Image forming device

Abstract

To provide an image forming apparatus that prevents coming-off of a cable and increases the efficiency of assembly work without increasing cost.SOLUTION: An image forming apparatus comprises: a frame sheet metal 502 that is arranged on a housing; a control board 500 that is mounted on one face of the frame sheet metal 502; a relay connector part 503 that is arranged on the other face of the frame sheet metal 502; an electric component unit 504 that is arranged on the other face of the frame sheet metal 502; and a cable bundle 505 that electrically connects the control board 500, relay connector part 503, and electric component unit 504 to each other. The cable bundle 505 has a cable 505a inserted into the relay connector part 503, and a cable 505b fastened to the electric component unit 504. The length of the cable 505a is longer than that of the cable 505b.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a multifunction printer, a printer, a facsimile machine, or a printing device that uses an electrophotographic system or an electrostatic recording system. [Background technology]

[0002] An image forming apparatus is equipped with multiple electrical components such as loads for image formation and sheet transport. The operation of each electrical component is controlled by a controller. The controller is mounted on a control board. The control board is attached to a metal frame provided on the rear of the image forming apparatus, for example. The electrical components are often located on the opposite side of the control board from the metal frame. There are various methods for attaching the electrical components, such as attaching them directly to the metal frame or attaching them to a molded member and then attaching them to the metal frame.

[0003] The cables connecting the control board and electrical components in this arrangement are routed through openings in the frame sheet metal. Therefore, the cables must be long enough. To improve workability during the assembly process and simplify part replacement after shipping, relay connectors are sometimes provided between the control board and electrical components, and the cables are connected via the relay connectors.

[0004] In an image forming apparatus with such a configuration, one end of a cable is first connected to an electrical component or relay connector located inside the metal frame during the assembly process, and the other end of the cable is connected to the control board after the metal frame is attached. When connecting the cable to the control board, a worker may pull the cable while performing the assembly work, which may result in the cable being disconnected from the relay connector. If the cable is completely disconnected from the relay connector, the worker may notice the disconnection at that time and be able to reinsert the cable into the relay connector immediately. However, if the cable is only partially inserted into the relay connector, the worker may not notice the disconnection and the disconnection may be discovered in a later process. This may result in reworking the work, which may reduce productivity. To address the productivity reduction caused by such cable disconnections, Patent Document 1 proposes a method for improving workability by tying a reusable band around the cable and securing it in the wiring route. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-102083 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, reusable bands are components used to prevent cables from coming loose and are not required for the original functions of the image forming apparatus. Adding a separate component such as a reusable band to prevent cables from coming loose increases costs. For this reason, there is a demand for technology that can prevent cables from coming loose without adding additional components, thereby streamlining assembly work and improving productivity.

[0007] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above-mentioned problems, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus in which the cable is prevented from coming loose and assembly work is made more efficient without increasing costs. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The image forming apparatus of the present invention includes a metal plate disposed in a housing, a control board attached to one surface of the metal plate, a relay connector disposed on the other surface of the metal plate, an electric component disposed on the other surface of the metal plate, and a connector connecting the control board and the relay connector. a first cable electrically connecting the and the control board; Electrically connect the electrical components The second cable is bundled at least a cable bundle; to is provided with an opening through which the cable bundle passes, At the branching point of , The aforementioned First cable and The aforementioned Second cable and but Branch and from the branch point to the relay connector The length of the first cable is , from the branch point to the electrical component The second cable Length It is characterized by being longer than [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the cable from coming loose and to improve the efficiency of the assembly work without increasing costs. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a component arrangement of the image forming apparatus. [Figure 2] Enlarged view of the area around the opening. [Figure 3] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a relay connector portion. [Figure 4] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating the configuration of an electrical component unit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail by way of example with reference to the drawings.

[0012] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of the component arrangement of the image forming apparatus of this embodiment. FIG. 1 is a rear view of the image forming apparatus 100 with the rear cover removed. The image forming apparatus 100 has a frame sheet metal 502 on the rear side of the housing 101. A board unit 501 is attached to one side of the frame sheet metal 502. A control board 500, which is equipped with a controller that controls the operation of the image forming apparatus 100, is attached to the board unit 501. A relay connector unit 503 and an electric component unit 504 are arranged in the space on the other side of the frame sheet metal 502. The electric component unit 504 is a load for image formation and sheet conveyance, etc. The control board 500 controls the operation of the electric component unit 504. The relay connector unit 503 is a member that relays connections between the control board 500 and other electric components. A plurality of relay connector units 503 and electric component units 504 are provided within the image forming apparatus 100. The control board 500 and the relay connector 503 are also examples of electrical components.

[0013] The control board 500, the relay connector section 503, and the electric component unit 504 are arranged on opposite sides of the frame metal sheet 502. The control board 500, the relay connector section 503, and the electric component unit 504 are electrically connected by a cable bundle 505 in which multiple cables are bundled. For this purpose, the frame metal sheet 502 has an opening 506 through which the cable bundle 505 passes. The cable bundle 505 connects the control board 500, the relay connector section 503, and the electric component unit 504 via the opening 506.

[0014] In this embodiment, a connector 510 into which a cable bundle 505 is inserted is provided in the lower left portion of the control board 500. An opening 506 is disposed on the left side of the board unit 501. The cable bundle 505 inserted into the connector 510 of the control board 500 is disposed toward the left side of the board unit 501, passes through the opening 506, and heads toward the relay connector unit 503 and the electric component unit 504.

[0015] 2 is an enlarged view of the vicinity of opening 506. Cable bundle 505 branches in the direction of relay connector 503 and the direction of electric component unit 504. The cable connected to relay connector 503 is cable 505a (first cable), and the cable connected to electric component unit 504 is cable 505b (second cable). A cable tie 507 is provided at the branching point. When cable bundle 505 is pulled in the direction of control board 500 (direction of the arrow), tension acts on relay connector 503 or electric component unit 504.

[0016] 3 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of relay connector unit 503. Relay connector unit 503 has a configuration in which relay connector 532 is provided on holding plate 533. Holding plate 533 is a member made of mold, metal, or the like, and is engaged with housing 101 of image forming apparatus 100. Cable 505a connected to relay connector unit 503 has connector 531 crimped thereto. Connector 531 is inserted into relay connector 532. Therefore, if cable 505a is pulled in the direction of the arrow, connector 531 may come off relay connector 532. When cable 505a is pulled in the direction of the arrow, tension acts on connector 531 that secures cable 505a, and therefore the end of connector 531 is used as a reference position.

[0017] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the electric component unit 504. FIG. 4(a) is a perspective view of the electric component unit 504, and FIG. 4(b) is a side view of the electric component unit 504. The electric component unit 504 has an electric component 522 attached to a holder 523. The electric component 522 has a metal contact 521. The contact 521 passes through the electric component 522 and is fixed to the end of a cable 505b by a solder portion 524. The cable 505b is routed inside the holder 523 and fastened to the holder 523 with a cable tie 525. In this way, the electric component unit 504 is integrated with the cable 505b.

[0018] Holder 523 has protruding hooks 526 and 527. When electric component unit 504 is attached to image forming apparatus 100, hooks 526 and 527 are engaged with engaging holes, which are openings 5021 and 5022, provided in frame sheet metal 502. Electric component unit 504 attached directly to frame sheet metal 502 in this manner is configured to be less likely to come off frame sheet metal 502. When cable 505b is pulled in the direction of the arrow, tension acts on cable tie 525, which essentially secures cable 505b to holder 523, and therefore the end of cable tie 525 is used as the reference position.

[0019] In the above configuration, as shown in FIG. 2 , the length of cable 505a from cable band 507, which is the branch point of cable bundle 505, to the reference position of relay connector 503 is x [mm]. The length of cable 505b from cable band 507 to the reference position of electric component unit 504 is y [mm]. The length x of cable 505a is longer than the length y of cable 505b (x>y). By setting the lengths in this manner, when cable bundle 505 is pulled toward control board 500, tension acts on electric component unit 504 before on relay connector 503. In electric component unit 504, tension acts on cable band 525, but not on solder portion 524. Therefore, even if cable bundle 505 is pulled toward control board 500, there is little chance that cable 505b will be pulled out of electric component unit 504.

[0020] The relay connector 503 applies tension to the electric component unit 504 side, thereby preventing the cable 505a from coming loose. Therefore, by preventing the cable 505a from coming loose without adding any additional components, it is possible to prevent rework during the assembly work. This improves the efficiency of the assembly work and productivity.

[0021] In the above description, an example has been described in which the electric component unit 504 is attached to the frame metal sheet 502. However, the electric component unit 504 may be attached to a molded member on the other surface of the frame metal sheet 502 at a position such that the length of the cable 505b is shorter than the length of the cable 505a.

[0022] As described above, in the image forming apparatus 100 of this embodiment, a cable bundle 505 is connected from the board unit 501 provided on the metal frame 502 provided on the rear side to the relay connector section 503 and the electric component unit 504, which are arranged on either side of the metal frame 502. The cable bundle 505 passes through an opening 506 provided in the metal frame 502, and connects the board unit 501 to the relay connector section 503 and the electric component unit 504. The cable bundle 505 branches into a cable 505a and a cable 505b.

[0023] Connector 531 of cable 505a is inserted into relay connector 532 of relay connector portion 503. Cable 505b is fixed directly to electric component unit 504 without going through a connector. Cable 505a is longer than cable 505b. Cable 505b is fastened to holder 523 of electric component unit 504 with cable binding band 525.

[0024] That is, one end of cable bundle 505 is attached to control board 500. The other end of cable bundle 505 branches into cable 505a having a first other end and cable 505b having a second other end. The first other end of cable 505a is inserted into relay connector 532, and the second other end of cable 505b is fixed to electrical component 522. Cable 505a having the first other end is longer than cable 505b having the second other end. Therefore, tension generated when cable bundle 505 is pulled toward one end acts on cable 505b to which the second other end is fixed, but does not act on cable 505a to which the first other end is inserted. This prevents cable 505a from coming loose at the first other end. This prevents rework during the assembly process and improves productivity.

Claims

1. a metal plate to be placed on the housing; a control board attached to one surface of the metal plate; a relay connector disposed on the other surface of the metal plate; an electrical component disposed on the other surface of the metal plate; a cable bundle including at least a first cable electrically connecting the control board and the relay connector and a second cable electrically connecting the control board and the electrical component, The metal plate is provided with an opening through which the cable bundle passes, The first cable and the second cable branch off at a branch point of the cable bundle, The length of the first cable from the branch point to the relay connector is longer than the length of the second cable from the branch point to the electrical component. Image forming device.

2. The electrical component is attached at a position on the other surface such that the second cable is shorter than the first cable.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1.

3. The electrical component is attached to the other surface of the metal plate.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2.

4. The electrical component is attached to a holder having a protruding hook portion, The metal plate is provided with a locking hole, The electrical component is attached to the metal plate by engaging the hook portion with the engaging opening.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3.

5. The second cable is fastened to the holder by a cable band.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4.

6. the relay connector has a connector into which the first cable is inserted and is engaged with the housing, The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. the electrical component is a load for image formation, The control board controls the operation of the electrical components. The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

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