Image formation apparatus

Abstract

To facilitate recognition of the engaged state of a rotating door while maintaining a work area of a user.SOLUTION: A print module 2000 comprises: a housing 2100; a recording unit 2300 that is provided inside the housing to form an image on a recording medium; a front door 2400 that rotates about a support shaft of the housing; a movable hook member 42 that is provided on one of the housing and the front door; a latch shaft that is provided on the other of the housing and the front door; a movable operation member 52 that is provided on the front door; and a latch lock unit 70 that restricts movement of the hook member. When the front door is closed, the hook member engages with the latch shaft to form an engaged state. In the engaged state between the hook member and the latch shaft, the hook member moves in conjunction with the movement of the operation member, the engaged state is released and the front door can be opened. In the engaged state between the hook member and the latch shaft, the latch lock unit restricts the movement of the hook member, and the movement of the operation member is restricted.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus having a pivot door. [Background technology]

[0002] An image forming apparatus is provided with an openable door to access the inside of the apparatus when a sheet jam occurs during sheet transport or when an internal unit is replaced periodically. An engaging member is provided on the door side, and an engaged member is provided at an opposing position on the apparatus main body side, and when the door is closed, the two engage with each other to keep the door closed. When the door is opened, a user operates the door from the outside, and the engaged state is released, allowing the door to be opened.

[0003] On the other hand, from a safety standpoint, image forming devices are equipped with a mechanism that prevents printing from starting if the door is open. For example, if a user unintentionally opens the door during printing, the device stops and sheets become stuck in the transport path. In particular, in models with high printing speeds, the transport path is large, and it takes a long time to process the stuck sheets, which directly leads to a decrease in productivity.

[0004] Therefore, Patent Document 1 proposes a configuration in which a door rotatably supported on the device body is engaged with the device body using a latch mechanism in a closed door state, and a solenoid provided on a link member of the latch mechanism is excited to fix the link mechanism.As a result, even if the door is unintentionally opened, the latch mechanism is locked and the engaged state is not released, making it possible to prevent the device from stopping operation.

[0005] However, the door lock configuration of Patent Document 1 has a problem in that the movement of the latch mechanism is fixed inside the device, making it difficult for the user to notice from the outside. This is because the sensation of opening the door normally and the sensation of opening the door in a locked state are similar to each other. In other words, with this configuration, if the user does not recognize the locked state, excessive force may be applied to the door and the device body, which may damage the device.

[0006] Therefore, Patent Document 2 discloses a feed tray that allows the user to easily recognize the locked state, as follows. The feed tray of Patent Document 2 is provided on the main body so as to be removable, and includes a link mechanism configured to release the engagement between the main body and the feed tray in conjunction with the rotational movement of a handle member of the feed tray, and a hook member for locking the removal of the feed tray. The hook member as a lock mechanism is provided rotatably at a position adjacent to the handle member. In this configuration, by rotating the hook member, the hook member is caught at a predetermined position of the handle member, and the rotation of the handle member is fixed. As a result, in addition to locking the removal of the feed tray, the handle member operated by the user is locked, so that the user's recognition that the removal of the feed tray is locked can be improved. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] JP 2008-229988 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2018-76138 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] In the conventional door lock configuration, a lock mechanism is provided in the vicinity of a movable handle member provided on the door side, fixing the handle member operated by the user and improving recognition. In this configuration, a regulating member is disposed on the movement trajectory of the handle member, and the user switches the position of the regulating member between a locked position where the regulating member is located on the movement trajectory and an unlocked position where the regulating member is retracted from the movement trajectory. From the viewpoint of space saving, it is desirable for the movement amount of the regulating member to be small, and a small lock mechanism is disposed in the vicinity of the handle member.

[0009] Here, in the case of a high-end image forming apparatus, the user does not manually lock the door, but the drive unit automatically locks the door inside the apparatus, improving the workability and increasing the product value. Therefore, in addition to the conventional lock mechanism, it is necessary to provide a drive unit for the regulating member. If the lock mechanism and the drive unit are arranged in a position close to the handle member arranged on the door, the electric connection line for supplying power to the drive unit is routed inside the movable door, and there is a risk that the electric connection line will be pinched by the door and broken when the door is opened and closed. In addition, by providing the lock mechanism and the drive unit on the main body side, the breakage of the electric connection line can be prevented, but the position where the lock mechanism and the drive unit are arranged is limited to the vicinity of the handle member, and the degree of freedom in design is reduced. Furthermore, the handle member of the door is often located on the extension of the area where the user works when the door is opened, and if the lock mechanism is arranged in the work area, it causes a decrease in jam disposal and maintenance. Therefore, a door lock mechanism that is highly recognizable by the user and satisfies both safety and availability has not been established. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] An image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: A housing and an image forming unit provided inside the housing and configured to form an image on a recording medium; A pivot door that pivots around a support shaft of the housing; a movable engagement member provided on one of the housing and the pivot door; an engaged member provided on the other of the housing and the pivot door; A movable operating member provided on the pivot door; a lock mechanism that restricts movement of the engaging member; Equipped with When the pivot door is closed, the engaging member engages with the engaged member to enter an engaged state, When the engaging member and the engaged member are in the engaged state, the engaging member moves in conjunction with the movement of the operating member, thereby releasing the engaged state and making it possible to open the rotating door, In the engaged state of the engaging member and the engaged member, the locking mechanism restricts the movement of the engaging member, thereby restricting the movement of the operating member. Effect of the Invention

[0011] According to the present invention, the engagement state of the pivot door can be easily recognized while maintaining a user's work area. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. [Diagram 2] FIG. [Diagram 3] Rear perspective view of the front door. [Figure 4] 5A to 5C are schematic explanatory diagrams showing an engagement operation process between the hook member and the latch shaft. [Diagram 5] Enlarged top view of the latch lock unit. [Figure 6] FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of a latch lock unit of a second embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a print module according to a third embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 13 is an enlarged view of parts related to the operation unit for the front door. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments. EXAMPLES

[0014] [Image forming equipment] Hereinafter, an image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the image forming apparatus 1. The image forming apparatus 1 is a sheet-fed inkjet recording apparatus that forms an ink image (image) on a sheet as a recording medium using two liquids, a reaction liquid and an ink. However, the image forming apparatus 1 is not limited to this, and may be, for example, an electrophotographic image forming apparatus that forms a toner image on a sheet. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional front view of the image forming apparatus 1 as seen from the front to the rear. The terms up, down, right, and left used in this disclosure are defined as the directions indicated by the arrows in FIG. 1.

[0015] The image forming apparatus 1 includes a feeding module (sheet conveying device) 1000, a print module 2000, a drying module 3000, a fixing module 4000, a cooling module 5000, an inverting module 6000, and a discharge stacking module 7000. A single sheet fed from the feeding module 1000 is conveyed along a conveying path, processed in each module, and discharged to the discharge stacking module 7000.

[0016] [Print module] The configuration of the print module 2000 will be described with reference to FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the print module 2000. The print module 2000 performs a recording process on a conveyed sheet from above using a recording head 10 to form an image on the sheet. The print module 2000 has a box-shaped housing (apparatus main body) 2100 provided with an opening 2101 for accessing the inside. The housing 2100 is provided with a front door 2400 that can be rotated to open and close the opening 2101. A pre-imaging registration correction section (not shown), a print belt unit 2200, and a recording section (image forming section) 2300 are housed inside the housing 2100.

[0017] The sheet conveyed from the feeding module 1000 has its inclination and position corrected by a pre-imaging registration correction unit and is conveyed to the print belt unit 2200. The recording unit 2300 is disposed at a position facing the print belt unit 2200 across the conveyance path. The recording unit 2300 is an image forming unit that performs recording processing (printing) on ​​the sheet conveyed in the conveyance direction CD from above using the recording head 10 to form an image on the sheet. The print belt unit 2200 is disposed below the recording unit 2300. The print belt unit 2200 adsorbs and conveys the sheet so that the conveyance behavior of the sheet conveyed directly below the recording head 10 is stabilized. As a result, the sheet conveyed on the image forming surface 26 directly below the recording head 10 is conveyed with a clearance between the sheet and the recording head 10 secured.

[0018] A plurality of recording heads 10 are arranged along the conveying direction CD. Each of the plurality of recording heads 10 forms an image by ejecting ink at a timing that is adjusted to the sheet being conveyed. In this embodiment, the plurality of recording heads 10 includes a total of five line-type recording heads corresponding to reaction liquids in addition to four colors, Y (yellow), M (magenta), C (cyan), and Bk (black). The number of colors and the number of recording heads are not limited to five. The inkjet method may employ a method using a heating element, a method using a piezoelectric element, a method using an electrostatic element, a method using a MEMS element, or the like. When a sheet is jammed during conveying and becomes stuck in the conveying path, the user can access the inside of the print module 2000 by opening the front door 2400 as shown in FIG. 2, and can remove the stuck sheet.

[0019] (Front door configuration) The configuration of the front door 2400 in the image forming apparatus 1 of this embodiment will be described below with reference to FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the front door 2400. A plurality of hinges (support shafts) 30 are fixed to the upper portions of the housing 2100 and the front door 2400. The front door 2400 is supported by the plurality of hinges 30 so as to be rotatable relative to the housing 2100. A user can access the inside of the print module 2000 by opening the front door 2400. By lifting the front door 2400 upward around the hinges 30, the front door 2400 is opened as shown in FIG. 2.

[0020] A latch unit 40 is provided at the bottom of the front door 2400 as an engagement mechanism including a hook member 42 as a movable (rotatable) engagement member. A latch shaft unit 60 is provided at the bottom of the housing 2100, including a latch shaft support plate (support member) 61 and a latch shaft 62 as an engaged member provided on the latch shaft support plate 61. In FIG. 3, only the left latch shaft unit 60 is shown, and the right latch shaft unit 60 is not shown. When the front door 2400 is closed, the hook member 42 engages with the latch shaft 62 to maintain the closed state, and the front door 2400 will not open due to minor disturbances such as vibrations.

[0021] In this embodiment, the hook member 42 as an engaging member is provided on the front door 2400, and the latch shaft 62 as an engaged member is provided on the housing 2100. However, this embodiment is not limited to this, and the hook member 42 as an engaging member may be provided on the housing 2100, and the latch shaft 62 as an engaged member may be provided on the front door 2400. That is, it is sufficient that the hook member 42 is provided on one of the housing 2100 and the front door 2400, and the latch shaft 62 is provided on the other of the housing 2100 and the front door 2400. Also, the latch shaft 62 may be configured as a movable engaging member, and the hook member 42 may be configured as a fixed engaged member.

[0022] The latch unit 40 includes a latch rotation shaft 41 and a hook member 42. The latch rotation shaft 41 is supported rotatably relative to the front door 2400. The hook members 42 are fixed to both ends of the latch rotation shaft 41 at positions accommodated inside the front door 2400. When the latch rotation shaft 41 is applied with a force from the outside and rotates in the closed state of the front door 2400, the hook member 42 rotates integrally with the latch rotation shaft 41, and the engagement state between the hook member 42 and the latch shaft 62 is switched to a disengaged state. When the latch unit 40 is provided as an engagement mechanism at both ends of the front door 2400, when a force is applied to open the front door 2400 in the engagement state between the hook member 42 and the latch shaft 62, the force is distributed to both ends of the front door 2400. Therefore, deformation of the front door 2400 can be suppressed compared to the case where an engagement mechanism is provided only at one end of the front door 2400.

[0023] An operation unit 50 including an operation member rotation shaft 51 and a movable (rotatable) operation member (handle member) 52 is provided on the front side of the front door 2400. The operation member rotation shaft 51 is fixedly supported with respect to the front door 2400. The operation member 52 can rotate at a predetermined angle around the operation member rotation shaft 51. When the operation member 52 is rotated, the operation member 52 hits the transmission member 43 of the latch unit 40 at a predetermined rotation position of the operation member 52. When the operation member 52 is further rotated, the latch rotation shaft 41 rotates with the rotation of the operation member 52. That is, the engagement state between the hook member 42 and the latch shaft 62 in the closed state of the front door 2400 is released by the rotation of the operation member 52. The operation member 52 has a handle shape for a user to grip the front door 2400. The operating member 52 not only functions as an operating part that releases the engagement between the hook member 42 and the latch shaft 62 when the front door 2400 is in the closed state, but also functions as a grip part that the user grips when opening and closing the front door 2400. This eliminates the need to provide a separate handle-shaped part on the front door 2400, thereby preventing the shape of the front door 2400 from becoming complicated.

[0024] (Front door opening and closing operation) Next, the engagement and disengagement states of the hook member 42 and the latch shaft 62 during the opening and closing operation of the front door 2400 will be described with reference to FIG. 4. FIG. 4 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing the engagement operation process of the hook member 42 and the latch shaft 62. The latch mechanism 80 includes a latch unit 40 and a latch shaft unit 60. The latch mechanism 80 is provided at both ends of the print module 2000 in the left-right direction and has a symmetrical shape. FIG. 4 shows the engagement operation process of the left part of the latch mechanism 80. FIG. 4(a), FIG. 4(b), FIG. 4(c), and FIG. 4(d) show the engagement operation of the latch mechanism 80 in stages when the front door 2400 transitions from the open state to the closed state. FIG. 4(e) shows the disengagement state of the latch mechanism 80. The right part of the latch mechanism 80 also operates in the same manner as the left part of the latch mechanism 80 described above.

[0025] The latch unit 40 includes the above-mentioned latch rotation shaft 41 and the hook members 42 provided at both ends of the latch rotation shaft 41, as well as a transmission member 43 and a roller 44 provided at the center of the latch rotation shaft 41, and a restoration member 45 attached to the hook member 42. The transmission member 43 has an L-shape and is fixed to the latch rotation shaft 41 at the center of the axial direction of the latch rotation shaft 41. The roller 44 is a cylindrical member formed using a material with high surface sliding properties, and is rotatably supported by the transmission member 43. The restoration member 45 is, for example, a biasing member such as a compression coil spring. One end (spring seat) of the restoration member 45 is attached to the hook member 42, and the other end (spring seat) of the restoration member 45 is attached to the front door 2400. The restoration member 45 imparts a restoration force (biasing force) to the hook member 42 so that the longitudinal direction of the hook member 42 is horizontal, thereby maintaining the posture of the hook member 42.

[0026] When the user rotates the front door 2400 in the open state to close the front door, the latch unit 40 and the operation unit 50 provided on the front door 2400 move in the closing direction A from front to rear as shown by the arrow in FIG. 4. As the front door 2400 moves in the closing direction A, the inclined portion 42a of the hook member 42 first hits the latch shaft 62 as shown in FIG. 4(a). When the front door 2400 is further moved in the closing direction A, the inclined portion 42a is guided by the latch shaft 62 as shown in FIG. 4(b), the hook member 42 is lifted and starts to rotate, and the restoring member 45 is gradually compressed. Then, when the front door 2400 is further moved in the closing direction A, the inclined portion 42a passes the latch shaft 62 as shown in FIG. 4(c), and the hook member 42 rides on the latch shaft 62, and the restoring member 45 is further compressed, and the maximum restoring force is stored in the restoring member 45. When the front door 2400 is further moved in the closing direction A and the groove portion 42b of the hook member 42 reaches the latch shaft 62 as shown in FIG. 4(d), the hook member 42 returns to the original horizontal state by the restoring force of the restoring member 45, and the latch shaft 62 engages with the groove portion 42b. In this state, even if the front door 2400 is moved in the front-rear direction FR, the latch shaft 62 hits the wall surface of the groove portion 42b, so that the movement of the front door 2400 in the front-rear direction FR is restricted. When the front door 2400 is closed through the operations shown in FIG. 4(a) to FIG. 4(d), the hook member 42 and the latch shaft 62 are engaged with each other, that is, the front door 2400 and the housing 2100 are engaged with each other.

[0027] When opening the front door 2400 in the closed state, the user pulls the gripping portion 52a of the operating member 52 in the direction from the rear to the front as shown by the arrow B in FIG. 4(e), causing the operating member 52 to rotate clockwise around the operating member rotation shaft 51. Here, the operating member 52 is covered by the frame (not shown) of the front door 2400, so that the rotation is limited within a predetermined angle. In conjunction with the rotation of the operating member 52, the action portion 52b of the operating member 52 pushes down the roller 44 supported by the transmission member 43, causing the transmission member 43 to rotate counterclockwise. Since the latch rotation shaft 41 rotates together with the transmission member 43, the hook member 42 rotates counterclockwise together with the latch rotation shaft 41 around the latch rotation shaft 41. By rotating the hook member 42 counterclockwise, the groove portion 42b moves away from the latch shaft 62, the engagement between the front door 2400 and the housing 2100 is released, and the front door 2400 can be opened toward the front. In order to reduce the frictional force generated between the operating member 52 and the transmission member 43 so that the movement of the operating member 52 can be reliably transmitted to the transmission member 43, the movement of the operating member 52 is transmitted to the transmission member 43 via the rollers 44. However, if the frictional force generated between the operating member 52 and the transmission member 43 can be reduced by the material or shape of the operating member 52 or the transmission member 43, the rollers 44 may be omitted and the operating member 52 and the transmission member 43 may be directly in contact with each other.

[0028] (locking mechanism) In the image forming apparatus 1 according to this embodiment, pulling the operation member 52 toward the user disengages the front door 2400 from the housing 2100, making it possible to open the front door 2400. However, if the operation member 52 is unintentionally operated by a user while the image forming apparatus 1 is in operation, the front door 2400 opens, causing the image forming apparatus 1 to stop. Therefore, while the image forming apparatus 1 is in operation, it is desirable that the front door 2400 be locked so that the engagement state is not released even if the front door 2400 is unintentionally opened.

[0029] 5 and 6, the operation of the latch lock unit 70 as a lock mechanism that restricts the movement of the operating member 52 and restricts the front door 2400 from being opened will be described. FIG. 5 is an enlarged top view of the latch lock unit 70. FIG. 6 is a left side view of the latch lock unit 70. FIGS. 5 and 6 show the front door 2400 in a closed state, that is, the state in which the hook member 42 is engaged with the latch shaft 62. FIGS. 5(a) and 6(a) show an unlocked state US in which the front door 2400 is not locked. FIGS. 5(b) and 6(b) show a locked state LS in which the front door 2400 is locked by the latch lock unit 70. In the first embodiment, the latch lock unit 70 is provided at each of both ends of the print module 2000 in the left-right direction.

[0030] The hook member 42 has a groove portion 42b that engages with the latch shaft 62 when the front door 2400 is closed, and a protrusion portion 42c. The protrusion portion 42c is formed such that a part of the hook member 42 protrudes in a direction from the inside (left side in FIG. 5) of the housing 2100 toward the outside (right side in FIG. 5). The latch lock unit 70 has a link mechanism configured to restrict the movement of the latch unit 40. The latch lock unit 70 is composed of a lock link (link member) 71, a lock member 72, a link connecting shaft 73, a lock link rotation shaft 74 that is the rotation center of the lock link 71, and a solenoid 75 as a drive device.

[0031] The lock member 72 and the link connecting shaft 73 are shaft-shaped parts (shaft members) and are fixedly joined to the lock link 71 by caulking or the like. The lock link rotating shaft 74 is fixedly joined to the latch shaft support plate 61 and rotatably supports the lock link 71 to which the lock member 72 and the link connecting shaft 73 are fixedly joined. The lock member 72 penetrates a through window 61a provided in the latch shaft support plate 61 and protrudes toward the inside of the housing 2100, i.e., the side where the hook member 42 is arranged. The solenoid 75 is removably fixed to the side of the latch shaft support plate 61 facing the outside of the housing 2100, out of both side surfaces. Since the solenoid 75 is provided on the housing 2100 side rather than the front door 2400 side, it is not necessary to route the electric connection lines such as the power line and the communication line to the solenoid 75 to the front door 2400 side. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the electric connection lines from being disconnected. A hole 76a is provided at the tip of the plunger 76 of the solenoid 75. The link connecting shaft 73 of the lock link 71 is rotatably fitted into the hole 76a of the plunger 76. The linear motion of the solenoid 75 is converted into the rotational motion of the lock link 71 via the link connecting shaft 73.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 5(a), in the unlocked state US, the locking member 72 is located at the rear of the housing 2100 and is in a positional relationship where it does not come into contact with the protruding portion 42c of the hook member 42 located at the front side. The locking member 72 is in a first position P1 outside the movement trajectory of the protruding portion 42c of the hook member 42. In the unlocked state US, the plunger 76 of the solenoid 75 is in a pulled-out position as shown in FIG. 6(a). In the unlocked state US, the locking member 72 is in a position where it does not collide with the protruding portion 42c of the hook member 42 when the hook member 42 is lifted. When the user pulls the gripping portion 52a of the operating member 52 forward as shown in FIG. 4(e), the hook member 42 is lifted upward without the locking member 72 colliding with the protruding portion 42c, and the engagement state between the hook member 42 and the latch shaft 62 is released. After that, the user can lift the gripping portion 52a to open the front door 2400.

[0033] On the other hand, in the locked state LS, the plunger 76 of the solenoid 75 is in a retracted position as shown in FIG. 6(b). The lock link 71 rotates around the lock link rotation shaft 74 toward the front side of the housing 2100, and the lock member 72 moves toward the front side of the housing 2100. As shown in FIG. 5(b), in the locked state LS, the lock member 72 is in a second position P2 in the movement trajectory of the protrusion 42c of the hook member 42 so as to collide with the protrusion 42c of the hook member 42 when the hook member 42 is lifted. When viewed from above, the lock member 72 is positioned so as to overlap the protrusion 42c. Even if the grip portion 52a of the operating member 52 is pulled forward and the hook member 42 is rotated so as to be lifted upward, the protrusion 42c abuts against the lock member 72, so that the hook member 42 does not rotate beyond the clearance between the lock member 72 and the protrusion 42c. At this time, the operating member 52, which rotates in conjunction with the hook member 42, does not rotate more than the same amount as the locked hook member 42. That is, in the locked state LS, the operating member 52 is fixed together with the hook member 42, so that the user can easily recognize that the front door 2400 is in the locked state LS when unintentionally operating the grip portion 52a, and application of excessive force to the front door 2400 can be prevented.

[0034] It is noted that the protrusion 42c may not be provided on the hook member 42. In that case, it is sufficient that the lock member 72 is configured to be movable between a position (first position) outside the movement trajectory of the hook member 42 and a position (second position) within the movement trajectory of the hook member 42.

[0035] In the first embodiment, the latch shaft 62 that engages with the hook member 42 and the lock link pivot shaft 74 that is the pivot center of the lock member 72 are both joined and fixed to the latch shaft support plate 61. This is to increase the positional accuracy of the protruding portion 42c of the hook member 42 and the lock member 72, and the lock member 72 can reliably lock the hook member 42. In particular, in the case of a large image forming apparatus 1, the front door 2400 becomes large due to the dimensions of the main body of the image forming apparatus 1, and deformation is likely to occur due to bending or the like. When the front door 2400 is deformed, the hook member 42 is displaced from the ideal position, so that it is assumed that the protruding portion 42c and the lock member 72 do not come into contact when the hook member 42 rotates in the locked state LS of the lock member 72. In contrast, according to the latch lock unit 70 of the first embodiment, the front door 2400 can be reliably locked even in a large image forming apparatus 1.

[0036] According to the first embodiment, compared to the conventional door lock configuration, it is possible to prevent the user from applying excessive force to the front door 2400. In addition, the user can easily recognize the engagement state (locked state) of the front door 2400 while maintaining a work area. EXAMPLES

[0037] A second embodiment will be described below. In the second embodiment, the same structures as those in the first embodiment are given the same reference symbols and the description thereof will be omitted. The image forming apparatus 1 and the print module 2000 in the second embodiment are the same as those in the first embodiment, and the description thereof will be omitted. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a latch lock unit 90 in the second embodiment. FIG. 7(a) is a top view of the latch lock unit 90 in the locked state LS. FIG. 7(b) is a left side view of the latch lock unit 90. FIG. 7(c) is a top view of the latch lock unit 90 in the unlocked state US. The latch lock unit 90 in the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 7. In the second embodiment, the latch lock unit 90 is provided at each of both ends of the print module 2000 in the left-right direction.

[0038] The latch lock unit 90 of the second embodiment can fix the latch unit 40 and the operating member 52 by restricting the rotation of the latch rotation shaft 41. The latch lock unit 90 is composed of only a solenoid 75 as a drive device, and the plunger 76 of the solenoid 75 functions as a locking member. It is also possible to provide the plunger 76 with a separate part as a locking member without using the plunger 76 of the solenoid 75 as a locking member. A slot 41a extending in the normal direction of the latch rotation shaft 41 is provided at the end of the latch rotation shaft 41. The slot 41a has a width wider than the width of the plunger 76. The plunger 76 can enter and exit the slot 41a.

[0039] As shown in FIG. 7(c), in the unlocked state US of the latch unit 40, the plunger 76 of the solenoid 75 is in a retracted position RP where it is retracted and removed from the slot 41a, and is separated from the latch rotation shaft 41. As shown in FIG. 7(a), in the locked state LS of the latch unit 40, the plunger 76 of the solenoid 75 is in an intrusion position IP where it is pulled out and intrudes into the slot 41a of the latch rotation shaft 41 on the extension and contraction trajectory of the plunger 76. The plunger 76 as a locking member restricts the rotational movement of the latch rotation shaft 41, so that the latch rotation shaft 41 and the operating member 52 are fixed. According to the second embodiment, the latch lock unit 90 as a locking mechanism of the front door 2400 can be configured with a small number of parts, which allows for space saving and cost reduction.

[0040] In the second embodiment, the hook member 42 as an engaging member is provided on the front door 2400, and the latch shaft 62 as an engaged member is provided on the housing 2100. However, it is sufficient that the hook member 42 is provided on one of the housing 2100 and the front door 2400, and the latch shaft 62 is provided on the other of the housing 2100 and the front door 2400.

[0041] According to the second embodiment, compared to the conventional door lock configuration, it is possible to prevent the user from applying excessive force to the front door 2400. In addition, the user can easily recognize the engagement state (locked state) of the front door 2400 while maintaining a working area. EXAMPLES

[0042] A third embodiment will be described below. In the third embodiment, the same structures as those in the first embodiment are given the same reference symbols and the description will be omitted. The image forming apparatus 1 in the third embodiment is similar to that in the first embodiment and the description will be omitted. In addition, the latch lock unit 70 as the lock mechanism in the third embodiment is similar to that in the first embodiment and the description will be omitted. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a print module 2010 in the third embodiment. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of a latch mechanism 81 in the third embodiment. The configuration of a front door 2400 in the third embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9.

[0043] Compression coil springs 27 are provided on the left and right sides of the housing (apparatus body) 2100 of the print module 2010 of the third embodiment as opening assistance members. The opening assistance members are not limited to the compression coil springs 27, and may be elastic members such as rubber or electric drive devices. One end of each of the compression coil springs 27 is fixed to the front door 2400, and the other end is fixed to the housing 2100. The compression coil springs 27 apply a force to the front door 2400 that assists in the opening direction of the front door 2400, so that the user can open the front door 2400 by the restoring force of the compression coil springs 27 without lifting the front door 2400 by himself. When closing the front door 2400, the compression coil springs 27 are compressed and store the restoring force. When the engagement between the front door 2400 and the housing 2100 is released in order to open the front door 2400, the restoring force of the compression coil spring 27 is released, and the compression coil spring 27 applies a force to the front door 2400 that assists the opening operation of the front door 2400.

[0044] The latch unit 46 as an engagement mechanism of the third embodiment includes a latch rotation shaft 41, hook members 42 provided at both ends of the latch rotation shaft 41, a transmission member 47 and a restoration member 45 provided at the center of the latch rotation shaft 41. The transmission member 47 has an extension portion 47b extending downward from the latch rotation shaft 41 so as to form a contact surface 47a extending in the up-down direction. The operation member 55 of the third embodiment is provided on the front door 2400 so as to be linearly movable in the front-rear direction FR. When the operation member 55 is moved from the front side to the rear side in the closed state of the front door 2400, the operation member 55 contacts the contact surface 47a of the transmission member 47 and pushes the extension portion 47b of the transmission member 47 from the front side to the rear side. The linear movement of the operation member 55 from the front side to the rear side is converted into a rotational movement of the transmission member 47 in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. 9, and the latch rotation shaft 41 rotates counterclockwise together with the transmission member 47. As a result, the hook member 42 is rotated upward and the groove portion 42b of the hook member 42 is separated from the latch shaft 62, the engagement between the front door 2400 and the housing 2100 is released, and the front door 2400 is opened toward the front by the compression coil spring 27. That is, in the third embodiment, the front door 2400 can be automatically opened simply by the user pressing the operating member 55 from the outside, improving usability.

[0045] In the third embodiment, the latch unit 46 as an engagement mechanism including the hook member 42 as an engagement member is provided on the front door 2400, and the latch shaft unit 60 including the latch shaft 62 as an engaged member is provided on the housing 2100. However, the latch unit 46 may be provided on the housing 2100, and the latch shaft unit 60 may be provided on the front door 2400. That is, it is sufficient that the hook member 42 is provided on one of the housing 2100 and the front door 2400, and the latch shaft 62 is provided on the other of the housing 2100 and the front door 2400. [Explanation of symbols]

[0046] 2000 Print module 2100... Enclosure 2300 Recording section 2400···Front door 42 Hook member 52 Operating member 62 Latch shaft 70···Latch lock unit

Claims

1. A housing and an image forming unit provided inside the housing and configured to form an image on a recording medium; A pivot door that pivots around a support shaft of the housing; a movable engagement member provided on one of the housing and the pivot door; an engaged member provided on the other of the housing and the pivot door; A movable operating member provided on the pivot door; a lock mechanism that restricts movement of the engaging member; Equipped with When the pivot door is closed, the engaging member engages with the engaged member to enter an engaged state, When the engaging member and the engaged member are in the engaged state, the engaging member moves in conjunction with the movement of the operating member, thereby releasing the engaged state and making it possible to open the rotating door, an engaging member that is engaged with an engaged member by a lock mechanism, the engaging member being prevented from moving, and the operating member being prevented from moving.

2. The locking mechanism includes a movable locking member and a drive device that moves the locking member. the locking member is movable to a first position outside a movement path of the engaging member and to a second position within the movement path; 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, when the locking member is in the second position, the movement of the engaging member and the movement of the operating member are restricted.

3. a link member to which the lock member is fixed; a rotation shaft that rotatably supports the link member; a support member for supporting the engaged member and the pivot shaft; 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the driving device is provided in the housing.

5. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the driving device is a solenoid.

6. The engaging member is supported by a rotation shaft. The locking mechanism includes a movable locking member and a drive device that moves the locking member. The rotating shaft is provided with a slot portion, the locking member is movable between an inserted position where the locking member is inserted into the slot and a retracted position where the locking member is retracted from the slot, 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, when the locking member is in the inserted position, the movement of the engaging member and the movement of the operating member are restricted.

7. the drive device is a solenoid; 7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the locking member is a plunger of the solenoid.

8. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the engaging member and the engaged member are provided at both ends of the pivot door in the direction of the support shaft.

9. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation member is a grip portion that is gripped by a user when opening or closing the pivot door.

10. An opening assist member is provided to assist the opening operation of the pivot door, The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that when the movement of the operating member is not restricted, when the operating member is pushed by a user to move linearly and release the engagement state between the engaging member and the engaged member, the opening assistance member opens the pivot door.

11. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a biasing member that biases the engaging member so as to maintain the engaged state between the engaging member and the engaged member.

12. A rotation shaft that rotatably supports the engagement member; A transmission member provided on the rotation shaft; Further comprising:

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the transmission member is rotated by the movement of the operation member, the rotation shaft and the engagement member rotate integrally with the transmission member, thereby releasing the engagement state.

Images