JP2011133772A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain an image forming apparatus capable of suppressing partial temperature rise of a fixing means. <P>SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus 10 includes: an image forming unit 12 forming an image with toner on recording paper P; a fixing unit 50 including a heating roll 48 heating the toner included in the image formed by the image forming unit 12 and a cover member 51 covering the heating roll 48, and fixing the image formed by the image forming unit 12 on the recording paper P; and a blower unit 70 sending air to both ends of the cover member 51. By sending the air to both ends of the cover member 51 by the blower unit 70, temperature at both ends of the fixing unit 50 falls, so that the partial temperature rise of the fixing unit 50 can be suppressed. The air is not sent to the heating roll 48 directly, thereby the fluctuation of the fixing a temperature of the heating roll 48 is suppressed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus.

  The apparatus of Patent Document 1 blows directly to both ends of the heating roll to cool both ends of the heating roll.

  In the apparatus of Patent Document 2, a ventilation path for blowing an air flow to the fixing device is branched into a fixing device and a discharge roll provided on the downstream side of the fixing device.

JP 2001-166622 A JP 2007-293060 A

  An object of the present invention is to obtain an image forming apparatus capable of suppressing a partial temperature rise of a fixing unit.

  An image forming apparatus according to claim 1 of the present invention includes an image forming unit that forms an image on a recording medium, a heating member that is long in the width direction of the recording medium and that heats the image formed on the recording medium, and the heating A covering member that covers the member, and a fixing unit that fixes the image formed by the image forming unit on a recording medium, and a blower that blows air to a portion of the covering member that covers both ends of the heating member in the longitudinal direction. Means.

  In the image forming apparatus according to a second aspect of the present invention, the air blowing unit is provided with a guide portion that guides the air flow obliquely with respect to the axial direction of the heating member and outward in the axial direction. .

  In the image forming apparatus according to a third aspect of the present invention, the image forming unit is disposed below the fixing unit, and the air is blown between the fixing unit and the image forming unit. A sending air outlet is provided.

  In an image forming apparatus according to a fourth aspect of the present invention, an air guide structure is provided above the fixing unit between the operation unit operated by an operator and the fixing unit to guide an air flow by the blowing unit. It has been.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, it is possible to suppress a partial temperature rise of the fixing unit as compared with the configuration in which the air is uniformly blown in the longitudinal direction of the heating member.

  According to the invention of claim 2, it is possible to make it difficult for the air flow to wrap around the center of the heating member.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, it is possible to suppress the heat of the fixing unit from being transmitted to the image forming unit under the fixing unit as compared with the configuration in which no air is blown between the fixing unit and the image forming unit.

  According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to suppress the transfer of heat from the fixing unit to the operation unit as compared with the configuration in which no air is blown around the fixing unit.

1 is an overall view of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a configuration diagram of an image forming unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. It is the perspective view which looked at the ventilation unit which concerns on embodiment of this invention from the front side of the image forming apparatus. It is the perspective view which looked at the ventilation unit which concerns on embodiment of this invention from the rear surface side of the image forming apparatus. It is a top view of the ventilation unit which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a plane sectional view of the ventilation duct concerning the embodiment of the present invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the ventilation state of the ventilation unit which concerns on embodiment of this invention. (A), (b), (c) It is a schematic diagram which shows the 1st modification, 2nd modification, and 3rd modification of embodiment of this invention.

  An example of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  FIG. 1 shows an image forming apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment. The image forming apparatus 10, as an example, has an image as an example of an image forming unit that performs image formation using toner (developer) of four colors of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K). The forming units 12Y, 12M, 12C, and 12K are arranged in the vertical direction (arrow Z direction) within the casing 11 that is the main body. The arrangement order of the image forming units 12 is Y, M, C, and K from the lower side to the upper side of the image forming apparatus 10 on the upstream side of the sheet conveyance path 22.

  Each of the image forming units 12Y, 12M, 12C, and 12K has the same configuration except for the accommodated toner. In the following description, when distinguishing each color of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black, it will be described with a code in which Y, M, C, and K alphabets are added after the number, but it is not necessary to distinguish each color. The letters Y, M, C, and K after the numbers are omitted. The toners Y, M, C, and K are not particularly limited by the manufacturing method.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a paper feed unit 14 in which a recording paper P as an example of a recording medium is stored is provided in the lower part of the housing 11. A feeding roll 16 for feeding the recording paper P is provided above the paper supply unit 14. The recording paper P is configured by a pair of rolls on the downstream side of the feeding roll 16 in the conveyance direction of the recording paper P. A paper conveyance path 22 is provided that includes a conveyance roll 18 that includes a pair of rolls and a positioning roll 20 that matches the conveyance timing of the recording paper P that is conveyed by the conveyance roll 18.

  Further, on the right side in the figure in the housing 11 (position facing a photoconductor 36 described later), the image forming units 12Y, 12M, 12C, and 12K are arranged adjacent to each other and recorded in the image forming units 12Y, 12M, 12C, and 12K. A transport unit 24 that transports the paper P is provided.

  The transport unit 24 is wound around a pair of rolls 38 (lower side) and a roll 40 (upper side) provided on the upper and lower sides along the side wall (right side wall in the figure) of the casing 11 and the rolls 38 and 40. The conveyor belt 42 is configured such that the conveyor belt 42 moves when the roll 40 is rotated by a motor (not shown). Further, on the side opposite to the roll 38 with the conveyance belt 42 interposed therebetween, a suction roll 44 that applies a voltage and electrostatically attracts the recording paper P to the conveyance belt 42 is provided.

  A recording sheet on which the toner image on the photoconductor 36 is conveyed by the conveyance belt 42 is applied to a position facing the photoconductor 36 of each color inside the conveyance belt 42 by voltage application means (not shown). A transfer roll 46 for transferring to P is provided. Further, an image (toner) formed by the image forming unit 12 is fixed on the recording paper P at a position downstream of the transport unit 24 in the transport direction of the recording paper P and above the image forming unit 12K. A fixing unit 50 is provided as an example of the fixing unit.

  The fixing unit 50 includes a heating roll 48 as an example of a heating member that heats and melts toner contained in an image on the recording paper P formed by the image forming units 12Y, 12M, 12C, and 12K and transferred to the recording paper P. A pressure roll 52 that presses the heating roll 48 in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the heating roll 48 and a cover member 51 as an example of a covering member that covers the heating roll 48 and the pressure roll 52 are provided.

  As an example, the heating roll 48 has a configuration in which an aluminum cylindrical core metal (not shown) is coated with silicon rubber and a fluororesin, and a halogen heater as an example of a heat source (not shown) is disposed in the core metal. . The heating roll 48 can heat the toner when the halogen heater generates heat by the control unit 60 described later. For example, the pressure roll 52 has a configuration in which a cylindrical metal core made of aluminum (not shown) is covered with silicon rubber and fluororesin, and is energized by a spring (not shown) to It is pressed against the outer peripheral surface. Note that an operator (user, serviceman) is provided on the upper surface of the cover member 51 outside the both ends of the heating roll 48 when the fixing unit 50 is attached to or removed from the housing 11. Grasping portions 49A and 49B (see FIG. 5) for gripping are provided.

  Further, a discharge roll 56 constituted by a pair of rolls is provided on the downstream side of the fixing unit 50 in the conveyance direction of the recording paper P. In addition, the upper portion of the housing 11 is a part of an air guide path 90 which is an example of an air guide structure which will be described later, and is discharged from the discharge port 58 for discharging the recording paper P and the discharge port 58. A paper discharge unit 62 on which the recording paper P is placed is formed, and a discharge roll 56 is disposed at the discharge port 58. Accordingly, the recording paper P on which the toner image is fixed by the fixing unit 50 is discharged to the paper discharge unit 62 by the discharge roll 56.

  On the left side of each image forming unit 12 in the figure in the housing 11, an optical scanning unit 30 that irradiates the exposure light L to the photosensitive member 36 rotatably provided in each image forming unit 12 is disposed. . The optical scanning unit 30 has a housing 28 serving as a main body. The casing 28 is divided into an optical scanning unit 31 (left side in the figure) and a light guide unit 33 (right side in the figure) by a partition wall 29 provided in the vertical direction. The partition wall 29 has an opening 35 for guiding light from the light scanning unit 31 to the light guide unit 33.

  In the optical scanning unit 31, a light emitting means (not shown) that emits the exposure light L corresponding to each color and a motor (not shown) rotate the exposure light L of the recording paper P by being rotated by a motor (not shown). A polygon mirror 37 (rotating polygonal mirror) that deflects and scans in the scanning direction and a reflection mirror 39 that reflects the exposure light L deflected and scanned by the polygon mirror 37 toward the opening 35 are provided.

  In the light guide 33, a lens 41 disposed near the opening 35 and a plurality of optical components 45 (reflection mirrors) for guiding the exposure light L passing through the lens 41 to the photoconductor 36 of each image forming unit 12 are provided. And a lens). In addition, the code | symbol of the optical component 45 is attached | subjected only to the components in the path | route of the exposure light L to the image forming unit 12K, and a code | symbol is abbreviate | omitted about another optical component. Here, by exposing the outer peripheral surface of each photoconductor 36 with exposure light L, an electrostatic latent image corresponding to the image information is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the photoconductor 36.

  On the other hand, a control unit 60 that controls the operation of each unit of the image forming apparatus 10 is provided in a portion (left side in the drawing) adjacent to the optical scanning unit 30 in the housing 11. Further, an operation unit that is operated by an operator to operate each unit of the image forming apparatus 10 or perform various settings (number of sheets, image density, etc.) is provided above the fixing unit 50 in the casing 11. An operation panel 80 as an example is provided with the upper surface exposed. Further, a blowing unit 70 as an example of a blowing unit that blows air toward the end of the cover member 51 of the fixing unit 50 is provided above the optical scanning unit 30 and the control unit 60 in the housing 11.

  The blower unit 70 is arranged on the upper part of one side (the left side in the figure) in the housing 11 and is blown by a plurality of blades rotating by driving a motor (not shown) and from the blower fan 72 toward the fixing unit 50. And an air duct 74 that is long in the horizontal direction (arrow X direction). The operation of the blower fan 72 is controlled by the control unit 60.

  Next, the configuration of the image forming unit 12 will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the image forming unit 12 includes a photosensitive unit 55 (upper part) having the photosensitive member 36, toner of each color, and electrostatic latent images formed on the photosensitive member 36. And a developing unit 57 (lower part) for developing each color toner. An optical path 61 through which the exposure light L passes is formed between the photoconductor unit 55 and the developing unit 57, and the exposure light L is irradiated to the outer peripheral surface of the photoconductor 36 through the optical path 61. It has become.

  The photoconductor unit 55 includes a photoconductor 36 that is rotatably supported with both ends supported by a bearing (not shown), a charging roll 63 that is disposed to face the outer peripheral surface of the photoconductor 36 and charges the surface of the photoconductor 36 by a potential difference, A cleaning roll 65 for cleaning the outer peripheral surface of the charging roll 63; a cleaning blade 67 for cleaning the surface of the photoreceptor 36; a recovery roll 71 for recovering residues on the surface of the photoreceptor 36 removed by the cleaning blade 67; An erase lamp 69 for neutralizing the surface of the photoconductor 36 after transfer and a toner storage portion 73 provided at a position away from the cleaning blade 67 and storing toner therein are integrally configured.

  The toner storage unit 73 is provided with a stirring member 75 having a film-like member for stirring and transporting the toner. Further, a support protrusion (not shown) is provided on the side wall of the toner storage portion 73, and the image forming unit 12 is inserted into the image forming apparatus 10 by inserting the support protrusion into a receiving portion (not shown) in the image forming apparatus 10. Is to be installed.

  On the other hand, the developing unit 57 has a configuration in which a developing unit 77 that visualizes the electrostatic latent image of the photoreceptor 36 with toner and a toner supply unit 79 that supplies toner to the developing unit 77 are integrated in the horizontal direction. It has become. The developing portion 77 is formed with an opening 81 that opens toward the photoreceptor 36, and a developing roll 83 is disposed so that a part of the developing portion 77 is exposed from the opening 81. Here, as an example, the developer is described as a two-component developer including a carrier made of metal particles and a toner made of resin particles. However, the developer is not limited to this and is a one-component developer containing only toner. May be.

  The developing roller 83 is a non-magnetic cylindrical developing sleeve (not shown) that is rotatably provided in the direction of the arrow (the clockwise direction shown in the figure), and a plurality of magnetic poles that are fixed inside the developing sleeve and arranged alternately. It consists of a magnet roll that does not. A gear (not shown) is fixed to one end portion in the axial direction of the developing sleeve, and the rotational force from the motor is transmitted to the gear so that the developing sleeve rotates through the gear.

  Here, the developing roller 83 adsorbs the carrier contained in the developer with a magnetic force, forms a magnetic brush of the developer on the surface, and causes the toner adsorbed on the carrier to face the photoconductor 36 (not shown). Transport to developer supply position). The electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive member 36 by the exposure light L is visualized by a developer magnetic brush formed on the surface of the developing roll 83.

  A cylindrical layer thickness regulating member 85 disposed opposite to the outer peripheral surface of the developing roll 83 is provided upstream of the developing area in the rotation direction of the developing roll 83. The layer thickness regulating member 85 is made of aluminum as an example, and regulates the layer thickness of the developer supplied onto the developing roll 83.

  On the other hand, below the developing roll 83, a first stirring member 87 that is formed in a spiral shape and that conveys the toner (including carrier) while stirring in the same direction as the axial direction of the developing roll 83 is rotatably supported. A gear (not shown) is fixed to the end of the first stirring member 87, and is rotated by transmitting a rotational force from a motor (not shown) to the gear. By the rotation of the first stirring member 87, the toner is conveyed to the outer peripheral surface of the developing roll 83 while being stirred.

  Further, in the toner supply unit 79 adjacent to the developing unit 77, a second stirring member 89 and a third stirring member 91 formed in a spiral shape having the same direction as the axial direction of the developing roll 83 as an axial direction are rotatable. The toner is stirred by the second stirring member 89 and the third stirring member 91 and is circulated and conveyed.

  Next, the detail of the ventilation unit 70 is demonstrated.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the blower fan 72 of the blower unit 70 has a box shape in which one surface is opened toward the side wall of the housing 11, and the air inside the intake chamber 93 into which air outside the image forming apparatus 10 is taken in. It is provided at the top. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the air duct 74 of the air blowing unit 70 has a flow path 74 </ b> D, one end side of which is provided continuously with the air blowing fan 72, and extends linearly toward the fixing unit 50. The first branch path 74A, the second branch path 74B, and the third branch path 74C branched into three on the other end side of the main part are configured as main parts.

  FIG. 5 shows a plan view of the fixing unit 50 and the air duct 74. In the air duct 74, the first branch path 74A is arranged obliquely toward the back side, which is one side in the axial direction of the heating roll 48 (see FIG. 1), and the third branch path 74C is formed in the heating roll 48 (see FIG. 1). 1), the first branch path 74A, the third branch path 74C, and the flow path 74D are Y-shaped in plan view. Further, between the first branch path 74A and the third branch path 74C, a second branch path 74B is curved toward the lower side (the optical scanning unit 30 side in FIG. 1).

  As shown in FIG. 6, in the air duct 74, the first branch path 74A and the second branch path 74B are partitioned by a partition wall 96, and the second branch path 74B and the third branch path 74C are partitioned by a partition wall 97. It has been. Further, the first branch path 74A has a first air outlet 76 formed at the end portion on the fixing unit 50 side so that air can be blown to the outside, and the third branch path 74C is formed at the end portion on the fixing unit 50 side. The 3rd ventilation port 78 is formed and it can blow to the exterior. Further, the second branch path 74 </ b> B has a second air blowing port 95 formed on the bottom surface of the end on the fixing unit 50 side toward the upper surface of the optical scanning unit 30, so that air can be blown to the outside.

  Here, at the end of the partition wall 96 on the fixing unit 50 side, a guide portion 96A that is formed obliquely with respect to the axial direction of the heating roll 48 and outward in the axial direction is provided. At the end of the partition wall 97 on the fixing unit 50 side, a guide portion 97A that is formed obliquely and outwardly with respect to the axial direction of the heating roll 48 is provided.

  At a position facing the back side of the fixing unit 50 (one side in the axial direction of the heating roll 48), the air flow blown from the first air outlet 76 to the fixing unit 50 is applied to the back side of the fixing unit 50. A side wall 15A is provided for wrapping along. Further, an air flow blown from the third air outlet 78 to the fixing unit 50 is placed on the front side of the fixing unit 50 at a position facing the side surface on the front side of the fixing unit 50 (the other side in the axial direction of the heating roll 48). A side wall 15B is provided for wrapping along the side surface. The side walls 15 </ b> A and 15 </ b> B may be a part of the housing 11, or may be a separate guide from the housing 11.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the peripheral portion of the second air outlet 95 on the bottom surface of the second branch path 74B is provided with an inclined portion 99 that is inclined downward, and the air is blown into the second branch path 74B. Air flows along the inclined portion 99 and is blown between the fixing unit 50 and the image forming unit 12K.

  Next, the operation of the embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  First, the image forming process of the image forming apparatus 10 will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 1, when each unit of the image forming apparatus 10 is activated, the image data subjected to image processing by the control unit 60 is converted into color material gradation data of each color, and sequentially sent to the optical scanning unit 30. Is output. The optical scanning unit 30 emits each exposure light L according to the color material gradation data of each color, performs scanning exposure on the outer peripheral surface of each photoreceptor 36 charged by the charging roll 63 (see FIG. 2), An electrostatic latent image is formed on the photoreceptor 36. The electrostatic latent images formed on the respective photoreceptors 36 are yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K) toner images (developer images) by the developing roller 83, respectively. As a result of development (realization).

  Subsequently, the toner images of the respective colors sequentially formed on the photoreceptors 36 of the image forming units 12Y, 12M, 12C, and 12K are sequentially transferred onto the recording paper P conveyed from the paper supply unit 14 by the transfer roll 46. Is done. Then, the recording paper P onto which the toner image has been transferred is transported toward the fixing unit 50 by the transport unit 24. In the fixing unit 50, the toner images of the respective colors on the recording paper P are fixed on the recording paper P by being heated and pressed by the heating roll 48 and the pressure roll 52. The recording paper P on which the toner image is fixed is discharged toward the paper discharge unit 62 by the discharge roll 56.

  Next, the operation of the blower unit 70 will be described.

  In the fixing unit 50 of FIG. 6, when the heating roll 48 performs the fixing operation continuously, heat is taken away by the recording paper P (not shown) in the central portion of the heating roll 48 in the axial direction (arrow Y direction). Is lower than the set fixing temperature. When this temperature drop is detected by a temperature detection sensor (not shown), in order to set the temperature of the outer peripheral surface of the heating roll 48 to the set fixing temperature, further heating is performed by a halogen heater (not shown).

  In this state, since the recording paper P does not pass through both ends in the axial direction of the heating roll 48 and heat is not taken away, the temperature distribution in the axial direction of the heating roll 48 is the highest temperature at both ends, and the arrow of the cover member 51 Both ends in the Y direction are in a high temperature state, and the periphery of both ends of the heating roll 48 remains at a high temperature even after the fixing operation is completed. Thereby, for example, when the recording paper P is sandwiched in the fixing unit 50 and the fixing unit 50 is to be taken out of the image forming apparatus 10, the air blower unit 70 is not provided as a comparative example with the present embodiment. Since the grips 49A and 49B (see FIG. 5) are hot, it is difficult to take them out.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 6, in the image forming apparatus 10 of the present embodiment, the blower fan 72 is rotated by the control unit 60 as the operation of the image forming apparatus 10 starts, and blown into the blower duct 74. In the flow path 74D of the blower duct 74, the air flow is divided by the partition walls 96 and 97, the air flow F1 in the first branch path 74A, the air flow F2 in the second branch path 74B, and the air flow in the third branch path 74C. Each F3 flows.

  Subsequently, the air flow F <b> 1 guided by the guide portion 96 </ b> A and discharged from the first air outlet 76 is blown to one end portion of the cover member 51 of the fixing unit 50, and the temperature of one end portion of the cover member 51 is lowered. Similarly, the air flow F3 guided by the guide portion 97A and discharged from the third air outlet 78 is blown to the other end portion of the cover member 51 of the fixing unit 50, and the temperature of the other end portion of the cover member 51 is lowered. Let As a result, immediately after the image forming process in the image forming apparatus 10 is completed, the fixing units 50 can be taken out by holding the grip portions 49A and 49B. Here, the air blowing unit 70 cools both ends of the fixing unit 50 by air blowing, but since the air is not directly blown to the heating roll 48 and the pressure roll 52, the temperature fluctuation of the outer peripheral surface of the heating roll 48 is directly blown. Compared to the configuration to be smaller.

  Subsequently, the air flows F1 and F3, which cool both ends of the cover member 51, absorb the amount of heat of the cover member 51 and are in a high temperature state, and flow into the gaps with the side walls 15A and 15B, respectively. 1) (in the direction of arrow Z). Then, the air flows F1 and F3 that flow upward are discharged from the discharge port 58 to the outside.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 7, the air flow F2 guided by the inclined portion 99 and blown out from the second air blowing port 95 flows between the bottom plate of the fixing unit 50 and the top plate of the image forming unit 12K. Since the air flow F2 blocks the transfer of heat from the fixing unit 50 to the image forming unit 12K, the image forming unit 12K (the same applies to the other image forming units 12) can be prevented from reaching a high temperature state.

  In addition, the air flow F2 that flows between the fixing unit 50 and the image forming unit 12K flows upward along the side plate of the housing 11, and further flows between the fixing unit 50 and the operation panel 80, so that the discharge port 58 is discharged to the outside. Here, since the air flow F2 flows between the fixing unit 50 and the operation panel 80, the transfer of heat from the fixing unit 50 to the operation panel 80 is blocked, and the operation panel 80 is prevented from reaching a high temperature state. . Note that the side plate 11A and the discharge port 58 of the housing 11 serve as an air guide path 90 as an example of an air guide structure.

  The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment.

  As a first modification of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8A, the blower duct 102 is branched using a blower unit 100 having a blower fan 72 and a Y-shaped blower duct 102 in plan view. The front end portions 102A and 102B may be arranged in a direction perpendicular to the side surface of the fixing unit 50 so that air is blown outside the both end portions of the heating roll 48 and the pressure roll 52.

  As a second modification of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8B, a blower unit 110 having a blower fan 72 and a blower duct 112 that is T-shaped in plan view and is internally partitioned by a partition wall 114 is used. Then, the air may be blown in parallel to the side surface of the fixing unit 50 from the branched end portions 112A and 112B of the air duct 112.

  As a third modification of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8C, the blower duct 122 is branched using a blower unit 120 having a blower fan 72 and a Y-shaped blower duct 122 in plan view. The front end portions 122A and 122B are disposed obliquely toward both end portions of the fixing unit 50, and guide members 124 and 125 having a U-shaped cross section are disposed with a gap at positions facing both end portions of the fixing unit 50. The air flow blown outward from both ends of the heating roll 48 and the pressure roll 52 may flow around both ends of the fixing unit 50.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Image forming apparatus 12 Image forming unit (image forming means)
48 Heating roll (heating member)
50 Fixing unit (fixing means)
51 Cover member (cover member)
70 Blower unit (Blower unit)
76 1st ventilation port 78 3rd ventilation port 80 Operation panel (operation part)
90 Wind guide path (wind guide structure)
96A Guide part 97A Guide part P Recording paper (recording medium)

Claims (4)

Image forming means for forming an image on a recording medium;
A heating member that heats an image formed on the recording medium that is long in the width direction of the recording medium; and a covering member that covers the heating member. The image formed by the image forming unit is placed on the recording medium. Fixing means for fixing;
Blower means for blowing air to a portion covering both longitudinal ends of the heating member in the covering member;
An image forming apparatus.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the blowing unit is provided with a guide portion that guides an air flow obliquely with respect to an axial direction of the heating member and outward in the axial direction. The image forming means is disposed below the fixing means,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the blowing unit is provided with a blowing port for sending air between the fixing unit and the image forming unit.   4. The air guide structure according to claim 1, wherein an air guide structure is provided above the fixing unit between the operation unit operated by an operator and the fixing unit to guide an air flow by the blowing unit. 5. 2. The image forming apparatus according to item 1.

Images