JPS62278575A - Image producing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent an operator's hand, etc. from touching a photo-sensitive body through a transfer opening by covering or exposing the transfer opening associatively with the loading and unloading of a process unit. CONSTITUTION:When the process unit 14 is detached from an upper support frame body 6, a front cover 136 mounted on a lower support body is rotated to open the front surface of an electrostatic copying machine. Then, the unit 14 is moved in a leaving direction shown by an arrow 14, a flange member 128 provided to a sheet member 116 is attracted to a permanent magnet 132 fixed to the lower support frame body 4 to cover the transfer opening from one end to the other end. Then, this member 128 is attracted to the permanent magnet 126 of a unit frame 20. The unit is detached from the frame body 6 in this state, and then the member 116 is expanded to cover the transfer opening with the member 116, so that the photosensitive body of a rotary drum 26 is never exposed to the outside. When the unit 14 is mounted on the frame body 6. on the other hand, the member 116 is contracted and the transfer opening is exposed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention 3. Technical Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image generator, and more particularly, to an image generator in which a process unit is detachably attached to a support structure.

PRIOR ART As is well known to those skilled in the art, electrostatic copying machines or electrostatic printing machines, which form an electrostatic latent image on an electrostatographic photoreceptor and then develop the electrostatic latent image into a toner image. Image generating machines such as the machine are in widespread use. Some electrostatic copying machines, which are an example of such image generating machines, include a support structure and a process unit that is detachably attached to the support structure, and the process unit includes a unit frame and this unit. It includes movable photoreceptor support means mounted to the frame.

However, in such conventional electrostatic copying machines,
When the process unit is separated from the support structure, light from the outside is irradiated onto the surface of the movable photoreceptor support means through the apertures (transfer aperture, n-light aperture, etc.) formed in the unit frame. If left unattended for a period of time, the photoconductor disposed on the surface of the movable photoconductor support means may deteriorate, and the operator's hand or the like may pass through the opening when attaching or detaching the process unit. There was a risk of contact with the photoreceptor on the surface.

In order to solve this problem, some devices have been proposed in which, for example, a transfer opening formed in the unit frame is covered with a cover member. However, the static N12 copying machine with such improvements has problems such as the complicated operation of covering the transfer aperture, and is not fully satisfactory.

<Object of the Invention> The present invention has been made in view of the above facts, and its main purpose is to open and close the opening formed in the unit frame with a relatively simple structure and a significantly slow operation. An object of the present invention is to provide a further improved image generator that can perform the following steps.

<Summary of the Invention> According to the present invention, a support structure and a process unit 7) detachably attached to the support structure are provided, and the process units are arranged at intervals in the front-rear direction. In an image generator, the image generator includes a unit frame having a front wall and a rear wall, and a movable photoreceptor support means which is mounted on the unit frame and is moved in a predetermined direction; A front end portion for covering the opening and the protective cover means are arranged in relation to the opening extending in the front-rear direction, and the front end portion and one end portion of the protective cover means are attached to the front end portion of the unit frame. and the other end is removably attachable to the rear end of the unit frame, and when the process unit is removed from the support structure, the front end is moved in the removal direction of the process unit. and the other end of the protective cover means is removably attached to the rear end of the unit frame, so that the front end and the protective cover means cover the opening, while supporting the process unit. When mounted on the structure, the front end and the other end of the protective cover means are locked to the front end of the support structure, and when the process unit is moved in the mounting direction, the unit frame is rotated. The image generator is detached from the end and moved relative to the unit frame, and the opening is opened when the process unit 7) is detachably attached to the support structure. provided.

<Preferred specific examples of the invention> Further description will be given below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 shows an example of an electrostatic copying machine as an example of an image generating machine constructed according to the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the illustrated copying machine includes a generally rectangular parallelepiped-shaped housing designated as a whole by numeral 2. As shown in FIG. The housing 2 is defined by a support structure consisting of a lower support frame 4 and an upper support frame 6. Upper support frame 6
is rotatably connected to the lower support frame 4 through a shaft 8 (constituting the center axis of rotation) extending in the front-rear direction (direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper in FIG. 1) at its lower right end. The closed position and the first
It can be pivoted between the open position shown by the two-dot chain line in the figure.

An original f13 mounting means 10 is mounted on the upper surface of the housing 2, that is, on the upper surface of the upper support frame 6, so as to be able to reciprocate in the left-right direction. This manuscript ii! The device stage 10 has a transparent plate 12 on which an original to be copied is placed, and a transparent plate 12.
and a document cover (not shown) that can be opened and closed to cover the document placed thereon.

A so-called process unit, which is located approximately in the middle of the housing 2 and is generally designated by numeral 14, is removably attached to the upper support frame 6. A pair of support rails 16 and 18 are fixed to the upper support frame 6, spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction and extending in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper. On the other hand, the process unit 14 has a process unit frame 20,
At both left and right ends of the unit frame 20, supported parts 22 and 24 are provided that extend in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the drawing.

The supported parts 22 and 24 of the unit frame 20 are positioned on the support rails 16 and 18 of the upper support frame 6, respectively, and the unit frame 20 is slid in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper as described later. 6, the process unit 14 is attached and detached. A rotary drum 26 constituting movable photoreceptor supporting means is rotatably mounted approximately at the center of the unit frame 20. A suitable electrostatic photoreceptor is disposed on the circumferential surface of the rotating drum 26. The unit frame 20 further includes, around a rotating drum 26 that is rotationally driven in the direction shown by an arrow 28, sequentially as viewed in the rotational direction.
A charging corona discharge 830, a developing device generally designated by the number 32, and a cleaning device generally designated by the number 34 are also installed, and the developing device 32 is arranged on one side (right side) of the unit frame 20, and the cleaning device 34 is Unit frame 2
0 on the other side (left side). The developing device 32 includes a magnetic brush mechanism 36 that applies developer to the circumferential surface of the rotating drum 26, and the cleaning device 34 includes an elastic blade 38 that comes into contact with the circumferential surface of the rotating drum 26 and a toner recovery chamber 40. ing. This process unit 14
will be further explained later.

The upper support frame 6 further includes the process unit 14.
Irradiation lamp 42 and reflection plate 44 located above
and an optical system 46 are also installed.

The optical system 46 is composed of a large number of elongated optical elements (for example, a loft-shaped lens sold by Nippon Sheet Glass Co., Ltd. under the trade name "Selfoc Micro Lens") that extends in the vertical direction. Further, a filter member 48 such as a heat ray absorption filter is disposed in the opening of the reflection plate 44 . Therefore, the light from the irradiation lamp 42 passes through the transparent plate 12 and is irradiated onto the original placed thereon, and the light reflected from the original is reflected from the optical system 46 and the upper wall 4 of the unit frame 20.
The light is projected onto the circumferential surface of the rotating drum 26 in an exposure area 50 through an exposure aperture 49 formed at 7 .

A transfer corona discharger 54 is disposed approximately in the center of the lower support frame 4 so as to face the circumferential surface of the rotating drum 26 in the transfer area 52 . A transfer opening 58 is formed in the bottom wall 56 of the unit frame 20, and the lower part of the rotating drum 26 is exposed outside the unit frame 20 in the transfer area 52 through this transfer opening 58 (see also FIG. 4). sea bream).

Further, at the right end of the lower support frame 4, a copy paper supply means, which is indicated by the number 62 as a whole, is provided.
A copy paper tray 64 is provided at the left end of the tray. And, between the copy paper supply means 62 and the copy paper tray 64,
A copy paper transport system, generally designated by numeral 66, is provided for transporting copy paper through the transfer area 52. The copy paper supply means 62 includes a cassette receiver 68 and a copy paper cassette 70 detachably attached to the cassette receiver 68, and a delivery port 72 is disposed above the cassette receiver 68. . Therefore, when the delivery roller 72 is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow 74, the uppermost copy paper in the copy paper layer 76 in the cassette 70 is delivered by the action of the delivery roller 72, and the copy paper is transferred to the guide plate. The paper passes between the pair 78 and is supplied to the copy paper transport system 66 . Copy paper conveyance system 6
6 is a pair of conveying rollers 80. Information board 82. A conveying roller 86 that cooperates with the guide protrusion 84° and the guide protrusion 84. Heat fixing roller pair 88. It includes a lower guide plate 90 and a pair of discharge rollers 92, and these components guide the copy paper fed from the copy paper supply means 62 to the copy paper receiving tray 64 (define a copy paper conveyance path 94).

Appropriate heating means 98 is disposed within the upper and front heat rollers 96 of the heat fixing roller pair 88 . Further, the upper front heat roller 96 is provided with a peeling member 1 for preventing the copy paper from being wrapped.
00 is attached.

In the electrostatic copying machine described above, while the rotating drum 26 is driven to rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow 28, the charging corona discharger 30 charges the photoreceptor on the rotating drum 26 substantially uniformly to a specific polarity. , then in the exposure area 50,
The image of the original on the light plate 12 is projected onto the photoreceptor, thus forming an electrostatic latent image corresponding to the image of the original on the photoreceptor. When scanning and exposing an original, the original e placing means 10 is moved from left to right in FIG. Thereafter, the electrostatic latent image on the photoreceptor is developed into a toner image by a developing device 32. Next, the copy paper supplied from the copy paper supply means 62 and conveyed by the copy paper conveyance system 66 is brought into close contact with the circumferential surface of the rotating drum 26 in the transfer area 52, and is transferred onto the photoreceptor by the action of the transfer corona discharger 54. The toner image is transferred onto the copy paper. Thereafter, the copy paper onto which the toner image has been transferred is peeled off from the rotating drum 26. The peeled copy paper is conveyed through a pair of heat-fixing rollers 88, during which time the toner image on the copy paper is heat-fixed. Meanwhile, the rotating drum 26 continues to rotate, and the toner remaining on the photoreceptor after the transfer is removed from the photoreceptor by the action of the elastic blade 38 of the cleaning device 34. The removed toner is collected in the toner collection chamber 40.

Next, referring mainly to FIG. 2, the process unit 14 and related elements in a specific example will be described.

The illustrated process unit 14 includes a front wall 102 and a rear wall that are spaced apart from each other in the front-back direction, as well as a right side wall and a left side wall, and an exposure opening 49 extending in the front-back direction is formed in the upper wall 47. At the same time, a transfer opening 58 is formed in the bottom wall 56 and extends in the front-rear direction. In addition, the unit frame 20
A rotating drum 26 is rotatably mounted between the front wall 102 and the rear wall 104, and a developing device 32 and a cleaning device 34 are also mounted. Therefore, as understood from FIGS. 1 and 2, the photoreceptor of the rotating drum 26 is exposed to the outside of the unit frame 20 through the exposure aperture 49 and the transfer aperture 58. This unit frame 20
On the front (outer surface) of the front wall 102 of the process unit 1
A grip portion 106 is provided for attaching and detaching 4.

Furthermore, in the specific example, the vertical rear wall 1 of the upper support frame 6
A gear 110 is rotatably mounted on the front surface (inner surface) of 08 via a short axis. When the process unit 14 is removably attached to a support structure as described below, the gear 110 is releasably drivingly connected to the shaft portion of the rotating drum 26 via a driving connecting means 112 as shown in the second example. Therefore, in this installed state, when the gear 110 is rotated by a drive source such as an electric motor (not shown) of the electrostatic copying paper, the rotating drum 26 moves in the direction of the arrow 28 (FIG. 1).

It will be rotated in the direction shown.

In the electrostatic copying machine mentioned above, the process unit/to 14
is removably attached to the support structure, in particular the upper support frame 6, furthermore, the front end and the protective cover means 1
14 are provided. In the illustrated embodiment, the front end and the protective cover means 114 are disposed in relation to a transfer aperture 58 (FIG. 4) defined in the unit frame 20. Referring further to FIGS. 3 and 4, the illustrated front end and protective cover means 114 include a relatively thin, bellows-shaped sheet member 116 that is extendable and retractable. Such sheet member 116 may be, for example, a synthetic resin sheet,
It is preferably opaque to block light from the outside. A plurality of reinforcing members 118 are provided on this sheet member 116 at intervals in the expansion/contraction direction, that is, in the longitudinal direction. The reinforcing member 118 has an intermediate portion L2Qa covered with the sheet member 116 curved in an arc shape corresponding to the circumferential surface of the rotating drum 26, and both end portions 120b and 120c.
is the sheet member 116 in a direction substantially perpendicular to the stretching direction.
protrudes on both sides. One end of the sheet member 116 is attached to the lower rear surface (inner surface) of the front wall 102 of the unit frame 20 in the specific example. That is, in the specific example, three hook pieces 122 are provided on the rear surface of the front wall 102, and the reinforcing member 118 provided at one end of the sheet member 116 is attached to the hook pieces 122 with two points of M cotton as shown in FIG. By locking as shown, one end of the sheet member 116 is attached to the front wall 1.
02 as required. In addition, the sheet member 116
In a specific example, the other end portion is removably attached to the rear wall 104 of the unit frame 20 as described later. On the other hand, a portion of the bottom wall 56 of the unit frame 20 that defines the transfer opening 58 (the fourth
In the figure, the surfaces facing each other with the rotating drum 26 in between are
A pair of guide grooves 124a and 124 extending in the front-rear direction
b is formed, one end portion 120b of the plurality of reinforcing members 118 is received in one guide groove 124a so as to be movable in the front and rear direction, and the other end portion 120b of the plurality of reinforcing members 118 is received in the other guide groove 124b. The portion 120C is received so as to be movable in the front-back direction. As described above, the sheet member 116 can be freely expanded and contracted in the front-rear direction (the left-right direction in FIGS. 2 and 5, the direction from the lower left to the upper right in FIG. 3, and the direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper in FIG. 4). , as shown in FIG. 2 (contracting to open the transfer aperture 58), and expanding as shown in FIG. 5 (to substantially cover the transfer aperture 58).

Referring again to FIG. 2, in the specific example, sheet member 116
In order to allow the other end to be detachably attached to the rear end of the unit frame 20, a permanent magnet 126 is fixed to a predetermined portion of the front surface (inner surface) of the rear wall 104, and other parts of the sheet member 116 are fixed to the front surface (inner surface) of the rear wall 104. An adsorbed portion that is adsorbed by the permanent magnet 126 is provided at the end. In a specific example, the adsorbed part is composed of a flange member 128 made of an I metal material,
It is fixed to the other end of the sheet member 116 with an adhesive or the like. Furthermore, in this regard, the front end of the support structure, in particular the vertical front wall 130 of the lower support frame 4, can be attached to the sheet member 1 when the process unit 14 is removably mounted.
A permanent magnet 1 is configured to be able to come into contact with the flange member 128 fixed to the vertical front wall 16 and also attract the flange member 128 at a predetermined portion on the front surface (outer surface) of the vertical front wall 130.
32 is fixed. Note that, contrary to the above, a permanent magnet is provided at the other end of the sheet member 116, and the rear wall 104 of the unit frame 20 and the vertical front wall 1 of the lower support frame 4
30 may be provided with an adsorbed portion. Further, instead of the vertical front wall 130 of the lower support frame 4, the lower support frame 4
A protrusion that protrudes upward is provided at the front end of the bottom wall 134 of the
The protrusion may be configured to abut against the flange member 128.

In the electrostatic copying machine as described above, the process unit 14
In order to separate the support structure from the upper support frame 6, first rotate the front cover 136, which is attached to the lower support frame 4 so that it can be opened and closed, in the direction indicated by the arrow 138 as shown in FIG. to open the front of the electrostatic copying machine. Next, grasp the grip portion 106 provided on the front wall 102 of the unit frame 20 and move it in the detachment direction shown by the arrow 140 in FIG.
That is, it is moved forward in the front-rear direction. At this time, the supported parts 22 and 24 present at both left and right ends of the unit frame 20 are connected to the support rails 16 and 18 provided on the upper support frame 6.
By being guided by , the process unit 14 is moved in the detachment direction shown by arrow 140 . During such movement, as can be easily understood by referring to FIGS. 2 and 5, the flange member 128 provided at the other end of the sheet member 116 touches the vertical front wall of the lower support frame 4. Since the process unit 14 is magnetically attracted to the permanent magnet 132 fixed to the flange member 130, the process unit 14 is moved in the direction shown by the arrow 140 relative to the flange member 128, and the process unit 14 is moved in the direction indicated by the arrow 140. Accordingly, the sheet member I L 6 is stretched to cover the transfer opening 58 from one end (front end in the front-rear direction) to the other end (rear #A in the front-rear direction).

Then, move the process unit 14 to the position shown in FIG.
When the unit frame 20 is moved in the direction indicated by 0, the front surface of the rear wall 104 of the unit frame 20 comes into contact with the flange member 128 attracted to the permanent magnet 132 of the lower support frame body, and this flange member 128 is magnetically attracted to the permanent magnet 132 of the unit frame 20 and the permanent magnet 126 of the unit frame 20 (the fifth
As shown in the figure, the permanent magnet 132 attracts the lower part of the flange member 128, and the permanent magnet 126 attracts the upper part of the flange member 12B). From this state, process unit 1
4 is further moved in the direction shown by the arrow 140 and separated from the upper support frame 6, the flange member 128 is separated from the permanent magnet 132 of the lower support frame 4 while being attracted to the permanent magnet 126 of the unit frame 120. . Therefore, when the process unit 14 is separated from the upper support frame 6, the sheet member 116 is expanded in association with the movement of the process unit 14 in the direction shown by the arrow 140, and the unit frame 2
A flange member 128 at the other end is magnetically attached to and detached from the rear wall 104 by a permanent magnet 126 of the rear wall 104 of the present invention. Thus, the transfer aperture 58 defined in the unit frame 20 can open the stretched sheet member 1 as shown in FIG.
16, the photoreceptor of the rotating drum 26 is not exposed to the outside through the transfer opening 58, thereby preventing deterioration of the photoreceptor and damage to the photoreceptor due to contact or the like.

On the other hand, in the process unit 14 that has been removed as described above, or in the new process unit 14 (in the new process unit 14), the flange member 128 attached to the sheet member 116 is fixed to the rear wall 104 of the unit frame 20 in advance. magnetically attracted to the permanent magnet 126) to the upper support frame 6 in a detachable manner.
As described above, first, the front cover 136 is rotated to open the front of the electrostatic copying machine. Next, the rear ends of the supported parts 22 and 24 of the unit frame 20 are connected to the support rails of the upper support frame 6. 16 and 18 as shown in FIG. 5, and moved in the mounting direction shown by arrow 142 (FIG. 5), that is, in the front-back direction. The process unit 14 is shown in FIG.
ii, the flange member 128 attached to the sheet member 116 adsorbed to the rear wall 104 of the unit frame 20 is locked to the vertical front wall 130 of the lower support frame 4, and the flange member 128 is attached to the lower support frame 20. Vertical front wall 1 of frame body 4
It is also magnetically attracted to a permanent magnet 132 provided at 30 . Then, when the process unit 14 is moved in the mounting direction shown by the arrow 142, since the flange member 128 is locked to the vertical front wall 130 of the lower support frame 4, as the process unit 14 moves, the flange member 128
is removed from the rear wall 104 of the unit frame 20. During this movement, as can be easily understood by referring to FIGS. 5 and 2, the flange member 12
8 is locked, the process unit 14 is moved in the direction shown by the arrow 142 relative to the flange member 128, and as the process unit 14 moves, the sheet member 116 is contracted and the transfer opening is closed. 58 is opened from the other end (rear end in the longitudinal direction) to one end (front end in the longitudinal direction). Therefore, when the process unit 14 is mounted as required on the upper support frame 6 as shown in FIG. 58 is opened, allowing the above-mentioned copy paper to come in close contact with the surface of the rotating drum 26.

Flame dish spot Next, a modification of the electrostatic copying machine will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 to 9. In this variant, modifications have been made to the front end and the protective cover means and associated elements. In addition, in FIGS. 6 to 9, the same members as those in the specific example shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 are given the same numbers and explained.

Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, the front end and protective cover means 144' of the modified embodiment are also disposed in relation to the transfer opening 58 (FIG. 9) defined in the unit frame 20. More specifically, the front end and the protective cover means 144' include a relatively thin and elongated sheet member 150.

The sheet member 150 can be folded and stored in a bellows shape, and expands and contracts as described later (in connection with the movement of the process unit 14).Such a sheet member 150 may also be a synthetic resin sheet, for example, and blocks light from the outside. The sheet member 150, which is preferably opaque, is provided with a plurality of reinforcing members 152 at intervals in the stretching direction, that is, in the longitudinal direction. , its middle portion is covered by the sheet member 150, and both end portions 154a and 154b protrude from both sides of the sheet member 150 in a direction substantially perpendicular to the stretching direction.

In the illustrated modification, the sheet member 150 is configured to be accommodated in a housing chamber 156 provided in the unit frame 20. That is, the front wall 102 of the unit frame 20
A cylindrical protrusion 158 is provided at the lower end of the cylindrical protrusion 158 , and a storage chamber 156 is defined within the protrusion 158 .
An opening 160 is formed at the upper end of the inner side (the eighth
-A diagram.

(See Figure 8-B). One end of the sheet member 150 is fixed to the bottom surface of the storage chamber 156 with an adhesive or the like. Therefore, the sheet member 150 is accommodated in the storage chamber 156 through the opening 160, and is folded and accommodated as required, as shown in FIG. 8-A.
A connecting member 162 is fixed to the other end of the connector 0 with an adhesive or the like.

At both ends of the connecting member 162, there are pins 164 that protrude on both sides.
(4 in total), and a pair of pins 168 protruding inward are also provided in a rectangular notch 166 formed in the connecting member 162.
0 (Constitutes an attracted part that is attracted to the permanent magnet 126 fixed to the rear wall 104 of the unit frame 20 and the permanent magnet 132 fixed to the vertical front wall 130 of the lower support frame 4)
A pair of protruding portions 170a provided on are rotatably connected.

This piece 170 to be attracted can be formed from a metal material.

In the modified example, a pair of guide grooves 172a and 172b are further provided to allow the sheet member 150 to expand and contract as required. 6 and 9, a pair of guide grooves 172a and 172b are formed on the bottom wall 5 of the unit frame 20.
It is formed in the region defining the transfer opening 58 of No. 6 (the opposing surface in FIG. 9), and is formed in the front-rear direction (left-right direction in FIG. 6, FIG. 8-A and FIG. 8-B, and in the paper plane in FIG. vertical direction). Guide grooves 172a and 172
The rear end portion of b further extends through the opening 160 into the storage chamber 156, curves downward within the storage chamber 156, and extends φ downward to the bottom surface thereof. And one guide groove 1
One end 154a of the plurality of reinforcing members 152 and a bin 164 provided at one end of the connecting member 162 are movably received in the other guide groove 172b, and the other reinforcing members 152 and the other reinforcing members 152 are movably received in the other guide groove 172b. End portion 154b and connecting member 1
A pin 164 provided at the other end of 62 is movably received. Therefore, each reinforcing member 152 is moved as required along the pair of guide grooves 172a and 172b.

Regarding other configurations of the modified copying machine, please refer to Section 1.
This is the same as the actual example shown in FIGS. 5 through 5.

In this modification, in order to separate the process unit 14 from the upper support frame 6, the unit frame 2
When the gripping portion 106 provided on the front wall 102 of 0 is gripped and moved in the detachment direction shown by the arrow 174, that is, forward in the front-rear direction, the sheet member 150 is expanded as the process unit 14 moves.

That is, when the process unit 14 is installed as required, it is in the state shown in FIG. 8-A, and the sheet member 1
50 is folded as required and stored in the storage chamber 156. From this state, the process unit 14 is
When moved in the direction not shown in 74, Figures 8-A and 8
- As can be understood from Figure B, the attracted piece 170 provided at the other end of the sheet member 150 is magnetically attracted to the permanent magnet 132 fixed to the vertical front wall 130 of the lower support frame 4. Therefore, the process unit 14 is moved in the direction shown by the arrow 174 relative to the piece 170 to be attracted, and as the process unit 14 moves, the sheet member 150 is expanded and removed from the storage chamber 156. opening 1
60 and covers the transfer opening 58 from its -@ (front end in the front-rear direction) to the other end (rear end in the front-rear direction).

Then, move the process unit 14 to the position shown in FIG.
When the unit frame 20 is moved in the direction indicated by 4, the front surface of the rear wall 104 of the unit frame 20 comes into contact with the attracted piece 170 that is attracted to the permanent magnet 132 of the lower support frame, and this attracted piece 170
are the permanent magnet 132 of the lower support frame 4 and the unit frame 20
(As shown in FIG. 6, the permanent magnet 132 attracts the lower part of the attracted piece 170, and the permanent magnet 126 attracts the upper part of the attracted piece 170.) From this state, the process unit 14 is further moved in the direction of arrow 1.
When the piece 170 is moved in the direction shown by 74 and separated from the upper support frame 6, the piece 170 to be attracted is separated from the permanent magnet 132 of the lower support frame 4 while being attracted to the permanent magnet 126 of the unit frame 20. Therefore, when the process unit 14 is separated from the upper support frame 6, the process unit 1
The sheet member 150 is expanded in relation to the movement in the direction indicated by the arrow 174 in FIG. will be installed on the Thus, the transfer opening 58 defined in the unit frame 20 is actually covered by the stretched sheet member 150 as in the above-described specific example, and the photoreceptor of the rotating drum 26 is not exposed to the outside through the transfer opening 58. Rather, by this,
Deterioration of the photoreceptor and damage to the photoreceptor due to contact etc. are prevented.

On the other hand, the process unit 14, E or the new process unit 14 that has been detached as described above (in the new process unit 14, the piece 170 to be attracted attached to the sheet member 150 is attached to the rear wall of the unit frame 20 in advance)
04) to the upper support frame 6 in a detachable manner.
The rear ends of the supported parts 22 and 24 of the unit frame 20 are mounted on the support rails 16 and 18 of the upper support frame 6 as shown in FIG. When the sheet member 150 is moved, the sheet member 150 is contracted as the process unit 14 moves. That is, when the process unit 14 is placed as shown in FIG.
The piece 170 to be attracted is attached to the vertical front wall 130 of the lower support frame 4, and the piece 170 to be attracted is also magnetically attached to the permanent magnet 132 provided on the front vertical wall 130 of the lower support frame 4. is adsorbed. Then, when the process unit 14 is moved in the mounting direction shown by the arrow 176, since the piece 170 to be sucked is locked to the vertical front wall 130 of the lower support frame 4, the piece 170 to be sucked is The piece 170 is detached from the rear wall 104 of the unit frame 20. During this movement, Figures 8-8 and 8-
As can be easily understood by referring to Figure A, since the piece 170 to be attracted is locked, the piece 170 to be attracted
The process unit 14 is moved in the direction shown by the arrow 176 relative to the process unit 14, and as the process unit 14 moves, the sorting member 150 is contracted, and the transfer opening is moved from the other end (rear end in the front-rear direction) to one end. (Front end in longitudinal direction)
open to. Therefore, when the process unit 14 is mounted as required on the upper support frame 6 as partially shown in FIG. 8-A as described above, the process unit 14
The sheet member 150 is contracted in connection with the movement of the opening 1.
The copy paper 60 is stored in a folded state in the storage chamber 156, thereby opening the transfer opening 58 and allowing the above-described copy paper to come in close contact with the rotating drum 26. In the modified example, as shown in FIG. 8-A, when the process unit 14 is installed as required, the attracted piece 170 is configured to substantially close the opening 160 of the storage chamber 156.

In the specific example shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 and the modified example shown in FIGS. 6 to 9, the front end portion and the protective cover means 11
4 and 114' are bellows-like elastic sheet members 116.
and 150, but instead of the sheet members 116 and 150, a combination of a plurality of plate pieces that substantially overlap in the vertical direction in the stored state and become substantially elongated plate-like in the tensile state is applied. It is also possible to do so.

Further, in the above specific example and the above modified example, the front end portion and the protective cover means 114 and 114' are provided in relation to the transfer opening 58 formed in the unit frame 20, but only the transfer opening 58 is provided. The exposure aperture 49 formed in the unit frame 20 and the static elimination aperture (
(not shown) can be similarly arranged in connection with this static elimination opening.

Further, in the above specific example and the above modified example, the application to an electrostatic copying machine was explained as just one example of an image generating machine constructed according to the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to an electrostatic copying machine, and can be applied to, for example, an electrostatic copying machine. It can be applied to other types of image producing machines as well, such as electric printing machines.

<Effects of the Invention> In the image generating machine according to the present invention, the front end and the other end of the protective cover means are moved as required in relation to the movement of the process unit 14 in the mounting direction and the removal direction, and thereby the transfer Because openings such as opening 58 are covered and opened, they can be opened and closed as desired simply by installing and removing process unit 14.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The first diagram is a cross-sectional view showing a simplified example of an electrostatic copying machine as an example of an image generating machine constructed according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line ■-■ in FIG. 1. 3 is a perspective view showing the front end of the electrostatic copying machine of FIG. 1, the protective cover means, and related elements; FIG. FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the TV-TV line in FIG. 2. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the electrostatic copying machine of FIG. 1 in a state immediately before the process unit is separated from the upper support frame. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a state immediately before the process unit is separated from the upper support frame in a modification of the electrostatic copying machine. FIG. 7 is a partially exploded perspective view of the front end and a portion of the protective cover means in the electrostatic copying machine of FIG. 6; 8-A and 8-B respectively show enlarged views of the electrostatic copying machine shown in FIG. 6 with the process unit installed and the process unit moved some distance in the removal direction. Partial cross-sectional view. FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along line IX-IX in FIG. 8-A. 2...Housing 4...Lower support frame 6...Upper support frame 14...Floss unit 20...Unit frame 26...Rotary drum 58...Transfer opening 102... Front wall 104... Rear wall 114 and 114'... Front end and the protective cover means 1
16 and 150... Sheet members 126 and 132... Permanent magnet 128... Flange member 130... Vertical front wall 170 of lower support frame... Attracted piece Fig. 4? 6 Figure 8-△Figure 9

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A support structure and a process unit detachably attached to the support structure, the process unit comprising:
An image generator including a unit frame having a front wall and a rear wall arranged at intervals in the front-rear direction, and a movable photoreceptor support means attached to the unit frame and moved in a predetermined direction; In connection with the opening formed in the unit frame and extending in the front-rear direction, a protective cover means for covering the opening is provided, one end of the protective cover means is attached to the front end of the unit frame, and an end portion is removably attachable to a rear end portion of the unit frame, and when the process unit is removed from the support structure, the protective cover means is moved in the removal direction of the process unit. The other end is removably attached to the rear end of the unit frame, such that the opening is covered by the protective cover means, while the opening is covered by the protective cover means when the process unit is mounted on the support structure. The other end is locked to the front end of the support structure, and is detached from the rear end of the unit frame and moved relative to the unit frame as the process unit moves in the mounting direction. is,
An image generating machine characterized in that the opening is opened when the process unit is detachably attached to the support structure. 2. The support structure includes a lower support frame and an upper support frame attached to the lower support frame so as to be able to pivot between an open position and a closed position about a pivot axis extending in the front-rear direction; The image generating machine according to claim 1, wherein the process unit is detachably attached to the upper support frame. 3. The one end of the protective cover means is attached to the front wall of the unit frame, and when the process unit is detached from the support structure, the end portion of the protective cover means is attached to the front wall of the unit frame, and when the process unit is detached from the support structure, 3. The image generator according to claim 1, wherein the other end of the protective cover means is detachably attached to the rear wall of the unit frame. 4. One of a permanent magnet and a part to be attracted to the permanent magnet is provided on the rear wall of the unit frame, and the other one is provided on the other end of the protective cover means. When the process unit is detached from the support structure, the attracted part is magnetically attracted to the permanent magnet in association with the movement of the process unit in the detachment direction,
The image generator according to claim 3, wherein the other end of the protective cover means is detachably attached to the rear wall of the unit frame. 5. Either one of the permanent magnet provided on the rear wall of the unit frame and the attracted part is also provided at the front end of the support structure, and the process unit is attached to the support structure. When the other end of the protective cover means is locked to the front end of the support structure when the protective cover means is attached to the 5. An image generator according to claim 4, which is magnetically attracted. 6. Claims 1 to 5, wherein the protective cover means includes a bellows-shaped sheet member that is expandable and contractible.
The image generator according to any of the above. 7. The image generator according to claim 6, wherein the sheet member is provided with reinforcing members at intervals in the direction of expansion and contraction. 8. Both ends of each of the reinforcing members protrude on both sides of the sheet member, while the parts defining the opening of the unit frame receive both ends of each of the reinforcing members. A pair of guide grooves are provided for guiding in the front and back direction.
An image generator according to claim 7. 9. Claim 6, wherein the front wall of the unit frame is provided with a storage chamber for accommodating the sheet member.
The image generator according to any one of items 8 to 8. 10. Claims 1 to 9, wherein the opening formed in the unit frame is a transfer opening for bringing the sheet member conveyed through the conveyance path into close contact with the surface of the movable photoreceptor supporting means. The image generator according to any of the above.