Positioning apparatus and image forming apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11048204-B2
Application number	US-202016781565-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 4, 2020
Priority date	Feb 19, 2019
Publication date	Jun 29, 2021
Grant date	Jun 29, 2021

Abstract

A positioning apparatus includes an apparatus body, a draw-out portion, and a positioning mechanism configured to position the draw-out portion at an attachment position with respect to the apparatus body, wherein the positioning mechanism includes a first engaging portion provided in one of the apparatus body and the draw-out portion, a first engaged portion provided in another of the apparatus body and the draw-out portion and configured to determine a position of the draw-out portion in an attachment direction by engaging with the first engaging portion, and wherein the first engaged portion includes an inclined surface that is inclined downward toward a downstream side in the attachment direction and causes a force in the attachment direction to act on the draw-out portion on a basis of a weight of the draw-out portion in a state in which the first engaged portion is engaged with the first engaging portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A positioning apparatus comprising:
an apparatus body;
a draw-out portion configured to be drawn out from and attached to the apparatus body; and
a positioning mechanism configured to position the draw-out portion at an attachment position with respect to the apparatus body, the positioning mechanism including:
a first engaging portion provided in one of the apparatus body and the draw-out portion; and
a first engaged portion provided in the other one of the apparatus body and the draw-out portion and configured to determine a position of the draw-out portion in an attachment direction by engaging with the first engaging portion, the first engaged portion having an inclined surface and a positioning surface, the inclined surface being configured to contact the first engaging portion, the positioning surface being configured to position the draw-out portion in the attachment direction at the attachment position,

wherein the inclined surface is inclined downward toward a downstream side in the attachment direction and causes a component force in the attachment direction to act on the draw-out portion on a basis of a weight of the draw-out portion such that the positioning surface is pressed against the first engaging portion in a state in which the inclined surface contacts the first engaging portion.

2. The positioning apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the other one of the apparatus body and the draw-out portion further includes a sliding surface that is inclined upward toward the downstream side in the attachment direction and that slides on the first engaging portion in attachment of the draw-out portion to the apparatus body, and
wherein the sliding surface is arranged such that the sliding surface slides on the first engaging portion after the inclined surface slides on the first engaging portion when the draw-out portion is drawn out.

3. The positioning apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the positioning surface and the sliding surface are formed to be continuous from the inclined surface.

4. The positioning apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the positioning mechanism further includes:
a second engaging portion provided in one of the apparatus body and the draw-out portion; and
a second engaged portion provided in the other one of the apparatus body and the draw-out portion and configured to position the draw-out portion in a direction perpendicular to the attachment direction by engaging with the second engaging portion.

5. The positioning apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first engaging portion comprises a shaft having a circular shape in a section view.

6. The positioning apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first engaging portion is provided in the apparatus body and comprises a shaft,
wherein the first engaged portion is provided in the draw-out portion, and
wherein the draw-out portion includes a contact portion configured to come into contact with a lower portion of the shaft to regulate deformation of the shaft in a gravity direction.

7. The positioning apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the draw-out portion comprises a third engaged portion provided at a position different from the first engaged portion in an axial direction of the shaft and configured to determine the position of the draw-out portion in the attachment direction by engaging with the first engaging portion,
wherein the apparatus body includes a first support portion and a second support portion that support the shaft, the first support portion and the second support portion being arranged in the axial direction with an interval therebetween,
wherein the first engaged portion and the third engaged portion are provided between the first support portion and the second support portion in the axial direction, and
wherein the contact portion is provided between the first engaged portion and the third engaged portion in the axial direction.

8. The positioning apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the contact portion is provided at a center portion between the first engaged portion and the third engaged portion in the axial direction.

9. The positioning apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a door member openable and closeable with respect to the apparatus body; and
a first pressing unit configured to press the draw-out portion in the attachment direction when the draw-out portion is positioned at the attachment position and the door member is closed with respect to the apparatus body, the first pressing unit being disposed on a lower side of the draw-out portion.

10. The positioning apparatus according to claim 9 , further comprising a second pressing unit configured to press the draw-out portion downward in a state in which the door member is closed with respect to the apparatus body, the second pressing unit being disposed on an upper side of the draw-out portion.

11. The positioning apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the draw-out portion holds a unit comprising a photosensitive member configured to bear a toner image.

12. The positioning apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the draw-out portion holds a unit configured to accommodate a developer.

13. The positioning apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first engaging portion includes a shaft configured to slide on the inclined surface and to abut against the positioning surface, and
the first engaged portion is a groove having the inclined surface and the positioning surface.

14. The positioning apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first engaging portion is provided in the apparatus body, and
the first engaged portion is provided in the draw-out portion.

15. The positioning apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the first engaging portion includes a first shaft configured to slide on the inclined surface and to abut against the positioning surface,
the first engaged portion is a first groove having the inclined surface and the positioning surface,
the second engaged portion is provided on the draw-out portion and includes a second shaft, and
the second engaging portion is provided on the apparatus body and is a second groove.

16. The positioning apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the second engaging portion and the second engaged portion are disposed more upstream than the first engaging portion and the first engaged portion in the attachment direction in a case where the draw-out portion is at the attachment position.

17. The positioning apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the second engaging portion positions the draw-out portion in a vertical direction by nipping the second engaged portion in the vertical direction.

18. An image forming apparatus configured to form an image on a sheet, the image forming apparatus comprising:
an apparatus body;
a draw-out portion configured to be drawn out from and attached to the apparatus body; and
a positioning mechanism configured to position the draw-out portion at an attachment position with respect to the apparatus body, the positioning mechanism including:
a first engaging portion provided in one of the apparatus body and the draw-out portion; and
a first engaged portion provided in the other one of the apparatus body and the draw-out portion and configured to determine a position of the draw-out portion in an attachment direction by engaging with the first engaging portion, the first engaged portion having an inclined surface and a positioning surface, the inclined surface being configured to contact the first engaging portion, the positi

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Sawashima Fumiya
• Kawanami Takeo
• Hijikata Shunsuke
• Koguchi Kohei
• Iizuka Yoichiro

Classifications

• G03G21/1842 Primary

  for guiding and mounting the process cartridge, positioning, alignment, locks (G03G21/1864 and G03G21/1871 take precedence) · CPC title

• G03G21/1821

  means for connecting the different parts of the process cartridge, e.g. attachment, positioning of parts with each other, pressure/distance regulation (G03G21/1825 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G03G2221/1869

  Cartridge holders, e.g. intermediate frames for placing cartridge parts therein · CPC title

• G03G2221/1606

  for the photosensitive element · CPC title

• G03G21/1647

  Mechanical connection means · CPC title