Guide mechanism for connecting component, and coupling structure and processing apparatus using the guide mechanism

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016258490-A1
Application number	US-201514840553-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 31, 2015
Priority date	Mar 4, 2015
Publication date	Sep 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A guide mechanism for a connecting component guides a second connecting component when connecting a first connecting component and the second connecting component to each other. The guide mechanism includes a guide member and an urging member. The urging member urges the guide member and continues to contract until the second connecting component reaches a connection complete position. The guide member includes rotational shafts, inner guide pieces, and outer guide pieces. The rotational shafts are provided on both sides of the second connecting component. The inner guide pieces are rotated about the rotational shafts from first initial positions to first regulating positions. The outer guide pieces are rotated about the rotational shafts from second initial positions to second regulating positions such that the rotation of the outer guide pieces is coupled with the rotation of the inner guide pieces.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A guide mechanism for a connecting component that guides a second connecting component to a position where the second connecting component is connectable to a first connecting component when connecting the first connecting component provided in a first support member in a secured manner and the second connecting component floatably provided in a second support member to each other, the guide mechanism comprising:
a guide member disposed in front of a connection start position of the first connecting component; and an urging member that is elastically deformably provided between the guide member and the first support member, that urges the guide member in a direction separating from the first connecting component so as to dispose the guide member in front of the connection start position, and that continues to contract until the second connecting component reaches a connection complete position, wherein the guide member includes
at least a pair of rotational shafts provided on both sides of the second connecting component in a direction intersecting a connecting direction of the second connecting component,
inner guide pieces that have respective rotational free ends, that extend in radial directions of the at least a pair of rotational shafts such that the rotational free ends face each other, that are held at first initial positions at which the rotational free ends of the inner guide pieces are positioned further to a second connecting component side than at first regulating positions in the connecting direction of the second connecting component, and that are rotated about the at least a pair of rotational shafts from the first initial positions to the first regulating positions in the connecting direction when the inner guide pieces are brought into contact with the second connecting component, and
outer guide pieces that have respective rotational free ends, that extend in the radial directions of the at least a pair of rotational shafts, that are held at second initial positions at which the rotational free ends of the outer guide pieces are positioned further to outer sides than at second regulating positions in an intersecting direction intersecting the connecting direction of the second connecting component, and that are rotated about the at least a pair of rotational shafts from the second initial positions to the second regulating positions in the intersecting direction such that the rotation of the outer guide pieces is coupled with the rotation of the inner guide pieces.

2 . The guide mechanism according to claim 1 ,
wherein each of the inner guide pieces and a corresponding one of the outer guide pieces of the guide member extend in the radial directions from a same region in an axial direction of a corresponding one of the at least a pair of rotational shafts.

3 . The guide mechanism according to claim 1 ,
wherein the guide member further includes
rotational urging members provided around the at least a pair of rotational shafts so as to cause the inner guide pieces and the outer guide pieces to receive urging forces about the at least a pair of rotational shafts directed from the first and second regulating positions to the first and second initial positions,
inner regulating members that are brought into contact with and stop the inner guide pieces at the first regulating positions in the connecting direction, and
outer regulating members that are brought into contact with and stop the outer guide pieces at the second regulating positions in the intersecting direction.

4 . The guide mechanism according to claim 1 ,
wherein, in the guide member, lengths of the outer guide pieces are greater than lengths of the inner guide pieces in the radial directions of the at least a pair of rotational shafts.

5 . A coupling structure for a connecting component, the coupling structure comprising:
a first connecting component provided in a first support member in a secured manner; a second connecting member floatably provided in a second support member; and the mechanism according to claim 1 that guides the second connecting component to the position where the second connecting component is connectable to the first connecting component.

6 . A processing apparatus that includes a processing unit in an apparatus body,
wherein one of a first connecting component and a second connecting component is provided in a detachable body that is at least part of the processing unit and that is detachably attached to a receiving member prepared in the apparatus body, and wherein the other of the first connecting component and the second connecting component is provided in the receiving member, and the guide mechanism for a connecting component according to claim 1 is used as a guide mechanism for the first connecting component and the second connecting component.

Assignees

• Fuji Xerox Co Ltd

Inventors

• Sasaki Toshinori
• Kimura Koichi
• Sugino Mizuki
• Hongo Mitsutoshi

Classifications

• F16D1/10

  Quick-acting couplings in which the parts are connected by simply bringing them together axially · CPC title

• F16D1/12 Primary

  allowing adjustment of the parts about the axis (during motion F16D3/10) · CPC title

• G03G15/80

  Details relating to power supplies, circuits boards, electrical connections · CPC title

• G03G2215/0129

  horizontal medium transport path at the secondary transfer · CPC title

• G03G2221/1684

  using extractable subframes, e.g. on rails or hinges · CPC title