JPH02238477A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To most effectively cool the overall surface of an original platen and to improve availability by mounting a cooling means near a carriage with which it is moved. CONSTITUTION:The cooling means 7 consists of a fan 71 mounted near the first carriage 23 having an exposure light source 21 and a vent hole mounted on a main body frame 1 on the rear side of the fan. Although the fan 71 is integrally reciprocated with the first carriage 23, its rotation is stopped while an exposure light source 21 is lighted and scans in view of an adverse effect caused by an oscillation. When the fan 71 is conversely returned, it is operated and moved so that the original platen 11 is blown and cooled by an air current. Then the fan is returned to an ordinary position and the operation is continued even while the carriage is stopped. Thus the original platen 11 is most effectively cooled. Therefore, the device can tolerate continuous operation for a long time and the availability is heightened.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Objective of the Invention) (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus with improved cooling means for a document table.

(Prior Art) Generally, an image forming apparatus moves a carriage equipped with an exposure light source along a document table, scans the document with the exposure light source, and uses an optical system to form an optical image of the document onto a rotating photoreceptor drum. A latent image is sequentially formed by forming a latent image, this latent image is made into a visible image using toner, this is transferred to paper, and then heated and fixed to form an image.

Therefore, the temperature inside the main body of the apparatus increases considerably due to heat generated from the exposure light source and the fixing operation. In order to avoid this temperature rise, a fan or the like is provided within the device as a cooling means.

However, such cooling means are not sufficient, especially
The document glass gets quite hot, and continuous operation for long periods of time can cause the document table to heat up and even be damaged, so work often has to be interrupted to cool down. .

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) As described above, conventional image forming apparatuses cannot withstand continuous operation for long periods of time due to insufficient cooling, which has the disadvantage of reducing operating rates. Ta.

The present invention has been made to eliminate the above-mentioned disadvantages, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus that can withstand long-term operation and has an improved operating rate.

[Yokosei of invention]

(Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention provides an image forming apparatus having a scanning means for moving a carriage having an exposure light source along a document table, and a cooling means for cooling the document table. The image forming apparatus is characterized in that it is provided near the carriage and moves together with the carriage.

(Function) In the present invention, since the cooling means that moves together with the carriage is provided near the carriage, the entire document table can be cooled most efficiently.

(Example) The details of the present invention will be explained below with reference to an example shown in FIGS. 1 to 5.

In this embodiment, the present invention is applied to an electronic copying apparatus.

This electronic copying apparatus includes a main body frame 1, a document feeding/discharging means 2, an exposure scanning means 3, a paper supplying means 4, an image forming means 5, a paper discharging means 6, a cooling means 7, and a control device 8. Since it is the same as the conventional one except for the cooling means 7, its outline will be described below.

The main body frame 1 is made of a box-like member, houses various parts, and is provided with appropriate openings. Although not shown, an operation panel is attached to the front of the upper part.

The document feeding and discharging means 2 includes a document table 11 made of a glass plate attached to cover the upper opening of the main body frame 1, a platen force bar 12 that is attached to the main body 1 so as to be openable and closable and covers the document table 11, and a positioning scale. The document 13 placed on the document table 11 is held under pressure by the platen force bar 12 .

The exposure scanning means 3 includes a first carriage 23 having an exposure light source 21, a reflecting mirror 22, and a pair of reflecting mirrors 25. 26, a lens unit 28, and a mirror unit 31 including a pair of reflecting mirrors 29, 30.
It is composed of a reflecting mirror 32 and the like. The first carriage 23 is moved to the document table 11 by a guide drive mechanism (not shown).
It is driven reciprocally along the line from one end to the other. Similarly, the second carriage 27 is reciprocated parallel to the document table 11 by a guide drive mechanism (not shown).

The light emitted from the exposure light source 21 is reflected by the original 13, passes through the reflecting mirrors 22, 25.26, passes through the lens unit 28, passes through the reflection fi29.30, and is further reflected by the reflecting mirror 32. , and forms an image on a rotating photosensitive drum 51 of an image forming means 5, which will be described later, through a slit. Further, when the first carriage 23 moves in the direction of the arrow 33, the exposure light source 21 is turned on and scans the original 13 while irradiating it from one end to the other. When it reaches the other end, the exposure light source 2
1 goes out, immediately returns to work in the direction of arrow 34, returns to the initial position shown in FIG. 1, and stops. During this scanning, as shown in FIG. 3, the first carriage 23 moves forward in the direction of arrow 33 from the initial position A, and moves to the other end position B shown by the broken line.
However, in order to form an image of a predetermined size on the photosensitive drum 51, the second carriage 27 moves from the initial position C to a position D shown by a broken line approximately in the center.

The paper supply means 4 is provided to the right of the photosensitive drum 51, and is provided with paper cassettes 41a, 4lb and a manual feed tray 41c, and the paper P in the paper cassette 41a is taken out by a pickup roller 42 and fed. Passing between the rollers 43 and separation rollers 44, only one sheet of paper P is sent through the conveyance guide 45, and then the registration rollers 4
6, aligned, and sent to the photosensitive drum 51 as appropriate. The same applies to the paper cassette 4lb and the manual feed tray 41c, so the explanation will be omitted.

The image forming means 5 includes the above-mentioned rotating photoreceptor drum 51.
and a first developing device (
red) 53, second developing device (black) 54, transfer charger 56 provided in the transfer section 55, peeling charger 57, cleaner 58,
A static eliminator 59, a charger 60, and the like are provided. Then, the latent image corresponding to the document formed at the image forming section 52 is visualized with toner, for example, in a developing device 54, and the paper P sent to the transfer section 55 is charged by a transfer charger 56. Then, the toner image is transferred to the next peeling charger 57.
The paper P is charged and peeled off from the drum 51, transported by a transport conveyor 61, heated and fixed by the next fixing roller 62, and image formation is completed.The paper P is then sent to the paper discharge means 6.

The paper ejection unit 6 includes a paper ejection roller 65 and a paper ejection tray 66, and the paper P ejected from the fixing roller 62 is
The sheets are sent out by a sheet discharge roller 65 and placed in a stack on a sheet discharge tray 66.

Next, the cooling means 7 will be explained. This consists of a fan 71 provided near the first carriage 23 and a ventilation hole provided in the main body frame 1 on the back side of the fan 71, although not shown. That is, the fan 71 is attached to the first carriage 23, and the fan 71 is attached to the first carriage 23.
However, while the exposure light source 21 is on and scanning, the rotation is stopped in consideration of the adverse effects of vibration, and when the exposure light source 21 is turned on and scanning is performed, the rotation is stopped, and when the exposure light source 21 is in reverse and backward movement, it is activated and the air is removed. It moves while cooling the document table 11 by blowing a current onto it, returns to its original position, and continues to operate even when it is stopped, and immediately stops operating when the first carriage 23 starts moving forward, that is, when the exposure light source 21 turns on. do. The cooling air that has cooled the document table 11 in this way is heated and flows out of the main body frame 1 through the ventilation opening.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained. For each part,
Having explained the configuration and operation thereof, the relationship between the cooling means 7 and the exposure light source 21 will be explained using the control device 8.

The control device 8 has a control main body 75 having a CPU, and has a function of controlling the entire copying apparatus.
The figure mainly shows only the parts related to the exposure light source 21 and the cooling fan 71.

First, after turning on the main switch 76, the original 13 is placed on the original table 11, and the platen force bar 12 is closed. next,
The number of copies is set using the number setting switch 77 and the copy key 78 is pressed. As a result, the main motor 79 is operated, the first carriage 23 and the second carriage 27 are reciprocated, the photosensitive drum 51 is also rotated, and copying is performed.

During this time, when the first carriage 23 moves forward, the exposure light source 2
1 is lit, and during double movement, it is turned off. During the forward movement, the fan 71 is inactive, and during the backward movement, the fan 71 is activated and returns while blowing cooling air onto the document table 11. When this operation is repeated and the machine paper ejection switch 80 counts the set number of sheets, the main motor 79 stops, the first carriage 23 and the second carriage 27 stop at their initial positions, and the exposure light source 21 is turned off. . However, the cooling fan 71 continues to rotate until the main switch 76 is turned off.

In this embodiment, a fan is used as the cooling means, but the present invention is not limited to this, and any device that blows out cooling air may be used.

Furthermore, the cooling means may be operated even when the exposure light source is on, but it is preferable to operate a device that causes some vibration, such as a fan, only when the light is off. As described above, in the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the cooling means is provided near the carriage having the exposure light source and is moved back and forth together with the carriage, so that the cooling means is cooled while moving the entire surface near the document table. Therefore, the document table can be cooled with high efficiency. Therefore, compared to conventional devices, it can withstand continuous operation for a much longer period of time, so the operating rate can be significantly increased.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a front view of the main part (scanning means), FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the operation, and FIG. FIG. 5 also shows the main block section. 3... Exposure scanning means, 7... Cooling means, 11... Document table, 21... Exposure light source, 23... (first) carriage.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] An image forming apparatus including a scanning means for moving a carriage having an exposure light source along a document table, and a cooling means for cooling the document table, wherein the cooling means is provided near the carriage. An image forming apparatus characterized in that the image forming apparatus moves together with a carriage.