JP2000318864A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To efficiently remove the unnecessary powder dust on a recording medium after image formation by arranging a powder dust recovering means for recovering the powder dust left on a recording paper subjected to image formation on a carrying part. SOLUTION: A toner image on a photoreceptor 52 is transferred to a carried recording medium, fed, and heated and pressurized by a fixing roller 55 arranged on the downstream to fix the toner image on the recording medium. The recording medium fixed to end the image formation is further carried in the order of a carrying guide 36, a carrying roller 31, a carrying guide 37, and a carrying roller 32, and sent to a powder dust recovering means 10. The unnecessary powder dust other than the image left on the recording medium is removed and recovered by the powder dust recovering means 10. The recording medium from which the powder dust is removed is further carried in the order of a carrying roller 33, a carrying guide 38 and a carrying roller 34, and discharged to a discharge part 70. Since the unnecessary dirt on the image plane of the discharged recording medium is removed, a clean image quality can be provided.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus such as a facsimile, a copying machine, a laser beam printer and the like, and more particularly, to a dust collecting means for collecting dust remaining on a recording medium after image formation. The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus provided.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In addition to an image itself, an unfixed toner in an electrophotographic apparatus or a toner scattered in the apparatus, an ink-jet image forming method, is formed on a recording medium on which an image is formed using an image forming apparatus. In the device, unnecessary toner or ink, such as ink powder generated by solidification of mist generated when ink is ejected from the ink nozzle,
Paper powder or chemicals used in paper production among the fibers forming the paper adhere as dust. These dusts not only deteriorate the image quality of the formed image as image noise, but also may cause malfunction or failure due to adhesion and aggregation to electronic components inside and outside the image forming apparatus.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-34288 discloses that in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, downstream of a fixing roller,
The invention discloses a brush that removes dust and dirt on an image surface, and a blower that has a blower directed toward the brush and blows wind to the bristles of the brush.

According to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-34288, an arrangement in which only brushes are provided has been proposed. However, in this case, the removed dirt and dust enter between the bristles of the brush. It is described that there is a problem that the dust removing function is deteriorated, and the problem is solved by dropping the dust by a blowing member.

However, if dust such as dust and dirt on the recording medium after image formation is blown off by the blowing member, the performance of the brush is maintained, but the blown dust eventually scatters inside the image forming apparatus and becomes different. It has been found that a new problem of re-adhesion to recording media and electronic components has occurred. This is because even in the case of removal using only a brush and not using a blowing member, the dust that has entered between the brush hairs is scattered around when the dust on the recording medium is scraped off. Is awake.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a dust collecting means for efficiently removing unnecessary dust on a recording medium after image formation by not only removing but also collecting the dust. An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus.

[0007]

The object of the present invention has been attained by the following constitutions.

[0008] 1. An image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming unit; a discharge unit configured to discharge a recording medium on which an image is formed by the image forming unit; and a transport unit configured to transport the recording medium between the image forming unit and the discharge unit. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a dust collecting unit that collects dust remaining on the recording medium on which the image is formed is provided in the transport unit. 2. The dust collecting means is a dust collecting means that has a charging member that is close to or in contact with the recording medium and can form an electric field with respect to the recording medium, and that collects the dust by adsorbing the dust on the charging member. The above 1 characterized by the above-mentioned.
An image forming apparatus according to claim 1.

3. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the charging member is a rotating member to which a bias voltage is applied and is rotatable with the conveyance of the recording medium.

[0010] 4. 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the dust collecting unit includes a cleaning member that collects dust adsorbed on the charging member. 5.

5. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the dust collecting unit is a dust collecting unit that adheres the dust to the adhesive member and collects the dust by bringing an adhesive member into contact with the recording medium. .

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the adhesive member is a roller having an adhesive tape wound around an outer peripheral surface.

7. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the dust collecting unit is a dust collecting unit that sucks and collects the dust by bringing an air suction unit close to or in contact with the recording medium.

8. The dust collecting means is a dust collecting means having an injection means for injecting air to the recording medium, and sucking and collecting the dust blown off by the air injected from the injection means by the suction means. 8. The image forming apparatus according to the above item 7, wherein

9. An image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming unit; a discharge unit configured to discharge a recording medium on which an image is formed by the image forming unit; and a transport unit configured to transport the recording medium between the image forming unit and the discharge unit. In the transport unit, dust collecting means for collecting dust remaining on both surfaces of the recording medium on which the image is formed is disposed, the dust collecting means includes a bias voltage applying roller to which a bias voltage is applied, An image forming apparatus comprising: a cleaning member that collects the dust adsorbed on the bias voltage applying roller by an electric field generated by the bias voltage applying roller.

[0016]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing one embodiment of an image forming apparatus provided with the dust collecting means of the present invention. The image forming apparatus in FIG. 1 is an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. In the drawing, reference numeral 1 denotes an image forming apparatus, 10 denotes a dust collecting means, 30s denotes a conveying section, 50s denotes an image forming section, 70 denotes a discharging section, and 90 denotes a recording medium supply section.

The operation will be described first.
The sheet-shaped recording medium loaded in the inside is fed out one by one in the direction of the arrow, and is transported by the transport rollers and the transport guide.
The sheet is conveyed to a position immediately below the photoconductor 52. After the photoconductor 52 is uniformly charged by the charging unit 56, an image-like electrostatic latent image is formed by the exposure unit 57, and further developed into a toner image by the toner supplied from the developing unit 53. The toner image on the photoreceptor 52 is transferred to the conveyed recording medium, sent out, and heated and pressed by a fixing roller 55 disposed downstream thereof to fix the toner image on the recording medium. The recording medium on which the image formation is completed after the fixing is further transported in the order of the transport guide 36, the transport roller 31, the transport guide 37, and the transport roller 32, and is sent to the dust collecting means 10. Unnecessary dust other than the image remaining on the recording medium is removed and collected by the dust collection unit 10. The recording medium from which the dust has been removed is further transported by the transport roller 33, the transport guide 38, and the transport roller 34, and is discharged to the discharge unit 70. Unnecessary dirt on the screen is removed from the discharged recording medium by the dust collection means, and clean image quality is obtained. Further, the hands of the person who collects the recording medium are not stained with the remaining toner and the like.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing an embodiment in which the dust collection means of the present invention is a collection using a charging member.
In the drawing, reference numeral 11 denotes a bias voltage applying roller (rotating member), 1
2 is a cleaning member, 13 is a bias power supply, and 20 is a recording medium.

In FIG. 2A, a bias power supply 13a
Accordingly, the roller 11a applied to (+) and the roller 11a 'provided opposite thereto first sandwich the recording medium 20 on which an image is formed and conveyed from the left side in the figure. At this time, the (+) charged roller 11a adsorbs dust such as unnecessary toner, ink, paper powder, and chemicals attached to the lower surface (back surface) side of the recording medium 20 in the drawing. Recording medium 2 sent out by rollers 11a and 11a '
0 is the roller 11b applied to the next (+)
Roller 11b 'provided in opposition to
Is sandwiched between. At this time, the dust adhering to the upper surface (image surface) in the drawing of the recording medium 20 is changed to the (
1b is adsorbed and sent out to a discharge unit (not shown). Dust moving from the recording medium 20 adheres to the surfaces of the applied rollers 11a and 11b, which are collected and held by the cleaning members 12a and 12b. A collection method using a cleaning member is generally known, such as scraping and collecting with a blade such as a cleaning unit of a photoreceptor generally used in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, suction and collection with a suction nozzle, and adhesive collection with an adhesive roller. Although it is possible to apply the method described above, it is preferable that collected dust is not scattered as much as possible.
Although FIG. 1A shows an embodiment in which two pairs of rollers are used to apply a bias voltage of (+) to collect dust on both sides of the recording medium, (−) depending on the type of main dust. )
The application may be performed, the dust may be collected only on one side of the image surface, and the number of rollers may be one instead of two. Further, it is preferable that the dust held by the cleaning member is discarded by a user at an appropriate timing.

FIG. 2B shows an embodiment in which all of the two pairs of rollers (four) are applied with a bias voltage. The first pair of rollers 11c and 11d are connected to a bias power supply 13b.
To (+), the next pair of rollers 11e and 11f
Is applied to (−) by the bias power supply 13c.
Depending on the dust, (+) charge is more easily adsorbed, and (−) charge is more easily adsorbed. Therefore, rollers applied to (+) and (−) are provided, respectively. Is more preferred. The collection means 12c to 12f are the same as the above-described 12a and 12b.

FIG. 2C shows another embodiment in which all the two pairs of rollers (four) are applied with a bias voltage. The roller 11g on the upper surface (image surface) side in the drawing of the first pair of rollers 11g and 11h, and the roller 11j on the lower surface (rear surface) in the drawing of the next pair of rollers 11i and 11j are (−) ), The remaining rollers 11h and 11i are applied to (+) by the bias power supply 13e. The collecting means 12g to 12j are the same as described above.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing an embodiment in which the dust collection means of the present invention is a dust collection using an adhesive member. In the drawing, reference numeral 20 denotes a recording medium after image formation, 14 denotes an adhesive tape (adhesive member), 14a denotes a feeding roller around which an unused adhesive tape is wound, and 14b denotes a collection roller that winds the adhesive tape 14 after sticking dust. And 15 are pressing rollers provided to face the feeding roller 14a. When the recording medium 20 is conveyed in the direction of the arrow and the recording medium 20 passes between a pair of rollers constituted by the feed roller 14a and the pressing roller 15, the unused adhesive tape 14 fed from the feed roller 14a is used. Abuts on the surface of the recording medium, and adheres dust on the image surface on the recording medium 20. The adhesive tape with the dust attached is the collection roller 1
4b. Feeding roller 14a
The pressing roller 15 is preferably biased by an elastic member such as a coil spring so that the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape 14 can more effectively contact the recording medium 20. In this embodiment, the mechanism is such that an unused adhesive tape is continuously supplied. However, the adhesive tape may be replaced each time the sticking ability of the adhesive tape is lost without providing a collection roller. Further, it is more preferable that the pressing roller 15 side in this mode has the same dust collecting mechanism as the adhesive tape 14 side, and that the dust is collected from both sides of the recording medium 20. Further, not only one pair of such adhesive members but also a plurality of pairs along the transport path can be provided.

The pressure-sensitive adhesive member is not limited to a disposable pressure-sensitive adhesive tape, but may be replaced with a pressure-sensitive resin roller which can be washed and used repeatedly such as neoprene rubber, latex rubber, silicon rubber or the like.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing an embodiment in which the dust collecting means of the present invention is a suction member. In the figure, 20
Denotes a recording medium, 16 denotes a suction machine (air suction means), and 16a denotes a pressing plate. When the conveyed recording medium 20 after image formation is conveyed to the opposing suction device 16 and holding plate 16a, the suction device 16 absorbs dust on the image surface of the recording medium 20. . The sucked dust is collected in a suction bag (not shown). The suction bag preferably allows air to pass through and does not allow dust to pass through. Although not shown, if a plate-shaped or roller-shaped pressing member is provided at a position facing the pressing plate 16a on the suction device 16 side (upper surface side), the recording medium 20 can be smoothly conveyed. It is possible. In FIG. 4, the upper surface in the figure (image surface)
Although only the suction and recovery mode has been described, it is more preferable to provide a similar suction device on the downstream side of the suction device 16 and on the lower surface side (back surface) to collect dust from both surfaces of the recording medium 20.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing an embodiment in which the dust collecting means of the present invention has both a suction member and a jetting member. In the figure, reference numeral 20 denotes a recording medium, 17a denotes a blowing nozzle (ejection unit), 17b denotes a suction nozzle (air suction unit), and 17c denotes a pressing plate. Numerals 32 and 33 are not in the dust collecting means, but are the transport rollers described above. The recording medium after image formation is sent by the conveying roller 32 from the left side of the drawing. When the recording medium 20 comes into contact with the pressing plate 17c, air is ejected from the blowing nozzle 17a located on the side facing the pressing plate 17c. The dust adhering to the image surface on the recording medium 20 is blown up by the jetted air. Then, the soaring dust is sucked by the suction nozzle 17b provided adjacent to the blowing nozzle 17a. By arranging the air blowing direction of the blowing nozzle 17a and the suction direction of the suction nozzle 17b so as to be centered on the vertical direction of the image surface of the recording medium 20, dust can be effectively collected. The suction nozzle is preferably connected to a suction bag as described in FIG. Also,
In FIG. 4, the dust collecting mechanism of only the upper surface (image surface) in the drawing of the recording medium 20 is shown, but a similar dust collecting mechanism is further provided on the lower surface (rear surface) in the drawing on the downstream side of the transport path. It is more preferable that both surfaces of the device 20 have a mechanism for collecting dust.

[0027]

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus provided with a dust collecting means for efficiently removing unnecessary dust on a recording medium after image formation as well as removing the dust. .

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing an embodiment of an image forming apparatus provided with a dust collecting unit of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing one embodiment in which the dust collection means of the present invention is a collection using a charging member.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing an embodiment in which the dust collection means of the present invention is a dust collection using an adhesive member.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing an embodiment in which the dust collecting means of the present invention is a suction member.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing an embodiment in which the dust collecting means of the present invention has both a suction member and an ejection member.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 10 Dust collection means 11 Bias voltage application roller 12 Cleaning member 13 Bias power supply 14 Adhesive tape 16 Suction machine 17a Blow-out nozzle 17b Suction nozzle 31-34 Transport roller 36-38 Transport guide 51 Developing unit 55 Fixing roller 70 Discharge unit 90 Recording medium supply unit

Claims (9)

[Claims] An image forming section, a discharge section for discharging a recording medium on which an image has been formed by the image forming section, and a transport section for transporting the recording medium between the image forming section and the discharge section. The dust collecting means for collecting dust remaining on the recording medium on which the image has been formed is provided in the transport unit. 2. The dust collecting means has a charging member which is close to or in contact with the recording medium and can form an electric field on the recording medium, and collects the dust by adsorbing the dust on the charging member. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus is a dust collection unit. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the charging member is a rotating member to which a bias voltage is applied and which can rotate as the recording medium is conveyed. 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said dust collecting means has a cleaning member for collecting dust adsorbed on said charging member. 5. The dust collecting means according to claim 1, wherein said dust collecting means is a dust collecting means for affixing said dust to said adhesive member to collect by bringing an adhesive member into contact with said recording medium. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1. 6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the adhesive member is a roller having an adhesive tape wound around an outer peripheral surface. 7. The dust collecting means according to claim 1, wherein the dust collecting means is a dust collecting means for sucking and collecting the dust by bringing an air suction means close to or in contact with the recording medium. Image forming device. 8. The dust collecting means has an ejection means for ejecting air to the recording medium, and the dust sucked by the air ejected from the ejection means is sucked and collected by the suction means. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the image forming apparatus is a dust collection unit. 9. An image forming section, a discharge section for discharging a recording medium on which an image has been formed by the image forming section, and a transport section for transporting the recording medium between the image forming section and the discharge section. In the image forming apparatus, a dust collecting unit that collects dust remaining on both surfaces of the image-formed recording medium is provided in the transport unit, and the dust collecting unit includes a bias voltage applied with a bias voltage. An image forming apparatus comprising: an application roller; and a cleaning member that collects the dust adsorbed on the bias voltage application roller by an electric field generated by the bias voltage application roller.