JP2014012371A - Optical writing device and image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an optical writing device capable of commonalizing between cover members produced by devices having different specification and reducing entire cost for production of plural types of optical writing device and to provide an image forming device comprising this optical writing device.SOLUTION: An optical housing 130 encloses: a laser source as a light source part generating light; and a polygon scanner 120 as a rotary deflector which deflects the light generated by the laser source and performs scanning. In a laser writing device 47 in which an opening part 131 as an opening part of the optical housing 130 is covered with an upper cover 135 as a cover member, the upper cover 135 comprises a dividing line 150 having a configuration allowing to be cut at least during production.

Description

  The present invention relates to an optical writing apparatus and an image forming apparatus that deflect and scan writing light corresponding to image information on a latent image carrier.

  As an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, a facsimile, etc., a writing image according to image information is deflected and scanned to form a latent image on a latent image carrier, and the latent image is developed to obtain an image. It has been known. An optical writing device (optical scanning device) that deflects and scans writing light is generally a polygon scanner that is a rotary deflector that deflects and scans writing light from a light source unit, and writing light that is deflected and scanned by the polygon scanner. And an optical system component such as an image forming lens for forming an image on the surface of the latent image carrier. These components are housed in a housing, and an open portion of the housing is covered with a cover member and sealed so that dust and dust do not adhere to optical system components such as an imaging lens.

  When the polygon scanner is driven, the rotating shaft that outputs the rotational drive from the polygon motor that is the driving source rotates, and heat is generated from the bearing portion of the rotating shaft by frictional heat caused by friction between members due to this rotation. Further, if there is a part that rubs between members when the polygon motor is driven, not limited to the bearing part, heat is generated from that part.

  Since the open part of the optical writing device housing is hermetically sealed with a cover member, the heat generated by the driving of the polygon scanner goes into the optical writing device, resulting in a high temperature inside. When the temperature inside the optical writing device becomes high, there is a risk that optical components such as an imaging lens are thermally deformed. If the components of the optical system are thermally deformed, the writing light may not be imaged on the surface of the latent image carrier. Further, in the case of a color image forming apparatus, the irradiation position on the surface of each latent image carrier is shifted, resulting in a color shift.

  In addition, the rotation speed of the polygon scanner increases as the image forming apparatus increases in speed and image quality. For this reason, the higher the high-value added image forming apparatus with high speed and high image quality, the greater the amount of heat generated when the polygon scanner is driven.

  As a configuration capable of suppressing heat generated when the polygon scanner is driven into the optical writing apparatus, Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose that a portion facing the polygon scanner in the open portion of the housing is formed by a metal cover member. The covering configuration is described. By using a member having a high thermal conductivity such as a metal as the cover member, heat can be efficiently radiated and heat can be prevented from being generated inside the optical writing device.

In the optical writing apparatuses disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2, a portion of the open portion of the housing other than the portion facing the polygon scanner is covered with a cover member made of a resin material.
The cover member is required to seal the open part of the housing, but it is difficult to mold the cover member that covers the entire open part with metal with high accuracy to realize the sealing performance, and the cost is high. Connected. In the optical writing apparatuses disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2, the portion facing the polygon scanner is a metal cover member, and the other portions are resin material cover members that can be easily molded with high accuracy. The optical writing device is hermetically sealed at a lower cost, while suppressing the occurrence of the problem.

  There is a need for parts to be shared in order to reduce overall manufacturing costs, even between devices with different performance and objectives, such as low-priced image forming devices and high-value-added image forming devices. The same applies to the optical writing device. Even between low-price optical writing devices and high-value-added optical writing devices, the light source unit, optical system components, and devices with different specifications such as polygon scanners can The light path to the latent image carrier may be common. If the devices share the same light path, even if the specifications of the parts to be placed are different, the positions where the parts are placed will be the same, and the shape of the housing and cover member will be the same so that the parts can be shared. It becomes possible to plan.

  Some low-priced optical writing devices do not support high speed and high image quality, and the polygon scanner has a slow rotation speed, so that the amount of heat generated when the polygon scanner is driven may not be a problem. In such an optical writing device, the entire open portion of the housing can be formed as a single cover member made of a resin material, which is lower in cost than a configuration in which a part of the open portion is covered with a metal material cover member. Can be achieved.

However, the cover member made entirely of a resin material cannot be used in the above-described high value-added optical writing apparatus in which the amount of heat generated when the polygon scanner is driven becomes a problem. This is because the cover member made of a resin material has insufficient thermal conductivity required for the cover member that covers the portion of the open portion of the housing that faces the polygon scanner. For this reason, even if the device has the same light path, the shape of the housing is the same, and the material characteristics for heat required for the cover member covering the open part other than the part facing the polygon scanner are the same. The cover member cannot be shared.
Therefore, a mold and a production line are required for each of the resin cover member that covers the entire open portion and the resin cover member that covers the portion other than the portion facing the polygon scanner. It is not possible to reduce the overall cost of manufacturing.

  Such problems arise when devices with different specifications, such as low-priced optical writing devices and high-value-added optical writing devices, have different heat characteristics required for part of the cover member. It is not limited. The same problem may occur when a part of the shape of the open portion to be covered by the cover member is different or when the mechanical strength required for a part of the cover member is different. That is, only the requirements for a part of the cover member are different, and the same problem may occur if the apparatuses share the same requirements for the material characteristics and shape required for other parts.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and the object of the present invention is to make it possible to share a cover member that is manufactured by apparatuses having different specifications, and to manufacture a plurality of types of optical writing apparatuses. It is an object of the present invention to provide an optical writing apparatus capable of reducing the cost and an image forming apparatus including the optical writing apparatus.

  In order to achieve the above object, a first aspect of the present invention is to house a light source unit for generating light and a rotary deflector for deflecting and scanning the light generated by the light source unit in a housing. In the optical writing device in which the open portion is covered with a cover member, the cover member is provided with at least a double-cut shape capable of being cut at the time of manufacture.

  In the present invention, since the cover member at the time of manufacture has a double-cut shape, an optical writing device that uses the cover member as it is at the time of manufacture, and a cover member of one shape that has been cut into double-cut shapes are used. With the optical writing device, the cover member to be manufactured can be shared.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to share a cover member that is manufactured by apparatuses having different specifications, and it is possible to reduce the overall cost of manufacturing a plurality of types of optical writing apparatuses. is there.

FIG. 3 is a perspective explanatory view of a laser writing device in which an upper cover is made of one component. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a copier according to an embodiment. Explanatory drawing of an upper cover, (a) is side sectional drawing, (b) is a top view. FIG. 4 is a perspective explanatory view of a laser writing device in which an upper cover is composed of two parts.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a copying machine (hereinafter referred to as a copying machine 500) as an image forming apparatus will be described. In the present embodiment, a monochrome image forming apparatus will be described as an example, but the present invention can be similarly applied to a known color image forming apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of the copying machine 500.
In FIG. 2, a copying machine 500 includes a printer unit 100, which is a main body, mounted on a recording paper bank 300, and an image reading device 200 is mounted on the printer unit 100. Mounted on the image reading apparatus 200 is an automatic document feeder 400 configured to be rotatable about the back side (the back side of the paper in the figure) as a fulcrum.

Inside the printer unit 100, a drum-shaped photoconductor 10 is provided as a latent image carrier. Around the photoreceptor 10, a charging device 11, a developing device 12, a transfer unit 13, and a cleaning device 14 using a charging roller are arranged. The developing device 12 attaches toner to the electrostatic latent image on the photoreceptor 10 using a developing roller as a developer carrying member, and visualizes the image. In this embodiment, the photosensitive member 10, the charging device 11, the developing device 12, and the cleaning device 14 are integrally supported, and are provided as a process cartridge so as to be detachable from the copying machine 500 main body.
The transfer unit 13 includes a transfer belt 17 wound around two rollers of a transfer downstream roller 15 and a transfer upstream roller 16, and the transfer belt 17 is placed on the circumferential surface of the photoconductor 10 at the transfer position B. It is being pressed.

The printer unit 100 is provided with a toner supply device 20 that supplies new toner to the developing device 12 on the left side of the charging device 11 and the cleaning device 14 in the drawing.
In addition, the printer unit 100 is provided with a recording paper transport device 60 that transports the recording paper P fed from the recording paper cassette 61 of the recording paper bank 300 to the stack unit 39 via the transfer position B. The recording paper transport device 60 transports the recording paper P along the paper feed path R1 or the manual paper feed path R2 and the recording paper transport path R. On the recording paper conveyance path R, a registration roller pair 21 is provided upstream of the transfer position B in the recording paper conveyance direction.

On the other hand, a fixing device 22 is provided on the downstream side in the recording paper conveyance direction of the recording paper conveyance path R with respect to the transfer position B. The fixing device 22 includes two rollers, that is, a heating roller 30 as a heating member and a pressure roller 32 as a pressure member. The recording paper P is sandwiched between the two rollers to perform heat and pressure fixing.
A discharge branch claw 34, a discharge roller 35, a first pressure roller 36, a second pressure roller 37, and a roller 38 with stiffness are further provided downstream of the fixing device 22 in the recording paper conveyance direction. A stack unit 39 is also provided for stacking the recording paper P on which the image has been formed through the fixing device 22.

A laser writing device 47 is provided on the left side in FIG. 2 with respect to the developing device 12 in the printer unit 100. The laser writing device 47 includes a laser light source (not shown), a polygon scanner 120 including a scanning polygon mirror 48 and a polygon motor 49, and a scanning optical system such as an fθ lens 122.
A switchback device 42 is provided beside the printer unit 100 in the copying machine 500 (on the right side in FIG. 2). The switchback device 42 reverses the reversing path R3 branched from the position where the discharge branch claw 34 of the recording paper transport path R is disposed, and the recording paper P that has passed through the reversing path R3 again. The recording paper P is conveyed along the re-conveying path R4 that leads to the position of the pair 21. A pair of switchback rollers 43 and a plurality of other recording paper transport roller pairs 66 are provided in the reversing path R3 and the re-transport path R4.

The image reading apparatus 200 includes a reading light source 53, a plurality of mirrors 54, an imaging optical lens 55, an image sensor 56 such as a CCD, and the like, and a contact glass 57 is provided on the upper surface thereof.
The automatic document feeder 400 is provided with a document setting table (not shown), and a document stacking table (not shown) is provided as a document discharge position. The automatic document transport device 400 includes a plurality of document transport rollers, and the document transport rollers transport the document from the document setting table to the document stack table through the reading position on the contact glass 57 of the image reading device 200. The

  The recording paper bank 300 is provided with a plurality of recording paper cassettes 61 for storing recording paper P such as paper or an OHP film as recording media. Each recording paper cassette 61 is provided with a call roller 62, a paper feed roller 63, and a separation roller 64, respectively. On the right side of the recording paper cassette 61 in the drawing, the above-described paper feeding path R1 leading to the recording paper conveyance path R of the printer unit 100 is formed. Also in this paper feed path R1, several recording paper transport roller pairs 66 for transporting the recording paper P are provided.

  In addition, the printer unit 100 is provided with a manual sheet feeding unit 68 on the right side in the drawing. The manual feed unit 68 is provided with a manual feed tray 67 that can be freely opened and closed. Is formed. Similarly to the recording paper cassette 61, the manual paper feeding unit 68 is also provided with a calling roller 62, a paper feeding roller 63, and a separation roller 64.

Next, the operation of the copying machine 500 will be described.
When copying using the copying machine 500, first, a main switch (not shown) is turned on, and a document is set on a document setting table of the automatic document feeder 400. In the case of a book document, the automatic document feeder 400 is opened, a document is set directly on the contact glass 57 of the image reading device 200, and the automatic document feeder 400 is closed and pressed. When a start switch (not shown) is pressed, when the document is set on the automatic document feeder 400, the document is moved onto the contact glass 57 through the document conveyance path by the document conveyance roller. Thereafter, the image reading apparatus 200 is driven to read the document content and discharge it onto the document stacking table. On the other hand, when the document is set directly on the contact glass 57, the image reading device 200 is immediately driven to read the content of the document.

  When reading the document content, the image reading apparatus 200 irradiates the document surface on the contact glass 57 with light from the reading light source 53 while moving the reading light source 53 along the contact glass 57. Then, the reflected light is guided to the imaging optical lens 55 by a plurality of mirrors 54 and put into the image sensor 56, and the document content is read by the image sensor 56.

  On the other hand, simultaneously with the reading of the document content, the photoconductor 10 is rotated by a photoconductor drive motor (not shown). Then, writing is performed by irradiating the surface of the photoreceptor 10 uniformly charged by the charging device 11 with a laser beam L corresponding to the content of the original read by the image reading device 200 by the laser writing device 47. As a result, an electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of the photoreceptor 10. Thereafter, the developing device 12 attaches toner to the electrostatic latent image to make it visible.

  When the start switch is pressed, the recording paper P is sent out by the calling roller 62 from the one corresponding to the selected size among the plurality of recording paper cassettes 61 provided in the recording paper bank 300. Then, the fed recording paper P is separated one by one by the paper feed roller 63 and the separation roller 64, and the one paper is guided to the paper feed path R 1, and the recording paper transport roller pair 66 enters the recording paper transport path R. Lead. The recording paper P conveyed to the recording paper conveyance path R hits the registration roller pair 21 and is stopped.

When the manual paper feed unit 68 is used, the manual feed tray 67 is opened and the recording paper P is set thereon. Also in this case, the recording paper P is conveyed to the manual paper feeding path R2 by the calling roller 62, the paper feeding roller 63, and the separation roller 64, and is guided to the recording paper conveying path R by the recording paper conveyance roller pair 66. Then, it comes into contact with the registration roller pair 21 and is stopped.
In this way, the recording paper P stopped by the registration roller pair 21 starts to rotate so that the toner image visualized on the surface of the photosensitive member 10 and the timing of entering the transfer position B coincide with each other. It is sent to the transfer position B by the registration roller pair 21.

  The recording paper P fed to the transfer position B is transferred with the toner image on the photoreceptor 10 by the transfer unit 13 and carries the image on the surface thereof. After the transfer, the residual toner remaining on the surface of the photoconductor 10 is removed by the cleaning device 14, and the residual potential on the photoconductor 10 is also removed by a neutralization lamp (not shown), and the next image formation starting from the charging device 11 is performed. Prepare. On the other hand, the recording paper P carrying the image is conveyed by the transfer belt 17 and enters the fixing device 22. Then, heat and pressure are applied while being conveyed between the heating roller 30 and the pressure roller 32, and the image on the recording paper P is fixed. Thereafter, the recording paper P is discharged onto the stack portion 39 by the discharge roller 35, the first pressure roller 36, the second pressure roller 37, and the stiffness roller 38, and is stacked there.

  When images are to be formed on both sides of the recording paper P, the discharge branch claw 34 is switched, and the toner image is transferred to one side of the recording paper P, and then is transferred from the recording paper conveyance path R to the reversing path R3. The recording paper P is transported by the recording paper transport roller pair 66 and put into the switchback position 44, and then switched back by the switchback roller pair 43. This time, the recording paper P is put in the re-transport path R4, and the recording paper transporting roller The pair 66 is guided again to the recording paper conveyance path R. Then, the toner image is transferred to the opposite surface of the recording paper P in the same manner as described above.

Next, features of the laser writing device 47 to which the present invention is applied will be described.
FIG. 1 is an explanatory perspective view schematically showing a state in which the upper cover 135 of the laser writing device 47 in which the upper cover 135 is made of one component is removed. As shown in FIG. 1, the laser writing device 47 includes a polygon scanner 120, an fθ lens 122, a soundproof glass 123, and the like, which are disposed in an optical housing 130 having an opening 131 at the top. Further, the opening 131 is covered with the upper cover 135 and sealed. Sealing can prevent dust and dirt from adhering to the optical system components in the laser writing device 47.
The upper cover 135 that covers the optical housing 130 in order to ensure the hermeticity in the laser writing device 47 has a dividing line 150 that can be divided into a first upper cover portion 135a and a second upper cover portion 135b. doing.

  In the polygon scanner 120, a polygon mirror 48, which is a rotary polygon mirror having a reflection mirror on the side of a regular polygon, is rotated at high speed by a polygon motor 49, and deflects and scans laser light L from a laser light source (not shown). The fθ lens 122 is an optical element that changes the equiangular motion of the beam scanning by the polygon scanner 120 into a uniform linear motion. The dust-proof glass 121 shown in FIG. 2 prevents dust / dust from falling into the optical housing 130.

  The soundproof glass 123 and the upper cover 135 seal a space in the optical housing 130 in which the polygon scanner 120 is disposed. A sealing member (not shown) is provided between the soundproof glass 123 and the upper cover 135 or between the upper cover 135 and the optical housing 130 for further sealing. The soundproof glass 123 prevents wind noise from the polygon mirror 48 from leaking out of the space where the polygon scanner 120 is placed. Furthermore, the soundproof glass 123 also has a function of suppressing the heat in the space where the polygon scanner 120 is disposed from being transmitted to the space where the optical element such as the fθ lens 122 is disposed. The seal member is attached to the upper cover 135. When the seal member is divided along the dividing line 150, the seal member is also divided into the first upper cover portion 135a side and the second upper cover portion 135b side together with the upper cover 135. It can be configured. By adopting a configuration in which the seal member can also be divided, it is possible to ensure the sealing performance of the portion covered by the divided first upper cover portion 135a.

3A and 3B are explanatory views of the upper cover 135, in which FIG. 3A is a side sectional view and FIG. 3B is a top view. FIG. 3A is a cross-sectional view taken along the line CC ′ in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 3, the upper cover 135 is provided with a dividing line 150 that has been processed into a thin-walled shape as a double-cut shape so as to cut the first upper cover portion 135a and the second upper cover portion 135b. Yes. The upper cover 135 is provided with a screw hole 136 for fastening to the optical housing 130.

  FIG. 4 is a perspective explanatory view schematically showing a state in which the upper cover 135 is removed from the laser writing device 47 in which the upper cover 135 is composed of two parts. The laser writing device 47 shown in FIG. 4 is in a state in which the upper cover 135 made of one component is divided and a sheet metal cover 160, which is another component, is attached to a portion facing the polygon scanner 120. The upper cover 135 made of resin is divided along the dividing line 150 described with reference to FIG. 3, and a portion of the opening 131 that faces the space on the fθ lens 122 side with the soundproof glass 123 interposed therebetween is a resin first. It is covered with an upper cover part 135a. On the other hand, the portion of the opening 131 that faces the space on the polygon scanner 120 side with the soundproof glass 123 interposed therebetween is covered with a sheet metal cover 160 instead of the resin-made second upper cover portion 135b.

  The first upper cover portion 135a of the upper cover 135 used in FIGS. 1 and 4 has not only a screw hole 136 for fastening to the optical housing 130 but also a shape for positioning a sheet metal cover 160 which is a separate part. Since the first upper cover portion 135a has a screw hole 136 for fastening to the optical housing 130, the first upper cover portion 135a is optically sealed even when the polygon scanner 120 side is sealed with a sheet metal cover 160 which is a separate part. Positioning with respect to the housing becomes possible.

Here, conventional problems of the conventional optical writing apparatus and the image forming apparatus including the same will be described. Image forming apparatuses such as copiers and printers are always required to be smaller and have higher performance in order to achieve a competitive advantage. In addition to these, energy saving and recycling are also required for future products.
However, the conventional image forming apparatuses have a problem that if the performance and purpose are different, the optical writing apparatus configured is also new and costly.
As an optical writing device, there are cases in which the shapes of the housing and the cover member are the same even among devices having different performances and purposes. In such a case, it is required to make components common.

  There are three possible combinations of materials for the upper cover: (1) made of resin only, (2) only sheet metal, and (3) the vicinity of the heat generating portion is made of sheet metal and the other parts are made of resin. Hereinafter, the configurations of (1) to (3) will be described.

(1) If only the resin is used, high-precision processing is easy, and therefore the molding cost for securing the sealing property can be suppressed. However, due to poor heat dissipation, it is not possible to cope with a specification in which heat accumulates in the optical writing device and the polygon scanner rotates at high speed.
(2) If only sheet metal is used, the heat dissipation will be improved, heat will not be trapped in the optical writing device, and it will be compatible with specifications that rotate at high speed, but the top cover is a housing to prevent dust from entering. Is required to be sealed. Sheet metal is more difficult to process with high accuracy than resin, and processing costs are high. Therefore, an attempt to mold the entire upper cover with sheet metal leads to high costs.
(3) If the vicinity of the heat generating part is made of sheet metal and other parts are made of resin, the increase in cost is suppressed by minimizing the part made of sheet metal, while preventing heat from accumulating, so that it rotates at high speed. Can also respond.

In an optical writing device having a specification in which heat builds up, a configuration of steam (3) in which only the vicinity of the heat generating portion is a sheet metal is desirable.
However, the rotation speed of the polygon scanner is slow and heat build-up does not matter, or only a part of the low-priced optical writing device where cost reduction is prioritized over the problem caused by heat build-up It is also expensive to use sheet metal.

Even in such low-priced optical writing devices and other devices, cost reduction is required by sharing the design shape, and the housing and the cover of the optical writing device are as common as possible. It is desirable to use
However, even if the design shape is made common, the shape of the upper cover is different from that of the sheet metal because the shape of the resin part is different between the heat-generating part near the sheet metal and the resin part as a whole. However, parts cannot be shared.
Since the shapes of the resin parts are different, a mold and a production line are separately required for the upper cover of each shape, and the cost cannot be sufficiently suppressed.

With respect to such a problem, the upper cover 135 used in the laser writing device 47 of the present embodiment is molded with a resin covering the entire opening 131 of the optical housing 130, and can be easily cut into both sides as necessary. A dividing line 150 is provided.
In the case of a low-priced optical writing apparatus in which heat is not a problem, as shown in FIG. 1, an upper cover 135 molded into a shape covering the entire opening 131 can be used as it is.
On the other hand, in the case of an optical writing device having a specification that heat is trapped, the upper cover 135 molded in a shape covering the entire opening 131 is cut into two at the dividing line 150, and as shown in FIG. Only the first upper cover part 135a is attached to a part of the opening 131. The other part of the opening 131 is covered with a sheet metal cover 160 made of sheet metal.

  In the laser writing device 47 of the present embodiment, the entire opening 131 shown in FIG. 1 is covered with a resin upper cover 135, and the entire opening 131 shown in FIG. 4 is covered with a resin first upper cover part. With the configuration covered with 135a, resin parts manufactured on a common manufacturing line can be used. As a result, it is possible to reduce the manufacturing cost of the entire system for manufacturing a plurality of types of optical writing devices having different performances and purposes.

  As shown in FIG. 4, in the case of using the sheet metal cover 160, the portion of the second upper cover portion 135b of the upper cover 135 at the time of manufacture is not used for the optical writing device after both cuttings. There seems to be a waste of material. However, the cost can be reduced as compared with the case where the upper cover 135 having a different shape is manufactured by another manufacturing process. Moreover, since the part of the cut second upper cover part 135b is not distributed in the market and no dirt or alteration occurs, it is possible to prevent the material from being wasted by reusing the material.

In addition, the opening 131 of the laser writing device 47 shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 has the same shape not only in the portion covered by the first upper cover portion 135a but also in the portion not covered by the first upper cover portion 135a. ing. For this reason, the second upper cover portion 135b and the sheet metal cover 160 have substantially the same shape.
However, as the laser writing device 47 to which the present invention is applied, it is only necessary that the two types of devices have the same shape in the opening 131 covered with the first upper cover portion 135a. For this reason, the shape covered with the second upper cover portion 135b and the shape covered with the sheet metal cover 160 may be different between the two types of apparatuses.

What has been described above is merely an example, and the present invention has a specific effect for each of the following modes.
(Aspect A)
A light source section such as a laser light source that generates light and a rotary deflector such as a polygon scanner 120 that deflects and scans the light generated by the light source section are housed in a housing such as the optical housing 130 and an opening 131 of the housing. In an optical writing apparatus such as a laser writing apparatus 47 in which an open portion such as an upper cover 135 is covered with a cover member such as an upper cover 135, the cover member is provided with at least a double-cut shape such as a dividing line 150 that can be cut off at the time of manufacture. .
According to this, as described in the above embodiment, the cover member can be divided as necessary. For this reason, it is manufactured with an optical writing device that uses a cover member that is as-manufactured without cutting both sides, and an optical writing device that uses a cover member with one shape that is cut both sides. The cover member to be used can be made common. Therefore, it is possible to share the cover member manufactured by apparatuses having different specifications, and to reduce the overall cost of manufacturing a plurality of types of optical writing apparatuses.
(Aspect B)
In the aspect of (Aspect A), the two-sided shape of the dividing line 150 or the like is a portion (second upper cover portion) that opposes the heat generating portion that generates heat when the rotary deflector such as the polygon scanner 120 is driven in the open portion such as the opening 131. 135b, etc.) and the other part (first upper cover part 135a) have a shape in which the cover member such as the upper cover 135 is cut into two.
According to this, as explained about the above-mentioned embodiment, by using only the other divided part side to cover the open part, the part facing the heat generating part can be opened, and the other member can be used for this part. It becomes possible to arrange in.
(Aspect C)
In either aspect of (Aspect A) or (Aspect B), the cover member such as the upper cover 135 is cut into two parts by the double cut shape such as the dividing line 150 and the other part of the open part such as the opening 131 is covered with the cover member ( The first upper cover portion 135a) covers the portion facing the heat generating portion in the open portion with a high heat conductive cover member such as a sheet metal cover 160 made of a material having a higher thermal conductivity than the cover member.
According to this, as explained about the above-mentioned embodiment, compared with the composition which covers an open part only with one cover member, a heat generating part can be cooled more efficiently. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of problems caused by the heat generated when the rotary deflector such as the polygon scanner 120 is driven.
(Aspect D)
In either aspect (Aspect B) or (Aspect C), the cover member such as the upper cover 135 has a positioning shape such as a screw hole 136 for positioning with the housing such as the optical housing 130. It is provided in other parts such as the first upper cover part 135a in the cover member before the operation.
According to this, as explained about the above-mentioned embodiment, positioning parts are provided in parts other than a part facing a heat generating part in a cover member. For this reason, even if it is the structure which cuts into both and covers the part which opposes a heat generating part with another parts, a cover member can be positioned with respect to a housing.
(Aspect E)
In any of the aspects (Aspect B) to (Aspect D), the cover member such as the upper cover 135 has an assembled shape such as a screw hole 136 for assembling with the housing such as the optical housing 130, and the positioning shape is both It is provided in other parts such as the first upper cover part 135a in the cover member before the operation.
According to this, as explained about the above-mentioned embodiment, an assembly shape is provided in parts other than a part facing a heat generating part in a cover member. For this reason, even if it is the structure which cuts into both and covers the part which opposes a heat generating part with another component, a cover member can be assembled | attached with a screw etc. with respect to a housing.
(Aspect F)
In either aspect of (Aspect A) or (Aspect E), the cover member such as the upper cover 135 includes a seal member for enhancing the sealing performance with the housing such as the optical housing 130, and the seal member is divided. The cover member is divided at the part where the cover member is cut off by the double cut shape such as the line 150.
According to this, as described in the above embodiment, when the cover member is divided and attached to the housing, the sealing property of the portion covered by the divided cover member in the open portion such as the opening 131 is ensured. be able to.
(Aspect G)
In either aspect (Aspect A) or (Aspect F), the cover member such as the upper cover 135 is partially cut by the double-cut shape such as the dividing line 150, so that a part of the open part such as the opening 131 is covered and opened. Another component such as a sheet metal cover 160 that is different from the cover member that covers the part has a positioning fixing shape that fixes and positions the cover member that covers a part of the open part and the housing such as the optical housing 130 by screwing or the like. Have.
According to this, as described in the above-described embodiment, it is possible to position and fix another part that is assembled after the cover member is divided to a housing by a new separate member even after the cover member is divided.
(Aspect H)
A latent image carrier such as the photosensitive member 10; a latent image forming unit that forms a latent image by irradiating light onto the latent image carrier; and a development that develops the latent image on the latent image carrier to form a toner image. In an image forming apparatus such as a copier 500 having a developing unit such as an apparatus 12 and a transfer unit such as a transfer unit 13 that transfers a toner image from a recording medium onto a recording medium such as a recording paper P. As the forming means, an optical writing device such as the laser writing device 47 described in any one of (Aspect A) or (Aspect G) is used.
According to this, as described in the above embodiment, since it is possible to reduce the overall cost of manufacturing a plurality of types of optical writing devices, a plurality of types of image formation provided with these optical writing devices. The cost of the entire system for manufacturing the apparatus can be reduced.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Photoconductor 11 Charging device 12 Developing device 13 Transfer unit 14 Cleaning device 15 Transfer downstream roller 16 Transfer upstream roller 17 Transfer belt 20 Toner replenishment device 21 Registration roller pair 22 Fixing device 30 Heating roller 32 Pressure roller 34 Discharge branch claw 35 discharge roller 36 first pressure roller 37 second pressure roller 38 roll roller 39 stack unit 42 switchback device 43 switchback roller pair 44 switchback position 47 laser writing device 48 polygon mirror 49 polygon motor 53 reading light source 54 Mirror 55 Image-forming optical lens 56 Image sensor 57 Contact glass 60 Recording paper transport device 61 Each recording paper cassette 61 Recording paper cassette 62 Calling roller 63 Paper feed roller 64 Separating roller 66 Recording paper transport roller pair 67 Manual feed tray 68 Feeding section 100 Printer section 120 Polygon scanner 121 Dustproof glass 122 Lens 123 Soundproof glass 130 Optical housing 131 Opening section 135 Upper cover 135a First upper cover section 135b Second upper cover section 136 Screw hole 150 Dividing line 160 Sheet metal cover 200 Image Reading device 300 Recording paper bank 400 Automatic document conveying device 500 Copier L Laser beam P Recording paper R Recording paper conveying path R1 Paper feeding path R2 Manual paper feeding path R3 Reversing path R4 Reconveying path

JP 2001-330791 A JP 2009-063833 A

Claims (8)

A light source for generating light;
A rotating deflector that deflects and scans the light generated by the light source unit and accommodates the housing;
In the optical writing device in which the open portion of the housing is covered with a cover member,
The optical writing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cover member is provided with at least a double-cut shape capable of being cut into two at the time of manufacture. The optical writing device according to claim 1.
2. The optical writing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the two-cut shape is a shape in which the cover member is cut into two at a portion facing the heat generating portion that generates heat when the rotary deflector is driven in the open portion and another portion. The optical writing device according to claim 2.
The cover member is cut into two parts by the double cut shape, the other part of the open part is covered with the cover member, and the part of the open part facing the heat generating part is made of a material having a higher thermal conductivity than the cover member. An optical writing device covered with a high thermal conductive cover member. In the optical writing device according to any one of claims 2 and 3,
The cover member has a positioning shape for positioning with the housing,
The optical writing device according to claim 1, wherein the positioning shape is provided in the other part of the cover member before the both are cut. The optical writing device according to any one of claims 2 to 4,
The cover member has an assembly shape for assembly with the housing,
The optical writing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the assembled shape is provided in the other portion of the cover member before the both sides are cut. In the optical writing device according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
The cover member includes a seal member for enhancing the sealing performance with the housing,
The optical writing device according to claim 1, wherein the seal member is divided at a portion where the cover member is cut off by the double cut shape. In the optical writing device according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
The cover member covers one part of the open portion by one of the two cut shapes, and the cover member that covers a part of the open portion includes the cover member and the cover member. An optical writing apparatus having a positioning and fixing shape for positioning and fixing to a housing. A latent image carrier;
A latent image forming means for forming a latent image by irradiating light onto the latent image carrier;
Developing means for developing a latent image on the latent image carrier to form a toner image;
An image forming apparatus having transfer means for transferring a toner image from the latent image carrier onto a recording medium;
An image forming apparatus using the optical writing device according to claim 1 as the latent image forming unit.

Images