JP3975670B2 - Seal mechanism - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a sealing technique between a housing and a rotating member.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, various techniques have been proposed for sealing the housing and the rotating member in the housing. In particular, in image forming apparatuses using electrophotographic methods such as copying machines, printers, facsimiles, etc., fine toner particles are used to obtain a desired image. Various ideas have been made to do this.
[0003]
For example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 1-312580, in order to improve the sealing action at the opening of the cleaning device of the image forming apparatus, one side of the side seal is attached to the housing with an adhesive tape, and the side seal is attached to the cushion member and the flocking. The present applicant has already proposed a technique for forming a multilayer structure with a member and sealing a gap between the image carrier and the housing. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-61468 discloses that a plastic film is attached to the side seal so that the side seal attached to the opening of the housing can be easily peeled off and the side seal is peeled off. The present applicant has already proposed a technique for using a film as a handle.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the sealing technique using such a side seal has the following problems. In general, in order to enhance the sealing effect, the side seal needs to be strongly pressed against a rotating member such as an image carrier. On the other hand, if the side seal is strongly pressed against the rotating member, the rotating member may be rotated and the side seal may be peeled off from the housing. In order to prevent the side seal from being peeled off from the housing, it is necessary to attach the side seal to the housing with an adhesive having a strong adhesive force. On the other hand, if the side seal is affixed with an adhesive having a strong adhesive force, a part of the side seal may remain in the housing when the side seal is removed from the housing during recycling or the like.
[0005]
Furthermore, in order to prevent a part of the side seal from remaining in the housing, it is one idea to provide a handle as described in JP-A-7-61468. This is disadvantageous and the handle portion may interfere with other parts in the image forming apparatus.
[0006]
The present invention has been made in order to solve these technical problems. The object of the present invention is to provide a sealing mechanism capable of achieving both a high sealing effect and an anti-separation property during use. In particular, the second object is to provide an inexpensive sealing mechanism that can be easily peeled off when recycled after use.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
That is, the present invention includes a rotating member that is rotated, a housing that is provided with an interval between the rotating member, an adhesive portion on one side, and the adhesive portion that is attached to an attachment portion of the housing. In a sealing mechanism comprising a sealing member that is in contact with the surface of the rotating member and closes the gap between the housing and the rotating member, the attachment portion of the housing has a peeling prevention shape that prevents the sealing member from peeling off. It is to be prepared.
[0008]
By configuring the seal mechanism in this way, even when the seal member is pressed against the rotating member with a relatively large force, it is possible to prevent the seal member from peeling off from the housing and being pushed into the rotation of the rotating member. it can.
[0009]
Here, as a more specific form of the peeling prevention shape, there is a concave shape or a convex shape having at least a component orthogonal to the rotation direction of the rotating member. From the viewpoint of improving the peeling prevention effect, these concave shapes Or it is preferable that a convex part shape is orthogonal to the rotation direction of a rotation member. Moreover, it is preferable that a plurality of peeling prevention shapes are formed from the upstream side to the downstream side in the rotation direction of the rotating member. When forming a plurality of peeling prevention shapes in this way, a part or all of the peeling prevention shapes can be constituted by a concave shape or a convex shape having at least a component orthogonal to the rotation direction of the rotating member, It is preferable to be orthogonal to the rotation direction of the rotating member. Furthermore, a plurality of peeling prevention shapes can be configured alternately. That is, for example, one end of the peeling prevention shape provided on the upstream side in the rotation direction of the rotating member is inclined to the upstream side and the other end is inclined to the downstream side, and one end of the peeling prevention means provided on the downstream side is provided. It is also possible to incline to the downstream side and provide the other end to incline upstream.
[0010]
By the way, while it is calculated | required that a sealing member is hard to peel during the use, the one where it is easy to peel at the time of recycling is preferable. From this point of view, the separation preventing shape is preferably a recessed shape into which a tool can be inserted when removing the seal member. The specific width, depth, and the like of the concave shape are appropriately set according to the size and length of the tool used.
[0011]
Examples of the rotating member include a drum-shaped member and an endless belt-shaped member. Examples of the use of the rotating member include electrophotographic image forming apparatuses such as copying machines, printers, and facsimiles. . Specific examples of the rotating member in the image forming apparatus include a photosensitive member, an intermediate transfer member, and a recording medium transport member. Used as a sealing mechanism between a rotating member and a developing device when a photosensitive member is used as a rotating member, and as a sealing mechanism between a rotating member and a cleaning device when a photosensitive member, an intermediate transfer member, and a recording medium transport member are used as rotating members. can do.
[0012]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 shows a tandem digital color printer as an image forming apparatus to which a developing device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. FIG. 2 shows a tandem type digital color copying machine as an image forming apparatus to which the developing device according to the embodiment of the present invention is applied.
[0013]
1 and 2, reference numeral 1 denotes a main body of a tandem type digital color printer and copying machine. In the case of a digital color copying machine, as shown in FIG. An automatic document feeder (ADF) 3 that automatically conveys the documents one by one and a document reading device 4 that reads an image of the document 2 conveyed by the automatic document feeder 3 are provided. The document reader 4 illuminates a document 2 placed on a platen glass 5 with a light source 6, and reflects a reflected light image from the document 2 from a full-rate mirror 7, half-rate mirrors 8 and 9, and an imaging lens 10. The image reading element 11 composed of a CCD or the like is scanned and exposed through a reduction optical system, and the color material reflected light image of the document 2 is formed at a predetermined dot density (for example, 16 dots / mm) by the image reading element 11. It is supposed to read.
[0014]
The color material reflected light image of the document 2 read by the document reading device 4 is, for example, IPS (red (R), green (G), blue (B) (8 bits each) as document reflectance data of three colors. (Image Processing System) 12, and the IPS 12 performs predetermined corrections such as shading correction, position shift correction, brightness / color space conversion, gamma correction, frame deletion, color / moving editing, etc. on the reflectance data of the document 2. Image processing is performed. The IPS 12 also performs predetermined image processing on image data sent from a personal computer or the like.
[0015]
The image data that has been subjected to the predetermined image processing by the IPS 12 as described above is also four colors of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K) (each 8 bits) by the IPS 12. As described below, the image forming units 13Y, 13M, 13C, and 13K for each color of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K) are converted. The ROS (Raster Output Scanner) 14 is used, and the ROS 14 as the image exposure apparatus performs image exposure with the laser beam LB in accordance with the original reproduction color material gradation data of a predetermined color.
[0016]
By the way, inside the tandem type digital color printer and copying machine main body 1, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, four colors of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K) are provided. The two image forming units 13Y, 13M, 13C, and 13K are arranged in parallel at regular intervals in the horizontal direction.
[0017]
These four image forming units 13Y, 13M, 13C, and 13K are all configured in the same manner, and roughly divided, a photosensitive drum 15 as an image carrier that is rotationally driven at a predetermined speed, and the photosensitive drum. A charging roll 16 for primary charging that uniformly charges the surface of 15, and an ROS 14 as an image exposure device that forms an electrostatic latent image by exposing an image corresponding to a predetermined color on the surface of the photosensitive drum 15. And a developing device 17 that develops the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 15 with toner of a predetermined color, and a cleaning device 18 that cleans the surface of the photosensitive drum 15.
[0018]
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the ROS 14 is configured in common to the four image forming units 13Y, 13M, 13C, and 13K, and uses four semiconductor lasers (not shown) to reproduce the original reproduction color material gradation data of each color. The laser beams LB-Y, LB-M, LB-C, and LB-K are emitted from these semiconductor lasers according to the gradation data. Of course, the ROS 14 may be individually configured for each of a plurality of image forming units. The laser beams LB-Y, LB-M, LB-C, and LB-K emitted from the semiconductor laser are irradiated to the rotary polygon mirror 19 through an f-θ lens (not shown), and deflected by the rotary polygon mirror 19. Scanned. The laser beams LB-Y, LB-M, LB-C, and LB-K deflected and scanned by the rotary polygon mirror 19 are scanned obliquely from below on the photosensitive drum 15 through a plurality of reflection mirrors (not shown). Exposed.
[0019]
As shown in FIG. 1, the ROS 14 scans and exposes an image on the photosensitive drum 15 from below. Therefore, the ROS 14 includes four image forming units 13Y, 13M, 13C, and 13K located above. There is a possibility that the toner or the like may fall from the developing device 17 and be contaminated. Therefore, the periphery of the ROS 14 is hermetically sealed by a rectangular parallelepiped frame 20, and four laser beams LB-Y, LB-M, LB-C, and LB-K are placed on the upper portion of the frame 20, Transparent glass windows 21Y, 21M, 21C, and 21K as shield members are provided for exposure on the photosensitive drums 15 of the image forming units 13Y, 13M, 13C, and 13K. And these glass-made windows 21Y, 21M, 21C, and 21K are members located on the uppermost side in the optical path along the laser beam LB of the ROS 14 as the image exposure apparatus.
[0020]
From the IPS 12, the image of each color is provided to the ROS 14 provided in common to the image forming units 13Y, 13M, 13C, and 13K of each color of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K). Data is sequentially output, and the laser beams LB-Y, LB-M, LB-C, and LB-K emitted from the ROS 14 in accordance with the image data are scanned and exposed on the surface of the corresponding photosensitive drums 15 to statically. An electrostatic latent image is formed. The electrostatic latent images formed on the photosensitive drum 15 are respectively developed in yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K) colors by the developing devices 17Y, 17M, 17C, and 17K. Developed as a toner image.
[0021]
The yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K) toner images sequentially formed on the photosensitive drums 15 of the image forming units 13Y, 13M, 13C, and 13K are as follows. On the intermediate transfer belt 25 disposed over the image forming units 13Y, 13M, 13C, and 13K, the images are transferred in multiple by the primary transfer roll 26. The intermediate transfer belt 25 is wound around the drive roll 27 and the backup roll 28 with a constant tension, and is driven by a drive roll 27 that is rotationally driven by a dedicated drive motor with excellent constant speed (not shown). The circuit is circulated at a predetermined speed in the direction of the arrow. As the intermediate transfer belt 25, for example, a flexible synthetic resin film such as PET is formed in a band shape, and both ends of the synthetic resin film formed in a band shape are connected by means such as welding, thereby endless A belt-shaped one is used.
[0022]
The yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K) toner images transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 25 in a multiple manner are transferred to the backup roll 28 by a secondary transfer roll 29. The transfer sheet 30 that has been secondarily transferred onto the transfer sheet 30 by the pressure contact force and electrostatic force and onto which the toner images of these colors have been transferred is conveyed to a fixing device 31 positioned above. The secondary transfer roll 29 is in pressure contact with the side of the backup roll 28, and secondary-transfers each color toner image onto a transfer sheet 30 conveyed from below to above. The transfer paper 30 onto which the toner images of the respective colors have been transferred is subjected to a fixing process with heat and pressure by a fixing device 31 and then discharged onto a discharge tray 33 provided on the upper portion of the main body 1 by a discharge roll 32. The
[0023]
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the transfer sheet 30 has a predetermined size from a sheet feeding cassette 34, and is fed via a sheet conveying path 37 by a sheet feeding roller 35 and a pair of rollers 36 for separating and conveying sheets. Once conveyed to the registration roll 38, it is stopped. The transfer paper 30 supplied from the paper feed cassette 34 is sent to the secondary transfer position of the intermediate transfer belt 35 by a registration roll 38 that rotates at a predetermined timing.
[0024]
In the digital color printer and the copying machine, when full-color double-sided copying is performed, the transfer sheet 30 on which an image is fixed on one side is not directly discharged onto the discharge tray 33 by the discharge roll 32 but is illustrated. The conveyance direction is switched by the switching gate not to be conveyed, and the sheet is conveyed to the duplex conveyance unit 40 via the sheet conveyance roller pair 39. Then, in this double-sided conveyance unit 40, the transfer sheet 30 is conveyed again to the registration roll 38 with the front and back sides of the transfer paper 30 being reversed by a pair of conveyance rollers (not shown) provided along the conveyance path 41. After the image is transferred and fixed on the back surface of the transfer paper 30, it is discharged onto the discharge tray 33.
[0025]
In FIGS. 1 and 2, 44Y, 44M, 44C, and 44K supply toners of predetermined colors to the developing devices 17 for yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K), respectively. Each toner cartridge is shown.
[0026]
FIG. 3 shows each image forming unit of the digital color printer and the copying machine.
[0027]
The four image forming units 13Y, 13M, 13C, and 13K of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black are all configured in the same manner as shown in FIG. 1, and these four image forming units 13Y. , 13M, 13C, and 13K, as described above, yellow, magenta, cyan, and black toner images are sequentially formed at predetermined timings. As described above, the image forming units 13Y, 13M, 13C, and 13K for the respective colors are provided with the photosensitive drums 15, and the surfaces of these photosensitive drums 15 are uniformly formed by the charging rolls 16 for primary charging. Charged. Thereafter, the surface of the photosensitive drum 15 is scanned and exposed to an image forming laser beam LB emitted from the ROS 14 according to the image data, and an electrostatic latent image corresponding to each color is formed. The laser beam LB scanned and exposed on the photosensitive drum 15 is set so as to be exposed at a predetermined inclination angle α from an obliquely lower position slightly to the right side from directly below the photosensitive drum 15. The electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 15 is converted into yellow, magenta, cyan, and black colors by the developing rolls 17a of the developing devices 17 of the image forming units 13Y, 13M, 13C, and 13K. The visible toner images are developed with toner, and these visible toner images are sequentially transferred in multiple onto the intermediate transfer belt 25 by the charging of the primary transfer roll 26.
[0028]
Residual toner, paper dust, and the like are removed from the surface of the photosensitive drum 15 after the toner image transfer process by the cleaning device 18 to prepare for the next image forming process. The cleaning device 18 includes a cleaning blade 42, and the cleaning blade 42 removes residual toner, paper dust, and the like on the photosensitive drum 15. Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 25 after the toner image transfer process is finished, after the residual toner and paper dust are removed by the cleaning device 43, the next image forming process. Prepare for. The cleaning device 43 includes a cleaning brush 43a and a cleaning blade 43b. The cleaning brush 43a and the blade 42 remove residual toner, paper dust, and the like on the intermediate transfer belt 25.
[0029]
FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the process cartridge 100 which is a part of the image forming unit 13. The process cartridge 100 is configured to be detachable from the image forming unit 13. The process cartridge 100 includes a process cartridge main body (housing) 102 and a photosensitive drum (rotating member) attached to the process cartridge main body 102. 15, a cleaning device 18, and a primary charging device including a charging roll 16 are integrally configured. The photosensitive drum 15 is configured to be removable from the process cartridge main body 102.
[0030]
The process cartridge main body 102 and the photosensitive drum 15 maintain a predetermined distance from each other in the attached state, and a gap between the process cartridge main body 102 (the cleaning device 18 configured integrally with the process cartridge main body 102) is provided. Seals (seal members) 103 are provided at both end portions in the axial direction of the process cartridge 100 for sealing. In the image forming state, the photosensitive drum 15 is rotationally driven in the direction of arrow A in the drawing.
[0031]
FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a region K surrounded by a dotted line in FIG. As shown in the figure, one surface 103 (A) of the seal 103 is affixed to a part (affixed part) of the process cartridge main body 102. On the other hand, the other surface 103 (B) of the seal 103 contacts the surface of the photosensitive drum 15 in a state where the photosensitive drum 15 is attached to the process cartridge main body 102. Then, when the photosensitive drum 15 is rotated in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 4 in the image forming state, the other surface 103 (B) of the seal 103 is rubbed against the surface of the photosensitive drum 15. Although not shown, the seal 103 employs a multiple structure composed of an adhesive layer (adhesive part), an elastic layer, a flocked layer, and the like from the one surface 103 (A) side to the other surface 103 (B) side. .
[0032]
By the way, in the image forming state as described above, the other surface 103 (B) of the seal 103 is rubbed against the surface of the photosensitive drum 15, so that the seal 103 may be peeled off. Therefore, a special shape for preventing the seal 103 from peeling off is formed in a part (attachment portion) of the process cartridge main body 102. Hereinafter, the aspect of this shape is demonstrated as Example 1, Example 2, and the modifications 1-3, respectively.
[0033]
Example 1 FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate a peel preventing shape according to Example 1. FIG. This peel preventing shape is formed in the affixed portion 104 of the process cartridge main body 102, and the shape is a concave groove 105 perpendicular to the rotation direction indicated by the arrow A in the drawing of the photosensitive drum 15. Further, the groove 105 is formed with a width and a depth that allow a tool such as a precision screwdriver to be inserted. Further, three grooves (105A to 105C) are formed from the upstream side to the downstream side in the rotation direction.
[0034]
By forming the grooves 105A to 105C in the pasting portion 104, even if the surface of the photosensitive drum 15 rubs against the seal 103 in the image forming state, each groove 105A to C becomes a drag resistance, and the seal 103 becomes difficult to be peeled off. Further, when the seal 103 is peeled off from the process cartridge main body 102 during recycling or the like, a tool such as a precision screwdriver can be inserted into the grooves 105A to 105C to easily and reliably peel off the seal 103.
[0035]
Example 2 FIG. 8 illustrates a peel preventing shape according to Example 2. FIG. This peeling prevention shape is formed in the affixed portion 104 of the process cartridge main body 102, and the shape is a convex-shaped crest 106 perpendicular to the rotation direction indicated by the arrow A in the drawing of the photosensitive drum 15. Further, three ridges 106 (106A to 106C) are formed from the upstream side to the downstream side in the rotation direction. By forming such ridges 106A to 106C in the pasting portion 104, even if the surface of the photosensitive drum 15 rubs against the seal 103 in the image forming state, each of the ridges 106A to 106C becomes a drag resistance, and the seal 103 becomes difficult to be peeled off.
[0036]
Modification 1 FIG. 9A illustrates a peel preventing shape according to Modification 1. FIG. In each of the first and second embodiments, the anti-peeling shape is provided perpendicular to the rotation direction of the photosensitive drum 15. However, the shape is not limited to this, and the anti-peeling shape (mountain) 107 is set to the rotation direction as in Modification 1. It can also be formed obliquely. In each of the first and second embodiments, the direction of the peeling prevention shape is constant (perpendicular to the rotation direction). However, the present invention is not limited to this. It may be formed in the direction. In the first modification, the example of the crest 107 is shown as the peeling preventing shape, but a groove may be used.
[0037]
Modification 2 FIG. 9B illustrates a peel preventing shape according to Modification 2. FIG. In each of the first and second embodiments, the peeling-preventing shape is a straight line. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and it can be formed in a broken line shape as in the second modification. Further, although not shown, it may be formed in an arc shape. In the second modification, the example of the crest 108 is shown as the peeling prevention shape, but a groove may of course be used.
[0038]
Modification 3 FIG. 9C illustrates a peel preventing shape according to Modification 3. FIG. In the first and second embodiments, the form of the plurality of peeling prevention shapes is constant. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and it is also possible to mix the peaks 109A and C and the groove 109B as in the third modification.
[0039]
【The invention's effect】
As described above in detail, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a sealing mechanism that can achieve both a high sealing effect and an anti-separation property during use. Further, it is possible to provide an inexpensive sealing mechanism that can be easily peeled off during recycling after use.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an image forming apparatus (full color printer) to which a sealing mechanism according to an embodiment is applied.
FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an image forming apparatus (full-color copying machine) to which a sealing mechanism according to an embodiment is applied.
FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an image forming unit of the image forming apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a process cartridge of the image forming unit shown in FIG.
FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a part of the process cartridge shown in FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of a part of the process cartridge shown in FIG. 4 from another angle (Example 1).
7 shows a state where the seal is removed from the enlarged view shown in FIG. 5 (Example 1).
8 shows a state in which the seal is removed from the enlarged view shown in FIG. 5 (Example 2).
FIG. 9 is a view for explaining an aspect of a peel preventing shape according to each modification.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 ... Process cartridge, 102 ... Process cartridge main body (housing), 15 ... Photosensitive drum (rotating member), 103 ... Seal (seal member), 104 ... Adhering part, 105A-C ... Groove (concave shape, peeling prevention shape) ), 106A-C ... Mountain (convex shape, peeling prevention shape), 107 ... peeling prevention shape, 108 ... peeling prevention shape, 109 ... peeling prevention shape

Claims (3)

A rotating member to be rotated;
A housing provided at a distance from the rotating member;
In rotary member unit comprising a sealing member other surface with its adhesive portion includes an adhesive portion on one side is attached to the attachment portion of the housing closes the gap between the housing in contact with the surface of the rotating member and the rotating member ,
The seal member is in contact with the surface of the rotating member at an end on the upstream side in the rotating direction of the rotating member,
The affixing part of the housing is
A first surface disposed along the rotating member;
A second surface that is disposed on the upstream side in the rotational direction of the rotating member with respect to the first surface and that is separated from the rotating member as it goes upstream in the rotational direction of the rotating member;
The attached portion of the housing is provided with an anti-peeling shape that prevents the seal member from peeling off ,
The peel preventing shape rotating member unit, characterized in that provided on both boundary and the first surface of at least the first and second surfaces. 2. The rotating member unit according to claim 1, wherein the peeling prevention shape is a concave shape or a convex shape having at least a component orthogonal to a rotation direction of the rotating member . It said rotating member, the rotating member unit of the image forming apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 which is a photosensitive drum of the image forming apparatus.

Images