JP2000131903A - Photoreceptor unit, process cartridge, and image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent a V-shaped deformation of a shutter body expanded by heat from a fixing device and fall of the shutter body from turnable arms due to the deformation, in the shutter of a photoreceptor unit which is formed by the connection of the turnable arms and shutter body. SOLUTION: A shutter 31 for opening/closing the opening of a photoreceptor drum, made in a photoreceptor case, is formed by connecting turnable arms 32 and a shutter body 33, and each connected part is provided with play for the longitudinal free movement of the shutter body 33. Even when the shutter body 33 is longitudinally expanded by heat from a fixing device, both longitudinal ends of the shutter body 33 are not pressed to the turnable arms 32, therefore a V-shaped deformation of the shutter body 33 by such press can be prevented and also it is prevented from falling from the turnable arms 32 when contracting due to the deformation.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a photoreceptor unit,
The present invention relates to a process cartridge and an image forming apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a printer, a photosensitive unit in which a photosensitive drum is rotatably held in a photosensitive case, or a photosensitive drum or a developing roller is provided in one case. A process cartridge or the like that is housed and unitized is used.

These units are removably attached to the image forming apparatus. When the unit is installed in the image forming apparatus, the outer peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum is transferred to a transfer device, or the transfer device and the developing unit are mounted. A long opening is formed at a position facing the opening. This opening is
Before the unit is mounted on the image forming apparatus, it is preferable that the unit is closed to protect the photosensitive drum, and is opened only when the unit is mounted in the image forming apparatus. For this reason, the above-described unit is provided with a shutter that is rotatable between a closed position for closing the opening and an open position for opening the opening.

In order to reduce the mounting space of the unit in the image forming apparatus and reduce the size of the image forming apparatus, the shutter is rotated along the outer peripheral surface of the case so that the shutter does not protrude from the unit. There is a need to. A shutter responding to such a demand includes a rotating arm having one end rotatably connected to the case, and a shutter rotatably connected to the other end of the rotatable arm and having a tip end portion on the outer peripheral surface of the case. 2. Description of the Related Art There has been known a shutter formed of two members, that is, a long shutter body which is urged in a contacting direction.

In the above-described shutter formed by the rotating arm and the shutter body, pin holes are formed on both sides of the other end of the rotating arm, and connecting pins are formed on both ends in the longitudinal direction of the shutter body. The shutter main body is connected to the rotating arm by fitting into the pin hole.

Here, by reducing the size of the image forming apparatus, the distance between the photosensitive drum in a unit mounted in the image forming apparatus and the fixing device is shortened, and accordingly, the shutter is fixed. It will be located near the device.

[0007]

Since the shutter is located in the vicinity of the fixing device, the shutter body which is affected by heat from the fixing device expands during the image forming operation. At this time, if there is no play in the connection between the shutter body and the rotating arm, both longitudinal ends of the expanded shutter body are pressed against the rotating arm, and the shutter body is deformed into a V-shape. The shutter body deformed in the V-shape as described above contracts while being deformed in the V-shape when the image forming operation is completed and cooled, the connecting pin comes off from the pin hole, and the shutter body is moved from the rotating arm. take off.

[0008] The shutter body that has fallen off from the rotating arm hinders the conveyance of the sheet and may cause a jam.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a photoreceptor unit and a process comprising a shutter comprising two members, a rotating arm and a shutter body, the shutter including a shutter capable of preventing the shutter body from falling off from the rotating arm. It is an object to provide a cartridge and an image forming apparatus.

[0010]

According to the first aspect of the present invention,
The photoconductor drum is rotatably held in the photoconductor case and is detachably attached to the image forming apparatus. The elongated opening through which the outer peripheral surface of the photoconductor drum is exposed is formed in the photoconductor drum. A shutter is formed in the photoconductor case along a longitudinal direction, and a shutter is provided to be rotatable between an open position for opening the opening and a closed position for closing the opening, and to an open position when the shutter is mounted in the image forming apparatus. In the photoconductor unit in which the rotated shutter is located near the fixing device, the shutter includes a rotation arm rotatably attached to the photoconductor case in a direction orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the opening, An elongate shutter body having both ends in the longitudinal direction connected to the rotating arm and covering the opening when the shutter is rotated to a closed position, The shutter body in a connecting part between the pivot arm is provided with a play to be movable in the longitudinal direction. Therefore, there is a play at the connecting portion between the shutter main body and the rotating arm so that the shutter main body can freely move in the longitudinal direction. Therefore, even if the shutter main body expands in the longitudinal direction due to the heat from the fixing device, the length of the shutter main body becomes longer. Both ends in the direction are not pressed against the rotating arm, and the pressing does not deform the shutter body into a V-shape. For this reason, when the image forming operation is completed and the shutter body is cooled, the shutter body contracts to its original shape, the connection state with the rotating arm is maintained, and the shutter body does not fall off.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the photoreceptor unit according to the first aspect, pin holes are formed at both ends of the rotating arm along a longitudinal direction of the opening, and a longitudinal direction of the shutter main body is formed. Are formed at both ends thereof, and one of these connection pins is short and the other is long.

Therefore, when connecting the shutter body to the rotating arm, the longer connection pin is fitted into one of the pin holes, and the shutter body is fitted to the pin hole side with the longer connection pin fitted. Then, the shorter connecting pin is fitted into the other pin hole. Thus, the connection between the shutter body and the rotating arm, which is performed by fitting the connection pin into the pin hole, can be easily performed.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the photoreceptor unit according to the second aspect, a spring for urging the shutter body in a direction in which the shorter connecting pin is fitted into the pin hole is provided.

Therefore, when the shutter body is removed from the pivot arm, the shorter connecting pin is removed from the pin hole, and then the longer connecting pin is removed from the pin hole. The shutter body is urged by a spring in the direction to be fitted to the shutter body, so that even if a great shock is applied from the outside, the short connecting pin does not come off from the pin hole, and the shutter body falls off from the rotating arm. Is prevented.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the photoconductor unit according to the third aspect, the spring biases the shutter member in a direction in which the shutter body rotates in a direction to cover the opening.

Therefore, it is not necessary to separately provide a spring for rotating the shutter body in a direction to cover the opening, and the number of parts is reduced.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the photoreceptor unit according to the third or fourth aspect, the spring is fixed to the shutter body by fixing means.

Therefore, even when the shutter body comes off from the rotating arm, the spring does not come off from the shutter body, and the spring coming off the shutter body goes into a deep place in the image forming apparatus to cause an electric leakage or short circuit. Is prevented.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the photoconductor unit of the fifth aspect, the fixing means is a cushion material attached to an inner surface of the shutter body.

Therefore, even when the shutter body is bent to the photosensitive drum side by an operator touching the shutter body when the photosensitive body unit is handled, in particular, when the photosensitive body unit is mounted in the image forming apparatus, the cushion is provided. The shutter body is prevented from directly contacting the photoconductor drum due to the material coming into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the photoconductor drum, and the photoconductor drum is prevented from being damaged due to the shutter body directly contacting the photoconductor drum.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the photoreceptor unit according to the sixth aspect, the cushion member is formed of a porous or flocked member.

Accordingly, the cushion member formed of a porous or flocked member has a property of retaining toner. Therefore, when the photoconductor unit once installed in the image forming apparatus is removed for jam processing or the like. In this case, even if the toner spills out from the opening, the toner is held by the cushion material, and the periphery of the photoconductor unit is prevented from being stained with the toner.

The process cartridge according to claim 8 is
A developing unit that rotatably holds a developing roller and a photosensitive unit according to any one of claims 1 to 7 are integrally provided.

Therefore, in this process cartridge, by using any one of the photoreceptor units according to the first to seventh aspects, the operation described in each of the first to seventh aspects can be obtained.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus, the photosensitive unit according to any one of the first to seventh aspects and optical writing for exposing an outer peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum to form an electrostatic latent image. A developing unit that visualizes an electrostatic latent image formed on the outer peripheral surface of the photoconductor drum by supplying toner, a transfer device that transfers the visualized toner image to a recording medium, A fixing device for fixing the toner image transferred to the recording medium.

Therefore, in this image forming apparatus, the operation described in each of claims 1 to 7 can be obtained by using any one of the photoconductor units in claims 1 to 7.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus comprising: a process cartridge according to the eighth aspect; and an optical writing device for exposing an outer peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum to form an electrostatic latent image.
A transfer device for transferring the toner image on the photosensitive drum, which is supplied with toner by the developing roller and visualized, onto a recording medium; and a fixing device for fixing the toner image transferred to the recording medium. .

Therefore, in this image forming apparatus, by using the process cartridge according to the eighth aspect,
That is, by using any one of the photoreceptor units according to the first to seventh aspects, the operation described in each of the first to seventh aspects can be obtained.

[0029]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. First, the overall structure of a copying machine 1 as an image forming apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. An image reading device 3 for reading an image of a document (not shown) is mounted on an upper part of a main body case 2 of the copying machine 1, and a process cartridge 4 is detachably mounted inside the main body case 2. Below the process cartridge 4, a paper transport path 6 for transporting the transfer paper 5 as a recording medium is formed.

The image reading device 3 has an image reading section 7 and a document tray 8 on which a document supplied to a reading position by the image reading section 7 is placed. The document tray 8 is rotatably supported about a fulcrum shaft 9 at a horizontal position indicated by a solid line and an upright position indicated by a two-dot chain line, and is fixed at each rotation position by a stopper (not shown). .

The process cartridge 4 is formed by connecting and integrating the developing unit 10 and the photoreceptor unit 11 (see FIGS. 2 and 4). Around the mounting position of the process cartridge 4 in the main body case 2, a laser writing unit 1 which is an optical writing device that forms an electrostatic latent image by exposing an outer peripheral surface of a photosensitive drum described later.
2. A paper feed tray 13 for holding the transfer paper 5 in an obliquely mounted state, a paper feed roller 14 for feeding the transfer papers 5 in the paper feed tray 13 one by one, and a visible image supplied with toner. Transfer roller 15, which is a transfer device for transferring the toner image on the outer peripheral surface of the photoreceptor drum onto transfer paper 5, fixing device 1 for fixing the toner image transferred to transfer paper 5
6, a receiving plate 17 for discharging the transfer sheet 5 that has passed through the fixing device 16 is provided.

In the pair of left and right side plates (not shown) in the main body case 2, two guide grooves 18, 19 for attaching and detaching the process cartridge 4 to and from the main body case 2 are formed. On both sides of the process cartridge 4, guide pins 18 a, 19 a engaging with these guide grooves 18, 19 are provided.
Are formed.

As shown in FIG. 1, the developing unit 10
A toner accommodating section 20 is formed in the developing case 10a. An agitator 21 for stirring the toner is provided in the toner accommodating section 20. A developing roller 22 for visualizing the latent image, a replenishing roller 23 for replenishing toner to the developing roller 22, a developing blade 24 contacting the outer peripheral surface of the developing roller 22, and the like are provided. Side plate portions 10b are formed on both sides of the developing case 10a, and a concave portion is formed on one side plate portion 10b. The concave portion is formed with a drive motor ( (Not shown) to the developing roller 22 and the replenishing roller 23.
And a power transmission mechanism 25 for transmitting the power to the agitator 21 (see FIGS. 2 and 4).

As shown in FIG. 1, the photoreceptor unit 11 rotatably holds a photoreceptor drum 26 and a charging roller 27 for uniformly charging the outer peripheral surface of the photoreceptor drum 26 in a photoreceptor case 11a. And the photosensitive drum 2
A waste toner collecting unit 28 for collecting waste toner remaining on the outer peripheral surface of the toner cartridge 6 is formed. Side plates 11b are formed on both sides of the photoreceptor case 11a, and when the developing unit 10 and the photoreceptor unit 11 are connected, the inner surface of the side plate 11b and the outer surface of the side plate 10b are superimposed and brought into surface contact. (See FIGS. 2 and 4).

A handle 2 for gripping the photoreceptor unit 11 or the process cartridge 4 connecting the photoreceptor unit 11 and the developing unit 10 is provided in the photoreceptor case 11a.
9 are formed. Further, an opening 30 that exposes the outer peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 26 toward the transfer roller 15 to transfer the toner image onto the transfer paper 5 is formed in the photosensitive body case 11a. The opening 30 is formed in a long shape along the longitudinal direction of the photosensitive drum 26.

Next, the photoreceptor unit 11 is provided with a shutter 31 which is rotatable between an open position for opening the opening 30 (see FIG. 3) and a closed position for closing the opening 30 (see FIG. 2). Is provided. As shown in FIG. 5, the shutter 31 has a pair of arms 32a, one end of which is connected to the photoreceptor case 11a and which is rotatable in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the opening 30, and a pair of the arms 32a. A rotating arm 32 comprising a connecting piece 32b connected to the other end side;
It is formed by a shutter main body 33 rotatably connected to the connection piece 32b side of the rotation arm 32. The shutter main body 33 is formed in an elongated shape having an outer dimension capable of covering the opening 30 when the shutter 31 rotates to the closed position.

A connecting portion between the arm portion 32a and the photosensitive member case 11a is biased in a direction for pressing the connecting piece 32b of the rotating arm 32 against the outer peripheral surface of the photosensitive member case 11a.
A spring 34 is attached.

At both ends along the longitudinal direction of the connecting piece 32b on the connecting piece 32b side of the rotating arm 32, pin holes 3 are provided.
5, 36 are formed. At both ends in the longitudinal direction of the shutter main body 33, connecting pins 37, 38 fitted into the pin holes 35, 36 are formed to protrude in the longitudinal direction of the shutter main body 33. These connecting pins 37, 38
Is formed such that one connecting pin 37 is short and the other connecting pin 38 is long.

When the shutter main body 33 is connected to the rotation arm 32 by fitting the connection pins 37 and 38 into the pin holes 35 and 36, the shutter main body 33 and the rotation arm 32 are connected to the shutter main body 33. Is provided with a play that allows the slider to move in the longitudinal direction.

A second spring 39, which is a spring, is mounted around the longer connecting pin 38. The second spring 39 urges the shutter body 33 in a direction to fit the shorter connecting pin 37 into the pin hole 35, and abuts the tip of the shutter body 33 on the outer peripheral surface of the photoconductor case 11a. It is biased in the direction to make it.

A long cushion member 40 formed of a porous member or a flocked member is attached to the inner surface of the shutter body 33. This cushion material 4
Reference numeral 0 also serves as fixing means for preventing the second spring 39 from dropping off. One end 39 a of the second spring 39 is adhered and fixed to the inner surface of the shutter body 33 by the cushion member 40.

When the process cartridge 4 is taken out of the main body case 2, the shutter 31 is rotated by the urging force of the first spring 34 and the urging force of the second spring 39, and the opening 30 is closed. (See FIG. 2). In the process of mounting the process cartridge 4 in the main body case 2, the projections 41 formed on the side surface of the arm portion 32 a engage with the guide grooves 19 and are pressed, so that the shutter 31 opens the opening 30. The opening 30 is completely opened when the mounting of the process cartridge 4 in the main body case 2 is completed (see FIGS. 1 and 3).

Next, a connection structure and a connection procedure between the developing unit 10 and the photoreceptor unit 11 will be described with reference to FIGS. Side plate 1 of photoconductor unit 11
1b includes a pin insertion hole 42, a fitting hole 43, and a screw insertion hole 4
4 are formed. Side plate 10b of developing unit 10
, A pin insertion hole 45, a fitting protrusion 46, and a screw hole 47 are formed.

When the developing unit 10 and the photoreceptor unit 11 are connected, the inner surface of the side plate 11b and the side plate 1
0b are superimposed and in surface contact with each other, the pin insertion holes 42 and 45 are superimposed on the same center line, the connection pins 48 are pressed into these pin insertion holes 42 and 45, and the fitting projections 46 are fitted. It is elastically fitted into the hole 43 and the screw insertion hole 4
4 is screwed into the screw hole 47.

In such a configuration, the developing unit 1
The process cartridge 4 is manufactured by connecting the photoreceptor unit 11 to the photoreceptor unit 11, and after the process cartridge 4 is mounted in the main body case 2, copying is performed. By mounting the process cartridge 4 in the main body case 2, the shutter 31 rotates to the open position. Further, the shutter 31 that has been turned to the open position, in particular, the portion of the shutter body 33 is located near the fixing device 16.

When the copying operation is started, the shutter body 33 expands in the longitudinal direction by the heat from the fixing device 16.
However, since there is a play in which the shutter main body 33 can slide in the longitudinal direction at the connection between the shutter main body 33 in which the connection pins 37 and 38 are fitted into the pin holes 35 and 36 and the rotating arm 32, the shutter main body is provided. Even if 33 expands, the both ends are not pressed against the rotating arm 32, and the pressing does not deform the shutter body 33 into a V-shape. Therefore, when the copying operation is completed and the shutter main body 33 is cooled, the shutter main body 33 contracts to its original shape, the connection state with the rotating arm 32 is maintained, and the shutter main body 33 does not fall off from the rotating arm 32.

Since one of the connecting pins 37 and 38 is short and the other is long, when connecting the shutter body 33 to the rotating arm 32, the longer connecting pin 38 is fitted into one of the pin holes 36. Then, the shutter body 33 is moved toward the pin hole 36 with the longer connecting pin 38 fitted therein, and then the shorter connecting pin 37 is fitted into the other pin hole 35. As a result, the connecting pins 37 and 38 are
Shutter body 3 to be fitted by fitting to 5, 36
3 and the rotating arm 32 can be easily connected.

When disconnecting the connection between the shutter body 33 and the rotating arm 32, the longer connecting pin 38 is inserted into the pin hole 3
The shutter main body 33 is moved in the direction in which the shutter main body 6 is fitted, the shorter connecting pin 37 is removed from the pin hole 35, and then the longer connecting pin 38 is removed from the pin hole 36. When a shock is applied from the outside, the shutter body 33 is rotated by the rotating arm 3.
2, the longer connecting pin 38 is removed from the pin hole 35 after the shorter connecting pin 37 is removed from the pin hole 35.
Get off. However, in this shutter 31, the short connection pin 37 is attached to the pin hole 35 by attaching the second spring 39 that biases the shutter body 33 in a direction to fit the short connection pin 37 into the pin hole 35. Therefore, even when a large impact is applied from the outside, the shutter main body 33 is prevented from being detached from the rotating arm 32 and falling off.

Further, since the second spring 39 urges the shutter body 33 in a direction to cover the opening 30 when the shutter 31 is turned to the closed position, the second spring 39 pushes the shutter body 33 to the opening 30. There is no need to provide a separate spring for biasing in the covering direction, and the number of components is reduced.

The second spring 39 is provided on the inner side of the shutter body 33 so that the cushion member 4
0 is attached and fixed to the shutter body 33. For this reason, even when the shutter main body 33 is disengaged from the rotating arm 32, the second spring 39 remains in the shutter main body 33.
And the second spring 39 is prevented from entering the recessed portion in the copying machine 1, and the metal second spring 39 penetrating the recessed portion in the copying machine 1 comes into contact with the conductive portion to cause an electric leakage. Or short circuit is prevented.

By attaching the cushion material 40 to the inner surface of the shutter body 33, the operator touches the shutter body 33 when the process cartridge 4 is handled, particularly when the process cartridge 4 is mounted in the copying machine 1. Even when the shutter body 33 is bent in a direction in which it contacts the outer peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 26, the cushion member 40 contacts the outer peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 26,
6 is not damaged.

Moreover, since the cushion member 40 is formed of a porous or flocked member, when the process cartridge 4 once installed in the copying machine 1 is taken out of the copying machine 1, the photosensitive drum is removed. Even if the toner adhered to 26 or the like spills out of the opening 30, the toner can be held by the cushion member 40, and the outer peripheral portion of the process cartridge 4 and the inside of the copying machine 1 are not stained with the toner.

[0053]

According to the present invention, a shutter for opening and closing an opening for exposing an outer peripheral surface of a photosensitive drum is formed by connecting a rotating arm and a shutter body. The connecting portion has a play that allows the shutter body to move in the longitudinal direction, so that even if the shutter body expands in the longitudinal direction due to heat from the fixing device, both ends of the shutter body in the longitudinal direction are connected to the rotating arm. Without being pressed, the pressing can prevent the shutter main body from being deformed into a V-shape. For this reason,
When cooling is completed after the image forming operation is completed, the shutter body contracts to its original shape and is maintained in a connected state with the rotating arm, so that the shutter body can be prevented from falling off.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, in the photoreceptor unit according to the first aspect, pin holes are formed at both ends of the rotating arm, and the pin holes are formed at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the shutter body. A connection pin to be fitted is formed, and one of these connection pins is short and the other is long, so when connecting the shutter body and the rotating arm,
The longer connection pin is fitted into one pin hole, the shutter body is fitted to the longer connection pin and the shutter body is moved to the pin hole side, and then the shorter connection pin is fitted into the other pin hole By doing so, it is possible to easily connect the shutter body and the rotating arm.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, in the photoreceptor unit of the second aspect, a spring for urging the shutter body in a direction to fit the shorter connecting pin into the pin hole is provided. This makes it difficult for the connecting pin to come off from the pin hole, thereby preventing the shutter main body from falling off from the rotating arm even when a large impact is applied from the outside.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the spring of the photoreceptor unit of the third aspect urges the shutter member in a direction in which the shutter body rotates in a direction to cover the opening. It is not necessary to separately provide a spring for rotating the main body in a direction to cover the opening, so that the number of parts can be reduced and cost can be reduced.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, since the spring of the photoreceptor unit according to the third or fourth aspect is fixed to the shutter main body by the fixing means, the shutter main body comes off from the rotating arm and falls off. Even in this case, the spring can be prevented from coming off the shutter body, and the spring coming off the shutter body can be prevented from getting into a deep place in the image forming apparatus and causing an electric leakage or a short circuit.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the fixing means of the photosensitive unit according to the fifth aspect is a cushion material attached to the inner surface of the shutter body. Even when the shutter body is bent to the photosensitive drum side by an operator touching the shutter body, for example, when the shutter body is attached to the image forming apparatus, the cushion body contacts the outer peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum and the shutter body Can be prevented from directly contacting the outer peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum, and the photosensitive drum can be prevented from being damaged due to the shutter body directly contacting the photosensitive drum.

According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, since the cushion member of the photoreceptor unit according to the sixth aspect is formed of a porous or flocked member, it is formed of a porous or flocked member. Since the cushion material has a property of retaining toner, even if the toner is spilled from the opening when the photoreceptor unit once installed in the image forming apparatus is removed for jam processing or the like, the toner is cushioned. Thus, the periphery of the photoconductor unit can be prevented from being stained with toner.

According to the process cartridge of the present invention, the developing unit rotatably holding the developing roller and the photosensitive unit according to any one of the first to seventh aspects are integrally provided. With this process cartridge, it is possible to obtain the same effects as those obtained when the respective photoreceptor units of claims 1 to 7 are used.

In the image forming apparatus according to the ninth aspect, the photosensitive unit according to any one of the first to seventh aspects is used. Therefore, in this image forming apparatus, each of the photosensitive units according to the first to seventh aspects is used. The same effect as the effect obtained by using can be obtained.

In the image forming apparatus according to the tenth aspect, since the process cartridge according to the eighth aspect is used, the effect obtained by using the process cartridge according to the eighth aspect, that is, each of the first to seventh aspects. The same effect as the effect obtained by using the photoconductor unit can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional side view showing an overall structure of a copying machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view illustrating a process cartridge.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing the process cartridge in a state where a shutter is rotated to an open position.

FIG. 4 is a side view showing the process cartridge in a state where it is separated into a photosensitive unit and a developing unit.

FIG. 5 is a front view showing the shutter disassembled into a rotating arm and a shutter body.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 image forming apparatus 4 process cartridge 5 recording medium 10 developing unit 11 photoreceptor unit 11a photoreceptor case 12 optical writing device 15 transfer device 16 fixing device 22 developing roller 26 photoreceptor drum 30 opening 31 shutter 32 rotating arm 33 shutter Body 35, 36 Pin hole 37 Shorter connecting pin 38 Longer connecting pin 39 Spring 40 Cushion material, fixing means

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing from the front page (72) Inventor Kenetsu Koyamauchi 1-3-6 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Ricoh Company (72) Inventor Kenichiro Nagai 1-3-6 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo Stock F term in Ricoh Company (reference) 2H071 BA13 BA14 BA23 BA27 CA05 DA08 DA09 DA12 DA15

Claims (10)

[Claims] An elongate opening for exposing an outer peripheral surface of the photoconductor drum, wherein the photoconductor drum is rotatably held in a photoconductor case and is detachably attached to an image forming apparatus; A shutter is formed on the photoconductor case along a longitudinal direction of the photoconductor drum, and is rotatably provided between an open position for opening the opening and a closed position for closing the opening, and is mounted in the image forming apparatus. A photoconductor unit in which the shutter rotated to the open position is located in the vicinity of the fixing device, wherein the shutter is rotatably attached to the photoconductor case in a direction orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the opening. A pivot arm, a long shutter body connected to the pivot arm at both ends in the longitudinal direction and covering the opening when the shutter pivots to the closed position, Yatta body and the photosensitive member unit in which the shutter body in a connecting part between the pivot arm is characterized in that a play to be movable in the longitudinal direction. 2. A pin hole is formed at both ends of the rotating arm along a longitudinal direction of the opening, and a connecting pin fitted into the pin hole is formed at both ends of the shutter body in a longitudinal direction. 2. The photoconductor unit according to claim 1, wherein one of the connecting pins is short and the other is long. 3. The photoconductor unit according to claim 2, further comprising a spring for urging the shutter body in a direction in which the shorter connection pin is fitted into the pin hole. 4. The photoconductor unit according to claim 3, wherein the spring biases the shutter member in a direction in which the shutter body rotates in a direction to cover the opening. 5. The photoconductor unit according to claim 3, wherein the spring is fixed to the shutter body by a fixing unit. 6. The photoconductor unit according to claim 5, wherein the fixing unit is a cushion material attached to an inner surface of the shutter body. 7. The photoconductor unit according to claim 6, wherein the cushion member is formed of a porous or flocked member. 8. A process cartridge comprising a developing unit rotatably holding a developing roller and the photosensitive unit according to claim 1. 9. A photoconductor unit according to claim 1, an optical writing device for exposing an outer peripheral surface of the photoconductor drum to form an electrostatic latent image, and supplying toner. A developing unit that visualizes an electrostatic latent image formed on the outer peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum, a transfer device that transfers the visualized toner image to a recording medium, and a toner that is transferred to the recording medium. And a fixing device for fixing the image. 10. A process cartridge according to claim 8, an optical writing device for exposing an outer peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum to form an electrostatic latent image, and a toner supplied by the developing roller to visualize the image. An image forming apparatus, comprising: a transfer device for transferring the toner image on the photosensitive drum onto a recording medium; and a fixing device for fixing the toner image transferred to the recording medium.