JP2009015167A - Belt carrier and image forming apparatus using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To retain the strength of an exposed edge by a simple configuration in a belt carrier in which a long reinforcement tape is stuck to a belt base material, also to detect the reference position information of the belt base material, and to enable separation of the reinforcement tape to be easily seen in case it happens. <P>SOLUTION: The belt carrier 3 includes: the endless belt base material 3a; meander restricting members 7 that extend along the rotating direction of the belt base material 3a and projects in the direction of the thickness of the belt base material 3a; the long reinforcement tape disposed near the widthwise edge of the belt base material so as to correspond to the meander restricting member on the surface of the belt base material 3a, extending along the rotating direction of the belt base material 3a and stuck so as to be in contact with or near the belt base material 3a; and body 9 to be detected, which is attached to the reinforcement tape 8 so as to cover the exposed edge of the reinforcement tape 8, has an optical reflecting face different from the surface of the reinforcement tape 8, and is capable of detecting the reference position information of the belt base material 3a. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a belt conveyance body and an image forming apparatus using the same.

In an apparatus using an endless intermediate transfer belt in an image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic system, a mark is provided on the intermediate transfer belt as a method for detecting the reference position of the intermediate transfer belt, and this mark is detected by an optical sensor. Is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). As a mark at this time, for example, it is also known to stick a seal having a surface having a reflectance different from that of the surface of the intermediate transfer belt.
On the other hand, a guide member is provided on a tension roll that stretches the intermediate transfer belt to restrict the intermediate transfer belt from performing meandering or side belt walk while rotating. There is known a method in which the rib-like protrusion provided on the back surface of the belt is applied to restrict the movement of the intermediate transfer belt in the width direction, and when the rib-like protrusion is provided, In order to improve the belt strength, it is also known to apply a reinforcing tape along the peripheral edge of the intermediate transfer belt surface in the width direction (see, for example, Patent Documents 2 and 3).

  In Patent Document 2, when a reinforcing tape is attached to an intermediate transfer belt, when the ends of the reinforcing tape are overlapped with each other, the shape of the overlapped portion is stepped so that the intermediate transfer belt has durability. What has been made to be disclosed is disclosed. Further, in Patent Document 2, there is a method in which the end portions of the reinforcing tape are overlapped with each other, or in a configuration in which the end portions are not overlapped, a reinforcing film is further pasted on the exposed end portion of the end portion. It is disclosed. On the other hand, Patent Document 3 discloses a method in which the rotation of the intermediate transfer belt is made smoother by making the position at which the rib-shaped protrusions of the intermediate transfer belt abut and the position at which the reinforcing tape overlaps differ from each other. Furthermore, a method is also disclosed in which the reinforcing tapes are welded to each other at the overlapping portions of the reinforcing tapes.

JP-A-9-185213 (Embodiment of the Invention, FIG. 4) Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-316028 (Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention, FIG. 3) Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-219046 (Embodiment of the Invention, FIG. 1)

  The technical problem of the present invention is a simple configuration, while maintaining the strength at the end exposed portion when the long reinforcing tape to be attached to the endless belt base material is attached to the belt base material, An object of the present invention is to provide a belt conveyance body capable of detecting reference position information of a belt base material and easily recognizing a situation in which a reinforcing tape is peeled off, and an image forming apparatus using the belt conveyance body.

  That is, the invention according to claim 1 is a belt transport body that is used to circulate and rotate by being wound around a plurality of stretching rolls, and includes an endless belt base material and a back surface of the belt base material. Among them, the belt base material is provided near one end in the width direction orthogonal to the circulation rotation direction of the belt base material, and extends along the circulation rotation direction of the belt base material so as to regulate meandering in the width direction of the belt base material A meandering restricting member protruding in the thickness direction of the belt base material, and provided near the width direction end of the belt base material corresponding to the meandering restricting member on the surface of the belt base material. A long reinforcing tape that extends along the rotation direction and is attached so that the end portions are in contact with or close to each other, and the reinforcing tape that is attached to the reinforcing tape so as to cover the exposed end portion of the reinforcing tape and the reinforcement The Reference position information surface and have different optical reflecting surface of the belt base material is a belt conveying member and a detectable detection object.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the belt conveyance body according to the first aspect, the meandering restricting member is constituted by one or a plurality of long objects extending along the circulation rotation direction of the belt base material of the meandering restricting member. One or more end butting positions where the end portions of the long object are butted against each other are formed, and the reinforcing tape is different from the surface side position of the belt base material corresponding to the end butting position of the meandering regulating member. It is the belt conveyance body affixed so that the edge part position of the said reinforcement tape may be provided in a position.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming means for forming a toner image, and a toner image formed by the image forming means that is disposed opposite to the image forming means and transferred directly or via a recording material. A belt conveying body according to 1 or 2; a detecting means provided apart from the belt conveying body and detecting the detected object; and a peeling state of the reinforcing tape is determined based on information from the detecting means And an image forming apparatus using the belt conveyance body according to claim 1 or 2 as a belt conveyance body.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the third aspect, at least one of the stretching rolls includes a guide member that guides the meandering regulating member near the axial end of the stretching roll. The image forming apparatus.
The invention according to claim 5 is the image forming apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a cleaning member for cleaning the surface of the reinforcing tape.

According to the first aspect of the invention, the reference position information of the belt base material is maintained while maintaining the strength at the end of the long reinforcing tape attached to the endless belt base material with a simple configuration. Can be easily detected, and can be easily recognized even when the reinforcing tape is peeled off.
According to the second aspect of the invention, since the end position of the reinforcing tape is not provided at the end butting position of the meandering restricting member, the belt base can be smoothly rotated and the belt base can be rotated. The occurrence of peeling of the reinforcing tape can be suppressed during the meandering.
According to the invention of claim 3, it is possible to check the peeled-off state of the reinforcing tape with the body to be detected, and it is possible to check the state of the reinforcing tape by a simpler method and to be stable for a long time. An image forming apparatus using the above can be provided.
According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, since the movement of the meandering restriction member is effectively restricted by the guide member, the meandering restriction of the belt conveyance body can be easily made as compared with the case where this configuration is not provided. become.
According to the invention which concerns on Claim 5, compared with the case where it does not have this structure, the surface of a reinforcement tape and a to-be-detected body comes to be cleaned, and more effective detection comes to be maintained.

First, an outline of an embodiment model to which the present invention is applied will be described.
Outline of Embodiment Model FIG. 1 shows an outline of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment model embodying the present invention. Here, as shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit 1 that forms a toner image and a toner image that is disposed opposite to the image forming unit 1 and formed by the image forming unit 1. The belt conveyance body 3 transferred via the recording material 2, the detection means 4 for detecting the detected object attached to the belt conveyance body 3 and spaced from the belt conveyance body 3, and the detection Peeling judgment means 5 for judging the peeled state of the reinforcing tape attached to the belt carrier 3 based on information from the means 4 is provided.

  As shown in FIG. 1, one typical model of the belt conveyance body 3 used in such an image forming apparatus is a belt conveyance body that is wound around a plurality of stretching rolls 6 and circulates and rotates. 3 and an endless belt base material 3a and a belt base material that is provided near one side end in the width direction orthogonal to the circulation rotation direction of the belt base material 3a on the back surface of the belt base material 3a. A meandering regulating member 7 extending along the circulation rotation direction of the belt base material 3a and projecting in the thickness direction of the belt base material 3a so as to restrict the meandering with respect to the width direction of the belt base material 3a; Corresponding to the meandering restricting member 7, it is provided near the end in the width direction of the belt base material 3a, extends along the circulating rotation direction of the belt base material 3a, and is pasted so that the end portions are in contact with or close to each other. Scale-shaped reinforcement The reference position information of the belt base material 3a is provided on the reinforcing tape 8 so as to cover the belt 8 and the exposed end portion of the reinforcing tape 8 and has an optical reflecting surface different from the surface of the reinforcing tape 8. And an object 9 to be detected.

Here, the meandering restricting member 7 may be a tape-like member affixed to the belt base material 3a, or may be integrally formed with the belt base material 3a. Further, in order to more finely regulate the meandering of the belt base material 3a, it is preferable to provide the meandering restricting members 7 near both ends of the belt base material 3a in the width direction.
And the reinforcing tape 8 affixed on the surface side of the belt base material 3a at a position corresponding to the meandering restriction member 7 has the position of the end of the affixed long tape at the position of the belt base material 3a of the meandering restriction member 7. If the belt conveyance body 3 is provided at a position different from the end butting position along the circulation rotation direction, the rotation of the belt conveyance body 3 can be made smooth, and the reinforcement tape 8 at the end exposed portion of the reinforcement tape 8 can be rotated. The deformation can be suppressed, and the occurrence of peeling of the reinforcing tape 8 from the belt base material 3a can be suppressed. The “end portion butting position of the meandering restricting member 7” means that the meandering restricting member 7 provided on the back surface of the belt base material 3a is set to 1 or This means that the plurality of long object-shaped meandering restricting members 7 are provided with a constant protrusion amount without overlapping each other, and a gap is formed at the end portion abutting position of the long object. It may come to be.

  Further, the detected body 9 only needs to have an optical reflecting surface different from the surface of the reinforcing tape 8, and this ensures that the detected body 9 is detected by the detecting means 4. Moreover, the to-be-detected body 9 should just be affixed so that the edge part exposed part in the edge part position of the reinforcement tape 8 may be covered, for example, the reinforcement tapes 8 may be piled up in edge part position like FIG. In such a case, it is only necessary that the detected body 9 is attached so as to cover the exposed end portion of the reinforcing tape 8 on the side where the detected body 9 overlaps. At this time, it may be pasted so as to cover the entire end position (the entire overlapped portion). On the other hand, when the end portions of the reinforcing tape 8 are attached close to each other at the end position, the reinforcing tape 8 may be attached so as to cover the two exposed end portions of the reinforcing tape 8. The shape of the body 9 to be detected is not particularly limited as long as it has an optical reflection surface that can be detected, and may have a larger outer size than the optical reflection surface.

When the above-described detected body 9 is not provided, there is a concern that the reinforcing tape 8 may be peeled off from the belt base material 3a. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, when the belt conveyance body 3 meanders in the direction of arrow A in the aspect in which the end of the tension roll 6 is provided with the guide member 6 a that regulates meandering, the belt base material of the belt conveyance body 3. The meandering restricting member 7 provided so as to protrude to the back side of 3a comes into contact with the guide member 6a and rides on the guide member 6a.
In such a situation, since the meandering restricting member 7 rotates while riding on the guide member 6a of the stretching roll 6, the belt base material 3a in this portion is provided with the belt base material along the rotation direction. Tension is generated in the direction in which 3a is stretched. This tension also acts on the reinforcing tape 8 attached to the surface of the belt base material 3a in the same manner. On the other hand, when the tension is applied to the reinforcing tape 8, the reinforcing tape 8 is peeled off from the end exposed portion where the adhesive strength to the belt base material 3a is the weakest at the end position of the long tape. It becomes easy.

  In the present embodiment model, since the detected body 9 is attached to the exposed end portion of the reinforcing tape 8, it is possible to increase the resistance to the peeling of the reinforcing tape 8 and suppress the peeling of the reinforcing tape 8. Will be able to. Further, even if the reinforcing tape 8 is peeled off, the occurrence location first occurs from the exposed end portion of the reinforcing tape 8. Therefore, the detection target attached to the exposed end portion of the reinforcing tape 8 is used. The detection by the body 9 becomes possible, and the reinforcing effect by the reinforcing tape 8 can be stably maintained when the belt carrier 3 is used.

Further, as an image forming apparatus using such a belt conveyance body 3, from the viewpoint of satisfactorily controlling the meandering of the belt conveyance body 3, at least one of the stretching rolls 6 that stretch the belt conveyance body 3 is used. One is preferably provided with a guide member 6 a that guides the meandering restricting member 7 near the end of the stretching roll 6 in the axial direction. In this case, as the guide member 6a, a member may be attached to the end of the tension roll 6, or a groove for guiding the meandering restriction member 7 is provided near the end of the tension roll 6, for example. There is no problem.
Furthermore, it is preferable that a cleaning member for cleaning the surface of the reinforcing tape 8 is provided, whereby the surface of the detected body 9 attached to the reinforcing tape 8 is simultaneously cleaned, and the performance of the detected body 9 is improved. As well as being able to be maintained over a long period of time, contamination of the reinforcing tape 8 is prevented and the performance of the reinforcing tape 8 can be maintained.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail based on embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.
Embodiment FIG. 3 shows an outline of an image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment. In the figure, the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment is provided with a photosensitive drum 20 as an image holding body for forming and holding a toner image at a substantially center in the apparatus main body 10, and opposed to the photosensitive drum 20. An intermediate transfer belt 30 on which the toner image transferred from the photosensitive drum 20 is temporarily held is provided, and a so-called four-cycle type image in which multiple transfer is performed four times on the intermediate transfer belt 30 to obtain a four-color image. Forming device.

  Around the photosensitive drum 20, a charging device 21 for charging the photosensitive layer formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 20, and each color component (yellow (Y color in this example) on the photosensitive layer of the charged photosensitive drum 20 are provided. ), Magenta (M color), cyan (C color), black (K color)) electrostatic latent image, for example, a laser scanning exposure device 22 and static components of each color component formed on the photosensitive drum 20. A rotary developing device 23 that visualizes the electrostatic latent image with each color component toner and a drum cleaning device 24 that cleans residual toner on the photosensitive drum 20 are provided.

  Here, as the charging device 21, for example, a charging roll is used, but a charger such as a corotron may be used, and the exposure device 22 is not a laser scanning type, and an LED array or the like is appropriately selected. But it doesn't matter. Further, the rotary developing device 23 is rotatably mounted with four developing devices 23a to 23d each containing toner of each color component. For example, the potential is lowered by exposure of the photosensitive layer of the photosensitive drum 20. Any toner may be used as long as each color component toner is selectively attached to the portion, and the toner to be used is not particularly limited, as long as the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 20 can be visualized. Good. The drum cleaning device 24 may be any device as long as it can clean the residual toner on the photosensitive drum 20, and may be appropriately selected such as a blade. When using toner with a high transfer rate, there may be a mode in which the drum cleaning device 24 is not used.

  On the other hand, the intermediate transfer belt 30 is an endless member in which a belt base material is a film material made of, for example, a polyimide resin and a predetermined amount of a conductive agent such as carbon black is dispersed, and includes four stretching rolls 31 to 34. For example, the tension roll 31 can be circulated and moved as a drive roll. A primary transfer roll 25 is provided in contact with the intermediate transfer belt 30 from the back side of the intermediate transfer belt 30 at a portion where the intermediate transfer belt 30 and the photosensitive drum 20 face each other. The toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 20 is transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 30 by applying a predetermined bias to the primary transfer roll 25.

  Further, a secondary transfer device 35 is disposed at a portion facing the stretching roll 34 with the stretching roll 34 as a backup roll. The secondary transfer device 35 according to the present embodiment includes a secondary transfer roll 35a and a holder 35b that positions and supports the secondary transfer roll 35a, and the holder 35b is moved by a driving device (not shown). The secondary transfer roll 35 a can be brought into contact with or retracted from the intermediate transfer belt 30. When a predetermined bias is applied between the secondary transfer roll 35a and the backup roll 34 when contacting the intermediate transfer belt 30, a multiplexed toner image transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 30 and multiplexed. Can be collectively transferred onto the recording material. In the present embodiment, since the multiple transfer is performed four times on the intermediate transfer belt 30, the secondary transfer roll 35a is retracted from the intermediate transfer belt 30 until batch transfer is performed. In the drawing, the position where the secondary transfer roll 35a contacts the intermediate transfer belt 30 is shown.

Further, a belt cleaning device 40 for cleaning residual toner on the intermediate transfer belt 30 after being collectively transferred to the recording material by the secondary transfer roll 35a is provided on the tension roll 31 side of the intermediate transfer belt 30. Yes.
The belt cleaning device 40 according to the present embodiment is in contact with the intermediate transfer belt 30 on the upstream side in the rotational direction of the intermediate transfer belt 30 with respect to the blade 41 that contacts the intermediate transfer belt 30 to scrape residual toner. And a toner receiving film that prevents the residual toner from scattering when the intermediate transfer belt 30 is cleaned by the belt cleaning device 40. These members come into contact with the intermediate transfer belt 30 when the intermediate transfer belt 30 is cleaned. The belt cleaning device 40 is provided with a conveyance member 43 for conveying the collected toner scraped and collected by the blade 41 to a waste toner container (not shown).

  In this embodiment, a sensor 36 that detects a detection seal (described later) attached to the surface side of the intermediate transfer belt 30 is provided downstream of the belt cleaning device 40 in the rotation direction of the intermediate transfer belt 30, so that the intermediate transfer is performed. The reference position information of the intermediate transfer belt 30 can be detected by optically detecting the detection seal as the belt 30 rotates.

Next, a recording material conveyance system of the image forming apparatus in the present embodiment will be described. In the present embodiment, a recording material accommodating portion 11 for accommodating a recording material is provided below the apparatus main body 10, and a supply roll 12 provided near the downstream end of the recording material accommodating portion 11 in the recording material conveyance direction. Thus, the recording material is supplied from the recording material accommodating portion 11, and a single recording material is conveyed by the separating mechanism 13 constituted by a pair of roll members provided in the vicinity of the supply roll 12. It is conveyed toward 14.
The recording material conveyance path 14 is provided with a registration roll 15 that positions and supports the supplied recording material and conveys the recording material downstream at a predetermined timing. Two recording materials conveyed at a predetermined timing by the registration roll 15 are provided. When the secondary transfer portion formed by the secondary transfer roll 35a and the backup roll 34 is reached, the multiplexed toner images multiplexed on the intermediate transfer belt 30 are collectively transferred onto the recording material. The recording material onto which the multiplexed toner images have been collectively transferred is given sufficient heating and pressure by, for example, a fixing device 16 constituted by a heating roll 16a and a pressure roll 16b, and the multiplexed toner image is fixed. The The recording material that has been fixed is discharged from a discharge port opened in the apparatus main body 10 by a discharge roll 17 to a recording material discharge portion 10 a formed on the upper surface of the apparatus main body 10.

The intermediate transfer belt 30 used in such an image forming apparatus has a configuration as shown in FIG. In the figure, an intermediate transfer belt 30 has an endless belt base material 301, and as a meandering restricting member along the rotational direction of the intermediate transfer belt 30 near both ends on the back side of the belt base material 301. Ribs 302 are provided, and in this example, for example, a tape-like member made of urethane resin is attached to the belt base material 301. In the figure, only one end portion in the width direction orthogonal to the rotation direction of the intermediate transfer belt 30 is shown, but the remaining end portions have the same configuration.
The rib 302 has an end-matching position (position indicated by an arrow B in the drawing) with a gap as shown in the figure, and the height of the rib 302 is uniform. The rib 302 does not adversely affect the rotation of the 301. Further, a reinforcing tape 303 made of, for example, a polyester adhesive tape that reinforces the belt base material 301 so as to cover the area of the rib 302 is attached to a position corresponding to the rib 302 on the surface side of the belt base material 301. . And the affixing end of the reinforcing tape 303 affixed over substantially the entire circumference of the belt base material 301 is overlapped at the end position indicated by the arrow C in the figure. Furthermore, on the reinforcing tape 303, a detection seal 304 as a detected body is affixed so as to cover an exposed end portion of the reinforcing tape 303 where the surface is exposed.

  The detection seal 304 in the present embodiment is made of a material having a reflectance different from that of the surface of the reinforcing tape 303. For example, a rectangular label tape (for example, silver namer or Nitto Denko Rivic tape) is used. The thickness and adhesive strength of the detection seal 304 are appropriately selected. The selection range of the detection seal 304 is narrower than that of the reinforcement tape 303, whereas the selection range of the reinforcement tape 303 is narrow due to restrictions such as the heat shrinkage rate. There is no restriction, and the degree of freedom of selection is widened. As a result, it becomes easy to select one having a thickness thinner than that of the reinforcing tape 303 and having an adhesive strength stronger than that of the reinforcing tape 303. Therefore, peeling of the reinforcing tape 303 can be suppressed, and resistance to a cleaning member such as a side seal, which will be described later, is reduced, so that the intermediate transfer belt 30 itself can be rotated in any direction. Become. The detection seal 304 may be affixed only on one reinforcing tape 303. In this case, it is preferable that the rotation direction of the intermediate transfer belt 30 is one direction.

In this embodiment, since such an intermediate transfer belt 30 is used, the device is devised at the installation location of the belt cleaning device 40. That is, as shown in FIG. 5A, the tension roll 31 is provided with a guide member 31a having a trapezoidal cross section in which the top portion is cut from a cone at both ends, and the intermediate transfer belt is formed by the guide member 31a. A rib 302 provided on the belt 30 restricts the movement of the intermediate transfer belt 30 in the width direction.
On the other hand, on the belt cleaning device 40 side, side seals 44 (44a, 44b) having one ends supported by, for example, brackets 45 (45a, 45b) extending from the belt cleaning device 40 in order to prevent toner leakage from the belt cleaning device 40. Is provided in a range that can cover the width of the reinforcing tape 303 of the intermediate transfer belt 30, and the side seal 44 is brought into contact with the intermediate transfer belt 30. Therefore, when the intermediate transfer belt 30 rotates with respect to the side seal 44, the surfaces of the reinforcing tape 303 and the detection seal 304 of the intermediate transfer belt 30 are cleaned.

  Here, the side seal 44 is used as a cleaning member for cleaning the surface of the reinforcing tape 303 and the detection seal 304. However, the cleaning member is not limited to this, and as shown in FIG. For example, a bristle-like product in which polypropylene fibers 442 are planted may be brought into contact with 441, or, for example, polyamide resin fibers 444 are adhered onto the substrate 441 as shown in FIG. The foam 443 may be bonded and the polyamide resin fibers 444 may be brought into contact with each other. Further, the side seal 44 may always be brought into contact with the reinforcing tape 303 when the intermediate transfer belt 30 is rotated, or may be brought into contact as appropriate.

  By detecting such a detection seal 304 by the sensor 36 (see FIG. 3), the passage timing of the detection seal 304 can be identified, and the reference position information of the intermediate transfer belt 30 can be known.

  Here, a specific method for detecting peeling of the reinforcing tape 303 of the intermediate transfer belt 30 in the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the control flow of FIG. First, when the information of the detection seal 304 on the intermediate transfer belt 30 is detected by the sensor 36, the reference position information of the intermediate transfer belt 30 is acquired (steps S1 and S2). Next, the time required for detection from the detection sticker 304 to the next detection sticker 304 is calculated, and this value is compared with a predetermined time stored (step S3). If it is determined in this comparison that the time is within the predetermined time, the image formation timing of each color is controlled, and an image can be formed (step S4). On the other hand, if it is determined in step S3 that the time required for detection is different from the predetermined time, it is determined that the reinforcing tape 303 has been peeled off, the subsequent image formation is stopped, and the intermediate transfer belt 30 is stopped. The reinforcing tape 303 is peeled off (steps S5 and S6).

  By performing such a control flow, it becomes possible to detect peeling of the reinforcing tape 303. That is, by measuring the passage time of the detection seal 304 by the sensor 36, it is determined that the detection seal 304 has been peeled off when the predetermined time is not reached. It is assumed that this is done based on peeling. FIG. 7 shows the difference in passage time as an example in which the rotation direction of the intermediate transfer belt 30 is behind the arrow in the figure. In FIG. 7A, the detection seal 304 is not peeled off, and the rear end position of the detection seal 304 is shown. The passing time detected by the sensor 36 (see FIG. 3) from the first detection seal 304 to the tip position of the next detection seal 304 becomes equal to T of a predetermined time initially expected. On the other hand, when the reinforcing tape 303 is peeled off and the detection seal 304 is peeled off together with the reinforcing tape 303, for example, as shown in FIG. Becomes shorter than the predetermined time T (T-α). Further, as shown in (c), when the reinforcing tape 303 is peeled off, the leading end position of the peeled off detection seal 304 is shifted to the upstream side when the reinforcing tape 303 is peeled off instead of the detection seal 304. The transit time is longer than the predetermined expected time T (T + α).

  Therefore, it is possible to determine whether the reinforcing tape 303 attached to the intermediate transfer belt 30 is peeled off by comparing the passage time with a predetermined time T determined in advance. That is, in this embodiment, the detection seal 304 covers the adhesive force of the reinforcing tape 303 at the end exposed portion of the reinforcing tape 303 and the reinforcing tape at the end exposed portion where the adhesive strength of the reinforcing tape 303 is weak. It also serves as a detection means for the peeling of 303, so that a stable sticking state of the reinforcing tape 303 can be maintained over a long period of time. In addition, when peeling occurs, it is possible to promptly cope with it. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent damage (belt breakage or the like) of the belt base material 301 due to peeling of the reinforcing tape 303.

FIG. 8A shows a modification of the present embodiment, in which the detection seal 304 is attached so as to cover the entire attachment end portion position of the reinforcing tape 303. Here, as shown in the right figure in the figure, two examples are shown, one in which the reinforcing tape 303 is overlapped at the end position and one in which the reinforcing tape 303 is not overlapped.
The detection seal 304 may be affixed on the reinforcing tape 303 so as to cover the entire end position as shown in the drawing without covering only the end exposed portion at the bonding position. The same effects as in the embodiment can be obtained.

On the other hand, for comparison, as shown in FIG. 8B, when the detection seal 304 is attached to a position different from the end position of the reinforcing tape 303, the adhesive strength at the end exposed portion of the reinforcing tape 303 is compensated. In addition, the detection seal 304 does not detect even if the reinforcing tape 303 is peeled off.
Further, as shown in (c), in the case where welding is performed at the overlapping portion of the reinforcing tape 303 (indicated by the arrow D in the figure), the strength of the reinforcing tape 303 at the overlapping portion is initially strong due to the welding. Although it is possible to prevent the peeling of the reinforcing tape 303 to some extent, the welded portion is hardened more than other portions with the passage of time or the like, so that the material in the reinforcing tape 303 is not made uniform, and the reinforcing tape 303 is cracked. Or peeling occurs. Further, in this case, since the detection seal 304 is not attached to the exposed end portion, the occurrence of these problems is not suppressed.

  In the present embodiment, the mode of the intermediate transfer belt 30 is shown as the belt conveyance body. However, the belt conveyance body is not limited to the intermediate transfer belt 30, and a reinforcing tape 303 is attached to prevent meandering. For example, a recording material conveyance belt that adsorbs and conveys a recording material and transfers a toner image onto the recording material may be used as long as the detection seal 304 for reference position information is attached. There is no problem.

In this embodiment, the specific adhesive force between the reinforcing tape and the detection seal is evaluated with respect to the belt base material like the intermediate transfer belt having the shape shown in FIG.
The used reinforcing tape was a polyester adhesive tape having a width of 8 ± 0.8 mm and a thickness of 0.08 mm. The tape was overlapped at the end position, and the overlap margin was 13 mm. On the other hand, the detection seal is a 7 ± 0.2 mm square (R-treated corner) and a 0.055 ± 0.005 mm thick polyester (for example, Nitto Denko Livic Tape No. 401 silver), reinforcing tape It was made to affix on the position different from the edge part position.
The adhesive strength was measured in accordance with JIS C 2107 by measuring 90 ° peel strength. FIGS. 9A and 9B show measurement methods, in which FIG. 9A shows the adhesive strength of the reinforcing tape, and FIG. 9B shows the adhesive strength of the detection seal.
The results were measured with 5 samples, and the average value was 0.9 to 1.2 N / 8 mm for the reinforcing tape and 2.38 to 2.74 N / 10 mm for the detection seal.
From this, it is possible to increase the adhesive strength of the detection seal compared to the adhesive strength of the reinforcing tape, and it is possible to suppress peeling of the reinforcing tape by attaching the detection seal to the exposed end portion of the reinforcing tape. Understood.

1 is an explanatory diagram showing an overview of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment model embodying the present invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the meandering regulation of the belt conveyance body in embodiment model. It is explanatory drawing which shows the image forming apparatus which concerns on embodiment. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an intermediate transfer belt according to an embodiment. (A) is explanatory drawing which shows the example which used the side seal as a cleaning system of the reinforcement tape of embodiment, (b) and (c) are explanatory drawings which show the modification of a cleaning member. It is a flow which judges peeling of the reinforcement tape in embodiment. It is explanatory drawing which shows the passage time at the time of judging peeling of a reinforcement tape, (a) is a state without peeling, (b) and (c) show the state where peeling occurred. (A) is explanatory drawing which shows the modification of embodiment, (b) and (c) are explanatory drawings which show a comparative example. It is explanatory drawing which shows the measuring method of the adhesive force in an Example, (a) is a reinforcement tape, (b) shows the measuring method of a detection seal | sticker.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Image formation means, 2 ... Recording material, 3 ... Belt carrier, 3a ... Belt base material, 4 ... Detection means, 5 ... Peeling judgment means, 6 ... Stretching roll, 7 ... Serpentine regulation member, 8 ... Reinforcement tape , 9 ... Object to be detected

Claims (5)

A belt carrier used to circulate and rotate around a plurality of stretching rolls,
An endless belt substrate;
Of the back surface of the belt base material, the belt base material is circulated so as to be provided near one end in the width direction perpendicular to the circulation rotation direction of the belt base material and to regulate meandering in the width direction of the belt base material. A meandering restricting member extending along the rotation direction and protruding in the thickness direction of the belt base material;
Corresponding to the meandering regulating member on the surface of the belt base material, the belt base material is provided near the end in the width direction of the belt base material, extends along the circulation rotation direction of the belt base material, and the end portion is in contact with or close to the belt base material. A long reinforcing tape that is attached like
An object to be detected, which is attached to the reinforcing tape so as to cover the exposed end portion of the reinforcing tape and has an optical reflecting surface different from the surface of the reinforcing tape and capable of detecting the reference position information of the belt base material. A belt carrier characterized by comprising: In the belt conveyance object according to claim 1,
The meandering restricting member is composed of one or a plurality of long objects extending along the circulation rotation direction of the belt base material of the meandering restricting member, and the end butting position where the end parts of the long thing are butted against each other is 1 Formed more than
The belt is attached such that the end position of the reinforcing tape is provided at a position different from the position on the surface side of the belt base material corresponding to the end butting position of the meandering regulating member. Carrier. An image forming means for forming a toner image;
The belt conveyance body according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a toner image that is disposed to face the image forming unit and is formed by the image forming unit is transferred directly or via a recording material;
Detecting means provided apart from the belt conveying body and detecting the detected body;
An image forming apparatus comprising: a peeling determination unit that determines a peeling state of the reinforcing tape based on information from the detection unit. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3.
At least one of the tension rolls is provided with a guide member that guides the meandering regulation member near the axial end of the tension roll. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3.
An image forming apparatus, further comprising a cleaning member for cleaning the surface of the reinforcing tape.

Images