JPH09325648A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To shorten the exchanging operation time of an image forming body, to facilitate the operation and to prevent an image exposure means and an optical supporting body included in the image forming body from being damaged by providing a flanged member having an outside diameter part larger than the outside diameter of the image forming body at the end part of at least one of plural position regulating members. SOLUTION: The outside diameter part of the position regulating member 123A is press-fit in the inside diameter part of a flanged ring member 124. The outside diameter part of the ring member 124 is integrally fixed on the image forming body 10. The outside diameter part of the flange part 124f of the ring member 124 is formed to be projected from the outside diameter part of the image forming body 10. The tip pawl part 30b of the movable arm 30a of a gear puller 30b being a demounting tool is locked on the flange part 124f. Thus, the image forming body 10 is easily demounted without damaging the exposure optical system by using the demounting tool such as the gear puller 30 for the flange part 124f.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electrophotographic system for forming an image in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer or a facsimile, in which a charging means, an image exposing device and a developing means are arranged around an image forming body. The present invention particularly relates to the assembly of an image forming body and an image exposing device in a color image forming device having a plurality of image exposing devices built in the image forming body.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As an apparatus for forming a multicolor image, an apparatus for forming a color image by sequentially performing charging, image exposure and development for each color within one rotation of one image forming body (photoreceptor) ( There is A). Although this apparatus (A) enables high-speed image formation, it is necessary to dispose a plurality of sets of a charging device, an image exposing means, and a developing device within one circumference of the image forming body, and an optical system for performing the image exposing is close The toner leaking from the developing device may contaminate the image and deteriorate the image quality.To avoid this, it is necessary to increase the distance between the image exposing unit and the developing device. There is a problem such as the contradiction that it becomes larger. For the purpose of avoiding the above-mentioned problems in the apparatus (A), the base body of the image forming body is formed of a transparent material, and a plurality of image exposing means are housed therein to form an image on the base body. There has been proposed an apparatus (B) in which the photosensitive layer formed on the outer periphery of the image forming body is exposed by exposure (JP-A-5-307).
No. 307, etc.).

Since the image forming apparatuses (A) and (B) can form a color image during one rotation of the image forming body, the image recording time can be shortened and high speed recording can be performed, and the image quality can be improved. Is also effective. The image forming apparatus (B) is
There has been proposed an apparatus of a type (hereinafter referred to as an optical system-containing type) in which a line-shaped image exposing means for each color is arranged inside an image forming body composed of a transparent substrate and an optical semiconductor. The image forming apparatus having the optical system-containing image exposing means has an advantage that the image forming body can be downsized and the apparatus can be configured compactly.

In the image forming apparatus having the above-mentioned optical system-containing image exposure means, the light condensing position by each line-shaped image exposure means (for example, LED array, hereinafter referred to as image exposure means) is the peripheral surface of the image forming body. Must be exactly aligned with the image forming surface of the image forming device, and the respective arrangement positions of the respective image exposing means must be accurately arranged in parallel at predetermined intervals.

In the specification of Japanese Patent Application No. 8-315343, the present applicant uses an exposure optical system assembling jig when assembling the image exposing means of the image forming apparatus having the optical system containing type image exposing means. An apparatus has been proposed in which a plurality of image exposure units are mounted on an optical support having a position regulating member to adjust the focus position, the main scanning direction position, and the sub-scanning direction position with high accuracy. In the color image forming apparatus in which the image exposure unit thus adjusted and assembled with high precision is mounted in the image forming body, the image forming body deteriorates when tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of prints are executed. Replace the formed imager with a new imager. When exchanging the old and new image forming bodies,
Conventionally, after disassembling and destroying the image forming body, the position regulating member is removed and a new image forming body is inserted. When the image forming body is disassembled and destroyed during the replacement work, the image exposing means and the optical support may be damaged. Therefore, it is necessary for a skilled worker to perform the work in a difficult procedure with great care.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention, in an image forming apparatus having an optical system-containing exposure means, achieves shortening of replacement work time of an image forming body and simplification of the work, and An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus that does not damage the image exposure means and the optical support that are contained therein.

[0007]

The above-mentioned object is to provide a linear image exposure means for performing image exposure on an image forming body, an optical support for supporting the image exposing means, the image forming body and the optical support. An image forming apparatus having an exposure optical system including a plurality of position regulating members for regulating a relative position to a body, wherein the image forming body is provided at an end portion of at least one position regulating member of the plurality of position regulating members. The present invention is achieved by an image forming apparatus characterized in that a flanged member having an outer diameter portion larger than the outer diameter of is provided.

[0008] Further, the above object is to provide a linear image exposure means for performing image exposure on an image forming body, an optical support for supporting the image exposing means, and a relative position between the image forming body and the optical support. An image forming apparatus having an exposure optical system including a plurality of position regulating members for regulating positions, wherein a screw fitting portion is provided at an end of at least one of the plurality of position regulating members. The image forming apparatus is characterized in that the position regulating member is separated from the optical support so as to be detachable (second invention).

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As an example of the present invention, FIG. 1 shows an image forming process and each mechanism of a color image forming apparatus suitable as an image forming apparatus in the following embodiment.
This will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 1 is a sectional configuration diagram of a color image forming apparatus (color printer) 1 suitable as an image forming apparatus of the present embodiment.

In the color image forming apparatus of this embodiment, a photosensitive drum having an electrically conductive layer and a photosensitive layer provided on the outer peripheral surface of a transparent substrate is used as an image forming body. The image exposure device also has a charger, a developer, and
This is a structure in which image forming process means such as a transfer device, a static eliminator, and a cleaning device are arranged.

The photosensitive drum 10, which is an image forming body, has, for example, a cylindrical substrate formed of a transparent member of transparent acrylic resin provided inside, and a transparent conductive layer, an a-Si layer, or an organic photosensitive layer (OPC). ) Is formed on the outer circumference of the substrate, and is rotated clockwise in FIG. 1 in a grounded state.

In the present embodiment, it is sufficient that the photoconductive layer of the photosensitive drum has an exposure light amount capable of imparting an appropriate contrast. Therefore, the light transmittance of the transparent substrate of the photosensitive drum in this embodiment does not need to be 100%, and may have a characteristic that some light is absorbed when the exposure beam is transmitted. As the material of the translucent substrate, an acrylic resin, particularly one polymerized using methyl methacrylate monomer, has transparency, strength, accuracy,
Acrylic, fluorine used for other general optical members, etc.
Various translucent resins such as polyester, polycarbonate, and polyethylene terephthalate can be used. The light-transmitting conductive layer was made of indium tin oxide (ITO), tin oxide, lead oxide, indium oxide, copper iodide, Au, Ag, Ni, Al, etc. A metal thin film is used, and as a film forming method, a vacuum vapor deposition method, an active reaction vapor deposition method, various sputtering methods, various CVs.
D method, dip coating method, spray coating method and the like are used.
Further, as the photoconductor layer, amorphous silicon (a
-Si) alloy photosensitive layer, amorphous selenium alloy photosensitive layer, and various organic photosensitive layers (OPC) can be used.

A scorotron charger 11 as a charging means
Y, 11M, 11C, and 11K are used in image forming processes of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K), respectively. A charging operation is performed by a control grid maintained at a predetermined potential and corona discharge by a discharge wire, and a uniform potential is applied to the photosensitive drum 10.

Reference numerals 12Y, 12M, 12C, and 12K denote light emitting elements linearly arranged in the axial direction of the photosensitive drum 10,
It is a linear image exposure means (image exposure device) composed of a converging fiber lens array (selfoc lens) as a unity magnification image forming element. The image signals of the respective colors read by the separate image reading device are sequentially taken out from the memory, and the exposure devices 12Y, 12M, 12C,
It is input to 12K as an electric signal.

Developing devices 13Y and 1 which are developing means for each color.
3M, 13C, and 13K respectively accommodate one-component or two-component developers of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K). The developing sleeve 131 rotates in the same direction while maintaining a predetermined gap.

The developing device 13 (Y, M, C,
K) is the scorotron charger 11 (Y, M,
C, K) and the image exposure device 12 (Y, M, C,
The electrostatic latent image formed on the photoconductor drum 10 by image exposure with K) is reversely developed in a non-contact state by a non-contact developing method by applying a developing bias voltage.

As the original image, an image read by an image pickup device of an image reading apparatus separate from the apparatus or an image edited by a computer is temporarily stored as an image signal for each color of Y, M, C and K. Store and store in.

At the start of image recording, a photoconductor drive motor (not shown) is rotated to rotate the photoconductor drum 10 in the clockwise direction in FIG. 1, and at the same time, the scorotron charger 11Y disposed on the left side of the photoconductor drum 10 is rotated. Application of electric potential to the photoconductor drum 10 is started by the charging action.

After a potential is applied to the photosensitive drum 10, the first color signal, that is, Y
Exposure with an electric signal corresponding to the image signal is started, and an electrostatic latent image corresponding to the Y image of the original image is formed on the photosensitive layer on the surface of the photosensitive drum 10 by rotational scanning.

The latent image is reversely developed by the developing device 13Y in a state where the developer on the developing sleeve 131 is in a non-contact state, and a yellow (Y) toner image is formed according to the rotation of the photosensitive drum 10.

Then, the photosensitive drum 10 is exposed to the yellow (Y) toner image by being charged with a potential by the charging action of a scorotron charger 11M arranged on the left side of the photosensitive drum 10 and above Y. Exposure is performed by an electric signal corresponding to the second color signal of the apparatus 12M, that is, the image signal of M, and non-contact reversal development by the developing device 13M causes magenta (M) on the yellow (Y) toner image. Toner images are sequentially superposed and formed.

By the same process, the cyan (C) toner image corresponding to the third color signal is further exposed by the scorotron charger 11C, the image exposure device 12C and the developing device 13C arranged on the photosensitive drum 10. A scorotron charger 11K, an image exposure device 12K, and a developing device 1 arranged on the right side of the body drum 10 and below the C image forming unit.
By 3K, a black (K) toner image corresponding to the fourth color signal is sequentially superimposed, and a color toner image is formed on the peripheral surface within one rotation of the photosensitive drum 10.

These image exposure devices 12Y, 12M, 12
The exposure of the organic photosensitive layer of the photoconductor drum 10 with C and 12K is performed from the inside of the photoconductor drum 10 through the transparent substrate. Therefore, the exposure of the images corresponding to the second, third, and fourth color signals is performed without any influence from the previously formed toner image, and the same exposure as the image corresponding to the first color signal is performed. It is possible to form an electrostatic latent image.

Toners for replenishing each color are provided in the toner replenishing tank 14
Developing device 1 for colors corresponding to Y, 14M, 14C and 14K
3 (Y, M, C, K). Developing device 13 (Y,
M, C, and K) are kept in non-contact with the photoconductor drum 10 with a predetermined value, for example, 100 μm to 1000 μm by an abutting roller (not shown), and the developing device 13 for each color
At the time of the developing action by (Y, M, C, K), a developing bias in which a direct current or an alternating current is applied to the developing sleeve 131 is applied, and the non-contact developing by the one-component or two-component developer accommodated in the developing device is performed. Then, non-contact reversal development is performed in which a DC bias having the same polarity as that of the toner is applied to the photoconductor drum 10 having the transparent conductive layer grounded, and the toner is attached to the exposed portion.

A transfer sheet P, which is a transfer material, is sent out from a paper feed cassette 21 which is a transfer material storage means, and is conveyed to a timing roller 22. A color toner image formed on the peripheral surface of the photoconductor drum 10 is transferred onto a transfer paper P fed in synchronization with the toner image on the photoconductor drum 10 by the driving of the timing roller 22 in the transfer device 15. Transcribed.

The transfer paper P on which the toner image has been transferred is separated from the peripheral surface of the photoconductor drum by being removed of the charge in the static eliminator 16, and is then transferred to the fixing device 24 by the transfer belt 23 which is a transfer unit. It After being heated and pressed in the fixing device 24 to fuse and fix the toner on the transfer paper P,
The sheet is discharged from the fixing device 24, conveyed by a pair of sheet discharge conveyance rollers 25, and discharged onto a tray 27 at the upper portion of the apparatus via a sheet discharge roller 26 with the toner image surface facing down.

On the other hand, the photosensitive drum 1 from which the transfer paper P is separated
In the cleaning device 17, the cleaning blade 17a of the cleaning device 17 rubs the surface of the photoconductor drum 10 to remove residual toner, and the toner is cleaned to continue forming a toner image of a document image or temporarily stops and a toner image of a new document image is formed. Formation. The waste toner scraped off by the cleaning blade 17a and the cleaning roller 17b is discharged to a waste toner container 17d through a toner conveying screw 17c and a toner conveying pipe. After the cleaning, the cleaning blade 17a and the cleaning roller 17b are kept apart from the photosensitive drum 10 in order to prevent the photosensitive drum 10 from being damaged.

FIG. 2A is a sectional view of the main part of the image exposure apparatus, and FIG. 2B is a perspective view of FIG. 2A. Since the image exposure devices 12Y, 12M, 12C and 12K have the same structure, they will be referred to as the image exposure device 12 in the following description. As shown in FIG. 2, the image exposing means 12 for each color includes FL (fluorescent substance light emitting), E arranged in the axial direction of the photosensitive drum 10.
A linear exposure element in which light emitting elements such as L (electroluminescence), PL (plasma discharge), LED (light emitting diode) are arranged in an array, LISA (photomagnetic effect optical shutter array), PLZT (transmissive piezoelectric element) Shutter array), LCS (liquid crystal shutter), etc., a light emitting element 12a that emits exposure light by a linear exposure element in which elements having an optical shutter function are arranged, and a condensing fiber lens array as an equal magnification imaging element. (Selfoc lens) 12b
Is a unit attached to a holding member (housing) 12c for holding a light emitting element 12a and a SELFOC lens 12b as an equal-magnification image forming element, and an exposure provided inside the photosensitive drum 10 is provided. The image signal of each color stored in the memory is sequentially read out from the memory and is input as an electric signal to the exposure device 12 for each color. It The emission wavelength of the light emitting element 12a used in this embodiment is 600 to 900 nm.
It is in the range of.

The light emitting element 12a is, for example, an array in which LEDs are linearly arranged, and is formed on a substrate 12d using, for example, ceramics or Pyrex glass. Further, the SELFOC lens 12b is shown by a small black circle in the figure, and the substrate 12d of the light emitting element 12a is fixed to the holding member 12c by an adhesive shown by a diagonal line, whereby the image exposure device 12 is configured. The exposure device 12 for each color is held at a predetermined position by using an assembly jig to be described later, and is attached and fixed to the optical support body 120 with an adhesive or the like.

FIG. 3 shows that before the image forming body 10 is attached,
The image exposure device 12 (Y, M, C, K) is attached to the optical support 120.
3A is a view showing a state where the image exposure apparatus is attached to the image exposure apparatus, FIG. 3A is a side view of the image exposure apparatus, and FIG. 3B is a front view of FIG. In the x-axis direction (main scanning direction), the photoconductor drum 10
Shows a direction in which the linear light emitting element 12a provided in the image exposure device 12 is positioned to be orthogonal to the moving direction of the photoconductor drum 10, and the y-axis direction (sub-scanning direction) is the photoconductor drum 10. Shows the movement direction of. The z-axis direction (focus position direction) indicates the diametrical movement of the photosensitive drum 10 of the image exposure device 12, and indicates the adjustment direction of the focus position of the SELFOC lens 12b.

FIG. 4 shows an image exposure apparatus 12 (Y, M, C,
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the image forming body 10 including K) is mounted between the apparatus main body fixed side plates 1A and 1B of the image forming apparatus. FIG. 5A shows an image exposure device 12 (Y, M, C, K).
FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view showing a state before the image forming body 10 including the above is mounted between the fixed side plates 1A and 1B, FIG. 5B is its AA cross-sectional view, and FIG. 5C is B- B sectional view, FIG.
(D) is CC sectional drawing. FIG. 6A is a sectional view showing a state of positioning and adjusting the image exposure device 12 (Y, M, C, K), and FIG. 6B is an AA sectional view thereof.

The optical support 120 is used as the image exposure device 12.
It is divided into two left and right optical supports 120A and 120B supporting both ends of (Y, M, C, K), and both are inserted and supported by a shaft 121 which is a central axis. Both ends of the image exposure device 12 (Y, M, C, K) are attached and fixed to the outer peripheral surfaces of the optical supports 120A and 120B. Two pins 121a and 121b are planted at predetermined positions on the shaft 121, and the image exposure device 12 (Y, M, C, K) is attached to the shaft 12 by
1 and then the right pin 121b is brought into contact with the V-shaped groove on the right side of the optical support 120B on the right side in the drawing,
The optical support 120A on the left side in the drawing is attached to the pin 121a on the left side.
The right side surface of is contacted, and axial positioning is performed.

If the optical supports 120A, 120B and the shaft 121 are integrally formed from the beginning, the optical support 120 does not require this work.

The optical supports 120A, 120 for supporting and attaching both ends of the image exposure device 12 (Y, M, C, K).
The support portions 120a and 120b of B have regular hexagonal prism-shaped side surfaces, and the support portions 120a and 120b are set in advance so as to be coplanar on a surface plate. The image exposure device 12 (Y, M, C, K) is fixed by an adhesive via wedge-shaped spacers 122A, 122B after performing position adjustment described later.

The left end portion (end portion on the left side in the figure) of the optical support 120A is a cylindrical surface portion 120 concentric with the shaft 121.
b is formed, and the inner ring portion of the ball bearing member (position regulating member) 123A is press-fitted into the cylindrical surface portion 120b. The outer ring portion of the ball bearing member 123A is a ring member 124 with a collar.
It is press-fitted into the inner diameter portion of the left end of the image forming body 10 in the figure through.

The right end (the end on the right side in the figure) of the optical support 120B is a cylindrical surface 120 concentric with the shaft 121.
c is formed, and the inner ring portion of the ball bearing member (position regulating member) 123B is press-fitted into the cylindrical surface portion 120c. The outer ring portion of the ball bearing member 123B is press fitted into the inner diameter portion of the image forming body driving member 125. The image forming body driving member 125 is fitted and fixed to the inner diameter portion of the image forming body 10 at the right end in the drawing.

At the leftmost end of the shaft 121 in the figure,
The inner diameter portion of the left side plate mounting member 126 is fitted, and the flange portion of the left side plate mounting member 126 is positioned and fixed to the left side plate 1A of the image forming apparatus. Further, the innermost portion of the right side plate mounting member 127 is fitted to the rightmost end portion of the shaft 121 in the drawing, and the flange portion of the right side plate mounting member 127 abuts the right side plate 1B of the image forming apparatus, so that the shaft 121 It is positioned and fixed to the right side plate 1B by a screw threaded to the rightmost end. The pin 121c near the right end of the shaft 121
Fits into a mounting reference groove (not shown) provided in the inner diameter portion of the right side plate mounting member 127 to position the shaft 121 in the rotational direction.

With the above configuration, after the position adjustment of the image exposure means 12 (Y, M, C, K) shown in FIG. 6, each mounting position of the image exposure means 12 (Y, M, C, K) is adjusted. And the outer diameter portions of the ball bearing members 123A and 123B are integrally fixed and coaxial with each other, so that an error in relative position does not occur. Therefore, in this state, if the image forming body 10 is mounted and assembled as shown in FIG. 5, and further mounted to the image forming apparatus main body as an actual machine as shown in FIG. Can be installed accurately. In this way, the ball bearing member 1 which is a position restricting member directly on the optical support body 120
23A and 123B are mounted, focus adjustment is performed with the position regulating members 123A and 123B as a reference, and after adjustment, the focus is adjusted to the attachment reference portion of the image forming apparatus main body with the position regulating members 123A and 123B as a reference. By doing so, the focus position accuracy is greatly improved.

FIG. 7 shows the image exposure means 12 (Y, M, C,
K) is a plan view of the exposure optical system assembly jig 200 for adjusting the position, and FIG. 8 is a front view of the exposure optical system assembly jig 200.

Each end of the optical supports 120A and 120B supporting the image exposing means 12 (Y, M, C, K) is supported by a support member 128 via ball bearing members 123A and 123B.
It is fitted to A and 128B and is rotatably supported.
Shaft 12 penetrating optical supports 120A and 120B
A rotary encoder 206 is provided at one of the shaft ends of 1, and each of the image exposure units 12Y, 12M, 12C,
Precision positioning is performed in the rotation direction of 12K (sub-scanning direction y).

Of the image exposing means 12 (Y, M, C, K), two sets of left and right moving means (fine movement stage) 201 are provided in the vicinity of both ends of one image exposing means (for example, 12Y in the figure).
A, 201B holding means (holding members) 202A, 20
2B is gripped. The fine movement stages 201A and 201B
Is installed on the fixed base 203, and the holding means 202
A and 202B are finely moved in three-dimensional directions (x, y, z directions). Here, the x direction is the main scanning direction, the y direction is the sub scanning direction, and the z direction is the focus adjustment direction.

In FIG. 8, the grip means (202A,
202B) is composed of a lower fixed gripping member 202a and an upper movable gripping member 202b which can be opened and closed by engaging with the fixed gripping member 202a. The fixed grip member 202a
Holds the lower surface of the image exposure means 12 in contact therewith. The movable grip member 202b presses and clamps the upper surface of the image exposure unit 12 via the elastic member 209. The broken line shown in FIG. 8 indicates the opened state of the movable grip member 202b.

Further, at the upper end of the support column 204 fixed on the fixed table 203, on the side opposite to both ends of the line-shaped SELFOC lens 12b of the image exposing means 12Y, the light detecting means (light detecting sensor) is provided. 205A and 205B are arranged. The light detecting means 205A and 205B are composed of, for example, a two-dimensional CCD sensor, and are located at an image forming position by the exposure optical system 12 using the reference image forming body 10, that is, at an image forming reference position on the outer peripheral surface of the reference image forming body 10. It is set in advance at an equal position (since LED light passes through a transparent base made of acrylic resin having a refractive index different from that of air). Then, while the specific pixels at both ends of the line-shaped light emitting element 12a are turned on, the x, y positions and the focus position z of the image exposure means 12Y are adjusted while being detected by the light detection means 205A, 205B. The light detection means 205A and 205B are connected to the detection circuit and display means shown in FIG. 9, and the output is displayed on the CRT monitor. When the above x, y, z position adjustments are completed,
A spacer 122 is inserted between the image exposure unit 12Y and the optical supports 120A and 120B to fix the position, and further, the adhesive is fixed by an adhesive.

When the first adjustment of the image exposure means 12Y is completed, then the rotary encoder 206 is rotated by a predetermined angle to adjust the image exposure means 12M in the same manner. Subsequently, adjustment of the image exposure means 12C and 12K is performed in the same manner.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing the adjustment control means of the image exposure means 12. Line-shaped light emitting elements (LED arrays) corresponding to specific pixels at both ends of the image exposure means 12
With 12a turned on, the photodetector (two-dimensional CCD
Sensor) 205A and 205B turn on LE
The position and brightness (focus) of D are measured. Light detection means 2
05A and 205B are two-dimensional CCD sensors composed of, for example, 500 × 500 pixels, and the size of one pixel is 5 to 1
0 μm. The image exposure means 12 is finely moved in the x, y, and z directions by the fine movement stages 201A and 201B, and the image forming position of a specific LED that is turned on is changed to the two-dimensional C
The control unit 207 detects that the pixels match the specified pixels in the areas of the CD sensors 205A and 205B, and displays them on the display unit (CRT monitor) 208.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view showing the initial disassembled state of the image forming body and the exposure optical system of the image forming apparatus according to claim 1 of the present invention.

The exposure optical system is a linear image exposure means 12 (Y, M, C, K) for performing image exposure on the image forming body 10.
And an optical support 120 for supporting the image exposure means 12,
The position control members 123A and 123B for controlling the relative positions of the image forming body 10 and the optical support 120 are included.
The outer diameter portion of the position regulating member 123A is press-fitted into the inner diameter portion of the ring member with collar (member with collar) 124. The outer diameter portion of the collared ring member 124 is integrally fixed to the image forming body 10. The outer diameter portion of the flange portion (collar portion) 124f of the collared ring member 124 has a shape protruding from the outer diameter portion of the image forming body 10. The flange portion 1
24f includes a removal tool such as a gear puller (Gea).
The tip claw portion 30b of the movable arm 30a of the r Puller 30 can be locked. In addition, the gear puller 30
Is a tool for axially removing from the shaft gears and pulleys press-fitted into the shaft, and is a commercially available product. Further, a tool other than the gear puller 30 can be used as a tool for removing the flanged ring member 124.

The gear puller 30 is attached to the flange portion 124f.
The lower end of the push screw 30c is brought into contact with the upper end of the shaft 121 of the exposure optical system, and the lever 30d is manually rotated to push the push screw 30c downward in the drawing. As the push screw 30c is lowered, the collared ring member 124 and the image forming body 10 remain locked to the tip claw portion 30b of the gear puller 30, and the image exposing means 12 (Y, M, C,
K), the optical support 120, the position regulating members 123A, 12
The exposure optical system composed of 3B, together with the shaft 121,
It is forcibly lowered. In this way, the image forming body 1
By integrally providing the flanged ring member 124 having the flange portion 124f at 0, the flange portion 12
The image forming body 10 can be easily removed by using a removal tool such as the gear puller 30 at 4f without damaging the exposure optical system.

FIG. 11 is a sectional view of the image forming body and the exposure optical system after the disassembly, and FIG. 11 (a) is the ring member 124 with the collar removed by the gear puller 30 and the image forming body 1.
0 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 0, and FIG.
It is a sectional view of the exposure optical system exposed from the inside. FIG.
FIG. 6 is a sectional view of an image forming body and an exposure optical system according to claim 2 of the present invention. Note that, in the reference numerals used in the drawings, portions having the same functions as those in the above-described embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals. Further, points different from the above embodiment will be described.

A ring-shaped fitting member 31 is fitted between the inner diameter portion of the image forming body 10 and the outer diameter portion of the position regulating member (ball bearing) 123A. The fitting member 31 is
A first ring member 31A fixed to the outer diameter portion of the position restricting member 123A so as to be integrated therewith and having a male screw on the outer circumference.
And a second ring member 31B which is fixed to the inner diameter portion of the image forming body 10 and is integral therewith, and has an internal thread having an internal thread for screw-fitting with the external thread. The first
The ring member 31A is fixed with a tool or the like, and the image forming body 10 is gripped and rotated, so that the male screw and the female screw relatively move, and the outer image forming body 10 is screwed by the screw fitting portion. And the inner exposure optical system are separated.

FIG. 13 is a sectional view showing another embodiment of the image forming body and the exposure optical system according to claim 2 of the present invention. The upper part of the optical support 120A in the figure is composed of two parts. That is, a male screw is threaded on the outer circumference of the optical support 120A. The ring member 32, which is fixed to and integrated with the inner diameter portion of the position regulating member (ball bearing) 123A, has an internal thread on the inner periphery that is screw-fitted to the external thread. Reference numeral 33 is a ring-shaped fixing member fitted between the inner diameter portion of the image forming body 10 and the outer diameter portion of the position restricting member 123A. By fixing the upper portion of the optical support 120A with a tool or the like and rotating the ring member 32, the male screw and the female screw move relative to each other, and the external image forming body 10 is connected to the outer image forming body 10 at the screw fitting portion. The inner exposure optical system can be separated.

[0053]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the ring member having the collar portion having the outer diameter portion larger than the outer diameter of the image forming body is provided at the end portion of the position regulating member. The other exposure optical system can be easily removed from the image forming body by using a removal tool without damaging the exposure optical system. Therefore, the image forming body can be replaced and reused without damaging the exposure optical system. It became possible to do.

According to claim 2, an inner diameter portion of the image forming body,
A screw fitting portion is provided between the position regulating member and the outer diameter portion 2
By providing a ring-shaped fitting member composed of parts, the outer image forming body 10 and the inner exposure optical system can be separated and detached at this screw fitting portion. Can be replaced and reused without damaging the exposure optics.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional configuration diagram of a color image forming apparatus suitable as an image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view and a perspective view of a main part of the image exposure apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a side view and a front view showing a state where the image exposure device is attached to an optical support.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which an image forming body including an image exposing unit is mounted between fixed side plates of the image forming apparatus.

FIG. 5A is a cross-sectional view showing a state before an image forming body including an image exposing means is mounted between fixed side plates, and FIG.
A sectional view, (C) is BB sectional view, (D) is CC sectional view.

FIG. 6A is a cross-sectional view showing a state during positioning adjustment of the image exposure apparatus, and FIG. 6B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of an exposure optical system assembling jig for adjusting the position of the image exposing means.

FIG. 8 is a front view of the exposure optical system assembly jig.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing an adjustment control unit of an image exposure unit.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view showing an initial disassembled state of the image forming body and the exposure optical system of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of an image forming body and an exposure optical system after disassembly.

FIG. 12 is a sectional view showing another embodiment of the image forming body and the exposure optical system according to the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a sectional view showing still another embodiment of an image forming body and an exposure optical system according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Image Forming Apparatus 10 Image Forming Body (Photosensitive Drum) 12, 12Y, 12M, 12C, 12K Image Exposure Means 120, 120A, 120B Optical Support 121 Shafts 122A, 122B Spacers 123A, 123B Position Restricting Member (Ball Bearing) 124 Ring member with a collar (member with a collar) 124f Flange portion (collar portion) 200 Exposure optical system assembly jig 205A, 205B Photodetection means (photodetection sensor, two-dimensional CCD sensor) 206 Rotary encoder 207 Control means 208 Display means (CRT) Monitor) 30 Removal tool (gear puller) 31 Ring-shaped fitting member 31A, 31B, 32 Ring member

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Hiroyuki Tokimatsu 2970 Ishikawacho, Hachioji-shi, Tokyo Konica Corporation (72) Inventor Masayasu Onodera 2970 Ishikawacho, Hachioji-shi, Tokyo Konica Corporation (72) Invention Person Toshihide Miura 5-14-14 Midoricho, Koganei-shi, Tokyo

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A linear image exposure means for performing image exposure on an image forming body, an optical support for supporting the image exposing means, and a relative position between the image forming body and the optical support. An image forming apparatus having an exposure optical system including a plurality of position regulating members, wherein an outer diameter portion larger than an outer diameter of the image forming body is provided at an end portion of at least one position regulating member of the plurality of position regulating members. An image forming apparatus comprising a collared member having a. 2. A linear image exposure means for performing image exposure on an image forming body, an optical support for supporting the image exposing means, and a relative position between the image forming body and the optical support. An image forming apparatus having an exposure optical system composed of a plurality of position regulating members, wherein a screw fitting portion is provided at an end of at least one position regulating member of the plurality of position regulating members, An image forming apparatus, wherein a regulating member is detachable from the optical support body.