JPH0312313B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic copying machine or an image recording device.

Hereinafter, an explanation will be given using an electrophotographic copying machine as an example.

Conventionally, in electrophotographic copying machines, it has been necessary to periodically replace the photoreceptor as an image carrier, replenish developer, dispose of waste toner, clean charging wires, and replace and adjust various consumable parts. Yes, a dedicated service person was performing these tasks. Therefore, a service person had to come each time, which was extremely troublesome.

For example, conventionally, in a copying machine, the replacement or replenishment of consumables is as follows.

For example, when replacing the photoreceptor drum, the drum is rotatably supported by a shaft fixed to the copying machine body, so first remove the shaft fixing member fixed to the side plate of the machine body, and then remove the drum from the shaft. The drum must be removed and replaced. Toner replenishment to the developing device hopper is performed by knowing the toner replenishment time using a detection means provided in the developing device or the hopper (for example, by using a remaining toner amount detecting device). Furthermore, in drum cleaners, if the waste toner collected from the photoconductor is not transported to the developing device again, it is stored within the device main body, and a detection means is provided to detect when the waste toner storage section is full. The waste toner must be disposed of outside the device before use. Furthermore, in a roller pressure type fixing device, when the roller surface comes into contact with the developer, a portion of the roller surface is offset and contaminated. For this reason, when a sheet carrying a fixed image is passed between rollers, the offset toner on the roller surface is retransferred onto the sheet, resulting in poor quality copies. Therefore, a means for cleaning the roller surface is required. Additionally, it is necessary to store the offset toner collected from the rollers in a predetermined location and dispose of it periodically.

As explained above, it is not easy to replace and replenish consumables, and conventional copying machines have had the problem of having to replace and replenish consumables frequently and being troublesome.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, the present invention solves the above-mentioned problems of the conventional apparatus, and makes it possible to easily replace periodic replacement members including consumables, thereby facilitating maintenance and maintenance of the image forming apparatus. . That is, in the present invention, by integrating regularly replaced members including consumables, it is no longer necessary to attach and detach the individual members described above.
This makes it possible to easily maintain and maintain the device.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. First, an embodiment of a copying machine to which the present invention is applied will be described.

FIG. 1 shows a sectional view of the main body C of the copying machine.
In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a document device stand made of a transparent member such as glass, which reciprocates in the direction of the arrow. Reference numeral 2 denotes a short focal length small diameter imaging element array, and the current structure O placed on the document device table 1 is slit-exposed onto the photosensitive drum 3. A charger 4 uniformly charges the photosensitive drum 3. The drum 3, which is uniformly charged by the charger 4, is subjected to image exposure by the element array 2 to form an electrostatic latent image. This electrostatic latent image is then transferred to a hopper 5a that stores replenishment toner.
The image is visualized by a developing device 5 having a developing roller 5b. On the other hand, the sheet P on the stacking table S is fed onto the drum 3 by a feed roller 6 and a registration roller 7 that rotates in synchronization with the image on the photosensitive drum 3. Then, the toner image on the photosensitive drum 3 is transferred by the transfer charger 8.
The image is transferred onto the sheet P. Thereafter, the sheet P separated from the drum 3 by a separating means (not shown) is guided by a guide 9 to a fixing device 10 having a fixing roller 20 and a pressure roller 20a, where the toner image on the sheet P is After being fixed, the image is discharged onto a tray 12 by a discharge roller 11. Note that the fixing device 10 is cleaned of adhered toner by a fixing device cleaning device 16, which will be described later.

In this embodiment, the photosensitive drum 3, the charger 4, the developer 5, the cleaning device 13 including the blade cleaner 13a and the toner reservoir 13b, and the fixing device cleaning device 16 are integrated to form the process kit 14. ing. This process kit 1
4 is provided so that it can be inserted into and removed from the main body as shown in FIG.
a and 14b are engaged and guided. In FIG. 2, the kit 14 is shown without the kit frame in order to show the individual units. Also, Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the process kit with the frame 14c attached, Fig. 4a is its internal side view, and Fig. 4b.
1 is a peripheral perspective view of the cleaning device 16, and 15 is a window through which image exposure light is irradiated onto the drum 3, and various color filters and ND filters can be provided as necessary. Alternatively, a suitable transparent body may be provided to isolate the inside of the kit 14 from the outside. Further, L is a lever for preventing the kit 14 from coming off, and is used to position the kit 14 to the loading position when the kit 14 is loaded into the main body C. Further, D is a front door of the main body C, which can be opened and closed with respect to the main body C, and in FIG. 2, it is opened with the lower side hinged. Further, T is a handle, which is used when attaching and detaching the kit 14 to the main body C.

In this embodiment, the fixing unit cleaning device 16 has a web 17 in a sprawling shape, which is gradually or intermittently moved from a supply roller 18 to a take-up roller 19 by a drive source (not shown). Sent. During the process, this web 17 is applied to the circumferential surface of the fixing roller 20 of the fixing device 10.
Pressurized contact is made by the contact roller 21. Note that if the contact roller 21 is an elastic roller made of sponge-like rubber or the like, uniform contact pressure can be obtained. At this time, the web 17 is collected by the take-up roller 19 after removing the offset toner on the roller 20 from its circumferential surface. In addition, in this example, 100 copies
The feeding speed of the web 17 was set to about 10 mm for each sheet, and as a result, the offset toner on the fixing roller 20 could be sufficiently removed and cleaned by contacting the fixing roller 20. Furthermore, the web 17 is impregnated with an offset preventing agent, such as silicone oil, and the fixing roller 2 is
By bringing the web 17 into contact with the roller 20, the amount of toner offset to the circumferential surface of the roller 20 can be reduced.

Further, referring to FIG. 5, a mechanism for moving the contact roller 21 of the fixing device cleaning device 16 of this embodiment will be described.

FIG. 5 is a detailed view of the cleaning device 16 shown in FIG. 1. In the figure, the contact roller 21 is supported by a lever 24 provided on the side wall of the kit and rotatable about a shaft 24a. When attaching and detaching the kit 14 to the copying machine main body C, the cam 2 is automatically moved by operating a handle (not shown) or by pressing a button (not shown).
6 is rotated in the direction of arrow A and retracted to the illustrated position, the lever 24 is pulled by the spring 25 and the contact roller 21 is kept out of contact with the fixing roller 20 of the fixing device 10. There is. That is, the kit 14 can be attached to and removed from the main body C while the web 17 is separated from the fixing roller 20. And Kitsuto 14
When the insertion is completed, this is detected by a detection means (not shown), or the cam 26 of the copying machine main body C is rotated half a turn (in the direction of the arrow) at an appropriate timing.
move the lever 24 in the direction of arrow C, push down the contact roller 21, and move the web 17 to the fixing roller 20.
comes into contact with or pressurizes.

That is, in this embodiment, even if the kit is provided with a cleaning device that presses against the fixing roller during operation, the kit can be attached to and removed from the main body C without any trouble. Therefore, a consumable member such as a web cleaning device can be installed in the kit. In this embodiment, the photosensitive drum 3, replenishment toner T, and blade cleaner 13 are
a. Waste toner storage 13b. Fixing device cleaning means 16
Since the service life for replenishing and replacing items such as the like is set equal to approximately 1000 A4 size copies, it is possible to downsize the device.

In this embodiment, only the side of the web-shaped fixing device cleaning means is shown, but as shown in FIG.
Offset toner on the circumferential surface of the roller 20 may be scraped off. The offset toner removed by the blade 22 is stored in a waste toner collecting section 23 of a photoreceptor cleaning device provided inside the kit 14. That is, the toner scraped from the photoreceptor and the toner scraped from the fixing roller can be stored in the same collection section.

Here, a mechanism for moving the blade 22 toward and away from the fixing roller 20 will be described using FIG. 7.

In the figure, the blade 22 is held by an arm 24. This arm 24 is connected to the collecting section 2
It is rotatably attached to the side wall 23a of No. 3 by a shaft 24a. The arm 24 normally receives a force in the direction of arrow d due to the tensile force of the spring 25, and is stopped at the retracted position where it abuts against the stopper 26. Therefore, when inserting the kit 14 into the main body C,
The kit 14 can be loaded into the main body C without the tip of the blade 22 touching the circumferential surface of the fixing roller 20. When the kit 14 is loaded at a predetermined loading position of the main body C, this is detected by a detection means (not shown) or by pushing a pin (not shown) by the frame of the kit 14. Then, the motor (not shown) is turned ON for a predetermined period of time, and the cam 27 provided on the kit 14 side rotates half a turn (arrow E).
direction), and rotates the arm 24 in the direction of arrow F to bring the blade 22 into pressure contact with the circumferential surface of the roller 20 (7th direction).
condition). When taking out the kit 14 from the main body C, the motor is turned on for a predetermined period of time, the cam 27 rotates half a turn in the direction of arrow g, and the tensile force of the spring 25 moves the arm 24 to the retracted position where it abuts the stopper 26. Stop at. So Kittu 14,
It can be easily taken out from the main body C. Also, by increasing the rotation angle of the blade 22,
The inlet 28 of the waste toner collecting section 23 of the kit 14 that has moved out of the predetermined loading position of the main body may be closed and sealed.

In this embodiment, an example in which the cam is automatically rotated has been described, but it goes without saying that the cam may also be operated manually using a handle or the like.

As described above, in this embodiment, a cleaning means for the fixing unit is provided in a kit that integrates replacement parts including consumables such as a photoreceptor and replenishment toner, so that cleaning can be carried out over a period of time corresponding to the service life of the consumables. means can be provided, the copying machine can be simplified and miniaturized, and maintenance and maintenance can also be facilitated. In particular, by making the service life of each replacement member the same, each member is not required to be excessively large or in large quantities, which contributes to miniaturization of the device.

In this embodiment, the photoconductor, replenishment toner, cleaning means for the photoconductor, waste toner storage, and cleaning means for the fixing device are given as examples of replacement parts, but the present invention is not limited to these, and for example, the fixing device can be replaced. This includes known parts such as silicone oil application means that are expendable or require replacement. Further, in this embodiment, only an example is shown in which the photoconductor, replenishment toner, cleaning means for the photoconductor, waste toner storage, or cleaning means for the fixing device are integrally attached to the kit, but the present invention is not limited to this. Of course, for example, only a part of these parts or a part of these parts and other replacement parts may be integrated into a kit.

As described above, the present invention provides an image forming apparatus in which maintenance and inspection of the apparatus is facilitated or the apparatus is miniaturized by providing replacement members in a kit.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a copying machine to which an embodiment of the present invention is applied, FIG. 2 is a perspective view thereof, FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a kit, FIG. 4a is a sectional view of the kit, and FIG. 4b is a perspective view of the vicinity of the cleaning means, FIG. 5 is a side view showing the contact roller contact/separation mechanism, FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a copying machine to which another embodiment is applied, and FIG. 7 is the blade contact/separation mechanism. FIG. 3 is a side view showing the mechanism. In the figure, 3...photosensitive drum, 8...transfer charger, 5...
Developing device, 13...Cleaning device, 13a...
Blade cleaner, 13b...Waste toner storage, 1
4... kit, 16... fuser cleaning device, 17...
... Web, 20 ... Fixing roller, 22 ... Blade.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. An image bearing member, a cleaning means for cleaning the image bearing member, and a cleaning means for cleaning a fixing means provided in an image forming apparatus, and a fixing means is provided by the cleaning means. A process kit detachably attached to an image forming apparatus, characterized in that the removed material removed from the cleaning means is collected in a toner circuit section of the cleaning means. 2. The process kit according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning means is movable toward and away from the fixing means, and the cleaning means is separated from the fixing means when the process kit is attached to and removed from the image forming apparatus. .