Patent Grant
9804555
The present invention relates to a positioning member and an image forming apparatus including the positioning member. As this image forming apparatus, it is possible to cite, for example, a copying machine, a printer, a facsimile machine or a multi-function machine having a plurality of functions of these machines.
Conventionally, in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, a toner image is formed on a recording material (sheet) using an electrophotographic process and is fixed on the recording material by a fixing apparatus (fixing device). In such an image forming apparatus, it is preferable that mounting of the fixing device to a main assembly framework (main assembly frame) with high accuracy.
Therefore, in an apparatus described in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application 2005-292612, a projected bar of a position adjusting member is inserted into a hole of a fixing device via an elongated hole of a position adjusting plate temporarily fixed to a main assembly frame and then the position adjusting plate is moved and a position of the fixing device is adjusted. Then, when positional adjustment is completed, the position adjusting member and the position adjusting plate are fastened to the main assembly frame with a screw, so that the fixing device is fixed to the main assembly frame.
However, in the case of a constitution described in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application 2005-292612, there is a need to perform a position adjusting step when the fixing device is assembled, so that the step constitutes an obstacle to shortening of a time required for a manufacturing (assembling) step of the image forming apparatus.
However, after the fixing device is assembled with the main assembly frame, for example, the image forming apparatus is installed in an inclined place or the image forming apparatus is subjected to impact (shock) during use thereof, so that there is a liability that a situation that the main assembly frame is distorted generates. In the case where such a situation generates, there is a possibility that a relative positional relationship between the fixing device and another device (for example, a transfer device) is broken, and therefore it is desirable that the positional adjustment is made enable after the fixing device is assembled.
According to the present invention, there is provided a positioning member configured to be fixed to a main assembly frame of an image forming apparatus and configured to position a fixing device, comprising:
a mounting portion configured to mount one end of the fixing device with respect to a first direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal direction of the fixing device;
a first projected portion configured to be inserted into a first hole of the main assembly frame, wherein the first projected portion has a shape that the first projected portion is substantially immovable relative to the main assembly frame in a second direction substantially parallel to the first direction and is movable relative to the main assembly frame in a third direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction;
a second projected portion configured to be inserted into a second hole of the main assembly frame, wherein the second projected portion has a shape that the second projected portion is substantially immovable relative to the main assembly frame in the second direction substantially parallel to the first direction and is movable relative to the main assembly frame in the third direction; and
a third projected portion configured to be inserted into a third hole of the main assembly frame, wherein the third projected portion has a shape that the third projected portion is substantially immovable relative to the main assembly frame in the third direction substantially parallel to the first direction and is movable relative to the main assembly frame in the second direction;
wherein the third projected portion includes a snap-off facilitating portion which facilitates to snap off in order to permit movement of the positioning member relative to the main assembly frame in the third direction.
An embodiment of the present invention will be described using
[Image Forming Apparatus]
An image forming apparatus 10 in this embodiment is a full-color printer employing an electrophotographic type. Such an image forming apparatus 10 includes an image forming portion (image forming device) 11 for forming a toner image and a recording material feeding portion 12 for feeding a recording material for transferring thereon the toner image formed by the image forming portion 11. Incidentally, as the recording material, it is possible to cite, for example, a transfer sheet, an electrofax sheet, electrostatic recording paper, an OHP sheet, printing paper, format paper, and so on. The image forming portion 11 has a constitution of a so-called tandem type in which a plurality of image forming stations 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d are arranged in a traveling direction of an intermediary transfer belt 13. At the image forming stations 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, toner images of yellow, magenta, cyan, black, are formed, respectively. In the case of this embodiment, each of the respective image forming stations 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d is constituted by a process cartridge.
At each of the image forming stations, the toner image is formed in the following manner. First, a surface of a photosensitive drum 14 is electrically charged by a charging device such as a charging roller, and the charged surface of the photosensitive drum 14 is exposed by an exposure device 15 to light depending on image information by a laser or the like, so that an electrostatic latent image is formed. Then, the electrostatic latent image is developed with a toner by a developing device, so that the toner image is formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 14.
The toner images formed on the surfaces of the photosensitive drums 14 of the respective image forming stations are successively transferred superposedly on the intermediary transfer belt 13 at primary transfer portions T1, so that a full-color toner image is formed on the intermediary transfer belt 13. At the primary transfer portion T1, a primary transfer roller 16 as a primary transfer portion disposed opposed to the photosensitive drum 14 while sandwiching the intermediary transfer belt 13 therebetween. Then, by applying a primary transfer bias to between the primary transfer roller 16 and the photosensitive drum 14, the toner image on the photosensitive drum 14 is transferred onto the intermediary transfer belt 13.
The toner images on the intermediary transfer belt 13 are transferred onto a recording material P feed by a recording material feeding portion 12, at a secondary transfer portion T2. At the secondary transfer portion T2, an inner secondary transfer roller 17a and an outer secondary transfer roller 17b which are provided opposed to each other while sandwiching the intermediary transfer belt 13 therebetween are disposed. Then, by applying a secondary transfer bias to between the inner secondary transfer roller 17a and the outer secondary transfer roller 17b, the toner images on the intermediary transfer belt 13 are transferred onto the recording material P. In this embodiment, these intermediary transfer belt 13, inner secondary transfer roller 17a and outer secondary transfer roller 17b constitute a transfer device 40. The recording material P on which the toner images are transferred by the transfer device 40 is heated and pressed by a fixing apparatus (fixing device) 100 as a heating device, so that the toner images are subjected to a fixing process. Details of the fixing device 100 will be described later. The recording material P on which the toner images are fixed is discharged onto a discharge tray 19 by a discharging roller 19.
The recording material feeding portion 12 is constituted by a plurality of feeding rollers, and the recording material P accommodated in a cassette 20 is picked up by a pick-up roller 21 and is fed to a feeding path 22. The recording material P fed to the feeding path 22 is fed to the secondary transfer portion T2 by a registration roller pair 23 by being timed to the tone images formed on the image forming portion 11. Further, the recording material P discharged from the fixing device 100 is reversed for effecting double-side printing and is fed to a reverse feeding path 30 in addition to the discharge onto the discharge tray 19 as described above. The recording material P fed through the reverse feeding path 22 merges with the feeding path 22 and is fed to the secondary transfer portion T2 similarly as described above.
Further, in the case of this embodiment, on an apparatus main assembly 24 in which the above-described various devices are disposed, an openable door 25 is provided so as to open and close freely. The openable door 25 is provided rotatably about a rotation shaft 26 on a side where the feeding path 22 and the fixing device 100 are disposed. Then, by opening the openable door 25, the fixing device 100 and the feeding path 22 are exposed, so that mounting and demounting of the fixing device 100 and removal of a jammed recording material become possible. For this reason, the fixing device 100 is provided so as to be detachably mountable to the apparatus main assembly 24. A one-side roller of a feeding roller pair such as the registration roller pair 23 disposed in the feeding path 22, and the outer secondary transfer roller 17b constituting the secondary transfer portion T2 is provided on the openable door 25 side. Further, when the openable door 25 is opened, these rollers are spaced from the opposing rollers and the intermediary transfer belt 13.
[Fixing Device]
Next, details of the fixing device 100 as an heating apparatus (device) in this embodiment will be described using
The fixing film 101 is a cylindrical heat-resistant member obtained by forming an elastic layer on a base layer of a cylindrical thin metal, and is loosely fitted in locus-regulating members 105 disposed at both end portions of the fixing film 101. With respect to such a fixing film 101, in order to improve a quick start property by making a thermal capacity mall, a film thickness is made 100 μm or less, preferably 20 μm or more and 50 μm or less. The fixing film 101 may also be a film including a base layer formed of metal such as SUS or may also be a single-layer film such as PTFE, PFA or FEP which have a heat-resistant property. Or, the fixing film 101 may also be a composite-layer film including a base layer of polyimide, polyamideimide, PEEK, PES, PPS or the like and a coating or coated layer of PTFE, PFA, FEP or the like on an outer peripheral surface of the base layer.
The opposite roller 102 is constituted by a core metal consisting of metal such as iron and a heat-resistant elastic material layer, molded and coated concentrically integrally about the core metal, formed of a silicone rubber, a fluorine-containing rubber or a fluorine-containing resin, and a parting layer is provided as a surface layer. For example, as a material for the parting layer, it is possible to select a material, having a good parting property and a good heat-resistant property, such as a fluorine-containing resin, a silicone resin, a fluorine-silicon rubber, a fluorine-containing rubber or a silicone rubber. At both end portions of the core metal, unshown pressing member supporting members consisting at a heat-resistant resin such as PEEK, PPS or a liquid crystal polymer are mounted and rotatably supported. Further, the opposite roller 102 is driven by a motor 131, as a driving source, provided in the apparatus main assembly 24. The fixing film 101 is rotated by rotationally driving the opposite roller 102, and feeds the recording material nipped in the nip N.
As described above, the locus-regulating members 105 fitted in the fixing film 101 at the both end portions of the fixing film 101 are members consisting of PET, PPS, LCP or the like which is the heat-resistant resin. Such a locus-regulating member 105 is movably supported by a side plate of the fixing device 100, and not only rotatably supports the fixing film 101 but also is disposed in a casing of the fixing device 100. Then, the locus-regulating member 105 not only guides rotation of the fixing film 101 but also functions as an abutting portion of the fixing film 101 in a longitudinal direction (direction crossing a recording material feeding direction at the nip N).
Inside the fixing film 101, a stay 106 is disposed along the longitudinal direction, and both end portions of the stay 106 are supported by the locus-regulating members 105. Such a stay 106 is a member principally consisting of a metal such as iron or SUS. Further, on an opposite roller 102 side of the stay 106, a press-contact member 107 is disposed. Further, by pressing the stay 106 against the press-contact member 107 made by a relatively soft resin, the press-contact member 107 is caused to have a strength with respect to the longitudinal direction (direction crossing the recording material feeding direction at the nip N) and the press-contact member 17 is rectified.
The press-contact member 107 is a heat-resistant and heat-insulating member having a substantially semi-circular shape in cross-section. For example, the press-contact member 107 is formed of a material, having a good insulating property and a good heat-resistant property, such as a phenolic resin, a polyimide resin, a polyamide resin, a polyamideimide resin, PEEK resin, PES resin, PPS resin, PFA resin, PTFE resin or LCP resin. Further, the press-contact member 107 performs functions of backing-up the fixing film 101, being press-contacted against the fixing film 101 toward the opposite roller 102 and realizing feeding stability of the fixing film 101 during rotation.
A ceramic heater (herein after referred to as a heater) 104 as a heating source is supported by the press-contact member 107. The heater 104 is engaged in a groove formed on a surface of the press-contact member 107 on the nip N side along the longitudinal direction and is supported. The heater 104 includes, as a basic structure, an elongated thin plate-like ceramic substrate and an electric power supplying heat generating resistor layer, and is a low thermal capacitance heater increasing in temperature with an abrupt rising characteristic as a whole by electric power supply to the heat generating resistor layer.
The fixing device 100 constituted as described above ensures parallelism with the transfer device 40 as shown in
At this time, in the case where the parallelism between the fixing device 100 and the transfer device 40 is deviated, a direction in which the recording material is fed at the secondary transfer nip N2 and a direction in which the recording material is fed at the fixing nip N do not coincide with each other. For this reason, there is a possibility that creases generate on the recording material or that the recording material is fed in a twisted state. Accordingly, in order to cause the respective feeding directions to coincide with each other, the parallelism between the fixing device 100 and the transfer device 40 is ensured. Specifically, a direction (chain line F1) perpendicular to the feeding direction in which the recording material is fed at the fixing nip N and a direction (chain line T) perpendicular to the feeding direction in which the recording material is fed at the secondary transfer nip N2 are made parallel to each other. For this reason, in this embodiment, as shown in
[Positioning of Fixing Device]
Next, positioning of such a fixing device 100 will be described using
The positioning member 200 includes, as shown in
That is, the first positioning member 140 is disposed singly on the supporting plate portion 202 on one side (right side of
Further, the second positioning member 140 is disposed singly on the supporting plate portion 202 on the other side (left side of
[First Positioning Member]
On the first positioning member 140, as shown in
[Second Positioning Member]
On the second positioning member 141, as shown in
The first projection 141b has, as shown in
The second projection 141c has, as shown in
The holes 203a, 203b into which the first projection 141b and the second projection 141c are inserted, respectively, are spaced and disposed with respect to the X direction, and each of the heaters 203a, 203b is long with respect to the Z direction and is formed in a rectangular shape that both end surfaces thereof with respect to the X direction are parallel to the Z direction. Further, the holes 203a, 203b are freely engageable with the first projection 141b and the second projection 141c, respectively. Further, dimensions of the holes 203a, 203b with respect to the Z direction are made larger than dimensions of the first projection 141b and the second projection 141c, respectively. Further, also dimensions of the holes 203a, 203b with respect to the X direction are made larger than dimensions of the first projection 141b and the second projection 141c, respectively.
Into the thus-constituted holes 203a, 203b, the first projection 141b and the second projection 141c are inserted, respectively, so that the holes 203a, 203b and the first projection 141b and the second projection 141c are engaged with each other, respectively. At this time, the chamfers formed on the first projection 141b and the second projection 141c guide entrance into the holes 203a, 203b. Further, as described later, in a state in which the third projection 141c and the hole 203c are engaged with each other, gaps (spacings) C1, C2 (
Further, the first projection 141b, the second projection 141c and the holes 203a, 203b position the second positioning member 141 relative to the supporting plate portion 203 of the main assembly frame 201 with respect to the X direction by engaging with each other, respectively, with respect to the X direction. For this purpose, a width X1 between outside surfaces of the holes 203, 203b with respect to the X direction is made substantially equal to a width between outside surfaces of the first projection 141b and the second projection 141c with respect to the X direction. Further, by engaging the outside surfaces of the first projection 141b and the second projection 141c with the outside surfaces of the holes 203a, 203b, respectively, with respect to the X direction, the second positioning member 141 is positioned to the main assembly frame 201 with respect to the X direction. Accordingly, by providing two projections for effecting positioning with respect to the X direction, i.e., by providing the first projection 141b and the second projection 141c, the positioning member 141 is prevented from rotating in e direction (
The third projection 141d has, as shown in
Further, the corners of the free end surface of the third projection 141d and both side surfaces of the third projection 141d with respect to the Z direction are chamfered. The hole 203c into which the third projection 141d is to be inserted is formed in a rectangular shape long in the Z direction. Further, the hole 203c is freely engageable with the third projection 141d. When the third projection 141d enters the hole 203c, the third projection 141d is guided by the chamfers formed thereon.
The third projection 141d enters and engages with the hole 203c, so that the second positioning member 141 is positioned to the supporting plate portion 203 of the main assembly frame 201. For this purpose, a dimension Z2 of the hole 203c with respect to the Z direction is made substantially equal to a dimension of the third projection 141d with respect to the Z direction. Further, both side surfaces of the third projection 141d with respect to the Z direction and both side surfaces of the hole 203c are constituted so as to engage with each other. In other words, the third projection 141d engages with the hole 203c with respect to the Z direction.
On the other hand, a dimension of the third projection 141d with respect to the X direction is made smaller than a dimension of the hole 203c with respect to the X direction. Further, in a state in which the third projection 141c and the hole 203c are engaged with each other, gaps (spacings) C3, C4 (
Further, the third projection 141d is constituted so as to project from the hole 203c at least at the free end portion in a state in which the third projection 141d is engaged with the hole 203c. Further, in this state, the stepped portion 141f for causing the third projection 141d and the main assembly portion 141e to be continuous to each other is provided on the main assembly portion side than the hole 203c. By this, by gripping a free end of the third projection 141d projecting from the hole 203c and by applying a force in the X direction, so that the third projection 141d is snapped off at the stepped portion 141f and thus the third projection 141d can be removed so as to be disengaged from the hole 203c.
By mounting the fixing device 100 with the above-described relationships, the first positioning member 140 and the second positioning member 141 are positioned to the main assembly frame 201. For this reason, the fixing device 100 is supported by the first positioning member 140 and the second positioning member 141, so that the position of the fixing device 100 with respect to the Z direction is determined. At this time, the positions of the both end portions of the fixing device 100 with respect to the widthwise direction are determined by the first positioning member 140 and the second positioning member 141, respectively, and therefore also parallelism of the fixing device 100 with the transfer device 40 is determined.
Thus, in this embodiment, the two positioning members are mounted so that there is no need to effect particular adjustment during assembling of the fixing device. For that reason, positional accuracy of the holes formed in the main assembly frame is ensured, and also positional accuracy of the projections disposed on the positioning members 140, 141 is ensured. However, after the assembling, in the case where if the adjustment of the parallelism of the fixing device is needed, a device is made so that the adjustment is enabled by moving the second positioning member 141 relative to the main assembly frame. That is, the second positioning member 141 has a constitution in which although the position of the fixing device 100 is regularized by mounting the second positioning member 141 to the main assembly frame 201 with no particular adjustment, the third projection 141d is made removable easily by being formed as described above in order to enable to adjustment of the parallelism of the fixing device 100 for the event of an emergency.
That is, the third projection 141d is, as shown in the above-described
Further, the third projection 141d is made short in length with respect to the X direction relative to the Z direction, so that the third projection 141d facilitates to snap off when the force is applied in the X direction as described above. By snapping off and removing the third projection 141d, the second positioning member 141 is positionally adjustable with respect to the Z direction, with the result that the adjustment of the parallelism of the fixing device 100 with the transfer device 40 becomes possible. In order to facilitate the third projection 141d to snap off in the X direction, the width of the third projection 141d with respect to the X direction may desirably be 1.2 mm or less.
Further, the third projection 141d has a shape capable of facilitating to snap off at a desired position when the force is applied toward the X direction. For this purpose, as described above, the stepped portion 141f is provided in the neighborhood of a base portion of the third projection 141d, so that a shape (thin) that the main assembly portion 141e constituting the base portion is thick and the third projection 141d which is a free end-side portion is thin is formed. By forming such a shape, when the force is applied to the third projection 141d, a stress concentrates at the stepped portion 141f, so that the third projection 141d becomes easy to be removed by snapping off only the narrowed free end portion. That is, by applying the force in the X direction, the stress concentrates in the neighborhood of the stepped portion 141f where the third projection 141d thinner than the main assembly portion 141e is continuous to the main assembly portion 141e, so that the third projection 141d is snapped off at the stepped portion 141f or in the neighborhood thereof. Accordingly, in the case of this embodiment, the neighborhood of the stepped portion 141f of the thin third projection 141d constitutes the snap-off facilitating portion. Incidentally, in this embodiment, the stepped portion 141f is thus formed, so that the third projection 141d facilitates to snap off with respect to the X direction (to have the snap-off facilitating portion), but the present invention is not limited to this if a shape which facilitates to snap off in the X direction is formed. In summary, the snap-off facilitating portion may only be required to have a snap-off facilitating shape, such as a thin portion, thinner than another portion, and for example, such a constitution that a recessed shape is provided with respect to the X direction in the neighborhood of the base portion and the stress is concentrated at the recessed-shape portion may also be employed.
On the other hand, the third projection 141d has the shape which facilitates to snap off when a load is exerted in the X direction, but in a situation in which the adjustment is not effected, the third projection 141d is prevented from unintentionally snapping off by being subjected to the force with respect to the X direction. That is, as described above, the third projection 141d and the hole 203c have the gaps C3, C4 with respect to the X direction. By this, in ordinal use in which the adjustment is not made, the third projection 141d is prevented from being subjected to the load with respect to the X direction, so that unintentional snapping-off of the third projection 141d or the like is prevented.
Subsequently, the case where the third projection 141d snaps off in order to effect the adjustment of the fixing device 100 will be described. The second positioning member 141 is movable in a predetermined Z direction, in a state in which the second positioning member 141 is positioned to the main assembly frame 201 with respect to the X direction, by removing the third projection 141d. In the case where the third projection 141d is snapped off and removed, as shown in
At this time, as described above, the stepped portion 141f provided in the neighborhood of the base portion of the third projection 141d is provided at a position retracted on the main assembly portion 141e side than the hole 203c. For this reason, the snap-off portion of the third projection 141d can be set at the retracted position from the main assembly frame 201. By this, when the third projection 141d is snapped off and the second positioning member 141 is intended to be fluctuated, it is possible to prevent that a remaining portion of the third projection 141d without being snapped off is caught in the hole 203c or the like to constitute an obstacle to movement.
When the second positioning member 141 is moved in the Z direction, also the fixing device 100 supported by the second positioning member 141 is moved. The first positioning member 140 supporting the fixing device 100 on one side with respect to the widthwise direction is positioned with respect to the Z direction as described above, and a position thereof is unchanged. For this reason, the second positioning member 141 is, in the case where the third projection 141d is removed, swingable in the Z direction on the other side with respect to the widthwise direction of the fixing device 100 about, as a fulcrum, the widthwise one side of the fixing device 100 supported by the first positioning member 140. That is, only one of the widthwise sides of the fixing device 100 moves in the Z direction.
For example, when the second positioning member 141 is raised toward an upper side (one side with respect to the Z direction), with the raising, the second positioning member 141 side of the fixing device 100 is raised. Then, as shown in
Thus, when the second positioning member 141 is moved in the Z direction and the position of the fixing device 100 is adjusted to a desired position, the second positioning member 141 is fixed to the main assembly frame 201 by a fastening member such as a screw. Specifically, the positioning member 141 is fixed so as to be immovable relative to the main assembly frame 201 by the screw through a hole 141e (
In the case of this embodiment, the third projection 141d and the hole 203c are engaged with each other in such a manner, so that the second positioning member 141 is positioned parallel to the main assembly frame 201 with respect to the Z direction. The second positioning member 141 effects the positioning of the fixing device 100 while supporting the fixing device 100, and therefore during the assembling of the fixing device 100, can effect the positioning of the fixing device 100 to the main assembly frame 201 without performing the positional adjustment.
Further, by removing the third projection 141d, the second positioning member 141 is movable in the Z direction, the positional adjustment of the fixing device 100 with respect to the Z direction can be effected later as described above. At this time, positional relationships of the first projection 141b and the second projection 141c with the hole 203a and the hole 203b, respectively, are unchanged, and therefore a relative positional relationship of the second positioning member 141 with the main assembly frame 201 with respect to the X direction and the e direction is unchanged. For this reason, a person performing an adjusting operation can easily adjust the second positioning member 141 with respect to the Z direction without concern for deviation of the second positioning member 141 in the X direction and tilting of the second positioning member 141 with respect to the Z direction.
In the above-described embodiment, a mechanism for positioning and adjustment relating to the parallelism of the fixing device 100 and a mechanism for the adjustment were described. However, the present invention is similarly applicable to, in addition to this, also a mechanism for positioning and adjustment relating to the parallelism of the feeding unit for feeding the recording material (sheet).
Further, in the above-described embodiment, the positioning of the second positioning member 141 with respect to the X direction is made by the engagement of the outside surfaces of the first projection 141b and the second projection 141c with the outside surfaces of the two holes 203a, 203b. However, in the present invention, for example, a constitution in which a rectangular projection having a length with respect to one of the Z directions and one of the X directions and its corresponding hole are engaged with each other may also be employed. Further, the projection provided on the second positioning member 141 may also be engaged with a wall portion provided on the main assembly frame 201 to realize the positioning. Further, the second positioning member 141 itself is caused to enter the recessed portion provided on the main assembly frame 201, so that the positioning of the second positioning member 141 with respect to the X direction may also be effected by contact of a side surface of the second positioning member 141 with an inner surface of the recessed portion. In summary, the second positioning member 141 may only be required that the positioning of the second positioning member 141 is made and when is moved in the Z direction, the second positioning member 141 is movable in the Z direction without rotating.
As the hole 203c, the hole is not limited to a through hole but may also be a recessed portion with which the projected portion is engageable. However, in the case where the third projection 141d is removed with the snap-off facilitating portion as a starting point in a state in which the positioning member 141 is kept mounted to the main assembly frame 201, the hole 203 may preferably be the through hole. That is, a constitution in which the third projection 141d is projected and exposed from the through hole may preferably be employed.
Further, the first and second engaging portions such as the first projection 141b and the second projection 141c may also be provided on one member or the other member of the above-described main assembly frame 201 and second positioning member 141. Further, the first and second portions-to-be-engaged such as the holes 203a, 203b are provided in a member, of the one member and the other member, provided with no first and second engaging portions. For example, the projected portion is provided on the one member, and the hole is provided in the other member. Further, the portion-to-be-engaged is not limited to the through hole such as the holes 203a, 203b, but may also be a recessed portion, having a bottom, capable of engageable with the projected portion.
Further, the fixing device 100 is positioned, and therefore the movable positioning member (the second positioning member in the above-described embodiment) may also be disposed on widthwise both sides of the fixing device 100. In other words, the first positioning member 140 in the above-described embodiment may also be constituted similarly as the second positioning member 141.
Further, a direction (predetermined direction) in which a unit such as the fixing device 100 is supported and the positioning and the positional adjustment of the unit relative to the main assembly frame are effected is not limited to the gravitational direction, but may also be another direction. For example, in the case where the fixing device 100 is urged in the X direction by an urging member such as a spring and is positioned to the main assembly frame with respect to the X direction, the positioning member is disposed on a side surface of the fixing device 100 with respect to the X direction so as to support an urging force with respect to the X direction. Then, this positioning member is made movable in the X direction later. In summary, the present invention may preferably be applicable to such a constitution that the positioning member is disposed with respect to a direction in which a load is exerted on the fixing device and the positioning and the positional adjustment are effected with respect to this direction.
According to the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus which has a constitution in which the fixing device can be easily positioned to the main assembly frame without effecting the positional adjustment and which is capable of effecting the positional adjustment easily in the case where re-adjustment is needed.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-199178 | Sep 2013 | JP | national |
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5528523 | Yoshida | Jun 1996 | A |
| 5957261 | Inoue et al. | Sep 1999 | A |
| 8755732 | Ehara | Jun 2014 | B2 |
| 20020028089 | Yoneda | Mar 2002 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 6-54011 | Jul 1994 | JP |
| 2005-292612 | Oct 2005 | JP |
| 2008-046154 | Feb 2008 | JP |
| Entry |
|---|
| PCT International Search Report and Written Opinion dated Jan. 13, 2015 in International Application PCT/JP2014/076338. |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20160209802 A1 | Jul 2016 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | PCT/JP2014/076338 | Sep 2014 | US |
| Child | 15080579 | US |
