Electrophotography – Machine operation – Having power supply
Reexamination Certificate
2002-04-10
2004-11-30
Ngo, Hoang (Department: 2852)
Electrophotography
Machine operation
Having power supply
Reexamination Certificate
active
06826377
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION AND RELATED ART
The present invention relates to a power unit and an image forming apparatus to which the power unit is mounted. The power unit is usable with an image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic type, electrostatic recording type or the like process. The power unit is optionally installed in the image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, printer or the like when the user desires.
Referring to
FIGS. 9 and 10
, a conventional example will be described.
In this conventional example, the main assembly
110
A comprises an original reading station (reader apparatus)
105
A and an image formation station (printer)
106
A.
The copying image formation will be briefly described. Image information is obtained by scanning an original using the reader apparatus
105
A. A photosensitive member is uniformly charged by charging means, and the surface of the photosensitive member is exposed to the image information by exposure means to form an electrostatic latent image to develop the electrostatic latent image by a developing device. A recording paper is fed from a sheet feeding cassette
1
disposed at a lower portion of the main assembly, and the developed image provided by the developing device is transferred onto the recording paper by transferring means. The recording paper now having the image transferred thereonto is fed to a fixing device, which fixed the image on the recording paper and discharges the recording paper to the outside.
The description will be made as to conventional structure around a power unit which is an option apparatus (option voltage source) detachable to the main assembly of the image forming apparatus.
FIG. 9
is a rear view of the option apparatus and the main assembly of the image forming apparatus. Designated by
110
A is the main assembly of the image forming apparatus;
111
A is an original feeder apparatus which is one kind of an option apparatus for feeding an original to be copied to the image reading station;
112
A is a cassette pedestal apparatus which is one kind of an option apparatus for feeding sheets to the image forming apparatus, the cassette pedestal apparatus being provided with a sheet feeding device and a sheet feeding cassette described in conjunction with
FIG. 6
;
113
A is paper-deck apparatus which is one kind of an option apparatus for feeding sheets to the image forming apparatus, the paper-deck apparatus
113
A having a function of feeding the sheets;
114
A is a finishing apparatus which is an option apparatus for aligning, stapling and/or sorting the sheets discharged from the main assembly of the image forming apparatus;
115
A is a first voltage source cable for supplying electric power to the feeder apparatus
111
A from the main assembly
110
A of the apparatus;
116
A is a first connector for connecting the first voltage source cable
115
A to the main assembly of the apparatus;
117
A is a second voltage source cable for supplying electric power from the main assembly
110
A of the apparatus to the cassette pedestal apparatus
112
A;
118
A is a second connector for connecting the second voltage source cable
117
A to the main assembly of the apparatus;
119
A is a third voltage source cable for supplying electric power to the paper deck apparatus
113
A from the main assembly
110
A of the apparatus main assembly of the apparatus;
120
A is a third connector for connecting the third voltage source cable
119
A to the main assembly of the apparatus;
121
A is a fourth cable for supplying electric power to the finishing apparatus
114
A from the main assembly
110
A of the apparatus;
122
A is a fourth connector for connecting the fourth voltage source cable
121
A to the main assembly of the apparatus; and
123
A in an outer casing of the main assembly of the apparatus. The first, second, third and fourth connectors are disposed in the main assembly
100
A of the copying image forming apparatus.
FIG. 10
shows an inside of the main assembly of the apparatus, omitting the outer casing
123
A. In
FIG. 10
, designated by
124
A is a main voltage source for supply 24V in the main assembly
110
A of the apparatus;
125
A is a low and high voltage source for supplying a low voltage not more than 23V such as 3, 5, 13V or the like and a high voltage such as not less than 100V in the main assembly of the apparatus;
126
A is a DC voltage source for supplying a starting and stopping signal to each of the driving source in the main assembly of the apparatus in
FIG. 10
; and
107
A is a reader controller for controlling an original reading operation of the main assembly of the apparatus.
Here, the cassette pedestal apparatus
112
A is supplied with a control signal from the DC voltage source
126
A of the main assembly of the apparatus and with electric power from the low and high voltage source (
124
A,
125
A) through the second connector
118
A and the second voltage source cable
117
A. Designated by
127
A is an option voltage source, detachable to the main assembly
110
A of the apparatus, for providing a voltage source (24V, 5V or the like) for driving each of the option apparatus (
11
A,
113
A,
114
A). Driving. The option voltage source
127
A is disposed adjacent the original feeder apparatus
111
A which is most often used among the option apparatuses (
111
A,
113
A,
114
A) except for the cassette pedestal apparatus
112
A. The original feeder apparatus
111
A is supplied with a control signal from the reader controller
107
A and with the driving electric power from the option voltage source through the first connector
116
A and the first cable
115
A. The paper deck apparatus
113
A and the finishing apparatus
114
A are supplied with a control signal from the DC voltage source
126
A and with the driving electric power from the option voltage source through the third and fourth connectors (
120
A,
122
A) and the third and fourth cables (
119
A,
121
A).
Depending on the structure of the option voltage source, (1) the cassette pedestal apparatus
112
A may be supplied with the electric power from the option voltage source
127
A, (2) some of the option apparatuses (
111
A,
112
A,
113
A,
114
A) may be supplied with electric power from the main voltage source
124
A of the main assembly, and the other may be supplied with the option voltage source.
As shown in
FIGS. 9
,
10
, in the conventional structure, the option voltage source
127
A is detachable relative to the main assembly
110
A of the apparatus, and it is loaded in the main assembly of the apparatus only when an option apparatus to be driven by the option voltage source
127
A. By doing so, the cost of the main assembly
110
A is lowered, and the user not requiring the option apparatus is free from additional cost. In addition, by reducing the number of cables directly connected to the electrical outlet, the number of change devices required for permitting use in areas providing different voltages, can be reduced.
However, in a conventional system, the electric power is supplied from one option voltage source to all of the option apparatuses. Therefore, the original feeder apparatus and the cassette pedestal apparatus which are relatively frequently used and the cassette deck and the finishing apparatus which are relatively less frequently used, are supplied with the electric power from the same option voltage source. This is so in order to reduce the cost of the main assembly of the apparatus. Despite the fact that it is intended to reduce the cost imparted to the user not requiring the option apparatus, the option voltage source apparatus is such as to cover all of the option apparatuses, and therefore, is expensive. For example, the same option voltage source apparatus has to be used even when the original feeder apparatus and/or the cassette pedestal is used, but the cassette deck or finishing apparatus is not used. The connector (
116
A,
118
A,
120
A,
122
A) to which the conventional option apparatus (
111
A,
112
A,
113
A,
114
A) is connected, is disposed at a position close to the option ap
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