Connector unit, image forming apparatus, and sheet processing apparatus

Abstract

To prevent a panel-mounted connector from falling off to the inside of a housing.SOLUTION: A connector unit 40 comprises: a connector attachment member 41 that has an attachment hole 42; and a connector 50 that is inserted into the attachment hole 42 and attached to the connector attachment member 41. The connector 50 has a terminal part to which a mating connector is connected, and a pawl part that is engaged with an edge of the attachment hole 42. The connector attachment member 41 has a panel part 43 in which the attachment hole 42 is formed, an extension part 44 that is extended from the panel part 43 in an insertion direction D1 of the mating connector with respect to the connector 50, and a regulation part 45 that projects from the extension part 44 at a position in contact with or in proximity to an end 55 on the opposite side of the terminal part of the connector 50 in the insertion direction D1.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a connector unit for electrically connecting various electronic devices, and to an image forming apparatus equipped with the connector unit, such as a copier, printer, facsimile, or multifunction device having multiple functions of these, and a sheet processing apparatus for performing post-processing of recording materials. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, a so-called panel mount type mounting structure has been widely used in which a connector for electrically connecting various electronic devices is mounted on the housing of the electronic device in an exposed state outside the housing. For example, a panel mount type mounting structure can be applied in which the connector has elastically deformable claws that hook and engage with the edges of a mounting hole in the housing. By applying such a panel mount type mounting structure, the connector can be easily mounted in the mounting hole in the housing.

[0003] However, when connecting a mating connector to a panel-mounted connector, for example, the mating connector may be pushed in with the connectors facing in different directions or with different shapes. In this case, there is a risk that the connector mounted in the mounting hole may be forcibly pushed in. If the connector is forcibly pushed in like this, it may come off the mounting hole and fall into the housing. If the panel-mounted connector falls into the housing, for example, it is necessary to open the housing cover, remove the connector's peripheral components, and then reattach the connector to the mounting hole. This may reduce workability, especially at the user's location where the image forming apparatus is installed.

[0004] To solve this problem, a configuration has been developed in which a dedicated connector holding member is provided that covers three sides of the connector, including the back, top, and bottom, and the connector is first held in the connector holding member, and then the connector holding member is attached to the mounting hole in the housing (see Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2-46670 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, with the configuration described in Patent Document 1, when a mating connector is inserted with the connectors facing in different directions or with different shapes, the connector holding member itself may fall out of the mounting hole in the housing. In this case, the connector held by the connector holding member also falls out into the housing, making it impossible to connect the connectors. For this reason, a structure that can more effectively prevent the panel-mounted connector from falling out than conventional structures is desired.

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a connector unit, an image forming apparatus, and a sheet processing apparatus that can prevent a panel-mounted connector from falling off into the housing. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The connector unit of the present invention comprises a connector mounting member having a mounting hole, and a connector that is inserted into the mounting hole and attached to the connector mounting member, wherein the connector has a terminal portion to which another connector is connected and a claw portion that engages with the edge of the mounting hole, and the connector mounting member has a panel portion in which the mounting hole is formed, an extension portion that extends from the panel portion toward the insertion direction of the other connector into the connector, and a regulating portion that protrudes from the extension portion at a position abutting or close to the end of the connector opposite the terminal portion in the insertion direction.

[0009] The connector unit of the present invention also comprises a connector mounting member having a mounting hole, and a connector that is inserted into the mounting hole and attached to the connector mounting member, wherein the connector has a terminal portion to which another connector is connected and a claw portion that engages with the edge of the mounting hole, and the connector mounting member has a panel portion in which the mounting hole is formed, and a protrusion that protrudes to at least one of the upstream and downstream sides of the insertion direction of the other connector into the connector, on an edge other than the edge with which the claw portion of the mounting hole engages.

[0010] The connector unit of the present invention comprises a connector mounting member having a mounting hole, and a connector that is inserted into the mounting hole and attached to the connector mounting member, wherein the connector has a terminal portion to which another connector is connected, and a claw portion that engages with the edge of the mounting hole, the claw portion having a first engagement surface facing the insertion direction of the other connector into the connector, and a second engagement surface that is located closer to the insertion direction than the first engagement surface and inside in a width direction intersecting the insertion direction and facing the insertion direction, and the connector mounting member has a first engaged surface that is formed on the edge of the mounting hole with which the claw portion engages, facing upstream in the insertion direction and engaging with the first engaging surface, and a second engaged surface that is located closer to the insertion direction than the first engaged surface and inside in the width direction, facing upstream in the insertion direction and engaging with the second engaging surface.

[0011] An image forming apparatus according to the present invention is characterized by comprising an image forming unit capable of forming an image on a recording material, and the connector unit described above.

[0012] The image forming apparatus of the present invention is characterized by comprising an image forming unit capable of forming an image on a recording material, a housing that houses the image forming unit, the connector unit described above that is provided in the housing, and a storage section that is provided below the housing in the vertical direction and stores sheets to be supplied to the image forming unit, the storage section having the other connector.

[0013] A sheet processing apparatus according to the present invention includes a binding processing unit that performs binding processing on recording materials, and the connector unit described above. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent a panel-mounted connector from falling off into the housing. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] 1A and 1B are perspective views of an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment, viewed from the rear, with (a) showing a state in which a small cover is closed and (b) showing a state in which the small cover is open. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a recess of the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] 1A and 1B are perspective views showing a connector unit according to a first embodiment, in which FIG. 1A shows a state before a connector is attached, and FIG. 1B shows a state after the connector is attached. [Figure 5] 1 is a perspective view showing a connector according to a first embodiment. [Figure 6] 1A and 1B are cross-sectional views showing a connector unit according to a first embodiment, in which FIG. 1A shows a state before a connector is attached, and FIG. 1B shows a state after the connector is attached. [Figure 7] 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the connector of the connector unit according to the reference example is subjected to an external force and the engagement of the claw portions is released. FIG. [Figure 8] 1A and 1B are plan views showing a connector mounting member according to a first embodiment, in which FIG. 1A shows a state before a connector is mounted, and FIG. 1B shows a state after the connector has been mounted. [Figure 9] 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a connector unit according to a first embodiment. [Figure 10] 1 is a perspective view of a connector unit according to a first embodiment, as viewed from the bundled wire side. [Figure 11]3 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a connector is being inserted into the connector unit according to the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a connector unit according to a second embodiment, as viewed from the bundled wire side. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a connector unit according to a second embodiment. [Figure 14] 10A and 10B are perspective views showing a connector unit according to a third embodiment, in which (a) shows a state before a connector is attached, and (b) shows a state after the connector is attached. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a connector unit according to a third embodiment. [Figure 16] 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the connector in the connector unit according to the reference example is tilted by an external force. FIG. [Figure 17] 10A and 10B show a connector mounting member according to a fourth embodiment, in which (a) is a front view and (b) is a cross-sectional view. [Figure 18] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a connector unit according to a fourth embodiment. [Figure 19] FIG. 10 is a schematic view showing a sheet processing apparatus according to another embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] First Embodiment A first embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 11. In this embodiment, a tandem-type full-color printer is described as an example of an image forming apparatus 1. However, the present invention is not limited to tandem-type image forming apparatuses 1, and other types of image forming apparatuses may also be used, and the image forming apparatus is not limited to full-color, but may be monochrome or mono-color. Furthermore, in the following description, the top, bottom, left, right, and front and back positional relationships are expressed based on the state when the image forming apparatus 1 is viewed from the front (the viewpoint of FIG. 1).

[0017] [Image forming equipment] 1, the image forming apparatus 1 includes a device main body 2, which is an example of an image forming device main body capable of forming an image, a reading device 3, which is provided above the device main body 2 and reads image data of a document, and an operation unit 4 consisting of a liquid crystal panel. The device main body 2 includes an image forming unit 5, which is an example of an image forming unit capable of forming an image on a sheet S, which is an example of a recording material, and a fixing unit 6, which fixes the image on the sheet S. The image forming unit 5 and the fixing unit 6 are housed in a housing 2a of the device main body 2. A discharge space into which the sheet S is discharged is formed between the reading device 3 and the device main body 2, and a discharge tray 2b, on which the discharged sheet S is stacked, is provided in this discharge space.

[0018] The apparatus main body 2 is provided with a sheet feeding unit 7 that feeds sheets S to the image forming unit 5. The sheet feeding unit 7 has sheet cassettes 11 and 12 arranged at the bottom of the apparatus main body 2 and a manual sheet feeding device 13 arranged on the right side of the apparatus main body 2. In this embodiment, an external sheet cassette device 8 (cassette pedestal), which is an example of another device connectable to the apparatus main body 2, is attached to the bottom of the apparatus main body 2 as an optional add-on. The sheet cassette device 8 has sheet cassettes 14 and 15. That is, the sheet cassette device 8 is provided below the housing 2a in the vertical direction and is an example of a storage unit that stores sheets S to be supplied to the image forming unit 5. The apparatus main body 2 and the sheet cassette device 8 are connected via a connector unit 40 (see FIG. 3). The detailed configuration of the connector unit 40 will be described later.

[0019] The apparatus main body 2 has a pickup roller 16 that comes into contact with the sheets S stacked in the sheet cassette 11 and is capable of conveying and feeding the sheets S, and a feed roller 17 that conveys the sheets S fed by the pickup roller 16. The apparatus main body 2 also has a retard roller 18 that forms a separation nip N together with the feed roller 17 and separates the sheets S one by one. The other sheet cassettes 12, 14, and 15 are also provided with similar configurations. The image forming unit 5 forms images on the sheets S fed from the sheet cassettes 11, 12, 14, and 15.

[0020] The image forming unit 5 is a four-drum full-color image forming unit equipped with a laser scanner 20, four process cartridges 21, and an intermediate transfer unit 22. These process cartridges form toner images of the respective colors of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K). Each process cartridge 21 is equipped with a photosensitive drum 23, a charger 24, a developing unit 25, a cleaner (not shown), and the like. Above the image forming unit 5, toner cartridges 26 containing toner of each color are detachably mounted in the device main body 2.

[0021] The intermediate transfer unit 22 has an intermediate transfer belt 27 wound around a drive roller 27a, a tension roller 27b, etc., and is disposed above the four process cartridges 21. The intermediate transfer belt 27 is disposed so as to contact the photosensitive drum 23 of each process cartridge 21, and is driven to rotate counterclockwise (in the direction of arrow Q) by a drive roller 27a driven by a drive unit (not shown). The intermediate transfer unit 22 includes a primary transfer roller 28 that contacts the inner circumferential surface of the intermediate transfer belt 27 at a position facing each photosensitive drum 23, and a primary transfer zone T1 is formed as a nip between the intermediate transfer belt 27 and the photosensitive drum 23. The image forming unit 5 also includes a secondary transfer roller 29 that contacts the outer circumferential surface of the intermediate transfer belt 27 at a position facing the drive roller 27a. A secondary transfer zone T2 is formed as a nip between the secondary transfer roller 29 and the intermediate transfer belt 27, where a toner image carried on the intermediate transfer belt 27 is transferred to a sheet S.

[0022] In each process cartridge 21 configured as described above, an electrostatic latent image is drawn on the surface of the photosensitive drum 23 by the laser scanner 20, and then a negatively charged toner image of each color is formed by supplying toner from the developing device 25. These toner images are sequentially multi-transferred (primary transfer) to the intermediate transfer belt 27 at each primary transfer portion T1 by applying a positive transfer bias voltage to the primary transfer roller 28, and a full-color toner image is formed on the intermediate transfer belt 27.

[0023] In parallel with this toner image formation process, the sheet S fed from the sheet feeding unit 7 is conveyed toward the registration roller pair 30, where skew is corrected by the registration roller pair 30. The registration roller pair 30 conveys the sheet S to the secondary transfer unit T2 in accordance with the transfer timing of the full-color toner image formed on the intermediate transfer belt 27. The toner image carried on the intermediate transfer belt 27 is secondarily transferred onto the sheet S at the secondary transfer unit T2 by applying a positive transfer bias voltage to the secondary transfer roller 29.

[0024] The sheet S onto which the toner image has been transferred is heated and pressurized in the fixing unit 6, and the color image is fixed to the sheet S. The sheet S onto which the image has been fixed is discharged by a pair of discharge rollers 31 onto a discharge tray 2b and stacked thereon. When images are to be formed on both sides of the sheet S, the sheet S is switched back by the pair of discharge rollers 31 after passing through the fixing unit 6. Then, the sheet S is transported again to the image forming unit 5 via a re-conveyance path 32, and an image is formed on the back side.

[0025] [Connector unit] Next, the connector unit 40 in this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 2 to 11. First, the installation location of the connector unit 40 in this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 2(a), 2(b), and 3. FIG. 2(a) is a rear perspective view of the image forming apparatus 1. The image forming apparatus 1 is in a state where an optional sheet cassette device 8 is attached. The apparatus main body 2 has a rear cover 33 and a small cover 34 formed below the rear cover 33 and opened when the sheet cassette device 8 is installed. FIG. 2(b) shows the state where the small cover 34 has been removed. When the small cover 34 is removed, a recess 35 recessed one step from the rear cover 33 is exposed.

[0026] FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the recess 35. A rectangular hole 36 is formed in a portion of the bottom surface 35a of the recess 35. A connector unit 40 is provided on the inner side of the rectangular hole 36 inside the device main body 2. A connector 50 held by a connector mounting member 41 of the connector unit 40 protrudes from the rectangular hole 36. A mating connector 60, which is an example of another connector provided at the end of a cable 61 extending from the sheet cassette device 8 to the outside of the housing, is inserted into and connected to the connector 50. The end of the cable 61 opposite the mating connector 60 is connected to an electrical board (not shown) inside the sheet cassette device 8. The connector 50 of the device main body 2 and the mating connector 60 of the sheet cassette device 8 are electrically connected to each other. Because the sheet cassette device 8 is an optional device, the device main body 2 and the sheet cassette device 8 are also connected when the user installs the image forming apparatus 1.

[0027] Next, the outline of the configuration of the connector unit 40 will be described with reference to FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b). FIG. 4(a) is a perspective view showing the connector mounting member 41 in a state where the rear cover 33 has been removed and the connector 50 has not yet been attached. FIG. 4(b) is a perspective view showing the connector mounting member 41 in a state where the connector 50 has been attached. The connector unit 40 has the connector 50 and the connector mounting member 41 to which the connector 50 is attached. The connector mounting member 41 is made of synthetic resin and functions as a cable guide that guides the cable bundle 51 of the connector 50. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4(b), the direction in which the mating connector 60 is inserted into the connector 50 of the connector unit 40 to connect them is referred to as the insertion direction D1. Furthermore, the direction intersecting the insertion direction D1, which in this embodiment is perpendicular to the insertion direction D1 in a horizontal plane, is referred to as the width direction W.

[0028] The connector mounting member 41 has a panel portion 43 formed with a mounting hole 42 through which the connector 50 is inserted and mounted, and an extension portion 44 that is integrally formed and extends from the panel portion 43 in the insertion direction D1. The mounting hole 42 is exposed to the outside through a rectangular hole 36 formed in the bottom surface 35a of the recess 35 (see FIG. 3). The mounting hole 42 is formed to be approximately rectangular, and has a shape that follows the outer shape of the connector 50 as shown in FIG. 4(a).

[0029] A cable bundle 51 is integrally provided on the insertion direction D1 side (insertion direction side) of the connector 50. An opening 52, which is an example of a terminal portion that can be inserted and removed from a mating connector 60, is provided at the end of the connector 50 opposite the insertion direction D1. Terminal pins (not shown) are provided inside the opening 52 and are configured to be connected to terminal pins (not shown) of the mating connector 60. Claw portions 53 and abutment portions 54 are provided on both side surfaces of the connector 50 in the width direction intersecting the insertion direction D1. The claw portions 53 are configured to be elastically deformable toward the inside of the connector 50. The connector 50 is attached to the connector attachment member 41 by inserting it into the attachment hole 42 of the connector attachment member 41 in an insertion direction D2, which is the opposite direction to the insertion direction D1. Note that, although the opening 52 is used as the terminal portion in this embodiment, this is not limiting. The terminal portion may have any shape that can be inserted and fitted into the mating connector 60. For example, a terminal portion of an existing connector, such as a protruding shape including a terminal pin, may be used.

[0030] Next, the configuration of the claw portion 53 and the abutment portion 54 will be described with reference to Figure 5 and Figures 6(a) and (b). Figure 5 is a perspective view of the connector 50 as viewed from the cable bundle 51 side. The claw portion 53 is provided with engagement surfaces 53a, 53b, and 53c facing the insertion direction D1. By providing multiple engagement surfaces 53a, 53b, and 53c, even if the panel portion 43 in which the mounting hole 42 is provided has a different thickness, different engagement surfaces 53a, 53b, and 53c corresponding to the thickness can be engaged to enable engagement.

[0031] 6(a) and 6(b) are cross-sectional views of the mounting hole 42 taken along line AA in FIG. 4(a), with FIG. 6(a) showing the state before the connector 50 is attached and FIG. 6(b) showing the state after the connector 50 is attached. The connector 50 is inserted into the mounting hole 42 in the insertion direction D2 in FIG. 6(a). In this embodiment, the length L1 (see FIG. 6(a)) of each of the engagement surfaces 53a, 53b, and 53c in the width direction W is 0.3 mm. Furthermore, the length H1 (see FIG. 6(a)) between each of the engagement surfaces 53a, 53b, and 53c in the insertion direction D1 is 0.4 mm. In this embodiment, the maximum length in the insertion direction D1 that allows the claw portion 53 to fit into the mounting hole 42 is defined as length Y.

[0032] During the process of inserting the connector 50 into the mounting hole 42, the claws 53 come into contact with the side edge 42a, which is an example of an edge, and the claws 53 elastically deform toward the center of the connector 50. When the connector 50 is pushed in the insertion direction D2, the abutment 54 of the connector 50 abuts against the inner surface 43a of the connector mounting member 41 of the panel portion 43. At this time, the elastically deformed claws 53 return to their original shape, and the engagement surfaces 53a of the claws 53 hook and engage with the outer surface 43b of the panel portion 43 of the connector mounting member 41, thereby holding the connector 50 in place and preventing it from coming off. If the connector mounting member 41 is thick, the connector 50 is held in the connector mounting member 41 by the engagement of the engagement surfaces 53b or 53c, rather than the engagement surface 53a. That is, in the connector unit 40, the connector 50 is attached to the mounting hole 42 by the claws 53 engaging with the side edge 42a of the mounting hole 42.

[0033] Here, as a reference example, a case where the connector 50 held by the connector mounting member 41 is unintentionally detached will be described with reference to FIG. 7. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the mounting hole 42 cut along line AA in FIG. 4(a). For example, when the engagement surface 53a is engaged with the outer surface 43b of the panel portion 43 as shown in FIG. 6(b), an external force F1 in the insertion direction D1 may be excessively applied to only one side of the connector 50, particularly in the width direction W, as shown in FIG. 7. In this case, the engagement surface 53a cannot withstand the external force F1 and is deformed, and ultimately the engagement surface 53a is turned up, which may cause the connector 50 itself to fall off the connector mounting member 41.

[0034] Furthermore, if connector mounting member 41 is made of synthetic resin, edge 42b of mounting hole 42 may be rounded due to machining. In this case, engaging surface 53a of connector 50 catches on rounded edge 42b, and if external force F1 acts in insertion direction D1 in that state, engaging surface 53a may slide down edge 42b in insertion direction D1, causing connector 50 to fall off.

[0035] For example, if the panel portion 43 is made of metal and the mounting hole 42 is configured to be punched out, any burrs on the side edge 42a will bite into the engaging surface 53a of the connector 50, making it difficult for the connector 50 to fall off. However, with the recent demand for lower costs, the panel portion 43 is often made of synthetic resin, and it is desirable to make it difficult for the connector 50 to fall off even when the panel portion 43 is made of synthetic resin.

[0036] Furthermore, especially when the panel-mounted connector 50 is a connector for connecting to an optional device, it is often connected during installation at the user's location where the image forming apparatus 1 is used, and unlike work in a factory, it is conceivable that an unspecified number of people will be involved in the work. In such cases, it is conceivable that the connector 50 may come off the connector mounting member 41 and fall into the inside of the apparatus main body 2 if the connector is pushed in too hard or hit against something. If the connector 50 falls into the inside of the apparatus main body 2, repairs would require removing the exterior cover and other peripheral components of the connector 50, which is difficult to perform at the installation site, so it is desirable to be able to highly effectively prevent the connector 50 from falling.

[0037] Next, the characteristic configuration of the connector unit 40 in this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 8(a) and (b) to 11. Figures 8(a) and (b) are plan views showing the connector mounting member 41, with Figure 8(a) showing the state before the connector 50 is attached and Figure 8(b) showing the state after the connector 50 has been attached. Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view showing the connector unit 40 cut along line BB in Figure 8(b), and Figure 10 is a perspective view of the connector unit 40 as viewed from the cable bundle 51 side.

[0038] The extension portion 44 of the connector mounting member 41 is provided with a restricting portion 45 having a rib-like protrusion upward. The restricting portion 45 is provided integrally with the extension portion 44 near an end 55 of the connector 50 on the cable bundle 51 side when the connector 50 is attached to the mounting hole 42. In this embodiment, the distance between the restricting portion 45 and the end 55 is 0.5 mm, but this is not limited thereto. The distance between the restricting portion 45 and the end 55 may be, for example, greater than 0.5 mm or less than 0.5 mm, for example, 0.2 to 1.0 mm, or the restricting portion 45 and the end 55 may abut against each other without any gap. That is, the restricting portion 45 is provided integrally with the extension portion 44 so as to abut against or be adjacent to a portion of the connector 50 facing the insertion direction D1 from the insertion direction D2 side (upstream side of the insertion direction). In this embodiment, the restricting portion 45 is shown as being integrally molded with the extension portion 44 as the connector mounting member 41, but it may also be fixed integrally to the extension portion 44 with an adhesive or the like. By providing the restricting portion 45 in this manner, when the connector 50 is pushed in the insertion direction D1 and the claw portion 53 of the connector 50 comes off, the end portion 55 of the connector 50 abuts against the restricting portion 45. This makes it possible to prevent the connector 50 from falling down.

[0039] In this embodiment, the height of the restricting portion 45 is set lower than the cable 51 when the connector 50 is attached to the mounting hole 42. The restricting portion 45 protrudes from the extension portion 44 so that its height from the extension portion 44 is lower than the center point of the mounting hole 42, i.e., does not exceed the center point of the mounting hole 42, when viewed from the insertion direction D1. This prevents the restricting portion 45 from interfering with the cable 51. The height of the restricting portion 45 is set higher than the lower surface 42c of the mounting hole 42 (see FIG. 9 ). In this example, the height of the restricting portion 45 is set 2.5 mm above the lower surface 42c of the mounting hole 42. This ensures that the end 55 of the connector 50 attached to the mounting hole 42 reliably abuts against the restricting portion 45 when pressed into the mounting hole 42. In this embodiment, the center point of the mounting hole 42 is the point where the diagonals of the substantially rectangular mounting hole 42 intersect.

[0040] 9, the connector mounting member 41 has an inclined rib 46 provided on the insertion direction D1 side of the mounting hole 42, inclined from the lower surface 42c toward the extension portion 44. That is, the inclined rib 46 is provided so as to incline from the extension portion 44 toward the mounting hole 42. The inclined rib 46 is provided integrally with the panel portion 43 and the extension portion 44.

[0041] The process of assembling the connector 50 into the connector mounting member 41 will now be described with reference to FIGS. 9 and 11. As shown in FIG. 11, when inserting the connector 50 into the mounting hole 42, the connector 50 approaches the mounting hole 42 in an orientation in which the insertion direction D2 is inclined relative to the insertion direction D1 to avoid the restricting portion 45. At this time, the inclined rib 46 guides the lower tip 56 of the connector 50 in the insertion direction D2 into the mounting hole 42. As described above, the provision of the inclined rib 46 allows the connector 50 to be guided to the lower surface 42c of the mounting hole 42 simply by aligning the tip 56 of the connector 50 along the inclined rib 46, thereby improving the ease of mounting the connector 50 into the mounting hole 42 in an inclined orientation. Thereafter, after the entire connector 50, i.e., up to the end 55, passes the restricting portion 45, the insertion direction D2 is changed to the direction along the insertion direction D1, and the connector 50 is mounted in the mounting hole 42 as shown in FIG. 9.

[0042] As described above, according to the connector unit 40 of this embodiment, the connector mounting member 41 has the restricting portion 45. Therefore, even if the connector 50 is pushed in the insertion direction D1 and the claw portion 53 of the connector 50 is disengaged, the end 55 of the connector 50 abuts against the restricting portion 45. Therefore, even if the mating connector 60 is pushed into the connector 50 with the connectors having different orientations or shapes, the connector 50 can be prevented from coming out of the mounting hole 42 and falling into the housing. In this way, a fall-off prevention structure can be realized that can prevent the connector 50 from falling into the device main body 2. Furthermore, since the fall-off prevention structure can be obtained with a simple configuration without increasing the number of parts, costs can be reduced.

[0043] <Second embodiment> Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to Figures 12 and 13. A connector unit 140 of this embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that a restricting portion 145 of a connector mounting member 141 is supported by an elastic portion 147. However, other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment, so the same reference numerals will be used and detailed description will be omitted.

[0044] 12 and 13, the connector mounting member 141 has a panel portion 143, a mounting hole 142 formed in the panel portion 143, and an extension portion 144. The extension portion 144 has an elastic portion 147 on the insertion direction D1 side of the mounting hole 142, which is elastically deformable in the up-and-down direction perpendicular to the insertion direction D1. The elastic portion 147 is provided so as to be elastically deformable in a direction approaching and moving away from the mounting hole 142 when viewed from the insertion direction D1. In this embodiment, the elastic portion 147 is formed by a cantilever-like portion surrounded by a substantially U-shaped notched groove 148 provided in a part of the extension portion 144. The elastic portion 147 has a free end on the insertion direction D2 side.

[0045] The restricting portion 145 is integrated with the end of the elastic portion 147 on the insertion direction D2 side and is formed in a shape that protrudes upward. The elastic portion 147 is provided so as to be elastically deformable so that, when viewed from the insertion direction D1, the restricting portion 145 can be displaced between a restricting position (solid line in FIG. 13) where the restricting portion 145 overlaps the mounting hole 142 and a retracted position (two-dot chain line in FIG. 13) where the restricting portion 145 does not overlap the mounting hole 142. The surface of the restricting portion 145 on the insertion direction D2 side is a vertical surface perpendicular to the insertion direction D2, and the surface on the insertion direction D1 side is an inclined surface with the insertion direction D1 side facing downward. The distance between the restricting portion 145 and the end 55 of the connector 50 and the height of the restricting portion 145 are the same as in the first embodiment, so detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0046] When inserting connector 50 into mounting hole 142, lower tip 56 of connector 50 presses downward against the inclined surface of restricting portion 145, causing elastic portion 147 to elastically deform downward as shown by the two-dot chain line in Figure 13. This allows connector 50 to be inserted while maintaining insertion direction D2 of connector 50 parallel to plugging-in direction D1. This allows the worker to assemble connector 50 in the same way as a conventional connector unit without restricting portion 145, enabling the worker to perform the installation work of connector 50 without any discomfort.

[0047] After the end 55 of the connector 50 passes over the restricting portion 145, the restricting portion 145 returns to its original position. Since the surface of the restricting portion 145 on the insertion direction D2 side is a vertical surface, when the connector 50 is pushed in the insertion direction D1 and the claw portion 53 of the connector 50 comes off, even if the end 55 of the connector 50 hits the restricting portion 45, the elastic portion 147 does not elastically deform. This makes it possible to prevent the connector 50 from falling.

[0048] As described above, according to the connector unit 140 of this embodiment, the connector mounting member 141 has the restricting portion 45. Therefore, even if the connector 50 is pushed in the insertion direction D1 and the claw portion 53 is disengaged, the end 55 of the connector 50 abuts against the restricting portion 145. Therefore, even if the mating connector 60 is pushed into the connector 50 with the connectors having different orientations or shapes, the connector 50 can be prevented from coming out of the mounting hole 142 and falling into the housing. In this way, a fall-off prevention structure can be realized that can prevent the connector 50 from falling into the device main body 2. Furthermore, a simple configuration can be obtained without increasing the number of parts, thereby reducing costs.

[0049] <Third embodiment> Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to Figures 14(a), (b) and 15. A connector unit 240 of this embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that a protrusion 249 is provided on an edge 242d of a mounting hole 242 of a panel portion 243. However, other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment, so the same reference numerals are used and detailed description will be omitted.

[0050] Here, as a reference example, a connector unit 540 that does not have a protrusion 249 (see FIG. 15) will be described with reference to FIG. 16. As shown in FIG. 16, in this reference example, a connector mounting member 541 has a panel portion 543, a mounting hole 542 formed in the panel portion 543, and an extension portion 544. Because this connector mounting member 541 does not have a protrusion 249 (see FIG. 15), the contact area between the upper surface 50a and the lower surface 50b of the connector 50 and the connector mounting member 541 is limited to the inner surface of the mounting hole 542, i.e., the thickness of the panel portion 543. For this reason, if there is a tolerance or play in the mounting hole 542, the connector 50 is likely to swing up and down around the lower surface 542c or the upper surface 542e of the mounting hole 542 as the center of rotation, as shown by the two-dot chain line.

[0051] If the above-described vibration occurs when a force is applied to the connector 50 in the insertion direction D1, the engagement surfaces 53a (see FIG. 5) of the claw portions 53 of the connector 50 cannot receive the edge of the mounting hole 542 in a surface contact manner, but receive the edge as a point contact. As a result, stress is concentrated at the end of the engagement surfaces 53a of the claw portions 53 of the connector 50, causing the engagement surfaces 53a to start curling up from there, and eventually the entire engagement surface 53a curls up, making it impossible to hold the connector 50, which may cause the connector 50 to come off the mounting hole 542 and fall off. Therefore, in this embodiment, the connector 50 is made less likely to vibrate up and down relative to the mounting hole 542, thereby preventing the connector 50 from falling off.

[0052] In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 14(a), 14(b), and 15, the connector mounting member 241 has a panel portion 243, a mounting hole 242 formed in the panel portion 243, and an extension portion 244. The connector mounting member 241 has a protruding portion 249 that protrudes from an edge portion 242d of the mounting hole 242 of the panel portion 243. The protruding portion 249 is provided on an edge portion 242d other than the edge portion with which the claw portion 53 of the mounting hole 242 engages. In this embodiment, the protruding portion 249 protrudes from the panel portion 243 in the insertion direction D2 (upstream side of the insertion direction D1). Note that, in this embodiment, the protruding portion 249 has a shape that protrudes from the panel portion 243 in the insertion direction D2, but is not limited thereto and may have a shape that protrudes toward at least one of the upstream side and downstream side of the insertion direction D1. That is, the protrusion 249 can be provided on one or both sides of the edge 242d in the insertion direction D2.

[0053] In this embodiment, the protrusions 249 are provided on the upper and lower edge portions 242d of the mounting hole 242, i.e., on a pair of opposing edge portions 242d other than the edge portion with which the claw portion 53 of the mounting hole 242 is engaged. Furthermore, the length X (see FIG. 15) in the insertion direction D1 between the edge portion 242d on which the protrusions 249 are provided and the protrusions 249 is set to be longer than the maximum length Y (see FIG. 6(a)) in the insertion direction D1 that the claw portion 53 can fit into the mounting hole 242.

[0054] The protrusion 249 has an area 248 that is flush with the lower surface 242c and the upper surface 242e of the mounting hole 242. When the connector 50 is attached to the mounting hole 242, the upper surface 50a and the lower surface 50b of the connector 50 come into contact with the area 248 where the protrusion 249 and the mounting hole 42 meet. In this way, by providing the protrusion 249 and increasing the contact area with the upper surface 50a and the lower surface 50b of the connector 50, it is possible to suppress vertical vibration of the connector 50 after attachment. This prevents the engagement surface 53a of the claw portion 53 of the connector 50 from making point contact with the panel portion 43, making it difficult for the engagement surface 53a to turn over, and it is possible to suppress the connector 50 from being pushed in the insertion direction D1 and becoming detached.

[0055] As described above, according to the connector unit 240 of this embodiment, the connector mounting member 241 has the protrusion 249, which prevents the connector 50 from tilting up and down and disengaging the claw 53 when the connector 50 is pushed in the insertion direction D1. In this way, a fall-off prevention structure that can prevent the connector 50 from falling into the device main body 2 can be realized. Furthermore, this can be achieved with a simple configuration that simply adds the protrusion 249 to the panel portion 243 provided with the mounting hole 242, without increasing the number of parts, thereby reducing costs. Furthermore, the simple configuration in particular reduces design constraints and allows for wide application.

[0056] Furthermore, according to the connector unit 240 of this embodiment, the protrusions 249 are provided on the upper and lower edges 242d of the mounting hole 242, respectively, so that the vertical swing of the connector 50 after mounting can be effectively suppressed.

[0057] Furthermore, according to the connector unit 240 of this embodiment, the length X in the insertion direction D1 between the edge 242d and the protrusion 249 is set to be longer than the maximum length Y in the insertion direction D1 that allows the claw 53 to fit into the mounting hole 242. Therefore, the length X can be ensured to be sufficiently long, and vertical swing of the connector 50 after mounting can be effectively suppressed.

[0058] In the third embodiment described above, the protrusion 249 is provided on each of the upper and lower edge portions 242d of the mounting hole 242, but this is not limiting, and the protrusion 249 may be provided on only one of the upper or lower edge portion 242d. Also, in the present embodiment, the length X of edge portion 242d and protrusion 249 in the insertion direction D1 is set to be longer than the maximum length Y in the insertion direction D1 at which claw portion 53 can fit into the mounting hole 242, but this is not limiting. For example, even if length X is equal to or shorter than length Y, it is possible to suppress vertical swing of connector 50 after installation.

[0059] <Fourth embodiment> Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to Figures 17(a), (b), and 18. A connector unit 340 of this embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that a step 348 is provided on a side edge 342a, which is the edge of a mounting hole 342 with which the claw 53 engages. However, other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment, so the same reference numerals will be used and detailed description will be omitted.

[0060] The connector unit 340 of this embodiment is shown in FIGS. 17(a), 17(b), and 18. FIG. 17(a) is a front view of the mounting hole 342 as viewed from the panel portion 343 side of the connector mounting member 341. FIG. 17(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC in FIG. 17(a). FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view of the connector 50 mounted. A step 348 is provided at the side edge 342a of the mounting hole 342 of the connector mounting member 341. This step 348 is flush with the inner surface 343a of the panel portion 343 and protrudes toward the center of the mounting hole 342 in the width direction W on the side of the side edge 342a of the mounting hole 342 in the insertion direction D1. In this embodiment, the protruding length L2 of the step 348 from the side edge 342a is, for example, 0.5 mm. The length H2 of the step 348 in the insertion direction D1 is, for example, 0.8 mm. The thickness of the panel portion 343 in the insertion direction D1 is, for example, 1.6 mm, and the step portion 348 occupies half the length of the mounting hole 342 in the insertion direction D1.

[0061] The connector mounting member 341 has a first engaged surface 351 and a second engaged surface 352 formed on a side edge 342a facing the insertion direction D2. The first engaged surface 351 is provided on an outer surface 343b of the panel portion 343. The second engaged surface 352 is formed by the surface of the step portion 348 facing the insertion direction D2, and is disposed closer to the insertion direction D1 than the first engaged surface 351 and more inward in the width direction W. Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 18 , the claw portion 53 has an engaging surface 53c, which is an example of a first engaging surface, formed facing the insertion direction D1, and an engaging surface 53a, which is an example of a second engaging surface. The engaging surface 53a is disposed closer to the insertion direction D1 than the engaging surface 53c and more inward in the width direction W.

[0062] When the connector 50 is attached to the mounting hole 342, the engaging surface 53c of the claw 53 engages with the first engaged surface 351, and the engaging surface 53a engages with the second engaged surface 352, thereby holding the connector 50 in place. If the side edge 342a does not have the step 348, one engaging surface, for example, the engaging surface 53a, is engaged at each side edge 342a. In contrast, in this embodiment, two engaging surfaces 53a and 53c are engaged at each side edge 342a. Therefore, when an external force acts on the connector 50 from the insertion direction D1 into the mounting hole 342, the force acting on one engaging surface of the claw 53 is dispersed, making it difficult for the engaging surface to turn over, and thus preventing the connector 50 from coming loose.

[0063] As described above, according to the connector unit 340 of this embodiment, the connector mounting member 341 has a step 348 on the side edge 342a of the mounting hole 342. Therefore, engagement is possible on two surfaces, the engagement surfaces 53a and 53c of the claw 53, which makes it possible to prevent the connector 50 from being pushed in the insertion direction D1 and disengaging the claw 53, compared to when engagement is performed on only one surface. In this way, a drop-out prevention structure that can prevent the connector 50 from falling into the device main body 2 can be realized. Furthermore, this can be achieved with a simple configuration that only requires changing the shape of the inner portion of the mounting hole 342, without increasing the number of parts, thereby reducing costs. Furthermore, the simple configuration in particular reduces design constraints and allows for wide application.

[0064] In the fourth embodiment described above, the side edge 342a is provided with only one step 348, but the present invention is not limited to this, and two or more steps may be provided.

[0065] Furthermore, in the first to fourth embodiments described above, the connector units 40, 140, 240, and 340 are described as being applied to a connection portion between the image forming apparatus 1 and the sheet cassette device 8. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the connector units 40, 140, 240, and 340 may be applied to a relay portion in a connection path connecting an AC driver board (not shown) and a fuser unit (not shown) provided inside the image forming apparatus 1, or a relay portion in a connection path connecting a power supply board and each unit. Alternatively, the connector units 40, 140, 240, and 340 may be applied to a relay portion in a connection path connecting another board provided inside the image forming apparatus 1 to the connector units 40, 140, 240, and 340. In these cases, for example, during assembly of the image forming apparatus 1, it is possible to prevent the connectors from coming off during the connector connection work. Furthermore, the connector units 40, 140, 240, and 340 are not limited to being provided in the image forming apparatus 1. For example, the connector units 40, 140, 240, and 340 may be applied to a connection portion between a power supply board and a cassette heater or the like provided inside the sheet cassette device 8.

[0066] Furthermore, the connector units 40, 140, 240, and 340 can be applied to, for example, a sheet processing apparatus having a staple unit that performs a binding process on sheets, which is another optional apparatus for the image forming apparatus 1, or a sheet processing apparatus that performs other processes such as punching and sorting. For example, as shown in FIG. 19 , an image forming system 100 includes an image forming apparatus 1 and a sheet processing apparatus 101. The sheet processing apparatus 101 includes a binding processing unit 102 that performs a binding process on sheets S, and a connector unit 440. The connector unit 440 here can be, for example, one that connects the sheet processing apparatus 101 and the image forming apparatus 1, or one that connects the binding processing unit 102 and a power supply board (not shown) inside the sheet processing apparatus 101.

[0067] In addition, in the first to fourth embodiments, the connector units 40, 140, 240, and 340 are described as being provided in the image forming apparatus 1, the sheet cassette device 8, and the sheet processing apparatus 101, but the present invention is not limited to this. The connector units 40, 140, 240, and 340 may be applied as general-purpose connector units, for example.

[0068] Furthermore, the configurations of multiple embodiments among the first to fourth embodiments described above may be provided in one connector unit. For example, the connector unit may have the configurations of the first embodiment and the fourth embodiment, or the connector unit may have the configurations of the second embodiment and the third embodiment. [Explanation of symbols]

[0069] 1...image forming apparatus, 2...apparatus main body (image forming apparatus main body), 2a...housing, 5...image forming section (image forming unit), 8...sheet cassette device (other device, storage section), 40,140,240,340...connector unit, 41,141,241,341...connector mounting member, 42,42,242,342...mounting hole, 42a,342a...side edge portion (edge portion), 43,143,243,343...panel portion, 44,144,244...extension portion, 45, 145...regulating portion, 46...inclined rib, 50...connector, 52...opening (terminal portion), 53...claw portion, 53a...second engaging surface, 53c...first engaging surface, 56...tip portion, 60...mating connector (other connector), 101...sheet processing device, 147...elastic portion, 242d...edge portion, 249...protruding portion, 351...first engaged surface, 352...second engaged surface, 440...connector unit, D1...insertion direction, D2...insertion direction, S...sheet (recording material)

Claims

1. a connector mounting member having a mounting hole; a connector that is inserted into the mounting hole and attached to the connector mounting member, The connector has a terminal portion to which another connector is connected and a claw portion that engages with an edge of the mounting hole, The connector mounting member has a panel portion in which the mounting hole is formed, an extension portion extending from the panel portion toward the insertion direction of the other connector into the connector, and a restricting portion protruding from the extension portion at a position abutting or adjacent to an end portion of the connector opposite to the terminal portion in the insertion direction. A connector unit characterized by:

2. When viewed from the insertion direction, the height of the restriction portion from the extension portion is lower than the center point of the mounting hole.

2. The connector unit according to claim 1.

3. The connector mounting member has an inclined rib inclined from the extension portion toward the mounting hole.

3. The connector unit according to claim 2.

4. The extension portion has an elastic portion that is elastically deformable so as to be displaced between a restricting position where the restricting portion overlaps the mounting hole and a retracted position where the restricting portion does not overlap the mounting hole when viewed from the insertion direction.

4. The connector unit according to claim 2 or 3.

5. a connector mounting member having a mounting hole; a connector that is inserted into the mounting hole and attached to the connector mounting member, The connector has a terminal portion to which another connector is connected and a claw portion that engages with an edge of the mounting hole, The connector mounting member has a panel portion in which the mounting hole is formed, and a protrusion that protrudes from an edge portion of the mounting hole other than the edge portion with which the claw portion engages toward at least one of the upstream side and the downstream side in the insertion direction of the other connector into the connector. A connector unit characterized by:

6. the protrusions are provided on a pair of opposing edges of the mounting hole other than the edge with which the claws are engaged, 6. The connector unit according to claim 5.

7. a length in the insertion direction between the edge portion on which the protrusion is provided and the protrusion is set to be longer than a length in the insertion direction that allows the claw portion to fit into the mounting hole; 7. The connector unit according to claim 5 or 6.

8. a connector mounting member having a mounting hole; a connector that is inserted into the mounting hole and attached to the connector mounting member, The connector has a terminal portion to which another connector is connected and a claw portion that engages with an edge of the mounting hole, the claw portion has a first engagement surface facing a direction in which the other connector is inserted into the connector, and a second engagement surface facing the insertion direction and located closer to the insertion direction than the first engagement surface and on the inner side in a width direction intersecting the insertion direction, The connector mounting member has a first engaged surface formed on an edge of the mounting hole with which the claw portion engages, the first engaged surface facing upstream in the insertion direction and engaging with the first engaging surface, and a second engaged surface located closer to the insertion direction than the first engaged surface and inward in the width direction, facing upstream in the insertion direction and engaging with the second engaging surface. A connector unit characterized by:

9. an image forming unit capable of forming an image on a recording material; The connector unit according to any one of claims 1 to 8, An image forming apparatus characterized by:

10. an image forming unit capable of forming an image on a recording material; a housing that houses the image forming unit; The connector unit according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the connector unit is provided in the housing; a storage section provided below the housing in the vertical direction and configured to store sheets to be supplied to the image forming unit, the storage section having the other connector; An image forming apparatus characterized by:

11. a binding processing unit that performs binding processing on recording materials; The connector unit according to any one of claims 1 to 8, A sheet processing apparatus characterized by:

Images