JP2013190520A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming device capable of achieving a long service life of a filter for removing odorous gas without increasing the size of an exhaust path.SOLUTION: The image forming device of the present invention includes: an exhaust path 6 which is provided inside an image forming device body 1, and discharges air containing odorous gas generated by heating, at a fixing part 5, recording paper P on which an image is transferred at an image forming part 4, to the outside of the image forming device body 1; a filter member 8 which is provided halfway along the exhaust path 6, and removes the odorous gas; and attitude switching means 11 for switching an attitude of the filter member 8 between a direction parallel to an airflow flowing along the exhaust path 6 and a direction intersecting a direction of the airflow.

Description

  The present invention relates to an improvement of an image forming apparatus in which a filter member for removing odorous gas is provided in the middle of an exhaust path inside an image forming apparatus main body.

Conventionally, in image forming apparatuses such as full-color printers and copiers, in order to remove odorous gas generated from recording paper by being heated by a fixing device during printing depending on the type of recording paper, What provided the filter which adsorbs or decomposes | disassembles and removes odorous gas is known.

The conventional image forming apparatus is composed of two exhaust paths, that is, an exhaust path provided with a filter for removing odorous gas and an exhaust path provided with no filter for removing odorous gas.
According to the image forming apparatus having two exhaust paths, it is possible to extend the life of the filter that removes odorous gas.

  In addition, for example, the exhaust path is composed of a plurality of branch exhaust paths, and a filter for removing odorous gas is provided in one of the branch exhaust paths, and the use of the filter is controlled by the detection value of the odorous gas detection sensor. The structure which performs is also known (for example, refer patent document 1).

  However, in the conventional image forming apparatus, it is possible to extend the life of the filter that removes the odorous gas. However, since it is necessary to provide a plurality of exhaust passages, the exhaust passage becomes larger, which may increase the cost. It has become.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of extending the life of a filter that removes odorous gas without increasing the size of an exhaust path. There is to do.

The image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes an air containing odorous gas generated by heating a recording sheet provided inside the image forming apparatus main body and having an image transferred thereon in the image forming section. The exhaust path for discharging to the outside, the filter member provided in the middle of the exhaust path for removing odorous gas, the orientation of the filter member in the direction parallel to the air flow along the exhaust path and the air flow Posture changing means for changing between the direction and the crossing direction.

  According to the present invention, a filter for removing odorous gas is provided in one exhaust path, and the attitude of the filter in the exhaust path is set in a direction parallel to the flow of air flowing along the exhaust path. By adopting a configuration that changes between the direction of the air flow and the direction that intersects the air, it is possible to smoothly discharge the air in the exhaust path to the outside when there is no need to remove the odorous gas. When the odorous gas needs to be removed and the odorous gas needs to be removed, the odorous gas can be trapped and decomposed, and as a result, the size of the filter can be reduced without enlarging the exhaust path. Long life can be achieved.

FIG. 1 is an overall view showing an outline of a configuration of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of Embodiment 1 of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, and is an explanatory diagram showing a relationship between a filter for removing odorous gas provided in the exhaust path and a posture changing means of the filter. It is. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a modification of the first embodiment of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of Embodiment 2 of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 5 is an explanatory view of a modification of the second embodiment of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

(Overall configuration of image forming apparatus)
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes an image forming apparatus main body. Inside the image forming apparatus main body 1, a paper feed unit 2 and a recording paper transport unit 3 are provided at the lower part, and an image forming unit 4 is provided at the upper part of the image forming apparatus main body 1.

A fixing roller 5 serving as a fixing unit for fixing the image formed on the recording paper P is provided at the front side of the recording paper transport unit 3 in the transport direction. In the image forming apparatus main body 1, an exhaust path 6 is disposed between a position facing the position where the fixing roller 5 is disposed and the outside. An operation unit 7 is provided on the upper portion of the image forming apparatus main body 1. The operation unit 7 is used to input information on the recording paper P and the like.

The exhaust path 6 has an air intake port 6a and an air exhaust port 6b, and the air taken in from the air intake port 6a is guided to the exhaust path 6 as indicated by an arrow (broken line) A and imaged. It is discharged outside the forming apparatus main body 1.

Example 1
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of Embodiment 1 of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, and is an explanatory diagram showing a relationship between a filter for removing odorous gas provided in the exhaust path and a posture changing means of the filter. It is.

Here, the exhaust path 6 has a rectangular cross section. A filter member 8 for removing air containing a volatile organic compound (VOC) (hereinafter referred to as odorous gas) is provided in the middle of the exhaust path 6. The filter member 8 is formed in a rectangular shape, and a rotation shaft 8a is provided on one side portion thereof.

A driven gear 9 is attached to one end of the rotating shaft 8a, and the driven gear 9 is engaged with the drive gear 10. The drive gear 10 is attached to the output shaft 11 a of the drive motor 11.
The drive motor 11 is controlled by a control unit 12 that controls the operation of the image forming apparatus main body 1, and information related to the recording paper P is input to the control unit 12 from the operation panel 7 a of the operation unit 7 at the start of printing.

The posture of the filter member 8 is changed between a state in which the filter portion 8b is along the wall surface 6c constituting the exhaust path 6 and a state orthogonal to the wall surface 6c. When information indicating that the recording sheet P generates odorous gas is input by the operation unit 7, the filter member 8 is moved from the state in which the filter unit 8 b is along the wall surface 6 c by the control unit 12 and the drive motor 11. The posture is changed to a state orthogonal to the wall surface 6c.

The drive motor 11, the control unit 12, the drive gear 10, and the driven gear 9 are configured so that the posture of the filter member 8 is the odor generated by heating the recording sheet P on which the image is transferred in the image forming unit 4 in the fixing roller 5. It functions as a posture changing means that changes between a direction parallel to the flow of air containing gas and a direction crossing the direction of the flow of air.

When printing is started, image formation is performed in the image forming unit 4, the recording paper P is transported and an image is transferred to the recording paper P, and heat is applied to the recording paper P by the fixing roller 5. At that time, odorous gas is generated from the recording paper P and stagnates in the vicinity of the fixing roller 5. The air containing the odorous gas is decomposed by the filter member 8 and discharged outside the apparatus.

  In the first embodiment, the filter member 8 is an adsorption type that adsorbs odorous gas, but a catalyst filter that decomposes a compound contained in the odorous gas with a catalyst may be used. Then, a volatile organic compound oxidation catalyst filter is used.

  If an adsorption type filter is used as the filter member 8, it is necessary to increase the air tightness of the filter in order to improve the removal efficiency of odorous gas. There is a possibility that the image formation may be hindered due to an increase in temperature, but if a catalyst filter that decomposes and removes compounds contained in the odorous gas with a catalyst is used, the air tightness of the filter portion 8b is not increased more than necessary. In both cases, the removal efficiency of odorous gas can be improved.

  When removal of odorous gas is unnecessary, the filter member 8 is placed along the wall surface 6c of the exhaust path 6 to reduce pressure loss in the exhaust path 6 and exhaust air efficiently. Temperature rise can be suppressed.

  Further, only when printing the recording paper P that generates odorous gas, the orientation of the filter member 8 can be changed in the direction orthogonal to the air flow, so that the odorous gas is efficiently removed while extending the life of the filter member 8. In addition, the exhaust path 6 can be reduced in size, and the cost of the exhaust path 6 can be reduced.

(Modification)
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a modification of the first embodiment of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention. In this modification, the rotation shaft 8 a of the filter member 8 is provided at the center position in the direction crossing the exhaust path 6, and the filter member 8 is orthogonal to the direction in which the exhaust path 6 extends and the direction in which the exhaust path 6 extends. It is rotated around the rotation axis 8a between the directions, and its posture is changed. Since other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment, detailed description thereof is omitted.

(Example 2)
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of Embodiment 2 of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention. In the second embodiment, the exhaust path 6 is bent halfway toward the downstream side from which the air is discharged from the upstream side in the air flow direction.
Here, the exhaust path 6 includes an upstream side exhaust path 6A and a downstream side exhaust path 6B, and the filter member 8 is provided in the downstream side exhaust path 6B.

The rotation shaft 8a of the filter member 8 is provided at a bent portion 6C between the upstream exhaust path 6A and the downstream exhaust path 6B.
The filter member 8 is between a posture in a direction extending along the wall surface 6c in the direction in which the exhaust passage of the downstream exhaust passage 6B extends and a posture in a direction orthogonal to the direction in which the wall surface 6c of the upstream exhaust passage 6A extends. The posture is changed. Since other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment, detailed description thereof is omitted.

(Modification)
FIGS. 5A and 5B are explanatory views of a modification of the second embodiment of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention.
In the modification shown in FIG. 5A, the filter member 8 is provided along the wall surface 6c of the downstream exhaust path 6B, and the filter member 8 is formed on the wall surface 6c in the direction in which the exhaust path of the downstream exhaust path 6B extends. Between the posture in a direction parallel to the flow of air flowing along the downstream exhaust path 6B and the posture in a direction crossing the flow of air flowing along the upstream exhaust path 6A. The posture is changed.

In the modification shown in FIG. 5B, the filter member 8 is configured to be slidable along the wall surface 6c of the upstream exhaust path 6A. The filter member 8 is an exhaust path of the upstream exhaust path 6A. The posture is changed between a posture in a direction parallel to the flow of air flowing along the air flow and a posture in a direction crossing the flow of air flowing along the downstream exhaust path 6B.

That is, in the modification shown in FIG. 5, the filter member 8 extends on one of the wall surfaces 6c in the direction in which the upstream exhaust path 6A extends and the wall surface 6c in the direction in which the downstream exhaust path 6B extends. The posture is changed between a posture extending along the direction and a direction intersecting with the direction in which one of the other wall surfaces 6c extends.
In addition, since a suitable structure can be used for the slide mechanism of the filter member 8, the detailed description is abbreviate | omitted.

  In this way, when the exhaust path 6 is bent at an angle, the filter member 8 is changed in its direction in a direction intersecting the air flow to remove odorous gas, and the air is filtered. Since the passage route passing through the portion 8b becomes substantially longer, the removal efficiency of the odorous gas is improved as compared with the case where the posture of the filter portion 8b is changed in a direction orthogonal to the air flow. .

  As described in the first and second embodiments, information on generation of odorous gas is input from the operation panel 7a of the operation unit 7 based on the recording paper (paper size, paper thickness, paper surface treatment information) information. Then, the posture of the filter member 8 is changed to a posture intersecting with the air flow by the posture changing means, and the odorous gas is decomposed and removed when passing through the filter member 8.

  In these cases, when the operator feels the smell of odorous gas during printing, the operation panel 7a of the operation unit 7 may be manually operated to forcibly change the posture of the filter member 8.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Image forming apparatus main body 4 ... Image forming part 5 ... Fixing roller (fixing part)
6 ... exhaust path 8 ... filter member 9 ... driven gear 10 ... drive gear 11 ... drive motor (posture changing means)
12. Control unit (attitude change means)

JP 2008-268427 A

Claims (8)

An exhaust path that discharges air containing odorous gas generated by heating a recording sheet, which is provided inside the image forming apparatus main body and onto which the image has been transferred in the image forming section, to the outside of the image forming apparatus main body. A filter member that is provided in the middle of the exhaust path and removes the odorous gas, a posture of the filter member that is parallel to a flow of air flowing along the exhaust path, and a direction of the air flow An image forming apparatus comprising: an attitude changing unit that changes between the intersecting directions. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the posture of the filter member is changed between a direction along a wall surface of an exhaust path and a direction intersecting the wall surface. The filter member has a rotation shaft, and the posture of the filter member is changed between a direction in which the exhaust path extends and a direction orthogonal to the direction in which the exhaust path extends, and the rotation shaft moves along the exhaust path. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus is provided at a central position in a transverse direction. The posture changing unit includes a control unit that controls the operation of the image forming apparatus main body, an operation unit that inputs information about the recording paper to the control unit, and a drive unit that drives the filter member, When information about the recording paper is input from the operation unit at the start of printing, the control unit sets a posture in a direction in which the posture of the filter member intersects the air flow and a direction parallel to the air flow. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the driving unit is controlled so as to be changed between the two. When information about the recording paper is manually input during printing from the operation unit, the attitude of the filter member is forcibly changed from a direction parallel to the air flow to a direction intersecting the air flow. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4.   The exhaust path is bent halfway from the upstream side in the air flow direction to the downstream side from which the air is discharged, and the rotation shaft of the filter member is a bent portion between the upstream exhaust path and the downstream exhaust path. And the filter member extends along a direction in which one of the wall surface in the direction in which the upstream exhaust path extends and the wall surface in the direction in which the downstream exhaust path extends. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the posture is changed between a direction intersecting with a direction in which the other wall surface extends. The image according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the filter member is a catalyst filter that decomposes and removes a compound contained in the air flowing through the exhaust path with a catalyst. Forming equipment. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the catalyst filter is a volatile organic compound oxidation catalyst filter.