Patent Grant
10185278
This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the corresponding Japanese Patent Application No. 2016-101658 filed on May 20, 2016, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The present disclosure relates to a relay connector fitting structure, an electronic appliance, and an image forming apparatus. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a structure for fitting a relay connector to a chassis having a fitting surface, and to an electronic appliance and an image forming apparatus provided with such a structure.
In electronic appliances such as image forming apparatuses and personal computers, electrical wiring such as between one circuit board and another and between a circuit board and an electronic component is achieved not only by direct connection using cables but also by use of relay connectors which connect together connectors provided at end parts of cables. Such relay connectors are fitted to a structural member such as a chassis by use of screws and hooks.
According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a relay connector fitting structure includes a connector, a relay connector, and a chassis. The connector is provided at an end part of a cable. The relay connector is removably fitted with a plurality of connectors. The chassis has a fitting surface to which the relay connector is fitted. The relay connector has a facing surface arranged to face the fitting surface, a plurality of side surfaces arranged upright from the end edges of the facing surface, and an opposite surface arranged on the side opposite from the facing surface. The chassis has, formed integrally with it, a first stopper which is arranged to face a first side surface—one of the plurality of side surfaces of the relay connector arranged in a first direction—and which restricts movement of the relay connector in the first direction, a second stopper which is arranged to face a second side surface—one of the plurality of side surfaces of the relay connector arranged in a second direction opposite to the first direction—and which restricts movement of the relay connector in the second direction, and an opposite surface stopper which is arranged to face the opposite surface of the relay connector and which restricts movement of the relay connector to the side opposite from the fitting surface.
Further features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the description of embodiments given below.
Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
In the image forming sections Pa to Pd, there are arranged photosensitive drums (image carriers) 1a, 1b, 1c, and 1d which carry visible images (toner images) of the different colors, and next to the image forming sections Pa to Pd, there is provided an intermediary transfer belt 8 which rotates counter-clockwise in
In the image forming sections Pa to Pd, there are respectively provided photosensitive drums 1a to 1d which are rotatably arranged, chargers which electrostatically charge the photosensitive drums 1a to 1d, an exposure device which exposes the photosensitive drums 1a to 1d to light of image information, developing devices 3a, 3b, 3c, and 3d which form toner images on the photosensitive drums 1a to 1d, and cleaning portions which remove the developer (toner) and the like that are left behind on the photosensitive drums 1a to 1d.
When image data is fed in from a host device such as a personal computer, electrostatic latent images are formed on the photosensitive drums 1a to 1d according to the image data. The developing devices 3a to 3d are charged with predetermined amounts of two-component developer containing toner of different colors, namely cyan, magenta, yellow, and black respectively. When the proportions of toner in the two-component developer contained in the developing devices 3a to 3d fall below a prescribed value, the developing devices 3a to 3d are replenished with toner from corresponding toner containers 4a to 4d. The toner in the developer is fed by the developing devices 3a to 3d to the corresponding ones of the photosensitive drums 1a to 1d and electrostatically adheres to them, thereby forming toner images according to the electrostatic latent images formed by exposure to light from the exposure device.
The cyan, magenta, yellow, and black toner images on the photosensitive drums 1a to 1d are then primarily transferred to the intermediary transfer belt 8. These images of four colors are formed in a predetermined positional relationship that is previously determined for the formation of a predetermined full-color image.
When the intermediary transfer belt 8 starts to rotate counter-clockwise as a driving roller 11 rotates by being driven by a driving motor (unillustrated), a transfer sheet P in a sheet cassette 16 is conveyed, with predetermined timing, to a nip portion (secondary transfer nip portion) between the driving roller 11 and a secondary transfer roller 9 provided next to it, and the full-color image on the intermediary transfer belt 8 is transferred to the transfer sheet P. The transfer sheet P having the toner images transferred to it passes through a sheet conveying passage 18 and is conveyed to a fixing unit 13.
The transfer sheet P conveyed to the fixing unit 13 is heated and pressed by a pair of fixing rollers so that the toner images are fixed to the surface of the transfer sheet P, and thereby the predetermined full-color image is formed on the transfer sheet P. The transfer sheet P having the full-color image formed on it is distributed between different conveying directions by a branch portion 14 which branches into a plurality of directions, so as to be discharged as it is (or after being conveyed to a two-sided conveying passage 20 and having undergone two-sided printing) onto a discharge tray 17 by a pair of discharge rollers 15.
Next, a container lock mechanism 30 including relay connectors 52a to 52d will be described.
The container lock mechanism 30 is arranged over the toner containers 4a to 4d, and serves to lock the toner containers 4a to 4d to prevent them from being detached from the main body of the image forming apparatus 100. Specifically, as shown in
The hook members 31a to 31d are formed so as to be swingable about pivots Oa to Od, respectively. The biasing members 32a to 32d comprise extension coil springs, and bias the hook members 31a to 31d clockwise in
The chassis 40 is fitted with cables 50a to 50d across which the solenoids 34a to 34d are actuated. Specifically, to the solenoid 34d, two cables 50d are connected, and the cables 50d are hung on a plurality of cable engagement portions 41a and 41b provided on the chassis 40 to reach the left end of
To the solenoid 34c, two cables 50c are connected, and the cables 50c are hung on a plurality of cable engagement portions 41a and 41b to reach the left end of
To the solenoid 34b, two cables 50b are connected, and the cables 50b are hung on a plurality of cable engagement portions 41a and 41b to reach the left end of
To the solenoid 34a, two cables 50a are connected, and the cables 50a are hung on a cable engagement portion 41b to reach the left end of
Next, the structure around the relay connector 52d will be described in detail. While the following description takes up, as an example, the structure around the relay connector 52d, the structures around the relay connectors 52a to 52c are basically the same, and therefore overlapping description will be omitted.
As shown in
In the third and fourth side surfaces 60d and 60e, fitting recesses 60g are respectively formed in which connectors 51 are fitted. The opposite surface 60f has a protrusion 60h that protrudes to the side (top side) opposite from the facing surface 60a.
The connectors 51 are provided at end parts of the cables 50d, and are configured to be removably fitted in the fitting recesses 60g of the relay connector 52d.
The chassis 40 has, formed integrally with it, two first stoppers 42 which are arranged to face the first side surface 60b of the relay connector 52d and which restrict movement of the relay connector 52d in the arrow-A direction, a second stopper 43 which is arranged to face the second side surface 60c and which restricts movement of the relay connector 52d in the arrow-A′ direction, and an opposite surface stopper 44 which is arranged to face the opposite surface 60f and which restricts movement of the relay connector 52d to the side (top side) opposite from the fitting surface 40a.
Tip parts of the first stoppers 42 protrude upward from the fitting surface 40a. Moreover, as shown in
As shown in
The opposite surface stopper 44 is formed to be continuous with a tip part of the second stopper 43. In the state shown in
When the relay connector 52d is fitted to the chassis 40, first the cable 53 is hung on the cable engagement portions 41a and 41b, and then the relay connector 52d is slid in the arrow-A′ direction so as to pass over the first stoppers 42. This causes the first stoppers 42 to elastically deform downward, and when the relay connector 52d has run over the first stoppers 42, the first stoppers 42 is restored to the original state as shown in
In this embodiment, as described above, the chassis 40 has, formed integrally with it, the first stoppers 42 which restrict movement of the relay connectors 52a to 52d in the arrow-A direction, the second stoppers 43 which restrict movement of the relay connectors 52a to 52d in the arrow-A′ direction, and the opposite surface stoppers 44 which restrict movement of the relay connectors 52a to 52d to the side opposite from the fitting surface 40a. Thus, it is possible, without providing extra fitting members such as screws and hooks, to fit the relay connectors 52a to 52d to the chassis 40 by use of the first stoppers 42, the second stoppers 43, and the opposite surface stoppers 44 which are formed integrally with the chassis 40. This helps suppress an increase in the number of components, and helps enhance the ease of fitting the relay connectors 52a to 52d to the chassis 40.
Moreover, as described above, the cable 53 is laid through the gap S between the second stoppers 43 and the relay connectors 52a to 52d. Thus, the cable 53, which is not connected to the connectors 51, can be fastened with the chassis 40 combined with the relay connectors 52a to 52d. That is, it is possible, without providing extra members, to fasten the cable 53 to the chassis 40, and this helps further suppress an increase in the number of components.
Moreover, as described above, the first stoppers 42 protrude from the fitting surface 40a, and are formed, as a result of parts around the first stoppers 42 being cut out, to be elastically deformable in the thickness direction of the chassis 40. This helps enhance the ease of fitting and removal of the relay connectors 52a to 52d to and from the chassis 40.
Moreover, as described above, the opposite surface stoppers 44 are formed to be continuous with the second stoppers 43. This helps save space as compared with forming the second stoppers 43 and the opposite surface stoppers 44 separately.
According to a second embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in
On the third and fourth stoppers 45 and 46, there are respectively formed inclined surfaces 45a and 46b which guide the connectors 51 into the fitting recesses 60g. Moreover, as shown in
In other respects in terms of structure, the second embodiment is similar to the first embodiment described previously.
In this embodiment, as described above, the chassis 40 has, integrally formed with it, the third stoppers 45 which restrict movement of the relay connectors 52a to 52d in the arrow-B direction and the fourth stoppers 46 which restrict movement of the relay connectors 52a to 52d in the arrow-B′ direction. Thus, it is possible also to suppress movement of the relay connectors 52a to 52d in the arrows-BB′ direction relative to the chassis 40.
Moreover, as described above, in a case where the fitting recesses 60g are formed in the third and fourth side surfaces 60d and 60e of the relay connectors 52a to 52d, when the connectors 51 are fitted to and removed from the relay connectors 52a to 52d, the relay connectors 52a to 52d move easily in the arrows-BB′ direction; thus, providing the third and fourth stoppers 45 and 46 on the chassis 40 is particularly effective.
Moreover, as described above, on the third and fourth stoppers 45 and 46, there are respectively formed the inclined surfaces 45a and 46b which guide the connectors 51 into the fitting recesses 60g. This helps further enhance the ease of fitting the connectors 51 to the relay connectors 52a to 52d.
Moreover, as described above, the protrusion height H45 of the third and fourth stoppers 45 and 46 relative to the fitting surface 40a is smaller than the distance L60g from the fitting surface 40a to the fitting recesses 60g. This helps suppress a lowering in the ease of fitting and removal of the connectors 51 to and from the relay connectors 52a to 52d.
In other respects in terms of benefits, the second embodiment is similar to the first embodiment described previously.
According to a third embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in
The second step 40c restricts movement of the relay connector 52d in the arrow-A′ direction. The third step 40d restricts movement of the relay connector 52d in the arrow-B direction. The fourth step 40e restricts movement of the relay connector 52d in the arrow-B′ direction.
Moreover, as shown in
In other respects in terms of structure, the third embodiment is similar to the first embodiment described previously.
In this embodiment, as described above, the regions of the fitting surface 40a where the relay connectors 52a to 52d are arranged are formed to be recessed in the thickness direction of the chassis 40, and the third and fourth steps 40d and 40e are constituted by the steps formed in edge parts of the regions of the fitting surface 40a where the relay connectors 52a to 52d are arranged. Thus, it is possible to easily suppress movement of the relay connectors 52a to 52d in the arrows-BB′ direction.
Moreover, as described above, the height difference H40a between the regions of the fitting surface 40a where the relay connectors 52a to 52d are arranged and the parts surrounding them is smaller than the distance L60a from the facing surfaces 60a of the relay connectors 52a to 52d to the fitting recesses 60g. This helps suppress a lowering in the ease of fitting and removal of the connectors 51 to and from the relay connectors 52a to 52d.
In other respects in terms of benefits, the third embodiment is similar to the first and second embodiments described previously.
The embodiments disclosed herein should be understood to be in every respect illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the present disclosure is not defined by the description of embodiments given above but by the appended claims, and encompasses any modifications made in the sense and scope equivalent to those of the claims.
For example, although the above description deals with examples where the present disclosure is applied to an image forming apparatus, this is not meant to limit the application of the present disclosure. Needless to say, the present disclosure is applicable to a variety of electronic appliances provided with a structure for fitting relay connectors.
Although the above embodiments deal with examples where the cable 53 is taken as a non-connector cable that is not connected to the connectors 51, this is not meant to limit the implementation of the present disclosure. As a matter of fact, around the relay connector 52c, the cables 50d and 53 are non-connector cables; around the relay connector 52b, the cables 50c, 50d, and 53 are non-connector cables; and around the relay connector 52a, the cables 50b, 50c, 50d, and 53 are non-connector cables.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-101658 | May 2016 | JP | national |
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| Number | Date | Country | |
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| 20170336749 A1 | Nov 2017 | US |
