JP3064357B2 - Image recording device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus such as a printer, a copying machine, and a facsimile.

(Prior art)

Various types of image recording apparatuses such as copying machines and printers are used. For example, as an image forming method, there are a powder developing method, a thermal transfer printing method, an ink jet printing method, and the like. In each method, a black and white image and a color image are used separately.

In the conventional image recording apparatus, the apparatuses of the respective systems are individually manufactured, and if it is desired to use the ink jet printing system and the thermal transfer printing system, at least two printers must be prepared. Further, when there is a printer for black and white and color printing is required, a printer for color printing must be additionally prepared or replaced with a device that can be used for black and white and color. Therefore, a lot of expense is required for the user, and there is a problem that a maker has to manufacture many devices.

In order to solve this problem, the applicant has not yet known, but the electric control unit and the mechanical drive unit are one base unit, and the image forming apparatuses of various types are each one image forming unit. It has been proposed that an arbitrary image recording apparatus is constructed by assembling a plurality of image forming units side by side.

Since the image forming units have different image forming speeds when the image forming methods are different from each other, there is a problem that when image forming units of different types are connected side by side, the image forming units must be adapted to a system with a lower speed. There is also a problem that a double-sided image cannot be formed.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems and makes it possible to configure various types of image recording apparatuses with a small cost and a small space by using common components, and furthermore, it is possible to form images by a difference in image forming method. An object of the present invention is to provide an image recording apparatus which can use each image forming apparatus at the maximum performance without receiving a shift in image performance, and which can form a double-sided image if necessary.

[Means for solving the problem]

The present invention arbitrarily solves the above problem from a base unit that stores at least an electric control device that controls an image information signal and various information signals, and various image forming methods that form an image based on the image information signal. A plurality of image forming units each storing constituent members related to the selected system and a paper unit for storing recording paper or a document in one case are connected in an overlapping manner, and at this time, a basic unit and an image forming unit are connected. The paper unit is detachably attached to at least one appropriate position between the image forming units and the adjacent image forming units, and the paper transport path extends vertically across the plurality of image forming units and the paper units. The problem was solved by the image recording apparatus described above. The problem was solved by an image recording apparatus characterized by the following.

[Action]

According to the invention, the image recording device comprises a combination of a base unit, an imaging unit and a paper unit, wherein the paper unit is between the base unit and the imaging unit or between suitable imaging units or the last imaging of the paper flow. It is placed after the unit.

When using different types of image forming units, temporarily store the recording paper between the image forming units with high performance and high image processing speed and the image forming units with low performance and temporarily re-feed the recording paper. A storage paper unit is attached, and the recording paper on which an image is formed by the low-performance image forming unit is temporarily stored in the storage paper unit to compensate for a difference from the processing speed of the subsequent high-performance image forming unit.

One or more image forming units of the same type are arranged to form a single-color or multi-color image, stored in a reversing paper unit, and the recording paper fed again from the reversing paper unit is imaged by a subsequent image forming unit. By arranging them so that they can be formed, images can be formed on both front and back surfaces.

In the case of color image formation, when forming an image in the image forming unit, the reversing sheet unit is arranged so as to store recording paper in the reversing sheet unit after the last image forming unit forms an image, and after forming one side of the image, It is also possible to form an image on the back surface by mounting a reversing paper unit containing recording paper between the base unit and the image forming unit and restarting image formation. In this case, for feeding the first recording paper, a normal paper cassette type paper feeding unit for storing and recording paper is attached between the base unit and the image forming unit to form an image, and the reverse paper unit is formed. Can be replaced with a paper feed unit.

〔Example〕

 The details of the present invention will be described based on an embodiment shown in the drawings.

In FIG. 1, an image recording apparatus includes a base unit 1;
An image forming unit 2 and a paper unit 3 are provided. One or a plurality of image forming units 2 are vertically arranged and connected to one base unit 1 to obtain a base structure, and the image forming unit 2 is formed on a recording sheet fed from a sheet feeding device of the base unit 1. Thus, an image is formed by a control signal from the base unit 1.

In FIG. 1, the paper feeding device for feeding the recording paper is configured as a separate single paper unit 3 and is connected side by side to the base unit 1 provided with the paper feeding device or without the paper feeding device.
For this reason, the base unit 1 is connected to the image forming unit 2 via the paper unit 3. As an example of using a plurality of, for example, two image forming units 2, one image forming unit 2
Another image forming unit 2 can be connected to the image forming unit 3 via a paper unit 3.

FIG. 1 shows, as an example, a sheet feeding unit 3 capable of stacking and storing recording sheets on a base unit 1 like a normal sheet feeding cassette and feeding sheets one by one, and further connecting a full-color sheet 4 thereon.
An image forming unit 2 of the color ink jet method is connected, a temporary storage sheet unit 3 for temporarily receiving and storing sheets is overlapped and connected thereon, and an image forming unit 2 of a black-and-white single-color laser printer system is connected thereon.

 Hereinafter, each unit will be described.

The base unit 1 has a case 11 provided with a paper feed port 12 as shown in FIG. 2, and the case 11 includes an image processing system including an electric control device, for example, a CPU, an interface, a signal memory, and the like, and an image forming system. A substrate 13 and a drive motor 14 constituting a drive system circuit for moving a system in the unit, and a mechanical drive device 15 for transmitting the drive force of the drive motor 14 to the image forming unit 3 are stored.

The mechanical drive device 15 is provided with, for example, a first bevel gear 16a, and the first bevel gear 16a is provided in, for example, the image forming unit 3 mounted on the base unit 1 or the like.
Smile. The second bevel gear 16b has an image forming unit 3 thereon.
Meets the bevel gear provided inside.

The bevel gear 17 is supported on the transmission shaft 18 in the image forming unit,
From the transmission shaft 18, a worm 19a, a combination of a worm gear 19b and other mechanisms and transmission ON of a clutch or a solenoid,
It is transmitted to each rotating body such as a roller via an acceleration / deceleration mechanism 19 including an OFF mechanism 19c.

In each of the image forming units 2, similarly to the base unit 1, a transmission shaft 15 b connectable to a transmission shaft 15 a for transmitting the driving to the image forming units arranged side by side is provided, and the transmission shaft is provided with a bevel gear 16 b and the like. Is provided.

The above example is an example, and any structure can be used as long as the drive can be transmitted from one unit to another unit.

As the image forming unit 2, a first image forming unit 2A shown in FIG. 3 is used as an example of a powder developing system. The first image forming unit 2A has one case 21, and the case 21 has a paper feed port.
22 and a paper discharge port 23 are formed.

In the case of the thermo-magnetic writing method, the paper exit 23
In the middle of a substantially straight sheet passing path exiting the printer, a printing position by a heating roller 24 and a pressing roller 25 pressed against the heating roller is provided.

Latent image belt 27 on heating roller 24 and tension roller 26
Is wound. As the latent image belt, for example, a magnetic belt (for example, made of a magnetic material containing CoO ₂ ) is used. The latent image belt 27 is driven in the direction of the arrow, and the latent image belt 27 is
Writing head 28 and developing device arranged along the traveling path of
29, the cleaner 30, and the eraser 31 perform an image forming process. That is, in response to a write signal from the base unit 1, a write head 28 records an image latent image on the latent image belt 27, develops the latent image by a developing roller 29a of a developing device 29, and makes the latent image a heating roller. The transfer and the fixing are simultaneously performed on the recording paper 32 passing between the pressure roller 24 and the pressure roller 25. The latent developer on the latent image belt 27 after the transfer is removed by the cleaner, and the latent image is erased by the eraser 31. Heating roller 24
In order to prevent the latent image belt 27 and other parts from being unnecessarily heated by the heat, a heat insulating member 33 is provided beside the heating roller 24, and a heat radiating member 34 for cooling the latent image belt 27 is further provided. Is arranged.

In the example of FIG. 3, the heating roller 24, the pressure roller 25, the tension roller 26, and the developing roller 29a can form a flat unit by arranging their respective central axes substantially in the same plane. In this case, it is convenient to form the container of the developing device 29 as a thin container extending along the plane on which the rollers are arranged.

One image recording apparatus can be formed by the base unit 1 and the first image forming unit 3A.

A recess used as a paper output tray on the upper surface of the case 21
21a is formed.

When it is desired to switch between a black image and a monochromatic color image as needed, a plurality of the same first image forming apparatuses 2A are arranged and one contains the black developer and the other contains the respective color developers. Can respond to requests.

In FIG. 3, at the time of image formation, recording paper 32 fed by a paper feed roller 3a from a paper feed cassette in the base unit 1 disposed below the first image forming unit 2A or from the paper feed unit 3 Is fed from a paper feed inlet 22 of the first image forming unit 2A, is transferred and fixed by a heating roller 24, and is discharged
The paper is discharged. In the case of one first image forming unit 2A, the recording paper which is abolished is immediately stored in the concave portion 21a, and when two or more first image forming units 2A are overlapped, the recording paper is passed to the uppermost image forming unit. Is discharged. When using a plurality of first image forming units 2A in a stack,
Another first for operating the image forming unit 2A to form an additional
It is necessary not to form an image in the image forming unit 2A. For this reason, it is preferable that one or both of the pressure roller 25 and the heating roller 24 move to release the pressure contact state so that transfer is not performed.

When the image forming method is the thermal transfer method, the image forming unit 2 is, for example, a second image forming unit 2B shown in FIG.
Can be used.

The second image forming unit 2B has a case 41 provided with a paper feed port 42 and a paper discharge port 43.

A substantially straight paper path from the paper feed port 42 to the paper output port 43
A printing position is provided by a thermal head 44 capable of line printing and a back roller 45 facing the thermal head 44. The ink ribbon 54 is arranged so that it can move between the recording paper to be passed and the thermal head 44 in the same direction as the recording paper. The ink ribbon 54 is sent out from the supply roll 46, the printing position is guided by the first deflecting roller 47 and the second deflecting roller 48, and guided to the take-up roll 50 by the third deflecting roller 49.

The thermal head 44, the back roller 45, the supply roll 46, and the take-up roll 50 are arranged such that their respective axes are substantially in the same plane, and the case 41 can be formed flat.

In case 41, feed roller pair 5
1, 52 are arranged.

A switching claw 53 can be provided for switching between a case where the recording paper discharged from the paper discharge port 43 is directed to the discharge tray concave portion 41a provided in the case 41 and a case where the recording paper is discharged to the left in the drawing. . By inclining the switching claw 53 rightward or leftward, the paper discharge direction can be switched. It is possible to provide a configuration for moving the rotation center of the switching claw 53 in order to direct the recording paper toward the paper feed port of the image forming unit arranged on the figure. The switching claw 53 can be provided in the case 21 of FIG.

The thermal head 44 is formed so as to be movable between a printing position where printing is performed by pressing the recording paper against the rear roller 43 as indicated by an arrow and a standby position where the recording paper is separated from the rear roller 45.

A plurality of second image forming units 2B each having an ink ribbon of a desired color arranged as the ink ribbon 54 for color image formation are arranged, and color switching printing becomes possible.

In the case of the ink jet image forming method, the image forming unit 2
For example, a third image forming unit 2C shown in FIG. 5 can be used.

The third image forming unit 2C has a case 61 provided with a paper feed port 62 and a paper discharge port 63.

A print position by the recording head 64 is provided in a substantially straight paper passage from the paper feed port 62 to the paper discharge port 63. Recording head 64
A platen 65 and an ink absorber 66 are provided so as to face.

An ink tank 67 is detachably attached to the recording head 64, and the recording head 64 ejects ink and prints on recording paper according to an image information signal from the base unit 1.

Recording head 64, platen 65, ink absorber 66,
The ink tank 67 and the ink tank 67 are arranged in a line, and the case 61 can be formed flat.

In the case 61, pairs of conveying rollers 68 and 69 are arranged as necessary.

The case 61 has a concave portion 61a that forms a paper discharge tray for receiving recording paper discharged from the paper discharge port 63. Exit 6
3, a switching claw can be provided as in the example of FIG.

By selecting a color of ink contained in the ink tank 67, a plurality of third image forming units 3C are arranged side by side, and a unit which actually forms an image according to a recording color is selected by a command from the base unit 1. Can be.

Ink jet imaging methods include on-demand types such as Gould type, valve jet type and slit jet type, demand type of pressurized vibration type and charge amount control type, etc. In a single unit. In order to reduce the size of the image forming unit, an on-demand type is advantageous.

The full-color inkjet image forming apparatus can be configured as one unit.

Electrophotographic method, thermal method,
Although there is a wire dot method or the like, any of these methods can be stored in a case in a manner similar to each of the above examples to form one image forming unit. Here, the description with reference to the drawings is omitted.

Each image forming unit can store a cooling fan, a detecting device and a circuit for favorably performing image forming, a solenoid, a small motor, and the like, as necessary, in addition to the above-described constituent members.

A circuit constituting a control device as shown in FIG. 6 is formed on a substrate 13 in the base unit 1. In FIG. 6, AC
The power input supplies an AC input from a power cord to the inside of the base. The low-voltage DC power supply supplies DC to each electric circuit board and motor. The control unit controls the entire apparatus and controls the image forming unit and the like.

The display device is a device for displaying the operating state of the base unit and the image forming unit to the operator.

The operation switch is set in accordance with the image forming unit to perform manual operation or feature detection (reading) of the image forming unit.

For image processing and memory control, an image signal is transmitted to a thermal head, an ink-jet drive circuit, and the like in the image forming unit.

The motor and the solenoid control the operation drive of the image forming unit.

a to e indicate input / output of electric signals. a supplies a DC voltage to an electrical circuit in the imaging unit. b sends operation signals of solenoids in the same unit. c receives signals from sensors and the like from within the imaging unit. d transmits an image signal. "e" is a connector connected to a facsimile scanner or word processor.

a to d are composed of sensorronics. e is RS-232C
It consists of. A indicates a rotating shaft that transmits the rotational drive of the motor to the image forming unit.

Each image forming unit is not provided with a drive source and a control device in principle, but a cooling fan,
Detectors and circuits, solenoids, small motors, and the like for good image formation may be incorporated.

The paper unit 3 is a paper feed unit 3A shown in FIG.
It is convenient to configure and separately use different units according to the paper processing function, such as the temporary storage paper unit 3B shown in FIG. 8 and the reverse paper unit 3C shown in FIG.

The paper feed unit 3A shown in FIG. 7 has a function as a normal paper feed cassette. A case 71 is provided in the case 71 for storing a large number of recording papers, and a paper supply unit for feeding the recording papers one by one. And a paper roller 3a. Means for pressing the recording paper against the paper feed roller 3a, for example, a pressing plate or the like is provided.

The board unit 1 has a built-in paper feeder and can feed recording paper. However, it is possible to additionally mount the paper feed unit 3A outside the board unit 1. Assuming that the paper feed unit 3A is provided, the base unit 1 may have a structure without a paper feed device.

In most cases, the paper feed unit 3A is attached between the base unit 1 and the image forming unit 2.

The case 75 of the temporary storage paper unit 3B shown in FIG. 8 has a receiving port 76 and an outlet 84 formed therein. A driving roller 77 and a driven roller 78 are disposed in the case 75.
Is wound around the driving roller 77 and the driven roller 78. Case
At 75, the recording paper entering the receiving port 76 is a belt 79 in the figure.
And a guide 81 for guiding the recording paper traveling above the belt 79 in FIG.

The recording paper entering from the receiving port 76 is conveyed by an endless belt 79. The space below the belt 79 of the case 75 can be used as a space for stacking recording paper. When stacking the recording paper, the driven roller 78 is arranged to be able to move up and down to feed the stacked recording paper, and the driven roller 78 is lowered to bring the belt 79 into contact with the stacked recording paper so that the recording paper is stacked. To feed. A U-turn guide plate 82 is provided to guide the fed recording paper above the belt 79 in the figure. The recording paper inverted by the U-turn guide plate 82 is sent to the outlet 84 by the belt 79, and sent to the adjacent image forming unit by the paper feed roller 3a.

When image forming units having different printing methods are connected, a shift occurs when the printing speed, that is, the distance the recording paper travels is adjusted at the maximum performance. In order to make the most of each of the image forming unit systems, it is preferable to provide a temporary storage unit for temporarily storing recording paper between image forming units having performance deviation.

For example, when the content to be printed on recording paper is a full-color image on a part of the paper and a black character image on a large part, a combination of a full-color four-color ink jet and a black imaging unit of electrophotography may be used. Can be This is caused by choosing for cost and convenience.

In electrophotography such as ink jet and laser printers, a higher printing speed can be obtained by electrophotography. Therefore, if the printing speed is adjusted to the ink jet printing speed, the performance of electrophotography cannot be utilized. Therefore, the temporary storage paper unit 3B is arranged between the image forming units 2, and the paper is temporarily stored in the temporary storage paper unit 3B to perform the image forming process by the next image forming unit 2. Performance can be maximized.

For example, in FIG. 1, a paper feed paper unit 3A is used as the paper unit 3 disposed between the base unit 1 and the image forming unit 2, and an ink jet type image forming unit is used as the next image forming unit 2 of the base unit 1. For example, a full-color four-color ink jet image forming unit 2C is used, a laser printer type image forming unit 2A is used as an image forming unit adjacent to the image forming unit 2C, and a temporary storage paper unit 3B is arranged between the two image forming units 2. .

The recording paper fed from the paper feed unit 3A is image-formed by the inkjet image forming unit 2C and sent to the temporary storage paper unit 3B. The recording paper color-imaged at the inkjet printing speed is stored in the temporary storage paper unit 3B by the set number of sheets, and then is suctioned and conveyed by the belt 79 from the temporary storage paper unit 3B at the speed switched to the printing speed of the laser printer. The direction is changed by the U-turn guide plate 82, and the recording paper is fed by the recording paper roller 3a in a timely manner.

In this way, the image by the laser printer method is printed on the same surface where the full color is printed, fixed and discharged. Thus, the composite print is performed.

Although not shown in the drawing, when recording paper is passed through each image forming unit, a conveying unit having a common conveying belt for all image forming units is provided as shown by a conveying belt 83 in FIG. The recording paper can be fed by the transport belt 83.

The recording paper transported by the transport belt 83 and separated from the transport belt 83 by the separation claw 80 carries the recording paper to a predetermined position by movement and suction of the belt 79, and stops and sucks the belt 79 before the U-turn guide plate. When a preset number of sheets stacked in the case 75 by the stop are stored, the recording paper is conveyed to the next image forming unit as described above by the movement of the driven roller 78 and the belt 79 and the suction movement.

When the driven roller 78 descends and sucks the uppermost recording sheet and starts moving the belt 79, the driven roller rises to prevent the second and subsequent recording sheets from being fed simultaneously. Some recording papers are separated from the belt 79 and conveyed along the U-turn guide plate 82 when paper feeding starts, and reach the recording paper rollers 3a and the guide 81. The re-transport speed at this time is set to the linear speed of the next image forming unit, for example, the linear speed of the laser printer type image forming unit.

The case 85 of the reversing paper unit 3C shown in FIG.
A discharge roller 88 is provided near the receiving inlet 86, and a paper discharge roller 3a is provided at the outlet 87. Case
Inside 85, a stock plate 89 is provided.

In the flow of the recording paper, the recording paper on which an image is formed in the image forming unit provided in front of the reversing paper unit 3C enters the receiving port 86, is discharged onto the stock plate 89 by the discharge roller 88, and is sequentially stacked. To be stored. When the recording paper is transported by the transport belt 83 provided as a common transport means for all the image forming units as in the example of FIG. 8, the receiving port 86 is used to separate the recording paper from the transport belt 83. Further, a separation claw 90 is provided at the outlet, and a guide 91 is provided at an outlet 87 for guiding and sucking the recording paper to be fed to the transport belt 83.

The recording sheet is stored in the stock plate 89, and the stock plate 89 is raised to the position shown by the broken line in the drawing according to the paper feed signal, and the recording paper is sent out and pressed against the paper feed roller 3a or directly against the paper feed roller 3a.
Feed the sheets.

When the recording paper is reduced by the paper feeding, the stock plate 89 is gradually raised, and the recording paper is reliably sent out and pressed against the roller 92.

When the recording paper stored in the stock plate 89 is fed,
The front end that first entered the entrance 86 becomes the rear end and the entrance
At the time of paper feeding, the end that enters with 86 as the rear end is fed as the leading end, and the surface that contacts the conveyor belt 83 is turned upside down. Therefore, the surface on which the image is formed by the image forming unit in the previous step is reversed, and the image forming on both the front and back surfaces can be performed by the two image forming units.

As a paper unit disposed between the two image forming units 2 in FIG. 1, a reverse paper unit 3C shown in FIG. 9 can be attached instead of the temporary storage unit 3B. In this case, an image is printed on both sides of the recording paper.
As described above, when the image forming unit in the process before the reversing paper unit 3C is an inkjet system and the image forming laser printing system in the subsequent process is used, the transport speed until the reversing paper unit 3C receives the image is used. The transport speed for feeding the recording paper stored in the stock plate 89 to the next process in accordance with the linear speed of the previous process is adjusted to the linear speed of the next image forming unit. For example, the linear velocity at the time of re-feeding becomes faster than at the time of receiving.

When the recording paper is fed from the reversing paper unit 3C, the front and rear ends are also reversed. Therefore, when printing from the beginning of a sentence in the previous process, control is performed so that an image is formed from the end of the sentence in the next process.

The combination of the base unit 1, the image forming unit 2, and the paper unit 3 of the image recording apparatus can be variously combined as shown in FIGS. 10, 11, and 12 as an example of the combination in FIG. It is. The figures show only a few examples.

In FIG. 10, an image forming unit 2, for example, an electrophotographic image forming unit 2A, is connected next to the base unit 1, a reversing sheet unit 3C is connected to the image forming unit 2A, and finally an image forming unit of the same image forming method. 2A is connected. This apparatus can perform double-sided printing at high speed. Since two image forming units 2A of the same type are used, the reversing sheet unit 3C can set the linear velocity of the sheet discharging roller 88 and the sheet supplying roller 3a to the same speed.

In FIG. 11A, a paper feed unit 3A is connected side by side to the base unit 1, and next to it, for example, four image forming units of the same type are arranged for forming images of different colors. As an example of the color, an image forming unit for yellow (Y) (in the figure,
2Y), magenta (M) imaging unit (2M in the figure)
), An image forming unit for cyan (C) (indicated by 2C in the figure), and an image forming unit for black (B) (indicated by 2B in the figure) so that an image of each color can be formed. For full color imaging. As long as the image forming method is the same as the image forming unit 2, any image forming method can be selected. In the figure, in order to clarify the color, the above-mentioned code is added to the code 2 of the image forming unit. A reversing sheet unit 3C is arranged next to the last image forming unit 2, for example, the image forming unit 2B.

In FIG. 11A, images are recorded by the image forming units 2Y, 2M, 2C, and 2B on the same side of the recording paper fed from the paper supply unit 3A, and the recording paper on which a full-color image is recorded on one side is inverted. The number of sheets set in advance in the paper unit 3C is stored. When the image recording on one side is completed, the reversing sheet unit 3C shown in FIG. 11A is removed as shown in FIG.
Remove the paper feed unit 3A and attach it to that position.
When the sheet feeding is resumed in the state shown in FIG. 11B, the recording sheet is fed from the reversing sheet unit 3C in a state where the recording sheet is turned upside down, so that full-color images can be formed on both the front and back sides.

In contrast to the example in which the recording paper is sequentially sent to the next step by the feed roller and the transport roller of each image forming unit 2 and paper unit 3, a common transport belt is provided for each image forming unit 2 described in FIG. When the transport units are configured to be separately attachable, for example, a transport unit 4 as shown in FIG. 12 is formed.

The transport unit 4 has a case 95, a driving roller 96 and a driven roller 97 arranged in the case 95 as shown in FIG. A transport belt is provided between the driving roller 96 and the driven roller 97.
98 is wound. Although not shown, a drive motor for driving the drive roller 96 can be disposed in the case 95.

A potential forming roller 99 is rotatably supported opposite the driven roller 97 with the conveyance belt 98 interposed therebetween. The potential forming roller 99 is connected to a potential forming power supply 100. Driven roller 97
Is grounded.

The transport belt 98 is formed as a dielectric sheet, and a voltage is applied by a potential forming roller 100 to form a pattern convenient for adsorbing and transporting the recording paper, for example, a positive potential and a negative potential in a striped or checkered pattern. Is done.

The transport belt 98 is guided by a guide roller 101 between a driving roller 96 and a driven roller 97. Each guide roller 101 can be configured to also serve as the pressure roller 25 and the like in the first image forming unit 2A. 3rd imaging unit 2C
The platen 65 and the ink absorber 66 in the above may be arranged in the case 95 of the transport unit 4 so as to be opposed to the recording heads 44, 64 of the image forming units 2B, 2C.

3 and 12, the recording paper 32 sent out from the paper feed cassette 3 by the paper feed roller 3a is a potential forming roller 99.
Then, the recording paper 32 is attracted and conveyed by the conveyance belt 98 formed with the potential, and an image is sequentially formed on the recording paper 32 at the recording position of each image forming unit 3. Guide roller 101 is back roller 45
When the recording paper 32 is pressed against each guide roller 101, an image is formed by the recording head 44.

Since the recording paper is conveyed by suction into the transport belt and passes through a plurality of image forming units to sequentially form an image, the positional deviation of the recording paper is prevented, and the color deviation is prevented.

The recording paper on which the image formation by all the image forming units is completed is separated from the transport belt 98 by the separation claw 102, and the switching claw 1
The paper is discharged to the upper paper discharge tray 104 or discharged to the horizontal paper discharge tray 105 by switching of 03. The upper discharge tray 104 and the horizontal discharge tray 105 can be fixed to the case 95 or can be integrally formed. The upper end of case 95 is covered by cover 106.

〔effect〕

According to the present invention, an appropriate image recording apparatus can be formed by adding an image forming unit using a combination of one image forming unit and one base unit as a base, and an image forming unit of a different image forming method can be arbitrarily set. A color recording apparatus can be optionally formed, and an arbitrary color recording apparatus can be constructed by optionally adding apparatuses.

Combine any imaging unit with a common base unit,
One image forming apparatus can be formed, and the production cost can be reduced by using a common unit.

According to the present invention, a plurality of image forming units of the same type can be superimposed and assembled on one base unit, and a plurality of image forming units can be switched and formed by one base unit, and a plurality of different image forming units can be formed. The device can now be used at low cost. For example, by adding only an electrophotographic imaging unit with a high printing speed to a thermal imaging unit with a low running cost, it is possible to use a high-speed image forming apparatus without changing the base unit. became. Further, the color image can be appropriately switched and formed without much expense, and the user can freely respond to high image quality by selecting the image quality.

According to the present invention, one of a plurality of image forming units can be replaced, so that only the unit having a color defect need be replaced or repaired, and maintenance is facilitated.

According to the present invention, since the image recording apparatus is divided into units, it is possible for one worker to carry and set the image recording apparatus.

According to the present invention, by selecting a functionally appropriate paper unit and assembling it in an appropriate position, all image forming units can be used at their respective maximum performances, and productivity and production efficiency can be improved. It is.

According to the present invention, double-sided image formation can be performed by selecting a paper unit.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an example of an image recording apparatus according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of a base unit, FIGS. 3 to 5 are schematic views of image forming units showing different image forming methods, respectively. FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing components of the base unit, and FIGS.
FIG. 11 is a schematic view of a paper unit having different functions, and FIGS. 10 and 11 are schematic views of another example of an image recording apparatus.
12A and 12B are state diagrams showing the change of the paper unit, and FIG. 12 is a schematic view of the transport unit. 1 Base unit 2 Image forming unit 3 Paper unit 4 Transport unit 3A Paper feed unit 3B Temporary storage paper unit 3C Reversed paper unit

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Koichi Noguchi 1-3-6 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Ricoh Company (72) Inventor Takashi Mori 1-3-6 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Stock Company Ricoh Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Akira Ishida 1-3-6 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Co., Ltd. Ricoh Co., Ltd. (56) References JP-A-59-111457 (JP, A) JP-A-60-230154 (JP) JP-A-60-230164 (JP, A) JP-A-62-71971 (JP, A) JP-A-62-141574 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB Name) G03G 15/00 550 G03G 15/00 106 G03G 21/16-21/18 B41J 29/00 B65H 3/00

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A base unit containing at least an electrical control device for controlling an image information signal and various information signals, and a method arbitrarily selected from various image forming methods for forming an image based on the image information signal. And a paper unit that stores recording paper or originals in one case are connected in an overlapping manner, with the adjacent and adjacent units between the basic unit and the image forming unit. Image recording, wherein a paper unit is removably attached to at least one appropriate position between image forming units to be mounted, and a paper transport path extends vertically across the plurality of image forming units and the paper unit. apparatus. 2. The image forming unit according to claim 1, wherein said paper unit has a storage portion for storing a large number of recording papers in a stacked manner and a paper feed roller for feeding one recording paper from said storage portion. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image recording apparatus is disposed on a side. 3. The temporary storage paper unit, wherein the paper unit has a receiving port and an outlet, and the recording paper entering from the receiving port is turned, guided to the opposite side, and conveyed to the outlet. 2. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the storage paper unit is detachably mounted between appropriate image forming units. 4. The paper unit according to claim 1, wherein said paper unit has a receiving port, an outlet port, a paper discharging roller provided at said receiving port, a paper feeding roller provided at said outlet port, and a temporary storage stock plate provided in said case. The recording paper entering from the receiving port is stored on the stock plate, and the recording paper on the stock plate is again fed one by one by a paper feed roller by a paper feed signal. The reversing paper unit may be detachably provided between the basic unit and the image forming unit, between appropriate image forming units, and after the last image forming unit in the flow of recording paper. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: