JPH10207308A - Image forming device and dustproofing filter used for it - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To facilitate the cleaning work of a dustproofing filter at a maintenance time by fitting the dustproofing filter so that it is freely attached and detached to/from a filter fitting part from the outside. SOLUTION: A ventilation fan 41 is housed in the inside of an optical cover surrounding an exposure part so as to exhaust air from an exhaust port by taking in the external air from a suction port 38 and bringing an air current into contact with the exposure part and the inside surface of the contact glass of an original platen. Then, a gap is formed between a main body left cover 36 and an optical left side plate 39 at the upper part of a discharge cover. By this gap, the filter fitting part 42 is constituted. When the dustproofing filter 44 is fitted, the discharge cover is opened so that the filter 44 is inserted in the fitting part 42 being the gap between the cover 36 and the plate 39 from the lower part. At this time, an engagement projection part 48 is made to abut on a lock projection part 43 and inserted in the fitting part 42 while being deflected inside in a thickness direction. When the filter 44 is removed, the discharge cover is opened so that the filter 44 is drawn out by holding an operation knob 49 exposed from the lower end of the cover 36.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and a dust filter used in the image forming apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a temperature inside a machine such as a halogen lamp as a light source for irradiating a document or a heater provided in a fixing unit for fusing and fixing a toner image transferred onto paper is fixed. Includes a heat source to raise.
Generally, a ventilation fan is provided to prevent the temperature inside the machine surrounded by the outer cover from rising due to such a heat source. In this case, the exterior cover is provided with an intake port for sucking outside air and an exhaust port for discharging air inside the machine. A dust filter is attached to the intake port to prevent foreign substances such as dust from entering the inside of the apparatus.

[0003]

Such a dustproof filter is attached to the inner surface of the outer cover by screws or the like, located at the intake port. Therefore, it is not easy to grasp the dirt condition of the dustproof filter, and
When cleaning the dustproof filter during maintenance, it is necessary to remove the outer cover from the apparatus main body and then remove the dustproof filter from the outer cover. For this reason, there is a problem that the work at the time of maintenance is complicated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide effective cooling without foreign matter such as dust entering the image forming apparatus, and to facilitate cleaning of the dustproof filter during maintenance.

[0005]

An image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes an apparatus main body, an outer cover, and a dustproof filter. The apparatus main body includes a ventilation fan for cooling the inside of the apparatus, and performs an image forming process. The exterior cover surrounds the main body of the apparatus, and has an intake port provided in the vicinity of the ventilation fan and penetrating in and out, and a filter mounting portion provided on an inner surface located at the intake port. The dustproof filter is detachably attached to the filter mounting portion from the outside. Therefore, in the present invention, the dustproof filter is detachable from the outside, and cleaning work of the dustproof filter during maintenance is easy.

Here, the outer cover includes a paper discharge port for discharging the paper that has passed through the fixing unit, and a discharge cover that can be opened and closed to handle a paper jam near the paper discharge port. In this case, one end of the filter mounting portion can be exposed to the outside. In this case, when cleaning or replacing the dustproof filter, the operation can be easily performed by opening the discharge cover.

Further, when the dustproof filter is mounted on the filter mounting portion, an operation knob exposed from one end of the filter mounting portion can be provided. In this case, when attaching / detaching the dustproof filter to / from the filter mounting portion of the outer cover, the operation can be performed with the operation knob, and the attaching / detaching operation becomes easy. The dustproof filter according to the present invention includes a ventilation fan for cooling the inside of the machine, and an intake port for sucking outside air is used in an image forming apparatus provided on an exterior cover surrounding the entire apparatus, It is detachable from the outside on the inner surface of the exterior cover located at the intake port. This dustproof filter prevents foreign substances such as dust from entering the inside of the machine, and can be easily attached and detached from the outside without removing the outer cover, thereby simplifying the maintenance work.

[0008] The dustproof filter may be provided with an operation knob exposed to the outside from the exterior cover when attached to the exterior cover.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A copying machine to which an embodiment of the present invention is applied will be described with reference to the drawings. In the figure, a document table 2 is fixed on the upper surface of a copying machine body 1, and a document holder 3 is provided on the document table 2 so as to be openable and closable. Inside the copier main body 1, an exposure unit 4 for reading a document is provided at an upper portion thereof. The exposure unit 4 includes a light source, a mirror, a lens unit, and the like. Further, an image forming section 5 for forming a toner image of the read document is provided at the center of the copying machine main body 1. Image forming unit 5
Has a photosensitive drum 6 on the surface of which an electrostatic latent image is formed. Around the photosensitive drum 6, a charging device 7, a developing device 8, a transfer separation device 9, and a cleaning device 10 are arranged.

A paper feed unit 11 is provided below the copying machine main body 1. The paper feeding unit 11 includes a bypass table 12 provided on the right side of the copying machine body 1 in FIG. 1 and three paper feeding cassettes 13 arranged vertically below the copying machine body 1.
14, 15 and a large paper cassette 1 for storing a large amount of paper, which is disposed on the right side of the paper cassettes 13, 14, 15 in the figure.
6, bypass table 12 or paper feed cassettes 13-1
And a paper feeder 17 for transporting the paper stored in the image forming unit 6 to the image forming unit 5.

The sheet feeding device 17 is provided with the sheet feeding cassette 1.
Paper feed rollers 18 to 21 for taking out the uppermost sheet in 3 to 16; separating rollers 22 to 25 for separating the taken out sheets one by one; and for guiding the separated sheets upward. , And three pairs of feed rollers 27 for transporting a sheet in the vertical transport path 26.

On the downstream side of the image forming section 5 in the sheet conveying direction,
A paper discharge transport path 30 for transporting paper to the left side of the apparatus in FIG.
And a fixing unit 3 for fusing and fixing the toner image on the sheet.
1, a discharge roller 32 for discharging the sheet that has passed through the fixing unit 31, and a sheet discharge port 33 are provided. Below the sheet discharge port 33, a sheet discharge tray 34 for receiving discharged sheets is provided.

The paper discharge port 33 is provided on a discharge cover 35 provided on the left side of the copying machine main body 1 in FIG. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the discharge cover 35 is openably and closably attached to a main body left cover 36 constituting an exterior cover, and when a paper jam occurs in the vicinity of the discharge roller 32, a handle portion 37 is provided. Opening with a handle facilitates jam clearance.

An intake port 38 is provided above the discharge cover 35 of the main body left cover 36. Inlet 38
Is a hole that penetrates inside and outside, and is provided with a louver for rectifying the flow of air. Inside the main body left cover 36, an optical left side plate 39 constituting a part of the optical cover surrounding the exposure unit 4 is provided at a predetermined distance. The left optical plate 39 is provided with a through hole (not shown) for intake at a position corresponding to the intake port 38 of the left cover 36 of the main body.

Inside the optical left side plate 39, there is provided a rectifying plate 40 extending inward from a through hole for intake and guiding air to be sucked. A ventilation fan 41 is provided at the tip of the current plate 40. The ventilation fan 41 is housed inside an optical cover that surrounds the exposure unit 4, takes in outside air from the air inlet 38, and makes an air flow contact the inner surface of the contact between the exposure unit 4 and the document table 2, not shown. Exhaust from the exhaust port.

The left body cover 36 and the left optical plate 39 are
There is a gap in the upper part of the discharge cover 35, and this gap constitutes the filter mounting part 42. In the filter mounting portion 42, a lower end portion of the main body left cover 36 forms a locking projection 43 protruding from the inner package. A dustproof filter 44 as shown in FIG. The dustproof filter 44 has a thickness capable of being inserted into the filter mounting portion 42, and includes a filter base 45 made of a synthetic resin having a filter window 46 formed at an appropriate position, and a filter base 45.
A filter member 47 made of a synthetic resin mesh adhered to the filter window 46 of FIG.

At the lower part of the filter base 45, an engaging protrusion 48 for engaging with the locking protrusion 43 of the filter mounting part 42 is shown in FIG.
A plurality is provided in the width direction. The engaging protrusion 48 can be made to protrude and retract in the thickness direction with respect to the filter base 45 by being elastically deformed. An operation knob 49 having a substantially U-shaped cross section is provided at the center of the lower end of the filter base 45. The operation knob 49 is configured to protrude below the main body left cover 36 when the engagement protrusion 48 of the filter base 45 is engaged with the engagement protrusion 43 of the filter mounting portion 42, and the discharge cover 35 When it is closed, it is concealed by this discharge cover 35.

When the dustproof filter 44 is mounted, the discharge cover 35 is opened as shown by the solid line in FIG. 4, and is inserted from below into the filter mounting portion 42, which is the gap between the main body left cover 36 and the optical left plate 39. At this time, the engagement protrusion 48
Is inserted into the filter mounting portion 42 while abutting against the locking projection 43 and bending inward in the thickness direction. Further, when the dust filter 44 is pushed upward, the engagement projection 48 is moved to the engagement projection 4.
3 and the filter member 47 is disposed so as to be located at the intake port 38 of the main body left cover 36. Thereafter, the discharge cover 35 is closed, and the normal operation of the copying machine is performed. Also,
When removing the dustproof filter 44, the discharge cover 35
, And the operation knob 49 exposed from the lower end of the main body left cover 36 may be gripped and pulled out.

In the embodiment of the present invention as described above, the exposure unit 4 including the heat source and the left cover of the main body constituting the exterior cover.
And the filter mounting portion 42 for mounting the dustproof filter 44, it is possible to obtain a heat insulating effect and prevent the exterior cover from becoming high in temperature. Other Embodiments (A) Although the ventilation fan in the exposure unit 4 has been exemplified, the same configuration can be applied to a cooling fan for the fixing unit 31 and other fans for cooling the inside of the apparatus. (B) Even in a copying machine without a discharge cover, a dust-proof filter can be provided in the same configuration as long as a part of the exterior cover has a recess below. (C) It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the dustproof filter is inserted from above or from the side of the outer cover.

[0020]

In the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, the dustproof filter can be attached and detached without removing the outer cover, and the maintenance work is simplified.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exemplary perspective view showing the appearance of a copier to which an embodiment of the present invention is applied;

FIG. 2 is a schematic longitudinal sectional configuration view thereof.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing the main part.

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the configuration.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view thereof.

FIG. 6 is a front view of the dustproof filter.

FIG. 7 is a side view thereof.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Copier main body 2 Document table 4 Exposure part 33 Paper discharge port 34 Paper discharge tray 35 Discharge cover 36 Main body left cover 38 Intake port 39 Optical left side plate 41 Ventilation fan 42 Filter mounting part 43 Locking protrusion part 44 Dustproof filter 45 Filter base Table 47 Filter member 48 Engagement projection 49 Operation knob

Claims (5)

[Claims] A ventilation fan for cooling the inside of the machine;
An apparatus main body that performs image forming processing, an air inlet that surrounds the apparatus main body, penetrates inside and outside provided near the ventilation fan, and a filter mounting portion provided on an inner surface located at the air inlet. An image forming apparatus comprising: an exterior cover having: a dustproof filter that is detachably attached to the filter mounting portion from the outside. 2. The exterior cover according to claim 1, further comprising: a sheet discharge port for discharging the sheet passing through the fixing unit; and a discharge cover that can be opened and closed to handle a sheet jam near the sheet discharge port. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein one end of the filter mounting portion is exposed to the outside when the filter mounting portion is in an open state. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the dustproof filter includes an operation knob that is exposed from one end of the filter attachment portion when the dustproof filter is attached to the filter attachment portion. 4. A ventilation fan for cooling the inside of the machine,
An intake port for sucking outside air is a dustproof filter used in an image forming apparatus provided in an exterior cover surrounding the entire apparatus, and is detachable from the outside on an inner surface of the exterior cover located at the intake port. Dustproof filter. 5. An operation knob which is exposed to the outside from the exterior cover when attached to the exterior cover,
A dust filter used in the image forming apparatus according to claim 4.