JP2005241660A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus where generated power using the waste heat of a fixing part is stably supplied, and also, free from the occurrence of a hindrance to a copying job. <P>SOLUTION: Regarding the image forming apparatus equipped with a power consumption mode switching means for switching a normal mode capable of executing an image forming operation and a low power consumption mode, and a thermal fixing part 7 for melt-fixing a toner image transferred on a paper, the apparatus is provided with a thermo-electric generating element 111 which is arranged in contact with the thermal fixing part 7, and a capacitor 114 for storing the power generated by the element 111, and also, the apparatus is provided with charge/discharge switching means 104, 115 and 116 for charging the capacitor 114 by the generated power by the element 111 in the normal mode, and also, consuming the power charged to the capacitor 114 in the low power consumption mode. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus including a power consumption mode switching unit that switches between a normal mode in which an image forming operation can be performed and a low power consumption mode, and a heat fixing unit that melts and fixes a toner image transferred onto a sheet.

In an image forming apparatus equipped with a thermal fixing unit that melts and fixes a toner image transferred onto a sheet of paper such as a copying machine, power consumption for maintaining a predetermined fixing temperature is relatively high, and fixing is performed during standby when a copy job is not required. A low power consumption mode is employed in which power supply to the heaters and the like is stopped or reduced. On the other hand, when a copy job is requested, the mode is switched from the low power consumption mode to the normal mode by the power consumption mode switching means and maintained at a predetermined fixing temperature. However, the heat generated in the fixing unit is used only for melting and fixing the toner and is not used for others. Most of the heat is wasted wastefully, so a thermoelectric generator is provided in the fixing unit. There has been proposed a technique for generating electric power and supplying the electric power to another electric power load such as a fan.
JP-A-1-229278

  However, according to the above-described conventional technology, the generated power is consumed directly during operation of the apparatus, and there is a possibility that the drive cannot be stably performed when the load is driven by the generated power with much fluctuation. There was a problem that the job might be hindered.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above-described conventional drawbacks, the present invention provides an image forming apparatus that can stably supply generated power using waste heat of a fixing unit and that does not interfere with a copy job.

  In order to achieve the above-described object, the image forming apparatus according to the present invention is characterized in that the power to switch between the normal mode in which image forming operation is possible and the low power consumption mode as described in claim 1 of the claims. An image forming apparatus comprising: a consumption mode switching unit; and a thermal fixing unit that melts and fixes a toner image transferred onto a sheet, wherein the thermoelectric generation element is disposed in contact with the thermal fixing unit; A storage device for storing electric power, and charging and discharging switching means for charging the storage device with electric power generated by the thermoelectric generator in the normal mode and consuming electric power charged in the storage device in the low power consumption mode. The point is that it is composed.

  According to the present invention, during operation of the apparatus in the normal mode, the generated power is merely charged to the charger without being directly consumed by the load. Therefore, the copying job can be completed in a stable state, and In the power consumption mode, by consuming the power charged in the capacitor, the load can be driven stably, and the power consumption can be further suppressed.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus that can stably supply generated power using waste heat of a fixing unit and that does not interfere with a copy job. .

  Embodiments of an image processing apparatus according to the present invention will be described below. As shown in FIG. 1, a color copying machine 1 which is an example of an image forming apparatus includes a scanner unit 2, an image processing unit 3, an LSU 4, an image forming unit 5, a paper feeding / conveying unit 6, a fixing unit 7, a DF unit 8, And it comprises an operation part (not shown).

  The operation unit is provided with a mode setting key for setting the operation mode of various jobs of the color copying machine 1, a print key for starting the set job, and the like, and a display for displaying setting information by the mode setting key. An operation unit (not shown) provided with a unit is provided.

  Image output for forming and outputting a toner image corresponding to required output image data on recording paper by the image processing unit 3, LSU 4, image forming unit 5, paper feeding and conveying unit 6, fixing unit 7 and their control units Means are configured.

  The DF unit 8 conveys a plurality of documents 80 placed on the document tray 81 one by one to a document reading position by the scanner unit 2, and discharges the document that has been read to a paper discharge tray 82.

  The scanner unit 2 converts the image information into electronic data by sending the light reflected by irradiating the document to the CCD image sensor 21 through RGB filters. The image processing unit 3 processes the signal from the CCD image sensor 21 into output image data subjected to A / D conversion, shading correction, color correction, and other image processing, and also executes toner color conversion processing described later. To do. The LSU 4 converts output image data from the image processing 3 into laser light and irradiates the photosensitive drum 51.

  The image forming unit 5 includes a photosensitive drum 51, a main charging unit 52, a developing unit 53, a transfer belt 54, a cleaning unit 55, a recycled toner replenishing unit 56, and a charge eliminating lamp 57. In particular, the developing unit 53 is a cyan developer. 531, a magenta developing unit 532, a yellow developing unit 533, and a black developing unit 534. A toner cartridge filled with a corresponding color toner is detachably attached to each developing device, and the toner is supplied from the toner cartridge to the developing device.

  The main charger 52 stretches a thin tungsten wire of 50 to 100 μm in the longitudinal direction of the photosensitive drum 51 in a shield case opened toward the photosensitive drum 51, and applies a high voltage of about +5 KV to the photosensitive drum 51. The body drum 51 is positively charged. The LSU 4 irradiates the charged surface of the photosensitive drum 51 with a laser beam corresponding to the image data, whereby an electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 51. A toner image is formed by applying a bias voltage of the developing roller and a potential of the surface of the photosensitive drum to the toner which is agitated in the developing unit 53 and positively charged in the portion irradiated with the laser of the photosensitive drum 51, This is transferred onto the surface of the transfer belt 54. The toner that has not been transferred onto the photosensitive drum 51 is scraped off by the rubber blade 551 of the cleaning means 55, which is the next process, and is neutralized by the neutralizing lamp 57 to reduce the residual potential on the surface and make it uniform. Prepares for the next series of processes.

  In the color image output mode, the above-described charging, exposure, development, cleaning, and charge removal operations are performed corresponding to each color of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black, and the respective toner images are superimposed on the transfer belt 54. The toner image is transferred to the recording paper by the secondary transfer portions (541a, 541b).

  In the monochrome image output mode, the cyan developing unit 531, the magenta developing unit 532, and the yellow developing unit 533 do not operate, and output is performed only by the black developing unit 534.

  The paper feeding / conveying means 6 comprises paper feeding cassettes 611 and 612, paper feeding rollers 621 and 622, a vertical conveying path 63, a pair of registration rollers 64a and 64b, and a conveying belt 65. The paper feed cassettes 611 and 612 are provided with a paper stacking plate on which a plurality of recording papers are stacked, and this paper stacking plate is lifted up by a spring, a lift motor, etc. Is urged to come into contact with the paper feed rollers 621 and 622. The registration roller pairs 64a and 64b stop the paper at one end in order to synchronize the transfer timing of the toner image on the transfer belt 54 to the conveyed paper and to adjust the leading edge of the paper, and then to the image forming means 5 It has a role to carry. The conveyance belt 65 conveys the sheet on which the unfixed toner is transferred to the fixing unit 7. The necessary number of conveying rollers in each conveying path is laid out as needed.

  The fixing unit 7 includes a first heat roller 71, a first heater 711 inside the first heat roller 71, a second heat roller 72, a second heater 721 inside the heat roller 72, a pair of fixing discharge rollers 73a and 73b, and the like. . The heat roller pairs 71 and 72 are made of aluminum having good heat conductivity and coated with fluorine. Thermistors 712 and 722 serving as temperature detecting means are provided on the respective surfaces, and the temperature detected by the temperature detecting means 712 and 722 is used. By controlling the two heaters 711 and 721 based on the above, a predetermined temperature required for fixing is maintained. The first heat roller 71 faces the second heat roller 72 and contacts with an appropriate pressure, and is driven by driving means (not shown). The heat roller pair 71, 72 is made of an aluminum roller having a good thermal conductivity, and its periphery is covered with an elastic layer in order to secure a fixing nip width. Although not shown, each roller is provided with a claw member for peeling the paper, a roller for cleaning, and a web. Further, a plurality of pairs of thermoelectric generators 111 are arranged in contact with each other so as to be in close contact with the heat roller pairs 71 and 72, and the generated electric power is stored in a capacitor described later.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the control unit 20 of the color copying machine 1 performs an input / output conversion process on image data read by the scanner unit 4 and image data input from a communication line (not shown). And a second control unit 20b having a system CPU 25 for controlling an image forming process operation by an image output unit.

  More specifically, the first control unit 20a constitutes the image processing unit 3, and includes a ROM 22 that stores an execution program of the main CPU 21, a RAM 23 that stores image data for image processing, and an image reading device. The image input / output buffer 24 for inputting the document image data read by the CPU 4 and outputting the output image data processed by the main CPU 21 to the LSU 4 of the process processing unit is connected by the internal bus 21a. The

  The second control unit 20b includes a ROM 26 storing an execution program of the system CPU 25, a RAM 27 storing various process control data, a first input / output buffer 28, a second input / output buffer 29, and the like through an internal bus 25a. Connected and configured. The first input / output buffer 28 inputs key input data from a mode setting key or the like provided in the operation unit, outputs display information to the display unit, and outputs a control signal to the DF unit 8 Function as. The second input / output buffer 29 includes drive signals for various elements such as a motor and a heater provided in a process processing unit for image formation such as the image forming unit 5, the sheet feeding / conveying unit 6, and the fixing unit 7. Also, it functions as an output port for outputting a charging control signal to a later-described capacitor for charging generated power due to waste heat of the fixing means 7 and an input port for inputting process data from each element.

  The second control unit 20b is provided with a control program in the ROM 26 that operates as a power consumption mode switching means for switching between a normal mode in which an image forming operation is possible and a low power consumption mode. Immediately after the power is turned on, the normal mode is set by the power consumption mode switching unit, and the standby in the normal mode in which the image forming operation can be performed after the fixing temperature of the fixing unit 7 rises to a predetermined temperature is completed. A predetermined copy operation is started in response to a request for a copy job generated by pressing the print key. When no operation is performed for a predetermined time during standby in the normal mode, power supply to a load with large power consumption such as the heaters 711 and 721 described above is stopped, except for input / output control for the operation unit, and the first control unit 20a. (Although not described in detail, a relay circuit for controlling power supply from a DC conversion unit 103 described later is provided, and the relay circuit is configured to be controlled by a drive circuit 105 described later. ) It is configured to reduce power consumption by switching to the low power consumption mode. If there is any operation input on the operation unit in the low power consumption mode, it returns to the normal mode as a trigger.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the color copying machine 1 described above is configured to operate with power supplied from a commercial AC power supply, and from each of the AC power supplies stepped down to two systems by a transformer 101, a diode bridge, DC converters 102 and 103 having a smoothing capacitor and a stabilized power supply circuit are converted into DC power supplies that output DC12V and DC3V, respectively, one of which is fed to the circuit block 104 having the control unit 20, and the other is a heater 711. , 721, solenoids and other driving circuits 105 and the operation unit display driving circuit 106.

  Further, a plurality of pairs of thermoelectric generators 111 arranged in contact with the heat roller pairs 71 and 72 are connected via a switch circuit 112 to a capacitor 114 having a charge / discharge control circuit. The thermoelectric generator 111 is made of copper and constantan, and the connecting portion is heated by the waste heat from the heat roller pair 71 and 72 to charge the charger 114 with generated power generated based on the Seebeck effect. The controller 20 controls the two heaters 711 and 721 on and off with the semiconductor relay circuit 107 based on the temperature detected by the temperature detecting means 712 and 722, thereby maintaining the predetermined temperature necessary for fixing and the control. The charge / discharge switching means (comprising the system CPU 25 and the ROM 26 storing the execution program and the switches 115 and 116), which is a part of the unit 20, turns off the switch 116, and switches the switch circuit 112 based on the detected temperature. Is controlled to switch the parallel connection number of the plurality of pairs of thermoelectric generators 111 and output the result to the capacitor 114. In other words, it is determined whether the detected temperature is a predetermined temperature required for fixing, a higher temperature, or a lower temperature. If the detected temperature is the predetermined temperature, the standard number of parallel connections is used. In this case, the number of connections is increased from the standard number of parallel connections, and when the number is low, the number of connections is decreased from the standard number of parallel connections, thereby efficiently controlling power generation while eliminating the adverse effect on the fusing temperature fluctuation. Further, during the copying operation, it is possible to control the switching circuit 112 to switch the number of parallel connections during standby while avoiding fluctuations in the fixing temperature by disconnecting all connections.

  When the power consumption mode switching means switches to the low power consumption mode in a state where sufficient power is stored in the battery 114 in the normal mode in this way, the charge / discharge switching means turns on the switch 116 and switches The power supply from the commercial power supply is stopped by turning off 115, and the display on the operation unit is maintained by the power supply from the battery 114. When the power capacity of the battery 114 decreases in the low power consumption mode, the switch 115 and the switch 116 are reversed and power supply from the commercial power supply is resumed. Here, by turning on the switch 116 during power supply from the commercial power source, the commercial power source can also be charged.

  When any input operation is performed on the operation unit in the low power consumption mode, the power consumption mode switching unit starts power supply to the first control unit 20a via the drive circuit 105 and resumes power supply control to the heaters 711 and 721. On the other hand, the charge / discharge switching means switches to the charging mode by the thermoelectric generator 111 to the battery 114.

  In the above-described embodiment, the relationship between the number of thermoelectric generators and the number of parallel connections and the temperature is not specifically specified, but these are appropriately set according to each model. The power supply circuit block of FIG. 3 shows an example of a schematic configuration, and is not limited to such a block configuration.

Schematic configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus Block diagram of the control unit of the image forming apparatus Block diagram of the main part of the power supply circuit of the image forming apparatus

Explanation of symbols

7: Thermal fixing unit 711, 721: Heater 712, 722: Temperature detection means (thermistor)
111: Thermoelectric generation element 114: Capacitor

Claims (1)

An image forming apparatus comprising: a power consumption mode switching unit that switches between a normal mode capable of image formation and a low power consumption mode; and a thermal fixing unit that melts and fixes a toner image transferred to a sheet.
A thermoelectric generator disposed in contact with the thermal fixing unit; and a capacitor that stores electric power generated by the thermoelectric generator; charging the electric capacitor with electric power generated by the thermoelectric generator in the normal mode; and An image forming apparatus comprising charge / discharge switching means for consuming electric power charged in the battery in a power mode.

Images