JPH10291671A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent problem such as jam or abnormal image from occurring, by removing moisture adhered on a register roller with a water absorptive member which partially contacts with the register roller which positions and conveys transfer material. SOLUTION: A water absorptive member 11 which contacts with the register roller 4 is attached to upper guide plate 6 such that the member dose not cross a paper conveying path. The water absorptive member 11 is made of forming material or fiber material. Because the water absorptive member 11 removes water droplets even when the water droplets are adhered on the register roller 4 due to dew condensation, problem such as jam or abnormal image is prevented from occurring. Because the member 11 partially contacts with the rotational register roller 4 such that the member dose not cross the paper conveying path, water droplets on the register roller 4 are removed without damaging rotating of the register roller 4 and positioning of the transfer material.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a copier, a facsimile,
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a printer, and more particularly, to an image forming apparatus capable of removing water droplets attached to a registration roller that positions and transfers a transfer material.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, when the temperature is low, such as in the morning,
The room is heated and the surrounding temperature rises rapidly from a low temperature. Therefore, when the copying machine or the like is started to be used in such a time zone, water droplets adhere to each part of the copying machine in a low temperature state due to a dew condensation phenomenon.

However, if water droplets adhere to each part of the copying machine due to the dew condensation phenomenon, the user's clothes or the like performing keyboard operations, toner supply, paper supply, jam processing, etc. may get wet. . In particular, when water droplets adhere to a portion of a transport path on which a transfer material such as copy paper is transported due to condensation, there is a problem that the transfer material is wetted by the water droplets.

Conventionally, in view of these problems, a heater is operated when a power switch of an image forming apparatus is turned off,
The heating by the heater suppresses a temperature drop in the apparatus, thereby preventing the dew condensation phenomenon. However, in consideration of the influence on materials that do not like high temperatures, such as the photosensitive drum and toner, the temperature could not be increased so much and dew condensation could not be completely prevented.

Therefore, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 6-35360 attempts to specifically limit a portion where dew condensation is likely to occur and to remove water droplets at the portion. That is, in view of the fact that water droplets adhere to the top plate of the conveyance path near the fixing roller due to the dew condensation phenomenon, a water-absorbing member is attached to the top plate, and the water-absorbing member removes water droplets attached to the top plate. I have.

[0006]

However, the technique disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei 6-35360, in which a water-absorbing member is attached to remove water droplets, is suitable for removing water droplets in a static portion such as a top plate that does not move. However, it is not suitable for removing water droplets attached to a driving portion such as a transport roller for transporting a transfer material.

In an image forming apparatus, a registration roller that aligns and conveys a transfer material is most likely to form dew. In particular, since the registration roller that aligns the transfer material and conveys the transfer material to the transfer unit is formed of a material having a low heat capacity such as a metal, it is most liable to dew condensation and adheres to many water droplets.
If water droplets remain on the registration roller that directly contacts the transfer material and sends it to the transfer portion, which is the heart of image formation, water droplets adhere to the transfer material that is sent out, resulting in an abnormal image. There is a concern that problems such as jams and jams may occur. In fact, only in such a registration roller, measures for removing water droplets should be taken.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of removing water droplets adhering to a registration roller for positioning and transferring a transfer material. To provide.

[0009]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the invention according to the first aspect of the present invention is directed to a water droplet adhering to a registration roller which is in partial contact with a registration roller for positioning and transferring a transfer material. Has a water-absorbing member for removing water.

According to the first aspect of the invention, even if water droplets adhere to the registration roller due to dew condensation, water droplets are removed by the water-absorbing member, thereby preventing problems such as jams and abnormal images. You.

The invention described in claim 2 is the first invention.
In the invention described in (1), a non-water-absorbing member for flowing an amount of water exceeding the water-absorbing capacity of the water-absorbing member from the water-absorbing member to another portion is joined to the water-absorbing member.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, even if water droplets exceeding the water absorbing ability of the water absorbing member adhere to the registration roller, the water that could not be absorbed by the water absorbing member is removed along the non-water absorbing member. To a predetermined location for collection. Therefore, the transfer material is prevented from wetting due to the drop of water droplets, and problems such as jams and abnormal images are prevented from occurring. In addition, since water can be guided to a predetermined position for collection and treatment, a new drainage channel is provided to treat water,
It can be collected at a certain point and naturally evaporated.

[0013] The invention described in claim 3 is the first invention.
Or in the invention according to claim 2, the water-absorbing member is:
The water absorbing member is supported by a shape memory member that separates from the registration roller by deforming at a predetermined temperature or higher.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, when the temperature is equal to or lower than the predetermined set temperature, the water-absorbing member comes into contact with the registration roller. The member is separated from the registration roller. Thereby, the contact time of the water-absorbing member with respect to the registration roller is minimized, and the deterioration speed of the registration roller and the water-absorbing member is suppressed.

The invention described in claim 4 is the same as the claim 3.
In the invention described in (1), there is provided a detecting means for detecting a state of contact or separation of the water absorbing member with respect to the registration roller.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the state of contact of the water-absorbing member with respect to the registration roller can be detected. Therefore, when the water-absorbing member is in contact with the registration roller, the registration is performed before the start of the copying operation. By making the roller idle several times, the efficiency of the water droplet removing operation can be improved.

[0017]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a configuration in the vicinity of a transfer section of, for example, a copying machine as an image forming apparatus. In this configuration, a transfer material such as copy paper passes between the upper guide plate 6 and the lower guide plate 7 and is aligned by the upper registration roller 4 and the lower registration roller 5.
Then, the original image is transferred to the transfer unit 3, where the original image is transferred. In the figure, reference numeral 2 denotes a developing unit.

Generally, the resist upper roller 4 is formed of a material having a low heat capacity such as a metal, and is most likely to cause dew condensation.
Therefore, hereinafter, means for removing water droplets attached to the upper resist roller 4 due to dew condensation will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 2 shows a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the drawing, the upper guide plate 6 has a water absorbing member 1 which is in contact with the resist upper roller 4 so as not to cross the paper conveyance path.
1 is attached. The water absorbing member 11 is made of, for example, a foam material or a fiber material.

According to this configuration, even if water droplets adhere to the resist upper roller 4 due to dew condensation, the water absorbing member 11
As a result, water drops are removed, thereby preventing the occurrence of problems such as jams and abnormal images. Further, the water absorbing member 11 is
At a position that does not cross the paper transport path, it is partially in contact with the upper resist roller 4 that is rotationally driven, so that it adheres to the upper resist roller 4 without impairing the rotational drive of the upper resist roller 4 and the alignment of the transfer material. Water droplets can be removed.

FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, a water absorbing member 11 that is in contact with the resist upper roller 4 is attached to the developing unit 2.
Therefore, the same operation and effect as in the first embodiment can be obtained by this configuration.

FIG. 4 shows a third embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the non-water-absorbing member 1 is attached to the upper guide plate 6.
4 has one end attached. Also, for example, "ku"
A water-absorbing member 13 that is in contact with the resist upper roller 4 is attached to the other end of the non-water-absorbing member 14 that extends so as to rise in the shape of a letter so as not to cross the paper conveyance path. Further, a water storage portion 16 such as a groove for closing and storing water flowing along the non-water-absorbing member 14 is provided at a portion of the upper guide plate 6 which is separated from the mounting portion of the non-water-absorbing member 14 by a predetermined distance. .

According to such a configuration, the water absorbing member 13
Even if water droplets exceeding the water absorption capacity of the resist adhere to the upper resist roller 4, the water that could not be absorbed by the water-absorbing member 13 flows along the non-water-absorbing member 14 and the upper guide plate 6 as indicated by the arrow in the figure. The water flows and is collected in the water storage unit 16. Therefore, the transfer material is prevented from wetting due to the drop of water droplets,
Problems such as jams and abnormal images are prevented from occurring. In addition, since the water is guided to a predetermined position for collection processing, it is possible to newly provide a drainage channel to treat water, or to collect water in one place and spontaneously evaporate.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show a fourth embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, a fixed end of a "U" -shaped support member 17 made of a shape memory alloy is attached to the upper guide plate 6. A water-absorbing member 13 is attached to a free end of the support member 17 via a relay member 15 so as to come into contact with and separate from the upper resist roller 4.
In this case, at a temperature lower than a predetermined set temperature at which the generation of water droplets is concerned, the support
Is held in a predetermined bent shape to contact the upper resist roller 4, but at a temperature equal to or higher than the set temperature at which water droplets are not considered to be generated, the water absorbing member 13 is separated from the upper resist roller 4 as shown in FIG. Deformed into shape. That is, the shape of the support member 17 that is bent in the shape of a triangle is stored so that the support member 17 is developed at a predetermined temperature or higher.

The relay member 15 is provided with an actuator 18 projecting in association with the movement of the support member 17.
When the supporting member 17 deforms in accordance with the ambient temperature, the actuator 18 turns on / off the photo sensor 19 supported by the upper guide plate 6, for example. That is, the ON / OFF signal from the photo sensor 19 causes the water absorbing member 13
The state of contact and separation can be understood. Also, the state of contact and separation of the water absorbing member 13 with respect to the resist upper roller 4, that is, the ON / OFF signal from the photo sensor 19,
Sent to 1. When the control unit 21 recognizes that the water absorbing member 13 is in contact with the resist upper roller 4 by an ON / OFF signal from the photo sensor 19, the control unit 21 determines that the copy SW (switch) is ON and the copy SW (switch) is ON. Before starting the operation, the registration upper roller 4 is caused to idle several times. As a result, water droplets attached to the upper resist roller 4 are removed. When the water absorbing member 13 is in contact with the resist upper roller 4, even if the copy SW is not pressed, the resist upper roller 7 idles at a predetermined time interval.
The control by the control unit 21 may be performed.

Therefore, in the configuration described above, the water absorbing member 13 contacts the upper registration roller 4 only at a predetermined temperature or lower, that is, the contact time of the water absorbing member 13 with the upper registration roller 4 is minimized. Therefore, the rate of deterioration of the resist upper roller 4 and the water absorbing member 13 can be suppressed.

The contact / separation state of the water absorbing member 13 with respect to the registration upper roller 4 is determined by ON / O from the photo sensor 19.
In the ON state (a state in which the water absorbing member 13 is in contact with the resist upper roller 4) detected by the FF signal and there is a possibility that water droplets may adhere to the resist upper roller 4, the resist upper roller 4 may be moved before the copy operation starts. 4 is rotated several times, so that the efficiency of the water droplet removing operation can be improved.

It is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but can be variously modified without departing from the gist thereof.

[0030]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, even if water droplets adhere to the registration roller due to dew condensation, water droplets are removed by the water absorbing member.
Problems such as jams and abnormal images can be prevented from occurring.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, even when water droplets exceeding the water absorbing ability of the water absorbing member adhere to the registration roller, the water that could not be absorbed by the water absorbing member is transferred to the non-water absorbing member. It can be collected by flowing along a predetermined location. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the transfer material from getting wet due to the drop of water droplets, and it is possible to prevent the occurrence of problems such as jams and abnormal images. Further, since the water can be guided to a predetermined position and collected, the water can be treated by newly providing a drainage channel, or the water can be collected in one place and naturally evaporated.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, when the temperature is equal to or lower than the predetermined set temperature, the water-absorbing member comes into contact with the registration roller. Since the conductive member is separated from the registration roller, the contact time of the water-absorbing member with the registration roller can be minimized, and the deterioration speed of the registration roller and the water-absorbing member can be suppressed.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the state of contact of the water-absorbing member with respect to the registration roller can be detected. By making the registration roller idle several times, the efficiency of the water droplet removing operation can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration near a transfer unit of a copying machine.

FIG. 2 is a main part configuration diagram of the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a main part configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a main part configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a main part of an image forming apparatus according to a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure, illustrating a state where a water absorbing member is in contact with a registration roller.

FIG. 6 is a main part configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, showing a state where a water absorbing member is separated from a registration roller.

[Explanation of symbols]

 4 Upper resist roller 5 Lower resist roller 11, 13 Water-absorbing member 14 Non-water-absorbing member 17 Support member (shape memory member) 19 Photosensor (detection means)

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An image forming apparatus, comprising: a water absorbing member for partially contacting a registration roller for transferring and aligning a transfer material to remove water droplets attached to the registration roller. 2. A non-water-absorbing member for flowing an amount of water exceeding the water-absorbing capacity of the water-absorbing member from the water-absorbing member to another portion is joined to the water-absorbing member. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1. 3. The water absorbing member is supported by a shape memory member that deforms at a predetermined temperature or higher to separate the water absorbing member from the registration roller. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1. 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a detection unit configured to detect a state of contact of the water absorbing member with respect to the registration roller.