JP2528017Y2 - Lens row cleaning device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (a) Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to a lens array cleaning device that can be used in an electronic copying machine, a laser printer, and the like.

(B) Conventional technology In an electronic copying machine equipped with a lens array, dust such as a developer generated during copying adheres to an end of an optical path of an imaging element, and a light transmission rate is reduced. Will be.

In order to avoid such adhesion of dust, a device that separately provides a lens cleaner, or fixes the cleaner on the lens itself, and manually slides the cleaner pressed against the lens row in the longitudinal direction to perform cleaning. It has been proposed (Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 58-11770, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 58-50346,
Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 55-45390).

(C) Problems to be solved by the invention As described above, in the conventional technology, in order to perform cleaning work,
Special time and labor were required, and a complicated mechanism as a cleaning device was required.

Therefore, there is a possibility that the entire apparatus becomes expensive or the working efficiency is deteriorated.

The present invention has been made in view of the problems of the conventional technology, and does not require a cleaning device having a complicated structure and independently driven, and does not require cleaning labor. It is intended to realize the device.

(D) Means for Solving the Problems The present invention provides a lens array provided with a lens array closely arranged in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis, and a cleaner member for cleaning at least an optical path end face of the lens array. In the cleaning device, the cleaner member is separate from the lens array, is detachably engaged with a developing device movable in a direction parallel to the arrangement direction of the lens array, and engages the developing device. A lens array that contacts and follows the developing device to clean the lens array when it is pushed into the apparatus and when it is withdrawn from the apparatus, and is released when the developing apparatus is completely pulled out of the apparatus. Cleaning device.

(E) Function In the present invention, when the developing device is moved in a direction parallel to the arrangement direction of the lens rows, the cleaner portion slides on the optical path end face of the lens rows as the developing device moves.

Therefore, the optical path end surface of the lens array is cleaned by the cleaner, and dust such as toner and paper dust is removed.

(F) Embodiment The drawings each show an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is a front view, FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line II-II in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a partially exploded perspective view of the cleaner. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the shield case.

In these figures, (1) is a shield case extending in a certain direction with a U-shaped cross section, and its rear surface (top surface).
Is fixed to the optical unit (2). On the side wall of the shield case (1), an elongated hole (3) extending in a direction parallel to the extending direction is formed. Further, a discharge wire (5) to which tension is applied by a spring (4) is stretched at the center of the shield case (1).

A U-shaped cleaner main body (6) is slidably mounted in the shield case (1) such that an opening thereof matches the opening of the shield case (1). Inside the (6), a pair of pads (7) made of non-woven fabric or foam resin as a cleaner member
(8) is fixed. A drive rod (9) is formed in the cleaner body (6) so as to protrude in the horizontal direction, and a compression coil spring (10) and a sleeve (11) are fitted to the drive rod (9) so as to be able to protrude and retract. ing. The optical unit (2) is provided with a short focus lens array (12) closely arranged in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis (a direction parallel to the extending direction of the discharge line (5)). . A lens pad (13), which slides and cleans the lower end surface (optical path end surface) of the short focus lens array (12), is fixed to the upper portion of the base of the drive rod (9). This lens pad (13) is formed of the same members as the pads (7) and (8). The sleeve (11) is removably fitted to the free end of the drive rod (9) inserted into the elongated hole (3) of the shield case (1).

Further, the cleaner body (6) has elasticity, and triangular cams (14) and (15) are formed to protrude on the left and right in the vicinity of the lower end, respectively.

Near the one end of the shield case (1), tapered cut-and-raised portions (16) and (17) from which the cams (14) and (15) can protrude outward are formed.

The optical unit (2) is provided with a guide rail (23) on which the sleeve (1) slides. Near the both ends of the guide rail (23), a part of the sleeve (11) is brought into contact. Obtained protruding piece with reduced opposing parts (18)
(22) is fixed.

A photoconductor drum (19) is arranged below the shield case (1) so that its rotation axis is parallel to the discharge wire (5). A developing device (20) as a moving member for developing the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum (19) with toner;
It is slidably mounted in a direction parallel to the extending direction of the discharge wire (5).

The developing device (20) includes the sleeve (11).
A projection (21) that can be engaged with the end of the developing device (20) is formed.
1) drives the sleeve (11), and the cleaner body (6)
Slides inside the shield case (1).

Thus, when the cleaner body (6) is located on the left side in FIG. 2, the cams (14) and (15) of the cleaner body (6) come into contact with the inner wall of the shield case (1). As shown in FIG. 1, the cleaner main body (6) is elastically deformed inward, and the discharge wire (5) is sandwiched between the pads (7) and (8) from both sides.

In this state, when the developing device (20) is pushed in,
When moved to the right in the figure, the outside of the convex portion (21) of the developing device (20) comes into contact with and pushes the sleeve (11), and both pads (7) and (8) discharge the discharge wire (5). The discharge wire (5) is moved to the right while being pinched, and both of the pads (7)
The cleaning is performed by (8). At this time,
The lower end surface of the short focus lens array (12) is also cleaned by the lens pad (13).

When the cleaner body (6) reaches near the right end,
The cams (14) and (15) of the cleaner body (6) protrude from the cut-and-raised portions (16) and (17) of the shield case (1), and both pads (7) and (8) are separated from the discharge wire (5). Along with
The sleeve (11) comes into contact with the protruding piece (22) provided on the guide rail (23) and escapes to the shield case (1) side. Then, the convex portion (21) becomes the sleeve (11).
And is further advanced and fixed at a predetermined position. At this time, the sleeve (11) stops at a position slightly returned to the left.

When the developing device (20) is pulled out, that is, when the developing device (20) is moved to the left in FIG. 2, the inside of the convex portion (21) comes into contact with the sleeve (11), and this is moved to the left. When the cleaner body (6) moves to the left, the cams (14) (15)
Abuts against the inner wall of the shield case (1), the pads (7) and (8) sandwich the discharge wire (5), and the discharge wire (5) is cleaned. At this time, the short focus lens array (12) is also cleaned at the same time.

Thus, each time the developing device (20) is inserted or removed, the lens pad (13) comes into sliding contact with the short focus lens row (12), and the short focus lens row (12) is cleaned.

In this embodiment, the developing device (20) is used as the moving member.
However, it is not always necessary to use the developing device (20), and other members can be used.

(G) Effects of the present invention In the present invention, when the developer is supplied to the developing device or when the so-called disposable developing device is replaced when the developing device is completely consumed, the developing device is discarded. By moving the apparatus to remove it from an image forming apparatus such as an electronic copier or a printer, the developing device moves in a direction parallel to the direction in which the lens rows are arranged. To the optical path end face.

Therefore, since the cleaner member is engaged with the developing device which requires relatively maintenance work among the devices in the image forming apparatus, the cleaning device is moved for the maintenance of the developing device. The cleaning is performed, and the number of times of the cleaning is appropriately performed. Further, the lens array is cleaned when the developer such as toner floats around the developing device away from the developer carrier and the floating developer is likely to adhere to the lens array. Therefore, cleaning efficiency is good.

Therefore, even if a separately driven cleaning device is not mounted, the lens array is cleaned by the cleaner, and dust such as toner and paper dust is reliably removed.

Therefore, it is possible to reduce the size and cost of the apparatus, and to expect improvement in work efficiency.

[Brief description of the drawings]

1 is a front view, FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line II-II in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a partially exploded perspective view of a cleaner, and FIG. It is a perspective view of a shield case. 1 ... shield case, 2 ... optical unit, 3 ... long hole, 4 ... spring, 5 ... discharge wire, 6 ... cleaner body,
7, 8 pad, 9 drive rod, 10 compression coil spring, 11 sleeve, 12 short focus lens array, 13 pad for lens (cleaner member), 14, 15 cam , 16,
17 ... cut and raised part, 18, 22 ... protruding piece, 19 ... photosensitive drum,
20: developing device, 21: convex portion, 23: guide rail.

Claims (1)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] 1. A cleaning device for a lens array, comprising: a lens array closely arranged in a direction orthogonal to an optical axis; and a cleaner member for cleaning at least an optical path end face of the lens array. , Separate from the lens array,
The developing device is removably engaged with a developing device that can move in a direction parallel to the arrangement direction of the lens rows, and contacts and follows the developing device when the developing device is pushed into the machine and when the developing device is pulled out from the machine. A cleaning device for a lens array, wherein the lens array is cleaned, and the contact is released when the developing device is completely pulled out of the apparatus.