JPH04323669A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the contamination of an optical system by developer scattering from the vicinity of a developing means and a recording medium and to prevent the missing and the blurring of an image caused by the contamination of the optical system by providing a shutter which interlocks with attaching/ detaching the developing means. CONSTITUTION:The shutter 21 is actuated by interlocking with the attaching/ detaching actions of a color process cartridge 2. By pulling the cartridge 2 in a detaching direction A, the shutter 21 pressed by the cartridge 2 is released. The released shutter 21 is pulled in a direction B by a spring 25 in a state where a pivotally supporting shaft 24 is set as a center shaft. On the contrary, the shutter plate 21a of the shutter 21 is moved in a direction C reversely to the upper part of the shutter. Thus, a reflection mirror 12 is protected by a lower shutter plate 21, and the contamination of the reflection mirror 12 caused by the scattering of toner at the upper part, especially, near a photosensitive drum 1 is prevented, and time and labor of cleaning the reflection mirror 12 are saved.

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 for forming an image on a recording medium such as a photoreceptor, and more particularly to a technique for handling developer spilled inside the apparatus.

0002

[Prior Art] Conventional image forming apparatuses of this type include:
For example, there is one shown in FIG. That is, the optical system 101 is placed on the photosensitive drum 100 as a recording medium.
image exposure is performed to form an electrostatic latent image, and this latent image is visualized by a toner cartridge 102 serving as a developing means.

The image formed by the developed developer is transferred onto a transfer material 104 via a transfer drum 103, and is fixed in a fixing device 105 to the fixed transfer material 10.
4 is discharged to the outside.

[0004] Nowadays, as devices become smaller and smaller, optical systems 101
It is considered effective to place the photosensitive drum 100 below the photoreceptor drum 100, and consideration is being given to adopting such a configuration in which the photoreceptor is placed below the photoreceptor drum 100.

[0005]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the case of the above-mentioned prior art, when the optical system 101 is located below the photosensitive drum 100 in order to downsize the device, it is difficult to attach and detach the toner cartridge 102. At this time, toner may scatter from the opening of the toner cartridge 102, which is the contact portion between the toner cartridge 102 and the photoreceptor drum 100, and may stain the reflective mirror 106 of the optical system 101.

[0006] The reflecting mirror 106 has to be installed at a lower position due to the arrangement with other components.
Further, if dirt on the reflection mirror 106 is left untreated, problems such as missing images will occur.

[0007]Furthermore, conventionally, the inside of the image forming apparatus is contaminated due to scattered toner, and in particular, the adhesion of scattered toner to the transfer material conveyance mechanism and the optical members of the image exposure device has been known to cause stains on the transfer material and formation of latent images. Various techniques have been devised and implemented to prevent this from occurring.

Typical examples include a method of sucking the scattered toner with a blower fan and collecting the dust with a filter, etc., and applying a bias with the same polarity as the electric charge of the toner to a member that does not like toner adhesion. This includes methods to prevent toner from adhering.

However, it has been difficult to completely remove the scattered toner adhering to the inside of the device. In particular, it has not been possible to remove toner scattering that occurs when the operation is stopped, such as toner spillage caused by shocks such as when a cartridge containing a developing means is attached or detached, etc., in the conventional example described above.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems of the prior art, and its overall purpose is to prevent problems caused by developer spilling inside the device.

[0011]More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to prevent the developer from spilling into the optical system when the developing means is attached and detached, thereby eliminating problems during image exposure.

Furthermore, it is an object of the present invention to prevent the above-mentioned problems by removing the developer scattered when the developing means is attached and detached.

[0013]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, in the present invention, a latent image is formed on a recording medium by image exposure using an optical system, and the latent image is developed by a developing means. In an image forming apparatus that visualizes a drug image,
The present invention is characterized in that the developing means can be taken in and taken out, and a shutter is provided that opens and closes the optical path of the optical system in conjunction with the taking out and taking out of the developing means.

This is effective when the optical system is located below the recording medium and the developing means.

[0015] Preferably, the shutter is removable.

[0016] Further, in the image forming apparatus which forms a latent image on a recording medium and visualizes the latent image as a developer image by means of a developing means, the developing means is made removable and removable, and the developing means is moved in and out. The present invention is characterized in that a cleaning means is provided for cleaning the scattered developer.

Preferably, the cleaning means is an elastic blade carried so as to come into contact with the portion to which the scattered developer has adhered.

[0018] It is effective that the cleaning means is an airflow generating means carried so as to generate an airflow on the portion to which the scattered developer has adhered.

[0019]

[Operation] According to the first aspect of the invention, the shutter opens and closes in conjunction with the attachment and detachment of the developing means, thereby making it possible to prevent the optical system from being contaminated by toner scattered.

Further, in another aspect of the invention, the cleaning means operates in conjunction with the attachment and detachment of the developing means, and removes the scattered developer attached to the inside of the apparatus.

[0021]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be explained below based on the illustrated embodiments.

In FIGS. 1 and 2 showing a multicolor printer as an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention, 1
1 is a photosensitive drum as a recording medium, and around this photosensitive drum 1 are a color process cartridge 2 equipped with a developing means, a transfer drum 3, and a waste toner case integrally assembled with the process cartridge 2. 4 are placed respectively.

The photosensitive drum 1 is placed in the center of the printer housing 5, and the transfer drum 3 is placed above the photosensitive drum 1.
is located. On the other hand, a waste toner case 4 and a color process cartridge 2 are provided on the left and right sides of the photosensitive drum 1, respectively. The color process cartridge 2 is located on the left side of the photosensitive drum 1 in the figure, and can be freely inserted into and taken out from the device housing 5 of the image forming apparatus from the left side in the figure.

[0024] Also, this color process cartridge 2
A paper feeding cassette 6 is installed above the paper feeding cassette 6, and further above the paper feeding cassette 6, a paper discharge tray 8 for discharging the transfer paper 7 after fixing is provided. A U-shaped transfer paper conveyance path from the paper feed cassette 6 side to the paper discharge tray 8 is provided inside the apparatus via the transfer drum 3, and the transfer paper is transported between the transfer drum 3 and the paper discharge tray 8. A fixing device 9 is provided in the middle of the path.

On the other hand, inside the apparatus, the photosensitive drum 1 is
An optical system 10 for performing image exposure on the photosensitive drum 1 is provided below the color process cartridge 2 .

The optical system 10 is composed of a laser driver 11 and a reflecting mirror 12 for exposing the photosensitive drum 1 with laser light from the laser driver 11. The laser driver 11 includes a laser oscillator 13 as a light emitting means, a deflection means 14, and an optical lens 15, and emits a laser beam in the horizontal direction in the figure.
This laser beam L is bent upward by the reflecting mirror 12 and exposed onto the photosensitive drum 1 through an opening between the color process cartridge 2 and the waste toner case 4. On the other hand, a primary charger 1 is located upstream of the exposure position of the laser beam L in the rotational direction of the photoreceptor drum 1.
6 is provided, and this primary charger 16 is connected to the waste toner case 4.
installed inside.

[0027] Furthermore, the color process cartridge 2 includes:
First, second, third, and fourth toner cartridges 17, 18, 19, and 20 containing yellow, magenta, cyan, and black toners as developers are housed.

A shutter 21 is provided which opens and closes the optical path of the optical system 10 in conjunction with the loading and unloading of the color process cartridge 2.

The shutter 21 is composed of a shutter plate 21a that is horizontally movable along a guide surface 22, and a link 23 that operatively connects the shutter plate 21a and the color process cartridge 2. this link 2
3 is rotatably supported at its center via a pivot shaft 24, and its one end is pivotally connected to one end of a shutter 21, and the shutter 21 blocks and reflects the optical path of the laser beam by the spring force of a spring 25. It is biased in the direction of protruding to cover the mirror 12, that is, in the clockwise direction in the figure.

Then, the driving end of the link 23 is pushed by the tip of the color process cartridge 2, and the link 23
By rotating the shutter plate 21 counterclockwise against the spring force of the spring 25, the shutter plate 21 is retracted from the optical path of the laser beam.

Note that 26 is a color process cartridge 2.
It is the leg that supports the.

Next, the operation of the image forming apparatus having the above configuration will be explained.

When a printer output command is received from outside the printer, the transfer paper 7 is fed from the paper feed cassette 6 and wound around the transfer drum 3. In response to the image output signal, a laser driver 11 generates a laser beam, and a latent image is formed on the photoreceptor drum 1 by a reflecting mirror 12 .

For this latent image, yellow, magenta,
Cyan and black toner cartridges 17, 18, 19,
20 is activated and an image is formed on the photosensitive drum 1. This image is transferred to the transfer drum 3 each time each color is developed. When all the images are aligned on the transfer drum 3, the transfer paper 7 is separated from the transfer drum 3, and is fixed by the fixing device 9, thereby completing the printing operation.

As explained in the conventional example, toner scattering occurs most often inside the printer when the color process cartridge 2 is replaced. This is because the color process cartridge 2 itself has a shutter 21 attached to it.
Since this shutter 21 is open when approaching the photosensitive drum 1, unfixed toner existing nearby is scattered.

Furthermore, there is a possibility that the slight amount of toner remaining on the photosensitive drum 1 after cleaning may be scattered due to vibrations when the color process cartridge 2 is attached or detached. Therefore, in this embodiment, the shutter 21 is operated in conjunction with the attachment/detachment operation of the color process cartridge 2.

FIG. 2 shows a state in which the color process cartridge 4 is removed. When the color process cartridge 2 is pulled in the removal direction A, the shutter 21 pressed by the color process cartridge 2 is released.

The released shutter 21 is pulled in the direction B by the spring 25 with the pivot shaft 24 of the shutter 21 as the central axis. Conversely, the shutter plate 21a of the shutter 21 moves in the direction C opposite to the upper part of the shutter. Thereby, the reflecting mirror 12 is protected by the lower shutter plate 21 of the shutter 1, and it is possible to prevent the reflecting mirror 12 from becoming dirty due to scattering of toner in the upper part, especially near the photosensitive drum 1.
The effort of cleaning the reflecting mirror 12 is also saved. A second embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

FIG. 3 is a diagram that best represents the second embodiment. In the figure, 31 is a lever plate that operates the shutter plate, 32 is the shutter plate main body, 33 is a roller that supports the shutter plate 32, 34 is a puller that pulls the lever plate 31, and 35 is a connecting rod that is connected to a spring (not shown). . 36 is a fulcrum of the lever plate 31.

Inside the printer, when the color process cartridge 2 is removed as shown in FIG. 2, the shutter device shown in FIG. 3 can be seen from the top of the printer.

[0041] This shutter device has a shutter plate main body 32.
It can be removed from the lever plate 31 by sliding it in the direction of arrow D in the figure. The detached shutter plate main body 32 can be set again by sliding in the opposite direction to the D direction.

A unique effect of this embodiment is that by incorporating such a mechanism, the scattered toner accumulated on the shutter can be easily discharged to the outside.

Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be explained based on FIG. 4.

This third embodiment also has basically the same configuration as the first embodiment, but the color process cartridge 40
, a black toner cartridge 41 is used as a toner cartridge 42 for developing yellow, magenta, and cyan colors,
The difference is that 43 and 44 are constructed separately.

In this embodiment, instead of opening and closing the shutter in conjunction with the color process cartridge 40, a blade 45 serving as a cleaning means is operated. This blade 45 is for cleaning a transparent window 47 for emitting laser light L provided on the top surface of an optical box 46 in which the optical system 10 is installed, and is operatively connected to the black toner cartridge 41 via a blade operating rod 48. There is. The blade 45 is pivoted on the printer housing 5 at a rotation fulcrum 49 so as to slide over the entire transparent window 47 of the optical system 10 while operating from the chain line position to the solid line position in FIG. There is.

The black toner cartridge 41 is attached to the device housing 5.
When inserted, the blade operating rod 48 pushes the blade 45 and rotates about the fulcrum P from the position shown by the chain line to the position shown by the solid line. Then, the tip of the blade 45 slides on the surface of the transparent window 47, and the scattered toner adhering to the surface of the transparent window 47 can be removed.

Further, the blade 45 is provided with a slit on the optical path of the laser beam L emitted from the optical system 10.

Regarding other configurations and functions, please refer to Part 1.
Since it is similar to the embodiment, the same components are given the same reference numerals and the explanation thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 5 shows an example in which a blade according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention is carried by a cartridge. The color process cartridge 40 is attached to and removed from the transparent window 47 of the optical system 10 by sliding it horizontally, and the tip of the blade 45' is attached to the color process cartridge 4.
0 comes into contact with the transparent window 47 of the optical system 10 when the cartridge 40 is inserted, and when the cartridge 40 is installed, the transparent window 4 contacts the transparent window 47 when viewed from the insertion direction.
The color process cartridge 40 is held so as to stop at the far end of the color process cartridge 7 or at a position passing through the transparent window 47.

Therefore, the color process cartridge 40
When the blade 45 is attached to and detached from the device housing 5, the tip of the blade 45 moves in the horizontal direction while contacting the surface of the transparent window 47, so that scattered toner adhering to the surface of the transparent window 47 can be removed.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show an example in which a cleaning member according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention is used as a funnel-shaped airflow generating means and is supported on the printer housing 10.

The airflow generating means 50 shaped like a figurine is supported by the device housing 5 at its airflow outlet, and this airflow outlet is adapted to generate an airflow toward the transparent window 47 of the optical system 10. ing.

The black toner cartridge 41 is attached to the device housing 5.
When the cartridge 41 is inserted into the airflow generating means 50
Press the bellows part to generate airflow from the airflow outlet. Since the airflow outlet faces the direction of the transparent window 47, the scattered toner adhering to the surface of the transparent window 47 can be blown away by this airflow and removed.

FIG. 8 shows a sixth embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 6, the support portion of the airflow generating means 50' in the shape of a funnel is replaced with the airflow outlet portion. This is an example.

The black toner cartridge 41 is attached to the device housing 5.
When the airflow generating means 50' is inserted into
1 to generate airflow. Since the airflow outlet moves in conjunction with the movement of the black toner cartridge 41 and generates airflow, it is possible to clean a wider area than in the embodiment shown in FIG.

FIG. 9 shows a seventh embodiment of the present invention, in which the cartridge 40 is inserted in the axial direction of the photosensitive drum 1. The blade 52 is carried by the color process cartridge 40, and when the color process cartridge 40 is attached or detached, the blade 52 is attached to the transparent window 4 of the optical system 10.
When the color process cartridge 40 is attached to the device housing 5 by sliding on the surface of the transparent window 7, the blade 52 is stopped at a position passing through the inner end or the same end of the transparent window 47 when viewed from the insertion direction. It has become.

Therefore, when attaching and detaching the color process cartridge 40 to and from the apparatus housing 5, the blade 52 closes the transparent window 47.
Since the toner slides on the surface of the transparent window 47, scattered toner adhering to the surface of the transparent window 47 can be removed.

The difference between the embodiment shown in this figure and the embodiment shown in FIG. 5 is that in the embodiment shown in FIG. In contrast to the short side direction, in this embodiment, the image exposure is performed in the main scanning direction of the image exposure, that is, in the long side direction of the transparent window 47.

It goes without saying that the present invention can be applied not only to four-color image forming apparatuses, but also to single-color image forming apparatuses or multi-color image forming apparatuses other than four colors, as long as the present invention uses cartridges.

[0060]

Effects of the Invention The present invention has the above-described structure and operation, and by providing a shutter that operates in conjunction with the loading and unloading of the developing means, it is possible to prevent the optical system from being contaminated by the developer scattered from the vicinity of the recording medium of the developing means. This eliminates image blanking and blur caused by dirt in the optical system.

Further, by providing a cleaning means that is linked to the attachment/detachment operation of the developing means, it is possible to easily remove adhesion of scattered developer that occurs when the developing means is attached/detached or when the operation of the image forming apparatus is stopped. Further, there is no need to provide a special drive source for operating the cleaning means. In particular, it is possible to intensively clean areas where adhesion of scattered developer is disliked.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram for explaining the operation of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a shutter of an image forming apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of a seventh embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a schematic configuration diagram of a conventional image forming apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Photosensitive drum (recording medium) 2 Process cartridge (developing means) 3 Transfer drum 5 Device housing 7 Transfer paper 10 Optical system 21 Shutter 45 Blade 46 Optical box 47 Transparent window 50 Air flow generating means 52 Blade

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. An image forming apparatus that performs image exposure using an optical system to form a latent image on a recording medium, and visualizes the latent image as a developer image by a developing means, the developing means being removable and removable. 2. An image forming apparatus comprising a shutter that opens and closes an optical path of the optical system in conjunction with the loading and unloading of the developing means. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the optical system is located below the recording medium and the developing means. [Claim 3] Claim 1, wherein the shutter is removable.
Or the image forming apparatus according to 2. 4. An image forming apparatus that forms a latent image on a recording medium and visualizes the latent image as a developer image using a developing means, wherein the developing means is movable in and out, and the developing means is moved in and out. An image forming apparatus comprising a cleaning means for cleaning scattered developer. 5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the cleaning means is an elastic blade carried so as to come into contact with a portion to which the scattered developer has adhered. 6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the cleaning means is an airflow generating means carried so as to generate an airflow on a portion to which the scattered developer has adhered.