Image forming device having a door assembly and method of use

• US 7,162,182 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2004
• Issued: 01/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lexmark International Incorporated (Ninestar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lexmark International Incorporated (Ninestar Corporation)
• Inventors: Foster, Larry Steven, Rennick, David Erwin, Triplett, Edward Lynn, Embry, Kerry Leland, Portig, Harald, Carter, Daniel L., Tosh, Darren Wayne, Tonges, Jeffrey L., Boyatt, Richard G. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Gray; David M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Walsh; Ryan D.
• Application Number:
  US10/804,488
• Publication Number:
  US 20050207780A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,026 Days
• Field of Search: 399/110, 399/107, 399/124, 399/125, 399/303, 399/313
• US Class Current: 399/110
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1633 using doors or covers G03G21/1638 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/00544 Openable part of feed path
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/0119 Linear arrangement adjacent plural transfer points
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/0145 the linear arrangement being vertical
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2221/1603 for multicoloured copies
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2221/1675 jam treatment
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2221/183 Process cartridge

Abstract

A door assembly movably positioned to a body of an image forming device. The door assembly includes a first frame and a second frame. The first frame is movably attached to the body, and the second frame is movably attached to the first frame. The movable connections between the frames and the main body cause accurate locating of a photoconductive member mounted on the door assembly within the body. In one embodiment, a contour surface within the body contacts the second frame to locate the second frame within the body. Methods of moving the door assembly are also disclosed including moving the door assembly from an open orientation that is spaced from the body, to a closed orientation that is in proximity to the body. The movement of the door assembly causes interaction between the frames and the body to accurately locate the second frame.

Claims

1. An image forming device comprising:

a body;

a developer member mounted to the body;

a first frame pivotally mounted to the body at a first pivot and positionable between an open orientation positioned away from the body and a closed orientation positioned in proximity to the body;

a second frame pivotally connected to the first frame at a second pivot and further comprising a photoconductive member that aligns to the developer member when the first frame is in the closed orientation, the second frame further having an alignment edge; and

a contour surface within the body having a length greater than the alignment edge, the contour surface being contacted by the alignment edge as the first frame moves from the open orientation to the closed orientation to align the photoconductive member relative to the developer member.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the contour surface extends between an inner edge towards the body and an outer edge towards the first frame, a vertical high point of the contour surface is located at the outer edge.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the contour surface extends between an inner edge towards the body and an outer edge towards the first frame, a vertical high point of the contour surface is located at the inner edge.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the contour surface is located on a lower half of the body.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the alignment edge is formed by a transfer belt assembly.

6. The device of claim 1, further comprising stops extending outward from the first frame on each side of the second pivot to control an extent of movement of the second frame relative to the first frame.

7. The device of claim 6, further comprising a biasing member extending between the first frame and the second frame to position the second frame against one of the stops when the first frame is in the open orientation.

8. The device of claim 1, further comprising a biasing mechanism positioned between the first frame and the second frame to dampen the movement of the second frame as the alignment edge moves along the contour surface.

9. The device of claim 1, further comprising an imaging unit within the body to form a latent image on the photoconductive member, the second frame positioning the photoconductive member at a predetermined location relative to the imaging unit when the first frame is in the closed orientation.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the second frame is pivotally connected to the first frame at a position above the contour surface when the first frame is in the closed orientation.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the first frame contacts the body in the closed orientation.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the contour surface has a curved shape.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the contour surface is curved an amount equal to a radius of a line that extends between the first pivot and the second pivot.

14. An image forming device comprising:

a body;

a first developer member and a second developer member each positioned within the body;

a first frame having a first end and a second end;

a first pivot adjacent to the first end that connects the first frame to the body, the first frame being relatively positionable between a first orientation with the second end distanced from the body, and a second orientation with the second end in proximity to the body;

a second frame having a first photoconductive member and a second photoconductive member; and

a second pivot that connects the second frame to the first frame and causing the second frame to pivot separately from the first frame and positioning the first photoconductive member in contact with the first developer roll and the second photoconductive member in contact with the second developer roll when the first frame is in the second orientation.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the second end contacts the body in the second orientation.

16. The device of claim 14, wherein the first pivot is located vertically below the second pivot when the first frame is in the second orientation.

17. The device of claim 14, further comprising the first photoconductive member mounted towards a first end of the second frame distant from the first pivot, and the second photoconductive member mounted towards a second end of the second frame proximate to the first pivot, with the first photoconductive member and the second photoconductive member being vertically aligned when the first frame is in the second orientation.

18. The device of claim 14, wherein the second frame comprises a face opposite from a connection with the second pivot, the face being substantially vertical in the second orientation.

19. An image forming device comprising:

a body;

a plurality of developer members mounted to the body;

a first frame pivotally mounted to the body at a first pivot and positionable between an open orientation positioned away from the body and a closed orientation positioned in proximity to the body;

a second frame pivotally connected to the first frame at a second pivot and further comprising a plurality of photoconductive members that each align to a corresponding one of the plurality of developer members when the first frame is in the closed orientation, the second frame further having an alignment edge; and

a contour surface within the body, the contour surface being contacted by the alignment edge as the first frame moves from the open orientation to the closed orientation and having a curved shape equal to a radius formed by a line with a length equal to a distance between the first pivot and the second pivot.

20. An image forming device comprising:

a body having a contour surface;

a first frame having a first end and a second end;

a first pivot adjacent to the first end that connects the first frame to the body;

a second frame having an alignment edge; and

a second pivot that connects the second frame to the first frame and causing the second frame to pivot separately from the first frame;

the first frame being relatively positionable between a first orientation with the alignment edge distanced from the contour surface and the second frame positioned relative to the first pivot, and a second orientation with the alignment edge in contact with the contour surface and the second frame positioned relative to the body.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein the contour surface is substantially flat.

22. A method of moving a door assembly on an image forming device, the method comprising the steps of:

moving a door assembly from an open orientation to an intermediate orientation in a first travel path defined by a first pivot, the door assembly comprising a first frame attached to a body at the first pivot, and a second frame attached to the first frame at a second pivot;

contacting the second frame with a contour surface in the body as the door assembly moves from the intermediate orientation to a closed orientation; and

moving the door assembly from the intermediate orientation to the closed orientation and moving the first frame in the first travel path defined by the first pivot and moving the second frame in a second travel path defined by the contour surface.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising positioning a photoconductive member on the door assembly against a developer roll in the body when the door assembly is in the closed orientation.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein moving along the first travel path is rotational movement.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the second travel path is formed by moving a contact surface of the second frame against a contour surface of the body.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the second travel path is curved because the contour surface has a curved shape.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the second travel path is substantially straight because the contour surface is flat.

28. A method of moving a door assembly on an image forming device, the method comprising the steps of:

positioning a first developer member and a second developer member in a body;

attaching a first photoconductive member and a second photoconductive member to a second frame;

moving a door assembly with a first movement type from an open orientation to an intermediate orientation, the door assembly comprising a first frame and the second frame;

contacting the second frame against the body as the door assembly moves to the intermediate orientation; and

moving the door assembly to a closed orientation with the first frame moving with a first movement type and the second frame moving in a second movement type different from the first movement type.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising moving the first frame and the second frame about a first pivot between the open orientation and the intermediate orientation.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising moving the first frame about the first pivot between the intermediate orientation and the closed orientation.

31. The method of claim 28, further comprising vertically positioning a face of the second frame during movement between the intermediate orientation and the closed orientation.

32. The method of claim 28, further comprising moving a distal point on a face of the second frame a same travel distance as a proximal point on the face of the second frame.

33. The method of claim 28, further comprising dampening the movement of second frame relative to the first frame when moving between the intermediate orientation and the closed orientation.

34. A method of moving a door assembly within an image forming device, the door assembly comprising a first frame pivotally attached to a main body at a first pivot and a second frame pivotally attached to the first frame at a second pivot, the method comprising the steps of:

moving a door assembly from a first orientation to a second orientation and moving a distal point on a second frame a greater distance than a proximal point;

contacting a contact point on the second frame with a contour surface on the main body at the second orientation;

moving the door assembly from the second orientation to a third orientation and sliding the contact point along the contour surface; and

moving the distal point and the proximal point an equal distance when moving the door assembly from the second orientation to the third orientation.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising rotating the second frame about a second pivot when moving the door assembly from the second orientation to the third orientation.

36. The method of claim 34, further comprising contacting a photoconductive member on the second frame against a developer member within the main body at the third orientation.

37. The method of claim 34, further comprising maintaining a face of the second frame in a vertical orientation when moving the door assembly between the second orientation and the third orientation.

38. The method of claim 34, further comprising positioning a first pivot that connects the first frame to the main body vertically above a second pivot that connects the second frame to the first frame.