JPH0614672B2 - Image forming device - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more specifically, it can be applied to an electrophotographic copying machine, a facsimile, a printer or the like having a fixing unit for fixing an unfixed toner image. The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus.

(Prior Art) When examining the usage status of recording paper with a toner image obtained from an image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic copying machine, a facsimile, and a printer, a relatively large number of instruction manuals, flowcharts, product samples, menus, etc. There is an example where it is provided for the purpose of being handled in a complicated manner by humans.

Such recording paper is contaminated by use, is torn, is wet with water, and is significantly damaged. Therefore, there is a demand to improve the storability by some means.

Even when the above-mentioned harsh usage conditions are not involved, for example, recording paper with a color image is expensive, and there is a similar demand depending on its application.

In order to meet such a demand, conventionally, a dedicated device for performing a so-called laminating process in which a transparent film is closely adhered to a recording paper and covered, is commercially available.

However, it is not preferable to provide a dedicated device for the above-mentioned laminating process in an office or the like separately from the image forming device from the viewpoint of securing a space. It is complicated, and therefore, it has been desired to devise a simple laminating means that does not require a special space.

(Object) Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a means capable of easily performing a laminating process without requiring a special space.

According to the above object of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus having a laminating means incorporated therein.

(Structure) The structure of the present invention will be described below based on an embodiment.
The image forming apparatus in this example is a transfer type electrophotographic copying machine.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 indicates a fixing device built in the image forming apparatus.

The fixing device 1 includes, for example, a cylindrical fixing roller 2 having a silicon resin layer formed on the surface thereof, and a cylindrical fixing roller 2 arranged so as to face the fixing roller 2 having a fluororesin layer formed on the surface thereof. It is configured by combining with the pressure roller 3,
A heat source is arranged inside each.

Recording paper having an unfixed toner image T on its surface is fed to the fixing device 1, and is held by the fixing roller 2 and the pressure roller 3 to be pressed and heated so that fixing is performed. It has become.

Here, the present invention is a pressurization as a laminating treatment means,
The heat source is not specially provided and the fixing device originally built in the image forming apparatus can be used to perform the same processing. Therefore, the transparent film or the transparent film laminated on the recording medium is not used. Dedicated conveying means for leading to the fixing device is provided.

In FIG. 1, as is well known, reference numeral 16 is a cassette accommodating the recording paper S, reference numeral 17 is a registration roller, reference numerals 18 and 19 are each a pair of conveying rollers, and reference numeral 20.
Is a photoconductor drum, reference numeral 21 is a charger, reference numeral 22 is a light-shielding plate arranged in the exposure area, reference numeral 23 is a developing device with toner, reference numeral 24 is a transfer charger, reference numeral 25 is a conveyor belt,
Reference numeral 26 indicates a discharge tray.

In this example, the conveying unit includes a guide base 27 installed above the discharge tray 26, an insertion opening 28 opened in the case portion, a pair of delivery rollers 29, the guide base and the fixing device. The guide plate 30 includes a curved guide plate 30, a pair of feed rollers 31, and guide portions 14a and 14a 'formed by bending a part of the cover 14. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the light emitting element 30a is provided at the inner part of the guide and inside the insertion port 28, with the insertion passage in between, and as the upper and lower parts of the transparent film front end detecting means. And the light receiving element 30b are arranged.

Here, a microswitch may be arranged instead of the light emitting element 30a and the light receiving element 30b.

In this example, when performing a laminating process, a transparent film, which has been cut to a size suitable for the fixing process, is superposed on a recording paper which has already undergone the fixing process, and the recording film is inserted from the guide 27 through the insertion port 28. Be done.

Then, when the leading ends of the recording paper and the transparent film pass between the light emitting element 30a and the light receiving element 30b, a signal obtained by the light receiving element 30b is received and the feeding roller 2
9, 31 are driven. Also, in order to prevent the occurrence of so-called jam, such as paper wrapping in the fixing device section, for a certain period of time from the reception of this signal to the end of the laminating process,
The normal copying process is controlled to be paused.

When it is desired to laminate the front and back sides of the recording paper, as shown in FIG. 3, the recording paper S may be inserted from the insertion port 28 so as to be wrapped with the transparent film F.

(Effect) In the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, since the fixing device provided for the image forming apparatus can be used for the laminating process, a dedicated machine for the laminating process is not required and the recording is completed. Advantageously, the paper can be laminated immediately.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an image forming apparatus for explaining an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the vicinity of an insertion port in the same drawing, and FIG. 3 is a state of inserting a recording paper and a transparent film. It is sectional drawing of the insertion opening vicinity part. 14a ... guide, 27 ... guide, 28 ... insertion slot,
29, 31 ... Delivery roller, 30a ... Light emitting element,
30b ... Light receiving element.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An image forming apparatus in which an electrostatic latent image on a recording medium is developed with toner, and the unfixed toner image is fixed by a fixing device and guided to a paper discharge tray. There is a dedicated conveying means for guiding the transparent film thus formed to the fixing device, and this conveying means has a guide stand installed above the paper discharge tray and a guide plate connecting the guide stand and the fixing device. However, a transparent film leading edge detecting means is provided at the back of the guide table, and based on the output of the leading edge detecting means, the normal copying process is paused until the transparent film passes through the fixing device. An image forming apparatus characterized by.