JP2004264426A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus which ensures the operations thereof by stably maintaining the performance of an optical sensor to enable the optical sensor to always perform detection necessary for image formation. <P>SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus that forms an image on a sheet includes: an opening/closing door for opening the inside of the apparatus; the optical sensor 110 for the detection necessary for image formation; a cleaning brush 111 for removing soil on an optical sensor 110 in accordance with the operation of opening/closing the door; and a rib 112 which removes matter 115 sticking to the cleaning brush 111. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a printer and a copying machine.
[0002]
[Prior art]
6 and 7 are cross-sectional views of an apparatus main body 100 of a laser beam printer as a color image forming apparatus.
[0003]
Sheets P stacked on a middle plate 53 of a sheet feeding cassette 50 as a sheet stacking unit are separated and fed one by one by a sheet feeding roller 51, pass through an intermediate conveying roller pair 54, a registration roller pair 55, and The sheet is transported to the transfer section T2.
[0004]
In the color image forming process, first, a latent image is formed on an image carrier included in a plurality of developing devices 45A to 45D corresponding to a plurality of color components by laser exposure L irradiated from a plurality of exposure devices 70. You.
[0005]
Next, the latent image is developed as a color component image on each image carrier with toner as a developer by developing means arranged in the developing devices 45A to 45D.
[0006]
The plurality of color component images formed on each image carrier are sequentially superimposedly transferred at the primary transfer portion T1 sandwiched between the image carrier and the primary transfer roller 41. Thus, a desired full-color image is formed on the intermediate transfer belt 42.
[0007]
The full-color image on the intermediate transfer belt 42 is collectively transferred to the sheet P at a secondary transfer portion T2 constituted by the secondary transfer roller 43 and the secondary transfer opposing roller 44, and an unfixed full-color image is obtained on the sheet P.
[0008]
The sheet P to which the unfixed full-color image has been transferred is introduced into the fixing device 30 and the full-color image is heated and fixed to the sheet P. Thereafter, the sheet P is discharged to the discharge stacking unit 10 by the plurality of discharge roller pairs 6, 7, 8.
[0009]
Further, in an image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic image forming process, the image carrier and the process means acting on the image carrier are integrally formed as a cartridge, and the process cartridges 40A to 40D can be attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus main body. Process cartridge system is adopted. According to this process cartridge system, the maintenance of the apparatus can be performed by the user himself without relying on a service person, so that the operability can be improved.
[0010]
Further, as shown in FIG. 7, by mounting IC memories 20A to 20D as recording means in the process cartridges 40A to 40D and managing the cartridge information, for example, switching of the charging current value or adjustment of the exposure amount Some process conditions are changed.
[0011]
As shown in FIG. 7, the apparatus main body 100 has an opening / closing door 85, and has an intermediate transfer belt 80 so as to be housed in the opening / closing door 85, and has a rotation center 85a provided below the apparatus. By opening the opening / closing door 85 in the clockwise direction in the figure, access to the process cartridges 40A to 40D and the intermediate transfer belt 80 becomes possible.
[0012]
Each of the process cartridges 40A to 40D can be housed in a cartridge holding member 90 provided on the left and right side plates of the apparatus main body 100, and the cartridge holding member 90 is rotatable by a rotation center 90a provided on an upper side of the left and right side plates. It is attached to the apparatus main body 100.
[0013]
The opening / closing door 85 and the cartridge holding member 90 are connected to each other by a multi-node link member 60.
[0014]
As a result of being coupled to the link member 60, when the opening / closing door 85 is slightly opened, the positions and postures of the cartridge holding member 90 and the process cartridges 40A to 40D remain held.
[0015]
For this reason, even when the opening / closing door 85 is opened while the IC memories 20A to 20D of the process cartridges 40A to 40D and the memory reading units 21A to 21D perform electrical data writing and reading, the IC The contact between the memories 20A to 20D and the memory reading units 21A to 21D is maintained, and when the interlock switch of the apparatus main body 100 is operated, the electrical connection is released and the destruction of data or partial erasure of data is performed. Can be prevented.
[0016]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the case of the above-described conventional technology, the following problems have occurred.
[0017]
When the toner is developed as a color component image on each image carrier, a plurality of color component images formed on each image carrier are sequentially transferred to a primary transfer portion T1 sandwiched between the image carrier and the primary transfer roller 41. When the target full-color image is formed on the intermediate transfer belt 42 by the superimposed transfer, the toner that has to be unused after forming the target full-color image on the intermediate transfer belt 42 is further collected. In some cases, a small amount of toner flies inside the apparatus main body 100.
[0018]
While repeating the behavior of the toner, the toner covers the surface of various optical sensors such as the optical sensor 110 for reading the leading edge of the image on the intermediate transfer belt 42 and the density, for example, and the optical sensor may not operate properly.
[0019]
Also, in a situation where such an optical sensor cannot be operated, a cleaning member or the like for cleaning the optical sensor is arranged so that the operation of the optical sensor can be improved for a certain period of time by cleaning the optical sensor. Can also be devised.
[0020]
However, if an adhering substance is attached to the cleaning member, the surface of the optical sensor cannot be cleaned cleanly, and the optical sensor cannot operate properly.
[0021]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-described conventional technology, and has as its object to maintain stable performance of an optical sensor and always perform detection necessary for image formation with the optical sensor. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus which can guarantee the operation of the apparatus.
[0022]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, in the present invention,
In an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a sheet,
An opening / closing door for opening the inside of the device;
An optical sensor that performs detection necessary for image formation,
A cleaning member for cleaning the dirt on the optical sensor according to the opening and closing operation of the opening and closing door,
Removing means for removing the deposits attached to the cleaning member;
It is characterized by having.
[0023]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be illustratively described in detail below with reference to the drawings. However, the dimensions, materials, shapes, relative arrangements, and the like of the components described in this embodiment are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention thereto unless otherwise specified. Absent.
[0024]
(First Embodiment)
The first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.
[0025]
As an example of the image forming apparatus, a laser beam printer that can form a four-color full-color image, which is a color image forming apparatus, is used. Also, the operation of the laser beam printer described in the related art with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7 is the same in the present embodiment. In the present embodiment, a characteristic portion will be described. The characteristic part here is shown only in FIG.
[0026]
1 is a cross-sectional view of the laser beam printer with the open / close door closed, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the laser beam printer with the open / close door open, and FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion A in FIG. FIG.
[0027]
The opening / closing door 85 and the cartridge holding member 90 are connected to each other by two link members (a first link member 61 and a second link member 62).
[0028]
One end 61a of the first link member 61 is rotatably connected to the opening / closing door 85, and the other end is rotatably connected to the second link member 62 at the connecting portion 61b.
[0029]
One end of the second link member 62 is rotatably connected to the first link member 61 by a connecting portion 61b, and the other end 62a is rotatably connected to the cartridge holding member 90.
[0030]
For example, when the opening and closing door 85 is opened, the opening and closing door 85 is rotated only a predetermined angle clockwise as shown in FIG. 2 around the center of rotation, and the protrusion provided on the opening and closing door 85 is separated from the microswitch. Even when the power switch is turned on, the interlock switch operates to forcibly cut off the electrical connection of the apparatus main body.
[0031]
At this time, one end 61a of the first link member 61 is pulled by the opening / closing door 85, and moves in the opening direction of the opening / closing door 85.
[0032]
On the other hand, the second link member 62 tends to be pulled in the opening direction of the opening / closing door 85 by the movement of the connecting portion 61b with the first link member 61 in the opening direction of the opening / closing door 85. However, since the lock lever 96 prevents the movement of the cartridge holding member 90, the other end 62a connected to the cartridge holding member 90 rotates counterclockwise as shown in FIG.
[0033]
As a result, when the opening / closing door 85 is slightly opened, the position and the attitude of the cartridge holding member 90 (and the process cartridge) remain held.
[0034]
Further, when the opening / closing door 85 is opened, the first link member 61 is pulled by the opening / closing door 85, and further moves toward the opening / closing door 85, and the second link member 62 moves from the rotating motion to the opening / closing door 85 direction. To move. When the second link member 62 changes to the movement in the direction of the opening / closing door 85, an acting force for pulling the other end 62 a with the cartridge holding member 90 acts, and the cartridge holding member 90 is opposed to the reaction force of the lock lever 96, It rotates in the counterclockwise direction shown in FIG.
[0035]
When the opening / closing door 85 is completely opened, the cartridge holding member 90 (and the process cartridge) is held in a posture protruding from the inside of the apparatus main body 100 as shown in FIG. 2, and the user can easily attach and detach the process cartridge. It has a configuration.
[0036]
In the case where the cartridge holding member 90 capable of accommodating the process cartridge is interlocked with the opening and closing of the opening / closing door 85 in this manner, the surface of the optical sensor 110 that reads the image tip and density on the intermediate transfer belt 42 is attached to the cartridge holding member 90. By attaching a cleaning brush 111 as a cleaning member for cleaning the surface, the surface of the optical sensor 110 can be cleaned according to the opening / closing operation of the opening / closing door 85.
[0037]
In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, a rib as a removing unit is provided in which the brush attached matter 115 attached to the cleaning brush 111 is disposed on the locus of the cleaning brush 111 for each cleaning operation (one reciprocation of the door opening / closing operation). With the configuration 112, the rib 112 comes into contact with the cleaning brush 111 twice in the outward and return directions to scrape off and remove the brush adhering substance 115.
[0038]
That is, the rib 112 is disposed at a position immediately after the cleaning brush 111 cleans the dirt on the optical sensor 110 in accordance with the operation of opening the door 85.
[0039]
Therefore, when the opening / closing door 85 is opened, the first removal of the brush adhering substance 115 by the rib 112 is performed immediately after the cleaning of the cleaning brush 111, and thereafter, when the opening / closing door 85 is closed, the second removal by the rib 112 is also performed. Is removed.
[0040]
Then, the brush attached matter 115 removed from the cleaning brush 111 by the rib 112 and dropped is collected by an attached matter receiver 113 as a storage means so as not to affect a sheet or the like being conveyed.
[0041]
(Second embodiment)
The second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
[0042]
The second embodiment is the same as the first embodiment except for the characteristic portions. Therefore, only the characteristic portions shown in FIG. 4 will be described.
[0043]
In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the cleaning brush 111 is attached to the cleaning brush 111 by the rib 112 which is disposed at the main body operation position of the cleaning brush 111 (a standby position separated from the optical sensor 110). The ribs 112 come into contact with each other to scrape off and remove the brush adhering matter 115.
[0044]
That is, when the cleaning brush 111 with the opening / closing door 85 closed is separated from the optical sensor 110, that is, when the cartridge holding member 90 is in the image forming state with the opening / closing door 85 closed, the rib 112 It is arranged so that the attached matter 115 can be removed.
[0045]
For this reason, the first removal of the brush attached matter 115 by the rib 112 is performed immediately when the opening and closing door 85 is opened, and the cleaning brush 111 is interposed in the middle, and the opening and closing door 85 is finally closed. Sometimes, the second removal of the brush deposits 115 by the ribs 112 is performed.
[0046]
Then, the brush attached matter 115 removed from the cleaning brush 111 by the rib 112 and dropped is collected by an attached matter receiver 113 as a storage means so as not to affect a sheet or the like being conveyed.
[0047]
(Third embodiment)
The third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
[0048]
The third embodiment is the same as the first embodiment except for the characteristic portions. Therefore, only the characteristic portions shown in FIG. 5 will be described.
[0049]
In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the brush attachment 115 attached to the cleaning brush 111 is supplied from the cooling air passage 114 in which the cleaning brush 111 is disposed at the main body operation position (standby position separated from the optical sensor 110). It is designed to be blown off by the wind and removed.
[0050]
That is, the opening of the cooling air passage 114 is located at a position where the cleaning brush 111 with the opening / closing door 85 closed is separated from the optical sensor 110, that is, at a position where the cartridge holding member 90 is in a state where an image can be formed with the opening / closing door 85 closed. It is arranged so that the brush deposits 115 can be removed by blowing off.
[0051]
For this reason, while the opening / closing door 85 is completely closed, the removal of the brush adhering matter 115 by blowing away the air from the cooling air passage 114 is continuously performed.
[0052]
Then, the brush adhering substance 115 removed from the cleaning brush 111 by blowing off the cooling air passage 114 is collected by an adhering substance receiver 113 as a storage means so as not to affect the conveyed sheet or the like.
[0053]
In the above-described embodiment, the optical sensor for reading the image leading edge and the density on the intermediate transfer belt has been described as an example of the optical sensor. However, the optical sensor is not limited to this. The present invention can be adopted as long as various optical sensors that perform detection necessary for image formation, such as for detection, can be used as long as the various optical sensors are cleaned by a cleaning member such as a cleaning brush in accordance with the opening / closing operation of the opening / closing door.
[0054]
In the above-described embodiment, a configuration using an intermediate transfer belt is used as a process for forming a color image. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a color image forming apparatus using an electrostatic transfer belt The present invention may be used for a single-color image forming apparatus.
[0055]
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be listed.
[0056]
[Embodiment 1]
In an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a sheet,
An opening / closing door for opening the inside of the device;
An optical sensor that performs detection necessary for image formation,
A cleaning member for cleaning the dirt on the optical sensor according to the opening and closing operation of the opening and closing door,
Removing means for removing the deposits attached to the cleaning member;
An image forming apparatus comprising:
[0057]
[Embodiment 2]
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the removing unit is disposed at a position immediately after the cleaning member cleans the dirt on the optical sensor according to an operation of opening the opening / closing door.
[0058]
[Embodiment 3]
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the removing unit is arranged at a position where the cleaning member with the opening / closing door closed is separated from the optical sensor.
[0059]
[Embodiment 4]
Equipped with a cooling air passage that cools the inside of the device,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the removing unit blows off and removes the attached matter attached to the cleaning member by wind from the cooling air passage.
[0060]
[Embodiment 5]
2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a storage unit configured to store the attached matter of the cleaning member removed by the removal unit.
[0061]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the present invention achieves stable operation of an optical sensor in an image forming apparatus, and achieves operation guarantee of the apparatus by enabling the optical sensor to constantly perform detection necessary for image formation. It is possible to do.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment in a state where an opening / closing door is closed.
FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment in a state where an opening / closing door is opened.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged configuration diagram of a characteristic portion of the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged configuration diagram of a characteristic portion of an image forming apparatus according to a second embodiment.
FIG. 5 is an enlarged configuration diagram of a characteristic portion of an image forming apparatus according to a third embodiment.
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state where an opening / closing door of the image forming apparatus is closed.
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state where an opening / closing door of the image forming apparatus is opened.
[Explanation of symbols]
6, 7, 8 Discharge roller pair 10 Discharge stacking units 20A to 20D IC memories 21A to 21D Memory reading unit 30 Fixing devices 40A to 40D Process cartridge 41 Primary transfer roller 42 Intermediate transfer belt 43 Secondary transfer roller 44 Secondary transfer Opposing rollers 45A to 45D Developing device 50 Paper feed cassette 51 Paper feed roller 53 Middle plate 54 Intermediate transport roller pair 55 Registration roller pair 60 Link member 61 First link member 62 Second link member 70 Exposure device 80 Intermediate transfer belt 85 Opening / closing door 90 Cartridge holding member 96 Lock lever 100 Main body 110 Optical sensor 111 Cleaning brush 112 Rib 114 Cooling air passage 115 Brush attached matter

Claims (1)

In an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a sheet,
An opening / closing door for opening the inside of the device;
An optical sensor that performs detection necessary for image formation,
A cleaning member for cleaning dirt on the optical sensor according to the opening and closing operation of the opening and closing door,
Removing means for removing the deposits attached to the cleaning member;
An image forming apparatus comprising:

Images