JPH08171317A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To minimize the flow out of ozone and NOx generated from plural image forming parts to the outside of a machine without changing the size of a whole device. CONSTITUTION: Exhaust ducts 10F and 10R are arranged over the whole image forming parts Pa, Pb, Pc and Pd and connected to the inside of a closed space 13 in a main body through first ventilation fans 11F and 11R and first filters 12F and 12R. Besides, a second exhaust fan 16 and a second filter 17 are connected to the closed space 13. Thus, air including the ozone and NOx generated from the respective image forming parts Pa, Pb, Pc and Pd is stored in the closed space 13 through the first fans 11F and 11R and the first filters 12F and 12R and exhausted to the outside of the machine through the second exhaust fan 16 and the second filter 17 besides.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic copying machine and an electrostatic recording apparatus.
The present invention relates to improvements in air flow in an image forming apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a plurality of image forming units are provided, and each image forming unit has a visible image (toner image) of a different color.
Various image forming apparatuses that form a toner image and sequentially transfer these toner images onto the same recording material, so-called color image forming apparatuses, have been proposed. Among them, electrophotographic color images are often used. It is a forming device.

In such an electrophotographic color image forming apparatus, a plurality of image forming sections, generally four image forming sections, are arranged side by side, and respective dedicated photoconductor drums are used as image bearing members of these image forming sections. A visible image of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black, that is, a toner image is separately formed on each photoconductor drum, and is sequentially recorded on a recording material that is carried and conveyed by a recording material carrying means such as a dielectric belt. Toner images of respective colors are transferred in an overlapping manner, and the multiple toner images on the recording material are collectively heat-fixed by a fixing device to obtain a desired full-color image or multi-color image.

An example of such an electrophotographic color image forming apparatus will be briefly described with reference to FIG. This color image forming apparatus has, for example, visible images (toner images) of yellow, cyan, and black in the main body of the apparatus.
The first to fourth image forming portions Pa, Pb, Pc, and Pd that can form the image forming portions are linearly arranged, and each image forming portion Pa to Pd is dedicated as an image carrier. The photosensitive drums 1a, 1b, 1c, and 1d are included. Each of the photoconductor drums 1a to 1d is rotationally driven in the direction of the arrow in the figure, and its periphery is a dedicated image forming process means, for example, primary chargers 2a, 2b, 2c, 2
d, image exposure devices 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, developing device 4a,
4b, 4c, 4d, and cleaners 5a, 5b, 5c, 5
d and the like are provided.

Further, a recording material carrying means, a recording material carrying belt 8 which moves endlessly in this example, is hung between a plurality of rollers under the photosensitive drums 1a to 1d of each of the image forming portions Pa to Pd. The transfer charging means 6 is provided inside thereof.
a, 6b, 6c and 6d are arranged respectively. Further, a sheet feeding unit is arranged on the right side of the recording material carrying belt 8 in the figure, and a fixing device 7 is arranged on the opposite side, that is, on the left side of the figure. Further, a pair of registration rollers 13 for feeding the recording material P at a timing is arranged between the paper feeding section and the recording material carrying belt 8.
The recording material P is fed and held on the recording material carrying belt 8 from the paper feeding portion through the registration rollers 13, and as the belt 8 moves in the direction of the arrow in the figure, the transfer areas of the image forming portions Pa to Pd are transferred. Are sequentially transported.

In the above-mentioned structure, the recording material P sent out from the paper feeding portion is temporarily stopped when the leading end of the recording material P is slightly caught by the registration roller 13, and the image forming process and timing of the first image forming portion Pa is set. The sheets are combined and sent out, and are fed onto the recording material carrying belt 8. In the first image forming portion Pa, the image information of the yellow component color in the original image is scanned by the laser beam or the like with respect to the photosensitive drum 1a uniformly charged by the primary charger 2a to electrostatically charge the yellow component color. A latent image is formed. This electrostatic latent image becomes a yellow visible image with yellow toner attached by the developing device 3a.

On the other hand, the recording material P is carried while being carried on the recording material carrying belt 8, and in the transfer area below the photosensitive drum 1a of the first image forming portion Pa, the operation of the transfer charging means 6a causes the photosensitive material. The yellow visible image formed on the drum 1a, that is, the toner image is transferred onto the recording material P. While the yellow toner image is being transferred onto the recording material P in this manner, an electrostatic latent image of a magenta component color is formed on the second image forming portion Pb, and this electrostatic latent image is magenta on the developing device 3b. When the recording material P is a toner image and is conveyed to the transfer area below the photoconductor drum 1b of the second image forming portion Pb, this magenta toner image moves to the transfer area, and by the action of the transfer charging means 6b. It is transferred in a state of being superimposed on the yellow toner image on the recording material P.

Hereinafter, the third and fourth image forming portions Pc and Pd will be described.
In this case, cyan and black toner images are sequentially formed in the same manner as the first and second image forming portions Pa and Pb, and these toner images are sequentially formed on the recording material P conveyed by the recording material carrying belt 8. Multiple toner images are transferred.

When the image forming process is completed, the recording material P is separated from the recording material carrying belt 8 and sent to the fixing device 7, where it is collectively fixed to obtain a desired full-color image. In addition, the photoconductor drums 1a to 1d of the respective image forming portions Pa to Pd after the transfer is finished are cleaned by the cleaner 5
The residual toner is removed in steps a to 5d to prepare for the subsequent latent image formation.

The image forming apparatus having the above structure is advantageous in speeding up because it has an image forming portion for each color. Further, since the transfer path can be linearly formed, it can be used for recording materials such as thick paper and trapen. Although it has advantages such as adaptability, it has the following inconveniences because it has a plurality of image forming portions.

[0011]

Generally [0008], a charger used in the image forming unit is a corona charger using corona discharge, conventionally, it has been known to generate ozone and No _x, etc..

[0012] In Thus, the amount of ozone and No _x in the case where the image forming portion are a plurality as in the above image forming apparatus becomes large as a whole unit.

The generation of such a high concentration of ozone and No _x has the following adverse effects, for example. 1. Give off a strange odor near the equipment. 2. The internal components, for example, ozone deterioration occurs on the surface of the photosensitive drum, also produce degradation due No _x in memory or the like. 3. High concentration ozone from the device, the emission of No _x exacerbates the environment around the installation location of the device.

Furthermore, the generation of a large amount of ozone and No _{x has} an adverse effect on the destruction of the global environment.

Therefore, ozone generated inside the apparatus, No
It is considered that _x is absorbed by a filter or the like to prevent it from flowing out of the device.

However, when a filter and an exhaust fan are arranged in each of the plurality of image forming sections, an air intake duct for taking in air outside the apparatus to the charger and an air outlet from the charger to the outside of the apparatus are provided in the image forming section through the filter. Since two types of exhaust ducts are required for exhausting each of the above, there is a problem that the image forming section becomes large and the entire apparatus having a plurality of image forming sections becomes extremely large.

Although it is conceivable to exhaust all the air from a plurality of image forming sections with one exhaust fan, an image forming process means around the photosensitive drum is arranged near the image forming section to further expose the image. Therefore, it is difficult to exhaust the air with one exhaust fan by providing a single duct while avoiding the image forming process means and the optical path.

Therefore, a first object of the present invention is to generate a large amount of ozone from an apparatus main body having a plurality of image carriers,
Minimizing outflow to the outside of No _x, it is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of minimizing the adverse effect on the surrounding environment.

A second object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus which can secure an air discharge path in the vicinity of the image forming section without changing the size of the entire apparatus and without difficulty. Is.

[0020]

The above object can be achieved by an image forming apparatus according to the present invention. In summary, the present invention provides:
In the image forming apparatus for forming a multiple image by arranging a plurality of image forming units having an image bearing member carrying an image on the surface thereof and a charger for charging or discharging the image bearing member, First exhaust means for arranging exhaust ducts for exhausting air in the vicinity of the above-mentioned parts over all the image forming sections, and exhausting air in the exhaust ducts to a closed space inside the main body through a first filter. And a second air for discharging the air in the closed space inside the main body to the outside of the main body of the device through a second filter.
And an exhaust means of the image forming apparatus.

It is preferable that the second exhaust means exhausts air to the inner side of the apparatus main body.

The exhaust ducts are respectively arranged on the front side and the rear side of the apparatus main body, and the exhaust ducts arranged on the front side and the rear side are respectively provided with a first filter and a first exhaust means. It is preferable.

There is an air intake means for sucking air from the outside of the apparatus main body and blowing the air to the vicinity of the charger of each image forming section, and the air taken into the vicinity of the charger by the air intake means is the exhaust duct. It is preferable to discharge to the closed space in the main body.

[0024]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An image forming apparatus according to the present invention will be described below in more detail with reference to the drawings. In the following description of the embodiments, the exhaust system and the intake system, which are the characteristic parts of the present invention, will be described in particular, and the members having the same function as those described above will be designated by the same reference numerals. Is omitted.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the upper portion of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of air near the image carrier.

The configuration of the exhaust system in this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The front side of the device is in the F direction and the back side is in the R direction.
Direction. Multiple image forming units Pa, Pb, Pc, Pd
Over the respective image carriers 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, a front side exhaust duct 10F and a rear side exhaust duct 10R are extended.

In the exhaust ducts 10F, 10R, the developing units 4a, 4b, 4c of the image forming sections Pa, Pb, Pc, Pd are provided.
4d and suction ports 14F, 15F, 1 at positions facing the upper portions of the cleaners 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d (see FIG. 2).
4R and 15R are opened. Also, each exhaust duct 1
The front side first exhaust fan 11F and the back side first exhaust fan 11R, which are the first exhaust means, are arranged at the end portions of 0F and 10R on the final image forming portion Pd side.
R is the exhaust duct 1 through the first filters 12F and 12R.
The air in 0F and 10R is discharged to the closed space 13 in the main body.

A second exhaust fan 16, which is a second exhaust means, is disposed on the inner side of the closed space 13 in the main body, and the second filter 1 is provided.
The air in the closed space 13 in the main body is discharged to the inner side of the apparatus via 7. The above is the configuration of the exhaust system.

Next, the intake system of this embodiment will be described. Intake fans 18a, 18b are arranged near the image carriers 1a, 1c on the inner side of the main body, and dust filters 23a,
Intake duct 1 for sucking air outside the apparatus through 23b
It is incorporated in 9a and 19b.

Each of the intake ducts 19a and 19b is branched into two, and each of the branch pipes 20a, 20b, 20c and 20d includes a primary charger 2a of each of the image forming portions Pa, Pb, Pc and Pd.
2b, 2c, 2d (2d is not shown) forms a path for carrying the taken-in air. The above is the configuration of the intake system.

Next, the flow of air in the image forming apparatus having the above configuration will be described. Intake fans 18a, 18
The air outside the device sucked into the intake ducts 19a, 19b from b is branched off from the branch pipes 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d (20d
(Not shown), each primary charger 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d
Shield plates 21a, 21b, 21c, 21d (21d
(Not shown) 22a, 22b, 22c, 22d
(Only 22b is shown) to each photoconductor drum 1a, 1b, 1
It is blown out to the c and 1d surfaces.

Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 3, this air is rotated to the opening 14 on the developing device 4 of the exhaust duct 10 by the rotation of the photosensitive drum 1 (image bearing member) (in the direction of arrow a), and a part thereof is cleaned. Move to the upper openings 15, each opening 14,
From 15, it is guided into the exhaust duct 10 by the suction force of the first exhaust fans 11F and 11R shown in FIG. Exhaust the air sucked into the duct 10 in the containing ozone and No _x generated when the primary charger 2 is a corona discharge.

In the exhaust duct 10, the image forming portions Pa and P are formed.
The air sucked from b, Pc, and Pd is supplied to the first filter 1 by the first exhaust fans 11F and 11R as shown in FIG.
It is discharged to the closed space 13 in the main body through 2F and 12R.
First filter 12F, 12R is, for example, ozonolysis filter and No _x decomposition filter using a catalyst, a filter which is generally widely used.

As shown in FIG. 1, the exhaust ducts 10F, 10R for guiding the air to the first filters 12F, 12R are linear, so that the air in the exhaust ducts 10F, 10R has a loss of flow rate in the middle. Less first exhaust fan 11
The first filter 12 without impairing the ability of F and 11R
Guided up to F and 12R.

The first filter 12F, air passing through the 12R content thereof ozone or No _x is decomposed by the filter is discharged to the body inside the closed space 13 in a state of reduced.
The air exhausted into the main body closed space 13 is guided to the second filter 17 by the second exhaust fan 16. The second filter 17, like the first filter, is a decomposition filter for ozone or No _x .

Since the air flow path from the closed space 13 in the main body to the second filter 17 is linear, the exhaust duct 1
Like 0F and 10R, air can be guided to the second filter 17 without impairing the performance of the second exhaust fan 16.

The air that has passed through the second filter 17 is
Ozone and No _x by the function of the filter is exhausted to the decomposition has been outside the main body, already a first filter 12F before passing the second filter 17, which passes through the 12R, so that the passing through the filter to the double .

Therefore, high-concentration ozone, No _x, etc. generated from the chargers of the plurality of image forming sections are almost decomposed when exhausted to the outside of the main body.

When the image forming apparatus having the above-mentioned structure is used, the following effects can be obtained.

1. A flow path of air from the exhaust ducts 10F, 10R to the closed space 13 in the main body via the first exhaust fans 11F, 11R, and a flow path of air from the closed space 13 in the main body to the outside of the main body via the second exhaust fan 17 are provided. Since all of them are linear, a reasonable exhaust system can be configured without impairing the ability of the fan.

2. The air in the vicinity of the image forming unit passes through the two filters of the first filters 12F and 12R before being discharged to the outside of the main body. Thus, ozone and N0 _x generated from the vicinity of the image forming unit is almost decomposed, it is possible to remove generation of an odor in the vicinity of device, the deterioration of the internal components, the disadvantage of deterioration of the environment.

3. The air flow path from the intake fans 18a and 18b to the second exhaust fan 16 is naturally arranged so as to avoid a plurality of optical paths and image forming process means, and the size of the apparatus can be hardly changed.

[0043]

As is apparent from the above description, in the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, exhaust ducts for exhausting air in the vicinity of each image forming section are arranged over all the image forming sections, A first exhaust means for discharging the air in the exhaust duct to the closed space in the main body through a first filter, and a second exhaust means for discharging the air in the closed space in the main body to the outside of the apparatus main body through a second filter. By having the exhaust means of the above, it is possible to minimize the outflow of ozone and No _x , which are generated in large quantities from the main body of the apparatus having a plurality of image carriers, to the outside of the machine, and to minimize the adverse effects on the surrounding environment. In addition, it is possible to secure the air discharge path in the vicinity of the image forming portion without changing the size of the entire apparatus and without difficulty.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram showing an embodiment of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an exhaust system and an intake system of the image forming apparatus of FIG.

3 is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of air in the exhaust system of FIG. 2. FIG.

FIG. 4 is an overall configuration diagram of a conventional image forming apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

1a, 1b, 1c, 1d Image bearing member (photosensitive drum) 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d Charging device 10F, 10R Exhaust duct 11F, 11R First exhaust fan (first exhaust means) 12F, 12R First filter 13 Main body Inner closed space 16 Second exhaust fan (second exhaust means) 17 Second filter 18a, 18b Intake fan (air intake means) Pa, Pb, Pc, Pd Image forming unit

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An image forming apparatus for forming a multiple image by juxtaposing a plurality of image forming units each having an image bearing member carrying an image on its surface and a charger for charging or discharging the image bearing member. Exhaust ducts for exhausting air in the vicinity of the image forming units are arranged over all the image forming units, and the air in the exhaust ducts is exhausted to a closed space in the main body through a first filter. An image forming apparatus comprising: a first exhaust means and a second exhaust means for exhausting air in the closed space inside the main body to the outside of the main body of the apparatus through a second filter. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second exhaust means exhausts air to the inner side of the apparatus main body. 3. The exhaust ducts are arranged on the front side and the rear side of the apparatus main body, respectively, and a first filter and a first exhaust means are attached to each of the exhaust ducts arranged on the front side and the rear side. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus comprises: 4. An air intake means for sucking air from outside the apparatus main body and blowing the air to the vicinity of the charger of each of the image forming sections, and the air taken into the vicinity of the charger by the air intake means is provided. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image is discharged to a closed space in the main body by an exhaust duct.