JPS59210453A - Electrophotographic apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To facilitate removal of a jammed paper by rendering a structure comprising a fixing device and routes for conveying copying papers near the fixing device, in the almost horizontal and copying paper ejecting direction of the main body of an electrophotographic apparatus. CONSTITUTION:An example of executing of the PPC method of this invention is illustrated on the right. Paper jamming is liable to happen in a part for pressing a copying paper 42 into contact with a photosensitive drum 41. A structure 47 holds a vessel 43 for incorporating sheets of copying paper 42, a paper feed roller 44, a transfer roller 45, and a heat fixing device 46, in one body, as shown in the imaging line, and this structure 47 is arranged movably or detachably in the radial direction of the photosensitive drum 41 and in the direction of the almost horizontal direction and toward the copying paper ejection side of the outer case 48 of the apparatus. As a result, the paper 42 jammed at the zone for pressing the paper 42 into contact with the drum 41, and the paper jammed on the conveying route can be easily removed.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] The present invention relates to an electrophotographic apparatus.

Electrophotographic devices use the 1iIWPPc method, in which an original image is first formed as an electrostatic latent image on a photoreceptor, developed, and then transferred to copy paper, or the electrostatic latent image formed on the photoreceptor is transferred to copy paper. Furthermore, a method is known which employs a method in which an electrostatic latent image is transferred onto copy paper and then this copy paper is developed. In any of these electrophotographic methods, because the object to be copied is paper, paper jams may occur in the copy paper transport path within the apparatus.

Incidentally, in electrophotographic apparatuses, photoreceptors are often formed into a drum shape as copying speeds increase and apparatuses become more compact. Therefore, in an electrophotographic apparatus that employs the above-mentioned PPC method, the original image developed on the photosensitive drum is transferred to the copy paper while the copy paper is pressed against the photosensitive drum. Paper jams are likely to occur. In an example of an electrophotographic apparatus that employs the other method described above, electrostatic recording paper is used as copy paper, and the recording paper and a screen-shaped photosensitive drum are opposed to each other with a slight distance between them. While applying high voltage, a corona ion stream is projected from the photosensitive drum side to transfer the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum onto the recording paper. The recording paper is likely to be attracted to the recording drum side, and there is a possibility that the recording paper may become jammed in this area.

For this reason, in the past, in order to repair paper jams in the transfer area, methods such as opening the top of the device or opening the side wall of the device and pulling out the copy paper jammed in the transfer area have been taken. However, none of these methods can be considered rational for the following reasons.

That is, when the upper part of the device is opened and copy paper jammed in the transfer section is taken out, this open section can be made relatively wide, but in reality, this transfer section is equipped with a transfer roller or a copy paper conveyance roller, which will be described later. The attachment of other structures makes removal of the copy paper very difficult and can sometimes damage the photosensitive drum.

In addition, when opening the side wall of the device and removing copy paper jammed in the transfer area, pull it out horizontally between the photosensitive drum and other structures, that is, in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the copy paper travels. Therefore, it is difficult to remove the copy paper without damaging the photosensitive drum to some extent.

Furthermore, if the copy paper always has a certain length, such as cut paper, any of the above-mentioned removal methods can be used to grasp and pull out at least one of both ends of the paper.
If the copy paper is roll paper and an extremely short sheet of paper accidentally becomes jammed, it is almost impossible to eliminate the jam.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an electrophotographic apparatus that can easily and safely remove the jammed copy paper when it becomes jammed in its conveyance path.

The present invention provides an electronic device that forms an original image on copy paper using a photoreceptor as a medium and fixes the original image on the copy paper using a fixing device, which includes a structure including at least a copy paper conveyance path near the fixing device. , is characterized in that it is configured to be movable in the copy paper ejection direction of the apparatus main body and in a substantially horizontal direction.

The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of an example of an electrophotographic device;
This example shows an electrophotographic apparatus that employs a method in which an electrostatic latent image of an original document formed on a drum-shaped photoreceptor is further transferred as an electrostatic latent image onto copy paper, and then the copy paper is developed. A document (not shown) placed on a document table 1 is illuminated by an illumination lamp 2, and the reflected light is guided to a photosensitive drum 6 via a reflection mirror 3, a shutter 4, and a projection lens 5. Further, the rotation of the photosensitive drum 6 and the sliding movement of the document table 1 are synchronized, and a first Corona charger 7
are arranged to uniformly charge the photosensitive drum 6. Therefore, an electrostatic latent image corresponding to the original image is formed on the photosensitive drum 6 at the optical image irradiation section. This electrostatic latent image is opposed to the second corona charger 8 via the photosensitive drum 6 by modulating the corona ion flow from the second corona charger 8 disposed inside the photosensitive drum 6. The image is transferred to copy paper that is transported to a certain position.

On the other hand, the rolled copy paper 9 is fed out by a paper feed roller 10 that rotates in synchronization with the rotation of the photosensitive drum 6, and is cut into a desired length by a cutter 11. The cut copy paper is led to a transfer conveyor belt 13 via a paper guide 12, and is exposed to the photosensitive material by ion projection from the second corona charger 8 at a position facing the second corona charger 8 mentioned above. The electrostatic latent image of the document formed on the sexual drum 6 is transferred. The copy paper onto which the electrostatic latent image has been transferred passes through a developing device 14, a squeeze roller 15, a suction roller 16, a drying roller 17, and a discharge roller 18, and then is delivered to a tray 19 as a clear image. Note that the reference numeral 20 is an outer box, which effectively holds the above-mentioned components and also effectively blocks external light. Reference numeral 21 denotes a light-shielding partition plate that surrounds the photosensitive drum 6 except for the transfer portion;
Only the light reflected from the document is introduced by the opening/closing operation of the shutter 4 described above.

In the above-mentioned electrophotographic apparatus, the above-mentioned components arranged in the copy paper transport path from when the rolled copy paper 9 is cut to when it is carried into the developing device 14 are held together by the structure 22. The structure 22 is made movable or removable with respect to the photosensitive drum 6 and the device outer box 20 in the radial direction of the photosensitive drum 6 and approximately horizontally as shown by double arrows. In addition, in this example, the power supply circuit of the device is turned on and off in response to the movement or insertion/removal operation of the structure 22.
An interlock switch 23 is provided.

In the electrophotographic apparatus shown in FIG. 1, if a paper jam occurs near the transfer area and this is detected by some detection means, the structure 22 is moved in the radial direction and horizontal direction of the photosensitive drum 6 as described above. When moved, the space between the photosensitive drum 6 and the conveyance path in the transfer section is opened, and the left side (with respect to the figure) of the developing device 14 and the partition plate 21 is largely opened. At this time, since the power supply circuit is released by operating the switch 23, the high voltage at the transfer portion is cut off. Therefore, at the transfer portion of the photosensitive drum 6, that is, at the opening of the partition plate 21 facing the second corona charger 8, copy paper partially wrapped around the drum 6 can be easily and safely removed. Moreover, paper jams occurring in the copy paper transport path within the structure 22 and paper jams in the long developing device 14 can be easily removed.

FIG. 2 shows that after an electrostatic latent image of a document is formed on a photosensitive drum 31, a copy paper 32 is pressed against this drum 31, thereby transferring the electrostatic latent image formed on this drum 31 onto the copy paper 32. 3 is a diagram illustrating another example of an electrophotographic apparatus that employs a method in which the copy paper is then developed through a developing device 33. FIG.

In the electrophotographic apparatus shown in FIG. 2, paper jams are likely to occur at the portion where the copy paper 32 is pressed against the photosensitive drum 31.
Rolled copy paper 34, paper feed roller 35, cutter 36,
The guide roller 37 and transfer rollers 38, 38- are held together by a structure 39 shown by imaginary lines, and this structure 3
9 is configured to be movable in the radial direction of the photosensitive drum 31 and substantially horizontally, or to be inserted into and removed from the photosensitive drum. In this way, it is possible to easily eliminate paper jams in the area where the copy paper 32 comes into pressure contact with the photosensitive drum 31, as well as paper jams in the copy paper transport path leading to this area and in the developing device 33. .

FIG. 3 shows the above-mentioned PPC as an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a diagram illustrating an example of an electrophotographic apparatus employing this method. Even in this type of apparatus, paper jams are likely to occur at the portion where the copy paper 42 comes into pressure contact with the photosensitive drum 41. For this reason, in FIG. 3, a container 43 for storing a sheet of copy paper 42, a paper feed roller 44, a transfer roller 45, and a heat fixing device 46 are held together by a structure 47 shown in phantom lines.
is configured to be movable or removable in the radial direction of the photosensitive drum 41 and approximately horizontally toward the copy paper discharge side of the apparatus outer box 48.

In this way, it is possible to easily eliminate not only paper jams at the portion where the copy paper 42 comes into pressure contact with the photosensitive drum 41, but also paper jams in the conveyance path of the copy machine paper 42. Note that reference numeral 49 is a developing device for developing the electrostatic latent image of the document formed on the photosensitive drum 41.

As described above, in the present invention, the structure including at least the fixing unit and the copy paper conveyance path near the fixing unit is configured to be movable or removable in the copy paper ejection direction of the apparatus main body and in a substantially horizontal direction. There is a similar effect.

(1) By moving the structure, a relatively wide opening space can be created, so it is possible to remove jammed copy paper in the same or opposite direction to the paper conveyance direction, making it easy to eliminate paper jams. can.

(2) Although the structure can be moved or inserted into and removed from the space normally provided on the copy paper ejection side of the electrophotographic apparatus main body for taking out copy paper, the space can be used effectively.

(3) Since the movement or insertion/removal of the structure is performed in a substantially horizontal direction, movement of the center of gravity is small, the movement can be performed with less force, and the structure is also simplified.

Note that the above-mentioned example is not limited, and many changes and modifications are possible. For example, Figure 1 a3 and 2
In the electrophotographic apparatus shown in the figure, roll-shaped copy paper is used, but the copy paper may also be sheet-shaped as shown in FIG. Furthermore, even in FIG. 3 showing an embodiment of the present invention, the present invention is not limited to sheet-shaped copy paper, and it goes without saying that roll-shaped copy paper can be used.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and FIG. 3 are diagrams showing three configurations of electrophotographic devices that employ different electrophotographic devices, and FIG. 3 shows one embodiment to which the present invention is applied. . 6, 31.41... Photosensitive drum, 9.32.42.
... Copy paper, 10.35.44 ... Paper feed roller, 11
．． 36...Cutter, 12...Paper guide, 38.3
8", 45...Transfer roller, 20, 40.'48
...Outer box, 22.39.47...Structure, Figure 1 Figure 2

Claims (1)

[Claims] In an electrophotographic apparatus that forms an original image on copy paper using a photoreceptor as a medium, and fixes the original image on the copy paper using a fixing device, a structure including at least a fixing device and a copy paper conveyance path near the fixing device is configured as described above. An electrophotographic apparatus characterized in that an electrophotographic apparatus is configured to be movable in a copy paper ejection direction of an electrophotographic apparatus main body and substantially horizontally.