JP2517659B2 - Optical printer - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Field of Application] The present invention comprises an optical printer, and in particular, a process cartridge which is detachable from a main body of an apparatus having an exposure means and which houses a photoconductor. The exposure means relates to an optical printer which is means such as an LED head and an LCD head.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, an optical printer of this type is provided with an abutting roller in contact with a photoconductor on an exposure means such as an LED head, for the purpose of accurately maintaining the shape of an image spot on the photoconductor. Positioning of the body and the exposure device.

The present inventor has also provided an optical printer including an apparatus main body having an exposure unit and a process cartridge which is detachable from the apparatus main body and includes a photoconductor exposed by the exposure unit. An optical printer has already been proposed which is provided with positioning means for determining the distance between the exposing means and the photoconductor by contacting a part of the exposing means with the exterior of the process cartridge when the cartridge is mounted on the main body of the apparatus.

The above two examples include an apparatus main body having an exposure unit, and a process cartridge that is detachable from the apparatus main body and that contains a photoconductor exposed by the exposure unit. The process cartridge is attached to the apparatus main body. At this time, a part of the exposing means and a part of the constituent members of the process cartridge are brought into contact with each other, so that it can be defined as an optical printer provided with positioning means for determining the distance between the exposing means and the photoconductor. The cartridge and the exposure device are in pressure contact with each other.

[Problems that the invention is trying to solve]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional example, the pressure member used for positioning the exposure apparatus, the pressure member used for fixing the process cartridge to the apparatus main body, and the photosensitive member such as the transfer roller and the charging roller are pressed and brought into contact with each other. Separate members are used as the pressing members of the rotating rotating body.

Further, since a force acts in the pressure angle direction from the drum drive gear to the drum gear, the photoconductor drum, the process cartridge, and the exposure device may vibrate, which may cause uneven pitch.

[Means (and Action) for Solving Problems]

The present invention comprises an apparatus main body having an exposure means, and a process cartridge which is detachable from the apparatus main body and contains a photoconductor exposed by the exposure means, and when the process cartridge is attached to the apparatus main body. An optical printer provided with positioning means for determining a distance between the exposing means and the photoconductor by contacting a part of the exposing means with a part of a constituent member of the process cartridge, wherein the process cartridge is a main body of the apparatus. With respect to the exposure apparatus, the spring, which is the positioning means of the exposure apparatus, is fixed and fixed in the apparatus main body of the process cartridge by further being configured to be detachable in the same direction as the optical axis direction of the exposure apparatus. ,
It is also possible to press a roller such as a transfer roller or a charging roller, which is in pressure contact with a photosensitive member and rotates.

Further, in the optical printer, a gear (which is referred to as a drum gear) integrated with the photosensitive drum is provided in the process cartridge, and the apparatus main body is provided with a drum drive gear that meshes with the drum gear and drives the drum gear. By making the pressure angle direction of the drum drive gear and the optical axis direction of the exposure device substantially orthogonal to each other, it is possible to reduce the vibration of the process cartridge and the exposure device.

Further, according to the present invention, when the process cartridge is attached to the apparatus main body, a part of the exposing means comes into contact with a member supporting the photoconductor which is a constituent member of the process cartridge, thereby exposing the exposing means and the photoconductor. By providing the positioning means for determining the distance, the positioning accuracy in the photosensitive member supporting axis direction can be easily increased.

[Embodiment 1] FIG. 1 is a view showing a drum driving means and an insertion direction of a process cartridge, an optical axis direction of an exposure apparatus, etc. of an optical printer according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is an overall view showing an embodiment 1 of an optical printer according to the present invention,
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a state in which the process cartridge in Example 1 is mounted on the apparatus main body. 1, 2 and 3, the same symbols are used for the same members. This will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.

In FIG. 2, the photosensitive drum 1 is provided with a fitting hole at the center thereof, and rotatably fits with a support shaft 1a fixed to the process cartridge C. The photosensitive drum 1 rotates counterclockwise during image formation, and the charging roller 4 comes into pressure contact with the photosensitive drum 1 to uniformly charge the surface of the photosensitive drum 1. Further, a cleaning blade 3 attached to the cleaner 2 is also in contact with the photosensitive drum 1 and collects residual toner on the photosensitive drum 1. A drum gear 51 shown in FIG. 1 is integrally fixed to an end of the photosensitive drum 1. These members are constituent members of the process cartridge C.

Reference numerals 5 to 10 denote components of the LED head, which are provided on the apparatus main body side. That is, the LED head is composed of an LED array substrate 5, an LED array light-emitting portion 6 provided on the LED array substrate 5, a converging rod lens 7, both right and left support members 8, 9 for supporting the converging rod lens 7, and an LED driving circuit. It is composed of a substrate 10 and the like. The LED array substrate 5 is provided with holes on both the left and right sides. A spring 12 is sandwiched between the LED array substrate 5 and a metal plate 13 on the apparatus main body side.
A screw 11 is inserted through a hole provided in the array substrate 5 and fixed to a metal plate 13. As a result, the LED head is screw 1
1 can move in the longitudinal direction, and when an external force acts, the spring 12
It stops at a position balanced with the spring force of. The sheet metal 13 is fixed to the bottom plate 15 by screws 14 and is integrated with the apparatus main body. The LED array light-emitting section 6 emits light in accordance with an image signal sent from a control system (not shown), and the irradiation light is guided to an exposure section of the photosensitive drum 1 via a converging rod lens 7 to form a latent image.

The developing device 16 includes a developing sleeve 17 that keeps an appropriate distance from the photosensitive drum 1 by an abutting roller (not shown), a developing rubber blade 18 that is in contact with the developing sleeve 17, and applies a developing bias. A toner image is formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 1. Reference numeral 19 denotes a part of the process cartridge exterior, and when the process cartridge is mounted on the main body, serves as a transport guide following the transport guide 20. In addition, 16 to 19 are constituent members of the process cartridge C.

The paper feed tray 21 is attachable to and detachable from the apparatus body.
In this embodiment, manual paper feed is used. On the rotary shaft core 22c, there are two paper feed rollers 22a at positions separated to the left and right with respect to the center of the transfer material in the carrying direction, and a carry roller 22b at a position sandwiched by the two paper feed rollers 22a. Are fixed respectively. The transport rubber roller 23 is in pressure contact with the transport roller 22b by a pressing member such as a spring (not shown). Further, the position and length of the rubber portion of the transport rubber roller 23 in the longitudinal direction are adjusted so that the two rubber rollers are not in contact with the two paper feed rollers 22a.
It is located between 2a.

The transfer material (not shown) placed along the paper feed tray 21 is rotated counterclockwise by the paper feed roller 22a so that the feeding force acts to the left and the separation pad mainly composed of a friction member.
The transfer material separated from the second and lower transfer materials by 20 is fed, and only the uppermost transfer material is fed.
Is guided to the nip portion of the conveying rubber roller 23, and further guided to the conveying guide 19 and conveyed to the transfer portion.

As shown in FIG. 3, a transfer material transporting drum 24 serving as a transfer unit and a fixing unit is formed by winding a conductive rubber 24b such as a silicon rubber around an aluminum drum 24a, and a conductive shaft 24c and a flange (not shown). Using the member of
c, a flange (not shown), and the conductive rubber 24b wound around the aluminum hollow drum 24a are electrically connected. The hollow structure is used to reduce the weight and cost. In the vicinity of both ends of the transfer material transport drum 24, abutting rollers 44 having a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of the transfer material transport drum 24 as shown in FIG. ing. Further, the spring 12 presses the transfer material transport drum 24 into contact with the photosensitive drum 1 and further abuts against the photosensitive drum 1.
44 presses the process cartridge C with a pressure sufficient to make contact with the surface of the photosensitive drum 1. And the axis of rotation
A toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 1 is transferred to the transfer material by applying a bias necessary for transfer to 24c. Also, when the abutting roller 44 abuts the photosensitive drum 1,
The diameter of the abutting roller 44 is set so that the transfer material transport drum 24 has a nip that allows good transfer.

As shown in FIG. 1, a drum driving gear 54 is integrally fixed to the rotating shaft core 24c outside one of the abutting rollers 44, meshes with the drum gear 51, and supplies power from a power source (not shown). The rotation of the photosensitive drum 1 is transmitted to the photosensitive drum 1. In addition, the abutting rollers 44 maintain the center distance between the drum gear 51 and the drum driving gear 54 at a distance where a good meshing state can be obtained, so that the vibration of the drum gear 51 is small, so that the pitch unevenness is also small.

Numerals 25 and 26 are counterclockwise rotating rollers constituting the fixing device, and are made of a material such as polyimide, polyethylene terephthalate, polyketone sulfaide, etc., which has PTFE coated on the surface and has heat resistance higher than the melting temperature of the toner. The fixing film 27 is wound.

The linear heating element 28 contacts the transfer material conveying drum 24 via the fixing film 27 with a pressing force suitable for fixing with a spring or the like (not shown), and the transfer material conveying drum 24 also forms a nip here. The transfer material onto which the toner image has been transferred is instantaneously melted by the heat from the linear heating element 28 at the nip portion, and cooled on the film 27, and then separated from the film 27 by the curvature of the roller 26. The toner image on the transfer material is fixed. Therefore, the conductive rubber 24c of the transfer material transport drum 24 must be able to withstand at least the heat generated from the linear heating element 28 and transmitted through the fixing film 27 and the transfer material.

The transfer material separated from the fixing film 27 is guided by a transfer material transport guide 29 and is discharged to a discharge tray 31 by a discharge roller 30. Further, the paper discharge tray 31 is detachable from the apparatus main body.

Reference numeral 32 is a fixed structure of the apparatus main body in which the process cartridge is mounted, and 33 is a rotating structure that integrally holds the transfer material transport drum 24 and the like. Reference numeral 34 denotes a rotating shaft, which is slidable with a hole provided in the apparatus main body 32 and is integrally fixed to the structure 33.
Can be opened and closed with respect to the fixed structure 32 around the center.

FIG. 3 is a view showing a state in which the process cartridge R is mounted on the main body of the apparatus. In this embodiment, the fixed structure is used.
The process cartridge R is attached to the main body of the apparatus according to the attachment / detachment guide 41 fixed to the 32 side. As shown in the figure, when attaching the process cartridge C to the apparatus main body, the rotating structure 33 is opened with respect to the fixed structure 32, and the process cartridge C is moved in the direction of arrow A, that is, Insert in the longitudinal direction. Note that the longitudinal direction of the screw 11 is made to coincide with the optical axis direction of the LED head as the exposure means. In addition, as shown in Figs.
An attachment / detachment guide 41 for restricting the moving direction of the process cartridge R is provided only along the longitudinal direction of 11. When the support shaft 1a is inserted into the fitting groove of the attachment / detachment guide 41, and the process cartridge C is mounted on the apparatus main body along the attachment / detachment guide 41, the LED head base 5 and the position regulating portion of the process cartridge C (hatched portion). Is in contact with At this time, the process cartridge is designed so that the LED light emitting unit 6 and the exposure unit on the photosensitive drum 1 are at an appropriate distance. By closing the rotary structure 33, the transfer material conveying drum 24 first comes into pressure contact with the photosensitive drum 1, and then the abutting rollers 44 and the photosensitive drum provided in the vicinity of both ends of the transfer material conveying drum 24 shown in FIG. 1 contacts. Further, by closing the rotating structure 33, the rotating structure 33 is fixed to the fixed structure 32 with a lock claw or the like (not shown). That is, the process cartridge R receives a force from the transfer material conveying drum 24 and the abutting rollers 44 provided at both ends thereof, and along the detaching guide 41 in the direction opposite to the direction in which the spring force of the spring 11 acts. Move
Eventually, the process cartridge C reaches the proper mounting position with respect to the apparatus main body, and the reaction force and the spring received from the transfer material transport drum 24 and the abutting rollers 44 provided at both ends thereof.
It is fixed to the device body at a position where the force received from 12 is balanced. In this embodiment, since the LED head substrate 5 of the LED head, which is the exposure device, and the positioning portion of the process cartridge C are in surface contact with each other, the process cartridge C is stably fixed to the apparatus main body. During this time, the LED head is spring 1
When 2 contracts, it is displaced while maintaining the distance from the photosensitive drum 1.

That is, the spring 12 is used as a moving unit of the exposure apparatus and a fixing unit of the process cartridge to the apparatus main body. After that, when the paper feed tray 21 and the paper discharge tray 31 are mounted on the apparatus main body, the state is as shown in FIG. 1 and printing is possible.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory view of driving means of the photosensitive drum 1,
When the process cartridge C is attached to the main body of the apparatus, the drum gear 51 integrated with the photosensitive drum 1 and the drum drive gear 54 integrated with the drum paper transport drum 24 mesh with each other. Then, the photoconductor drum 1 is rotated counterclockwise by transmitting the power from a motor (not shown) to the drum drive gear 54 via a power transmission means (not shown).

The pressure angle direction of the drum gear 51 is at a position orthogonal to the direction in which the process cartridge C is attached and detached.
That is, the process cartridge C has a drum drive gear.
Although the force F acts from 54 in the direction of the pressure angle, the force F direction and its component force do not act in the movable direction of the process cartridge R, which is regulated by the attachment / detachment guide, so the process cartridge R does not vibrate. Instead, it is fixed to the main body of the device.

Further, the pressure angle direction of the drum gear 51 is at a position orthogonal to the optical axis direction of the LED head. That is, the force F acts from the drum drive gear 54 in the pressure angle direction on the process cartridge C, but the process cartridge C is fixed, so that the LED head is fixed to the apparatus body without vibrating.

In the vicinity of the contact point of the process cartridge edge contact with the LED head, which is the exposure means, the dimensional accuracy of about ± 0.1 mm is required for positioning with the exposure means, and the contact state with the exposure means In order to stabilize it, it is desirable to keep its surface state smooth. for that reason,
When the process cartridge R is taken out of the apparatus main body and placed as a single unit of the process cartridge, a process cartridge outer cover is formed so that the contact portion does not come into contact with other objects. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the cleaner 2 exterior and the developing device 16 exterior prevent deformation and damage due to the contact portion coming into contact with other things.

Note that, for example, if the material of the LED head at the contact point between the LED head that is the exposure means and the process cartridge outer case is made harder than the material of the process cartridge outer case, the exposure means and the process cartridge edge may be temporarily increased for some reason. Even if a frictional force or an impact force is applied at the contact point with the process cartridge, the exterior of the process cartridge is worn and the exposure means is not worn. The distance is kept to obtain the desired spot diameter.

Further, in the above embodiments, the LED is used as the exposure means.
Although the head has been described as an example, in other embodiments, an LCD head (liquid crystal shutter), an electric luminescence element or the like may be used as the exposure means.

This embodiment is one embodiment of the present invention, and comprises a device main body having an exposure means, and a process cartridge which is detachable from the device main body and encloses a photoconductor exposed by the exposure means. In an optical printer provided with positioning means for determining the distance between the exposing means and the photoconductor by contacting a part of the exposing means and a part of the constituent members of the process cartridge when the cartridge is mounted on the main body of the apparatus. The process cartridge is configured so that it can be attached to and detached from the main body of the apparatus in substantially the same direction as the optical axis direction of the exposure apparatus, and a gear (drum gear) integrated with the photosensitive drum is provided in the process cartridge. And a drum drive gear that meshes with the drum gear and drives the drum gear. Be configured such that the optical axis of the serial exposure apparatus is substantially orthogonal, have a configuration other than this embodiment has an effect in the present invention. That is, the present embodiment does not limit the configuration of the present invention. For example, the process cartridge L may be mounted on the rotating structure 33, and then the rotating structure 33 may be closed and fixed to the fixed structure 22, or the attachment / detachment guide may be provided on the rotating structure side. May be provided, the drum drive gear may be provided on the fixed structure 32 side, the sheet feeding means, the transfer means, the fixing means, and the driving means may be provided on the fixed structure 32 side, and the exposure may be performed. The means may be on the side of the rotating structure 33. Further, the exposure means is fixed to the apparatus main body and is immovable, and the process cartridge is pressed from the side opposite to the exposure means to position the process cartridge and the exposure means, and the process cartridge and the apparatus main body. It is also possible to use a device having a configuration for performing the positioning of, the positioning of the drum gear and the drum driving gear, and the like.

Further, a leaf spring may be used instead of the screw 11 and the spring 12.

Embodiment 2 FIGS. 4 and 5 show Embodiment 2 of the present invention. In this embodiment, the structure of the apparatus main body is basically the same as that of the first embodiment, and only the abutting member of the exposure apparatus is different, so only that part will be described. The symbols in FIGS. 4 and 5 are common to those in FIG. In this embodiment, the attachment / detachment guide 41 and the LED head substrate 5 are integrally formed, and the attachment / detachment guide 41 and the support shaft 1a are brought into contact with each other to regulate the distance between the exposure device and the photosensitive drum.

FIG. 5 is a view showing a state in which the process cartridge C is attached to the main body of the apparatus. In this embodiment, the process cartridge C is attached to the main body of the apparatus according to the attachment / detachment guide 41 provided integrally with the LED head substrate 5. Installing. As shown in the figure, when the process cartridge R is attached to the main body of the apparatus, the rotating structure 33 is opened with respect to the fixed structure 32.
The process cartridge C is inserted in the direction of arrow A, that is, in the longitudinal direction of the screw 11. Note that the longitudinal direction of the screw 11 is made to coincide with the optical axis direction of the LED head as the exposure means. Further, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a desorption guide 41 is provided in the main body of the apparatus for restricting the moving direction of the process cartridge C only along the longitudinal direction of the screw 11. When the process cartridge C is attached to the main assembly of the apparatus along the attachment / detachment guide 41, the support shaft 1a of the photosensitive drum 1 and the position regulating portion (hatched portion) provided on the attachment / detachment guide 41 come into contact with each other. At this time, the attachment / detachment guide 41 is designed so that the LED light emitting portion 6 and the exposure portion on the photosensitive drum 1 are at an appropriate distance. When the rotating structure 33 is closed, the transfer material transport drum 24 first comes into pressure contact with the photosensitive drum 1, and then the abutting rollers 44 and the photoconductor provided in the vicinity of both ends of the transfer material transport drum 24 shown in FIG. The drum 1 contacts. By further closing the rotating structure 33, the rotating structure 33 becomes a fixed structure.
It is fixed to 32 with a lock claw or the like (not shown).

According to the present embodiment, the support shaft 1a of the photoconductor drum 1 is more firmly fixed, and the photoconductor support shaft and the exposure device are fitted to each other for positioning. Position accuracy is easy to obtain.

[Embodiment 3] Even in an optical printer having a structure in which the exposure means is positioned by an abutting roller that abuts on the photosensitive member like a known LED head, the pressing direction by a spring or the like is the optical axis direction of the exposure device. If it is almost the same as, there is a similar effect.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, the present invention is provided with the apparatus main body having the exposure means and the process cartridge which is detachable from the apparatus main body and contains the photoconductor exposed by the exposure means. An optical printer provided with positioning means for determining a distance between the exposing means and the photoconductor by contacting a part of the exposing means and a part of a constituent member of the process cartridge when mounted on the main body, Since the process cartridge is configured to be attachable / detachable to / from the apparatus main body in substantially the same direction as the optical axis direction of the exposure apparatus, the spring as the positioning means of the exposure apparatus and the process cartridge of the exposure apparatus are The contact part, etc. of the process cartridge is positioned and fixed in the main body of the process cartridge, and it is rotated by pressing contact with a photosensitive member such as a transfer roller or a charging roller. Since it allows also to press the roller to become a lower cost.

Further, in the optical printer, a gear (which is referred to as a drum gear) integrated with the photosensitive drum is provided in the process cartridge, and the apparatus main body is provided with a drum drive gear that meshes with the drum gear and drives the drum gear. By configuring the pressure angle direction of the drum drive gear and the optical axis direction of the exposure device to be substantially orthogonal to each other, it is possible to reduce vibrations of the process cartridge and the exposure device, thereby reducing pitch unevenness.

Further, when the process cartridge is mounted on the main body of the apparatus, a part of the exposing means and a member supporting the photoconductor, which is a constituent member of the process cartridge, come into contact with each other to determine the distance between the exposing means and the photoconductor. By providing the positioning means, the positioning accuracy in the photosensitive member supporting axis direction is easily obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing Embodiment 1 of the optical printer according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view of Embodiment 1 of the optical printer according to the present invention, and FIG. 3 is an embodiment of the optical printer according to the present invention. 1 is a schematic view when the process cartridge is attached to the apparatus main body, and FIG. 4 is an embodiment 2 of the optical printer according to the present invention.
And FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram when the process cartridge is attached to the apparatus main body in the second embodiment of the optical printer according to the present invention. 1 is a photoconductor drum, C is a process cartridge, and 5 is a LE.
D array substrate, 6 LED array light emitting part, 7 focusing lens, 11 spring, 12 screw, 13 metal plate, 32 exterior of device body, 44 butting roller, 51 drum gear, 54 drum drive gear Is.

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. An apparatus main body having an exposure means, and a process cartridge which is detachable from the apparatus main body and contains a photoconductor exposed by the exposure means. The process cartridge is attached to the apparatus main body. In some cases, the process cartridge is an optical printer provided with positioning means for determining a distance between the exposing means and the photoconductor by contacting a part of the exposing means with a part of a constituent member of the process cartridge. An optical printer characterized in that it can be attached to and detached from a main body in a direction substantially the same as an optical axis direction of the exposure device. 2. A process cartridge is provided with a gear integrated with a photosensitive drum, and an apparatus main body is provided with a drum drive gear which meshes with the drum gear to drive the drum gear.
The optical printer according to claim 1, wherein the pressure angle direction of the drum drive gear and the optical axis direction of the exposure device are substantially orthogonal to each other. 3. The positioning of the exposing means is carried out by contacting a part of the exposing means and a member for supporting a photoconductor which is a constituent member of the process cartridge, or claim 1. The optical printer according to item (2).