JPH0769647B2 - Electrostatic copying machine - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial application] The present invention relates to an electrostatic copying apparatus, and more particularly, to an image forming unit equipped with a discharge electrode provided with a knob for reciprocating a cleaning tool for a discharge wire on the back plate side. The present invention relates to an improvement of an electrostatic copying apparatus provided so that it can be pulled out from the front side of the main body.

[Background of the Invention]

Recently, a plurality of photoconductor drums and their peripheral mechanisms are provided as image forming units, developing toners of different colors are loaded in the respective image forming units, and color copying can be performed by simply replacing the image forming units. Devices are emerging.
In the case of such an image forming unit, since the discharge wire of the discharge electrode faces the surface of the photoconductor drum, even if the image forming unit is pulled out from the main body, the discharge wire side is blocked, so it is usually easy. Can not be cleaned.
Therefore, in this type of electrostatic copying apparatus, a knob for reciprocally moving the cleaning tool for the discharge wire is provided on the back plate side of the discharge electrode, and the cleaning tool is reciprocally operated by the knob after the imaging unit is pulled out from the main body. With this configuration, it is possible to easily remove dust such as toner and suspended matter attached to the wire.

However, since this knob is exposed on the outer surface of the image forming unit, it will be touched and moved to the middle part,
There is a possibility that an accident may occur in which the cleaning tool is located within the effective discharge area of the discharge wire and interferes with the discharge. A problem similar to this occurred also in the case of the cleaning means for cleaning the corona discharge electrode of the corona discharge means when inserting the cartridge having the corona discharge means into the main body, but it is solved in JP-A-61-255364. Has been done.

However, in the case of Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 61-255364, not only a wasteful space corresponding to the height of the knob of the cleaning means was required between the corona discharge means and its supporting surface, but also corona discharge. The stopper for returning the means has to be raised in the space, or it is necessary to prepare a separate part and fix it to the supporting surface by welding or using a stopper, which has a drawback of increasing manufacturing cost.

[Object of the Invention]

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and provides an electrostatic copying apparatus capable of reducing the manufacturing cost including a stopper for returning a knob without creating a wasteful space between the image forming unit and the bottom plate of the main body. With the goal.

[Structure of Invention]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention suspends an image forming unit so that it can be pulled out from the lower surface of the bottom plate of the upper body that is connected to the lower body in a clamshell shape, and discharge electrodes are provided on the outer surface of the top of the image forming unit. In an electrostatic copying apparatus provided with a knob for reciprocally moving the cleaning body of the discharge wire, the bottom surface of the bottom plate has a depth through which the knob can pass when the image forming unit is accommodated from the pull-out surface side, and An inverted U-shaped concave groove having a width and having a rear end wall with which the knob can abut outside the effective discharge area of the discharge wire when the image forming unit is housed in a fixed position is provided. It is configured so that the discharge of the discharge wire is not disturbed.

〔Example〕

Next, the present invention will be described based on an embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings.

In the figure, 1 is an upper body, 2 is a lower body, and the upper body 1 and the lower body 2 are connected via a hinge connecting portion 3 so as to be opened in a clamshell shape. A platen glass 1a is fitted on the upper surface of the upper body 1, and a document holding plate is placed on the platen glass 1a.
It is attached so that it can be opened and closed so that 1b can be crimped. Further, in the upper body 1, a light source 4a capable of moving while irradiating light on a document placed on the document table glass 1a, and the light source unit 4
An optical system 4 including a first mirror 4b fixed to a ', second and third mirrors 4c and 4d for bending the reflected light obtained by the first mirror, and a variable power lens 4e and a fourth mirror 4f are provided. ing.

An image forming device 5 is attached to the rules 12a and 12b provided on the lower surface of the bottom plate (bottom plate of the optical system) 11 of the upper body 1 so as to be pulled out from the front side through the protrusions 5b and 5c provided on the left and right side surfaces. In a unit,
The image forming unit 5 includes a photosensitive drum 6, and a charging section 7, a developing section 8, a transfer section 9, and a cleaning section 10 are arranged around the photosensitive drum 6. However, the discharge electrodes 9'of the transfer unit 9 are installed opposite to each other with the paper passage 13 interposed therebetween in the lower main body 2.

Reference numeral 14 is a cassette for accommodating recording sheets in a stack, and the cassette 14 is mounted in the lower space 2'of the lower main body 2 so as to be pulled out from the front side. Reference numeral 15 denotes a paper feeding unit which feeds the recording paper from the cassette 14 one by one to the paper path 13 and the transfer portion 9 of the photosensitive drum 6 at a timing. A second paper feed roller 17 for paper and a guide roller 18 are provided, and a removable manual paper feed tray 19 is provided on the outer surface of one side wall of the lower body 2. This manual feed tray 19
A manual paper feed roller 21 is provided in the manual paper feed passage 20 communicating with the.

A fixing unit 22 fixes the toner image by applying heat and pressure to the recording paper after the transfer in the transfer unit 9. The fixing unit 22 is a unit frame 23 fixed to the lower main body 2 side and a fixing roller 24a, Crimping roller 24b and cleaning roller
In addition to having 25, it also has discharge rollers 26a and 26b. The recording papers discharged from the paper discharge rollers 26a, 26b are stacked from the inner bottom surface 27 on the other side of the lower body 2 to a paper discharge tray 28 which is detachably attached to the outer wall.

29 is a locking means for keeping the free end sides of the upper body 1 and the lower body 2 in a closed state, and the locking means 29 is a rotation of the lower body 2 which can be rotated around the central axis 21 'of the manual feed roller 21. A hook 30 is integrally formed on the upper edge of the moving wall 2 '.

Reference numeral 31 is a counterbalance mechanism which is provided in the vicinity of the hinge coupling portion 3 and biases the upper body 1 in the opening direction. The counterbalance mechanism 31 moves the upper body 1 at a predetermined angle (about 30 °) as shown in FIG. Let it open. The counter balance mechanism 31 does not work when the upper body 1 is raised above the angle. This is the upper body 1 and the lower body 2
On the other hand, it is because the disassembly and the reassembly can be easily performed only by moving in one direction along the hinge axis.

3 to 6 show the discharge electrode 32 which constitutes the charging section 7 of the developing unit 5. As shown in FIG. 3, the discharge electrode 32 is provided with a grid 35 while a discharge wire 34 is stretched between both lengthwise end walls of a gate-shaped back plate 33 having the photosensitive drum 6 side opened. .

36 is a cleaning body for the discharge wire 34, and the cleaning body 36 is attached to a slider 37 that slides on the inner surface of the back plate 33.
Spring members 40, 40 'are provided to bring the swinging pieces 39, 39' with felts 38, 38 'sandwiched between them into close contact with each other in a palm shape. 41 is a slit provided on the upper surface of the back plate 33 of the discharge electrode 32
A knob for reciprocally moving the discharge wire cleaning body 36 through 42, which projects to the outer surface of the image forming unit 5.

Reference numeral 43 is an inverted U-shaped groove provided on the bottom plate 11 of the upper body 1 as shown in FIG. 4, and 44 is a rear end wall of the groove 43. The concave groove 43 has a depth and a width in which the knob 41 can be fitted when the image forming unit 5 is mounted along the rails 12a and 12b from the front side of the upper body 1. Further, the rear end wall 44 is for contacting the knob 41 as shown in FIG. 5 and leaving the cleaning element 36 in place. In other words, the cleaning body should be the discharge wire 34.
It is for forcibly moving to the outside of the effective discharge area.

Reference numeral 45 denotes a projecting piece that is provided on the front end wall of the back plate 33 so as to project in parallel with the discharge wire 34, and the tip of the projecting piece 45 has a glans-like shape as shown in FIG. This protrusion 45 is a knob 41 that abuts on the rear end wall 44 of the groove 43 when the image forming unit is mounted.
At the same time, the swinging pieces 39, 39 'constituting the cleaning body 36 returned in the opposite direction to the charging direction are expanded as shown in FIG. 3 (b) so as to be separated from the discharge wire 34. is there.

In the above embodiment, when cleaning the discharge wire 34, the lock means 29 is removed and the upper main body 1 is opened around the hinge coupling portion 3 by the action of the counter balance mechanism to move the image forming unit 5 to the rails 12a, 12b. Pull out along. After that, the image forming unit 5 is placed at an appropriate place, and a knob 41 protruding from the upper surface of the back plate 33 of the discharge electrode 32 is provided.
First, the swinging pieces 39, 39 'of the cleaning body 36 are released from the projecting piece 45 projecting from the end wall of the back plate 33, and the discharge wire is clamped by the felts 38, 38', and then the knob 41 is moved back and forth along the slit 42 on the upper surface of the back plate 33. As a result, the dust attached to the discharge wire is completely removed. Of course, the discharge wire 34 may be cleaned when the image forming unit is replaced.

As described above, when the image forming unit after the cleaning of the discharge wire 34 is mounted again along the rails 12a and 12b of the bottom plate 11 of the upper main body 1, the knob 41 protruding on the upper surface of the image forming unit is mounted.
After being fitted into the recessed groove 43 provided in the bottom plate 11, since it abuts on the rear end wall 44 of the recessed groove 43, the cleaning body 36, for example, even near the central portion in the longitudinal direction of the back plate, The discharge wire 34 is forcibly moved out of the effective discharge area. As a result, the cleaning body 36 returned to the front side of the back plate 33.
The swing piece 39, 39 'is expanded by the projecting piece 45 projecting from the end wall of the back plate and separated from the discharge wire 34. This prevents deformation of the felts 38, 38 ',
It is designed to withstand long-term use.

Although one embodiment has been described above, the present invention is not limited to this, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the discharge electrode may be an electrode other than the charging electrode, such as a transfer electrode.

Furthermore, in the illustrated embodiment, a felt material is used as a cleaning material and a structure in which pressure is applied from the left and right sides of the discharge wire is adopted, but an appropriate material can be used as the cleaning material, and the discharge wire can be used. It should be added that the structure for (1) can be appropriately configured as necessary, and that the structure of the felt opening member can also be an appropriate structure.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the present invention, the image forming unit is suspended so that it can be drawn out from the lower surface of the bottom plate of the upper body that is connected to the lower body in a clamshell shape, and the discharge wire of the discharge electrode is attached to the outer surface of the top of the image forming unit. In an electrostatic copying apparatus provided with a knob for reciprocally moving the cleaning body, the bottom surface of the bottom plate has a depth and a width through which the knob can pass when the image forming unit is stored from the pull-out surface side. And a reverse U having a rear end wall with which the knob can abut outside the effective discharge area of the discharge wire when the image forming unit is housed in a fixed position.
Since the character-shaped concave groove is provided, when the image forming unit is stored from the pull-out surface side, the knob of the cleaning member provided in a protruding shape on the top of the image forming unit has an inverted U shape on the lower surface of the bottom plate of the upper main body.
Since it is accommodated in the groove formed in a letter shape, a space for the height of the knob is not required between the bottom plate of the upper body and the image forming unit, and the space in the body of the copying machine can be effectively used.

In addition, the stopper function that returns the knob of the cleaning body left in the effective discharge area of the discharge wire to the outside of the "effective discharge area" while the image forming unit is stored in the fixed position is provided at the inner wall of the groove. Since it can be performed, it is not necessary to separately prepare a component as a stopper, or to fix the component by welding or using a stopper, which is an excellent effect that the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 shows an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is a schematic front sectional view with an upper body closed, FIG. 2 is a schematic front sectional view with an upper body open, FIG. (A), (b) is sectional drawing which shows a discharge electrode and a discharge wire cleaning body, FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of an image forming unit and its mounting part, FIG. 5 is the same sectional drawing at the time of mounting, 6th. The figure is a plan view of a protrusion that separates the cleaning element from the discharge wire. 1 …… Upper body 2 …… Lower body 3 …… Hinge joint part 5 …… Imaging unit 12a, 12b …… Rail 32 …… Discharge electrode 33 …… Back plate 34 …… Discharge wire 36 …… Cleaning body 37 …… … Slider 38,38 ′ …… Felt 39,39 ′ …… Swing piece 40,40 ′ …… Spring member 41 …… Knob 42 …… Slit 43 …… Concave groove 44 …… Back wall 45 …… Projection piece

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An image forming unit is suspended from a lower surface of a bottom plate of an upper body, which is connected to the lower body in a clamshell shape, and the discharge wire of a discharge electrode is cleaned on the outer surface of the top of the image forming unit. In an electrostatic copying apparatus provided with a knob that reciprocates a body in a protruding shape, the bottom surface of the bottom plate has a depth and a width through which the knob can pass when the image forming unit is stored from the pull-out surface side, and An electrostatic copying characterized in that an inverted U-shaped concave groove having a rear end wall with which the knob can abut is provided outside the effective discharge area of the discharge wire when the image forming unit is housed in a fixed position. apparatus.