JPH0550474U - Photosensitive belt meandering prevention mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Object] To provide a mechanism for preventing the meandering of a photosensitive belt, which can surely prevent the meandering of the photosensitive belt and can also be used as an electrode part. [Structure] A meandering prevention member 13 is provided at both ends in the width direction of an outer peripheral surface of an endless photosensitive belt 1, and each meandering prevention member 13 is electrically connected to a transparent electrode 9 of the photosensitive belt 1. Each of the meandering prevention members 13 covered with the carbon printing portion 12 and protruding from the photosensitive belt 1
It is characterized in that a meandering prevention stopper 15 is provided for engaging with the photosensitive belt 1 and preventing the meandering of the photosensitive belt 1.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to a photosensitive belt meandering prevention mechanism for preventing a photosensitive belt used in an electrophotographic apparatus such as a printer or a copying machine from meandering during traveling.

[0002]

[Prior Art]

 FIGS. 3 and 4 show a conventional photoconductor cartridge. In this photoconductor cartridge, a photoconductor belt 1 is rotatably supported by roller shafts 3a, 3a on both ends of a pair of side plates 2,2. It is wound around a pair of rollers 3 and 3 for use. One roller 3 on the left side in FIG. 3 is supported by the side plate 2 with a long hole 2a so as to be movable in the longitudinal direction of the side plate 2. Further, a substantially L-shaped spring retainer fixed to the side plate 2 is provided. 5 is pressed by a pressure spring 4 interposed between the roller 5 and the roller shaft 3a in a direction away from the other roller 3 to stretch the photosensitive belt 1. Further, brush-shaped grounding electrodes 6, 6 are provided which are in contact with both ends of the upper surface of the photosensitive belt 1 in the width direction.

Conventionally, the endless photosensitive belt 1 has a pair of rollers 3 and 3 that are not wound in parallel with each other, a slight difference in the length of the photosensitive belt 1 in the traveling direction, and the like. It was necessary to prevent this meandering, as it could meander and run or leave.

Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, meandering preventing members 13 and 13 are provided at both ends of the inner peripheral surface of the photosensitive belt 1 in the width direction, and the flanges 7 and 7 at both ends of the roller 3 and the respective flanges 7 and 7 are provided. By engaging them with each other, the meandering was prevented.

More specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, in the photosensitive belt 1, the ITO (transparent electrode) 9 is laminated on the PET film 8 serving as the base layer, and the edges are left in the width direction. A charge generation layer (CGL) 10 as a photoconductive layer and a charge transport layer (CTL) 11 are sequentially stacked. Further, a carbon printing portion 12 as a current-carrying member is provided at the remaining widthwise end portion so as to cover the edge portions of the CGL 10 and the CTL 11. A meandering prevention member 13 made of polyester elastomer or the like is adhered to both ends of the inner peripheral surface in the width direction, for example, via an epoxy adhesive layer 14.

In such a conventional example, as shown in FIG. 3, meandering prevention members 13, 13 formed at both ends in the width direction of the inner peripheral surface of the photosensitive belt 1 are arranged at both ends of the roller 3. Since the flanges 7 and 7 are arranged so that their inner surfaces are in contact with each other, when the photosensitive belt 1 is driven, each meandering prevention member 13 is driven while being guided by the flange 7. The photosensitive belt 1 can be run without meandering. Further, the current generated during this driving is made to flow through the brush-shaped GND electrode 6 in contact with the carbon printing portion 12 on the outer peripheral surface of the photosensitive belt 1.

[0007]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 On the other hand, in order to provide the meandering preventive member 13 on the inner peripheral surface of the photosensitive belt 1, as shown in FIG. 6A, the meandering preventive member 13 is adhered to both widthwise edges of the sheet-like photosensitive belt 1. Then, as shown in FIG. 2B, a method has been proposed in which both ends of the photosensitive belt 1 are adhered with an adhesive or the like to form an endless shape.

However, although it is easy to bond the meandering preventive member 13 to the sheet-shaped photosensitive belt 1 as described above, a seam is formed when the photosensitive belt 1 is formed into a cylindrical shape, which is not suitable as a photosensitive member. There was an inconvenience that it would be appropriate. Because printing is not possible at the stitch portion, the photosensitive belt 1 and the optical writing mechanism (not shown) are used so that the stitch portion is detected and printing is performed at a place other than the stitch. This is because complicated control is required to drive, etc.).

Therefore, a seamless belt is desired. However, as shown in FIG. 7 (a), a meandering prevention member 13 is provided inside a seamless belt formed in advance in an endless manner as shown in FIG. 7 (b). It is technically difficult to fix the above with an adhesive or the like because the working space is narrowed, and the working efficiency is extremely poor.

The present invention has been made in view of these points, and has a simple structure, which can surely prevent the photosensitive belt from meandering and can be used also as an electrode portion. An object is to provide a meandering prevention mechanism.

[0011]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 In order to achieve the above object, a meandering prevention mechanism for a photosensitive belt according to the present invention comprises a meandering prevention member projecting at both ends in the width direction of an outer peripheral surface of an endless photosensitive belt, and the meandering prevention member is provided to the photosensitive belt. Provided with a meandering-preventing stopper which is covered with a conductive material so as to be electrically connected to the transparent electrode and is engaged with each of the meandering-preventing members protruding from the photosensitive belt to prevent the meandering of the photosensitive belt. It is characterized by

[0012]

[Action]

 According to the meandering preventive mechanism of the photosensitive belt of the present invention, the meandering preventive member is arranged on the outer peripheral surface of the photosensitive belt, so that the manufacturing is extremely easy. Further, the meandering prevention stopper is engaged with each meandering prevention member to surely prevent the meandering of the photosensitive belt. Further, if the meandering prevention stopper is used as an electrode part for energization, further parts can be obtained. Etc. can be reduced.

[0013]

【Example】

 An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 show an embodiment of the present invention, in which the same parts as in the prior art are designated by the same reference numerals.

The photosensitive belt 1 of the photosensitive cartridge according to the present embodiment will be described in detail. As shown in FIG. 1, an ITO (transparent electrode) is left on the outer peripheral surface of the PET film 8 serving as a base layer while leaving an end in the width direction. ) 9 is formed, and CGL10 and CTL11 are laminated in order, leaving an end portion in the width direction of ITO9. Further, meandering preventing members 13 made of polyester elastomer or the like are adhered to both ends of the remaining PET film 8 in the width direction, for example, via an epoxy adhesive layer 14. The widthwise end of the ITO 9 sandwiched between the meandering prevention member 13 and the CGL 10 and CTL 11 covers the edge portions of the CGL 10 and CTL 11 and covers the surface of the meandering prevention member 13 so as to cover the conductive member. The carbon printing part 12 made of a conductive material is provided. A shoulder portion 12a on the inward surface side in the width direction of the carbon printing portion 12 is formed so as to come into contact with a guide 16 of a meandering preventing stopper 15 described later to prevent the meandering of the photosensitive belt 1.

FIG. 2 shows a photoconductor cartridge to which the present invention is applied. In this photoconductor cartridge, the photoconductor belt 1 is rotated by roller shafts 3 a and 3 a on both ends of a pair of side plates 2 and 2. It is wound around a pair of rollers 3, 3 which are freely supported. One roller 3 on the left side in the drawing is supported by the side plate 2 with a long hole 2a so as to be movable in the longitudinal direction of the side plate 2, and further, a substantially L-shaped spring retainer 5 fixed to the side plate 2 is provided. The photosensitive belt 1 is stretched by being pressed in a direction away from the other roller 3 by a pressure spring 4 interposed between the roller shaft 3a and the roller shaft 3a. The meandering prevention stoppers 15 are arranged at one ends of both side plates 2 and 2 of the photoconductor cartridge, respectively, and are formed in a substantially half-moon shape in which the bottom of the cylinder is cut by a diameter. A guide 16 that contacts the shoulder 12a of the carbon printing portion 12 of the belt 1 and guides the traveling of the photosensitive belt 1 is formed at the inner end in the width direction. Further, each of the meandering preventing stoppers 15 is grounded so that a current generated during driving can flow.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.

When the photoconductor cartridge is driven, the photosensitive belt 1 covers the meandering prevention member 13 arranged on the outer peripheral surface thereof, and the shoulder portion 12 a of the carbon printing portion 12 guides the meandering prevention stopper 15 to the meandering prevention stopper 15. Since the photosensitive belt 1 is driven while being engaged with and being guided, the photosensitive belt 1 can be run without meandering. Therefore, extremely high quality printing is provided. In addition, the current during driving flows through the ITO 9, the carbon printing unit 12, and the meandering prevention stopper 15.

Further, in the present invention, since the meandering prevention member 13 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the photosensitive belt 1, a wide working space can be taken, so that the work such as bonding becomes easy, and the bonding position is also improved. The accuracy of can be improved, and the work efficiency is extremely improved.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, but can be modified as necessary. For example, the brush-like GND electrode 6 as in the conventional example may be separately provided without grounding the meandering prevention stopper 15.

[0021]

[Effect of the device]

 Since the mechanism for preventing the meandering of the photosensitive belt of the present invention is constructed and operates as described above, since the meandering preventing member is arranged on the outer peripheral surface of the photosensitive belt, the workability such as bonding is improved, and the manufacturing process is improved. Is extremely easy. Further, by engaging the meandering prevention stopper and the meandering prevention member, the meandering of the photosensitive belt can be surely prevented, and further, if the meandering prevention stopper is used as an electrode part for energization, This has the effect of reducing the number of parts.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a main part of an embodiment of a meandering prevention mechanism for a photosensitive belt according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a configuration in which one embodiment of the present invention is applied to a photoconductor cartridge.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a main part of a conventional meandering prevention mechanism for a photosensitive belt.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 2 of a conventional example.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a conventional photosensitive belt.

6A and 6B are perspective views showing a manufacturing process of a conventional photosensitive belt.

7A and 7B are perspective views showing a manufacturing process of a conventional seamless photosensitive belt.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Photosensitive belt 8 PET film 9 ITO 10 CGL 11 CTL 12 Carbon printing part 12a Inner surface shoulder part 13 Meandering prevention member 14 Adhesive layer 15 Meandering prevention stopper 16 Guide

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. An endless photosensitive belt is provided with a meandering prevention member projecting from both ends in the width direction of the outer peripheral surface of the endless photosensitive belt. A meandering prevention mechanism for a photosensitive belt, which is provided with a meandering prevention stopper which is covered with a material and engages with each of the meandering preventing members protruding from the photosensitive belt to prevent the meandering of the photosensitive belt.