JP3923709B2 - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, and a facsimile, and more particularly to an air intake / exhaust structure of an image forming apparatus having an air flow generating means for generating an air flow in the apparatus main body.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Image forming apparatuses such as copying machines, printers, facsimiles, and the like are known which have an air flow generating means such as a fan for generating an air flow in the apparatus for the purpose of cleaning and cooling the air in the apparatus. An image forming apparatus having an air flow generation means includes an intake opening for taking air into the apparatus and generating an air flow by the air flow generation means, and an exhaust for discharging the air flow by the air flow generation means to the outside of the apparatus. Has an opening.
[0003]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an intake opening that is disposed near a paper discharge tray on which a sheet-like medium such as paper after image formation is stacked is known. In addition, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-211211, there is known an eaves-like projection formed on the upper part of the exhaust opening for the purpose of preventing foreign matter from entering from the exhaust opening. .
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the structure in which the air intake opening is disposed in the vicinity of the paper discharge tray, there is a problem that when the sheet-like medium is discharged to the paper discharge tray, it is blocked by the sheet-like medium. Although it is conceivable to form the air intake opening from the paper discharge tray, for example, an optical writing system, which has recently been increased in speed and the need for cooling has increased, for example, in the vicinity of the paper discharge tray. If this is the case, the position of the intake opening must also be disposed near the paper discharge tray. In addition, in the structure in which a convex portion is formed on the upper portion of the exhaust opening, the larger the exhaust opening, the larger the convex portion needs to be. If the convex portion is increased, the apparatus becomes larger. there were. Further, the exhaust opening may be directed to the wall surface when the apparatus is installed, and in this case as well, it is necessary to have a structure that can ensure exhaust.
[0005]
Therefore, the present invention can prevent the intake opening from being blocked by the sheet-like medium even if the intake opening is disposed in the vicinity of the discharge tray. An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus having a structure capable of preventing the entry of foreign matter and ensuring exhaust.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
To achieve the above object, a first aspect of the present invention, the discharge for discharging the case of the image forming equipment, and air-flow generating means for generating an air flow in the housing, the sheet-like medium after image formation means, a paper discharge tray for stacking the sheet-like medium discharged by said discharge means, is disposed below the discharge tray, the discharge direction of the sheet-like medium to the discharge tray, the housing by withdrawing from the slide opening provided in an image forming apparatus having a slide tray, the to assist loading of the sheet over bets like medium from the discharge tray, the upper SL for the lower surface and the slide of the slide tray And an opening for intake formed by the opening , and the slide opening also serves as the intake opening.
[0007]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the first aspect, an optical writing means for optically writing an image by scanning the image carrier, a driving means for driving the writing means, and the light A housing different from the housing that houses the writing device and the driving device, and the flow path from the intake opening is formed by the upper surface of the housing and the lower surface of the slide tray. The driving means is cooled by an air flow generated by the air flow generating means .
[0026]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
A schematic configuration of an image forming apparatus to which the present invention is applied will be described below with reference to FIG. The image forming apparatus 100 includes a drum-shaped photosensitive member 1 as an image carrier. The photosensitive member 1 is rotated in a direction indicated by an arrow A (clockwise direction) in the drawing by a rotation driving unit (not shown). The photoreceptor 1 is obtained by applying an organic photoreceptor (OPC) of about 30 μm on a conductive substrate of about 100 μm. Actually, the coating is divided into several layers according to function, but is omitted in this embodiment. The surface is about Rz 20 μm, and the main material is a transparent resin such as PC. The conveyance speed is about 100 mm / s during normal image formation.
[0027]
Reference numeral 4 denotes a charging roller as charging means for uniformly charging the surface of the photoreceptor 1. A charging charger may be provided instead of the charging roller. Reference numeral 22 denotes a blade as a separating member for separating the sheet 20 as a sheet-like medium after the toner image is transferred from the surface of the photosensitive member 1 in contact with the surface of the photosensitive member 1. Reference numeral 5 denotes an optical scanning device using a laser as exposure means for forming an electrostatic latent image. The optical scanning device 5 includes a polygon mirror 2 as optical writing means for scanning the photosensitive member 1 and optically writing an image, a motor 3 as driving means for rotationally driving the polygon mirror 2, and a polygon mirror 2. A mirror 7 that reflects reflected light toward the photosensitive member 1, a housing 10, a metal that forms a part of the housing 10, is positioned above the motor 3 and the polygon mirror 2, and covers the motor 3. Specifically, it has an aluminum cover 11.
[0028]
Reference numeral 6 denotes a developing device which is a contact type one-component developing device as a developing means for supplying a black developer (toner) to the photoreceptor 1. The developing device 6 includes a developing roller 13 disposed opposite to the photosensitive member 1 and a blade 21 that supplies the toner in the developing device 6 to the developing roller 13 while stirring. The developing roller 13 and the photosensitive member 1 are provided. A bias voltage (development bias) can be applied between the two and a bias means (not shown). This bias voltage is variable. The developing device 6 can be freely attached to and detached from the casing 23, and the developing roller 13 occupies a predetermined facing position with respect to the photoreceptor 1 with the developing device mounted on the casing 23. The developing device 6, the casing 23, the photosensitive member 1, the charging roller 4, and the blade 22 constitute a process unit 24 as an image forming unit. Reference numeral 17 denotes a paper feed table composed of a paper feed cassette on which sheets 20 as sheet-like media are stacked. As the sheet-like medium, thick paper and OHP sheet-like special paper can be used in addition to the plain paper 20.
[0029]
An image forming operation of the image forming apparatus 100 will be described. After the photoreceptor 1 is uniformly charged by the charging roller 4, the optical scanning device 5 performs scanning exposure based on image information to form an electrostatic latent image on the surface. Here, the image information to be exposed is image information transmitted from outside the image forming apparatus 100, and the laser beam Lb generated by the semiconductor laser (not shown) by this image information is scanned by an optical device (not shown). And the optical path is adjusted, the photosensitive member 1 is scanned, and an electrostatic latent image is carried. The formed electrostatic latent image is developed by the developing device 6.
[0030]
The paper 20 is conveyed from the paper feed tray 17 through the paper feed roller 18 and the registration roller pair 19 toward the photoconductor 1, and the toner image formed on the photoconductor 1 is a photoconductor outside the process unit 24. 1 is transferred onto the paper 20 when passing between the transfer roller 25 disposed at a position opposite to the photosensitive member 1 and the photosensitive member 1. After the transfer is completed, the paper 20 is peeled off from the photoreceptor 1 by the blade 22, guided to the fixing device 80 by the guide 26, the toner image is fixed on the paper 20 by the fixing device 80, and the paper 20 after fixing is guided by the guide roller. The paper is discharged through a pair 81 and a paper discharge roller pair 27 to a paper discharge tray 82 serving as a paper discharge stack portion located above the optical scanning device 5.
[0031]
Reference numeral 31 denotes a manual feed tray that can be tilted up and down with respect to the main body of the image forming apparatus 100. When the paper 20 is placed on the manual feed tray 31 in a state where the manual feed tray 31 is tilted, the paper 20 is fed. The paper is conveyed toward the registration roller pair 19 by the paper roller 32. In a state where the manual feed tray 31 is tilted, the developing device 6 can be attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus 100 by itself or by the entire process unit 24 by opening a part of the housing 33. Reference numeral 34 denotes a slide tray that is slidable with respect to the main body of the image forming apparatus 100 and is disposed below the paper discharge tray 82. The slide tray 34 is slidable in the discharge direction of the paper 20 through the slide opening 35 formed in the housing 33, and is drawn out from the slide opening 35 when the image is formed on the large size paper 20, and is discharged. The paper tray 82 assists the loading of the paper 20.
[0032]
The image forming apparatus 100 has a fan 36 as airflow generating means shown in FIG. The fan 36 generates an air flow in the main body of the image forming apparatus 100, and in the present embodiment, one function is to cool the optical scanning device 5. As shown in FIG. 1, an intake opening 37 for taking in air into the main body of the image forming apparatus 100 and generating an air flow by the fan 36 is provided integrally with the slide opening 35 below the slide tray. Yes.
[0033]
As shown in FIG. 2, the air taken into the image forming apparatus 100 main body from the intake opening 37 by the fan 36 is a rib as a flow path forming member that is integrally formed with the immovable member 39 in the image forming apparatus 100 main body. It flows through the flow path 40 formed by 38, is blown onto the cover 11, and when it passes over the cover 11, the heat of the cover 11 is removed to cool the motor 13 below the cover 11. Since the cover 11 is made of aluminum, it efficiently dissipates heat. The cover 11 may be made of any material other than aluminum as long as it has a high thermal conductivity. The slide tray 34 is slidable with respect to the image forming apparatus 100 by sliding on a rib 38 positioned in the vicinity of the intake opening 37. Reference numeral 41 denotes a handle of the slide tray 34.
[0034]
As shown in FIGS. 2 to 7, the image forming apparatus 100 has an exhaust opening 42 for discharging the air flow from the fan 36 to the outside of the 100 image forming apparatuses. The exhaust opening 42 is disposed in a recess 45 formed on the side of the image forming apparatus 100 main body. The casing 33 is formed with a groove 46 extending downward from the recess 45. A louver 43 is disposed in the exhaust opening 42. The louver 43 has a wing plate 44 for directing an air flow discharged to the outside of 100 image forming apparatuses downward. Note that the units of the lengths of the numbers shown in FIG. 5 are all mm.
[0035]
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 8, the louver 43 is integrated with a cover member 48 that can be attached to and detached from the main body of the image forming apparatus 100 with screws 47, and when the cover member 48 is detached, the fan 36 and the exhaust opening 42 are connected. The duct portion 49 located between the two is opened. A substrate 50 fixed to the immovable member 39 is disposed at the exposed position of the duct portion 49, and the extension substrate 51 such as a memory can be easily attached to and detached from the substrate 50 by removing the cover member 48. It has become.
[0036]
The substrate 50 is a control substrate for driving each part of the image forming apparatus 100. As the expansion board 51, a plurality of types such as a key card for upgrading the software for controlling the image forming apparatus 100 and an expansion memory can be used. In FIG. 7, reference numeral 53 indicates the wall surface of the image forming apparatus 100 with which the side surface having the exhaust opening 42 is brought into contact. In FIGS. 2 and 8, reference numeral 52 indicates a connection for connecting the additional board 51 to the board 50. The connector is shown. Although only one connector 52 is shown, when there are a plurality of types of expansion boards 51, the connectors 52 are arranged according to the types except for the case where the connectors 52 are shared.
[0037]
Since the intake structure and the exhaust structure in the image forming apparatus 100 are configured as described above, they are taken into the main body of the image forming apparatus 100 from the intake opening 37 by the operation of the fan 36. Since the intake opening 37 is located below the slide tray 34, it is difficult to be blocked by the paper 20 stacked on the paper discharge tray 82, and the paper 20 stacked on the paper discharge tray 82 closes the intake opening 37. Even in a large size that has a possibility, the slide tray 34 is pulled out from the main body of the image forming apparatus 100 in this case, and is not blocked by the paper 20.
[0038]
The taken-in air is guided by the rib 38 and flows through the flow path 40 and is blown to the cover 11 to cool the motor 13. The air after cooling of the motor 13 is further guided to the ribs 38 and discharged to the outside of the 100 image forming apparatuses from the exhaust opening 42 through the fan 36, the duct 49 and the louver 43. Since the exhaust opening 42 is disposed in the recess 45, foreign matter does not enter, the groove 46 extends downward from the recess 45, and the air exhausted by the louver 43 is generated by the groove 46. Since the image forming apparatus 100 is installed so that the exhaust opening 42 faces the wall 47 because the image forming apparatus 100 is directed downward, the exhaust is ensured. When software upgrade for controlling the image forming apparatus 100 or memory expansion is necessary, the cover member 48 is removed to expose the duct, and the additional board 51 is mounted on the exposed board 51.
[0039]
As described above, the embodiments to which the present invention is applied have been described. However, the image forming apparatus 100 is not limited to performing monochromatic image formation, and may perform color image formation. You may use what was read by the image reading means. The air flow by the fan 36 may be used not only to cool the motor 13 but also to cool other heat generating portions, and is used for air cleaning such as removing ozone generated in the image forming apparatus 100. These combinations are free. When ozone removal is performed, it is desirable to dispose the ozone filter in any part from the ozone removal position to the exhaust opening 42. The intake opening is not necessarily provided integrally with the slide opening as long as it is disposed below the slide tray. When the substrate is disposed at another position, the duct is not always necessary, and even if the duct is provided, the shape of the duct is designed without considering the work on the substrate.
[0040]
【The invention's effect】
According to the invention of claim 1, wherein the discharge, the case of the image forming equipment, and air-flow generating means for generating an air flow in the housing, a discharge means for discharging the sheet-shaped medium after image formation by discharging means a paper discharge tray for stacking the sheet-like medium which is disposed below the discharge tray, the discharge direction of the sheet-like medium to the sheet discharge tray, by pulling out from the slide opening provided in the housing In the image forming apparatus having a slide tray for assisting the stacking of the sheet-like medium from the discharge tray, the image forming apparatus has an intake opening formed by the lower surface of the slide tray and the slide opening . Even if the intake opening is not easily blocked by the sheet-like medium stacked on the discharge tray, and the sheet-like medium stacked on the discharge tray is likely to block the intake opening, This place For withdrawing the slide tray from the slide opening is in, since the never closed by the sheet-like medium, an image forming apparatus capable of ensuring the air incorporation into the housing of the image forming equipment from the intake opening Can be provided.
[0041]
Further,請 The image forming apparatus Motomeko 1, wherein the slide opening is so also serves as a suction opening, not particularly requiring a space for providing the intake opening, without incurring upsizing intake opening it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus capable of ensuring the air incorporation into the housing of the image forming equipment from.
[0042]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the first aspect, the optical writing means for scanning the image carrier and optically writing an image, and the driving means for driving the writing means are provided. And the cooling means is cooled by the air flow generated by the air flow generating means. In recent years, the driving means has been required to increase the writing speed and the heat generation amount of the driving means tends to increase. Therefore, a highly reliable image forming apparatus can be provided.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an image forming apparatus to which the present invention is applied.
FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an arrangement mode of an intake opening, an exhaust opening, a slide tray, a flow path forming member, a cover, a fan, and a substrate.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view showing an arrangement mode of exhaust openings, louvers, recesses, and grooves.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged front view of a louver.
5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VV in FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is a schematic side view showing an arrangement mode of exhaust openings, ducts, louvers, recesses, and grooves.
FIG. 7 is an enlarged side view showing a flow of air discharged from the image forming apparatus.
FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing an arrangement mode of a fan, a duct, and a board and a mounting mode of an additional board to the board, which are seen when the louver is removed.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image carrier 2 Optical writing means 3 Drive means 11 Cover 20 Sheet-like medium 34 Slide tray 35 Slide opening 36 Fan 37 Intake opening 38 Flow path forming member 39 Immovable member 42 Exhaust opening 43 Louver 44 Blade 45 Recess 46 Groove portion 49 Duct portion 50 Substrate 51 Additional substrate 82 Discharge tray 100 Image forming apparatus

Claims (2)

A housing of an image forming equipment,
And air flow generating means for generating an air flow in the housing,
Discharging means for discharging the sheet-like medium after image formation;
A paper discharge tray for stacking the sheet-like medium discharged by the discharge means;
Is disposed below the discharge tray, the discharge direction of the sheet-like medium to the sheet discharge tray, by pulling out from the slide opening provided in the housing, shea over bets from the discharge tray In an image forming apparatus comprising a slide tray for assisting stacking of a medium ,
Has an intake opening formed in the lower surface and the slide opening of the upper Symbol slide tray,
The image forming apparatus , wherein the slide opening also serves as the intake opening. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1.
An optical writing means for optically writing an image by scanning the image carrier;
Driving means for driving the writing means;
A housing separate from the housing that houses the optical writing means and the driving means;
An image forming apparatus, wherein a flow path from the intake opening is formed by an upper surface of the housing and a lower surface of the slide tray to cool the driving unit by an air flow generated by the air flow generating unit .

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