JPH0850440A - Electrophotographic device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain an electrophotographic device provided with an exchange unit including an image carrier such as a photoreceptor in a device main body so that it can be freely exchanged and to discriminate whether or not the exchange unit is an unused one when it is exchanged. CONSTITUTION:A process unit 25 is constituted by including a photoreceptor belt 11 stretched between a driving roller 12 and a driven roller 13. An unused- state display 30 using toner or zinc stearate so that it may be electrostatically attached and electrostatically attracted and removed when the unit is started to be used is provided out of the image area of the belt 11. Then, the process unit 25 is provided freely exchangeably in the device main body. Meanwhile, a photosensor 31 such as an optical reflection type photosensor detecting the existence of the display 30 and discriminating whether or not the process unit 25 is the unused one is provided in the device main body.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electrophotographic apparatus such as a laser printer, a laser copying machine or a laser facsimile which records on paper by using an electrophotographic process. More specifically, among such electrophotographic devices, an exchange unit including an image carrier such as a photoconductor is provided so as to be exchangeable in the main body of the device, and the exchange unit is unused at the end of its life. Regarding the type to be exchanged with.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, in an electrophotographic apparatus of this kind, for example, a laser printer, there is a possibility that an existing one is attached when the replacement unit is replaced with a new one.

Therefore, in order to eliminate such a fear, conventionally, in a laser printer, while a protrusion is provided on the case of the replacement unit, an optical sensor for detecting the protrusion is provided inside the apparatus main body. There is something. Then, in such a laser printer, the replacement unit is replaced at the end of its life,
After that, when the use is started, the presence or absence of the protrusion is detected by the optical sensor, and it is determined whether or not the replacement unit is an unused one. After the determination, the protrusion was broken by an appropriate means, and the broken portion was dropped inside the apparatus main body.

[0004]

Therefore, in such a conventional laser printer, the broken portion remains in the main body of the apparatus, for example, enters the drive section to generate an abnormal noise or to prevent smooth rotation transmission. Then, there is a possibility that the operation of the apparatus body may be adversely affected.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to determine whether an exchange unit is an unused one or an existing one in such an electrophotographic apparatus without fear of adversely affecting the operation of the apparatus main body. It is to be able to distinguish.

[0006]

Therefore, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the exchange unit 25 including the image carrier such as the photosensitive belt 11 and the intermediate transfer belt 36 is, for example, as shown in the following embodiments.・ Device main body 10 comprising 47
In an electrophotographic apparatus in which a replacement unit 25/47 is exchanged for an unused one when the life of the unit is replaced, the electrophotographic apparatus is electrostatically attached to the outside of the image area of the image carrier and is static when started to be used. While providing the unused display 30 that is electrically sucked and removed, the presence or absence of the unused display 30 is detected to determine whether the replacement unit 25/47 is an unused one or an unused one. An optical sensor 31 for discriminating is provided in the apparatus main body 10.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the exchange unit 25.4 including the image carrier such as the photoconductor belt 11 or the intermediate transfer belt 36 is used, for example, as shown in the following embodiments.
In the electrophotographic apparatus, which is configured to be replaceable within the apparatus main body 10 and replaces each of the replacement units 25 and 47 with an unused one when it has reached the end of its life, it is attached outside the image area of the image carrier and While the unused display 32 is provided which is mechanically peeled off and removed when the use is started, the presence or absence of the unused display 32 is detected to determine whether the replacement units 25 and 47 are unused or used. It is characterized in that an optical sensor 31 for discriminating whether or not is provided in the apparatus main body 10.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, for example, as in the following illustrated embodiment, in the electrophotographic apparatus according to the first or second aspect, a seam display 33 for displaying the seam 11a of the image carrier is provided. It is characterized in that it is provided outside the image area of the image carrier and is detected by the optical sensor 31.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, for example, as in the following illustrated embodiment, in the electrophotographic apparatus according to the third aspect, the unused display 30 is provided over the seam display 33. It is characterized by

[0010]

When the service life is over and the replacement units 25 and 47 are replaced and the use is started, the unused display 30 on the image carrier is displayed.
The presence or absence of 32 is detected by the optical sensor 31, and it is determined whether the replacement unit is an unused one or an existing one. After the determination, the one described in claim 1 is electrostatically attracted, and the one described in claim 2 is mechanically peeled to remove the unused indications 30 and 32 on the image carrier.

According to the third aspect of the invention, the seam display 33 on the image carrier is detected by the optical sensor 31, and the image is formed while avoiding the seam 11a on the image carrier.

According to the fourth aspect, the unused display 3
After the presence or absence of 0 is detected by the optical sensor 31, the unused display 3
0 is removed, and then the seam display 33 is made by the optical sensor 31.
To detect.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram of the entire internal mechanism of the monochrome laser printer according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

Reference numeral 10 in the figure denotes the apparatus main body. The apparatus main body 10 is composed of a lower main body 10a and an upper main body 10b, and the upper main body 10b can be freely opened and closed with respect to the lower main body 10a around a rotation fulcrum not shown. Device body 1
The photosensitive belt 11 serving as an image bearing member is provided substantially in the center of 0.
Is rotatably provided by being spanned between the drive roller 12 and the driven roller 13.

Around the photoconductor belt 11, a charging device 14, an optical writing device 15, and a driving device 15 are arranged in a driving direction indicated by an arrow in the figure.
A developing device 16, a transfer roller 17, a cleaning device 18, and a static eliminator 19 are arranged respectively. Above the developing device 16,
A paper feed cassette 20 accommodating the paper P is detachably provided.

At the time of recording, the paper feed roller 21 is rotated to feed the paper P from the paper feed cassette 20 to the left in the drawing, and the resist roller pair 22 conveys the paper P to the upper side of the photosensitive belt 11 at a timing. To do. The photoconductor belt 11 is
It is driven to rotate counterclockwise as indicated by the arrow, and at that time, the charger 14
The surface is uniformly charged by the above, and the laser beam from the optical writer 15 is irradiated to form an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive belt 11.

This latent image is visualized by toner when passing through the position of the developing device 16. Then, this visible image is transferred by the transfer roller 17 to the lower surface of the paper P conveyed to the upper side of the photosensitive belt 11. After the image transfer, the paper P is conveyed to between the fixing roller pair 23, and the transferred image is fixed there. Then, the paper P that has exited between the pair of fixing rollers 23 is discharged onto the paper discharge tray 24 and stacked.

On the other hand, the photosensitive belt 11 after the image transfer is
The cleaning device 18 removes the residual toner, and then the static eliminator 19 removes the charge.

By the way, in the illustrated laser printer, as shown in FIG.
As also shown in FIG. 5, the photoconductor belt 11, the cleaning device 18, etc. are integrally assembled and the replacement unit 25
The exchange unit 25 is provided in the apparatus main body 10 in an exchangeable manner.

As shown in FIG. 1, the exchange unit 25 has a window hole 26a formed in the unit case 26 on the side of the drive roller 12, and the outer periphery of the photosensitive belt 11 is exposed there. Outside the image area on the photoconductor belt 11, an unused display 30 of the replacement unit 25 is provided as shown in FIG. The unused display 30 is formed by electrostatically adhering using toner, zinc stearate, calcium stearate, or the like.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 4, in the apparatus main body 10, an optical sensor such as an optical reflection type photo sensor is provided so as to face the rotation locus of the unused display 30 on the photosensitive belt 11. 31 is provided.

However, when the life of the replacement unit 25 has expired over time, the sheet feeding cassette 2 is removed from the apparatus main body 10.
0 is removed, the upper body 10b is opened, and the replacement unit 25
Replace with an unused one. After the replacement, when the use is started again, the photosensitive belt 11 rotates in the direction shown by the arrow in FIG.
At that time, the unused display 30 is detected by the optical sensor 31.
Then, as shown in FIG. 3, it is determined that the replacement unit 25 is an unused one.

Then, the process proceeds to the next step to initialize the replacement unit 25 and reset the counter for counting the number of used replacement units 25, for example.

After the initial setting, the unused display 30 is electrostatically attracted by the transfer roller 17 to remove the unused display 30 on the photosensitive belt 11. Then, the apparatus body 10 is ready for printing.

On the other hand, when the unused display 30 is not detected by the optical sensor 31, the print preparation is OK as it is,
For example, since the replacement unit 25 is not initialized, a warning indicating that it is unusable remains on the display panel (not shown) of the apparatus body 10.

Next, the laser printer of the second embodiment of the present invention has a structure in which an unused display 32 of the replacement unit 25 is provided outside the image area of the photosensitive belt 11 by painting or printing, as shown in FIG. Become. In the case of painting, for example, paints such as nitrocellulose synthetic resin, plastic-only synthetic resin, and melamine synthetic resin are used.

When the replacement unit 25 is replaced at the end of its life and starts to be used, the unused display 32 on the photoconductor belt 11 is detected by the optical sensor 31 and the replacement unit 25 is replaced with the replacement unit 25 as in the first embodiment. Determines that is unused. After the determination, the unused member 32 is rubbed and mechanically peeled off by the cleaning member 18a of the cleaning device 18 with a cleaning blade or a fur brush roller, for example.
Remove 2.

Next, in the laser printer according to the third embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 6, an unused display 30 of the replacement unit 25 is provided outside the image area on the photoconductor belt 11, and the photoconductor belt is used. A joint display 33 showing the 11 joints 11a is provided. The seam display 33 is
Using a reflection tape, a thermal transfer tape, or the like, the display length in the rotation direction of the photoconductor belt 11 is indicated as an unused display 3.
Shorter than 0 length.

However, when the life of the replacement unit 25 is reached and the replacement unit 25 is used again, the optical sensor 31 detects the seam display 33 on the photosensitive belt 11 for the AB time shown in FIG. 7, and then the same optical sensor is used. At 31, the unused display 30 is detected at the CD time shown in FIG. Then, it is determined that the replacement unit 25 is unused, and after the determination, the unused display 30 on the photoconductor belt 11 is removed, while the seam 11a is avoided to form an image.

Next, in the laser printer of the fourth embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 8, a seam display 33 is provided outside the image area on the photosensitive belt 11, and the unused display 30 is provided thereon. It is configured to be stacked. Seam display 33
Is provided by adhering silver paper or the like having a high reflectance on the photoconductor belt 11. The unused display 30 is provided by electrostatically adhering to the seam display 33 by using toner having a low reflectance, zinc stearate, or the like.

When the life of the replacement unit 25 is replaced and the replacement unit 25 is used, the unused display 30 on the photosensitive belt 11 is detected by the optical sensor 31. Then, FIG. 9
Since the reflectance is low as indicated by the middle position E, the sensor output becomes small. Then, it is determined that the replacement unit 25 is an unused one. After the determination, the unused display 30 on the photoconductor belt 11 is electrostatically removed to expose the seam display 33. Then, the optical sensor 31 detects the joint display 33. Then, as shown by the F position in FIG. 9, the reflectance is high, and the sensor output becomes large. Then, a standard is obtained to form an image while avoiding the seam 11a.

In all the illustrated embodiments described above,
It was applied to a monochrome color laser printer, and its photosensitive belt 11 was used as an image carrier. However, as in the fifth embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 10, the photoconductor belt 11 may be applied to a color laser printer as an image carrier, and the intermediate transfer belt 36 may be used as an image carrier. Good.

The intermediate transfer belt 36 is stretched between two rotary rollers 37, and a bias roller 38 is pressed from the inside. The photoconductor belt 11, the charging roller 44, the intermediate transfer belt 36, the photoconductor cleaning device 45, and the belt cleaning device 46 in FIG.

On the other hand, a rotary developing unit 39 is provided on the lower left side of the photosensitive belt 11 in the figure. The rotary developing unit 39 is rotatably provided in the clockwise direction in the drawing, and includes yellow, magenta, cyan, and black developing units 40.
It contains 41, 42, 43.

Therefore, at the time of recording, the surface of the photosensitive belt 11 is uniformly charged by the charging roller 44 and exposed by the optical writing device 15 based on image information to form an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive belt 11. To do. Then, the rotary developing unit 39 develops each of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black developers to form a visible image on the photosensitive belt 11 for each single color.
Then, the monochrome image formed on the photoreceptor belt 11 is
The yellow, magenta, cyan, and black single colors are sequentially superimposed and transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 36 that rotates in the direction of the arrow in synchronization with the photoconductor belt 11. Then, the superimposed color transfer images are collectively transferred onto the sheet P conveyed above the intermediate transfer belt 36 by the secondary transfer roller 48.

[0036]

As described above, according to the present invention, the presence or absence of the unused display on the image carrier is detected by the optical sensor and whether the replacement unit is unused or used. Therefore, the broken portion that has fallen into the main body of the device as in the past may enter the drive part and generate an abnormal noise, or it may hinder smooth rotation transmission and adversely affect the operation of the main body of the device. You can eliminate fear. Further, since the unused display is provided outside the image area of the image carrier,
Does not interfere with image formation. Further, when the replacement unit is judged to be unused and then started to be used, the unused display is electrostatically attracted by the device according to claim 1 and mechanically peeled by the device according to claim 2. Once used, unused displays can be automatically removed. Therefore, it is possible to ensure the distinction between unused and used.

According to the third aspect, it is possible to determine whether or not the replacement unit is an unused one and to detect the seam display of the image carrier by one optical sensor.
Cost can be reduced.

According to the fourth aspect, since the unused display is provided on the joint display, the display space on the image carrier can be reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a photosensitive belt that constitutes a replacement unit of a laser printer according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view thereof.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart when the replacement unit is replaced and started to be used.

FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram of an entire internal mechanism of the laser printer.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a photosensitive belt which constitutes an exchange unit of a laser printer which is a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a photosensitive belt which constitutes an exchange unit of a laser printer according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a graph showing a state in which the unused display and the joint display are detected by an optical sensor, with the sensor output on the vertical axis and the detection time on the horizontal axis.

FIG. 8 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a photosensitive belt which constitutes an exchange unit of a laser printer according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a graph showing a state where the unused display and the joint display are detected by an optical sensor, with the sensor output on the vertical axis and the detection time on the horizontal axis.

FIG. 10 is a schematic configuration diagram of an entire internal mechanism of a color laser printer that is a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Device Main Body 11 Photosensitive Belt 25/47 Replacement Unit 30/32 Unused Display 31 Optical Sensor 33 Seam Display

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Takahiro Tamiya 1-3-6 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Ricoh Co., Ltd.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An electrophotographic apparatus in which an exchange unit including an image carrier is provided so as to be exchangeable in a main body of the apparatus, and the exchange unit is replaced with an unused one at the end of its life. While the unused display is provided that is electrostatically attached to the outside of the image area and is electrostatically attracted and removed when the use is started, the replacement unit is unused when the presence or absence of the unused display is detected. An electrophotographic apparatus, wherein an optical sensor for determining whether or not the electrophotographic apparatus is provided inside the apparatus main body. 2. An electrophotographic apparatus in which an exchange unit including an image carrier is provided so as to be exchangeable within the apparatus main body, and the exchange unit is replaced with an unused one at the end of its life. The unused unit is attached to the outside of the image area and is mechanically peeled off when the use is started, and the unused unit is detected to determine whether the replacement unit is an unused unit. An electrophotographic apparatus comprising an optical sensor for determining whether or not it is provided inside the apparatus body. 3. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein a seam display for displaying a seam of the image carrier is provided outside the image region of the image carrier and is detected by the optical sensor. Photographic equipment. 4. The electrophotographic apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the unused display is overlapped on the seam display.