JP3197911B2 - Ozone treatment mechanism in image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ozone treatment mechanism in an image forming apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As is well known, in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a printer, an electrostatic latent image corresponding to an image is formed on a uniformly charged photoreceptor, and the electrostatic latent image is developed. Then, the paper is transferred to a transfer paper. After the transfer, the photoreceptor is subjected to the removal of the developer remaining on the surface and the removal of the residual charge, and the transfer paper after the transfer is subjected to, for example, heat fixing. For this reason, a charger for discharging for uniform charging, transfer, or static elimination is arranged opposite to the photosensitive member. However, at the time of the above-described discharge, the surrounding air is transformed into ozone due to ionization tendency, and this ozone flows out of the image forming apparatus and is dangerous. Therefore, it is necessary to prevent the outflow.

Therefore, conventionally, a duct is provided in the vicinity of an ozone generating source such as a charger to suck air containing ozone,
This air is passed through an ozone filter or an ozonolysis agent and discharged out of the apparatus (for example,
JP-A-52-92524, JP-A-59-154123, JP-A-56-14248, and JP-A-57-17957.

[0004]

However, in such a structure, it is necessary to provide a duct in the apparatus or to provide a fan or a filter corresponding to the installation location of the ozone generating source. In addition, a powerful exhaust fan is required to suck air containing ozone from each of these ozone generating sources. Therefore, in such a structure, there is a possibility that the apparatus becomes large-sized or has a complicated configuration. It has also been proposed to use components provided in advance in the apparatus for the purpose of omitting the duct piping described above. Specifically, a transporting apparatus that transports a transfer sheet after transfer to a fixing device has been proposed. It has been proposed to use a fan for adsorbing transfer paper on a belt or a cooling fan in a fixing device as an exhaust fan. However, when such a transfer paper suction fan or a cooling fan is used, when the number of copies is relatively small, such as when only one copy is obtained from one document, ozone generation occurs. Even if the fan is located slightly away from the source, it is effective in collecting ozone.However, when a large amount of continuous copying is performed, the amount of ozone generated increases, and the ozone generated in such a large amount If the fan is continuously exhausted by the above-described fan, it may inevitably remain. In such a case, the portion of the apparatus that communicates with the outside of the copying machine, in particular, the opening for feeding paper Ozone may leak to the outside from the like.

An object of the present invention has been made in view of the problems in the ozone processing mechanism in a conventional image forming apparatus described above, particularly, a structure that allows to ensure <br/> the recovered ozone generated during mass copying An object of the present invention is to provide an ozone treatment mechanism in an image forming apparatus provided with the ozone treatment mechanism.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a photoconductor, a developing device for developing the photoconductor, a cooling fan for cooling the developing device,
An ozone filter disposed upstream of the cooling fan in the direction of air flow by the cooling fan , wherein the cooling fan and the ozone filter are
Located near the paper feed opening provided in the forming apparatus body
The ozone processing mechanism in the image forming apparatus is characterized in that the ozone processing mechanism includes a fan for moving air around the photoconductor toward the cooling fan.

Further, the invention is characterized in that, in the ozone treatment mechanism according to the first aspect, the fan is a transfer paper suction fan for suctioning the transfer paper to a transport belt for transporting the transfer paper. .

[0008]

According to the present invention, the air containing ozone staying in the image forming apparatus is sucked by the cooling fan for the developing device and the air around the photosensitive member is directed to the cooling fan.
And is introduced into the ozone filter without going outside through the paper feeding opening by a fan for moving the filter.

Further, according to the present invention, the air containing ozone staying in the image forming apparatus is moved toward the cooling fan by the transfer paper suction fan.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 1 is a layout diagram showing the overall configuration of a copying machine as one of image forming apparatuses to which an ozone processing mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

The feature of this embodiment is that the cooling fan of the optical device is disposed above the sheet feeding opening. That is,
The copying machine 1 shown in FIG. 1 includes a drum-shaped photoreceptor 2 therein, and the photoreceptor 2 rotates in a direction indicated by an arrow. Around the photoconductor 2, a charging device 3, an exposure optical device 4, a developing device 5, and a transfer device 6 are arranged along the rotation direction.

On the other hand, the transfer paper is fed upstream of the transfer position in the rotation direction of the photosensitive member 2 described above. In the case of this embodiment, the transfer paper is fed. Two paths, a path from the paper cassette 7 and a path from the manual feed tray 8, are provided. Of the above-described paper feed paths, the paper feed path from the paper feed cassette 7 has a reversal structure of the transfer paper so that copying can be performed on both sides of the transfer paper. The paper feed path 10 reaches the roller 9 and the reversing feed path 11 where the transfer paper fixed after the transfer reaches the above-described registration roller 9. In the figure, reference numeral 12 denotes a fixing device.

The paper feed path 13 from the manual feed tray 8 is
The paper feed tray 8 attached to the paper feed opening 1A formed in the side wall of the copying machine 1 is used as a starting end, and
The transport rollers are disposed in the respective paper feed paths so as to nip and transport the transfer paper. The above-described manual paper feed tray 8 can swing about the end on the side of the paper feed opening 1A as a fulcrum, and when the manual feed is not performed, as shown in FIG. Is set to the second place.

On the other hand, a large-volume paper feed tray 14 is arranged near the above-mentioned manual feed tray 8, specifically, below the manual feed tray 8. That is, the large-volume paper feed tray 14 is provided with a loading tray 14A on which a larger number of transfer papers than the number of papers loaded on the paper feed cassette 7 are placed and which can be moved up and down. Supply. The feed path from the large-volume paper feed tray 14 is also used as the feed path from the manual feed tray 8, and is a path from the pickup roller 14A, which is a feeding roller, to the registration roller 9. ing. The exposure optical device 4 for the photoreceptor 2 is housed in an upper space partitioned by various devices disposed around the photoreceptor and a partition wall 1B. It is provided extending to the upper part of the opening 1A. Further, a cooling fan 15 of the exposure optical device 4 is disposed above the above-described sheet feeding opening 1A, and the cooling fan 15 is exposed through an intake hole 1C formed in the partition wall 1B. Air around the body can be sucked.

The cooling fan 15 is constituted by, for example, a sirocco fan, and the rotation direction of the cooling fan 15 illuminates the air staying in the peripheral portion of the photoreceptor with the illumination optical device 4 as described above. It can be introduced into the lamp 4A. Therefore, when the air flows along with the air around the photosensitive member, the air staying near the sheet feeding opening is also sucked by the cooling fan 15. Further, an ozone filter 16 is provided on the upstream side of the cooling fan 15 in the air flow direction set by the rotation direction of the cooling fan 15 described above, in other words, on the side of the paper feed opening 1A.
Is provided. In the case of the present embodiment, the above-described ozone filter 16 is attached to the air introduction side of the cooling fan 15, and adsorbs ozone in the air sucked by the cooling fan 15. Therefore, the air discharged from the cooling fan 15 is in a state where ozone has been removed.

Since the present embodiment has the above structure,
When the paper feed path is set to feed from the manual feed tray 8 when the copying process is performed, the manual feed tray 8
Is tilted with the paper feed opening 1A side as a fulcrum, and the opening 1A is opened to enable manual feeding of the transfer paper. Then, the air containing ozone generated inside the copier tries to flow out of the copier through the paper feed opening 1A, but is introduced into the ozone filter 16 by suction of the cooling fan 15, and in a state where ozone is removed. The air is exhausted toward the exposure optical device 4.

On the other hand, unlike the above-described manual paper feed, in the case of large-volume copying in which a large amount of ozone is generated,
The manual feed tray 8 is set in a state of closing the sheet feeding opening 1A, and sheet feeding from the large-volume sheet feeding cassette 14 is performed. At this time, air containing ozone generated by mass copying tries to leak to the outside from the paper feeding opening 1A, but is sucked by the cooling fan 15 located above the paper feeding opening 1A and introduced into the ozone filter 16. As in the case described above, the gas is exhausted toward the exposure optical device with ozone removed. Therefore, at the time of mass copying in which a large amount of ozone is generated, it is possible to prevent the air containing ozone which may leak from the sheet feeding opening 1A from leaking to the outside by suction of the cooling fan 15.

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the present invention. The feature of this embodiment is that an ozone suction fan is attached to the exposure optical device 4 shown in FIGS. The point is that a cooling fan of the developing device 5 is used instead of the cooling fan 15 described above.

That is, a cooling fan 17 composed of, for example, an axial fan is disposed on the manual feed tray 8 side of the developing device 5, and the cooling fan 17 removes air from the developing device 5 and the photosensitive member 2. The rotation direction is set so as to be able to flow toward the position opposite to. The above-described cooling fan 17 is for maintaining the temperature inside the developing device 5 constant in order to prevent the solidification phenomenon and the change in the charging characteristics that occur in the developer due to the rise in the temperature inside the developing device 5. When the manual feed tray 8 is opposed to the paper feed opening 1A, the air that tends to leak to the outside from the opening 1A and the outside air from the opening 1A are blown directly toward the developing device 5 to reduce the temperature rise. It is designed to suppress.

An ozone filter 18 for adsorbing ozone is located upstream of the cooling fan 17 in the direction of air flow.
Are arranged to absorb ozone in the air flowing into the cooling fan 17.

Since the present embodiment has the above structure,
Unlike the case of manual paper feeding, in the case of large-volume copying in which a large amount of ozone is generated, the manual tray 8
1A is set to the closed position, and sheet feeding from the large-volume sheet feeding cassette 14 is performed. At this time, the air containing ozone generated by the mass copying is transferred from the charging device 3 and the transfer device 6 to the photoconductor 2.
However, in the case of the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the transfer paper suction fan 20 provided inside the transfer belt 19 located behind the transfer device 6 sucks the ink as indicated by the arrow A. Then, it moves toward the cooling fan 17 via the paper feed path. Then, at the position of the cooling fan 17, it tries to leak outside from the paper feeding opening 1 A, but is sucked by the cooling fan 17 facing the paper feeding opening 1 A and introduced into the ozone filter 18 to remove ozone. In this state, the air is exhausted toward the position where the developing device 5 and the photoconductor 2 face each other, as shown by the arrow B. At this time, outside air is taken in from the gap of the paper feeding opening 1A as shown by the arrow C, and is used for cooling the developing device 5 and at the same time, preventing leakage of air containing ozone to the outside. . Therefore, at the time of mass copying in which a large amount of ozone is generated, it is possible to prevent the air containing ozone, which may leak from the paper feed opening 1A, from leaking outside by suction of the cooling fan 17.

[0023]

According to the present invention, even in the case of mass copying, the suction action by the cooling fan for the developing device and the photosensitive member can be achieved.
To move the air around it to the cooling fan.
With this arrangement, it is possible to reliably prevent air containing harmful ozone from being discharged to the outside of the copying machine.

[0024]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a layout diagram illustrating an example of an image forming apparatus provided with an ozone processing mechanism .

FIG. 2 is a layout view corresponding to FIG. 1, showing one mode in the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a layout view showing a main part of an ozone treatment mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Copier 1A Paper feed opening 2 Photoconductor 3 Charging device 4 Exposure optical device 5 Developing device 15 Cooling fan for exposure optical device 16 Ozone filter 17 Cooling fan for developing device 18 Ozone filter

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-57-17957 (JP, A) JP-A-62-38659 (JP, U) JP-A-58-54633 (JP, U) JP-A-61-17 38659 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G03G 21/00

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] A photoconductor, a developing device for developing the photoconductor, a cooling fan for cooling the developing device, and a cooling fan upstream of the cooling fan in a direction of air flow by the cooling fan. Equipped with an ozone filter arranged ,
Forming an image of the cooling fan and the ozone filter;
Image arranged near the paper feed opening provided in the main body
An ozone processing mechanism in an image forming apparatus, comprising: a fan for moving air around the photoconductor toward the cooling fan. 2. The ozone treatment mechanism according to claim 1, wherein
The ozone treatment mechanism in an image forming apparatus, wherein the fan is a transfer paper suction fan for suctioning the transfer paper to a transport belt that transports the transfer paper.