JPH11344875A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To carry out satisfactory image formation by setting optimum conditions for image formation with respect to an intermediate transfer body unit replacing an old one. SOLUTION: In this image forming device, a memory 25 stored with at least the conditions of the assembling of an intermediate transfer body unit 5 is provided on a stay 24 of the intermediate transfer body unit 5, and the conditions for image formation are altered by fetching information on the conditions for the assembly of the intermediate transfer body unit 5 stored in the memory 25 into a controller 26 of the main body of the device. Thus, optimum conditions for the image formation with respect to the new intermediate transfer body unit 5 replacing the old one are set, and the satisfactory image formation is carried out.

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 or a printer for forming an image using an electrophotographic system, and more particularly to a toner image temporarily transferred from an image carrier to a transfer material. The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus provided with an intermediate transfer member for performing secondary transfer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A toner image formed on a rotating drum-type electrophotographic photosensitive member (hereinafter, referred to as a photosensitive drum) as an image carrier is temporarily primary-transferred onto an intermediate transfer member and then transferred to the intermediate transfer member. An image forming apparatus of a type in which a toner image is secondarily transferred to a transfer material by a secondary transfer member to form an image,
A color image forming apparatus or a multi-color image forming apparatus or a multi-color image forming apparatus that sequentially outputs a plurality of component color images of the color image information or the multi-color image information and outputs an image formed by combining and reproducing the color image or the multi-color image. This is effective as an image forming apparatus having a forming function and multicolor image formation.

In the conventional image forming apparatus having the above-described intermediate transfer member, when determining the service life of the intermediate transfer member such as an intermediate transfer belt, the service life of the intermediate transfer member is confirmed from the deterioration of the obtained image itself. Was.

In a conventional image forming apparatus having an intermediate transfer member, the assembling conditions of an intermediate transfer member unit provided with an intermediate transfer member such as an intermediate transfer belt (for example, the belt material of the intermediate transfer belt, The function of recognizing the rotation cycle, the tension of the intermediate transfer belt, and the like on the apparatus main body side on which the intermediate transfer body unit is mounted is not provided.

[0005]

As described above, the assembly conditions of the intermediate transfer unit (belt material of the intermediate transfer belt, rotation cycle of the intermediate transfer belt, tension of the intermediate transfer belt, etc.) are recognized on the apparatus main body side. If the function for performing the printing is not provided, the printing conditions are set on the apparatus body side so as to meet various conditions of the intermediate transfer body unit. For this reason, it has not been possible to set optimum printing conditions according to the replaced intermediate transfer unit.

In the method for confirming the service life of a unit requiring replacement such as an intermediate transfer member unit provided with an intermediate transfer member such as an intermediate transfer belt as described above (confirmation method of image quality deterioration life), the method is provided in the apparatus main body. Due to the exchange with other exchange members (process cartridge, transfer roller, fixing device, etc.), it is not always possible to restore the original performance of the apparatus by replacing only the intermediate transfer body unit. For this reason, the method for checking the service life (the method for checking the deterioration life of the image quality) is not sufficient to check the standard of the service life of the intermediate transfer body unit alone.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus capable of setting an optimum printing condition for an exchanged intermediate transfer body unit and obtaining a good image.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of easily detecting the service life of the intermediate transfer member without checking the service life of the intermediate transfer member from deterioration of the image itself. .

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention is to transfer a toner image formed on an image bearing member to an intermediate transfer body provided in an intermediate transfer unit at a primary transfer section. In an image forming apparatus for forming an image by secondary-transferring a toner image on the intermediate transfer body to a transfer material at a secondary transfer unit, the image forming apparatus is provided on the apparatus main body side of the image forming apparatus and controls an image forming operation. A control unit, and a storage unit that stores at least assembly conditions of the intermediate transfer unit provided in the intermediate transfer unit that is detachable from the apparatus main body, wherein the control unit stores the intermediate transfer unit that is stored in the storage unit. It is characterized in that image forming conditions are changed by taking in unit assembly condition information.

The intermediate transfer member is an endless intermediate transfer belt stretched by a plurality of rollers, and at least assembling conditions of the intermediate transfer member unit include a belt material of the intermediate transfer belt and a belt rotation period. And information about the distance between a plurality of rollers that stretch the intermediate transfer belt.

The storage means stores the operation time and the number of operations of the intermediate transfer member, and the control device fetches the operation time and the operation number information of the intermediate transfer member stored in the storage means and stores the information. It is characterized by detecting the life of the intermediate transfer member.

(Operation) According to the structure of the present invention, the assembly condition information of the intermediate transfer body unit stored in the storage means provided in the intermediate transfer body unit is taken into the control means provided on the apparatus main body side and exchanged. The image forming conditions can be changed for each transfer body unit.

[0013]

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

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a schematic configuration of an image forming apparatus (in this embodiment, a four-color full-color laser beam printer having an intermediate transfer body unit) according to an embodiment of the present invention. .

The image forming apparatus A shown in FIG. 1 includes a photosensitive drum 1 as an image carrier. The photosensitive drum 1 is driven to rotate in a direction indicated by an arrow R1 by a driving unit (not shown).

Around the photosensitive drum 1, a charging device 2 for uniformly charging the surface of the photosensitive drum 1, an exposure device 3 for irradiating a laser beam based on image information to form an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 1, A developing device 4 for applying toner to the electrostatic latent image to develop the toner image as a toner image; an intermediate transfer body unit 5 for secondary-transferring the toner image once primary-transferred from the photosensitive drum 1 to a transfer material; A cleaning device 6 and the like for removing transfer residual toner remaining on the surface of the drum 1 are provided.

The photosensitive drum 1, the charging device 2, and the cleaning device 6 form a process cartridge B integrally formed as a cartridge and can be attached to and detached from the apparatus main body 13. Further, the intermediate transfer body unit 5 can be pulled out from the apparatus main body 13 so that the intermediate transfer body unit 5 can be replaced.

In the apparatus main body 13, a transfer material S such as paper is
, Which feeds and conveys the toner toward the intermediate transfer unit 5, a fixing device 8 for fixing a toner image on the transfer material S after the secondary transfer, and a transfer material S on which the toner image is fixed
A discharge roller pair 9a for discharging the paper to the paper discharge tray 10, a discharge belt 9b, and the like are provided.

The photosensitive drum 1 has, for example, an organic photoconductor layer (O) on the outer peripheral surface of an aluminum cylinder having a diameter of about 47 mm.
PC photoreceptor) is applied, and both ends are rotatably supported by a support member, and a driving force from a driving unit (not shown) is transmitted to one end, thereby forming an arrow R1. It is driven to rotate in the direction.

The charging device 2 may be of a contact charging type. In this case, the charging member is a conductive roller formed in a roller shape. The roller is brought into contact with the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 and a charging bias voltage is applied to the roller by a power supply (not shown). This is to uniformly charge the surface of the photosensitive drum 1.

The exposure device 3 has a polygon mirror 3a, and the polygon mirror 3a is irradiated with image light corresponding to an image signal from a laser diode (not shown). The polygon mirror 3a is a scanner motor (not shown)
The surface of the charged photosensitive drum 1 is selectively exposed to the image light that is rotated at a high speed and reflected by the imaging lens 3b, the reflection mirror 3c, and the like to form an electrostatic latent image.

The developing device 4 accommodates a rotating member 4A rotatable around an axis 4d and four developing devices mounted thereon, ie, toners of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black, respectively. Developing units 4Y, 4M, 4C,
4Bk.

When developing the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 1,
A predetermined developing device of a color to be attached to the electrostatic latent image is arranged at a developing position. That is, the predetermined developing device is stopped at the developing position facing the photosensitive drum 1 by the index rotation of the rotating body 4A, and the developing sleeve 4b of the developing device faces the photosensitive drum 1 with a small gap (about 300 μm). After the positioning, the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 1 is developed.

This development is performed as follows. The toner in the container of the developing device corresponding to the color to be developed is sent to the application roller 4a by a feed mechanism, and the rotating application roller 4 is rotated.
a and a toner setting blade 4c, a thin layer of toner is applied to the outer periphery of the rotating developing sleeve 4b, and a charge is applied to the toner (friction charging). This developing sleeve 4b
By applying a developing bias between the electrostatic latent image and the photosensitive drum 1 on which the electrostatic latent image is formed, a toner image is attached to the electrostatic latent image and developed as a toner image.

Each of the developing units 4Y, 4M, 4C, 4Bk
The developing sleeve 4b is connected to a high-voltage power supply (not shown) for developing each color provided in the apparatus main body 13 when each developing device is arranged at the developing position. Is selectively applied with a voltage. Each developing unit 4
Y, 4M, 4C, and 4Bk are configured to be detachable from the rotator 4A, and the rotator 4A is detachable from the apparatus main body 13.

The intermediate transfer member unit 5 is for secondary-transferring a plurality of toner images, which have been primary-transferred sequentially from the photosensitive drum 1 in the order of each color and are superimposed, onto the transfer material S collectively. The intermediate transfer unit 5 includes an endless belt-shaped intermediate transfer belt 5a that runs in the direction of arrow R5.

The intermediate transfer belt 5a has a circumference of about 440 mm.
And is stretched by a driving roller 5b, a secondary transfer facing roller 5c, and a driven roller (tension roller) 5d.

The intermediate transfer unit 5 includes a secondary transfer roller 5n for secondary transfer of the toner image primarily transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 5a to the transfer material S, and an intermediate transfer belt 5 near the driven roller 5d. A primary transfer roller (pressing roller) 5 that retreats so as to take a position where the intermediate transfer belt 5a is pressed from the photosensitive drum 1 and a position where the intermediate transfer belt 5a is pressed against the photosensitive drum 1
g.

At a predetermined position outside the intermediate transfer belt 5a, there is provided a cleaning unit 5e which can be brought into contact with and separated from the intermediate transfer belt 5a. Is removed. The cleaning unit 5e brings the charging roller 5f into contact with the intermediate transfer belt 5a, and gives the toner a charge of a polarity opposite to that of the transfer.
The toner having the opposite polarity charge is electrostatically attached to the photosensitive drum 1 and then collected by the cleaning device 6 for the photosensitive drum 1. The method of cleaning the intermediate transfer belt 5a is not limited to the electrostatic cleaning described above, but may be a mechanical method such as a blade or a fur brush, or a method using both of them.

After the toner developed on the photosensitive drum 1 by the developing device 4 is primarily transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 5a, the cleaning device 6 removes so-called untransferred toner remaining on the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 without being primarily transferred. Is what you do. In the cleaning device 6 shown in FIG. 1, the transfer residual toner is accumulated in the cleaning container 11.

The feeding / conveying means 7 accommodates a plurality of transfer materials S and feeds a sheet cassette 7 loaded in a lower portion of the apparatus main body 13.
a transfer material S is fed to a transfer nip (secondary transfer portion) between the intermediate transfer belt 5a and the secondary transfer roller 5n, and the transfer material S after the secondary transfer is fixed by the transport belt 12. It is transported to the device 8.

At the time of image formation, a pickup roller (half-moon roller) 7e, a feed roller 7f,
The retard roller 7g and the transport roller pair 7b are driven and rotated in accordance with the image forming operation to separate and feed the transfer material S in the paper feed cassette 7a one by one, while being guided by the guide plate 7c and by the registration roller pair 7d. The sheet is fed to a transfer nip (secondary transfer section) between the intermediate transfer belt 5a and the secondary transfer roller 5n in synchronization with the image writing position.

The fixing device 8 fixes a plurality of toner images secondary-transferred to the transfer material S, and applies heat and pressure to the transfer material S by pressing against the heating and rotating heating roller 8b. And a pressure roller 8a. That is, the transfer material S that has passed through the secondary transfer roller 5n that collectively transfers the toner on the intermediate transfer belt 5a is
The heating roller 8 is transported by the
a, and heat and pressure are applied by the pressure roller 8b. As a result, the toner images of a plurality of colors are fixed on the surface of the transfer material.

Next, an image forming operation of the image forming apparatus A having the above configuration will be described.

First, the photosensitive drum 1 is rotated in the direction of arrow R1 in synchronization with the rotation of the intermediate transfer belt 5a, the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 is uniformly charged by the charging device 2, and the light of the black image is exposed by the exposure device 3. Irradiation,
A black electrostatic latent image is formed on the photosensitive drum 1. At the same time as the formation of the electrostatic latent image, the developing device 4 is driven to place the black developing device 4Bk at the developing position, and the photosensitive drum 1
A high-voltage bias having the same polarity and substantially the same potential as the charging polarity is applied to cause the black toner to adhere to the electrostatic latent image for development. Then, a high-voltage bias having a polarity opposite to that of the toner is applied to the primary transfer roller (pressing roller) 5g to primary-transfer the black toner image on the photosensitive drum 1 onto the intermediate transfer belt 5a.

When the primary transfer of the black toner image is completed as described above, the next developing unit rotates and is positioned at the developing position facing the photosensitive drum 1, and the magenta, cyan, and cyan toners are moved in the same manner as in the case of black. Then, formation, development, and primary transfer of the electrostatic latent image are sequentially performed for each color of yellow, and four color toner images are superimposed on the intermediate transfer belt 5a.

During this time, the secondary transfer roller 5n is separated from the intermediate transfer belt 5a and is in a non-contact state, and the charging roller 5f of the cleaning unit 5e is also separated from the intermediate transfer belt 5a and is in a non-contact state. Then, the intermediate transfer belt 5
a after completion of the formation of the four color toner images on the secondary transfer roller 5n
Is pressed against the intermediate transfer belt 5a, and the transfer material S which has been waiting at the registration roller pair 7d is sent out in synchronization with the rotation of the intermediate transfer belt 5a.

The transfer material S on which the toner image has been secondarily transferred in a lump as described above is conveyed by the conveying belt 12 to the fixing device 8, where the toner image is fixed. Pair 9a, the discharge tray 10 by the discharge belt 9b.
To complete image formation.

Next, the configuration of the above-described intermediate transfer unit 5 will be described in detail. FIG. 2 is a schematic side view showing the intermediate transfer unit, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the intermediate transfer unit.

The driving roller 5b, the secondary transfer opposing roller 5c, and the driven roller 5d, on which the intermediate transfer belt 5a is stretched, are rotatably supported by bearings 21, 22, and 23, respectively. It is supported on both side plates 20 connected by stays 24.

The bearings 21, 22, and 23 are accurately positioned on both side plates 20.
The peripheral length of the intermediate transfer belt 5a stretched by the belt 3 is such that the primary transfer images to be repeatedly transferred overlap without being displaced by the rotation unevenness of the photosensitive drum 1 and the rotation unevenness of the intermediate transfer belt 5a. It is almost an integer multiple of. As described above, the intermediate transfer belt 5a stretched by the bearings 21, 22, and 23 must apply a predetermined range of tension necessary for rotation, and the tension is replaced by the intermediate transfer belt. It differs slightly for each body unit 5.
In addition, the belt cycle is slightly different for each intermediate transfer body unit 5 due to the difference in tension and the accuracy of the intermediate transfer belt 5a alone.

Therefore, in the present invention, as shown in FIG.
Assembling conditions of the intermediate transfer unit 5 and the intermediate transfer belt 5
A memory 25 for storing the operation time, the number of operations, and the like is provided in the stay 24, and the information stored in the memory 25 is read by a control device (CPU) 26 of the apparatus main body 13 side. The print condition setting is changed according to the difference in the assembling conditions and the like.

For example, when assembling the intermediate transfer belt 5a so as to keep the tension within a predetermined range, each of the bearings 21, 22, and 23 which stretches the intermediate transfer belt 5a.
The distance between the intermediate transfer units 5 is assembled within a predetermined error range. Then, the distance information between the bearings 21, 22, and 23 is stored in the memory 2 for each intermediate transfer body unit 5.
5, the distance information from the top signal position of image formation to the primary transfer position is read by the control device (CPU) 26 of the apparatus main body 13 to change the above-described image formation timing. .

Therefore, even when a new intermediate transfer unit 5 is incorporated into the apparatus main body 13 by replacement or the like, the memory 2
The control device (CPU) 26 performs control such that the leading end position at the time of the primary transfer is the same regardless of the replaced intermediate transfer body unit 5 based on the assembly information of the intermediate transfer body unit 5 inputted from 5. Can be.

The control device (CPU) 26 may control the timing of feeding the transfer material P to the secondary transfer section instead of the image forming timing based on the information input from the memory 25. Good.

Further, the operation time and the number of operations of the intermediate transfer belt 5a are stored in the memory 25, so that the control device (CPU) 26 reads the information stored in the memory 25 and reads the information of the intermediate transfer belt 5a. The life can be accurately and easily detected.

[0047]

As described above, according to the first and second aspects of the present invention, the assembly condition information of the intermediate transfer body unit stored in the storage means provided in the intermediate transfer body unit is provided on the apparatus main body side. By changing the image forming conditions by taking in the control means, optimal image forming conditions can be set for the replaced intermediate transfer body unit, and good image formation can be performed.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the life of the intermediate transfer member can be accurately and easily detected.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a schematic side view showing an intermediate transfer unit of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an intermediate transfer unit of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 photosensitive drum (image carrier) 2 charging member 3 exposure device 4 developing device 5 intermediate transfer unit 5a intermediate transfer belt (intermediate transfer member) 5b drive roller 5g primary transfer roller 8 fixing device 13 device main body 20 side plate 21, 22, 23 Bearing 24 Stay 25 Memory (storage means) 26 Controller (control means)

Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Jiro Moriya 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc. (72) Inventor Masuro Saito 3-30-2, Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc. Inside

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A toner image formed on an image carrier is primarily transferred to an intermediate transfer member provided in an intermediate transfer unit at a primary transfer portion, and the toner image on the intermediate transfer member is transferred to a secondary transfer portion. An image forming apparatus for performing secondary transfer to a transfer material to form an image, comprising: a control unit provided on an apparatus main body side of the image forming apparatus to control an image forming operation; and the intermediate transfer body detachable from the apparatus main body. In the unit,
A storage unit storing at least an assembly condition of the intermediate transfer body unit; and the control device changes the image forming condition by taking in the assembly condition information of the intermediate transfer body unit stored in the storage unit. Characteristic image forming apparatus. 2. The intermediate transfer member is an endless intermediate transfer belt stretched by a plurality of rollers, and at least assembling conditions of the intermediate transfer member unit include a belt material of the intermediate transfer belt and a belt rotation period. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising information on a distance between a plurality of rollers that stretch the intermediate transfer belt. 3. The storage unit stores the operation time and the number of operations of the intermediate transfer body, and the control device fetches the operation time and the number of operations of the intermediate transfer body stored in the storage unit, and stores the information. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a life of the intermediate transfer body is detected.