Image forming apparatus including holding member

Details Image forming apparatus including holding member Image forming apparatus including holding member

2003-02-20

2004-09-07

Lee, Susan (Department: 2852)

Incremental printing of symbolic information

Electric marking apparatus or processes

Electrostatic

C399S110000, C399S118000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06788321

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a printer or a copying machine, and particularly to an image forming apparatus provided with a scanning unit emitting a laser beam.
2. Description of Related Art
FIG. 4
of the accompanying drawings shows an image forming apparatus according to the prior art. In a housing
101
, there is contained an optical scanning device
102
. The optical scanning device
102
is contained in the housing
101
while an openable and closable member
104
which is a portion of the housing
101
remains opened, and is positioned and fixed at a predetermined position.
That is, the openable and closable member
104
located on the upper surface of the housing
101
is opened, and the optical scanning device
102
is inserted from above. The optical scanning device
102
, as shown in
FIG. 5
of the accompanying drawings, is installed at a predetermined position in the housing
101
relative to a photosensitive drum
103
. The optical scanning device
102
is fixed at four locations by screws
105
in a state in which the openable and closable member of the housing
101
is opened, and the work of fixing the optical scanning device
102
is terminated.
After the work of fixating the optical scanning device
102
has been terminated, an opening portion
101
A is closed by the openable and closable member
104
in the upper portion, and the housing
101
is completed so as to surround the optical scanning device
102
in the housing
101
in the shape of a box. Thereby, the housing has housing strength which can withstand a load during the operation, the insertion shock of a cartridge (CRG) and a shock during shipment.
However, in an image forming apparatus provided with the photosensitive drum
103
and the optical scanning device
102
, it is necessary to dispose the locations of both of them accurately in the interior of the housing
101
. Moreover, the optical scanning device
102
must be housed and disposed in the interior of the housing
101
and therefore, the opening portion
101
A to a housing portion in the housing
101
must be provided without fail. Consequently, when the opening portion
101
A is provided and the optical scanning device
102
is to be housed in the housing
101
, a portion of the housing
101
is opened in the opening portion
101
A and therefore, the strength of the housing
101
is more reduced than in a state in which the opening portion
101
A is closed by the openable and closable member
104
.
Accordingly, even if the optical scanning device
102
is housed accurately relative to the photosensitive drum
3
with the openable and closable member
104
being opened, the strength of the housing
101
is reduced and therefore, during the time until the opening portion
101
A is closed by the openable and closable member
104
and the strength of the housing
101
is completed, distortion occurs to the housing
101
and after all, there has been the possibility that disorder occurs to the positions of the photosensitive drum
103
and the optical scanning device
102
.
Particularly, in the case of an image forming apparatus housing a plurality of optical scanning devices
102
therein, the rate of a housing portion housing the optical scanning devices
102
occupied in the housing
101
becomes great and moreover, the opening portion
101
A for inserting the optical scanning devices
102
therethrough into the housing portion also becomes large and therefore, the possibility that disorder occurs to the positions of the photosensitive drum
103
and the optical scanning devices
102
before the strength of the housing
102
is completed has become high.
Also, to obtain the strength of the housing with the openable and closable member
104
opened, it is necessary to increase the skeletal parts of the housing for reinforcement or to make the skeletal parts of the housing high in strength, and this has compelled a considerable increase in cost.
Further, when in the market, some trouble occurs to the optical scanning devices
102
and the interchange thereof becomes unavoidable, it is also necessary to open the opening portion
101
A of the housing
101
. If at such time, the loading portion of the housing
101
is opened in a place where, unlike a production site, there is no jig for accurately supporting the housing, distortion may occur to the housing
101
depending on the unevenness of a floor on which the image forming apparatus is installed. Accordingly, when the positions of the optical scanning devices
102
are determined with the opening portion opened, there has been a case where after all, disorder occurs to the positional relation between the photosensitive drum
103
and the optical scanning device
102
after the openable and closable member is closed. As described above, there has been a case where not only the relative position of the optical scanning device to the photosensitive drum, but also when there are a plurality of optical scanning devices, the relative position between the optical scanning devices is not ensured.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus which enables a scanning unit to be accurately positioned in the main body thereof.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus having a scanning unit emitting a laser beam, and an openable and closable member openable and closable relative to an image forming apparatus main body, the openable and closable member having a positioning portion for positioning the scanning unit.
Further, objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4479061 (1984-10-01), Koizumi et al.
patent: 6534761 (2003-03-01), Fukatsu et al.
patent: 11-219006 (1999-08-01), None
patent: 2001-154438 (2001-06-01), None

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