Driving Force Transmission Mechanism, Image Forming Apparatus and Assembling Method Thereof

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• a paper feeding means;
• an image forming means for forming images on papers fed by the paper feeding means;
• and
• a driving means for driving the image forming means,
• wherein the paper feeding means or the driving means includes a driving force transmission mechanism,
• wherein the driving force transmission mechanism comprises a plate through which a reference hole is pierced, a driven shaft vertically standing with respect to one surface on the one surface side-of the plate, a driven pivotally provided around the driven shaft, a bracket fixed to the plate so as to cover the reference hole on the one surface side of the plate, and a motor protruding a motor shaft toward the reference hole, being fixed to the bracket, in which the motor shaft is positioned through the reference hole with driving tooth formed at the motor shaft to be directly engaged with the driven, or with a driving gear fixed coaxially to the motor shaft to be indirectly engaged with the driven, and
• wherein the motor is arranged so as to be arranged on the side of the image forming means with respect to the plate.

A method of assembling an image forming apparatus, comprising:

• a first step of preparing a plate through which a reference hole is pierced and a driven shaft which is perpendicular to one surface of the plate stands on the one surface side, a bracket on which a motor protruding a motor shaft is fixed and a positioning jig positioned with respect to the plate by the reference hole, allowing the motor shaft to be positioned with the driven shaft in a constant relationship;
• a second step of providing the positioning jig at the reference hole after the first step;
• a third step of positioning the motor shaft by the positioning jig after the second step;
• a forth step of fixing the bracket on the plate after the third step;
• and
• a fifth step of removing the positioning jig from the reference hole after the fourth step.