JP2835733B2 - Image recording device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Summary] An electrophotographic image recording apparatus for exposing an image from the transparent substrate side of a photoreceptor comprising a transparent substrate, a transparent conductive layer, and a photoconductive layer is provided. A photosensitive member comprising a transparent substrate, a transparent conductive layer, and a photoconductive layer laminated on each other, and a transparent image formed on the photosensitive member. An image recording apparatus comprising at least an image exposing unit arranged on the substrate side, a toner developing unit arranged on the photoconductive layer side of the photoconductor, and an inner wall cleaning unit arranged on the transparent substrate side of the photoconductor. Wherein the inner wall cleaning means is formed of a conductive material, and the inner wall of the photoreceptor is connected to ground or a voltage applying means having the same polarity as the toner of the toner developing means via the inner wall cleaning means. Configuration.

In addition, the above object is also achieved by providing the above-mentioned structure in which the inner wall cleaning means is provided with an inner wall cleaning means formed of a material having substantially the same triboelectric series as the transparent substrate of the photoreceptor.

[Industrial applications]

The present invention relates to an electrophotographic image recording apparatus that performs image exposure from the transparent substrate side of a photoreceptor formed by laminating a transparent substrate, a transparent conductive layer, and a photoconductive layer.

As an output device in the field of information processing and the like, an image recording device such as a laser printer is widely used. As this image recording apparatus, a high-speed, high-resolution electrophotographic process, that is, a Carlson process, has been widely put into practical use. The Carlson process uses a photoreceptor as a recording medium, uniformly charges the surface of the photoreceptor, performs image exposure on the surface to form a latent image, and then develops, transfers, and fixes the surface of the photoreceptor. Is a method of forming an image by performing static elimination and cleaning. However, an image recording apparatus to which the electrophotographic process is applied has a disadvantage that the apparatus becomes large due to a complicated process. Therefore, there has been proposed an image recording apparatus in which a transparent base is used as a base of a photoreceptor and an image exposure means such as a laser optical system or an LED optical system is installed inside the photoreceptor. The present invention is applied to this type of device.

[Conventional technology]

FIG. 3 is a side view showing the structure of a main part of a conventional image forming apparatus, in which 1 is a photosensitive member, 2 is a toner developing means which is a magnetic brush developing device, 3 is an image exposing means, and 4 is an inner wall cleaning means. (Cleaner) 5 is a roller transfer unit, and 6 is a fixing unit.

The photoreceptor 1 is formed by laminating a transparent substrate 1a, a transparent conductive layer 1b, and a photoconductive layer 1c each having a cylindrical shape as shown in the figure, and the transparent conductive layer 1b is connected to the ground. Specifically, acrylic is used for the transparent substrate 1a, and ITO is used for the transparent conductive layer 1b.
An organic photoreceptor is used for the vapor deposition film and the photoconductive layer 1c, respectively.

The toner developing means 2 is provided on the photoconductive layer 1c side of the photoreceptor 1 and includes a magnet roller 2a and a conductive non-magnetic sleeve 2b. The magnet roller 2a can rotate in the direction of the arrow, and the sleeve 2b does not rotate. At a position on the sleeve 2b facing the photoreceptor 1, there is provided a band-shaped recording electrode 7 which is insulated from the sleeve 2b and extends in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the drawing. The toner developing means 2 is filled with a developer 8 in which a charged toner and a conductive carrier are mixed, and the developer 8 is conveyed in a clockwise direction indicated by an arrow by rotation of the magnet roller 2a in the arrow direction.

The image exposure unit 3 is located inside the photoconductor 1 (the transparent substrate 1a side).
And is opposed to the recording electrode 7. As the image exposure unit 3, an LED array optical system, a laser optical system, an EL optical system, a liquid crystal shutter optical system, and the like are used.

The operation of the image recording apparatus having such a configuration is as follows.

In this apparatus, image exposure and development are performed substantially simultaneously by exposing the portion of the recording electrode 7 on the toner developing means 2 to image exposure by the image exposure means 3. Thus, a toner image 9 is formed on the photoreceptor 1, and then the toner image 9 is transferred onto the recording paper 100 by the roller transfer unit 5. The toner image 9 on the recording paper 100 is fixed to the recording paper 100 by the fixing device 6 and becomes a permanent image 10. On the other hand, the toner 11 remaining on the photoconductor 1 after the transfer is collected again by the toner developing means 2 and reused.

At the time of this recording, the inner wall cleaning means 4 provided in the photoconductor 1 removes the toner 12 and dust adhering inside the photoconductor 1. Since the developer 8 is transported at a high speed in the toner developing unit 2, the developer 8, particularly the toner, scatters and the toner adheres to the inner wall of the photoconductor 1. For this reason, when the image is exposed by the image exposure unit 3, the image light is blocked, and the image is lost or blurred. Inner wall cleaning means 4
Is to prevent this, and uses a cloth cleaner, fur brush, blade, sponge and the like.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

In the conventional image recording apparatus having the above-described configuration and operation, frictional charging occurs between the inner wall of the photoconductor 1 and the inner wall cleaning means 4, and the charged toner scattered due to charging on the inner wall of the photoconductor 1 easily adheres. Become. As a result, the cleaning effect of the inner wall cleaning means 4 on the inner wall of the photoconductor 1 is reduced.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an image recording apparatus capable of obtaining a good image by eliminating the blocking of image light by a substance attached to the inner wall of a photosensitive body.

[Means for solving the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a transparent substrate,
A photoconductor formed by laminating a transparent conductive layer and a photoconductive layer, an image exposure unit disposed on the transparent substrate side of the photoconductor, and a toner developing unit disposed on the photoconductive layer side of the photoconductor;
An image recording apparatus comprising at least an inner wall cleaning unit disposed on the transparent substrate side of the photoconductor, wherein the inner wall cleaning unit is formed of a conductive material, and the inner wall of the photoconductor is grounded or grounded through the inner wall cleaning unit. The toner developing means is connected to a voltage applying means having the same polarity as the toner.

In addition, the above object is also achieved by providing the above-mentioned structure in which the inner wall cleaning means is provided with an inner wall cleaning means formed of a material having substantially the same triboelectric series as the transparent substrate of the photoreceptor.

[Action]

With the above configuration, the inner wall of the photoconductor is less likely to be charged. Therefore, toner and dust hardly adhere to the inner wall of the photoreceptor, and the adhered toner and dust are more easily removed, so that image light is not blocked by the adhering matter on the inner wall of the photoreceptor, and a good image can be obtained.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 1 and FIG.

 FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment.

FIG. 1 is a side view showing the structure of a main part of the image recording apparatus of the present embodiment. In the figure, reference numeral 21 denotes an inner wall cleaning means (cleaner). The same members as those in the related art are denoted by the same reference numerals.

The inner wall cleaning means 21 is formed of a conductive material,
Connected to earth. Specifically, a brush made of conductive sponge or conductive fiber of rayon in which carbon is dispersed is used as the inner wall cleaning means 21.

With such a configuration, the inner wall of the photoreceptor is less likely to be charged, and the toner and dust are less likely to adhere to the inner wall of the photoreceptor 1 and the adhered toner and dust are more easily removed. The image light is not blocked by the adhered matter, and a good image can be obtained.

In the above description, the example in which the inner wall cleaning unit 21 is connected to the ground has been described. However, the inner wall cleaning unit 21 may be connected to a power supply having the same polarity as the polarity of the toner used in the toner developing unit 2. Also in this case, toner adhesion can be prevented by charging the inner wall of the photoconductor 1 to the same polarity as the scattered toner.

Similar effects can be obtained by providing an inner wall cleaning unit using a brush having a frictional charging series substantially the same as that of the transparent substrate 1a of the photoreceptor 1, for example, an acrylic resin, instead of the conductive inner wall cleaning unit 21 described above. Is obtained.
That is, since the triboelectric series is the same, triboelectric charging does not occur during friction between the two.

 FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment.

In this embodiment, the present invention is applied to the Carlson process, and FIG. 2 is a side view showing a main structure of the image recording apparatus.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 31 denotes a toner developing means provided with a magnet roller 31a and a conductive non-magnetic sleeve 31b (the toner developing means 2 of FIG. 1 excluding the recording electrode 7); 32, a charger; A container, 34 is a cleaner, and 35 is an inner wall cleaning means (cleaner).

The inner wall cleaning means 35 uses a conductive brush, and a negative voltage is applied by voltage applying means (power supply) 36 having the same polarity as the toner used in the toner developing means 31. This is to negatively charge the inner wall of the photoreceptor 1 so that the negatively charged toner used is less likely to adhere to the inner wall.

At the time of recording, the surface of the photoconductor 1 is uniformly charged by the charger 32, and then the image is exposed by the image exposure unit 3 provided inside the photoconductor 1. The toner image 9 is formed on the photoconductor 1 by developing the electrostatic latent image thus formed by the toner developing unit 31. Thereafter, the toner image 9 is electrostatically transferred to the recording paper 100 by the transfer device 33, and is fixed to the recording paper 100 by the fixing device 6 to become the permanent image 10. On the other hand, the residual toner on the photoconductor 1 is removed by the cleaner 34.

 In the case of this example, the same effect as in the previous example can be obtained.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the present invention, the toner and dust scattered from the toner developing means are less likely to adhere to the inner wall of the photoreceptor, and the adhered toner is removed, so that the image does not become wet or blurred. Good images can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing a main part structure of an image recording apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a side view showing a main part structure of the image recording apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a side view showing an outline of the structure of a conventional image recording apparatus, in which 1 is a photosensitive member, 1a is a transparent substrate, 1b is a transparent conductive layer, 1c is a photoconductive layer, and 2,31 is a toner developing means. Reference numerals 3 and 3 denote image exposing means, 21 and 35 denote inner wall cleaning means (cleaner), and 36 denotes voltage applying means (power supply).

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) G03G 15/05 G03G 21/10-21/12

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A photoconductor (1) formed by laminating a transparent substrate (1a), a transparent conductive layer (1b), and a photoconductive layer (1c), and a transparent substrate (1a) side of the photoconductor (1). An image exposure unit (3) disposed on the photoconductor (1), a toner developing unit (2) disposed on the photoconductive layer (1c) side of the photoconductor (1), and a transparent substrate (1a) of the photoconductor (1). And at least an inner wall cleaning means (21) that is disposed on the side and contacts the inner wall to clean the inner wall. The inner wall cleaning means (21) is formed of a conductive material, and the inner wall of the photoreceptor (1) is an inner wall. Grounding via the cleaning means (21) or the toner developing means (2)
An image recording apparatus connected to voltage applying means having the same polarity as the toner. 2. A photoconductor (1) formed by laminating a transparent substrate (1a), a transparent conductive layer (1b), and a photoconductive layer (1c), and a transparent substrate (1a) side of the photoconductor (1). An image exposure unit (3) disposed on the photoconductor (1), a toner developing unit (2) disposed on the photoconductive layer (1c) side of the photoconductor (1), and a transparent substrate (1a) of the photoconductor (1). An inner wall cleaning unit (21) disposed on the side of the photoconductor, the inner wall cleaning unit (21) being in contact with the inner wall and cleaning the inner wall.
An image recording apparatus formed of a material having substantially the same triboelectric series as the transparent substrate (1a).