JPH08314339A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To obtain an image forming device for efficiently removing ozone generated inside the device with a simple constitution by making the air existing inside the device main body circulate and providing an ozone filter on the circulation path. CONSTITUTION: An exposure device 7 and a photoreceptor drum 5, etc., are cooled by air sent from an air fan 4 installed inside the device main body, and also, the sent air circulates in the device. On the other hand, the ozone is generated from a corona charging means 6, the ozone is dispersed inside the device by sending the air, and the ozone and the sent air circulate together in the device. The ozone filter 30 is installed on the way of the air circulation path, and when the air passes through the ozone filter 30 so as to remove the ozone. The air with little ozone removed by the ozone filter 30 stillmore circulates inside the device, and the air passes through the ozone filter 30 again, then, the ozone is furthermore removed. The air circulation is repeated in such a way, and the air passes through the ozone filter 30, then, the ozone existing in the device is thoroughly removed.

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 a copying machine or a printer, and in particular, ozone generated in the main body of the apparatus is circulated in the apparatus by a blowing means, and an ozone filter is provided on this circulation path. The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that effectively removes ozone by providing it.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 3, a corona charger 6 and a transfer corona discharger 9 provided therein are provided.
Ozone is generated at the time of image formation from the corona charging means such as. In order to remove this ozone, a supply fan 22 that takes in outside air from the outside of the device and an exhaust fan 2 that removes ozone inside the device via an ozone filter and discharges it to the outside of the device
3 and 3 are provided.

Further, in order to prevent the temperature inside the apparatus from rising due to the heat generated from the exposing means 7 and the fixing device 3 arranged inside the apparatus, the function of the photosensitive drum 5 and the exposing means 7 is lowered particularly at high temperatures. There is known an image forming apparatus that blows air toward a fan 4 to cool them.

On the other hand, in Japanese Patent Application No. 6-151690, a transfer material carrying unfixed toner is conveyed and guided by a conveying guide means, and blowing air is blown from an upper surface of the transfer material by a blowing fan 4 to cause the transfer material to meander. It is disclosed that the guide is carried by pressing it against the conveying means so as not to do so.

[0005]

When the air containing ozone generated inside the apparatus main body is discharged to the outside of the image forming apparatus, an intake fan is provided to supply the outside air to the inside of the apparatus main body, and the discharge fan is attached to the side surface of the apparatus. Etc., and an ozone filter is arranged in front of or behind the outlet of the exhaust fan to remove the ozone and exhaust the air inside the device. In this case, the ozone-containing air passes through the ozone filter only once, so the ozone is not completely removed by the filter and is not discharged. There is a risk that Further, in order to meet the ozone discharge standard, a high-performance ozone filter is required, or it is necessary to combine a large number of ozone filters and provide a large discharge fan.
It causes cost increase.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus that efficiently removes ozone generated inside the apparatus with a simple structure.

[0007]

In order to solve the above problems, according to the present invention, in an image forming apparatus in which air blowing means is arranged inside the apparatus main body, the air inside the apparatus main body is circulated by the air blowing means, and this circulation path is provided. It is characterized by having an ozone filter on the top.

The air blowing means blows air toward the exposing means to cool the air, and the air blowing means circulates the air inside the apparatus main body. An ozone filter is provided on the circulation path. In the image forming apparatus in which the device is disposed inside the apparatus main body, blowing air is blown toward the corona charging unit by the blowing unit, or air near the corona charging unit is sucked to circulate ozone generated from the corona charging unit. An ozone filter is provided on the circulation path.

Further, in the image forming apparatus having a transport guide means for transporting the transfer material separated from the image carrier to the fixing device after the image formation, the transport guide means for transporting the transfer material inside the image forming apparatus. And a ozone filter provided in the vicinity of the air blowing means.

Furthermore, the air blowing means blows air from above the conveying guide means to almost the entire widthwise direction of the transfer material. The air volume of the air blowing means is unfixed on the transfer material. The air volume is such that the toner does not fly.

[0011]

In such a structure, the air blown by the air blower fan provided inside the apparatus body cools the exposure device, the photosensitive drum, and the like, and the air blown circulates in the apparatus. On the other hand, ozone is generated from the corona charging means, and this ozone is diffused in the device by air flow and circulates in the device with air flow. An ozone filter is provided in the middle of the circulation path by the air blow, and the ozone is removed by the air blow passing through the ozone filter. The air from which most of the ozone is removed by the ozone filter further circulates in the apparatus, passes through the ozone filter again, and the ozone is further removed. Thus, the blown air is repeatedly circulated, passes through the ozone filter, and sufficiently removes ozone in the apparatus.

Further, as a preferred example, air is blown from the separating position of the transfer material to the fixing device in a direction substantially perpendicular to the transfer material and in substantially the entire width direction, so that unfixed toner on the transfer material does not scatter. Blows with the air volume of. In particular, air is blown to the guide plate of the conveyance guide means. By this air blowing, the transfer material is separated from the photosensitive drum at a predetermined separation position, and the transfer material is pressed against the upper surfaces of the transfer belt and the guide plate of the transfer guide means, and the transfer material is transferred to the fixing device without floating. On the other hand, the air after being blown to the transfer material is directed to the charging corona discharger or the transfer corona discharger. Ozone generated from the charging corona discharger or the transfer corona discharger circulates inside the apparatus together with this air flow. The ozone-containing air is returned to the blowing unit again, passes through an ozone filter located near the blowing unit, is removed, and is further blown to the transfer material. In this way, the air inside the apparatus circulates inside the apparatus and the removal of ozone is repeated. Part of the air is discharged from the transfer material discharge port and the gap.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a side sectional view showing an image forming apparatus according to the present invention, which is roughly composed of an image forming section 1, a transfer material conveyance guide means 2, and a fixing device 3. An air blower fan 4 as an air blower for moving the transfer material while pressing the transfer material against the transfer guide means 2 is arranged above the transfer guide means 2 located between the separating position 16 of the image forming unit and the fixing device 3 which will be described later. ing. Further, the image forming apparatus is provided with a supply fan 22 for supplying outside air into the apparatus.

The blower fan 4 has a rotor 25, a casing 26 surrounding the rotor 25, and an opening 27 for blowing air toward the transfer material. The opening 27 is provided so as to blow air across the width of the transfer material, and the ozone filter 30 is provided so as to cover the opening. Blower fan 4
The rotor 25 has a cylindrical shape, and is provided with blades in the width direction on the outer peripheral surface thereof, and rotates around a rotating shaft 28 to blow air.

As is well known, as the image forming unit 1, a corona charger 6 for uniformly charging the surface of the photosensitive drum 5 centering on the photosensitive drum 5, and projecting an original image to form a latent image on the photosensitive drum 5. An optical projection device 7 for developing the latent image, a developing device 8 for developing the latent image, a transfer corona discharger for transferring the visualized toner image onto a transfer material fed from a paper feed section 35 loaded with roll paper 21 or cut paper. 9, AC separation corona discharger 11 for separating the transfer material from the photosensitive drum 5, the photosensitive drum 5
A cleaner 12 for removing the residual developer after the transfer and an eraser lamp 13 for equalizing the surface potential of the surface of the photosensitive drum 5 are provided on the surface, and they are arranged so as to sequentially act on the photosensitive drum 5. Has been done.

Further, between the vicinity of the separating corona discharger 11 and the fixing device 3, a conveying belt as a conveying guide means 2 for conveying and guiding the transfer material separated by the separating corona discharger 11 to the fixing device 3. 14 and a guide plate 15 are arranged. A fixing device 3 that fixes the toner image on the transfer material as a permanent image is arranged at the tip of the guide plate 15.

The blower fan 4 is preferably located above the guide plate 15 and preferably blows air in a direction substantially perpendicular to the conveyed transfer material and over substantially the entire width direction of the transfer material. The wind from the blower fan 4 mainly hits the guide plate 15 or the transfer material guided on the guide plate 15. Further, this wind flows along the transfer material or the guide plate 15 and is blown onto the conveyor belt 14. Further, the wind reaches the separation position 16 where the transfer material is separated from the photosensitive drum 5 by the separation corona discharger 11. The amount of air blown by the blower fan 4 is preferably such that the toner formed on the transfer material does not scatter, and a bias voltage opposite to the polarity of the toner is applied to the conveyor belt 14 or the guide plate 15 so that the toner is transferred on the transfer material 10. Toner scattering can be suppressed, and the air volume can be controlled.

The operation of the transfer material will be described. Corona charger 6
When the optical image is projected by the optical projection device 7 on the photosensitive drum 5 charged by the above, a latent image corresponding to the optical image is formed on the surface of the photosensitive body of the photosensitive drum 5.
This latent image is developed by the developing device 8 to form a toner image, and the toner image is transferred onto the transfer material by the action of the transfer corona discharger 9. The transfer material is then separated from the photosensitive drum 5 by the separation corona discharger 11. At the time of this separation, the air blown from the blower fan 4 flows between the photosensitive drum 5 and the transfer material, and the transfer material can be separated at a predetermined separation position 16.

Next, the transfer material is conveyed by a conveyor belt 14 constituted by arranging a plurality of belt-shaped or single endless belts in the conveying direction in order to convey the transfer material. During this conveyance, the air blown from the blower fan 4 flows from above the transfer material, and the transfer material is pressed against the conveyor belt 14. The wind prevents the transfer material from floating on the conveyor belt 14 and prevents the transfer material 10 from meandering.

The transfer material transported by the transport belt 14 passes through the upper surface of the guide plate 15 and is guided to the fixing device 3. At this time, the air blown from the blower fan 4 flows from above the transfer material 10, and the transfer material is pressed against the guide plate 15. The wind prevents the transfer material from floating on the guide plate 15. That is, the transfer material is guided to the fixing device 3 with a uniform surface without any bending. Therefore, the guide plate 15 may be formed on a flat surface. Next, the transfer material guided to the fixing device 3 is fixed in the above-described favorable state, and a copy image having no transfer defects and no wrinkles is discharged to the outside of the device.

On the other hand, the wind pressing the transfer material flows so as to circulate in the image forming apparatus, and a part of this wind is directed in the direction in which the corona charger 6 and the transfer corona discharger 9 are arranged.
At the time of image formation, ozone is generated from the corona charger 6 and the transfer corona discharger 9 and the like, and the blowing air takes in the ozone and circulates it inside the apparatus as shown by the arrow. The wind containing ozone is circulated and returns to the blower fan 4 again, and the ozone filter 3 arranged in front of the blower fan 4
Ozone is removed by passing through 5. Then blower fan 4
To blow again to the transfer material. By repeating the circulation of air inside the apparatus and the removal of ozone in this manner, the concentration of ozone in the apparatus is lowered. Part of the air is discharged from the gap such as the transfer material discharge port.

The fixing device 3 is composed of a fixing roller 19 and a pressure roller 20 which are arranged so as to be in relative pressure contact with each other as shown in FIG. May be Further, in order to prevent the heater temperature of the fixing device 3 from lowering due to the blowing of the blowing fan 4, the blowing is performed only when the transfer material is located at any one of the separating position 16, the conveying belt 14 and the guide plate 15. You may go. Further, although the case where the photosensitive drum 5 is used is shown as an example, the same effect can be obtained by using the photosensitive belt.

Although the above-mentioned blower blows air onto the transfer material, as shown in FIG. 2, the blower 4 has its blower port 4 directed toward the exposing means or the photosensitive drum.
The exposure unit 7, the photosensitive drum 5, the cleaner 12, the developing device 8 and the like may be cooled by blowing air from the device to circulate the air inside the device, and the corona charging unit 6 may be used.
Alternatively, the air inside the device may be circulated after being blown to.
The blower may be a blower having a plurality of impellers in the width direction of the transfer material. Further, the blowing means is not limited to one and may be plural.

[0024]

According to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the blower means is provided inside the apparatus, and the ozone filter is provided in the circulation route of the blown air by the blower means, so that the ozone generated inside the apparatus is sufficiently and efficiently removed. By utilizing this air flow, it is possible to perform cooling and cooling of the exposure means and the like arranged in the apparatus, and stable conveyance guide by spraying on the upper surface of the transfer material.

In particular, the blower means is provided above the conveying guide means, the blower means blows air from above the transfer material to be guided, and the ozone filter is arranged in the vicinity of the blower means. The ozone generated inside the device can be efficiently removed by circulating the air. By this air blowing, the transfer material is separated from the photosensitive drum at a predetermined separation position to prevent transfer failure, and the transfer material is pressed against the upper surface of the transfer belt of the transfer guide means to prevent floating and prevent the transfer material from meandering. By pressing the transfer material against the upper surface of the guide plate of the conveyance guide means and guiding it to the fixing device, it is possible to prevent wrinkling of the transfer material that occurs after fixing. Further, it is possible to use a guide plate having a flat surface without requiring a suction fan provided inside the conveyor belt. Further, the mechanical precision of the guide plate and the fixing device can be relaxed, and it is not necessary to make complicated adjustments.

[0026]

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view showing an embodiment according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view showing another embodiment according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side sectional view showing an example of a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Image Forming Section 2 Conveying Guide Means 3 Fixing Device 4 Blower Fan 5 Photosensitive Drum 6 Corona Charger 7 Optical Projector 8 Developing Device 9 Transfer Corona Discharger 11 Separation Corona Discharger 12 Cleaner 14 Conveyor Belt 15 Guide Plate 16 Separation Position 19 Fixing roller 20 Pressure roller 21 Roll paper 22 Supply fan 23 Discharge fan 25 Rotor 26 Housing 27 Opening 28 Rotating shaft 30 Ozone filter 35 Paper feeding section

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. An image forming apparatus in which an air blowing unit is arranged inside the apparatus main body, wherein the air inside the apparatus main body is circulated by the air blowing unit, and an ozone filter is provided on the circulation path. . 2. An image forming apparatus in which air blowing means is disposed inside the apparatus main body, air is blown toward the exposure means by the air blowing means to cool it, and air inside the apparatus main body is circulated by the air blowing means, and this circulation is performed. An image forming apparatus characterized in that an ozone filter is provided on the path. 3. An image forming apparatus in which a blowing unit is arranged inside the main body of the apparatus, the blowing unit blows blowing air toward the corona charging unit or sucks air in the vicinity of the corona charging unit to generate from the corona charging unit. The image forming apparatus is characterized in that the ozone is circulated and an ozone filter is provided on the circulation path. 4. An image forming apparatus having a conveyance guide means for conveying a transfer material separated from an image carrier to a fixing device after image formation, wherein the conveyance guide means is provided inside the image forming apparatus for the transfer material. An image forming apparatus comprising: an air blower that blows air from above, presses the transfer material on the conveyance guide, and an ozone filter near the air blower. 5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the blower blows air from above the conveyance guide to almost the entire widthwise direction of the transfer material. 6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the air volume of the air blowing unit is such that the unfixed toner formed on the transfer material does not fly.