the developing assembly, and the third drive gear meshes with the end of the heating roller in the fixing assembly.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The partition plate has guide grooves on the side facing the first mounting cavity and on the side of the inner wall of the first mounting cavity opposite to the partition plate, for the end of the developing assembly to be inserted.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The paper feeding assembly includes a support plate, a transfer roller rotatably disposed on the top of the support plate, and a pair of paper feeding rollers rotatably disposed on the top of the support plate and in contact with each other. The support plate is disposed at the bottom of the first mounting cavity, and the paper feeding rollers are directly opposite the paper inlet.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The top of the second mounting cavity is provided with a cover plate, and the cover plate is provided with a power button electrically connected to the control module.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The developing assembly has an opening for inserting the LED printhead, and both ends of the developing assembly along its length are provided with support platforms for supporting the two ends of the LED printhead along its length.

8. An image forming apparatus, characterized in that, The device includes a housing, a cover, a paper feeding assembly, a fixing assembly, an LED printhead, a control module, and a drive assembly. The housing has an opening at its top, and the cover is located at the top of the housing for opening or closing the opening. The housing contains a partition that divides its interior into a first mounting cavity and a second mounting cavity. The first mounting cavity has a paper inlet at its front and a paper outlet at its rear, with the height difference between the paper inlet and the paper outlet relative to the bottom surface of the housing being within 2 cm. The paper feeding assembly is laid flat at the bottom of the first mounting cavity, the developing assembly is detachably disposed above the paper feeding assembly, and the fixing assembly is disposed on the paper feeding assembly near the paper outlet, with the output end of the fixing assembly facing the paper outlet; the developing assembly has an opening above the photosensitive drum to accommodate the LED printhead, and the LED printhead can switch between positions close to and away from the photosensitive drum; The second mounting cavity is provided with a control module and a drive assembly. The control module is electrically connected to the drive assembly, the developing assembly, the fixing assembly, and the LED printhead. The drive assembly is used to drive the paper feeding assembly, the developing assembly, and the fixing assembly. The image forming apparatus further includes a linkage mechanism, through which the LED printhead is connected to the inside of the cover. During the process of the cover switching from the open position to the closed position, the linkage mechanism drives the LED printhead closer to the photosensitive drum in the developing assembly; during the process of the cover switching from the closed position to the open position, the linkage mechanism drives the LED printhead away from the photosensitive drum.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that, During the process of the cover switching from the closed position to the open position, the linkage mechanism drives the LED printhead away from the photosensitive drum and finally attaches it to the inside of the cover, and the length direction of the LED printhead is always parallel to the axial direction of the photosensitive drum in the developing assembly.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that, The linkage mechanism includes a swing arm and a connecting rod. One end of the swing arm is hinged to the inside of the cover, and the other end of the swing arm is connected to the LED print head. One end of the connecting rod is hinged to the housing, and the hinge point is close to the hinge point between the housing and the cover. The other end of the connecting rod is hinged to the swing arm.

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