JP2006220791A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus that recovers volatile organic compounds produced from a heat fixing device, recording paper having a high temperature after fixing, and ejected recording paper. <P>SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus fixes toner onto recording paper by a heat fixing device and ejects the recording paper from a paper ejection port after fixing. The image forming apparatus includes a recovery mechanism which is disposed between and above the heat fixing device and paper ejection port and is used to recover volatile organic compounds i its inside. The recovery mechanism recovers volatile organic compounds produced from the heat fixing device and the recording paper after fixing or the like. In addition, the volatile organic compounds produced from recording paper ejected from the paper ejection port is recovered through the paper ejection port by the recovery mechanism. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a laser beam printer, a facsimile machine, or a complex machine using an electrophotographic system, and a heat fixing device and a high-temperature recording paper after fixing. The present invention relates to recovery of volatile organic compounds generated from recording paper.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic method forms an image by transferring a toner image from a photosensitive member carrying a toner image onto the surface of a recording paper and heating the recording paper with a heat fixing device. ing. For this reason, the temperature in the image forming apparatus rises, and volatile organic compounds are generated from various members in the housing 1, particularly from a heat fixing device or a fixed recording paper that has become hot. If this volatile organic compound is released to the outside of the image forming apparatus, it causes an undesirable problem in terms of environmental hygiene.

  Therefore, as a countermeasure for releasing volatile organic compounds to the outside of the image forming apparatus, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, an apparatus for efficiently recovering by providing an exhaust mechanism below the generation unit has been proposed. .

  In addition, as disclosed in Patent Document 2, an apparatus that takes measures against release to the outside of an image forming apparatus by a sealing structure has been proposed.

JP-A-5-224540 JP 7-168487 A

  However, the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a problem in that it cannot be efficiently recovered due to the influence of natural convection generated from a thermal fixing device or the like. Further, since the technique disclosed in Patent Document 2 has a sealed structure, it is limited to volatile organic compounds generated in the image forming apparatus and is not effective for volatile organic compounds generated from discharged recording paper. There is a problem.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and its object is to solve the problems of the conventional apparatus as described above, a heat fixing device and a recording paper having a high temperature after fixing, An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus for recovering volatile organic compounds generated from discharged recording paper.

  In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is an image forming apparatus in which toner is fixed to a recording sheet by a thermal fixing device, and the fixed recording sheet is discharged from a discharge port. A recovery mechanism that recovers volatile organic compounds between and above the thermal fixing device and the paper discharge port is provided inside, and the recovery mechanism allows volatile organic compounds generated from a thermal fixing device and recording paper after fixing to be collected. It is configured to collect.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus in which toner is fixed on a recording sheet by a thermal fixing device and the fixed recording sheet is discharged from a discharge port. A recovery mechanism for recovering volatile organic compounds between and above the discharge ports is provided, and volatile organic compounds generated from the recording paper discharged from the discharge ports by the recovery mechanism are recovered through the discharge ports. It is configured to do.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the first or second aspect, the recovery mechanism is configured to guide and adsorb the volatile organic compound to a filter by a fan.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the first or second aspect, the discharge port is configured to have an opening area larger than a clearance and an intake port in the vicinity of the recovery mechanism.

  According to the present invention, the volatile organic compound recovery mechanism is provided between and above the thermal fixing device and the paper discharge port, and the clearance area and the air intake near the recovery mechanism are configured to have a smaller opening area than the paper discharge port. As a result, it is possible to recover the volatile organic compound generated from the heat fixing device and the recording paper that has reached a high temperature after fixing, the discharged recording paper, and the like.

Embodiments according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
<Embodiment 1>
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of an image forming apparatus according to the first to fourth aspects of the present invention.

  When considering improvement in the recovery efficiency of volatile organic compounds in forming the apparatus, it is possible to form an apparatus with much higher recovery efficiency by confirming the flow state inside and outside the image forming apparatus using fluid simulation.

  Therefore, the state of the flow of volatile organic compounds inside and outside the image forming apparatus was confirmed by fluid simulation. 2 and 3 show the fluid simulation results of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a mass flux distribution diagram of volatile organic compounds, and FIG. 3 is a velocity vector distribution diagram inside and outside the apparatus. For convenience of explanation, only main members relating to the gist of the present invention are shown, and the others are omitted.

  In the housing 1 shown in FIG. 1, the recording paper 3 is fed from the paper feed cassette 2, and the recording paper 3 on which the toner image is formed by the image forming means is fixed by the heat fixing device 4, and then the paper discharge port. 5 is discharged to a discharge tray 6 outside the housing 1.

  Here, since heat fixing is used for fixing, the heat fixing device 4, the fixed recording paper 3 and the like become high temperature, and the temperature in the housing 1 rises. Therefore, when the organic solvent is contained in the member in the housing 1, the organic solvent such as the heat fixing device 4 and the recording paper 3 in the housing 1 that is at a high temperature is easily vaporized, and the volatile organic compound. Will occur.

  Since the volatile organic compound generated from the heat fixing device 4 and the recording paper 3 after fixing is at a high temperature, it tends to flow upward in the housing 1 due to the influence of natural convection.

  In the present invention, the generated volatile organic compound is efficiently recovered. A filter 8 connected to a fan 7 for exhausting outside the housing 1 is provided between the heat fixing device 4 and the paper discharge port 5 and above the housing 1. By providing, the volatile organic compound which flows into the upper part in the housing | casing 1 can be collect | recovered efficiently. That is, it is possible to recover the volatile organic compounds of the heat fixing device 4 and the recording paper 3 that are easily generated in the housing 1 and are at a high temperature.

  From the result of the fluid simulation, the heat fixing device 4 in the housing 1 and the post-fixing are shown in the dark portion shown in FIG. It can be seen that the volatile organic compound generated from the recording paper 3 is guided to the filter 8 by the fan 7 installed on the upper part of the heat fixing device 4.

  Further, since the fixed recording paper 3 is conveyed, it is difficult to collect all the volatile organic compounds generated from the recording paper 3 in the housing 1, and the discharged paper discharged to the outside of the housing 1. Volatile organic compounds may also be generated from the recording paper 3 on the paper tray 6.

  Therefore, by making the opening area of the paper discharge port 5 larger than the gap near the fan 7 and the air intake port, the fan 7 discharges the air sucked into the housing 1 for exhausting it out of the housing 1. Attempts to inhale positively from mouth 5. As a result, the volatile organic compound generated from the recording paper on the paper discharge tray 6 is sucked into the housing 1 through the paper discharge port 5 and guided to the filter 8 by the fan 7 to be efficiently recovered. it can.

From the result of the velocity vector distribution chart shown in FIG. It can be seen that the air is sucked into the housing 1 through the paper discharge port 5 and guided to the filter 8 so that it can be efficiently collected and released to the outside of the housing 1.
<Embodiment 2>
FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing another embodiment of the image forming apparatus according to the first to fourth aspects of the present invention. As in the first embodiment, the flow state inside and outside the image forming apparatus was confirmed by fluid simulation. 5 and 6 show the fluid simulation results of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 shows a mass flux distribution diagram of volatile organic compounds, and FIG. 6 shows a velocity vector distribution diagram. For convenience of explanation, only main members relating to the gist of the present invention are shown, and the others are omitted.

  The image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 4 differs from the image forming apparatus of the first embodiment in that a duct 11 is provided between the fan 7 and the filter 8.

  The duct 11 is a duct that connects the fan 7 and the filter 8. The duct 11 guides the volatile organic compound sucked by the fan 7 to the filter 8 without leaking even if the positions of the fan 7 and the filter 8 are separated. is there.

  That is, the volatile organic compound generated from the thermal fixing device 4 in the casing 1 and the recording paper 3 after fixing, and the volatile organic compound generated from the recording paper 3 discharged out of the casing 1 are sucked by the fan. Then, since it is guided to the filter 8 by passing through the duct 11, it can be efficiently recovered even if the position of the filter 8 is away from the place where the fan 7 is installed.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, from the result of the fluid simulation, the volatile organic compound generated from the heat fixing device 4 in the housing 1 and the recording paper 3 after fixing is discharged outside the housing 1. It can be seen that the volatile organic compound generated from the recording paper 3 is guided to the filter 8 through the duct 11 by the fan 7 installed in the upper part of the heat fixing device 4.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus showing an example of Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a mass flux distribution diagram of the image forming apparatus showing an example of Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a flow vector distribution diagram of the image forming apparatus showing an example of Embodiment 1 of the present invention. It is a schematic block diagram of the image forming apparatus which shows an example of Embodiment 2 of this invention. FIG. 6 is a mass flux distribution diagram of an image forming apparatus showing an example of Embodiment 2 of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a flow vector distribution diagram of an image forming apparatus showing an example of Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Housing | casing 2 Paper feed cassette 3 Recording paper 4 Thermal fixing device 5 Paper discharge port 6 Paper discharge tray 7 Fan 8 Filter 9 Photosensitive drum 10 Transfer roller 11 Duct

Claims (4)

In an image forming apparatus in which toner is fixed on a recording sheet by a thermal fixing device and the fixed recording sheet is discharged from a discharge port.
A recovery mechanism for recovering a volatile organic compound is provided in the image forming apparatus main body between the thermal fixing device and the paper discharge port and at an upper portion, and is generated from the thermal fixing device and the recording paper after fixing by the recovery mechanism. An image forming apparatus for collecting a volatile organic compound.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a volatile organic compound generated from the recording paper discharged from the paper discharge port by the recovery mechanism is recovered through the paper discharge port.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recovery mechanism is configured to guide and adsorb the volatile organic compound to a filter by a fan.   3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the discharge port is configured to have an opening area larger than a clearance near the collection mechanism and an intake port.

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