JPH04127173A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To suppress adverse influence of heat from a fixing part to a printing part by providing an insulation part between the printing part and the fixing part. CONSTITUTION:A specified process is carried out by an image forming part, the paper on which a fixing process is carried out by the fixing device 17 is further fed to the printing device 18. When the image process is carried out, since the fixing device 17 is in a state of high temperature, upper space 84 becomes high temperature, and the temperature of a partition wall 80 rises. However, because the partition plate 81 is disposed between the partition wall 80 and the printing device 18, the transmission of heat from the fixing part 17 side to the printing device 18 side is suppressed by the insulation effect of a cell 83. Thus, the adverse effect of heat on the printing part 18 from the fixing part 17 is suppressed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and particularly to an image forming apparatus equipped with a printing section that prints on paper after fixing.

[Conventional technology]

2. Description of the Related Art Image forming apparatuses are conventionally known that include a printing unit for printing, for example, the date of copying, the name of a company, and other notes on paper after image formation.

This printing unit includes an ink ribbon cassette containing an ink ribbon, a thermal head, etc. that presses the ink ribbon onto a sheet of paper to print. Therefore, the printed portion on the paper printed by such a printing unit is vulnerable to heat. For this reason, the printing unit
It is usually placed behind the fixing device, which performs processing at a relatively high temperature, in the paper transport direction. Thereby, printing can be performed on the paper that has been heat-treated by the fixing device.

When printing on paper, an ink ribbon is pressed by a thermal head onto the paper that has been fixed by a fixing device.

As a result, printing is performed at a predetermined position on the paper.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

The above-described printing unit is arranged behind the fixing device in the paper conveyance direction. On the other hand, the fixing device is always in a high temperature state.

Therefore, the influence of heat from the fixing device may cause problems such as deterioration of the ink ribbon of the printing unit or, in extreme cases, melting of the ink ribbon.

An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus that can suppress the adverse effects of heat from a fixing section on a printing section.

[Means to solve the problem]

An image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes an image forming section, a fixing section, a printing section, and a heat insulating section. The fixing section fixes the image formed on the paper by the image forming section. The printing section prints on paper processed by the fixing section.

The heat insulating section is disposed between the printing section and the fixing section, and is a slanted part that suppresses the influence of heat from the fixing section on the printing section.

[Effect]

In the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, the fixing section fixes the image formed on the paper by the image forming section. Next, the printing section prints on the paper processed by the fixing section.

Here, the thermal effect from the fixing section on the printing section is suppressed by the heat insulating section. This prevents the printed portion from deteriorating due to heat from the fixing portion.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 shows a copying machine employing an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, a document table 2 is fixed to the upper surface of a copying machine main body 1, and a document holder 3 is attached to the upper part of the document table 2 so as to be openable and closable. Paper feed cassettes 4, 5.6 are removably installed on the right side of the copying machine main body 1 in the figure. A paper discharge tray 7 from which copied sheets are discharged is mounted on the left side of the copying machine main body 1 in the figure.

Inside the copying machine main body 1, an exposure device 8 for reading a document is provided on the upper side thereof.

This exposure device 8 is composed of a light source, a mirror, and the like. Further, a photosensitive drum 9 on which an electrostatic latent image is formed is arranged in the center of the copying machine main body 1. Photosensitive drum 9
Around the charging device lO1, the developing device 11, and the transfer device 1.
2, a paper separation device 13, and a cleaning device 14 are arranged. A paper feed conveyance path 15 for feeding paper is provided between the paper feed cassettes 4, 5.6 and the image forming section constituted by the photosensitive drum 9 and the like. Further, between the image forming section and the paper ejection tray 7, a paper ejection transport path 16, a fixing device 17, a printing device 18, and a punching device 19 are arranged in order from the image forming section side.

Further, below the fixing device 17, a reversing device 20 for reversing the front and back of the paper is provided.

Next, details of the printing device 18 and punching device 19 will be explained.

In FIG. 2, a discharge roller 25 is disposed at the exit portion of the fixing device 17 on the right side of the figure. This discharge roller 2
A detection switch 27 and a conveyance roller 28 are provided in the paper conveyance path 26 at the rear (left side in the figure) of the paper conveyor 5 . A switching pawl 29 is provided on the paper conveyance path 26 behind the conveyance roller 28.
is provided. The switching claw 29 moves the paper to the discharge roller 2.
The paper can be discharged to the 1 side (double-dashed line state), and the paper is guided to the paper refeeding path 30 side (refeeding state (solid line state)).

A printing device 18 and a punching device 219 are provided on a path along which the paper is guided from the conveyance roller 28 to the discharge roller 21 .

The printing device 18 is used to further print predetermined additional information at a predetermined position on the paper onto which the image has been fixed by the fixing device 17. The printing device 18 mainly includes a casing 35, an ink ribbon cassette 36 detachably held in the casing 35, and a thermal head 38 that can come into contact with the ink ribbon 37 of the ink ribbon cassette 36.

At both ends of the casing 35 in the left-right direction (direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper in FIG. 2), triangular flange portions 39 that protrude downward are provided, respectively. Further, a pin 4o is inserted through the lower part of the flange portion 39, and the flange portion 39 is rotatable around this pin 40.

The ink ribbon cassette 36 includes an ink ribbon 37, a take-up reel 44, and a feed reel 45. Ink ribbon 35 and reel 44,45 are housed within body 43.

Openings 43a and 36a are formed in the center portions of the bottom walls of the body 43 and the casing 35, respectively.

The thermal head 38 can abut on the lower platen roller 46 through the openings 43a and 36a.

The punching mechanism 19 includes a punch 61 supported so as to be movable in the vertical direction within a guide member 60.

The punch 61 is always urged upward by a coil spring 61a mounted within the guide member 60. A cam 62 for driving the punch 61 up and down is arranged above the punch 61. A guide plate 64 for guiding the paper is arranged below the punch 61. The guide plate 64 has a punch 6 in a portion facing the punch 61.
1 is inserted into the die hole 65. A collection bottle 70 is disposed below the die hole 65 for collecting scraps extracted from the paper by the punch 61 and the die hole 65.

A partition wall 80 is provided above the fixing device 17 . The partition wall 80 is an upper cover of the fixing device 17.
is formed to surround. A partition plate 81 as shown in FIG. 3 is provided between the partition wall 80 and the printing device 18 on the side of the partition wall 80. As shown in FIG. The partition plate 81 includes a partition plate main body 82a and a heat insulating sheet 8 attached to the outer surface of the partition plate main body 82a.
2b. The upper part of the partition plate 81 is fixed on the earthen wall part 80a of the partition wall 80, and the lower part of the partition plate 81 is fixed on the bent part 80b of the partition plate 80. A compartment 83 is formed by the partition plate 81 and the side wall portion 80c of the partition wall 80.

As shown in FIG. 4, both ends of the partition plate 81 in the front-rear direction (perpendicular to the plane of the paper in FIG. 3) are attached to inner wall surfaces of the front frame 90 and the rear frame 91, respectively. Further, a fan 92 is provided on the outer surface of the rear frame 91. This fan 92 is mainly used to exhaust air within the compartment 83. The rear frame 91 has an opening 93
is formed, and the fan 92 communicates with the compartment 83 (FIG. 3) side through this opening 93. In addition, the partition wall 8
As shown in FIG. 5, a plurality of holes 94 are formed in the side wall portion 80c of 0. As shown in FIG. These 7L94 allow the space 84 above the fixing device 17 (FIG. 3) to communicate with the partition wall 83. Furthermore, the intervals between the holes 94 are
It is set to be narrower on the side and wider as it approaches the rear frame 91 side.

Next, the effects of the above embodiment will be explained.

The paper that has been subjected to predetermined processing by the image forming section and further subjected to the fixing process by the fixing device 17 is ejected by the ejection roller 25. The ejected paper is further transported by transport rollers 28 and supplied to the printing device 18 .

When image processing is performed, the fixing device 17 is placed in a high temperature state. Therefore, the space 8 above the fixing device 17
4 becomes high temperature, and the temperature of the partition wall 80 rises. However, in this embodiment, a partition plate 81 is arranged between the partition wall 80 and the printing device 18. Therefore, compartment 83
Due to the heat insulation effect, heat from the fixing device 17 side is transferred to the printing device 18.
Transmission to the side is suppressed. Moreover, since the partition plate 81 is provided with the heat insulating sheet 82b, it is possible to obtain the heat insulating effect of a negative layer.

Further, the air in the compartment 83 is discharged by a fan 92 through an opening 93 (FIG. 4), thereby further suppressing heat from the fixing device 17 from being transmitted to the printing device 18 side. In the side wall portion 80c between the compartment 83 and the space 84,
Since a plurality of holes 94 are formed, air in the space 84 is also exhausted during ventilation by the fan 92. At this time, the air near the fan 92 tends to be drawn more strongly, but since the holes 94 on the side wall 80c in this area are formed sparser than in other parts, the space 84 is evenly ventilated. Therefore, the degree of cooling within the space 84 can be made uniform.

〔Effect of the invention〕

The image forming apparatus according to the present invention has the above-described heat insulating section between the printing section and the fixing section. Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to suppress the adverse effect on the character 1 portion due to heat from the fixing section.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical schematic diagram of a copying machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the fixing device and the second printing unit shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the portion shown in FIG. 2. 4 is a schematic view taken in the direction of the arrow ■ in FIG. 2, and FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the line V--■ in FIG. 14. 11...Developing device, 17...Fixing device, 18...
Mark = device, 81...partition plate.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) an image forming section; a fixing section that fixes the image formed on the paper by the image forming section; a printing section that prints on the paper processed by the fixing section; and a combination of the printing section and the fixing section. An image forming apparatus comprising: a heat insulating section disposed between the fixing section and the printing section for suppressing heat influence from the fixing section on the printing section.