JPH02157870A - Color picture forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To balance upper and lower cases, to improve a cover opening operation and to facilitate handling a jam, etc., by housing a picture forming part in a color process unit and fitting it to the lower case removably. CONSTITUTION:The upper case 1 houses a picture reading system unit A and a laser writing system unit B. The picture forming part consisting of a picture forming body 30, developing units 36 to 38 and a cleaning device 35 is housed in the color process unit 3 which is mounted on the lower case 2 attachably and detachably. A recording paper carrying system is housed below the process unit. Consequently, the upper case is not weigh to balance the upper and lower cases in weight, and the cover opening operation becomes more satisfactory. When the unit 3 is pulled out in the direction of an arrow A along a prescribed rail, the carrying surface of recording paper is opened to substantially facilitate handling a jam and maintenance.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a color image forming apparatus whose main body can be divided into upper and lower halves.

[Background of the invention]

This is a color image of the so-called Talamusiel structure, in which the main body of the device is divided into two upper and lower casings, and the upper casing can be opened and closed freely in order to facilitate the germination and maintenance of the recording paper being transported through the device. A forming device is provided.

In this case, it is necessary to open the transport surface by opening the lid of the upper case, so the exposure optical system and most of the image forming equipment are housed in the upper case, while the lower case contains the fixing device and the conveyance of the recording paper. The device consists of only the system.

[The problem that the invention attempts to solve]

Therefore, in color image forming apparatuses having a talam shell structure, the upper housing tends to be larger and heavier than the lower housing, requiring force to open the upper housing, and in the open position, the entire apparatus The balance is extremely poor and care must be taken when handling.

To solve this problem, the image forming section is housed in the lower housing,
It has also been proposed that the image forming section be pulled out as a unit to the front of the lower housing via a guide rail to open the conveyance surface, but this would damage the image forming surface and prevent the opening and closing of the door on the front of the housing. New negative aspects arise, such as the establishment of a

The present invention solves this problem and improves the upper part.

The object of the present invention is to provide a color image forming device whose casing is small and lightweight, and whose image forming part is used as a unit and can be safely and easily removed from the lower casing without causing damage.

[Failure to solve the problem]

The above object is to provide a color image forming apparatus that can be divided and opened into an upper housing and a lower housing using one end as a pivot.
Achieved by a color image forming apparatus comprising at least an image forming body and a plurality of developing devices integrally or separably, and a color process unit which can be inserted and removed is provided on the lower housing side. be done.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 1-3.

FIG. 1 shows a color image forming apparatus which has a talam shell structure and which is the object of the present invention and is constructed so that each image forming equipment can be attached and detached as a color process unit.

The device consists of an upper housing 1 whose lid can be opened and a lower housing 2 placed on the floor, which are held together by a hinge IA and a stopper IB.

A laser writing system unit B is housed in the upper housing I, and an image reading system unit A is placed and integrated above it.

On the other hand, the lower housing 2 houses an image forming section C as a color process unit 3 in a unitized state in a cartridge, and further includes a recording paper feeding section D1 and a transfer pole 40.
, a separation electrode 43, a fixing device 45, etc. are housed therein, and together with the lower surface of the color process unit 3, form a recording paper conveyance system. Therefore, when the upper housing 1 is opened, the upper surface of the color process unit 3 is exposed.

In the color image forming apparatus, a color image is formed by the following superposition method.

In the image reading system Unisol I-A, reference numeral 11 denotes a document table, and a W placed on the document table 11 and the document are illuminated by a halogen lamp 13 attached to a carriage 12 that slides in the horizontal direction. Mirror 168 for movable mirror unit +5
and 17 are attached to the mirror 14, which also slides horizontally and is attached to the carriage 12.
The optical image of the document is sent to the image reading section 22 by
pile up

The carriage 12 and the movable mirror unit 15 are connected to a stepping motor by wires (both not shown).
, and are slid in the same direction at speeds of V and l/2V, respectively.

When the image reading unit 22 reads a document placed on the document table 11, color separation is performed via the filter 9. The filter 9 includes, for example, a filter R1, a filter G1, a filter B, and a filter ND. When reading a document, the document is read after passing through any one of them. To select a filter, the filter 9 is moved in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper in FIG. 1 by moving the filter selection device.

Note that filters R and 7 (Luta G1 and Filter B are filters that allow red light, green light, and blue light to pass through, respectively,
The filter ND is a neutral filter adapted to human vision and allows all three color lights to pass through.

The image signal outputted from the image reading section 22 is processed by the signal processing section and outputted as a color signal separated according to the color of the toner, and is inputted to the n1 laser writing system unit B.

In the laser writing system unit B, a laser beam generated by a semiconductor laser (not shown) is transmitted to a drive motor 3.
It is rotated and scanned by a polygon mirror 32 rotated by I, passes through an rθ lens 33, has an optical path bent by a mirror 34, and is projected onto the peripheral surface of the image forming body 30 to which a charge has been previously applied by a charger 35 to form a bright line. do.

On the other hand, when scanning is started, the beam is detected by the index sensor, modulation of the beam by the first color signal is started, and the modulated beam scans the circumferential surface of the image forming body 30. Therefore, a latent image corresponding to the first color is formed on the circumferential surface of the image forming body 30 by main scanning by the laser beam and sub-scanning by the rotation of the image forming body 30.

This latent image is produced by the developer 3 loaded with yellow (Y) toner.
6, and a toner image is formed on the drum surface. The obtained toner image is separated from the peripheral surface of the image forming body 30 while being held on the drum surface by the cleaning device 3
9 and enters the next copy cycle.

That is, the image forming body 30 is charged again by the charger 35, and then the second color signal outputted from the signal processing section is inputted to the writing system unit B, and the second color signal is inputted to the writing system unit B, and the second color signal is inputted to the writing system unit B. In the same manner, writing is performed on the drum surface to form a latent image. The latent image is developed by a developer 37 loaded with magenta (M) toner as a second color.

This magenta (M) toner image is formed in the presence of the previously formed yellow (Y) toner image.

A developing device 38 has cyan (C) toner, and forms a cyan (C) toner image on the drum surface based on a control signal generated by a signal processing section.

A bias with a direct current or an alternating current superimposed thereon is applied to the sleeves of these developing units 36, 37, and 38, and jumping development is performed using a two-component developer serving as a developing means, and the grounded image forming body 30 is Development is now possible without contact.

The color image thus formed on the circumferential surface of the image forming body 30 is transferred at the transfer pole 40 onto the upper surface of the recording paper conveyed from the paper feed section. It should be noted that the conveyed recording paper is fed by the separating roller 41 or by the paper feed roller 42 in synchronization with the timing of transfer.

Next, the recording paper onto which the color image has been transferred is separated from the drum circumferential surface at the separation pole 43 and transferred to the fixing device 4 via the conveyor belt 44.
5 and is ejected.

On the other hand, the image forming body 30 from which the recording paper has been separated is connected to the blade 39A of the cleaning device 39 and the cleaning roller 3.
The blade 39A comes into contact with the drum 9B to remove the remaining toner, and after waiting for the completion of the removal, the blade 39A separates from the drum surface again and begins a new color image forming process.

On the other hand, to explain the configuration of the apparatus, the color image forming apparatus is configured so that the upper housing 1 can be opened to the angle shown in FIG. 2 by rotating the upper housing 1 with respect to the lower housing 2 via a hinge IA. In this state, the color process unit 3 is structured to be able to be moved in parallel in the six directions of arrows and separated from the lower housing 2 and pulled out. As a result, the recording paper conveyance surface located at the bottom of the color process unit 3 is opened.

FIG. 3(a) shows a mechanism for storing and supporting the color process unit 3 in the lower housing 2, and FIG. 3(b) shows a side view thereof in the direction of arrow B.

In the color process unit 3, a rail member 300 in which a rail 300A and a rail 300B, each having a symmetrical L-shaped cross section and are arranged in parallel, as shown in FIG. 2 has symmetrical guides 200A and 200B with U-shaped cross sections arranged in parallel on the inner surface of the back, and a guide member 200 corresponding to the rail member 300.

Further, a release lever 4 which is biased clockwise by a tension spring 403 is pivoted on the same inner surface, and the tip of a hook member 400 rotatably attached to the lower end of the release lever 4 is attached to one of the guide members 200. It engages with the hole 200B and its sliding surface protrudes. The release lever 401 is rotated by a knob 402 at the upper end within a range sandwiched between a pair of stop pins 404.

The color process unit 3 engages the rail part It300 with the kite member 200, slides diagonally downward, is housed in the lower housing 2, is placed on the stopper 2A, and is attached to a notch provided in one rail 300B of the rail member 300. 3 is engaged with the hook member 400 to be supported and locked in a predetermined position.

In this position, the gear G2 provided on the same axis of the image forming body 30 meshes with the drive gear Gl of the power system provided at a fixed position on the lower housing 2, and the power transmission system is connected, and at the same time, a connector (not shown) is connected. Then, the power supply is connected, and it becomes possible to supply motive power and electric power to each piece of equipment constituting the color process unit 3.

On the other hand, when the release lever 401 is rotated counterclockwise using the knob 402, the hook member 400 is released from the rail member 30.
0 is released, the color process unit 3 can slide diagonally to the upper right, that is, in the six directions of the arrows in FIG.
0 from the guide member 200, the color process unit 3 can be separated from the lower housing 2 and removed. Note that this work can be made easier if a handle or the like is provided on the top surface of the unit.

FIG. 4 shows an example in which the present invention is applied to a transfer drum type color image forming apparatus. In this case, as in the previous example, the color process unit 103 is provided with a rail member 1200, and the lower housing 102 is provided with a guide member 1300 and a hook member (not shown), and the color process unit +03 is slid diagonally upward and lowered. It can be removed from the casing 102, thereby opening the recording paper conveying surface formed on the circumferential surface of the transfer drum 160.

Note that the developing device may further include a developing device having black I/toner.

[Effects of the Invention] The present invention makes it possible to reduce the size and weight of the upper casing, making it easier to open the lid, and also making it possible to open the conveyance surface while keeping the device in a well-balanced state.As a result, it is possible to clear the jam. Color image forming apparatuses that are well-maintained and capable of always exhibiting functionality and performance have become available.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 and 2 are cross-sectional configuration diagrams of a color image forming apparatus of the present invention, and FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b) are explanatory diagrams of the attachment mechanism of the color process unit in the apparatus and its essential parts. 4 are schematic diagrams of a transfer drum type color image forming apparatus to which the present invention is applied. 1.101... Upper housing IA, l0IA... Hinge IB, l0IB... Stopper 2.102...
Lower housing 3 103...Color process unit 30
130... Image forming body 200. 1200... Guide member 20OA, 200B... Guide 300
．． 1300...Rail member 30OA 300B...
Rail 301...Notch 400...Funk member 4
01...Cancel-GiG2...Gear

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a color image forming apparatus that can be divided and opened into an upper housing and a lower housing using one end as a support shaft, at least an image forming body and a plurality of developing units are configured integrally or in a divisible manner, and A color image forming apparatus characterized in that a removable color process unit is provided on a lower housing side.