JPH04153663A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To abolish the shutter of a cartridge, and to attain the miniaturization of a cartridge, the simplification of a mechanism and reduction in cost by tentatively, placing a process cartridge on an image forming device main body. CONSTITUTION:In this image forming device, the process cartridge integrally supporting a photosensitive body and a process means acting on the photosensitive body is freely attached/detached, the light-shielding and protecting of the photosensitive body 2 inside the cartridge 1 when it is removed are carried out with a copying machine and a part of the armor 6 of the image forming device main body of a printer, and the shutter can not be attached on the side of the cartridge 1. Thus, the shutter of the side of the cartridge and a shutter mechanism are abolished, and the miniaturization of the cartridge and the reduction in cost are attained.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an LJ image forming apparatus in which a process cartridge is freely removable.

Conventionally, image formation using process cartridges such as copying machines and printers 11t! l or many are used. The process cartridges used in these devices include types that integrate the photosensitive drum, charging means, cleaning means, and developing means, and types that integrate the photosensitive drum, charging means, and cleaning means, and have separate developing means. 2
Broadly divided into types.

Among these, the former type is easy to handle.

In other words, the user friend occupies a large senior position in the printer field.

However, when a paper jam occurs, it is necessary to remove one sheet of paper and take the cartridge out. At this time, in the lower part of the cartridge, the photosensitive drum would be exposed in a normal configuration, so a shutter is used to protect the surface and block external light. When the cartridge is outside, this shutter closes to protect the photosensitive drum and is pressed against the main body. (Patent Publication No. 1-45635, etc.) , If a shutter is included as in the conventional example above, the cartridge can be made smaller.

This becomes an obstacle to cost reduction. That is, since the shutter must cover the lower part of the photosensitive drum, it takes up a large surface area and must also have an opening/closing mechanism.For these reasons, the cartridge mechanism must be complicated and it must take up a large space. It has the disadvantage that it does not.

Furthermore, the cartridge is removed only when a single paper jam occurs, and recently paper jams have become extremely common, so such a shutter mechanism is wasteful.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned drawbacks of the conventional art. This is done by a part of the exterior of the main body of the image forming apparatus, and no shutter is attached to the cartridge.

[Embodiment] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a process cartridge l that can be freely attached to and detached from a laser beam printer to which the present invention can be applied. 1
2 out of 21 are photosensitive drums.

3 is a developing section and part of a hopper, 4 is a developing soap, and 5 is a developing section and a part of a hopper.
is part of the cleaner. Photosensitive tram 2 and developing sleeve 4
is the cartridge L, which is inside and cannot be seen from the outside.
The exterior 6 is made of resin molded product. Thus, the process cartridge views at least the photoreceptor and the process means acting on the photoreceptor.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the main body of a laser beam printer using the process cartridge shown in Figure 1.
1 is a paper cassette, 12 is a paper output tray, 13 is a display unit, 1
4 is a lid for taking out the process cartridge.

FIG. 3 shows the printer lid 14 opened to take out the cartridge of the laser beam printer shown in FIG. 2, and the back side 16 of the lid is a space for the removed cartridge. The wealth part of this lid is.

Urethane foam is pasted on the entire surface! ! Even if you wear the light body drum directly! ! This prevents the surface of the optical drum from being scratched.

Also, the portion 15 corresponding to the end of the photoreceptor drum has a thicker urethane foam! ! The ji image forming surface of the optical drum is configured not to directly contact the urethane foam for a long period of time. The reason for this is that even though the urethane foam has elasticity, it is unwise for the urethane foam to come into direct contact with the image forming surface of the photosensitive drum. Furthermore, the thickness of the front and rear ends of the urethane foam is also increased in order to shield the gap between the cartridge and the lower part of the cartridge from light when the cartridge is placed. The exterior cover 6 of the cartridge is! ! It is larger than the photosensitive drum and is configured so that the photosensitive drum does not come into contact with other glue.

This shows what it looks like when worn on top.

After taking the cartridge out of the main body of the image forming apparatus and removing the jammed paper as shown above, the cartridge is put back into the main body.

Although urethane foam was used as the material to be attached to the lid, the center part may be made of urethane foam with high 911 properties and the surrounding area may be made of relatively hard urethane foam. ! As an alternative to the urethane foam of IFM, soft rubber such as Shisokon rubber or neofrene rubber may be used.As a material for the part that comes into direct contact with the drum, instead of urethane foam, artificial leather (trade name: Kusane) or foamed polyethylene may be used. It may be made of a material that does not show lint.

With this configuration, the cartridge-biased shutter and shutter a-side can be eliminated.

It has become possible to reduce the size and cost of cartridges. Especially these days, the probability of a single paper jam occurring is extremely small, and a cartridge-like structure is particularly effective.

[Other Embodiments] FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of the space for placing the cartridge when the cartridge is taken out. In this example, the drum shaft at the end of the cartridge is supported by the support shaft 22 behind the lid 14, and there is no member that comes into direct contact with the photosensitive drum. A thin plate 19 of urethane foam is attached to the back of the lid.

In addition, it is made of urethane foam to match the shape of the bottom of the cartridge L to block light! ! 20 and 21 are provided at the front and rear.

Of the two prongs, the back side of the support shaft 22 is higher so that it can be easily hung on the drum shaft of the cartridge. This material can be a resin mold or hard rubber.

As another embodiment, a member 23 (corresponding to 22 in R5 diagram) supporting the shaft of the drum may be configured as shown in FIG. It is possible to block light at the same time.

Further, the part supporting the cartridge may be the drum shaft in the above two examples, or it may be supported by, for example, the outer casing 6 of the cartridge.Of course, in this case, the shape of the holding member needs to match the shape of the outer casing of the cartridge.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, by allowing the process cartridge to be temporarily placed in the main body of an image forming apparatus, it is possible to eliminate the shutter of the cartridge, which results in miniaturization of the cartridge, simplification of the mechanism, and In addition to reducing costs, it has also eliminated the rotation space for the shutter on the main body side. Eliminating such a shutter has advantages for both the main body and the cartridge.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cartridge according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a perspective view of a laser beam printer according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 is an open lid of a laser beam printer according to an embodiment of the present invention. However, Jlip. 4th [A shows where the cartridge is placed in the main body]
! Two figures. FIGS. 5 and 6 are perspective views of main parts of other embodiments of the present invention. 1--Process cartridge 6...Professional skirt sock outer device 4...Lid on the main body side Canon Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) In an image forming apparatus having a removable process cartridge that integrally supports at least a photoreceptor and a process means acting on the photoreceptor, when the process cartridge is removed from the image forming apparatus, the process cartridge 1. An image forming apparatus, wherein the image forming apparatus can be placed on the image forming apparatus, and the exterior of the image forming apparatus shields and protects an exposed portion of a photoreceptor of a process cartridge.