JPH03171069A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent deterioration of a heating means, to prevent clogging of a filter, and to improve ozone decomposing efficiency by providing the first filter, the heating means, and the second filter. CONSTITUTION:The first filter 27 to eliminate dust contained in exhaust gas suctioned by a suction means, the heating means 28 to carry out thermal decomposition of ozone in the exhaust gas, and the second filter 29 coated with a medium to adsorb and decompose ozone in the exhaust gas are provided. In this case, air containing ozone from a copying machine suctioned by a suction fan 26 is eliminated of dust, dirt, etc., in the exhaust gas by passing through the first filter 27, thermal decomposition of the ozone in the exhaust is carried out by the heater 28, and the ozone which was not thermally decomposed by the heater 28 is decomposed and eliminated by passing it through the second filter 29. Thus, deterioration of the heating means 28 and clogging of the second filter 29 can be prevented and the ozone in the exhaust gas can be thermally decomposed with efficiency.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a printer, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus that removes ozone generated by corona discharge.

Conventional Technology> Today, with the advancement and development of information processing technology, electrophotographic devices are becoming popular. Various image forming apparatuses such as laser beam printers have been developed and put into practical use. Among these, image forming apparatuses using electrophotography are widely used.

This method involves uniformly charging a drum-shaped photoreceptor, which is an image bearing member, with a corona discharger, and then exposing the photoreceptor to light to form an electrostatic latent image.Toner is then attached to this latent image to make it visible. After forming an image, it is transferred to a transfer material to form an image.

When charging or neutralizing the photoreceptor using the corona discharger, ozone (03). Nitrogen oxides (NO), etc. are generated. If these concentrations are high, ozone may cause deterioration of the surface of the photoreceptor and cause image deterioration, so it is necessary to exhaust the air outside the apparatus. Air containing the above-mentioned high concentration of ozone may have an adverse effect on the human body, so it is desirable to prevent the ozone generated inside the device from being discharged outside the device as much as possible. For this reason, air containing high concentrations of ozone around the corona discharger is sucked in by a fan and filtered through an activated carbon filter. Alternatively, the ozone was blown through an ozone filter made of a metal catalyst type filter, and the air that adsorbed and removed ozone was exhausted outside the device. Or, by guiding the exhaust passage near the fixing device,
The heat from the fixing device thermally decomposed the ozone in the exhaust gas and then exhausted it outside the device. Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, the above-mentioned conventional technology may not be able to completely decompose ozone, and there is a risk that it may not comply with each country's strict standards for ozone concentration in exhaust gas. ．． Furthermore, when an activated carbon filter or a metal catalyst-based filter is used as an ozone filter, dust and dirt in the air may adhere to the filter, resulting in clogging, resulting in a decrease in ozone removal efficiency.

In particular, when replacing a metal catalyst filter, maintenance costs may become high.

Furthermore, when ozone is thermally decomposed using the heat of the fixing device, the exhaust passage may be limited due to the layout.

The present invention is based on the i! ! ! The purpose of this project is to provide an image forming device that solves the problem and improves ozone decomposition efficiency at low cost. Means for Solving the Problems> A typical means for solving the problems of the prior art described above and applied to the embodiments described below is to expose an image carrier charged with a corona discharge Tl device to produce an image. a first filter for removing dust contained in the exhaust gas sucked by the suction means; It has a heating means for thermal decomposition and a second filter coated with a catalyst for adsorbing and decomposing ozone in the exhaust gas.

Effect> According to the above means, by providing the first filter for removing dust contained in the exhaust gas sucked by the suction means, dust and dirt in the exhaust gas are removed and It is possible to prevent deterioration of the heating means provided on the downstream side (hereinafter simply referred to as the "downstream side") and to prevent clogging of the second filter. Further, by using the heating means and the second filter coated with a catalyst, ozone in the exhaust gas can be thermally decomposed efficiently.

Furthermore, since the first filter, the heating means 5, and the second filter can be provided near the exhaust port, it is possible to secure a degree of freedom in terms of layout within the apparatus.

<Embodiment> An embodiment of an image forming apparatus to which the present invention is applied will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an exhaust structure for exhausting air inside the apparatus, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of an image forming apparatus to which the above-mentioned exhaust structure is applied.

First, the general structure of an image forming apparatus to which the present invention is applied will be described with reference to FIG.

l is the original image on plain paper. This is a copying machine that can make double-sided copies on a sheet material S such as a plastic sheet.

The copying machine 1 includes a photosensitive drum 2 which is an image bearing member constituting an image forming means, a primary charger 3 which is a corona discharger surrounding the photosensitive drum 2, a developing device 4 containing toner,
A post charger 5, which is a corona discharger, a transfer charger 6, a separation charger 7, a cleaner 8, and the like are provided.

To explain the operation of the image forming means, reflected light from the original irradiation lamp 9 that has exposed the original D is imaged on the photosensitive drum 2 via the mirror 10 and the lens 11. Then, toner is applied by the developing device 4 to form a visible image. Furthermore, the post charger 5 removes excess toner from the toner image.

On the other hand, Kacent 12. The sheet materials S stacked and stored on the feed rollers 13 are selectively moved to the feed rollers 14 and 13 by a feed signal.
15 and is fed by a pair of conveying rollers 16, 17. 1
Registration roller pair 1 each temporarily stopped by 8
9 and the skew is corrected.

Then, the sheet material S is conveyed to the transfer section by a pair of registration rollers 19 in synchronization with the leading edge of the toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 2. The sheet material S is charged with a polarity opposite to that of the toner by a transfer charger 6, and the sheet material S is charged with a polarity opposite to that of the toner.
The toner image formed on the sheet material S is transferred to the sheet material S.

After that, the sheet material S is electrostatically attracted to the photosensitive drum 2.
The charge is removed by the separation charger 7 and separated from the photosensitive drum 2.

The sheet material S after the image transfer is conveyed to the fixing device 21 by the conveying device 20, and the transferred image is permanently fixed by passing between a pair of rollers that constitute the fixing device 2l. A flapper 22 is provided on the downstream side of the fixing device 21 in the conveyance direction of the sheet material S. In the case of single-sided copy mode, this flapper 22 moves the sheet material S from the discharge port to the rack 2.
3, and in the case of double-sided copying mode, the operation is controlled so as to guide the sheet material S to the re-conveying path 24.

An exhaust port 25 is provided near the image forming means for sucking and exhausting air within the device.

Next, an exhaust structure applied to the copy 4191 constructed as described above will be explained with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 1, 25 is an exhaust port for exhausting the air inside the copying unit to the outside. A suction fan 26 is provided on the upstream side of the exhaust port 25 in the exhaust direction (hereinafter simply referred to as r upstream side J) as a suction means for sucking air inside the device and guiding it to the exhaust port 25.

The suction fan 2 is located downstream of the suction fan 26.
A first filter 27 is provided for removing dust contained in the exhaust gas sucked from the exhaust gas 6.

The first filter 27 is a sheet-shaped filter, and is configured to move continuously from the supply shaft 27a to the take-up shaft 27b.

A heater 2, which is a heating means for thermally decomposing ozone in the exhaust gas, is provided downstream of the first filter 27. This heater 28 has a rectangular frame,
It is constructed by winding nichrome wire or platinum wire continuously bent into an S-shape. When the above-mentioned platinum wire is used, it is effective in increasing the ozone decomposition efficiency because it has a catalytic effect.

Further, on the downstream side of the heater 2, a second filter 2 is coated with a catalyst for adsorbing and decomposing ozone in the exhaust gas.
9 is provided. This second filter 29 is made of, for example, a mesh filter coated with finely powdered platinum having a thickness of about 10 to 20 mm. Incidentally, instead of the second filter 29, it is also possible to use a dry-faced filter coated with platinum or the like.

To explain the operation of the exhaust structure configured as described above, the ozone-containing air in the copy [1] sucked by the suction fan 26 passes through the first filter 27 to remove dust, dust, etc. in the exhaust air. removed.

Thereby, it is possible to prevent the heater 28 provided on the downstream side from deteriorating and to prevent the second filter 29 from clogging.

Further, when the filter surface of the first filter 27 becomes dirty, the winding shaft 27b is driven by a drive means (not shown) to wind up the filter and replace it with a new filter surface.

Furthermore, since the first filter 27 is configured as a roll-up type, it can be replaced less frequently, making maintenance easier.

In the air that has passed through the first filter 27, ozone in the exhaust gas is thermally decomposed by a heater 28 provided on the downstream side.

Ozone that has not been thermally decomposed by the heater 28 passes through a second filter 29 provided on the downstream side thereof, whereby ozone in the exhaust gas is decomposed and removed. By using the heater 28 and the second filter 29 together, the efficiency of removing ozone from the exhaust gas can be significantly increased.

The air from which ozone has been removed as described above is then exhausted to the outside of the apparatus through the exhaust port 25.

Note that the present invention is applicable not only to the copying machine 1 described above, but also to other image forming devices, such as laser beam printers. By providing a first filter for removing dust contained in the exhaust air sucked by the suction means, dust and dirt in the exhaust gas are removed to prevent deterioration of the heating means provided on the downstream side. At the same time, clogging of the second filter can be prevented.

Furthermore, if the first filter is made into a continuous notebook that can be moved from the supply shaft to the take-up shaft, the frequency of replacement can be reduced and maintenance can be facilitated.

Further, by using the heating means and the second filter coated with a catalyst, ozone in the exhaust gas can be thermally decomposed efficiently. In particular, when the second filter is coated with a catalyst such as platinum or lead oxide, the ozone decomposition efficiency can be further promoted.

Furthermore, the first filter. Since the heating means and the second filter can be provided near the exhaust port, a degree of freedom in layout within the apparatus can be ensured.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an exhaust structure for exhausting air within the apparatus, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of an image forming apparatus to which the above-mentioned exhaust structure is applied. D is the original, S is the sheet material, l is the copying machine, 2 is the photosensitive drum, 3 is the primary charger, 4 is the developer, 5 is the post charger, 6
1 is a transfer charger, 7 is a separation charger, 8 is a cleaner, 9 is an original irradiation lamp, 10 is a reflection mirror, 11 is a lens, 1
2. 13 is Kasent, 14. 15 is a feeding roller, 1
6, 17. 18 is a pair of conveying rollers, 19 is a pair of registration rollers, 20 is a conveying device, 2l is a fixing device, 22 is a flanper, 23 is a discharge roller, 24 is a re-conveying path, 25 is an exhaust port, 26 is a suction fan, 27 is a first filter, 2B is a heater, and 29 is a second filter.

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) An image forming means for forming an image by exposing an image bearing member charged by a corona discharger, a suction means for suctioning the air inside the apparatus, and a gas contained in the exhaust air sucked by the suction means. an image comprising: a first filter for removing dust generated in the exhaust; a heating means for thermally decomposing ozone in the exhaust; and a second filter coated with a catalyst for adsorbing and decomposing the ozone in the exhaust. Forming device. (2) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first filter is a continuous sheet that is movable from the supply shaft to the take-up shaft. (3) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the catalyst applied to the second filter is platinum or lead oxide.