JP2865893B2 - Color image electrophotographic equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electrophotographic apparatus, and more particularly to a color image electrophotographic apparatus suitable for multicolor or full-color printing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventional full-color printing methods are disclosed in
As described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 0860, a method of sequentially transferring toner images formed on three or four photosensitive drums or photosensitive belts in an overlapping manner has been performed.

In this method, a plurality of photosensitive members are used, so that the apparatus is complicated and large, and the structure is complicated, so that maintenance is complicated.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to realize multicolor or full-color printing in an electrophotographic system with a small and compact device.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus which can easily perform maintenance such as toner replenishment and replacement of a photosensitive member or maintenance such as paper jam.

[0006]

A feature of the present invention is that an electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of a recording medium is sequentially developed with toners of developing devices of different colors, and the toner image is superimposed on a transfer medium. In a color image electrophotographic apparatus for obtaining a color image by transferring and fixing the toner image from the transfer body to a sheet, the recording body is formed in a belt shape, and the transfer body is
An intermediate transfer drum of the body of the central than shaped drum disposed biased to one side, before the intermediate transfer drum as the boundary
Serial placing the other side the recording material and the paper feed cassette on the lower side of the developing unit while disposing the belts shaped recording medium and said developing device at the other side which is opposite the one side, on the one side the discharge roller on the upper side of the fixing device together with arranging the fixing device is arranged, and the paper feed cassette, a registration roller, a transfer device arranged on the intermediate transfer drum and the paper transport on the route connecting the fixing device, wherein Open part of the body on one side
First door rotatably supported by a first rotating shaft in order to
And a second turn to release a part of the body on the other side.
A second door rotatably supported by the pivot;
Rotatably supported on the third rotating shaft to release part of the side
The belt-shaped recording material, the developing device,
Device and the fixing device, respectively, of the intermediate transfer drum.
Perpendicular to the axis and away from the intermediate transfer drum
Heading through the corresponding door of each of said
The paper cassette is detached from the main body and the paper cassette is
In the direction perpendicular to the axis of the
The color image electrophotographic apparatus is characterized in that it is detached from the main body by being guided .

[0007]

According to the present invention, by adopting the above-described structure, a small and compact apparatus capable of easily and surely replenishing the toner, replacing the recording medium, and maintaining the paper jam can be provided.

[0008]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 1, a recording belt 2 made of an organic photoconductor is driven by a belt driving roller 18 and moves in the direction of the arrow (a).

The recording material belt 2 is conveyed while being bent in a triangular shape as shown in the figure, and has a first developing unit 6a, a second developing unit 6b, a third developing unit 6c, and a fourth developing unit along its outer peripheral surface. 6d are provided.

The recording material belt 2 is uniformly charged by a charger 4 and then exposed to a laser beam 20 from a laser beam generator 3 to form an electrostatic latent image. The toner image is developed, and the resulting toner image is transferred to the transfer drum 1.

The recording belt 2 is neutralized by erasing 5, and
The residual toner is removed by the belt cleaning 21,
The charger 4 uniformly charges again.

Further, by repeating the formation of the electrostatic latent image by the laser beam generator 3, the image is developed with the magenta toner of the second developing device 6b, the magenta toner is superimposed on the transfer drum 1, and the third developing device 6c Charging, exposure, and black toner of the fourth developing device 6d
The development is performed, and four color toners can be superposed on the transfer drum 1.

In synchronization with the timing when the four colors are superimposed, the paper 8 deposited on the paper feed cassette 7
The sheet is sent to the registration roller 12 one by one by the separation unit 10.

The toner image is transferred through the paper transport path 29 by the transfer timing with the toner image by the registration roller 12.
A transfer bias is applied by the transfer device 13 in contact with the transfer drum 1, and the toner image on the transfer drum 1 is transferred to a sheet.

The paper 8 after the transfer is heat-fixed when passing through the fixing device 14, and the top cover 1 is
7 is discharged.

Also, the paper 8 is sent out from the manual feed tray 11 to the registration roller 12 by the paper feed roller 28, so that a printing process synchronized with the above can be performed.

Next, a detailed configuration of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 1 is an overall sectional view of the present invention, illustrating toner supply and maintenance around a developing unit.
FIG. 2 illustrates maintenance of replacement of a recording material belt and paper jam processing.

In FIG. 1, a recording material belt 2 includes a main body 2.
7, and is formed in a triangular shape with three rollers including the inner belt driving roller 18 having tension.

The upper portion of the recording material belt 2 is a horizontal flat portion, and four developing devices 6 are arranged on the upper surface in a horizontal line at equal intervals.

The developing device 6 is located at the uppermost portion of the main body 27, and is covered with a top cover 17 thereon.

The top cover 17 is pivotally supported on a fulcrum (1) 22 fixed to the clamshell portion 26 so as to be openable and closable, and is rotated in the direction of the arrow (C) to show the top cover 17 by a solid line in the figure. By being in the open state, the obstruction in the upward direction of the developing device 6 is eliminated, and the developing device 6 can be taken out.

The developing device 6 can be taken out in the direction indicated by the arrow (d) shown in FIG.
The developing device 6 is independent and can be similarly taken out in the direction of the arrow (d).

According to this configuration, the developing device 6 can be completely viewed from above, and maintenance such as toner supply and replacement of the developing device can be performed easily and reliably.

Next, an erase 5, a belt cleaning 21, and a charger 4 are provided below the recording material belt 2, and a laser beam generator 3 is further disposed thereunder to effectively use a given space. The compact and compact main body 27 is realized.

Further, since the paper feed cassette 7 is housed directly below the laser beam generator 3, there is no protrusion from the main body of the paper feed cassette 7 which is seen in a conventional printer. realizable.

A transfer drum 1 is in contact with the recording material belt 2 and is provided so as to be able to rotate at the same peripheral speed as the recording material belt 2.

On the transfer drum 1, on the substantially opposite side of the recording material belt 2, there are a sheet transport path 29, a registration roller 12, and a transfer device 13.

The paper cassette 7 or the manual tray 11
The paper 8 sent from the printer is moved by the registration roller 12 at the same peripheral speed as the transfer drum 1, and the toner image is transferred to the paper 8 by the transfer device 13 at a position where the paper 8 comes into contact with the transfer drum 1.

The transfer drum 1 rotates in the direction of the arrow (b) at the same speed, receives a toner image from the recording belt 2, transfers the toner image to the paper 8 by the transfer device B, and removes unnecessary toner by the drum cleaning 16. One round of the process can be completed and the same process repeated.

The paper 8 is discharged from the transfer drum 13 by AC, is separated from the transfer drum 1 and is sent to the fixing drum 14, and is discharged onto the top cover 17 by the discharge roller 15.

FIG. 2 illustrates the maintenance around the recording material belt 1 and the maintenance around the paper jam.

The apparatus is large and can be divided into a main body 27, a clamshell 26, and a paper feeding unit 30.

A recording medium belt unit 19, a developing device 6, and a top cover 17 are incorporated in the clamshell section 26, and are configured to be rotatable with respect to the main body section 27 by a clamshell fulcrum 24.

By opening the clamshell section 26 in the direction of the arrow (F), it is possible to easily process the toner discharged below the recording belt 2 or clean the inside of the main body section 27.

Further, since the recording body belt unit 19 is configured to be slidable in the direction of the arrow (g) with respect to the clamshell portion 26, the recording body belt unit 19 can be easily moved as shown by the solid line in the figure. It can be removed from the device, and maintenance such as replacement and cleaning can be simplified.

The paper feed unit 30 includes a manual tray 11, a paper feed roller (driven) 28a, a paper transport path 29a, a registration roller (driven) 12a, a transfer unit 13, a paper discharge roller (driven) 15a, and an opening / closing lever 23. ing.

By operating the opening / closing lever 23, the paper feeding unit 30 can be largely opened around the fulcrum (2).

This makes it possible to easily perform paper jam processing from the paper feed roller 9 to the paper discharge roller 15 and maintenance such as cleaning of each roller.

Further, since the area around the transfer drum 1 and the fixing device 14 can be largely opened, maintenance such as cleaning, toner discharge processing, and fixing roller replacement can be easily performed.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an overall cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the present invention, illustrating toner replenishment, maintenance around a developing unit, and paper handling around a cassette, and FIG. 4 shows replacement of a recording medium belt and paper jam processing. 4 illustrates maintenance.

In FIG. 3, the front of the apparatus, that is, the operation surface is the left side surface in the drawing where the manual feed tray 11 is arranged.

The paper cassette 7 can be slidably attached and detached in the direction of the arrow (e).
, And can set and store eight sheets of paper.

With this configuration, the paper handling of the paper feed cassette 7 and the manual feed tray 11 can be performed on the same operation surface, and the operation space can be unified and the installation area can be reduced.

The top cover 17 is pivotally supported on a fulcrum (1) 22 fixed in the right side direction of the clamshell portion 26 so as to be openable and closable. , The maintenance and replacement of the developing unit 6 can be performed from the operation surface on the left side in the figure.

As a result, the paper handling and the maintenance of the developing device can be operated from the same direction, and the workability can be greatly improved and the space can be saved.

FIG. 4 shows the maintenance around the recording material belt 1 and the maintenance around the paper jam.

The structure of a device roughly composed of a main body 27, a clam shell 26, and a paper feed unit 30 is the same as that of FIG.

When the clamshell portion 26 is opened in the direction of the arrow (F), the processing of the discharged toner below the recording material belt 2 or the cleaning of the main body portion 27 can be performed from the operation surface shown in the above-mentioned upper left diagram. it can.

Also, by attaching and detaching the recording body belt unit 19 in the direction of the arrow (g), the same operation surface can be realized.

The paper feeding unit 30 can be largely opened around the fulcrum (2) by operating the opening / closing lever 23.
Accordingly, paper jam processing and maintenance around the transfer drum 1 and the fixing device 14 can be similarly realized on the same operation surface.

With the above-described structure, paper handling such as paper feeding and paper jam handling, and maintenance around the developing device and the recording material belt can be realized on the same operation surface while being compact and compact, and the operation is simplified and saved. A space machine can be realized.

[0055]

According to the present invention, the paper handling and maintenance of the developing device and the recording material belt can be easily realized in a small and compact size.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional side view of a color image electrophotographic apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a drawing showing a maintenance method.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional side view of a color image electrophotographic apparatus according to another embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a drawing showing a maintenance method.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Transfer drum, 2 ... Recording belt, 6 ... Developer, 7 ...
Paper feed cassette, 12: registration roller, 13: transfer unit,
Reference numeral 15: paper discharge roller, 17: top cover, 19: recording body belt unit, 26: clamshell unit, 27: main body unit, 28: paper feed roller, 29: paper transport path, 20: paper feed unit.

Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Kazuhiro Wakamatsu 1-1-1, Higashitaga-cho, Hitachi City, Ibaraki Prefecture Inside the Taga Factory, Hitachi, Ltd. (72) Inventor Akira Shimada 4026 Kuji-cho, Hitachi City, Ibaraki Prefecture Hitachi, Ltd. (56) References JP-A-63-256976 (JP, A) JP-A-3-78771 (JP, A) JP-A-3-266857 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. . ⁶ , DB name) G03G 15/00

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] An electrostatic latent image formed on a surface of a recording medium is sequentially developed with toners of developing devices of different colors, the toner image is superimposed on a transfer body, and the toner image is transferred from the transfer body to a sheet. In a color image electrophotographic apparatus that obtains a color image by transferring and fixing, the recording body is formed in a belt shape, and the transfer body is positioned at a center of a main body.
A drum-shaped intermediate transfer drum disposed on one side of the drum, and opposite to the one side with the intermediate transfer drum as a boundary.
The other side belts shaped recording medium and the other side the recording material and the paper feed cassette on the lower side of the developing unit while arranging the developing device placed at, placing the fixing device to the one side A paper discharge roller is disposed above the fixing device, and a registration roller and a transfer device are disposed on a paper conveyance path connecting the paper feed cassette, the intermediate transfer drum and the fixing device, and the main body on one side is provided. First rotation axis to release part of
A first door rotatably supported on the book and the book on the other side
Rotatably supported on a second rotating shaft to release part of the body
To open a second door and a part of the upper side of the main body.
A third door rotatably supported by a third rotating shaft
And the belt-shaped recording medium, the developing device, and the fixing device.
Are perpendicular to the axis of the intermediate transfer drum and
Before moving away from the intermediate transfer drum.
Detachable from the main body through the corresponding door
At the same time, the paper cassette is connected to the shaft of the intermediate transfer drum.
By sliding in the direction perpendicular to the
A color image electrophotographic apparatus, which is detachable from the main body . 2. A color image electrophotographic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a laser beam generator is disposed above said sheet cassette. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the developing unit and the belt Joki Rokutai color image electrophotographic apparatus characterized in that it is removably into different directions. 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the registration rollers are
The color image electrophotographic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transfer device is rotatable in a direction away from the intermediate transfer drum toward the one side.