JPH11143159A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent the generation of a defective image and the life of an image forming body from being shortened by providing image forming body position regulating members for regulating a relative position between the image forming body and an image exposure means in the both end parts of the image forming body and holding the outside part of the image forming body with the image forming body regulating members. SOLUTION: Butting rollers 130A as developing position regulating members provided in both side end parts of a developing sleeve 130, and on the same axial with the sleeve 130 are abutted on the outer peripheral parts of flange members 10A and 10B for holding a photoreceptor drum 10 and thereby, the position of the sleeve 130 as a developer carrying member is regulated to set a fixed gap between the peripheries of the sleeve 130 and the drum 10. Thus, a position between the drum 10 and an exposure optical system 12 is kept with high accuracy so that an excellent image free from a defect in an image such as an image blur can be obtained because the focus position of image exposure light by the exposure optical system 12 is not deviated out of the surface of the drum 10. Further, the directly abutting and rubbing of the butting rollers are never caused to prevent the deformation of the drum 10 etc., and prolong the life.

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 such as a copying machine, a printer, a facsimile, etc., which forms an image by forming a charging means, an image exposing means and a developing means around an image forming body. Related to an image forming apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a substrate of a cylindrical (drum-shaped) electrophotographic photosensitive member used in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, a facsimile, etc., aluminum or the like is used to guarantee roundness and strength. Many are made using metal materials.

On the other hand, plastic is considered to be a preferable material because of its light weight, low cost, and the like, but it is not easy to manufacture an electrophotographic photoreceptor with high precision and industrial efficiency. The major factor is that the diameter is 50-200.
mm of the cylindrical substrate is adjusted to 30 μm required for image formation.
This is due to the fact that a simple and accurate method for producing a cylinder having a cylindricity of about m and a roundness with high accuracy could not be found. For this reason, conventionally, after molding the cylindrical substrate, the surface must be cut or polished to ensure the accuracy, which leads to a decrease in productivity and an increase in cost.

[0004] As a cylindrical substrate using the plastic of the electrophotographic photoreceptor described above, a catalyst for synthesizing and polymerizing a plastic material monomer is added to a cylindrical mold, and then poured into the cylindrical mold. While rotating this at high speed, promote moderate polymerization by heating moderately,
The present inventors have proposed a method for producing a transparent cylindrical substrate by cooling after polymerization, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 9-114105.

On the other hand, as a method of forming a multi-color image, a single-color toner 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. A color image forming apparatus that forms a color image by superimposing an image on a transfer material, or a color image forming apparatus that forms a color image by rotating the image forming body a plurality of times and repeating charging, image exposure and development for each color, or Similarly, there is known a color image forming apparatus or the like which sequentially performs charging, image exposure and development for each color within one rotation of an image forming body to form a color image.

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 respect, 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, an apparatus in which the light-transmitting substrate is used as a substrate of an image forming body and an image exposing means is disposed inside the image forming body to reduce the size of the apparatus has been proposed, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-307307. I have.

[0008]

However, in the image forming apparatus proposed above, an image forming body using a transparent resin base is used as the base of the image forming body. The accuracy of the outer surface of the light-transmitting resin substrate to be achieved can achieve a cylindricity of about ± 20 μm, but the inner surface is inferior to this, of about ± 50 μm. For this reason, in an image forming body having a structure in which both ends inside the resin base are held by the conventional image forming body position regulating member (flange member), the image forming body is provided inside the image forming body with reference to the image forming body position regulating member. The focal position of the image forming element of the image exposing means in which the focal depth of the image exposing light is about ± 50 μm deviates from the surface of the image forming body, causing a problem that an image defect such as image blur occurs.

When the developing position regulating member (abutting roller) provided on the developing means is brought into direct contact with the image forming body using the resin base, the resin base of the image forming body is deformed, and the image forming body and the developing means are deformed. The gap may change, resulting in non-uniform development, the focus position of the image exposure means may deviate from the surface of the image forming body, causing image blurring, and further, the photoreceptor layer on the surface of the image forming body may be shaved. This causes a problem that the life of the image forming body is shortened.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems, and maintains the positional relationship between the image forming member and the image exposing means and the gap between the image forming member and the developing means with high precision, and prevents the deformation of the image forming member. By doing so, the focus position of the image exposure light by the image exposure means does not deviate from the surface of the image forming body, and non-uniformity of development does not occur, and as a result, a good image without image defects can be obtained, and further image formation It is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus that prevents a reduction in body life.

[0011]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus in which a plurality of line-shaped image exposing means and a common support for supporting the plurality of image exposing means are provided inside a drum-shaped image forming body. An image forming body position regulating member that regulates a relative position between the image forming body and the image exposing means is provided at both ends of the image forming body, and the image forming body position regulating member is arranged outside the image forming body. This is achieved by an image forming apparatus characterized by holding.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. The description of the present application does not limit the technical scope of the claims and 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.

An image forming process and each mechanism of an embodiment of the image forming apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional configuration diagram of a color image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a cross-sectional configuration diagram of an image exposure unit, FIG. 3 is a perspective view of FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional configuration diagram of an image forming body showing a first arrangement example of a developing position regulating member; FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional configuration diagram of an image forming body illustrating a second arrangement example of the developing position regulating member.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, a photosensitive drum 10 as a drum-shaped image forming member is, for example, a cylindrical light-transmitting resin base formed of a light-transmitting member made of a light-transmitting acrylic resin. Is provided inside, and a translucent conductive layer and an organic photoreceptor layer (OPC) are formed on the outer periphery of the substrate.
It is rotated in the direction shown by the arrow in FIG.

In the present embodiment, it is sufficient that the photoconductive layer of the photosensitive drum has an exposure light amount capable of giving an appropriate contrast. Therefore, the light transmittance of the light-transmitting resin substrate of the photosensitive drum in the present embodiment does not need to be 100%, and may have a characteristic such that a certain amount of light is absorbed when the exposure beam is transmitted. . As the material of the light-transmitting substrate, an acrylic resin, particularly one polymerized using a methyl methacrylate monomer, has a light-transmitting property, strength,
Although it is excellent in accuracy, surface properties, and the like, it is preferably used, but various translucent resins such as fluorine, polyester, polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate, and the like used for other general optical members can be used. Also,
It may be colored as long as it has a property of transmitting the exposure light. The refractive index of these resins is approximately 1.5. As a method for forming the light-transmitting conductive layer, indium tin oxide (ITO), alumina, tin oxide, lead oxide, indium oxide can be formed by a vacuum evaporation method, an active reaction evaporation method, various sputtering methods, and various CVD methods. , Copper iodide, Au, Ag, Ni,
A light-transmitting thin film made of Al or the like is used,
A conductive resin composed of the above-mentioned metal fine particles and a binder resin is used by a dip coating method, a spray coating method or the like. Further, as the photoconductor layer, various organic photoreceptor layers (O
PC) can be used.

Preferred examples of the image forming body are shown below.

After 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, rotated at high speed, and heated appropriately. Promotes uniform polymerization. After completion of the polymerization, the mixture is cooled, the obtained translucent resin substrate is taken out of the mold, cut and, if necessary, subjected to a finishing step to produce a transparent resin substrate for the photosensitive drum of the image forming apparatus (centrifugal weight). legal).

As a material for the light-transmitting resin substrate of a light-transmitting plastic molded by centrifugal polymerization, as described above, a material obtained by polymerizing a methacrylic acid methyl ester monomer is used. In addition, polyethyl methacrylate, polybutyl methacrylate, polyethyl acrylate, polybutyl acrylate, polystyrene, polyimide, polyester, polyvinyl chloride, or the like, or a copolymer thereof may 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. In particular, the outer peripheral surface of the light-transmitting resin substrate molded on the inner cylindrical surface of the mold is molded with a high degree of roundness of approximately 20 μm.

As the conductive layer, indium tin oxide (I
TO), tin oxide, lead oxide, indium oxide, alumina,
A conductive resin obtained by mixing a resin and conductive fine particles made of copper iodide, Au, Ag, Ni, Al, or the like is used. 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 photoreceptor drum having the two-layered organic photoreceptor layer, the CGM contained in the CGL may be an azo-based pigment, an azulenium pigment, a phthalocyanine-based pigment which is sensitive to light from a light source such as an LED or an LD. , A perylene pigment is used, and red to infrared light (600 nm
Copper phthalocyanine pigments, titanyl phthalocyanine pigments, and the like are preferably used as the CGM of the OPC photoreceptor that is sensitive to light of about 850 nm.

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

As a solvent or a dispersion medium used for forming CGL, a ketone-based or halogen-based solvent is preferably used, and the sensitivity and the potential change upon repeated use are further improved. In addition, these solvents can be used alone or as a mixed solvent of two or more kinds.

The weight ratio of CGM to the binder resin in the CGL is 100: 1 to 1000, the thickness of the CGL is 0.01 to 10 μm, and the coating method for forming the CGL is a blade. 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.

The binder resin used in the CTL can be selected from a wide range of insulating resins as appropriate, and preferred binder resins include silicon-alkyd resins, phenol-formaldehyde resins, and poly-N- Insulating resins such as vinyl carbazole and polysilane can be mentioned, and these binder resins can be used alone or in combination of two or more.

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

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

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

By using a plastic cylindrical light-transmitting resin substrate produced by the above-described manufacturing method, a photosensitive drum having a uniform thickness and excellent cylindricality and circularity of the cylindrical substrate can be obtained. Provided.

Numeral 11 denotes a scorotron charger as a charging means, which performs a charging action on the above-mentioned organic photoreceptor layer of the photoreceptor drum 10 by a grid maintained at a predetermined potential and a corona discharge by a discharge wire. 10 is given a uniform potential.

A linear exposure optical system 12 as an image exposure means for each color of Y, M, C and K is arranged on a substrate 122 as an exposure system in a main scanning direction parallel to the axis of the photosensitive drum 10. Linear exposure element 12a in which a plurality of LEDs (light emitting diodes) 121 as light emitting elements are arranged in an array.
And a light converging light transmitter (trade name, Selfoc lens) 12b as an imaging element, and the Selfoc lens 12b is fixed to the lens holder 12c by, for example, an adhesive indicated by a black circle in FIGS. 2 and 3. And the exposure element 12
a is fixed to a metal casing 12d as a holding member of the exposure element having good thermal conductivity by, for example, an adhesive indicated by a black circle, and the exposure element 12a and the selfoc lens 12b are further fixed.
In the state in which is positioned, the lens holder 12c is fixed to the metal casing 12d with, for example, an adhesive indicated by a black circle, and the exposure optical system 12 is configured. Metal casing 1
By using 2d, the heat generated in the exposure element 12a portion is quickly transmitted and diffused, and the uneven temperature of the exposure element 12a, which affects the displacement between the exposure elements 12a and the fluctuation of the light amount due to thermal expansion. Distribution and temperature rise are prevented.

Although the holding member of the exposure element is a metal casing as a preferred example, the holding member is not limited to the metal member, but may be a casing made of resin or the like.

As the light emitting element, FL (phosphor emission), EL (electroluminescence), PL (plasma discharge) and the like are used.

The exposure optical system 12 for each color uses a spacer block 12e as a wedge-shaped block member, and a main scanning direction with the photosensitive drum 10 and a sub-scanning direction with respect to the rotation direction of the photosensitive drum 10 by a jig or the like in advance. The metal casing 12d and the spacer are provided on a support member 20 using a pipe-shaped hollow member such as a cylindrical pipe or a square pipe, which is a common support for the image exposure means for each color. The block 12e and the spacer block 12e and the support member 20 are fixed to each other with an adhesive indicated by a black circle in FIGS. 2 and 3, for example. With the exposure optical system 12 for each color held, the center axis of the support member 20 is aligned with the center axis of the photosensitive drum 10 so that the support member 20
0. Therefore, image exposure of the photosensitive drum 10 by the exposure optical system 12 is performed perpendicular to the central axis of the photosensitive drum 10.

The distance between the inner peripheral surface of the support member 20 and the outer peripheral surface of the substrate of the photoreceptor drum 10 is adjusted by the exposure optical system 1.
2, the bottom surface of the exposure optical system 12 has a circumferential surface which is always located outside the inner circumferential surface of the support member 20. The support member 20 does not need to break the cylindrical surface, the strength is maintained, and the exposure optical system 12 can be reliably held at a predetermined imaging position.

A storage unit (not shown), such as an RA, which is read by an image scanner or input by an external signal or the like.
The image signal of each color stored in M is sequentially read from the storage unit through the control unit of the apparatus main body, and input as an electric signal to the exposure optical system 12 for each color, and the LED 121
Are emitted by, for example, a pulse width modulation method (PWM method). The emission wavelength of the light emitting element used in this embodiment is in the range of 600 to 900 nm.

As described above, each of the exposure optical systems 12 is attached to the support member 20 using a hollow member in the form of a pipe, is accommodated inside the base of the photosensitive drum 10, and is exposed from the substrate 122 of each of the exposure optical systems 12. Drawn out metal casing 12d
LED1 through connector C attached to the lower end of the
21 lead wires WA are provided. Lead wire W for each color
A is pulled out of the insertion hole 20H and bundled, and the support member 2
The through-hole 30H is drawn out of the side board 30 through the through hole 30H.

Each insertion hole 20H is connected to the connector C and the lead wire W.
A, after the connection with the sealing member S
With this, the lead wire WA is closed together with the lead wire WA, thereby preventing the scattered toner and dust from entering the exposure optical system 12. Further, an adhesive or an elastic member such as urethane foam or a rubber material is filled in the insertion hole 20H to prevent intrusion of toner or dust. As the sealing material S, for example, a hardening type silicone rubber sheet is used, and each insertion hole 20H is closed by an adhesive or the like, thereby maintaining airtightness. As a result, the lead wire WA is easily connected to the fixed electrode PA along the inner peripheral surface of the support member 20 without being strongly bent. Further, the holding member of the exposure element does not receive the stress due to the lead wire WA and does not come off due to bending of the lead wire WA.

A thin hollow member made of a light metal material such as aluminum or stainless steel, preferably a cylindrical pipe or a square pipe, is used for the support member 20, which is a common support for each exposure optical system 12. Accordingly, the weight and the heat capacity of the support member 20 using the metallic hollow member are reduced, and the weight of the image forming unit is reduced, the heat capacity is small, the heat conductivity is good, and the temperature control is achieved. Efficiency is increased. In addition, cylindrical and prismatic pipes are also resistant to mechanical deformation.

Reference numerals 13Y to 13K denote developing units as developing means for accommodating respective developers of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C) and black (K). On the other hand, there is provided a developing sleeve 130 that rotates in the same direction while maintaining a predetermined gap.

Each of the above-mentioned developing units makes the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 10 formed by the charging by the scorotron charger 11 and the image exposure by the exposure optical system 12 non-contact by applying a developing bias voltage. Develop reversely in the state of.

The original image is temporarily stored in an image reading apparatus separate from the present apparatus in the form of an image read by an image sensor or an image edited by a computer as an image signal for each of Y, M, C and K colors. And stored.

At the start of image recording, the photosensitive drum 10 is rotated counterclockwise by the start of the photosensitive drum drive motor, and at the same time, the application of potential to the photosensitive drum 10 is started by the charging action of the scorotron charger 11 (Y). Is done.

After the photosensitive drum 10 is applied with a potential, the exposure optical system 12 (Y) starts exposure with an electric signal corresponding to a first color signal, that is, an image signal of yellow (Y). An electrostatic latent image corresponding to the yellow (Y) image of the original image is formed on the photosensitive layer on the surface by rotational scanning.

The latent image is reversal-developed by the developing device 13 (Y) in a state where the developer on the developing sleeve is not in contact, and a yellow (Y) toner image is formed in accordance with the rotation of the photosensitive drum 10.

Next, the photosensitive drum 10 is further provided with a scorotron charger 11 on the yellow (Y) toner image.
The potential is given by the charging action of (M), and the exposure optical system 1
Exposure is performed with an electric signal corresponding to the second color signal of 2 (M), that is, the image signal of magenta (M), and the developing device 13
By the non-contact reversal development by (M), a magenta (M) toner image is sequentially superimposed on the yellow (Y) toner image.

The scorotron charger 11 (C), the exposure optical system 12 (C) and the developing device 13
(C) further forms a cyan (C) toner image corresponding to the third color signal, and the scorotron charger 11
(K), a black (K) toner image corresponding to the fourth color signal is sequentially superimposed by the exposure optical system 12 (K) and the developing device 13 (K), and is formed within one rotation of the photosensitive drum 10. Then, a color toner image is formed on the peripheral surface.

The photosensitive drum 1 by each of these exposure optical systems
The exposure of the organic photosensitive layer of No. 0 is performed from the inside of the drum through a substrate that is transparent to the above-mentioned exposure wavelength. 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 is equivalent to the image corresponding to the first color signal. It is possible to form an electrostatic latent image. At the time of the developing action by each developing device, a developing bias to which a direct current or a further alternating current is applied is applied to the developing sleeve 130, and a jumping development is performed by a one-component or two-component developer accommodated in the developing device, and the developing sleeve 130 is subjected to a transparent development. Non-contact reversal development is performed on the photosensitive drum 10 that grounds the photoconductive layer.

Thus, the color toner image formed on the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 10 is temporarily transferred to the peripheral surface of the intermediate transfer belt 14 provided as an intermediate transfer means.

The intermediate transfer belt 14 as an intermediate transfer member is an endless rubber belt having a thickness of 0.5 to 2.0 mm, and is made of silicon rubber or urethane rubber at 10 ⁸ to 10 ¹² Ω · cm.
And a resistance value of 10 ¹⁰ to 10 ¹⁶ Ω as a toner filming preventing layer on the outside of the rubber substrate.
-It has a two-layer structure in which a fluorine coating having a thickness of 5 to 50 µm is performed in cm. This layer also preferably has a similar semiconductivity. 0.1-0.5m thickness instead of rubber belt base
m, a semiconductive polyester, polystyrene, polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, or the like can also be used. The intermediate transfer belt 14 has rollers 14A, 14B,
The photosensitive drum 10 is stretched between the rollers 14C and 14D, and is circulated clockwise in synchronization with the peripheral speed of the photosensitive drum 10 by the power transmitted to the roller 14D.

The intermediate transfer belt 14 has a roller 14A.
The belt surface between the roller 14B and the roller 14B is in contact with the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 10, while the belt surface on the outer periphery of the roller 14C is in contact with the transfer roller 15, which is a transfer member, to form a toner image transfer area at each contact point. ing.

The color toner image adhered to the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 10 is first subjected to intermediate transfer by applying a bias voltage having a polarity opposite to that of the toner to the roller 14B at a contact point with the intermediate transfer belt 14. The image is transferred to the peripheral surface of the belt 14. That is, the color toner image on the drum is conveyed to the transfer area without scattering the toner by the guidance of the roller 14A that is grounded,
The intermediate transfer belt 14 is applied by applying a bias voltage of kV.
It is efficiently transferred to the side.

On the other hand, the transfer paper P as the transfer material is carried out by the operation of the paper feed roller 17 of a paper feed cassette (not shown) and fed to the timing roller 18, and the color toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 14 is formed. Transfer roller 1 in synchronization with conveyance
No. 5 is fed to the transfer area.

The transfer roller 15 is connected to the intermediate transfer belt 14.
The transfer paper P fed in the counterclockwise direction is synchronized with the peripheral speed of the intermediate transfer in the transfer area formed by the nip portion between the transfer roller 15 and the roller 14C in the ground state. The color toner images are successively transferred onto the transfer paper P by applying a bias voltage of the opposite polarity to the toner of 1 to 2 kV to the transfer roller 15 in close contact with the color toner image on the belt 14.

The transfer paper P to which the color toner image has been transferred is neutralized, conveyed to the fixing device 91 via the conveyance plate 19, and is heated by being sandwiched and conveyed between the heat roller 91A and the pressure roller 91B. After the toner is fused and fixed, the toner is discharged to the outside of the apparatus via a discharge roller 92.

Cleaning devices 100 and 140 as cleaning means are installed on the photosensitive drum 10 and the intermediate transfer belt 14, respectively, and the blades of the respective devices are constantly pressed to remove residual toner adhered thereto. The surrounding surface is always kept clean.

In general, the outer diameter of the photosensitive drum 10 depends on the size of the apparatus and the constraints of a plurality of scorotron chargers 11, a plurality of developing units 13, a cleaning device 100, etc., which are installed on the outer peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 10. A drum having a diameter between 50 mm and 200 mm is preferably used.
The thickness of the substrate is 2 mm to 10 m corresponding to the drum diameter.
On the other hand, the supporting member 20 for supporting these photosensitive drums 10 has a smaller diameter by the exposure optical system 12 and its image forming distance, and has an outer diameter of 20 mm in the case of a cylindrical pipe.
By setting the thickness of the support member 20 to 0.5 mm to 5 mm corresponding to the outer diameter, the strength is sufficient and the exposure optical systems 12 can be installed on the support member 20 with a margin. Becomes possible.

As shown in FIG. 4, a first example of the arrangement of the developing position regulating member is as shown in FIG. It supports flange members 10A and 10B, which are regulating members, respectively. The outer peripheral surfaces of both ends of the photoreceptor drum 10 are external flanges 10a, 10B of the flange members 10A, 10B.
b and is held by the flange members 10A and 10B. The photosensitive drum 10 is a flange member 10A
Is rotatable by the power of a drive gear G meshing with an internal gear 10G provided on the inner peripheral surface of the motor.

The support member 20 supports the photoreceptor drum 10, and the concave portions at both end surfaces, ie, the inner peripheral surfaces, are the protrusions provided on the side substrate 30 of the apparatus main body, ie, the engaging portions 3 projecting from the inner surface.
1 and is fixed between the side substrates 30 by being inserted. When the support member 20 is held, the engagement pin 32 provided on the outer peripheral surface of the engagement portion 31 of the one side substrate 30 engages with the notch 20A on the end surface of the support member 20, and the fixing angle of the support member 20 is regulated. Each exposure optical system 12 is set at a predetermined position with respect to the apparatus main body, and a scorotron charger 1 as a charging unit disposed along the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 10.
The correct positional relationship is maintained with respect to the developing device 1 and the developing device 13 as the developing means.

The outer peripheral portions of the flange members 10A and 10B holding the photosensitive drum 10 are brought into contact with the abutting rollers 130A as developing position regulating members provided at both ends of the developing sleeves 130 on the same axis. As a result, the position of the developing sleeve 130 as a developer conveying member is regulated, and a predetermined gap is set between the peripheral surface of the developing sleeve 130 and the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 10.

As described above, the positions of the photosensitive drum 10 and the exposure optical system 12 are maintained with high precision, and the focal position of the image exposure light by the exposure optical system 12 does not deviate from the surface of the photosensitive drum 10 and the image blur is prevented. A good image without image defects such as the above is obtained. The roller 13 directly abuts the photosensitive drum 10.
0A, the deformation of the photoconductor drum 10 is prevented, and image defects such as image blur due to the focus position of the exposure optical system 12 deviating from the surface of the photoconductor drum 10 are prevented. Is prevented from being shortened by directly rubbing, and the life is extended. Further, by abutting rollers 130A against flange members 10A and 10B, photosensitive drum 10 and developing sleeve 130
Is maintained with high accuracy, and uniform and uniform development is performed. The photosensitive drum 10 is not deformed and the developing sleeve 1
Since the gap with the image 30 is maintained with high accuracy, a good image without color shift or the like can be obtained.

As shown in FIG. 5, a second example of the arrangement of the developing position regulating member is as follows.
The bearing B1 held by the disk member 21 integrated with the support member 20, and the bearing B2 held by the disk member 22 integrated with the support member 20
And flange members 10A and 10B, which are members for regulating the position of the image forming body on both sides of the photosensitive drum 10, respectively. The outer peripheral surfaces of both ends of the photosensitive drum 10 are fitted into the inner peripheral surfaces of the outer flanges 10a and 10b of the flange members 10A and 10B, and are held by the disk members 21 and 22 via the flange members 10A and 10B. The photosensitive drum 10 is rotatable by the power of a driving gear g meshing with a gear 10g provided on the outer peripheral surface of the flange member 10A.

The support member 20 supports the photosensitive drum 10, and the concave portions at both end surfaces, ie, the inner peripheral surfaces, are the protrusions provided on the side substrate 30 of the apparatus main body, ie, the engaging portions 3 projecting from the inner surface.
1 and is fixed between the side substrates 30 by being inserted. When the support member 20 is held, the engagement pin 32 provided on the outer peripheral surface of the engagement portion 31 of the one side substrate 30 engages with the notch 20A on the end surface of the support member 20, and the fixing angle of the support member 20 is regulated. Each exposure optical system 12 is set at a predetermined position with respect to the apparatus main body, and a scorotron charger 1 as a charging unit disposed along the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 10.
The correct positional relationship is maintained with respect to the developing device 1 and the developing device 13 as the developing means.

The photosensitive drum 10 is connected to the flange member 10A,
Abutting rollers 130A as position regulating members provided on both side ends of the developing sleeves 130 are coaxially abutted on the outer peripheral portions of the disk members 21 and 22 held via 10B,
Thereby, the developing sleeve 13 as a developer conveying member
In the case of 0, the position is regulated, and a predetermined gap is set between the peripheral surface of the developing sleeve 130 and the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 10.

As described above, the positions of the photosensitive drum 10 and the exposure optical system 12 are maintained with high precision, and the focal position of the image exposure light by the exposure optical system 12 does not deviate from the surface of the photosensitive drum 10 so that the image blur can be prevented. A good image without image defects such as the above is obtained. The roller 13 directly abuts the photosensitive drum 10.
0A, the deformation of the photosensitive drum 10 is prevented, and the image defect such as image blur due to the focal position of the exposure optical system 12 deviating from the surface of the photosensitive drum 10 is prevented. Is prevented from being shortened by directly rubbing, and the life is extended. Further, by abutting the abutting rollers 130A against the disk members 21 and 22, the gap between the photosensitive drum 10 and the developing sleeve 130 is maintained with high accuracy, and uniform and uniform development is performed. Since the photoconductor drum 10 is not deformed and the gap between the photoconductor drum 10 and the developing sleeve 130 is maintained with high accuracy, a good image without color shift or the like can be obtained.

[0067]

According to the first aspect, the positions of the image forming body and the image exposing means are maintained with high precision, and the focal position of the image exposing light by the image exposing means does not deviate from the surface of the image forming body. A good image without image defects such as blur is obtained. In addition, deformation of the image forming body is prevented, image defects such as image blur due to the focus position of the image exposing means deviating from the surface of the image forming body are prevented, and shortening of the life of the image forming body is also prevented.

According to the second or third aspect, the gap between the image forming body and the developer conveying member is maintained with high accuracy, and a good image without color shift or the like can be obtained.

According to the fourth aspect, the lead wire is less likely to be damaged by external pressure, and the exposure element is not subjected to stress by the lead wire and is less likely to come off due to bending of the lead wire.

According to the fifth aspect, a highly accurate light-transmitting substrate is formed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a sectional configuration diagram of an image exposure unit.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional configuration diagram of an image forming body showing a first arrangement example of a developing position regulating member.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional configuration diagram of an image forming body showing a second arrangement example of a developing position regulating member.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 10 photosensitive drum 10A, 10B flange member 11 scorotron charger 12 exposure optical system 13 developing device 20 support member 20H, 30H insertion hole 21, 22 disk member 130 developing sleeve 130A

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An image forming apparatus in which a plurality of line-shaped image exposing means and a common support for supporting the plurality of image exposing means are provided inside a drum-shaped image forming body. Image forming body position regulating members for regulating the relative position with the image exposure means are provided at both ends of the image forming body,
An image forming apparatus, wherein the image forming body position regulating member holds the outside of the image forming body. 2. A developing position regulating member for maintaining a gap between a developer conveying member of a developing means for developing a latent image on the image forming body and the image forming body, wherein the developing position regulating member is provided. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus contacts the image forming body position regulating member. 3. A developing position regulating member for maintaining a gap between the image forming body and a developer conveying member of a developing means for developing a latent image on the image forming body, and the image forming body is provided. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a disk member that holds a position regulating member is provided, and the developing position regulating member contacts the disk member. 3. 4. The common support according to claim 1, wherein the common support is formed of a hollow member, and lead wires connected to the plurality of image exposure units are provided through insertion holes of the common support.
The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3. 5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transparent resin substrate of the image forming body is formed by a centrifugal polymerization method.