Structure and image forming apparatus

Abstract

To attach an additional member to outer side faces of some of a plurality of square pipes with high positional accuracy.SOLUTION: Each of four outer side faces 62 of each of a plurality of square pipes 60 has a groove part 62a formed along a longitudinal direction of each of the plurality of square pipes 60 and a pair of ridge parts 62b constituting edge parts on both sides of the groove part 62a. An additional member 7x has a contact plane 7a in contact with one or both of the pair of ridge parts 62b of each of a plurality of target pipes 60x. A plurality of cantilever parts 71 of the additional member 7x are in contact with only one of the pair of ridge parts 62a of each of the plurality of target pipes 60x. An erection part 72 of the additional member 7x is formed between two specific cantilever parts 71a of the plurality of cantilever parts 71 and is in contact with both of the pair of ridge parts 62b of a specific pipe 60y. An edge of each of the plurality of cantilever parts 71 is welded to the groove part 62a of each of the plurality of target pipes 60x.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a structure including a plurality of joined square pipes and an image forming apparatus including the structure. [Background technology]

[0002] The image forming apparatus includes a paper feed unit, a printing unit, a developer container, etc. The image forming apparatus further includes a structure supporting the paper feed unit, the printing unit, and the developer container.

[0003] For example, it is known that the structure includes a plurality of square pipes joined by welding (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The structure having such a configuration has high strength. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2000-138470 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Incidentally, a typical square pipe is manufactured by bending a single metal plate and then welding two edges of the metal plate together.

[0006] On the other hand, there are cases where an additional member such as a sheet metal member is attached to a part of the plurality of square pipes in a state where the additional member is aligned along the outer side surface of the part of the plurality of square pipes. In such cases, it may be required that the additional member be attached with high positional accuracy.

[0007] Conventionally, due to insufficient precision in the shape of the outer surface of each of the plurality of square pipes, it has been difficult to attach the additional member to a portion of the plurality of square pipes with high positional precision.

[0008] An object of the present invention is to provide a structure and an image forming apparatus having a plurality of joined square pipes and an additional member attached with high positional accuracy to some of the outer side surfaces of the plurality of square pipes. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] A structure according to one aspect of the present invention includes a plurality of joined square pipes and an additional member attached to a portion of the plurality of square pipes. The four corners of each of the plurality of square pipes include three first corners formed by bending a single metal plate, and one second corner including two edges of the metal plate and a welded portion joining the two edges. Each of the four outer side surfaces of each of the plurality of square pipes includes a groove portion formed along the longitudinal direction of each of the plurality of square pipes and a pair of ridge portions forming edges on both sides of the groove portion. The additional member has a contact plane that is a plane that contacts one or both of the pair of ridge portions of each of a plurality of target pipes that are a portion of the plurality of square pipes. The outer edge portion of the additional member includes a plurality of cantilever portions and a bridge portion. The plurality of cantilever portions each include an area that contacts only one of the pair of ridge portions of each of the plurality of target pipes on the contact plane. The bridging portion is formed between two specific cantilever portions of the plurality of cantilever portions and protrudes outward from the two specific cantilever portions, and includes an area that contacts both of the pair of ridge portions of a specific pipe that is one of the plurality of target pipes on the contact plane. An edge of each of the plurality of cantilever portions is welded to the groove portion of each of the plurality of target pipes.

[0010] An image forming apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention includes the structure described above, and a print unit attached to the structure and configured to form an image on a sheet. Effect of the Invention

[0011] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a structure and an image forming apparatus having a plurality of joined square pipes and an additional member attached with high positional accuracy to the outer side surfaces of some of the plurality of square pipes. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus including a structure according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the structure according to the embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one of the square pipes in the structure according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a part of a manufacturing process of the square pipe in the structure according to the embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a front view of a plurality of target pipes and a target addition member in a structure according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the following embodiment is an example of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the technical scope of the present invention.

[0014] [Configuration of image forming apparatus 10] A structure 6 according to the embodiment is employed in an image forming apparatus 10. As shown in FIG.

[0015] The main unit 1 includes a paper feed section 30, a paper transport device 3, a print section 4, one or more developer containers 5, and a structure 6. The image reading unit 2 is connected to an upper portion of the main unit 1. The image reading unit 2 is a device that reads an image of a document.

[0016] The paper feed unit 30 is a device that stores a plurality of sheets of paper and sends the stored sheets of paper one by one to the paper transport path 300. The paper transport device 3 includes a plurality of transport roller pairs 31 that transport the sheets of paper along the paper transport path 300.

[0017] The printing unit 4 is a device that forms an image on the paper supplied from the paper feed unit 30 through the paper transport device 3. In the example shown in Fig. 1, the printing unit 4 forms an image on the paper by an electrophotographic method. The paper is an example of a sheet.

[0018] The electrophotographic printing section 4 includes a laser scanning unit 40 , one or more image forming sections 4 x , a transfer device 44 , and a fixing device 45 .

[0019] 1, the printing unit 4 is a tandem type color image printing device. Therefore, the printing unit 4 includes four image forming units 4x corresponding to the four colors of toner, namely, yellow, magenta, cyan, and black. Furthermore, the image forming device 10 includes four developer containers 5 corresponding to the four image forming units 4x.

[0020] In each image forming unit 4x, a drum-shaped photoconductor 41 rotates, and a charging device 42 charges the outer peripheral surface of the photoconductor 41. Furthermore, a laser scanning unit 40 writes an electrostatic latent image on the outer peripheral surface of the photoconductor 41, and a developing device 43 develops the electrostatic latent image into a toner image.

[0021] Furthermore, in the transfer device 44, the intermediate transfer belt 440 rotates while being in contact with the four photoconductors 41, and four primary transfer devices 441 corresponding to the four image forming units 4x transfer the toner images onto the intermediate transfer belt 440. Furthermore, a secondary transfer device 442 transfers the toner images on the intermediate transfer belt 440 onto the paper being transported along the paper transport path 300.

[0022] The fixing device 45 applies heat and pressure to the toner image on the paper, thereby fixing the toner image to the paper. The paper transport device 3 discharges the paper on which the image has been formed from the paper transport path 300.

[0023] Each developer container 5 supplies toner to a corresponding developing device 43 in the printing unit 4. The toner is an example of a developer. The printing unit 4 may be a device that forms an image on the paper by an inkjet method or another method.

[0024] The paper feed section 30, the paper transport device 3, the printing section 4 and the developer container 5 are attached to a structure 6. The image reading unit 2 is connected to an upper part of the structure 6.

[0025] The structure 6 includes a plurality of joined square pipes 60 (see FIG. 2). In the structure 6, a plurality of metallic square pipes 60 are joined by welding. Such a structure 6 has high strength.

[0026] Incidentally, a typical square pipe is manufactured by bending a single metal plate and then welding two edges of the metal plate together.

[0027] On the other hand, there are cases where one or more additional members 7 are attached to parts of the square pipes 60 in a state where they are aligned along the outer side surfaces of the parts of the square pipes 60 (see FIG. 2). In this case, it may be required that the additional members 7 be attached with high positional accuracy.

[0028] For example, the additional member 7 is a sheet metal member manufactured by bending a metal plate and / or drilling holes.

[0029] In this embodiment, the structure 6 includes a plurality of additional members 7 attached to some of the plurality of square pipes 60 (see FIG. 2). The additional members 7 are fixed to some of the plurality of square pipes 60 by welding or screws.

[0030] In the conventional structure, due to insufficient precision in the shape of the outer surface of each of the multiple conventional square pipes, it was difficult to attach the additional member 7 to a part of the multiple conventional square pipes with high positional precision.

[0031] In this embodiment, the structure 6 has a configuration that enables the additional members 7 to be attached with high positional accuracy to some of the outer side surfaces of the multiple square pipes 60. The configuration will be described below.

[0032] [Each configuration of square pipe 60] Each of the plurality of square pipes 60 has four outer side surfaces 62 and four corners 63 (see FIG. 3). The four outer side surfaces 62 and the four corners 63 are formed to extend in the longitudinal direction of each square pipe 60.

[0033] The four corners 63 include three first corners 63a and one second corner 63b. The three first corners 63a are three bent portions formed by bending a single metal plate. The second corner 63b includes two edge portions 61 of the metal plate and a welded portion 600 that joins the two edge portions 61.

[0034] The two edges 61 and the welded portion 600 are formed extending in the longitudinal direction of each of the square pipes 60 .

[0035] Each of the square pipes 60 has a plurality of through holes 64 formed in one or more of the four outer side surfaces 62 (see FIG. 3). The processing of the plurality of through holes 64 in the plurality of square pipes 60 is performed on the flat metal plate before bending.

[0036] Some or all of the multiple through holes 64 are used for mounting components. For example, the components are directly mounted to one of the outer side surfaces 62 of each of the square pipes 60 by fastening members such as screws inserted into the through holes 64.

[0037] In this embodiment, the image reading unit 2, the paper transport device 3 and the printing section 4 are attached to the structure 6 by the fixing members inserted into the through holes 64.

[0038] It is possible that two or more of the multiple square pipes 60 are the same type of member in order to standardize parts. In this case, some of the multiple through holes 64 in some of the multiple square pipes 60 of the same type may not be used for mounting parts.

[0039] In each of the square pipes 60, none of the four outer side surfaces 62 includes a welded portion 600. Therefore, in each of the square pipes 60, it is easy to form one or more through holes 64 in each of the four outer side surfaces 62.

[0040] For example, four or more through holes 64 are formed in four outer side surfaces 62 of at least one of the plurality of square pipes 60 (see FIG. 3).

[0041] In each of the square pipes 60, two of the four outer side surfaces 62 are formed between the three first corners 63a. The remaining two of the four outer side surfaces 62 are formed between two of the three first corners 63a and the second corners 63b.

[0042] By employing square pipes 60 as shown in FIG. 3 in the structure 6, all of the four outer side surfaces 62 of each square pipe 60 can be used for mounting components.

[0043] In this embodiment, the three first corners 63a are chamfered (see FIG. 3). In addition, at the second corners 63b, the two edges 61 of the metal plate are bent to form a chamfered shape.

[0044] In each of the square pipes 60, the welded portion 600 may be formed to slightly protrude from the gap between the two edge portions 61. Even in such a case, since the two edge portions 61 form a chamfered shape, the welded portion 600 does not interfere with the components attached to each of the two outer side surfaces 62 adjacent to the second corner portion 63b.

[0045] Each of the four outer side surfaces 62 of each of the plurality of square pipes 60 has a groove portion 62a and a pair of ridge portions 62b (see FIGS. 3 and 4).

[0046] The groove portion 62a is a concave portion formed along the longitudinal direction of each of the multiple square pipes 60. The pair of ridge portions 62b form the edges on both sides of the groove portion 62a. The pair of ridge portions 62b are also formed along the longitudinal direction of each of the multiple square pipes 60.

[0047] The pair of ridges 62b form a pair of apexes between the pair of steps on both sides of the groove 62a and the pair of corners 63. Each of the multiple square pipes 60 has four grooves 62a and four pairs of ridges 62b corresponding to the four outer side surfaces 62.

[0048] For example, the step between each of the grooves 62a and a pair of ridges 62b on both sides of each of the grooves 62a is about 0.3 to 0.8 millimeters.

[0049] In the following description, the square pipe before the grooves 62a and the pair of ridges 62b on each of the four outer side surfaces 62 are formed will be referred to as an original square pipe 60P (see FIG. 4).

[0050] As shown in FIG. 4, the grooves 62a and the pair of ridges 62b on each of the four outer side surfaces 62 of each of the multiple square pipes 60 are formed by roll pressing in which the original square pipe 60P is passed between four pressure rollers 8.

[0051] Two of the four pressure rollers 8 and the remaining two are disposed opposite each other across a forming space 80 into which the square base pipe 60P is inserted. The four pressure rollers 8 are fixed at predetermined positions.

[0052] As the base square pipe 60P passes through the molding space 80, the four pressure rollers 8 rotate while pressing against the four outer side surfaces of the base square pipe 60P. As a result, four grooves 62a corresponding to the surface shapes of the four pressure rollers 8 are formed in the four outer side surfaces of the base square pipe 60P.

[0053] At the same time that the four grooves 62a are formed, a pair of ridges 62b are formed on both sides of each of the four grooves 62a.

[0054] In addition, when the roll press is performed, the inner side surface of the original square pipe 60P is not constrained. Therefore, the four inner side surfaces 65 of each of the multiple square pipes 60 are formed inwardly convex in correspondence with the four grooves 62a (see FIGS. 3 and 4).

[0055] Even if the dimensional accuracy of the four outer side surfaces of the original square pipe 60P is insufficient, the dimensional accuracy of the four grooves 62a and the four pairs of ridges 62b in the square pipe 60 after molding is high.

[0056] On the other hand, each of the additional members 7 has a contact plane 7a that is a plane that contacts a part of the multiple square pipes 60 of the structure 6 (see FIGS. 5 and 6). Hereinafter, one of the additional members 7 will be referred to as a target additional member 7x (see FIGS. 2 and 5).

[0057] The square pipes 60 include a plurality of target pipes 60x to which a target additional member 7x is attached (see FIGS. 2 and 5). The contact plane 7a of the target additional member 7x is a plane that contacts one or both of a pair of ridges 62b of each of the plurality of target pipes 60x.

[0058] In the example shown in FIG. 5, the contact plane 7a of the target addition member 7x contacts one or both of a pair of ridge portions 62b of each of the four target pipes 60x.

[0059] In the following description, one of the four target pipes 60x is referred to as a specific pipe 60y (see FIG. 5). In the example shown in FIG. 5, the specific pipe 60y is disposed along the lower edge of the target additional member 7x.

[0060] The outer edge of the target additional member 7x includes a plurality of cantilever portions 71 and at least one bridge portion 72 (see FIG. 5). In the example shown in FIG. 5, the outer edge of the target additional member 7x includes six bridge portions 72.

[0061] The multiple cantilever portions 71 are portions that include an area in the contact plane 7a of the target additional member 7x that contacts only one of the pair of ridge portions 62b of each of the multiple target pipes 60x.

[0062] An edge of each of the multiple cantilever portions 71 is welded to the groove portion 62a of each of the multiple target pipes 60x. An edge of each of the multiple cantilever portions 71 is welded to the groove portion 62a by one or more first weld portions 81. The first weld portions 81 are formed along the longitudinal direction of each of the target pipes 60x.

[0063] When the contact plane 7a is in contact with at least one of the pair of ridges 62b of each of the target pipes 60x, a small gap is formed between the target additional member 7x and the groove 62a. When two members are arranged with a gap of about 0.3 to 0.8 mm between them, there is no particular problem in welding the two members.

[0064] On the other hand, each of the bridging portions 72 is formed between two specific cantilever portions 71a among the multiple cantilever portions 71 and protrudes outward from the two specific cantilever portions 71a. Each of the bridging portions 72 is a portion including an area that contacts both of the pair of ridge portions 62b of the specific pipe 60y on the contact plane 7a of the target additional member 7x.

[0065] The two specific cantilever portions 71a on both sides of each of the erection portions 72 are fixed by the first welded portions 81. As a result, even if each of the erection portions 72 is not fixed to the specific pipe 60y, the target additional member 7x is firmly fixed to the multiple target pipes 60x.

[0066] In this embodiment, an edge of a first installation portion 72a, which is one of the multiple installation portions 72, is welded to the groove portion 62a of the specific pipe 60y by a second weld portion 82. The second weld portion 82 is formed along a direction intersecting a pair of ridge portions 62b of the specific pipe 60y.

[0067] When the first erection portion 72a and the two specific cantilever portions 71a on both sides of the first erection portion 72a are welded to the specific pipe 60y, the first welded portion 81 and the second welded portion 82 are formed relatively close to each other. In this case, a dimensional error in the height of the pair of ridge portions 62b of the specific pipe 60y may cause a relatively large stress to be applied to the first erection portion 72a.

[0068] Therefore, the target additional member 7x has a notch 73 formed between the first erection portion 72a and one of the two specific cantilever portions 71a on both sides of the first erection portion 72a. The notch 73 is recessed inward of the target additional member 7x to a position where the pair of ridge portions 62b of the specific pipe 60y are exposed.

[0069] That is, the portion between the first bridge portion 72a and one of the two specific cantilever portions 71a on both sides of the first bridge portion 72a at the outer edge of the target additional member 7x is not in contact with the specific pipe 60y.

[0070] Fixing the first erection portion 72a by the second welded portion 82 is suitable for the case where it is necessary to fix the target additional member 7x more firmly. The notch portion 73 has an effect of mitigating the stress applied to the first erection portion 72a fixed by the second welded portion 82.

[0071] In this embodiment, the multiple installation parts 72 include one or more second installation parts 72b formed by extending to the position of an adjacent pipe 60z adjacent to the specific pipe 60y. The adjacent pipe 60z is one of the multiple square pipes 60 other than the multiple target pipes 60x. In the example shown in Fig. 5, the multiple installation parts 72 include two second installation parts 72b.

[0072] The contact plane 7a of each of the second bridge portions 72b is in contact with both of the pair of ridge portions 62b of the specific pipe 60y and one of the pair of ridge portions 62b of the adjacent pipe 60z.

[0073] The edge of each of the second installation portions 72b is welded to the groove portion 62a of the adjacent pipe 60z by a third weld portion 83. The third weld portion 83 is formed along the longitudinal direction of the adjacent pipe 60z.

[0074] The third welded portion 83 is formed at a position spaced sufficiently apart from the second welded portion 82 formed on the two specific cantilever portions 71a on both sides of each of the second erection portions 72b. Therefore, the stress applied to the second erection portion 72b due to the dimensional error in the height of the pair of ridge portions 62b of the specific pipe 60y and the adjacent pipe 60z is not large.

[0075] In addition, the notch 73 may be formed between each of the second bridge portions 72b and one of the two specific cantilever portions 71a on both sides of each of the second bridge portions 72b.

[0076] In this embodiment, among the multiple bridging portions 72, those other than the first bridging portion 72a and the second bridging portion 72b are not welded to any of the multiple square pipes 60.

[0077] In a state in which the contact plane 7a of the target addition member 7x is in contact with one or both of a pair of ridge portions 62b of each of the multiple target pipes 60x, the target addition member 7x is positioned with high accuracy.

[0078] By employing the structure 6, it is possible to weld the target additional members 7x to the outer side surfaces 62 of the multiple target pipes 60x with high positional accuracy.

[0079] [Notes on the invention] The following will provide an overview of the invention extracted from the above-described embodiment. Note that the configurations and processing functions described in the following supplementary notes can be selected and combined as desired.

[0080] <Appendix 1> A structure having a plurality of joined square pipes and an additional member attached to a portion of the plurality of square pipes, the four corners of each of the plurality of square pipes include three first corners formed by bending a single metal plate, and one second corner including two edge portions of the metal plate and a weld portion joining the two edge portions; Each of the four outer side surfaces of each of the plurality of square pipes has a groove portion formed along a longitudinal direction of each of the plurality of square pipes and a pair of ridge portions forming edges on both sides of the groove portion, the additional member has a contact plane that is a plane that is in contact with one or both of the pair of ridge portions of each of a plurality of target pipes that are part of the plurality of square pipes, The outer edge of the additional member is a plurality of cantilever portions each including an area that contacts only one of the pair of ridge portions of each of the plurality of target pipes on the contact plane; a bridging portion formed between two specific cantilever portions of the plurality of cantilever portions and protruding outward from the two specific cantilever portions, the bridging portion including an area in contact with both of the pair of ridge portions of a specific pipe that is one of the plurality of target pipes on the contact plane, A structure, wherein an edge of each of the plurality of cantilever portions is welded to the groove of each of the plurality of target pipes.

[0081] <Appendix 2> An edge of the installation portion of the additional member is welded to the edge portion of the specific pipe, The structure described in Appendix 1, wherein the additional member has a notch formed between the installation portion and one of the two specific cantilever portions on either side of the installation portion, recessed inward to a position where the pair of ridge portions of the specific pipe are exposed.

[0082] <Appendix 3> the contact plane of the installation portion of the additional member is in contact with the pair of ridge lines of the specific pipe and one of the pair of ridge lines of an adjacent pipe adjacent to the specific pipe among the plurality of square pipes, 2. The structure of claim 1, wherein an edge of the bridging portion is welded to the edge of the adjacent pipe.

[0083] <Appendix 4> The structure described in any one of Appendix 1 to Appendix 3, wherein the groove portions and the pair of ridge portions on each of the four outer side surfaces of each of the plurality of square pipes are formed by a roll press in which a base square pipe before the groove portions and the pair of ridge portions on each of the four outer side surfaces are formed is passed between four pressure rollers that press the base square pipe against the four outer side surfaces.

[0084] <Appendix 5> A structure according to any one of Supplementary Note 1 to Supplementary Note 4; a print unit attached to the structure and configured to form an image on a sheet. [Explanation of symbols]

[0085] 4: Printing section 6 :Structure 7: Additional parts 7a: Contact plane 7x: Target additional parts 10: Image forming device 60: Square pipe 60P: Square pipe 60x: Target pipe 60y: Specific pipe 60z : Adjacent pipe 62:Outer side 62a: Groove 62b: Ridge 63: Corner 63a: 1st corner 63b:Second corner 71:Cantilever part 71a: Specific cantilever part 72:Erection section 72a: 1st construction section 72b:Second construction section 73: Notch 80: Molding space 81: First weld 82: Second weld 83: 3rd weld

Claims

1. A structure having a plurality of joined square pipes and an additional member attached to a portion of the plurality of square pipes, the four corners of each of the plurality of square pipes include three first corners formed by bending a single metal plate, and one second corner including two edge portions of the metal plate and a weld portion joining the two edge portions; Each of the four outer side surfaces of each of the plurality of square pipes has a groove portion formed along a longitudinal direction of each of the plurality of square pipes and a pair of ridge portions forming edges on both sides of the groove portion, the additional member has a contact plane that is a plane that is in contact with one or both of the pair of ridge portions of each of a plurality of target pipes that are part of the plurality of square pipes, The outer edge of the additional member is a plurality of cantilever portions each including an area that contacts only one of the pair of ridge portions of each of the plurality of target pipes on the contact plane; a bridging portion formed between two specific cantilever portions of the plurality of cantilever portions and protruding outward from the two specific cantilever portions, the bridging portion including an area in contact with both of the pair of ridge portions of a specific pipe that is one of the plurality of target pipes on the contact plane, A structure, wherein an edge of each of the plurality of cantilever portions is welded to the groove of each of the plurality of target pipes.

2. An edge of the installation portion of the additional member is welded to the edge portion of the specific pipe, The structure described in claim 1, wherein the additional member has a notch formed between the installation portion and one of the two specific cantilever portions on either side of the installation portion, recessed inward to a position where the pair of ridge portions of the specific pipe are exposed.

3. the contact plane of the installation portion of the additional member is in contact with the pair of ridge lines of the specific pipe and one of the pair of ridge lines of an adjacent pipe adjacent to the specific pipe among the plurality of square pipes, 2. The structure of claim 1, wherein the edges of the bridges are welded to the edges of the adjacent pipes.

4. 3. The structure according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the groove portions and the pair of ridge portions on each of the four outer side surfaces of each of the plurality of square pipes are formed by a roll press in which an original square pipe before the groove portions and the pair of ridge portions on each of the four outer side surfaces are formed is passed between four pressure rollers that press the original square pipe against the four outer side surfaces.

5. A structure according to claim 1 or 2, a print unit attached to the structure and configured to form an image on a sheet.

Images