Image formation device
View Patent ↗An image formation device, which includes: an exposure head in which a screw having an axis directed to a focus direction for a photoreceptor is fixed in the vicinity of each side of the exposure head; a housing to which the exposure head is attached; a nut attached to the screw; a fixing member that limits movement of the nut with respect to the housing; and an elastic member that elastically supports the exposure head against the housing in the vicinity of the screw in the focus direction for the photoreceptor and a sub-scanning direction, in which the exposure head is moved, by rotation of the nut, in the focus direction against an elastic force by the elastic member, and a position of the exposure head with respect to the photoreceptor is adjustable in the focus direction.
1. An image formation device, comprising:
an exposure head in which a screw having an axis directed to a focus direction for a photoreceptor is fixed in the vicinity of each side of the exposure head;
a housing to which the exposure head is attached;
a nut attached to the screw;
a fixing member attached to a side of a nut attaching face, that allows the nut to rotate on the screw and engages with the nut by being pushed to the side of the nut attaching face to support the nut in the focus direction, and that limits movement of the nut with respect to the housing in a main-scanning direction and a sub-scanning direction of the photoreceptor together with the screw; and
an elastic member that is attached by inserting the screw in the elastic member between the housing and the exposure head, and elastically supports the exposure head against the housing in the vicinity of the screw in the focus direction for the photoreceptor and the sub-scanning direction, wherein
the exposure head is moved, by rotation of the nut, in the focus direction against an elastic force by the elastic member, and
a position of the exposure head with respect to the photoreceptor is adjustable in the focus direction.
2. The image formation device according to claim 1 , wherein
the nut has a sloped portion conically sloped with respect to a rotation axis of the nut,
the fixing member has a hole portion that limits movement of the nut by being fitted to the sloped portion of the nut, and comprises a plate spring fixed to the housing.
3. The image formation device according to claim 1 , wherein
the screw has a two-step structure including a straightly-shaped section formed in a portion to be engaged with the housing, and a male-thread-shaped section formed in a portion to be engaged with the nut, and
the nut has a two-step structure including a female-thread section to be engaged with the male-thread-shaped section of the screw, and a large-diameter section having a diameter larger than the female-thread section.
4. The image formation device according to claim 1 , wherein
the elastic member has a coil spring that elastically supports the exposure head in the focus direction, and a plate spring that elastically supports the exposure head in the sub-scanning direction.
5. The image formation device according to claim 1 , wherein
the elastic member is a plate spring in which a first spring section that elastically supports the exposure head in the focus direction and a second spring section that elastically supports the exposure head in the sub-scanning direction are integrally formed.
6. The image formation device according to claim 1 , wherein
the housing is contacted to a surface of the photoreceptor or both flank portions of the photoreceptor, and is detachably attached, and
in attaching the housing, the position of the exposure head is adjusted with respect to the housing by rotating the nut in a manner in which the exposure head is not contacted with the surface of the photoreceptor.