JPH05346717A - Electrophotographic recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent a sheet from absorbing moisture and to obtain a satisfactory print even when a standing sheet is used by controlling the size of an opening, formed from an outlet and a shield plate, according to temperature and humidity detected by means of a temperature/humidity sensor. CONSTITUTION:Temperature and humidity in a paper cassette 11 are kept constant by means of the temperature/humidity sensor 8, the outlet 9, and the shield plate. That is, the temperature and humidity in the paper cassette 11 are first detected by the temperature/humidity sensor 8 and the combination of the shield plate and the outlet port 9 is controlled based on the detected value, thereby controlling the temperature and humidity in the paper cassette 11. For example, when the temperature in the paper cassette 11 is too high, it is controlled so that hot air in the paper cassette 11 is sent out of it by opening the shield plate; when the temperature in the paper cassette 11 is too low, it is controlled so that hot air is kept in the paper cassette 11 by closing the shield plate.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electrophotographic recording apparatus using a paper cassette as a paper feeding mechanism.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional electrophotographic recording apparatus, high temperature air generated from a fixing unit is discharged outside the apparatus together with ozone generated when charging a photosensitive drum.

[0003]

In the conventional electrophotographic recording apparatus, good printing can be obtained when the paper just opened is used for printing. However, when a paper left unused for a while after opening is used, there is a problem that the printing is deteriorated when the paper absorbs moisture. It is an object of the present invention to prevent the paper from absorbing moisture and realize good printing even when the unused paper is used.

[0004]

The electrophotographic recording apparatus of the present invention is an electrophotographic recording apparatus using a paper cassette as a paper feeding mechanism, wherein high temperature air generated in a fixing unit for fixing toner to a medium is used for the paper. A duct for feeding into the cassette, a filter for dehumidifying the air fed from the duct, a fan for feeding the high temperature dry air that has passed through the filter into the paper cassette and simultaneously cooling the fixing unit, and a inside of the paper cassette Temperature / humidity sensor for detecting the temperature and humidity, a discharge port provided in the paper cassette for discharging the high-temperature dry air sent into the paper cassette by the fan, and a shutoff for adjusting the opening of the discharge port. A plate, the discharge port and the blocking plate according to the temperature and humidity detected by the temperature and humidity sensor And a control unit for controlling the size of the opening to be more formed.

[0005]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a side view of an embodiment of the present invention.

As indicated by an arrow a in FIG. 1, the paper is picked from the paper cassette 11 by the pick roller 12 and guided to the registration roller 14 by the paper feed roller 13. Further, the image developed on the photosensitive drum 15 passes under the EP cartridge 16 and is transferred to the transfer unit 1.
7 is transferred to the paper.

Subsequently, in the fixing unit 1 composed of the heat roller 2, heater 3 and pressure roller 4, the image formed by the toner transferred onto the paper is fixed.
The heater 3 fixes the toner by the heat and pressure of the heated heat roller 2 and the pressure roller 4. At this time, heated air is generated in the vicinity of the fixing unit 1. Finally, the discharge roller 18 discharges the sheet out of the apparatus.

In the conventional electrophotographic recording apparatus, in order to cool the fixing unit 1, this high temperature air is only discharged to the outside of the printer by using a cooling fan, but in the present invention, this high temperature air is used. Is what you are trying to do.

First, the upper end has a structure to cover the lower part of the fixing unit 1, and the lower end is provided with a duct 5 connected to a dehumidifying filter 6, so that high temperature air generated in the fixing unit 1 is transferred to a paper cassette 11. To secure a flow path for feeding.

By providing the dehumidifying filter 6 at the lower end of the duct 5, the air heated in the fixing section 1 becomes dry air. Examples of the material of the dehumidifying filter 6 include silica gel, but the material is not limited to this. In addition, here, only the case of a device that does not generate ozone is described, but in the case of a device that generates ozone,
Use the dehumidifying filter 6 that also contains a material such as activated carbon that absorbs ozone. The fan motor 7 sends hot and dry air into the paper cassette 11. The fan motor 7 rotates at a constant speed because it also serves to cool the fixing portion.

The temperature / humidity sensor 8, the discharge port 9 and the blocking plate 10 shown in FIG. 2 are used to keep the temperature and humidity inside the paper cassette 11 constant. First, the temperature and humidity inside the paper cassette 11 are detected by the temperature and humidity sensor 8. By controlling the combination of the blocking plate 10 and the discharge port 9 based on the detected value, the temperature and humidity inside the paper cassette 11 are kept constant. That is, when the temperature in the cassette is too high, the blocking plate 10 is opened so that the hot air in the paper cassette 11 is discharged into the paper cassette 11, and when the temperature in the cassette is too low, the blocking plate 10 is closed to raise the temperature. The control is performed so that the air is kept in the paper cassette 11.

[0013]

As described above, according to the present invention, the inside of the paper cassette is controlled so that the temperature and the humidity are appropriate, and in order to prevent the moisture absorption of the paper, the use of the unused paper,
Even when the paper left in the cassette is used, the same print quality as when the paper just opened is used can be achieved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a paper cassette 11, a discharge port 9 and a blocking plate 10 in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Fixing part 5 Duct 6 Dehumidifying filter 7 Fan motor 8 Temperature / humidity sensor 9 Discharge port 10 Blocking plate 11 Paper cassette

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁵ Identification code Internal reference number FI technical display location G05D 23/00 B 9132-3H

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In an electrophotographic recording apparatus using a paper cassette as a paper feeding mechanism, a duct for feeding high-temperature air generated in a fixing unit for fixing toner to a medium into the paper cassette, and a duct for feeding it from the duct. A filter for dehumidifying the air to be defrosted, a fan for feeding the high temperature dry air that has passed through the filter into the paper cassette and cooling the fixing unit at the same time, a temperature and humidity sensor for detecting the temperature and humidity in the paper cassette, and A discharge port provided in the paper cassette for discharging the high-temperature dry air sent into the paper cassette by the fan, a blocking plate for adjusting the opening of the discharge port, and a temperature and humidity detected by the temperature / humidity sensor. Control for controlling the size of the opening formed by the discharge port and the blocking plate according to And an electrophotographic recording device.