JPH0259464B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an electrostatic recording transfer type image recording apparatus.

Generally, an endless belt-shaped recording medium consisting of a male conductor layer, a conductive layer, and a base layer is fed in the sub-scanning direction and the surface of the recording medium is uniformly charged, and then a stylus for one line is placed in the main-scanning direction. An electrostatic latent image is formed by removing or reducing the electric charge on the surface of the recording medium by applying a voltage according to the digital image information using the recording head provided, and the surface of the recording medium on which the latent image is formed is developed with toner. In the case of an electrostatic recording type transfer type image recording device in which the image is recorded by transferring the image to plain paper and then fixing it, the surface of the recording medium is cleaned after the transfer. Later, the recording medium is repeatedly provided to the next recording process.

However, when using a cleaner to clean the toner remaining on the surface of the recording medium after transfer, it is virtually impossible to completely clean it.
The problem is that toner that remains on the recording medium surface even after cleaning adheres and accumulates on the recording head surface, deteriorating the discharge characteristics of the stylus, reducing the quality of the recorded image and causing background stains. There is.

The present invention has been made in consideration of these points, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an image recording apparatus that prevents toner from adhering and accumulating on the recording head in an electrostatic recording transfer type image recording apparatus. .

In the image recording apparatus according to the present invention, contact between the recording head surface and the recording medium surface is achieved by swinging the recording head so that the stylus position does not change with respect to the recording medium surface. Measures are taken to change the state as appropriate and thereby release the toner that has partially adhered to the recording head surface.

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an example of the configuration of an electrostatic recording transfer type image recording device, in which a belt unit 1
and an AC charger 3 for static elimination, which is appropriately arranged around the endless belt-shaped recording medium 2 in the belt unit 1 and sequentially executes an electrostatic recording process according to the movement of the recording medium 2 in the sub-scanning direction.
and a DC charger 4 for charging (both chargers 3 and 4 uniformly charge the recording medium 2), and a recording head 5 main body in which a stylus is arranged in an array in the main scanning direction with respect to the two surfaces of the recording medium. An electrostatic recording process system consisting of a developing unit 6, a transfer charger 7, and a cleaning unit 8, which are provided so as to be detachable from the cassette 9, and the recording paper 10 in the cassette 9 or the recording paper manually set on the table 11 is connected to the electrostatic recording process system. The tip is recording medium 2
A paper feeding system consisting of a feed roller 12 or 13, a registration roller 14, and a transfer feed roller 15 that feed paper to a transfer position at a timing that coincides with the leading edge of the image area developed on the surface, and a belt mechanism 16 that transports the transferred recording paper. and a fixing unit 1 that performs fixing processing on the conveyed recording paper.
7, and a paper discharge roller 19 that sends the recording paper to be fixed to the tray 18. Note that the belt unit 1 includes a drive roller 26,
Tension roller 23 and idle roller 2
It is constructed by mounting an endless belt-shaped recording medium 2 between 7 and 28. Also,
In the figure, reference numeral 29 indicates a rear roller of the recording head 5.

In such an image recording apparatus, particularly in the present invention, a means for swinging the recording head 5 as shown in FIG. 2 is provided. That is, in order to prevent the stylus position A from changing when the L-shaped recording head 5 is tilted as shown by the dotted line in the figure,
The recording head 5 is connected to the fixed side bracket 3 through a shaft 30 provided so as to protrude from both sides of one end thereof.
1 (the bracket 31 is provided with a long hole 32 that cooperates with the shaft 30 on the side of the recording head 5 to allow its inclination), and the other end of the recording head 5 is fixed. A lever 35, which is received by a pin 34 fixed to a shaft 33 rotatably attached to the side and fixed to the rotating shaft 33, is connected to the output shaft of an electromagnetic solenoid actuator 37 via a link 36. Turning on the actuator 37,
The recording head 5 is oscillated by the movement of the pin 34 in accordance with the upward and downward movement of the output shaft due to the off state.

Therefore, in the image recording apparatus according to the present invention configured as described above, when the recording head 5 is in the normal position as shown in FIG. Toner _T1 adheres to the 5th surface of the recording head, but when the recording head 5 is tilted as shown in FIG. toner
T ₂ will now escape from the 5th side of the recording head. Furthermore, even when the recording head 5 is tilted, the toner T ₃ adheres to the surface of the recording head 5 (in this case, the toner T 3 adheres to a different location than when the recording head 5 is in the normal position). As shown in Figure c, when the recording head 5 is returned to its normal position, the contact conditions between the recording medium 2 surface and the recording head 5 surface change, and the toner T ₃ that had adhered earlier is transferred to the recording head. You will be able to escape from the 5th side. Thereafter, as the recording head 5 swings, toner is repeatedly attached and peeled off, thereby effectively preventing toner from adhering and accumulating on the surface of the recording head 5. Note that 51 in FIG. 3 indicates a stylus.

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment for swinging the recording head 5, in which a drive force is transmitted from a drive source (not shown) through a belt 38 and a pulley 39. A cam 42 is attached to the output shaft 41 of the rotary clutch 40, and a pin 43 is provided on the recording head 5 side to swing the recording head 5 in cooperation with the cam 42. When retracted and the clutch claw 44 is pulled through the link 36, the half-rotation clutch 40 is released, rotates half a time, tilts the recording head 5 by the action of the cam 42, and then turns on the actuator 37. As a result, the half-turn clutch 40 rotates another half-turn to rotate the recording head 5.
is returned to its normal position.

Note that by swinging the recording head 5,
When preventing toner from adhering and accumulating on the surface, an even greater effect can be obtained by providing a cleaning area in a part of the recording medium 2 made of a material that can easily peel off the toner adhering to the surface of the recording head 5. You will be able to do it.

As described above, in the image recording device according to the present invention,
In an apparatus that performs electrostatic recording by interposing a belt-shaped recording medium between a back roller and a recording head, the side surface of the recording head is formed into an L shape, and the end surface on one side of the L shape that opposes the platen A stylus is provided on one side, a shaft serving as a swinging fulcrum for the recording head is provided on both sides of the one side, and an engaging means for transmitting the vertical movement of the recording head is provided on the L-shaped side. In the recording head, the shaft is rotatably fitted into a long hole of a bracket fixed to the main body, and the engaging means is engaged with a driving means for vertically swinging the recording head, The stylus position is configured to swing the recording head without changing relative to the recording medium, thereby effectively preventing toner from adhering and accumulating on the recording head surface. It has the great advantage of being able to

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a configuration example of an electrostatic recording transfer type image recording apparatus, FIG. 2 is a front view showing a recording head swinging means according to the present invention, and FIGS. 3a, b, FIG. 4c is a simplified diagram showing the state of toner adhesion due to the swinging of the recording head, and FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing another swinging means for the recording head. 2... Recording medium, 5... Recording head, 37...
Actuator, 40...1 rotation clutch.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a device that performs electrostatic recording by interposing a belt-shaped recording medium between a back roller and a recording head, the side surface of the recording head is formed into an L shape, and one side of the L shape is opposed to the platen. A stylus is provided on the end face, a shaft serving as a pivot point for the recording head is provided on both sides of the one side, and an engagement means for transmitting the vertical movement of the recording head is provided on the other side of the L shape. In the recording head, the shaft is rotatably fitted into a long hole of a bracket fixed to the main body, and the engaging means is engaged with a driving means for vertically swinging the recording head. . A transfer type image recording apparatus, characterized in that the stylus position is configured to swing the recording head without changing with respect to the recording medium.