Replaceable unit, sheet conveyance apparatus and image forming device

• US 8,006,973 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2008
• Issued: 08/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Business Innovation Corp. (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Ito, Takuya, Tanaka, Kouta, Toba, Takakiyo, Hamasaki, Nobutoshi, Kazama, Hiroatsu
• Primary Examiner(s): Bollinger; David H
• Application Number:
  US12/060,599
• Publication Number:
  US 20090072469A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,246 Days
• Field of Search: 271/10.01, 271/10.09, 271/10.11, 271/109, 271/117
• US Class Current: 271/10.09
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/602 for transporting

Abstract

A replaceable unit includes a feeding roller that feeds a sheet from a sheet accommodation portion that accommodates the sheet; a conveyance roller that conveys the sheet fed by the feeding roller downstream; a first frame body that supports the feeding roller and the conveyance roller so as to be rotatable; and a second frame body that supports the first frame body so as to be movable and is removably mounted at a position at which the feeding roller can touch against the sheet accommodated at the sheet accommodation portion.

Claims

1. A replaceable unit comprising:

a feeding roller that feeds a sheet from a sheet accommodation portion that accommodates the sheet;

a conveyance roller that conveys the sheet fed by the feeding roller downstream in a sheet conveyance direction;

a first frame body that supports the feeding roller and the conveyance roller so as to be rotatable; and

a second frame body that supports the first frame body so as to be movable and is removably mounted at a position at which the feeding roller can touch against the sheet accommodated at the sheet accommodation portion,

wherein a protruding piece, having a positioning hole formed therein, is provided at each side of the second frame body at a downstream side in the sheet conveyance direction of the conveyance roller, and

wherein the protruding piece is adapted to have a projection, which is formed at a sheet conveyance device main body, inserted in the positioning hole, whereby the second frame body can move in the sheet conveyance direction.

2. The replaceable unit of claim 1, further comprising a pushing portion disposed between the first frame body and the second frame body, the pushing portion pushing the first frame body in a direction in which the feeding roller touches against the sheet accommodated at the sheet accommodation portion.

3. The replaceable unit of claim 2,

wherein the second frame body is configured to be removably mounted to a sheet conveyance device main body,

wherein, in operation, the conveyance roller applies a conveyance force to the sheet to convey the sheet and a reaction force to the conveyance force is applied to the second frame body, and

wherein the second frame body is configured to be positioned relative to the sheet conveyance device main body so as to abut the sheet conveyance device main body in a direction in which the reaction force is applied to the second frame body.

4. The replaceable unit of claim 2, wherein the first frame body is supported at a rotation axle of the conveyance roller to be capable of swinging relative to the second frame body.

5. The replaceable unit of claim 2, wherein the second frame body is removed in a direction away from a plane of a conveyance path along which the sheet is conveyed.

6. The replaceable unit of claim 1,

wherein the second frame body is configured to be removably mounted to a sheet conveyance device main body,

wherein, in operation, the conveyance roller applies a conveyance force to the sheet to convey the sheet and a reaction force to the conveyance force is applied to the second frame body, and

wherein the second frame body is configured to be positioned relative to the sheet conveyance device main body so as to abut the sheet conveyance device main body in a direction in which the reaction force is applied to the second frame body.

7. The replaceable unit of claim 1, wherein the first frame body is supported at a rotation axle of the conveyance roller to be capable of swinging relative to the second frame body.

8. The replaceable unit of claim 1, wherein the second frame body is removed in a direction away from a plane of a conveyance path along which the sheet is conveyed.

9. A sheet conveyance device comprising:

the replaceable unit of claim 1;

a sheet conveyance device main body, on which the replaceable unit is mounted and in which a conveyance path along which the sheet is conveyed is formed;

the sheet accommodation portion, which is provided on the sheet conveyance device main body; and

a cover body provided on the sheet conveyance device main body and being openable in a direction away from a plane of the conveyance path along which the sheet is conveyed, the cover body covering the replaceable unit.

10. The sheet conveyance device of claim 9,

wherein, in operation, the conveyance roller applies a conveyance force to the sheet to convey the sheet and a reaction force to the conveyance force is applied to the second frame body, and

wherein the second frame body is positioned relative to the sheet conveyance device main body so as to abut the sheet conveyance device main body in a direction in which the reaction force is applied to the second frame body.

11. The sheet conveyance device of claim 9, wherein the replaceable unit is removed in a direction away from the plane of the conveyance path.

12. An image forming apparatus comprising:

the sheet conveyance device of claim 9;

an image reading device including an image reading section that reads an image of the sheet conveyed by the sheet conveyance device; and

an image recording device that records an image onto a recording medium on the basis of the image read by the image reading device.

13. The image forming apparatus according to claim 12,

wherein, in operation, the conveyance roller applies a conveyance force to the sheet to convey the sheet and a reaction force to the conveyance force is applied to the second frame body, and

wherein the second frame body is positioned relative to the sheet conveyance device main body so as to abut the sheet conveyance device main body in a direction in which the reaction force is applied to the second frame body.

14. The image forming apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the replaceable unit is removed in a direction away from the plane of the conveyance path.

15. A replaceable unit comprising:

a feeding roller that feeds a sheet from a sheet accommodation portion that accommodates the sheet;

a conveyance roller that conveys the sheet fed by the feeding roller downstream in a sheet conveyance direction;

a first frame body that supports the feeding roller and the conveyance roller so as to be rotatable;

a second frame body that supports the first frame body so as to be movable and is removably mounted at a position at which the feeding roller can touch against the sheet accommodated at the sheet accommodation portion; and

a pressing portion disposed between the first frame body and the second frame body, the pressing portion pressing the first frame body in a direction in which the feeding roller touches against the sheet accommodated at the sheet accommodation portion,

wherein the first frame body comprises;

a pair of side plates respectively disposed at outer sides of the two axial direction ends of the feeding roller and the conveyance roller, the feeding roller and the conveyance roller being rotatably supported at the pair of side plates; and

a connection portion disposed between the feeding roller and the conveyance roller and provided extending between the pair of side plates, the connection portion being joined with each of the pair of side plates; and

wherein the pressing portion is disposed between the second frame body and the connection portion of the first frame body and at a central portion, in an axial direction of the feeding roller and the conveyance roller, of the connection portion, the pressing portion being formed with a resilient member to press the first frame body in a direction in which the feeding roller touches against the sheet accommodated at the sheet accommodation portion.

16. A sheet conveyance device comprising:

the replaceable unit of claim 15;

a sheet conveyance device main body, at which the replaceable unit is mounted and the conveyance path plane is formed;

the sheet accommodation portion, which is provided at the sheet conveyance device main body; and

a cover body provided at the sheet conveyance device main body and being openable in an opposite direction of the sheet conveyance device main body with respect to the conveyance path plane, the cover body covering the replaceable unit.

17. An image forming apparatus comprising:

the sheet conveyance device of claim 16;

an image reading device including an image reading section that reads an image of the sheet conveyed by the sheet conveyance device; and

an image recording device that records an image onto a recording medium on the basis of the image read by the image reading device.