JP2000264494A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To ensure sufficient cooling performance relative to a sheet heated by a heating fixer by a simple constitution in an image formation device. SOLUTION: This image forming device is provided with a fixer 1 heating and fixing an unfixed image formed on a sheet, a shoot member 2 guiding the sheet heated and fixed by the fixer 1 being in contact therewith, and a heat radiating means 3 provided in the shoot member 2 and radiating the heat of the shoot member 2. The heat radiating means 3 can be formed by cutting and raising a part of the shoot member 2 and the cooling efficiency can be enhanced easily.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus used for a printer, a copying machine, a facsimile, and the like, and to an image forming apparatus for cooling a sheet heated and fixed by a fixing device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, in image forming apparatuses such as printers, copiers, and facsimile machines, high image quality and high speed have been strongly demanded. The demand for double-sided printing for forming images on both sides is increasing not only in printing black-and-white images but also in printing color images. At that time,
For example, in an image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic method,
After the toner image carried on the photosensitive drum or the like is transferred to one side (front surface) of the sheet by the transfer unit, the sheet is fixed on the sheet by a fixing device employing a heating method, and the sheet is formed into an image forming apparatus. It is common practice to reverse the paper in the main body, transport it to the transfer unit again, transfer the toner image to the opposite surface (back surface), and discharge it again outside the device via the fixing device. I have. In such an image forming apparatus, when performing double-sided printing at a particularly high sheet conveyance speed in order to increase the speed, before the sheet having one side heated and fixed is sufficiently cooled, the transfer is performed again at the transfer unit. Contact with the photoreceptor drum and the intermediate transfer member may cause poor image quality due to the heat of this sheet, or may cause toner blocking at a cleaner section for removing residual toner on the photoreceptor drum, for example. The toner once melted adheres to the cleaning roll constituting the unit, causing rotation failure, and as a result, cleaning failure occurs.

In order to solve such problems, various cooling devices for fixing devices have been proposed.
For example, Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 60-7847 discloses a technique of quenching by a transport roller provided on the downstream side of the heat fixing device.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. H11-115,086 discloses a technique in which a heat pipe is used as a transport roller in a transport path from a heat fixing device to a discharge tray outside the apparatus, and the sheet is cooled by the heat pipe. Also, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-69134 discloses a 90
There is disclosed a technology in which a cooling roller having a heat pipe property is disposed inside a curved path curved more than once, and a heated sheet is closely adhered to the cooling roller and conveyed to cool the sheet.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION However, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 60-7847 and Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No.
In the cooling method using the conveying rollers and the heat pipes described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. H06-158, sufficient cooling performance cannot be obtained because the range of the sheet in contact with the cooling unit is narrow. Also,
In the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-69134,
Although a predetermined nip width can be secured even during high-speed conveyance and sheet cooling is possible with a constant efficiency, heat pipe-type cooling rollers require precise dimensions and are quite expensive, such as applying a silicon coating. The addition of this cooling roller increases the cost of the entire apparatus. Further, it is difficult to sufficiently cool the sheet by cooling in a local range by using such a cooling roller, and one end of the cooling roller is cooled by a fan to improve the cooling performance. Even in this case, it is difficult to sufficiently cool the cooling roller itself by cooling only at one end, and in continuous sheet conveyance, heat accumulates in the cooling roller and the cooling performance of the succeeding sheet deteriorates. Furthermore, as suggested in this publication, when a sheet (paper) is strongly pressed against a cooling roller further inside a curved path curved at 90 degrees or more, a secondary obstacle such as curling of the sheet after fixing occurs. Will occur. In such a case, if the state of the curl after fixing is accurately grasped and pressed against the cooling roller in the direction of removing the curl, there is also a curl correcting effect, but in general, the curl is generated due to the gap of the paper. As a result, it is difficult to determine the curl direction, and there is a high possibility that a secondary obstacle such as curl increase due to the cooling roller will occur.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned technical problems, and provides a chute member provided on the downstream side of a heat fixing device with a heat radiating means.
An object of the present invention is to ensure sufficient cooling performance and to solve the above-mentioned disadvantages of the related art.

[0006]

As shown in FIG. 1, an image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes a fixing device 1 for heating and fixing an unfixed image formed on a sheet, and a fixing device 1 for fixing the unfixed image.
2. A chute member 2 provided on the downstream side of the chute and guided while contacting the sheet heated and fixed by the fixing device 1, and a chute member 2 provided on the chute member 2.
And a heat radiating means 3 for radiating the heat. Heat radiating means 3 provided on this chute member 2
Can be arbitrarily selected, for example, a member formed by cutting and raising a chute or a member obtained by welding a so-called heat sink, which is another member. In the case where the chute member 2 is formed on both sides so as to sandwich the sheet, the heat radiating means 3 may be formed on either of the surfaces.

The chute member 2 forms a double-sided conveyance path 4 for forming an image on the other side after heat-fixing one side, and the heat radiating means 3 is provided on the both-sided conveyance path 4 of the chute member 2. It is characterized by. The double-sided conveyance path 4 is for conveying the sheet having one side heated and fixed again to the image forming section, and it is very necessary to cool the heated sheet. Because of the long transport path, the cooling effect of the heat radiating means 3 provided on the chute member 2 works particularly effectively.

The heat radiating means 3 is preferably formed by cutting and raising a part of the chute member 2 in that a high cooling effect can be obtained only by performing simple processing on the chute member necessary for sheet conveyance. . In addition, the direction of the cut-and-raised may be cut and raised in the same direction as the sheet conveying direction, or may be cut and raised in a direction orthogonal to the sheet conveying direction. However, when the cooling fan 5 described later is used, It is preferable that the air flow generated by the cooling fan 5 be cut and raised so as to be used effectively. In particular, it is particularly preferable to form a cut-and-raised direction in which the wind flows in a direction in which the flow is not blocked, from the viewpoint of improving the cooling performance. Further, even when a special cooling fan is not provided, if the cut-and-raised portion is formed at a position where an air flow for removing heat of the fixing device can be used around the fixing device, the cooling effect can be obtained. It is also effective from the viewpoint of enhancing.

Further, if a cooling fan 5 for cooling the heat radiating means 3 by applying an air flow thereto is further provided.
Can be discharged to the outside, and obstacles due to heat accumulated inside the device can be removed.
In addition, by providing an air flow to the heat radiating means 3 of the present invention instead of simply providing a cooling device, it is possible to greatly enhance the heat radiating effect due to the synergistic effect, and in general, it is difficult to radiate heat. The subsequent sheet can be cooled effectively. At this time, it is preferable that the direction in which the heat radiating means 3 is formed is concentrated in an area where the air flow by the cooling fan 5 exists, since efficient cooling can be performed.

The chute member 2 has a curved conveying path 6.
It is also possible to provide the heat radiating means 3 to the outer chute member 7 forming the curved conveyance path 6. Here, in the curved portion of the conveyance path, the conveyed sheet is conveyed along the outer chute due to its stiffness, so that the contact time of the sheet with the outer chute member 7 increases, and the outer chute member If a heat radiating means is provided for 7, the heat radiating effect becomes very high. Further, in the outer chute member 7, the heat radiating means 3 can be provided on the outer wall side of the apparatus, so that the influence of heat on the inside of the apparatus can be reduced, and the heat radiating effect can be further increased.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiment 1 Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on an embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings. FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an embodiment of an image forming apparatus to which the present invention is applied. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 20 denotes an image forming apparatus main body (IOT main body);
Image data input from an image input unit (IIT) 21 is recorded on a recording material (paper) P by an image forming unit 22 and printed out as a visible image. The image forming section 22 has a photosensitive drum 23 as an image carrier having a negative photosensitive member formed on the surface. 24 is a photosensitive drum 23
A charging device composed of a corotron or the like that uniformly charges in advance
Reference numeral 25 denotes an image writing device (ROS) for writing an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 23 by using a laser beam. For example, an image processing device (IPS) (not shown) converts image data read by the IIT 21 into an image. An electrostatic latent image is formed on the photosensitive drum 23 by turning on or off the laser beam according to the processed digital image data. Reference numeral 26 denotes the photosensitive drum 2 exposed by the ROS 25.
3 is a developing device for developing the toner using a toner, and a developing roll 2 that rotates in contact with the photosensitive drum 23.
7. Here, the developer housed in the developing device 26 in the present embodiment is a so-called two-component developer composed of a toner and a magnetic carrier. The toner image is developed by causing the toner to adhere to the photosensitive drum 23 by rotating the toner image in a contact rotation.

Further, reference numeral 28 denotes a transfer device for transferring the toner image carried on the photosensitive drum 23 by the developing device 26 onto the conveyed paper, and reference numeral 29 denotes removal of residual toner on the photosensitive drum 23. Is a cleaner for
The residual toner is removed from the photosensitive drum 23 by a cleaning roller 30 that electrostatically attracts the residual toner and a cleaning blade 31 that scrapes the residual toner. A fixing device 32 fixes the toner image transferred by the transfer device 28 to a sheet. This fixing device 32
The toner image is fixed on the paper by a heating roll 33 which has a heater 34 therein and comes into contact with the paper in a heated state, and a pressure roll 35 facing the heating roll 33. In the present embodiment, the heating roll 33 is For example, a material in which a heat-resistant rubber layer is formed on the surface of a metal tube such as SUS is used.
For example, a heater having a power of 970 W is used as the heater 34, and is configured to heat the surface of the heating roll 33 to about 190 ° C.

Further, in the present embodiment, the image forming apparatus main body 20 includes a series of paper transport systems.
Reference numeral 38 denotes a paper storage cassette for storing paper, and 39 denotes a paper feed path. The paper supplied from the paper storage cassettes 36 to 38 by a paper supply mechanism (not shown) is transported by an appropriate number of transport rolls 40. The sheet is conveyed to the image forming unit 22 via a path. Reference numeral 41 denotes a registration roll, which temporarily suspends the sheet at the same timing as the transfer to the sheet, and sends the sheet to the transfer device 28 by a signal from a control unit (not shown). Further, reference numeral 42 denotes a transport belt, which transports the unfixed toner image transferred onto the sheet by the transfer device 28 to the fixing device 32 without disturbing. Reference numeral 48 denotes a sheet discharge path, and reference numeral 49 denotes a discharge tray for stacking sheets on which images are formed outside the apparatus. In particular, in the present embodiment, the sheet return / conveyance mechanism 50 is provided. When the duplex mode is selected, the sheet fixed on one side by the fixing device 32 is inverted and returned to the image forming unit 22 again, or the image is formed on only one side. Is formed, the sheet fixed by the fixing device 32 can be inverted and discharged to the discharge tray 49 by selection.

Here, the paper return transport mechanism 50 includes
A sheet branch path 43 is provided which branches downward from the sheet discharge path 48 from the fixing device 32. The sheet branch path 43 further includes a sheet reversing path 4
4 is extended, and a sheet return path 46 returning from the sheet reversing path 44 to the image forming unit 22 is communicatively connected. The sheet return path 46 transfers the sheet inverted by the sheet reversing path 44 to the sheet return path 46. It is configured to be conveyed to the image forming unit 22 via the curved conveyance path 47. A reversing roll 45 that switches from normal rotation to reverse rotation at an appropriate timing when the paper is reversed is disposed in the paper reversing path 44, and an appropriate number of transport rolls 40 are provided in the paper return path 46. Further, between the sheet discharge path 48 and the sheet branch path 43, and between the sheet branch path 43, the sheet reversing path 44, and the sheet return path 46, a sheet switching gate (not shown) is provided. The paper path can be appropriately switched and selected according to the selected mode. The sheet branch path 43 and the sheet reversing path 4
4 and the transport chute forming the paper return path 46 include:
As described later, a cut-and-raised portion 51 as a heat radiating means is formed.

FIGS. 3A and 3B show a sheet branch path 43, a sheet reversal path 44, and a sheet return path 4 in the present embodiment.
6 is an explanatory diagram for describing a sheet transport path in a double-sided mode composed of a sheet No. 6; FIG. In FIG. 3A, the transport path in the duplex mode including the sheet branch path 43, the sheet reversing path 44, and the sheet return path 46 forms a transport path by the inner transport chute 52 and the outer transport chute 53,
The paper discharged from the fixing device 32 is transported in the paper transport direction shown in the figure, and is sent to the image forming unit 22. As described above, the heating roll 33 is heated to a high temperature of about 190 ° C., and the paper that is heated and fixed from the fixing device 32 and ejected enters the conveyance path in the duplex mode at a high temperature. At this time, if the sheet is transported without any cooling function, the inner transport chute 5
The cooling function does not work only with 2 and the outer transport chute 53,
The image forming unit 22 comes into contact with the photoconductor drum 23 in a high temperature state as it is, and a change in image characteristics due to an increase in the temperature of the photoconductor drum 23 causes poor image quality or solidifies the toner once melted. The blocking phenomenon of the toner that adheres to the image forming unit 22 occurs in various parts of the image forming unit 22. Particularly, in the cleaner 29 immediately downstream of the contact of the photosensitive drum 23 with the high-temperature paper, the blocking phenomenon occurs violently, and cleaning failure due to poor rotation of the cleaning roll 30 frequently occurs.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, the inner transport chute 52 and the outer transport chute 53 in the transport path in the double-sided mode are provided with cuts and raised portions 51. Thus, the heat of the paper heated to a high temperature is taken by these conveyance chutes, and the heat can be efficiently radiated by the heat-sink-shaped cut-and-raised portion 51 to cool the paper, thereby solving the above-mentioned trouble. Is possible. FIG. 3B is a perspective view showing the cut-and-raised structure.
In between, a plurality of cut-and-raised portions 51 formed in a direction perpendicular to the sheet conveying direction are formed. This upset 51
Is formed on an outer surface of the outer transport chute 53 near the outer wall (a surface opposite to the paper transport surface) at a location near the outer wall of the apparatus main body, such as the paper branch path 43 and the paper reversing path 44, It is devised to enhance the heat dissipation effect. On the other hand, in the sheet return path 46, since the image forming unit 22 is provided above the sheet return path 46 and the sheet accommodating cassette 36 is provided below the image forming unit 22, the cut-and-raised portion 51 having a heat radiation effect is formed on the inner transport chute 52. In addition to the image quality defect caused by the high temperature, the occurrence of troubles in the apparatus is reduced as much as possible by preventing the paper curl in the paper storage cassette 36 from occurring.

Here, the paper return path 46 in the present embodiment is provided with a curved transport path 47 which is a curved transport path. In the curved transport path 47, a cut-and-raised portion 51 is formed on the outer transport chute 53. Generally, in a curved conveyance path, the sheet forms a state of contact with the outer chute due to its stiffness, so that the outer chute in contact with the heated sheet tends to become hot. In other words, since the sheet sufficiently contacts the outer chute surface, the heat radiation effect is high. Therefore, in this embodiment, the heat-sink-shaped cut-and-raised portion 51 is formed on the outer transport chute 53, which is the outer chute of the curved transport path, to enhance the sheet cooling effect and realize a reliable cooling action. be able to.

As described above, in the present embodiment, heat can be radiated by the simple structure such as the cut-and-raised portion 51, and the heat of the sheet can be removed from the entire surface of the transport chute, thereby achieving high cooling. The effect can be obtained. Further, by freely selecting the direction of the cut-and-raised 51 (the outer transport chute 53 or the inner transport chute 52) according to the layout of each structure of the apparatus main body, the influence of the heat radiation on the apparatus main body can be minimized. And the heat dissipation efficiency can be further improved, for example, by selecting the side closer to the outer wall portion as the heat dissipation side.

Second Embodiment FIGS. 4A and 4B show a second embodiment of the apparatus to which the present invention is applied. In the first embodiment, the plurality of cut-and-raised portions 51 are configured to be cut and raised in a direction perpendicular to the sheet transport direction. However, in the present embodiment, the cut-and-raised portions 55 that are cut and raised in the same direction as the sheet transport direction are formed. The feature is that it is provided. Note that components similar to those of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals as those of the first embodiment, and detailed description thereof is omitted here.

In the present embodiment, similarly to the first embodiment, the inner transport chute 52 in the transport path in the duplex mode is used.
A cut-and-raised portion 55 is provided on the outer transport chute 53. Thus, the heat of the sheet heated to a high temperature is taken by these transport chutes, and the sheet can be cooled by efficiently dissipating the heat by the heat-sink-shaped cut-and-raise 55. FIG. 4B is a perspective view showing the cut-and-raised structure. For example, a direction parallel to the paper transport direction between the transport rolls 40 on the surface of the inner transport chute 52 opposite to the paper transport surface. Multiple raised and raised 55
Are formed. The cut-and-raised portion 55 is formed, for example, on the sheet branch path 43 and the sheet reversing path 4 as in the first embodiment.
In a portion near the outer wall of the apparatus main body as shown in FIG. 4, it is formed on the outer surface of the outer transport chute 53 near the outer wall, and is designed to enhance the heat radiation effect. On the other hand, in the sheet return path 46, the cut-and-raised portion 51 is formed on the inner transport chute 52, and failures in the apparatus such as poor image quality due to high temperature and prevention of curling of stored paper are prevented. It is considered to reduce.

According to the present embodiment, as in the first embodiment, heat can be radiated by a simple structure such as the cut-and-raise 55, and further, the heat of the sheet is removed from the entire surface of the transport chute. Therefore, a high cooling effect can be obtained.
Further, by freely selecting a chute to be cut and raised 55 in accordance with the layout of each structure of the apparatus main body, the influence of heat radiation on the apparatus main body can be reduced. For example, the side closer to the outer wall portion is set as the heat radiation side. For example, the heat radiation efficiency can be further improved by selection. In the present embodiment, the cut-and-raised 5
When the position 5 exists at the end of the sheet to be conveyed, the sheet edge may be caught by a notch when the cut-and-raise 55 is formed depending on the curl state of the sheet, which may hinder the sheet conveyance. . Therefore, if the position of the cut-and-raised portion 55 is a position where the end of the sheet is unlikely to exist, or if the end of the fixed-form sheet is not conveyed when mainly conveying the fixed-form sheet, the conveyance failure due to the notch may be prevented. It can be prevented beforehand.

In the first embodiment, the cut-and-raised portion 51 is formed in a direction perpendicular to the sheet carrying direction. In the present embodiment, the cut-and-raised portion 55 is formed in a direction parallel to the sheet carrying direction. It is not necessary to selectively use either one of these, and it is possible to arbitrarily select one of them according to the position of the transport path and the arrangement relationship with other structures. For example, as shown in FIG.
Since it is difficult to form the cut-and-raised portion 55 in a direction parallel to the sheet transport direction in the curved transport path 47 in FIG.
1 can be arranged in combination. Further, the cut-and-raised portion can be formed not only at right angles or parallel to the paper transport direction in the first and second embodiments but also at a certain angle with respect to the paper transport direction. According to this, by selecting the angle freely, the original function of guiding the sheet in the transport chute can be further improved, and the layout of the apparatus main body can be cut and raised freely. You can increase the degree.

Third Embodiment FIGS. 5A and 5B show a third embodiment of the apparatus to which the present invention is applied. The present embodiment is characterized in that a heat sink 57, which is a member separate from the chute members, is attached to the outer transport chute 53 and the inner transport chute 52, instead of cutting and raising as in the above embodiment. Note that components similar to those of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals as those of the first embodiment, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

In this embodiment, FIGS. 5A and 5
As shown in (b), a heat sink 57 is disposed on the inner transport chute 52 and the outer transport chute 53 in the transport path in the duplex mode. This heat sink 57
Is made of a metal having high thermal conductivity such as aluminum, and is fixed to the inner transport chute 52 and the outer transport chute 53 by welding or screwing. At this time, since the projection due to welding or screwing interferes with the sheet conveyance, in the present embodiment, a diaphragm 58 is provided as shown in FIG. 5B, and these projections are formed on the sheet conveyance surface of each chute. It is configured not to occur. However, for example, when fixing by bonding or the like,
Since no protrusion is formed on the sheet conveying surface, the stop 58 is not required. According to the present embodiment, the cooling performance is increased by the separately provided heat sink 57, and the contact area of each chute member with the paper is increased, so that the heated paper can be reliably cooled. Furthermore, since there is no notch in the paper transport surface, it is possible to ensure high paper transport performance.

Fourth Embodiment FIGS. 6A and 6B show a fourth embodiment of the apparatus to which the present invention is applied. The present embodiment is characterized in that a cooling fan 60 is provided in each of the above embodiments.
Note that components similar to those of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals as those of the first embodiment, and detailed description thereof is omitted here.

In this embodiment, FIGS. 6A and 6
(b) As shown in FIG.
The fan 60 for cooling is provided in the portion where is formed.
As shown in FIG. 6B, the fan 60 is provided on one outer wall surface 61 of the apparatus main body, and is provided on the other outer wall 62 for discharging air blown from the fan 60 to the outside of the apparatus. A louver 63 is formed. Fan 60
As shown in FIG. 6 (b), the air blown out from both sides evenly hits both sides of the cut-and-raised portion 51, and after the cut-and-raised portion 51 is sufficiently cooled, the air is discharged out of the apparatus. At this time, the position of the fan 60 to be arranged and the direction of the blown air are determined by considering that the air flow is not hindered by the cut-and-raised surface of the cut-and-raised 51 and that the wind hits the cut-and-raised 51 evenly. It is preferable that air be flowed in a direction parallel to the cut-and-raised direction of the cut-and-raised portion 51. According to the present embodiment, by blowing air to the heat sink-shaped cut-and-raised portion 51, not only the cooling efficiency of the cut-and-raised portion 51 can be increased, but also the heat accumulated in the apparatus from the transport path in the duplex mode. Can be discharged to the outside, and even when the double-sided printing mode is continuously selected, the heated paper can be reliably cooled.
Although the example in which the fan 60 is provided on the cut-and-raised portion 51 in the first embodiment has been described, the present invention is not limited to this cut-and-raised state.
A similar effect can be obtained by blowing air to the cut-and-raised portion 55 in the second embodiment or the heat sink 57 in the third embodiment.

As described above, the description has been made with reference to the first to fourth embodiments. However, the configuration in which the heat radiating means is provided in the chute member can be applied not only to the transport path in the double-sided mode in the above-described embodiment. For example, when output processing such as gluing, stapling, and sorting is performed on output paper from a fixing device, it is very effective to apply the present invention as pre-processing. By providing the configuration of the present invention as pre-processing of such a post-processing device, for example, in a post-processing device having a gluing function, it is possible to maintain the gluing performance. However, even in the case of providing a paper jam, it is possible to prevent a trouble such as a paper jam (JAM) caused by the thermal expansion of the resin.

[0028]

As described above, according to the present invention,
The chute member that guides sheet conveyance enables cooling based on a wide range of locations, and enhances the cooling effect of the heated sheet.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an outline of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an outline of the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment;

FIGS. 3A and 3B are explanatory diagrams illustrating an outline of a sheet transport path according to the first embodiment.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are explanatory diagrams illustrating an outline of a sheet conveyance path according to a second embodiment.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are explanatory diagrams illustrating an outline of a sheet conveyance path according to a third embodiment.

FIGS. 6A and 6B are explanatory diagrams illustrating an outline of a sheet transport path according to a fourth embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Fixing device, 2 ... Chute member, 3 ... Heat dissipation means, 4 ...
Double-sided conveyance path, 5: cooling fan, 6: curved conveyance path, 7
... Outer chute member, 20 ... Image forming apparatus main body, 21 ...
Image input unit, 22 image forming unit, 23 photoconductor drum,
24 charging device, 25 image writing device, 26 developing device, 28 transfer device, 29 cleaner, 30 cleaning roll, 31 cleaning blade, 32 fixing device, 33 heating roll, 34 heater 35: pressure roll, 40: transport roll, 43: paper branch path, 44:
Sheet reversing path, 45: reversing roll, 46: sheet returning path, 47: curved conveying path, 48: sheet discharging path, 50:
Paper return / conveyance mechanism, 51: cutting / raising, 52: inner conveyance chute, 53: outer conveyance chute, 54: display communication means,
55: cut and raised, 57: heat sink, 58: aperture, 60
... Fan, 61,62 ... Outer wall, 63 ... Louvre

Continued on the front page F term (reference) 2H027 EB04 EB06 ED16 FA13 JB13 JC13 ZA07 2H028 BA06 BA07 2H033 AA23 AA46 BA07 BA29 2H072 AA32 CA01 CB06 JA02 JA04 3F101 FA00 FB04 FB08 FC01 FC05 FC11 FC19 LA02 LA05 LA05 LA05 LA07

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A fixing device for heating and fixing an unfixed image formed on a sheet, and a chute provided downstream of the fixing device and guiding while contacting the sheet heated and fixed by the fixing device. An image forming apparatus comprising: a member; and a radiator provided on the chute member to radiate heat of the chute member. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the chute member forms a double-sided conveyance path for forming an image on the other side after heating and fixing one side, and the heat radiating means is provided in the double-sided conveyance path of the chute member. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: 3. The heat dissipating means is formed by cutting and raising a part of the chute member.
The image forming apparatus as described in the above. 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a cooling fan that applies an air flow to the heat radiating unit to cool the heat radiating unit. 5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the chute member forms a curved conveyance path, and a heat radiating unit is provided for an outer chute member forming the curved conveyance path.