JPH10232571A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a lubricant supply device which supplies a lubricant without failing to supply the lubricant uniformly and scratching the surface of an intermediate transfer body. SOLUTION: The full-color image forming device transfers toner images in separate colors formed on a photoreceptor 1 onto the intermediate transfer body 5 one on top of the other and then transfers the superimposed toner images on the intermediate transfer body 5 onto transfer paper 11 all at once, thereby forming the image, and is equipped with the lubricant supply device which supplies the lubricant onto the intermediate transfer body 5. In the image forming device, the lubricant is supplied by the lubricant supply device 20 of an uncontacted type set opposite the surface of the intermediate transfer body 5 so as not to be in contact with it.

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 using an electrophotographic system or an electrostatic recording system. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method for temporarily transferring a toner image on a photosensitive member onto an intermediate transfer member. In the image forming apparatus of the type that transfers the toner to the transfer paper after a while, when the lubricant is supplied to the intermediate transfer body, the uniform supply failure of the lubricant which has conventionally occurred,
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that can solve problems such as generation of scratches on the surface of an intermediate transfer member.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, and a facsimile apparatus for forming a full-color image, a toner image formed on a photoreceptor is superimposed and transferred for each color on an intermediate transfer member. Image formation is performed by simultaneously transferring and fixing a superimposed image formed on the intermediate transfer member onto transfer paper. In an image forming apparatus of the type described above, a lubricant is supplied to the surface of the intermediate transfer member to improve lubricity and slipperiness to prevent occurrence of toner filming or the like. The lubricant supply is performed by a lubricant supply application device that operates in contact with the surface of the intermediate transfer body, and the lubricant supply operation timing is set to be outside the image forming operation time,
The operation is performed in such a manner that a predetermined time difference is given to the operation timing of the intermediate transfer body cleaning device, or the image forming operation is temporarily stopped. Ideally, it is desirable to perform the lubricant supply operation at exactly the same timing as the cleaning operation of the intermediate transfer body surface by the intermediate transfer body cleaning device, which is one step in a series of image forming operations. The primary transfer operation can be realized by the simplest control method. However, actually, complicated control such as setting of a dedicated timing for supplying the lubricant and temporary stop of the image forming operation is required as described above.

[0003]

As described above, in the prior art, the lubricant is supplied to the intermediate transfer member by a contact-type lubricant supply device which supplies the lubricant in contact with the surface of the intermediate transfer member. Therefore, if the image forming operation, particularly the primary transfer process operation of transferring the toner image on the photoreceptor onto the intermediate transfer member and the lubricant supply operation are performed at the same time, there is a danger of occurrence of transfer blur and the like. It was extremely difficult to do at the same time. For this reason, complicated control such as providing a time difference is required. Conventionally, the operation of supplying lubricant has been
Since the lubrication itself was brought into contact with the intermediate transfer member, or the brush roller member provided for pulverizing the lubricant was brought into contact with the intermediate transfer member, uneven contact, unevenness in lubricant hardness, and foreign matter There were problems such as poor supply of the lubricant uniformly and scratches on the surface of the intermediate transfer member, which were caused by the insertion. The present invention has been made in view of the above, and a first aspect of the present invention is a non-contact type lubricant supply apparatus which supplies a lubricant to the surface of an intermediate transfer member, and always keeps the intermediate transfer member in a non-contact state. By doing so, the lubricant can be supplied without causing a failure in uniform supply of the lubricant and without causing scratches on the surface of the intermediate transfer member. According to a second aspect of the present invention, an intermediate transfer body cleaning apparatus is one of the steps during a series of image forming operations by supplying a lubricant onto the intermediate transfer body by a non-contact type lubricant supply apparatus. The lubricant supply operation can be performed at exactly the same timing as the surface cleaning operation, and there is no adverse effect such as transfer blurring in the primary transfer operation, which has been a concern in the prior art. Therefore, it is not necessary to set a dedicated timing for a special lubricant supply operation, to temporarily suspend an image forming operation, and the like, and to simplify the control. According to the third aspect of the present invention, the non-contact type lubricant supply device is disposed downstream of the intermediate transfer member cleaning device with the air suction port interposed therebetween, so that the intermediate transfer member cleaning is performed during the rotation operation of the intermediate transfer member. The suction of the scattered toner generated by the contact and separation operations of the members and the suction of the surplus lubricant powder that is not attached to the surface of the intermediate transfer member and floated can be performed simultaneously.

[0004]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems,
According to a first aspect of the present invention, the toner image formed on the photoreceptor is superimposed and transferred for each color on the intermediate transfer body, and then the superimposed toner image on the intermediate transfer body is collectively transferred onto transfer paper. In a full-color image forming apparatus for forming, provided with a lubricant supply device for supplying a lubricant onto the intermediate transfer body, the lubricant supply operation is performed in a non-contact state with respect to the surface of the intermediate transfer body. And a non-contact type lubricant supply device installed opposite to the above. Claim 2
The present invention is characterized in that the lubricant supply operation by the non-contact type lubricant supply device is executed in synchronization with the cleaning operation of the intermediate transfer body cleaning device that performs cleaning by coming into contact with and separating from the intermediate transfer body. And The invention according to claim 3 is characterized in that an air suction port is arranged between the lubricant supply device and the intermediate transfer body cleaning device.

[0005]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below in detail with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings. [Structure of Embodiment] FIG. 1 is a view showing the structure of an image forming section of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. This image forming section includes a drum-shaped photosensitive member 1 as a latent image carrier, A main charger 2 for uniformly charging the photosensitive member, and an exposure optical path 3 for irradiating the charged photosensitive member surface with optical image information such as a document reflected light
A developing unit 4 for supplying toner to the electrostatic latent image on the photoreceptor 1 for development, and a roller 5a, 5b endlessly extended by rollers 5a and 5b while partially contacting the peripheral surface of the photoreceptor 1 in the direction of the arrow. Intermediate transfer body (intermediate transfer belt) 5, a transfer member (primary transfer member) 6 for pressing the intermediate transfer body 5 against the surface of the photoconductor and applying a transfer bias, and removing electricity from residual toner after transfer. The electric device 7, the photoconductor cleaning device 8, the discharging lamp 9, the paper feed path 10 for feeding the transfer paper 11 to the paper transfer position (secondary transfer position), and the solid line disposed at a position facing the roller 5b. , A secondary transfer member 12 that can advance and retreat between the contact position of the dotted line and the retracted position of the dotted line, a transfer paper transport device 13 that transports the transfer paper after the transfer, and a fixing device 14.
Paper discharge unit 15 such as a tray, intermediate transfer body cleaning device 16 (cleaning member (blade) 17, inlet seal member 18), and air suction port (air suction device) 19
And a lubricant supply device 20. The cleaning device 16 moves the blade 17 toward and away from the surface of the intermediate transfer member at a predetermined timing by rotatably supporting the cleaning blade 17 in the arrow direction. Inlet seal member 1
8 moves in the same manner.

[0006] The lubricant supply device 20 applies a solid lubricant (for example, a zinc stearate solid agent) 23 to a pressure spring,
A brush roller 22 is pressed by a pressing means 21 such as a pressing weight.
When the brush roller 22 is driven to rotate in the direction of the arrow, a portion of the solid lubricant 23 scraped off by the brush roller is powdered and dispersed on the surface of the intermediate transfer member. The brush roller 22 is formed by implanting a large number of bristles extending in the outer diameter direction on the outer periphery of the shaft.
The tip of the hair comes into contact with a solid lubricant at the tip of the hair, scrapes it off, powders it, and drops and scatters it on the intermediate transfer member. The air suction port 19 is located between the cleaning device 16 and the lubricant supply device 20, and performs suction from the suction port 19 by generating a negative pressure by a suction device such as a fan (not shown). The operation of each component is controlled by a control unit (CPU, ROM, RAM) not shown.
Runs.

[Operation of Embodiment] Next, the operation of the image forming apparatus having the above configuration will be described. First, after the surface of the photoconductor 1 is uniformly charged by the main charger 2, the photoconductor is illuminated with original image light sent from the direction of arrow 3 via an original reading system and a writing system (not shown). The electrostatic latent image obtained by the exposure is formed into a toner image for each color in a developing unit 4, and the toner image is applied to a transfer member 6 on an intermediate transfer member 5 rotating in synchronization with the photosensitive drum 1. The transfer is sequentially performed for each color by the transfer bias current (primary transfer).
The toner remaining on the photoconductor 1 without being transferred in the primary transfer process is subjected to static elimination by the static eliminator 7 and then cleaned by the photoconductor cleaning device 8. After the cleaning, the photosensitive member 1 is discharged again by the discharge lamp 9, and then repeats the image forming operation starting from charging by the main charger 2. By this cycle, a multi-color toner superimposed image is formed on the intermediate transfer member 5. The multicolor superimposed toner image formed on the intermediate transfer member 5 is conveyed to the secondary transfer position by rotation of the intermediate transfer member, and is transferred onto the transfer paper 11 sent through the paper feed path 10. That is, the superimposed toner image is collectively transferred from the intermediate transfer body 5 onto the transfer paper 11 by the transfer bias current applied to the secondary transfer member 12 which has risen in synchronization with the paper feed timing of the transfer paper 11 ( Secondary transfer), fixing device 1 by transfer paper transport device 13
4, heated and pressurized, fixed on the transfer paper 11, and then discharged to a paper discharge unit 15. The above 2
The toner remaining on the intermediate transfer body 5 without being transferred in the next transfer step contacts the intermediate transfer body 5 with a predetermined time difference from the start of the secondary transfer step, and a cleaning member 17 for cleaning the intermediate transfer body 5; The cleaning is performed by the intermediate transfer body cleaning device 16 including the entrance seal member 18. Cleaning member 17 and inlet seal member 1
Reference numeral 8 denotes a state in which an area required for forming a next-stage primary transfer image is cleaned and then separated from the surface of the intermediate transfer member, so that formation of a multicolor toner image on the intermediate transfer member 5 can be repeated again. stand by.

(Lubricant supply operation) The surface of the intermediate transfer body 5 cleaned by the intermediate transfer body cleaning device 16 is separated from the start of the contact operation of the cleaning member 17 and the entrance seal member 18 on the intermediate transfer body 5. The lubricant supply device 20, which operates at the same timing as the operation up to the end of the operation, receives the dispersion of the powdered lubricant. In other words, when the brush roller 22 rotates at the above timing, the brush roller 22
Then, the solid lubricant 23 pressed and contacted is sequentially polished and powdered, and the powder is scattered and supplied to the surface of the intermediate transfer member 5. The portion of the intermediate transfer member that has received the lubricant powder from the brush roller 22 is sent again to the primary transfer step. Brush roller 2 for spraying lubricant powder
Reference numeral 2 denotes a surface of the intermediate transfer member 5 which rotates in a direction opposite to the moving direction (clockwise direction) of the intermediate transfer member 5 indicated by an arrow (that is, the brush roller 22 and the intermediate transfer member 5 rotate in the same direction). , The intermediate transfer member 5 is vibrated even when the lubricant supply device 20 including the brush roller 22, the solid lubricant 23, and the pressure spring 21 as main components operates. And the surface of the intermediate transfer member 5 is not uneven, so that not only the transfer blur and the formation of scratches on the surface can be prevented, but also the lubricant powder is transferred to the surface of the intermediate transfer member. Can be supplied almost uniformly.

[Suction Operation by Air] In another embodiment of the present invention, an intermediate transfer body cleaning device 1 is provided.
6, the air suction port 19 (and a suction fan (not shown)) is provided at a position downstream of the lubricant supply device 20 and upstream of the lubricant supply device 20.
6, scattered toner generated due to the operation of contacting and separating from the intermediate transfer member due to rotation of the cleaning member 17 and the entrance seal member 18, and the surface of the intermediate transfer member 5 after being scattered from the lubricant supply device 20. The surplus lubricant powder that has become suspended without adhering to the air can be reliably sucked and collected from the air suction port 19 by the suction airflow. For this reason, it is possible to effectively prevent the toner scattered on the surface of the intermediate transfer member 5 after the cleaning step and the lubricant powder from being scattered more than necessary around the lubricant supply device 20.

[0010]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the lubricant is supplied to the intermediate transfer member by the non-contact type lubricant supply device which is always in non-contact with the intermediate transfer member. As a result, the lubricant can be supplied without causing a uniform supply failure of the lubricant and a damage on the surface of the intermediate transfer member, which have occurred in the conventional contact type lubricant supply device. Therefore, toner filming and the like can be effectively prevented. According to the second aspect of the invention, by introducing the non-contact type lubricant supply device, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of the vibration of the intermediate transfer member due to the lubricant supply operation, so that the transfer blur does not occur in the primary transfer step. The lubricant can be supplied at exactly the same operation timing as the intermediate transfer body cleaning operation, which is one of the series of image forming operations.
Further, it is not necessary to set any special operation timing for supplying the lubricant or to perform complicated control such as a temporary stop of the image forming operation. According to the third aspect of the present invention, the non-contact type lubricant supply device is disposed downstream of the intermediate transfer member cleaning device with the air suction port interposed therebetween, so that the intermediate transfer member cleaning member is performed while the intermediate transfer member is rotating. The scattered toner generated by the contact / separation operation and the surplus lubricant powder floating without adhering to the surface of the intermediate transfer member can be simultaneously sucked and collected by the same air suction port.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an image forming unit of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 drum-shaped photoreceptor, 2 main charger, 3 exposure light path, 4
Developing device, 5 Intermediate transfer member (Intermediate transfer belt), 6 Transfer member (Primary transfer member), 7 Static eliminator, 8 Photoconductor cleaning device, 9 Static elimination lamp, 10 Paper feed path, 11
Transfer paper, 12 Secondary transfer member, 13 Transfer paper transport device, 14 Fixing device, 15 Discharge unit, 16 Intermediate transfer body cleaning device, 17 Cleaning member (blade), 18 Inlet seal member, 19 Air suction port (Air suction) Device), 20 lubricant supply device, 21 pressurizing means,
22 brush roller, 23 solid lubricant.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An image forming method comprising: transferring a toner image formed on a photoreceptor onto an intermediate transfer member in a superimposed manner for each color; A full-color image forming apparatus comprising a lubricant supply device for supplying a lubricant onto the intermediate transfer body, wherein the lubricant supply operation is performed in a non-contact state with respect to the surface of the intermediate transfer body. An image forming apparatus, wherein the non-contact type lubricant supply device is installed. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the lubricant supply operation by the non-contact type lubricant supply device is performed in synchronization with a cleaning operation of an intermediate transfer body cleaning device that performs cleaning while coming into contact with and separating from the intermediate transfer body. Claim 1.
The image forming apparatus as described in the above. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an air suction port is provided between the lubricant supply device and the intermediate transfer body cleaning device.