JP6705239B2 - Image forming device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus including a fixing device that fixes a toner image on a recording medium.

In recent years, as environmental awareness has increased, emission standards for siloxane and other fine particles (UFP: Ultra Fine Particles) generated in a fixing portion of an image forming apparatus have become strict.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2014-206692 (Patent Document 1) is a document disclosing an image forming apparatus that reduces the amount of fine particles (UFP) generated in the image forming apparatus and odors leaking out of the apparatus.

In the image forming apparatus disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-242242, the recording medium delivered from the delivery port is placed on the paper ejection unit. A front side surface and a side surface side of the paper discharge portion are opened to the outside, and a paper discharge portion front cover is provided on the opened front side so as to be rotatable and openable in the vertical direction of the apparatus main body. Furthermore, an exhaust duct is provided on the back side of the paper discharge unit, an exhaust fan is provided inside the exhaust duct, and a deodorizing filter is provided at the outlet to the back of the apparatus body. The exhaust fan draws in the air inside the paper output unit, purifies it through a deodorizing filter, and exhausts it outside the machine at the back of the main unit.

JP, 2014-206692, A

Generally, in the image forming apparatus, the air around the fixing unit containing ultrafine particles is sent to the exhaust unit by a fan arranged in the image forming apparatus. The exhaust unit is provided with a filter that captures ultrafine particles, and the air that has passed through the filter is exhausted to the outside of the image forming apparatus. As the air passes through the filter, ultrafine particles are captured by the filter.

Here, when the configuration of the image forming apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 is applied to the above image forming apparatus, an exhaust fan and a deodorizing filter are additionally provided, which increases the manufacturing cost of the image forming apparatus. Further, depending on the specifications of the image forming apparatus, it may not be possible to newly provide an exhaust duct or the like on the back side of the paper discharge unit from the viewpoint of installation space.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of suppressing UFP from leaking outside the apparatus while suppressing an increase in manufacturing cost. To provide.

An image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes a fixing unit for fixing a toner image formed on a recording medium on the recording medium, a delivery port for sending out the recording medium having the toner image fixed thereon, and the fixing unit. An accommodating portion for accommodating a conveying path for conveying the recording medium having passed through the accommodating portion toward the outlet, an exhaust portion communicating with a space inside the accommodating portion and exhausting gas around the fixing portion, and the accommodating portion. A first blower that is disposed in the section to generate an air flow flowing toward the exhaust section, a receiving section that receives the recording medium sent from the outlet, and a suction port provided in the receiving section. A guide path that guides the exhaust gas discharged from the outlet is provided on the upstream side of the fixing unit in the recording medium conveyance direction. The exhaust unit includes a filter that captures ultrafine particles generated when the toner image is fixed on the recording medium by the fixing unit, and the exhaust gas is sucked from the suction port by the first blower. , Passes through the guide path, and is introduced into the filter together with the gas around the fixing unit.

In the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, the fixing section includes an inlet section into which the recording medium on which the toner image is formed enters and an outlet section from which the recording medium on which the toner image is fixed are discharged. It is preferable that the guide path guides the exhaust gas to the inlet portion.

In the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, the opening area of the suction port is preferably larger than the opening area of the outlet, and the exhaust gas is discharged from the outlet by the first blower. It is preferable that the pressure loss when being sucked into is larger than the pressure loss when the exhaust gas passes through the guide path by the first blower.

In the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, it is preferable that a rectifying plate that rectifies the flow of the exhaust gas sucked from the suction port is provided in the guide path.

In the image forming apparatus based on the present invention, the accommodating portion includes a cleaning member which is provided at the delivery port and which abuts at least one surface of the recording medium delivered from the delivery port. Preferably.

The image forming apparatus according to the present invention may further include a housing that houses the fixing unit, the housing unit, and the image forming unit that forms a toner image on the recording medium. The casings are arranged to face each other in the transport direction of the recording medium from the image forming unit to the fixing unit, and the interior of the casing is provided with a first space portion in which the image forming unit is arranged. And a first partitioning part and a second partitioning part for partitioning into the second space part in which the fixing part and the accommodating part are arranged. In this case, the first partition section is located on the image forming section side and has a transfer port for transferring the recording medium on which the toner image is formed by the image forming section toward the fixing section. It is preferable that the second partition section is located on the fixing section and the storage section side, and has a receiving port that receives the recording medium discharged from the transfer port. Further, it is preferable that the guide path is defined by the first partition section and the second partition section.

The image forming apparatus according to the present invention may further include a housing that houses the fixing unit, the housing unit, and the image forming unit that forms a toner image on the recording medium. In addition, a shielding mechanism that shields the air in the casing from flowing from the image forming unit side toward the fixing unit side may be provided in the casing. In this case, it is preferable that the exhaust gas is introduced to the downstream side in the transport direction of the recording medium with respect to the portion where the air flow is shielded by the shielding mechanism.

The image forming apparatus according to the present invention may further include a housing that houses the fixing unit, the housing unit, and the image forming unit that forms a toner image on the recording medium. Further, the guide route may include a duct portion having the suction port and routed to the outside of the housing.

In the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, it is preferable that the suction port is located below the delivery port when viewed from the transport direction of the recording medium passing through the delivery port.

In the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, the receiving section is disposed downstream of the accommodating section in the transport direction of the recording medium, and the recording medium sent from the sending port is rearward. It may include a transport unit that transports the process toward the processing unit. In this case, it is preferable that the guide route is provided so as to communicate with the inside of the transport unit.

In the image forming apparatus based on the present invention, the suction port may be divided into a plurality of spaces at intervals smaller than the width of the recording medium.

In the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, the suction port passes through the downstream end of the delivery port in the transport direction of the recording medium and is a virtual line that is perpendicular to the transport direction of the recording medium at the delivery port. It may be located on a plane or on the downstream side of the virtual plane in the transport direction of the recording medium.

In the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, when viewed from the transport direction of the recording medium passing through the delivery port, the suction port is in the up-down direction with the passage area of the recording medium at the delivery port. The non-overlapping portions may be provided outside the passage area.

The image forming apparatus according to the present invention further includes a second blower that is installed in the guide path and that generates an airflow that flows from the suction port through the guide path toward the periphery of the fixing unit. May be.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus capable of suppressing leakage of UFP outside the apparatus while suppressing an increase in manufacturing cost.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment. 1 is a schematic diagram of an image forming apparatus according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration of an engine unit of the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment. FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a fixing unit, a containing unit, a paper discharge unit, and a guide path according to the first embodiment. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing UFP concentrations in the fixing unit, the accommodating unit, the paper discharge unit, and the guide path of the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing UFP concentrations in a fixing unit, a storage unit, a paper discharge unit, and a guide path of an image forming apparatus according to a comparative example. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a fixing unit, a storage unit, a paper discharge unit, and a guide path of the image forming apparatus according to the second embodiment. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a fixing unit, a storage unit, a paper discharge unit, and a guide path of the image forming apparatus according to the third embodiment. FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating a fixing unit, a storage unit, a paper discharge unit, a guide path, and an intermediate conveyance unit of the image forming apparatus according to the fourth embodiment. FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a fixing unit, a storage unit, a paper discharge unit, and a guide path of an image forming apparatus according to a fifth embodiment. FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a suction port of the image forming apparatus according to the sixth embodiment. FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a suction port of the image forming apparatus according to the seventh embodiment. FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a fixing unit, a storage unit, a paper discharge unit, and a guide path of the image forming apparatus according to the eighth embodiment. FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a fixing unit, a storage unit, a paper discharge unit, and a guide path of an image forming apparatus according to a ninth embodiment. It is a figure which shows the installation location of the measuring apparatus which measures UFP in the verification experiment for verifying the effect of embodiment. It is a figure which shows the measuring apparatus located in the circumference|surroundings of an exhaust part. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a UFP discharge state in an image forming apparatus of a comparative example. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the total amount of UFP discharged in an image forming apparatus of a comparative example. It is a figure which shows the 1st result of the verification experiment conducted in order to verify the effect of embodiment. It is a figure which shows the 2nd result of the verification experiment performed in order to verify the effect of embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the embodiments described below, the same or common parts are designated by the same reference numerals in the drawings, and the description thereof will not be repeated. In each figure, the X-axis direction indicates the front-back direction of the image forming apparatus, the Y-axis direction indicates the left-right direction of the image forming apparatus, and the Z-axis direction indicates the vertical direction of the image forming apparatus.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment. An image forming apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the image forming apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment mainly includes an image reader unit 101 that reads a document image and a printer unit 102 that prints the image.

As shown in FIG. 1, the image reader unit 101 is provided above the printer unit 102. The printer unit 102 includes a housing 80 that defines its outer shell. In the space between the image reader unit 101 and the printer unit 102, a paper discharge unit 83 for discharging the recording medium on which the toner image is fixed is formed. The paper discharge unit 83 functions as a receiving unit that receives a recording medium sent from a delivery port 63 described below.

The housing 80 defines an outer shell of a housing unit 60 described later, and houses a fixing unit 50 (see FIG. 2) and an image forming unit 103 (see FIG. 2) described later inside. The housing 80 is provided with a delivery port 63 for delivering the recording medium to the outside and a suction port 84 described later. The suction port 84 is provided in the paper discharge unit 83, and sucks the exhaust gas discharged from the delivery port 63.

As shown in FIG. 2, the printer unit 102 further includes a fixing unit 50, a housing unit 60, a blower 61 as a first blower, an exhaust unit 70, a guide path 90, and an image forming unit 103. Details of the fixing unit 50, the housing unit 60, the exhaust unit 70, and the guide path 90 will be described later with reference to FIG.

The image forming unit 103 includes image forming units 1Y, 1M, 1C and 1K, an intermediate transfer belt 30, a primary transfer roller 31, a secondary transfer roller 33, a cassette 37, a driven roller 38, and a drive roller 39. , And the timing roller 40.

The image forming units 1Y, 1M, 1C, 1K are arranged in order along the intermediate transfer belt 30. The image forming unit 1Y receives toner from the toner bottle 15Y and forms a yellow (Y) toner image. The image forming unit 1M receives toner from the toner bottle 15M and forms a magenta (M) toner image. The image forming unit 1C receives the toner from the toner bottle 15C and forms a cyan (C) toner image. The image forming unit 1K receives toner from the toner bottle 15K and forms a black (BK) toner image.

The image forming units 1Y, 1M, 1C and 1K are arranged along the intermediate transfer belt 30 in this order in the rotational direction of the intermediate transfer belt 30. Each of the image forming units 1Y, 1M, 1C, and 1K includes a photoconductor 10, a charging device 11, an exposure device 12, a developing device 13, and a cleaning device 17.

The charging device 11 uniformly charges the surface of the photoconductor 10. The exposure device 12 irradiates the photoconductor 10 with laser light in response to a control signal from a control unit including a CPU 202 (see FIG. 3) described later, and exposes the surface of the photoconductor 10 according to an input image pattern. As a result, an electrostatic latent image corresponding to the input image is formed on the photoconductor 10.

The developing device 13 applies a developing bias to the developing roller 14 while rotating the developing roller 14 to adhere toner to the surface of the developing roller 14. As a result, the toner is transferred from the developing roller 14 to the photoconductor 10, and the toner image corresponding to the electrostatic latent image is developed on the surface of the photoconductor 10.

The photoconductor 10 and the intermediate transfer belt 30 are in contact with each other at the portion where the primary transfer roller 31 is provided. The primary transfer roller 31 has a roller shape and is rotatable. By applying a transfer voltage having a polarity opposite to that of the toner image to the primary transfer roller 31, the toner image is transferred from the photoconductor 10 to the intermediate transfer belt 30. The yellow (Y) toner image, the magenta (M) toner image, the cyan (C) toner image, and the black (BK) toner image are sequentially superposed and transferred from the photoconductor 10 to the intermediate transfer belt 30. As a result, a color toner image is formed on the intermediate transfer belt 30.

The intermediate transfer belt 30 is stretched around a driven roller 38 and a drive roller 39. The drive roller 39 is rotationally driven by, for example, a motor (not shown). The intermediate transfer belt 30 and the driven roller 38 rotate in conjunction with the driving roller 39. As a result, the toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 30 is conveyed to the secondary transfer roller 33.

The cleaning device 17 is in pressure contact with the photoconductor 10. The cleaning device 17 collects the toner remaining on the surface of the photoconductor 10 after the transfer of the toner image.

The recording medium S is set in the cassette 37. The recording medium S is sent from the cassette 37 one by one to the secondary transfer roller 33 along the transport path 41 by the timing roller 40. The secondary transfer roller 33 has a roller shape and is configured to be rotatable. The secondary transfer roller 33 applies a transfer voltage having a polarity opposite to that of the toner image to the recording medium S being conveyed. As a result, the toner image is attracted from the intermediate transfer belt 30 to the secondary transfer roller 33, and the toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 30 is transferred. The timing of conveyance of the recording medium S to the secondary transfer roller 33 is adjusted by the timing roller 40 according to the position of the toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 30. The toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 30 is transferred to an appropriate position on the recording medium S by the timing roller 40.

The fixing unit 50 pressurizes and heats the recording medium S passing therethrough. As a result, the toner image is fixed on the recording medium S. After that, the recording medium S passes through the accommodating portion 60 and is ejected from the delivery port 63 to the ejecting portion 83.

The gas containing ultrafine particles (UFP) generated when the toner image is fixed on the recording medium S by the fixing unit 50 passes through the filter 71 by the blower 61 accommodated in the accommodating unit 60 and the exhaust unit 70. Exhausted from the outside.

Although the image forming apparatus 100 adopting the tandem method as the printing method has been described above, the printing method of the image forming apparatus 100 is not limited to the tandem method. The arrangement of each component in the image forming apparatus 100 can be changed appropriately according to the printing method adopted. As a printing method of the image forming apparatus 100, a rotary method or a direct transfer method may be adopted. In the case of the rotary system, the image forming apparatus 100 includes one photoconductor 10 and a plurality of developing devices 13 configured to be coaxially rotatable. At the time of printing, the image forming apparatus 100 guides each developing device 13 to the photoconductor 10 in order and develops the toner image of each color. In the case of the direct transfer method, in the image forming apparatus 100, the toner image formed on the photoconductor 10 is directly transferred to the recording medium S.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the configuration of the engine unit of the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment. The configuration of the engine unit 201 of the image forming apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

As shown in FIG. 3, the image forming apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment further includes an engine unit 201. The engine unit 201 includes a control unit including a CPU 202 for controlling the entire image forming apparatus 100. The CPU 202 controls the print head 203.

The CPU 202 is connected to a main body-attached non-volatile memory 205 attached to the engine unit 201, such as an EEPROM (Electronically Erasable and Programmable Read Only Memory). The non-volatile memory 205 attached to the main body stores data measured by the CPU 202 and programs executed by the CPU 202.

Further, the CPU 202 reads out and executes a program from the non-volatile memory 205 attached to the main body based on an instruction signal input from an operation panel or the like (not shown), and executes the above-mentioned units, a motor for conveying a sheet, a motor of a fixing unit, and The various loads 204 corresponding to the motors of the blower 61 are controlled.

The CPU 202 is connected to a unit-attached non-volatile memory (CSIC) 206 attached to a consumable item. The CPU 202 can store information such as consumables in the unit-attached nonvolatile memory 206.

Further, the engine unit 201 and the controller unit 207 are connected to each other, so that necessary information such as image data can be exchanged.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the fixing unit, the containing unit, the paper discharge unit, and the guide path according to the first embodiment. The fixing unit 50, the containing unit 60, the exhaust unit 70, and the guide path 90 will be described with reference to FIG.

The fixing unit 50 fixes the toner image formed on the recording medium S by the image forming unit 103 onto the recording medium S. The fixing unit 50 includes a fixing roller 51, a pressure roller 52, and a case body 53 that accommodates the fixing roller 51 and the pressure roller 52.

The fixing roller 51 and the pressure roller 52 are provided so as to sandwich the conveyance path of the recording medium S therebetween. At least one of the fixing roller 51 and the pressure roller 52 has a heat source inside. By fixing and heating the recording medium S on which the toner image is formed by the fixing roller 51 and the pressure roller 52, the toner image is fixed on the recording medium S. At this time, ultrafine particles (UFP) are generated.

The case body 53 has an inlet portion 54 into which the recording medium S on which the toner image is formed enters and an outlet portion 55 from which the recording medium S on which the toner image is fixed are discharged.

The accommodating section 60 is provided on the downstream side of the fixing section 50 in the transport direction of the recording medium S. The accommodating portion 60 has a delivery port 63 for delivering the recording medium S having the toner image fixed thereto to the outside. The accommodating portion 60 accommodates the transport path 41 a that transports the recording medium S that has passed through the fixing portion 50 toward the delivery port 63.

The blower 61 is arranged in the housing portion 60. The blower 61 generates an airflow flowing toward the exhaust unit 70. Specifically, the blower 61 sucks the exhaust gas discharged from the outlet 63 toward the outside (the paper discharge unit 83) through the suction port 84, and through the guide path 90, the fixing unit 50 and the accommodating unit 60. Is introduced into the second space portion S2 in which is arranged. The blower 61 blows the gas in the second space S2 containing the exhaust gas introduced into the second space S2 toward the exhaust unit 70.

Although the exhaust part 70 is shown on the right side of the housing part 60 for convenience in the drawings, it is provided on the rear side of the housing part 60. The exhaust unit 70 communicates with the space inside the accommodation unit 60. The exhaust part 70 is a part for exhausting gas around the fixing part 50. The gas around the fixing unit 50 is a gas containing at least the gas inside the fixing unit 50 and the gas in the housing unit 60. In the first embodiment, the air around the fixing unit 50 is the gas introduced into the second space S2 and the second space S2, and is the gas blown by the blower 61 as described above. is there.

The exhaust unit 70 has a filter 71. The filter 71 captures ultrafine particles (UFP) generated when the toner image is fixed on the recording medium S by the fixing unit 50. The gas purified by passing through the filter 71 is exhausted from the exhaust unit 70.

The case 80 described above is a first partition part that partitions the inside of the case 80 into a first space S1 in which the image forming unit 103 is arranged and a second space S2 in which the fixing unit 50 and the accommodating unit 60 are arranged. 81 and the 2nd partition part 82 are included.

The first partition section 81 and the second partition section 82 are separated from each other in the transport direction of the recording medium S from the image forming section 103 to the fixing section 50. Specifically, the 1st partition part 81 and the 2nd partition part 82 are spaced apart and arrange|positioned at the up-down direction. The first partition 81 and the second partition 82 face each other.

The first partition section 81 is located on the image forming section 103 side. The first partition 81 is located below the second partition 82. The first partition 81 has a transfer port 81a. The transfer port 81a is an opening for transferring the recording medium S on which the toner image is formed from the image forming unit 103 toward the fixing unit 50.

The second partition part 82 is located on the fixing part 50 and the containing part 60 side. The second partition section 82 has a receiving port 82a that receives the recording medium S discharged from the transfer port 81a. The receiving port 82a is located between the transfer port 81a and the inlet 54 of the fixing unit 50.

The first partition 81 and the second partition 82 define the guide path 90. The right ends of the first partition 81 and the second partition 82 in the left-right direction are connected to the housing 80. The left end portions of the first partition 81 and the second partition 82 in the left-right direction reach the paper discharge section 83. Thereby, the suction port 84 is formed between the left end of the first partition 81 and the left end of the second partition 82, and the suction port 84 is formed in the space between the first partition 81 and the second partition 82. The gas can be introduced from the side of the paper discharge unit 83.

The guide path 90 includes a suction port 84 provided in the paper output unit 83. The guide path 90 guides the exhaust gas discharged from the delivery port 63 to the upstream side of the fixing unit 50 in the transport direction of the recording medium S. Specifically, the guide path 90 guides the exhaust gas to the inlet 54 of the fixing unit 50.

The suction port 84 is located below the delivery port 63 when viewed in the transport direction of the recording medium S passing through the delivery port 63. As a result, the distance between the suction port 84 and the inlet 54 of the fixing unit 50 can be reduced, and the exhaust gas discharged from the outlet 63 can be easily introduced to the upstream side of the fixing unit 50 via the guide path 90. .. Further, when the printing surface of the recording medium S is on the lower side at the delivery port 63, the UFP generated from the toner image is easily sucked.

Further, the opening area of the suction port 84 is larger than the opening area of the air outlet 63, and the pressure loss when the exhaust gas is sucked from the air outlet 63 into the housing portion 60 by the air blower 61 causes the exhaust gas to be guided by the air blower 61. It is larger than the pressure loss when passing through 90.

Therefore, when the blower 61 is driven, the air containing the exhaust gas discharged from the outlet 63 is prevented from flowing backward from the outlet 63 into the housing portion 80, and the exhaust gas is guided from the guide path 90. It becomes possible to suction preferentially.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing UFP concentrations in the fixing unit, the accommodating unit, the paper discharge unit, and the guide route of the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment. With reference to FIG. 5, the concentration of UFP in the fixing unit, the containing unit, the paper discharge unit, and the guide path will be described.

As shown in FIG. 5, the UFP concentration is high in the accommodation space S2 including the inside of the fixing unit 50 and the inside of the accommodation unit 60. On the other hand, since the exhaust gas discharged from the outlet 63 is mixed with the outside air in the paper discharge unit 83, the concentration of UFP in the paper discharge unit 83 is lower than the concentration of UFP in the accommodation space S2. .. Further, since air is sucked into the guide path 90 from the paper discharge unit 83, the concentration of UFP in the guide path 90 becomes substantially the same as the concentration of UFP in the paper discharge unit 83.

Most of the exhaust gas guided to the upstream side of the fixing section 50 by the guide path 90 passes through the inlet section 54 of the fixing section 50, is mixed with the air inside the fixing section 50, and exits 55 of the fixing section 50. Is introduced into the accommodating portion 60 from.

As a result, the air around the fixing unit 50 (the air in the accommodation space S2 including the inside of the fixing unit 50 and the inside of the accommodation unit 60) is introduced into the filter 71 while the UFP concentration is substantially uniform. be able to.

Since the amount of air that can be introduced into the filter 71 by the blower 61 is determined to be a predetermined amount, the UFP can be effectively captured by introducing air into the filter 71 without unevenness in UFP concentration. As a result, UFP can be prevented from leaking outside the device.

Further, by commonly using the blower 61 and the filter 71 for collecting the UFP contained in the air around the fixing unit 50, the UFP contained in the exhausted air can be captured. Therefore, it is not necessary to separately provide a blower, a filter, and the like for collecting the UFP contained in the exhaust air, and as a result, the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

As described above, in the image forming apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment, the blower 61 arranged in the housing portion 60 is driven to suck the exhaust gas discharged from the outlet 63 through the suction port 84. The guide path 90 guides the recording medium S to the upstream side of the fixing unit 50 in the conveying direction. Further, the blower 61 introduces the exhaust gas guided to the upstream side of the fixing unit 50 into the filter 71 of the exhaust unit 70 together with the gas around the fixing unit 50. As a result, as described above, it is possible to suppress the UFP from leaking to the outside of the device while suppressing an increase in manufacturing cost.

(Comparative example)
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing UFP densities in the fixing unit, the accommodating unit, the paper discharge unit, and the guide path of the image forming apparatus according to the comparative example. The UFP density of the image forming apparatus according to the comparative example will be described with reference to FIG.

As shown in FIG. 6, the image forming apparatus 100X according to the comparative example is different from the first embodiment in that the suction port 84 and the guide path 90 are not provided, and when the blower 61 is driven, The air containing the exhaust gas exhausted from the outlet 63 flows back into the housing portion 80 and is introduced into the filter 71.

Similar to the first embodiment, the concentration of UFP in the air containing the exhaust gas discharged from the outlet 63 is lower than the concentration of UFP in the accommodation space S2 including the inside of the fixing unit 50 and the inside of the accommodation unit 60. Is becoming

The amount of air introduced into the filter 71 by the blower 61 is determined to be a predetermined amount. When the air with a low concentration of UFP flows back from the outlet 63 and is introduced into the filter 71, the ratio of the air with a high concentration of UFP introduced into the filter 71 is reduced, and the number of UFPs captured by the filter 71 is reduced. Decrease. As a result, the number of UFPs remaining in the accommodation space S2 increases, and the number of UFPs included in the exhaust gas discharged from the outlet 63 increases. As a result, the amount of UFP discharged to the image forming apparatus 100 increases.

(Embodiment 2)
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a fixing unit, a storage unit, a paper discharge unit, and a guide path of the image forming apparatus according to the second embodiment. An image forming apparatus 100A according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

As shown in FIG. 7, the image forming apparatus 100A according to the second embodiment is different from the image forming apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment in that a rectifying plate 91 is provided in the guide path 90. To do. Other configurations are almost the same.

The rectifying plate 91 rectifies the flow of the exhaust gas sucked from the suction port 84. The current plate 91 extends along the extending direction of the guide path 90. The current plate 91 is preferably provided in a portion where the extending direction of the guide path 90 changes.

Also in the second embodiment, the exhaust gas discharged from the delivery port 63 is sucked through the suction port 84 and guided to the upstream side of the fixing unit 50 in the conveyance direction of the recording medium S by the guide path 90, and the periphery of the fixing unit 50. The gas is introduced into the filter 71 of the exhaust unit 70. As a result, almost the same effect as that of the first embodiment can be obtained.

In addition, by providing the straightening plate 91, the pressure loss when the exhaust gas passes through the guide path 90 can be further reduced. As a result, the exhaust gas can be more effectively guided to the upstream side of the fixing unit 50 by the guide path 90.

(Embodiment 3)
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a fixing unit, a containing unit, a paper discharge unit, and a guide path of the image forming apparatus according to the third embodiment. An image forming apparatus 100B according to the third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

As shown in FIG. 8, the image forming apparatus 100B according to the third embodiment is different from the image forming apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment in that a cleaning member 64 is provided at the delivery port 63. To do. Other configurations are almost the same.

The cleaning member 64 is configured to come into contact with at least one surface of the recording medium S. The cleaning member 64 is preferably configured to be able to contact both surfaces of the recording medium S. The cleaning member 64 is provided so as to extend from one end side to the other end side of the delivery port 63 in the front-rear direction. As the cleaning member, it is preferable to use a member capable of cleaning the recording medium S without damaging the toner image fixed on the recording medium S. For example, mylar or the like can be used.

Also in the third embodiment, the exhaust gas discharged from the delivery port 63 is sucked through the suction port 84 and guided to the upstream side of the fixing unit 50 in the transport direction of the recording medium S by the guide path 90, and the periphery of the fixing unit 50. The gas is introduced into the filter 71 of the exhaust unit 70. As a result, almost the same effect as that of the first embodiment can be obtained.

In addition, by providing the cleaning member 64, the recording medium S slides on the cleaning member 64 when it is delivered from the delivery port 63, and the UFP adhering to the recording medium S is mainly scraped off into the accommodating portion 60. be able to. This makes it possible to reduce the amount of UFP discharged from the outlet 63 to the outside.

Further, since the cleaning member is provided at the delivery port 63, the opening area of the delivery port 63 can be reduced. As a result, the pressure loss can be increased, and the gas can be prevented from being drawn into the housing portion 60 from the delivery port 63. As a result, the exhaust gas can be more preferentially sucked from the guide path 90.

(Embodiment 4)
FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a fixing unit, a storage unit, a paper discharge unit, a guide path, and an intermediate conveyance unit of the image forming apparatus according to the fourth embodiment. An image forming apparatus 100C according to Embodiment 4 will be described with reference to FIG.

As shown in FIG. 9, when the image forming apparatus 100C according to the fourth embodiment is compared with the image forming apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment, the image forming apparatus 100C is provided on the downstream side of the accommodation section 60 in the transport direction of the recording medium S. The difference is that the intermediate transfer unit 120 is provided and the suction port 84C is provided in the intermediate transfer unit 120. The other configurations are almost the same.

The image forming apparatus 100C according to the fourth embodiment further includes an intermediate conveyance unit 120 and a post-processing device 130. The post-processing device 130 performs post-processing such as stapling, punching and folding on the recording medium S having the toner image fixed thereon.

The intermediate conveyance unit 120 is provided between the post-processing device 130 and the accommodation unit 60 in the left-right direction of the image forming apparatus 100C. The intermediate transfer unit 120 has a case body 121 that defines an outer shell, and an opening 122 provided in the case body 121. The opening 122 opens toward the post-processing device 130.

The intermediate transport unit 120 functions as a receiving unit that receives the recording medium S sent from the sending port 63, and also carries the recording medium S sent from the sending port 63 toward the post-processing device 130.

The suction port 84C is provided below the case body 121 of the intermediate conveyance unit 120. The guide path 90 is provided so as to communicate with the inside of the intermediate conveyance unit 120.

In such a configuration, the exhaust gas discharged from the outlet 63 is not directly discharged from the outlet 63 to the outside of the image forming apparatus 100C but is discharged into the case body 121. The exhaust gas discharged into the case body 121 is sucked through the suction port 84C and guided by the guide path 90 to the upstream side of the fixing unit 50 in the transport direction of the recording medium S, together with the gas around the fixing unit 50, By introducing the filter 71 of the exhaust unit 70, it is possible to suppress UFP from leaking to the outside of the device, as compared with the first embodiment.

(Embodiment 5)
FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a fixing unit, a containing unit, a paper discharge unit, and a guide path of the image forming apparatus according to the fifth embodiment. An image forming apparatus 100D according to the fifth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

As shown in FIG. 10, the image forming apparatus 100D according to the fifth embodiment is different in the position of the suction port 84D when compared with the image forming apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment. Other configurations are almost the same.

The suction port 84D passes through the downstream end of the delivery port 63 in the transport direction of the recording medium S and is located on a virtual plane VP that is perpendicular to the transport direction of the recording medium S at the delivery port 63. The suction port 84D may be located downstream of the virtual plane VP in the transport direction of the recording medium S in the delivery port 63.

Also in the fifth embodiment, the exhaust gas discharged from the delivery port 63 is sucked through the suction port 84D and guided by the guide path 90 to the upstream side of the fixing unit 50 in the transport direction of the recording medium S, and the periphery of the fixing unit 50. The gas is introduced into the filter 71 of the exhaust unit 70. As a result, almost the same effect as that of the first embodiment can be obtained.

In addition, by providing the position of the suction port 84D on the virtual plane VP or on the downstream side of the virtual plane VP in the transport direction of the recording medium S at the delivery port 63, the recording medium S delivered from the delivery port 63 is sucked. It is possible to prevent entry into the mouth 84E. As a result, it is possible to prevent the suction port 84E from being blocked by the recording medium S and to stably suck the exhaust gas.

(Embodiment 6)
FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the suction port of the image forming apparatus according to the sixth embodiment. An image forming apparatus 100E according to the sixth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

As shown in FIG. 11, the image forming apparatus 100E according to the sixth embodiment is different in the shape of the suction port 84E when compared with the image forming apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment. Other configurations are almost the same.

The suction port 84E is divided into a plurality of spaces at intervals smaller than the width of the recording medium S. The suction port 84E is provided with a plurality of ribs 85 provided so as to bridge from the upper end of the suction port 84E to the lower end of the suction port 84E. The plurality of ribs 85 are arranged side by side along the longitudinal direction of the suction port 84E (the front-back direction of the image forming apparatus). The interval between the ribs 85 adjacent to each other is smaller than the width of the recording medium S.

Also in the sixth embodiment, the exhaust gas discharged from the delivery port 63 is sucked from the suction port 84E and guided by the guide path 90 to the upstream side of the fixing unit 50 in the transport direction of the recording medium S, and the periphery of the fixing unit 50. The gas is introduced into the filter 71 of the exhaust unit 70. As a result, almost the same effect as that of the first embodiment can be obtained.

In addition, by dividing the suction port 84E into a plurality of spaces at intervals smaller than the width of the recording medium S, it is possible to prevent the recording medium S delivered from the delivery port 63 from entering the inside of the suction port 84E. As a result, it is possible to prevent the suction port 84E from being blocked by the recording medium S and to stably suck the exhaust gas.

(Embodiment 7)
FIG. 12 is a diagram showing the suction port of the image forming apparatus according to the seventh embodiment. An image forming apparatus 100F according to Embodiment 7 will be described with reference to FIG.

As shown in FIG. 12, the image forming apparatus 100F according to the seventh embodiment has a different suction port 84F when compared with the image forming apparatus 100 according to the sixth embodiment. Other configurations are almost the same.

The suction port 84F is a portion that does not vertically overlap the passage region R1 of the recording medium S in the delivery port 63 when viewed in the transport direction of the recording medium S that passes through the delivery port 63, and is outside the passage region R1. It is provided in.

Specifically, in the seventh embodiment, two suction ports 84F are provided, and the two suction ports 84F are the delivery ports when viewed from the transport direction of the recording medium S passing through the delivery port 63. It is a portion that does not overlap with 63 in the vertical direction, and is provided outside the delivery port 63.

Also in the seventh embodiment, the exhaust gas discharged from the delivery port 63 is sucked through the suction port 84F and guided by the guide path 90 to the upstream side of the fixing unit 50 in the transport direction of the recording medium S, and the periphery of the fixing unit 50. The gas is introduced into the filter 71 of the exhaust unit 70. As a result, almost the same effect as that of the first embodiment can be obtained.

In addition, by providing the suction port 84F as described above, it is possible to prevent the recording medium S delivered from the delivery port 63 from entering the interior of the suction port 84E. As a result, the suction port 84F can be prevented from being blocked by the recording medium S, and the exhaust gas can be sucked in stably.

(Embodiment 8)
FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a fixing unit, an accommodating unit, a paper discharge unit, and a guide route of the image forming apparatus according to the eighth embodiment. An image forming apparatus 100G according to the eighth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 13, the image forming apparatus 100G according to the eighth embodiment is provided with a blower 95 as a second blower in the guide path 90 when compared with the image forming apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment. They differ in points. Other configurations are almost the same.

The blower 95 is installed in the guide path 90 and generates an airflow flowing from the suction port 84 through the guide path 90 toward the periphery of the fixing unit 50.

Also in the eighth embodiment, the exhaust gas discharged from the delivery port 63 is sucked through the suction port 84 and guided by the guide path 90 to the upstream side of the fixing unit 50 in the transport direction of the recording medium S, and the periphery of the fixing unit 50. The gas is introduced into the filter 71 of the exhaust unit 70. As a result, almost the same effect as that of the first embodiment can be obtained.

In addition, by providing the blower 95, the exhaust gas can be preferentially sucked from the guide path 90 even when the exhaust gas has a large pressure loss when passing through the guide path 90.

(Embodiment 9)
FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a fixing unit, a containing unit, a paper discharge unit, and a guide path of the image forming apparatus according to the ninth embodiment. An image forming apparatus 100H according to the ninth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

The image forming apparatus 100H according to the ninth embodiment is of a lateral transport type that transports the recording medium S in a substantially horizontal direction. The image forming apparatus 100H has a different conveyance direction as compared with the image forming apparatus 100H according to the first embodiment, and the recording medium S is fixed along the left-right direction of the image forming apparatus 100H by the fixing unit 50 and the accommodating unit 60. Is different from the guide route 90H in that the guide route 90H is configured to pass through in order.

The guide path 90H includes a duct section that is routed outside the housing 80. A suction port facing the paper discharge unit 84 is provided at one end of the duct unit. The other end of the duct portion is located inside the housing 80 on the upstream side of the fixing portion 50. Thereby, the exhaust gas discharged from the delivery port 63 can be introduced to the upstream side of the fixing unit 50 by the guide path 90H. As a result, also in the ninth embodiment, substantially the same effect as in the eighth embodiment can be obtained.

(Verification experiment)
In order to verify the effect of the embodiment, the image forming apparatuses according to Examples 1 and 2 and Comparative Example 1 are prepared, and the discharge status of UFP discharged from each image forming apparatus is confirmed using the UFP measuring device. did. As the image forming apparatus according to Examples 1 and 2, the image forming apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment and the image forming apparatus 100B according to the third embodiment were prepared. As the image forming apparatus according to Comparative Example 1, an image forming apparatus 100X according to Comparative Example was prepared. An ultrafine particle counter, P-Trak, was used as a measuring device to measure the number of UFPs at a predetermined location.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing measurement points at which UFP was measured in a verification experiment conducted to verify the effect of the embodiment. FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a measuring device located around the exhaust unit. With reference to FIG. 15 and FIG. 16, measurement points where UFP is measured in a verification experiment performed for verifying the effects of the embodiment will be described.

As shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, three measuring devices P1 to P3 were used to measure the number of UFPs at each measurement point. Using the measuring device P1, the number of UFPs contained in the air of the paper discharge unit 83, that is, the air containing the exhaust gas discharged from the outlet 63 was measured. The number of UFPs contained in the air discharged through the filter 71 was measured using the measuring device P2. In this case, the exhaust part 70 was covered with the cover part 310 from the outside of the housing 80, and the number of UFPs contained in the air in the cover part 310 was measured. The number of UFPs contained in the air discharged from another exhaust port 86 without passing through the filter 71 was measured using the measuring device P3. In this case, the exhaust port 86 was covered with the cover 320 from the outside of the housing 80, and the number of UFPs contained in the air in the cover 320 was measured.

FIG. 17 is a diagram showing a UFP discharge state in the image forming apparatus of the comparative example. The discharge status of UFPs in the image forming apparatus of the comparative example will be described with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 17, the average value of UFP emissions (pieces), the number of UFP emissions, and the ratio of UFP to the total number of UFP emissions are shown. The UFP emission average value (pieces) is measured by each measuring device a plurality of times at intervals of 30 seconds, and the average value is shown. The number of discharged UFPs indicates the number of UFPs when the average value of discharged UFPs is converted into air volume. The ratio of UFPs to the total number of UFPs discharged shows the ratio of the number of UFPs discharged at each measurement point to the total number of UFPs discharged.

The above values are as shown in FIG. 17, and in Comparative Example 1, the number of UFPs measured by the measuring device P1 (the number of UFPs in the paper discharge unit 83) was the largest, and then the measuring device P3. The number of UFPs measured (the number of UFPs contained in the air discharged from the exhaust port 86) is large, and the number of UFPs measured by the measuring device P2 (the number of UFPs contained in the air passing through the filter 71) is It became the lowest. The ratio of the number of UFPs in the paper discharge unit 83 to the total number of UFPs discharged was 49.3%.

FIG. 18 is a diagram showing the total discharge amount of UFPs in the image forming apparatus of the comparative example. FIG. 18 shows the total number of UFPs discharged under the BA standard. The total number of UFPs discharged according to the BA standard in the comparative example was 2.09E+10.

FIG. 19 is a diagram showing a first result of a verification experiment performed for verifying the effect of the embodiment. With reference to FIG. 19, a first result of a verification experiment performed for verifying the effect of the embodiment will be described.

In FIG. 19, for each of Comparative Example 1, Example 1, and Example 2, the discharge number of UFP measured by the measuring device P1 and the discharge number of UFP measured by the measuring device P1 compared with the comparative example are shown. Ratio, the total number of UFP emissions in the BA standard, the ratio of the total number of UFP emissions compared to the comparative example, the reduction rate of the total number of UFP emissions compared to the comparative example, and the total UFP The ratio of the number of UFPs in the exhaust unit to the number of exhausts is shown.

The above-mentioned values are as shown in FIG. 19, and by adopting the configurations of Example 1 and Example 2, as compared with Comparative Example 1, the number of discharged UFP measured by the measuring device P1 and the UFP It was possible to reduce the total number of discharges and the ratio of UFPs in the exhaust part to the total number of discharges of UFPs. Furthermore, by adopting the configuration of the second embodiment, as compared with the first embodiment, the number of discharged UFPs measured by the measuring device P1, the total number of discharged UFPs, and the exhaust unit with respect to the total number of discharged UFPs. The UFP ratio could be reduced.

That is, as in the first embodiment, the sheet discharge section 83 is provided with the suction port 84, and the guide path 90 connecting the suction port 84 and the upstream side of the fixing section 50 in the transport direction of the recording medium S is provided. The exhaust gas discharged from 63 is sucked from the suction port 84, guided to the upstream side of the fixing unit 50 by the guide path 90, and introduced into the filter 71 of the exhaust unit 70 together with the gas around the fixing unit 50. Therefore, it can be said that it was experimentally confirmed that the UFP can be suppressed from leaking to the outside of the device.

Further, as in the second embodiment, by providing the delivery port 63 with the cleaning member 64 such as mylar, the amount of UFP discharged from the delivery port 63 to the outside can be further reduced experimentally. It can be said that it was confirmed.

FIG. 20 is a diagram showing a second result of a verification experiment performed to verify the effect of the embodiment. With reference to FIG. 20, a second result of the verification experiment performed for verifying the effect of the embodiment will be described.

In FIG. 20, for each of Comparative Example 1, Example 1, and Example 2, the discharge number of UFP measured by the measuring device P1 and the discharge number of UFP measured by the measuring device P1 compared with the comparative example are shown. The ratio, the total number of UFPs discharged under the BA standard, the increase amount of UFPs in the fixing unit and the containing unit, and the ratio of the increase amount of UFPs to the number of UFPs in the fixing unit and the containing unit are shown.

The above-mentioned values are as shown in FIG. With the configurations of Example 1 and Example 2, the number of UFPs in the fixing unit and the housing unit can be increased by introducing the exhaust gas discharged to the exhaust unit into the fixing unit and the housing unit.

In Example 2, the increase amount of UFP in the fixing unit and the containing unit was larger than that in Example 1, and was larger than the number of UFPs in the exhaust unit. From this, it is experimentally found that the UFP adhering on the recording medium S is mainly scraped off into the accommodating portion 60 by providing a cleaning member such as mylar, and the number of UFP discharged from the delivery port 63 to the outside can be reduced. Can be said to have been confirmed.

Although the case where the guide path 90 is defined by the first partition 81 and the second partition 82 has been described as an example in the first to eighth embodiments described above, the present invention is not limited to this, and the case of the fixing unit 50 is not limited thereto. It may be defined by a part of the outer shell of the body 53, a part of the outer shell of the accommodating portion 60, and a part of the housing 80 that accommodates the image forming unit 103.

In the first to eighth embodiments described above, the other end of the second partition 82 is connected to the housing 80, and the air in the housing is moved from the image forming unit 103 side to the fixing unit 50 side by the second partition 82. Although the case has been described as an example where the flow toward the side is suppressed, the present invention is not limited to this, and the other end side of the second partition portion 82 may not be connected to the housing 80. In this case, it is preferable that a shielding mechanism such as an air curtain that shields the air in the casing from flowing from the image forming unit 103 side to the fixing unit 50 side is provided in the casing. Further, in this case, it is preferable that the exhaust gas is introduced to the downstream side in the transport direction of the recording medium S rather than the portion where the air flow is shielded by the shielding mechanism. As a result, exhaust gas containing ultrafine particles can be introduced into the inlet portion 54 of the fixing unit 50. Further, since it is possible to prevent the exhaust gas containing ultrafine particles from being introduced into the image forming unit 103 side, it is possible to prevent the image forming unit from being contaminated.

The characteristic configurations described in the first to ninth embodiments may be appropriately combined without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, in the first to eighth embodiments, the guide path 90 is formed by routing the duct as in the ninth embodiment without forming the guide path 90 by the first partition 81 and the second partition 82. May be.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the embodiments disclosed this time are exemplifications in all points and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is shown by the claims, and includes meanings equivalent to the claims and all modifications within the scope.

1C, 1K, 1M, 1Y image forming unit, 10 photoconductor, 11 charging device, 12 exposure device, 13 developing device, 14 developing roller, 15C, 15K, 15M, 15Y toner bottle, 17 cleaning device, 30 intermediate transfer belt, 31 primary transfer roller, 33 secondary transfer roller, 37 cassette, 38 driven roller, 39 drive roller, 40 timing roller, 41, 41a transport path, 50 fixing section, 51 fixing roller, 52 pressure roller, 53 case body, 54 Inlet part, 55 Outlet part, 60 Housing part, 61 Blower, 63 Outlet port, 64 Cleaning member, 70 Exhaust part, 71 Filter, 80 Housing, 81 1st partition part, 81a Transfer port, 82 2nd partition part, 82a Receiving port, 83 Paper discharging unit, 84, 84C, 84D, 84E, 84F Suction port, 85 rib, 86 Exhaust port, 90, 90H Guide route, 91 Straightening plate, 95 Blower, 100, 100A, 100B, 100C, 100D, 100E, 100F, 100G, 100H, 100X image forming apparatus, 101 image reader section, 102 printer section, 103 image forming section, 120 intermediate conveying section, 121 case body, 122 opening section, 130 post-processing apparatus, 201 engine section, 203 Print head, 204 various loads, 205 non-volatile memory attached to main body, 206 non-volatile memory attached to unit, 207 controller section, 310, 320 cover section.

Claims (17)

A fixing unit for fixing the toner image formed on the recording medium onto the recording medium;
An accommodating portion that includes a delivery port that delivers the recording medium on which the toner image is fixed, and a delivery path that transports the recording medium that has passed through the fixing portion toward the delivery port,
An exhaust unit that communicates with the space inside the accommodating unit and exhausts gas around the fixing unit,
A first blower that is disposed in the accommodation portion and generates an airflow flowing toward the exhaust portion;
A receiver for receiving the recording medium sent from the outlet,
A guide path that includes a suction port provided in the receiving section and guides the exhaust gas discharged from the outlet to the upstream side of the fixing section in the transport direction of the recording medium;
The exhaust unit includes a filter that captures ultrafine particles generated when the toner image is fixed on the recording medium by the fixing unit,
The exhaust gas is sucked from the suction port by the first blower, passes through the guide path, and is introduced into the filter together with the gas around the fixing unit ,
The image forming apparatus , wherein the exhaust unit is provided adjacent to the storage unit on the downstream side of the fixing unit in the transport direction . The fixing portion includes an inlet portion into which the recording medium on which a toner image is formed enters and an outlet portion from which the recording medium on which the toner image is fixed are discharged.
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the guide path guides the exhaust gas to the inlet portion. The opening area of the suction port is larger than the opening area of the delivery port,
The pressure loss when the exhaust gas is sucked into the accommodation portion from the outlet by the first blower is larger than the pressure loss when the exhaust gas passes through the guide path by the first blower. The image forming apparatus according to item 1 or 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a rectifying plate that rectifies a flow of the exhaust gas sucked from the suction port is provided in the guide path. 5. The storage unit according to claim 1, wherein the accommodating portion includes a cleaning member that is provided at the delivery port and is in contact with at least one surface of the recording medium delivered from the delivery port. Image forming device. A housing for accommodating the fixing unit, the accommodating unit, and an image forming unit that forms a toner image on the recording medium;
The casings are arranged to face each other in the transport direction of the recording medium from the image forming unit to the fixing unit, and inside the casing, the first space unit in which the image forming unit is arranged. And a first partition part and a second partition part for partitioning into a second space part in which the fixing part and the accommodating part are arranged,
The first partition section is located on the image forming section side, and has a transfer port for transferring the recording medium on which a toner image is formed by the image forming section toward the fixing section,
The second partition section is located on the fixing section and the containing section side, and has a receiving port for receiving the recording medium discharged from the transfer port,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the guide path is defined by the first partition section and the second partition section. A housing for accommodating the fixing unit, the accommodating unit, and an image forming unit that forms a toner image on the recording medium;
A shielding mechanism is provided in the housing to shield the air in the housing from flowing from the image forming portion side toward the fixing portion side.
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the exhaust gas is introduced to a downstream side in a transport direction of the recording medium with respect to a portion where the air flow is shielded by the shielding mechanism. A housing for accommodating the fixing unit, the accommodating unit, and an image forming unit that forms a toner image on the recording medium;
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the guide path has the suction port, and includes a duct section that is routed to the outside of the housing. 9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the suction port is located below the delivery port when viewed from the transport direction of the recording medium passing through the delivery port. .. The receiving unit includes a conveying unit that is arranged on the downstream side of the accommodating unit in the conveying direction of the recording medium and that conveys the recording medium sent from the outlet toward the post-processing unit.
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the guide path is provided so as to communicate with the inside of the transport unit. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the suction port is divided into a plurality of spaces at intervals smaller than the width of the recording medium. The suction port passes through a downstream end of the delivery port in the transport direction of the recording medium and is on a virtual plane perpendicular to the transport direction of the recording medium at the delivery port, or the recording medium rather than the virtual plane. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus is located on the downstream side in the transport direction of the. When viewed from the transport direction of the recording medium passing through the delivery port, the suction port is a portion that does not vertically overlap with the pass region of the recording medium at the delivery port, and is outside the pass region. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus is provided. 14. The second blower according to claim 1, further comprising a second blower that is installed in the guide path and that generates an airflow that flows from the suction port through the guide path toward the periphery of the fixing unit. The image forming apparatus according to item. A fixing unit for fixing the toner image formed on the recording medium onto the recording medium;
An accommodating portion that includes a delivery port that delivers the recording medium on which the toner image is fixed, and a delivery path that transports the recording medium that has passed through the fixing portion toward the delivery port,
An exhaust unit that communicates with the space inside the accommodating unit and exhausts gas around the fixing unit,
A first blower that is disposed in the accommodation portion and generates an airflow flowing toward the exhaust portion;
A receiver for receiving the recording medium sent from the outlet,
A guide path that includes a suction port provided in the receiving section and guides the exhaust gas discharged from the outlet to the upstream side of the fixing section in the transport direction of the recording medium;
The exhaust unit includes a filter that captures ultrafine particles generated when the toner image is fixed on the recording medium by the fixing unit,
The exhaust gas is sucked from the suction port by the first blower, passes through the guide path, and is introduced into the filter together with the gas around the fixing unit.
The opening area of the suction port is larger than the opening area of the delivery port,
Image formation in which the pressure loss when the exhaust gas is sucked into the accommodation portion from the outlet by the first blower is larger than the pressure loss when the exhaust gas passes through the guide path by the first blower. apparatus. A fixing unit for fixing the toner image formed on the recording medium onto the recording medium;
An accommodating portion that includes a delivery port that delivers the recording medium on which the toner image is fixed, and a delivery path that transports the recording medium that has passed through the fixing portion toward the delivery port,
An exhaust unit that communicates with the space inside the accommodating unit and exhausts gas around the fixing unit,
A first blower that is disposed in the accommodation portion and generates an airflow flowing toward the exhaust portion;
A receiver for receiving the recording medium sent from the outlet,
A guide path that includes a suction port provided in the receiving section and guides the exhaust gas discharged from the outlet to the upstream side of the fixing section in the transport direction of the recording medium;
The exhaust unit includes a filter that captures ultrafine particles generated when the toner image is fixed on the recording medium by the fixing unit,
The exhaust gas is sucked from the suction port by the first blower, passes through the guide path, and is introduced into the filter together with the gas around the fixing unit.
A housing for accommodating the fixing unit, the accommodating unit, and an image forming unit that forms a toner image on the recording medium;
The casings are arranged to face each other in the transport direction of the recording medium from the image forming unit to the fixing unit, and inside the casing, the first space unit in which the image forming unit is arranged. And a first partition part and a second partition part for partitioning into a second space part in which the fixing part and the accommodating part are arranged,
The first partition section is located on the image forming section side, and has a transfer port for transferring the recording medium on which a toner image is formed by the image forming section toward the fixing section,
The second partition section is located on the fixing section and the containing section side, and has a receiving port for receiving the recording medium discharged from the transfer port,
An image forming apparatus in which the guide path is defined by the first partition section and the second partition section. A fixing unit for fixing the toner image formed on the recording medium onto the recording medium;
An accommodating portion that includes a delivery port that delivers the recording medium on which the toner image is fixed, and a delivery path that transports the recording medium that has passed through the fixing portion toward the delivery port,
An exhaust unit that communicates with the space inside the accommodating unit and exhausts gas around the fixing unit,
A first blower that is disposed in the accommodation portion and generates an airflow flowing toward the exhaust portion;
A receiver for receiving the recording medium sent from the outlet,
A guide path that includes a suction port provided in the receiving section and guides the exhaust gas discharged from the outlet to the upstream side of the fixing section in the transport direction of the recording medium;
The exhaust unit includes a filter that captures ultrafine particles generated when the toner image is fixed on the recording medium by the fixing unit,
The exhaust gas is sucked from the suction port by the first blower, passes through the guide path, and is introduced into the filter together with the gas around the fixing unit.
A housing for accommodating the fixing unit, the accommodating unit, and an image forming unit that forms a toner image on the recording medium;
A shielding mechanism is provided in the housing to shield the air in the housing from flowing from the image forming portion side toward the fixing portion side.
The image forming apparatus, wherein the exhaust gas is introduced to the downstream side in the transport direction of the recording medium with respect to the portion where the air flow is shielded by the shielding mechanism.