Opening and closing apparatus, image forming apparatus including the same, and gas spring unit for image forming apparatus

Abstract

The disclosure relates to an opening and closing apparatus, an image forming apparatus including the opening and closing apparatus, and a gas spring unit for the image forming apparatus. An opening and closing apparatus includes: a housing having a top surface including an opening portion; a cover configured to open and close the opening portion and provided to the housing so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis extending in a first direction; and a gas spring unit configured to extend and contract with pivoting of the cover and including a cover-side end portion configured to be fitted to the cover and a housing-side end portion configured to be fitted to the housing, and a guide portion configured to restrict a movement range of the gas spring unit by bringing the housing-side shaft into contact with the guide portion when a housing-side end portion of the gas spring unit is inserted into the housing from the opening portion, and to guide the housing-side shaft to a position where the housing-side shaft is fitted to the housing-side fitting portion.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an opening and closing device for opening and closing a cover provided to a housing, an image forming apparatus including the opening and closing device, and a gas spring unit for the image forming apparatus. Background Art

[0002] An electronic photographic or inkjet image forming device including a housing is discussed, and the housing has a top surface provided with a cover configured to open and close. Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2010-188624 discusses an inkjet recording device, which is configured to form an image on a sheet with ink. In the inkjet recording device, for example, a conveying roller for conveying a sheet, an ink drying portion for drying the ink on the sheet, and a fixing roller for fixing the ink to the sheet after drying are arranged along the conveying path of the conveying sheet. The housing enclosing the above-mentioned components is provided with a cover configured to open and close upwards, and some of the conveying rollers, the ink drying portion, and the fixing roller are placed on the cover so that the placed components can be lifted together with the cover. The operator can open the cover and perform a paper jam removal operation to remove the sheet of paper jam in the conveying path and perform maintenance operations, such as cleaning the conveying rollers, the ink drying portion, and the fixing roller.

[0003] As described above, in the case where some of the conveying roller, the ink drying portion, and the fixing roller are placed on the cover, the weight of the cover with the components becomes heavier. Therefore, an opening and closing device that uses a gas spring to assist an operator in opening and closing the cover so that the operator can smoothly open and close the cover is discussed (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-121588). One end of the gas spring is pivotally supported by the cover, and the other end of the gas spring is fixed to the housing with a screw. Summary of the invention

[0004] According to some embodiments, an opening and closing device may have: a shell having a top surface including an opening portion; a cover provided to the shell to be pivotable about a pivot axis extending in a first direction and configured to open and close the opening portion by pivoting about the pivot axis; and a gas spring unit configured to extend and contract as the cover pivots and include a cover-side end portion assembled to the cover and a shell-side end portion assembled to the shell, wherein the cover-side end portion of the gas spring unit includes a cover-side axis extending in the first direction, wherein the cover includes a cover-side assembly portion, the cover-side axis being assembled to the cover-side assembly portion, wherein the gas spring unit is arranged on the gas spring by the cover-side axis being assembled to the cover-side assembly portion. The unit supports the cover in a state in which the gas spring unit can pivot relative to the cover about a cover side axis, wherein the shell side end portion of the gas spring unit includes a shell side axis extending in a first direction, wherein the shell includes a shell side assembly portion, and the shell side axis is assembled to the shell side assembly portion, wherein the shell supports the gas spring unit in a state in which the gas spring unit can pivot relative to the shell about the shell side axis by means of the shell side axis assembled to the shell side assembly portion, and wherein the shell also includes a guide portion, which is configured to limit the movement range of the gas spring unit and guide the shell side axis to a position where the shell side axis is assembled to the shell side assembly portion by contacting the shell side axis when the shell side end portion of the gas spring unit is inserted into the shell from the opening portion.

[0005] An image forming apparatus according to some embodiments may include the above-described opening and closing device and an image forming portion configured to form an image on a medium.

[0006] According to some embodiments, the image forming apparatus may include the above-mentioned opening and closing device and a conveying device for conveying a medium for forming an image, wherein the image forming part is configured to form an image on the medium, wherein the conveying device includes a first conveying belt positioned inside the cover and a second conveying belt positioned inside the shell.

[0007] According to some embodiments, the gas spring unit may include: a first gas spring configured to extend and contract in a first direction; a second gas spring configured to extend and contract in the first direction; a first axis extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction; and a second axis extending in the second direction, wherein the first gas spring includes a first through hole located at the end of the first side of the first direction of the first gas spring and a second through hole located at the end of the second side of the first direction of the first gas spring, wherein the second gas spring includes a third through hole located at the end of the first side of the second gas spring and a fourth through hole located at the end of the second side of the second gas spring, wherein the first axis is inserted into both the first through hole of the first gas spring and the third through hole of the second gas spring, and wherein the second axis is inserted into both the second through hole of the first gas spring and the fourth through hole of the second gas spring.

[0008] Further features of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a suitable inkjet recording apparatus using an opening and closing device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0010] Figure 2 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which a top cover of the fixing module is opened.

[0011] Figure 3 is a right side view illustrating an opening and closing device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0012] Figure 4A is a front view of a gas spring unit that uses an E-type retaining ring as a fixing ring, and Figure 4B This is a front view of a gas spring unit that uses a shaft collar as a retaining ring.

[0013] Figure 5 This is a diagram illustrating replacement of the gas spring unit.

[0014] Fig. 6A , Figure 6B , Figure 6C and Fig.6D The top view, left side view, front view and right side view of the respective illustrated guide bag are respectively.

[0015] Fig. 7A and Figure 7B They are respectively a front view and a right side view each illustrating a gas spring unit provided with a positioning member. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] As the gas spring is used repeatedly, the gas in the gas spring may gradually leak. This causes a decrease in the reaction force generated by the gas compression, so it becomes desirable to replace the gas spring. However, conventional gas springs are fixed to the lid or housing as described above. In addition, in order to assist in opening and closing heavy lids, a gas spring that is long in the extension and contraction directions and has a large reaction force is used, and this only allows the other end of the gas spring to be fixed in the housing at a rear position away from the lid. Therefore, the operator needs to remove other units in the housing to replace the gas spring, which is inconvenient and troublesome.

[0017] Various exemplary embodiments, features, and aspects of the present disclosure make it possible to improve the ease with which an operator can replace a gas spring unit that assists opening and closing a lid, and will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0018] First, we will refer to Figure 1 A suitable image forming apparatus using the opening and closing device according to the exemplary embodiment is described. A sheet-feed inkjet recording apparatus 100 configured to form an image on a sheet using ink and a reaction liquid will be described below as an example of an image forming apparatus. The sheet may be any recording material capable of receiving ink, and examples include paper such as plain paper or thick paper, plastic films such as sheets for overhead projectors, sheets having special shapes such as envelopes or index paper, and cloth.

[0019] In this specification, the side on which the operator stands when operating the inkjet recording apparatus 100 is referred to as the “front side (or front side)”, and the opposite side is referred to as the “rear side (or back side)”. In addition, the left side when viewed from the front is referred to as the “left”, and the right side when viewed from the front is referred to as the “right”. Figure 1 The inkjet recording apparatus 100 is shown as viewed from the front.

[0020] <Inkjet Recording Device> like Figure 1 As shown in FIG. 1 , the inkjet recording apparatus 100 includes a sheet feeding module 1000, a printing module 2000, a drying module 3000, a fixing module 4000, a cooling module 5000, a reversing module 6000, and a stacking module 7000. The sheet S fed from the sheet feeding module 1000 undergoes various processes while being conveyed through the modules along a conveying path, and is finally discharged to the stacking module 7000. The sheet S is an example of a medium for forming an image.

[0021] The sheet feeding module 1000, the printing module 2000, the drying module 3000, the fixing module 4000, the cooling module 5000, the reversing module 6000, and the stacking module 7000 may each include a separate housing, and the housings may be connected together to form the inkjet recording apparatus 100. Alternatively, the sheet feeding module 1000, the printing module 2000, the drying module 3000, the fixing module 4000, the cooling module 5000, the reversing module 6000, and the stacking module 7000 may be arranged in a single housing.

[0022] The sheet feeding module 1000 includes storage cabinets 1500a, 1500b, and 1500c for storing sheets S, and the storage cabinets 1500a to 1500c can be pulled out toward the front of the inkjet recording apparatus 100 to store the sheets S. The sheets S are fed one by one from the storage cabinets 1500a to 1500c by a separation belt and a conveying roller, and conveyed to the printing module 2000. The storage cabinets 1500a to 1500c are not limited to three storage cabinets, and may be one, two, four, or more storage cabinets.

[0023] The printing module 2000 includes a pre-image formation registration correction section (not shown), a printing belt unit 2200, and a recording section 2300. The sheet S conveyed from the sheet feeding module 1000 is subjected to skew and position correction performed by the pre-image formation registration correction, and then conveyed to the printing belt unit 2200. The recording section 2300 is arranged opposite to the printing belt unit 2200 on the conveying path. The recording section 2300 as an image forming section forms an image on the conveyed sheet S by performing a recording process (printing) on ​​the sheet S from above using a recording head. The sheet S is conveyed by suction of the printing belt unit 2200 to maintain a gap with the recording head. The recording head includes five line heads arranged along the conveying direction and corresponding to the reaction liquid and four colors such as yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (Bk).

[0024] The number of ink colors and the number of recording heads are not limited to five. An inkjet method such as a method using a thermal element, a method using a piezoelectric element, a method using an electrostatic element, or a method using a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) element may be adopted. Ink of each color is supplied to the recording head from an ink cartridge (not shown) through an ink tube. The sheet S printed by the recording portion 2300 is conveyed by the printing belt unit 2200, and an online scanner (not shown) positioned downstream of the recording portion 2300 in the conveying direction detects the misalignment of the image formed on the sheet S and the color density of the image to correct the printed image.

[0025] The drying module 3000 includes a decoupling portion 3200, a drying belt unit 3300, and a warm air blowing portion 3400. The drying module 3000 reduces the liquid content of the ink applied to the sheet S so as to increase the fixability of the ink to the sheet S by the subsequent fixing module 4000. The sheet S on which the image is formed is conveyed to the decoupling portion 3200 arranged in the drying module 3000. At the decoupling portion 3200, a frictional force is generated between the sheet S and the belt by the pressure of air blowing from above, and the sheet S is conveyed by the belt. By conveying the sheet S on the belt using the frictional force as described above, misalignment of the sheet S that may occur during conveyance by the printing belt unit 2200 and the decoupling portion 3200 is prevented.

[0026] The sheet S conveyed from the decoupling portion 3200 is conveyed by suction of the drying belt unit 3300, and the warm air blowing portion 3400 positioned above the belt blows warm air toward the sheet S to dry the ink applied to the sheet S. The drying module 3000 heats the ink applied to the sheet S and promotes evaporation of water to prevent wrinkling and prevent ink scattering that causes boundary-like lines to appear near the sheet S. Any device capable of heating and drying can be used as the drying module 3000, but the drying module 3000 is desirably, for example, a warm air dryer or a heater. As for the heater, it is desirable to use an electric heating wire heater or an infrared heater for heating from the perspective of safety and energy efficiency.

[0027] The fixing module 4000 includes a fixing belt unit 4100. The fixing belt unit 4100 as a conveying portion passes the sheet S conveyed from the drying module 3000 between a heated upper belt 4110 and a heated lower belt 4120 to fix ink to the sheet S. The upper belt 4110 and the lower belt 4120 are brought into contact with each other to form a sheet conveying path 1 for conveying the sheet S.

[0028] The cooling module 5000 includes a plurality of cooling portions 5100, and the cooling portions 5100 cool the high-temperature sheet S conveyed from the fixing module 4000. Each cooling portion 5100 cools the sheet S by, for example, letting outside air enter a cooling box to increase the pressure in the cooling box using a fan and directing the air blown by the pressure from the cooling box through a nozzle toward the sheet S. The cooling portions 5100 are arranged on both sides of a conveying path of the sheet S and cool both surfaces of the sheet S.

[0029] The cooling module 5000 is provided with a conveying path switching portion 5002. The conveying path switching portion 5002 switches the conveying path of the sheet S based on whether the sheet S is to be conveyed to the reversing module 6000 or to a double-sided conveying path for double-sided printing to form images on both sides of the sheet S.

[0030] The reversing module 6000 includes a reversing portion 6400. The reversing portion 6400 reverses the front and rear sides of the conveyed sheet S, and discharges the sheet S to the stacking module 7000 after the front and rear sides are reversed. The stacking module 7000 includes a top tray 7200 and a stacking unit 7500 and stacks the sheets S conveyed from the reversing module 6000.

[0031] At the time of double-sided printing, the sheet S is conveyed to the conveying path at the lower part of the cooling module 5000 by the conveying path switching portion 5002. Thereafter, the sheet S is conveyed through the double-sided conveying paths of the fixing module 4000, the drying module 3000, the printing module 2000, and the sheet feeding module 1000 and returned to the printing module 2000. The double-sided conveying portion of the fixing module 4000 is provided with a reversing portion 4200 for reversing the front and back sides of the sheet S. The sheet S on the opposite surface of which the image is not formed and which is returned to the printing module 2000 is subjected to image formation so that an image is formed on the opposite surface with ink, and then the sheet S is conveyed through the drying module 3000, the fixing module 4000, the cooling module 5000, and the reversing module 6000, and discharged to the stacking module 7000.

[0032] Meanwhile, there may be a case where, for example, a paper jam occurs in the sheet conveying path 1 formed by the upper belt 4110 and the lower belt 4120 of the fixing module 4000. In this case, a paper jam of the sheet S is detected by a control unit (not shown) based on a signal of a detection sensor (not shown) provided to the sheet conveying path 1. In the case where a paper jam of the sheet S is detected, an operator needs to expose the sheet conveying path 1 in order to remove the sheet S remaining in the sheet conveying path 1.

[0033] Figure 2 4 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which the top cover 450 of the fixing module 4000 is opened. The top cover 450 is pivotable about a pivot axis extending in a first direction. According to the present exemplary embodiment, the first direction is the same direction as the conveying direction of the sheet S. In a state in which the top cover 450 is closed, the opening portion 420a of the housing 420 is covered, and in a state in which the top cover 450 is opened, the opening portion 420a of the housing 420 is exposed. Specifically, the top cover 450 opens and closes the opening portion 420a of the top surface of the housing 420.

[0034] According to this exemplary embodiment, Figure 2 As shown in FIG. 1 , the operator moves upward the top cover 450 provided to the housing 420 of the fixing module 4000 to expose the sheet conveying path 1 (refer to FIG. 1 ) from the opening portion 420 a. Figure 1 ), so that the operator can remove the sheet S from the sheet conveying path 1. The housing 420 of the fixing module 4000 can pivot around the cover shaft 410 (refer to Figure 3 ) is pivotally provided with a top cover 450. A cover pivot shaft 410 is provided at the rear side. The top cover 450 includes a handle 430 at the front side so that an operator can hold the handle 430 and easily move the top cover 450 upward.

[0035] An upper belt 4110 as a first conveying belt is arranged in the top cover 450 and moves integrally with the top cover 450. As the top cover 450 is opened and closed, the upper belt 4110 moves between a contact position, in which the upper belt 4110 contacts with a lower belt 4120 as a second conveying belt and forms a sheet conveying path 1 with the lower belt 4120, and a separation position, in which the upper belt 4110 separates from the lower belt 4120 and opens the sheet conveying path 1. When the upper belt 4110 is in the separation position, the sheet conveying path 1 is exposed, and an operator can remove the sheet S remaining on the lower belt 4120. According to the present exemplary embodiment, the top cover 450 including the upper belt 4110 is pivotally supported at the rear side so that the front side of the top cover 450 can be opened upward.

[0036] <Opening and closing the device> The top cover 450 including the upper belt 4110 has a weight exceeding, for example, 700 N. Therefore, according to the present exemplary embodiment, the opening and closing device 400 is provided to the fixing module 4000 to assist in opening and closing the top cover 450. Figures 3 to 7B Opening and closing device 400 is described. Figure 3 is a right side view illustrating the opening and closing device 400 .

[0037] like Figure 3 As shown in FIG. 4 , the top cover 450 is pivotally connected to the housing 420 of the fixing module 4000 through a cover pivot shaft 410 provided at the rear side. The opening and closing device 400 includes a gas spring unit 10 for assisting an operator in opening and closing the top cover 450. The gas spring unit 10 is arranged at both ends of the top cover 450 in the left-right direction (refer to FIG. 4 ). Figure 2 ), and in the front-to-rear direction, the gas spring unit 10 is positioned closer to the cover pivot axis 410 (in the housing) of the top cover 450 than the lower band 4120 in the housing 420. One end of each gas spring unit 10 is pivotally connected to a cover-side assembly member 30 provided to the top cover 450. The other end of each gas spring unit 10 is pivotally connected to a housing-side assembly member 20 provided in the housing 420. For convenience, each end connected to the top cover 450 will be referred to as a "cover-side end", and each end connected to the housing-side assembly member 20 will be referred to as a "housing-side end". According to the present exemplary embodiment, the gas spring unit 10 extends and contracts in a direction intersecting with the direction of the pivot axis of the top cover 450.

[0038] <Gas spring unit> The following will refer to Figure 4A The gas spring unit 10 used in the image forming apparatus according to the present exemplary embodiment will be described. Figure 4AAs shown in , each gas spring unit 10 includes a first gas spring 11 and a second gas spring 12. The gas springs 11 and 12 are aligned in a direction (left-right direction according to the present exemplary embodiment) intersecting the extension and contraction directions of the gas springs 11 and 12, so that the gas springs 11 and 12 extend and contract in the same direction. A through hole is formed at each end of each of the gas springs 11 and 12. The arrangement of the gas springs 11 and 12 is not limited to an arrangement in which the gas springs 11 and 12 are aligned in the left-right direction, and the gas springs 11 and 12 may be aligned in the front-rear direction.

[0039] The gas springs 11 and 12 include a rod and a tube, and the rod side ends 11a and 12a (housing side ends) placed in the housing 420 are fixed to an assembly support member 13 including a shaft portion extending in the direction of the pivot axis of the top cover 450. The assembly support member 13 is inserted into a through hole formed at the other end of the gas spring 11 and a through hole formed at the other end of the gas spring 12. In addition, the tube side ends 11b and 12b (cover side ends) placed on the top cover 450 are fixed to an assembly support member 14 including a shaft portion extending in the direction of the pivot axis of the top cover 450. The assembly support member 14 is inserted into a through hole formed at one end of the gas spring 11 and a through hole formed at one end of the gas spring 12. The housing side end and the cover side end are defined based on the orientation in which the gas springs 11 and 12 are placed. For example, in the case where the tube side ends 11b and 12b are placed in the housing 420, the tube side ends 11b and 12b are defined as housing side ends.

[0040] The assembly support member 13 is a housing side shaft, and the assembly support member 14 is a cover side shaft. The shaft portion (first shaft) of the assembly support member 13 is provided with a step portion 13a (middle portion) having a larger diameter than the shaft portion of the assembly support member 13, and the shaft portion (second shaft) of the assembly support member 14 is provided with a step portion 14a (middle portion) having a larger diameter than the shaft portion of the assembly support member 14. The step portions 13a and 14a are configured so that the rod side ends 11a and 12a and the tube side ends 11b and 12b of the gas springs 11 and 12 are arranged on the shaft portions with a predetermined interval between the rod side ends 11a and 12a and a predetermined interval between the tube side ends 11b and 12b to prevent the gas springs 11 and 12 from contacting each other. The fixing ring 15 fixes the rod side ends 11a and 12a and the tube side ends 11b and 12b of the gas springs 11 and 12 to prevent the rod side ends 11a and 12a and the tube side ends 11b and 12b from moving in the left-right direction on the shaft portions of the assembly support members 13 and 14. For example, an E-type retaining ring is used as the fixing ring 15. The assembly support members 13 and 14 have a length C ( Figure 4AIn A < C). According to this exemplary embodiment, the rod side end portions 11a and 12a, the step portion 13a, the fitting support members 13, and the fixing ring 15 are components of the housing side end of the gas spring unit 10. Additionally, the tube side end portions 11b and 12b, the step portion 14a, the fitting support members 14, and the fixing ring 15 are components of the lid side end of the gas spring unit 10.

[0041] The fixing ring 15 is not limited to Figure 4A the E-type retaining ring shown in. For example, as Figure 4B shown, a bushing 17 can also be used as the fixing ring 15 and fixed to the fitting support members 13 and 14 with a set screw 16. In this case, the outer tube width A of the gas springs 11 and 12 arranged in parallel, the outer distance B between the bushings 17, and the length C of the fitting support members 13 and 14 have the relationship of "A < B < C".

[0042] <Connection of the gas spring unit> Next, the connection of the gas spring unit 10 to the lid side fitting member 30 and the housing side fitting member 20 will be described below. As Figure 3 shown, the lid side fitting members 30 are provided at two end portions in the left - right direction in the top cover 450. Each lid side fitting member 30 includes a protruding portion extending downward from the lower end portion of the top cover 450, and a U-shaped groove 31 is formed at the tip of the protruding portion. The shaft portions of the fitting support members 14 that fix the tube side end portions 11b and 12b of the gas springs 11 and 12 are assembled into the U-shaped groove 31 to connect the gas spring unit 10 to the lid side fitting member 30, such that the gas spring unit 10 can pivot about an axis substantially parallel to the lid pivot axis 410 and is easy to attach and detach.

[0043] Meanwhile, the housing side fitting members 20 are provided at two end portions in the left - right direction in the housing 420. A U-shaped groove 21 serving as a recessed portion is formed at the bottom of each housing side fitting member 20. The shaft portions of the fitting support members 13 that fix the rod side end portions 11a and 12a of the gas springs 11 and 12 are assembled into the U-shaped groove 21 to connect the gas spring unit 10 to the housing side fitting member 20, such that the gas spring unit 10 can pivot about an axis substantially parallel to the lid pivot axis 410 and is easy to attach and detach.

[0044] Gas is sealed in the tubes of the gas springs 11 and 12, and a reaction force corresponding to the extension and contraction state of the rod relative to the tube is generated by the gas in the gas springs 11 and 12. In the case of the gas spring unit 10 according to the present exemplary embodiment, when the top cover 450 is closed, the rod enters the tubes of the gas springs 11 and 12, and the rod compresses the gas in the tube. Then, when the top cover 450 is opened, a reaction force is generated by the compressed gas in the gas springs 11 and 12 to assist the opening operation of the top cover 450, so that the operator can smoothly open the top cover 450.

[0045] Meanwhile, the gas springs 11 and 12 may degrade over time during their service life, so regular replacement or replacement due to unexpected failure becomes desirable. In the commercial printing market, the availability of the inkjet recording device 100 is one of the important metrics for the operator, so the operator is expected to quickly and reliably complete the replacement operation of the gas spring unit 10. Therefore, a connection configuration according to the present exemplary embodiment is adopted in which the shaft portion of the assembly support member 14 is assembled to the U-shaped groove 31 of the cover-side assembly member 30 and the shaft portion of the assembly support member 13 is assembled to the U-shaped groove 21 of the housing-side assembly member 20, so that the shaft portion is easily attached and detached as described above.

[0046] The replacement operation of the gas spring unit 10 will be described below. In order to perform the replacement operation of the gas spring unit 10, the operator moves the handle 430 formed on the front side of the top cover 450 upward and pivots the top cover 450 upward, as shown in FIG. Figure 5 As described above, according to the present exemplary embodiment, in the conveying direction of the sheet S, the drying module 3000 is positioned upstream of the fixing module 4000 and the cooling module 5000 is positioned downstream of the fixing module 4000, making it difficult to access the gas spring unit 10 from the right or left side and replace the gas spring unit 10. Therefore, according to the present exemplary embodiment, the cover support member 50 supports the top cover 450 in a state where the front of the top cover 450 is moved upward and opened, so that the operator can access the inside of the housing 420 from the front to replace the gas spring unit 10.

[0047] When each gas spring unit 10 is removed, the top cover 450 is opened to the maintenance position and supported by the cover support member 50 at the maintenance position. In the maintenance position, the top cover 450 is opened to be wider than during the paper jam clearing operation. In this case, the gas springs 11 and 12 of the gas spring unit 10 are in their free length state, and the shaft portion of the assembly support member 14 is released from the U-shaped groove 31 of the cover-side assembly member 30. In other words, in a state where the gas spring unit 10 is attached to the top cover 450, in a case where the top cover 450 is pivoted more than a predetermined pivot amount (threshold amount), the assembly of the shaft portion of the assembly support member 14 in the U-shaped groove 31 of the cover-side assembly member 30 is released. In a state where the top cover 450 is pivoted more than a predetermined pivot amount, the cover support member 50 supports the top cover 450.

[0048] Therefore, the operator can hold the gas spring unit 10 positioned further back than the lower belt 4120 from the opening portion 420a, and move the held gas spring unit 10 obliquely forward while avoiding the lower belt 4120 ( Figure 5 As the gas spring unit 10 moves obliquely forward, the shaft portion of the assembly support member 13 is released from the U-shaped groove 21 of the housing-side assembly member 20 , so that the operator can remove the gas spring unit 10 from the housing 420 .

[0049] The cover support member 50 may be provided to the housing 420 in advance, or instead of providing the cover support member 50 to the housing 420 , a separately prepared cover support member 50 may be externally attached.

[0050] On the other hand, when attaching each gas spring unit 10, in a state where the top cover 450 is supported by the cover support member 50, the gas spring unit 10 is inserted into the housing 420 from the opening portion 420a in a direction opposite to the direction of arrow D, first inserting the assembly support member 13 side. The housing side assembly member 20 is provided with a guide pocket 60 as a guide portion for guiding the gas spring unit 10. The guide pocket 60 is provided in order to limit the moving range of the gas spring unit 10 by bringing the assembly support member 13 into contact with the guide pocket 60, and to guide the gas spring unit 10 to a position where the shaft portion of the assembly support member 13 is assembled into the U-shaped groove 21 of the housing side assembly member 20.

[0051] The guide bag 60 will be described below. FIG. 6A to FIG. 6DAs shown in , the guide bag 60 includes a side guide 61 and a front guide 62 positioned on the front side and spanning between the side guides 61. The side guides 61 are provided at both ends of the guide bag 60 in the left-right direction and extend in the up-down direction. In addition, the housing side assembly member 20 includes a rear guide portion 23 provided at both ends of the housing side assembly member 20 in the left-right direction and extend in the up-down direction. The side guides 61, the front guide 62, and the rear guide portion 23 of the housing side assembly member 20 form an insertion and removal opening portion 60a for inserting and removing the gas spring unit 10. In the case where the gas spring unit 10 is inserted into the interior from the insertion and removal opening portion 60a, the assembly support member 13 moves in a space surrounded by the side guides 61, the front guide 62, and the rear guide portion 23 of the housing side assembly member 20. In this case, the assembly support member 13 is sandwiched between the two side guides 61 in the left-right direction (pivot axis direction). Therefore, the range of the gas spring unit 10 in the left-right direction (pivot axis direction) is limited by bringing the end surface of the shaft portion of the assembly support member 13 into contact with the side guide 61, thereby serving as a first regulating portion. The side guide 61 includes flat plate portions that are positioned relative to each other to sandwich the assembly support member 13 in the left-right direction, and brings the flat plate portions into contact with the end surface of the assembly support member 13 to limit the moving range of the gas spring unit 10 in the left-right direction.

[0052] In addition, the rear guide portion 23 as the second regulating portion extends from the insertion and removal opening portion 60a to the U-shaped groove 21 of the housing side assembly member 20. When the assembly support member 13 moves in the space surrounded by the side guide 61, the front guide 62 and the rear guide portion 23 of the housing side assembly member 20, the side surface of the shaft portion of the assembly support member 13 is brought into contact with the rear guide portion 23 to limit the moving range of the gas spring unit 10 in the insertion direction. Each lower end portion 23a of the rear guide portion 23 is formed with an inclined shape from the rear surface 20a of the housing side assembly member 20 to the U-shaped groove 21 of the housing side assembly member 20. After the side surface of the shaft portion of the assembly support member 13 is brought into contact with the lower end portion 23a, the shaft portion of the assembly support member 13 slides in a state where the shaft portion is in contact with the lower end portion 23a. Specifically, the assembly support member 13 is guided to the assembly position by the lower end portion 23a. Therefore, by inserting the gas spring unit 10 while pressing the shaft portion of the fitting support member 13 from the front side toward the rear guide portion 23, the operator can reliably fit the shaft portion of the fitting support member 13 into the U-shaped groove 21 of the housing-side fitting member 20. Therefore, the operator can easily attach the gas spring unit 10.

[0053] As described above, according to the present exemplary embodiment, the assembly support member 14 (cover side shaft) of the cover side end portion of the gas spring unit 10 is pivotably assembled to the cover side assembly member 30 of the top cover 450. The assembly support member 13 (cover side shaft) of the housing side end portion of the gas spring unit 10 is pivotably assembled to the housing side assembly member 20 of the housing 420. The housing side assembly member 20 is provided with a guide pocket 60 for guiding the gas spring unit 10. The guide pocket 60 limits the moving range of the gas spring unit 10 in the left-right direction by bringing the side guide 61 and the end surface of the shaft portion of the assembly support member 13 into contact with each other. In addition, by bringing the rear guide portion 23 and the side surface of the shaft portion of the assembly support member 13 into contact with each other, the movement of the gas spring unit 10 in the insertion direction is limited. The gas spring unit 10 is guided to the U-shaped groove 21 of the housing side assembly member 20 by the lower end portion 23a of the rear guide unit 23. As described above, by simply inserting the gas spring unit 10 under the guidance of the guide pocket 60 when attaching the gas spring unit 10, the operator can reliably fit the shaft portion of the fitting support member 13 into the U-shaped groove 21 of the housing-side fitting member 20. This makes it possible to improve the convenience of the operator in performing the gas spring replacement operation.

[0054] In order to smoothly open and close the top cover 450 weighing more than 700N, it is necessary to use a gas spring with a large extension force. In the case of a standard gas spring, the greater the maximum length of the gas spring, the greater the extension force of the gas spring. Therefore, in order to assist in opening and closing the top cover 450 weighing more than 700N, it is necessary to use a gas spring with a large maximum length. However, in order to do this, a large space is required inside the housing 420 to allow the gas spring to extend and contract in the space, which may result in an increase in the size of the housing 420. In addition, in the case of using two gas springs with a large extension force, if for some reason one of the gas springs fails, the auxiliary force of the gas spring is reduced by half, which not only makes it difficult to smoothly open and close the top cover 450, but also may result in reduced safety of the replacement operation.

[0055] In contrast, according to the present exemplary embodiment, the gas spring units 10 each including two gas springs 11 and 12 connected together are placed at right and left positions between the top cover 450 and the housing 420 .

[0056] This makes it possible to reduce the size of the housing 420 and the gas spring operation space. In addition, since a plurality of gas springs (four or more gas springs) are used, the reduction in the extension force of each spring having different aging characteristics from each other does not cause a sudden change in the assist force, thereby enhancing the safety of the replacement operation. The present exemplary embodiment is advantageous because it is still easy to replace the gas spring unit 10 even in the case of adopting the above-described gas spring unit 10.

[0057] <Other Exemplary Embodiments> Meanwhile, as the gas springs 11 and 12 of the gas spring unit 10 are repeatedly used, gas in the tubes of the gas springs 11 and 12 may gradually leak, and the extension force of the gas springs 11 and 12 may decrease.

[0058] The leakage conditions of the gas in the tube of the gas spring 11 and the gas in the tube of the gas spring 12 are different from each other.

[0059] Therefore, it is desirable to configure the gas springs 11 and 12 to allow for separate removal and replacement from the gas spring unit 10. Specifically, it is desirable to provide the gas springs 11 and 12 so that the gas springs 11 and 12 are not fixed to the assembly support members 13 and 14 and can be easily attached to and detached from the assembly support members 13 and 14.

[0060] However, in the case where the gas springs 11 and 12 are not fixed to the assembly support members 13 and 14, the gas springs 11 and 12 may both move in the left-right direction along the assembly support members 13 and 14 and contact each other, which may cause damage. Fig. 7A and Figure 7B As shown in , the cover side assembly member 30 is provided with a positioning member 35 for positioning the gas springs 11 and 12 at predetermined positions of the assembly support member 14, leaving a space between the predetermined positions in the left-right direction. After the assembly support member 14 of the gas spring unit 10 is assembled to the U-shaped groove 31 of the cover side assembly member 30 and supported, the positioning member 35 is attached to the cover side assembly member 30 so that the positioning member 35 enters between the end portions 11b and 12b of the gas springs 11 and 12, and the gas springs 11 and 12 are sandwiched between the fixing ring 15 and the positioning member 35, thereby determining the positions of the gas springs 11 and 12 in the left-right direction.

[0061] In the above exemplary embodiments, although the case where the gas spring unit 10 is replaced is described as an example, this should not be considered as limiting because the present disclosure is also applicable to the case where a gas spring is used alone.

[0062] In addition, in the above exemplary embodiments, although the application to the fixing module 4000 is described as an example, it should not be regarded as limiting. There may be a case where the sheet feeding module 1000, the drying module 3000, the cooling module 5000, the flip module 6000, and the stacking module 7000 also include a top cover, as with the fixing module 4000, and, for example, a part of the conveying portion may be provided to the top cover. In the above case, the present disclosure is also applicable to the sheet feeding module 1000, the drying module 3000, the cooling module 5000, the flip module 6000, and the stacking module 7000.

[0063] The present disclosure makes it possible to improve the ease with which an operator can replace a gas spring unit that assists in opening and closing a cover provided on a housing.

[0064] While the present disclosure has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of the following claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures and functions.

Claims

1. An opening and closing device comprising: a housing having a top surface including an opening portion; a cover provided to the housing so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis extending in a first direction and configured to open and close the opening portion by pivoting about the pivot axis; as well as a gas spring unit configured to extend and contract as the cover pivots, and including a cover-side end portion fitted to the cover and a housing-side end portion fitted to the housing, wherein the cover-side end portion of the gas spring unit includes a cover-side axis extending in the first direction, wherein the cover comprises a cover side assembly portion, the cover side shaft being assembled to the cover side assembly portion, wherein the gas spring unit supports the cover by means of the cover side shaft assembled to the cover side assembly portion in a state where the gas spring unit can pivot relative to the cover about the cover side shaft, wherein the housing side end portion of the gas spring unit includes a housing side axis extending in the first direction, wherein the housing comprises a housing side assembly portion, the housing side shaft is assembled to the housing side assembly portion, wherein the housing supports the gas spring unit by the housing side shaft mounted to the housing side mounting portion in a state where the gas spring unit can pivot relative to the housing around the housing side shaft, and Wherein, the shell also includes a guide portion, which is configured to limit the movement range of the gas spring unit by contacting the shell side shaft when the shell side end portion is inserted into the shell from the opening portion, and guide the shell side shaft to the position where the shell side shaft is assembled to the shell side assembly portion.

2. The opening and closing device according to claim 1, wherein The housing-side fitting portion includes a recessed portion configured to receive a side surface of the housing-side shaft so that the housing-side shaft is fitted to the recessed portion.

3. The opening and closing device according to claim 1, in, The guide portion includes a first adjustment portion, wherein the first adjusting portion comprises two plate portions, the two plate portions being positioned relative to each other to clamp the housing side shaft in the first direction, and The first regulating portion is configured to limit a movement range of the gas spring unit in the first direction by causing the two plate portions to contact end surfaces of the housing-side shaft, respectively, when the housing-side end portion is inserted into the housing from the opening portion.

4. The opening and closing device according to claim 3, in, The guide portion includes a second adjustment portion, wherein the second regulating portion is configured to limit a moving range of the gas spring unit in an insertion direction by contacting a side surface of the housing-side shaft when the housing-side end portion is inserted into the housing from the opening portion, and wherein the housing-side shaft is guided by sliding the housing-side shaft in a state where a side surface of the housing-side shaft is in contact with the second regulating portion.

5. The opening and closing device according to claim 1, in, The lid is supported by the gas spring unit mounted to the lid in a case where the lid is pivoted by a first pivot amount below a threshold amount from a closed state of the lid, and Wherein, when the cover is pivoted from the closed state of the cover by a second pivot amount exceeding the threshold amount, the fitting of the cover-side shaft in the cover-side fitting portion is released. 6 . The opening and closing device according to claim 5 , further comprising a cover supporting member configured to support the cover in a state where the cover is pivoted from a closed state of the cover by more than the threshold amount. 7 . The opening and closing device according to claim 5 , further comprising a cover supporting member configured to support the cover when fitting of the cover-side shaft in the cover-side fitting portion is released.

8. The opening and closing device according to claim 5, wherein The cover-side fitting portion includes a recessed portion into which the cover-side shaft is fitted.

9. The opening and closing device according to claim 1, in, The gas spring unit includes a first gas spring and a second gas spring, each gas spring being configured to extend and contract, The first gas spring includes a first through hole at the end of the first gas spring on the cover side end and a second through hole at the end of the first gas spring on the housing side end. The second gas spring includes a third through hole at the end of the second gas spring on the cover side end and a fourth through hole at the end of the second gas spring on the housing side end. wherein the cover side shaft is inserted into both the first through hole of the first gas spring and the third through hole of the second gas spring, and The housing-side shaft is inserted into both the second through hole of the first gas spring and the fourth through hole of the second gas spring.

10. The opening and closing device according to claim 9, in, The cover side shaft includes an insertion portion and a middle portion, wherein the insertion portion is inserted into the first through hole or the third through hole, wherein the intermediate portion is positioned between the first gas spring and the second gas spring, and Wherein, the middle portion has a diameter larger than a diameter of the insertion portion.

11. The opening and closing device according to claim 9, in, The housing side shaft comprises an insert portion and a middle portion, wherein the insertion portion is inserted into the second through hole or the fourth through hole, wherein the intermediate portion is positioned between the first gas spring and the second gas spring, and Wherein, the middle portion has a diameter larger than a diameter of the insertion portion.

12. The opening and closing device according to claim 1, wherein The gas spring unit is assembled to the housing in such a manner that the gas spring unit is attachable to and detachable from the housing.

13. An image forming device, comprising: The opening and closing device according to claim 1; as well as The image forming section is configured to form an image on a medium.

14. An image forming device, comprising: The opening and closing device according to claim 1; as well as a conveying device configured to convey a medium for forming an image, Wherein, the conveying device comprises a first conveying belt arranged in the cover and a second conveying belt arranged in the shell.

15. A gas spring unit for an image forming device, the gas spring unit comprising: a first gas spring configured to extend and contract in a first direction; a second gas spring configured to extend and contract in the first direction; a first axis extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction; as well as a second axis extending in said second direction, The first gas spring includes a first through hole located at an end of a first side of the first gas spring in the first direction and a second through hole located at an end of a second side of the first gas spring in the first direction. The second gas spring includes a third through hole located at the end of the second gas spring on the first side and a fourth through hole located at the end of the second gas spring on the second side. wherein the first shaft is inserted into both the first through hole of the first gas spring and the third through hole of the second gas spring, and The second shaft is inserted into both the second through hole of the first gas spring and the fourth through hole of the second gas spring.

16. The gas spring unit according to claim 15, in, Each of the first shaft and the second shaft includes an insert portion and a middle portion, wherein the insertion portion is inserted into one of the first through hole to the fourth through hole, wherein the intermediate portion is positioned between the first gas spring and the second gas spring, and Wherein, the middle portion has a diameter larger than a diameter of the insertion portion.

Images