JPH09325669A - Assembling method and separating method for image forming body unit incorporating image exposure means - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent the deviation of a center position between an image forming body and an image exposure means and to easily detach them at the time of producing the image forming body or at the time of exchanging it or at the time of maintenance by assembling an image forming body unit incorporating the image exposure means under temperature environment higher than ordinary temperature at the time of assembling. SOLUTION: In the case of forming an image forming body unit 100, a ball bearing member 123 as either integrating member is fit in the inner peripheral surface of the light transmissive base substance of a photoreceptor drum 10 and an image forming body driving member 125 as the other integrating member is fit in the inner peripheral surface of the light transmissive base substance of the drum 10. In such a case, they are respectively fit after they are exposed under the temperature environment higher than the ordinary temperature such as 50 deg.C to 120 deg.C for 30 minutes to one hour, and cooled with cooling air. Thus, the inside diameter of the light transmissive base substance of the drum 10 is larger than the outside diameter of the respective integrating members 123 and 125, and the integrating members 123 and 125 are respectively easily fit in the light transmissive base substance in the case of assembling the unit 100 and easily detached in the case of separation.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a copier, a printer, a facsimile, etc., which is provided with a plurality of sets of image exposure means inside an image forming body and a plurality of sets of charging means on the outer periphery of the image forming body. The present invention relates to an image forming unit having a built-in image exposing means used in an electrophotographic color image forming apparatus which forms a color image by superposing a toner image during one rotation of the image forming body by arranging means.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a method of forming a multi-color image, a single color image formed on each image forming body is provided with the same number of image forming bodies, charging means, developing means and the like as the number of colors required for image formation. Color image forming apparatus that forms a color image by superimposing the toner image on a transfer material, or a color image forming apparatus that rotates the image forming body a plurality of times and repeats charging, image exposure, and development for each color to form a color image Alternatively, there is known a color image forming apparatus which forms a color image by sequentially performing charging, image exposure, and development for each color within one rotation of the image forming body.

However, each of the above image forming apparatuses is provided with the same number of image forming bodies, charging means, developing means, etc. as the number of colors required for image formation, and superposes a single color toner image formed on each image forming body on a transfer material. A color image forming apparatus that forms a color image together has a drawback that the volume of the apparatus is increased due to the necessity of transporting a plurality of image forming bodies and a transfer material. A color image forming apparatus that forms a color image by repeating charging, image exposure, and development has a limitation that although the volume is reduced, the size of the formed image is limited to the surface area of the image forming body or less. .

In this regard, a color image forming apparatus which forms a color image by sequentially performing charging, image exposure and development for each color within one rotation of the image forming body has no restriction on the size of the image and has a high speed image. There are advantages such as enabling formation. Further, a light-transmitting substrate is used as the substrate of the image forming body, and an image exposing means is disposed inside the image forming body to reduce the size of the apparatus. For example, JP-A-5-307307 proposes this. .

[0005]

However, in the apparatus according to the above-mentioned proposal, a large number of fixed image exposing means are arranged inside the image forming body so that the image forming body can be rotated or the image forming body can be rotated. It is difficult to attach and detach the image exposure unit,
When assembling the image forming body and the image exposing means at the time of producing or replacing the image forming body or at the time of maintenance, it is difficult to align the assembly of the image forming body and the image exposing means, and the center position is displaced. A gap occurs between the image exposure unit and the image forming body, and image blur occurs due to a shift in the image forming position of the image exposure unit,
There is a problem in that the alignment of the distance between the image exposing means and the image forming body is misaligned and color misregistration occurs. In addition, there is a problem that it is difficult to remove the once assembled image forming body and the image exposing means during replacement or maintenance of the image forming body.

The present invention solves the above problems and provides an image forming body which does not cause a deviation in the center position between the image forming body and the image exposing means during the production, replacement or maintenance of the image forming body. It is an object of the present invention to provide an assembling method with an image exposing unit and a separating method in which an image forming unit and an image exposing unit can be easily detached at the time of replacement or maintenance of the image forming unit.

[0007]

The above-mentioned object is to arrange an image exposure means inside and to provide a photoconductor layer on the outer surface and a transmissivity to at least the exposure wavelength region of the image exposure means on the inner peripheral surface of the photoconductor layer. An image having an image forming body including a light-transmitting substrate and an integrated member having a coefficient of thermal expansion lower than that of the light-transmitting substrate of the image forming body and integrating the image forming body and the image exposure unit. An image forming body unit having a built-in exposure unit, wherein the image forming body unit is assembled in a high temperature environment rather than room temperature at the time of assembling. ).

[0008] Further, the above-mentioned object is to arrange the image exposure means inside, and to have a light-transmitting property on the outer surface of the photoconductor layer and on the inner peripheral surface of the photoconductor layer at least in the exposure wavelength region of the image exposure means. A built-in image exposure unit having an image forming body formed of a substrate and an integrated member having a thermal expansion coefficient lower than that of the light-transmitting substrate of the image forming unit and integrating the image forming body and the image exposing unit. An image forming body unit, wherein the image forming body unit is separated from the image forming body and the image exposing means in a higher temperature environment than room temperature. It is achieved by (second invention).

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. The description of the present application does not limit the technical scope of the claims or the meaning of terms. Also, the following assertive description in the embodiment of the present invention indicates the best mode, and does not limit the meaning of the terms of the present invention or the technical scope.

As an example of the present invention, an image forming process and each mechanism of a color image forming apparatus suitable as an image forming apparatus in the following embodiments will be described with reference to FIGS.

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

In the color image forming apparatus of this embodiment, a photosensitive drum having a conductive layer and a photosensitive layer provided on the outer peripheral surface of a light-transmitting substrate is used as an image forming body. Image exposure device on the outside, charger, developing device on the outside,
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, is provided with, for example, a cylindrical light-transmitting substrate formed of a transparent member of transparent acrylic resin inside, and a transparent conductive layer as a photoconductor layer, an organic photosensitive layer. A photoreceptor layer such as a body layer (OPC) is formed on the outer periphery of the translucent substrate, and is rotated clockwise in the state of being grounded as shown by the arrow in FIG. As the light-transmitting substrate, the light-transmitting resin substrate described below is preferably used, but it is also possible to use optical glass or the like.

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 transmissivity of the light-transmissive resin substrate as the light-transmissive substrate of the photosensitive drum according to the present embodiment does not need to be 100%, and a characteristic that some light is absorbed when the exposure beam is transmitted. It doesn't matter. As a material of the light-transmitting substrate, an acrylic resin, particularly one polymerized using a methyl methacrylate monomer, is preferably used because it is excellent in transparency, strength, precision, surface properties, and the like, but is used for other general optical members and the like. Various translucent resins such as fluorine, polyester, polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate, and the like can be used.

Further, it may be colored as long as it is transparent to the exposure light. The refractive index of these resins is approximately 1.5. Examples of the method for forming the light-transmitting conductive layer include a vacuum deposition method, an active reaction deposition method, various sputtering methods, and various C methods.
Using the VD method, indium tin oxide (IT
O), alumina, tin oxide, lead oxide, indium oxide, copper iodide, or a thin film of light transmissivity such as Au, Ag, Ni, Al or the like is used, or a dip coating method, a spray coating method, or the like is used. A conductive resin composed of the above-mentioned metal fine particles and a binder resin is used. Further, various organic photoconductor layers (OPC) can be used as the photoconductor layer.

Examples of preferable image forming members are shown below.

By adding a catalyst for synthesizing and polymerizing the plastic material monomer, the mixture is poured into a cylindrical mold, sealed and fixed with a side plate, and this is rotated at high speed and heated appropriately. Promotes uniform polymerization. After the completion of the polymerization, it is cooled, the obtained transparent resin substrate is taken out from the mold, cut, and if necessary, a finishing process is performed to form a transparent resin substrate as a transparent substrate for the photosensitive drum of the image forming apparatus. It is manufactured (centrifugal polymerization method).

As a material for a transparent plastic light-transmissive resin substrate molded by centrifugal polymerization, a polymer obtained by using a methyl methacrylate ester monomer as described above is most preferable in terms of transparency, strength, accuracy, surface property and the like. In addition, polyethyl methacrylate, polybutyl methacrylate, polyethyl acrylate, polybutyl acrylate, polystyrene, polyimide, polyester, polyvinyl chloride, or the like, or copolymers thereof can be used. In the centrifugal polymerization method, since the roundness is determined by the mold used for molding, a highly accurate substrate can be obtained. Also,
The uneven thickness varies depending on the rotation unevenness and viscosity during polymerization and the heating conditions during polymerization.

As the conductive layer, indium tin oxide (ITO), tin oxide, lead oxide, indium oxide, alumina, copper iodide, conductive fine particles made of Au, Ag, Ni, Al, etc., and resin. A conductive resin mixed with is used, and as a film forming method, a dip coating method, a spray coating method, or the like is preferably used.

The organic photoreceptor layer comprises a charge generating material (CGM)
And a charge transport layer (CTL) containing a charge transport material (CTM) as a main component. The organic photoreceptor layer having a two-layer structure has a low CGL, and thus has good transparency of image exposure light and is suitable for the present invention. The organic photoreceptor layer may have a single-layer structure containing a charge generation material (CGM) and a charge transport material (CTM) in one layer, and may have the single-layer structure or the two-layer structure. Usually contains a binder resin.

In the photoconductor drum having the two-layer organic photoconductor layer, the CGM contained in the CGL is an azo pigment, an azurenium pigment or a phthalocyanine pigment which is sensitive to the light of the light source such as LED or LD. , Perylene pigments are used, among which infrared light (600 nm to 8 nm) is used.
As the CGM of the OPC photosensitive layer that is exposed to 50 nm), a copper phthalocyanine pigment, a titanyl phthalocyanine pigment or the like is preferably used.

As the binder resin used for CGL, a polyvinyl butyral resin or a polycarbonate resin is used, which is excellent in sensitivity and potential change during repeated use. These binder resins can be used alone or as a mixture of two or more.

As the solvent or dispersion medium used for the formation of CGL, a ketone type or halogen type solvent is preferably used, and the sensitivity, change in potential upon repeated use and the like are further improved. These solvents can be used alone or as a mixture of two or more solvents.

The weight ratio of CGM in the CGL to the binder resin is 100: 1 to 1000, and the film thickness of the CGL is 0.01 to 10 μm. As a coating method for forming the CGL, a blade is used. There are various coating methods such as coating, wire bar coating, spray coating, dip coating and slide hopper coating.

Next, as the CTM contained in the CTL, hydrazone compounds, styryl compounds, benzidine compounds, stilbene compounds and the like are used.

As the binder resin used for the CTL, a wide range of insulating resins can be selected and used from time to time. Preferred binder resins are silicon-alkyd resins, phenol-formaldehyde resins, poly-N- Insulating resins such as vinylcarbazole and polysilane can be mentioned, and these binder resins can be used alone or in combination of two or more kinds.

The compounding ratio of the binder resin and CTM is 1:
It is set to 10 to 500, and preferably 1:20 to 150. The thickness of the CTL is set to 1: 100 μm, preferably 5 to 50 μm.

As a coating method, a method similar to CGL can be used.

An intermediate layer is optionally provided between the organic photoreceptor layer and the conductive layer. Examples of the intermediate layer include vinyl chloride vinyl acetate copolymer, vinyl chloride vinyl acetate maleic acid copolymer, ethyl cellulose and carboxymethyl cellulose. The resin layer has a thickness of 0.01 to 2 μm, such as a copolymer type or modified type alcohol-soluble polyamide resin.

By using the plastic cylindrical cylindrical transparent resin substrate produced by the above-mentioned manufacturing method, the thickness of the cylindrical substrate is uniform, the cylindrical substrate has excellent cylindricity and roundness, and the image exposure light Provided is a photoconductor drum having no defocus.

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 are 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 image exposure devices 12Y, 12M, 12 are read.
The electric signals are input to C and 12K, respectively.

Developing devices 13Y, 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 units 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 this 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.

When the image recording is started, the 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 the photoconductor drum 10 is applied with a potential, the first color signal, that is, Y in the image exposure device 12Y.
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 reversal-developed by the developing device 13Y while 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 photoconductor drum 10 is given a potential on the yellow (Y) toner image by a charging action of a scorotron charger 11M arranged on the left side of the photoconductor drum 10 and above Y, and an image is formed. Second exposure device 12M
Exposure is performed by an electrical signal corresponding to the color signal of the color image, ie, the M image signal, and a magenta (M) toner image is sequentially formed on the yellow (Y) toner image by non-contact reversal development by the developing device 13M. It is formed by overlapping.

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 photoconductor layer of the photoconductor drum 10 with C and 12K is performed from the inside of the photoconductor drum 10 through the above-mentioned translucent 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 supplied 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.

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

The recording paper P on which the toner image has been transferred is removed from the charge by the static eliminator 16 and separated from the peripheral surface of the photoconductor drum, and then is conveyed to the fixing device 24 by the conveyor belt 23 which is a conveying means. It After being heated and pressure-bonded in the fixing device 24 to fuse and fix the toner on the recording 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 recording 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 exposure device 12 as the image exposure means for each color is composed of FLs arranged in the axial direction of the photoconductor drum 10.
(Fluorescence emission), EL (electroluminescence),
A linear exposure element in which light emitting elements such as PL (plasma discharge) and LED (light emitting diode) are arranged in an array, or LIS
A light emitting element that emits exposure light by a linear exposure element or the like in which elements having an optical shutter function such as A (magneto-optical effect shutter array), PLZT (transmissive piezoelectric element shutter array), and LCS (liquid crystal shutter) are arranged. 12a and a condensing fiber lens array (selfoc lens) 12b as an equal magnification imaging element are attached to a holding member 12c that holds the light emitting element 12a and a selfoc lens 12b as an equal magnification imaging element. Image signal of each color stored in the memory, which is configured as a unit and is attached to the optical support 120 that fixes and holds the image exposure device 12 provided in the photosensitive drum 10 by a method described later. Are sequentially read from the memory and input as electric signals to the image exposure device 12 for each color. The emission wavelength of the light emitting element 12a used in this embodiment is 600 to 9
It is in the range of 00 nm.

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, Pyrex glass or the like. 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 image exposure device 12 for each color is held at a predetermined position by a wedge-shaped spacer 122 using an assembling jig to be described later, and is attached and fixed to the optical support 120 with an adhesive or the like.

In FIG. 3, the image exposure device 12 (Y, M, C, K) is attached to the optical support 1 before the photosensitive drum 10 is attached.
20 is a view showing a state where the image exposure apparatus is mounted on the image forming apparatus 20, FIG. 3 (A) is a side view of the image exposure apparatus, and FIG. 3 (B) is a front view of FIG. The x-axis direction (main scanning direction) is a direction that is orthogonal to the moving direction of the photoconductor drum 10 and positions the linear light emitting element 12a provided in the image exposure device 12 parallel to the axis of the photoconductor drum 10. , Y-axis direction (sub-scanning direction) indicates the moving direction of the photosensitive drum 10. 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 the image exposure device 12 (Y, M, C,
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the image forming body unit 100 including K) is mounted between the apparatus main body fixed side plates 1A and 1B of the image forming apparatus. FIG. 5A shows the image exposure device 12 (Y,
FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view showing a state before the image forming body unit 100 including M, C, K) is mounted between the fixed side plates 1A and 1B, and FIG. 5 (C)
Is a BB sectional view, and FIG. 5D is a CC sectional view. 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 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 position-adjusted by wedge-shaped spacers 122, and attached and fixed to the outer peripheral surfaces of the optical supports 120A and 120B. The shaft 121 has two pins 121a, 1
21b is planted at a predetermined position, and the image exposure apparatus 1
After inserting 2 (Y, M, C, K) into the shaft 121, the pin 121b on the right side is attached to the optical support 1 on the right side in the drawing.
The V-shaped groove on the right side of 20B is brought into contact with the pin 1 on the left side.
21a is brought into contact with the right side surface of the optical support 120A on the left side in the drawing to perform axial positioning.

If the optical supports 120A, 120B and the shaft 121 are integrally formed from the beginning, this work is unnecessary.

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 with an adhesive through a wedge-shaped spacer 122 after performing position adjustment described later.

The other end portion (end portion on the left side in the figure) of the optical support 120A has a cylindrical surface portion 120 concentric with the shaft 121.
c is formed, and the inner ring portion of the ball bearing member 123, which is a position regulating member and one of the integrated members, is press-fitted into the cylindrical surface portion 120c. Ball bearing member 12 as an integrated member
The outer ring portion 3 is fitted into the inner peripheral surface of the light-transmitting substrate of the photosensitive drum 10 as the image forming body at the left end in the figure by a method described later.

The other end portion (the end portion on the right side in the figure) of the optical support 120B has a cylindrical surface portion 120 concentric with the shaft 121.
d, the inner ring portion of the ball bearing member 124, which is a position regulating member, is press-fitted into the cylindrical surface portion 120d, and the outer ring portion of the ball bearing member 124 of the image forming body driving member 125 as the other integrated member. It is pressed into the inner diameter. The image forming body driving member 125 as an integrated member is fitted to the inner peripheral surface at the right end of the transparent base of the photoconductor drum 10 as the image forming body by the method described below, and the image forming body unit 100 is inserted.
Is formed.

When the image forming unit 100 is formed, the ball bearing member 123 as one integrated member is formed on the inner peripheral surface at the left end of the transparent base of the photosensitive drum 10 in the figure, and the other integrated member is formed. When the image forming body driving member 125 as described above is fitted into the inner peripheral surface of the light-transmitting substrate of the photosensitive drum 10 at the right end in the drawing, it is under a high temperature environment of 50 ° C. to 120 ° C. with respect to room temperature (20 ° C. ± 5 ° C.). After being exposed for 30 minutes to 1 hour, each of them is inserted and cooled with cooling air. The ball bearing member 123 as one integrated member, the image forming member driving member 125 and the photosensitive drum 10 as the other integrated member may be forcibly heated by hot air in a high temperature environment.

That is, the ball bearing member 123 as one integrated member is usually a metal member such as a stainless steel material,
The thermal expansion coefficient thereof is 15 × 10 ⁻⁶ ° C. ⁻¹ , and the image forming member driving member 125 as the other integrated member is also made of a metal member such as an iron material, a stainless material, a brass material, or an aluminum material.
The coefficient of thermal expansion is 10 × 10 ^-6 ° C ^{-1 to} 25 × 10 ^-6 ° C ^-1
In the case of a light-transmissive resin substrate as the light-transmissive substrate of the photoconductor drum 10, its thermal expansion coefficient is 60 × 10 ⁻⁶ ° C. ⁻¹
The temperature is 80 × 10 ⁻⁶ ° C. ⁻¹ , and when placed in the above high temperature environment, the inner diameter of the light-transmissive substrate of the photoconductor drum 10 becomes larger than the outer diameter of each integrated member, and the image forming unit It becomes easy to fit the respective integrated members into the translucent substrate during the assembly of 100, and to remove the image forming body and the respective integrated members during separation.

At the time of assembly, the mutual positional relationship between the photosensitive drum 10 as an image forming body and the image exposing device 12 as an image exposing means, which are thermally expanded in a high temperature environment, is accurately positioned. After that, the image forming body and the image exposing means are integrated and fixed as an image forming body unit 100 by cooling with cooling air or the like. After assembly, in a normal temperature state, the mutual positional relationship is positioned with high accuracy, and the image forming body and the image exposure means are firmly fixed.

Assembling of the image forming body and the image exposing means is performed with high accuracy so that the center position of the image forming body and the image exposing means are not displaced at the time of manufacturing, replacing or maintenance of the image forming body. A good image is formed without causing a gap in the gap between the image exposing unit and the image forming body and causing no image blur due to a shift in the image forming position of the image exposing unit. Further, the positional deviation of the distance between the image exposing means and the image forming body does not occur, and a good image without color misregistration is formed.

In addition, the image forming unit 10 is exposed to a high temperature environment.
0, and the photoconductor drum 10 as an image forming body and the image exposing device 12 as an image exposing means are thermally expanded,
The image forming body and the image exposing unit are separated in a state where the inner diameter of the light-transmitting substrate of the photoconductor drum 10 is made larger than the outer diameter of the respective integrated members. Provided is a separation method in which the image forming body and the image exposing means can be easily removed when the image forming body is replaced or maintained.

Optical glass (25 × 10
It is used ^-6 ° C.), an iron material, using a metal member of stainless steel or the like (12 × 10 ^-6 ° C.) similar to the assembly described above, facilitating the separation can be achieved as an integral member.

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 inner diameter portion of the right side plate mounting member 127 is fitted to the rightmost end portion of the shaft 121 in the drawing,
The flange portion of the right side plate mounting member 127 is brought into contact with the right side plate 1B in the image forming apparatus, and is positioned and fixed to the right side plate 1B by a screw screwed into the rightmost end of the shaft 121. The pin 121c near the right end of the shaft 121 is fitted 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 device 12 (Y, M, C, K) is adjusted. And the outer diameter portions of the ball bearing members 123 and 124 are integrally fixed and coaxial with each other, so that an error in relative position does not occur. Therefore, in this state, the image forming body 10 is mounted by the above-described assembling method to assemble the image forming body unit 100 as shown in FIG. 5, and further, as shown in FIG. 4, the image forming body is attached to the main body of the image forming apparatus. If the unit 100 is mounted, the accuracy at the time of the position adjustment can be maintained and the unit can be accurately installed. As described above, the ball bearing members 123 and 124, which are the position restricting members, are directly attached to the optical support 120.
Focus adjustment is performed based on the ball bearing members 123 and 124, and after the adjustment, the focus position accuracy is greatly improved by mounting the ball bearing members 123 and 124 on the attachment reference portion of the image forming apparatus main body. 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, 120B supporting the image exposing means 12 (Y, M, C, K) is supported by ball bearing members 123, 124 through support members 128A,
It is fitted to 128B and is rotatably supported. A rotary encoder 206 is provided at one axial end of the shaft 121 penetrating the optical supports 120A and 120B, and each of the image exposure units 12Y, 12M, 12C and 12 is exposed.
Precise positioning is performed in the K rotation direction (sub-scanning direction y).

Of the image exposing means 12 (Y, M, C, K), the vicinity of both ends of one image exposing means (for example, 12Y in the figure) is provided with two sets of left and right fine movement stages 201A and 201B.
The gripping portions 202A and 202B are gripped. The fine movement stages 201A and 201B are installed on the fixed base 203, and the grip portions 202A and 202B are moved in the three-dimensional direction (x,
Finely move in the y and 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.

Further, at the upper end of the support column 204 fixed on the fixed table 203, on the side facing both ends of the line-shaped SELFOC lens 12b of the image exposing means 12Y, a 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 photosensitive drum 10, that is, at an image forming reference position on the outer peripheral surface of the reference photosensitive drum 10. The positions are set in advance at the same position (since the LED light passes through a translucent 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.
Displayed on the monitor. When the adjustment of the x, y, z positions is completed, the image exposure means 12Y and the optical supports 120A, 1
The spacer 122 is inserted between the 20B and 20B to fix the position, and further adhesively fix the same with an adhesive.

After the first adjustment of the image exposure means 12Y is completed, the rotary encoder 206 is rotated by a predetermined angle and the adjustment of the image exposure means 12M is performed in the same manner. Subsequently, adjustment of the image exposure means 12M 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 slightly moved in the X, Y, and Z directions by the fine movement stages 201A and 201B, and the image forming position of the 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.

Next, the process of adjusting the image exposure means using the exposure optical system assembling jig 200 will be described.

(1) The optical supports 120A and 120B are inserted into the shaft 121 which is the central axis, and the optical supports 12 are inserted.
0A, 120B regular hexagonal columnar side supporting portion 120
The a and 120b are installed so as to be flush with each other on the surface plate.

(2) Pin 1 on the right side of the shaft 121
21b shows V on the right side of the optical support 120B on the right side in the figure.
The optical support 120B is attached to the shaft 1 by abutting the V-shaped groove.
Screw it to 21. Pin 12 on the left side of shaft 121
The optical support 120A on the left side in the drawing is brought into contact with 1a, and the optical support 120A is screwed to the shaft 121.

(3) A ball bearing member 123, which is a position regulating member, is fitted to the cylindrical surface portion 120b at the left end of the optical support 120A, and a ball bearing member is a position regulating member at the cylindrical surface portion 120c at the right end of the optical support 120B. Fit 124 (FIG. 6)
reference).

(4) The left ball bearing member 123 is mounted on the support member 128A, the right ball bearing member 124 is mounted on the support member 128B, and the ball bearing members 123, 124 and the shaft 121 are horizontally installed.

(5) The rotary encoder 206 is attached to the shaft end of the shaft 121.

(6) The rotational position of the optical support 120 is set so that the bottom of the image exposure means 12Y faces the support 120a of the optical support 120 directly.

(7) Both ends of the image exposure means 12Y are connected to the fine movement stages 201A, 201 of the exposure optical system assembling jig 200.
It is gripped by the gripping portions 202A and 202B of B (FIG. 7,
See FIG. 8).

(8) The fine movement stages 201A and 201B are operated to finely move the image exposure means 12Y in the x and z directions, and the means shown in FIG. 9 is used for positioning and focus adjustment.

(9) Image exposure means 12Y and optical support 12
Insert the spacer 122 between the support part 120a of 0,
Further, the image exposure means 12Y is fixed by adhering and fixing with an adhesive.

(10) Image exposure means 12M, 12C, 12
The positioning adjustment of K is also performed in the same manner as (7) to (10) above.

(11) All image exposure means 12Y, 12
After the adjustment of M, 12C, 12K is completed, the ball bearing members 123, 1 are kept at 50 ° C. to 120 ° C. in the high temperature environment.
The image forming body 10 and the image forming body driving member 125 are mounted on the sheet 24 in this order (see FIG. 5). After that, at room temperature (20 ° C ± 5 ° C)
Alternatively, the image forming unit 100 is completed by cooling to the in-machine temperature condition (15 ° C. to 35 ° C.).

(12) Between the fixed side plates 1A and 1B of the image forming apparatus 1 which is an actual machine, the image exposing means 12 (Y, M,
The image forming body 10 including C, K) is inserted, and the left side plate mounting member 126 and the right side plate mounting member 127 are attached to the shaft 121.
Attached to the shaft and using screws, etc., the device body fixed side plates 1A, 1B
Secure to and complete the assembly.

The image forming body used in the present invention is not necessarily limited to the photoconductor drum described in the above embodiment, and a belt-shaped image forming body may be used. Further, in the above-mentioned embodiments, the image exposing device is arranged inside the image forming body, but the invention is not limited to this, and the image exposing device is arranged outside the image forming body. It may be something that is done.

[0083]

According to the first or second aspect of the present invention, the assembly of the image forming body and the image exposing means is facilitated, and the photosensitive layer on the outer peripheral surface of the transparent base of the image forming body at the image forming position is formed. The position between the image exposure means is guaranteed with high accuracy.

According to the third aspect, the assembly of the image forming body and the image exposing means becomes easier.

According to the fourth or fifth aspect, the separation of the image forming body and the image exposing means becomes easy.

According to the sixth aspect, the separation of the image forming body and the image exposing means becomes easier.

[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 unit including an image exposure device is mounted between fixed side plates of the image forming device.

FIG. 5A is a sectional view showing a state before the image forming body unit including the image exposure device is mounted between the fixed side plates;
(B) is a sectional view taken along the line A-A, (C) is a sectional view taken along the line BB, and (D).
Is a C-C 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.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Photoreceptor Drums 12, 12Y, 12M, 12C, 12K Image Exposure Device 12a Light Emitting Element 12b SELFOC Lens 100 Image Forming Units 120, 120A, 120B Optical Supports 120a, 120b Supports 120c, 120d Cylindrical Surface 121 Shaft 122 Spacer 123,124 Ball Bearing Member 125 Image Forming Body Driving Member 126 Left Side Plate Mounting Member 127 Right Side Plate Mounting Member

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Masayasu Onodera 2970 Ishikawa-cho, Hachioji, Tokyo Konica stock company (72) Inventor Satoshi Haneda 2970 Ishikawa-cho, Hachioji, Tokyo Konica stock company (72) Inventor Toshihide Miura 5-14-14, Midoricho, Koganei-shi, Tokyo

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. An image exposure means is disposed inside, and a photoconductor layer is provided on an outer surface, and a light-transmissive substrate having transparency to at least an exposure wavelength region of the image exposure means is provided on an inner surface of the photoconductor layer. An image forming unit including an image exposing unit having an image forming unit and an integrated member having a thermal expansion coefficient lower than that of the light-transmitting substrate of the image forming unit and integrating the image forming unit and the image exposing unit. The method for assembling the image forming body unit, wherein the image forming body unit is assembled under a high temperature environment rather than room temperature. 2. The method for assembling an image forming unit according to claim 1, wherein the integrated member is a metal member. 3. The image forming unit is assembled at 50 ° C.
The method for assembling an image forming unit according to claim 1, wherein the assembly is performed in an environment of 120 ° C. 4. An image exposing means is disposed inside, and a photoconductor layer is provided on an outer surface, and a light transmissive substrate having transparency to at least an exposure wavelength region of the image exposing means is provided on an inner peripheral surface of the photoconductor layer. An image forming unit including an image exposing unit having an image forming unit and an integrated member having a thermal expansion coefficient lower than that of the light-transmitting substrate of the image forming unit and integrating the image forming unit and the image exposing unit. The method for separating an image-forming body unit, wherein the image-forming body unit is separated from the image-forming body and the image exposing means in an environment at a temperature higher than room temperature. 5. The method for separating an image forming unit according to claim 4, wherein the integrated member is a metal member. 6. The image forming unit is separated at 50 ° C.
The method for separating an image forming unit according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the separation is performed in an environment of 120 ° C.