JP2009098169A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus in which jam processing operation in a fixing device and in its vicinity is easy and further, visibility during processing is excellent. <P>SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus includes: a pressure spring 22 which biases elastic force in a direction where a pressure roller 40 is brought into press-contact with a fixing roller; a release lever 23 which releases the press-contact of the pressure roller 40 with the fixing roller 30; and a pressure-side conveying guide 43 which is supported by pressure side plates 41 and 42 on the downstream side in the conveying direction of a transfer paper P, of the nip portion between the fixing roller 30 and the pressure roller 40. The pressure-side conveying guide 43 is operated in conjunction with pressure release operation by the release lever 23, to open the path of the transfer paper P. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a printer, a copying machine, a facsimile machine, and a multifunction machine having at least two functions.

  The image forming apparatus includes a fixing rotator that is heated by a heating unit and a pressure rotator that presses against the fixing rotator to form a nip portion, and carries a toner image to be fixed in the nip portion. A fixing device that passes the recorded image in a direction in which the toner image is in contact with the surface of the fixing rotator, and fixes the toner image to the recording medium by applying heat and pressure to the toner of the toner image during the passage. It is also well known that Most of this type of fixing device is a heat roller fixing device in which the fixing rotator is a fixing roller and the pressure rotator is a pressure roller. However, belt fixing devices are widely used in recent years with colorization.

  By the way, in an image forming apparatus provided with this type of fixing device, a sheet as a recording medium may jam while being held in a fixing nip portion. At this time, if the jammed paper is pulled and removed, there is a problem that the position of the paper is damaged and a portion sandwiched between the nip portions is left.

JP 2006-48005 A Japanese Patent No. 3927830 JP 2003-186340 A JP 2003-122147 A JP 2002-348017 A JP 2002-296948 A Japanese Patent No. 3896235 JP 2001-188437 A JP 2001-42750 A

Therefore, it is known to release the pressure of the fixing nip portion by an operation when a jam occurs, and for example, disclosed in Patent Documents 1 to 9.
However, the configuration of recent image forming apparatuses has become more complicated as the speed and size have been reduced. For this reason, maintenance and jam processing are also becoming more complicated.

  Considering how to deal with jams in the fixing device, open the cover, release the pressure on the pair of fixing rollers, open the conveyance guide held between the jammed paper, and remove the paper. I was going.

  As described above, in order to remove the jammed paper, an operation of several actions is required. Further, since the miniaturization is advanced, there is a problem that the visibility of the jammed paper is poor.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-described conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus in which a jam handling operation in a fixing device and its vicinity is simple and has good visibility during processing.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention includes a fixing rotator heated by a heating unit, and a pressure rotator that presses against the fixing rotator to form a nip portion, and fixes the nip portion. A recording medium carrying a toner image to be passed is passed in such a direction that the toner image comes into contact with the surface of the fixing rotator, and the toner image is recorded by applying heat and pressure to the toner of the toner image during the passage. In an image forming apparatus provided with a fixing device for fixing to a medium, a fixing frame that supports the fixing rotating body, a pressure frame that is rotatably attached to the fixing frame and supports the pressing rotating body, and A pressure elastic member that urges an elastic force in a direction in which the pressure rotator is pressed against the fixing rotator, a pressure release unit that releases pressure contact of the pressure rotator to the fixing rotator, and the nip. On the downstream side of the recording medium conveyance direction A pressure-side conveyance guide supported by the pressure frame, and operates the pressure-side conveyance guide in conjunction with the operation of releasing the pressure contact of the pressure rotator to the fixing rotator by the pressure release means. The present invention proposes an image forming apparatus characterized by opening a passage of the recording medium.

  In the present invention, the pressure release means includes a release lever that is provided with an operation handle at one end and is rotatably attached to the pressure frame, and the other end of the release lever is attached to the fixing frame. This is a configuration in which a cam portion in which a release action point that abuts is formed is provided.

  Further, according to the present invention, the release lever is rotatable between a pressure position where the pressure rotator is in pressure contact with the fixing rotator and a release position where the pressure contact is released, In the release position, the release action point of the cam portion abuts on the fixing frame, so that the pressure contact of the pressure rotator with the fixing rotator is released.

  Furthermore, in the present invention, a recording medium passage on the downstream side of the nip portion in the recording medium conveyance direction is formed by the pressure-side conveyance guide and a fixing-side conveyance guide supported by a fixing frame. In this configuration, the pressure-side conveyance guide moves in a direction away from the fixing-side conveyance guide.

  Furthermore, in the present invention, the pressure-side conveyance guide is rotatably attached to the pressure frame, and the pressure-side conveyance guide has a protrusion provided at one end thereof, and the protrusion is fixed to the fixing frame. Elastic means for energizing the rotational force in the direction of contact with the side conveyance guide, and the protrusion is in contact with the fixing side conveyance guide and the pressure side conveyance guide is positioned by the action of the elastic means. It is.

  Furthermore, the present invention provides a movement in which the pressure-side conveyance guide moves away from the fixing-side conveyance guide against the action of the elastic means as the release lever rotates from the pressure position to the release position. It is the structure that the means is provided.

  Furthermore, the present invention is a configuration in which the moving means is a fixed member that does not interlock with the release lever that rotates the pressure-side conveyance guide in the same direction as the pressure roller by contacting the pressure-side conveyance guide. It is.

  Furthermore, the present invention is configured such that the moving means is a pinion fixed to a rotation fulcrum shaft of the pressure-side conveyance guide, and a rack that meshes with the pinion and is provided on the pressure frame.

  Furthermore, in the present invention, the fixing-side transport guide is a transport guide that also serves as a separation plate that prevents the recording medium from being wound around the fixing rotator.

  According to the present invention, the pressure side conveying guide is operated to open the path of the recording medium in conjunction with the operation of releasing the pressure contact of the pressure rotator to the fixing rotator by the pressure releasing means. The jam handling operation in the vicinity can be simplified, and the visibility during processing can be improved.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view showing an example of an image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus shown here has an image carrier 2 made of a drum-shaped photoconductor disposed in the apparatus main body 1. . During the printing operation, the image carrier 2 is driven to rotate counterclockwise in FIG. 1, and at this time, the image carrier 2 is charged to a predetermined polarity by the charging roller 3. The charged image carrier 2 is irradiated with light-modulated laser light L emitted from the optical writing device 4, whereby an electrostatic latent image is formed on the image carrier 2. The electrostatic latent image is visualized as a toner image by the developing device 5.

  On the other hand, in the lower part of the image forming apparatus main body 1, a paper feed cassette 12 containing a transfer paper P as a recording medium and a paper feed device 11 having a paper feed roller 13 are arranged. The uppermost transfer paper P is sent out in the direction of the arrow. The transferred transfer paper P is fed between the image carrier 2 and the transfer roller 6 by the registration roller pair 14 at a predetermined timing. At this time, a predetermined transfer voltage is applied to the transfer roller 6, whereby the toner image on the image carrier 2 is transferred to the transfer paper P. The transfer paper P to which the toner image is transferred is further conveyed upward, and the toner image on the transfer paper P is fixed by the fixing device 20. Then, after the fixing, the transfer paper P is discharged to the paper discharge tray 10 via the paper discharge roller 9. On the other hand, after the toner image has been transferred, the residual toner is removed by the cleaning device 7 and the residual charge is removed by the charge eliminating device 8 to prepare for the next print.

  FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a heating unit that supports a fixing roller 30 that is a fixing rotator of the fixing device 20 shown in FIG. 1. The fixing roller 30 includes front and rear side plates 31 and 32 and front and rear side plates 31 and 32. It is rotatably supported by a fixing frame including a stay 33 to be connected. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the front and rear side plates 31 and 32 are provided with a pin 34 having an axial axis that coincides, and a separation plate 35 that is rotatably attached to the pin 34 is provided. The coil spring 36 urges the rotational force in the direction in which the claw portion 36 contacts the fixing roller 30, but the positioning portion 37 contacts the surface of the fixing roller 21 outside the paper passing area at both ends of the fixing roller 30. Thus, the gap between the claw portion 36 and the surface of the fixing roller 30 is kept constant. Note that heating means for heating the fixing roller, such as a halogen heater, is disposed inside the fixing roller 30.

  FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a pressure unit that supports a pressure roller 40 that is a pressure rotator of the fixing device 20 shown in FIG. 1. The pressure roller 40 is a pressure frame having front and rear side plates 41 and 42. It is supported rotatably. The front and rear side plates 41 and 42 are provided with a pressure side conveyance guide 43 that guides the transfer paper P that has passed through the nip portion between the fixing roller 30 and the pressure roller 40. In this case, the pressure-side conveyance guide 43 is rotatably attached to the front and rear side plates 41 and 42 via the shaft 44 shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, and is counterclockwise in FIGS. 5 to 7 by a torsion coil spring (not shown). The turning force in the direction is energized. Then, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the position of the pressure-side conveyance guide 43 is determined by contacting the projection 45 so as to rest on the shoulder of the separation plate 35.

FIGS. 8 and 9 are a perspective view and a side view showing a state in which the heating unit shown in FIG. 2 and the pressure unit shown in FIG.
8 and 9, the front side plates 31 and 41 and the rear side plates 32 and 42 of the heating unit and the pressure unit are mounted so as to be rotatable via a support shaft 21 having the same axis. The pressure roller 40 can be rotated in a direction in which the fixing roller 30 is fixed. In the fixing device 20 of the present embodiment, the transfer paper P passes from the bottom to the top. Therefore, the support shaft 21 is provided upstream of the nip portion in the transfer paper conveyance direction. Further, a pressure spring 22 for urging the pressure of the pressure roller 40 is provided on the front and rear plates on the downstream side of the nip portion in the conveyance direction of the transfer paper, and the pressure roller 40 is fixed by the pressure of the pressure spring 22. The roller 30 is in pressure contact. In the case of this embodiment, the standing plates 31a, 32a, 41a, and 42a fixed to the front and rear plates 31, 32, 41, and 42 of the heating unit and the pressure unit, and the standing plates 31a and 32a of the heating unit are fixed. Then, a shaft 22a penetrating freely through the standing plates 41a and 42a of the pressure unit is provided, and the pressure spring 22 is fitted between one end of the shaft 22a and the standing plates 41a and 42a of the pressure unit. Thus, the pressure roller 40 is brought into pressure contact with the fixing roller 30 by the pressure of the pressure spring 22.

  In the fixing device 20 configured as described above, when the jam between the fixing roller 30 and the pressure roller 40 occurs, the pressure roller 40 is released from the pressure contact, and the transfer paper P is damaged or the remaining paper is removed. This makes it easy to handle jams. For this reason, release levers 23 as pressure release means are attached to the front and rear side plates 41 and 42 of the pressurizing unit so as to be rotatable around the fulcrum 24.

  The release lever 23 is provided with an operation handle 25 at one end and a cam portion 26 having a release action point 26a formed at the other end. When the release lever 23 is in the pressure position shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 and the position where the pressure roller 40 is in pressure contact with the fixing roller 30, the cam portion 26 is slightly separated or lightly touched to the fixing frame. Yes. 11 and FIG. 12 of the release lever 23, the release action point 26a of the cam portion 26 comes into pressure contact with the fixing frame, and the pressure contact of the pressure roller 40 to the fixing roller 30 is released.

  In the image forming apparatus having such a configuration, when a jam occurs between the fixing roller 30 and the pressure roller 40, an operator such as a user places the front cover 15 of the apparatus around the fulcrum 16 as shown in FIG. Rotate clockwise to open. In this apparatus, the side on which the operation panel 17 is provided is set to the front. When the front cover 15 is opened as described above, the paper discharge unit 19 provided with the fixing device 20 and the paper discharge roller 9 remains on the apparatus main body 1 side, but the conveyance guide unit 18 between the fixing device 20 and the paper discharge unit 19 is Since they are provided on the front cover 15, they are opened together. Therefore, since there is no conveyance guide portion 18 that is an upper part of the fixing device 20, the fixing device 20 appears in front of the user and the above-described release lever 23 can be easily accessed. However, just by opening the front cover 15, the fixing roller 30 and the pressure roller 40 are in pressure contact with each other, and in this state, it is difficult to see the state of the nip portion with the pressure-side conveyance guide 43.

  Therefore, in this embodiment, when the release lever 23 is operated to release the pressure contact of the pressure roller 40 to the fixing roller 30, the pressure-side conveyance guide 43 also rotates clockwise against the action of a torsion coil spring (not shown). The conveying path constituted by the moving and separating plate 35 is opened. Therefore, for example, the transfer paper jammed due to, for example, the leading edge of the separation plate 35 hitting the claw portion 36 has good visibility, so that the situation can be immediately grasped and appropriate measures can be easily taken.

  By the way, since both the release lever 23 and the pressure side conveyance guide 43 are rotated in the clockwise direction, the interlock of the pressure side conveyance guide 43 by the release lever 23 is pushed by a cam or protrusion (not shown) provided on the release lever 23. As shown in FIG. 14, the guide rib 43a provided on the pressure-side conveyance guide 43 hits the rib 27 provided on the unit cover 20U so that the pressure-side conveyance guide 43 is opened. Also good.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 15, a pinion 50 is fixed to the shaft 44 of the pressure-side conveyance guide 43, and a rack 51 that engages with the pinion 50 is provided on the front and rear side plates 41, 42 of the other pressure unit. Then, the pressure-side conveyance guide 43 may be opened by moving the pressure unit and rotating the pinion 50 via the rack 51.

  In the embodiment configured as described above, the opening angle of the pressure-side conveyance guide 43 is released by appropriately setting the positions of the guide rib 43a and the rib 27 in FIG. 14, the diameter and the number of teeth of the pinion 50 in FIG. It is also possible to open the lever 23 larger than the rotation angle. Therefore, since the pressure-side conveyance guide 43 is largely opened during the jam processing, the visibility is further improved and the processing operation is simplified.

As mentioned above, although preferable embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is not limited only to the said embodiment, Various modifications can be carried out.
For example, the fixing device is described as a heat roller fixing device including a fixing roller and a pressure roller. However, the fixing device of the present invention is provided with an endless belt wound around the fixing roller and the heating roller, and the pressure roller is fixed via the belt. The present invention can be applied to a belt fixing device that is brought into pressure contact with a roller. That is, in the fixing device of the present invention, the fixing rotator or the pressure rotator may be a roller or a belt.

It is a schematic sectional drawing which shows an example of an image forming apparatus. It is a perspective view which shows the heating unit of this embodiment. It is expansion explanatory drawing which shows the mounting part of the separation plate of a heating unit. It is a perspective view which shows the mounting part of the separation plate of a heating unit. It is a perspective view which shows the pressurization unit of this embodiment. It is explanatory drawing which shows the relationship between the separation plate of a heating unit, and the pressurization side conveyance guide of a pressurization unit. It is a perspective view which shows the relationship between the separation plate of a heating unit, and the pressurization side conveyance guide of a pressurization unit. It is a perspective view which shows the fixing device which assembled | attached the heating unit and the pressurization unit. FIG. 9 is a side view of a pressure position of the fixing device shown in FIG. 8. FIG. 9 is an explanatory sectional view of a pressing position of the fixing device shown in FIG. 8. FIG. 9 is a side view of a release position of the fixing device shown in FIG. 8. FIG. 9 is an explanatory sectional view of a release position of the fixing device shown in FIG. 8. FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a state where a front cover of the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 1 is opened. It is explanatory drawing which shows other embodiment of the moving means which moves a pressurization side conveyance guide. It is explanatory drawing which shows other embodiment of the moving means which moves a pressurization side conveyance guide.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 20 Fixing device 22 Pressure spring 23 Release lever 30 Fixing roller 40 Pressure roller 43 Pressure side conveyance guide

Claims (9)

A fixing rotator that is heated by a heating unit; and a pressure rotator that presses against the fixing rotator to form a nip portion; and a recording medium that carries a toner image to be fixed on the nip portion. An image forming apparatus including a fixing device that passes a toner image in a direction in contact with the surface of the fixing rotator and applies heat and pressure to the toner of the toner image to fix the toner image on a recording medium. In
A fixing frame that supports the fixing rotating body;
A pressure frame that is rotatably attached to the fixing frame and supports the pressure rotator;
A pressure elastic member that urges an elastic force in a direction in which the pressure rotator is pressed against the fixing rotator; and
Pressure releasing means for releasing pressure contact of the pressure rotating body to the fixing rotating body;
A pressure side conveyance guide supported by the pressure frame on the downstream side of the nip portion in the recording medium conveyance direction,
An image forming apparatus characterized in that a pressure-side conveyance guide is operated in conjunction with an operation of releasing the pressure contact of the pressure rotator to the fixing rotator by the pressure releasing means, and the passage of the recording medium is opened. .   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pressure release means includes a release lever that is provided with an operation handle at one end and is rotatably attached to the pressure frame, and the other end of the release lever. Is provided with a cam portion in which a release action point that contacts the fixing frame is formed.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the release lever rotates between a pressure position where the pressure rotator is in pressure contact with the fixing rotator and a release position where the pressure contact is released. The image forming method is characterized in that the pressure contact of the pressure rotator to the fixing rotator is released when the release action point of the cam portion contacts the fixing frame at the release position. apparatus.   2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a recording medium passage downstream of the nip portion in a recording medium conveyance direction is formed by the pressure-side conveyance guide and a fixing-side conveyance guide supported by a fixing frame. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the opening is a movement of the pressure-side conveyance guide away from the fixing-side conveyance guide.   5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the pressure-side conveyance guide is rotatably mounted on the pressure frame, and the pressure-side conveyance guide has a protrusion provided at one end thereof, and the protrusion. Elastic means for energizing rotational force in a direction in which the portion abuts on the fixing-side conveyance guide, and the protrusion is abutted on the fixing-side conveyance guide by the action of the elastic means to position the pressure-side conveyance guide An image forming apparatus.   4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the pressure-side conveyance guide is moved from the fixing-side conveyance guide against the action of the elastic means as the release lever rotates from the pressure position to the release position. An image forming apparatus comprising a moving means for moving in a separating direction.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the moving unit comes into contact with the pressure-side conveyance guide so that the fixing member does not interlock with the release lever that rotates the pressure-side conveyance guide in the same direction as the pressure roller. An image forming apparatus.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the moving unit is a pinion fixed to a rotation fulcrum shaft of the pressure-side conveyance guide, and a rack that meshes with the pinion and is provided on the pressure frame. An image forming apparatus.   4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the fixing-side conveyance guide is a conveyance guide that also serves as a separation plate that prevents the recording medium from being wound around the fixing rotator.

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