JPH04296891A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide an image forming device with which the individual need of the installation space for the first and second image forming means is obviated, and the first and second image forming means can be selectively utilized, and paper sheets can be supplied by one paper feeding means for the first and second image forming means. CONSTITUTION:The first and second image forming means 22 and 23 having different image formation methods are arranged in the same device body 1, and the first and second image forming means 20 and 23 are selectively operated by the operation of a selection key, and paper sheets are supplied selectively to the first and second image forming means 20 and 23 by the turn of a selection gate.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus equipped with a plurality of types of image forming means.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art Image forming apparatuses include electronic copying machines (electronic copying machines) that scan light with an exposure means on a document set on a document table and image the light reflected from the document on a photosensitive drum to form a document image. or a laser printer (second image forming means) that oscillates laser light based on external information and irradiates the photosensitive drum with the laser light to form an image. and so on.

0003

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the past, an electronic copying machine and a laser printer were used independently, so the space for installing the electronic copying machine and laser printer was limited. It will be widely needed.

[0004] Image forming apparatuses include digital copying machines that read and output digitally; however, these digital copying machines have poor image quality as copies, are expensive, and require new development. There are disadvantages in that the development cost is high and the development period is also long.

[0005] Therefore, the present invention eliminates the need for separate installation spaces for the first and second image forming means.
To provide an image forming device in which first and second image forming means can be selectively used in one device, and paper feeding means for the first and second image forming means can be shared. With the goal.

[0006]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention includes an apparatus main body and a device provided within the apparatus main body that scans light onto an original and directs the reflected light from the original onto a first image carrier. a first image forming means for forming an image by forming an image; a second image forming means that scans the body to form an image; and a supply means that can selectively supply a recording medium to the first and second image forming means, and , an apparatus main body, and a first image forming means provided on the upper side of the apparatus main body that scans a document with light and forms an image by focusing reflected light from the document on a first image carrier. is provided in the apparatus main body at a lower side of the first image forming means, and oscillates a laser beam based on information received from the outside, and transmits the laser beam to the second image carrier. a second image forming means that scans to form an image; a supply means provided below the second image forming means for supplying a recording medium; and a conveying means connected to the image forming means and selectively conveying the recording medium supplied from the supply means to the first and second image forming means.

[0007]

[Operation] With the above means, two devices can be used with one device.
This makes it possible to form images using different types of image forming methods, and to supply recording media to the first and second image forming means using one supply means.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawings. Figure 1 shows an image forming apparatus.
is the main body of the device. There is a first
An image forming means 20 is provided, and a second image forming means 23 is provided below the first image forming means 20.

The first image forming means 20 includes an exposure system 41
have. The exposure system 41 includes first and second carriages 25 and 26 that reciprocate along a document glass 50 provided on the upper surface of the apparatus main body 1.

The first carriage 25 is provided with an exposure lamp 42 and a first reflection mirror 43, and the second carriage 26 is provided with second and third reflection mirrors 44, 4.
5 are arranged. A lens 46 and fourth to sixth reflective mirrors 47, 48, and 49 are disposed in the optical path reflected from the third reflective mirror 45.

Further, a photosensitive drum 2 as a first image bearing member is provided on the lower side of the exposure system 41 so as to be rotatable in the direction of the arrow. A charging charger 3, an exposure section 4, a developing device 5, transfer and peeling chargers 6 and 7, a cleaning device 8, and a static eliminator 9 are arranged in this order.

In the figure, reference numeral 10 denotes a conveyance path, and this conveyance path 10 includes a registration roller 12, the transfer/separation chargers 6 and 7, a conveyance belt 11, and a fixing device 13 in order along the paper conveyance direction. and a discharge roller 14 are provided. A manual feed tray 40 is provided on one side of the apparatus main body 1, and a paper discharge tray 24 is provided on the other side.

The second image forming means 23 also includes a photosensitive drum 1 as a second image carrier in its unit 22.
6 is rotatably provided, and a charging charger 17, an exposure section 18, a developing device 19, a transfer charger 27, and a cleaner are arranged around the photosensitive drum 16 in order along the direction of rotation.
A cleaning device 29 is provided. Further, on the lower side of the unit 22, there is a laser scanning means 51 for scanning the photosensitive drum 16 with a laser beam oscillated based on an external signal.
is provided.

Furthermore, a conveyance path 31 is provided at the upper side of the unit 22, and along this conveyance path 31, the developer 19, the photosensitive drum 16, the transfer charger 27, the fixing device 32, and the discharge roller are connected. -ra 33 is provided. Further, a paper ejection tray 34 is provided on the ejection side of the ejection roller 33. On the other hand, in the lower part of the copying machine main body 1, there are a plurality of paper feeding cassettes 35 to 35 serving as paper feeding means in the vertical direction.
38 are arranged. In addition, the paper feed cassette 35~
A pick-up roller 65, a paper feed roller 67, and a separation pad 66 are provided at the mounting portions 38, respectively. A conveying path 39 extending in the vertical direction is provided on the paper feeding side of the paper feeding cassettes 35 to 38.

This conveyance path 39 is connected to each of the paper feed cassettes 35 mentioned above.
It is composed of a plurality of guides 53 arranged corresponding to the guides 53 and feed roller pairs 54 to 57 respectively provided at the upper ends of the guides 53.

The uppermost feed roller pair 57 is connected to the registration roller pair 12 via a guide 58, a roller pair 59, and a guide 60, and is connected to the registration roller pair 12 via a guide 61. It is connected to a pair of registration rollers 63 of the image forming means 23 of No. 2.

Further, on the discharge side of the uppermost pair of feed rollers 57, a gate 64 is rotated for guiding the sheet discharged from the uppermost pair of feed rollers 54 to the guide 58 or guide 61 side. It is set up so that it can move freely.

Further, an operating section 70 is provided at the front of the upper surface of the apparatus main body 1, and a copy key 71 is provided on this operating section 70.
, and first and second switching keys 72 and 73 as selection means for selectively operating the first and second image forming means 20 and 23 are provided.

When the first switching key 72 is turned on, the gate 64 of the vertical conveyance path 39 is rotated to the state shown by the solid line, and the guide 58 communicating with the first image forming means is rotated. is opened and the second switching key 73 is turned on, the gate 64 is rotated to the state shown by the broken line so that the guide 61 communicating with the second image forming means is opened. It has become. Further, the operation section 70 is provided with various operation keys (not shown) such as a copy number setting key, a paper size selection key, and a magnification setting key.

[0020] When forming an image by the first image forming means 20, first, the first switching key is pressed.
72 to switch to the mode for the first image forming means, and then turn on the copy button.

[0021] As a result, the exposure lamp 42 is turned on, and
The first and second carriages 25 and 26 are moved along the document table 50. By this movement, light is irradiated onto the original on the original platen 50, and reflected light from the original is sent to the lens 46 via the first and second reflection mirrors 43, 44, 45.
After passing through this lens 46, the fourth to sixth mirrors 4
The image is formed on the photosensitive drum 2 via 7 to 49. The surface of the photosensitive drum 2 is charged by a charging charger 3, and an electrostatic latent image of the original is formed by the image formation. This electrostatic latent image is sent to a developing device 5 by the rotation of the photosensitive drum 2, and toner as a developer is supplied from the developing device 5.

On the other hand, at this time, the paper feed cassettes 35 to
38, the sheets are taken out one by one by the rotation of the pickup roller 65. The taken out paper is separated one by one by a separation roller 66 as the paper feed roller 67 rotates and sent out.
3 and a pair of delivery rollers 54 (-57). As the gate 64 rotates in the direction shown in FIG. The image is transferred to an image transfer section between the transfer charger 6 and the transfer charger 6, where the image is transferred. The paper to which this image has been transferred is peeled off from the photosensitive drum 2 by the action of the peeling charger 7. Then, the peeled paper is sent to the fixing device 13 via the conveyor belt 11, and after the image is fixed by the fixing device 13, the paper is ejected onto the paper ejection tray 24 via the ejection roller 14. Ru. The paper is discharged onto the paper discharge tray 24 with its image forming side facing upward.

Next, the case where an image is formed by the second image forming means 23 will be explained. In this case, turn on the switching key 73 to switch to the mode for the second image forming means.
mode and turn on the copy button 71.

As a result, the photosensitive drum 16 is scanned with a laser beam by the laser scanning means 23 based on an external signal. The surface of the photosensitive drum 16 is charged by a charging charger 17, and an electrostatic latent image of the document is formed by the image formation. This electrostatic latent image is sent to a developing device 19 by the rotation of the photosensitive drum 16, and toner as a developer is supplied from the developing device 19.

On the other hand, at this time, the paper feed cassettes 35 to
38, the sheets are taken out one by one by the rotation of the pickup roller 65. The taken out paper is separated one by one by a separation roller 66 as the paper feed roller 67 rotates and sent out.
3 and a pair of delivery rollers 54 (-57). At this time, the gate 64 is rotated in the direction shown in FIG.
After being aligned there, it is sent to an image transfer section between the photosensitive drum 16 and the transfer charger 27, where the image is transferred. The paper to which this image has been transferred is stored in the fixing unit 3.
2, and after the image is fixed in this fixing device 32,
The paper is discharged onto a paper discharge tray 34 via a discharge roller 33. The paper is discharged onto this paper discharge tray 34 with its image forming surface facing downward.

As described above, since the first and second image forming means 20 and 23, which use different image forming methods, are disposed within the same apparatus main body 1, the installation space can be significantly reduced.

[0027] Furthermore, the first and second image forming means 20
, 23, paper can be selectively fed by the switching operation of the gate 64, so paper feeding means can be shared and costs can be reduced. Furthermore, even if the first or second image forming means 20, 23 breaks down, the other image forming means can be used, which is convenient.

[0028] In addition, the image quality of copies is superior to that of digital copying machines, the cost is low, and existing copying machines and printers can be used, which has a large mass production effect, so development costs and development periods are short. At the same time, it is also highly reliable.

[0029]

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention,
Since the first and second image forming means using different image forming methods are arranged in the same apparatus main body, the installation space can be significantly reduced. Further, the recording medium supplying means for the first and second image forming means can be shared, and costs can be reduced. Furthermore, even if the first or second image forming means fails, the other image forming means can be used, which is convenient.

[0030] In addition, the image quality of copies is superior to that of digital copying machines, the cost is low, and existing copying machines and printers can be used, which is highly effective for mass production, so development costs and development periods are short. At the same time, reliability is also high.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an internal configuration diagram showing an image forming apparatus that is an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an external perspective view showing the image forming apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of paper during image formation by the first image forming means of the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of paper during image formation by a second image forming means of the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a state in which a sheet of paper on which an image has been formed by the first image forming unit of the image forming apparatus of FIG. 1 is discharged;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a state in which a sheet of paper on which an image has been formed by a second image forming unit of the image forming apparatus of FIG. 1 is discharged;

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Apparatus main body, 2... First photosensitive drum (first image carrier), 16... Second photosensitive drum (second image carrier), 20
...first image forming means, 23...second image forming means, 35
~38...Paper feed cassette (supply means), 64...Gate (supply means), 72, 73...Switching keys (selection means).

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An apparatus main body, and a first image forming means provided within the apparatus main body that scans a document with light and forms an image by focusing reflected light from the document on a first image carrier. and,
a second image forming means provided in the apparatus main body, which oscillates a laser beam based on information received from the outside and scans the laser beam onto a second image carrier to form an image; , the first
and a supply means capable of selectively supplying a recording medium to the second image forming means. 2. An apparatus main body; a first apparatus provided on the upper side of the apparatus main body that scans a document with light and forms an image by focusing reflected light from the document on a first image carrier; an image forming means, which is provided in the apparatus main body at a lower side of the first image forming means, and oscillates a laser beam based on information received from the outside; a second image forming means for scanning and forming an image on the image carrier; a supply means provided below the second image forming means for supplying a recording medium; A conveying means connected to a second image forming means and selectively conveying the recording medium supplied from the supply means to the first and second image forming means. image forming device.