JPH02165166A - Color image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To simplify an attaching and detaching operation for a device main body by making it possible to pull out a developing unit or a processing unit with a frame in the axial direction of a photosensitive drum and taking out and exchanging the unit in a state where it is pulled out. CONSTITUTION:The photosensitive drum 30, an electrostatic charger 35, respective developing devices 36-38 and a cleaning device 39 constituting an image forming part C are housed in an integrated cartridge and mounted in a device main body as the color processing unit 3. Furthermore, the paper feeding part D of a recording paper and a transfer pole 40, etc., are housed below the image forming part C so as to form a conveyance system for the recording paper with the bottom surface of the processing unit 3. In such a case, the processing unit 3 is placed on the frame 50 and can be pulled out with the frame 50 in the axial direction of the photosensitive drum 30, then the processing unit 30 is allowed to be taken out and exchanged in the state where it is pulled out. Thus, the processing unit 3 which is pulled out is automatically kept on the front surface of the device without necessitating any particular members.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a color image forming apparatus in which an image forming section is used as a process unit and is removably attached to the main body of the apparatus.

[Background of the invention]

Each of the equipment that makes up the image forming section, such as the photoreceptor drum, developing device, and cleaning device, frequently undergoes maintenance such as cleaning and inspection in order to maintain copy image quality, so they are integrated into a cartridge and integrated into a process unit. A color image forming apparatus has been provided which is configured to be easily attached to and detached from the apparatus main body.

When attaching and detaching the process unit, a guide mechanism using guide rails that is safe and easy to operate should be provided to prevent damage to the photosensitive surface of the photosensitive drum in case the equipment comes into contact with or collides with the inside of the device. is desirable〈
Many proposals regarding this have been made in the past.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

However, in a full-color color image forming apparatus, at least three developing devices are built in, so the cartridge of the process unit is unavoidably large and heavy.Therefore, it is held in the front of the apparatus by a guide rail even after being pulled out. It is preferable to leave it in a closed state.

A proposal for realizing this is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 57-200051. However, in this proposal, it is necessary to prepare a special member for the holding member and L of the process unit after it is pulled out, and it is also necessary to set the member on the front of the device each time, resulting in structural problems. −
This is not preferable from a handling standpoint.

As a result of solving this problem and making improvements, the present invention aims to provide a color image forming apparatus in which a pulled-out process unit can be automatically held on the apparatus 111 surface and threaded without the need for any particular members. It is something.

[Means for solving problems]

The above object is to enable a developing unit consisting of a plurality of developing devices or a process unit including the developing unit and a photoreceptor drum to be placed on a pedestal and pulled out together with the pedestal in the axial direction of the photoreceptor drum, and to be able to be pulled out in two states. This is achieved by a color image forming apparatus characterized in that the developing unit or the process unit can be taken out and replaced.

〔Example〕

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

The color image forming apparatus of the present invention is composed of a document image reading system unit A, a laser writing system B, an image forming section C, and a recording paper feeding section. The image forming section C and paper feeding section are housed in the main body of the apparatus, while the image reading section A is mounted on the main body of the apparatus.
electrically connected via a cable.

Photoreceptor Drano 30 and band N constituting the image forming section C
, container 35, developing devices 36, 37 and 38, and cleaning device 39 are housed in an integrated cartridge, and the process units 3 and 7 are installed in the main body of the apparatus.

Further, below the image forming section C is a recording paper feeding section Y).
, a transfer pole 40, a separation pole 43, a fixing device 45, etc. are housed, and together with the lower surface of the process unit 3, they form a recording paper conveyance system.

In the color image forming apparatus, a color image is formed by a superposition method as described below.

In the image reading system I-A, reference numeral 11 denotes a document table, and the document placed on the document table 11 is illuminated by a halogen lamp 13 attached to a gear ridge 12 that slides in the horizontal direction. Mirrors 16 and 17 are attached to the movable mirror unit 15, which also slide in the horizontal direction, and in combination with the mirror 14 attached to the carriage 12, transmit the optical image of the document to the image reading section 22. Derive.

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

When the image reading section 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, reading is performed after passing 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 the filters R1, G1, and B are filters that allow red light, green light, and blue light to pass through, respectively.
The filter ND is a neutral filter that matches human vision and allows all three color lights to pass through.

The t-image signal output from the image reading section 22 is:
The signal is processed in the signal processing section and output as a color signal separated according to the i-61 color, and is input to the laser writing system unit B.

In the laser writing system unit l-B, the semiconductor 1-
- A laser beam generated by a laser (not shown) is a polygon mirror rotated by a drive motor 31.

32, the optical path is bent by a mirror 34 through an rθ1/lens 33, and the beam is projected onto the circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum 30 to which a charge has been previously applied by a charger 35, forming a bright line. When the first color signal is started, the beam is detected by the index sensor, the modulation of the beam by the first color signal is started, and the modulated beam is transferred to the photoreceptor drum 3.
Scan the circumferential surface of 0. A latent image corresponding to the first color is formed on the circumferential surface of the photoreceptor drum 30 by main scanning by the laser beam and sub-scanning by the rotation of the photoreceptor drum 30.

This latent image is developed by a developing device 36 loaded with yellow (Y) toner to form a toner image on the drum surface. The obtained toner image passes under the cleaning device 39 which is separated from the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 30 while being held on the drum surface, and enters the next copy cycle.

That is, the photosensitive drum 30 is charged again by the charger 35, and then the second
The color signal is input to the writing system unit B, and writing is performed on the drum surface to form a latent image in the same manner as in the case of the first color signal described above. 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.

AC and DC biases are applied to the sleeves of these developing units 36, 37 and 38, and jumping development is performed using a two-component developer, which is a developing means. Developing is done by contact.

The color image thus formed on the circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum 30 is transferred at the transfer pole 40 onto the upper surface of the recording paper conveyed from the paper feed section. Note that the conveyed recording paper is passed through the separating roller 41 so that only one sheet is transferred to the paper feed roller 42.
The paper is fed with the transfer timing synchronized through the 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 blade 39A of the cleaning device 39 and the cleaning roller 39B contact the photosensitive drum 30 from which the recording paper has been separated to remove the remaining toner, and after that, the blade 39A separates from the drum surface again and a new one is removed. The process of color image formation begins.

On the other hand, to explain the structure of the apparatus main body, the process unit 3 has a structure that allows it to be slid to the front of the apparatus main body and pulled out, as shown in FIG. 2, and is further held in that position by the apparatus main body. It has become.

In the figure, reference numeral 50 denotes a frame-shaped pedestal on which the process unit 3 is placed and supported, and each pair of notches 50 on both sides
A pair of positioning pins 3A on both sides of the process unit 3 are engaged with each other to regulate and support the position.

Reference numeral 51 denotes a pair of left and right guide rails installed inside the main body of the apparatus, which slidably engage both sides of the pedestal 50, and when the pedestal 50 is brought into contact with the innermost abutting portion 51^, the process is stopped. Each piece of equipment housed in the unit 3 is placed at a predetermined position within the main body of the apparatus. In this state, the positioning bin 3A of the process unit 3 is restrained by the guide rail 51, so that the vertical movement of the process unit 3 is also restricted.

Reference numeral 52 denotes a front cover that covers an opening provided on the entire surface of the device body, and when opened forward, the hinge portion 52A hits the device body and stops at a right angle and is firmly supported. It is something.

Reference numeral 53 denotes a pair of left and right auxiliary rails provided on the inner surface of the front lid 52, which guide and support the pedestal 50 pulled out from the guide rail 51 in a parallel state. The processing unit 3 can be pulled out until it comes into contact with the stopper 52B, and at that position, most of the process unit 3 is exposed on the front of the apparatus main body, and therefore, it can be easily removed to the outside of the apparatus main body using the handle 3B.

A rod 54 is slidably inserted through a support frame 55 in the main body of the apparatus, and its front end protruding toward the front of the apparatus is brought into pressure contact with the rear surface of the front lid 52 by the action of a compression spring 56.

A hook member 57 is biased to rotate clockwise by the action of a tension spring 58, and a slope portion 57A formed at one end is pressed against the rear end of the rod 54 to restrict its rotation angle. It has become so.

That is, when the front lid 52 is opened at right angles as shown in FIG.
Therefore, the rod 55 is connected to the internal force surface 1 of the main body of the device. Press twice and rotate the hook member 57 counterclockwise L7.
ing.

Therefore, the locking pawl 57B of the hook member 57 is retracted downward, so that the pedestal 50 is in a state where the notch 50B of the locking pawl 57 is about to be locked, and can be pulled out forward. Become. When the pedestal 50 is housed in the main body of the apparatus and the front M526 is closed, the locking pawl 57B engages with the notch 50C again to restrict the movement of the process unit 3 in the front-rear direction.

As is clear from the explanation in 1-6 below, in the color image forming apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to safely and reliably attach and detach the 1-piece unit with extremely simple operations, so cleaning and In addition to being used for maintenance such as inspections, process units 1 and 2 are provided with different image forming functions and can be used by replacing the process units at any time depending on the purpose. , 11i image processing can be diversified.

Fig. 3 shows an example of such a process unit, and Fig. 3(a) shows a developing device 10 containing a black developer.
Process unit 103 with only 0, 3rd fm (b
) is a process unit 20 having two developers 200A and 200B containing red and black developers.
3, both of which include positioning bins 150A and 250A having common specifications with the process unit 3.
It is used in a cartridge.

Furthermore, the positions of the developing devices are set at the same l:'' so that the driving system of the developing devices can be used in common.

The color process units are Y, M, Ch-
There is a developing device 4), which is the developing device on the right side of 3--1 and the developing device with black 1 and 6-. It may be configured as follows.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, the image forming section can be attached and detached from the main body of the apparatus safely and reliably with an extremely simple operation, and as a result, each covering material involved in image forming can be well maintained and troubles such as jams can be quickly resolved. 41. A useful color image-forming IR device is provided which is capable of processing 41. All sorts of things.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional configuration diagram of a color image forming apparatus of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a guide device for a process unit in the apparatus, and FIG. Configuration example. 43.103,203...process unit 3A,
103A, 203A...Positioning bin 3B...
・Handle 50... Frame 50^450B・
... Notch 51 ... Guide - Full 5iA
...Abutment part 52...Front lid 52^...Hinge part 52B...Stopper 53...Auxiliary leno 1, 54...Rod 57...Hook member Fig. 3 (a) Appearance Person Nifunika Co., Ltd. 2008CX color) Ohmi S9 device

Claims (1)

[Claims] A developing unit consisting of a plurality of developing units, or a process unit including the developing unit and a photoreceptor drum, is placed on a pedestal and can be pulled out together with the pedestal in the axial direction of the photoreceptor drum, and in the pulled out state, the developing unit Alternatively, a color image forming apparatus characterized in that the process unit can be taken out and replaced.