JP2000227688A5 - - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
[Technical field to which the invention belongs]
The present invention relates to a process unit attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus main body, and an image forming apparatus having the process unit.

0005
[Means for solving problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is an intermediate transfer body having a photoconductor unit having a photoconductor and an intermediate transfer body to which a toner image on the photoconductor is transferred in a process unit attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus main body. We propose a process unit including a unit, wherein the photoconductor unit and an intermediate transfer unit are detachably assembled (claim 1).

0006
At that time, in the process unit, the intermediate transfer body unit includes an intermediate transfer body made of an endless belt, a roller around which the intermediate transfer body is wound, and a unit case in which the roller is rotatably supported. It is advantageous to do so (claim 2).

0007
Further, in the process unit according to claim 2, it is advantageous that the photoconductor unit is detachably attached to the unit case (claim 3).

0008
Furthermore, the present invention proposes an image forming apparatus including the process unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3 in order to achieve the above object (claim 4).

[0078]
As described above, taking out the intermediate transfer body 15 from the unit case 36 requires a more complicated procedure than when removing the photoconductor unit 37 from the unit case 36, and during normal use of the image forming apparatus, the intermediate transfer body 15 is transferred. No work is done to remove or attach the body from the unit case 36. In this way, the intermediate transfer body 15 is integrally assembled to the unit case 36 to form the intermediate transfer body unit. The process unit 35 attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus main body includes a photoconductor unit 37 having a photoconductor 2 and an intermediate transfer body unit having an intermediate transfer body 15 on which a toner image on the photoconductor 2 is transferred. The photoconductor unit 37 and the intermediate transfer body unit are detachably assembled. Further, as described above, in the intermediate transfer body unit of this example, the intermediate transfer body 15 made of an endless belt, the rollers 13 and 14 around which the intermediate transfer body 15 is wound, and the rollers 13 and 14 are rotatable. The photoconductor unit 37 is detachably attached to the unit case 36. The image forming apparatus has such a process unit.

[093]
【Effect of the invention】
According to the invention of claim 1, since the entire process unit can be easily replaced and the photoconductor unit alone can be replaced, the entire process unit can be replaced while the intermediate transfer member can still be sufficiently used. It is possible to prevent defects that must be done and reduce the maintenance cost of the process unit.

[Explanation of symbols]
1 Image forming apparatus main body 2 Photoreceptors 13, 14 Rollers 15 Intermediate transfer body 35 Process unit 36 Unit case 37 Photoreceptor unit

Claims (4)

A photosensitive unit having a photosensitive member and an intermediate transfer unit including an intermediate transfer member to which a toner image on the photosensitive member is transferred; A process unit characterized in that the intermediate transfer member unit is detachably assembled. The intermediate transfer member unit according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate transfer member unit comprises: an intermediate transfer member comprising an endless belt; a roller around which the intermediate transfer member is wound; Process unit. The process unit according to claim 2, wherein the photosensitive unit is detachably assembled to the unit case. An image forming apparatus comprising the process unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3.