JP2008286917A - Image carrier unit and image forming apparatus with the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image carrier unit designed so that when an image carrier and a cleaner for it or the composing members of the image carrier and cleaner are separated, the surface of a photoreceptor is safely protected without providing a complicated mechanism, and soiling of the surroundings with toner is prevented. <P>SOLUTION: In the image carrier unit in which the image carrier and the cleaner having a cleaning member abutting on the image carrier are formed integrally, both ends of the rotation shaft of the image carrier are held by hold members so that the image carrier is rotatable. The hold members and a housing composing the outline of the cleaner are connected by screw members. When the image carrier and hold member holding it are connected to/disconnected from the cleaner by attaching/detaching the screw members, they move opposite to each other relative to the position where the cleaning member and the image carrier abut on each other. The image forming apparatus has the image carrier unit. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to toner contamination prevention and image carrier protection measures during maintenance of an image carrier unit of an image forming apparatus.

  Conventionally, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, at least a photoconductor as an image carrier and a cleaner for cleaning the photoconductor are integrally attached to provide a photoconductor unit as a process cartridge, and the photoconductor The unit is detachably installed in the main body of the image forming apparatus to simplify the maintenance. That is, in such a photoconductor unit, when any member constituting it becomes defective or has reached the end of its life, it is promptly replaced with a new unit so that the maintenance can be simplified and ensured. It was. However, when the cleaner expires and must be replaced, even if the photoconductor is still usable, the entire process cartridge may be discarded while it is still installed. It was a problem that wasteful disposal of expensive members that could be performed occurred.

  Therefore, in order to solve such problems, as shown in Patent Document 2, when the cleaner has reached the end of its life and needs to be replaced, the entire process cartridge, for example, the entire photosensitive unit is discarded with the cleaner attached. Therefore, there has been proposed a process cartridge for an image forming apparatus that aims to easily replace only a life part without causing waste of cost.

  However, even when such a process cartridge as shown in Patent Document 2 is used, when the cleaning blade is replaced on the work table during maintenance by separating the photosensitive member and, for example, the cleaning blade as a constituent member of the cleaner, The cleaner is moved in the axial direction of the photosensitive member, and the surface of the photosensitive member is extracted with the cleaning blade in contact therewith.

After that, new parts will be mounted. However, since the cleaning blade is pressed against the photoreceptor surface, there is a problem of damaging the photoreceptor surface. There is also a problem in that the collected toner in the cleaner spills and contaminates the surroundings.
JP 4-110952 A JP-A-6-332269

  The present invention eliminates the disadvantages of the prior art, and in an image carrier unit in which an image carrier such as a photoreceptor or an intermediate transfer member and a cleaner are integrated, an image carrier and its cleaner, and an image carrier and its For example, when separating or connecting a cleaning blade as a component of the cleaner, an image carrier unit that safely protects the surface of the image carrier without providing a complicated mechanism, and does not contaminate the surroundings with toner, and An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus provided with the image carrier unit.

This object is achieved by any of the following technical means 1-7.
1. In an image carrier unit in which an image carrier and a cleaner having a cleaning member in contact with the image carrier are integrally formed,
The image bearing member is rotatably held by a holding member at both ends of the rotation shaft, and the holding member and a casing constituting the outer shell of the cleaner are coupled by a screw member, and the screw member is attached and detached. When the image carrier is moved together with or separated from the cleaner together with the holding member for holding the image carrier, the cleaning member and the image carrier are opposed to each other in a direction opposite to each other. An image carrier unit configured to be moved.
2. In an image carrier unit in which an image carrier and a cleaner having a cleaning member in contact with the image carrier are integrally formed,
The image carrier is rotatably held by a holding member at both ends of the rotation shaft, and the holding member and a casing that constitutes the outer shell of the cleaner are coupled by a screw member. An image carrier unit, wherein the screw member is disposed so that a head portion of the screw member is positioned on a side when the cleaner is placed on the lower side.
3. The cleaning member includes at least one of a cleaning brush and a cleaning blade. When both the cleaning brush and the cleaning blade are included, the cleaning brush is in a contact position on the upstream side in the rotation direction of the image carrier. 3. The image carrier unit according to 1 or 2, wherein the cleaning blade is in contact with the image carrier at the downstream contact position.
4). The cleaning brush is attached to the side block and the stay, and is surrounded by the lubricant and flicker attached to the stay and the side block, and is housed in the casing as a module. 4. The image carrier unit according to 3, wherein the image carrier unit faces the surface of the image carrier through an opening of the housing and is open to a waste toner collecting unit inside the housing.
5. A handle for pulling out the image carrier unit from the main body of the image forming apparatus and detaching the image carrier unit is provided in the housing so as to be used as a leg portion when placed on an arbitrary table. The image carrier unit according to any one of the above.
An image forming apparatus comprising the image carrier unit according to any one of 6.1 to 5.
7). 7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the image carrier unit is configured to slide in a horizontal direction to be attached and detached.

  According to the present invention, when the image carrier unit is taken out from the main body of the image forming apparatus and the image carrier and each component are separated and maintenance is performed, work can be easily performed without damaging each member. At the same time, it has become possible to maintain a clean working environment without contaminating the surroundings with toner.

Although embodiments of the present invention will be described, the following description does not limit the technical scope of the claims and the meaning of terms. In addition, the following assertive description in the embodiment of the present invention shows the best mode, and does not limit the meaning or technical scope of the terms of the present invention.
[Outline of image forming apparatus]
First, an outline of an image forming apparatus equipped with the image carrier unit of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The image carrier includes a photosensitive member and an intermediate transfer member. In this embodiment, an image carrier unit using a photosensitive drum as the image carrier will be described.

  An image forming apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 is a digital image forming apparatus, and includes an image forming unit including an image reading unit A, an image processing unit B, and an image forming unit C, and a recording material conveying unit that conveys a recording material. And a fixing device 500.

  An automatic document feeder that automatically conveys the document is provided above the image reading unit A, and the document placed on the document table 11 is separated and conveyed by the document conveying roller 12 to the reading position 13a. The image is read at. The document after the document reading is completed is discharged onto the document discharge tray 14 by the document transport roller 12.

  On the other hand, the image of the original when placed on the platen glass 13 is positioned in a V-shape and the reading operation at the speed v of the first mirror unit 15 including the illumination lamp and the first mirror constituting the scanning optical system. Reading is performed by moving the second mirror unit 16 including the second mirror and the third mirror in the same direction at a speed v / 2.

  The read image is formed on the light receiving surface of the image sensor CCD, which is a line sensor, through the projection lens 17. The line-shaped optical image formed on the image sensor CCD is sequentially photoelectrically converted into an electric signal (luminance signal) and then A / D converted, and the image processing unit B performs processing such as density conversion and filter processing. Then, the image data is temporarily stored in the memory.

  In the image forming unit C, as an image forming unit, a drum-shaped photoconductor 21 as an image carrier, a charging unit 22 for charging the photoconductor 21 on the outer periphery thereof, and a potential for detecting the surface potential of the charged photoconductor. A detecting means 220 and a developing means 23 are arranged. Further, a transfer electrode 24 and a separation electrode 25 as transfer separation means, a cleaning device 190 for the photosensitive member 21, and a PCL (precharge lamp) 27 as an optical charge removal means are arranged in order of operation. Further, on the downstream side of the developing means 23, a reflection density detecting means 222 for measuring the reflection density of the patch image developed on the photosensitive member 21 is provided. The photoconductor 21 is formed by coating a photoconductive compound on a drum base. For example, an organic photoconductor (OPC) is preferably used and is driven to rotate in the clockwise direction shown in the drawing.

  After the rotating photosensitive member 21 is uniformly charged by the charging unit 22, image exposure based on an image signal called from the memory of the image processing unit B is performed by an exposure optical system 30 as an image exposure unit. An exposure optical system 30 serving as an image exposure unit serving as a writing unit uses a laser diode (not shown) as a light source, and a light path is bent by a reflection mirror 32 through a rotating polygon mirror 31, an fθ lens 34, and a cylindrical lens 35. Is to be made. By this scanning, image exposure is performed on the photosensitive member 21 at the line Ao, and a latent image is formed by rotation (sub-scanning) of the photosensitive member 21. In one example of the present embodiment, the character portion is exposed to form a latent image.

  The latent image on the photoreceptor 21 is subjected to reversal development by the developing unit 23, and a visible toner image is formed on the surface of the photoreceptor 21. In the recording material transport unit D, paper feeding units 41 (A), 41 (B), and 41 (C) as recording material storage means in which recording materials P as recording papers of different sizes are stored below the image forming unit. And a conveyance roller 43D, and a manual paper feed unit 42 for performing manual paper feed is provided on the side. The recording material P selected from any one of them is fed along the conveyance path 40 by the guide roller 43, and the recording material P is fed by the registration roller pair 44 that corrects the inclination and the deviation of the fed recording material P. After the temporary stop, the paper is fed again. Then, the toner image on the photoreceptor 21 is guided onto the recording material P by the transfer pole 24 and the separation pole 25 at the transfer position Bo, guided by the transport path 40, the pre-transfer roller 43a, the paper feed path 46, and the entry guide plate 47. The The recording material P is separated from the surface of the photosensitive member 21 while being placed and conveyed on the conveyance belt 454 of the conveyance belt device 45, and is conveyed by the conveyance belt device 45 to, for example, an induction heating type fixing device 500 as a fixing unit.

  The fixing device 500 includes a fixing member 510 as a rotating body heating member having a heating source, and a pressure member 530, and the recording material P constitutes the outer peripheral surface of the fixing member 510 and the pressure member 530. By passing between the pressure endless belt member, the toner is fixed by heating and pressing. The recording material P after the fixing of the toner image is discharged onto a paper discharge tray 81 of the recording material stacking means 80.

  The above describes the state in which image formation is performed on one side of the recording material P. However, in the case of double-sided copying, the paper discharge switching member 170 is switched, the recording material guide portion 177 is opened, and the transfer material or recording paper is The recording material P called is conveyed in the direction of the broken line arrow.

  Further, the recording material P is conveyed downward by the conveying mechanism 178 and switched back by the recording material reversing unit 179, and the rear end portion of the recording material P so far becomes the leading end portion in the double-sided copying paper feeding unit 130. It is conveyed to.

  The recording material P moves a conveyance guide 131 provided in the duplex copying paper supply unit 130 in the paper supply direction, refeeds the recording material P by the paper supply roller 132, and guides the recording material P to the conveyance path 40. .

  Again, as described above, the recording material P is conveyed in the direction of the photosensitive member 21, the toner image is transferred to the back surface of the recording material P, fixed by the fixing device 500, and then discharged onto the discharge tray 81 of the sheet stacking means 80. Make paper.

  The above is the description of the image forming apparatus 1 for obtaining a monochrome image. The image carrier is a photosensitive drum. However, the present invention can be applied not only to such a monochrome image but also to a color image forming apparatus. .

Although not shown, this color image forming apparatus is called, for example, a tandem color image forming apparatus, and forms an image toner image of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black along the moving direction of the intermediate transfer member. It has a forming unit. Then, the color toner images formed on the respective photosensitive drums as the image carriers of the respective image forming units are superimposed on the intermediate transfer member as the image carrier by multiple transfer, and then superimposed on the recording material P. A batch transfer is performed as a secondary transfer.
[Image carrier unit]
In the image forming apparatus 1 configured as described above, FIGS. 2A, 2 </ b> B, and 2 </ b> C are shown for the photoconductor unit 210 in which the photoconductor 21 that is an image carrier and the cleaner 190 are integrated. This will be described in detail. Hereinafter, a photoconductor will be specifically described as an example of the image carrier in the image carrier unit.

  2A is a front cross-sectional view of the photoconductor unit, FIG. 2B is a bottom view of the photoconductor unit, and FIG. 2C is a diagram illustrating coupling with the main body side drive shaft. The front sectional view shown in FIG. 2A shows a section cut along the line AA shown in FIG.

  As shown in the figure, the photoreceptor 21 is held by a holding member 214 with a rotation shaft 212. The cleaner 190 includes a cleaning blade 192 and a cleaning brush 193 that are cleaning members, and is disposed in the housing 191. The cleaning brush 193 contacts with the upstream side of the photoconductor 21 in the rotational direction, and the cleaning blade 192 contacts with the downstream side of the photoconductor 21 in the rotational direction.

  The cleaning blade 192 is supported by a holder 192 </ b> H provided in the housing 191 and is spring-biased in a direction in contact with the surface of the photoreceptor 21. The cleaning brush 193 is rotatably supported by side blocks 197 at both ends fastened by a stay 198 and is modularized by being surrounded by a lubricant 195 and a flicker 194. The toner collected by the cleaning member is collected in the waste toner collecting unit 196.

  Note that the cleaning member may be configured by only one of the cleaning blade 192 and the cleaning brush 193.

  The housing 191 that accommodates each member of the cleaner 190 and the holding member 214 that holds the photosensitive member 21 are fastened by the screw member 215 to form the photosensitive unit 210.

  As illustrated, the screw member 215 is fastened to the housing 191 using a surface of the holding member 214 that is substantially parallel to the central axis of the photoconductor 21. Note that the holding member 214 may be fastened to the housing 191 substantially perpendicular to the rotation axis of the photoconductor 21. That is, it is only necessary that the casing 191 and the holding member 214 are fastened to the outer surface of the casing on the side where the cleaning blade 192 and the photosensitive member 21 are in contact with each other, except for the opposing outer surface.

  Further, on the outer surface of the casing 191 of the cleaner 190 opposite to the outer surface facing the photoconductor 21, a guide portion 220 guided by the rail 1R is as shown in FIGS. The most protruding is formed. A handle 199 for pulling out the photosensitive unit 210 from the image forming apparatus main body is provided at the same height as or lower than the guide portion 220.

  This photoreceptor unit 210 is attached to the image forming apparatus main body 1A in a state where the contact position between the photoreceptor 21 and the cleaning blade 192 or the cleaning brush 193 and the surface including the central axis of the photoreceptor 21 are close to a horizontal plane. The photosensitive unit 210 is attached and detached by being guided by a rail 1R provided in the image forming apparatus main body 1A via a guide unit 220.

  When the photoconductor unit 210 is mounted on the image forming apparatus main body 1A, the coupling hole 217 of the rotating shaft 212 of the photoconductor 21 is coupled to the main body side drive shaft as shown in FIG. Is done.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a state when the photoreceptor unit 210 is detached and maintenance is performed. FIG. 4A shows a state where the photosensitive unit 210 is placed on a work table, and FIG. 4B shows a state where the photosensitive member 21, the holding member 214, and the cleaner 210 are separated.

  As shown in FIG. 5A, when the photoconductor unit 210 is detached from the image forming apparatus main body 1A and placed on the work table, the side of the cleaner 190 facing the photoconductor 21 as shown in FIG. The outer surface of the photoconductor unit 210 is formed so as to facilitate the operation when it is placed downward. That is, since the guide portion 220 guided by the rail 1R is formed so as to protrude the most on the outer surface opposite to the outer surface of the housing facing the photosensitive member 21, the state is stable on the work table. be able to.

  Further, a method may be adopted in which the handle 199 protrudes most in place of the guide part 220 and is placed on the work table. However, it is preferable that the handle 199 is attached with a position and a size that allow the housing 191 to be placed on the work table with sufficient stability.

  Furthermore, when placed as shown in FIG. 5A, the screw member 215 that fastens the holding member 214 and the cleaner 190 is positioned laterally. For this reason, as shown to the same figure (b), attachment / detachment of the screw member 215 can be performed, maintaining said stable state. Furthermore, the photosensitive member 21 and the holding member 214 can be separated from the cleaner 190 by moving the photosensitive member 21 and the holding member 214 upward (in the direction of the arrow in the drawing).

  In this way, the photosensitive member 210 is configured to move in the opposite direction with respect to the position where the cleaning member abuts to be separated or mounted, so that the cleaning blade 192 has been conventionally used for assembly and disassembly. On the other hand, problems such as scratches due to the strong frictional resistance received by moving in the axial direction can be solved. Further, since the photoconductor 21 and the holding member 214 are integrally separated from the cleaner 190, the photoconductor does not directly touch the work table, and the photoconductor surface is not damaged.

  Further, an opening formed in the housing 191 for contacting the cleaning member and the photosensitive member 21 is positioned above, and the toner collected by the cleaning member collected in the waste toner collecting unit 196 is disposed. However, the problem of spilling and contaminating the surroundings can be solved.

  As described above, the image bearing member such as the photosensitive member or the intermediate transfer member has been described as a drum-shaped member, but the present invention can be applied to a belt-shaped member.

1 is a schematic explanatory diagram of an image forming apparatus to which an image carrier unit of the present invention is attached. (A) is a front sectional view of the image carrier unit when it is mounted on the image forming apparatus, (b) is a bottom view thereof, and (c) is a side view. (A) is a front view of the image carrier unit when it is detached from the image forming apparatus and placed on a work table for maintenance, and (b) is a state where the screw member is removed from that state and the image carrier ( FIG. 6 is a front sectional view showing a state in which the photosensitive member) and its holding member are spaced upward from the cleaner.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 1A Image forming apparatus main body 1R Guide rail 21 Photoconductor 190 Cleaner 191 Case 192 Cleaning blade 193 Cleaning brush 194 Flicker 195 Lubricant 196 Waste toner collection part 197 Side block 198 Stay 199 Handle 210 Image carrier unit 212 Rotation Shaft 214 Holding member 215 Screw member 217 Coupling hole 220 Guide portion

Claims (7)

In an image carrier unit in which an image carrier and a cleaner having a cleaning member in contact with the image carrier are integrally formed,
The image bearing member is rotatably held by a holding member at both ends of the rotation shaft, and the holding member and a casing constituting the outer shell of the cleaner are coupled by a screw member, and the screw member is attached and detached. When the image carrier is moved together with or separated from the cleaner together with the holding member for holding the image carrier, the cleaning member and the image carrier are opposed to each other in a direction opposite to each other. An image carrier unit configured to be moved. In an image carrier unit in which an image carrier and a cleaner having a cleaning member in contact with the image carrier are integrally formed,
The image carrier is rotatably held by a holding member at both ends of the rotation shaft, and the holding member and a casing that constitutes the outer shell of the cleaner are coupled by a screw member. An image carrier unit, wherein the screw member is disposed so that a head portion of the screw member is positioned on a side when the cleaner is placed on the lower side. The cleaning member includes at least one of a cleaning brush and a cleaning blade. When both the cleaning brush and the cleaning blade are included, the cleaning brush is disposed at a contact position on the upstream side in the rotation direction of the image carrier. 3. The image carrier unit according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning blade is in contact with the image carrier at the downstream contact position. The cleaning brush is attached to the side block and the stay, and is surrounded by a lubricant and flicker attached to the stay and the side block, and is housed in the casing as a module. The image carrier unit according to claim 3, wherein the image carrier unit is opposed to an image carrier surface through an opening of the housing and is open to a waste toner collecting portion inside the housing. 2. The housing according to claim 1, wherein a handle for pulling out the image carrier unit from the main body of the image forming apparatus and detaching the image carrier unit is also used as a leg portion when the image carrier unit is placed on an arbitrary table. The image carrier unit according to any one of -4. An image forming apparatus comprising the image carrier unit according to claim 1. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the image carrier unit is configured to slide in a horizontal direction to be attached and detached.

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