JP2003287995A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus which can carry out efficient cooling over a wide range without causing heat dispersion inside the apparatus and ozone or toner dust dispersion and ejection to the outside of the device. <P>SOLUTION: In the image forming apparatus provided with a main body frame, the main body frame is cooled by a duct having the main body frame as one part and an air blowing means so that the inside of the device is indirectly cooled down. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

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 having a main body frame, and more particularly to solving a problem caused by a temperature rise in the apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an image forming apparatus, a case member that substantially covers the entire drive system formed by a drive belt that transmits drive is cooled, and the inside of the case member is indirectly cooled. A structure is used that efficiently cools a wide range with a simple configuration by stirring the cooled air with a drive belt.

[0003]

In the image forming apparatus, the precision of the mechanism of the apparatus main body has been increased, the weight thereof has been increased, and the density thereof has been increased along with the recent trend toward higher image quality and higher speed. As a result, the temperature of the electric components such as the power source, the heat sources such as the motor and the fixing device are increased and increased, and the temperature rise of the entire apparatus is spurred. Therefore, the heat inside the device is exhausted outside the device using a fan, and the temperature rise is suppressed by sucking fresh air from the outside of the device. However, these temperature rise prevention measures are
It is local in the device and disturbs the air flow in the device, leading to all kinds of harmful effects. Examples thereof include diffusion of heat generated from a heat source, diffusion of ozone and toner dust, and discharge to the outside of the apparatus. Further, it is necessary to provide various replaceable filters at the exhaust port, which is not desirable in consideration of cost and maintainability.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to diffuse heat in an apparatus,
Does not cause diffusion of ozone and toner dust and discharge from the device,
An object is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of efficient cooling over a wide range.

[0005]

In order to solve the above problems, an image forming apparatus according to the present invention is an image forming apparatus having a main body frame, wherein the duct having the main body frame as a part thereof and the blower means. The main body frame is cooled by the above, and the image forming space is indirectly cooled.

[0006]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment, FIG. 2 is a schematic rear view of the image forming apparatus, FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of the image forming apparatus, and FIG. 4 is a side view illustrating the vicinity of a cooling unit. 5 is a side view for explaining the vicinity of the cooling means, and FIG. 6 is a rear view for explaining the vicinity of the cooling means.

The image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 1 is of an electrophotographic type which forms a full-color image by forming an electrostatic latent image on an image carrier made of a photoconductor, developing the latent image and transferring it to a sheet. It is a color image forming apparatus.

An image reading section 2 is provided on the upper part of the apparatus main body 1, and a document S placed on a document table glass 10 is exposed and scanned by an exposure lamp 11, whereby a reflected light image from the document is reflected by a mirror 12a. , 12b, 12c, and the lens 13 collect the light on the full-color sensor 14 to obtain color-separated image signals.

The color-separated image signal is processed by a video processing unit through an amplifier circuit (not shown) and sent to an image forming section. When an image formation start signal is input to the image forming section, first, the photosensitive drum 15 as an image carrier is rotationally driven in the direction of arrow A by a driving unit (not shown). Around the photosensitive drum 15, a pre-exposure lamp 16,
Corona charger 17, laser exposure optical system 1 as exposure means
8, potential sensor 19, four developing devices 20y of different colors,
20c, 20m, 20Bk, on-drum light amount detection means 2
1, a transfer device 3, and a cleaning device 22 are arranged.

After the photosensitive drum 15 starts rotating,
The transfer drum 23 of the transfer device 3 is transferred to the transfer drum pressure cam 34.
Is pressed against the photosensitive drum 15 by the
Drive is obtained from 5 and driven rotation starts at a constant speed. When the rotation of the photosensitive drum 15 is stabilized and preparations for sheet conveyance are completed,
An image forming operation is started on the photosensitive drum 15.

In the laser exposure optical system 18, an image signal from the image reading section is converted into an optical signal by a laser output section (not shown), and the converted laser light is rotated by the rotary polygon mirror 18a.
And is projected onto the cylindrical surface of the photosensitive drum 15 via the lens 18b and the mirror 18c. During image formation, the photosensitive drum 15 is rotated in the direction of arrow A, and the pre-exposure lamp 1
The photosensitive drum 15 after being neutralized by 6 is uniformly charged by the corona charger 17, and an optical image is emitted for each separated color.
Form an electrostatic latent image.

Next, a predetermined developing device is operated to develop the latent image on the photosensitive drum 15, and a toner image based on resin is formed on the photosensitive drum 15. The developing device is an eccentric cam 2
By the operations of 5y, 25c, 25m, and 25Bk, the photosensitive drum 15 is selectively approached according to each separated color. The toner image thus formed on the photosensitive drum 15 is transferred to the sheet supplied from the sheet cassette 4 via the transport system and the transfer drum 23 to a position facing the photosensitive drum 15.

The transfer drum 23 has a transfer charger 2 inside.
6, an electrostatic charging device 27 for electrostatically adsorbing the sheet, and an internal charge removing charging device 28 are provided, and the whole thereof is pressed against the photosensitive drum 15 as described above. The transfer drum 23 that electrostatically attracts the sheet is rotated by the photosensitive drum 15 as it rotates.
The upper toner image is transferred onto the sheet by the transfer charger 26.

In this way, a desired number of color images are transferred to the sheet sucked and conveyed to the transfer drum 23, and when the transfer of the four color toner images is completed, a full color image is formed. When the transfer is completed, the sheet is separated from the transfer drum 23 by the action of the separation claw 29 and the separation push-up roller 30,
After the toner is fixed via the heat roller fixing device 31, the toner is discharged to the discharge tray 32. When images are continuously formed on a plurality of sheets, the next sheet is continuously conveyed to the transfer drum 23, and the image forming operation on the photosensitive drum 15 and the transfer operation on the sheet are repeated.

Even after the final sheet is separated, the transfer drum 23 is still pressed by the photosensitive drum 15 and driven to rotate, and the surface thereof is cleaned by the transfer drum cleaner 33. The cleaning operation is performed for at least one rotation of the transfer drum 23, and when the cleaning is completed, the transfer drum pressure cam 34 is rotated and the transfer drum 23 is separated from the photosensitive drum 15. The rotation of the photosensitive drum 15 is stopped after the transfer drum 23 is separated.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, an image forming space C in which a photosensitive drum 15, a transfer drum 23 and the like are arranged on the rear surface of the apparatus, a drive mechanism such as a gear and a belt, and an electric component section such as a power source and a controller. Between the drive / control space D in which the
The drive / control space D is the rear frame 1a and the rear cover 1b of the main body.
It is located between

The body rear frame 1a is made of a large single metal plate, and a duct 45 is provided along the body rear frame 1a as shown in FIG. The body rear frame 1a also acts as a part of the duct 45. The opening of the duct 45 is formed by the opening louvers 1c and 1d of the rear cover 1b.
To the outside of the device through the seal member 46 (see FIG. 4). The duct 45 is installed at any place where cooling is required, and has a blower fan 44 as a cooling means at the intake port 43a. The inside of the duct 45 is sealed from the other parts inside the device, so that the air outside the device is sucked and is exhausted to the device as it is.

The cooling air supplied from the outside of the apparatus by the blower fan 44 is sent into the duct 45 from the intake port 43a as shown by the broken line arrow B in FIG. 4, and flows to the exhaust port 43b along the rear frame 1a of the main body. . At this time, the cooling air comes into contact with the rear frame 1a of the main body to remove heat from the rear frame 1a of the main body, and indirectly cool the image forming space C side of the rear frame 1a of the main body. That is, the rear frame 1a of the main body functions as a heat dissipation plate. Furthermore, since the rear frame 1a of the main body is made of a metal having a good thermal conductivity, a part of the rear frame 1a of the main body is also cooled, so that the surrounding heat is taken away at the same time, and as a result, a wide range of cooling becomes possible.

The airflow in the duct 45 is always kept in a cooled form, so that the efficiency of heat radiation from the rear frame 1a of the main body can always be kept good. Further, since the air exhausted from the duct 45 is cut off from the inside of the device and only obtains heat,
There is no possibility that toner dust, ozone, etc. will be released to the outside, and it can be exhausted as it is without using a filter or the like.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, if the fins 47 are erected on the rear frame 1a of the main body in the duct 45, the effect as a heat radiating plate is doubled and more efficient cooling becomes possible.

With such a configuration, in the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, a wide range can be effectively cooled with an extremely simple configuration without using a filter, etc. It can be prevented.

Although the blower fan 44, which is a cooling means, is configured to suck the airflow into the inside of the apparatus in the above embodiment, the present embodiment is not limited to this, and the airflow is directed in the exhaust direction. The same effect can be obtained even if it causes

[0023]

As described above, in the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, by cooling the main body frame, a wide range can be efficiently cooled with a simple structure, and the problem caused by the temperature rise in the apparatus is obviated. Can be prevented.

Further, since the image forming space side is indirectly cooled through the main body frame, there is no fear that toner dust, ozone, etc. generated in the apparatus will be discharged to the outside of the apparatus, and the configuration of the filter or the like will be eliminated. Can be omitted to provide a simple configuration.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus according to this embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a schematic rear view of the image forming apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of the image forming apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a side view illustrating the vicinity of the cooling unit.

FIG. 5 is a side view illustrating the vicinity of the cooling unit.

FIG. 6 is a rear view illustrating the vicinity of the cooling unit.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Device body 1a: Rear frame of main body 1b ... rear cover 1c ... Intake opening louver 1d ... Exhaust opening louver 2 ... Image reading unit 3 ... Transfer device 4 ... Sheet cassette 10 ... Platen glass 11 ... Exposure lamp 12a ... Mirror 13 ... Lens 14 ... Full color sensor 15 ... Photosensitive drum 16 ... Pre-exposure lamp 17: Corona charger 18 ... Laser exposure optical system 18a: rotating polygon mirror 18b: lens 18c ... Mirror 19 ... Potential sensor 20 ... Developer 21 ... Light amount detecting means on drum 22 ... Cleaning device 23 ... Transfer drum 25 ... Eccentric cam 26 ... Transfer charger 27 ... Adsorption charger 28 ... Internal static eliminator 29 ... Separation claw 30: Separate push-up roller 31 ... Heat roller fixing device 32 ... Ejection tray 33 ... Transfer drum cleaner 34 ... Transfer drum pressure cam 43a ... intake port 43b ... Exhaust port 44 ... Blower fan 45 ... Duct 46 ... Seal member 47 ... Fins

Continued front page    F-term (reference) 2C061 AQ06 BB27 CN02 CN08                 2H027 JA03 JB12 JB14 JB29 ZA10                 2H171 FA01 FA06 FA28 GA02 GA03                       GA23 GA29 HA02 HA22 HA25                       KA12 NA03 NA05 QA02 QA06                       QA08 QB02 QB15 QB33 QC04                       QC07 QC17 QC22 QC25 QC29                       QC30 QC32 SA09 SA14 SA19                       SA22 SA28 WA12 WA17 WA21                 5B021 AA04 PP01 PP02

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A drive / control system in which a sheet material is conveyed, an image forming space in which a unit for forming an image on the sheet material is arranged, a drive mechanism for driving / controlling the unit, and an electric component section are arranged. In an image forming apparatus having a space and having a main body frame that divides the image forming space and the drive / control space, a cooling unit is installed in the drive / control space, and the cooling unit includes an intake port and an exhaust port. An image forming apparatus comprising a duct and an air blower for generating an air flow, and both the intake port and the exhaust port are open to the outside. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the duct has the main body frame as a part thereof. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the blowing unit sucks or exhausts the inside of the duct. 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein at least a portion of the main body frame that is related to the cooling means is formed of a material having high thermal conductivity.