JPH061226Y2 - Image forming device - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus having an ozone source and a control unit inside the apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an image forming apparatus having an ozone generating source such as a corona discharger, a heater for emitting ultraviolet rays, and a lamp, for example, an electronic copying machine, a printer, etc., the air containing a high concentration of ozone is discharged out of the apparatus as it is. This may adversely affect the human body.Therefore, air that contains ozone generated by the ozone source is guided to the ozone filter by a fan, and this filter removes or dilutes ozone and discharges the air out of the device. There is. The ozone filter is a filter that decomposes or adsorbs ozone, or has both of these functions.

On the other hand, since the control unit provided in the image forming apparatus may malfunction if it becomes hot, it is necessary to cool the control unit.

Therefore, conventionally, the above fan has been used to blow air to the control unit, thereby cooling the unit. However, if the air containing ozone is guided to the ozone filter by one fan and the control unit is configured to be cooled, the amount of air sent by the fan increases, so that a large fan must be used, which results in a fan. It suffered from the drawback of loud noise during operation.

Therefore, it is conceivable that a first fan for guiding the air containing ozone to the ozone filter and a second fan for cooling the control unit are provided, and the respective fans share the role. In this way, each fan can be miniaturized, and noise during its operation can be reduced.

However, when a plurality of fans are used as described above, the fan for cooling the control unit draws air containing ozone, which may be discharged as it is out of the apparatus. An ozone filter may be provided in the flow path of the air sucked by the fan for cooling the control unit, and after decomposing or adsorbing ozone by this, the air may be discharged to the outside of the device.
In this case, the number of ozone filters increases and the cost of the device increases, which is unavoidable.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made based on the above-mentioned novel recognition, and an object of the present invention is to reduce noise during fan operation and to allow air containing ozone to go out of the apparatus. An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of preventing a problem of being discharged as it is and suppressing an increase in cost of the apparatus.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an image forming apparatus having an ozone generating source and a control unit inside the apparatus, in which air containing ozone generated by the ozone generating source is used. The second fan has a first fan for guiding to a filter and a second fan for cooling the control unit, and the control unit is arranged in a space partitioned from the ozone generation source. An image forming apparatus is proposed in which air is exhausted directly from the partitioned space and the air suction force of the first fan is set to be larger than the air suction force of the second fan.

[0009]

【Example】

 Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a laser printer which is an example of an image forming apparatus having an ozone generating source and a control unit in the apparatus. In order to understand the present invention, first, an outline of the overall configuration will be described.

The belt-shaped photosensitive member 3 wound around the rollers 1 and 2 is driven in the direction of arrow A, and the surface thereof is charged by the discharging action of the charging corona discharger 4. Then, the charged photoreceptor surface is exposed by the laser beam L emitted from the optical unit 5 having a laser and other optical devices, and an electrostatic latent image is formed on the exposed photoreceptor surface.

This electrostatic latent image is visualized by the toner as it passes through the developing device 6, and this visible image is transferred to the transfer paper 8 fed from the paper feeding device 7 by the transfer corona discharger 9. It is transferred by the action of discharge. The transfer paper 8 is then separated from the photoconductor 3, a visible image is fixed by the fixing device 10, and then the transfer paper 8 is discharged to the outside of the device, that is, the outside of the printer main body as shown by an arrow B. On the other hand, the photoconductor 3 is subjected to static elimination action by the static elimination lamp 11, and the cleaning device 12 removes the residual toner.

The charging corona discharger 4 and the transfer corona discharger 9 are provided with a shield 1 extending in a direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG.
3, 14 and the charge wires 15, 1 stretched over them
6 are provided, and charging and transfer are performed as described above by discharging from the charge wires 15 and 16.

FIG. 2 shows the structure of the printer body, in which the base member 18 is located on the bottom plate 17 located at the bottom.
A support unit 19 is located on it, and these are firmly fixed to each other by screws (not shown).

The support unit 19 includes a pair of side plates 20 and 21.
And a first stay 22 and a second stay 22 which connect these together.
It has a stay 23. As shown in FIG. 1, the first stay 22 includes an upper plate 22 a and a lower plate 22 that are integrally welded to each other.
b, and a hollow portion is defined inside them.
Further, the guide rail 24 is fixed to the lower surface of the lower plate 22b,
On the rail 24, the charging corona discharger 4 is supported so as to be slidable in a direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG.
The second stay 23 also serves as a guide member of the transfer corona discharger 9, and the transfer corona discharger 9 is placed on the stay 23.
Are slidably supported in a direction perpendicular to the plane of FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, these dischargers 4 and 9 are inserted and removed through window holes 25 and 26 formed in one side plate 20.

A space 41 formed between the bottom plate 17 and the base member 18 accommodates a control unit 27, a power supply unit 28, etc., as shown in FIG.

When the printer operates, both corona dischargers 4 and 9 generate ozone, and it is inappropriate to discharge the ozone generated by the ozone generation source as it is to the outside of the printer body. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, the first fan 29 is supported by the side plate 21 of the support unit 19, and the holder 31 holding the ozone filter 30 is detachably fixed to the outside of the first fan 29. By operation, the air containing ozone generated in the corona dischargers 4 and 9 is guided to the ozone filter 30, where ozone is decomposed and adsorbed and then discharged to the outside of the apparatus.

As shown in FIG. 2, the ozone filter 30 and the first fan 29 are arranged between the main body structure of the printer and the outer cover (not shown) outside the main body structure, and the main body structure body is covered with the ozone filter 30. The side plate 21, the base member 18, and the exterior cover define a main guide path 35 that guides air containing ozone to the first fan 29 and the ozone filter 30. As described above, the ozone filter 30, the first fan 29, and the main guide path 35 are disposed between the main body structure and the exterior cover, that is, on the inner side of the main body structure.
Each process means such as is disposed in the area blocked by the side plate 21.

On the other hand, a ventilation hole 32 is formed in the second stay 23, and a first sub-guide path 33 formed of a groove is formed in the portion of the base member 18 located below the ventilation hole 32. In this way, the sub guide path 33 is formed in the main body structure itself. Further, one end 33a of the first auxiliary guide path 33 is opened, and a cutout 34 is formed in the side plate 21 near the open end 33a.
Is formed, and the first auxiliary guide passage 33 communicates with the main guide passage 35 through the open end 33a and the notch 34.

The air containing ozone generated in the transfer corona discharger 9 by the operation of the first fan 29 is transferred from the lower opening 14a (FIG. 1) of the shield 14 to the second stay 23, and its vent hole. First consisting of a groove through 32
To the first fan 29 (arrow C in FIG. 2).

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 1, ventilation holes 36 are also formed in the guide rail 24 of the charging corona discharger 4 and the lower plate 22b of the first stay 22, respectively, so that the hollow portion inside the first stay is in air circulation. A second auxiliary guide path 37 for the vehicle. In this way, the second auxiliary guide path 37 is also formed by the main body structure itself, and the through hole 3 is formed in the side plate 21 at one end thereof.
8 is formed, and the second auxiliary guide passage 37 communicates with the main guide passage 35 through the through hole 38.

The air containing ozone generated in the charging corona discharger 4 passes through the upper opening 13a (FIG. 1) of the shield 13 and the ventilation hole 36 to generate the second air in the first stay 22.
To the main guide path 35 and then to the first fan 29 through the through hole 38 (arrow D in FIG. 2).

As described above, since both corona dischargers 4 and 9 communicate with the first fan 29 through the air guide passages 33, 37 and 35, the suction action of the first fan 29 serves as an ozone generation source. The air containing ozone generated in each of the dischargers 4 and 9 is smoothly guided to the ozone filter 30 while being guided in each guide path.

Contrary to the case of FIG. 2, the first fan 2
9 may be arranged outside the ozone filter 30 and the air may be guided to the ozone filter by the intake action of the fan 29.

On the other hand, as described above, the control unit 27, the power supply unit 28, etc. are accommodated in the space 41 formed between the bottom plate 17 and the base member 18,
Such a control unit 27 needs to be cooled in order to prevent its malfunction.

Therefore, a second fan 39 for cooling the control unit 27 is arranged in the space 41. As is apparent from FIGS. 1 and 2, the second fan 39 is fixed to the left part of the lower part of the main body structure in the drawing, and the air intake into the space 41 is provided on the right part of the base member 18 in FIG. An inlet 40 is formed.

When the above-mentioned second fan 39 operates, outside air is taken into the lower space 41 of the base member 18 from the air intake 40, and the outside air is accommodated in the space 41, the control unit 27, the power supply unit 28, etc. Is cooled and then discharged from the space 41 to the outside of the apparatus.

According to the above construction, in addition to the first fan 29 for guiding the air containing ozone generated in the ozone generation source to the ozone filter, the second fan 39 for cooling the control unit 27 is provided. Since it has, the amount of air exhausted by each fan 29, 39 can be reduced, and therefore each fan 29, 39 can be miniaturized. As a result, noise during operation of the first and second fans 29, 39 can be reduced,
It is possible to improve the quietness of the entire printer.

However, the problem here is that the first fan 2 for the ozone filter 30 is used as described above.
If a second fan 39 for the control unit 27 is provided in addition to 9, the air containing ozone may be drawn by the second fan 39 and may be discharged to the outside of the apparatus as it is.

Therefore, in the illustrated printer, the air suction force of the first fan 29 for the ozone filter 30 is
The suction force of each fan 29, 39 is set so as to be larger than the suction force of the second fan 39 for cooling the control unit. As a result, since the air containing ozone can be strongly sucked into the first fan 29, it is possible to prevent the problem that the air containing ozone is drawn by the second fan 39 and is discharged to the outside of the apparatus as it is.

Moreover, the control unit 27 is housed in the space 41 together with the power supply unit 28, etc.
Since 1 is partitioned by the base member 18, the space 41 is blocked from the corona dischargers 4 and 9 which are ozone generation sources. In this way, the control unit 27
Is placed in a space 41 partitioned from the ozone generation source, and the second fan 3 is separated from the partitioned space 41.
It is configured so that the air is directly exhausted by 9. The sealing property between the ozone generation source and the second fan 39 is improved. With this configuration, it is possible to more reliably prevent the problem that the air containing ozone is sucked by the second fan and is discharged to the outside of the apparatus as it is. Moreover, it is not necessary to provide an ozone filter for decomposing or adsorbing ozone in the air discharged by the second fan 39, and the cost increase of the device can be suppressed.

The present invention can be applied to various types of image forming apparatuses other than laser printers.

[0033]

According to the present invention, the second fan for cooling the control unit is provided in addition to the first fan for guiding the air containing ozone generated by the ozone source to the ozone filter. The operation noise of the fan can be reduced, the control unit is arranged in a space partitioned from the ozone source, and the suction force of the first fan is made stronger than the suction force of the second fan. Can be prevented from being drawn by the second fan and discharged as it is out of the apparatus.
Further, it is not necessary to provide an ozone filter for decomposing or adsorbing ozone in the air sucked by the second fan, and there is an advantage that the cost of the device can be reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a laser printer in which an ozone generation source and a control unit are provided in the apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a structure of a laser printer main body.

[Explanation of symbols]

 27 Control Unit 29 First Fan 30 Ozone Filter 39 Second Fan 41 Space

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. An image forming apparatus having an ozone generating source and a control unit inside the apparatus, comprising: a first fan for guiding air containing ozone generated by the ozone generating source to an ozone filter; and the control unit. A second fan for cooling, the control unit is arranged in a space partitioned from the ozone source, and the second fan blows air directly from the partitioned space, An image forming apparatus, wherein the air suction force of the first fan is set to be larger than the air suction force of the second fan.