JPH0743564B2 - Image forming device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic copying machine, and further to an image forming apparatus having a process kit.

Generally, a conventional image forming apparatus has a configuration in which the same posture is maintained during an operation of forming an image and during transportation, and is installed in the same direction (posture) during non-operation and during operation. Therefore, it was necessary to take a large use space.

Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the problems of the above-described conventional example, and an object thereof is to provide an image forming apparatus having excellent operability.

The present invention that achieves the above-mentioned object is an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a transfer material, wherein a process kit having an image carrier and process means acting on the image carrier is detachable. A main body, a mounting portion provided on the main body of the image forming apparatus for detachably mounting the process kit, and a position on a bottom portion of the main body of the image forming apparatus when installed in an operable state for forming an image. And an opening / closing member that is openable for mounting the process kit on the mounting portion and for removing the process kit from the mounting portion, and is installed in an operable state for forming an image. A leg portion provided so as to be located at one end side portion of the image forming apparatus main body,
The process kit includes: a transporting unit that is provided on the opening / closing member and that transports the transfer material; and a fixing unit that is disposed on a side of the image forming apparatus main body on which the legs are provided. When attaching or detaching, with the leg portion supporting the image forming apparatus main body so that the fixing unit is on the lower side and standing up the image forming apparatus main body, the opening / closing member is opened to attach or detach the process kit. The image forming apparatus is characterized in that

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described based on the illustrated embodiment.

The embodiment described below is an image forming apparatus that includes a process means for forming an image and has a process kit that can be attached to and detached from the main body apparatus, and has one or more opening / closing members at the bottom of the image forming apparatus. A free door is provided so that a part of the apparatus can be opened in association with opening and closing of the door, and the process kit can be attached and detached. When the bottom door is opened, the plane orthogonal to the device bottom is the bottom.

Now, FIG. 1 is a side view of a main part of an electrophotographic copying apparatus to which the present invention can be applied.

An apparatus 1 shown in the figure is a copying apparatus using an electrophotographic method, and a photosensitive drum 2 having a photoconductive layer provided on a conductive drum substrate is rotatably supported in a direction of an arrow. Around the drum 2, a corona discharger 3, a short focus optical element array 4, a developing device 5, a transfer corona discharger 6, and a cleaning device 7 are arranged according to the rotating direction of the drum.

In the copying apparatus, the surface of the photosensitive drum 2 is uniformly charged with a predetermined polarity by the corona discharger 3, and then the original on the reciprocating original table 8 on the upper part of the main body of the apparatus is irradiated with the lamp 9.
The reflected light is exposed on the drum 2 through the element array 4 to form a latent image. The formed latent image is developed by the developing device 5, and the developed image is transferred by the transfer corona discharger 6. The transfer material in the paper feed cassette 10 is supplied by the paper feed roller 11 and is conveyed to the transfer portion via the conveyance roller 12 and the timing roller 13. The transfer material after the transfer is separated by the separating means 14
The sheet is separated by, is sent to the fixing device 16 through the moving path 15 and is fixed, and is further sent out onto the paper discharge tray 18 through the discharge roller 17. The paper discharge tray 18 has a hinge portion 19.
The exhaust heat fan 20 radiates the heat in the device 1 to the outside of the machine.

The apparatus 1 has legs 21 on the bottom and the exterior side of the paper discharge side, and in particular, has a leg 22 having a smooth curved surface at the intersection of both exteriors. Further, the device 1 has a handle 23 for carrying or lifting, and a support plate 24 on the lower surface of the carrying path and the moving path.
The sheet feeding cassette 10 also has a hinge portion 25.

FIG. 2 is a view showing how to attach and detach the process kit.

Hold the handle 23 of the device 1 and stand in the direction at right angles when the device 1 operates. The reason for this is that there is a center of gravity on the paper discharge side due to the weight of the fixing device and the like, and it is stable if it is set down. At this time, the discharge tray 18 becomes horizontal via the hinge portion 19,
It can be accommodated in the space of the legs 21 and 22, and the document table 8 can be prevented from falling.

In the device 1, the photosensitive drum 2, the discharging device 3, the developing device 5, and the cleaning device 7 are integrally supported by the housing 27. The case 27 is guided and supported by a guide rail or the like (not shown) fixed to the main body side, and is attached to and detached from the main body device. A unit integrally supported by the casing 27 is called a process unit 28. After the process of copying a predetermined number of sheets, the process unit 28 consumes, for example, toner and runs out, so that the copying ability, that is, the developing ability is lost.
So you have to replace it with a new unit. At that time, the process unit 28 can be easily attached and detached by releasing the paper feed cassette 10 and a part of the transfer path and the transfer path as described above, and releasing the remaining transfer path as shown in the figure. Become. In this case, the inside of the device can be cleaned more easily. If the process unit 28 is attached / detached, a mechanism for opening / closing the main body, the guide rail, and the guide plate at the same time is provided, so that workability is improved.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a copying machine having no paper feed cassette.
In the apparatus 1 ', the fixing device 16 "has a rigid weight roller and functions as a pressure fixing device. The material of the roller is, for example, metal, ceramics or the like.
The center of gravity of the apparatus 1'is in the vicinity of such a fixing device,
It is an example of an apparatus having a center of gravity on the sheet discharge side. The apparatus 1'is kept approximately horizontal by releasing the lever 31 for supporting the main body from the main body, and normal copying operation can be performed. The handle 32 can be used as a handle for transporting the main body and for moving the main body, but here also has a function as a sheet feeding toner when the transfer sheet is fed. The transporting and moving part of the device 1 ′ is incorporated in the support plate 34 via the hinge part 33. Another guide plate 35 is incorporated into the main body via a hinge portion 36.

FIG. 4 shows a support plate 34 when the process kit of the apparatus 1'is replaced.
3 shows an example in which the guide plate 35 is opened. Leg 2
The 2'has, for example, a hinge portion, and can rotate about this. The movement of the paper discharge tray is the same as described above.
As shown in the figure, the process kit replacement work can be facilitated by the movement and the transport unit which are released by a predetermined angle.

The above is the description of the embodiment of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to this embodiment.

For example, the mechanism and the opening / closing mechanism of the place and the method of supporting the released one are not particularly limited.

Further, the installation direction and the opening / closing direction of the main body are not limited to this, and they may be raised, for example, on the bottom surface during operation or on the front side.

In the image forming apparatus such as the electrophotographic copying apparatus, the above-described embodiment is used when the process kit is replaced when the center of gravity of the apparatus is on the discharge side due to the weight of the fixing unit on the discharge side. During maintenance such as cleaning inside the device, the main body is set up in a stable direction (that is, the paper discharge side is set upside down), and the mechanism and parts required for the above operation are released horizontally or in a direction close to that, thereby performing the processing operation. It has become possible to facilitate.

Further, it is also effective at the time of replenishing the transfer paper to the paper feeding unit and the jam processing.

Further, it goes without saying that the space can be saved by standing the paper discharge section downward when the apparatus is not in operation or being transported.

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus capable of effectively utilizing the used space and improving the attachment / detachment operability of the process unit. That is, according to the present invention, when the process unit is attached or detached, the opening / closing member is opened and the process unit is attached or detached in a state where the image forming apparatus main body is erected so that the fixing unit is located downward. Therefore, the process kit can be attached and detached in a wider space. Further, according to the present invention, when the main body of the image forming apparatus is set up, the fixing means, which is relatively heavy among the means used in the image forming apparatus, is set downward, so that the apparatus can be set up in a stable state. it can.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a cross section of one embodiment of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a view for explaining a use state of the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a front view showing a sectional view of another embodiment, and FIG. 4 is a view for explaining a usage state of the image forming apparatus of FIG. In the figure, 1,1 '... Copying device, 10 ... Paper feeding cassette, 12 ... Conveying roller, 13 ... Timing roller, 16 ... Fixing device, 18 ...
… Paper ejection tray, 19 …… Hinge, 21 …… Legs, 22,22 ′ ……
Legs, 24 …… support plate, 26 …… hinge, 23 …… handle, 28 ……
Process unit, 31 …… Lever, 32 …… Handle, 33 ……
Hinge, 34 ... Support plate, 35 ... Guide plate.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a transfer material, wherein a process kit having an image carrier and process means acting on the image carrier can be attached and detached. To attach the process kit detachably,
The mounting portion provided with the image forming apparatus main body, and the process kit provided in the mounting portion provided so as to be located at the bottom of the image forming apparatus main body when installed in an operable state for forming an image. To wear, and
An opening / closing member that can be opened to remove the process kit from the mounting portion, and a leg portion provided so as to be positioned at one end side of the image forming apparatus main body when installed in an operable state for forming an image. And a fixing means arranged on the opening / closing member for conveying the transfer material, and a fixing means arranged on a side of the image forming apparatus main body on which the leg portion is provided. When the kit is attached or detached, the opening / closing member is opened in a state in which the image forming apparatus main body is supported by the legs so that the fixing unit is on the lower side and the image forming apparatus main body is upright, and the process kit is installed. An image forming apparatus, wherein the image forming apparatus is configured to be attached and detached. 2. A process kit attachable to and detachable from the main body of the image forming apparatus integrally includes a photosensitive drum as the image bearing member, and a discharger, a developing device, and a cleaning device as the process means. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the opening / closing member is further provided with a transfer corona discharger. 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the opening / closing member is provided with one roller of a conveying roller pair as the conveying means.